Old Structures...
Reflections
That’s 21 (left) and 20 West Street, with 17 Battery Place off to the right. This was taken early in...
4 hours ago
That’s 21 (left) and 20 West Street, with 17 Battery Place off to the right. This was taken early in the morning and the facades facing me are the west facades of the buildings. Across West Street, to my right, is a modern apartment house with a mostly-glass facade. It doesn’t...
Old Structures...
Specialization
From 2018, a photo by Carol Highsmith taken from the Empire State Building and showing the variety...
yesterday
From 2018, a photo by Carol Highsmith taken from the Empire State Building and showing the variety of buildings on the east side of midtown south. I think most people will agree that this is a very New Yorky view of New York. The discussion at the “Office To Residential Summit”...
The Architectural...
Four Versions: This Is How Penn Station, NY, Might Look if Rebuilt
You may have heard about ReThinkNYC, a movement and not-for-profit corporation dedicated to...
2 days ago
You may have heard about ReThinkNYC, a movement and not-for-profit corporation dedicated to rebuilding the original Pennsylvania Station in New York through ReThinkPennStationNYC. Collaborating with classical architect Richard Cameron, they have developed three new variations on...
Archinect - Features
Debates Surrounding Architectural Competitions Are Nothing New
In the US architectural profession of the 2020s, and newfound scrutiny over workplace conditions...
2 days ago
In the US architectural profession of the 2020s, and newfound scrutiny over workplace conditions from unpaid overtime to a poor work-life balance, architecture competitions have become the subject of debate over how the profession values itself and is valued by wider society...
CONTEMPORIST
Weathered Steel Covers The Exterior Of This Modern Home In Texas
Photography by Casey Dunn Miró Rivera Architects has shared photos of a home they completed in...
2 days ago
Photography by Casey Dunn Miró Rivera Architects has shared photos of a home they completed in Austin, Texas, which overlooks a sweeping lawn shaded by towering native pecan and bald cypress trees. Photography by Casey Dunn The house is comprised of two wings flanking a central...
Old Structures...
Part Of A Wave
I’m speaking today at the “Office To Residential Summit” a two-day conference on the various...
2 days ago
I’m speaking today at the “Office To Residential Summit” a two-day conference on the various architectural, legal, engineering, and logistics aspects of converting office buildings (of which there are currently more than needed) to apartments (not so much). My talk is about some...
The Modern House
A much-loved modernist townhouse in Sheffield's visionary Park Hill estate
2 days ago
CONTEMPORIST
Black Accents Are Ever Present Throughout This Apartment
Koshulynskyy & Mayer studio has sent us photos of an apartment interior they completed that includes...
3 days ago
Koshulynskyy & Mayer studio has sent us photos of an apartment interior they completed that includes matte black accents throughout its design. The apartment, designed for a family, includes a living room with a dark accent wall, and a large couch in front of a suspended cabinet...
The Modern House
Tiny homes: six homes that prove good things come in at under 600 square feet
3 days ago
The Modern House
Tiny homes: six pocket-sized pads that prove good things come in small packages
A stamp-sized floorplan demands hardworking design – and a finite footprint is a license to get...
3 days ago
A stamp-sized floorplan demands hardworking design – and a finite footprint is a license to get creative with space saving ideas, ingenious storage solutions and volume-accentuating trickery. Here, we’ve collated a selection of some of our punchiest petite offerings, all...
Old Structures...
Somehow, We’re Large-Small
When you look past the good-news headline, there’s some interesting discussion in “NYC’s Small...
3 days ago
When you look past the good-news headline, there’s some interesting discussion in “NYC’s Small Business Recovery: Patterns of Growth in a Changing Economy”, a report from the city’s Economic Development Corporation. The showy headline is that “Total small businesses in NYC...
99% Invisible
The Los Angeles Leaf Blower Wars [EPISODE]
The leaf blower is one of the most hated objects in the modern world. They’re loud, they pollute,...
4 days ago
The leaf blower is one of the most hated objects in the modern world. They’re loud, they pollute, and… how important is a leafless lawn anyway? In a lot of towns and cities, the gas-powered leaf blower has been banned. In others, there are strict guidelines on where and when they...
Contemporist...
The Black Exterior Of This Home Leads To A Pink Kitchen Inside
Paul Archer Design has shared photos of a home they completed in Wivenhoe, England, for an artist...
4 days ago
Paul Archer Design has shared photos of a home they completed in Wivenhoe, England, for an artist who wanted a light-filled interior with room to work and to entertain.
Old Structures...
Metaphorical Significant Figures
Continuing a bit further with yesterday’s line of thinking…what happens if we use the wrong code?...
4 days ago
Continuing a bit further with yesterday’s line of thinking…what happens if we use the wrong code? (I’m going to say now, at the beginning of this post, and I’ll repeat at the end: we can and should use the current codes. I use current codes in analysis and design; I use old codes...
Construction Physics
How to Build an AI Data Center
This piece is the first in a new series from the Institute for Progress (IFP), called Compute in...
5 days ago
This piece is the first in a new series from the Institute for Progress (IFP), called Compute in America: Building the Next Generation of AI Infrastructure at Home. In this series, we examine the challenges of accelerating the American AI data center buildout. Future pieces will...
CONTEMPORIST
This New Home Addition Opens To The Garden
Levitate Architects has shared photos of a modern rear home extension they completed for a home in...
5 days ago
Levitate Architects has shared photos of a modern rear home extension they completed for a home in England, that has folding doors, connecting the interior spaces to the garden. The architects removed the floor of a second rear sitting room and lowered it to the level of the...
Old Structures...
Begging The Question
The title refers to one of the classic logistical fallacies, where an argument is made that assumes...
5 days ago
The title refers to one of the classic logistical fallacies, where an argument is made that assumes its conclusion. The specific instance of this fallacy that often bothers me concerns code updates and existing buildings. Every time a code – for example, the New York City...
CONTEMPORIST
A Brightly Coloured Shelving Unit Helps To Define Areas In This Renovated Apartment
Architecture and design office Dia Uno has shared photos of a refurbished apartment they completed...
6 days ago
Architecture and design office Dia Uno has shared photos of a refurbished apartment they completed in a 1960s suburban neighborhood of Madrid, Spain. One of the key features of the renovated apartment is the inclusion of a metal shelving unit that’s been painted in a bright...
Old Structures...
Complaining For The Sake Of Complaining
I’ve been getting ready for the upcoming construction history congress (more on that to follow in a...
6 days ago
I’ve been getting ready for the upcoming construction history congress (more on that to follow in a few days) and part of that is searching for good images to use for presentation of my paper (ditto). One of the people I’m speaking about is Ole Singstad, who had a fantastic...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: A Perfect Match
Some gangsters in a car, running from The Shadow: A circa 1920 view of the Broad Street roman-temple...
a week ago
Some gangsters in a car, running from The Shadow: A circa 1920 view of the Broad Street roman-temple facade of the New York Stock Exchange, with the Wilks Building immediately to its right and Federal Hall, with George Washington standing out front, on the far right. I don’t know...
The Modern House
Luke Edward Hall: the artist and designer pulls back the curtain to reveal his colourful life story
A boundless creative with a uniquely romantic, rainbow-hued aesthetic, Luke Edward Hall has...
a week ago
A boundless creative with a uniquely romantic, rainbow-hued aesthetic, Luke Edward Hall has reinvigorated our appetite for English Country House Style – and embroidered velvet slippers. For this week’s episode of Homing In, Matt Gibberd gets the invitation we’ve all been waiting...
Archinect - Features
Just Finished Architecture School? Here's Some Advice
As the 2023/2024 academic year draws to a close, architecture graduates across the United States are...
a week ago
As the 2023/2024 academic year draws to a close, architecture graduates across the United States are preparing for the next stage in their design career, be it through employment, further education, journeys into adjacent fields, and beyond. If you are one of the many graduates...
Old Structures...
Delaying The Obvious Solution
The idea behind Columbus Circle was a good one. The corner of a large park (Central Park, in this...
a week ago
The idea behind Columbus Circle was a good one. The corner of a large park (Central Park, in this case) is a good place to have a monumental space. The only problem was reality: the southwest corner of Central Park is the intersection of Central Park West (AKA Eight Avenue),...
Archinect - Features
What Europe Can (and Can’t) Tell the US About Architectural Licensure
In the third part of Archinect In-Depth: Licensure, we reflect on what the United States can learn...
a week ago
In the third part of Archinect In-Depth: Licensure, we reflect on what the United States can learn from the architecture licensure models of other nations. While doing so, we speak with Peggy Deamer, Professor Emerita of Yale University's School of Architecture, whose book...
CONTEMPORIST
A Waterfront A-frame House Renovated With Contemporary Finishes
Joe Herrin, Principal at Heliotrope Architects, has shared photos of an A-Frame cabin he completed...
a week ago
Joe Herrin, Principal at Heliotrope Architects, has shared photos of an A-Frame cabin he completed as an idyllic little home on Orcas Island, set within the San Juan Island Archipelago of Washington state. The cabin structure is a modest late-60’s era kit A-frame, built by the...
Old Structures...
Born In The Bronx
The central dome of the US Capitol on May 9, 1861: There was a certain symbolism to its incomplete...
a week ago
The central dome of the US Capitol on May 9, 1861: There was a certain symbolism to its incomplete state given that the Civil War had begun the previous month, but that was a coincidence. The replacement of the original wooden dome had been planned for some time. The old dome was...
CONTEMPORIST
A Modern Addition Is Perched Above This Home In Texas
Architect Nicole Blair has shared photos of a modern addition that was built above an existing...
a week ago
Architect Nicole Blair has shared photos of a modern addition that was built above an existing bungalow in Austin, Texas. Owners Dylan and Annie, a landscape designer and a hairstylist, wanted to keep their backyard intact, and not move during construction nor disrupt the mature...
The Modern House
Four flawless apartments provide surprising sanctuary in Peckham Rye
a week ago
Common Edge
Social Radicalism Reexamined: The Legacies of Christopher Alexander and Joseph Rykwert
What these foreign-born giants of design theory brought to two American universities.
a week ago
What these foreign-born giants of design theory brought to two American universities.
Old Structures...
An Original Or An Imitation Of An Imitation
The Leonard Street facade of 249 Church Street: For this discussion, ignore the stone ground-floor...
a week ago
The Leonard Street facade of 249 Church Street: For this discussion, ignore the stone ground-floor storefront, which was a 1920s alteration of this 1867 loft building, probably replacing cast iron columns and lintels. The rest of the facade is, per the Landmarks designation...
99% Invisible
Fact Checking the Supreme Court [EPISODE]
The Orange County courthouse in Santa Ana, California is a large granite and sandstone building from...
a week ago
The Orange County courthouse in Santa Ana, California is a large granite and sandstone building from the early 20th century. There, Jennifer Birch was there doing research for a group called Moms Demand Action. It’s an organization that advocates for gun control and regulation....
CONTEMPORIST
An Extended Sloped Roof Runs The Length Of This Modern Home
RHAW architecture’s Rolf Reichardt, in partnership with the villa’s residents Marieke Jansen and...
a week ago
RHAW architecture’s Rolf Reichardt, in partnership with the villa’s residents Marieke Jansen and Jaap Maashas, has designed a home in Sint-Oedenrode, The Netherlands, that has a sloped roof, and is made of timber, glass, and concrete. The home is a country house with a...
Common Edge
It’s Time to Blur the Boundaries Between Town and Gown
University campus planning should look outward to the surrounding city.
a week ago
University campus planning should look outward to the surrounding city.
Old Structures...
The Daily Planet
In October 1957, Angelo Rizzuto took this photo: The Library of Congress has a descriptive caption,...
a week ago
In October 1957, Angelo Rizzuto took this photo: The Library of Congress has a descriptive caption, of the kind used when they don’t know where a picture is from: “View down commercial street with skyscrapers and billboards and signs on either side.” This one is fairly easy to...
The Modern House
Inside the light-filled rural hideaway of legendary artists Langlands & Bell
a week ago
Archinect - Features
How the Business of Architecture and Construction Fared in May 2024: Introducing Archinect's...
Welcome to the first of Archinect's new monthly series, 'State of AEC.' At the end of each month, we...
a week ago
Welcome to the first of Archinect's new monthly series, 'State of AEC.' At the end of each month, we will guide you through the latest analyses, indexes, and trends on how the architecture and construction industries are performing economically.
As we approach the midway point of...
Common Edge
Light, Empathy, and Silence: The Architecture of Marina Tabassum
A Q&A with the celebrated Bangladeshi designer.
a week ago
A Q&A with the celebrated Bangladeshi designer.
Old Structures...
