Archinect - News

Gensler Principal Steven Paynter details new proprietary office conversion metric

2023-01-09T11:56:00-05:00

Now the algorithm he spearheaded collapses the survey process — which must be conducted to determine whether a commercial building can be turned into apartments — from months to hours. His work will help these conversions to be enacted on a mass scale. which is important given the urgency created by America's rising office-vacancy rates due to the pandemic's reshuffling of where and how we work. It could help bring people back to downtowns across North America as renters or homeowners

Gensler estimates that only 3 out of 10 office buildings are eligible for conversion. The pitfalls of mass-scale conversions remain impediments even as architecture firms are earning more from renovations than new buildings for the first time. In the last two years alone, office conversions have jumped by 25%, with an estimated 77,000 apartments currently under construction, according to November data from RentCafe.

"If we can find the perfect buildings for conversion, you start to be able to correct the market, you start to be able to bring people back to neighborhoods," Paynter said to Business Insider. "And then, actually, the demand for the remaining office buildings goes up, because you're creating scarcity by taking some out of the market."

AIA survey shows impact of pandemic and climate on client design requests

2021-09-21T12:59:00-04:00

The AIA has released the latest edition of its Home Design Trends Survey, covering the category of “home features.” The report found that quarantines, working from home, and climate change are among the factors contributing to changing home design trends. Among the key findings from the report were an uptick in demand for outdoor living space, multiple home offices, and exercise space, and features such as solar panels, backup power generators, and hurricane-resistant design.

The demand for outdoor living spaces continues to grow, with a 70% increase in popularity compared to 2020. Home office popularity increased 69%, while a demand for multiple offices or spaces for virtual meetings increased 48%. There was also a 39% increase in demand for exercise rooms/yoga spaces. Over half of respondents noted either outdoor living spaces or home offices as being the most popular special function room demanded by clients.

Extract from the AIA Home Design Trends Survey.

The report shows a not...

White House announces measures to encourage US affordable housing delivery

2021-09-02T14:52:00-04:00

The Biden administration has announced a range of measures intended to address the US housing crisis. The measures, which do not require congressional approval, and are separate from measures included in the pending infrastructure bill, aim to built and preserve 100,000 affordable homes over the next three years.

Among the measures would be an expansion in the Capital Magnet Fund grant program to support Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) seeking to build affordable homes. Both CDFIs and non-profit housing groups would be eligible for funding from the program, which this year made $383 million available for affordable housing production.

The measures would also seek to accelerate the development of manufactured housing, which are factory-built before transported to site. To aid this, the Biden administration will encourage state and local governments to reduce zoning and financing re...

U.S. residential construction is accelerating, but not all regions are feeling it

2021-07-21T13:48:00-04:00

Residential construction in the United States is accelerating, despite the high costs of materials caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Within their report, which focuses on new residential construction in June 2021, the government bodies noted that housing permit authorizations, housing starts, housing under construction, and housing units completed, are all significantly higher than June 2020.

The report notes that last month, almost 1.6 million housing units were authorized with permits, marking a 5% decrease on the month previous, but a 23% increase on the number of permits issued in June 2020. Meanwhile, over 1.64 million housing units started the construction process last month, an increase of 6% from May, and a 29% increase on June 2020.

Overall, there was a 14% increase in the number of housing units under construction in June 2021 versus June 2020, markin...

Demand for larger homes increased for first time in 5 years, says AIA survey

2021-06-29T11:16:00-04:00

Client interest in larger homes has increased over the past 12 months for the first time in five years, according to the newly published Home Design Trends Survey carried out by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The survey results, free to view here, also note a sharp rise in demand for rental units and accessory dwelling units (independent dwellings located on the same lot as an existing dwelling).

Other notable trends include a significant increase in demand for the finishing of unfinished spaces such as basements, attics, and garages, and a dramatic increase in the popularity of outbuildings such as sheds, barns, and pool houses.

Extract of the AIA Home Design Trends Survey. The full survey is available here.

The number of respondents noting an increase in the square footage of housing projects rose 27% from 2020, with particular emphasis on custom/luxury/upper-end homes and additions/remodels. Meanwhile the popularity of rental units and accessory dwellings rose 20...

