Design & Architecture posts, articles, and infographics

Design Can’t Save Us, but We Can Save Through Design. A #CNU20 Reflection

May 15, 2012 by Kristen Jeffers
with 63 views

It’s been roughly 48 hours since the last session at CNU 20 and I’ve been home about 24 of those hours with a sore throat and bruised heels from all the great debates, ideas, dances, food and fellowship that I encountered at the Congress.There were so many diverse viewpoints this year that it has taken me to this point to be able to sit... [read more]

Affordable Housing Goes Green in Georgia

May 14, 2012 by Glenn Meyers
with 139 views

PhotoStocker/Shutterstock

The Northwest Georgia Housing Authority (NWGHA) has been actively helping Georgia’s residents to find safe and affordable housing for sixty years and in the past few years it has progressed into a leader in quality housing, as well.NWGHA is composed of eleven public housing communities.They recently worked with Lord, Aeck & Sargent (... [read more]

Shipping container "cities" bring creative, funky approach to green construction

May 11, 2012 by Kaid Benfield
with 596 views

This started out as an article on prefabricated modular housing, which can bring the construction price of new homes down considerably and lends itself well to use of green materials and straightforward replication. There’s a multi-part series on green prefab construction, including the history and evolution of the industry... [read more]

Bringing Sustainability to the Entertainment Industry

May 10, 2012 by Tyler Caine
with 76 views

When sitting comfortably with popcorn and soda in hand, it is easy to be drawn into the world of plays and films with little thought spared to what was necessary to create them. Whether it’s a blockbuster movie or just a commercial the focus is on the finished product rather than things like efficiency or post-production waste management... [read more]

New Guide for Appraisers Factors Energy Efficiency Into Property Valuations

May 9, 2012 by Glenn Meyers
with 108 views

djem/Shutterstock

The Institute for Market Transformation and the Appraisal Institute have collaborated and released an updated guide that features details in rating energy performance on property value. Energy efficient properties will see an increase in appraisal values as a result.Today, at the ACEEE Energy Efficiency Finance Forum in Boston, the... [read more]

Harvard Achieves a Record 75 LEED Certifications

May 7, 2012 by U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
with 108 views

Yevgenia Gorbulsky/Shutterstock

Harvard continues to be a national leader in education, making significant advances to their sustainability goals by having more LEED-certified buildings than any other campus in the US. [read more]

Design Against Prisons

May 6, 2012 by polis blog
with 177 views

Launched in 2004, the Prison Design Boycott is an initiative led by Architects / Designers / Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR) targeting the ethics of architectural practice. The campaign aims to bring awareness and offer alternatives regarding the role of architects in perpetuating the prison-industrial complex in the United... [read more]

Continuing the Conversation: Towards an Architecture of Place

May 3, 2012 by Project for Public Spaces
with 115 views

Says commenter Suzan Hampton of Rem Koolhaas' Seattle Public Library, which is in the Architecture of Place Hall of Shame: "It feels like being in an airport terminal in there." / Photo: heyskinny via FlickrOver the past couple of months, we have written several times about the need to move toward an Architecture of Place, creating... [read more]

Eco-Bling: Good or Bad?

May 2, 2012 by Allison McKenzie
with 141 views

[Vitalez]/[shutterstock.com]

Not too long ago, I was sitting in the patient chair at my dentist’s office, chatting with the dental hygienist as she started to clean my teeth. This particular person had not worked on my mouth before, so we were covering the basics of “do you have kids?” and “what do you do for a living”? I did as succinct a job as I could of... [read more]

Parks that Embrace the City

April 29, 2012 by polis blog
with 564 views

Photo Source: NonProfitMarketing360

Gazing out onto the city. Source: SpecialKRBMany parks are designed to provide a sense of escape from the city, through separation from the bustle of street life. On the other hand, parks like the High Line engage creatively, offering new ways of seeing and interacting with the urban landscape. The city becomes a feature... [read more]

In a Harsh Economic Climate, a Way Forward for Designers

April 27, 2012 by The Dirt ASLA
with 264 views

The three presidents of the major design organizations shaping the built environment – the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), American Institute of Architects (AIA), and American Planning Association (APA) – discussed the challenges facing the design professions as well as the opportunities at the American... [read more]

Using a Day of Service to Green Your School

April 24, 2012 by Rachel Gutter
with 54 views

Last week, I was able to visit one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to make an exciting announcement, recognizing the Green School in Bali as the Center for Green School’s “2012 Greenest School on Earth.” The school has some incredible features, such as structures made from environmentally friendly bamboo, solar energy and... [read more]