Straight and Curved
I first started reading architectural theory and criticism when I was still an engineering undergrad...
a week ago
I first started reading architectural theory and criticism when I was still an engineering undergrad student. It gave me a perspective on buildings that was notably different than that I was learning in my design and analysis classes, but because I was an outsider it took me a...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Unmistakable
The Shadow returns home: R.M.S Olympic at sea: (It is surprisingly difficult to find a good view of...
a week ago
The Shadow returns home: R.M.S Olympic at sea: (It is surprisingly difficult to find a good view of the ship from the rear. The front three-quarter view is the dramatic cutting-through-the-waves view, as well as being somehow less creepy.) Given how similar Olympic was to...
CONTEMPORIST
A Laneway House With A Rotated Brick Facade
Architecture firm Williamson Williamson has shared photos of a laneway home they completed in...
2 weeks ago
Architecture firm Williamson Williamson has shared photos of a laneway home they completed in Toronto, Canada, that features a distinct rotated brick facade. Usually, laneway houses are small, however, this one is a four-bedroom home, designed for a family of five, providing...
Old Structures...
An Unfortunate Comparison
I’m not a big fan of mid-twentieth-century modernism, and I still agree that Bertrand Goldberg’s...
2 weeks ago
I’m not a big fan of mid-twentieth-century modernism, and I still agree that Bertrand Goldberg’s Marina City is remarkable architecture. From the north: From the south: There’s just one little detail that got stuck in my head that partially ruins looking at it for me. Every...
McMansion Hell
texas gothic revival
Sometimes I just want to get on my hobbyhorse, which for about a year now has been the middle ages...
2 weeks ago
Sometimes I just want to get on my hobbyhorse, which for about a year now has been the middle ages but surely will soon be something else. (Please hyperfixation gods, make it financial literacy.) Anyway, I meandered around the nation (online) in search of another opportunity to...
Construction Physics
The Shape of Nuclear Policy
Book review: Nuclear Politics: Energy and the State in the United States, Sweden, and France
2 weeks ago
Book review: Nuclear Politics: Energy and the State in the United States, Sweden, and France
Old Structures...
Modern Perception
First, the Carson, Pirie, Scott Store in Chicago, as it appeared in the past: In my opinion – and...
2 weeks ago
First, the Carson, Pirie, Scott Store in Chicago, as it appeared in the past: In my opinion – and many other people’s opinions – it’s one of Louis Sullian’s most amazing designs. Here’s a close-up of the corner entrance as it appears today (actually yesterday, after I finished my...
The Modern House
Author Kat Hill on why we all yearn for the sanctuary of a modern bothy
2 weeks ago
CONTEMPORIST
This House Was Built Around A 100-Year-Old Oak Tree
Architecture Studio AtelierM has shared photos of a home they completed in Martinez, Argentina, that...
2 weeks ago
Architecture Studio AtelierM has shared photos of a home they completed in Martinez, Argentina, that wraps around an imposing hundred-year-old oak tree. The homeowners wanted to maximize privacy, protect the old tree that was central to the lot, and take advantage of natural...
Common Edge
Why So Many Banal Boxes? Because Architecture Reflects the Ethos of Its Time
The 5-over-1 is a perfect embodiment of our increasingly selfish and self-isolated existence.
2 weeks ago
The 5-over-1 is a perfect embodiment of our increasingly selfish and self-isolated existence.
Old Structures...
A Change of Pace
I’ve done a lot of research over the years, most of it historical, rather than engineering. In other...
2 weeks ago
I’ve done a lot of research over the years, most of it historical, rather than engineering. In other words, I’ve generally been researching the history of structural engineering, construction, and the built environment, rather than performing analysis on the structures I’ve...
Archinect - Features
The Books You Should Read for Summer 2024, According to Leading Voices in Architecture
Is your bookshelf ready for Summer? If not, we have you covered.
Continuing a recurring tradition,...
2 weeks ago
Is your bookshelf ready for Summer? If not, we have you covered.
Continuing a recurring tradition, Archinect has reached out to notable figures across the architecture community who have been featured in our editorial over the past year, asking them what books they believe...
The Beauty of...
The Inbetweeners (Ebbsfleet International and Stratford International, UK)
Well then. At the end of the last article I promised to write about the stations on HS2 phase 1...
2 weeks ago
Well then. At the end of the last article I promised to write about the stations on HS2 phase 1 assuming that I hadn’t been too enraged by the political fallout from hopefully soon-to-be-ex-prime minister Rishi Sunak’s cancellation of phase 2 of HS2. Reader, I have been enraged....
Common Edge
‘Even If a Project Fails, the Ideas Behind It Don’t Disappear’
A talk with Sam Lubell and Greg Goldin, authors of Atlas of Never Built Architecture.
2 weeks ago
A talk with Sam Lubell and Greg Goldin, authors of Atlas of Never Built Architecture.
Old Structures...
I’m Fairly Sure
The Library of Congress calls this 1952 photo by Angelo Rizzuto “View of children playing on sand...
2 weeks ago
The Library of Congress calls this 1952 photo by Angelo Rizzuto “View of children playing on sand and dirt mound near stone structure and construction materials” which is nice and descriptive. They use that kind of title when no one was certain what the subject of the photo is....
The Modern House
TV presenter Will Best's space-smart Hackney home for three
2 weeks ago
Common Edge
The Missing Flower Power in Walkability and Neighborhood Vitality
There’s a surprisingly simple alternative to our hard, urban spaces.
2 weeks ago
There’s a surprisingly simple alternative to our hard, urban spaces.
Old Structures...
Coincidence
I couldn’t remember if I’ve written about Manhattanhenge before – we’re up over 3000 blog posts, so...
2 weeks ago
I couldn’t remember if I’ve written about Manhattanhenge before – we’re up over 3000 blog posts, so who knows what I’ve written about at this point – but it turns out I did, twice, five years ago and six years ago. Everything I said then is still true: I find people lining up to...
99% Invisible
Uptown Squirrel [EPISODE]
This past fall, hundreds of people gathered at The Explorer’s Club in New York City. The building...
2 weeks ago
This past fall, hundreds of people gathered at The Explorer’s Club in New York City. The building was once a clubhouse for famed naturalists and explorers. Now it’s an archive of ephemera and rarities from pioneering expeditions including treks to the North Pole, the moon, and...
Old Structures...
Tiny and Cute, But Purposeful
This is the lighthouse at the northern tip of Roosevelt Island. The island is two miles long and a...
2 weeks ago
This is the lighthouse at the northern tip of Roosevelt Island. The island is two miles long and a tenth of a mile wide, cutting the East River into two roughly-equal half-channels. That alone makes the need for lighthouses at its tip reasonably clear, but the conditions are...
Old Structures...
Compression
This may be the most difficult to place shot by Angelo Rizzuto, from October 1958. The Library of...
2 weeks ago
This may be the most difficult to place shot by Angelo Rizzuto, from October 1958. The Library of Congress title “Aerial view of unidentified street with multiple traffic lanes in each direction, high-rise buildings line both sides of the street” doesn’t help. The clue that got...
The Modern House
James Lohan: the co-founder of Mr & Mrs Smith on how his first experience of home shaped an...
James Lohan’s entrepreneurial spirit first came to light in the school dinner queue when he saw the...
3 weeks ago
James Lohan’s entrepreneurial spirit first came to light in the school dinner queue when he saw the potential for turning a profit on a stack of cheese toasties. A series of successful business ventures followed suit, but it was in 2003 that James and his […]
The Modern House
James Lohan: the co-founder of Mr & Mrs Smith on how his first experience of home shaped an...
James Lohan’s entrepreneurial spirit first came to light in the school dinner queue when he saw the...
3 weeks ago
James Lohan’s entrepreneurial spirit first came to light in the school dinner queue when he saw the potential for turning a profit on a stack of cheese toasties. A series of successful business ventures followed suit, but it was in 2003 that James and his […]
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Artistic
From a stand-alone comic about the Penguin, a museum in Gotham City: From the Look Around feature in...
3 weeks ago
From a stand-alone comic about the Penguin, a museum in Gotham City: From the Look Around feature in Apple Maps, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Fifth Avenue facade: From 1900, when the main facade of the center block was complete, but the wings not yet constructed: The rough...
CONTEMPORIST
A Wood-Lined Office That Used To Be A Parking Lot
Ujigawa Ohzono Architects has shared photos of a small wood-lined office they designed in Kyoto,...
3 weeks ago
Ujigawa Ohzono Architects has shared photos of a small wood-lined office they designed in Kyoto, Japan, that was once a parking lot. The owner of the land, who had been running a construction company in the local area for a long time, decided to create a place where dialogue can...
Old Structures...
Between Demolition and Redevelopment
Angelo Rizzuto, in 1959, was going for the same feeling as Berenice Abbott in her Changing New York...
3 weeks ago
Angelo Rizzuto, in 1959, was going for the same feeling as Berenice Abbott in her Changing New York photos twenty years earlier: contrast the new and the old. In this case we’ve got three eras represented: the mid- to late-1800s in the rowhouses and tenements along Third Avenue,...
Archinect - Features
Freelancing and Architecture: A Complicated Relationship
For many salaried workers, freelancing and contracting may once have been a scary proposition,...
3 weeks ago
For many salaried workers, freelancing and contracting may once have been a scary proposition, little more than placeholder labels as one moved between secure, salaried positions. However, the past decade has seen a notable increase in skilled workers and professionals becoming...
CONTEMPORIST
Crafting Connection: A Contemporary Addition to a Historic Bungalow
Carter Williamson Architects has shared photos of a new home extension that they designed for an...
3 weeks ago
Carter Williamson Architects has shared photos of a new home extension that they designed for an Australian house in a heritage conservation area. The designers’ brief asked for an open, warm home in which a family could truly gather, one that respected the home’s history while...
Construction Physics
How to Build 300,000 Airplanes in Five Years
It’s no secret that the Allies won World War II on the back of the U.S.’s enormous industrial...
3 weeks ago
It’s no secret that the Allies won World War II on the back of the U.S.’s enormous industrial output. Even before the U.S. entered the war, the Americans provided hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of equipment to the Allies, and between 1938 and 1943 U.S. manufacturing...
Old Structures...
Buildings Are Not Static
It can’t be said often enough that buildings move in various ways, from the effect of environmental...
3 weeks ago
It can’t be said often enough that buildings move in various ways, from the effect of environmental conditions. You’ve got gross structural movement from gravity and lateral loads; up, down, and sideways movement from changes in soil volume from water movement; expansion and...
The Modern House
Retro a go go: six homes that epitomise the day-to-day dynamism of mid-century design
Over half a century later, our admiration for mid-century design shows no sign of slumping. As we...
3 weeks ago
Over half a century later, our admiration for mid-century design shows no sign of slumping. As we crave a closer connection to our surroundings and distinct, mood-matching spaces throughout our homes – time and again, mid-century modern seems to satisfy our exacting demands....
Contemporist...
The client asked for "a hotel-like bedroom and bathroom in their home, so they could feel as if they...
Studio Kloek has shared images of a bedroom and bathroom suite they designed for their client who...
3 weeks ago
Studio Kloek has shared images of a bedroom and bathroom suite they designed for their client who desired "a hotel-like bedroom and bathroom in their home, so they could feel as if they were on vacation every day."
Common Edge
Declaration of Independence From Sprawl
Toward the New Urban Place and away from the Industrial Development Complex.
3 weeks ago
Toward the New Urban Place and away from the Industrial Development Complex.
Old Structures...
First-Mover Status
The Empire State Building gave up its title of “tallest” more than fifty years ago, but that’s not...
3 weeks ago
The Empire State Building gave up its title of “tallest” more than fifty years ago, but that’s not particularly important. It’s still a beautiful building and still loved by tourists and natives alike. The biggest change in its status over that period if time is the gradual...
99% Invisible
The Lost Subways of North America [EPISODE]
If you’ve spent any amount of time driving through any major American city, you know what it’s like...
3 weeks ago
If you’ve spent any amount of time driving through any major American city, you know what it’s like to be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. But if you’re from Los Angeles – the land of freeways, traffic and smog – you know this struggle especially well. But Jake Berman, the...
Archinect - Features
How ‘Architect’ Became a Protected Title in the United States
In the second part of Archinect In-Depth: Licensure, we chart the origins of licensure in the United...
3 weeks ago
In the second part of Archinect In-Depth: Licensure, we chart the origins of licensure in the United States. We explore how a combination of safety concerns, technological advances, and insecurity among architects over their own relevance led to the protection of the title...
CONTEMPORIST
A Dramatic Upward-Sloping Roof Covers This Rural Home
Prentiss + Balance + Wickline Architects has shared photos of a contemporary home they have designed...
3 weeks ago
Prentiss + Balance + Wickline Architects has shared photos of a contemporary home they have designed in Winthrop, Washington, perched atop a steep river bank. The home’s design includes an upward-sloping roof form that motions toward the river and shelters an outdoor room....
Old Structures...
“Pre”
Residential construction in New York can be broken into groups in a number of ways, but the most...
3 weeks ago
Residential construction in New York can be broken into groups in a number of ways, but the most straightforward is not known to the general public, and that’s by era of regulation. For just under a hundred years, multiple dwellings – AKA apartment houses – have been governed by...
