Jackson Hole, Wyoming (PRWEB) January 29, 2014

The recently completed EarthWall II residence in Squirrel, Idaho, marks Jackson Hole-based Ward + Blake Architects third-ever application of its EarthWall construction technique, patented by Ward + Blake Principal Tom Ward. Ward + Blake Architects was recently named 2013 Firm of the Year by the six-state AIA Western Mountain Region, partly in honor of innovations such as EarthWall, which combines age-old rammed earth construction with modern post-tensioning. Because the Jackson Hole architecture firm is constantly striving to find new applications for its seismically stable and sustainable construction technique, this project also featured in a new book of Ward + Blakes architecture, In the Shadows of the Tetons is particularly meaningful.

Its amazing to think that the owners originally envisioned a Tuscan villa for the site, says Tom Ward. When we started pushing our environmentally responsive design approach, they loved the idea so much that we ended up literally using the soil in the walls.

The reinforced EarthWall concept won Ward + Blake Architects a Newton Foundation research grant. When the method held up in university tests as the first seismically stable rammed earth wall, a patent for the construction method soon followed and architect Ward put his theories to a real-world test with the construction of his own 3,000-square-foot Jackson Hole home overlooking the Snake River. The idea was further tested when Ward presented his ground-breaking construction technique to a skeptical county design review board, winning approval to use it in the county-funded Teton County Childcare Center.

Ward and his fellow Ward + Blake Principal Mitch Blake found a further residential application with the recently completed EarthWall II Residence, where the earthen walls help to reinforce the horizontality of the homes low-slung design. As extravagantly spare as its high plains setting, the EarthWall II residence is literally grounded on its 160-acre Idaho site with rammed earth walls and a sod roof that invoke the historic context of the sod homes known as soddies built by early settlers.

While the innovative EarthWall rammed earth construction method has been embraced in the Rocky Mountain West, winning the firm a host of awards, Wards interest continues to be in its international application.

"The thing that is exciting to me," Ward says, "is the potential for worldwide application of this process. Perhaps if the Earthwall process is one day adopted in developing nations, it will save not only homes from collapsing, but lives as well."

Working with a congregation in Honduras, Ward designed a rectory where locally-sourced materials and local labor could be combined with post-tensioning to provide a low-cost, seismically stable facility. Likewise, Ward has been in discussions with a Sudanese developer about the application of his socially-oriented construction technique for affordable housing.

Uniting 20th-century post-tensioned steel technology with ancient rammed earth construction, Wards design technique combines low embodied energy and high thermal mass for a seismically stable building thats eco-friendly and socially responsible.

Established in 1996, Ward + Blake Architects was built on a distinctive vision: to be provocative in thought, flexible in nature and disciplined in execution. The firm regularly earns recognition for architecture that is sensitive to its environment and successfully integrated with its surroundings. Ward + Blake creates buildings that are tactile, modern, bio-climatically responsible, honestly expressed, technologically sound and artfully crafted.

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Patented Rammed Earth Construction Technique Showcased in New Residence by Ward + Blake Architects of Jackson Hole

Robert Coles, PRP Architects Designing for Counter Terrorism, 3d modelling and visualisation

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Robert Coles, PRP Architects Designing for Counter Terrorism, 3d modelling and visualisation - Video

Poulsbo, WA (PRWEB) January 28, 2014

Hall & Company specializes in the placement of professional liability insurance and E&O for Architects, Engineers, Land Surveyors, Environmental Consultants and Construction Managers throughout the United States. Decades of design professional liability insurance and E&O experience allow Hall & Company's skilled team to provide upto-date information, resources and industry news in their Professional Liability Blog for Design Professionals. Subscribers can read quick summaries of the latest design professional developments or, with a quick click, delve into greater detail on other business related subjects important to design professionals. The complimentary blog is delivered by email, and individuals may subscribe to it immediately by simply providing their name and email address.

