AEC News You Can Use Blog

There’s nothing else like this architect-designed octagonal home, which dates from 1972 and is on the market for the second time ever.

The three-bedroom home is located just north of Milwaukee and was designed by local architect James G. Plunkett for his family. It’s said to be inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright and features a vast open-plan great room housing the living room, kitchen, and dining room. This space has soaring 20-foot-high ceilings with an oculus skylight, timber beams, and a huge brick fireplace.

The seller bought the 4,440 sq ft River Hills home in 2021 and has updated it to keep with its 1970s design. The kitchen has new porcelain counters, an infinity-edge island contrasting the exposed brick walls, and all new appliances. New bookcases have been installed, and the entire space is ringed by windows and sliding glass doors that offer views of the woodland.

Holly Swezey and Aly Swezey of Coldwell Banker Realty/B Real Co Team hold the listing for the Wisconsin property, with an asking price of $1.777m.. See More Photos Here

Frank Lloyd Wright often gets all the credit for being an architect with Wisconsin ties.

But that’s only because he’s the most famous architect from Wisconsin. Wright (1867-1959) was very prolific, designing more than 1,000 structures — of which 449 were realized, according to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. In Wisconsin, they include several public sites you can visit, including Taliesin, Monona Terrace, Burnham Block, Wingspread, SC Johnson, and the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.

However, plenty of other architects were born in Wisconsin and designed projects within the state. For example, Erhard Brielmaier designed more churches and hospitals than any other architect, and dreamy Mediterranean-inspired estates designed by David Adler appear to be plucked out of Europe. Alexander C. Eschweiler’s innovation stretched from a Japanese pagoda-style gas station to a mansion built for Allis-Chalmers’ first president, which is now a Milwaukee art museum. Lastly, Alex Jordan Jr.’s House on the Rock has become one of Wisconsin’s top tourist attractions. 

Thanks to preservation advocates, you can see these architects’ works across Wisconsin.

Erhard Brielmaier (1841-1917)
This emigrant from Germany has an esteemed label: He’s designed more churches and hospitals than any other architect. Notably, he designed the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Erhard Brielmaier moved to Milwaukee with his wife and 13 children in 1873, getting his feet wet by working as a carpenter and sculptor. He also built quite a few altars. Creating an architectural firm with three of his sons, the team designed more than 1,000 Catholic churches across the country, as well as in Canada.

His most well-known project in Wisconsin is the Basilica of St. Josaphat on Milwaukee’s South Side, which was modeled after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Italy.

For another church project, he designed a Gothic-style chapel for the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi in St. Francis, Wis.. Read More and See Photos Here

Nine projects were recognised in the 2024 Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects Nelson and Marlborough Awards on 7 June at Nelson’s Trafalgar Centre.

An epic house more than 10 years in the making, a utilitarian boat shed, and a public building that revitalises Blenheim’s town centre are among the 2024 winners.

“Projects in this year’s awards have weathered unprecedented conditions including extreme weather events, supply chain issues, spiralling costs and COVID,” says Euan MacKellar, convenor of the jury. “Despite the unforeseen challenges, architects managed to hold onto key concepts, maintain good design and foster strong relationships with their clients and builders — a credit to the profession.”

The Lookout, a home that stands out in the Tasman landscape like a piece of contemporary sculpture, thanks to its rusty red exterior and Brutalist form, is a fine example of the region’s award-worthy projects. Designed by Parsonson Architects, the building is bold, dramatic and meticulously detailed. Similarly, Longbeach Bay Boatshed by Arthouse Architects, a winner in the Small Project Architecture category, is striking in its modernity. A “very strong and well-proportioned form with a minimal material palette takes inspiration from the existing home and its triple gable,” said the jury. “While its primary function is boatshed, multi-use is its mantra. It’s a kitchen, bar, dining hall and wind break.”

