Structural Engineer Cris Subrizi shares his insights on subway construction through the lens of the current Central Subway project in San Francisco. He explores the history of tunneling and also tells a sparkling story of how a shipworm transformed into the modern day TBM, Tunnel Boring Machine.
Go to Post | March 28th, 2012
When used as ornament in western architecture plants have generally been rendered naturalistically as if they grew on the buildings they adorned.
Go to Post | February 14th, 2012
When we look at architectural ornament of heraldry and emblems, we see things associated with the aristocracy. Over time the aristocracy of business and commerce subsumed that of humans. Companies and corporations commissioned heraldic crests emblazoned on shields, which were displayed on the buildings they owned and occupied.
Go to Post | October 26th, 2011
The animals commonly depicted on buildings exemplify desirable human character traits. They are the focus in this second installment of the series Architectural Ornament in San Francisco.
Go to Post | September 20th, 2011
Modernism replaced ornament with a different vocabulary of details involving straight lines, right angles, and clean edges. Still, since we admire buildings from the time when ornament was popular, revealing the meaning of decorative motifs would broaden our understanding and increase our pleasure in passing by them. They contribute to the urban texture of our cities.
Go to Post | June 27th, 2011
The 27-story office building designed by SOM’s Craig Hartman, is proposed for 350 Mission, a site adjacent to the future Transbay Terminal. The project epitomizes contemporary design aided by computerized tools and committed to energy conservation and environmental responsibility.
Go to Post | April 29th, 2010