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About Hall & Company

Hall & Company is an insurance brokerage firm that specializes in the placement of A/E professional liability insurance. The firm provides liability insurance (PLI) throughout the United States for more than 4,200 design professionals including architects, engineers, environmental consultants, construction managers and land surveyors. Hall & Company specializes in the placement of professional liability insurance and E&O for Architects, Engineers, Land Surveyors, Environmental Consultants and Construction Managers. (360) 598-3700.

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A group of urban planners and architects will descend upon Rio Vista over four days next month to examine the Delta hamlet's resources and challenges and provide growth, planning, transportation and economic development guidance for the future.

The upcoming visit makes Rio Vista the first East Bay city to receive help from the American Institute of Architect's Communities by Design program based in Washington, D.C. As one of a few cities nationwide selected for the Regional Urban Design Assistance Team project this year, Rio Vista will host the team of land use experts, transportation planners, urban designers, planning directors, historic preservationists, architects and economic development resources from Feb. 27 to March 3.

"We would like to see Highway 12 upgraded. Our waterfront needs development and our downtown needs revitalization. They will put together an achievable project for Rio Vista" RioVision Steering Committee member MaryEllen Lamothe said. "It benefits everybody. There is no place to go but up and forward. It has been stagnant for awhile."

Since community input is an integral part of the process and this is a grass-roots effort, Rio Vista residents are encouraged to attend a Feb. 28 town hall meeting at 6 p.m. in the D.H. White School auditorium. Residents will be asked for their honest feedback on the future development of their community, according to RioVision Steering Committee leader Dave Falk.

"Members of the community who haven't been involved in the past are getting involved," he said. "We need a broad range of citizens to give input on what should be done."

Lamothe noted that this visit cost between $35,000 and $40,000 for the team's trip expenses, but the community has been supportive with the donation of meals and lodging for the team members. All of the team members are working pro-bono on this intensive study.

"The community has really rallied around it," Lamothe said. "So many people are so supportive."

The team of planners and architects will focus their efforts on the primary concerns of Rio Vista and work in a downtown work space. Architectural students from Sacramento's Cosumnes River College will help by producing detailed plans of the project findings.

"It is not going to require a lot of city resources. It is going to use a lot of community resources," Falk said. "There is a follow-up plan and they come back and monitor us in the next year. They aren't just going to do this and walk away as planners. They are going to help implement it and be part of the solution."

Falk added that some of the suggested changes may take place in a few years, while others may take more than 20 years to come to fruition. Funding sources will be identified and could include federal grants and redevelopment funding.

See the article here:
Special visitors next month to impact Rio Vista's future

A group of urban planners and architects will descend upon Rio Vista over four days next month to examine the Delta hamlet's resources and challenges and provide growth, planning, transportation and economic development guidance for the future.

The upcoming visit makes Rio Vista the first city in the region to receive help from the American Institute of Architect's Communities by Design program based in Washington, D.C. As one of a few cities nationwide selected for the Regional Urban Design Assistance Team project this year, Rio Vista will host the team of land use experts, transportation planners, urban designers, planning directors, historic preservationists, architects and economic development resources from Feb. 27 to March 3.

"We would like to see Highway 12 upgraded. Our waterfront needs development and our downtown needs revitalization. They will put together an achievable project for Rio Vista," RioVision Steering Committee member MaryEllen Lamothe said. "It benefits everybody. There is no place to go but up and forward. It has been stagnant for awhile."

Since community input is an integral part of the process and this is a grass-roots effort, Rio Vista residents are encouraged to attend a Feb. 28 town hall meeting at 6 p.m. in the D.H. White School auditorium. Residents will be asked for their honest feedback on the future development of their community, according to RioVision Steering Committee leader Dave Falk.

"Members of the community who haven't been involved in the past are getting involved," he said. "We need a broad range of citizens to give input on what should be done."

Lamothe noted that this visit cost between $35,000 and $40,000 for the team's trip expenses, but the community has been supportive with the donation of meals and lodging for the team members. All of the team members are working pro-bono on this intensive study.

"The community has really rallied around it," Lamothe said. "So many people are so supportive."

