March 2013 Newsletter
March 14, 2013 by admin · Leave a Comment
Miami Garage Collapse: Design, Construction, or Crane Error?
Pre-fab construction can save a lot of time and money when it comes to relatively simple structures like parking garages, but sometimes the piper comes to collect. Last October, a big chunk of a five-story, pre-fab parking garage at Miami Dade College’s west campus collapsed, killing four workers.
Not only did the collapse kill the workers, it also forced a three-month closure of the campus and spawned a flurry of lawsuits against the builder, Ajax Buildings Corp.
The investigation into the collapse is on-going, but it is focused on three possibilities: A construction error; a flaw in one or more of the pre-fab pieces; and possible damage from a crane that struck the structure days before the catastrophe.
Pre-fab garages are common. Crafting the giant slabs off-site and bolting them together at the final location is much more economical than building the garage from scratch. But, like the popular wooden blocks game called Jenga, the whole thing can come crashing down if key pieces are not properly placed. Until the whole garage is up and the pieces are bolted and welded together, the semi-finished garage is unstable.
The floor slabs of one section of the garage all crashed down in one direction, and remained attached to the wall. This has led engineers to speculate that construction error is to blame, rather than design. Perhaps the pieces were not placed in precisely the correct order, or perhaps the connecting bolts and welds were not added correctly. When one part of the floor began falling, it knocked the rest down in that section like an accordion folding onto itself.
"I would look at erection procedures – that’s probably the one question to ask first," said Mark Santos, a Miami structural engineer, in an article in the Bradenton Herald.
While construction error seems to be the most likely reason for the collapse, another possibility being raised is that there was some flaw in one or more of the prefab pieces.
Pre-fab concrete pieces are generally considered to have a smaller likelihood of flaws, because they are cast in controlled factory conditions. Nevertheless, flaws – often internal, and thus difficult to observe – have been found in pre-fab garage pieces lately. An article in the January 2011 issue of Journal, a publication from Hoffmann Architects, Inc., about flaws in pre-fab garages, notes:
"[T]here has been a spate of precast concrete parking garage failures in recent years. While some have been catastrophic and highly publicized, the vast majority of failures don’t make the headlines. Nonetheless, if ignored, even inconspicuous defects can lead to dangerous conditions. The average motorist would be shocked to learn that upwards of tens of thousands of precast concrete structures exhibit some degree of structural distress." (To read the whole article, click here: http://www.hoffarch.com/assets/Journal70.pdf)
Finally, the possibility exists that the structure was damaged by a crane that struck a column on the outer portion of the building two days before the collapse. The crane and column were inspected after the accident and work was allowed to continue, but the possibility that some invisible damage was caused exists.
Investigators hope to have answers to what caused the collapse later this spring. The bottom line is that an error somewhere along the line – either at the pre-fab plant or at the construction site – caused a catastrophe that cost four lives.
Crowdsourced Architecture: Many Designing for One
You’ve probably heard of crowdsourcing, the practice of inviting the public to participate in some kind of project, usually online. But did you know that architecture can be crowdsourced?
Actually, design competitions are a form of crowdsourcing, and those have been around forever. Whenever a group of designers each tries to design something, or contribute to the design, as in a competition, crowdsourcing happens.
But architecture also has an online crowdsourcing option. Arcbazar http://www.arcbazar.com/, founded in 2010, is an online architecture competition site. Individuals seeking designs for projects upload basic info for the project, and designers compete to create a winning design.
The top three designs, as selected by the individual seeking the design, share in a monetary award, generally in the hundreds of dollars. According to the site, an average of nine designs are submitted for each competition.
Designers are not charged to participate in a competition, and anyone can join the fray, not just registered architects.
Crowdsourcing in architecture is not just about design competition, though. Wikipedia is a crowdsourced reference work, since millions of individuals can add information on any topic – OpenBuildings http://openbuildings.com/ is architecture’s version of Wikipedia.
OpenBuildings is similar to Wikipedia in that it contains volumes of information submitted by the public; the key difference is that it’s entirely about architecture.
OpenBuildings is addictive. Type in the name of a building you’re interested in and you’ll get a blast of information, including the basics of the project, a narrative description, photos, a map, and more. Researching buildings has never been easier!
Being Green
CyberRain is a landscape water-control system that takes into account sun exposure, slope, and other factors to minimize water usage: http://www.cyber-rain.com/
Pioneer Millworks provides reclaimed hardwoods, including American Chestnut, which is no longer available as fresh-cut wood: http://pioneermillworks.com/
The CarbonCure concrete block process removes carbon, makes stronger blocks: http://carboncure.com/
The Cree Streetlight is built from the ground up as a super-efficient LED streetlight: http://www.cree.com/lighting/products/outdoor/streetlights/xsp-series-streetlight
Landscape Forms creates public furniture from FSC-certified wood products: http://www.landscapeforms.com/en-US/Pages/default.aspx
Top Five Highest Paid Construction-Related Trades and Median Wage (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics):
- Boilermakers: $54,640
- Electrical Powerline Installers and Repairers: $58,030
- First-line Supervisors of Construction Trades: $58,680
- Elevator Installers and Repairers: $70,910
- Construction Manager: $83,860
Amazing Architecture – Green Edition
The Bronx Library, designed by Dattner Architects, is a LEED Silver-certified building that features a glass curtainwall: http://www.lehman.edu/vpadvance/artgallery/arch/buildings/BronxLibraryC.html
The Joint Base Lewis-McChord Tactical Equipment Maintenance Facility, designed by Belay Architecture, is LEED Gold certified: http://www.tciaec.com/projects/ft-lewis-tactical-equipment-maintenance-facilities.html
The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina, uses 34 percent less water than similar hotels. The Platinum LEED building was designed by Centrepoint Architecture: http://www.proximityhotel.com/tour.htm
The Nationals Major League team plays in a ballpark that is LEED Silver certified: http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/080401hok.asp
News You Can Use
Architecture Business Stronger Now Than Any Time in Last Five Years, According to AIA Billings Index: http://www.aia.org/practicing/AIAB097793
Boston Chinatown Building Renovation Honored: http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/house/blog/dne/2013/03/polishing_an_ar.html
Restoration Hardware Opens Boston Store, Gallery: http://www.architecturaldigest.com/blogs/daily/2013/03/restoration-hardware-boston-store-opening
Eric White Named Executive Director of Boston Society of Architects: http://www.architectmagazine.com/associations/eric-white-to-lead-boston-society-of-architects.aspx
New Residence Hall at Mass College of Art: http://www.timesunion.com/business/press-releases/article/ADD-Inc-Creates-New-Architectural-Landmark-in-4326279.php
February 2013 Newsletter
February 5, 2013 by admin · Leave a Comment
Forecast: Industry Indicators Looking Up for 2013
The stock market is slowly climbing, the election is fading into memory, and more people are finding work. Can a recovery in the AEC industry be far behind? Key indicators are showing slow, steady growth for 2013.
Here is a run-down of the latest estimates from four respected sources: The AIA, the Associated Builders and Contractors, the U.S. Labor Department, and McGraw-Hill Construction.
AIA Billings Index Shows Five Straight Positive Months
The AIA Billings Index is the most direct indicator of strength in architecture, and it has climbed for five straight months. The December 2012 figure was 52.0 (any number over 50 indicates growth), making it eight months in 2012 that showed a positive index.
“Firms located in the Midwest reported particularly strong firm billings last month after suffering a period of softness in the middle of the year. And for the third consecutive month, firms of all specializations reported experiencing increasing firm billings,” the AIA said in a statement.
Associated Builders and Contractors Expects 5.2% Growth
The 2013 economic forecast from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) predicts a modest increase in commercial and industrial construction this year.
“ABC predicts nonresidential construction spending will expand 5.2 percent in 2013,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu in a press statement.
In the report, which was written before Congress and the White House figured out a way to temporarily pull the country off the fiscal brink, Basu said more robust growth was expected. However, he said at that point that if the country evaded the cliff, “the latter half of 2013 could be surprisingly good for non-residential activity given the large volume of construction projects that were put on hold during the course of 2012. However, the baseline forecast calls for only moderate expansion in nonresidential construction spending next year.”
Labor Department Reports Construction Job Growth
Another indicator of the health of the construction industry is job growth in the segment. If builders are hiring, they must be building.
The January 4 report from the U.S. Labor Department showed that the industry gained 30,000 jobs in December. This increase included 7,000 jobs in the non-residential building construction sector. The biggest growth segment was residential specialty trade contractors, who added 12,300 jobs in December.
