Articles written by Andree Iffrig
All 86 articles written by Andree Iffrig
Category: Architecture (general)
In the midst of a recession, green building conferences are selling well and attracting industry professionals and investors who are ready to go green. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
With his signature understated style, Renzo Piano invigorates the site of a downtown landmark in Chicago and makes going to the museum one of life's pleasures. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
Cities are introducing alleyway housing as one of many strategies to augment housing choices and reduce the city's carbon footprint. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
Plans for a new school of architecture in Sudbury, Ontario are well advanced, with its doors expected to open in the fall of 2011. more...
Design for Primary and Secondary Schools: Competition for Developing and Upgrading School Buildings
Category: Architecture (general)
Architecture for Humanity's Open Architecture Challenge 2009 results in the design of winning learning environments for students in underfunded school districts. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
Green building concerns like energy efficiency and built-in flexibility are changing the traditional understanding and physical expression of architecture's goals. more...
Category: Architects
Architect Edward Mazria hopes to avert catastrophic climate change by convincing governments and industry in North America to adopt sustainable building standards. more...
Office Design in the Contemporary Workplace: Improving Productivity and Innovation in Organizations
Category: Architecture (general)
The agile office is one that promotes collaboration and innovation while still observing employees' needs for concentrated work time. more...
New Orleans Architecture after Katrina: Design for University Campus Center Uses Green Technology
Category: Buildings
Referencing local building traditions and employing innovative mechanical systems, the Lavin-Bernick Center at Tulane University is a model for building in a hot climate. more...
Tools for Planning a Green Community: Housing People Using Nature as the Model for Development
Category: Architecture (general)
An award-winning urban planning project mimics nature's approach to ecosystems to provide affordable housing and solve site-specific environmental issues. more...
Category: Buildings
First generation strategies for rating energy efficiency in buildings are being superseded by the LEED® Canada Initiative, the next stage in green building measurement. more...
Free Lessons in Remodelling Floor Plans: Home Buyers Learning the Tools and Language of Design
Category: House Architecture
John Brown is reinventing design school. What was once the preserve of architecture students is now accessible to the average homeowner via the internet. more...
House Design and Home Improvement: Renovation of Developer Built Homes Using an Architect
Category: House Architecture
Architect John Brown established his firm housebrand to cater to budget conscious homeowners who aspire to good design. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
The City of Calgary's recently opened Water Centre is delivering on its sustainable promises with lower energy consumption and a building employees love to work in. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
In cities across North American, aficionados of Jane Jacobs' urban design legacy will be joining free neighborhood walking tours on May 2-3, 2009. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
Municipalities concerned with achieving more sustainable development are deploying smart growth principles to achieve their goals. more...
Plan It Calgary and the City of the Future: Municipal Land Use Planning Using Sustainable Principles
Category: Architecture (general)
Calgary, Alberta has adopted sustainable development principles as part of an integrated design approach to municipal land use and transportation planning. more...
Category: House Architecture
Celebrated as one of Wright's most exemplary designs, the Robie House is notable for its integration of mechanical systems with passive environmental control strategies. more...
Narrating Stories in Organizations: Creating Hospitable Workplace Environments through Storytelling
Category: Workplace Culture (general)
Storytelling has the power to move people to give voice to their convictions, to stand up for what they believe in and to create friendlier workplace communities. more...
World Storytelling Day March 20: National Day Celebrates the Power of Story to Unite Communities
Category: Literary Culture (general)
Oral storytelling events convene people of all ages to entertain each other and share stories about living productively in community. more...
Category: House Architecture
Aspiring home owners do not need an architect to design their house, but it helps to have a sound understanding of the elements of house before embarking on a design. more...
Category: House Architecture
Catherine Beecher's balloon-framed, centrally-heated house of the American mid-west is a forerunner to the contemporary suburban home familiar to North Americans. more...
High-Rise Steel Construction Girds The Bow: Structural Design for Western Canada’s Tallest Building
Category: Architecture (general)
At 236 metres and 58 storeys in height, The Bow qualifies as a very tall building. Its most innovative characteristic is the steel structure which girds the tower. more...
