Great architecture is impossible to achieve without the innovative products and materials that make it a reality. It therefore follows that the Public Vote for the A+Product Awards — the world’s largest awards program for building products — is one of huge significance to the industry.

This free, online vote will reveal what you, our global community of architects, designers and creatives, deems the most exemplary building products for 2020. This year, there are an incredible 130+ products shortlisted for awards across 28 categories. Without further ado, dive into voting and be a part of the 2020 A+Product Awards decision-making process:

Cast Your Votes Now

The firms and designers behind the nominated projects are vying for international publication in the next edition of The World’s Best Architecture, produced by renowned publisher Phaidon, as well as a coveted, custom-designed A+Awards trophy and global media exposure. It’s therefore vital we get as many votes as possible, in order to reach a definite result for each category. The public vote typically garners hundreds of thousands of votes each year, making the A+Awards Popular Choice Awards as highly regarded as their Jury-voted counterparts.

A taste of this year’s A+Awards Finalists, clockwise from top-left: Sage by David Rockwell for Benchmark; Ventilated Glass Facade for Parking Structures by Bendheim; Blade Acoustic Lighting by Luxxbox; Pretty Plastic by Pretty Plastic; Hypedome by Hypedome; Norr 2.0 by MIRAGE SPA

Check out the complete list of nominated products and brands below, together with buttons that will take you to the voting page for each category.

If you’re looking for a specific nomination, hit Ctrl+F (Windows) or Command+F (Mac) and type in the desired firm or project to jump to that nomination.

If you are a nominated firm, be sure to share this article and instruct your followers to vote in your category to maximize your chances of success!

Building Equipment & Systems

Schindler Handrail UV & CleanRail Sanitization Enhancements by Schindler

Leica BLK2GO by Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon

Handcrafted Vapor Fireplace by Bespoke Vapor Fireplaces

LG Art Cool™ Premier Wall Mount Split System by LG

Nill Building Solutions by Nill Building Solutions

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Smart Building & Technology

Pocket Closet by Ori

Friday Smart Lock by Friday Home

Intentek Wireless Charging Surfaces by Formica Group

LightGlass – the fusion of light & glass by Glass Technology GmbH

Butlr Heatic Sensor and Butlr BI for Smart Living by Butlr

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Sustainable Design Products

Model Z by Zauben

BiOrigami by Studio Samira Boon

Ventilated Glass Facade for Parking Structures by Bendheim

SPACES by THIBAULT VAN RENNE BV

Flek by 3form

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Software & Digital Tools

Vectorworks Architect 2020 software by Vectorworks, Inc.

ARCHICAD 23 by GRAPHISOFT

Monograph by Monograph

The Cortivale Package by Parasoleil

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Building Envelopes & Cladding

Pretty Plastic by Pretty Plastic

Kaynemaile by Kaynemaile Ltd

Ventilated Glass Facade for Parking Structures by Bendheim

KORSA by TAKTL LLC

SYNTHESIS – 3D Printed Facade by EDG

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Glass & Glazing

Ventilated Glass Facade for Parking Structures by Bendheim

Guardian Bird1st glass by Guardian Glass North America

LightGlass – the fusion of light & glass by Glass Technology GmbH

cero by Solarlux GmbH

Acubis by Solarlux GmbH

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Acoustics

BiOrigami by Studio Samira Boon

Blade Acoustic Lighting by Luxxbox

Nivo Acoustic by Focal Point

SoftGrid Flux by Arktura

Linea Acoustic Pendant by Luxxbox

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Carpet

Mist Collection by II BY IV DESIGN and REPUBLIC OF II BY IV

Desert Lights Carpet and Rug Collection by ROCKWELL GROUP

SPACES by THIBAULT VAN RENNE BV

David Rockwell Collection for The Rug Company by ROCKWELL GROUP

Oceania by Naja Utzon Popov

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Ceilings

WinLok Exterior Accessible Soffit System, Screen Wall System, & Fascia System by Gordon, Inc.

Transluminous and Drop-Out Ceiling Panels by Freelance

INFINITY SkyCeiling by Sky Factory

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Ceramics

Norr 2.0 by MIRAGE SPA

JOIN by Ceramiche Caesar SPA

Fio.Ghiaia by Ceramica Fioranese

Mata Collection by Lurca Ceramic Tiles

Protz Studio Patterned Ceramic Tiles by Protz Studio

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Flooring

PORFIRICA by COEM/FIORANESE

Deconstructed Felt by Patcraft

Mark Making by Patcraft

Rejuvenations Restore with Diamond 10 Technology by Armstrong Flooring

Korlok Select American Barnwoods by Karndean Designflooring

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Hard Surfacing

Feelwood by EGGER

Black Tempal by Caesarstone

Neolith Calacatta Luxe by Neolith

Dekton Liquid Series by Cosentino

THINSCAPE? Performance Tops by Wilsonart

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Wall & Wall Coverings

Garden on the Wall by Garden on the Wall

EBB+FLOW WALLCOVERING COLLECTION by Jill Malek

SYNTHESIS – CUSTOM CONCRETE WALL PANELS by EDG

Atmos by Pure + FreeForm

Contourz Concrete Tiles by Lunada Bay Tile

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Accessories

Paravan Mood by Arper

BuzziRing by BuzziSpace

BuzziPlanter by BuzziSpace

Hew Tray by Zaha Hadid Architects

Vestalia candle holder by LATOxLATO

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Contract Furniture & Systems

Free Address by Stylex

Atelier by Gensler

Swing by Pair

Mix by Pair

Q! Landscape by Paxson Fay

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Contract Seating

Masque Collection by II BY IV DESIGN and REPUBLIC OF II BY IV

Rho by Davis Furniture

Ellaby by Keilhauer

Wedge by Division Twelve

Verge by Keilhauer

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Outdoor Furniture

Hypedome by Hypedome

Generation 50 by Landscape Forms

Elements by Tecno by Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens and Daniel Germani

Walter Lamb Aluminum Rocking Chair by Brown Jordan

Green Life Armchair by Visionnaire

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Residential Furniture

Sage by David Rockwell for Benchmark by ROCKWELL GROUP

Ori Studio Suite by Ori

Brasilia Coffee Table by FCstudio

Rugosa Collection by Kalon Studios

Horizon sideboard by Lia Siqueira for Etel Design

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Residential Seating

Camden Armchair by Visionnaire

John Chair by equipe lamas

Capper Seating and Ottomans by Phase Design

Poltrona U by UXUA DAS by Wilbert Das

REVERSIVEL by TACCHINI ITALIA FORNITURE  S.R.L

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Appliances

48″ Limited Edition Dual Fuel Range – VDR7482 by Viking Range, LLC

Lux Island by Zephyr

Lift Downdraft by Zephyr

Mendocino by Native Trails

36-inch Dual-Fuel Pro Range with sous vide by Signature Kitchen Suite

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Fixtures & Fittings

Batlló, Güell, Top Mounted Vessel Sinks by Mila International Inc

Stainless Steel Shower Base by Infinity Drain

Valvola01 by Quadro srl

GROHE Rainshower 310 SmartConnect by Grohe AG

GROHE Black Line by Grohe AG

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Millwork & Cabinetry

Space Theory by Space Theory

Frankford Wine Room by Amuneal

Logica Celata by DOM Interiors

MATCH by Reform

Stellé Collection by WETSTYLE

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Plumbing & Drainage

Easy Drain Pool line by Easy Sanitary Solutions

Slot Linear Drain by Infinity Drain

6030 Organic Shower Base by MTI Baths

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Outdoor Products & Materials

Motive by Landscape Forms

Clean Zone by HYUNDAI ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION

When the whale meets the future by ANTAO

BINN by VPI Concrete Design & Manufacture

Whale Tail bench by QZ Urban Furniture

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Contract Lighting

Seem 1 Acoustic Trio by Focal Point

Blade Acoustic Lighting by Luxxbox

APERTURE SkyCeiling by Sky Factory

Cubic Sky by Cactus

Tube by Vibia

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Residential Lighting

Noctambule by FLOS

Shellby by Pits nv, Modular Lighting Instruments

Sun — Light of Love by Foscarini

Hollow by Pits nv, Modular Lighting Instruments

Nebula Collection by Hammerton Lighting

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Doors & Door Hardware

Rockwood PDU8500 Architectural Storefront Panic Device by ASSA ABLOY

S4 Screen & Shade System by Centor

SL84 by NanaWall Systems

Frankford Doors by Amuneal

Temperature Sensitive Sealed Door System by Westhampton Architectural Glass

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Windows & Skylights

LightGlass – the fusion of light & glass by Glass Technology GmbH

Vitrocsa Hurricane Impact Rated Fixed & Sliding by Goldbrecht Inc

Kingspan Day-Lite Kapture Skylight by Kingspan Light + Air

Pella Lifestyle Series by Pella Corporation

Vote in This Category >

The post A+Product Awards: Vote for the World’s Best Building Products in 2020 appeared first on Journal.

It’s time for arguably the most exciting moment of the 8th Annual A+Awards, the world’s largest awards program for architecture and building products — Public Voting is officially open! This free, online vote will reveal what you, our global community of architects, designers and creatives, deems to be the world’s best architecture in 2020. This year, there are an incredible 430+ projects shortlisted for awards in more than 100 categories. Without further ado, dive into voting and be a part of the 2020 A+Awards decision-making process:

Cast Your Votes Now

The firms and designers behind the nominated projects are vying for international publication in the next edition of The World’s Best Architecture, produced by renowned publisher Phaidon, as well as a coveted, custom-designed A+Awards trophy and global media exposure. It’s therefore vital we get as many votes as possible, in order to reach a definite result for each category. The public vote typically garners hundreds of thousands of votes each year, making the A+Awards Popular Choice Awards as highly regarded as their Jury-voted counterparts.

A taste of this year’s A+Awards Finalists, clockwise from top-left: Capsule hotel in a rural library by Atelier TAO+C; Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation at the American Museum by Studio Gang; The Twist / Kistefos Gallery by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group; Mountain House in Mist, Zhejiang by Shulin Architectural Design; The Shed by Diller Scofidio Renfro, Lead Architect and Rockwell Group, Collaborating Architect; n.n. Residence by J.MAYER.H und Partner, Landscape Architect: Mikhail Kozlov with the participation of Tatiana Skibo, Maria Khokhlova.

Check out the complete list of nominated projects and firms below, together with buttons that will take you to the voting page for each category.

If you’re looking for a specific nomination, hit Ctrl+F (Windows) or Command+F (Mac) and type in the desired firm or project to jump to that nomination.

If you are a nominated firm, be sure to share this article and instruct your followers to vote in your category to maximize your chances of success!

Coworking Space

Memphis Teacher Residency by archimania

Tech901 by archimania

Ethos Society by Gensler

Exchange at 100 Federal by Perkins and Will

Visitor Center of Changping Future Science City by HuYue Studio

Vote in This Category >

Factories & Warehouses

Laboratory for Shihlien Biotech Salt Plant by WZWX Architecture Group

COPENHILL / AMAGER BAKKE by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group

Recycling Center Morgenstelle by vautz mang architekten bda

Delas Freres Winery by Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architect

Promotion Center of High-Tech Park in Baoding by SZAD/Yunchao Xu/Atelier Apeiron

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Mixed Use

Ballet Memphis by archimania

Zeppelin Station by Dynia Architects

Red Plum Culture and Creative Park by AAarchitects + IIA Atelier

SIE | Home 21 Multi-Housing by trans_city TC ZT

WERK12 by MVRDV

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Office – High Rise (16+ Floors)

Leeza SOHO by Zaha Hadid Architects

Dock 72 by S9 Architecture

THE ICON VIENNA by BEHF Architects

China Resources Tower by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates

Vantone Centre by CLOU architects

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Office – Low Rise (1-4 Floors)

Office Brabant by Studio Piet Boon

Coffee Production Plant – Meama by Khmaladze Architects

ASICS EMEA HQ by Powerhouse Company International

KeenSystems by Denkkamer Architectuur

Dingshi Logistics Office Building by ARCHSTUDIO

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Office – Mid Rise (5-15 Floors)

Solar Carve by Studio Gang

ARAKAWA BLDG. by NIKKEN SEKKEI LTD.

Krause Gateway Center by OPN Architects

La Tête by caspar.

Zalando Headquarters by HENN

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Office Interiors (<25,000 sq ft.)

Expensify Office by Pure + FreeForm

No. 9 Rhapsody by 9 studio design group

Autodesk Boston Workspace Expansion by Utile, Inc.

Hush Studios by Inaba Williams Architects

Upfield office ‘the Attic’ by JDWA (Johan de Wachter Architecten)

Vote in This Category >

Office Interiors (>25,000 sq ft.)

Coffee Production Plant – Meama by Khmaladze Architects

The Agile Whale by Young H Design

Warner Music Group by ROCKWELL GROUP

Jaguar Land Rover Advanced Product Creation Centre by Bennetts Associates

TikTok by Gensler

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Pop-Ups & Temporary

Temporary Site of Shengli Market – Creation of Spatial Order by LUO studio

Salvage Swings by Somewhere Studio

Rabbit Dens – 3D Printed Playground by Archi-Solution Workshop

The Line by REgroup

“The Truth is Local” Interactive Storefronts by Local Projects

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Retail

National Museum of Qatar Gift Shops by Koichi Takada Architects

WOWDSGN Shanghai MixC Store by Shanghai United Design Group Co.

277 Mott Street by Toshiko Mori Architect

Zhuyeqing Green Tea Flagship Store by X+Living Architectual Design Co.

Carner Barcelona Perfumery by Jofre Roca arquitetes SLP

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Shopping Center

Cube Gallery by CLOU architects

Muse Edition by New World Development Company Limited

Shangrao Greenland City Exhibition Pavilion by Shanghai PTArchitects

Bund Finance Center South Mall Interior Design by Kokaistudios

Peak Galleria, Hong Kong by Aedas

Vote in This Category >

Showrooms

Green Leopard Lighting Flagship by CUN Design

One Times Garden by W.design

Tengchong Jingye Gaoligong Town “Shuangyan Wanyue” Exhibition Center by CAPOL International & Associates Group, Guangzhou Branch

WuliEpoch Culture Center by Atelier Alter

Il frantoio by RP Architects

Vote in This Category >

Unbuilt Commercial

OIZ Office by Yazgan Design Architecture

The Matchstick by Anderson Anderson Architecture

FACTORY FULL OF LIFE by ANALOG

Unipol Tower by Mario Cucinella Architects

Terminal Warehouse by COOKFOX Architects

Vote in This Category >

Architecture +Adaptive Reuse

Capsule hotel in a rural library by Atelier TAO+C

Hutong Bubble 218 by MAD Architects

Domino Park by Silman

Red Plum Culture and Creative Park by AAarchitects + IIA Atelier

Sammode Research and Innovation Center by FREAKS

Vote in This Category >

Architecture +Art

Boolean Birdhouse by PHOEBE SAYS WOW ARCHITECTS

CONSTELLATIONS by FUTUREFORMS

Marble, Wood, Paint. Rice by EDAA

I Am A Man Plaza by Cliff Garten Studio

Central Presbyterian Church by Henriquez Partners Architects

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Architecture +BIM

DTU Energy – B310 by Christensen & Co Architects

Mar Vista Connect 11 by Connect Homes

TitletownTech by SGA

Unipark Commercial Center by Hugh Dutton Associates

Abbotsford Law Courts by WZMH Architects

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Architecture +Branding

La Moitié by One Fine Day

YouTube Lobby by Valerio Dewalt Train & Office Of Things

Thai Brasserie by Blue Elephant by Studio Locomotive

Living Proof by SGA

The Moen and House of Rohl by Valerio Dewalt Train

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Architecture +Climate Change

Marine Education Center at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory by Lake|Flato Architects

Yan’an Baota Mountain Tourist Service Center by Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University

Street Bio-Corner by LPA STUDIO

Bubble Wrap House by Amber Book

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Architecture +Collaboration

Tower of Time by ZXD ARCHITECTS

Pixel Swarm Custom Feature Ceiling by Arktura

Mason by Vaslab

WONJIN Aesthetic Surgery Gallery Clinic by A U N Design Studio

Santander Client Strategy HUB by taller paralelo

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Architecture +Color

Ingenium Centre by Diamond Schmitt Architects and KWC Architects Inc.

