On December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first State to ratify the U.S. Constitution. It’s currently nicknamed “The First State”.  The Delaware River and Bay were named after the governor of Virginia, Thomas West, Lord De La Warr by the explorer Samual Argall.  Delaware is also famous for a few of its oldest architectural landmarks. You’ll find just a few of them in the images and descriptions below.  Although these buildings weren’t designed by Architects as we know them today, they represent American architecture’s early beginnings. Perhaps the buildings and structures you design today will become tomorrows architectural legacies.

“The house is the purest example of the Usonian. It incorporates detailing improvements and combines all the standard elements in a mature and spatially varied interior. Its exterior has an almost overpowering horizontality. The street facade forms a cypress wall from which springs the carport, a 20-ft cantilever utilizing concealed steelwork. Ten years after construction, the Rosenbaum’s had Wright extend the house…” — John Sergeant. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian Houses: The Case for Organic Architecture. p42.

The Getty Foundation recently announced grants of over $1.7 million will be used for architectural conservation as part of its Keeping It Modern initiative. One of the eleven 20th-century buildings chosen is the iconic Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Keeping It Modern is an international grant program that prides itself on the architectural conservation of important buildings from the twentieth century. The program started in 2014 and has supported 54 grant projects so far.

Hurricane Michael has come and gone, leaving in its wake a path of destruction and devastation. Mexico Beach, Florida was leveled by the 155-mph winds. The few homes that remain standing have sustained crippling wind and water damage which could take months or even years to rebuild. With the exception of one. The ironically named, ‘Sand Castle’ home on Mexico Beach has sustained limited damage due to the foresight of the home’s designer. The home was built to withstand 240-250 mph winds rather than the standard 120 mph winds. Popular features such as large, ocean-facing windows and an overhanging roof were avoided in the design of the home, further protecting the house from hurricane force winds. While many of these measures are cost prohibitive for the average home builder, lessons can be learned here.

44 states require licensed architects to complete continuing education on a yearly, or bi-yearly basis. Non-compliance means loss of licensure. Each state requires different amounts of learning hours and course specifications. Most states require courses in Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW).

1st Time Renewals: Architects must renew their license the year after initial licensure. For example, an architect licensed in 2017 must renew by December 31st, 2018. After this, they start a two-year cycle. Continuing education is prorated based on the duration of licensure. The state will inform you of your first cycle requirements.
Subsequent Renewals: Architects must complete a minimum of 24 HSW continuing education hours by December 31st every two years.

In the 20th century, Architects began to shift the perception of what it means to be an Architect. Previously art, design, and construction were performed by the local artist. As the times changed the ego of the Architect began to expand. It wasn’t until 1958 that the UK established its elitist Architectural education system. The system in 2018 has yet to see any major changes and remains un-evolved. This way of teaching has led to “standard” practices in design from door handles to entire layouts. What used to be artistic splendor has turned into the opposite of innovation: bland enovation.

Between the years 2008-2015, Make It Right set out to build 150 homes in New Orleans to replace ruined homes. These houses were sold at affordable prices to former residents but many of them houses started deteriorating much sooner than expected.

The 37-story 550 Madison, also known as AT&T Corporate Headquarters Building, was completed in 1984 by Philip Johnson and John Burgee, and is considered a benchmark of postmodernism as the first commercial skyscraper of that style. The building has a “Chippendale” roofline and pinkish-grey granite that helps it stand out among its Midtown Manhattan neighbors.  The Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) calls it “one of the most important postmodernist buildings in the world and it is one of Johnson/Burgee’s most celebrated works to this day.”

Located in Vietnam’s Truong Son Mountains—The Golden Bridge attracts tourists from around the globe. The French colonists used to settle in the Ba Na Hills area in 1919 but it’s now a mountainside resort, which holds a fantasy park and a French village with cobbled streets.