O'Brien Newsletter - 2015 3rd Quarter

O’BR I EN NEW S L ET T ER 3R D QUA R T ER // 2015

ISSUE 01 SUMMER HIGH- TEASER! LIGHTS:

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THE STAR: MANHATTAN FOR THE WIN AS CONSTRUCTION DATE APPROACHES.

AQUAMAN AND OBA’S “HAUTEST” AT CRE8 2015

A.R.E. YOU READY FOR YOUR EXAMS? ARCHITECT SEAN O’BRIEN HAS ADVICE!

CNU 23: “YOUR BONES ARE GOOD”

N O TI C E T H E C H AN G E I N O U R L O G O ? T H ER E I S M O R E TO C O M E. . .

This summer O’Brien Architects releases a new website and finishes the most significant remodel of its corporate office in several decades. Stay tuned to our next issue for a behind-thescenes look at our new office and refreshed identity.

01 SUMMER TEASER!

ARTICLES THIS ISSUE MEET THE TEAM

PATRA PHI L I PS EDITOR/ CONTRIBUTOR

LO RE LEI MEW HIRT ER COPY EDITOR/ CONTRIBUTOR

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PROJECT FEATURE: THE STAR

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AQUAMAN AND OBA’S “HAUTEST”

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IDP STREAMLINE AND A.R.E. 5.0

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SMART POLES AND ICE HOTELS

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CNU 23: TRANSFORMING DALLAS AND CNU

A N DR EW F I N N EY ART EDITOR/ CONTRIBUTOR

THE COMMONS MA RK G UEST CONTRIBUTOR

GUE S T C ON TR I B U TO R S MICK GRANLUND STEFFEN STAIGER

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A STARBUCKS JUNKIE TURNS BULLETPROOF.

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FITBIT RESULTS ARE IN!

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DFW BIKE MS: WE HAVE A WINNER...

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RECIPE: BREAKFAST ON THE GO

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CANSTRUCTION VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: JOSH ATKINS

ABOUT 02

03 PROJECT FEATURE: THE STAR

FRISCOE, TX BLUESTAR / LINCOLN PROPERTIES MASTERPLANNING / MIXED-USE/ RETAIL 90 ACRES

by Lorelei Mewhirter

LOOK AT THIS!

Project Feature: The Star The Dallas Cowboys will soon have a new home at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The 90 acre development along the Dallas North Tollway will be anchored by the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters, featuring a 12,000 seat multi-use indoor event center, two outdoor practice fields, and the Cowboys’ head offices. The event center will be used by the Cowboys, the City of Frisco, and Frisco ISD, and also for entertainment and other sporting events. Additionally, The Star will have over 1.8 million square feet of retail and restaurant space, office buildings, and hotel and residential buildings. Parking structures will provide over 9,000 parking spaces. Gensler is designing the headquarters and event center, while O’Brien Architects is responsible for the master planning and design of the surrounding mixed-use development, including more than 15 retail and restaurant buildings and 2 parking garages. Manhattan Construction has been selected as the general contractor and Lincoln Property Company will be responsible for leasing. The Star is expected to be complete in August 2016.

O’Brien’s Alex Quintanilla created a scaled model of the main drive of the retail development, made of museum board and basswood. Using a combination of laser cutting, laser scoring, 3D printing, and good oldfashioned hand modeling, Alex spent around 80 hours building this masterpiece.

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05 CNU 23: YOUR BONES ARE GOOD

Alison Purdy, Derek Dizon, Lorelei Mewhirter, Matt Crowley, and Patra Philips

by Patra Philips and Lorelei Mewhirter A Clarus

Glass Boards

B Stinson Faux Leather MOD 65 Grigio Vinyl

C Stinson Vinyl Seating Fabric Caprini Sage

D Patty Maddew Banyan’s Woven Vinyl Driftwood

E Stinson Vinyl Seating Fabric Lucent Black Light

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Stinson Performance Fabric Bali Curry

G Stinson Performance Fabric Tessellate Carbon

Aquaman And OBA’s “Hautest” At CRE8 2015 This spring, O’Brien Architects participated in the 4th annual CRE8 Design Challenge and Fashion Show benefitting the IIDA Texas Oklahoma Chapter Education Fund. Their mission is “To fund and support activities directly related to the advancement of students pursuing a degree in Interior Design and in the states of Texas and Oklahoma.”

