Gone! BSA special permit requirement for health and fitness facilities
Gyms, martial arts studios, licensed massage therapy, and many other health-related businesses do not need to obtain a BSA special permit in New York...
What does tolling of building permits mean?
Connecticut Governor’s Executive Order 7JJ states that building permits “valid as of March 10, 2020, shall not lapse or otherwise expire during the state...
Can a building permit be denied for potential illegal use?
While reviewing plans for a building permit, code and zoning officials often raise objections citing potential illegal use due to proposed work. Is that...
What should I do if my home was flooded?
Many people thought that their homes were safe because they were not in a flood zone. But recent weather events have changed their beliefs. ...
Will touchless technologies cause sensory deprivation?
Touchless technologies promote safety through social distancing. But human beings crave interaction with people, places, and things. Will these technologies cause sensory deprivation? ...
How self-driving cars will make parking structures obsolete
Self-driving cars will make on-site parking spaces obsolete causing major disruption to commercial and multi-family residential real estate. As services such as Uber...
How self-driving cars will exploit public streets for commercial use.
In absence of proactive local regulations, self-driving cars will exploit city streets for commercial use. These vehicles will provide dining, retail, entertainment, and...
The Making of Mimamsa Diary
These blog posts capture my reflections as an architect, college professor, practitioner, code official, thinker, and a tourist. They constitute Mimamsa Diary....
Building Permit Processes: No lines, no waiting, build today
Building Departments are often characterized by bureaucratic permit processes, red tape, and constant delays. But change is in the air as many departments...
Mass Customization Through Digital Design, Singapore
The Future of US Pavilion was built to celebrate SG50, Singapore’s 50th year of independence in 2015. It demonstrated the power of parametric...
A Sustainable Home for a Buddhist Monk, Junagadh, India
A rock-cut sustainable home for a Buddhist monk in Junagadh in Western India offers a glimpse of what life and architecture were like during...
The Great Wisdom from Ancient Greece
“Know thyself”. That is the great wisdom inscribed at the Temple of Apollo in Greece. Apollo was the God of music, harmony...
Great Urban Design: Piazza Navona, Rome
What brings hundreds of people to Piazza Navona in Rome every day? Is it the history that dates back to the Roman empire?...