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this glass is for the birds migratory birds that is.

this glass is for the birds migratory birds that is.

Oct 30, 2022

above > saflex flysafe 3d

worldwide, billions of birds are killed as they collide with glass windows and building facades — so much so that many cities and countries now require bird-friendly glazing in new buildings.

in response to this global problem, eastman, in partnership with seen ag, has introduced a new polyvinyl butyral (pvb) interlayer for laminated glass: saflex flysafe 3d, a highly effective solution to avoid bird collisions without compromising on the view or beauty of glass facades.

unlike other bird-protection approaches that use decals, printing, or etching on the surface of the glass, saflex flysafe 3d features three-dimensional, reflective sequins between two layers of glass. the sequins catch the light at different angles, subtly twinkling to deter birds from the glass — something two-dimensional dots and stripes don’t do.

due to the 3d nature of the sequins, less coverage is required; the discreet sequin pattern covers less than 1% of the glass area. other solutions considered highly effective have at least five times the coverage and can be greater than 25%. and because the sequins are layered between glass, it is a long-lasting bird-protection solution.

“given the prevalence of glass in modern architecture, bird collisions are a global problem,” said heather singler, commercial director of eastman’s global architecture business. “too often, birds fail to see glass, or misjudge reflections — all leading to avoidable collisions. and we can indeed avoid these collisions. saflex flysafe 3d has proven to be highly effective as a bird collision deterrent.”

collision laboratories in hohenau-ringelsdorf, austria, have tested and rated the 3d-reflective technology used in saflex flysafe 3d. in both transmission and reflective testing, it is recognized in the industry and by ornithologists as one of the best — classified as highly effective, durable, and with better aesthetics. additionally, saflex flysafe 3d helps builders and building owners meet emerging regulations and certifications for bird protection, including securing leed sspc55 pilot credits for bird collision deterrence thanks to a threat factor of less than 10 from the american bird conservancy.

the minimal coverage of the bird-deterring sequins makes saflex flysafe 3d interlayers ideal for a variety of applications, including atriums, balustrades, cladding, curtain walls, exterior doors, facades, link bridges, podium glass, skylights and windows.

in addition to bird collision avoidance, saflex flysafe 3d interlayers can be combined with selective coatings and other saflex products to enhance glass further, giving it greater security, stability, acoustic control, solar control and protection from harmful uv rays.

“even if your municipality doesn’t require bird-friendly buildings, it’s the right thing to do,” singler said. “our experts can help you spec the right type of interlayer — or combination of interlayers —to meet your safety, structural and aesthetic goals while protecting countless birds without trade-offs in efficiency and surface coverage.”

to learn more about the benefits of saflex flysafe 3d interlayers and how they make glass construction safer for our feathered friends, visit saflex.com/flysafe.

founded in 1920, eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. with the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. the company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. as a globally inclusive and diverse company, eastman employs approximately 14,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. the company had 2021 revenues of approximately $10.5 billion and is headquartered in kingsport, tennessee, usa. note: mark may 14 in you calendar as it’s [ world migratory bird day ]

2021 chicago architecture biennial kicks off in a new format.

2021 chicago architecture biennial kicks off in a new format.

Sep 10, 2021

an architecture biennial unveils avant-garde ideas, materials, technologies and practices and serves as a forum for architects to make connections, collaborate with others and engage the public in issues and concerns in the field. the biennial also recognizes outstanding work in the industry.

the 2021 fourth edition of the chicago architecture bienniel kicks off 17 september organized in an entirely new format from previous years. all earlier editions were held at the chicago cultural center, an architectural masterpiece in itself, filling all three floors and greeting over 500,000 visitors in 2019.

because of the pandemic which affected long-established global venues, such as the venice architecture biennale, whose dates were put off twice — first, from may to august 2020, then to may 2021, chicago’s events will offer content within a neighborhood-centric format throughout the city.

the 2021 chicago event, titled the available city, builds on a chicago architecture professor’s long-term efforts to find creative uses for thousands of vacant city-owned lots. it will ask us to ponder how shared spaces, like community playgrounds, affect cities’ quality of life.

