Months of isolation made people rethink the way they wanted to live. That meant their buildings would change. That meant construction, and architects became useful again, after being abandoned. But the craziness of a new era has made all builders and architects simultaneously empowered by their new in-demand status while fully threatened by costs and availability of all the products and people necessary to build. — CT Insider
Earlier in the year, labor and supply chain issues had caused markets in steel and timber to skyrocket, delaying many commercial and residential projects industry-wide, in addition to triggering what some think will be a boom in demand once the pandemic subsides. However bright the prospects are... View full entry
For reasons both tragic and optimistic, 2021 was a year where regulations and policy were never far from the media spotlight. While this is true for instance due to the overhanging impact of COVID-19 on everything from school operations to international travel, 2021 was also a year that saw both... View full entry
On Tuesday, employees at the well-regarded firm SHoP Architects said that they were seeking to change the formula of long hours for middling pay by taking a step that is nearly unheard-of in their field. They are seeking to unionize. — The New York Times
The labor organizers at SHoP Architects, which recently became employee-owned, are proposing to join ranks with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Architecture, in general, is behind the rest of the economy in terms of similar efforts that could become more and... View full entry
WilkinsonEyre co-founder and leading British architect Chris Wilkinson has passed away at age 76 according to a statement released by the firm. Wilkinson’s firm became the first practice to win the RIBA Stirling Prize in two consecutive years, with their Magna Centre in 2001 and the Gateshead... View full entry
The latest economic report issued by the American Institute of Architects is out today, indicating continued increasing demand for design services for the tenth consecutive month in November. The pace of growth as expressed in the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) softened slightly compared to... View full entry
Nabr has offered the first clues of what their homes of the future may look like. The “people-first housing company” was co-founded by Bjarke Ingels with the ambition of “putting more people on a path to owning a high-quality, environmentally friendly home in the city.” Nabr’s first... View full entry
HOKO Design, a UK-based startup seeking to use technology to transform the role of the architect, has raised $590,000 in a crowdfunding campaign. The company, which describes itself as “the homeowner’s architect,” focuses on integrating virtual reality, real-time client feedback, and a... View full entry
The latest edition of the Dodge Momentum Index indicates a 4% decrease in November from October. Commercial planning fell 8% while institutional planning moved 5% higher. The value of nonresidential building projects continues to move in a sawtooth pattern, in which month-by-month measures... View full entry
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has invited construction companies around the world to support a new charter committed to improving diversity within the global construction sector. The move comes amid multiple reports finding that female, BIPOC, and young employees are significantly... View full entry
The American Institute of Architects has partnered with the University of California Hastings College of the Law to release a new report that details the impacts of bias in architecture. The study covers the experiences, perceptions, and opinions of women, people of color, and other... View full entry
Five years after the tragic passing of its eponymous founder, Zaha Hadid Architects has announced its transition to an employee-owned firm in a surprising move that could have implications for large firms industry-wide. The announcement was made Tuesday via a statement published on ZHA’s... View full entry
Located in South Slope, Brooklyn, House Offset is a residential remodel that underwent a recent renovation with a focus on enhancing both interior and exterior architectural details as well as "preserving much of the exterior as a nod to adjacent residences and the traditional New York City... View full entry
Sasaki has launched a free tool to help designers to assess a proposal’s carbon emissions from early in the design process. The Carbon Conscience App, which builds on a year-long internal research project within the firm, seeks to differentiate itself from rival applications which require... View full entry
Chinese authorities have taken over the Gensler-designed, under-construction Evergrande Guangzhou Football Stadium, commissioned by indebted property developer Evergrande, which was due to become the world’s largest football stadium by capacity, according to Reuters. — Global Construction Review
The Chinese government will either sell or take over the stadium via the state-owned Guangzhou City Construction Investment Group. As reported by Reuters, construction on the stadium has been halted for at least three months, in which Evergrande has been struggling to meet repayments on over $... View full entry
A new lawsuit filed on behalf of victims and family members of the Champlain Towers South collapse alleges that the incident was caused by construction work on an adjacent property. 98 people were killed when the condominium tower in Surfside, Florida collapsed suddenly in the early morning of... View full entry
