Archinect - News

60 Minutes spotlights the importance of indoor air quality

2023-10-31T14:50:00-04:00

For the Harvard professor, founder of the university's Healthy Buildings Program, our building design and public health officials have ignored indoor air systems for too long – that is, until the COVID pandemic hit. [...] "If you look at the way we design and operate buildings –and I mean offices, schools, local coffee shop[s] – we haven't designed for health," Allen said. "We have bare minimum standards."

Professor Joe Allen, who also does consultation work for developers, recently advised on the Amazon ‘HQ2’ project in Virginia from NBBJ. He and his colleagues at Harvard’s Healthy Buildings Program center their work around six research areas (Homes, Schools, Business, Materials, Climate, and Infectious Diseases), noting that humans spend, on average, 90% of their lives indoors. The project leverages studies and empirical evidence that have roots in 19th-century public health design and is now being aided by research into the effects of ventilation on the spread of COVID-19.

"All else equal, which building are you gonna go to? You have your choice right now: This building that put in healthy building controls, or this building that's designed the way we've always designed buildings, and is prone to being a sick building?" Allen told 60 Minutes, speaking about post-pandemic market standards.

A list of tools and resources compiled for designers by the program can be found here.

...

Gensler survey reveals the ways Gen Z workers are being drawn back to the office

2023-06-23T18:03:00-04:00

Remote work is second nature for Generation Z, many of whom graduated college and started careers during the pandemic. And yet, many are now transitioning to in-person work as they look for more workplace connections, learning opportunities and socialization with coworkers. That means figuring out what kind of workspace environment will keep Gen Z workers interested, is becoming a higher priority.

According to the 2023 Global Workplace Survey Comparison by Gensler, there has been a sudden split, spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic, in the workplace preferences for Gen Z workers compared to older generations.

To start, the findings reveal that Gen Z workers place more value on learning and socializing at work, along with flexibility. Essentially this means that younger workers value having a variety of experiences in the workplace. These experiences include having both private and collaborative spaces, made possible by open, changeable layouts, access to more amenities, and having more in-person, social interactions.

The survey has found that younger workers are being drawn towards offices and away from remote work due to the accessibility of leadership and continued education that could help drive career growth. Some companies looking to adapt to meet these evo...

Construction staffing returned to pre-pandemic numbers in February, report finds

2022-11-09T12:24:00-05:00

Construction staffing has nearly climbed out of the pandemic-induced hole. [...] construction reached 99% of pre COVID-19 numbers, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers. Contractors added 60,000 new employees last month, Associated Builders and Contractors reported, boosting total employment in the industry to 7.6 million. That’s the highest staffing level since COVID-19 drove one million workers off site in April 2020.

“Evidence indicates that contractors have had a somewhat easier time filling available positions recently,” Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban said in a March statement. “There are also indications that supply chain issues have improved slightly, though the Ukraine/Russia war may create new issues on that front. With demand strong and the supply side of the economy in repair, 2022 is setting up to be a strong year for contractors.”

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opening date pushed back again to 2025 due to supply chain issues

2022-09-22T12:13:00-04:00

The opening of MAD’s highly-anticipated Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has been delayed until the year 2025 over apparent issues in the construction supply chain, according to a report published yesterday in the LA Times.

In an interview with the paper, the museum’s director Sandra Jackson-Dumont indicated that, while construction was still moving forward “in all areas,” an inability to obtain the necessary geofoam filling elements, light fixtures, and elevator components has coupled with existing on-site safety-related delays to bump its debut again by another two years.

The museum’s opening had already been pushed back due to Covid-19 protocols after first breaking ground in 2018.

Previously on Archinect: Delays push back opening of the MAD-designed Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

As ARTNews reported, this is a problem that has also affected the OMA-led expansion of Buffalo’s Albright-Knox Gallery and the $60 million overhaul of the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT. Supply chain issues ...

Nearly half of Manhattan employees have returned to the office according to new study

2022-09-16T14:18:00-04:00

The Partnership for New York City has surveyed more than 160 major Manhattan office employers over the past two weeks to get a sense of the number of employees that have returned to office work or are still working remotely.

