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A city official in San Francisco is calling for extensive reports into the integrity of facades in the city’s downtown after a recent storm caused windows from multiple high-rises to be damaged. According to the San Francisco Department of Buildings and Inspections, four buildings in downtown... View full entry
The price tag for the rail system has risen to $128 billion, according to a California High Speed Rail Authority project update report — a nearly 22% uptick from the previous figure of $105 billion from last year and a far cry from the $33 billion cost voters approved in 2008. The latest increases are due to “inflation/escalation, enhanced scope definition and greater contingency for risk,” per the report. — Construction Dive
The cost imbalance has reportedly pushed back the Merced-to-Bakersefield segment’s targeted start of service from 2030 by up to three years, according to the CEO of the Rail Authority Brian P. Kelly. Plans now are for at least the 119-mile segment that’s currently under construction in the... View full entry
Designer and director Joshua A. Dawson has published his latest short film which strikes a cautionary note on the confluences of climate change, architecture, and capitalism. Titled Spa Sybarite, the three-minute-long film is set in a futuristic wellness spa in which users are offered treatments... View full entry
Following last week’s look at several open roles at Selldorf Architects, we are using this week’s edition of our Job Highlights series to explore an open position on Archinect Jobs for the Dean of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) at the California Polytechnic State... View full entry
As we enter Women's History Month today we begin to highlight some of the work produced by female-led firms, to complement our existing stories and profiles. Pioneering women in the profession continue to make their mark and shift our industry into a more inclusive direction. When you look... View full entry
Frank Lloyd Wright’s California seaside project, Mrs. Clinton Walker House, has sold for $22 million after being listed on the market in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, according to the Wall Street Journal. The 1,400-square-foot home was completed in 1952 for a wealthy widower residing in... View full entry
The World Design Organization (WDO) has announced a cross-border combination of San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico as the official World Design Capital for 2024. The designation was bestowed “as a result of their commitment to human-centered design and legacy of cross-border collaboration... View full entry
The Sacramento County Department of Airports, the entity that operates the Sacramento International Airport (SMF), has announced a $1.3 billion expansion project that will transform the airport to meet projected passenger growth over the next seven years. Called SMForward, the expansion... View full entry
Following last week’s visit to the California/Switzerland-based Montalba Architects, we are using this week’s edition of our Meet Your Next Employer series to explore the work of San Francisco and Providence-based BAMO. A studio of interior designers, architects, and artists, BAMO’s services... View full entry
Following last week’s visit to New York City-based SKOLNICK, we are using this week’s edition of our Meet Your Next Employer series to explore the work of California and Switzerland-based practice Montalba Architects. Founded in 2004 by David Montalba, the Santa Monica / Lausanne firm operates... View full entry
There is new housing help in Sacramento with the city now offering free architectural designs, permit-approved, to build on your property. You can download the plans straight from the city website. The aim is to increase housing across the city. — CBS Sacramento
The available architectural plans are for accessory dwelling units (ADUs). In this instance, they will come in three forms: studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units. This move by Sacramento is meant to address the city’s housing crisis by providing property owners an incentive to build and... View full entry
The art and design lineup for this year’s Coachella festival has been announced ahead of the two-week event, which takes place in the modernism-rich Southern California hotspot from April 13th to the 23rd. This year’s festival will include installations from Maggie West, Kumkum Fernando... View full entry
Following last week’s visit to Los Angeles-based Walker Workshop, we are keeping our Meet Your Next Employer series in California this week, where we find San Francisco-based Mork-Ulnes Architects. Founded in 2005 by Casper Mork-Ulnes, the nimble 10-person practice operates in both San Francisco... View full entry
[The] Los Angeles City Council put an end to the expansion of local natural gas infrastructure on December 7th when they unanimously approved an ordinance requiring that all new buildings within city limits be constructed all-electric. With this vote, Los Angeles became the largest city in the state and the second largest city in the country to mandate a definitive shift away from fossil fuels in new construction. — NRDC.org
LA City Hall had previously adopted a similar ordinance for all its municipal buildings in 2020 and passed a ban on gas appliances along with a mandate for emissions-free new constructions at the end of spring. The new building code changes are set to go into effect with the new year. A test run... View full entry
One of Frank Lloyd Wright’s final Usonian designs is now on the market in central California. Real estate firm Crosby Doe Associates recently listed Wright’s Fawcett Farm in Los Banos for a cool $4.25 million and is beginning to take offers on the 7-bed, 6-bathroom home that was completed just... View full entry
