America’s history might not rank with some European countries, but it is nonetheless filled with examples of important architectural and natural locations. And while historic preservation societies exist from coast to coast, the simple truth is that everything can’t be saved, whether or not it’s worthy. The National Trust for Historic Preservation publishes a list…
DetailsIf you have any interest at all in architecture and interior design, the mid-century modern renaissance hasn’t escaped you. It’s everywhere, from young twenty-somethings and their love of a classic ranch house to kitschy mid-mod inspired decor. But why is this era so important now? There are a lot of reasons, and most of them…
DetailsSuperlubricity might not be in your everyday vocabulary now, but it will be. Where friction exists, which is essentially everywhere, there is resistance. And conversely, lubrication acts to reduce that resistance. Although friction was understood, at least in a broad sense, several hundred years ago, there’s always been more to learn. And now scientists are…
DetailsComputers overtake jobs that humans once held. That’s nothing new. It’s becoming an old complaint, in fact, as more and more once-human tasks are streamlined and performed, often better, by electronics. But many argue that there are some jobs where a computer can never, and will never, rise to the top. And according to Architect…
DetailsWould you ever use a knitted table? Not a knitting table, or a table for knitting – A knitted table. That could be the next big thing in flexible building materials. If you’re like the vast majority of all home owners, home renters, home dwellers, or really anybody who has lived anywhere at all, you…
DetailsIn 2014, the Department of Motor Vehicles in the state of California started to issue permits to companies that allow them to test the driver assist technology in self-drive vehicles on public roads. Over the last six years that driver assist technology has been being honed and tested, only 11 accidents have occurred with the…
DetailsToday’s smartphones, tablets and other portable computer devices are manufactured from non-renewable and non-biodegradable materials. Some of them are even potentially toxic to life and the environment. They are regularly discarded and end up filling up landfills where they pose a serious environmental threat. It is estimated that most American’s discard their cell phone every…
DetailsEngineering 100 Years From Now It’s hard to envision what the next hundred years will bring when a person looks back over the last century. Innovations in communication, transportation, architecture, electronics and the medical field have far surpassed the dreams of even the most gifted minds. Nobody has a crystal ball when it comes to…
DetailsWomen are underrepresented in architecture, at least in power positions. The graduation requirements are the same for men and women, and nearly half of all graduates from National Architecture Accrediting Board-accredited schools are women. So why do men dominate the field? That’s what AIA San Francisco’s “Equity by Design” report examines. The Missing 32 Percent…
DetailsTrue sustainable construction is almost a magical, elusive thing, but bamboo might change all of that. Eco-friendly design is goal that’s there, but nearly a moving target. Seal a building to conserve energy, and thousands of school children get sick. Develop a paint with zero VOCs, and it wears off the first time that you…
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