Creating inventive and enduring architecture

Perspectives in Architecture

By Melody Harclerode

Entering the front door of the plain industrial building with an enormous, rusted canopy, visitors are charmed by the discovery of a captivating courtyard decked with plants and modern outdoor furniture. The coolness of the concrete block walls is warmed with the color and texture of the accent metal panels on wall openings and with the structural beams. A massive, glass window wall at the rear of the courtyard provides a tantalizing view into the sunlit office space beyond.

This unexpected, yet assured use of space, scale, light, and materials with this project characterizes the style of architects Brian Bell AIA and David Yocum AIA, the principals of BLDGS. The graduates of the Harvard Graduate School of Design established their architectural firm in West End at this former automotive parts building in 2006.

Villa de Murph, as the project is fondly called, received acclaim in the architectural community, and generated referrals for Bell and Yocum to design new cutting-edge projects. The striking Burned House in the Old Fourth Ward features exterior cladding with a range of black hues as a reference to the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917. Whitespace Gallery in Inman Park showcases the dialogue between contemporary artwork and the beautifully raw historic setting from 1893.

Recognizing their provocative designs, the Atlanta Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Atlanta) awarded BLDGS with the 2006 Emerging Voices Award and with the 2016 AIA Atlanta Silver Medal Firm Award.

BLDGS has garnered national attention recently as only one of eight firms across North America to receive the prestigious Architectural League of New York, 2017 Emerging Voices Award. Since 1982, this award has celebrated the North American individuals and firms with the potential to influence the disciplines of architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design.

Bell describes the Architectural League of New York, 2017 Emerging Voices Award as “a significant honor, indicating our work’s relevance in and beyond Atlanta.” This month, Bell and Yocum will receive the award in front of their national peers during a lecture at the School of the Visual Arts in Manhattan.

With their eyes on current projects, such as the Georgia Tech Van Leer Interdisciplinary Design Common, and their sights set on the upcoming trip to New York City, Bell and Yocum are encouraged by the growing number of clients who have an appreciation for inventive and enduring architecture.

Yocum looks forward to “working on projects that will help transform and meaningfully contribute to our changing city.”

For a firm with a passion for the unexpected, their champions expect a bright future for BLDGS.

Online apartment finder RentCafe.com completed a report on Atlanta’s rent growth and discovered that East Atlanta has the fastest growing rents in the metro. While Midtown and Buckhead would be the obvious choices for more expensive lease options, rents in zip code 30316 went up 13.5 percent, from $926 per month the year before to $1,051 per month now. Just behind East Atlanta is Kirkwood (zip code 30317), with a 9.5 percent increase, from $958 to $1,049. Meanwhile, rents went down in affluent zip codes 30327 (-2.2 percent) and 30305 (-1.5 percent), covering the neighborhoods of Buckhead and Peachtree Hills, where quite a few new residential buildings have opened up in the last year to the point that renters have gained some bargaining power.

The Atlanta Apartment Association (AAA) has named Christie Eash, senior vice president for AMLI Residential, its 2017 chair of the board of directors. Eash previously served in several AAA leadership roles prior to her appointment to chair.

Harry Norman, Realtors has announced that general manager Jenni Bonura has been promoted to president and chief executive officer. Dan Parmer, former president and CEO, has been named chairman emeritus.

The 2017 Druid Hills Tour of Homes & Gardens and Makers Market will be held April 2123. The neighborhood welcomes visitors to tour homes featuring architecture from renowned architects, award winning interior design, enjoy southern fare, hear local musicians, see Georgia artists and explore Emory Village. For tickets and information, visit druidhillstour.org.

Franklin Street has arranged the $5.65 million sale of The Avery, a boutique multifamily property located at 419 Chamberlain Street in the Sweet Auburn district. The sale represents the largest per unit apartment price for a 1960s-era multifamily property in Atlanta. Ricky Jones and Jake Reid of Franklin Street’s Atlanta office represented the seller, a local private investor, in the marketing of the newly-renovated, 30-unit property. The buyer is also a local private investor who plans to continue operating the asset and anticipates future growth through the continued improvement of the Sweet Auburn district.

HomeAid, the nonprofit organization that builds new lives for homeless families and individuals through housing and community outreach, has given awards to its 2016 partners. Paran Homes was named Builder of the Year, Sherwin-Williams was named Trade Partner of the Year, and the Atlanta chapter of Professional Women in Building was named Volunteer of the Year.