Archinect - Features
How to Understand Architecture Business Conditions Using the AIA's Architecture Billings...
Since 1995, the American Institute of Architects has conducted a monthly index detailing trends in...
3 weeks ago
Since 1995, the American Institute of Architects has conducted a monthly index detailing trends in billings by architecture firms in the United States. Over time, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) has become a valuable metric for charting the economic health of the...
Old Structures...
Understanding The Underbelly
Hardcore bridge geeks will immediately recognize this photo. Everyone else, and hardcore bridge...
3 weeks ago
Hardcore bridge geeks will immediately recognize this photo. Everyone else, and hardcore bridge geeks with a sense of modesty, will ask “what is it?” It’s the underside of the deck of the Brooklyn Bridge, on the side span between the Manhattan tower and anchorage. Starting with...
Old Structures...
The Inspiration
The 14th Street station on the Eighth Avenue subway has an art installation by Tom Otterness called...
3 weeks ago
The 14th Street station on the Eighth Avenue subway has an art installation by Tom Otterness called “Life Underground” It consists of a series of brass figures, both human and animal, engaged in various pursuits. Everyone always focuses on the alligator climbing out of a sewer to...
Old Structures...
Like Looking Down A Well
Trinity Church and its yard are surrounded on all four sides by tall buildings. In 1952, when Angelo...
4 weeks ago
Trinity Church and its yard are surrounded on all four sides by tall buildings. In 1952, when Angelo Rizzuto took this picture looking down from the roof of one of them, they were all of about 1900-1920 vintage. It’s a striking shot, but I’d guess not to everyone’s taste.
99% Invisible
The Power Broker #05: Brandy Zadrozny [EPISODE]
This is the fifth official episode of our ongoing series breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize...
4 weeks ago
This is the fifth official episode of our ongoing series breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro. This week, Roman and Elliott also sit down with Brandy Zadrozny, a senior reporter for NBC News who covers misinformation,...
The Modern House
Why modern living is easy at Farnley Hey – Peter Womersley’s first domestic dwelling
4 weeks ago
The Architectural...
Architects call for a crisis meeting after politicians demand more traditional architecture
After enduring decades of failed modernism, the residents and politicians of Sweden’s second-largest...
4 weeks ago
After enduring decades of failed modernism, the residents and politicians of Sweden’s second-largest city, Gothenburg, want to see more new traditional architecture. This has led architects and officials to call for a crisis meeting. During the 1960s and 1970s, Gothenburg...
CONTEMPORIST
Stone Covers The Exterior And Interior Of This Harbourfront Hideaway
SAOTA, TKD Architects, and interior architects ARRCC have shared photos of a new home they completed...
4 weeks ago
SAOTA, TKD Architects, and interior architects ARRCC have shared photos of a new home they completed that fronts Sydney Harbour in Australia. Partially hidden from view from the street, the home, which is located in a historical suburb, sits behind a row of plants and a fence...
Old Structures...
Half Of A Grand Commercial Palace
380 Broadway has architecture above its station. It was built in 1860 with retail space at the base...
4 weeks ago
380 Broadway has architecture above its station. It was built in 1860 with retail space at the base and loft space above, but it’s got that grand marble-veneer facade on the upper floors and some very nice cast iron by Daniel Badger at the first floor. It’s fortunes have followed...
The Modern House
Our Guide to Oxford: cinnamon buns, honey-hued domes and small plates in the 'city of dreaming...
4 weeks ago
Archinect - Features
Architects, How Is Work Feeling These Days?
We want to hear from our community: How are you feeling about the economic outlook of your firm and...
a month ago
We want to hear from our community: How are you feeling about the economic outlook of your firm and sector? How easy or difficult are you finding it to secure projects? What is your employment outlook? What are you hearing from clients?
Fill out our anonymous survey below.
Old Structures...
Four, Maybe Five, Maybe Six Bridges
Walking along South Street, which is to say along the East River waterfront. First up, the view from...
a month ago
Walking along South Street, which is to say along the East River waterfront. First up, the view from Rutgers Street and South Street: We’ve got a pseudo-dramatic, badly framed view of the Manhattan tower of the Manhattan Bridge, with the elevated FDR Drive blocking most of it....
The Modern House
Our Guide to Oxford: neighbourhood restaurants and riverside walks in the city of dreaming spires
a month ago
Contemporist...
A Contemporary Home Inspired By The Fachwerk-Style Houses Of Germany
Interior designer Tamara Strugova, together with her husband, has completed a contemporary home...
a month ago
Interior designer Tamara Strugova, together with her husband, has completed a contemporary home whose design was inspired by the Fachwerk-style houses found in Hamburg, Germany, with their prominently exposed posts and beams.
Old Structures...
An Obvious Issue
“The Battle for the Streets of New York” by Dodai Stewart and illustrated by Leon Edler, in Monday’s...
a month ago
“The Battle for the Streets of New York” by Dodai Stewart and illustrated by Leon Edler, in Monday’s New York Times, is a reasonable discussion of congestion on Manhattan’s streets. Not just car congestion – delivery truck, bus, bicycle, and pedestrian congestion are discussed as...
Contemporist...
A’ Design Awards And Competition – The Winners
A’ Design Award & Competition is the Worlds’ leading design accolade reaching design enthusiasts in...
a month ago
A’ Design Award & Competition is the Worlds’ leading design accolade reaching design enthusiasts in over 114 countries.
99% Invisible
Rocket Man [EPISODE]
In the twentieth century, the jetpack became synonymous with the idea of a ‘futuristic society.’...
a month ago
In the twentieth century, the jetpack became synonymous with the idea of a ‘futuristic society.’ Appearing in cartoons and magazines, it felt like a matter of time before people could ride a jetpack to work. But jetpacks never became a mainstream technology, leaving many to...
Archinect - Features
Let's Talk About Architectural Licensure
Welcome to Archinect In-Depth: Licensure. Over the coming weeks, Archinect will explore the journey...
a month ago
Welcome to Archinect In-Depth: Licensure. Over the coming weeks, Archinect will explore the journey undertaken by those in the United States seeking to practice as a licensed architect, including reflections on the history of licensure, comparisons to other countries, the cost...
CONTEMPORIST
This Renovated 1970s Home Now Has Concrete Floors That Flow Between The Interior And Exterior Spaces
ANACAPA Architecture has shared photos of a 1970’s-era residence and combination guesthouse/home...
a month ago
ANACAPA Architecture has shared photos of a 1970’s-era residence and combination guesthouse/home office they updated in the hills of Montecito, California. Collaborating with the client, the designers reworked the home to bring it up to date. They did this by maintaining the...
Old Structures...
Evolved To Fit The Conditions
If you’ve always known something, it can be difficult to see how weird it is. New Yorkers walk...
a month ago
If you’ve always known something, it can be difficult to see how weird it is. New Yorkers walk through construction sites all the time, intentionally so on the part of the builders and with the blessing of the Department of Buildings. It looks something like this: Like so many of...
Contemporist...
A House Design Inspired By The Idea of Turning Boxes
Architecture studio JMA has designed the Vistas House in Escobar, Buenos Aires, whose shape is based...
a month ago
Architecture studio JMA has designed the Vistas House in Escobar, Buenos Aires, whose shape is based on the idea of turning boxes rotated to take advantage of the lake views and sun.
Common Edge
Jane Jacobs, Cyclist
We should have known the famed urbanist loved the bike.
a month ago
We should have known the famed urbanist loved the bike.
Old Structures...
Almost Unrecognizeable
Most of the 1950s Angelo Rizzuto photos I’ve been discussing recently can be quickly located even if...
a month ago
Most of the 1950s Angelo Rizzuto photos I’ve been discussing recently can be quickly located even if their descriptions don’t say were they were taken. The 1957 picture above threw me. We’re looking towards midtown – the Empire State Building makes that obvious – but from what...
Old Structures...
A Metaphor
When I was maybe ten years old, visiting the observation deck of the Empire State Building, I heard...
a month ago
When I was maybe ten years old, visiting the observation deck of the Empire State Building, I heard someone describe the view as being like the buildings were a beard and Central Park a shaved strip. In 1952, there were far fewer high-rises on the Upper East and Upper West Sides,...
Old Structures...
The Personal Connection Times Three
It’s hard to overstate the importance of personal links in discussing how people feel about the...
a month ago
It’s hard to overstate the importance of personal links in discussing how people feel about the built environment. This 1952 photo by Angelo Rizzuto looks east past St. Paul’s Chapel to the St. Paul and Park Row buildings: I’ve worked on St. Paul’s and the Park Row building. As a...
Construction Physics
Will Stone Replace Steel and Concrete?
A recent viral tweet by Micah Springut, founder of stone-carving startup Monumental Labs, argued...
a month ago
A recent viral tweet by Micah Springut, founder of stone-carving startup Monumental Labs, argued that it will be cheaper to build buildings with stone than with steel or concrete within the next 10 years. Stone has of course been used for thousands of years as a construction...
Old Structures...
A Less Obvious Canyon
A few months ago I wrote about the appearance of streets lined with old, pre-zoning skyscrapers. I...
a month ago
A few months ago I wrote about the appearance of streets lined with old, pre-zoning skyscrapers. I mentioned my two favorite examples: Thames Street between Broadway and Trinity Place, and Pine Street between Broadway and Nassau Street. I skipped the obvious example, Broadway, as...
The Modern House
The Modern House: a potted history
Twenty years ago, The Modern House was a mere kernel of an idea; today, it is widely recognised as...
a month ago
Twenty years ago, The Modern House was a mere kernel of an idea; today, it is widely recognised as the UK’s leading design-led estate agency. How did we get here? Today, co-founders Matt Gibberd and Albert Hill were asked this very question on BBC Radio 4’s Gap […]
Old Structures...
Always Something New
No matter how many buildings you’ve seen, you can always find something that will surprise you. The...
a month ago
No matter how many buildings you’ve seen, you can always find something that will surprise you. The picture above is not an underwater shot from the Titanic, it’s the cellar of a circa-1900 rowhouse. This was a house of some pretension when first built. As in most wider...
Old Structures...
A Holdout
In January 1958, Angelo Rizzuto took this photo from the east side of Lexington Avenue, between 53rd...
a month ago
In January 1958, Angelo Rizzuto took this photo from the east side of Lexington Avenue, between 53rd and 54th Streets, looking west toward Park Avenue. The block bounded by those four streets was at that time entirely empty except for this old rowhouse at 620 Lexington. It was...
99% Invisible
It’s Howdy Doody Time! [EPISODE]
If your parents or grandparents grew up in the United States in the 1950s, there’s a decent chance...
a month ago
If your parents or grandparents grew up in the United States in the 1950s, there’s a decent chance that they know the theme song to The Howdy Doody Show. The Howdy Doody Show is one of those pieces of 1950s ephemera that has come to symbolize mid-century American childhood. For...
Old Structures...
Gain Some, Lose Some
This is the Bradbury Building, an 1893 office building in downtown Los Angeles: It’s a nice enough...
a month ago
This is the Bradbury Building, an 1893 office building in downtown Los Angeles: It’s a nice enough facade but really nothing special. A lot of people are familiar with the building because of its inside: The office space is a rectangle donut around the atrium, connected by...
Contemporist...
A Stepped Design For This Renovated Century-Old Edwardian House In San Francisco
Andrew Mann Architecture has shared photos of a century-old Edwardian house they renovated in a...
a month ago
Andrew Mann Architecture has shared photos of a century-old Edwardian house they renovated in a bustling San Francisco neighborhood.
Old Structures...
Exposed During Demolition
I had not seen a close-up of the demolition of the Wanamaker Store at Broadway and 9th Street until...
a month ago
I had not seen a close-up of the demolition of the Wanamaker Store at Broadway and 9th Street until I stumbled across this one, taken in September 1956 by Angelo Rizutto. This shows the partially-intact second floor, marked on the facade by a water-table, and the last remnants of...
Coffee with an...
If movies were about Architecture
“Apocalypse Now”: an architect goes grossly over budget. Another architect is sent out to find him...
a month ago
“Apocalypse Now”: an architect goes grossly over budget. Another architect is sent out to find him and value-engineer the project, in the jungle, during a war. “It’s a wonderful life”: An architect mishandles his finances. Jumps off a bridge. Is saved by his guardian angel /...
CONTEMPORIST
The Post And Beam Structure Is On Display Inside This New Home
Studio VARA has shared photos of a new home they’ve completed for a couple and their three children,...
a month ago
Studio VARA has shared photos of a new home they’ve completed for a couple and their three children, who wanted a highly energy-efficient house that is also fire-resistant. Tucked away, down a windy road outside of Healdsburg, California, the home is positioned to take advantage...
Old Structures...
