Experience // Volume 01

EXPERIENCE VOLUME 01

INSIDE VLK COMMUNITY

See how to impact your environment

GAMING

Getting hands-on with your design

REMOVE + REUSE

Reshaping a project’s future using reclaimed materials

Adding Value

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Community Driven World Class Cafetorium

Our Story

After 30 years, we know who we are

Our Mission + Values Why we do what we do

A Day in the Life

Ever wondered what architects do all day?

The Mentor Cycle One student’s journey

Gaming

The design charette process reshapes engagement

Designing with Purpose

How being a father makes one designer more creative

Moving Forward

Cultivating people, improving solutions

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VLK is successful because we don’t just design buildings, we think about the people that will be in them.

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Adaptable Learning

1984 2014

Our Story

In 1984, it began with a passion to build a company focused on a somewhat different approach - always putting clients’ unique needs and interests first.

Letter from Leadership

Experience that Matters “It’s been a long, exciting journey - VLK was built around a ‘family’ of collaborators with our clients’ vision always a priority. We give part of ourselves back to each and every project and do our part for the community we serve.”

Leesa Vardeman, AIA, VLK Principal

VLK Architects is a full-service architectural design firm with expertise that revolves around decades of technical practice and standards that make us a leading innovator in design and architectural service. We have earned numerous design awards, have multiple CHPS and LEED certified projects and work for clients across the state.

This philosophy set a course for VLK to realize its vision to become a successful team of designers providing comprehensive solutions to clients. We strive to deliver the best educational facilities possible

to our clients, so they can serve and meet the needs of their students, teachers and community.

“VLK listens to clients to give them exactly what they want,” Leesa Vardeman, VLK Principal explains.

“I believe VLK is successful because we don’t just design buildings, we think about the people that will be in them. We are making a statement about our clients and the community through architecture.”

As the firm grew, VLK evolved into a leading architectural firm in Texas, with offices in Fort Worth and Houston. We are proud to say that our 30-year history of projects 2014 | EXPERIENCE | Inside VLK

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Previous page VLK Principals, Front Row left to right: Richard Jaynes, Steve Aloway and Leesa Vardeman Back row: Sloan Harris, Kenneth Hutchens, Todd Lien and Steve Hafer This page, left Richard Jaynes discusses document changes with a team member Right top Leesa Vardeman reviews schematic design documents Right bottom Todd Lien, enjoying what he does

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for corporate, institutional and educational clients exhibits our experience designing facilities of the highest-quality.

“Thirty years is a tremendous milestone for the company.

Throughout this journey, we have had the great opportunity to build extraordinary partnerships with valued clients. To these clients, we have much gratitude,” said Richard Jaynes, VLK Principal.

Every company is defined by the people within it. VLK chooses professionals based not only on their talents in architecture and interior design, but also on their passion.

“VLK is built on having a talented team who are passionately committed to our clients and each projects’ success. I am so proud to be a member of this extraordinary team,” Vardeman continued.

“After 30 years, each day at VLK continues to feel like a new exciting experience. It is a great feeling to come to work every day- no day is ever like the other. We love what we do!”

Our Service

Our Mission We guide clients through process, collaboration and imagination to realize exceptional environments to work, live, learn and play.

RELATIONSHIPS

INTEGRITY

CLIENT-FOCUSED SERVICE

Build strong relationships with clients, consultants, contractors and co-workers that produce trust, mutual respect, common devotion and collaboration.

Integrity is the adherence to moral and ethical principles.

Always exhibit integrity without compromise.

Focus on the client by listening, responding quickly, providing the capacity to explore solutions and ensuring satisfaction.

INNOVATE + IMPROVE

Being good isn’t good enough. Challenge yourself to improve professionally, technically and as leaders, both in the office and in the community.

DIVERSE PEOPLE

Our Values

Every person in our firm and in our industry brings a unique perspective to each task that we undertake. It requires a combination of all of our different talents to achieve greatness.

TRUST

A BETTER SOLUTION

PROFITABILITY

Our firm is built on trust.

Our clients trust that we will provide a service to them that will uniquely satisfy their community’s needs.

In this ever-changing world, there are continually different and better ways to do things.

Always imagine how to do things more effectively.

We create profitability through client satisfaction. A satisfied client will return and will recommend us to others.

