Just as the industrial revolution aided in the spread of religion population growth, the advancements in recent centuries have also compounded that trend. “Today, “Mega-Churches” have up to 15,000 members and specialized facilities are spread around campuses of up to 1,000 acres.” Many factors to why or even how this change occurred can be observed. The first of which can be attributed to the number of religions that are presently followed. Covering all countries in the world it is estimated that there are some 4,300 faith groups. “In addition to Christian churches and Jewish synagogues, there are Muslim mosques, Hindu, Shinto and Buddhist temples and undefined New Age religious groups that meet in homes.” Currently it is estimated that the world population is 6.5 billion, 300 million who live in the United States. In 2002, 88% of people in the United States claimed they were affiliated with some type of religion. The map below shows the major religion per state.
If we only look at the Catholic religion, which is the major religion in most all states, has an estimated 23,000 churches across the United States where its 53 million parishioners worship. If evenly spread for each of the 50 states that would be 460 Catholic churches per state with an average of 2,400 adherents per church. Taking into account the remaining religions, we can deduct that the population of religious adherents could be a factor in the rise of “Mega-Churches”.
This rise can also been due to the willingness of worshippers to drive a distance to a place they feel comfortable. The shear number of potential congregants has multiplied exponentially compared to the walking distance community central church. Choice and competition are now helping make decisions on where to worship. While marketing and tailored programs to attract congregants are now the tools of the modern religion.
Worship has also changed; Religion has modernized its approach to service. Service now is known to include stage lighting, video screens, alternative services and expanded services. Services are now held on almost any day of the week or at least some type of event sponsored by the religious institution.
The paradigm for the liturgy is once again the theatrical event, in which the priest and ministers are the actors.
The church building is now used for more reasons than worship. “Besides its primary role of providing a suitable place for the celebration of the liturgical rites, the church building also offers a place to which individuals may come to pray in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, and in which groups of the faithful may gather for a rich variety of devotions expressive of the faith life of a give culture, region, or ethnic community.” The program of a typical religious building now consists of a bookstore, child care center, preschool, computer labs, gymnasium and youth ministries, no longer just a space to worship, a table and a chair.
Tags: architecture, buildings, christianity, church, churches, jewish, religion, worship
Americans have drifted away from the days of the residence above a business and now have adapted to the long commute and the dependence on the automobile. Dunphy (1997), In the United States from 1950-1990 the suburbs grew from 23%-47% (150 million to 250 million) while the cities declined from 33%-29% of the population. The Industrial Revolution started the trend where families no longer worked together either on the farm or as tradesmen. Men went to work at the factories and the women were homemakers. Today, Calthorpe (2000) claims “Everyone wants a detached home in the suburbs” and “25% of the populations buying new homes are middle-class families with kids.” The fact is the suburbanites who have taken to their subdivisions, 2-car garage and trips to the strip mall have not been given another option. There are other options. A development in Hackbridge, Sutton (UK) has come up with a possible solution to the environmental problem. This Zero-Energy Live/Work development they have created, dubbed BedZED, makes a sustainable stance in design as well.
The BedZED development is important to the Architectural community because it is bringing to light that this type of eco-friendly structure is possible, a
affordable and that there is a want and need for it in today’s world. Gregory (2003) “ZED Factory has been inundated with people wanting to do a ZED (a zero energy development). With a wait list of over 700 people it is clear that BedZED is responding to a real need, and when sufficient clusters of people emerge other developments will be built.” Dunster claims that he plays developers at their own game, being able to present a comparable home for the same price, but with the promise of an environmentally sound structure. Change is tough but knowledge is key. Upfront costs can be made back with time, in this case acheived by reclaiming brownfields, recycling materials and a design that allows a living structure. It is very possible to replicate and produce the same results on a regular basis, as long as someone is willing to take that chance at change.
“Building, structures are what it is all about. Many “environmentally” sensitive buildings go unnoticed due to their “low profile”; and yet deserve to be recognized and set forward as an example of good Architecture.” William Allen (2004). The low-profile of such buildings must no longer go unnoticed and the public must understand its responsibility to mother earth for the sake of their health and the future for our children.
Tags: americans, architecture, BedZED, green, social problems, suburbs, Sustainable, technology
Can it be said that the car companies are victims of their own success?
