In a surprise joint announcement, the two leading—and rival—vendors of design and analysis software say they have agreed to exchange their software libraries and support each other's application programming interface tools to improve interoperability between their products. The day of the announcement, July 8, may go down as a historic great leap forward, creating a link between the two most widely used suites of architectural, engineering and construction tools. The design tools of Autodesk, San Rafael, Calif., and Bentley Systems, Exton, P.A., are often used by project collaborators who have long complained of limited compatibility when exchanging designs between the
When it started preparing for the 2012 Summer Games, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) put two key items on its agenda: contribute to East London’s ongoing revitalization in a sustainable way, and avoid “white elephant” venues that would not be used after the Games end. As part of that vision, in March it announced that American landscape architects Hargreaves Associates and London-based LDA Design will design the Olympic Park.
In 1999, when Turin, Italy, was chosen to host the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, observers attributed the International Olympic Committee’s selection over favored Sion, Switzerland, to Turin’s million-person population and its close proximity to the Western Alps. Photo ' Michel Denanc' (top); ' Enrico Cano (above). The Olympic Pedestrian Bridge (top) was one many structures built for the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy. Olympic facilities have helped propel the city’s long-time effort to redevelop itself into a vibrant, post-industrial metropolis. The modern Santo Volto church (above), designed by Mario Botta, embodies Turin’s eagerness to embrace the 21st century. Then
Photo courtesy GSA President Bush recently tapped James A. Williams to head the GSA, which oversees 352 million square feet worth of space across the nation. His appointment still requires Senate confirmation. The General Services Administration, best known to many architects as the nation’s landlord, may soon have a new leader, after its former chief resigned nine weeks ago in a cloud of scandal. On June 25, President Bush tapped James A. Williams to head the federal agency, which oversees 352 million square feet worth of space across the nation. The GSA’s Public Buildings Service department manages 8,619 government-owned facilities,
Photos courtesy Elizabeth Felicella Photography WORK Architecture Company recently completed its “Public Farm 1” installation at P.S.1, a contemporary art museum in Queens. Herbs and vegetables grown in the cardboard cylinders will be sold at a weekly farmer’s market. The cabbage has sprouted. The tomatoes are doing well. The farm in Queens is officially up and running. WORK Architecture Company, a New York-based firm, recently completed its installation at P.S.1, transforming the contemporary art museum’s two adjoining courtyards into a community agricultural project—and an imaginative architectural composition. This Saturday, July 5, the installation will become one of New York City’s
The floods that ravaged the Midwest in June did not discriminate between corn and soybean fields, aging riverfront downtowns and renowned architectural landmarks. Iowa was especially hard hit, with buildings by Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Gehry, Steven Holl, and Max Abramovitz taking on significant amounts of water. As the floodwaters receded, the overriding, still-unanswered question was whether the damage was structural or cosmetic. Photos courtesy of University Relations, The University of Iowa The University of Iowa has endured severe flood damage in recent weeks. The school's Arts Campus (top) includes buildings designed by Frank Gehry, Steven Holl, and
On June 8, the Daniel Libeskind-designed Contemporary Jewish Museum, in San Francisco, opened its doors after two years of construction. While the building failed to impress a critic for The New York Times, it mostly has garnered favorable reviews.
Correction appended June 30, 2008 “Architects are the most educated and have the highest incomes of all artists.” That’s what Chicago Tribune reporter Charles Storch discovered in a new report from the National Endowment for the Arts. The report also says that the architectural industry boasts the highest median income ($58,000) of any professional field. Other findings: 26 percent of architects are under the age of 35; 33 percent are self-employed; and 22 percent are females. Read more on The Skyline blog. Image courtesy Ikan Maas Media On Wednesday, Jerusalem dedicated a Santiago Calatrava-designed suspension bridge that has drawn criticism
The results of two recent studies—one carried out by the New Buildings Institute (NBI), the other by CoStar Group—show that green building standards are not only effective, but also escalate property values. The post-occupancy studies, both released in March, attempted to measure the value of buildings with sustainability features compared to conventional buildings. They also aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of third-party certification programs, specifically LEED, administered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and Energy Star, managed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. One study confirmed that new LEED-certified buildings use less energy than
It’s no coincidence that the license plate for Chicago architect Walter A. Netsch, Jr. said "WN 21." "21" stood for "21st century," symbolizing where the progressive architecture of this strong-willed maverick always was headed. Netsch's geometrically complex buildings, including the much-admired Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Air Force Academy, broke the mold of glass-box orthodoxy in the mid-20th century and helped set the stage for today's expressionistic, digital design. Yet any assessment of his work must come to terms with the fact that his labyrinthine structures could be bewildering as well as brilliant.
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