RAS HOUSES by SANJAY PURI ARCHITECTS

Re Bar by Organic Design Architecture Studio

Shorebird Campus by Studio Sarah Willmer Architecture

Forest of Numbers by emmanuelle moureaux architecture + design

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Architecture +Community

Community Center of Sandu Poetic Residence by QUIYUE Architects

Fass School and Teachers’ Residences by Toshiko Mori Architect

Yulin Alley by Nhoow Architects

Financial City Community Center by Lacime Architects

Cloud Forests; Pavilion for Children’s Play by UNITEDLAB Associates

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Architecture +Engineering

THE TWIST / KISTEFOS GALLERY by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group

Krause Gateway Center by OPN Architects

Diablos Rojos Baseball Stadium by FGP Atelier

Mori Hosseini Student Union | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University by ikon.5 architects

The Stratford by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

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Architecture +For Good

CURA by Carlo Ratti Associati

Bayalpata Hospital by Sharon Davis Design

MLK1101 Supportive Housing by Lorcan O’Herlihy Architect [LOHA]

Yulin Alley by Nhoow Architects

Mud to Mortar by ARCHIVE Global

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Architecture +Landscape

Chemin des Carriéres by Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter in collaboration with Parenthèse Paysage

Salesforce Transit Center and Park by PWP Landscape Architecture & Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

Protest Portals for the Pacific Connector Pipeline by FLOAT architectural research and design

Boonma by Sher Maker

Darling Square North by ASPECT Studios

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Architecture +Learning

Mountain House in Mist, Zhejiang by Shulin Architectural Design

Fass School and Teachers’ Residences by Toshiko Mori Architect

International School of Debrecen by BORD Architectural Studio

Liva Riverside Book Bar by Lacime Architects

Cloud Forests: Pavilion for Children’s Play by UNITEDLAB Associates

Vote in This Category >

Architecture +Light

Billerica Memorial High School by Perkins and Will

Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice by Fisher Marantz Stone, Inc.

Catoptric Surface by Open Source Architecture

The National Museum of Qatar by L’Observatoire International

The REACH at the Kennedy Center by L’Observatoire International

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Architecture +Living Small

Chimney House by Atelier DAU

The Twins House by DELUTION

La Pointe by L’Abri

Hotel Des Artistes Duplex by Bromley Caldari Architects

PRIM HOUSE by Studio Locomotive

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Architecture +Models & Rendering

8850 Sunset Boulevard by Morphosis

From Japan To The World by Lunas Inc.

Little Red Flower Kindergarten by THDL (Tianhua Design Lab)

Pixelated Timber Pavilion by Aaron Brakke | Whiteknee & ILIAD Lab UIUC

Canadian Nuclear Labs by HDR

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Architecture +Photography & Video

Horizon Neighbourhood by doublespace photography

Secular Retreat by Jim Stephenson Photography + Films

Valerio Olgiati – Experience of Space by Félix Michaud Photographie

Voisin Organique by Shao Feng

One Thousand Museum by feinknopf photography

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Architecture +Prefab

Week’nder by Lazor/Office

A•lava Summer Stage by Aalto University Wood Program

Collins House by Bates Smart

INFINITY 6: manifesto for future schools by Crossboundaries, Beijing

Mar Vista Connect 11 by Connect Homes

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Architecture +Preservation

Görttwiete by caspar.

UC Santa Cruz, Upper Quarry Amphitheater Restoration by Dreyfuss & Blackford Architecture

PARISI Court Reconstruction by ARCHIKON KFT.

Michaelsberg Abbey by caspar.

32 on Kloof by dhk Architects

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Architecture +Renovation

Qishe Courtyard by ARCHSTUDIO

CENTRO CANALEJAS MADRID by ESTUDIO LAMELA

Baishaquan #157 by gad

Pingyao Diesel Engine Factory Renovation for Pingyao International Film Festival by Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University

401 Park Repositioning by Elkus Manfredi Architects

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Architecture +Sustainability

Olympic House by 3XN

Bayalpata Hospital by Sharon Davis Design

Natural Wisdom by Tus-Design Group Co.

GRUENE ERDE Breathing Headquarters – A Plant-Based Systems Design by terrain: integral designs BDA

Horten upper secondary school, Norway by LINK arkitektur

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Architecture +Technology

SYNTHESIS – CUSTOM CONCRETE WALL PANELS by EDG

KEFI by BLUR WORKSHOP

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino by DCL (Design Communications Ltd.)

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Architecture +Urban Transformation

Tainan Spring by MVRDV

Domino Park by James Corner Field Operations

Nodeul Island by mmkplus

Face to Face/Tête á Tête by PLANT Architect Inc.

Pocket Space by CAA

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Architecture +Water

Pylonesque: a water harvesting tructure for Ban Wang Toei School by PAREID with INDA (International Program in Design and Architecture, Chulalongkorn University)

Manshausen by Stinessen Arkitektur AS

Sydney Park Water Re-Use Project by Turf Design Studio

Natural Wisdom by Tus-Design Group Co.

Design by Radical Indigenism: Lo-TEK Agricultural Terraces by Julia Watson

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Architecture +Workspace

Bond Collective Bushwick by Christian Lahoude Studio

Autodesk Boston Workspace Expansion by Utile, Inc.

Hush Studios by Inaba Williams Architects

Case Room by Geoffrey von Oeyen Design

DocMagic by RA-DA

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Gallery & Exhibition Spaces

Edge by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates / Rockwell Group & LAB at Rockwell Group

Changsha Meixihu International Culture & Art Centre by Zaha Hadid Architects

THE TWIST / KISTEFOS GALLERY by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group

Poster House by LTL Architects

The Century Project for the Space Needle by Olson Kundig

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Hall / Theater

Theater Le Diamant by COARCHITECTURE

MÉCA by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group

WUHAN PANLONG PLAZA YINXING CINEMA by One Plus Partnership Limited

PERFORMING ARTS CENTER MUXIKEBARRI AND MUSIC SCHOOL by LMU ARKITEKTURA

TEO Center for Culture, Art and Content by A.Lerman Architects

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Museum

The Shed by Diller Scofidio Renfro, Lead Architect and Rockwell Group, Collaborating Architect

MUSÉE ATELIER AUDEMARS PIGUET by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group

He Art Museum by Tadao Ando Architect & Associates and He Art Museum

MuseumLab by Koning Eizenberg Architecture

Interpretation Centre of Romanesque by spaceworkers

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Pavilions

Mountain House in Mist, Zhejiang by Shulin Architectural Design

Air Mesh : Metal 3D Printed Space by AIRLAB SUTD

Crane Pavilion-Folded Flight by GBBN Architects & Tai Kang Group

Bex & Arts Pavilion by Montalba Architects

Town Enclosure by CLB Architects

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Religious Buildings & Memorials

Saemoonan Church by Lee Eunseok+KOMA

CAFUBE Funeral Home by LOKOMOTIV.archs Office LKMV

Suzhou Chapel by Neri&Hu Design and Research Office

Saint John Paul II Church by Robert Gutowski Architects

The REACH Expansion by Steven Holl Architects

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Unbuilt Cultural

Silo City by STUDIO V Architecture

Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation at the American Museum of Natural History by Studio Gang

EARTH STATION MANY HANDS by AMDL CIRCLE

Flower Exhibition Center by MUDA-Architects

Niger Heritage Niamey Musee de Fleuve by Stantec Architecture

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Architecture +Brick

Altinho by António Costa Lima Arquitectos

San Sa Village by llLab.

UnHistoric Townhouse by System Architects

Hobhouse by Brisac Gonzalez and Arquitectonic

Billerica Memorial High School by Perkins and Will

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Architecture +Ceilings

Apparatus Architects Studio by Apparatus Architects

Fluid Space by Kris Lin International Design

Al Musalla – Qasr Al Hosn (The Mosque – Al Hosn Fort) by CEBRA Architecture + DCT Abu Dhabi

BIT Sports Center in Beijing by Atelieralter

Lumen at Beacon Park by Touloukian Touloukian Inc

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Architecture +Concrete

Coffee Production Plant – Meama by Khmaladze Architects

Villa Varoise by NADAAA

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The REACH by Silman

Casa Cajueira by UXUA DAS by Wilbert Das

Dongyuan Qianxun Community Center by Scenic Architecture Office

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Architecture +Facades

Parking Garage Facade P22a at the Cologne Exhibition Centre by wulf architekten

adidas World of Sports ARENA by Behnisch Architekten

Singha D’Luck Cinematic Theatre by ARCHITECTS 49

Oficines Can Serras by AQUIDOS Arquitectes

Health Sciences Innovation Building, University of Arizona by CO Architects

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Architecture +Glass

OPEN VILLAGE by Shimu Wang

Maraya Concert Hall by Guardian Glass North America

The Voyager by Shanghai PTArchitects

P.C. Hoofstraat 138 by UNStudio

Bubble Wrap House by Amber Book

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Architecture +Metal

White Deer Plain Mountain Homestay by Guang Zhou Hui Yi Ming Cheng Architectural Design Co.

108 Chambers by Pure + FreeForm

Student Services Building, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, by CO Architects

Saleforce Transit Center by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

Re Bar by Organic Design Architecture Studio

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Architecture +New Materials

The Circular Garden by CRA – Carlo Ratti Associati

Ashen Cabin by HANNAH

Circle Shade by Eva Jensen Design

New River Train Observation Tower by Virginia Tech

Maison Pour Tous by ENSAG / LabEx AE&CC / designbuildLAB

Vote in This Category >

Architecture +Stairs

The Link by Methanoia + BMA + EEI

Olympic House by 3XN

He Art Museum by Tadao Ando Architect & Associates and He Art Museum

Stairway to Heaven by CCS Architecture

Meridian Residence – Stair by ROBERT KERR architecture design

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Architecture +Stone

Stone Nest Amphitheatre for Community Activities by 3andwich Design / He Wei Studio

SOFTSTONE by SETUParchitecture studio

The Boulder House by AtelierJun

Private Spa Pavilion by smartvoll

Il frantoio by RP Architects

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Architecture +Wood

Restroom in the Mountains by Atelier Scale

K.S. Kindergarten Lunch House by S.O.Y. LABO.

Pingelly Recreation and Cultural Centre by iredale pedersen hook architects with Advanced Timber Concepts Studio

Bjergsted Financial Park by Helen & Hard

Harbour Building for a Sailing Club, Amsterdam by Margulis Moormann Architects

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Bars & Nightclubs

Connie Cocktail Lounge at the TWA Hotel by Stonehill Taylor

Little Sister by ROCKWELL GROUP

Option Coffee Bar by TOUCH Architect

Bar Lotus by OFFICE AIO

Felix Meritis Amsterdam by i29

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Health Care & Wellness

Bayalpata Hospital by Sharon Davis Design

Expansion of Santa Fe de Bogota Foundation by El Equipo Mazzanti

TAVERNY MEDICAL CENTRE by MAAJ ARCHITECTES

EKH CHILDREN HOSPITAL by IF (Integrated Field)

The Ark, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice by Squire & Partners

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Hotels & Resorts

Wyndham by MIA Design Studio

TWA Hotel by LUBRANO CIAVARRA Architects

Dexamenes by K-Studio

AutoCamp Yosemite by ANACAPA ARCHITECTURE

The Museum Hotel Antakya by EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture

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Restaurants

Garden Hotpot Restaurant by MUDA-Architects

CHOUI FONG TEA CAFE 2 by IDIN ARCHITECTS

%Arabica Coffee by B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio

‘Hong’ Japanese Cuisine by Guang Zhou Hui Yi Ming Cheng Architectural Design Co.

Angelot Patisserie by Say Architects

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Unbuilt Hospitality

Biwak by noa* network of architecture

Voronet Lila Hotel by Yazgan Design Architecture

The Orchard by WOJR

Uganda Dental & Vision Clinic by Paul Lukez Architecture

Khat by Studio Toggle

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Government & Civic Buildings

Coworking LAB NucÌa by CrystalZoo

Rescue Company 2 by Studio Gang

Reception Pavilion of Québec’s National Assembly by Provencher_Roy

Woody by Atelier du Pont

Kristallen – Kiruna City Hall by Henning Larsen Architects

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Higher Education & Research Facilities

Academic and Residential Complex, University of Illinois at Chicago by Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB)

DTU Energy – B310 by Christensen & Co Architects

COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY, THE MCLEOD TYLER WELLNESS CENTER by EYP Inc.

University of Law-Paris I – Modernisation of the Lourcine Barracks – Paris (13e) by CHARTIER DALIX

KOKUGAKUIN UNIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER by NIKKEN SEKKEI LTD.

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Kindergartens

CHUON CHUON KIM 2 KINDERGARTEN by KIENTRUC O

Courtyard Kindergarten by MAD Architects

Galaxy World Kindergarten by Lacime Architects

Little Tiger Chinese Immersion School by Murray Legge Architecture

CIFI Donut Kindergarten by THDL (Tianhua Design Lab)

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Libraries

Capsule hotel in a rural library by Atelier TAO+C

Microlibrary Warak Kayu by SHAU

Hunters Point Library by Steven Holl Architects

Architecture Library, Chulalongkorn University by Department of Architecture co.,ltd.

Billie Jean King Main Library by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

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Primary & High Schools

Fass School and Teachers’ Residences by Toshiko Mori Architect

Mwabwindo School by 14+ Foundation

KB Primary and Secondary School by HIBINOSEKKEI + Youji no Shiro + KIDS DESIGN LABO

Leisur activity center by GRAAL ARCHITECTURE

Ecole de commerce et de culture générale by Bonnard Woeffray

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Unbuilt Institutional

First Year Student Village by Perkins and Will

The Honey Bee Research Centre by Moriyama & Teshima Architects

Kamyaran City School by CAAT studio

CAMSUR Capitol Building by CAZA Architects

Small Hill Kindergarten by SZAD/Yunchao Xu/Atelier Apeiron

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Private Garden

Terra Dominicata Hotel & winery by SCOB Architecture & Landscape

TAKI NISEKO by e/d,A. Landscape Design

Outside-in Pavilion by Valerie Schweitzer Architects

Slot House by Arterra Landscape Architects

70 Rainey Sky Garden by Design Workshop

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Public Park

Thammasat University Rooftop Farm by LANDPROCESS

Karen Blixens Square by COBE

Whiting Forest of Dow Gardens by Metcalfe Architecture & Design, LLC

Domino Park by James Corner Field Operations

Nanchang Red Earth Park by SHUISHI

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Unbuilt Masterplan

Vejlands Quarter by Henning Larsen Architects

Roman Façade/Piazzas of the Tiber by Ballman Khapalova

Silo City by STUDIO V Architecture

The Fontana Urban Greening Master Plan by Design Workshop

POST CITY by Tp3 Architekten und Caramel Architekte

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Urban & Masterplans

Jiangyin Greenway – Weaving and Stitching by BAU Brearley Architects + Urbanists

District Wharf by Perkins Eastman

Niederhafen River Promenade by Zaha Hadid Architects

Central Park Public Domain by Turf Design Studio

Pocket Space by CAA

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Apartment

Downtown Loft by Bushman Dreyfus Architects

Sacha by SABO project

MW’s RESIDENCE by arctitudesign

THE TRANSPARENT APARTMENT by Urban Soul Project

Imperfect Residence by NC Design & Architecture Limited

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Multi Unit Housing – High Rise (16+ Floors)

AMANI by ARCHETONIC

The Drapery by Aria Property Group

550 Vanderbilt Avenue by COOKFOX Architects

DARLING SQUARE by TZANNES

The Amberly by Woods Bagot

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Multi Unit Housing – Low Rise (1-4 Floors)

XS House by ISA

Fifteen by Metaform Architects

Hadohilljo Townhouse by UNITEDLAB Associates

Simgok House by SsD

Paintworks Apartments by DROO – Da Costa Mahindroo Architects

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Multi Unit Housing – Mid Rise (5-15 Floors)