They found that 49% of workers were at their office workplace on an average weekday, with the share of fully-remote employees dropping from 28% in April to 16% in mid-September. According to the survey, the share of Manhattan workers in the office is expected to gradually increase through 2022 reaching 54% by January 2023.

The number of employees working on a hybrid office schedule sits at 77%, with 55% of surveyed responses indicating that at least three days a week are spent at the office.

The researchers found that 54% of employers expect their office employee headcount to increase or stay the same over the next five years, with 10% expecting...

'Beauty matters': MASS Design Group featured on 60 Minutes

2022-09-07T13:13:00-04:00

Lesley Stahl: Do you think that COVID will change architecture for everybody? Michael Murphy: Everyone around the world is going through a shift in their understanding of the buildings around us. That they may make us sicker, that they could make us healthier if they were better designed.

MASS founding principal and executive director Michael Murphy discussed the curative father-son restoration project that led to his enrollment at Harvard and subsequent experience with the firm’s award-winning early Butaro District Hospital project in Rwanda, which helped cement the place of air flow as one of its three simple design mandates long before the impacts of COVID-19 were noted across the industry.

Murphy's desire to give back to his hometown of Poughkeepsie through various retrofit projects is also highlighted along with a site visit to the in-progress Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture campus, which comes well-appointed with furnishings created by Managing Director Christian Benimana's MASS.Made studio in Kigali. “Beauty matters,” Murphy told 60 Minutes host Lesley Stahl finally about the approach that led to last year's AIA Firm Award win. “Spaces...

International WELL Building Institute CEO Rachel Hodgdon on the rise of building health ratings

2022-08-29T14:16:00-04:00

The adoption of WELL Certification during the past eight years has been nothing short of incredible—the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) has just crossed the 4 billion mark for square footage enrolled to pursue WELL Certification, which means more than 36,000 spaces in more than 120 countries, serving more than 17 million people every day.

Rachel Hodgdon, President & CEO of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and former U.S. Green Building Council Knowledge SVP and Center for Green Schools Director, shared with Multi-Housing News that the institute is currently in development of a single-family residential certification and will soon debut its new WELL Equity Rating, which Hodgdon says is “designed to empower organizations to create places where everyone can feel welcome, seen, and heard.”

Previously on Archinect: New WELL Performance Rating aims to recognize smart, healthy buildings

She also commented on the rise in green building certifications across all building types that has been recorded since the pandemic, providing statistics that support the organizational tide change that the updated rating systems are meant to engender.

“Not only has the WELL Health-Safety Rating been hugely popular, with 2.8 billion square feet enrolled since its launch just two years ago, but we are also finding that most of...

Covid-era bubbles and today's inflation driving heavy volatility of lumber prices

2022-08-22T10:41:00-04:00

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, multifamily developers and builders have had their work cut out for them as they try to budget for their lumber needs. After months of wild fluctuations, lumber futures fell to their lowest level in a year earlier this month, according to lumber price data from NASDAQ. They have since reversed course, and currently stand at just under $600.

As reported by Multifamily Dive, two pandemic-induced bubbles, in which lumber futures rose to record highs in the thousands of dollars, popped, dropping to below $500. The producer price index, a measure of the average changes in prices received by producers, for softwood lumber fell 22.6% in June of this year and 35% overall between March and July 2022. Measured by the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, prices for the material have never exhibited more than 10% volatility in a given month until early 2020, when lumber costs jumped 20%. Since then, the price volatility for lumber, at its higher points, has ranged from 25% to 30%.

It is believed that one of the reasons behind these recent decreased lumber prices is the impact of inflation on industries that depend on lumber. Specifically, the housing industry has been hit by higher interest rates and costs, which has affected the demand for lumber.

The American Society of Civil Engineers gives New York's infrastructure a C grade in new report

2022-07-26T09:00:00-04:00

The New York State Council of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has released its 2022 Report Card for New York Infrastructure, issuing the state's infrastructure an overall grade of C.

