Asakura Robinson’s Post

I enjoyed listening to Henry Grabar lecture last night at the University of Hawaii Architecture Auditorium. If you have not yet read the book Paved Paradise, then I highly recommend reading Henry Grabar's Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World. It is a fascinating exploration of how parking has quietly become one of the most influential forces in modern American life. Here are some intriguing aspects of the book: The Parking Crisis: Grabar delves into the nation’s parking crisis, revealing how our compulsion for car storage has exacerbated critical problems. From housing affordability to climate change, parking plays a significant role. Humor and Insight: The book combines history, politics, and reportage with a touch of absurdity. Grabar’s witty and revelatory writing style keeps readers engaged throughout. City Design and Real Estate: Parking significantly impacts urban design. It determines the layout of new buildings, affects transit viability, and even influences neighborhood politics and municipal finances. Anecdotes and Case Studies: Grabar takes readers on a journey across major American cities, from Los Angeles to Disney World to New York. He shares tales of anger, violence, theft, lust, greed, and political chicanery—all related to parking. Metaphysical Exploration: By examining parking through the lens of urban history, Grabar elevates this seemingly mundane topic to a metaphysical level, making readers rethink its significance. Overall, Paved Paradise sheds light on a seemingly banal aspect of our lives and reveals its profound impact on society. Whether you’re interested in urban planning, transportation, or just enjoy a good read, this book offers a fresh perspective on parking and its far-reaching consequences.

The #Newseum — which opened in 2008 — had a massive atrium that held a helicopter and a suspended jumbotron, as escalators and platforms guided visitors around the perimeter, showcasing aspects of #journalism #history and the evolution of #media - that didn’t exactly translate to a #university #building. Despite a series of challenges during the four-year renovation project, crews converted the #Washington, D.C., media-focused #museum into a higher education facility. Dedicated last month, The Johns Hopkins University $300 million Bloomberg Center is a 350,000-square-foot, 10-story #academic #building on Pennsylvania Avenue that features 38 #classrooms, a lounge-style #library, a #multimedia study, informal study spaces, a 375-seat #theater, conference center space, a banquet hall, a fitness center and a rooftop terrace. The project team began designing the #Bloomberg Center in the spring of 2019 with a strict opening deadline for the fall 2023 semester. The fast-paced timeline and unique building constraints precluding any use of a crane would already be a tall order. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, bringing supply chain snarls and skyrocketing material prices. Due to work beginning in earnest even before designs even being finalized, a third of the project costs were locked in before before #COVID hit, partially protecting the job from inflation. Read more about the #design and #construction challenges from Zachary Phillips at #HigherEdDive - https://bit.ly/3R0QGfY #highered #highereducation #facilitiesmanagement #facilities #university #college #colleges #collegeanduniversities #facilitymanagement #facility #washingtondc #covid19 #covid19pandemic #buildingdesign #buildingmaterials #conferencecenter

We deem it crucial to change the way cities are planned and designed and advocate for the shift from speculative towards evidence-based urban design. An evidence-based approach is currently not a natural part of the design process when new neighbourhoods are planned. What is quite common instead, is to isolate a project from its context and evaluate it when the design is already completed, and it is already too late to make any changes. This can potentially have negative consequences for both the future residents and those who invest in these neighbourhoods. Urban design projects often aim to create lively and pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods, but how can we ensure that these ambitions translate into reality? How do we know if people will actually walk on those streets? How can we identify the optimal locations for busy commercial streets or vibrant urban squares? The Urban Calculator provides analyses based on solid academic research. Extensive empirical studies have proven the significance of street centrality and urban density for pedestrian movement and various socio-economic processes in cities,– things, that planners most often advocate for when designing new neighbourhoods. Read more about our studies on our website!  

During my student years, I spent my time in multiple student houses. These places offer a form of shared and (relatively) affordable living, have many practices to create community, and can be an example for future housing solutions. With my interest in Co-Housing within Architecture, a reflection on my experiences within student homes informs me of the qualities they can provide. I believe that by sharing we can be; less lonely, more cost-effective, better networked, more sustainable, and genuinely happier people. Designing housing to foster communities, whether that be of students, elders, families, or mixt, is what I want to do in the next years. If people have recommendations for architecture firms where I can pursue this passion, let me know.

In urban design and planning "Density" is not a bad word despite what many would have you believe. I'm looking forward to speaking as part of a panel at an event called "Deliberating the 'D' Word" next week. The event is a follow up to a great article published by Soapbox, authored by AIA Cincinnati, that you can read here: https://lnkd.in/gPCnMA9g For those of us in Cincinnati (or just about every other forward-thinking community) who have been considering zoning changes which would allow incremental increases in residential density, the public discourse has become alarmingly misguided. Claims that increased density automatically brings low-income residents, crime, decay, and a level of deterioration just short of famine and pestilence, are wrong-headed and fear-based. Reasonable density developed in walkable neighborhoods is a fiscally responsible return to traditional living which strengthens communities. If this debate sounds interesting to you, join us for the discussion on June 6th (5:30-7:00pm) at Turner Construction Company, 510 Race Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.

