February, 2017

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‘Forest cities’ could help solve China’s air pollution problem

BD+C

Not long ago, Stefano Boeri Architetti announced their plans to create the first ‘vertical forest’ in China. The building would be covered in over 3,000 plants and absorb 25 tons of CO2 per year and produce 60 kilograms of oxygen per day. The goal of the project was to help rectify one of China’s biggest problems: air pollution.

Cities 97
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Guess what? I Just Received an ‘F’

Life of an Architect

Today is a horn tootin’ sort of day … the sort of day that has been 25 years in the making – although, if I am being honest, the possibility of this day didn’t show up on my radar screen until about I was about 32 years old. In fact, I even talked about this particular day almost 7 years ago in a post titled “ The Importance of Setting Goals “ The acronym “A.I.A.” stands for the American Institute of Architects , a professional organization for architects tha

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Prepare and Push Past Your Fear

EntreArchitect

How To Overcome Your Fear. Fear. I think there’s lots of this stuff floating around lately. Fear can be paralyzing and debilitating. In the business world, fear is the enemy. Fear is the one thing that stands between you and your most successful future. That’s it… fear. The most successful organizations in history were created by people who pushed past the fear, stared down the risk and took a running leap of faith in their own ideas.

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They Tore It Down the Next Day

Architecture Tourist

I'll be dog if they didn't tear it down the very next day. It was at 2348 Hosea Williams where Second Avenue crosses Hosea - a forlorn corner that's coming back. I've been passing here for more than 15 years but something struck me on February 2nd. I drove two blocks past it and thought: "Better go back and take a picture." Dekalb County property tax records say it was built in 1910.

IT 52
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Architectural Visualization Trends and the Rise of AI

A new industry study conducted by Architizer on behalf of Chaos Enscape surveyed 2,139 design professionals to understand the state of architectural visualization and what to expect in the near future. We asked: How are visualizations produced in your firm? What impact does real-time rendering have? What approach are you taking toward the rise of AI?

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3 tips for designing workplaces that support culture, brand, and community

BD+C

The workplace has evolved exponentially over the past decade, from large, uniform workstations and offices to efficient open plans and auxiliary areas. Technology has advanced from desktop computers and landlines, to laptops, and mobile apps. Innovation in technology has driven an increase in employees’ productivity and efficiency, and innovation in design has strategically followed.

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The future of hotel design: Human-centered

BD+C

Benjamin Franklin once said there are only two things certain in life: death and taxes. Well, I’d like to add a third one: change. Change is inevitable and it impacts on everything, not least on the way we design. Over the past 60 years, we have seen a rise in consumer culture, individualism and globalisation. As a result, modern societies are becoming more complex and trickier to understand.

Design 87
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Enhancing healthcare facility design with VR/AR

BD+C

Virtual Reality is the new medium for design communication and is changing the way architects work. What once was done with pen and paper (and for the last two decades with screens, keyboards, and a mouse) is now being done with headsets and handheld tools. As architects, we are always looking for ways to improve communication with clients and shorten the feedback loop, allowing for a speedier and more lightweight design process.

Design 85
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The see-through office: Why interior glass is all the rage in workplace design

BD+C

Over the past decade, the average size of offices has shrunk by 30%, to 175 sf per employee. That trend coincides with the growing popularity of interior glass for offices construction and renovation. “Glass is being used to reduce space but still give the appearance of openness,” says Brett Shwery, IIDA, CID, LEED AP BD+C, Senior Vice President–Corporate Workplace and Design and Delivery Director at AECOM’s Los Angeles office.

Glass 85
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Why do metal roofs allow significant energy savings?

BD+C

As the demand for energy-efficient building products increases, metal roofs are being praised for their long-term cost-cutting potential. Although solar-reflective coatings for roofs have been instrumental in reducing energy costs, a study funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and conducted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory highlights another reason why metal roofs promote energy efficiency.

