March, 2019

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5 ways designers and builders can use business intelligence with data they already have

BD+C

Business intelligence (BI) – technologies used for data analysis and reporting – has been a trending topic in our recent work. Nearly all areas of our consulting service make use of one form of BI or another and Nate’s previous blog post highlights a few of these uses. Organizations are seeking insight about what they’re good at – or not so good at – in order to make improvements to their own processes.

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Stairs are Complicated

Life of an Architect

Some of the most complicated and underappreciated architectural drawings to ever exist are those depicting stairs. While I will readily concede that part of me likes the technical challenges that come from detailing stairs, the vast majority of me loathes preparing them. Unless the stairs are cool. These are the stairs that are in the process of getting built at our “Oak Grove” project, and this is the sketch that sent me down my rabbit hole last week.

Sketching 104
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Architect Marketing: 5 Building Blocks For Firm Growth

Archmark

How to make marketing work for your architecture firm. No matter how good an architect you are, or how talented your team is, you need a strategic approach to marketing in order to succeed. Recently, we asked Richard Marshall, Principal with Perkins+Will , about the importance of marketing for small firms, “The best organizations view marketing as just as important a skill set as design.

Firms 95
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sweat the details…architects must sweat the details

Think | Architect

What am I thinking about today? Details – not just literal architectural details, but I’m thinking about how we as architects imagine and plan for multiple events, components and at times relationships coming together – beautifully. It does not just happen. For the most part, we spend our time on the literal details. This is […].

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Revolutionize Concrete Durability with Kryton’s Integral Waterproofing Solutions

Kryton International leads the way in integral waterproofing solutions for concrete, helping architects, engineers, and developers protect their projects from moisture-related damage. With Kryton's Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM) technology, concrete becomes inherently waterproof, extending the lifespan of structures while minimizing maintenance. This proven technology is trusted worldwide for its ability to self-seal micro-cracks, protect against water ingress, and withstand harsh conditions.

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Before & After: Modern renovation by Tim Brown Architecture

architect design™

I think most bloggers get an annoying amount of junk email from publicists, but every once in awhile one sees something so special it speaks to you and you want to share it with your readers. This was the case when this renovation project by architect Tim Brown from Austin Texas landed in my inbox. While this may not necessarily be the type of thing I normally feature here on ArchitectDesign , I think good design comes in all shapes and sizes.

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Working to reduce HAIs: How design can support infection control and prevention

BD+C

Each year, approximately 90,000 Americans die as a result of Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs)—new bacterial, fungal, and viral infections contracted while receiving treatment. HAIs can occur in any care setting, but the Centers for Disease Control estimates that 722,000 hospital admissions result in HAIs, costing the health industry $28–$33 billion annually.

Contract 106
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20: The Construction Bid Process

Life of an Architect

Every client wants to know what their project is going to cost and who’s going to build it. That means sending the drawings out and getting contractors involved … Let’s get ready to rumble because “ The Construction Bid Process ” is today’s topic. [Note: If you are reading this via email, you will have to click here to access the on-site audio player] For those of you who might not know, a construction bid is the process in which the contractor takes the drawings and specifications as prepare

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GIOTTO’S TOWER: An Artist’s Sense of Humor

Architects Tales

-“When I’m working on a problem, I never think about beauty. But when I’m finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know its wrong.”- Buckmaster Fuller. Story No. 24 for the blog, architects-tales.com, Copyright 2019 by Dale R. Ellickson. Giotto di Bondone [ (1266-1337 A.D.), a Florentine painter and architect, is regarded as the first in a line of great Renaissance artists.

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architects do not have x-ray vision

Think | Architect

Yes, I’m thinking about something today. If you don’t know me, I am an architect whose firm focuses on adaptive reuse. I’ve been fortunate to have been commissioned to renovate, dare I say rehabilitate many properties in my hometown of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. I live in the city and frequently take on projects in the downtown […].

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Overcoming Challenges in Specification Writing for Architecture

This ebook is a helpful guide for architects & specification writers, focusing on the crucial role specifications play in building design. It dives into different types, relevant regulations, & best practices to keep in mind. You’ll find practical tips.

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Save a Landmark (and stay in one too!)

architect design™

One of the great charities of Great Britain (and beyond) is the Landmark Trust. While we all talk about restoring significant old houses they are out there doing the hard work to the most vulnerable properties. Many times they restore structures that are seen as beyond saving that don't necessarily make any sense financially but how do you put a pricetag on our cultural heritage?

