ALT July Aug Special Edition by OZ World Media LLC

Green With Envy ADAMS ARCHITECTS

After building the first single-family LEED Platinum home in Texas, ever eco-concious architect Joseph Adams says he's been waiting for the industry to catch up with him.

Workaholics

Packing a Punch KEPHART

Better things come in smaller packages when you stay on the cutting-edge of multi-family housing, like KEPHART which says the wave of the future is smaller space, more amenities.

ARCHITECTURE LEADERS TODAY T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T R Y www.architectureleaderstoday.com

July/August 2011 $24.95 USD $26.30 CAN

B+H ARCHITECTS

After the Toronto office closes for the day, the Shanghai office is just opening, enabling B+H to design the Bell Canada Creekbank building without stopping to take a breath.

ARCHITECTURE LEADERS TODAY

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

Science & Art STUDIO H:T

This eco-concious firm prioritizes the preservation of Colorado's lush landscape by designing uber-green, energy-efficient homes and educating others about their work.

in this issue

126

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

ARCHITECTURE LE ADER S Editor-in-Chief Todd Weaver Editor Diana Doyle Executive Editor Jonathan Mack Assistant Editor Joseph Orange Creative Director Maria J. Owens Art Director Anthony Walker Director of Advertising Julian Vu Editorial Design Kris Apodaca Photography Editor Ian Palmer Ad Design Jennifer Bitzinger Editorial Director Kate Darling Staff Writers Joel Cornell, Paige L. Hill Copy Editor Mariya Bouraima Assistant Copy Editor Amy Roberts Content Directors Brandon McBride, Lisa Talbot, Sophia Hartwick, George Johnson, Quenshell Williams, Jill Patel, Sharon Randolph Vendor Relations Director Diana Stephens Vendor Relations Eric Miller, Steve Peters Advertising Sales Coordinator Patricia O’Brien Advertising Sales Director Peter Jostens Advertising Sales Dwayne McCoy, Moe Kazemi, Jeremy Adrey, Joseph Washington Publisher Steve Reed Reprints/Circulation Anne Brewer

TODAY

40 IN EVERY ISSUE 06 Editor’s Note 08 Guest Editorial 10 Staff Editorial 12 Industry News 14 The Hot List

Products, concepts and inspiration for your next project

136 Advertising Index NORTHEAST 22 Sussan Lari Architect PC

This meticulous architect stays true to three design tenets when creating custom, dream homes in the Tri-State area: imagination, harmony and mystery.

34 Jeffrey Cole Architecture

New York-based architect Jeffrey Cole has a knack for designing luxury condominiums and homes, whether it be from scratch or giving historical buildings a second life.

40 Nandinee Phookan Architects

There isn’t much Nandinee Phookan doesn’t design, from multi-family housing to a baseball complex in India, and from urban planning to custom furniture.

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

on the cover Adams Architects

Houston's first LEED Platinum single-family residence. Main Living Room effused with north light drawn from high clerestory windows. Exposition of the residence's steel skeleton gives rooms a muscular, well-built, yet home-like quality. Photo by Joe Aker Imaging.

4 Architecture Leaders Today

This firms credits their hybrid marketing scheme and preserving client relationships in making them one of the most successful firms in the Washington, D.C. area.

52 Powe Jones Architects

This Canadian-born, Washington D.C.-based architect has fully embraced his love for international design in becoming the go-to architect for foreign government buildings and embassies.

56 J5 Group, Inc.

Founder James Sowlakis says despite his booming business designing hip commercial buildings in Manhattan, all roads lead back to his first love: residential.

62 Northeast Regional Marketplace

106 SOUTH 68 Adams Architects

Native Texan Joseph Adams says he’s just been waiting for the industry to catch up with him in terms of green design, like his most recent LEED Platinum project.

74 Rowe Architects, Inc.

It all began with an abandoned warehouse rehabilitation project nearly four decades ago to shape these architects into one of Florida’s premier architecture firms today.

80 Menefee + Winer

Georgia is always on this Atlanta-based design duo’s minds if you count the many projects they’ve completed for Georgia Tech and Georgia State University.

83 McFarlin Huitt Panvini, Inc.

This Nashville firm has seen its fair share of country music stars while working on a renovation of Johnny Cash’s historic train depot, among other exciting area projects.

86 Precision Planning Inc.

First a surveying and engineering firm, this Georgian firm now handles transportation, environmental, commercial and residential design on everything from jails to libraries.

INTERNATIONAL 126 B+H Architects After the business day has ended in their Toronto office, the day is just beginning in their Shanghai office, allowing this dynamic firm to work continuously on projects around the globe.

134 International Marketplace ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTS 32 Window Works 48 Product and Design 104 Sterling Engineering & Design Group (SEDG) 105 Ellis Hays Design

93 South Regional Marketplace WEST 98 KEPHART community :: planning :: architecture

Keeping an eye on the future of the housing market has kept this Colorado firm on the cutting edge of multi-family housing.

106 M Designs Architects

This Californian design duo keeps the environment at the forefront of their designs, offering clients a full menu of green options.

112 Studio H:T

Preserving the lush, green Colorado environment comes first for this Denver-based firm when designing their highly fuel-efficient, modern structures.

116 Topetcher Architecture

The beauty of the Bay Area inspires this architect, whether transforming a 1930s house into a modern home or reincarnating an 1890s church into a Buddhist monastery.

120 West Regional Marketplace

14 July/August 2011 5

editor’s note

Paige L. Hill Well versed in a range of design topics, Paige’s career has taken her from Readers Digest UK to hard daily news. She has a Master’s in English from the University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Joel Cornell

Now, here’s the architecture part…. By now, everyone’s heard of the recent Frank Gehry smack-down by an anonymous billionaire who is offering $300 million to a city that hires someone other than Gehry to design its museum. Where this person’s apparent disdain for Gehry’s signature curvy designs originates, we don’t know. Or perhaps it’s not disdain at all, but rather a big joke and city officials across the world are being duped. Or, this billionaire could simply be one of those “equal opportunity” rich guys wanting to champion for the underdog. I hope to find out one day. With the Birkin in mind, I began thinking about Gehry’s work. While the engineering behind his designs is highly complex and something that many architects find daunting, even if you do have the engineering and design prowess to create a Gehry-reminiscent building, you probably wouldn’t want to. No one wants to be known as, “that architect who’s not Frank Gehry, yet knocks off his stuff.” Just like Mercedes would never knock off Rolls Royce. Or like Tag Heuer wouldn’t knock off A. Lange & Söhne. Or Michael Kors wouldn’t knock off Hermès Birkin. Oh wait… he did. Oops. Take our poll and leave your comments on the legacy of Gehry’s work at www.architectureleaderstoday.com.

Joel uses his background in technical writing to translate complex jargon into vivid narratives. Past work includes projects with the State Department, the DOD, the World Bank and many retail giants.

With a diverse background in B2B magazine writing, ranging from framing to New York Fashion Week, Marylyn brings a unique perspective to Industry Leaders Today.

TODD WEAVER editor@ozworldmedia.com

Rebecca Carnes

Before I begin, this editorial does have to do with architecture. You just have to get through my lengthy analogy first…. I am no authority on designer women’s handbags; however I am nominally familiar with the renowned Hermès Birkin bag. Originally custommade for actress Jane Birkin in 1984 to address the very specific need of “needing pockets,” you now need two things to own one: patience and deep pockets. Hermes says this bag has a twoyear wait list, as each one is handmade (although as I learned in my poor college days of waiting in long lines to be granted entrance to the hottest clubs, the way off a wait list via prestige and cash. This concept rings true with the Birkin wait list as well). Retail price can be over $35,000 depending on the size and materials requested… think pink ostrich and silver or orange crocodile and gold. Or, you could be conservative and just get the standard black or brown calfskin, which is only a cool $10,000. I was walking through Macy’s the other day when I saw from afar what appeared to be a display of Birkin bags. Only because I have a wife who has wanted one since they were first introduced, I approached the display. Like an idiot, I realized this was a classic case of “when it’s too good to be true… it is.” Upon further investigation, this semblance of Birkin had an appealing price tag of under $500, but a deceptive moniker of Michael Kors. While Kors is certainly not to be downplayed given his brand’s impressive boom following the success of his Project Runway collaboration with Heidi Klum… this was not a Birkin. This was a knock-off. But instead of being sold out of a clandestine street car on Canal Street, it was being marketed at an LED backlit, Lucite display at Macy’s.

Marylyn Simpson

Hermes is to Ghery as Kors is to...

CONTRIBUTORS

Joan Tupponce

Rebecca enjoys a career of writing about critical issues and prominent business leaders of our time. Her work has been recognized both locally and nationally.

Joan’s experiences as a writer have taken her places that wouldn’t have been possible in other careers. Her success is evident in the awards and recognitions her writing has received.

6 Architecture Leaders Today

editorial

Humor for Architects: Slogans & Statistics We Need a Slogan

source: coffeewithanarchitect.com, June 28, 2011

I’ve got it! Sure, we’ve been struggling as a profession lately. Yeah, the economy has hit us hard. People have needed to re-think their priorities, and architecture hasn’t made the list. But, I think all we need is a good ad campaign. Am I right? A snappy slogan could be just the thing we need to revitalize this profession. Hell, we don’t need to restructure the profession to adjust to changing times. All we need is a good catch phrase:

Jody Brown, AIA, LEED AP INFILL, pllc., owner coffeewithanarchitect.com, blogger

THIS BLOGGER USES SARDONIC, YET INSIGHTFUL HUMOR TO CONVEY HIS OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE PROFESSION. HERE, HE SUGGESTS NEW TAGLINES TO REV ITALIZE THE INDUSTRY AND "STATISTICS."

Architecture, we put the texture in the Art Architecture, for when engineering is just not enough Architecture, now with more glass We do more Architecture before noon than you’ll do all year Architecture, harder to spell than you’d think Modern Architecture, stating the obvious since 1929 Deconstruction, because Arch in c reck at in that Derrida Brutalism, because this will only hurt for a minute Corbu tested, Mies van der Rohe approved Architecture, taking the forms to the streets, well…, it might be set back a little to improve the view Modern Architecture, that concrete slab next to the courthouse Modern Architecture, what happens when the plaza runs out Architecture, where the math geeks went to make their “Art” The few, the proud, the Architects The lonely cry of the mournful has been given physical form, by Architecture Architects, removing all the things that remind you of home except the disapproval of your loved ones Architecture, recession proof since Sept. 2014 Architecture, now with 75% white men Architecture, giving you less for more Architects taking your idea and running with it until you tell us to stop Traditional Architecture, classic designs, crafted by peer pressure Architecture, keeping you ahead of the banks Architecture, you know, buildings and things Architecture, bed, bath, and beyond Architecture, Scandinavian by passion, confrontational by design Architecture, frozen music defrosted into Awesomeness Architecture, we love the smell of angst in the morning Architecture, if it ain’t Wright, it ain’t wrong, am I right? Architecture, Now That’s a Piazza with Parking!

Architect Statistics

source: coffeewithanarchitect.com, May 1, 2011

If you were to line up all the Architects in the world end-to-end they would circle the globe 17.45 times. Firms would then lay off 202,175 interns to reduce the distance to an even 17 times. Number of architects it takes to screw in a light bulb — one (while holding the bulb, the world slowly revolves around the architect). If you total the amount of money given to architecture interns as a bonus in 2010, you will not be able to stop laughing. The number of retired architects is less than the number of architects who don't realize they're retired. It takes five pounds of architects to fill a fivepound sack — plus or minus one sack. The first time you realize you want to be an architect minus the number of times you wish you had realized you wanted to be anything but an architect equals the number of times you need to

8 Architecture Leaders Today

reread this sentence. If an architect is traveling east at 25 mph and an engineer is traveling north by northeast at five mph, the architect is 200 times more likely to assume the engineer is off course and moving too slow. The number of corners in a room is inversely proportional to the client's budget. The number of curves an architect will draw in a day is always greater than the number of curves an architect wants to draw that day. The last time an architect refuses to take a job equals the first time an architect realizes what he really wants his practice to focus on minus the number of seconds it takes to call the client back and beg for another chance. If you toss an architect, an engineer and a building inspector off the edge of a building, the client wont notice which one hits the ground first.

editorial

By Paige L. Hill

SO MUCH CAN BE LOST IN TRANSLATION WHEN MANY INDUSTRIES COME TOGETH ER TO DESIGN AND CRE ATE A BUILDING. SO MUCH THAT A TEAM OF NEURO SCIENTISTS HAVE CREATED A PROGRAM THAT WILL EFFECTIVELY SHOOT THE MESSENGER, I.E. ELIMINATE SPOKEN COMMUNICATION, WHICH IS WHERE ALL THE PROBLEMS BEGAN IN THE FIRST PLACE.

10 Architecture Leaders Today

When I’m interviewing architects about their latest projects, be it designing homes, commercial, civic or hospitality, the matter of communication inevitably rears its ugly head — and usually in response to my classic interview question “Were there any challenges on this project?” I am also used to architects telling me unprompted that “I am a great communicator” or “I listen to my clients” inferring that we both know communication can make or break a successful architecture firm. I even had an architect who designs custom homes tell me that she feels like a part-time couple’s therapist. “Being an architect for a couple or a family is an intimate experience,” she said. “You are welcomed into the tribe, but you have to learn the language and the customs if you want to survive.” James Sowlakis echoed that sentiment saying that the job of an architect is to be "the great communicator," in my interview with him (page 56). Between the client and architect, general contractor and architect, interior designer and architect, etc. … there are so many different languages spoken and so many opportunities for communication to fail. So, either we need to require all parties concerned, especially architects, to minor in communications (and perhaps psychology, as well) in college, or find an alternative way to communicate than speaking. And luckily for us, that alternative may be closer to becoming a reality than we thought. The University of California at San Diego is developing new software and hardware making it possible for an individual to communicate their experience of and response to an architectural design through physiological cues. Researchers from the UCSD division of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2) have developed innovative CAD soft-

ware called CAVE-CAD that, when integrated with novel hardware to monitor human neurological and physiological responses, makes architectural design more efficient. A ‘neuro-architectural’ team developed CAVECAD for use in a 360-degree, 16-panel immersive virtual reality environment that enables researchers to interact with virtual architectural renderings in three dimensions, in real time and at actual scale. The new systems measure electrophysiological and emotional responses to the virtual built environments in the cortical brain function. CAVE-CAD also adds an important feature missing in conventional CAD: an ability to immediately experience the result of modifying a design. The user can navigate the building on their own terms, spending as much or as little time on any particular element as they choose. Changes to the design can be made in real-time using a handheld remote. Wherever the user is looking an intuitive drop down menu and options are available to make changes. Interestingly enough, the project was inspired in-part by the 2010 film Inception according to one of the neuroscientists on the project, Eve Edelstein, who is also trained in architecture. “When I saw Inception, I said in the middle of the theater, ‘This is my world! This is what I do!’,” Edelstein said. “That scene where the female character walks through downtown, and the architecture and the urban setting folds up, morphs and twists over according to her visualizations — that’s what we get to do.” Edelstein said that many visualization platforms allow users to perceive building designs in 3-D, but the experience is often a passive “flythrough,” which further requires the viewer to imagine what walking through and interacting with the building in actual size would feel like. “What’s lost in a fly-through of a building is a sense of immersion, a sense of volume and the first-person perspective,” Edelstein said. “Other software lets you move through a fixed space. We let you push back the walls in real time or move the ceiling, and experience changing form without relying on your imagination.” CAVE-CAD also incorporates technology from another Calit2 project, SoniCAVE, to accurately depict sounds in the environment. SoniCAVE developer, Peter Otto, professor in UCSD’s Department of Music, has used SoniCAVE to simulate real hospital environments, where the sound of ambient patient monitoring equipment can often interfere with conversations between medical personnel — and even lead to medical error. The software could also be an important advancement in making verbal communication possible for those with health conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or loss of speech following a stroke. Or a more common affliction among clients — the inability to properly, verbally convey what feels “wrong.”

Baby, Talk is Cheap

industry news Stories by Paige L. Hill and Joel Cornell

Office Space: 2011 National Design Award for Corporate and Institutional Achievement

The Smithsonian's prestigious Cooper-Hewitt Museum recently awarded the eco-friendly, modern, corporate and office furnishings design company Knoll with their 2011 National Design Award for Corporate and Institutional Achievement. “Everyone who has ever been involved in designing, manufacturing or selling our products deserves credit for, and should take pride in, this award,” said Andrew Cogan, CEO of Knoll. “It encompasses the continuum of Knoll products, communications and environments that has evolved over time— and our investment in design that has created new solutions for the ever-changing workplace.” Knoll, founded by Hans Knoll in 1938 on the principle that good design improves lives, has been an innovator in wood fabrication and preserving natural resources for over 70 years. The company also broke ground in 1943 when Hans’ wife Florence Knoll was named head of the planning unit — an impressive job title for a woman at the time. Knoll has also been the fostering ground for many renowned architects and designers like Frank Gehry, Pudwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer, to name a few. Past winners of the award include the U.S. Green Building Council, Google, Nike and Apple.

There is a parasite in downtown Moscow, and there are people working in it. The revolutionary design of the Parasite Office, by zabor architects, attaches itself stealthily between two existing buildings mid-air and makes use of the slim space that was formerly left unused. The 754 sq. ft., three-story suspended space offers an alternative office without disrupting pedestrians below. The light and durable cellular polycarbonate used for the facade of the polygonal office speaks of its futuristic theory, while the backside is completed flat. The space serves as home base to the architecture firm – like a three-dimensional portfolio of their work. According to the architects, Moscow was the perfect city to attempt such a project during the country’s architectural biennale ARCH Moscow.

12 Architecture Leaders Today

Image courtesy of za bor architects

Contagious architecture infects two Moscow residential buildings

industry news

2011 Pritzker Architecture Prize Recognizes Eduardo Souto de Moura Eduardo Souto de Moura, of Portugal, is the jury’s choice for the industry’s highest honor, the Pritzker Architecture Prize. In announcing the jury’s choice, chairman Thomas J. Pritzker said, “This marks the second time in the history of the prize that a Portuguese architect has been chosen. The first was in 1992 when Alvaro Siza was so honored.” As a student, Souto de Moura worked for Alvaro Siza for five years. Since forming his own office in 1980, Souto de Moura has completed well over 60 projects, most in his native Portugal, but he has designs in Spain, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom and Switzerland. “My interest in architecture goes way back,” said President Barack Obama as he presented the prize in early June. “Like [Thomas] Jefferson, tonight’s honoree has spent his career not only pushing the boundaries of his art, but doing so in a way that serves the public good. Eduardo Souto de Moura has designed homes, shopping centers, art galleries, schools and subway stations all in a style that seems as effortless as it is beautiful.” Upon learning that he was being honored, Souto de Moura had this reaction, “When I received the phone call, I could hardly believe it. The fact that this is the second time a Portuguese architect has been chosen makes it even more important.”