Jeanette301 by Lorcan O’Herlihy Architect [LOHA]

RISD North Hall by NADAAA

139 SCHULTZ by CPDA Arquitectos

108 Chambers by Pure + FreeForm

CORDOBA 223 by BAAQ

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Private House (L 3000-5000 sq ft)

Casa Mi by DALUZ GONZALEZ ARCHITEKTEN

Sky House by MIA Design Studio

ATELIER villa Costa Rica by Formafatal

Ishawooa Mesa Ranch by Lake|Flato Architects

Metrick Cottage and Boathouse by Akb Architects

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Private House (M 1000-3000 sq ft)

Skigard Hytte by Mork Ulnes Architects

J-House New Orleans by AEDS \| Ammar Eloueini Digit-all Studio

Lightus Retreat by Joongwon Architects + Peripherie Design Studio

Smith Residence by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects

Menzies’ POP by Architects’ Creative

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Private House (S <1000 sq ft)

CASA NAILA by BAAQ

Glass Cabin by atelierRISTING llc

The Modular Unit by Teke Architects Office

Waratah Secondary House by Anthrosite

Aegean Pool House by Lake|Flato Architects

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Private House (XL >5000 sq ft)

Villa Varoise by NADAAA

Sand House by Studio MK27

n.n. Residence by J.MAYER.H und Partner, Landscape Architect: Mikhail Kozlov with the participation of Tatiana Skibo, Maria Khokhlova

House C by Cherem Arquitectos

Casa Piedra Acapulco by Taller GC

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Residential Interiors

Netsch House by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

West Los Angeles Residence by Clive Wilkinson Architects

Lightus Retreat by Joongwon Architects + Peripherie Design Studio

The garden house in the city by christos pavlou architecture

ALEX by Spacedge Designs

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Unbuilt – Multi-Unit Housing (L >10 Floors)

Bookan residential tower by Studio Saheb

MIRA by Studio Gang

Animated Bullding by Fatima Bahadori Nezhad & Shayan Karimi

H1002 by 314 architecture studio

333 Tremont St by Touloukian Touloukian Inc

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Unbuilt – Multi-Unit Housing (S <10 Floors)

BaseCamp Lyngby by Lars Gitz Architects

Mini Village by Studio BANAA with Sarah Lucy Estephan

Sada Residence by itms-partners

Student Residence in Saclay_momentum by bordas+peiro architecte

Variable by Marzieh Mirjafari

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Unbuilt – Private House (L >3000 sq ft)

The Meander by S^A | Schwartz and Architecture

The Wall House by BAKH Architecture

NONAGRIAM TWINS by A31 ARCHITECTURE

House by the ocean by MESURA

Casa Mas by Doo Architecture

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Unbuilt – Private House (S <3000 sq ft)

Gneiss House by Protz Studio

Camera House by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design

SkyValley House by Edward Ogosta Architecture

Hall House by WOJR

Six House by BNS Studio

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Gyms & Recreation Centers

Pingelly Recreation and Cultural Centre by iredale pedersen hook architects with Advanced Timber Concepts Studio

Ballet Memphis by archimania

Fusion Fitness q-plex Premium Club by OF-PONE

Harbour Building for a Sailing Club, Amsterdam by Margulis Moormann Architects

BIT Sports Center in Beijing by Atelieralter

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Stadium/Arena

New Paddock – F1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA by Les architectes FABG

Diablos Rojos Baseball Stadium by FGP Atelier

Al Janoub Stadium by Zaha Hadid Architects

Ariake Gymnastics Centre by NIKKEN SEKKEI LTD

Zaozhuang Stadium by Shanghai United Design Group Co.

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Unbuilt Sports & Recreation

Independent School Competition by Diamond Schmitt Architects

Quzhou Sports Campus by MAD Architects

SAP Garden by 3XN

Action Sports Facility by BLUR WORKSHOP

Asian Games Park & Stadiums by Archi-Tectonics NYC, LLC

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Transport Interiors

West Terminal 2, Port of Helsinki by PES-Architects Ltd

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Concourse D Annex by HOK

KLM Crowne Lounge by concrete

Alaska Airlines Flagship Lounge by Graham Baba Architects

Dance of light by NARUSE INOKUMA ARCHITECTS

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Transportation Infrastructure

Miyako Shimojima Airport Terminal by NIKKEN SEKKEI LTD

Auckland International Airport Landscape by SurfaceDesign, Inc.

Beijing Daxing International Airport by Zaha Hadid Architects

Køge Nord Station by COBE

Salesforce Transit Center by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

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Unbuilt Transportation

Pirouetted Bridge by ATAH

Platinum Bridge by Erik Andersson Architects

Comprehensive Development of Central Area at Xiamen New Airport by East China Architectural Design & Research Institute Co., East China Urban Architectural Design & Research Institute

Bellechasse Transport Center by Lemay

Yulong Snow Mountain Vistor Center by CCDI Group Co. and Studio 21

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The post Vote Now: The 8th Annual A+Awards Public Vote Is Now Open! appeared first on Journal.

Mike LaValley is the architect, speaker, and writer behind Evolving Architect. For more creative and nerdy insights, follow him on Instagram or check out his upcoming book.

2019 marked the end of something profound to myself and my career. I have worked in the profession of Architecture for 10 years. In May 2008, I graduated from Syracuse University with a hope, a dream, and a whole lot of student loans. It turns out that college at a private school is expensive.

Nevertheless, I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to take on the world.

And although I meant well from the beginning, the road to getting here wasn’t easy. It was paved with lessons both professional and personal that have shaped me into the person I am today.

As a way to reflect on who that person is, I’ve broken down the 10 most important lessons I’ve gleaned from working in the profession and practicing my craft. These aren’t in any particular order (except for #10 – it’s objectively the best because I said so), but they may mean more or less to you depending on where you are on your own career path today.

Enough chit chat! Let’s get started.

Lesson 1: Fast, Good, Cheap. Pick Two.

Image via Jems

It makes sense, right? Someone starts an architecture firm in order to make money. Sure, there’s the idyllic hope that every firm owner is trying to better the world through design, but if the office isn’t making money, you don’t have a job.

In comes practicality.

I learned very early on at my first job that there are really only three factors that directly affect a project. Speed, quality and cost. Depending on who you talk to, or who you work with, each project will prioritize those three factors in a different order.

It’s up to you as the Architect to work within the priorities and develop a project that best resonates with the client. Now, that said, many clients want all three — but it literally isn’t possible.

For example, let’s say you’re making something quick and cheap. For simplicity, let’s say it’s a rocking chair. If I skimp a bit on the materials and purchase some scrap wood and basic nails, I could probably make a chair fairly quickly. There’s no guarantee that it will be good though. To be honest, there’s no guarantee it will even last much longer than a few sittings.

Let’s flip that around and say that we want a chair that’s done well and quick. In that case, I could probably fabricate a great chair and make it happen in relatively little time, but you better believe it will be expensive. I wouldn’t break myself down just to get a high quality product to you quickly without being properly compensated.

It’s just a fact of life – you can have something fast, good, or cheap. It’s up to you to decide what matters most. But hey, at least you can pick two.

Lesson 2: Develop skills to make yourself invaluable

I started working three months before the world melted in 2008 and the Great Recession wreaked havoc across the globe. I couldn’t have predicted it in my wildest dreams.

As entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk sometimes refers to the market dips, it’s like ‘getting punched in the face.’

There were many times in the first years of the Recession when I caught myself trying to figure out what my next moves were. Would I get fired? Would I need to change jobs? When would my next raise be? Would I ever get a raise again?

The questions stopped being focused on the negative when I realized something simple – I need to make myself invaluable.

Instead of focusing on all of the possible negative outcomes that I couldn’t control, I started pouring into skill building, learning, and self improvement.

It may not be at the forefront of the profession’s mind today, but when I started working, LEED was the only thing I heard people talking about. I knew that not everyone had a LEED AP credential, but I also knew it was a straightforward way for me to set myself apart.

When an opportunity came up to bring a renovation project through the LEED process, I jumped at the chance to help. At the time, you needed direct experience with a LEED project to acquire the LEED AP credential. I took charge and did everything I could to learn more about sustainable design and help move the project forward.

In February 2012, I walked into the credential testing center and walked out three hours later as a LEED Accredited Professional.

The credential today doesn’t mean quite what it did when I got it, but for several years, it gave me something else that many of my peers didn’t have – a marker that identified me as a professional. While many of my friends were waiting to get their experience, I took the initiative to go and get it myself.

I became more confident in my skills and ultimately took my credential and kept pushing myself farther.

Lesson 3: School experience isn’t the same as job experience

Image via Archinect

When it comes to working in an architecture office, the first thing I always imagined I’d be doing out of school would be almost identical to what I did in studio. Anyone who’s ever actually stepped foot inside an architecture office knows that it’s something quite different.

In fact, the two are so at odds with each other sometimes that you have to remind yourself of what made you become an architect at all.

I don’t mean that in a cynical way by any means. It’s just that an architecture operates under a different set of rules.

When you’re in school, your professors are trying to teach you methods for analyzing problems in a ‘safe’ environment. It may seem like torture sometimes depending on who your professors are, but your decisions in studio are far more likely to kill a stick figure in your drawings over your neighbor in a local development project.

When you’re in an architecture office, design decisions have a real impact on cost, schedule, constructability, and ultimately, the safety of those who use the buildings you design.

However, I don’t believe that school experience is invalid. Quite the opposite – I think the framework you create for yourself can be invaluable in terms of how you approach problem solving and creative thinking.

The difference is that you need to refocus that creative know-how back into the world. The world has constraints that you can’t even imagine when you’re in school. Learning the constraints inside and out is the only way you can learn to break them without getting someone killed.

Architecture is not for the faint of heart.

Lesson 4: No one will tell you how to shape your career

I love trying to figure out what the next phase of my career looks like. I sincerely treat my career like an adventure.

I pick the vehicles, the pit stops and the destinations.

The hard truth though – no one will choose your adventure for you.

There’s a lot of autonomy needed to practice architecture. It’s very easy to wake up after years of drafting only to find out that you don’t have all the requirements met to even get your license.

You have to take charge of each step.

Now, don’t get me wrong here. I don’t mean that everyone needs to follow the SAME path, just A path.

You’re more than likely to find a bunch of peers at your office ready and willing to help you make some of these decisions based on their own experiences, but ultimately it comes down to what you want from your professional life.

Choose the adventure you want to look back on years from now and say, ‘yeah, I did that myself.’

Lesson 5: Networking is the most important career trait to nurture

Image via Architizer / Young Architect Conference

You know something crazy? I’ve had jobs at three different firms. One was only for a summer internship. The other two were full-time positions.

Okay, not too crazy.

But this is – NONE of them came without previously networking with the owners of those firms.

I met my first boss interviewing to go to Cornell University (I didn’t go there, but that didn’t matter). I met my second boss through the Syracuse Alumni Network. I met my current boss volunteering with my local AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapter.

I can’t emphasize what networking has done for my career. Whether it was making connections with alumni or just putting myself out into the community, I look back and realize that it’s very possible to create your own luck.

Now, if I had made a bad impression with any of these gentlemen, I could have had a very different career experience. Networking isn’t something that you do in the short term. Networking is a skill that needs nurturing.

The weirdest, most frustrating thing about networking is that you have no idea when the connections will matter in your career. To be honest, some won’t in direct ways.

But networking hasn’t only provided me with jobs, it’s given me good friends, and made me more outgoing than I would have been on my own. My advice, be present with everyone you meet. You never know if that person might just be your next employer or friend.

Lesson 6: You don’t know, what you don’t know. If you don’t know, ask

The lesson I see most people around me break is that they don’t know what they don’t know. It’s the most difficult rule to recognize you’re breaking because you don’t even realize you’re breaking it.

The way I get around this — assume you know nothing.

Don’t worry about what others think when you’re asking a million questions. Questions are the best!

Would you rather make a decision without thinking about it because you’ve just ‘always done it that way’, or would you rather ask questions to someone more experienced for another point of view? When in doubt, just ask a bunch of questions. If you don’t truly know the answer to something you’re working on, you have to ask.

Lesson 7: Work on your own projects outside the office

Image via Avimeo

I personally love this lesson. Very early on in my career, I realized that I needed to develop my own portfolio of work outside of the office. You might ask yourself, “Mike, why would you ever need to do that when you’re working on such great projects IN the office?” It’s a fair question, and a good one.

I’ve always seen myself in control of my own career, my own destiny. I treat almost everything I do in my career with that mentality. Let’s take a theoretical side step: What if you weren’t allowed to use ANY of the drawings, renderings, sketches, or models in your own portfolio?

It seems a bit odd, but it happens in our industry. Whether it’s an employer’s desire to keep intellectual property (which to be fair, they’re paying you to create) or there’s a contractual clause an employer has with the client (also very fair to recognize), you may not be able to take that awesome work with you wherever you go.

That’s why I don’t worry about it.

Sure, I’ve built a solid resume from working on the variety of projects I have in the office, but I come from an early career experience when the world was melting and I needed to make myself invaluable. That type of feeling has never really left and I think it’s served me well.

In 10 years, I’ve entered almost as many independent design competitions. It probably sounds odd, but I don’t care if I win. I use the competitions as a framework to develop killer projects that mean something to me and that I can use in any portfolio I choose because they’re MY designs.

I have two rules with each competition I enter. I have to end up with some kind of tangible product (graphic, model, etc) that I can use in the portfolio. I have to learn a new technique, program, or building type to advance my skill set. If you enter a competition with the rules above, I can tell you now that you’ll exponentially learn more and have the proof that you did.

Also, competitions are really fun.

Lesson 8: Always take responsibility for your actions

I’m not perfect. Not even close.

I make mistakes all the time. Sometimes they’re small and sometimes they’re not. But I always glean something from the heartache, solve the problem and move on a bit wiser. The trick is to take responsibility though for EVERY, SINGLE, MISTAKE you make.

I can’t emphasize that enough. I mean, I could with bigger font, but you get my point.

Above the others, there is one mistake I remember like it happened yesterday. It haunts me a little.

When I was working on a renovation project in the earliest years of my career, I was in charge of reviewing potential products for a series of windows. The project was a private development to convert a historic three story building into office and residential space. The project was required to obtain a LEED Silver rating (a mid-level of sustainability accreditation for a building).

I looked at the recommended criteria that were established by the sustainability consultant for the windows. I was able to quickly identify that of the seven preliminary selections that were made by a supervisor, all except two could be chosen based on the criteria needed to meet sustainability baselines.

Five possible windows.

I let my supervisor know what I had found and he, in turn, told the Construction Manager that any of the five would be acceptable selections for the project. Side note they were all basically the same. Key word – “Basically.”

The contractor ordered something like 35 of these large, historic, sustainable super windows and everything seemed fine.

That was until I realized that one of the windows didn’t quite match ALL of the criteria. As it turns out, U-Factor is kind of a big deal. For the uninitiated, it essentially measures how well a window insulates.

Can you guess which of the remaining ‘acceptable’ windows the contractor ordered?

Yep. The ONLY one remaining window that didn’t match the criteria we needed to hit to maintain the energy model for the overall building.

When I realized the error, I had two options:

Accept the mistake I made and inform my supervisor that I had essentially cost the project thousands of dollars because of one number I missed.
Pretend it never happened and go about my life.
Look, as much as it would have been great to pretend, that’s just not who I am.

I walked straight into his office, paperwork in hand, and explained what had happened.

I don’t remember what I looked like in that moment, but I imagine there was very little color in my face with a hint of panic.

The most interesting thing happened though – I wasn’t yelled out of the office for being ‘stupid’ or even fired (both of which I assumed were perfectly acceptable scenarios). My supervisor looked at me and simply said, ‘thank you, Mike for bringing this to me.’

We both knew what had happened. He could see I was already pretty tormented by it.

Oh, and if I had just ‘pretended’ it away – we wouldn’t have found other ways to fix the error without replacing the windows. We wouldn’t have solved the problem. In fact, it would have become much, much worse once all of the final paperwork had been assembled for review, once the building was done, once everyone had stopped working.

