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ARCHITECTURE LEADERS www.architectureleaderstoday.com
Meyer Design INSIDE AND OUT
Originating as a corporate interiors firm in the 1970s, this company has broadened its scope to include architecture, incorporating innovative design to meet the demands of business operations.
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ARCHITECTURE LEADERS TODAY
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oZ WORLD MEDIA, LLC 1330 New Hampshire Avenue Suite B1 Washington D.C. 20036 Construction Leaders Today is a quarterly B2B trade journal that services the construction industry in architecture, custom build, geothermal, green building, specialty architecture, posttentioning, and new technology sectors. CLT has a readership of 100,000 C-Level executives within the energy industry. We do not accept subscription requests from the general public, however an abbreviated version is available on our website.
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X.L. America, Inc. regional headquarters, Exton, Pa. Small conference areas with slatted floor-to-ceiling millwork provide the right balance of privacy and natural light. Photo courtesy of Meyer Design, Inc.
GMAC Mortgage Headquarters, Fort Washington, Pa. Meyer Design transformed the existing Fort Washington Expo Center into the new 450,000 sq. ft. GMAC headquarters.
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REdesignING business
At Meyer Design, integrating architecture and interior design leads to creative design solutions that provide great workplace environments. by Jane Caffrey
The core philosophy at Meyer Design is expanding the basics of corporate interior design and architecture, and incorporating innovative design solutions in both areas to address the demands of business operations. “How do you create an environment where professionals can successfully practice their talents and training?” Norman Liedtke, President of Meyer Design, said. “We strive to achieve that, and do it in an environment where we can all have an enjoyable work experience. It’s not just about applying our professional training; it’s about finding business solutions for our clients.” Meyer Design, founded in 1976, originated as a corporate interiors firm. Yet over the course of the last two decades, the company has evolved to become a leading architecture firm in the Philadelphia region. The company has a wide variety of corporate clients as well as broadcast, education, healthcare, legal, non-profit, professional, and technology clients. With a team of more than thirty architects, designers, furniture experts, relocation specialists, and administrative staff, the firm provides diverse services paired with personalized attention. “The leadership of the company has an average of 15 years of experience with the company,” Jennifer Gould, Vice President at Meyer Design, said. “Most people come out of school, then stay forever. The personality of the firm is made up of all the personalities of our diverse group.” Designers at Meyer Design collaborate with both tenants and building owners to tailor projects to the specific needs of each client. The finished product is a space or building
designed from the inside-out, with solutions that are both aesthetic and functional. Architecturally, Meyer Design has extensive experience in new construction, renovations, conversions, feasibility studies, master planning, and sustainability. The interior design side of the process always begins with an extensive Operations Analysis, the most comprehensive programming available to provide a building block plan for space. Yet as a comprehensive design firm, Meyer Design additionally provides clients with a range of add-on services to ensure smooth transitions in any real estate project. A Furniture Solutions team is a single source for selecting and managing furniture, offering extensive knowledge and industry relationships. The company also brings 15 years of Relocation Management experience, managing successful relocations for clients such as Towers Perrin, Lexis Nexis and Eastern Research. Finally, Meyer Design assists clients through the entire design process with a Project Management team. With more than three decades of experience in this area, the firm brings foresight, maximizes savings, and acts as a representative on every detail to ensure that projects are completed on time and on budget. “We emphasize the integration of both architecture and interiors,” Liedtke said. “This really offers the client complete service. Whether designing buildings or interiors, we do everything in house. We provide a single source of services.” Another central commitment at Meyer Design is protecting the environment through sustainable building, an effort Summer 2010 5
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largely headed by George T. Wilson, AIA, Principal of Meyer Architects. “We follow sustainable LEED principles in every project we do. That’s our commitment to the environment,” Wilson said. Initially becoming involved in green building in the late 1990s, Meyer Design was one of the first firms in the region to achieve LEED silver and gold certifications. Mr. Wilson was also a founder of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council, whose mission is to transform the Delaware Valley through sustainable and responsible planning, design, and construction. This philosophy is prevalent at Meyer Design as well. The firm has taken a leadership role in educating clients on the benefits of green building and advocating the use of sustainable materials on every project. “One important trend we’ve seen is that just two years ago we would have to explain what the LEED process was about, and then only a small handful of clients would go forward,” Liedtke said. “As we sit here today, a number of clients initiate the conversation about LEED services, and 25 to 30 percent of our projects go through the LEED process.” Both comprehensive service and acute attention to sustainability have led to innumerable successful projects completed by the company, for corporate clients such as AIG/ Chartis, XL America, and Liberty Property Trust.