26th St. Viewing Spur, recalling the billboards that were once attached to the High Line, a frame now enhances, rather than blocks views of the city, at West 26th St. ©Barry Munger, 2011

New York City’s Unique Park, The High Line, Completes Phase Two Over, above and throughout New York City’s complex city layout lies an old railway line that has recently undergone an astounding transformation. Incepted and designed by James Corner and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the park is made entirely of recycled materials scavenged from old and abandoned railway lines. Built up on a 1.45-mile long elevated rail structure running from Gansevoort St. to W. 34th St., the park represents a local and global effort that seeks not to redo but to reuse. The High Line was originally constructed in the 1930s, freight trains dangerous to lift off Manhattan’s streets. Section 1 of the High Line is open as a public park, owned by the City of New York and operated under the jurisdiction of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. When all sections are complete, the High Line will be a 1.5-mile long elevated park, running through the West Side neighborhoods of the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea and Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen. It features an integrated landscape combining meandering concrete pathway with naturalistic plantings. When the High Line was built in the 1930s, these neighborhoods were dominated by industrial and transportation uses. Now many of the warehouses and factories have been converted to art galleries, design studios, retailers, restaurants, museums and residences. The 23rd St. New Lawn is a favorite gathering space on the High Line, offering open green space for picnicking, sunbathing and people-watching. Restoration plays a major role in sustaining the Lawn. July/August 2011 13

the hot list

THE HOT LIST PRODUCTS, CONCEPTS AND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR NEXT PROJECT Have something for The Hot List? Email submissions@ozworldmedia.com.

1 STAFF PICK!

comfort on demand By VITAL environments vitalenvironments.com

Instead of bouncing from icy cold to sweltering heat and back again, what if your temperature, lighting power preferences could follow you around your home and office? With VITAL Environmentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; award winning design, workers now have the ability to use a smartphone app that will alter the setting of a room based on the preferences of those inside. Tied to a smartphone set to communicate your preferences, the system features locally controlled radiant panels, heated surfaces for the floor and desk, DC fans and dedicated power outlets, all of which can be controller or changed based on the data entered into the app by the user.

14 Architecture Leaders Today

the hot list

a diamond in the rough By Oceanside Glasstile www.glasstile.com

Aptly named â&#x20AC;&#x153;Facets,â&#x20AC;? the latest collection from Oceanside Glasstile features multi-faceted glass tiles which are sure to make any room glitter like a girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best friend. Inspired by jewels and gems, the range of colored tiles from the Facets collection can be used anywhere in the home, not just the bathroom; and, even combined to create a one-of-kind mosaic. July/August 2011 15

the hot list

tracing By Merchant No. 4 merchant4.com

3 take me to your leader By Archipod www.archipod.com

With the increasing numbers of Americans telecommuting to work, the stock in having a home office just went up. Provided you have 10 sq. ft. of free space in your backyard/rooftop/ garden you can install the Archipod, a standalone greenbuilt structure that offers all the amenities of a modern office. The futuristic pod has a shingled plywood exterior, foil and fiberglass insulation, and finished in plasterboard on the interior. A semi-circle desk ready for technology hook-ups comes with. Just warn your neighbors first that a UFO hasn’t landed! 16 Architecture Leaders Today

“The ubiquitous roll of trace has long adorned architects’ desks. As ours inevitably wound up in a drawer, only to succumb to marks and tearing, we had in our minds that there should be a better place for such an important tool,” said designer O’Brian Muehleisen. The result is Place for Trace. Mechant No. 4 has designed this simple yet ingenious wood trace holder with architects specifically in mind. Able to hold a standard roll of trace, with room for up to 15 pens and pencils, Place for Trace is beautifully executed in Walnut, Beech or White Oak. What to do if you love Place for Trace but aren’t an architect? Use it as a handy ‘Catch All’ tool for your desk. It works great holding keys, spare change and pens.

the hot list

little miss muffet sat on a...

By IMAKE studio imakestudio.myshopify.com

Inspired by the forms of the Indian percussion instrument, these linen-covered Tabla II is a simple take on the ottoman, if you're not feeling the whole "let's conquer the Byzantines" vibe. Cozy up on one of three distinctly shaped designs offered through IMAKE studio.

nothing but the kitchen sink By KWC kwcamerica.com

Few places provide as rich a sensorial experience as the kitchen: here is where tantalizing aromas beguile, worlds of flavor emerge, ingredients and delicacies entice one to touch and to taste. With KWC SIN, this culinary realm is enriched by yet another seductive feature: a new series of kitchen faucets whose stylish designs and functional versatility stimulate your senses as much as they appeal to your good sense. With an array of models featuring a pull down aerator and sprayer, a swivel spout and KWCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own patented highflex spring hose, these faucet designs are the centerpiece needed to bring the kitchen together.

6 July/August 2011 17

the hot list

curtain call Empa www.empa.ch

Noise is annoying. It interrupts communication, reduces productivity and even deprives us of precious sleep (i.e. the neighbor's dog, the morning garbage collection, etc.). Researchers at Empa, in cooperation with textile designer Annette Douglas and silk weavers Weisbrod-Zürrer AG, have developed lightweight, translucent curtain materials, which are excellent at absorbing sound. This combination has been lacking until now in modern interior design. The new “noisequenching” curtains have just gone onto the market.

wax-on, wax-off By Debra Folz www.debrafolz.com

Daring designer Debra Folz asks the owner of this piece of wax furniture the ultimate recycling challenge — when you’re tired of it, melt it down and start over. This 100% wax stool is durable (it can hold up to 150 pounds) and waterproof, making it a perfect addition for the bathroom or shower, or as a piece of art. Just don’t use it for outdoor seating in these summer months! 18 Architecture Leaders Today

the hot list

bathtub built for two By Duravit www.duravit.us

The description of something having a “trapezoidal shape” and “wood planks exterior” may sound more like a coffin than a bathtub, but the stirring design of the Paiova bathtub from Duravit will far from bore you to death. In fact, the trapezoidal shape allows enough room for two, should you be open to sharing your rubber ducky.

July/August 2011 19

Interior Construction and Design We are General Contractors with expertise in performing all aspects of interior design and construction services for residential, commercial and retail interiors. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to do it all, but we can.

555 Fifth Avenue, 16th Floor New York, New York 10017 Phone: 646-432-7222 info@essentialdesignbuild.com http://essentialdesignbuild.com

NORTHEAST 22 SUSSAN 00 STORY LARI ARCHITECT PC

34 JEFFREY 00 STORY COLE ARCHITECTURE 40 NADINEEE PHOOKAN ARCHITECTS 00 STORY 50 COLE 00 STORY& DENNY, INC. 52 POWE 00 STORYJONES ARCHITECTS 56 J5 GROUP 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY

“A pull quote about this long from the story goes here.”

Northern Virginia Community College Bookstore. is who Architect: Cole &This Denny, Inc.said this, from This company. Photo by Hoachlander Davis Photography, LLC Photo by xxxxx or photo courtesy of xxxxx.

northeast | residential

22 Architecture Leaders Today

residential | northeast

MAKING

DREAMS COME TRUE Architect Sussan Lari boasts an impressive background in large corporate design, but now makes dreams come true by designing custom homes with a whimsical inflection. By Paige L. Hill

July/August 2011 23

northeast | residential

24 Architecture Leaders Today

residential | northeast

rchitect Sussan Lari, president and founder of Sussan Lari Architect PC, has taken to high aesthetics with her unique firm that specializes in custom homes within the Tri-State area. With a keen eye for design, Lari approaches each new project with a freshness of perspective that speaks to the individual character and personality of her clients. While motivating her clients to uncover their uniqueness every step of the way, Lari stays true to her own design philosophy, which she has built around three fundamental terms: imagination, harmony and mystery. “Imagination must play a major role in the design process – I leave my mind open to every possibility before even sitting down to the drawing board,” Lari said. Having graduated from the Urban Design Program of the University of Pennsylvania with a double master’s in architecture and planning, Lari has not always been in the business of designing dream homes. Lari, who founded her own practice in 1992 with partner Farhad PREVIOUS SPREAD: Brookville, NY. The entry courtyard of the home enclosed on two sides by the house, one side by stone piers and the other by a stone wall. The meticulously chosen outdoor lighting highlights the natural stone façade and provides a welcoming atmosphere for guests. LEFT: A view of the Brookville home’s outside multi-leveled living complex including the pool, outdoor kitchen, seating area, fireplace and dining area gazebo. ABOVE: iew of backyard through the covered passageway. All photos by Peter Rymwid.

July/August 2011 25

northeast | residential

Mechkat, made the decision six years later to forgo designing for the corporate world for the more personalized world of residential architecture. Having once designed for companies like KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, US Tobacco, PepsiCo and Exxon Office Systems, Lari realized that commercial projects did not provide her with the same sense of personal gratification that residential ones did. She described a feeling of disconnect in her corporate work - while her clients were in charge of the company pocketbook, they were seldom users of the finished space. “For many, building a house is the investment of a lifetime,” Lari said. “As with any big investment, the stakes are high and trust is essential. This is a responsibility that we take very, very seriously.” In the domestic realm, Lari felt it easier to impact lives with architecture through a more personal connection to both clients and the building process. She has become committed to fulfilling not only the functional needs of her clients, but also realizing their hopes, passions and dreams at a realistic level. “My intent is to create a space that brings art into everyday practicality,” Lari said. “Our goal is to unite aesthetic and functional features into a harmonious composition.” Essential to her process is an interactive relationship with clients, which allows her to coordinate their aspirations with her aesthetics. She described this balance as pivotal to the successful translation of their wishes into her design. CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: View of kitchen complete with two islands, and cabinetry and hood custom-designed by the firm and fabricated by the team. View of Library, connected to the living room by a French door to be used as an extension of the living room. Built-in cabinetry is custom-made. View onto one of four bedrooms from the bedroom hallway. Large linen closet is accessible from all the bedrooms. View from the master bedroom anteroom into the bedroom hallway.

26 Architecture Leaders Today

NORTH SHORE WINDOW & DOOR Serving luxury homes throughout the northeastern United States for over 15 years, Long Island, NY-based North Shore Window & Door is a supplier and installer of high-end windows and doors. Visit any of their three showrooms that showcase top of the line brands such as Fleetwood, Kolbe, Loewen, and MQ Windows. Sussan Lari has completed several Kings Point, NY projects utilizing MQ Windows and the services of North Shore Window & Door. According to North Shore Window & Door, their experience with her firm has been as consistently positive as Sussan’s exceptional architectural designs. Sussan’s incomparable attention to details has made North Shore’s job as her window and door supplier extremely pleasurable. She has facilitated both client and subcontractor meetings in her office that are both highly organized and well administered in a professional environment. North Shore Window & Doors appreciates with enormous pride the opportunity to partake in the realizations of Sussan Lari residential designs, and they look forward to continuing their longstanding relationship for many years to come. For more information visit www.northshorewindow. com or call 631-285-7333 for consultation with one of North Shore’s experienced professionals. See ad on page 142.

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Lari’s role, however, never ends with design development. Her projects involve a close collaboration with artisans, tradesmen and craftsmen from a vast range of backgrounds and specialties. “During the actual construction phase, we act on numerous levels with specialists and consultants,” Lari said. “We promote a work environment where all consultants act as members of one team.” Her “it takes a village” approach to the architectural process is perfectly exemplified by a custom high-end home the firm recently completed in Brookville, N.Y. The exterior of the home, for example, boasts four sizes of custom-cut Vermont stone in two shades. Similarly toned, handmade brick is woven into the matrix of varying stone cuts to create a subtlety nuanced exterior that is unified into a harmonious overall appearance. “Working closely with craft specialists, my intention when hand-selecting custom stone and brick was to create a sense of alluring mystery through textures, and not necessarily through color,” Lari said. Adding to the overall mystery of the home is the unexpected way in which it may be entered. An artfully designed courtyard greets the visitor first, before the home. Although large, the courtyard remains distinctly cozy, as it is enclosed on two sides by the house, on one side by landscape piers, and on the last by a stone wall. From there, still no main entrance is visible; however, a door has been placed discreetly to the side. One then continues under a brick archway and through a wrought-iron gate to arrive into a huge backyard designed for outdoor living. “Clients are looking to create a lifestyle when they come to us; CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: View of the master bedroom with custom-designed carpet. View of master bathroom with free-standing clawfoot tub and custom-designed wrought iron picture window. View of master bathroom including the toilet room, shower and steam bath. Close-up of window seat and cabinetry in the master bedroom.

28 Architecture Leaders Today

SOUND AND VISION Since 2004 Sound and Vision’s team of professionals have been designing, engineering and installing sophisticated audio, video and automation solutions throughout the Tri-State Area and South Florida. Sound and Vision’s customized solutions are easy to use and up to date as new technologies appear. With top notch support services and extensive knowledge regarding home technology, architects and homeowners alike choose Sound and Vision for connecting their homes. See ad on page 35.

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my form follows function, but also allows room for opportunity. I want my clients to explore their needs and desires while working with us to create something uniquely beautiful and, at the same time, full of possibilities,” Lari said. Lari emphasized outdoor living by creating not only a courtyard, but also a backyard complete with swimming pool, dining room, paved barbecuing deck, outdoor kitchen, fireplace and plenty of room to lounge. Multiple levels allocate the space, which allows the differentiation of areas with distinct functions without the need for dividing walls. Although the end result had effortless beauty, the creation of such a space was only possible after much work. Lari was faced with the difficult task of taking a long, very narrow stretch of land and turning it into a site where the entire family could gather. As the land came with an impossibly sloped topography, a center plateau was constructed for Lari’s design to be possible. With stone walls on one side and a beautiful panoramic view on the other, the backyard retains a strong sense of privacy as well as coziness. On the outskirts of the plateau there is a four-foot drop, which was necessary for the construction yet beautifully incorporated into the design as an intimate walkway. The walkway circles around the whole length of the property and creates interesting garden walks, all with a view. Staying true to her three tenets of design – imagination, harmony, mystery – Lari’s attention to detail and commitment to perfection come together to create a uniquely artistic space in the Brookville home. Lari’s humanistic approach to custom home design is the perfect recipe for creating space where people enjoy lives, children grow and families flourish. ALT ABOVE: View of the entrance hall and gallery. View of the gallery facing the library. OPPOSITE: Garden walk surrounding the house.

30 Architecture Leaders Today

PHOENIX AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING, INC. As the 17th most populated island in the world, ahead of countries like Ireland and Jamaica, Long Island, N.Y. is uniquely situated near New York City as one an incredible blend of metropolitan sensibility matched with suburban and sometimes rural appeal. Similarly, Phoenix Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc., one of Long Island’s leading installers of HVAC systems since 1969 has remained unique in the scope of their experience, dedication and value. The firm, founded in 1969 by Paul Scholz, Sr., has been a premier installer of YORK® HVAC units dominating both the residential and commercial markets. “We were established and incorporated in Huntington, N.Y. by my father,” said Paul Scholz, Jr., who currently serves as President and Owner of Phoenix Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. “His impeccable work ethic lead to 19 years of successful business. After retiring in 1988, he turned over his responsibilities to me. As President of Phoenix Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc., I have expanded on the foundations that my father established, to create an even larger and more successful business.” Having worked with prestigious architecture firms, such as Sussan Lari Architects for many years, Phoenix Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. brings together the network, the talent and the vision needed to bring the details of a project to fruition. Their work in air conditioning and heating systems, humidification systems, dehumidification systems, air cleaning purification systems, indoor dehumidification systems and just about every conceivable indoor air quality system under the HVAC umbrella succeeded through their talent, knowledge and hard work. Largely due to their constant and long term presence in the region, reinforced by a reputation for quality, timely work, many of the firm’s clients today have been their clients since the firm’s first years in business. See ad on page 142.

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architectural products | northeast

WINDOW WORKS

LUANN NIGARA AND PARTNERS KNOW THAT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS CAN ELEVATE WINDOW TREATMENTS AND AWNINGS TO AN ART. by Joel Cornell

ince Window Works opened in 1982, business partner LuAnn Nigara, has been adamant in their approach to the trade market: “We take our commitment to the designers and architects that hire us on behalf of their clients very seriously,” Nigara said. “It is our obligation to look at each project from all angles, so the designer can be confident that this part of their project will run smoothly from start to finish.” Nigara, her husband Vincent Nigara, and their cousin Bill Campesi have worked together to provide the trade and retail market with the finest in custom window treatments and awnings. Product offerings include draperies, valances, cornices, blinds and shutters. Featured vendors include Durasol Awnings and Hunter Douglas Window Fashions. Their talent for creating reality from inspiration has contributed to the long standing relationships they enjoy with many of the leading New York Metro area designers and architects such as Sussan Lari Architects, with whom they have enjoyed a 20-year business relationship. “We have three objectives when working with the trade market: the practical application of the product, the quality of the product and the protection of the designer’s reputation with their client,” Nigara said. “When we meet these criteria the project will be a success for all involved, the designer, the end client and us.” Nigara meets the designer’s objectives each time by participating at every level of the project — at concept meetings, walk-throughs at work sites and by providing profesional installation of every product they sell. Campesi and his team of installers work on every installation, nothing is subcontracted out, ever. The company’s work with Sussan Lari Architects exemplifies Window Works’ expertise and commitment to provide their clients with dedicated, attentive service. “Currently, we have several projects in the works with Sussan Lari,” Nigara said. “Her attention to detail and her talent for creating exceptional spaces is inspiring. We always enjoy working with Sussan and her team and we are proud to help her deliver to her clients superior design, unparalleled quality and extraordinary execution. We hold the integrity of our products, our services and our relationships in the absolute highest regard.” ALT July/August 2011 33

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architecture | northeast

astatement bold

Architect Jeffrey Cole doesn’t shy away from audacious designs in the housing sector for New York residents. by Paige L. Hill

OPPOSITE: The Alberta, 620 West 143rd Street, New York, N.Y. One enters the double-height lobby under a thin bar extension of the gym which can both be seen from and see out to the lobby and street. One also sees through the lobby and gym to the street when entering the 2nd floor elevator lobby on the way to the gym and children’s play center.

ndeed, Jeffrey Cole is concerned about “fitting in” when it comes to designing a building for downtown Manhattan. In fact, he rather cherishes the connection he maintains to the city’s iconic skyline through his work in local architecture. The launching point for Cole’s career began when he was just 25 years old. Not unlike most firms of Jeffrey Cole Architecture’s then size and scope, he began doing local building rehabilitation. Nonetheless, Cole’s innate understanding of all things built fostered years of rapid growth for the firm. On one such project, the 220 St. Nicholas, Cole was chosen to design the luxury condominium building from scratch, though he shied away from the signature “look at me” designs many modernist architects might have chosen. Cole chose to color the mostly concrete exterior façade a muted orangeyellow, which complemented its surroundings. His vision, it seemed, was context over content. “We’re a small firm doing what I would describe as modest work,” Cole said. “By that I mean modest not only in scale and budget, but design intent, as well. I suppose we’d describe ourselves as contextualists. This comes naturally for a firm that started out doing multiple gut rehabs in landmarked portions of lower Manhattan.” The 220 St. Nicholas is a deceptively narrow building with only one or two units per floor. The building towers and cantilevers over its neighbors, but still matches the scale of new developments in the area. The four-story cantilever posed an engineering challenge, according to Cole, and he answered that challenge by using a poured-in-place construction method. “From the start, the design was developed to

utilize the perimeter’s poured-in-place shear walls as an exposed expressive element,” Cole said. “The residences’ views were too dazzling to not respect, so one of my missions was to maximize those views by creating a transparent skin on most of the building’s exterior – a curtain wall. All the units are generally made up of this glass skin, which makes great use of natural lighting and warmth. “We split the curtain wall into two systems one using a blue tinted glass and captured glazing trim to incorporate all operating windows and HVAC grilles and a second with blue-gray glass and structural glazed detailing for all fixed-light areas,” Cole said. This technique also broke up the façade in vertical sections and allowed for the creation of a “rain plan” in the entrance of the building. “Using that gave us the opportunity to angle the finished panels away from the waterproof skin to create the projecting canopy over the residential lobby,” Cole said. Cole’s design on the 17 Bergen townhouse redefines that line between old and new in terms of a complicated context. The sophisticated modernist design uses different sized boxes and a variety of raw material like red brick, wood paneling, glass, concrete and steel. To the immediate left of the project is a large, non-descript institutional building. To the immediate right is a row of diminutive townhouses. Cole said he planned the building to be somewhere between the two in bulk and height. The plan, then, was to attempt to take a more theoretical approach. “I wanted the building to be a transitional element,” Cole said. “To break up the scale and address the language of the two different contexts, July/August 2011 37

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The Alberta combines several floors fenestration into façade elements to compliment the higher ceilings and verticality of the adjacent prewar facades. The setbacks and dormer projections that respond to zoning envelope requirements provide for multiple terraces. Almost every apartment in the building has a terrace or balcony from which one can see the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge.