the biennial’s theme dovetails with mayor lori lightfoot’s $750 million “invest south/west” program to boost investment in struggling neighborhoods on the city’s south and west sides.

the mayor said in a news release, she was “thrilled” that the biennial “will be focused and grounded in our neighborhoods that can benefit from it the most.”

david brown, the 2021 chicago architecture biennial artistic director, is a professor at the university of illinois at chicago. brown participated in the inaugural 2015 biennial with an exhibition, also called the available city, which explored how 15,000 city-owned vacant lots could be transformed into usable public spaces rather than conventional reuses like urban farms.


above > david brown

since then, brown has worked with community-based organizations, connecting them with architects and designers to develop plans to turn individual lots or combinations of lots into small parks, plazas and buildings of various sizes.

this time around, the available city includes 15 site-specific architectural installations: located on public and private lots located in chicago’s neighborhoods of north lawndale, bronzeville, woodlawn, englewood, pilsen, collateral projects and the south loop. there are also two exhibition-based explorations located in an unused storefront space in bronzeville and at the graham foundation.

the host again is the graham foundation. and rather than starting from the ground up, the 2021 biennial will expand on brown’s work.

“that’s one of the reasons we’re really confident we can do this,” said sarah herda, the co-artistic director of the 2015 biennial and a member of the organization’s board. “we feel like it’s really a good moment” to reunite with brown and take his research forward, she said.

the biennial to date has featured models, drawings, installations and other work by more than 350 architects, designers and artists from more than 40 nations.

stressing that the 2021 biennial will seek to retain that international flavor, herda said the event might display projects from around the world that deal with issues like those brown has explored in his research.

out-of-town architects might communicate with chicago community groups via zoom or other online forums, she said.

the biennial’s first event will be an online conversation between brown and california landscape architect walter hood, winner of a macarthur foundation “genius” grant, who participated in the 2019 biennial.

as in previous years, the nonprofit organization that runs the biennial will present the event in cooperation with the chicago department of cultural affairs and special events.

the biennial becomes the second chicago architecture organization to shift from indoor activity to outdoor events and online platforms in response to the pandemic. the chicago architecture center presents it’s annual open house chicago, which normally gives participants access to the interiors of chicago buildings, is presenting outdoor and online tours.

[ contributors ]
ana miljački – critical broadcasting lab at mit (boston);
ania jaworska (chicago);
atelier bow-wow (tokyo);
borderless studio (chicago);
central park theater restoration committee (chicago);
christophe hutin architecture (bordeaux);
counterspace (johannesburg + republic of london + united kingdom)
craig wilkins (detroit);
departamento del distrito (mexico city);
drawing architecture studio (beijing);
el cielo (mexico city);
elleza kelly (new haven + new york);
englewood nature trail (chicago);
enlace arquitectura + ciudad laboratorio (caracas);
fala (porto);
gensler (stone soup group) (los angeles + chicago);
hood design studio (oakland);
in care of black women (chicago);
jill desimini (cambridge);
jovanna jackson (chicago);
maite borjabad lopex-pastor (chicago + madrid);
manuel hertz architecture (basel);
matri-archi(tecture) (basel + cape town);
michelle joan wilkinson (washington dc);
open architecture + under the grid (chicago);
outpost office (columbus);
port (chicago + philadelphia);
projecthood (chicago);
rayna rezmilic (santiago);
riff studio (new york city);
sekou cooke studio (charlotte);
shau (bendung);
soil lab (copenhagen + dublin);
sonja henderson and alphonso nieves (chicago);
stefan gruber (pittsburg);
studioapt (ann arbor);
studio barnes with shawhin roudbari and mas context (miami);
studio ossidiana (rotterdam + venice);
the bittertang farm (chicago + bainbridge island);
the open workshop (san francisco + toronto);
urban american city (new york city).


contributor/tokyo atelier bow wow


contributor/niger mariam kamara/a>


contributor/chicago ania jaworska


contributor/detroit craig wilkins

the graham foundation is pleased to present the available city, part of the fourth edition of the chicago architecture biennial (cab). this edition marks a new approach to the biennial model, bridging the traditional exhibition format to a deeper engagement with the community to expand access and impact. offering opportunities to discover installations, exhibitions, and programs that explore transformative possibilities for vacant spaces in communities worldwide.

visit the [ chicago architecture biennial ] to explore more about the biennial, what is on view throughout the city, and upcoming programs and events. look for DesignApplause to spell out these events in weekly separate articles.

