“Diffusion lands Infinite Objects for a campaign to drive mainstream awareness of the company’s core product, Video Prints, through a creative product seeding program timed for this holiday season.
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Month: October 2020
Creative Placemaking and the Future of Real Estate and Urban Planning
If you’re in economic development, real estate or community planning, you may have heard the term “creative placemaking” thrown around, but what is it, exactly?
Well, it depends, but in a nutshell, it is the use of a community’s strengths to create or enhance public spaces. If that seems vague, get this: The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) also found eight different definitions of “creative placemaking.” So, you can be forgiven if you are still unsure.
So What is Creative Placemaking?
Creative placemaking is work that occurs organically in neighborhoods across the nation. Artists, entrepreneurs, local officials, economic developers, planners, architects and engineers team up to develop projects that accelerate real estate development, create jobs and increase tax revenues. This concept has taken off in low-income neighborhoods but can really be applied anywhere.
To be clear, placemaking is not new. However, renewed interest has attracted a lot of money from public and private groups alike.
In its Creative Placemaking Report, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) indicated that the metrics for return on investment (ROI) in creative placemaking are largely anecdotal and still being developed. That said, ULI laid out 10 best practices for successful implementation, which include engaging local artists, local art and cultural assets, forming cross-sector partnerships and more.
Examples of Creative Placemaking
Here are three outstanding real estate development projects that used these best practices to reinvigorate local neighborhoods and bring members of the community together.
1. ROSE KENNEDY GREENWAY: BOSTON, MASS.
Boston’s Rose Kennedy Greenway, a $50 million, 17-acre park, was completed in 2008 and sits atop land created during the “Big Dig” – a controversial infrastructure project that elevated Central Artery of Interstate 93 (I-93) and created a tunnel system beneath the city.
It spans four different neighborhoods and features landscaped gardens, promenades, plazas, fountains, public art and a carousel. As if that weren’t enough, it also plays host to food trucks, a farmer’s market, seasonal beer and wine gardens, concerts, movies, fitness classes and other events. These contributions have supported Boston’s economy at each turn, helping to attract 1.4 million visitors per year.
If the goal of creative placemaking is to bring together communities, the Rose Kennedy Greenway certainly delivers.
2. STEELSTACKS ARTS AND CULTURE COMPLEX: BETHLEHEM, PA.
For over 100 years, the Eastern Pennsylvania-based Bethlehem Steel Corp. was essential to the surrounding Lehigh Valley – producing steel for everything from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Chrysler Building. Ultimately, it could not compete with overseas steel production.
When the plant shuttered in 2003, the iconic steel stacks were nearly torn down. However, the city decided to restore the historic landmarks instead, remaking them into a unique American celebration of heritage, culture and art. Encompassing a total of 10 acres, they have been transformed into an amazing gathering place. Throughout the year, locals and tourists alike gather under the shadow of the iconic stacks to attend concerts, films, family programs, dance programming, festivals, tours and celebrations.
After nearly a decade of communal mourning over the death of the steel industry, a little creative placemaking helped give locals a new source of pride. To date, the facility has attracted over 1 million visitors and contributed over $55 million to the once-struggling burgh.
3. 11TH STREET BRIDGE PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C.
Since its inception in 2014, the 11th Street Bridge Park has become a model for how creative placemaking can be used to engage multiple stakeholders and bring communities together.
Before the architects OMA + OLIN drew up a single design plan, there were hundreds of meetings between designers, city representatives and community leaders to develop concepts for the park. The idea was to have a place where low-income community members and more affluent citizens from across the river could congregate and develop common experiences through recreation, education and the arts.
When complete, the park will include outdoor performance spaces, playgrounds, urban agriculture and an Environmental Education Center. More importantly, it will form a bond between communities that live on two historically disparate sides of the Anacostia River.
More Urban Success Stories
ULI’s Report features nearly a dozen more creative placemaking projects and outcomes. It also illustrates that no matter which definition you subscribe to, there is no doubt that creative placemaking can do wonders for communities of all shapes and sizes.
At a basic level, perhaps it means preserving local history or resurrecting a landmark – or incorporating greenspace to fast-track more innovative development. Whatever the method, creative placemaking remains unique to one’s geography and will no doubt continue to take hold in the future of urban planning efforts across the country.
Want to learn more about creative placemaking? Check out these resources:
Did we miss anything? If you’d like to share any insights into the future of construction and engineering, feel free to leave us a reply.