Think about this, cars last longer, much longer than decades ago. So if you have these cars that last longer, why do you need to purchase a new car as often? You don’t! Even if you need to get a replacement vehicle, you can get a used car for half the cost! So the market for new cars shrunk not just because of the economy, but the NEED is no longer as strong.
So can it be said that the car companies are victims of their own success?
Do they have to file bankruptcy because they improved their products overall life by so much?
Tags: automobile, automotive, bankrupt, car, chrysler, ford, gm, nissan, toyota, vehicle, vehicles, victim
In a recent story published Globe Newspaper Company, the issue of BIM (Building Image Modeling) has been brought to the mainstream eye. As a 3d-modeler in the architecture business myself I find it nice to see someone realizing the value 3d models can have.
“This is a paradigm shift in the industry,” said David S. Dutton, Suffolk’s manager of estimating services.
BIM has been around for more than a decade, but only in recent years has it become the industry standard. The process was used in an estimated 60 percent of commercial and institutional construction projects in 2008, up from 30 percent in 2007 and 15 percent in 2006, said Jan Reinhardt of Adept Project Delivery, a Pittsburgh firm Suffolk hired to consult on its BIM efforts.
In almost all cases, officials said, the process saves time and money. It also eliminates the often testy meetings between subcontractors as they try to determine how to make changes to a building under construction. With BIM, conflicts are resolved in meetings that take place before a shovel goes in the ground.
Find the entire article at: BIM Article
Tags: 3d, architecture, BIM, construction, Discussion, estimating, image, model, modeler, project
An Architect’s Guide To Choosing The Right Drafting Stool
A standard component of any office’s design is a comfortable office chair The average work day is 8 hours, and while you have a lunch break and a couple of coffee breaks spread out intermittently throughout your day, the majority of your time is probably spent crouched over your desk. Given the amount of time spent down sitting down, making sure you have a chair that properly and comfortably supports you is absolutely essential. For architects, having the proper seating in your studio is equally important.
Sure, most standard office chairs are height adjustable, but they really don’t offer enough height for use with a drafting table or a counter-height work surface. Not only does a drafting chair/stool provide more in the way of height, it lends itself better for use with the large width and depth of angled drafting table surface. Here is a basic guide on choosing the right drafting chair for your home studio or office space.
Height Matters:
The first thing you need to consider is the height of your main work surface. While a normal office chair might work best if you use a standard size desk with a flat, horizontal work surface, if your work surface is angled in any way you might want to consider a drafting chair.
A drafting chair should put the lowest edge of your work surface at about elbow height. The seat height should be adjustable (most drafting chairs today have this feature), allowing you to work comfortably anywhere on your work surface. If you work in a shared office space, it’s imperative that you search for a drafting chair that has a larger height adjustment range.
Turn Me Right Round…:
A swivel feature is absolutely essential component to any drafting chair. The swivel function helps to encourage proper posture, keeping you from twisting and turning your upper body when you get up or turn around in your chair. Having a drafting chair with a swivel function also makes working in a collaborative environment easier, giving you additional freedom of movement.
Other Essential Features:
Other important features to look for in a drafting chair include a foot ring, an ergonomically-contoured design and comfortable seating.
- Foot Ring: Since you are sitting higher up off the ground, your feet need somewhere to go. Having a foot ring is therefore a necessity! Your best bet is to purchase a drafting chair with a 360 degree adjustable foot ring. Positioned above the base of the chair, the foot ring allows you to rest your feet flat since you can’t likely reach the ground. Helping to maintain proper posture, a circular foot ring will support your feet whichever way you swivel in your chair.
- Ergonomics & Comfortability: Don’t skimp and purchase a cheap drafting chair if you plan on using it for hours upon hours. Working all day in a chair with little to no back support is a bad idea all around. You risk serious injury, not to mention general to severe discomfort. Your drafting chair needs to have both lower and upper back support.
Chair backs need to be adjustable as well to account for all heights and body types. Backless drafting chairs are not recommended for extended periods. Perhaps a model with adjustable arm rests is a good idea as well, depending on your preference. Arm rests do provide additional support, but sometimes get in the way of your arm movement. Certain models like Herman Miller’s Aeron Work Stool feature a tilt system that actually keeps the sitter’s feet, arms and back support in place whether he is reclining or leaning forward, providing for a seamless transition between postures.
