Library’s ‘beating heart’ to get a fresh chapter

This adaptive reuse project transformed a vacant 1995 grocery store into a bustling 6,782-m2 (73,000-sf) workplace. Images courtesy Kevin Scott In Portland, Ore., described as the “beating heart” of the Multnomah County Library system, the new Operations Center keeps more than 500,000 catalogue items in motion while powering outreach services that connect the library to […]

High-Rise Design and Construction: Then, Now, and Next

The Empire State Building was built in 14 months. Since 2010, the average completion time for a 200-meter-plus building has increased from 4.3 to 5.8 years. Buildings have become more complex, and there’s more regulation than in the 1930s. Still, there are ways to make high-rise construction more efficient. An Unlikely Benchmark From 1930 When […]

Sacred structures: How timber shapes the architecture of worship

Photo by R. Garrity Powers Few building materials possess the profound ability to inspire a sense of reverence and evoke feelings the way that wood can. Timber has been written into the narrative of human experience, cultural heritage, and architectural innovation. As such, it naturally creates a bridge to both past and future. Since the […]