ALT JulAug 2012 two by OZ World Media LLC

Cherishing Limits Stelle Architects

Fredrick Stelle is inspired by restrictions that some projects hold. Tthinking outside the box, he creates residences for his clients in The Hamptons that carry his signature modern aesthetic.

Legacy Lives On

Philip Johnson/Alan ritchie

Learning the Arts

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Booziotis & Co.

Eight years after Johnson's retirement, Ritchie talks Specializing in education and arts, this Texas about the addition of a theater/performing arts proj- firm is seeing their visions live out in two recently ects to the firm's portfolio and how the outcome was completed projects 足for the Blanton Museum and just as well received by the audience as the performers. the Booker T Washington High School.

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Inspired by Site

OPpenheim Architecture

Thirteen years ago, this firm was operating out of an apartment. Now, it has international offices with a clientele base to match. From resorts in Jordan to boutique offices in Switzerland, OAD knows how to create breathtaking spaces.

on the cover

86 Philip Johnson/Alan Ritchie

The Sandler Center lobby features beautiful gray and beige marble floors with a flowering pattern. The entrance makes for a lavish pre and post-performance socializing space.

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T R Y

ARCHITECTURE LE ADERS Editor-in-Chief Todd Weaver Editor Diana Doyle Executive Editor Jonathan Mack Assistant Editor Joseph Orange

TODAY

Creative Director Maria J. Owens Art Director Kris Apodaca Editorial Design Jennifer Bitzinger Advertising Design Jennifer Greenley, Susan Richter Editorial Director Kate Darling Staff Writers Drew Grossman, Kevin Porter Copy Editor Emily Bond Content Directors Sophia Hartwick, Jill Patel, Quenshell Williams, Tracey Bowen Vendor Relations Director Diana Stephens Vendor Relations Steve Peters Vendor Relation Support Yvonne Chen Advertising Sales Adam Brown Moe Kazemi, Mike Melley, Tim Leming Publisher Steve Reed Reprints/Circulation Anne Brewer

oZ WORLD MEDIA, LLC 1100 H Street NW, Suite M Washington D.C. 20005 www.architectureleaderstoday.com Architecture Leaders Today is an international quarterly B2B trade journal that services the architecture industry in design/build, education and healthcare architecture, interior design, and residential and commercial sectors. ALT has a readership of 200,000 C-Level executives within the architecture industry. We do not accept subscription requests from the general public, however an abbreviated version is available on our website.

in this issue departments

08 Staff Editorial 10 Guest Editorial 14 Industry News 15 Calendar 16 The Hot List 193 Advertising Index Northeast

22 Oppenheim Architects +Design

Specializing in designing buildings that represent their environment, OAD has 35 offices across Miami, Los Angeles and Switzerland who design everything from hardware to city layouts.

34 Ellenzweig Architects

This firm designs for universities across the country. Recently two projects in their New England backyard have garnered high praise — the Integrative Cancer Research at the MIT and The Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University.

42 Lee Levine Architects

116 GJ Olson Architects

In order to design the best possible user-centered product when creating multifamily housing projects like the recently completed Fairways at Bey Lea West, GJ Olson draws on their experience working on private residences.

118 Rectenwald Architects

As a lifelong resident of the Erie, Pa. region, Ross Rectenwald has been able to develop a unique insight into the ever changing growth and development of the community.

124 Chapman Sisson

The architecture design of Chapman Sisson Architects is a fusion of the southern earthy charms of their hometown Huntsville, Ala. and the modern high-tech culture that the city has adopted since the influx of scientists and technology after World War II.

130 Vanguard Studio

Old-world Italian architecture is known for its warm design, the use of stone, open courtyards and cobblestone walkways. Vanguard Studio brought that Tuscan flavor to the design of the beautiful George residence overlooking Lake Travis in Central Texas.

138 HADP

Both students and administrators have high expectations for residence halls. While students look for private bedrooms, wi-fi and lounges, administrators look for sustainable design and designs that respect the history and culture of the university.

144 Fleischman Garcia

Thirty-four years after graduating from University of Florida, Sol Fleischman was honored to return to take on the design for his alma mater’s new Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center.

150 Sutton Mitchell Beebe & Babin

From the humble home-town of Frank Sinatra in Hoboken, N.J. to the bright lights, glitz and glamour of Times Square, Lee Levine Architects, PC are re-imagining the landscape with iconic, creative design.

Three new projects in the bayou region showcase this 78 year-old firm’s interest in taking on new progressive and cutting-edge projects.

50 Architecture, Inc.

“Of everything we help build, none is more important than relationships.” This is the firm’s modus operandi and a sentiment that is prevalent in the firm’s body of work and echoed by Principal Architect Curtiss Doss, AIA.

Principal Clint Brackman says his firm puts service above all else — they serve the needs of their clients and provide them with facilities or programs that accomplish their goals.

54 Beinfield Architects

Bruce Beinfield has made a national name for his local firm by impacting his surrounding community of South Norwalk, Conn. with breathtaking, impactful architecture in the historic renovation/adaptive reuse as well as in new commercial structures.

64 Ismael Leyva

Barely 30 feet wide, standing at 43 stories is one of the most slender structures in the world. This New York City luxury highrise contains retail and residential units featureing pristine finishes and amenities.

66 Michael McKinley Architects

Specializing in coastal designs - the type with bay windows and back porches — this firm finds that their signature style is well received all along the East coast from Rhode Island down to Florida.

76 Mufson Architects

Focusing in high-end financial services The Mufson Partnership’s work in New York City has helped to define the Manhattan skyline and fast-paced business that happens within through their innovative, architecture design.

163 McGehee Nicholson Burke

170 Yoshino Architecture

Too many cooks in the kitchen will spoil the soup and too many designers in the drawing room will give you a headache. Overbearing clients can slow down the creative process, but great work is often recognized.

176 Remson Haley Herpin

Baton Rouge, La. appreciates tradition, but it’s also a city that is renovating and revitalizing. A city at the crossroads of past and future. It is at that crossroads that one firm is creating buildings that fuse fundamental history with optimistic future.

Architectural Products & Services

91 Jacobs Consultancy 128 PEC Engineering 136 Ivette Arrango Interiors 181 Arnold & Associates Interiors

80 Waldon Studio Architects

This firm is best known for impressive church designs, however, three non-church projects have recently garnered the architects some deserved attention.

86 Philip Johnson/Alan Ritchie

Since Philip Johnson retired in 2004, partner Alan Ritchie has not lowered the standards that made the firm famous. Their works that contribute to the New York City skyline such as the Lipstick Building and the AT&T Building were just the beginning.

92 Stelle Architects

Having grown up in a large 19th century home on a farm down the road from Edward Larabee Barnes, it is surprising that Fredrick Stelle’s style lean is towards the sleek, sustainable and modern.

104 Atelier Architects

Tasked with one of the most significant events in history — the inauguration of Barack Obama — Atelier Architects began designing the viewing stands a full year in advance. The firm specializes in civic and healthcare projects.

112 Casaccio Yu

Mission Driven Design is a trademarked phrase by Casaccio Yu Architects and has driven the firms success for the last 60 years.

editorial

Young architects shake up the industry

"Partisans has no employees, only partisans. partisans carry no identification, have no distinguishing marks, look like everyone else. if you work in a toronto firm, some of your colleagues are partisans and you don't even know it."

6 Architecture Leaders Today

At only 29 years old Alex Josephson has built quite the architecture resume. Josephson

studied sculpture and architecture at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture. He graduated from the University of Rome as a President’s scholar. As a young architect he has received numerous awards and exhibitions, including a New York Prize Fellowship, he was shortlisted for the Prix de Rome, he worked under Massimilliano Fuksas and Doriana Mandrelli. In 2010 Josephson was admitted to postgraduate studies at the Architecture Association school in London, but he left. Josephson left school to found Partisans, a progressive Toronto-based design firm that he started along with his partner Pooyah Baktash, 30. After about a year and a half an operation the firm has begun to create some traction in the architecture community. They received Azure magazine’s 2012 People’s Choice Award for unrealized projects for their New Mecca Masterplan. The firm was recently profiled by the popular culture and design blog Cool Hunting. What started as just Josephson and Baktash, has grown into a firm with nine employees, well kind of. “There are nine people in the practice now, depending on the day,” Josephson said. “The core is my partner and myself, but there are people that work for other practices that are actively helping and working with us.”

Drew Grossman, Staff Writer

The Partisans are young. According to Josephson, the average age in the firm is 26. “These are young people, young people who are in a way disillusioned and would love to work in their own practice and work with us, but because of the nature of the profession and the regulation; you know hours, licensing and also fees and salaries; they can’t do that,” Josephson said. It’s not that young architects are sneaking behind their bosses back to work with the Partisan, it is not surrptitious. It is simply young designers who are intrigued by the the freedom and creative opportunities that lie in wait with the Partisans. For the firm’s regular employees, they come in when they want. Depending on their preferences and lifestyle, some come in and 9:00 a.m. and some come in at 11 a.m. It should be noted, I spoke with Mr. Josephson over the phone at 8:45 a.m. and he had already been hard at work for more than an hour. But no matter when people come in, the office always goes to lunch together, and on the company dime too. We all go to lunch together every day and we sit and talk about work and life and it’s a real team, Josephson said. All Partisans get a chance at the big idea, it’s not just the two founders dictating ideas to the rest of the firm. “You know Partisans and you don’t even know them, because they are writers, they’re architects, they’re anthropologists, they are financial modelers for developers, there’s a whole smattering of people, artists even and they’re actively involved in the projects.” Basically what we have here is an experiment. Enthusiasm, youth, creativity and talent coming together to create something new and different, something unique, maybe even something with the potential to change the industry.

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editorial

by Alexander Maymind WB Sanders Fellow, Univ. of Michigan

The highly debated Wexler Center is examined from the perspective of its place in the post modern era and from the writings of its architect, Peter Eisenman, who viewed the modern movement as a continuation of the humanist-center

8 Architecture Leaders Today

Peter Eisenman’s Wexner Center for the Arts at Ohio State University has been typi-

cally understood through its relationship to and manipulation of then-current postmodern trends within architectural discourse. While the discussion about the building has been host to a plethora of theoretical issues (ranging from the historicity of quotation, to new forms of monumentality, to contemporary modes of estrangement, to architecture-as-collage, etc.) it seems that today certain shifts have caused the work to move to the fringe of current debates. Some have argued that it is because of these shifts that the Wexner Center seems like a remnant of a bygone era, rather than a still-canonical work of architecture. Despite the arguments of the post-critical camp, I believe there is much to gain (still) by re-examining the Wexner Center and its polemics; perhaps even more so given the critical distance gained in terms of time from its completion and the shifts away from postmodernism as a dominant concern. The question therefore is: what is to be gained by re-examining the Wexner Center? And furthermore, what new propositions for architecture in our current moment result from this examination? Instead of attending to the concerns put forward at the time of its arrival, an alternative interrogation asks to understand how its grid-based diagrams instantiate disestablishment effects related to the aims of a contemporary art institution sited in a traditional neoclassical campus plan. These effects; critical, discursive and

haptic, hinge on a particular aesthetic reading of architectural ugliness. For clues on this, we begin with Eisenman’s own writings. He begins his seminal text “The End of the Classical, The End of the Beginning, the End of the End” by arguing that the Modern Movement in architecture was a stylistic variation on a number of humanist-centered themes (“fictions”) related to representation, reason, and history. As such, it was conceptually part of the same episteme that governed the last 500 years of architectural history, only differing in its claim to abstraction of the various techniques that establish the paradigm of the classic. He argues that modernism was essentially interested in recovering the timeless, meaningful, and true in order to become a new mode of classical architecture. Eisenman, in his efforts to understand and theorize his own moment in history, analyzes these modernist fictions as efforts to stabilize architecture and codify a set of truths into a zeitgeist ideology. In contrast to post-modernism’s archival attitude towards historical continuity and historicity, Eisenman unfolds a genealogical or emancipatory model in the mode of Nietzsche’s meditation on history as seen in “The Uses and Abuses of History.” Nietzsche identified the formation and ossification of the academic discipline of history as a complex classification strategy to “understand” the past, instead of conceptualizing history as a tool to rethink or artificially excavate the contemporary. Eisenman views the entire modern movement in architecture (interestingly, he excludes Le Corbusier from this claim) as a continuation of the humanist-center of architecture, ie. an uninterrupted mode of representation from the fifteenth century to the present. Since Renaissance buildings became representations of representations, the fiction of their value referred back to the classical, and thus was not intrinsic or immanent to the work itself. Instead, the modernist project in architecture pointed to the self evident starting point of utility as the origin of meaning and legitimizing value. Rather than proposing a new zeitgeist argument, Eisenman claims to be searching for an autonomous, independent discourse; free of external value systems that would allow architecture to “play in the intersection of the meaning-free, the arbitrary, and the timeless.” In this way, his project and in particular the Wexner Center, can be seen as part of the longstanding effort to create a set of concepts from architecture’s interiority as opposed to a set of fictions to legitimize and justify. If, in the end, all architectural ideas are fictions to arrive at a set of architectural strategies, then Eisenman’s claim can be understood as an attempt to displace the discipline’s clichés and woes into a new intellectual mode. An Excert from One:Twelve, issue 4. Originally published by Knowlton school of Architecture at Ohio state university. Available for purchase at store.wexarts.org.

Photo used under Creative Commons from Mark Hogan.

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Image b

y Fani H

ansen

Tiburon Development, Tiburon, Calif. Photo: XXXX XXXX The Tiburon residential development is located on the shores of the San Francisco Bay, with a beautiful view of Angel Island and San Francisco across the water. The complex is made up of four units. The apartments have three bedrooms, each with a bathroom, a large living area and kitchen, and a spacious deck facing the water. The views are the real beauty of the Tiburon site, so there is a view of the water from every single room. The interiors are simple and minimalistic, with a lot of glass and steel. Everything is cleanly designed, the floors are made of stone and the countertops are all granite. According to DHA, the units in this complex were the first solar powered units in Tiburon.

10 Architecture Leaders Today

profile

The Queen of Communityfocused Design

For Fani Hansen of Danadjieva Hansen Architects it is all about the community. Story by Drew Grossman Photos by Dennis Anderson

ani Danadjieva Hansen, the founder of Danadjieva Hansen Architects, Inc., strives to create community centered architecture that will have a positive effect on, not only the people’s lives who inhabit her buildings, but also the lives of the people that work and play around them. DHA designs projects that celebrate this relationship between the project and the surrounding environment, whether that be social, environmental or cultural. Special attention was put into designing the Tiburon residential complex in a way that it would not inhibit the surrounding neighbors’ views of the San Francisco Bay. Likewise, it was the history and diverse culture of Pittsburg, Calif. that guided the design and functionality of the Pittsburg Civic Center. The Tiburon residential development is located on the shores of the San Francisco Bay, with a beautiful view of Angel Island and San Francisco across the water. Like with many DHA buildings, Hansen used the most current environmentally-friendly practices in the design of the complex. “Those were the first solar powered units in Tiburon,” Hansen said. “That was a very difficult situation here to get approval, as solar powered homes were not at all the norm at that time.” People in the surrounding area feared that the solar panels would create too much glare, so DHA went around the community to show people

Image courtesy of Fani Hansen

Month/Month 2012 11

profile

exactly how the panels look and would be integrated with the structure. She had to prove that there would be no reflection. With the community’s support, DHA installed the solar panels and three years after the Tiburon development, town hall put in solar power collectors. But the views are the real beauty of the Tiburon site. There is a view of the water from every single of the development. However, Hansen said she did not want the views to be exclusive only to those living in the development. The buildings are positioned in a way that when you are walking down the street, you can barely see that it is even there. This project was an infill between five adjacent residences and the neighbors did not want to clutter the shoreline with more buildings. To receive approval, Hansen walked from home to home convincing the residents that the home would not interrupt their view. With the Tiburon development, DHA did not want to disturb the existing area residents. With the Pittsburg Civic Center, Hansen and DHA felt it essential to go out and meet the residents. For this project, DHA let the community’s history and culture guide the 12 Architecture Leaders Today

design of its city hall and police facility. The Pittsburg, Calif. has a very diverse community and a history that includes many races, nationalities and cultures. From the American Indians to the Welsh, the Italians, the Mexicans and African Americans, this town has seen many different groups come and go and leave their mark. “It was very important to do something more than a city hall and a police facility,” Hansen said. “But also to create a place where the community can go and see something of their past.” Hansen spent a lot of time with community leaders, city staff and council members researching the history of the area and learning about the functional needs of the civic center. Throughout the center are displays of art and historic memorabilia from around the city to reflect the accomplishments and the lives of the people of Pittsburg. Hansen’s design puts the people first. She gets into the community shakes hands, learns the history, listens to their stories and then creates the buildings that will best benefit all. ALT

Image by Fani Hansen

Image by Fani Ha nsen

“It was very important to do something more than a city hall and a police facility,” Hansen said. “But also to create a place where the community can go and see something of their past.”

Pittsburg Civic Center, City of Pittsburg, Calif. Photos by XXXX XXXX It was very important to Hansen to create a building that would be more than just a city hall and police facility. She wanted to also create a place where the community can go and learn about their past. Hansen spent a lot of time with community leaders researching the history of the area and learning about the functional needs of the civic center. Throughout the center are displays of art and historic memorabilia from around the city.

Month/Month 2012 13

Article outlines alternative financing options for hotels a recent article in hotel business explains why hotel development is happening again

and how successful developers are getting their projects financed. Many hotel developers are still struggling to find the necessary financing after the collapse of the traditional financing markets for new hotel developments that happened four years ago. According to writer Catherine DeBono Holmes, even developers with access to construction loans still face loan to cost ratios hovering at 50% and equity providers that expect returns in the midteens to the mid-twenties. This creates a "feasibility gap" between a typical project's cost and its value, which is still too

high and has in turn stalled hotel developments around the country. With the country's current economic climate, hotel developers are forced to come up with many alternative financing sources for their hotel projects. Holmes laid out the following options, EB-5 immigrant investor financing, new markets tax credits, historic tax credits for renovating historic buildings and a few other forms of public incentives. The EB-5 visa for immigrant investors is a United States visa created by the Immigration Act of 1990. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, this visa provides a method of obtaining a green card for foreign nationals who invest money in the United States.

Holmes says that the EB-5 program has raised billions of dollars in financing for job-creating U.S. businesses since 1992 and is poised this year to top all records for the amount of financing raised for U.S. businesses. Each year 10,000 EB-5 visas are authorized to be issued, which equates to several billion dollars of financing annually. Holmes recommends that hotel developers who are seeking EB-5 financing determine how many direct and indirect jobs their project will create. The economic model approved by the USCIS dictates that for every 10 direct or indirect jobs, one investor visa can be issued. Each year a specified amount of tax credits is allocated to be used for project development in urban and rural low-income census tracts to help finance community development projects, stimulate economic growth and create jobs. These credits are called new markets tax credits. According to Holmes, in the fiscal year 2012, a total of $3.6 billion was allocated by the U.S. Treasury Department's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund to 70 private financing sources, which includes banks and private lenders. The private financers then sell investments in the tax credits and invest the proceeds of the sale as equity and debt in projects that qualify for the NMTC program. In most cases the benefits from the NMTC ranges from 15 to 25 percent of the total project costs. Holmes also lists a few other options for hotel developers, including historic tax credits, lease revenue bonds, sales tax sharing, public agency credit enhancements and others. Holmes writes that assembling multiple sources of alternative financing is a complex and challenging task, but under the constraints of the financial markets today, that is sometimes the only way that new hotel projects will be built.

Frank Lloyd Wright gallery opens at SC Johnson A rotating selection of wright's designs and artifacts are showcased at The

SC Johnson Gallery: At Home with Frank Lloyd Wight, located at the company's Frank Lloyd Wright-designed campus in Racine, Wis. The free gallery, which opened June 2, gives architecture fans the opportunity to explore Wright's transformative Prairie-Style designs and learn about the legendary architect's influence on families and the American home. The Gallery is housed in SC Johnson’s Foster + Partners-designed Fortaleza Hall, also home to the Frank Lloyd Wright Research Library which features a collection of more than 800 items. The Gallery is co-curated by Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer, Archives Director at Taliesin West, Ariz., and Brady Roberts, Chief Curator of the Milwaukee Art Museum. “We carefully selected items – including many never exhibited before – to bring Wright’s Prairie-Style designs to life,” Pfeiffer said.

Construction Site image, Doug Edgar/gettyimages.com/Thinkstock. Koolhaas photo used under Creative Commons from Rodrigo Fernández.

industry news

Industry Events North American Theatre Engineering Architecture Conference Presented by: NATEAC July 22-23 • New York, NY $750-$825 nateac.org.com The requirements of performance spaces are more complex than ever before. With the meteoric rise of digital technology and the ever expanding diversity of these facilities, there is an increasing need for those responsible for these spaces - the architects, engineers, consultants, manufacturers and end users - to have an opportunity to share in their knowledge of 21st century technology.

Rem Koolhaas creates beauty from ruins Architect rem koolhaas plans to design a new moscow art gallery for Dasha Zhukova

in the ruins of a soviet era restaurant. Koolhaas's firm plans to create the new art gallery in Moscow's Gorky Park for Zhukova's Garage Center for Contemporary Culture. The center was formerly housed in a Constructivist-era bus garage. The existing concrete shell of the Soviet era restaurant Vremana Goda, or the Seasons, will be retained and re-clad. All signs of age as well as the original Socialist Realist iconography of murals and tiles will be retained. According to an article by Edwin Heathcote for the Financial Times, this ties in with Koolhaas's notion that as our culture becomes increasingly preoccupied with conservation, the postwar era is being excluded and destroyed so comprehensively that an entire layer of history will disappear. Koolhaas believes that the increasing scale and luxury of the contemporary art gallery does not actually benefit the art. He was quoted on financialtimes.com saying "Scale is not necessarily productive for art...[this project allows us] to avoid the sterility of the typical contemporary white cube and retain traces of Russian history." Koolhaas credits his experiences in Russia with inspiring him to become an architect. "Moscow is a city with more layers than any other I know. This building has a sense of the communal, a generosity," he said to the Financial Times.

Museum of Architecture, London competition Sponsored by: ArchTriumph Register: July 19; Submit: Sept 4 $150 archtriumph.com Design a new Museum Of Architecture in London, on the site of the Iconic Old London Battersea Power Station on the bank of the River Thames. This icon structure and prime site has laid derelict for number of years with plan after plan for re-developments, has posed a challenge for developers. It is a protected building, which means that the four chimneys would have to be incorporated into any design. Prizes range from $1000 to $17,000. Fentress Airports + The Architecture of FLight Curated by: Donald Albrecht July 15 - Oct 7 • Denver, CO denverartmuseum.org An exhibition that will change how travelers view airports and their design, visitors will go on a journey through the history of airports aided by film, digital art, animation, models, drawings, photographs and full-scale architectural elements. Visitors will travel through six airports designed by Denver-based Fentress Architects.

"crafted - the ingredients of architecture" Sponsored by: 12th International Alvar Aalto Symposium Aug 10-12 • Jyvaskyla, FInland 290 Euro alvaraaltosymposium.fi Discuss the ways in which architecture today is crafted through careful consideration of technology, environment and human skill. Designers, builders and thinkers from a wide range of international practices will present buildings and projects that emphasize the specificity of the contexts in which they work. London Design Festival Sept 15-23 • London, UK londondesignfestival.com Featuring hundreds of events that take place across London, showcasing the city's pivotal role in global design. A centerpiece of the Festival are the Landmark Projects, commissions for some of the world's greatest architects and designers to create pieces of work in London's best-loved public spaces. hD boutique Sponsored by: HospitalityDesign Sept 11-12 • Miami, FL cost varies hdboutique.com 2nd annual PhilArch conference: Architecture and its image Sponsored by: Boston University Philosophy Sept 29-30• Boston, MA philarch.wordpress.com 3rd International Conference on Constructed environment Sponsored by: University of British Columbia Oct 25-26 • Vancouver, Canada $200 virtual; $450 full registration constructedenvironment.com World architecture festival Oct 3-5 • Marina Bay Sands, Singapore $880 worldarchitecturefestival.com Arc-us Nov 1-4 • San Diego, CA free to the trade arc-us.com

Month/Month 2012 15

the hot list

the HOTlist Products, concepts and inspiration for your next project Have something for The Hot List? Email submissions@ozworldmedia.com.

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16 Architecture Leaders Today

mercedes-benz style The Mercedes-Benz Style Chair by Formitalia Luxury Group daimler.com

Mercedes-Benz, in collaboration with Italian furniture manufacturers Formitalia Luxury Group, has created a furniture collection under the Mercedes-Benz Style label. The chair is a futuristic interplay of convex and concave lines that create a dynamic shape, giving the chair a particular air of lightness. The seat shell is made of laminated wood, which ensures durability and long-lasting comfort. "The various pieces of furniture reflect the progressive, dynamic design idiom of our current show cars and concept vehicles, offering an exclusive, emotional experience outside our vehicles as well," said Gorden Wagener, Head of Design at Mercedes-Benz.

this little light of mine Plumen 001 by Hulger & Samuel Wilkinson plumen.com

There are thousands of light bulb manufacturers, yet there are only a few designs. Hulger & Samuel's Plumen 001 is a designer energy saving light bulb that aims to remedy that problem. The name comes from the word "plume," meaning the decorative feathers of a bird, and "lumen," meaning a unit of visible light. In 2011, the Plumen 001 was awarded the Brit Insurance Design of the Year and received the Black Pencil at the D&AD awards.

Month/Month 2012 17

the hot list

the spa treatment Aimes Freestanding Bathtub by TOTO tileofspainusa.com

For a true spa-like experience in your home, the Aimes Freestanding Bathtub has a nearly two-foot deep bathing well, which enables total-body immersion. The durable cast acrylic tub has a slip-resistant surface and ample room for bathers to rest thier arms on the tub's generous four inch interior lip. According to TOTO, bathtubs in the Aimes Suite blend modernism with traditional designs to create a stylish transitional product that combines the richness of history with innovation, new materials and an uncluttered aesthetic.