Head In The Clouds
One of my favorite views of tall buildings, again: in the fog. New York Bay has more than it’s fair...
a month ago
One of my favorite views of tall buildings, again: in the fog. New York Bay has more than it’s fair share of fog, and sometimes it creeps back up into the city. We had one of those days last week.
Old Structures...
Misleading Words
In 1941, Robert Moses demolished the New York Aquarium, located in Castle Clinton in Battery Park,...
a month ago
In 1941, Robert Moses demolished the New York Aquarium, located in Castle Clinton in Battery Park, in a fit of pique over losing his fight to build a bridge from the Battery to Brooklyn. (That project became the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel.) The aquarium was a three-story building on...
Construction Physics
How to Build a $20 Billion Semiconductor Fab
For the last several decades, one avenue of technological progress has towered over nearly...
a month ago
For the last several decades, one avenue of technological progress has towered over nearly everything else: semiconductors. Semiconductors are materials that can have their conductivity varied by many orders of magnitude, which makes it possible to selectively block and allow the...
Old Structures...
Being Stalked From The Past
Once again, one of Angel Rizzuto’s photos, this one from 1954, gets very close to us. This is the...
a month ago
Once again, one of Angel Rizzuto’s photos, this one from 1954, gets very close to us. This is the intersection of Whitehall and Stone Street looking east. (For once, the logic of the street grid and the actual cardinal points align exactly.) Almost every building in this view has...
The Modern House
A beloved mid-century home built for a lifetime of colour and creation by two architects
a month ago
Construction Physics
Semiconductor fab reading list
Like with most types of construction, there's no one source that explains how a semiconductor fab is...
a month ago
Like with most types of construction, there's no one source that explains how a semiconductor fab is built and operates. But there's an enormous amount written about semiconductors and the technology used to manufacture them, much of it excellent and informative, which makes it...
The Modern House
Far-Flung: Four remote homes (and one hotel) scattered across the Scottish Isles
With gargantuan views across machair-robed mountains and legend-laden lochs, the wild and windswept...
a month ago
With gargantuan views across machair-robed mountains and legend-laden lochs, the wild and windswept Scottish coast offers up a different kind of island dwelling. These far-flung homes (and one beach-front lodging) offer a sense of considered and quiet retreat amid what is an...
Archinect - Features
Notes on Progress: Sixteen Women Discuss What It Means To Be Female in Architecture...
The tides are changing for women in architecture schools in surprising ways. Female deans currently...
a month ago
The tides are changing for women in architecture schools in surprising ways. Female deans currently lead Harvard, Yale, Princeton, NJIT, Cornell, Syracuse, NYIT, CCNY, Cooper Union, and Boston Architectural College, among others. Despite the difficulties some of them have faced,...
CONTEMPORIST
A Collection Of Off-Grid Cabins Hidden Deep In The Jungle
Architect Daniel Cota has shared photos of Glass 20.87, an off-grid project of 8 separate glass...
a month ago
Architect Daniel Cota has shared photos of Glass 20.87, an off-grid project of 8 separate glass houses in Mexico. Each house is spaced 20 to 25 meters apart, allowing for total privacy due to the dense jungle. The construction at Glass 20.87 was entirely artisanal (no machinery...
Common Edge
When Is Architectural Symbolism Hypocrisy?
Like or loathe it, symbolism over substance has a long tradition.
a month ago
Like or loathe it, symbolism over substance has a long tradition.
Old Structures...
Outlived Its Welcome But Not The Need
I’ve been trawling in the HABS index and came across a survey from 1974 of the Bronx portion of the...
a month ago
I’ve been trawling in the HABS index and came across a survey from 1974 of the Bronx portion of the Third Avenue elevated. After the rest of the line (in Manhattan and the very southernmost bit of the Bronx) was closed and demolished in the early 1950s, the portion from 149th...
CONTEMPORIST
This Alley Between Buildings Was Transformed With A Series Of Arches
Photography by Robin Hill Daniel Toole Architecture in collaboration with SB Architects, has...
a month ago
Photography by Robin Hill Daniel Toole Architecture in collaboration with SB Architects, has transformed a nondescript alley in Miami, Florida, with a series of concrete arches. Photography by Heywood Chan This alley was originally surrounded by trash rooms, dumpsters, mechanical...
Old Structures...
Close To Home
From Angelo Rizzuto in 1950, “Broad Street.” It doesn’t instantly look familiar because we’re all...
a month ago
From Angelo Rizzuto in 1950, “Broad Street.” It doesn’t instantly look familiar because we’re all used to seeing the north end of Broad Street, where the Stock Exchange and Federal Hall are, or views looking up the street to the north. This is the sound end of Broad, as it runs...
99% Invisible
Mr. Yuk [EPISODE]
Some of you may be familiar with a figure called Mr. Yuk, depending on your age and where you grew...
a month ago
Some of you may be familiar with a figure called Mr. Yuk, depending on your age and where you grew up, but for rest of you: Mr. Yuk is a neon green circular sticker with a cartoon face on it. His face is scrunched up with his eyes squeezed tight and his tongue is sticking
The...
CONTEMPORIST
Large Travertine Slabs Were Used To Update This Home’s Design
Architecture firm SWATT + PARTNERS has shared photos of the Kojima House, a home that has been...
a month ago
Architecture firm SWATT + PARTNERS has shared photos of the Kojima House, a home that has been updated with an additional and a remodel. Located in Kentfield, California, the home boasts unobstructed views of San Francisco Bay, Kent-Woodlands Valley, and surrounding mountains....
Old Structures...
An Advanced Method Of Doing Something Simple
This detail takes some explanation. This is from a late-1800s factory building. It’s a bearing-wall...
a month ago
This detail takes some explanation. This is from a late-1800s factory building. It’s a bearing-wall building with heavy-timber floors, and it appears to have been constructed to code for that type and era. There were a number of almost-modern code requirements that end up being...
Coffee with an...
A simple description
The structural exploration reflects the dichotomy of the diametrically opposed forces creating...
a month ago
The structural exploration reflects the dichotomy of the diametrically opposed forces creating intrinsic tension within the interstitial forms which have been bifurcated and articulated throughout the design exploration phases resulting from the pedological rigor employed...
Contemporist...
A Charred Wood Exterior Was Given To This Modern Home In The Forest
CLB Architects, together with HSH Interiors (Holly Hollenbeck), has designed a home in an aspen...
a month ago
CLB Architects, together with HSH Interiors (Holly Hollenbeck), has designed a home in an aspen grove near Wilson, Wyoming.
Common Edge
O.J. and L.A.
What the iconic car chase revealed about Southern California’s landscape.
a month ago
What the iconic car chase revealed about Southern California’s landscape.
Old Structures...
Infrastructure
Not all infrastructure is hidden – some, like elevated railroads, is more visible and audible than...
a month ago
Not all infrastructure is hidden – some, like elevated railroads, is more visible and audible than most people would prefer – but it often is and that can make it easy to forget. “The Cloud Under the Sea” by John Dzieza, with visuals by Kristen Radtke and Go Takayana, is an...
Old Structures...
A Last Remnant
I’ve mentioned before the way that the numbered street grid was literally cut though the once-hilly...
a month ago
I’ve mentioned before the way that the numbered street grid was literally cut though the once-hilly topography of Manhattan Island. It’s hard to find visible evidence of that process today. The Dyckman Farmhouse, near the north end of the island and dating to 1784, is on a hill...
The Architectural...
The bigotry of Modernism
We know that history tends to repeat itself, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse....
a month ago
We know that history tends to repeat itself, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. Unfortunately, the architecture world, including academics and practitioners, is often unaware that it perpetuates backward and bigoted attitudes, stifling the creativity of architects and...
Old Structures...
An Ordinary Day
From Angelo Rizzuto, in 1959, a view of 42nd Street looking east. On the left, Grand Central...
a month ago
From Angelo Rizzuto, in 1959, a view of 42nd Street looking east. On the left, Grand Central Terminal, the Commodore Hotel, and the Chrysler Building. On the right, the Pershing Square Building, the Bowery Savings Bank midtown branch, the Chanin Building, the Socony-Mobil...
CONTEMPORIST
This Wood-Framed Glass Box Is The Ultimate Backyard Office
Architecture firm SWATT + PARTNERS has shared photos of a backyard office they designed for their...
a month ago
Architecture firm SWATT + PARTNERS has shared photos of a backyard office they designed for their clients in Dry Creek Valley, California. The wood-framed glass box hovers above the rugged terrain, it’s placed west of the main house, is partially above a narrow level pad, and...
The Modern House
Claudia Donaldson: in residence with the pioneering editor and creative director
Claudia Donaldson was the photography director at Wallpaper magazine, before becoming...
a month ago
Claudia Donaldson was the photography director at Wallpaper magazine, before becoming editor-in-chief of Nowness, the video platform that revolutionised the way we consume arts and culture. Under her stewardship, it is now considered a go-to source of inspiration and influence,...
CONTEMPORIST
A Coffee Shop Inspired By The Spectral Allure Of The Aurora Borealis
Design firm Unknown Surface Studio has shared photos of Uncloud Coffee, a new coffee shop they...
a month ago
Design firm Unknown Surface Studio has shared photos of Uncloud Coffee, a new coffee shop they completed in Chonburi, Thailand, with a sculptural and eye-catching facade. Inspired by the spectral allure of the Aurora Borealis, the design abstractly interprets these atmospheric...
Old Structures...
Little, Yet Big
That’s 65 Phila Street in Saratoga Springs, an 1851 wood-frame house that had fallen on hard times....
a month ago
That’s 65 Phila Street in Saratoga Springs, an 1851 wood-frame house that had fallen on hard times. People at the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation have been trying for a very long time to get the building repaired and re-occupied – the best way to ensure an old building’s...
The Modern House
The 'sculptural experience' of designer Ashley Law’s uniquely tactile cottage in Whitechapel
a month ago
The Modern House
The 'sculptural experience' of designer Ashley Law’s uniquely tactile cottage in Whitechapel
a month ago
CONTEMPORIST
This Small Shingle Clad Cabin Has An Organic Shape
Photography by Peter Markos Markos Design Workshop has shared photos of a small organically shaped...
a month ago
Photography by Peter Markos Markos Design Workshop has shared photos of a small organically shaped cabin clad in wood shingles they designed, that began as a project during the pandemic, however, they didn’t have any money or land for the project. Peter Markos explains, “My...
Old Structures...
Even A Joke Takes Effort
From 1911, Cass Gilbert’s sketches of his father (top) and himself (bottom): From the Woolworth...
a month ago
From 1911, Cass Gilbert’s sketches of his father (top) and himself (bottom): From the Woolworth Building lobby as completed in late 1912, the grotesque* of Gilbert holding a model of his building: Given that the grotesque is wearing glasses bit not a laurel wreath, a sketch much...
Contemporist...
A Rejuvenated 1980s Home Updated With Scandinavian Influences
SMPL Design Studio has shared photos of an updated home they completed in Niagara On The Lake,...
a month ago
SMPL Design Studio has shared photos of an updated home they completed in Niagara On The Lake, Canada, that's located on a landscaped corner lot.
Old Structures...
Caught In The Act
This October 1952 photo by Angelo Rizzuto is titled “Aerial view of Manhattan” but it most obviously...
a month ago
This October 1952 photo by Angelo Rizzuto is titled “Aerial view of Manhattan” but it most obviously shows the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. Like a lot of Rizzuto’s photos, it catches the East River waterfront and adjacent areas in the process of changing, even if it was not...
99% Invisible
Towers of Silence [EPISODE]
Situated right in downtown Mumbai, India is an area of about 55 acres of dense, overgrown forest. In...
a month ago
Situated right in downtown Mumbai, India is an area of about 55 acres of dense, overgrown forest. In one of the most populous cities in the world, this is a place where peacocks roam freely — a space out of time. This forest is protected by a religious community. It has survived...
CONTEMPORIST
A Large Pergola Helps This Home Seamlessly Blends Indoor And Outdoor Spaces
Architecture firm Studio Saxe, together with interior design studio Sofía Interiorismo, has shared...
a month ago
Architecture firm Studio Saxe, together with interior design studio Sofía Interiorismo, has shared photos of a home they completed in Costa Rica, that seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor living. This home embodies sustainable living, generating its energy from the sun while...
Common Edge
Developers Are Dangerously in Control of New York City
Urbanist Roberta Brandes Gratz’s remarks on receiving the Preservation Leadership Award.
a month ago
Urbanist Roberta Brandes Gratz’s remarks on receiving the Preservation Leadership Award.
Old Structures...
Boosterism
I don’t have an exact date for this photo, but the Temple Bar Building, the three-turreted...
a month ago
I don’t have an exact date for this photo, but the Temple Bar Building, the three-turreted skyscraper in the center, was constructed 1899 to 1901, so 1900 to 1910 is my guess. (As for how difficult discussing timelines can be, the New York Times article on the building I discuss...
Archinect - Features
Happy National Volunteer Week! Here's a resource guide for architects and designers looking...
