Though the word acoustic is derived from the Greek word akoustikos, meaning “of or for hearing”, it was a Roman who officially established the science of architectural sound. In his treatise, dated around 20 BC, architect and engineer Vitruvius describes the ascending seating in theaters as a purposeful means of directing sound waves and optimizing sound quality. Our 21st century … Read More
Can you even imagine living in a house created by a 3D printer? Then again, 30 years ago, could you even imagine ordering a ride home from an app on the phone in your pocket? The future does have an uncanny way of becoming the present. As with any groundbreaking innovation that has the potential to redefine life as we … Read More
The goal: Organizational health. The key: A workspace that promotes and supports the mental, physical and social health of the workforce. It’s as simple—and complex—as that. Faced with the task of creating environments that foster optimal achievement, today’s office designers are forced to think outside the cubicle and adapt to a new, more organic office culture. Pursuant to our deeper … Read More
Open office concept: Water cooler half-empty or half-full? Americans have been in a love/hate relationship with the open office concept for over a century. As an early advocate for the open interior, Frank Lloyd Wright created the Larkin Administration Building in 1906. It was an open plan factory with minimal walls and considered the first truly modern office. His theory … Read More
Yesterday, office design was considered one small piece of the productivity puzzle. Today, with shifting business models and a keener understanding of workspace design psychology, we know the two are inexorably linked. More aware than ever before of the connection between fiscal success and the mental, emotional and spiritual well being of the workforce, companies are aiming for human centric … Read More
No matter who we are or where we live, doors around the world have consistently protected us from the elements and defined our comings and goings. These iconic structures are symbols of life passages; transitions, endings, new beginnings. As we move through them—literally and figuratively—every day, we are part of a shared human behavior that began as an instinct for … Read More
To call BIM (Building Information Modeling) state-of-the-art construction software is like calling the internet a helpful little informational tool. Gross understatement. As the industry transitions from paper based linear processes to a collaborative digital approach that supports integrative practices, BIM is the essential link in the chain, the key to landing and successfully executing contracts. In a climate of intense … Read More
In a world where you can simply press “enter” and a drone will bring the consumer good of your dreams almost immediately to your door, why schlep to the mall? Consumers have thrown down the gauntlet, threatening to doom retail brick and mortar to extinction. Retail architects and designers are rising to the challenge, scribbling furiously on their drawing boards … Read More
Healthcare architecture and design has never been more challenging—or forward thinking. As a highly specialized genre, today’s hospital design is not a pursuit for building professionals attached to the status quo. Extensive research and attention to details that impact patients and staff has given birth to a new generation of evidence-based hospital design. Working from the findings that a hospital’s … Read More
Now you see through it. Now you don’t. Like magic, smart glass transforms from transparent to translucent at the flick of a switch. Redefining a building’s ability to control privacy, light, sun, and glare, as well as energy efficiency, smart glass is opening up exciting new frontiers for architects and designers. So, just what is smart glass? The science behind … Read More