How Green is your Apartment/Condo Building?
This map illustrates the global warming potential (GWP) per square foot of residential buildings in Chicago. The GWP (kg C02e/SF) is calculated from the amount and type of energy each […]
Recommended Reading for Budding Architecture Enthusiasts
Here are some easy and fun to read pieces of literature that loads of architects reference all the time. Some of these are seminal works, some of these are short, coffee […]
Wattle, Daub, and Wetuash: The Architecture of the First Thanksgiving
Most Americans are familiar with the story of the “First Thanksgiving,” a historic feast attended by pilgrims and Native Americans to celebrate a bountiful harvest which gave hope to a badly battered group of […]
An Introduction to the Gigantic World of Details
To say I’m an architecture nerd is a massive understatement. In the midst of normal Saturday night house parties with students studying normal majors like business and accounting, I’ve brought out architecture […]
What is a Machine for Living In?
Years ago, in one of my first architecture courses, my classmates and I often found ourselves totally confused by a professor who only spoke using 14-letter words and philosophical metaphors that […]
Postmodern is Punk
F*** authority! could have easily been the tagline of postmodernism. Today, postmodern architecture just seems kooky and weird but it was actually born out of the protests, riots, strikes, and civil unrest […]
Combining Bamboo and Concrete May Save Thousands of Lives
Researchers are beginning to find that placing bamboo inside of concrete could save thousands of lives in developing regions. Every couple of years a major earthquake strikes and destroys thousands of […]
Slums Are Much, Much Bigger Than You Probably Think
According to UN-HABITAT, there were 863 million people living in slums in 2012 and that number has been increasing rapidly. Now, we all understand that 863 million is a pretty […]
Manifestos and How to Use Them
Architects often struggle with explaining the relevance of what we study and practice. We can talk about the different modernist movements or the latest applications of 3D printing until the cows […]
The 200 Year Birth of the International Style in 5 Minutes
It’s 1780 and throughout your life, you’ve listened to your grandparents go on and on about how everyone has lost their faith — religion isn’t what it used to be. That’s because […]
