Demolition of Mary Miss's art at Des Moines Art Center paused  The Architect's Newspaper

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Demolition of Mary Miss's art at Des Moines Art Center paused - The Architect's Newspaper

AIANY and ASLANY announce transportation and infrastructure awards  The Architect's Newspaper

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AIANY and ASLANY announce transportation and infrastructure awards - The Architect's Newspaper

We often admire skyscrapers as wonders of human engineering. But nature has its own architects, and theyve been around much longer. Termites can build enormous, complex nests that stand several meters tall.

Termites do not just construct random piles of dirt they build intricate tunnels that even have natural air conditioning. But how do legions of these tiny creatures coordinate to create such impressive structures?

A new study by researchers at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca in Italy has cracked the mystery. It turns out, termites have a surprisingly simple, yet ingenious secret.

Picture a human construction project. Teams follow a detailed architectural plan, ensuring everything is in its designated place. But termites dont seem to have any grand designs drawn up.

In a fascinating experiment, researchers observed groups of termites (the species Coptotermes gestroi) as they built their way around small arenas with pre-built structures.

Scientists offered following theories to explain termite coordination:

Some insects, like ants, use chemicals called pheromones as signals. These scents can act like a build here! sign, guiding the actions of other insects in the colony.

If termites also relied on pheromones, wed expect them to drop their building materials (clay pellets) somewhat randomly throughout the experimental space. However, the researchers observed a very different pattern. The termites focused their building efforts on specific spots.

Perhaps termites have a way to measure existing structures. If they preferred taller structures, it would suggest theyre aiming to build upward as quickly as possible.

The termites didnt discriminate between tall and short pillars. They were equally interested in building upon structures regardless of their current height. This meant some other factor was influencing their behavior.

What the scientists did notice was that termites were obsessed withcurvature. They consistently added their pellets to the most curved surfaces. Termites favored pillar tops, and even the sharp corners of little walls given to them. This led the researchers to a simple yet brilliant solution.

While the termites didnt stick to one spot or solely focus on height, the scientists discovered they had a clear preference. Termites consistently placed their clay pellets on surfaces with the most pronounced curve. Examples of this were the pointed tops of the pillars or the very sharp bends at the corners of the walls.

This focused building behavior led researchers to consider a new possibility. Since curved surfaces affect things like airflow and moisture differently than flat areas, it suggested that termites might be sensing and reacting to subtle environmental changes caused by the shape of the structures.

Termites are super-sensitive to humidity. Unlike many insects, their soft skin makes them vulnerable to drying out. The researchers suspected the termites could sense subtle differences in humidity levels that are influenced by the shape of the structures theyre building.

Termites are much more delicate than many other insects. Their lack of a tough outer shell means they lose moisture quickly in dry environments, which can be dangerous. This led scientists to think that perhaps humidity plays a major role in termite building behavior.

The shape of a structure can change how air moves around it, which in turn affects how quickly moisture evaporates. Areas with high curvature might create little pockets where humidity remains higher compared to flatter surfaces. The researchers thought termites might be able to detect these subtle differences.

To test their theory, they pulled a clever trick. They repeated the experiment, but this time with clay mixed with a salt solution. As the water evaporated, tiny salt crystals formed and guess where those crystals appeared? All the spots with high curvature favored by the termites.

What really surprised us was to discover that termites use such a simple solution to a very complex problem, said Andrea Perna, a professor in complex systems at the IMT School.

Characteristics of termites and their remarkable nest building:

As discussed, termites need a moist environment to survive. They have built-in sensors that help them detect even small differences in humidity levels within their surroundings. They are naturally drawn to areas where the air holds more moisture.

Clearly, when a termite adds a clay pellet to a structure, it slightly alters its shape. This tiny change influences how air flows around it, and how quickly water evaporates from that spot. More evaporation means drier air, which might be less comfortable for termites.

Even though a single termite isnt trying to communicate, their act of building changes the local humidity. Other termites, also seeking the most comfortable spots, sense this change. They become more likely to deposit their own clay pellets in that same area, further altering the structure and the moisture patterns around it.

Repeating this simple process results in incredibly intricate nests.This continuous feedback loop is the magic ingredient. Each termite simply responds to the immediate humidity levels.

