Design Equilibrium 2020 by AIA Atlanta

2020

LIFE CYCLE A D A P T IVE R E U S E SU STAI NABIL ITY & C U LT U R AL P R E SE RVATIO N

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Designer and Editor Malachi Gordon

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Copyright Copyright Š 2020 AIA Atlanta. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, reprinted or transmitted without the specific written consent of the publisher AIA Atlanta.

Opinions expressed by the authors do

About AIA Atlanta A chapter of the American Institute of Architects, AIA Atlanta is a professional organization representing over 1,800 architects and designers in Metro Atlanta. The chapter raises public awareness and provides continuing education, political advocacy, leadership

On the Cover The Candler Hotel: An Architectural Jewel Shines Again in Atlanta’s Skyline In a stunning design-build, the Beck Group transforms the 1906-built Candler Building into a luxury boutique hotel in Downtown Atlanta. The 17-story Beaux-Arts high-rise features 265 guest rooms, a

development, and networking.

6,000-square-foot ballroom and

Atlanta neither accepts responsibility

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for errors of content or omissions, nor

50 Hurt Plaza, Suite 109

Hugh Acheson. Cover photo by

endorses products or advertisements

Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Jonathan Hillyer. More on page 40.

appearing herein. Design Equilibrium is

(404) 222-0099

a trademark of AIA Atlanta.

aiaatl.org

not reflect those of AIA Atlanta. AIA

the By George restaurant led by

Contents Introduction 04

Editor's Note

05 Contributors 06

Letter from the President

07

Board of Directors

08

Newly Licensed

10

AIA Fellows

12

Build Something Great

16

Honor Awards

18

Residential Design Awards

20

Broadstone Yards

by Lord Aeck Sargent

22

A Mews House

by Alex Wu Architect

24

Pollack Residence

by Surber Barber Choate + Hertlein Architects

26

Figure 8 House

by Point Office Architecture & Design

28

Bayou Traditional

by Historical Concepts

30

Harrison House

by Surber Barber Choate + Hertlein Architects

32

Alpha Phi at UGA

by Architectural Collaborative

Practice

2

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

34

Chattahoochee District Comes to Life

36

From Milk Factory to Urban Destination

38

Features

40

The Candler Hotel

by Clayton Daspit

48

The Art of Placemaking

by Tim Keane

52

Atlanta's Future Relies on Its Past

82

by John Bencich and Holden Spaht

84 Vision for the Future

58

Savanna Hall: Zoo Atlanta's Grand New View

88

High School Design Competition

by Pete Choquette

90

Architects Roundtable

62

The Future of Hospitality Is Flexible Design

92 Summer Social

by Shraddha Strennen

94

70

Cultural Preservation and Restoration

95 AEC Owners' Social

by Matthew Finn

96 Programs Directory

76

Regenerative Design Confronts Higher Ed

Howard Wertheimer

Programs

Wednesday Night Networking

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Editor's Note LIFE CYCLE ISSUE Cranes have taken up residence in Atlanta's skyline with the forthcoming of new offices, hotels, apartments, and condos in the metropolitan area.

Often called a "teardown" city by critics, Atlanta is attempting to repair

Malachi Gordon Malachi is a brand strategist currently serving as Director of Branding and Communications at AIA Atlanta. He also runs branding agency Gordon Media Company, helping creative service-based businesses build high-end packages through strategy and web design.

this reputation by balancing a need for new development with intentional readaptations of existing structures.

While an abundance of underutilized surface parking lots has made

way for much redevelopment, this is not always practical. As a result, some neighborhoods have seen beloved structures be replaced by new construction that sometimes neglects the surrounding historical and cultural context.

Design Equilibrium is a conversation on these issues faced by

communities and architects' roles in solving them. Former AIA National President Carl Elefante, FAIA notably said, "The greenest building is the one that is already built." The Life Cycle issue examines adaptive reuse as a tool not just for saving a remarkable building, but also preserving and

Staff Executive Director David Southerland

repurposing its story into a new life. It also discusses sustainability and the concept of green buildings, exploring how they can be designed to be regenerative and self-sustaining.

Beyond these essential issues, the publication gives insight into AIA

Atlanta's annual goals, new initiatives, and robust yearly programming.

Director of Membership and Development Missy Bower

The chapter serves 1,800 architects and designers throughout Metro

Director of Branding and Communications Malachi Gordon

awards spotlight excellence in design, leadership, and innovation.

Director of Programs Chris Yueh

Atlanta, providing networking, local advocacy, youth outreach, and continuing education. Moreover, its annual Residential Design and Honor

As a non-architect, I hope with Design Equilibrium to use

my outsider perspective to foster an inviting dialogue on the built environment in which both non-architects and architects can participate.

Malachi Gordon Editor

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DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

Contributors

John Bencich, AIA John is the founding principal of Square Feet Studio and an architect. His work has been recognized for design excellence by the Atlanta Urban Design Commission, Urban Land Institute, International Interior Design Association, and AIA. John served as the AIA Atlanta chapter president in 2012 and is a current board member of the Architecture and Design Center.

Commissioner Tim Keane Appointed Commissioner of Planning and Community Development in July 2015, Tim oversees design, permitting, zoning, preservation, housing, and transportation planning.

Previously, Tim was Director of Planning, Preservation, and Sustainability for the City of Charleston for 11 years. He has a bachelor's degree in planning and a master's degree in architecture from the University of North Carolina.

Pete Choquette, AIA

Matthew Finn, AIA

Pete is principal and director of design at Epsten Group, overseeing architecture and interior design services.

With expertise in sustainable design, adaptive re-use, and the design of zoological habitats, Pete is a LEED and WELL Accredited Professional who has spoken nationally on topics including energy efficiency, the built environment’s influence on human and animal wellness, and improving the performance of existing buildings.

Matt is passionate about how the built environment influences health. As an entrepreneur and architect, he founded in 2016 Cognitive Design, a consulting and design firm that works with professionals including psychologists and healthcare practitioners to help inform the design process. An Atlanta native and distinguished alumni of Kennesaw State University, Matt began his career at Perkins+Will.

Clayton Daspit, AIA As one of Beck’s design leaders, Clayton works closely with clients and project teams, guiding the exploration of ideas and revealing elegant solutions to project challenges. Clayton enjoys mentoring the architects he leads, encouraging them to challenge themselves for the best possible design solutions. His project experience spans higher education, museums, convention centers, retail and mixed-use, office, K-12, and NCAA athletics.

Holden Spaht

Howard Wertheimer, FAIA

Holden is a registered architect and urban designer serving as creative director at Square Feet Studio. His work and interests span the disciplines of landscape, architecture, and interiors, with a special focus on adaptive reuse. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Georgia and master's degrees in both architecture and city planning from Georgia Tech.

From 2006-2019, Howard served as Georgia Tech's AVP for Capital Planning & Space Management and institute architect. He led the development of the Kendeda Building and its Living Building journey, anticipated to be one the most environmentally-advanced education and research buildings in the Southeast. Howard is now executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Piedmont Park Conservancy.

Shraddha Srivastav Strennen Shraddha is a registered architect and project manager in the hospitality studio at Cooper Carry, a national design firm with offices in Atlanta, Washington, DC, and New York City. She is currently involved with the design of Broadwest – Conrad Hotel in Nashville and the hotel conversion of the historic Medical Arts Building in Atlanta, among other projects.

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

5

KAREN JENKINS, AIA

Building a Better Community AIA Atlanta is among the largest chapters in the

members build essential relationships across the AEC

country, representing nearly 1,800 members that have

industry.

a higher impact on our everyday lives through the built

environment than any other profession. Our mission

priorities, helping members stay on top of new advances

statement says, "AIA Atlanta advances the quality of life

and best practices. AIA Atlanta provides multiple

in our communities through inspiration and leadership

continuing education opportunities every month and

in both design and the built environment." This year, our

will soon include e-learning and extend programs into

staff and the board of directors expand on this idea with

the Northeast Georgia territory. The monthly Architects

this mantra: "Build a better community."

Roundtable and biannual Procrastination Day are great

examples of the quality of education members receive.

Recent polling of our membership indicates the

Education remains one of the chapter's most robust

most important expectations of our local chapter are as

follows:

Georgia, our local chapter participates in events like

• • • •

While state advocacy is the primary role of AIA

Public awareness of the value of architecture

Day at the Capitol, speaking with representatives about

and the work of architects

legislation affecting the profession. Locally, last year's

Continuing education

Vision for the Future small city mayoral forum united

Political advocacy with cities and counties

Metro Atlanta's neighboring communities. This year, a

Leadership development

Day at City Hall will host discussion on building codes, permitting, and action

The board develops its strategy

on climate change.

each year to address these

The Young Architects Forum (YAF) is

expectations while continuing past

an AIA community designed to nurture

accomplishments and creating new

emerging professionals, helping

ones with the incoming president.

them find peer support and develop

leadership skills.

Open House Atlanta and

Designers of Tomorrow are two of

Then, to help individuals that may

my favorite examples of how we raise

not be able to fulfill a traditional full-

public awareness. The former is a

time role, we are excited to launch

free, public festival of tours featuring

a new back-to-work program with a

50 significant buildings and spaces in

portal for contract work. For members

Atlanta, each fall drawing over 5,000 visitors. Designers

who have left the profession to raise young children

of Tomorrow comprises our youth initiatives like the

or care for elderly parents, this program will help

High School Design Competition, Youth Architecture

close the employment and experience gaps. My firm

Fair, and Discover Architecture elementary after-school

already provides this option for workers, and we find it

program.

successful for all parties. We hope to have the database

available in 2020.

