How to visualize architectural concepts in SketchUp using D5 Lite for faster design exploration.

Zaha Hadid Architects has won the design competition to build Phase II of the International Exhibition Centre in Beijing. Drawing from the cultural, academic and civic center of China, the International Exhibition Centre is located next to the city’s Capital International Airport as a site for conferences, trade fairs and industry expos. Now, Phase II will significantly expand exhibition space for knowledge and exchange.

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Certification of sustainable buildings has become a prominent trend in architecture over the last couple of years and while most people can agree on the importance of sustainability in building, how to achieve it leaves copious room for discussion.

Exponential population growth versus a lack of affordable housing is a challenge affecting urban areas worldwide. To address this issue, the Italian firm Mario Cucinella Architects proposes a new circular housing model: a 3D-printed home made from organic materials.

The prototype uses regionally sourced materials, such as local clay, making it the first printed house of its kind. This reduces emissions from transporting materials and also ensures the building process is zero-waste.

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This article was originally published on Common Edge

In a Common Edge article, I briefly discussed a concept that I call the “Triple Bottom Lie,” which posits that more people, plus more consumption by each person, plus an economic system completely dependent on the aforementioned items, can just keep working forever, without consequences. Historically, the United States has accepted the economic shibboleth of endless growth because it reduced class conflict; a rising tide (supposedly) lifted all boats, rafts and yachts included. We are, however, approaching the limits of growth, from both a resource standpoint (we’re running out of raw materials) and a technological standpoint (our inventions are progressively less revolutionary).

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