Our practice is focused on restoring buildings’ “skin” and “skeleton”—the exterior envelope and underlying structure. But sometimes our work takes us inside the envelope. For example, our restoration of the interior of Columbia University’s Casa Italiana.

“The Aesthetics of Terra Cotta” was the subject of this week’s Lunch and Learn, presented by Jerry Gaudio, Outside Sales Representative for Boston Valley Terra Cotta. The SUPERSTRUCTURES team members in attendance gained a comprehensive understanding of terra cotta as an architectural material.

Why does the “DELETE ” icon on the latest iPad resemble a steel trash can—an object that has itself been replaced by newer designs? In our E/A practice, we constantly assess the value of retaining or replacing familiar, but perhaps outmoded terminology.

On the anniversary of the official beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic (March, 2020), we’re looking back on a post about how it changed the way we work. The tradeoff between remote and in-person work calls to mind the famous Isaac Asimov short story, “The Fun They Had.”

SUPERSTRUCTURES is excited to continue this ninth season of the Frost Jacking Day Tracker. "Frost jacking" is what happens when freezing temperatures cause rain or snow to turn to ice and expand cracks in a facade. As cycles of freezing and thawing accumulate, the cracks continue to grow and exterior hazardous conditions or interior water damage or leaks can occur.

At SUPERSTRUCTURES, we’ve aligned our practice with Wright’s philosophy on style. We honor the distinctive “style” of the facade of each building we restore, from public housing complexes to National Historic Landmarks.

Through our work on landmarks like the David Dinkins Municipal building, we’re afforded amazing views of the city—vistas that more New Yorkers should experience. Mayor Mamdani agrees, announcing the city’s decision to reopen the rooftop observation deck of the McKim, Mead & White 1914 masterpiece.

What does building restoration have in common with Hollywood? More than you might think. In both, teams assemble according to a project’s unique goals and requirements, work together for the duration of the project, and then disperse. In both cases, the whole team may never physically meet, and no individual has sufficient knowledge or capacity to accomplish the task alone.

New York has been in the grip of a sub-freezing cold spell that works against the city’s Get Sheds Down initiative. That’s because winter weather contributes to a facade-damaging phenomenon known as “frost jacking.” But continuous cold spells aren’t solely responsible for this phenomenon. Frost jacking is driven by ongoing cycles of freezing and thawing.

As part of NYC’s Get Sheds Down initiative (commencing Monday, January 26) the city’s Department of Buildings (DOB) will implement changes that directly impact how sidewalk shed permits are issued, renewed, and tracked. Conveniently, SUPERSTRUCTURES’ mission has always been to get sidewalk sheds down as soon as possible. That’s why we advocate “Fix, Then File.”