The challenge was to create a garment that celebrates the connection between interior design and fashion. Teams of 5 are paired with a soft good and hard good underwriter (who provide the materials) and are given just 8 short days to construct their garment. The challenge culminates with a live runway fashion show and judging.

20 design teams in the DFW area entered the 2015 CRE8 competition. Our O’Brien team consisted of Alison Purdy, Lorelei Mewhirter, Matt Crowley, Derek Dizon, and Patra Philips.

This year’s theme was Marvel & DC Comic Super Heroes – Past vs. Future. We were assigned “Past” Aquaman, pre-1975.

Remember him? Our material underwriters were CF Stinson (textiles) and Clarus Glassboards (glass). The fabric was a welcome material, but glass?—not so much! “Past” super heroes had special requirements—only 20% of the costume could have muted color; the rest must be grayscale.

Our first step was to brainstorm on what our reimagined Aquaman of the past should look like. We thought he needed to man-up a little bit. He’d been getting a reputation that he’s not so cool anymore. We definitely wanted him to have more of a “warrior” feel. We threw some ideas around the table, and then Derek started sketching. In about 5 minutes, he showed us this sketch (left) and we said, “Uh, that’s awesome!”

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NOW TO CH O O S E THE L UC K Y M O DE L ...

HERE ’S O U R FINA L C RE ATI O N :

Matt Crowley was unanimously “voluntold” that he would be the one to strut the catwalk. Of course, he graciously objected over and over, but he finally did warm to the idea.

So much so that he was willing to bleach his hair for the event!

A more classic warrior version of Aquaman. Our main fabric mimicked chainmail armor, and was trimmed with faux leather. We also used the faux leather to create shoulder paldrouns, and an irredescent green material to make wrist and ankle cuffs—all of which were trimmed out with glass fins, back-printed with a fish-scale pattern! Instead of bleaching his hair, Matt settled for orange-ish hair and a henna tattoo (courtesy of Derek). The look was completed with some awesome goth eye make-up!

The CRE8 fashion show was held at Granada Theater on May 1st, 2015. Our reluctant model did an outstanding job on the runway! While we didn’t win, we were FAR from Loserville.

And it was a LOT of fun. The event is held every other year, so who is going to be on the 2017 team???

07 AQUAMAN AND OBA’S “HAUTEST” AT CRE8 2015

AQUAMAN AND OBA’S “HAUTEST” AT CRE8 2015 08

IDP Streamline And A.R.E. 5.0

by Lorelei Mewhirter

I DP STREAMLINE

Starting July 1, 2015 NCARB IDP will no longer require elective hours. The streamlined IDP will require 3,740 total hours across the 17 existing experience areas. Following mid- 2016, these 17 experience areas will be condensed into 6 practice-based categories that will also correspond with the 6 divisions of the future ARE 5.0. You will not, however, lose any of the hours you have already reported, elective hours or otherwise. The current reporting requirement is still in effect, so be sure to submit your hours within 8 months for full credit. Any hours reported beyond this, but within the last 5 years, will receive half credit. Something to note, each jurisdiction may have different requirements. Even if you have met the requirements for Texas, continue to report your experience as you may need it to obtain your license in another state. http://www.ncarb.org/News-and-Events/News/2015/IDP-Streamline.aspx

T R A NSITIO N I NG TO A . R. E . 5.0

You’ve probably heard by now that NCARB will launch a new version of the architectural registration exams, ARE 5.0, in late 2016. While that may seem far away, if you’re currently testing or plan to start, you should plan your transition now.

If you’re already in the process of testing under ARE 4.0, don’t worry, this version of the exam will be available for at least 18 months after the launch of ARE 5.0. Once ARE 5.0 is rolled out, NCARB will offer “dual delivery” of both versions, allowing candidates to transition to the new version whenever they choose. WARNING: Once you transition to the new version, you can’t switch back!

