The ABCs of Architecture

An incredible animation featuring an alphabetized list of some of the world’s most important architects along with their prominent buildings. 

NYC’s Awesome New Map System

New York’s Department of Transportation partnered with PentaCityGroup to create visually pleasing maps that will help confused pedestrians orient themselves after they step out of a subway station. 

The Chengdu New Century Global Center to Open This Week

The Chengdu Global Center opened last week. At 1.7 million square meters of indoor space, it’s the world’s largest standalone structure.

Design in a Nutshell: Learn the History of Architecture in Under 15 Minutes

The Open University released a series of short animated videos to explain some of the most important movements in architectural history.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDCEtnXlA4Y?feature=player_embedded]

A brief history of Modern Architecture through movies

Architizer’s new website just launched and with it they’ve announced a new business model that engages brands, design firms and individual designers. Architizer is further engaging its audience by publishing relevant design content. This article walks readers through architectural history as seen in films from Midnight in Paris to Metropolis. 

The Architecture of Health — current trends in healthcare facility design

Greg Colucci, a Principal at Diamond Schmitt Architects in Toronto lectures about current trends and the future of healthcare facility design. In his words: “To paraphrase one of my heroes, Le Corbusier…Architecture is as essential to our well-being as sleep and rest and food. And I believe him. In hospitals, patients, caregivers and family rely heavily on their built environment to support their efforts in achieving comfort and good health.”

The story behind Little Free Library

This 10-minute video explains the intention and design process behind Little Free Library, a project initiated by the Architectural League of New York. The project involved local architects, allowing them to design and create small bookshelves in public spaces to encourage sharing and accessibility.

Why mega-projects always go over-budget

Large infrastructure projects almost always hit funding roadblocks as they progress. This makes us wonder: what causes these projects’ cost predictions to be so unrealistic? This Atlantic Cities article cites Oxford scholar Bent Flyvbjerg and addresses the psychology behind “strategic misrepresentations” in the context of project budget analyses.

Video Tour of Zaha Hadid’s Galaxy Soho Complex in Beijing 

Architectural photographer Dan Chung created this awesome video tour of the complex designed by Zaha Hadid and completed at the end of 2012. It’s a futuristic, glossy mixed-use structure that can accommodate leisure facilities, shops, offices and more. 

How Charles Eames Came to Have Mixed Feelings for his Most Famous Chair 

The iconic Eames lounge chair is to this day one of the most widely recognized furniture designs in history, but as to be expected Charles Eames eventually tired of his association with the chair. In this 1956 NBC interview, Charles and Ray Eames talk about their then-newly-famous work. 

Lavish homes of Fashion Personalities

Take a peek into the homes of some of fashion’s biggest names. The luxurious structures range from minimalist and contemporary to over-the-top and eccentric. 

How To Architect: Robust Resources for Budding Designers and Enthusiasts

How to Architect, founded by Architect Doug Patt, is a great resource not only for those who are relatively new to the field but also to those who want to continue their education in simple but effective ways. Check out the website to view the YouTube channel, list of online classes and other sources of information. 

Catalogue of the 68 competitive designs for the great tower for London (1890) | The Public Domain Review

Michael Green: Why We Should Build Wooden Skyscrapers

In this TED Talk, Michael Green of Michael Green Architecture explains why wood is a necessary element in the future of architecture.

“As an architect, wood is the only material that I can build with that’s already grown by the power of the sun. When a tree grows in the forest and gives off oxygen and soaks up carbon dioxide and it dies and falls to the forest floor, it gives that carbon dioxide back to the atmosphere or into the ground. If it burns in a forest fire its going to give that carbon back to the atmosphere as well. But if you take that wood and put it into a building, or into a piece of furniture, or into that wooden toy, it actually has an amazing capacity to store the carbon and provide us with the sequestration. One cubic meter of wood will store one ton of carbon dioxide.” 

AIA New York Center for Architecture Unveils New Exhibit: Architecture and Politics in Colombia 

Last week, the AIA New York Center for Architecture launched a new exhibit, Colombia Transformed: Architecture=Politics. The exhibit features the work of major Colombian architects to showcase the impact of innovative design on the country’s social evolution. 

Architecture Competition Being Held within the Digital World of Minecraft

Minecraft-obsessed architects: pay attention. Equator, a Swedish architecture firm, partnered with the creators of the game to launch a competition that will be held within the Minecraft world. The competition, which revolves around the future of housing, will run until July 31. 

Five Modern Design Icons You Should Know

From Eero Aarnio, whose ball chair has become ubiquitous in contemporary interiors, to Charlotte Perriand, who worked with and drew inspiration from Le Corbusier, these Interior Design icons have helped shape how we live and work today. 