However, the December increase made up for an otherwise poor year for construction employment. The total gain for the year was just 18,000 jobs, or 0.3 percent. So while the number is encouraging, it certainly doesn’t point to full health for construction employment.
Dodge Momentum Index Up
McGraw-Hill Construction creates a useful number called the Dodge Momentum Index. This index measures initial reports for nonresidential building projects in planning. According to a release from McGraw-Hill, these initial reports “have been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings for a full year.”
The index rose 3.2 percentage points in December, bringing it to 94.9. The index baseline, 100, was established in 2000.
The McGraw-Hill report read: “The latest month’s upturn may … be the initial sign that the uncertainty that restrained plans for construction is now easing, with the November 2012 elections now final and the fiscal cliff being averted for the time being. December’s increase for the Momentum Index was due entirely to a pickup by its commercial building segment, which advanced an impressive 9.0% relative to November.”
You can read more about this report at http://construction.com/about-us/press/dodge-momentum-index-rebounds-in-december.asp
It’s impossible to predict exactly how construction will fare in 2013, but at least these three indicators point towards growth.
Five Tips to Make a Better Architecture Firm Website
Your website is probably your best marketing tool. Everyone looking for a firm starts online, so you want to put your best foot forward. Here are five tips to keep in mind when designing your firm’s site:
1. Keep it simple. When you’re considering all the fancy bells and whistles you can put on your site, remember the purpose: To attract clients. You might think a slow-mo, super-arty opening page is a great way to represent your artistic abilities – and your designer friends might agree – but your clients don’t want to see that. They want to see examples of your work, straight on without a bunch of fancy motion.
The website for Shepley Bulfinch http://shepleybulfinch.com/ is a good example of this – clean, big photos that slide past only when the viewer clicks to the next slide.
2. Have someone not familiar with your website pretend she’s a potential customer and have her walk through the site. Ask her if she’s persuaded to use your firm, and if the site was easy to navigate. One of the most common problems with architecture firm sites — other than the long, slow openings mentioned above — is clunky navigation caused by an overly minimalist design. Here’s an example of site that I personally find difficult to maneuver through (for example, see if you can find the contact information, which you think would be an essential element of any site): http://www.jonesaaron.com/home.html
3. Hire a writer or an editor. Face it, many architects chose design because they are visually oriented people, and writing is not their strong point. Honor that fact by letting your marketing staff or some other trained writer prepare the copy for your site. And just like there’s more to design than drawing straight lines, there’s more to good writing than correct grammar — find a writer who can eloquently express the benefits of working with your firm.
4. Show the design process. Keeping your clients in mind, consider explaining the design process. For example, you may want to show a series of photos showing how a structure emerged from design meetings to drawings to construction. At least show the drawings that correspond to the photos of finished projects. Why? Because drawings are fun to look at, even for non-architects, and they are a tangible connection between the architect and the completed structure. Observe how Upwall Design shows off their process in this series of slides: http://www.upwalldesign.com/#/the-machine/WG8P9492-01
5. Update your site regularly. Post new projects, new staff information, and any other such info as frequently as you need to. Clients won’t be impressed by your portfolio if everything is five or six years old. Similarly, keep up with software. For example, if you’re using Flash — and a lot of people think you shouldn’t use Flash — make sure you have the latest version installed.
Above all, remember that your site is a sales tool, so the people you want to impress are potential customers. Put yourself into their shoes as your first step.
Five Biggest U.S. Architecture Firms by 2011 Revenue, according to Architectural Record:
- Gensler, San Francisco, $746 million
- AECOM Technology, Los Angeles, $445 million
- Perkins+Will, Chicago, $365 million
- CH2M HILL/DC, Englewood, CO, $365 million
- HDR Architecture, Omaha, $364 million
Amazing Architecture – Ski Lodge Edition
This lodge by architect Michael Upwall is so beautiful the guests probably hurry back from the slopes: http://www.evadesigns.com/architecture/architect-michael-upwall.html
The Sugarloaf Ski Lodge at Tamarack Resort in Idaho was designed by DJE Architecture: http://www.alderwoodbuilders.com/projectssugarloaf.php
Check out this beautiful ski lodge interior in The Lodge at Verbier, Switzerland by Rebel Design Group: http://www.rebeldesign.com/lodge.html
This lodge at Spruce Peak at Stowe was built by Vermont Timber Works: http://www.vermonttimberworks.com/Web-Photos/Heavy-Timber-Construction-06130/Top%20Photos/heavy-timber-ski-lodge-hi-res.JPG
Being Green – Less Famous Online Green Resources
Everyone knows the USGBC iwebsite is loaded with green building info, but that’s not the only green building site out there. Here are eight good sites that are less well known.
EPA Green Building: http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/
Center for the Build Environment: http://www.cbe.berkeley.edu/
Green Building Finance Consortium: http://www.greenbuildingfc.com/
Harvard University Green Building Resource: http://www.green.harvard.edu/theresource/
Alliance to Save Energy: http://ase.org/
Greener Product: http://www.greenerproduct.com/
Environments for Living: http://www.environmentsforliving.com/EFLPublicSite/index.jsp
Regreen: http://www.regreenprogram.org/
AEC News – Boston
Historic Belmont Pool to be Moved? http://www.wickedlocal.com/belmont/newsnow/x898124072/What-will-happen-to-the-Belmonts-historic-Underwood-Pool#axzz2JtYpT3t7
Historical Commission Objects to Athenaeum Rehab: http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_22486414/massachusetts-historical-commission-objects-old-athenaeum-rehab-project
Bridgewater School Project Advances: http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/education/x1671801330/New-West-Bridgewater-high-school-project-advances
Ames Free Library Roof Restored: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2013/02/03/roof-restoration-library/qc14i74arQN68Exk5eYgNJ/story.html
December 2012 Newsletter
December 10, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
Do Big Storms Help Construction?
Hurricane Sandy caused billions of dollars of damage along the East Coast – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo estimates that storm damage totaled $42 billion in that state alone. The good news for the construction industry is that $33 billion of that will go to repair damaged housing and infrastructure.
But in the long run, does the damage caused by storms like Sandy and Katrina result in an uptick in construction? The evidence is not clear, but it seems that there is at least modest gain.
Post-Katrina Construction
When Hurricane Katrina blasted New Orleans in August 2005, it left the city in tatters, including 204,000 swamped homes. How did this affect construction in the city?
“There was a huge pick-up in public works construction as the corps of engineers rebuilt levees,” says Kenneth Simonson, chief economist of the Associated General Contractors of America. “However, construction on hospitals, hotels, and so forth took much longer to get going. That area really languished.”
The reconstruction after Katrina was largely funded through $142 billion in federal funds. In addition, insurers paid more than $28 billion for repairs. Not all of that money was used for construction, of course, but serious money flowed into construction company cash registers. In a New Orleans magazine article in 2010, a local banker estimated that construction spending in the metro area before Hurricane Katrina was about $1.5 billion in a good year, so the money spent after the storm was giant in comparison.
But in long run, it’s hard to make the argument that the storm helped construction. Many neighborhoods in the city remain largely abandoned, and the population of the city remains about 29 percent below its population of 2000.
“There was a partial rebound but not back to previous levels,” Simonson says.
Sandy Construction Effect
So what will we see after Sandy? The geography is substantially different. Unlike New Orleans after Katrina, people are not flocking to leave Manhattan since Sandy. So it’s probable that everything that’s damaged now will get rebuilt.
But will the rebuilding work make up for new construction projects delayed because of the storm? That clearly remains to be seen, but an important factor will be how much money flows into the region.
“The governors of New York and New Jersey and Mayor Bloomberg have definitely come up with huge requests for funding for reconstruction,” Simonson notes. “But there’s no guarantee Congress will open the wallet for that, especially given the other much larger financial concerns they have.”
But Congress did open the wallet after Katrina, and there’s no question that New York and New Jersey have clout in Washington (after all, no one is suggesting we abandon New York, as many suggested about New Orleans after Katrina).
And the advantage – as far as builders are concerned – of repair work versus new construction is that people don’t wait around – they want the work done immediately, especially if they have the insurance or federal money to pay for it.
The final analysis won’t be known for years, but it seems likely that at least some of those billions flowing into New York and New Jersey will fatten construction company coffers.
