flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

GAME CHANGERS: 6 projects that rewrite the rules of commercial design and construction

Game Changers

GAME CHANGERS: 6 projects that rewrite the rules of commercial design and construction

BD+C’s inaugural Game Changers report highlights today’s pacesetting projects, from a prefab high-rise in China to a breakthrough research lab in the Midwest.


By BD+C Staff | February 4, 2016

Factory for J57 Mini Sky City, Changsha, China. Photo: BSB

“I ought to be jealous of the tower. She is more famous than I am.” Sorry Gustave, but your sentiments ring truer today than they did 126 years ago, when your tower took Paris by storm. The Eiffel Tower, designed and built by engineer Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World’s Fair, stood as the globe’s tallest structure for 41 years. More importantly, it served as a beacon of innovation during the early days of metal-framed buildings.

Each year, there are a handful of milestone projects, like Gustave’s tower, that advance the AEC industry. BD+C’s inaugural Game Changers report highlights today’s pacesetting projects, from a prefab high-rise in China to a breakthrough research lab in the Midwest. Enjoy! (Bonus: Check out our timeline of 52 game-changing buildings through the years.)

 

 

Photo: Connie Zhou Photography

PNC's 'breathing' tower redefines the modern office building

Natural breezes flow through the banking giant's new 33-story, double-skin tower in Pittsburgh. Read more.

 

 

Model: Centerbrook Architects & Planners

Mayo Clinic's breakthrough research lab puts evidence-based design to the test

Mayo teams up with Delos to bring hard science to EBD research. Read more.

 

 

Photo: Tesla Motors

Tesla: Battery storage is not just about electric vehicles

With his $5 billion, 13.6 million-sf Gigafactory, Tesla’s Elon Musk seeks to change the economics of battery energy storage, forever. Read more.

 

 

Photo: Broad Sustainable Building

Asia’s modular miracle

A prefab construction company in China built a 57-story tower in 19 days. Here’s how they did it. Read more.

 

 

Photo: Wavegarden

Mega surf parks take entertainment to new extremes

Wave-making technologies vie for attention, as surfing is shortlisted for 2020 Olympic Games. Read more.

 

 

Rendering: NBBJ

London’s ’shadowless’ towers

Using advanced design computation, a design team demonstrates how to "erase" a building’s shadows. Read more.

 

 

TIMELINE: 52 game-changing buildings through the years

From the E.V. Haughwout Building (first passenger elevator) to the Sackett-Wilhelms printing plant (first building with modern AC), BD+C editors present a timeline of the pacesetting projects from the past 170 years. Read more. 

Related Stories

AEC Tech | Feb 20, 2024

AI for construction: What kind of tool can artificial intelligence become for AEC teams?

Avoiding the hype and gathering good data are half the battle toward making artificial intelligence tools useful for performing design, operational, and jobsite tasks.

AEC Innovators | Jun 15, 2023

Rogers-O'Brien Construction pilots wearables to reduce heat-related injuries on jobsites

Rogers-O'Brien Construction (RO) has launched a pilot program utilizing SafeGuard, a safety-as-a-service platform for real-time health and safety risk assessment. Non-invasive wearables connected to SafeGuard continuously monitor personnel to prevent heat exhaustion on jobsites, reducing the risk of related injuries. RO is the first general contractor to pilot this program.

Office Buildings | May 15, 2023

Sixteen-story office tower will use 40% less energy than an average NYC office building

This month marks the completion of a new 16-story office tower that is being promoted as New York City’s most sustainable office structure. That boast is backed by an innovative HVAC system that features geothermal wells, dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) units, radiant heating and cooling, and a sophisticated control system to ensure that the elements work optimally together.

K-12 Schools | May 12, 2023

In Virginia, a new high school building helps reimagine the experience for 1,600 students

In Virginia, the City of Alexandria recently celebrated the topping out of a new building for Alexandria City High School. When complete in 2025, the high-performance structure will accommodate 1,600 students. 

Hotel Facilities | May 9, 2023

A new camping destination near Utah’s Zion National Park offers a variety of all-season lodgings and amenities

Outdoor lodging brand AutoCamp has opened a new camping destination near Utah’s Zion National Park. A 16-acre property, AutoCamp Zion is located between the Virgin River and the desert of Southern Utah.

Concrete Technology | Apr 24, 2023

A housing complex outside Paris is touted as the world’s first fully recycled concrete building

Outside Paris, Holcim, a Swiss-based provider of innovative and sustainable building solutions, and Seqens, a social housing provider in France, are partnering to build Recygénie—a 220-unit housing complex, including 70 social housing units. Holcim is calling the project the world’s first fully recycled concrete building.

Design Innovation Report | Apr 19, 2023

Reinforced concrete walls and fins stiffen and shade the National Bank of Kuwait skyscraper

When the National Bank of Kuwait first conceived its new headquarters more than a decade ago, it wanted to make a statement about passive design with a soaring tower that could withstand the extreme heat of Kuwait City, the country’s desert capital. 

Design Innovation Report | Apr 19, 2023

HDR uses artificial intelligence tools to help design a vital health clinic in India

Architects from HDR worked pro bono with iKure, a technology-centric healthcare provider, to build a healthcare clinic in rural India.

Urban Planning | Apr 12, 2023

Watch: Trends in urban design for 2023, with James Corner Field Operations

Isabel Castilla, a Principal Designer with the landscape architecture firm James Corner Field Operations, discusses recent changes in clients' priorities about urban design, with a focus on her firm's recent projects.

3D Printing | Apr 11, 2023

University of Michigan’s DART Laboratory unveils Shell Wall—a concrete wall that’s lightweight and freeform 3D printed 

The University of Michigan’s DART Laboratory has unveiled a new product called Shell Wall—which the organization describes as the first lightweight, freeform 3D printed and structurally reinforced concrete wall. The innovative product leverages DART Laboratory’s research and development on the use of 3D-printing technology to build structures that require less concrete. 

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021