ARCHITECTURAL FENESTRATION Are you still searching for an established company to deliver architecturally stunning windows, doors and curtain wall systems for your custom home? Trust the company with 25 years of experience in design, fabrication, and installation of the most innovative products on the market today. ArcFen has set the standard with high performance glass, paint coatings, and solar innovations for homes of distinction. When you’re finally tired of shopping for “lowbidding” and get serious about “right-bidding,” contact ArcFen.com to learn how their team will successfully deliver the most stylish engineered window solutions for your important home or commercial project.” See ad on page 65. 38 Architecture Leaders Today

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RIGHT: 220 St. Nicholas, New York, N.Y. This deceptively narrow building with only one or two units per floor both towers and cantilevers over its immediate neighbors, but matches the scale of new developments in the area.

I started thinking about a historical device dating from antiquity, the Aedicule, a symbolic element portraying a complete building or façade in miniature contained inside a larger building. At its most reductive usage, it is simply seen as porticos, or entry compositions inside traditionally composed buildings. But here, its origins are more symbolic.” Within the historic context of the Aedicule, Cole considered wrapping a traditional façade within an abstract container that peeled back from the inner composition like a folded ribbon as it moved from left to right. The brick façade faces the street with concrete and wood accents. Another façade of carved white limestone faces the townhouses and brick to the left. The building appears reduced in scale when held in contrast to the smaller structures on the right and taller to the left. Cole said he played with several architectural languages to achieve fluidity with the surrounding buildings; this fluidity required getting windows from five different manufacturers. “Fortunately the budget afforded us these luxuries and the owner, who occupies the building, was a driving factor for the design,” Cole said. The project also presented two elusive qualities in a Manhattan townhouse: an in-house garage and a roof deck. The roof is perched just above the surrounding buildings, giving the resident a clear view of the city skyline. The deck includes a sitting space and opportunity for a rooftop garden. Cole added a modernist cover over the deck for changes in weather. That covering, clad in wood and aluminum, appears as an extension of the building and even includes recessed light fixtures for evening entertaining. “The great thing about being a small firm is that people seem unable to pigeonhole us when it comes to our design,” Cole said. “We have a lot on our plate right now, and I wouldn’t say that any of it is distinctly ours as opposed to another designer; because, we would like to think we are simply the answer to the space. We go in and see what others do not.” ALT

AIC According to Jeffrey Cole, R.A., President, the reason Ashnu International (AIC) was a perfect fit to execute JCA’s vision for this project is that it required the careful coordination of multiple finish trades such as traditional stone carving, traditional finish masonry and thin brick installation to realize the complicated façade. Fortunately, as a Landmark experienced contractor, JCA performs these trades in-house so coordination was a breeze. For more information on A.I.C. please visit www.aicnyc.com. See ad on page 143. 40 Architecture Leaders Today

architecture | northeast

LEFT: 17 Bergen, New York, N.Y. To the immediate left of the project is a large non-descript institutional building. To the immediate right is a row of diminutive townhouses. The planned building was somewhere between the two in bulk and height, acting as a transitional element.

GACE CONSULTING ENGINEERS GACE is an award-winning structural engineering firm headquartered in New York City with an office in the Washington DC area. Services include structural systems design for new buildings, renovations/conversions/ restorations, facade repairs, feasibility studies and due diligence reports. Building types include: Residential, Commercial, Healthcare, Hospitality, Educational, and Cultural. For more information please call 212-545-7878. See ad on page 143. July/August 2011 41

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Minimalism and Materiality

Nandinee Phookan Architects has brought a global depth to bear on the firm’s endeavors in architecture, furniture and brand design. by Joel Cornell

andinee Phookan Architects is a multifaceted Brooklyn-based architecture and design firm with a diverse portfolio of innovative and progressive work. “I was interested in art as well as math and science,” Phookan said. “Architecture was a natural fit for my diverse interests. For me, it is the most complex and challenging art as it simultaneously addresses issues of utility, function, structure and environmental systems, as well as aesthetics and form-making.” Her words do well to sum up Nandinee Phookan Architects’ comprehensive and passionate approach to design and architecture. Combining a minimalist approach with a richness in materials, Nandinee Phookan Architects’ projects have a distinct style across a range of scales and project types, from architecture to furniture, products and branding. Born in Assam, India, Phookan first received her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Delhi before attending The Mas 42 Architecture Leaders Today

sachusetts Institute of Technology to earn her Masters degree in Housing and Environmental Design. During her time at MIT, Phookan worked with N. John Habraken on the application of his “Supports and Infill” system to multi-family housing and urban design. The key to the system was flexibility in design that gave the user greater control over their environment by separating elements that are fixed and those that are not. In her own practice, Phookan has continued to pursue her interest in multi-family housing along with other building types. After leaving MIT, Phookan relocated to New York City where she worked with several architectural firms and taught design studios at Pratt Institute and City College. In 1996, she started her firm with projects ranging from high-end residential to corporate interiors and galleries. From the beginning, the focus of the firm was on design excellence and the studio promoted collaboration and creative thinking. Phookan’s partner, co-principal Luis

Rivera, joined the firm in 2002 and brought with him a history of working in larger architectural firms including Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Ellerbe Beckett and NBBJ. His experience in the coordination of interdisciplinary teams of consultants, and the management of projects on a large and complex scale brought a level of technical expertise that empowers the creatively conducive culture of the firm. In maintaining a diverse array of project types across many industry verticals, Nandinee Phookan Architects has branched out into urban design and planning, cultural and community centers and affordable housing as well as residential and commercial architecture and interiors, not to mention their lines of products and extensive branding services. In 2009 Nandinee Phookan Architects launched Imake Studio, “a design studio that celebrates the power of design through a process of making.” The first product introduced by Imake Studio was Octavo, a modular table developed

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28 Old Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY The Eagle Warehouse at 28 Old Fulton Street in Brooklyn Heights is a nineteenth century 85 unit loft building that was converted to residential use in the 1970s with an interesting mix of floor plans including duplexes and triplexes. This 3,500 square foot duplex combines two of the original duplexes laid out into conventional bedroom and living/ dining spaces. The new owner wanted a more open floor plan with a grand stair connecting the main level entered directly from the building lobby, and the level below. The formal strategy is based on the interplay of solid and void. The demolition of the non bearing interior walls revealed the structural shell, and the design was conceived as an intervention within this existing structure. The floor was removed on one of the structural bays, creating a void defined by concrete encased steel columns at the corners and glass railings. A counterpoint to the negative space is provided by a built volume, inserted into the structural shell, housing kitchen and bathroom spaces and separating the public and private areas of the apartment. The void connects the two floors of the duplex with a sculptural steel stair and brings light to the recreational spaces on the level below. Photographs by Tom Judge Photography

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in response to Nandinee Phookan Architects’ own need for a conference table that could be reconfigured, expanded and shrunk according to space availability and function. The designers at Nandinee Phookan Architects move easily from high end residential rehabilitations with custom detailing and substantial budgets to affordable housing and non-profit projects where budgets have to be stretched to the limit. Regardless of the budget, they bring the same commitment to good design in adding value to the project. The firm’s recently completed projects include a loft in Chelsea, New York City, where large custom designed sliding panels in leather and teak veneer are used to close and open up the space. Another project in a 100-year-old building, 28 Old Fulton Street, is designed as a purist formal intervention, where a duality of solid and void occupy

the double story historic shell. Here, the solid houses the private areas and the void houses a stair connecting the two floors. Nandinee Phookan Architects moved their offices from Manhattan to Brooklyn in 2007 and has been part of the creative renaissance in Dumbo, Brooklyn, working on several projects in Brooklyn, both new buildings and renovations. They are the architects for the rehabilitation of the 84 year old, 180,000 square foot building in downtown Brooklyn owned by the YWCA, a non-profit organization that has been providing essential services for women in need, for more than a hundred years. The project includes housing, offices and a community center. To quote Martha Kamber, Executive Director of the YWCA, Brooklyn, “We wanted a center that was welcoming to the public and that promoted an environment of community

unity. We also wanted to preserve the architectural integrity of our 1927 building and we had a limited budget with an impending completion deadline. Nandinee Phookan Architects quickly responded to these challenges by developing a new scope that is both elegant and inviting while keeping within our capital budget. In our experience, Nandinee Phookan Architects consistently demonstrates thoughtful care, meticulous attention to detail and an accessibility that promotes close collaboration.” Yet, far from being localized, Nandinee Phookan Architects’ projects are located around the world. In her home country of India, Phookan’s projects build on traditional architectural forms and techniques to create contemporary environments that are both sustainable and timeless. “First Pitch: the U.S. Manipur baseball project,” a New York-based non-profit organization has been working in the July/August 2011 45

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Residence, 310 E 53rd Street, New York, NY This project, occupying an entire floor of a new apartment building consists of three separate apartments that were redesigned into a 6000 sf residence for an extended family. The central elevator lobby is designed as a private gallery linking the main apartment combining two of the three apartments, and a smaller apartment for the parents. Floating ceilings and freestanding walls clad in warm natural materials are used to create a contemporary, open living space. Photos by Christopher Wesnofske

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;...freestanding walls clad in warm, natural materials are used to create a contemporary, open living space.â&#x20AC;?

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northeastern state of Manipur in India to create a fully fledged program for baseball enthusiasts in the region. The lead behind First Pitch aims to create youth and community programs as well, all centered around organized baseball leagues and camps. In their search for an architect to design the new baseball complex in Manipur, First Pitch wanted an architectural firm that understood the unique culture and history of Manipur and could create a contemporary baseball complex that is rooted in local architectural traditions. Their obvious first choice was Nandinee Phookan Architects. The project, which was initiated by First Pitch in 2007 with backing by the local government, will be the first regulation baseball park in all of India. The scope of the facilities will extend to include coaching camps conducted by MLB coaches, 48 Architecture Leaders Today

offices, dormitories for visiting teams and camp attendees, meeting and exhibition areas, as well as performance spaces and guest lodging areas. A film documenting the entire process will be part of the final project. Simultaneously with Phookan’s architectural work in India, Imake Studio has developed its Dreamweave line of sustainable products using hand-woven wild silks unique to northeastern India, adding to its existing line of furniture and products. “In Assam, traditionally every woman had a loom in her house and I grew up watching my grandmother weave,” Phookan said. With increasing development and urbanization, weaving as a household cottage industry is dying out, yet a few weavers have continued to develop new fabrics. Phookan was struck by the minimalist aesthetic

of the fabrics, a design sensibility that resonates with her own work in New York. For Nandinee Phookan Architects and Imake Studio, the Dreamweave project creates a bridge to collaboration and understanding of aesthetic production in diverse cultures. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Dreamweave collection will go towards projects that will empower the weavers, including architectural projects the firm hopes to develop, such as a community, health and literacy center. With a core team of architects and designers and an extended network of collaborators and partners, Nandinee Phookan Architects has been leading the global trends away from excess. Their mindset confers a sense of depth in architecture, furniture and branding, both in terms of the sustainability of their building systems and the timelessness of their designs. ALT

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Loft, 217 W 19th Street, New York, NY This New York City loft apartment combines a modernist minimalism with a rich palette of materials and textures. Sliding panels are used throughout the apartment to open and close the space. Aluminum and glass panels close off the kitchen and the study area when required. Teak veneer sliding panels, used to separate private spaces off the hallway, can open up the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room completely, extending her play area into the hallway. Leather sliding panels at the accessory space off of the living area allow it to function as a guest bedroom with access from the hallway when closed. The study is conceived as a glass box within the space. The lighting continues the design vocabulary, drawing attention to the space that it lights rather than the fixture itself. Continuous linear halogen fixtures create planes of light grazing down the teak panels and up the laminated glass to the ceiling above the closets. Photos by Christopher Wesnofske

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A UNIQUE JUNCTURE

WITH ARTISANS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS, PRODUCT AND DESIGN PROVIDES A UNIQUE SOURCE OF METALWORK, CRAFTING AND FABRICATION. by Joel Cornell

ometimes, what an architect needs is a master craftsman who can directly control the means of production ‘in house’ to secure the utmost in quality. Other times, they need an idea or concept brought to fruition by talented hands and trusted machines. No matter the style, complexity or materials, architects, designers and builders from across the country come to Product and Design for all of their design and fabrication needs. When John Milich founded Product and Design in the heart of New York City in 1985, he left behind an eclectic career in Oregon serving the scientific community as an instrument fabricator. John’s self owned small business 50 Architecture Leaders Today

catered to researchers and scientists who needed someone able to design and fabricate specific, highly technical instruments and test equipment. In his move to the East Coast, John brought this background to bear on more architectural endeavors. The crew working at Product and Design comes from equally disparate backgrounds. From training as architects or professional designers to sculptors and fine artists, these metal workers have combined a personal love of structure and modern fabrication techniques. To use these modern tools everyone must be fabrication proficient but also use their personal background, whether it be antique motorcycles, artistic patinas

or hot rod mechanics, to problem solve. Product and Design’s team doesn’t seem to share much in terms of professional history but they love to dig into a project and complete it with an appealing solution. “When we need certain work done using a press break, for instance, I can have someone approach the project from the mindset of an urban minded architect, or a motorcycle mechanic, or a sculptor,” John said. “The people I work with have the same love of creative building, construction and fabrication, but vastly different sets of skills, experience

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and talent. If I have one guy on a project who has a background in metal sculptures, he’s going to have an entirely different approach than one of our mechanics or one of our architects might.” The fabrication capacity is equally diverse. The equipment ranges from high precision 1940’s toolroom lathes and mills to modern CNC waterjet and plasma cutting CNC lathes, mills and press brakes. They also use anvils, forges, drop hammers and make the occasional casting pattern. This diversity is exactly the foundation which John and his son Luke, who joined the

company in 1989 and currently leads the San Francisco branch, have built the company on. As a former mathematician, physicist and designer who fabricates custom pieces, John’s love for aesthetics, construction and variation intertwines beautifully at the intersection of Product and Design. “Sometimes we’ll get exact plans with very precise specifications, which is where having an architect on our team comes in handy,” John said. “Sometimes, we’ll receive nothing but a vague notion of what the client wants and we develop the design from there. So many processes come

to bear on the designs we do. The only way we could offer the vast range of design and fabrication services that we do is to retain the equally vast range of talent we have.” The craftsmen and artisans at Product and Design are exactly that: men and women who have spent decades honing their craft into the unique blend of vision, skills and backgrounds that today make up Product and Design. For more information, call in New York (718) 858-2440, in California (510) 532-8991, or visit www.productanddesign. com. ALT July/August 2011 51

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Freer Gallery of Asian Art gallery: The firm renovated the interior of this world-renowned art gallery for the Smithsonian Institution on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The interior renovation of the public galleries retained the original character of the historic spaces while employing state of the art lighting and display capabilities.

RENOVATING FOR THE FUTURE

The Washington D.C.-based firm Cole & Denny, Inc. is not only passionate about what they do, but they are recession-proof, too.

or over 26 years, Cole & Denny, Inc. architecture firm has brought their vast knowledge of historic preservation, adaptive reuse, accessibility design and building condition analysis to the DC Metro area, providing unparalleled service and quality to their diverse clientele. Rather than focus on one specific market sector, Cole & Denny decided that “more is more” when it comes to architectural design -- taking on projects from commercial and religious to educational, governmental and residential. Thanks to their diverse clientele, Cole & Denny’s design portfolio consists of large and modest projects, official and personal. Principal of Cole & Denny, John Cole said that no project is too big or too small to take on, and that their specialty is breathing new life into existing structures. “Our specialty is dealing with existing buildings,” Denny said. “Whether it’s for the federal government or private individuals, the vast majority of what we do involves adapting existing structures to meet contemporary needs.” Cole maintains that it’s the relationship that he and his team preserve with their clients that keeps Cole & Denny a sought-after architectural firm in the DC Metro area. “I’m deeply involved in everything that goes on in our office as are my partners,” Cole said. “What we really like about this profession is that it’s hands-on, not only on the business side, but most importantly the client side. In a small firm we aren’t insulated from the day-to-day issues of design. It’s personal attention that sets us apart. We really want to understand what our clients’ needs are and not only come up with ways but try to do so as innovatively as we can and create solutions that are really effective with our clients.” That innovation and service has stood the ultimate test during the last two years. While no industry was immune to the economic decline, in fact, Cole & Denny called the last two years “the best years we’ve ever had.” 52 Architecture Leaders Today

by Marylyn Simpson

Taking advantage of terms contracts, Cole & Denny pursued work with higher education institutions providing the firm with a consistent work flow even during the lowest point of the recession. The firm’s background in term contract work lead to other standalone projects which has sustained them over the last two years. While they have seemed to remain relatively recession-proof, they are no stranger in working to overcome industryspecific challenges. “The biggest challenge is keeping your outlook fresh and not letting your firm get typecast,” Cole said. “We really thrive on the diversity of our opportunities. We are continually trying to find new opportunities and tell potential clients about our capabilities, so when we call on them they understand what we can do for them.” Using a hybrid method of marketing that the firm developed, Cole & Denny have attracted potential clients through using a combination of traditional and pro-active marketing schemes. While Cole says they haven’t implemented social media methods into their marketing strategy just yet, they’ve found that getting to know their target market is first priority when reaching potential clients. In traditional marketing, Request for proposals and traditional newsletters have proved to be successful in attracting new customers. “We follow the RFPs, but before we look for them we make a concerted effort to get to know our market as well as possible so we know what’s coming up,” Cole said. “We’ve also instituted a system of newsletters and other general outreach opportunities for perspective and existing clients and what we can do for them.” Cole credits his father as a major influence on his passion for architecture. Spending weekends driving through the countryside with his father helped

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LEFT and INSET: NVCC Bookstore partial elevation: The firm designed a new commercial bookstore on the campus of Northern Virginia Community College. The carefully detailed features provide visual depth to this simple building. ABOVE: Foundations House classroom: The firm designed a new residential facility providing housing, recreation and classroom facilities for at-risk teenagers. The new classroom spaces offer focused learning environments. Public Opinion Strategies interior remodeling: Formerly a commercial bakery, this 8,500 sq. ft. building was completely remodeled to house contemporary commercial offices Photos by Hoachlander Davis Photography, LLC

give Cole a sense of appreciation for traditional architecture, which is still evident in his work today. “I’ve always been attracted to buildings and I think that’s from my father who was a frustrated architect and government employee. He gave me a real love for historic properties and buildings in general. I spent a lot of time at his elbow on Saturdays doing various home improvement projects learning carpentry, plastering, painting and the trade that lead me to architecture,” Cole said. While Cole’s solid architectural background has led him to where he is today, he is always looking to the future, ready to improve Cole & Denny; and, keeping up-to-date on the cutting-edge trends and technologies of the industry. “We’ve continued that and its always evolving and its always getting better. We’re always trying to make sure we’re staying current with design drafting boards to computers. There’s always a new and better technology we can implement,” Cole said. ALT

CHAMBERLAIN CONSTRUCTION CO. Chamberlain Construction Corporation started up in 1977 and has recently enjoyed their 30 year anniversary in providing commercial construction services in the Washington, D.C. area. Chamberlain’s philosophy of teamwork and an eagerness for client satisfaction has given them a respectable reputation within the industry. Chamberlain maintains a strong ethical foundation and commitment to providing a quality product. The company has partnered with leaders in the architectural industry such as Cole & Denny who has shared the same philosophy throughout the years of projects that they have worked on together. Customers have enjoyed Chamberlain’s long-standing experience and eagerness to solve problems as well as the fact that teamwork is promoted, inviting each member to feel “ownership” of the input they have in the project. Chamberlain Construction considers Cole & Denny to be one of the finest design firms to work with in the Washington DC area and look forward to teaming with them in the future. For more information, visit www.chamberlainconstruction.com. See ad on page 66.

