Annum Architects (Formerly Ann Beha Architects)

We are thrilled to announce that at this year's Docomomo International Conference on December 11, 2024 from 15:30 to 17:30 CLST at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urban Studies. OBO's Fred Poehler and Jorge Salcedo will host a session on the intersection of diplomacy and stewardship featuring SmithGroup, Annum Architects (Formerly Ann Beha Architects), and Krueck Sexton Partners. The deep dive discussion will explore what defines a modernist resource and how varied preservation, renewal, and rehabilitation approaches contribute to achieving stewardship objectives. From an owner's perspective, the session will raise important questions about how OBO's mission and goals shape planning decisions and examine the feedback loop between projects and industry standards. From a diplomat's viewpoint, panelists will explore the profound impact of cultural resources and how their stewardship strengthens international relations. From an architect's standpoint, the session will spark a dialogue about the responsibility of shaping the future of existing modernist buildings, delving into the delicate balance between forward-looking programming and performance considerations while preserving the historic architectural fabric. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion that brings together diverse perspectives on stewardship, diplomacy, and the future of modernist architecture! Looking forward to engaging with experts from around the globe.  #DocomomoInternationalConference2024 #StewardshipAndDiplomacy #BuildingDiplomacy #CulturalHeritage #CulturalPreservation #ModernistArchitecture #OBO #BuildingTheFuturePreservingThePast #CulturalStewardship U.S. Department of State

“It’s a terra-cotta precinct,” says architect Josh Aisenberg. For sheer concision, the two-word description of the rough, ruddy campus architecture of the University of Pennsylvania seems right on the money—and it should be, given the source. Aisenberg, a senior associate at Boston-based Annum Architects (Formerly Ann Beha Architects), heard the phrase, by way of a third party, from no less an authority than Amy Gutmann, Penn’s longest-serving president and a supporter of Annum’s new project at Penn when it first got underway some six years ago.⁠ ⁠ Now complete, Annum’s renovation and expansion of the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (GSE) adds yet another paean to red earthenware to West Philadelphia. Connecting a pair of 1960s buildings at the southwest corner of Walnut and 37th Streets, the new volume provides additional classroom space, enhanced accessibility, and a degree of visual consistency to the school, which had formerly been spread out across multiple sites. Annum president and principal Philip Chen quotes another Penn administrator—the GSE’s own dean, Pam Grossman—when he says the objective was to create “one GSE,” forging a distinct architectural identity for a program that had long lacked it.⁠ ⁠ Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g_y-qNJ3 ⁠ Words by Ian Volner⁠ Photos © Chuck Choi⁠

“It’s a terra-cotta precinct,” says architect Josh Aisenberg. For sheer concision, the two-word description of the rough, ruddy campus architecture of the University of Pennsylvania seems right on the money—and it should be, given the source. Aisenberg, a senior associate at Boston-based Annum Architects (Formerly Ann Beha Architects), heard the phrase, by way of a third party, from no less an authority than Amy Gutmann, Penn’s longest-serving president and a supporter of Annum’s new project at Penn when it first got underway some six years ago.⁠ ⁠ Now complete, Annum’s renovation and expansion of the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (GSE) adds yet another paean to red earthenware to West Philadelphia. Connecting a pair of 1960s buildings at the southwest corner of Walnut and 37th Streets, the new volume provides additional classroom space, enhanced accessibility, and a degree of visual consistency to the school, which had formerly been spread out across multiple sites. Annum president and principal Philip Chen quotes another Penn administrator—the GSE’s own dean, Pam Grossman—when he says the objective was to create “one GSE,” forging a distinct architectural identity for a program that had long lacked it.⁠ ⁠ Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g_y-qNJ3 ⁠ Words by Ian Volner⁠ Photos © Chuck Choi⁠

“It’s a terra-cotta precinct,” says architect Josh Aisenberg. For sheer concision, the two-word description of the rough, ruddy campus architecture of the University of Pennsylvania seems right on the money—and it should be, given the source. Aisenberg, a senior associate at Boston-based Annum Architects (Formerly Ann Beha Architects), heard the phrase, by way of a third party, from no less an authority than Amy Gutmann, Penn’s longest-serving president and a supporter of Annum’s new project at Penn when it first got underway some six years ago.⁠ ⁠ Now complete, Annum’s renovation and expansion of the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (GSE) adds yet another paean to red earthenware to West Philadelphia. Connecting a pair of 1960s buildings at the southwest corner of Walnut and 37th Streets, the new volume provides additional classroom space, enhanced accessibility, and a degree of visual consistency to the school, which had formerly been spread out across multiple sites. Annum president and principal Philip Chen quotes another Penn administrator—the GSE’s own dean, Pam Grossman—when he says the objective was to create “one GSE,” forging a distinct architectural identity for a program that had long lacked it.⁠ ⁠ Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g_y-qNJ3 ⁠ Words by Ian Volner⁠ Photos © Chuck Choi⁠

The EcoTarium held a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday for its new 8,320 square foot Stoddard Exhibition Hall! The Stoddard Exhibition Hall will host the museum’s first large-scale national exhibit in early 2026, The Secret World of Elephants, developed by the American Museum of Natural History in New York. This exhibit will offer Central New England residents access to major science and nature exhibitions for the first time in the museum’s 200-year history. Very happy to be part of this amazing team and to witness this incredible milestone for the museum, right here in Worcester!

Exciting things are on the horizon for modern art at the MFA! We're thrilled to announce a major renovation project that will create four new galleries dedicated to the MFA's collection of 20th-century art 🤩 A gallery highlighting 20th-century sculpture is expected to open in late spring of 2025, followed by three additional galleries in the fall of 2025. We're incredibly grateful to the Wyss Foundation, whose $25 million gift supports not only the galleries, but also two new staff positions for a curator and a conservator. Read more: http://ms.spr.ly/6041mL3VS 🖼️: Stuart Davis (American, 1892–1964), "Eye Level" (1951–54), oil on canvas 🖼️: Simone Leigh (American, born in 1967), "No Face (Pannier)" (2018), terracotta, graphite, salt‑fired porcelain, steel, raffia © 2018 Simone Leigh 🖼️: Isamu Noguchi (American, 1904–1988); "Study in the Classical," (1958), marble and wood © The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum