GREEN BUILDING & DEsIGN
gb&d GREEN BUILDING & DEsIGN may/jUNE 2011
The essential guide for sustainable projects and ideas may/jUNE 2011
Teaches citizen architects the value of community, P. 52
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Light for Liveable Cities
A sustainable city will increasingly use a few well-chosen landmarks to represent the city view. Lighting such icons is an integral responsibility, so that they compete in terms of design and not brightness in the urban nocturnal scene.
ETC140 Inground Uplights Staten Island Memorial New York (USA) Architect: Masayuki Sono Lighting Design: Fisher Marantz Stone
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contents
gb&d
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GREEN BUILDING & DESIGN MAY/JUNE 2011
FEATURES 20/
verbatim lisa adams The fashionista on redesigning the most overlooked space in your home: the closet
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Suzie Hall Cornerstone Design’s owner on making interiors green + gorgeous
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discussion board the art of restraint Studio Dwell Architects ushers in a minimalist, modern vibe to Chicago’s residences
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launch pad design prosthetics Dallas’ luxurious Elaine Williamson Designs flexes a new green arm
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plan for anything, p. 60 gb&d maps out five key trends in urban planning that are literally reshaping our world in increasingly sustainable ways, from transit-oriented designs to constructing cities from scratch.
the world, their stage, p. 70
The shining star behind Vera Wang’s flaship boutique in NYC
sustainable design group
+
details tillotson design associates
smbw architects Infusing Virginia’s landmark institutions with a contemporary touch
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In the heart of Alabama, Rural Studio’s students learn a pivotal lesson: the power—and responsibility—of architecture to transform communities.
A peek inside the show-stopping portfolios of Fisher Marantz Stone and Focus Lighting: two prestigious lighting design firms that really bring the drama.
A global force for earth and solar homes 34/
citizen architects, p. 52
lam partners
editor’s note commodities 14/ agenda/bookshelf 15/ memo 17/ defined design 6/
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Perfecting lighting’s trademark conundrum
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inner workings lofts at cherokee studios Brooks + Scarpa Architects designs a “living canvas” worthy of the Material Girl
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bertschi school Lessons from the first potential Living Building in Washington
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taking shape public utilities commission building KMD Architects’ benchmark feat in San Francisco lays the groundwork for a green district
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community maternal insticts worldwide J Banks Design Group’s president builds a green orphanage in Tanzania
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families for families Frank Road Recycling Solutions recycles its way into the heart of Columbus
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ABOVE: The late Samuel “Sambo” Mockbee founded the Rural Studio (p. 52).
MAY/JUNE 2011
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contents
spaces live/
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OSTERHAUS MCCARTHY ONE ARCHITECTS WM. H. FRY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
play/
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the paul davis partnership kutlesa/hernandez architects candela the pantone hotel dar hi resort
learn/
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opsis architecture cline bettridge bernstein sillman wright architects randall scott architects mitchell|giurgola architects murphy/jahn pfau long architects vilhelmsro primary school 115/
BALL DROP. Two iterations by Focus Lighting (featured on p. 75) for the famous Times Square New Year’s Eve ball. Photo: Ian Hardy.
heal/ david fleener architects danish state prison
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work/ the green building morris|sato studio ffkr architects design alternatives srbl architects
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solutions INSULATION PRODUCTS & SYSTEMS
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Old-timer western red cedar enjoys a renaissance
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LANDSCAPE INSTALLATION & CONSTRUCTION
artist to watch Patrick dougherty Creates fantastical sculptures out of tangled sticks
Dow Building Solutions tackles the big picture 137/
material world a wood for all time
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last look color: design catalyst
Kelco Landscaping and Construction helps bring the Brooklyn
Pantone Color Institute predicts this season’s hottest hues for
Bridge Park to life
interior design
MAY/JUNE 2011
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index of people & companies
a
Acheson, Cameron, 59 Adams, Lisa, 20 Alfred Waugh Architects, 142 Anderson, Nicolas, 110, 111
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Barnes, Kay, 62 Barnett, Geoff, 15 Berkebile, Bob, 61, 62, 68 Bettridge, Francesca, 100, 101 BIOFA, 94 Bjarke Ingels Group, 114 BNIM, 61, 62, 67, 68 Bracha, Doron, 14 Broches, Paul, 107, 108 Brooks + Scarpa Architects, 38, 39, 40 Burro Happold, 16 BuzziSpace, 12
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Candela, 92, 93 Carey, Timothy, 63 C. F. Møller Architects, 17, 118 Chicago Cubs, 90 Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design, 100, 101 Columbia Forest Products, 87 Columbia Sportswear, 142 Cornerstone Design, 22 Crasset, Matali, 96
D–E
David Fleener Architects, 116, 117, 118 Davis, Paul W., 88, 89 Design Alternatives, 127, 128 Dhaliwal, Kiran, 127 Dougherty, Patrick, 143, 145 Douglas, Sam Wainwright, 55 Dow Building Solutions, 134, 135, 136 DuPont, 121, 122, 123 Elaine Williamson Designs, 26, 27
F
(fer) studio, 119 FFKR Architects, 124, 125 Fink, Peter, 16 Fisher Marantz Stone, 71, 72, 73 Fleener, David, 116, 118 Focus Lighting, 51, 71, 75, 77 Fong, Denis, 92, 93 Form Associates, 16 Frank Road Recycling Solutions, 50 Freear, Andrew, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 Fry, Bill, 86, 87 Fultz, Chris, 34
G
Geolo Capital, 88 Giovacchini, Stefano, 12 Google Inc., 15 Gregory, Paul, 75, 76, 77
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Hall, Suzie, 22 Hamlin, David, 12 Hannaert, Oliver, 94 Hanrahan Meyers Architects, 63 Hardy, Stephen, 62 Heinmiller, Glenn, 36, 37 Herman-Miller, 123 HMFH Architects, 14 Holland Brown Books, 120 Hopkins, Fred, 35 Hyatt Corporation, 92 Intl. Center for Sustainable Development, 32
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J–K
J Banks Design Group, 48 Jackson, Joanna, 26 Jacobson, Arne, 94 Jahn, Helmut, 110 Kalvelage, Jim, 99 Kelco Landscaping and Construction, 137, 138 Kelly, John, 137, 138 Kennecott Land Company, 124 Kidd, Brian, 25 KMD Architects, 42, 43, 44, 45 Kutlesa, Ivan, 90, 91 Kutlesa/Hernandez Architects, 90, 91
L
LA Closet Design, 20 Lam Partners, 36, 37 Lam, William M.C., 36 Lauder, William, 75 Lee, Ray, 129, 130 Lennon, John, 38, 39 Liebeskind, Daniel, 77 Long, Dwight, 113 Loschiavo, Alessandro, 12 Lou, Ellen, 64, 65 Ludden, Robert, 42, 43 Luxury Resort Hotels, 88
M
Mackie, Paul, 141, 142 MacLeod, Lauren, 92 Madonna, 38, 39, 88 Major, Mark, 16 Mallon, Bryan, 135, 136 Mariplast, 12 Mathew, Jacob, 135 Matthews, Dave, 39 Matthews, Jimmie Lee, 55 McCarthy, John, 80, 82 McDonald, Mike, 142 McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, LLC, 134 McDowell, Steve, 68 Mercedes-Benz, 127, 128 Meron, Alon, 12 Meyer, James, 99 Meyers, Victoria, 63 Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 137 Mitchell/Giurgola, 107, 108 Moore, Mary Tyler, 75 Morris, Michael, 121, 123 Morris|Sato, 121, 122, 123 Murphy/Jahn, 110, 111
N–O
Nicholson-Cole, David, 16 OFL architecture, 19 Oldfield, Philip, 16 One Architects Inc., 84, 85 Opsis Architecture, 97, 98, 99 Orproject, 12 Osterhaus McCarthy LLC, 80, 81, 82 Osterhaus, Scott, 80, 82
P
Palladino, Douglas, 14 Pappageorge Haymes Partners, 25 Paramount Metal Systems, 136 Peck, Dylan, 137, 138 Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, 100 Penneman, Michel, 94 Pennington, Ken, 50 Peter Calthorpe and Associates, 124 Peters, Mark, 24, 25 Pfau Long Architects, 112, 113 Pfau, Peter, 112, 113
Advertisers Phan, Minh Ngoc, 16 Pine Cone Lumber, 86 Prestige Motors, 127, 128 Provenzano, Joe, 137
r
Randall Scott Architects, 105, 106 Reagan, Ronald, 88 Rebaroque, 12 RECLAIM, 86 RG Scichili & Associates, 136 RTKL Associates, 14 Rural Studio, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 Ruskin, John, 105, 106 Russo, Michelle, 12 Ruth, D.K., 55
s
Samuel Mockbee, 54, 59 Sato, Yoshiko, 121, 123 Saunders, William, 61 Scarpa, Lawrence, 38, 39, 40 Scichili, Robert, 136 Scott, Randall, 105, 106 Sente, Carol, 129 Sillman Wright Architects, 102, 103 Simon & Associates, 66 Sinatra, Frank, 39 Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, 64, 65, 72 SMBW Architects, 34, 35 SonaBLAST! Records, 120 Space Group Architects, 18 Spears, John W., 32 Speirs + Major, 16 Splaingard, Daniel, 54, 55, 57, 59 SRBL Architects, 129, 130, 135 Starr Whitehouse, 15 Stevens, Ryan, 44, 45 Stone II, Charles G., 72 Stroer, Rachel, 67 Studio Dwell Architects, 24, 25 Submaterial, 12 Suchodolsky, Kim, 127 Sustainable Design Group, 32
t-v
The Group Entertainment, 120 The Paul Davis Partnership, 88, 89 Tillotson Design Associates, 28 Tillotson, Suzan, 28, 29, 30 Todd, Doug, 134, 136 TOTO, 123 Tuggle, Jennifer, 127, 128 Tullis, Brett, 102, 103 Vanderslice, Joni, 47, 48
A Degree of Freedom, 123 Alternative Business Systems, LLC, 49 Altman Lighting, 31 Bay Crane, 140 BPA Group, 40, 41 Burnham Nationwide Inc., 11 Camellia Art, 46, 48 Chuck’s Glass Inc., 85 Cox Durango Architects, 41 Design Alternatives, 126 Designed Architectural Lighting, 69 Designer Floors, 23 Dirtworks, PC, 109 Division 8 Incorporated, 104 Dow Building Solutions, 132, 133 Edge Lighting, 74, 77 Edison Price Lighting, 74, 91 Electric Lighting Agencies, 31 Erco Lighting, 30 Green Façade Systems, 83 ILA Lighting, 126 J Banks Design Group, 49 James Lawrence & Associates LLC, 33, 35 LaMar Lighting Company, Inc., 69 Langan, 109 LarsonO’Brien Marketing Group, 120 Lee Lewis Construction, Inc., 106 LiteTouch, 74 Longden Company, 10 Markelz Office Products Inc., 117 Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 139 Nolte Associates, 126 Opsis Architecture, 99 Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, 147 Penn Globe, 74 Phase 1 Consulting, 91 Philips Color Kinetics, 30, 31, 69 Pine Cone Lumber, 87 Selux, 8, 148 Severud Associates, 109 Sillman Wright Architects, 104 SNS Architects & Engineers, PC, 126, 128 Stevens + Associates, 41 Tailor Made Draperies, 49 The Dirt Company, 138 The Paul Davis Partnership, 87 Trane Co., 130, 131 Vanguard Coverage Corp., 139 Watt Stopper, 37 WE-EF Lighting, 2, 72 WSP Flack and Kurtz Inc., 113 ZinCo USA, Inc., 138
W
Wander, Marianne, 124 Wang, Vera, 28 Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, 141, 142 Wheeler, Stephen, 61 Wicke, Danny, 58, 59 Wierinck, Sebastien, 11 Williamson, Elaine, 26, 27 Wm. H. Fry Construction Company, 86, 87 Wolf, Lou, 34, 35 Wolfe, Tom, 88 Worthen, Bill, 66 Wright, Brian, 129, 130 Wright, Bruce, 84, 85 Wright, Jodie, 84, 85
Y
Yancey, Keith J., 37 Yee, Sim Lee, 16
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editor’s note
a higher calling
W
hat is the role of architecture, and therefore architects, in today’s society? A loaded question, undoubtedly. But it is one we tackle nonetheless in this special double issue of gb&d.
Perhaps part of the answer lies in our cover story, “Citizen Architects” (p. 52), which profiles Rural Studio, a groundbreaking off-campus component of Auburn University’s School of Architecture. Launched by the late Samuel “Sambo” Mockbee in 1993, students who enroll in this optional program, which operates in Hale County, Alabama, live and breathe the philosophy of its visionary founder: that architects should embrace their role as social servants and become catalysts for change. Yes, the students design and build stunning buildings—most of the projects even integrate reclaimed materials and a cutting-edge aesthetic worthy of any modern metropolis—but most importantly, their focus is on celebrating the human spirit and serving the community they work in. By tapping into the needs and wants of the community, and translating that into viable, affordable, visually arresting structures, the students—or citizen architects—are transforming the lives of the townspeople in a way that is sustainable and respectful. In fact, to highlight this notion of reinserting humanity back into architecture—in this age of architectural superstars and glamorous projects—we’ve temporarily traded our staple projectfocused cover in favor of this moving montage of screen stills [yes, those are actually people on our cover!] from Citizen Architect: Samuel Mockbee and the Spirit of Rural Studio, a documentary about the program and its legacy. In our second feature, “Plan for Anything” (p. 60), writer Scott Heskes takes us on a journey through the changing face of sustainable urban planning, highlighting key trends that have come to define this architectural movement—trends that are literally reshaping our world. Through these large-scale urban projects, architects are tasked with transforming entire cities and towns and, through their designs, ensuring their long-term sustainability—both environmental and economical. Whether we take an intimate look at a single yet revolutionary program or a sweeping view of urban planning at its grandest and greenest, one thing is clear: architects do so much more than design buildings. From citizen architects to global masterminds, the role of an architect is as diverse and challenging as the world we inhabit. In a more lighthearted spirit, we also shine a spotlight on Fisher Marantz Stone and Focus Lighting (“The World, Their Stage,” p. 70) two architectural-lighting-design firms with theatrical roots, evidenced by their show-stopping body of work. And our first-ever Artist to Watch subject (p. 143), Patrick Dougherty, takes playing with sticks to whole new heights with his breathtaking, whimsical collection of sculptures. As always, we at gb&d celebrate the architects, designers, and artists who make this world just a little more interesting. However you define your role, this issue is dedicated to you. Enjoy,
Darhiana Mateo Features Editor
P.S. Check out our brand new Details department beginning on p. 28!
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COVER PHOTOS: 1/ Hale County Animal Hospital 2/ Newbern General Store 3/ Peanut 4/ Lion’s Park 5/ Patrick House 6/ Yancey Tire Chapel 7/ Butterfly House 8/ Antioch Baptist Church 9/ Windshield Chapel detail 10 & 11/ $20K House 2008 12/ Red barn 13/ Music Man house 14/ Music Man 15/ Antioch Baptist Church interior Film Stills from Citizen Architect documentary (all except #’s 1, 10, 11): Dutch Rall/Big Beard Films
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contributors
gb&d
®
editorial
research
editor-in-chief Christopher Howe
director of editorial research
FEATURES EDITOR
George Bozonelos george@bgandh.com
Darhiana Mateo darhiana@bgandh.com
ASSOCIATE editor Timothy Schuler tschuler@bgandh.com
correspondents Thalia A-M Bruehl Tricia Despres Anne Dullaghan Peter Fretty Scott Heskes Kelsey Higginbotham Jenniger Hogeland David Hudnall Russ Klettke Keith Loria Kelli McElhinny Jamie Morgan Anita Paul Erik Pisor Zipporah Porton Suchi Rudra Lynn Russo Whylly Julie Schaeffer
Anne Dullaghan is an Altadena, California-based journalist who writes frequently on business, sustainability, architecture and design, finance, and technology for a range of publications and global corporations.
editorial research managers Dawn Collins Anthony D’Amico Gerald Mathews Carolyn Marx
editorial researchers Shelley Hickey Ryan Jones Elizabeth Kim Will Megson Matt O’Conner Katie Yost
editorial research assistant Adam Castillo
David Hudnall has written for gb&d since its first issue. He’s fastidious about recycling and has on more than one occasion lectured family members about leaving the faucet running while brushing their teeth. He lives with two cats in Kansas City, Missouri.
art
Thalia A-M Bruehl is a fiction writer and freelancer. She has worked at Esquire and Playgirl and now writes about everything from babies to green construction. Thalia currently lives in Chicago with her husband and their little love, Finnegan the dog. This is her second year with gb&d; she was thrilled to have the opportunity to talk to the great Patrick Dougherty for this issue.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Karin Bolliger
senior designer Bill Werch
photo editor Samantha Hunter
Scott Heskes is co-owner of CCMWEST, INC., a construction consulting firm. His career in the design and construction industry spans 35 years. Prior to CCMWEST’s inception in 2008, he was a senior vice president with AECOM. Scott has a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing from San Francisco State University and is a frequent contributor to gb&d.
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Discera 4 LED Pedestrian scale street and area lighting solutions. The new Discera 4 LED balances efficacy with visual comfort! Using highflux LEDs with precision lens optics, Discera 4 LED delivers exceptional uniformity and low glare ideal for street lighting, parking area, pedestrian walkway and egress applications. SELUX luminaires are manufactured in the USA.
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gbdmagazine.com • View the latest issue of Green Building & Design in a full-sized readable format • Get inspired by featured projects, builders, architects, and designers • Discover what’s in store for upcoming issues, and how your company can get involved • Find out what events the Green Building & Design staff will be attending and more!
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Innovators in Building Specialized Environments Phone: 800-272-3282 Founded in 1975, Longden Company, Inc. is a New England-based specialty contractor composed of four divisions: Tate Raised Access Floors, Building Technology Platform, Server Room Design-Build, and Clean Rooms. Longden Company, Inc. is one of the largest Tate dealers in the country, and the largest access floor dealer in New England. We understand the specific needs and challenges that these spaces pose, and we have a long, successful history of effectively addressing those demands while exceeding our customers’ expectations. Longden Company, Inc. is dedicated to building healthy and environmentally sound work areas. Our designs and products partner with the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Certifications.
Providing high performance designs for your projects and Mother Earths.
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up front 11/ COMMODITIES 14/ AGENDA/BOOKSHELF 15/ MEMO 17/ DEFINED DESIGN
COLOR SPLASH
Decked out in the boldest hues of today, these fearless designs demand attention not only for their innovation and Earth-friendly elements, but for the inspiration they unleash with their richly colored faรงades. We dare you not to stare.
singing the blues > This chair and table prototype in a bold blue hue by Belgian designer Sebastien Wierinck is made from plywood and constructed from interlocking angled panels, rendering nails and glue obsolete. sebastienwierinck.com
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up front/commodities lighten up Go ahead: flip it, hang it, or stand it up. With its plastic core, originally used for textile dyes, this versatile light fixture is made of 100-percent recycled and recyclable plastic with an energy-saving LED light. The RE+ light fixture, part of a new sustainable line by Mariplast, was a winner in the international competition “La casa del terzo millennio” by CNA in Prato, Italy. It is available in numerous colors and was designed with cooperation from Stefano Giovacchini of Di.Segno. repiu.it
heartfelt ^ With its rhythmic, grid-like composition, Wall Panel 068 is achieved using two colors of felt: a main body color and an interlayer with a complementary but contrasting shade, for an unforgettable statement. The deeply textured panel is made with color-laminated 100 percent wool felt on an FSC-certified plywood sub-panel. Designed by David Hamlin of Submaterial, which produces handcrafted interior accessories for modern environments, this piece’s felt components are meticulously cut and assembled by hand. submaterial.com
divide & conquer > A contemporary take on the folding screen of yesterday, the BuzziScreen by BuzziSpace is a funky, eco-friendly space divider made from 100 percent recycled PET, adopting the “cradle to cradle” concept. The screen features a handy recycled zipper system that makes it easy to add panels, thereby extending it infinitely. The company offers colorful poufs, lampshades, acoustic selfadhesive tiles and furniture, most of which come totally flat-pack, reducing the environmental impact of transportation. buzzispace.com
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collision course ^ Inspired by the bent metal of wrecked cars near his studio, Israeli designer Alon Meron crafted his Snow White chair made from pine and steel. The metal for the seat and backrest is taken from discarded body panels while wood for the construction is made from palette planks, making the chair 98 percent reclaimed and upcycled. alonmeron.com
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up front/commodities
music frame of mind > Rebaroque, a new line of custom sound frames (by Brookly-based artists Rebecca Paul and Mikal Hammed), look like luxe artwork but are in actuality high-quality speakers. The sound frames are made from upcycled vintage picture frames and remnant fabric. The product was born out of the artistic duo’s desire to crete artwork that was also functional, tech-savvy, and sustainable. While they happily scour the streets to find wood to use inside the frames and speakers, and while each design lovingly evokes the Baroque style through its rich detailing, the speakers are definitely modern—each one features a cable that can be hooked up to your computer or portable music player, and can be outfitted to dock to your iPhone or Blackberry. rebaroque.com
surf & turf The endlessly clever WaTable by Alessandro Loschiavo and Michelle Russo is as easy on the eye as it is easy to dismantle. The table boasts an alveolar acrylic circular top and translucent container base that acquires weight when filled with water—it doubles as a watering can—connected by a carbon fiber tube. It can be used as a dining table for two or a coffee table and is also perfect for seasonal public settings. Need to dismantle it? Simply unscrew the three elements from one another. The concept was presented for the first time at the Materiali Creativi 2010 exhibition in Milan, Italy, from December 2010 to January 2011. aled.it
pink lady ^ Built as part of the London Festival of Architecture, London-based design house Orproject has created a gloriously pink solar-powered chandelier that graces the city’s Belgrave Square. The tree-shaped chandelier provides shade during the day and dazzles after dark, dispersing light collected during the day through its photovoltaic cells. orproject.com
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up front/agenda/bookshelf
MAY/JUNE 2011 05.14/ 05.17
International Contemporary Furniture Fair Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City In its 23rd year, the event has evolved into a global summit for “what’s best and next in design.” North America’s singular showcase for contemporary design, the ICFF highlights the latest furnishings trends and offers a thought-provoking programs lineup. icff.com
05.17/ 05.19
As the world’s largest annual architectural- and commercial-lighting trade show and conference, it blends continuing education courses with an innovative product showcase ranging from high-end design to cutting-edge technology. lightfair.com
05.17/ 05.20
Hospitality Design Expo & Conference Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas Beginning with Green Day on the 17th, a targeted forum for industry leaders dedicated to sustainable design, HD Expo is ground zero for the newest and most inspiring products and services for the hospitalitydesign industry. hdexpo.com
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Top architects and designers on what you should have on your list
06.13/ 06.15
NeoCon World’s Trade Fair 2011 The Merchandise Mart, Chicago Described as “where the design world comes together,” NeoCon offers three days of pure energy, bursting with new thinking, new resources, and new products in the realm of commercial interiors. The design exposition and conference boasts more than 700 showrooms and exhibitors, seminars, tour and educational programs, and plenty of networking opportunities for the 40,000 attendees. NeoCon also hosts the IIDA Annual Conference. neocon.com
Lightfair International Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia
Recommended Reading
06.20/ 06.23
2011 National Healthy Homes Conference Colorado Convention Center, Denver This four-day housing and public-health conference will provide unparalleled opportunities to explore emerging trends in green building and design. The federally sponsored event brings together a wide range of sectors to better coordinate efforts in making housing healthy, safe, and environmentally sustainable. healthyhomesconference. org
NEW READ With literally thousands of color combinations to choose from and fluctuating standards and trends, how does an architect or designer arrive at a particular color when working on a project? Released by renowned color chemist Katrin Trautwein, 128 Colors: A Sample Book for Architects, Conservators and Designers, seeks to tackle this question and unwrap the complexities of color choices for design. The book offers an in-depth look at 128 colors carefully selected as optimal shades, based on Trautwein’s work with architects, designers, and historical preservationists, including Le Corbusier. Each color is presented with a sample, and the author offers an insightful discussion on its potential use and significance, as well as recommendations for complementary colors. Birkhäuser Architecture, Published May 2010, $99.95. Aptly named, Color + Design: Transforming Interior Space, by Ron Reed, is infused with insights into how people perceive color, the critical role that color plays in the grand scheme of interior design, and a discussion of how early in the planning process color should be considered. The book presents color theory in terms of design principles such as balance, rhythm, emphasis, proportion, unity, and variety. Reed, ASID, IDEC, NCIDQ, is an assistant professor in the Department of Design in the College of Visual Arts and Design at the University of North Texas. Fairchild Books, Published February 2010, $78.00
Doron Bracha, RA, LEED AP, is an architect with HMFH Architects in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Born and educated in Israel, where many green features have been used for decades, Doron moved to Boston in 2004 and became a citizen in 2008. He is passionate about green architecture and lifestyle, and has attended conferences and workshops on green schools, integrative design, and Passive House design. He believes that the first step in going green is reducing consumption. Photo: HMFH Architects
Douglas Palladino is a principal in the Washington, DC, office of RTKL Associates Inc. He is a registered architect with more than 26 years of professional experience as a project designer and architect. A talented and award-winning designer, Douglas has a diverse portfolio of public, institutional, office, retail, and residential design projects. He has also taught design studios and lectured widely at both academic and professional events.
books The Integrative Design Guide to Green Building by 7 Group and Bill G. Reed
books Cities for People by Jan Gehl
Energy Free: Homes for a Small Planet by Ann V. Edminster Sustainable Construction: Green Building Design and Delivery, Second Edition by Charles Kibert New Green Homes: The Latest in Sustainable Living by Sergi Costa Duran and Liliana Bollini
Green Community by Susan PiedmontPalladino and Tim Mennell Shape of Green: Aesthetics, Ecology, and Design by Lance Hosey blogs ganggreennbm. blogspot.com switchboard.nrdc.org
blogs buildinggreen.com treehugger.com/ designer_architecture passivehouse.us sustainabledesign update.com
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up front/memo
‘Sky Cycling’ Takes Off Things are looking up in the world of public transportation. Literally. Conceived by Melbourne cyclist Geoff Barnett while he was living in Tokyo, the innovative Shweeb system (derived from the German word schweben meaning “float” or “suspend”), a pedal-powered monorail capsule, offers an innovative method of transportation for adventurous souls. The idea behind the technology is simple: Create a network of interconnected single rails, hang pods from these lines, and place people inside the plastic tubes so they can “power” the monorails by cycling to their destination—while hung upside down from a rail. The innovative monorail won the “drive innovation in public transport” category in Google Inc.’s 10^100 competition, which sought solutions that make the world a better place. In September 2010, Google invested $1.05 million into the scheme and believes it has the potential to transform the way we get around cities. Currently, Shweeb’s monorail (billed as an adventure ride concept) is being tested in Agroventures Park in Rotorua, New Zealand, where users—mostly tourists—can cycle around the 200-mile track at speeds of around 45 kilometers per hour. While only being used for recreational purposes currently, the company plans to invest the funds from Google on research and development to build a showcase transit system in the northern hemisphere and will soon announce the lucky location where they will build the first transit Shweeb for public use.
ABOVE: Renderings of the Shweeb concept, which Google believes can transform public transit.
BQE Enhancement Project Hired by the New York City Economic Development Corporation to improve the existing Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE), which currently carves an unappealing trench through the community, Starr Whitehouse conceived three solutions to transform the neighborhood above the BQE: / Taming Hicks Street into a rainwater-recycling, sustainable, pedestrian-friendly street dotted with engaging public spaces / Creating a city of “green machine,” solar-equipped bicycle/pedestrian bridges that reconnect the neighborhood / Spanning the BQE with a graceful green trellis canopy augmented with acoustic panels, passively irrigated vines, and an array of photovoltaic panels that could produce more than a million kilowatt-hours of green energy per year Costs for the proposals vary from $10.7 million up to $82.7 million depending on the concept chosen and additional features. As of press time, funding for the project had not been allocated nor had any decisions been made. TOP: Aerial rendering of trellis canopy proposal. BOTTOM: Pedestrian-friendly appeal.
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up front/memo
LED Light Show Extravaganza San Diego residents are in for quite the show: In October 2010, the City’s Port Commissioners and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) unveiled plans for a programmable LED light show on the iconic San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge that will be entirely powered by wind turbines. Spearheaded by an elite international design team, including Peter Fink of Form Associates and lighting designer Mark Major of Speirs + Major in association with engineering firm Burro Happold’s Los Angeles office, the project is described as the largest interactive, green-energy lighting project in North America. As part of the project, parapet lighting will reflect the direction, speed and intensity of vehicles traveling across the bridge. The lighting will also respond to passing ships, and a secondary layer of light on the bridge’s pillars will provide a sense of urban connection between the two shores and celebrate the strong ties across the water body linking the communities of San Diego and Coronado. The bridge is characterized by its graceful 2.5-mile long curved deck supported by over 30 towers reaching a height of 200 feet over the navigation channel. The shipping channels are spanned by the world’s longest continuous three-span box girder measuring 1,880 feet. The San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge, built in 1969, has become a symbol of the San Diego area—just as the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges are symbols for San Francisco. RIGHT: Renderings of the San Diego–Coronado Bay Bridge project.
SkyLifter Blimp A new buoyant aircraft concept—using established lighter-than-air principles to vertically lift, transport, and set down loads of up to 150 tons in the world’s most remote areas—is loaded with promise. Australian-based SkyLifter is a piloted, motorized gas balloon system intended to serve as a point-to-point transport vehicle for large objects over long distances, which means it has the potential to revolutionize sustainable building in developing nations, delivering prefab facilities to remote areas.
recycling tower
Skylifter’s superior performance is due to a flattened profile that allows better mobility and less susceptibility to wind forces, allowing for a top speed of 45 knots. Coupled with a proprietary Voith-Schneider propeller, similar in
concept to what modern tugboats use, the 150-meter craft will have unprecedented maneuverability. It does not need to land to carry out duties and the engines are inside the body of the aircraft so it will operate quietly and with a very small environmental footprint.
ABOVE: Top view of SkyLifter. BELOW: A model highlighting this technology’s potential to deliver critical aid in developing countries.
A residential tower with a penchant for waste collection and recycling is the brainchild of University of Nottingham’s students Minh Ngoc Phan and Sim Lee Yee, and professors Philip Oldfield and David Nicholson-Cole. The project acts as a hub to gather and process waste from neighboring towers. Waste materials are collected at each household in a series of special compartments—one each for glass, metals, paper, plastics and organic matter. These are then transported to the Recycling Tower via service ducts located beneath the skybridges. From here they are moved down to a large-scale sorting/recycling center at its ground floor interface via vacuumed, colorcoded pipes. In addition, the design embraces recycled materials in its construction—for example, much of the tower is clad in colorful recycled corrugated steel sheets. This, along with the exposed nature of the recycling pipes, services, and structure results in a vibrant and expressive building. ABOVE: A building with a purpose: the Recycling Tower. Photo: © University of Nottingham/CTBUH/Sim Lee & Minh Ngoc Phan.
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up front/defined design
ALL ABOARD
As transit-oriented designs gain steam as critical pieces of the sustainable urban planning puzzle, public-transportation spaces are emerging as vital hubs for the latest design breakthroughs. Serving as key components of a more unified urban infrastructure, the projects featured here not only encourage and facilitate public transit as a more eco-friendly means of transportation, but stand as vivid reminders of what public spaces should represent: buildings and systems that—literally and figuratively—propel society forward.
STOCKHOLM TERMINAL FERRY Stockholm, Sweden With a fitting silhouette that recalls a moving vessel, the new terminal for Stockholm’s permanent ferry connections to Finland and the Baltics, will serve as an unforgettable exclamation point for the new urban development Norra Djursgårdsstaden. The terminal will boast a mesh-covered facade while the architecture, punctuated with large cranes and warehouses, is characteristic of traditional ports. But perhaps the project’s most ambitious attribute is its focus on sustainability. To facilitate a natural connection between central Stockholm and the new urban center, the terminal is raised to be at level with the urban zone, making it easily accessible for both pedestrians and drivers. With an ambitious, landscaped green roof, integration of solar and wind power, and overall self-sufficiency in regards to energy, the ferry terminal ushers in a new environmental model for public construction in the Swedish capital.
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architect C. F. Møller Architects client Stockholms Hamn, AB Size 54,133 square feet and a new customs area of 3,608 square feet website cfmoller.com
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Oslo Central Station Oslo, Norway With sweeping arches and a dramatic rooftop park, the new Oslo Central Station in Norway—to be built in stages over the next several years—aims to redefine the city’s perception of public transportation spaces. The dynamic and multifaceted space, designed by Norwaybased Space Group Architects, echoes the increasingly popular trend of spaces playing multiple roles by including art, retail, and conference spaces along with the expansive park spanning the full length of the blocklong development. The project, expected to break ground in 2013, entails demolishing a significant section of the existing station, which was built in the 1850s, and building a new four-story structure that will unify the station. A large open plaza is planned for the ground level while the upper levels will host a hotel/conference center above the main terminal along with several other entertainment spaces including an art and performance theater for travelers and residents alike to enjoy. The station will serve as a pedestrian bridge connecting the opera house with the downtown area in the currently fragmented city center. The project will be completed in stages and construction is expected to last between five and 10 years. architect Space Group Architects breaking ground 2013 estimated construction period 5-10 years website spacegroup.no
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up front/defined design
Silk Road Map Evolution Proposal Picture this: A boldly re-imagined Silk Road resting on synergy between architecture and infrastructure—and a futuristic railway system functioning on gravitational platforms. This vast and legendary maze of trade routes made famous by Marco Polo’s explorations would be transformed into a highly ambitious and sustainable urban network, connecting the East with the West. Italian firm OFL architecture’s winning proposal for the international Silk Road Map competition, which seeks to revitalize the historic road, imagines 15,000 kilometers of the Silk Road as a global city stretching from Venice to Xian, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Included in the concept design is an extensive network of tunnels and vertical and circular skyscrapers, raising to a medium height of 400 meters, whose forms are dictated by their internal functions and relationship with the railway system and surrounding natural world. The plan is anchored by a railway system that forms the main path of the Silk Road and new line of commercial and public transport. The trains are designed to travel on polarized gravitational fields while an advanced energy system is placed on the inside of the train tracks to facilitate speedy and Earthfriendly travel. Based on the concept of ”spatial urbanism,” this daring proposal offers a response to problems of mobility facing metropolises today by shunning the notion of cities as isolated organisms and instead presenting a truly integrated infrastructure as a roadmap to urban planning of tomorrow. Beyond just a design or architectural revolution, this project has social, political, and economic implications and has a greater goal of pumping new blood into the disadvantaged cities that dot the historic road.
architect OFL architecture competition organizer New Italian Blood competition year 2010 design team Francesco Lipari, Vanessa Todaro, Andrea Debilio, Alejandro Liu Cheng website francescolipari.it
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verbatim
Being organized is empowering. The closet starts off your day. And no matter what size your closet is, it’s imperative that you have a process within it. LA Closet Design’s Lisa Adams sees more than functionality in her clients’ closets and says they definitely shouldn’t be left out of the green equation
Up Close & Personal What was your first job? TCBY yogurt! If you weren’t a designer, what would be your alternate career? If I continued along my academic track, I would be a PhD research scientist or maybe even CEO of my own biotech company… If I could sprinkle fairy dust and be anything that I wanted to, I would be a WNBA basketball player! What inspires you? Hawaii, fashion, architecture, entrepreneurs, Los Angeles, people who make “something out of nothing,” indoor/outdoor spaces, and running. Describe yourself in three words. Passionate, loyal, and driven. What is your hidden talent? Playing the piano… I’ve been playing since I was 3 years old and even played with the Honolulu Symphony.
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The average American closet is changing. Once a place to stuff everything you don’t want anyone else to see, the closet is becoming a viable space designed to be seen. Yet, before homeowners collectively open their closet doors to the world, Lisa Adams, CEO and head designer of eco-wardrobe-design company LA Closet Design, tells us how a closet can not only be functional, but also sustainable. I grew up in Hawaii, which is where and when most of my design influences have come from. I was an organized child with a strict mother who always stressed the importance of putting things back where they go. My family still lives in Hawaii, and I recently made a trip there to help organize my brother’s own closet. He asked for help. I turned his closet—and a little part of his life—around in one trip. I have always been interested in the environment. When I opened this business, it was very important to focus on environmentally based design. From the woods we use in our cabinetry via sustainable forests to the lighting to minimizing the amount of plastic used via hangers and such. Building green is especially popular right now, but closets are just another space where the same attention of detail should be paid.
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LA Closet Design
verbatim LEFT: The Classic White Wardrobe: The space is filled with fun design elements like a custom boot tress, integrated laundry center, pull-out packing table, in-cabinetry lighting, and chandelier. BOTTOM LEFT: The Green Closet: Sustainably harvested mahogany wood, basalt-honed shelves, bamboo floors, low-VOC paint, natural light, and shoji-sliding doors. BOTTOM RIGHT: The Room with a View: Utilizing natural light allows this space to be livable while highly functional. The breakfast bar adds relaxation to the morning routine.
We use a number of Earth-friendly design elements in our designs. Our flooring is manufactured from materials such as bamboo and cork. Our cabinets and shelving are crafted from beech, cherry, or wenge. All of our veneers are made from materials found is sustainable forests. Being organized is empowering. The closet starts off your day. And no matter what size your closet is, it’s imperative that you have a process within it. It’s not about cleaning your closet every spring. It’s about having a process every single day that becomes just part of the everyday routine. Everything in the closet needs a home. There is nothing like having a place for everything. Pull-out pants presses, laundry baskets, clothes hooks, and shoe selves can transform the space. I believe it’s important to see and be proud of what you have. If you can see what you have, you won’t be out there shopping for that same black shirt. I am passionate about the fact that the closet is a viable living space. Back in the 18th century, people used closets as dressing rooms. I would go so far as to say that I think the idea of not hiding clothes or space within a home is a green ideal within itself.
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Architects need to pay closer attention to the closet space. I think there is a real public discrepancy between valuing and undervaluing closets. When one is out looking to buy a new home, closets are one of their most important spaces. Architects and designers always need to keep this in mind. Incorporating natural lighting within closets—via shelving near windows—is a step in the right direction. When natural light is unavailable, the use of low wattage fixtures and energy-efficient appliances is key. I think it’s very important to start kids young in terms of organization. I have a 6-year-old son, and he has lived with this organization mentality since he was little. Unfortunately, most closets are not made for kids. We want them to put things back, but they can’t reach the shelves and aren’t tall enough to hang up their clothes. I hope to continue what I am doing for many years to come. I enjoy being able to educate people not only about living functionally, but also designing functionally. —as told to Tricia Despres
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verbatim
Our team at Cornerstone set the goal of demonstrating that building green was practical, achievable, and relevant to our community. Interior designer Suzie Hall on creating her own green standards and keeping her detail-oriented designs from looking “recycled”
When Suzie Hall was a little girl, she wanted to be a teacher and a coach. Today, as the owner of Cornerstone Design, an interior-design firm in Boise, Idaho, Hall has become a teacher in her own right, helping local businesses, homeowners, and even students to understand how attainable sustainable interior design can really be—and how green can be gorgeous. My husband and I purchased the existing shell of a building that had been vacant for two years and transformed it into our office. Our team at Cornerstone set the goal of designing a LEED-CI Gold space to demonstrate that building green was practical, achievable, and relevant to our community. We start by looking at the lifespan of the space and base our overall design plan on this information. We recently completed a tenant-improvement project where they know they will only be there for three more years and then will move into a larger space. So we designed all of the new cabinetry (casework) that sits on the floor, including the reception station, to be modular. This way they can take it with them when they move. If the client is planning to stay somewhere forever, then we will recommend materials that have a very long life cycle. The initial investment is usually higher, but there won’t be replacement costs down the road to deal with.
Up Close & Personal What was your first job? I worked at an Arby’s fast food restaurant and got to wear brown polyester! If you weren’t a designer, what would be your alternate career? A photographer. What inspires you? Music, quiet, traveling, and massages. Describe yourself in three words. Intuitive, confident, and persistent. What is your hidden talent? I’m an 11 handicap golfer.
Details are often overlooked: Incorporating integrated space for a rec ycling container at each workstation. Designing attractive recycling containers that match the interior design palette. Specifying low-flow/lowflush faucets, showerheads, and toilets at all locations. Providing adjustable LED task lighting at each workstation. Healthy indoor air quality is imperative. A good balance of natural daylight with energy-efficient, controllable lighting is also key.
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Cornerstone Design
verbatim
ABOVE: This custom conference table base is a reclaimed airplace wing, a nod to the client’s aerospace industry. RIGHT: The reception area at the Quality Thermistor in Boise, Idaho, showcases recycled aluminum tile on a radius on the reception station and energy-efficient accent lighting.
I think a lot of sustainable interior projects out there look “recycled.” When firms first started designing green interiors, I think that the designers thought they needed to “look” sustainable. Now we’re seeing a lot more diversity in the use and application of materials. Our firm likes to use the term “green and gorgeous.” The Banner Bank tenant-improvement project was the first LEED-CI Gold-certified project in the State of Idaho. I was the interior designer and also the LEED administrator. The tenant wasn’t too concerned about the LEED portion of the project, they just wanted to make sure that it looked great. The building owner wanted both. It was a challenging balancing act throughout the project and resulted in a notable green space. We often set our own standards. The size of the Intermountain Medical Imaging renovation project (approximately 2,000 square feet) didn’t motivate the owner to pursue LEED certification, but they are very serious about sustainability efforts. It was the second project our firm has done where we have written our own “green” program and set forth targets at the beginning of the project. One of our goals on this project was to divert at least 50 percent of construction waste from the landfill. The client is paying approximately $1 per yard to send the existing carpet to a reclamation program that is close by. We used construction and finish materials that had at least 20-percent recycled content; only GreenGuard- and CRI Green Label Plus-certified materials, including fabrics; products in the furniture package that had a total of at least 30-percent recycled content, met GreenGuard certification, were FSCcertified, and came from vendors with a good written sustainability program in place. We used 3form’s Varia Ting Ting Eco Resin as the theme material throughout the project to demonstrate that sustainability can be beautiful and reused as many materials as possible, including a section of carpet and the structure of the registration area station. We are still in the design phase of a Spokane Air Force base, which is a three-building project, two of which are targeting a LEED-NC Silver rating. Our design is a minimalistic approach that utilizes a minimum of raw resources. We have taken care to select materials that have a long life span, are easy to maintain, and will withstand a high level of use. We are reusing furniture, equipment, and appliances as much as possible. We are specifying cradle-to-cradle workstations that are fully integrated with the cabling requirements of this advanced operation.
DESIGNER FLOORS GREEN SOLUTION Raise Idaho’s Green standards by specifying carpet reclamation Recycle all carpet, carpet tile, and pad residential and commercial Open to the public, vendors, dealers and anyone with the desire to help save our environment
Tyler Brown LEED AP tbrown@dfloors.com 1400 Front St. Boise | 208.342.4271
DESI GNER FL OO RS
—as told to Suchi Rudra
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discussion board
The Art of Restraint Studio Dwell Architects modernizes the Windy City’s myriad neighborhoods with limited materials and a minimalist aesthetic
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When Mark Peters founded Chicago-based Studio Dwell Architects in 2004, the modern aesthetic was somewhat of a stranger to Chicago’s residential realm. Today, that’s changing, in part because of Peters and his firm. Peters founded Studio Dwell in 2004 after working for a number of Chicago architecture firms for 20 years. “We were trying to do some unique work we weren’t seeing done in Chicago at the time,” he says. “Our look is defined by a clean, modern aesthetic.” Above all, the architects practice restraint. The first element of Studio Dwell’s aesthetic is simplicity of materials. “A lot of times an idea gets lost when you use too many materials, so we try to limit our palette to two or three. That way the original concept of the building follows through all the way to its built form,” Peters explains, noting that the second element of the firm’s aesthetic is the visibility of the architecture itself. “We like people to notice the architecture when they walk into one of our houses,
so we create dramatic spaces that really move the eye around within the house.” Peters mentions that Studio Dwell also likes to blur the connection between interior and exterior spaces, an example of which can be found in the 4,800-square-foot, single-family resid ence at 1843 North Paulina Street in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. “We were designing on a typical 25-foot by 124-foot Chicago lot with a house on one side and an empty lot where a house was likely to be built on the other side,” Peters says. “As a result, the only light source would ultimately come from the front and back elevations.” To solve that challenge, Studio Dwell carved out a courtyard in the middle of the residence and placed a screen on the side of the courtyard that abutted the empty lot. “The courtyard allows more light to penetrate the interior of the residence,” Peters says of the house, which was completed in 2009. “The screen blocks the
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Studio Dwell Architects
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“The modern aesthetic was unusual in Chicago when we founded Studio Dwell, but that’s recently begun changing.” —Mark Peters, Principal
view of the empty lot (and the house that will ultimately go up there) but allows light to come through.”
Experts Weigh In
Implementing its modern aesthetic can be a challenge when Studio Dwell is trying to mix the old with the new, as was the case when the firm was hired to renovate and expand a single-family residence in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. The client wanted to save as much as possible of the original building, which was constructed in the 1990s, while building an addition on a neighboring lot, Peters recalls.
On Chicago residential architecture’s recent modern tendencies: “It’s hard to articulate a single architectural aesthetic consistent in all—or even most—of Chicago’s modern residences. Chicago architecture is incredibly diverse from neighborhood to neighborhood (and often within neighborhoods). If there is a connective thread for us [ at Pappageorge Haymes], it’s a commitment to context and designing housing that relates to the surrounding context and urban form. For us, modern residential architecture is as much about the pedestrian experience as it is the way a given building relates to the skyline. “Perhaps the best way to begin to describe the overall evolution of residential aesthetic in Chicago is to look at it from a project vs. city-wide perspective. A perfect example is Museum Park/Central Station, a 40acre master planned community featuring dozens of buildings ranging from townhomes and traditional midrises to sleek, high-rise
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condominiums. Formerly a rail yard and warehouse district bordering Chicago’s Museum Campus, [the project] has evolved into a modern residential lakefront community. We designed a wide range of architecturally diverse housing types that both respect the traditional context while also attempting to transition into more modern and articulated dwellings.” —Brian Kidd, AIA, LEED AP, is a senior associate with Pappageorge/ Haymes Ltd., a leader in residential architecture in Chicago for 30 years.
OPPOSTE PAGE: (Clockwise from left) An exterior view of 1843 Paulina, showing the light court and entry; The exterior and interior of 2215 W. McLean further illustrates Studio Dwell’s modern aesthetic. TOP LEFT: Mark Peters, principal of Studio Dwell Architects. TOP RIGHT: 2215 W. McLean’s living area.
A cohesive style may get easier in the future, however, as Peters says more developers are turning to modern architecture in an attempt to create something different so they can compete against everything else on street. “The modern aesthetic was unusual in Chicago when we founded Studio Dwell, but that’s recently begun changing,” he says. “That said, there are still a lot of missed opportunities—I see buildings that incorporate large expanses of glass or use too many exterior materials in order to create a modern look but forget that the building as a whole still needs to function for a user. We find that sometimes the biggest challenge in architecture is restraint.” —by Julie Schaeffer
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launch pad
Design Prosthetics With its luxurious style in high demand for physician’s offices and health clinics, Elaine Williamson Designs decided it was at the perfect juncture to add a new, green arm to its award-winning interiors firm
launched August 2010 location Dallas distinction As demand soared for the firm’s luxurious design style in the health-care sector, it created a green division to ensure that its interiors are as healthy as the patients to which they cater website elainewilliamsondesigns.com
Who: Elaine Williamson Designs is an interiordesign group moving in the right direction. Established by award-winning interior designer Elaine Williamson, the firm has made the official transition into green design with a division that focuses on LEED-certified projects. What: Nine months ago, the firm launched a LEED-accredited residential- and commercialdesign division. Williamson says that as the firm was already working with green materials—especially for commercial clients—it just made sense. “A lot of eco-products have a lot of texture to them,” Williamson says, “so we sort of naturally gravitated that way, more so in the commercial arena. We thought, ‘Why don’t we make a formal commitment to this? Why not make a commitment to those who are more focused, like a lot of the retailers are?’” She notes that it makes a difference to have the formal accreditation, adding weight, responsibility, and legitimacy to the effort. ASID Allied Member Joanna Jackson, LEED AP, has been brought on board to head up the new LEED division. When: Though the firm was founded 20 years ago, this formally green arm was added in August 2010. Where: The firm’s location in Dallas, brings most of Williamson’s clients from the city and the surrounding region, but she has also worked on projects in Austin and various cities around the country. High-end residential clients make up 60 percent of the firm’s work [the firm recently completed work on a 5,000square-foot home near Dallas that incorporates numerous eco-friendly features], while the remaining 40 percent comprise commercial projects, especially physician’s offices and retailers.
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Why: Green credentials are increasingly valuable. “It puts us out there,” Williamson says, “especially commercially. It makes the announcement that we can execute.” She acknowledges that not much building was going on at the end of 2010—and those who are building aren’t in the “frame of mind to get expensive items.” But with 20 years of experience behind her, Williamson foresees the firm’s LEED department continuing to be in high demand throughout 2011, as more green-minded projects arise in Dallas. “We expect it to be huge,” she says. How: As one might expect, with each new project, the firm’s designers meet to brainstorm and look at the project through the client’s eyes. But, to get a true feel for the client’s likes and dislikes, the client is asked to complete a questionnaire. A homeowner may be asked things like, ‘Are you a bath or shower person? How long do you spend in the shower? Do you drink spirits at night?’” Though Williamson admits that some of these questions may seem a bit personal, she explains that the answers give the firm a more solid vision of what takes priority in the client’s lifestyle. “It can tell us how important the bar is,” she continues. “We can ask ‘Do you entertain or not?’ but this approach takes it a bit further—we interview them while they interview us.” In addition to residences, Elaine Williamson Designs is sought after in the medical world. After employing its luxurious design style for a doctor’s office for the first time three years ago, Williamson said her firm has been called on again and again to work on other physicians’ offices. “It’s a new approach in Dallas, this home-style approach to take off the medicinal feel,” she explains.
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Elaine Williamson Designs
launch pad
“A lot of eco-products have a lot of texture to them, so we sort of naturally gravitated that way. We thought, ‘Why don’t we make a formal commitment to this?’” —Elaine Williamson, Founder
“It’s luxurious—all the things you’d never expect in a doctor’s office.”
OPPOSITE PAGE, BELOW: This Austin dining-room project exemplifies Elaine Williamson Designs’ commitment to designing for experience. RIGHT: Founder Elaine Williamson says she would often gravitate toward green products because they had more texture.
It starts by thinking like a doctor—or at least a psychologist. “We practice a bit of psychology: we create this ambiance and experience, not just, ‘How many patient chairs do we need?’ but...a more home-style approach, so it has more of a hospitable appeal,” Williamson says. “We tailor fragrances to each office for a more relaxed atmosphere. It’s not just interactive design—it’s the overall element. We make people feel as comfortable as we can. We don’t want anything emitting from anything because they’re already in pain. We want to make it feel like a place they don’t dread going to.” Especially where human health is concerned, but also for every project they work on, the firm uses its tried-and-true approach to maximize its new green mission. “It’s not just the furniture,” Williamson says sagely. “It’s everything about the interior and exterior, including landscape.” —by Suchi Rudra
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details For Vera Wang’s flagship store in New York City—a playful but refined boutique space—Tillotson employed floating lights, LEDs, and uplighting, which throws splashes of light on the walls.
Shedding Light on Her Subjects Laboring to blend beauty and responsibility into a complex, luminous fabric, Tillotson Design Associates’ founder impresses even those with revered aesthetic taste
As any designer in any field knows, a touch of something in just the right place—barely noticed, never affirmed—can make the style of an entire building. For lighting designer Suzan Tillotson, president of Tillotson Design Associates, developing creative lighting plans for clients is an invigorating task, but one that is sometimes ignored by the general public—and sometimes by the clients themselves. “I would agree that what we do is often overlooked. I’m not even sure our clients know how personally we take what we do and how hard we work behind the scenes to make their project look good,” she admits. Founded in 2004, Tillotson Design Associates is one of the premier lighting design firms in New York City. Tillotson and her staff of 15 create designs that enhance spaces for a variety of clients ranging from restaurants and retail stores to museums, hotels, and corporate offices. Over the years, Tillotson has become well positioned as an expert—but expertise takes hard work and passion. “What we do is a labor of love,” she says. “It’s our passion.” Adding prestige to her firm’s work is Tillotson’s list of clients. When the internationally renowned clothing designer Vera Wang was introducing a new collection, Tillotson was called on by a colleague for the flagship store in New York City. The space includes 23-foot ceilings and a theatrical zone made up of a stage and stairs that lead to an almost hidden “backstage” area where the fitting rooms are located. A stark white floor, translucent resin,
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For her work on the Vera Wang project, Tillotson received the 2009 New York City Lumen Feltman Award of Excellence, among other awards.
and sand-blasted glass add to the dramatic effect of the space. Floating lights, LED lighting in the ceiling, and uplighting that splashes light on the walls are all creative techniques Tillotson employed to match the inventive style of Wang. One of the challenges of such a project was ensuring that no light fixtures were visible in the fitting rooms. Tillotson’s solution: backlight a frosted glass door to pour light onto
the customer’s silhouette. Another concern was how to let the light to play off the unique materials used in the design and simultaneously create a soft effect with the white floor and walls. “I wondered if it would feel like a hospital or like standing under an umbrella in the sun,” she says. In the end, the effect was remarkable, and the less than 2,000-square-foot store opened to rave reviews. The design earned Tillotson a
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Tillotson Design Associates
details
No stranger to the need for energy efficiency, Tillotson admits that some government regulation can tie lighting designers’ hands. Clients often need better lighting than is available in green versions.
ABOVE: The Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre in Dallas is characterized by a grid of custom vertical fluorescent tube fixtures. LEFT: The aluminum mesh façade makes a strong statement at New York’s New Museum. BELOW: View into the dance studios at the School of American Ballet in New York City.
In just seven years, Suzan Tillotson’s lighting design company has become one of the premier firms in New York City.
2009 New York City Lumen Feltman Award of Excellence and an Architectural Lighting magazine Outstanding Achievement Award. Halfway across the world, housing the Tel Aviv Museum of Art in Israel, is admittedly one of the most complex buildings Tillotson has ever experienced. Before putting pencil to paper, she wanted to know everything the architect knew about the building. Reviewing highly technical schematics using the Rhino 3D modeling tool, Tillotson and her team began incorporating some surprising elements into the lighting design, including a ceiling design that includes hundreds of glass balls with LED light points. The unusual design, featured in the museum’s restaurant, also uses very little wattage. Despite the need for theatrical lighting in these kinds of high-style spaces, the question of energy efficiency constantly comes into play. “The first thing we think about is the design. We want to improve the quality of people’s lives with the least amount of energy,” she says, “but what we do consumes energy.” Though often heralded as the answer to numerous problems, according to Tillotson, technology hasn’t kept up with the public’s expectations. People still need a certain amount of indoor lighting to conduct activities like reading, working, and cooking. And with a plethora of government regulations, lighting designers like Tillotson often have their hands
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details
Tillotson says the Tel Aviv Museum of Art remains one of the most architecturally complex buildings she’s ever seen. To light it, she utilized hundreds of glass balls with LED light points.
tied when trying to help clients get the end result they want. “I love the green elements, but they’re leading us to prescriptive boxes. A lot depends on how people use energy,” she says. Case in point: it doesn’t serve the environment for people to use compact-florescent bulbs if they leave the lights on in every office of a building overnight. “It’s about the whole building,” she says, “how it can be beautiful and consume less energy.” As she continues to strike the balance between beauty and exorbitance, Tillotson’s designs will be sought after by those who equally walk that line. —by Anita R. Paul
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Tillotson Design Associates A MESSAGE FROM ERCO ERCO specializes in producing engineering hardware and software for architectural lighting. First and foremost, we see ourselves as selling light, not luminaires. This approach, which places the immaterial “software” of light above the physical hardware of the luminaires, has been the trademark of our work for many years. That’s why we call ourselves: ERCO, the Light Factory. ERCO’s indoor luminaires, outdoor luminaires and lighting control systems constitute an extensive range of lighting equipment for general, comprehensive, architectural lighting solutions. Intelligent planning and innovative lighting tools combine to produce lighting solutions that bring together aesthetics, function, and economic efficiency in a sustainable synthesis. ERCO Lighting Inc. 160 Raritan Center Parkway Suite 10 Edison, NJ 08837 USA Tel.: +1 732 225 8856 Fax: +1 732 225 8857 email: info.us@erco.com
A MESSAGE FROM COLOR KINETICS Philips Color Kinetics congratulates Tillotson Design Associates on their exemplary and award-winning lighting designs, including their inventive LED-based solution for the Vera Wang store in New York. Through strong partnerships, we enable lighting designers and building owners to realize the potential of LED lighting. From white-light cove, wash, and floodlights to multi-channel stage lights offering full-color illumination and dynamic effects, our LED lighting solutions deliver high-quality light while maximizing energy efficiency and ease of use.
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Congratulations to Tillotson Design Associates
Philips Color Kinetics congratulates Tillotson Design Associates on their exemplary and award-winning lighting designs, including their inventive LED-based solution for the Vera Wang store in New York. Through strong partnerships, we enable lighting designers and building owners to realize the potential of LED lighting. From white-light cove, wash, and floodlights to multi-channel stage lights offering full-color illumination and dynamic effects, our LED lighting solutions deliver highquality light while maximizing energy efficiency and ease of use.
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The Spirit of Place Continuing its work in developing countries, the story of Sustainable Design Group is told through the mission of one man to transform communities across the globe He left Vietnam in 1969, searching for the real meaning of his life. Since then, John W. Spears, C.E.M., LEED AP, president of Sustainable Design Group, has helped countless others not only find meaning in their own lives, but also in their own homes. A solar architect and builder, Spears strives “to build homes and communities that are in complete harmony with man, nature, and the spirit of the place,” as reads the mission statement for Sustainable Design Group. The firm has been in business for more than 35 years, specializing in net-zero “Earth Homes” throughout the world. “Solar homes and the idea of self sufficiency have always inspired me,” says Spears, who built his first solar home back in 1974. “I was
The company’s latest endeavor is designing 58 affordable, zeroenergy townhomes in Frederick, Maryland.
also very interested in anthropology and archeology and how the sun was the only energy [ancient] people had. It was really the story of the perfect solar design. Studying these ideals gave me an intimate understanding of how a building and its dwellers react to their environments.” An expert in energy conservation, renewableenergy systems, indoor air quality, and sustainable design, early in his career Spears was dedicated to finding answers during a time when there were more than enough questions. “Once I made a decision, I dedicated myself to the idea,” Spears recalls. “Remember, this was back when there wasn’t even a Department of Energy in this country and solar panels were ridiculously expensive.” Throughout the years, perhaps the most rewarding part of Spear’s career has been his work overseas, helping others understand the ways to achieve global sustainable development and energy independence through the creation of sustainable communities. “I was overwhelmed by the need, but I knew I had the solution,” says Spears, who also serves as president and CEO of the non-profit International Center for Sustainable Development, headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland. “There was no point in going over...and building boxes that you essentially plug in. That concept never made sense to me.” With projects in China, Africa, and the Caribbean, Spears often works with local governments in developing countries to design communities
Sustainable Design Group’s well-known “Earth Homes” have been used in developing countries as well as for wealthy private residences.
and train residents to use his unique “earthbrick” technology. The bricks are manufactured on site with the local soil and are much more sustainable—and cheaper—than concrete. “The homes use the sun for electricity and heat, utilize rainwater harvesting for water, and composted waste...for garden fertilizer,” Spears explains. “When combined with passive solar, the thick, earth-brick walls make the building more comfortable year round and sometimes are then used in place of a mechanical system. I have used this technology to build affordable homes in many developing countries, as well as a number of million-dollar homes here in the United States and Mexico.” During the past five years, Spears has focused primarily on designing custom homes and is thrilled at the thought of entire sustainable communities popping up throughout the country in the future. The company’s latest project comprises 58 affordable, zero-energy townhomes in the historic downtown of Frederick, Maryland. “There has been and always will be a high need for affordable housing and sustainable communities,” Spears says of the affordability component of his work. “People do not want to be dependent of others. There is nothing more stressful than not having control of your own life. People should not have to work all day to keep the water and electricity on.” Spears will soon travel to Pakistan to help rebuild after the tragic floods that ravaged the area last year. While there he will work on three completely sustainable communities. “It’s one of those examples when a disaster turns into an opportunity,” he says. “It’s a chance for us to demonstrate how sustainable development is far superior to conventional development practices. I completely believe in education by demonstration—when they see it, they will believe in it.” —by Tricia Despres
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James Lawrence & Associates LLC
Vertical Transportation Consultants JL&A is proud to be part of the design team for VMFA’s expansion project (pictured).
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Out with the Old SMBW Architects has become known for its progressive approach to contemporary institutional design and adds its voice to Virginia’s dialogue on green building
Twenty years old this year, SMBW Architects is building on its already well-known credentials as an interdisciplinary design firm in the Richmond, Virginia, area by exploring what new perspective it can bring to the current dialogue on sustainable design—specifically through several new projects, which are increasingly LEED certified. The City of Richmond and various state entities, such as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, have been long-term clients, and more recently, the prestigious Virginia Tech (where firm principal Chris Fultz serves as an instructor in architecture) has also emerged as a repeat client. “[At Virginia Tech], we offer façade consultancy and quality-control services,” says SMBW partner Lou Wolf. “We serve as architects but also serve as peer reviewers for other capital projects in an effort to verify that detailing and technical specifications represent current university design guidelines as well as industry standards and best practices.” The full-service architecture firm has, of late, been focusing on commercial and institutional work. For a substantial expansion of the aforementioned Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, it employed a unique HVAC solution that has garnered attention.
Institutional forces like the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and Virginia Tech are repeat clients of SMBW Architects.
Typically, HVAC systems dispatch air from ceiling diffusers. At the museum, the HVAC system uses displacement ventilation for the gallery spaces by supplying low-velocity conditioned air from grilles located in the floor or at the base of the wall. The result causes minimal induction and mixing of the air for large, high-spaced galleries. Treating only the occupied zone rather than trying to control the conditions of the entire space saves a significant amount of energy. The air is supplied via the mechanical plants located on the lowest and highest floors through what SMBW calls “air columns.” “The air comes out at a low velocity and essentially cools museum-goers while conducting
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SMBW Architects
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As a result of the firm’s commitment to healthy, green spaces, a museum that once sat on a mostly paved site, is now vibrant with planted areas and a roof garden. heat gains upwards toward the ceiling return air slots,” Wolf explains. “It consumes less energy and has a lower upfront cost. It’s especially beneficial in a museum where the ceilings are 16 feet high and environmental controls such as temperature and humidity must be tightly controlled.” The museum opted not to pursue LEED certification but nevertheless adopted a number of sustainable features. Galleries and atrium spaces are extensively daylit, and insulating glass protects the museum’s collection from UV radiation. A portion of the new sculpture garden—a 40,000-square-foot roof garden—occupies the space over a parking deck. Overall, the 13-acre site, which was once heavily paved, is now largely returned to open green space.
The firm received attention for its HVAC solution for an expansion of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts— floor-level grilles that work to cool visitors rather than the entire space.
“It can be difficult to obtain building permits from the state when you’re decreasing the amount of open space in urban areas,” says principal Fred Hopkins. “So it was beneficial to design a large garden for a site that was mostly asphalt.” Following the museum, SMBW completed another highly anticipated project—one that would be LEED certified. In August 2010, the firm completed the Boys and Girls Club of Charlottesville, Virginia, its second LEED project (The University of Richmond Social Sciences Center was its first). Working to reduce sedimentation and erosion by collecting rainwater from the roof in an underground tank and slowly releasing it to a biofiltration pond, heavy emphasis was also placed on the building’s skin. “We found that by sealing the envelope with well insulated walls, roof, and glazing—rather than looking for new, renewable ways to generate energy—we could achieve the best reduction in energy consumption with the shortest return on investment,” Hopkins says. The team avoided fiberglass insulation (“We have concerns about its efficacy,” Hopkins says) and instead used sprayfoam insulation on exteriors. Since the Boys and Girls Club isn’t occupied on weekends and most of the school day, SMBW determined that it was important to tie in dem and-controlled ventilation into the system.
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“It’s a 25,000-square-foot building, so if there’s a space that isn’t occupied by a large number of people, there’s no need to supply it with fresh air,” Hopkins says. Though SMBW is only two LEED projects in, the firm’s long-running commitment to sustainability is more than evident. “Long before LEED certification began permeating the industry,” Hopkins says, “we’ve been interested in passive-solar design—providing solar shading in summer, allowing for heat gain in winter, orientation, topography. Our projects have always been site-driven to respond to climate, views, daylight. We like to do things in a way that responds to both the client and the site.” Its journey will no doubt continue to bring it LEED projects to further build its green portfolio. —by David Hudnall
A MESSAGE FROM JAMES LAWRENCE AND ASSOCIATES Jim went into the elevator business upon graduation from Virginia Tech in 1963. He formed James Lawrence & Associates in 1987. His firm is an award-winning, elevator-design specialist. These projects include Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia State Capitol Renovation and Expansion, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Expansion, the Adaptive Reuse of the State Library and Supreme Court Building into the Patrick Henry Building, which now houses the governor’s office, and the brand new high-rise Williams Mullen Center headquarters in Richmond, Va. The firm uses detailed studies of present or proposed conditions, determines owner needs, and applies vertical transportation custom designs where required, to achieve results often not available from an “off the shelf” product planning guide.
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Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, Lam preached daylighting and lower light levels. Today, his ideas are among the accepted components of sustainable design.
Hidden Legacy Carrying on a rich history of entrepreneurial innovation while undertaking sophisticated— but nearly invisible—lighting solutions, Lam Partners takes the time to enjoy its seemingly endless moment in the limelight There is a notion that is growing in acceptance: lighting is not the focus of an architectural design but rather it is there to bring the design into focus. “We work with many architects that don’t want to see a lot of lighting fixtures,” says Glenn Heinmiller, IALD, LEED AP, LC. “Light is meant to be seen and not seen.” This enigmatic paradox is at the center of Heinmiller’s work as a principal of influential architectural-lighting-design firm Lam Partners Inc. It’s an architectural conundrum that the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company has continually explored since being founded in
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1959 by William M.C. Lam, FIALD. Lam is one of the founders of the lighting-design profession. He graduated college with an architectural background but couldn’t find the proper products needed to illuminate his work. As an MIT graduate, Lam leveraged his knowledge and began manufacturing his own. Staples of the industry—such as the HID indirect “hockey puck” fixture and linear-indirect-fluorescent lighting can be attributed to Lam’s own lab. Lam pushed ideas at a time when his sugg estions were unappealing. In the 1960s, he sought to lower the industry-recommended light levels that he felt only led to wasted energy. In the ’70s and ’80s, he preached that daylighting design was the optimal way to light a building. Poignantly enough, both principles reduce energy consumption and maximize lighting quality. It’s getting the best light for less—a credo by which the firm still lives and one onto which many others are beginning to latch. “What we’ve done as a firm is taken the rich legacy that Bill has left us and continued into the 21st century,” Heinmiller says of the company’s history. “We’ve built on the
William M.C. Lam is considered one of the fathers of modern architectural-lighting design. He founded Lam Partners in 1959.
fundamentals but are making sure we are absolutely leading edge as far as technical skills and tools that are needed in lighting design today.” That legacy can be seen in the firm’s work, which, for the most part, comes from repeat business and referrals. Last year the firm completed lighting for a $150 million expansion of one of the world’s largest cell-culture manufacturing plants, the Genzyme Allston Landing facility in Boston. The expansion increased the site to 300,000 square feet. Lam
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Lam Partners
Partners was hired by ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge as part of the architectural team, and, in addition to the electriclighting design, the practice handled the daylighting design, including shading systems and daylight delivery. The all-glass, LEED Gold building is no stranger to after-hours use, so motion sensors tied to sophisticated control systems were integral to the design in order to maximize energy efficiency. Another recent project in which lighting controls played a crucial role was for the LEED Gold Northeastern University International Village. It’s a 1,200-bed residence with a dining hall, fitness center, and student lounges. With a lighting-power density 40 percent below code and aggressive use of occupancy sensors and daylight-responsive controls, the firm was able to deliver quality lighting with less energy. “The green design aspects may be really boring, but the fact is they’re very effective,” Heinmiller says. “We just worked behind the scenes bit by bit to trim the energy consumption.”
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To bring the company into the 21st century, principal Glenn Heinmiller and his colleagues have undertaken to remain at the forefront of technological advancements.
The firm doesn’t stick to Massachusetts; it’s completed work for clients from Pennsylvania to California. Last year it completed a $100 million building for the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business. The richness of the terracotta, glass, and sandstone façade is revealed through lighting that seems to shine from the building itself, rather than a bulb. The Ross School of Business project’s seamless design was so dramatic that the team won the 2010 Award of Merit from the International Association of Lighting Designers. With the building comprising several stories surrounding an atrium, a system of uplit mirrors reflect
An example of Lam Partners’ cutting-edge lighting can be seen at the equally state-of-theart Genzyme facility in Boston.
light into the atrium space while glass cubes on top of the building glow like “little jewel boxes,” according to principal Keith J. Yancey, IALD, AIA, LC, P.E. “The lighting consisted of very simple hardware that was actually tucked into coves, slots, benches, and many other architectural details that revealed the architectural fabric without calling attention to itself,” Yancey says. With this project as just the most recent example of the lighting-design company’s commitment to subtly enhancing architecture, Lam Partners will come out of the shadows only to accept the recognition its work will continue to receive. —by Jamie Morgan
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Left: Genzyme Daylight Diagram.
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inner workings
LOFTS AT CHEROKEE STUDIOS
The most distinctive feature of the Lofts at Cherokee Studios is its façade. Consisting of multiple perforated, anodized-aluminum panels, it allows each unit owner to adjust the panels in front of his or her unit. The goal of this malleable, customizable design is twofold, says Lawrence Scarpa, principal of Brooks + Scarpa Architects, the firm behind the Cherokee Studios project in Los Angeles. First, the façade provides sunshades that cool the building but allow natural light and ventilation to pass through even when all panels are closed. Second, it brings the building alive with small, moving elements that change throughout the day. In effect, it becomes a living canvas. “Like many features of the building, the façade is rich with meaning, performing several roles for functional and experiential effect,” says Scarpa, who went on to tell us about the other unique elements of the five-story building—the first LEED Platinum mixed-use/market-rate multifamily building in Southern California—which consists of 12 lofts spanning from 1,000 to 2,000 square feet and 2,800 square feet of retail space. Take a look inside:
An owner-adjustable façade defines Brooks + Scarpa Architects’ LEED Platinum “living canvas,” which occupies a site graced by John Lennon and Madonna 1
location 751 North Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles
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square footage 20,500 completed 2010 price tag $6,250,000 residential units 12 LEED status Platinum awards Slow Home Award, Best Apartment/Loft Design, Los Angeles website brooksscarpa.com
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Lofts at Cherokee Studios
1/ The Lofts at Cherokee Studios’ dynamic façade is comprised of panels that can be adjusted according to the owners’ preferences. 2/ The LEED Platinum building houses 12 lofts. 3/ The view from the green roof, facing Century City, Hollywood Hills, and Sunset Strip. 4/ The functional façade provides shade to cool the building while simultaneously maximizing natural light and ventilation. 5/ Recycled materials were used wherever possible for artistic flair, such as in this bathroom. Photo: Tara Wujcik. 6/ South and west elevation. Photos 1,2,4: John Edward Linden. Photos 3,5: Tara Wujcik.
site/ The building is located on the site of Cherokee Recording Studios, formerly MGM Studios, which has served artists ranging from Frank Sinatra and John Lennon to Dave Matthews and Madonna. That, in part, drove the building’s design. “We wanted to design a building that was an expression of the cultural context in which it is built,” Scarpa says, noting that another challenge was the nature of the site itself: an urban infill. “It’s always a trick when you’re putting residential units on a narrow lot to get abundant natural light and cross ventilation in all of the units.” All told, Brooks + Scarpa met the challenges. “The building represents the realization of green design, form, and function in the epicenter of the entertainment capital of the world,” he says.
inner workings
heating and cooling/ Proper building orientation and passive-solar design strategies allow for daylighting on both sides of every unit. At the same time, the façade provides shading while allowing light and breeze. A 30-kilowatt, solar-photovoltaic system powers all common-area electrical loads and contributes approximately 11.5 percent of the heating and hot water needs for the building. The remainder of the building’s heating and cooling is provided by an advanced VFR cooling-and-heating system.
water/ Water is conserved via hot-water circulators, efficient plumbing fixtures, dual-flush toilets, and drought-tolerant landscaping. Additionally, the building has a storm-water-collection system with an underground retention basin located in the public right of way—the first such system in Los Angeles. A green roof provides for building insulation, reduces stormwater runoff, and cleans the air.
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Lofts at Cherokee Studios
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7/ Mezzanines emphasize the airiness of the loft spaces. 8/ Bold details like tile backsplashes made from reclaimed skateboards help bring the “blank canvas” to life. 9/ A typical kitchen and living room. FSC-certified wood was used for some sections of the flooring. Photos 7, 9: John Edward Linden. Photos 8: Tara Wujcik.
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finishes/ “A lesson for this project was the complexity of finding materials that not only were not on the Living Building Challenge red list but also met radius and responsibleindustry requirements and were affordable for the client,” Scarpa notes. So finishes were minimized throughout, he says, in order to create a “blank canvas” on which residents could paint their own vision of home. For example, the exterior stucco finish has an integral pigment in lieu of paint. The façade panels are aluminum with an anodized color, which will never require painting or refinishing. Concrete slabs were left exposed where possible; where not exposed, FSC-certified wood was used for flooring.
results/ Scarpa says the pioneering nature of the project has left the architects with many lessons learned—and yet by any measure, the architects succeeded: the building is 40 percent more energy efficient than California’s Title 24, the most demanding energy code in the United States, and received a “Walker’s Paradise” score of 94 out of 100 on walkscore.com. And yet the success wasn’t only in the area of sustainability. The design is daring enough to carry on the cultural history of the famed site, and the innovative façade will result in an ever-changing icon for the community. —by Julie Schaeffer
Recycled materials were also used wherever possible. Carpet is 25-percent post-consumer-waste content, gypsum board is 31-percent recycled content (26 percent of it post-consumer waste), concrete has a 25-percent minimum fly-ash content, and building insulation has a minimum 20-percent recycled-glass-cullet content and is formaldehyde-free. The architects’ concern for recycled materials was evident down to the last detail. “We tend to be experimental with materials, using ordinary things in an unusual way,” Scarpa says. “All the backsplashes, for example, are made from pieces of recycled skateboards.”
A MESSAGE FROM BPA GROUP BPA Group was established in southern California in 2001 to offer structural engineering services throughout North America. Over the years, we have worked to develop a strong professional relationship with Brooks + Scarpa Architects. Our firms share similar design philosophies and strongly believe in providing leading-edge designs that are cost-conscious and environmentally efficient. This mutual commitment to quality has produced dynamic design solutions that allow architectural innovations to flourish with effectively developed structures, like the newly completed Lofts at Cherokee Studios.
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Creating space for life.
BPA Group STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS
www.bpa-group.com
Sustainable Architecture + Design Raymond Cox AIA 2370 W. Highway 89A Suite 11, LB 480 Sedona, AZ 86336-5349 Phone 928.649.6009 Fax 928.649.1207
2370 W. Highway 89A | Suite 11, PMB 480 Sedona, Arizona 86336-5349 P: (928) 649-6009 | F: (928) 649-1207 | www.coxdurango.com See our article in the March 2011 issue of Green Building and Design
inner workings
BERTSCHI SCHOOL
In 2007, the Bertschi School, a private elementary school in Seattle, became the first school in the state of Washington with a LEED Gold-certified elementary classroom. Three years later, in November 2010, KMD Architects (more in our Taking Shape department, p. 44) wrapped up construction on a science classroom for the school that took its sustainability efforts a step further. “It’s a net-zero project, which we view as the next wave in green building,” says Robert Ludden, a principal and chief operations officer at KMD.
Potentially the first Living Building in the State of Washington, KMD Architects brings its collaborative, netzero educational project to fruition
The school—a pro bono project for which KMD contributed more than 3,000 hours of its time—is a sign of the firm’s progressive and innovative ambitions. A 1,426-square-foot building on a 3,800-square-foot site, it is slated to meet the Living Building Challenge Version 2.0, currently the most advanced green-building rating system in the world. (Under Living Building requirements, the building cannot draw a net-positive amount of energy from Seattle’s electric grid, among other things.) Version 2.0 has also introduced an added focus on urban agriculture, and KMD responded by incorporating on-site agriculture and an ethno-botanical garden. The other aspects of the building are equally enticing:
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location 2227 10th Ave. East, Seattle
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size 1,426 square feet (building); 3,800 square feet (site) completed 2010 LEED status Gold-certified classroom; building slated to meet Living Building Challenge 2.0 interesting fact There is no HVAC system in the school, just an energy recovery ventilator website kmdarchitects.com
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Bertschi School
heating and cooling/ Minimal in nature, there actually isn’t an HVAC system at the school, just an energy recovery ventilator, which Ludden says helps create an especially efficient indoor environment without wasting excess building heat. The primary heat for the building is generated through a hydronic, radiant-floor heating system.
envelope/ A highly insulated, wood-studframed wall was constructed from FSC-certified lumber and regionally sourced cedar. Insulated curtain walls and storefront systems were used for the glazing, providing for low U-values and high transmittance of visible light.
roof/ Bertschi features both a metal roof and a green roof. The metal roof is made from recycled materials, is reflective, and captures on-site rainwater. The green roof reduces heat-island effect and treats the rainwater.
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1/ The school site’s floor plan, including the water channel—a big hit with students. 2/ As a response to the urban-agriculture emphasis in the latest version of the Living Building Challenge, the school will include a roof garden. 3, 4/ Skylights contribute greatly to the building’s use of natural light. 5/ The Ecohouse living wall embodies the project’s integration with science and nature. 6/ The net-zero science classroom was completed in 2010.
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daylighting/ By orienting primarily to the north, the school is able to capture sig nificant daylighting. Clerestory windows, skylights, and Solatubes contribute to the natural light, and daylight sensors reduce electrical demand. A large curtain-wall in the greenhouse section of certain classrooms creates fully day-lit spaces.
interaction/ At the outset of the design process, the KMD team thought to query Bertschi students about ideas for the new building, one of which was to have a river run through the building. As a result, there’s a channel in the concrete floor slab, through which water flows when it rains. It gives the children the opportunity to observe how the building harvests rainwater.
inner workings
water/ The plumbing system includes water treatment and storage systems, including cisterns, greywater holding and filter tanks, carbon filters, and UV filters.
certification/ In order to earn Living Building certification, buildings must meet the rating system’s performance requirements consistently for an entire year, meaning that KMD’s design has not yet fully proved itself. But if all goes according to plan—and the firm is confident in its design—the building would be the first ever Living Building in the State of Washington. “It’s been a groundbreaking effort,” Ludden says. “We think it’s a benchmark for what classrooms can and should be moving torward.” —by David Hudnall
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taking shape
Public Utilities Commission Building
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Inside the design of KMD Architects’ latest feat in San Francisco—soon to be an anchor project for a district-wide revitalization
architect KMD Architects (kmdarchitects.com) client City of San Francisco location San Francisco size 250,000 square feet, 12 stories expected completion date 2012 certification Targeting LEED Platinum
As the design for the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Building was coming together, the City of San Francisco became increasingly interested in renewable resources and conservation ideas. The city had already commissioned the project with the expectation that the 250,000-square-foot, 12-story project would be a benchmark for sustainable building in San Francisco, and Bay Area firm KMD Architects had been hired for the design. With the momentum of such a project, however, the city decided to go one step—or perhaps many steps—further: It asked KMD to conduct an energy analysis for the entire district surrounding the building, which expects to be LEED Platinum certified when it’s completed in 2012, and it found that the district actually offered a unique opportunity for the city to affirm its commitment to sustainable urban planning.
1/ The PUC Building is part of a greater sustainable district. 2/ The north façade is shaped to maximize the wind flow to the turbines. 3/ The design of the benchmark building is centered around water conservation. 4/ Solar-photovoltaic cells are embedded in the glass of the building and installed in the roof.
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As the PUC Building takes shape, it is not merely a model for green building, but rather the foundation of a larger, sustainable civic center: 12 city blocks, $50 million. “We were able to participate in a conver sation with the city about what could be done in this district from a green point of view,” says Ryan Stevens, KMD’s director of design. “And that in turn led to the city reaching out to organizations like the Clinton Global Initiative Foundation to help transform the civic district in a larger, more significant, sustainable way.” Sustainably modernizing a city’s landscape takes time, of course. But the PUC Building can serve as a template of sorts—and its features are worthy of emulation:
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Public Utilities Commission Building
water/ Given that the PUC’s primary fun ction is to provide water services to the public, water conservation plays heavily into the building’s design. Waterless urinals, faucet sensors, and on-demand water heaters were designed to slash water use by 5 gallons per occupant per day. A greywater-recycling system will allow for the reappropriation of water from sinks and faucets for use in toilets and the HVAC system. All in all, it will result in an 80 percent reduction in potable water use and 45 percent reduction in wastewater discharge.
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renewable energies/ Vertical-axis wind turbines are located in various locations on the exterior of the building, and the north façade is shaped in such a way to accelerate wind flow to the turbines. Solar-photovoltaic cells are installed on the roof and even embedded in the glass of the building itself.
siting and ventilation/ KMD created “thermal chimneys” for the building, which allow it to exhaust heat throughout the course of the day, cooling the building naturally. Sun-filtering shades and window-glazing materials will add significant daylighting and views of green spaces to inhabitants of the PUC Building while reducing solar-heat gain.
taking shape
energy use/ Annually, the PUC Building is expected to reduce energy by 33 percent, and 35 percent of its peak power demand will be met via renewable-energy sources. Naturally, KMD Architects is thrilled about these figures and even more excited by the fact that it’s been given the opportunity to exact what should be lasting, positive change to its native city. “This one building sparked a conversation that will change our city,” Stevens says. “And it’s based on the ideas that encapsulate our firm.” —by David Hudnall
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Maternal Instincts Worldwide From South Carolina to Tanzania, Joni Vanderslice, president of J Banks Design Group, takes care of others with her green designs and big heart
country Tanzania, East Africa population 43,739,000 note It is the only country in the world that has allocated more than 25% of its total land area to wildlife national parks and protected areas news In January 2011, President Jakaya Kikwete approved writing a new constitution to replace the country’s 33-year-old charter needs Grass-roots organizations identify the lack of portable water as a key issue in the East African country
As a mother whose baby suffered from severe allergies, Joni Vanderslice first became interested in green building when constructing her family home. She needed to create the optimal environment for her daughter, a place where she could breathe freely and with ease. Her research on the correlation between environment and health led her to install eco-friendly materials and operating systems. “I was able to experience firsthand the dramatic improvements in mood and general health experienced by living in a green environment,” Vanderslice says of her choice to join what later became the green movement. Personal lifestyle rolled over into working environment when it came to build a new office for J Banks Design Group, of which Vanderslice is president. For their South Carolina office building, Vanderslice knew green
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was the way to go. “Building green resulted in higher costs and greater time invested in research, but the benefits have far surpassed the initial investment,” she remembers of the process. Since moving into the new space, J Banks Design Group has documented less sick leaves taken, higher operating efficiency, and more productive and focused employees. This is only the newest successful move for Vanderslice. She founded J Banks Design Group 24 years ago, and the firm has won numerous awards including the 2010 Southeast Designer of the Year Award for Best Residential Living Room and the 2009 Southeast Best Overall Contract Designer of the Year Award. These prestigious honors have been rewarding for J Banks Design Group, but the ultimate reward for Vanderslice has been the opportunity to give back.
“Giving back is an important part of the culture within our firm,” she says. “Our staff is encouraged to take paid time off to assist with philanthropic events, and our firm has donated over $250,000 in merchandise and monetary contributions over the last five years.” The recipients of J Banks Design Group’s kindness and generosity have included The American Cancer Society, The American Heart Association, The Boy’s and Girl’s Club, Hope Haven, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Sea Pines Montessori Academy, and United Way, but Vanderslice’s most gratifying project to date is her work on a green orphanage in Tanzania. Over the past five years, Vanderslice’s husband has been a frequent visitor of Tanzania, venturing to remote regions of the East African country as part of a medical team performing surgeries, and a few years ago, she had the
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J Banks Design Group
PREVIOUS PAGE: With 1.5 million orphans in Tanzania, the need for Vanderslice’s orphanage project is critical. Since accompanying her husband Rick on a mission trip to Tanzania, she has become committed to helping the children of the area in any way possible. RIGHT: Vanderslice has grown her business into an international firm with projects located throughout the US, Italy, Ireland, Mexico, and the Caribbean, evident in her global design aesthetic.
“Giving back is an important part of the culture within our firm. Our staff is encouraged to take paid time off to assist with philanthropic events, and our firm has donated over $250,000 in merchandise and monetary contributions over the last five years.” —Joni Vanderslice, President
opportunity to join him. After visiting several communities, most without electricity and running water, she came back a changed woman. “It will not surprise you that I left Tanzania with the same heart for the country and its people and have become as committed to helping the people in any way possible,” she says. From this commitment, the idea for an orphanage was born. There are more than 1.5 million orphans in Tanzania so the need for an orphanage—and many more—was great. Vanderslice wanted to create a place for the children of the area who are in neglectful or dangerous situations, a
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place that will provide programs focused on knowledge. “We want each child to get an education while offering support in non-academic areas such as self expression, self-esteem, social skills, independent study skills, and practical domestics skills,” she explains. In addition to housing 300–350 children between the ages of 4 and 18 on 400 acres of land, the 30,000-square-foot structure will incorporate green elements like solar power, compositing, and recycling practices. “That we will watch 350 children who would have [otherwise faced] a bleak future not only move in, but thrive, grab onto the opportunities, regain joy in their lives, and actually influence the future of Tanzania is our greatest hope for the orphanage,” Vanderslice says. “We hope that through collaborations some will attend university and that medical help will allow many of these children to live a much longer, productive life. I hope that this orphanage will be the first of many.” Back home, Vanderslice is a leader in green design. The new office building her company opened was the first commercial building in the area and the fifth in the State of South Carolina to receive LEED certification. Since the completion of the office, it has also added two LEED APs and is in the process of preparing more employees for the exam. The 31-person office, which includes 11 des igners and a registered architect, specializes in
new construction and renovation within resort communities. It has completed residential and commercial projects throughout the United States, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, and the Caribbean and has worked on high-profile projects as the Castello di Casole in Tuscany, Italy. But giving generously and designing healthfully is the greatest accomplishment of the firm. Whether creating a safe space for her daughter or a home for many with no one to call “mother,” Vanderslice has found a way to make green building a benefit not just for the Earth, but also for the people who inhabit it. —by Thalia A-M Bruehl
A MESSAGE FROM CAMELLIA ART For over 25 years, Camellia Art has fused the artistry of framing with the beauty of art. Our gallery represents distinguished artists from South Carolina to California whose mediums include impressionistic oil paintings, abstracts, and bronze sculpture. Whether we work with personal collections or commercial clients, we are renowned for our attention to detail. We provide imaginative vision to the quality and design of every project. Our success is measured by our clients’ satisfaction. www.camelliaart.com Phone 843-785-3535
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Congratulations to J. Banks Design on their 25th anniversary Tailor Made Draperies specializes in residential & commercial window treatments, from sheers to shutters & everything in between.
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24 Years of International Commercial & Residential Interior Design 32 Associates Including 10 Professionally Degreed Interior Designers Registered Architect on Staff LEED® Certified Consulting An Interior Design Magazine “Top 200 Interior Design Giant” & “Top 75 Hospitality Design Giant” 2009 ADAC Southeast Contract Designer of the Year Designers of the J Banks Collection for Stanford Furniture Design Studio & Retail Showroom 35 Main Street, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Tel 843.681.5122 www.jbanksdesign.com
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Families for Families Frank Road Recycling Solutions—a family-owned, Ohio-based subsidiary of S.G. Loewendick & Sons—recycles its way into the hearts of Columbus and other communities in need city Columbus, OH population 778,762 note Researchers found that more than 8 out of 10 restaurant patrons surveyed in Columbus said they would be willing to pay more to dine at green restaurants news The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency awarded local school districts more than $600,000 in grants to install and/or maintain pollution-control equipment on almost 200 school buses needs The rise of pollution and invasive species like the Asian carp has put the health and future of Lake Erie—a central part of Ohio’s heritage—at risk; local environmental groups are calling for legislative action to protect the Great Lakes ecosystem
In 2004, when the City of Columbus wanted to renovate its historical, iconic, and long-standing Lazarus Building, it called upon the best companies in every arena, including Ohiobased Frank Road Recycling Solutions, whom gb&d featured in its July/August 2010 issue. The work Frank Road Recycling provided contributed to earning the Lazarus Building LEED Gold certification, the City of Columbus a reputation as a leader in green design, and— through its other efforts—the company itself a distinction as a community advocate. Frank Road Recycling’s performance on the Lazarus Building was met with such great response that the city invited the company to be a part of the team that rehabbed the Columbus City Center and offered it a spot on the prestigious City of Columbus Mayor’s Green Team. “Being on the front lines of recycling and marketing with the Mayor’s Green Team allows us as a construction demolition company and a recycler the opportunity to advise and help direct projects to be efficiently accomplished and a benefit for the communities,”
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says Ken Pennington, operations manager at Frank Road Recycling. The position has brought the company more clients and a new platform to spread its recycling goals, including its dream of a project where 100 percent of materials could be recycled. Aside from being on the Mayor’s Green Team, Frank Road Recycling Solutions is also a member of the Construction Materials Recycling Association, the USGBC, and the National Association of Demolition Contractors. The company is owned by the Loewendick family, of S.G. Loewendick & Sons, which has been in the recycling business for the past 80 years. The people of Frank Road Recycling believe it’s their great ability to think creatively that has made them successful for so many years. “It is our vision, our ability to see outside the box that has made us thrive,” Pennington says, “[as well as] our capacity to successfully develop and implement business practices that enable us to grow and work within our community.” After completing the Columbus City Center, Frank Road Recycling made the decision to spend more time giving back and helping the community—both theirs and others. Efforts have included donating land, preserving green space, and raising money for Hurricane Katrina relief in affected areas of New Orleans. The company also provides tours of their facilities for elementary schools and colleges, as well as for state and local government groups. And whenever it has the opportunity, the Frank Road Recycling team works with local fire departments to give them access them to the landfill and its materials for training. This work has only built up the company further. In 2010, Frank Road Recycling recycled thousands of tons of materials, saved enough energy to power more than 550 homes for one
Frank Road Recycling Solutions made the decision to spend more time helping the community—both theirs and others. Efforts have included donating land, preserving green space, and raising money for Hurricane Katrina relief. year, and enough wood to save 2,000 trees. It also took steps toward growing its business through buying a grinder for processing steel as well as an OCC Bailer for cardboard. “This will save as much as 20 percent more of landfill air space,” Pennington explains. Frank Road Recycling will also spend much of the next year working on projects at Ohio State University, all of which are LEED jobs with an average of a 75-percent recycle rate. The company is clearly as serious about its mission of sustainability as it is about helping others, and it can be seen beyond the numbers and new offerings. When Pennington looks back on the history of the Loewendicks, he sees a company—and family—that has been green since the beginning. “S. G. Loewendick...began their company by running a salvage yard years ago,” he says. “[They] provided contractors an avenue to reuse materials that were no longer wanted for their original use. What could be greener than that?” Drawing from this legacy of sustainability, and with markets growing, it won’t be long before Frank Road Recycling Solutions attains its goal of a 100-percent recycle rate. —by Thalia A-M Bruehl
RIGHT: After the City Center Demoliton Project in Columbus, Ohio, Frank Road Recycling ramped up its community efforts—locally as well as in other areas like New Orleans.
