NBWW BLOG…

This marks the end of a 25-month run of positive billings. By Katharine Keane The AIA’s monthly Architecture Billings Index (ABI) for March came in at a score of 47.8, a 2.5-point decrease from the previous month’s score of 50.3. It was the first time in which the metric entered negative territory in 25 months. The ABI is a leading economic indicator of construction activity in the U.S. and reflects a nine- to 12-month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending nationally, regionally, and by project type. A score above 50 represents an increase in billings from the previous month, while a score below 50 represents a contraction. “Though billings haven’t contracted in a while, it is important to note that it does follow on the heels of a particularly...

PM says rebuilt cathedral could reflect ‘techniques and challenges of our times’ The French prime minister, Edouard Philippe, has announced an international architecture competition to rebuild the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral. The 93-metre spire collapsed on Monday in a fire that began at its base and spread through the cathedral’s ribbed roof, made up of hundreds of oak beams. The cathedral was built over nearly 200 years starting in the middle of the 12th century, although it was only in the mid 1800s that architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc added the lead-covered spire during restoration work. “The international competition will allow us to ask the question of whether we should even recreate the spire as it was conceived by Viollet-le-Duc,” Philippe said. “Or whether, as is often the...

The 18-story, EPOCH luxury condo project received site plan approval last week and the developers are poised for a May 1 groundbreaking on the downtown Sarasota Bay property. by Chris Willie Seaward Development also has the foundation permit in hand. Forty percent of the 23 multimillion-dollar residences have been reserved. Here’s another example of the hot luxury market. There are seven full-floor residences, each with 5,655 square feet under air and another 1,953 square feet of terrace, a private three-car garage — priced from $6,199,00 to $6,599,000. The one full-floor penthouse is the same size but has the extra special 1,670-square-foot private west-facing roof terrace. Got $8.5 million? … The distinctive design of the tower was inspired by the Sarasota School of...

8 policies U.S. cities can follow to help cut emissions By Patrick Sisson The feasibility of a Green New Deal—a massive mobilization to decarbonize the economy—has gone from a progressive dream to one of the most commented upon topics in American politics in a few months time. There’s a hunger for action around the environment, and with federal policies frozen or in regression under the current presidential administration, much of the action in the U.S. around combatting climate change has fallen to local and city leaders. From pledging to stay in the Paris climate accords to adopting renewable power, U.S. cities have seen a flurry of activity and innovation, pushing new programs and initiatives. But as the need for emissions cuts and resiliency plans become more clear in the wake of...

Experts discuss what comes next in the rebirth and rebuilding of the cathedral. By Patrick Sisson “It’s okay to cry,” said Jorge Otero-Pailos. As news spread of the tragic fire that consumed the roof of Notre Dame cathedral, a national, spiritual, and architectural symbol with few parallels, Otero-Pailos, director of the preservation program at Columbia University, was still taking in the enormity of what had been lost. But with hundreds of millions of dollars already pledged to the rebuilding effort, Otero-Pailos was also wrestling with questions of what comes next. “It’s of course technically feasible, but you won’t have the same fabrics, the same craftsmanship,” he told Curbed. “You won’t have the continuity. A lot of what heritage objects and buildings allow us to do is connect...

Bioplastics could potentially be worse for the environment than conventional plastics, according to recycling expert Arthur Huang. Marcus Fairs Bioplastics could potentially be worse for the environment than conventional plastics, according to recycling expert Arthur Huang.Switching to plastic made from plants instead of fossil fuels would require vast amounts of farmland, Huang said. This could could cause environmental problems and deprive humans of food. Huang, founder and CEO of circular-economy engineering company Miniwiz, added that bioplastics can cause damage when they are composted. They make soil and water more acidic, he claimed, potentially polluting both land and ocean. “If we use them the same way [as conventional plastics] they are just as bad if not worse,”...

Climate change action group Extinction Rebellion has unveiled a “radically different” visual identity, including DIY protest posters. India Block Climate change action group Extinction Rebellion has unveiled a “radically different” visual identity, including DIY protest posters that will allow activists to flypost cities.Extinction Rebellion is an international movement whose members use methods of non-violent civil disobedience to pressure governments into taking action on climate change and the mass extinction of animal species. For its first major action in the UK today, 15 April 2019, the organisation has released a series of banners, flags, patches, posters and stickers for activists to download and use, to help spread the word about the movement and its...

kieron marchese NASA‘s longtime space contractor lockheed martin has debuted a moon lander concept that could put humans on the moon’s surface by 2024. four years earlier than first planned, the colorado-based company has a plan that would tap key projects already in the works by NASA’s human space exploration experts, including the orion spacecraft, a planned mini space station orbiting the moon and a new lunar lander. the vehicle consists of two elements: a lander that can travel down to the ground, and an ascent vehicle that can lift astronauts off the moon’s surface. the design uses a lot of elements from orion, a crew capsule that lockheed has been working on for the last decade. internal equipment, flight computers and life support systems can also be incorporated into the new...

To conclude our Bauhaus 100 series, celebrating the centenary of the hugely influential design school, we round out everything you need to know. Tom Ravenscroft A is for Anni and Josef Albers Anni and Josef Albers are the Bauhaus’ best-known couple. Both Albers’ started as students and went on to become masters, with Josef becoming head of the glass workshop and Anni leading the weaving workshop. In glasswork and weaving respectively, both Josef and Anni created vivid explorations of geometry, colour and grids. Following the school’s closure, the Albers’ moved to America, where they were both prolific artists and educators until their deaths. B is for Marcel Breuer One of the many heavyweights to be educated and taught at the Bauhaus, Hungarian designer Marcel...

Possible Mediums Kelly Bair, Kristy Balliet, Adam Fure, Kyle Miller (Editors) Actar, November 2018 Paperback | 7 x 9 inches | 200 pages | English | ISBN: 978-1940291963 | $34.95 Publisher Description: Possible Mediums presents a collection of sixteen speculative design mediums by emerging architects. Each chapter defines an active medium in contemporary architecture through descriptions, drawings, and objects. Possible Mediums arranges projects according to shared technical and aesthetic traits, creating a vibrant taxonomy of design. Descriptive texts explain the working principles behind each medium and introduce design concepts intended to inspire students and professionals alike. Through its many contributors, Possible Mediums establishes design as a collective endeavor propelled...

Hear from the firms who have unlocked the power of BIM technologies in By Design: The Next Frontier. What can you learn from enterprising firms who push tech to new limits? It is time to be inspired to experiment with innovative technology that supports BIM. The software that opens projects up to unlimited possibilities is the one that helps you benefit from ground-breaking techniques. For firms, using ARCHICAD, 3D modeling photorealism and VR experiences are more than gimmicks. These technologies are part of a powerful toolset that opens the door to unlimited possibilities. Hear from the firms who have unlocked that power in By Design: The Next Frontier. “The Next Frontier” highlights an inspiring approach to design, coordination and project management – rooted in BIM and...

Deirdra Funcheon Last night, Related Group did its thing and opened another sparkling condo on a South Florida beach, along with partners Fortune International Group and The Fairwinds Group. Auberge Beach Residences & Spa, a two-tower project overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Fort Lauderdale, celebrated the completion of its 170 units. The property’s 17-story North Tower is sold out, but larger units — some of which have their own private pools on terraces — remain available at the 22-story South Tower. Prices run from $1.5M to $9M. The project was designed by Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolf & Associates (NBWW). A restaurant with a Napa valley feel, DUNE, is open to the public, as is a spa, which features 14 treatment rooms, a sauna and a sound meditation room. To guard...