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People and Places | |
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Designing Fabric Structures | |
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Shower Design for Aging in Place | |
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Postcard from a Tipping Planet | |
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Architectural Products Update |
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kama Energy Efficient Building Systems, Inc. has introduced a new structural insulated roof and floor panel. The kama-EEBS RF Panel™ allows free spans of up to 16 feet (4.9 meters), and may help to reduce the number of trusses, purlins, rafters, floor joints, and other structural members required in a building project. This allows reductions in cost and construction time while maintaining high R Values and STC ratings. Custom-fabrication allows for arched roofs and windows, curved walls, and other complex designs. The panels are fully recyclable, and the Styropor® expanded polystyrene is GreenGuard-certified for superior indoor air quality. |
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Method Homes manufactures sustainable, architect-designed prefabricated housing. The first prefab model, the Method Cabin, was designed as a contemporary second home, assembled in the company's controlled-environment facility and built near Mount Baker, Washington. Construction was completed on schedule in three months, with building material waste and site impact reduced by the off-site assembly. The Seattle architectural firm Balance Associates designed the cabin to combine architectural elements, such as cantilevered roofs, with sustainable and energy-efficient features, such as reclaimed cedar siding and whole-house ventilation. A flexible floorplan is available, allowing construction of one- or two-story buildings ranging from 800 to over 2,000 square feet (75 to 190 square meters). |
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The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust offers a new documentary film and interactive tour of the historic Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio complex in Oak Park, Illinois, which served as the architect's private residence and workplace for the first 20 years of his career. Wright used the Home and Studio as an architectural laboratory, redesigning the home many times as his family grew. Evident are early experiments with concepts that found their mature expression in Fallingwater and the Guggenheim Museum. The two-disc special edition DVD set includes an interactive tour featuring 360-degree panoramas and floor plans, as well as interviews with Wright's grandson and others. |
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The Bilco Company introduces a pan-type floor door for commercial buildings that blends with the surrounding flooring while providing safe access to equipment hidden underfoot. Bilco Type TER doors have a one-inch- (2.5-centimeter-) deep pan cover design that accepts a variety of materials, including terrazzo, ceramic tile, bluestone, textured concrete, and granite. Covers are spring-balanced for smooth operation, and are equipped with an automatic hold-open arm and a locking mechanism. Constructed of aluminum and available in standard single- or double-leaf models and in custom sizes. The Bilco Company also manufactures other specialty access products for architectural and residential applications. |
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Acme Brick engineers have developed a new brick design that increases the area of core holes from 25 percent to 33 percent of the brick's total volume, reducing the weight of the brick by ten percent. This "lean/ green" king-size brick will save manufacturing and transportation costs while offering the same performance qualities as other Acme bricks, which offer excellent thermal insulation and can last over 100 years. Available in the full range of existing Acme colors. |