18 Architecture Leaders Today

best of both worlds Peronda's Timber by Tile of Spain tileofspainusa.com

This ceramic product offers both the elegance and warmth of wood as well as the easy-to-clean durability of porcelain. The series is inspired by aged wood and recreates the look of natural deterioration such as salting and oxidization. Tile of Spain utilizes the latest printing technology to create their detailed porcelain tiles. Peronda's Timber can also be customized with text and decoration inspired by the industrial stamps and symbols commonly used on wood.

book club

Sustainable Urbanism and Beyond: Rethinking Cities for the Future Edited by Tigran Haas rizzoliusa.com

It is estimated that in the next two decades, the number of city dwellers will reach five billion. This will put enormous pressures on transportation systems, housing stock and infrastructure such as energy, waste and water. In this collection of more than 60 essays, contributors present a unique perspective on architecture, urban planning and environmental and urban design. Sustainable Urbanism explores the ways to raise the quality of life and standard of living in a new modern era by creating better and more viable places to live.

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the hot list

get a handle on this Twitty by Tomo Kimura for Colombo Design colombodesign.it

The concept for this uniquely shaped door handle came to designer Tomo Kimura while he was sitting in front of his computer looking out at the brids perched on his window sill. The piece resembles a bird perched on a branch, with its tail stranding out right and serving as the door handle itself. Kimura's design was one of four winning entries in the Designboom Hands on Door Handles competition hosted in collaboration with Colombo Design. The Twitty was awarded top ratings in the Free-style category and Colombo Design was so impressed with the Twitty that after the competition, Colombo decided to take the handle into production.

editorážżs pick

8 20 Architecture Leaders Today

desk drawing My Desk by Miguel Mestre miguelmestre.info

With My Desk you are no longer limited to the confines of your notebook pages or to that collage of post-its forming around your work space. The interactive work table provides a stack of 100x70 cm. sheets of blank paper that serve as the base for your work. Whether you use it to quickly write down a phone number or sketch out initial ideas of a design proposal, My Desk presents a clean and modern canvas for your thoughts. Unlike the desk you withered away at through gradeschool, My Desk is one piece of furniture that you are allowed to, and even encouraged to scribble your initials onto.

quiet time Acoustic Panels by Offecct offecct.se

It can be quite frusturating when you are sitting at your desk, trying to put the finishing touches on a design proposal and all you can focus on is banter outside your office. Offecct has produced acoustic wall panels that are designed to absorb unwanted and disturbing sounds in a room. Although sound absorbing materials have existed for a long time, Offecct is a pioneer in designed acoustic wall panels and the company is constantly working on the product development of acoustic panels. Tune out and focus in with acoustic panels by Offecct.

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Wadi Rum Resort, Wadi Rum, Jordan, The resort is carved into the cliffs and located a fifty-minute drive and camel expedition away from Aqaba, Jordan. It is set to be completed in 2014 and will feature various unique lodges, giving guests experience a unique stay with every visit.

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architecture | international

Story by Drew Grossman Wadi Rum Images by Luxigon Oppenheim Architecture + Design Europe Photos by BĂ¸rje MĂźller Villa Allegra Photos by Eric Laignel

International architecture + Design With projects all over the world, Oppemheim Architecture + Design LLP specializes in designing buildings that are one with their environments.

wadi rum resort Sustainability: Savida AGS Sustainability/MEP: Sherwood Engineers Landscaping: Azimuth Studio

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BELOW: Views at the resort are beautiful. Oppenheim capitalized on the desert landscape, which is all the more impressive when seen relaxing in a bedroom carved out of the Wadi Rum cliffs.

OPPOSITE, TOP: A series of suites is made mostly of metal and steel that is carved out of the cliffs. Oppenheim wanted the resort to look as if it was a part of the desert landscape.

1999 Oppenheim Architecture + Design existed only in the apartment of founding architect Chad Oppenheim,AIA. Today the firm is approximately 35 employees and has offices in Miami; Muttenz, Switzerland; and Los Angeles. The firm works on projects around the world, at all different scales and typologies. “One minute we’re designing the hardware for the door in a house, the next minute it could 24 Architecture Leaders Today

OPPOSITE, MIDDLE: Although the resort has many natural elements, it also represents the pinnacle of luxury. The resort offers a very natural experience.

OPPOSITE, BOTTOM: The goal of Wadi Rum was to create an eternal architecture experience and Oppenheim credited the firm’s thorough analysis and study of the past to be able to pull that off.

be the layout of a city in the Middle East and in between is houses, office buildings and resorts,” Oppenheim said. OAD specializes in designing buildings that are representative of their environment. The Wadi Rum Resort in Jordan, the OAD office in Muttenz, Switzerland and the Villa Allegra residence in Miami all capitalize on the benefits of their serene settings. “We do a considerable amount of research,”

Oppenheim said. “We study all the flora, all the fauna, the politics, the financial histories, the market in terms of what we’re designing, as well as an incredible analysis on the history of the civilization and natural land formations.” The resort is carved into the cliffs in Wadi Rum, Jordan, located a 50-minute drive and camel expedition away from Aqaba, Jordan. The resort is set to be completed in 2014 and will feature various unique lodges, giving guests

architecture | international

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international | architecture

this page: OAD, Muttenz, Switzerland. More than five levels, split and stacked in various combinations so that each office overlooks the others, creating a very open and free flowing work space.

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architecture | international

LEFT ABOVE: Salvaged the wood from the original structure and reused it on the office’s floors. It creates a rustic look that pays tribute to the building’s history.

LEFT BELOW: The nearly four hundred year old farmhouse has become a modern architecture office and a representation of the kind of work that OAD is capable of.

ABOVE: One of the many employee-centered aspects of the office, the employee lounge in the basement offers a nice area for members of the firm to relax and socialize.

experience a unique stay with every visit. Whether your vacation brings you to Wadi Rum’s rock lodge, spa lodge or maybe the tent lodge, the resort offers a very natural eco-luxury experience that really grows out of the Wadi Rum cliffs. The structures are largely built of glass, existing rock, sand and cement. OAD is intentionally utilizing local materials in the construction of the resort. Luxurious tents are built of woven goat hair, a technique that Oppenheim picked up from the Bedouins, a desert-dwelling ethnic group in the area. “We studied a lot the ancient city of Petra, we understood how they lived, how they created comfort in this harsh desert environment,” Oppenheim said. “These people lived there thousands of years ago, there wasn’t air conditioning, there wasn’t telephone, so they were more in tune with the place and they were able to sustain themselves through basic simple ingenuity and thoughtfulness.” The goal of Wadi Rum was to create an eternal architecture experience and Oppenheim credited the firm’s thorough analysis and study of the past for being able to pull that off. The views are unbelievable. The desert looks all the more thrilling when you are relaxing in a spa, insulated in glass and metal. The transitional spaces between indoors and outdoors are indistinguishable so that the architecture enhances the surrounding environment. “It’s about connecting to the place and refocusing your perception on the beauty that surrounds you,” Oppenheim said. “Let the architecture help you see things in a more optimized way.” OAD created an arts school in the nearest town to re-teach the crafts that had been in the Wadi Rum region for many years. The resort is stocked with blankets, rugs and stoneware all made by local people in the region’s traditional techniques. It is July/August 2012 29

international | architecture

all a part of the firm’s effort to make the resort a representation of its place. In nature everything feeds off of one another, it creates a loop where every need is fulfilled within a certain ecosystem. OAD projects are based on this idea and are designed to do more than just look interesting. “How can they add to a society and give back and really celebrate the heritage and the craft and the experience,” Oppenheim said. Built out of the existing desert cliffs in Southeast Jordan, Oppenheim was able to see possibilities of the landscape and take advantage of them with the design of the Wadi Rum resort. The firm saw similar potential in a 17th century farmhouse in Muttenz, Switzerland. That farmhouse would become Oppenheim’s European office. “The existing structure, it’s from the 1700s, it really informed what the building would become,” Oppenheim said. There is an interesting relationship between the old and the new in Oppenheim’s European office. The firm salvaged the existing wood and sanded it down to make the floors. They kept the original structure and exposed it in ways that celebrate the ancient design. The office is more than five levels, split and stacked in various combinations so that each office overlooks the others, creating a very open and free flowing work space. There is a staff lounge located in the cellar and a large main room at the ground level that is used as a public room that can be rented out for events. The nearly 400-hundred year old farmhouse has become a modern architecture office and a representation of the kind of work that OAD is capable of. Oppenheim undertook a more current renova 30 Architecture Leaders Today

ABOVE: A glass wall faces the street to present the office as open and welcoming. This space is also rented out for community events.

opposite, top left: Windows throughout the building let in plenty of natural light, filling the offices white walls and wood flooring with sun light.

top right: Oppenheim design an interesting circular stair for the office that seems to just appear out of the floor on the upper level.

bottom left: The firm wanted this office to fit in well with the surrounding architecture and blend with the local community look.

bottom right: The split level design allows for spacious rooms with high ceilings and the most efficient use of the available space.

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this page: Villa Alegra, Miami, Fla. The first floor is essentially one large room. A separate seating area has a curtain that can be drawn to create privacy if needed .

opposite, top: The home is very much open to the outdoors with large windows into the main living space and an upstairs balcony that overlooks the pool.

tion with the Villa Allegra residence in Miami. The term villa originates from the ancient Roman upper-class country homes, often associated with warm weather, immense luxury and beautiful outdoor spaces. Villa Allegra embodies all of these characteristics. The renovated 1960s ranch style home has plenty of exterior space for enjoying the tropical south Florida climate. The backyard is closed in by lush palm trees that reflect vibrantly off of Villa Allegraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lagoon-like swimming pool. 32 Architecture Leaders Today

opposite, bottom: A renovated 1960s ranch-style home, the residence has plenty of exterior space for enjoying the tropical south Florida climate.

The first floor interior transitions seamlessly from room to room. There are no doors separating the foyer, the main living space and the kitchen. The main living space has two-story high ceilings and large windows toward the rear of the house that overlook the swimming pool and the canal. Sun comes pouring into the room and reflects off of the Ipe wood flooring, lighting up the entire first floor. Off of the two-story main living space there is smaller seating area with its own pool access

that can be curtained off from the main room to create a little more privacy. The wood floors and paneling in the interior combined with the white stucco walls, give Villa Allegra a refreshing coastal feel, reflective of the Miami lifestyle. Wadi Rum, the OAD European office and Villa Allegra are all designed in conversation with their respective uniquely contributing environments. It is a staple of OAD design and it is what makes Oppenheimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work timeless and eternal. alt

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northeast | architecture

Brown University - Alpert School of Medicine HVAC and Electrical Engineering: BR+A Consulting Engineers Faรงade Restoration Consultant: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Construction Manager: Suffolk Construction Co., Inc.

34 Architecture Leaders Today

The Bright New Future of Medicine The designs of Ellenzweig Associates cover everything in the medical field from research to implementation. by Drew Grossman

left: Brown University Alpert Medical School, Providence, R.I. The original building was actually a collection of structures in what was once the jewelers district. Ellenzweig redesigned the building. The school granted its first Doctor of Medicine degrees in 1975 and since then has become a national leader in medical education and biomedical research.

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llenzweig Associates Inc., a Cambridge, Mass. architecture firm, designs educational buildings at universities across the country from Syracuse to the University of Florida to Iowa State. Recently two projects in their New England backyard have garnered the firm high praise in architectural circles, the Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and The Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University. Researchers at MIT’s Koch Institute of Integrative Cancer Research are discovering and developing new diagnostic and treatment tools to be utilized by future doctors and health practitioners. The Brown University Alpert School of Medicine trains those future doctors, and both buildings were designed by Ellenzweig Associates. Typical of many older buildings, the original structure that would become Alpert was actually a collection of multiple structures located in an underutilized area of Providence, R.I. The original brick and concrete is utilized in the new building, but an attractive glazed glass was added to the structure to give it a modern upgrade. The Alpert School is a 134,000 sq. ft., three story, collection of classrooms, offices, labs and interaction spaces around a central orientation space, a large two story atrium at the main entrance. Collaboration space was essential to the design of the medical school. The primary concern was that students and faculty would have space to meet and get comfortable with each other, Pogoroski said. “You see people that you recognize and it helps you realize that you are a part of a place,” he said. The circular design of classrooms allows students to see each other and it creates a more personal classroom discussion experience. There is a teaching wall with a projection screen, but the classroom is designed for student interaction. Designed with intentional adjacencies between classrooms, offices and lab components — clusters of rooms are organized into suites by study, making it easier for students and faculty to navigate the building. From the techniques that will guide the future of medicine to the doctors and practitioners that will implement them, Ellenzweig Associates is designing the buildings to support this bright future of medicine. The MIT Cambridge, Mass. campus is home to a vast array of design from some of the world’s most noted architects. I.M. Pei, known by many as the master of modern architecture, has designed many buildings on the school’s campus, a lasting momento to his alma mater. Ellenzweig has also done extensive work for Massachusetts’ premier technical institute. Ellenzweig began a working relationship with MIT in 1965 and in 2010 the firm completed their newest addition to campus, the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research. The new facility includes research and core laboratories for the Center of Cancer Research, as well as meeting spaces, a cafeteria, offices and conference facilities. The building houses a combination of cancer research fields, including cellular biology, molecular genetics and engineering. To provide for the high level of research taking place across a broad range of studies, Koch had to be designed in a way that it will be adaptable to advances in technology. It is unfair to ask researchers what their needs are because they don’t know 36 Architecture Leaders Today

architecture | northeast

opposite, top to bottom: The Alpert School of Medicine, Providence, R.I. The school houses some of the top medical students and researchers in the world. Ellenzweig Associates completed the design/build. The labs at the Alpert School are designed to educate students in settings very similar to the real world work places they will occupy after graduation . Collaboration space was essential to the design of the medical school. The primary concern was that students and faculty have space to meet and get comfortable with each other. Work and study spaces are located throughout the school, offering a comfortable place for students to prepare for classes. above, Top to Bottom: A 134,000 sq. ft., three-story, collection of classrooms, offices, labs and interaction spaces around a central orientation space, a large two story atrium. Large windows open up the interior navigation walkways and fill the building with natural light. The circular design of the classroom allows students to see each other and it creates a more personal classroom discussion experience.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is some

amazing architecture on the MIT campus.â&#x20AC;?

38 Architecture Leaders Today

MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research LEED / Sustainable Design Consultant: The Green Engineer, LLP Construction Manager: Suffolk Construction Co., Inc. Civil Engineering: Nitsch Engineering, Inc.

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above: David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Middlesex, MA. Along the walls of the West Gallery a collection of microscopic images were selected and displayed. left: It was important for the designers to have the artwork in Koch really reflect the work and research being done inside its walls, the artwork is decidedly scientific in theme. Center: Elements of the scientific design permeate the building in technical and scientific art, some with functional purposes like a helix/ graph on the wall, which lays out a map. BELOW: Glass windows are purposefully constructed to celebrate accomplishments of Koch and allow passersby to view the research being done at the institute. opposite, top to bottom: The steel frame building with an abundance of glass and stone, and concrete floors. Vibrations from the subway below the building presented a problem, so structural engineers were brought in to stiffen the building. The new facility includes research and core laboratories for the Center of Cancer Research. The building houses a combination of cancer research fields, including cellular biology, molecular genetics and engineering. To provide for the high level of research taking place across a broad range of studies, Koch had to be designed in a way that it will be adaptable to advances in technology.

40 Architecture Leaders Today

“It is unfair to ask researchers what their needs are because they don’t know what they will be doing in the future. We have areas where the equipment is flexible.”

what exactly they will be doing in the future, said Peter Pogorski, AIA, an associate principal architect at Ellenzweig. We have areas where the equipment is flexible and we’re bringing in utilities at the ceiling level in modules so that whenever something needs to be reset below it, you can do that, he said. The building is primarily a steel structure with concrete floors and an abundance of class and stone. It was important for the building to really express the work and research being done inside its walls. The glass windows are purposefully constructed to celebrate the accomplishments of Koch and allow passersby to view the research being done at the institute. Koch is a steel frame building with an abundance of glass and stone, and concrete floors. The steel structure is tricky from a vibration point of view, Pogorski said. There is a subway that runs underneath the building and the vibrations it causes created a challenge for Ellenzweig. The firm brought in structural engineers to stiffen the building, which reduced vibrations and created a consistent setting for the Institute’s research animals to live. The school was really worried about the animals, Pogorski said. The vibrations make them nervous, so it was important to stiffen the building and make it more comfortable. On a first-floor hallway of Koch known as the west gallery, there is a collection of microscopic images that were selected and displayed for their attractive qualities. The other side of the hallway is floor to ceiling glass window, so that the images can be seen from outside the building. When building on a campus like MIT, with its impressive architecture and thoughtful design, it is important to take the surrounding buildings into consideration. The Koch Institute wanted a design for their building that would be sensitive to the rest of campus and use similar materials as other buildings at MIT. “There is some amazing architecture on that campus,” Pogorski said. The important thing for these kind of buildings is the interaction spaces, Pogorski said. You need a break from the lab bench and the space to meet and interact with researchers from across the building. ALT

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Biergarten Pilsner Haus Structural Engineer: Christie Engineering, PC HVAC: Ultra Air, Inc. Lighting Designer: Ann Kale Associates, LTD Interior Designer: Jirka Kola Interiors

above: Pilsener Haus & Biergarten, Hoboken, N.J. It was important for the architects to pull off the right flow between the spaces. The restaurant does not have a host seating customers, so part of the Pilsener Haus experience is moving between the three spaces. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a beer person or a beir person, the restaurant/barâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s casual environment with long social tables and the lack of TV screens is conducive to lively conversation and good times. All photos this spread by Denis Finnin.

42 Architecture Leaders Today

architecture | northeast

The Pilsener Haus & Biergarten is the first floor of a fivestory renovated warehouse in Hoboken, N.J. The revamped industrial warehouse is complete with the name of the bar painted high an large in what appears to be faded signage.

Bright lights, big city, sharp design Lee Levine Architects, PC is re-imagining the landscape with iconic, creative design. by Drew Grossman

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rom the humble home-town of Frank Sinatra in Hoboken, N.J. to the bright lights, glitz and glamour of Times Square, Lee Levine Architects, PC are re-imagining the landscape with iconic, creative design. Hoboken’s Pilsener Haus & Biergarten, designed by LLA, is housed in a revamped industrial warehouse, complete with the name of the bar painted high and large in what appears to be faded aged signage. The signage and iron entry gates present a tribute to the city’s industrial roots and the industrial buildings that remain a part of the Hoboken landscape. LLA also designed the Walgreens at Times Square, the company’s flagship store and home to two of the largest LED signs in the country. LLA’s greatest strength is their ability to evaluate and assess the opportunities and liabilities that exist within and around existing structures. With The Pilsener Haus & Biergarten, LLA created a truly authentic Austro-Hungarian beer garden experience with an outdoor garden, an indoor winter garden and the main restaurant space. “Here we actually have three very different restaurant experiences in one,” said Lee Levine, president of Lee Levine Architects, PC. Whether you’re a beer person or a bier person, the restaurant/bar’s casual environment, long social tables and lack of TV screens is conducive to lively conversation and a good time. “The first part of creating the character that they wanted was understanding how to pull off the right flow and movement and access points for the spaces themselves,” Levine said. The restaurant does not have a host seating customers, people seat themselves and move between the three spaces. The Pilsener Haus & Biergarten is the first floor of a five story renovated warehouse. The design is inspired by Radegast Hall in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. “Radegast is just fabulous, it’s an art, hipster, Williamsburg, Brooklyn scene,” Levine said. “The place has a great character to it, great feel about it.” One of the owners of Radegast, who was originally from the Czech Republic, wanted to 44 Architecture Leaders Today

top: There is a lot of wood in the interior of the Haus, with the long wooden tables, wooden benches and the exposed timber trusses bottom left: The large iron gate is one of the signature features of the project. And with more than 20 European drafts on tap, there is no shortage of reasons to check out the Pilsener Haus. bottom right: LLA decided to use a combination of frosted and translucent glass to go along with the dark brick and timber in the restaurant’s interior. All photos this spread by Denis Finnin.

above: The signage and the iron entry gates present a tribute to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s industrial roots and the remaining industrial buildings that remain a part of the Hoboken landscape. left: The variety of indoor and outdoor spaces allows for visitors to enjoy sitting outside when the weather permits below: The exposed ventilation and exposed wooden trusses are part of what creates the industrial, rustic environment in the biergarten.

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northeast | architecture

46 Architecture Leaders Today

Walgreens one times squarE Lighting Design: Available Light Specialty Light Spline & Fixture Fabrication: Hadley Exhibits General Contractor: Matassa Construction Flooring: Jo-Mark Installations Structural Engineer: YAS-Ysrael A. Seinuk MEP Engineer: H & H Engineering Electircal: Arcadia Electric Co. HVAC: East Bay Mechanical Signage & Branding: Gilmore Group

opposite: The Times Square location is Walgreens flagship store and home to two of the largest LED signs in the country. The building is at the intersection of Seventh Avenue, Broadway and 42nd Street, where the New Year’s Eve ball drops. Photo by Bobby Lara. above: The retail store has a custom build LED light spline partially suspended from the ceiling that guides customers through the three sales floors. The navigational lighting came out of the inherent complications of designing a multiple level retail store in Times Square. Photo by Denis Finnin.

build a beer garden in Hoboken. He met with the owners of the warehouse and came to an agreement which lead to the Pilsener Haus & Biergarten. LLA kept the material consistent with the image of the old warehouses to create that industrial feeling. “Clearly you wanted to express the heavy timber and masonry structure,” Levine said. The winter garden was also designed with recycled brick and heavy timber trusses. Although the design of the Pilsener Haus started with an understanding of what made Radegast Hall successful, this multi-story building and property offered a very different set of spaces for Levine Architects to work with. To serve liquor in Hoboken you must be 500 ft. from another liquor establishment. A block away from the Pilsener Haus, only 390 ft. to the south from the original entrance to the five story building is Carpe Diem Pub and Restaurant. With the new design, you enter the beer garden by turning the corner from Grand onto 15th Street, through the gates and the outdoor garden to enter at the inset of the now L-shaped building, where the new winter garden meets the old building. That makes the Pilsener Haus entry foyer approximately 530 ft. away from the nearest liquor establishment and legal. The ground floor of the Pilsener Haus is three feet below the sidewalk. When patrons enter the dining area they are high up in the space and can see over the whole main restaurant area. As they descend the stairs they can search the room for friends and drinking buddies at tables ornamented with huge Bavarian pretzels, schnitzels, strudels and goulash. “And that part is really a great experience,” Levine said. The wintergarden is a long skinny addition that is a little more intimate than the main room. The lean-to roof has skylights that allow natural light into the winter garden. Grand arched metal and glass doors look out onto the outdoor beer garden. “It was really meant to be what we call a seasonal pavilion,” Levine said. “In the summer they keep the doors open a lot, in the winter they keep them closed and keep it heated.” The Haus features live music a few nights a week to add to the casual ambiance that makes the restaurant/bar a featured spot in the Hoboken social scene. July/August 2012 47

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It was a challenge for Levine designing the Pilsener Haus & Biergarten in a way that it would echo the stylings of Radegast Hall while maintaining its own identity. The firm faced that same challenge to a greater degree when they took on the design of the flagship Walgreens at One Times Square. At the intersection of Seventh Avenue, Broadway and 42nd Street, where the New Year’s Eve ball drops 77 ft. down a flag pole each December 31, is One Times Square and the location of Walgreens’ flagship store. The first four floors of the 23-story building are Walgreens’ retail, with the third floor being a doubleheight space that remained from when Warner Brothers occupied the building previously. The fifth floor is offices and storage for Walgreens and the sixth floor holds mechanical equipment for the store. Below grade are three floors of Walgreens offices, storage, bathrooms and management and a fourth sub-cellar level that is a mechanical floor. “The building is phenomenal, it’s a very interesting building” Levine said. The retail store has a custom build LED light spline partially suspended from the ceiling that guides customers through the three sales floors. The navigational lighting came out of the inherent complications of designing a multiple level retail store in Times Square. “We had a directional and movement issue that somehow had to be addressed in the design of the space,” Levine said. The primary purpose of the light spline is to grab customers’ attention and send them in the right direction. “It’s kind of like the over-head yellow brick road,” Levine said. During the design development, it became clear that approximately 50 percent of each ceiling could remain high and exposed and 50 percent would need a suspended ceiling to conceal ducts and building systems. In their work with the lighting design firm Available Light, they jointly developed the LED light spline that intentionally guides patrons from the southerly entries to the northerly approach to the escalators. Available Light does a lot of exhibition, museum and theatrical lighting design. alt

48 Architecture Leaders Today

left: In such a large retail space, it is essential to have lighting that not only fills the space, but also highlights the products. LLA used spotlight-type hanging lights to keep the area well-lit and the products on display. right, top: The navigational lighting came out of the inherent complications of designing a multiple level retail store in Times Square. There needed to be an element to address the movement issues of the space. right, bottom: During the design development, it became clear that approximately 50 percent of each celing could remain high and exposed and 50 percent would need a suspended celing to conceal ducts and building systems. All photos this spread by Denis Finnin.

top left: In keeping with the brand and the essence of TImes Square, LLA used a lot of bright colors in the interior design of the Walgreens. bottom left: Because the Walgreens is spread over four stories and occupies an interesting space, making the navigation obvious was essential to the design. Escalators help to show customers that there is more retail found on the above floors.

top right: The first four floors of the 23-story building are Walgreensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; retail, with the third floor being a double-height space that remained from when Warner Brothers occupied the building previously. bottom right: The retail store has a custom built LED light spline partially suspended from the ceiling that guides customers through the three sales floors.

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Service Above All With a time-tested approach and many brilliant minds powering a diverse portfolio, Architecture, Inc. is a service-oriented firm seeking to change the way things are done in design.

Story by Joel Cornell Photos by John Cole Renderings courtesy of Architecture Inc.