This spring, the board will collaborate with

emerging professionals in AIA Georgia's Christopher

Kelly Leadership Program to host a volunteer weekend,

differently with each person as we all belong to different

asking all members to donate two hours each. Imagine

communities. I encourage you to stay engaged and

the united impact our organization can make in our

get involved in AIA Atlanta. It is my honor to serve as

community with almost 3,600 hours of service!

the 2020 president, working with a great staff and

board to give members the best value, advance the

In 2019, our networking events saw more than 1,400

"Build a better community" may resonate

attendees. From Summer Social, in collaboration with

profession, and strengthen the built environment. How

Circle of Trust Atlanta, to the Joint Owners' Social with

will you engage in AIA Atlanta this year to build a better

local chapters of the Construction Owners Association

community?

of America (COAA) and Construction Management

6

Association of America (CMAA), our continued

Karen Jenkins, AIA

partnerships with allied professional organizations help

President, AIA Atlanta

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

Board of Directors

Karen Jenkins, AIA President

Tracy Carusi, AIA President-Elect

Chris Welty, AIA Past President

Ian Hunter, AIA Secretary

Desmond Johnson, AIA Treasurer

Mark Chen, AIA Development Director

Simon Martinez, AIA Development Director

Heli Shah, Assoc. AIA EP & Membership Director

Sarah Woynicz, AIA EP & Membership Director

Jeffrey Collins, AIA Programs Director

Sean Fowler, Assoc. AIA Programs Director

Daniel Dixon, AIA Advocacy Director

Jared Serwer, AIA Continuing Education Director

Laura Morton, AIA

Robert Woodhurst, AIA

Randy Parrish Allied Director

Communications Director

Communications Director

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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Jeremy Anderson

Carine Kroko, AIA

Justin Bell

Jennifer Lewis

Sara Benson, AIA

Zachary Line

Joanna Bidani

Sizhao Liu

Jessica Blumenfeld

Sarah Lockwood

Sarah Brennan, AIA

Alejandra Lopez, AIA

Shawn Brennan, AIA

Christopher Loyal, AIA

Franklin Brewer, AIA

Jennifer Martin

Richard Bryant, AIA

Robert McAlpine

may use the "AIA" designation after

Virginia Byers, AIA

Mitchell McGregor, AIA

their name to reflect their expertise

Zachary Carnegie, AIA

Zoe McFarlane-Sweeney McMichael, AIA

connects a global community of

Keith Causey, AIA

Megan Meidlinger, AIA

94,000 professionals with a shared

Allison Clark

Trent Miller

Alissa Cobb, AIA

Delton Moore, AIA

Joy Collins

Allen Post, AIA

Elias Darham, AIA

Daland Pylant, AIA

Mark Dempsey, AIA

John Savage

William Dolson, AIA

Daniel Schlossberg

Ian Fralick

Dongjun Seo

Timothy Fuerst

Samuel Shams, AIA

Sarah Glass, AIA

Brian Shepherdson

Brendan Gregory, AIA

Holden Spaht

Sarah Gregory, AIA

Shraddha Strennen

Jamie Guzick, AIA

Bing Sun

Samuel Harris

Jason Swichtenberg, AIA

Theodore Hitch, AIA

Brian Tanner, AIA

Pavan Iyer, AIA

Stuart Thiel

Peter Jamieson

Matthew Trtan

Margaret Jamison, AIA

Julia Vasquez, AIA

Edward Jolly

Gregg Venable

Rebecca Kidd, AIA

Fang Wang, AIA

Mi-Jung Kim, AIA

Austin Wright

Drew Kinney

Vincent Yee

Newly Licensed AIA Atlanta celebrates the following architects on becoming licensed in Georgia in 2019. As an acknowledgment of an outstanding accomplishment, newly licensed architects who join AIA enjoy graduated membership dues and

and dedication. AIA membership

passion for architecture, design, and the built environment. It also connects these distinguished professionals with opportunities to shape the future of the profession, policies, and practice.

8

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

Antonin Aeck, FAIA

Winford Lindsay, FAIA

Scott Braley, FAIA

Larry Lord, FAIA

Robert Brown, Jr., FAIA

Ivenue Love-Stanley, FAIA

John Busby, FAIA

L. Vic Maloof, FAIA

Robert Cain, FAIA

Cheryl McAfee, FAIA

Walter Carry, FAIA

Paula McEvoy, FAIA

William Chegwidden, FAIA

C. Andrew McLean, FAIA

contributions to the architecture

Steven Clem, FAIA

Carl Meinhardt, FAIA

profession and society. The prestige

Jerome Cooper, FAIA

Linda Michael, FAIA

Gary Coursey, FAIA

Paul Muldawer, FAIA

Jonathan Crane, FAIA

Ivey Nix, FAIA

Stanley Daniels, FAIA

John Portman, FAIA

Ben Darmer, FAIA

William Pulgram, FAIA

Robert Dean, FAIA

Jack Pyburn, FAIA

Michael Dobbins, FAIA

Richard Rothman, FAIA

Dagmar Epsten, FAIA

Edward Shirley, FAIA

James Fausett, FAIA

Michael Sizemore, FAIA

Darrell Fitzgerald, FAIA

Raymond Stainback, FAIA

William Floyd, FAIA

William Stanley, FAIA

Leslie Gartner, FAIA

Preston Stevens, FAIA

Brian Gracey, FAIA

Eugene Surber, FAIA

Peter Hand, FAIA

Robert Svedberg, FAIA

Melody Harclerode, FAIA

Stephen Swicegood, FAIA

Philip Harrison, FAIA

Richard Taylor, FAIA

Helen Hatch, FAIA

Roberta Unger, FAIA

Marvin Housworth, FAIA

Daniel Watch, FAIA

Michael LeFevre, FAIA

Howard Wertheimer, FAIA

Mark Levine, FAIA

Karen Elizabeth York, FAIA

AIA Fellows The AIA College of Fellows comprises members recognized with the highest membership honor for their exceptional work and

of "FAIA" after an architect's name is unparalleled and the judging is rigorous. Only 3 percent of AIA members have this distinction.

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DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

Each November, AIA Atlanta invites the AEC community out for a night to celebrate design, service and innovation. Hosted in 2019 at the historic Fox Theatre, the occasion included a relaxed cocktail hour, a three-course dinner, and a guest speech by renowned architect Oscar Harris. The sold-out event concluded with the presentation of the Residential Design and Honor awards.

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DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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Build Something Great

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

13

BRIAN REEVES

14

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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Honor Awards

Silver Medal Stevens & Wilkinson

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Ivan Allen Sr. Trophy

Dorothy Spence Citizen Architect Award

Melody Harclerode, FAIA

Shaun Martin, AIA

The most prestigious prize, the Ivan Allen Sr. Trophy, is awarded to the member who has made a deep and lasting impact on peers, AIA and the built environment, and therefore sustained the highest ideals of the profession.

The Dorothy Spence Citizen Architect Award honors an AIA member who engages the community with a design mentality, seeing it as an architect sees a project: all connected. This award recognizes contributions made outside of AIA volunteer roles.

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

BRIAN REEVES

The Silver Medal is the highest honor bestowed upon an architecture firm for its general excellence. The recipient has sustained outstanding performance in design quality and in community, political or AIA leadership in the interests of the profession. In 2019, Stevens & Wilkinson celebrated their 100th anniversary.

Kwanza Hall Award

John Portman Visionary Award

Jennifer Ball

Atlanta Regional Commission's Livable Centers Initiative

The Kwanza Hall Award recognizes the leadership of a non-architect who, through their professional life, has pushed members of the design community to elevate the quality of our work to improve the livability of our towns, cities and neighborhoods.

The John Portman Visionary Award honors an individual, organization, group or public entity for noteworthy achievements that express a vision and excellence of design in any one of the following categories: buildings; communities; landscapes; structures; art; and sculpture.

John A. Busby Jr. Award

James Fausett Service to the Profession Award

Ralph Raymond, AIA

Dee Leclair, AIA

The John A. Busby Jr. Award is given to a young member excelling in one or more of the areas: design excellence, AIA leadership, community involvement, pursuit of lifelong education, and managing or starting a firm.

The James G. Fausett Service to the Profession Award honors a firm, group or individual for outstanding service to the profession, primarily through leadership service in the AIA or a related organization.

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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1 2

Residential Design Awards

3

The Sixth Annual Residential Design Awards highlights excellence in built work designed by AIA Atlanta members and architects registered in Georgia.

A jury deliberates based on criteria including innovative approaches to materiality, use of natural lighting, innovative structural systems, accommodating a wider variety of lifestyles and adaptable design that acknowledges aging and changing physical needs.

Jurors included architects Michael Frederick, AIA (Beaufort, SC); Tim Hawk, FAIA (Columbus, OH); Barry Sallas, AIA (Charleston, SC); and Ann Williamson, AIA (Seattle, WA).

PROJECT NARRATIVES WRITTEN BY RESPECTIVE FIRMS

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4

7 1. Broadstone Yards Lord Aeck Sargent

6

2. A Mews House Alex Wu Architect

5

3. Pollack Residence Surber Barber Choate + Hertlein Architects 4. Figure 8 House Point Office Architecture & Design 5. Bayou Traditional Historical Concepts 6. Harrison House Surber Barber Choate + Hertlein Architects 7. Alpha Phi at UGA Architectural Collaborative DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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Broadstone Yards HONOR AWARD, MIXED-USE LORD AECK SARGENT; BROCK HUDGINS ARCHITECTS, ATLANTA Leveraging the project site's neighboring developments and the local artisan community, Broadstone Yards is designed to fit into Westside Atlanta's historic function. The exterior design references aesthetics commonly found in stockyards, the historical use for this area in West Atlanta. Like the surrounding developments, Broadstone Yards includes many uncovered spaces and moments of discovery. Murals, furnishings, and artwork by local artists are located in the project's public and amenity areas. The project comprises 251 studio, one- and two-bedroom luxury apartments. Amenities include a pool courtyard, double-height clubroom and gym, a mezzanine business center with private offices and study rooms, an outdoor rooftop lounge, and a three-story pedestrian bridge overlooking the Atlanta skyline.

MORGAN NOWLAND

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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GAREY GOMEZ

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DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

A Mews House HONOR AWARD, SINGLE-FAMILY: NONTRADITIONAL ALEX WU ARCHITECT, ATLANTA A Mews House is the third-smallest lot in the city of Atlanta with a detached single-family residence built on it. The lot is a mere 20 feet wide, providing for a 14-footwide house, even after receiving special relief from vexing suburban zoning regulations (in an urban setting). In a time where housing is becoming increasingly unaffordable, it is essential to build more housing. This project showcases the critical role design can play to bring new and innovative housing stock online. Testing the premise that design drives economies, A Mews House is built as a spec house to show that elevated design can be profitable and possible in the competitive speculative residential market without subsidies from the public.

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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Pollack Residence

PHILLIP SPEARS

HONOR AWARD, SINGLE-FAMILY: NONTRADITIONAL SURBER BARBER CHOATE + HERTLEIN ARCHITECTS, ATLANTA

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DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

At some point in the 1980s, the original 50s-era house was remodeled in a quasipost modern style. When the current owners acquired the property, the house had been covered with synthetic stucco and crowned with a clunky parapet.

Railing enclosing the carport to make a roof porch, unattractive pipe columns, and generic gutters and downspouts eliminated any existing century modern charm.