The rating is a slight improvement from its 2015 grade of C-. However, as detailed by the ASCE, a C rating indicates infrastructure that is mediocre and requires attention. The overall grade is the average of ratings across 11 infrastructure categories, from wastewater to transit. For New York, only two infrastructure categories are in good condition, six are in mediocre condition, and three are in poor condition. The state’s highest ratings were in the Public Parks and Solid Waste categories, which each received a B-, while Roads, Transit, and Wastewater received the lowest grades with D+’s.

The ASCE has made suggestions for improving New York’s infrastructure grade, including establishing more long-term funding, creating infrastructure goals that fit new lifestyles and commuting pattern...

MoMA PS1 Director Kate Fowle resigns after just three years in the role

2022-06-14T17:13:00-04:00

Kate Fowle, who became director of MoMA PS1 in 2019 and barely had the chance to lead the museum as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, abruptly announced on Friday that she was stepping down as of July 15 from the museum in Long Island City, Queens.

“This has been an extraordinary opportunity to lead MoMA PS1 over the last (nearly) three years and to work with all of you alongside our Board, patrons, and funders,” Fowle said in an email to museum staff according to The New York Times. “I want you to know that I have deep respect and admiration for you all, and that I am incredibly proud of all the work we have achieved together.”

Fowle hasn’t provided any reasoning behind her departure, however, an unnamed source told The New York Times that she had expressed difficulty managing her job during a meeting with MoMA PS1’s chair Sarah Arison and MoMA’s director Glenn D. Lowry.

While a lot of Fowle’s time has been spent mitigating the challenges brought by the pandemic throughout her brief tenure as director, there seemed to be a lot of optimism over her progressive vision for the museum. Shortly after her appointment in 2019, MoMA PS1 started a program called “Homeroom”, an exhibition space curated by community groups. Fowle also...

New report shows the architecture industry's resilience in California throughout the pandemic

2022-05-13T14:54:00-04:00

When a recession hits, architects often take it in the gut. The design sector has traditionally been one of the losers of a market downturn, with big real estate developments being put on hold and the need for architectural design services kicked down the road. But during the economic downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, architecture has been surprisingly robust.

According to the 2022 Otis College Report on the Creative Economy, an annual report by Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles that tracks the economic health of creative industries in California, architecture has been the most resilient sector. This is compared to creative goods and products, entertainment and digital media, fashion, fine arts, and performing arts. Between 2019 and 2020, architecture saw only a 2.2 percent decrease in employment. And nationwide, the industry added 670,000 jobs in 2021, the largest amount since before the pandemic-induced global financial crisis. The number of businesses also expanded during this period, increasing by 8 percent.

Economist Adam Fowler, a partner at CVL Economics, who authored the report, attributes the industry’s strength to the high demand for architectural services in areas experiencing robust job growth. He also notes the heightened demand for affordable housing. In addition, the pandemic resulted in the reconsideration of h...

Architects earn more from renovations than new builds for first time, fueled by workplace revolution

2022-05-10T09:00:00-04:00

Architecture firms are billing more from reconstruction and renovation projects than they are from new builds for the first time; a milestone driven by soaring demand for office renovations. In the 20 years that the AIA has been collecting data on billings for renovations versus new build projects, the share of billings received from renovations has been consistently rising for over a decade, suggesting the new milestone is not entirely attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout 2021, works to existing facilities reached 52% of architecture firm billings. According to AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, one quarter of works to existing facilities comprise adaptive reuse, with another quarter owing to conversion and basic interior modernization. 18% comprises tenant fit-outs while adding usable space and upgrading building facades or systems each comprise 10%.

“This is a l...

How does asynchronous work intersect with architectural practice?

2022-04-15T11:47:00-04:00

While speculation over what a long-term “post-pandemic workplace” may look like is often distilled into conversations about remote and hybrid working, the topic of asynchronous working garners relatively less attention. This comes despite the fact that many of the touted benefits of remote working, whether it be more accessible childcare options, fewer travel constraints, or personal appointments and commitments, would be more accurately described as benefits of an asynchronous workplace, rather than a remote or hybrid one.