50 Architecture Leaders Today

“F

irst and foremost, we’re a service company,” said Architecture, Inc. Principal Clint Brackman. “We fully acknowledge that we don’t sell widgets or products; we sell a service, and a unique one at that. When we look at what we’re trying to do for a client, it’s all about trying to meet their needs and provide them with a facility or program that accomplishes what they’ve asked us to do. “Sometimes that’s a little bit different from the original plans they set us to. We always do our fair share of investigation, determining exactly what that particular client truly needs. Sometimes they aren’t even sure what they need or even want, but that’s all part of our integrated discovery process. Ultimately, we’re here to serve the client and provide them with a facility and a program that is going to serve those needs.” This highly personalized time tested approach, to each client and project, was first cemented by Architecture, Inc. founders William “Buzz” Drury, AIA and Carl “Rusty” Shaw, AIA way back in 1986. Having already worked together for many years in architecture, the duo focused on medical structures, mainly psychiatric hospitals. Since the firm’s founding, Architecture, Inc. has become a

Washington Gas Light Federal Credit Union Construction Manager: Mark G. Anderson Consultants General Contractor: Hitt Contracting MEP Engineer: SSA Engineering, LLC Mechanical: W.E. Bowers & Associates Electrical: Ennis Electric

highly diversified, multi-disciplined architecture and planning firm with office locations in Ft. Myers, Fl. and Reston, Va. From their specialist roots in psychiatric hospitals, Architecture, Inc. has since expanded drastically into a company that is represented throughout each and every market share. “Our strengths really differ, all depending on what market we’re in at the moment,” Brackman said. “We still have a lot of specialists on our staff, and therefore many specialities all at once. However, we’re careful to recognize the dangers of becoming too much of a generalist firm. To counteract that, we always keep each staff member sharp and on the cutting edge of their field. We’ve done work across more than 30 states, and our projects range from secondary school work and hospitality projects, to restaurants and athletic facilities. We still also maintain a strong presence in the medical field. “Above all, we only expand into new markets when we know we can succeed and we can become strongly respects in that market sector.” Although Architecture, Inc. has completed many projects on the international stage, a large portion of their work is domestic. Of that, nearly two-thirds of the portfolio is on the East Coast. When it comes to the work the firm has completed in other regions of the country, many of these projects are for previous clients of Architecture, Inc. that have come back for more. These clients enjoyed the perfection, the service and the insight they received from Architecture, Inc. and have returned for whatever new expansions or endeavors they have in mind. One such project, sparked by a returning client, was the Washington Gas Federal Credit Union. This project, located in Springfield, Va. is an entirely new location for the credit union that is associated with their overall relocation. Although the building footprint is relatively small, standing at

left: Washington Gas Federal Credit Union, Springfield, Va. As the credit union’s new flagship location, the firm needed to create a memorable interior design. right: The design implements striking interior geometry make for a dramatic space.

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Arlington County Department of Human seRvices Structural Engineers: Rathgeber/Goss Associates MEP Engineers: GHT Limited Cost Estimators: Downey & Scott LEED Consultant: EMO Energy Solutions, LLC Glazing: Kensington Glass Arts Millwork: Potomac Architectural Millwork Corp. Doors/Hardware: Precision Doors & Hardware Painting: Precision Wall Tech Vinyl Graphics: Barry & Homer Electrical: Chesapeake Electrical Systems

ABOVE: The Arlington County Department of Human Services, Arlington, Va. An open revolt against gray, hence the bright colors and the ample natural light in the space. The colors and interesting design are part of an effort to rebrand the DHS.

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just around 16,000 sq. ft.. “As we worked closely with the client over the course of the project through our discovery phase, we both wanted to create something that was small, yet astounding,” Brackman said. “The design includes a lot of very neat and interesting features. All of these features are meant to represent the high tech, cutting edge character that the bank intends to develop. We helped them to eliminate the traditional teller coves one usually visits at a bank. The transaction counters were entirely redesigned in order to cater to their new ideas for a unique banking experience.” In addition to these newly developed changes to the traditional banking experience, Architecture, Inc. eliminated the traditional glass barriers that many banks used. The design implemented by the firm uses striking interior geometry that makes for a very attractive bank, both inside and out. This particular location is where the CEO and executive staff will be located, and will be seen as the credit union’s new flagship location. Nearby, in Arlington, Va., Architecture, Inc. worked closely with the U.S. Department of Human Services in order to create a new space for their new relocation. As the DHS put it, this project was meant to be, “an open revolt against government gray”. This large facility, exceeding 145,000 sq. ft., would serve as a new headquarters for the department, which would serve as the sole tenant. “This was a really great opportunity to take a building a re-brand it as belonging to the DHS,” Brackman said. “What’s more, we had a great and highly invested client in the form of the staff at DHS, each of whom wanted to pursue something interesting. They wanted more colors, interesting geometry, curves; a vast array of intriguing elements to set this structure apart from others.”

Rinker design associates, p.C

rdacivil.com Rinker Design Associates, P.C. is a mid-sized firm headquartered in Manassas, Va. with 88 employees on staff. RDA has been involved with site and infrastructure developments throughout the Northern and Central Va. areas for over 25 years; and is a leading provider of professional civil engineering, transportation engineering, surveying, and related disciplines to both the public and private sectors. RDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is a highly collaborative and communicative firm, that truly believes the better the relationship between all contractors involved in a project, ultimately benefits the clients. The constant professionals and skilled engineers at Rinker Design Associates optimize building, parking, infrastructure and sustainable endeavors with swift and effective work. Their collaborative spirit saves clients both time and money in avoiding multiple re-designs and ultimately benefits the end-user by delivering the highest-quality product achievable. Ad on page 183.

Loudon Community Health Center Construction Manager: Charron Construction Consulting Civil Engineers: Rinker Design Associates, P.C. Structural Engineers: Rathgeber/Goss Associates MEP Engineers: KTA

Architecture, Inc. took a bold step in locating all of the working offices on the interior of the building. While this might seem counter intuitive to the desires of the DHS for an open and unique office, Architecture, Inc. used this as an opportunity to create a perimeter that would be open to systems furniture areas, and even giving the offices night daylight views. Utilizing floor to ceiling glass in frame-less panes, this new design prevented any office in particular from feeling like it was being pigeonholed into some dark corner. This unique approach to a traditional office setting was further enhanced by a wide array of interesting materials. Because many of the visitors to the DHS might not speak English, Architecture, Inc. used these diverse and interesting materials as a unique wayfinding system of sorts. The firm used landmarks all throughout the building as a demarcation system that would help the building user remember where they are or where they need to be. In providing these unique geometries and designs throughout the building, visitors will be able to know where they are based on the nearby copper wall, the unique furniture layouts in open spaces, the different levels, the different colors, all of which correspond to different departments. As a service-based firm, Architecture, Inc. does not develop these interesting techniques and approaches in order to further their reputations or their design portfolios. These revolutionary new ideas are simply a by-product of a one of a kind firm bent on seeing every desire the client might have come to a full and beautiful fruition. alt

ABOVE: Architecture, Inc. broke up the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facade by alternating colors and materials. This gives the building a more interesting exterior presence and keeps it from looking like a typical county health center.

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Jack of Many Trades, Master of All Although Beinfield Architecture PC has completed projects in just about every sector and style, the firm still maintains the air of a specialist firm through each element of design. Story by Joel Cornell Tappo Restaurant Photos by Tom McGovern All Other Photos by Michele Scotto

Volo Aviation Interior, Stratford, Conn. 40,000 sq. ft. jet hangar facility in Stratford, Conn. for Volo Aviation. Designed to house privately-owned commuter jets, this new hangar facility also serves as a Fixed Base of Operations for a jet-leasing company.

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Volo Aviation General Contractor: A. Pappajohn Project Architect: Seelan Pather, LEED AP Interior Designer: Havilande Whitcomb, Aviation Aesthetics Structural Engineer: Edward Stanley & Associates Mechanical and Electrical Engineer: Edwards & Zuck

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Beinfield Architecture PC, based in South Norwalk, Conn. created a contemporary, modern and highly sophisticated site for Volvo Aviation.

he relatively small urban neighborhood of South Norwalk, Conn. is today a bustling social center. The urban center, dubbed SoNo, serves as a central hub of the culinary and social cultures — but it wasn’t always that way. Many years before, South Norwalk was an array of buildings in dire need of historic renovation, as well as new design and new life. But that was before Bruce Beinfield, AIA, and his firm Beinfield Architecture PC came to South Norwalk to bring about some change. Founded in 1983, in the heart of historic South Norwalk, Beinfield Architecture PC is a full service architecture firm that has gained a national reputation for their local work, particularly their drastic impact on their own neighborhood. In fact, since the firm’s founding, Beinfield Architecture PC has served clients in their South Norwalk neighborhood on over 200 different projects. In addition to the astounding impact Beinfield Architecture PC has made through their revitalization, historic renovation and adaptive reuse projects, the firm has also performed a large number of new construction projects. Not ones to be limited by scale or complexity, Beinfield Architecture PC recently completed a new 40,000 sq. ft. jet hangar facility in Stratford, 56 Architecture Leaders Today

Conn. for Volo Aviation. Designed to house privately-owned commuter jets, this new hangar facility also serves as a Fixed Base of Operations for a jet-leasing company. “In terms of overall design, there were many technical issues that were present throughout the life of the project,” Beinfield said. “The relationship between creating our own designs and working in a field controlled by the FAA, however, was more interesting than difficult. We used a fantastic translucent polycarbonate material on one large facade of the building, which allows light to come into the building for natural light and also illuminates the mezzanine office spaces for the company working out of that area.” In Norwalk and Stamford alone, Beinfield Architecture PC has completed five unique and rather large multi-family residential projects with anywhere between 100 to 350 units, each project averaging around $50 million in construction costs alone. While Beinfield Architecture PC has received over 50 different design awards for their work across the county, Beinfield himself has recently become the first Conn.-based architect to be elected into the AIA College of Fellows in the category of design in over a decade. Since the firm’s founding in 1983, Beinfield has garnered nationwide attention for his

Volo Aviation Exterior. The angular entrance is modern and slightly playful in design, with high angled roofs and thick tubular structures, which are used as stylistic supports.

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northeast | architecture

Volvo Aviation Interior. The space is designed to be both sleek, efficient, and stylistic in an industrial aesthetic.

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top: Translucent polycarbonate material on one large facade of the building, which allows light to come into the building for natural light and also illuminates the mezzanine office space.

bottom left: Exterior of the Volo Aviation at dusk. Illuminated, the building appears simplistic and decidedly modern with stylistic openings along the wall.

bottom right: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The relationship between creating our own designs and working in a field controlled by the FAA, however, was more interesting than difficult,â&#x20AC;? Beinfield said of the project.

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right: House in Sharon,South Norwalk, Conn. Design/build of Beinfield Architecture PC. Front detail and side the home is traditional and cottage chic, with a steeple roof and the coastal cottage aesthetic. below: Stepping Stones Museum for Children, Norfolk, Conn. front facade and side facade. The sustainable design of the museum is whimsical, functional and fun for the children to visit. Beinfield Architecture PC recently provided the entire scope of design work for a 20,000 sq. ft. addition to the existing museum.

“As a children’s museum, we wanted to pack as much educational content into the actual design itself as possible,” Beinfield said. Stepping Stones Museum for Children Project Architect: Andrew Bartolotta, AIA LEED Consultant: YR&G Structural Engineer: Edward Stanley & Associates Mechanical and Electrical Engineer: Edwards & Zuck Landscape Designer: Aris W. Stalis, ASLA

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House in Sharon Project Architect: Mark P. Goodwin, AIA General Contractor: Northwest Builders Timber Frame: The Timber Frame Workshop, Inc

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Both the client and myself really wanted the exterior to be a celebration and a display of everything related to sustainable architecture...â&#x20AC;?

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Tappo Restaurant Project Architect: Mark P. Goodwin, AIA

inspiring designs, unique insight and his visionary approach to client and project alike. Additionally, Beinfield has lectured on architecture, building and design, both through the AIA as well as serving as a visiting critic at the University of Colorado and Yale University. Beinfield has also served as Treasurer for the Conn. chapter of the AIA and currently serves on the board of directors for the Housing Development Fund of Fairfield County and the Stepping Stones Children’s Museum. In working closely with the Stepping Stones Children’s Museum, Beinfield Architecture PC most recently provided the entire scope of design work for a 20,000 sq. ft. addition to the existing museum in Norwalk, Conn. “As a children’s museum, we wanted to pack as much educational content into the actual design itself as possible,” Beinfield said. “Both the client and myself really wanted the exterior to be a celebration and a display of everything related to sustainable architecture. The museum is absolutely brimming with engaging, educational exhibits, and we thought that the building itself should be a part of that learning experience. On the exterior, we quite prominently featured active solar PV collectors, a large windmill and a green roof.” 62 Architecture Leaders Today

The Stepping Stones Children’s Museum has since been certified LEED Gold, and serves as a celebration of natural energies and the magic of discovery. The architecture of the new wing acknowledges that magic and seeks to energize young minds with not just what happens within its walls, but what happened in order to create those walls and those designs. Using recycled and locally sourced materials, in addition to several alternative energy sources throughout the project have created a place that can teach by virtue of its own designs and its own built elements. Because of their broad spectrum of talent and their ability to adapt both their designs and their approach to the unique needs of the client, the minds behind Beinfield Architecture PC have established themselves across nearly every sector. In particular, individual clients seeking a new custom home come to Beinfield Architecture PC for their insight and vision. Quite recently, the firm created a new home in the nearby town of Sharon, Conn. that was designed to evoke an iconic horse barn aesthetic. Featuring a collection of attendant outbuildings, this home reflects the owner’s desire for a retreat that is formal and elegant, yet reflects the casual nature of country living. Framed by a grove of ancient apple trees, visitors

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first encounter a pair of timber framed barns animated by an abstract grid of windows. The barns create a formal entry courtyard, flanked by a mudroom breezeway connecting the garage to the house. Materials for the Sharon home were carefully chosen to reflect the classic farms of New England, including white clapboard, a rustic fieldstone base and a cedar roof. This white-on-white sculptural starkness is most evident in the wide board window trim and highly articulated front entry. Demonstrating both their technical abilities and their visionary design flair, Beinfield Architecture PC recently designed a new, small Mediterranean restaurant in Stamford, Conn — Tappo. “To us, going out for dinner should be a transcendent experience,” Beinfield said. “You should feel like you’ve been transported to somewhere outside of your normal range of experience. In order to achieve that, we wanted to give the restaurant a real Mediterranean feel. We used a woven willow fabric that beautifully wraps up one side of the restaurant and on to the roof. The whole atmosphere, enhanced by our efforts to expose the old brick walls within the space, is something like an outdoor garden or a warm veranda outside up against an old building.” alt

above: Tappo restaurant in Stamford, Conn. Interior. Beinfield and crew wanted a transcendent experience for the Mediterranean style restaurant. opposite: Interior. Exposed old brick walls within the space, creates something like an outdoor garden or a warm veranda.

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785 Eight Avenue, NYC Floor Tile: Pro Spec, LLC Granite - Master Bathrooms: Stone Source Quartz Surface: Caesar Stone Window Treatment/Wallpaper: Angela Brown LTD A/V: Audio Unlimited Metal Work: Milgo Bufkin Carpet: Mohawk Group Resilient Flooring: Chilewich Mirror: Carcart

785 8 Avenue, NYC, NY. The exterior is a butt-glazed curtain of tinted blue glass wall that reflects scenic views of Hell’s Kitchen and Manhattan’s Theater District.

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Ismael Leyva Architects designed one of the slenderest towers in the world with their residential highrise at 785 Eight Avenue in New York City.

The design skinny I

Story by Drew Grossman Photos courtesy of Ismael Leyva

n his prime, long jumper Mike Powell set the world record for leaping 29 feet and 4 inches at the World Championships in Tokyo. Certainly, a long distance when you’re jumping, but not so spacious when you’re designing. Ismael Levya Architects designed a 43-story, 122-condominium residential tower on a wedged site on New York City’s 8th Avenue, 23 feet in width at the front and 44 feet at the back. With a running start, Powell could have easily leaped the width of the site. “The site was a challenge because it was very narrow, it’s a little wider in the back,” said Ismael Leyva, principal architect at Ismael Leyva Architects. The tower has a slenderness ratio of 15:1, making it one of the most slender structures in the world. The first seven floors are the main residential lobby and retail spaces, and the units on the second through seventh floors include outdoor terraces. The very elegant lobby has custom cast terrazzo floors with accents of inset onyx and the walls are detailed with glowing wedge strips of Mexican onyx set into classic mahogany wood veneer panels. The exterior is a butt-glazed curtain of blue-tinted glass walls that reflect scenic views of Hell’s Kitchen and Manhattan’s Theater District for passers by. From inside the tower, residents can see out over the Hudson River, as well as Midtown and Downtown Manhattan. On most floors there are only two condos per floor, so each condo has a balcony, on either the east or west side of the building. The firm intended to create a sense of motion with the alignment of the balconies on the 8th Avenue facade. They shift from one side of the building to the other as they climb up the building toward the sky, according to ILA, reminiscent of a bird taking flight. “There is glass, floor to ceiling, and expansive views all around and people appreciate that,” Leyva said. People are also likely to appreciate the modern design of the interior of the rooms, with the Brazilian cherry floors, high ceilings, granite counters and imported porcelain tile. Because of the narrow massing of the building, apartments have frontage on more than one facade, creating great natural light for the room. Residents of the 43rd floor penthouse and the 42nd floor apartments have access to the rooftop’s outdoor terraces and hot tub that sits 500 feet above the Manhattan street. Below grade in the tower is a state-of-the-art fitness center with cardio training and specialized work out rooms. Also, down there is a lounge with a conference/ business center and tenant bicycle storage. ILA began design of the luxury tower in 2009 and it is scheduled to occupy at the end of June. alt top: There is a very modern design to the interior of the tower, with Brazilian cherry floors, high ceilings, granite counters and imported porcelain tile.

center: With all of the glass, the building offers beautiful views of Manhattan, even the bathroom overlooks the city.

bottom: Every apartment in the building has a balcony and the alignment of the balconies creates a sweeping sensation as you look up from the street.

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Coastal Creations

Michael McKinley and Associates, LLC specializes in chic coastal design. Story by Drew Grossman Bookends and Surfside Residence Photos by Kindra Clineff Stonington Harbor Sailing Pavilion Photos by Michael McKinley

Bookends Residence, Watch Hill, RI. Two-story New England style shingled home located a short walk from Potter Cove in Little Narragansett Bay. The home derives its name, Bookends, from its three-part bookend design.

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Bookends residence, Watch Hill General Contractor/Builder: Yankee Remodeler

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Hand-hewn walnut flooring throughout Bookends provides for a comfortable yet modern feel inside the house. Michael McKinley and Associates designed plenty of windows in the home to allow for ample natural lighting and to create good transitional spaces between the indoors and outdoors.

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clockwise from top left: The double-sided fireplace separates the kitchen from the living room. Michael McKinley and Associates used local Westerly, R.I. granite on the fireplace, paying tribute to the area’s famous granite quarries.

The kitchen is the focal point of the home. McKinley refers to it as the heart of the house, explaining that the interior was designed so that people would gravitate to that space. The firm won an interior design for Bookends from Rhode Island Monthly.

Bookends is not just the same old traditional New England shingled home. McKinley designed an unconventional sweeping roof line, a kind of intriguing enigma in architectural circles.

ust before six o’clock a.m., the summer sun begins to rise over the Atlantic Ocean and light up the East Coast. Coastal residents often take their morning coffee or tea to the deck, the bay window or the back porch to watch the physics of the world at work. Michael McKinley and Associates, LLC specializes in designing coastal homes that capitalize on the views and fluidity between indoor and outdoor spaces customary to coastal living. “We work from the inside out and we work from the outside in,” said Michael McKinley. “This is critical in coastal living because all of the clients want to live outdoors in some fashion.” Michael McKinley and Associates is based in Stonington, Conn. and has offices in Charlestown, R.I. and Vero Beach, Fla. Recently the firm finished three signature projects on New England’s Atlantic coast. The Bookends and Surfside residences, both in Watch Hill, R.I. and the Wadawanuck Club Pavilion in Stonington, Conn., showcase the firm’s experience in coastal design. Bookends is a two-story New England style shingled home located a short walk from Potter Cove in Little Narragansett Bay. And the residence is not just the same old traditional New England shingled home. McKinley designed an unconventional sweeping roof line, a kind of

McKinley’s intention was to create very simple interiors. He describes the home as a sort of poetic combination of traditionalism on the exterior and something much more reflective of the coastal lifestyle in the interior.

The summer room is located on the back of the house right off the kitchen and living room spaces. Banks of windows give the indoor space a screened-in porch feel, creating a comfortable space to take in nature while remaining indoors.

intriguing enigma in architectural circles. “We could have made a vertical shingle wall and put some nice detail on it and gone home,” McKinley said. “But I think this indicates that there is something very unusual happening here and that’s what turns the chapter in this architecture. It says to people that this is something that is in the present and future, rather than in the past.” The kitchen is the focal point of the home. McKinley refers to it as the heart of the house and said that Bookends’ interior was designed so that everything would revolve around the kitchen and people would gravitate to that space. The center of the kitchen is an L-shaped island bar and table, the legs of the L are at different heights to accommodate different uses, perfect for hosting gatherings with friends and family. Hand-hewn walnut flooring throughout Bookends provides for a comfortable — yet modern feel inside the house. A double-sided fireplace separates the kitchen from the living room. McKinley used local Westerly, R.I. granite on the fireplace, paying tribute to the area’s famous granite quarries. Through glass doors off of the kitchen/ living room is the summer room. July/August 2012 69

this page: Surfside Residence, Watch Hill, RI. Less than a mile from Bookends is McKinley-designed Surfside residence. The home overlooks the Block Island Sound, which is the 10-mile strait separating Block Island from the coast. opposite: The home, which was originally built in 1886, was a Victorian summer cottage with double decker porches facing both the water and landside. McKinleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design was a process of going back in time in order to create the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future.

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below, clockwise from top left: In the attic of Surfside is a bathroom with a standalone bathtub and shower molded to the shape of the roof above it. Over the sink, instead of a medicine cabinet is a window overlooking the water.

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The architect wanted to create a modern, year round home that would re-establish the tradition of wood craftsmanship found in the original structure and the nearby shingle style residences.

The kitchen has a dark wood floor and a wall of windows that faces the ocean. Transitional spaces between indoors and outdoors are essential in good coastal design and the Surfside kitchen functions well in this regard.

The three-story home, two floors and an attic, has become a signature property in the area. The home was published in Watch Hill Style, a book featuring the best examples of Watch Hill architecture.

Opposite: The large and contemporary balcony off the upstairs master bedroom doubles as relaxing space for the client, and below as a covered entertainment area in the rear exterior of the house.

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Stonington harbor sailing pavilion General Contractor: Robert D. Wood Carpentry and Restoration

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opposite: The Wadawanuch Club, Stonington Harbor, Conn. is located off Fisher’s Island Sound in Southeastern Connecticut. The design was focused almost exclusively on the outdoor spaces.

left: The visible natural wood trusses and round concrete columns, along with the preppy color scheme, give the pavilion a very New England coastal aesthetic and feel.

Center top: The pavilion has 40 large locker spaces, a storage room and club offices in the structure’s only interior space upstairs.

Banks of windows give the indoor space the feeling of a screened-in porch and with the dining table out there, it is a delightful space to surround yourself with the sights and feel of nature while still enjoying the comforts of the indoors. Less than a mile from Bookends is the McKinley-designed, Surfside residence overlooking the Block Island Sound, the 10-mile strait separating Block Island from the coast of Rhode Island. The home which was originally built in 1886, was a Victorian summer cottage, with double decker porches facing both the water and landside. But over the ensuing century the home went through redesigns and alterations, obscuring some of the historic features. McKinley’s design was a process of going back in time in order to create the home’s future. The firm researched and respected Surfside’s history. The renovated home incorporates the historic building’s line, height and massing. The home is located on a slightly rising hill with an incredible view of the ocean. The architect wanted to create a modern, year round home that would re-establish the tradition of wood craftsmanship found in the original structure and the nearby shingle style residences. The three-story home, two floors and an attic, features a beautifully simple cottage-like master bedroom with a balcony that overlooks the water. That balcony additionally creates a covered entertainment area in the rear exterior of the house.

center bottom: Designed as a multipurpose building to accommodate sailing classes, equipment storage, demonstrations and social functions.

Right: The club has been wellreceived by the sailing community. One college sailing coach referred to it as one of the finest buildings of its kind.

The kitchen has a dark wood floor and a wall of windows facing the ocean. The many windows allow sunlight into the kitchen and give the family a clear view of the ocean. In the attic of Surfside is an interestingly designed bathroom, with a standalone bathtub and shower molded to the shape of the roof above it. Over the sink, instead of a medicine cabinet is a window overlooking the water.“The window is much more important than a medicine cabinet,” McKinley said. Surfside has been well received by the community, the home was published in Watch Hill Style, a book featuring the best examples of Watch Hill architecture. No small feat in an area known for its affluent Victorian style beachside mansions. Both Bookends and Surfside are designed with the intention of bringing the outside in, while McKinley’s work on the Wadawanuck Club Pavilion in Stonington, Conn. was focused almost exclusively on outdoor spaces. The Wadawanuck Club is located at the head of Stonington Harbor off Fisher’s Island Sound in Southeastern Connecticut. Michael McKinley and Associates designed a pavilion complete with 40 large locker spaces, a storage room and club offices in the pavilion’s only interior space upstairs. The pavilion is designed as a multipurpose building to accommodate sailing classes, equipment storage, demonstrations and social functions. The visible natural wood trusses and round concrete columns, along with the preppy color scheme, give the pavilion a very New England coastal feel. alt

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THIS SPREAD: Altegrity Risk International, NYC, NY. Interior Lobby. The NYC-based intelligence and security firm sought out The Mufson Partnership to help them create the appropriate central hub to reflect the company’s recent merger with Kroll, a risk management firm.