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FEATURES 52/ CITIZEN ARCHITECTS 60/ PLAN FOR ANYTHING 70/ THE WORLD, THEIR STAGE
STARRY SKY. Part of Focus Lighting’s enviable project roster: the stunning atrium ceiling of Crystals at CityCenter —perfectly at home on Las Vegas’ sizzling strip, p. 75.
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LIFE LESSONS. Long after they leave the program, students at Rural Studio carry with them lessons about the altruistic aspects of architecture.
EXTRA CREDIT. The integration of reclaimed materials with an unexpectedly modern aesthetic defines much of the students’ designs.
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CiTizEn ARCHiTECTS Auburn University’s Rural Studio has become the face of socially conscious and sustainable architecture, training a new generation of architects to be community advocates story Anne Dullaghan
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s you make the three-hour drive from Auburn, Alabama— with its traditional college-town restaurants, shopping, nightlife, and the renowned, Robert Trent Jones-designed Grand National golf course—to the town of Newbern (near Tuscaloosa), the scenery gradually transitions from prosperous city life to a forest-rich, economically fragile, rural area that recalls a rich history, though the 2000 census put the population at just 17,185. Welcome to a world that most Americans have a hard time imagining. It’s a place where everyone knows everyone, and residents have an understandable suspicion of outsiders, who too often come in to change the way the townspeople have been living for decades—even centuries. This unattractive legacy, however, is not the story of the Rural Studio, a one-of-a-kind, optional component of Auburn University’s School of Architecture. With respect, compassion, and brand new ideas, the Rural Studio has set out to train “citizen architects,” who help improve this small section of America—and carry the lessons they learn here into the greater architecture world.
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I want to be over the edge— environmentally, aesthetically, and technically. —Samuel “Sambo” Mockbee, Founder, Rural Studio
In 1993, the late Samuel “Sambo” Mockbee, an Auburn University architecture professor, created a program that would improve the living conditions in Hale County, in rural west Alabama, while imparting practical experience to the school’s third-year and fifth-year thesis students. In an age in which high-profile projects designed by architectural superstars are regularly lauded by the public, the Rural Studio’s pioneering vision of combining powerful design sensibility with an ingenious use of reclaimed materials has been—at the very same time—offering somewhat the opposite philosophy. And it has been immensely effective in benefiting not only Hale County’s citizens, but also a whole new generation of architects. Daniel Splaingard, a Rural Studio graduate and former instructor—and current recipient of a coveted Enterprise Rose Fellowship—says his time in Newbern was profoundly formative. “This unique environment allowed me to really grow as an architect and as a person,” he says. “I find it’s rewarding every day to offer up my talents to the community and to participate to the best of my abilities.” True to its mission, the Rural Studio has affected Splaingard’s subsequent work. Enterprise Rose Fellows work deeply in specific communities for three years, forging community ties, developing leadership skills, and expanding the capacity of their local host organizations. In his time as a fellow, Splaingard is collaborating with the Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation, a member-based, nonprofit, communitydevelopment corporation on Chicago’s northwest side. Change not only follows the students as they make their ways down their own separate paths—it happens every year in Hale County, a place where sagging trailer homes now coexist with clapboard shotgun houses, as well as some of the finest examples of aging Greek revival architecture in Alabama. The Akron Boys & Girls Club, built in 2001, now provides a supervised and positive place for the City of Akron’s youth. The Newbern Fire House was, in 1994, the first new public building in Newbern in 100 years. These remarkable projects have replaced or revitalized Hale County’s older spaces—much to the communities’ benefit and appreciation. Because of the way it has been conceptualized and executed, the Rural Studio has become the face of not just social architecture, but affordable sustainable innovation. In this way, it perpetuates the vision of its founder.
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PORTRAIT OF A MAN. Disregard the regal energy of this portrait. The lauded and beloved founder of Rural Studio, Samuel Mockbee, envisioned architects as servants of society and catalysts for change.
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Citizen Architects
It’s not about your greatness as an architect, but your compassion. A fifth-generation Mississippian from Meridian, Mockbee was born on December 23, 1944. As a young man growing up during the Civil Rights movement, he was deeply affected by the treatment of AfricanAmericans, especially after the killing of three civil rights workers, one of whom was James Chaney, a man from Meridian. Mockbee’s path led him to Auburn University, where he graduated in 1974 with a degree in architecture. After this, he returned to Mississippi and with Coleman Coker founded Mockbee Coker Architects. The firm quickly created a name for itself with its modern approach to design using largely recycled materials. After 13 years managing his own firm, Mockbee joined the faculty of Auburn University’s School of Architecture. Seizing the chance to help those with whom Mockbee had always identified and empathized— while teaching architecture students to care for their communities— he cofounded the Rural Studio with longtime friend and colleague D.K. Ruth. Throughout his career, he received numerous architectural-design awards, including the National Building Museum’s first Apgar Award for Excellence (1998), a MacArthur Genius Grant (2001), and a posthumous AIA Gold Medal. In 2010, a documentary was released by filmmaker and former University of Texas professor Sam Wainwright Douglas called Citizen Architect: Samuel Mockbee and the Spirit of the Rural Studio.
The Documentary In Citizen Architect, filmmaker Sam Wainwright Douglas highlights the life and work of the Rural Studio’s Samuel Mockbee. The film explores Mockbee’s now legendary work through its powerful design sensibility and his ingenious use of reclaimed materials. The documentary focuses on the residents of west Alabama, who are the primary clients of Rural Studio, as well as a Rural Studio class as they design a home for a local resident named Jimmie Lee Matthews, also known as Music Man. ABOVE, BELOW: Film stills courtesy of Dutch Rail/Big Beard films.
All architects expect and hope that their work will act as a servant in some sense for humanity—to make a better world. This is a search we should always be undertaking.
After Mockbee passed away from leukemia in 2001, thesis professor Andrew Freear succeeded him as the Rural Studio’s director and brought new light and energy to the Rural Studio’s original vision. Originally from Yorkshire, England, Freear’s official title is the Wiatt Professor at Auburn University Rural Studio. Educated at the Polytechnic of Central London and the Architectural Association, London, England, he has practiced extensively in London and Chicago and taught at the University of Illinois at Chicago and as a Unit Master at the Architectural Association. “I had seen Mockbee lecture while I was teaching at the University of Illinois and was impressed,” he recalls. “When it was time to leave Chicago, I went down to Auburn to pursue an opportunity, but to be honest, I didn’t really know where the university was. After spending a year at Auburn, Mockbee needed help at the Rural Studio and I thought, ‘Why not?’ So I joined up and have been there ever since.” Each year, the Rural Studio, which includes outreach and woodworkshop components, builds five projects—give or take—with others waiting on the drawing board or being fleshed out for subsequent years’ students. In the past, students mostly worked on the construction of smaller homes, but under Freear’s guidance, the focus has shifted to
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Citizen Architects the design and construction of larger community projects. “It wasn’t a deliberate change for us to concentrate on public projects,” Freear says. “Instead, we recognized that there was more opportunity to impact people with the potential that we can offer by working on public projects. We only do projects that the local people ask for.”
If you’re going to do this, you gotta pack your bags, kiss your wife goodbye, and go to war. This year at the Rural Studio, students are being challenged to undertake a “Rural Studio Revolution,” a chance to think about the way the studio itself operates in Hale County. The architecture program owns three buildings and rents four, and as such is as invested in the community as any other entity. “We’re asking the students to analyze the way we live—from fuel or energy consumption to the food that we eat,” Freear explains. “The intention is to turn the Rural Studio’s main building—Morissette House—into a small farm, with the desire that we’ll be self-sufficient and able to grow our own vegetables. We’re aiming to become flexitarian, which consists of a mostly a vegetarian diet supplemented by local meat and fish. We were tired of talking the talk and not walking the walk.”
The students are going to completely redesign the Morissette House, build a new commercial kitchen, and plant a vegetable garden. Over the next semester, the plan is to build a large greenhouse to extend the growing season into the winter. “It’s difficult to find short-term projects for the 12–16 student teams to work on for only one semester,” Freear says. “With the Morissette projects, we’ve created a master plan that has smaller pieces, which each semester’s students can complete.” This “Rural Studio Revolution” works hand-in-hand with the studio’s Wood Lab, which aims to provoke students to become involved in the process of growing, harvesting, milling, and using the area’s abundant woods. “We’re situated in the middle of a forest, so it’s ridiculous that we may be using steel from China in our projects,” Freear says. “Instead, we should be the champions of using local wood. Our plan with the Wood Lab is for each student to plant a tree, harvest a tree, mill it, and dry it. The students become part of a local process so that we’re not beholden to the building supply or home-improvement store. We’re not trying to be a closed system, but a system that embraces all of the local manufacturers, whether it’s timber or food. That’s the holistic view—that we’re in control of the production and the produce: what we consume, what we waste, and how we can live more locally.” This authentic commitment to interdependence and community relationships had an enormous impact on Splaingard when he was there. “What resonated with me in my thesis year was the philosophy that you design your time,” he says. “It’s not about designing how
HOUSE ON A BUDGET. One of Rural Studio’s most provocative and popular projects, the $20K House challenges students to come up with a model for an affordable house that can be built by a contractor for the cost of its namesake. Each year, the program donates the house to a local resident—and students monitor how tenants live in it to improve next year’s design.
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Citizen Architects
WALKING THE WALK. Students are experimenting with growing sustainable foods and exploring firsthand their greater environmental and economic implications through plans (above) and models (top right) for a self-sufficient farm—a prototype for contemporary farming in rural settings. Part of the program’s “Rural Studio Revolution,” the plan will also renovate Morissette House, Rural Studio’s main building (right).
concrete meets wood or how foundations are built. It’s about designing how you proactively live, participate, and make decisions.” As was the case for Splaingard, although fifth-year thesis students live and work on the Rural Studio campus for nine months, they generally stay on for two years to finish up their thesis work, with teams of three to five students collaborating on larger community projects. They conceive of the project scope and design, raise money to fund it, give presentations to community members and stakeholders, demolish existing structures, design and build the new structure, and manage the project throughout the entire process.
Architects are, by nature, pursuit leaders and teachers. Outreach-program students come from all over the country—and world—to participate in what’s known as the $20,000 house, or $20K House. “It’s an interesting and provocative project,” Freear explains. “Over the last decade, we’ve been working to find a model for an affordable, rural home that can be built for $20,000 by a contractor. The costs run $12,500 in materials and $7,000 for labor and profit.
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Each year, we give the finished home to a needy client and then we observe how they live in it to improve the design and usability for the next year. No architect or builder could afford to take the time, the research, [or] the materials and talent that we’re doing.” The Rural Studio’s Outreach group is close to recommending two home models that are between 500 and 600 square feet and suitable for one person or a couple. “These can be built locally to bring better housing into the region, to keep money in the economy, and to employ people,” Freear says. “The homes we’ve designed can last 100 years or more—much longer than the trailer homes that populate the area. Plus you can run one of our homes for around $35 a month, making it very affordable.” Currently, the Rural Studio is working with Region’s Bank to take the affordable model of the $20,000 house and create one-, two-, and three-bedroom versions that can be replicated throughout the country. To help spread the word about the Outreach program, $20K House VIII (“Dave’s House”) was on display from October 2010 to January 2011 at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. The exhibition, titled “Small Scale, Big Change: New Architectures of Social Engagement,” featured 11 socially relevant projects from around the globe. The pragmatic solutions were chosen to demonstrate how architecture can serve the greater needs of society—a perfect reflection of the Rural Studio’s values.
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ROOF O’ER THE REFUGE. The grand, asymetrical roof that tops the Hale County Animal Shelter—one of Rural Studio’s most dynamic projects—embodies the students’ visionary approach to design and their willingness to push the boundaries in rural Alabama.
Architecture is a social art And...it is our social responsibility to make sure that we are delivering architecture that meets not only functional and creature comforts, but also spiritual comfort.
Like everything the Rural Studio does, the program takes a different approach to creating project groups. Nowhere is this more apparent than how it creates its various teams and chooses the projects those teams work on. Danny Wicke, a former student and the Rural Studio’s outreach instructor and director’s assistant, explains the process: “When you first come to the Rural Studio, your teams are not immediately decided upon, nor is your specific project,” he says. “For the first month, you participate in workshops and activities to get to know people throughout the studio, as well as to get a clearer understanding of the projects. Then the studio decides who wants to partner up with whom on what specific projects.” Wicke chose to work on the development of the Akron Boys & Girl’s Club precisely to help give the local community’s kids a voice in how the building would be designed to work for them. “There’s a lot of preparation that goes into each project we undertake,” he says. “We spent the first three months just understanding how to organize and run the program.”
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That’s a vital component of the Rural Studio experience: honing the skills needed to research, analyze, develop, and present project recommendations that the community will be able to sustain. For example, though many within a town may think that they need a senior community center, if the ongoing funding isn’t in place and there’s no reliable transportation, then simply putting up a building doesn’t solve the problem. Rural Studio students are tasked to think as deeply and ask as many questions about infrastructure and operations as they are in terms of design. There are no easy answers, and Rural Studio students learn first-hand how frustrating it can be to navigate funding issues, bureaucracy, and other challenges not apparent on the drawing board. In addition to the hands-on fundamentals of design-build, the Rural Studio emphasizes mastering the “softer” skills of presentation and client communication. “We rigorously rehearse our presentations so that students can clearly, and in a linear manner, describe what their process is and why they’re doing what they’re doing—almost like they would to their mom or dad,” Freear explains. “We have clients who may not know how to read a drawing—or who may have never met an architect before—so we spend a lot of time rehearsing to get rid of the ‘archy’ speak.”
As an artist or an architect, I have the opportunity to address wrongs and try to correct them.
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Citizen Architects To date, the Rural Studio’s design-build program has built more than 120 houses and civic projects, mostly in the small towns of Akron, Moundsville, Newbern, and Greensboro. Greensboro, the county seat, is home to the Safe House Museum, a house used to shelter Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from the Ku Klux Klan during a meeting at St. Matthew Church. The Rural Studio is currently working on a renovation of the building and museum. The studio’s projects, like the museum, are all extremely influential and employ vivid designs, like the grand, asymmetrical arched roof over the Hale County Animal Shelter or reusing items like car windshields for the Mason’s Bend Community Center, tires for the walls of the Yancey Chapel, or 55-gallon steel drums for a maze in Lion’s Park. The last is one of the studio’s most recent projects—and a great example of playfulness meshed with environmental consciousness. “We didn’t like the design of most of the playgrounds that you traditionally see because they weren’t nice environments for the adults, and they didn’t really inspire creativity,” says Cameron Acheson, a current Rural Studio resident who graduated in May 2010 and is finishing up her Lion’s Park thesis project. “We wanted to create a bigger environment that mixed in the traditional swings, play pieces, and slides with some non-traditional elements.” Though developing a playground seems simple, Acheson notes that it wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. “We struggled with the choice of materials for a long time, considering what would be the most durable and safe,” she says. “Up until December, we really didn’t know what materials to use. Then a company that sells natural mint oil used in toothpaste offered up as many galvanized barrels as we wanted. The toothpaste manufacturers dictate that the barrels can’t be reused to store mint oil, so the company needs to find way to dispose of them. It was great to be able to take the barrels and give them a second life.” In January, the team did a series of tests and mock-ups to see if the idea would make the journey from paper to real life. To the students’ delight, the barrels turned out to be the perfect fit for the maze concept. “It’s a key step for the students to take to understand how the material or structural strategy they’ve chosen has an impact,” Freear says of the tests. “They’re not just handing designs off to a builder to construct.” Acheson has enjoyed the challenge of figuring out materials and donations on top of designing and building a project. “I knew I wanted to come out here because I felt that there was something missing in my education,” she says. “In the other four years of architecture school, it’s all theory. And as much as you can push, there’s only so much you can design in a semester. Out here, there’s a second level of detail that you learn in figuring out how things are put together that I wasn’t able to get back in Auburn.”
Architects should always be in a position to nudge and cajole and inspire. Everyone who’s been a part of the Rural Studio has it to thank for at least some of the principles they then work to enact throughout their careers. Wicke notes that his experience surely has had a lasting effect on his design philosophy. “It’s reshaped the way I think about architecture and approaching a problem,” he says. “We’re taught to be
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PLAYGROUND SHENANIGANS. A perfect example of Rural Studio’s brilliant use of reclaimed materials, the students designed a maze made from steel barrels.
critical thinkers. The Rural Studio gave me a value system for making decisions. I ask, ‘How can I design the best space for the least amount of money, that’s comfortable, and doesn’t cost much to maintain?’” Acheson may take more risks and advocate for bolder design due to the level of discomfort she endured. “I joke that you’re kind of uncomfortable every day you’re out here because you’re always being pushed and challenged to do something out of your comfort zone,” she says. “That’s one of the real benefits of the Rural Studio experience.” Splaingard has maintained a community orientation as he works with low-income housing and community redevelopment in Chicago. And Freear obviously can’t claim to be unaffected; once he joined Rural Studio, he wasn’t able to leave. This long-term influence is what Mockbee hoped to foster, and it is with pride that Freear notes the program’s current and future success in this area. “Today, our graduates are working all over the place—from Sydney and Barcelona to Birmingham, Alabama. In the next 10–20 years, we’ll be able to see the true effects of the program, when our students begin to make their own way in the architectural profession. We hope that they take the Rural Studio ethic with them.” gb&d
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Baietan, China. Greensburg, Kansas. New York City. No matter what corner of the globe they inhabit, today’s cities face enormous challenges as they attempt to sustain themselves—in more ways than one. Scott Heskes explores five key trends
in urban planning that seek to address these challenges. gbdmagazine.com
Whether it’s a boundary wall to protect against invaders in the third millennium BCE or constructing a modern photovoltaic solar array to stem global warming, urban planning’s most pressing purpose is to provide a sustainable future for the community. In the last decade, “sustainability” has come to mean something more specific when it comes to planning our communities, and this new iteration of an old idea has worked its way into the national and international psyche. T h e N e w Z e itg e ist In a paper titled “Planning Sustainable and Livable Cities,” written in 1998 by University of California–Davis professor and landscape architect Stephen Wheeler, sustainable urban planning is defined as “development that improves the long-term social and ecological health of cities and towns.” He further outlines the essential elements: compact, efficient land use; less automobile use and better access to transportation options; efficient resource use and less pollution and waste; the restoration of natural systems; quality, healthful housing and living environments; a healthy social ecology; sustainable economics; community participation and involvement; and the preservation of local culture and wisdom. Many of the principles for which Wheeler advocates are rooted in the New Urbanism movement that began in the 1980s. The Congress for the New Urbanism, founded in 1993, states in its charter: “We advocate the restructuring of public policy and development practices to support the following principles: neighborhoods should be diverse in use and population; communities should be designed for the pedestrian and transit as well
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as the car; cities and towns should be shaped by physically defined and universally accessible public spaces and community institutions; urban places should be framed by architecture and landscape design that celebrate local history, climate, ecology, and building practice.” The ideas put forth by the New Urbanism movement and further established by Wheeler’s paper became a roadmap for cities, which adopted plans that moved sustainable goals higher up on the list of priorities. By the end of the first decade of the 21st century—armed with a measuring tool in LEED certification—a juggernaut of local initiatives became commonplace among major cities throughout the United States. “The community dialogue resulted in a wave of public-policy action that, by August of 2010, included more than 200 local jurisdictions, 34 state governments, and 12 federal agencies or departments adopting LEED as a tool for benchmarking higher-performance, green-building practices among many other sustainability initiatives,” states a USGBC White Paper published in the fall of 2010. The trend in new codes designed to promote sustainable regulations continues to ratchet up. On January 1, 2011, California’s CAL Green Code began being enforced, the first of its kind in the country. Other states are following California’s lead as they did in the 1970s. “In New York City,” the USGBC White Paper continues, “the Urban Green (USGBC’s local affiliate) released arguably the most comprehensive analysis and set of recommendations for the incremental greening of any building code. The work of NYC’s Green Task force, established by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the New York City Council, mirrors a national trend of communities taking action to address today’s pressing economic, environmental, and community-health issues.” What ’ s H app e ning N o w ? We must continually be reminded that legislated change does not necessarily translate to the
harsh realities of economic conditions and the free market, where successful implementation requires a partnership of business and government. As stated by William Saunders in the preface of 2005’s Harvard Design Magazine Reader, “The wholly reasonable response (to make and support multicentered, mixed-use, dense, transit-supported, walkable, self-sufficient, ‘village’ settlement patterns for cities, suburbia, and the countryside) has become a given among planners, architects, and landscape architects and a steadily growing but still minority choice for developers and consumers.” Now, in the more challenging environment of post-Great Recession, the task seems even more daunting. “When you look at the general trend, it’s driven by a lot of complex economic and social issues, one strong factor being the risk-adverse developers and their sources of financing,” says BNIM principal Bob Berkebile, who in 2009, received a Heinz Award from the Heinz Family Foundation for his role in promoting green-building design through sustainable architecture and planning. He also ranked number three on a list of the Top 5 US Individual Role Models for green and sustainable design in the 2009 Design Intelligence Sustainable Design Survey. “[Developers] have a tendency of designing the future of a community looking in the rearview mirror,” he says, “meaning they had success with this before so let’s do more of it until it falls off the cliff, and then let’s find another one that’s working somewhere else.” As testament to the success of the sustainable tradition, the following projects provide a cross section of five established trends in sustainable urban planning that encompasses the Wheeler definition and provides a glimpse into the forces that are molding communities’ decisions to better preserve their culture. Some offer new ideas and technology, others shear will power and pragmatic political suave. All are happening throughout the world as we speak. All are invested in a new, healthier urban experience. >
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1 d e ns e , Wal k a b l e “If you start by thinking about building a healthy c o m m u niti e s city, so many positive, K A NS AS C I T Y, M O , U SA Many urban environments throughout the United urban-design themes start to States have a long history of commuters abandoning the city after work. Professionals who happen, in addition to so worked in the downtown area found little reason many good efficiencies.” to stay—let alone live—in the city center. Yet, Kansas City provides a glimpse into a new era: a time in which a portion of the population wants to live near the amenities they enjoy, near enough to walk. So density has become a desired—and economically viable, not to mention energy efficient—component of urban planners’ master plans. Kansas City has come alive as part of this trend, drawing in residents who enjoy its restaurants, culture, affordable housing, and a negligible commute. The firm behind the city’s formidable transformation was BNIM, native to the area, and its Greater Downtown Area Plan addresses housing, transportation, infrastructure, land use, economic development, and urban design issues in the 11 neighborhoods of the greater
—Ste ph e n H ar dy, Director of Planning, BN I M
downtown area. Through a collaborative, publicparticipation program, four primary objectives were identified: create a walkable downtown, double the population and employment in the downtown area, retain safe and authentic neighborhoods, and promote sustainability. “Downtown Kansas City, for a quarter of a century, had become primarily a daytime business activity,” BNIM’s Berkebile explains. “There were a few hotels that did well during conventions, but otherwise it was pretty dead.” A change— echoing all over the country—began to occur as housing became higher in demand by young professionals, who moved downtown to be closer to work. Another factor was Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes, a bolder proponent of progressive planning than the previous leader. “She knew something about financing public projects, and by creating a partnership with business, she was able to put into place larger financing plans for major pieces of infrastructure downtown, including a new arena and a new redevelopment called the Power and Light District,” Berkebile continues. “Those got financed and built when the economy started turning down.” Though the arena has not landed a professional sports team, it is well ahead of projected revenue goals, despite the downturn in the economy. In addition, some of the philanthropic community stepped up and built a major addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and currently have under construction a performing-arts center. All of this has been done with a keen eye on the environment and with walkability as a major goal. “Kansas City, like every community we are working in, has sustainability as a defining principle,” says Stephen Hardy, BNIM’s director of planning. “If you start by thinking about building a healthy city, so many positive, urban-design themes start to happen, in addition to so many good efficiencies.”
TOP: Stephen Hardy, Director of Planning, BNIM, the firm behind downtown Kansas City’s metamorphosis. Photo: Mike Sinclair. CENTER: Transit-oriented development along Kansas City’s Grand Boulevard is a defining characteristic of the city’s new plan, which priori-
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tizes walkability. BOTTOM: The change was spurred by an influx of young professionals who work in these highrises downtown and wanted to live—and play—closer to work. Photos: © BNIM.
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2 r e v italizing e x isting n e igh b orhoo d s NEW YO RK C I T Y, NY , USA
New York City, the great metropolis, is rarely considered a place where you would go to connect with nature, but the inclusion of open space for all new developments has been a mandate—the first of its kind in the country—going back to the early 1970s. Today the trend is to go much further in converting and integrating cityscape with natural settings and parks. In 2000, New York design firm Hanrahan Meyers Architects (hMa) was hired as the master plan architect for Battery Park City Authority’s North Neighborhood, an example of the redevelopment of existing urban sites. When completed in 2012, the neighborhood will include a total of 5 million square feet of sustainable community, 11 residential and public buildings, 4 major parks, and the renowned Stuyvesant High School. Nearly all of the construction and all of the landscaping will be under hMa’s purview and meet LEED-certification standards. Each building aligns urban blocks at the 11th and 14th floors, and high-rise towers are placed up to the 25th and 32nd floors in a complex pattern of offsetting angles to open up view corridors and bring light and air into the parks below. The new neighborhood departs in many ways from the original concept—begun 45 years ago when the city first conceived of turning the Hudson River tidal-estuary shipping piers, at the southwest tip of Lower Manhattan, into a 92acre planned community. “There was a general excitement then of advancing technology,” says hMa founder and principal Victoria Meyers. “You had the World’s Fair in 1964 with the machines of the future. The out of doors was not part of that vision. When the original Battery Park development started, it was based on some very vague ideas of urbanism, and that was a pot of not fully digested concepts. It was a time when people were still trying to figure out if trees were a good thing in the city or not. Was it better to have trees because they made things look good? Or mow them down so you could keep a better surveillance on crime?”
Carey joined the New York Authority, sustainable design went to the top of its priorities, Meyers says.) “Prior to coming to Battery Park City, Tim Carey singlehandedly created Energy Star,” she notes of his impressively green legacy. “He called every manufacturer of appliances to Albany and said he would award whichever company could create an Energy Star appliance that would cost the same as regular appliances the biggest single contract in the country for affordable housing—and it happened.” The politics of America’s biggest city notwithstanding (though New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is continuing Carey’s allegiance to green design), there are many approaches to making things stick. Connecting to nature can come from different perspectives. “Tim Carey, with Governor Pataki, forged a powerful common bond on the importance of nature in urban environments,” Meyers says. “Their political base
is Republican and while I don’t agree with them on a lot things, there is common ground on this issue.” That common ground should inform others across the country and throughout the world, as redevelopment projects seek to provide needed economic jolts to struggling areas. Currently hMa is serving as the architect for the last and final building to be built in Battery Park City: the Digital Water Pavilion (aka Battery Park City Community Center) is a 65,000-square-foot center that is more about nature and the landscape than it is about building. It was designed by hMa to meet LEED Platinum standards, and hMa believes that the building is a tribute to Battery Park City Authority’s leadership in sustainable design—from Tim Carey to Michael Bloomberg. It is the last piece in an ongoing puzzle, itself a vignette of urban planners’ commitment to revitalizing underused urban space.
LEFT, BELOW: The last addition to Battery Park City, Hanrahan Meyers Architects’ Digital Water Pavilion is designed to achieve LEED Platinum and serve as a testament to the community’s leaders.
Meyers credits the leadership of the former president and CEO of Battery Park City (now the COO of New York Authority), Timothy Carey, for the solid vision of North Neighborhood when her firm was hired in 1997. (And, naturally, once
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3 ri v e rfronts & Wat e r w ays The Baietan Urban Design Master Plan project envisions an integrated, green city rising from the banks of China’s Pearl River. The plan is a proactive response to the expected urban migration to Guangzhou in coming years and is part of a greater national policy that calls for more energy-efficient and self-sustaining urban development, a major part of which is the redevelopment of riverfronts and long-polluted waterways.
G U A NGZ H O U , C H I N A
Great bodies of water have traditionally been the lifeblood of great cities. What would London be without the Thames, Paris without the Seine? Unfortunately, years of industrialization extracted a heavy toll on waterways. Revitalizing polluted and damaged rivers has therefore become necessary for a city’s ecological health. As a result, new waterfronts are an essential part of many urban redevelopment projects. Recognizing the need to plan for an unprecedented migration to urban areas, making waterways safe has become the highest priority in the city of Baietan and elsewhere throughout China. Renowned architecture and planning giant Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) began working on The Baietan Urban Design Master Plan project after local Chinese authorities were not satisfied with competitive responses. “It is difficult to award master planning projects based upon competitions,” says SOM planner Ellen Lou. “You end up with the best-looking pictures but not necessarily the best design.” Rising from the banks of the Pearl River, in central Guangzhou, China, the Baietan project envisions an integrated, sustainable, mixed-use city with about 740,000 residents and 660,000 employees. “China will be experiencing tremendous middle-class growth in urban living with an anticipated 400 million people moving to the cities,” Lou says. “Baietan is one of many regional plans in China that is part of a national policy. The direction is coming from the top down.” Fortunately, sustainability is also part of that top-down national policy, with goals of increasing renewable energy use by 10 percent, energy efficiency by 20 percent, and forested area by 4.4 percent. In keeping with this commitment, Baietan’s adjoining Huadi Islands are designed to provide a habitat for a diverse matrix of Pearl River
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Images: LEFT: Courtesy of SOM, © Gerald Ratto. BELOW: Cortesy of SOM, © Hargreaves Associates.
ecologies. The plan establishes nearly 3,000 acres of parks and open spaces that support habitat, recreation, and flood prevention. “The water is really polluted today,” Lou notes. “The city is very determined to clean up the river. Many of the older parts need modern sewage treatment. We are also utilizing biofiltration
methods to help clean up the water naturally and develop ways to reduce water usage so you don’t need to clean up that much water in the future. Part of the river on the site is dead; professors are telling us that fish won’t even survive there. We are hoping that in 5–10 years, these waterways will be alive again.”
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“Part of the river on the site is dead; professors are telling us that fish won’t even survive there. We are hoping that in 5–10 years, these waterways will be alive again.” — Ell e n L o u , P lanne r, Skidmor e , Ow ings & M e rrill
Images: ABOVE: Courtesy of SOM, © Crysta CG. RIGHT: © SOM.
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The regional ecology has also been fragmented by recent urban development. In an effort to re-establish natural connections, terraced habitats will be created to expand the ecological area of the Pearl River while providing flood control. The plan will raise some areas of land and establish new canals to provide enhanced flood protection. Historic warehouses are a prominent architectural feature of the Baietan riverfront. Adaptive reuse of historic and high-quality industrial warehouses for retail, entertainment, and office space will support Guangzhou’s emerging creative industries, including world-class flower research, retail, production, and tourism facilities. Finally, an island neighborhood will transcend typical waterfront developments and will feature a water museum and a tea museum, making SOM’s master plan a model for cities across the globe.
