How do you modernize a historic school campus while creating healthier, higher-performing spaces for the next generation of students? We’re looking forward to the DAC Building of the Day Tour at Truesdell Elementary School, where attendees will get an inside look at a thoughtful transformation in the heart of Brightwood Park. SK&A Structural Engineers was pleased to provide structural engineering services for this modernization, which included the renovation of the original 1920s-era building and two new additions organized around a central courtyard designed to strengthen connection, circulation, and community. A standout feature of the project is the new activities wing, where a long-span mass timber roof with glulam beams and CLT decking creates open, light-filled spaces for the gymnasium and dining commons. It also marked one of the first significant uses of mass timber within a DC Public Schools project. The tour will also highlight the project’s Net-Zero energy ready approach and pursuit of LEED Gold certification, reflecting how today’s schools can support learning, wellness, and long-term sustainability. SK&A Associate J. David Pirnia, PE will be in attendance and looks forward to connecting with fellow professionals, architects, educators, and project partners. If you’ll be there, be sure to say hello. #AIA #AIADC #WashingtonDC #K12Design #EducationDesign #MassTimber #SustainableDesign #StructuralEngineering #DCConstruction #AECintheDMV

It’s not every day you see the University of Sydney alumni return to reshape the spaces where their own journeys began. Susan and Garry Rothwell once studied architecture here, and their $40 million gift, part of a $74 million co-investment in the new University of Sydney architecture design planning precinct, will help us create a new building for future students. It’s a generous commitment that will enrich the studios, workshops and collaborative spaces that sit at the heart of architectural education. A meaningful legacy for the students who will follow in their footsteps. https://lnkd.in/gVYFDa3C #USYDForGood #USYDalumni #LeadershipForGood

What does it mean to educate architects who design the built environment in pursuit of more just and responsive communities? https://lnkd.in/e7gqaVjD Nekelle Thomas, a fourth-year student in the Department of Architecture in the Penn State Stuckeman School in the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture has been recognized with the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) 2025 Robert L. Wesley Award, an honor that signals excellence in design, leadership, and sustained commitment to community impact. The award highlights work that connects rigorous architectural inquiry with practical, lived contexts, demonstrating how design education can engage social responsibility alongside creative ambition. This recognition reflects the College of Arts & Architecture 2026–2030 strategic plan, particularly its focus on student success, ethical engagement, and design as a public good. Supporting students whose work integrates scholarship, creativity, and civic purpose advances the college’s vision for inclusive, forward-looking education. Consider how cultivating student leadership strengthens our collective mission. Penn State University #Architecture #StudentAchievement #DesignForImpact #MakingPossibilitiesPossible #Design #StudentSuccess

The future market for lumber is being shaped right now—in the classroom and on job sites where the next generation of architects is learning. The SLB recently sponsored a 2-day field trip for 32 Texas A&M University College of Architecture students, led by Professor James Tate. They saw how southern yellow pine is processed at Steely Lumber in Huntsville, visited Georgia-Pacific LLC's sawmill in Pineland, toured Sterling Structural CLT's manufacturing facility in Lufkin, and examined real-world mass timber construction at a Texas A&M Forest Service office building in Hudson built with regionally sourced glulam and CLT. "Seeing the lumber being processed and manufactured was extremely helpful to how we'll approach design," one student reflected. Another noted, "Learning the process from planting trees to harvesting shows how sustainable the timber industry is." By investing in hands-on education, the SLB is cultivating architects who will confidently specify wood-based systems for decades to come. Faculty and investors interested in organizing a workshop should contact Education Director Reed Kelterborn at info@softwoodlumberboard.org.

In true Dragon’s Den fashion, Fairhurst entered Edinburgh Napier University’s Integrated Engineering Design (IED) event, with Jay Kidd taking the chair as industry “Dragon,” hosted by Dr Kenneth Leitch. The challenge for the 5th year MEng Civil Engineering students? Design a sustainable 8,500‑capacity arena… no small task! Armed with sharp technical and commercial questions, Jay listened to the presentations and put each team through their paces, testing assumptions, probing viability, and weighing the merits of each scheme. The time came where a verdict had to be made…. the competition was tough but impressive—so impressive that it ended in a dead heat! 🐉 The quality of work was excellent, especially given that the students are balancing this alongside other modules and dissertations. It was fantastic to see how two teams tackled the same brief in completely different, creative ways, proving there’s more than one smart solution in engineering that is worth investing in👏 Well done, all!  #Fairhurst #EarlyCareers #CivilEngineering #EdinburghNapierUniversity

Made Architects have been appointed by the City of London School to assist in the development and transformation of their Student Entrance on St Peters Hill.   We are pleased to announce that the scheme has now received planning approval, interventions include a lightweight canopy and glazed facade elements which will announce the school on this prestigious thoroughfare at the heart of the city. This is a complex approval, situated directly within the protected view sight lines of St Paul’s Cathedral from the River Thames, from over the ‘blade of light’ footbridge, and the Tate Modern.   Working with North South Consultants and BSP Engineers, this scheme will be built and delivered over the next few months.   #heartofthecity #madearchitects #cls #education #architects

Little Singer Community School was designed to reflect both culture and community while delivering long-term performance through concrete masonry construction. This 32,000-square-foot campus replaces the school’s aging twin geodesic domes with a modern facility rooted in cultural meaning. The design incorporates intersecting circular masonry walls that symbolize the four previous Navajo worlds emerging into the present world. Additional cultural references include sacred mountain symbolism and multi-colored masonry that reflects traditional colors important to the Navajo Nation. At the heart of the school, a high-ceilinged, round classroom serves as a cultural learning center, inspired by the form of a traditional hogan. The project is also designed with passive solar strategies and is pursuing LEED certification, supporting both environmental performance and long-term efficiency. For K–12 facilities, design decisions shape how students experience their environment every day. Materials must perform reliably while supporting architecture that reflects the identity of the community it serves. Take a closer look at Little Singer Community School and see how thoughtful masonry design supports both cultural expression and long-term performance. https://bit.ly/42ktSwB

From Blueprint to Brick: How Hands-On Training is Strengthening the Future of Construction in NYC - Bridging the Gap Between Design and Craftsmanship At the John B. Scola Training Center in Long Island City with Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1 New York a powerful collaboration is taking place—bringing architects out of the office and into the field. Brick Instructor Kevin Rice, at a recent Architects Hands-On Masonry Day gave design professionals the opportunity to experience firsthand what it takes to build the structures that define New York City. This wasn’t just a demonstration—it was an immersive, educational experience designed to strengthen understanding, respect, and collaboration between architects and union tradespeople. Watch the overview from Kevin Rice in the link below: https://hubs.li/Q04cDGrq0

Spokane Public Schools has selected Bouten Construction to lead the $40 million modernization of North Central High School, focusing on renovating the building’s oldest sections. Bouten was chosen for its competitive bid of approximately $2.7 million and advanced cost-estimating technology. The project remains in the design phase, with construction planned to proceed while classes continue. - Bouten Construction was the lowest bidder among finalists and previously built Yasuhara Middle School. - The renovation includes a new parking structure and upgraded theater audio-visual systems. - Design work is expected to continue through March 2027 before construction begins. This project highlights the district’s commitment to modernizing facilities while managing costs effectively. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g_ya3R3X #PRESWERX #WashingtonConstruction