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ARE 5.0 will have 6 divisions: • Practice Management • Project Management • Programming & Analysis • Project Planning & Design • Project Development & Documentation • Construction & Evaluation SEAN O’BRIEN OUR NEWEST

ARCHITECT

Congratulations to Sean O’Brien for passing all 7 Architectural Registration Exams! We now have another licensed architect in our midst!

Sean’s ARE Tips: •A bun in the oven is great motivation!

•It’s all about the wording. Once you figure out the sneaky language, you can usually back into the answers. I finally figured it out and passed my last three in a row.

•Come up to the office to study. It’s great to get away from distractions at home.

•If I can do it, anyone can!

Instead of vignettes, the new version of the test will incorporate graphics throughout the exams. It’s also anticipated that case studies will be implemented, in which candidates assess multiple pieces of information and make evaluative judgements. Study materials should become available in early 2016.

You will get credit for the exams you’ve already taken, should you choose to transition mid-process. The 4.0 exams do not, however, transfer to the 5.0 version one for one. http://www.ncarb.org/en/ARE/ARE5/ARE5-CreditModel.aspx

So is there Any Good News? YES! If you plan your transition right, you can complete your exams in just 5 divisions! If you pass CDS, PPP, and SPD under ARE 4.0, you’ll get credit for 4 exams under the 5.0 version!

Choose to transition at that point, and you’ll only have two tests left to take under the new format—Project Planning & Design, and Project Development & Documentation. http://www.ncarb.org/ARE/ARE5/ARE5-CreditModel.aspx

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M O RE G O O D N EWS ?

A RCHITECTS WITHO U T B ORDE RS

One other piece of good news: Now you are able to retake a failed exam division as soon as 60 days after your previous attempt, and up to 3 times in a 12 month period.

On December 2, 2014 the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), in conjunction with the Canadian Architectural Licensing Authorities (CALA) and the Federacion de Colegios de Arquitectos de la Republica Mexicana (FCARM), announced an agreement that makes it possible for architects to work across North American borders. According to NCARB, the new Tri-National Mutual Recognition Agreement “opens the door to embracing more globally connected practices, while ensuring the protection of the public.� Qualified architects must satisfy the requirements of the agreement in order to practice in a host country. http://www.ncarb.org/News-and-Events/News/2014/12-TriNational.aspx

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SUMMARY: Mick Granlund travels to Quebec City to learn about LUMCA lighting products and study the amazing capabilities of “architectural ice.”

Smart Poles and Ice Hotels

by Mick Granlund

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13 SMART POLES AND ICE HOTELS

Although we are not using the Smart Pole at Grandscape, we will be using a beautiful decorative pole and light fixture manufactured by Lumca along the boardwalk. You can go to this link to see a short video that shows how the Smart Pole works. http://lumca.com/index.php?option= com_content&view=article&id=174&Itemid= 365&lang=en

Back in February, I was invited to the Lumca manufacturing facility in Quebec City, Canada. Lumca is a Canadian based exterior lighting manufacturer whose feature product is the innovative “Smart Pole”. The pole itself has no intelligence, but easy-to-install rail sections allow you to add a wide variety of accessories, including cameras, data terminals, digital banners, speakers, electric chargers, as well as benches, bike racks, and much more in an architecturally pleasing way.

After our factory tour in the morning and new product presentation in the afternoon, our host took us to visit “Hotel de glace” which is French for “Ice Hotel”. Yes, it is a real hotel with 42 guest rooms and you can spend a night there if you reserve one year in advance and are willing to pay $250 per person. Since it melts every summer, the hotel is reconstructed every year in December and opens for tours and guests in January. The ice foundation is 5’ thick and the walls are 3’ thick. The bed is a 6” mattress on top of a solid block of ice, and at night the hotel becomes deathly quiet. Our hour long visit concluded with a drink from the bar, served from a shot glass made of…ice. It did not warm the toes as the temperature was minus 3 degrees and on its way down to minus 13 degrees. According to our guide, even though the sleeping bags are good to minus 40 degrees, most people are ready for a hot shower in the morning. What a way to spend $250!