In the Public Architecture category, Marlborough District Library and Art Gallery | Te Kahu o Waipuna is the sole winner. Designed by Warren and Mahoney, the civic building is reinvigorating Blenheim’s High Street with its bronzed exterior and flexible interior layout. It also received a Resene Colour Award. 

A jury of four judges — Matt Gutsell of Sheppard & Rout Architects, Magdalena Garbarczyk of Fineline Architecture, architect Helena Alexander from Alexander Romagnoli, and lay juror landscape architect, Heidi Stewart — assessed this year’s projects, along with convenor Euan MacKellar.. Read More and See Photos Here

Recent court filings have revealed new details in a lawsuit against Northwest Arkansas-based HGTV stars Dave and Jenny Marrs.

The details suggest that companies related to the couple are responsible for a safety concern and nearly two dozen code violations for a house built in 2022.

Bentonville couple Matthew and Sarah McGrath filed the lawsuit in February 2023, claiming the house had multiple defects and the companies who built the home – Jupiter Rentals and Marrs Construction, both owned by Dave Marrs – had breached a contract, according to KNWA/KFTA.

Dave and Jenny Marrs are the stars of HGTV shows “Rock the Block” and “Fixer to Fabulous.”

After months of back and forth and failed attempts at court-ordered mediation, a settlement still hasn’t been reached.

The two parties are headed toward a five-day trial scheduled for 9 a.m. on Sept. 23 at the Benton County Courthouse.

Now, evidence shared in the 45-page filing reveals what led up to the lawsuit.

Filed on March 29, 2024, it says that a local contractor found nearly two dozen code issues and violations, as well as a “critical safety issue” on the property.

The filing included a letter from the McGraths’ legal counsel to Dave Marrs and a report of findings for a structural investigation carried out by an Arkansas-based contractor.

In the letter, dated Jan. 3, 2023, professional estimates put the costs at $38,740 for repair and proper construction of drive and walkways, and $47,862 for landscaping and grading, including installation of a French drain.

But the estimates didn’t include the nearly $1,900 expended by the McGraths “in attempts to discover the extent of the flaws in the construction of the home,” according to the letter.

“Please understand, these reports do not completely detail the remedial work that needs to be performed to rectify the many failures in workmanship but only represent my clients’ current understanding of.. Read More Here

The 2024 Pritzker Prize, widely regarded as architecture’s Nobel, has again been awarded to a Japanese architect.
In an announcement from Chicago on March 5, Yokohama-based architect Riken Yamamoto was named the recipient of this year’s award, which is dedicated to “a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.”

This makes Yamamoto, 78, the ninth Japanese person to be awarded the prestigious honor. No country has produced more laureates than Japan in the prize’s 45-year history, an indication of the high regard that its architects and architecture are held in globally.

The Pritzker’s jury citation identifies Yamamoto’s sustained focus on engendering human connection through built space as being his defining contribution to architecture.

“In his long, coherent, rigorous career,” the Pritzker jury writes, “Riken Yamamoto has managed to produce architecture both as background and foreground to everyday life, blurring boundaries between its public and private dimensions, and multiplying opportunities for people to meet spontaneously, through precise, rational design strategies.”

Unlike many other laureates, Yamamoto is not a household name. But his work and approach have long been admired within the Japanese architectural scene. His work is unostentatious, devoted to the plan rather than the concept or the image, and ultimately most concerned with that most fundamental “material” of architectural space: social patterns and human connection. His colleague and sometime collaborator, the late Kazuhiro Kojima, once wrote of his astonishment at hearing Yamamoto state that “museums and public halls do not excite me. ... Collective housing and schools are more interesting.”

Private and public
This interest in what the Pritzker citation calls “the responsibility of the social demand” can be seen from Yamamoto’s earliest works, which, as is the case for most young architects, were inevitably.. Read More Here

Lebond is an unusual brand for a number of reasons, but possibly chief among them for the reason that famous architects design each of their watches. Although it is not new to have an architect design a watch, making this element the core of a brand’s DNA certainly is.