UNStudio proposes a new meaning for 'smart living' with their latest residential project in Munich

2021-02-10T20:29:00-05:00

Conversation around the future of housing is a topic commonly discussed within architecture and urban planning circles. Firms large and small have postulated where issues within housing schemes lie and how the industry can address them. However, as architects continue to dance around solutions for "smart housing" and urban living, there are reservations on what that looks like specifically.

While housing issues vary worldwide based on their social, political, and environmental factors, firms like MVRDV, Sidewalk Labs, among others, have presented ideas that aim to reimagine residential developments and their so-called "smart" components. Recently, UNStudio announced the introduction of their latest residential project in Munich called Van B. They claim their prototype for modern city-dwelling will "cater to changing demographics and multiple family constellations. With its highly flexible apartments, outdoor and shared communal spaces, and striking facade, Van B offers a new form o...

North America's tallest living wall could capture 1,600 pounds of pollution annually

2020-04-23T14:28:00-04:00

Rastegar Property Company has announced plans to develop the tallest living wall installation in North America within its 26-story, 270 residential condominium tower development located in Dallas, Texas. The wall would include over 40,000 plants that are estimated to capture over 1,600 pounds of carbon dioxide and produce 1,200 pounds of oxygen annually.

"We thought about how living walls can positively influence the city of Dallas," said Zach Smith, CEO of Zauben, a Chicago-based living wall company in a statement. "We wanted to help champion the sustainability goals of the city and create an example that other forward-thinking cities can follow."

The building was designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, a Chicago-based architect. The tower's form is contoured and organic in essence and extrudes the full height of the structure. The balconies throughout the building are heavily landscaped, further promoting the living wall theme of the project.

Giannone Petricone Associates designs boutique residential mid-rise in Toronto

2020-04-01T16:39:00-04:00

Located in the Bedford neighborhood of Toronto, 321 Davenport, developed by Alterra, is a nine-storey mid-rise building consisting of private penthouses, each with expansive views of the surrounding urban landscape.

Exterior view into suite.

"321 Davenport embraces the gentle density of the Bedford neighborhood and is simultaneously a powerhouse in design. The entire private residence is influenced by the neighborhood’s grace and is rooted in authentic craftsmanship..." said Mary Medunic, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Alterra.

Dining and living room view.

The structure was designed by Toronto-based Giannone Petricone Associates (GPA). It sports a minimalist glass facade that takes its organic form from the road it's situated on. Ralph Giannone, Principal and Founder of GPA, said of the project, "321 Davenport creates a dramatic presence in the neighbourhood, layering unexpected materials and using classic organic form to create a timeless aesthetic. The soft curved façade i...

A closer look inside Renzo Piano's newly completed residential tower in Manhattan

2019-12-10T18:55:00-05:00

A few weeks after Renzo Piano completed the high-end 565 Broome SoHo, more photos of the Italian architect's first residential project in New York City have been revealed. The luxury condominium building was developed by real estate firms Bizzi & Partners Development, Aronov Development, and Halpern Real Estate Ventures, and Parisian practice Rena Dumas Architecture Interieure (RDAI) was in charge of the interiors. Renzo Piano Building Workshop collaborated with SLCE Architects.

Photo: Adrian Gaut / Edge Reps.

According to Renzo Piano, the design of the 17,000-square-foot tower was “shaped by light,” which led him to create conjoined glass structures with curved corners and an exterior of “low-iron” reflective glass. Inside, the building contains 115 light-filled residential units—ranging from studios to four-bedroom condos—that maximize views of the city. For the interiors, RDAI wanted to deliver a cohesive design that pr...

An Amsterdam office complex will soon be transformed into residences by MVRDV

2019-01-03T18:54:00-05:00

A master plan for a 17 acre parcel of land in Amsterdam has been recently unveiled by the Dutch firm MVRDV. Given the fact that "Amsterdam urgently needs housing in all sorts of sizes and price ranges, for both purchase and rental,” says Nathalie de Vries, co-founder of MVRDV, the project, titled Westerpark West, will transform what was once an office complex into a residential one.

