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This week, Ikea opened its first store in India–a feat the company has been planning for many years. But while the big, blue exterior of the store looks the same, the interiors, from the displays to the products themselves, have been subtlety tailored to accommodate cultural differences. It’s a strategy Ikea has used to expand from its origins in Sweden, now reaching 30 markets in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia... — fastcompany.com
As Ikea expands into Asia, the brand recently opened their first store in India tailoring their products to the county's culture. This is part of how Ikea introduces their brand to countries around the globe, by keeping their designs mostly the same with subtle, pointed changes for specific... View full entry
Cut peat blocks were already being used for building houses thousands of years ago. Now, scientists at the University of Tartu have developed a material which could make it possible to print energy-efficient houses out of milled peat and oil shale ash using a 3D printer. — Research in Estonia
"As peat and oil shale ash are not very expensive, house builders would be especially happy about the price of the material. According to Liiv, scientists calculated that the cost for the construction of a house shell printed from this material with a floor surface of 100–150 square meters could... View full entry
This post is brought to you by Reliance Foundry Long before they began making the news as protection against vehicle attack, security bollards were an important part of the urban landscape. These useful little posts stand guard in front of storefronts, utility meters, playgrounds, and sidewalks... View full entry
In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles. (Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles!)... View full entry
Dignitaries at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will obviously get the best seats--those made of wood--but ordinary common folk will have to make do with plastic. — Asahi Shimbun
Less than 1 percent of Tokyo's Olympic Stadium seats will be wooden. Those will be allocated for the best views of the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as track and field events. The country's timber industry has been advocating since 2016 to install wooden seats for all the spectators as a... View full entry
What will higher timber prices as a result of Trump's new tarriff mean for architecture? Dr. Warren Mabee, who is the Canada Research Chair in Renewable Energy Development and Implementation at Queen's University, told me over the phone that it will likely halt or significantly alter the design... View full entry
In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.(Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect... View full entry
Designed as an easily accessible community center that, according to its architects, would preserve "a logical continuity and preservation of the existing landscape as well as construct synergies with the surrounding buildings," the Maison de Quartier de Chatelaine-Balexert benefits from a... View full entry
Molecules 10,000 times narrower than the width of a human hair could hold the key to making possible wooden skyscrapers and more energy-efficient paper production, according to research published today in the journal Nature Communications. The study, led by a father and son team at the Universities of Warwick and Cambridge, solves a long-standing mystery of how key sugars in cells bind to form strong, indigestible materials. — University of Cambridge
"But just as this could improve how easily materials can be broken down, the discovery may also help them create stronger materials, he says. There are already plans to build houses in the UK more sustainably using wood, and Paul Dupree is involved in the Centre for Natural Material Innovation at... View full entry
This post is brought to you by Alucobond® The Harwyn Office Pod is a portable home office born from founder Jason Fremder’s need for a demarcation between home life and profession life.Fremder explains the idea for the pod was born simultaneously with the birth of his first daughter “my home... View full entry
This post is brought to you by GKD Media Mesh. The port city of Dalian in northern China is a city of contrasts. A vibrant center of trade and industry, this rapidly growing metropolis plays an equally important role in the region as one of the country's most popular vacation destinations. In the... View full entry
This post is brought to you by FunderMax. Make your imagination into individual, large-sized decor concepts. With various formats and motifs spanning over multiple formats, your fantasy becomes reality.As a small inspirational source, we present to you a few application examples. FunderMax... View full entry
This post is brought to you by GKD Metal Fabrics. White GKD metal fabric plays a disappearing act on the interior of a commercial office building in Toronto, Canada. With sharp geometric lines and vibrant white walls set against concrete floors and metal railings, a few red bucket chairs starkly... View full entry
This post is brought to you by Alucobond® A big compliment to architects is hearing that one of their building designs has become a recognizable landmark. That’s the case for architects at the Los Angeles office of Arquitectonica International Corp. who designed the Olume residential building... View full entry
This post is brought to you by FunderMax. SKY has been carefully developed to complement our Max Exterior portfolio, specifically for exterior decors and in instances where you want to create distinctive and convincing stone/concrete like finish.This unique surface allows you to achieve the very... View full entry