Rafael Viñoly Discusses 432 Park Ave, to be the Tallest Residential Tower in New York

“The experience of participating in that kind of strange relationship where you have multiple layers of publicness just by the level at which people connect visually at certain heights is 100% a New York experience. 

Construction on the futuristic R&D headquarters designed by NBBJ Architects will begin this week. NBBJ’s statement reads: “The design seeks to encourage interaction among staff, foster connections with the community and provide a space to attract employees in the highly competitive tech market. A central campus green space unifies the whole campus much like a traditional academic campus.”

To Sketch or Not To Sketch: the Relationship between Architects and Engineers

Matt Williams at Arup Connect recently wrote a piece about the power of effective communication between facade engineers and architects. He posits that despite the detail and precision achieved through BIM, CAD and Revit modeling, hand-drawings hold an important place in early-phase communications: ”I think we should look at our early-phase input to become more efficient and leaner in the way that we deliver our work. I still think there’s a place for drawing, it’s just a matter of understanding how far you can take it. In a previous life I managed to get away without doing CAD details, producing bid documents by hand. That’s probably changed.”

Our Director of Recruitment Ellyn Lester attended the first showing of the New York Architecture and Design Film Festival at Tribeca Cinemas. Here’s her review of the Danish film The Human Scale.

The Architecture and Design Film Festival opened to a full house with two showings of The Human Scale, a recent film by Andreas Dalsgaard about quality public space and its greatest champion, Danish Architect Jan Gehl. Gehl’s book Life Between Buildings was originally published in 1971 and translated into English in the early 80s. The greatest compliment that I can give the film is that its construction and visuals mirror the parsimony and tone of Jan’s book, which includes measured and thoughtful passages like “Life in buildings and between buildings seems in nearly all situations to rank as more essential and more relevant than the spaces and buildings themselves.”

Jan’s journey began in 1965 with the Piazza del Campo in Sienna, Italy. What he learned he applied to Copenhagen, which gradually expanded into a network of streets that are walkable, have amenities, and are filled with spontaneous activity of all kinds. As The Human Scale engagingly relates, cities like Melbourne, Dhaka, New York, Chongqing and Christchurch are becoming cities for people instead of cities for vehicular traffic. The film is successful at communicating the essential human-centric nature of the almost half decade of gradual but significant progress that Jan’s initial curiosity catalyzed and whose life’s work it represents.  

We had an excellent time networking with A+D professionals at the LMNOP Benefit/Silent Auction yesterday. We’re looking forward to furthering our involvement with the organization, which was founded five years ago as a networking platform for professionals affected by the economic downturn. View the LMNOP website here!

Below is a series of photos we took at recent events our team has attended: the Society of Design Administration‘s Networking Event and the NY Design Center‘s What’s New, What’s Next Event. Attending these industry gatherings has made us beyond excited for what’s to come during Archtober! 

If you’ve never considered pursuing a project-based, contract role, it’s time to take a closer look. Contract staffing has become increasingly prevalent in Architecture and Interior Design as firms initiate new projects and have short-term needs for talented and specialized Designers. Here are some of the top benefits of temporary consulting opportunities. 

1. Flexibility. Consulting opportunities can allow you to vary your schedule and stray away from a predetermined week-to-week routine. They also give you the flexibility to test out a potential long-term employer and position before you make a serious commitment. 

2. Exposure. Top firms often have more project-based positions open than permanent ones. Accepting a consulting opportunity allows you to join a prestigious firm to get your foot in the door and show them what you can do. This is especially beneficial if you are transitioning between firm types or project types.

3. Networking. Even if you don’t feel like you have a future at the firm at hand, with every job that you take on you spin a new web of connections. As your network expands, more people will have you on their radar and will contact you about other contract or full time job opportunities that could be the right fit for you.

4. Experimentation… Though some people dwell on the lack of stability that contractors may experience, one of the most rewarding aspects of these positions is having the freedom to explore new roles and responsibilities, thrive in different types of environments, gain useful skills and interact with a diverse range of peers. 

5. …With Focus. With contract roles you don’t have to get sucked into the workplace politics of the company you are working for. Because you have been hired for a specific role on a specific project with a deadline, you can put all of your energy and time into gaining skills and producing results. This also allows you to test the work environment and see if it’s a place you see yourself staying for the long term.

So don’t be hesitant to explore the possibility of a contract role, especially if you’re not sure of the next step you want to take in your career. Consulting opportunities are fantastic ways to stimulate your creativity and propel your professional growth.

See our job board for both permanent and contract Architecture and Interior Design openings.