AEC professionals have a new technology platform to support the old-fashioned notion of planning ahead. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is bringing a sea change to the industry's workflow by facilitating a previously impossible degree of planning, coordination, and communication.
In April 2009, the 1.2 million sq. ft. Vancouver Convention Centre opened. Built upon a former brownfield that was the last undeveloped piece of property on the harbor front, it functions as an expansion of Canada Place. The facility covers 14 acres of land and eight acres of water, and is connected to Canada Place via landside walkways. It was designed by Seattle-based LMN Architects, in collaboration with Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership and DA Architects + Planners, both of Vancouver.
Adding a finished surface to your basement wall will make it feel more like a "real" room. Learn the how-to steps here and find out what material choice would work best for you.
An unfinished basement can be a dark and damp place that is rarely used for anything other than storage. Although the basement is commonly left unfinished when a home is built, at some point during the life cycle of the home the residents usually require additional living space; the square footage of a basement typically provides ample space for a family room, home office, or even a playroom. A key component to finishing a basement is applying finishes to the exterior foundation walls. Understanding what types of finishes are available will assist you in creating a fully habitable, comfortable, and healthy living space.
Reclaimed wood is a sustainable and environmentally friendly material to use in new construction or remodeling. Learn where it comes from and how you can put it to good use.
The MAXXI addresses the question of its urban context by maintaining a reference to the former army barracks. This is in no way an attempt at topological pastiche, but instead continues the low-level urban texture set against the higher level blocks on the surrounding sides of the site. In this way, the MAXXI is more like an ‘urban graft’, a second skin to the site. At times, it affiliates with the ground to become new ground, yet also ascends and coalesces to become massive where needed.
The all-inclusive, load-bearing design of structural insulated panels (SIPs) offers an energy-efficient, quiet alternative to conventional wood framing methods. In recent years, SIPs have increasingly grown in popularity as builders strive to provide more durable products, use more environmentally sustainable building methods, and reduce costs. According to AMA Research, SIPs are now the fastest growing new building method on the market.
Installing a ceramic tile backsplash is a great do-it-yourself project and a nice introduction to working with tile. Join our host, Jeff Wilson, as he talks about choosing tile for a backsplash and what tools and supplies you’ll need for the job and then demonstrates how to get the job done right.
Installing countertops is easy if you know what problems to avoid: unlevel surfaces, out-of-square walls, unfavorable corner conditions, and built-in equipment.
Countertops not only provide the main work surfaces in a kitchen, but they also offer an opportunity to add a splash of color and materiality to the space. With the nearly limitless design options for countertops, choosing the material and color is often the most difficult part of installing new kitchen countertops. Depending on the type of material, fabricating a kitchen countertop can be a challenge for a do-it-yourselfer, but installing the countertop is a project almost any do-it-yourselfer can handle. Join our host, Jeff Wilson, as he completes the kitchen and offers tips on installing a recycled glass countertop.
The Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), a firm based in Denmark, Copenhagen, was founded by namesake Bjarke Ingels in 2006 and has been on the architectural community's radar ever since. BIG's work is known for being simultaneously playful and socially conscientious. Though many of their projects are situated on dense urban sites, BIG often carves outdoor spaces within the vertical confines of buildings. Their Technology, Entertainment and Knowledge (TEK) Center in Taipei, Taiwan continues this trend. Other notable BIG projects include the Danish Pavilion for the Shanghai Expo 2010 and innovative housing projects such as 8Tallet and The Mountain Dwellings, which feature topographically inspired sections that incorporate terraced roof gardens with sweeping views.
Zaha Hadid’s building at the London 2012 Olympic Park is more than simply an aquatic center: it will factor largely into the public experience of the Olympic Games.
For the gateway to London’s Olympic Park, internationally acclaimed architect Zaha Hadid was selected to design one of her signature sculptural buildings. Hadid's London Aquatics Centre will be the venue for Swimming, Diving, Synchronized Swimming, Paralympic Swimming, and the aquatic portion of the Modern Pentathlon. It is scheduled to host 192 events in all.
A backyard oven not only bakes good bread, it creates ambiance and provides a focal point for your outdoor entertaining area.
Sometimes you start a DIY project that defies any real explanation. It usually starts small – for example, I love really good bread. Not the soft, doughy, white bread you buy at the supermarket, but the crusty, pain au levain that a real French bakery would produce. Since very few bakeries do that right, I got into baking bread. Simple enough.
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) designs a Winter Bath for Copenhagen Harbor that will make the existing Harbor Bath a year-round public park (for those hearty enough to take the plunge).
