Century-old courthouse renovated for Delaware law firm offices

Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP moved into its new headquarters, a former Federal building, after extensive renovations by architecture firm Francis Cauffman. Young Conaway is the sole tenant of the notable Daniel L. Herrmann Courthouse in downtown Wilmington. The 233,880-sf. courthouse had been vacant since 2002. .

The renovated courthouse comprises four floors and a mezzanine. The entrance features a two-story atrium that is now the heart of Young Conaway’s public and collaboration areas. Francis Cauffman restored the central bronze stairwell, and the refurbished natural stone and chiseled marble in the atrium augment the clean, streamlined interior. The first floor has flexible conference rooms while the mezzanine floor contains a visiting attorney strategy suite, a mock trial room, additional conference rooms, and access to an outdoor plaza.

The U-shaped building boasts a large outdoor plaza with an urban garden lit by the building’s original ornate lampposts. The outdoor plaza can accommodate up to 300 people for events. The design firm added a 100-car garage beneath the building, making parking quick and easy for the downtown location.

To account for future expansion, Francis Cauffman developed a plan to accommodate the addition of an 8-story tower to the building. This included laying the foundations and creating infrastructure for the future addition. BD+C

An interesting experiment is taking place in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, where, for the last year or so, its 430,000 residents have been able to ride the city’s transit lines practically for free. City officials hope to pump up ridership by 20%, cut carbon emissions, and give low-income Tallinnites greater access to job opportunities. But is it working?

| Mar 26, 2014

Callison launches sustainable design tool with 84 proven strategies

Hybrid ventilation, nighttime cooling, and fuel cell technology are among the dozens of sustainable design techniques profiled by Callison on its new website, Matrix.Callison.com.

Hadid calls the plaza a "green oasis" in the midst of the urban Dongdaemun distr

| Mar 26, 2014

Zaha Hadid's glimmering 'cultural hub of Seoul' opens with fashion, flair [slideshow]

The new space, the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, is a blend of park and cultural spaces meant for the public to enjoy.

| Mar 26, 2014

First look: Lockheed Martin opens Advanced Materials and Thermal Sciences Center in Palo Alto

The facility will host advanced R&D in emerging technology areas like 3D printing, energetics, thermal sciences, and nanotechnology.

Sydney's new Goods Line will be built in two stages, the first of which is set t

| Mar 25, 2014

Sydney breaks ground on its version of the High Line elevated park [slideshow]

The 500-meter-long park will feature bike paths, study pods, and outdoor workspaces.

Johns Hopkins chooses SLENDERWALL for a critical medical facility reconstruction

After decades of wear, the hand-laid brick envelope of the Johns Hopkins nine-story Nelson/Harvey inpatient facility began failing. SLENDERWALL met the requirements for renovation.

| Mar 25, 2014

World's tallest towers: Adrian Smith, Gordon Gill discuss designing Burj Khalifa, Kingdom Tower

The design duo discusses the founding of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architects and the design of the next world's tallest, Kingdom Tower, which will top the Burj Khalifa by as much as a kilometer.

Shigeru Ban. Photo by Shigeru Ban Architects

| Mar 24, 2014

Shigeru Ban receives 2014 Pritzker Architecture Prize

Shigeru Ban, a Tokyo-born, 56-year-old architect with offices in Tokyo, Paris, and New York, is rare in the field of architecture. He designs elegant, innovative work for private clients, and uses the same inventive and resourceful design approach for his extensive humanitarian efforts.