Five Books to Give as a Gift This Holiday Season
Strap Hanger: Saving Our Cities and Ourselves from the Automobile
336 pages, $25, Times Books (http://us.macmillan.com/straphanger/TarasGrescoe)
This book, by Taras Grescoe, is a passionate argument in favor of public transportation. Grescoe examines the current public transit situation in cities around the world and shows what works and what doesn’t. Here is an excerpt from a review of the book by architecture blogger John Hill: “To separate himself from other urbanists, Grescoe takes the stance that mid-sized cities like Philadelphia are ideal for incorporating mass transit at the local and regional scales. Of course, as Grescoe’s tour of a dozen cities around the world attests, each city is different, not every mid-sized US city is like Philly. Therefore one-size-fits-all solutions don’t exist. This makes his tour that much more valuable: Readers can see the links between urban form and public transportation, getting a better idea of what may work where they live.” To read all of Hill’s blog entry about this book, visit http://archidose.blogspot.com/2012/04/book-review-straphanger.html
Natural Companions: The Garden Lover’s Guide to Plant Combinations
256 pages, $40, Abrams Books
(http://www.abramsbooks.com/Books/Natural_Companions-9781584799016.html)
Landscape architects and home gardeners alike will enjoy this book by Ken Druse, author of 17 gardening books. Druse helps readers pair plants by suggesting diverse species that look good together. The book is organized by theme within seasons, and lots of photographs show the combinations in many climates and conditions. Here is an excerpt from a review of the book in Organic Gardening magazine: “Produced in partnership with photographer Ellen Hoverkamp, the text is vintage Druse: an engaging blend of humor (the punning titles are rib-ticklers), garden history, botanical knowledge, and practical advice based on the experience of creating his garden in northwest New Jersey as well as what he’s gleaned from gardens around the world.”
Read the whole review here: http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/natural-companions
Lincoln Center Inside Out: An Architectural Account
311 pages, $85, Damiani (http://www.artbook.com/9788862082440.html)
If someone on your gift list is visually oriented, consider Lincoln Center Inside Out by photographers Iwan Baan and Matthew Monteith. The book gives readers a thorough tour of the redesign of New York’s Lincoln Center through photographs, drawings, renderings, archival records and texts. The book, entirely composed of gatefolds, is a cross between an art book and architectural diary, and thoroughly reveals the design concepts behind the recent renovation of Lincoln Center.
Carrot City: Creating Places for Urban Agriculture
240 pages, $50, Monacelli Press (http://www.monacellipress.com/search/?title_subtitle_auth_isbn=Carrot+City&x=0&y=0)
Eating local is a giant movement in food, so it makes sense that growing food in urban areas is a trend. Carrot City, written by Mark Gorgolewski, June Komisar, and Joe Nasr, discusses urban gardening in the context of architecture, landscape design, and urban design. Forty projects are described, some conceptual and some already built. Here’s an excerpt from a review on Green Book Reviews: “Carrot City’s overarching solution is to redefine what it means to live in a city by integrating food production into the built environment. Through fascinating case studies and vibrant images that showcase the appeal and diversity of urban gardens, the book aims to prove that, ‘There is no dichotomy between the beautiful yard and the edible landscape; they can be one and the same.’” Read the whole review here:
http://greenbookreviews.ca/2012/04/carrot-city-creating-places-for-urban-agriculture/
Rural Architecture
84 pages, $12.94, Tebbo,
(http://www.amazon.com/Rural-Architecture-Original-Classic-Edition/dp/1486150888)
This is a reprint of a classic book published in 1852 about the different buildings commonly found on farms. The subtitle of the book tells much of the story: Rural Architecture: Being A Complete Description Of Farm Houses, Cottages, And Out Buildings, Comprising Wood Houses, Workshops, Tool Houses, Carriage And Wagon Houses, Stables, Smoke And Ash Houses, Ice Houses, Apiary Or Bee House, Poultry Houses, Rabbitry, Dovecote, Piggery, Barns And Sheds For Cattle.
Note: If you just want to read this book yourself instead of buying it as a gift, you can read it online here: http://www.wattpad.com/22071-rural-architecture-being-a-complete-description-of#!p=1
Top 5 List
Largest building trade unions, by number of members:
- United Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: 656,000 members
- United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America: 428,000 members
- Plumbers & Pipefitters: 335,000
- International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Ironworkers: 122,671
- International Union of Painters and Allied Trades: 108,000
Amazing Architecture: Fireplace Design Edition
As winter weather settles in, fireplaces are lighting. Here’s a look at some amazing fireplace designs.
Is this a porthole or a fireplace?
http://www.furnipure.com/modern-fireplace-design-the-vellum-round-by-cocoon-fires/modern-fireplace-design-by-cocoon-fires/
MeshaMasonry in Edmonton, Alberta has created some fireplaces that could grace castles:
http://www.meshamasonry.com/index.php?p=1_13_Fireplace-Design
These funky fireplaces are suited for ultra-modern homes:
http://rimanasser.blogspot.com/2010/11/cozy-fireplaces.html
Not many homes could fit a fireplace this big, but the drama is irresistible:
http://www.amillionlives.net/fireplace-design-ideas-utimate-designs-that-suits-your-rooms.html
This one’s for people who can’t decide whether they’d rather watch TV or the fire:
http://uuldesign.com/home-interior/fireplace/gas-fireplace-design-next-to-tv-in-livingroom/attachment/gas-fireplace-design/
Being Green: Drywall Edition
Inhabit has created EcoRock, a drywall that is made from 85 percent industrial by-products and requires no ovens to produce: http://inhabitat.com/ecorock-drywall-by-serious-materials/
Fiberock VHI (Very High Impact) panels are made from 95 percent recyclable materials:
http://inhabitat.com/ecorock-drywall-by-serious-materials/
Murco M100 drywall joint compound contains no VOCs:
http://murcowall.com/hypo-allergenic/murco-m100-drywall-joint-compound/
Want to recycle your drywall scraps? USA Gypsum can help:
http://www.usagypsum.com/
News Your Can Use – Dallas
Boston firm tapped for Penn State building renovations:
http://live.psu.edu/story/62735
Boston-based Moshe Safdie designs Australian music school:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/music/that-opera-house-likeness-is-only-skin-deep/story-fn9d2mxu-1226501805075
Atlantic Wharf wins 2012 Global Awards for Excellence:
http://www.equities.com/news/headline-story?dt=2012-10-19&val=614938&cat=hcare
$75M plan for Jamaica Plain housing approved:
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/jamaica_plain/2012/10/city_oks_75m_project_to_replac.html
Suffolk Construction chosen to manage Chinatown project:
http://nerej.com/58443
Bike-powered farm cart debuts in Boston:
http://www.wired.com/design/2012/10/pedal-powered-farm-stand/
July 2012 Newsletter
July 6, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
New Life for Old Factories
When American manufacturing began fading and moving overseas in the 1970s and 1980s, crumbling abandoned factories became common in once thriving industrial communities. When the jobs left, most communities saw the old factories as sad reminders of a more prosperous past. These days, however, some developers see those old factories as potential goldmines.
There can be many advantages to fixing up an old industrial building. Here are just three potential advantages: If the structure is generally sound, renovating it can often cost less than tearing it down and building something new; if the building has some historical significance or at least charming old features, renovating it may result in more desirable offices or homes than new construction could create; and, finally, it is considered more “green” to renovate an old building than to tear it down and build new.
Consider these projects, all developed within the past year:
Conover, NC: Lee Industries, which makes environmentally friendly furniture, is renovating a former chair factory to expand its operations. The Conover Chair Factory, which closed in the late 1990s, sits on 17 acres in downtown Conover, North Carolina. Lee is spending $5 million to renovate the 100,000-square-foot facility, which will expand Lee’s current manufacturing capability by 35 percent and should be complete by December 2012. The renovation will include a new high-efficiency roof and high-efficiency lighting. The company received a $750,000 building reuse loan from the North Carolina Department of Commerce; it will be forgiven if Lee hires 75 new employees. “This is a win-win-win situation because we had a derelict old building in the heart of Conover that is being repurposed,” City Manager Donald Duncan said in a newspaper article.
Allentown, PA: A former thread factory is being turned into a 150-bed drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The Synthetic Thread factory has been closed since 2004, when the company was sold to another thread maker in North Carolina. The developer plans to invest $12 million in the factory, and expects to begin renovation in the fall.