Founded by Asier Mateo— an architect himself— Lebond’s first watch, launched in 2023, was designed by the Portuguese grand master of architecture, Alvaro Siza. He took inspiration from the Leça swimming pool he penned down in 1966 when he was 28. It is a very charismatic watch with an unusual diamond-shaped case and captivating hands and hour markers. The second watch, launched this month, is from renowned architect Eduardo Souto de Moura, who is just like Siza, Portuguese and also a recipient of the renowned Pritzker Architecture Prize. His design for a watch, however, couldn’t be more different.

Souto de Moura opted for the traditional round shape to keep the watch, known formally as the Lebond Souto Moura, as pure as possible, but gave it a literal twist as he turned everything 30 degrees clockwise. The result is an architectural drivers’ watch where legibility is key. However, Souto de Moura didn’t become one of the world’s leading architects without plenty of signature touches. Like with his buildings, he is a master in making a difference with just a few details. While the hour and minute markers are relatively common, he changes the perception of the design with two clever details. The first is the size of the hour hand, which is much smaller than usual. In a twist, this increases the legibility, as there is more distinction between the two hands. Souto de Moura opted for a longer hour marker for the twelve o’clock, putting the two beside it. This makes twelve o’clock a magical time with this Lebond— as then.. Read More Here

A Chicago law firm has filed a lawsuit against NASCAR and the Chicago Park District regarding the death of an electrician in 2023. Duane Tabinski, 53, was hired as a contractor to set up audio for the Chicago Street Race weekend and died after being electrocuted.

During the setup for the inaugural Chicago Street Race, Tabinski was hired by NASCAR as a contractor. He was hired to work the race stage and track. He set up speakers and microphones near Buckingham Fountain.

Filed on March 19, the lawsuit from Clifford Law Offices claims that NASCAR, as well as the Chicago Park District, were negligent regarding worker safety in the case of Tabinkski. The lawsuit was filed by Kristian Tabinski, Duane’s widow.

“This was a horrible tragedy for the Tabinski family. What happened last summer in the course of the setting up of the NASCAR race in Chicago was entirely preventable and it cannot happen again,” attorney Kevin P. Durkin said. “There was a terrible lapse in safety that led to the unfortunate death of Duane Tabinski.”

Also named in the lawsuit: United Rentals who provided the electrical equipment, Four Lead Productions, Malo Communications Services, and McGuire Scenic. Chicago Park District is listed in the suit for failing to make sure NASCAR and Four Lead provided a safe and proper work area.

Of course, NASCAR is going to run in the streets of Chicago again this year. There were complaints from local residents and politicians for disruptions. The city itself wanted NASCAR to help out more with the setup and tear down.

However, there is an agreement through 2025. This was a three-race deal when it started and this will be year two. The death of Duane Tabinski last year was a dark cloud over the weekend’s events. It will be interesting to see how this lawsuit shakes out and whether or not NASCAR is..Read More Here

Many of us had our first lesson in materials innovation as children when we heard the story of The Three Little Pigs and learned that while straw and sticks couldn’t survive the onslaught of the Big Bad Wolf, a house made of bricks stood firm. Since the time that tale was written, materials like concrete, steel and glass came to represent innovation in the form of soaring skyscrapers and sprawling industrial facilities. 

But today, those stalwarts are seen as “traditional,” while newer, innovative materials are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

Materials are usually thought of as inert substances that we manipulate to make or augment things. But what if the materials can be reactive? What if they’re “smart”? 

The stuff of science fiction is rapidly coming to life as the chemical and materials industries are evolving and innovating. Increasingly, researchers and manufacturers are discovering how to integrate digital and smart characteristics into materials, enhancing critical functionalities like heat resistance, tensile strength and corrosion resistance. 

