The new Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Based Outpatient Clinic in San Antonio, Texas, offers patients, medical professionals, staff and visitors an environment promoting health, life-safety and well-being. Representing these principles, Hoefer Wysocki designed the building's main entry with sweeping curved exterior as a "healing embrace."
Everything has a life-cycle. Even buildings. Though they may be comprised of seemingly permanent materials such as concrete, masonry, metal, glass, or wood, our buildings slowly deteriorate; or may be adapted to changing needs; they may be gutted, expanded, or sometimes even contracted.
The addition at McHenry West High School in McHenry, Ill., became necessary with the consolidation of 10th through 12th graders at the west campus. The new area would focus on “science, technology and industry offering college and career-oriented pathways.”
The threat of climate change isn't just impacting the planet's temperature. Warmer conditions also create more severe weather events that are catching cities flatfooted. In addition to putting people at risk, these weather disasters also made it difficult or impossible to access the vital services—including hospitals—that they need in challenging times.
Whole-building pressurization testing is becoming standard practice for building projects. Many common energy conservation standards and model codes now exhibit requirements for enclosure airtightness, which are to be achieved through measured air leakage rates.
The architecture of tomorrow must be created for a healthy planet as well as all of the people who live on it. Sustainability has risen to the forefront of cultural discussion over the last few years. As a result, green design has become significantly more popular in plans for new buildings around the world.
Building Enclosure | BuildingEnclosureOnline.com | Spring 2022
