Published September 2, 2004, in issue 0335 of the Hook

As a local architect, I appreciate the attention the Hook gives to local construction and real estate development, especially when such attention results in a cover story [August 19: "Boomtown Flats: Downtown's Building Frenzy"]. Yet, I'm continually amazed at how often general media coverage of architecture overlooks the actual architects.

This tendency is frustrating in any publication, but in a newspaper serving a city with an unusually large number of architects per capita (that is, a noticeable percentage of your readership), it's especially perplexing.

The feature article highlights several prominent projects, but the only architect mentioned isn't even local (San Franciscan Mark Hornberger, who's designing The Landmark for developer Lee Danielson). Even more troubling is the fact that architects' documents are published without credit: for example, scale models of the Transit Center and the new Amphitheater, as well as a rendering of the Holsinger.

I happen to know that the Holsinger is being done by the very talented local firm Formwork, and they deserve credit for their design. However, for the Hook to publish illustrations without citing the author is just sloppy journalism. I doubt you would print an image of a painting without mentioning the artist. You credit your own photographers-- why not architects?

Lance Hosey, AIA
Charlottesville

#

>> Back to The HooK front page