Capitol Hill action on an economic stimulus bill has shifted to the Senate floor, where on February 2 debate began on an $884.5-billion package of spending and tax breaks. The measure’s estimated $160 billion in construction-related spending appears safe, and Senate infrastructure advocates are trying to boost that total higher. But they probably will need to propose offsetting spending cuts to win approval for any increases. The first key floor vote, on February 3, didn’t go well for public-works supporters. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) offered an amendment to add $25 billion to the bill’s $41.4-billion combined allocation for highway, transit,
A wheel-shaped tower rises out of a “carpet” of low-rise offices and gardens in Herzog and de Meuron’s design for the new Madrid headquarters of BBVA, Spain’s second largest bank. With over 800,000 square feet of office space for 6,500 employees, construction of the building will begin this year on a 22-acre site in the city’s northern suburbs. The project is scheduled for completion in 2013. Images courtesy BBVA Herzog and de Meuron have designed the new Madrid headquarters of BBVA, Spain's second largest bank. Construction is scheduled to begin this year. In their project brief, the architects describe the
The Architectural Billings Index (ABI) rose to 36.4 in December—up nearly two points from November’s score of 34.7, a record low in the ABI’s 13-year history.
At a time when many projects are getting shelved, work is now under way on the Songdo International Business District, a self-sufficient city on the outskirts of Incheon, South Korea. Image courtesy Kohn Pedersen Fox Master planned by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by Gale International and Posco E&C, the 1,500-acre financial district will include 50 million square feet of office space, 30 million square feet of residential, 10 million square feet for retail, and five million square feet for hotels. Green space will account for another 10 million square feet. “It’s a fully fledged city and has every function
For the large-scale redevelopment of Longgang Centre and Longcheng Square in Shenzhen, the United-Kingdom-based design collective Groundlab is turning the typical planning process upside-down. Rather than adhere to the top-down approach taken by “big bureaucrats sitting at tables with big markers,” Groundlab is working from the bottom up, explains Eva Castro, a Groundlab partner and director of the Architectural Association’s Landscape Urbanism (AALU) masters program. “Instead of mapping [sites], which is a known hierarchical way of lifting up all the information contained within a territory,” says Castro, Groundlab chooses to “lift up systems” of particular interest. In their plan for
“A good building can improve the educational mission of a university,” says University of Baltimore (UB) president Robert Bogomolny. With his school poised to invest four years and more than $100 million dollars into a new facility for UB’s law school, he should hope so.
With key action taken in recent weeks, the world’s first private spaceport is edging closer to a groundbreaking. Designed by Foster + Partners and URS Corp., the $198 million Spaceport America project is slated to be built in Upham, New Mexico. According to prior reports, the facility is designed to accommodate two transport airplanes and five spaceships. Its “superhangar” and terminal will include training facilities, a mission control center, viewing galleries, and passenger lounges. Image: Courtesy URS/Foster + Partners The world's first private spaceport is edging closer to a groundbreaking. Designed by Foster + Partners and URS Corp., the $198
Today, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced the eight recipients of the 2009 AIA Young Architects Award. This prize recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the profession early in their careers. Architects who have been licensed 10 years or fewer, regardless of their age, are eligible. The winners will be recognized at a ceremony in San Francisco during the 2009 AIA national convention, scheduled for April 30 to May 2. AIA Names Winners of 2009 Young Architects Award Matthew Bremer, AIA Nominated by the AIA New York Chapter, Matthew Bremer is a
Israel’s High Court of Justice has allowed construction to proceed on Jerusalem’s Museum of Tolerance, designed by Frank Gehry and backed by the Los Angeles–based Simon Wiesenthal Center.