COLLABORATION

PASSION

Solid solutions are formed when individual voices are heard and valued to create something larger than ourselves.

For every task that you take on, make it your own and do it to the best of your ability.

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Adding Value

Katy High School (KHS), established in 1898, was the first high school in Katy ISD. There have been many renovations and additions to the Katy High School campus, but none as dramatic or with the historical significance as the Katy High School West Campus project.

Our Solutions

Reclaimed Space

by Todd Lien, AIA, Principal

Designed to incorporate the sustainable, high-performance design concepts of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) program, the Katy High School West Campus project incorporates natural light, improved indoor air quality, sustainable materials and reclaimed wood to further enhance the school environment, and provide a facility that does not burden construction nor operational costs and provides a maintenance-friendly facility for Katy ISD.

The design incorporates salvaged building materials from the 1947 and 1965 sections into the new construction to preserve the rich history of Katy High School.

Materials identified included the fossilized limestone on the building’s exteriors as well as the wood, with inlaid mascot, from the gym floors.

Katy High School Principal, Dr. Steve Robertson proudly hosts tours of the new West Campus. Among the highlights of the tours are the use of materials reclaimed from the original West Campus which include limestone from the exterior, maple from a gym floor and oak flooring from one of the original classrooms. The center court logo from the old

Opposite the amphitheater, clad in maple reclaimed from the original building, serves as a large group instruction area This page the entry to the addition, partially constructed using limestone from the original building 2014 | EXPERIENCE | Inside VLK

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This page, clockwise students work and relax in the breakout spaces; students traverse the reclaimed maple floor; a diagram illustrating the various breakout spaces and classroom orientation Opposite page the addition adds a new face to a growing community’s school

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drill team gym and the original dedication plaque are also displayed and, along with the reclaimed materials, help to carry the traditions of the old campus to the new building. Giant images of local landmarks and former students enhance the sense of community and tradition.

The reclaimed maple is prominently featured in the amphitheater which provides a unique solution to the campus’ problem of a lack of a large group instruction area. The amphitheater and small group instruction spaces, which are incorporated into the hallways of the academic pods, are examples of the maximization of space to support instruction. The salvaged maple flooring used in these spaces to create work surfaces and places for display provide the building with a warm subtle finish that benefits the school district because of their extremely low maintenance nature. At the top of the amphitheater red stained reclaimed oak flooring is used as a backdrop for the sign defining this as the home of “The Katy Nation”.

The new Katy High School West Campus creates a new safe and secure entry for the students, teachers and parents that respect the style and character of the greater Katy High School campus. The fine arts and athletic spaces in the new addition serve all grade levels and a new main corridor connection provides improved

circulation from the existing main high school campus to the new addition.

The student classrooms are organized around collaborative areas (Shared Instructional Space). These areas offer maximum flexibility in both layout and technology to promote multiple learning opportunities for students.

“It is a model of how schools can be designed and built to increase academic achievement and community pride while providing added value to the District through efficiency, the recycling of materials and the effective use of space.”

- Dr. Steve Robertson, Principal

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Our People

A DAY IN THE LIFE...

Whether it’s meeting with clients or working on drawings, a day in the life of an architect is busy, busy, busy - full of multitasking and working the creative process to develop a space that meets clients’ needs, functionality and represents the users of the space. Day-to-day tasks change by the minute, but all with one focus - making the solutions match the needs and values of the District, while being mindful of the environment, costs and how the space will shape the world it serves.

7:30AM Ken Hutchens meets with the A&M Consolidated High School Athletics and Facilities staff to review the design of AMCHS Athletic Areas at College Station ISD. 23

9:00AM Melissa Fleming meets with Clear Creek ISD representatives to view the owner’s 75% Construction Documents comments on the renovation to Greene Elementary School.

11:15AM Rola Fadel attends the Dedication Ceremony at Midlothian Heritage High School.

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5:15PM Don Steer meets with the Design and Production teams to review the new Comprehensive Denton High School No. 4.

7:00PM The Houston ISD Project Advisory Team Meeting has commenced and Todd Lien presents concepts for Condit Elementary. photo by Dave Einsel, Houston ISD

3:30PM Leesa Vardeman meets with Aledo ISD to review the District’s Bond Information Campaign for its upcoming bond.

1:45PM

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Sloan Harris chairs a meeting of the Fort Worth Real Estate Council Education Committee.

