The best green building trends for 2015 make environmentally friendly materials and practices live comfortably with the end user’s need for something beautiful. No longer a question of aesthetics or environmental effect, there’s so much variety that everyone gets what they really want. This is great news, considering that green construction is predicted to keep…
Air pollution affects the health and wellbeing of everyone in every country, and in fact around the world. But a new brick might be a game changer. Designed to extract contaminants in as straightforward a way possible, this new building material offers real hope for emerging countries as well as in mainstream construction. Breathe Brick…
There’s a pronounced line drawn between the people who love brutalism and the people who hate it. Prince Charles of Wales is in Camp B, by the way, at least according to the Saylor Foundation. He thinks it’s got all the charm of “piles of concrete.” But love it or hate it, since there really…
Design and construction in the commercial sector looks good, both for the remainder of 2015 and on through 2016. Spending is high and expected to increase. And that’s great news for architects and everyone related to the industry. This news comes on the heels of a sluggish first quarter, primarily because of poor weather, which…
When new architects just entering the field take an unpaid internship, they could be setting a standard that says, “My work has no value.” The American Institute of Architects disagrees. So much so, their Center for Emerging Professionals campaign, “Know Your Worth” challenges that notion and counters it with a different belief: All architects contribute,…
Are you planning to attend the 2016 AIA convention in Philadelphia? Would you like to help your fellow architects by contributing to continuing education? If you’re particularly well-versed in one of several different areas, the convention and the AIA need your help. You could be a presenter, and it all begins with submitting your proposal.…
Everyone has heard a story about a new development or project that’s halted in its tracks for any number of reasons. Maybe a wildlife habitat is discovered. Or maybe someone unearths artifacts that require investigation. There’s a balance between progress and the preservation of history. And the point is to allow both to exist with…
The green movement is everywhere. So much so that it’s no longer a peculiarity, but more just the way things are. Green roofs have been a part of that movement, but they aren’t as new as you might think. They’ve been around for more than just a long time; they might even be considered ancient…
In a community of oh-so-serious architects, British designer Thomas Heatherwick is a bit of a renegade. He’s different, alright. But that doesn’t mean his designs are any less brilliant than anyone else’s. He only believes that function doesn’t have to be boring, or worse – ugly. Beautiful design is what makes Heatherwick stand out in…
Can architecture be defined as art? Some people think so. Still others might not make the same comparison, but it’s hard to deny that architecture is a source of inspiration. It’s human nature; we’re affected and inspired by the world around us. Sometimes that inspiration is a tree or a mountain. But the environment isn’t…
