Interior Design Hall of Fame: The Fame Game
from Interior Design
Interior Design magazine presented the 24th annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Dec. 3. Inductees this year included the engineer/architect team of Gwynne Pugh and Lawrence Scarpa; the designer Takashi Sugimoto of Super Potato; the architect/interior designer team of Steven Harris and Lucien Rees-Roberts; and 82-year-old Erwin Hauer, who received a de-facto lifetime achievement award, as well as a couple of standing ovations. Highlighting the evening was the awards ceremony itself, which featured the audio-visual wizardry of Marino Zullich in the form of four mini-documentaries. More

Healthcare Facilities Want You to Take Notice
from Contract Magazine
Most recently, there have been numerous surveys documenting that healthcare facilities are being highly influenced by commercial markets such hospitality, residential, spas, and even corporate spaces. Some facilities have become more hospitable in their care by pampering patients and their families. Some have requested more sophisticated details and materials in their spaces, and yet others are running their businesses more competitively in order to attract the best and most valuable staff along with providing a positive experience. More

Balancing Design Excellence and Building Security at New U.S. Embassies
from AIArchitect
Design excellence and providing secure facilities for American personnel working overseas need not be incompatible. The new U.S. embassy in Berlin, designed by Moore Ruble Yudell Architects and Planners with Gruen Associates, illustrates how sensitivity to site, architectural design, sustainability, local building codes, and security criteria can be skillfully merged in a single facility. More

Weber State Seeks Interior Design Accreditation
from ABC- Idaho Falls, Pocatello
Weber State University officials are hoping their school will become the second in the state of Utah to have an accredited interior design program. The university will find out in February if it will recognized by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. Utah State University has been accredited since 1992. More

Acoustical Ceiling System Earns High Marks at Rhode Island School
from FacilitiesNet
The 2,400-square-foot multi-purpose cafeteria at St. Michael’s Country Day School in Newport, R.I., suffered acoustically from both high reverberation time and high levels of background noise. The reason: The cafeteria’s exposed concrete ceiling deck, drywall walls, vinyl on concrete floor, and wood and glass doors offered little acoustic control of lunchtime noise. More

Gensler Design Will Be China's Tallest Building
from Interior Design
A recent groundbreaking began on what will be--when completed in 2014--China's tallest building. Designed by global architecture and design firm Gensler, the 2,070-foot Shanghai Tower boasts extensive green features and is the last of the three giant towers planned for the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone. Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co. is the developer. Conceived as nine cylindrical buildings stacked one atop another, the tower will include upscale office space, retail, a luxury hotel, and cultural venues. Looking for an adreniline rush? Step out on to the world’s highest non-enclosed observation deck, which will be built on the uppermost floors. More

McDonald's Tests New Store Design
from QSR Magazine
With the help of cutting-edge interior design firm Whitehead and Appel, a Maryland-based McDonald's franchise owner is pioneering a new interior design approach for the fast-food chain. According to McDonald's franchisee owners Bob and Barbara Houck, the re-design of the Pikesville, Md., store may be considered a model for other McDonald's nationwide. "We hope the Whitehead and Appel design will expand the trend toward a fresh, sophisticated look for the chain," Barbara says. "Our goal was to create a warm and inviting store that is accessible to all members of the community." More

Interior Design Best of Year Awards Wrap Up at the Guggenheim
from Interior Design
Interior Design hosted the third installment of its annual Best of Year Awards, sponsored by Edelman Leather, at New York's Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. The most celebrated designers and architects of 2008 filled the museum rotunda anticipating the announcement of the winners. More