Archinect Showcase:(ed) A’ House by Wiel Arets Architects a "compact private residence" in Tokyo's Nishi-Azabu neighborhood. Responding to chigurh, EKE and others Will Galloway commented

"a european project, photographed by a european photographer as well. best not to generalize. Its a Dutch design. By the Dean of IIT. The only thing Japanese about it is the location and the laws. Hm, maybe Japanese architecture is really an outcome of regulations, not culture? ...for what its worth the house is beautiful in person and neither feels hermetic nor sterile...Aret's seems to have grasped something useful by bringing the street into the house"...

News
Archinect Sessions' - inaugural 2015 episode featured a conversation with urban planner, architect, artist, programmer, educator, and of course, beloved Archinect blogger, Mitch McEwen. Ken Koense admitted "Mitch and Jiminez Lai are my favorites of the new breed of architects. They've really have given me a lot to think about".

NYU's Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management looked at 177 different zip codes, and found that neighborhoods with the best access to transit, usually in Manhattan, (Chelsea is number one [PDF]) also have the highest median household income, and the lowest unemployment rate. Ken Koense couldn't help lamenting "The same issues exist throughout our country...Structural racism's tentacles go deep".

Studio Libeskind's latest building, the International Congress Xperience building in Mons, Belgium, opened. In her review Anna Kats found the building "puerile and outdated, and another disappointment". davvid disagreed with her take "she choose the wrong building for this argument. This is actually a decent looking building that isn't trying so hard to be shocking, which is fine".

Justine Testado provided an update regarding the start of Stage Two of the Guggenheim Helsinki. Fred Scharmen wondered "Has there been any speculation, here or elsewhere, on which design matches up with which team?"
 

Firms/Blogs/Work Updates
Vincent DeFazio started a blog Architect of the Young. In one of his first posts #notanintern he proposes a "new system of labeling would be as follows: Architectural intern, architectural apprentice, architect". Later in Directionless he counters recent criticism of the profession by  Justin Shubow and Bingler + Pedersen. Chris Teeter thought the "article by pointing out how the media is claiming an implosion while the AEC industry is rolling points out the obvious outcome of an academic career aimed at design and bullshit".

For those looking for employment, Bronx based Centers Health Care is seeking a creative and highly motivated Junior Architect, to join our in house design and production team.

Or apply to be a Design Researcher (DR) for KieranTimberlake, where you will "leverage a deep understanding of ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­computation toward the generation of design solutions".

De Guio Syvertsen Arkitekter won honorable mention in the competition for, the new Tana Bru Kirke in Tana Bru, Norway.

Landscape Architect Seth Bockholt recently noted "am currently and i fear forevermore working on convincing architects of the merits of collaborating early in a project".

HAWE Factory in Kaufbeuren, Germany by Barkow Leibinger with landscape architect Stefanie Jühling; and Swimming Pool in Hofsós, Iceland by BASALT Architects are just two of the projects that can be found in the latest Ten Top Images on Archinect's "Outdoors" Pinterest Board.

School/Blogs
amlocke had a chance to attend the second annual Harvard Real Estate Conference Disruptive Innovation in Real Estate, and summarized some of the key takeways, over at the blog Greener Grass.

Kevin Clement, shared some Final Pavilion Images for the STIK project completed by students affiliated with the Advanced Design Studies Program at University of Tokyo. This project remains Will Galloway’s favorite to date "from Obuchi Lab...seems to introduce a lot of room for organic transformation and play".

Last fall at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Maria Ornelas took an elective course titled 'Sustainable Technology for Tall Buildings'. Based on her research she presented "a set of recommendations...when considering a DSF system in a new building design".
 

Discussions/Threads
Amelia Taylor-Hochberg, Archinect’s Editorial Manager started a thread as part of her research for a "story on home preservation...in search for examples of people who live in architecturally significant buildings – whether as caretakers, owners, family members, whatever". citizen suggested "An interesting piece would be longitudinal...Attitudes toward and policies of preservation --and the day-to-day practices and behaviors these mean for residents-- would be illuminating".

gruen is looking for tips on windows w/slim frame profile / lots of glass? Preferably "something with a wood frame (at least interior)". Saint in the City asked "When you say ‘other than Pella’, etc., have you (or anyone else) used the Pella Commercial line?" Miles Jaffe warned "I'm not a fan of Pella, lots of problems, especially on larger operable units. Marvin's are very solid...For fixed units you can build a custom wood frame system". Meanwhile proto namechecked Quantum or Loewen.

Fruehling has "Completed IDP, the ARE, and...filed with the state" and is thinking about how to Celebrate Architectural Registration? cajunarch "Went to the local stamp store with a few friends for the ceremonial ordering of my stamp and then a few (many) beers" and mightyaa offered "Congratulations!   It really is a huge achievement!" A couple of folks purchased/received Eames chairs.