Cision: Montclair-Based Public Relations Firm, Violet PR, Selected to Represent Newark Symphony Hall
Boutique, Montclair, N.J.-based public relations firm, Violet PR, has been selected to represent the Newark Symphony Hall, a 95-year-old performing arts center that has hosted hundreds of legendary acts across all popular genres of music, from classical and rock-n-roll, to R&B and Latin.
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Insider NJ: Montclair-Based Public Relations Firm, Violet PR, Selected to Represent Newark Symphony Hall
“Boutique, Montclair, N.J.-based public relations firm, Violet PR, has been selected to represent the Newark Symphony Hall, a 95-year-old performing arts center that has hosted hundreds of legendary acts across all popular genres of music, from classical and rock-n-roll, to R&B and Latin.
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What a Post-COVID World Means for Construction & Engineering
The coronavirus crisis has hastened sweeping changes across the U.S. construction and engineering (C&E) industry, and experts say many of them will remain in place even after the outbreak recedes
Just when it seemed projects would resume, new COVID-19 cases skyrocketed – pulling us back to inevitable new restrictions and shutdowns. When the crisis finally subsides, C&E firms will be entering a drastically different world. Resource limitations, supply chain disruptions and new codes will all have to be reckoned with.
PwC reports that 60% of chief financial officers (CFO) were considering delaying or cancelling projects – and that was before the new wave of COVID-19.
So, what does the future hold for the C&E industry in post-COVID America? How are these firms planning ahead amid all the uncertainty? Here, we will examine several examples of how COVID-19 will alter C&E’s future.
Post-COVID Healthcare Facilities: Re-engineering Space
The dearth of reliable personal protective equipment (PPE) in our nation’s healthcare facilities added yet another acronym to our collective lexicon. It was also one of the many lessons the healthcare industry learned in the midst of surging cases.
But, what about healthcare facilities themselves?
President of McLaren Engineering Group, Jeremy Billig, says facilities must become more flexible if they are going to handle wild swings in patient volume.
“Re-engineering space to be more flexible and efficient can allow for growth and contraction of departments with the interchangeability of rooms and the unification of circulation systems,” said Billig. “The use of prefabricated or modular design elements can aid in creating quick and inexpensive alterations with minimal structural changes.”
Additionally, the coronavirus has left copious amounts of now-and-soon-to-be-vacant commercial properties.
“Prefabricated and modular solutions can create inexpensive designs that take into account flexibility and efficiency of space,” said Billig. “Prefabricated elements can cut construction costs and save time, enabling the development of an outpatient facility to begin generating revenue quickly.”
While these ideas are not a cure for ailing healthcare facilities, they certainly make for a strong “bandage.”
Post-COVID Engineering and AI
To date, 22 million jobs were lost to COVID-19 – many of them permanently.
While engineers were not immune to COVID layoffs, the industry is equipped to bounce back rather quickly. Once the coronavirus pandemic eases, experts predict a surge in demand for healthier and safer buildings.
Highly skilled engineers will be at the forefront of the “healthy building” surge. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects nearly 140,000 engineering jobs will be created in the next few years. That growth comes in part because of new uses for artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics – both of which will play a role in building and designing new spaces for us to live and work.
In fact, AI has already made its presence known in the construction industry. Construction managers have been using it for scheduling and contingency planning. Autonomous devices have also been put to work on jobsites – with drones providing overhead images and robots doing everything from laying brick to installing drywall.
It may sound like a cliché, but the possibilities of AI are endless. It will undoubtedly be put to work to save time, costs and even lives.
Embracing Technology with New Apps and Tools
Employees are every company’s most valuable asset. Providing safety gear and requiring onsite social distancing are no-brainers, but some in the industry are turning to other high-tech solutions to ensure a healthy workforce.
For example, mobile apps like Check-In are helping pros plan, prevent and mitigate workforce risks by tracing exposures and preventing high-risk people from setting foot on the job site.
It does not stop at safety – knowing that supply chains have gone haywire since the outbreak began, a company called Eka Software Solutions also developed an app to better assess markets and overall risk.
The app was designed to provide quick glimpses into supply chains to better analyze and mitigate risk. Among other things, the app helps identify alternate suppliers to maintain supply-chain continuity.
Social distancing has completely shifted how contractors interact with project teams and customers – creating a new system of virtual communication. AECOM launched a web-based tool for employees, allowing virtual public meetings, which is a major step in keeping public projects, including town halls, stadiums or venues, moving. This could be a major trend within the industry as these tools continue collaborative conversations about proposed projects with the public amid COVID-19 guidelines.
