dbHMS’ Post

Wood is taking center stage in sustainable architecture! 🌲 In the 2024 COTE Top Ten for Students Competition, nine out of ten winners incorporated wood into their designs. A standout project, WAVE: Widely Accessible Vocational Education Center from the University of Oregon, utilizes sustainable mass timber for a collaborative learning space on a high school campus in Portland. This achievement highlights the SLB's impact in architectural education, with 80 faculty members from 60 programs participating in workshops this year. Six of the nine winning projects came from schools we've partnered with, lending to the impact of SLB Education’s initiatives focused on shaping the future of wood in construction. Learn more about the 2024 COTE winners: https://hubs.ly/Q02WsVCS0

As recently highlighted in Architectural Record, the newly expanded campus of California College of the Arts serves as an "elegantly minimalist synthesis" of both its previous Oakland and San Francisco sites while providing seismic resiliency and delivering ambitious sustainability goals including reducing the embodied carbon footprint by almost half through the use of mass timber and minimal finishes. In partnership with Studio Gang, we provided structural and acoustic services that helped realize a resilient, brace-framed mass timber structure that doubles as a key architectural expression for the building. In the article, our Kion Nemati, PE discusses the engineering behind this first-of-its-kind mass timber eccentric braced frame system. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Czw9ur #MassTimber #Education

Bard High School Early College DC Campus Featured in Architecture DC Magazine! The Winter 2024 issue highlights the transformation of the Brutalist-era Malcolm X Elementary School into a state-of-the-art learning facility. (Read the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/eeUxMWW8) The 115,000-square-foot facility was delivered in two phases, with a modernization of the original structure alongside a new addition. Updates included bringing the entire building up to ADA standards, integrating cutting-edge instructional technology, and creating spaces that support 21st-century learning. The design features classrooms, discovery commons, small group rooms, resource spaces, and a black box theater to support Bard’s growing performing arts program. The facility also includes spaces for physical education and dining services, with a focus on #sustainability, targeting both #LEED Platinum and #NetZero Energy certifications. SK&A Structural Engineers is proud to have partnered with long-time client Perkins Eastman on this impactful project for DC Department of General Services. We extend our gratitude to the full project team, including MCN Build, R. McGhee & Associates Architects, and Dan Curry, for their #collaboration in bringing this vision to life. #ArchitectureDC #BardHighSchool #EarlyCollege #StructuralEngineering #Modernization #SustainableDesign #LEEDPlatinum #NetZeroEnergy #EducationInnovation #RenovationProject #BrutalistArchitecture #DesignExcellence #PerkinsEastman #SKAStructuralEngineers #DCDGS #CollaborativeDesign #PerformingArtsSpaces #21stCenturyLearning #StudentSuccess

Mélanie Watchman, Claude MH Demers & andré potvin. (2021). Towards a biophilic experience representation tool (BERT) for architectural walkthroughs: a pilot study in two Canadian primary schools. Intelligent Buildings International, 14(4), 455–472. https://lnkd.in/dnuBaYZY KEYWORDS: #architecturalevaluation #natureexperience #sensoryperception #postoccupancyevaluation #schoolbuildings

Salas O’Brien partnered with WZMH Architects to deliver structural design for the groundbreaking Smart Campus Integration and Testing Hub (SCITHub) at Toronto Metropolitan University. This future-forward facility features a three-story mass timber envelope and is the world’s first fully digitally enabled building, seamlessly integrating all systems and services. https://lnkd.in/gthKG4cU #SmartBuildings #SustainableDesign #EngineeredForImpact

Pavarini North East partnered with Manhattan University to renew their south campus. Leo Hall, the original engineering building, underwent a partial renovation that included a 30,000sf new addition, while the Higgins Engineering and Science Center was constructed next door. The two buildings share a roofline—making Manhattan’s south campus the ultimate academic hub for engineering and science studies. #HigherEd #WeBuildAmazingSpaces Read more here: https://ow.ly/WGKi50ULegu

Thanks to SLB Education, the The University of Texas at Austin is pioneering a new approach to architectural education with the next iteration of its innovative design studio, “Time for Timber-FRAMING.” Through collaboration with the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas, students are engaged in real-world projects that equip them with the skills needed for modern wood construction systems and foster a deep understanding of wood as a material, its properties, and its role within sustainable architectural practices. Learn more about Time for Timber: https://hubs.ly/Q02zdJpd0

A truly inspiring essay by Alex Glick and Cole Rozwadowski Razwadowski, architecture students at the The University of Virginia School of Architecture: One of the most troubling symptoms of the singular genius paradigm is an obsession with novelty. The capitalist narrative of constant growth at all costs requires newness: new objects, new products, new services. Architecture isn’t blameless in this harmful cycle, as architects use novelty to capture attention and create a brand, focusing on starchitect object-buildings over substantive interventions that service and empower communities." https://lnkd.in/eZS5Q3dh

Meaningful reflection from ArchiScene on the future of our young generation's education challenges: "Forest Nexus is redefining the purpose of traditional educational spaces, shifting the focus from solely academic learning to creating a dynamic community hub. Designed by Atelier ENTROPIC and 2L Architects & Engineers, this innovative project integrates education, social interaction, and cultural activities, encouraging collaboration and connection across all age groups. It challenges the conventional school model by introducing spaces where people can learn, interact, and grow together."

The Anschutz Engineering Center at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), designed by OZ Architecture, is a state-of-the-art facility featuring advanced labs, classrooms, and a distinctive glass-encased stairway with a ceiling-mounted satellite. OZ Architecture sought comprehensive documentation of their project for award submissions and future opportunities, with specific focus on showcasing the building's campus integration, unique features, and their expertise in creating sustainable, cutting-edge learning environments. Read more about our challenges, solutions, and outcomes during this project on our website: https://bit.ly/3YSMsK5 #architecturalphotography #coloradophotographer #commercialphotographer