Chicago, IL: Sometimes the new uses for old factories are a little out of the ordinary. Consider a former pork processing facility in Chicago — it’s now being used as a “vertical farm.” The four-story, 93,500-square-foot factory had been abandoned since at least 2010. Its thick, brick walls, concrete floors, and food-grade stainless steel fixtures make it ideal for use as a giant food factory. The new owners got a $1.5 million grant to pay for a bio-gas generator to power the building. The building, called The Plant, now has several tenants, including three aquaponic farms, a craft brewery, and a fermented tea company. The ultimate plan is for the waste from the various growers to be used as fuel to power the building.
These are just a few examples of repurposed industrial buildings, but the idea is clear: Sometimes those old eyesores can be turned into gems.
A LEED Alternative?
Designers and builders who care about green issues are well versed in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications, which have dominated the green landscape since 2000. An alternative to LEED is slowly gaining recognition: The Living Building Challenge.
The Living Building Challenge is administered by the International Living Future Institute, a non-governmental organization founded in 2006. The Challenge recently got a big boost in recognition when it won the 2012 Buckminster Fuller Challenge, a $100,000 prize that recognizes scientific innovations that advance society.
The Living Building Challenge is considered much stricter than LEED. It examines 20 so-called design “imperatives” in seven categories, such as site, energy, and materials. One key differentiator between the Living Building Challenge and LEED is that applicants must meet these imperatives for a full 12 months after construction is finished before the designation is awarded. This makes the process presumably much more intensive — items can’t just be checked off a list.
Another key aspect of the Challenge is what’s called the Red List, a list of 14 material types that are banned from any project, such as PVC plastics and chlorofluorocarbons. The exclusion of these materials must be proven through audits of every product used in construction.
It’s no surprise, considering these stringent requirements, that only three buildings have been fully certified so far: The Hawaii Preparatory Academy Energy Lab in Kamuela, Hawaii; the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York; and the Tyson Living Learning Center in Eureka, Missouri. Four other projects have been partially certified.
The small number of certified buildings indicates that the Challenge isn’t exactly cutting into LEED’s dominance in green building, and in fact the International Living Future Institute downplays the competition. On its web site, the organization says the idea is to provide an “additional outlet to promote the goals set by USGBC.” The site’s FAQ says, “The Living Building Challenge was endorsed by both the US Green Building Council and the Canada Green Building Council in 2006, and the standard is in no way meant to compete with the LEED Green Building Rating System.”
Nevertheless, it is clear with the Buckminster Fuller Challenge prize that The Living Building Challenge is here to stay. And for those who think LEED is not tough enough, it might be a worthwhile new challenge.
ArchiQuiz: Summer Vacation Edition
1. Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge at Disney World are great destinations for nature-loving families. Who designed them? Answer
2. Many vacations include roller coaster rides. Who designed the first roller coaster in the United States? Answer
3. What famous resort hotel claims to have the longest front porch in the world, and who designed it? Answer
4. Washington, DC is always a major tourist attraction, especially for history buffs, and the Lincoln Memorial is a top draw. Who designed it and when did was it built? Answer
Amazing Architecture: Farm Edition
This off-the-grid farmhouse features a green roof and a hillside for one wall: http://www.structureworkshop.co.uk/buildings/Old_Mount_Farm.html
Some of the materials in this structure are traditional farmhouse staples, but the design is 100 percent modern: http://www.trendir.com/house-design/farmhouse-design-ideas-bluff-farm-house.html
Students at the University of Colorado-Denver built these farm buildings using reclaimed materials: http://www.archdaily.com/73709/learning-cube-dairy-house-university-of-colorado-denver/
Here are examples of traditional barn construction used in new buildings, from Maine Barn Co.: http://www.mainebarncompany.com/current-projects/
From barn to home: a beautiful reuse of a classic farm building: http://dornob.com/beautiful-old-wood-barn-renovated-into-a-fresh-new-home/?ref=search
Boston AEC News:
Boston architect Moshe Safdie selected for tallest residential building in Colombo, Sri Lanka: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=56005#.T_cdtRzhcmk
Seaport Square may be next Boston Innovation District: http://archrecord.construction.com/news/2012/06/Seaport-Square-Boston.asp
$1 billion resort planned at Suffolk Downs: http://nerej.com/55673
606-foot skyscraper planned for Filene’s site: http://articles.boston.com/2012-06-12/business/32197935_1_new-design-vornado-realty-trust-building
25 Boston architectural terms defined: http://blockavenue.com/blog/boston/boston-architectural-terms-a-guide/
Artist lofts planned for renovated Lynn building: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/05/31/artist_lofts_slated_for_downtown_lynn/
Being Green:
CertainTeed Restoration Millwork Exterior Trim is made from 21 percent recycled content and resists aging: http://www.certainteed.com/products/trim
Why heat or cool meeting rooms when no one is using them? Events2HVAC software controls the HVAC in meeting rooms depending on scheduled events: http://www.events2hvac.com/
Sputter coatings on AGC glass provide energy savings, light control, and comfort: http://us.agc.com/building/exterior-glass/building-type#tab2
SheepRoll Natural Wool Insulation requires 90 percent less energy to manufacture and is naturally fire resistant: http://www.eco-buildingproducts.com/products-page/black-mountain-usa/16-sheeproll-natural-wool-insulation-roll/
Clay paints provide natural colors and are no-odor, non-toxic, and no-VOC: http://www.bioshieldpaint.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=93_106&zenid=2ca76f5d83c31860eb10584fda04e62b
Longtime Business Executive leaving AIR Graphics
June 20, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
Press Release:
June 20, 2012
Longtime Business Executive leaving AIR Graphics
Boston MA – AIR Graphics co founder and long time Boston business executive Kevin Cully has announced that he will be stepping away from day to day operations effective June 30, 2012. Kevin will remain a shareholder and on the governing board. Mr. Cully has been Executive Vice President since 1987 with responsibility for business development and emerging new products and services.
Mr. Cully cofounded the multiple location reprographic and digital services firm in 1987 and has been instrumental in growing the company to multiple locations in Massachusetts and Maine. AIR Graphics is a digitally based print provider, delivering high quality & quick turn-around. Services include color digital print, wide-format presentation graphics, Managed Print Services (MPS), CADD plotting and equipment.
AIR Graphics operations will continue under the leadership of fellow co founders Mike Cully and Kevin O’Neill.
1-800-734-3373 www.airgraphics.com
June 2012 Newsletter
June 19, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
Architecture for Rising Waters
Architects in certain parts of the world, such as Holland and Venice, have long dealt with the issue of periodic flooding. Now that reports show water levels rising worldwide, however, the ability to create a building that can survive a flood is becoming more widely needed. Here are some ways designers deal with high water:
1. Russian design firm Remistudio created a floating hotel that is entirely self-sufficient. Enough light would come in through the dome to grow plants, and waste produced by inhabitants would be converted to fuel. Read details here: http://archinect.com/news/article/49772782/floating-architecture-finding-ways-to-live-with-rising-water
2. Dutch architects, who have dealt with water problems forever, figure that their low-lying country will be among the first inundated by rising oceans. So the firm Waterstudio has created a suburb with floating houses. The houses will be built on solid ground, but when floods arrive, the foundation and structure will rise with the water. Special poles will keep the house steady as it rises, and flexible water and electrical tubing will keep utilities connected. Learn more here: http://www.vagabondish.com/dutch-architects-float-a-new-plan-deal-climate-change/
3. Rather than building floating homes, some designers in low-lying areas advocate going with the flow. Many residents of New Orleans, for example, know first-hand how devastating rising water can be, following Hurricane Katrina in 2006. New Orleans architect David Waggoner has been advocating a system that controls high water by using natural water-management elements, rather than dikes and levies. His ideas range from street-side rain gardens with water-loving plants to large “bayous” that will keep water out of the storm sewer system. Learn more here: http://archrecord.construction.com/news/2011/06/110606-NOLA-Water-Management.asp
4. Practical Action, a charitable organization that builds technical skills of people in developing countries, created a house design for Bangladesh that can withstand that country’s frequent floods. The home has a raised base made of sand, clay, and cement, which can withstand water damage, and its sides are made of treated bamboo that won’t disintegrate even if it frequently gets soaked. The walls are woven jute panels that can be quickly taken down and rolled up, and an attic provides protection during a storm. Read more here: https://www.engineeringforchange.org/solution/library/view/detail/Structures/S00021
Global warming and its accompanying rising water will be a challenge for everyone, but wise designers are helping the world deal with it!
