James Stirling

Sweet Revenge: Prince Charles once attacked one of James Stirling's buildings as looking like a 1930s radio. But the British architect, who designed the new science library at UC Irvine, can feel vindicated. Last month he won one of the world's richest art prizes, the Praemium Imperiale Prize for architecture. The prize, given by the Japanese, carries an award of $170,000.

Sweet Revenge: Prince Charles once attacked one of James Stirling's buildings as looking like a 1930s radio. But the British architect, who designed the new science library at UC Irvine, can feel vindicated. Last month he won one of the world's richest art prizes, the Praemium Imperiale Prize for architecture. The prize, given by the Japanese, carries an award of $170,000.

Design models by four international architects--one of whom will be named to build the new Walt Disney Concert Hall on Bunker Hill--were unveiled Wednesday. "What we're after here is a concert hall that is a work of art," said Richard Koshalek, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art and chairman of the building's architectural subcommittee. The four finalists are Gottfried Bohm of Cologne, West Germany; Frank O. Gehry, of Los Angeles; Hans Hollein of Vienna; and James Stirling of London.

Design models by four international architects--one of whom will be named to build the new Walt Disney Concert Hall on Bunker Hill--were unveiled Wednesday. "What we're after here is a concert hall that is a work of art," said Richard Koshalek, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art and chairman of the building's architectural subcommittee. The four finalists are Gottfried Bohm of Cologne, West Germany; Frank O. Gehry, of Los Angeles; Hans Hollein of Vienna; and James Stirling of London.

With the federal government's announced intent to sue gun makers and tobacco manufacturers, I think I finally understand this reinventing-government thing. JAMES STIRLING Escondido

Bernstein, Fellini Honored: Conductor Leonard Bernstein and Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini were among artists who received $100,000 each Thursday with their Praemium Imperiale awards, an international prize awarded by the Japan Art Assn. for lifetime achievement in the arts. Other winners were Italian sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro, Spanish painter Antoni Tapies and Scottish architect James Stirling.

Lenny's Legacy: Leonard Bernstein decided two weeks before he died to use a $100,000 arts award he had won to further musical education, the prize sponsor said Monday. Bernstein, who died Oct. 14, will be honored posthumously with a Praemium Imperiale award today in Tokyo. The other winners are director Federico Fellini, architect James Stirling, sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro and painter Antoni Tapies. The maestro's prize money will be used to establish the Bernstein Education Through the Arts

Architects Marc M. Angelil, Lars Lerup, Mark Mack, Thom Mayne and Stanley Saitowitz will show their design submissions for the Berlin (West Germany) Library competition at 8 p.m. Thursday in Room 39 of Haines Hall at UCLA. The free public event replaces the previously scheduled lecture by James Stirling, and is presented under the auspices of the Harvey S. Perloff Chair in the UCLA Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning.

Leonard Bernstein decided two weeks before he died to use a $100,000 arts award he had won to further musical education, the prize sponsor said today. Bernstein, who died Oct. 14, will be honored posthumously with a Praemium Imperiale award on Tuesday in Tokyo. The other winners are director Federico Fellini, architect James Stirling, sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro and painter Antoni Tapies.

Re "The Correct Rx to Target Malpractice," Commentary, March 15: In his highly flawed column, William B. Schwartz concedes limiting lawsuits "may help keep premiums low." He then goes on to inform us that should malpractice lawsuits be permitted against HMOs, a result of higher premiums resulting from a flood of lawsuits is "highly improbable." The basis of his entire argument rests on the assumption that only valid lawsuits will be filed because attorneys will not file lawsuits that are not winnable.

Letter writer B. Meredith Burke would like us to believe that continuance of the current immigration rate is a "frightening prospect" (Jan. 16). This is based on the assertion that the current U.S. population is nearly double the "maximum sustainable carrying capacity level estimated by ecologists." I'm curious how Burke and these ecologists square this with the reality that the air and water are much cleaner than they were 30 years ago, food and other resources are as plentiful as they have ever been and our quality of life is second to none.

Re "Retirement Plans: a Wider Field," editorial, July 21: Voluntary contributions to 401(k) plans and traditional IRAs are tax deferments with the lost revenue of today being made back in spades when distributions are made in one's retirement years. These tax deferments are a great hedge for the government against the inevitable bust that the retirement of the baby boomers will create. As for those living from paycheck to paycheck being left out of the House bill [raising contribution limits]