The new owners wanted to improve

the appearance of the exterior and add a family room, two bedrooms, and a swimming pool. The architect's solution involved relocating the garage to an inconspicuous place and inserting the new family room where the garage had previously been. A three-story guest bedroom tower was added at the opposite end of the original house. In the interstitial space between the new family room and the main house, a koi pond was inserted, creating a sunken garden viewed from the entry approach above. On the back of the house, a new black steel structure replaced the unattractive pipe columns supporting the porches. New terrace, pool, stairs, railings, and shade structure integrated as extensions from the house. New wood siding and trim were added to the exterior to soften the starkness of the all-white stucco cladding, complimenting the brown tones of the existing stone foundation walls.

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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Figure 8 House MERIT AWARD, SINGLE-FAMILY: NONTRADITIONAL POINT OFFICE ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN, ATLANTA

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DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

On a barrier island off North Carolina's Atlantic coast and sitting amongst dunes, Figure 8 House is inspired by the spirit of the original modernist houses found on the island. The client's family frequented the beach property before deciding to build their ideal vacation home.

They requested contemporary living accommodations and a steel structure, which allowed for geometric operations on an otherwise archetypal house form.

These cuts and extrusions bring natural light deep into the house, create pockets of outdoor gathering, and take advantage of breezes and views. The cedar cladding weathers to integrate with its surroundings; slatted portions break down the house's mass and subtly reference the adjacent reeds and palms. The sleeping areas are justified and stacked on one half of the house with the gathering spaces on the other. Large sliding glass doors open to the outdoor living areas, breaking MICHAEL BLEVINS

down the threshold between inside and out. The main living-dining-kitchen area is located on the upper level and takes advantage of the gabled roof form to create a double-height space. Overlooking this area is an office mezzanine, which sits above the master suite.

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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Bayou Traditional HONOR AWARD, SINGLE-FAMILY: TRADITIONAL HISTORICAL CONCEPTS, ATLANTA This rich heritage provided ample inspiration for the design of Bayou Traditional, a 6,000-squarefoot home in an emerging traditional neighborhood development that celebrates the culture and history of Lake Charles and the Southwest Louisiana region.

The clients, lifelong Louisianans, wanted to create an heirloom home, one that they would age in and eventually pass down to future generations.

Equally important, they wanted the home's legacy to be one of stewardship, reflecting upon Lake Charles' historic character and extending its lineage of vernacular architecture. Honoring traditions established by the region's early carpenters who juxtaposed formality and simplicity, the design team detailed the interiors by layering an elegant cornice and trim upon horizontal pine boards. The overall design concept incorporates elements of Creole architecture with classical scale and proportion, and native materials with modern building practices, resulting in a traditional raised cottage that commemorates the past while embracing the future.

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DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

EMILY JENKINS FOLLOWILL

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DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

At only 1,800 square feet, the existing house would not accommodate the needs of its new owners. A growing family called for more bedrooms, bathrooms, and casual family space over an additional 1,800 square feet. In doubling the size of the house, the architect's goal was to resurrect the original mid-century box then minimize the impact to it.

The design solution involved separating the addition so that new and old could be distinctly read. The black color of the original wood post and beam structure extends to the new, exposed black steel. New space was

Harrison House

bridge at the roof level. An offending carport was removed from the front of the house, replaced by a more discreet detached garage in a different location, allowing a new front faรงade to be composed.

Original interior partitions were edited and reconfigured to

provide purer open space (previously, various closets protruded into the living area's rectangle). As needed, components were restored or replaced, and new interior space was organized along the exterior window, in relation to newly created outdoor areas.

PHILLIP SPEARS

HONOR AWARD, RENOVATIONS SURBER BARBER CHOATE + HERTLEIN ARCHITECTS, ATLANTA

elevated on a podium some distance away, connected by an elevated

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DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

Alpha Phi at UGA MERIT AWARD, RENOVATIONS ARCHITECTURAL COLLABORATIVE, ATHENS

The Alpha Phi Sorority project rehabilitated the 1860/1909 Dearing-Wilkins House in Athens, Georgia, and converted it from single-family use to sorority use, adding 54 beds, site parking, assembly rooms, and dining facilities. The building program sought to retain as much of the historic house as possible, including original parlor rooms and finishes, and significant historic exterior features, while adding to the building in a way that complements the old home that Athenians have loved for years.

Converting the house from single-family to sorority

use required the addition of substantial new floor area. The additions are oriented to the rear of the house and across the width of the lot, allowing the house's central hall axis to continue through to the new chapter room in the south wing.

The north dorm wing forms one edge of a garden courtyard framed by brick garden walls and the side of the historic house.

The openness at the rear of the historic wraparound

porches was preserved by matching the width of the south wing to the historic house and by incorporating a glassy hyphen to connect the north and south wings. This hyphen also breaks up the massing of the two rear additions so that their secondary relationship to the historic house is unobstructed. The exterior detailing of the new additions is sympathetic to the neoclassicism of the home but uses simpler details for both economy and deference to the original.

FREDRIK BRAUER DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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PRACTICE

Chattahoochee District Comes to Life

SMITH DALIA ARCHITECTS THE WORKS, ATLANTA Featuring some of Atlanta’s best-preserved warehouse space, the Selig family began purchasing land in Atlanta’s Westside Chattahoochee area almost 70 years ago. The design intent behind this curated assembly is to create a live-work-play district, adaptively reusing historic warehouses with new development and green space throughout.

Designed by Smith Dalia Architects, The Works’ central entertainment pulse will soon be complete.

The Warehouse at 1235 Chattahoochee is

being transformed for gallery, entertainment and a 16,000-square-foot food hall featuring Andrew Zimmern as culinary advisor. The next-door warehouse is being adapted for office space. Located on a pedestrian thruway called Maker’s Row, with Scofflaw Brewing under construction just across, the only new building in this section is a distinctive parking deck that also serves as a branding element.

With a program that includes bringing art into the spaces and singular landscape moments,

SMITH DALIA ARCHITECTS

these adaptations will activate Maker’s Row.

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DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

PRACTICE

From Milk Factory to Urban Destination SAHAR COSTON-HARDY

PERKINS AND WILL ATLANTA DAIRIES, ATLANTA For 60 years, the old Atlanta Dairies cooperative, with its familiar milk carton sign and Streamline Moderne façade, was a hub of commercial activity near downtown Atlanta.

Abandoned in the 1980s, the Atlanta studio of Perkins and Will envisioned a new cultural and entertainment destination that celebrated the best qualities of site’s industrial DNA. Original elements such as catwalks, loading docks, concrete structures, and the iconic milk carton sign were carefully restored and integrated into the new development. The network of catwalks GAREY GOMEZ

that tracked the pasteurization process have been transformed into a dynamic circulation spine for the mixed-use program of creative office space, specialty retail, dining and entertainment retail, encircling a new public plaza and amphitheater.

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

37

Features Features Features Features Features 38

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

725 Ponce Atlanta

by S9 Architecture, New York

MALACHI GORDON

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

39

The Candler Hotel

An Architectural Jewel Shines Again in Atlanta’s Skyline

By Clayton Daspit, AIA An Icon Transformed The Candler Hotel was built in response to a strong need. Frustrated tourists were finding a

L

ocated in the heart of Downtown Atlanta on the original 1840s site of the First Methodist

Church, the Candler Hotel Atlanta is emblematic of the city's rich industrial and mercantile history. Built at the turn of the last century by Coca-Cola founder Asa Griggs Candler, the Candler Building was the city's tallest building for many decades. Upon its completion in 1906, the Candler building exhibited a myriad of visually stunning and ornate architectural embellishments. Every surface of the building, inside and out, boasted the finest materials and exquisite

shortage of luxury downtown hotels in the city.

Its ideal location in the heart of downtown and within walking distance of the city's convention venues and major attractions, as well as its historical importance to Atlanta, made the Candler Building an ideal candidate to fill this niche in the local hotel market. The building's owner decided to redevelop the property and convert the 17-story high-rise into a boutique hotel as part of the Hilton Curio Collection. The Beck Group was enlisted to provide an integrated design-build solution for this challenging undertaking.

carvings of famous figures, mythological beasts, and events from history. The talents of architects George Murphy and George Stewart and the sculptor F.B. Miles guided the design. Asa Candler enlisted them to execute his vision of creating a grand building that would be instrumental in Atlanta's transformation into a modern

An early form of the design-build method,

invited contractors were required to provide complete designs and a construction cost bid for the project, based on a program and general diagram developed by the architects. The winning bidder, the American Bridge Company of New York, recognized for its robust construction and elaborate detailing on bridges and other structures, won the commission. Utilizing a modern steel frame combined with a fireproof flat arch floor system, it was one of most technologically advanced buildings and the largest steel structure in the Southeast upon completion.

40

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

LEFT: NICOLE FRANZEN; RIGHT: JONATHAN HILLYER

American city.

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

41

During the project's transformation, the Beck Group prioritized preserving the integrity of the building's exquisite craftsmanship and detailed decorative features. The Candler Hotel was designed and built to preserve and celebrate both the structure's impressive interiors and its ornately carved marble and terra cotta exterior. Constructed near the highest point along Atlanta's famous Peachtree Street, the hotel would offer sweeping views of the city from its towering 200-foot height.

The building's interior design, authored by

the studio of San Francisco designer Nicole Hollis, conveys a refined, eclectic attitude inspired by the building's fascinating history and crafted period details. The interior design elements harmonize with and enhance the building's original sculpted white marble grand staircase, Tiffany rose windows, and ornate mosaic tile floors. The hotel features comfortable lounge spaces, ample meeting rooms, and a grand ballroom, each with a distinct mood and character designed to take each guest through a visual and tactile narrative experience.

The hotel's 265 guestrooms and suites create

NICOLE FRANZEN

42

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

a unique experience, with individual room layouts responding to

The design of the main reception desk features a custom-de-

the building's triangular plan and opportunities for spectacular

signed panel inspired by the architecture of the historic First

framed views from original windows. The interior design drew

Methodist Church. Throughout the hotel's spaces, the design

inspiration from Atlanta's local flora and fauna while incorporat-

modulates the experience of movement, using color and lighting

ing material elements of marble, brass, and custom wood floors

to create a mood of discovery as guests approach their rooms.

of oak parquet to celebrate the tradition of hospitality in the

Once inside, the striking light from the historic double-hung

South. The building's historic marble friezes inspired the design

windows renders a rich tapestry of color and materials. Thought-

of each meeting room, reflecting the themes of agriculture,

ful small details adorn the walls and furniture, providing layers

literature, astronomy, drama, and music expressed in the marble carvings.

