Industry Info and CAD Tips

Today, policymakers and fellow designers have a powerful new weapon in the fight against rising housing costs. The Low-Rise Housing concept aims to address a long-standing flaw in the global approach to the housing crisis. Despite planners’ best efforts to encourage higher-density residential development, the local urban fabric’s endemic low-density character has stymied reformers, posing logistical and political challenges. Most cities are growing vertically as the population rises and the available space to accommodate them remains limited. As a result, developers are increasingly developing high-rise apartment projects in both the affordable and luxury segments to meet the growing demands of home buyers from various income groups. Challenged with this problem, Architects are designing a low-cost, easy-to-build housing typology that takes advantage of the city’s existing low-rise scale while maximizing potential units per acre, while activating the ground plane for social interaction and environmental conservation. When it comes to purchasing a home, buyers must choose between high-rise and low-rise structures. While taller apartments appear to be more appealing, low-rise apartments have their own set of advantages. The real question is whether low-rise apartments are a good choice. Low-Rise vs High-Rise Housing There are different definitions and interpretations of low-rise buildings. Emporis defines a low-rise as “an enclosed structure below 35 meters [115 feet] divided into regular floor levels”. All buildings up to the height of 15 meters from the first access point for a fire engine are considered low-rise buildings, according to the Indian Building Code. On the other hand, The city of Toronto defines a mid-rise as a building between four and twelve stories. The Low-Rise Housing scheme is envisioned as a series of semi-detached two- and three-story mini-towers and creates infill blocks that can blend in with any traditional single-family neighborhood. Low-rise buildings are subtly transforming it into a pedestrian-friendly cityscape with outdoor areas enlivened by plantings and pathways. The structures themselves take advantage of the climate, with floor-level arbors and upper-story balconies providing maximum comfort with minimal energy consumption. Benefits of Low-Rise Buildings Cities and urban areas are home to more than half of the world’s 7.8 billion people. An additional 2.5 billion people will live there by 2050. As that number rises and more people flock to urban areas in search of a better life, the big question is how do we accommodate everyone? Urban construction experts believe that the development of satellite townships will increase the demand for low-rise flats in the coming years. Furthermore, according to a cited survey, the concept of the low-rise building appears to have taken off well, with 28 percent of projects consisting of these apartments. Because low-rise buildings have fewer residents, they provide more privacy and rent and utility flexibility than high-rise apartments. Furthermore, residents of the economized strata prefer these buildings because they provide them with more usable space and easier access to the entrances and exits. It is the responsibility of city planners and developers to figure out how to build or adapt urban environments to meet the needs of this rapidly growing population. Many people believe that taller, more densely packed skyscrapers are the way to go because they maximize space efficiency, house more people per square meter, and limit urban sprawl. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of Low-Rise Buildings: Better Standard of Living – Because low-rise buildings have fewer residents, they provide more privacy and rent and utility flexibility than high-rise apartments. Furthermore, residents of the economized strata prefer these buildings because they provide them with more usable space and easier access to the entrances and exits.  People nowadays try to avoid living in densely populated areas. The new normal, especially since the covid-19 pandemic, is social distancing, which has an impact on housing trends. More Space with more FSI (Floor Space Index) – The ratio of the area of a covered floor (also known as the built-up area) to the area of the land on which a building stands is known as the FSI. If the area’s FSI is limited, developers must construct low-rise structures. Furthermore, low-rise buildings have a larger usable area than high-rise buildings, resulting in larger spaces. Lowers Energy Consumption – A low-rise structure ensures that the weather in your home is moderate. With height, the air temperature drops and the average wind speed rises. As a result, taller buildings are subjected to stronger winds and more hours of direct sunlight. As a result, as we go higher, we use more energy for heating and cooling. Resilient – A low-rise structure is more earthquake-resistant than a high-rise structure. Furthermore, because lifts are not usually operational during natural disasters, reaching a safe zone in a low-rise building is easier and faster. Escape Plan – A tall building has a higher population density, which can be problematic in an emergency or hazardous situation. Controlling a fire, for example, is not an easy task because people tend to panic, making the timely evacuation of all residents in the building extremely difficult. Living in