As a BBC article on the subject from 2021 points out, remote working and asynchronous working are separate, standalone structures. While remote and hybrid working arrangements are simply a matter of location, asynchronous working is a matter of time, where each individual worker can structure their workday free of a typical 9–5 arrangement, rather than all employees of a company working the same synchronized hours.

Related on Archinect: An architect’s advice ...

An architect’s advice on boosting creativity in hybrid workplaces

2022-04-06T09:00:00-04:00

In a new thought piece, NBBJ architect Ryan Mullenix presents the findings of NBBJ and the University of Washington’s research into how hybrid workspaces impact creativity. Coincidentally launched at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the research sought to establish the key behavioral and spatial elements which can enable creative workers, including architects, to maintain a creative flair away from their traditional workplace.

The research’s findings may prove useful for creatives long after the pandemic, with evidence including Archinect’s own survey finding that hybrid work options have become a permanent fixture in architectural employment. For example, there are currently 41 open positions on Archinect’s job board offering purely remote working.

According to architect Mullenix, a key finding from research participants was that “control” remains an important part of workplace setting...

MTA's fare-capping pilot program proves to be successful after first month

2022-04-05T15:10:00-04:00

In its first month, the MTA’s OMNY fare capping pilot had more than 168,000 people hit a 13th ride, earning an unlimited pass for the rest of that week. The agency said this group of straphangers had gone on to ride enough to save more than $1 million in fares. MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said at last week’s monthly MTA board meeting that these were the kind of results that could ensure the program sticks around after the four-month pilot is over.

Launched towards the end of February, the pilot fare program seems to be a win for both the MTA and its riders, which could prompt making it permanent. Data collected by the agency shows that 86% of people who got the bonus were subway riders, with the remaining reaching the 13th ride on buses.

More than half of the riders who got the bonus received it from a tap originating in Manhattan. The second and third most popular boroughs are Brooklyn and Queens, respectively. Riders in Staten Island only accounted for just 0.5% of the people who earned the weekly bonus, and the Bronx accounted for 5%.

Previously on Archinect: MTA announces the launch of fare cap to increase ridership

In addition, recent data shows that weekend subway ridership has hovered just above 60% pre-pandemic levels, with weekday ridership being a little below 60%. Bus ridership is also around 60% of what it was before 2020. The weekly fare-capping pilot program is set to end in July and would need widespread appro...

Urban Design Forum and Van Alen Institute will continue their Neighborhoods Now pandemic recovery initiative for 2022

2022-03-24T11:52:00-04:00

The Urban Design Forum and Van Alen Institute have announced a new cycle of Neighborhoods Now, their initiative launched in the Spring of 2020 that pairs leading architecture, design, economic development, legal, and planning firms with local New York City organizations to help drive their communities’ pandemic recovery.

As detailed in a statement by the Van Alen Institute, “Under the heading Neighborhoods Now: Forward, the initiative will extend through the end of 2022 and transition from rapid, tactical responses to long-term recovery strategies on a wider scale. Led by community organizations, seven interdisciplinary teams will enliven and program public space, provide technical support to small businesses, and strengthen cultural activities.”

Previously on Archinect: Van Alen and Urban Design Forum partner with four New York communities to develop reopening strategies

The teams are led by: 82nd Street Partnership, Asian Americans for Equality and Think!Chinatown; Bed-Stuy Gatewa...

Winning projects of USC's 2022 architectural design charrette tackle healthcare pop-ups as community amenities

2022-03-09T19:32:00-05:00

The USC Architectural Guild has announced the winners of the 11th annual Design Charrette.

Past challenges have addressed pressing issues such as homelessness, climate change, and the need for the city to rapidly adapt ahead of its bid as host of the 2028 Summer Olympics, among other themes. Each entry in this year’s Charrette had the unique opportunity to create an important piece of infrastructure which could serve as a weapon in the fight against one of the greatest public health challenges in the past century.