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4 transit ori e nt e d d e v e lop m e nt S A N F R A N C I S C O , C A , U SA
At one time in history, a transit network called the Key System served the San Francisco Bay Area. It included many of the areas reached today by the ever-expanding BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), which began service in 1972. The Key System was dismantled in the 1950s in favor of the car and freeways—in large part because of the auto-manufacturing industry’s lobbying efforts. But one of today’s trends in urban planning is to build and ensure access to transit systems unparalleled in connectivity not only from the standpoint of offering a variety of modes but also utilizing technology to make it easier for the passenger to make decisions about the best way to get from one place to another. Bill Worthen, vice president of green consultancy Simon & Associates and the AIA’s resource architect for sustainability, is the LEED consultant for the new Transbay Terminal in San Francisco. Located in the heart of downtown, the Transbay Transit Center provides a glimpse into the benefits and challenge of transit-oriented development. The center will serve as a hub for various transportation agencies and is being developed by the Transbay Joint Powers Authority to replace the existing terminal. Expected to be completed by 2018, the project will include a ¼-mile-long park on the roof, capturing rainwater and recycling for multiple greywater functions and saving an estimated 15 million gallons of water annually. The project is breaking new ground in terms of permitting and city code. “I am in the middle of talking to the Health Department, the plumbing inspector, and San Francisco Public Utilities Commision for the Transbay Joint Powers Authority to get these systems approved,” Worthen says. Expected to be LEED Gold certified, Worthen sees the new Transbay Transit Center as an anchor to a new San Francisco neighborhood with mixed-use and residential high-rise development—and as a model for transit-oriented urban planning. “To get people out of their cars you have to make transit just as easy,” he says, citing the current inability to get to all three major Bay Area airports via one transit system as part of commuters’ frustration. “SFO has a direct connection to BART; Oakland just funded the extension on BART to Oakland Airport terminals, but right
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ABOVE: The new Transbay Transit Center, expecting to be completed by 2018, will serve as a central hub for various transportation agencies in downtown San Francisco. RIGHT: The project, aiming for LEED Gold status, signals a shift in urban planning thought toward greater connectivity and hassle-free alternatives to driving. Images: Transbay Joint Powers Authority.
now you have to take a shuttle from the closest BART station; and San Jose Airport isn’t easily accessible at all. “Some would say our airports are already linked in the Bay Area,” Worthen continues. “I would say they are not linked well and certainly not linked in any way that makes BART more preferable to taxi or driving for the vast majority of bay area residents. People are looking for nodes to get into their urban environments and be connected to airports and the rest of the infrastructure through transit.” The new Transbay Transit Center will connect bus, rail, light rail, and
high-speed rail, and the future promises even greater convenience in transportation and urban navigation: a merger of disparate technologies that would allow commuters to use one card for all modes of transportation, including cab fare, rental cars, and bicycles. “You will be able to use your iPhone to not only get directions, but show alternate choices using public transit or reserve a vehicle along with identifying the least congested highway routes.” Such interaction is a reflection of the already known and necessary interdependence of transit systems—and a sign of increased demand for developments that foster the possibility.
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5 n e w c iti e s G R EEN S BURG, K S , USA
Too often this past decade, cities around the world have been challenged by disasters that forever alter the course of its inhabitants’ lives and stretch the resources of their rescuers. So ingrained are these events in our collective cultural memory that a single phrase—9/11, or Katrina—is all anyone needs to say to recollect it. In the decision-making that inevitably follows such events, the questions are the same: When everything is gone, how do we start fresh? How do we replace what we had? And how do we ensure it doesn’t happen again? For Greensburg, Kansas, which in May 2007, was fully destroyed by a devastating, F-5 tornado, the answer was to learn from its mistakes and build for a sustainable future. More a response to natural events than a predictable trend, the planning of cities “from scratch” has become a necessary option for some. For others—i.e. Masdar City, in the United Arab Emirates, and Songdo, in South Korea—it is a choice to create cities where previously there were none. In both scenarios, urban planners have opportunities to design each aspect of the city with sustainability in mind and choose the most efficient configuration. This job went again to BNIM, which would offer instruction to the imagination of an entirely new
TOP: A sustainable streetscape design emerged as a key component of Greensburg’s redevelopment plan following a devastating tornado in 2007. This small town is only one example of communities being designed “from scratch.” CENTER: A rendering of Greensburg’s Main Street, showing a pedestrian friendly, walkable community. BOTTOM: A sweeping sketch of the BNIM’s master plan for a new, better-than-ever Greensburg—one that would evolve into a model green community for the rest of the nation. All Renderings: BNIM.
Greensburg. At the state’s request, BNIM became an early contributor to the town’s initial recovery efforts, working with community members and town officials as well as local, state, and federal organizations like FEMA. The firm also contributed to shaping the vision of Greensburg GreenTown, a nonprofit formed to help the city’s residents rebuild Greensburg as a model green community. Throughout 2007 and 2008, the firm prepared the first phase of a highly lauded comprehensive master plan for the city, providing a framework based around the principles of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. “One of the more outspoken members in a community meeting once said ‘Before now I thought green was just the color of paint,’” recalls Rachel Stroer, BNIM’s sustainable planning director, explaining that ultimately everyone was able to connect to concepts of being efficient about the ways to invest in their town’s future. “They understood those that started Greensburg built
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LEFT: BNIM’s Steve McDowell worked on the plan for Greensburg, KS. Photo: Mike Sinclair. TOP RIGHT: The town’s Main Street is reborn and thriving three years after a tornado nearly destroyed it. Photo: © Assassi, Courtesy BNIM. BOTTOM RIGHT: Community feedback was invited during the development of the Greensburg’s Sustainable Comprehensive Plan. As a result of community meetings such as this one, the town voted to located the school at the center of the town, as a symbol of a bright future for the area’s youth. Photo: © BNIM.
“Once the town had created the vision, others were moved and inspired to invest in it.” — S TEVE MCD O WE L L , BNIM, PR INCIPAL
it to last a hundred years—so they were able to identify with a way to recreate their town that would last another hundred years.” After the storm, the first instinct for Greensburg’s 1,500 townspeople was to help each other and get through the crisis. The next thing, according to the BNIM team, was to rebuild the downtown. A central dilemma was defining what the heart and character of the center of town would be. The key anchor became the school, followed by the courthouse, town hall, and finally—what is
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now a source of civic pride—a hand-dug well, which is the largest in the world. Greensburg had considered joining in on a district-wide trend to locate schools on or near the interstate, but after a great deal of inspired youth participation, the town agreed to locate the school in the center of town. “The town had experienced years of decline in population with high-school graduates leaving and never coming back,” says BNIM principal Steve McDowell. “They wanted to create a place to come back to, where opportunity existed for the youth of the town.” Naturally, money to rebuild the ravaged city came at first from federal- and state-government funds, as well as FEMA, but the catalyst for true redevelopment came from private donations. Its green vision was much of what drew the attention of the world. “Once the town had created the vision, others were moved and inspired to invest in it,” McDowell adds. Such a vision, before the events of 2007, seemed unlikely to arise from the middle of Kansas, but sustainable urban planning is as necessary in the Heartland as it is anywhere else, especially when it comes to creating places of longevity instead of dead ends.
Cir c u m v e nting Disast e r Whether it’s reintroducing the wild into New York City, cleaning up the rivers of China, reinvigorating Kansas City, connecting the dots in San Francisco, or building a new city out of a major disaster, communities of all sizes are faced with the tough challenge of undoing years of trial, neglect, and mismanagement. What is clear, however, is that there is an overarching trend to build for a sustainable future—both in the old and new sense of the word: sustainability as survival of present danger, and as a way of envisioning the future. “Our big dilemma,” remarks Berkebile in conclusion, “is how to motivate a community that hasn’t had a disaster to look at the slow-moving disaster that is alive and well. Working through Greenburg’s tragic event, ultimately they were able to create an opportunity to envision the kind of future they really wanted to have.” Berkebile offers hope to every city in the example of a new breed of architect, builder, developer, and politician, who are finding ways to make good, green things happen despite the economy—and despite the past. gb&d
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the world,
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their stage Lighting design firms Fisher Marantz Stone and Focus Lighting deliver lasting drama with their thespian sensibilities and high-profile portfolios
Focus Lighting’s body of work runs the gamut, from restaurants and museum exhibits to the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball (shown here).
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The World, Their Stage
When the world’s tallest man-made structure, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, opened in January 2010, many viewers across the world paused to admire its staggering height and beauty—but few thought about its light. The exception was Fisher Marantz Stone, the architectural-lighting-design firm that spent seven years working on the project. The firm drew on its theatrical roots to ensure a flawless lighting production on this career-defining milestone. President Charles G. Stone II, along with cofounders Jules Fisher and Paul Marantz, all began their careers in theater. “After doing theatrical lighting design for a few years, I developed the desire to create things that were more permanent,” Stone explains. “A theatrical project lasts two weeks to two years, but architecture lasts a lifetime.” That’s certainly true of the Burj Khalifa. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill for Emaar Properties, the $1.5 billion mixed-use tower rises 2,717 feet over the Dubai skyline, earning it the title of the world’s tallest building. Fisher Marantz Stone was responsible for the building’s exterior lighting as well as all lighting for the ultra-chic Armani Hotel housed within, with both elements of the project presenting unique challenges.
ACT I: Fisher Marantz Stone’s Star Performance
Concerning the exterior, Fisher Marantz Stone sought to do what it always does and looked for solutions that were integral to the architecture. To that end, the firm placed uplight at each of the tower’s setback balconies, which would highlight the flower-like structural design. “It ensured minimal light trespass for the residential tenants and little skylight pollution,” Stone says. “It also conformed to the energy usage standards created by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers [ASHRAE], which is notable for a tall building with 1.2 million square feet of façade area.”
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“A green world is not enough for me; I want to live in a world that is both green and beautiful.” —Charles G. Stone II, Cofounder & President
certification. As a result, all of our lighting designers and support staff are LEED accredited professionals. We have to walk the walk if we are going to talk the talk.” Stone is quick to emphasize, however, that sustainability is not just about saving energy; it’s about creating a world people want to live in. “A green world is not enough for me; I want to live in a world that is both green and beautiful,” Stone says. “And one of our responsibilities as architecturallighting designers is to make sure that happens. We do that by translating the vision of the architect and the engineer, who would do lighting themselves if they had time to develop the expertise. In fact, I’ve said for years that one reason our profession exists is that engineers forgot to study Caravaggio, and architects don’t have enough time to become lighting experts.” With the success of a project of Burj Khalifa’s scale under its belt, Fisher Marantz Stone is already looking ahead to its next big hit. “I hope it will come in tomorrow,” he says. “We like to work with talented architects, so we’re always delighted when they call.” —by Julie Schaeffer
In regard to the 11-story, 160-room Armani Hotel, Fisher Marantz Stone sought to match the sophisticated elegance of Giorgio Armani’s design aesthetic. “The interior lighting is not meant to be a showy display, but a careful exposition of restrained and minimalist design,” Stone says. “All luminaires and associated hardware are carefully concealed, creating an ambience that is simultaneously modern and traditional. Light within each guest room is controlled by a highly intelligent dimming system that presents the appropriate lighting scheme according to the time of day and the user’s location within the suite.” The firm’s success on projects such as Burj Khalifa, says Stone, is partly a result of the firm’s approach, which incorporates sustainability with beauty. “Sustainability is innate to us,” Stone says. “For the past 30 years, our clients have asked us to be cognizant of cost, and it usually makes economic sense to be sustainable. So even before LEED existed, we were practicing energy analysis and daylight design. Today, really almost every project we do involves discussions of sustainability across all aspects of the project, and every large project we do is striving to achieve LEED
A MESSAGE FROM WE-EF LIGHTING WE-EF is a specialist in exterior lighting. The company’s philosophy is to create luminaires that are engineered to endure, thereby minimizing the need to replace or recycle them for a long time to come. WE-EF’s entire operation, from luminaire design through to the production process and subsequent application, is based on this principle of longevity. Each step in the process carries with it the responsibility of environmental protection and the most effective use of resources.
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Fisher Marantz Stone
The World, Their Stage
TOP LEFT: Exterior of the Burji Khalifa, in Dubai, UAE, which houses the luxurious Armani Hotel. Photo: Fisher Marantz Stone. TOP RIGHT: Inside, all materials were carefully selected by Giorgio Armani himself, reflecting the color palette and elegance of the exclusive Armani brand. RIGHT: The stylish lounge areas are elegantly illuminated; all fixtures and associated hardware are carefully concealed within the architecture. BELOW: Integrated into the architecture, fluorescent and LED sources illuminate the hotel corridors. Photos: Š Armani Hotels & Resorts.
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The World, Their Stage
ACT II: Focus Lighting’s Stage Presence
Roughly half of Focus Lighting’s 25 employees are trained in architecture. The other half have backgrounds in theater. Though not necessarily normal, this thespian culture helps inform—and reinforces—the artistic and aesthetic allure in which the New York City-based architectural-lighting company specializes. “I believe that light should be an event,” says company president Paul Gregory. “It’s a powerful element. If you walk through the forest and you see the light coming through the trees and it dapples on the path in front of you, or it hits a waterfall in a certain way, those are meaningful images. So we try to design our lighting in a way that allows for those experiences.” By all accounts, the company is succeeding; Focus Lighting has thrived in a highly competitive market since its founding 23 years ago. Its résumé includes high-profile projects like Crystals at CityCenter in Las Vegas (a LEED Gold construction) and Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, plus residential work for celebrity names like Mary Tyler Moore and William Lauder, of Estee Lauder. Clients like these are drawn to the artistry of the firm’s designs, which are necessarily created early in a project’s timeline. “Naturally, we prefer a high level of collaboration with architects and designers in a project,” Gregory says. “We like to engage and share ideas and see if the concepts we come up with are workable in terms of the larger design and agreeable to the client.” Once a concept has been established—be it found objects, a Broadway theme, or the beauty found in nature—Focus Lighting can most capably move forward with the other services it offers: budgeting, mockups, development, construction drawings, bidding, and construction administration.
ABOVE, BELOW: Prestigious clients like Crystals at CityCenter in Las Vegas are drawn to Focus Lighting’s zest for drama and artistic point of view, as evidenced by the lighting design of the Treehouse (above) and the backlit Agate Staircase (below)—a big crowd pleaser. Photos: JP Lira.
Which is where a background in theater is especially valuable, Gregory says. “A theater student—whether it’s a set designer, a stage manager, or whatever—does somewhere between seven and 12 shows a year, but come opening on Friday night, the show is happening—whether they’re ready or not,” he says. “So they’re constantly prioritizing what jobs need to get done that are most important to the audience. And that work ethic translates well to what we do with lighting. Our drawings need to get to the engineer or the architect or the owner by Thursday, no matter what. It’s helpful to have people on staff that you don’t have to train to that way of thinking, that have already internalized it.” The intersection between progressive lighting and energy conservation is an area where Focus Lighting is increasingly turning its attention. Though LED lighting still costs roughly three times more than traditional lighting, the technology is advancing rapidly, increasing the capacity for energy savings. “Right now, LEDs get you about 50 lumens per watt,” Gregory says. “By most calculations, that number will be up to 100 lumens per watt in the next few years. Plus, LED is spreading across the lighting spectrum in terms of usage. But right now it’s always about the analysis between lamp life, light output, and cost.” Often, this means owners and developers will give LED lighting the go-ahead on a trial basis on a fraction of facilities.
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The World, Their Stage
Focus Lighting
SCIENTIFIC WONDER. Focus Lighting helped bring the Science Storms exhibit at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry to life. The exhibit allows guests to experience various forces of nature, such as tornadoes. President Paul Gregory says the exhibit is “mysterious and wonderful.” Photos: J.B. Spector.
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The World, Their Stage
“We try to bring in the idea that our work is a painting, with a foreground, a background, a frame, and a focus. We want to create beautiful, meaningful spaces while using less power. It’s getting easier to do that every year.”
Gold certification. LED and accent fixtures were incorporated into a 60-foot tree house, hanging gardens, and a backlit grand staircase, all of which were designed by Rockwell Group. Color-shifting LED fixtures affixed to skylight ledges illuminate the atrium’s spiral ceiling. These projects illustrate Focus Lighting’s willingness to navigate established ideas and concepts, but also its ability to be more than an ambient element. “We try to bring in the idea that our work is a painting, with a foreground, a background, a frame, and a focus,” Gregory says, noting that in the end, light as an event requires finding the balance between beauty and sustainability. “We want to create beautiful, meaningful spaces while using less power. It’s getting easier to do that every year. If the technology continues to improve, and we keep up with that new technology, we think we’re going to win in the long run.” —by David Hudnall
—Paul Gregory, Focus Lighting, President
For instance, Focus Lighting is currently at work on a 50story hotel project at 44th Street and 11th Avenue in Manhattan. On one of those floors, the owner has directed the firm to redesign using LEDs on every single fixture—but only on that one floor. Similarly, large-scale chains might try out LED lighting for one of their locations. “People want to be sure they get their money’s worth, and that the light output actually maintains,” Gregory says of this caution. But there’s little to indicate that LED lighting isn’t as efficient as its proponents claim. A restaurant in Philadelphia that Focus Lighting outfitted with LEDs in 2000 has operated six days a week for a decade now without requiring maintenance. At the Science Storms exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry, Focus Lighting flexed a different muscle, creating a space where guests could experience various powerful forces of nature and come away excited by the science of them. “That’s a very special project for us,” Gregory says. “It was three years of work and collaboration with designers and the museum.” Focus Lighting worked closely with the lead designers, Evidence Design, to bring the exhibits to life. To replicate the experience of a tornado, guests stand in front of a 40-foot column of swirling vapor and light. In another area, spotlights shine 60 feet down through tanks of water suspended overhead to project wave patterns on the floor. To avoid glare, Focus Lighting incorporated ultraviolet lights to illuminate a projectile exhibit, allowing for brightness without distracting from nearby displays. “The entire thing is very mysterious and wonderful, we think,” Gregory says. “The outcome has been terrific. Lots of students are coming to see it.” Focus Lighting collaborated with Daniel Libeskind for an interior urban park within CityCenter. Also a three-year endeavor for the firm, the park ended up achieving LEED
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A MESSAGE FROM EDGE LIGHTING Edge Lighting develops and manufactures specification-grade, energy-efficient luminaires of superior craftsmanship and aesthetics, while incorporating the latest engineering technologies. The extensive collection includes LED Monorail and Soft Strip systems, wall-washes, adjustable accent lights, recessed fixtures and decorative pendants. Edge Lighting’s low-voltage Monorail systems accommodate advancements in lighting technology, allowing compatibility with LEDs and sustainable design practices. Recognized by the US Department of Energy, award-winning LED products such as the Scope LED fixture head and pendant feature a rotating lens to modify beam diameter, while the Nautilus LED Wall Wash offers adjustable, uniform distribution—ideal for retail displays, galleries/museums, or offices. The state-of-the-art LED Soft Strip revolutionizes under-cabinet and cove lighting applications of any shape, while the Cody LED Picture Light offers precise dimming control without harmful UV or IR rays that permanently damage fine art. Visit edgelighting.com to learn more about Edge Lighting— where technical lighting meets cutting-edge design.
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OSTERHAUS MCCARTHY ONE ARCHITECTS WM. H. FRY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
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THE PAUL DAVIS PARTNERSHIP KUTLESA/HERNANDEZ ARCHITECTS CANDELA THE PANTONE HOTEL DAR HI RESORT
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OPSIS ARCHITECTURE CLINE BETTRIDGE BERNSTEIN SILLMAN WRIGHT ARCHITECTS RANDALL SCOTT ARCHITECTS MITCHELL|GIURGOLA ARCHITECTS MURPHY/JAHN PFAU LONG ARCHITECTS VILHELMSRO PRIMARY SCHOOL
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THE GREEN BUILDING MORRIS|SATO STUDIO FFKR ARCHITECTS DESIGN ALTERNATIVES SRBL ARCHITECTS
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DAVID FLEENER ARCHITECTS DANISH STATE PRISON
DESERT DREAM. A new eco resort and spa has opened in an unlikely spot: Tunisia, Africa. Join us as we explore the sustainable surprises Matali Crasset’s Dar Hi has in store, p. 96.
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/live 1615 N. Wolcott
sensible residence Osterhaus McCarthy’s Bucktown condo building exemplifies the firm’s love of modern residential design, urban infill projects, and a philosophy of sustainability that puts its emphasis on sense rather than certification by Zipporah Porton
Friends for more than 25 years, soon after Scott Osterhaus and John McCarthy joined forces in 2004 to form their own architecture firm, Osterhaus McCarthy LLC (OM), they received a 2009 Builder’s Choice Project of the Year and Grand Award from Builder Magazine for 1615 N. Wolcott, in Chicago. Through the highly modern condo building, OM proves that sustainable buildings can also be pleasing to the eye. The eight-unit residence on Wolcott Avenue, which fills a lot previously occupied by a warehouse, now includes floor-to-ceiling windows that allow for extensive natural daylighting. “We are always concerned with economy and sensible solutions,” says Osterhaus, regarding the reason the two founders decided to take the firm in a green direction and mentioning one of the terms that continually crops up in a conversation about sustainability—“sensible.” Like 1615 N. Wolcott, every project has a green aspect, and OM focuses on utilizing sustainable and energy-saving materials, while approaching design from the view of “solving problems sensibly.” “We’ve been fortunate to work with clients and contractors who are committed to sustainability,” McCarthy adds.
LEFT, OPPOSITE PAGE: The 1615 N. Wolcott residence—proof that sustainable can also look modern—caters to the urban professional families that call Chicago’s trendy Bucktown neighborhood home. Photos: Osterhaus McCarthy LLC.
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The two architects met in their third year architecture studio at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and have remained good friends ever since. Before creating their own company seven years ago, both Osterhaus and McCarthy worked separately in smaller firms that specialized in residential architecture. They opted to follow a similar path together. OM focuses mainly on residential projects, with a few mixed-use and smaller commercial projects sprinkled into their portfolio, the majority of which are located in the Windy City. “We enjoy the scale and more personal nature of residential work,” McCarthy says.
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Osterhaus McCarthy
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project 1615 N. Wolcott Ave. architect Osterhaus McCarthy (osterhaus-mccarthy.com) location Chicago units 8 opening date March 2009 green features Floor-to-ceiling windows that allow for extensive natural daylighting
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Osterhaus McCarthy
“We pay attention to our clients’ needs and always design with a focus on solving problems sensibly.” —Scott Osterhaus, Cofounder
As exemplified by 1615 N. Wolcott, which provides office space on the ground floor to a pediatric dentist—catering to the urban professional families that inhabit the city’s Bucktown neighborhood—the two owners believe that the buildings they design should please the client, but also focus on other factors, such as the landscape of the location and environmental concerns. The overall company philosophy is that architecture should contribute to the comfort of the occupant, utilize materials and technology appropriate to the budget and location, and inspire the curiosity and aesthetic sensitivity of those utilizing the building. Holding this as their standard, OM has done about 25 projects since 2004 by working on two to four new buildings and three to five smaller projects a year. So far, they have not pursued LEED certification for any of them, as the founders believe this is not what makes a project sustainable, instead choosing to “focus on designing well in response to site conditions,” Osterhaus explains. “The sensible use of materials and systems is also important. We are philosophically committed to efficient and sensible design.” Coming up next, OM has begun construction on a house in rural southwest Wisconsin that is scheduled for completion this summer. Sustainable features planned for the home include radiant and geothermal heat, spray-foam insulation, local materials, and the integration of the surrounding landscape and hill. The home is also designed and oriented to take advantage of passive-solar strategies.
TOP: Construction is underway on this rural Southwest Wisconsin residence, which features several green-design elements, such as orientation for passive-solar strategies. BOTTOM: Shown in a more pleasant season, the design calls for the integration of the surrounding landscape and hill.
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Though currently there are no LEED APs on staff, it is a path that Osterhaus and McCarthy would consider taking. “Seeking LEED AP accreditation is a possibility,” McCarthy says. “It depends on whether this is important to our current and potential clients.” This sentiment demonstrates the firm’s focus on the client, rather than certifications. Overall, the architects believe that success comes from the ability to interpret what a client needs, while still designing and creating spaces like 1615 N. Wolcott, which are modern and yet environmentally responsible. “We pay attention to our clients’ needs,” Osterhaus says, “and always design with a focus on solving problems sensibly.” gb&d
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spaces/live Studioville
right in their own backyard One Architects works from a refurbished cabin behind its principals’ home to enhance the immediate neighborhood
by Erik Pisor
With projects that include their own home, office, and numerous adjacent residences, Bruce and Jodie Wright are the definition of a locally focused design team. The husband and wife duo are owners and principals of Telluride, Colorado-based One Architects Inc., a design firm that for the past 13 years has concentrated on specific and practical, sustainable home projects—as opposed to focusing on project volume and using of green design as just a marketing tool. “We try to utilize systems and technologies that do work,” Bruce says. “There is a ‘feel-good’ green, [but] we’re trying to avoid that and do what is the most appropriate. We let the process determine the product, rather than having a predetermined idea.” Having worked in western Colorado—specifically Telluride—for the past 13 years, the firm has built up a portfolio of noteworthy sustainable homes. But Bruce and Jodie mention something else when asked for examples of their work: their own home and office and the neighboring residences, which are part of an infill section of development they dub “Studioville.” The couple’s four-level home was the first residence in western Colorado to receive a LEED Silver rating, and it remains only the fourth home in the state to be LEED certified. The couple works literally in their backyard, as their office—a refurbished cabin—is 20 feet behind their home. Throughout the Wright residence, the focus is on natural light; there is a skylight in the center of the house—which can be opened to let in fresh air—and sections of each floor are glass. “[This] allows the lowest level of the home to receive a good amount of light,” Jodie explains, adding that this enhances the home dramatically from a quality-of-life standpoint. The home also features a button in the kitchen and master bathroom that when pressed allows water to recirculate, saving energy associated with constantly heating water. The floors of the residence are end-grain white oak—a trashed by-product of frame construction. According to Bruce, this by-product has gained popularity among sustainable designers and contractors, as it’s durable and has a unique, beautiful look. Other sustainable features of the home
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TOP, ABOVE: Abundant natural light floods all levels of the Wright residence, including the main living area and master bedroom. RIGHT: This infill section of development in Telluride, CO, has been dubbed “Studioville.” OPPOSITE PAGE: The kitchen boasts rift-sawn white oak cabinets and end-grain white oak floors. Photos: Merritt Design Photos.
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One Architects
“There is a ‘feel-good’ green, [but] we’re trying to avoid that and do what is the most appropriate.” —Bruce Wright, Principal
include 2,800 square feet of energy-saving, in-floor heating; dual-flush toilets; and low- and no-VOC wall paint. Another part of Studioville is the 560 West Pacific campus, a planned development that’s a combination of new construction and the rehabilitation of three historic structures. “It’s a high-density, infill project where we had to go through every possible approval process,” Bruce says, adding that the project included the replication of a historic, license plate-clad, timber-frame shed. Long-time champions of green building, Bruce and Jodie have noticed several recent trends common in Colorado: the use of spray-foam insulation, heavy recovery insulators, and recycled materials from snow fences and barns. As the architects continue with their vision for locally sensitive, sustainably designed communities, they will keep ahead of the trends and the “feel-good” green and instead lead the way to a greener Colorado. gb&d
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Healthy Homes
diamond in the rough Whether it’s asked for or mandated by the state, Wm. H. Fry Construction Company knows how to deliver sustainability—award after award proves it
One interested client was a Palo Alto couple expecting their first child. To prepare their home for the baby, they wanted an environmentally friendly overhaul in everything from their heating system to their cleaning products. They went so far as to personally reuse glass handles from the home’s existing doors, even though they weren’t incorporated into the redesign. For the project, Fry partnered with RECLAIM, a local store that specializes in green home products. While Fry installed a radiant heat system, bamboo flooring, and cotton insulation, RECLAIM pulled together the sustainable interior with no-VOC paint and eco-friendly furnishings.
by Kelli McElhinny
BABY-PROOF HOME. In preparation for a new baby, the firm helped a Palo Alto, CA, couple overhaul their entire home—from living room to nursery and dining room—for environmental safety (shown above). The firm partnered with local green-home-products store RECLAIM to achieve the transformation. Photos: Michele Lee Willson. Photo Styling: Laura Del Fava.
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Bill Fry has been relying on green-building techniques since 1980, when he bought his first home amidst Northern California’s iconic redwood trees. He used an old basketball court for his hardwood floors and included windows with reclaimed wood in that renovation. Now, an increasing number of builders are catching up to him, and so are their clients. “At the end of the day, a lot of the green building is consumer driven,” says Fry, owner of Cupertino, California-based Wm. H. Fry Construction Company. “More and more homeowners are interested in green building and green home remodeling.” In response, Fry earned his Certified Green Building Professional cert ificate in 2009.
In addition to providing clients with informed choices toward a healthy, energy-efficient, and resource-efficient home, Fry is sought after for his dedication to fine home building. In 2007, he built a new home for one of the owners of Pine Cone Lumber, a lumber supplier in San Francisco’s South Bay. The home has radiant heating and, thanks to solar panels, a near-zero electric bill. In 2010, Fry earned a Gold Nugget Award of Merit for Best Renovated or Restored House or Project for a remodel and expansion of a home in Los Gatos, California. The Gold Nugget Award is the largest and most prestigious competition of its kind in the nation. The award winners were chosen from 440 entries in the 14 western states and from the international arena.
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Wm. H. Fry Construction Company
“If you don’t address lead during deconstruction, you’re defeating the purpose of going green.” —Bill Fry, Founder
Beyond client requests, Northern California builders are getting extra incentives to go green from their local governments. “The state of California and our local cities are doing a great job with promoting green building,” Fry says. Inspired by the California Energy Code, known as Title 24, many cities have developed green-building guidelines that surpass the state requirements. In fact, Fry is helping his hometown of Cupertino develop its own checklist. Fry’s clients tend to be most focused on the energy efficiency and health benefits of green building. Indoor air quality is an issue of particular concern. Fry notes that offgassing from formaldehyde found in adhesives used in pressed wood products and flooring can have respiratory and carcinogenic effects on health.