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Foreign Affairs For Washington, D.C. architect Gregory Powe, international clientele is local business. by Marylyn Simpson

OPPOSITE & THIS PAGE: Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia, Washington D.C. Powe Jones Architects adapted the three-story, (ca 1960) former Yugoslavian Embassy into the new Chancery and Ambassadorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Residence for the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia. The residence, which occupies the top floor, features an entertainment-sized salon, dining room with separate family quarters separated by a shared terrace. The Chancery including embassy offices, a large reception hall with outdoor terrace and two guest apartments inhabit the three lower floors. All photos courtesy of Powe Jones Architects.

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THIS PAGE: Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia, Washington D.C., entertainment terrace. OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT: Mexican Cultural Institute, Washington, D.C. Powe Jones Architects has designed renovations to the Institute’s historic 100-year-old mansion on Sixteenth Street NW to enhance the quality and security of its galleries, improve the building’s life safety systems, rehabilitate aging historic finishes, and adapt of the original carriage house into a guest house for visiting artists. RIGHT: Embassay of Malawai, Washington, D.C. The Malawai Embassy assists Malawai nationals in the United States, from passports and travel documents to coordinating economic activities with the U.S. and other countries.

regory Powe isn’t your run-of-the-mill architect. Over the last 10 years, Powe and his business partner Michael Jones have established themselves as one of the few Washington, D.C. area architects specializing in foreign government buildings. Powe Jones Architects has become the go-to architecture firm for foreign governments looking to establish a notable presence in the U.S. with inspired, head-turning buildings. While this Canadian-born architect spent the last three decades working on American soil, it was a chance encounter that led Powe back to working on international projects, sparking his life-long passion for foreign affairs and unique cultures. “I was just coming off as president of the board of the Washington Symphony Orchestra and that symphony happened to perform regularly for foreign embassies, playing at formal receptions and balls,” Powe said. “I had a list of ambassadors living in D.C., so I sent out a mailer. That’s what started our expertise and specialty in working for the foreign embassies. We have an international practice without ever leaving the city.” It wasn’t long before the firm got a big bite from a young, progressive European country looking to make a mark in D.C. Having recently broken away from Yugoslavia, Slovenia decided to hire Powe Jones to renovate the former Yugoslavian embassy and transform it into a mixed-use embassy, the first of its kind in the U.S. Having extensive experience with mixed-use projects, Powe Jones took on the challenge with great enthusiasm. He sought 56 Architecture Leaders Today

to make the building reflect the spirit of the budding country in the design of the re-vamped building. “One of the first questions we ask the client before we design a new building is for them to tell us about their culture and tell us what statement they want to make about their country that can be reflected in the architecture,” Jones said. “So in the case of Slovenia, they were about to celebrate their 20th anniversary. They’re a new and exciting country. They were prosperous and they wanted to express openness and modernity and friendliness. They didn’t want to appear openly opulent. Those were the key design themes that we came up with.” In order to accomplish the mission of the visionary country, Powe and Jones had to convince the Slovenian government that the less-than-aestheticallypleasing building they inherited was not a “tear-down” as they thought, but a diamond in the rough -- a building that could once again make an architectural and cultural statement. Wanting to express modernity and efficiency with their embassy, Slovenia decided that the massive 20,000 sq. ft. building could house the Slovenian ambassador and simultaneously be used as a chancery. “On the top level we designed a penthouse ambassador’s residence that has two functions: entertaining and private family quarters. We did a total gut and renovation of the building,” Jones said. “We introduced images of this very bold and modern two-story glass bay window that totally re-imaged the building. We came up with a new entry canopy and then we came up with a

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second entrance for the ambassador’s residence. He enters from the ground floor and takes an elevator to the penthouse. We had a fairly modest budget, but it was sufficient to do a total gut. We understand both building functions and we made it two separate uses that we integrated, so the ambassador has a one storey commute from his residence to his office.” Aside from rebuilding the Slovenian embassy, Powe Jones has taken on other international projects, including the Malawi Embassy and the Mexican Cultural Institute. Having developed a real expertise with historic and mixeduse architecture, Powe Jones and their team provide service and exceptional work for projects that other American firms are not as willing to undertake. Powe and Jones work relentlessly, not only to provide exceptional architecture, but to work with each country and their own set of demands and regulations. Being able to relate and communicate with foreign clients is the key to Powe Jones’ ability to provide each client with exactly what they want. “We have extra layers of complexity over getting approvals and different codes and regulations,” Powe said. “The countries often have their own design regulations and security regulations. Every government has slightly different bureaucratic ways of procuring services and construction... It’s just some of the dynamics that makes working with other countries exciting and different.” While renovating the Mexican Cultural Institute and Malawi Embassy, Powe and Jones came up against another set of regulations, this time pertaining to the historic preservation of the buildings. Taking what Powe called

“an invisible approach” to architecture, he and his team had to maintain the interior and exterior beauty of the historic building while implementing modern day systems and amenities into the MCI. Similar efforts were made with the Malawi Embassy, including the addition of ADA certified access to the building as well as preserving the historic exteriors. The demands of his niche profession can be challenging, but Powe maintains that it all goes back to feeding his fascination with urban architecture. After Powe graduated from McGill University with a degree in architecture, he discovered that the creative, yet scientifically demanding industry was a perfect fit for him. Personable and hands-on, Powe continues to focus on innovative design projects and keeping the best interest of his client Powe Jones’ number one priority. Working closely with partners such as James Connelly of Lincoln Property Company, a full-service real estate investment and property advisory firm that sponsors investment programs throughout the U.S., Powe provides nothing but his superlative for his clients. “That’s one of the fascinations of working with foreign embassies,” Powe said. “Every season we get to study and learn new cultural differences. I, in particular, have found them enjoyable and fascinating. Every client is unique and you have to absorb the culture from a client. If you take the time to really understand where the client is coming from, not only their needs, but what motivates them and what their concerns are, you can be highly creative, while satisfying their pragmatic needs.” ALT July/August 2011 57

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One apartment at a time

Innovative design/build firm J5 Group, Inc. works with his clients on a personal level, transforming 100-year-old warehouses or former hotels into exactly what they need by Paige L. Hill

ames Sowlakis, the principal and founder at the design/build firm J5 Group, Inc., said that his extensive background in residential renovations and his sensitivity to the clients’ needs and lifestyle is exactly what sets his New York-based firm apart. “We really believe that clients come to us and keep coming to us because of our attention to detail and our fantastic customer service,” Sowlakis said. “When you work with us it feels like family.” Sowlakis said his fascination with architecture began early on since his father, also an architect, educated him in the business of design. “I was afforded the luxury of seeing Dad work from a young age,” Sowlakis said. “He let me put pencil to paper on a couple of remodeling projects in our own home and rearrange the furniture as a kid. I think it was from there that I realized I really loved residential architecture because it is personal.” Sowlakis has done several commercial projects, like renovating the popular midtown Bar 515, converting a 100-year-old lumber yard into retail and office space in Northwest Connecticut and currently, working on a chain of retail stores for 58 Architecture Leaders Today

Jack Rabbit Sports in Manhattan. But Sowlakis maintains, all roads seem to lead him back to his first love: residential. “There is a certain sensitivity that goes along with this work because you need to get to know your client on a personal level and how they live and what kind of home would be conducive to that,” Sowlakis said. “So often I sit down with a husband and wife who want different things -- I think the job of the architect is often being the great communicator.” Sowlakis said working as an architect in N.Y. also means dealing with what goes along with a big-city lifestyle: doormen, small elevators, and extensive permitting processes. “The challenge of the day-to-day of getting something accomplished in a timely fashion is a big challenge,” Sowlakis said. “We often have clients who take off to their second homes for the summer and need us to be out of their city apartment by the time their kids go back to school.” Therefore, J5 tries to accomplish as much of the project design and interior procurement of materials and fixtures as possible, before actually entering the space. Blueprints are finalized, permits

are approved, materials are ready and change is limited in the actual construction phase. J5 subcontracts out almost all of the physical work, often relying on local construction company Cortlandt Contracting Corp., based out of Yonkers. “There is a sense of synergy between us,” Sowlakis said. “They help us keep our ducks in a row, because we offer our clients a turn-key approach to our work.” Being in the Big Apple also means working in small spaces, and as a result, the firm almost exclusively renovates apartments, townhouses and combinations thereof. “We understand how to work with these older buildings where the infrastructures are already in place. We go in with the mindset that we are going to completely renovate the interior and get every single inch out of that space,” Sowlakis said. J5 concentrates on innovative lighting installations to make use of small spaces and ceilings, using low voltage MR16 fixtures and LED lighting for coves whenever possible. J5 also focuses on using high-end materials like stone, caesarstone and wood grains to bring interest to bathrooms and kitchens.

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“So often I sit down with a husband and wife who want different things — I think the job of the architect is often being the great communicator.” “Sometimes a project begins as a kitchen renovation and then we end up doing the whole apartment – we tend to do overhaul projects, not just touch-ups,” Sowlakis said. In a recent overhaul project, Sowlakis was presented with renovating an apartment that combined two hotel rooms on the 22nd and 23rd floors of the former St. George Hotel and Tower in Brooklyn Heights to create a duplex loft – The Hammel/English residence. The client chose J5 Group based on their renovation portfolio, considering the inflexible infrastructure, low ceilings and outdated style the space afforded. “It was a pretty incredible challenge, but one we rose to,” Sowlakis said. “The views out of this apartment are unobstructed from the Statue of Liberty to the Chrysler Building; I mean, we had to give them the apartment to go with these iconic views.”

Sowlakis kept those views in mind during the design process and decided an unfettered style that drew the eye out the windows would make the best use of the space. “It was almost nautical in that sense that the lines are very clean and the focus is on what is going on outside,” Sowlakis said. The approach in construction was to make the space feel airy and filled with light, but the low-hanging ceilings with dropped beams could not be totally compromised. The beams were incorporated and Sowlakis’ team implemented floating ceilings with cove lighting, giving the apartment a 10-foot-ceiling impact without the height. The team also created an open, floating staircase to connect the floors without taking up precious square footage. “We wanted to totally gut the apartment, but there were some things that could not be tampered with, so we made an impact with light-

PREVIOUS PAGE: Mack Residence II Ariel West renovation/decoration of 2-bedroom condo, upper west side, N.Y. OPPOSITE: Hammel/English residence, St. George Tower & Grill. Complete renovation of 2-bedroom duplex Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. ABOVE: Hammel/English residence, St. George Tower & Grill. Complete renovation of 2 bedroom duplex Brooklyn Heights, N.Y.

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RIGHT: Mack residence II Ariel West renovation/ decoration of 2-bedroom condo, pper west side, N.Y. FAR RIGHT: Baker residence the Leighton house. Full renovation to combine a 3-bedroom and 1-bedroom apartment, upper east side, N.Y.

ing,” Sowlakis said. “We reconfigured the floor plan to account for a modern-sized kitchen and dining area. This needed to suit an active couple who entertain guests both for dinner parties and overnight stays, not just a couple of hotel guests.” The final result afforded the couple much more than hotel rooms, with a kitchen/dining room, living room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, family room and an 800-square-foot terrace overlooking the East River and the harbor. Up next for the design/build firm is converting a 100-year-old loft near Union Square into a four 62 Architecture Leaders Today

bedroom home for a young family. The 3000 sq. ft. structure boasts 12 ft. ceilings and an open floor plan – in short, an architects’ dream. “We’ve almost got a clean slate here which gives us a lot of flexibility – it’s going to be a one of those rare moments where we hardly have any issues with the existing structure,” Sowlakis said. “This project really speaks to our design philosophies; it’s going to be exciting.” The family of four has asked J5 Group to create a master suite, two bedrooms for their two young children, and a guest room/office that could be

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TERZANO CABINETRY

FAR LEFT: Mack I residence, the Coronado, complete remodel of a 3-bedroom apartment, upper west side, N.Y. MIDDLE LEFT: Burke residence penthouse, full gut renovation of a 1-bedroom, 1.5-bath in west Chelsea, N.Y. NEAR LEFT: Burke residence, penthouse loft renovation, Chelsea, N.Y. Photos By Phillip Dutton Photgraphy

converted should they decide to add a fifth to their growing family. Interestingly enough, the building was a sewing factory in its former life; and more recently, served as a home and studio for a local photographer. “The family keeps finding these little pushpins and sewing stuff,” Sowlakis said. “We’ve got to clear out that stuff so we can start completely fresh, because they want this to be their home without change for at least the next 10 years, if not beyond that.” One thing Sowlakis does not worry about

is marketing. His firm largely relies on wordof-mouth advertising, and has kept rather busy at that. His portfolio maintains many recurring addresses because a client will show off J5’s work in their home and then the neighbor will hire the design/build firm for their own project. In fact, J5 recently completed two back-to-back neighboring apartment renovations with the same floor plan, but the clients wanted totally different results. “I mean, that’s just who we are,” Sowlakis said. “It is our job to interpret what our clients need and then we deliver exactly that.” ALT

From Old World kitchens with gold leaf details to family room wall units in quartered ash and lobby reception areas in pear wood, Terzano Cabinetry, Inc. has establish their place in the woodworking industry as one of the finest cabinetry firms one could desire. Based out of South Hackensack, N.J., the firm has been reinventing what is possible with wood. Since the firm’s inception, Terzano Cabinetry, Inc. has been working with talent, vision and dedication for a wide array of homeowners, designers, architects and design-build firms. Each employees works hand in hand with the firm’s clients to make sure that their vision comes to life with the quality both client and Terzano expect. To meet the ever changing trends in the cabintery and design market, the firm continually invests in state of the art machinery and software. Their experienced and talented craftsmen receive ongoing training on new techniques to make sure that every project the firm handles keeps them in their place on top of the market. From a vast range experience with many different species of wood to their up-tothe-second understanding of the latest in cutting edge technology, the firm is perfectly poised to provide unique and custom services, individualized for each and every client. See ad on page 143.

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SOUTH 68 ADAMS 00 STORY ARCHITECTS

74 ROWE 00 STORY ARCHITECTS, INC. 80 MENEFEE + WINER 00 STORY

83 MCFARLIN HUITT PANVINI, INC. 00 STORY 86 PRECISION PLANNING, INC. 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY

“A pull quote about this long from the story goes here.”

Okeechobee Courthouse, Okeechobee, Fla. This is whoInc. said this, from This company. Architect: Rowe Architects Photo by Mike Hammer Photography Photo by xxxxx or photo courtesy of xxxxx.

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Entry Hall Stair Landing designed to attract abundant northern ambient light into the residence. This house “knows where it is” under the sun, a strength that distinguishes all Adams Architects’ sustainable work from the majority of residential work done without a fundamental sunlight consciousness. All photos by Joe Aker Imaging

THE BEST LITTLE GREEN HOUSE IN TEXAS Through hard won values, tempered insight and a very personal approach to design, Adams Architects has provided the Houston area with its first LEED Platinum single family residential project. by Joel Cornell 68 Architecture Leaders Today

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Main Living Room effused with abundant, north light drawn from high clerestory windows that illuminate the whole house with qualitative, poetic, daylight. Frank and honest exposition of the steel structural skeleton of the residence gives its rooms a muscular, well-built, yet home-like quality.

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rowing up in rural west Texas, architect Joseph Adams learned firsthand how to make, build and create using the simple materials available. “I grew up with agrarian roots, but wanting to do something different,” Adams said, “Ironically, what we do here at Adams Architects is not unlike making something from nothing, in the same way that farmers do.” From his simple upbringing, Adams pursued an atypical educational path. While spending his undergraduate years studying a broad range of liberal arts subjects at Dartmouth College, Adams played football as an AllAmerican athlete. He met his wife and future business partner/co-principal Gail Adams (née Hood) while completing his post graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied under famous master architect Louis Kahn. Afterwards, Adams worked for years to attain a Master’s in Philosophy from the University of London, while working under architects such as Colin St. John Wilson. Adams’ wife, born and raised in Princeton, N.J., accompanied her husband in returning to Texas. There, he worked for various large-scale commercial 70 Architecture Leaders Today

firms, such as Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, while his wife worked as an architect for even larger local firms. Soon, the couple followed their long term desires to begin their own firm and founded Adams Architects in 1976. “Today, the industry has moved to a point where we always have been,” Adams said. “Sensitive design, with energy conservation in mind, based on exemplifying a building’s underlying consciousness. We’ve stuck to our guns for many, many years. Lo and behold, the industry and the public have come upon our mindset with hope, with sustainability and environmental stewardship now as priorities. Clients see the signs of the times and are now recognizing those long standing values we’ve always employed.” Adams Architecture is built like a true blue mom ‘n’ pop architectural design firm; not because of a lack of resources or talent or funding or vision, but because the couple has only sought to create quality architecture together allowing the differences in their respective backgrounds to create a hybrid environment of beauty, creativity and vision. Never a firm focused solely on production, Adams Architects remains intentionally small and family

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CONTECTS CONSULTANTS & ARCHITECTS Context is one of the most important elements in the predesign and design phases of a project. Understanding what the neighborhood is all about, engaging the natural surroundings, creating a structure that at once matches it surroundings, compliments them, all while standing out as uniquely beautiful: these are the measures that Contects Consultants & Architects understands, creates and implements every single day. Contects Consultants & Architects, founded in 1982, has grown from a design/build firm focusing on single family residence to helping residential, multifamily and commercial project teams resolve and avoid construction defects, implement high performance building solutions and achieve recognition in the marketplace through national green building programs such as Energy Star and LEED. From Greenville, South Carolina to Phoenix, Arizona and right on the border of Mexico in Brownsville, Texas, Contects Consultants & Architects has brought their unique scope of services to bear influence on a vast portion of the southern United States. Founding partners and industry veterans Chip and Debra Henderson have been providing priceless services and timeless advice to companies such as Adams Architects for many years. Buildings today are exponentially more complex than they’ve ever been. Understanding the interactions that occur within building systems and components, especially related to durability and the dynamic of moisture, heat and air require the great deal of knowledge and experience that Contects Consultants & Architects provides. Using a common ‘green language’ to guide the design and construction process, the firm creates financial and social values for their client all while reducing implementation costs. See ad on page 144.

oriented in order to address each project, client and problem singularly as both principals and designers When clients seek out Adams Architects, they find Joseph and Gail Adams. “We approach each one of our commissions from the ground up,” Adams said. “Clients come to us looking to have us fulfill a certain need in terms of space. Our services are comprehensive, with the bulk of our projects in the residential sector. So, we try and achieve something a bit more intangible in every project. “From my time at Dartmouth, I found a wonderful liberal arts college that provided me with an inclination to allow my architectural work to encompass a broad range of concerns. Architecture, to me, is shaping place more than the making of space. The client for our latest LEED Platinum residence was an old friend from my time at Dartmouth. He was politically of a more conservative mindset, but he had recently had a change of heart when it came to environmental concerns.” This particular client resided in a historical and rather traditional stayed

ABOVE: Exterior Garden View illustrates the north screen porch running the entire length of the northern exposure. The metal-structured and metalskinned exterior gives the house a zero-maintenance quality, repelling the harsh hurricane-prone, Gulf Coast environment . A Well-Illuminated Kitchen, both by natural light and LED state-of-the-art low voltage artificial lighting further emphasizes that Light is the key. The beauty and warmth of wood bamboo flooring and cabinetry throughout were as important to the designers as that material’s profound sustainability. Note the exposed air conditioning ducting as part of the frank and honest exposition of materials, a fundamental signature of the design attitude and aesthetic-of-truth employed by Adams Architects throughout all their design work. The seamless transition between inside and outside is seen in the master bedroom and its adjoining screen porch get-away. Floored with sustainably recycled plastic decking, the inside and outside become one in this space to receive the cooling breezes that come from the Gulf of Mexico in this hot, humid subtropical climate. Aerial view of the residence illustrates the massive photovoltaic array that makes this residence a net exporter of electrical power. Yet the residence sits gracefully in a traditional residential neighborhood with its more conventional neighbors.