Urban Planning for Mega-Regions: Designing for Economic and Population Growth in Cities
Category: Architecture (general)
Just as people have particular personalities, so do cities. Richard Florida's book, "Who's Your City?" explores the implications for urban development. more...
Category: Buildings
In rainy British Columbia, the failure of 45 percent of condominium apartment buildings has heightened the call for more durable construction methods. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
Pre-design research ensures client and architect understand how the client's employees work currently, before changing established patterns with new design. more...
Buckminster Fuller's Architecture: From Dymaxion House to Geodesic Domes and Spaceship Earth
Category: Architects
Twenty-five years after his death, Buckminster Fuller's legacy lives on, proof positive that his contributions to the field of architecture continue to inspire and inform more...
Evidence Based Design in Architecture: Using Credible Research to Enhance Building Design
Category: Architecture (general)
Evidence based research improves design through credible research and a focus on achieving specific outcomes; health care design is at forefront in this emerging field. more...
Bogota's Transit System: Transforming Cityscapes with Multi-Modal Transit
Category: Architecture (general)
Cities like Bogota have successfully accommodated bicycles, pedestrians and public transit in dense urban environments. The automobile is an enemy to be contained. more...
Sustainable Design Narratives: Communities Adopting Renewable Technologies for Urban Development
Category: Architecture (general)
How do you sell people-developers, home owners, commuters and just-plain Joes-on a more sustainable lifestyle? Chris Turner has the answer. more...
Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme: Urban Renewal and Restoration with Local Participation
Category: Architecture (general)
Afghanistan is a country torn apart by war. Undeterred, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture is quietly rebuilding the country's urban landscapes and restoring hope more...
Net Zero Energy Buildings: Innovation in Sustainable Building Materials and Systems
Category: Buildings
Architectural Record's 6th annual Innovation Conference in NYC, with the theme of Net Zero energy buildings, will be a showcase of sustainable design. more...
Interview with a Design Superstar: Architect Yahya Jan on Building in Dubai
Category: Architects
Dubai is attracting the world's most talented architects, including Yahya Jan of NORR International. Jan talks about life in the limelight and architecture in Dubai. more...
Jaime Lerner on Urban Development: Cities Present Solutions Not Problems for Quality of Life
Category: Architecture (general)
Jaime Lerner, Brazilian architect and urban planner, maintains every city can improve its quality of life in less than three years. more...
Jane Jacobs on Urban Development: Enduring Critique of Planning and Architecture in Cities
Category: Reference Books (general)
Jane Jacobs' book on cities is as relevant today as it was when published in 1961. Urban planning issues have not changed much in the intervening years. more...
From Parthenon to Modern Movement: Ancient Greek Contribution to Classical Language of Architecture
Category: Architecture (general)
The Parthenon is an outstanding example of the classical language of architecture, and continues as a source of inspiration for each new generation of architects. more...
Capital Complex in Bangladesh: Louis Kahn’s Architectural Masterpiece for Dhaka
Category: Architecture (general)
In the capital complex at Dhaka, architect Louis Kahn realized a synthesis of form and design that has no parallel in the contemporary world of architecture. more...
Sustainable Hospital Design: Calgary Health Region Embraces Green Architecture and Design
Category: Architecture (general)
Working with HOK, a global leader in sustainable design, the Calgary Health Region is raising the bar on hospital design and construction with a LEED® building. more...
Sustainable Business Practices: Sustainability as a Social, Economic and Environmental Priority
Category: Green Business Practices
Organizations that pursue green business practices contribute to the social and economic wellbeing of their communities, setting a worthy act to follow. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
In areas affected by disasters, Architecture for Humanity's approach to community development is redefining the public's understanding of sustainable design. more...
Category: Workplace Culture (general)
Sustainable design can be a source of inspiration for organizations concerned with sustainability. Managers can improve their approach with three sustainable designs. more...
LEED for Green Office Environments: Sustainable Design Supports Collaborative Workplaces
Category: Buildings
LEED's "loose fit, long life" sustainable design approach to green commercial architecture is good for business, the environment, and the workplace. more...
