Find the perfect glulam for your next project through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products: Click here for more information. Are you a glulam manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

In recent years, architects all over the globe have asserted glulam as a high-tech building material of the future — and one that we should all be paying a whole lot of attention to. As steel and concrete gradually fall to the wayside due to their steep environmental costs, timber architecture — in all shapes and sizes — is rising to exciting new heights. 

According to Michael Green in his illuminating Ted Talk Why We Should Build Wooden Skyscrapers, “We’re at the beginning of a revolution, I hope, in the way we build, because this is the first new way to build a skyscraper in 100 years or more. But the challenge is changing society’s perception of possibility, and it’s a huge challenge. The engineering is, truthfully, the easy part of this.”

Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum by Kengo Kuma and Associates

Glulam Systems

Glulam: Glued laminated timber is an incredibly versatile engineered wood that is frequently specified for its strength, beauty and reliability. The material is made up of several layers of structural timber that have been bonded together using adhesives in order to form a bigger, potentially enormous piece of wood. Building advancements using this material have drastically changed the scale of what is architecturally possible using timber. 

Aspen Art Museum by Shigeru Ban Architects

Glulam is often advocated as a viable alternative to structural concrete and steel. When compared to concrete and steel, glulam can produce a lighter weight structure with a lesser carbon footprint that is much stronger, pound-for-pound. A variety of structural components can be formed using glulam including parallel beams, pre-cambered beams, sloped beams, curved beams, flight beams and trusses. The design possibilities are virtually limitless. 

The Smile by Alison Brooks Architects Ltd was prefabricated as 12 industrial-sized tulipwood CLT panels by CLT pioneers, Züblin-Timber in Germany.

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT): CLT is another popular form of glued structural timber that has many of the same excellent capabilities. According to StructureCraft, “Cross Laminated timber (CLT) panels are formed by stacking and gluing together successive perpendicular layers of wood. The layered stacks are then pressed in large hydraulic or vacuum presses to form an interlocked panel.”

Santo CLT Office by Junichi Kato and Associates uses CLT as both the building’s structural and finishing material.

The number of layers in a panel typically range from three to seven, though they can vastly exceed this number. CLT panels can easily incorporate openings for windows and doors, as well as routings for electrical and mechanical systems, before they are shipped to site.

Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum by Kengo Kuma and Associates

Aesthetics

Profiles: Using glulam, it is possible to achieve everything from simple arched forms to dramatic configurations with very tight radii. Curved glulam is manufactured by bending the laminated boards before they are bonded together with adhesives, clamped and cured.

Size: One of the greatest advantages of glulam is that it can be manufactured in a wide variety of sizes. Extremely wide beams can be manufactured by laying boards of different widths side-by-side, and reversing each layer so that there is an overlap and no straight-through vertical joint.

According to StructureCraft and the Structural Timber Association, the length of glulam panels are only limited by fabrication and shipping constraints. Theoretically, glulam panels can span any imaginable length and to date, roof areas exceeding 100,000 square-meters have been constructed using glulam framing.

Aspen Art Museum by Shigeru Ban Architects

Wood Grade: The ANSI A190.1 Standard — the APA’s standard for wood products — establishes nationally recognized requirements for the production and certification of structural glued laminated timber. These standards provide four appearance grades for glulam products: Framing, Industrial, Architectural and Premium.

Framing and Industrial grade appearance glulam are typically used in concealed areas that are not visible to the building’s public. When glulam is used as a façade material or exposed element, Architectural grade appearance glulam is highly recommended. Premium grade appearance glulam is typically only available on custom orders, and is used in instances where high traffic is expected. Premium grade glulam offers extremely high-quality and smoothly finished surfaces.

The main structure of the BC Passive House Factory by hemsworth architecture is Douglas fir glulam post and beam, with solid wood cross-laminated timber panel walls. All of these materials were manufactured in British Columbia by Structurlam.

Wood Species: A variety of wood species are appropriate for manufacturing glulam. Some of the most common types include SPF (Spruce-Pine-Fir), Douglas Fir, Larch and Alaskan Cedar. Less commonly, hardwoods such as Oak and Sweet Chestnut are also used. One bonus of glulam is that manufacturers can harness small pieces of wood that would have otherwise gone to waste. 

Ålgård Church by LINK arkitektur

Performance

Acoustic Performance: On its own, wood allows the majority of sound to pass through and does not absorb it particularly well. However, wood performs excellently when it is paired with a porous, sound-absorbing material. For more information, take a look at How to Specify: Acoustic Panels.

Applications: Common applications of glulam include floors, roofs, walls, shear walls and cores. Because of the material’s inherent load-bearing strength, glulam is appropriate in vertical and horizontal assembly applications.

Wood Innovation and Design Center by MGA | Michael Green Architecture incorporates a simple, ‘dry’ structure of systems-integrated CLT floor panels, glulam columns and beams, and mass timber walls.

Construction Time: In comparison to concrete and steel structures, glulam projects can be installed in much shorter time periods since all of the materials arrive on-site prefabricated in a dry state. This also means that they require less storage and can be shipped just-in-time, which can prove very important in dense urban areas. On average, glulam can be installed three times faster than cast-in-place concrete.

Charred glulam; Image via Rosboro

Fire Resistance: While timber frame structures have undergone ongoing scrutiny regarding fire resistance, rigorous testing has repeatedly confirmed that glulam provides excellent resistance to fire due to its charring characteristics. According to Wooderra, after 30 of fire exposure only around ¾-inch of glulam would be damaged whereas a steel structure would have collapsed under the same circumstances.

As noted in Popular Science, “Steel is vulnerable to melting in a blaze, twisting and contorting in the heat. Timber, on the other hand, will char on the outside, but flames will not penetrate its core. After the fire recedes, the wood beam will remain standing.”

Graph depicting the environmental impact of wood, steel and concrete; Image via Structurlam by Dovetail Partners using the Athena Eco-Calculator (2014)

Sustainability: According to Michael Green in his Ted Talk Why We Should Build Wooden Skyscrapers, steel represents 3% of human-produced greenhouse gas emissions while concrete represents 5%, amounting to a grand total of 8% annually. Simultaneously, wood is the only material that architects can build with that is grown by the power of the sun.

Considering the environmental impacts of glulam as a building material typically follows two essential avenues: its capacity to reduce carbon emissions throughout production and remarkably, provide storage for carbon dioxide once buildings are completed and in use.

According to a 2014 study published in the Journal of Sustainable Forestry, as much as 31% of global carbon dioxide emissions could be avoided by building with wood instead of steel and concrete. In addition, timber frame buildings can actually sequester carbon dioxide, allowing them to serve as carbon sinks throughout their lifespan. Specifically, when used in buildings, 1 cubic-meter of wood can sequester 1 tonne of carbon-dioxide.

Gammel Hellerup Gymnasium Multi-Purpose Hall by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group

Thermal Properties: Glulam has remarkable thermal properties that help prevent thermal bridging and contribute to an efficient building envelope assembly. Additional insulation materials can also be paired with glulam; this will typically occur in the post-manufacturing stages of construction.

Case Studies

Nine Bridges Country Club by Shigeru Ban Architects; Glulam by Blumer-Lehmann; Photo via Shigeru Ban Architects

5 Gorgeous Glulam Structures by Shigeru Ban Architects

Shigeru Ban is a Pritzker Prize winning architect who has established himself as the undisputed master of unconventional materials. His completed projects — ranging from a museum built with reclaimed shipping containers, to a cathedral constructed of cardboard tubes and recycled plastic — appear less like a cohesive portfolio and more like a series of experiments, a continual search for newer, more sustainable ways of building. In recent years, this search has led Shigeru Ban to a material known as glued laminated timber. Through this miraculous material, Ban has been able to unite his passion for innovation with his eye for craftsmanship, producing intricate structures that push the boundaries of sustainable design.

Mountain Restaurant Björk by Murman arkitekter AB

Engineered Wood: Specifying Glulam for Every Architectural Typology

Glulam beams and columns come in many shapes and sizes. Because they are uniform, stable and predictable, engineering Glulam into a building is not just cost effective, but enables the creation of open spaces that would be difficult to achieve using regular wood frames. This collection of projects illustrates how this structural material can be utilized for a wide array of different building types, from homes and offices to churches and educational facilities.

Search for the perfect glulam through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here to sign up now. Are you a glulam manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

The post An Architect’s Guide To: Glulam appeared first on Journal.

Find the glulam products for your next project through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products: Click here for more information. Are you a manufacturer of glulam products looking to connect with architects? Click here.

Shigeru Ban is a Pritzker Prize winning architect who has established himself as the undisputed master of unconventional materials. His completed projects — ranging from a museum built with reclaimed shipping containers to a cathedral constructed of cardboard tubes and recycled plastic — appear less like a cohesive portfolio and more like a series of experiments, a continual search for newer, more sustainable ways of building.

In recent years, this search has led Shigeru Ban to a material known as glued laminated timber, or glulam, which is created by bonding layers of lumber together with high-grade adhesives. The result is an engineered wood product that is stronger, lighter, cheaper and more environmentally-friendly than steel. Through this miraculous material, Ban has been able to unite his passion for innovation with his eye for craftsmanship, producing intricate structures that push the boundaries of sustainable design.

If you are considering specifying glued laminated timber for an upcoming project, look no further than Ban’s projects for inspiration:

Photos via Shigeru Ban Architects

Centre Pompidou-Metz by Shigeru Ban Architects, Metz, France

Glulam by Holzbau Amann

For the new Centre Pompidou in Metz, Shigeru Ban Architects wanted to create a museum that was visually striking but without overshadowing the artworks on display. To achieve this, they designed a series of simple, box-shaped galleries, stacked beneath an amorphous roof of wood and Teflon-coated fiberglass.

The laminated wood structure, although modeled using advanced BIM software, was inspired by ancient weaving techniques. As Shigeru Ban explained: “this idea came from a traditional woven Chinese hat I found in an antiques shop in Paris … When I saw this, I wondered about the possibility of making a grid structure using laminated timber … Since timber can be used as both a tensile member and compressive member, I thought it could be realized as a compressive shell, in addition to being a tensile mesh.”

Photos via Shigeru Ban ArchitectsAspen Art Museum by Shigeru Ban Architects, Aspen, Colo., United States

Glulam by Spearhead

In 2014, Shigeru Ban continued exploring the possibilities of woven wood structures with the façade of the Aspen Art Museum. The building’s glass curtain walls are concealed behind a lattice of Prodema, strips of resin-soaked paper laminated between wood veneers. This screen helps shield the interior from solar heat gain while acting as a buffer zone between the museum and its surroundings.

In contrast to this delicate façade, the roof is supported by a deep space frame, constructed of heavy glulam timbers. The 6-inch-thick timbers are composed of several species of wood — spruce, birch and Douglas fir — which were laminated together and then sculpted by CNC-milling machines.

Photos via Shigeru Ban ArchitectsNine Bridges Country Club by Shigeru Ban Architects, Yeoju-gun, South Korea

Glulam by Blumer-Lehmann

This county club is located at the heart of Nine Bridges, one of South Korea’s most prestigious golf courses. Inside, members and their guests are greeted by a three-story atrium, featuring walls of stone and a swooping timber canopy.

The glulam roof structure tapers down into slender, tree-like columns, above each of which is a large skylight. The shape of the columns was inspired by the golf tees that Shigeru Ban played with as a child but they also serve a practical purpose. They create double curvatures which make the structure remarkably sturdy, allowing for longer spans between columns and eliminating the need for lateral braces.

Photos via Shigeru Ban ArchitectsOita Prefectural Art Museum by Shigeru Ban Architects, Oita, Japan

Glulam by Arup

Unlike typical “white box” galleries, which hide their contents from the outside world, The Oita Prefectural Art Museum was designed to showcase art for all to see. Its main exhibition space is surrounded by 20-foot tall, folding glass doors which allow passersby to view the museum’s ever-changing collection of Japanese art. When these doors are opened, the gallery is transformed into a semi-sheltered public space, reminiscent of a traditional Japanese “engawa.”

The upper galleries, on the other hand, are more private. They are wrapped in a wooden screen which protects sensitive artworks from direct sunlight while preserving views of the city. This too is a subtle nod to Japanese culture, as Shigeru Ban described: “the outer wall overlays braces of hybrid laminated wood and solid cedar wood, and the structure itself becomes a pattern … like Oita’s traditional bamboo craft.”

Photos via Shigeru Ban ArchitectsTamedia Office Building by Shigeru Ban Architects, Zurich, Switzerland

Glulam by Blumer-Lehmann

The new headquarters of Tamedia, a Swiss newspaper conglomerate, is a seven-story building with a contemporary glass façade, not unlike its neighbors. What makes this project unique, however, is its timber structure which was assembled without a single metal fastener or drop of wood glue.

The frame is constructed of over 1,400 glulam members, made from regionally-sourced spruce. The timbers were shaped using CNC-milling machines, giving the architects precise control over the detailing of each connection. The interlocking beams and columns are fastened together by hardwood, glulam dowels which will allow the building to be easily recycled at the end of its useful life.

To emphasize the environmental benefits of this technique, the architects left the wood surfaces untreated. As Christophe Zimmer, Head of Corporate Communication for Tamedia, explained: “the best maintenance is no maintenance at all! Since wood is a living material, it will change over time and age gracefully, without us having to get involved.”

Find the glulam products for your next project through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products: Click here for more information. Are you a manufacturer of glulam products looking to connect with architects? Click here.