Top Dollar

The Mufson Partnership, specialists in build/design for clients in the financial sector, takes a personal approach to each and every project. Story by Joel Cornell Photos by Durston Saylor Photography

ith a heavy focus in high-end financial services, hedge funds, venture capital firms, equity firms and asset management markets, The Mufson Partnership’s work in NYC has helped to define the Manhattan skyline and fast-paced business that happens within through their innovative, architecture design. Working in a market of such size and expectations, the firm has become well known both locally and abroad for doing big projects featuring the most elaborate and inspiring designs. “When you practice architecture and design in a city this size, like we do, there are so many other firms that each one is relatively forced to specialize to some degree,” Larry Mufson said, founding partner of The Mufson Partnership. “There are indeed similar firms in NYC with a complete expertise in the interior construction of corporate office buildings and financial centers; but, the city is so big that we barely know all of the firms that practice in our specialty. It’s a nice-sized market, and our expertise over the last 10 years has really helped us to stand out.” It would be hard to miss The Mufson Partnership’s work with such eyecatching projects like the recently completed Altegrity Risk International building. The NYC-based intelligence and security firm sought out Mufson to help them create the appropriate central hub to reflect the company’s recent merger with Kroll, a risk management firm. “When we sat down for preliminary design sessions with Altegrity, the first thing we took into account, both for our approach and our overall design, was the high amount of security at every level,” Mufson said. Altegrity is a globe spanning security solutions firm specialized in July/August 2012 77

law enforcement training, helping their clients with risk consultation, screening and general management services. In taking a step in a new direction, Altegrity wanted to create a new core office with unique designs that would help them to stand out amongst their peers. “They perform background checks for major corporations from top to bottom; and they maintain a heavy focus on a staff composed of only the best and the brightest. Everyone working there has an impeccable background, Mufson said. “Altegrity came to us for a designed space that would be attractive and exemplary of a high end, professional services firm. With this client, we were dealing with people doing work under a high level of scrutiny and security. What they wanted was a new kind of office building.” Due to Altegrity’s location and the accompanying conditions of the location, lighting was one of the firm’s biggest concerns. In addition, Mufson was given a relatively lean budget with which to work. However, by utilizing their ability to get to the core of their client’s true desires, Mufson was able to provide the high design Altegrity desired, along with the utmost security systems integrated into the design. “We often work with established men and women who have been in their respective industries for many decades,” Mufson said. “Altegrity, however, was composed of a much younger employment group. The most interesting thing about working with Altegrity was the lower median age in their client which brought 78 Architecture Leaders Today

about unique designs from us that are bold, interesting, exciting and illuminating.” Seeking to provide a deep, personal delivery method for each project, at least one of The Mufson Partnership’s four partners will guide a project from inception to completion. Mufson himself is intimately involved in at least 80 percent of the designs that the firm creates. As many of the firm’s clients exist in the financial services sector, most have either emerging or establish offices all around the world. This, combined with The Mufson Partnership’s ability to provide inspiring and differentiating designs, has brought the firm work all around the globe. From as far East as Shanghai and London, to as far south as Sao Paolo, and from coast to coast in the U.S., with project in LA and their home town of NYC. “Clients across all sectors, not just financial firms, come to us for our ability to take their corporate culture into a three dimensional space,” Mufson said. “Our mission statement is to translate these unique cultures into a three dimensional environment utilizing each client’s unique identity and business practices in order to create a smart, imaginative design that interprets corporate images and enhances functionality. “When dealing with hedge funds or equity firms in particular, each one is always looking to brand themselves differently in order to distinguish themselves from others in the city. They have the money, they have the vision, they have the ability; we’ve been very successful in this niche.” ALT

opposite: Lobby and Common Area. Altegrity wanted to create a new core office with unique designs that would help them to stand out amongst their peers. The contemporary, sleek and elegant design fits in nicely with the high-end clientele. above: Common Area. Lighting was one of the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest concerns.Utilizing their ability to get to the core of their clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true desires, Mufson was able to provide the high design Altegrity desired, along with the utmost security systems integrated into the design.

right, from top to bottom: Kitchen and Common Room. The employees can enjoy a calming space, that is open and functional to their needs. Executive Office. This office is modern and stylistic, with floor to ceiling windows, pop-art and midcentury inspired furniture. Employee Offices. The employees have open offices with state of the art technology and features to reduce noise, to keep a calm and productive space. Office and interior hall shot. This office maintains an open look with glass walls and high ceilings. Contemporary lighting is throughout the building.

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cloCkwise, from top left: The space functions as a dining room, meeting area and showplace, so it was important to make the space look elegant and inviting. The company recently introduced new branding initiatives and needed the cafeteria to reflect the new brand. Now the space offers more contemporary design and healthier food choices. A retractable sound rated wall comes out from the stone creating a conference area. Countertops are made of quartz hipoxie.

80 Architecture Leaders Today

The large room is organized into multiple smaller spaces by the positioning of buffet lines and other dining room elements. The ceiling was selected to help with the acoustics of the dining room. The perforated metal allows sound to pass through. The space has a really good acoustic package. opposite: The architects wanted the area to have high tech look to it. They wanted to showcase a modern company in a dining atmosphere.

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Maryland Firm Shines with Local Projects

McCormick & Co. Dining Hall Renovation General Contractor/Builder: Shade Construction Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing Design: Schlenger/Pitz & Associates Construction/Building: Shade Construction

Columbia, Md. based Waldon Studio Architects took on three unique projects all in their home state. Story by Drew Grossman McCormick Dining Hall and South Mountain Welcome Centers photos by Paul Burk Photography

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Beltsville - Laurel Senior Activity Center General Contractor: Morgan-Keller, Inc. Landscaping: Outside Unlimited C.I.P Concrete: Puebla Construction, Inc Masonry: Carson & Grya Inc. Roofing/Siding: York Roofing, Inc. Kitchen Equipment: Singer Equipment Co. Operable Partitians: Modern Door & Equipment Sales Awnings: Haxel Awning Co. Glass & Glazing: Glass & Aluminum Concepts, Inc.

he Columbia, Md. based Waldon Studio Architects & Planners is best known for the impressive churches the firm designs, however, three non-church projects have recently garnered the architects some deserved attention. WSA renovated the kitchen and dining area at the headquarters of spice gurus McCormick & Company, Inc., designed a new flagship community building with the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activity Center and gave Western Maryland a visitor’s center that is truly of the region with the South Mountain Visitors Centers. Although McCormick & Company, Inc. has been a world leader in the production of spices since 1889 and has revenues of $2.9 billion annually, their company headquarters in Hunt Valley, Md. was lacking in the most unlikely of places. Their kitchen and dining area was not on par with the company’s new brand identity, so Waldon Studio Architects were brought in to create a new open design for the kitchen inspired by the idea of casual elegance. WSA took the original space, which consisted of three separate square conference rooms and a small employee kitchen, and delivered a multifunctional dining/conference/demonstration room that can fit more than 200 people comfortably. To accomplish the ideal cafeteria, the firm worked closely with McCormick. “It was really a good collaborative team effort to arrive at the design,” said Mike Morgan, AIA, vice president of Waldon Studio Architects & Planners. 82 Architecture Leaders Today

The new dining room is flexible and multifunctional. The facility functions as a dining room, but the room also has a space with a curving retractable sound-rated wall that can close off to form a private conference room. Another semi-private dining room is elevated two steps high and overlooks the rest of the room. The semi-private room includes a serpentine-shaped countertop with power outlets on the backside so that it can be set up as a buffet line. The Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activity Center is a new state-of-the-art senior activity center, designed by Waldon Studio Architects and built on six acres in Laurel, Md. The project received a 2012 Merit Award from the America Builders and Contractors. The center is designed to accommodate what they refer to as “seniors of the future,” meaning this was not going to look like a traditional senior center. Laurel-Beltsville senior center is outfitted with a computer lab, billiards area, fitness rooms, woodcraft shop, and a great room with a small stage and catering kitchen. The interior of the Activity Center is designed like a streetscape, complete with a row of five striped awnings charmingly positioned over swinging doors and frosted glass roll-up doors. The three middle roll-up doors reveal a large activity room and allow natural light to penetrate deeply into the streetscape. “The activity room is a self-contained room, they do line dancing and aerobics in the big room with the roll-up doors,” said Ravi Waldon, AIA, president of Waldon Studio Architects & Planners. “But if they want privacy

opposite: The building needed to function as a community center for seniors of the future, as opposed to a traditional senior center. The idea drove the fun aesthetics and modern design. Photo by Vickie Thurston. clcokwise, from top left: The metal siding helped the building meet the budgetary restriction of the project, while still providing a modern looking exterior. Photo by Mike Morgan. The floors are made of rubber, making them easy to walk on, not slippery and are easy for staff to maintain. Photo by Tom Lesser.

The street-scape is designed to make the hallway interesting so it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like seniors are walking down a long hallway. Photo by Vickie Thurston. The different requirements for activity spaces inside of the center helped to break up the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facade in a more interesting and contemporary way. Photo by Tom Lesser. The exterior of the center is a combination of metal panels and metal siding, as well as synthetic stone. Photo by Tom Lesser.

Natural light played a big role in the design, the firm wanted seniors to have outdoor access from the comfort of interior spaces. Photo by Tom Lesser.

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opposite, clcokwise, from top: WSA reflected the rustic nature of western Maryland by exposing the truss work and using stone and metal in the design. The project utilized regional materials from less than 500 miles away. Native vegetation and landscape architecture is incorporated into the landscape design. The architecture expresses the structure and lets the building be what it is.

The bathroom features stained concrete floors, waterless urinals and hanging exposed lighting. The glass and stone in the building’s exterior contrast well with the additional materials of the building. below: The design team included an exhibit designer to help the welcome center tell the story of western Maryland. ,

South Mountain Welcome Centers All Engineering Design: KCI Technologies, Inc.

they can bring down those roll-up doors and they still have frosted glass, so it still keeps the hallway bright.” The facade is broken up with varying structures, colors and materials, giving the senior center a very fresh and modern look. The main entrance to the lobby juts out from the building and WSA defines the space by incorporating a wall of glass. “It is so you have a clear sense of entry and there is a nice connection with the exterior,” Waldon said. “It is a community center so we want it to feel open and inviting.” Across the state in Myersville, Md., WSA captured the agricultural look and feel of western Maryland in the design of the South Mountain Visitors Centers. The firm accomplished this by utilizing exposed truss work, stone

and metal roofing on the project. “Especially along the Interstate 70 corridor, this is an area that has Civil War history, as well as history of westward expansion of the United States,” Waldon said. “Before it was Indian trails, and then it was wagon trails, then it was route 40 and then it was route 70. It all follows that general pathway through the mountains, so the state of Maryland was kind of interested in relaying that story.” WSA achieveed LEED Silver by taking advantage of natural light, local materials and good construction management practices. The visitors center is constructed of local and regional materials, which reduced transportation costs. The project received design awards from the American Institute of Architects and the Maryland Department of Transportation. ALT July/August 2012 85

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The Sandler Center for Performing Arts Virginia Beach, VA Architect: Kirkegaard Associates General Metals: Metal Magic Architectural Design, Inc. Architectural Woodwork: The Millwork Specialists A/V: Onyx Engineering Membrane Roofing: Roof Services Corp. Carpeting: Cavalier Flooring Flooring: Stuart Dean Signage: Advanced Design Furniture: Wenger Corp Lighting Design: MCLA Architectural Lighting Design

86 Architecture Leaders Today

Theater Mavens

Alan Ritchie has maintained the high level of design that his firm, PJAR is known for. Story by Drew Grossman Photos courtesy of Phillip Johnson Alan Ritchie

THIS SPREAD: The theater at the Sandler Center seats 1,200. At the theaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inaugural performance, world famous violinist Izhak Perlman played Sandler with only his violin and a pianist as accompaniment. The theaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acoustics are adjustable and can be personalized depending on the style and preference of the performer. The Sandler Center lobby features beautiful gray and beige marble floors with a flowering pattern. The entrance makes for a lavish pre and post-performance socializing space.

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The Pennsylvania Academy of Music in Lancaster, Pa. was a music school for interested members of the community to learn various forms of music and performance. PJAR designed the school for this purpose, but when the Academy recently went out of business, Millersville University took over the space and reopened it as the Ware Center. The building has 300 seat recital hall with teaching class rooms around it on the first floor and a sky lit reception area on the second. The two-story theater is largely made of granite and brick in order to fit in with the area’s surrounding architecture. The front of the building is transparent glass to allow people to see into the space and open it up to the community.

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hilip Johnson/Alan Ritchie Architects, the namesake firm of the great American architect Philip Johnson, has not lowered its standard of design since the retirement of its founder in 2004. Johnson is best known for his work ornamenting the NYC skyline with signature buildings like the Lipstick Building and the AT&T Building (now the Sony Building). Since his retirement in 2004, Johnson’s partner Alan Ritchie has carried on the firm’s legacy, creating client-centered architecture that is both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional. Recently Ritchie added two theater projects to the firm’s portfolio, a body of work that includes the grand State Theater at Lincoln Center in NYC and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach, Va. and The Pennsylvania Academy of Music in Lancaster, Pa. add some Lincoln Center-type grandeur to their respective idyllic home cities. When Izhak Perlman played the Sandler Center’s inaugural performance, the famed violinist took the stage in front of the 1,200 seat theater with only a single pianist as accompaniment. In such a large space, this would be a difficult test for any theater, but when Perlman left the stage he proclaimed Sandler one of the best theaters he’s ever played and he complimented the acoustics. With the help of acoustical consultant Kirkegaard Associates, PJAR designed a multifunctional theater, with adjustable interior walls and panels, permitting performers to personalize the theater’s sound.

architecture | northeast

The Pennsylvania Academy of Music, Lancaster, Pa. General Contractor: Benchmark Construction Custom Millwork: JC Snavely & Son Stone Fabricator: GEM Granites Local Associate Artchitect: Hickey Architects MEP Engineers: Cosentini & Associates Structural Engineers: Robert Sillman Associates

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above: The Lipstick Building, also known as 53rd at Third, is one of Philip Johnson’s most famous projects. The Manhattan tower is largely made of an iconic red enameled Imperial granite and steel. top left: Designed by Johnson and completed in 1975, Penzoil Place is made up of two 36-story towers in downtown Houston. The trapezoidal towers are sheathed in dark bronze glass and aluminum. top right: The Sony Tower is a 37-story Philip Johnson designed tower on Madison Avenue in Manhattan. The building challenged the principles of modernism and helped legitimized the post-modern movement.

90 Architecture Leaders Today

Sandler is a three-story metal clad glass structure facing Virginia Beach Town Center, an active retail and dining plaza in Virginia Beach’s central business district. However, when PJAR began the design of Sandler in 2006, Virginia Beach Town Center was void of an established design vocabulary. “It is sort of modern in appearance with brick and stone detailing,” Ritchie said. “We felt that the theater should be more of a standalone element and express what my architectural theories are.” The entrance makes for a lavish pre and post-performance socializing space inside Sandler. The stairs leading up to the balcony are covered in purple carpeting, designed to help with the building’s acoustics. This color scheme is carried through into the design of the auditorium with its purple seats and stage curtain. The walls are covered with a freestanding grillage of battens, which creates an exciting shadow effect. Since the opening of the Sandler Center, Virginia Beach Town Center has blossomed into a vibrant retail, dining and entertainment center. The Pennsylvania Academy of Music in Lancaster, Pa. was designed more as a teaching space, it was meant to be place for interested members of the community to come and learn all practices of music composition from opera to jazz, voice studies to music theory. Unfortunately, the nonprofit music academy was unable to financially support themselves and filed for bankruptcy after construction was completed. The building switched ownership and became the Ware Center, occupied by Millersville University. “It’s very sad because it was actually created by a husband and wife, quite well-known pianists in their own right,” Ritchie said. “They had the school in Lancaster, it was very popular, it attracted a lot of students so they thought that it was possible to grow.” Although the academy did not last, the theater is still very much in operation. The two-story granite and brick theater is made up of a 300 seat recital hall with teaching classrooms wrapped around it on the first floor and a reception area the second. The front of the building is a transparent glass so that people on the street can see the recital hall set back from the entrance. The reception area is located directly above the recital hall. “For the acoustics, we didn’t want a lot of activity and movement and that sort of thing going on above the recital hall,” Ritchie said. “We enclosed that space so it became more of a reception space, when the recital hall was not being used, that too could attract a fairly large gathering of people.” These two theaters showcase the kind of work that PJAR is capable of doing, even after the retirement of their founder Philip Johnson. “I feel pretty proud that we can show that we continue doing great architecture and it’s being very well received,” Ritchie said. ALT

Measured, Meticulous, Masterful

The vastly diverse staff of Jacobs Consultancy, with backgrounds in every field imaginable, have been partnering with architects globally to bring countless laboratory, research, institutional projects to successful fruition. Story by Joel Cornell Photo by Jeff Goldberg/ESTO

In partnering with some of the most prestigious architectural firms around the country, Jacobs Consultancy has become an essential element of any architectural undertaking, particularly those involved complex laboratory systems. As the specialized management, technical and consulting arm of Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., Jacobs Consultancy helps architects, builders, owners and clients in developing an annual revenue exceeding $11 billion. With more than 400 full time professionals and offices throughout the world, the firm provides a full range of industry leading, technically superior planning, management and consulting services to meet the evolving needs of their clients. “Our principal features lies in the diversity of our consultants and the attention to detail they bring to bear on each project,” said principal Robert Lubalin. “We are presently working at 23 of the top 25 National Institute of Heath funded medical schools in the country. We really do support these particular areas of research with some sincere intensity, but our total range is much more comprehensive than that. About 75 percent of our work is performed as consultants working with architectures firms; the other 25 percent is consultancy work directly for the owners.” Jacobs Consultancy doesn’t focus exclusively on the big and the beautiful, however. All principals have one hand or another in every aspect of the practice, and their projects range from small laboratory planning projects to large scale petroleum, chemicals and energy market studies, risk analysis, energy optimization, refinery configuration, environmental planning and permitting; the list goes on. Alongside Mitchell Giurgola, Jacobs Consultancy provided their expert services for the renovation of the Collaborative Research Center for Rockefeller University in New York City. The project involved the renovation of two existing research buildings, which were at the time joined by a connector building in a contemporary design. The university wanted to see the buildings become integrated into one singular complex.

The buildings suffered from very low floor-to-floor heights, which made the distribution of the highly technical laboratory and mechanical systems very difficult to integrate. The buildings themselves were also very narrow, which made fitting all of the required contents inside a unique challenge. Still, each building managed to retain a relatively small footprint. Jacobs Consultancy served on the project throughout its entirety, from programming through construction administration. “When you’re doing a unique renovation like the CRC, you have to take what the building offers,” Lubalin said. “We began with a relatively inadequate structural grid, but our involvement assisted in the entirety of the developing program. Early planning meetings were done via committees made up of some of the University’s top researchers and facility teams. We dove in even deeper, through individual meetings with particular researchers so that individual modules could be integrated into the laboratories that would serve each researchers in their own unique way.” Upstate at Cornell University, Jacobs Consultancy again partnered with Mitchell Giurgola to renovate the school’s Stocking Hall, a part of the College of Agriculture. Each firm’s specialty in science laboratories came into play, as the building was largely comprised of spaces for contemporary studies of food microbiology, food engineering and food chemistry. Another firm had already managed the programming and feasibility studies, as Jacobs Consultancy followed up with program verification. This process reevaluated the program’s priorities, taking existing program elements that existed as a simple quantification of the research and office spaces, and reapplied them to fit the newly introduced modules into the new structure. “We love working with Mitchell Giurgola because they represent the same comprehensive, understanding approach to these lab projects as we do,” Lubalin said. “It’s only a question of how proactive each client or architects can be; together, we see no upper limit.” alt

northeast | architecture

house by the pond Landscape Design: Landscape Details Engineer: Soil & Structure Consulting, Inc. General Contractor: Greg Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Angelo Construction Inc. Energy Consultant: Home Energy Solutions Environmental Planning: Interscience Research Assoc.

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SEE THROUGH DESIGN STELLE ARCHITECTURE DESIGNS WITH A SLEEK, SUSTAINABLE, MODERN BENT, INSPIRED BY SITE.

Story by Amanda Stevens

House by the Pond Photos by Matthew Carbone and Frank Oudeman All Other Photos by Michael Moran

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below: Exterior and Pool. The House by the Pond, Water Mill, NY. Constructed on a point between a pond and wetlands the house presented Stelle Architecture channels the site’s location from the interior to the exterior into the sleek design.

far top left: Outdoor shower. The 4,700 sq. ft. residence is as beautiful inside, as it is from the exterior design. Taking a heavy influence from the natural elements, native landscaping can be seen throughout the landscape design of the home.

redrick Stelle grew up in a “big, nineteenth century house on a farm” down the road from Edward Larrabee Barnes, one of the most renowned architects of his time. Still, Stelle wasn’t sure what he was going to do. “It was totally a visceral kind of thing to me,” Stelle said about his decision, when faced with one, to choose a major at Syracuse: architecture. “And as I got older and older, I realized [Barnes] was a major player, and he became kind of a mentor to me. Now, Stelle is the president of Stelle Architecture, where he focuses on sustainable energy and materials not to mention really cool-looking buildings with beautiful views of various waterways. These buildings are always inspired by the site: Stelle said clients come to him for his unique style, but the limitations of every building site helps shape a new house by forcing creativity. “The way we design and build is the reason people come to us,” Stelle said. “Working within

top center: Living area. The outside blends with the interior in this ultra modern design/build. White contemporary furniture matches the translucent feel of the home and pulls in well with the contemporary design of the residence.

bottom center: Living area. A modern fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows and sleek clean lines all nod to mid-century architecture, but with a decidedly modern and telling design of Stelle’s. The home is highly stylistic, with a simplistic elegance and open floor plan.

limitations is, in some ways, a challenge and, in some ways, an inspiration. I have no problem working within limitations. It causes the creative juices to flow. The worst thing is a blank piece of a paper.” Take, for example, The House by the Pond. Constructed on a point between a pond and wetlands in Water Mill, New York, the house presented Stelle with two significant challenges: how to keep all that brackish water from making its residence inside the house and how to dim the traffic’s noise pollution from a nearby road. Not only did his solution solve both his problems, it added another 2,000 sq. ft. to a nearly 4,700 sq. ft. house. That solution was raising the entire house. This created a basement level under the main house, which was already comprised of a one-story wing and a two-story wing. “There’s almost 50 percent more space just in that basement level, and it’s inexpensive space,” Stelle said. “It’s both a good thing in terms of the July/August 2012 95

northeast | architecture

Peconic Bay Residence General Contractor/Builder: Atlantic Collaborative Construction Co. Inc. Interiors: Betty Wasserman Art & Interiors Engineer: Consulting Engineers, Corp. Landscape: Joseph W. Tyree

96 Architecture Leaders Today

This Spread: Peconic Bay Residence, Sag Harbor, NY. Exterior Landscape and Pool. Mid-century design meets sleek modernism in this contemporary backyard. The elegant pool is perfectly framed with the landscape and outdoor cabana. The outside and interior often merge with Stelleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design, as is the case with this home. Contemporary and avant-garde style are countered well with traditional materials, like wood of the deck with the minimalist interior.

An open floor plan prevails throughout the house, making the home feels as if it a natural extension of the outside with floorto-ceiling walls. The light above the dining table is avant-garde, and the interior of the room is filled with clean lines. Calming blues blend with marble greys, and the expansive window above the sink-in tub to merge the outside water with the interior. A place for privacy in the open home, that provides a quite and calming experience from the design.

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Ocean Guest House Environmental Planning Development Consultants: Interscience Research Associates Landscape Architect: LaGuardia Design General Contractor/Builder: Licciardi Builders

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have no problem working within limitations. It causes the creative juices to flow. The worst thing is a blank piece of a paper.â&#x20AC;?

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northeast | architecture

Landscape Details landscapedetailsinc.com

Landscape Details is a full service landscape company that designs and installs some of the most notable landscapes on the East End of Long Island. Owner Michael Derrig works with discerning clients and renowned landscape architects to consistently realize their visions. The level of service and professionalism brought to each project is unparalleled and expected when you work primarily in the Hamptons. Michael Derrig’s aesthetic is evident throughout some of the finest estates on Long Island. A Registered Landscape Architect, he established Landscape Details, Inc. in 2000. Derrig works closely with landscape architects, architects and designers (no matter what the scale). He can also custom design any client’s plan. Listening carefully to his clients and bringing his expertise and creativity to each project, Derrig and his team consistently deliver cohesive, beautifully executed landscapes - both modern and traditional. Ad on page 194

100 Architecture Leaders Today

budget and use of the footprint.” Simply raising the house, he was able to include a garage, playroom, exercise room, nanny’s bedroom and outdoor shower in a corridor that floods with light. Another challenged presented by houses in the Long Island area is the abuse weather pounds into the materials: salt, wind, rain and heat. Which is why he chose anodized aluminum doors, windows and trim as well as cedar wood panels along the outside of the house. The aluminum will weather the storm, and the cedar will weather with the storm, becoming a more rustically regal coloring as time moves on. “Nothing looks as cool to me as a weatherbeaten house. It’s a little bit like a really well made coat that can just take great abuses and weather, and you look on the inside and the lining is made of some beautiful material”, Stelle said. “And I think the end result is that the house is pretty cool.” In addition, Stelle was proud to exceed the requirements of the energy star rating system by using a geothermal heating system, which heats and cools the house by pumping 50 degree water into heating pumps then circulating it around the walls of the house. Since this uses natural material, it’s more energy efficient. He also used this heating and cooling system in his Peconic Bay Residence in Sag Harbor, NY,

which overlooks the bay from within a grove on a bluff. Stelle also laid this house with “darker floors, grey wood floors and grey bluestone floors, which absorb the heat from the heat gain, and with all the windows open, you get great cross ventilation.” Stelle said though he used “a lot glass” in this house and the House by the Pond Using natural materials to control the heating and cooling of the house is what helped this one also exceed the energy star rating system while still keeping the clients’ requests in mind: to have a lofty, open-space house. “We employed a strategy we employ a lot of times: for you to be able to see through the house before you enter it,” he said. “It’s more like a loft divided than it is a house of separate rooms.” These client requests are part of what makes the job both so interesting and so fulfilling to Stelle. “The three legs a project stands are is that it is financially rewarding, that you enjoy working with the clients, and you end up with a great result, he said.” I think we achieved all three here.” Sometimes, though, he’s presented with a project almost free of constraints and stripped of the usual restrictions. In those times, like when he created the eponymous Ocean Guest House in Bridgehampton, New York. A small house he called a “jewel,” the Ocean Guest House is a unique piece of architecture for a few reasons, not the

previous spread, clockwise from left: Peconic Bay Residence in Sag Harbor, NY, Overlooks the bay from within a grove on a bluff. Using natural materials to control the heating and cooling of the house is what helped this one also exceed the energy star rating system while still keeping the clients’ requests in mind this spread, clockwise from left: Stelle laid this house with “darker floors, grey wood floors and grey bluestone floors, which absorb the heat from the heat gain, and with all the windows open great crossventilation occurs.” Stelle employed a modern strategy that often prevails throughout his work, to be able to see through the house before entering. Without the divides you might see in a traditional home and with large expansive glass this effect was possible. The residence manages to stand out in a way that is elegant, sleek and avant-garde all at the same time. Achieving a truly innovative design/build project.

