Architects Heritage Ball to be held Oct. 30 at Chelsea Piers

The 2008 Heritage Ball chaired by Aby J. Rosen will be held on October 30 at Chelsea Piers. The ball draws over 1,200 people from the design and construction industry in a black tie event that honors individuals or organizations in the areas of public service, the development community, government, and architecture that have made significant contributions to advancing design and the quality of life in New York City and elsewhere. This year the award recipients have been invited to make public presentations of their work in celebration of Architecture Week leading up to the Heritage Ball. You are invited to celebrate their achievements with us at the Center for Architecture and at the Heritage Ball on October 30. The Robin Hood Foundation 2008 Center for Architecture Foundation Award Recipient: The Center for Architecture, Friday October 24, 5:30 - 8 p.m. The Robin Hood Foundation will receive the Center for Architecture Foundation Award for its contribution to expanding educational opportunities in New York City public schools. In 2007, donor generosity helped Robin Hood invest $138 million in 230 grants and initiatives. On October 24, Henry Myerberg, AIA, moderated a presentation and discussion of ongoing progress of the Robin Hood L!brary initiative to reinvent libraries for NYC's public elementary schools. The L!brary initiative has so far built over fifty new libraries designed by prominent New York City architects within older public schools in the five boroughs. MaryAnne Gilmartin 2008 AIA New York Chapter Award Recipient: The Center for Architecture, Monday, October 27, 5:30 - 8 p.m. MaryAnne Gilmartin, executive vice president, director of commercial and residential development for Forest City Ratner Companies, will receive the AIA New York Award in recognition of her contributions to the revitalization of New York City. She spoke about Beekman Tower currently under construction in Lower Manhattan. Designed by Frank Gehry, Beekman Tower will be the tallest residential building in the City upon completion in 2012. Commissioner Shaun Donovan, Hon. AIA 2008 Center for Architecture Award Recipient: The Center for Architecture, Tuesday, October 28, 5:30 - 8 p.m. Commissioner Donovan, Hon. AIA, will receive the Center for Architecture Award at the 2008 Heritage Ball on October 30 in recognition of his leadership in building affordable and sustainable communities in New York City. Shaun Donovan is the commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the largest municipal developer of affordable housing in the nation. He will discuss the progress of sustainable, affordable housing in New York City: what is happening now, and what to expect in the near future. Studio Daniel Libeskind 2008 President's Award Recipient: The Center for Architecture, Wednesday, October 29, 5:30 - 8 p.m. Studio Libeskind will receive the President's Award at this year's Heritage Ball on October 30th in recognition of its significant contributions to the design of major international cultural buildings and urban projects. Daniel and Nina Libeskind will share their vision on the development and importance of design across the globe. Daniel will speak about the way he imagines buildings and urban projects to be crafted with perceptible human energy, so that they speak to the larger cultural community in which they are built, and expand the horizons of architecture and urbanism. To read more about Heritage Ball and the award recipients, visit the AIA New York website http://aiany.org/heritageball/ The programs by the award recipients will be held at: The Center for Architecture, Tafel Hall, 536 LaGuardia Place, New York, N.Y. James McCullar, FAIA is the 2008 president of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, New York, N.Y.