3 Innovative Ways to Market Your A/E/C Services
Many signs are pointing towards better times ahead for the A/E/C industry, but new work isn’t going to just float in your door. Get a jump on your competition by trying one of these three innovative marketing ideas.
1. Be a Sponsor
Most communities have youth sports leagues, and maybe you’ve sponsored a team or two in the past with middling results. Well this year try ramping it up. Instead of sponsoring one soccer team or one T-ball team, sponsor one team at each age and skill level. Most such sponsorships only cost a couple of hundred dollars, so for $2 grand or so you could have the attention of the whole league. Now, remember who sees those uniforms with your name on the back: parents of young children. These are the people renovating their homes, building new homes, and generally seeking A/E/C services. Take your sponsorship beyond just money. Go to some games, introduce yourself to the coaches, and sponsor a team party after the season. At each turn your company and your face will become better known to this prime demographic. One new customer will make the entire sponsorship worthwhile!
2. Be the Click-and-Clack of A/E/C
Want to show the world how knowledgeable you are about residential design, masonry, home repair, or whatever your specialty is? Try starting your own radio program. This is not as complicated as it sounds, and you have several options. Many small stations sell blocks of time to people interested in doing their own shows, and the internet is full of broadcast opportunities. Do a little internet research in your area. Once you’re on the air, focus on what you know best. Bring some prepared material, and be ready to answer questions from callers. Before long you’ll be known as the local expert in your area!
3. Knock on Doors
OK, this one takes some guts, but you’ll be amazed at the results. Set aside an afternoon each week to sell your services door to door. Dress nicely, prepare a quick pitch, and be ready to leave if the person answering the door isn’t interested. You’ll be delighted by how many people are willing to hear a pitch from a well-dressed, well-mannered person offering a valuable service. Sure, most people will be uninterested, but if you make one sale a week this way your time will be well spent.
ArchiQuiz: Hot Weather Edition
1. Who invented the first modern electrical air conditioning system? (Hint: His last name is still heard in the biz.) Answer
2. What is the technology called that allows a homeowner to tap the steady temperatures deep in the earth to heat and cool a home? Answer
3. Name three ways homebuilders kept houses cool before the invention of air conditioning. Answer
4. How did people make ice before freezers were invented? Answer
Amazing Architecture: Office Building Edition
The Mariposa Office Building, with exquisite management of sunlight and shade, fits perfectly into its New Mexico surroundings: http://www.dpsdesign.org/mariposa-office-building
Check out this gorgeous, reflective, multi-purpose office/condo building in Atlanta designed by Stanley D. Lindsey & Associates: http://www.sdlal.com/office.htm
Steel beams form the structure and are a key design feature of this office building in Cologne, Germany: http://www.halfenusa.com/t/25_12311.html
Is it a water tower or an office building? This conical building was built in a factory and erected on-site ready to use: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mammoet_office_building.jpg
The zig-zag lines make this office building in Gabrovo, Bulgaria visible for miles! http://www.albenaproperties.bg/index.php/en/offer/55-Office%20building%20Yantra%20-%20Gabrovo
Being Green – Staying Cool Naturally
Solar-ready cooling systems from Lennox tap the power of the sun to keep a house cool: http://www.lennox.com/solar-solutions/
GeoComfort geothermal cooling/heating systems draw on the steady temperatures deep underground to create a comfortable home environment: http://www.geocomfort.com/products/
Earthtubes provide passive (non-electric) geothermal cooling: https://www.thenaturalhome.com/earthtube.htm
Skip the ugly plastic box fan this summer and turn on an elegant Arden fan instead: http://www.fanimation.com/products/arden
The Twin Turbo ceiling fan from MinkaAire will make any room comfortably breezy: http://www.minka.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=4489&brand=Minka-Aire%C2%AE&sku=F402-ORB&name=Twin%20Turbo%20-%20Wet/Damp%20Location%20Approved
A/E/C News – Boston
A/E/C economy looking up in greater Boston: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/2012-architectural-study-shows-profits-are-up-in-greater-boston-area-2012-06-11
South End Graybar warehouse sold; redevelopment coming: http://southend.patch.com/articles/south-end-s-graybar-sold-for-14-million
Plans for Suffolk Downs casino unveiled: http://www.reverejournal.com/2012/06/06/casino-plan-unveiled/
Boston-based website offers sustainable building guidance: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/743792
Historic Hayden Building to be renovated: http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/real_estate/2012/06/groundbreaking-at-former-combat-zone.html
Lofts for artists underway in old factory: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/05/31/artist_lofts_slated_for_downtown_lynn/
June 2012 Newsletter
May 21, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
Architecture for Rising Waters
Architects in certain parts of the world, such as Holland and Venice, have long dealt with the issue of periodic flooding. Now that reports show water levels rising worldwide, however, the ability to create a building that can survive a flood is becoming more widely needed. Here are some ways designers deal with high water:
1. Russian design firm Remistudio created a floating hotel that is entirely self-sufficient. Enough light would come in through the dome to grow plants, and waste produced by inhabitants would be converted to fuel. Read details here: http://archinect.com/news/article/49772782/floating-architecture-finding-ways-to-live-with-rising-water
2. Dutch architects, who have dealt with water problems forever, figure that their low-lying country will be among the first inundated by rising oceans. So the firm Waterstudio has created a suburb with floating houses. The houses will be built on solid ground, but when floods arrive, the foundation and structure will rise with the water. Special poles will keep the house steady as it rises, and flexible water and electrical tubing will keep utilities connected. Learn more here: http://www.vagabondish.com/dutch-architects-float-a-new-plan-deal-climate-change/
3. Rather than building floating homes, some designers in low-lying areas advocate going with the flow. Many residents of New Orleans, for example, know first-hand how devastating rising water can be, following Hurricane Katrina in 2006. New Orleans architect David Waggoner has been advocating a system that controls high water by using natural water-management elements, rather than dikes and levies. His ideas range from street-side rain gardens with water-loving plants to large “bayous” that will keep water out of the storm sewer system. Learn more here: http://archrecord.construction.com/news/2011/06/110606-NOLA-Water-Management.asp
4. Practical Action, a charitable organization that builds technical skills of people in developing countries, created a house design for Bangladesh that can withstand that country’s frequent floods. The home has a raised base made of sand, clay, and cement, which can withstand water damage, and its sides are made of treated bamboo that won’t disintegrate even if it frequently gets soaked. The walls are woven jute panels that can be quickly taken down and rolled up, and an attic provides protection during a storm. Read more here: https://www.engineeringforchange.org/solution/library/view/detail/Structures/S00021
Global warming and its accompanying rising water will be a challenge for everyone, but wise designers are helping the world deal with it!
3 Innovative Ways to Market Your A/E/C Services
Many signs are pointing towards better times ahead for the A/E/C industry, but new work isn’t going to just float in your door. Get a jump on your competition by trying one of these three innovative marketing ideas.
1. Be a Sponsor
Most communities have youth sports leagues, and maybe you’ve sponsored a team or two in the past with middling results. Well this year try ramping it up. Instead of sponsoring one soccer team or one T-ball team, sponsor one team at each age and skill level. Most such sponsorships only cost a couple of hundred dollars, so for $2 grand or so you could have the attention of the whole league. Now, remember who sees those uniforms with your name on the back: parents of young children. These are the people renovating their homes, building new homes, and generally seeking A/E/C services. Take your sponsorship beyond just money. Go to some games, introduce yourself to the coaches, and sponsor a team party after the season. At each turn your company and your face will become better known to this prime demographic. One new customer will make the entire sponsorship worthwhile!
2. Be the Click-and-Clack of A/E/C
Want to show the world how knowledgeable you are about residential design, masonry, home repair, or whatever your specialty is? Try starting your own radio program. This is not as complicated as it sounds, and you have several options. Many small stations sell blocks of time to people interested in doing their own shows, and the internet is full of broadcast opportunities. Do a little internet research in your area. Once you’re on the air, focus on what you know best. Bring some prepared material, and be ready to answer questions from callers. Before long you’ll be known as the local expert in your area!
3. Knock on Doors
OK, this one takes some guts, but you’ll be amazed at the results. Set aside an afternoon each week to sell your services door to door. Dress nicely, prepare a quick pitch, and be ready to leave if the person answering the door isn’t interested. You’ll be delighted by how many people are willing to hear a pitch from a well-dressed, well-mannered person offering a valuable service. Sure, most people will be uninterested, but if you make one sale a week this way your time will be well spent.
