Facades
In New York City, tens of thousands of birds die each year after colliding with buildings. Policy and design measures can make the city much safer for its feathered inhabitants.
The City
A renovation saved the Portland Building, designed by postmodern pioneer Michael Graves, from demolition, but its likely doomed its status on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Architect's Newspaper
A "McMansion 101" post for those who wish to arm themselves with studied arguments against this popular style of residential construction.
McMansion Hell
Features like blank street facades literally turn us off, decreasing mental stimulation and bringing on restlessness and stress. Research points to worrying consequences for people who find their city, well, boring.
Aeon
A new article from Smart Growth America portrays the successes of placemaking in communities as diverse as Soldotna, Alaska (population 4,163), Orlando, and Philadelphia.
Smart Growth America
In Frankfurt's main shopping district, the Zeilgalerie shopping mall brightens up the night with thousands of programmable LEDs built into its new facade.
The Architect's Newspaper
The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles was built into a 1960s department store, and in the 90s the facade was fashioned to look like the grill of a vintage car. With new funds in hand, the museum wants something more "attention-grabbing".
Los Angeles County Museum on Fire
Critic Christopher Hume says that "an architecture of openness" is overtaking Toronto, foregoing individual personality for a greater sense of community and connectivity.
The Toronto Star
Thomas Schielke, an architectural lighting expert, gives an inclusive overview of building facades that include media from the 1931 addition of color at the top of the Empire State Building to a 2010 building that converts brainwaves to light.
arclighting
Through advancements in technology, digital facades are becoming significantly easier to implement on a wide variety of architectural projects. Programmable surfaces maybe a big part of the future of buildings.
Architectural Record