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red brick house built in the Georgian style, located in the River Oaks neighborhood of Houston, Texas. The client had grown weary of inefficiently maintaining the old house. Instead of replacing one air conditioning unit with nothing more than the next model, the client wanted to make a concerted, moral and ethical change to his style of living. He sought out Adams Architects in order to embody those sustainable ideals. Adams said that their firm was simply waiting with bated breath for a client like this to walk through the door. The firm’s approach to this project in particular reflected a more intense version of their approach to all projects. Initially, the firm requests of their clients a written program, both in terms of the “soft bits and the hard bits.” The hard bits will consist of the client’s quantitative wishes in terms of a certain number of bedrooms or bathrooms, or a certain budget requirement as it pertains to certain design elements, such as sustainability. In terms of the soft bits, Adams is seeking to get the intangibles that might imply 72 Architecture Leaders Today

poetry of space on paper; finding the heart and soul of the project before putting pencil to paper. “To accomplish a project with the thorough attention to detail that LEED Platinum certification required, in the end we had to have that unique client that truly wanted to achieve such a thing,” Adams said. “We helped to take him farther than he was initially prepared to go. He was ready to commit to solar photovoltaic system, recyclable materials and the lot. We had a lot of hard value wired into the intrinsic elements of the project. But still, he had to make some serious tradeoffs in order to accomplish the LEED certification we all sought so eagerly. “As architects, we are taking more and more chances with more and more clients. Those who may not have considered what they were doing in a moral, aesthetic, natural or environmental way are now beginning to see the full extent of the implications of their building desires. It is quite tricky to help shape the views of the client to respond to all of the elements in a project,

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most of which they aren’t necessarily aware of at the outset of the design.” The two-story home is the first building in the whole Gulf Coast region to receive LEED Platinum certification, and boasts a net zero energy consumption rate. Still, in Adams’ mind, all the measurable technical specs in the world don’t automatically constitute a sustainable design. “So many are obsessed with the technicalities and numbers in sustainable architecture that they leave behind the aesthetic, perhaps the spiritual component that really distinguishes quality architecture,” Adams said. “Good architecture has manifested itself through these qualities, and they cannot be left out of the equation on any single element of design. Our goal is to have both the technical aspects and the more emotively defined, impressionist aspects combined into one. “This kind of approach to design isn’t easy. Then again it’s not supposed to be. But the results are absolutely worth the effort!” ALT

ACROSS TOP: Courtyard view of Sustainable Ranch Residence (on Left) with Private Museum (on right). Note the extensive use of pergola sun-breaking devices and cooling water features in this South Texas hot and humid environment Nighttime view of Private Ranch Museum and pergola connecting main Residence on the right to Museum on the left This museum’s elliptical arcade features locally harvested Mesquite Wood floors and Native Limestone arches which continue the sustainability ideas inside this structure, lit with Museum Quality light by both artificial and natural means. ACROSS BOTTOM: Stair Hall to Ranch Museum with custom-designed, wrought iron railing and elliptical limestone arcade receding in the distance. An encompassing north screened porch allows residents complete access to the outside and accomplishes the inside /outside a’ natural feeling for the residence, for which the owners are justifiably proud. Nighttime view of Ranch Residence (on Left) and Private Museum (on Right) The exhibition spaces are abundantly illuminated with north Light clerestory monitors, triangular clerestory windows on the right that provide truly “museum quality” light for the museum gallery structure internally.

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Restoring Quality From cutting edge graduate schools to an abandoned warehouse, Rowe Architects, Inc. has in nearly half a century, become one of Florida’s premier architectural firms. by Joel Cornell

pon graduating from the University of Florida in 1968, Tom Hammer spent three years in the army before settling down in his home of choice, Tampa, Fla. to dive into the architectural profession head first. Hammer joined a firm founded by H. Dean Rowe, FAIA. Rowe, originally from the Midwest and a graduate of the University of Nebraska, wanted to move to Sarasota, Fla., which had become a hotbed for modern and strikingly unique architectural design after World War II. The modernist style known as the “Sarasota School of Architecture” or “Sarasota Modern” was at its height in the late 1950’s, and Rowe found himself inextricably 74 Architecture Leaders Today

drawn to the region because of the works of Paul Rudolph and others. However as happens all too frequently, the economy forced a change in his plans. Rowe wound up in Tampa, where the market was much less saturated and much more fluid, allowing him to focus on developing his own talent through projects without a pre-defined style. Rowe eventually founded H. Dean Rowe Architects, Inc. in 1964. Eight years later Hammer joined the firm as an intern, and he became a principal in 1977. From the time of the firm’s founding, the principals worked tirelessly to establish their firm as among the most prominent in the region. The

majority of the firm’s work has been educational and commercial projects. The firms marketing efforts sought out projects that presented unique design challenges. In the early 1970s the firm’s principals purchased and renovated a 1907 wholesale grocery warehouse. This project was the start of their historic restoration portfolio. Rowe’s son, Rick, who was in high school and worked in the office when Hammer joined the firm in 1972, received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the University of Florida and Yale University, respectively. In 1996 Rowe passed away leaving the firm in Rick and Hammer’s capable hands. They kept the title of Rowe Architects in

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OPPOSITE: Okeechobee Courthouse, Okeechobee, Fla., the restored south faรงade THIS PAGE: second-floor Loggia, looking north

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order to honor the lasting legacy that Rowe had left behind. “We have worked hard to follow in Dean’s footsteps in orienting ourselves, our firm and our direction around the best in design and professional service,” Hammer said. “Today, a large amount of our work is still educational, from K-12 to higher education and now historic preservation makes up a significant portion of our work. We recently finished our fourth county courthouse restoration in Okeechobee, Florida. All four of our courthouse restorations, as well as six other project, have won awards from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation.” “I’m typically the lead principal on historic preservation projects, such as the work we did for the Okeechobee County Courthouse,” Hammer said. “The historic courthouse was built just under a century ago. Just a year after its completion in 1925, and in the usual Florida fashion, a hurricane came through the lake and flooded the city. This courthouse was the only two-story building in town, so the second floor was utilized as a temporary morgue. Since then the courthouse has been in

continual use as the seat of county government until the county built a new Judicial Center, which moved much of the legal work out of the building. “We turned the largest courtroom into a new chamber for the county commission. Settlement under the ground floor slab forced us to entirely gut that floor. The second floor courtroom and circulation spaces were preserved and the office spaces gutted. The interior was rehabilitated to function as modern offices while preserving the historical character.” The very first historic renovation project that Rowe Architects took on was for their own use in the early 1970’s. The firm’s principals and several of their attorney friends purchased an old abandoned wholesale grocery warehouse in downtown Tampa, originally built in 1907. “For us, this endeavor was an educational experience,” Hammer said. “Our plan was to turn it into office space for ourselves and the others investors. Along the way, as tenants in the building we learned what works and what doesn’t. We had other professionals visit our office, liked what they saw and hired us to restore other buildings

ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Restored courtroom plaster details, pediment over doors, pilaster capital, clerestory window and ceiling trim New pergolas for vehicular drop-off at north façade North stairs, between Loggias. Photo by Rowe Architects North façade, with new pergolas for vehicular drop-off Restored courtroom/County Commission chambers zexcept where noted.

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ABOVE, LEFT: University of Florida, Hough Hall, secondfloor circulation ABOVE, RIGHT: North façade, entry and north exterior Court BOTTOM LEFT: View from the southeast and historic campus entry BOTTOM LEFT: North Court, atrium Photos by George Cott, Chroma, Inc.

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for their offices. The end result was we had gained a reputation as historic renovation experts. Our office is still in the building.” Rowe Architects’ expertise in historic renovation projects as well as higher education projects is perfectly exemplified in the work they did for William R. Hough Hall at the University of Florida. The building was programmed as a graduate studies building for the Warrington College of Business Administration. The funding came from St. Petersburg, Florida businessman William R. Hough, who donated $30 million to the university, his alma mater, $10 million of which was set aside specifically for the new building that now bears his name. The University required that the building meet the LEED Gold standards at a minimum. The College administration encouraged the design team to strive for a higher LEED rating as they expected an environmentally-sensitive building to attract both high quality faculty and students to the school. By their own estimates, the firm’s

work has more than enough points to garner a LEED Platinum rating. This was particularly challenging considering the strict historic preservation design guidelines for new projects in the UF historic district. Hough Hall is situated at the historic entry to the campus and in the campus’ National Register Historic District. The project is adjacent to one of the early campus buildings, which is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). During the design process, another adjacent building from a later era was added to the NRHP. This challenged the firm to design a building that was compatible with its neighbors, while still retaining individuality and displaying its incredible infusion of high-end technology. Rowe Architects’ work for Hough Hall also included master planning efforts to re-envision the historic main campus entry. According to Selcuk Erenguc, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs, “I truly believe we have the best building on campus, and probably the best building among our peers.” ALT

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DAVID CONNER & ASSOCIATES Not a day goes by where designers across the country don’t laud their own firm’s love of customer service. But, for veteran landscape architect David Conner and his 14-yearold environmental / urban design firm of David Conner & Associates, sometimes simply doing what a client tells them to isn’t enough. “Instead of saying to our clients, ‘This is who we are, this is our style, and we will do as you ask within our range’, we try and find what the client’s true hopes and intentions are, and move forward with them alongside to ensure that each goal of the project is met entirely,” Conner said. “We adapt and change, based on budget, level of future maintenance, style, interests and intentions, all according to each individual project.” Conner’s award winning firm works across all sectors throughout the southeastern United States and across the country. His background working in larger architectural firms has given him the ability to uniquely connect with his clients and speak their language. Focusing on walkability in urban environments and sustainability across all projects the firm uses living plant matter alongside traditional materials like steel and concrete. David Conner & Associates has been setting new standards for aesthetic solutions with a highly sought after vision for the paths that lie ahead. See ad on page 80.

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GEORGIA ON MY MIND

This small Atlanta-based firm balances an open work atmosphere with experience and a hands-on approach to designing for various Georgian colleges. By Rebecca Carnes

ike everyone at Menefee + Winer, principals Jim Winer and Tony Menefee sit behind their desks at an open work station. Rather than cut themselves off with walls and parameters, Menefee and Winer embrace the team atmosphere which affords communication and allows them to keep intensely involved in every project. Working on each project that is in the pipeline gives Menefee + Winer the peace of mind that they are closely tied to their clients’ needs. Instead of focusing on marketing and chasing down new projects, something principals in a larger office might do, both Menefee and Winer act as principal practitioners, developing projects alongside their 15 employees. “In my case, it’s about the joy of working on a project directly with a client and that’s what attracted me to the profession in the first place,” Winer said. “It’s this hands-on reason that I’m an architect. We want to stay hands-on by staying small. If you go north of 15 employees it’s difficult for the principals to stay involved.” The Atlanta-based firm typically has three to five projects going on at once and has handled academic, institutional, commercial, multi-family, custom residential, historic restoration and adaptive reuse designs. Their focus has turned to academic projects, with commercial and residential work dropping off considerably. The firm was working on a college fraternity, a dining hall at Georgia Institute of Technology and a building for the football program at Georgia State University. Having a father who worked as a professor at Georgia Tech and having graduated from Georgia Tech himself, Winer has been around the college 82 Architecture Leaders Today

campuses his whole life. He also currently serves as chairman to the board of trustees at Tennessee Wesleyan College where the firm has completed many projects throughout the years. Working on the board has given him insight into how a small private college runs and this, in turn, helps provide a better service to his other academic clients. They have completed some interesting projects in the past for Tennessee Wesleyan that have helped mold the campus into a more uniformed look. They designed a student housing project in a traditional, Georgian design to go along with the other buildings on campus. It was a fast, 12-month turnkey project in which Menefee + Winer acted as architects, project managers, developers, interior designers, and overall project coordinators. “It’s an example of our ability to provide a full range of services and in a way they wanted it. We don’t attempt to dictate or force a style on anyone,” Winer said. The 102-bed residence hall and new campus quadrangle addressed a growing need for on-campus housing. With two classrooms, a common kitchen, laundry and vending areas, Wesleyan Commons is the largest building on campus. “We believe the new Wesley Commons student housing building completed in 2007 on the Tennessee Wesleyan College campus is the best designed facility of its kind in the southeastern U.S. Menefee and Winer did an excellent job,” said Larry Wallace, vice president for external affairs at the college. “Their architectural designs are simply the best we’ve ever seen.” The firm also did a project that involved re-establishing a historic quad

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that had been paved over by a parking lot in the 1970s. Part of that project involved designing a new parking area and creating a new campus entry marker. “We have consistently happy clients,” Winer said. “We listen to them throughout the process and their input is taken to heart. We offer guidance and creativity, but we don’t persuade them to do something they don’t want to do. They will always get from us a consistent, high-level of design and detailing.” The Menefee + Winer office space in itself is an impressive work because it earned LEED Silver and is Georgia’s first LEED New Construction architecture office. At the time the project was certified it was one of the first 10 LEED NC architecture firms in the world. It was also the first LEED certified project to be filed electronically with the U.S. Green Building Council. The firm has worked on a number of LEED certified projects, with Georgia Tech requiring LEED Gold certifications for its buildings. Many public institutions have sustainability requirements they must follow. Winer finds the private schools embrace sustainable design as well and will pay the extra costs associated with LEED design, construction, and certification. “We take sustainability seriously,” Winer said. “We use specification software that uses LEED principles so we’re always aware of the requirements. Even if the client doesn’t pursue LEED we offer the client sustainable options within the framework of the client’s budget.” Winer is currently working on an outdoor student recreation facility for Georgia State University. The project is an adaptive reuse of warehouse buildings constructed between the civil war and the 1920s. The design is modernist in style, creating a counterpoint to the historic fabric; and, it accommodates the new GSU Panthers football team, the GSU marching band, student recreation amenities and intramurals and inter-collegiate activities. Existing masonry, wood beams and clerestory windows are exposed to preserve the original character of the building. Interior partitions with transoms and skylights are utilized to maximize natural light. “We’re not concerned about advocating for a particular style. The primary objective for us is to develop a design that is consistent with the client’s desire and what they can embrace in their mind’s eye,” Winer said. “We set a feel and tone for the benefit of the client’s needs and wants.” To Menefee and Winer, style is irrelevant when it comes to the clients’ desires; because,

OPPOSITE PAGE: Tennessee Wesleyan College: Wesleyan Commons Student Housing, Athens, Tenn. This 102-bed residence hall and new campus quadrangle addressed a growing need for on-campus housing. The building is designed within the historic Georgian campus style. With two classrooms, a common kitchen, laundry and vending areas, Wesley Commons is the largest building on campus. Menefee + Winer served as architect, overseeing a campus budget and providing design services for memorials, landscape/hardscape improvements (including the new quad), renovation/new construction feasibility studies and parking lots. Photos by Menefee + Winer Architects. THIS PAGE: 1075 Brady Avenue, Atlanta, Ga. The building at 1075 Brady Avenue, a former muffler shop, was recently reborn as an architectural office. When it came time to relocate from the King Plow Arts Center, the firm knew they wanted to remain in this vibrant and developing area. In addition, they wanted to put their sustainable design ideas on display and into action. The result is an innovative office with studio, reception, conference, office and library spaces that is tracking LEED®-NC Silver certification from the US Green Building council. It will be the first LEED®-NC architectural office in the state of Georgia. Photos by John Clemmer Photography.

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PALACIO COLLABORATIVE Palacio Collaborative, Inc. is a full service construction cost and value management firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. A certified minority business enterprise and disadvantaged business enterprise, Palacio’s team has over 90 years of combined experience in providing clients accurate construction cost estimates. Palacio Collaborative has provided cost and value management for diverse municipal/government, higher education, K-12, residential, commercial and institutional building types. Their valueadded services manage cost, preserve the integrity of the design, and deliver to the owner the most building for the money. For more information, please visit www.palaciocollaborative.com. See ad on page 144.

they rely heavily on repeat and word-of-mouth business, it is important to have a client-pleasing work philosophy. “Most of our work has some connection to satisfied and repeat clients,” Winer said. “We like to know at the end of the day that the client is happy and will come back. We just hope they don’t retire before we do.” Winer hopes that as America slowly lifts out of the recession, more residential work will come their way. It had comprised as much as 50 percent of their work in the past, but has since shrunk to about five percent. Commercial work has all but disappeared. Menefee + Winer has no plans on growing in size and Winer wants to keep the business small, so that the principals can remain involved in every project. “By being directly involved in projects, we evolve,” he said. “Otherwise our skills would decline. It’s like playing a musical instrument.” ALT ABOVE: Georgia State University: Outdoor Student Recreation Facility, Atlanta, Ga. The renovated warehouse building accommodates student recreation services, intramurals and inter-collegiate activities. Photos by Menefee + Winer.

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One Piece at a Time

Nashville-based architecture firm McFarlin Huitt Panvini, Inc. has seen its fair share of country music stars, in and out of their office by Joan Tupponce

ABOVE: The building presents a gateway to the south edge of the TTU campus.

and McFarlin often catches a glimpse of country music’s greatest stars when he looks out of his office window on Music Row in Nashville. He even counts a few, such as Crystal Gayle, as his clients of his architecture firm, McFarlin Huitt Panvini, Inc. “Our first job 28 years ago was an addition to a house for a Nashville doctor and his wife,” McFarlin said. “They had an inquisitive young daughter who grew up to win an Oscar. Her name is Reese Witherspoon.” The company’s expertise is varied, from streetscape enhancements and new ground-up buildings to complex additions and the renovation of historic structures; from tenant space remodeling to industrial design/build facilities. “Our goal is to infuse every project with a spirit

of community, to craft unique places and spaces that bring out the best in human nature,” McFarlin said. “Our designs stand the test of time with an eye to the future.” The firm’s skill in historic renovations led them to the restoration of the Amqui Station in Madison, Tenn. The project was an adaptive reuse of a circa-1910 historic train depot which now serves as visitor center and museum. Country music legend Johnny Cash bought the train station years ago and moved it to Hendersonville, Tenn. to use as a tourist experience. When Cash died, ownership went to the real estate company and Discover Madison, an arm of the local Chamber of Commerce, secured donations to have the station moved back to its original site and create a train museum. McFarlin’s design added a covered pavilion that July/August 2011 85

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ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Town Square entrance space will accommodate science fairs. Chemistry Learning Studio with moveable lab stations. The 240-seat auditorium is equipped for tele-conferencing. Early Childhood Studio with ceiling-mounted camera network. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A view of the old station looking through the pavilion/stage. The handrails are removeable for stage performances. Interior of the entrance to the renovated train station. Exterior view of building. All photos courtesy of McFarlin Huitt Panvini.

