25,000 hits! From Intl Biz Times writer Roland Li: "An A-list quartet of architecture critics discussed their craft on Monday night at the AIANY’s Center for Architecture in Manhattan, arguing for the vitality of buildings in modern life and the impact of criticism in a changing world. Although tops in their field, the critics – Paul Goldberger of the New Yorker, Justin Davidson of New York magazine, Cathleen McGuigan of Architectural Record and James Russell of Bloomberg -- all feel the pressure of the new reality. "Julie Iovine, executive editor of the Architect’s Newspaper and moderator of the panel, spoke of a 'sea change,' the move away from starchitects to a focus on affordability, sustainability and context. Michael Kimmelman, the Times’ current architecture critic, has heralded the split, 'repoliticizing' his beat by writing about housing projects, urban planning and the street level. He has avoided, perhaps consciously, the singular building, instead seeking to encapsulate a neighborhood.
"And it is the consideration of the political, social and economic factors, the forces behind the art, that truly distinguishes the great critics. 'If you don’t engage social issues, it’s just about comparing shapes,' said Goldberger." Full article here.