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He emphasizes that those effects are magnified in airtight homes and recommends avoiding formaldehyde and other VOCs, opening windows frequently, and installing an airexchange system to ensure that fresh air circulates throughout the house. With this knowledge, Fry is able to reduce formaldehyde in home construction by crafting custom cabinetry, either specified with local cabinet shops or produced within his own high-end cabinetry shop, with Columbia Forest Products PureBond formaldehyde-free (and optionally FSC) hardwood plywood. Another health risk that doesn’t get as much attention in the environmental sphere is lead-based paint in older homes. “If you don’t address lead during deconstruction, you’re defeating the purpose of going green,” Fry says. He adds that most of the homes in his projects were built before 1960, which makes them likely to contain lead, a neurotoxin. As an EPA lead-safe certified firm, Fry abides by the EPA Renovation Repair and Painting guideline. With Fry’s history at the forefront of green building, it’s no surprise that he would still be working to bring attention to needed changes in the industry. gb&d
Build Naturally It’s easy to keep your environmental impact low when using the right products. At Pine Cone Lumber, we’re here to help with a variety of green materials and FSC certified lumber to make your next project eco-friendly and sustainable. Call James Cilker today at 408-736-5491 and ask about FSC product availability.
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/play Carmel Valley Ranch Resort
staging a comeback A West Coast resort is restored to its former—and greener—glory via The Paul Davis Partnership
by Thalia A-M Bruehl
It is the mid-1980s. Ronald Reagan is President, Madonna is blaring through any radio you put on, Back to the Future is movie of the moment, and men and women alike are tearing through Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire of the Vanities. It is a time of excess and splurges; the country club culture is very much alive. Enter: the Carmel Valley Ranch Resort. The Carmel Valley Ranch Resort was developed in the mid’80s as a destination resort with a hotel, residential clusters, a golf course, and a tennis club. In its day, it was a luxury club, a place to relax with scenic views and the best of service. Unfortunately, the club changed hands often, and as time rolled on, so did music, movies, presidents, design, and style; even Madonna needed a facelift or two. Fast forward to 2010, and The Paul Davis Partnership, a Monterey, California-based architecture and planning firm, is tasked with an extensive remodel for the Carmel Valley Ranch Resort. Paul W. Davis, who runs the firm with his father, feels the practice’s design ideals have been green since its inception in 1987. “As architects, we were trained to consider a building’s orientation, how to minimize its impact on the site, and maximize natural light, passive heating, and natural ventilation and cooling,” Davis says. “Our firm’s work is within the greater Monterey Bay area— the central coast of California—and we are committed to responsible and sustainable development in such a sensitive and unique environment with rich historical heritage.” The 12-person firm was brought on to help in the renovation of the Carmel Valley Ranch Resort in 2005, when it switched hands and went to Luxury Resort Hotels. The project changed hands again last year, moving to Geolo Capital, but The Paul Davis Partnership stayed on. “Our current clients are extremely knowledgeable and creative and wanted to bring the feel of the resort and its oakstudded site back to life with a destination resort that provided active lifestyle and recreation programs,” Davis says.
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The Paul Davis Partnership
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“Our current clients are extremely knowledgeable and creative and wanted to bring the feel of the resort and its oakstudded site back to life with a destination resort that provided active lifestyle and recreation programs.” —Paul W. Davis, Principal
So far, the project has included a remodel of the main pool and deck area, a new gift shop and spa, and a new reception area constructed using the original porte-cochère. The remodel also included the addition of a 3,000-square-foot ballroom as well as a fitness space, a full-update on all hotel rooms, and a renovation of the pro shop. “A sloped area with no trees below the lodge was also transformed into an agricultural demonstration area—with a large chef’s garden that is used in the guests’ activity programs—a small vineyard, and a small lavender farm with beekeeping,” Davis adds. The Paul Davis Partnership also renovated all landscaped areas to include native and drought-tolerant landscaping and extremely low-flow irrigation systems that use reclaimed water from the ranch’s wastewater-reclamation system, as water is a big issue in the area. In addition to installing a green roof over the spa, the firm reused as many of the existing structures as possible, instead of moving forward with demolition and new construction. “Minimizing the expansion of the footprint on the land was accomplished by reprogramming existing interior and exterior spaces,” Davis explains.
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REVIVAL. The Paul Davis Partnership is leading an extensive remodel of the Carmel Valley Ranch Resort—returning the resort to its former glory while incorporating an arsenal of modern green touches, including a water-reclamation system and a green roof over the spa. Photos: Paul Dyer.
Yet the project was not without its trials and struggles. The hotel and facilities needed to stay open during the entire construction phase, so scheduling became a challenge: day-long design charrettes with the owners, hotel management, and the design team were required. The two historic ranch buildings also proved a challenge, as they required major structural upgrades without any impact to the exterior walls. All have been extremely pleased with the renovation thus far, and though the hotel hasn’t been through quite as many reincarnations as Madonna, with all its new green features, it seems it too may be able to sustain a career for another 20-plus years. gb&d
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Beyond the Ivy
grand slam Kutlesa/Hernandez Architects’ work is some of the most appreciated in Chicago—offering better views to baseball games with sustainably designed bleachers
by Julie Schaeffer
ABOVE, OPPOSITE PAGE: Baseball fans enjoy both the thrilling view of Wrigley Field from the popular rooftop bleachers and the knowledge that they are sitting on sustainable seats, courtesy of Beyond the Ivy.
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Chicago has a number of rooftop bleachers overlooking historic Wrigley Field, but those tagged with the name “Beyond the Ivy” are unique in that they’re green—both metaphorically and literally. “We were concerned about the impact the structure would have on the environment, so we took care to implement many sustainable features,” says Ivan Kutlesa, principal of Kutlesa/Hernandez Architects, which designed Beyond the Ivy. “Those features included walls covered in lush green ivy, as Wrigley Field is, because when you think about it, ivy is sustainable design 100 years before the movement even began.”
Rootop bleachers are unique to Chicago. “There’s no prototype that I know of anywhere else in the world for placing bleachers on top of a building to view a game,” Kutlesa says. The practice dates back to the 1970s when residents of the three-story brownstone homes surrounding Wrigley Field, where the Chicago Cubs play baseball, would take folding chairs to the roof to avoid ballpark admission fees. By the ’80s, however, building owners recognized the potential to generate revenue with the rooftops, erected makeshift bleachers, and started charging admission (much to the displeasure of the Cubs’ management, who saw it as a copyright encroachment). Today, the homes are multistory commercial projects dedicated to viewing Cubs games. For one admission fee, viewers typically gain all-inclusive access to multiple air-cond itioned bars, large-screen TVs, surround sound—and, of course, unobstructed rooftop views of the game. Most rooftops are designed in a more traditional way, but when Kutlesa/Hernandez Architects was given the opportunity to build out Beyond the Ivy in 2008, they decided to take a more modern approach. To the architects, this modern approach meant considering two factors: First, Kutlesa says, it was important to consider the environment of Wrigley Field. “We wanted Beyond the Ivy to be an extension of the Wrigley Field bleachers, so it
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Kutlesa/Hernandez Architects
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“There’s no prototype that I know of anywhere else in the world for placing bleachers on top of a building to view a game.” —Ivan Kutlesa, Principal
would appear that the Wrigley Field bleachers were simply extending out and above street behind them,” he explains. Second, Kutlesa wanted to consider the environment in a more global sense. “Beyond the Ivy was a large structure, so we thought it was important to consider what other impact it would have on the environment, such as how it would work into the whole notion of the heat island,” he says. To that end, the architecture firm added a number of green elements to their creations. For example, a concrete deck built above the asphalt roof reflects the sun’s rays and reduces heat-island effect. At the same time, rooftop gardens and planters cool the building in summer and insulate it in winter while absorbing rainwater to minimize runoff. “Our approach is site-specific, and with this project, we were environmentally conscious,” Kutlesa says. “The design of Wrigley Field has sustained itself for almost 100 years, and we thought it appropriate that Beyond the Ivy do the same.” gb&d
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spaces/play The design for Olive 8 is not what you would expect from a downtown Seattle high-rise. The new, high-end, contemporary building—a Hyatt-operated, LEED Silver-certified mixed-use development (a hotel on the lower floors, condo units above)—incorporates a blue theme throughout with blue exterior glazing and blue fins that serve as sun shades. Lighting designer Denise Fong picked up on the prominence of the theme for the exterior lighting design, for which she was the principal in charge, working with Lauren MacLeod to further enhance the unique façade. “We took that blue into the lighting at the base of the building with ingrade, recessed, blue LEDs that up-light the exterior on two sides, tying in a blue glass awning above,” she details. “That sets the tone for the inside and outside of the building.” Such a dynamic project is not easy to create while simultaneously keeping environmental impact in mind. The State of Washington has some of the more stringent energy-efficiency codes in the country, and with the implementation of a new energy code in January 2011, the requirements got even tougher. “Everyone still wants the look and feel of a high-end hotel, so we have to figure out ways to deliver that using energy-efficient sources,” Fong says. For the Hyatt Regency Bellevue, also in Seattle, Candela utilized fluorescent and LED in combination for chandeliers and specialty lighting on interior surfaces and walls. “We did that by hiding the sources so you really can’t tell what is in there,” Fong says. It is not always easy finding the right LED product for the job, especially given design timelines. “[The Bellevue project] was a four-year project from beginning to end,” Fong says. “What was available at the beginning of the project and at the end were two very different things. Nothing gets specified without us first seeing a working sample of the product—especially with LEDs.” Fong says some LED manufacturers are circuit-board manufacturers and don’t understand the lighting industry. “They don’t know what we as lighting designers are looking for,” she explains, “and they think that just because they can guarantee a 50,000hour life, that ought to be good enough.”
Olive 8
sustainable splendor Lighting designer Candela lights up a new Seattle hotel and distills the science—and unusual benefits —of the technologies most effective today by Scott Heskes
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Fong says what is important to lighting designers is color quality, how glare is controlled, and the way that light is delivered out of the fixture. Currently, she is having the best luck with manufacturers who already are lighting manufacturers and who can incorporate LEDs into their product lines. The downside is that some of these manufacturers want to put them into their existing housings, which are already tooled, as a path of least resistance. “What we really want is for someone to take the unique characteristics of the light source and say, “OK, this delivers light and transports heat differently,’” Fong says. “‘What are the new shapes and ways we can deliver light from this object?’ In the end, the ones that think about it in that way will be the most successful.” There are applications that are more conducive to LED than others. “Anything with a small aperture and a limited output or a little glow is terrific for LED,” Fong says, noting another unique benefit. “We found one kind of interesting application for them in our hospital work. Inside a patient room, if a light burns out you can only replace it when the
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Candela
Getting in the Game Two Candela projects shine the light on sports facilities Showare Center/ The Showare Center in Kent, Washington, is the first LEED-NC Gold-certified events center in the United States, and Candela’s lighting design boast’s the distinction of receiving LEED Innovative Design points with the use of 90-percent low-mercury-content lamps. Candela used LED to accent the building façade. “The colors for the team are green so the exterior is lit in green,” says Candela principal Denise Fong, referencing semi-pro hockey team the Seattle Thunderbirds, which uses the center as its home. “We recessed LED lights in the pavement that works with green painted on the sidewalk to wash the team’s color on the building exterior. It sets up the excitement of entering the building, drawing you into the arena.”
“Everyone still wants the look and feel of a high-end hotel, so we have to figure out ways to deliver that using energyefficient sources.” —Denise Fong, Principal
room is not occupied by a patient.” Because it is very unpredictable when the rooms will be unoccupied, she explains, LED makes sense with its long life. Fong believes that the real potential for LED will be in site lighting. “The ability to dim them exists with LEDs where it doesn’t exist with some of the other light sources we use,” she notes. “So if you want to have higher light levels early in the evening and lower light levels from midnight to 6 a.m., you can do that with an LED sources where you can’t really do that cost effectively with most of the other sources we have available.” Pairing the right project with the right product will always be a lighting designer’s greatest task, and if Olive 8 is indicative of Candela’s ability, the firm will continue to light up cities with sustainable splendor. gb&d
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OPPOSITE PAGE: Strategic lighting reinforced the color scheme of Olive 8’s exterior, setting the tone for the interior. Candela is adept at navigating highend lighting design and energy efficiency.
Seawolf Sports Arena/ Candela is working on another arena and has the opportunity to be involved early in the project. The new Seawolf Sports Arena will be located on the campus of the University of Alaska, in Anchorage. With daylighting as the major focus, the geographical location presents several challenges, including low sun angles and variable daylight hours depending upon the time of year. The main performance gym is the epicenter of the building, with surrounding offices, an auxiliary gym, gymnastics and workout area, and entry concourse. Initially Candela completed an angle study and focused on three areas for the daylight model calculation. To determine what type of weather Anchorage encounters, they did research to breakdown each season. “We like to get involved as early as we can on a project,” Fong says. “Daylighting is one of those things that often, by the time the lighting designer gets on the project, has gone far enough down the road where we can’t really affect the outcome. Once you get to schematic design, the building orientation has already been determined; floor to ceiling heights are already set...and so you get what you get. If we can get involved early enough, we can really help evaluate the daylighting for a project.”
ABOVE: A delicate balance was struck between fluorescent and LED sources to create a high-end ambiance while minimizing environmental impact. Photos: Denny Sternstein Photography.
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project spotlight
in living color An artist’s dream, the new Pantone Hotel in Brussels, Belgium, envelops guests in a vivid spectrum of emotions. The “hotel of colors” aims to awaken the senses through an array of delights and playful surprises. Designed by Michel Penneman and Oliver Hannaert, each floor boasts a distinct hue to convey a unique vibe. The boutique hotel expertly uses contrast—a white canvas popping with saturated colors—to help guests see the world through a more imaginative lens. Green—as in sustainable, not the color this time—elements include the use of ecological water paint from BIOFA and low-consumption luminaires designed by Arne Jacobson in the lobby. Photos: Sven Laurent.
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project spotlight
more than a mirage Parisian designer Matali Crasset has introduced a sustainable and stunning spin on tourism in Tunisia with her experimental eco retreat and spa, nestled on a hill on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Marking Crasset’s first venture into architecture, the Dar Hi blends a modern aesthetic with traditional materials and green practices for a truly holistic design. With a design that celebrates the connection between outdoors and interior spaces, a fragile harmony is created between the location and surrounding natural environment. Comprised primarily of elevated houses protected by surrounding walls, Dar Hi treads the line between a guest house and a boutique hotel—both new concepts in the region. The designer collaborated with local artisans so as to not import any materials; instead locally sourced materials like palm wood and clay bricks were used in creative and unexpected ways. Photos: Dar Hi.
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With all the attention green design has received in recent years, it’s becoming significantly harder to find examples of innovative, design-based approaches to sustainability. Often times, green structures are more dependent upon complex systems rather than creative design concepts in order to achieve performance goals.
following instructions Opsis Architecture helps Western Washington University capitalize on building performance through the delivery of a “user’s manual”
Not the case with the Western Washington University Academic Instruction Center (WWU AIC). When Portlandbased Opsis Architecture was approached about the WWU AIC, it was asked to create a state-of-the-art structure focused on reducing operational costs through natural ventilation. Not content with hoping university staff will understand the systems, Opsis also created a “user’s manual”—something the architects say should happen more.
by Peter Fretty BELOW: The WWU AIC is a model for universities across the country for highperformance, naturally ventilated structures.
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The WWU AIC serves as more than just a green icon. “Strategically located as one of the first buildings to initiate the development of the new South Academic Quadrangle, the AIC serves as the public’s first interface with the campus and a gateway building to Western Washington University,” says Opsis principal and lead project designer
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Opsis Architecture
project WWU AIC architect Opsis Architecture location Bellingham, WA size 127,000 square feet completion date 2009 engineer Coughlin Porter Lundeen green features Each side of the building responds to the various solar orientations with a specific character accolades 2009 AIA Washington Council Civic Design Honor
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spaces/learn Kalvelage says it’s often simple to integrate most sustainable-design elements, but integrating natural ventilation “really shapes the architecture including structural, electrical, acoustical, and mechanical systems,” he says. “For this project to succeed, everyone involved needed to work in harmony.” The successful collaboration earned them a 2009 AIA Washington Council Civic Design honor award.
“Designers can do all they want to incorporate sustainable, performancebased components, but if clients don’t really know how to operate it...then there are a lot of losses in energy, performance, and comfort.”
The work on the WWU AIC has the opportunity to serve as a model for other universities and colleges. “There are numerous potential applications across the country for highperformance, naturally ventilated structures,” Kalvelage says. “It’s simply a matter of finding the best deployments.”
—James Meyer, Principal
Jim Kalvelage. “It takes on the responsibility to represent the campus values with its architecture as well as Western’s commitment to sustainability.” In order to fulfill this mission, each side of the building responds to the various solar orientations with a specific character that differs slightly from the existing campus aesthetic yet serves more as a complement than a contrast. In conjunction with architect of record NAC/Architecture, Opsis designed the WWU AIC with two wings—one a 40,000-square-foot, three-story, west wing and the other an 88,000-square-foot, five-story, east wing. The south-facing, five-story component features layered horizontal, aluminum sunscreens on the façade, which provides scale while also meeting performance needs. The building’s interior houses general-purpose classrooms, lecture halls, computer labs, and graduate studies programs in psychology as well as communication sciences and disorders. Each room was engineered to meet ventilation criteria dependent upon the anticipated number of occupants. As a result, the amount of operable windows per room varies. “The west-facing orientation of many classrooms presented an interesting challenge,” Kalvelage mentions. “In order to avoid heat gain, we utilized vertical, stainless-steel mesh as sunscreen banners located every three feet. From inside the classroom the banners visually disappear so there is no obstruction of views.” One of the keys to ongoing success has undoubtedly been the “Building User Guide,” which was created in conjunction with the WWU facilities team. “The goal was to provide users a level of familiarity with the green features and how their active participation allows the AIC to operate successfully,” Kalvelage explains. “In this building, you are not going to walk into a room and adjust a thermostat. Instead, you need to open windows, conduct a nightly air flush using thermal chimneys, use trickle vents during the winter, as well as properly utilize the ceiling fans.” Opsis principal James Meyer adds that he would like to see more owners embrace this idea of a developing a user’s manual. “Designers can do all they want to incorporate sustainable performance-based components, but if clients don’t really know how to operate it and take advantage of what it has to offer then there are a lot of losses in energy, performance, and comfort,” he says. “This building presents a situation where there is a lot more user interface as opposed to being enclosed in a microclimate created by a lot of tonnage on the roof.”
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OPPOSITE PAGE TOP LEFT: The design responds to students’ desire to move freely within the living-learning continuum. TOP RIGHT: A glassenclosed skywalk connects the West and East wings. BOTTOM: Cedar rainscreen walls and hardwood sunscreens respond to the school’s context and region.
Going forward, Opsis will likely also continue furthering the art of high-performance building design. Founded on the belief that sustainable design is more about integration than it is about seeking certifications, Opsis Architecture has green building firmly woven into its DNA. “It’s who we are as individuals and as a firm. What we do as architects and builders has a phenomenal impact on the carbon footprint around the world,” says Meyer, who welcomes the mainstream shift toward green building. “When sustainable concepts form your foundation, it’s easier to see design excellence and sustainability as cohesive rather than presenting a ‘one-or-the-other’ situation. The key to success is the early and holistic commitment to the [value of] performance.” gb&d
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Connecticut Science Center
beacon of science New York-based Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design shines a light on the future of science with its imaginative work
by Thalia A-M Bruehl
BELOW: The Connecticut Science Center’s 130foot-high, transparent Science Alley atrium gives the building its distinctive “magic-carpet” roofline.
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When Francesca Bettridge started her career, much of her time was spent educating people about why a project needed a lighting designer rather than focusing on actual design projects. “Most clients believed that the architects or interior designers should be able to design the lighting, and at the time it was only a substantial job that included lighting designers on the team, or an architect who firmly believed in the need for us to be part of the project,” recalls the principal of Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design (CBBLD). But this has changed over the years, she says,
starting with the nation’s first energy crisis and continuing on through today’s green-building movement. “Almost every new project that we start in the office is aiming to achieve LEED or at least to be designed to LEED standards,” says Bettridge, whose firm has been environmentally conscious since its inception in 1985 and has more than 40 LEED projects under its belt. For CBBLD, green means additional collaboration as well as the integration of daylighting, code requirements, controls, and efficient sources into their work; its recent work on the Connecticut Science Center shows not only the company’s dedication to eco-friendly practices but to the details that can take a project from good to extraordinary. The Connecticut Science Center is one of the country’s leading science museums and contains 150 hands-on exhibits, a 3-D digital theater with state-of-the-art equipment, multiple educational labs, educational programs, and daily events. Work on the 154,000-square-foot space (designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects) began in early 2005 and finished near the end of 2009; the project achieved LEED Gold certification.
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Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design
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“The lighting realizes the expressed goal of the building to be a beacon of scientific exploration.” —Francesca Bettridge, Principal
As an example of the imaginative lighting work CBBLD did, “Science Alley”—the project’s centerpiece—and its illuminated roof helps link the city to the Connecticut River. “It is a metaphor for the building as a beacon of scientific exploration,” explains Bettridge, proud of CCBLD’s role in creating the sizable display. “The solution to lighting the expansive structure was to use a variety of [metal halide] lamps with elliptical-patterned beams and using interior as well as exterior fixtures; this achieves the continuous, even lighting of the ceiling plane as well as enhancing the transparency of the glass curtain wall.” The monumental atrium that comprises “Science Alley is more than 130 feet high and presented a few struggles for the lighting firm. CBBLD knew the key to having the architecture read from inside out would be to illuminate the undulating 293-foot-long ceiling evenly. This ceiling would become what is known as the “Magic Carpet.” “Careful study of the solid mounting surfaces along the south wall, coordinated with positions where fixture access was possible, dictated the fixture locations,” Bettridge explains of the complex project. Clamp-mounted fixtures with 150-watt, PAR64, elliptical-beam, ceramic-metalhalide (CMH) lamps were attached to theatrical support pipes organized at different spandrel levels. Two different lamp-beam spreads were also used, depending on fixture distance to the ceiling. CBBLD oriented the elliptical beam patterns longitudinally to improve uniformity. “The lighting realizes the expressed goal of the building to be a beacon of scientific exploration,” she says. “Equally important, it provides an unspoken case study that illustrates technological advances in service to architecture.” Despite the building’s remarkable lantern presence, the energyefficient CHM lights, T5 fluorescent lamps, and time-clock and daylight controls helped secure the project’s LEED Gold rating and earned CBBLD the 2010 GE Award of Merit as well as the Illuminating Engineering Society’s 2010 Illumination Award of Merit. Long gone are the days when Bettridge and the rest of the CBBLD crew had to explain the importance of their presence. With projects stretching from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Honolulu, Hawaii, and 25 years of success under its belt, it’s hard to imagine they’ll ever have to again. gb&d
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TOP: Metal halide lamps provide downlighting to illuminate key architectural elements at bridges, elevator landings, and stairs. CENTER: From Science Alley’s top bridge, the view through the center’s clear glass curtain wall shows the illuminated roof extension. BOTTOM: Properly lighting the undulating, 293-foot-long ceiling was a challenge.
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LASCC Student Services Activity Center
building educators Through its four-part project for a Los Angeles community college, Sillman Wright Architects proves that green buildings have more to offer than energy savings
by Keith Loria
BELOW: A rendering of the $17.7 million Student Services Activity Center for LASCC, which achieved LEED Silver certification.
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They say a sound mind is a healthy mind, but the design team at San Diego, California-based Sillman Wright Architects is doing its part to make a sound mind a green one. In the past few years, the company, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, has been specializing in design work for educational projects that, while serving the needs of building inhabitants, also continues the dialogue around sustainability. “There’s an increase in the movement of educational institutions toward sustainability because of the importance of getting this message out to the public and helping educate
them,” says Brett Tullis, president of Sillman Wright Architects. “People need to be aware before you can do anything, and it’s a part of their responsibility to educate about the ideas that we need to change.” Along those lines, the firm has been working on LEEDcertified learning institutions that teach users about the environment and will be preserved for generations to come. A recent project for Los Angeles Southwest Community College (LASCC) is illustrative. When the design team was approached by the school to work on its 64,500-square-foot Student Services Activity Center, it created a LEED Silvercertified facility that became operational in 2008. “This was a tremendous opportunity as it was a project that involved four buildings—the student services activity building, operations maintenance office, security and field house, and a new stadium with a 500-car parking garage— and it was really important for them to achieve LEED Silver certification,” Tullis says. “We wanted to focus on sustainability but create a really good design as well and establish the presence of the college. I think it really started the revitalization of the college.” The $17.7 million project employed green-building strategies with the inclusion of low-emitting materials (paints, carpets, adhesives), increased indoor air quality performance, natural daylighting, and controls for the lighting and thermal systems. There was also emphasis placed on
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Sillman Wright Architects
“We wanted to focus on sustainability but create a really good design as well and establish the presence of the college.” —Brett Tullis, President
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same room and get the best design we can from everyone’s input,” Tullis explains. “We want to understand what the client’s goals are, what our goals are, so that as a team we can make the best decisions on how to implement the best strategy for sustainability goals.” Another recent project was the Santee Lakes Water Discovery Center, designed to serve as an educational center for the lakes and recreation area in Santee, California, which achieved LEED Gold. Incorporated in the design of the 200acre parkland (which included the renovation of a 1,300square-foot building on the water) were numerous green elements, including rainwater harvesting, the use of natural light, and a carbon footprint of nearly zero.
storm-water management, water-use reduction, and the storage and collection of recyclables. During the construction, the design team developed an innovative solution to recycle discarded concrete, asphalt paving, and spoils. By raising the stadium floor, the team recycled the used concrete from the demolition of the existing field house and the old asphalt paving from the parking lot as a base for the new stadium track. The LASCC project is only one of many in which the firm employs innovative ways to create healthier buildings. “Every project is different, but we approach every design as a collaboration. We want to get all the best minds in the
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BELOW: The Student Activity Center involved four buildings, including a new, sustainably designed stadium (top). The exterior view of the Student Services Building highlights its inviting façade. BOTTOM RIGHT: Indoor air quality was a priority when designing LASCC’s spacious Student Services Building.
“The idea was to create an open, inviting structure that... would allow people to approach the discovery center as they walked along the path of the Santee Lakes and have an inside/outside exhibit experience,” Tullis explains. “There is a topographic map of the watershed that teaches the importance of water, as well as things teaching about different plants and animals and water as a natural resource.” Sillman Wright Architects’ focus at Santee Lakes is the same as at Los Angeles Southwest Community College. Buildings should be healthy; but they can also be educational tools in themselves, promoting sustainability from every vantage point. gb&d
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spaces/learn Plaza Verde
echoes from the 19th century With guiding advice from social critic John Ruskin, Randall Scott Architects pursues enduring design through a student residence at Angelo State University by David Hudnall
On its website, Randall Scott Architects highlights words from John Ruskin, the famous, 19th-century English critic and thinker. “When we build, let us think that we build forever,” the quote reads. “Let it not be for present use alone; let it be such work that our descendants will thanks us for.”
BELOW: The Plaza Verde residential complex, designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, houses 900 beds and highly flexible living spaces.
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The firm, in business now for 23 years, is interested in creating architectural and interior designs that uphold Ruskin’s words. “We work with the kinds of clients who care about the longevity of buildings,” says Randall Scott, founder of the Dallas, Texas-based firm, which specializes in municipal and higher-education projects. “A municipal building or a new college department building will typically remain untouched for 25–30 years, so they need to be des igned to stand the test of time. Which is why we put so much focus on our three design tenets.”
Those tenets—timelessness, sustainability, and context ualism—lend themselves well to lasting buildings. A residence hall at Angelo State University, in San Angelo, Texas, recently gave Randall Scott Architects the opportunity to showcase some of its sustainable design expertise. The Plaza Verde residence hall, as it’s known, is located on the university’s main campus and houses 900 beds. The living units are grouped around large interior lounge spaces with gaming, TV, and common areas—highly flexible spaces that increase connectivity. “We’re very excited about Plaza Verde because it’s groundbreaking in terms of design,” Scott says. “Instead of one building, it’s a community of buildings that creates more of a neighborhood environment.” It’s also a LEED Gold project with exceedingly sustainable features, like an HVAC system that modulates smaller-sized HVAC units in each room and is 40 percent more efficient than a standard system. “Most of the materials came from within a 500-mile radius, and we built on an existing site,” adds Scott, noting that the firm’s LEED AP has been invaluable in all the company’s LEED projects. “And the building’s envelope is particularly energy efficient, with an R-value of 54.” Scott is hoping that expertise in higher education will differentiate his firm from the rest of the pack, though he is also looking to diversify the firm’s design work via aviation, ecclesiastical, and off-campus student housing—all of which, he says, are growing industries. “There are certain design ideas that we’re sticking to, though,” he says. “We want to leave sites as carbon-neutral as possible, and we want the buildings to feel appropriate given their context.
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Randall Scott Architects
LEFT: The new state-ofthe-art nursing building at Texas A&M University incorporates a learning resource and hi-fidelity simulation lab. It is being designed to achieve LEED Silver certification.
On its website, Randall Scott Architects highlights words from John Ruskin, the famous, 19thcentury English critic and thinker: “When we build, let us think that we build forever.” And we want to help our clients reduce expenses and utilities over the long term.” With Plaza Verde, the firm showed its goals were possible and better for all involved. Standing on the shoulders of this success, the firm is just wrapping up a sophisticated, LEED Silver nursing building at Texas A&M University, a state-ofthe-art design that will allow nursing students to work on electronic, life-like mannequins that are hooked up to audio/visual components and allow for more comprehensive and realistic training. “We really enjoy higher-education work because of the intelligence factor that’s present in these research facilities,” Scott says. “We love being surrounded by, and [being] a part of, the intellectual process.” Yet the firm’s other specialty hasn’t dried up; municipal work is going strong. Two years ago, Randall Scott Architects designed the first LEED Silver fire station in Dallas, a $4 million project. It includes, among other things, a filtration system that switches to storm-water runoff water when the hoses are being used for washing the fire trucks.
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“Regardless of whether they want to be certified, most of our clients these days are looking for LEED or LEED Silver equivalent standards, so we’ve been very active in seeking new solutions to get them there,” Scott says. With such a trend comes the possibility that in the near future, progressives like those at Randall Scott Architects will be exploring ways to truly do as Ruskin advised: build not for 10 or even 50 years in the future—but forever. gb&d
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Libraries
plethora of paradigms Mitchell|Giurgola Architects expertly balances both the details and bigger picture of sustainable design for two East Coast libraries and beyond
by Kelsey Higginbotham
Known for its prolific portfolio of holistic, higher-education projects scattered along the East Coast and beyond, Mitchell|Giurgola Architects envisions sustainability as a vital component of each project it tackles. In fact, sustainability has always been a core focus of the firm’s work, with its vision and definition of what green design entails only evolving and strengthening over time. Case in point: The Library / Student Activity Building for Stony Brook University, just one example that well embodies Mitchell|Giurgola’s integrated approach of sustainable design, paying attention both to the details as well as the whole picture. For Stony Brook University, the architects drew their inspiration from the building program, the landscape that it will inhabit, and what they describe as a “timeless aesthetic” that flows seamlessly from their commitment to sustainability, which has been a staple of the firm since the 1970s. Mitchell|Giurgola has long modulated building façades to maximize usable daylight and minimize the impact of the climate on buildings and their mechanical systems. On a smaller scale, the firm also minds the details: minimizing the use of non-renewable energy sources, reducing pollution, and conserving energy while increasing the comfort, health, and safety of the building occupants. “Whether processed through the LEED system or not, the firm makes every effort to incorporate sustainable design elements into each project,” explains Paul Broches, a partner at Mitchell|Giurgola. The library building at Stony Brook University, on Eastern Long Island, was planned by the college to reflect its new curriculum focused on environmental science and design. The goal was to create architecture that embraces the values of sustainable design. To reflect this emerging mission, the building program was geared toward a free-wheeling research setting where students will study individually and in groups to carry out print and digital research, as well as spatial experiments that can be carried out in “instant rooms” that come and go—all within environmentally sensitive and sustainable surroundings.
