Denver Water’s Complex administrative building is targeting LEED-NC Platinum certification and Net Zero Energy. Sustainable features include a radiant slab powered by the complex’s central utility plant to conserve heat and energy; raised access flooring; a high-efficiency triple pane glazed window system for maximum daylighting and energy savings; biophilic design; fitness options and healthy dining.
Read More
Opsis Architecture of Portland designed the Oregon Zoo Education Center with a primary goal of keeping birds safe. This led the firm to specify Walker Textures® AviProtek® E bird-friendly, acid-etched pattern on Solarban® 70XL solar control low-emissivity (low-e) glass by Vitro Glass for the building.
Read More
”Aljada’s Central Hub stands as an example of how conscious design can work with the environment to create a truly unique and inspirational focus for its community. The Central Hub is a defining project for Sharjah and the UAE, and we have been proud to work closely with Arada on bringing this development to life,“ explained Johannes Schafelner, Project Director, Zaha Hadid Architects. The complex’s natural ecosystem, irrigated by recovered and recycled water, is designed to sustain a microclimate at ground level for gardens featuring plant species native to the region, while the Central Hub’s lighting requirements will be entirely provided by smart solar power.
Read More
London’s Royal Opera House (ROH) has been reinvigorated following a major transformation by architect Stanton Williams and a team of over 30 contractors to enhance the experience for the public, staff and performers alike. The result, launched this September, is a physical manifestation of cultural change at the ROH through the realisation of its ‘Open Up’ project. This aims to enliven the Opera House throughout the day as a welcoming, multifaceted and inclusive cultural and social hub.
Read More
Zaha Hadid Architects has been selected by the jury of the international design competition to build the new Sverdlovsk Philharmonic Concert Hall in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Echoing the physical aspects of sound waves, the design of the new Philharmonic Concert Hall is based on the properties of musical sound resonance creating wave vibrations in a continuous smooth surface.
Read More
The 26,856-square-foot, three-level center will provide a safe place for area youth to gather and participate in a variety of activities. Designs for the facility include a nutrition education center, gym, teen lounge, outdoor garden, auditorium, music and art studio, office space, intellectual commons, innovation center, and outdoor basketball and activity court. KAI Design & Build has been selected as the general contractor for the project, which is expected to open in time for the 2019-20 school year and is one of the first of its kind in the country. The architect on the project is Arcturis of St. Louis, MO.
Read More
Dresdner Robin coordinated with architectural firm Fabiano Designs to transform the former Strathmore Bath & Tennis Club, built in the mid 1960’s, into a modern, inclusive first-class recreational facility. “We developed a site-sensitive layout that preserved significant amounts of existing vegetation and installed many diverse plantings around the site. To improve water quality and accomplish zero stormwater runoff, we minimized paved parking by providing grass-covered overflow parking areas,” says Lauren Venin, Landscape Architect, Dresdner Robin.
Read More
The completely reimagined Space Needle experience dramatically expands views of Mount Rainier, Elliott Bay, the Cascade and Olympic mountain. The upper and lower levels are now unified by a cantilever grand staircase, the Oculus Stairs, creating a new destination that embodies the spirit of possibility for which Seattle is known. Visitors to The Loupe can walk, stand, or sit on the glass floor suspended 500 feet above the city, taking in never-before-seen downward views of the Space Needle’s unique architecture and elevators.
Read More
Tropicalia was designed by Coldefy & Associates as a “harmonious haven”, seamlessly integrated into the local environment with an original feature: the project is self-sufficient – producing energy through the use of a double dome, creating a room in which the air is heated through a greenhouse effect. The absence of load-bearing pillars and the presence of a peripheral green wall enhance this cocoon-like atmosphere. The architecture will blend in with the scenery: the building is set partially in the ground, thus seemingly lowering its height and impact. Tropicalia will appear to rise like a small hill within the landscape.
Read More
Berkeley YMCA – PG&E Teen Center is a collaborative reuse project designed by Berkeley-based Noll & Tam Architects with the help of the YMCA Teen Task Force to ensure that the youth viewpoint was incorporated. When Pacific Gas & Electric donated an 8,000-square-foot decommissioned payment center across from Berkeley High School, it provided the ideal mix of opportunity for adaptive reuse. The design-build team transformed the 1964 concrete office building by opening it up with glazed storefronts, a new partial third story with roof deck, and flexible interior spaces. Bright colors reflect a youthful spirit.
Read More