CONCERT

Our latest blog post summarizes the key issue facing the design industry - we spend too much time and energy on managing time and not enough on managing deliverables. Concert is a platform designed to manage deliverables creating the opportunity to achieve better outcomes through clearer communication, clear accountability, and a single source of truth for all your project data. #bettercommunication #design #architecture #construction #changemanagement

#AI in #AECO: A Limitless Reservoir of Possibility As AI transforms industries, the idea of “human-centric AI” provides an important framework — one that keeps humans in control, ensures ethical use and reinforces accountability. But if we focus only on how AI helps us work faster, we miss the bigger picture. AI isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about expanding what’s possible. Think of AI as a limitless reservoir of intelligence—a resource that allows us to tackle challenges we once considered too complex, too costly or too time-consuming. Just as the calculator didn’t replace mathematicians but empowered them to solve more advanced problems, AI in AECO should encourage us to be more ambitious, not less. With AI, we can evaluate problems more quickly in order to tackle second and third order problems, automate administrative tasks that used to slow us down and handle fine tuning without requiring a VDC professional to waste away their evening hours. This doesn’t replace expertise—it amplifies it. Architects can dedicate more time to design and strategy. Engineers can push technical innovation further. Project managers can make decisions with confidence. Owners and contractors can collaborate with greater transparency and trust. We are on the edge of something transformative. As AI reshapes AECO, the question is not how much time we save—but what new opportunities we create. At Concert, we are thinking deeply about how to harness AI in ways that empower the entire industry. What could AI make possible for you? #artificialintelligence https://loom.ly/G7AXVFU

Rebuild LA for LA. And Do It Fast. Los Angeles has been here before. Wildfires have always been part of the landscape, a threat woven into the fabric of life in Southern California. But each time disaster strikes, the real tragedy isn’t just the flames—it’s the slow response that follows. Deliberation replaces action. Bureaucracy replaces urgency. And the people who built their lives here are left waiting. This time, we have a choice. Rebuild LA for LA. That means ensuring that the people who lived and worked in these communities can return. It means rebuilding in a way that makes sense—efficiently, affordably, and with resilience for the future. Rebuilding isn’t just about putting up new homes. It’s about making sure the process works for everyone. The fires will come again. The question is whether we’ll be ready. Smarter planning, stronger infrastructure, and a real strategy to ensure the next disaster doesn’t leave us scrambling. But the first priority is speed. Every month we wait, the cost grows. Not just in construction costs—but in something more serious: the economic and social damage that comes from delay. When rebuilding is slow, rents spike, businesses struggle, workers leave, and insurance markets tighten. That’s why this moment demands urgency. We need action. We need momentum. And we need everyone at the table—homeowners, businesses, developers, and local governments—to move together. ? Cut through the red tape and start rebuilding now. ? Provide financial support for those underinsured or uninsured so they aren’t forced to leave. ? Bring in the resources—builders, planners, and policymakers—to make this happen fast. LA will rebuild. The only question is how long we take and who gets left behind in the process. If we act now, we can keep these communities together and strengthen them for the future. If we wait too long, we risk losing something we won’t get back. The cost of delay is far greater than the cost of acting boldly today. https://loom.ly/yV04ZqM #resilience #losangeles #construction Fast Company

Timber Airports: The Rise of Wood in Modern Aviation Design A quiet trend is underway in airport architecture. The new Bhutan airport terminal, designed by BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group, is the latest example of mass timber being embraced for major aviation infrastructure. Featuring intricate wood carvings and sustainable materials, the project highlights a growing trend in airport design. Recent timber-based airport expansions include: ??Portland International Airport (PDX) – Completed in 2024 ??Vancouver International Airport (YVR) – Expansions completed in phases through the early 2020s ??Zurich Airport Dock A – Expected completion in the early 2030s Why Timber? Airports are turning to wood for its: ??Acoustic benefits – Quieter terminals ??Structural flexibility – Innovative and organic design potential ??Sustainability – Reduced carbon footprint ??Aesthetic and psychological appeal – Warmer, more inviting spaces The Future of Timber in Aviation With mass timber proving its viability in high-traffic infrastructure, expect even broader adoption in the coming years. As airports aim for greater sustainability and design innovation, timber is poised to play a defining role in the future of aviation. https://loom.ly/EzZXdeg #architecture #airports #masstimber HOK ZGF Architects