The lifespan of a school campus is a process of continual evolution. As needs change, communities grow, educational delivery adapts, and facilities age, buildings will eventually be added, and others will be removed or consolidated. All school districts reach a point where they are faced with deciding whether to replace or modernize buildings. These are challenging inflection points with long-term implications across various factors, including cost, amenities, program and curriculum delivery, the sustainable use of resources, and safety. How do you know whether to modernize or replace a campus building? Read on as #hmcarchitects Principal in Charge Virginia Marquardt and Design Principal Brian Nichols explore this important topic. https://lnkd.in/gM_sKmz6 #designforgood #schoolfacilities #architecture #modernizevsreplace #buildingevolution #campuslife

Students deserve safe, healthy, and climate resilient schools. 🏫 💚 Join The Passive House Network to learn how #PassiveHouse implementation in and adaptation to school systems small and large can meet the growing challenges of climate, power supply, and social well-being. Experts from the US and worldwide will provide critical insights through case studies and discuss what’s possible next in panel discussions. As communities invest in new construction and retrofit old buildings, let’s deliver school buildings that are as robust as our students and communities deserve. Featuring: Naomi C.O. Beal Beal, PassivhausMAINE Ann-Marie Fallon, Architype, UK Richard Lo, Kaplan Thompson Architects Timothy Lock, Opal Architecture Barry McCarron, South West College, Northern Ireland Moderated by Ken Levenson, The Passive House Network Learning Objectives: --> Outline how Passive House standards support successful new school buildings and retrofits. --> Describe the unique challenges schools present and successful strategies to overcome them. --> Identify successful project energy balance design and key implementation aspects from enclosure to programming to HVAC systems. --> Describe challenges and strategies addressing specialty uses in school buildings such as cafeterias, labs, and gymnasiums. #sustainabledesign #sustainablearchitecture #architecture #climateaction #healthyschools #students #passivhaus #efficiencyfirst #energy #cleanair

Why would they put up with this when such a simple solution is available from day-lite.com? https://lnkd.in/dCs3dSnk The Legacy Faux LED Windows from Day-Lite can be beneficial in windowless rooms for several reasons: Enhanced Aesthetic Appeal: These LED windows can transform a windowless room by mimicking the appearance of real windows, thereby creating an illusion of natural light and an outdoor view. This can significantly improve the ambiance and make the space feel more inviting and less confined. Improved Mood and Well-being: Exposure to light, especially daylight-mimicking LED light, can positively affect mood and well-being. These faux windows can help alleviate the effects of lack of natural light in windowless rooms, reducing feelings of claustrophobia and contributing to a more pleasant and productive environment. Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings: The LED technology used in these faux windows is energy-efficient, consuming less power compared to traditional lighting solutions. This can lead to cost savings on electricity bills while providing consistent and high-quality lighting that enhances the overall functionality of the room. #DormRoomDesign #WindowlessSolutions #FauxWindows #LEDLighting #StudentLivingSpaces

We get it. Hosting a party with a half-dozen of your witchy friends to commune with the spirits and add some warmth to your house seemed like a good idea at first. But lighting THAT many candles is a total fire hazard, and it's not a good way to offset your utility costs. You don't need to talk to the dead. You need a Passive House. Passive House buildings create airtight, climate resilient, comfortable living spaces that won't be a drain on your heating and cooling costs. Passive House buildings prioritize your comfort while putting energy-efficient building science into action. And now, you can learn how to design one. Become a Certified Passive House Designer and learn from a curriculum backed by 30+ years of global technical leadership and scientific research. Our flexible course for architects, engineers, consultants, developers, and policymakers is designed to meet your learning needs, with a choose-your-own-adventure mix of on-demand recordings, live-online content, and cohort scheduled curriculum that let you make connections in your community. No matter what path you choose, we'll help you get ready for your exam so you can get to work on building what matters. Discounts are available for BIPOC, veterans, students, teachers, and nonprofit and government employees. Find out more, register today, and get immediate access to materials. Winter courses begin on January 18th. Blow out the candles and put the Ouija Board away. There's a much better way to negotiate with your thermostat. We'll show you how—with Passive House. #architecture #buildingconstruction #certifiedpassivehouse #construction #design #energyefficiency #netzero #passivhaus #passivehouse #resilience #sustainability #buildingscience https://hubs.ly/Q026-TVH0