The interior design stayed true to the

building's original design and character by incorporating the 1906 floor plan into the room layouts. During the renovation process, pink marble original to the building found in the basement inspired the use

"During the project's transformation, the Beck Group prioritized preserving the integrity of the building's exquisite craftsmanship and detailed decorative features."

of pink marble in the guest bathrooms.

of discovery and delight throughout a guest's stay.

A new restaurant, designed by the Beck Group and operated by the James Beard Award-winning chef Hugh Acheson, is located in the original banking hall once the home of the Central Bank & Trust. The hall features massive grey-veined marble columns with Ionic capitals, high ceilings, and expansive

Mosaic tile floors were revealed and left exposed in several lo-

street-view windows. The restaurant is named "By George" as a

cations, leaving in place an authentic layer of historic material in

respectful nod to the building's original architects.

the project. In addition to using materials faithful to the original Candler building, the design team integrated Beaux-Arts inspired

Overcoming Challenges

architectural details and the grand use of marble in the hotel's

Converting a century-old office building into a brand-new

lobby.

luxury hotel required the design-build team to overcome many

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

43

44

old building. From this information, the

that removing the 3-ton original motors

adaptive reuse projects. The pecu-

team created a Building Information

from their mounts and placing them on

liarities of century-old construction

Model that captured an accurate digital

the floor would cause a collapse. The

methods presented surprises even to an

3D representation of the structure.

team overcame that challenge through

experienced design and construction

careful planning and installed much

team with many renovation projects to

a 3D model of the building, the team

smaller and more efficient modern

their credit.

encountered unexpected issues during

machinery to operate the elevators.

construction. These problems included

structure of the building was critical for

a collapsed section of the floor infilled

new staircase to meet the life safety

project success. At the start of the proj-

with plywood, columns that shifted

code, as the building had only a single

ect, a detailed analysis of the building's

position several inches from floor to

exit stair from 1906. This challenge

steel structural system and architec-

floor, and a strong but inflexible flat-

included the removal of a structural bay

tural features was necessary because of

arch floor system that required careful

at each of the 17 floors, and threading

missing or incomplete original drawings.

engineering to reinforce the system at

steel stair components into the existing

To accomplish this task, the team made

every penetration and opening.

structure to create the staircase. This

numerous inspections, took as-built

was a delicate operation that required

measurements, and made a high-reso-

machinery also had to be replaced with

careful coordination to maintain the

lution laser scan of the over 100-year-

newer equipment. There were concerns

structural integrity of the building. Fol-

Understanding the geometry and

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

Even with careful inspection and

The building's antiquated elevator

Another difficulty was adding a

TWO LEFT: NICOLE FRANZEN; RIGHT: THE BECK GROUP

challenges that typically surface during

lowing demolition, commencing in the upper

the property is the grand marble stair and its

floors and terminating in the basement, the

ornate portrait reliefs, which was a challenge

stair was constructed from the top down.

to maintain as a focal point. Additionally, other

elements of the property were incorporated

Meeting the requirements of the build-

ing's historic designation also posed challeng-

into the final design, including the mahogany

es. For example, the hotel required a canopy

elevator cab interiors, vertical brass mail slots,

over its drop-off area at the entrance to pro-

mosaic tile floors, elevator lobby floors, chan-

tect arriving guests from being soaked during

deliers, and marble windowsills, where these

soggy weather. This new element had to be

original elements harmonized with the new

thoughtfully blended with the historic faรงade.

design.

The state historic preservation office's exact-

ing standards forbid changes that damage,

main lobby via the grand staircase, accom-

compete with, or detract from a historically

modates meeting rooms, a board room, and

designated building's character. Designing a

a library/study. To provide adequate space

modern, aluminum, and transparent glass can-

for a new 6,000-square-foot hotel ballroom,

opy that keeps guests dry as they arrive solved

the team integrated the second level of the

that issue, allowing guests to see through it to

adjacent Annex Building by punching through

appreciate the ornate details, carved figures,

the bearing walls and connecting the area to

and bronze chandelier spanning the building's

this upper lobby level. Fire doors required

arched entryway. The canopy does not touch

between the two buildings were concealed

or harm the original marble skin of the build-

within the depth of the nearly four feet thick

ing and is removable.

solid masonry party walls. A new, ornately de-

tailed staircase navigated a change in elevation

The team preserved and incorporated the

original character of the architectural com-

The upper lobby level, connected to the

between the floors.

ponents into the final design. The marquee of

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

45

JONATHAN HILLYER

Conclusion As more people seek unique hotels with an illustrious past, hoteliers find that leveraging the stories of older buildings enhances the guest experience and provides a competitive advantage with an ever more discerning clientele. Transforming the architecturally-inspiring Candler Building into a stylTOP: NICOLE FRANZEN; BOTTOM: JONATHAN HILLYER

ish, modern-day hotel helped the rapidly rejuvenating urban center of Atlanta preserve its indigenous historic spaces and distinctive cultural identity while serving the needs and expectations of modern urban travelers.

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

47

The Art of Placemaking

By Tim Keane

T

he prosperity and happiness of Atlantans are dependent upon many things

that I won't get into here. There is just one thing I want to explore: the contribution of architecture and design to the wellbeing of residents and in furtherance of making a public realm in Atlanta.

Winston Churchill famously said,

"We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us." The spirit of this statement on the rebuilding of the United Kingdom's House of Commons Chamber is helpful as we consider the role of designers in the betterment of our city. Today, issues of affordability, mobility, and sustainability are at the forefront of public discussion about the direction of Atlanta, especially as people move to the city in an unprecedented way.

In my opinion, design will be the dif-

ference between success and failure. Atlanta has proven to be a city that builds, adept at the science or technicalities of development. It is reasonable to expect Atlanta will only do this better as new technologies in construction and transportation present possibilities for new ways of land usage.

Nowhere will there likely be a smarter city.

Broad Street Plaza: Downtown pedestrian plaza designed by the Department of City Planning.

We created the publication because Atlanta is the center of a dynamic region.

The Atlanta Regional Commission projects that the population of the 10-county region will grow by 2.9 million people by 2050. That is the equivalent of adding Denver and its region to ours over that period. This next generation of growth should be markedly different than the last one. Between 1970 and 2010, the region added around 4 million people.

But the City of Atlanta's population was static. To address the challenges of affordability, mobility, and sustainabilAtlanta’s design for the city, a new way to approach planning.

Published by the Department of City Planning in fall 2017.

To be truly successful, however, Atlanta

occupying the land. This result will only

must get substantially better at the art

be achievable if designers are adept at

of the place. The quality and distinc-

thinking anew about the shape and form

tiveness of our public realm should be

of the city.

what distinguishes the next generation

of growth. A city built only on science,

"The Atlanta City Design," a guide that

data, and engineering will stumble as

articulates an aspiration for our future

these pursuits have taken us as far as

city. "The Atlanta City Design" was the

they can. The enormous potential in

first step towards residents defining a

Atlanta is the art: the remaking of our

unique identity for Atlanta. It was a pro-

shared spaces into safe, stimulating,

cess of discovery, seeking the physical

beautiful places for people.

attributes of this city that distinguish

it from all others. Central to the design

This pursuit is essential because to

In the fall of 2017, we published

be successful, we must invest sub-

is that Atlanta becomes much more

stantially in making more affordable

urban and that nature flourishes in the

and denser places. Continuing with

process during the next generation of

conventional design approaches will be

growth.

ity in a compelling, successful way, the city of Atlanta should absorb 25% of the region's growth between now and 2050.

The Atlanta City Design contemplates a city of 1.2 million people. Our current population is 490,000. The city's growth is one of the threshold issues for a place that cares so much about these vexing urban issues.

To facilitate design at other scales,

we created Atlanta City Studio. The pop-up design studio is in a storefront somewhere in Atlanta, presently on Broad Street in South Downtown. It is a place for residents to be inspired and participate in shaping Atlanta. It's an ambitious endeavor for a city with such a desperate public realm. The studio gives all of us a place to explore the art of the city, engage in our shared spaces,

unsatisfying. If Atlantans see us building places that are denser, accessible, distinct, and high-quality, then we will have success. If they are making a better city by enlivening our streets and other public spaces, then we will have success. Concentrating on the art of the city shows the power of design.

To build this way, which is quite

common in most cities, it will require great skill from Atlanta architects and designers. It will require knowledge about designing and building to achieve vibrancy at the street, which involves all aspects of design, not just what happens on the ground floor. Achieving density

New Atlanta City Studio location on Broad Street in South Downtown.

and more affordability in our construction will also require ingenious ways of DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

49

Atlanta City Studio event in Cascade Heights, located in a neighborhood storefront here from April 2017 to September 2019.

or near. Atlanta is all they will

them as the city evolves.

experience. Our buildings and

public spaces are what they have

This concentration on design

is vital for Atlantans that need

to inspire and comfort them.

help the most. First, design can

Therefore, if for no other reason

be a powerful vehicle to mitigate

than this, we should be treating

displacement and find pleasing

Atlanta with the care and dignity

ways to make more diverse places

owed to such a fascinating place.

in the city. Our neighborhoods

will become more homogeneous

group of designers in Atlanta

if we follow conventional building

that are committed to and busy

practices. Singularly focusing on

doing this. Their creativity and

policy and regulations will only

passion are resulting in examples

get us so far. Design is what gives

of architecture that can continue

life to goals and visions.

to a vital public realm. They are

leading an effort to shape our city

Also, many Atlanta residents

We have an impressive

don't get a chance to travel the

in a public way. These are great

world or travel to other places

reasons to be optimistic that

at all. They will never walk the

Atlanta will soon wake to its true

exquisite public spaces, streets,

potential and master the art of

or waterfronts of cities far away

the city just as it has the science.

DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING

"If Atlantans see us building places that are denser, accessible, distinct, and high-quality, then we will have success."

and learn how best to design

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High-efficiency chiller.

Improved comfort.

It’s no secret that conserving energy can add up to big savings for your clients. But that’s not the only benefit. Using the right energy-efficient products can also have other surprising advantages.

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Learn more and find great rebates at georgiapower.com/commercialsavings

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©2020 Georgia Power. All rights reserved.

CD_Guest House at Graceland_B103_half-hor_ART.pdf

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1

8/16/18

11:23 AM

Real projects start with the industry standard

M

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CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Before they broke ground, HBG Design ensured the Guest House at Graceland™ Resort was protected with AIA contracts.

AIA Contract Documents used: B103-Owner/Architect Agreement for a Complex Project, C401-Architect/Consultant Agreement, E201-Digital Data Protocol Exhibit, plus associated administrative G-forms.

