Support for n.p.r. Comes from n.p.r. Stations other contributors include the Joyce Foundation committed to advancing racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in the Great Lakes region learn more at Joyce f.d.m. Dot org and the ne Casey Foundation. Welcome back to Crossfire and strong. Contacts. In the Bay Area. Tall buildings versus the big one Who do you think is going to win. San Francisco recently completed a 1st of its kind to figure out. The tall building safety strategy and it makes 16 key recommendations that could improve the city's readiness major earth. Group and it's into that. It's a San Francisco nonprofit that tries to demystify city planning recently hosted a talk about the new study. Swing in went to see what he could learn. In San Francisco's financial district tall buildings tower over you like a super sized chunk of sat well they'd be safe during an earthquake the short answer yes but there's a problem. Use a bore they going to be afterwards apparently not very. That's David Mark he's a structural engineer who focuses on seismic and sustainable design. That's how the current building code sets it up instead of a building collapsing onto you during an earthquake it basically claps onto itself in strategic places. Same thing with a wrecked the building it gets all deformed and bent out of shape when it gets kind of stuck like that. For the city that's a problem. That's ice or her talks she's a structural engineer who is part of the team that wrote up the tall building safety strategy. San Francisco already has $156.00 buildings classified as tall by the way a tall building is about the height of a full grown so quiet tree according to the study. If the big one strikes tomorrow a lot of these 156 buildings will become on usable. The city doesn't require them to be structurally sustainable they just have to meet the safety code. When it comes to designing buildings that won't collapse it's all about redistributing the forces that travel through them during an earthquake a common practice is to use shear walls and cross braces imagine 2 walls connected by a pair of diagonal beams that create an x. That acts reinforces the strength of the 2 walls by sharing the load of an earthquake it's great for safety but not so great for building sustainability. That's David Margan. Here's some are would design them better he wants to add what's called post tension cables basically they're like giant rubber bands built into the cross braces they put a lot less stress on the joints between the braces in the walls. What about buildings that already exist well you have to retrofit them and that's a hard sell for building owners because it isn't exactly cheap but Mar thinks is just about sharing the right information. They'll keep you safe in most earthquakes sure but then they're trashed. This all comes at a time when San Francisco skyline continues to be redrawn at the moment there are 14 tall buildings recently completed are still under construction. San Francisco Maryland and Brita wants the next batch of tall buildings to be better she's begun putting some of these new sustainability designs into the building code and she wants to create a disaster recovery task force to help the city get back to normal as quickly as possible but don't worry when there is an earthquake it seems pretty clear that these towering Janko sets won't come tumbling down in San Francisco Michael Ochs when for crosscurrents. Michael reported that story as part of our summer journalism training program. You're listening to cross currents from calle News I'm head. Architecture has the power to transform a building can make us feel joy or sadness we can feel powerful or weak because of a building and nowhere is this more true than in a church a chapel synagogue Buddhist temple or a mosque for centuries religion has sparked the design of some of the world's most beautiful buildings but what is that process what built elements make a space sacred Kaleb use Angela Johnston brings us the story of the design of a sacred space in Marin County. Architect Susie Colliver says experiencing the design of a sacred space begins way before you even step foot in a building so we're in the parking lot of. That's a synagogue and temper on we're surrounded by eucalyptus trees and grassy hills in the distance the building is actually nowhere in sight there's a twisting set of concrete stairs ahead of us they wind around the trees taking you 40 feet up the hill you leave the parking lot behind you leave the every day leave the secular behind as you climb slowly it's a very gentle rise of stairs. We walk up the stairs Culliver points out the concrete landings they are imprinted with leaves from the trees above and each landing has a bench it feels very doable it feels very accessible and psychologically that's important to especially for people who are not as agile at the top the synagogue finally comes into view its natural exterior blends into its surrounding Culliver designed it 4 years ago she's Jewish but through her work designing low income housing for religious groups she's created sacred spaces for communities of all different shades. The hope is that. From the parking lot of the curve stairs that one is going through a process of quieting. This is what you might hear walking through the entryway on a Saturday morning we're going to start with Moto the prayer that said upon entering a place of prayer that's the congregations rabbi. It says How good are your tents Jacob. Along with music light seeps through gaps in the walls of this curved hallway like being in a forest the light is coming through slanted wood so the light is hitting every piece of wood along the curved path a little. That's because before college even begins putting pen to paper she asks a committee of community members essential question to recall a place where they felt most connected to a spirit beyond themselves it's very rare that somebody will say a cathedral it's far more likely in our experience say a sunset on the beach or say a mountain top with it and list view or let's say a grove of trees with dappled like coming through you can feel this as you emerge into an open round space the sanctuary it feels like the center of a redwood grove the curved rows of seating are colored with a bird red fabric matching the bark of the trees nearby they wrap around the central beam out our pulpit people frequently let out a song. I think people feel. A small sense of awe and it's pretty well you see it on faces you can even hear it people. Sitting. In a service you'd see Levy in the center and also the faces