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3. 1818 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pa. The entryway was designed to give the building an impressive street presence and position it among the top buildings in Center City. Photo courtesy of Meyer Design.
PENNTEX CONSTRUCTION Penntex’s top priority is to listen the customer. Penntex will take the time required to share its expertise openly, build trust, and provide focused management from concept to project completion. Penntex knows the language of Architects, Engineers, Contractors, Vendors, and they enjoy helping create a new place that meets the customer’s needs. Penntex is a full service practice, whose features include concept and project cost budgeting, scheduling expertise, bidding services, contract negotiations, cost control, quality assurance, safety maintenance, and warranty guarantee. Penntex will assign a single person of contact that will help clients accomplish their projects from design through construction. Penntex accepts the challenge of a project, whether it is technically complex, employs demanding aesthetics, or has significant time pressures for project completion. In addition, they maximize control over projects while at the same time provide the expertise and resources to execute project phases efficiently. Penntex’s LEED accredited team has assisted clients in finding an appropriate balance to achieve environmental responsibility while helping to reduce long
term operating and maintenance costs. Penntex provides an open exchange that can question concepts or construction details in order to explore options and assumptions that ultimately help to maximize value. At Penntex, there is a high level of expertise as well as breadth of experience that contributes to strong planning with efficient use of time and money. Penntex has a proven track record of building Class A office buildings; they have transformed manufacturing plants into appealing office structures. Their record includes the construction of the world’s largest LEED certified baking facility, medical facilities, delivery of extensive site infrastructures, and experience with environmental remediation. Their experience includes meeting demanding and intensive design requirements coupled with well coordinated installations. Penntex prides itself on being able to respond creatively and provide value engineering to attain conceptual intent balanced with cost efficiency. Penntex looks forward to working with clients with diverse needs and accepts the challenge of providing pleasant work environments and high functionality.
350 Sentry Parkway, Bldg 640, Suite 101; Blue Bell, PA 19422; 610-834-1560 / FAX 610-834-1562
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One project that clearly demonstrates the architectural capabilities of Meyer Design is the corporate office building at 330 Fellowship Road in Marlton, New Jersey. This project is the first LEED Gold building in Southern New Jersey - a four-story, 110,000 square-foot office space designed for Liberty Property Trust, a developer in high-performance green office and industrial buildings. The project is part of “Liberty Walk” for which Meyer Design was the master planner. After demolishing two of the original structures, the firm crunched the masonry for use as a base for the parking lot in a sustainable gesture. “This cost more, but it saved us two to three weeks of construction time. Instead of hauling the waste away to a landfill, we used it on site,” Wilson said. Wilson headed a team that completed an additional landmark project for Liberty Property Trust at 151 South Warner Road in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Collaborating with the developer and contractor, the team transformed a dated structure into a sophisticated, world class singletenant office building. Meyer Design increased the space by 9,000 square feet, re-skinned the entire building, added an impressive three-story glass atrium, and completed landscaping and redevelopment of the site. In support of LEED-CS Gold certification, 151 also boasts a spectrum of green features. Energy efficiencies are achieved through a highly reflective and extra-insulated white roof, while lowflow showerheads, sensor faucets, and landscaping provide water efficiencies. A new “through” lobby developed by Meyer Design, with increased ceiling and window height, allows natural light to permeate the space.
In upcoming years, Meyer Design will continue to complete projects for clients in diverse sectors and will remain committed to sustainable building. For both economic and environmental reasons, the firm sees an increasing trend in renovating existing buildings. The company has also examined modern demographics, and anticipates its active assisted living practice will grow even larger as the elder care housing market continues to expand. “The area where I think we excel is that we very much understand that it’s about what the client wants and finding business solutions through design,” Liedtke said. Meyer Design preserves a high client retention rate due to the company’s keen ability to develop personal relationships and customize design and business solutions. “We design for the purposes of meeting business objectives,” Gould said. “When clients move into a new space, there is some aspect of the business driving that change. It’s our job to know what’s driving their business, and why it’s growing or contracting, and to reorient the space to meet the clients’ changing environment.” With a philosophy of listening, anticipating, and responding, Meyer Design addresses clients with personalized service that continually evolves to foster effective design solutions. CLT 4. Aberdeen Asset Management, Philadelphia, Pa. This space was designed to be open, airy and light with dark and dramatic accents. Photo courtesy of Meyer Designs, Inc. 5. 6 Interplex, Neshaminy, Pa. All aspects of the lobby and common areas were updated to increase marketability. Photo courtesy of Meyer Designs, Inc.
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