Yet, over time, as thousands of termites make these tiny adjustments, elaborate nests emerge. These nests boast tunnels for travel, chambers optimized for airflow, and structures that help maintain the perfect internal humidity for the whole colony.

Sometimes, the most amazing things can be built with simple rules. Think how a tiny drop of water, responding to gravity, can shape magnificent caves over time. The study demonstrates a fascinating truth:

In our experiments, nest complexity emerges from just one simple mechanism: termites only need to add pellets of material depending on the local humidity, but the pellets that they add in turn change all the pattern of evaporation and humidity, inducing other termites to build at a different location, and so on, until very complex structures are produced, explained Perna.

Nature shows us that sometimes its not about grand plans, but simply responding to your environment, one small step at a time. Thats a lesson humans building their own communities might take to heart.

The study is published in the journal ELife.

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Termites are nature's architects, building well-ventilated nests - Earth.com

JSA/MIXdesign share its work for the Queens Museum and champion participatory design processes  The Architect's Newspaper

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JSA/MIXdesign share its work for the Queens Museum and champion participatory design processes - The Architect's Newspaper

The Kendall County Board on Tuesday okayed an agreement with Cordogan Clark architects to begin a major renovation of the County's Office Building located 111 W. Fox Street in Yorkville.

County Board Member Brian DeBolt Chairs the county's facilities committee. He says the remodel is needed to prepare the county for future growth and to make sure that it's compliant with safety and accessibility laws.

Board member Dan Koukol was the sole no vote on the renovation. He says it's a great idea, but now is not the right time with other expensive projects down the line and other costs.

The county architect is predicting that the project will cost about $8.75 million. It will go out to bid in the coming months and will be back in front of the board for final approval.

Board Chairman Matt Kellogg says the county can afford it with cash flow and won't need to borrow any money. County operations will need to move out during construction.

The county is close to wrapping up the construction of a new office building at the Fox Street Campus which is expected to cost about $10 million when all is said and done. That project is being funded by American Rescue Plan Act money.

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County okays agreement with architect for renovation county office building - WspyNews

tenjincho place: a green retreat tucked away in tokyo

Japanese studio Hiroyuki Ito Architects has recently unveiled Tenjincho Place, a new apartment complex in Tokyos Bunkyo ward. The building sits on the edge of a plateau in Yushima, overlooking the approach to a renowned shrine. This rapidly developing area has seen a significant shift in recent years, with hotels being replaced by apartment complexes. The studios design addresses two key challenges presented by the site the plots unusual shape and the limited natural light due to surrounding high-rises. images Masao Nishikawa

The centerpiece of Tenjincho Place is its central courtyard, which Hiroyuki Ito Architects designed to ensure a light-filled atmosphere. A three-pronged approach was implemented to ensure a sense of light and openness. First, the architects minimized the number of corridors flanking the courtyard. By converting corridor ends into two-story maisonette units, they effectively reduced the corridors footprint and minimized shadow formation.

Next, the design incorporates side openings facing the courtyard, creating balconies for both residences and common areas. These openings allow light and air to enter the space from multiple directions. Finally, the team employed a unique textural treatment for the 30-meter (98-foot) high courtyard walls. By using unconventional materials for the formwork, they aimed to achieve a linear yet irregular appearance that enhances the perception of even the slightest light filtering into the space. The courtyard is designed with the potential for engagement with the public, with uses including a co-working area, a cafe, or a market.

the new apartment complex in Tokyo addresses challenges of a curved plot and limited natural light

The formwork for the central courtyard incorporates a sustainable design element. It is constructed from Japanese cedar logs sourced from the Wooden Station Project in Sammu City, Chiba. This initiative aims to support healthy forests by acquiring thinned wood and forest residue from local owners. The forestry industry has recently faced challenges due to fungal diseases, which weaken and permanently mar trunks. By finding value in these materials, Hiroyuki Ito Architects sought to contribute to sustainable forestry practices.

