Architects presented a preliminary design for Lexington's CentrePointe block to the Courthouse Area Design Review Board on Wednesday. Rick Ekhoff, a principal in the firm of EOP architects, told the board he wanted their critique and feedback.

The design retained several pieces of the master plan done last year by Chicago architect Jeanne Gang and her firm Studio Gang Architects. Those pieces include a hotel and condominium tower on Vine Street, a low-rise office building at Main and Limestone, three and four-story retail buildings facing Main Street and an underground parking garage.

Board members were tactful in their remarks but said they wanted to see changes in parts of the plan Ekhoff presented.

Developers Dudley and Woodford Webb tore down 14 historic buildings in downtown Lexington in 2008 to make way for CentrePointe, a hotel/condominium project that has not materialized. The block remains empty, and the design presented Wednesday was at least the fourth.

The Webbs hired Gang in March to come up with a new vision for the block. In October, Dudley Webb announced that Gang had completed the job she had been hired to do and no longer was part of the project.

Ekhoff described the two-acre block as the core of the economic welfare, cultural strength and social vitality of the community. "Hopefully, with your blessing this project can move forward," he said.

The block is included in the Courthouse Area Design Review Zone, in which all new buildings and exterior changes to existing structures must be approved by the review board.

Several members said there needed to be more pedestrian access through the block, at ground level, so people could walk from Main Street to Vine Street.

Buildings facing Upper Street need more windows instead of solid brick walls, they said. One board member said it looked now as if the project had "turned its back on Upper Street."

Several members took issue with a pedway connecting the hotel to the Financial Center parking garage. It would be possible for people to walk from the CentrePointe hotel all the way to Lexington Center via pedways.

Board member Kevin Atkins asked whether that worked against the current push to get more people walking downtown. Last summer the city completed a multimillion-dollar, three-year project to build new sidewalks on Main and Vine streets and South Limestone.

Dudley Webb said women would feel safer at night on pedways when they had to walk from Lexington Center to the CentrePointe hotel.

The idea that people have to walk in "a conditioned, secure environment says something not so good about downtown. I live downtown. Downtown is safer than the suburbs here," said board member Michael Speaks, dean of the University of Kentucky College of Design.

What downtown needs is more pedestrian traffic, not less, he said.

"I really don't like the pedway, Speaks said."

Board chairman Mike Meuser said one thing the public appreciated about Jeanne Gang was that she had public meetings and solicited people's ideas, several of which she incorporated into her design. Meuser suggested Ekhoff also have a public meeting so the community would feel included in the process.

Board member Harry Richert asked whether the entire project, with all the buildings, could be built in phases. Webb said that would be too expensive, so it would be built at one time, he said.

Webb said three businesses — Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse from Cincinnati, Saul Good Restaurant and Pub, and Urban Active gym — have committed to take space on the block. J.W. Marriott will take the hotel space.

A public meeting will be scheduled, Ekhoff said. Then the design will be finalized, and EOP will file a formal application to the Courthouse Area Design Review Board. The board will schedule a hearing on the application three weeks after the filing.

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Architects present new preliminary design for Lexington's CentrePointe block

The inreal terminal is an innovation for use in architecture. Users can "access" their future home prior to construction. The key component of the terminal is a head-mounted display, 3D video glasses with integrated high-resolution motion sensors. They measure the position and movement of the head and, thus, allow for an adaptation of virtual environment in real time. Via tablet control, design wishes, such as changes of the wall color, floor cover, or room layout, can be made immediately. The terminal is advantageous for the client and reduces the architect's working time during the planning phase.

The terminal, consisting of the 3D video glasses, controller, 3D display, and tablet, may not only be used by architects, but also for other purposes. Any environment can be "modeled" on the computer and "accessed" via the terminal. "The terminal gives the users an authentic feeling of space due to intuitive navigation," explains Moritz Luck, one of the founders of the spin-off. In the future, the technology shall be developed further for home users.

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inreal Technologies was established in 2010 by the KIT students Thomas Schander, Michael Beyhs, and Moritz Luck. In cooperation with the Institute for Information Management in Engineering (IMI), the young entrepreneurs developed their ideas to maturity. For their innovative approach, they were granted a spin-off stipend under the EXIST program by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.

Provided by Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (news : web)

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Virtual reality supports planning by architects

Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) will soon have in place a panel of architects to verify and approve individual building plans on behalf of the civic body for residents wanting to build private houses.

Chief executive officer of the civic body Vinay Kumar Choubey said RMC had already issued a tender, asking city architects to enrol themselves in the panel and take up responsibility as envisaged by the new municipal act.