The post Stronger Than Steel: Shigeru Ban’s Glulam Revolution appeared first on Journal.

Find the perfect surface-mounted lights for your next project through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products: Click here for more information. Are you a lighting manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

Back in the 80s, a little Disney film called Tron showed us something completely avant-garde for that time, something that reflected the fascination we had with technology, video games and the first personal computers: a minimalist aesthetic dominated by mesmerizing glowing lines to reference the innards of a computing machine.

A still from the 1982 movie Tron.

Ironically, lines of light in spatial design became all the rage in the post-Y2K era — and not just in the context of sci-fi movie sets. Cutting-edge office spaces, dramatic building façades, renovated institutions and even private residences have been catching on to this lighting trend. Whereas Tron’s production team used a combination of backlit animation and computer imaging to render the effect, today’s architects and interior designers are creating the real thing thanks to the current crop of innovative products and systems.

If you’re keen on incorporating lines of light into a project, consider first if your design requires — and can accommodate — recessed channels, or if you can provoke the same emotion using surface-mounted lights. Perhaps your goal is not to insert streaks in wall, ceiling or floor planes, but instead to accentuate elements and objects, whether it’s a stair tread, truss or piece of furniture. Finally, if you want to pack similar visual punch sans the fussy LED strip, extrusion and lens cutting, think about composing patterns with readymade linear suspension or other stick-style luminaires.

For this Nike Studio in Beijing, COORDINATION ASIA lined various elements with LED strips to evoke energy and movement.

Animate vertical surfaces and ceilings without cutting into them by sourcing an LED light strip or tape (which is basically a strip with pre-applied adhesive) and housing it in a slim-profile extrusion. Typically these channels can be cut to desired length in the field and come with their own end caps and lenses to diffuse and conceal the individual light diodes on the strip.

Aside from having the light protrude slightly from the surface it’s installed on, there are a couple of other drawbacks of going the strip-plus-housing route: First, it’s not suitable on floors or steps as it can be a tripping hazard. And second, it’s difficult to run along curved surfaces. However, manufacturers are making some strides addressing the latter.

Mateusz Tanski and Piotr Michalewicz’s Baltic Palace Hotel in Poland boasts an eye-catching façade of walls that “flow” down to reference the nearby beach; light strips follow these contours to enhance the façade at night.

For instance, Seattle-based company Solid Apollo recently launched a line of three flexible LED channels. The first, Adaptflex LED Strip Channel is constructed from thin high-grade anodized aluminum that bends to any shape with a radius of 6 inches or more. Meanwhile, Neonizer LED Light Channels NF10 and NF12 mimic the look of traditional neon fixtures with their flexible two-part PMMA plastic bodies.

Solid Apollo’s new flexible and bendable channels include the Adaptflex LED Strip Channel (left) and neon-inspired Neonizer LED Light Channels.

Another surface-mounted option that eliminates the need for extrusions or diffusers is Electroluminescent (or EL) tape. This alternative to LED strips uses an electrical charge to activate a layer of phosphor, causing it to glow and spread that illumination evenly throughout a thin, flexible ribbon. EL tapes can be cut at any spot as there are no individual diodes to look out for as in LED strips, they’re already encapsulated in a protective material and they’re flat enough to use on floors, even stair treads. Where it can be inferior to the LED strip is brightness or lumens levels, however.

Light Tape

Light Tape is one brand of EL tape that can be used to add interior or exterior accent lighting and delineation. The product comes in several widths ranging from ¼-inch to a very wide 30 inch; the wider sheets are mostly suitable for backlighting applications, such as illuminating an entire countertop in a bar setting, or for cutting out shapes, logos and letters.

Ellumiglow offers kits for DIY Tron costumes and pre-cut shapes, along with standard EL tape.

Ellumiglow is another maker of EL tape and offers complete kits to meet different project needs. Fabulously — for the “cosplay” crowd — it even produces and sells a DIY Tron costume kit! Like Light Tape, this brand has sheet-style EL products as well, but also a variety of pre-cut shapes such as triangles, circles and semicircles and rounded-corner quarter squares.

FAHOUSE by Jean Verville Architecte implements both surface-mounted and recessed lines of light. Photography by Maxime Brouillet.

Considering recessed systems or off-the-shelf suspension luminaires instead? Check out this article for such products, where we rounded up a few of our favorite recent examples.

Search for the perfect glulam through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here to sign up now. Are you a glulam manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

The post Retro Futurism: How Architects Can Channel Tron’s Lines of Light appeared first on Journal.

The 6th Annual A+Awards — Architizer’s iconic awards program for architecture and building-products — promises to be the best yet. With select winners set to be published in the fourth edition of our stunning, hardbound annual of the world’s best buildings, not to mention being broadcast to architecture’s largest online community, the exposure that award-winning projects will receive is unparalleled.

Should you win, the global recognition for your best project or product works in three key ways: It’s one of the quickest ways to get published, it acts as a powerful marketing tool for your company, and — most of all — it is a great way to celebrate your design team’s incredible hard work. That’s important, because we know it isn’t easy to bring great buildings to life!

If you are planning to enter, the best time to do so is now, as our early entry discount ends at midnight this Friday, March 2nd. Hit the link below to get started:

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE A+AWARDS TODAY.

While the creative talent of architects is a constant, nothing else in architecture remains the same. The A+Awards program has continually evolved to reflect the changing face of the profession.

This year, as we continue to build a new community marketplace for building-products, the focus of the A+Awards switches to brilliant collaborations between architects and manufacturers. The designers and makers behind amazing building envelopes and innovative interiors will be given the spotlight, with both architects and brands being given the spotlight. The unique use of materials and a mastery of details will be key to winning in any given category.

Does your company have a completed project or new building-product that fits the bill? Enter the A+Awards now and give it the limelight it deserves.

We can’t wait to see your work. Good luck from everyone at Architizer!

The post Enter the A+Awards Today: Early Entry Discount Ends Soon! appeared first on Journal.

Connect with huge architecture firms and gain new business through Architizer’s community marketplace for building-products. Click here for more information.

Blu Bathworks is not your average building-product manufacturer. Founded in 2006, the Canadian company defines itself as a “modern bathware design-house” and, true to form, contemporary design lies at the center of its philosophy.

Blu creates striking architectural bathware using custom materials, specifically designed to capture the attention of architects. The brand’s range is undeniably stunning — but the challenge lies in making those architects aware of this fact in a notoriously competitive industry. To help them stand out in the crowd, Blu Bathworks joined Architizer’s marketplace for building-products, designed to place high-quality products in front of design professionals at the exact moment they need them.

Architizer spoke with Blu Bathworks’ founder and lead designer Michael Gottschalk about the company’s ethos, its standout products, and what Blu is doing to win new business with architects.

“Blu was largely born of frustration over how difficult it was to source European styled, compliant modern bathroom fixtures & fittings at attainable prices,” said Gottschalk. Blu’s products are notable for their Minimalist style and innovative material compositions. “My design philosophy is based on producing bold architectural bathware that balances both form and function,” said Gottschalk.

Such lofty ambitions demand a special space for design and fabrication. Blu operates out of an extraordinary building in Vancouver that more closely resembles a laboratory than a bathware factory. In this cavernous space, Gottschalk’s team of specialists carefully craft new bathtubs, sinks and shower bases using custom molds and milling machines, each of which lends Blu’s products a resilient structure and a pristine finish.

Blustone Bathtub by Blu Bathworks

In pursuit of truly stand-out products, Gottschalk is not just a manufacturer — he is an inventor. For one signature range, the designer developed a brand-new material called Blustone, a highly durable composite crafted from recycled quartzite. Its makeup makes it an ideal material for high-end bathtubs, sinks and shower bases, as it can be produced in a wide array of colors and allows for custom embossed carving.

The material also possesses environmental benefits. “Blustone requires far less energy to produce than acrylic or ceramic,” said Gottschalk. “The insulating qualities of the material also means it is effective at retaining water temperatures.”

Combining sustainable attributes with eye-catching aesthetics, materials like Blustone are irresistible to specifying architects — which is where Architizer comes in. “The main difference I see with Architizer compared with the more traditional ways of connecting is its overall efficiency,” said Gottschalk. “Architects on the platform have real projects and are already looking for these materials. Architizer helps connect our product offering with interested design parties as opposed to the ‘needle in a hay stack’ approach.”

INOX stainless steel basin mixer and tub filler by Blu Bathworks

Reducing the need for speculative sales strategies like cold calling, Architizer benefits premium brands like Blu by letting the company’s products do the talking, so-to-speak. “It’s much more focused, and can lead to building relationships with those parties that are interested in using our product line,” said Gottschalk. “The lunch and learns can then happen afterwards.”

The designer also appreciates the platform’s industry insights, allowing Blu to prioritize and target the most worthwhile leads. “With Architizer I feel there is more transparency,” said Gottschalk. “You can see what architects are looking for, see what competitors are proposing and make a recommendation based on the information that’s in front of you.”

Single-hole, floor-mounted thermostatic tub filler and tub by Blu Bathworks

The company enjoyed a stellar 2017, but Gottschalk isn’t stopping there. Blu Bathworks has recently developed a new range of steel tapware products it hopes can take business to the next level.

“Our INOX range, which was designed as a modular range of bathtub basin and basin tapware, is an Italian-made collection made exclusively of 304 grade stainless steel,” explained Gottschalk. “Our focus going forward for 2018 and 2019 is to expand our offering of tapware designs using stainless steel. The Inox collection is also designed to comply with CalGreen standards and to minimize energy and water consumption without affecting the premium quality of the product or the users experience.”

From Blustone to Inox and beyond, Blu Bathworks is constantly iterating on its product offering to remain a compelling choice for architects. While Architizer’s marketplace gives the company a platform for increased visibility and new business opportunities, the adage remains: focus on creating high-quality building-products, and success will follow close behind.

Gain leads from major firms such as AECOM, HOK and OMA through Architizer’s community marketplace for building-products. Click here to sign up now.

All images courtesy Blu Bathworks

The post How Blu Bathworks Is Bringing Bold Design to Architects appeared first on Journal.

Find the perfect industrial chic materials for your next project through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here for more information. It’s free for architects. Are you a building-product manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

A great look for a workplace, retail shop or hospitality venue, industrial chic can sometimes come off as too rough around the edges or utilitarian for residential clients. When specified well, though, the warehouse style can offer a raw elegance that blends textured materials with bold detailing. A variety of finishes, fixtures and furnishings can help polish spaces while preserving, complementing or instilling industrial character, particularly in adaptive reuse and conversion projects. Loft by Gasparbonta

Case in point, Gasparbonta transformed a painter’s studio in Budapest into a residential loft, retaining some of the existing elements while inserting clear geometry and additional raw materials with refined, sleek finishes such as iron, polished concrete and wood.

Loft by Gasparbonta

A variety of unique lighting solutions pepper the spaces including linear fixtures, a caged suspension luminaire above the dining table and wall grazers on brick walls to highlight the material’s texture.

Wall grazing on existing brick also created a dynamic focal point for one house in the Dutch city of ’s-Hertogenbosch. Originally a 19th-century workshop building, the structure underwent numerous renovations and most recently housed an office. So when Utrecht-based EVA was charged with converting it into a home, its first priority was to bring natural light into the deep, window-starved spaces.

Loft Sixty-Four by EVA, ‘s Hertogenbosch, Netherlands

The architects achieved this by carving out openings in some of the existing walls and floors. The staircase, with black metal grating for treads, is pushed away from the brick feature wall to leave a gap, ensuring more light from the roof skylights can penetrate the lower level and affording sightlines between the floors.

An opening in the floor underneath another skylight creates an atrium-like double-height space onto which the master bath overlooks through a massive glass wall. And surfaces are white to visually expand the spaces as well as reflect light. These are but two industrial chic projects that have caught our eye. Read on to discover a handful of our favorite recent products that can help you craft your own polished industrial setting.

Casa International

A Turkish brand that’s relatively new to the U.S., Casa International produces a number of home furnishings that straddle a line somewhere between industrial chic and midcentury modern. Among them, Filicudi is a family of round side and coffee tables with metal, mirror, back-lacquered glass or marble tops and a striking base offered in four spun-metal finishes.

Ceramiche Refin

Part of the Design Industry collection, Oxyde is a large-format ceramic tile that replicates the appearance and shades of oxidized metals while Raw recreates the look of concrete. Oxyde comes in Dark, Light, Rust or White in sizes ranging from 30 by 60 centimeters to 75 by 150 centimeters. Available in the same formats, Raw comes in Grey, Light, Mix or Warm.

Fantini Rubinetti

Bearing resemblance to the beautiful Vola series by Arne Jacobsen, the AF/21 bath line was designed by Naoto Fukasawa. The minimalist collection includes deck- and wall-mount faucets that can be specified with an integrated joystick control or disk-shaped handles, tub fillers, showerheads, hand showers, matching thermostatic valves and a kitchen faucet. Recently Fantini unveiled new brushed finishes for the line: gunmetal, copper bronze and British gold.

Flos

At this year’s Salone (Milan), Italian lighting company Flos unveiled a new outdoor luminaire collection with a decidedly architectural feel. Called Casting, the lamps are fabricated in rough materials including oxidized bronze, cast iron, aluminum and concrete, the latter of which is most notably stunning in a bollard that was designed by Belgian architect Vincent van Duysen. The compact yet sturdy unit is ideal for garden and path lighting, and sports a semi-cylindrical head that lends a playful touch while recalling Le Corbusier’s 1948 concrete table lamp.

