ION Architecture - NEWS

Researchers from Lanzhou University in China have shown that the slime mold Physarum polycephalum is able to solve the Traveling Salesman Problem, a combinatorial test with exponentially increasing complexity, in linear time. Using focused light stimulus as negative feedback to maintain the criteria of the task, the authors demonstrated that this model was able to reliably output a high-quality solution. Through observing physarum polycephalum,  nicknamed the "many-headed slime", researchers have used its natural network formation to help solve many spatial design problems. Slime mold has shown itself capable of recreating rail systems, solving mazes, and now, the Traveling Salesman Problem—a question important to operations research that asks: "Given a list of cities and the distances between each pair of cities, what is the shortest possible route that visits each city and returns to the origin city?"  Mackenzie Goldberg via Archinect - News http://bit.ly/2B

Researchers found the sedimentary basin under [Seattle] can amplify the type of ground motion that’s hardest on high-rises by a factor of two to five — much more than previous estimates. In response, Seattle and Bellevue are boosting seismic standards for new buildings 240 feet or taller [...] But the prospect of stronger shaking also raises concerns about older high-rises Justine Testado via Archinect - News http://bit.ly/2Vis1Vz

It is clear not everyone is tightening the purse strings in tougher economic times following a year of record-smashing home sales in 2018. Despite global boom-time economies starting to wane, the big spenders were still out in force snapping up some of the most expensive properties on the planet right up until the end of the year. A round-up of the world's five priciest homes sold in 2018, plus another three that are still on the market in case you're looking for a swanky new abode in 2019. Justine Testado via Archinect - News http://bit.ly/2LFisLK

Kick 2019 off right with these home organization resolutions. Image: Rookery Design The new year is right around the corner, and you know what that means. It’s resolution time. Maybe you’re the type of person who makes about a hundred resolutions, or maybe you’ve decided to eschew the whole thing altogether because who actually keeps their resolutions, anyway? And we agree, resolutions are hard. Our resolve to hit the gym or eat right usually dissolves by February. But we’ve found some home organization resolutions can transform your whole year. Tap into that January motivation to get your house in order and you’ll reap the benefits throughout 2019. We rounded up seven different home organization resolutions to get you started. Whether you tackle the whole list or choose the one that most speaks to you (and your home’s problem area), you’ll thank yourself. Here are seven ways to get to a cleaner, more beautiful home next year. Tackle your junk drawer to motivate yourself for ad

It may be hard to believe, but it’s almost 2019. That’s why we’re taking this opportunity to pause and look back at the last year at Freshome. We explored a  lot in 2018. But what really made its mark? Which daring trends reshaped our homes – and maybe even our lives? Which have enough staying power to survive into 2019 and beyond? Let’s find out as we walk through a brief 2018 design trend recap. A black accent wall? Why not! In 2018, there were no limits when it came to color. Image: AMR Design With color, anything goes Yes, neutrals are still – and will always be – important. But 2018 invited us to blow the lid off our preconceived notions about color theory and have some fun. Jewel tones  started making their mark on the scene, inviting us to amp up the saturation and give our spaces a feel of richness. Previously off-limits colors were welcomed into our homes.  Black even set itself apart as a decidedly trendy and luxurious color for walls, flooring and cabinetry. And as

Making a move during winter isn’t exactly the most pleasant task, but sometimes it’s one that’s unavoidable.  No matter why you’re moving, it can be done. All it takes is a little extra planning and forethought. With that in mind, we’ve brought you some of our best tips for how to move during winter. Read them over as you prepare for your big day. If you follow these tips, you should be able to complete your move without the weather getting in your way. Make a backup plan in case of inclement weather. Image: John Maniscalco Architecture Plan around the weather If you live in a seasonal climate, you know that winter storms can cause life to come to a grinding halt. The last thing that anyone wants is to have their already-stressful move delayed by inclement weather. However, unfortunately, it’s a distinct possibility when you move during winter. You need to have a plan in place so that you know what to do if it starts to snow. If you’re hiring movers – which we highly recommen

Through gorgeous illustrations and a relatable story Norman's Architecture Adventure teaches children how having an imagination is the greatest adventure anyone can have. Nothing holds Norman back, he sees what could be and he creates it. He is unrestricted by age, ethnicity, or preconceptions. Now published and available for purchase online , Norman's Architecture Adventure is a fun children's book written & illustrated by Joshua P. Sanabria. By following the steps of a young African American boy that aspires to be an architect just like his mom, the book not only hopes to foster kids' curiosity and imagination but also to encourage more African Americans to pursue architecture.  Anastasia Tokmakova via Archinect - News http://bit.ly/2EWrhjU