Hiroyuki Ito Architects designed a central courtyard as the centerpiece of the complex

During construction, the logs were sliced into thin sections, retaining the bark on one side, and then affixed to plywood to create the formwork. This technique transferred the organic shapes and textures of the logs onto the concrete, resulting in a courtyard with a captivating interplay of light and shadow. The resulting texture evokes the image of a church in ruins, adding depth and character to an imposing space. The central courtyard is designed to provide residents and future visitors with a welcome respite from the urban environment.

to improve lighting, corridors flanking the courtyard are minimized and replaced with maisonette unit

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hiroyuki ito architects' tenjincho place is a curving slice of nature in tokyo - Designboom

An international competition seeks to find a design team for Helsinki's New Museum of Architecture and Design  The Architect's Newspaper

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An international competition seeks to find a design team for Helsinki's New Museum of Architecture and Design - The Architect's Newspaper

Coachella debuts its 2024 art installations by Morag Myerscough, HANNAH, and Nebbia  The Architect's Newspaper

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Coachella debuts its 2024 art installations by Morag Myerscough, HANNAH, and Nebbia - The Architect's Newspaper

Chad Hunter builds upon nearly two decades at UM

Some of Chad Hunters fondest memories of childhood involve sitting at a table with his grandfather and drawing. Not drawing as one typically does as a kid, but drawing house and building plans.

My grandfather owned a construction company and designed his own buildings, Hunter said. So, I would sit next to him on the table, actually and draw with him. That ended up morphing into me helping my dad design some of his restaurants that he ran.

Those interactions put Hunter on a path to become the director of facilities planning and chief university architect at the University of Mississippi.

With nearly two decades of experience, Chad brings a broad range of expertise in planning, design, engineering and construction, said Chancellor Glenn Boyce. With his vision and steadfast leadership, I look forward to how he will direct the physical planning of our university and guide our development and growth.

Chad will serve as a steward for the campus ensuring that we continue to thoughtfully meet the needs of students, faculty, staff and visitors.

Hunter, who joined the UM staff in 2006, said hes been fortunate to play an integral role in the development and growth of the university campus, but also in the Department of Facilities Planning.

Ive had the opportunity to work on and lead design and planning projects that range from small classroom renovations to bell towers to $175 million science buildings, he said. There arent many design positions in our professional world that get to work on such a wide variety of projects.

Its one of the things I find most exciting on a day-to-day basis here at the university. It truly keeps everything interesting.

As he approaches two decades at Ole Miss, Hunter has contributed to some 1,000 projects and counting.

We currently have approximately 150 active projects right now, he said. The science building is a large one, but coming down the line, were looking at a new student housing building with 981 beds, parking solutions, and were about to begin a deep dive into our research and laboratory facilities master plan.

Another big one thats under construction right now is our data center, which shows the universitys commitment to not only university growth, but also university innovation.

Hunter said one of his most meaningful projects to date is theJim and Thomas Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation.

I did the very first project budget for a science building in 2012, he said. I did a tremendous amount of research on it and was a co-chair of the planning and programming committee when we started planning this project.

Weve gone through a lot of variations of designs, and to see it being constructed and to soon be finished here in the fall is very gratifying. Its exciting to see it come to fruition and be able to serve not only the university, but also the state of Mississippi.

Since his early years designing with his father and grandfather, Hunter continued to work in the construction and hospitality fields. Originally from New Orleans, he moved to Hattiesburg during high school. He received a bachelors degree in architecture in 1997 from Mississippi State Universitys five-year program.

After graduation, I worked back in Hattiesburg in private practice and then moved to north Mississippi and worked in Tupelo, he said. I had about 10 and a half years in the private sector before coming to Ole Miss.

That work has contributed to Hunters success at the university while working with staff who also have private sector experience.

Im extremely fortunate to work with this team, he said. They have a tremendous amount of expertise and experience from work on campus, but also, theyve all served in the private world. We run our office and treat our office as a professional design office. Each one of us has specialties in various groups, whether it be architecture, civil engineering, interior design.

We all touch most of the projects in some way, shape or form, because we all draw from each others experiences. Its just a testament to the professionalism and the knowledge of this team.

Brad Potts, UM architectural draftsman II, worked with Hunter atMcCarty Architectsin Tupelo before joining the facilities planning department in 2007. Theyve worked on several large projects together, such as the first phase of the Jackson Avenue Center construction.

Chad knows construction inside and out, Potts said. He is incredibly intelligent about the makeup of a building. I know that he has big plans that will give our department opportunities to step up.

Virginia Pence, assistant university architect, said she is delighted with the outcome of the director search.

Chad is a wonderful leader, Pence said. In addition to his expertise, its his supportive and encouraging team approach that makes him so effective. His exceptional institutional knowledge is the bedrock of our department.

