NBWW BLOG…

An exhibition at London’s Serpentine Sackler Gallery highlights how the architect’s early work informed her vision. By Joseph Giovannini Zaha Hadid died last year as a triumphant succession of her buildings finished or neared completion, most of them deeply imprinted by the digital process: the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, the Jockey Club Innovation Tower in Hong Kong, the Galaxy Soho towers in Beijing. “Zaha Hadid: Early Paintings and Drawings,” on the other hand, which runs at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery in London’s Kensington Gardens through February 12, takes us back to the white hot period of her career, when drawings and paintings were the medium of her invention—a period when she established the DNA that would nourish the rest of her nearly 40-year-long...

Damian Carrington It was designed as an impregnable deep-freeze to protect the world’s most precious seeds from any global disaster and ensure humanity’s food supply forever. But the Global Seed Vault, buried in a mountain deep inside the Arctic circle, has been breached after global warming produced extraordinary temperatures over the winter, sending meltwater gushing into the entrance tunnel. The vault is on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen and contains almost a million packets of seeds, each a variety of an important food crop. When it was opened in 2008, the deep permafrost through which the vault was sunk was expected to provide “failsafe” protection against “the challenge of natural or man-made disasters”. But soaring temperatures in the Arctic at the end of the world’s...

By Olivia Martin President Donald Trump’s new $4.1 trillion budget, released on Tuesday, May 23, calls for the defunding of several domestic federal agencies, including the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment of Humanities (NEH), as well as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The budget, called “A New Foundation for American Greatness,” redirects these funds to increased military spending, as well as more robust border security systems and the initial construction costs for U.S.-Mexico border wall (currently estimated at $1.6 million). Although the budget still has to be approved by Congress, and will definitely face opposition there, the NEA and NEH are looking ahead to respond to the potential severe reductions to both agencies. As of 2016, the NEA’s...

Commercial construction tripled compared to April of last year By Amanda Rabines Construction spending was up 80 percent in South Florida in April compared to the previous year, according to the latest report from Dodge Data & Analytics. Residential construction experienced a small increase of 3 percent, while the commercial sector tripled in construction spending compared to April of last year. Last month, construction starts totaled nearly $939 million, up from $521 million for the same month last year. Residential starts rose to $400 million from $387 million in April 2016. Commercial construction jumped to $538 million from $133 million. Despite the increase in April, overall construction year-to-date compared to the same period of last year fell by 11 percent, to $3.3 billion...

By Hannah Wood Last month, Airbnb announced they had hired former Architecture for Humanity co-founder Cameron Sinclair to lead their project to supply temporary housing to 100,000 people in need, shortly after launching a program to secure refuge for members of Chicago’s homeless community. Users of the online hospitality service can now register as ‘hosts for good’, and architects are stepping in to make that happen. IKEA’s recent drive to create flat-pack temporary homes for refugee camps through their Foundation in collaboration with UNHCR is another example of how companies are exploring philanthropic interests through the medium of architecture. This month’s feature engages with architects adopting a range of business models to pursue social responsibility and looks deeper into...

For NBWW’s 50th anniversary we are looking at great blasts from the past for our Thursday-Throw-Backs! This week we are taking a look the… PEABODY HOTEL (now Hyatt Regency Orlando) Orlando, Florida Convention Headquarters Hotel 900 Guestrooms/Suites 104,000 sf Convention Space Health/Fitness Center The Hyatt Regency Orlando is a hotel directly connected to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The 32-story, 1641-room hotel was originally constructed in 1986 as The Peabody Orlando, a brand extension of the original Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. (Wikipedia)

By Jason Sayer “If you took GPS out of people’s phones now, they would die.” That was the bold claim Google’s Aaron Luber made at the inaugural Tech+ expo today. Hyperbole? Maybe, but Luber made the point of how dependent we are on technology to navigate the built environment. Moreover, how else does technology impact our surroundings?  Presented by The Architect’s Newspaper, the inaugural Tech+ expo saw 500 architects, designers, and tech experts head to Metropolitan West to get the low-down on how technology is shaping the built environment. The day was shaped by industry professionals discussing and showcasing technology that is developing a role within the design process of numerous firms and enhancing client-architecture relationships. Luber estimated that by 2018 almost all...

Local zoning laws and strategic plans that promote transit-oriented development and pedestrian-friendly downtowns are helping to shape great cities. By Ian Spula Great power to effect change in cities resides within local development codes. The era of the single-use factory, the cul-de-sac, and the avenue-as-traffic-funnel are fading as factors from demographics to economics to climate change push communities to attempt more progressive development models. New adherents to form-based urban planning are adopting principles for livable places, engaging citizens on matters of design, development, and transportation. Some of the cities that are leading the charge may surprise you. Read the Full Story HERE >>>> Source: Defining Desirable Cities and Neighborhoods Through...

The summer escape by Josh Baumgard We still may be a few weeks out from the official start of summer but Miami residents wouldn’t know it from the weather, with highs already flirting with the 90s and our sticky overwhelming humidity in full force. Air conditioning is a must, as is a cold beverage, but so is the pool, which can be a Miamian’s best friend in the steamy months ahead. There are some truly incredible pool offerings found across Miami’s extensive hotel scene. The following are 11 of the best hotel pools in the Miami area, mapped from south to north while featuring some of your best Instagram photos. W Hotel South Beach You’ve probably witnessed the W pool scene providing a common backdrop for movies and TV shows, such as HBO’s Ballers last...

These four seating options provide support for everyday tasks and comfort for lounging. By Selin Ashaboglu Four industry professionals recommend commercial seating products they have specified in their own projects, as well as use themselves. Fern Task Chair, Haworth Application: Office Dimensions: 47″-tall-by-29″-wide Description: Inspired by the humble fern, the ergonomic back of this task chair uses the company’s Wave Suspension System, which comprises three layers: cradle, fronds, and stem. Cradle is a soft frame that works as an overlay for stem and fronds, which respectively function as the spine and provide support for the user’s upper and lower back. haworth.com Finishes: Fern’s mesh back is available in 11 colors, including cornflower, peat moss, and mushroom. Its...

May 18, 2017 in Hotels, News Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates, Inc. (NBWW), an award-winning, renowned architecture firm that has played a key role in the design and restoration of many of Miami’s most iconic and legendary properties, will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. NBWW has long been a leader in South Florida hotel design ever since designing Grand Bay in the Grove, the first five start hotel in South Florida. Since the have been involved in over $5 billion of both new construction and renovation along with over 300 hotels including the Fontainebleau, The Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Eden Roc, Miami Beach EDITION and the DiLido. NBWW has served as the architect for the W Hotel in Miami Beach, the Diplomat Resort and Convention Center in Hollywood, the...

By Paul Finch The mantra ‘complementary but not a copy’ is a useful guide to interventions affecting architectural heritage, says Paul Finch The Miami Design Preservation League does excellent tours of the South Beach Art Deco district. Our guide on a recent visit was Joel Levine, formerly of Brooklyn (with an accent to prove it), who was a font of information about a host of buildings we inspected, occasionally going inside, in the course of a two-and-a-half-hour walk. The Deco district nearly came a cropper under the usual pressures of real estate speculation and declining demand, but managed to survive – often just in terms of the façade but no matter – and is now a good reason why tourism flourishes in this part of Miami and Miami Beach, attracted by a dynamic architectural scene....