Prelaunch · A new publication
The Build Index — architecture, construction, and development stories backed by real data.
A new publication for people who design and build cities, pairing serious editorial work with a live preview of permits and project signals in key markets.
What it is
A digital publication about the built environment.
The Build Index is a new digital publication about the built environment — the architecture, construction, and development work that actually shapes cities. At launch, it will combine longform stories, a map-based atlas of projects, and a Data Beta that previews live building-permit and project activity in select cities.
Stories
Longform stories on architecture, construction, and development projects.
Atlas
An atlas that links each story to a real location you can explore.
Data Beta
A Data Beta page that turns permit and project data into readable signals.
Why now
Help shape The Build Index.
We're using this prelaunch phase to shape The Build Index with the people who will actually use it — architects, contractors, developers, students, and everyone who needs a clearer view of what's being built.
- First access when we launch the full site.
- Early looks at our Data Beta for cities like Cincinnati, Tampa, and New York.
- Occasional progress notes on what we're building and why.
- A chance to tell us what you wish existed but can't find today.
Stories
Real projects, real constraints.
Our editorial work focuses on real projects and real constraints — not just renderings. We follow how buildings move from drawings and permits to construction and occupancy, and how those decisions show up in neighborhoods, markets, and everyday life.
At launch, we're planning to publish ~15 stories across five areas: Architecture, Construction, Development, Materials, and Markets & Data.
Data Beta
When editorial and data share the same map.
Alongside stories, The Build Index will include a Data Beta page that tracks selected building permits and projects in cities like Cincinnati, Tampa, and New York. Our goal is not to ship a full analytics platform on day one, but to show what it looks like when editorial and data share the same map.
- Daily-updated permit and project counts.
- Simple charts that show how activity changes over time.
- An early view of how we'll turn raw filings into useful signals.
Join the prelaunch list to see the first Data Beta sample and help us decide what to track next.
Who it's for
People who live at the intersection of drawings, budgets, and cities.
The Build Index is for people who live at the intersection of drawings, budgets, and cities. If you care about how architecture meets construction, how pro formas decide what gets built, or how permits can signal what's coming next, this is for you.
- Architects and designers who want better context for their work.
- Contractors and builders who want to see beyond a single job.
- Developers and owners tracking markets and pipelines.
- Students looking for real precedents and honest project stories.
About
Built by Jeff Orozco.
The Build Index is being built by Jeff Orozco, a builder and designer who wants better tools and better stories about how cities actually change. The aim is to bridge the gap between architecture magazines, construction trade journals, and raw market data — and to do it in a way that respects both the craft and the numbers.
Questions, ideas, or interest in contributing? Email jeff@orozcogc.com.
Stay in the loop
Leave your email and we'll send you launch details.
We'll send launch details, early looks at the Data Beta, and occasional notes as we build. No spam, just progress.