Book and Event of the Moment

Attending a "conversation" earlier tonight with Michael Sorkin and Bernd Zimmerman, I not only heard a good deal of fodder for forthcoming posts on this page but learned about a couple things of immediate interest.

First is the recent publication of Sorkin's latest book, Indefensible Space: The Architecture of the National Insecurity State, with essays examining "how [the] anxiety-laden mindset erodes spaces both architectural and personal, encroaching on all aspects of everyday life." Unfortunately, I have to agree with Sorkin's comment tonight that the cover is just terrible.



Second is New York 2030: New York's Green Future, a public discussion among the authors of Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC and a panel of urban design experts. That event takes place at Cooper Union's Great Hall on Saturday, November 17 from 10:30am-4pm. And it's free.

Here's the lowdown on that event:

10.30AM WELCOME
Olympia Kazi, Executive Director, Institute for Urban Design
Fredric Bell, Executive Director of American Institute of Architects New York Chapter
Rohit T. Aggarwala, Director, Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability for New York City

11.00AM–1:00PM PLANYC PRESENTATION
Opening remarks: Adrian Benepe, Commissioner, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
Moderator: Alexandros Washburn, Director of Urban Design, New York City Department of Planning

Sandy Hornick, Deputy Executive Director for Strategic Planning, New York City Department of Planning
Thomas Maguire, Director of Congestion Pricing, New York City Department of Transportation
Charles Mc Kinney, Chief of Design of Capital Projects for New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
James J. Roberts, Deputy Commissioner New York City Department of Environmental Protection

02:00 PM - 4.00PM RESPONSES
Opening remarks: Adolfo Carrión, Bronx Borough President
Moderator: Michael Sorkin, Director, Graduate Urban Design Program at the City College of New York

Tom Angotti, Professor of Urban Affairs and Planning, Hunter College, CUNY
Miquela Craytor, Deputy Director, Sustainable South Bronx
Ernest Hutton, Co-chair of New York New Visions
Richard Sennett, Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and Bemis Professor of Social Sciences at MIT
Ronald Shiffman, Director Emeritus of Pratt Institute Center for Community and Environmental Development
Paul Steely White, Executive Director, Transportation Alternatives
Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director United Puerto Rican Organization of Sunset Park