This week, from April 21–27, is officially National Volunteer Week in the United States. To...
a month ago
This week, from April 21–27, is officially National Volunteer Week in the United States. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Archinect has curated a handy guide of resources for architects looking to donate their time and skills to various causes that will ultimately lead to...
Common Edge
The ‘Social Landscapes’ of Lee Friedlander
For six decades, the photographer’s ability to offer a complex narrative about America in a single...
a month ago
For six decades, the photographer’s ability to offer a complex narrative about America in a single image was always unique.
Old Structures...
Some Peculiarities
This map was sponsored by the “Committee of ‘92” and created by Rand McNally as a guide to the city...
a month ago
This map was sponsored by the “Committee of ‘92” and created by Rand McNally as a guide to the city for attendees of the Eleventh International Christian Endeavor Convention in 1892. About 40 percent of the index on the right is transportation related – railroads and ship lines –...
CONTEMPORIST
A Stepped Brick Extension Makes Space For A Soft Warm Blush Kitchen
Architecture and interior design firm Bradley Van Der Straeten, has shared photos of a home in...
a month ago
Architecture and interior design firm Bradley Van Der Straeten, has shared photos of a home in England that received a new stepped brick extension with views of the garden. When the front door is open, you can see all the way through to the rear garden. A stepped form took shape...
Old Structures...
Possibly
The title of this 1958 photo by Angelo Rizzuto is “Aerial view of street, possibly Park Avenue, with...
a month ago
The title of this 1958 photo by Angelo Rizzuto is “Aerial view of street, possibly Park Avenue, with raised medians separating traffic in each direction, high-rise buildings lining both sides of the street.” That’s definitely Park Avenue looking north from approximately 89th...
Old Structures...
Look, Ma! No Hands!
There is absolutely nothing unique about a masonry flat arch serving as a window head, but it’s...
a month ago
There is absolutely nothing unique about a masonry flat arch serving as a window head, but it’s relatively rare on steel-frame buildings like this 1920s apartment house on the Upper East Side. There are two tip-offs that it’s a real arch and not just a cleverly-hidden lintel:...
99% Invisible
The Power Broker #04: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [EPISODE]
This is the fourth official episode of our ongoing series breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize...
a month ago
This is the fourth official episode of our ongoing series breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro. This week, Roman and Elliott also sit down with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the U.S. representative for New York’s 14th...
Contemporist...
This New House Was Designed To Fit Into A Protected Historic Neighborhood
Architecture firm FLOWER, together with interior design studio Saltwolf, has completed a new home in...
a month ago
Architecture firm FLOWER, together with interior design studio Saltwolf, has completed a new home in Boulder, Colorado, whose design was inspired by the nearby historic houses in the neighborhood.
Old Structures...
Winding
This 1952 photo by Angelo Rizzuto is titled “Bdwy winding all thru T-Sq.” and it definitely shows...
a month ago
This 1952 photo by Angelo Rizzuto is titled “Bdwy winding all thru T-Sq.” and it definitely shows Broadway and Times Square, although I have some quibbles about “winding.” This view is looking north and a little bit west, probably taken from a window on a high floor of 1450...
Old Structures...
What “Structure First” Means
I like “Why we need a ‘structure first’ approach to existing buildings” by Penny Gowler, which is...
a month ago
I like “Why we need a ‘structure first’ approach to existing buildings” by Penny Gowler, which is perhaps not surprising since I’m a structural engineer. I’m going to argue here that Ms. Gowler’s article and my position are just slightly more nuanced than that. Architectural...
The Modern House
Water's Edge: five homes that take in Britain’s rugged coastline
In the UK, you’re never more than 70 miles from the sea, but why put any distance between your home...
a month ago
In the UK, you’re never more than 70 miles from the sea, but why put any distance between your home and the shifting shoreline? The pull of our luminous and varied coastline is undeniable, which is why we’ve found five homes a stone’s throw from […]
Construction Physics
The Katerra Team Rides Again: ONX Homes
Regular readers of Construction Physics know that I formerly worked for the construction startup...
a month ago
Regular readers of Construction Physics know that I formerly worked for the construction startup Katerra, which raised several billion dollars in venture capital in the hopes of revolutionizing the construction industry, and then went bankrupt. In fact, it was my experiences at...
Old Structures...
Fun With Telephoto Lenses
A lot of times, when I’m discussing an old photo, I’ll talk about where the photographer was...
a month ago
A lot of times, when I’m discussing an old photo, I’ll talk about where the photographer was standing when he or she took the shot. It matters to understand exactly what you’re seeing, and figuring it out is usually not that difficult if you know some of the quirks of Manhattan...
99% Invisible
Anything’s Pastable: Eat Sauté Love [EPISODE]
This week we’re featuring an episode from The Sporkful’s series on the creation of “Anything’s...
a month ago
This week we’re featuring an episode from The Sporkful’s series on the creation of “Anything’s Pastable,” Dan Pashman’s new pasta cookbook. In part two of “Anything’s Pastable,” Dan embarks on an epic trip across Italy in search of lesser-known pasta dishes — and to learn about...
CONTEMPORIST
A Tiny Public Library With A Roof Inspired By A Sheet Of Paper
Ninja Stuudio has shared photos of “White Sheet”, a tiny public library and reading pavilion they...
2 months ago
Ninja Stuudio has shared photos of “White Sheet”, a tiny public library and reading pavilion they completed in Tallinn, Estonia. The design has been inspired by the image of a literary idea, with the pavilion’s roof hovering as a light sheet of paper in mid-air relying only on...
Old Structures...
The Pause Was About To End
Another great photo from Angel Rizzuto, from August 1952. He was almost certainly looking from the...
2 months ago
Another great photo from Angel Rizzuto, from August 1952. He was almost certainly looking from the Empire State Building; this is a view north past midtown, Central Park and the Upper East Side, and with Harlem and the Bronx in the distance. The east side of the park is Fifth...
Archinect - Features
AI is Good For Architects (For Now)
In the final chapter of Archinect In-Depth: Artificial Intelligence, Niall Patrick Walsh reflects on...
2 months ago
In the final chapter of Archinect In-Depth: Artificial Intelligence, Niall Patrick Walsh reflects on the historical relationship between architecture and technology, charting a trajectory for the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the future of the architectural...
CONTEMPORIST
272 Wood Slats Were Used To Create A Sculptural Element Inside This New Coffee Bar
Design firm jones | haydu has shared photos of The Caffé by Mr. Espresso, a new coffee bar in...
2 months ago
Design firm jones | haydu has shared photos of The Caffé by Mr. Espresso, a new coffee bar in Oakland, California, that features curved birch slats. The design of the cafe is heavily inspired by Italian culture, using minimalism and contrast, with the designers explaining, “The...
Common Edge
Randy Fertel on the Power and Peril of Creative Improvisation
A lively talk with the author about his new book, Winging It.
2 months ago
A lively talk with the author about his new book, Winging It.
Old Structures...
Lucy Moses Award: 486 Liberty Avenue
You can read about the building in the awards program: here. The short version: this was a very...
2 months ago
You can read about the building in the awards program: here. The short version: this was a very ornate police precinct house constructed in 1892, when Brooklyn was still an inexpedient city, and abandoned for quite some time. Here’s what the interior looked like the first time we...
SOCKS
“I called them Ghosts”. Visual Poems and Sequences by George Wylesol
George Wylesol is a Baltimore-based artist who primarily produces illustrations and comic-like...
2 months ago
George Wylesol is a Baltimore-based artist who primarily produces illustrations and comic-like sequences of drawings, often accompanied by written text in the form of short poems. His works blend mundane objects and settings with surreal plots and visual associations, resulting...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: The Curve Before the Station
Even without the Silvercup Bakery sign, I’d know this view, from an old Daredevil comic. The tracks...
2 months ago
Even without the Silvercup Bakery sign, I’d know this view, from an old Daredevil comic. The tracks are the 7 train, Flushing-bound, just west of the Queensboro Plaza station. This is the view you’d see looking off the west end of the platform, or from the rear window of an...
devonzuegel.com
Part 6: Is the proposed new city in California climate resilient?
A new city has been proposed in California, and I’ve never been more captivated by a vision for the...
2 months ago
A new city has been proposed in California, and I’ve never been more captivated by a vision for the future of my home state in my lifetime. This post is part of a series I’m writing about this bold proposal.
One of the biggest questions I had when I first learned about this...
Old Structures...
The Black Tower
For all you Lord of the Rings fans, remember: Brooklyn is not Mordor. No matter what similarities...
2 months ago
For all you Lord of the Rings fans, remember: Brooklyn is not Mordor. No matter what similarities may exist.
Old Structures...
Sic Transit
This photo by Angelo Rizzuto, from October 1952, is listed at the Library of Congress as “Bird’s eye...
2 months ago
This photo by Angelo Rizzuto, from October 1952, is listed at the Library of Congress as “Bird’s eye view of a building in New York City.” It’s the old Metropolitan Opera House at 40th Street and Broadway, the one that the Met left in 1966 to move to Lincoln Center. The Met had...
The Modern House
Philippe Malouin: the experimental designer on creating with integrity – and the art of upcycling
Philippe Malouin, it’s said, doesn’t read design magazines. That might surprise you. But it also...
2 months ago
Philippe Malouin, it’s said, doesn’t read design magazines. That might surprise you. But it also might be what keeps the Canadian’s own conceptions – form-driven, material-focused, out-the-box – feeling so fresh. In many ways, it makes sense. If the ideas of others were...
CONTEMPORIST
Elevated Elegance: A Unique Home In The Forest With A Trio Of Tile-Clad Gables
Exterio Architectural Studio, together with interior design firm Hola Design, has shared photos of a...
2 months ago
Exterio Architectural Studio, together with interior design firm Hola Design, has shared photos of a contemporary home they have completed near Warsaw, Poland, that’s surrounded by a pine forest. The home is designed to bring a large family together, with the form taking shape...
The Modern House
Listing of the Week: a Norfolk beauty that ushers the natural world in
2 months ago
Old Structures...
It Can Go Either Way
Much like the photo from Monday, this April 1959 photo by Angelo Rizzuto could be either demolition...
2 months ago
Much like the photo from Monday, this April 1959 photo by Angelo Rizzuto could be either demolition or construction. The steel frame on the left is on the site of 350 Park Avenue, between 51st and 52nd Streets on the west side of Park Avenue. The ornate masonry box just north of...
Common Edge
The Time-Defying Nature of Living Architectural Traditions
Mere repetition is lifeless, a focus on design exploration creates nothing lasting, but living...
2 months ago
Mere repetition is lifeless, a focus on design exploration creates nothing lasting, but living tradition balances both.
Old Structures...
A Generational Change
A view of Park Avenue by Angelo Rizzuto from June 1959m looking south. The big tower on the left is...
2 months ago
A view of Park Avenue by Angelo Rizzuto from June 1959m looking south. The big tower on the left is the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, with St. Bart’s in front of it; the ornate tower that seemingly ends the avenue is the New York Central Building, not yet sold by the railroad and...
The Modern House
Mark Lebon, the man inside the house that makes people smile
2 months ago
The Modern House
MRTN Architects’ garden studios in Melbourne are a place to work – or not to work
2 months ago
The Modern House
MRTN Architects’ garden studios in Melbourne are a place to work – or to not work
2 months ago
99% Invisible
The Society of Ambiance Makers and Elegant Persons [EPISODE]
Hailing from central African cities of Brazzaville and Kinshasa, sapeurs have become increasingly...
2 months ago
Hailing from central African cities of Brazzaville and Kinshasa, sapeurs have become increasingly recognizable around the world. Since the 1970s, sapeurs (from: le sape, short for “Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes”) have been known for donning technicolored...
Construction Physics
What Progress Has Icon Made on 3D-Printed Homes?
We last looked at 3D-printed buildings about three years ago. At the time, the technology was still...
2 months ago
We last looked at 3D-printed buildings about three years ago. At the time, the technology was still nascent. Although there was a lot of enthusiasm, many efforts were academic, with little commercial deployment, and practitioners were experimenting with a wide range of...
Old Structures...
The Personal Connection
A 1958 or 59 view of 200 East 42nd Street under construction: It’s a fairly boring steel-frame,...
2 months ago
A 1958 or 59 view of 200 East 42nd Street under construction: It’s a fairly boring steel-frame, glass-facade office building, remarkable to me for the simple reason that I had my first more-or-less real engineering job there. Tippetts-Abbett-McCarthy-Stratton, later known as TAMS...
CONTEMPORIST
A House Built Into The Ground And Covered In Flowers
Photography by Architectuurfotograaf – Rob van Esch Architecture firm WillemsenU has shared photos...
2 months ago
Photography by Architectuurfotograaf – Rob van Esch Architecture firm WillemsenU has shared photos of a home they completed in a meadow in The Netherlands, that has been built into the ground. The home is tucked away in the landscape, surrounded by flowers and trees, and hidden...
