A grand opening was recently celebrated for the new Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building for Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. Designed to accelerate research in areas that include Alzheimer’s disease and brain tumors, the facility accommodates 1,000 faculty and staff, including 95 research teams. Additional space could be built out in the future to accommodate another 350 faculty and staff, including about 145 research teams. The $616-million, 11-story, 609,000-square-foot facility is one of the largest neuroscience buildings in the world. The building is located within the Cortex Innovation District on the eastern edge of the … Read more
Elisabeth-Selbert-Haus Tapped for German Parliament in Berlin
New offices and an administrative building for the German Parliament will be built on one of Berlin’s most historic streets by the end of 2026 to replace the demolished building. The sustainable concept envisages the use of alternative energies, such as geothermal energy and photovoltaics. PORR was awarded the contract as general contractor for the project by the Institute for Federal Real Estate. The building is named after the politician and lawyer Elisabeth Selbert, who is known as one of the four “Mothers of the Basic Law.” She successfully campaigned for the inclusion of equal rights for men and women … Read more
Vienna Airport to Undergo Expansion
The terminal infrastructure at Vienna Airport in Austria is about to be expanded. In addition to new bus gates, recreation areas and lounges, the plans include ample space for shopping and eating. The consortium consisting of PORR, ORTNER and ELIN has been awarded the contract for the south expansion, with the contract volume for the consortium amounting to EUR 265 million. The south terminal expansion is scheduled to open in 2027. With its subsidiary pde Integrale Planung GmbH, PORR has opted for early contractor involvement. “The construction companies are already cooperating right from the design and planning phase and can … Read more
Lean Construction Approach Powers More Unified, Efficient Project Team
By Ken Osmun Construction projects are rarely completed without a hitch, but the unanticipated issues don’t have to cause delays and cost overruns. With the Lean construction approach, a project team can more successfully and easily navigate around obstacles — and even prevent many of them from arising in the first place. Delays spring from countless variables and logistics. One company may have trouble obtaining a needed element such as a lighting fixture because of a hold-up with the supplier. Another company may anticipate being temporarily short-staffed in an upcoming week. Enter Lean construction. The method is a series of … Read more
Adapt or Be Left Behind: The Role of Today’s Construction Superintendent
By Keyan Zandy Change isn’t fun, but it is inevitable. Resenting or resisting what you can’t avoid is a waste of time and energy that could be better used working to create a mindset that embraces transformation. This is especially important in our industry, where new technologies and delivery methods, coupled with an accelerated pace of work, present an unpleasant choice: adapt or be left behind. Superintendents, no matter their leadership style, are expected to get a project completed on time and within budget. This hasn’t changed—however, the way these projects are built and delivered certainly has changed. Field leaders … Read more