Happy Monday! We begin another week with some architecture and design news you may have missed, from the U.S. Department of State doing away with Times New Roman to the renovation of San Francisco’s Ferry Building, here is what you need to know today.
Colorado’s LGBT+ Club Q will reopen this year
After a November mass shooting, the Colorado LGBT+ nightclub Club Q has announced it plans to reopen later this year following a redesign and renovation.
The Colorado Springs venue has been closed since November 19, 2022, when a gunman opened fire on patrons, killing five and injuring 17. Club Q’s executive board and owner have partnered with P + A Architecture to lead the project. The goal of the renovation is to honor those who were murdered and retain the essence of the pre-tragedy Club Q.
“Repairing the club as it is right now wouldn’t take too much work done, and it would be open a lot quicker if we opened it as it is today and was that night,” Michael Anderson, a Club Q board member, told KDVR. “But we know we have one chance to do this right and do it respectfully and with integrity and with honor for those we lost. So, that’s what’s going to take the longest here, is to make sure every step of this process is done the right way.” (Anderson was tending bar the night of the shooting.)
There will be a memorial in the parking lot as well as new design features and club policies that enhance security. The club also said it plans to receive design input from victims’ families.
U.S. Department of State to change its default font to Calibri
An email sent out by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this month had a subject line that read “The Times (New Roman) are a-Changing” announcing that the U.S. Department of State has plans to retire its current default font Times New Roman and replace it with Calibri. The news was shared by Washington Post reporter John Hudson on Twitter:
big news for font freaks: Times New Roman is being phased out at the State Department & replaced by Calibri. Secretary Blinken sent a cable to all embassies today directing staff not to send him any more papers with Times New Roman. Subject: “The Times (New Roman) are a-Changin” pic.twitter.com/HENLbRH3UQ
— John Hudson (@John_Hudson) January 17, 2023
The change does indicate a move toward changing times, as Times New Roman, created in 1931, came at a time when newspapers reigned supreme. (It has been subsequently adapted to screens and digital publications.) Calibri, a sans serif font released in 2007, was chosen for its screen legibility and accessibility. The font has a larger character set than its predecessor which means it can be used for content published in other languages. According to emails obtained by Washington Post, the change came at the recommendation of the Secretary’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Since 2007, Calbiri was Microsoft’s default typeface, but the company announced in 2021 it had plans to demote the font.
As for the State Department, the switch to Calibri will happen on February 6 across correspondence from its domestic offices, bureaus, and overseas posts.
Beaux-Arts style San Francisco Ferry Building to undergo renovation and expansion
San Francisco has announced its Ferry Building overlooking the Bay will undergo a major renovation that will add a civic plaza as well as several new restaurant and retail locations.
The Beaux-Arts style structure designed by architect A. Page Brown was completed in 1898; today it is prominent fixture on The Embarcadero. In addition to serving as a a hub for departing and arriving ferries, it is also a food hall and office building.
Under the latest renovation scheme, the Ferry Plaza, located at the back of the building, will be revamped with a new pedestrian walkway, new lighting, outdoor seating, and retail kiosks. At the north end of the building a glass extension will create more space for food and retail while offering improved views of the waterfront. Page & Turnbull will take the lead on the latest project; the firm worked on a prior renovation at the site in 2003.
The planned work follows another project at the site that began in 2019 and focuses on the building’s exterior. Architecture Resources Group will repaint the facade “Ferry Building Gray,” a hue similar to the Colusa sandstone with which the building was constructed.
Renovations are expected to take place over the course of two years, with work on the first phase beginning later this year. The Ferry Building Marketplace will remain open during construction.
Gene Kohn is first architect to be named Urban Land Institute Life Trustee
Architect A. Eugene (Gene) Kohn, of Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), has been elected an Urban Land Institute Life Trustee, the first architect to receive the honor. Life Trustees are chosen by the ULI Global Governing Trustees in recognition of their commitment to the ULI, a nonprofit education and research entity serving the built environment in communities across the world.
“Throughout my professional career, ULI’s values have served as a guiding principle,” Kohn shared in a press release. “ULI has tremendous reach throughout the architectural community and has catalyzed positive change across the globe. After four decades as a member of ULI, I’m deeply grateful to be named a Life Trustee.”
Kohn has been a member of the ULI since 1982. During this time, he served as jury member and chair for a number of ULI competitions. He is also a ULI Foundation Governor and has continuously donated to the ULI Foundation. KPF is giving $1 million to endow the annual A. Eugene Kohn/KPF Fellowship at the ULI Randall Lewis Center for Sustainability in Real Estate, with funds going towards research on low-carbon design, among other initiatives.
“Gene’s enormous accomplishments and unique capacity for leadership put him in a league of his own,” said Owen Thomas, CEO of BXP and past Global Chair of ULI. “With work in sectors from commercial and residential to education and research in hospitality and transportation, his contributions across the built environment consistently achieve the ambitious goals undergirding ULI’s mission. We’re proud to award him this honor and look forward to the continued inspiration he will provide for our members.”
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