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68%

of Dallas residents believe being able to walk or bike to destinations would be good for the local economy... the current market of walkable neighborhoods represents only 3-5% of DFW

15 CNU 23: TRANSFORMING DALLAS AND CNU

SUMMARY: The North Texas Chapter of CNU knew to successfully host CNU 23 would require a transformation in the walkability of the national event itself AND DFW.

by Andrew Finney

W HY D ALLAS? B RINGI N G TH E C ONGR ESS TO D F W

CNU 23: Transforming Dallas AND CNU Is it possible to make Dallas walk-able? The country’s leading urbanists seem to think so...

Hundreds of the nation’s leading New Urbanists converged in Dallas for the 23rd Congress for New Urbanism (CNU 23).

The purpose of the annual national “Congress” is to provide a platform for “learning, networking, and collaborating” with a bi-partisan and multidisciplinary spectrum of place-makers ranging from architects, planners, developers and engineers, to clergy and geographers.

But why would the Congress for New Urbanism host their national conference in Dallas and the DFW region? Despite our “bones” (see below), DFW is hardly regarded as “walkable.” The construction of “mix-masters” seems more prominent on our skylines than “mixed-use.”

According to a survey taken in the city of Dallas, 68% of residents “believe being able to walk or bike to destinations would be good for the local economy.” Yet the current market of walk-able neighborhoods represents only 3-5% of the Dallas / Fort Worth area. This year’s Congress focused on the forces behind those demands and how to meet them.

With the rapid population growth in DFW, the rise in TODs (Transit Oriented Developments), and the rapid expansion of one of the country’s largest light rail systems DFW is ripe for a dramatic change in its walkability.

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T R A NSF O RM ING DALLAS AND C NU

The North Texas Chapter of CNU knew that to successfully host CNU 23 in DFW would require a transformation: of both the host city and the conference itself. There were three things that not only changed the future form of the CNU conference but also made a lasting impact on Dallas and DFW as a whole.

1 FROM THE CONFERENCE CENTER TO MAIN STREET Similar to a lot of conferences, the Congress is historically a very centralized event; typically held at one large convention center or hotel (think the Fairmont Hotel). The North Texas chapter of CNU felt that the most effective means of hosting the Congress was in a de-centralized form, hosting its sessions and events among several venues. The only precedent for having a de-centralized Congress had some merits but was less than awesome (NYC ‘01).

The main argument that convinced the national leadership to trust the North Texas Chapter with hosting a de-centralized event: a centralized event at a large conference center is a bad experience of most cities. “We wanted to show the good with the bad of the city in order to show that it’s all a work in progress,” says Patrick Kennedy (CNU North Texas President). For the same reason tactical urbanism is a “mock-up” to test out ideas IN the city, causing attendees to engage and experience Dallas helped them to see the ideas they were discussing in action.

2 LOCAL LEGACY CHARRETTES For the first time ever, the large amount of intellectual capital and expertise that gathers every year at CNU was not just consumed in the lecture hall. It was directly invested back into the host city (or region in our case), specifically in: Garland, Downtown Burleson, South Dallas, and Fort Worth’s Riverside neighborhood. For each community CNU invited a leading expert to oversee and lead a charrette with local firms and planners where they brainstormed solutions to specific issues each area was facing.

In Garland, Van Meter Williams Pollack (VMWP) from San Francisco headed a team with local firms Verdunity and Ash+Lime Strategies and local planners Don Raines and Andrew Laska. Together they focused on strategies to energize an area east of Downtown Garland that is adjacent to, but not benefitting from, substantial downtown investments. The incremental development ideas they came up with included things like extending the pedestrianfriendly design of Main Street through the neighborhood, redesigning another street to prioritize pedestrians, and creating strategically located public spaces.

