Istanbul will host its first design biennial between October 13 – December 12, 2012. The theme is proposed by the director of London Design Museum, Deyan Sudjic, as “imperfection.” This theme refers to Istanbul, a city far from being perfect, yet one of the most inspiring centers of the world, with infinite layers. Istanbul Design [...]
The Mammoth Gateway Project is an effort to elaborate on the entrance to the resort community of Mammoth Lakes, CA. Signage is crucial for travelers and Mammoth Lakes needs wayfinding markers to help tourists get around with ease, while creating memorable experiences. The Mammoth Gateway Project is the ultimate expression of Mammoth’s desire to stick [...]
Urban design is the bridge between urban planning and architecture design. It connects the feelings inspired by the architecture of a building and how the building interacts with the fabric of the neighborhood, and that neighborhood’s future development. A rendering for the new Seneca Casino in downtown Buffalo, New York, shown left, is an example [...]
It is almost guaranteed that at some point every Architect across the United Kingdom has despaired at them. Building regulations regarding the access to and use of buildings, otherwise known as Approved Document M are more often than not, at the least, a minor annoyance, if not a full blown architectural headache. With a continuous [...]
Have you ever wanted to manage a blog? Learn how to manage writers? Do you have excellent English writing, editing, and time management skills? Can you manage an intern staff of 10 bloggers and make a 1-year commitment? If you have what it takes, Global Site Plans wants your application. The Grid Blog Assistant Editor [...]
Modern art finally has a place to call home in Nottingham, United Kingdom. Opened in November 2009, Nottingham Contemporary, designed by architects Caruso St John has proved to be very popular; attracting just under 300,000 visitors through the doors in its first year. But what is it that visitors actually go to visit? Do they [...]
A “build it and forget it” method may not be the wisest of decisions for an urban planner when creating a website. It is a myth that a website can sustain itself after it’s developed. In fact, similar to your business, a website must be constantly maintained if you want it to continue to thrive. [...]
Blogs are today’s “black.” Nowadays, many companies are incorporating personalized websites as part of the businesses’ Public Relations strategy to reach out to new and potential clientele, or the general public. So it is important, more so within the field of architecture, engineering, environmental non-profit, landscape architecture and urban planning, to maintain your website in [...]
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defined the 10 principals of the concept of Smart Growth in response to the development paradigm – “bigger is better.” While growth is important for communities, if not carefully planned for, it can lead to transportation issues, declining home values, environmental degradation, and health problems. Small towns like Mammoth Lakes, [...]
Being environmentally cognizant has become the new way of thinking in terms of developing a profitable business. In the contemporary eco-conscious world, businesses are working toward incorporating environmentally friendly procedures into their production. Even practicing eco-friendly techniques or associating an eco-friendly logo design to your company may make the difference between financial profit and loss. [...]
Pickards Mountain Eco-Institute (PMI) should spark the interest of Global Site Plans readers interested in all aspects of sustainable living. Essentially, PMI operates as a working laboratory where new theories and ideas about sustainable farming and architecture are developed and taught to growing numbers of local residents and visitors. The site was originally purchased as [...]
Can you imagine a small apartment, let’s say about 344 square feet, transforming into 24 different rooms? It’s possible. Well, at least when architects and engineers choose to focus on such a concept anyway, but the fact is that it has been done. Space is becoming more of a commodity, particularly within the city, such [...]
This May 2012, craftsmen from across the United States and Canada will descend on Port Townsend, Washington to discuss a building tradition developed in the 12th century, timber frame construction. The first question the uninitiated may ask is, “What is timber framing?” This construction method uses heavy wood joined together in intricate joints to create [...]
If you had an empty warehouse and a pen and paper, what infinite uses would you create? Art space; meeting or event space; a library; a cafeteria or cafe; an acoustic or sound room; a gaming room; a gallery; yoga or meditation space; or a multi-purpose work space? The only limitation is your imagination. Your [...]
Considering New York City, New York (NYC) contains 5.2 billion ft2 of built space parceled out among a million buildings, and that the building sector emits 79% of the city’s greenhouse gases, the importance of sustainability in its built environment is paramount. The Bloomberg administration’s 2007 PlaNYC effort, a comprehensive plan for the City’s largest issues [...]
With the United Kingdom committed to producing 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by the year 2020, there seems to be an acceptance within the general public that sustainability has become a key issue in everyday life. But with around 50% of planning applications for new wind farms rejected in 2010, is the country [...]
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 [...]
In my last post, I suggested a few of my favorite general planning and architecture blogs. However, this only skims of the surface of the general design community. Now that you’ve gotten yourself acquainted with the basics, it’s time to dig deeper into the more specific, niche-oriented blogs. As any planner will tell you, cities [...]
How can a world-renowned ski resort town attract world-class athletes in the summer time? The answer is a top-notch sports field facility. For Mammoth Lakes, California this project is called The Whitmore Park Track and Sports Field Project, a joint effort by the High Sierra Striders and the Town of Mammoth Lakes to be completed by [...]
For our generation of architecture, urban design and sustainability, environmental design is constantly developing, but before upgrading your home to appear contemporary or mimic a more modern design, first contemplate if that decision will adversely affect your health. By thinking environmentally first, you can avoid the harmful aspects of home design. There is an array [...]
