Colas Construction’s Post

Thank you to the Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Design for hosting this interesting event last week. Sheetza McGarry, a former Hines NYC intern (one of the best) currently seeking her masters in architecture and a research assistant at the Healthy Materials Lab, invited me to speak alongside my great friend Charlotte Bell (she/her) with Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester County, Drew Vanderburg with RiseBoro Community Partnership and Brandon Pietras with Bernheimer Architecture about design techniques for affordable housing to create spaces people want to live, feel safe and feel healthy. My career has not been in affordable housing and I am certainly not an expert in affordable housing design, but I do have extensive experience having worked with Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester County through ASHRAE NYC Chapter along with deep experience in seniors housing design and how designing spaces purposely built for those that are going to use them with extremely thoughtful design can turn a project from ok into exceptional. The Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Design has built quite a data base of different materials and techniques that is available for everyone to utilize. Sheetza McGarry and the co-founder of the Healthy Materials Lab Alison Mears have also started and built an impressive database of ACTUAL healthy, affordable projects all around the United States as part of the Building Healthy Homes initiative. They already have about 8000 units of housing in the data base and are looking for more! Check it out and see if adding your building would make sense.(https://lnkd.in/eqjPhpjt) I enjoyed hearing from and learning from the other speakers. Some takeaways 👉 Exceptional design does not have to be expensive or use the highest ends materials. It needs to be thoughtful to ensure the end user, regardless of wealth or class, is able to efficiently, effectively and comfortably use and live in their space. 💰 Keeping utility costs low for those that can least afford it is critical (especially for Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester County). A constant balance between construction costs and energy saving/zero carbon/healthy material design techniques and systems is key. 🚃 Many factors including supply chain disruption, manufacturing source, performance, aesthetics and cost can impact the materials chosen for a project. When selecting materials, find levers you can pull for the 'biggest bang for your buck' with cost, impact on the tenant (directly and indirectly), embodied carbon, durability and energy performance. A few home runs can make up for a lot of strikeouts. 🙍♂️ 🙍♀️ Stakeholder and community engagement is critical. Make sure what you're choosing to build and the materials utilized are something the potential or current tenants WANT rather than what you THINK they want

Buchan's Carol Leung joined peers for an engaging panel discussion at Sydney Build last week on ‘Reimagining Suburbs of NSW: Innovation at the Heart of Design’. The panel considered the modern definition of a 'suburb', evolving perceptions, and the sustainability implications of ongoing urban sprawl, along with the influence of housing policies on ‘good design’. One key topic explored was the Build to Rent (BTR) model, seen as a solution to provide higher-quality housing and adapt to changing demands. There was also discussion around evolving BTR into 'Build-To-Rent-To-Buy', as a way to potentially address the intergenerational housing wealth gap and revitalise neighbourhood communities affected by short-term rentals.   Changes in planning through the new TOD developments and Pattern Book of Housing were also recognised as a positive step forward, but that there was need for more open dialogue between government stakeholders, better oversight and longer-term thinking and a multi-disciplinary design approach to challenge the ways we densify to support a better outcome in the evolution of our suburbs and cities.   #buchan #design #architecture #masterplanning #urbanplanning #urbanrenewal #suburbanrenewal #BTR #community #sydney #sydneybuild

Elevating Urban Planning: Where Communities Take Center Stage Ever wondered what happens when urban planning becomes a community-driven symphony? It's not just about buildings; it's about weaving the heartbeat of the community into the very fabric of our cities. Had an amazing time exploring community planning at TSA, Toronto Society of Architects , focusing on how we can design our cities to be the reflection of the people that inhabit them. Equity in all its stages is an essential tool in design thinking. Looking forward to future aspects of designing urban fabric for the people. #CommunityFocused #UrbanPlanning #CityBuilders #SustainableCities #CommunityEngagement #TSA

Great leadership by Emily Young! The recent research by Property Council WA, highlighted in a great article by Kim Macdonald, shows that our density and infill development is significantly lower compared to our eastern states counterparts. It's time for all levels of government to take this seriously and shift our mindset towards urban infill, architectural excellence, and alternative sustainable construction. Greater density creates many ancillary benefits for a community, such as activation, eyes on the street, a feeling of safety, and support for small businesses. Let's move away from the 'slash, cut and fill' land subdivision mentality and embrace the benefits of urban infill. #urbaninfill #architectualexcellence #alternativesustainableconstruction Kim Macdonald Emily Young #limniospropertygroup #limnioslife #limniosrealestate #propertydevelopment