Learn more at aiacontracts.org/aiachapter

Photography ©Jeffrey Jacobs

Ponce City Market

Atlanta’s Future Relies on Its Past How Adaptive Reuse Is Saving Our City

By John Bencich, AIA and Holden Spaht, RA

52

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

A

daptive use is one of the most successful

might now associate the Westside with White

and time-tested means to build sustainably

Provision and the new multi-story projects set

by saving resources and keeping material out of

to change the skyline of Howell Mill in 2020. Still,

landfills. A 2011 study completed by the National

before the turn of the millennium, it was the

Trust for Historic Preservation concluded that

smaller steps taken at King Plow, the Brickworks,

even a new, energy-efficient building could take

Puritan Mill, and the Westside Urban Market

up to 80 years to overcome the climate change

that started the trend in that neighborhood. As

impacts created during its construction. The

those privately financed developments brought

benefits of adaptive reuse also go a long way in

a mixture of new uses to the neighborhood,

meeting the other prongs in the "triple bottom

the character began to change from a declining

line" of sustainability.2 They form the backbone of

industrial zone to a bustling 24-hour district. In

positive neighborhood growth by retaining neigh-

this era, the Foundry, Bacchanalia, and Actor's

borhood character, contributing to financial and

Express came to life on the Westside, and all are

social health, and adding to the beauty and en-

still thriving today.

during meaning of our built environment. Without

an adaptive use component to balance the need

standard with the addition of Jamestown, a major

for larger, newer developments, neighborhoods

capital investor, into the mix. That's when West-

can unintentionally destroy the very qualities that

side got its capital "W," and more living opportuni-

made them attractive in the first place.

ties became available. Now, the current multi-sto-

ry, ground-up developments at Star Metals and

1

Adaptive use as a development strategy in

White Provision, circa 2007-2012, set a new

Atlanta began picking up steam in the late 1990s.

the Interlock that are filling in the underutilized

Developers were encouraged by successful na-

gaps between the older reused buildings show us

tional examples of urban regeneration at the time,

just how catalytic these early developments were.

such as SoHo in New York. As a countercurrent to

As we have witnessed, this trajectory has been in

the sprawl that then dominated the metro region,

the works for over 30 years and gives us a frame

developers began embracing the reuse of under-

of reference for what we might see in other parts

valued properties, often in older industrial areas,

of our city that are transforming right now —

to meet the growing demand for urban residen-

places like Summerhill and Memorial Drive.

tial, office, restaurant, and retail offerings. We can now look back and see just how prescient these

Social

early adopters of adaptive use were. Thankfully,

Our firm, Square Feet Studio, has been able to

adaptive use continues as a leading edge of real

work in several adaptive use environments in At-

estate development in many parts of the city.

lanta and the Southeast, and we've seen firsthand how they contribute to the social health of our

Financial

cities. Krog Street Market here in Atlanta and the

The Westside is one of Atlanta's most recognized

new Optimist Hall in Charlotte serve as prime

examples of how adaptive use developments

examples of this. Both food halls occupy large

contribute to the financial health of the city. We

100-year plus old industrial buildings, which, as is

TOP: BLAKE BURTON; BOTTOM: JOHN BENCICH

Preservation Green Lab, National Trust for Historic Preservation "The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse" (2011) 2 "Triple bottom line" is an accounting framework with three parts: social, environmental (or ecological) and financial.

1

King Plow

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

53

Little Tart Bake Shop

often the case, are connected to surrounding

lanta and the Southeast — so much that their

aged buildings and neighborhoods via historic

collective reach draws a larger, more diverse

rail infrastructure. In both Atlanta and Char-

crowd to the market than initially envisioned.

lotte, the repurposing of these old rail systems

As the market has filled in and made adjust-

into trails and transit results in a mutually

ments in operation, our firm has adopted it as a

supportive generation of activity between

convenient off-site meeting space for con-

two scales of adaptive use – the urban and

necting with potential hires, colleagues, or to

the building – and re-establishes an existing

have internal meetings in a more casual setting.

historical connection between people and their

Its popularity as a neighborhood social space

built environment.

continues to grow and now clearly extends to

a regional audience, which has led to nearby

Before the Krog Street Market adaptive

use of the century-old Atlanta Stove Works

multifamily development intent on capitalizing

building, the intersection of Lake and Krog

on this successful social space right outside

streets was a tight, nondescript corner in

their front doors.

Inman Park. When the market opened in 2014,

54

the neighborhood quickly gained a local desti-

Meaning

nation. Our offices are a half-block away, and

In his introduction to "The Atlanta City Design,"

we immediately changed our morning habits to

Ryan Gravel states, "Love is important in city

include a visit to Little Tart. Five years later, the

design because with love comes empathy and

market is fully leased and very busy.

respect for the people and places around us."

Ponce City Market is an excellent example of

We've had the good fortune to work with

several of the tenants and one of the aspects

how adaptive reuse embodies this. The stories

that we have come to appreciate is how con-

embedded in the walls of that building touch

nected they are to the food community in At-

your soul. Sears' plan to make goods accessi-

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

Halfway Crooks in Summerhill

ble to all Americans through the construction of these monumental buildings in the 1920s alone is a great story. When you add the individual stories of the shoppers and workers, well documented by the developers and our co-worker Blake Burton in his book "Ponce City Market: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Atlanta's Largest Building," the building begins to have a personality. And now, Atlantans have a new place to enjoy which would not be buildable today, period. Due to that developer's commitment, Atlanta now has a place that can never be recreated anywhere ever again, with stories embedded in its walls for all to enjoy.

The ongoing renovations in Summerhill

offer another example of Atlantans rediscovering who we are. As Phase I of a more extensive redevelopment, developer Carter has invested

"Without an adaptive use component to balance the need for larger, newer developments, neighborhoods can unintentionally destroy the very qualities that made them attractive in the first place."

heavily in renovating the small stretch of commercial buildings along Georgia Avenue as a way of protecting the authenticity of the place ahead of much larger new construction. It is worth noting that, in this case, the developer is carefully scripting the adaptive reuse, delicately crafting a granular urbanism that feels almost incremental, even if it isn't. Their focus on leasing spaces to small local creative busi-

ANDREW THOMAS LEE DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

55

nesses suggests an understanding, now rational-

neighborhood torn apart by the construction of a

ized by a profit-driven developer, that truly loved

highway and major league baseball stadium. What

places are cultivated and grown more than they

we do with these buildings today will leave yet

are just designed and built.

another set of markings, which is both comforting

We've had the privilege of working with a few

and bittersweet. The adaptively reused buildings

of the small businesses going into these renovated

on Georgia Avenue will continue to tell stories of

spaces on Georgia Avenue. Designing them and

where we've been as a city, and, eventually, where

working with the found material conditions has

we were today when today is gone.

been humbling as it reminds us of all of the past

lives these buildings have lived. The old plaster

last 30 years of adaptive use in the city have merit

It's clear that the lessons learned from the

walls, the peeling paint, and

for the next 30. For

chipped masonry reveal

our part, we intend

the markings of previous

to continue advo-

inhabitations love and

cating for a balanced

loss, life and death. They

approach to future

tell the stories of adoring

development, one

fans who came to cheer

that builds new and

on their home team, as

exciting projects

well as an older and sadder

within and upon the

grant and African American

White Provision

rich framework of our legacy building stock.

Ponce City Market

56

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

BLAKE BURTON

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Savanna Hall

Zoo Atlanta’s Grand New View

T

58

he historic Grant Park Cyclorama building originally was

Park as the vantage point to sketch their painting studies. After

constructed to display in its round a painting depicting the

the painting changed hands several times, Atlanta businessman

1854 Battle of Atlanta, measuring approximately 50 feet high and

George V. Gress eventually purchased it. In 1893, following being

400 feet long. Illinois Senator John Logan, an officer in the Union

donated to the City of Atlanta, the piece was housed in a facility

army at the battle, commissioned the mammoth canvas to use it

built near the original artists' lookout post.

as a traveling campaign advertisement in an 1888 bid for the Re-

publican nomination for president. Logan died in 1886 before the

ing such a large oil canvas was a significant fire hazard. After a

painting's completion by a group of German artists working for

high-profile architecture competition, the City in 1920 com-

the American Panorama Company, using a lookout post in Grant

missioned architect John Francis Dowling to design the historic

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

However, that flammable wood-framed structure hous-

JACK PARADA

By Pete Choquette, AIA

structure that we know today. The facility,

The painting would then be restored and

As Epsten Group worked with the zoo to

completed the following year, featured

relocated to a new building at the Atlanta

develop the Grand New View concept,

a two-story entry building with a glazed

History Center, along with the train and

one of the project's focal points was the

terracotta faรงade in the Federal style and

other exhibits. Coinciding with those

conversion of the Cyclorama into Savan-

a large decagon structure at its rear where

efforts, the City offered the building to

na Hall. Inside the building, the design

the painting was displayed.

leveraged the volume of the

The underlying fabric of the

decagon to include two new

building consisted of a con-

floors and one mezzanine

crete frame with structural

level housing the zoo's offices

clay tile infill.

and a world-class events

facility overlooking the new

In 1982, the City com-

pleted a renovation to mod-

African Savanna. The building

ernize the facility, including

opened to the public in 2020

adding the locomotive Texas

after six years of planning and

in the building's revised entry

construction, now boast-

atrium and the conversion

ing 69,764 total square feet.

of its rear decagon space

The first two floors hold the

into a free span volume with

zoo's offices as well as two

turntable auditorium seating.

full-scale catering kitchens,

To achieve this, the renova-

one of which is dedicated to

tion cut the central support

high-religious kosher and ha-

column inside the decagon and re-sup-

Zoo Atlanta, who accepted it along with

lal events. The second floor also includes a

ported its roof structure from above with

three acres of land from Grant Park. This

small addition underneath the new events

a large exterior space frame truss. But,

land provided much-needed space for its

terraces that houses the zoo's main board

due to flagging visitorship after the turn

African Savanna project and expanded

room that looks out at grade onto the

of the century, the museum closed in 2015.

elephant habitat.

Savanna. The upper two floors include

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

59

60

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

the main Carlos Ballroom, opening onto two large ob-

the large volume of the decagon space. Restoration

servation terraces. These terraces offer an irresistible

work on the front part of the building, which features a

vantage point for observing the elephants and giraffe.

glazed terra cotta Federal-style faรงade, includes reme-

diation work on the building's stucco parapet cornice

vation consultant Lord Aeck Sargent, the project is

to repair large cracks from water and freeze-thaw

pursuing state and federal historic tax credits. One

damage. And, in the smaller events rooms in this por-

of the challenges of the historic preservation effort

tion of the building, converted in the 1982 renovation

was that the building itself was never placed on the

into mechanical and boiler rooms, the historic terrazzo

National Register of Historic Places (the painting and

floors and cove base and plaster walls are cleaned and

train were). Still, it is a contributing structure to the

restored.