Long story short — if you mess up, own it. It will suck in the moment, a lot. But if you don’t own up to your mistakes, you could be inadvertently running toward disaster rather than stopping it in its tracks.

Lesson 9: Master the art of communication

Image via Land Civil

Do you know what the most valuable course was that I took in High School?

Typing.

When you start practicing architecture, I don’t honk anyone expects the mountain of writing you’ll have in front of you.

I write everything from emails to reports, requests for proposals to contracts and all documents in between. Over time, I’ve started to really enjoy it too. I can’t explain why other than to say that writing has become another way for me to express a part of me that I couldn’t otherwise.

I’ve been introverted for the majority of my life. Only in the last few years have I really come out of my shell and put myself out there.

In a lot of ways, writing allowed me to share my voice on my own terms.

That said, communication in all forms is the quintessential skill for an architect to master.

Think about it this way – drawings, specifications, renderings, sketches, emails, phone calls, etc. – they’re all just methods to explain your intent and your vision to someone else.

If you were the greatest architect in the entire world (I have no doubt that you could be), but you couldn’t explain your designs to anyone – you would never realize any of your greatness.

Don’t take for granted the power of your voice in any medium.

Lesson 10: Keep learning always

I’m a real believer that an Architect’s journey on the path to learning never ends. Once you’re in the profession, you’re in for life.

The most profound lesson I’ve learned in the last year or so is that I will never actually learn everything the profession has to offer. In some ways I have to be okay with that.

I have to realize that the profession of architecture is more like a never-ending buffet.

Sure, you need to practice moderation and balance the types of courses you choose to make sure you’re well-rounded, but you have so much knowledge at your fingertips that you also need to try a LOT of different things to stay relevant and strong.

I hope you’ve latched on to at least one of these lessons. It took 10 hard years for me to learn them.

Here’s to ten more.

Architecture – you and me, we’re gonna be alright.

This post originally appeared on Mike LaValley’s Evolving Architect blog. Architects: Showcase your next project through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter.

The post 10 Valuable Lessons Learned During My First 10 Years in Architecture appeared first on Journal.

Architects: Showcase your next project through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter.

This autumn will see the release of a new film by Wes Anderson. The French Dispatch has been described as “a love letter to journalists set at an outpost of an American newspaper in a fictional 20th-century French city.”

Fans of Anderson know what to expect: a cinematic world that feels much more put-together than the one we inhabit everyday. As a child, Anderson admired the “slightly heightened reality” of Roald Dahl’s children’s stories and has spent his career bringing a similar sensibility to the big screen.

Not everyone finds Anderson’s distinctive aesthetic delightful. New York Magazine critic David Amsden once complained the director had become “pickled in a world of his own creation.” Image: Tony Revolori and Saoirsie Ronan in ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ (2014)

With meticulously decorated sets, droll dialogue, and perfectly symmetrical shot composition, Anderson’s movies are catnip for perfectionists. One gets the sense that his greatest pleasure, as an artist, is making sure everything fits together just so.

Architecture plays a central role in this decidedly un-naturalistic approach to cinema. Nearly all of Anderson’s films feature a central structure around which the action revolves. In The Royal Tenenbaums, it was a family home in Manhattan, while in The Darjeeling Limited it was a train that carried American tourists across India. In The French Dispatch, judging by the promotional poster, it will be the newspaper’s offices.

Promotional poster for ‘The French Dispatch’ (2020). The poster was designed by illustrator Javi Aznarez.

In each of these cases, Anderson uses various techniques to ensure that the viewer gets a complete picture of the structure. He doesn’t just provide an impressionistic sense of place, but actually lays out how the spaces fit together, sometimes using architectural models and cutaways.

This impulse toward diagramming and contextualization cuts strongly against the grain of most Hollywood directors, who like to throw viewers in the midst of the action to encourage direct absorption in the plot. In contrast, Anderson treats his viewers like an architect treats their clients, leading them step by step through the world he has lovingly created — whether they are interested or not.

The following structures have played starring roles in Anderson’s films.

The Harlem brownstone where The Royal Tenenbaums was filmed has become a popular photo op for cinephiles. Image via movie-locations.com

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

“Royal Tenenbaum purchased the house on Archer Avenue in the winter of his 35th year.” So begins one of the most iconic films of the aughts, a work that is as much about place as it is about character or plot.

The Royal Tenenbaums is set in a storybook version of New York that was inspired by how Anderson imagined the city while growing up in Texas as an avid reader of the New Yorker. The addresses and place names in the film are all invented, yet the shooting locations are all real and located either inside the city or in nearby New Jersey.

Kumar Pallana blocks the Statue of Liberty in one scene shot in Battery Park. Wes Anderson did not want any recognizable landmarks to appear in his storybook version of New York. Image: Movie Mezzanine.

Landmarks, however, are decidedly absent from Anderson’s New York. In one scene filmed in Battery Park, Anderson carefully positioned actor Kumar Pallana in front of the Statue of Liberty so the monument wouldn’t show up in the shot. Gene Hackman, who plays the charmingly roguish title character, was confused by this, according to Anderson’s former assistant Will Sweeney, asking why they were even there if not to film the Statue of Liberty. Anderson responded that he wanted to clearly invoke New York without the viewer, at any point, knowing exactly where they were. An idiosyncratic priority, for sure, but one that makes the movie uniquely evocative.

Most scenes in The Royal Tenenbaums were shot in or around the “house on Archer Avenue,” a magnificent Victorian Brownstone that is really located near Convent Avenue and 144th Street in Harlem.

“At the time I was very adamant that this would be a real place and that we have to make it a real place,” Wes Anderson explained to Matt Zoller Seitz in Seitz’s magnificent coffee table book, The Wes Anderson Collection. “It was also quite practical, I think. The roof was the real roof. It was all one place. The only cheat was with their kitchen, which was in the house next door, because this place had no windows — it was not going to work. But the rest of it’s all there.”

Each of the Tenenbaum children inhabits a room that reflects their passions. For Chaz Tenenbaum, that passion is entrepreneurship. Note the on-screen text identifying the room — a truly architectural touch. Image: WordPress.

The film crew rented the house for the duration of shooting and made careful renovations in order to capture the spirit of space, a family home that is stuffed with artifacts from childhood. The film tracks the lives of the Tenenbaum children, three former child prodigies who have grown into unhappy adults. Growing up, each Tenenbaum child was given their own floor of the house, and decades later these spaces are still decorated to reflect their childhood passions.

The director on the set of ‘The Life Aquatic.’ Image: Smith Gee Studio

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

Wes Anderson followed The Royal Tenenbaums with The Life Aquatic, a film that is similarly invested in themes of memory and regret. The Life Aquatic follows Steve Zissou, an eccentric oceanographer and documentarian played by Bill Murray, as he attempts to exact revenge on the “jaguar shark” that killed his friend and partner. He’s brought a film crew along for the adventure, hoping that a documentary about this Ahabian quest will revive his floundering career.

The Life Aquatic is a bit less grounded in reality than The Royal Tenenbaums. It is not just stylized but actually fantastical. It’s fitting that, for this movie, Anderson made use of constructed sets. He utilizes the cutaway “dollhouse” effect for the first time in this film to introduce Zissou’s boat, The Belafonte.

With a sauna, a laboratory, a research library, and an “observation bubble” that Zissou “thought up in a dream,” the scheme of The Belafonte tells us more about the main character’s aspirations than anything else in the film. This is very common for Anderson; his characters inhabit spaces that reflect who they wish to be.

Image: Pinterest

The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

The Darjeeling Limited is named for its principle setting, a luxury train that guides three brothers on a “spiritual journey” through India. Nathan Lee of the Village Voice put it best in his review when he described the film as as “a movie about people trapped in themselves and what it takes to get free — a movie, quite literally, about letting go of your baggage.”

As in The Royal Tenenbaums, Wes Anderson insisted on shooting Darjeeling on location in India, mostly in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, but also in various parts of Udaipur. The train itself serves as the spiritual center of the film. Tracking shots of the train in motion beautifully reflect the characters’ emerging insight that, in life, you don’t have the option of standing still.

As with The Royal Tenenbaums, Wes Anderson refused to create a studio set for the interior shots, insisting that they film inside of a real Indian train renovated to his specifications. This presented challenges, as Indian Railways were reluctant to cooperate with the headstrong American director.

Image: Mark Friedberg Design

“To this day I am not sure whether the greater achievement was the train’s design or securing the use of the train itself,” explained set designer Mark Friedberg. He admits that, at times, he was annoyed at Anderson’s insistence on shooting on a moving train but at the end realized the film could not have been done any other way.

“Wes’s confidence in his own vision is one of his finest qualities,” Friedberg explained. “The fact of actually being on the train and actually being in India gives the film its lifeblood.”

The exterior of the Grand Budapest Hotel is quite clearly a miniature model. That’s an important part of its charm. Image: National Geographic

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a remarkable film about place, memory, and how the values of a lost era can live on through architecture.

Inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig and his nostalgic depiction of early 20th century Vienna, the film proceeds through a series of nested narratives. The main storyline is set in the 1930s in a fictional Central European country called Zubrowka that is hemmed in by an approaching war. (This conflict is never spelled out as World War II. Anderson chooses to evoke the war indirectly, in the same way that he approached New York City in The Royal Tenenbaums.)

In the face of ominous political forces mounting in the region, the Grand Budapest Hotel — a pink and cream manor perched on a mountaintop and accessible by funicular — is an oasis of refinement. This is thanks to the careful work of master concierge, Monsieur Gustave, played by Ralph Fiennes, who oversees the hotel’s operations with pride and panache.

Model of the Grand Budapest Hotel. Image: Smith Gee Studio.

M. Gustave has an infectious elegance that at first seems campy, but over time is shown to be an ennobling reflection of his individuality. He represents the liberal values that totalitarian movements, both fascist and communist, would seek to stamp out in the ensuing decades.

Given the fact that the hotel is primarily a symbol of Monsieur Gustave’s humane way of seeing the world, it is fitting that it is depicted more as an idea than reality. The exterior shots of the hotel are a miniature model and no effort is made to conceal this fact. Many of the interior shots of the hotel, including those of the grand lobby, were taken in the vacant Görlitz Department Store, a palatial Art Nouveau structure built in 1929.

While most of the film showcases the Grand Budapest in its prime before the war, a few take place in the 1960s, when the furnishings have become drab and the exterior covered in raw concrete. All of the delicacy and whimsy have been lost as contemporary tastes have moved toward the utilitarian and (implicitly) collectivist values of the new regime.

By the 1960s, the Grand Budapest had lost its lustre. Image: Ultra Swank

With The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson comes close to proposing a theory of architecture. For him, built spaces come to life when they reflect the ideals, aspirations and longings of the individual. This is true of the bedrooms of the Tenenbaum children, the lovingly organized bookshelves in the Belafonte library, and even in the ramshackle luxury of the Darjeeling Limited, a vehicle that promises adventure. It is especially true of the Grand Budapest Hotel, a faded monument to a past era that is imagined to have been both kinder and more stylish than the present.

Meticulous almost to the point of self-parody, Anderson’s sets embody an ethos of individualism. Not the rugged kind one associates with the American frontier, but a delicate individualism that affirms the curatorial instinct.

“You see, there are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity,” M. Gustave tells his protégé, a young lobby boy named Zero, mid-way through the film. He adds that it is the mission of the Grand Budapest to uphold these civilized values in the face of encroaching barbarism, but then cuts himself short and mutters “ah, fuck it.” But no one watching believes he’s taken back the sentiment. No, it’s the heavy-handed rhetoric he rejects. M. Gustave, like the director who created him, prefers a light touch.

Architects: Showcase your next project through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter.

The post Delicate Individualism: The Architecture of Wes Anderson appeared first on Journal.

Architects: Showcase your next project through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter.

It’s becoming clear that the spike in unemployment caused by Covid-19 will likely have long-lasting consequences. While a shrinking economy doesn’t completely erase opportunity, for unemployed architects who have either lost their jobs or are just finishing school, the possibility of finding a full-time position eventually doesn’t solve a more immediate problem: what to do right now.

For unemployed architects in that painful situation, this article surveys some immediate-action strategies to help make a living while also maintaining a designer’s skill set for future work. Tactics include assembling a patchwork of part-time engagements that utilize architectural skills, expanding a job search by pursuing remote work in distant locations, and starting to build a framework for your own practice.

When faced with an involuntary career break, it’s helpful to remember that finding your next long-term position is primarily a matter of time. Thus, the most important thing you can do is buy yourself time to ride out a prolonged job search. This means doing anything you can to support yourself that also maintains, or allows you the time to maintain, hard-earned architectural skills. Luckily, architectural skills can be applicable to a wide range of short-term, digitally remote freelance work.

Architectural rendering by xrender listed on Fiverr Pro marketplace

Part-Time Gigs

One of the most obvious applications is visualization. There’s many ways to go solo in this area, from listing your services on a freelance marketplace to soliciting your network of employed architects to see if their firm needs ad hoc renderings with a quick turnaround. If you’re inclined to seek a more permanent arrangement, you can quickly expand the number of full-time positions you’re searching for by including visual media beyond architecture, such as visual effects producers for film, television, or video games.

Another profession with a perennial need for one-off architectural services is real estate. Drafting simple floor plans for a leasing agency, for example, may not be glamorous, but can be a short-term way to get paid for drawing buildings. This can also be a good way to become acquainted with private developers, who may be looking to hire an in-house architect to be their advocate on large projects, or could even become clients for your own practice.

The Imprint by MVRDV, façade by KEIM

It’s also worth looking toward professions architects frequently hire as subconsultants. Façade design, parametric modelling, and graphic design, for example, are just some of the many fields packed with single-focus firms specializing in skills architects often use every day. Looking for part-time work in one of these disciplines can be a way to hone particular skills for a short period, or could even lead an architectural career in a new and interesting direction.

A slew of relevant stop-gap working opportunities for unemployed architects, particularly recent graduates, can also be found in higher education and cultural institutions. Academic research, curatorial fellowships, and similar positions that don’t require full-time teaching are less susceptible to the sort of volatility Covid-19 has wrought on the economy. Such positions can offer worthwhile, paid experience that can be gained parallel to a full-time job search.

Remote Working

Not all unemployed architects, of course, will be able to take advantage of adjacent professions, but it’s clear by now that widespread remote working is here to stay, at least in some form, for quite some time. So a simple way to expand the pool of jobs available to out-of-work architects is to look for them in firms based outside one’s immediate city or region.

This should be noted with the caveat that it’s currently unclear how willing a wide swath of architecture firms may be to hire remote staff working from far-flung locations. Many factors influence a business’ attitude towards this, from local professional regulations to payroll and tax filing issues. However, a number of tech-savvy firms have long embraced remote working, and it’s highly likely that the number of architecture firms utilizing a full-time remote workforce increases substantially after the current crisis subsides.

Image by Elena Borisova from Pixabay

Starting Your Own Firm

A final path unemployed architects might find worth pursuing is to start their own firm. This is especially true for early to mid-career designers, who probably have a modest network and enough experience to facilitate a successful project but aren’t as familiar with the process designers go through to get clients.

Taking this approach obviously doesn’t pay until you get a client, so it’s probably not a priority for the recently unemployed, but even unsuccessfully pursuing your own projects in between part-time work and searching a for a full-time job can be a truly valuable experience. Forcing yourself to learn first-hand what it takes to win an architectural commission might open all sorts of doors if you just try, and at the very least will make you more valuable to future employers.

Regardless what strategy, or combination of strategies, someone takes to get through a bout of unemployment, it’s necessary to look for new opportunities in ways you might not have considered before. By opening yourself to the idea of following a completely different career direction than the one you’re used to, you may unintentionally find a new way to earn a living, making your skills, experience, and general disposition more resilient in the process.

Architects: Showcase your next project through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter. Top image by niekverlaan from Pixabay

The post Unemployed Architects: What to Do Right Now appeared first on Journal.

Have you got awesome architectural drawings to share? If so, we want to hear from you: Register for the One Drawing Challenge for a chance to win $2,500!