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Architects for Urbanity receive Varna Library building permit and release updated images

Architects for Urbanity

Architects for Urbanity have revealed the updated images for their much anticipated Varna Library project, three years after they won the open competition and the subsequent commission to further develop the project. One of the few large public buildings to be developed in Bulgaria since the political transition of the last three decades, the new Library will shelter a wealthy collection of more than 860.000 books and items; it will provide activities for the local community and become a modest

Permits 52
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Building for resilience - All about RELi

BD+C

January temperatures topped out at 35 degrees Celsius in Australia and bottomed out at -51 degrees Celsius in North Dakota. These radical temperatures capture headlines, and they are capturing the attention of real estate developers who have a role to play in community resilience to climate extremes. The built environment’s contribution to carbon emissions is well documented , and sustainability efforts back-checked by LEED, Living Building Challenge, and others are one way to solve the clima

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019: Architectural Fees

Life of an Architect

Architectural Fees are a mystery to most people and there is no shortage of methods that architects charge for their services. How do you make sense of the options, which method works best for you, and how do you provide a method that suits the needs of both the architect and their clients. [Note: If you are reading this via email, you will have to click here to access the on-site audio player] Before we get into today’s topic, I should let everyone know that Andrew and I attended the I

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The Ultimate Guide To Data-Driven Construction: Optimize Projects, Reduce Risks, & Boost Innovation

Speaker: Donna Laquidara-Carr, PhD, LEED AP, Industry Insights Research Director at Dodge Construction Network

In today’s construction market, owners, construction managers, and contractors must navigate increasing challenges, from cost management to project delays. Fortunately, digital tools now offer valuable insights to help mitigate these risks. However, the sheer volume of tools and the complexity of leveraging their data effectively can be daunting. That’s where data-driven construction comes in.

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What is your firm's innovation 'hit rate'?

BD+C

For the better part of a decade, we’ve watched AEC firms and real estate owners and developers pluck business practices, technology, and talent from the tech and manufacturing industries—digital workflows, automation, innovation competitions, hackathons, maker culture, Lean operations, technologies like predictive analytics, AI, and immersive reality.

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AEC firms go outside the box

BD+C

Who’d have thought that the file cabinet would make a comeback in the digital world? Want evidence? Just listen to how two developers describe their recently released software products: “It’s almost like a file cabinet in the cloud,” says George Pontikes, CEO of Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, about Assemble Systems, whose platform helps users manage bids, estimate costs, and plan and run projects and BIM across a project’s network of people and work.

Firms 100
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Denver hotel features garage doors in guest rooms

BD+C

The Source Hotel, located in Denver, Colo., has a unique solution to providing guests with fresh air and sunshine in their guest rooms: garage doors. That’s right, 20 of the hotel’s guest rooms/suites are equipped with operable glass garage doors. With the push of a button, the garage doors fully open to fill the room with fresh air and natural light. .

Glass 100
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First photos inside the nearly completed Jewel Changi Airport addition

BD+C

With features like an indoor forest, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, treetop walking trails, retail (a retail galleria will feature more than 280 retail and food and beverage outlets and a 130-room hotel), and gathering spaces, the 1.4 million-sf Jewel Changi Airport addition will create a new model for airports as a destination for community activity, entertainment, and shopping.

Space 99
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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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When is wood not really wood?

BD+C

Wood has been used as a building material for structures, tools, and weapons for hundreds of thousands of years. And while it is a natural resource, wood has undergone many changes as a material from its earliest uses in primitive weapons. Engineered products like OSB expanded applications for wood in all types of construction. Cross-laminated timber took wood to new heights.

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Porsche’s next-gen showroom prototype opens in Palm Springs, Ca.

BD+C

Described as the first-of-its-kind, Porsche Palm Springs was designed to provide customers with architectural and tech-immersive elements that offer an exclusive Porsche experience.

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Sweden’s tallest timber building is open for business

BD+C

Made of solid timber and situated about an hour from Stockholm in the Kajstaden district of Västerås, a recently completed multifamily development has become the tallest timber building Sweden. The walls, beams, balconies, elevators, and stairwells are all made from cross-laminated timber.

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Newly developed building materials could have big impact on sustainability

BD+C

Recently developed products such as transparent wood, hydrogel embedded in walls, and bricks that help filter air pollution could make a substantial impact on building sustainability in coming years. Swedish researchers have developed a wood material that is 85% transparent by compressing strips of wood veneer and replacing lignin with polymer. It could be a greener alternative to glass and plastic.

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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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The largest student housing development in the country breaks ground

BD+C

On Feb. 26 the University of California, Davis officially broke ground for The Green at West Village, a campus apartment project that is currently the largest student housing development in the country.

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Green innovation in the construction industry

BD+C

As concern for climate change and dwindling natural resources increases, there has been a global shift in the construction industry. Sustainable design is being applied to save energy and conserve finite resources while protecting air and water quality. Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings is at the forefront of green innovation.

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New York’s largest office-to-condo conversion nearing completion

BD+C

One Wall Street, which claims to be the largest office-to-condo conversion project in New York City’s history, should be ready to start accepting purchase offers for its homes this fall for its opening in 2020.

Home 94
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Embracing collaboration tools from outside the AEC industry

BD+C

The AEC industry is a highly labor-driven industry, with many key decision makers collaborating on projects on a continual basis. In such a market, optimization of time spent by these team members is vital to the success of projects. . As other markets continue to innovate and push efficiency in their day-to-day roles, it is important for the AEC industry to take note or be left in the dust. .

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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.