Sustainable Workplace Cultures: Social, Environmental and Economic Sustainability in Organizations
Category: Workplace Culture (general)
How sustainable is your organization? How healthy is your workplace culture? Use five factors to rate your organization on the sustainability scale. more...
Design of Museum Architecture: Modern Wing at Art Institute of Chicago an Homage to Classicism
Category: Architecture (general)
Adapting the language of classicism for a modern museum, Renzo Piano gives a virtuoso performance on how to establish harmonious relationships in architecture. more...
Category: Buildings
A good building pro forma factors in short and long term energy considerations, ensuring that upgrading to higher efficiencies can be efficiently implemented in future. more...
Category: Buildings
Not all things "green" are necessarily benign. Building Science Corporation poses serious questions about sustainable design practises. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
High performance schools designed to sustainable standards bring benefits that transcend being kind to the environment: think better grades and healthier children. more...
Category: Buildings
The design of a middle school in a Rocky Mountain resort town demonstrates the synergies that occur when a client pursues LEED™ certification. more...
Category: Buildings
The LEED certification system for buildings unites architects, engineers and other design and construction professionals in pursuit of sustainable objectives. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
Designers at Teknion are collaborating with business people to create more productive and sustainable workplaces. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
Sustainable design doesn't have to be an expensive proposition. Eric Cohen at Padosa.com offers free advice on how to go green and realize business objectives. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
The design of university buildings is changing to meet the demands of interdisciplinary research, new course delivery formats and student learning preferences. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
A transect is a planning tool intended to counter suburban sprawl. It offers a different way of visualizing how to build communities with a strong sense of place. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
The AIA's annual list of Honors is notable for projects that exercise restraint, perform sustainably and connect to community. more...
Concrete and Glass in Architecture: Campus and Museum Design in British Columbia by Arthur Erickson
Category: Architecture (general)
With the passing of Canadian architect Arthur Erickson, the world loses a gifted non-conformist and inherits a legacy of great modern architecture. more...
Design by Charles and Ray Eames: Mid 20th Century Modern Architecture, Furniture and Style
Category: House Architecture
The name Eames is synonymous with early modern chair design, but duo Charles and Ray Eames also designed architecture and other artifacts for mass production. more...
Category: Buildings
In sustainable architecture, the building pro forma accounts for embodied energy as well as the material costs of land acquisition, design and construction. more...
Urban Design of Compact Cities: Increasing Residential Density and Housing Mix with Redevelopment
Category: Architecture (general)
As cities adopt sustainability principles, urban areas will have to accommodate new growth through infilling and renewal of existing communities. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
Scenario planning offers urban planners a valuable tool for understanding the implications of different approaches to accommodating urban growth. more...
Category: Workplace Culture (general)
The peer learning model uses a discovery process for cultivating the deeper meaning that members seek in their professional lives. The process revives the heart of work. more...
Leaders Telling Stories: Storytelling Contributes to Effective Communication in Organizations
Category: Workplace Culture (general)
Storytelling isn't just for office raconteurs. Managers and supervisors can use storytelling to motivate, coach and build relationships of trust with employees. more...
Category: Literary Culture (general)
Narrating a wisdom story requires no theatrical training, just honest self-reflection and a willingness to share a story of mistakes made and lessons learned. more...
Category: House Architecture
Sustainable design meets trailer park chic in Sustain.ca's home on wheels, the miniHome recreational vehicle. more...
Category: House Architecture
The evolution of vernacular domestic buildings in Britain from the 17th to 19th centuries is a fascinating study in changing social norms and architectural responses. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
An inspiration for the design of the White House in Washington, D.C., and Lord Burlington's villa in Chiswick, the Villa Rotunda is an icon of world architecture. more...
New Museum of Contemporary Art in NYC: Architectural Landmark Recreates Bilbao Effect for Bowery
Category: Architecture (general)
The New Museum of Modern Art by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa has achieved a powerful design statement and revived New York's reputation for being avant-garde. more...
Who's Your City?: Richard Florida on the Link between Identity and Place
Category: Reference Books (general)
With extensive research and engaging narrative, Richard Florida explains why choosing where to live is the most important decision a person can make. more...