"On Saturday, we began the exercise of getting architects on board the panel. A tender was issued and we are sure we will get architects interested in the new task," Choubey told The Telegraph.

The new law ' Jharkhand Municipality Act 2011 ' eased the process of building plan approval for individuals wanting to construct homes. Those building small and medium houses now need not go to the civic body to get their plans approved. The new rule authorises private but empanelled architects to verify and approve individual building plans up to a size of 500sqmt. Even interested junior civil engineers have been authorised by the new act to play this role.

"We will be getting names of interested architects in the next 15 days. Following this, the panel would be formed," Choubey said.

According to the act, after approving an individual building plan, the empanelled architect has to submit the details to the chief executive officer of the civic body within 15 days from the date of approval. The architect would have to approve the plans as per norms set by the civic body.

Earlier, the task of verifying and approving building plans was the responsibility of Ranchi Regional Development Authority (RRDA). Almost a year ago, the task was handed over to RMC, which can approve building plans in areas under its jurisdiction. The RRDA has the power to approve maps for buildings outside the civic body area.

"So far, we have approved nearly 500 plans. If everything including ownership of land and proposed layout is alright, it takes only around 20-25 days to verify the spot and approve the plan," said Gajanan Ram, the RMC town planner. Around 150 applications are lying for the consideration of the civic body.

The civic body has created a town planning cell at its office, engaging one town planner, two assistant engineers and four junior engineers. These men collectively verify a building plan and either approve it or ask the applicant to come up with a modified version.

"As a panel of architects is yet to be created, the civic body is now approving building plans of individual houses as well as apartments and commercial buildings. Once the architect panel is formed, the civic body will approve apartments and commercial building plans and those individual building plans whose area exceeds 500sqmt," Ram clarified.

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Panel to approve building plans

Public release date: 14-Feb-2012
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Contact: Sheryl Weinstein
973-596-3436
New Jersey Institute of Technology

Five members of the faculty at NJIT's College of Architecture and Design (COAD) will share their ideas at "Think Pieces" on Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. in the COAD Gallery. The public is invited to the free event which promises to provide a good insider's view into the world of architecture and design.

"This promises to be a stimulating and fascinating evening," said COAD Dean Urs Gauchat. "Students will learn more about what their teachers are thinking about, parents will learn about the caliber of the faculty, donors will appreciate the intellectual milieu, faculty will expound to their colleagues, and alumni will be exposed to the extraordinary thinking of faculty."

The faculty presenters, all architects, include associate professor Richard Garber, assistant professors Taro Naraharo, Georgeen Theodore and Andrzej Zarzycki; and university lecturer Jose Acala.

Theodore http://www.njit.edu/news/experts/theodore.php, who is also an urban designer, has participated in and led large-scale projects in the U.S. and internationally. As an associate professor in COAD's School of Architecture, she teaches design studio in both the undergraduate and Master of Infrastructure Planning programs. A key goal in Theodore's work is to bring large-scale design issues and methodologies to the forefront in both programs.

Garber http://www.njit.edu/news/experts/garber.php teaches design studios and directs a unique design and manufacturing laboratory, the FABLAB. His work uses computer simulation and computer numerically-controlled hardware to generate innovative design, construction, and assembly solutions. He is also principal of the New York City architectural firm GRO Architects.

Naraharo, a registered New York architect, teaches digital design studio and courses on gaming and physical computing at NJIT. He won the Peter Rice Prize, the Digital Design Prize, and a REAI Research Grant Award from Harvard University. He has practiced in the United States and Japan and been associated with firms such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Gluckman Mayner Architects. He has collaborated on award-winning projects including the Mori Arts Center, Hotel Puerta de America in Madrid, and the MoMA Store in New York City.

Zarzycki is a designer and educator who uses digital tools to create experiential architectural spaces. His research focuses on media-based environments and on validation methodologies of generative design through building performance analysis and simulation tools. He is a co-winner of SHIFTboston Ideas Competition 2010 and a co-founder of TUTS (Tremont Underground Theatre Space) (the-tuts.org), a design initiative focusing on innovative adaptations of infrastructure into contemporary public spaces and on the integration of digital technologies into urban life. He has taught at Rhode Island School of Design and received a master of science in Architecture Studies from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Alcala has more than 20 years experience in both the practical and theoretical areas of the design field. He has designed electronic projects, furniture, exhibitions and even buildings. He holds 10 patents and has received several awards for his architectural and product design work, and maintains a strong alliance to both disciplines. Six years ago he helped found and today still coordinates COAD's Industrial Design Department. This NJIT work relates to private companies that Alcala co-founded to serve industrial, architectural, urban and sustainable design: (Morozov Alcala Design Laboratory LLC (MADLAB), and the Renewable Energy Laboratory LLC (RELAB). He holds a bachelor's degree in architecture from NJIT and a master's degree in industrial design from Pratt Institute.