ArchiQuiz: Hot Weather Edition
1. Who invented the first modern electrical air conditioning system? (Hint: His last name is still heard in the biz.) Answer
2. What is the technology called that allows a homeowner to tap the steady temperatures deep in the earth to heat and cool a home? Answer
3. Name three ways homebuilders kept houses cool before the invention of air conditioning. Answer
4. How did people make ice before freezers were invented? Answer
Amazing Architecture: Office Building Edition
The Mariposa Office Building, with exquisite management of sunlight and shade, fits perfectly into its New Mexico surroundings: http://www.dpsdesign.org/mariposa-office-building
Check out this gorgeous, reflective, multi-purpose office/condo building in Atlanta designed by Stanley D. Lindsey & Associates: http://www.sdlal.com/office.htm
Steel beams form the structure and are a key design feature of this office building in Cologne, Germany: http://www.halfenusa.com/t/25_12311.html
Is it a water tower or an office building? This conical building was built in a factory and erected on-site ready to use: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mammoet_office_building.jpg
The zig-zag lines make this office building in Gabrovo, Bulgaria visible for miles! http://www.albenaproperties.bg/index.php/en/offer/55-Office%20building%20Yantra%20-%20Gabrovo
Being Green – Staying Cool Naturally
Solar-ready cooling systems from Lennox tap the power of the sun to keep a house cool: http://www.lennox.com/solar-solutions/
GeoComfort geothermal cooling/heating systems draw on the steady temperatures deep underground to create a comfortable home environment: http://www.geocomfort.com/products/
Earthtubes provide passive (non-electric) geothermal cooling: https://www.thenaturalhome.com/earthtube.htm
Skip the ugly plastic box fan this summer and turn on an elegant Arden fan instead: http://www.fanimation.com/products/arden
The Twin Turbo ceiling fan from MinkaAire will make any room comfortably breezy: http://www.minka.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=4489&brand=Minka-Aire%C2%AE&sku=F402-ORB&name=Twin%20Turbo%20-%20Wet/Damp%20Location%20Approved
A/E/C News – Boston
A/E/C economy looking up in greater Boston: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/2012-architectural-study-shows-profits-are-up-in-greater-boston-area-2012-06-11
South End Graybar warehouse sold; redevelopment coming: http://southend.patch.com/articles/south-end-s-graybar-sold-for-14-million
Plans for Suffolk Downs casino unveiled: http://www.reverejournal.com/2012/06/06/casino-plan-unveiled/
Boston-based website offers sustainable building guidance: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/743792
Historic Hayden Building to be renovated: http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/real_estate/2012/06/groundbreaking-at-former-combat-zone.html
Lofts for artists underway in old factory: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/05/31/artist_lofts_slated_for_downtown_lynn/
May 2012 Newsletter
May 20, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
A/E/C Business Finally Up?
It’s hard to imagine after four years of recession, but enough signs are starting to pile up about an improving A/E/C industry that maybe optimism is in order. Consider these facts: The AIA Architecture Billings Index has been about 50 (meaning increasing billing) for five consecutive months; the Commerce Department reports that building permits in March 2012 were 30.1 percent higher than March 2011; and the Pending Home Sales Index from the National Association of Realtors was up 4.1 percent in March over February (and 12.8 percent above March 2011).
Of course, even these pretty numbers don’t mean the industry is in a complete recovery. Many firms are suffering, unemployment across the board is still high, foreclosed homes are still clogging the market.
But some people are optimistic:
“We are starting to hear more about improving conditions in the marketplace, with a greater sense of optimism that there will be greater demand for design services,” said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA. “But that is not across the board and there are still a number of architecture firms struggling so progress is likely to be measured in inches rather than miles for the next few months.”
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, also seems happy. “First quarter sales closings were the highest first quarter sales in five years. The latest contract signing activity suggests the second quarter will be equally good,” he said. “The housing market has clearly turned the corner. Rising sales are bringing down inventory and creating much more balanced conditions around the county, which means home prices will be rising in more areas as the year progresses.”
Of course, even the optimism is guarded. A report from CoStar Group, which researches commercial real estate, noted that the vacancy rate of warehouses fell to 9.4 percent in the first quarter of 2012, an improvement of 0.2 percent from the fourth quarter of 2011. But that absorption of warehouse space is one third slower than space was absorbed in the fourth quarter, so no one is exactly cheering. “We definitely saw a slowdown in demand during the first quarter of this year,” said Rene Circ, director of industrial research for Property and Portfolio Research (PPR), CoStar’s analytics and economic forecasting division. “[But] It was a slight slowdown and we do expect it to pick up.”
So, you probably shouldn’t put the Dom Perignon on ice just yet, but maybe it is time to breathe a little more easily.
Pre-Fab Construction: All Grown Up
When people hear “pre-fab home,” most think of the dreary, low-cost structures that dot rural landscapes. And in many cases, that image exists for good reason. After all, pre-fabs are generally erected because a stick-built home would cost more, not because of some style advantage of the pre-fab.
But pre-fab has had a renaissance. A good, modern pre-fab takes advantage of the design skills of an expert architect — repeated over and over so design costs are minimized — and the cost efficiencies of factory construction. And many pre-fabs are considered to be leading-edge environmentally sound.
Pre-fabs began long before the ugly, aluminum-sided ’70s era ranch houses many think of. Sears Roebuck sold pre-fabs through their catalog from 1908 to 1940, and many of those homes are highly desirable gems today. The company sold over 100,000 of these kits. These early pre-fabs were most popular during the 1910s and 1920s. A family could get a decent house kit for $2,500. The 30,000 pieces — everything from the shingles to the flooring — came with a book of instructions.
Sales of prefabs slowed down during the Depression. When returning WWII soldiers sought homes, they turned to mobile homes instead of pre-fabs. When pre-fabs returned to popularity in the 1970s, they were generally seen as cheap, low-income housing. They had little of the charm that had made the Sears Catalog homes so desirable. That chintzy image lasted for decades.
But now a new era in pre-fab homes has arrived, partially brought on by the environmental movement and partially by a tough economy. Modern pre-fabs are seen as “green” because of their efficient construction, and they still cost a lot less than stick-built homes. What makes them special, though, is that skilled designers are adding their touches to the design.
Check out the work of Rocio Romero, a pre-fab designer who has had work exhibited at Walker Art Center, MOCA, and the Vancouver Art Gallery. She designed her first pre-fab when her parents’ vacation home went over budget, and she realized pre-fab techniques could have saved money. Her designs take advantage of pre-fab efficiencies, but are totally modern. Buyers include wealthy families seeking a vacation home and middle income folks looking for a solid value. Check out her work here http://www.rocioromero.com/LVSeries.html
Another design firm specializing in pre-fab is Happy Haus in Australia. Their website explains the premise: “Prefabricated housing has a dull history in Australia, mostly uninspiring and cheap. We set out to change the perception of prefab by engaging Australia’s finest architects to design high quality homes produced in factory-controlled conditions.” See examples at http://www.happyhaus.com.au
And now coming full circle, a retailer is selling a kit house. This time it’s Ikea, and the Danish furniture giant is doing it in conjunction with pre-fab manufacturer ideabox. The super-Euro look home, with one bedroom and one bath, sells for a dainty price, $86,500. Check it out here http://www.ideabox.us/models/aktiv/
So say goodbye to ugly prefabs and hello to retail-sold designer prefabs, just like a century ago.