Looking forward, Hunter hopes to grow the department in order to continue to support critical construction projects on campus.

Its always exciting to see as the university grows, where the various areas on campus grow, whether thats student recreation, student housing, athletics or research, he said. By growing our team to support these needs, theres really no limit to what we can accomplish.

By Erin Garrett

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New University of Mississippi Architect Contributes to 1000 Projects and Counting The Local Voice - The Local Voice

I want to be an architect six words I never expected to hear from my daughter! It certainly came as a shock. She had been leaning towards majoring in computer science at her small liberal arts college in Northern Maine. However, a brief Intro to Architecture course captivated her in a way that simply growing up around me never did. Maybe she finally glimpsed why I enjoy it so much, despite it being such a tough profession with long, expensive studies and low financial rewards.

Now that she was bitten by the architecture bug, I thought I would be able to give her useful advice on how to approach studies and a career. After all, Ive worked in the US for over 25 years, visiting various architectural schools as a critic or a lecturer. But as we investigated her options, it became painfully obvious that I didnt really have a clue how it all worked. What followed was a crash course on the various paths US students take to pursue architecture.

At first glance, the architectural education systems in the UK and the US seem similar enough, with both requiring at the very least seven years to obtain licensure. The notable difference lies in the educational pathways. Unlike the UKs Parts 1, 2, and 3 process of undergraduate and postgraduate architecture courses, the US system offers two alternate routes to completing your studies.

First, its worth remembering that students here, in their last years of school, have no A-level equivalent where they narrow their academic focus down to just three subjects. When they start their typical four-year college education, they initially spend two years taking various general education courses before selecting what subject to major in.

For these students, the path to becoming an architect involves a Master of Architecture (M.Arch) postgraduate programme. The length of these programmes varies based on prior education, but usually lasts two years for students with an undergraduate major degree in architecture and three years for those with a degree in another field.

The second path is a straightforward five-year Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) programme, similar to the UK system. Architecture and engineering are among the very few specialised professional subjects that students can pursue directly after high school. There are no undergraduate courses for law or medicine, for example.

B.Arch programmes are mostly found in the more vocational schools, often at state colleges, and some, such as Cornell, are exceptional. However, the majority of the top architectural schools are M.Arch programmes, such as MIT, Columbia, Yale, and Harvard. Often M.Arch schools provide an architecture major degree within their liberal arts undergraduate curriculum, while some B.Arch schools offer the M.Arch as part of their postgraduate studies.

Whichever path you take, the cost is always a significant factor. The cost of attendance at state colleges averages $25,000 per year, while private colleges can be at least double or even triple that amount. Many students take huge loans to complete their studies leading to hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt upon graduation.

After finishing either path, the next step is the Architectural Experience Programme (AXP) an internship training period under a licensed architect, requiring over 3,500 recorded hours before completion which is then followed by six Architect Registration Examinations (ARE). The AREs, covering both technical and professional aspects of architecture, are challenging and have an average 50% pass rate. The process is long and arduous, taking the average architect 12.5 years to finally get their licence after starting college.

Ultimately, its the high cost of education with its arduous licensing process and low financial compensationthat makes our profession increasingly exclusive

Since my daughters college does not offer architectural courses, she faced a choice: either drop out and transfer to a B.Arch programme or continue with the undergraduate studies at her current college but focus on courses suitable for future M.Arch admission.

After chatting with many friends in education, the consensus was to complete her current college degree, integrating pre-architecture courses, majoring in art or art history, and including courses in mathematics, computing, government, and sociology. During her holidays last summer, she enrolled in a five-week intensive architecture course at Columbia University to confirm her passion (she loved it) and plans to apply to an architecture post-graduate programme in a few years.

In the UK, the ARB and RIBA are hotly debating more effective methods of teaching architecture with the goal of promoting diversity and accessibility within the profession. It sounds like what could emerge is a similar system to here. While the US system offers more flexibility than the UKs, it still struggles to meet the goals the ARB hopes to encourage. Ultimately, its the high cost of education with its arduous licensing process and low financial compensation that makes our profession increasingly exclusive.

>> Also read:The ARB education reforms offer tinkering, when what we need is a radical new vision

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Similar, but not the same: How qualifying as an architect differs between the US and UK - Building Design