Glen-Gery

Want to install brick but don’t want to sacrifice space? Many tile manufacturers, particularly the Italian and Spanish companies, offer porcelain tile that almost perfectly mimics the material. But another option is face brick or brick veneer. Glen-Gery’s Thin Brick looks like the real thing but has a thickness of only ½-inch to 1 inch, which also makes it easier to cut. It comes in 30 colors and can be installed on walls, floors and even vaulted ceilings.

Krownlab

Barn doors. Need we say more? One of our favorite door hardware fabricators, Krownlab, has introduced a new affordable system that, like many of its existing lines, sports a modern take on traditional barn door hardware. Called Axel, the entry-level product is constructed of ¼-inch-thick carbon steel, engineered to support door slabs of up to 200 pounds. Axel comes in raw or black steel finish and in three common lengths.

Randers+Radius

Inspired by tightrope walkers, the Grip table was developed with a long central beam and a clamp-like “grip” system that allows for flexible attachment of the legs. The result looks equally at home in a residential dining room or office conference room. The tabletops come in a range of sizes and in wood, glass, laminate or linoleum; the cast-aluminum legs come in nine finishes including color paint.

reSAWN Timber Co.

Well suited to interior wall cladding or exterior siding, the Charred Neutral line is produced using the Japanese technique of shou sugi ban (fire-heat-treating that preserves the timber while also developing a unique appearance). Charred Neutral comes in a range of tones from dark gray and white to red and golden yellow and in different species. Cypress is recommended for both interior and exterior applications while North American black walnut is suitable for interiors only.

Ronda Design

Iron-ic Shelter is a DIY-friendly, modular bookcase that, with its natural iron construction, boasts a cool, sleek and industrial vibe tempered by wavy contours and oak wood accents for optional doors. The wavy modules are assembled and affixed to the wall using a combination of magnets and connection screws. Iron-ic Shelter is also available with a white finish.

Seves Glassblock

An alternative to traditional red clay brick, Vetropieno Glass Brick is a fun interior decorative product that has a similar appeal but also adds color and transparency for transmitting light. The bricks can be installed horizontally or vertically as well as in traditional patterns.

Tech Lighting

The Alva pendant puts a twist on the classic Edison bulb and socket light. Here the pendant features an optic crystal “bulb” that’s been laser-etched with faux filaments. A downward-firing LED, concealed within the metal “socket,” delivers 290 lumens. The socket is available in black or satin nickel while the 6-foot-long, field-cuttable cloth cord comes in white, black, blue, brown, copper, gray, orange, red or black and white.

Viridian Reclaimed Wood

Just like it sounds, Colorburst reclaimed wood paneling offers a pop of vibrant color. The new option is available on two of Viridian’s lines: Granary Plank, which mixes fir and pine sourced from granary beams, and Route 66, which consists of oak from old tractor-trailer truck decking. Milled in variable lengths from 2 to 8 feet, the paneling can be specified in Robin Egg Blue, Viridian Green, Haute Pink and Cascade White.

12th Avenue Iron

Architect Tom Kundig has a reputation for designs that are stripped down to base forms, revealing their function. This extends to his product designs, naturally. His oversized door pull Bongnormous, manufactured by 12th Avenue Iron, is essentially a 2-inch-diameter steel tube that’s been cut to 24 inches in length. While we love the standard blackened wax finish, the handle can also be powder coated in black, white or red.

Search for the best industrial chic materials through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here to sign up now. Are you a lighting manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

The post Industrial Chic: Specifying the Perfect Loft-Style Residence appeared first on Journal.

Find the perfect surface-mounted light fixtures for your next project through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here for more information. It’s free for architects. Are you a lighting manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

When the sun goes down and spaces calls for artificial light, the single most important element to think about is the light fixture and whether it will site proud of a surface or be hidden away within the wall or ceiling plane. By having a physical object in mind, the idea of the level of illumination and the way light and shadow interact within space go hand in hand.

There are countless shapes, sizes and finishes that lighting solutions take. When it comes to surface-mounted light fixtures, the shape and the materials used in their assembly are just as important as their luminous qualities. Surface-mounted lights not only introduce added shape to surface planes, but also work with the push and pull of light and shadow to define space itself. As you consider which surface-mounted light fixtures to select for your next project, take in the following five luminaires for inspiration:

Capitole Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge by Adrian Perez, Beirut, Lebanon

Surface-mounted light fixtures by PSLab

This summer rooftop restaurant and lounge in Beirut features surface lighting clustered in groups of three. The space sees a total of 69 Glass 03 light fixtures positioned on walls inside and outside. The custom glass and metal surface lights add character and definition to the open-air dining space. The light fixtures are made from borosilicate glass which is resistant to impacts and the carful assembly allows them to be used in wet areas. The powder coated dark metal and the soft warm light work together to provides a lively refined character on this summer night eatery.

W.O.K., World Oriented Kitchen by Colli + Galliano Architetti, Rome, Italy

Surface-mounted light fixtures by Axo Light

This restaurant located within the prestigious Parili distric in Rome sees the use of Axo Light’s Muse lamps. The refined and soft lighting takes two forms, it comes as a surface mount light fixture and a pendant. It’s the combination of both types of light fixtures that create a playful and bright focal points within the restaurant. The white diffused light provides adequate light for the chefs to cook, and a nice glow for the customers to enjoy the colorful dishes.

BIG by Vibia, designed by Lievore Altherr Molina

Vibia’s Big is just as the title suggests — a large surface-mounted light that comes in sizes larger than three feet in diameter. The fixture’s elegant shape goes well with modern and classic taste because of the way light is casts down evenly into the space. The central and direct dispersion of illumination can be optimized if the light fixtures are aligned in a grid allowing the light to be as even as possible with virtually no areas in shadow. The use of large lighting fixtures with a defined presence within a large volume helps maintaining a sense of balance and scale.

Department of Urban Development and Environment by Sauerbruch Hutton Architeckten, Hamburg, Germany

Surface-mounted light fixtures by Erco

Erco’s Quintessence is a surface mounted light with a minimal profile. The light fixture comes is a variety of finishes but the cylindrical form compliments the textures and patterns of the surface that it sits on. The light fixture provides excellent light coverage and visual comfort within a space and its wide beam allows for the number of lighting fixtures to be reduced, saving money upfront and in the on-going everyday energy cost to light up a space.

Bonus: LEAF semi-recessed light by Buzzi Buzzi

LEAF is a light fixture that brings to light the idea of surface. This minimal lamp is technically semi-recessed into the wall, but its subtly protruding form aligns it with surface-mounted designs. The light fixture can be positioned horizontally on ceiling planes and vertically on walls. The bright white light it casts from under its curved edge is delivered via LED which in the long run helps keep energy costs down while at the same time adding definitions within a space.

Search for the best surface-mounted light fixtures through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here to sign up now. Are you a lighting manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

The post More Than Surface Deep: 5 Lighting Fixtures That Truly Stand Out appeared first on Journal.

Find the perfect building-products for your next project through Architizer’s community marketplace for building-products: Click here for more information. Are you a manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

After decades of hosting temporary art shows in abandoned garages and derelict churches, the Fondazione Prada has opened its first permanent exhibition space within the walls of an old gin distillery in Milan. Designed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), this cultural center comprises ten buildings — seven existing structures, dating back to 1910, and three new constructions — which combine to form a sprawling complex of art galleries, performance spaces, cafes and public plazas.

Image via OMA

“The Fondazione is not a preservation project and is not a new architecture,” explained Rem Koolhaas, the founder of OMA, “Two conditions that are usually kept separate here confront each other in a state of permanent interaction – offering an ensemble of fragments… New, old, horizontal, vertical, wide, narrow, white, black, open, and enclosed.” Its design is characterized by a collision of architectural styles and construction techniques, some time-honored, others wholly original.

From million-year-old stone to space-age metallic foam, this cultural center features a variety of unique finishes bound to inspire your next spec sheet:

Photo by Bas Princen; via Fondazione Prada

Aluminum Foam

Manufactured by Cymat Technologies

At the heart of the complex is a contemporary gallery, dubbed the Podium. Its façades, soffits, interior walls and ceilings are all clad in Alusion, a metallic foam created by injecting air into molten aluminum. Although typically used by the military to protect against explosions, the foam’s flame-resistant, sound-absorbing surface makes it surprisingly suitable for museum applications.

Photo by Iwan Baan.

Curtain Walls

Manufactured by Zanetti

Unlike the original masonry buildings, which are solid with few fenestrations, the Podium is open and inviting, featuring long expanses of high-purity glazing. In a playful nod to Milan’s classical architecture, these glass façades are supported by deep, colonnade-like mullions with their doorways recessed beneath aluminum arches.

Photo by Bas Princen; via Fondazione Prada

Gold Leaf

Manufactured by Teknolitos

Adjacent to the Podium is the Haunted House, a gallery dedicated to site-specific artworks. Its entire exterior, including gutters and window mullions, was refinished in 24-karat gold leaf. “We discovered that gold is actually a cheap cladding material compared to traditional claddings like marble and even paint,” said Koolhaas, “What I love is the way it contaminates the walls around it… The environment needed a little color.”

Photo by Luca Onniboni; via Archiobjects

Mirrored Stainless Steel

Manufactured by AZA Aghito Zambonini

Opposite the Podium and Haunted House is a 200-seat auditorium clad in highly-polished stainless steel. The center panels are affixed to massive, bi-folding doors which, when opened, enable performances to spill out into the courtyard. When closed, these mirrored panels cause the building to become invisible, disappearing into its context.

Photo by Iwan Baan

Concrete Surfaces

Manufactured by Italcementi

The existing masonry façades have been renewed with a skim coat of light-colored cement, manufactured by an Italian concrete company. Aggregates of white Carrara marble were added to the cement mixture, giving these timeworn structures a subtle sparkle.

Photo by OMA; via Architect Magazine

Hardwood Pavers

Manufactured by Odorizzi

In addition to granite cobblestones, the plaza and pathways have been repaved with oak setts, fabricated from salvaged railroad ties. Although uncommon today, these wooden pavers were popular in 19^th century Europe as they were more comfortable than stone and less noisy under horse-drawn carriages.

Photo via EPSE

Polycarbonate Panels

Manufactured by EPSE

In contrast to the old-world surroundings, the main lobby and ticket window are clad in polycarbonate panels which lend the space a futuristic atmosphere. These multi-wall panels are self-supporting and treated with a custom matte finish, allowing them to be backlit without shadows from supports or fasteners.

Photo via Fantini Group

Travertine Flooring

Manufactured by Fantini Group

The Podium galleries are floored in an Italian limestone, known as travertine, which complements the museum’s sculpture collection. Here, works from antiquity are displayed on an artificial landscape, created by elevating slabs of travertine on plates of thick, acrylic glass.

Photo by Delfino Sisto Legnani; via Fondazione Prada

LED Lighting

Manufactured by Zumtobel

The new interior spaces are illuminated by Linaria light lines by Zumtobel which peek out between the aluminum ceiling panels. These long beams of light appear to extend beyond the contemporary glass façades, as if the building itself is reaching out to its historic neighbors.

Find the perfect building products through Architizer’s community marketplace for building-products. Click here to sign up now. Are you a tensile fabric manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

The post Behind the Building: Fondazione Prada by OMA appeared first on Journal.

Find the perfect surface mounted lighting for your next project through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here for more information. Are you a lighting manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

Surface mounted light fixtures have been a staple piece of design for decades. Their immense strength lies in their flexibility, since they can be installed in almost any space without dramatically altering the ceiling, and are available in endless shapes and sizes.

This week, Architizer spoke to Matt Schroeder of Delta Light. According to Schroeder, when it comes to architectural lighting, “surface mounted fixtures are typically used when there’s low plenum,” which describes the space between the structural ceiling and the dropdown ceiling, “or when there is an exposed ceiling made from a concrete slab.” In these cases, it is often impossible to integrate recessed fixtures.

NUR Ceiling Light by Artemide

“Although there are exceptions to this rule, in good lighting design, you’d typically prefer to have a recessed product in lieu of a surface mounted product,” said Schroeder. Recessed products make for a much cleaner look. “Exceptions might be traditional architecture — French Renaissance, for example — where you are looking to have a surface mounted product that sculpturally matches the space,” said Schroeder. In modern spaces where minimalism is not such a priority, surface mounted fixtures can serve as a visual focal point.

Naramata Cabin by Robert Bailey Interiors; Lighting by Delta Light, Bocci and Prandina

Surface Mounted Lighting Systems

All of the following types of light fixtures follow the same type of mounting technique and can be broadly defined as surface mounted lighting.

Pendant Mounted: A pendant light is a fixture that is suspended from the ceiling by a cord, chain or metal rod. Less bulky and often more affordable than chandeliers, pendant lighting has become a popular choice among architects across diverse typologies. According to Schroeder, “pendant lighting makes up 80-90% of the surface mounted products sold at Delta Light.” For more information on pendant mounted lighting, check out An Architect’s Guide To: Pendant Lighting.

BIG by Vibia

Ceiling Mounted: Ceiling mounted lights can be categorized into flush mounted and semi-flush mounted. A flush mounted light has no gap between the ceiling and the fixture, as pictured above. Semi-flush mounted lights are very similar, however they have a small gap between the ceiling and the fixture, which makes it similar to a pendant light, without hanging quite as low. Both flush and semi-flush mounted lights are good for creating ambient lighting and are highly appropriate in instances with low ceilings, since they do not take up a lot of space.

