Monthly Archives: May 2018

As reported by National Geographic this month, iconic buildings are often celebrated for their architecture that has withstood the test of time, but what lies beneath those favorite, enduring facades – the cladding and infrastructure -- does not usually hold up so well. The majority of the world’s most famous structures were built long before sustainability, climate change, recycling and energy efficiency were key trends and mainstream buzz words. Enter the age of retrofit and restoration, which has (thankfully!) become the prevailing practice in preserving vintage structures worldwide. Some iconic structures that have set an example for others to follow include the Empire State Building in New York, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Sydney Opera House in Australia, the Reichstag in Berlin and the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco.

When the aging Georgia King Village in Newark, New Jersey, was in need of a major makeover, L+M Development Partners and Sto Corp. worked together to restore the 18-story, affordable housing towers. By installing a new exterior to replace the uninsulated precast concrete facade, and using a StoTherm® ci Essence system, the building envelope was upgraded and now provides a more energy efficient, more comfortable, and more attractive residential experience.

For decades, documentary films have been chronicling the lives of famous architects and their signature projects, as well as how architecture impacts the world we see and live in, and how design can be stretched beyond the wildest imagination. This week we take a look at architecture films – both past and present – that are worthy of an evening at the movies.

The “Evolution of Building Enclosures”, published by Construction Specifier, addresses what’s being called the conundrum facing modern building designers who must balance the need to keep a building dry, airtight, thermally efficient, and code compliant. This in-depth, technical report offers many insights into current building codes as they relate to air-moisture barriers and continuous insulation (especially codes for combustibility). As more architectural firms push the limits of building design, ensuring a safe and efficient building envelope is becoming more complex.