RBSD Celebrates 100 Year Anniversary

On Wednesday, September 17, 2008, RBSD celebrated the firm’s 100^th anniversary at Cipriani 23^rd Street. The gala event commemorated 100 years since noted Beaux Arts architect James Gamble Rogers founded the firm in 1908. RBSD joins only five other architectural firms currently headquartered in New York City to have achieved this milestone.

Current members of RBSD, including principals Mahmoud Agha, Dusan Popovic, and Bill Selan, had the chance to reconnect with former personnel, including former principals Arthur Blume, Hussein Shahine, Bernard Deschler, and J. Armand Burgun. Approximately 200 people attended the event, including dignitaries such as Hussein Mubarak, Consul General of Egypt in New York; Maged Abdelaziz, Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Egypt to the U.S.; Nassir Abdul Aziz Nassir, Ambassador of Qatar to the United Nations; and Nebojsa Kaludjerovic, Ambassador of Montenegro to the United Nations.

The evening celebrated the firm’s projects and people of the past century. Images of the firm’s projects (from a video developed by Poulin + Morris) were projected onto a large screen, showing the depth of the firm’s work, ranging from early projects such as landmarks on the Yale University campus, to modern facilities such as Kings County Hospital Center’s New Behavioral Health Center, Jersey City Medical Center’s New Wilzig Hospital, as well as luxury private residences and corporate facilities.

Emcee Natalia Noguluch hosted the evening’s program and introduced the various speakers. Principals Mahmoud Agha and Bill Selan each addressed the crowd, greeting guests and touching upon RBSD’s past, present and future. Former principal J. Armand Burgun, Chairman Emeritus of the AIA Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities, was also kind enough to step up and say a few words. During the program, RBSD’s long-time staff members (30+ years) were presented with gifts of appreciation for their decades of service. The keynote address was given by Peter McCleary, esteemed professor of architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and former advisor to both RBSD’s Principal Mahmoud Agha (in the 1970s), and Senior Designer Mohamad Alkhayer (in 2008).

Once the program was over, the Hank Lane Orchestra resumed providing musical entertainment, and RBSD’s own Sandra Graham stepped up to the stage to treat the crowd to a song.  “It was great to see faces from the past, as well as current clients and colleagues” said Dusan Popovic of the evening. “I’m proud to be at RBSD right now and to continue the firm’s legacy as we move further into the 21^st Century.”