Responding to the 2022 theme of Catalytic Community Space, entries from fourth-year, fifth-year, and graduate students answered a two-fold challenge to design a pop-up Covid-19 testing site that can later be repurposed into a community-oriented amenity.

Twenty teams of three each had five days to complete a concept and video presentation which demonstrated both an elevation of the overall experience of the facility and the ability to prioritize diversity and inclusion, s...

Lumber prices are still soaring, and not just because of COVID-19

2022-02-22T11:16:00-05:00

Lumber prices have seen dramatic rises and falls during the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2021, prices saw a 90% increase on the previous 12 months, adding an extra $36,000 onto the cost of constructing a new home in the United States. The record-high in May was followed a 40% decline in prices in June alone; the largest monthly drop on record.

The new year, and a subsiding of the pandemic, has done little to stabilize the lumber market. According to new reporting by Newsweek, the price of lumber has once again surged throughout 2022, with the price of softwood lumber rising 25.4% in January alone. At $1,272 per thousand board feet, the price of lumber remains three times more expensive that the average price before the COVID-19 pandemic.

While surges in material rates throughout the pandemic have been widely attributed to labor shortages caused by government restrictions and stay-at-...

Dodge Momentum Index continues to fall into January

2022-02-14T13:15:00-05:00

The Dodge Momentum Index has continued to fall in January, yielding a 7% decline to a four-month low of 152.9 from the revised December reading of 163.7. Commercial planning fell 9% and institutional planning fell 1%.

Previously on Archinect: Dodge Momentum Index declines in November, remains near 14-year high

Last year, the Dodge Momentum Index reached levels not seen in nearly 14 years, rising 21% from 2020. The recent stretch of declines has been attributed to rising costs, logistical problems, and skilled labor shortages. However, despite this decrease, the dollar value of projects in planning remains strong, especially for education, warehouse, and healthcare projects.

January 2022 Dodge Momentum Index. Graphic: Dodge Construction Network

A total of 13 projects with a value of $100 million or more entered planning in January. The leading institutional projects were a $400 million hospital in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and the $320 million Ascension Seton Medical Tower in Austin, Texas....

Manhattan rents approach pre-pandemic levels

2022-02-11T14:40:00-05:00

Rents in New York City approached all-time records last month as inventory grew increasingly scarce. The median rental in Manhattan cost $3,467 last month, according to the New York Post, which cited the latest report by appraisal firm Miller Samuel. That was up a little over 2 percent from $3,392 in December, but it represented a 23 percent spike from January 2021 — falling just $5 short of the January record set in 2020, when the median rental was $3,472 per month.

The median rental in Manhattan in January was just shy of the $3,540 peak in April 2020. Prices in Northwest Queens and Brooklyn also rose last month, up 28 percent and 11.1 percent year-over-year respectively. The Real Deal notes that the major force behind price growth in the housing market is the persistent shortage of listings, which has been seen in the city’s rental market. The number of rental listings in Manhattan has dipped 83.3 percent year-over-year in January.

The drive in housing demand can be attributed to decreases in Covid-19 cases, leading to workers returning to their offices. The return of in-person schooling is also a culprit.

MTA announces the launch of fare cap to increase ridership

2022-02-08T14:59:00-05:00

In an effort to encourage New Yorkers to get back on subways, buses, and trains -- particularly following the sharp decline in ridership due to the pandemic -- the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced a pilot fare program that is "more affordable, more flexible and more fair."

The fare capping pilot will feature free, unlimited rides after 12 OMNY taps, New York’s contactless fare payment system that will replace the MetroCard on the New York City subway in 2023. Under this program, no OMNY user would pay more than $33 per week, which is the current price of a seven-day unlimited-ride MetroCard. The pilot will last for at least four months starting February 25th for commuter rail tickets and the 28th for New York City Transit.

Previously on Archinect: Newly signed infrastructure bill halts MTA fare increases and service cuts

This move is a major shift from a beleaguered MTA, which has faced service cuts and proposed fare increases throughout the pandemic. The MTA will evaluate the program’s impact and customer experience, and if successful, the agency may extend or even make the fare cap permanent.