Scotch Club by Marset

Wall Mounted: Sometimes referred to as a sconce, this type of lighting is affixed to the wall, and can be used to cast upward, downward or diffuse light. Today, wall mounted lights are commonly harnessed for exterior illumination.

Track Mounted: With track mounted lighting, said Schroeder, “you pull a wire out from the ceiling, connect it to the fixture and snap it into place. The fixture acts as a horizontal extension of the electrical signal,” said Schroeder. Track mounted lighting can provide general or focused, task lighting.

Roomin.be by Sofie Vertongen; Image via Delta Light

Components

Surface mounted lighting products have many of the same elements as recessed products — the main difference is that they’re mounted onto the surface of the ceiling or wall, rather than housed within it. Similar to pendant and recessed lighting, there is not always good or consistent nomenclature in the complex world of lighting. However, a few key terms to look out for in your product search are:

Fixture: The fixture is the shell that holds the light, and is typically made from aluminum, steel or brass. Because the fixture is the portion of the light that is visible, it will drive the aesthetic composition of your surface mounted light.

Heat Sink: Although LED lights are lauded for being cool to the touch, they still produce heat that must be conducted or dissipated away, in order to ensure the longevity of the product. Typically made from copper or aluminum, heat sinks are an important part of LED surface mounted products as they provide a path for heat to travel from the LED light source (or diode) to outside elements.

Diode: The diode is the chip that produces the light. With advancements in LED technology, diodes are becoming smaller and smaller, which presents new design opportunities for architects. “I’ve seen LED tape only a quarter of the size of a nail file, that produces enough light to act as the sole light source for an entire space,” said Schroeder.

Optics: Similar to recessed lighting, optics modify the light that is emitted from the diode by adjusting the beam or softening the glare.

Driver: Sometimes referred to as the power supply, the driver is the “magic box that transforms electricity from main voltage into whatever the fixture itself requires. If you run 120 volts to LEDs, for example, they’re going to explode.” Lighting manufacturers will be able to direct you towards an appropriate power supply, depending on the fixture that you select.

Tight Light by Flos

Aesthetics

With surface mounted lighting, explained Schroeder, “it’s about picking the form and finish that the architect likes and that matches the space, and then putting the lights in the right location to achieve the best effect.”

Finish: No matter what type of surface mounted lighting you are working with, common finishes include painted, powder-coated and metal-plated. For further inspiration, take a look at Architizer’s collection, More Than Surface Deep: 5 Lighting Fixtures That Truly Stand Out.

La Maison des Têtes by f+f architectes; Lighting by Bocci

Light Distribution: Some surface mounted fixtures come with a variety of optical options that allow you to control how light is distributed.

• Beam Angle: Narrow beam angles provide more direct lighting, while broader beam angles allow for a greater spread of light.
• Reflectors/Louvers: Reflectors can cast light upward or downward, while louvers and baffles soften light to produce more ambient lighting.

Material: “Today, 80% of the manufacturers that I see are using aluminum. It’s light, durable and paintable,” said Schroeder. “On the lower end, you also see plastic, which I do not recommend, and on the higher end, you see brass and electropolished stainless steel.”

Orgeval by f+f architectes; Lighting by Waldman

Performance

Dimmers: Dimmers can be paired with surface mounted products to have great control of the ambience in a space and to ensure a lower energy usage throughout the day.

Environmental Performance: Light fixtures can be energy efficient, as indicated by ENERGY STAR certification (available nationally) and Title 24 compliance (in California). LEED credits are also available for surface-mounted fixtures that incorporate Integrated Control options, as listed in the Sensors section of this guide.

Image via Novalinea Bagni Interior

Installation: One of the advantageous aspects of surface mounted lighting products is that most rooms are already equipped to accommodate them. To install a surface-mounted fixture, you do not need to open up the ceiling, which makes them very common in the remodel setting.

IP rating: The IP rating is a double-digit number that indicates the protection factor of any lighting fixture. The first digit indicates the protection from solid objects and dust, while the second digit indicates the protection from moisture.

Duell by Modular Lighting Instruments; Image via Modular Lighting Instruments

Sensors: Ceiling fixtures can be configured with sensors that help optimize the lighting of the space and reduce energy consumption. With daylight sensors, maximum lamp output is reduced according to the available amount of natural light. When a room is vacated, occupancy sensors ensure light will be turned off after a programmed delay.

Case Study

W.O.K., World Oriented Kitchen by Colli + Galliano Architetti; Lighting by Axo Light

More Than Surface Deep: 5 Lighting Fixtures That Truly Stand Out

There are countless shapes, sizes and finishes that lighting solutions take. When it comes to surface-mounted light fixtures, the shape and the materials used in their assembly are just as important as their luminous qualities. Surface-mounted lights not only introduce added shape to surface planes, but also work with the push and pull of light and shadow to define space itself. As you consider which surface-mounted light fixtures to select for your next project, take in these five luminaires for inspiration.

Search for the perfect surface mounted lighting through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here to sign up now. Are you a lighting manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

The post An Architect’s Guide To: Surface Mounted Lighting appeared first on Journal.

Brooklyn-based architecture firm INABA WILLIAMS understands that, beyond the moment of their completion, great buildings are defined by the life that unfolds within them. Viewing architecture as a frame for the unique daily activities of its clients, the practice relies upon explorative research an iterative design process to identify the true programmatic nature of each project.

Given their rigorous approach, the architects’ journey from concept to completion requires a seamless blend of great client communication, fluid teamwork and flexible technology. This made INABA WILLIAMS the ideal firm to test HP’s powerful but compact new workstation, the Z2 Mini. Through its product seeding program, HP provided the workstation to the firm to try out on a number of active projects.

Firm co-founder Jeffrey Inaba and Project Design Associate Sharon Leung discuss a project on site in Brooklyn, New York

“INABA WILLIAMS is … focused on making great spaces that are also informed by other factors outside of architecture, like cultural communications [and] social aspects,” explained Sharon Leung, Project Design Associate at the firm. This crucial early stage in the formulation of a project allows the architects to balance the unique social and economic factors engrained within a site as it begins to shape its design concept.

“The research phase is unusual in that it’s not just quantitative economic analysis, nor is it just cultural analysis to understand the cultural context of a commission or a company,” said Jeffrey Inaba, one of the firm’s co-founders and a keen advocate for research-led design. “It’s not taking what might be the obvious information from both of those sets of data, but rather to think about how those things could be combined in such a way that creates unique insights, that gives value to a project, culturally as well as economically.”

Inaba describes his practice as a “design and research firm”, placing as much importance on the strategic, long-term planning of projects as the design process itself. The architect views architecture as content, with buildings, spaces and even urban master plans directly informing the activities and interactions of people on a daily basis. As with the creation of any content, this approach requires extensive research and collaboration before the optimal asset emerges.

The portability of the Z2 Mini means design team can effortlessly shift from studio work to video conferences with their California partner Darien Williams

Architectural visualization of the Santa Monica residences, Cali.

One project formulated using this approach was a pair of houses situated on a compact site in Santa Monica. The architects needed to maximize the use of the available space without limiting natural light entering each home. Using the Z2 Mini, the design team was able to work in continual collaboration with Inaba’s partner Darien Williams, situated thousands of miles away in California. “We hold these ‘precedent meetings’ from time to time with our partner … to see how projects related to ours might inform different parts of the project,” said Leung.

Gaining valuable insights from Williams via video conferences and shifting seamlessly between 2D and 3D representations, the team arrived at an elegant solution — two beautiful residences situated around a sunlit courtyard. CAD drawings and 3D visualizations can be worked on and shared quickly between design team members on both sides of the continent thanks to the Z2 Mini’s processing power.

Sharon Leung’s CAD work is powered by the diminutive Z2 Mini

The Z2 Mini’s diminutive size makes it perfect for Inaba’s creative process — the workstation can be effortlessly transported from studio to meeting room and back, allowing the architects to pour over drawings and models as they craft their design. The workstation possesses the power of many high-end desktop computers with the portability of a laptop, offering an ideal balance between flexibility and functionality.

Catalyzed by this technology, INABA WILLIAMS’ methods can lead to unexpected proposals with long-term benefits that reveal themselves years on from a project’s completion. “We’ll look at precedent studies, which might be a thing that a client is not interested in at all,” said Inaba. “But for us, it’s a way to see how we can connect the project and give it relevance over a larger timeframe.”

The Z2 Mini integrates seamlessly into Inaba Williams’ flexible workspace

The evolving dialogue between architect and client — and between members of the firm itself — means that change is constant during design development, and it is vital that the firm’s technology can keep up. As INABA WILLIAMS continues to blend collaborative research with innovative design practices, HP’s Z2 Mini Workstation emerges as the perfect catalyst for its workflow.

The post How Inaba Williams’ Research-Led Architecture Is Brought Alive by Technology appeared first on Journal.

Find the right building-products for your next project through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here for more information. It’s free for architects. Are you a building-product manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

Architect Jeff Jordan hasn’t forgotten what matters most when designing great buildings.

With digital fabrication now dominating the profession, it is notable that Jordan’s studio is populated with a huge array of handcrafted models. Each tactile object is a unique representation of a project the architect’s Jersey City-based practice has worked on, and each speaks to his firm’s wider philosophy when it comes to construction. These models reflect a belief that a strong understanding of the making process and attention to detail is key to making architectural concepts a reality.

Image via Jeff Jordan Architects

Like his models, Jordan’s full-scale buildings require a careful process of material selection to ensure that each element complements and elevates the next. The trouble is, Jordan explained, that process can be an arduous one.

“While finding the right products and manufacturers are an important part of the process,” said Jordan, “it’s easy to find yourself going down a rabbit hole of online research for an email address for just one local dealer, which is time that we’re not able to work on other aspects of our projects.”

For this reason, Jeff Jordan Architects is now using Architizer’s marketplace to find and specify building-products in a more efficient way. Jordan’s team of architects is already starting to feel the time-saving benefits the platform brings, giving them back more hours to focus on what they do best — creating beautifully detailed architecture using the best products available.

Higgins Lake House by Jeff Jordan Architects, Higgins Lake, Mich.

Architizer spoke with Jordan about his firm’s origins, his approach to specification and the incredible impact of using elemental materials in innovative ways.

Paul Keskeys: Tell us a little about your firm — how did all begin?

Jeff Jordan: We are a small, design-oriented office with a focus on single- and multi-family residential design. Ironically, the office started during the 2008-2009 Recession. At the time, I was working full time in a great office, had a couple of small side projects and was about to start a part time studio teaching gig at a local university. I also had two young sons with a third on the way.

I was approached to design a new single-family house and decided that the combination of my side work, the teaching gig and the new house (as well as the growing family) made going out on my own a reasonable, if risky, endeavor. I also knew that architects were being laid off throughout the industry and my own position could be at risk.

So, I set up a workspace in my basement, had a couple of slow years until some of the work I was doing was completed, had the work photographed and was lucky enough to get published. I went from working alone to having a team of four within a year. We have been busy ever since.

Detail from Sea Bright House by Jeff Jordan Architects, Sea Bright, NJ

Which of your current projects are you most excited about and why?

There are several exciting projects underway. We are wrapping up construction on a fantastic renovation/addition of a very unusual mid-century modern house in Jersey City. Additionally, we are about to start construction on a big multi-family project in Jersey City, a new single family rowhouse in Hoboken, a renovation and addition to a vast residential compound in Princeton, and even a new coffee shop space in Millburn.

What do you feel is most important to consider when it comes to choosing materials for buildings?

Most of our projects come with tight budgets and clients who are interested in a combination of materials that look good and require no maintenance. That means we are often trying to find a balance between quality and cost when choosing materials. The two aren’t mutually exclusive, but having a limited amount of money to work with means a lot of the options we are initially drawn to aren’t viable.

Which methods do you usually use to source materials for your projects?

We use a combination of previous experience, contractor and client recommendations and ongoing research to source materials. Once we find something we like and can trust, we tend to re-use it on multiple projects.

Montclair House by Jeff Jordan Architects, Montclair, NJ

What is the biggest challenge for you when it comes to the specification process?

Getting the specified product to actually be used in the project. It’s great to receive recommendations or requests to use an alternative equivalent product that is, for example, easier to install or less expensive. However, sometimes it’s simply a lack of familiarity that causes a product to be replaced by that of a different manufacturer. While we don’t object to a solid reputation or “tried and true” approach, it can potentially be limiting.

What advantages do you find in using Architizer to source materials and products?

It’s like having extra staff helping with materials and product research. As a small firm, each staff member carries multiple projects, mostly on their own. While finding the right products and manufacturers are an important part of the process, it’s easy to find yourself going down a rabbit hole of online research for an email address for just one local dealer, which is time that we’re not able to work on other aspects of our projects.

Architizer allows us to put our inquiry out to multiple potential manufacturers in one go, and returns with a range of relevant products and real people representing those products who are able to provide detailed information. It has connected us with people and products we might not have encountered otherwise.

What do you think building-product manufacturers should care about most when developing their products?

A balance between cost, performance and aesthetics. Buildings are expensive and generally should last for decades or more. The materials that make them up need to be obtainable, durable and beautiful.

Therme Vals by Peter Zumthor, Vals, Switzerland

What is your favorite application of a material in a project by one of your peers?