Better materials are in the making
In the chemicals industry, there is always a need to devise better protective materials, especially coatings that can prevent corrosion and other types of degradation. Protective coatings are especially important for steel, which is used so widely given its relatively low cost and high performance. Yet unfortunately, this mighty alloy is easily subject to corrosion.

A paper in Nature recently revealed the development of a bio-inspired, self-healing and anti-corrosion waterborne polyurethane (WPU) coating that boasts enhanced tensile strength, damage resistance and anti-corrosion performance. Most impressive, perhaps, are its “self-healing” properties. The paper’s authors explain that “Importantly, due to the reversibility of the hydrogen bonding array, the fractured WPU can easily heal and restore its original mechanical properties when subjected to heating at 50 °C.” 

They go on to note that the coating “presents a revolutionary solution for creating multi-functional, high-performance smart material in harsh..Read More Here

A woman was killed in a construction accident near Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood.

A woman was found to have catastrophic injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene minutes after medics arrived.

The initial investigation indicates that a large metal drum escaped a nearby construction site, rolled down the hill, broke through fencing and hit the woman on the sidewalk.

Public safety officials said the piece of metal weighs at least one ton.

A massive construction cylinder is seen in the middle of the road resting against a pickup truck.

Initial reports indicate the woman was a staff member at one of the local hospitals and was with one or two coworkers when she was hit, Public safety officials said.

Subcontractor Costa Contracting released the following statement:

With heavy hearts, Costa Contracting wishes to extend their deepest condolences to the family of the woman who lost her life today. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this profoundly difficult time.

Costa Contracting is committed to a full investigation to determine the factors that led to this event. Safety remains our paramount concern and we are working with OSHA and local authorities to understand precisely what occurred.

At this time, we respect the privacy of the family and ask that others do the same.

Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

UPMC issued the following statement to Channel 11:

UPMC is aware of this tragedy and our immediate concern is the safety and well-being of our employees, patients and visitors. While this was not a UPMC construction site, we know this tragedy will impact our campuses. At this time, we have no further information to share.

The University of Pittsburgh’s Counseling Center released the following statement:

“Earlier today, a pedestrian was fatally injured near a construction site in the vicinity of DeSoto Street and Terrace Street. The individual is not a current student or employee of the University of Pittsburgh. No other..Read More Here

The Spring Green Restaurant at Riverview Terrace, a design by the legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright, has been officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. This recognition not only celebrates Wright's innovative design but also marks the site as a pivotal community gathering space within the Spring Green area.

Historic Designation and Community Impact

Carrie Rodamaker, the executive director of the Taliesin Preservation, highlighted the unique architectural features of the Spring Green Restaurant, including its geometric red chairs, panoramic views of the Wisconsin River through expansive windows, and a midcentury modern arched vaulted ceiling with skylights. These design elements underscore Wright's belief in the harmony between natural light and architectural space. The designation by the Wisconsin Historical Society as a landmark enables the Taliesin Preservation to undertake necessary repairs, particularly to the roof and foundation of the iconic structure.

Wright's Vision and the Restaurant's Evolution

Frank Lloyd Wright envisioned the space as a welcoming area for the community and a gateway to his 800-acre estate, Taliesin. Although construction began in 1956, it was halted upon Wright's death in 1959. The project was revived in 1966 by the Wisconsin River Development Corp., with slight modifications to Wright's original design. The restaurant, formally dedicated as the Spring Green Restaurant in 1967, operated independently for 25 years before becoming the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, featuring a café and gift shop.

Future Prospects and Preservation Efforts

The historic designation not only honors Wright's architectural legacy but also aids in the preservation of his vision for community engagement through design. The Taliesin Preservation, with its team of 16 year-round employees, continues to offer public tours from May through October, fostering a deeper appreciation for Wright's contributions to architecture and community planning. The landmark status promises to enhance these efforts, ensuring the Spring Green Restaurant remains a vibrant part of the community for generations to come..Read More Here