A Better Future for the Construction and Engineering Industries
No doubt, this is not the year any of us expected. The pandemic threw everyone for a loop, and some have adjusted faster and more thoroughly than others. While we are still a long way from seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, with proper planning, modifications and adjustments, the construction and engineering industries can come out the other side stronger and more resilient than ever. And chances are, this new landscape for C&E will incorporate several types of the aforementioned “next-gen” technology.
Did we miss anything? If you’d like to share any insights into the future of construction and engineering, feel free to leave us a reply.
How Renewable Energy Projects are Powering the Future
Despite the many challenges of 2020 and our frenetic news cycle, a few encouraging facts about clean energy have arisen: As ETF Trends notes, “clean energy and clean technology are in the midst of a new era of growth and competitiveness,” and, “2019 marked the first year in the modern electric era that renewable energy surpassed coal in the U.S. energy supply mix.”
It is clear, then, that the renewable industry has reason to celebrate. It has also dominated headlines of late. For example, it has entered the political fold, as Democratic Presidential Candidate, Joe Biden, has pledged to transition the U.S. to emissions-free power by 2035. What’s more, as online shoppers may have noticed by now, the e-commerce giant Amazon has also shifted its fleet of delivery vans to all-electric.
What else is in store in the years ahead, and how will the decisions being made now “power” our collective future? We explore.
The Conquest Solar Project in the Empire State
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been aggressively pushing solar power throughout New York State.
In fact, he aims to have the state producing 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, rivaling Biden’s plan to bring the nation to a similar mark by 2035.
In response, solar power farms have been popping up everywhere, from Orange County to Orchard Park. Due to the massive influx of new solar construction, New York is planning a dedicated permitting office in the Department of Economic Development to handle the demand. The office could help future solar projects obtain approval in a year or less – a far cry from the current process which can take up to nine years.
In addition, there is the Conquest project – a large solar-power farm being developed by NextEra Energy outside the town of Conquest in Cayuga County, N.Y.
The state’s policy and the enormity of Conquest, which we’ll describe below, offer a promising outlook at the rate, and scale, of these renewable projects.
NextEra Energy Goes Big
Calling the Conquest undertaking “huge” may be underselling the project. To put it in perspective, imagine the size of the entire Meadowlands sports complex.
Now triple it.
The solar panels themselves will use between 1,400-1,500 acres of land. The remaining land will be used as a buffer from neighbors and to maintain environmentally sensitive areas.
At 200 megawatts, the Conquest project is the largest solar array in New York State and could power up to 30,000 homes when all is said and done. But it will not be No. 1 for long. Even larger solar farms have been proposed – one of which will be a 350-megawatt giant in nearby Wayne County.
Turbulent Times for New England Turbines
Experts also predict that investment in U.S. offshore wind farms could hit $108 billion by 2030. With those farms come tens of thousands of new jobs.
The New England region was concerned when construction of the nation’s first large-scale wind project off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard stalled out. It was also a big blow to developers, who were scrambling to take advantage of the final year to complete projects qualifying for the 100% federal Production Tax Credit (PTC).
The Martha’s Vineyard site was chosen because the area off of Rhode Island and Massachusetts is one of the world’s largest untapped wind resources.
It’s no surprise that the Atlantic seaboard was also chosen to be the home for nine other wind farms. If they can get up and running in the coming years, they could generate twice as much as electricity as the country currently uses.
There’s more in store, too.
While it is no secret that the current administration is no fan of wind power, some think they may be changing their tune. Meanwhile, Biden continues to advocate for aggressive offshore wind farm construction. No matter how next month’s election turns out, it’s clear that the renewable energy sector is poised to power ahead.
Looking Forward: the Smart Grid and More
The recent column in ETF Trends perhaps says it best: “Advances in technologies are enabling a smart grid capable of integrating more distributed sources of energy while at the same time being more resilient. Other technologies are allowing us more control over the energy we use in order to consume less or use it in entirely new ways…”
While renewable/clean energy is currently a source of political tension, we foresee it building far beyond partisan rhetoric. This is energy – and associated technologies – that can feasibly power the U.S. grid, and within a relatively short amount of time.
Aggressive solar farm construction, more offshore wind farms, and continued research into the upside of renewables will become the norm.
Have the inside scoop on any other ways COVID-19 will change the future of places? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
How Architecture is Redesigning Spaces for Social Distancing
As countries around the world begin to lift lockdowns with strict social distancing measures in place, architects and designers are developing innovative new approaches. The coronavirus has clearly turned what we used to think of as “normal” on its head, but we have been down this road before.
In the early-20th century, epidemics gave rise to the sterile, therapeutic environments of modernist architecture. Likewise, COVID-19 may inspire buildings of the future to be smaller and more open. Open-concept offices may slowly disappear while the paneled walls of the cubicle make a comeback.