ArchiQuiz: Windy City Edition
Which suburb west of Chicago did Frank Lloyd Wright work and live in early in his career? Answer
Who first employed Frank Lloyd Wright as a draftsman? Answer
For how long did the Sears Tower hold the rank as tallest building in the world? Answer
What is the Sears Tower called today? (Officially and unofficially) Answer
What development was the Chicago School of Architecture best known for? Answer
Amazing Architecture – Garage Edition
Check out this amazing multi-level garage designed by Holger Schubert: http://www.hahoy.com/most-insanely-cool-car-garage-designs/home-garage-design-6/
No room for a garage? Plant your car under your driveway instead: http://www.modernminimalis.com/2012/02/best-garage-design.html
Another underground garage, with a grass driveway: http://www.trendhome.info/2011/06/architectural-home-design-by-bvn-architecture/modern-architectural-home-design-garage-image/
You won’t believe your eyes when you look at these garage doors: http://www.gadgetking.com/2010/02/24/cool-garage-door-graphics/
Yes, a car this cool deserves a garage this cool: http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/629975-Architectural-Digest-Maserati-garage-design-contest-winner-coolest-garage-ever
Boston News
One Faneuil Hall sold for $40 million: http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/real_estate/2012/05/hubs-one-faneuil-hall-sold-for-40m.html
The Architectural Team wins seven Tsongas historic preservation awards: http://www.newstimes.com/business/press-releases/article/Seven-New-Housing-Communities-in-Historic-3544952.php
Build-out completed on Summer Street: http://www.bostonsf.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=8F9B7F89936042BDBA3CBE6967DBD899
Zoning Board approves E Street self-storage project: http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/south_boston/2012/05/hold_street_self-storage_proje.html
$7 million investment in Chelmsford building: http://www.bostonsf.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=4116ED5D98C74852A7D5541A3BDCD7E4
Boston architect Moshe Safdie creates Arkansas must-see: http://www.stltoday.com/travel/sprawling-arkansas-art-museum-emerges-as-must-see-destination/article_55183833-90a9-51b1-bccc-8c8918e325e0.html
Being Green – Window Treatment Edition
“Green by Nature” blinds from Graber crafted from natural products: http://www.graberblinds.com/solutions/why_graber.jsp
Warm Windows from Cozy Windows feature four layers: http://www.cozycurtains.com/
Duette Architella Honeycomb Shades keep the heat out in the summer and heat in in the winter: http://www.hunterdouglas.com/our-products-detail.jsp?id=53
Ecosmart shades seal out drafts: http://www.ecosmartshades.com/
Silverscreen shades feature a thin layer of aluminum to improve energy efficiency: http://www.comfortex.com/silverscreen.html
April 2012 Newsletter
April 10, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
Architect as Cartoonist
Architecture is a pretty serious business with long-lasting results. But it is a profession inhabited by artists, and as architect-artists doodle, it’s no surprise that some of those doodles turn into cartoons. Here is a run-down of some of the best-known architecture cartoonists.
Alan Dunn (1900 – 1974) drew nearly 2,000 cartoons for The New Yorker during his career, as well as many cartoons for Architectural Record. His cartoons made fun of many modern design trends from the 1930s and 1940s. The style of his work evokes the 1940s, and many of the gags and terminology center around architectural issues of that era. Check out some of his work here http://learning2share.blogspot.com/2009/12/few-alan-dunn-architectural-cartoons.html
Saul Steinberg (1914 – 1999) is probably best known for his 1976 New Yorker cover that shows a map that depicts an idealized view of the world from the perspective of a New Yorker. See it here http://www.saulsteinbergfoundation.org/gallery_24_viewofworld.html
Steinberg earned an architecture degree in 1940 in Milan, but he already was cartooning for European publications in the 1930s. His drawings appeared in Life, The New Yorker, and Harper’s Bazaar by the early 1940s. His cartoons went far beyond architecture, but architecture was a regular favorite. Another famous drawing — which actually was made into wallpaper that is still available! — depicted the streets of Paris http://retrorenovation.com/2010/01/26/wallpaper-designed-by-new-yorker-cartoonist-saul-steinberg/.
Louis Hellman is an English architect who has lampooned architecture as a cartoonist for 40 years. His work has appeared in Architectural Review, Design Week, Punch, The Guardian, and many other publications. His cartoons were collected in a book in 2000, Archi-tetes: The Id in the Grid. Here are a number of his cartoons that focus on the planning process in London: http://www.planninginlondon.com/HTML/Cartoons/Cartoons.htm
Malcolm Walker is an architect in New Zealand who has doubled as a cartoonist for the past 25 years. Some of his best work was recently collected in a book titled Did You Mean To Do That? While not all of his cartoons are about architecture, many are, and they generally critique the architecture of his native land. In an interview in the New Zealand Herald, Walker said ” It’s such an important thing, architecture, it really does matter, and I do think there’s a lot of bad architecture around. Although, if architecture was all good I wouldn’t have a job as an architectural cartoonist.”
Art and Architecture: Impressionism Comes to the Fore
Architects have long used artistic renderings to show clients what to expect, and most now use computer renderings to make them super realistic. But some architects are turning back the clock — way back — and using impressionistic artistic methods to help clients understand the concept of a design without getting bogged down by specifics.
Consider Dawn Carlton, an architect at Hennebery Eddy Architects in Portland
, Oregon. She specializes in watercolor drawings of new projects. She recently won an award from the American Society of Architectural Illustrators for a watercolor rendering of the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation’s engine house.
“I think hand work in general is so important to architectural design,” Carlton said in an interview with Portland’s Daily Journal of Commerce. “Technology has moved so far forward that most work is done on the computer. I think any chance that we get as designers to go back to hand work, whether that’s pencil or mixed media, there’s a real connection level of thought process that that supports.”
Carlton explains that watercolor drawings of projects being designed allow the architect and the client to focus on the intent of a project rather than specific measurements and angles.
“I think the softness is also appealing to a lot of clients, versus say a black-and-white image or other opaque paintings that make it difficult to express the detail,” she said.
Genesis Studios, an architectural rendering firm in Altamonte Springs, Florida, creates what they call “loose renderings” for many clients. The loose renderings are impressionistic, though not necessarily watercolor. Clients often ask for these renderings in early design stages, when there are not enough details for a computer-generated rendering, or when construction budgets are still vague and thus the architect does not want to commit to many specifics in the rendering.
“A loose illustration is a representation of the elements within a layout and is drawn to scale and used to give an idea of the overall concept without specific details,” the firm’s principal, Frank Bartus, explains.
Another more subtle advantage of impressionistic renderings is that they often can evoke a mood more easily than photo-realistic images can. Is a building supposed to be serious? The artist can use stark colors and hard lines. Or is it supposed to be lively and happy? Other colors and softer edges can evoke those feelings.
Old school artistic renderings are never going to replace modern computer drawings, but they do have their place. After all, the value of a truly artistic rendering goes beyond its ability to accurately depict a future building.
Your Own Branded Storefront: Let AIR Provide It
You know the problem: You want your remote salespeople, agents, and others to have access to the high-quality marketing material you created, but you don’t want them using it outside of the guidelines you have established. The solution? A “branded storefront,” which is an internet portal that allows any authorized users, located anywhere, to easily create personalized documents, emails, and other marketing collateral with the assurance that they fully comply with company brand requirements. Click here for more information: Branded Storefront
Famous Architect: Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer, a Brazilian architect who was a Modernism pioneer, may not 
be a household name…but at age 104, he’s still working! Niemeyer designed many important buildings in Brasilia, Brazil’s capital city, including the National Congress of Brazil and the Cathedral of Brasilia. He also contributed to the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. He loves abstract, free-flowing forms, as he notes in this quote: “I am not attracted to straight angles or to the straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. I am attracted to free-flowing, sensual curves. The curves that I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuousness of its rivers, in the waves of the ocean, and on the body of the beloved woman. Curves make up the entire Universe, the curved Universe of Einstein.”
