Article Mash-Up

2 Buildings That Changed America is a history of something we so take for granted that you may never look at a shopping mall or a skyscraper in the same light after watching it.

Geoffrey Baer leads viewers through two centuries of American architecture, construction and art

As the economy improves, often the construction business does as well—but that industry is still looking for sound strategies, not just structures. Geoffrey Baer who has a degree in architectural engineering, says materials such as adapted sheet metal are popular as a guaranteed pressure class for high quality, but it’s how materials are being used that makes the difference. “Instead of joining one piece of duct work you can join 20 feet of duct together,” Miller says. “It’s about moving more work from the field into the shop.”

Earlier today I walked up Fifth Avenue and noticed that the Louis Vuitton at 57th Street, designed by Jun Aoki, looked a bit different. Crossing the street to take a closer look, I realized that the storefront is decked out for Yayoi Kusama's exhibition at the Whitney Museum, which is sponsored by Louis Vuitton. There isn’t a guarantee that another downturn couldn’t be around the corner.

Every wonder why so many skyscrapers are glass boxes? They followed the lead of the Seagram Building in New York, designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1958. Going to prefabrication off-site for construction fits right into the ongoing theme of improving schedules.

References 

1.  Wells, Tish. "TV & Radio." The Miami Herald. The Miami Herald, 11 May 2013. Web. 12 May 2013. <http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/11/3389711/pbs-show-looks-at-how-architecture.html>.

2. Butterman, Eric. "5 New Trends in Construction AndBuilding." 5 New Trends in Construction and Building. ASME, May 2013. Web. 12 May 2013. <http://www.asme.org/kb/news---articles/articles/construction-and-building/5-new-trends-in-construction-and-building>.

3. Hill, John. "Yayoi Kusama at Louis Vuitton." : Yayoi Kusama at Louis Vuitton. A Daily Dose of Architecture, 24 July 2012. Web. 12 May 2013. <http://archidose.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/yayoi-kusama-at-louis-vuitton.html?utm_source=feedburner>.