As burnout soars during the pandemic, one expert offers advice

2022-02-02T13:41:00-05:00

Architects are no strangers to burnout. In recent years, our editorial has explored the genesis of burnout in architectural circles by examining the impact of college studio culture as well as burnout and fatigue in the professional architectural workplace.

While burnout existed long before the COVID-19 pandemic, there is evidence that the upheaval of the past two years has further exacerbated an already fragile mental health landscape in the profession. In 2020, an Archinect survey of our community found that 43% of respondents were suffering from new mental health issues that they had not experienced before the pandemic, particularly anxiety, depression, and ADD.

Findings from Archinect’s COVID-19 Mental Health Survey

Heightened anxiety in the workplace is a common symptom of burnout, according to neuroscientist and author Dean Burnett. In his new piece for the BBC’s Science Focus magazine, Burnett explores the onset of burnout during the pandemic, with similar findings to thos...

Survey finds AEC firms positive about growth in 2022, expect hybrid working to continue

2022-01-19T14:55:00-05:00

AEC firms are positive about industry growth in 2022 and expect to continue employing a hybrid workforce, according to a survey by Openasset. The AEC Industry Outlook Survey of 500 architecture, engineering, and construction professionals found that 78% believe their firm will experience positive growth in 2022.

46% of respondents said their firm would employ a hybrid workforce in 2022. Almost 25% expect their company to operate with a fully remote workforce, while 19% see a full return to the office for all staff. Maintaining a hybrid workforce was the largest challenge anticipated by respondents, with 54% identifying the shift as a challenge for 2022.

Other challenges highlighted by respondents included employee retention (mentioned by 42%), meeting tight deadlines (mentioned by 49%), and winning new business (mentioned by 42%).

The survey by Openasset is the latest insight into the AEC land...

Materials prices rise 20% in 2021 according to new report

2022-01-18T16:54:00-05:00

Although the prices of some raw materials fell in December, costs are still sky high for contractors looking to purchase them, according to a new analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Overall, the price of construction materials jumped nearly 20% in 2021, the group said Thursday.

In addition, according to the Associated General Contractors of America’s (AGC) 2022 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Survey, material costs were listed as a top concern for contractors this year.

Though prices moderated for some construction materials in December, they still ended the year with large gains. For example, the price index for steel mill products rose 0.2 percent in December, its smallest rise in 15 months, but soared 127.2 percent over 12 months. The index for diesel fuel declined 5.3 percent for December but increased 54.9 percent for the year. Prices for other materials, such as plastic construction products and lumber and plywood, yielded accelerated price hikes in December.

The Association believes that rising materials prices are threatening to set back a strong outlook of economic recovery in 2022. They’ve urged the Biden administration to reconsider its plans to double tariffs on Canadian lumber and to remove other trade barriers that are driving infl...

New study reveals that pandemic-related absences cost employers nearly $1 billion per week

2022-01-13T14:52:00-05:00

In the last 22 months, workers' pandemic-related absences have cost employers more than $78.4 billion — nearly $1 billion each week — according to a Dec. 20 analysis from the Integrated Benefits Institute.

The Integrated Benefits Institute used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics along with its own dataset to analyze disability wage payments, state disability insurance, sick leave wages, and employee benefits for its calculation. The states of California, Texas, New York, along with the metropolitan areas of New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago exhibited the highest lost work time.

Construction Dive notes that many costs due to the pandemic lie in more intangible areas that aren’t as easy to track. This includes productivity issues due to increased levels of stress, which can take away time spent on work. One suggestion made is for employers to emphasize and implement preventative mental health care in order to assist individuals before conditions become severe.

The Louvre's attendance in 2021 dropped to 1986 levels

2022-01-07T16:55:00-05:00

The Musée du Louvre welcomed only 2.8 million visitors last year, less than 30% of its pre-Covid record levels when it received around ten million. The Louvre has not seen such low figures since 1986, before the opening of the glass pyramid and the Grand Louvre project which steadily boosted attendance over the past four decades.

