University of Michigan’s Central Campus residence hall, as seen looking west from Hill Street. Rendering © RAMSA

The University of Michigan addresses a decades-long student housing shortage with a new housing-dining facility

The University of Michigan has faced a decades-long shortage of on-campus student housing. In a couple of years, the situation should significantly improve with the addition of a new residential community on Central Campus in Ann Arbor, Mich. The University of Michigan has engaged American Campus Communities in a public-private partnership to lead the development of the environmentally sustainable living-learning student community.

MFPRO+ New Projects

Shipping containers converted into attractive, affordable multifamily housing in L.A.

In the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles, a new affordable multifamily housing project using shipping containers resulted in 24 micro-units for formerly unhoused residents. The containers were acquired from a nearby port and converted into housing units at a factory.

Adaptive Reuse

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.

Geothermal Technology

Rochester, Minn., plans extensive geothermal network

The city of Rochester, Minn., home of the famed Mayo Clinic, is going big on geothermal networks. The city is constructing Thermal Energy Networks (TENs) that consist of ambient pipe loops connecting multiple buildings and delivering thermal heating and cooling energy via water-source heat pumps.

Engineers

Engineering goes hand-in-hand with design, putting a practical lens on the architect’s vision and finding the best way to make it happen. Without a talented engineer, the project will never reach completion, and certainly will not reach the standards of functionality and sustainability that the architect and client are seeking.

John Negich | Feb 19, 2014

Why you should start with a builder, part two

When it’s time to build or expand, the first step is finding a builder that fits your needs. Once you have found a builder, checked their references, visited with their previous clients and are ready to move forward, the next step is answering an initial set of questions that will direct your project.

Feb 19, 2014

Slight rebound for Architecture Billings Index

After consecutive months of contracting demand for design services, AIA's Architecture Billings Index inched up nearly two points to 50.4 in January, indicating favorable business conditions.

Feb 19, 2014

Sefaira Adds Daylighting Analysis to Performance Based Design Platform

Sefaira, the leader in software for high performance building design, today announced that its performance based design platform now includes daylighting analysis. With the addition of daylighting, Sefaira combines two critical design metrics in the same tool.

Feb 19, 2014

Harvard's 'termite robots' can build any thing, any way [video]

The robots build by observing thier environment and then obeying a set of traffic rules programmed by researchers.

The Illinois Holocaust Museum, in Skokie, is one of Illinois' recent LEED Gold p

Feb 18, 2014

Illinois leads Top 10 states for LEED in annual USGBC ranking

The U.S. Green Building Council has released its ranking of the Top 10 States for LEED, the world’s most widely used and recognized green building rating system.

Ann&RobertH.LurieChildren'sHospital, Chicago

Feb 18, 2014

Study: 90% of healthcare providers say Affordable Care Act is 'step forward,' but major revisions needed

Providers are excited about opportunities to address long-term health issues in the U.S., but worries about the transition persist, according to a new study by Mortenson Construction.

Feb 17, 2014

SmithGroupJJR President and CEO Carl Roehling appointed to serve on the AIA/AGC Joint Committee

Carl Roehling, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, president & CEO of SmithGroupJJR, has been appointed to serve on the Joint Committee of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).

17 John was designed by Winka Dubbeldam.

Feb 17, 2014

Developer plans to 'crowdfund' extended stay hotel in Manhattan

Want to own a piece of Manhattan hotel real estate? Developer Rodrigo Nino is inviting individual investors to put up $100,000 each for his latest project, 17 John.

Feb 17, 2014

GBI to Offer AIA Approved Course Free for 60 Days to Train New Green Globes Professionals

The Green Building Initiative™ (GBI) announced today that between Feb. 13 and April 15 it will provide free access to its online certification course for Green Globes Professionals™ (GGPs). GGPs help guide building projects in achieving Green Globes® ratings, awarded for environmentally-focused design and construction.

Feb 17, 2014

Using Engineers Week to Promote a Career in Engineering

The purpose of National Engineers Week is to call attention to the contributions that engineers make to society, and to emphasize the importance of learning math, science, and technical skills.