[ upcoming programming! ] #cab21 #chicagoarchitecturebiennial

this is a developing story…

anne lacaton and jean-philippe vassal receive the 2021 pritzker architecture prize.

anne lacaton and jean-philippe vassal receive the 2021 pritzker architecture prize.

Mar 16, 2021

above/below > cap ferret house. photography: lacaton & vassal

in a timely nod to planet earth’s need to support life, french social housing architects, anne lacaton and jean-philippe vassal, founders of studio lacaton & vassal, have been named the 2021 winners of the pritzker architecture prizepritzker architecture prize.

their recognition marks the first time a french female architect has won the prize, with lacaton becoming the sixth woman to receive the award since it was established in 1979.

“good architecture is open—open to life, open to enhance the freedom of anyone, where anyone can do what they need to do,” says lacaton. “it should not be demonstrative or imposing, but it must be something familiar, useful and beautiful, with the ability to quietly support the life that will take place within it.”

“our work is about solving constraints and problems, and finding spaces that can create uses, emotions and feelings. at the end of this process and all of this effort, there must be lightness and simplicity, when all that has been before was so complex,” explains vassal.

above > anne lacaton and jean-philippe vassal. photography: laurent chalet

above / below > residential and office building, photo courtesy of philippe ruault

above > site for contemporary creation, phase 2, palais de tokyo, photo courtesy of philippe ruault

above >129 units, ourcq-juarès student and social housing. photography: philippe ruault

above > école nationale supérieure d’architecture de nantes

above > 53 units, low-rise apartments, social housing. photography: philippe ruault

above / below > latapie house. photography: philippe ruault

above / below > frac nord-pas de calais | image courtesy of philippe ruault

above > house in bordeaux. photography: philippe ruault

[ jury citation ]
“not only have they defined an architectural approach that renews the legacy of modernism, but they have also proposed an adjusted definition of the very profession of architecture. the modernist hopes and dreams to improve the lives of many are reinvigorated through their work that responds to the climatic and ecological emergencies of our time, as well as social urgencies, particularly in the realm of urban housing. they accomplish this through a powerful sense of space and materials that creates architecture as strong in its forms as in its convictions, as transparent in its aesthetic as in its ethics,” states the 2021 jury citation, in part.

[ 2021 jury ]
alejandro aravena, chair
, barry bergdoll, deborah berke, stephen breyer
, andré aranha corrêa do lago, kazuyo sejima, wang shu, benedetta tagliabue, martha thorne, executive director, manuela lucá-dazio, advisor

[ purpose ]
to honor a living architect or architects whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision, and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture. awarded each year, the international prize is often referred to as the profession’s highest honor.

john ronan architects blends function and sustainability into forward-thinking iit innovation center.

john ronan architects blends function and sustainability into forward-thinking iit innovation center.

Jan 15, 2021

“the kaplan institute at iit is an academic building that combines functionality and sustainability into an elegant design solution, all while working within rigorous financial constraints in a setting with tremendous architectural standards.” – jury comment: 2020 aia national honor award in architecture

DesignApplause asks notable chicago architect john ronan for a project steeped in sustainability and we are pointed to the ed kaplan family institute for innovation and tech entrepreneurship. a 2020 winner of the prestigious aia national honor award in architecture. the 2020 architecture program celebrates the best contemporary architecture regardless of budget, size, style, or type. these stunning projects show the world the range of outstanding work architects create and highlight the many ways buildings and spaces can improve our lives.

[ tremendous architectural standards ] to his credit, ronan has won very competitive commissions but this one was extra special if you consider who the client was: illinois institute of technology in chicago, a campus largely designed by ludwig mies van der rohe, the greatest concentration of mies-designed buildings in the world. subsequent buildings decades later by helmut jahn, faia, and rem koolhaas, hon. faia. the school asks one of its professors who’s been at iit since 1992, just a year after is graduation from harvard. tremendous indeed.