Grant Park National Historic District. Therefore, the

building's significance is not tied to a specific date, but

mission, sustainability was also central to the project.

rather to its association with the overall history of the

Both Savanna Hall and the Zambezi Elephant Center,

neighborhood. This idea means the historic preserva-

the new care quarters for the zoo's African elephants,

tion approach required a more fluid interpretation that

are slated to achieve LEED Gold certification. Within

underscored multiple periods in the building's lifespan.

Savanna Hall, the team demonstrated a 36% reduction

As such, the design team undertook a deliberative

in potable water use through the selection of efficient

effort with the reviewing agencies to identify opportu-

fixtures and a 26% energy use reduction through

nities to highlight what little historic fabric remained

efficient mechanical systems and the installation of

after the 1982 renovation and emphasize the historic

LED lighting. Before this effort, we collaborated with

spatial conditions in critical portions of the building.

USGBC to develop an education course using Savanna

This process included uncovering the remnant of

Hall as a case study. The study shows, utilizing envi-

the central support column, which is now encircled by

ronmental life-cycle assessment (LCA) tools, that the

a new three-tiered plaster ceiling that approximates

reuse of the existing Cyclorama facility may cut the

the original ceiling condition in the decagon space.

carbon emission impacts of the project by nearly 45%

The mezzanine level holds off the perimeter of the

relative to the construction of a new facility. These re-

building at the fourth floor, and portions of glass floor-

sults again proved the adage that the greenest building

ing at the third-floor level also accentuate to visitors

is often the one that is already standing.

In harmony with Zoo Atlanta's conservation

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12/9/16 10:31 AM

The Future of Hospitality Is Flexible Design

By Shraddha Strennen

62

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

Night view looking west on Marietta Street.

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

63

View looking east on Marietta Street.

T

he 2019 Radical Innovation competition received over 50 international entries,

from which three professional finalists and one student winner were determined based on their design, creativity, feasibility, and ability to make an impact in the hospitality and travel industry. In a live vote by the audience members in October 2019, "Connectic"

by Cooper Carry took home the $10,000 grand prize and became the first Atlanta-based firm to win the international award.

Inspired by the influx of football, festive

celebrations, and upwards of 500,000 visitors to Atlanta's central core for Super Bowl LIII,

View looking west on Baker Street.

the design concept of "Connectic" aims to address the ever-changing needs of the

64

hospitality industry in our city and beyond.

environment for travelers' immediate needs

While building additional rooms is often the

today, as well as a possible long-term solu-

response to short-lived population surges

tion for fluctuating demand in hospitality.

due to high-attendance sporting events,

conferences, or festivals, our team explored

we agreed on is that we wanted a more

an alternate route for the Radical Innovation

sustainable solution than designing anoth-

competition.

er static 200-key hotel. Through multiple

visioning sessions, we pulled inspiration from

The team, comprising colleagues Vinnie

Although we had many ideas, one thing

Yee, Allison Clark, Ben Gholson, Aubrey

our varied experiences both abroad and lo-

Andrews, and Abaan Ali, brainstormed a

cally, such as with the Super Bowl, as well as

unique solution to the limitations of the built

current news headlines, like people seeking

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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shelter from severe weather events and tem-

response, "Connectic" offers hospitality own-

porary housing for refugees in crisis. Finally,

ers an innovative solution that adjusts to the

the concept we coined "Connectic" emerged.

situation at hand.

What Is "Connectic"?

The Evolving Hospitality Industry

"Connectic" is a modular concept designed

The need for disruption in hospitality design

to fill underutilized spaces with collapsible,

is increasingly apparent. With the rise of

flexible, and adaptable units that are ready

Airbnb, short-term home rentals are proving

to respond to a variety of environments. The

to be more alluring to travelers on the hunt

project transcends traditional configurations

for places that immerse them into local

of a hotel significantly. Instead, it breaks down

lifestyles. As the industry scrambles to keep

the constraints of what has come to define

up with demand with the introduction of

hospitality, in favor of a responsive design that

more hotel flags touting boutique-inspired

ascribes form to function.

experiences tailored to different guest pref-

erences, connecting people to place is still

We employed a truncated octahedron, a

three-dimensional form that can be installed

a chief principle. In fact, it's Cooper Carry's

just about anywhere there is a 26-foot-tall-

cornerstone. As we think ahead to hotels of

and-wide open space. We selected this ge-

the future, we know it's essential for design-

ometry due to its architectural and structural

ers and architects to consider adaptability in

merit. The fourteen sides of the form allow its

design and implement personal touches that

aggregation to respond to the specifics of any

still ground the hotel in the sense of place.

site. This aggregation comprises a mathemat-

Interstitial spaces, like in between buildings,

ical calculation generated by a custom-built algorithm that creates the form using our parametrized algorithm – modulating the form to

"The need for disruption in hospitality design is increasingly apparent."

the site and other param-

parking lots, forgotten pocket parks, or above buildings, offer an opportunity for hotels of the future to use the model of "Connectic" to increase the

eters such as the locale's points of attraction,

volume of available rooms, amenities and

desired amenities, or events.

connect neglected spaces to existing hotels in

places where people want to be. "Connectic"

When attached, the modules reflect the

inherent self-supportive nature of stacked

maximizes the use of underutilized environ-

stones in tension. For added durability, we

ments, bringing to fruition self-sustained col-

selected carbon fiber as the construction

lections of modules that could help address

material for the primary structure. The result

problems surrounding space, sustainability,

was a lightweight, portable, and reusable unit

and affordability in densifying urban cores.

that can be constructed independently, like in a remote area, or affixed to an existing hotel in a dense urban setting. The latter is especially useful during surges in demand for hotel accommodations.

"Connectic" can swell, expanding to

comply with a bump in reservations or shrink into a more compact state, responding more efficiently to the rise and fall of demand than a permanent hotel. Roughly the same size as a standard room, the reusable modules can be dismantled and stowed away until the need for additional accommodation arises. This extensive flexibility was a core component of our concept. Whereas applying for a building permit to expand a too-small hotel is a typical Aerial view looking west.

66

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

Interior.

With "Connectic," guests could enjoy wall-to-wall views and natural daylight from every corner of the module, which supports a serviceable plenum that houses the mechanical, electrical, and pumping systems, similar to that of an airplane. As such, we designed each module to be entirely self-sufficient, operating independently of one another, so they feel less like temporary stays and more like homes.

No external structures or utilities are needed for the units to operate, and their durable carbon fiber and ETFE make-up are easily dissembled and re-assembled, creating an ideal, waste-free reuse cycle that utilizes little energy. Carbon fiber and ETFE also have the added benefit of being recyclable materials.

As travelers become more interested in exploring the DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

67

Aerial view looking southeast.

authentic cultural fabric of a destination, hotel owners should emphasize creating spaces that don't detract from what made a place unique in the first place. The innovative, temporary experience that "Connectic" presents aligns with the new status quo in travel.

Considering the modules are collapsible, stackable,

and reusable, there is an inherent efficiency that makes

While some can describe the built environment as stat-

"Connectic" a suitable answer to those in need of safe

ic, "Connectic" is kinematic in contrast. There are no

shelter. "Connectic" can be deployed with ease in a wide

limitations to its design and construction, and modules

range of environments, from plains to rugged moun-

can be linked and fused to existing structures endless-

tainsides, allowing for more economical use of time and

ly. We sought to activate underutilized spaces while

funds. For non-profit organizations and agencies during

minimizing environmental impact and reducing physical

a crisis, the cost-savings of durable, flexible units could

footprint. The concept's primary design goal is to

be invaluable.

provide a financially feasible solution for adding lodging during instances of high demand while appealing to a

Though still only in a concept phase, "Connectic,"

thanks to the Radical Innovation competition, is now invoking a conversation about the state of the hospitality industry today and what comes next.

68

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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70

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

3 OWL, INC.

Cultural Preservation and Restoration

By Matthew Finn, AIA

A

t my office building, high above the front door, there is an open book and a torch of knowledge. These

terra cotta symbols represent the sharing of ideas and the transformative power of education. The places we design and build for ourselves inform the health of our society and reflect the values of our culture. These meaningful symbols were designed and built in 1910.

In 2017, when we were designing the adaptive reuse of

the second floor of this historic building in Sweet Auburn into Constellations, a civic, social, and culturally-based shared workspace in downtown Atlanta, we did so with respect to the values embedded in the walls of this building.

More than a century ago, original architects Hal Hentz and Neel Reid designed the building, then the Southern School Book Building. The image of an open book, much like the floppy disk symbol for save, isn't as literally relevant to its meaning as it once was, but the concept remains unchanged. As technology advances, and so many of the things we interact with evolve beyond our body's ability to sense their existence, the remaining tangible artifacts become even more important because they illuminate the history we build upon and what we stand for today.

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

71

We considered our intervention to be the next words in a conversation that started many years ago, a propriate for the progress this building has witnessed.

This place has hosted many people during its lifetime, and one of the first was a man named

"Purposeful placemaking is a slow process. This process involves countless people, starts well before an architect is invited to participate, and lasts long after the completion of construction."

Rudolph "Dolph" Anthony, a freed slave and employee of the building's original tenant for whom it was constructed.

At the turn of the 20th century, Dolph was as influential as politicians and thought leaders, like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and U.S. Congressman John Lewis, who once called the building home. Today, conversations in Constellations' North Star Library and recordings in the podcast studio continue the building's legacy of learning and teaching.