Coffee with an...
Design explained using venn diagrams
Design is hard. If only the process could be explained using simple venn diagrams. Unfortunately,...
2 months ago
Design is hard. If only the process could be explained using simple venn diagrams. Unfortunately, this isn’t that: More Design in charts – HERE, and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE
Common Edge
Mass Timber Construction Is Evolving Rapidly
With owners and developers warming up to plyscrapers, wood-based projects are on an upward...
2 months ago
With owners and developers warming up to plyscrapers, wood-based projects are on an upward trajectory.
Old Structures...
More Over-Thinking
This photograph, taken in May 1959 by Angelo Rizzuto, is titled “View of building construction” on...
2 months ago
This photograph, taken in May 1959 by Angelo Rizzuto, is titled “View of building construction” on the Library of Congress website. I’m not entirely convinced, although I have to admit that my doubts are based on squinting at the photo and nothing stronger. First, even for a...
The Modern House
A lower-ground floor flat that glows from within
2 months ago
CONTEMPORIST
A Home That Delivers A Rustic Symphony Of Exposed Wood Beams
FINNE Architects has shared photos of a Pacific Northwest house they designed on Bainbridge Island,...
2 months ago
FINNE Architects has shared photos of a Pacific Northwest house they designed on Bainbridge Island, Washington. A 500-ft driveway winds through the woods up to the house, located in a clearing at the top of a gentle hill. The house was designed to be sustainable from the start,...
Old Structures...
Very Local Requirements
Below, a construction fence of typical New York design. Such fences here have had windows of some...
2 months ago
Below, a construction fence of typical New York design. Such fences here have had windows of some kind going back at least to the mid-1900s. Per the current NYC building code, section 3307.7.3, “Viewing panels shall be provided in solid fences erected on or after July 1, 2013, at...
Old Structures...
Boarding
Sometimes the degree to which the past was simultaneously similar to the present and different...
2 months ago
Sometimes the degree to which the past was simultaneously similar to the present and different catches me by suprise. I was in the far west Village a few days ago and this building caught my eye. It’s a nice 1890s semi-industrial building turned into apartments There’s a sign...
The Architectural...
New academic dissertation questions architects’ taste
Many architects look down upon residential areas built with the small town as a model, with new...
2 months ago
Many architects look down upon residential areas built with the small town as a model, with new houses made in a traditional style. But this is exactly what the average person appreciates. “Why do many architects dislike the very thing that residents often enjoy?” asks architect...
The Architectural...
Architect Releases Academic Dissertation That Questions Architects’ Taste
Many architects look down upon residential areas built with the small town as a model, with new...
2 months ago
Many architects look down upon residential areas built with the small town as a model, with new houses made in a traditional style. But this is exactly what the average person appreciates. “Why do many architects dislike the very thing that residents often enjoy?” asks architect...
Old Structures...
Adelaide House, Part 4 – The Context
Part 1, General: here. Part 2, Structure: here. Part 3, Facades: here. Skyscrapers only make sense...
2 months ago
Part 1, General: here. Part 2, Structure: here. Part 3, Facades: here. Skyscrapers only make sense as an urban phenomenon. (Keep in mind that a lot of inner-ring US suburbs are at urban density.) Putting aside the obvious economic argument that land is cheap in rural areas so...
The Modern House
With the rolling South Downs on its doorstep, the award-winning Black Timber House by HAPA...
2 months ago
The Wandering...
Constructing the Pattern on the Sala de la Barca Ceiling
I was flipping through Owen Jones’s Grammar of Ornament a couple months ago, and my eye was caught...
2 months ago
I was flipping through Owen Jones’s Grammar of Ornament a couple months ago, and my eye was caught by this handsome pattern I had not noticed before. This is Jones’s Plate XLII, in the chapter on designs from the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. He calls it, “Part of the ceiling of...
The Wandering...
The Mathematics of the Pattern on the Sala de la Barca Ceiling
(This is the math geek part about the Sala de la Barca ceiling. For instructions on constructing the...
2 months ago
(This is the math geek part about the Sala de la Barca ceiling. For instructions on constructing the pattern with compass and straightedge, go over to Part 1.) In the process of figuring out how to draw this pattern, I ran into a lot of questions, and had to do more than a little...
CONTEMPORIST
Before & After – An Old Warehouse Was Turned Into A Contemporary Home
Brengues Le Pavec architects have shared photos of a modern warehouse conversion they completed in...
2 months ago
Brengues Le Pavec architects have shared photos of a modern warehouse conversion they completed in the south of France, between Montpellier and the sea. The ‘Before’…the run-down warehouse, which was still being used to store products, was dark and filled with shelves. The...
Common Edge
What Happened to New York City Public Housing, and How Can We Fix It?
The former chief architect for NYCHA on what ails the the system.
2 months ago
The former chief architect for NYCHA on what ails the the system.
Old Structures...
Adelaide House, Part 3 – Facades
Part 1, General: here. Part 2, Structure: here. So on Tuesday I effectively said that Adelaide House...
2 months ago
Part 1, General: here. Part 2, Structure: here. So on Tuesday I effectively said that Adelaide House was either small for a skyscraper or forty years behind the times, and yesterday I said that the steel was pretty familiar for an old skyscraper but maybe a little old-fashioned....
The Modern House
Lessons in Lateral Living: five singular single-storey dwellings
Once the perceived preserve of the retiree, there is more to low-level living than meets the eye. A...
2 months ago
Once the perceived preserve of the retiree, there is more to low-level living than meets the eye. A well-conceived, single-storey dwelling can accommodate all ages and – unlike loftier homes – has the potential to offer wraparound indoor-outdoor living. Here, we have gathered...
CONTEMPORIST
This Lakehouse Hovers Above The Natural Sloped Terrain
Building Arts Architects has shared photos of a contemporary home they recently completed in Dorset,...
2 months ago
Building Arts Architects has shared photos of a contemporary home they recently completed in Dorset, Ontario, that hovers above the natural sloped terrain close to the water’s edge of Kawagama Lake. The building, which sits lightly on the rugged site, invites expansive sky and...
Old Structures...
Adelaide House, Part 2 – Structure
Continuing my discussion (part 1 is here) of London’s maybe-first skyscraper, the Adelaide House,...
2 months ago
Continuing my discussion (part 1 is here) of London’s maybe-first skyscraper, the Adelaide House, let’s talk about structure. There’s a big difference between trying to build the first skyscraper in your city in the 1870s or 80s or 90s (depending on how you want to define...
99% Invisible
Chambre de Bonne [EPISODE]
For many young people in Paris, it’s a right of passage to live in a very small, very French type of...
2 months ago
For many young people in Paris, it’s a right of passage to live in a very small, very French type of apartment, called a “chambre de bonne.” Literally, a maid’s room. A chambre de bonne is usually one small room, on the top floor of a five- or six-story apartment building, and...
devonzuegel.com
IVF egg retrieval notes
I’ve now done two egg retrieval cycles. Given that I had a zillion questions before I started, I...
2 months ago
I’ve now done two egg retrieval cycles. Given that I had a zillion questions before I started, I thought I’d share my notes for others who might have similar questions.
Things I would’ve loved to know beforehand
Overall the process was way easier and less intense than I...
CONTEMPORIST
Brass-Lined Arches Connect The Kitchen With The Dining Room Inside This Home
Architecture and art studio Svima has shared photos of a kitchen and living room they updated, with...
2 months ago
Architecture and art studio Svima has shared photos of a kitchen and living room they updated, with the kitchen featuring brass design accents. Their clients, a Toronto couple, has opposite tastes: he is an enthusiast of tenebrous minimalism, and she is a lover of bright French...
McMansion Hell
ode to a faux grecian urn
Howdy everyone,
Today’s house, built in 2001, comes to you from, you guessed it, the Chicago...
2 months ago
Howdy everyone,
Today’s house, built in 2001, comes to you from, you guessed it, the Chicago suburbs. The house is a testimony to traditional craftsmanship and traditional values (having lots of money.) The cost of painting this house greige is approximately the GDP of Slovenia...
Construction Physics
What makes housing so expensive?
Buying a home is by far the largest purchase most of us will make, and paying the rent or mortgage...
2 months ago
Buying a home is by far the largest purchase most of us will make, and paying the rent or mortgage will be our largest monthly expense. In the post-pandemic home-buying boom, the median sale price of a new home peaked at almost $500,000 dollars, just under
Old Structures...
Adelaide House, Part 1 – Overall
When I was in London a few weeks ago, David Kelly and Chris Tucker of Fortis Facades were kind...
2 months ago
When I was in London a few weeks ago, David Kelly and Chris Tucker of Fortis Facades were kind enough to give me a thorough tour of Adelaide House, a 1925 landmark building currently in renovation. They’re working on the facade, but the tour included both the facade and the...
Coffee with an...
Design explained using pie charts again
Design is hard. If only the process could be explained using simple pie charts again. Unfortunately,...
2 months ago
Design is hard. If only the process could be explained using simple pie charts again. Unfortunately, this still isn’t that: More Design in charts – HERE, and HERE and HERE and HERE
Old Structures...
In The Background
The photo from the Bain News Service is titled “Post Office, New York” and the Library of Congress...
2 months ago
The photo from the Bain News Service is titled “Post Office, New York” and the Library of Congress dates it as “between ca. 1910 and ca. 1915.” I think we can do better: that’s the Municpal Building in the background under construction. The building took longer than usual to...
The Modern House
Introducing our Hackney team
2 months ago
The Modern House
A Modern Way to Live: our co-founder Matt Gibberd on nature
With the arrival of April, its showers and – hopefully – some flowers, comes a new theme for the...
2 months ago
With the arrival of April, its showers and – hopefully – some flowers, comes a new theme for the Journal’s content. As we did with space in January, light in February and materials in March, for the coming weeks we’ll be looking at all the […]
SOCKS
90-Degree Axonometric’s by Auguste Merle (Late 19th – Early 20th C.)
Auguste Merle was an Art Brut artist living in France at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries....
2 months ago
Auguste Merle was an Art Brut artist living in France at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. His works depict imaginary buildings with meticulous detailing, using graphite on notebook paper. The rigorous yet inventive forms are depicted in 90-degree axonometric projections,...
Old Structures...
Onec You See It
The current round of repair work on the Manhattan Bridge has reached the stage of painting the...
2 months ago
The current round of repair work on the Manhattan Bridge has reached the stage of painting the towers. It has, to my eye, the unfortunate effect of making the bridge look like it’s wearing shorts.
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Popular
The City Hall Station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line – a station that’s been abandoned since 1945...
2 months ago
The City Hall Station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line – a station that’s been abandoned since 1945 – is probably more popular to use as a backdrop in movies (and comic books) than any other. It’s really not a typical station: it’s much more ornate than most, it only has one...
99% Invisible
Roman Mars Describes Athens GA As It Is [EPISODE]
This is the third and final episode in a three-part series of Roman Mars recording on-location...
2 months ago
This is the third and final episode in a three-part series of Roman Mars recording on-location guides to the design features and interesting spots in cities he loves. Roman moved to Athens, Georgia, to pursue a PhD in plant genetics, but dropped out and got into the local music...
devonzuegel.com
Traveling neighborhoods: a different kind of group trip
I've discovered a group trip format that I really love, and I wanted to share it with others because...
2 months ago
I've discovered a group trip format that I really love, and I wanted to share it with others because (a) you might find it fun to host or join something like this in the future and (b) selfishly, I would like more people to organize trips like this so that I can join them!
The...
Old Structures...
Skyscraperiness
As I’ve said many times, in many venues, there really isn’t an objective description of...
2 months ago
As I’ve said many times, in many venues, there really isn’t an objective description of “skyscraper.” That said, nearly everyone’s subjective definition contains a version of the idea that a skyscraper is tall for its context. Here’s an Irving Underhill photo centered on the...
The Modern House
Sumayya Vally: the South African architect on how growing up in a township defined her sense of...
Sumayya Vally is a South African architect whose star is in the ascendant. At the age of 30, she...
2 months ago
Sumayya Vally is a South African architect whose star is in the ascendant. At the age of 30, she became the youngest architect to receive the prestigious annual summer pavilion commission at the Serpentine Gallery in London. A slew of accolades and honoraries followed and […]
CONTEMPORIST
Steel Symphony: A Madrid Home’s Unique Design With Weathered Elegance
Borja Lomas of Voluar Arquitectura has designed a new home in Madrid, Spain, that’s covered in...
2 months ago
Borja Lomas of Voluar Arquitectura has designed a new home in Madrid, Spain, that’s covered in weathering steel and has a uniquely shaped design. The shape of the home showcases various areas that branch out in different directions, some of which are cantilevered away from the...
Old Structures...
Slow Death Of An Unneeded Building
A lot of rail was built in and around New York in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries,...
2 months ago
A lot of rail was built in and around New York in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, much of it overlapping. Railroad as such had been around for a long time, but the idea of tailoring stations and schedules to fit huge masses of commuters was relatively new;...