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doubles as a stage along with a conference room and restrooms. The biggest challenge he encountered was working with the three organizations funding the project. “Each had different rules about what you could build with their grant,” McFarlin said. The project required that most of the materials used must be made in the United States. “If you bought nails, you had to have the paperwork to show they were made in the U.S.,” he said. “That is something that is getting more and more popular now, especially if you have a state grant.” McFarlin’s design also included a new roof and replacement windows. The windows that were installed resembled the station’s original windows. “We did leave a couple of the original windows that were okay,” he said. “We also left the building old inside. When you’re in the building, you can tell that it’s really old.” One of the firm’s projects that showcase its

expertise in designing learning centers is the Millard Oakley Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) Center at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tenn. The building serves as a special educational research facility for the university. “It’s a new concept,” McFarlin said. His partner Dan Huitt designed the Center. Classroom activities can be recorded by a camera network and studied to evaluate effective teaching strategies. In addition to its regular function during the school year, the STEM Center doubles as a regional community resource, a place for children and youth to academically explore math and science during the summers. Completed in June 2010, the Center houses an auditorium, laboratories, and a unique interactive Virtual Theatre that hosts 3D shows about science and the universe. The Theatre contains over $100,000 in equipment alone. “It’s a neat space,” McFarlin said. “It’s like a miniature planetarium.”

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ELK MOUNTAIN CONSTRUCTION

Designing a building with a contemporary, scientific usage on a campus with buildings that have Georgian character isn’t an easy undertaking. Huitt’s design kept the historic feel on the outside of the building but gave the interior a different look and feel. “Once you walk in the door it’s very contemporary,” McFarlin said. The project contained several interesting features including the outdoor telescope tower and a suspended eagle sculpture that greets visitors at the main entrance hall. “A local artist carved the eagle out of huge piece of wood,” McFarlin said. “It has a periodic table carved in it on the underside.” Historic renovations and learning centers are only two of McFarlin Huitt Panvini’s specialties. The firm handles a diverse portfolio of projects that include everything from post offices to retail and boot camps for juvenile offenders. The company is currently licensed in 21 states and work all over

the south and southwest. And like many firms, McFarlin Huitt Panvini is completing a growing number of green projects. Two of the partners in the firm are LEED accredited. “We are doing a LEED Silver public school right now in Nashville,” McFarlin said. “The project is a renovation and expansion of an existing elementary school.” Firm partner Bob Panvini also designed one of the regions’s first geothermal heated and cooled buildings for Nashville State Community College’s Center for Advanced Technology. “We also used geothermal in the Amqui Station project,” McFarlin added. “It’s very energy efficient.” McFarlin and his firm believe that, now more than ever, architects must take responsibility for creating ecologically conscious, healthy, durable, and productive places to live, learn, work, and play and will continue to implement sustainable practices in their future designs. ALT

McFarlin Huitt Panvini, Inc., with Mr. Dan Huitt leading the way, designed a new building for Tennessee Technological University called the S.T.E.M. Center. Elk Mountain Construction Company, Inc. worked closely with McFarlin Huitt Panvini on two phases of this project; working as both a contractor on the Site Work Phase and as a subcontractor on the Building Phase. In all, Elk Mountain’s scope of work included demolition of existing structures, grading, erosion control, bio-retention areas, storm drainage, sanitary sewer, domestic water, fire lines, roof and area drainage system, topsoil, base stone, asphalt paving, striping, and concrete curbing. For more information on Elk Mountain Construction, please call 931-372-7424. See ad on page 144.

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Gwinnett County Hamilton Mill Branch Library

D E V E LO P I N G I D E N T I T Y Through a heavy focus on client over self, Precision Planning, Inc. has operated with great success for over a quarter of a century in providing unique, defining design services to small communities all across the Georgian landscape. by Joel Cornell

“W

hen I founded Precision Planning, Inc. in 1982, some people wondered why I didn’t name the firm ‘Dixon & Associates’. After all, most engineering and architectural firms are named after their founders or principals. But I wanted to make it clear – starting with the name of the company – that Precision Planning isn’t like most other firms. “At PPI, our focus is on exceeding our clients’ expectations, not on tooting our own horns. That’s why our website showcases many of our great projects, and not our individual personnel. Our management team – which has more than 200 years of combined experience – works together to build 88 Architecture Leaders Today

client partnerships, provide superior service and create excellent designs. We’re doing more than providing engineering and architectural services – we’re designing the future, one project at a time.” These sentiments from Precision Planning, Inc. founder and CEO Randall Dixon quite accurately reflect the firm’s holistic, honest and selfless approach to design. Since the firm’s relatively humble beginnings, they have built their success upon a focus on community and culture, and a desire to stand entirely upon their reputation and their portfolio, instead of an image or style or some other nebulous ideal. With her personal and collegiate experience

firmly rooted in the arts, Precision Planning, Inc. Senior Vice President and Director of Architecture Liz Hudson brought with her a character, background and identity as diverse as every other staff member. Prior to her 17 years working with Precision Planning, Inc., Hudson studied art at Agnes Scott College, architecture at Washington University in St. Louis, and earned her Master of Architecture from Georgia Tech. “I always have enjoyed puzzles and puzzling out solutions,” Hudson said. “I find that I can use these skills in planning and architectural design; building layouts, designing green projects, working around existing building components, etc. I’ve

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Gwinnett County Hamilton Mill Branch Library, Art Glass at Building Entrance

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Gwinnett County Hamilton Mill Branch Library, Periodicals Reading Area

Gwinnett County Hamilton Mill Branch Library, Art Glass on North Window Wall

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Gwinnett County Hamilton Mill Branch Library, Library Interior

ON-SITE SYSTEMS Custom glass contractor On-Site Systems of Suwanee, GA specializes in producing high quality printed and etched glass for a variety of commercial applications including windows, doors, signs, room dividers, monuments, and any job requiring custom glass painting or etching. On-Site System’s unique glasswork has garnered attention from top national architecture firms including Precision Planning Inc. Working alongside PPI, On-Site Systems developed 87 panels of painted and etched glass for the Hamilton Mill Library project. On-Site Systems collaborated with artist Maria Artemis to develop the tiles which depict scenes of space, the oceans, grass, and other parts of the earth. For more information on custom etched glasswork for your commercial or residential space, please visit www.on-sitesystems.com. See ad on page 144.

also held an interest in architecture history, which has helped me to design buildings for context, as well as content. “Precision Planning, Inc. has always been about substance over style, and understanding the historical, cultural and physical context is a large part of what we do. I love my work here as the Director of the Architectural Department, because I get to be involved on each project at a much deeper level than someone in my position would normally be at another firm. I manage and develop projects and build client relationships, but I still enjoy having one or both hands in the design process when I have the opportunity.” As a multidisciplinary engineering, planning and design firm, Precision Planning, Inc. was originally founded on strictly surveying and engineering. Through several years of operating in this capacity, the firm began performing work for small grant funded architectural projects in the more rural parts of their home state of Georgia. As relationships with these rural communities developed and as Precision Planning, Inc. began to gain traction

in their industry, the scope, complexity, and depth of the building and infrastructure projects began to increase exponentially. In order to accommodate the growing demand for company services, Precision Planning, Inc. started an architectural department in the mid1980s. Originally, this endeavor was a reactionary response to the growing needs in small communities for buildings such as health departments, senior centers, child development centers and the like. Eventually, when local counties and cities needed to build larger and more complex projects like police and fire stations, jails, court houses, government buildings, and so on, they trusted Precision Planning, Inc. with these projects only to see ideal results. Today, the firm’s vast scope of services extends far outside of surveying and engineering. The firm has specifically divided groups which individually handle operations such as civil engineering; a group that is then split into teams which handle many industry verticals such as transportation, environmental, commercial and residential. The architecture department has grown to offer interior July/August 2011 91

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Gwinnett County Hamilton Mill Branch Library, Art Glass on North Window Wall

design, a 3D modeling studio, as well as LEED project administration. With the new Hamilton Mill Library in Gwinnett Country, Precision Planning, Inc. saw their first high profile project in the area as a chance to make a true, lasting mark on the community. After besting the competition, including several firms that specialized in libraries, the firm began the process with a LEED charette in order to establish the goals for the facility. “Here, form truly followed function in the building type,” Hudson said. “We left the internal spaces in the building as wide open as we could manage, which also helped security to monitor the library. Still, the library is ideally zoned using furniture, unique finishes and a masterfully planned layout. There are spaces for computers, for teens and children, for study and for periodicals; each section being set apart from the others without the use of walls.” Seeking to reduce the environmental impact the library would have, Precision Planning, Inc. implemented an extensive series of sustainable design elements. These elements ranged from porous asphalt, native drought resistant plants, bioswales, storm water management systems and a 92 Architecture Leaders Today

heat resistant coating on the roof. These measures, however, were only external. Inside the library, the firm used recycled materials wherever possible, locally sourced materials and a unique natural lighting system to reduce energy costs. Also, Precision Planning, Inc brought a local artist on to the team, as the clients wanted to have art featured as an integral part of the architecture. The artist designed a series of screen glass panels along the north and south walls. The firm also maintains a water resources group, a planning department, a landscape architecture department, in addition to their original surveying, engineering and architectural departments. These groups work together in an extremely open and collaborative environment in order to achieve optimal results. “Initially, we got into doing jail design because it was presented to us as a challenge -- something we particularly enjoy,” Hudson said. “It was a fascinating endeavor, really, because of the manner in which the public perceives their money being spent on a jail puts us in a position where we have to walk a fine line. “On one side, we are being tasked with designing and developing a public building that can be

a source of pride for the community; something citizens know they’re going to want to be just as functional 50 years down the road as it is today. But, on the other side, there is a fairly prevalent perception that since we’re spending this money in order to house and protect those accused of a vast range of crimes, you don’t want to give the inmate population a facility that might rival the community centers, public sector office buildings, libraries, courts, etc.” “Also, we’ve been branded as jail specialists, among other things, despite our generalist approach and the vast scope in our portfolio,” Hudson said. “With jails, it’s vital to understand that running a jail over the life of the facility is far more expensive than the initial capital cost of the building itself. Here, efficiency is more than a highly desirable trait in a building; it’s critical.” With a total staff of 50 highly qualified employees, Precision Planning, Inc. has recently finished a high-profile project in their home city of Lawrenceville, Georgia. Hudson personally oversaw many aspects of the Lawrenceville Police Headquarters project, including making recommendations that would shape the final result of the station. Being police officers, the clients wanted to have the building

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Gwinnett County Hamilton Mill Branch Library, Art Glass at Reading Patio

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EPIC METALS EPIC Metals roof and floor deck ceiling systems focus on emphasizing and creating architectural features in new construction, while addressing acoustics, long spans, hanging features, hidden roofing fasteners and green building requirements. Innovation is a key component of the company’s design philosophies with various product lines featuring a myriad of looks including beamed, flat, curved, or linear plank. All systems have an acoustic option to minimize interior noise levels. Decreased interior noise and reverberation increases occupant comfort and voice intelligibility, both important factors in public spaces. Long spans up to 55 feet are possible with EPIC systems. Longer spans between the building’s structural support requires less exposed structure to visually open the architecture and further increase acoustic effectiveness. Many EPIC systems feature dedicated hanging systems to hang utilities, duct work, or signage. Another built-in architectural design feature hides roofing system fasteners that typically penetrate the roof deck and are visible from the interior space. Hidden fasteners result in a clean, finished appearance. Composite floor deck ceiling panels allow building floors to have matching ceilings on each level to the roof deck ceiling system. EPIC panels can be specified with recycled steel content to meet green building requirements. See ad on page 96.

TOP TO BOTTOM: Lawrenceville Police Headquarters: dispatch room, public lobby, main entrance.

feature a very authoritarian aesthetic; something demanding and powerful, while still creating a community landmark. The physical site for the headquarters is dramatically set at a high traffic intersection leading into town, and is sloped on a decline towards the back of the property. With security always in mind, the building was designed so that it appears from the front as only two stories, whereas the slope allows accommodation of an additional lower level. This level is only accessible upon driving through a secured gate. The lower level functions are bunkered into the terrain, and include the dispatch center, patrol and K9 divisions, holding areas, lockers and a weight room. “We’ve never had a shotgun approach to developing projects, nor have we tried to develop the firm as a brand or define it through one particular style or aesthetic,” Hudson said. “We’re proud of our humble beginnings. Our focus on helping small communities to develop their own unique styles, aesthetics and identities has been the foundation for our company and it’s the integrity of that approach that we believe sets us apart.” ALT 94 Architecture Leaders Today

Collaboration results in symbiotic relationships.

www.forefrontstructural.com

WEST 00 STORY 98 KEPHART

00 STORY 106 M DESIGNS ARCHITECTS 00 STORY H:T 112 STUDIO

00 STORY 116 TOPETCHER ARCHITECTURE 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY

“A pull quote about this long from the story goes here.” This is who said this, from This company.

Photo by xxxxx or photo courtesy of xxxxx.

Fracture Residence Architect: Studio H:T Photo by Raul Garcia

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smaller, newer, better Colorado-based firm KEPHART community :: planning :: architecture, says a forward-thinking design in residential architecture is what keeps them relevant and cutting edge. by Paige L. Hill

100 Architecture Leaders Today

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hey say that the best things come in small packages. Though few developers would be quick to apply that statement to today’s residential architecture, KEPHART contests that the “smaller is better” approach is the wave of the future in multi-family housing. “I would say the trend of boutique development has really grown in just the last five years or so as young couples and families become more interested in housing with less square footage, and higher quality finishes with close proximity to exciting city life,” said Paul Campbell AIA, President of KEPHART. The Denver-based firm has been in the business of designing residential single and multi-family housing for over 35 years; and has witnessed the preferences of buyers and renters fluctuate. “I think the mindset has changed and smaller is more accepted now,” Campbell said. “The home is less of the focus of one’s universe for the younger set. They require less space. They just think of home as a base camp that is accessible to their work, the outdoors and amenities.”

ABOVE: Skye 2905 Urban Flats, Denver, Colorado. Located in Downtown Denver near Coors Field and Union Station, these contemporary mixed-use apartments feature open, loft-style floor plans with commanding views of Downtown and the Rocky Mountains.

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Two of KEPHART’s recent projects, Two Nine North in Boulder and Sixth & Logan in Denver play off this idea that less is more. Two Nine North is a mixed-use development with four stories of apartments over one level of garage parking in a contemporary design. The design highlights a car-free lifestyle provided by a nearby transit station and close proximity to a network of walking trails, a variety of shopping, entertainment, and employment. “The Denver-metro area is an especially desirable place to live right now,” Campbell said. “That might have been a different story five years ago when it seemed like only true outdoor enthusiasts wanted to plant roots here. Now with positive growth in the Denver metro-area, linked with increasing connectivity to light rail, we are finding that there is a lot of housing that needs to be provided.” KEPHART’s design at Two Nine North allowed 238 units to be comfortably fit on 3.55 acres of prime Boulder property, adjacent to a popular dining and shopping center. The units range in size from 799 to 1472 sq. ft. with high 102 Architecture Leaders Today

end finishes, and the community is set to be completed in September. This community won the firm a Gold Nugget Award of Merit in the Outstanding On The Boards Apartment Project category in 2009. “The key is that, scale and function are considered when designing homes whether big or small. Someone living in a 500 sq. ft. home does not desire a stove sized to cook a 20 pound turkey. If you put that large stove or large appliance of any sort in the kitchen, you run out of space for living. People are making trade-offs away from larger spaces for living closer to a desired location.” Sixth & Logan pushes the “boutique” side of small scale living to even more of an extreme. The 60 units in this apartment community average just 620 sq. ft. – a size that is generally more accepted in a large metropolis like Manhattan or Chicago. “The idea is that you don’t have to pay a fortune to live in a stylish urban flat, and that is where we are headed,” Campbell said. “For years we have seen a 950 sq. ft. average unit size in almost every apartment project – due to a

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CONSILIUM DESIGN Consilium Design provides services in landscape architecture, land planning, urban design, and marketing graphics to the real estate, homebuilding and commercial development industry throughout Colorado, the United Stares and internationally. This includes Kephart, who Consilium is proud to work with. Consilium believes that compelling, sustainable design solutions must be contextual, adaptable, and temporal in nature. Their designs are meant to be lived in, not simply looked at. For more information about Consilium please visit www. consiliumdesign.com. See ad on page 106.

ANCHOR ENGINEERING Anchor Engineering, Inc. is a full service structural engineering firm with diverse competency in the design of commercial, institutional, multi-family residential, mixed use, industrial and modular structures as well as custom and production homes. AEI’s services also include but are not limited to construction phase consulting services, due-diligence structural engineering services for commercial and residential real estate, aluminum storefronts, engineered screw piles, curtain wall/glazing engineering, forensic structural investigations and repair solutions. Since the firm’s founding in 1998, in Denver, Colorado, it has been their goal to provide excellent service to their clients, both in regards to the quality of work completed, and in attempting to make every client interaction positive, encouraging, and productive. AEI’s focus has been to provide structural solutions based on sound engineering judgment with a commitment to efficiency, while generating documents that are clear, concise, and which facilitate ease of construction. AEI’s ability to serve clients at the highest level has been their best form of advertising, and it has lead to the company’s continued success. AEI holds multiple state licensures and employs a team of highly skilled licensed professional engineers, engineering interns, drafters, and administrative assistants. Anchor Engineering, Inc. is committed to providing innovative and cost effective engineering solutions while exceeding your service expectations. See ad on page 146.

one-two-three bedroom formula that was the industry standard. As designers it’s always more profitable to just stay status quo, but doing that can be stale and unfulfilling. So, at KEPHART, we choose to raise the bar and the design ideas that will take us toward the future.” KEPHART is still in the design phase of the Sixth & Logan project and construction will be underway next spring. Campbell said he first realized that the firm was really onto something during one of their online educational outreach seminars, or a “KEPHART webinar,” where anyone with access to the internet can discuss architectural topics with employees. “I’ve learned over the years that it is not just the leaders who have the good ideas, it’s exciting when any member of our staff presents an idea that opens up our minds,” Campbell said. “We are a small firm and a casual group of people. Our office is an open space for sharing information, so the webinar is just an extension of that.” The firm’s residential designs span the spectrum from boutique apartments

THIS SPREAD: Vallagio at Inverness, Englewood, Colorado. Desirably situated on the Inverness Golf Course and adjacent to a light rail stop, Vallagio is a one-of-a-kind mixed-use neighborhood with easy access to downtown Denver via light rail and I-25. It offers vibrant retail with a mix of authentic eateries and neighborhood shops. Vallagio was recently voted Denver's Best Neighborhood to Live, Work, and Play. In 2008, it received the NAHB 50+ Housing Council's Special Judges Award for Innovation.