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ABOVE: Exterior Stairs. The stairs are both industrial and traditional in style, with the warmth of wood and coolness of steel in the design.

least of all being the fact that the living room is not enclosed. Just a roof to keep its occupants dry. “These littler projects tend to be freer because they have less constraints placed on them, so you can play it a little bit more in terms of how the geometry works out and how the architecture is resolved,” Stelle said. “That’s why this house looks more like a model. In a way it’s like a fashion model: a beautiful object.” In fact, the house is such an architectural marvel, Stelle said there was recently a publication writing about how difficult it can be, with today’s technology, to tell the difference between 102 Architecture Leaders Today

a rending and a photograph of a house. The story ran with a photo of the Ocean Guest House as the example. Which shouldn’t be surprising: the house is simply strange. For one, it lacks wood of any kind, opting instead for a plethora of zinc. Makes sense: zinc “is a fairly inert material, so in terms of flashing and co-existence with salt and wind and sun and sand, it’s a very good material,” Stelle said. Materials like copper or even stainless steel will began to weather heavily in the harsh environment. Secondly, the house acts as a “lantern” in the

evenings, as light floods out of it into the surrounding grasslands, lighting up everything so one can clearly see the ocean from the upstairs balcony. “The way the house looks at night is very important to us,” he said. “The house is sort of a lantern.” Which makes sense. After all, he said he was drawn into the business from an aesthetic perspective. And that’s where he plans to stay. He said Barnes, “was considered one of the giants of 20th century modern architecture,” and he can only be left to wonder if he will fill the shoes of the man he called his mentor. alt

architecture | northeast

A residence in the Hamptons, NY. A prime example of when good collaboration happens between builders and architects.

Simply the best

Licciardi Builders stays on top

Story by Amanda Stevens Photos courtesy of Licciardi Builders

f you are thinking about renovating your existing home or want one custom built to your specifications, Licciardi Builders are the contractors to call. From remodeling your kitchen or bath to building the home of your dreams, they will give you and your home the personal attention it deserves. “The experience we bring to the table is what sets us apart — my father and brothers all work with me,” Owner Joe Licciardi said and who happens to be second generation woodworker in the Hamptons, NY. “The thing about working in this area is that if you communicate well, are honest with your clients, diligent with your work and offer quality service, you will always have appointments filling your book.” Licciardi and his crew believe it’s about truly learning their customers’ needs and tastes and then delivering a product that exceeds expectations. And have achieved this, most recently through a collaboration with Stelle Architects on the 109 Surfside Residence, Hamptons, NY. “We really enjoyed working on this project with Stelle and the clients

had great vision,” Licciardi said. “All of the siding was shipped over from Germany. The doors and windows are custom made as well as the flooring. This project really showcased our best skills.” Let Licciardi Builders and their highly trained contractors handle any of your addition or renovation needs. The contractors can assist you with any interior or exterior home remodeling project. Licciardi Builders is available for all your home improvement projects, from kitchen and bathroom remodels to additions. Whatever the renovation needs, their general contractors will provide client’s with the highest quality work at a competitive price. Licciardi also believes a well-informed and collaborative process is the best for all parties involved, ensuring the client will meet with lighting designers, architects, interior designer and engineers. Additions and Renovations Services Include kitchen and bath remodeling, roofing, garages, porches, great rooms, game room, basement renovations, attics and custom decks. ALT July/August 2012 103

northeast | architecture

Presidential Inaugural Viewing Stands Structural Engineers: Keast & Hood Environmental & Geotechnical: Froehling & Robertson Cost Estimating: AR Contracting LLC

Presidential Design

Atelier Architects, Inc. works mostly on civic and healthcare projects. The firm designed the inauguration stands for President Barack Obama and currently is working on the Hagerstown Nursing and Rehibilitation Center in Hagerstown, Md. by Drew Grossman

telier Architects, Inc. designed the backdrop to one of the most significant historical events of this generation, the inauguration of President Barack Obama, the first African-American to hold that office. With nearly one year until the day, Atelier was brought on to design the presidential inaugural viewing stands. The architecture firm works mainly on civic and healthcare projects, currently they are designing the Hagerstown Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hagerstown, Md. The presidential inauguration project consisted of three viewing stands, the presidential viewing stand, the media stand across the street and then the D.C. mayor’s stand located in front of City Hall. The presidential stand is the most elaborate of the three, a steel structure wrapped in wood paneling and partially enclosed with protective glass. The 408-seat viewing stand is carpeted and given some heating elements in preparation for the cold January inauguration. The media stand has always been “stick built,” according to William Faust, AIA, president of Atelier Architects. This means that the stand was built with new wood, used for the inauguration and then thrown away. Atelier built the media stand and mayor’s stand out of steel instead of wood so that they could be taken apart after the inauguration and stored to be reused in future inaugurations. The media stand is a three story, split level stand that seats approximately 420 people. It is outfitted with all of the necessary media hook-ups and camera connections for journalists, as well as a control booth on top of the stand, constituting as a third level. 104 Architecture Leaders Today

The viewing stands had to be built in a way that they could efficiently be put together and then taken down following the inauguration. “It had to be constructed pretty quick because it’s on parkland, so you can’t just occupy the site,” Faust said. “You can’t dig footings, so everything that held the building down had to be built on top of the roads and the sidewalks.” Faust said it was pretty exciting to see the firm’s design appear on the national news during the inauguration. Although Atelier’s current design addition, the Hagerstown Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, is not likely to appear on the national news, it is quite the impressive design project. The original building was designed back in the 1960s as a hunting and fishing retreat for a national airline company and the structure’s original large stone walls and pieces of glass still remain. Over the years additions have been made to the structure so that the exterior now has elements of metal siding, stone and brick. There have been two additions to the original building and Atelier is designing the third while also making renovations to some of the existing structures. The addition is a two-story, 50-bed wing that has a short term rehabilitation unit and a large physical therapy unit. Above the physical therapy unit, Atelier is designing a new dining room. A kind of transitional space with a lot of transparent glass as well as an outdoor terrace. “The idea is to give them openness to look over the fields and see outside and also experience eating outside when the weather is nice,” Faust said. The Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is slated to begin construction in the first quarter of 2013. alt

left: Atelier designed these inauguration stands so they would be durable and easy to take down, store and reuse for future inaugurations. below: The original building was designed back in 1960 as a hunting and fishing lodge. There have been two additions to the original building and Atelier is designing the third, a two-story, 50 bed wing with a short term rehabilitation unit and a long term physical therapy space.

Hagerstown Nursing & Rehabilitation Center MEP Engineering: META Engineers General Contractor: Whiting-Turner Contracting Co Civil Engineering: Triad Engineering, Inc.

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The Blanton Museum, The University of Texas at Austin Architect: Kallman, Mckinnell & Wood Architect of Record : Booziotis & Company Architects General Contractor: Browning Construction Structural Engineer: Datum Engineering Roofing: Arnold & Associates Cost Control: Davis Langdon Landscape: Peter Walker Partners Lighting: Fisher Marantz Stone

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opposite: University of Texas, Austin, Texas, Blanton Museum of Art. The main stair has a dramatic shape and skew to it and it is not tucked away or hidden. The intention of the stair is to engage people as they arrive and draw them upstairs to the galleries. this page: The Blanton is located across the street from the Texas State History Museum and close to downtown Austin, the capital of Texas.

For Arts Sake

Booziotis & Company designed two homes for the arts in the Blanton Museum and Booker T. Washington High School. Story by Drew Grossman Photos and renderings courtesy of Booziotis & Co.

uring July and August the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas, Austin is holding a five-session exploration of artwork from the antiquity through the 20th century. The class will look at works in The Blanton collection while placing the art in a larger historical context. It is a class and a gallery, and it is exactly how Booziotis & Company Architects designed the museum to be used. Booziotis, a Dallas-based, Texas firm that focuses on projects that require unique or specialized solutions to design problems. The architects at Booziotis have a special interest in designing buildings used for the arts and education. The Blanton Museum, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts and the Richland College additions

are three Booziotis projects that benefited from the firm’s niche expertise. The University of Texas, Austin has a very defined architectural vocabulary. The red tile roofs, limestone and buff brick found around campus earned UT a spot on The Daily Beast’s list of the top 25 Most Beautiful Campuses. When Booziotis began working with UT on The Blanton, it was evident that the school expected the museum’s design to remain respectful to the surrounding architecture. “They were very interested in having this building reflect the campus architecture,” said Aaron Farmer, a principal at Booziotis. “This building responds to that vocabulary and blends in very well.” The Blanton is two buildings with an under-

ground link connecting the facilities. There is a museum building and a classroom and office building that has the gift shop and cafe. The two buildings create a courtyard in between them, which has become the formal south entrance to the campus. The museum has a central atrium-style space, a large room with a glass roof that serves as the building’s organizing feature. A limestone grand stair leads from this entry space to the galleries upstairs. “The intention of that stair is to simply engage people as they arrive and draw them upstairs,” Farmer said. “The fact that it is very dramatic and has a shape or a skew to it, it’s not tucked away or hidden, it does draw people up to the main entrance of the gallery spaces upstairs.” The galleries are open and connected with a July/August 2012 107

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circulation path that is defined by entrance doorways, making an obvious route through the space. The larger galleries have a barrel-vaulted ceiling, so each one feels like an individual environment while still maintaining the second floor’s connection and flow. Facilities for the arts often present the kind of interesting design challenges that intrigue the architects at Booziotis. For the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts, the firm was tasked with creating a school with ample performing and gallery space while implementing the school’s preserved original 1922 structure. Booker T. Washington is a highly competitive school, where students apply for admission and only about 850 students are accepted. The new building features a black box theater, digital art gallery, outdoor amphitheater and an atrium in the academic wing of the building. The theater seats approximately 450 and Booziotis designed it to function at a collegiate level so that students would be prepared to make the transition to performing in larger spaces after high school. The theater has large windows that

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allow natural light to fill and light up the space, the window’s also have shades to block the light during performances. Natural light is an unusual component for a black box theater, but Booziotis designed the theater to be a versatile space that can also be used as a classroom or teaching space when needed. Over its 90 year existence, the original structure underwent changes as technologies emerged and design evolved. “It was a building that originally had very high ceilings and very large windows,” Farmer said. “It would have been naturally ventilated, since it predated air conditioning. Over time as air conditioning had been added to that building, ceilings were dropped and it began to feel like a more typical classroom building.” Booziotis stripped away the dropped ceiling and elements added to the structure during the sixties and seventies and restored the building to its original architecture. “The historic building and the new building are both very much defined by the quality of the light that comes into them and the sense of openness,”

below: The circulation path is defined by wide openings between the galleries. Some of the larger galleries have barrel-vaulted ceilings so that each space feels like an individual environment, but still connects and flows as a complete architectural piece. opposite, top: An aspect of the atrium is it gives students a place to express themselves creatively. The brick walls are intended to be respected, but the bare painted walls can become canvases for students to display their art and integrate it with the architecture opposite, center: For the original structure, the architects got rid of the dropped ceilings components and other things that had been added in 60s, 70s and 80s. Booziotis restored it to its original structure.

opposite, bottom: The theater seats approximately 450 people. Booziotis designed the theater to function at a collegiate level so that students would be prepared to transition to performing in larger spaces after high school. Unlike most theaters, Booker T. Washington’s has large windows to allow natural light in when the space is not being used as a theater. opposite, far right: The atrium is the central organizing element in the four-story academic wing of the school. Natural light is major component of the atrium space. Light creates a nice effect bouncing off the polished concrete floors.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The historic building and the new building are both very much defined by the quality of the light that comes into them and the sense of openness...â&#x20AC;?

Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts Design Architect: Allied Works Architecture Architect of Record: Booziotis & Company Architects

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ABOVE: Richland College, Dallas, Texas. This new administration and student activities building incorporates all of the appropriate offices that a new freshman student would need to visit in order to begin school. LEFT: All of the student activity spaces are organized around a central atrium. The idea was to mimic the old tradition of setting up student activity tables around a gymnasium. OPPOSITE: The design of the building is consistent with the existing architecture on campus, brick, concrete and glass were used for the new studentcentered administrative building. The building is nicknamed Thunderduck Hall after the school’s mascot, the Thunderduck.

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Farmer said. “They really have an architectural dialogue that’s very exciting and I think that was one of the real success stories of the project is the two buildings work so well together.” Because of all of the performances and artwork made at Booker T. Washington, one of the contractors referred to the school as “a factory for creativity.” Farmer said it was the firm’s intention to design the school in a way that the students were free to express themselves creatively. “It’s designed to allow expression of creativity without harm to the architecture,” he said. At Richland College, Dallas, Texas, Booziotis designed a new administrative and student activities building nicknamed Thunderduck Hall after the school’s mascot. The building incorporated all of the student activity organizations into one centralized atrium space, making it easy for students to access the various groups. All of the first-day-student administrative offices are also located in the building. The idea behind this design is that a freshman student can come onto campus and easily and conveniently find all of the appropriate offices. The design of the building is consistent with the existing architecture on campus, brick, concrete and glass were used for the new student-centered administrative building. Now, with the Booziotis-designed building, new Thunderducks can make a smooth transition to life at Richland. alt

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St. josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prep school Role: xxxxx xxxxxxx Role: xxxxx xxxxxxx Role: xxxxx xxxxxxx

Infinite Music

With stunning insight, innovative designs and an unmatched dedication to their clients, Casaccio Yu has kept their legacy as strong as ever. Story by Joel Cornell Photos by Barry Halkin

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OPPOSITE: St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia. Founded by Jesuits in 1851, St. Joseph’s has an extensive history. Casaccio returned to his former school for master planning and a series of renovation designs. Then, in 2005, the firm was called back to create a new academic center. THIS PAGE: Contemplative and stimulating, George Yu paid tribute to the school with talented and quality design. The raised wooden ceilings is breathtaking and a central spot for students to be contemplative.

ounded by the father of current owner and senior principal, Lee Casaccio, AIA, LEED AP, Casaccio Yu Architects is a traditionally diverse architectural practice that has an extensive history matched with a heavy focus on the firm’s motto: Mission Driven Design, which is trademarked. Working from offices in Havertown, Pa., a suburb of historic Philadelphia, the firm has stuck to its pledge of high quality architecture for the past 60 years. “Above all, like any good practice should be, we are a client-oriented firm,” Casaccio said. “Service is of the utmost importance, not just our product. If our service surpasses the client’s expectations, that means the product does as well. Throughout every project, whether it’s in the education, religious, healthcare, civic, or corporate sector, that dedication to the client, their vision and their mission is our ultimate priority.” In 1981, the firm’s founder, Libero Casaccio passed away, leaving his son Lee in control of the firm. After running the successful and highly regarded

architectural firm for several decades, Casaccio brought on now-partner George Yu, AIA. Yu spent his early career gaining diverse experiences working with such renowned firms as Buckminster Fuller’s Synergetics, Inc. in Raleigh, N.C., and Mitchell/Giurgola Architects in Philadelphia. Yu later ran his own firm from 1980-2009, when he partnered with Casaccio. “Lee and I got together because we both share that same focus on our services, our client and the needs of that client,” Yu said. “We have traditionally been a generalist practice, but that doesn’t necessarily preclude being a specialist practice as well. People often assume that because you have completed the same building type time and time again, that’s all you’re capable of as a specialist. What we’re most interested in is solving special problems, no matter what sector or building type or client type. We’re generalists in many ways, but we always keep ourselves challenged by unique or special problems, anything interesting a client can bring to the table.” One of these particularly challenging projects, the International Christian July/August 2012 113

TOP, TO BOTTOM: OPPOSITE: St. Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Preparatory School in Philadelphia, Pa. Classrooms have open and bright feels, with large windows and suspended ceilings, as well as state-of-theart teaching tools. The center of the school is vibrant, colorful and breathtaking for new and potential students. Yu designed the space with cultural elements, and a welcoming warm aesthetic. OPPOSITE: Cafeteria. The common area is a place where all students can convene in an industrial, modern and minimalist room that serves as a highly functional space.

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University brought George Yu, a Chinese American, to the heart of Tokyo, Japan. He was invited to ICU as a visiting scholar six years ago. The first liberal arts university in Japan, ICU was founded in the fall of 1945, just weeks after the end of World War II, when a group of Japanese educators started the school in a large, no-longer-used airplane factory. Although the space itself wasn’t ideally suited to an educational environment, the surrounding area is peaceful paradise amidst a bustling Tokyo metropolis. “Typically in Japan, especially in a heavily populated area like Tokyo, all of the buildings are placed extremely close together,” Yu said. “In contrast, the ICU campus is richly forested and has open landscape. While I was giving lectures on architecture and planning, the university consulted with me about the master planning of their campus, along with several general design elements, mainly just pointers here and there. I helped them to figure out not just where to build, but more importantly where not to build.” Most recently, the firm designed a new conference center in the center of the ICU campus, called the Dialogue House, and a connected dining hall. George Yu also designed five new dormitories for

the resident students at the ICU. “The purest excellence we’ve experienced in this project is coming out of the discussions we have,” Yu said. “We kept asking what the liberal arts are exactly. In Japan, most schools are focused around science and technology and are usually specialized. We wanted to find out what architecture could do to make everything across the campus more connected with a liberal arts culture.“ Some of the classrooms at ICU were 60 ft. long and 20 ft. wide; that’s not an environment that fosters the close interaction and engrossing education one needs in a liberal arts program. The whole idea of the liberal arts is to inspire the students to connect. The landscape at the university is so beautiful and lush, so we helped to create an environment in which to gather and spark discussions and therefore the learning process.” Although Casaccio Yu has worked all across the country, a majority of the firm’s work is located in the greater Philadelphia region. An important client has been St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia. Founded by Jesuits in 1851, St. Joseph’s has an extensive history. Casaccio returned to his former school for master planning and a series of renovation designs. Then, in 2005, the firm was

called back to create a new academic center. “Above all, we wanted to keep the school connected to its rich history through architectural elements,” Casaccio said. “We thought about the Prep’s mission, values and traditions. In collaboration with school leaders, we helped create certain paths, certain areas that would reflect the long journey of the founder of the Society of Jesus, Ignatius of Loyola.” With such a vast and vivid history in mind, Casaccio created for the school its new Ignatian Room, named after Saint Ignatius of Loyola. This center serves as a crossroads for the entire school. The center features a domed, wooden ceiling resting on a two-ft. high metal frieze carrying the society’s motto, “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam” (“For the Greater Glory of God”) in the original Latin, and in Greek, English and Mandarin Chinese. Below stands a life-sized statue of Ignatius. At his feet rests a huge map of the world with Rome at its center, done in a fascinating tile arrangement. Across this map, the architects placed small yellow discs representing all 472 Jesuit secondary schools around the world. The display helps to connect each student, not only with their peers, but also with the greater Jesuit community. ALT July/August 2012 115

previous: The Fairways at Bey Lea West, River, N.J. Multifamily apartment complex in Toms The apartment complex features 11 unique floor plans with oversized patios and balconies, spacious kitchens with stainless steel appliances, granite counter-tops and custom-style cabinetry. Some units offer individual garages, vaulted ceilings and large bay windows that overlook the property.

Utilizing their experience in private residential, GJ Olson Architects designed this multifamily project with the same detail they give private clients. Story by Drew Grossman Photos Courtesy of GJ Olson

The Fairways at Bey Lea West

J Olson Architects Inc. pride themselves on the close working relationship that they have with the clients, but this can be difficult when designing large multifamily residences, like The Fairways at Bey Lea West, Toms River, NJ. which the firm recently completed in 2011. In order to design the best possible user-centered product when they are creating multifamily housing projects, GJ Olson draws on their experience working on private residences. “A lot of the details that we’ve done and learned through our private clients, we take into our multifamily housing clients,” said Gregory Olson, AIA, the principal architect at GJ Olson. The Fairways at Bey Lea West is a multifamily apartment complex in Toms River, N.J. GJ Olson gave the project the same attention that would be expected for a single family custom residence 116 Architecture Leaders Today

The apartment complex features 11 unique floor plans with oversized patios and balconies, spacious kitchens with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and custom-style cabinetry. Some units offer individual garages with remote door openers, vaulted ceilings and large bay windows overlooking the property. What’s nice about these apartments is that there are a lot of elements that you would expect to find in a single family house, not an apartment, Olson said. “The kitchens aren’t dinky little kitchens.” The complex offers both one bedroom and two bedroom apartments, as well as other customizable amenities. “Because of the mix that we had with one bedroom and two bedrooms, we ended up with some really interesting one bedrooms with a dining room,” Olson said. “An actual dining room and living room in a one bedroom, these are things you wouldn’t typically

see in a normal apartment.” Stone pathways and vast landscaped green spaces create a peaceful and pleasant apartment community. The Fairways West compliments The Fairways at Bey Lea, which was designed by the firm back in 1997. The West is basically a cul-de-sac or a loop street off of the secondary entrance to the original Fairways. The original Fairways apartment complex had been so popular that when The Fairways at Bey Lea, L.L.C. proposed to build the West complex, it was very quickly approved. The outside of the complex is constructed with stone at base and vinyl siding around other parts of the exterior. The stone adds weight to the building, which is essential for a structure of that mass. The Fairways at Bey Lea are located in Toms River, which is conveniently between New York,

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Fairways at Bey Lea West Construction: Lowther’s Contracting & DSJ Construction Engineering: J.P. Ross Engineers, MidAtlantic Engineering Partners & Thomas C. Faranda, P.E. Plumbing: Metrocorp Plumbing Millwork: DuBell Lumber Interior Design: Mary Cook Associates

Philadelphia and a short distance from Atlantic City. Many residents live at The Fairways and commute to NYC for work. The complex is mostly comprised of singles, move-down buyers and young professionals. Because GJ Olson is a small firm, they have the opportunity to see a project all the way through and form a personal relationship with clients. “I think architecture is a very personal relationship with the client,” Olson said. “Whether it’s the developer or the end user, you really have to know your client and know the market.” Olson designs buildings that are both elegant and practical. “A lot of people in my industry, design things that are wonderful designs but they are very difficult and expensive to build and you can’t present that to a developer or a builder, it’s not going to fly,” he said. alt

J.P. Ross Engineers MEP Design www.ross-engineers.com

J.P. Ross Engineers brings decades of experience in electrical, mechanical and plumbing design. All across the Northeast, with a heavy focus in NJ, PA and NY, the firm works diligently in a vast array of sectors, building types and projects. “Our main focus is on creating relationships,” said President J. Pablo Ross, P.E., LEED AP. “Every client we work with, we keep. Throughout my career, I’ve always sought to deliver exactly what architects seek, which is a very simple thing. They want an MEP firm that will follow through on the project details, who will listen to them and take the project to heart. That’s what we do best here.” In particular, J.P. Ross Engineers incorporates energy efficient design practices into every facet of their work. The firm specializes in showing clients how simple these applications can be. “The first line of defense to high utility bills is your mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. We know we’ve done a good job when our clients keep coming back to us, telling us our MEP systems operate at a lower cost with no difference in installation cost. Then, they invite us back to work on the next project. That is our measure of our own success.” Ad on Page 188.

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Flexible, Forward, Futuristic Focused on ensuring that each of their designs can adapt and survive far into the future, Rectenwald Architects demonstrates their insight at every turn. Story by Joel Cornell Images courtesy of Rectenwald Architects Inc.

UPMC Hamot Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospital General Contractor: Building Systems, Inc. & Perry Construction Inc. Hospital Planner: Gresham Smith & Partners Civil Engineer: Urban Engineering of Erie Structural Engineer: Atlantic Engineering Services MEP Engineer: CJL Engineering Flooring: Erie Contract Interirors Custom Millwork: Dovetail Gallery Casework: Ohio Desk Electrical: Newco Electric HVAC: Rabe Environmental Systems Glass & Glazing: Schaal Glass Co. Fire Protection: Allied FireProtection Systems

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edicated to innovation, efficiency and effective designs, Rectenwald Architects, Inc. is an Erie, Pa.-based architecture firm that was formed in 1985 with the mission to make a visible impact on the local community with superior designs and building strategies. Well known throughout the tri-state area for successfully serving both client and community, Rectenwald Architects, Inc. provides a full suite of architecture services matched with state-of-the-art programming, master planning and interior design services. As a lifelong resident of the Erie region, Ross Rectenwald has been able to develop a unique insight into the ever changing growth and development of the community. Beginning as a small firm with a focus on residential and light commercial work, Rectenwald Architects now provides design creativity and commitment focusing on the healthcare, higher education, commercial and hospitality markets. Rectenwald prides himself and his staff on actively listening to clients, to truly listen to their clients and create a statement of the project that is sound and well-detailed. Relying on this statement, ideas and strategies are developed while keeping in mind budgetary constraints and a timely completion. This active professional to client relationship has given Rectenwald Architects

a very well respected reputation as a firm interested in the integrity of its commitment to both clients and community. “There’s no question about our strong suit being focused on health care,” Rectenwald said. “Particularly in the last five years, we’ve grown from doing about 50 percent of our total volume in the health care sector, to our current rate of about 80 percent of our total volume. “Frankly, this seems to be the case partly because of the recent downturns in the economy. Everything related to health care still has to keep up with the newly developed technologies that emerge every day. They still have to keep up with their demand, so to speak, and the consistent and widespread need for health care.” That means that while corporate or commercial clients may forgo their current desires or burgeoning expansion due to economic instability, the health care sector is still moving forward, constantly in need of new, insightful and high quality architectural designs for their new and existing facilities — and Rectenwald is moving with them. Having already made a highly visible impact throughout the tri-state area, Rectenwald Architects is regularly contracted by repeat clients to bring success to their future projects. Having worked with UPMC Hamot, the firm was hired again, this time to develop a new Women’s Hospital. This project consisted of a three story, 69,900 sq. ft. vertical expansion to the vacated two story Behavioral Health building. The mission was to also compliment the adjacent Heart Institute on the nearby medical campus while incorporating and reflecting the location on the Erie water front and direct view of Presque Isle State Park. The Behavioral Health Center was originally built in the 1970s and was originally designed structurally for three additional floors. Rectenwald

ABOVE: UPMC Women’s Hospital, Pa. design/ build and renovation by Recentwald Architects, Inc., Exterior. This project consisted of a three story, 69,900 sq. ft. vertical expansion to the vacated two story Behavioral Health building.

Interior Lobby. The mission was to also compliment the adjacent Heart Institute on the nearby medical campus while incorporating and reflecting the location on the Erie water front and direct view of Presque Isle State Park.

