In the Northeast, there is a long tradition of spending time at a summer camp or cabin. If you're lucky, you may have enjoyed the connection with nature that a minimally constructed wood building offers — exposed rafters, wall studs, and historic board sheathing. These details are charming, but they also reveal what's missing as... Read more »
Health and well-being are rooted in place. And because Americans spend over 90% of our days indoors, according to the U.S. E.P.A., the quality of our homes and workplaces has great potential to impact our health. As architects, where do we turn to understand the environmental factors that affect health and how to apply... Read more »
What is a Sustainability Action Plan and how do we use it? Alyssa recently contributed to this article for AIA Architect that outlines how four leading firms developed and employ their firm’s plan. Placework’s Action Plan for Climate and Care is where our commitments as a Certified B Corporation and a signatory of the AIA... Read more »
A recent project offered the unique opportunity to express scientific work as art. The recently re-opened Spaulding Hall at the University of New Hampshire features five wall murals that the Placework team designed in collaboration with COLSA – the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture. The COLSA team was eager to enliven their primary lab... Read more »
These principles are more than just aspirational words; they shape how we design and engage with the world around us. The Placework team has established an explicit set of values that guide everything we do – how we work together, collaborate with clients and consultants, and engage with the wider community. These principles are... Read more »
Why do we feel better when we’re outside enjoying the “fresh air” or gazing out the window at the wind gently blowing in the trees? This emotional and biological need to connect with nature was first formally identified as “biophilia” by American naturalist Edmund O. Wilson. Building on this theory, biophilic design pioneer Stephen Kellert... Read more »
Water is a resource that we typically take for granted, particularly here in the northeast. We love our lakes and coasts but also fear when storms bring too much of a good thing. Increased rain events that cause flooding, sea level rise, and ground water rise are all issues affecting buildings in our area. In... Read more »
Strawbery Banke Museum tells stories. Their mission is to promote understanding of people and the value of community through encounters with the history and the ongoing preservation of a New England waterfront neighborhood. Given current and future climate conditions, “ongoing preservation” has become more of a challenge. While the museum presents the history of... Read more »
There is a growing movement looking toward a more radical reassessment of the standards. There is a tension between historic buildings and adapting them to serve future needs. As we move forward, climate and weather conditions will differ radically from the times in which our building stock was constructed. Preservation takes on a different... Read more »
Our work brings us into relationship with talented people from a broad spectrum of fields and disciplines. When considering a potential building project, however, all face uncertainty and near universal questions: What are our current and future needs? How much will it cost? How long will it take? What are some of the challenges we... Read more »
This is a widget ready area. Add some and they will appear here.