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Mitchell|Giurgola Architects PHOTOS: © Jeff Goldberg / Esto
“Under the roof, a folded wood ceiling shelters a lofty space the full length of the building. This modern rendition of the noble reading room gathers the energy of the students in search of new discoveries.” —Paul Broches, Partner
Broches, the partner in charge of the project, explains, “The concept for the building is to occupy a minimal footprint, tread very delicately on the landscape, and to create a light, signature roof that hovers over the rolling terrain. Under the roof, a folded wood ceiling shelters a lofty space the full length of the building. This modern rendition of the noble reading room gathers the energy of the students in search of new discoveries.” Another notable educational project for the firm is its work on a library in Long Island, New York. According to Broches, the project is designed for LEED Gold certification and embodies a practical attitude toward a sustainable environment. Total energy and life-cycle planning minimizes energy consumption through the use of a ground-source, closed-loop, water-born, heat-pump system. The building envelope employs passive environmental measures: reflective roofing, maximum glazing on the north façade, low-E glass, and limited windows on the south façade. Finish materials were chosen for their low environmental impact and neutrality with respect to indoor and outdoor air quality. Smart building technologies, including occupancy sensors and daylight controls, are in every space. “Daylight harvesting,” Broches explains, “reduces the need for artificial lighting by 40 percent in this 24/7 facility.” Reaching LEED Gold certification for the library was no easy feat, yet the firm is used to navigating such challenges—and coming out on top. “In general, sustainability is deeply embodied in our design practices; therefore, LEED requirements have become routine. When challenges arise they are usually related to site-specific constraints and paperwork-tracking issues that are not yet second nature to the construction industry,” Broches says. This time the challenges took the shape of site-planning constraints; a serious issue was the need to optimize the benefits of natural light without compromising the efficiency of the heat-pump system. Because site conditions and potential heat gain on south-facing windows was disadvantageous, the designers turned to north-facing fenestration to minimize the need for artificial lighting. They succeeded in reducing it by 40 percent.
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PREVIOUS PAGE: At the SUNY library/student activity center (top), daylight harvesting is linked to lighting controls to reduce electrical consumption. Extended overhangs provide shade from the sun yet invite light into the building. TOP: Clerestory windows on the north façade amplify interior daylighting. The “folded” roof gathers rainwater in a tank for irrigation. BOTTOM: Low-VOC materials and finishes are both environmentally sound and aesthetically pleasing for this welcoming, informal college library.
But as a result, the firm then needed to specify high-performance heat pumps to most efficiently temper the air in the main reading room, which had the greatest amount of fenestration. The administrative process alone to achieve LEED certification was also extensive. “Of particular note on this project was the challenge faced by the general contractor and the design team with the specification of building materials that required chain of custody records, such as cedar siding and soffits,” Broches adds. Looking to the future, Mitchell|Giurgola is tackling a multitude of projects, stretching from its comfort zone in the Big Apple to exciting international opportunities. “We at the firm are working on several educational projects—in the United States and abroad—that incorporate sustainability and/or are designed for LEED certification,” Broches says. Wherever the firm’s work takes it—and regardless of how the dynamic architectural field continues to evolve— Mitchell|Giurgola’s embrace of green design as an integral piece of the puzzle for each and every project isn’t likely to change. gb&d
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DIRTWORKS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, PC Dirtworks, PC is an internationally recognized landscape architecture firm. Its award-winning designs enhance the restorative quality of the natural environment. Established in 1995 by David Kamp, FASLA, LF, the firm is committed to design excellence and sensitivity, personal commitment and collaboration. Dirtworks’ philosophy is based on the idea that interaction with the natural environment is essential to health and well being, and providing a closer connection to nature enhances the built environment.
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spaces/learn Mansueto Library
below grade The University of Chicago’s new Murphy/Jahndesigned library has books underground and 360-degree sightlines on the surface
by Russ Klettke
TOP: The elliptical glass dome of the new library reflects 60% of sunlight. BOTTOM LEFT: The reading room measures 240 feet by 120 feet and accomodates 200 seats at library tables. BOTTOM RIGHT: Detail of the library’s façade.
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A building’s height and overall mass is very often a measure of its importance, and the global practice of Helmut Jahn’s office, Murphy/Jahn, is credited with many such edifices: the Duetsche Post Tower in Bonn, Germany, 11 Diagonal Street in Johannesburg, South Africa, The James R. Thompson Center in Chicago, and Veer Towers in Las Vegas. These are all examples of the iconic, cityscape-defining work for which this influential firm—headquartered in Chicago and Berlin—has become known.
Which is why the new design for the predominantly below-grade Mansueto Library at the University of Chicago is so surprising. Seventy percent of the five-story structure will never be seen or even occupied by humans. What captures the eye is its elliptical glass dome, angled in deference to the adjoining campus library and the 14-foottall bronze sculpture by Henry Moore on the university’s Hyde Park campus. “Height could have been overpowering on this site,” says Nicolas Anderson, an associate principal architect at Murphy/Jahn. “We sought an elegant solution to minimize the large volume of books.” In fact, the university’s desire to keep reference books on campus—3.5 million volumes in the new library alone, with room to grow—bucks a trend among the elite urban universities to store such tomes offsite. At other schools, students who wish to retrieve actual paper in this predominantly digital age typically must wait two or three days. But the University of Chicago prides itself on being a research-based institution and therefore wants books to be available in minutes—not days. An automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) fetches books called up from the reference desk, employing technology that is routinely used in industrial warehousing.
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RENDERINGS: © Murphy/Jahn
Murphy/Jahn TOP, BOTTOM: Drawings of the winning proposal (out of three) for the Mansueto Library. Although the building will not be LEED certified, it embodies environmentally conscious design.
spaces/learn Construction of the library required fewer materials than the above-grade schemes—another environmental advantage—as it is largely made of concrete and glass set on a light, steel-grid shell. About 400 underground, permanent tiebacks radiate 50–100 feet from the structure—below adjacent streets and buildings—to provide supporting tension to its slurry wall system. The concrete foundation supporting the glass dome sits on top of the slurry walls, which rest on hardpan clay soils and rock at approximately 65 feet below the surface. A separate, single-story room houses building mechanicals but is also below grade. Though the majority of this project is underground, it will no doubt be added to Murphy/Jahn’s portfolio of aweinspiring edifices, and perhaps most importantly it enables the University of Chicago to continue its mission to serve as one of the most prestigious research institutions in the country. gb&d
From concept to reality... we can help you get there. Three schemes were originally proposed: one completely above ground, a second half-sunk, and the selected design—a 28,800-square-foot, single-story reading room with a centralized reference desk at its center. The low-E glass dome utilizes a baked-in ceramic dot frit on the upper two thirds of the dome to filter and reflect 60 percent of sunlight, preventing solar heat gain while gently sloping to a height of 37 feet along the peak of the oblong structure. The reading room measures 240 by 120 feet and accommodates 200 seats at library tables. “The university is very excited about the openness of the reading-room dome,” Anderson says. “It also creates a dynamic exterior space for the campus.” Though the building will not be LEED certified, it was planned to achieve highly stringent temperature and humidity requirements for printed materials by utilizing a passive-geothermal approach. It takes advantage of the constant 50-degree temperatures of the ground that envelops the subterranean book vault, significantly reducing energy use. Heating costs are projected to be about 42 percent lower than an above-grade building, which could potentially translate into nearly $2 million in HVAC-cost savings over the next quarter century. Serendipitously, the adjacent sculpture, “Nuclear Energy,” commemorates the precise location of the first controlled nuclear reaction, devised in 1942 by the Manhattan Project.
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San Francisco Friends School
Using schools as a teaching tool is nothing new. Yet during a recent project at San Francisco Friends School, Pfau Long Architects took this idea to a whole new level. “Buildings like San Francisco Friends School serve as the driver of what we do on a daily basis,” explains Peter Pfau, owner of Pfau Long Architects. “Sustainable design was important. There was a certain simplicity and restraint expressing a more appropriate consumerism surrounding the project since it was a Quaker educational community in a historical building. The exciting thing about this level of sustainable thinking is that we are out there making it up as we go, but we are demonstrating through these projects that what we talk about can indeed be done.”
true learning tools Pfau Long Architects “makes it up as it goes” with a new Quaker school that takes educational design to the next level by Tricia Despres
ABOVE: Radiant flooring is used throughout the simple but inviting school building: in classrooms, conference room, offices, meeting rooms, and library. LEFT: The benches in the Quaker Meeting room were made out of wood recycled from the original building.
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The San Francisco Friends School project was an 87,000square-foot historic renovation of the original Levi Strauss Building, which was originally built in 1906. Though the exterior of the building was left virtually unchanged, the inside features a thermal-tower ventilation system, radiant floor heating, low-flow fixtures, and drought-tolerant landscaping. “Every school—and the educational sector as a whole—is serious about green design and doing the right thing these days,” Pfau says. “We paid attention to systems such as thermal towers and a digital control system throughout the
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Pfau Long Architects LEFT: The original wooden beams from the ground floor were reused as the treads for the stairway between the first and second floors. RIGHT: The original double-hung wood windows on the perimeter of the building were refurbished to allow the most basic form of natural ventilation.
“The exciting thing about this level of sustainable thinking is that we are out there making it up as we go, but we are demonstrating through these projects that what we talk about can indeed be done.” —Peter Pfau, Owner
school that students could see, understand, and experience. Students are now able to interact with up-to-the-minute data and use that very day as part of their own science curriculum. The ability for kids to learn through the building they go to school in is a remarkable opportunity.” Of course, the project did come with its share of challenges. Installing elements like thermal towers within the building’s historical fabric was an extremely complex task, Pfau says. “We were always trying to limit the impact on the historical building as a whole,” he explains. “For example, we didn’t want to fill it with duct work. There was a certain ‘history of place’ that we needed to keep, which made us really want to have a light touch in what we were doing.” Though the project did not officially receive LEED status, it was recognized in 2009 when it opened by the mayor and the AIA as one of the 10 greenest buildings in San Francisco. “In this case, the school community was dealing with a number of challenging financial issues,” he says. “They knew in their heart that they had done the right thing with this project, and decided that it didn’t necessarily need to be certified by a third party.” The positive—but less measurable—ramifications of such a project are two-fold: By upholding certain ideals, the architects have encouraged and enabled the healthy development of San Francisco’s children. And they have designed a building that will continue to do so even after they walk away. “We are always looking for ways to expand this learning and integrate it into the actual curriculum,” says Pfau, who has had the privilege of designing such projects alongside partner Dwight Long for more than 20 years. “Being able to be a part of creating the global citizens of the future through our work is fulfilling.” gb&d
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Image Courtesy of Iwan Baan Photography
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project spotlight
teaching topography With schools now mandating green building techniques, it’s a relief to see creativity accompanying the sustainability. When Vilhelmsro Primary School’s students walk into the new school, they know something is different—and they can get excited about it. Designed by Copenhagen’s BIG Architects for Asminderod, Denmark, the school’s undulating bands evoke the surrounding hillside—and maybe even the lattice crust of grandma’s pies?—while offering the benefits of planted roofs. Inside, the unique roof creates shapes and patterns that appeal to young eyes and minds while also providing for daylighting at various angles and levels.
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Dermatology Clinics
doctor’s visit Relishing the challenge of sustainable design, David Fleener Architects detects an exciting opportunity with an Illinois medical practice
by Zipporah Porton
TOP LEFT: The all-glass building, with its natural light and relaxing views, seeks to put the Naperville dermatology clinic’s patients at ease. Photo: © Kirkman 2005. TOP RIGHT: Glass block was used at the Crest Hill dermatology clinic to provide privacy as well as natural light, given the clinic’s urban context.
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When the owner of two dermatology clinics in Naperville, Illinois, wanted a building whose form and aesthetic reflected the state-of-the-art medical practice, a mutual friend of both parties knew David Fleener Architects was the obvious choice. “We responded that a sustainable design would be the most up to date and cutting edge,” says founder David Fleener. Sustainable design elements have always been present in Fleener’s work. Throughout his 23-year career with a number of well-known architecture firms in both Chicago and Los Angeles, he carried a commitment to the environment, and this ultimately became the impetus for the founding of David Fleener Architects (DFA) in 2000.
Upon recommendation, DFA began work on the recently completed Naperville dermatology clinic. The site was designed with native-prairie plantings, and it incorporated on-site storm-water retention. Due to the fact that many medical facilities have uncomfortable levels of lighting and air distribution, the comfort of the patients, as well as that of the employees, is often compromised. Therefore DFA proposed an all-glass building that would provide natural daylight and views to nature. The combination of natural daylight and indirect artificial light also proved to be more efficient than direct artificial light for observing the patient’s skin. All of the clinics’ finishes and materials are sustainable, including recycled rubber flooring, bamboo flooring, non-toxic substrates for millwork and wall coverings, no-VOC paints, and sustainably produced furniture. The second clinic, in Crest Hill, shares many of the same sustainable features as the Naperville facility, though since it is in a more urban area, there are no clear glass windows. Instead, glass block was used extensively to bring in natural light and still provide privacy for the patients. “These two projects were ideally suited for our size of practice, and we look forward to more of the same,” Fleener says of the clinics. One way in which the medical practice was a good fit for the firm was that it was interested in sustainability. “The practice applies a minimum of sustainable design to all projects,” Fleener says of his architecture practice. “In
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David Fleener Architects
space Crest Hill Dermatology Center architect David Fleener Architects (www.fleenerarchitect.com) location Crest Hill, IL size 14,000 square feet completion date August 2009 green features Glass block is used for the windows to provide natural light and privacy. On-site storm water retention, nontoxic finishes, and recycled/renewable materials contribute to the project’s minimal impact on the environment.
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spaces/heal LEFT: All of the Naperville dermatology clinic’s finishes and materials are sustainable, a feat as impressive as the dynamic design. Photo: © Kirkman 2005.
The success of such a project bodes well for the firm. The sole practitioner when he founded the Chicago-based practice, Fleener now has six employees who work together to create sustainable designs, which are evenly divided between high-end, single-family residential, and commercial projects. “This split hopefully allows the practice to weather economic ups and downs,” he notes. Overall, Fleener believes that DFA has found success because of his integration of his ideals and requirements with sustainable and aesthetic goals. “We feel it is important to be respectful of our fragile natural environment and to provide a pleasant and healthy built environment for living and dwelling,” he says. “As architects, we relish the challenge of incorporating sustainable principles into our design aesthetic.” gb&d
A MESSAGE FROM MARKELZ Markelz Office Products has been in business for over 125 years. We appreciated the opportunity to work with David Fleener Architects in an effort to both satisfy our customer while at the same time improving the environment. We are proud to offer green alternatives to our customers.
“Larger projects have been the most conducive to incorporating extensive sustainable features, but all projects get some features. The larger projects also allow us to use sustainability as a generator of form and aesthetics.” —David Fleener, Founder
most cases, the scale of the project determines the extent of sustainable design; larger projects have been the most conducive to incorporating extensive sustainable features, but all projects get some features. The larger projects also allow us to use sustainability as a generator of form and aesthetics.” DFA’s first, substantial, sustainable project was the renovation of a single-family house in Chicago’s landmark Wicker Park neighborhood, completed in 2003. The owner came to DFA with the desire for a sustainable design, and though energy-generating features were explored, only design elements that were fiscally feasible were incorporated. Even with this limitation, the features make up an impressive list: natural ventilation; hydronic, radiantfloor heating; bamboo flooring; low-VOC paints; a minimum number of plumbing fixtures; and landscaping that incorporates native plant materials, both ornamental and agricultural.
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The Ticket to Relief for your Business Grief We work with each client individually to create custom solutions for their design, furniture and supply needs, supported by a complete selection of “green” business supplies and furniture. We partner with businesses and suppliers who support “green” initiatives.
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project spotlight
willing prisoner Who says all prisons have to be drab and uninspired? C. F. Møller Architects won a competition to build a new, closed, state prison on the island of Falster in Denmark for approximately 250 inmates that is described as a “varied and stimulating environment” by the firm. The proposal imagines a low, urban structure, centered around the various leisure and working facilities such as a cultural center, worship room, and sports facilities, which are connected via several streets and a central square. Radiating outwards from the central square are the prison blocks—four ordinary block wings and one high-security block wing. The design, which reserves generous natural space for animal husbandry and other such activities, interacts with the landscape on both sides of the 6-meter tall, star-shaped perimeter wall, creating a sense of dialogue with the outside world—and encouraging a sense of peace and respect. Photos: Arkitektfirmaet C. F. Møller.
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project spotlight
an apt moniker An esteemed anchor of NuLu (Louisville, Kentucky’s arts district), The Green Building is the city’s first LEED Platinum commercial building. The simply named, gorgeously designed, rustic-yetmodern mixed-use building houses a café on the first floor and offices for SonaBLAST! Records, Holland Brown Books, and The Group Entertainment above. California’s (fer) studio infused the masonry shell of the 110-year-old structure with green-building elements: a canopy of solar panels in the interior courtyard, insulation made from blue-jean scrap, and a 1,100-gallon ice-storage system that cools the building for less than a quarter of the cost of a traditional system. Photos: Ted Wathen/Quadrant (top left; top right; center), Marty Pearl (bottom right).
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spaces/work Lightshowers & Corian Design Studio
through the looking glass Working with DuPont Corian brings the husband and wife team of Morris|Sato Studio recognition—and a well-lit path for the future by Thalia A-M Bruehl
Michael Morris and Yoshiko Sato have been working together as husband-and-wife design partners since 1996, and no matter the client, the pair keeps its aesthetics the same. “We like to describe what we are really doing as ‘designing the air.’ We try to instill a sense of restraint and proportion in our work that leaves room for one to breathe, inviting the user to complete the space by becoming an integral part of their environment,” Sato says. “We believe if we can foster a sense of well-being, wonder, and delight for people in our designs, then some might say that we have been successful.” Success has followed Morris|Sato Studio since its inception, leading to work from NASA and a Home of the Year Award from Architecture magazine and Best Exhibition Design First Prize from The International Association of Art Critics. In 2006, Morris|Sato Studio created LightShowers, a project that would not only gain them attention, but a partner they still collaborate with today—DuPont. LightShowers was inspired by Morris and Sato’s conversations with medical doctors and researchers at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, which has been a leader in integrating Eastern practices of meditation with biofeedback techniques and technology to aid in the recovery of patients. LightShowers was originally conceived for and shown at the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art in Wilmington, Delaware. “The project was made almost entirely with Corian,” Morris explains, “and DuPont had originally partly underwritten the project with a material-in-kind donation. Corian was an ideal choice for this medical-inspired project application because of its anti-microbial properties—and it is easily maintained. It can also be formed seamlessly into solids and shapes or employed as panels.” Between 2007 and 2008, over 70,000 visitors experienced LightShowers in seven international exhibitions. The response from LightShowers was overwhelming. The architects are no strangers to recognition; their work spans “a full spectrum of scales, from architecture, landscape, urban, art, interior, product, and lighting design,” according to Morris, who’s been awarded both a Fulbright Scholarship and a Paris Prize. Sato too holds a Paris Prize as well as a prestigious Mellon Grant. Yet LightShowers wowed
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ABOVE, RIGHT: Over 70,000 visitors have experienced the mesmerizing, and medically inspired, LightShowers project in exhibitions across the world. Photos: Tom Powel Imaging, Inc. (top and bottom); Carson Zullinger (center).
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Morris|Sato Studio PHOTOS: Tom Powel Imaging, Inc. THIS PAGE: Cutting-edge lighting fixtures coupled with creative sound and shape technologies helped bring the ambitious DuPont Corian Design Studio project to life, transporting visitors into a soothing, imaginative space at once in sync and yet isolated from the urban jungle of New York City. The self-described sanctuary is inspired by the Japanese notion of a “borrowed landscape.�
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“Corian was an ideal choice for this medical-inspired project application because of its anti-microbial properties— and it is easily maintained. It can also be formed seamlessly into solids and shapes or employed as panels.” —Michael Morris, Partner
everyone. The project was recognized with multiple awards including the top award for Best Booth at ICFF 2007 and an Interior Lighting Design Award from Architectural Lighting magazine. Because of this, Morris|Sato Studio was commissioned to design the DuPont Corian Design Studio in New York, where the firm is based. For this unique, 5,000-square-foot project, the architectural designers employed a Japanese garden technique known as the “borrowed landscape” to abstract and reference the urban and natural environs beyond. The goal was to suggest an alternative flow of time in syncopation with the city outside that invites the visitor to complete the space through their imagination. “We designed the 74 suspended light tubes in Glacier Ice from Corian’s Translucent Series
to visually unify the various commercial vignettes including Health Care, Hospitality, Residential, Commercial Office, and Education,” Sato explains. The work was done with interactive light fixtures, made to appear as an infinite starry sky. These fixtures also provide an animated array of luminous color that gently maps visitors’ movement across the space. Since then, Morris|Sato Studio’s partnership with DuPont has persistently grown stronger, as it has continued to feature Corian in its work. Using it in everything from health care to corporate-office interiors, the firm has also been incorporating Corian into its designs of two ground-up, Shelter Island, New York, houses with kitchens, bathrooms, and even a Morris|Sato-designed chromotherapy bathtub. The architecture practice’s relationship with DuPont is indicative of both companies’ commitments. “As with ‘LightShowers’ and the DuPont Corian Design Studio, we think our job description and our responsibilities as designers are to combine function with beauty and elevate the conversation beyond anyone’s expectations,” Morris says. “Design means to be truly innovative, and hopefully like-minded people will notice, become aware of its importance, and seek it out.” With current projects in the works for Herman-Miller, Toto, and New York City’s Vineyard Theatre, it seems they already have. gb&d
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THE DAYBREAK CORPORATE CENTER
rocky mountain high A LEED Platinum office building accommodates its mountainscaped, pedestrian-oriented community courtesy of FFKR Architects, whose own office is turning heads
by Lynn Russo Whylly ABOVE: An evening shot of the Daybreak Corporate Center near Salt Lake City. The project’s design interacts with the surrounding community for maximum impact. OPPOSITE PAGE: The parking structure includes designated stalls for carpooling and natural-fuel vehicles (top). The building entrance brings focus to the pedestrian experience (center left). Built on a brownfield site, the center is the first building finished in this development (center right). It overlooks the development’s marina (bottom).
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In serene South Jordan, Utah, at the base of the Oquirrh Mountains, sits Daybreak, a mixed-use, 4,100-acre, masterplanned community owned and operated by Kennecott Land Company. Within it is the Daybreak Corporate Center, a 170,000square-foot office building designed by FFKR Architects, founded in Salt Lake City in 1976. It is the first commercial building in the community, and also the first building in the state of Utah to receive LEED Platinum status. Bragging rights aside, the project holds its own architecturally and earns points especially for the way it interacts with the greater community. The Daybreak Corporate Center is intentionally built up against the street, since the community is designed for pedestrian walkability. FFKR designed the facility to fit the streetscape, ensuring that its inviting dignity is communicated to all who stroll by. Parking is in the back, but the site
plan leads people to the front door to help show continuous activity. “The master plan follows a Peter Calthorpe and Associates design for new urbanism, so we were trying to stay true to that. We worked very hard to balance the streetscape with the parking,” says Marianne Wander, senior associate of FFKR, which in addition to its headquarters has offices in Arizona and Idaho. A bigger-picture high point for the project, Wander says, is that there is a sense of giving back to Utah. “Kennecott, which once was responsible for producing poisonous byproducts from its mining efforts, has cleaned up its sites and are now setting the standard for the state,” she says. “We’re really proud to be a part of that.” Sustainable design strategies built into the office building—a $28 million structure—include a high-albedo roof, the use of only light-colored concrete for hardscape, and the maximization of softscape areas with local plants. The building retains all storm water on-site, and its energy efficiency is 21 percent above the ASHRAE standard. The exterior skin is made of durable materials and is highly insulated, and the building utilizes solar panels on the roof. The steel in the structure and fly ash in the concrete are both recycled material. The variety of materials, including a combination of wood, metal, precast concrete, and synthetic stucco, “helps bring the scale of the building down to make it less massive and more comfortable for people walking by,” Wander explains. “The glass has low reflectivity so people can look inside as they pass and both parties can feel a connection with the community.” Such a connection is something historically absent from many office complexes. FFKR’s design is a symbol of greater collaboration—both between communities and companies, and humans and nature. gb&d
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FFKR Architects
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project Daybreak Corporate Center architect FFKR Architects (ffkr.com) location Salt Lake City size 170,000 square feet accolades First building in Utah to recieve LEED Platinum status price tag $28 million
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Prestige Motors Paramus Showroom
an arranged marriage Despite differences in two company’s standards, Design Alternatives finds the middle ground between corporate branding and personal identity
When Prestige Motors hired Design Alternatives to create its Mercedes-Benz showroom in Paramus, New Jersey, the firm had no idea how many challenges would arise. “Prestige had its own corporate standards, as did MercedesBenz,” says Jennifer Tuggle, a principal at Design Alternatives. “We had to work within both of those corporate standards but at the same time create a personal identity for the showroom. We were walking a fine line.”
The 68,000-square-foot Mercedes-Benz dealership is a prime example. Although the project originally called for the redesign of an existing dealership, the building was so old it ended up needing to be torn down, which Tuggle says made for a great project. “We’d worked with Prestige to develop their standards and maintain them with other manufacturers, and Kiran has worked with them for over 20 years, so we really tried to push those,” says Tuggle, who worked on the project with Dhaliwal and Kim Suchodolsky, a principal with the firm since 2005.
According to Tuggle, Design Alternatives walks the tightrope often. “We seem to have a lot of clients coming to us saying, ‘We have to work within these corporate standards, but we don’t love them. How do we follow the rules but still create our own unique look?’” Tuggle explains. “It happens a lot with auto dealerships, but we’ve also seen it with physician practices that are part of a larger medical group and car-rental centers that are part of big-name brands.”
One challenge was finding the necessary materials. “When you create standards, after a few years, certain items you had specified are no longer available, so we had a hard time finding some of the wall coverings and finishes we had originally developed for Prestige Motors,” Tuggle says. Another problem was incorporating sustainable features on the project, which was originally planned to be certified under the LEED-CI rating. “We wanted to use a recycled
by Julie Schaeffer
ABOVE: Talk about savvy steering: Design Alternatives’ work on the Prestige Motors Paramus MercedesBenz showroom masterfully navigates corporate branding parameters with a unique personal identity.
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If any interior-design firm can straddle the two worlds of corporate branding and personal identity, it’s Design Alternatives, which was founded to do just that. In 1998, Kiran Dhaliwal, an interior designer and space planner, founded the firm to help clients create interior designs that offer alternatives from the norm and enrich corporate standards. “That holds true to this day and is even reflected in our tagline, which is ‘Creating interior spaces with you in mind,’” says Tuggle, who joined forces with Dhaliwal in 2000. “We really try to work with clients to bring their unique visions to life regardless of the parameters provided.”
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Design Alternatives
“In this field there’s always a give and take, and you have to work within the guidelines you’re given.” —Jennifer Tuggle, Principal
countertop, but Mercedes-Benz insisted on using granite,” she notes. “We were also leaning toward a 100-percentrecyclable C&A carpet custom-colored to fit within the Mercedes-Benz standards, but Mercedes-Benz standards are required for all ‘customer-seen’ areas.” Despite the fact that Mercedes-Benz was more of a stickler than Design Alternatives had hoped in regard to corporate standards, the firm knows how to work well within a mandated color scheme and material type. “In this field, there’s always a give and take, and you have to work within the guidelines you’re given,” Tuggle says. “In the end... Mercedes-Benz dictated very little.” Ultimately, Design Alternatives was able to incorporate multiple sustainable features, such as low-VOC paint and marmoleum tiles (which are made from renewable, natural ingredients). This success is of utmost importance to the firm. “We try to promote timelessness and longevity in products,” Tuggle notes. “A lot of that naturally lends itself to recycled content and certified materials that are greener by nature.” The company’s designs and strategies are in the same boat then—both will bring lasting success, despite any obstacles it has to navigate. gb&d TOP LEFT: Design Alternatives has carried out a number of auto-related designs, like this Prestige Mini dealership. TOP RIGHT: The captivating interior of a Lexus showroom. LEFT: A rustic Land Rover dealership.
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A MESSAGE FROM SNS ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS, PC SNS’ vision remains steadfast—dedicated to meeting clients’ needs, environmental context, and the latest in materials and methods. Sustainable design is our profession’s new focus. We are proud to be working with Design Alternatives in our mutual pursuit of an innovative and environmentally responsible structure—Prestige Motors’ Mercedes-Benz Showroom and Service Center.
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spaces/work
Public Safety Facilities
a changing façade Eschewing designs that make public-service buildings look like prisons, SRBL Architects adds green features to inviting, user-friendly spaces
by Tricia Despres
There once was a time when public-safety buildings were designed much differently from the beautiful civic centers many of them are today. Offices were located in dark areas within the center of the building so as to ward off any sort of criminal activity. Inside, a maze of dimly lit offices would lead to a secluded 911 center, providing employees with little light or inspiration.
ABOVE: The Hoffman Estates Police Station serves as a striking background for a new Veterans’ Memorial Plaza.
