Ezra, Author at Building and Construction

Architecture Firm Succession Planning: How Design Leadership Transitions Shape Community-Centered Practice

Understanding Architecture Firm Succession Planning Through Community-Centered Practice When longtime architecture firm principals step down, the transition represents more than a change in organizational charts. It signals a shift in how a practice defines its mission, serves its community, and prepares the next generation of design leaders. The retirement of Mark Ripple, FAIA, and Tracy […]

Uniting Historic Cabins and New Hotel Construction through Shared Roof Design

The Society Hotel Bingen uses a cantilevered shared roof to connect historic cabins, a former school, and a new spa into a cohesive hospitality compound. Learn the design strategies behind this approach.

Cylindrical Tower Landmark in South Florida: ODA’s Stepped Rounded Volumes Reshape Fort Lauderdale’s Rio Vista Skyline

ODA’s Design Philosophy for the Rio Vista Cylindrical Tower New York-based architecture and design studio ODA has unveiled plans for a landmark mixed-use tower in Fort Lauderdale’s Rio Vista neighborhood that challenges conventional high-rise massing through a sequence of stepped rounded volumes. Located south of New River at 633 SE 3rd Avenue, the 47-story tower

Curtain Wall Innovation in Historic Urban Settings: The Cathedral School for Boys Expansion

Architects working in dense historic urban districts face a unique set of challenges that test both technical skill and creative vision. When the Office of Charles F. Bloszies, FAIA, took on the 1115-square-meter addition and renovation for the Cathedral School for Boys in San Francisco, the project demanded an approach that respected a medieval Gothic

How Low-Carbon Concrete Mixes Are Reducing Embodied Carbon Through Industry Partnerships

Holcim US, AWS, HIIT Contracting, and Baker Concrete Construction are pioneering low-carbon concrete mixes that reduce CO2 emissions by 35 to 45 percent. Learn about mix design, performance characteristics, and specification strategies for sustainable building construction.

High-Performance Building Envelope Design: Best Practices for Energy Efficiency and Durability

The building envelope serves as the primary interface between interior environments and external climatic conditions, making it one of the most critical systems in modern construction. A high-performance building envelope does far more than separate indoors from outdoors; it regulates thermal comfort, controls moisture migration, manages air infiltration, and significantly influences overall building energy consumption.

How SOM Became the Top Architecture Firm of 2022 According to CTBUH: Lessons in High-Rise Design Excellence

How SOM Became the Top Architecture Firm of 2022 According to CTBUH: Lessons in High-Rise Design Excellence When the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) names the number one architecture company of the year, the entire building industry pays attention. In December 2022, CTBUH awarded that distinction to Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM),

Senior Housing Zoning Reform in New York: How Tres Puentes Blends Architectural Context and Community Design in the Bronx

New York City’s approach to senior housing development took a significant step forward with the completion of Tres Puentes, an award-winning senior housing project in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx. This development demonstrates how thoughtful architectural design can shape zoning policy while respecting the historical and industrial character of an urban neighborhood. The

Nature Integrated School Architecture: Gilkey Middle School Portland Design Principles for Educational Building Professionals

The Gilkey International Middle School in Portland, Oregon, demonstrates how educational facilities can embrace environments that actively support student development and connection to the natural world. This 2,462-square-meter facility shows how treehouse school design concepts can be adapted for permanent educational construction through thoughtful architectural planning that nurtures academic growth and personal independence. Design Philosophy

How the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Bowes Center Achieves Acoustical Performance Through Glass Curtainwall Design

Modern building design increasingly demands that glass facades deliver both visual transparency and rigorous acoustic performance. As urban density grows and music schools, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions locate in bustling city cores, architects must reconcile the conflicting goals of an open, light-filled envelope with the need to control sound transmission from busy streets.