The extensive and rigorous deployment of quartz slabs in Peter Zumthor‘s Therme Vals project is a longtime favorite. Walls, floors and ceilings constructed of the same beautiful material are sublime. By the way, a peer is someone who is more or less an equal. Peter Zumthor is obviously on a much different level.

What advice would you give to young architects when sourcing materials for a project for the first time?

Find a balance between materials that reinforce your vision and ones that are reliable. That may mean working with materials that have a long history of use and perhaps feel a bit dated, but there may be a way to deploy them differently. Oh, and have fun!

Search for the perfect architectural materials through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here to sign up now. Are you a building-product manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

The post Jeff Jordan Architects Explores a Better Way to Specify Buildings appeared first on Journal.

Get your best projects recognized by communities around the world: Click here to enter the 2018 A+Awards today.

Speaking to The New York Times in 2016, architect Yen Ha revealed an uncomfortable truth for the profession: Women are still discriminated against in the workplace, facing a daily battle for respect in the studio, on the construction site and everywhere in between.

“We absolutely face obstacles. Every single day,” said Ha. “It’s still largely a white, male-dominated field, and seeing a woman at the job site or in a big meeting with developers is not that common. Every single day, I have to remind someone that I am, in fact, an architect. And sometimes not just an architect, but the architect.”

These sentiments were shared among many other female architects interviewed by the Times, their comments coming just a few days after the unexpected death of the ultimate flag-bearer for women in the profession: Dame Zaha Hadid. Hadid herself was well known for lamenting the lack of gender equality within architecture, asserting that, despite campaigns against discrimination in the workplace, “it’s still a man’s world.”

Exactly 50 years apart, these two photographs depict two key women recognized by the A+Awards: Denise Scott Brown in Las Vegas (left); Jeanne Gang picking up the A+Awards Firm of the Year Award (right).

The following month, Architizer’s A+Awards Gala provided a timely reminder not only of Zaha’s extraordinary legacy, but also of a compelling future for female architects. At the forefront of a talented new generation of designers forging new works across the United States and beyond, Jeanne Gang — founder of Chicago and New York–based firm Studio Gang — picked up the coveted Firm of the Year Award.

Two years earlier, Denise Scott Brown received Architizer’s Lifetime Achievement Award, given jointly to her and husband Robert Venturi. It was a significant moment given Scott Brown’s Pritzker Prize snub back in 1991, a scandal that failed to be addressed by the 2014 Pritzker Prize jury despite a petition signed by hundreds of prominent architects including Zaha Hadid and Robert Venturi himself.

Despite steps in the right direction, Ha’s reflections on the state of the profession are proof that more must be done to fight for equality within architecture and the wider construction industry, and the A+Awards aims to be a powerful platform for change in this regard. As we look forward to another significant year for innovative females within the profession, we’ve highlighted 26 women from the present and the past who have changed how we think about the built environment in a myriad of ways.

If you feel we have missed a key name from our list, please don’t hesitate to reach out, and make sure to enter your very best project in the 2018 A+Awards — the final deadline for submissions is April 13th.

Right: Public Farm 1, a 2008 installation on the grounds of Long Island City’s MoMA PS1 by Amale Andraos’s firm, WORKac; the museum described the installation as “a living structure made from inexpensive and sustainable materials recyclable after its use at PS1”; images via MoMA PS1 and Archinect.

Amale Andraos

Over the past two decades, Amale Andraos has distinguished herself as an architect, educator and urban theorist. The dean of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Andraos is also a founding partner of WORKac, a firm dedicated to “positing architecture at the intersection of the urban, the rural and the natural.” Her publications include the books 49 Cities and Above the Pavement—the Farm!, both of which seek to redefine the relationship between cities, farms and nature.

Left: The Smile, a temporary installation at the 2016 London Design Festival by Alison Brooks Architects in collaboration with The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC); this minimalist pavilion showcased the structural potential of cross-laminated timber; images via Alison Brooks Architects and Audi Urban Future Initiative.

Alison Brooks

A London-based architect with a sculptor’s approach to shape and proportion, Alison Brooks is one of Britain’s most original architects. In 2013, she received the AJ Woman Architect of the Year Award. One of the judges, Paul Monaghan, applauded the panel’s choice, explaining that “her mixture of sculpture, architecture and detail is what has made her such a powerful force in British architecture.”

Right: affordable modular housing designed by Tatiana Bilbao, Mexico; images via Dezeen and Paperhouses

Tatiana Bilbao

Tatiana Bilbao is well known for designing elegant, geometric residences, but the Mexico City–based architect’s lasting legacy may be the creative solutions she has proposed for sustainable, affordable housing. In 2015, Bilbao sat down for an interview with Architizer to discuss her plan to create a series of highly customizable modular houses that could be assembled for as little as $8,000. “Our idea was to show that there are many possibilities for this house, that you can add volumes, and that you can really continue growing, changing and extending the house the way you want to,” said Bilbao of the project.

Left: SESC Pompeia, Sao Paulo, Brazil; images via ArchDaily

Lina Bo Bardi

Lina Bo Bardi (1914 – 1992) was an Italian-born, Brazilian architect best known for her expressive use of materials and her lifelong exploration of the social possibilities of design. Her one-of-a-kind sensibility found its fullest expression in her 1982 masterwork SESC Pompeia, a converted factory featuring aerial walkways and asymmetrical portholes in place of windows. There is no other building quite like this “factory leisure center,” which is reason enough to plan a trip to Sao Paulo this winter.

Right: VSBA’s Provincial Capitol Building, Toulouse, France, photo by Matt Wargo; images via designboom and Architizer

Denise Scott Brown

Innovative architect, groundbreaking theorist and spouse of Robert Venturi — with whom she founded the firm Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates — Denise Scott Brown is a true American icon. In 2015, Scott Brown and her husband were the dual recipients of Architizer’s A+Lifetime Achievement Award. A fitting choice, too, as this pair did more to shape what we know as “Postmodernism” than virtually any other creative team. “There is no immaculate conception of ideas,” Scott Brown told Architizer in an interview conducted in conjunction with the award. “Collaboration is the truth of architecture.”

Left: Privacy and Publicity, one of Beatriz Colomina’s best-known critical works, and Sexuality and Space,an anthology of writings on architecture edited by Colomina; images via Princeton University and Archinect

Beatriz Colomina

One of the world’s foremost architectural historians, Colomina’s research focuses on the relationship between architecture and the media. Her interest in linking architecture to other disciplines has been truly transformative for the Princeton University School of Architecture, where she founded the school’s “Media and Modernity” graduate program. “Modern architecture,” she once wrote, “only becomes modern with its engagement with the media.” Her work is a must read for anyone interested in the relevance of architecture to broader questions of modernity.

Right: The Women’s Opportunity Center in Kayonza, Rwanda; images via Architizer and Pinterest

Sharon Davis

Architecture is a second career for Sharon Davis, who switched gears after many years working in finance. However, once her degree was in hand, Davis wasted no time making a name for herself. Her first major project was the widely acclaimed Women’s Opportunity Center in Rwanda. As Architizer reporter Emily Nonko explained, this project “had to address more than the lack of a safe gathering place for Rwandan women — it also had to create economic opportunity and a solid social infrastructure.”

The scheme Davis developed is functional and comfortable: a campus that includes a farmer’s market, gardens, guest residences and community space, all arranged in a circular formation. It certainly lives up to the transformational vision outlined by Davis on her website, which asserts the firm’s aim to “design extraordinary buildings that alter the future of communities.”

Left: “Phantom Restaurant, Opera Garnier,” Paris, France; images via Studio Odile Decq and dezeen

Odile Decq

Odile Decq is an architect whose work speaks to the imagination. Her “Phantom Restaurant” in Paris’s celebrated Opera Garnier is a study in colliding temporalities, with red and white biomorphic forms challenging the opera house’s vaulted beaux arts ceiling. As any good opera fan knows, however, a conflict can be made harmonious. At the “Phantom Restaurant,” old and new styles partake in a kind of dance that heightens the drama of each. Indeed, boldness is a cornerstone of Decq’s entire body of work, which offers a sharp rebuke to the idea that elegance is defined by restraint.

Right: The Institute of Contemporary Art overlooking Boston Harbor; images viadesignboom

Liz Diller

A founding partner of the celebrated firm DILLER SCOFIDIO + RENFRO, Liz Diller has been on the cutting edge of art and design since the late ’70s. With conceptual projects like the Blur Building — an inhabitable, man-made cloud that served as a media pavilion during Swiss EXPO 2002 — and functional landmarks like Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art to its credit, Diller’s firm has certainly earned its reputation for innovation.

Diller credits her background as an artist for her ability to remain free from established architectural conventions. “The early years gave me an opportunity to take a critical stand and challenge what architecture is and how it can interact with other cultural disciplines,” she explained. “I couldn’t have started by building buildings right away.”

Left: University of Ibadan in Nigeria; images via Architecture.com and the Transnational Architecture Group

Jane Drew

Jane Drew (1911 – 1996) was an English architect who made waves not just for being a prominent woman architect — which was notable enough in mid-century Britain — but as an outspoken proponent of Modernism. An architect with social and international interests, Drew’s extraordinary career saw her take on major projects in West Africa, India and Iran in addition to her native England. In her phrase, she designed “everything from kitchens upward,” and always with an eye toward combining form and function.

Right: the Eames House, Pacific Palisades, Calif.; images via Daniella On Design and Living Edge

Ray Eames

Along with her husband, Charles Eames (1907 – 1978), Ray Eames (1912 – 1988) defined modernist cool for a generation of Americans. In addition to the iconic molded-plywood Eames lounge chair, the duo is known for building the Eames House in Los Angeles entirely out of prefabricated steel parts intended for industrial construction. The building, which would serve as the couple’s home and studio for decades, was completed in a manner of days, upending longstanding ideas about efficiency and quality.

Left: Aqua Tower, Chicago, Ill.; images via Architizer and the Wall Street Journal

Jeanne Gang

MacArthur fellow and founder of Studio Gang in Chicago, Gang is one of America’s foremost architects. Her 82-story skyscraper, Aqua, is right at home in the Windy City, a metropolis known for its iconic towers. Although she is as much of a visionary as any other architect to make their mark on Chicago, Gang’s philosophy of creativity stresses humility and open-mindedness. “Good ideas come from everywhere,” she once said. “It’s more important to recognize a good idea than to author it.”

Right: House on a Cliff, Stockholm, Sweden; images via ArchDaily and Petra Gipp arkitektur

Petra Gipp

Sweden is a cold place, a fact that is reflected in the nation’s literature as well as its architecture. Petra Gipp’s work, with its clean lines and preference for raw surfaces, is certainly part of this tradition. Her work shows us how, when done right, coldness can be comforting.

Left: e.1027, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France; images via Architect Magazine and Wikipedia

Eileen Gray

A pioneer in both her personal life and in her career, Eileen Gray (1878 – 1976) is one of the most significant designers to ever come out of Ireland. While she was renowned for her furniture designs, Gray was also an architect, living for years in e.1027, a home she designed for herself in the south of France. The property was famously vandalized by a certain Le Corbusier, but Gray’s midcentury icon — and her creative legacy — survives today. “To create,” she once said, “you must first question everything.”

Right: split level residence in Tokyo by Atelier Bow-Wow; images via designboom

Momoyo Kaijima

A founding partner of Atelier Bow-Wow, Momoyo Kaijima is among a handful of elite architects who is as capable a theorist as she is a designer. Readers interested in learning more about her firm’s sensibility should check out Made in Tokyo, a guidebook for Kaijima’s native city that focuses on, as Amazon puts it, “the architecture that architects would like to forget.”

In this and other projects, Kaijima and the rest of her team at Atelier Bow-Wow are unflagging in their attempt to understand how spaces are actually utilized in the trenches of daily life. Indeed, the firm’s empirical ethos can be summed up by Kaijima’s personal motto: “Passion without knowledge is a runaway horse.”

Left: Marion Mahony Griffin’s proposal for the planned city of Canberra, the Australian capital; right: Mahony Griffin with her husband and collaborator, Walter Burley Griffin; images via Australian Design Review and The Canberra Times

Marion Mahony Griffin

There are pioneers, and then there is Marion Mahony Griffin (1871 – 1961), one of the first licensed female architects in the world. As a founding member of the prairie school, Mahony Griffin worked with Frank Lloyd Wright and Walter Burley Griffin, who she would later marry. With Burley Griffin, she helped plan the city of Canberra, capital of Australia, according to prairie school design principles.

Right: The Death and Life of Great American Cities; images via Wikipedia and textosa

Jane Jacobs

If a library contains only one book on urban planning, chances are it is Jane Jacobs’s 1961 classic The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Jacobs resisted the trend toward “urban renewal” and celebrated the functionality of neighborhoods that were allowed to develop spontaneously. “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody,” she wrote. Ms. Jacobs passed away in 2006.

Left: Vault House, Oxnard, Calif.; images via ArchDaily and @slj_lee on Twitter

Sharon Johnston

One of the chief joys of reading architecture blogs like this one is imagining yourself inhabiting fantastical, otherworldly houses. Sharon Johnston and her firm, Johnston Marklee, are keenly aware of this relationship between architecture and fantasy. Time and again, they create structures such as Vault House in Oxnard, California: buildings that are playful, elegant and seem to belong more to the future than the present.

