StructureHub

More than a couple critics have located both the climax and requisite decline of an “architectural epoch” in the last decade.  During that time, the United States - and by extension, much of the world - built up for itself a real-estate bubble just begging to be popped.  And popped it was.
Among the high-profile development victims were Frank Gehry’s Brooklyn [...]

By now, most architects and design professionals know about Dubai’s belated (and deserved) encounter with something approaching economic reality.
During the last two decades, Dubai proved itself to be the United Arab Emirates’ most enthusiastic practitioner of the art of capitalism and until last week, when Dubai World (Dubai’s state-run development company) nearly collapsed under roughly [...]

Architects, landscape architects, et al, are not immune to economic downturns.  Indeed, these professionals are, like their brethren in the construction trades, among the most susceptible to layoffs, unemployment, and months of uncertainty.  Unfortunately for these designers however, elected officials generally plowed stimulus dollars toward projects that would primarily benefit the trades (i.e., “Shovel Ready [...]

I take Richard Meier’s candid comment that “we don’t have so much work” to be a plea for suggestions on how to spend his (and his firm’s) time during this economy’s lazy summer - and lucky for Mr. Meier, I do have a suggestion!
Does “pro-bono” ring a bell?  Strike a chord perhaps?  Instead of just [...]

2008…

2009…

Conde Nast is getting into the bad habit of serving as an economic indicator.  According to Architectural Digest, 2008 was a.o.k.  2009?  Less so, unless you’re an advertiser.  At least the weight-savings will enable waiting rooms to stock up on old issues of Men’s Health and In Touch.

Good news that firms are slowly recovering from the billing depths of the past year plus.  Certainly, there is a cyclical bounce coinciding with the seasons (as well as increased real estate sales), but even accounting for that, the upward trend looks better than last year. 
Via AIArchitect

As most know, the architecture industry has been hit hard by the recession.  If you thought only lowly associates and staffers were subject to the falling ax of cost-cutting, the news that Bay Area architect Michelle Kaufman is shuttering her firm MK Designs is evidence of how widespread the effects of the economic downturn really are. [...]