Monday, October 25, 2010

Wrightwood Crossing: Progress Photos

Wrightwood Crossing Photos: Check out the latest photos of our Lincoln Park, Chicago project.  LEED® certification is pending.

Northeast corner looking towards main entry

View along Wrightwood Avenue.  Front steps still to be installed.

Roof Deck

Kitchen/Living/Dining

Bath

Kitchen

View to Downtown

Interested in making Wrightwood your home?  http://www.wrightwoodcrossing.com/



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Friday, October 22, 2010

Architecture Leading Indicator Perks Up: GROWTH!

This month's AIA Architectural Billing Index, which measures month-over-month billings as reported by architecture firms, indicated an uptick in billings for the first time in two years.  The black line in the graph below represents the billings ($$) indicator.


The ABI is generally considered to be a leading indicator of construction activity, which is clearly a major component of the economy.  One month clearly does not make a trend, but apparently the industry is in better shape than since early 2008.




[1016]: Architecture + Real Estate [1016] Architecture is ready. Are you? Let us know: Think about it, comment below, then: Check out [1016] elsewhere on the web: FacebookeHow, SlideShare
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Thursday, July 29, 2010

AIA Contract Documents Make Sense for Most Projects


If you are considering a design and/or construction project, you should understand the complexities that come with protecting your interests (in writing).  While you will obviously want your attorney to review the contracts you put in place, why take the risky and expensive path of paying him/her to draft contracts from scratch?

The various available AIA Contract Documents fit a wide range of project types and sizes.  Plus, all of the documents are coordinated to work together and are tested by 100+ years of case law.  This means fewer loophoops for problems to drop through, and helps ensure fairness in resolution of conflict.

I don't want to sound like a commercial, but AIA docs really do make sense for project owners to get good protection without reinventing the wheel.





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Wednesday, July 14, 2010

NY Architect and REALTOR blog Launches: @ArchiREALTOR

@ArchiREALTOR: Now launched: NY Architect and REALTOR blog by [1016] Principal Andrew Wilson.

For readers who are specifically interested in the New York Real Estate aspects of Inside the Brackets, please tune in here.  I'll be creating informative and hopefully some fun content covering the neighborhoods of Northeast Queens and Western Nassau where I live and work.

Inside the Brackets will continue to feature discussion of real estate and architectural topics across a broad range of geographic areas.



[1016]: Architecture + Real Estate [1016] Architecture is ready. Are you? Let us know: Think about it, comment below, then: Check out [1016] elsewhere on the web: FacebookeHow, SlideShare
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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

AQUA: Chicago Tower Succeeds by Simplicity of Innovation

It is nice to be reminded that simple ideas can have innovative power. This is especially true in architecture, where simple ideas have a much higher chance of leaping off the drawing board and into reality.

Since the first renderings of Aqua appeared design magazines, Inside the Brackets has been an admirer. Since then, Jeanne Gang founder of Studio Gang, a Chicago-based architecture firm of almost 40 people, has seen quite a reaction to her first high-rise building design. The attention is justified.

Ms. Gang recently spoke at The Art Institute of Chicago in a nearly sold out Fullerton Hall. She covered a variety of her firm's projects in about 90 minutes, and Aqua played only a minor part in the presentation. The main theme connecting the diverse projects was Studio Gang's design process which emphasizes discovering innovative form through project context and function rather than pulling from a limited stylistic bag-of-tricks.

Taking the time to properly research each project's context and history to the level that Studio Gang does is as much a testament to their discipline as the quality of their clients. The result of this process was definitely evident in each of the projects presented.

At Aqua, Studio Gang studied the building's context by documenting potential views from all units. The result of this study was the varied balconies that then became the vehicle for the unique exterior form of the tower.

Aqua certainly succeeds in making a strong visual statement, but what makes the statement noteworthy according to Inside the Brackets is the simplicity and economy of the main vehicle of expression: the curvy and varied projection of the buildings concrete floor slabs. Aqua does not rely on expensive cladding materials or subject its occupants to impractical interior spaces for the honor of architectural aesthetic. The floor slabs are a necessary part of the 82-story building's structure and Studio Gang manipulated them to simultaneously enhance sightlines of major Chicago sites from the balconies (increases function) and give the building exterior an innovative form (increases beauty). The glass-skinned walls of the condo and hotel units behind the balcony edges are rectangular and therefore economical and functional.

Of course, authors who praise and generate media attention also write critically. After granting the building the cover of the May 2010 Architecural Record and a six-page spread the last paragraph of Suzanne Stephens' "Ahead of the Curve" article pans the building's overall visual impact and doubts its success in meeting the design thesis of maximizing sightlines for occupants and observers. Although this Inside the Brackets author has not been inside the building to experience the views first-hand, we find these images compelling.

In the end, there are many ways to judge and critique a mixed-use, infill development building like Aqua, but on the criterion of creative form from a simple idea it is certainly a winner.

For an interesting look at how this building might be considered "green" see this Aqua article also by Suzanne Stephens, Deputy Editor of Architectural Record, presented in GreenSource, another McGraw-Hill publication.
See also: Aqua Tower facts and photos from ArchDaily.

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