Amazing Architecture: Outdoors Edition
If you think Chicago’s “Bean” sculpture is cool, you’ll love the “Blimp” sculpture being considered for Seattle: http://designbuildsource.com.au/architectural-balloon-takes-seattle
This inviting urban garden/patio by Eckersley Garden Architecture mixes modern and natural. Check out the furniture made from steel tubing: http://www.rangkep.com/outdoor-design-eckersley-garden-architecture/
You probably won’t see Boy Scouts using these “tents,” but they are ultra-sturdy and very cool: http://www.iransdesign.com/archinoma-modular-
system-for-create-outdoor-architectural-objects/
That fire pit in your backyard can’t hold a candle this outdoor fireplace in Norway: http://www.modecodesign.com/architecture/outdoor-fireplace-by-haugenzohar-architects-in-trondheim-norway/
Even ancient architects carefully contemplated their outdoor architecture: http://dyingofcute.tumblr.com/post/19674583195/monsters-park-rome
Go Green: Landscape Edition
Recycled plastic interlocking landscape ties help you build attractive and environmentally sound raised gardens: http://www.itsrecycled.com/SAlandscape.shtml
Rain barrels are ubiquitous in many communities, and they are standard for the eco-smart garden. Check out the options from Clean Air Gardening: http://www.cleanairgardening.com/rainbarrels.html
Many homeowners would like a birdbath or fountain in the yard, but who wants to waste electricity pumping the water? A solar-powered fountain is the solution: http://www.birdbaths.com/search/index.cfm?Ntt=solar%20ceramic%20bird%20bath&Ntk=all
Glass gardens are often part of a landscape design. Make sure to specify recycled glass: http://www.americanspecialtyglass.com
Building a gazebo or other garden structure? Use wood products that are certified to be sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council, such as those available from Arboria: http://www.arboria.com/building-materials.html
News – Boston
Lucerne Gardens renovation gets $6.1 million loan boost: http://massachusetts.realestaterama.com/2012/03/27/masshousing-closes-6-1-million-loan-to-preserve-affordable-housing-in-boston-ID0423.html
New Chanel boutique on Newbury Street: http://bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/view.bg?articleid=1061121144&position=1
Boston’s Architectural Team featured in TV program about repurposed buildings: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/3/prweb9342756.htm
Logan garage project finished one year ahead of schedule: http://www.bostonsf.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=A2F0F123BA7C4343B10B3525E5DEBABC
Low-income elderly housing opened at Dudley Square: http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/roxbury/2012/03/57_low-income_elderly_housing.html
JCJ Architecture moving offices: http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120313005172/en/architect/architecture/New-York-City
Emmanuel College campus growing: http://articles.boston.com/2012-03-21/yourtown/31221066_1_new-dorm-new-dining-hall-campus
Upcoming competition:
Fentress Global Challenge 2012: Workplace of the Future
March 2012 Newsletter
When Unbuilt Architecture Still Matters
When Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas designed a 10-story retail boutique for Prada in San Francisco in 2001, city planners initially rejected it, saying it resembled a giant cheese grater and didn’t fit in with the other buildings in the neighborhood. They were eventually overruled, but when the recession killed the project altogether, Koolhaas’s design joined the crowded pool of critically praised designs that never got built.
However, Koolhaas’s efforts weren’t entirely in vain. In 2008 the building on that lot was renovated with a design by architecture firm Brand + Allen that was almost equally unusual for the neighborhood, with a glass wall suspended several inches outside the original structure. John King, urban design critic of the San Francisco Chronicle http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/03/BAHL1NEVGO.DTL , argues that Brand + Allen’s design was only approved because Koolhaas’s design had blazed the trail. “Planners were eager to show that they were not opposed to all contemporary design near Union Square, just Koolhaas’s,” King wrote.
The effect of an unbuilt design often takes years to materialize, but any designer who has cried over her drawing board when she learned her idea would never become reality can take some comfort knowing that her design might still have a great influence in the long run.
An exhibition now running at the National Building Museum, called Unbuilt Washington , describes several unbuilt designs once planned for the nation’s capital, including an enormous pyramid planned to honor Abraham Lincoln. Again, while this pyramid and the other buildings in the exhibit were never built, they probably did influence what was ultimately made there. “Such projects often exercised a profound influence on what was built and may offer lessons that inform ongoing debates about the design and development of Washington and other cities,” the description of the museum’s exhibit says.
The influence of the unbuilt probably extends to all major cities. In 1922 the Chicago Tribune held a competition http://www.jitterbuzz.com/trib_tower.html to build its new tower. The winning entry was designed by Howells & Hood, and the beautiful gothic structure is still a key structure in Chicago’s skyline. But the second place entry, a modernist tower designed by Eliel Saarinen, was widely praised and influenced other architects of the era. Among them were Timothy Pflueger and George Kelham, who later designed towers based on the same general concepts, King notes.
Note that there is a difference between unbuilt designs that were never intended to be built (or at least were unlikely to be built) and those that could have been built but didn’t get off the ground. The former often help an architect’s reputation — Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and, more recently, Zaha Adid, both enjoyed some measure of acclaim for their unbuilt designs — but the latter have a more practical effect on their urban landscapes.
A structure that probably never really stood a chance of being built, but which has influenced design ever since and so thus rightly falls into that second category, is the famous Tatlin’s Tower . Designed by Vladimir Tatlin in 1920, this giant, double-helix structure was designed to commemorate the Soviet revolution. It was never built, but architects as well known as Anish Kapoor and Renzo Piano have acknowledged its influence on their work.
Will the designs sitting in architects’ unbuilt files today have a similar influence? The recession certainly stopped a lot of building — consider the Chicago Spire , a 2,000-foot, swirling tower designed by Santiago Calatrava that never got much past the excavation stage — so the possibility exists. Only time will tell.
Winning Olympic Architecture
The Olympics are giant events in sports — perhaps the biggest sporting events of all. But they’re also major architectural events. In fact, up through the 1948 games, Olympic medals were awarded for non-sports related cultural endeavors, including architecture!
Architects don’t win Olympic medals any more, but architecture is still a giant part of the games, and the architecture coming together for the London 2012 Games is no exception.
A driving concept of the plan for the London Olympics is that the structures should be “green” and that they should be either reusable after the games or temporary. The Olympic organizers want to avoid the fate of many previous Olympic venues that get tons of attention and use during the actual Olympics but then fall into disuse shortly afterward. The master plan was developed by Allies & Morrison and HOK Sport.
The structures designed for the London Olympics are architecturally interesting, even the temporary venues (in fact, the temporary nature of the temporary buildings perhaps increased the risk-taking creativity of the designers, because they knew the structures will be short-lived).
Check out the remarkable temporary structure built for the shooting events. It resembles Swiss cheese, but the convex “holes” actually look more like giant bullets missed their targets and hit the walls. The structure, designed by Magma Architecture, includes spectator enclosures created with 18,000 square meters of PVC membrane. http://www.london2012.com/photos/2011/10/construction-progresses-on-london-2012-shooting-venue.php
There are six permanent structures, all built with the idea that they will be reused for other purposes. Among them is London Aquatics Center , designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. The concept behind the aquatic center is flowing water in motion. The undulating roof looks like a wave washing up from the ground. The center holds 17,500 spectators.
Another significant permanent architectural feature is the Olympic Village, which will become a new neighborhood in East London after the games. The buildings in the village will be converted into 2,818 new homes and plots for a potential 2,000 additional homes. The village also contains education and healthcare facilities, parkland, public squares and open space, and transit links.
With these innovative temporary and reusable elements, the architecture of the 2012 Olympics will surely deserve a gold medal.
ArchiQuiz: Green Edition
1. What percentage of CO2 emissions in the United States come from buildings? Answer
2. The U.S. Green Building Council regularly updates LEED regulations. What’s the next iteration called? Answer
3. Which U.S. state has the most installed wind power generating capacity? Answer
4. What city is considered the “greenest” in America? Answer
5. What will the green building market be worth in 2015? Answer
Amazing Architecture – Library Edition
Rem Koolhaas applied his singular style to the Seattle Public Library: http://www.arcspace.com/architects/koolhaas/Seattle/
Acres of glass spill light into the Salt Lake City Public Library, designed by Moshe Safdie: http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/bts/archives/civic/04_SLCpubLibrary/overview.asp
Skidmore designed this white box of a library for Yale’s rare book collection: http://www.yale.edu/architectureofyale/Beinecke.html
Check out the washtub-like design of the Consortium Library at the University of Alaska Anchorage: http://consortiumlibrary.org/about/library_images/
News – Boston
Boston sustainable energy systems group partners named: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/fraunhofer-center-for-sustainable-energy-systems-announces-partners-for-cleantech-research-and-demonstration-building-in-bostons-innovation-district-2012-03-05
Salem State Library building topped off: http://www.bostonsf.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=656D4C70A1CD4FBCAC5DCDA481A11C3C
Boston firm Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott to design Buffalo hospital: http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/157401/37/Architect-Chosen-for-New-Women-and-Childrens-Hospital-of-Buffalo
“Ink Block” proposal favored for former Boston Herald site: http://southend.patch.com/articles/a-guide-to-the-ink-block-proposal-for-the-former-boston-herald-site
Margulies Perruzzi Architects design Mass Insight interior: http://www.bostonsf.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=7898D9BA7DDB409BB457C1E5279B3BB0
Chinese architect wins Pritzker Prize
Skidmore wins first “Good Design is Good Business” award
Green Design — Roof Edition
Modular aluminum blocks make green roofs simple: http://greenroofblocks.com/index.php/page/product/green-roof-blocks
Pre-vegetated green roof system simplifies planting process: http://www.greengridroofs.com/design/features.htm
Green roof panels are pre-grown with local plants: http://myplantconnection.com/green-roofs-products.php
Xero Flor green roof systems are certified “cradle-to-cradle”: http://www.xeroflora.com/
Solar power and green roof combined in one system: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/01/26/green-roof-product-cools-solar-panels/