For this year’s final #BlackHistoryMonth community spotlight, KAI looks to the Arlington Grove Apartments project. Located in the City of St. Louis, this special project included the redevelopment of the William B. Ittner designed Arlington School, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Established under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register of Historic Places, managed by the National Park Service, aims to facilitate public and private initiatives in identifying, assessing, and safeguarding America's historical and archaeological assets. KAI was chosen by the St. Louis Housing Authority to perform Design-Build services and transform the block into a $34 million, 162,000 square foot mixed-income and mixed-finance residential development that includes 112 units of apartments, townhouses, and semi-detached housing as well as a mixed-use building and renovated school. The 91 construction housing units included a heavy emphasis on sustainability that positively impacts both the residents and the community for years to come. The opportunity to help provide people in underserved areas with a meaningful place to live and a starting point for a better future is something on which we’ve built our legacy. Our mission of transforming communities is part of every project we take part in and is a mission we strive for with each step we take into the future. Read more about this historic and meaningful project in the link below. https://lnkd.in/g-m-VSSp #TransformingCommunities #CommunityImpact #AEC #Design #Engineering #CommunityInvestment #Construction #CommunityDesign #ResidentialDesign #EducationDesign

This year marks five decades of significant contribution and service by the National Institute of Building Sciences to the U.S. built environment. https://lnkd.in/g6mptTiW #building #construction #design

Then versus Now for what is #okc's most rapidly developing historic neighborhoods - Capitol Hill. Established before statehood, Capitol Hill offers a rich diversity of culture and historic architecture. New commercial development in the business district has spurred development of new and remodeled residential housing. Per square foot pricing is well below the market average of $155/ft with a rolling 12 month average of Capitol Hill for only $74/ft. DM me the words CAPITOL HILL for more information on trends and pricing! #oklahomacity #oklahomarealestate #matthewreynoldsrealestate #ninenorth #investmentrealestate #relocation #floridarealestate #californiarealestate #washingtonrealestate #oregonrealestate #capitolhill

On Monday, August 12th, Andrew Watkins and the JZMK team, alongside City Staff, presented an update on the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan with the Piedmont Planning Commission. The workshop aimed to gather support and feedback on the proposed architectural styles for the new multifamily residential development. The Planning Commission provided valuable insight and endorsed the proposed styles. Once the Administrative Draft of the Specific Plan is ready, the Commission will review the full document and offer additional feedback. Stay tuned for more Moraga Canyon updates! #CommunityUpdate #UrbanPlanning #CityDevelopment #ArchitecturalDesign #PiedmontPlanning #MoragaCanyon #SpecificPlan #ResidentialDevelopment #PlanningCommission #CityPartnership #DesignFeedback #FuturePlanning #BuildingCommunity #UrbanRenewal #NeighborhoodDevelopment #PlanningUpdates #ArchitecturalStyles #CommunityInput #CityProjects #DevelopmentPlans #PiedmontUpdates #MultiFamilyHousing #CityCollaboration #PlanningNews #DevelopmentUpdate #UrbanGrowth #ArchitecturalTrends #FutureOfPiedmont #CommunityEngagement #CityDevelopmentNews

Rising construction costs and other challenges in the Chicago market have prompted experienced developers to explore markets in the South and West, where population growth and political landscapes are viewed as more supportive. “Chicago has a lot of really strong, well put-together and sophisticated development groups that used to make a living in Chicago. [The city] has a collection of great architecture and we’ve lost steam, it’s going to take a while to see the next group of great buildings go up,’ – Craig Pryde, Principal, KTGY Learn how developers are navigating these changes and finding new opportunities beyond the city, covered by Crain's Chicago Business: https://lnkd.in/gy8V27DV #KTGY #InTheNews #Chicago #RealEstate #Development #UrbanDevelopment #Architecture

"SOM Chosen by 360 Chicago for Redevelopment Project" Read the full article below..