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“It resembled...a prison,” recalls Carol Sente, president and managing partner of the Deerfield, Illinois-based SRBL Architects. “It’s somewhat of a new phenomenon to design these public-service buildings as you would any other office building. Of course, with these particular buildings, we still need to use bulletproof-glass windows and strategically
placed planters around the building. But these days, the protective elements aren’t so visually obvious. Instead, police and fire stations are now inviting places where the community feels comfortable [walking] into.” “The public-safety industry in itself is now much more teamwork oriented and encourages community-oriented policing,” adds Brian Wright, a senior associate and project manager at SRBL Architects. “This in itself lent to changing the way we design these particular buildings.” Founded in 1971 as an architecture firm offering turnkey solutions from design planning to furnishings, SRBL Architects’ specialty is the design of sustainable public-safety buildings. With 100 percent of its staff LEED accredited and now among the nation’s leading architects for police stations and fire stations, the firm embraces a corporate responsibility “to design public spaces that respect the Earth and its resources.” “Having a green strategy is quite a natural fit for these sorts of public-safety spaces when you think of the stressful existence these individuals work in,” COO Ray Lee says. “Small touches such as individual temperature control where they can manipulate their environment are things that goes a long way in making sure they have an atmosphere that is pleasurable to work in.” The firm designed its first LEED police station back in 2004. The Orland Park Police Station, a 65,000-square-foot,
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spaces/work
SRBL Architects
“Police by nature are open to the idea, and it’s worth the time to educate them and show them the value of green-building techniques.” —Ray Lee, COO
$12.5 million project located in the southern suburbs of Chicago, utilized a number of sustainable features, including native landscaping, permeable parking lots, and lighting systems that would bring natural light into the depths of the building. “We spent a lot of time on the mechanical systems, making sure they were equipped with allergenfiltering mechanisms since they were having a lot of issues with employees getting sick,” Lee explains. “We also were focused on high-efficiency heating and cooling units, which saved them at least 30 percent of their existing energy costs.” In 2009, SRBL Architects embarked on the Hoffman Estates Police Department project, where cramped conditions and changes in policing forced city officials to build a new facility, initially targeting LEED Silver certification. “This was not just a game of points to get LEED,” Wright says. “From day one, Hoffman Estates was interested in pursuing LEED certification, mostly to make a statement and a commitment to the public that becoming sustainable was of utmost importance. We put all offices around the perimeter of the building, which ensured every office had windows and a ton of natural light. We also put in an attractive patio area and lunch room, where employees could get out of their office but still be in a safe zone within the building grounds.” One of the firm’s most recent projects is the Skokie Police Station, a $20 million, 79,000-square-foot facility that was designed to provide a warm and welcoming presence within the community. The project features a large entry plaza, a landscaped interior courtyard, and an open desk to greet visitors.
SKOKIE POLICE STATION. From top to bottom: The multimedia capabilities of the training room include the ability to show eight simultaneous media feeds. The station, aiming for LEED Gold, sets an environmental standard for the community; in transforming
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a nondescript industrial building into their new state-of-the art police station, the Village of Skokie wanted to reuse as much of the existing building as possible. At the entry, existing columns and roof planks were reused to create deep overhangs for sun control.
SRBL Architects’ executives say they are amazed by the amount of people they work with who end up becoming spokespersons for green building in their own neighboring communities. “Police by nature are open to the idea, and it’s worth the time to educate them and show them the value of green-building techniques,” Lee says. “Once they understand it, it is something they really embrace and are proud to share with others in their community.” In this way, a single building can affect an entire community for the better, and SRBL Architects’ work parallels the mission of public-safety initiatives themselves. gb&d
A MESSAGE FROM TRANE CO Trane has assisted SRBL by providing HVAC solutions for high-performance buildings. Through this partnership, Trane has implemented new innovative technology which greatly reduces energy usage in new and existing structures which has enhanced their LEED certification offerings.
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ELK GROVE ADMINISTRATION & PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX Owner: Elk Grove Village Architect: SRBL Architects Mechanical Engineer: Consolidated Consulting Engineers Mechanical Contractor: Oak Brook Mechanical Customer Challenges: Elk Grove commissioned a professional study of their police facilities in 2001. The results of the study showed that the Police station was deficient in meeting current standards and recommended teardown/rebuild of the police station. Elk Grove wanted to enhance the operations of their police force and make them more effective at delivering municipal services. Another goal of the project was to design a facility that was geared toward environmental stewardship. Therefore, Elk Grove aimed for LEED certification. Trane Solutions to the Challenges of the Project: Efficient HVAC equipment and intelligent building controls helped Elk Grove update their facilities and earn LEED certification. Trane provided M-series air handling units with fan arrays. The ventilation air flows can be accurately measured through the fan arrays. This helps ensure that the building occupants will be comfortable and productive. This also earns a LEED credit toward certification. Efficient building operation is a large component of LEED buildings. Trane’s Chillers and Air Handling equipment helped the building exceed local energy codes and earn LEED points. The Trane control system allowed the supply fan to optimize the static pressure for further energy savings. The Trane chillers met the LEED requirements for Refrigerant Management as well. The fan array design of the Trane air handler will be more reliable for the buildings 24/7 operation. There is redundancy built into this type of system, which will keep the unit on-line even if something were to go wrong. The fan array also reduced the equipment footprint to save space in the new facility. General Description of the Building: The Elk Grove Administration & Public Safety Complex was constructed on the site of the existing Police station. Construction began in late 2007, and is nearing completion. The building created a new signature look to the existing campus in Elk Grove. The new building connects the existing village hall and existing fire station. The Administration and Public Safety complex is designed to meet the Village’s demands for the next 40 to 50 years and has capacity for future growth. The building is home to the Police, Engineering and Community development, Health and Community Services, and Village Finance. Trane Equipment/Controls: Air-Cooled Chiller, Fan-Powered VAV boxes, Trane M-series AHU with 2X2 fan array. Tracer summit building automation system and Trane programmable unit controllers (MP581).
Trane Commercial Systems - Chicago/West Michigan District - 7100 S. Madison, Willowbrook, IL 60527 gbdmagazine.com
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Get on Board with the THERMAX™ Wall System E N E R G Y- E F F I C I E N T S O L U T I O N S . C O M M E R C I A L B U I L D I N G S ®™Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow Element No. 1-80U86L
The THERMAX™ Wall System from Dow is a three-in-one system that enables a thinner wall profile with continuous insulation, an air barrier, and flashing. Get a wall profile with: • High energy efficiency • Enhanced moisture control • Quicker installation • Reduced scheduling time • Code approval (NFPA 285) Featuring continuous board insulation, the THERMAX™ Wall System helps prevent condensation by reducing air infiltration and keeping the cavity temperature above the dew-point temperature. Good news travels fast. This simplified, high-performing system is covering buildings across America – it’s everywhere! See for yourself by visiting our “Project Map” online.
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solutions
THE TIMELY RETURNS OF SOLID INSULATION SYSTEMS
Dow Building Solutions begins by ensuring its people and products are up-to-date with the latest advancements in energy efficiency. It looks a structure over from top to bottom and comes equipped with a number of solutions. And it’s become known for the unparalleled success of these solutions, especially in terms of sustainability. “We look at the entire envelope, because if you are able to get the performance and the moisture management of your building correct up front, then the rest of the pieces come together from a performance standpoint,” explains Doug Todd, a marketing manager at Dow Building Solutions. Todd’s company serves the commercial- and residential-construction industry by offering insulation products and systems, specializing in energy-efficient solutions like thermal moisture-management systems for commercial buildings. “We really focus on industries where the building’s performance is critical to the long-term ownership of the building—hospitals, educational facilities, public structures,” he says. The specific solutions are chosen based on what will provide companies with advanced performance as well as a return on their investments.
Fact/
THERMAX Wall System is proven to offer a 40-percent energy savings over traditional 2x6 fiberglass wall systems. The payback period for the system is expected in just over two years—not including the labor savings.
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Several of Dow Building Solutions’ products have received Cradle to Cradle certification from McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, LLC, the global consulting and product-certification firm. “This certification looks at the complete package—the manufacturing process, how it is being used during its life, and what happens after,” Todd explains. “You have to look at the entire picture when you’re talking about sustainability.” Todd details two of the company’s recent assignments and the solutions used to speed the timeline of a fire-protection district and set the standard for buildings of the future.
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Dow Building Solutions
Orland Fire Protection District backgrounder/ When the Orland Fire Protection District was in its early planning and design stages, SRBL Architects expressed an interest in constructing a facility that had a high level of sustainability (see more of SRBL’s work on p. 129). Energy performance was another area of concern. Jacob Mathew from Dow Building Solutions presented the company’s THERMAX Wall System to SRBL in early 2008.
barrier, vapor retarder, and insulation, but with the THERMAX Wall System only one or two trips are required. This saved Orland Fire Protection District between four and six weeks in the construction process. “When we talked about the speed of construction, the THERMAX Wall System proved to be a real benefit to the architect,
challenge/ Dow Building Solutions was challenged to provide a proven, energy-efficient insulation solution within the client’s heightened timeframe. solution/ The speed of construction was important to both SRBL and the Orland Fire Protection District. The cold-weather months were rapidly approaching and Dow Building Solutions was heavily relied on to secure the building’s envelope. Typical construction requires four to five trips around the building—drywall, air
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ABOVE: Construction on the Orland Fire Protection District.
solutions/insulation
contractor, and building owners,” notes Mathew, an account manager. The building features 2-inch THERMAX (ci) with 1½-inch STYROFOAM SprayPolyurethane-Foam Insulation in the stud cavity. “I think at the end of the day, they felt this system would meet their needs, simplify the construction process, and save them money on labor costs,” says Bryan Mallon, a Dow Building Solutions field market manager. The numerous advantages to the system helped avoid a number of potential pitfalls. The Orland Fire Protection District was also looking for ways to address the thermal issues of the building, avoid problems with moisture and condensation and keep the structure airtight. The wall system was able to address all of these issues with one simplified approach, Mathew, says, explaining that the system eliminates thermal shorts and moves the dew point to the outside of the wall cavity through properly applied continuous insulation. The WEATHERMATE Construction Tape provides an air barrier, and the spray-foam insulation seals up any voids or gaps.
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Dow Building Solutions
“This project validates through data monitoring that today’s insulation solutions can be applied to existing buildings, bringing them up to or even beyond current codes.” —Doug Todd, Marketing Manager
Oak Ridge National Laboratory backgrounder/ Oak Ridge National Laboratory turned to Robert Scichili, of RG Scichili & Associates, to manage a recent project and put together the construction team. Scichili teamed up with Paramount Metal Systems, a Little Rock, Arkansas, design-build contractor, and Dow Building Solutions to help improve the sustainable performance of the laboratory’s 50-year-old building. Challenge/ As part of a research project to look at retrofit strategies for old, under-insulated commercial buildings, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Dow Building Solutions worked with a team to deliver the best energy-efficient retrofits. solution/ Dow Building Solutions and Paramount Metal Systems partnered for the experimental building, which was designed to serve as a “sustainable standard” project used to display the measurable benefits of various cool-roofing technologies and framing systems. THERMAX Insulation was chosen for the roof and wall insulation. FROTH-PAK Foam Insulation sealed the joints and other areas of the structure. GREAT STUFF PRO Insulating Foam Sealant was used to seal the penetrations in the building. “We looked at the whole building envelope,” says Dow Building Solutions field
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market manager Bryan Mallon. “We took a solutions-oriented, science-based approach to the retrofit.” Oak Ridge National Laboratory has already seen significant improvements in its temperatures and energy use; the preliminary data reveals a 75-percent reduction in heat gain on the inside of the building. Completed in July 2010, Mallon says Oak Ridge National Laboratory was a great partner for the retrofit because it had an actual need: the organization intends to track the building’s performance and use it as a case study to promote energy efficiency. “This project validates through data monitoring that today’s insulation solutions can be applied to existing buildings, bringing them up to or even beyond current codes and providing a return on investment through energy savings year after year,” Mallon’s colleague, Doug Todd, adds. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory project was one among the countless commercial buildings that are under-insulated and consuming a great deal of energy throughout the country. “The building envelope is the single largest source of carbon-dioxide emissions, generating almost two times more greenhouse gases than cars, trucks, and SUVs combined,” Mallon notes. “But thanks to teamwork, design, and retrofit solutions, we were able to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of this building.” —by Jennifer
Inside & Out
Special products from Dow Building Solutions Easier Insulation FROTH-PAK Foam Insulation enhances a building’s energy efficiency by preventing air leakage while providing insulation. It expands for an airtight, moisture-resistant seal and is designed to maintain its thermal performance over time. “Buildings that have air-infiltration issues at the juncture find FROTH-PAK Foam Insulation is a perfect product to use in that type of application,” says Dow Building Solutions’ Bryan Mallon. The insulation product is designed to make insulating roof/wall junctures simple by easily spraying into place. Longer-Lasting Roofs Protected Membrane Roof (PMR) offers a sustainable alternative to conventional roof design. PMR assembly—placing insulation on the top of the building’s membrane—can extend a roof’s life to more than 40 years. With its increased performance and longevity, PMR contributes to sustainability by delaying the impact of eventual tear-off, lowering a business’ long-term facility budget by eliminating the need for replacement every 10–15 years, and reducing annual maintenance costs by up to 50 percent.
Hogeland
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solutions/landscapes
THE ORGANIC NATURE OF THE NEW YORK LANDSCAPE At Kelco Landscaping and Construction—the largest landscape installation and construction company in the New York area—general manager Joe Provenzano explains that the firm’s goal for every project is “to take a design and have it come out exactly as the architects had imagined, to have it look as close to the proposed drawings as possible.” Founded as a maintenance company in 1960, the firm has grown exponentially, focusing on large-scale installations. This unionaffiliated company’s 100-percentorganic approach has helped to keep green projects rolling in.
FACT/
Kelco’s plant mortality rate is 1%—the industry average is 12-15 %.
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RIGHT: Kelco installed 1,000 trees and shrubs and 52,000 perennials & grasses in the High Line project in New York City.
challenge/ The company was charged with sourcing, manufacturing, and installing all elements necessary to create a self-sustaining, hands-off ecosystem with manufactured soils on 15-acres of what will eventually be an 80-acre, waterfront, urban public park.
Numerous green elements were installed on Pier 6, a section of which is already open to the public. One of the unique aspects was the process of reclaiming the longleaf yellow pine lumber from an abandoned cold-storage building onsite. “The wood decking and timber seating located at Pier 6 are made entirely of wood harvested from the southern part of the country over 100 years ago,” Peck says. “What makes it even more endearing is that this wood is over 99 percent extinct today.” Kelco also installed the mechanical and plumbing systems for Pier 6’s children’s water-play equipment, 400 tons of landscape boulders, and an irrigation system that uses captured storm water to irrigate the park.
solution/ “We are delivering a usable, selfsustaining park using no pesticides and no chemicals and installing over 100,000 native plantings and 30,000 cubic yards of manufactured soils in less than eight working months,” explains Dylan Peck, head project manager, all while following the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Storm Water Protection Pollution Plan. “The client hired us because we are the only company in the tri-state area— maybe even the country—that can simultaneously handle all of these elements successfully.” After completing work on two segments, Pier 1 and Pier 6, Kelco’s next deadline is July 2011 for the Empire Fulton Ferry Park Extension of the park.
Pier 1 involved more landscaping than systems installations. However, the most prominent feature—a set of reclaimed granite steps from a renovated bridge nearby—was one of the more technically difficult installation aspects of the project to date. From the base, the stairs are 87 feet across, rise up to 21 feet, and measure 16 feet across the top. The challenge, Peck says, has been changing the grade to create such an elevation as required by the steps. For this and other such challenges, Kelco’s owner, John Kelly, has realized that specialized equipment is critically important to success. “Immediately after Kelco was awarded the park project, Kelly contacted H. O. Penn Caterpillar to order a brand new 972H wheel loader
backgrounder/ Since the summer of 2009, Kelco has been busy strategically installing the 100-percent-organic landscape elements for the waterfront Brooklyn Bridge Park, the former site of a series of fishing, shipping, and warehouse piers, the master plan of which was developed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.
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solutions/landscapes for the soils installation and a 450E backhoe for the stairs,” Peck says. “When the granite steps reached a certain elevation, Kelly brought in a 45-ton crane to finish the job.” The firm also prides itself on its use of topnotch, low-ground-pressure machines. “We own all the cutting-edge equipment, and this really helps us achieve our goals,” Peck points out, also noting that by including the proper installation of manufactured soils, plant material is given a higher success rate. Roughly 10 years ago, Kelco’s plant mortality rate was already less than 5 percent, yet now that number has actually dropped—to 1 percent. The industry standard is 12 to 15 percent. “We take great pride in this, because less plant replacements mean less impact on the environment,” he adds. Provenzano ascribes Kelco’s competitive edge to the team’s fundamental knowledge of landscape horticulture. “We are true horticulturists at heart before we are a construction company,” he says. “It’s a matter of combining construction schedules with horticulture, and melding those two together under very aggressive deadlines. We have roughly 75 people in the field, with a maximum of 30 people on this project at its height, but everyone in our company, including our laborers and operators, is out for this same goal.” —by Suchi Rudra
THE DIRT COMPANY “Engineered Growing Media for the Urban Environment”
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A MESSAGE FROM ZINCO GROUP ZinCo Group is an international pioneer in designing and manufacturing green-roof systems for high-density urban areas. Since our inception in 1957, we have led the industry’s growth and advancement by developing environmentally smart solutions that reduce urban heat-island effect and improve storm-water management. Our award-winning products and systems help clients develop stunning landscapes that are Earth-friendly by conserving energy and producing cleaner air and water in urban areas.
A MESSAGE FROM VANGUARD COVERAGE When things go wrong during and after construction, Vanguard Coverage provides cost effective risk-management solutions. For 30 years, Vanguard continues to keep pace with construction innovation and the risks that come along with change. When it comes to construction, there are many variables that affect the success of a project. This creates a challenge to risk mangers who try to understand the complexities of new technologies. While most insurance brokers are comfortable behind a desk, the staff at Vanguard spends time outside the office, mostly at contractor’s plants and construction sites. Vanguard Coverage continues to develop insurance solutions that manage the risk associated with difficult, cutting-edge construction.
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ZinCo USA, Inc. • Paragon Towers • 233 Needham Street • Newton MA 02464-1502 T 866 766 3155 • F 866 766 3955 • info@zinco-usa.com • www.zinco-usa.com
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MVVA is fortunate to have had Kelco build so many projects for us. Their knowledge is exceptional, their ingenuity is unique, and their attention to detail is remarkable. Teardrop Park South New York, New York Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. www.mvvainc.com
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material world
a wood for all time Used for centuries, western red cedar is experiencing a renaissance, popping up in green projects from large-scale commercial projects to privately owned residences. Is it as sustainable a choice as it’s made out to be? geography/ Western red cedar, also know as canoe cedar, pacific red cedar, shinglewood, and giant red cedar, is most often found in the northwestern United States and Canada, and currently compromises about 20 percent of the area’s forests. This slow-growing tree is a needled evergreen that can live for hundreds of years.
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“Its beauty is unrivaled when compared to alternate materials,” says Paul Mackie, Western Area manager of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association (WRCLA), clearly biased but also clearly—and genuinely—enraptured with the wood. Unfinished cedar has handsomely textured grain with colors ranging from dark-chocolate browns and reddish cinnamons to mellow ambers and straw-colored golds. Its warm coloring is complemented by a uniform, finegrained texture with a satin luster, all-adding to its natural beauty. history/ “Western red cedar has a tradition in building and construction that goes back thousands of years with the original inhabitants of the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, and Alaska,” Mackie says. For centuries, western red cedar has been used in the construction of longhouses, totem
poles, and ocean canoes, as well as for ceremonial masks, basketry, and clothing by coastal natives. Many of these people groups continue to foster a religious relationship with the western red cedar. When settlers arrived in the Northwest, after Lewis and Clark reached the mouth of the Columbia River in the early 1800s, they recognized the value of this wood species, and it has been used ever since. attributes/ Western red cedar is extremely durable. Its durability comes from ingrown preservatives called tannins; these tannins make it naturally resistant to moisture, rot, decay, and insect damage. The wood also has excellent dimensional stability, making it a strong contender for multiples uses in home construction. Western red cedar has both a low wood density and a low shrinkage factor; its moisture content is
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material world B
A/ Columbia Sportswear The sportswear’s flagship store in Seattle makes great use of pre-stained, knotty cedar siding. The designer used a blend of materials including cedar and Raja slate to provide a contrast of textures. B/ Margarido House A LEED Platinum and GreenPoint-rated residence, Mike McDonald’s dreamy Oakland, CA, home makes extensive use of western red cedar siding. C/ First Peoples House The First Nations community recently received a gift in the form of a new center at Canada’s University of Victoria, BC. The 12,160-square-foot building, known as First Peoples House, will be used as a place for administration, academics, gathering, and celebration. Designed by Alfred Waugh Architects, the structure utilizes salvaged western red cedar in its post-and-beam design and was inspired by the Coast Salish-style longhouses. Carved cedar posts will also be featured in the building’s entryway and outside the ceremonial room.
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D/ The Empac Theater Western red cedar’s true beauty is also showcased in this theater at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York (shown also on previous page, photo by Peter Aaron/Esto). The wood was used in an interior application; the building’s concert hall is contained inside a large-scale wooden “hull,” clad entirely in planks of western red cedar. Photo: Paul Rivera.
also lower than most Canadian softwoods, and it is far greater in resisting warp or twists from its fastenings. Western red cedar also sports good insulation values. In fact, its insulation properties are not only superior to that of other softwood species, but also to brick, concrete, and steel. sustainability/ Earlier this year, western red cedar was called the “most sustainable building material” by FP Innovations, Canada’s leading forestry research laboratory. Western red cedar, like other woods, provides efficiencies in carbon, greenhouse gases, and methane emissions. “As a wood product, western red cedar is a carbon sink,” explains WRCLA’s Mackie. “As such, building with wood products, including western red cedar, helps achieve a considerably lower carbon footprint than can be achieved with any other material. Equally important, the production of western red cedar requires dramatically less energy than alternative products such as fiber cement or wood-plastic composites.”
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D
pros/cons (+) + Western red cedar is lightweight and therefore easy to work with; similarly, because of its grain and texture, it can easily be cut and sawed. + The wood is available in a wide range of standard products, and an infinite number of others are available by way of special order, depending on the company. + Cedar walls and ceilings provide acoustic sound insulation to assist in the creation of quieter rooms. + When primed and dried properly, the wood takes coatings, paints, and stains exceptionally well, as well as glue.
(–) – Western red cedar has good fastening properties, but its natural preservatives have a corrosive effect on some unprotected metals in close contact, causing a black stain on the wood. Fasteners should be corrosion-resistant, e.g. aluminum or hotdipped-galvanized or stainless steel.
The wood also comes only from forests that are managed responsibly under either the PEFC or FSC certification systems, continually replanted to ensure a perpetual source. uses/ Because western red cedar is available in a wide range of products, sizes, and grades, it can be used in many applications. Most common are siding, trim boards, decking, beams, balusters and railings, lattice panels, shingle panels, fencing, and as large timbers up to 36 feet or longer. It is the preferred material for use in saunas and built-in wine racks. It is also used in the manufacturing of musical instruments like guitars because of its acoustical properties. In the last handful of years, western red cedar has been used more and more often to line closets and chests. The wood contains pungent aromatic oils, which repel moth and carpet-beetle larvae. A chest made entirely of western red cedar is most effective against fabric-eating insects once properly sealed; it can retain its useful odor for decades this way. —by Thalia A-M Bruehl
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Patrick Dougherty
artist to watch
The sculptor and creator of more than 200 whimsical “stickworks” speaks about his artistic process, muses, and deep connection to mankind’s first building blocks by Thalia A-M Bruehl
Photo: Welsh Studios.
Patrick Dougherty didn’t begin his adult life as a sculptor. In fact, it took a career in hospital administration to make him realize that his true calling was creating art. He immediately enrolled in an art program at the University of North Carolina. Dougherty considers that day the best of his life. His work has been exhibited all over the world and has received recognition from the National Endowment of the Arts, The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, and myriad others. The whimsical, quirky, and intricately tangled stick creations can be found in parks, museums, retail locations, and at schools. Dougherty hopes to show in the Guggenheim one day. Shortly after Princeton Architectural Press published a collection of Dougherty’s work, Stickwork, the sculptor spoke to gb&d about his material, his favorite installation, and his work’s inherent impermanence.
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artist to watch
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gb&d/ What inspired you to, no pun-intended, pick up sticks in the beginning?
gb&d/ What do you consider your favorite or most memorable piece?
Patrick Dougherty/ I have come to believe that one’s childhood shapes a sculptor’s choice of his or her materials. For me, it was growing up in the woodlands of North Carolina, which are overgrown with small trees and where forests are a tangle of intersecting natural lines. After working with this material for a while, I began to see I had a deeper resonance with it; I began to see it as mankind’s first building material and explore that deep association. When I turned to sculpture in the early ’80s, I had to rediscover what birds already knew: sticks have an infuriating tendency to entangle with each other. It is this simple tangle that holds my work together.
PD/ My favorite is always the sculpture I am working on. The finished product is for the viewer’s pleasure. As for memorable or fun, in 2008 I built a work at Jardin des Arts, a sculpture park in Chateaubourg, in the province of Brittany in France. The work included nine Bordeaux bottles that are 22 feet high and sit on the edge of a millpond. The work, entitled Sortie de Cava, refers to a saying that when the bottles are finally brought out of the cellar, the bottles themselves are free to drink and become tipsy. Teenagers who leave their parents’ house to go clubbing often say, “Sortie de Cava!”
gb&d/ Your art is quite large and intricate. What is the process like for creating one of your pieces? PD/ Each sculpture generally takes three weeks to complete. I start by finding a good stand of saplings nearby, and often I capitalize on someone’s desire to maintain their property. The actual construction technique is a layering process. In the first phases, I pull one stick through another and build a haphazard matrix to create the rough shape of the sculpture. Next comes the drawing phases, in which I image a pile of sticks as a bundle of lines with which to sketch the surface texture. I use many of the drawing conventions that someone using a paper and pencil might employ, including “x-ing,” hatch marks, and dramatic emphasis lines. In addition, I have learned to amass the smaller ends of sticks in one direction. This technique gives the impression that the surface is moving. The final step is “fix up,” a cosmetic treatment in which I erase certain mistakes by covering them with very small twigs.
1/ Ain’t Misbehavin, 2010. Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC. Photo: Zan Maddox. 2/ Just for Looks, 2006. Willow saplings, 35’ high. Max Azria Melrose Avenue Boutique, Los Angeles, CA. Photo: David C. Calicchio. 3/ Holy Rope, 1992. Reeds and bamboo, 25’ high. Rinjyo-in Temple, Chiba, Japan. Photo: Tadahisa Sakurai. 4/ Crossing Over, 1996. Maple saplings, 18’ high. American Craft Museum, New York, NY. Photo: Dennis Cowley.
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5/ Close Ties, 2006. Willow saplings, 12’ to 22’ high. Scottish Basketmakers Circle, Dingwall, Scotland. Photo: Fin Macrae. 6/ Be It Ever So Humble, 1999. Maple saplings, 24’ high. College of Art, Savannah, GA. Photo: Star Kotowski.
gb&d/ You often work with the help of volunteers. What is it like to create with a group of virtual strangers? PD/ Generally I might have four people working at any one time, but during the three-week period of work, this might mean that 50 different people had played a part in its development. The crew includes both rich and poor, educated or not, and people of all ages. It might be a hippie and a businessman working with a grandmother and a high-school senior. For a short period of time, all these people unite as stick workers and indulge some of their most basic urges to build. gb&d/ As you create from nature, there must be elements that are out of your control. What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced in your work? PD/ Sometimes it is finding the right material, which can be particularly challenging in tropical settings. Sometimes, it’s weather, though we have rarely been stopped, even by snow. Recently in Colorado however, it came up so strongly that we couldn’t see the work, so that necessitated a break for half a day. Sometimes, it’s the site and problems with city zoning and other requirements that enmesh us in paperwork. However, despite sticks that refuse to bend, or an occasional lack of assistants, I have always finished the work on time. I imagine myself to be a problem solver, and I face all kinds of snags every day with that mindset.
gb&d/ Do you always know what the piece will look like ahead of time, where the humor or whimsy will stem from? PD/ I am...particularly fond of a project at the Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia, completed in 2009. When I started out, I was thinking of this sculpture as escargot, but as work progressed, that idea gave way to a layer cake. Then it became a 14th-century Japanese hairstyle, and finally ended with Dr. Zhivago and the Summer Palace. The work is called Summer Palace. gb&d/ Your art is not permanent. Is it hard to visit a place where a piece of yours once was? PD/ As sticks are frail, I often delve into concepts of impermanence and life cycles. With branches and saplings, the line between trash and treasure is very thin, and the sculptures, like the sticks they are made from, begin to fade after two years. Often the public imagines that a work of art should be made to last, but I believe that a sculpture, like a good flowerbed, has its season. gb&d
gb&d/ Your pieces are very personal and interactive. How do viewers see and explore your work? PD/ My viewers see stick castles, lairs, nests, architectural follies; and they remember moments in the woods with their favorite trees. I hear stories about the Garden of Eden, and secrets about first dates. Some viewers touch the surfaces and talk about the momentum of wind or other forces of the natural world. Those that pass by are often compelled to explore the sculpture’s strange shapes and hidden passages.
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last look
color: design catalyst Nothing defines a space, sets the mood, and elicits emotion quite like a compelling color scheme. Pantone Color Institute, a global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, released its PANTONE VIEW home + interiors 2011 trend forecast. This resource provides color and trend direction, enabling designers to select the right color combinations for home furnishings or interior spaces. Take Note: Here are the nine musthave palettes of the season. Source: Pantone, Inc.
IN THE NEXT ISSUE...
Join us as we travel the world, exploring the latest trends in today’s most visionary green museums. PLUS... as more architectural firms take the global plunge, we examine the allure of the international market and the challenges they’re navigating.
Cottage Industry/
Simply Stated/
Style and Substance/
Clarity/
Fragments/
Archetypes/
Focal Points/
Mixed Media/
Wit and Whimsy/
Tradition goes mod in this palette, which boasts quiet pastels with tasty neutrals, integrated into an easy compatibility. The palette is rooted by earthy brick red and a solid rock gray.
Illustrating a clean approach to design, this set of hues is uncomplicated and straightforward. The Zen of cool blues and greens is sharply contrasted by the pristine presence of pure white.
A palette of the warm advancing shades of muskmelon, clay, and burnt coral, ultimately introduced to the drama of aurora red, purples, and wine, making for intriguing color combinations.
146 MAY/JUNE 2011
Simplicity and comfort meet urban rustic. Colors are easy on the eye yet not without surprise in this blend of dusty rose, avocado, antique moss, and more.
The inspiration for this eclectic patchwork of hues from cultures all over the world is drawn from carpets, found fabrics, ornamental beads—even discarded bottle caps destined for landfills.
Aptly named, this family is a diverse group of skillfully rendered surface treatments headlined by the light reflective properties of many of the materials.
Jet black and metallics of gold and silver are juxtaposed against subtle blue and frosted gray, while two substantive purples are flavored by the addition of a wine-ish brown named “chocolate truffle.”
Beloved classics are often updated through styling, pattern, and texture. Basics such as black, brown, and beige can also be redefined in the home by introducing colorful accents like this bold, bossa-nova red.
An energized yellow-green plays against a not-toopretentious pink, while carrot and coral call out to be cooled down by ultramarine and clematis blue in this fanciful palette reminiscent of jelly beans.
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