Westerpark West. Image © CIIID

"What was once a grey, isolated office location in Amsterdam-West will soon become a green, lively neighborhood of around 750 homes," according to the press release. "Placing an emphasis on green space and architectural diversity, the proposal for Westerpark West is a sustainable response to the ever-growing housing demand in Amsterdam."

Westerpark West. Image © CIIID

In an effort to appeal to the principles of materials cycles and updated standards of sustainability, the master plan will update a number of the office buildings that have been on the site since the 1980s by t...

BIG's 79&Park “wooden hillside” residential building inaugurated in Stockholm

2018-11-09T15:15:00-05:00

It's been a big week in architecture for the city of Stockholm. In addition to the OMA/Reinier de Graaf-designed Norra Tornen, Stockholm celebrated the inauguration of Bjarke Ingels Group's 79&Park residences yesterday.

In 2011, Oscar Properties commissioned BIG to design the multi-residential development, which appears like a “gentle hillside” rising from the edge of the Gärdet national park. The cascading building, which comprises of 3.6m x 3.6m cedar-clad modules organized around an open green courtyard, “combines the splendors of a suburban home with the qualities of urban living,” Bjarke Ingels said in a statement.

Photo: Laurian Ghinitoiu.

The structure's tallest corner rises up to 35 meters to maximize the inflow of natural daylight and provide views of the Gärdet and the nearby Frihamnen port for most of the residential units. The modules then cascade all the way down to its lowest profile at 7 meters. The central courtyard i...

BIG's “experimental” Westbank residential project now approved for Toronto's historic King Street

2018-09-13T17:25:00-04:00

After 2½ years of negotiations, the condo project Westbank King Street has been approved and is about to start sales. [...] The new condo will be hard to miss. It could be the strangest residential building ever constructed in Canada. Certainly, it will set an interesting example for new housing. While new condos and apartments are often faulted for being soulless, this promises to be a carefully detailed building, a distinctive place, and a village that contributes to the larger city.

First proposed in 2016, BIG's Westbank King Street condo building in Toronto has been approved for development. With its "mountainous" forms and Habitat 67-inspired stacked design, the glass building is being described as a radical and experimental addition for richly historic King Street, a major thoroughfare in the city.

“How will this model – of intimacy and spatial complexity and surprising juxtapositions – work in an old part of a North American city? Mr. Ingels is optimistic,” writes Alex Bozikovic, architecture critic of The Globe and Mail, in the article.

Seattle architecture professionals identify 5 residential trends

2018-09-13T15:11:00-04:00

As with every single other thing about Seattle, there’ve been some developments in residential design since 2008 [...] Here are five opportunities, in the form of developments in residential architecture over the past 10 years as identified — and expressed — by some plugged-in visionaries.

The Seattle Times tracked 5 developments in residential design addressing housing issues in the city. For each trend they spoke with an architecture professional working in the field. Below are Seattle's identified trends and some of the visionaries addressing them:

1. Multifamily Housing Moves Thoughtfully into Single-Family Neighborhood
-Mary Johnston of Johnston Architects
The Potential of the Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit
-Robert Hutchinson of Robert Hutchison Architecture
Modern Modular Housing
-Rick Mohler of Mohler + Ghillino Architects
High-End Design in High-Rise Apartments
-Olson Kundig Architects and Ankrom Moisan Architecture
Greener is the New Green
-Leah Missik of Built Green

First glimpse at the Domino Sugar Factory's new residential building, designed by SHoP Architects

2018-02-13T15:25:00-05:00

325 Kent by SHoP Architects is the first new structure to open at the 11-acre Domino Sugar Factory, which is being redeveloped by Vishaan Chakrabarti's Practice for Architecture and Urbanism.

Photo: Adrian Gaut.

Located at the Williamsburg waterfront, the residential building stands at 16 stories tall and is clad in a zinc facade on the upper floors and in copper on the lower floors. It features a large architectural opening that is capped by a 3-story bridge that contains the building's core amenities. The building accommodates 522 units, with 104 of them affordable to low-income residents.

Photo: Adrian Gaut.

Photo: Daniel Levin.

Outside, Leeser Architecture designed a 7,000 square-foot roof deck overlooking the Williamsburg Bridge, as well as a 2,000 square-foot courtyard on the fourth floor. At the front of the building, the Domino Park, designed by James Corner Field Operations, will pay tribute to the site's industrial h...