Durable Building Technologies: Balancing Cost, Design Factors and Service Life of Components
Category: Buildings
Sustainability is an architectural goal with repercussions for the design of building assemblies. Faulty construction and poor components compromise service life. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
Architectural and urban design solutions are richer when end users are involved early on in the design process, making for better buildings and community spaces. more...
Integrated Design Research: Rigorous Research Improves Design of Healthcare Settings
Category: Architecture (general)
Integrate design research improves operating efficiencies, lowers operating costs and enhances occupant satisfaction, comfort and efficiency in buildings more...
Revitalizing the Urban Landscape: Saint Paul on the Mississippi Project Reclaims Sense of Place
Category: Architecture (general)
With the goal of enhancing quality of life and balancing economic, environmental and social factors, Saint Paul, Minnesota, is revitalizing its urban landscape. more...
The Geography of Hope: Countering the Ecological Doomsday Message with Hope
Category: Reference Books (general)
At a time when environmentalists are prophesying ecological catastrophe, Chris Turner offers a promise of hope-if only we act soon enough. more...
Category: Architecture (general)
Calgary, Alberta is leading the country in the application of new urbanism principles, proving that good design and commercial success are not antithetical. more...
Mobile Nation Enriches Design Innovation: Designing with Mobile Platforms
Category: Reference Books (general)
Mobile Nation is a treasure chest of learning and design strategies leveraging the cell phone. Educators and designers will find inspiration and delight in its pages. more...
Green Roofs and Urban Agriculture: Sustainable Design Contributes to Water Conservation and Habitat
Category: Buildings
Urban landscape design has moved off the street and into the sky with green roofs. Benefits include reduced energy demand, attractive urban views and wildlife habitat. more...
Urban Development in Cities: Managing Explosive Population Growth in 21st Century Cities
Category: Architecture (general)
Rapid urbanization makes a case for empowering cities to develop and manage their own growth. Private-public partnerships are essential for cash-strapped urban centres. more...
Top Urban Planning Issues: Peak Oil, Urban Design and the Future of Cities
Category: Architecture (general)
Energy price increases and environmental factors are forcing urban planners and civic administrators to reconsider the suburban paradigm of urban development. more...
Design Like You Give a Damn: Architectural Responses to Humanitarian Crises
Category: Reference Books (general)
Architecture for Humanity's book on innovative shelter solutions is a primer on sustainable, cost-effective design for responding to humanitarian crises. more...
Experiencing Architecture: Guide to Appreciating Buildings and Design
Category: Architecture (general)
A building is more than mere details of style and structure. Learn to experience architecture with all your senses and by asking big questions. more...
Iconic Architecture Redefined: Classic Architectural Features Versus Signature Architecture Design
Category: Architecture (general)
Iconic used to be a way of identifying outstanding architecture; today, the term has fallen into disrepute. It's time to reclaim iconic architecture's original meaning. more...
Building a Sustainable Business: Ecology, People Practices and Corporate Social Responsibility
Category: Green Business Practices
In a tight labour market and uncertain economy, a Canadian company is demonstrating that a business based on sound sustainability practices can thrive. more...
Sustainable Building Principles: Reuse-Reduce Strategies and Green Technology in Sustainable Design
Category: Architecture (general)
Before investigating green building options, identify ways to reduce a building's footprint and reuse existing building stock. more...
Multi-Family Sustainable Design: Residential Architecture Made for Green Living
Category: Buildings
The future of sustainable residential design lies in multi-unit development. Two design firms demonstrate effective and sustainable approaches to green building. more...
Category: Green Business Practices
The link between employee engagement and corporate sustainability is firmly established. Organizations need to ramp up their green campaigns to secure the best talent. more...
Eco Design for Sustainable Living: Cradle to Cradle Design Ensures Sustainability
Category: Environmentalism (general)
Cradle to Cradle sustainable design challenges conventional environmental thinking and practice. Ask three questions to verify a product's green claims. more...
Energy Efficient or Eco Design: Green Commercial Architecture that Fails Sustainability Test
Category: Buildings
It takes more than green construction materials to create sustainable design. Apply three tests to verify the sustainability of green buildings. more...
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