Architecture

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 12 jan 2014

Big data and analytics is finding applications in businesses and governments for better decision and policy making. Stephen Wolfram is talking about 'personal analytics' (converting life into packets of personal data) as the next big thing and introduced an app on facebook based on this principle. On the same line researchers and thinkers are proposing that cities can also be considered as sources of data and information that can be utilized for better urban planning and development. This concept of 'quantitative urbanism' is finding support from leaders in software, consultancy and infrastructure industries. According to Assaf Biderman of MIT, this science will assist in making the cities 'more human'. In 2003 research team led by Geoffrey West of Santa Fe Institute collected large data sets of select urban centers and obtained information on various parameters from multiple sources and put them into a single database. The results reduced the life of a city to a mathematical rule - 'unified theory of urban living', similar to what Max Kleiber showed in the form of zoological rules that suggested that all forms of life follow the same equation that combines size, energy use and life expectancy. But cities don't follow Kleiber's law exactly - they don't slow down when they become bigger in size. On the contrary they accelerate, becoming more productive, creative, efficient and sustainable. Other model of urban thinking utilizes mathematics of complexity which views the city as a combination of networks and information. But this data intensive approaches on thinking about cities may not be sufficient & complete and other ways of looking at the city must be considered too. Read on...

New Statesman: Architecture - What does Big Data mean for our cities?
Author: Leo Hollis

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 04 nov 2013

3-D home design softwares provide imaging and building tools to designers and builders so that they can assist their clients to visualize with almost exact accuracy their remodeled homes. Design builder (contractor who designs and also remodels home) firms help their customers in better decision making before they make the actual purchase. Most often home shoppers find it hard to imagine how their home would look like after renovations. The software creates substantially accurate 3-D images of remodeled home with furnishings, accessories, wall coverings, paint colors etc that suits the needs of the buyer. Read on...

mySanAntonio: 3-D design programs help buyers 'see' renovation
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 18 oct 2013

India's green architect, Ashok Lall, believes that ethics should be the guiding force in architecture and consideration should be given to address environmental impact, social inequity and cultural subversion in architectural practice. According to him architectural design had to be about resource conservation, efficiency, economy and affordability. He says that urban planning in India and other developing Asian countries should focus on integration and inclusion of marginalized residents within the urban economy. The urban housing and public transport policy should work towards affordable housing and travel for them. Moreover it should consider environmental sustainability as one of the key factor for better urban future. Read on...

Eco-Business: Building green starts with citizenry and cultural shifts
Author: Elga Reyes

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 27 jul 2013

Chris Baribeau, an architect and entrepreneur, explains how he and his firm pursues sustainable architectural concepts and projects. According to him 'nature' is the most valuable source for design inspiration and living ideas. By carefully observing and being constantly aware of the surrounding environment it is possible to achieve sustainable design that blends modern architecture with the natural elements. He suggests five aspects of sustainable and green design - (1) Balance between the natural and the built environment (2) Healthy living by giving consideration to indoor air quality, thermal comfort and efficient energy & resource conservation (3) People friendly and promoting community connectivity (4) Convergence and seamless integration of individual elements like open spaces, warm materials, natural environment etc (5) Embrace progressive change and continuously evolve ideas and concepts with focus on the present. Read on...

Mother Nature Network: 5 reasons why you love sustainable architecture
Author: Chris Baribeau

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 24 jul 2013

The latest architectural trend in office design is development of open and partitionless workspaces that foster creativity, collaboration and social interaction among employees. But a recent survey conducted by an architectural and design firm found that too much attention to open office design is actually hurting productivity. The survey report mentions that results show that lack of effective focus space adversely hurts efficiency of other work modes namely collaboration, learning and socializing. The firm suggests that the office design should intelligently blend collaborative open workspaces with focus areas to create what they term as 'optimal workplace design'. Read on...

Smart Planet: Is collaborative office design hurting workplace productivity?
Author: Tyler Falk

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 19 jul 2013

Internationally famous hospitality and lifestyle designer, Tony Chi, considers Indian architectural heritage and quality of large pool of skilled human resources as two positive elements that contribute to India's strength in the architectural design space. His work incorporates environmental concerns and focuses on sustainable design. He believes that the design should be invisible in such a way that it generates positive feelings and responses without making itself visibly aware.In one of the projects in India he intends to minimize unbalanced development that has happened in the past by providing a design concept that works on the convergence of basic amenities and good infrastructure. Read on...

The Economic Times: India's design history wows global hospitality designer, Tony Chi
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 16 jul 2013

In China an architectural design firm is helping government authorities to develop and build landscape design that fulfil the needs of the collective of social entrepreneurs and the communities they serve. Few years back Chinese government started 'The Nest', a collaborative program to encourage and enable social entrepreneurship in Shanghai. As the program has been successful and has grown, it required larger facility for its functioning. The architectural firm employed to do this job works on the principle that social transformations can be achieved by laying emphasis on social environments and spaces. According to them the built environment in the current age requires - design approaches that include concerns like ecological, social, cultural, ethical etc; interdisciplinary and diverse designing team; spirit of service that promotes ecological and social sustainability. Read on...

