01.25.10 | 2010 is off to a decent start, if for no other reason than it’s no longer
2009 . . . and hope springs eternal. Of course we have all just had a big wake-up call – not that wake-up
calls ever really wake up anyone for long. Nature’s tragedies strike when
and where they want as the earth shucks and shuffles and twirls along its
trajectories. The recent example of ghastly proportions in Haiti reminds
us of the vital importance, and danger, of the built environment and its
relationship to our survival, individually and as a species.
Random Walk >>
01.25.10 | Edmonton is nearer than you think. The capital of Alberta, Canada’s
oil-rich Western province, is home to the head office of Stantec,
one of North America’s largest integrated architecture, design and
engineering firms. With 10,000 employees operating out of 130 offices
throughout North America, Building Design and Construction’s 2009
Giants 300 Report ranks the firm 7th among America’s top 50
architecture-and-engineering companies. In size and practice area, it
occupies an overlapping niche among Canadian design competitors, between
Toronto-based IBI Group, with 2,600 architects, designers and
engineers; and Montreal engineering and construction giant
SNC-Lavalin, with 23,000 staff.
A&D Firms >>, People >>
01.25.10| Imagine the dashboard in your car. As you see in the following image,
you find tools for measuring various aspects of automotive travel
including: a speedometer (indicating your velocity) an odometer
(measuring the total milage of your automobile and, with a submeter
measuring the estimated progress to your destination), a gas gauge
(indicating fuel reserves), perhaps a mileage barometer (indicating your
average MPG, energy efficiencies), warning lights (reminders of
priorities for required actions), and comfort controls (personalized
adjustments for heating, cooling, and sound), and an assortment of more
advanced metrics regarding mileage to empty GPS (time and gas savings
through driving efficiencies), etc.
Environment >>, Technology >>
01.25.10| Aluminum, it's everywhere: in our cars, trains, airplanes, buildings,
soda cans, antiperspirants, dyes and right on our kitchen table in the
form of food additives and kitchen utensils. Not a day goes by that we
don’t depend on aluminum. Considering it was discovered only about 200
years ago and available at commercially reasonable prices only for the
last 60 years, it is amazing how intimately connected it has become to
our lives. The most prevalent non-ferrous metal, aluminum is strong and
lightweight, recyclable and to many people, indispensable for modern
living.
Environment >>
01.25.10 | Several years ago a prescient planning decision was made that has proven
to be a valuable and cost effective strategy to manage the utilization of
Class A real estate in an extremely challenged economy. In 2001,
consistent robust growth compelled the law firm of Moore & VanAllen
to consider bold action in the renovation and expansion of existing
offices within a high-rise corporate center in Charlotte, North
Carolina.
Project >>
01.25.10| Now that the holidays are behind us, New York’s A&D community can
concentrate on what really matters: friends, fun, food, drinkand CEUs.
More than 100 designers packed the Versteel showroom at the New
York Design Center on January 20 for an interesting presentation
titled “Informing the Next Generation of Healthcare Designers” by Dale
Allen Greenwald, Associate Principal, Interior Design Director at
Cannon Design.
Events >>
01.25.10 | Environmental psychologists have known for some time that the ability to
personalize a workstation increases employee job satisfaction and
performance. In his doctoral dissertation, Craig Knight established a
value for this effect when basic information processing tasks are being
carried out. When individuals participating in Mr. Knight's experiments
could select and position plants and plant photographs in a test
workspace, their productivity increased 32%.
01.18.10| Reto Eberle is an adventurer. As a young man 20 years ago, he
decided to leave his homeland, Switzerland, and his prominent family to
come to the U.S. – Los Angeles, California, where else – to see what he
could see. After poking around here and there, he finally latched on to
an idea that was all his, virtual manufacturing, marrying the best
aspects of architect/designer product design and creativity (within the
context of a transaction), millwork and OEM production.
Competitions and Awards >>
01.19.10| HOK’s New York Office hosted an event at the AIA Center for Architecture
last Thursday. The occasion was prompted by the publication of a book by
Leigh Stringer, VP of Advance Strategies for HOK. The book is
entitled The Green Workplace: Sustainable Strategies That Benefit
Employees, The Environment, And The Bottom Line. Among those in
attendance were HOK principals Juliette Lam, Ken Drucker and Carl
Galioto, as well as Victoria Cerami and Mark Hochlerin of Cerami
Associates.
Environment >>, Events >>
01.18.10| Here's another great way to start the New Year and to get people thinking
about the benefits of effective office design. Gunlocke is holding
a competition for non-profit organizations that will award the winner
with its first Office Needs for Good Deeds online office makeover
contest. To help improve the style and productivity within its space,
thewinning organization will receive a 1,200 sq.-ft. makeover
(estimated value of $75,000) for its offices featuring Gunlocke's latest
casegood line, Silea and ancillary equipment.
Competitions and Awards >>, Manufacturing >>
01.18.10| It was neither the best of times nor the worst of times. While we in the
U.S. continue, generally, our charmed lives, there were events and
circumstances in the interiors industries to bemoan and many that brought
joy and hope. The economy finally struck us with full force, and by the
end of November, contract furniture orders were $620 million for the
month, with estimated trailing 12-month orders at $7.77 billion, down
30.2% year-over-year. November shipments were $640 million, with trailing
12-month shipments estimated at $8.025 billion, a 28.9% year-over-year
decrease -- "the worst drop we have on record," said Raymond
James analyst Budd Bugatch. Still, every drastic shift brings the
prospect of an inflection point, and we look forward to seeing what we
have learn from 2009. Here are a few of the salient developments covered
last year by officeinsight.
A&D Firms >>, Competitions and Awards >>, Events >>, Legislation >>, People >>