Purposeful placemaking is a slow process. This process involves countless people, starts well before an architect is invited to participate, and lasts long after the completion of construction. Constellations

72

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

LEFT: JAMIE ALLEN; MIDDLE: LUKE BEARD; RIGHT: COGNITIVE DESIGN

respectful one that has linguistically evolved to be ap-

began several years before the

With the open book and torch of

doors opened, with one of the

knowledge as a good example, it's

first steps being a workshop held

important to note that all design

in the theme of culturally-in-

expresses, in some way, virtues

spiring workspaces and common

or vices. Architectural ornament

space for the common good. It

is one medium for this, but the

was a true collaboration that

gesture isn't restricted to classical

included thoughtful input from

architecture or even architecture

thinkers, many from outside the

at all. For example, in advertising

design profession. It also consid-

and industrial design in the early

ered the whole lived experience

1920s, some companies were

of the people that would eventu-

advertising bathroom scales with

ally use this space.

sayings like "Health, beauty, suc-

cess, and happiness all depend on

With ample thought of the

experiences we aspired to create,

your weight." This brainwashing,

the art of finding the right home

primarily targeted at women and

for this business was largely the

girls, has ensued for decades and

work of Gene Kansas, a cultural

still haunts some people today,

developer and the founder of

but this does not exist without

Constellations. Working together,

its defiant protestors. For Clarity

we set aside ample space for busi-

Fitness, a body-positive gym on

ness owners and guests to share

the ground floor of a modern

knowledge inside this building.

glass and steel tower in down-

Beyond opening day, there is a

town Decatur, we incorporated

lively "Happenings" program of

a display of smashed scales. This

classes, workshops, and casu-

taxidermy of sorts rejects the

al talks that build community,

unhealthy idea that weight deter-

support the success of personal

mines a person's worth and seeks

and professional endeavors, and

to transform how people think

bring joy to the people that pass

about exercise, their bodies, and

through this building.

themselves. This bold statement is prominently located in a space designed to foster a supportive social community.

Not all cultural themes from

our past are understood to be toxic today. Look back to the 1950s and consider the widespread optimism about the future of technology and its ability to improve and save lives. This was a romantic view, one in which control centers helped leaders dispatch emergency response teams and mail carriers delivered packages via jetpack. Despite how infringed we may feel at times by the constant intrusion of digital dings and buzzes, some technologies are very literal realizations of these techno-utopian dreams.

Consider Cinemassive, one of

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

73

"All rehabilitations are a conversation with the past." our clients that develops the hardware and

after trackless trolleys and buses replaced

software that intelligibly present leaders

the streetcar in the 1940s. Regardless of

with information from a multitude of inputs,

changes in public transit, walkable com-

including drones, analytics, helmet cameras,

munities are just as appealing and essential

and geotags. Their technology empowers

today, and over the past 20 years, Atlanta has

leaders at police and military control centers

seen a renewed interest in good urbanism.

to make informed decisions at critical mo-

This building's scale, beauty, and contribu-

ments, decisions that save lives.

tion to the neighborhood are just as relevant

today as they were 95 years ago.

When tasked with helping relocate

their hardware development and production

All rehabilitations are a conversation

teams into a 1959 warehouse, we chose to

with the past, and this one, in particular, is

engage with this historical narrative and the

mostly a listening exercise. Because so much

American tradition of innovation, of which

of what was original remains of great value

they belong. A high-tech aesthetic informed

in its natural form today, we're helping to restore some of the building's original design intent. Previously merged tenant spaces are being subdivided so the neighborhood can have more variety of businesses on a smaller scale. Paolo's will remain as we prepare the other parts of the building to welcome new personalities to the neighborhood. And we're reconnecting with the street by giving the faรงade a light-handed refresh, restoring the front doors, applying a fresh coat of paint, and new lighting.

These changes, painstakingly consid-

ered and purposeful for this Historic Tax Credit project, won't drastically alter how

74

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

the original building's architecture and also

visitors experience the building. The quali-

how we adapted this 60-year-old artifact

ties of a walkable neighborhood with com-

to be a modern and functional space for

munity dining, connections to the outdoors,

developing the technology of tomorrow. We

and the necessity of socializing in real life

reflected upon the progress and optimistic

are relatively unchanged since the building

spirit that drove innovation throughout the

was new. This project is more culturally

life of the building, taking inspiration from

restorative than it is an act of preservation

advancements like NASA's moonshot of the

because these timeless experiences of a

1960s and the cutting-edge technology Cin-

healthy society needed no updating.

emassive develops today.

to acts of culture, such as building. Build-

ogy and education, exist in very different

ing is for people, and it's a joy to work with

physical forms today than they did a century

others to embody the virtues of our physical,

ago, but this isn't the case across the board.

mental, social, spiritual, and emotional

The revival of an iconic neighborhood retail

health into the walls of real places where real

building in Virginia-Highland is a good ex-

people live their real lives. However dynamic

ample. Originally built in 1925, this structure

we may become, and however adaptive we

is an anchor of a community that originated

may need to be, we will always find refuge in

as a streetcar suburb of Atlanta. The neigh-

steadfast places that converse with our past

borhood and this building have survived long

and embody our aspirations for the future.

LUKE BEARD

Some cultural concepts, like technol-

I take great pleasure in contributing

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LEFT: MALACHI GORDON; RIGHT: HOWARD WERTHEIMER

Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design

Regenerative Design Confronts Higher Ed

By Howard Wertheimer, FAIA

C

ertain metrics preoccupy college and university administrators. What are

the SAT scores of incoming students? What are our graduation rates? Have we hit our fundraising targets? Are we attracting the appropriate level of research dollars?

I want to challenge my former high-

er-ed colleagues to study a new set of questions. They are questions that they may not conventionally understand as central to the calling of our institutions, but they are questions that are beginning to creep into the conversation.

How healthy is it to work and study

in our buildings? How much carbon do we contribute to the atmosphere with which future graduates will have to live? Are we Howard Wertheimer and Diana Blank at the construction site.

doing enough to restore the natural environments of our campuses? Are we creating a model for the kind of shared sustainability goals that will inspire future generations of students and scholars to contribute positively toward their communities?

Higher education has long been at the

forefront of environmental stewardship.

There's a reason for that: it fits the mission.

The academy has always played a role in preparing our society for the future. And, of course, students look toward the future because they're the ones who will inhabit it.

Over the last decade, more than 700 college DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

77

and university presidents signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). These presidents made commitments to reduce their carbon footprint in a meaningful way.

I recently left a university that I love. I

obtained my architecture degrees at the Georgia Institute of Technology. After many years in private practice, I returned to serve as the Institute Architect and AVP of Capital Planning and Space Management. I am proud to say that thanks to Georgia Tech's incredible culture of innovation, we made significant and unprecedented progress over the last two decades in the realm of sustainable campus development and creating a culture of environmental stewardship.

According to the U.S. Green Building Council

(USGBC), "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the most widely recognized green building rating system in the world, earning points across several categories including location and transportation, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation and more." LEED Platinum is the highest of the four rating levels. Georgia Tech completed 20 LEED projects since 2006. Among them were four new LEED Platinum buildings. One of the Platinum winners, the recently completed Krone Engineered Biosystems Building, was recognized by the AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE)

as one of 2018's top 10 sustainable buildings in the country.

Many of these buildings are powered by solar

arrays, which helps to reduce Georgia Tech's carbon footprint. Navigating the campus by foot or bicycle has gotten much easier and much safer with the removal of surface parking lots and The award-winning 2010 Landscape Master Plan adopted a holistic ecological approach highlighted by an EcoCommons performance landscape that eventually will loop through campus.

But it was only four years ago when we began

to prepare for our first Living Building Challenge (LBC) project that we could finally see the direction we'd been heading.

Even before design began on the Kendeda

Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, when we held an "ideas competition" to select our design team, the LBC process forced our team at Georgia Tech to ask new questions.

In a simple but profound way, however, one

question encompassed the others. Rather than wondering how this building could do less environmental harm, we started to ask, "What does

78

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

LEFT: MALACHI GORDON; TOP AND RIGHT: HOWARD WERTHEIMER

pedestrianizing the streets in the core of campus.

diverted from the landfill and materials that went to landfill. And I trust that our strong emphasis on the LBC's Equity Petal will set the building in a direction that embraces "net positive" for our community in all its diversity, establishing a new paradigm for design and construction professionals and other building owners.

This work will be done by meeting for the full

intent of the Equity Petal by creating an "inclusive sense of community that is just and equitable regardless of an individual's background, age, class, race, gender or sexual orientation."

The Kendeda Building has already had a

broader impact than a typical project of its size.

Some aspects of regenerative design are now an integral part of all planning projects at Georgia Tech. We used the notion of the "ideas competition" on a student center renovation and expansion project, which is now under construction.

A "treecycling" program to mill fallen trees on campus for use on construction and furnishings is far more robust than ever before. An under-utilized warehouse is used as a staging ground for View of porch looking north

harvesting salvaged materials for other construction projects. Leadership, from the president to facilities staff, and faculty to students, fully

good look like?" "How can this project do more to improve the environment, both human and natural, than detract from it?"

That is a common question among those

involved with Living Buildings. It goes to the heart

embraced these ideas.

With changes in leadership come new chal-

lenges and new priorities. I am forever optimistic that the regenerative path will continue to show a way forward. Critical to the success of any com-

of regenerative design, a term that became part of our lexicon as we moved through the stages of design.

Underside of PV array at western porch

The Kendeda Building strives to be regen-

erative in many ways. It takes a holistic, systems-thinking approach to integrate architecture, landscape, engineering, technology, ecology, materials resourcing, biophilia, and fiscal stewardship. The iterative design and construction processes featured continuous feedback loops.

This process will continue as this living building is used, occupied, and evolves throughout its life. It will help to restore a functioning ecosystem and the watershed that feeds it by restoring, renewing and revitalizing energy, water, and materials resources, accomplished in part by generating more energy and water than it will consume.

The building is designed to be net positive

regarding clean energy and water, as well as in the balance between repurposed materials DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

79

80

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

mitment is the recognition that

versity architects, and facility

For Georgia Tech or any univer-

the commitment is consistent

managers. We must take this call

sity to be recognized as a region-

with core values. The broad and

to action to continue to advance

al, national, and international

inclusive approach of the Kende-

processes and knowledge to

leader in improving the lives of

da project made it abundantly

be exceptional stewards of our

future generations, it must be

clear that, at this moment, re-

campuses. Many of us have been

fully committed. Committed not

generative design is fundamental

the beneficiaries of those leaders

only to innovative technolog-

to those core values.

who came before us and planted

ical and pedagogical solutions

trees that are now 20, 30, 50,

but also to asking the kinds of

are committed to education and

or even 100 years old. We must

questions that force us to think

research, and hopefully, creating

continue to provide the vision

about our built environment in

life-long learners of our students

and resources to plant new trees,

new and unexpected ways. We

who will go on to make the world

not for ourselves, but for future

must continue to ask ourselves,

a better place. This philosophical

generations of campus stake-

"What would our successors do?"

approach must also extend to

holders to enjoy. We must regen-

to help answer "What does good

campus administrators, uni-

erate our built environments.

look like?"

Colleges and universities

MALACHI GORDON

"Colleges and universities are committed to education and research, and hopefully, creating life-long learners of our students who will go on to make the world a better place."

Our Core Values Accountability | Client Focused | Competence Communication | Hard Work Stewards of Society: Committed to balancing robust, reliable designs with cutting-edge energy and cost effective strategies for the built environment.