of about 100 others. When you're praying you're seeing the face of the other and that the divine dwells in that holy space where humans can act Levy says as soon as you put 2 people together God is in the mix it's something the rabbi and the committee wanted in college design I see both the beauty of people. Having prayerful experiences and then also you know I see honestly the faces of people. Struggling struggling with whatever they're going through in their lives not only can people see one another clearly in the round they can also see changes outside right above us is what Susie Colliver says is an important detail there's a tradition in Judaism that the day starts not at midnight and not at daybreak but actually when you can see the 1st 3 stars in the evening we gave them skylights through which you could discern when the new day had started being able to see the stars. That was hugely important to them. That the design engages not just sight but sound Colliver says the congregation wanted to make sure everyone could hear each other we find that in many of the sacred space we're doing now there is more emphasis put on participation than there is on sitting quietly and listening. The more important room acoustics become because it's less a single point. Of sound and. Communal experience that's true a kosher far where Rabbi Levy likes to lead interactive discussion she also likes to lead the community in dancing like at this recent children service people holding hands and getting along by dancing around so yet we were a community that wants to celebrate and feel joy together and so having a space that people could dance it was definitely Parton. So we're going to end with. With a prayer with the words from the psalm that we sang earlier this morning. When you look up to the ceiling from the you'll notice a simple metal chandelier and a vaulted dome which is offset from the center of the room Colliver says this a cemetery is very intentional if it were symmetrical there would be a suggestion the a perfection is attainable which we know it is not we all have. Issues we all have struggles we all have conflict and that conflict is made physical in this space and people feel that very very carefully architect Susie Culliver says encouraging the search for meaning in the mundane is what spiritual architecture is all about whether it's the design of a synagogue church or a mosque in Teheran I'm Angela Johnston for crosscurrents. Was that peace came from our project the spiritual and stories at the intersection of beliefs and innovation which you can hear more at spiritual edge or cry was was was was. Was. Was. Was playing was. Was. Was. Was was was. Was. Was. This is crosscurrents I'm have. Nearly 60 years ago the city of San Francisco named a unique street Brotherhood way on the south side of brotherhood way there's a roll of churches and faith based institutions So how did this artery of road become the heart of different religious groups. When has this story from our archives. There's a road in South San Francisco that begins at Les. Family stroll and ride bikes pigeons and Segal sunbathe on the rocks mallard ducks quack and paddle. As you head east on the street the sound of birds are replaced by the whiz of cars and you can start to see why this road is called Brotherhood way people zip past what is practically the entire neighborhood of religious institutions there's a Masonic Temple a bilingual Armenian school a Jewish day school synagogue Catholic and Christian churches spread out on the mile long road. And it is the biggest building on Brotherhood way it's a Greek Orthodox Church you can see 900 people around 100 people sit listening to a Sunday morning service above them is a mosaic of The Face of Christ that takes up the entirety of the church's $3400.00 square foot dome weighs as much as a fully loaded fire truck. I speak to church goer Mary Chico's after the service she points to black and white photographs framed and mounted on the wall this is for me my. Girls. Because they all look alike I shave that's me. Here are maybe here. And that's Maria Mr Merry Chico says god daughter Maria has been coming to this church for 50 years since she was 9 we're all like the neighborhood we know our fellow. Church is right next door and we help one another. Before I was home to all these religious institutions and before it was even a road Brotherhood Way was in a royal draining into Lake Mary said The land was largely undeveloped until a Catholic church called St Thomas Moore bought a plot in 1951 at that time the city sold parcels at a decreased rate to religious groups groups like Congregation Beth Israel. This is a service at Beth Israel where worshippers are welcome with drums tambourines and. I speak to Rabbi Gottlieb after the service he tells me that this synagogue sparked the idea to name the street but it had a way that once it became an. Interfaith worship and gathering. The city fathers were elders who were persuaded to change the name to brotherhood way to reflect the ideals of our communities Gottlieb tells me there's a brotherhood Association made up of religious leaders and members of various congregations maybe quarterly some her a few times here to. Share what's going on in our communities and there are a number of food festivals and other kinds of communal events that take place during the year on Brotherhood way one of the bigger events that take place on Brotherhood away is the annual Armenian food festival and bazaar hosted by the Calvary Armenian Congregational Church but inside the church as you see we don't have too many statue and things like that there's a simple Armenian cross into pulpit that's Pastor nurses and his services feel a little more modern than say Holy Trinity the Greek Orthodox Church when he preaches he points to Power Point slides but photos and words written in both English and Armenian and in this particular Salman talks about selfies in a sermon about selfishness so they say get it. Well about me and tells me that he prefers to really engage with his congregation and set of just speaking at them. Sisterhood or brotherhood I mean I want to be inclusive means. Community means. To gather nice. People who come together. And we need it and not just in church but across religions too. Rabbi Gottlieb agrees the name was changed to brotherhood way to acknowledge the. Peaceful coexistence of the. Various faith communities and I think it stands as an example of how American society should be and could be when the city was 1st considering changing the streets name to brotherhood way Sanford a mark as a member