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Our Solutions

Community Driven

by Chad Davis, AIA, Director of Design

Project Hollenstein Career & Technology Center Client Eagle Mountain - Saginaw ISD Principal-in-Charge Stephen L. Hafer, AIA

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he programs offered at the Hollenstein Career and Technology Center are the direct result of a partnership between Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, the community, local business and the industry. The goal of the Center is to provide leadership in developing an educated, prepared, adaptable and competitive workforce. Each program has unique, specialized requirements that integrate academics with career preparation. These programs complement local businesses, and the curriculum is aligned to industryrecognized certifications/licensures.

Most students graduate with certifications in-hand as well as college credits earned in dual-credit courses.

Developing these programs wasn’t easy. A District Facilities Task Force consisting of 48 representatives, including students, faculty, administration, industry experts and community members guided the decision making process and the development of the career and technology center.

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“This is a great opportunity for our students to get an idea of what they want to do career-wise before even graduating high school.�

Dana Eldredge, EM-S ISD Director of Career and Technology

The District formed partnerships with local and regional industries, workforce organizations, postsecondary institutions and community organizations to provide industry know-how, experience and student opportunities in exchange for helping to provide a well-trained pool of future employees. An advisory committee, made up of experts in their own fields of work, was formed to assist in the development of the curriculum for each academy.

The results of this effort created a Center with 21st Century Learning labs that engage students in a hands-on environment. Real-life labs allow students to put into practice the techniques they learn in the classroom.

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Previous spread a central stair serves as amphitheater seating as well as a teaching space This page, left two culinary arts students work on an assignment This page, top right the architecture of the Hollenstein Career and Technology Center reflects the cutting edge technology housed inside This page, bottom right students at Hollenstein learn from experienced professors on equipment similar to what is used in the field

Our People Left Clarissa Suikkari studies design documents with Interior Designer Whitney Tong Right students in the program engage in a discussion while at a home tour Bottom Chris Ortiz, as well as several other ACE Mentors, stand with their students at a presentation banquet

The Mentor Cycle

by Tara Huffman, Senior Marketing Coordinator

“When I was in school, I didn’t have a mentor to help me understand my choices, so I want to help guide them as much as possible to make a smart decision about their future.”

Chris Ortiz, Associate AIA VLK Project Designer

For several years, Chris Ortiz, Associate AIA, a member of VLK’s design team, has found a way to combine his passion for design and the community by giving back to students in the Fort Worth area.

The ACE Mentor program engages juniors and seniors in high school to understand the architecture / engineering / construction (AEC) industry by providing a hands-on approach with the objective of helping the students make informed choices about their educational options towards their career paths.

The program gives out five $8,000 scholarships to students that might not be able to attend college otherwise. One exceptional student, Clarissa Suikkari, won the scholarship

and began the architecture program at UTA the subsequent fall. Clarissa, a graduate from Guyer High School, also began a summer internship at VLK the following summer.

Through the ACE Mentor program, Clarissa learned about the process of design and construction.

Perhaps more importantly, she learned about the importance of giving back to the community. Since beginning school, she has begun helping freshmen as a UTA Peer Mentor for new freshmen on campus.

Clarissa is well on her way to graduating from architecture school and VLK is proud to be a part of shaping the future generations of architects.

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Our Solutions Left members of the team vote on image boards that represent their favorite ideas Bottom left during the gaming process, team members discuss the placement of various program elements Bottom right team members discuss and vote on presented schemes

GAMING

The Design Experience

by Ken Hutchens, Principal of Creative

Reshaping the engagement of design professionals with clients, communities and consultants, the design charrette process creates user participation and creativity in the design process.

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raditionally, design is a linear process in which the original problem may have changed or key stakeholders may lose interest or move on from the project as it develops. The design charrette process creates a participatory design event where interested parties gather to exchange views, information and understanding to co-create a concept of a building that meets the needs of the users.

VLK Architects uses a Gaming Charrette Process that takes the building program and creates a graphical representation of the spaces which are used to investigate and create various design strategies in response to a design task. A charrette typically is conducted over a twoday period at the client’s facilities to enhance the users access. This also allows participants to come and go as needed to check on work activities, etc.

