In Brooklyn's Navy Yard, the largest modular high-rise building in the world is being assembled one floor at a time by teams of 10 to 15 union workers. Sydney Brownstone tours the milestone in modular construction.
"Modular assembly is often compared to the kind of line assembly popularized by Henry Ford's T-Birds, but B2 is actually being constructed by a different process altogether. Instead of individual workers putting together piecemeal parts, FCS Modular and its Swedish partner Skanska decided on using a system called 'group technology workcells,' in which multidisciplinary groups of cross-trained tradesmen work on different parts of the floor simultaneously. It's the same way airplane engines are constructed, Roger Krulak, a senior vice president at Forest City Ratner (FCR), explains."
"Because of innovations like these, FCR claims to have 'cracked the code' to modular building on a new scale," writes Brownstone. "The company says that B2 will be built in 18 months, or two-thirds the time it would take for conventional construction."
FULL STORY: New York's Newest Skyscraper Is 32 Floors Of Prefab Apartments That Click Together
State Documents Reveal Woes at Pioneering Atlantic Yards Modular Tower
What was promised as the tallest building in the world built by modular construction is delayed and the subject of lawsuits. State documents, recently made public, describe water damage, tolerance challenges, and unanticipated repairs.
Vacancies Come in All Forms, Even New Affordable Apartments in Brooklyn
A 298-unit, 18-story tower in Pacific Park Brooklyn opened its doors to new renters in various categories of affordability over five months ago. 27% remain empty in the higher income tiers, and unlike market-rate units, the asking rent won't drop.
World's Tallest "Lego" Tower to Rise in Brooklyn
An agreement between Forest City Ratner and NYC's labor unions has cleared the way for the construction of Atlantic Yards's next phase. The 32-story prefabricated apartment building will be the tallest of its kind in the world, reports Matt Chaban.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City
If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
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Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)