of Congregation Beth Israel wrote a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle this unique situation where peoples of different faiths will worship side by side is indeed a tribute to this great city where brotherhood of man has long been an established way of life since then Brotherhood away has heard many languages and ways of worship. The heat Rice was. All Meant to that for crosscurrents I'm sure when in San Francisco. Tonight and tomorrow at 5 we'll go on the hunt for the perfect plastics for all terms. Of care that sounds like air water got a crack Yeah I'm not finished my drink and the straw is no longer sucking I was just grasping at straws when there's bigger environmental issues to tackle That's tomorrow at 5. Now it's time to listen to some local music. This is the max Loria trio from San Francisco they're performing at Berkeley City Club tomorrow night. For. Today's cross-currents team includes join a dark precious Greenlee some warehouse troupe when nurse or take a Welsh and sterilized Journal and our engineers are James Rowland's topic folder and gave graven content manager a shooting on to our managing editor is David Boyer deputy news directors Angela Johnston news director is Ben traffic are opening the music is by the John Santos quintet for crosscurrents I'm not. RINGBACK RINGBACK Informed at the Commonwealth Club features diverse speakers focusing on current events techno. And culture of educating entertaining and engaging audiences and. Technology has transformed the way in which we manage our lives and our money as Alexa Von Tobel explains how we can harness technology to maximize financial gains and kickstart our future check it out on Tuesday night at 7 pm Here at 91.7 f.m. . Tuesday night on in deep something new and different I will be on the air live from the studios for this one night you won't have to be in our lives theater audience to contribute your thoughts and questions to me and a live version of him deep within Tuesday night at 9. And that news coming up tonight at 9 right here on the left point 7 tales of the San Francisco local public radio online. It's 530 Stay tuned for the daily from the New York Times. This is the 1st time we've had an elected president in his 1st term facing impeachment so immediately after this decision the voters more of a side really were seeing something that's different than any previous And he's from a battle that we've seen. I'm Michael that's coming up on the deal from the New York Times. Live from n.p.r. News in Culver City California and Wayne Brown a federal judge says Georgia's new abortion law won't take a fact while it's being challenged in court the measure banning most abortions as early as 6 weeks into pregnancy was set to take effect next year Sam Whitehead reports from member station w.a.b. E. Judge Steve Jones says the measure likely violates previous abortion protections established by the u.s. Supreme Court Sean Young is legal director of the a.c.l.u. Of Georgia one of the groups that asked the law be put on hold today's a tremendous victory for the women of Georgia and for everyone who cares for the Ben only about their own dignity and freedom Meanwhile the effort to stop the law from ever taking effect continues Young says he expects a decision early next year the law is one of several passed recently by conservative state legislatures aimed at overturning existing abortion protections for n.p.r. News I'm Sam Whitehead in Atlanta in Boston a federal judge has cleared Harvard University of intentionally discriminating against Asian American applicants from member station w g b h Kirchherr pass a has this update in her 130 page decision Judge Allison Burroughs says Harvard's admissions program is not unfairly racially biased against Asian Americans and passes constitutional muster burrow says diversity on campus will move us to quote the point where we see that race is a fact and not the fact that tells us what is important but we're not there yet until we are boroughs writes race conscious admissions will have been poured in place in society her care a peasant reporting the ruling is considered a big victory for supporters of race conscious Admissions It also sets the stage for a legal battle some predict will end up at the u.s. Supreme Court stocks finished lower on Wall Street today the Dow lost 3 $143.00 points down one and a quarter percent tech heavy Nasdaq dropped 90 points this is n.p.r. . Track coach Alberto Salazar who has trained some of the world's top distance runner says he will appeal of 4 year doping ban an arbitration panel suspended Salazar and a doctor who work with him following an investigation over several years N.P.R.'s Tom Goldman reports Alberto Salazar was banned for trafficking in testosterone giving improper infusions and tampering with the doping control process some of us are now as head coach at the Oregon Nike project a Nike funded effort to make u.s. Distance runners competitive with the world's best in banning Salazar the arbitration panel said his desire to provide the best results for his athletes sometimes clouded his judgment leading to an intentional mistakes some ones are insists he's always strictly followed world anti-doping rules but the u.s. Anti-Doping Agency says for some was are and Dr Jeffrey Brown who also was banned winning was more important than the health and well being of the athletes they were sworn to protect Tom Goldman n.p.r. News u.p.s. Says gotten government approval to use drones to expand deliveries on hospital campuses and eventually other industries United Parcel Service says its drone subsidiary was awarded an airline certificate last week by the f.a.a. After logging more than $1000.00 flights at Wake Forest University Medical Center the trash station secretary calls the airline designation a step forward in integrating drones into u.s. Airspace this is n.p.r. News the daily is supported by Fidelity Investments taking a personalized approach to helping clients grow preserve and manage their wealth learn more at fidelity dot com slash wealth fidelity brokerage services l.l.c. And by Home Advisor committed to helping homeowners find local pros for their home projects homeowners can get matched to pros read reviews and check project costs guides at Home Advisor dot com or on the mobile app. From the New York Times I'm likable borrow these. Today just 3 u.s. Presidents have confronted the possibility that members of their own party would support their impeach. Only one left office because of. My colleague Natalie Kittrell talk to White House reporter Peter Baker about what to expect this time.