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ABOVE: Two Nine North, Boulder, Colorado.. FAR LEFT: Alexan Briargate, Colorado Springs, Colorado. As part of the 9,600 acre Briargate master planned community, Alexan is in the heart of a thriving residential, retail, education, and employment center. The pool deck and apartment buildings were thoughtfully arranged to take advantage of topography and amazing views of Pikes Peak. LEFT: Hazel at the Circle, Case Western University Campus, Cleveland, Ohio.

to single family homes, but Campbell said the important thing about being an architecture firm in this economic climate is to always diversify. Since the firm’s founding by Mike Kephart in 1974, diversification and an open mind has always been key to their success, according to Campbell. “What we really strive to do is make sure that our hands are in all areas of the housing market; we discipline ourselves that way,” Campbell said. “It is good to remember that the housing market is very cyclical and that getting involved wholly in one part of that market or another can be tricky – we work at staying in touch with all of them.” That diversification also means working on a vast number of projects outside of the immediate Colorado area. The firm is currently working on an apartment community designed for students, Hazel at the Circle, adjoining the Case Western University campus in Cleveland, Ohio. The slim building design makes use of a pedestrian-friendly parkway, or “living street” where students can mingle between campus and where they reside. Last year, the firm finished renovation projects on a significant apartment property in San Mateo, Ca. The firm also recently completed the master plan and visioning for an exciting 1075 acre resort community in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua, currently named Gran Palmas. “We’d like to think that there is nothing we can’t do,” Campbell said. “And our approach works the same whether a project is two blocks or two time zones away from our home office. We’ve had clients say ‘Gosh, we see you on site more than the architect we used last time who is located just across town.’ At this point we’ve got a pretty good feel for what works for making happy clients. I believe it is our unmatched approach to design and customer service that allows us to lead the wave of the future versus being just another architecture firm riding on it.” ALT July/August 2011 105

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THE STERLING ENGINEERING GROUP OF COMPANIES

NEWLY FORMED GROUP BOASTS A LONG PORTFOLIO AND VAST EXPERTISE by Joel Cornell

f the many states and territories within the U.S., few pride themselves on their unique culture and heritage as highly as Texas. The word Texas, which originates from the language of the Caddo nation, is translated as “friends” or “allies”, which perfectly describe much of what one will find prevalent in the state. Much of this attitude coagulated in the towns, communities and leaders therein, such as The Sterling Engineering Group of Companies. Originally incepted in 1974 and based out of Houston, Texas, as CBM Engineers, The Sterling Engineering Group of Companies has taken their local appreciation for skill, grandeur and friendship to clients nearby and around the world. Dr. Joseph Philip Colaco and Dr. P.V. Banavalkar, founders of CBM Engineers and now part of The Sterling Engineering Group of Companies are among the leading specialists in building structures worldwide. Dr. Banavalker brings 40 years of experience including designing 10 of the world’s 100 tallest buildings. They have made notable contributions to the advancement of the design and construction practice of structural engineering as it applies to tall buildings. Dr. Colaco has introduced numerous cost-saving innovations that have been widely adopted by many structural engineers. Dr. Colaco began his career in 1965 with the consulting firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in Chicago, where he worked on the 100-story steel John Hancock Building in Chicago and the 50-story reinforced concrete One Shell Plaza in Houston, Texas. He has done the conceptual design of 50 major building projects, including the 75-story J. P. Morgan/Chase Tower and the 64-story Williams Tower in Houston; 60-story Two Prudential tower in Chicago; 57-story Norwest Bank in Minneapolis; 55-story National Bank Plaza in Atlanta; 50-story United Bank Center in Denver; and the 48-story 101 California in San Francisco. The original foundation of the group, CBM Engineers, was Dr. Colaco’s and Dr. Banavalkar’s brainchild and has altered the global approach to building and design. Formed in 2011, The Sterling Engineering Group of 108 Architecture Leaders Today

Companies today encompasses CBM Engineers, which has expanded into offices in Mumbai, India, as well as four other firms. The Sterling Engineering & Design Group, a major partner of The Sterling Engineering Group of Companies, mainly serves as the structural consulting firm within the group of companies. The firm has been providing low rise structural consulting services to commercial, residential and telecom clientele since its founding in 2000. With the merger of Alliance Structural Engineers and founding member Thomas A. Bellace, The Sterling Engineering Group of Companies has improved their capabilities of structural engineering along with expertise and experience. Mr. Bellace has over 32 years of experience designing structural engineering for residential and industrial buildings. The company’s strength lies in developing innovative, yet practical structural solutions, according to Sandeep Patel who serves as President of The Sterling Engineering Group of Companies. Mr. Patel’s philosophy for the company is to provide engineering solutions for projects based on current and local construction practices. Post Tension Services India and Post Tension Services Pakistan, founded in 2006 in Gujarat and 2009 in Karachi, respectively, have been a key part of the massive growth of The Sterling Engineering Group of Companies, acting largely as suppliers of monostrand unbonded post tensioning products and all related services throughout the region. As an equally unique and talented branch of The Sterling Engineering Group of Companies, Structural Forensics’ multidisciplinary teams provide a comprehensive approach to the repair and rehabilitation of projects, from investigation to construction management. Experience and past investigations, combined with comprehensive testing and analysis capabilities make Structural Forensics a leader in the assessment of existing structures. All together, this collection of some of the most brilliant companies in their respective regions has brought fantastic change to the industry. ALT

ELLIS HAYS DESIGN

by Paige L. Hill

iana Ellis brings 25 years of experience to the field of residential model merchandising and interior design, with her firm Ellis Hays Design, based out of Denver, CO Ellis Hays Design brings blueprints to life by creating a livable space with appropriately scaled furniture beautiful color schemes and accessories, making the job of a builder more tangible before construction begins. “We help builders make changes sooner, before the construction begins, making their job down the line easier,” Ellis said. Their impressive portfolio, built over just three short years, has garnered the firm the Bar Award in 2009 for Best Community and a National Award in 2010. “We have the capabilities to cater to all demographics and all geographic locations,” Ellis said. Their services range from residential and commercial interior design to architectural evaluation. We do all our own procurement of goods and are hands on from plan review all the way down to the final project installation. “What we provide is much more than a consultation, we provide a kind of insurance that everything facilitates up front,” Ellis said. Before starting her own firm in 2008, Ellis worked for merchandising pioneer Letty Rozell at Designworks, Inc., for over 20 years. “Diana displayed exemplary talent, creativity and responsibility in the overall product development of numerous projects,” Rozell said. Ellis has worked with Kephart Architects in the beginning stages of project development, primarily focusing on interior plan review. Thanks to her efforts with Kephart’s projects, furniture flow and details can be established early in the developmental stages of plan reviw which allows for plan changes early on. “Simply by changing the location of a door, refrigerator or moving a window 6” can make a big difference in a room’s livability.” Ellis said. This stage of design is crucial because it allows for changes to be made without affecting the master plan significantly, therefore saving time and costs. Ellis Hays Design’s consulting work has garnered the attention of top builders in the Denver-area. As urban developers continue to revitalize old buildings for new mixed-used spaces, they consistently consult with Ellis for refreshing existing furnishings into modern and new product lines for these upcoming communities. ALT

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Partnership in Design

Combining their love of design and shared architectural vision, Chip Jessup and Malika Junaid of M Designs Architects have stayed at the forefront of the industry thanks to their client-friendly design approach and team-building business philosophy by Marylyn Simpson

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rowing up on opposite sides of the globe, architects Malika Junaid and Alpheus “Chip” Jessup’s professional paths could not have been more different. It wasn’t until after his undergraduate years that Jessup decided he would pursue a career in architecture, while Junaid knew she wanted to be an architect since childhood. Born and raised in Pakistan, Junaid spent her formative years traveling throughout the United States and Europe with her family, something that would leave a life-long impression on the future architect. “I used to be fascinated with buildings and it was riveting to see that these buildings were being built when the technology was not even there,” Junaid said. “I was always a very good artist. I was in 7th grade when I decided that I wanted to be an architect. And my parents, thank God, encouraged me to go into architecture, even though it was a field they didn’t even know girls went into.” Junaid’s family supported her to follow her

architectural dreams. She graduated from Louisiana State University, returned to Pakistan for two years, then moved to California, where she and Jessup’s professional partnership began. After completing architectural and construction apprenticeships and attending a graduate degree program at Stanford University, Jessup worked for a number of architectural firms in the San Francisco Bay Area prior to starting his own practice in Palo Alto. He first came across Junaid via a resume she had submitted although it wasn’t until two years later that Jessup decided to interview Junaid and bring her onto his then team. “I told my business partner that we should interview her and we came away from the interview with a sense of ‘oh my goodness, this is very intimidating,’” Jessup said. “She is very well spoken, very articulate. We had to hire her.” It was during this time that Jessup recognized the partnership potential with Junaid. Combining

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PREVIOUS SPREAD AND ABOVE: Qurashi Residence, Sunnyvale, CA: A street view of the front façade. A view toward the entry and fire pole, including the stainless steel stair to the second floor and a partial view into interior courtyard. OPPOSITE: A view of the Qurashi Residence from second floor to dining area. All photos by Junaid Qurashi

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their mutual love of architecture and collaborative abilities, Jessup invited Junaid to come with him on his next architectural adventure — founding M Designs Architects. Since founding M Designs nine years ago, Junaid and Jessup have made it a priority to tackle each project as a team; something that both principals say sets them apart from other Bay Area architecture firms. “We have a certain approach to how we handle things, and people like the way we use our expertise to build together collaboratively,” Junaid said. “Clients feel they can depend on both of us for a project; it’s not just one person running the show. We collaborate and are available to our clients. That’s what sets us a part. Our experience and our personalities have been one of the biggest benefits and differences between us and other companies.” Not only has Junaid’s and Jessup’s unique collaborative approach to design benefited the growth of M Designs, but their design philosophy has kept the firm at the forefront of the industry thanks to their client-centered approach. Rather than design towards a specific aesthetic, Junaid and Jessup design and build towards the client’s specific needs, allowing M Designs to grow as a

firm, now revered for its diverse range of projects and client-first philosophy. It was Jessup’s and Junaid’s design philosophy that helped M Designs flourish even under the worst of financial circumstances. Using technology to their advantage and working on international design projects, Jessup and Junaid decided to branch out and use their resources, networking with local, national and international clients to stay afloat during the economic downturn. “I think another thing to keep in mind is that in this economy people are looking to survive,” Junaid said. “You need referrals, you have to keep going back to them, you have to keep good relationships with them so you can have good referrals. Networking in this market is a part of what helps you survive. Good networking protocols and clients’ trust make all the difference. Dry marketing is not for this economy, marketing has to be very personalized.” While green practices are now required in California, Junaid and Jessup take great pride in having integrated green practices into their design methods before such building standards became mandatory.

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ABOVE: M&BT Residence, Palo Alto, CA: Streetfront view of second-story addition and remodel of mid-century modern home. OPPOSITE: Junaid Residence, Los Altos, CA: A view looking beyond the living room toward the two-story volume of the great room. The kitchen is to the left. A view of the indoor pool, great room and kitchen.

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Currently, Junaid and Jessup are focusing on LEED certified projects both nationally and internationally. Their U.S.-based projects include residences in a variety of landscapes, something that has presented both challenges and opportunities for the design team. Having spent the last four years developing a green system where clients could choose from a “menu” of green options, as Junaid describes it, the team has created a method of measurement for the green practices they offer. Recognizing the challenges each project entails, Junaid and Jessup take them on as opportunities to supply the most cost-effective benefits in green practices. “We would do certain things by default in the design practice; from the orientation of the house and the possibility or feasibility for us to put in solar systems, to putting in hot water systems,” Junaid said. “I think every project is different, we should try to do the minimum with each project and it should not affect the client’s overall budget but still give them the long-term benefits of a green house. People don’t realize they can put a filter in their HVAC system and that’s something that’s

available at Home Depot.” Junaid and Jessup’s green initiatives and clientfriendly design practices have helped them produce a number of residences and work spaces that are not only cutting edge in terms of their environmental efforts, but are aesthetically ahead of their time. Completed projects include an array of California homes that are of contemporary design that focus on use of space and light. Currently immersed in several residential projects, Junaid said that being able to work on a spectrum of designs is an exciting aspect of being an architect. From minimalism to traditional, Junaid and Jessup look forward to the design challenges that the differing design aesthetics provide. Thanks to their team-like approach and knack for innovative design methods, it will be interesting to see how this design duo will continue to change the landscape of architectural design. “Currently we have projects on the design table and some are under construction, even in Asia. They’re exciting projects, they’re all going to be Green certified,” Junaid said. “We are excited because we are implementing green practices.” ALT

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POOL COVERS, INC. Pool Covers, Inc. is a California based company providing safety swimming pool covers for new and existing pools, safety pool fencing and safety spa covers. Pool Covers, Inc. specializes in automatic pool covers that seamlessly blend into the poolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s architecture. Your pool can be beautiful as well as safe and energy efficient. An automatic swimming pool cover from Pool Covers, Inc. not only keeps the pool safe for loved ones, it can save you as much as 85% on your heating, gas, electrical and chemical bills, and will reduce evaporation by as much as 93%. Pool Covers, Inc. is proud to have recently worked with M. Designs, providing technical input as well as the installation of all components for the automatic safety swimming pool cover. For more information on Pool Covers, Inc. please visit www.poolcoversinc.com or call 800.662.7665. See ad on page 116. July/August 2011 115

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THIS PAGE, TOP: The sunken entry to the Fracture residence becomes part of the landscape while not obstructing the view to the local flatirons THIS PAGE, BOTTOM: The Fracture residence interior OPPOSITE PAGE: Exterior of the Fracture residence, based on the fissure of splaying property lines Photos by Raul Garcia

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A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT Studio H:T connects the dots between science and art to produce life-changing design By Rebecca Carnes

or Brad Tomecek and Christopher Herr, the root of their practice, Studio H:T is based on their passion for design and belief in its power to profoundly influence one’s quality of life. “Unlike most, we stop, look, and listen,” their website reads. “Our observations become the basis for our actions. Our actions are encompassed in a collaborative process. It is through this innovation that we create places and functionality which serve people, and in turn, better the lives of those who experience our environments.”

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In their drive to craft creative solutions in a research-driven process, the two have reached a balance through their design between art and science. “We hope to speak to the art and nature of the human spirit which eludes quantitative measurement and moves in the direction of spirituality, space and light,” Herr said. With offices in both Denver and Boulder, Studio H:T works throughout the region to create buildings, objects, and environments that heighten the senses and celebrate the unique qualities of place. The firm specializes in fuel-efficient, modern architecture. Tomeck and Herr experiment using shipping containers, prefabricated and modular systems. They focus on modern residential design, as well as commercial and institutional architecture; but they insist, their true motivation lies in what the client wants. “There’s no design aesthetic agenda we’re pushing but rather a collaboration of ideas — we’re the vessel to manifest what that becomes,” Tomecek said. “We do our best to listen,” Herr said. “People always give us something to go off of, whether that is a magazine clipping or something from their memory. It’s a jumping off point and we’re sensitive to that.” The two seek out imaginative clients and innovative projects that allow them to contribute their design to the local and global communities. Coupled with their passion for changing lives, is what the two call “an imperative of our age where sustainable design is fuel efficient architecture for the design conscious.” This includes low-technology solutions such as passive heating and cooling, seasonal shading, photovoltaics, solar-thermal systems, grey water reuse systems, and super-insulating construction assemblies. There is a collective understanding between the client, architect, builder and contractors to smooth the path and make sure everyone is headed in the same direction, Herr said. Sometimes because of such concise collaboration, projects are completed well below budget. “We get good feedback at appropriate times in order to come on or below budget,” Tomecek said. The two will often meet with the general contractor and even subcontractors on a project to make sure the process is smooth and can be completed on budget without having to go back to the drawing table. While designing with an eye for environmental sensitivity, Tomecek and Herr aspire to LEED certifications on many projects. The company earned its first LEED platinum status when designing Alpine, a German pre-fab house in Boulder. German prefab design lends itself to low-cost, high-end quality that makes it a luxurious product with a long life span. Tucked beside Boulder’s Flatirons hillside, Tomecek and Herr linked the house to nature in an elegant architectural move that blends interior and exterior space. A dramatic, cantilevered deck three stories above the rear yard give the occupant the 120 Architecture Leaders Today

Box Residence: A project that questions how to build on slopes in Colorado Photo by Ellen Jaskol

Alpine Residence: A home constructed from imported German eco-panels. Exterior at nighttime. Photo by Wilson Kauanui

32nd Street Modular: The exterior front elevation of a private modular residence

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Photo by William Logan

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Shield: A curved privacy wall meets local elevational restrictions while providing a light-filled circulation experience for the clients Photo courtesy of Studio H:T

feeling of floating amongst the trees. This cuttingedge project features a contemporary home that capitalizes architecturally on its spectacular views. A roof-top terrace allows for the enjoyment of the outdoors while solar photo-voltaic panels allow for energy efficiency. The $3.5 million, 5,160 sq. ft. home sitting at 2002 Alpine Street in Boulder is a three-story house built to last 250 years. Tomecek said that he strives to design with a sense of connectivity between the outside world and interior space. The Alpine house explores this notion and features glass that stretches from the ceiling to the floor; connecting the interior with the outside views. Tomecek and Herr met at the University of Florida as design students and decided to venture to Colorado to start their business in a place that supports an open design style, much like a blank slate where anything goes. “Our firm pushed the envelope from a design perspective where people come to us because of what we do,” Herr said. They taught a design/build class at the Denver campus of the University of Colorado. Along with bringing new perspectives to their students, Herr and Tomecek said they like to further explore design in an environment where “ideas can run unfettered.” Out of that course, they created an outdoor classroom, known as the “learning cube.” “It’s invigorating and good for everyone,” Tomecek said. “There are fewer people that say ‘you can’t do that.’ Instead they say ‘what if?” Looking to the future, Tomecek and Herr want to grow their firm to a staff of 10 or so and also increase their geographical range, which currently remains primarily regional. Foremost, the firm wants to continue on its path of completing thoughtful work based on intelligent design and sustainability. “We are constantly looking for ways to innovate the way we practice,” Herr said. “Architecture is changing fast and we constantly need to reinvent and reinvigorate the way we develop architecture. There’s always research occurring and you need to be aware of what’s going on.” The partners are always looking for ways to educate themselves and stay abreast of developments both within and beyond the field. By utilizing new construction systems and constantly designing in a sustainable way, Studio H:T have set the pace for innovative designs that stand the test of time. ALT July/August 2011 121

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OPPOSITE, TOP: Noe Valley Residence. Living room and rear deck with the spectacular city views beyond are the payoff to the unfolding entry sequence. OPPOSITE, BOTTOM: The dark wood and gray metallic cabinetry allow the kitchen to be a sophisticated backdrop to the adjacent living area. Bamboo flooring unites the two contiguous spaces and the subtle woven texture of the wall tile provides a further connection to the living room’s upholstered furniture. LEFT: Entry display wall wrapping around kitchen pantry with stair beyond. BELOW: Layered massing at the front of the house with new third floor, sun screens and metal entry planter.