Gardens bring architecture to life. Indoor and tiny gardens come with many benefits, from helping building occupants to breathe easier and sharpen their focus, to improving mental health and purifying the air. These spaces can also provide fresh and local produce while promoting independent and sustainable lifestyles.

If you have access to a light shelf, balcony or patio, you can grow produce and herbs, even in a city. Tiny gardens fit a range of programs and project sizes, and in turn, can transform many different types of spaces. As a simple way to enhance everyday living and workplaces, these quiet gardens become a small oasis. The following tips outline design ideas and showcase examples that are making room for plants through tiny gardens.

Homeaway by Studio North

Embrace Furniture & Flora

While most tiny gardens take the form of a courtyard or rooftop, a garden can be as simple as a shelf or sloping surface, especially in a backyard space. You can create a focal point and an outdoor room to gather. Fit-for-purpose garden furniture is a great way to achieve this, and you can select the furniture based on what you’d like to do in your space.

De Beauvoir House by Scott Architects

In the De Beauvoir House, the form of the new extension has evolved from the language of the site: its gardens, its brickwork and its neighboring buildings. The interiors are expressed as a series of fluid surfaces and flowing spaces that weave through the home, leading towards a rear garden that gently extends over the dining room as a green roof of wildflowers. This is a space where flora and furniture come together.

Use Your Walls

You can bring a space to life with a vertical garden. Green walls are partially or completely covered in vegetation, and a carefully planned and executed growing medium is the backbone of any green wall. They may be referred to as living walls, vertical gardens and eco walls. If you have a small space to work with, a great solution can be stacking your garden and selecting plants that naturally grow upwards. Think vines and hanging baskets, as well as plants that trail.

Casa CorManca by Paul Cremoux Studio

Villa Jardín by ASP Arquitectura Sergio Portillo

Vertical gardens can create accent and living walls, and you can also find the right plant stands or trellises for climbing plants. Vertical gardens are often used as an easy addition to a living room, balcony or kitchen. Garden walls can be categorized into three types of common systems: panel/modular systems, tray systems and freestanding walls. A sound understanding of all three types will help you identity which one is best-suited for the scope of your project. Explore our Guide to Green Walls as you look to specify these in your design.

VAC-Library by Farming Architects

Build a Framework

Consider indoor-outdoor functionality when laying out the design for a tiny garden. Architects and interior designers will often use larger frameworks or fixtures that become spatial, both denoting the space and giving room for plants to grow. A framework can celebrate the openness of a façade and allow the building to incorporate the surrounding natural environment into the interior climate.

VAC-Library by Farming Architects

In the VAC Library by Farming Architects, the team was inspired by integrated production systems with three components: horticulture, aquaculture & animal husbandry. By re-designing the VAC system to be implemented in an urban area, the aim is not only to produce an effective use of natural resources but also experiment in using different types of plants in urban environments.

Take it to the Roof

The last few decades have seen a tremendous surge in green roofs and rooftop gardens. A building can be designed with a green garden structure that helps to cool the inside and reduce heat transfer. A rooftop garden can also provide fresh and available food for daily meals, bringing an agricultural lifestyle that is developed in parallel with urbanization.

Red Roof House by TAA Design

In TAA Design’s stepped Red Roof House, the design takes inspiration from the vegetable gardens and multi-purpose playgrounds that have become the soul of houses in the village. Instead of having a large yard, the team created many courtyards with different heights. The rooftop garden is adjacent to the courtyard of the mezzanine floor, creating a playground and vegetable garden that connects from the roof to the ground floor.

Switch Up Materials

A key element to tiny gardens are the materials you choose, both for the plants and the space around them. You can make a balcony or small garden feel like an extension of a living area by simply using materials that tie the spaces together. This includes elements of an indoor garden that are made of materials which can be moved inside and out.

Stepping Park House by Vo Trong Nghia Architects

In Vo Trong Nghia’s elegant Stepping Park House, a large void was created by cutting the volume through the three floors, in the diagonal direction of the section. On the ground floor, the void serves as living room, open to the park; on the top floor as a green covered family room.

The façade surrounding the void is covered with ivy plants. The void incorporates both circulation elements and natural elements like plants and trees, providing the private rooms with additional natural light. Planting trees in the openings blocks direct sunlight, cools the wind and brightens up the interior space with green.

Have you got awesome architectural drawings to share? If so, we want to hear from you: Register for the One Drawing Challenge for a chance to win $2,500!

The post How to Create a Tiny Garden in Any Space appeared first on Journal.

It’s this summer’s biggest architectural ideas competition, and it is heading towards an exciting conclusion The Second Annual One Drawing Challenge is inviting entries until midnight ET on August 14th, and we invite anyone with a eye for architectural drawing to get involved.

The brief is a simple one: Tell a powerful story about architecture with a single drawing.

Enter the 2020 One Drawing Challenge

Entrants are challenged to create one drawing that powerfully communicates your architectural proposal and the experience of those that would inhabit it. It can be located anywhere in the world and be at any scale. It can take the form of a plan, section, elevation, perspective or sketch. As long as it portrays part or all of a building or group of buildings, it is eligible. This should be accompanied by a short description of your proposal, no more than 150 words.

Now you know the task at hand, the next question is likely to be — how do I win? The answers lies in the criteria by which the Finalist drawings will be judged by our expert panel of architects and influencers.

Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre by OMA / REX

The judging process for the One Drawing Challenge is designed to reflect the multi-faceted qualities of architectural drawings. Our outstanding cast of jurors will be asked to select winning entries based on their communicative and aesthetic qualities, as well as their impact and ability to “go viral” on social media. Entries that stand out in one or more of the following categories stand a great chance of being a Winner.

The Jury will evaluate drawings based on the following criteria:

Communication

Unlike a piece of pure art, the most important quality of an architectural drawing is its ability to communicate the design intent behind an architectural proposal. Further to this, a good drawing can tell the story of a building and those that might inhabit it in a single snapshot. The image can communicate many different things and focus on one or more of the following aspects: Spatial layout, technical details, materials, connections between architectural elements, relationship to context, the transition between spaces, and more.

Aesthetics

A beautiful drawing is undeniably appealing, but at their best, the aesthetics of a drawing are about more than just beauty. They convey the essence of the architecture they are portraying, and the atmosphere of a space. A well considered drawing can portray a specific architectural language that speaks to the author’s wider design philosophy. Aesthetics may also concern the portrayal of an untidy, chaotic or even “ugly” brand of architecture to paint a powerful picture of certain environments.

Impact

When communication and aesthetics are perfectly combined, they can produce an impactful image that is eagerly shared among a huge design-oriented community. Virality is not an exact science, but Instagram experts understand the bold qualities that make an image memorable and shareable. The ingredients of an impactful architectural drawing include but are not limited to: Bold geometry, unusual angles, rich color combinations, sharp contrasts, rhythmic patterns and strong legibility.

Architectural drawings via Horia Creanga on Behance

So, there you have it: The 3 key ingredients to a winning entry in the One Drawing Challenge. Now, it’s your time to shine: Submit your best architectural drawing(s) before midnight ET on August 14th and show us what you can do.

Check out the FAQ section for common questions about the competition. If you don’t find the answer to your question there, please email us at competitions@architizer.com and we’ll be glad to help.

We can’t wait to see your drawing and read your story. Good luck from the whole team at Architizer!

Enter the 2020 One Drawing Challenge

The post How to Win the One Drawing Challenge: 3 Key Ingredients to Consider appeared first on Journal.

“Drawings are architecture’s ultimate storytellers.”

The words of Marc Kushner lie at the heart Architizer’s inspiring ideas competition, the One Drawing Challenge. The competition, with a final deadline of August 28th this year (submit your entries here!) poses a simple question: Can you tell a powerful story about architecture through a single drawing?

One of the jurors for the One Drawing Challenge is Bob Borson, architect at Malone Maxwell Borson Architects and founder of one of the most popular architecture blogs on the internet, “Life of an Architect“. Bob has been writing for years about drawings as powerful tools for communicating ideas, from conceptual sketches to detailed construction documents. Borson sat down with Architizer to talk about the art of drawing, including some hints about what entrants should aim for when creating their submissions for the One Drawing competition:

Paul Keskeys: You still draw by hand a lot, a process that increasingly seems to be skipped by young architects these days. What do you gain from hand sketching, and what advice would you give to designers who tend to avoid it?

Bob Borson: There are a few things that I feel are beneficial when you draw by hand. The main benefit is probably the simplest thing imaginable … speed. When I bring up the idea of speed most people instantly assume this means that I can sketch through my ideas faster than someone who has to interface through some sort of technology, but that’s not what I mean at all (there are some people out there that are pretty darn fast using current technology!)

When I sketch, I think it slows my thought process down and forces me to think through my idea a bit more completely in my effort to actually be able to draw it out in a manner that allows someone else to understand what I am trying to convey.

Borson sketches out plans during the early stages of a project; image via Life of an Architect

Your drawings encompass architecture at every scale, from broad conceptual ideas to the tiniest details. How do you decide when to “zoom in” to small areas of a project, and what do you gain from drawing at this scale?

It really depends on the problem that I am trying to solve, and what stage of the project I am working in. When the scale of the project is “broad” I am not trying to talk about the details; everything is far more diagrammatic in the beginning. It isn’t until I am trying to work through the assembly of the project that I start drilling down and enlarging the scale of the sketches I am creating.

Which of your drawing-related articles on Life of an Architect is most popular, and why do you think it is?

It’s got to be “Architectural Sketching or How to Sketch like Me“. Since I have so many different posts on sketching, I’m not sure why this one is the most trafficked post covering sketching on my site. It probably has to do with the fact that I don’t think sketching is a gift but rather a skill that can be learned and this is the posts where I walk through the 5 tips and techniques that I think anybody can incorporate in just a few minutes and their sketches will look better.

Unfortunately, I feel like a lot of architects don’t sketch because they think they are bad at it and feel some sort of embarrassment about their attempts — this is the post that I think can change that for many people.

Borson’s travel sketches created during college; images via Life of an Architect

In your opinion, what are the three worst habits of architects when it comes to drawing?

The worst is probably not sketching at all. I think most people would agree that the more they sketch, the better they become.

Other bad habits are fairly user-specific but when I talk with people in my office about sketching, the things I try to get them to quit doing is drawing over their lines (i.e. instead of one single line, theirs will be five or six little lines put together) and the other is to not bend your wrist when trying to draw straight lines. It’s rather amazing how much better a sketch will look when your lines are relatively straight.

Which architect’s drawings inspire you the most? Is there a specific drawing that has blown you away the moment you’ve laid eyes on it?

There’s not really any one person or drawing that inspires me – it tends to be a collection of sketches that someone has created over time that tends to blow me away.

Actually, as I sit here trying to answer this question, the name that comes to mind is a friend of mine who left the field of architecture to help out with the family drywalling business. He was the person who initially inspired me to work on my sketching and gave me some of the tips that I mentioned in answer #3 that changed everything for me.

Borson places emphasis on line weight and hatching style to communicate design intention; image via Life of an Architect

What qualities will you be looking for when judging the entries in this year’s One Drawing Challenge?

First and foremost it will be pen weight and hatching techniques. There are levels of skill that become more prominent as the people become more and more comfortable with how they sketch. Sketches should be easy to read and pen weight and hatching are what separate the great from the amazing.

Now show us what you can do: Register for the One Drawing Challenge and submit your best drawings before August 28th, 2020 for a chance to win amazing prizes:

Enter the 2020 One Drawing Challenge

Top image via Studio MM

The post The Art of Drawing: Bob Borson on Architecture’s Most Powerful Creative Weapon appeared first on Journal.

Byron Cai is the lead editor at Archi Hacks, a platform dedicated to architecture visualization, portfolio, and design tips and tricks for students and professionals.

Computers have become an essential part of today’s architectural practice. We rely on computers to design, draft and communicate our projects. In other words, we use computers to take the crazy ideas in our head and bring them to life.

Unfortunately, computers are also an expensive investment for an architecture student, so choosing one for yourself can be especially daunting. If you find yourself confused by all the options available at your local tech shop, fear not! We are here to help. We have compiled a list of things that you should look out for when purchasing your architectural weapon and have also provided a few of our favorite picks.

Why Choose a Laptop Over a Desktop?

While a desktop is the more obvious choice for a professional architect, it may not be the right choice for a student. Instead, a laptop should be the only choice because of one thing: portability. As a student, you will find yourself extremely mobile; moving from class to class, from home to school, and even going abroad for a few months for an internship. Don’t even think about lugging a desktop to the local Starbucks to finish your collage.

Alternatively, I have seen a few smart students who use a high performance desktop at home and bring around a cheap laptop for non-hardware intensive tasks. If you have a decent internet connection, Teamviewer is a great program to remotely control your desktop using a laptop when you need to do more intensive tasks.

Side note: As we are writing this, the COVID-19 phenomenon has taken the world by storm and we have all been forced into a lockdown. During this uncanny time, a desktop computer might be a better choice as we may find ourselves working and studying from home for the near future.

MacOS vs Windows

The Mac vs Windows debate has become quite heated between PC users and Apple enthusiasts. However, for architecture, we highly recommend going with a Windows device. Not only are Windows device’s cheaper, they also have much better specifications for handling demanding tasks. Another reason to ditch the Mac is their lack of supported programs.

Architecture programs such as V-Ray and Revit are exclusive to PC (at least for now). That does not mean that you cannot run it on a Mac, rather you will need to install Bootcamp in order to run these programs. If you choose to go this route, I will warn you that program licenses (such as Rhino) do not carry over from Mac to Windows. 

Specs: What to Consider When Choosing a Laptop

CPU Processor: CPU is the most important part of a laptop. The better the CPU, the faster your computer is at handling 3D modelling and Adobe programs. At minimum, you will need a 4-core processor with at least a 2.4 ghz clock speed. We recommend at least a 6-core processor to handle multi-threaded architecture tasks.

GPU: A dedicated graphics card is a must for architecture. Many architecture programs such as Rhino and Revit use GPU hardware acceleration to obtain the best performance results. We recommend a Nvidia or AMD Radeon card with at least 4 gb of VRAM.

RAM: Random Access Memory (RAM) is used for storing temporary files to be accessed by the CPU. It’s a very important component as it dictate how many programs your laptop can run at one time. Adobe programs, Rhino, and V-Ray all use a lot of RAM so we recommend at least 16 gb in your laptop.

Storage (HDD vs SSD): An SSD is much faster and more expensive than an HDD. We recommend purchasing a laptop with enough SSD space for the OS and your architecture programs, and then purchasing an external HDD to store your files.

Size: The size of the drive should also be on your mind. Architecture requires a lot of space to store stuff like 3D models and Photoshop files. You could either opt for a 1TB drive or you can go with the minimum and purchase and external drive to store your projects.

Connectivity (external displays, USD ports, SD card slot): Beyond the internal components, you should also be wary of the ports on a laptop. For example, having another screen to multitask can boost your productivity by 50%. Look for a HDMI, DisplayPort, or Thunderbolt 3 ports if you plan on connecting your laptop to a secondary monitor. And if you take a lot of pictures, an SD card slot is something to consider.

Screen: Almost all screens these days use an IPS panel, which are known for their dynamic color and contrast. That will give you adequate color accuracy for your fancy drawings and renderings. If you have extra money lying around, a 4K screen will look the best and have the best color accuracy.

Battery life: Surprisingly, not many people consider the battery life when choosing a laptop. But to be fair, most of the time, it will be plugged in while you are working at home or at the studio. We don’t recommend working on battery power, as it will limit the power input and thus lowering the performance of the laptop.

Our Top Picks

2020 Dell XPS 15/17

The new 2020 Dell XPS Series laptops have been completely redesigned and fitted with great specs. Combine that with its beautiful screen and sturdy build quality, you get a laptop that you can’t go wrong with. You should look for the configuration with at least a i7-9750H, GTX 1650 and 16 gb of RAM.

See more info and buy >

Macbook Pro 16”

We have already told you why you should not buy a Mac, but if you really really want one, then your best option to consider is the most expensive model. You will get a 8-core CPU, a respectable AMD Radeon 5500M graphics chip, 15gb of memory with 1TB SSD.