Roofing 85
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From Plan to Reality: Unlocking the Power of Aerial Imagery for AEC

Aerial imagery has emerged as a necessary tool for architecture, engineering, and construction firms seeking to improve pre-construction site analysis, make more informed planning decisions, and ensure all stakeholders have access to an accurate visualization of the site to keep the project moving forward. Download our guide and take a deeper look at how aerial imagery can be leveraged to drive project efficiency by reducing unnecessary site visits and providing the accurate details required to

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Green building saves operating costs and boosts asset value

BD+C

Green buildings yield significant operational cost savings compared with traditional buildings and produce higher asset values, according to the World Green Building Trends 2016 Smart Market Report, by Dodge Data & Analytics and United Technologies Corporation.

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Nanjing Green Towers will be Asia’s first vertical forest

BD+C

A new mixed-use project from Stefano Boeri Architects, Nanjing Vertical Forest will comprise two towers rising from a 20-meter shared podium. What makes this project unique is, according to the architects, this will be the first vertical forest built not only in China, but in all of Asia.

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Google-initiated program aims to get construction industry to use healthier building materials

BD+C

A program started by Google aims to help owners and designers choose healthier materials for building products. One of the challenges to choosing materials for a healthy indoor environment is unraveling the ingredient profile of a given product through a complex supply chain. Material manufacturers may be reluctant reveal which raw materials they use in formulating their products for fear of disclosing trade secrets, for example.

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Artifacts down the street: Exploring urban archaeology

BD+C

When you think of “archaeology,” you might picture Indiana Jones racing from a remote cave, clutching a priceless golden idol. Or maybe a team of researchers sifting through the sands of Egypt to uncover an ancient Pharaoh’s tomb. But you likely don’t think about the people digging up the parking lot behind your apartment or office building. That’s urban archaeology the exploration that goes on in our cities.

Cities 81
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7 Ways Real-Time Visualization Can Solve Architectural Challenges

In the dynamic world of architecture, design, and construction, creative problem-solving is crucial for success. Traditional methods often fall short in effectively conveying design intent to clients. Real-time visualization empowers you with a solid decision-making tool that smooths the design process. Discover the power of real-time visualization: Effective Communication Convey your vision clearly and align with clients.

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Abandoned WWII-era military village to become 'commune for the 21st century'

BD+C

Patrick Henry Village was a U.S. Army installation that first opened in 1947 in Heidelberg, Germany. Before it eventually closed, the village offered its residents housing, schools, dining facilities, a bowling alley, a movie theater, baseball fields, and public services such as a library, a dentist, and a post office. On Sept. 6, 2013, the village closed.

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Take an architecture class taught by Frank Gehry

BD+C

“You’d think I’d know when to quit,” an 87-year-old Frank Gehry says at the end of the MasterClass trailer announcing his foray into digitally streamed education. Not only has Gehry decided not to call it a career yet, but he is taking the extensive knowledge he has learned along the way and using it as the basis for 15+ video lessons about architecture.

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Flexing their vanity muscles: Some of the world’s tallest buildings have hundreds of feet of non-occupiable space

BD+C

The taller the building, the more prestigious it appears. At least, that’s how the thinking goes. Recently, cities around the world are beginning to use tall buildings to show off their wealth and prosperity in the same way professional athletes use garages filled with Ferraris, Aston Martins, and Lamborghinis.

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A new survey finds education construction activity going strong this year

BD+C

More than half of the school districts and colleges responding to a recent survey expect to initiate construction projects in 2017, the majority of which will be major renovations or modernizations. College Planning & Management , which conducted the survey for its annual “2017 Facilities and Construction Brief,” also found that few school districts or institutions are banking on more funds being made available for future construction projects.

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Concrete Waterproofing: The Next Step to a More Resilient Design

Don’t let water wash away all your hard work. When specifying concrete waterproofing, you need a solution that’s reliable and permanent. Without it, your concrete waterproofing is at risk of failing and letting water erode and corrode the concrete that it was supposed to protect. Reduce the risk of waterproofing failure by reading through our latest free specification e-book, which will take you through the four key components to better concrete waterproofing specification.

