Hill West Architects, the award-winning NYC-based architecture and design firm, announced that Olympia has been selected as a finalist for the 2023 World Architecture Festival in the Completed Buildings - Housing category.

Building Enclosure was recently joined by Ari Aufgang, Principal of Aufgang, a firm specializing in affordable and supportive housing in NYC. Ariel discussed his experience with creating supportive and inclusive housing, his challenges, and lessons he has learned along the way.

The design goal of the project was to improve tenant comfort (lighting, circulation, accessibility) while strengthening the residential community and its identity.

Simpson Strong-Tie introduced a new line of fire wall hangers designed to install with a power nailer during framing, saving time before hanging drywall and keeping construction projects on schedule.

Adding to the window energy efficiency was the use of trickle ventilators on the operating windows. Trickle ventilators, extensively used in Europe, provide a convenient alternative to opening windows for fresh air exchange without energy loss of the space conditioned interior air.

With 298 units and numerous amenities, Artisan is the first completed component of the Circle Square Master Plan, which is designed to develop a mixed-use, walkable community featuring retail, office, parking, and residential spaces. 

Vero Building System’s expanded polystyrene panels are modular and enclosed by double-galvanized steel mesh. The panels can be used to build residential single-family homes, multi-family buildings, schools, hospitals, bridges, restaurants, office buildings, industrial sheds and more.

When evaluating the prospective location for a multi-family residential project, there are many factors that should be considered. Chief among them is a factor that is often overlooked: potentially intrusive existing noise sources around the building site.

A new 290-unit apartment building called Parc Haven Apartments is one of the standout additions. It features industrial-style metal cladding that references the train tracks it adjoins, along with colorful metal panel highlights that nod to the park’s signature sculpture sited directly across the street.

The compact campus employs modular units to create individual sleeping units, most with private bathrooms, connected to other residents by shared services and community spaces. Instead of the congregate dorm-style shelters found in many U.S. cities, this approach gives each resident a private, lockable, conditioned sleeping space.