Architecture
Stadium in the Sky
As Blackhawk fans crammed into downtown Chicago to celebrate their Stanley Cup victory last week, the editors at Pruned were reminded of a fantastical proposal for a downtown stadium built into the tops of skyscrapers.
Sustainably Retrofitting a Mid-Century Skyscraper
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) were brought on board to bring a 1958 SOM skyscraper up to LEED standards. Architects found that the original plans, which weren't implemented, looked pretty good by today's standards.
Urban Theorist William J. Mitchell, R.I.P.
William J. Mitchell, dean of the school of architecture and planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, died last week. He was a pioneer in the use of computers for design and planning.
Goldman's New Headquarters in New York Conveys Sobriety
Goldman Sachs' new headquarters in New York is "modern but nowhere near the architectural cutting edge; neither cheap nor extravagant; and efficient without seeming merely functional." Paul Goldberger dissects the new Henry Cobb design.
Living in a Jumbo Jet
A new home in Malibu, CA is being constructed using the parts from a Boeing 747. The client asked the architect to use recycled materials as much as possible, and the plane parts were relatively affordable.
Stop Making Cities Look the Same, Say Chinese Scholars
At a forum in Suzhou on Sunday, scholars urged city planners to do something about the monotony of contemporary buildings shooting up in cities across China.
Making Buildings More Like Ecosystems
Green building? Feh. Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow looks at the movement towards biomimetic architecture, buildings that create living, sustainable ecosystems of their own.
Road Diets: Making Streets Slim Down Is Good For Pedestrians, Businesses And Even Traffic
Cities are greatly in need of slimming down their roads, says architect Michael Bohn. A recent project in Long Beach, California shows how curb extensions and street furniture can have a huge impact on the economics of downtowns.
Roadblocks Hinder Infrastructure in Russia's Olympic Host City
The relatively tropical seaside resort of Sochi, Russia will play host to the 2014 Winter Olympics. But building the infrastructure to support those games has become a major challenge for officials.
Four Cool World Cup Stadia and Their Uncertain Futures
The 2010 World Cup in South Africa has caused the creation or redesign of ten stadia. The Architect's Newspaper offers this list of four of the most interesting stadia and what future these expensive buildings may have.
The Skyscraper Debate
The jury is out on skyscrapers- are they responsible density, or terrible energy hogs? As Indian cities like Mumbai and Delhi grow, architect Aditi Nargundkar Pathak says the time to consider skyscrapers is now.
Landscaping Opportunity at The New Bay Bridge
John King is encouraged by the nascent plans for a "fantastical" new landscape at the eastern end of the Bay Bridge. The Bay Area has a chance to create something as "lasting and bold" as the high line in New York or Chicago's millennium park.
Designing Embassies in an Era of Terror
Embassies are a critical diplomatic tool, but their original emphasis on representing a state has given way to defending the diplomats inside.
Friday Funny: Architectural Analysis of Couch Forts
The staff of the BUILDblog review the architectural approach, style and design of kid-constructed couch forts.
Art and Mystery in a Public Space
Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has created a magical zen landscape in a plaza at the University of Milan, using stones, fabric, and light.
Erasing a Sense of Place
PRAIRIEFORM argues that the central problem of modernist architecture is the way the buildings erase the sense of place inherent in the location where they are built.
Design Has Room to Grow in Brazil
As it prepares to host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, there's room to grow in Brazil's architecture and design communities.
Talking Design with Rios, Clementi, Hale
A varied involvement in architecture, landscaping, planning and product design has allowed the practice of Rios, Clementi, Hale to weather the recession. The designers describe to Marissa Gluck how they have navigated a path through divergent fields.
A Brief History of International Expositions
As Shanghai aims to bring people together through spectacle, Edwin Heathcote examines the concept behind the festival and questions its relevancy.
Cairo Banning Cars, Greening Streets
The Egyptian capital is planning a makeover, turning the downtown into a pedestrian-only zone in the spirit of Europe's historic cities in order to attract tourism.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
