PRESERVATION CORNER
Endangered Public Art and Landscapes Endangered Architecture
Richard Neutra’s
Cyclorama Center
Still Threatened with
Demolition
Designed by internationally
renowned modernist architect
Richard Neutra, the 1961 Cyclorama
Center at Gettysburg National Military
Park is threatened with demolition
by the National Park Service, which
intends to replace it with a new
visitor center. The Cyclorama Center
Photo by Marisol Diaz.
is a rare example of Neutra’s civic
Hato Rey’s Once Lush El Monte
architecture on the East Coast. The
Ignored in Puerto Rico Recent Past Preservation Network is
During the urban renewal efforts following World
fighting to preserve the Cyclorama
War II, Hato Rey’s multi-family apartment complex, El
either in its present location or on a
Monte (The Knoll) established a new housing paradigm
new site. For more, see “Bulldozing
in Puerto Rico. The apartment complex provided a
a Masterpiece: Richard Neutra’s
continuum between the public and private realms and
Modernist Gettysburg Memorial” by
explored the use of tropical flora, spearheading the
Christine Madrid French in Modernism
development of a Caribbean modernism. The gardens
Vol. 8, No. 2. To help and to
and landscape at El Monte, designed by Hideo Sasaki
keep abreast of ongoing develop-
and Hunter Randolph, have received scant attention,
ments, visit Christine’s website,
with overgrown vegetation, limited maintenance and
www.mission66.com/cyclorama,
fencing that obscures vistas. In addition, myriad good
as well as www.recentpast.org.
intentions for “beautifying” the gardens have gone A “sky-bridge” with transluscent-panel
undocumented, jeopardizing its legacy. For more
balustrades leads from the Cyclorama
information, visit www.tclf.org.
Gallery ramp to the second floor lobby.
y Bingen.
tesy of Mar
Cour
Photograph by Boris Starosta, 2003.