The Modern House
Nick Hill’s no frills approach to materials recasts a 1930s house in south-east London as a...
2 months ago
CONTEMPORIST
The Neutral Palette Of This Home’s Interior Evokes The Tranquility Of A Spa
Developer Comma Projects, together with interior designer Kate Richards and building designer Jayson...
2 months ago
Developer Comma Projects, together with interior designer Kate Richards and building designer Jayson Pate Design, has completed a duplex in Queensland, Australia, with a distinctly neutral interior. Let’s take a look inside one of the villas where the design objective was to...
Common Edge
Is This Ugly or Heroic? An Eyesore or Gem? What Is ‘Ugly’?
Truth is, aesthetic inclinations are an expanding multiverse.
2 months ago
Truth is, aesthetic inclinations are an expanding multiverse.
Old Structures...
The Right Angle
I’m not working on any of the buildings in this photo, but if I were… Raking sunlight is a fantastic...
2 months ago
I’m not working on any of the buildings in this photo, but if I were… Raking sunlight is a fantastic way to get information about a facade. Any out-of-plane geometry is immediately visible as a shadow. You can see the natural irregularity of a brick wall: and a bulge that might...
The Modern House
A mix of materials results in fun, family-friendly flexibility in a Hove warehouse conversion
2 months ago
99% Invisible
Autism Pleasantville [EPISODE]
A few years back, journalist Lauren Ober was diagnosed with autism. She then made a podcast about...
2 months ago
A few years back, journalist Lauren Ober was diagnosed with autism. She then made a podcast about her experience called The Loudest Girl in the World. And she found herself imagining a fantasy world where everything is tailored to Lauren’s very specific autistic needs. And she...
Blog - Guerrilla...
How AI is changing cartography: A chatbot’s perspective
Artificial intelligence is dramatically changing the practice of cartography, not just as a...
2 months ago
Artificial intelligence is dramatically changing the practice of cartography, not just as a mechanism for extracting and manipulating data, but as a tool for creating, curating, and interacting with geospatial images. A simple web search for “AI in cartography” points to a vast...
Archinect - Features
A Guide to Salary Transparency Laws Across the United States
At present, there is no federal pay transparency law in the United States. However, as Archinect...
2 months ago
At present, there is no federal pay transparency law in the United States. However, as Archinect frequently reports on, several states and cities across the United States have enacted their own requirements for employers seeking to hire or promote within their...
CONTEMPORIST
A Living Room That Floats Above The Forest Floor Is A Remarkable Feature Of This Home
DeForest Architects has shared photos of a home they designed that follows the topography of the...
2 months ago
DeForest Architects has shared photos of a home they designed that follows the topography of the site, with some rooms tucked into the land and others floating above it. Located in a waterfront neighborhood just south of Seattle, the one-acre wooded site sits atop a bluff...
Construction Physics
Why Did Supersonic Airliners Fail?
Progress in aviation has traditionally been associated with speed. Following the Wright Brothers’...
2 months ago
Progress in aviation has traditionally been associated with speed. Following the Wright Brothers’ flight in 1903, aircraft speeds steadily increased each decade, and increasing aircraft speeds was one of the primary goals of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NASA’s...
Old Structures...
The Power of Drawing
Another Cass Gilbert sketch, “Looking west from corner 5th ave + 42nd St”, from June 1917. Based on...
2 months ago
Another Cass Gilbert sketch, “Looking west from corner 5th ave + 42nd St”, from June 1917. Based on the angle, he was standing on the northwestern corner of the intersection. The generally most interesting building nearby is the New York Public Library; the dark scribbles on the...
Construction Physics
Supersonic air travel recommended reading
Aviation has a huge number of enthusiasts, which is why essentially every aircraft model ever...
2 months ago
Aviation has a huge number of enthusiasts, which is why essentially every aircraft model ever produced has a book written about it. Supersonic aircraft are no exception. There’s a large number of books written about the Concorde, the Tu-144, and the American SST project. Many of...
Coffee with an...
Design explained with pie charts
Design is hard. If only the process could be explained using simple pie charts. Unfortunately, this...
2 months ago
Design is hard. If only the process could be explained using simple pie charts. Unfortunately, this isn’t that: More Design in charts – HERE, and HERE and HERE
CONTEMPORIST
Clerestory Windows Add Natural Light Inside This New Addition To An Australian Home
Architecture firm Bryant Alsop has shared photos of a contemporary renovation and extension of a...
2 months ago
Architecture firm Bryant Alsop has shared photos of a contemporary renovation and extension of a typical free-standing timber period home in Australia. The view from the front door shows off the hallway that connects the original home with the new extension. The hallway...
Old Structures...
Doodling In A Hotel
A remarkable sketch by Cass Gilbert from July 1933: From left to right, the Dom Tower in Utrecht...
2 months ago
A remarkable sketch by Cass Gilbert from July 1933: From left to right, the Dom Tower in Utrecht (fourteenth-century, 368 feet high): St Mark’s Campanile in Venice (ninth century, rebuilt in the early twentieth century after it collapsed, 323 feet high): and Gilbert’s own...
SOCKS
“One Can No Longer Distinguish the Sun’s Outline”: Atlas of Clouds and of States of the Sky (1930)
A cloud atlas is a visual depiction of various types of clouds accompanied by their classification...
2 months ago
A cloud atlas is a visual depiction of various types of clouds accompanied by their classification and nomenclature. Cloud atlases were primarily developed starting in the 19th century and utilised for training weather forecasters and meteorologists. The 1930’s International...
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: Like A Movie Set
First, a panel from “The Bat-Man – First Knight,” an alternate telling of the Batman story, set in...
2 months ago
First, a panel from “The Bat-Man – First Knight,” an alternate telling of the Batman story, set in 1939: Second, a photo of Staple Street in lower Manhattan, from Unsplash: Note that the comic-book artist has flipped the image left-right – visible at the asymmetry in the bridge....
Old Structures...
It Looked Familiar: A Project
Jessica Drew, in her Spider-Woman gear, visits Belvedere Castle. It’s reasonably clear that in the...
2 months ago
Jessica Drew, in her Spider-Woman gear, visits Belvedere Castle. It’s reasonably clear that in the frame on the right she’s standing in the pavillion looking across to the main tower.
The Modern House
Views From Above: five homes that celebrate London’s skyline
Seen from on high, London’s shifting cityscape never ceases to fascinate – a patchwork of man-made...
2 months ago
Seen from on high, London’s shifting cityscape never ceases to fascinate – a patchwork of man-made shapes interrupted by so many pockets of green. No matter the weather, a view from above brings out the distinct colour and characteristics of each neighbourhood, encouraging you to...
The Modern House
A home counties treasure by master of materials Michael Manser, now for sale
2 months ago
Old Structures...
Too Perfect
Yet another view of lower Broadway, this time from 1908. It’s low resolution and artificially...
2 months ago
Yet another view of lower Broadway, this time from 1908. It’s low resolution and artificially colored, so it’s really more of an illustration than a photo, but good enough for a postcard. This picture bothers me and it took me a while to realize why. The issue exists for a lot of...
CONTEMPORIST
The Reinterpretation Of A Gabled Roof Is On Display At This New House
Architecture firm Studio KUNZ has shared photos of a home they completed in a small town in the...
2 months ago
Architecture firm Studio KUNZ has shared photos of a home they completed in a small town in the south of Brazil. The home sits on a high plateau, surrounded by an idyllic landscape formed by araucaria trees, which was key for a young couple who have a close relationship with life...
Old Structures...
The Back Side
I’ve discussed the old Croton Distributing Reservoir several times before. It was the southernmost...
2 months ago
I’ve discussed the old Croton Distributing Reservoir several times before. It was the southernmost visible part of New York’s first really good water system, and occupied the same spot that the New York Public Library does today: 40th to 42nd Street, from Fifth Avenue to a little...
Archinect - Features
2024 Summer Architecture Programs for Adults and High School Graduates
Archinect's 2024 highlight of summer architecture programs continues with Part 2, where we focus on...
2 months ago
Archinect's 2024 highlight of summer architecture programs continues with Part 2, where we focus on courses and workshops for adults, high school graduates, and current college students.
Take a look below at our curated selection of educational events at academic institutions and...
Contemporist...
A Monochromatic Interior Sets The Vibe Inside This Retail Store
Design firm Studiomateriality, has shared photos of a retail store they designed in Athina, Greece,...
2 months ago
Design firm Studiomateriality, has shared photos of a retail store they designed in Athina, Greece, that has a monochromatic interior to catch the eye of people walking past.
Old Structures...
History From Afar
This is a fantastic, if weirdly inaccurate, map from 1840. It was, according to the text at the...
2 months ago
This is a fantastic, if weirdly inaccurate, map from 1840. It was, according to the text at the bottom, “Published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge”, located in London. I am all for the diffusion of useful knowledge, but the problem with this map is that its...
99% Invisible
The Monster Under the Sink [EPISODE]
In the middle of the 20th century, the small town of Jasper, Indiana did something that no other...
2 months ago
In the middle of the 20th century, the small town of Jasper, Indiana did something that no other city had done before: they made garbage illegal. The city would still collect some things, like soup cans and plastics, but yucky junk, like food waste, wouldn’t get picked up. This...
Contemporist...
A Small Laneway House Designed For A Narrow Property In Toronto
Lanescape Architecture has shared photos of a laneway home they completed for a narrow 17-foot wide...
2 months ago
Lanescape Architecture has shared photos of a laneway home they completed for a narrow 17-foot wide lot in Toronto's Junction neighborhood.
Archinect - Features
A Conversation with Bjarke Ingels on AI, 3D Printing, and the Future of the Architectural...
It has been almost ten years since Archinect last spoke with Bjarke Ingels. Back then, the topic of...
2 months ago
It has been almost ten years since Archinect last spoke with Bjarke Ingels. Back then, the topic of conversation was BIG's 'Hot to Cold' exhibition at the National Building Museum. Today, after a decade that has included award-winning Manhattan skyscrapers, floating cities, a...
Common Edge
How AI Can Help Us End Design Education Anachronisms
Let’s use the power of technology to actually improve architectural learning.
2 months ago
Let’s use the power of technology to actually improve architectural learning.
Old Structures...
Overgrowth
It’s worth taking a look at two pictures of Newspaper Row/Printing House Square. First, around 1900:...
2 months ago
It’s worth taking a look at two pictures of Newspaper Row/Printing House Square. First, around 1900: Second, 1936, from Berenice Abbott’s “Changing New York” project. We have the same line-up in both pictures, from left to right: The World Building, the Tribune Building, the New...
The Modern House
Hot Stuff: the extraordinary story of the Cobdown sauna
2 months ago
Archinect - Features
2024 Summer Architecture Programs for Kids and High School Students
If you are a parent looking for engaging architecture-focused programs for kids, or a high school...
2 months ago
If you are a parent looking for engaging architecture-focused programs for kids, or a high school student interested in gaining valuable pre-college experience, take a look below at Archinect's latest highlight of summer architecture programs.
For the 2024 season, we have...
Old Structures...
A Deservedly Unknown Truss
There’s a street bridge over the Hudson Line (the former main line of the New York Central Railroad)...
2 months ago
There’s a street bridge over the Hudson Line (the former main line of the New York Central Railroad) tracks just south of the Dobbs Ferry Station: For now, ignore the big white pipe at the bottom of the side truss: it’s a utility line, not part of the truss. That leaves us with...
Common Edge
Is Mass Timber the Key Element in a Low Carbon Future?
A new book highlights the promise—and lingering challenges—of this important material.
2 months ago
A new book highlights the promise—and lingering challenges—of this important material.
Old Structures...
Travelog: Far From Home
Traveling to another country usually gets you views of a built environment that is in some respects...
3 months ago
Traveling to another country usually gets you views of a built environment that is in some respects fundamentally different than the one you’re used to. London is, for a New Yorker, the worst place in the UK to get that feeling because of the many similarities between the two...
Contemporist...
An Old Stone Ruin Was Given New Life As A Contemporary Off-Grid Home
Architect Dario Castellino has transformed an abandoned stone ruin that was once overgrown with...
3 months ago
Architect Dario Castellino has transformed an abandoned stone ruin that was once overgrown with brambles, into a small off-grid home.
Coffee with an...
Remember your training
At times, a client may request a curve. Stay calm. Remember your training. Calmly explain that that...
3 months ago
At times, a client may request a curve. Stay calm. Remember your training. Calmly explain that that would conflict with the design vocabulary. Remind the client that rectilinear forms are a sign of strength, firmness, commodity, and yes, delight. Stay strong. At times, the client...
Old Structures...
Travelog: Advertising Claims
It’s truly embarassing how much time I spent looking at this old ad painted on a building in Bath...