That is just one example of the structural change that we anticipate both mid-pandemic and in its wake. In recent months, expert architects from around the globe have begun to envision creative new concepts for socialization, congregation and safer worker environments – all while maintaining “social distance.”
Here, we explore three trends that could drastically transform urban environments, parks, homes and office buildings in the months and years ahead.
Creating temporary urban spaces for social distancing
To help small businesses, Baltimore, Md., teamed up with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), the Neighborhood Design Center and local stakeholders to develop the Design for Distancing Initiative. It is a new endeavor for creating temporary, low-cost spaces that permit physically distant social interaction in urban environments such as streets, alleys, vacant land and parking lots.
To do so, the Initiative invited the public to submit design ideas that help allow the local economy to open again. A detailed design brief was provided and contestants had to adhere to strict design guidelines and public health recommendations.
Out of 162 submissions, a jury selected 10 innovative designs, published in the Design for Distancing Ideas Guidebook.
The plans were conceived around the needs of Baltimore’s neighborhoods, but could be adapted to cities anywhere.
Design ideas included:
- “Curblet Commons,” a low-cost conversion of a parking lane into a public space for community, shopping, services and culinary encounters.
- “Tropical islands,” 1- to 6-foot-diamater circles that require little materials (umbrellas, chalk, plants, etc.) to create a community space that leads with a social distancing approach.
- “Space frames,” which are multi-functional designs that aim to support socially engaging and creative spaces while encouraging physical distancing. Materials to separate parties could include paintings, panels, plexiglass and takeout counters.
“We felt it was important to share these creative concepts with other cities to adapt and use as needed,” said Baltimore Mayor Bernard Young. “This Guidebook is Baltimore’s gift to the world, and we hope it will be a valuable resource to areas far beyond our city.”
It is unclear how many other cities have adapted the designs, but one thing is for sure: When it comes to designing for the future, Baltimore means business.
Outdoor Offices and Natural Ventilation
Many professionals have longed for more innovative outdoor space options and COVID-19 may have brought just that.
Architecture and design firm, Valerio Dewalt Train, recently rolled out a new outdoor design that supports natural air ventilation – providing outdoor meeting areas with wall dividers, light-weight furniture and more. The design also includes accessible Wi-Fi and power strips to accommodate standard office needs, along with chalkboards to promote collaboration among teams.
In addition to that, architects are looking to air filtration for employee protection. According the Architectural Record, industry leaders helping clients overcome work environment challenges are increasing HVAC zones, maintaining humidity between 40-60 percent. HEPA filters, an efficiency standard, are also being implemented to sterilize air within office spaces.
Touchless tech to reduce surface contact
Airports and other high-traffic commercial areas have already adopted touchless technology, including automatic doors, cleaning robots and information kiosks with touchless mobile activation. Now it’s our turn!
While many COVID-19 in-person obstacles have been solved by implementing PPE safety precautions, the challenge of high-traffic areas, including restrooms and entryways, is still being reviewed.
Stephen Yablon Architecture, a New York City-based firm, recently rolled out a revised office plan for its professional headquarters that incorporates touchless technology. The automated entry systems will use facial recognition for bathrooms entrances and stalls, as well as main entrances and other high-traffic areas. Valerio Dewalt Trains’ outdoor design also incorporates foot-operated door openers.
Modular, Functional Living Spaces For Working at Home
According to Australian architectural firm, Woods Bagot, the secret to designing buildings that ensure safety is flexibility.
The firm recently unveiled their AD-APT system, a modular solution that includes a series of adjustable walls and screens that users can set up at home to create a work space. The system responds to the way workplaces, academic institutions and personal living spaces will shift as people become expected to work remote long term – drastically changing work habits and expectations.
A spokesperson for pods manufacturer, Framery, noted: “Floor plans will look different, be more flexible and space allocation will be adjusted. Companies will want the ability to quickly modify and scale their workplaces in the case that something like this were to happen again in the future.”
The AD-APT system has three modes for its home design:
- Day Mode: A typical apartment style design, providing a larger living space with designated working space, as well as two separate booths to increase productivity.
- Night Mode: A floor plan that transforms the open living space into a master bedroom and second bedroom, with the option to separate with a curtain or moveable wall.
- Play Mode: This mode allows the adaptable space to transform into an expanded living area for social gatherings or professional group settings.
Whether it’s working in an office or home, participating in a social gathering or visiting a coffee shop, the future of everyday life will continue to be transformed by innovative designs in the age of COVID-19 and beyond.
Have the inside scoop on any other ways COVID-19 will change the future of places? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.