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Would you live in an airport city?
Lucy Wallwork Construction & Building MaterialsThe Polish winner of the Man Booker International Prize wrote in her winning novel, on the subject of airports, that "soon we well may say that it’s the cities that supplement the airport, as workplaces and places to sleep. It is widely known, after all, that real life takes place in movement." Indeed, settlements have, through the history of civilization, sprung up around transport nodes — whether that is early settlers along the edges of a river, the Victorian-era railroad cities in the U.K., or port cities like New York. However, the more ambitious concept of the airport city, or "aerotropolis," is now gaining momentum.
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The evolving design of coworking spaces
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesOne of the fastest-growing areas of commercial real estate is coworking spaces. They have become increasingly popular with freelancers, entrepreneurs and self-employed professionals and paraprofessionals, whose numbers have expanded considerably post-recession, as well as with business travelers, who use them as hoteling spaces. As the number of users has grown, so has their diversity and their diverse business needs. Today’s coworking space providers are having to respond to the same types of demands for better working environments as are companies everywhere.
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Plan your route and you’ll reach your 2019 destination
Fred Berns Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesMany interior design professionals use the holiday season to reflect on the year that was. You’re wise to focus instead on the year that can be. Use this time to plot your course and make your 2019 sales and marketing plan. Why? Because a designer without a plan is like ship without a rudder. You may have a rough idea of where you want to go, but not a clue on how to get there. You can "get there" and achieve your goals for the year ahead by keeping these seven "p"rinciples in mind.
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Remodelers brace for deceleration
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsThe good news for remodelers, according to recent forecasts, is that demand is expected to continue to grow over the next three years. The not-so-good news is that growth will be slower than it has been for the past three years. Although many remodelers remain optimistic conditions will improve in the months ahead, some already are anticipating a decline in the fourth quarter of this year. Recently released data confirms the trend reported last month that remodeling activity remained strong in the third quarter of this year.
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No response is not a response
Lloyd Princeton Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementHave you ever had the experience of trying to get the attention of a store clerk or waiter, only to have them go about whatever they were doing and act like you weren’t there? How did that make you feel? Were you annoyed, angry, exasperated? I’m guessing the one thing you weren’t feeling was satisfied that they had properly responded to your attempt to communicate with them. The point of my example is that most people in a face-to-face situation would consider being ignored or not getting or giving a response as inappropriate and rude. Yet, it is becoming quite common in business communications.
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Inventory boost lifts home sales
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsMore buyers looked favorably on the housing market in October, encouraged by a greater number of homes for sale, continued slowing in home prices, and a temporary decline in mortgage rates. Existing home sales posted their first month-over-month positive growth in six months. New home sales, on the other hand, plummeted to their lowest point in over three-and-a-half years, even as inventories increased and prices dropped. Riding the same downward trajectory, construction of new homes also declined for the second month in a row.
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Unlocking opportunities for ‘intergenerational living’ in our…
Lucy Wallwork Construction & Building MaterialsAt a recent Housing Festival held in my hometown of Bristol, England, it was not the glossy new building technologies on show that stuck in my mind the most. Instead, it was a presentation by U.S.-based architect Jonathan Davis. Presenting a photo of the allotment in his own Grow Community on Bainbridge Island in Seattle, he described his elderly yoga-loving neighbor as a "wise soul," but so, too, his young daughter digging around in the vegetable patch. He didn’t see any reason these two "wise souls" should not be brought together more often.
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Biophilic hotel design is going mainstream
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesBeachfront properties, mountain lake resorts, luxury forest cabins, jungle hideaways, atrium lobbies — the hospitality industry has long known the value of attracting visitors with views of nature. Recently, though, more hotels and hotel designers have been employing principles of biophilia to enhance guests’ connection to nature within their properties. What once seemed just an extension of eco-design is fast becoming a must-have feature to compete for the custom of discerning travelers.
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Remodeling growth levels out but remains strong
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesFor the past several quarters, the remodeling industry has experienced exceptional growth. That trend may have run its course, though. Industry indicators reveal activity during the third quarter of this year remained relatively flat. Experts project that demand is likely to remain strong, but that the rate of growth will taper off in 2019. According to the latest BuildFax Housing Health Report, data from the past three months indicate the pace of remodeling is leveling out after several years of steep increases.
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Study: Push for smart-building transitions seems obvious based on the benefits
Scott E. Rupp Facilities & GroundsA recent study seems to suggest that converting to smart building technology allows organizations to cut energy costs, meet air quality regulations and provide the best environments for occupants, visitors and staff. So says Siemens Financial Services, which estimates that the potential for "self-financing" smart-building conversion may cross 13 countries in three sectors: commercial buildings; government buildings; and hospitals. In other words, there’s plenty of potential for innovation.
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