I have been a writer for The Grid for over a year and this will be my last writing. I am grateful to Renee Van Staveren, Global Site Plans, and The Grid staff for this opportunity. A lot has been learned through my own research and also through the writings of my peers. The topics [...]
Camelback Mountain is one of the many mountain ranges surrounding what Arizonians call “the valley”. The Valley is a flat area of Arizona desert that is home to 4 million of the state’s 6 million inhabitants. The valley includes Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Chandler, among others that, together, make up a sprawling [...]
There is no denying it, we are in the facebook era. With over 900 million users, the public has never been more exposed and globally connected. One reading this may agree, but likely conclude, that the banter on Facebook is similar to the banter on Wikipedia; it is inefficient, random, and full of opinions, often [...]
In a desert climate, such as Tempe, Arizona, rain is sparse. At only 4.5 inches per year, it is a very dry place. The city gets water, nevertheless, as is demonstrated by the unusual amount of lawn-grown grass surrounding the suburban and urban sprawl. The question then is how? How do residents get the water [...]
Tempe averages 211 days of sun every year. In addition, the city is only a 2-hour drive away from Mexico. This makes for a very warm, very bright place. It seems to never rain. Since I arrived 10 months ago, it has only rained twice, and heavily only once. This is why I call this [...]
Being a current grad student at Arizona State and having an undergraduate history at Ohio State, I can say that I know both these university cities quite well. There are many differences between Tempe, Arizona and Columbus, Ohio. For one, the art and music scene in Columbus is far superior than Tempe. On the other [...]
The Tempe, Arizona Orbit Bus System is a thorough system that connects most areas of Tempe. It is very efficient, and it is completely free to ride. Currently, I have a car but opt to take the bus because it is quicker and easier. So, I ride the bus to class every day of the [...]
Tempe, Arizona gets 211 sunny days every year. Arizona is 113,990 sq mi. The sun emits 12.2 trillion watt-hours per square mile per year of solar energy. So, the total solar energy possibly gained in Arizona is 1,390,678 trillion watt-hours, which is roughly equivalent to 1, 390 terawatt-hours. World energy consumption in 2008 was 19,000 [...]
Edward Mazria proposed a challenge to be carbon neutral by 2030. Since buildings are the major source of pollution, then necessarily they are the solution. In his own words; The Problem: The Building Sector, The Solution: The Building Sector. Since he posited his theory, he has gained many proponents: Architects, Landscape Architects, Urban Planners, Engineers, [...]
Since ASU is in a desert environment that gets over 300 days of sun per year, it has made large strides in utilizing solar energy. Of course, the upfront cost of panels can be quite a burden. In comes the ingenious solution: A Solar Power Purchasing Agreement (SPPA). Essentially, a third party provider agrees to [...]
The Industrial Revolution was a time of great social, economic and political upheaval. It was a time of mass production, of transforming the manufacturing process into a repetitious system. Never before had the process been so streamlined, especially in the steel industry. A Darby Bridge could be easily constructed using a set of manufactured pieces [...]
Who wouldn’t want a landscape architect to give them a business card full of seeds? Lush gives their clients free seeds with every business card! In this way, the card serves multiple purposes. One is branding, and another is of a much more practical purpose. The seeds are able to produce a landscape, a task [...]
All businesses aim to make a lasting impression. Engineering firms are no exception, although a creative business card is rare in this field. This is a business card for the Canadian firm, Helix. As you can see, it seems very strange at first glance. For one, it is transparent blue. In addition, though, there seems [...]
I have recently moved from Columbus, Ohio – a city with no form of light rail – to Tempe, Arizona for Graduate School in Architecture and Business. There are three striking differences between Columbus and Tempe. First, it is much hotter in Tempe on account of the desert climate. Secondly, it is impossible to get [...]
…If housing could be folded, even in half, it would free up close to 6,377 square miles in the United States alone. These could be part-time parklands or gardens, especially if the house has natural siding to begin with. In this case, a green wall will become a green ground. It would be a difficult task to achieve, true, but what problem has engineering not achieved when efforts were properly focused?
As of October 31, 2011, we are living in a world of 7 billion people. The working population is around half of that. So, theoretically there are somewhere around 3.5 billion people looking for employment. These people all must compete with one another. In the wake of the recent economic meltdown, they have to compete [...]
Related to my previous article on Unique Architecture Business Card Designs, this article explores eye-catching Urban Design Business Cards. No matter what specialization someone has acquired in life, it is paramount to be able to gain a clientele. A unique and memorable business card is pivotal to a business, social network, or any other type [...]
Branding is important in any field, and architecture is no exception. It is important that one informs as many people as possible their ability; and that it is of a higher quality than that of their competitors. There are many ways this can be accomplished, especially in the digital monoculture in which we now find [...]
A new racetrack will be located in the heart of Columbus, Ohio. However, in order for this to happen the district will be rezoned. The proposed site lies at the old Cooper Stadium within the historic Franklinton neighborhood. Because of the location, sound walls and a curfew was a must; and although this was a [...]
The stereoypical American Dream has several different facets: a detached suburban home, white picket fence, a car, a dog, et cetera. A car is a very important piece of the puzzle and the major contributor to rush hour traffic, especially when it is used to transport single occupants. The car is affordable, as is oil, [...]
