Niall Patrick Walsh spoke with architect David Wallance FAIA, about his new book The Future of Modular Architecture and his proposed open-source modular system, designed to leverage "existing intermodal freight transport systems and global supply chains to create a highly-efficient, well-designed, affordable industrial product." When someone made a quip about "shipping containers" b3tadine[sutures] clarified "Where did you get shipping containers? I see a reference to the dimensions of shipping containers, but these aren't that."
Dante Furioso shared an initial reaction to a video advertising Beyond the Street, a speculative project by the New York-based firm ODA, which proposes "opening the interior of city blocks to pedestrians and street-level retail."
Though Koww was agreeable "this is a great idea...I'd love to have small corridors of shops and restaurants like you would find in Tokyo." Mile Jaffe though differently "Another handout to developers: double up retail space and increase rental income via added building height...A much better solution to expanding public space is to work towards eliminating vehicular traffic and turning the streets into pedestrian thoroughfares"
As you might expect Kéré Architecture’s latest, a new Startup Lions campus in Kenya "is built out of locally sourced quarry stone with a plaster finish."
Even after reading some of the latest articles from Reuters or Tokyo Journal, monosierra is still confused "what firm actually designed the new Aquatics Center as Tange Associates doesn't show up in any of the official project credits. Yamashita Sekkei is credited as the architects and engineers, with Cox Architecture as a design consultant. Is this the same building? Only this week was Tange's connection to this building made known in the English press."
Construction on NYC's first borough-based jail is officially underway, with the Queens jail being created by a design-build team consisting of Hunter Roberts Construction Group and architecture firms Marvel and Urbahn Architects. tduds had a lament/request "I'm not saying it should be part of the AIA Ethics, but I will say if there was a voluntary statement that firms could sign onto that publicly promised not to participate in the design of prisons et al, I would exclusively work for firms that had signed on. I think I'm far from alone in this."
In economic news, the June ABI continued to indicate billings growth with the AIA finding "Business conditions remained robust at firms in all regions of the country in June as well, with firms located in the Midwest reporting the strongest growth for the fourth consecutive month. Billings have also surged at firms located in the West recently as well. By firm specialization, firms with a commercial/industrial specialization saw another particularly strong increase in billings this month, while conditions remained very strong at firms with multifamily residential and institutional specializations as well."
According to newly published NCARB data "statistics show that white candidates are more likely to pass the ARE than candidates of color, that men are more likely to pass than women, and that younger candidates have higher pass rates than older candidates." natematt found it particularly interesting "that the category the women out-perform the men in is practice management, given other statistics about leadership in the profession, and what I perceive as some fairly easy to find bias. Not that I think the AREs are really a good indicator of professional ability."
R.I.P., Umberto Riva and Kristen Richards, founder of architecture online news source ArchNewsNow and preeminent "architecture journalist's journalist" at 69.
The Slab Tower by Myriem Rhmari Tlemcani with Yongki Sunarta and Gyuhyeon Choi and Schaulager by Megan Adam are just two of the latest top images (in no particular order) from the Archinect Pinterest board Student Work.
ICYMI, Anthea Belessis highlighted Sydney Park Skate Park, designed by GroupGSA whose landscape architecture team worked closely with specialist skate park designers Convic.
If you are looking for work, consider applying to
Pratt Institute announced the appointment of its new Assistant Dean long-time ‘Nector, Quilian Riano. Another old-timer aml, even dropped by to wish Q congrats "pratt is lucky to have you!"
A team of researchers including Felecia Davis, associate professor of architecture and director of the Computational Textiles Lab (SOFTLAB) in the Stuckeman Center for Design Computing at Penn State will have their latest research funded by the prestigious Graham Foundation. asheyawarren,cpsm(she/her), was excited
"This is the coolest thing I've seen in a while and I'm excited to see the exhibition at Project Row Houses. Black hair is such a unique and aspiring art form...to see it translated for use in the built environment is exciting."
Penn State College of Arts and Architecture selected Folayemi “Fo” Wilson as their new associate dean for access and equity.
Over at Thread Central axonapoplectic pointed out (perhaps they needed to vent?) that often junior staff don’t know what they are doing and therefore "need support" which can be misconstrued as "they need a lot of hand-holding." This observation kicked off a chat about the importance of mentoring, onboarding and workforce development et al., with everyone agreeing that what axonapoplectic described was far too common though gibbost countered "There are, in fact, firms that prioritize employee growth and satisfaction. Force the issue or leave." atelier nobody placed at least some of the blame on "the '92-'93 recession, combined with the widespread adoption of CAD at about the same time" which in their opinion "really hurt the profession." Later, dank.lloyd.wright and buildingsciencefightclub got into a related tiff over the 9-5 mentality and the limits of under-compensated / unpaid work.
tduds seemed to speak for many "I think it's important to foster an industry culture where people can still succeed by making other choices. There's nothing wrong with living, breathing, and sleeping design, but there's also nothing wrong with getting your shit done, punching out at 5, and going camping for the weekend...It's not about the right way vs the wrong way to be an architect, it's about fewer vs more possibilities." Though others went further "Just say no to exploitative jobs, bosses, clients, etc."
Later, inspired by archanonymous, Wood Guy started a Post Your Work thread. Right off the bat Chad Miller asked for some clarification, and while archanonymous answered "I think we should keep it to details or sketches and finished/ WIP images" Wood Guy suggested starting with some "roof details. I'm thinking overhangs and parapets". Non Sequitur shared one version of "a continuous vertical to horizontal parapet detail we've been working on for a few years." In response to a post from b3ta, archanonymous decided to tweak the idea/format a bit "I kinda liked the idea of doing a new thematic thread every week. Having it all come to this single thread means i almost missed this awesome project".
Finally, with the tragic news that another person killed themselves there, this thread on the Vessel was revived. Many were on the tear it down train. As b3tadine[sutures] argued "This thing is quickly becoming a magnet for death, and a romantic one at that." Perhaps even more "tragic is to imagine all the way that money used to build this giant garbage can could have gone to supportive service".
Over at PLATFORM, Susanne Schindler wrote about the intersections of policy, finance, and design, in a three-part series on the past and future possibilities of 'Housing Beyond and Within the Market' which covers ground from Zurich to Boston.
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