DAY ONE

The first day begins with a presentation by the designers reviewing the problem statement of the facility, showing examples of solutions of similar facility types and elements while measuring feedback from the participants as to the imagery and type of spaces that they would like to see considered in their new building design. In the afternoon, the participants assemble in small groups and begin “gaming” their designs. They begin placing the gaming pieces on a blank canvas considering adjacencies, interior and exterior spaces, functional requirements, etc. At the end of the day, they each present their “games,” including pros and cons of each. The group then votes on the games to determine the favored solution to the design task. During the evening VLK takes the top two voted games and formalizes them into more of a building format taking clues from the pros and cons, and refining them by creating sketch views of the building to give the participants a feel for its character.

DAY TWO

Top to bottom Members of the VLK team review created options and work on formalizing the ideas into architecture; one of the most popular boards presented to the team on day two; a pile of ideas gets sent to the recycling bin

The second day begins with VLK presenting the refined options and character sketches followed by a group discussion of the solutions. The participants then vote again to select the final design and discuss why it is the favored option. VLK follows by taking this concept and working through the remaining design process.

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World-Class Cafetorium

by Chad Davis, AIA, Director of Design

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Project Midlothian Heritage High School - Phase One Client Midlothian ISD Principal-in-Charge Leesa Vardeman, AIA

Our Solutions Opposite an elegant ceiling clad in wood panels accommodates both acoustics and aesthetics Right flat floors, in contrast to the dynamic ceiling, provide the perfect student dining surface Bottom entrance to the black box theater, which, thanks to an innovative retracting wall, is able to open up to the larger cafetorium

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idlothian Heritage High School opened its doors to students in August 2014. Phase I of this project is intended to serve 1,000 students.

Midlothian ISD wanted the new high school to have all of the amenities as the other high school in the District, but the budget and lower student population did not allow for the construction of a full auditorium, which is one of the most expensive spaces in a high school project.

VLK worked with MISD and our consultant team to design a “World-Class Cafetorium� that would serve as a cafeteria and an elegant performing space for the fine arts programs. The cafeteria has a traditional flat-floor design, so it functions well for student dining. The walls and ceiling are acoustically treated and shaped with elegant wood panels to provide the high-quality performance space the client desired.

Rather than incorporating a traditional cafetorium stage, this stage is actually a fully-functioning black box theater, which is used as teaching space and performing space for drama classes.

An innovative use of a retracting wall, made by Skyfold, separates the black box from the cafeteria with a solid wall that, at the turn of a switch, retracts up above the ceiling to create the proscenium opening for the stage. This unique solution provides maximum flexibility for each space while saving millions of dollars for the District.

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Our People Left Will, his wife, and their three children Top right one of Will’s passions is music. In this picture, he performs at a local coffee house.

Bottom right Will worked with Weatherford College to help conduct a “STEM Day,” explaining the importance of architecture and construction on a citywide scale. The students drew and constructed buildings in their community.

photo by Shari Henson

Designing with Purpose

by Brad Minton, Experience Designer

“Every detail: proportion, durability of materials, natural light - these all have an effect on the overall project and its users. I try to be very intentional about what I do.”

Will Faber, VLK Project Designer

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When Will Faber, and his wife Joy, moved to Texas from Colorado, where Will attended architecture school at the University of Colorado at Boulder, they were hoping to find a place to call home. Will began working for VLK Architects soon after; however, it wasn’t until he became a father that he found more purpose in the design decisions he was making. “I found myself thinking, ‘what kind of space would I want my own child to be learning in?’, and it changed the way I looked at design,” says Will. He continued, “As a father, I make an attempt to be very intentional about what I say and do with and around my children, because I know that those decisions can have a long-lasting effect. I find the same to be

true about architecture. The buildings and spaces we design, especially schools, have a long-lasting effect on the users who inhabit those spaces.

Every detail: proportion, durability of materials, natural light, these all have an effect on the overall project and its users. I try to be very intentional about what I do.”

Will’s most recently finished project, Midlothian Heritage High School, has been heralded as one of the district’s most successful projects. In regard to this project, Will said, “My hope is that the students who use it every day feel as lucky to have a great building like this as I did having the opportunity to design it.”

