Already underway, Lincoln Center's 65th Street redesign projectwill establish a new translucent pedestrian gateway to the 16-acrecultural complex, which is home to 12 performing-arts organizationsthat welcome, educate, employ and entertain millions of peopleevery year.

Originally built in the High Modern style so popular in themid-20th century, the complex drew several world-famous architectsof the time who designed several of the center's travertine marblebuildings. The designers included Max Abramovitz of Harrison &Abramovitz; Philip Johnson of Philip Johnson Associates; GordonBunshaft of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; and Pietro Belluschi,with associate architects Helge Westermann and EduardoCatalano.

"The architects that participated in the original design wereused to making the highest abstract modern work," says CharlesRenfro, partner, Diller Scofidio + Renfro. "That is bestrepresented in several buildings of the UN headquarters, whereseveral of these architects had been involved. With this complex,there was a challenge to evoke the classical symmetry that culturalinstitutions tend to hang their cultural identities on."Todayanother world-class architectural team led by Diller Scofidio +Renfro in collaboration with FoxFowle Architects PC has undertakenthe task of honoring and building upon the center's architectural,cultural and economic significance.