August 2024 — Yasmin Morais Torquato is a rising junior studying Architecture at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. Originally from Brazil, Yasmin chose architecture to have a meaningful impact in her surroundings through creative design. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new places, curating playlists, and engaging in various arts like writing, photography, and drawing. During her summer internship at West Work, Yasmin attended the AIAS Grassroots conference in Washington D.C., where she shared her early experiences in the architecture profession.

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August 2024 — Written by Aatman Modi, Graphics by Yasmin Morais Torquato The United Nations’ Environment Programme, the UN’s commission to support the implementation of global environmental obligations, published a 2023 report called Building Materials and Climate: Constructing A New Future, which indicated that the building and construction sector is responsible for an astonishing 37% of global emissions. Since 1975, when the term “global warming” first appeared in the news, engineering, and architecture have been linked to the warming of the planet via …

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February 2024 — West Work, together with office neighbor Stull + Lee, had a wonderful workshop with SIGA on building air tightness and moisture management. Here is a summary of our key takeaways. When it comes to improving a building’s energy and moisture performance, the first thing to check is air infiltration. Even minor holes and punctures contribute significantly more to energy loss than inefficient windows or mechanical systems. Addressing these infiltrations, identified through precise blower door tests, is a more cost-effective initial …

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October 2023 — Written by Teddy Slosberg. While researching West Work’s hotel conversion projects for transitional housing for the homeless, I found myself digging deep into the myriad of potential solutions for homelessness and how the hotel-to-housing model fits within that. For more information on this topic, I interviewed Juann Khoory, the chair of the Shelter and Homelessness Roundtable for the Boston Society of Architects. Juann works with architects to help organize talks around homelessness to educate the industry on the work being …

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September 2023 — Written by Teddy Slosberg with input from Bruce Hampton. Climate crisis management demands quick and multifaceted responses to ensure that what is built today does not contribute to the issues of the next century, and the buildings we already have can be repaired so that they cease their extraordinary energy consumption. In recent years, state and federal governments have added mechanisms to promote responsible and sustainable building practices. New buildings in Massachusetts must adhere to strict energy performance requirements to …

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