6 must reads for the AEC industry today: May 20, 2020

1. South Korea's SMTown Coex Atrium LED Facade contains a giant crashing wave (BD+C)
"The SMTown Coex Atrium in Seoul, South Korea has a new art installation gracing the large LED screen that wraps the outside of the building. The screens, which were installed in 2018, are the largest outdoor, high-definition LED advertising screens in South Korea."

2. Architecture billings continue historic contraction (AIA)
"Demand for design services in April saw its steepest decline on record, according to a new report today from The American Institute of Architects (AIA)."

3. Supreme Court says Georgia cannot copyright its entire official code (BD+C)
"The ruling pertained to a case filed by the state objecting to Public.Resource.Org’s initiative to put the entire code online. The group aims to make government materials more accessible."

4. 8 Ways COVID-19 Will Change Architecture (Architizer)
"The way we design, build and inhabit cities may never be the same."

5. Fever Checks and Quarantine Dorms: The Fall College Experience? (New York Times)
"We listened as University of Kentucky administrators discussed bringing students back to campus, providing a glimpse into what other schools might do in the fall."

6. Contractors challenged by lack of labor, jobsite tension and delays (Construction Dive)
"In most jurisdictions, projects are coming back on line, and construction managers are struggling to fill jobs. There are several factors suppressing skilled labor across the country, according to panelist Bob Majerus, vice president and general counsel for Hensel Phelps."

The Architectural Billings Index measures the general sentiment of U.S. architecture firms about the health of the construction market by measuring 1) design billings and 2) design contracts. Any score above 50 means that, among the architecture firms surveyed, more firms than not reported seeing increases in design work vs. the previous month.