Best of 2021: Our 5 Most Popular Blog Posts

After another year of sharing the latest industry news and developments with you through our blog, we take a look back at our five most popular posts of 2021. Like the blog itself, the articles are a diverse mix of pioneering building technologies, innovative materials, new approaches to sustainability, and industry thought leadership. These are the five articles our readers enjoyed the most in 2021.

1^st Place: The Robot That Can Lay 1,000 Bricks an Hour

The shift to an autonomous construction site is still in its infancy, but the exciting changes and opportunities it presents makes it an interesting topic for many of our readers. Consequently, the most-read blog of 2021 was about two bricklaying robots: the Hadrian X, developed by the Australian company FBR, and the SAM100 created by the American firm Construction Robotics. While the Hadrian X automates the entire bricklaying process, the SAM100 works alongside a human bricklayer to increase speed and improve safety.

iStock-492223784_NEU-1 © iStockphoto LP / Lex20

2^nd Place: The Award-Winning 3D Printed Steel Bridge

3D printed materials are another area where new innovations seem to be continuously emerging. While printing concrete has been the focus for most 3D printing companies, an American architect worked with a steel manufacturer and 3D printing specialist to develop a pioneering concept for 3D printing a steel bridge. The benefits of this construction method go far beyond simply being able to create unique shapes, and the fact that it is rapidly becoming plausible means we may soon see more designs like this in the near future.

FloridaDr_LookingNW-2 (1)_NEW © Hunter Ruthrauff

3^rd Place: First House Made of Carbon Concrete: CUBE

Until recently, there has yet to be a sustainable alternative to using reinforced concrete. A consortium of German companies, scientists, and researchers are working together to change this. The CUBE is their showcase project for their newly developed carbon concrete, which uses carbon to replace some of the steel reinforcement within concrete. The aim is to create a stronger, more sustainable and energy efficient variant of concrete.

4^th Place: Vienna’s Sustainable City Within a City

The new aspern Seestadt district in Vienna is one of the largest development projects in Europe. However, there is also much emphasis being placed on the sustainability and eco-friendliness of the development. By combining different technologies, construction methods, and materials, the aspern Seestadt will become one of the most sustainable developments not just to be built, but also operated.

03-HAP-Fahrraeder-202007221713-0019-_PNL1225 (c) Luiza Puiu-min_1200x630 © Luiza Puiu

5^th Place: Improving Quality of Life Through Architecture

While it may not seem immediately apparent, the spaces where we spend our time have a direct impact on our quality of life. Therefore, putting more thought and effort into the planning of different aspects can significantly enhance the user’s experience and make a positive impact on them. This popular blog post showed how various good design practices can help achieve this worthwhile goal.