By Tara Wilson Pictured on the cover of this month’s RCI Interface is the last remaining structure of what was once the Choctaw Academy in Georgetown, Kentucky. The Academy was the first federally funded, racially integrated, non-missionary, and non-military school for Native American boys in the U.S.—an institution that brought together students from 18 different tribes, … [Read more...]
Water Tank Morphs Into Library for Kenyan Kids
An abandoned rainwater collection tank was transformed into a children’s library in a small farming community in the Nyeri West region of Kenya. The project was designed by San Francisco firm Natoma Architects and bankrolled by the Nobelity Project, an Austin, Texas-based group that builds school infrastructures. The organizer’s cofounder, Turk Pipkin, conceived of the … [Read more...]
Why Historic Buildings?
By Trevor Vilac This article is for information purposes and is not intended to replace the advice of a heritage professional or other conservation specialists. Have you ever been captivated by a sense of intrigue in an old building? Or been fascinated by the lasting impact of past events associated with a particular space? There are many factors that make these buildings … [Read more...]
Ural Philharmonic Concert Hall to Mimic Sound Waves
Zaha Hadid Architects has won a competition to design the Sverdlovsk Philharmonic Concert Hall in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The venue will contain a 1600-seat concert hall and a smaller 400-seat chamber music hall. “Echoing the physical aspects of sound waves, the design of the new philharmonic concert hall is based on the properties of musical sound resonance creating wave … [Read more...]
Laser Etching of Building Artifacts
By Don Kilpatrick On a recent assignment where the owner opted to replace rather than lift and re-lay the existing materials, our staff was afforded the opportunity to experiment with slate that was otherwise destined for the dumpster, or to be salvaged for reuse at other locations. Through sounding, pieces of slate that retained structural integrity were pulled from the lot … [Read more...]
The #Metoo Movement – How #Youtoo Can Mitigate Your Risk
By Trent Cotney and Marci Britt Beginning in October 2017, when dozens of women in the entertainment industry came forward with allegations that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein had sexually harassed or assaulted them, the #MeToo Movement was launched, and soon a tidal wave of similar allegations flooded in against a long list of other prominent, high-powered men in Hollywood, the … [Read more...]
Opioid Use and Abuse in Construction
Due to jobsite hazards and strenuous activity, pain afflicts construction workers, making them more susceptible than many other workers to substance abuse in the form of opioid misuse. Construction inflicts particular stress on backs, knees, shoulders, and other joints. The highly addictive drugs have caused 2.5 million Americans to become addicted. An estimated 15% of … [Read more...]
Oregon Approves Tall Timber Buildings
Oregon has become the first U.S. state to provide code approval for construction of tall-timber buildings (over six stories) via a hybrid approach. Crosslaminated timber and other mass timber products are allowed if the vertical elements of the seismic force-resisting system are concrete, steel, or masonry. It provided new classifications of “Type IV” or “heavy timber” … [Read more...]
NWIR: The Idea That Grew Into an Industry Movement
By Sarah Harweth-De Marco It is hard to believe that National Women in Roofing (NWIR), a volunteer-based organization that supports and advances the careers of female roofing professionals, just officially launched at the International Roofing Expo (IRE) as recently as 2016. The idea, whose genesis was a conversation on a break at an industry meeting in 2014, has fast become a … [Read more...]
RCI Interface Featured Article: Construction Litigation Issues: An Update
By Derek Hodgin, PE, RBEC, CCCA Over the past 25 years, I have investigated numerous issues that have been the subject of construction litigation. Some of the issues have been related to product failures, while others are associated more with a construction type and/or process. This paper is intended to provide an update on past issues, as well as identify issues that are … [Read more...]