Engineers: Singularly dedicated to leading in the fields of structural engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, lighting design, commissioning, energy analysis, and LEED services.

Accountability: Designing great environments w here people work, live, and learn; profitable buildings to own and operate; and increasing the sustainability of our world.

ATLANTA | CHARLOTTE | GREENVILLE | RICHMOND

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Hosted by tvsdesign, the second annual Design NXT is an in-depth exploration of the design technology disrupting all aspects of the AEC industries. From the value of building data to holism in design and practice evolution, Design NXT is looking ahead at the next generation of technology shaping the built environment.

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The level of candid discussion is unmatched by other similar events taking place around the country—We hope to see you there.

For ticketing + additional information www.designnxtweek.com

WE ARE YOUR BOOTS ON THE GROUND COMPANY

MULTI-DISCIPLINE ENGINEERING www.sitesolutionsla.com ATLANTA | CHARLOTTE | HOUSTON | SAN ANTONIO

WWW.PMASS.COM

landscape architecture + land planning

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BRIAN REEVES

Programs Programs Programs Programs Programs DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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Vision for the Future Small City Mayoral Forum

Vision for the Future is an advocacy event exploring the intersection of good design, economic growth, alternative housing, and community development. In 2019, Vision for the Future featured a panel conversation with leaders of Metro Atlanta's smaller neighboring cities including mayors Eric Clarkson of Chamblee, Patti Garrett of Decatur and Deana Ingraham of East Point. Atlanta Business Chronicle editor Douglas Sams served as moderator.

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LESLEANN BRACKNEY

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Ecologically Sustainable Products That Are Economically Achievable

Rain Screen Facades Rain Screen Attachments Continuous Insulation Graphic Art Daylighting

Metal Roofing Systems (866) 480-4710 WWW.ECO-SPEC.US

NSC_AIA_Atlanta_Ad_0114_PRINT.indd 1

1/14/20 5:30 PM

WHO WE ARE

We are a woman-owned architectural cladding company based out of Atlanta, Ga. When we take on a project, we act as a strategic partner from concept to completion.

W H AT W E D O

We offer services like: • Design assist • Budget assist • In house trim shops • In house crews

WHERE WE WORK GLASS EXPO

COATINGS EXPO

WHEN: October 14th, 2020

WHEN: October 21st, 2020

WHAT: Experience the latest AGMT accredited certification program and cutting-edge technology within the Glazing Industry!

WHAT: Learn from industry experts about the latest advances and techniques for the prevention and mitigation of corrosion.

WHERE: IUPAT DC 77 5403 Dividend Drive, Decatur, GA

Attend free classes, hands-on demonstrations of cutting-edge products and earn 5 PDUs.

Get your questions answered. And engage in extensive networking.

Prize raffle and lunch provided.

Space is limited. Register now by contacting Robert Pacheco rpacheco@iupatdc77.org | (404) 576-3983

• • • • • •

Alabama Georgia Mississippi Ohio Tennessee Virginia

• • • • • •

Florida Kentucky North Carolina South Carolina Texas Several other markets pending

tips and tricks Replace bulbs

Walk more, drive less

Swap for reusable cups

Unplug appliances not in use

Turn the thermostat down or off

Buy plants

High School Design Competition In its 14th year, AIA Atlanta's High School Design Competition (HSDC) saw 140 submissions from students representing more than 20 high schools in Georgia. The competition features both beginner and advanced levels to accommodate students' experience levels.

Winners are recognized during a special ceremony, with winners in the advanced category also receiving college scholarships.

HSDC's mission is to engage high school students in the design process and educate them about careers in architecture and design.

Presented by

2019 WINNERS Beginner: Individual

Advanced: Individual

Advanced: Group

Javier Alvarez Jackson County Comprehensive

1 st

Robert Hunter Chattahoochee

1 st

2 nd

Keaton Tsepas Bucciero Henry W. Grady

2 nd

Dalton Bates Union Grove

2 nd

3 rd

Sewook Park McIntosh

3 rd

Gregory Sweet Union Grove

Katie Barry and Joseph Pressel McIntosh Jaci Montalvo, Stephanie Valdes and Javier Pacheco Berkmar

BRIAN REEVES

1 st

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Architects Roundtable Each month, Architects Roundtable unites professionals from the architecture, engineering and construction industries for a breakfast discussion. Topics include market and industry trends, marketing tips, and best practices.

2019 Speakers Row 1 JD Clockadale Kevin Dunham David Epps

Row 2 Jane Gentry David Haddow Ladson Haddow

Row 3 Hsu-jen Huang, Assoc. AIA Michael LeFevre, FAIA David Pye

Row 4 Rainey Shane Ryan Taylor, AIA Janice Wittschiebe, AIA

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Professional.

Atlanta 770.425.0777 PRACTICAL. Professional.

Athens 678.482.4481

Practical. Proven.

PROVEN.

Buford 770.904.7190 Norcross 770.696.1414 usanova.com

COMBINING TECHNOLOGY WITH CONSTRUCTION TO BRING YOUR IDEAS TO LIFE. By the time you begin a construction project, you have already invested countless hours of planning. Through this process, you want an experienced partner by your side — a dependable partner who will respond immediately to your requests and will get the job done without any surprises. Yates Construction is that partner.

Geotechnical Engineering | Environmental Consulting Construction Materials Testing | Special Inspection Services Oct19_Travel_Components-Ad_half-ART.pdf 1 10/7/19 Building Envelope Consulting | Facilities/Forensic Engineering

SAFETY 12:34 PM

INTEGRITY

PASSION

COMMITMENT

www.wgyates.com

Explore the world with Architectural Adventures

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Join us to experience the past, present, and future of the built environment in breathtaking settings around the globe in fully-planned, expert-led, immersive small group tours. You don’t have to be an AIA Member to join, but if you are, tours qualify for AIA LUs.

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Be the first to know about new tours! Sign up to receive our emails and tour catalog at architecturaladventures.org/aiachapters.

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CY

CMY

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Egypt

Japan

Morocco

Portugal & N. Spain

Architectural Adventures is the official travel program of the American Institute of Architects.

Summer Social

BRIAN REEVES

Hosted in partnership with Circle of Trust Atlanta, Summer Social invites hundreds of professionals representing industries including architecture, design, real estate, engineering, construction, and more. The 2019 soirĂŠe was held at the Mannington Commercial showroom in Atlanta's sprawling Westside neighborhood. Summer Social returns every June.

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Wednesday Night Networking

BRIAN REEVES

Wednesday Night Networking is a relaxed monthly gathering inviting members of the AEC community to make new connections over food and drink. Each month, the event travels to a different venue, exploring Atlanta's finest restaurants and bars. In October 2019, AIA Atlanta held a special edition of Wednesday Night Networking with its inaugural Arch-o'Lantern pumpkin carving competition. During the friendly rivalry, teams competed for top prizes, with judges deciding the winning designs.

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AEC Owners' Social AIA Atlanta partnered with the Construction Management Association of America South Atlantic Chapter and Construction Owners Association of America Georgia Chapter for the AEC Joint Owners' Social. Architects, designers, construction managers and owners came together at Punch Bowl Social for productive conversations, relationship building and learning about industry trends.

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DIRECTORY

Programs and Knowledge Communities Academy of Architecture for Health of Georgia The Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) addresses unique issues related to improving the quality of healthcare through design. As a forum, it provides the exchange of ideas, concerns, failures, successes and resources to advance the practice of healthcare architecture. Networking and educational events are held periodically to help strengthen the local knowledge base of healthcare design expertise that will ultimately improve healthcare environments within the region and beyond.

Committee on the Environment (COTE)

AIA Students (AIAS)

Committee on the Environment hosts a lunch-and-learn meeting on the second Friday of each month. The one-hour meetings comprise a presentation on various sustainable design topics, including federal regulations, energy efficiency and LEED certifications.

Chapters at Georgia Institute of Technology Kennesaw State University and SCAD hold networking events and job fairs. They also participate in the Freedom by Design program, leading small projects to transform the lives of disabled members of the community.

Design for Aging

Designers of Tomorrow

Design for Aging represents those who share common challenges, opportunities and passion for design for aging. As a knowledge community, this group collaborates to deepen its understanding of our aging society through ongoing learning and knowledge sharing.

Designers of Tomorrow encompasses AIA Atlanta's K-12 programming, including the annual Designers of Tomorrow youth fair, the Discover Architecture after-school program and the High School Design Competition.

Open House Atlanta Open House Atlanta is a city-wide weekend festival inviting the public inside new and historic architectural landmarks for free tours. In its third year, Open House Atlanta featured 50 sites, including Big Bethel AME Church, Colony Square, Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta, Fox Theatre, and MET Atlanta.

End of Simmer Mixer with Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgia

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Architect John Busby, FAIA teaching students sketching exercises at the AIA Atlanta office during Open House Atlanta tours.

Discover Architecture Discover Architecture was created by Melody Harclerode, FAIA and Phillip Alexander-Cox with a goal of raising awareness of architecture among school-aged children.

Discover Architecture is now an after-school program fostering engaging design creativity with classroom and extracurricular activities.

Learn Over Lunch This series allows education providers from AEC companies to meet with members and discuss the latest trends in the design and construction. Learn Over Lunch is held monthly in Midtown, Marietta and in the Northeast Section.

Procrastination Day To maintain licensure and AIA membership, architects are required to fulfill a number of continuing education credits annually. Procrastination Day is a full-day seminar allowing members to catch up on missing credits with AEC presentations.

Spotlight on Atlanta Projects (SOAP) Organized by Young Architects Forum Atlanta, SOAP is a forum where firms make presentations on recent and forthcoming developments in Metro Atlanta to offer the public a better understanding of the built environment.

Slate of Ready-to-Assist Architects (SORTAA) SORTAA was founded in 1989 with the goal to gather architectural knowledge from the "old guard" and share these experiences with the emerging generation of practitioners through mentorship.

Tour and Sketch Tour and Sketch invites middle and high school students to tour a local museum. Following, students break into small groups to sketch drawings with the guidance of volunteers.

Wednesday Night Networking Wednesday Night Networking is a monthly networking event connecting AEC professionals. WNN travels around the city to different locations on the third Wednesday of each month, exploring new restaurants, bars and food trucks.

Students and volunteers at the 2019 Youth Architecture Fair.

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Connect with us Visit aiaatl.org/subscribe to sign up for our bimonthly newsletter and find out about design news and upcoming events.

Twitter @AIAAtlanta Facebook facebook.com/AIAATL Instagram @AIAAtlanta LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/aia-atlanta DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM

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