This level of attendance is nearly the same as the previous year, however French museums were closed for one month less in 2021 than in 2020. According to an official source at the culture ministry, general attendance at French museums dropped by 60-70% for the second year compared to pre-covid levels. The current omicron surge stifles hope for a comeback in museum attendance in 2022.

This comes as museums across Europe, specifically those in Denmark, the Netherlands, and London, have closed due to new covid lockdown measures in response to omicron.

Previously on Archinect: Museums are closing across Europe as Omicron variant rapidly spreads

MTA service is cut as more than 1,000 workers are out sick due to omicron spread

2022-01-05T17:52:00-05:00

Get set for delays on many subway lines and bus routes. At least 1,000 workers for the MTA are out sick with COVID as the omicron variant continues to surge throughout New York City. With those absences, there will be subway and bus delays across the city as commuters return to work and school Monday.

Amidst the rapid spread of the omicron variant, the MTA has suspended service on the B, W, and Z lines, the express service on the Number 6 train in the Bronx, express service on the Number 7 train in Queens, and partial suspension of the A train in Far Rockaway, Queens.

The most exciting emerging technologies in architecture in 2021

2021-12-30T15:03:00-05:00

If there’s one thing that 2021 has shown us, it is that, for better or for worse, the world is evolving faster than ever. While this is a natural phenomenon, it’s apparent that the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the level of uncertainty the world faces. Sociopolitical and economic issues as well as the increasing threat of climate change have also been added to the mix, intertwining to shape our collective consciousness. With this, new approaches and solutions have been required in order to both adapt to this new reality and make it better.

The AEC industry, in particular, has been spurred to change. An influx of new technology, from carbon-calculating software to the development of new, sustainable materials, has been a major response by a field with such a large influence on each of these issues.

Throughout the year, Archinect closely covered a wide selection of these advancements. Here's a selection of those that stood out.

Skydio releases autonomous drone soft...

MASS Design's Michael Murphy says we're failing to learn the epidemic design lessons Florence Nightingale provided 150 years ago

2021-12-29T16:39:00-05:00

At our peril, we have ignored Nightingale’s prescriptions. The history of the hospital contains clear lessons about the importance of air movement through buildings, the public health risks of poor design, and the dangers of technological reliance. Architecture professionals should look back to see what else has been forgotten or ignored in the race to merge art and technology. Whose lives might be at stake if they don’t?

Murphy is a principal at Boston-based MASS Design Group and the author of The Architecture of Health: Hospital Design and the Construction of Dignity, which accompanies the firm’s recent exhibition Design and Healing: Creative Responses to Epidemics on view at the Cooper Hewitt until February 23rd.

In it, Murphy argues that the COVID pandemic has affected a new paradigm in the ways architects and healthcare designers think about hospitals that are reliant on air, either cooled or circulated by mechanical systems, and failed in their attempts to mitigate the virus’ spread by fenestration that is now an impediment to the application of effective inpatient treatment.

Interior of MASS Design Group's Butaro Hospital in Ruhengeri, Rwanda. Photo: Iwan Baan.

“Like all crises that reveal cracks in the system, the pandemic has prompted a public reckoning with the role of buildings in shaping our health. Recent reporting is waking up to the crisis of breathability in buildings, raising questi...

New survey reveals the pandemic's mixed impact on AEC firms

2021-12-27T14:40:00-05:00

National consulting group Appleseed Strategy has released the results of their 2021 Financial & Economic Survey, a U.S. business study of AEC firms to gauge the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the sector.

43 individuals and 39 companies in architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, and other consulting services, ranging in size from five people to over 1,000, were asked about their current situations compared to one year ago. They provided information about their current working environments and what they predict for the future.

Salary Reductions and Restored Salaries. Charts via the 2021 Financial & Economic Survey by Appleseed Strategy.

The survey reports that nearly 77% of respondents were back to pre-pandemic staffing levels, and approximately 9% were even larger than they had been in March 2020. Nearly 53% of respondents had implemented salary cuts in at least one staff category because of the pandemic. In addition, of the firms that received PPP loans or ot...