The team of planners and architects will focus their efforts on the primary concerns of Rio Vista and work in a downtown work space. Architectural students from Sacramento's Cosumnes River College will help by producing detailed plans of the project findings.

"It is not going to require a lot of city resources. It is going to use a lot of community resources," Falk said. "There is a follow-up plan and they come back and monitor us in the next year. They aren't just going to do this and walk away as planners. They are going to help implement it and be part of the solution."

Falk added that some of the suggested changes may take place in a few years, while others may take more than 20 years to come to fruition. Funding sources will be identified and could include federal grants and redevelopment funding.

The rest is here:
Rio Vista to get urban planning guidance

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Iconic Stokehouse restaurant is torn down following Friday night's blaze, with Port Phillip mayor Amanda Stevens promising "the best possible outcome" for the venue's future. Nine News.

Architects say the fire that burnt down St Kilda's much-loved Stokehouse restaurant on Friday night has provided an opportunity to build a new landmark beach destination on the foreshore.

''It's about time inner Melbourne had a really exciting piece of beach architecture,'' said Philip Goad, professor of architecture at Melbourne University.

Hundreds of people watched on Friday night as a fire that took hold in the restaurant's kitchen razed the building. Port Phillip Council has demolished the remains.

The ruins of the Stokehouse reveal the task in rebuilding. Photo: Paul Jeffers

And, like the debate following the St Kilda Pier kiosk fire in 2003, locals and urban design experts are divided over what should be rebuilt on the Stokehouse site: a heritage replica of the early 1900s building or a contemporary venue.

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''I would like to see a similar process to the one engaged in to rebuild the historic St Kilda pier kiosk,'' deputy mayor and local councillor for the area Serge Thomann said.

The restaurant sat on Crown land, and the state government and the council in conjunction with the Van Haandel Group, which holds a 21-year lease over the site, will decide what happens.

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'Landmark' to replace Stokehouse

Custom Home and Commercial Architect | Summit Studio Architects, Louisville, CO
Summit Studio Architects has been creating some of the most exceptional architecture in Colorado for over 20 years. Displaying a passion that shows in each a...

By: Natalie Dohrn

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Custom Home and Commercial Architect | Summit Studio Architects, Louisville, CO - Video

Architects of Mind A Blueprint for the Human Brain

By: Gandharva

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Architects of Mind A Blueprint for the Human Brain - Video

Bijoy Jain, Architekt Studio Mumbai Architects, zu Effektivitt und Effizienz
Swissbau Focus 2014, Samstag, 25. Januar 2014, 11.00-13.00 Uhr Themenanlass Architekturvortrag: Arch-Tec: Entwurf und Baurealitt Veranstalter: Architektur D...

By: Swissbau

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Bijoy Jain, Architekt Studio Mumbai Architects, zu Effektivität und Effizienz - Video

Video will begin in 5 seconds.

Iconic Stokehouse restaurant is torn down following Friday night's blaze, with Port Phillip mayor Amanda Stevens promising "the best possible outcome" for the venue's future. Nine News.

Architects say the fire that burnt down St Kilda's much-loved Stokehouse restaurant on Friday night has provided an opportunity to build a new landmark beach destination on the foreshore.

''It's about time inner Melbourne had a really exciting piece of beach architecture,'' said Philip Goad, professor of architecture at Melbourne University.

Hundreds of people watched on Friday night as a fire that took hold in the restaurant's kitchen razed the building. Port Phillip Council has demolished the remains.

The ruins of the Stokehouse reveal the task in rebuilding. Photo: Paul Jeffers

And, like the debate following the St Kilda Pier kiosk fire in 2003, locals and urban design experts are divided over what should be rebuilt on the Stokehouse site: a heritage replica of the early 1900s building or a contemporary venue.

Advertisement

''I would like to see a similar process to the one engaged in to rebuild the historic St Kilda pier kiosk,'' deputy mayor and local councillor for the area Serge Thomann said.

The restaurant sat on Crown land, and the state government and the council in conjunction with the Van Haandel Group, which holds a 21-year lease over the site, will decide what happens.

Go here to see the original:
'New landmark' to replace Stokehouse