Construction
Rob McManamy
DEWALT shifts to solve jobsite WiFi woes

Yesterday, DEWALT, accompanied by Procore, announced their new WiFi Mesh, which promises to increase wireless connectivity on the jobsite. We talked to two DEWALT executives about the new product — here's what they had to say.

DEWALT shifts to solve jobsite WiFi woes
Architecture + Design
Rob McManamy
Data-driven design propelling collaboration

"Data-driven design" suggests an impersonal, robotic process that replaces human creativity with cold numbers. But at our latest BuildIdeas Breakfast, we learned from IBM Watson and Detroit Mercy Hospital that it can mean greater customer satisfaction.

Data-driven design propelling collaboration
Business
Rob McManamy
Hawaii, Vermont, RI see clean energy surge

Despite wavering venture investment, the clean energy market is still growing from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Here, the annual Clean Energy Trust Challenge gives us a welcome opportunity to check in on multiple, vibrant efforts to implement power innovation.

Hawaii, Vermont, RI see clean energy surge
Cities
Rob McManamy
Cities, data drive BW Summit conversations

If cities will yield the richest data upon which tomorrow's most consequential decisions will be based, then it is no surprise they were a recurring topic at last week's BuiltWorlds Summit. To see some of the actionable insights that were shared, read on.

Cities, data drive BW Summit conversations
Architecture + Design
Rob McManamy
Obamas unveil Presidential Center design

Just days after the former First Lady urged architects not to neglect inner cities, she and her husband came home to Chicago this week to reveal their vision for a $500-million community hub that they hope will reinvigorate a long-struggling community.   

Obamas unveil Presidential Center design

Architecture + Design

Gang: Design-build dorm 'supreme success'

Gang: Design-build dorm 'supreme success'

Hogwarts in Hyde Park? The University of Chicago last week unveiled a new $150-million, 400,000-sq-ft dormitory designed by renowned architect Jeanne Gang, and built by Mortenson Construction. Read about their design-build success story here.

Tall wood structures rising above doubts

Tall wood structures rising above doubts

Timber! Long-held reservations are falling for building tall with wood. This week, the National Building Museum examines "the only building material that can both reduce carbon emissions and remove carbon from the atmosphere." BuiltWorlds joins the discussion.

15 years on, Ground Zero shows final card

15 years on, Ground Zero shows final card

Two announcements in two days last week showed how the page is turning on 9/11. In Chicago, crews broke ground on a Chinese-funded, $1-billion, 98-story tower, while NYC unveiled the final piece to the World Trade Center master plan.

Canstruction: AEC Rallies to Feed Hungry

Canstruction: AEC Rallies to Feed Hungry

How do companies like Gensler, Arup, and McShane Construction help fight hunger? By designing and building structures out of cans -- duh! While Canstruction is an international organization, BuiltWorlds reporter Alexis Chastain attended one of the regional events to find out more. 

Making 'little plans' on Burnham's big day

Making 'little plans' on Burnham's big day

Master planner Daniel Burnham turns 170 this Sunday. Now, as Chicago catches its breath in the wake of two big design decisions from George Lucas and Barack Obama, the late architect behind the Burnham Plan drops by BuiltWorlds for a surprise visit.

Solar wrap: Aussie tower aims to go off-grid

Solar wrap: Aussie tower aims to go off-grid

Developers down under have unveiled plans for a soaring 60-story apartment tower to be wrapped in more than 3,000 sq m of solar panels. The Sol Invictus Tower aims to be the nation's first to use a solar-based engineering scheme in its building frontage.

 

Obamas choose NYC husband-wife design team

Obamas choose NYC husband-wife design team

Two weeks to the day after our own crowdsourced competition chose alternative designs for the upcoming Obama Presidential Center, the real winners were named. And they were not the names everyone had been expecting. For details, read on. 

And Our Obama Center Design Winner is...

And Our Obama Center Design Winner is...

The people have spoken. And now our judges have, too. As it turns out, they agree. Last week's lively Obama Presidential Center Design Competition & Awards event drew international input from thousands and yielded many inspiring choices. See for yourself!

Crowded: Votes pour in for Obama design finale

Crowded: Votes pour in for Obama design finale

Here we go! Our unofficial, Obama Presidential Center design competition culminates this week with live presentations and awards in our BuiltWorlds Studios. Review all 33 of our undeniably thoughtful and creative design proposals from all over the world.

Designing the Future with IrisVR

Designing the Future with IrisVR

As our reality becomes more virtual and increasingly augmented, we spoke to both Shane Scranton and Nate Beatty for a deeper dive into how IrisVR is playing an integral role in that transition with their real-time 3D optimization engine and suite of software.  

Design Duel: Obama Center Contests Eye Finish

Design Duel: Obama Center Contests Eye Finish

Democratizing architecture? What better place to start than with a U.S. Presidential Library? This spring in Chicago, while the official contest nears a winner, here is an update on our own fun and surprisingly popular crowd-sourced alternative. 

Can Tiny Homes Solve Chicago's Big Homeless Problem?

Can Tiny Homes Solve Chicago's Big Homeless Problem?

Sometimes, thinking big actually requires thinking very small. So goes the rationale behind constructing micro housing to address homelessness across the U.S. The topic was the focus of a recent Tiny Homes Summit in Chicago, where the need for housing is acute.

Flux awards Aim to Spur Urban Ideas

Flux awards Aim to Spur Urban Ideas

Flux Factory invited students from around the world to submit ideas for how to sustainably house the inhabitants of our rapidly urbanizing world. This month, the Google spin-off named the winners of its first Emerging Architects Design Competition. 

Mercurial Master Hadid Dead at 65

Mercurial Master Hadid Dead at 65

Arguably the world's most acclaimed and controversial architect died suddenly this morning in Miami FL. Iraqi-born Dame Zaha Hadid leaves behind a legacy of innovation and inspiration that is drawing accolades from all over the world.

Illinois Tech Adds Innovation Center to Iconic Campus

Illinois Tech Adds Innovation Center to Iconic Campus

Less may be more, as Mies van der Rohe famously said. But sometimes you still need more of it. That is the case this spring on the historic campus of Illinois Institute of Technology, where architect John Ronan is channeling the Modernist master.

Crowdsourcing a New Presidential Center

Crowdsourcing a New Presidential Center

On this Presidents Day, between the birthdays of Lincoln and Washington, Builtworlds, Arcbazar, GreenApple Campus, Autodesk, and Forum8, are launching a fun and educational initiative to help define the legacy of the sitting President. 

VOTE: Help My Students To 3D Print Public Housing Units

VOTE: Help My Students To 3D Print Public Housing Units

One Chicago high school teacher writes about his students' ongoing desire to change the world, one 3D-printed housing unit at a time. He also asks for help to keep his program going.

Visualizing The Future: Q&A with Gensler's Scott DeWoody

Visualizing The Future: Q&A with Gensler's Scott DeWoody

VR, AR and more... Scott DeWoody, Gensler’s Creative Media Leader, sat down with GenslerOn to talk about his background in art and animation, how this led to his work at Gensler, and the increasingly fluid dynamics of visualizing design. 

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