Mid-year special: Top 13 stories for 2013 (so far)

Every six months, we like to take a look back at the stories that generated the most interest from our readers. For the first half of 2013, hot topics on BDCnetwork.com included high-rise projects in the works around the world, senior housing trends, 40 Under 40 winners, a BIM-related lawsuit, and the top trends in kitchen and bath design.

Here's a roundup of the top 13 articles on BDCnetwork.com for the first six months of 2013:

1. 7 hip high-rise developments on the drawing board

We feature a collection of recently profiled high-rise projects in the works around the world. They include Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill's whimsical Dancing Dragons tower in Seoul and a 1,312-foot-tall finance and trade center under construction in Nanning, China. READ THE ARTICLE

2. 8 trends shaping today’s senior housing

The ranks of those age 65 and older are swelling by the thousands every day. Is there an opportunity for your firm in the seniors housing market? READ THE ARTICLE

3. Meet BD+C's 40 Under 40 class of 2013

We’re pleased to present our Class of 2013 “40 Under 40” honorees. Along with the 280 previous recipients of this honor, dating from 2006, they represent the next generation of leadership in the AEC industry. READ THE ARTICLE

4. Top 10 kitchen and bath design trends for 2013

Gray color schemes and transitional styles are among the top trends identified by more than 300 kitchen and bath design experts. READ THE ARTICLE

5. Lawsuit teaches valuable lesson on BIM and communication

BDCnetwork blogger Sasha Reed offers a cautionary tale about one of the first BIM-related lawsuits. The parties involved in this university building project kept their identities private, but it’s been reported that they settled out of court for millions of dollars. READ THE ARTICLE

6. Extreme LEGO: Wondrous micro city built out of 200,000 blocks

Master LEGO builder Mike Doyle unveils his latest creation, an out-of-this-world micro city that celebrates peaceful alien contact. READ THE ARTICLE

7. Will Google Glass revolutionize the construction process?

An Australian architect is exploring the benefits of augmented reality in the design and construction process. READ THE ARTICLE

8. A LEGO lover's dream: Guide to building the world's iconic structures with LEGO

A new book from LEGO master builder Warren Elsmore offers instructions for creating scale models of buildings and landmarks with LEGO. READ THE ARTICLE

9. 8 eye-popping wood building projects

WoodWorks announces the winners of the 2013 National Wood Design Awards. READ THE ARTICLE

10. Supertall 'Sky City' will house 4,400 families in Changsha, China

Up to 30,000 people could be accommodated in planned 'world's tallest building,' at 2,749 feet. READ THE ARTICLE

11. Calatrava projects encounter issues with water, structure

Alleged maintenance, safety problems with several iconic Santiago Calatrava projects give rise to financial claims. READ THE ARTICLE

12. 13 structural steel buildings that dazzle

The American Institute of Steel Construction names its 2013 IDEAS2 winners. READ THE ARTICLE

13. Walgreens to build first net-zero energy retail store

Evanston, Ill., location will utilize solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal. READ THE ARTICLE

nZero, developer of a real-time carbon accounting and management platform, is offering free carbon emissions assessments for buildings in New York City. The offer is intended to help building owners prepare for the city’s upcoming Local Law 97 reporting requirements and compliance. This law will soon assess monetary fines for buildings with emissions that are in non-compliance.

Office Buildings | Aug 15, 2023

Amount of office space in U.S. is declining for the first time, says JLL

In what is likely a historic first, the amount of office space in the U.S. is forecast to decline in 2023, according to Jones Lang LaSalle. This would be the first net decline according to data going back to 2000, JLL says, and it’s likely the first decline ever.

Fire-Rated Products | Aug 14, 2023

Free download: Fire-rated glazing 101 technical guide from the National Glass Association

The National Glass Association (NGA) is pleased to announce the publication of a new technical resource, Fire-Rated Glazing 101. This five-page document addresses how to incorporate fire-rated glazing systems in a manner that not only provides protection to building occupants from fire, but also considers other design goals, such as daylight, privacy and security.

Office Buildings | Aug 14, 2023

The programmatic evolution of the lobby

Ian Reves, Managing Director for IA's Atlanta studio, shares how design can shape a lobby into an office mainstay.

Contractors | Aug 14, 2023

Fast-tracking construction projects offers both risk and reward

Understanding both the rewards and risk of fast-tracking a project can help owners, architects, engineers, and contractors maximize the benefits of this strategy and can bring great reward on all fronts when managed properly.

MFPRO+ New Projects | Aug 10, 2023

Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward gets a 21-story, 162-unit multifamily residential building

East of downtown Atlanta, a new residential building called Signal House will provide the city with 162 units ranging from one to three bedrooms. Located on the Atlanta BeltLine, a former railway corridor, the 21-story building is part of the latest phase of Ponce City Market, a onetime Sears building and now a mixed-use complex.

Office Buildings | Aug 10, 2023

Bjarke Ingels Group and Skanska to deliver 1550 on the Green, one of the most sustainable buildings in Texas

In downtown Houston, Skanska USA’s 1550 on the Green, a 28-story, 375,000-sf office tower, aims to be one of Texas’ most sustainable buildings. The $225 million project has deployed various sustainable building materials, such as less carbon-intensive cement, to target 60% reduced embodied carbon.

The main lobby of the Regions Inpatient Mental Health Center third floor features intentional design elements

Healthcare Facilities | Aug 10, 2023

The present and future of crisis mental health design

BWBR principal Melanie Baumhover sat down with the firm’s behavioral and mental health designers to talk about how intentional design can play a role in combatting the crisis.

Reeja Shrestha, a second-year student pursuing a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree in architecture and design at Howard University, has been selected as the first recipient of the Hoffmann Diversity Advancement Scholarship.

Architects | Aug 10, 2023

Hoffmann Architects + Engineers awards first Diversity Advancement Scholarship to Reeja Shrestha of Howard University

Now in its inaugural year, the Hoffmann Scholarship was established in collaboration with the Connecticut Architecture Foundation (CAF) to support students from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups who are seeking degrees in architecture or engineering.

Senior Living Design | Aug 7, 2023

Putting 9 senior living market trends into perspective

Brad Perkins, FAIA, a veteran of more than four decades in the planning and design of senior living communities, looks at where the market is heading in the immediate future.

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