July 25, 2014

Central's Renovation continues to receive awards

In the year and a half that Central has been open since its spectacular renovation, it has garnered many architectural awards.  If you haven't made it in to see it for yourself, do come by!

2013 AIA/ALA National Library Building Award: American Institute of Architects and American Library Association -– Encouraging excellence in the architectural design and planning of libraries, this award was created to distinguish accomplishments in library architecture. Biennially, representatives from the AIA and ALA celebrate the finest examples of library design by architects licensed in the United States. (“Meticulously renovated historic spaces combine with a sensitive combination of new construction within the existing historic shell to create a marvelous set of experiences for visitors.” "The blend of old and new is simply masterful. Truly grand and fantastic—there is so much to like here." AIA/ALA Library Building Award Jury)

2013 AIA St. Louis Design Award – Merit Award, Architecture - AIA St. Louis Chapter is the voice of the architectural profession, dedicated to improving the quality of the built environment by recognizing design and construction excellence.

America’s Best Buildings of the Year (ABBY) Awards, Citation - Buildings Magazine
Architizer – International Popular Choice A+ Award for Architecture – The A+ Awards is the definitive global architectural award program with 60+ categories, submissions from more than 100 countries, 200 esteemed judges, and public voting of 150,000 from every corner of the world. St. Louis Central Library was the “Favorite” in the Library Category.
Best Renovation/Restoration Project: St. Louis Central Library - Engineering News Record (ENR)
Illumination Award of Merit, Interior Lighting - Illuminating Engineering Society
Interior Architecture, Merit Award - AIA Central States Region
Keystone Award – Associated General Contractors (AGC) of St. Louis “Craftsmanship, excellence, attention to detail and professionalism were among the characteristics judges cited in deciding the AGC’s Keystone Awards for 2013.”

Most Enhanced Award - Landmarks Association of St. Louis. “This building is both an architectural and civic treasure and it stands as a shining example of how an institution can accommodate the current and future needs of its mission while respecting and honoring its architectural legacy.” – Landmarks Association

National Preservation Honor Award - National Trust for Historic Preservation. The National Preservation Awards are bestowed on distinguished individuals, nonprofit organizations, public agencies and corporations whose skill and determination give new meaning to their communities through preservation of our architectural and cultural heritage. "While each is unique, this year's outstanding Honor Award winners all reflect the importance of protecting what is special and irreplaceable," said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "Whether it's the spectacular restoration of an iconic public library in St. Louis or the transformation of a warehouse into housing for previously homeless residents in Detroit, this year's Honor Award winners demonstrate how saving places bolsters local economies and creates jobs in communities across the country."

Public Sector Award – FX International Interior Design – The prestigious FX Awards invite United Kingdom and international design talent from all over the world to enter the very best of interior projects and products for these coveted awards, known as the highlights of the design industry.

Reconstruction Award - Building Design & Construction. The Reconstruction Awards seek to recognize the best reconstructed, renovated or remodeled projects, based on overall design, engineering and construction project quality.

More wonderful books for you to enjoy!

These great books have come in recently and are ready for checking out/requesting:


Art History / Art Theory
Andy Warhol:  The Complete Commissioned Posters  by Paul Marechal
The Afterlife of Piet Mondrian  by Nancy J. Troy
A Brush with the Real; Figurative Painting Today  by Marc Valli
Kurt Schwitters:  Space, Image, Exile  by Megan R. Luke
Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still-Life Tradition  by Michael Petry
Rene Lalique; Enchanted by Glass  by Kelley Elliott
Rome, The Golden Centuries

Architecture / Landscape Design
150 Best Sustainable House Ideas  by Francesc Zamora Mola
Allied Works Architecture:  Clyfford Still Museum
The Arts and Crafts Garden  by Sarah Rutherford
Glasshouses  by Fiona Grant
Louise Blanchard Bethune; America’s First Female Professional Architect  by Johanna Hays
New Brazilian House  by Dominic Bradbury

Design / Interior Decoration / Graphics / Fashion
Art/Fashion in the 21st Century  by Mitchell Oakley Smith
Cutting-Edge Fashion Illustration  by Erica Sharp

Crafts / Applied Arts / How-to
How to Make 100 Ribbon Embellishments  by Elaine Schmidt
Japanese Paper Crafting  by Michael G. Lafosse
1000 Beads, Kristina Logan, Juror
Ultimate Book of Decorative Knots  by Lindsey Philpott

Antiques / Collectibles
Estate Jewelry, 1760 to 1960  by Diana Sanders Cinamon
Mantiques; A Manly Guide to Cool Stuff  by Eric Bradley
Mother-of-Pearl Antiques and Collectibles  by Michael Meyer
Official Blackbook Price Guide to United States Postage Stamps, 2015 ed.


Picker’s Bible: How to Pick Antiques Like the Pros  by Joe Willard

July 3, 2014

More beautiful new books in the Visual Arts

These newly-published titles have just arrived.  Remember you can request that they be sent to an SLPL branch if you can't make it here.


Reference
Official Blackbook Price Guide to United States Coins, 2015
Official Blackbook Price Guide to United States Paper Money, 2015

Art History / Art Theory
Ai Wei Wei: Spatial Matters; Art, Architecture and Activism
Andrew Wyeth; Looking Out, Looking In  by Nancy K. Anderson
Art and the Second World War  by Monica Bohm-Duchen
Art Deco; Shaping Art & Culture, 1920-1945  by Kendall H. Brown
Frida & Diego; Passion, Politics and Painting, exhibit catalog of the Art Gallery of Ontario/High Museum
Reading Andy Warhol, exhibit catalog of the Museum Brandhorst
Vasily Kandinsky; From Blaue Reiter to the Bauhaus, 1910 – 1925, exhibit catalog of the Neue Galerie, New York
Visions from the Forests; The Art of Liberia and Sierra Leone, exhibit catalog of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Whitney Biennial, 2014
Witness: Art and Civil Rights in the Sixties, exhibit catalog of the Brooklyn Museum

Photography
Composition: From Snapshots to Great Shots , 2nd ed., by Laurie Excell
David Busch’s Nikon D5300: Guide to Digital SLR Photography

Design / Interior Decoration / Graphics / Fashion
Amish Quilts  by Janneken Smucker
Charles James: Beyond Fashion, exhibit catalog of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Inspired Home: Nests of Creatives  by Kim Ficaro
SPF Lookbook: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York, Spring 2014 Collections

Crafts / Applied Arts / How-to
How to be an Illustrator, by Darrel Rees
How to Draw Fantasy Worlds  by Steve Beaumont
Lace, Ribbons and Bows  by Ann Brownfield
101 Ways to Stitch/Craft/Create for All Occasions
The Techniques and Art of Weaving; A Basic Guide  by Marylene Brahic
Water-based Texturing  by Tucker Stouch