Bitcoin Mining: A Bad Bargain for Energy & Innovation Bitcoin mining consumes 160 TWh annually—enough to increase global data center capacity by 47-67% if repurposed. We appreciate that miners are touting better energy procurement -- still, the cost per transaction remains unchanged, and the global energy impact keeps rising. The issue isn’t just utilization—it’s the wasteful design of Proof-of-Work (PoW) itself. Bitcoin’s energy use grows with mining competition, not transaction volume. As mining gets more profitable, difficulty increases, forcing miners to burn even more energy just to maintain their share of rewards. More miners = more wasted electricity, regardless of whether Bitcoin’s transaction count grows or not. Other cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum, have moved to Proof-of-Stake (PoS), cutting energy use by 99.95%. Meanwhile, AI and modern computing could enable even more advanced consensus models, but Bitcoin remains stuck in an inefficient arms race. This isn’t just an energy problem—it’s an economic one. If Bitcoin’s transaction fees went to miners instead of wasted energy, they would earn more while reducing environmental impact. Energy wasted on a complex transaction is just wasted money. At CONCERT, we use Ethereum because PoS is the future. We also believe that AI can unlock smarter consensus models beyond PoW and PoS. The world is evolving—Bitcoin should too. If policymakers are serious about energy efficiency, they should push Bitcoin to evolve. The result? A win-win for crypto, AI, data storage, and global computing capacity. #cryptocurrency #blockchain #datacenters Bitcoin Ethereum https://loom.ly/EjptYr8

Liu Jiakun: The 2025 Pritzker Prize Laureate The Pritzker Prize has always recognized architects who push the boundaries of what architecture can be. This year, that honor goes to Liu Jiakun—a visionary whose work embodies a quiet, deeply rooted connection to place. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Liu has built almost exclusively in China, with a focus on the country’s western regions. His buildings do not impose themselves on their surroundings—they emerge from them. Brick, stone, and earthen hues define his palette, blending seamlessly into landscapes as if they had always been there. His philosophy is as fluid as it is grounded: "I like to start as water and then solidify around the place." This is architecture that grows organically, shaped by context rather than dictating it. His works—like the Luyeyuan Stone Sculpture Art Museum and West Village in Chengdu—feel less like structures and more like artifacts of time, worn smooth by history and necessity. Liu Jiakun’s work may not be as widely known outside China, but it is unforgettable. His buildings are deeply cultural, deeply local, and deeply human. Congratulations to him on this well-deserved recognition! #PritzkerPrize #Architecture #Design #Awards https://loom.ly/pVmLglY

Resilience in architecture and urban planning has a long history, but it has never been more relevant than it is today. This recent article from The Congress for the New Urbanism does a great job of framing resilience as both an art and a science—one that requires a transformation in how we design cities. (Link: https://loom.ly/Md8GOFw) We have seen this approach take root particularly in the military, where resilience has to be planned sometimes minutes in advance. The U.S. Army defines resilience as "the ability to prepare for, adapt to, and recover from changing conditions and disruptions." This principle applies just as much to the built environment. The ability to rebuild stronger—whether in response to climate change, natural disasters, or conflict—is foundational to long-term urban success. This is where digitized architecture and urban systems create a critical advantage. Scenario planning at the outset of a project provides flexibility in outcomes, allowing cities to adapt not just to external shocks but also to unforeseen opportunities. Digital twins, AI-driven modeling, and real-time data integration make it possible to predict, simulate, and optimize responses before a crisis even occurs. Our future is tied to our ability to anticipate and act wisely. The physical world must be built smart—and rebuilt smarter. #resilience #architecture #urbanplanning