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NJIT, New Jersey's science and technology university, enrolls more than 9,558 students pursuing bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in 120 programs. The university consists of six colleges: Newark College of Engineering, College of Architecture and Design, College of Science and Liberal Arts, School of Management, College of Computing Sciences and Albert Dorman Honors College. U.S. News & World Report's 2011 Annual Guide to America's Best Colleges ranked NJIT in the top tier of national research universities. NJIT is internationally recognized for being at the edge in knowledge in architecture, applied mathematics, wireless communications and networking, solar physics, advanced engineered particulate materials, nanotechnology, neural engineering and e-learning. Many courses and certificate programs, as well as graduate degrees, are available online through the Office of Continuing Professional Education.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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5 NJIT architects and designers will share panel at free upcoming talk

Houston, TX (PRWEB) February 14, 2012

EPM Architects announced today that they will be exhibiting at the Microsoft Project Conference 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona from March 19-22, 2012. EPM Architects will be available at their exhibition booth to meet conference attendees, answer questions about Microsoft Project and Project Server functionality, discuss best practices, and talk about their world class line of services that make them one of the premier Microsoft EPM consulting companies in the world. In addition, they will also be giving away one registration for any of their Microsoft Project or Project Server training classes in their training facility in Houston, Texas.

Michael Samadi, President and CEO of EPM Architects said, “Since the last Microsoft Project Conference was in ’09 (prior to the company being established), we are very excited that Microsoft has selected EPM Architects to present at the Microsoft Project Conference 2012.”

For more details on EPM Architects’ products and services, please visit their website at http://www.epmarchitects.com or call them at their Houston office at 713.400.9200 or toll free at 1.888.444.3762.
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Microsoft Project Conference 2012 is the premiere Microsoft-led event to share the latest Microsoft Project and Portfolio Management tools and best practices with over a thousand members of the Microsoft Project community from across the globe. It will feature high-impact keynotes, breakout sessions, training sessions and networking opportunities to learn how to be more successful with Microsoft Project and Project Server.

Microsoft Project Conference 2012 is the event for the Microsoft Project Community. With attendees from all across the globe, you will connect with over a thousand passionate members of the Microsoft Project Community - project professionals, business decision makers, certified partners and the Microsoft Project team. Immerse yourself and take your success to the next level. Microsoft Project Conference 2012 focuses on you and what you can accomplish with Microsoft Project 2010. Through the high-impact keynotes, breakout sessions, trainings and networking opportunities, you will learn how Microsoft Project 2010 and Microsoft Project Server 2010 can transform and accelerate your success.    
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About EPM Architects

EPM Architects is an Enterprise Project and Portfolio Management consulting and training firm focused exclusively on the Microsoft EPM solution with a Microsoft Certified Gold Competency in Enterprise Project and Portfolio Management.

With clients from Global 50, Fortune 50, 100 and 500 companies, as well as small to mid-sized companies in several industry verticals, they provide unparalleled services in EPM Implementation, Solution Design, Envisioning, Custom Development, and 24/7 Support. Additionally, EPM Architects has a complete curriculum of hands-on open enrollment training courses in Microsoft Project and Microsoft Project Server which are provided at their state of the art Training and Solution Center in Houston, TX. Any training curriculum can also be custom tailored and delivered onsite to meet client needs.

EPM Architects’ mission is simple: To be the leading and most respected Microsoft Enterprise Project Management consulting company in the world by providing outstanding Enterprise Project Management services and solutions through dedication, passion, and excellence.

For further information please contact:

Lauren Skidmore
EPM Architects, Inc.
713.400.9200 ext. 103

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EPM Architects to Exhibit at the Microsoft Project Conference 2012

The lowest terrace will be planted with reeds, the next with shrubs and plants, another will be lawn and the highest step will be a patio with access into the dining room.

The stepped garden will help to manage run-off from the house as the water begins to subside and also reduce siltation of the dock.

With an estimated value of £1.5 million, it will cost around 25 per cent more to build than a conventional similar-sized home, but there should be major savings on insurance costs.

Baca Architects, who have worked on projects in New Orleans and Holland, have drawn up designs for the eco-friendly property which will sit just 30ft from the river's edge on the site of a dilapidated bungalow.

It will be located on an island in the stretch of the Thames that passes through Marlow, Bucks, and has been designed to blend in with other properties in the area, featuring pitched roofs and a chimney.