Right: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.; images via Makers and Blackbutterfly7

Maya Lin

An architect, sculptor and land artist, Maya Lin’s career has been marked by achievement in diverse fields. However, she is best known for a project she conceived while still a student: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. A two-acre plot framed by a wall displaying the names of all the American soldiers lost in the conflict, this monument was considered controversial at the time due to its minimalism.

Today it is widely seen as a masterpiece, an unsentimental, clear-eyed tribute to a conflict that left a deep and lasting scar on the nation. “The definition of a modern approach to war,” she said, “is the acknowledgment of individual lives lost.”

Left: Neri Oxman’s silk pavilion, constructed by letting silkworms loose on a carefully designed steel frame; images via Wikipedia and Architizer

Neri Oxman

Some architects strive to speak to the present moment; others keep their eyes fixed on the future. Neri Oxman is this latter type. An Israeli-American architect, designer and academic, Oxman is well known for her interest in applying findings from biology and computer science to architecture, a field that she believes will be radically upturned in the coming years. “I believe in the near future, we will 3D-print our buildings and houses,” she once said.

Right: The Barcelona Chair; images via Knoll and Lilly Reich

Lilly Reich

Lilly Reich (1885 – 1947) was a German modernist designer best known for her collaborations with Mies van der Rohe. Many people don’t know that she was a full co-creator — not just a collaborator — in the design of the Barcelona Chair, a piece of furniture that remains a symbol of elegance and sophistication. “It became more than a coincidence that Mies’s involvement and success in exhibition design began at the same time as his personal relationship with Reich,” said Albert Pfeiffer, Vice President of Design and Management at Knoll.

Left: The New Museum by SANAA, New York; images via Encyclopædia Britannica and IncredibleWorld.net

Kazuyo Sejima

Kazuyo Sejima of SANAA is an architect who understands how much can be done with simple geometric elements. Take her design for the New Museum in New York: While the scheme is quite minimal — a series of stacked cubes — their offset arrangement ensures that it is one of the most striking buildings on the Bowery.

Right: 200 Eleventh Avenue, a new residential project in New York City; images via Selldorf Architects

Annabelle Selldorf

With Annabelle Selldorf, it’s all in the details. Paul Goldberger, former architecture critic for the New Yorker, described her style as “ … a kind of gentle modernism of utter precision, with perfect proportions.” For her part, Selldorf describes her praxis as follows: “I seek a certain kind of logic that allows you to move in space and perceive it as beautiful and rational.”

Left: Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles, Calif.; images via VieDesign and Women in Architecture

Norma Merrick Sklarek

Norma Merrick Sklarek (1926 – 2012) was the first major African-American woman architect, a true trailblazer. Her best-known projects, including Terminal One at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the Pacific Design Center, reveal an idiosyncratic sense of line and color. Sklarek once illuminated the challenges she faced entering the profession, saying: “The schools had a quota and it was obvious, a quota against women and a quota against blacks. In architecture, I absolutely had no role model. I am happy today to be a role model for others that follow.”

Right: August Wilson Center for African American Culture, Pittsburgh, Pa.; images via Cultural District and The Khooll

Allison Williams

Over the course of her decades-long career, Allison Williams has worked on many major projects at some of the world’s most high-profile firms, including San Francisco’s Perkins+Will and AECOM, where she currently serves as the Design Director.

Her best-known buildings, including the August Wilson Center for African American Culture in Pittsburgh, illustrate her commitment to maximizing the potential of the site. The August Wilson Center, for instance, is spacious, open and luminous despite the fact that it is situated on a tight street corner.

Left: Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku, Azerbaijan; images via designboom and Wired

Zaha Hadid

When Zaha Hadid passed away earlier this year, she was one of the world’s best-known and most-loved architects. Her work, with its daring lines and sculptural expressiveness, is powerful enough to turn anyone into an architecture fan. Hadid’s unique vision allowed her to push digital and visual technologies to their full potentials, creating buildings that can only be described as transformative. “I don’t think you can teach architecture,” she once said. “You can only inspire people.”

Introduction by Paul Keskeys. To submit your work in the world’s largest awards program for architecture and building-products, click here.

The post From A to Zaha: 26 Women Who Changed Architecture appeared first on Journal.

We’ve crunched the numbers, done the math, and added up all the other data-related clichés you can think of … you’re welcome!

Architizer’s free-to-download Annual Report offers up some fascinating building-product trends and insights into the wider construction industry, giving building-product manufacturers valuable information to help them craft their strategy for the year ahead. If you want to know which architecture firms are most active on Architizer, which building typologies are the most lucrative for manufacturers to get involved with, or even which verticals you could expand into, the Report is well worth reading.

The most important question of all, though, is this: How much construction value is flowing through this new marketplace for building-products?

Studio Gang’s addition to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City has the highest construction budget for a single project uploaded to Architizer in 2017.

The answer to that has evolved substantially over the past 12 months. The number of buildings uploaded to Architizer by architects each month increased by an amazing 778% from January to December 2017. An average of 18 buildings are now uploaded every week on the platform, with an average construction budget of $17.1 million per project. This equates to more than $43 million of construction value flowing through Architizer every single day.

Let’s break that number down a little more and see what it means for building-product manufacturers.

Approximately 17% of every building is made up of building-products that architects select. This means that more than $7.3 million worth of products are being specified through the platform every 24 hours. This number is rising rapidly as more architects join the marketplace every week — including those from some of the largest firms in the world.

The platform is now a continuous stream of leads for manufacturers, complete with project-specific information that allows brands to enter the conversation with architects when it really matters. It’s an exciting time for brands on the platform, with architects really starting to harness the marketplace as a workflow tool alongside CAD and other project management software.

Image via AECOM

The platform is also gaining traction within firms. Architects from three different AECOM offices — New York, Tampa and Roanoke — are now searching for building-products on the platform. Meanwhile, the number of products architects are looking for within each building is also rising. The last 12 months has seen a six-fold increase in the number of searches made for building-products on every project.

All of these facts make for compelling reading for building-product manufacturers looking to get their proverbial foot in the door with renowned architecture firms. The foundations have been laid for 2018 to be a break-through year for brands that have gotten in early and established themselves within the marketplace, and are now refining their approach to marketing, communications and sales on the platform.

For more key figures and standout statistics from the construction industry over the past year, download Architizer’s Annual Report for free.

The post A $43 Million Opportunity in Construction — Daily appeared first on Journal.

Architizer’s growing marketplace for building-products helps architects create truly brilliant buildings. Click here to sign up and get started.

Specifying your first project has to rank amongst the greatest challenges for architects around the globe. The cost and quality of every architectural element in your design can seriously affect your client’s budget and the building itself, and the larger the project is, the greater the impact of your decisions will be. The stakes couldn’t be much higher, but when done right, great building-product specifications can turn good architecture into something truly outstanding.

The trouble is, this is no simple matter: Where do you start if you don’t have a plethora of previous project specs and existing relationships with manufacturers to rely upon? This meticulous selection process can take up a great deal of architects’ precious time, and any tool that helps make specifying more efficient is vital. That’s why Architizer is building an easy-to-use online marketplace for building-products where architects can painlessly select materials and quickly connect with high-quality manufacturers.

Once you’re on the platform, the following tips will help get you up and running. Read on to find out how to make the specifying process for your next project an effortless experience:

1. Be specific

It might sound like a case of stating the obvious, but when it comes to specifications, being specific about what you are looking for is vital — both for finding the right manufacturer and for getting an accurate early estimate of costs. This can prove challenging during the early stages of a project, but thankfully, Architizer makes it so much easier with its bespoke auto-complete functionality. As you begin to type your search title, the search engine now anticipates your needs and offers predefined options in a drop-down menu (see above).

Take advantage of the accurate descriptors that appear as you type, and then select the appropriate category. By doing so, your search will be immediately recognized by the right manufacturers, who can respond to your request with all the information you need to select the perfect products.

2. Do your homework

Doing some research on the material or product you are looking for will allow you to have productive conversations with manufacturers and installers. Architizer is home to a veritable treasure trove of information on building-products, with resources such as our growing series of Product Guides forming a valuable resource to help young architects specifying for the first time.

These informative guides help untangle the specifying process for a huge range of different architectural elements, from windows and doors to acoustic panels and thermal insulation. Important factors to consider are listed for each, including aesthetics, application and performance, each of which can help uncover constraints and opportunities that will fundamentally influence your building-product picks.

Via John Pawson

3. Learn from other architects

While the above information is incredibly useful for building knowledge of the properties of specific building components, nothing beats learning about them within the context of an architect’s project. The stories to be told — often by architects themselves — about the search for perfect architectural elements make for great narratives that go to the core of what makes a good building great. Check out these examples:

COBE Transforms The Silo With a Complete Metal Makeover

How the World’s Largest Curved Windows Were Forged for Apple Park

Olson Kundig’s Most Beautiful Door

Herzog & de Meuron’s Masterful Fiber Cement Warehouse

Home to several Architizer power users, New York–based firm SHoP Architects is perhaps the exemplar. Designers and products specialists there have revealed the potential of smarter search engines in helping them to specify for bespoke projects such as the new Uber Headquarters in San Francisco, recounting the challenges they face in bringing their vision to reality. Emerging architects can learn much from the experiences of established firms, and stories relating to their design development process are increasingly prevalent on Architizer.

4. Build your library

No matter how you go about it, specifying your very first architectural project must rank amongst one of the greatest challenges for young designers. The good news is, once you’ve done one, the learning can really begin: A thorough analysis of the products you used in your opening project will help you to identify which product manufacturers to return to for your next project.

This is another area in which Architizer comes into its own. It works as a digital library, storing every project with its associated building-products so you can look back to inform your latest design. Analyzing building-products in three key areas — cost, lead time and, most importantly, quality — will help you create your own collection of go-to manufacturers for future projects. Ultimately, you’ll increase the efficiency of your design process, and your clients will thank you.

5. Don’t just google it!

While architects have moved on from flicking through hundreds of pages of a catalog or binder for the perfect material finish, there is still a tendency to rely on Google during this crucial decision-making process. Here’s the truth, though: Google’s page rankings often hide some of the best building-product manufacturers beneath dozens of links.

That’s why Architizer should be a permanent bookmark in your browser. Its intelligent search engine is tailored especially towards specifying architects, recognizing the technical vocabulary of designers and matching it up to the manufacturers that can help provide solutions for each project. It’s also your one-stop-shop for a plethora of informative product profiles, inspirational images and direct communication to contact manufacturers. So, whatever you do — don’t just google it!

Now that you’re armed with the knowledge you need, it’s time to make your next search! And if you’re not yet on the platform, get your firm using Architizer by signing up for free.

Top image via iStock, credit: demaerre

The post Young Architect Guide: 5 Ways to Avoid Specification Nightmares appeared first on Journal.

Find the perfect glass products for your next project through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here for more information. It’s free for architects. Are you a glass manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is a world leader in creating iconic and influential architecture that goes beyond aesthetics. The firm’s projects push the envelope of what materials can do on a grand scale. This is readily seen through their glass façades, where they work to develop building skins that showcase new ideas and outperform conventional systems.

SOM’s sensitivity to site conditions and an all-inclusive design and engineering approach to each building component puts it at the forefront of great glass architecture. The following SOM projects bring to light how the firm employs cutting edge glass envelopes to redefine façade design:

Los Angeles U.S. District Courthouse by SOM, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Glazing by Viracon Glass

This 220-foot-tall, gravity defying glass cube is positioned over a sloped site in downtown Los Angeles. The structure plays an integral part in the design challenge of creating a physically and metaphorically transparent building. The support from the base below and the optimized three-dimensional steel “hat truss” system holding the bulk of the building results in a perimeter virtually free of columns.

The façade features a modular zigzagged system using Viracon Glass. The pleated glass skin works with the solar angles of the site to manage solar heat gain and maximize daylight and views throughout the building. This shop-built assembly of 6-by-20-feet glass panels helped the building achieve a platinum LEED rating. The interiors require almost no artificial lighting during the day.

The Center for Character and Leadership Development by SOM, Colorado Springs, CO, United States

Skylight glazing by Interplane

This 46,000-square foot addition to the United States Air Force Academy makes up the Center for Character Leadership Development, and was named 2016 Building of the Year for the Southwest Region for its innovative use of new technology. The building works as a flexible gathering space for academic and social interactions and hosts a series of collaboration spaces, conference and seminar rooms, offices, a library, and the Honor Board Room.

The new addition’s 105-foot-tall glass and steel skylight soars above a maple-lined conference space that constitutes the Honor Board Room. This architectural feature aligns itself with the north star, highlighting the Academy’s aspirations and moral compass. The glazing for this courtroom type space is provided by Interplane. The huge skylight allows for natural light to flood into the space is to emphasize purity, truth and casting out ill morals and falsehoods out.

Baccarat Hotel & Residences by SOM, New York, NY, United States

Glazing by Glassform

The 605-foot tall, 46-story Baccarat building in New York City houses a hotel, a branch of the New York Public Library and exclusive condominiums. The base of the building splays rainbows of colors through its façade, creating a shimmery atmosphere for the base of the hotel. Panes of textured glass that stretch from floor to ceiling, forming a striking, chandelier-like curtain wall.

The specialty prismatic glazing was created by Glassform. The company specializes in complex laminate fabrications, offering curved glass, security glazing and other specialty laminates. The company developed techniques to fabricate this specialty glass — once limited to small tableware — for large architectural-sized panes. The crystal prism façade offers incredible optics as well as advantageous structural and thermal properties for the building.