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svhc sassafrass OR Planner: Frank Zilm & Associates MEP Engineer: Karpinski Engineering Plumbing: Wm. T. Spaeder Co. Civil Engineer: Urban Engineering of Erie Structural Engineer: Atlantic Engineering Services

TOP, TO BOTTOM: St. Vincentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health Center, Erie, PA. Exterior. Rectenwald Architects, was tasked with the creation of a new Sassafras Office Interior: Providing all OB/GYN services, the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital includes labor and delivery rooms, operating rooms outfitted with cutting edge technologies integrated into the designs, triage center, neonatal intensive care units, post-partum and antepartum patient rooms, and GYN surgery patient rooms all with a spa-like setting. OPPOSITE, TOP TO BOTTOM: A 30,000 sq. ft. three-story medical office building, this project was constructed on the outer fringes of the Saint Vincent campus and continues to expand the existing urban hospital scale into the nearby residential areas. Exterior. Surrounded on three sides by existing hospital and medical office buildings, Rectenwald Architects, Inc. had to create something new that also reflected the context of the old.

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Architects gutted the existing building before adding these three additional floors which now accommodate an entirely functional, state-of-the-art Women’s Hospital that provides services to the entire Erie region. Providing all OB/GYN services, the Women’s Hospital includes labor and delivery rooms, operating rooms outfitted with cutting edge technologies integrated into the designs, triage center, neonatal intensive care units, post-partum and ante-partum patient rooms, and GYN surgery patient rooms all with a spa-like setting. “What’s important about any project is instilling a certain flexibility in the project that allows for future technological developments,” Rectenwald said. “This is particularly vital in medical centers and hospitals where technology is changing at a stunningly fast pace. While designing the UPMC Women’s Hospital, we found ourselves challenged from a constructability point of view because we were dealing with an existing structural grid that was not set up to serve as a hospital. We tried to make sure that in the future, any expansion of any sort would be much easier and much more fluid. Forethought is key throughout each project, but it is particularly vital in health care.” Again working for a repeat client in Erie, PA., Rectenwald Architects, was tasked with the creation of a new Sassafras Office Building for the Saint Vincent Health Center. A 30,000 sq. ft. three-story medical office building, this project was constructed on the outer fringes of the Saint Vincent campus in Erie, PA and continues to expand the existing urban hospital scale into the nearby residential neighborhoods. Surrounded on three sides by existing hospital and medical office buildings, Rectenwald Architects, Inc. had to create something new that also reflected the context of the old. Having to deal with three unique buildings designed over three different periods of time gave the firm the chance to continue the legacy of Saint Vincent rather than redefine or disrupt it. July/August 2012 121

ABOVE: Dr. William P. Alexander Music Building, Edinboro University, Pa. 18,000 sq. ft. academic building that will house the university’s expanding school of music. The recital hall, computer labs, recording studios and music library, the acoustics had to be perfect.

opposite: Hallway. Handily able to control the sounds emanating from every room, Rectenwald Architects faced their challenge and created something flexible, adaptable and long lasting.

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As a transition building from the urban scale of the growing hospital functions, the Sassafras Office Building is on a sloping site that was utilized by Rectenwald Architects in order to reduce the overall height of the building and to make it more compatible with the adjacent two and a half story multifamily housing. The first floor includes 7,000 sq. ft. of office space for Behavioral Health Services, while the 9,500 sq. ft. on the second floor is an office space set aside for Rehab Solutions. Most recently, Rectenwald Architects created a new Music Building for the nearby Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. The firm developed an 18,000 sq. ft. academic building that will house the university’s expanding school of music. Already familiar with the particularly intricate nature of medical design, Rectenwald Architects was more than ready to jump into designing a building of a different but equally complex nature. Throughout the building, including the recital hall, computer labs, recording studios and music library, the acoustics had to be perfect. Handily able to control the sounds emanating from every room, Rectenwald Architects faced their challenge and created something flexible, adaptable and long lasting. Looking to the future, Ross Rectenwald plans to continue developing strong community ties by providing client friendly architectural services. “Living and working in a beautiful city on the water where growth and development is being integrated with attention to design and function is an extremely satisfying professional experience. ALT

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above: Goldsmith Elementary was designed to look like it grew out of the surrounding landscape. To accomplish this, Chapman Sisson used natural materials like stone and glass on the exterior. beLOW: The cafeteria resembles a park lodge — it creates a fun setting for students to eat in each day.

New Design

Takes Off

in the Rocket City Southern tradition meets high-tech culture in the design of Huntsville-based Chapman Sisson Architects. Story by Drew Grossman Rivertree Photos by Jeffrey J. Hanshaw All Other Photos by Lewis Kennedy

he architecture design of Chapman Sisson Architects is a fusion of the southern earthy charms of their hometown Huntsville, Ala. and the modern high-tech culture that the city has adopted since the influx of scientists and technology after World War II. Huntsville was the original capital of Alabama and home to the state’s first Constitutional Convention and General Assembly in 1819. “There is definite southern history here,” said Charles Winters, the executive vice president of the Huntsville visitors bureau. Chapman Sisson’s work reflects that culture and sentiment of the old and the new. The firm put their touch on the education, the faith and the transportation of Huntsville, with the Goldsmith Schiffman Elementary School, the Rivertree Church 124 Architecture Leaders Today

and the Huntsville International Airport Public Waiting room. The Huntsville City Board of Education selected Chapman Sisson to design the city’s new elementary school in the fast growing Big Cove neighborhood in southeast Huntsville. Goldsmith Elementary features 44 classrooms, a uniquely designed park-lodge themed cafeteria, a gymnasium with a full basketball court and an audio/visual room at the front of the school capable of holding 120 people. The new building accommodates 800 students. “We wanted the school to have a lot of natural elements,” said Martin Sisson, AIA, a principal at Chapman Sisson. “We used stone and wood and a neutral color palette to reflect the surrounding

landscape,” said Sisson. The school system told Chapman Sisson that they wanted the school to look like it grew out of the site. In order to accomplish the look, the architecture firm used stone at the base of the outside of the building and the columns at the entrance of the school were designed to resemble big trees. Sisson said the goal of the design was to bring the outside in. They used the same stone and wood that was used on the exterior in the cafeteria, an interesting room with a fun park-lodge theme. The cafeteria has acoustical “clouds” suspended from the ceiling and on the south side of the room, large glass windows allow sunlight to shine in while young students eat their lunch each day. The entrance to the school has a curtain wall

Goldsmith Schiffman Elementary General Contractor: Robins & Morton Group Mechanical Engineer: CHB Mechanical Electrical Engineer: Hays Cheatwood Cornelius, Inc. Structural Engineer: PEC Structural Engineering

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Rivertree Church General Contractor: Woodward Construction Structural Engineer: Hodnett Hurst Mechanical Engineer: CHB Mechanical Electrical Engineer: Hays Cheatwood Cornelius, Inc.

ABOVE: The use of stone and exposed timber gives the Rivertree Church a homey lodge feel. The glass front windows open the lobby up to the outside community. BELOW: With the name Rivertree, the church wanted a lot of natural elements in the design. The church’s interior was designed with a lot of organic forms and curves.

of floor to ceiling glass that allows the lobby to connect with the landscape outside. “The concept there was to bring the outside space in and to have a seamless flow from outside to the inside,” Sisson said. “The floor material is continuous through the curtain wall glass to try to make that as seamless as possible.” The architects brought the brick and stone used on the outside of the building into the interior space at the entrance of the school as well. The firm finished Goldsmith Elementary 1.6 million dollars under budget by spending money in areas that would have the greatest impact and saving on other aspects of the design. A lot of 126 Architecture Leaders Today

attention was given to the entry of the school and the cafeteria, areas where the building is likely to create a lasting impression on students and visitors. Rivertree Church asked for a similar natural feel when they selected Chapman Sisson to design their facility. The Church envisioned a community oriented facility, which Chapman Sisson delivered by way of a spacious lobby, designed as a large fellowship atrium with a glazed facade that allows the surrounding community to see the activities of the church. The stone and exposed timbers give Rivertree Church a rustic lodge look. “With the name Rivertree, they wanted a lot

of natural elements in the building,” said Robert Mercer, AIA, the director of design at Chapman Sisson. Similar to a river, the inside of the church was designed with a lot of organic forms and a lot of curves. Rivertree and Chapman Sisson made the decision to build an expansive lobby space for members of the church to interact in a more casual setting. “What we find in church architecture is that a lot of ministry occurs in this lobby space and unfortunately many churches cut this space due to cost reasons,” Sisson said. The lobby is quite large in comparison to the overall size of the church.

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Huntsville International Airport Airport Public Waiting General Contractor: Hudak & Dawson Mechanical Engineer: Mims Engineering Electrical Engineer: Hays Cheatwood Cornelius

ABOVE: Huntsville, Ala. has a growing tech industry that brings all types of visitors to the city. For many, the airport is the first impression they have of Huntsville. BELOW: The Welcome to Huntsville sign and the art in the waiting room reflect the city’s history in aviation and technology.

“Talking to members now, that’s the most actively used space in the building,” Sisson said. The church and the elementary school are inspired by an appreciation of nature that is common in the south, but the Huntsville International Airport public waiting room is all modern. The waiting room is constructed of steel, glass and clean terrazzo flooring. Huntsville’s rich history and growing tech industry bring all types of visitors to the city and for many their first impression is the Huntsville International Airport. The original public waiting and security checkpoint space was small with low ceilings and the

space failed to reflect the progressive culture of the city. The public waiting room and the security checkpoint were combined into one small congested area. After 9/11 stricter security requirements called for more space and resulted in problems with the flow of people through the overly tight area. The project expanded the public waiting and checkpoint security area to approximately four times the size and it separated the two different functions. In the redesign there is a distinct area that is the common hall, with the security checkpoint overlooking the western side of the tarmac and the public waiting area overlooking the eastern side. One of the greatest accomplishments of the

new public waiting room is making the volume of the space so much greater than it was. The ceilings are much higher and the architects added a funky wave treatment to the ceiling making the waiting room a more delightful space. The eastern light comes into the space from the wall of glass windows at the entrance. The Welcome to Huntsville sign and the art in the waiting room also reflect the history in aviation and technology that is associated with Huntsville, the Rocket City. “It is progressive because the community is very progressive and forward reaching,” Sisson said. alt July/August 2012 127

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The Classical Approach

In seeking to ensure the absolute quality of their work, PEC Structural Engineering, Inc. has a legacy of excellence.

by Joel Cornell

Having worked as structural engineers across the United States for many years, John Powell and Kelly Allbright decided that the current standards for doing business and training young engineers were entirely lacking. Unable to bring about sufficient change to the system from within their current company, the two struck out on their own to found PEC Structural Engineering, Inc. in 2005, an engineering company dedicated to integrity, quality and economy. “According to the old way of doing business, we had to take young, new engineers and get them plugged in immediately,” Powell said. “We’d get them doing work as fast as possible, in order to have them start generating profits and revenue for the ‘greater good’ of the company. My partner and I weren’t satisfied with the training the younger engineers were receiving. That’s why we started PEC Structural Engineering, Inc., and that’s why we’ve continued to stand out amongst our peers.” With a rigorous vetting process that enhances the abilities of the engineer, PEC Structural Engineer 128 Architecture Leaders Today

ing, Inc. is consistently approached for a wide range of project types, in all various sectors. From commercial, industrial, institutional and government projects to high end residential work, the firm has performed many different types of projects. Throughout every project, PEC Structural Engineering, Inc. instills in each team member a purpose that hearkens back to the classic mission of engineers: to serve the public and to ensure safety. “When we recruit our engineers, we are open with every applicant that we expect a certain level of service in regards to our clients,” Powell said. “That attitude towards service is vital, and we are here to make sure that our staff is as highly trained as it can possibly be; only the best will do, both from a technical standpoint and a service oriented point of view.” When PEC Structural Engineering, Inc. first opened its door to the public, Powell introduced the firm by approaching local contractors. Powell would ask the contractors about which architectural firms were the best. Powell sought the very best,

not just in terms of good work, but he wanted to work with firms that were honest and staffed by men of integrity. One of the local firms that was consistently recommended to PEC was Chapman Sisson Architects. “I think it’s safe to say that on our first project together, we really surpassed their rather high expectations,” Powell said. “Today, we work with Chapman Sisson Architects on projects both large and small.” Most recently, PEC Structural Engineering, Inc. worked alongside Chapman Sisson Architects on the new Blossomwood Elementary School in Huntsville, Ala., serving as the structural engineer of record. The firm developed the structural framing and foundation drawings, in addition to helping with the design of a new entryway. This new entryway design is rather unusual for a school, but is a fantastic eye catcher that hopes to inspire the students to learn about design in an extraordinary new way. ALT

PEC

Structural Engineering

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previous: Vanguard designed two sets of garages, each at a forty-five degree angleto the front door, which creates a courtyard space in between them. They added a fountain and laid down pavers to produce a European-looking cobblestone entrance to the home. It makes for a nice little piazza at the front of the George residence.

George residence Builder: Sendero Homes Interior Designer: Bravo Interior Design Banker: Independent Bank

130 Architecture Leaders Today

architecture | south

Tuscan Flavor in Central Texas

A Tuscan oasis sits above Lake Travis, Texas from Vanguard Studio. Story by Drew Grossman Photos by Coles Hairston

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above: Residence, Lake Travis, Texas. Vanguard Studios utilized the dramatic landscape to offer a variety of outdoor social spaces. It was important to maximize the spaces with views of the lake outside of Austin, Texas. opposite, top: The owners of the home wanted exterior spaces that would be ideal for hosting friends and having get gatherings. The fire pit is one of the many unique areas for enjoying the outdoors at the George residence. opposite, bottom: Although the home offers great views of Lake Travis, it does not back directly up to the lake. But there is beautiful vanishing edge pool to cool down from the Texas heat.

132 Architecture Leaders Today

ld world Italian architecture is known for its warm design, the use of stone, open courtyards and cobblestone walkways. The Austin, Texas architects at Vanguard Studio brought that Tuscan flavor to the design of the beautiful George residence overlooking Lake Travis in Central Texas. “They wanted a house that had an old world timeless charm to it,” said John Hathaway, AIA, principal architect at Vanguard. The home sits on top of a hill and overlooks the vast Lake Travis, so it was important to also design a home that would take advantage of the impressive view of the lake. Central Texas is in hill country, which adds a degree of difficulty for architects designing homes on the uneven topography. “While it’s much more challenging to build on, it can create some dramatic projects that you wouldn’t be able to have with a flat lot,” Hathaway

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said. “The George residence is a good example of that because it is on a very precarious site with a lot of slope.” There were some constraints on the design of the home’s entrance due to its position on top of a hill. The home is tighter up front and opens up and widens as it goes back over the hill. The firm designed two sets of garages, each at a 45 degree angle to the front door, which creates a courtyard space in between them. They added a fountain and laid down pavers to produce a European-looking cobblestone entrance to the home. Hathaway describes the entrance as a nice little mini piazza. The driveway is made out of the same cobblestone pavers as the courtyard area. “We didn’t make a distinction between the driveway and the walkway, it all ties that space together,” Hathaway said. The home’s trademark feature is the outdoor lounging and entertainment areas. Off of the upstairs balcony there is a high-ceilinged large outdoor

main space with a big stone arch that is the central access to the house. Each side of it is flanked by more intimate sitting areas with lower ceilings, all of which overlook the water. The pool and the fire pit are also perfect areas for enjoying warm sunny days on Lake Travis. “They like to entertain, have a lot of parties,” Hathaway said. “It’s all about just creating a variety of outdoor spaces for different size and types of groups.” The kitchen, dining room and family room are all in one big room on the main level of the home. Stone floors throughout, unify the rooms as one large space. There are two separate sitting areas in the oversized living room. The sitting area opposite of the kitchen is organized around a large stone fireplace with TV about it. “That’s where they spend all of their time, whether they’re in their kitchen, they’re eating, they’re sitting down or watching TV,” Hathaway July/August 2012 133

Clockwise, from right: The kitchen is often the focus of any home. The owners spend most of their time in the kitchen. Stone and wood used throughout the kitchen give the room a very natural feel. The living room is open to the kitchen and dining room, unified into one large social space. Large glass doors open up to a balcony space with a panoramic view of Lake Travis. Vanguard wanted to convey an old world timeless charm in the home. They used a lot of stone both inside and out, to create a warm tuscan vibe. The cathedral ceiling in the master bedroom optimizes the space in the room. Exposed wood trusses add to the classic nature of the home. Like most rooms in the George residence, the master bath takes full advantage of the views of Lake Travis. Granite countertops, dark grain wood and the high arched ceiling make the bath a grand space.

said. “That’s the big main heart of the house. It’s the tallest piece on the house and it’s the center of everything.” The room has large glass doors that open up to balcony space with a panoramic view of the lake. The master bedroom is also on the main level, with a master bath that overlooks Lake Travis. Downstairs are all of the children’s rooms and game room as well as access to the pool. Because of the intense sunlight in central Texas, Vanguard Architects designed the home with deep overhangs and porches to protect the windows from getting direct sunlight. The sun comes in at an angle from the back of the house, so it is not hitting the windows straight on. There is a classic Italian feel to the George residence. Vanguard intentionally designed the home to look as if different sections were built onto it at different times. “If you go to Italy and you see older buildings you have a lot of different pieces at different angles, because it has been built on over time at different 134 Architecture Leaders Today

periods, so everything isn’t exactly the same,” Hathaway said. This technique creates a lot of unique indoor and outdoor spaces. Different features of the home are distinct because of this rustic Italian style. There are also various interesting ceiling treatments utilized throughout the house. Beams, groin vaults and vaulted areas add a lot of charm to the 73,000 sq. ft. home. Sendero Homes worked with Vanguard Studio as the builders on the George residence project. “We had a great partner in the builder, Sendero Homes,” said Hathaway. “They were instrumental in bringing our vision to life.” Vanguard Architects was founded in 2000 and specializes in luxury custom and speculative homes in the central Texas area. “I’ve always loved homes, I’ve always wanted to do that,” said Hathaway, who is also the owner of Vanguard Studio. “That’s really where I focus and that’s really where I have the most joy in what I do.” alt

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July/August 2012 135

clockwise, from top left: One Arvida Residence, Coral Gables, Fla. Structural design and interior design lace together, in a timeless appeal. This is the first collaboration between Portuondo Perotti Architects and Ivette Arango Interior Design.

136 Architecture Leaders Today

Informal Dinning Room. The 40,000 sq. ft. home is meant to provide ample comfort and lavish appeal, while keeping a welcoming, yet private feel throughout the large residence. Arango spoke extensively with the client to fully understand and complete the interior design.

Formal Dinning Room. Rich woods, crystal chandeliers and french pieces compliment the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifestyle and molds effortlessly into the design of the formal dinning room. The earth tone marbled floors are accented well with the high-back and timeless appeal of the upholstered chairs.

Pool and surrounding veranda. The home is meant to be both private and a place of leisure for the residentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guests. An oasis awaits, with palm trees, stone tables, soft colored lounge-chairs and Moroccan styled lights around a tiled and elegant pool.

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Lasting Elegance

for miami interior designer Ivette Arango and Architect Portuondo Perotti, Timeless design always outrankS trends STORY By Paige L. Hill photos by BARRY GROSSMAN

udging from the harmonious way in which the One Arvida home’s structural design and interior furnishings lace together, one would assume that the architect and interior designer had been working together for years. In fact, it was the first collaboration for Portuondo Perotti Architects and Ivette Arango Interior Design. The exquisite mansion, sitting in an exclusive neighborhood of Coral Gables, Fla., was a labor of love for the two Miami-based professionals who boast lengthy portfolios. “Their work has a very classic feeling and I work hard to design homes that aren’t trendy but have a timeless quality,” Ivette Arango said, owner and interior designer of Ivette Arango Interior Design, Inc. since 1972. “My designs are always in style because I choose what will outlast the trends.” Having used her as the designer on his previous home, the high-profile resident of the home recognized this quality in Arango and hired her again for One Arvida. “The client introduced me to Portuondo Perotti and from there grew a wonderful working relationship,” Arango said. “I can only say good things about them. We met once a week throughout the project, without fail. They truly listened to my ideas and were great problem solvers.” Principals Raphael Portuondo and Jose Luis Perotti understand the importance of a designer’s unique perspective and included Arango in the design meetings before construction on the home began. “They had developed some of the concept of the project, but were working through the more tedious and intimate details,” Arango said. “It is my job to understand how the client lives and what kind of home compliments that lifestyle. I, of course, interview my client about his lifestyle, but you have to train yourself to pick up on the little things that are really going to make their life easy.” Though the client uses his home for entertaining and holding large functions, he expressed to Arango a need for privacy and for his home to feel relaxed. Arango made it her mission to make home that was comfortable for the residents and welcoming to outsiders — a feat not easily accomplished in a 40,000 sq. ft. home. “These are very large rooms with high ceilings — this could easily be a small hotel, so it can be a challenge to make it feel approachable,” Arango said. She chose bold flooring and muted colors on the walls to bring down the scale from the high ceilings and expansive windows. The variety of woodwork, millwork, marble and finishes were all chosen based on their longevity and beauty. Each room has its own personality and a unique color scheme with an emphasis on the million dollar ocean views. The formal living room in particular is a stand-out with a coffered ceiling in an intricate square pattern reminiscent of the 18th century. The ceiling is mirrored in the combination of stained wood floor which was laid in a diamond pattern. The room is completed with a line of arched French doors running the length of the room. “This is a home for the architecture lover,” Arango said. “What can I say? I had a beautiful canvas to paint.” ALT July/August 2012 137

East Campus Building 1516 at University of Georgia General Contractor: Juneau Construction MEP Engineer: Jordan & Skala Civil Engineer: Travis Pruitt & Associates Structural Engineer: Trillium Structures

138 Architecture Leaders Today

architecture | south

Scholar CHic

Three different universities; three different design needs. Meeting the need for sustainability and student socialization. Story by Paul Charleston Photos Courtesy of HADP

opposite top: 1516, University of Georgia. The key to this project was an extremely strong respect for the architecture language of the campus. bottom left: Classic southern brick architecture is used on many buildings throughout the campus.

bottom right: Six-story facility includes 560 doubleoccupancy suite-style beds. The building’s sustainable elements have resulted in more than 50 percent savings on daily energy consumption. above: HADP incorporated color bands in the lobby to lighten up the space and help to establish an upbeat atmosphere for students.

oday’s college students have high expectations for their Residence Halls, as do University administrators. While students are looking for private bedrooms, Wi-fi, and social lounges, administrators are looking to sustainable design elements for long-term costsavings and well thought-out hall designs that respect the history and culture of the university. Miami, Fla. based firm HADP Architecture took three different design approaches to meet these needs for new residence halls on three unique campuses.

Building 1516 at the University of Georgia, Cougar Village at the University of Houston and Parkview Housing at Florida International University are three very different projects, each with a distinct architectural style — which also reflects the future direction of their respective universities. HADP designed the first “green” residence hall at the University of Georgia, earning LEED Gold for Building 1516 residence hall at East Campus village. The six-story facility includes 560 doubleoccupancy suite-style beds. It implements a grey July/August 2012 139

left: University of Houston. Cougar Village, Houston, Texas. Because of the focus on the firstyear student experience, many of the residence hall’s amenities are located outside of the rooms. Opposite, top left: There is a lounge on each floor with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlooks the UH campus. These lounges are used as social space and study areas. opposite, top right: Located on the corners, the lounge spaces jut out from the edges as a large glass rectangular structure. opposite, center: HADP designed covered walkways under the building’s facade. The walkways draw students into the interior spaces of Cougar Village. opposite, bottom: Seating and strong lighting in the exterior spaces encourages outdoor activities on the spacious green lawn outside of the building.

water system for all shower and lavatory waste, one of the first of its kind for a student residence hall. The implementation of FSC certified wood, high-efficiency sinks, showers and toilets, cool roof, and many other sustainable elements have resulted in more than 50 percent savings on daily energy consumption. HADP was successful in designing the modern yet traditional, sustainable student residence hall to integrate with a campus teeming with beautiful classic southern brick architecture. “The key to this project was an extremely strong respect for the architectural language of the University of Georgia campus,” President and CEO of HADP Architecture, David Harper said. “We tried to move that language forward to some extent in terms of creating a slight modernization of traditional Georgian style architecture.” 140 Architecture Leaders Today

The modernization can be seen in the resortstyle lobby finishes, high tech audio/visual multipurpose room, large catering kitchen, private baths, and in-room temperature controls. In order to better understand and conform to the architectural style and planning considerations at the UGA campus, HADP brought in Collins Cooper Carusi Architects as design consultant, due to their long-term experience on the campus. “Creating a successful residential student environment involves a critical knowledge of the current student housing market and active listening oncampus to design an environment that is optimum for each individual campus; not just take what has worked somewhere else and try to force-fit it into every university’s program,” Harper said. Unlike Building 1516, which was designed to accommodate upperclassmen at the University

of Georgia, Cougar Village at the University of Houston was purposely designed with much of the amenity space located outside of the rooms to promote socialization for first year students. Cougar Village is inspired by that freshman tradition of leaving your bedroom door open and meeting friends in the hallways, floor lounges, computer rooms, fitness rooms and common kitchens featured in residence hall. “What we know with that profile of a student is that socialization issues are quite important,” Harper said. “Creating a lot of amenity space outside of the rooms is very important.” A tan brick color and a reddish brick are commonly used in the architecture across the campus of the University of Houston. The exterior of Cougar Village is precast concrete and in order to visually break up the wall of uniform concrete,

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;At HADP our in-depth understanding of what students and administrators desire ensures student housing designs that are efficient, comfortable, and, at the end of the day, marketable.â&#x20AC;?