Planning permission has been granted by the Environment Agency as a replacement dwelling, as a new home would not be allowed so close to the river.

“People have always enjoyed living near water, because of the soothing sounds and wildlife and for fishing and sailing – but the downside is it is vulnerable to flooding,” said Richard Coutts, director of Baca Architects.

“We created an amphibious home which works like a marina.

“The residents can live safely without the risk of losing their possessions and adapt to the challenges of climate change. When the water subsides all they will have to do is tidy up the garden.”'

He added: “The planning process obviously took a bit more time than some applications, involving our team in extensive consultations and co-operation with the local authority.

“From the outset of the design process we sought expert advice from the Environment Agency to determine the most appropriate construction model to mitigate flood risk on the site and provide a safe dwelling, sympathetic to its setting, and fit for the challenges of the 21st century.”

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Permission granted for Britain's first amphibious house on banks of Thames

courtesy HWKN

Wendy by HWKN, Matthias Hollwich and Marc Kushner of New York, has been selected as the winning project in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and MoMA PS1’s annual Young Architects Program. Meeting criteria for innovative design that addresses environmental issues, including sustainability and recycling, the installation will be the featured urban landscape at the museum’s outdoor 2012 Warm Up Summer Music Series.

As per competition guidelines, the architects designed a structure that provides shade, seating and water for the PS1 outdoor courtyard in Long Island City, Queens. Spikey arms resembling star prongs create micro-environments with blasts of cool air in one section, music in another, water cannons and misting in yet another. In addition to meeting functional demands creatively, Wendy’s construction improves the environment in a literal sense. It’s nylon fabric is treated with a titania nanoparticle spray that neutralize airborne pollutants and will clean the air to the equivalent of taking 260 cars off the road throughout its temporary installation.

“By combining off-the-shelf materials and scaffolding systems with the latest cry in nanotechnology it is able to produce both an out-of-the-box ecological statement and a bold architectural gesture,” says Pedro Gadanho, curator in MoMA’s department of architecture and design. “It is economical and terse in terms of its design, and yet, through its positioning and scale, it also smartly projects different possibilities for use and social appropriation across the entire site where it sits—including the ability to reach out for those outside the museum’s walls.”

A 70x70x45-foot scaffold defines a large surface area that spills over the PS1 courtyard walls with volume that is sure to add to the east Manhattan skyline, in addition to enhancing the already colorful Long Island City scape.

To learn more about the Young Architects Program, visit MoMA.org/YAP.

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MoMA's Young Architects Program Names HWKN for Winning Project

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- IA Interior Architects (IA) is pleased to announce that Lisa Kelly, AIA, has joined the firm as Project Director. She will be based in Orange County.

Lisa brings nearly 20 years of experience to IA. Most recently with Meridien Partners, she gained expertise working in China and the Middle East on hospitality projects. In her new role, Lisa will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and managing projects. As a senior staff member, she will be responsible for identifying and pursuing new business opportunities, working closely with IA's Workplace Strategies Team, and leading and mentoring staff. Lisa is a registered architect in the State of California.

"Having Lisa join IA was part of our vision to significantly expand IA's expertise and reach for 2012 and beyond.  Her years of experience combined with her leadership and international portfolio better position us to grow the practice and be of service to our clients locally and abroad," says Brian Koshley, Managing Principal, Orange County.

"What drew me to IA was the idea of interiors-only architecture. IA has embraced interior architecture and allowed designers to hone their craft.  As a result of this singular focus, IA excels above its competitors in all areas of service and design. I am excited to be part of such a vision," says Lisa Kelly.

About IA Interior Architects
Founded in 1984, IA Interior Architects is the first and largest global architectural firm focused exclusively on interior architecture and workplace strategies. IA helps clients in diverse markets worldwide align their business strategies and core values with the dynamic use of space. IA has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, London, Los Angeles, New York, Orange County, Raleigh, San Francisco, Seattle, Silicon Valley, and Washington, DC and has partner affiliates in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia and Australia, Canada, and Latin America through the IA Global Alliance. For more information, visit http://www.interiorarchitects.com.

Press Contact:
Sofia Zimmerman
917.579.5702
s.zimmerman@interiorarchitects.com

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Lisa Kelly Joins IA Interior Architects in Orange County, CA

NDSU will be suing three contractors it hired to work on the Minard Hall's north-side renovation project before the partial collapse in December 2009.

JLG Architects, Heyer Engineering and Northern Technologies Inc. are facing a complaint filed by NDSU that alleges they were responsible for the collapse and damages associated with the collapse of Minard Hall.