[ architect project statement ] the ed kaplan family institute for innovation and tech entrepreneurship at the illinois institute of technology is devoted to fostering collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship between iit’s students, faculty, alumni and partners. conceived as a hybrid of campus space and building, the building is organized around two open-air courtyards through which visitors enter the building; circulation inside the building is indirect and dispersed, designed to promote collaboration and interaction. the building provides flexibly adaptive space which can be reconfigured easily and support a wide variety of uses.

the design of the innovation center is forward-thinking in its approach to sustainability. the second floor of the building, which cantilevers over the ground floor to provide sun shading, is enclosed in a dynamic façade of etfe foil cushions which can vary the amount of solar energy entering the building through sophisticated pneumatics. the etfe foil is 1% the weight of glass and gives the building a light, cloud-like appearance.

[ images: john ronan architects ]

[ storm water detention ] the building’s two exterior courtyards double as storm-water detention tanks. rain water is directed from the roof surface to gutters at the perimeter of each courtyard from which it enters the gravel floor of the courtyard via rain chains. several feet of crushed rock below the courtyard serve as large rainwater storage cisterns, where water is held before being released slowly to the municipal sewer system; a portion of the rain water is retained onsite.

[ dynamic etfe facade ] the façade is comprised of four layers of etfe foil which create three air chambers within the façade assembly. the two outer layers of etfe are fritted with a staggered dot patterns which are offset from each other; the inner layer can be moved back and forth pneumatically, bringing it together and apart with the outer fritted layer to modulate the amount of incoming solar energy. this movement is achieved by introducing air into one chamber and removing it from the adjacent chamber, which relocates the fritted inner layer. when the inner layer is pressed together against the fritted outer layer, the dot patterns overlap to reduce light transmittance. when the inner layer is moved away from the outer layer, it increases light transmittance. controlled via automated building system controls or overridden manually, the dynamic façade can adapt throughout the day to changing weather and daylight conditions in real time to minimize energy usage and maximize daylighting potential.

the dynamic etfe facade varies the amount of solar energy entering the building through sophisticated pneumatics.

[ john ronan architects ]

chicago lights up to honor first responders and essential workers. covid-19.

chicago lights up to honor first responders and essential workers. covid-19.

Apr 23, 2020

above > 875 north michigan avenue (formerly john hancock center) all images taken 9 april 2020 in chicago when landmarks and buildings across the nation were displaying blue lights to show support for health care workers and first responders on the front lines of the covid-19 pandemic.

from 25 april through 1 may, chicago downtown buildings in support of essential workers will be illuminated blue; from 2 – 5 may in support of first responders buildings will light up red.

properties set to take part in both the blue and red lighting are chase tower and prudential plazas. buildings include 1 north dearborn, 120 north lasalle, 181 west madison, 525 west monroe, 555 west monroe, and 540 west madison.

properties participating only in the blue lighting are 150 north michigan, 200 west madison, 300 east randolph, 311 south wacker, 875 north michigan avenue (formerly john hancock center), 900 north michigan, chicago board of trade building, the franklin, inland steel building, merchandise mart, and willis tower.

above – blue lighting from left / 401 north wabash / one prudential plaza / two prudential plaza / jay pritzker pavilion – millennium park (foreground) / blue cross blue shield of illinois illinois

above/below > one prudential plaza / two prudential plaza | photo jonathan daniel/getty images

above/below > merchandise mart / united center | photo jonathan daniel/getty images

above/below > wrigley building | photo jonathan daniel/getty images / willis tower | photo terrence antonio james/chicago tribune

above/below > the millennium monument | photo chris sweda/chicago tribune / a general view of downtown buildings | photo by jonathan daniel/getty images)

chicago is part of a worldwide salute honoring first responders and essential workers in engineering, health care, janitorial, property management personnel, security, and many more according to boma/chicago, an association of 240 downtown buildings.

zha to build new oppo telecommunications headquarters in shenzhen china.

zha to build new oppo telecommunications headquarters in shenzhen china.