Robotaxis & the Bigger Picture: It's All About Electrification This article discusses a real issue with robotaxis - there is every possiblity that they will increase the amount of total driving as measured by Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT.) But when we step back, the real issue isn’t autonomy, it’s electrification. With global EV adoption surging and fossil fuel dependency shrinking, the most urgent priority is moving every vehicle—robotaxis, personal cars, buses, and trucks—off gasoline and onto clean energy. In both San Francisco (where the grid is clean) and Phoenix (where it’s fossil-fuel-heavy), electric vehicles already offer massive emissions reductions compared to gas cars. Here's the math: A standard gasoline vehicle emits 404 g CO? per mile. A robotaxi in San Francisco, powered largely by Hetch Hetchy hydropower, emits just 6.35 g CO? per mile—a 98.4% reduction compared to gas cars. Even if it drove 63X the miles of a gas car, it would still have roughly the same emissions. A robotaxi in Phoenix, where the grid is more fossil-fuel-heavy, emits 83.58 g CO? per mile—still a 79.3% reduction versus gasoline. Here, the break-even point is just 4.8X the miles of a gas car before emissions equalize. Whether a robotaxi drives 1.1X, 2X, or even 5X more miles than a personal EV, the fact remains: electrification is the game-changer. Autonomy is just a side note in the broader climate strategy. https://loom.ly/z-qbrL0 #urbanmobility #urbanplanning #electricvehicles Waymo

Preservation vs. Progress: Detroit’s Next Renaissance The debate over the fate of the Renaissance Center in Detroit is a prime example of the tension between preservation and urban progress. Some preservationists are rallying against the demolition of two underutilized towers in the complex, arguing that they should be saved. But we believe this is a moment to ask a more fundamental question: Is everything worth saving? A Failed Experiment in Urban Planning Designed in the 1970s by architect John Portman, RenCen was built as a “city within a city”—a fortress of glass and steel meant to revitalize downtown Detroit. But in reality, it functioned as an insular corporate enclave, turning its back on the very city it was meant to serve. Unlike the vibrant, pedestrian-friendly developments that have fueled Detroit’s comeback in recent years - like the Detroit Riverwalk just a short distance away - RenCen discouraged street-level activity and urban engagement. If anything, RenCen’s design is a case study in what not to do when trying to bring life back to a downtown. It was built on the assumption that people would thrive in a self-contained environment, cut off from the surrounding streets and waterfront. History has proven otherwise. A Justified Demolition The argument to remove part of RenCen isn’t about erasing history—it’s about correcting course. With portions of the complex underutilized, there is an opportunity to open up more public space, enhance riverfront access, and reconnect the city’s core with its greatest natural asset: the Detroit River. Detroit’s best urban revitalization successes have come from adaptive reuse and human-centered design, not from clinging to outdated, disconnected structures. Preservation is vital when a building has cultural, architectural, or functional significance. But preservation for preservation’s sake? That can be just as harmful as careless demolition. The Renaissance Center has stood for 50 years, and it has served its purpose. Now, Detroit has a chance to make better use of this space—to build something that truly invites people in, rather than walls them out. https://loom.ly/C7eQfPs #architecture #urbandesign #preservation Gensler Bedrock Detroit

AI in Structural Maintenance A new AI model developed at ETH Zürich is making significant strides in bridge maintenance, rapidly assessing structural safety and prioritizing critical repairs. This approach is exactly the way that we should be thinking about using AI. THey are not just analyze existing conditions but enabling predictive maintenance, allowing engineers to intervene before problems become critical. But why stop at bridges? The same methodology—data collection, neural network analysis and scenario-based simulations—can be applied across the built environment. AI can help assess pressure points from aging materials, extreme weather, flooding, fire, and seismic stress. Traditionally, this kind of analysis required years of study. Now, we can automate it, making real-time risk assessment a reality. The challenge? Adoption. Many AEC firms and agencies still see AI as experimental rather than fundamental. But AI isn’t just another tool—it’s a paradigm shift in how we design, monitor, and maintain infrastructure. The question is no longer if we can do this, but why aren’t we doing it at scale? What’s stopping broader adoption? Is it data availability, regulatory hurdles, or cultural resistance to automation? Let’s discuss. https://loom.ly/yT1lNME #architecture #enginernig #construction #artificialintelligence