a low-rise building gives you enough time and space to safely evacuate the building. Low Cost & Low Maintenance – Low-rise apartments are typically less expensive than high-rise apartments because the builder’s construction costs are lower. Low-rise buildings incur lower maintenance costs for both developers and the residents because less equipment is required for maintenance work. Community Living – We all want some privacy in our lives, but it’s not pleasant if we don’t have some friendly neighbors in the building complex who can assist us in an emergency. Because of the smaller area, a low-rise building provides adequate privacy while also making it easier to socialize. Higher Resale Value – If you decide to resell your home in the future, a low-rise building will almost certainly fetch a higher price. Low-rise apartments are less pricey and have a higher potential for price appreciation than high-rise apartments, so they can provide better resale value. It is the responsibility of city planners and developers to figure out how

Meet the winners of ARCHITECT’s inaugural Architecture & Interiors Awards, which recognize outstanding and innovative projects in commercial architecture and interior design. Four judges filtered through 338 international submissions for ARCHITECT’s first Architecture & Interiors Awards. This year’s class of 16 winners—14 Honor Award recipients for outstanding achievement and two Merit Award recipients for outstanding achievement—sets the bar for commercial architecture and interior design excellence. These projects include a high-tech exhibition exploring tolerance and human rights, the adaptive reuse of a Montreal icon, and a vibrant community coffeehouse all over the world. Each winning project, regardless of typology, maintains a sensitivity to mission, community, and sustainability that highlights the full impact—and potential—of commercial design. Jury for the 2022 Architecture & Interiors Award Verda Alexander – Co-founder, Studio O+A Imani Day – AIA, principal, RVSN Studios Denise Rush – Dean, School of Interior Architecture at Boston Architectural College Joey Shimoda – FAIA, co-founder, Shimoda Design Group 2022 Architecture & Interiors Award Winners 2022 ARCHITECTURE Awards MOS School No. 3, Petite École (Versailles, France) Category – Institutional HKS Architects SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles) Category – Sports and Recreation GaS Studio, Parisotto + Formenton Architetti Casa di Langa (Cuneo, Italy) Category – Hospitality CetraRuddy Architecture Fotografiska (New York) Category – Cultural Studio PHH Architecture La Référence (Ganthier, Haiti) Category – Institutional SmithGroup Zeiss Michigan Quality Excellence Center (Wixom, Michigan) Category – Office Provencher_Roy Montreal Tower (Montreal) Category – Adaptive Reuse Elkus Manfredi Architects The Cathedral of the Holy Cross (Boston) Category – Historic Preservation 2022 INTERIOR Design Awards Gensler Zendesk EBC (San Francisco) Category – Small Office Studio O+A Adidas EVE (Portland, Oregon) Category – Large Office Eastlake Studio Old Post Office (Chicago) Category – Small Office Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign Museum of Tolerance, Claudia, and Nelson Peltz Social Lab (Los Angeles) Category – Cultural ORA Liberation Coffee House (Los Angeles) Category – Hospitality Rockwell Group Edge (New York) Category – Branded Eastlake Studio Sounding Boards / Sounding Boards Garden (Chicago) Category – Civic/Design for Purpose Follow Indovance Inc. for AEC Industry Updates, CAD Tips, and Global Construction News. Indovance Inc. with its exclusive delivery hub in India is a global CAD technology partner serving the needs of the AEC industry since 2003. At INDOVANCE we focus on the unique need of each project or client and believe in addressing the real challenges and guarantee that the process will be well-coordinated, smooth, efficient, and hassle-free. We collaborate with our customers around the world to develop bespoke business solutions using our enormous engineering talent pool and state-of-the-art technology. To deliver long-term engineering and business strategies, we align with your culture and processes to create an unbreakable partnership. With over 500 full-time employees and more than 600 customers in the US, Europe, India, and Asia, we are poised for the next level of success. For more queries regarding any of the above-mentioned topics, feel free to connect with us on our website www.indovance.com or contact us on +1-919-238-4044

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” –  Abraham Lincoln.  The Future appears to be quite frightening. Unknown abounds. There are many twists and turns. How can you possibly know what will happen? The greatest path to knowing what’s coming is to be an active participant. Do some Tomorrowcasting and focus on Soul Searching. The beginning of 2022 is a big sign to gather your thoughts and contemplate the Fate of the Future. We find ourselves in the midst of geopolitical turbulence as the world slowly recovers from the upheaval of the Global Pandemic. The World is reacting to one problem at a time. But what about the biggest challenge that humanity has to face. We all are sitting on a ticking bomb called Global Warming & Climate Change.  