3 months ago
It’s truly embarassing how much time I spent looking at this old ad painted on a building in Bath and wondering what “richestin cream” was. As a slight consolation, note the drain branch directly left of the word “richest”: if you’re putting interior plumbing drains on the...
99% Invisible
The Power Broker #03: David Sims [EPISODE]
This is the third official episode, breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power...
3 months ago
This is the third official episode, breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro. Blank Check podcast co-host and The Atlantic movie critic David Sims is our book club guest. On today’s show, Elliott Kalan, Roman Mars, and David...
The Modern House
Tim Little: the owner of Grenson footwear on his journey from Adidas ad man to sole trader
For this week’s episode of Homing In, Matt Gibberd talks to Tim Little, who – after zigging and...
3 months ago
For this week’s episode of Homing In, Matt Gibberd talks to Tim Little, who – after zigging and zagging his way through the worlds of marketing, advertising and, latterly, shoes – now sits at the head of Grenson, the traditional cordwainers that have been handcrafting […]
Old Structures...
Travelog: A Building Type
Speaking only for myself, it’s easy to mentally categorize subways (i.e., electric mass transit,...
3 months ago
Speaking only for myself, it’s easy to mentally categorize subways (i.e., electric mass transit, mostly underground) as something different than railroads. Different lengths of routes, different spacing of stations, different rolling stock, and so on. The differences are often...
CONTEMPORIST
Yellow Granite Is On Display Throughout This Contemporary Home In Sardinia
Photography ©Marco Cappelletti Architecture firm Alvisi Kirimoto has shared photos of a villa they...
3 months ago
Photography ©Marco Cappelletti Architecture firm Alvisi Kirimoto has shared photos of a villa they completed in Porto Rotondo, Sardinia, that showcases local granite throughout its design. Drone photography ©Mattia Caprara and Flavio Pescatori San Giacomo yellow granite winds...
Old Structures...
Travelog: Damage and Weirdness
Just because a building is cute, doesn’t mean it won’t have damage. Someone has done a pretty...
3 months ago
Just because a building is cute, doesn’t mean it won’t have damage. Someone has done a pretty thorough job of strapping the corners of this small building in Bath, as well as installing some kind of pinning at the middle of the side wall. It’s not clear which way the floor spans...
The Modern House
The Good Stuff: six materially focused homes with both substance and style
Decorating a home is a substantial matter – quite literally. The materials we choose to live...
3 months ago
Decorating a home is a substantial matter – quite literally. The materials we choose to live alongside inform our understanding and enjoyment of spaces, which is something we’re quite invested in. As such, we’ve got pretty good at seeing the wood from the trees. Here, […]
CONTEMPORIST
A Large Mural Adds Color To The Interior Of This Narrow Home
Spaces Architects@KA has shared photos of a tall and narrow house they designed in New Dehli, India,...
3 months ago
Spaces Architects@KA has shared photos of a tall and narrow house they designed in New Dehli, India, that includes a large wall mural. The colorful mural, which spans multiple floors, depicts a tree with leaves, flowers, and birds. Interior walkways provide an unobstructed view...
Construction Physics
Mass Timber is Great, but It Will Not Solve the Housing Shortage
A short policy memo recently posted on the Federation of American Scientists’ (FAS) website argues...
3 months ago
A short policy memo recently posted on the Federation of American Scientists’ (FAS) website argues that “mass timber can help solve the housing shortage.” It was posted as part of the Housing Ideas Challenge, a collaboration between FAS, Matt Yglesias and a few other...
Old Structures...
Travelog: Minimal Observation
How much can you determine about a building in a minute or two? The short answer is “not much” but...
3 months ago
How much can you determine about a building in a minute or two? The short answer is “not much” but sometimes you can get useful information about the structure from the street. It’s certainly easier if you know the history of the area – I am far more efficient at building...
The Modern House
Beautiful, useful and sustainably flexible: the hand-crafted, customised and highly experimental...
3 months ago
99% Invisible
Toyetic [EPISODE]
This year marks the 40th anniversary of a lot of landmarks in pop culture, especially sci-fi and...
3 months ago
This year marks the 40th anniversary of a lot of landmarks in pop culture, especially sci-fi and fantasy. So many franchises were born in 1984. Some came to define the genre or invent new genres. The great podcast Imaginary Worlds noticed this and produced a three-part series...
Archinect - Features
3D Printing, Artificial Intelligence, and Space Habitats: A Conversation with ICON’s Melodie...
As a ‘Space Architect’ working on the design and delivery of 3D printed habitats on the Moon and...
3 months ago
As a ‘Space Architect’ working on the design and delivery of 3D printed habitats on the Moon and Mars, Melodie Yashar is aware that, even in space, 3D printing does not exist in a vacuum. Like any construction methodology, it requires a confluence of design intent, delivery...
CONTEMPORIST
A Mid-Century Modern Inspired Extension For An 1890s Sandstone Cottage
Glasshouse Projects, an architecture, interior design, and building firm, has shared photos of a...
3 months ago
Glasshouse Projects, an architecture, interior design, and building firm, has shared photos of a mid-century modern inspired extension and renovation they completed for an original 1890 sandstone cottage in Prospect, South Australia. The extension can be accessed through the...
Common Edge
Social Housing in America: Architects Must Answer the Call
They have a responsibility to the public to visualize the potential of social housing in America.
3 months ago
They have a responsibility to the public to visualize the potential of social housing in America.
Old Structures...
Travelog: Listed
When I’m traveling and therefore don’t know anything about most of the structures around, I simply...
3 months ago
When I’m traveling and therefore don’t know anything about most of the structures around, I simply take pictures and hope that I’ll be able to identify them later. Sometimes it’s quite easy. I came across this little Victorian masterpiece last week and it turns out it’s listed,...
Coffee with an...
Design explained with Bar Charts
Design is hard. If only the process could be explained using simple bar charts. Right. This isn’t...
3 months ago
Design is hard. If only the process could be explained using simple bar charts. Right. This isn’t that: More Design in charts – HERE, and HERE
Contemporist...
Large Wood Arches Dramatically Elevate The Roof Of This Charging Station
Research-based design studio EFFEKT has shared photos of a contemporary charging park designed to...
3 months ago
Research-based design studio EFFEKT has shared photos of a contemporary charging park designed to signal the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
Old Structures...
Travelog: Cleveland Bridge
While I was in England last week, I briefly visited the city of Bath. There’s a lot to look at...
3 months ago
While I was in England last week, I briefly visited the city of Bath. There’s a lot to look at there, but let me start with the Cleveland Bridge over the River Avon. The top view is a little boring except for the non-structural toll houses, little Greek temples over the walkways,...
Old Structures...
Yesterday and Today
There’s nothing that creates disorientation quite like having a single day that combes changing time...
3 months ago
There’s nothing that creates disorientation quite like having a single day that combes changing time zones by five hours with Dayight Savings. It’s nice to be back home, though. A small reminder that Daylight Savings was introdcued in the US in 1918 for less than a year and...
Old Structures...
Not So Picturesque
From 1849, “New York from the steeple of St. Paul’s Church, looking east, south and west.” In other...
3 months ago
From 1849, “New York from the steeple of St. Paul’s Church, looking east, south and west.” In other words, looking into the heart of the downtown commercial district from its northern edge. My first thought in looking at this picture was that in 1849, before industrial technology...
Old Structures...
Another Moment of Transition
This a nice postcard of the north end of Union Square, using a hand-color photograph from 1910 as...
3 months ago
This a nice postcard of the north end of Union Square, using a hand-color photograph from 1910 as its basis. The centerpiece is the Metropolitan Life tower at Madison Square, seven blocks to the north of the foreground buildings on East 17th Street. Those buildings include the...
Common Edge
The Making of Ponchartrain Park in New Orleans
How a pair of wealthy outsiders, Edith and Edgar Stern, helped inspire the first neighborhood...
3 months ago
How a pair of wealthy outsiders, Edith and Edgar Stern, helped inspire the first neighborhood development exclusively available to Black middle-class families.
Old Structures...
Different Types of Commercial Use
From 1880, a view of Broadway looking north from Morris Street to Trinity Church. Given how deserted...
3 months ago
From 1880, a view of Broadway looking north from Morris Street to Trinity Church. Given how deserted it is, it’s either early in the morning on a weekend or a holiday. Wm. M Fleiss & Co, on the left, is at 47 Broadway. Broadway is lined with office and loft buildings which are...
The Modern House
Time-honoured materials and 21st-century sensibilities meet in a bothy on Mull
3 months ago
Contemporist...
This Sculptural Home Is Full Of Curves And Surrounded By Landscaping
Niko Architect has shared photos of a sculptural home with curves they designed that's been built...
3 months ago
Niko Architect has shared photos of a sculptural home with curves they designed that's been built into an artificially created landscape.
Archinect - Features
The People’s Place in the City of Bits and Atoms
The city of the 21st century represents a confluence of bits and atoms; an organism in its own right...
3 months ago
The city of the 21st century represents a confluence of bits and atoms; an organism in its own right that relentlessly spawns information and data about itself, its people, and the invisible flows that support them. What is the relationship between humans and the city in this new...
Old Structures...
Waste Not, Something Something
I was passing through Tribeca last week and came across this little building. Very, very little....
3 months ago
I was passing through Tribeca last week and came across this little building. Very, very little. Three stories tall, maybe 40 feet wide, and about four feet deep on the left and maybe a luxurious ten or fifteen feet deep on the right. You know you’re in a city where real estate...
99% Invisible
WARNING: This Podcast Contains Chemicals Known to the State of California to Cause Cancer or Other...
WARNING: Entering this area can expose you to chemicals known to the State of California to cause...
3 months ago
WARNING: Entering this area can expose you to chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm, including Benzene, a chemical used in urinal cleaners and Toluene, a chemical used in common household cleaning products. For...
Contemporist...
This Tall And Skinny House Also Has A Rooftop Pool
Story Architecture has shared photos of a new tall and skinny home they recently completed in Ho Chi...
3 months ago
Story Architecture has shared photos of a new tall and skinny home they recently completed in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for a family of four with two sons.
Old Structures...
Skyscrapers at the IStructE
A reminder: On Thursday I’ll be talking about the technological origins of skyscrapers and the New...
3 months ago
A reminder: On Thursday I’ll be talking about the technological origins of skyscrapers and the New York contribution to that history, at the Institution of Structural Engineers. If you’re in London – as most of you are not – come in person; otherwise, the talk will be available...
Coffee with an...
Design Paths 2
Design is hard. The path you follow from start to finish is never a straight line. If only there...
3 months ago
Design is hard. The path you follow from start to finish is never a straight line. If only there were another handful of clear diagrams to explain the process. This still isn’t that: More Design Paths HERE
The Modern House
Cover Stories: five new architecture, art and design books for your shelf
Inspiration may come in many forms but it’s flighty and hard to find. That said, one place you can...
3 months ago
Inspiration may come in many forms but it’s flighty and hard to find. That said, one place you can be quite sure to pin it down it is on a bookshelf. And while those at TMH HQ are already groaning, we can’t resist the allure […]
CONTEMPORIST
Before + After – A Garage Transformed Into A Pool House
Nathan Fell Architecture has shared photos of a garage they transformed into a pool house with...
3 months ago
Nathan Fell Architecture has shared photos of a garage they transformed into a pool house with plenty of space for entertaining. Here’s what the pool house looked like before… The design of the pool house was conceived as an addition to the garage that more appropriately capped...
Construction Physics
Why Is It So Hard to Build an Airport?
Airports are a critical piece of modern infrastructure. Aviation contributes an estimated 8% to...
3 months ago
Airports are a critical piece of modern infrastructure. Aviation contributes an estimated 8% to global GDP through direct and indirect effects (ie: the businesses and commerce that it enables), and an estimated 25% of companies’ sales rely on air transport. In 2022, civil...
Old Structures...
Changes and Not
I almost missed this 1938 entry in Berenice Abbott’s “Changing New York” project, because it’s...
3 months ago
I almost missed this 1938 entry in Berenice Abbott’s “Changing New York” project, because it’s mislabelled at the New York Public Library web site as “Vista, Thomas Street”. We all make mistakes, and whomever confused Thames and Thomas hid the location of this photo by accident....
Construction Physics
Airport Reading List
The major sources I found helpful for learning about airports and their construction are listed...
3 months ago
The major sources I found helpful for learning about airports and their construction are listed below. As usual, these are listed roughly in order of how useful I found them. And because “useful” isn’t the same as “actually interesting to read” I’ve marked the books that are...
CONTEMPORIST
The Design Of This Modern White Patisserie Stands Out From Its Neighbors
LUKSTUDIO has shared photos of Aimé Pâtisserie, which is located in Shanghai, China, and is flanked...
3 months ago
LUKSTUDIO has shared photos of Aimé Pâtisserie, which is located in Shanghai, China, and is flanked by familiar coffee and donut franchises. The designers explained, ‘that the challenge of the store is to stand out from its immediate chaos and appeal to the clientele from the...
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