"BIM"- FOGRAPHIC: Improving Healthcare Buildings with BIM

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is changing the way architects conceptualize, plan and design.  BIM extends beyond typical 3-D modeling to prevent potential design problems and improve safety, all while saving the building owner/customer both money and time.

A number of Kane Screens and Kane Detention products can be found in BIM format, which are available here and here.  But before you go, be sure check out Autodesk's infographic, "Improving Healthcare Buildings with BIM" to learn more about what this technology is doing for hospital construction.

Inspiration To Draw From: A Collection of Quotes About Architecture & Design

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." 
- Leonardo da Vinci


"Architecture is visual art, and the buildings speak for themselves." - Julia Morgan


"We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us." - Winston Churchill


"I call architecture frozen music." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


"Architecture is the triumph of human imagination over materials, methods and men, to put man into possession of his own Earth.  It is at least the geometric pattern of things, of life, of the human and social world.  It is, at best, that magic framework of reality that we sometimes touch upon when we use the word 'order'."  - Frank Lloyd Wright


"Architecture is the plant fertilizer of our lives; it is the way to be a big, great-tasting tomato." - Robert Sullivan


"The first gesture of an architect is to draw a perimeter; in other words, to separate the microclimate from the macro space outside.  This in itself is a sacred act.  Architecture in itself conveys this idea of limiting space.  It's a limit between the finite and the infinite." - Mario Botta


"The great thing about being an architect is that you can walk into your dreams."  - Harold E. Wagoner


"Less is more." - Ludwig Mies van der Rohe


"More is more."  - Robert Venturi

Do you have a favorite quote about building and/or design?  

Feel free to share in the comments below!

To learn more about architectural products, CLICK HERE. 

PHOTO: Famous Architects Dressed as Their Buildings (1931)

Roughly two dozen famous architects came dressed as the buildings they designed to 1931's Beaux-Arts Ball in Manhattan.  Below are just seven of them. 

In a 2006 article about the event (A New Age of Architecture Ushered in Financial Gloom) published by New York Times writer Christopher Gray, William Van Alen's ornate "Chrysler Building" costume is described in vivid detail:

Indeed, his cloak was designed to emulate the design of the doors, and two shoulder ornaments replicated the eagle heads at the 61st-floor setbacks. On his head rose a strikingly dangerous-looking crown, the graduated layers of the Chrysler tower itself rising to a spire, the ensemble at least four feet above his scalp.

Can you guess the other buildings (and their designers)?  Answers are listed under the photo.

Photo: Ely Jacques Kahn, Architect by Jewel Stern and John A. Stewart

Facebook for Architects: Exploring Architizer.com

Architects connecting with architects.  

Architects connecting with developers.  

Architects connecting with the world.

All of the above - and more - is happening right now on one of the most popular social sites for the architecture and design industry:  Architizer.com.

Whether you're an architect yourself, or just someone thinking about hiring one, you've probably already heard of this growing social media sensation.  

Architizer.com has been loosely defined by The New York Times as "a hybrid of Facebook, Flickr, and LinkedIn for architects."  The site features a myriad of eye-catching photos, architect bios, news and information on past, recent and current projects.  What's more, Architizer has been single-handedly responsible for transforming the way architects communicate with each other - and with the public - since 2009. 

Like most other social media sites, Architizer is completely free to use and offers a variety of user-friendly functionalities.  Each project has its own dedicated page, which means project collaborators can list the details of their involvement, allowing the user to receive a comprehensive summary of a particular design. 

Alternatively, when the "Products" tab in the main menu is selected, users are directed to a microsite filled with building product brands that they can explore. Although this area of the site is currently in Beta testing mode, architectural product manufacturers are still able to list their profile on the "Products" page by emailing Architizer directly.

From colorful images of "you have to see it to believe it" designs, to more vital posts such as architect and collaborator contact info, Architizer.com has it all.

In our opinion, Architizer.com is one of the best, one-stop-sources for all things building and design.  

Check out our building product page on Architizer by clicking HERE. 

For more information about architectural products CLICK HERE. 

5 Architects & Spec Writers You Should Be Following Right Now

Whether you're in search of an architect who knows the answers, or simply interested in learning more about the architectural world in general, we know five folks who can deliver.

From informative websites, to insightful tweets and posts, there's a reason we chose to feature these architects and spec writers in particular.

Find out more about our favorite web-and-social-media-savvy design professionals after the jump.

Architect Jody Brown

INFOGRAPHIC: History of AIA

Click the image below or CLICK HERE for ArchDaily's in-depth look at the history of the 

American Institute of Architecture (AIA), presented as an infographic:

5 Important Reasons Architects, Building Owners and/or GCs Should Never Wait to Finalize a Railing System

Since railing systems are usually one of the last elements added to a building during construction, timing and planning are especially crucial, as costly adjustments and delays could occur. Therefore, all trades must be on the same page.

Below are 5 railing issues architects, building owners and/or general contractors should consider and address prior to the construction of a building project.

Sterling Dula's cable railing at Baltimore's National Harbor in Maryland.