The American Institute of Architects does its part to promote innovation and ingenuity, and the professionals who adhere to those concepts. Perhaps no group of individuals has those characteristics more than students of architecture. That’s why the AIA hosts its Committee on the Environment (COTE) competition, and awards students whose projects meet specific criteria. The […]
How Architects Propose to Save Virginia’s Top Endangered Places
Few states boast more historical sites than Virginia, but not all of them are as well loved and protected as Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Such is the case with many neglected sites throughout the Commonwealth. But now a few architects with vision and an organization known as Preservation Virginia hope to revitalize and restore at least […]
How Designers Approach Urban Mobility Problems
Transportation is a requirement to get from point A to point B. But that doesn’t always mean that you need a car. Transportation can be a subway, elevated train, bicycle, or even a pair of legs. The choices that city planners make can determine how the land is used. But people will always react to […]
Frank Lloyd Wright Home Preservation Sparks Controversy
Historic preservation affects everyone in a community. And Frank Lloyd Wright’s contributions to architecture are among the most worthy of the 20th century. But something interesting happens when restoration and preservation broaden their footprint to reach into commercial motives. If architecture is for the community, some limits on how the property is used might be […]
The Battle for Preservation at NYC’s Four Seasons Restaurant
Landmarks are inherently part of a city’s culture. Even when they’re privately owned, the community, and sometimes the world, feels invested in the future of a building. Without them, there’s a void. The Four Seasons restaurant has been part of New York City’s culture since 1959. But internal struggles threaten its future, which could mean […]
Architects Matter Today and for the Future
Architects influence vehicle traffic through cities and foot traffic through office buildings. They create awe-inspiring towers and inspirational education campuses. With a hand in the design of nearly every built structure in the world, Randy Deutsch of Architects 2Zebras believes that architects are important now, and will remain so in the future. Here are 9 […]
Architecture’s Importance in an Evolving World
Unless you’re talking about any of the new Asian mega cities that emerge seemingly overnight, it takes time to develop a metropolitan area. And it takes concerted effort to continue growth in a way that works for the community instead of against it. Architecture responds and predicts, all in an effort to remain relevant and […]
4 Reasons Why Engineers Need the Humanities
Engineering and humanities might be as far apart as any two disciplines can be. On one side, the engineering side, there are problems and knowable answers. On the humanities side, there are questions that only serve to spawn more questions. If engineers lived in a world where only cold, hard facts existed, humanities might not […]
Do Computers Hurt the Design Process?
Computers have a definite place in architecture. They help carry out some of the work, which lets creative thinkers focus more on what they do best, which is solve problems and design. Digital technology makes things easier. But that’s not always a good thing. Sometimes, it’s the struggle that gives birth to creativity. They are […]
Architects Explain What’s Hot (and Not) About Shipping Containers
Who’d have ever thought that shipping containers would one day be a hot new residential building tool? The future is now, but it’s not without its curiosities. Architects and owners who know firsthand about designing and living in container homes have a few things to say about the topic. Some of it supports the benefits, […]