Buildings
Despite Political Controversy, Rogers Will Keep Javits Commission
(archrecord.construction.com - 03/13/2006)
By Alan
G. Brake
In early March, British architect Richard
Rogers' recently-released design for the expansion of the
Jacob K. Javits convention center in New York was still receiving
positive reviews. But it was quickly overshadowed by a firestorm
over the hosting of a a meeting of a group called Architects
and Planners for Justice in Palestine (APJP) in his office
on February 2. The group, which includes prominent names like
Charles Jencks, Michael Sorkin and Rogers' partner Abe Hayeem,
is considering a boycott of contractors and suppliers working
on the security wall and settlements in Israel's occupied
territories. APJP may also call for Israeli architects to
be expelled from the International Union of Architects. The
boycott would be similar to one imposed on South Africa during
Apartheid.
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Though similar boycotts, such as one
against Israeli academics, have already been initiated in
Europe, the position is seen as radical in New York. New York
Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver, following a series of articles
in the pro-Israel New York Sun, called for Rogers to be dropped
from the Javits project, and possibly from the redevelopment
of the East River riverfront and the expansion of Silvercup
Studios in Queens. In letters sent to New York Governor George
Pataki and Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) chairman
Charles Gargano, Silver underscored the late Senator Javits'
support of Israel and claimed Rogers' association with the
project "undermines the deep-rooted friendship and strong
economic partnership between New York and Israel that we have
worked so hard to foster over the years." State Comptroller
Alan Hevesi was also sharply critical of Rogers.
In a statement released to the press
on March 6, Rogers quickly dissociated himself from the group,
saying, "I am not a member of Architects and Planners
for Justice in Palestine, nor have I ever been…. I abhor
boycotts of any kind—of Israel or any other place. It
is not a way to achieve peace and I will not be party to any
group or movement that advocates a boycott."
The statement appeared to satisfy ESDC's
Gargano, who, in a statement dated March 9, told Rogers, "Now
it's time to get back to work."
Some prominent architects like Daniel
Libeskind have backed Rogers, while other such as Moshe Safdie
have expressed concern. The Anti Defamation League (ADL),
however, was satisfied with Rogers' clarification of his relationship
with APJP. "You don't protest a boycott by initiating
another boycott," says Abraham H. Foxman, National Policy
Director for the ADL. "Architects should build!"
he says, "we should move on."
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