GEOMETRIC PANELS COME WITH ONLINE DESIGN TOOL
Smith & Fong’s line of bamboo wall panels now includes Fractal, a customizable geometric pattern based on the isosceles triangle. Designers can use the maker’s online design tool, Fractool, to create unique wall patterns. Comes with a blueprint of how to assemble and install the panels. Fractal panels (24x24x34 inches) are fabricated using Plyboo RealCore bamboo. Available with FSC 100%-certified bamboo and in natural, amber, fog, mist, greige, and noir.
SPACE-SAVING BIKE PARKING SYSTEM
The Dero Decker two-tiered bike parking system has been made easier to install and operate. The top trays are 40 pounds lighter than legacy models and offer smooth, quiet movement when raising and lowering the trays. Installation requires 60% less drilling into the floor. A bolting footplate guide eliminates the need to measure the position of the lower trays during installation. Front-wheel safety locking lever and tray dampers enhance safety when lowering the upper trays. Accommodates u-locks for added security. Fat-bike tray available.
STACKED STONE LOOK GIVES DESIGNERS LOTS OF OPTIONS
The Stacked Stone collection from Eldorado Stone provides the classic aesthetic and precision of hand-laid dry-stack stone with the installation and maintenance benefits of a panel system. Project teams can create authentic-looking stacked stone walls and column fascias. The stones measure four inches high and range in length from eight inches to 20 inches, and in depths from 0.625 inches to two inches. Available in more than a dozen profiles, including Chapel Hill, Nantucket, and Santa Fe.
COMPACT FREESTANDING TUB CAN SQUEEZE INTO TIGHT SPACES
Measuring just 56x29 inches, the Vetralla tub from Victoria+Albert is designed for contemporary bathrooms where space is at a premium. The tub is made from V+A’s Quarrycast mix of volcanic limestone and resins that creates a high-gloss, bright-white luster. Available in white, matte white, gloss black, light grey, matte black, anthracite, and stone grey.
VERSATILE PREP SINK WILL simply BOWL YOU OVER
Lenova’s Permaclean Apron Front Ledge Prep Sink has an engineered platform ledge that allows the unit to turn into a food prep center, complete with an optional stainless steel colander, roll-up grid drainer, and bamboo cutting board. Available in single- or double-bowl configuration. A low divider in the double-bowl layout accommodates big pots with long handles. Seamless drain system, removable splashguards, and strainer baskets included.
GLASS WALLS MAXIMIZE VIEWS AT N.J. LUXURY APARTMENT TOWER
To open up views from their new seven-story, 80-unit luxury rental apartment tower in Hackensack, N.J., property owner/GC Petrone Building Corp. and designer Virgona & Virgona Architects installed 883 energy-efficient windows and doors at The Vue to create floor-to-ceiling glass walls. The aluminum window walls use Crystal Window & Door Systems’ two- and three-lite sliders, fixed windows, swing terrace doors, and sliding patio doors. The window wall can span openings up to 212 inches in width and 96 inches in height.
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Permanent tribute to Daniel Burnham and his Plan of Chicago proposed for Grant Park Museum Campus
The first-place winner of a design competition for a public memorial celebrating Daniel Burnham's impact on Chicago will be announced at a news conference Wednesday, July 8, at 10am CDT. The proposed site for the memorial is on the Museum Campus just north of The Field Museum. The announcement comes after nearly two years of planning by Chicago's architecture, design and urban planning community about how to best honor the legacy of Burnham and the Plan of Chicago he co-wrote with Edward Bennett.
| Aug 11, 2010
Arup, SOM top BD+C's ranking of the country's largest mixed-use design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 Mixed-Use Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Architecture billings index takes turn for the worse
After showing signs of stabilization over the last three months, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) plunged nearly five points in June. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the June ABI rating was 37.7, far lower than the 42.9 the previous month.
| Aug 11, 2010
International Living Building Institute established to advance 'living buildings'
The idea of a Living Building, a high-performance building that produces its own power and cleans and reuses all of its water, is gaining momentum around the world. In an effort to oversee the global development of Living Buildings, the International Living Building Institute (ILBI) has been established.
| Aug 11, 2010
Populous selected to design 'crystalline skin' stadium for 2014 Winter Olympics
Russian officials have selected global architect Populous to design the main stadium for the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia. The 40,000-seat stadium will feature a crystalline skin that "engages with its surroundings by day and provides an iconic representation of the color and spectacle of the games when illuminated at night," said Populous senior principal John Barrow.
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M&A deal volume down 67% in engineering/construction sector: PricewaterhouseCoopers
Global Economic Uncertainty Results in Sluggish Deal Activity in U.S.; China Shows Significant Opportunity for Growth
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Three Opus Corporation companies file for bankruptcy
Opus Corporation, a developer headquartered in Minnetonka, Minn., filed for bankruptcy in three of its five regional operating companies: Opus East, Opus South, and Opus West. CEO Mark Rauenhorst said sharp declines in commercial real estate values and tight credit markets caused difficulties in refinancing assets and restructuring lending agreements.
