8TH EDITION
AD&VISION
FALL SPRING / WINTER / SUMMER 2018-2019 2017
CREATING COMMUNITIES
BAYSHORE VILLAS
IN THIS ISSUE • AD&V Tops the Caribbean Business Book of Lists of Architectural Firms for 2018 • JGB Development project breaks ground • For the first time in history, NAHB recognizes a Puerto Rican architecture firm • Get an insiders look at two projects that we staged • AD&V is growing!!!
CREATING COMMUNITIES
BAYSHORE VILLAS | Puerta de Tierra, Puerto Rico Serving as the principal gateway to the historic neighborhood of Old San Juan, Puer ta de Tierra [which means ‘Door to The Land’] occupies the eastern por tion of the San Juan islet. This sector is home to the commonwealth’s most prestigious government buildings, including the magnificent Capitolio Building. In contrast, only blocks away some of the island’s most dilapidated areas exist. In 2015, AD&V began the planning and design of Bayshore Villas projected to be inaugurated in 2019. Between the sectors of Old San Juan and Condado and within walking distance of El Capitolio, the Bahía Urbana waterfront park, and the new San Antonio boardwalk, the redevelopment project, comprises 12 new buildings over a three-block, nine-acre area. The project is being developed on the site of the former Puer ta de Tierra Public Housing Project, whose propor tions were out of scale for its urban context. The new design implements and restores the original urban design plans developed for the region in 1870. This strategy will reconnect the nor thern and southern sectors of the Puer ta de Tierra community for the first time in over half a century. The project is centrally located, in an area adjacent to the Bahía Urbana Master Plan. The connections of the new streets consider the suppor t of pedestrian traffic and the potential increase due to the development of Bahía Urbana. The new project creates three small blocks defined by new and existing public streets that establish a human scale and penetrable pedestrian zones. The new buildings have been strategically positioned in the perimeter of each block thus creating an urban façade. A building located on one of the blocks facing the primary thoroughfare will house commercial space for small-scale community businesses. This commercial front towards Fernandez Juncos Ave. will serve to boost commerce in the area. All buildings in the development will follow Energy Star parameters. Architecturally, the buildings will reflect the area’s historic past with a nod to the Ar t Deco style, while naturally allowing contemporary standards to inform and refine the final design.
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In this very neighborhood, in 1937, nearly eighty years ago, the first affordable housing project was constructed in Puer to Rico, known as El Falansterio, which, to this day, stands as a stellar example of what public housing, if correctly designed and managed, can be. Heeding the lessons learned from the decades-long success of El Falansterio, the Bayshore Villas are low-rise constructions, built to human scale, accessible, and designed to face outward towards the surrounding community. The design of the project harmonizes with its surroundings and contributes to the aesthetics of the area. Bayshore Villas was designed to improve the quality of life of mid-and lower-income families and features active design, including indoor and outdoor activity spaces for children and adults. The new project offers 174 units of mixed-income residences, ranging in size from 600 to 1,400 square feet, with most of the units dedicated to the affordable housing needs. Over 5,800 square feet of commercial spaces and 6,000 square feet of community and administrative areas have been designed and are being constructed in the Housing Development. Bayshore Villas is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2019.
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UPCOMING PROJECTS BALDWIN SCHOOL INNOVATION CENTER Bayamรณn, Puer to Rico
MARRIOTT RESIDENCE INN Isla Verde, Puer to Rico
PLAZA 20 San Juan, Puer to Rico
RIVER PARK RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY Caguas, Puer to Rico
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ATLANTIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT Arecibo, Puer to Rico
MONTE ELVIRA DEVELOPMENT Coamo, Puer to Rico
UPR MAYAGÜEZ CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE Mayagüez, Puer to Rico
PANORAMA GOLD Bayamón, Puer to Rico
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AD&V CARES
SAFE HOMES FOR PUERTO RICO On December 6th, we proudly presented the project we designed for Habitat for Humanity of Puer to Rico in Rio Piedras at the “Hogares seguros para Puer to Rico” activity that was celebrated on site. On this day, Habitat for Humanity of Puer to Rico presented the three families who will be the new home owners of these three houses. These families will benefit from a safe and affordable home thanks to Habitat for Humanity’s mission. Conceptual
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WHAT’S NEW? GROUNDBREAKING OF THE JGB
DEVELOPMENT IN CAGUAS, PR
In January 2019, construction began on the Jose Gautier Benitez development in Caguas, Puer to Rico. Masterplanned and designed by AD&V, the new mixed-use and mixed income housing community will be located on the site of a former housing project. “Our design of the Jose Gautier Benitez development, encompassing small city blocks with connecting streets, takes into consideration pedestrian and vehicular traffic flows, and works within a human scale. This integration encourages economic activity, as well as promotes the social and economic development of the community,” said Ricardo AD&V designed the Jose Gautier Benitez development with Álvarez-Díaz, Co-Founder and CEO of AD&V. energy conservation and resiliency measures in mind, including insulated stormproof windows, environmentally conscious AD&V is serving as both the architect and interior designer building materials and methods, energy efficient appliances, of the revitalization project, which will include approximately photovoltaic panels, emergency power generation, and 200 new one- and two-bedroom family apar tments, as universal design. well as a five-story elderly housing facility featuring resident lounges, community rooms, and fitness and game rooms, by “In the wake of Hurricane Maria and other recent storms, dividing the 21-acre development into six residential blocks, Puer to Rico has learned the hard way that it must design including five streets dedicated to family housing, and one and construct new buildings with sustainability in mind,” said reserved exclusively for elderly housing. Cristina Villalón, Managing Principal and Interior Designer of AD&V. “This means not only ensuring all our structures Site improvements include new landscaping, street lighting, (from affordable housing to high-end residences and hotels) parking, walkways, playgrounds, community gardens, and are built to withstand future natural disasters, but that other amenities typically associated with a market-rate they also have a more limited impact on the environment.“ development. The JGB Development project is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2021.
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PROJECT UPDATE STAGING OF THE
EAST COAST PRIVATE RESIDENCE These images were taken during the furniture installation for a private residence in Rio Grande. AD&V was hired to do all the interior design for this house with 5 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, 5 enter tainment areas, 2 living rooms and a pool! The project will be finalized this year.
STAGING OF
RENAISSANCE SQUARE
In December, we worked on the furniture staging for this affordable multifamily housing project located in Hato Rey. We furnished the Community Center, the administrative offices, the gym and the common areas. We worked with local ar tists who made special pieces for this project that completed the warm and inviting feeling of these spaces.
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AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS AD&V TOPS THE
CARIBBEAN BUSINESS BOOK OF LIST Hard work definitely pays off! We were honored to be featured as the number one Architecture & Interior Design firm in Puer to Rico by the 2018 Caribbean Business Book of List. We’re happy to be included in this list along with our colleagues. We thank our team and collaborators who helped make this achievement possible.
THE NAHB RECOGNIZES THE WORK OF ÁLVAREZ-DÍAZ & VILLALÓN BY PRESENTING THEM WITH THE BEST IN AMERICAN LIVING AWARD project in Puer to Rico and the first in compliance with the Caño Mar tin Peña Master Plan. Developed by McCormack Baron Salazar, the new urbanist master planned community consists of 140 new apar tments in a mix of one, two- or three-bedroom units in a 4-story mixed-use building, 3 story walk-ups, and 3 story townhouses. The scale of the buildings together with its well-designed propor tions and adequate hierarchy provides an excellent sense of place for its tenants and the community around it. The new complex builds upon the residential character of the neighborhood and strengthens the commercial nature of the area. We are proud to announce that for the first time a Puer to Rican design firm has been awarded the National Association of Home Builders, Best in American Living Gold Award for its project Renaissance Square - in the Affordable, Multifamily category. The Best of American Living Gold Award is the highest NAHB’s recognition of outstanding achievement by builders and design professionals in all sectors of the residential housing industry including single-family production, multifamily, affordable, remodeling, community and interiors. This award highlights what building industry professionals need to know to set their project apar t and hit the right mark with today’s knowledgeable home buyers.
Moving beyond the parameters of affordable housing, plans for the site include amenities and site improvements associated with market-rate developments, including walking trails, playgrounds, fitness centers, community gardens, landscaping, site lighting, and controlled parking and building access. “Before Renaissance Square, the area represented all that was wrong with high-rise, high-density public housing: isolation, dysfunction, and social-conflict. The idea of the Renaissance came as a response to that conflict.” – Arq. Ricardo ÁlvarezDíaz
This project was made possible by the joint effor ts of purpose driven par tners, McCormack Baron Salazar & F&R Renaissance Square is the first mix-finance affordable housing Construction Group. 9
SPECIAL APPEARANCES Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz was a guest panelist during the Puer to Rico Home Builders Association Convention. During the panel, Ricardo spoke about the impor tance of reconstruction and the meaning behind resiliency.
1 Cristina Villalón was a panel moderator at a UBS seminar titled “Own your wor th: How women can break the cycle of abdication and take control of their wealth”. Cristina moderated the panel discussing why many women aren’t as active in their finances as they should be, and how they can take a more active role regardless of their current level of involvement. The panel also addressed why it’s critical to break the cycle and discussed a three-step plan to help women take control of their wealth today.
2 Our Co-Founder Cristina Villalón gave an inspiring workshop entitled “Best Hacks to Achieve Work-Life Balance” at the Animus Women’s Innovation Summit. She provided tips, resources, and advice on how to best achieve a healthy balance in life.