See more info and buy >

Razer Blade 15

For those who desire the aesthetic quality of a Macbook but want a Windows device, the Razer Blade is your answer. It is probably one of the best laptops you can buy right now with its matte black CNC aluminum body which houses a 6-core CPU and a RTX 2060 graphics card. We recommend going for the more expensive 8-core i7-10875H variant with a 4K touch screen. Another thing to note is that Razer calibrates their displays before shipping so you will be getting good color accuracy.

See more info and buy >

Asus Zephyrus G14

There is no doubt that the Asus G14 is the best value laptop on the market. It boasts an 8-core Ryzen processor and a RTX 2060 graphics card, all fitted into a humble 14 inch chassis. But the most impressive thing about this device is its $1499 USD price tag, making it the best “bang for your buck” laptop in 2020.

See more info and buy >

One Last Note

You may be tempted to purchase a laptop with the best specifications to ‘future-proof’. However, at the rate technology is progressing, laptops will only become faster and cheaper. In a few years, you will probably find your computer to be not performing up to the same standard as it used to, and will be looking at a replacement.

If you found this guide helpful, make sure to check out the ArchiHacks YouTube and Instagram for tips and tricks for young architects!

The post Choosing a Laptop: A Guide for Architecture Students appeared first on Journal.

Have you got awesome architectural drawings to share? If so, we want to hear from you: Register for the One Drawing Challenge for a chance to win $2,500!

Color transforms how we experience architecture. The spaces around us are defined by colors that shape what we see and how we feel, and they also work together. As a sensory perception, the effects of color range from the symbolic and associative to synesthetic and emotional. Whether they are produced through different materials or by applying paints and coatings, colors work together to shape our perspective.

Color acts in three basic ways: Active, passive or neutral. It can affect people differently depending on your personal perception of space, as well as your location and climate. To begin designing with color, there are a range of considerations to keep in mind. The following five tips are designed to help you begin selecting materials and colors to create a desired effect. These pointers also include built examples illustrating each idea from around the world.

1. Research Color Schemes

When thinking about how to design with color, it’s important to understand basic color schemes. Monochromatic color schemes are made up of different tones, shades and tints within a specific hue. These are the simplest color schemes to create, as they’re all taken from the same hue.

Complementary schemes are created by combining colors from opposite sides of the color wheel. In its basic form, a complementary scheme consist of only two colors, but can be expanded using tints, tones and shades.

The Orange Cube by Jakob + MacFarlane

Beyond these two basic types, there are split complementary, triadic and tetradic, or custom schemes. Check out TMD Studio’s in-depth guide for more on these ideas. Understanding schemes will help you decide what materials and colors go well together.

Making a bold statement, Jakob + MacFarlane designed The Orange Cube to reinvest in the docks of Lyon and bring together architecture with cultural and commercial programming. The monochromatic orange color refers to an industrial paint often used for harbor zones, and the scheme choice creates a striking addition to the context.

2. Visual Weight, Inside & Out

Adding visual weight through color can happen outside or inside a building. In interior design, texture is derived from touch. Rooms with texture hold visual weight; whether it’s an object or space, it draws attention to itself. Designers should consider how the elements of a project relate to one another and add visual weight, including along a streetscape.

The Pink Zebra by Renesa

In Renesa’s adaptive reuse and retail space in Kanpur, The Pink Zebra combines pattern, color and texture to create visual weight inside and out. The simple idea was to create a distinct aesthetic and architectural style that connects to the city through a bold color and pattern combination. The design team wanted to make a unique facade and interiors that draws the attention of passersby and invites them in.

3. Embrace the Fifth Wall

Aside from religious architecture and iconic examples like the Sistine Chapel, ceilings have long been either white surfaces that were placeholders for lighting, or natural materials used for construction. They are often missed design opportunities, sometimes referred to as “the fifth wall.” Ceilings provide another dimension for architects and interior designers to work with: They can articulate a room’s shape, scale and proportions to divide and define spaces.

Webb Chapel Park Pavilion by Studio Joseph

The Webb Chapel Park Pavilion is an excellent example of using color to draw attention to this fifth wall. Studio Joseph made the heavy shell of concrete open to reveal four playful, pyramidal voids in the roof. Not only a surprise of color, the ceiling serves as a natural ventilation system based on a traditional “palapa:” encouraging the hot Texas air to move through the pavilion. Convection breezes are increased as the bold volume perceptually lifts away from the ground.

4. Understand the Psychology of Color

Color makes a small room feel larger, or a spacious one feel more intimate, and you can design a space so that it fits the right scale for your desired concept. When used in the right ways, color can even save on energy consumption.

Educational Center in El Chaparral by Alejandro Muñoz Miranda

As part of Alejandro Muñoz Miranda’s airy Educational Center in El Chaparral, the building’s orientation in space and treatment of light and void makes the classrooms uncompressed glass appear. These colorful “fissures” in the facade mean that controlled light will be colored in dynamic areas of the corridor or in the outside covered playground. Inside the classroom, these cracks change the atmosphere and spatial experience.

5. Bring it All Together

It’s important to remember that color doesn’t exist in isolation. While you can use it to highlight a specific surface or space, it’s part of a larger interior design approach and contextual response. Color can bring psychological, environmental and sustainable benefits, and at the same time, work with diverse materials and assemblies.

South Los Angeles High by Brooks + Scarpa

In Brooks + Scarpa’s new South Los Angeles High, the perforated, yellow aluminum façade panels of the building creates an ever-changing screen that sparkles in the sun and glows at night, while simultaneously providing shade to cool the building, reducing noise, enhancing privacy but still allowing for views, great natural light and ventilation through its millions of perforations. The material reappears as a strategic arrangement of screens around the building, lending a subtle rhythm to the exterior circulation.

For more vibrant examples of colorful architecture around the world, check out The Color of Architecture: 72 Projects Spanning the Spectrum.

Have you got awesome architectural drawings to share? If so, we want to hear from you: Register for the One Drawing Challenge for a chance to win $2,500!

The post Young Architect Guide: 5 Tips for Designing with Color appeared first on Journal.

Have you got awesome architectural drawings to share? If so, we want to hear from you: Register for the One Drawing Challenge for a chance to win $2,500!

Minimalist living and nature go hand-in-hand. Respecting the land and practicing sustainable approaches, a new wave of people are moving to more rural areas over the last decade. Usually taking up residence in secluded and private natural settings, they are often living in cabins built to promote rest, relaxation, and contemplation. These projects celebrate the outdoors through streamlined detailing and a light touch.

Taking inspiration from vernacular craft and local building traditions, cabins are a unique form of rural retreats. Views are paramount between quiet mountains, dense forests and tranquil valleys. The following set of cabins look at minimalist living environments through a range of scales and layouts. Reflecting a turn towards more direct connections to nature, they represent a play between transparency, light and enclosure.

Kicking Horse Residence by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Golden, Canada

Located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Kicking Horse Residence was designed to accommodate larger family groups and directly connect to the landscape. The house is arranged as two elements on the site: a dense bar along the northern edge containing the sleeping and bath spaces, and an open shell with living and dining spaces oriented toward the extraordinary mountain views.

Diane Middlebrook Writers’ Cabins by CCS Architecture NY, Woodside, Calif.

These Writer’s Cabins are part of the Djerassi Resident Artists Program in rural Woodside. They feature four work/sleep areas with a freestanding, pre-engineered steel roof assembly with solar panels. The cabins were designed for month-long residencies by writers, poets, composers, and playwrights. All are aimed at the southern and western views but skewed a few degrees from each other, giving the arrangement a looseness that contrasts with the linear rigidity of the roof.

Clear Lake House by MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects, Parry Sound, Canada

Designed as a contemporary and modern cottage, Clear Lake House was created with a tent-like envelope that encompasses the interior and exterior program. Advocating an intimate scale within its forested site, the house takes advantage of the sloped site and views to the nearby lake. Three different programmatic volumes were crafted around privacy, views and separation.

Nisser Micro Cabin by Feste Landscape / Architecture, Nissedal, Telemark, Norway

This private residence was made as a floating micro cabin. Due to the local planning restrictions of the Nisser lake in Telemark, Norway, the prototype has been designed on stilts. From a sustainability point of view, the micro cabin offers an alternative to the emerging trend in the Norwegian holiday home market of luxury cabins with sprawling footprints.

False Bay Writer’s Cabin by Olson Kundig, San Juan County, WA, United States

This 500 square foot island cabin serves as a private writer’s retreat and guest cottage. The owners wanted a space that would feel totally connected to the natural landscape, allowing them to take full advantage of the mild climate, scenic views and the proximity to wildlife; at the same time, they needed the cabin to be easily secured when not in use.

Woodland Cabin by De Rosee Sa, United Kingdom

Set on the edge of a wood, this new cabin replaces an old dilapidated structure. The openings respond to different views and approaches to the cabin to capture the natural beauty of the surroundings. The internal space has been designed for various uses including working, sleeping and socializing, and is heated by a wood burning stove.

Teitipac Cabin by LAMZ Arquitectura, Oaxaca, Mexico

Located on a hill, this project comprises two small and simple volumes. By impacting the smallest possible surface and almost without altering the terrain, the existing vegetation of oaks and copal trees is respected. The compositional scheme of the volumes responds to different levels, burying itself to the south and flying towards the north, so the project is in a direct dialogue with nature.

Colorado Outward Bound School Micro Cabins by Colorado Building Workshop / University of Colorado Denver, Leadville, CO, United States

Located on a steep hillside in a lodgepole pine forest, these cabins were designed as micro dormitories for a community of outdoor educators. The cabins sit lightly on the landscape, directing views from private spaces towards trees, rock outcroppings and distant mountain views of the Mosquito Range. More public “community” views are directed into social spaces that develop from the organization of the cabins in relationship to one another.

Hood Cliff Retreat by Wittman Estes, WA, United States

A series of family cabins hidden in the forest and overlooking Washington’s Hood Canal, the Hood Cliff Retreat is located on a 1.13 acre site atop a bluff on a wooded site on the western shore of Hood Canal in the Pacific Northwest. As avid bird watchers and naturalists, the clients wanted an indoor outdoor family retreat that would immerse them in the stillness of the forest and capture the delicate Washington sunlight and views toward Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountains to the west.

Rabbit Snare Gorge by Omar Gandhi Architect, Inverness, Canada

Before there was a site, there was an idea of a cabin in nature. As the Northeastern seaboard urbanized, the client longed for an escape to a wilder land. To leverage the surrounding landscape, the home would put the outdoor environment on display and encourage the occupants to get out and explore the terrain. The cabin is the primary dwelling on a 46-acre parcel of land found on the rugged wooded coastline of rural Cape Breton.

Have you got awesome architectural drawings to share? If so, we want to hear from you: Register for the One Drawing Challenge for a chance to win $2,500!

The post Architectural Drawings: 10 Cabin Plans for Minimalist Living appeared first on Journal.

Graduating architecture students have experienced a surreal end to their courses this year, with the pandemic depriving them of a physical final exhibition and graduation celebration. This unique situation should not take away from these students’ talent and innovation, and they deserve huge credit for their incredible hard work this year.

The question is, how can you get your work seen by architecture firms and elevate your resumé as you begin the hunt for a job in practice? One way could be to enter the One Drawing Challenge, a global ideas competition with a simple design brief and big prizes.

Open for entries until midnight ET on August 28th, the One Drawing Challenge poses a simple question: Can you tell a powerful story about architecture with a single drawing? Your drawings could earn you $2,500 and get your project seen by thousands of top architecture firms in the process. Here’s how to get involved:

Architectural drawing by Emi Nakajima; via Instagram

The Challenge

The task is as follows: Create a single drawing that communicates a new architectural proposal or existing piece of architecture, and the experience of those that would inhabit it. It can be located anywhere in the world and be at any scale. It can take the form of a plan, section, elevation, perspective or sketch. As long as it portrays part or all of a building or group of buildings, it is eligible.

If this sounds like hard work, look on the bright side: it’s likely you’ve already created an amazing drawing for your final review. If that’s the case, your submission is ready and waiting to go!

Enter the One Drawing Challenge

You must write a short paragraph to accompanying your drawing — no longer than 150 words — that describes your drawing and the story it tells. This could include but is not restricted to descriptions of the formal, atmospheric and poetic qualities of the buildings and spaces shown in your drawing. There are no specific requirements here — be creative!

If you’ve got an existing drawing you’re proud of, this is your chance to show it off on a global stage — or produce a brand new drawing especially for the challenge! Either way, we can’t wait to see what you come up with.

Now, we can hear you asking: How can I maximize my chance of winning or securing a place among the finalists? Read on …

Architectural drawing by Jeff Murray; via Instagram

Competition fees and guidelines

There is a submission fee which helps us keep our engines running and hosting competitions like this one, but we want to make the program as accessible to students as possible. For this reason, fees are lower for all students and recent graduates, with an additional 30% discount on additional entries should you have more than one drawing you’d like to submit.

Head this way for complete competition guidelines and eligibility.

The Judging Criteria

The judging process for the One Drawing Challenge is designed to reflect the multi-faceted qualities of architectural drawings. Our outstanding cast of jurors will be asked to select winning entries based on their communicative and aesthetic qualities, as well as their potential to “go viral” on social media. Entries that stand out in one or more of the following categories stand a great chance of being a Winner.

The Jury will evaluate drawings based on the following criteria:

1. Communication

Unlike a piece of art, the most important quality of an architectural drawing is its ability to communicate the design intent behind an architectural proposal. Further to this, a good drawing can tell the story of a building and those that might inhabit it in a single snapshot. The image can communicate many different things and focus on one or more of the following aspects: Spatial layout, technical details, materials, connections between architectural elements, relationship to context, the transition between spaces, and more.

2. Aesthetics

A beautiful drawing is undeniably appealing, but at their best, the aesthetics of a drawing are about more than just beauty. They convey the essence of the architecture they are portraying, and the atmosphere of a space. A well-considered drawing can portray a specific architectural language that speaks to the author’s wider design philosophy. Aesthetics may also concern the portrayal of an untidy, chaotic or even “ugly” brand of architecture to paint a powerful picture of certain environments.

3. Impact and “Shareability”

When communication and aesthetics are perfectly combined, they can produce an image that is eagerly shared among a huge design-oriented community. Virality is not an exact science, but Instagram experts understand the bold qualities that make an image memorable and shareable. The ingredients of a viral architectural drawing include but are not limited to: Bold geometry, unusual angles, rich color combinations, sharp contrasts, rhythmic patterns and strong legibility.

Architectural Sketch by Giuliana Flavia Cangelosi; via Instagram

Those are the key factors to consider — but this competition is deliberately left open to interpretation. It’s up to you to decide how one tells a story with a drawing, and what you want that story to be.

If you have specific questions about the competition, check out the One Drawing Challenge FAQs, and if you have a further inquiry that is not answered there, you can reach out to us at competitions@architizer.com.

Enter the One Drawing Challenge

The post Architecture Students: Enter This Summer’s Biggest Ideas Competition appeared first on Journal.

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The National Association of City Transportation Officials has released a handy guide to temporary street reconfigurations to facilitate safer and more efficient services and activities during the COVID–19 crisis. The document comprises a variety of 3D diagrams, each showing different ways that streets can be reprogrammed for different stages of the pandemic, including the expansion of pedestrian zones, safe outdoor dining, space for emergency services, and layouts for safe protest.

“Adaptive use of streets can lead the global response and recovery to this crisis, keeping people safe and moving while holding cities together,” said Janette Sadik-Khan, Chair of the National Association of City Transportation Officials and Principal at Bloomberg Associates. The following 15 diagrams suggest just some of the ways in which streets can be utilized for different functions throughout the crisis, with an eye to more permanent solutions in post-pandemic urban planning.

1. Critical Services

Goal: Provide space for critical/temporary food, sanitation, health, medical, or social services distribution centers.

Context: Near key essential destinations such as markets, clinics, community centers, and transit stops. Adjacent to hospitals or medical centers that require additional capacity.

Key Steps

• Identify and prioritize relevant locations based on city demographic/health data and medical center locations.
• Work with local medical centers to forecast where expanded capacity might be needed.
• Fully or partially close streets to erect tents, distributions centers, or mobile stations.

