GAME CHANGERS: 6 projects that rewrite the rules of commercial design and construction

“I ought to be jealous of the tower. She is more famous than I am.” Sorry Gustave, but your sentiments ring truer today than they did 126 years ago, when your tower took Paris by storm. The Eiffel Tower, designed and built by engineer Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World’s Fair, stood as the globe’s tallest structure for 41 years. More importantly, it served as a beacon of innovation during the early days of metal-framed buildings.

Each year, there are a handful of milestone projects, like Gustave’s tower, that advance the AEC industry. BD+C’s inaugural Game Changers report highlights today’s pacesetting projects, from a prefab high-rise in China to a breakthrough research lab in the Midwest. Enjoy! (Bonus: Check out our timeline of 52 game-changing buildings through the years.)

Photo: Connie Zhou Photography

PNC's 'breathing' tower redefines the modern office building

Natural breezes flow through the banking giant's new 33-story, double-skin tower in Pittsburgh. Read more.

Model: Centerbrook Architects & Planners

Mayo Clinic's breakthrough research lab puts evidence-based design to the test

Mayo teams up with Delos to bring hard science to EBD research. Read more.

Photo: Tesla Motors

Tesla: Battery storage is not just about electric vehicles

With his $5 billion, 13.6 million-sf Gigafactory, Tesla’s Elon Musk seeks to change the economics of battery energy storage, forever. Read more.

Photo: Broad Sustainable Building

Asia’s modular miracle

A prefab construction company in China built a 57-story tower in 19 days. Here’s how they did it. Read more.

Photo: Wavegarden

Mega surf parks take entertainment to new extremes

Wave-making technologies vie for attention, as surfing is shortlisted for 2020 Olympic Games. Read more.

Rendering: NBBJ

London’s ’shadowless’ towers

Using advanced design computation, a design team demonstrates how to "erase" a building’s shadows. Read more.

TIMELINE: 52 game-changing buildings through the years

From the E.V. Haughwout Building (first passenger elevator) to the Sackett-Wilhelms printing plant (first building with modern AC), BD+C editors present a timeline of the pacesetting projects from the past 170 years. Read more.

In February, Amsterdam saw the opening of a new underwater bicycle parking facility. Located in the heart of the city—next to Amsterdam Central Station and under the river IJ (Amsterdam’s waterfront)—the facility, dubbed IJboulevard, has parking spots for over 4,000 bicycles, freeing up space on the street.

AEC Innovators | Mar 3, 2023

Meet BD+C's 2023 AEC Innovators

More than ever, AEC firms and their suppliers are wedding innovation with corporate responsibility. How they are addressing climate change usually gets the headlines. But as the following articles in our AEC Innovators package chronicle, companies are attempting to make an impact as well on the integrity of their supply chains, the reduction of construction waste, and answering calls for more affordable housing and homeless shelters. As often as not, these companies are partnering with municipalities and nonprofit interest groups to help guide their production.

eMOD is among the top 50 startups listed by Cemex Ventures

AEC Tech Innovation | Jan 24, 2023

ConTech investment weathered last year’s shaky economy

Investment in construction technology (ConTech) hit $5.38 billion last year (less than a 1% falloff compared to 2021) from 228 deals, according to CEMEX Ventures’ estimates. The firm announced its top 50 construction technology startups of 2023.

Game Changers | Oct 4, 2019

Call to action: BD+C is looking for the industry’s next game-changing projects

Is your firm working on a project that could be the next advance in design, engineering, technology, or construction? If so, send us information about it for possible inclusion in our upcoming “Game Changers” feature.