Features revealing the design and development of the world’s most innovative building-products.
The term “wireless” can be a bit misleading when describing lighting-control products: oftentimes th ey still require tinkering with wires, albeit existing ones. But electronics and lighting giant Philips has just unveiled a true, straight-out-of-the-box wireless dimmer-switch system that doesn’t require installation of any kind. Giving “The Clapper” a run for its money, the user-friendly Philips…
When New York City’s Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum underwent its redesign and renovation, it took the opportunity to address a major necessity: a substantial freight elevator for transporting monumental works. But the firms leading the project — Gluckman Mayner and Beyer Blinder Bell — needed to make the new lift accessible while preserving the…
Everyone appreciates a beautifully outfitted bathroom, whether it’s in a residential, hospitality, o r office environment — and doubly so when one is an architect or interior designer. So, when world-renowned A&D figures transition from specifying to actually designing the bath fixtures, the expectations run high and the outcomes frequently deliver (with some exceptions, of course).…
For architects, designers, and their IT support, working on shared Revit® models outside of the offi ce can create costly and time-consuming headaches. Previous work-around solutions like VPNs with virtual desktops open up security vulnerabilities, add expensive hardware, and create long wait times for changes to save and update on the central server — minutes that…
Take a second look: this Dutch “farmhouse” isn’t what it seems, but a glass building that houses com mercial and recreational spaces. The technology that enabled architecture firm MVRDV to conjure this illusion is actually none other than digital ceramic printing, which, by fusing ceramic inks to glass via firing or tempering, is more commonly used…
Italian lighting manufacturer Karman has served up a number of new luminaires with — true to the bra nd — a twist. The Domenica Large Pendant, for instance, recalls the traditional church bell but renders the form in white plaster, adorned with an intricate pattern, that gives way to gold or white wire netting. It measures…
Everyone loves a good slatted design, whether in the form of a brise soleil, sunscreen, ceiling plan e, or even furniture. While wood is the obvious choice for such applications, the material might not lend itself well to some designs due to factors of weight, installation, and performance or maintenance mandates. Here are five alternatives to…
Residents of California are feeling firsthand what life is like with a limited water supply as they face the current drought. But the resource crisis extends far beyond one state: according to water.org, a child dies every minute due to a water-related disease and a staggering 750 million people (or the equivalent of two and…
Designers seeking to move away from speccing tile classics, such as the subway and penny-round, rejo ice: these shapely and illusory finds are cures for the common wall (or floor). Shaking things up further, two of these are fashioned from concrete. Fireclay Tile’s Chaine Femme Fireclay Tile: Chaine Femme Reminiscent of chain links, these ceramic tiles…