Empty mall to be converted to UCLA Research Park

UCLA recently acquired a former mall that it will convert into the UCLA Research Park that will house the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy at UCLA and the UCLA Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, as well as programs across other disciplines. The 700,000-sf property, formerly the Westside Pavilion shopping mall, is two miles from the university’s main Westwood campus. Google, which previously leased part of the property, helped enable and support UCLA’s acquisition.

Smart Buildings

A Swiss startup devises an intelligent photovoltaic façade that tracks and moves with the sun

Zurich Soft Robotics says Solskin can reduce building energy consumption by up to 80% while producing up to 40% more electricity than comparable façade systems.

Urban Planning

‘Flowing’ design emphasizes interaction at Bellevue, Wash., development

The three-tower 1,030,000-sf office and retail development designed by Graphite Design Group in collaboration with Compton Design Office for Vulcan Real Estate is attracting some of the world’s largest names in tech and hospitality.

Mixed-Use

Multifamily properties above ground-floor grocers continue to see positive rental premiums

Optimizing land usage is becoming an even bigger priority for developers. In some city centers, many large grocery stores sprawl across valuable land.

Retail Centers

With the advent of the internet and online shopping, retail centers need to be more compelling than ever to draw people away from their computers and into physical stores. Design can capture the interest of potential shoppers, and pay off in a big way for business owners.

Drew Ballensky | Nov 9, 2011

New York’s iconic Macy’s flagship store to get $400 million renovation

Macy’s Inc. flagship store in New York’s Herald Square will undergo a $400 million renovation that…

Oct 26, 2011

Shawmut Design and Construction awarded Tag Heuer build in Aventura, Fla.

New store features 1,200 sf fit out at Aventura Mall.

Oct 3, 2011

Magellan Development Group opens Village Market in Chicago’s Lakeshore East neighborhood

Magellan Development Group and Hanwha Engineering & Construction are joint-venture development partners on the project. The Village Market was designed for Silver LEED certification by Loewenberg Architects and built by McHugh Construction.

Drew Ballensky | Sep 28, 2011

$1 billion renovation of San Diego Mall launched

The first phase of a $1 billion renovation of a San Diego mall features a transformation of a…

Sep 23, 2011

Under 40 Leadership Summit

Building Design+Construction’s Under 40 Leadership Summit takes place October 26-28, 2011 Hotel at the Monteleone in New Orleans. Discounted hotel rate deadline: October 2, 2011.

Jun 29, 2011

Officials break ground on town center near University of Connecticut

Officials in Storrs, Conn., have planned a new residential and retail town center to appear next to…

Jun 23, 2011

Chicago-based firm to design third-tallest building in China

Adrian Smith+Gordon Gill Architecture won a competition to design the $773 million Wuhan Greenland…

May 18, 2011

$10 million restoration to give new life to historic Battery Park pier

Renovations to Pier A in Lower Manhattan are setting the groundwork for a new dining and…

May 17, 2011

Redesigning, redefining the grocery shopping experience

The traditional 40,000- to 60,000-sf grocery store is disappearing and much of the change is happening in the city. Urban infill sites and mixed-use projects offer grocers a rare opportunity to repackage themselves into smaller, more efficient, and more convenient retail outlets. And the AEC community will have a hand in developing how these facilities will look and operate.

Apr 12, 2011

Retail complex enjoys prime Abu Dhabi location

The Galleria at Sowwah Square in Abu Dhabi will be built in a prime location within Sowwah Island that also includes a five-star Four Seasons Hotel, the healthcare facility Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and nearly two million sf of Class A office space.