World Architecture News: The future landscape of social innovation
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 13 jul 2013

A designer explains his philosophy and strategy while creating and developing his architectural designs and projects. According to him the concept is to weave and blend the building and structure seamlessly into the surrounding environment and location. The unique and creative vision is intertwined with the existing environment and is truly reflective of the surroundings that considers history, heritage and natural environment as important aspects. Read on...

Property Report: Be remarkable, stand out, capture and captivate your audience
Author: Clint Nagata

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 08 jul 2013

Research shows that architectural design of mental health institutions that provides less noise, more open spaces and patient freedom - calm environment with home-like space - is capable of reducing aggression among patients. According to Professor of architecture, Dr. Roger S. Ulrich of Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, reduction of trauma in healthcare facilities, in addition to improving lives of healthcare workers and patients also lowers the cost of care. Although the cost of construction of such facilities is higher but this is neutralized by savings in cost incurred in providing additional medical care or expensive lawsuits that can result from violent accidents. Read on...

Design Build Source: Design Can Reduce Aggression in Mental Health Facilities
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 04 jul 2013

Researchers at FPInnovations (University of British Columbia, Canada) suggest the importance of engineered wooden products for construction industry in the future. They are experimenting with cross-laminated timber (CLT) and its possible use in the construction of 10 story buildings by 2020. Wooden structures upto 6 story are already gaining acceptance in North America. Researchers have utilized their engineering knowledge to build prototypes that scientifically prove that large wooden structures are safe and reliable to withstand snow loads, strong winds and earthquakes. Further improvement in manufacturing technologies of CLT may even lead to the construction of 30 story buildings in the future. Read on...

The Globe And Mail: Could high-rises be built of wood?
Author: Brent Jang

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 13 jun 2013

Civil Engineering professors at University of Illinois, Jim LaFave and Larry Fahnestock, are finding clues after the Oklahoma City's devastating tornado storm regarding the resilience of certain buildings that stood the destruction while others got totally destroyed around them. Their survey intends to understand the construction practices and disaster preparedness of the city and how the construction of critical infrastructure like bridges, air-ports, schools, hospitals etc can be enhanced and evolved to overcome and minimize destruction caused by natural and man-induced disasters. Underground concrete shelters, pits in the garage, above ground 'safe rooms' etc were some solutions that saved lives during storm. Continued research in this field will be able to provide concepts and solutions to save lives and critical buildings in such situations. Read on...

The News-Gazette: UI profs survey tornado destruction for design clues
Author: Julie Wurth

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 06 jun 2013

Architects are trying to find ways to design safest and most efficient emergency exits in office buildings, sports stadiums, railway stations and other enclosed public places. The difficulty that arises is related to ethics of involving human beings in faking an emergency to make them panic. Group of researchers led by Majid Sarvi of Monash University are using ants to observe the panicky behavior in emergency situations and their exit strategy. The various types of design layouts are then tested. It is observed that corner exits are more efficient and less chaotic. The test is then done with computer simulation of human behavior to assess the efficacy of the various designs. But experts also suggest caution while applying and correlating panicking ants behavior with humans. Read on...

NewScientist: Panicky ants help design safest exit strategy
Author: Paul Marks

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 05 jun 2013

The way schools are designed can play an important role in the learning experiences of the students and the architecture can be considered as a 'living textbook', says an architect. In one of the design for the school he kept the installed machinery exposed due to the learning it can initiate moreover a large space for collaborative learning is created. The open architecture enhances the shared learning aspect of the environment and students are made to spent less time in closed classrooms. Labs are also visible to anyone who is walking down the hallway giving students the opportunity to view other students while they experiment. This again increases inquisitiveness and curiosity among students that might help develop certain interests. An added advantage of this open architectural design is the security aspect where teachers can keep watch on the students and avoid any accidents from happening within the school premises. Read on...

Fast Company: Redesigning Schools For Learning, Discipline, And Safety
Author: Ben Schiller

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 29 may 2013

An architectural design firm in Germany has created a 'three dimensional architectural tile' that can be installed on buildings to reduce air pollution and enhance air quality around it. The tile also has aesthetic appeal and decorates the building due to its unique design. Moreover there are various factors related to the surroundings like solar level, wind speed and direction, that are considered for the architectural design of the tile. The company has recently installed the tiles on the outside of a hospital in Mexico City (one of the five most air polluted cities in the world). This is exptected to reduce NOx (nitrogen oxide) from around 86,000 cars driving by the building per day. Another project is on trial where the paint with depolluted coating is applied on the inside surface of a highway tunnel to reduce NOx levels. Also flat paints with depolluted coating can be applied to building surfaces for reduction of NOx from smog impacted urban areas. Read on...