
Architecture & Design
The hidden history of the suburbs
We might think that all suburbs are the same but a dive into the history of suburbia shows something more interesting than shopping malls and housing developments.
Air Date: August 2, 2019 10:00 am
Listen 49:04Are blue lights a solution to Philly’s opioid epidemic?
Blue lights have been popping up around Philadelphia, even in some Starbucks bathrooms. Are the lights a solution to the opioid crisis or are they making it more dangerous?
Air Date: August 1, 2019
Listen 12:16Notre Dame fire revives demand for skilled stone carvers in France
"With stone carving, we give life to an edifice and perpetuate history. We're also creating a link with the past and transmitting values that are important to conserve."
2 years ago
Two Philadelphia Art Museum sculptures are moving across town
Monumental sculptures at one of the entrances of the Philadelphia Museum of Art will be removed to make room for building renovations by Frank Gehry.
2 years ago
Listen 1:44Not over the hill: ‘Design With Nature,’ Ian McHarg’s landmark book of ecological design turns 50
The father of modern landscape design wrote the book that set the 1970s environmental movement on course.
2 years ago
UNESCO adds 8 Frank Lloyd Wright buildings to World Heritage List
The new additions to the list were announced in Baku, Azerbaijan at UNESCO's annual conference.
2 years ago
A thousand new homes are planned next to Graffiti Pier
The sprawling 1,100-unit project would include multifamily rental buildings at the western end of the site, followed by diverse array of single-family town homes
2 years ago
Demolition marks big step in fulfilling promise at Grace Baptist
Grace Baptist Church of Germantown demolished its community center to make way for a new 15,000-square-foot, energy-efficient building to provide enhanced community services.
2 years ago
Kenney: Ultra-luxury tower rising on South Broad signals success of Philly’s tax abatement
A $250 million luxury tower is rising on South Broad Street. City officials were on hand to praise the new development, which benefited from the 10-year tax abatement.
2 years ago
These Philly architects want to build a house in your alley
As architects seek ways to squeeze housing into crowded Philly neighborhoods, they are turning to what ISA principal Brian Phillips calls the “leftover lots.”
2 years ago
The Franklin Institute will transform The Train Factory room into a showcase of historic invention
For some visitors who have enjoyed the Franklin Institute as kids and now as parents, the fact that there is a train exhibit featuring a 350-ton locomotive may be a surprise.
2 years ago
This week: N.J.'s new statute of limitations on sex abuse victims, Democratic candidate for Philadelphia Mayor Anthony Williams, Reading Terminal's pedestrian-friendly plan.
Air Date: May 20, 2019 10:00 am
Listen 49:46I.M. Pei, architect who designed Louvre Pyramid, dies at 102
His designs added elegance to landscapes worldwide with their powerful geometric shapes and grand spaces.
2 years ago
Changing city: How should Philly view its historical buildings?
As Philly grows, historical preservationists worry that the city is sacrificing its built heritage for the sake of development.
Air Date: May 9, 2019 10:00 am
Listen 49:47Before congestion pricing, why Louis Kahn’s grand plan for Philly traffic failed
Philadelphia architect Louis "Lou" Kahn came up a grand design plan for cutting down on traffic congestion 60 years ago. Why wasn't it embraced?
Air Date: April 18, 2019
Listen 13:02