Reincarnations

Bay Area-based Topetcher Architecture firm took an aging 1930's home and transformed it into a modern family home overlooking the Bay Bridge. Ditto for a historically significant, but abandoned church that was reincarnated into a modern Buddhist temple for local monks and traveling Buddhists. by Paige L. Hill

he small architecture firm that follows a philosophy of “keeping it simple” was the fitting choice to reincarnate one of Noe Valley’s coveted, but neglected 1930’s homes overlooking the Bay Bridge into a modern pad for a growing family with a precious art collection. Topetcher Architecture, originally founded in 1988 as mainly a residential and historical renovation-centered firm, has not strayed far from their roots. “The family needed the small home to be transformed into a family-friendly house that felt bigger than it actually is,” Mark Topetcher said, founder of Topetcher Architecture and lead architect on the project. On the interior, the central living space and kitchen area connects out to a deck area and garden below. Topetcher also tucked in shelves where he could in the kitchen and against the stairs to display the family’s collection of artifacts from their travels. “The home had the potential to have these incredible views of the Bay Bridge and the East Bay, and the down-sloping lot allowed making them visible,” Topetcher said. From the front, the house appears reserved and unobtrusive, and from

the back, large windows take advantage of the views. “We ended up layering the scale and volume from the street and as you move through to the rear of the house, it feels as if it is perched over all of San Francisco’s downtown skyline,” Topetcher said. “There were many limitations, or at least they seemed like limitations from the outside; but, they ended up becoming an impetus for creating the architecture that slowly became the house.” Topetcher widened his knowledge of this distinctive niche when he took on the transformation of one of San Francisco’s landmark Catholic churches into a modern Buddhist monastery and temple in the city’s once rough-around-the-edges Alamo Square neighborhood. “The calming presence of the Buddhist temple has brought a sense of peace to this neighborhood,” Topetcher said. Topetcher’s firm was selected to adapt the city’s oldest frame church, an and an unreinforced 1895 masonry building, into an updated monastery and temple for local monks and traveling Buddhists. The wood structure, originally St. Patrick’s Church, was relocated several times to sites throughout the

city landing near its final place in the late 1860’s, when it was pulled by horses across San Francisco’s once rolling sand dunes. Topetcher moved the building just a few feet farther away from the Macang Buddhist Temple, which was also a former church that the firm renovated into a Buddhist house of worship. “Having this historically significant building in our hands was a responsibility, but also exciting. I wanted to move it from the shadows of the adjacent temple,” Topetcher said. The architect’s inspiration came from Buddhist sculptures of Dazu from central China – the sculpture is typically carved out of sheer rock face or a canyon wall. “We don’t impose our personal dogma on our clients and certainly not when it came to understanding what this Buddhist monastery should be,” Topetcher said. The historical exterior was restored and given a fresh coat of paint. The original main hall of the church was repurposed as a dining hall for monks and traveling Buddhists. Topetcher introduced natural light where he found opportunities, adding a skylight monitor and new clerestory windows. July/August 2011 123

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“This was not a cut and dry dormitory or group residence, it needed to reflect their beliefs and what the structure means to the monks,” Topetcher said. The dormitory style rooms were separated by sexes and updated with all the necessary modern conveniences. “It was quite an ordeal to update the mechanical systems. There were no bathrooms or heat when we started, so those were obviously first on the list. But, as is Buddhist custom, everything about the renovation was kept simple and unadorned. A four-story head house was created to replace an odd assortment of additions made to the church’s rear. That new addition was made up of coated horizontal corrugated metal panels and a pitched roof form; giving the structure a clean, urban finish. On the top floor, Topetcher also created a private apartment for the Temple’s Master with plenty of windows and skyline views of the City by the Bay. “The addition was very important in making this small wood structure into a full-functioning place to live for these monks and travelers, but we also wanted it to be very discreet and not try to compete with the historical structure,” Topetcher said. The main dining hall, capable of seating a 250-person banquet, was part of the addition. That also meant adding a kitchen able to accommodate a 250-person crowd. Within the dining hall space, Topetcher designed a small art gallery to feature Buddhist and local pieces. A privacy screen was designed to divide the room for the occasional 124 Architecture Leaders Today

event, like the monastery’s opening celebration, where Topetcher was honored. “It is always important to get abandoned buildings back into use, the effect can be profound on a neighborhood,” Topetcher said. “This project was really the chance to pay tribute to the original building’s architecture and its future as a Buddhist monastery.” Topetcher had been working on the design of the temple’s transformation since 2001, five years before he even got to begin work on site. The previous owners hired the architect to develop the project into housing, but the project was scrapped in light of the declining housing market. His firm was so far along in designing the building’s first life as a multi-family housing structure, that they had even obtained their building permits. “It was frustrating at first; but, they were smart to heed the writing on the wall and scrap that project,” Topetcher said. The Tibetan Buddhist Association of America purchased the site with the two churches on it and rehired Topetcher, believing that he had the most extensive history with the building. “I think it is appropriate that it is ultimately being used for similar purposes – a house of worship,” Topetcher said. The scope of work on the temple, a roman-classical style building, included the restoration of the building’s architectural details, upgrading of services and transforming its predominantly Christian iconography. “The thing that became critical was how to

reinforce this rather ornate building, strengthen it and add some design,” Topetcher said of the building made up of 40 feet high brick walls. A steel armature was added on the inside to maintain the historical structure’s shell and keep the project cost-effective. The temple’s interior needed a major “make-under” to downplay a lot of the Christian ornamentation. Much if the interior was painted in muted tones of yellow and green and deep reds. The paint colors are meant to mimic the Chinese Buddhist temples that are often painted in dark ebony patina. But not everything could be painted over. “We had to just remove the stained glass windows because important scenes from the Bible simply have no place in a Buddhist temple,” Topetcher said. After the renovation was complete, the monks added their own Buddhist statues and fixtures to make the space their own. The entry-way was transformed into a lotus-cloaked vestibule; giving the building an iconic and literal transition from its past. Overall, the project gave the firm credibility in historical renovation in a city that values its history. Topetcher said the project finally earned the firm the much sought-after historical credibility among the city officials and historical review committees. “San Francisco is one those special places where there is a vast amount of natural environment juxtaposed against these incredible man-made urban environment. For an architect it’s a place that provides me inspiration every day and I’m lucky to have my practice here.” ALT

architecture | west

OPPOSITE: Monastery loft area adjacent to living room with street-facing angled glass wall and views beyond. AT LEFT: The temple's transformed main hall with new ceiling light monitor and expressed steel tube bracing at sidewalls. BELOW: Street view into the gallery: Restored faĂ§ade and view into main gallery space with lotus screen beyond.

COOL PAINTING, INC. California-based Cool Painting, Inc. is a painting and wall coverings contractor servicing high-end clients around the Bay Area. Their work includes elevator doors, metal surfaces, woods and stone refinishes, entry doors, and tenant improvement. Cool Painting, Inc. worked extensively with Topetcher Architecture on several jobs which included spraypainting staircases in automotive with a clear coat, as well as refinishing kitchen cabinets. Cool Painting, Inc. specializes in both old and new construction, and they use environmentally friendly products and practices. Their primers, lacquers, and finishes, such as Scuffmaster and Zolatone, are eco-friendly and VOC compliant. For more information, please visit www.coolpainting.net. See ad on page 126.

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July/August 2011 125

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INTERNATIONAL 00 STORY 126 B+H ARCHITECTS 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY 00 STORY

“A pull quote about this long from the story goes here.”

University of Windsor – This is who said this, from This company. Centre for Engineering Innovation Photo byB+H xxxxx or photo courtesy of xxxxx. Architect: Architects Rendering courtesy of B+H Architects

international | architecture

THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT Through a scope and scale wholly unique in the industry, B+H Architects has been providing the ultimate range of services across all sectors, styles and levels of complexity for over half a century. By Joel Cornell

espite the massive downturn in economies across the globe, some firms have been able to ride out the storm largely unscathed. One such firm is B+H, a Canadian global practice that set out to diversify geographically long before other firms felt the need to venture beyond their borders. B+H was one of the first Western firms to establish a presence in China, opening an office in 1992 in Shanghai after having won a competition to design the Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport. Since its opening, the China office has evolved into a complement of 125 professional and technical staff offering architecture, master planning, interior and landscape design services for commercial, mixed use, residential, transportation, industrial, healthcare and lab/pharmaceutical facilities. 180 projects totaling 217,367,750 square feet are under construction or have been completed by B+H in China for multinational corporations, local developers, institutions and governments. B+H has leveraged its experience in China to develop a framework for further dynamic expan-

132 Architecture Leaders Today

sion into new markets through their “Centres of Excellence” in Toronto, Vancouver and Shanghai. These offices deliver large, mobile teams with extensive expertise in every aspect of planning, design and project management to every market sector. This model enables the firm to service new markets with smaller local offices able to deliver ‘best in class’ design and services in all target areas. The Shanghai office anchors B+H’s Asian operations, supporting regional offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore and Delhi, where senior Principals oversee teams of local employees and selected project partners. As well, the firm has offices in Sharjah and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. In Canada, the firm has offices in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and Kelowna. Client service and responsiveness are a key area where global operations have made a significant difference. “We can respond immediately to changes in scope or to new requirements,” said B+H Principal Kevin Stelzer. “When the working day in Toronto ends and production on a project ceases, an inte-

TOP: Bell Canada Creekbank Phase 3, Mississauga, Canada. View from Bell campus park to green walled atrium. BOTTOM: Bell Canada Creekbank - Phase 3, South west elevation Renderings courtesy of B+H.

architecture | international

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international | architecture

LEFT: ABell Canada Creekbank Phase 3, North west view ABOVE: Bell Canada Creekbank - Phase 3, Detail of green wall features along atrium stair

134 Architecture Leaders Today

grated team in Shanghai picks up where Toronto left off and continues working so we can be done by the next business day.” Being active in rapidly-growing markets like China, Vietnam and India and a focus on continuous innovation, along with Canadian government policies that preserved the integrity and well-being of Canada’s financial system, have helped B+H to withstand the devastating effects of the global recession. “We have been very fortunate to have laws in Canada that kept financial institutions from engaging in the esoteric practices that imperiled the global economy,” Stelzer said. “A stable Canadian economy, along with our international reach and wealth of design resources available at our fingertips, any time of day or night, have shielded us from the global meltdown and enabled us to

continue developing new approaches and design technologies.” Focus on client services has been a key stone to B+H’s success and has attracted some B+H Architects in 2007. “I was attracted to B+H Architects because of the firm’s long term dedication and commitment to client services as well as their excellence in building design,” Bate said. “I love the scope and breadth of work that I engage in every day and derive great fulfillment from knowing that I am contributing to the betterment of the build environment through my work. We are that comprehensive force that is driving both design and operational excellence in the built environment.” In addition to Bate’s diverse background, she is also the chair of the Canada Green Building Council and was the past President of the Ontario Association of Architects.

architecture | international

PCR CONTRACTORS PCR Contractors Inc. is honored to work with B+H Architects on the University of Windsor’s Centre for Engineering Innovation. B+H Architects’ unique design incorporates sustainable design features and building materials that will lead their client to the forefront of high tech institutional facilities in Canada. The 310,000 square foot three story building targeted for LEED Gold certification features a three storey atrium flooded with natural light, a Bio Wall and an open-riser glass guarded stair. The single story first phase scheduled for completion in the spring of 2011 houses the high tech laboratories used for instruction and research, highlighted by a class 10,000 Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) laboratory. The remaining portion of the building, expected to be completed summer 2012, houses flexible high-tech lecture halls, academic offices, graduate work spaces, a destructive material testing laboratory (Strong room) and other instructional laboratories. B+H Architects’ design and contract administration teams work very proficiently with PCR Contractors Inc., the University of Windsor staff and faculty which will lead to a successful LEED certified and sustainable project. For more information on PCR Contractors please visit www.collavinogroup.com. See ad on page 140.

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Bate headed up the firm’s recent work on a 300,000 sq. ft. addition to an existing 1,000,000 sq. ft. complex for Bell Canada Creekbank in Mississauga, Ontario. The new building serves as an anchor for a business complex that transforms the park into a campus. “The campus park is a destination for the Mississauga light rail transit system. Within the building, our aim was to create a working space that would exemplify Bell Canada’s overarching principles of collaboration and community,” Bate said. “We provided many gathering areas for staff in order to encourage team-focused interaction, innovation and creative problem-solving.” Instead of placing all parking at grade, as expected in a suburban location, B+H Architects designated the ground under the park and campus buildings for parking, leaving ample new green space throughout

136 Architecture Leaders Today

the rest of the area. Massive solar panels mounted on the roof, further enhance the project’s sustainable components leading to a LEED Silver certification. Post occupancy analysis conducted by Bell Canada shows that energy savings targets were exceeded by over 35%. “Bell Canada’s analysis on the Creekbank project gave us performance targets for the new Faculty of Engineering building that we are currently working on for the University of Windsor”, said Principalin-Charge Kevin Stelzer. This project is another example of B+H’s commitment to client service and building performance. The building will house four engineering departments: civil and environmental, electrical and computer, industrial, and automotive and mechanical engineering. Registered to achieve LEED Gold certification, the building will include leading-edge sustainable technologies and ‘live’

BELOW: University of Windsor – Centre for Engineering Innovation, Windsor, Canada. view from California Avenue RIGHT: University of Windsor – Centre for Engineering Innovation, graduate student workstation

architecture | international

UPPER CANADA SPECIALTY HARDWARE Upper Canada Specialty Hardware, since its inception in 1987, has enjoyed a dynamic working relationship with B+H Architects. Over the years, the two companies have forged a relationship based on mutual trust and respect. B+H, long established as a leader and innovator in their field, has allowed Upper Canada to emerge as one of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most advanced, full service commercial door and hardware providers. Upper Canada Specialty Hardware offers innovative services such as access control and integration, power and barrier free operators, and door and hardware installation. A unique feature of the company is to provide doors with the hardware pre-installed, then shipped to site for final assembly and commissioning. This method reduces the potential for damage, and significantly improves the quality and efficiency of onsite construction management. UCSH, over the years has worked with B & H on many high profile jobs, including the Bell Creekbank Project, the Archives of Ontario, the Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Centre, and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Currently UCSH is very proud to be involved in the B+H project, Markham Stouffville Hospital expansion as consultants, suppliers and installers of the doors, hardware, access control locks and barrier free power operators. Upper Canada Specialty Hardware congratulates B+H Architects on their success and looks forward to working together for many years to come. For more information about Upper Canada Specialty Hardware, please visit: www.ucsh.com. See ad on page 140.

July/August 2011 137

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NXL ARCHITECTS NXL Architects is one of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading architects for pharmaceutical, biotech, and life sciences facilities sciences. They have over twenty-five years experience and more than three million square feet of master planning, programming and design for research, clinical, and manufacturing facilities across Canada. NXL works closely with their clients â&#x20AC;&#x201C; universities, hospitals, private sector start-ups and multinational organizations - designing from the inside out to deliver buildings that work, today and tomorrow. To find out more about NXL and see more of their work, please visit www.nxl.ca. See ad on page 130.

138 Architecture Leaders Today

architecture | international

building monitoring systems that will enhance the learning environment for students while reducing energy consumption Steltzer’s work at the University of Windsor is reminiscent of another one his projects at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. The Integrated Learning Center or, as it is commonly known ‘Beamish Munroe Hall’, is in and of itself a teaching tool. “The building conceptually became a transparent laboratory where students and faculty witness the building’s systems at work,” Stelzer said. “We’ve also helped build a website that monitors every aspect of the building’s performance and the students are given access to these statistics in real time. These numbers can then be integrated into their studies.” These same principles are being applied in Windsor to the Faculty of Engineering where Steltzer hopes they will inspire students who will soon be building buildings of their own. “We believe in the didactic power of our buildings and conduct extensive research with users during the design process,” Steltzer said. At

Windsor, Stelzer and his team consulted with the engineering faculty and University researchers to determine what attributes they valued most among their engineers, and what skills they wanted to pass on to students. “The overwhelming response was that they wanted a building that would bring to life the logistics that are ancillary to design, like teamwork, interdisciplinary collaboration, project based learning and the application of theory into practice,” Steltzer said. “At the University of Windsor, every important aspect of the built environment is clearly displayed if not outright labeled.” This gives the students a tangible example of practical applications. B+H Architects has brought to the world a new definition of scope with talent, and range with vision. From the expanding retrofit market, urban planning, landscaping, and program management to facilities management, global benchmarking and trend analysis, the firm serves as its own launch pad into quite literally every aspect of our modern environment. CLT

BELOW: University of Windsor – Centre for Engineering Innovation, view of atrium with biofilter wall RIGHT: University of Windsor – Centre for Engineering Innovation, North-west view of main entrance along California Avenue

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international | regional marketplace

140 Architecture Leaders Today

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142 Architecture Leaders Today

regional marketplace | northeast

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Architecture Leaders Today 145

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146 Architecture Leaders Today

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J5 Group James Sowlakis 420 W 23rd St Ste 11D New York, NY 10011

Powe Jones Archtiects Gregory Powe 905 Leigh Mill Rd Great Falls, VA 22066

B+H Architects Greg Heal/Johanna Hoffman 481 University Ave Ste 300 Toronto, ON M5G 2H4

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Precision Planning Inc Liz Hudson 400 Pike Blvd Lawrenceville, GA 30046

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Chamberlain Construction Co. Scott Houston 2864 Hartland Road Falls Church, VA 22043

Landscape Techniques James Brogan 141 Old Cedar Swamp Rd Jericho, NY 11753

Rowe Architects Tom Hammer 100 E Madison St Ste 200 Tampa, FL 33602

Cole & Denny Douglas Denny/John Cole 333 N Fairfax St Ste 300 Alexandria, VA 22314

Leber Rubes Matt Littlefair 2300 Yonge St Ste 2100 Toronto, ON M4P 1E4

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A SMALL FOUNDATION SUPPORTIN G BIG

by Joel Cornell

With high annual growth and a backlog of work standing at a worth of about $22 million, one would think VendRick Construction, Inc. would be a massive corporate construction firm with countless bustling employees. On the contrary, the relatively small staff that VendRick Construction, Inc. began with in 1993 has remained the stable foundation of their success to this day. “Our real specialty lies in our ability to properly manage and utilize our short list of highly trained and experienced employees and subcontractors who we rely on like family to make sure that our clients budget, scheduling and aesthetic needs are met every step of the way,” said company president Frank Vendemia. Vendemia began in the industry after receiving his degree in civil engineering. In his senior year in college, he worked with Derrick “Rick” Dickson, who managed his own construction company. Right out of high school, Dickson entered into a local carpentry apprenticeship program. He worked with a local commercial contracting company for nearly two decades before starting his own business. It was this company that Vendemia worked for before he wanted to

GROWTH

start his own business as well. Vendemia and Dickson decided to partner up instead, and see how that suited them and their goals. Should any problems arise, they would go their separate ways. To this day, Vendemia and Dickson have been doing what they love and have kept their business and their passion going strong. “For the most part,” Vendemia said, “we tend to handle public works projects such as large multifamily complexes, school renovations and medical facilities. We don’t always take on the most attractive or visible projects; that’s not our aim. We want to work on projects that fit our forte. Whether we’re working on a public bid project for a school renovation or a design/ build project for an apartment complex, we’re able to provide the ultimate service to our clients by keeping our management teams small and project-oriented, while relying on a family of experienced employees and specialized subcontractors and specialists who are the absolute best at what they do.” Located in Brookfield, Ohio close to the Pennsylvania border, VendRick Construction, Inc. operates locally in a 60 mile radius. Despite

the fact that VendRick’s annual revenues have grown by millions of dollars every year, they focus on building projects locally. They can utilize their knowledge of the area, its nuances and its residents to give their clients the highest quality building program. “We do as much of the work ourselves as we can manage,” Vendemia said, “but once we’re outside our internal capacity to perform efficiently, we reach out to our roster of quality subcontractors to work with people we know and trust to get the job done right and on time.” VendRick Construction, Inc.’s philosophy promises the continued involvement of at least one company principal on each and every project, as well as the commitment to quality construction by the entire building group working as a single team. Both Rick and Frank attribute the company’s success to their faith, family, and friends. By focusing on building proper relationships and teams as much as they concentrate on the buildings themselves, VendRick Construction, Inc. is able to maintain a history of quality projects done on time, every time. ALT

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