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The transformation of outpatient healthcare design

BD+C

Hospitals across the country are moving into uncharted territory as healthcare delivery in the U.S. is being reinvented. Hospitals and patients have been affected by the new Affordable Care Act (ACA) healthcare reform that rolled out nationwide in 2012. Hospitals are now faced with shrinking reimbursements and patients are seeing high deductibles. Couple this with the rise in chronic conditions, which typically do not require overnight stays, but are based on long-term treatments, and we see a t

Design 78
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Microhospitals: Healthcare's newest patient access point

BD+C

Last September, The Hospitals of Providence, a leading healthcare provider in El Paso, Texas, broke ground for a new medical campus on 10 acres in suburban Horizon City, 20 miles east of El Paso. There they will build a 40,000-sf “microhospital” to house an emergency department, a laboratory, imaging services, and 10 to 12 inpatient beds. The campus will also have 50,000 sf of office space for physicians and staff. .

Cities 78
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Zaha Hadid Architects-designed building to have the world’s tallest atrium

BD+C

A mixed-use tower currently under construction in Beijing’s Lize Financial Business District will be notable not for its two twisting sections, but for what unites these sections: a 190-meter tall atrium that rises almost the full height of the building. The atrium will surpass the 180-meter tall atrium found in the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai as the world’s tallest.

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16 design trends from Gensler’s 2017 Design Forecast

BD+C

The process of anticipating what the future will hold and then designing and developing methods to minimize the effects of future events is known as future-proofing. Gensler’s 2017 Design Forecast deals with this concept and how the firm is implementing design strategies to create functional spaces for the future.

Design 75
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Sustainable Architecture: Design Green with the Client in Mind

Speaker: Pedro Clarke – Principal Architect at A+ Architecture, In Loco Program Director

Sustainability begins with a conversation, and acquiring customer buy-in is entirely dependent on how the conversation is framed. Clients may not see sustainability as a priority out of fear of operational costs and quality. While these are legitimate concerns, it is our responsibility as architects to listen and foster a collaborative culture that answers client issues while also reducing our carbon footprint.

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Zurich defies center-core office archetype with stacked, cantilevered HQ

BD+C

Spanning 783,800 sf across its 11 stories, Zurich’s new North American headquarters in Schaumburg, Ill., houses almost 3,000 employees and contractors in a “stacked bars” office complex. Designed by Goettsch Partners, with Clayco as the developer and design-builder, the LEED Platinum-certified building breaks free from the typical center-core suburban office form with a trio of rectangular boxes that are offset and stacked.

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$500 million investment will modernize Chicago’s Willis Tower

BD+C

When the Willis Tower (still called the Sears Tower by some of the more intransigent Chicagoans) was completed back in 1974 it was known around the world as the tallest building on the planet. A title it held for almost 25 years. Since that time, however, the Willis Tower has seen building after building surpass it in height. So many buildings, in fact, that it is no longer even in the top 10.

Modern 74
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Meet Zo, Tishman Speyer’s suite of wellness, lifestyle, and corporate amenities for commercial tenants

BD+C

Tishman Speyer, recognizing the importance of work-life balance in today’s commercial world, has recently unveiled a comprehensive suite of amenities and services for its tenants. Through its new program, dubbed Zo, Tishman Speyer will offer tenants amenities focused on wellness, backup child care, on-site health screenings and medical services, travel planning, community volunteer engagement, personal grooming, rideshares, human resources services, and food and catering. .

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Traditional Arab architecture and the surrounding mountainous terrain inspire a luxury hotel in Mecca

BD+C

Foster + Partners has recently revealed their winning design for a luxury hotel and serviced apartments in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca. The design’s vertical cascading elements are meant to resemble the surrounding mountainous terrain and form a new topography while its clustered appearance pays homage to traditional Arab architecture.

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Report: Optimism for Construction Growth in the Next Year Remains High

Research reveals 96% of respondents are very or fairly optimistic about their organization’s growth prospects for the next year. The InEight Global Capital Projects Outlook also finds over half see digital technology as the greatest growth opportunity. But these are only some of the findings. Don't be kept in the dark when it comes to the future. Read the report today!