University of Houston, Cougar Village General Contractor: Hardin Construction Structural Engineer: Haynes Whaley Associates MEP and Civil Engineer: Bury + Partners

July/August 2012 141

Florida International University (FIU), Parkview Housing General Contractor: Moss & Associates Landscape Architect: EDSA Structural Engineer: TRC Worldwide MEP Engineer: SGM Engineering Civil Engineer: Biscayne Engineering

142 Architecture Leaders Today

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opposite, top: HADP is responsible for the planning, design and project management for Parkview Housing. The project is slated for completion in 2013. center, left: The floors are a recycled man-made LEED-compliant materials that resemble wood. center, right: The apartments’ interiors adopt a fun, modern feel. HADP utilized color and open design to create a cool, young space for FIU students. bottom: The project accommodates 148 fourbedroom and two-bedroom apartments with a living room and kitchen, and 26 studios.

above: The complex features a pedestrian bridge that connects the two buildings at the third floor. The bridge has an active lounge and connects to game rooms, multipurpose rooms and a common kitchen..

the firm designed portions of the exterior with embedded brick. “Even though it looks like a brick structure in those areas, it’s actually the same concrete structure, but the brick is embedded in the concrete. It provides extreme durability and softens the look and feel of the building,” Harper said. The embedded brick also helps the building blend into the existing architectural language of the urban campus that is accustomed to forward thinking, progressive design. One such progressive design element is the floor-to-ceiling glass social lounge on each floor. Located on the corners, the lounge spaces jut out from the edge of the building as a large glass rectangular structure. The intent was to treat the corners as lanterns because they are brightly lit at night and provide transparency to the building. The students in Parkview Housing at Florida International University were looking for a more inclusive living experience. Parkview Housing was designed by HADP as the lead firm in a joint venture

with HKS Architects. The project accommodates 148, four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments with a living room and kitchen, and 26 studios. HADP is responsible for the planning, design and project management for the project, slated for completion in 2013. The focus of the project was on designing a wide variety of social spaces. Designed as two, sixstory buildings lining each side of a campus Main Street, Parkview features a pedestrian bridge that connects the two buildings at the third floor. The bridge features an active lounge and connects to game rooms, multipurpose rooms and a common kitchen. Additional spaces include house lounges, study rooms, a glass-walled 20-ft. high greatroom, and multiple outdoor gathering spaces. “At HADP our in-depth understanding of what students and administrators desire ensures student housing designs that are efficient, furnishable, durable, comfortable, and at the end of the day, marketable,” Harper said. ALT

July/August 2012 143

Do-It-AllArchitects FleischmanGarcia is well known for their original, award-winning design, especially around their central Florida home in Tampa, Fla. Story by Drew Grossman University of Florida - Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center Photos by Stan Loper All Other Photos by Rixon Photography

144 Architecture Leaders Today

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University of Florida Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center Building Team: TLC Engineering for Architecture, Universal Engineering, Volkert & Assoc., Walter P. Moore, and Construction Consultants & Assoc. Inc.

ol J. Fleischman, Jr., AIA, graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1970. After 34 years of practice, in 2006 the architect returned to Gainesville, Fla., to the campus of his alma mater to design the Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center for the University of Florida Law School. Fleischman is the co-founder, chairman and CEO of the architecture firm, FleischmanGarcia Architecture Planning Interior Design. The firm is well known for their original, award-winning design, especially around their central Florida home in the Tampa, Fla. area. Whether on educational buildings like the UF Advocacy Center and the Out-of-Door Academy Arts Center near Sarasota, Fla.; or the beautiful and luxurious bayside Taub residence in South Tampa — FleischmanGarcia brings their sophisticated, high quality design to every project they undertake. The Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center is a state-of-the-art teaching courtroom, complete with a judge’s chambers, a jury room and an elegant

opposite, top: Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center,Gainesville, Fla. design by Fleischman Garcia. The red brick exterior fits in well with the existing architecture on the University of Florida campus. Modern design techniques and styles using traditional collegiate materials. center, left: With the high ceilings and the impressive exterior wall of glass, the lobby makes for an impressive space. The school takes advantage of the space and uses the lobby to hold social gatherings for the program.

bottom: The center wanted to create a very impressive lobby and entrance in order to make the Advocacy Center a signature building on campus that would stand out. above: The lobby is elegant and ceremonial. Fleischman said that he wanted the space to be on par with what you would expect to find in the finest courthouses in the country.

center, right: The cherry wood desks are built into the court room and are wired with power hook ups for student’s lap tops. The teaching courtroom is fully connected with the necessary media equipment.

July/August 2012 145

out-of-door academy fine arts center General Contractor: Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc Theatre Consultant: Dr. Patrick Finelli Acoustics: Siebein Associates Engineers: Ardaman & Assoc, Harold Hart & Assoc, Engineering Matrix, Hees & Assoc.

above: Clock towers are a common sight on academic campuses, so Fleischman wanted to take the image of the clock tower and present it in a new way for the Arts Center. opposite, top: The design of the classrooms is intended to encourage collaboration between students. Natural light is also important to the classrooms, so students are comfortable and energized to learn.

146 Architecture Leaders Today

bottom left: To showcase and celebrate the student’s work, the lobby doubles as a social space and student art gallery. bottom right: The outdoor social space and covered exterior walkways provide students with pleasant areas to spend time between classes and before and after school.

main lobby with two-story high ceilings and floors made of porcelain tile. The courtroom, which doubles as a classroom, is outfitted with elaborate video displays, multiple robotic cameras and an integrated audio system. Cherry wood desks are built into the teaching courtroom and each has a power hook-up for students to plug-in their laptops. A tiered design in the courtroom allows for better visibility all the way to the back of the room. It is the entrance to the Advocacy Center that really speaks to the prestige of the University of Florida law school. The lobby has a two-story glass and metal exterior that distinguishes it from the rest of the brick building and draws visitors into the entrance. “The goal was to have a very impressive lobby, in a signature building on the law school campus,” Fleischman said. “It’s very ceremonial, as you would expect to find in the finest courthouses in the country.” The law school holds receptions and other social gatherings in the Advocacy Center’s expansive lobby space. Brick and precast stone are found in most buildings across the University of Florida campus, so FleischmanGarcia designed a building that is sympathetic to the rest of campus, but that still makes a contemporary statement. Fleischman says that he has received great feedback from the law school’s

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students and faculty. “They are thrilled with the building,” he said. “It has been a tremendous success.” For the more artistically inclined young minds, FleischmanGarcia designed the Arts Center at the Out-of-Door Academy near Sarasota, Fla. The Arts Center was completed in October 2009 and features a versatile black box theater, specially designed classrooms for ceramics, TV production and graphic arts, a world class band room, a choral room and large entry lobby that serves as an art gallery as well as a social gathering space. The black box theater is the centerpiece of the Fine Arts Center. The twostory theater is completely flexible; the stage can be re-positioned throughout the space to fit the ever changing needs of the performances taking place there. State of the art audio and visual equipment make the theater a prized teaching space for the Arts Center. The black box theater was designed with the the help of world-class theater consultant, Dr. Patrick Finelli from the University of South Florida. The school wanted the Arts Center to be a signature building on the campus. Because of the campus’s existing architecture, FleischmanGarcia used materials and forms that would tie in with the other buildings around campus. “We took those materials and forms and reinterpreted them in a more contemporary idiom,” Fleischman said.

Clock towers are a common sight on academic campuses, so Fleischman wanted to take the image of the clock tower and present it in a new way on the Arts Center. The grand stair off of the lobby is encompassed within a tower that rises above the rest of the building’s exterior, reminiscent of a campus clock tower. “It did just what we wanted it to do,” Fleischman said. “Especially at night when there’s lights on inside, it forms a lighthouse or beacon and it really grabs your eye and becomes an important architectural element on the campus.” To showcase and celebrate the work of students in the Arts Center, the lobby doubles as a social space and a student art gallery. FleischmanGarcia worked on the design of another art gallery, this one in a quite different venue, the South Tampa bayside home of Ted and Bobbi Taub. “The Taub’s are tremendous collectors of western art and instead of having a traditional formal living room off of the foyer, we have a big gallery room,” Fleischman said. The owners display their world class collection of western bronzes, western paintings and western sculptures. The firm put in special gallery-type lighting in the ceiling that is adjustable and high powered to illuminate the art work. The Taub’s first contacted FleischmanGarcia in 1984 to redesign their 1970 vintage home in a prestigious South Tampa community. After many July/August 2012 147

years and many redesigns, the family gave Fleischman the go ahead in 2007 to tear down the house and build a new contemporary traditional residence. Fleischman adopted a Frank Lloyd Wright style, with large ten ft. high glass walls and open spaces within the home. The home overlooks Tampa Bay, so it was essential in the design to take advantage of the beautiful views. The family room, kitchen/breakfast room and master bedroom all have walls of fixed glass facing the bay. The living room features a sunken bar, where the bartender actually goes down two steps and people at the bar sit in regular comfortable chairs, instead of high stools. The low bar allows for guests in the family room to see right over it to the bay; it does not inhibit the view of the water. 148 Architecture Leaders Today

The gem of the Taub residence is the beautiful elevated, bay-side terrace behind the home. “It’s absolutely a gorgeous place to relax in the afternoon overlooking the water,” Fleischman said. The terrace has slate floors that flow down to the pool and spa deck below the terrace at the ground level. To warm up the outdoor room, the firm put finished wood inlays in the ceiling of the terrace and supported the roof with stacked field-stone columns. The terrace is the ideal image of Florida living. A picture of the terrace overlooking the Tampa Bay was even featured on the cover of Florida Design Magazine. ALT

architecture | south

taub residence General Contractor: Monogram Builders Engineers: Consulting Engineering Assoc, Consulting Engineering Group International, Driggers Engineering, Mater Consulting Engineers

Clockwise, From Far left: Taub Residence, Tampa, Fla. The signature feature of this home is the way the design takes full advantage of the proximity to the bay. The dining room, like most rooms in the home, offers beautiful views of the bay.

Clockwise, from Above: The project is a redesign of a 1970s vintage home located in a prestigious South Tampa community. One of the owner’s main requests was raising the ceilings and opening up the home’s interior.

The spacious kitchen has light up display shelves in the islands to showcase more of the home-owner’s collections.

The wooden bookshelves and natural colors create a warm and comfortable feel in the study. The high-ceilings still provide an impressive aesthetic, despite the cozy feel.

FleischmanGarcia adopted a Frank Lloyd Wright style, with large 10 ft. high glass walls and open spaces within the home.

FleischmanGarcia installed special gallery-type lighting in the ceiling that is adjustable and high-powered to illuminate the artwork.

July/August 2012 149

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Blade Studios General Contractor: McInnis Brothers Construction Inc Structural & MEP Engineering: AFJMc, Inc. MEP Engineer: Purtle & Associates Sound Rated Doors: Noise Barriers, LLC Floating Floor/Acoustical System: Ark-La-Tex Mechanical

150 Architecture Leaders Today

Creatives’

Paradise

With two highly customized studios and a town firestation, SMBB does it all.

Story by Drew Grossman Photos by Shelby Taylor

he Louisiana-based firm Sutton Mitchell Beebe & Babin Architects has been around the Bayou State for more than 78 years and a second office in East Texas for more than 50 years. However, the firm is not bogged down by their long tradition. Three of SMBB’s recent projects showcase their commitment to progressive, cutting-edge architecture and the firm’s ability to rework a old design motif. Blade Studios and Moonbot Studios, located on the same floor of an SMBB designed space in Shreveport, La. are designed not just to accommodate, but to inspire the artists working within. And across the river in Bossier City, La. is the firm’s Fire Station No. 6, a classic red-brick fire station given an updated modern design from the architects at SMBB.

The New Orleans funk five-some Galactic, is one of the many bands that have laid down tracks in Blade Studios’ world-class sound recording studio complex. Blade has two separate sound recording studios. Each one acoustically and technically designed with the help of well-known studio consultant Russ Berger, of Design Group. “They were creating a recording studio in an area, which is not known for recording,” AIA, a Principal at SMBB, Bill Beebe said. “So they wanted something quite unique and quite high-end.” The recording studios shine with natural maple wood floors that look the part of a big-city recording studio, while still providing the highest quality acoustics. The walls have three-inch thick acoustic panels, covered in an acoustically transparent fabric. July/August 2012 151

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Along with the two main studios, Blade Studio features office suites, conference rooms, workstations, dedicated lounges, kitchens and a private restroom and shower. The studio is designed to supply everything an artist could want, from vintage equipment and instruments to the latest in audio technology. The firm worked closely in collaboration with the owners of the studio. “They’re fairly young folks and musicians are fairly hip sort of people,” Beebe said. “So they were all interested, all a part of this effort.” SMBB spent many hours with the owners discussing the design of the spaces, from the colors on the walls to the furnishings. The owners wanted to create a certain vibe that was unique, something that the artists would not typically find in spaces that they were used to recording in. Due to the differing preferences of Blade’s musician clients, the firm and their lighting designer Shelby Taylor, installed dimmable LED lights in the studio and office spaces. Also, if the client feels more comfortable working in a blue room or a red room, Blade’s lighting system can accommodate different color shades. Located on the same floor as Blade’s music studio, is Moonbot Studios, a digital design studio known for producing The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, an Academy Award winner in the category of Best Animated Short Film. 152 Architecture Leaders Today

previous spread: Blade Studios,Shreveport, La. SMBB designed a world-class sound recording studio complex. Bands including the popular New Orleans funk group Galactic have played in Blade. The owners were very interested in working with SMBB to create the ideal vibe for the studio.

The recording complex includes two main studios, office suites, conference rooms, workstations, dedicated lounges, kitchens and a private restroom with shower. Designed to supply everything an artist could want, from vintage equipment and instruments to the latest in audio technology.

this spread, clockwise from far left: Because the area is not really known for recording in the way that bigger cities like NYC or Miami are, the owners wanted the space to have a unique environment and extremely high-end equipment. SMBB brought in Russ Berger Design Group, a well-known studio design group out of Dallas, to work with them on the technical aspects.

Although Blade Studios has a very modern feel, the firm incorporated some natural earthy tones in some of the furniture and wall art. The control rooms off of each studio have granite countertops, maple wood floors and intricate wall coverings. The idea was to provide musicians and producers with luxury workspaces.

SMBB put natural maple wood floors in the studio to give the space a classic, yet modern look. The walls in the studio have three-inch thick acoustic panels that are covered in acoustically transparent fabric. Although the look and feel of the studio

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Moonbot Studios General Contractor: McInnis Brothers Construction Painting: Martin Specialty Coatings Electrical & Fire Alarm: Jack Spring Electrical Contractors, Inc. Resilient Floor & Carpet: B&J Floor Specialty Glass Walls: Riviera Network Infrastructure: Enterprise Compuiting Solutions Doors & Hardware: Allen Millwork Drywall & Acoustical Ceiling: Thompson Drywall

above, left: Moonbot Studios, Shreveport, La. is a digital design studio known for producing The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, an Academy Award winner in the category of Best Animated Short Film. Bill Joyce, the major creative force behind the studios, tired of traveling to LA created a digital animation studio in his hometown.

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FAR top right: The architects at SMBB and the owners of Moonbot wanted to create a fun and stimulating environment for Moonbotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employees. This conference table is built largely out of blocks that Joyce brought in. The blocks can be moved around and re-arranged on the table. There are few traditional furnishings in this studio.

FAR bottom left: The firm utilized bright colors and funky furniture to liven up the design studio. It was important that the space did not feel like a typical office environment, but a place for innovation and creativity to abound.

“...they’re a different breed of culture in the way they work and the stimulation they need,” Beebe said. “They just require a lot of visual stimulation.” July/August 2012 155

Jack Spring Electrical Contractors, Inc. jackspringelectric.com

Full service electrical construction firm Jack Spring Electrical served alongside Sutton, Mitchell, Beebe & Babin as a key player in the completion of their Moonbot and Blade studios project. Located in the heart of Shreveport, La., Jack Spring Electrical has served myriad local industries in many capacities, including plant maintenance, electrical control, computer cabling, emergency systems and repair work. With projects ranging wildly in scale and scope, Jack Spring Electrical has maintained a stellar record of reliability and vision. The firm has completed countless industrial contracts with assembly-line manufacturing plants, petroleum refineries and railroads. Their commercial work, a particular specialty for the firm, encompasses any electrical service task any client could possibly imagine. Further, Jack Spring Electrical has consistently maintained heavy presence in the residential market sectors, with a full portfolio of upgrade, repair and installation services available to clients both big and small. Ad on page 188. 156 Architecture Leaders Today

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Clockwise from far left: The reception desk worked best as a round desk. The designers found a giant lamp shade and created the customized light fixture over the desk. Even the enclosed offices are open to the hallways with transparent glass walls. Collaboration is essential to Moonbotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work so it was important for the office to be open and free flowing. The studioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s display shelves offer the employees inspiration and hold the awards that the studio has received. Moonbot is factor in the growing film industry in Shreveport, La. The studioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exposed ventilation allows for higher ceilings and a more industrial looking workspace. The studio features a lot of collaboration space. Many of the employees are recent college graduates and appreciate and thrive in this work environment.

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left: Fire Station #6, Bossier City, La.The architects said they were fortunate to work with the fire chief, because he is a kind of renaissance man, who has an artistic way of thinking. They tried to combine the chiefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artistic values with the history and tradition of the fire station.

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right: SMBB wanted to update the classic fire station design with Fire Station #6 in Bossier City, La. The garage doors are made of a transparent acrylic material. The fire chief wanted to show off the fire trucks to people as they drive by the station..

Bill Joyce, the major creative force behind Moonbot Studios, was tired of traveling back and forth between Los Angeles and his hometown of Shreveport. Joyce wanted to be able to do this kind of digital animation at home and thus Moonbot Studios was born. SMBB worked with Joyce and his partners to create a fun and stimulating environment for the employees. They talked about more than just the requirements of the studio. The architects worked with Joyce to find out what it is that the studio wanted to be. And what did the studio want to

Bossier Fire Station General Contractor: Boggs & Poole Contracting Group, Inc Structural/MEP Engineers: AFJMC Electrical: Camus Electric Co., Inc Concrete: TXI Operations, LP HVAC: Air Ref, Inc. Solid Surface Countertops: B&B Cut Stone Cast Stone: Cast Stone Commerical Services

be? As fun as possible. “They hire these kids out of college and they’re a different breed of culture in the way they work and the stimulation they need,” Beebe said. “They just require a lot of visual stimulation.” The studio has more than eight offices, a reception area with dark wood floors, a conference room with a quirky conference table made out of blocks, a 3D artist pen and the artists department where Moonbot hand sketches all of their characters. There is also a tiered theater that is used as a

screening room. “That’s where they look at the work that was done the day before,” Beebe said. “It’s a theater of sorts, but these guys and gals just sort of come in and pile up on the bean bags, they don’t sit in traditional chairs.” Beebe says that there is really nothing that is traditional about the Moonbot project. However, that was not the case with Fire Station No. 6, the fire house designed by SMBB in nearby Bossier City, La. SMBB Architects saw an opportunity with

the fire station to re-imagine the classic fire-house look and give it a contemporary face-lift. “I guess we were fortunate that the fire chief is really one of these renaissance men,” said Kim Mitchell, AIA, a principal at SMBB Architects and a leader on the project. “He not only is the fire chief, but he’s in a musical group and he’s an artist. He could relate to a more artistic thinking.” Although the fire chief was open to trying new things, he still wanted the design of the fire station to have a respect for the tradition of fire fighting. July/August 2012 159

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“We’re looking at how materials come together from this more modernist perspective, especially forms, and he’s looking for these symbols of tradition and we were able to put those together and I think it produced a unique and interesting design,” Mitchell said. The fire station is built to accommodate firefighters on a 24-hour basis. Because of the extended shifts and the heavy demands placed on firefighters, the fire station is also equipped with sleeping quarters and large indoor and outdoor common spaces. The artwork throughout the fire station is a 160 Architecture Leaders Today

tribute to the work done by the men and women who make up Fire Station No.6 and serves as a reminder of their rich tradition serving Bossier City. SMBB created a timeline that tells the history of the Bossier City fire department. The architects built the timeline based on photos supplied to them by the fire station. But, the most exciting part of any fire station is the fire poles. The alarm sounds and the firefighters come flying down the metal poles. It’s the romantic image every child plays over in their head when they dream of one day being a firefighter. Well the fire poles at Fire Station No.

6 are especially cool. SMBB put together a twostory tiled backdrop, with pixilated tiles made to look like the flames of a fire. “The symbolism there is that the firefighters as they come down the pole are jumping into fire on behalf of the citizens of Bossier,” Mitchell said. After almost 80 years in the business, Sutton Mitchell Beebe & Babin Architects are not resting on the accomplishments of their past. The firm continues to push the envelope forward and bring new ideas and design techniques to the Arkansas-Louisiana-Texas area. alt

“I guess we were fortunate that the fire chief is really one of these renaissance men... He not only is the fire chief, but he’s in a musical group and he’s an artist. He could relate to a more artistic thinking.”

far left: SMBB designed a two-story tiled backdrop for the station’s set of fire poles. The tiles are pixilated to look like fire, so the firefighters are literally jumping into the fire for the people of Bossier City, La.

center: Regional red brick on the building’s exterior. The brick is a symbol of the traditional firehouse and works well with some of the more contemporary elements that SMBB instituted on the fire station.

center left: SMBB created a timeline that tells the history of the Bossier City fire department. The architects built the timeline based on photos supplied to them by the fire station. The garage floor is made of a polished concrete, a sturdy material that looks good and is low maintenance.

bottom two: The station is built to accommodate firefighters on a 24-hour basis. Due to extended shifts and heavy demands placed on firefighters, the fire station is equipped with sleeping quarters and large indoor and outdoor common spaces

center right: There is tile floor in the interior space and gypsum board on the walls. Because the firefighter spend so much time at the station, SMBB designed the building with a lot of good socializing space. SMBB even specially designed coffee mugs and dishes in the kitchen to reflect the fire station.

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All About Relationships Story by Drew Grossman AOC World Headquarters Photos by Gary Kessel Dyersburg State Community College Learning Resource Center Photos by Jeffrey Jacobs Photography First Baptist Church Photos by Sauder Seating

AOC, Piperton, Tenn. The modern steel and glass exterior is an uncommon sight in Piperton, a traditional town where what many would consider standard design, may be seen as extreme and contemporary.

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The architects at Tennessee firm McGehee Nicholson Burke, say people are at the heat of what they do.

AOC World Headquarters Mechanical/Plumbing and Electrical Engineers: Allen & Hoshall, Inc. General Contractor: Montgomery Martin Contractors,LLC

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clockwise, from top: The two-story lobby space serves as the connection point for the four wings of the new headquarters building. The firm tried to utilize AOC’s resin-based materials as often as possible in public places of the headquarters. The lobby features granite counter tops, hard resin-based floors and cherry wood paneling. MNB brought warm traditional materials into the interior, like these cherry wood desks, to create a nice contrast with the modern steel and glass used on the exterior. The headquarters received a LEED Silver certificatio, which is uncommon in West Tennessee, but was one of AOC’s strong desires for the

building. MBN employed a geo-thermal mechanical system, used all recycled carpeting and took advantage of AOC’s on campus wastewater treatment facility to cut down on the building’s waste. Curtiss Doss of MNB credited AOC’s willingness to look at nontraditional components for the project. According to Doss, AOC really pushed the design process forward by demanding excellance from everyone involved. The street face facade slops at 10 degrees in order to create a reflection of the nearby AOC plant that can be seen from the street. MNB wanted to create a dialogue between the headquarters and the plants.

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“O

f everything we help build, none is more important than relationships.” This is the modus operandi of McGehee Nicholson Burke Architects and a sentiment that is prevalent in the firm’s body of work and echoed by Principal Architect Curtiss Doss, AIA. MNB Architects is best known for their churches and schools in the Memphis mid-south area of Tennessee. The Dyersburg State Community College Learning Resource Center in Dyersburg, Tenn. and the First Baptist Church in Collierville, Tenn. are phenomenal examples of that expertise. But when AOC, the world leader in resin technology, was looking for a new corporate headquarters, MNB showed that its architect’s keen sense of design extends beyond the chalkboard and the church. The new design of the AOC headquarters consolidates all of the company’s non-plant staff into one building, creating a better, more collaborative work environment. Before the building was occupied in May 2010, AOC employees were scattered across multiple buildings on their campus. AOC’s modern steel and glass exterior is a quite uncommon sight in Piperton, Tenn., a fairly traditional town where what many would consider standard design, may be seen as extremely contemporary. AOC requested a headquarters that could serve as a high end showplace for entertaining international clients, but one that would not offend the rural culture of Piperton, where AOC has been a longtime resident. The two-story high lobby space serves as the connection point for the four wings of the new headquarters. The second floor overlooks the first floor space, which was meant to be a kind of warm juxtaposition to the modern exterior, Doss said. MNB used a lot of traditional materials, granite counter tops, cherry-wood paneling and hard resin-based floors to create a relaxed atmosphere in the lobby. The firm tried to utilize AOC’s resin-based materials as often as possible in public places of the headquarters.

above: MNB was tasked with designing a modern headquarters that could serve as a high-end showplace for entertaining AOC’s international clients, but that would not offend the aesthetic culture of Piperton, Tenn., where AOC has been a longtime resident.

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Dyersburg State Community College Learning Resource Center Civil/Structural Engineers: The Reaves Firm Mechanical/Plumbing/Electrical Engineers: OGCB, Inc. General Contractor: RFW Construction Group

above: The spacious lobby has a vaulted two-story high ceiling and is the central meeting area of the LRC, connecting the library stacks, study rooms and media areas.

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The headquarters received LEED Silver, which is uncommon in west Tennessee, but was one of AOC’s strong desires for the building. MNB employed a geo-thermal mechanical system, used all recycled carpeting and took advantage of AOC’s on-campus wastewater treatment facility to cut down on the building’s waste. “To produce a project like that takes a very unique client,” Doss said. “AOC in particular was one that demanded excellence. They were willing to look at nontraditional components and features and really helped push the design process instead of trying to limit the design process.” MNB prides themselves on responding to the specific needs of their clients. For AOC, the firm designed a sophisticated modern showcase for international clients. In the case of the Dyersburg State Community College Learning Resource Center, MNB created a library that would be a more regional kind of showcase, a showcase for the Northwest Tennessee Community College campus. The Learning Resource Center is the college’s main library. The facility is intended to empower students, faculty, staff and the community to meet the expanding information challenges of the 21st century by offering an information gateway, information skills program and instructional technology center to support the learning mission of the college. The LRC houses the school’s resource materials, not only books and volumes, but computer systems and media facilities as well. The spacious lobby has a vaulted two-story high ceiling and is the central meeting area connecting the library stacks, study rooms and media areas. The partial vault over the lobby is the hallmark design of the building, effectively breaking up the roof of the LRC and dramatically identifying the main entrance. The exterior of the LRC is mainly brick, which is the base material of the entire campus. “Most of the materials are very traditional, but some of the shapes and forms are not,” Doss said.

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above: Dryersburg State Community College Learning Resource Center, Dryersburg, Tenn. The exterior of the building is mainly brick, which is the base material of the entire campus.

below: The partial vault over the lobby, on the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exterior is the hallmark design of the building. It effectively breaks up the roof of the LRC and dramatically identifies the main entrance.

left: The LRC empowers students to meet the information challenges of the 21st century. The LRC houses the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resource materials, which includes books, volumes, computer systems and media facilites.

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First Baptist Church, Collierville, TN Civil Engineer: Fisher & Arnold, Inc. Mechanical/Plumbing & Fire Protection Engineers: DW Collier Engineering, Inc. Electrical Engineer: DePouw Engineering

above: The sanctuary is a two-story space that accomodates 1,800 people. MNB specially designed the santuary so that the farthest seat from the pulpit would not be farther then the last row of seats in the church’s former 600-seat worship room. They essentially tripled the amount of people that could fit in the room without losing the intimacy of the former space.