According to court documents prepared by NDSU, the university is asserting negligence on the grounds that the contractors failed to properly test soils prior to excavation, provided a defective design and failed to identify the defect prior to the collapse.

Heyer Engineering was hired as a consultant to JLG Architects during the process, and NTI was hired for geotechnical exploration and consulting services.

NDSU's documents assert that NTI created drawings at the request of Heyer Engineering, which was itself working under an agreement with JLG Architects. Construction of a retaining wall began in early November 2009, nearly two months before the collapse.

Heyer Engineering "denies the allegations that [it] was engaged to design or designed any retaining wall or excavation located adjacent to the north end of Minard Hall," according to court documents the contractor prepared.

According to the documents prepared by NDSU, JLG Architects became concerned about the slope of the excavation in early December, but both Heyer Engineering and NTI found the slope to be compliant.

However, JLG Architects insists its discussion minutes for this meeting are inconsistent with these allegations, and Heyer Engineering denies that JLG Architects asked them to confirm the contractual compliance of the slope.

NDSU's complaint concludes by claiming, "After the collapse, but still on Dec. 27, 2009, Heyer Engineering stated that it thought there was a problem with the soil which had been discussed three or four times with NTI and JLG Architects."

Heyer Engineering specifically denies these final claims.

JLG Architects asserts that it was not their contractual or legal obligation to design the excavation. The contractor also claims that its responsibilities did not include establishing a soil testing protocol or geotechnical exploration program.

Heyer Engineering's answer to the complaint claims that NDSU and the State Board of Higher Education had responsibility for geotechnical engineering.

NTI claims that its services had no role in the collapse and that the university's "own acts, omissions, negligence, assumption of risk or other fault, including its failure to exercise reasonable care to avoid or minimize the collapse or any resulting damages, was the sole proximate cause, or contributed to the cause, of [NDSU's] claimed damages, if any."

The amount of the damages will be determined in trial, but the amount will include costs incurred as a result of both the collapse and the creation of the modified plans.

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(PRWEB) February 12, 2012

ICC-ES ESR# 3262 verifies“Tufdek” is code-compliant.

TUFDEK, manufactured by Tuff Industries Inc., received an evaluation report (ESR-3262) from ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES), providing evidence that “Tufdek Professional Series Walking Deck and Roof System” meets code requirements. Building officials, architects, contractors, specifiers, designers and others utilize ICC-ES Evaluation Reports to provide a basis for using or approving Tufdek in construction projects following the International Building Code.

ICC-ES President Mark Johnson explains why ICC-ES Evaluation Reports are so important. “Tuff Industries Inc. can now reference the evaluation report to ensure building officials, and the building industry, that Tufdek products meet I-Code requirements,” Johnson said. “Building departments have a long history of using evaluation reports, and ICC-ES operates as a technical resource for the building department. Final approval of building products is always in the hands of the local regulatory agency.”

ICC-ES thoroughly examined “Tufdek Professional Series Walking Deck and Roof System” product information, test reports, calculations, quality control manuals and other factors to ensure Tufdek is code compliant. ICC-ES Reports are seen as critical to validating Tuff Industries attention to quality products, says Company Owner, Bryan Hughes, “Our niche Products are not widely known or understood throughout North America, an ICC-ES report provides reassurance to everyone from Architects, Construction Professionals and Building Departments, that the Product has undergone stringent evaluation to ensure Code-Compliance by an organization well known and respected for its impartiality and technical expertise. Having this report removes the “fuzziness” that often exists with Standards and individual test reports, and alleviates the burden on all professionals involved, to decipher and make judgment calls as to the Products suitability. Hands down, an ICC-ES Report puts us head and shoulders above our Competition.”

About ICC

ICC-ES is the United States’ leading source of technical information on building products and building technology for code compliance. A nonprofit, public-benefit corporation, ICC-ES performs technical evaluations of building products, components, methods and materials. The evaluation process culminates with the issuance of reports on compliance with the major U.S. building codes, which are available at http://www.icc-es.org. ICC-ES is a subsidiary of the International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention that develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt codes choose the International Codes developed by the International Code Council.

About Tuff Industries:

Through Branded membranes, Tuff Industries provides proven waterproofing and roofing solutions for balcony and roof-deck applications. As North America’s leader in pedestrian traffic bearing PVC deck and roof deck materials, our products provide a proven, attractive, low maintenance and low life-cycle cost solution to any building project. Tufdek membranes, coupled with industry leading system accessories make water intrusion problems on deck areas a thing of the past.

For more information Contact

Mr. Grant Lawton

Ph: 587.999.5930

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TUFDEK Balcony Waterproofing and Exterior Flooring System Receives IBC Building Code Approval