Timeline: Days to weeks.

Duration: Hours, days, weeks or months.

2. Managing Speeds

Goal: Manage vehicle speeds to enhance the safety of all street users.

Context: Streets with long, straight stretches or inadequate traffic-calming infrastructure; intersections with wide turning radii. Wide, typically congested streets currently experiencing higher vehicle speeds. Citywide speed limit reductions, critical corridors; specific streets, intersections and zones.

Key Steps

• Reduce the posted speed limit to a level consistent with eliminating serious injuries and update markings and signs.
• Deploy quick-build designs and/or pair with other street or public space interventions.
• Publicize speed limit and anti-speeding message with media campaigns.

Timeline: Days to weeks to plan, hours or days to implement.

Duration: Days to months.

3. Sidewalk Extensions

Goal: Provide space for people to comply with physical distancing guidelines while walking or waiting.

Context: Along main/high streets and major thoroughfares with essential businesses/services, high transit use, or crowded recreational paths. On streets with narrow or missing sidewalks that cannot be converted to local traffic only.

Key Steps

• Convert curbside parking or motor vehicle lane to pedestrian space.
• Protect lane with reflective barriers such as freestanding delineators or traffic barrels.

Timeline: Days to plan, hours to implement.

Duration: Days to months.

4. Safe Crossings

Goal: Improve crossings to help people walk/ bike safely given increased volumes and changing travel patterns.

Context: Crossings at or near essential services (pharmacies, hospitals, grocery stores, transit stops, parks, etc.) Mid-block locations with high crossing demand, especially on multi-lane streets. Streets with transit stops at unsignalized locations, fast or high-volume traffic, and/or high crash rates.

Key Steps

• Use vertical elements to delineate curb extensions or refuge islands.
• Shorten crossing distance and reduce speeding by repurposing or narrowing vehicle lanes.
• Apply reflective traffic tape or paint to delineate pedestrian space and increase crosswalk visibility.

Timeline: Days.

Duration: Weeks, months, years.

5. Slow Streets

Goal: Reduce traffic volume and speed to a minimum so that people can walk, bike and run safely.

Context: Streets with low vehicle volume and low to moderate speeds, where vehicle volumes have dropped, or serve redundant through-traffic role during COVID disruptions.

Key Steps

• Install temporary traffic barriers and “Local Traffic Only”, Slow/Shared, or branded signs (e.g. “Stay Healthy Streets”) at main vehicle entry points.
• For neighborhoods, establish a grid of entry points into the local street network where barricades should be installed.
• Identify stewards to take care of and monitor barricades.
• Allow local access, deliveries, and emergency vehicles.

Timeline: One week.

Duration: Days to months.

6. Open / Play Streets

Goal: Provide safe space for physical activity, play, distant socializing, etc.

Context: Parkways or waterfront corridors with few intersections. Low-volume residential streets. Commercial streets with local restaurant/retail clusters and no transit.

Key Steps

• Install temporary traffic barriers and “Emergency Vehicle/Delivery Only” signs at intersections.
• Establish grid of entry points into local streets where barricades should be installed.

Timeline: One week.

Duration: Time of day, day of week, weekends, or ongoing (weeks, months).

7. Bike and Roll Lanes

Goal: Provide space for essential workers and others to bike and roll safely while maintaining sufficient physical distance from others.

Context: Multilane streets, streets with wide lanes where demand is high. Streets that provide access to hospitals and other essential services; connector routes to parks and other open spaces.

Key Steps

• Convert curbside parking or motor vehicle lane to bike lane. Optional: convert adjacent vehicle lane to passenger or freight loading, or parking.
• Designate start of lane with a barrier and sign, positioned so as not to block cyclists.
• Use reflective barriers such as traffic cones, flexible posts, bollards, plastic barriers, freestanding delineators, or traffic barrels.

Timeline: Days to plan, hours to implement.

Duration: Days to months.

8. Transit Lanes

Goal: Provide or expand transit-only/ transit-priority lanes to make onstreet transit a reliable and efficient form of transportation for the people who need it most.

Context: High-ridership transit corridors and routes that serve transit-dependent communities and essential businesses/services.

Key Steps

• Convert curbside parking or motor vehicle lanes to surface transit lanes.
• Designate the transit lane with lane markings, regulatory signs, electronic signs if available, and vertical elements such as cones.

Timeline: Weeks to plan, days/weeks to implement.

Duration: Several months to two to three years.

9. Transit Stops and Access

Goal: Provide sufficient waiting area for transit passengers and allow reardoor/all-door boarding to reduce queuing and boarding time.

Context: Transit stops with high daily boardings or boardings concentrated at specific times of day. Transit stops on sidewalks that are too busy or too narrow for physically distant waiting.

Key Steps

• Deploy platforms with interim materials, such as curbs plus asphalt and modular islands
• Install ramps, crosswalks, and safety islands to access mid-block stops.
• Ease rear boarding via mobile ticketing, on-board contactless payment, and off-board fare collection.

Timeline: Days to weeks to plan, hours to weeks to implement.

Duration: Months to years.

10. Pick-Up and Delivery Zones

Goal: Convert curbside parking spaces or travel lanes to high-turnover pick-up or delivery zones serving essential businesses.

Context: Most relevant at restaurants, laundromats, pharmacies, and other essential services.

Key Steps

• Use spray chalk, paint, stickers, or traffic tape, as needed to delineate space.
• Alter management and enforcement policy, and cover meters or machines.
• Set time limits (~10 minutes max.) to enable turnover/quick access to essential services.

Timeline: Days to plan, hours to implement.

Duration: Days to months.

11. Outdoor Dining

Goal: Provide space for outdoor dining so that restaurants can comply with physical distancing guidelines while resuming dine-in operations.

Context: Where restaurants, cafes, food stalls, and/or street food vendors are clustered along several blocks.

Key Steps

• Identify restaurant clusters and designate ‘dining street’ zones.
• Waive existing permit fees for outdoor dining within preselected zones, as necessary.
• Establish clear occupancy standards (e.g. table counts) for ‘dining street’ zones.

Timeline: One week.

Duration: Months.

12. Markets

Goal: Expand market footprints into adjacent streets to relieve crowding and support physical distancing.

Context: Streets with permanent or active open-air markets. Streets adjacent to market buildings or public spaces with markets. Periodic farmers markets.

Key Steps

• Allocate street space to allow markets an expanded footprint to operate with safe physical distancing.
• Alter management and enforcement policy.
• Define safe layout and spacing for vendor stalls and circulation routes based on local physical distancing guidelines.

Timeline: Days to plan, hours to implement.

Duration: Hours, days, months, or permanent.

13. School Streets

Goal: Provide outdoor classroom and recreation space, and safe pick-up/ drop-off and health check zones.

Context: Streets and parking lots adjacent to schools, daycares, and facilities used by students and children. Streets near and around schools used as routes for walking and rolling to school.

Key Steps

• Provide car-free on-street space for schools and care facilities to conduct classes and hold recess and assemblies.
• Create safe routes to schools using expanded sidewalks, bike and roll lanes, safe crossings, and speed management.

Timeline: Days to weeks to plan, hours to implement.

Duration: Hours, months, or long-term.

14. Streets for Protest

Goal: Facilitate safe access to public spaces for demonstration and protest as a fundamental civic right.

Context: Iconic parks, streets, and squares typically used for demonstrations or rallies. Decentralized in neighborhood public spaces and streets. Large streets and bridges; locations of community or historical significance.

Key Steps

• Iconic parks, streets, and squares typically used for demonstrations or rallies.
• Decentralized in neighborhood public spaces and streets.
• Large streets and bridges; locations of community or historical significance.

Timeline: Hours to days.

Duration: Days, weeks, months.

15. Gatherings and Events

Goal: Use full or partial street closures to provide outdoor space for cultural, religious, or civic gatherings.

Context: Low-volume residential streets, laneways, or pedestrian streets. Commercial streets or other corridors with no transit. Multi-lane streets with low vehicular volumes. City or organization-owned parking lots and open-air garages.

Key Steps

• Install temporary traffic barriers and “Local Traffic Only” or “Road Closed” signs matching closure type.
• Identify agency and local stewards to install and monitor barricades during events.
• Ensure access for essential deliveries and emergency vehicles.

Timeline: Days to one week.

Duration: Hours, days, weeks.

Check out the complete PDF guide Streets for Pandemic Response & Recovery for more details and context around the above diagrams.

Architects: Showcase your next project through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter.

Top Image via Condé Naste Traveller

The post 15 Ways to Reconfigure Streets During the COVID Pandemic appeared first on Journal.

The coronavirus pandemic is an ongoing global crisis. While case numbers have declined in certain parts of the world, they are spiking dramatically in others. All across the globe, national governments are bracing themselves for a second wave of infections, hoping that new protocols for contact tracing and social distancing will allow them to contain the spread until an effective vaccine becomes available.

In this situation, the idea of a coronavirus memorial might seem premature. The pandemic, one could argue, does not yet belong to history, but to the present.

Italian architect Angelo Renna sees things differently. In early July, he proposed a coronavirus memorial for his home country, which has lost a staggering 35,000 people to the virus, most of whom died during the early months of pandemic.

Renna’s scheme would see Milan’s iconic football stadium, San Siro, transformed into a massive cypress forest where mourners could pay tribute to their lost loved ones. Milan was an epicenter of the virus in the early months of the pandemic, so the location of the memorial here is significant.

Built in 1926 and massively updated for the 1990 World Cup, San Siro is one of Milan’s most famous buildings as well as the largest football stadium in Italy. Nevertheless, the stadium is slated for demolition, as the football clubs AC Milan and Inter Milan move forward with plans to build a larger, more modern stadium nearby. Renna believes that the opportunity to preserve the stadium is an important advantage of his proposal.

“My proposal involves the transformation of the existing stadium into something completely different from its current use so that we can give this place a new identity – a second life,” said Renna. “Maintaining the body by modifying its use. It may seem like a contrasting choice, but I personally see it more as an opportunity to create something unique and special for those people who have lost their beloved ones.”

The first step in the plan involves removing the stadium’s roof and taking out the seating. The stands would then be covered with earth, in which 35,000 cypress trees would be planted, reflecting the approximate number of lives that have been lost to coronavirus in Italy. The central area, where the football field once was, will be a grassy area where visitors can wander.

“The cypress is a common ornamental tree cultivated for millennia throughout the whole Mediterranean region,” Renna explained.

“The dark green vertical shape of these trees is a highly characteristic signature of cemeteries and sacred spaces, like a symbol of immortality, emblem of life after death,” he continued. “The cypress is also a tree that thanks to its intricate and thick crown provide habitat for many birds, dormice, squirrels, lizards, and many other animals.”

Renna’s idea to create a monument that is also a living forest is compelling. And situating this forest within the husk of a building that already has meaning for the people of Milan adds another interesting layer. Rather than create a monument with a fixed identity—such as a statue—he is proposing one that will exist in a state of flux and change.

The concept of a memorial that is a living, changing entity echoes ideas put forward by the philosopher Jacque Derrida on the subject of mourning.  For Derrida, the mourning process does not have a fixed beginning or end. Rather, people begin to mourn—or process loss—even before the loss occurs, as they acknowledge that the people they value most will someday pass away.

The anticipation of future losses is a key part of what Derrida called “the work of mourning,” which he saw as a constitutive part of the human experience. As humans, we must cope with the possibility of loss even as we process the losses we have already endured. There is never a moment of pure rest and contemplation; “the work of mourning” is performed in the flux of life.

As Derrida would say, we have a “responsibility to mourn” the victims of coronavirus, even while we are preparing to battle the virus in the future. Renna’s memorial, and the timing of his proposal, seems to embody this sentiment. It will be interesting to see if it comes to fruition.

All images courtesy of Dezeen. 

The post A Second Life: Angelo Renna Proposes a Vast Coronavirus Memorial in San Siro Stadium appeared first on Journal.

Finally, after an immense period of anticipation — and hundreds of thousands of online votes — we are excited to reveal the winners of the 8th Annual A+Awards! Founded on the premise of democratizing architecture, the A+Awards is the industry’s largest and most international awards program honoring the best architecture, spaces and products from across the globe.

Without further ado, explore every winner in the Jury and Popular Choice winner here:

See the Winners of the 2020 A+Awards

In time to global upheaval, this season’s theme — The Future of Architecture — elevates those designs that are transforming society and the built environment for generations to come. 2020 winners includes innovative projects and products by renowned industry leaders and emerging talents alike. A compendium of 2020 architecture winners, published by Phaidon, will be released in early 2021. Here is a visual taste of this year’s extraordinary A+Awards winners…

Chimney House by Atelier DAU, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Architecture +Building Small category

Forest of Numbers by emmanuelle moureaux architecture + design, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Architecture +Color category

Leeza SOHO by Zaha Hadid Architects, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Office – High Rise (16+ Floors) category; image © Hufton + Crow

Mountain House in Mist, Zhejiang by Shulin Architectural Design, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Pavilion category

Olympic House by 3XN, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Architecture +Stairs category

Capsule hotel in a rural library by Atelier TAO+C, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Libraries category; image © su shengliang

Skigard Hytte by Mork Ulnes Architects, 2020 A+Award Jury Winner in the Private House (M 1000-3000 sq ft) category; photo by Bruce Damonte Photography

Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation at the American Museum by Studio Gang, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Unbuilt Cultural category; rendering by MIR

In its 8th season, the A+Awards received over 5,000 entries from 100+ countries, with a special emphasis on honoring projects that respond to imminent global challenges such as climate change, urbanization and migration, rising inequity, and pandemic. Notable Jurors included Amanda Levete (Principal, AL_A), Christian Benimana (Director, Africa Design Centre), David de Rothschild (explorer and climate activist), Aric Chen (curator, Design Miami/Basel), Neri Oxman (designer and faculty, MIT Media Lab), and many more. A Jury-selected Winner and a Popular Choice Winner were awarded in each of the 115 categories, with over 400,000 votes cast by the voting public.

In addition to the Jury and Popular Choice winners, Special Honoree Awards are being presented to six key works this year. The 2020 Honoree Awards include:

• Beijing Daxing International Airport (Zaha Hadid Architects)
• Thammasat University Urban Rooftop Farm (LANDPROCESS)
• Temporary Site of Shengli Market (LUO studio)
• Solar Carve (40 Tenth Ave) (Studio Gang)
• MuseumLab (Koning Eizenberg Architects)
• Pingelly Recreation and Cultural Centre (iredale pedersen hook and Advanced Timber Concepts Studio)

With projects ranging from rural community centers to national transportation infrastructure, these Honoree Awards demonstrate the extraordinary impact of architecture at both local and global scales, highlighting works that act as new models for communities and cities worldwide.

Introducing the Inaugural A+Firm Awards

The incredible success of this year’s A+Awards has surfaced the potential to reward not just the world’s best architecture, but also the talented teams that make it a reality. We are therefore thrilled to announce that the 1st Annual A+Firm Awards will launch this fall. The A+Firm Awards will spotlight the best firms in the AEC industry, giving innovative companies the global recognition they deserve. It promises to be the world’s largest awards program designed explicitly to reward studios of all sizes, geographies, and specializations.

To register your interest for the Inaugural A+Firm Awards and secure an exclusive Early Bird Discount on your firm’s submission, head this way:

Register for the A+Firm Awards

Thank you to every single participant in this year’s A+Awards — the world of architecture and design is richer thanks to your hard work and dedication, and we are honored to be able to share your work with the world. Watch out for special coverage of this year’s A+Award Winners and Special Honorees on Architizer Journal and across social media throughout the coming weeks!

Top image: Qishe Courtyard by ARCHSTUDIO, 2020 A+Award Jury Winner in the Architecture +Renovation category.

The post The World’s Best Designs: Announcing the Winners of the 8th Annual A+Awards! appeared first on Journal.

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Remote working will almost certainly remain a permanent part of office culture, at least to some extent, after the current coronavirus crisis subsides. The long-term effects of this shift are still uncertain but the longer the crisis continues, the clearer it becomes that, for jobs that can be carried out remotely, at least some amount of distant working will likely continue in perpetuity.