3 Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz gave a presentation titled “Places of Purpose: Tell them your story | Selected work 2001-2018” at the School of Architecture of the University of Puer to Rico, Rio Piedras Campus.
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During the activity hosted by Habitat for Humanity of Puer to Rico called “Hogares Seguros para Puer to Rico” Ricardo spoke about the significant impact of the project and how honored AD&V is to continue to collaborate with Habitat for Humanity of Puer to Rico for more than 5 years.
5 In December, Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz met with the former Deputy Secretary of the US Depar tment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Pam Patenaude, the Honorable Mayor of Toa Baja, Bernardo Márquez, among others, to talk about Puer to Rico’s housing reconstruction and rehabilitation.
6 Our CEO Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz spoke at the Urban Land Institute’s Advisory Services Panel where they presented their recommendations for a more socially, economically and physically resilient Toa Baja.
7 In January, a Security Summit was held in which proposals were presented to address the security issue in Puer to Rico. Our CEO Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz par ticipated in the session “Integration of the Private Sector and the Media in the Fight against Crime”.
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FROM THE ACADEMY THE ARCHITECT AS AN
ENTREPRENEUR @ UPRRP This past Fall semester, our CEO Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz led an advanced class as par t of the School of Architecture of the University of Puer to Rico Rio Piedras Campus’ professional degree program, titled “The Architect as an Entrepreneur”. This dynamic course focused on addressing analysis and management of concepts and skills that assist the design professional in assuming leadership in practice, by becoming knowledgeable of the multiple conditions that influence the design and construction industry. The image on the left, was taken during the presentation of a student project where they had to pitch their business idea.
AD&V’S INTERNSHIP PROGRAM As par t of AD&V’s commitment to the development of the architecture and interior design profession, the firm offers a year-round Internship Program for students to develop their abilities in a professional office setting while working closely with our team members on real projects. For the first months of the year, we had an incredibly talented intern, Caroline Hill. She was a high school senior that did her internship through the Walkabout Program at Linwor th High School in Columbus, Ohio. Caroline shadowed and assisted the AD&V Team during 4 weeks between February and March. At the end of her internship, she left these lovely thank you notes for AD&V. We wish Caroline only the best and may her future bring her happiness and success!
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT In recent months, AD&V has been featured in numerous publications including:
OFFICE CULTURE IT SEEMS WE ARE ALWAYS CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS!
SEPTEMBER 6 Natasha Yordán
SEPTEMBER 16 Antonio Gárate
OCTOBER 7 Joaquín Hernández
NOVEMBER 29 Cristina Villalón
DECEMBER 1 Carla Joan González
FEBRUARY 19 Monique Lugo 13
OFFICE CULTURE HALLOWEEN This year our team went all out with their Halloween costumes. From movie characters, to foods (and even a pencil), the Team celebrated Halloween in a diverse set of costumes. We can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next year!
ANIMUS The AD&V Team had a great experience attending ANIMUS this year. ANIMUS is an innovation summit designed to inspire people to reach their highest level of personal and professional development. We attended workshops, networked, and listened to excellent speakers that empowered and motivated us.
THANKSGIVING LUNCH This year we enjoyed our office Thanksgiving Lunch with delicious traditional foods. During lunch, each team member expressed what they were thankful for in 2018. We are grateful to have such an awesome team!
CHRISTMAS AFTERNOON For our annual Christmas celebration, we headed over to Asere Restaurant at La Placita in Santurce. We had our Secret Elf Gift Exchange where the team had to guess who their Secret Elf was through their adorable baby picture! We ate an amazing Christmas meal that included arroz con gandules, pavo and pernil!
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VALENTINE’S DAY For Valentine’s Day, the AD&V team dressed up in red & pink colors. To continue the Valentine’s theme, we also wore hear t-shaped glasses and handed out Valentine’s candy.
NEW TEAM MEMBERS
AD&V is pleased to announce that Executive Assistant Michelle Valldejuli and Social Media Manager Ariela Rivera have joined our team. We are happy to have them as our new team members and as par t of the AD&V Family!
URBAN GARDEN UPDATE This new year, our Urban Garden star ted off strong! The Fall and Winter Season treated the team with white and pink flowers, lots of bananas, tasty grapes and other plants. Some daring birds tried to take some of the grapes but luckily, they were safely secured inside nets. After the grapes were mature, they were picked out and ready to eat! The good news is that even more delicious grapes are on the way so stay tuned!
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SAN JUAN
MIAMI
1509 Ponce de Leรณn Avenue,
2100 Ponce de Leon Blvd.,
Ste. 4, 2nd Floor San Juan, Puer to Rico 00909
Suite 1260 Miami, Florida 33134
t: 787. 754 1381
t: 786. 703 5737
info@aldivi.com www.alvarezdiazvillalon.com
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