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“We used a lot of glass to take advantage of the views and vistas and keep in touch with the campus in a contemporary stylized way.” The LRC is designed in a way that it serves as a casual hangout place for students before and after class. MNB is known for schools and churches and the firm did not disappoint with their design of the First Baptist Church in Collierville, Tenn. The church includes a two-story 1,800-person sanctuary, specially designed so that no seat is farther away from the pulpit than the farthest seat in the former 600 seat worship room. At the entrance to the sanctuary is the two-story grand foyer, highlighted by a marble fountain and surrounded with flowers. The foyer is an open social space for casual meetings before and after church services, as well as throughout the week. The foyer has a skylight overhead to help create a nice relaxed atmosphere while congregants spend time in the accompanying coffee shop and bookstore. To house the First Baptist Church’s stellar music program, MNB designed a state of the art 120-person music hall located in a separate room behind the pulpit. The music hall has access to the sanctuary via a tunnel to allow for an easy and elegant entrance during church services. MNB worked in conjunction with the church’s design committee, the pastor and the music ministry to design the First Baptist Church in a way that would best accommodate all of the needs of its congregation. For some architecture firms the client can be somewhat of a necessary burden, but MNB embraces the collaboration. Doss repeatedly referred to the great working relationship that MNB architects share with their clients and that that relationship is one of the pillars of their design philosophy. “People are at the heart of all we do.” alt

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Gembala Residence Flooring: Just Tile and Marble Custom Installations: Unique Glass Art

The Beauty of

Freedom in Design 170 Architecture Leaders Today

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When a great client allows Boca Raton, Fla.-based Yoshino Architectureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talents to breathe, the result is beautiful. Story by Drew Grossman Gembala Residence Photos by Nhut Vo Republic Services Photos by Steven Greenwall

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oo many cooks in the kitchen will spoil the soup and too many designers in the drawing room will give you a headache. Overbearing clients can slow down the creative process, but great work is often recognized and can be rewarded with the freedom to create a building as you best see it. Don Yoshino, FAIA, of Yoshino Architecture in Boca Raton, Fla. has earned that freedom and implemented his vision in the design of the beautiful minimalist Gembala residence in Delray Beach, Fla. and the antithetically stylish waste management office, the Republic Services Headquarters just a 45 minute drive south in Sunrise, Fla. Yoshino came onto the Gembala residence as the design architect after the project had already gotten underway. His task was to help owner David Gembala realize his vision of extravagance and class for the stone and glass home near Florida’s Atlantic coast. Gembala liked Yoshino’s first couple of ideas — and therefore allowed the architect to run with his creativity. Yoshino created the zen like residence by applying simple minimalist design to the canal front property. The smooth quartzite stone flooring is customized to give the home a unique, yet clean look. The kitchen counter is also quartzite made with a minimal amount of joints in order to retain the lucid manufactured feel of the kitchen. The property is relatively small at 4,200 square feet so Yoshino opened up the inside of the home, creating the illusion of more space. Lighting was also very key, Yoshino said. The owner wanted the home to showcase well at night, so the architect used a lot of indirect lighting. Ena Hughes worked as Yoshino’s assistant on the interior design of the Gembala residence. From the observation deck with its rooftop bar, to the indoor entertainment rooms, to the pool out back overlooking the canal; the home is made to entertain. “He wanted to showcase his lifestyle, he’s newly married and young, he loves to entertain,” Yoshino said. “We used those kind of ideas to create a very free flowing space with the light fixtures to create the controlled ambiance.” The indoor entertainment area is dissected into the great room and the game room by a vertical etched glass panel with a retractable television screen that is integrated within the millwork and comes down from the ceiling above. The television is controlled remotely as well as by the permanent controls in the interactive coffee table. Etched glass is used throughout the home and in many places the architect backlit the glass with LED lights that change colors. The game room showcases Gembala’s $35,000 pool table and features another bar. This one with a bio glass bar-top that creates the illusion of an iced surface. 172 Architecture Leaders Today

previous spread, left TO RIGHT: Gembala Residence, Baton Rouge, Fla. Because the property is only 4,200 sq. ft., Yoshino opened up the inside of the home to create the illusion of more space. The architect was given the freedom to incorporate his design ideas, as he thought they would best fit, into the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision of extravagance and contemporary class. this spread, clockwise from top left: The home has a very zen-like feel to it, which in part comes from the minimalist design of the exterior. The kitchen countertop is made of quartzite. Like the rest of the interior, the kitchen has a very minimalist, modern design. The owner wanted his home to have a very prominent street presence. The architect also gave special attention to the lighting of the home so it would showcase better at night. The home is designed to entertain. The pool has a nice beach entrance with chaise lounges. The deck behind the home is also made of quartzite. It was important for both the interior and exterior spaces to showcase a social lifestyle. The flooring is 4 ft. by 4 ft. slabs of stone, the owner wanted everything in the home to maintain a custom-made look.

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Republic Services Interior Architect: Yoshino Trieschmann Design Group Civil Engineer: Sun-Tech Engineering, Inc. Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Engineers: Loucks Engineering Inc. Structural Engineer: Johnson Structural Group Wallcoverings/ Upholstry: Knoll, Maharam & Wolf-Gordon Flooring: Armstrong, Bentley Carpet & Interface Window Treatments: Arron’s Window Treatments Lighting Design: Lighting Representatives, Inc.

above: The Republic Services Headquarters, Delray Beach, Fla. Renovation project for the national waste management services company. The beauty of this design is born out of how well the building functions. opposite, Clockwise top left: Yoshino added cherry wood paneling elements to the minimalist design of the reception room to warm up the space and give the office a more inviting and comfortable entrance.

The exposed ventilation and hanging lights allowed for the complete optimization of the available space. Higher ceilings make for a more comfortable work environment. Yoshino Trieschmann Design Group did the interior of the headquarters with Filiz Avci, as the interior designer.

The main office organization is dictated by the interior’s color scheme. Bright color coded structural elements denote different areas of the headquarters as well as distinguish offices from conference rooms and other business areas.

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Designing the canal-side home of an extravagant businessman is an assignment with a lot of potential for fun, progressive design techniques, but how about the headquarters of a national waste management company? Yoshino’s work on the Republic Services Headquarters is an example of beauty born from function. The waste management company planned to renovate an old bowling alley that had been destroyed during a rough Florida hurricane season. They thought that the building should be torn down, but Yoshino asked for the opportunity to use the existing structure to form the shell of their headquarters and renovate instead of rebuild. Like Gembala, Republic Services put their trust in Yoshino and let him design the building according to his vision. “A good client will allow an architect to use his creativity, fortunately I have a lot of good clients,” Yoshino said. Yoshino wanted to create an office that would be a pleasant environment for Republic Services’ employees to work in. The architect utilized the existing space to its highest capacity, opening up the building and creating a more spacious work space. The hanging lights and exposed ventilation give the minimalist building a modern industrial quality. Yoshino Trieschmann Design Group did the interior of the Republic Services Headquarters

with Filiz Avci as the interior designer. Functionality is a key aspect in the design of the Republic Services Headquarters. The office is easy to navigate with bright color coded structural elements denoting different areas of the headquarters as well as distinguishing offices from conference rooms and other business areas. Cherry wood paneling is used in the entrance to the headquarters. The wood has a warming effect on people and makes them more comfortable, Yoshino said, and it is all detailed very minimalist. The headquarters became the first LEED Silver building in Sunrise, Fla. Republic Services picks up waste throughout the south Florida area so they wanted to show people that they are at the forefront of recycling and sustainable living, Yoshino said. Yoshino has been studying sustainable design and architecture since 1970, when he began learning from famous architect Paolo Soleri at his Cosanti Foundation in Arizona. Soleri, who formerly worked with Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1940s, is a teacher of sustainable design and a concept he calls “arcology,” which is architecture coherent with ecology. Yoshino applied Soleri’s teachings to his own practice when he started his firm in 1989. He is licensed in seven states and has done work all over the world. Currently Yoshino Architecture is designing a resort in India. alt

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Dufrocq Elementary School Interiors: Arnold & Associates Food Facilities Consulting and Design: Futch Design Associates Structural Engineer: Wardlaw & Lasseigne Millwork: Superior Millwork Membrane Roofing: Roof Teck Landscape: Joseph Furr Masonry: Covosa Construction

176 Architecture Leaders Today

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The New Southern Tradition

Remson Haley Herpin Architects designs buildings in the crossroads of the south’s storied tradition and the region’s bright future. Story by Drew Grossman Photos by Will Crocker Photography

istory and tradition are ever present in the southern United States. From the food to the folktales, to the buildings that line the storied streets of southern towns; there is a pervasive taste for tradition. Baton Rouge, La. appreciates tradition, but it is also a city that is renovating and revitalizing. A city at the crossroads of the past and the future. It is at that crossroads that, local Baton Rouge architecture firm Remson Haley Herpin Architects is creating buildings that fuse the city’s fundamental history with its optimistic future. Dufrocq Elementary School, in South Baton Rouge and the downtown One Eleven building are two of the firm’s most recent and exciting projects. The Dufrocq School is home to the next crop of Baton Rouge’s great young minds, but the building, which was first built in 1922, could no longer

house the type of progressive learning taking place in the school. The renovations were completed in the summer of 2009 and in the fall students were welcomed with a 28,000 sq. ft. renovation of the original building, new state of the art multimedia center, spacious classrooms and a new 55,000 sq. ft. addition to accommodate Montessori and language immersion programs. The project won Remson Haley Herpin a 2010 Good Growth Award. “We have a very traditional history here,” said RHH principal architect Trula Haley Remson, AIA, LEED AP. “It’s in the architecture here and people tend to prefer that kind of design, so when we do something contemporary, like Dufrocq School, it gives us the opportunity to do something new and different and people have been very receptive to it,” Remson said.

opposite: The Dufrocq School, Baton Rouge, La. Renovations to Dufrocq Elementary were completed in 2009. It included a 28,000 square foot renovation and a new 55,000 square foot addition. above: The school now features a state of the art multimedia center, spacious classrooms and Montessori and language immersion programs.

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Futch Design Associates, Inc. futchdesign.com

Constantly, keenly aware of the impact good design will have for many years down the road on the work flow and operations of a facility, Futch Design Associates, Inc. maintains the decades of experience needed to thrive as a commercial food facility design and consulting firm. Founded by President Max Futch in 1966, the firm has built their reputation on thorough design work matched with astounding insight. Having served the commercial design industry since the days of pencil drawings and overlay drafting, Futch retains a sense of timelessness in his work, understanding the values of function as well as fashion. Within Futch Design Associates, Inc.’s focus on commercial food facilities, they have retained the philosophy that all such facilities should be designed with flexibility so as to be used efficiently with various methods of operation. The firms focus is deep, but equally broad. Their work has reached into the educational, institutional and health care sectors, but also into military work, hospitality, restaurants, churches, correctional facilities and more. Over the course of the firm’s 45 years in operation, they have come to partner with firms of such a caliber as Remson Haley Herpin Architects. Notably, Futch Design Associates, Inc. worked with them on the historic Dufrocq Elementary School and the nearby historic Baton Rouge Magnet High School. Based out of the heart of Baton Rouge, Futch Design Associates, Inc. is ideally poised to serve architects, owners, contractors and builders alike as a cutting edge commercial design specialist.

Dufrocq is a combination of the old and the new. RHH made efforts to recreate the proportions of the original building in the new addition to keep the Dufrocq School looking like one uniform building. The brick and stucco cast stone around the building alludes to the traditional design, but with a spruced up modern look. Large windows allow daylight to shine into the classroom and create a better learning environment for the children. Often there is enough sunlight that electric lighting is “not needed,” Remson said. The side of the school faces Government Street, a prominent road through Baton Rouge, so the school system wanted Dufrocq to have an impressive presence street-side. RHH built a playground for the older school children on the lawn facing Government st. Although this is not an entrance to the school, it is an attractive angle for passing 178 Architecture Leaders Today

cars and establishes the school on the main road. There was an emphasis on designing the school in a way that would keep the young children in interior spaces, like courtyards, to keep them safe from any fast moving traffic around the school. The younger children’s playground is housed within a courtyard and the older children’s one, which faces Government st. is set far enough back from the road to keep the children safe. The Dufrocq School has a beautiful multipurpose auditorium. “That’s basically the original auditorium, really what we did there is just clean it up,” Remson said. RHH installed new rolled carpeting to accommodate when the school uses the auditorium as a play space. Remson noted the acoustics in the auditorium allow that a microphone is not needed during large gatherings, because the acoustics

top: The school’s multi-purpose auditorium is basically the same as the original space. RHH put in new rolled carpeting to accommodate the auditorium as a play space, allowing for excellent acoustics. center: The classrooms have large windows that allow daylight to shine into the classroom and create a better learning environment for the children. Often enough sunlight flows through the school that electric lighting is not needed. bottom: There was an emphasis on designing the school in a way that would keep the young children in interior spaces, like courtyards, to keep them safe from fast moving traffic around the school..

architecture | south

right: One Eleven, Baton Rouge, La. Mixeduse residential/commercial building located in downtown Baton Rouge, next to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic Shaw Center on one side and The Roux House, a live music venue, on the other. bottom left: The loft apartments have two balconies, a social balcony from the third floor kitchen/living room that overlooks the pedestrian heavy alley between One Eleven and the Shaw Center, and a more intimate fourth floor balcony from the bedroom. bottom right: One Eleven was intentionally designed to look very similar to the Shaw Center, which located across the pedestrian path. The Baton Rouge Area Foundation wanted the new building to blend in with the surrounding landscape. The Area Foundation had Warren Schwartz from Schwartz/Silver Architects, the firm that designed Shaw, review RHHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work to confrim that the buildings would be compatible.

One Eleven General Contractor: White Spunner Electrical Engineer: Daniel T. Calongne & Associates, Inc. Mechanical Engineer: Henry C. Eyre, Jr., P.E., Inc. Structural Engineer: Fenner Consulting

July/August 2012 179

above, left: The interiors of the apartments have a very modern design with large windows, wood floors and simple, elegant furniture. above, right: Exposed ventilation allowed RHH to create higher ceilings in lofts. They also add an urban, industrial feel to the rooms. right: The Roux House leased the courtyard in front of One Eleven as an outdoor extension of the bar. The Roux House has live music and drinks out in the courtyard, which has become quite popular in Baton Rouge.

are so good. “They don’t make them like that anymore,” she said. “When designing a building that will be largely inhabited by five to 11 year olds, it is important to have clear circulation routes,” Remson said. RHH designed a main spine and used colored orientation design to help students navigate the campus. For slightly older occupants, RHH Architects designed the One Eleven building in downtown Baton Rouge. The mixed-use residential and commercial building is located next to the city’s iconic Shaw Center on one side and The Roux House, a live music venue and bar, on the other. Over the past 12 years downtown Baton Rouge has been experiencing a redevelopment. However, the area is still needing residential buildings, making a mixed-use residential/commercial project like One Eleven a good fit for the area. The first floor of the building is commercial space, flats are located on the second floor and 180 Architecture Leaders Today

the third and fourth levels are loft apartments. The loft apartments have two balconies, a social balcony from the third floor kitchen/living room, that overlooks the pedestrian heavy alley between One Eleven and the Shaw Center, and a more intimate fourth floor balcony from the bedroom. The fourth floor bedroom balcony is set back from the alley, which gives residents the privacy to enjoy their morning coffee in the comfort of their bathrobe and slippers. The warm Louisiana climate provides for comfortable balcony weather, almost all year round. One Eleven looks very similar to the Shaw Center and that was done intentionally, because the Baton Rouge Area Foundation wanted the new building to blend in with the surrounding landscape. Schwartz/Silver Architects designed the Shaw Center, so the Area Foundation had architect Warren Schwartz review RHH’s work. “We wanted to mirror the Shaw Center’s black

box,” Remson said. This was done in order to reinforce the entry axis from Third st. and frame the historic water tower, which is visible through the Shaw Center’s glass lobby. The proportions are the same, “everything matches the Shaw Center, it is stucco with the same color and same texture,” Remson said. The Roux House, which is directly north of the building, leased the courtyard in front of One Eleven as an outdoor extension of the bar. The Roux House has live music and drinks out in the courtyard and Remson said, that the setup has been a big hit in Baton Rouge. To help residents enjoy the good times in the adjacent courtyard a second story common room was built with a balcony overlooking the courtyard. Here residents gather for events and parties, or just to watch the hometown Louisiana State Tigers play football. alt

architecture | south

the mission is simple AT Arnold & Associates Interiors .

Story by Joel Cornell Photos by Will Crocker

“I

’ve been in this business for over 35 years,” said Arnold & Associates Interiors, Inc. President and Owner Delisa Arnold. “Clients know that it’s not just the wide range of services we provide that sets us apart. It’s how we deliver those services that matters the most. “Because we work to understand each client’s business, we are able to anticipate their needs and help them to make smart decisions based on specific goals and objectives. Our goal is to be that valued business partner to our clients, building confidence, earning respect and helping them to succeed,” Arnold said. What is most telling about Arnold & Associates Interiors, Inc. is not the size of their contracts or the number of clients they maintain. It’s the diversity that exists within their client base that has repeatedly demonstrated the firm’s ability to adapt and get inside the heads of their clients. “When you do our kind of work, you really have to get inside the company,” Arnold said. “You have to understand not just the work they do, but how they do that work. “The company culture, their shared philosophies; all of this gets integrated into the types of designs they want. It becomes all about them, and never about you. We’ve worked with such a wide range of clients that we’ve been able to learn every little detail involved,” Arnold said. From law firms, financial centers, educational projects and libraries to health care operations, corporate offices, call centers, way-finding projects and industrial work, Arnold & Associates Interiors, Inc. The firm represents a vast array of manufactured products for the interiors their clients desire. “The part that we focus on the most is most certainly client interaction,” said lead designer Christie Simoneaux. “Banks have a completely different set of needs as opposed to law firms, chemical companies, museum spaces, libraries, etc. Each one brings different challenges and requires different solutions. Even if the puzzle pieces all look the same, so to speak, they will need to be

put together in an entirely different way.” With this focus on client interaction at the forefront of the firm’s work, the relationships from the early years of the business still carry on today. Alongside Remson Haley Herpin Architects, Arnold & Associates Interiors, Inc. has been able to exemplify great design. Although Arnold & Associates Interiors, Inc.’s variety extends into their work with Remson Haley Herpin Architects, a majority of their collaborations have been in the educational sector. A recent collaboration between the two firms is The DuFrocq School located in the heart of Baton Rouge, LA, Arnold & Associates Interiors, Inc.’s home town. The firm managed the entirety of the finishes and colors for the project, along with developing their specifications and following the project through to construction.“Our involvement

with the project was relatively limited, all things considered; but we’re not any less proud of our work,” Arnold said. “Clients in the educational sector, particularly public schools, tend to have sets of relatively strict standards. Especially with regards to the budgets and the schedules, we aren’t always allow out of the box much. But still, we always find a way to bring something special to each project. “One finish, in particular, wasn’t initially approved for the project. However, we were handily able to demonstrate how perfect the fit would be and it was pushed through. The general aesthetic was focused around the painting of the foyer and ceilings in the entrances, that came out a brilliant golden color. The students arrive and enter into this bright, shiny space that is historically significant. An old space given new light. That’s what we’re all about.” alt July/August 2012 181

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Architecture Inc. 1902 Campus Commons Dr #101 Reston, VA 20191 archinc.com Arnold & Associates 3707 Government St Baton Rouge, LA 70806 arnold-associates.net Arnold & Associates 14275 Midway Rd #170 Addison, TX 75001 elarnoldandassociates.com Atelier Architects 1003 K St NW # 830 Washington, DC 20001 atelierarchitects.com Available Light 10 Derby Sq #3 Salem, MA 01970 availablelight.com B&J Floor 9258 Wallace Lake Rd Shreveport, LA 71106 bjfloors.com Beinfield Architecture 1 Marshall St # 202 Norwalk, CT 06854 beinfield.com Bilmin Company inc 7411A Lindbergh Dr Gaithersburg, MD 20879 bilmin.com Booziotis & Company Architects 2400 Empire Central #AA Dallas, TX 75235 booziotis.com BR+A Consulting Engineers 311 Arsenal St Watertown, MA 02472 brplusa.com Bravo Interior Design 8133 Mesa Dr # 200 Austin, TX 78759 bravointeriordesign.com Building Systems inc 7335 Old Perry Hwy Erie, PA 16509 buildingsystems-inc.net Casaccio Architects 1950 Lawrence Rd Havertown, PA 19083 casaccio.com Cavastone Group 518 NW 77 St Boca Raton, FL 33487 cavastone.com Chapman Sisson Architects 120 Holmes Avenue NE #116A Huntsville, AL 35801 chapmansisson.com

DSJ Construction 1414 Route 130 Burlington, NJ 08016 E.E. Austin & Son 1919 Reed St # 2 Erie, PA 16503 eeaustin.com Ellenzweig Associates 1280 Massachusetts Ave #205 Cambridge, MA 02138 ellenzweig.com Fire Tech Systems 721 N Ashley Ridge Loop Shreveport, LA 71106 firetechsystems.com Fleischman Garcia Architects and Planners 324 S Hyde Park Ave #300 Tampa, FL 33606 fleischmangarcia.com Futch Design Associates 8966 Interline Ave #C Baton Rouge, LA 70809 futchdesign.com

Jack Spring Electrical Contractors 6307 Linwood Ave Shreveport, LA 71106 jackspringelectric.com Just Tile and Marble 241 N Congress Ave Delray Beach, FL 33445 Kirkegaard Associates 801 W Adams St FL8 Chicago, IL 60607 kirkegaard.com Landscape Details 1796 Sag Harbor Tpke Sag Harbor, NY 11963 landscapedetailsinc.com Lee Levine Architects 1101 Grand St Hoboken, NJ 07030 studiol.org Licciardi Builders 381 Old Riverhead Rd #11 W Hampton Bch, NY 11978 licciardibuilders.com

Remson-Haley-Herpin Architects 200 Government St #100 Baton Rouge, LA 70802 rhharchitects.com

McInnis Brothers Construction 119 Pearl St Minden, LA 71055 mcinnisbrothers.com

J.T. Magen 44 W 28th St FL 11 New York, NY 10001 jtmagen.com

Purtle & Associates 701 Texas Str Shreveport, LA 71101 purtle.net

Martin Specialty Coatings 5015 Flournoy Lucas Rd Shreveport, LA 71129 martinsc.com

Greg Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Angelo Construction PO Box 1889 Sag Harbor, NY 11975 gdcbuild.com

Ismael Leyva Architects 48 W 37th St Fl 13 New York, NY 10018 ilarch.com

Pro Spec 230 East 7th St Mount Vernon, NY 10550 prospecllc.com

Rectenwald Architects 2631 W 8th St Erie, PA 16505 r-arch.com

McHugh Engineering 550 Pine Town Rd #205 Washington, PA 19034 mchugheng.com

Independent Bank 3209 Ranch Rd Austin, TX 78738 ibankaustin.com

Portuondo Perotti Architects 5717 SW 8th St #200 Miami, FL 33144

Manhattan Construction 204 S Hoover Blvd #112 Tampa, FL 33609 ManhattanKraft.com

Geomantic Designs 6800 SW 81st St Miami, FL 33143 geomanticdesigns.com

Hodnett Hurst Engineers 300 East Clinton Ave #1 Huntsville, AL 35801 hhei.com

Philip Johnson/Alan Ritchie Architects 841 Broadway # 504 New York, NY 10003 pjar.com

Radius Track Corporation 9320 Evergreen Blvd NW #G Minneapolis, MN 55433 radiustrack.com

McGehee, Nicholson, Burke, Architects 6750 Lenox Center Ct #100 Memphis, TN 38115 mnbarchitects.com

HADP Architecture 201 Alhambra Cir #800 Coral Gables, FL 33134 hadpmail.com

PEC Structural Engineering 3005 L&N Dr#3 Huntsville, AL 35801 pecstructural.com

Lowtherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Contracting 450 High St Burlington, NJ 08016

G. J. Olson Architects 2115 Spruce St Philadelphia, PA 19103 gjolsonarchitects.com

GT Electric Service 8350 Terminal Rd Lorton, VA 22079 gtelectricservice.com

Patrick M. Finelli, Ph.D. 608 E River Dr Tampa, FL 33617

META Engineers 1515 Wilson Blvd #710 Arlington, VA 22209 metaengineers.com Michael McKinley & Associates 146 Water St Stonington, CT 06378 mckinleyarchitects.com

Waldon Studio Architects & Planners 6325 Woodside Ct #310 Columbia, MD 21046 waldonstudio.com Woodward Construction 2309 Hwy 31 S Hartselle, AL 35640 woodward-construction.com Woodward Construction 11425 Deerfield Rd Blue Ash, OH 45242 woodward-construction.com Yoshino Architects 6468 East Rogers Cir Boca Raton, FL 33487 yoshinoarchitects.com

Rinker Design Associates 9300 W Courthouse Rd # 300 Manassas, VA 20110 rdacivil.com Ross & Associates Consulting Engineers 1284 Thames Cres Yardley, PA 19067 ross-engineers.com Savida AGS Schneidergasse 28 CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland savida.ch Scobell Company 1356 East 12th St Erie, PA 16503 scobell.com Shade Construction 1730 E Joppa Rd Baltimore, MD 21234 shadeconstruction.net

Monogram Builders 521 S Martin Luther King Jr Ave Clearwater, FL 33756 monogrambuilders.net

Soil & Structure Consulting 1900 Campus Commons Dr #100 Reston, VA 20191 soilandstructure.com

Mufson Partnership 22 W 19th St Fl 5 New York, NY 10011 mufson.net

Stelle Architects 48 Foster Ave Bridgehampton, NY 11932 stelleco.com

Northwest Builders 35 Quail Run Torrington, CT 06790

Sutton, Mitchell, Beebe & Babin 333 Texas St #1200 Shreveport, LA 71101 smbbarchitects.com

Oppenheim Architecture & Design 245 NE 37th St Miami, FL 33137 oppenoffice.com

Vanguard Studio 6601 Vaught Ranch Rd #G-10 Austin, Tx 78730 vanguardstudio.com

Utica Contracting 1306 Squire Ct #A Sterling, VA 20166 uticacontracting.com

July/August 2012 193

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