Atlanta’s Inman Green Condominiums Win WoodWorks Design
Written by Pat SchleismanStability engineering and rutledge Alcock Architects, LLC, were awarded a 2011 Wood Design Award from Wood- Works for their use of wood as a primary building material on the Inman Green Condominium project in Atlanta, Georgia. Wood Design Awards recognize buildings that showcase qualities of wood, such as environmental friendliness, durability, versatility, and cost-effectiveness. The Inman Green Condominiums were honored in the multi-family category for their use of wood in the structure and as a textured element that brings warmth and beauty to both the interior and exterior.
Passive Design Principles for the Southern Climate
Written by Katherine CoeBefore the advent of air conditioning and central heating, all houses were passive houses—that is, they relied only on natural processes to heat and cool their interiors. Today, architectural designs can be far more variant and flexible, and active heating and cooling systems eliminate the necessity of climate-practical, passive building strategies. In recent years, however, some architects and builders have begun returning to passive design principles.
Mid-Rise Light Wood Frame Construction Gains Momentum
Written by mbrownIn recent years, jurisdictions across North America have amended or expanded building codes to permit the use of wood as a structural material in mid-rise construction; in states like Minnesota, California, Virginia, Oregon, and Washington, five- and six-story light wood frame (LWF) structures—both residential and nonresidential—are now commonplace.
You can be excused if you’re a little skeptical about all the optimism in the media over housing the past few weeks. Just the same, happy talk is better than the other kind. The Wall Street Journal says big hedge funds are “starting to wager on housing,” jumping into home builder stocks in anticipation of a big boost this year. Ivy Zelman of Zelman & Associates predicted the impending crash back in 2005, and was so relentlessly negative on housing that public builders called her “Poison Ivy.” Zelman is now convinced we’re on the verge of a comeback. Forbes, JPMorgan’s Jaime Dimon, and CoreLogic all insist the market has finally hit bottom and is poised for an upswing sooner rather than later. Let’s hope. So far this housing downturn has seen more false bottoms than a liposuction convention.
First Cross-Laminated Timber Structure in the U.S.
Written by Sharon ThatcherA 78-foot-tall bell tower in Gastonia, N.C., is recognized as the first structure in the U.S. to be built from cross-laminated timber, a material widely used in Europe. Construction of the bell tower at Myers Memorial United Methodist Church was undertaken in late November of last year.
