Architecture Billings Still Low, but New Project Inquiries Increase
from AIA
Business conditions at architecture firms remain very weak, but the period of steepest declines may be nearing its end, AIA reports. New project inquiries are up more than 10 points since December in the latest AIA’s Architecture Billings Index. More

Designing for Health: Maximizing the Impact of Art in Architecture
from Contract Magazine
In evaluating art for the healthcare environment, evidence-based research demonstrates stress-reducing effects of certain positive distractions; mostly through access to nature. A small number of studies have also found that nature scenes in representational art are preferred by more patients over chaotic, abstract art. Considering this research, can the "rules" be stretched when defining art programs for healthcare—without restrictions defined by conventional expectations for imagery or format—to lead to positive effects? Independent art curator Nancy Rosen states, "It's good to free ourselves from what's already been done and think more broadly about the potential role of art and artists." More

Cool Products for the Home
from BusinessWeek
BusinessWeek shares its pick of the most innovative products shown at this year’s International Home & Housewares Show in Chicago on March 22-24, which included more than 2,000 exhibitors from 30 countries. More

Hand Hygiene Monitor Proves Effective in Changing Healthcare Worker Behavior
from Healthcare Design Magazine
Epidemiologists and computer scientists at the University of Iowa have collaborated to create a new low-cost, green technology for automatically tracking the use of hand hygiene dispensers before healthcare workers enter and after they exit patient rooms. The results of a pilot study using this novel method of monitoring hand hygiene compliance were released at the annual meeting of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). More

GSA Honors Design Excellence in Federal Architecture
from Contract Magazine
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) presented honors to18 projects as part of its Design for Excellence Program, now in its fifteenth year. More

Envisioning the Future of Shopping Centers
from Interiors & Sources
From the earliest days of shopping centers, designers have constantly analyzed the shopping-center concept, invited new ideas, and raised centers to a higher level. All of these individuals, whether they’re architects, designers, owners, or developers, have been visionaries. Now, to stimulate new visions for the industry, the Intl. Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) invites industry professionals to dare to dream and envision what the architectural innovations of the shopping center of the future will be in 2029 to 2059 through its “Future Image” Architecture Competition. More

Strategies for Moving through Space
from Architectural Record
Three firms devise transitions for their clients’ spaces—a Chicago furniture showroom, a Washington, D.C. office, and an Arizona yoga studio—via unique spatial arrangements, material choices, and contextual references, as well as the subtle integration of light and color. More

W Hotels Worldwide Unveils Renovation of Iconic W New York-Times Square
from Fox Business
W Hotels Worldwide, the hotel category buster and industry innovator, announced the completion of a full guestroom renovation of the iconic W New York-Times Square. Developed in collaboration with the property's initial designer, award-winning interior design firm Yabu Pushelberg, the renovation of W New York-Times Square combines form, function and style with cutting-edge design to create a cool urban escape in the heart of New York City. The renovation of W New York-Times Square represents a key milestone as the brand continues to update its initial portfolio while expanding into vibrant, primary destinations throughout North America and internationally. A New York-born brand, W Hotels Worldwide currently has five hotels in Manhattan and will open two new hotels in the area in the next year with the debuts of W Hoboken this spring and W New York-Downtown in early 2010. More

Check Out the New Check-in Style
from Los Angeles Times
Andaz, a new, hip hotel brand from Hyatt, has no lobby telephones or agents behind imposing counters. Andaz is one of the first U.S. hotels to do away with a front desk. More

Fine to the Finish
from Fort Worth Star-Telegram
A great view is a pretty standard demand for a luxury-condo owner. It’s the particular view that he wanted that made Bruton Smith’s idea stand out. Smith, a billionaire who built a financial empire on NASCAR racing. He had 40 condos built overlooking his first racetrack, Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. It’s hard to keep from gaping at first sight of the cantilevered wall of glass that runs the length of the living/dining room, affording a ringside view of the racetrack from 10 stories up, just past Turn 2. Emphasizing that these living quarters are all about that view is a row of 14 cushy theater-style seats (cup holders included, of course) running the length of the windows. Who needs a viewing-stands suite when your condo view is this sweet? More

Glass Restaurant Lined with a Living Green Wall
from Inhabitat
Located in Mexico City, Restaurant Japonez offers hungry souls searching for Asian-inspired dishes a serene landscape seated between a stunning living wall, wood, and an incredible glass enclosure. Designed by Serrano Cherrem Architects, the double-height space allows for tons of natural lighting during the day and lets in the city at night, creating a juxtaposition that brings the city indoors into the organic nature of the restaurant’s interior. More