Photovoltaic (PV) concrete cladding is set to outperform rooftop solar, according to LafargeHolcim, which has developed a façade system with partner Heliatek.
The team said that the photovoltaic energy-generating concrete facade has the capability to double the energy generation traditionally achieved by roof-based solar systems.
— The Construction Index
"A prototype of this new photovoltaic facade system will be presented at Batimat, the French construction fair in November, and a pilot project is planned in 2018," LafargeHolcim writes in a recent announcement. View full entry
No other major metropolitan area in the U.S. has grown faster than Houston over the last decade, with a significant portion of new construction occurring in areas that the federal government considers prone to flooding.
But much of that new real estate in those zones did just fine, a Times analysis has found.
— Los Angeles Times
The City of Houston, notorious for its relative lack of zoning codes, did in fact take future flooding into account and mandated that new homes were to be built at least 12 inches above flood levels predicted by the federal government. "The 1985 regulation and others that followed," the LA Times... View full entry
Several weeks have now passed since Hurricanes Irma and Maria consecutively ravaged through the Caribbean and southern states and territories of the U.S., leaving behind a trail of destruction and overwhelming infrastructural challenges. Puerto Rico was hit particularly hard — in terms of human... View full entry
Entrants in the Modern Collective Living Challenge were tasked with designing accessible housing for relocated farmers in rural China, in response to the country's rapid urbanization and its effects on rural communities. Although the submissions were high quality overall... View full entry
The Hunan city of Zhuzhou is currently testing out an unmanned train that doesn't run on rails. You know, like a bus.
The Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) is being dubbed by Chinese state media the "world's first smart rapid rail bus," whatever that means. The train/bus (trus?) was first shown off in June this year. It uses sensors to determine the dimensions of the road and make a virtual track for itself to ride along.
— Shanghaiist
At first glance, Zhuzhou's Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit system that's currently being tested promises to enjoy a brighter future (and less ridicule) than the Traffic Elevated "car-eating" Bus that the City of Qinhuangdao announced to much fanfare last summer — only to find it stalled and... View full entry
The countdown has begun. Today, Caring Wood and the Shawm House were revealed as the first two shortlisted homes for RIBA's 2017 House of the Year Award, the UK's most prestigious accolade for top-notch architectural design in a new home or home extension. Out of a longlist of... View full entry
“It’s a great place to be if you’re just moving to the city, and you want to meet people, or you need a place for a couple months before you find your real apartment.” — Bloomberg
Bloomberg writer Ellen Huet books a room in WeWork's communal housing project, WeLive, on Wall Street in New York. Huet talks with both current and former WeLive residents, who share different opinions about living in the building. In regards to WeLive's slow growth, the article also brings up... View full entry
Tucked away in the hills of San Louis Obispo sits a nine-acre collection of experimental structures. The mishmash of unconventional architecture, around 15 projects in total, has become known as the Architecture Graveyard and is a popular hiking area of the Poly Canyon. The site's actual name is... View full entry
The Louvre Abu Dhabi has finally opened its doors a decade after the agreement between the French and Emirati governments was signed to establish the mega-museum on Saadiyat Island. [...]
An underwhelming entrance via a nondescript car park might be improved in years to come by an adjoining garden. “It should appear in a few years,” Nouvel said, adding that this was dependent on funding.
— The Art Newspaper
The video above shows the installation of Giuseppe Penone’s sculpture ‘Leaves of Light’ and the beautiful movement of the spots of light coming through the structure's massive dome. © Louvre Abu Dhabi, Photography: Mohamed SomjiAlso watch Jean Nouvel describe his design for the "first... View full entry
This post is brought to you by Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc). Tom Wiscombe, Chair of the Undergraduate Program at SCI-Arc, hosts a series of B.Arch Salons—informal Friday gatherings held at Cafe Americano across the street from the school. A recent conversation was... View full entry
After the recent Halloween and bonfire night celebrations, the autumn spirit has fully set-in in London. Make sure you brave the cold to get out to this week's series of talks and walks with a focus on London's housing crisis, and the future (and past) of women in the architectural field. ... View full entry
The prototypes for Donald Trump’s proposed border wall with Mexico have been completed, and the six participating companies, whose names have been publicly released, are beginning to face some serious pushback. Since the bidding process began, companies vying for the construction contract... View full entry
The AIA Los Angeles' yearly Design Awards honor architectural excellence, locally based architects and designers, and their contributions to the L.A. region. The 2017 cycle was no less competitive, attracting top-notch talent from the local architecture and... View full entry
As it’s currently written, the bill would entirely eliminate the federal Historic Tax Credit program (HTC), which provides a 20 percent tax credit for the redevelopment of blighted buildings and renovation of notable architectural landmarks. — Architectural Digest
The Reagan Administration’s Historic Tax Credit program, which helps fund historic renovation projects, is in jeopardy of being scrapped in the new tax plan unveiled in the House last week. According to Architectural Digest, the conservative idol's program has preserved more than 40,000 total... View full entry
Two entrepreneurs have figured out how to heat their homes for free: bitcoin mining.
Bitcoin transactions require a lot of processing power, which creates a lot of heat. So Ilya Frolov and Dmitry Tolmachyov built a wooden cottage in the Russian Siberian town of Irkutsk, and they’re heating it with two bitcoin mines. The men pocket about $430 a month from bitcoin transactions, while keeping the 20 square meter space warm.
— Quartz
