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Amy Korte Speaks to Northeastern’s Sustainable Building Organization
Our Principal, Amy Korte recently spoke at Northeastern University’s Sustainable Building Organization on Climate Resilient Design for an Uncertain Future. From Superstorm Sandy in 2012 to the recent “bomb cyclone” in Boston last month, these unusual weather patterns is an eye opener to what we might experience in future. Climate change is real and it’s happening now. As architects we…
The Self-Driving Car Could Eliminate the Parking Garage
Amy Korte was interviewed by the Boston Globe about how autonomous cars and ride sharing will impact facilities in the future. Her recent research focuses on the future design of parking structures; as the automated technology becomes more of a reality for travelers, it’s critical to design parking facilities that can transform over time. In early years, parking layouts can…
Tomorrow’s Tech, Today
This year at CES, the annual consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, some ultramodern technology was introduced. From refrigerators that can order groceries, to single-passenger drones, futuristic inventions are making their way into our everyday lives. This new technology is changing how we live, and how we design and plan the spaces we build. Here are four futuristic ideas making…
Planning for Rising Seas with a Focus on Resiliency
(this press release was issued by ULI Boston/New England) – On October 1, ULI Boston/New England will release a dramatic report, The Urban Implications of Living with Water, which examines steps Boston and surrounding communities can take to adapt urban centers to rising seas. A copy of the report is available for download. ULI will hold a press conference to discuss the findings and present a panel discussion starting at 8:00 am at the offices of Wilmer Hale, 60 State Street, Boston…
Living with Water: The Urban Implications
As co-chair of ULI Boston’s Building Resilience Task Force, I am joining other ULI members in a design charrette titled Living with Water: The Urban Implications, on May 8th…
Affordable Housing Development Competition
My students celebrated the end of their semester last night at the awards ceremony for the FHLB Affordable Housing Development Competition. Over the past six weeks they have been working with Donald Alexis from the Caribbean Integration Community Development (CICD) along with architecture and policy students from Harvard’s Kennedy School and Northeastern to design an affordable housing proposal in Mattapan…
Parcel K Discussed at District Hall
Last night, Arrowstreet and Conroy Development had an engaging presentation and discussion about the new mixed-use development on MassPort’s Parcel K, which will provide new residences and a hotel for visitors to the Innovation District. In addition, the project will contribute to the Innovation District’s mission to accommodate micro-residential units and flex office space, complimented by restaurants and retail, all serviced by the adjacent Silver Line. The support for the program and the building’s aesthetic is encouraging and we look forward to further public discussions as the project develops.
Boston Globe on CitySquare
Paul McMorrow’s article in the Boston Globe this week was a thoughtful, nuanced description of our CitySquare project in Worcester. Advocating for a deliberateness in development as well as the importance of density to create a vibrant downtown, the article offers a glimpse into what makes a city successful. As McMorrow writes: “The city is currently working on rebuilding a downtown that looks and functions like one. It is a turnaround plan that celebrates the downtown, instead of suburbanizing it. It recognizes that good downtowns start with people, and once downtowns fill with people, business happens organically.” McMorrow also highlights the importance of residential density, a key component of our master plan, to the transformation of Worcester as it creates a critical mass of people invested in the success of their neighborhood…
NYC Passes Building Resiliency Laws
The Bloomberg administration just passed the first group of Building Resiliency Task Force proposals into law today. The bills included requirements for construction in flood zones, analyzing wind risks, and capturing stormwater to prevent flooding. If you haven’t read the original Urban Green Task Force recommendations, published this past June as a response to Hurricane Sandy, they can be downloaded here: http://www.urbangreencouncil.org/BRTF/Report…