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CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM
Designers of the new Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario could have merely created a protective envelope for Canada's wartime artifacts. Instead they designed a monumental structure to inspire a nation by integrating artistic symbolism with pragmatic innovation. — Published 2006.0125
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DESIGN TO SURVIVE
In December, 2005, the American Institute of Architects Board of Directors adopted a position statement they hope will "transform the profession to emphasize sustainability." In the absence of federal leadership on this issue, the AIA recognizes the need for design professionals to find solutions to serious global problems. In the following letter to the construction industry, a veteran environmental activist/ architect discusses what this means to practitioners. — Editor — Published 2006.0104
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NEW SHAPES FOR WORKSPACE
Flexible and open plans have been standard in corporate offices for several decades. During this time, architects have struggled to design open spaces that still provide private, supportive environments for the workers. — Published 2006.0308
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SPEC'ING GREEN
"Architects have the ability to change entire industries with the stroke of a pen. If we specify a material with low carbon dioxide emissions in its fabrication — say, floor tile, carpet, gypsum board — industry will respond. This is the American way. Architects are consumers; they're not always aware of the incredible power they have to change the way products are manufactured."
— Ed Mazria in Metropolis Magazine. — Published 2005.1102
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SWISS AWARD TO CANADIAN PROJECTS
On September 30, 2005, the Swiss Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction honored three North American projects in its annual awards program. The Holcim Foundation, in collaboration with five of the world's leading technical universities, promotes sustainable approaches to environmental design. The awards highlight projects that go beyond technical solutions to consider process, human behavior, and visionary city planning. — Published 2005.1012
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HIGH-METAL TOWER
A crisp, subtly articulated new form has risen among the towers of New York. The Helena, a 580-unit apartment building designed by FXFOWLE ARCHITECTS, formerly Fox & Fowle Architects, brings elegant design and sustainable technologies to a building type often underserved in both these regards. — Published 2005.0928
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DISASTER ENGINEERING
New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama lie devastated in the days-old wake of Hurricane Katrina. As water floods through New Orleans and desperate rescues continue, our hearts go out to the hundreds of thousands whose lives have been devastated and to the untold thousands whose loved ones have been lost. — Published 2005.0831
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WHERE THE LAW IS CLEAR
At the University of Hamburg, the new Central Library of Law is a showcase of "green" operations that also projects a literally green, leaf-patterned backdrop for a historic villa. The German firm me di um Achitekten, partners Klaus Roloff and Michael Ruffing, conceived the library as a compact and transparent book warehouse, connected to the existing Faculty of Law building by a glass atrium. The library's facades and atrium perform dual roles of energy conservation and accommodation to the existing campus. — Published 2005.0831
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WOOD DESIGN AWARDS 2005
Well crafted wood in buildings is sometimes a conversation piece, but perhaps seldom as explicitly as in three projects recently selected to receive honors from the 2005 Wood Design Awards program. A chapel, a temporary show installation, and a house all make contributions to a conversation about what it means to design with wood. — Published 2005.0810
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CRADLE TO CRADLE WINNER
In 2002, architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart published Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, in which they argued that energy efficiency and waste reduction are not sufficient as sustainability goals. Architects should instead aim for waste avoidance. To explore possibilities for implementation, an international Cradle to Cradle Home Design and Construction Competition called for submissions with innovative approaches to materials and systems for sustainable residential design. The winning team, from Seattle, presents their design that reflects the paradigm and vision laid out in the book. — Editor — Published 2005.0713
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