Global entertainment design firm WATG acquires SOSH Architects

Entertainment design firm WATG has acquired SOSH Architects, an interior design and planning firm based in Atlantic City, N.J.

Resiliency

Austin area evacuation center will double as events venue

A new 45,000 sf FEMA-operated evacuation shelter in the Greater Austin metropolitan area will begin construction this fall. The center will be available to house people in the event of a disaster such as a major hurricane and double as an events venue when not needed for emergency shelter.

Casinos

New luxury resort casino will be regional draw for Shreveport, Louisiana area

Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana, the first land-based casino in the Shreveport-Bossier market, recently topped off. The $270+ project will serve as a regional destination for world-class gaming, dining, entertainment, and hotel amenities.

Smart Buildings

A Swiss startup devises an intelligent photovoltaic façade that tracks and moves with the sun

Zurich Soft Robotics says Solskin can reduce building energy consumption by up to 80% while producing up to 40% more electricity than comparable façade systems.

Vegetables, hops and herbs will be grown on the outside of the building, then ha

May 2, 2014

Must see: French pavilion to take food from roof to table

France has presented its design for Expo Milano 2015 in Milan—its representative building will be covered in gardens on the outside, from which food will be harvested and served inside.

The plans for Chaoyang Park Plaza were floated two years ago, and now the design

Apr 30, 2014

Visiting Beijing's massive Chaoyang Park Plaza will be like 'moving through a urban forest'

Construction work has begun on the 120,000-sm mixed-use development, which was envisioned by MAD architects as a modern, urban forest.

The free tool provides real-time data visualization for each state. Here is the

Apr 29, 2014

USGBC launches real-time green building data dashboard

The online data visualization resource highlights green building data for each state and Washington, D.C.

Embodying the theme little mountains, the 35,000-sf museum will be located in

Apr 18, 2014

Multi-level design elevates Bulgarian Children's Museum [slideshow]

Embodying the theme “little mountains,” the 35,000-sf museum will be located in a former college laboratory building in the Studenski-grad university precinct.

For an 1893 academic building in the Collegiate Gothic style at Bryn Mawr (Pa.)

Apr 16, 2014

Upgrading windows: repair, refurbish, or retrofit [AIA course]

Building Teams must focus on a number of key decisions in order to arrive at the optimal solution: repair the windows in place, remove and refurbish them, or opt for full replacement.

Apr 11, 2014

First look: KPF's designs for DreamWorks in the massive Shanghai DreamCenter

Two blocks of offices will be centerpiece of new cultural and lifestyle district in the West Bund Media Port.

Photos and renderings: courtesy PGAV Destinations and Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

Apr 9, 2014

Colossal aquarium in China sets five Guinness World Records

With its seven salt and fresh water aquariums, totaling 12.87 million gallons, the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom theme park is considered the world’s largest aquarium.

The 300-acre National Harbor mixed-use district is situated on the Potomac River

Apr 9, 2014

5 important trends shaping today’s hotel construction market

AEC firms, developers, and investors worldwide are bullish on hotels. Our hospitality Giants share what’s new in this fast-morphing sector.

Installation of steel deck (here, from manufacturer New Millennium Building Syst

Apr 9, 2014

Steel decks: 11 tips for their proper use | BD+C

Building Teams have been using steel decks with proven success for 75 years. Building Design+Construction consulted with technical experts from the Steel Deck Institute and the deck manufacturing industry for their advice on how best to use steel decking.