When Snøhetta unveiled the design for the El Paso Children’s Museum in downtown Texas, it marked a milestone in how museum architecture for cultural institutions can serve as both an educational tool and an urban landmark. The four-story, 70,000-square-foot (6,503 m²) museum is the first purpose-built children’s museum in El Paso, designed in collaboration with […]
Measuring the carbon footprint of a building has become a central priority for architects, engineers, and contractors working toward climate targets. While operational carbon has historically dominated the conversation, a growing body of research shows that embodied carbon the emissions released during material extraction, manufacturing, transport, construction, and demolition can account for 40 to 70
The Challenge of Lunar Construction Building a permanent human presence on the Moon represents one of the most demanding construction challenges ever conceived. Unlike terrestrial projects where materials, labor, and equipment are readily available, lunar construction must contend with a vacuum environment, extreme temperature swings of more than 250 degrees Celsius between lunar day and
The American Institute of Architects’ New York chapter (AIANY) issued a landmark statement in 2020 calling on architects to stop designing spaces of incarceration that perpetuate harm within the United States justice system. This directive, which applies to prisons, jails, detention centers, and police stations, signals a significant shift in how the architectural profession views
Glass has evolved from a simple fenestration component into a sophisticated structural and aesthetic building material that defines contemporary architecture. The growing use of large, complex glass assemblies including sloped glazing systems, curtain walls, and structural glass fins requires building professionals to understand the material properties, performance standards, and regulatory requirements that govern modern glass
How the MBCC Group Emerged from BASF Construction Chemicals: A New Chapter for Building Material Innovation When a global chemical giant restructures its construction division, the ripple effects reach every corner of the building industry. In October 2020, the BASF Construction Chemicals business completed its transition into an independent entity now known as MBCC Group,
Designing the Contemporary Office Building Exterior Sculptural Facades as Architectural Statements Modern office buildings increasingly reject the conventional boxy aesthetic in favor of sculptural forms that serve as landmarks within their communities. The SDH + TREO Professional Building in North Miami Beach exemplifies this shift, where the architects conceived the structure as a sculptural icon
When Sir David Adjaye received the 2021 Royal Gold Medal for Architecture from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the award recognized more than a single building or project. It honored a career spanning 25 years that has fundamentally influenced how architects, builders, and clients think about the relationship between design, materiality, and civic
Building professionals have long sought materials that combine strength, sustainability, and adaptability. Chitin, the natural polymer found in insect exoskeletons, crustacean shells, and fungal cell walls, is emerging as a candidate that meets all three criteria in ways that conventional building materials cannot match. A 2020 study led by Javier Fernandez at the Singapore University
How Open-Source Design Platforms Are Reshaping Architectural Workflows for Residential Construction Architects today face a dual challenge: housing demand is rising while project timelines and budgets grow tighter. The response from the design profession has been a shift toward data-driven, digitally integrated workflows that bridge the gap between conceptual design and construction reality. One of