Shenzhen Rural Commercial Bank Headquarters by SOM, Shenzhen, China

Sitting adjacent to a public park and within walking distance to the sea, SOM’s mixed-use reinforced concrete and steel tower in Bo’an Shenzhen China will be a world-class benchmark for sustainable design. The 150-meter tall office building will use naturally ventilated atria and a column-free exterior structure in front of a glass façade.

The external steel diagrid structure integrates architectural design and structural engineering as one, and will enable the building with a flexible and column-free interior space. The building will see the use of five-story-tall glass fins system within a soaring entrance lobby. These glass beams will support huge, laminated glass planes of glass that work to create a one-of-a kind façade, introducing maximum transparency and a floating quality to the floors above.

JTI Headquarters by SOM, Geneva, Switzerland

Double glass façade by Josef Gertner AG

The new JTI headquarters is sited on a former industrial site in Geneva, Switzerland. The competition-winning design for the global tobacco company is surrounded by parkland, and its glazed skin captures view out while maximizing daylight for the interior. The project’s innovative closed cavity façade (CCF) might be the best all-glass façade system in the firm’s history.

Josef Gertner AG manufactured the double layered system that efficiently controls the internal climatic conditions. The glass façade includes a coated low-iron glass for the outer solar control glass piece, an inner triple-insulated coated glass, and a series of integrated shading blinds within the cavity.

Search for the best glass products through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here to sign up now. Are you a glass manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

The post Cutting Edge: SOM’s Masterclass in Glass appeared first on Journal.

Find the perfect SIPs for your next project through Architizer’s community marketplace for building-products: Click here for more information. Are you a SIPs manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

Wood construction has come a long way since the days of heavy timber frames and drafty clapboard sheathing. Today, thanks to innovative wall assemblies known as structural insulated panels — or SIPs — homeowners can enjoy the environmental benefits of building with wood, without the labor-intensive process and inadequate energy performance.

From their superior environmental performance to their ability to be prefabricated off-site, SIPs are the perfect way to minimize the impact of a building on its natural surroundings. To learn more, check out these five rustic retreats built with structural insulated panels:

Photos via KieranTimberlake.

Pound Ridge House by KieranTimberlake, Pound Ridge, N.Y., United States

The Pound Ridge House was designed for a couple who “wanted to live in a house in the woods, of the woods.” Rather than clearing the boulder-strewn site, the architects chose to divide the home into two compact volumes, perched gently on top of a natural rock outcropping.

The lower level is clad in locally-sourced bluestone, rooting the house into the rocky landscape. The upper level is framed with SIPs and clad in polished stainless steel, camouflaging the architecture in the surrounding foliage. Triple-glazed windows, strategically located among the steel panels, illuminate the interior without reducing the efficiency of the SIP enclosure.

Photos via Alma-nac.

House in the Woods by Alma-nac, Hampshire, United Kingdom

Structural Insulated Panels by Kingspan

House in the Woods was designed to seamlessly blend contemporary construction techniques with the vernacular architecture of South Downs National Park. Its gabled exterior features a variety of traditional finishes including hand-chiseled bricks, heat-treated wood siding and slate roof shingles. “These materials have been chosen for their natural qualities,” said the architects, “creating a rich texture with muted tones that will blend well with the natural surroundings.”

Underneath these tried-and-true finishes, however, lies a state-of-the-art superstructure built entirely with SIP roof and wall systems. This enabled the house to be pre-fabricated in a controlled environment before being flat-shipped to the site, where it was assembled in just 10 days. The result is an air- and water-tight building, erected in a fraction of the time and without damaging the sensitive parkland.

Photos by Amy Barkow; via Divisare

Seneca House by Simitch + Warke Architecture, Lodi, N.Y., United States

Structural Insulated Panels by Murus

Seneca House is a lakefront residence comprising a two-bedroom home, a one-bedroom apartment and an artist’s studio, all unified under one roof. The three programs are organized by a series of courtyards which have been carved into the main volume. These semi-enclosed spaces act as apertures, regulating the flow of natural light and cross-breezes while framing spectacular views of the water.

The house was built with a combination of SIP wall enclosures, steel-framed openings and an engineered lumber roof. This hybrid structure was then uniformly clad in panels of dark, corrugated aluminum. The metal cladding brings to mind the rural farm buildings which dot the region, producing a look which the architects have dubbed “agricultural modern.”

Photos by Steve Freihon; via Archdaily.

A House in the Woods by William Reue Architecture, Ulster County, N.Y., United States

Structural Insulated Panels by Timberline Panel Company

A House in the Woods is a LEED Silver home located in snowy Upstate New York. Its architecture is characterized by two contrasting elements: a bluestone-clad box, which contains the main living spaces, and a curving wall of corten steel, designed to amplify the sounds of a nearby stream. These surfaces were left deliberately untreated, allowing them to weather naturally over time.

The stone box and steel entrance wall were both constructed using 14-inch-thick SIPs, ensuring that the interior remains warm even during the coldest winter nights. To the south, the solid façade is sliced open by a wall of quadruple-glazed windows which floods the interior with natural light while permitting panoramic views of the landscape.

Photo via Maryann Thompson Architects.

Photo via Maryann Thompson Architects.

Walden Pond Visitor Center by Maryann Thompson Architects, Concord, Mass., United States

Structural Insulated Panels by Foard Panel

The Walden Pond Visitor Center was built to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of people that visit Walden Pond Park each year. It is nestled into a woodsy site near the former home of Henry David Thoreau, an esteemed naturalist and poet whose work was heavily inspired by the parkland. In keeping with Thoreau’s belief in environmental stewardship, the Center has been designed to operate as a net-zero energy building.

This was achieved through a combination of solar-powered building systems and a hybrid construction of heavy timber framing, infilled with triple-glazed windows for ample daylighting and extra-thick SIPs for maximum thermal performance. Although the SIPs were fabricated off-site, all of the other wood products — including the ash decking, maple siding, black locust canopies and interior red oak finishes — were sourced directly from the park itself.

Find the perfect SIPs for your next project through Architizer’s community marketplace for building-products. Click here to sign up now. Are you a SIPs manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

The post Building Green: 5 Eco-Friendly Retreats Built with SIPs appeared first on Journal.

Find the perfect kitchen cabinets for your next project through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here for more information. It’s free for architects. Are you a cabinet manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

When the design brief calls for it, kitchen cabinets can be incredibly stealthy. In fact, they can be almost invisible, effortlessly blending with the surrounding architectural elements of contemporary apartments. However, composing such details is no easy feat: The design challenge inherent within Minimalist kitchen storage systems pertains to an unavoidable conflict between aesthetic quality and necessary functionality. They must look sleek and integrate with the barely there style of many modern residences while simultaneously providing ample storage space for implements and appliances that are used every single day.

Arhitektura d.o.o. is a Slovenian architecture firm that not only expertly designs chic interior spaces, but also crafts cabinetry in partnership with specialist manufacturers. The firm is renowned for simple minimalist styles in the kitchen that extend throughout entire projects. Many of their contemporary apartment designs, such as Life After Madrid, Black Line Apartment and Folding Wall Apartment, successfully blend the kitchen into the overall layout of the project while maintaining total functionality. The team at Arhitektura do.o. spoke with Architizer about why they view an interior detail like cabinetry as a key element of a thoughtfully designed space and how they go about bringing it to reality.

The kitchen in Folding Wall Apartment features warm oak and a sterile white finish.

Sydney Franklin: What made your firm interested in creating minimalist living environments that maximize space and provide multiple levels of functionality?

Arhitektura d.o.o.: The complexity and multiple levels of functionality of our furniture stems from the situations where our clients would like to enjoy all of the commodities of big-space living, but they’re usually met with a rather small living quarters.

We were obliged to negotiate these given facts, thus the idea of functional niches carved in the storage units was introduced. This “leitmotif” can be found in all of our interior projects but is featured prominently in the Black Line Apartment. The combination of black painted furniture elements with oak and wooden flooring gives us a feeling of elegance and openness, which is exactly what we were looking for in that small apartment.

In Black Line Apartment, Arhitektura d.o.o. placed library shelving and an 18-foot kitchen unit along the two longitudinal walls of the living room.

In Life After Madrid, you also feature a concealed kitchen design. What inspired you for this project? Why do you think it’s important to hide kitchen hardware such as handles?

It’s our belief that by concealing some of the kitchen or furniture elements, we contribute to the abstract image of our projects. We always begin with a reference. For instance, in the Life After Madrid Apartment, the reference was a stainless steel countertop usually found in bars and restaurants, and then we simplified that image to its pure abstraction. When the form isn’t overshadowed by other elements, the most basic and abstract idea is cognitively clear.

Arhitektura d.o.o. introduces stainless steel as the main material of the light-filled kitchen in Life After Madrid.

Many of your residential projects also include movable or concealed doors, walls and other elements. What are the challenges of designing such spaces?

The challenges in our interior projects are usually presented in the form of preexisting building elements, which have to be overcome and incorporated in the overall design. The details are being designed in our office but usually in collaboration with manufacturers, who can guide us between specifics of different materials and their limitations. We are always keen to use well-known materials in unexpected ways.

The unusually elongated layout of Folding Wall Apartment called for a unique design intervention. The architects created a movable wall unit that opens and closes as a series of cabinetry, closets and doors.

Can you speak more about your firm’s processes when getting a commission? Do you cater entirely to the client’s vision for the project or do you find that they want your influence to drive the design?

Arhitektura d.o.o. is a family company, where the experience and ideas of two generations converge in a common cultural motive: making good architecture. Architecture that is both rational and poetic. Architecture which is the result of a wider spatial, historical, technological and social context.

Therefore we always listen to the vision of our clients, which we later try to implement in our own design. Compromises always have to be made; however, we often find that at the first glance what appears to be a very unsuitable compromise is sometimes the most prominent feature of the design.

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The post How to Detail a Stunning, Space-Saving Kitchen appeared first on Journal.

What should architecture look like when it is designed specifically for women? That was the challenge that architect Sharon Davis took on not in her hometown of New York, but in the village of Kayonza, Rwanda. Here, the architecture had to address more than the lack of a safe gathering place for Rwandan women — it also had to create economic opportunity and a solid social infrastructure.

It was no small task for Davis, who was only one year out of graduate school, having turned to the profession of architecture in her 40s. But the result was astounding, a contemporary, intimate mini-village that punctuates the rural landscape of Kayonza. Known as the Women’s Opportunity Center, it is made of interconnected, circular structures that women travel freely between to socialize, learn, and set up business.

The project would also go on to change the course of Sharon Davis’ architecture career. “Walking around the finished site,” said Davis, “I just couldn’t believe that someone let me do this one year out of graduate school.” She lightly noted, “No one would have let me do this in the U.S.”

Indeed, Davis’ path to architecture — which ultimately led her to Rwanda — is an unlikely one. She began her career in finance and did not consider transitioning to architecture until she was nearing her 40s. “I had a life crisis, but it ended up being a good one,” she said. She started taking undergraduate classes in architecture at Columbia University and eventually completed a M.Arch at Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.

She graduated in 2006, wanting to jumpstart her career and also spend more time with her four children. As a result, she decided to started her own business rather than join a firm; Sharon Davis Design was founded in 2007.

Initially, according to Davis, she wanted to focus on sustainability. But an early commission to design the Women’s Opportunity Center “changed everything,” she said. The nonprofit organization Women for Women International received the land to build the opportunity center in Rwanda and wanted a female architect to design it. A member of the board recommended Davis, and she quickly clicked with the organization. The project, she noted, was “uncharted territory.” But upon her first site visit to Rwanda, the focus of the design became clear.

“I imagined the women I had met in one-room wood huts coming to a center for 300 women,” said Davis. She knew the design had to be inviting, like a safe haven, rather than intimidating. The concept of the site, then, was to create a type of village. A series of low-rise pavilions were built in a circular pattern, with classrooms at the heart of the site. A farmers market, community space, gardens, and guest lodgings are all located on the outer edges of the circle.

Davis also wanted the center to reflect Rwandan design as “[she] didn’t want to impose architecture.” Much of the existing Rwandan architecture, however, took the shape of standard, large buildings that tended to have no circulation and little light. Davis found inspiration in the historic King’s Palace in southern Rwanda “with thatched and woven buildings and small circular spaces within a larger site.”

It was also important for Davis to use local materials, but use them differently than she typically saw in Rwanda. The circular structures are composed of 450,000 clay bricks made by Rwandan women using a manual press method adapted from local building techniques. Gaps in the brickwork would bring in air and light. The roofs were designed to accommodate a rainwater collection system. The potable water gathered in the collection system could then be sold by women at the center’s market.

Construction on the Women’s Opportunity Center lasted two years, ending in 2012. “After it opened, I wanted to replicate that experience immediately,” said Davis. “But I found out that it wasn’t that easy.” She found that many international, humanitarian projects often take a long time to plan, develop, and fundraise. So she decided to found her own NGO, the Big Future Group, with Julie Farris, Arun Rimal, and Eric Rothstein, other architects and designers who met while working on the design and construction of the Women’s Opportunity Center.

The idea, according to Davis, was to continue to create “architecture that could change the quality of people’s lives.” Creating a nonprofit organization meant that Sharon Davis Design would solely focus on interior design for private clients. Big Future Group continued to work in Rwanda and is currently fundraising to help preserve a genocide memorial in Ntarama.