For years, climate change has been a hotly debated topic. As a result, many influential leaders, presidents, and CEOs have spoken out about climate change. However, the gravity of this situation is comprehended by few and even fewer people have actually started to give this a serious thought and started planning. Sustainability is not just a buzz word it’s Paramount. Reacting to Climate Change by Design Climate change is the most critical design issue of our era. It poses an existential hazard and the growing population & rising infrastructure needs are major contributors, even more so than the common scapegoat, the automobile industry. As per studies, Buildings & Structure consume over 40% of the energy used in the United States each year, and they emit nearly half of the carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by greenfield construction, cement manufacture, and the consumption of fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal, as any architect should know. Since CO2 traps solar energy in the atmosphere, heating the earth, it is the primary cause of climate change, making construction and the design industry as a whole extremely responsible and accountable. CO2 levels in the atmosphere have been rising since the industrial revolution and peaked in the 1980s with the fall of the Soviet Union and the rise of Globalization. In 2013 it surpassed 400 parts per million for the first time since the Pliocene Epoch (3 million to 5 million years ago). The global temperature was 5.4 F/C to 7.2 F/C warmer than it is today during the Middle Pliocene, which scientists study because its climate harbingers our own quickly looming future. The arctic areas were so warm that coniferous trees flourished there, and sea levels were 16 to 131 feet higher. As businesses and governments debate how to address climate change, architects have a massive opportunity—and, some might argue, a huge responsibility—to make a difference. Jesse Keenan, Ph.D., a lecturer in Science, Technology, and Public Policy at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and John F. Kennedy School of Government, says “Architecture is currently in a state of paralysis” and the discipline has now fallen behind. “It thought it had arrived at the pinnacle of environmental stewardship and sustainability, only to discover that it was largely self-serving and that there are far more pressing concerns about density, affordability, accessibility, and all of these other social issues.” To put it another way, it’s not as simple as putting up solar panels and calling it a day, Jesse added. The AIA 2030 Commitment brings together firms to work toward this goal, examining each signatory firm’s complete portfolio and gathering data on progress. While the 2030 goals are ambitious, one stumbling issue is that participation is still voluntary, leaving individual companies to strive for success and self-reporting for the time being. However, because architects must adhere to building regulations & city codes, modifying those codes on a local, state, and even international level will be a critical component of moving the industry toward energy efficiency. One glimmer of hope is a growing awareness of the importance of sustainable design, as well as technological breakthroughs that make it easier and more economical to construct more energy-efficient facilities. However, architects must begin planning ahead in order to meet this critical & essential challenge. Some big players have already stepped up and put their best foot forward, In Shanghai Tower, a LEED Platinum 127-story building in China, Gensler used a translucent second skin to insulate and reduce energy use for heating and cooling. Water conservation systems and 200 wind turbines are also installed in the skyscraper, which helps generate power for certain areas. By 2030, Gensler plans to have made its whole portfolio net zero. “We are the largest architecture and design firm in the world, and with our scale of designing 1.5 billion square feet of buildings and interiors each year, our actions will impact millions around the globe,” says Andy Cohen, co-CEO of Gensler. However, facing Global Warming & Climate change issues is a collective undertaking. To add to this problem, the understanding of sustainability is not very clear and has different perspectives depending on who you are asking the question. How do Architects play an important role in fighting Climate Change? The world of architecture and design has a huge impact on the state of not just the natural environment, but also on long-term development. With a construction industry that still relies heavily on fossil fuels, the architecture profession is under increasing pressure to adopt greener practices. Alternative design and building approaches, as well as innovative ways of thinking that are better at sustaining the natural environment, have progressed. During the recent Global Climate Strikes, millions of people put aside their regular lives and obligations to protest political inaction on climate change. Notable architecture firms and designers abandoned their offices to join the initiative. The architectural profession has a significant role in deciding not only the quality of the natural environment but also the state of sustainable development as a whole. 8 Ways Architects Can Address Global Warming & Climate Change Carbon-Neutral Approach – Looks easier said than done and many architects today are concerned about making buildings carbon-neutral or, better yet, zero-carbon. A carbon-negative building