For years, suburbia has offered these companies acres of disposable, cheap, anonymous office parks: mostly one- or two-story concrete structures surrounded by loads of surface parking. These sites minimized costs, maximized security and allowed companies to scale up, contract or split into different units quickly — at the same time they promoted sprawl and traffic jams and transformed once-quaint bedroom communities south of San Francisco into phenomenally expensive places to live. Even though Amazon 's search for its new headquarters ' locations has ended all the talks and negotiations about the company's potential impact on the cities it will settle in — New York and Crystal City , Virginia—have only begun.   In ways, the choice comes as no surprise as tech platforms have been attracted to America's wealthy coastal cities, with their established cultures, universities and transit systems, for years. The intensifying expansion of the tech industry amidst urban l

This year saw many exciting events, from the first ever major U.S. exhibition on Yugoslav architecture to a sensory-focused exhibition on touch, hearing, scent, and sight.  From the hundreds of entries that went up on  Bustler  this past year, we have compiled the top 10 most visited event posts. Mackenzie Goldberg via Archinect - News http://bit.ly/2Ahb9oX

The open floor plan layout featuring a large open space and plenty of light is high on the wish list for home buyers and renters. But the open floor plan layout isn’t easy to pull together. It may lack warmth, intimacy and privacy if improperly laid out. It also might seem daunting to figure out how to arrange furniture with no defined areas. It’s easier than you think to layout an open floor plan in a way that is stylish and functional. The first step is to imagine which zone will be your living, office, dining kitchen and bedroom area. Once you have a general idea of your zones, check out these gorgeous open floor plan spaces for 12 ways to rock an open floor plan layout. Arrange your furniture away from the walls To make the best use of a large, open space, float your furnishings in the middle of the room. Use the wall area as the “hall” to move from one section to another. Image: Gaile Guevara Create a “room” with an area rug When you’re dealing with a large, open floor p

A collection of eight Frank Lloyd Wright buildings have been nominated by the United States to the World Heritage List . Submitted by the National Park Service, the nomination will be reviewed by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in July of 2019. Widely considered one of the greatest American architects of the 20th century, the considered buildings include his recently restored  Unity Temple in Oak Park, the Hollyhock House in Los Angeles, Taliesin and Taliesin West , and the defining Fallingwater . The Guggenheim Museum building, the Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House in Wisconsin, and the Frederick C. Robie House in Chicago are also among those nominated. The collection of buildings are the first examples of modern architecture to be nominated by the US for world heritage status. The proposal was originally submitted in 2015, but has been revised in accordance with the Committee’s request, which also noted Wright's global importance and "outstanding universal value

Brett Bashaw’s little Vermont cabin /  @sugarhousehomestead via Cabin Porn http://bit.ly/2QVjEkd

Winter is coming. Whether you live on the coast or in an area that gets blanketed in white for months of the year, it’s time to prep. Sure, your winter home maintenance checklist will look a little different depending on whether you’re braving temperatures of 10 below or just unpacking a few light sweaters. But even if you’re not facing ice and snow, the changing seasons are a great reminder to stay on top of the to-dos for your home or apartment. We’ve put together this winter home maintenance checklist to help you get ready before temperatures drop. Tackle these eight tasks to be prepped for the changing weather. Take the time to get your home’s heating system into top shape before you rely on it all winter. Image:  Mihaly Slocombe 1. Check the heating system How does your home stay warm? Whether you have a high-tech HVAC system or an old-school furnace, give it some love. Change out the air filter and test the igniter switch. If it’s been a while since a professional has ser

Heading into their fourth and fifth decades, deep into midlife architectural crises, needing face-lifts, they’re now vulnerable and back again in the public eye, eliciting concern and attracting a second look — and sympathy — even from people who never liked them. But will these loved-hated structures be saved, and should they? Joseph Giovannini writes about the historic vulnerability buildings entering their fourth or fifth decade encounter and how the public distaste may, potentially, turn into a sudden nostalgia for certain veterans of a not-so-distant architectural era.  Citing recent controversial efforts to demolish or renovate PoMo landmarks, like Johnson & Burgee's AT&T Building , Graves’s Portland Building , or Venturi Scott Brown's Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego , Giovannini writes: "The irony of purposely ironic buildings that joked with history is that they are themselves verging on history, and history more than beauty is proving their stro