NBWW BLOG…

The advent of 3D-modelling software may not spell the end for architectural drawing after all, says Owen Hopkins. Architectural drawing is in crisis, one that’s arguably been brewing since the 1980s, with the advent of the first commercially available CAD packages and the new freedoms for the screen. Yet, the real revolution came with the arrival of complex 3D-modelling software in the 1990s. These platforms are now all but ubiquitous and have become architects’ first and often only tool in the design process. As a result, it could be seen as doubtful whether conventional forms of architectural drawing have any relevance to architecture as it is practised in the 21st century. However, moments of crisis can also be ones of opportunity and new possibilities. Rather than...

One design editor’s experience taking the Harvard Graduate School of Design’s free introductory architecture course online Text by Jennifer Fernandez It’s not uncommon for editors to be grilled about the perks and responsibilities that come with the job. When I was on staff at Travel + Leisure, friends and acquaintances would often inquire about the exotic or luxurious locales I had recently visited. You could visibly see their disappointment with my response: “Sadly, they were all via Google. We have freelancers for that.” A few years later, when I was an editor on Architectural Digest’s digital team, the question on everyone’s mind became, “Did you study architecture in college?” To which I always replied a wistful, “No.” The truth is that...

It’s about sharing knowledge to improve social equity by Barbara Eldredge Soon after the 2009 opening of the first phase of New York City’s High Line park, other cities around the globe began copying its model—repurposing aging infrastructure as public space. In just the last few months, a High Line-like park opened in Seoul, organizers announced plans for a highway park in Akron, and even Staten Islanders have decided to get in on the game. But with a great park comes great responsibility. Property values increased. And some neighborhood residents were pushed out by the change. “When we opened, we realized the local [New York City Housing Authority] community wasn’t coming to the park, and the three main reasons were: They felt it wasn’t built for them, they didn’t see people like...

Fun! by Jenny Xie Launched just in time for summer traveling, the new mobile app ArchiMaps is a gift to architecture lovers everywhere. Available on Android and iOS, the app offers a comprehensive guide to architecturally-significant buildings, bridges, and more in four cities so far: New York City, Chicago, London, and Madrid (Additional cities like Los Angels, Barcelona, and Berlin are currently under development and will roll out in the coming months.) The brainchild of Spanish architect Ángel Camacho, the project took a few years to come to fruition, both in finding a developer collaborator and preparing content for the first maps. In an email to Curbed, Camacho explains he always begins with an extensive search for the most important buildings in each city, and then little by...

Construction of the Met Square tower doesn’t mean archaeological excavation at the site has ended. According to Miami Today, the project will include an underground crawl space allowing for further archaeological exploration. A gallery operated by HistoryMiami will showcase finds that have already been unearthed at the site. The project, which includes a movie theater and 391 apartments in a 43-story tower, is nearly topped off, according to Zom Living’s Jason Haun. Delivery is scheduled for late May 2018.   (photo: jason haun/instagram) Source: The Next Miami Under 43-Story Met Square, A Crawl Space Will Remain Open To Archaelogists

Miami’s Planning & Zoning Department has granted final approval for the proposed 18 tower in Brickell…. designed by architecture firm NBWW (Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates, Inc.) If built, the 78-story tower would have 392 residential units along with retail space, replacing a strip mall that includes Burger King across from Brickell City Centre. The developer is proposing 923,000 square feet of total FLR, on a lot where 615,384 square feet is permitted, requiring a public benefit contribution. The project height of 78 stories also exceeds a 48-story height limit, requiring additional public benefit contribution. Waivers also include a reduction in parking from the 794 spaces required to just 457, and vehicular service and parking access from a principal...

Lucas Epp of StructureCraft Builders describes the science behind one of the newest mass timber products on the market, and how it could help change the face of timber construction. By ARCHITECT Staff ArchitectChats is kicking of our second four-episode series this season, “Timber On the Rise,” which will introduce you to the innovators that are using wood structural systems and taking them to new heights. Headlines touting the newest timber high-rises have been on the rise in the past decade, as there has been renewed interest in using wood structural systems for mid- and high-rise commercial construction across Europe, Canada, and the United States. This interest in the potential applications has grown, in part, because of innovation in the world of mass timber products,...

(CNN) While the healthcare system in America is in a state of crisis, the hospitals, care centers and research facilities that make up the industry — in the States and abroad — have never looked better. Gone are the days of sterile spaces, shared rooms and buildings that could be confused for corporate offices. Instead, we’ve seen a new class of hospitals that are more like hotels, with private rooms, gardens and art installations. But competition is driving people away from private facilities and into county hospitals that are adopting a new, more patient-centric approach, according to Pat Bosch, design director at the Miami office of architecture firm Perkins + Will. “We’re seeing a lot of intersections with corporate America, retail, hospitality and...

using an immense and impressive array of tools, architects today can execute designs with pin-point perfection. however, according to GUZMÁN DE YARZA BLACHE, director of the MASTER IN STRATEGIC DESIGN OF SPACES AT IE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN, there is one major factor a lot of professionals overlook: the people who will actually be using the space. just as office managers might not understand the day-to-day behavior of employees, retail managers may brief architects on what they want and rather forget to focus on what the shoppers actually need. ‘the biggest error designers make is not putting the user in the center,‘ said DE YARZA. ‘you have to consider the people that are using the space as the client, not the person who has contracted your services.‘ Read the full story...

Plus, more design-tech news from this week. By ARCHITECT Staff Researchers as RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia have succeeded in developing a paint that can absorb moisture and create energy. The paint contains a compound that both soaks in water vapors and acts as a semi-conductor to split the water atoms into hydrogen and oxygen. According to lead researcher and research fellow in the School of Engineering Torben Daeneke, “mixing the compound with titanium oxide particles leads to a sunlight-absorbing paint that produces hydrogen fuel from solar energy and moist air.” The product does not require filtered water, meaning it can be applied in remote areas as long as there is moisture in the air. [RMIT University News] A team of researchers at MIT have developed...

Michael Kimmelman discusses his series “Changing Climate, Changing Cities” by Patrick Sisson New York Times architecture critic Michael Kimmelman has always taken a wide-angle view of just what the building beat can entail. Just as the impact of a single skyscraper can only be fully explained by exploring its economic significance, environmental footprint, and connections to the wider real estate and regulatory worlds, architecture is woven into broad social and political issues. A building means nothing without its street, its neighborhood, and the city in which it stands. That systematic storytelling approach served Kimmelman well when he launched “Changing Climate, Changing Cities” earlier this year, an ambitious examination of how environmental change has started to tug at the...

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… THE PALMS Provenciales, Turks and Caicos 72 luxury condo-hotel units From the resort: A 72-suite resort on the island of Providenciales, The Palms Turks and Caicos is recognized as one of the top luxury resorts in the Turks and Caicos Islands and one of the Caribbean’s best-kept secrets. Located just steps away from the flawless white sands and sparkling turquoise waters of the Grace Bay Beach – ranked as among the most beautiful in the world – The Palms Turks and Caicos offers maximum pampering and indulgence. Boundless ocean views from stylishly-appointed suites ensure peace and tranquility while world-class amenities; including a...