Perkins&Will and AIA devise a how-to plan to diversify architecture firms, Amazon reveals plans for spiraling glass tower at its HQ2, and the urge to travel is impacting Americans’ vaccination plans. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
Amazon unveils futuristic new headquarters tower
A rendering of Amazon HQ2 in Arlington, Virginia; courtesy of NBBJ
Global multidisciplinary firm NBBJ has envisioned a spiraling 22-story glass tower as part of the forthcoming Amazon HQ2 campus in Arlington, Virginia. Dubbed the Helix, the futuristic design will include two tree- and plant-filled outdoor walking paths that spiral up the outside of the building in order to promote healthy work, reports Dezeen. The structure, which NBBJ is hoping to break ground on next year, will also include indoor gardens and a 1,500-person meeting center, and will host an artist-in-residence program. In addition to the Helix, Amazon’s new headquarters will comprise two more office buildings totaling 2.8 million square feet.
Monthlong virtual exhibition delves into Black history in America
Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the author of the “Negro History Bulletin,” which was started in 1937; photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Popular newsletter and podcast platform Anti-Racism Daily is producing 28 Days of Black History, a virtual exhibition of 28 works that celebrate Black legacy in the U.S. The monthlong series, curated by Camille Bethune-Brown and Shanaé Burch, is delivered via email each evening and highlights art, literature, and artifacts that honor the Black experience through historical context and thoughtful questions for reflection or group discussion. The first few days of February explored the book A Collage Series on the Tuskegee Syphilis Study by Obiora N. Anekwe, the 1916 play Rachel written by Angelina Weld Grimké, and the “Negro History Bulletin,” a monthly printed newsletter by Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Sign up for the newsletter now.
Desire to travel is influencing Americans to get vaccinated
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
Nearly half of Americans (49.2 percent) say travel is impacting their decision to take the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a new survey conducted by the Points Guy and YouGov. More specifically, over a quarter of the participants (26.5 percent) reported that travel had a major impact on their choice to get vaccinated, while 22.7 percent said travel had a minor impact on their vaccination plans. The study collected data from approximately 1,300 adults in the U.S. over the course of two days in late January. As for types of travel, road trips will continue to be preferred, but the survey found that 27 percent of Americans would likely book a domestic flight after receiving the vaccine and 14 percent of Americans said they would likely take an international flight afterward—up from 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively, during the summer.
Biden includes restaurant relief in $1.9 trillion package
Soothr, a Thai restaurant in New York City; photo by edenpictures/Flickr
President Biden’s hefty COVID-19 relief bill includes a $25 billion grant program for the country’s hard-hit restaurant industry, according to the New York Post. Although the bill has not yet been signed into law, the proposed program would allow F&B businesses to file for grants of up to $10 million in order to make for lost revenue in 2020, and a large portion of the grant is expected to go to New York City’s struggling restaurants. The provision would be available to bars, foodcarts, wineries, and more, however it would exclude establishments that are a part of a chain or franchise.
Perkins&Will and AIA outline strategies to increase diversity in architecture
A rendering of the Perkins&Will-designed Destination Crenshaw, which celebrates Black LA
Global practice Perkins&Will and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) have released a framework for U.S. architecture firms to create and implement comprehensive diversity programs. A white paper—penned by Perkins&Will global diversity director Gabrielle Bullock and principal Bill Schmalz—outlining seven key steps was released in tandem with the announcement. “Human society is complex, multicolored, and multicultural,” says Bullock. “Architecture firms must reflect this truism, authentically, in everything they do. Not only does their future success depend on it; the future health and wellbeing of entire generations depend on it, too.” To find out more and read the guide in its entirety, click here.