Our Solutions

Adaptable Learning

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esponding to growth in a master-planned community, the District set out to create a new two-story prototype for future projects while

by Ken Hutchens, Principal of Creative challenging VLK Architects to design a building featuring adaptable spaces for a variety of instructional styles, embracing Cy-Fair ISD’s Project Pope Elementary School “open and transparent” instructional Client Cypress - Fairbanks ISD method. Second through fifth grade Principal-in-Charge Steve Aloway, AIA classrooms are clustered around collaborative spaces that support “wet” and “dry” projects.

Classrooms feature operable glass walls adjacent to collaborative spaces allowing flexibility to adapt the building to the current teaching lessons in a grade level. Respecting the nature of Pre-K through first grade instruction, these classrooms

feature paired enclosed classrooms to facilitate “stomp, clap and singing” instruction typical for this age group.

All classrooms enjoy natural light through large windows.

The heart of the school is a two-story volume library with views of the pond and a second floor reading loft with outdoor views.

A balcony off of a collaboration space allows for observation of a pond ecosystem, facilitating outdoor experiments, instructional area and a collaborative space for students and faculty.

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Previous low-cost, durable materials in a warm palette adorn the District’s newest elementary school Bottom a standard classroom, left, and the observation balcony, right, are both clad in durable, low-maintenance materials Opposite the twostory library, at the heart of the school, glows from within

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Colors and materials were selected to give a warm and comforting feel to the building. Materials were also selected for durability and low maintenance - not a single material requires waxing, thereby having very low maintenance costs as compared to other buildings in the District.

In partnership with the District, Howard Hughes Development, (developer of the Bridgeland Community) provided landscaping, irrigation and pathways at the site perimeter integrating the building into the community.

Educational “green” strategies include a solar array; mechanical and MDF rooms allowing students to see the systems at work; interactive energy dashboards displaying climate conditions and energy usage of the building; and a rainwater harvesting system.

BUILDING “GREEN” Strategies for building “GREEN” incorporate Texas Collaborative for High Performance Schools (TX-CHPS) guidelines: Using local and regional materials Energy efficient MEP systems High acoustical performance Daylighting Products with recycled content Reduced waste and recycling during construction

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Letter from Leadership

MOVING FORWARD

by Sloan Harris, AIA, Principal

People, Service, Solutions - This is what VLK was founded upon, and it is the unfaltering foundation that we will continue to build from in the future. Everything we do travels this path – People, Service, Solutions. The People – our clients and our team members – our consultants and internal team; the construction team; the governing jurisdictions staff; and most certainly the users of our projects. People are the first leg, the most important leg, of our tripod. They are what makes everything else possible, and how we work with them is what defines VLK. Which leads to our Service – service has been the nerve center of our firm ever since our first client.

The virtue we seek in our employees and continue to cultivate in their life at VLK goes toward serving our clients.

When working on a problem – the “what” is the easy part. The “what” is generally black and white. But the “how” – the how is the difference. How we meet the clients’ vision while staying within their budget, how we work with all of the stakeholders on a project and meet their needs, how we work with the construction team, and how we handle challenges that arise throughout the course of the project – the “how” we do those things is what VLK service is all about. Listening - that underscores all of the how – we listen. And that service always reaches the optimal Solution. When we accomplish the first two legs of our tripod, then the third leg, the Solution, falls into place.

With our expertise, experience and talent we could design a project without one client meeting or asking one question, and chances are it would meet 90% of the project’s needs.

But we don’t strive to meet 90% of our clients’ needs, we meet 100%.

Our architectural services have evolved in their delivery and execution as they followed technological advancement, and they will continue to do so. These advancements will continue to allow our delivery to be faster, more sophisticated, but also more receptive. New materials, building systems and construction methods put pressure on the architecture firm business model and will demand that our processes keep up.

Most importantly, the way people are learning has evolved with technological advancements, thus affecting the way they work and play, and the way they expect services and goods to be delivered; as well as the way the atmosphere of the environments behave that they do these things in – the way they feel and the opportunities they afford. Our practice philosophies must touch that in everything we do.

VLK will continue to be a leader in architectural design as we grow into the future. We will constantly explore our firm’s capabilities and advance those capabilities that serve our clients the best. We will develop and capture trends that shape the services we provide to our clients and respond to their evolving needs. We will explore new markets that elevate our competencies for our current clients and leverage our expertise for new ones. We will play an influential role in the advancement of architectural design for the profession itself to the benefit of our employees and our clients. And we will concentrate on thoughtful, incremental progress.

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