For the architecture profession, this presents both challenges and opportunities. Advantages and disadvantages design firms might face by embracing remote working indefinitely include considerations around the amount of office space used, expanding a firm’s potential labor pool by hiring permanently remote staff, and expanding a firm’s potential project pool by pursuing work in distant locations.

via Free-Photos from Pixabay

How Much Space Do You Really Need?

Among architecture firms that rent office space, the rent paid on that space is often their largest single expense. At the same time, a study from June 2020 found that a majority of jobs in the architecture and engineering professions can be done completely remote. Thus, for firms used to housing every employee in a single space, maintaining a certain amount of permanently remote staff is an opportunity to drastically lower overhead costs.

Certain tasks, of course, cannot be done from home. Regular project site visits during construction administration are obviously location-dependent, and the back-and-forth process an architectural team needs to carry out among themselves during this and other key phases of a project’s life is also greatly enhanced with face-to-face contact. Furthermore, the atmosphere of a dedicated, professional setting, as well as the experience of commuting to a workspace, even if only occasionally, could have a positive effect on some people’s quality of life and productivity.

Given the relative success many firms have had with 2020’s abrupt transition to remote working, an efficient middle ground could involve renting an office sized to house only a portion of a firm’s staff, then dividing the use of that space with rotating schedules based on a person’s position or a project’s phase. In this case, some positions could be entirely remote while others might rotate in and out of shared desks on a regular or flexible basis.

via mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

Expanding Your Labor Pool

A key threshold to consider is whether some staff might work completely remote all the time. If such an arrangement isn’t problematic for a person’s position or preferences, then the upside for a firm could be substantial. Maintaining permanently remote employees theoretically allows an architecture firm to hire staff from anywhere in the world, giving them access to the largest possible labor pool with the least amount of competitive restrictions.

However, there are considerable obstacles to this model. Architecture tends to be a regionally fragmented profession, due to local licensing requirements and the necessity of site visits during construction. While these issues rule out hiring someone on the other side of the world to stamp drawings or supervise construction, positions focused on producing digital deliverables, like concept or early technical drawings, are ripe for designers working fully remote.

Hiring permanently remote employees removes the economic obstacles that have typically prevented firms from taking advantage of a global talent pool, such as relocation or visa costs. An exceptionally organized architect could even exploit these advantages as far as designing 24-hour production schedules to make the most of various time zones, or building a practice around a single designer by assembling and disbanding project teams on an ad-hoc basis. Regardless of the ends being pursued, any firm hiring staff in distant locations should take a close look at their local labor regulations before doing so.

V&A Dundee, Scotland, designed by Tokyo and Paris-based Kengo Kuma and Associates in collaboration with delivery architect PiM.studio Architects

Expanding Your Project Pool

Going hand-in-hand with utilizing a remote labor pool, the prospect of widespread remote working could also broaden the horizons of firms interested in pursuing projects anywhere in the world. Not only does this substantially expand the number of projects available for a firm to pursue, it also gives architects more options in the type of projects they want to take on and the type of clients they’d like to work with.

It should be noted that this practice is only viable under very specific conditions. Currently, just a small handful of architecture firms rely on a steady stream of global projects, typically brought in by the renown of a famous designer, then carried out only through conceptual or early technical phases while a second architect is hired to produce documents in line with local regulations. Thus, the only way a relatively unknown firm could successfully pursue projects outside their region is if they can team with a local firm to complete them for much cheaper than that same local firm could do on its own.

As rare as this arrangement is right now, the recent expansion of remote working may open opportunities for small, young firms operating in low-cost areas or with fully remote staff to successfully pursue conceptual design work in high-cost areas, such as large cities. Making successful teaming arrangements and building long-term relationships with a wide network of geographically dispersed architects would be a key concern for any designers interested in pursuing such a path.

Regardless how it happens, it’s clear that once Covid-19 is contained, social norms and expectations around work will be forever changed. The architecture profession is no more exempt than any other in this regard, and forward-thinking designers would be wise to start planning for that future today.

Architects: Showcase your next project through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter.

Top image via Free-Photos from Pixabay

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Architects: Showcase your next project through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter

Singapore-based architecture studio ADDP has unveiled designs for two 56-story towers in Singapore that will be built using Prefabricated, Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC), making them the tallest prefabricated buildings in the world.

Named Avenue South Residences, the pair of towers is scheduled for completion in 2026 and will sit amongst five historically preserved buildings in one of Singapore’s most verdant areas. ADDP sought to contrast these existing, traditional structures with more modern and ecologically-conscious buildings, designed using the latest prefabricated construction techniques. 

“Its location alongside the historical KTM Rail Corridor strengthens its eclectic quality of new versus old, geological heritage versus modern concepts of live-work-play,” said Markus Cheng Thuan Hann, associate partner at ADDP Architects. 

Employing the most advanced approach to sustainable PPVC construction, ADDP estimates that approximately 80% of each housing module will be built off-site, only requiring stacking and joining at the construction site. This more centralized process allows for greater control, promising to greatly reduce construction time on-site and the amount of waste produced.

According to Dezeen, the site where the Avenue South Residences will stand was selected by the government, requiring a minimum level of PPVC. This is part of Singapore’s initiative to improve construction productivity by up to 40% in terms of manpower and time savings.

“To raise construction productivity and fundamentally change the design and construction processes, the industry is encouraged to embrace the concept of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA), where construction is designed and detailed for a substantial portion of work to be done off-site in a controlled manufacturing environment,” stated Hann.

The prefabricated towers are characterized by simple, sharp lines, and will contain over 1,000 residences broken up by a series of 16 “pocket sky terraces” and larger communal terraces on the 19th and 36th stories. According to the architects, Avenue South Residences will be in close dialogue with the surrounding area’s nature and green spaces. 

Furthermore, the north-south orientation of the high-rises optimizes solar exposure and airflow. They will also be positioned in a way to minimize their footprint, altogether forming a highly energy-efficient development. 

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The submissions for Architizer’s inaugural One Photo Challenge were nothing short of spectacular. Hundreds of incredible architectural photographs were submitted from around the globe, all attempting to address the competition’s simple brief: Capture a single image that tells a powerful story about architecture and its inhabitants.

It’s now time to celebrate the best of those photographs: We’re thrilled to introduce the One Photo Challenge eBook, a free-to-download publication featuring all 100 finalists. Explore every image, snapped by talented students and professionals alike (go full screen for the best experience!):

Download One Photo Challenge eBook

One Photo Challenge juror Ema Peter — an award-winning photographer herself — reflected on the winning photographs: “Regardless of the profile of the project, [these photographs] manage to stop you, make you look twice, and feel. They are anything but typical architectural shots. They have so much soul, and richly embody how architecture impacts our life. Architecture in photography cannot stay impersonal; we cannot rely on the perfect light and perfect angle, we need to show the unexpected and tell a story.”

The opening pages include exclusive interviews with our two Top Winners: Bruce Engel of BE_Design and Chris Hytha, a student at Drexel University. The 10 Commended Entries are featured next, followed by 88 more stellar submissions, accompanied by the story behind each project.

In addition to featuring first in this publication, our two Top Winners each received:

• $2,500 prize money
• Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod
• Long Exposure Filter Kit
• 20′ x 30′ MetalPrint
• 8″ Smart Display
• Publication in the inaugural “One Photo” eBook
• An exclusive interview discussing their photograph, published in Architizer Journal

The “One Photo” eBook will be distributed to thousands of architecture firms via Architizer’s newsletter and social media channels. Thank you to all participants for their hard work in creating these amazing visualizations and telling fascinating stories about architecture!

If you’re interested in entering the next One Photo Challenge, be sure to sign up for updates by clicking the blue button below.

Register for the 2nd Annual One Photo Challenge

The post Free eBook: 100 Architectural Photographs That Capture Our World appeared first on Journal.

New York is known for its museums. Before their closure due to COVID, iconic museums like the Met, MoMA, and the Museum of Natural History would draw millions of tourists to the city each year.

Next to these major institutions, New York’s smaller museums are often overshadowed. This is a shame. New York City isn’t just an international megalopolis, it also has its own local history, which is reflected wonderfully in the city’s great house museums. These include the Merchant House Museum in the East Village, the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, and the Edgar Allan Poe cottage in the Bronx.

A plaster dog guards the entrance to the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona, Queens.

The most charming house museum of all can be found in Corona, Queens, a neighborhood that the New York Times’ M.H. Miller described as “a suburb wedged into the city.” The Louis Armstrong House Museum is where the jazz great lived from 1943 until he passed away in 1971, and it stands today not just as a testament to his musical legacy, but as a remarkable, real-life example of suburban midcentury design.

Lucille Armstrong decided to purchase a house in Corona because it was an integrated working class neighborhood.

The 3,000 square foot, two bedroom house is anything but ostentatious. Louis’s wife Lucille purchased the house behind her husband’s back during a period when he was often on the road. (This is a story for another article). Although Louis was, at the time, one of the world’s best-known and most esteemed entertainers, Lucille wasn’t looking for luxury. She wanted to settle down in a low-key neighborhood, which is why she selected Corona, where she had spent part of her childhood.

Louis, too, appreciated the fact that Corona was an everyday, working-class neighborhood. He also loved the fact that it was among the first integrated neighborhoods in New York. At the time Corona was home to a mix of mostly African-American and Italian families.

From the outside, the house looks just like the other detached houses on the block, save for the fact that it has a brick façade rather than the more common vinyl siding. The façade was originally vinyl, but Lucille replaced it with brick to give the property a more stately feel. When construction began, Louis told the other homeowners on the block that he would pay for their houses to be outfitted in brick too, if they were interested. (He never liked standing out—except on stage). A few did take up the offer, which is why there is a scattering of brick houses on the block today.

In the guest room, the botanical pattern on the wallpaper matches the couch. A portrait of Lucille hangs on the wall. 

Inside, however, the house is quite unique, as it is decorated in the exquisite style of another era. The final renovations were made in 1969, with the help of interior decorator Morris Grossberg, and reflect the Armstrongs’ love of eclecticism. “I guess ‘Rococo’ is the word I could use without losing my job,” explained museum director Hyland Harris, adding that no two rooms are alike.

The most ornate room in the house is the first-floor bathroom, featuring floor-to-ceiling mirrors and a sink made from an antique birdbath.

The only room that truly screams “Rococo” is the first floor bathroom, which features floor-to-ceiling gold-rimmed mirrors, a marble bathtub and gold plated swan fixtures. The carved marble sink was created from an antique French birdbath. Reportedly, this was one of Louis’s favorite rooms in the house.

This state-of-the-art 1969 kitchen features custom-made appliances by Crown.

The kitchen was described by Miller as an example of “space age futurism,” perhaps inspired by the 1964 World’s Fair, which took place just blocks from the house in Flushing-Meadows Corona Park.

“There are clear acrylic shelving units, a blender installed into a countertop, a can opener built into a wall and a bespoke Crown stove with six burners, two broilers, two ovens and a small gold placard that reads ‘Custom Made by Crown for Mr. and Mrs. Louis Armstrong,’” Miller explains. “The cabinets are lacquered a deep blue — a shade that, in a certain light, looks like the color of the Earth as seen from space, a hue similar to Lucille’s beloved Cadillac.”

Visitors describe the living room as nostalgic. It is one of the more subdued sections of the house.

The living room is a bit more subdued and visitors to the museum often find it nostalgic, according to Harris. The carpeting is plush and the furniture tastefully minimalist. Against the wall, there is a small upright piano that displays a Louis Armstrong bobblehead figurine.

Louis’s slippers are still tucked away in the bedroom.

The personal touches are really what brings this house museum to life. Lucille’s portrait hangs in the incredible guest room, in which the upholstery of the couch matches the botanical pattern of the wallpaper. And in the bedroom, a half-used bottle of Louis’s favorite Lanvin cologne still stands on the dresser.

Louis’s den is the room that captivates the most visitors.

The upstairs den is the room that usually captivates visitors the most. “To this day, it houses his liquor cabinet (still stocked as it was at the time of his death, including a half-drunk bottle of Jack Daniel’s), his desk and typewriter, his record collection, which included works by more avant-garde jazz masters (Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk) and his reel-to-reel tape machine, a gadget by which he documented his remarkable talent for the spoken word,” explains Miller.

Louis’s home recordings are a treasure trove for jazz historians.

Louis left behind 700 personal recordings, an incredible resource for jazz historians. In some of them, he speaks about the life he led in the house with Lucille. “She gave me a room and made a den out of it,” Louis says in one recording. “You know what I mean? That really knocked me out.” As a child, he continues, “we couldn’t afford no den . . . we’d rather sleep in that room.”

After Louis died in 1971, Lucille stayed in the house until her own death in 1983, taking care not to make any major changes. She left the house to the city and it is now lovingly maintained by Queens College. Before COVID caused New York City’s museums to shut down, it was receiving about 18,000 visitors per year, which is quite modest for a musician of Louis’s stature. The Louis Armstrong House Museum remains, indeed, one of the city’s true hidden gems.

All photos by Chris Mottalini.

The post Midcentury Time Capsule: Inside Louis Armstrong’s Former Residence appeared first on Journal.

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In recent weeks, Apple Inc. made a bold commitment to having a net-zero carbon footprint across its product life cycles and manufacturing supply chains by 2030. The global technology company has released a 10-year roadmap to entirely erase its carbon footprint 20 years sooner than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) targets.

Described in its 2020 Environmental Progress Report, Apple plans to reduce emissions by 75 percent by 2030 while developing carbon removal solutions for the remaining 25 percent of its footprint. “Climate action can be the foundation for a new era of innovative potential, job creation, and durable economic growth,” stated Apple CEO, Tim Cook.

Apple store, Stanford by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Palo Alto, Calif., United States

The gravity of this move by Apple is predicated on the immense amount of global emissions it has been responsible for in previous years. According to Bloomberg, “…the $16 trillion company was responsible for 25.1 million metric tons of greenhouse-gas emissions in 2019, roughly the same as in 2019 and the same as the annual climate pollution from island nations Cuba and Sri Lanka.” Given the company’s size, scale and influence, Apple certainly plays a pivotal role in shaping standards that drastically impact the environment.

It is important to note that Apple’s facilities — from stores to factories — are already powered entirely by renewables. The bulk of emissions come from suppliers and users of its technology. For example, according to Bloomberg, “About 15% of Apple’s emissions come from users powering Macs and charging iPhones in their homes and offices.” Addressing this issue, Apple’s 10-year road map will be divided into five primary categories: low-carbon product design, expanding energy efficiency, renewable energy, process and material innovations and carbon removal.

Apple is developing an aluminum production method that releases oxygen, instead of greenhouse gases during the smelting process; image via Apple

As part of its mission to reduce carbon in its products, Apple will increase the use of low carbon and recycled materials in its products, innovate in product recycling and design products to be as energy efficient as possible. This includes the deployment of its recycling robot called “Dave”, which disassembles the Taptic Engine from iPhones in order to better recover key materials, such as rare earth magnets and tungsten.

In regards to increasing energy efficiency, Apple claims to have invested in energy efficiency upgrades to over 6.4 million square feet of new and existing buildings. In addition, they announced an investment of $100 million in accelerated energy efficiency projects for Apple’s suppliers through the US-China Green Fund. Furthermore, Apple plans to partner with nonprofit environmental organizations, such as Conservation International, whose work includes restoring degraded savannas in Kenya and a vital mangrove ecosystem in Colombia.

Over 80% of Apple’s renewable energy is derived from projects Apple created; image via Apple

These are just a few of the directives Apple made in its comprehensive environmental progress report. And, progress has already been made. According to Dezeen, “Last year [Apple] reduced its carbon footprint by 4.3 million metric tons, and reduced emissions from man-made fluorinated gases used in manufacturing that contribute to global warming by 242,000 metric tons.” 

Apple is not alone in its fight to mitigate climate change. Recently, Microsoft announced plans to be carbon negative by 2030 and to erase its historical emissions by 2050. Google also announced its goal to have zero emissions by 2030.

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Top image: Apple store, Stanford by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Palo Alto, Calif., United States

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