Jan 20, 2020

following an international competition, zaha hadid architects (zha) has been selected to build oppo’s new headquarters in shenzhen, china.

oppo launched their first phone in 2008, growing to become china’s leading smartphone manufacturer and the fifth largest worldwide with over 40,000 employees in more than 40 countries. pioneering new communication technology in smart devices and internet services, oppo has established six research institutes, four research & development centers, and a global design studio. accommodating this growth, oppo’s new headquarters will continue their commitment to connectivity through design.

conceived as four interconnected towers design incorporates two towers of flexible, open-plan spaces linked by a 20-story vertical lobby, and two external service towers providing vertical circulation. orientated to maximize the views over shenzhen bay, the towers taper inwards at lower levels creating large civic spaces at street level.

locating the towers’ service cores externally frees the centre of each floor from obstructions; providing uninterrupted views throughout the building that will enhance interaction between employees.

large atrium spaces unite all occupants through visual connectivity, helping to foster collaboration between different departments of the company. the abundance of natural light, varied working environments and diversity of routes for staff and visitors to move through the building are all conducive to creative engagement and spontaneity.

developed as a new civic space for the city with a public walkway diagonally traversing its centre, oppo’s headquarters will include a landscaped plaza, art gallery, shops, restaurants and a direct link to the adjacent station of shenzhen’s subway network.

the 10th floor sky plaza will provide local residents, visitors and oppo employees with varied dining, leisure and entertainment facilities, while the rooftop sky lab will be a popular public space with spectacular views over one of the world’s most dynamic cities.

following leed gold certification of zha’s leeza soho tower in beijing and generali tower in milan, the new oppo headquarters has been designed to target leed gold from the us green building council; developed with 3d building information modeling and energy management systems to optimize efficiencies.

breaking ground later this year, oppo’s new headquarters is planned to complete in early 2025.

2020 > 2025
height of 650ft/200m (42 floors)
2 million sq. ft/185,000 sq. m
shenzhen, china

design competition shortlist:
zaha hadid architects (zha)
bjarke ingels group (big)
skidmore, owings & merrill (som)
rogers stirk harbour + partners (rshp)
henning larsen architects hk

a bit of history and genius found within notre-dame wooden roof.

a bit of history and genius found within notre-dame wooden roof.

Apr 25, 2019

above> known to many as ‘the forest’ the entire roof structure was suspended, never touching the vaulted stone ceilings.

it hasn’t taken very long to grasp that the wooden-frame roof is literally history.

the roof will never be fully restored to its former self nor is there a need. yet how many of the 13 million annual visitors have even perceived the oak beams and carpentry? DesignApplause reflects on a bit of the history and the genius.

[ the roof ]

the roof that was destroyed was the original made up of 1,300 oak trees – a number of 5,000 is often alleged. the oak trees to reach gothic height for this project were nearly 400 years old by the time they were cut. each beam supporting the 100+ yards of roof came from an individual tree. the roof was also known as ‘the forest’.

the wooden roof’s entire wooden frame sat on the stone walls, suspended over and never touching the vaulted stone ceilings. the beams were spliced together into one piece to achieve this span. the structure was impressively heavy made up of 500 tons of wood. the exterior surfaces were clad with 250 tons of lead.

though there are many revival ideas what happens next is difficult to assess. while we wait, DesignApplause ventures into eliminating restoration and winnowing options to replication — possibly via new technology — and inspiration. and if history sets precedent – the original concept has been altered each time during needed renovation – we predict inspiration will guide the way.

[ the frame / la charpente ]

editor’s note: this post will be adding commentary on the spire, the architect, and master carpenter. please stay tuned.

notre dame cathedral and the spire of viollet the duke, completed in 1859. in the foreground, the angel of the apocalypse and the alchemist philosopher.
workers at work in the notre-dame de paris frame, june 26, 2018. | ludovic marin, afp archives
beyond the notre-dame embers.

beyond the notre-dame embers.

Apr 17, 2019

the notre-dame fire, horrific, but the human spirit by design, brings people closer together.

