Vishaan Chakrabarti of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism | Rockand Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland | Bonus Replay: Improving the Work of a Legend | Part 1
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Improving the Work of a Legend
Four years ago, we sat down with architect and urbanist Vishaan Chakrabarti to explore his vision for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame expansion in Cleveland—then still on the drawing board. Today, that project is under construction, reshaping Cleveland’s lakefront with a bold new cultural landmark. As cranes rise and the tower takes form, our conversation with Vishaan feels more timely than ever: it’s a front-row seat to how great design can catalyze civic life and spur economic vitality.
Vishaan Chakrabarti is a licensed architect and the founder of the Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU). His professional portfolio is diverse, expanding from creating a master plan for the surrounding area of Michigan Central Station in Detroit to creating a social housing neighborhood in East New York. In this conversation, we focus on how PAU is seamlessly iterating on the legendary I.M. Pei’s design and Vishaan’s broader vision for creating sustainable and equitable designs that result in accessible spaces.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is located on Lake Erie and has been an essential driver for the local economy. It was no surprise that after securing a plot of land that the institution would immediately start looking towards expansion and renovation. From all across the world, 25 leading architects submitted their proposals and eventually, eight were shortlisted. Vishaan’s firm was selected as the winning design: a 50,000-square-foot triangular building made of steel, crafting a careful balance of the cutting-edge and the conservative.
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“We felt very strongly that the building should be an addition that attaches itself to the Pei building, and like rock itself is both irreverent and reverent. It had to not just kowtow to the Pei building, but also understand you are adding to an I.M. Pei building.”
Courtesy of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism
About Vishaan Chakrabarti
Vishaan Chakrabarti is an architect, planner, and author with over 30 years of experience shaping cities through both design and policy. He is the Founder and Creative Director of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), and currently serves as the Thomas J. Baird Visiting Critic in Architecture at Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning.
Previously, he was Principal at SHoP Architects and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM); President of the Moynihan Station Venture at the Related Companies; and Director of the Manhattan Office of the New York Department of City Planning under Mayor Bloomberg. He also served as Dean of the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley and taught for over a decade at Columbia GSAPP.
Vishaan is the author of two books, The Architecture of Urbanity and A Country of Cities, and is a frequent contributor to the NYTimes. He has degrees in architecture, urban planning, art history, and engineering.
Courtesy of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism
Episode Timestamps
(02:03) Vishaan's unconventional path to architecture through engineering and art history at Cornell
(11:47) "A Country of Cities" manifesto and stumbling into the culture war around urbanism
(14:49) The design problem with density in transit-oriented development
(22:36) Advice for mayors on the three pillars of "jobs, justice, and joy"
(31:42) First impressions of Cleveland while working across the Rust Belt
(34:24) The cultural significance of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
(36:38) Understanding I.M. Pei's iconic Rock Hall building and its challenges
(37:55) Winning the competition by creating an addition that expands on the Pei building
Connect with Vishaan Chakrabarti:
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About your host:
Atif Qadir is a licensed architect and entrepreneur, interested in solving big problems through innovation and technology. He has founded two proptech companies and a real estate development firm, building products ranging from software to workforce housing.
His work has been covered by Technology Review, The Real Deal, Commercial Observer, and Propmodo. He’s also a frequent speaker on the future of buildings and cities on popular industry podcasts and at conferences, including this past year at the Commercial Observer National DEI Conference, Yale AREA Conference, Columbia Real Estate Symposium, Open Data Week NYC and Austin Design Week.
About Michael Graves
The world-famous design firm Michael Graves is also a founding sponsor of American Building. Its namesake, the iconoclastic designer Michael Graves, FAIA was a fierce advocate for people-centric design. His work defines a generation of American architecture and includes the Portland Building, the Humana Building and the Denver Public Library. The 1st season of American Building was filmed live at The Warehouse, his historic home in Princeton, New Jersey:
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