Story Category: All

Embracing Possibilism

“When we refuse to accept the status quo as inevitable and strive to bring about change, we can have a powerful effect in inspiring others to do the same” – Sarah Ichioka + Michael Pawlyn This year’s fires, heat waves, floods, and storms have certainly brought a heightened understanding of the devastating effects of climate... Read more »

Reflections on teaching

Brian takes his teaching work as an opportunity to reorient architecture toward the humanities. Architects that teach: it’s a thing. Throughout the history of the profession, architects have learned their trade in some variation of an apprenticeship model - weathered practitioners mentoring young apprentices to become the next generation of professionals. Because of the deep... Read more »

Designing for Place

Progression and reuse are two central components of this planning process. We say it often - the most sustainable building is the one that is already built. As designers, we seek to understand as much as possible about a place before beginning our work. Josh Lacasse joined the Placework team about a year ago, and... Read more »

Designing for People

"Really, we are designing with people, not simply for them.” – Placework Project Manager Liz Nguyen   The heart of designing authentic places is understanding people. At Placework, our team spends a lot of time talking about and designing for building performance and environmental sustainability. But the core of our work is the health and... Read more »

Planning for Resilience

  “Humans created the challenges facing this site, but it’s by turning back toward the natural world where we find inspiration.” Climate Change. Preservation. Culture. These words evoke complex ideas, connotations, definitions, and emotions. For Placework, they also define our work with and for Strawbery Banke Museum.  Our most recent project addresses all three: a... Read more »

Our First Anniversary

 As we look to the future, we’re thinking about improvement not only within Placework, but how we can drive positive change.   Celebrating B Corps Around the table at Placework we contemplate important questions daily. Bold inquiry is a part of our everyday life, because how can we envision a better future if we aren’t... Read more »

Nature-Based Education

At Placework we think deeply about the assets of the natural world and how we can act as responsible stewards so that future generations can inhabit thriving natural ecosystems that coexist with the built environment. “It was a life changing day - seeing what can happen outdoors, feeling how it impacted me, and how it... Read more »

Living Future Accreditation

The course of study which Brian recently undertook is Living Future Accreditation, a professional credential that recognizes proficiency in the world’s most ambitious, advanced, and holistic sustainable design standards. It’s a big thought - a building is not just a mechanical thing, it is a living thing. There were many “aha!” moment’s for Principal Brian... Read more »

PODCAST INSPIRATION

“We know for certain is that when we refuse to accept the status quo as inevitable and strive to bring about change, we can have a powerful effect in inspiring others to do the same.” – Sarah Ichioka + Michael Pawlyn Do you turn to podcasts to be riveted by true crime, learn new things,... Read more »

CLINTON SHEERR AWARD

Placework co-founder Alyssa Murphy was recognized with AIA New Hampshire's highest honor at their annual awards event, as recently reported in the New England Real Estate Journal:   Kennsington, NH Alyssa Murphy, AIA, of Placework is the winner of the 2022 Clinton Sheerr Award for Excellence in New Hampshire Architecture. The prize was presented by the... Read more »