The nonprofit also set its sights toward other countries: Big Future Group’s first project was to help an overcrowded school relocate in Nepal, and there are plans to build a hospital complex in the town of Achham. Davis says the organization is working on a prototype for 50 new schools in Nepal that would replace those destroyed in the recent earthquake.

Big Future Group is also in the early design stages to build a K–12 school in Ethiopia, a place that Davis felt unfamiliar with before taking on the project. “Coming from Rwanda, there’s a very different culture here, and we’re meeting it with a new perspective,” she said. “It’s new people, a new culture, and a new challenge.” But Davis is up to meet it. While she has described her late career start as a significant challenge in breaking into the world of architecture, in retrospect, her timing seems perfect. “I took a risk,” she said, “But it all fell into place.”

The post How Sharon Davis Rewrote Her Future Through Architecture appeared first on Journal.

Find the perfect structural insulated panels for your next project through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here for more information. Are you a structural insulated panel manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

Structural insulated panels (SIPs) have been around since the 1930s, when they were invented by engineers at the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin. Had it not been for Alden B. Dow — student of Frank Lloyd Wright — who experimented with sandwiched-panel technology in the 1950s and built the first Styrofoam houses in Midland, Minneapolis in 1951, this tremendous building material may not stand where it does today. 

While SIPs have existed for nearly a century, in recent years, they have garnered more attention among architects interested in achieving high-performing, energy efficient building envelopes. As a result of their flexibility and formability, today, SIPs are increasingly used throughout residential, commercial and industrial projects. This week, Architizer spoke with Becky Susan and various representatives of the Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA), to discover the breadth of capabilities of this remarkably temporal building material. 

Museum of Outdoor Arts Elements House by MOS Architects is SIP modular building. It was designed to operate independently of public utilities by integrating passive systems and on-site energy-generation.

Structural Insulated Panel Materials

Structural insulated panels are composed of an internal layer of insulating foam, which is typically sandwiched between oriented strand board (OSB) panels. While the insulating foam core can be composed of various materials, the most common material is expanded polystyrene (EPS). Other insulating materials include XPS and polyurethane. “Ultimately SIPs enable simplicity and efficiency for designers,” said Susan. “Rather than incorporating wall, roof and floor assemblies that incorporate 7-12 products and the labor time to properly install them, SIPS complete a building envelope in 3 steps.”

EPS production process; image via EPS Foam Pro

Expanded Polystyrene (EPS): EPS foam is a type of closed-cell insulation that is manufactured using steam to expand small beads of polystyrene polymer. These beads are them formed into larger insulation blocks of varying densities, which can then be cut into endless shapes and sizes. As one of the most versatile types of insulation available on the market today, EPS is used in roofs, walls and floors.

Some of the advantages of EPS are that it is very lightweight since it is mainly composed of air and it has minimal water absorption. In addition, EPS is a high performing insulation that maintains a constant level of thermal resistance and an R-value that does not degrade over time. On average, it takes 24% less energy to produce EPS than fiberglass insulation of an equivalent R-Value. For further information on EPS, visit the EPS Industry Alliance.

Structural insulated panel; Image via Korwall

Oriented Strand Board (OSB): OSB is a type of engineered lumber that is similar to particle board. It is formed using cross-oriented layers of thin, rectangular wooden strips that are compressed and bonded together using wax and synthetic resin adhesives. The final product is approximately 95% wood and 5% wax and resin.

OSB is widely used throughout the construction industry due to its excellent load-bearing capabilities. Additionally, since OSB can be manufactured from fast growing, underutilized and often less expensive wood species, it represents an efficient use of raw materials. According to the Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA) “About 85-90 percent of a log can be used to make high quality structural panels, and the remainder — bark, saw trim, and sawdust — can be converted into energy, pulp chips or bark dust.”

SIP M3 HOUSE by ian hsu – gabriel rudolphy

Aesthetics

Since structural insulated panels are typically hidden building components, their aesthetic value is often considered secondary to their immense performance factors. However, one of the greatest advantages of SIPs is that they are manufactured to spec. SIPs can be fabricated to fit nearly any building design; their possibilities for customization are limitless.

SIPS Residence by Kieron Gaits Architects; Image via Kieron Gaits Architects

SIPS Residence by Kieron Gait Architects is one project worth noting, which harnessed SIPs to reduce construction time and labor costs. However, the architects also chose to celebrate OSB panels for their aesthetic value, using them as a driving player throughout the interior material palette of the project. The result is a warm and light space that was seen through without finishes such as plaster or paint.

The University of Montana, Native American Center by A&E Architects and Glen & Glenn Architects utilizes SIP walls and a SIP roof for energy savings and whole-building sustainability; Image courtesy of SIPA

Profiles: SIPs are structurally stronger than traditional wood framed structures, so most SIP buildings do not require the use of a truss system. “The design advantages of this go on and on,” said Susan. “No need for truss systems makes cathedral ceilings a breeze, adding extra loft areas simple and soaring ceilings an easy element to incorporate into designs.” Brian Von Allworden of Wright Engineering also noted that “Corner windows, floor-to-roof windows, double cantilever roofs, triangle shaped walls, geodesic domes and even arena soccer field walls are just a few examples” of the unique, non-linear design possibilities that can be harnessed with SIPs.

Structural insulated panels are also celebrated for their capacity to create clean, straight lines that do not bow or curve. “This is why SIPs install roughly 50% faster than stick frame constructions,” said Brian Osborn of Space SIPS. “An absolutely flat slab that cannot be twisted or torqued is easier to install with precision.” Susan also added that “Cabinetry, flooring and millwork is installed faster on straight surfaces, eliminating the need for shimming to accommodate otherwise regularly bowed surfaces.”

Size: Panels are manufactured as big as 8- by 24-ft, which means that entire wall and roof sections can be put up quickly, with very short dry-times.

The Evoke Quadrant Model Home by Quadrant Homes shows how SIPs and other energy saving technologies can lower utility bills for homeowners; Image courtesy of SIPA

Performance

Air Infiltration: On average, up to 40% of a home’s heat can be lost due to air leakage. Designs integrating SIPs into walls, floors and roofs introduce a degree of uniformity throughout the building’s interfaces, which means less air leakage and greater consistency throughout the entire construction. According to Susan, “SIP panels are 15 times more airtight than traditional wood framing. Therefore, the energy used to heat and cool a home stays inside the envelope. In comparison, lumber and steel framed structure lose extensive amounts of heated and cooled air, and therefore require additional energy resources.” 

“Net Zero, Positive Energy & Passive design projects primarily rely on SIPs in their designs. The efficient energy envelope paired with renewable energy sources, such as solar and geothermal, create structures that don’t take energy from the grid. Many are able to actually give back to the grid.”

Image by Eric Thomas courtesy of SIPA.

Construction Time: Since structural insulated panels are manufactured to spec, they can help to greatly reduce construction time on-site. In turn, this means reduced labor cost and greater likelihood that a project will remain within budget.

Cost: Osborn and Von Allworden agree that one of the main myths about SIPs is that they cost more than conventional framing. “Often, especially with development projects, the cost-per-square foot dominates decisions,” said Osborn. “It is true the upfront costs of SIPs are more than stick framing. But this comparison does not look at the long term utility costs. Developers do not care about the costs of after sale operation, when merely meeting existing codes and mandates is sufficient. Architects must educate their clients and builders about the reduced future costs, and present them as a selling factor.”

HVAC: It is extremely important to align your HVAC system with your usage of SIPs. It is common for people to underestimate the high insulating and air-sealing properties of SIPs, which allow for a significantly smaller HVAC system than you might expect. “Generally SIPs save 55% on heating & cooling costs, said Susan. “This is a major reduction in operating costs for homes, multi-family and commercial spaces.”

SIPS Residence by Kieron Gaits Architects; image via Kieron Gaits Architects

Occupant Health: As a result of its airtight qualities, SIP building envelopes provide better indoor air quality. “Tighter structures means healthier indoor environments,” said Susan. In addition, SIPs do not contain any VOCs or other harmful chemicals that can affect occupant health.

Thermal Insulation: One of the amazing things about structural insulated panels is that they are pre-insulated and there is no need to purchase or pair them with additional insulating products. According to SIPA, “Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) whole-wall R-value studies show that a 4-inch SIP wall (nominal) rated at R-14 outperforms a 2×6 stick framed wall with R-19 fiberglass insulation.”

SIP Panel House by Alejandro Soffia

Waste: Since structural insulated panels are fabricated under factory controlled conditions using advanced optimization software and automated fabrication technology, they have the ability to drastically reduce waste generated during construction. According to Susan, “job site waste for SIP projects is cut in half.”

One of the current challenges associated with SIPs is finding experienced installers. “Often, it is the same few installers who do all the work,” said Von Allworden. “As the demand for SIPs has grown, more framers are taking the simple steps to become qualified SIP installers.”

Case Study

Ridge House by KieranTimberlake, Photo via KieranTimberlake

Building Green: 5 Eco-Friendly Retreats Built with SIPs

Today, thanks to innovative wall assemblies known as structural insulated panels — or SIPs — homeowners can enjoy the environmental benefits of building with wood, without the labor-intensive process and inadequate energy performance. From their superior environmental performance to their ability to be prefabricated off-site, SIPs are the perfect way to minimize the impact of a building on its natural surroundings. To learn more, check out these five rustic retreats built with structural insulated panels.

Search for the perfect structural insulated panels through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here to sign up now. Are you a structural insulated panel manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

The post An Architect’s Guide To: Structural Insulated Panels appeared first on Journal.

Find the perfect storage solutions for your next project through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here for more information. It’s free for architects. Are you a storage manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

Coming out of WWII, Americans were welcomed by a renewed sense of optimism. The rebuilding effort saw the expansion of economies all over the world, and Americans wanted to be rewarded with new designs and greater choice. Following the frugal years of rationing and deprivation, Americans wanted to see what they fought for. Designers responded with schemes to address the pent-up material desires of a population recovering from nearly two decades of economic hardship.

Storage Wall by George Nelson for Herman Miller illustrated in Time, 1945. Image via Parsons The New School for Design.

George Nelson’s Storage Wall is a perfect example of furniture designed to suit the new middle-class lifestyle. Conceived before the war ended, the storage wall could be accessed from both sides, constructed between two rooms that provided storage without sacrificing space in small-scale postwar housing. It became the basis for domestic and institutional environments to organize all of the newly available domestic goods of the era.

Architects and designers have looked to Nelson’s Storage Wall for some 70 years now. Here are 11 projects that adapt his original concept in a contemporary context.

Living Cube by Till Könneker, Bern, Switzerland

Furniture by Living Cube Furniture

The Living Cube is a multifunctional space for things you’d like to display and also for things you’d prefer to say out of sight.

platform(1×2) by openUU, Hong Kong

platform(1×2) is a readily deployable space! The multifunctional storage wall functions as a flexible space for an art gallery, living space, workspace, and storage space.

Unfolding Apartment by MKCA // Michael K Chen Architecture, New York

Hardware by Blum and Hafele
Furniture by Modernica
Shelving and bookcases by Rakks
Paints & coatings by Benjamin Moore

Bigger than furniture, smaller than architecture: this storage wall incorporates all aspects of a studio space for work, living, and entertaining, including a bed, a home office, a nightstand, a closet, a library, and kitchen storage.

Apartment in Paris by SCHEMAA, Paris, France

This small, square apartment features integrated storage on opposite walls, one of which is a kitchenette. The other wall forms a staircase to the lofted bed.

The Cabin French Alps by H2O Architectes, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, France

Why stop at storage when you can build beds into the walls? Instead of making the furniture fit this cramped cabin in the French Alps, the apartment was made to fit the furniture, such that the curved wooden storage wall holds all of the room’s functions.

Boathouse Home Office by Bean Buro, Hong Kong

Rather than using two partition walls, this storage wall that fluidly connects all of the areas in the apartment while also providing a stretch of space for storing and displaying personal things.

Writer’s Shed by Weston Surman and Deane Architecture, London, United Kingdom

Created for artists/illustrators, this project brings to life the illusion of a fairytale hut at the end of a garden. Inside, the storage wall meanders around the wood-burning stove providing a centerpiece to store a library of books.

Constant Motion by Alex Bykov, Kiev, Ukraine

“Constant motion” is the concept behind the main vector of planning the design and stylistic solutions in this Ukrainian apartment interior. The storage wall is part of the spatial design that permits inhabitants to move from one room to another in an uninterrupted circle, allowing the spaces to smoothly flow into each other.

NS Stations by NL Architects, Utrecht, Netherlands

Built on top of the biggest railroad station in the Netherlands, Utrecht Centraal, this office interior is based on the dimensions of the railroad tracks below. The perpendicular storage walls serve as both storage space and work areas.

HB6B – One Home by Karin Matz Arkitekt, Stockholm, Sweden

Thanks to the built-in storage wall, this apartment maximizes the available space by combining different possible outcomes to move through the layers of space: the apartment functions are squeezed in on top of, in between, underneath, and inside each other.

KITA Hisa by baukind, Berlin, Germany

Formerly a retail store, this kindergarten utilizes a built-in storage wall to divide different zones instead of actual borders that would break the harmony of the space.

Search for the best storage products through Architizer’s new community marketplace for building-products. Click here to sign up now. Are you a storage manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

The post Great Walls of Storage: 11 Clever Architectural Organization Solutions appeared first on Journal.