“utterly heartbroken.” ~ britain’s queen elizabeth and her son and heir prince charles said expressing deep sadness. The fire is a “catastrophe for France, for Spain and for Europe,”

spanish prime minister pedro sánchez tweeted the fire is a “catastrophe for france, for spain and for europe,” adding that the flames are destroying “850 years of history, architecture, painting and sculpture.”

german chancellor angela merkel offered her country’s help to rebuild a part of “our common european heritage”.

“notre-dame will always remain – and we have seen this in these hours – a place where believers and non-believers can come together in the most dramatic moments of french history.” ~ pope francis.

french president emmanuel macron told reporters near the scene that he will seek international help, including from the “greatest talents” in the world, to rebuild notre dame.

the notre-dame fire reminds us of the frailty of our architectural treasures. “we are used to thinking about them as eternal simply because they have been there for centuries, or a thousand years, but the reality is they are very fragile.” paolo violini, a restoration specialist for vatican museums, who added that the pace of the fire’s spread had been stunning.

as the embers cool, the world joins hands to restore an extraordinary diva.

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iit innovation center by john ronan architects opens.

iit innovation center by john ronan architects opens.

Dec 9, 2018

[ ronan architects ]

“it’s an idea factory—a place of creative collision between students and faculty across disciplines, where new ideas are explored and tested on their way to becoming meaningful innovations.” —john ronan, faia

[ architect’s brief ] the ed kaplan family institute for innovation and tech entrepreneurship at the illinois institute of technology opens this month, the first new academic building at iit in over forty years. the kaplan institute is devoted to fostering collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship between iit’s students, faculty, alumni and partners and the building will host a variety of collaboration spaces for university’s project-based experiences, contain state-of-the art prototyping and fabrication facilities, and serve as the new home for iit’s institute of design.

the horizontal, open and light-filled building is designed to encourage creative encounters between students and faculty across disciplines. located in the heart of iit’s historic mies campus, the building draws students and faculty in from all directions. conceived as a hybrid of campus space and building, the design is organized around two open-air courtyards through which visitors enter the building, and which serve as collision nodes for chance meetings and information exchange across departments. these two-story glazed courtyards bring natural light deep into the floor plate, creating a spacious, airy and light filled interior and a continuous connection with nature.

the design of the innovation center is innovative in its own right, and forward-thinking in its approach to sustainability. the second floor of the building, which cantilevers over the ground floor to provide sun shading, is enclosed in a dynamic façade of etfe foil cushions which can vary the amount of solar energy entering the building through sophisticated pneumatics. the etfe foil is 1% the weight of glass and gives the building a light, cloud-like appearance.

151 north franklin

151 north franklin

May 1, 2018

in a departure from the typology of the typical hermetic urban office tower, the base of the building is carved away at grade to create a four-story covered plaza that extends the adjacent park into the site and creates an urban public space.

completed in 2018, 151 north franklin is a 36-story office tower located in the heart of chicago’s “loop” financial district whose design supports new ways of working. in a departure from the typology of the typical hermetic urban office tower, the base of the building is carved away at grade to create a four-story covered plaza that extends the adjacent park into the site and creates an urban public space which mediates between the city and the building interior.

this public plaza is the first in a series of interconnected spaces designed to support collaboration. the building lobby features sunken and raised conversation lounges; a monumental stair leads from this lobby to lounge and meeting areas on a mezzanine which access a second floor outdoor garden whose atmosphere is quiet and contemplative. at the top of the building is a lively roof terrace with bar and casual seating and views of the surrounding loop.

founded in 1999, [ john ronan architects ] is an internationally-recognized design firm based in chicago and comprised of dedicated design professionals committed to producing architecture of the highest quality, marked by conceptual innovation, exploration of materiality, and a rigorous attention to detail. the firm has a studio culture and its working method is research-based and collaborative. led by john ronan faia, the firm pursues an iterative design methodology to explore and test a wide range of ideas in order to find the response that feels intuitively correct for each situation, based on its unique site, program and context (cultural, historical, economic, social). working across a wide range of scales and project types, there is a searching quality to the studio’s work which seeks to produce that which is compelling and memorable.

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