A high quality drafting chair could cost you between $300 and $1,000 so it’s definitely an investment. Whether or not you decide to purchase one should be based on personal preference. You also need to take into consideration your current studio’s layout. If you’re planning on purchasing a new drafting table, it’s definitely time to upgrade your chair as well. Look at it this way – the more comfortable you are sitting down, the more productive you are likely going to be. If you are suffering, then your work is most likely suffering as well.
Tags: architect, architecture, chair, desk, furniture, guide, Marketing, office, seat, seating
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Sustainable “Green” architecture, is a general term that describes environmentally-conscious design techniques in the field of architecture. Sustainable architecture is framed by the larger discussion of sustainability and the pressing economic and political issues of our world. In the broad context, sustainable architecture seeks to minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings by enhancing efficiency and moderation in the use of materials, energy, and development space. – Wikipedia.org
Historically speaking, building took into account many factors that the technology of today has let us overlook; Factors such as building orientation, natural light, using local materials and designing to minimize expensive excess, to name a few. Architects can specify tile that comes from Italy, steel that must be expensively procured, shipped and attached, and designing HVAC to overcome bad design so that everyone is comfortable. The question is why we have gone away from responsible designing and building techniques; because we are used to taking technology and what we are able to get for granted. Just because you can get something, does that mean you should? Architects like Frank Lloyd Wright were known for using site materials for construction and being “Organic Architecture”. That doesn’t mean they are sustainable structures, but many are very good examples of what could be done easily in today’s society to maintain environmental sensitivity. Not all sustainable buildings have to use expensive solar panels or windmills to be considered “green”.
Interesting Religious “Green” websites:
http://www.nccecojustice.org/grbuilding.htm
http://www.greenerbuildings.com
http://www.churchsolutionsmag.com/articles/3b1Feat1.html
http://store.churchlawtodaystore.com/creachdo.html
http://www.rca.org
Tags: architecture, development, Discussion, economic, efficiency, environment, environmentally, green, Sustainable
The following is a brainstorm for designing a ZERO ENERGY residential structure in Detroit, Michigan that I used several years ago.
Standard electric resistance 52 gallon storage tank
Collector rated at an energy production of 45,600 Btu/day at the low temperature (95°)
WHITE ROOFS:
o Altering residences to white roofs may reduce cooling energy needs.
o Average 19% reduction
o White tile provides the best cooling related performance post WWII nearly all roofs were white
Super Efficient Refrigerator (Kenmore 55792)
PHOTOVOLTIC MODULES:
o Single crystalline modules have a maximum power rating of 75W
o BYPASS diodes are installed in each module to minimize loss due partial shading
Interior mounted duct system (R-5 flex ducts)
WIND POWER:
o One of the most promising new energy sources that can serve as an alternative to fossil fuel-generated electricity
o Wind Power COULD be our main source of electricity
§ 20% of supply with only 1% of the US land
o Large numbers of wind generators are required to produce useful amounts of heat or electricity
SOLAR POWER:
o The sun provides enough energy in 1 MINUTE to supply the world’s energy needs for 1 YEAR
o Used in 2 forms: thermal & photovoltaic
§ To warm building, heat water & generate electricity
§ Cell-module-panel-array-array field
o Non-polluting, no moving parts that could break down, requires little maintenance and has a life of 20-30 years with low running costs
o An average home has more than enough roof area to produce enough solar energy to supply all of it’s power needs
o The solar equipment will eventually pay for itself in 2-5 years depending on the amount of sun the location receives
REQUIREMENTS:
o KITCHEN-20 amp small appliance circuit
o APPLIANCES-separate circuits for built-in’s
o LAUNDRY-20 amp circuit with a 240-volt circuit
o OUTLETS-1 circuit for every 575 SF; any point must be within 65 feet for an outlet; maximum height for an outlet is 5.5 feet; any wall 2’ wide must have an outlet; hallway requires 10 foot/outlet
o BATHROOM-separate 20amp circuit
Tags: brainstorm, check list, design, Discussion, environment, environmentally, green, ideas, Sustainable
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