Construction starts for Zaha Hadid Architects' Bora Residential Tower in Mexico City

2017-11-09T14:25:00-05:00

Construction is underway for the upcoming Bora Residential Tower, which is set to be the tallest building of its kind in Mexico City. Client Nemesis Capital commissioned Zaha Hadid Architects to design the tower back in 2015.

Located in the growing Santa Fe business district near the 28-hectare La Mexicana park, the 50-floor tower will include 220 apartment units of various sizes for families, professionals, and retirees. Each apartment is designed to allow natural light and ventilation, ensure privacy, and offer panoramic views. Units are also surrounded by balconies so that residents can enjoy the local temperate climate.

Lobby of the Bora Residential Tower in Mexico City by Zaha Hadid Architects. Rendering: LabTop.

Bora Residential Tower in Mexico City by Zaha Hadid Architects. Rendering: LabTop.

The tower tapers at its base and features “swirling” canopies under which recreational and leisure activities can take place. ZHA optimized flexibility and ductility in their design, to be...

Fougeron Architecture's 400 Grove mixed-use echoes classic San Francisco design

2017-10-10T17:59:00-04:00

Built in the heart of San Francisco's Hayes Valley, 400 Grove is a new mixed-use development designed by locally based Fougeron Architecture. At the corner of Grove and Gough streets, the project site opened up after the removal of the Central Freeway in 2003 to reconnect Hayes Valley with other neighborhoods.

When Fougeron started developing the project in 2013 for client/developer DM Development and DDG Partners, the architects focused on creating a space that provides a sense of residency and blends into the urban site. The project was completed in 2016.

Photo credit: William Timmerman Photography.

Based on the central mews typology, the building's angled, faceted exterior features wood dowels that echo San Francisco's traditional bay windows. Each of the 34 units are angled in a way to maximize views of the surrounding Hayes Valley neighborhood.

Photo credit: William Timmerman Photography.

Ph...

AI project proposal for a 500 unit residential development in Digbeth, Birmingham

2017-04-11T15:20:00-04:00

London-based practice Architects of Invention (AI) has submitted a design proposal for 500 residential units in Birmingham’s Digbeth area.

The practice was approached by Chinese private equity fund PGC- Capital whose The Jewel Court, 77 one-two bed luxury apartments, is already on site in Birmingham.

The design concept - ‘Garden Hill’ - is inspired by The Hanging Gardens of Babylon: an oasis-like residence for Birmingham’s growing, multicultural population. The two dramatic 25-storey staggered towers, hung with gardens at every level, give all occupants and visitors access to private and shared terraces and a spacious rooftop garden. The entire block is made of CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) as an exercise in highly sustainable construction.

The proposal suggests a new model for live / work / play, where the units are small, but there are large shared facilities for communal living and working, including music recording studios and small rental units for startups. The scheme proposes gro...

Gensler's proposed mixed-use Downtown Los Angeles tower to incorporate low-income housing

2017-02-07T13:25:00-05:00

Fifty-two stories, four visually distinct sections, and one playful, gaping hole constitute the major components of Gensler's proposed new 300+ unit residential building for downtown Los Angeles, which would rise from the ashes of a (soon-to-be) former auto dealership on 1600 South Figueroa Street. The 1.14 acre site would play host to the mixed-use building, which would feature 9,000 square feet of retail space in addition to a 3,000 square foot restaurant and a hotel.

The residential units are a mixture of condos and rentals, and include several units set aside specifically for low-income residents. The very top of the tower features a playful, asymmetrically-placed hat-like assembly of penthouses, distinguishing it visually from the more restrained neighboring towers to the north (and creating a weird dialogue with the convention center).

Another case of "poor door" for proposed Vancouver high-rise

2015-05-08T17:39:00-04:00

A new building in Vancouver's West End neighbourhood is getting some attention because of its segregated entrances for condo residents and those living in social housing units. The West End Neighbours community group says the market-priced condo units and social housing units for the 19-storey high-rise for 1171 Jervis Street will also be branded differently at the entrances and have separate amenities. The development permit was approved Monday by city staff.