London-based artist, illustrator, and animator Patrick Vale, known for his panoramic drawings of cities, completed another complex mural at design company IDEO’s studio in San Francisco, California. Vale’s time-lapse videos such as “Empire State of Pen” and his drawing of Manhattan, show the process of creating his detailed illustrations that take from several hours to months to complete. Vale spent 13 days at the downtown San Francisco office to complete the drawing.
San Francisco: The Latest Architecture and News
Patrick Vale Draws Stunning Panoramic View of San Francisco in New Mural
Bay Area Metro Center / Perkins+Will
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Architects: Perkins&Will
- Area: 48774 m²
- Year: 2016
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Professionals: WSP, Architecture & Light, GLS Landscape Architecture, Harris & Associates, Holmes Structures, +2
Studio Dental / Montalba Architects
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Architects: Montalba Architects
- Area: 1800 ft²
- Year: 2017
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Manufacturers: Concrete Collaborative, Hevi-Lite, Pacific Westline
Engineers Have a Solution for San Francisco's Sinking Millennium Tower
As reports have emerged that San Francisco’s infamous sinking skyscraper, the Millennium Tower, is continuing to settle downward, engineers from LERA and DeSimone Consulting have unveiled a potential fix for the building’s woes.
Since construction began in 2005, the 58-story luxury condominium tower has sank approximately 17 inches downward and while leaning 14 inches to the North. And according to a new report from Arup Ground, the issue doesn’t appear to be resolving itself anytime soon: in the past 7 months alone, the building has sunk an additional inch and tilted a further two inches, causing cracking in the building to worsen.
Triggered to action, developer Millennium Partners brought in LERA and DeSimone to devise a solution that would return the building to its original siting and secure it against sinking, all while allowing the building to continue operating through the repair process.
Mountain Lake Park Playground / Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
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Architects: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
- Area: 22000 ft²
- Year: 2017
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Manufacturers: Play Equipment, Poured-In-Place Rubber Surfacing, Site Furnishings
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Professionals: Lutsko Associates, Holmes Structures, Lea & Braze Engineering
The World's Most Expensive Cities in 2017 (And Why They Are So Expensive)
As anyone who has recently attempted apartment-hunting in a major urban area will know, reasonably-priced housing can be difficult to come by for many and salaries don’t always seem to match the cost of living. This gap is contributing to housing crises in developed and developing countries worldwide. People are simply being priced out of cities, where housing has become a commodity instead of a basic human right. Financial speculation and states’ support of financial markets in a way that makes housing unaffordable has created an unsustainable global housing crisis.
Earlier this year the 13th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey was released for 2017, revealing that the number of “severely unaffordable” major housing markets rose from 26 to 29 this year; the problem is getting worse. The study evaluates 406 metropolitan housing markets in nine of the world's major economies and uses the “median multiple” approach to determine affordability. By dividing the median house price by the median household income of an area, this method is meant to be a summary of “middle-income housing affordability.”
A-to-Z House / SAW // Spiegel Aihara Workshop
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Architects: SAW // Spiegel Aihara Workshop
- Area: 2256 ft²
- Year: 2016
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Manufacturers: Kolbe, Thermador, Timber Pro Coatings, TimberPro, White Princess Quartzite
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Professionals: Strandberg Engineering
29th Street Residence / Schwartz and Architecture
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Architects: Schwartz and Architecture
- Area: 3500 ft²
- Year: 2016
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Manufacturers: Ann Sacks, Floorpros, Haussmann Natural Stone
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Professionals: Gelling & Judd Construction, iAssociates
Noe Valley House / designpad architecture
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Architects: designpad architecture
- Area: 3046 ft²
- Year: 2016
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Manufacturers: Neolith, AlumaTherm, Element 4, Fireclay, Shou Sugi Ban
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Professionals: Enertia Design
Boeddeker Park / WRNS Studio
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Architects: WRNS Studio
- Area: 4000 ft²
- Year: 2014
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Manufacturers: MetalTech-USA, RHEINZINK, Fleetwood, Heath Ceramics, Royalite, +1
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Professionals: Daedalus, Inc. Interface, Sherwood Design Engineers, Trust for Public Land
Switchback House / Edmonds + Lee Architects
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Architects: Edmonds + Lee Architects
- Area: 3800 ft²
- Year: 2016
Stood in Splendid Isolation, Questions Are Raised About Apple's Cupertino Campus
The "Spaceship" has landed and the dust, it appears, is starting to settle. In an article by Adam Rogers, which follows Wired's exclusive breakdown of the new Apple Campus in Cupertino, California, a convincing case is put forward against its design and wider masterplan. "You can’t understand a building without looking at what’s around it," Rogers argues – and most, including its architects, Foster+Partners, would surely be inclined to agree.
Whether you call it the Ring (too JRR Tolkien), the Death Star (too George Lucas), or the Spaceship (too Buckminster Fuller), something has alighted in Cupertino. And no one could possibly question the elegance of its design and architecture. This building is $5 billion and 2.8 million square feet of Steve Jobsian-Jony Ivesian-Norman Fosterian genius.
13 Buildings That Have Aged Magnificently
Humanity always cherishes great works of art that stand the test of time. This June, for example, marks the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ psychedelic Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and the 20th anniversary of Radiohead’s dystopian Ok Computer. These psychologically satisfying birthdays have generated serious appreciation and nostalgia. Similarly, we also love to praise the longevity of innovative architecture. The AIA bestows an annual “Twenty-five Year Award” to acknowledge projects that have "stood the test of time” and “exemplify design of enduring significance.” But one project a year seems stingy. Below are 15 modern classics which, though not always given the easiest start in life, we’ve come to adore:
Hunters View Housing Blocks 5 & 6 / Paulett Taggart Architects
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Architects: Paulett Taggart Architects
- Area: 67800 ft²
- Year: 2015
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Manufacturers: Swisspearl, Bison, James Hardie
"See You in Court!": 9 of Architecture’s Nastiest Lawsuits
What did Pritzker Prize winner Frank Gehry get when he designed the Stata Center, an exuberantly whimsical academic complex for MIT? A very large check, plus a major lawsuit, alleging negligence and breach of contract due to rampant leaks, mold, cracks, drainage problems and sliding ice. Sometimes the most inspired designs can go awry. And when they do, some clients lawyer up. Here are 9 fascinating examples.
Experience Cities From Above With Crystal Clear Drone Videos
With rapid advancements in technology and crystal clear imagery, drones have allowed us to experience our cities and landscapes from unimaginable vantage points and perspectives. In its series of videos, YouTube channel Mingomatic uses drones to capture the sights and scenes of predominantly American cities and various locations from above, offering glimpses of skylines, oceans, highways and terrains (and seals!). Check out the 10 videos below for some spectacular views, and find Mingomatic’s full selection, here.
Noe Valley House / IwamotoScott Architecture
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Architects: IwamotoScott Architecture
- Area: 3000 ft²
- Year: 2016
Form4 Architecture Wins 2017 American Prize for Architecture
San Francisco-based Form4 Architecture have won the 2017 American Prize for Architecture, by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. Also known as The Louis H. Sullivan Award, the prize is awarded to outstanding practitioners in the United States that have “emblazoned a new direction in the history of American architecture” and “demonstrated consistent contributions to humanity through the built environment and the art of architecture."
These may well be the ultimate, true romantic architects, said Christian Narkiewicz-Laine, President of The Chicago Athenaeum. Form4 Architecture’s design philosophy conveys a ‘vision of the future’ and all the artistic possibilities of imagination, emotional meaning, and lyrical expressionism for a consequentially better and more enlightened world around us.