Blaine Brownell, FAIA, is an architect and materials researcher. The author of the four Transmaterial books (2006, 2008, 2010, 2017), he is the director of the school of architecture at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
"Scientists have begun exploring the use of artificial intelligence tools to automate a variety of tasks that are typically time-consuming, including manual endeavors such as identifying relevant references or potential compound ingredients," Blaine Brownell writes.
Plus, a ruling on climate change, Los Angeles' first tropical storm in 84 years, a month-long art exhibition about American stories on the National Mall, and more design-tech news.
"Several manufacturers have developed building modules that replace fired clay with substitute materials requiring less embodied energy," Blaine Brownell reports.
From carbon dioxide–absorbing paints to bacteria-removing wallpaper, Blaine Brownell explores advances in material technologies that improve air quality.
Blaine Brownell visits Tokyo's teamLab Planets, an interactive art destination that provides "creative solutions ... that can and should be applied throughout the designed environment," he writes.