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“I wish it were more permanent…”

-Deep Ellum Resident

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T O C R E ATE A S PACE WH E RE T H E A RT IST S OF DE E P E L L U M CO U LD E X PRESS T H E M S E LV E S A N D W H E R E PEOPLE COULD E N GAG E I N “ DAY TI ME ” ACT IVIT IE S T H E Y IN C L UDE D TH E F O L L O WIN G PROGRA M M AT IC S PAC E S I N TO TH E P L AZA :

1. Tunnel Vision Exhibit 2. Food Carts 3. Outdoor Theatre 4. Outdoor Library with Seating and Shade 5. Busker Spot 6. Pop-up Performance Area 7. Kids Soccer/play field 8. Shaded Seating 9. Art Installation 10.Garden with Flex Seating

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“WHAT I H O P E IS THAT W E S TART A P R O DUC T I VE CO NVER S AT I ON—AB O U T HO W TO C RE ATE M O RE PU BLIC S P ACES IN N EIG HBO R HOOD S,” BRANDON CASTILLO, ASH+LIME STRATEGIES

HOW DID CROWD U S T R A NSF O RM THE C IT Y?

3 CROWDUS STREET POP-UP PLAZA Perhaps the most tangible new feature of this year’s Congress was a slice of tactical urbanism in Deep Ellum. This year a very large team took an underutilized block of Crowdus Street in Deep Ellum and transformed it into a multi-use plaza that functioned as a gathering spot, outdoor library, and a hub to showcase local talent and artists. “In order for Deep Ellum to develop more as a complete neighborhood, there needs to be more things to do during the day,” claims Brandon Castillo with Ash+Lime Strategies.

Local consultants Ash+Lime Strategies spearheaded the project, negotiating with the city and raising all $15.5k needed to fund the project—much of which came from the Deep Ellum Foundation. However, they emphasize it was a team effort, involving numerous donations and extensive help from dozens of volunteers. The design was developed by TBG and Callison, both of whom provided many of the volunteers during construction and tear-down of the plaza. Rik Adamski with Ash+Lime says the biggest role they played in the success of Crowdus was getting people excited. The key to this is “putting your ego aside and sharing the credit,” Adamski says. When assessing the effectiveness of the project, Adamski, who was a two year resident of Deep Ellum, claims he’s never seen as many people out on the streets on a day to day basis than the four days that Crowdus Plaza was present.

How did Crowdus transform the city? For the neighborhood of Deep Ellum this was an opportunity to get the community involved in testing ideas that were developed from community feedback and a series of design charrettes for a more permanent solution to providing public space in Deep Ellum.

“Projects will be more sustainable when they are supported by the neighborhood,” says Susan Hubenthall with Callison.

For the city the effects are more long term. “What I hope is that we start a productive conversation—about how to create more public spaces in neighborhoods,” says Brandon Castillo with Ash+Lime Strategies. While critics may scoff at this idea, they only need to look to Better Blocks and the changes now happening on Tyler and Polk streets in North Oak Cliff, a few blocks from their first tactical urbanism demonstration. What started as a community supported rally of tactical urbanism caught the attention of the city and has led to phase one of converting two one-way streets into more pedestrian friendly two-way streets.

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21 CNU 23: TRANSFORMING DALLAS AND CNU

HOW DO ES THIS A F FE CT U S?

Unlike the “seasons of fashion” that characterizes much of our retail work, mixed-use isn’t just a trend. It’s not going to wither away with the next recession. As more and more people want to live and work in walk-able neighborhoods and developments, the competition among firms that specialize in mixed-use is growing rapidly.

How do we know that our designs will activate streets and foster spaces that people want to walk, work, live and play in? How does a car-oriented “metro-mess” transform into an interconnected web of walk-able nodes? There are as many bad examples in our city as good. Our sexiest competitors in the region have delivered fashion forward buildings with all of the right ingredients, in some of the trendiest parts of town. But 5 to 10 years in their sidewalks are empty, their plazas are quiet, and the false promises of their renderings have evaporated into the car-dominated web that currently is our metroplex.

T H E D I AG N O SIS ?

“YOUR BO N E S AR E GOOD”

Is it possible to make Dallas walk-able? The country’s leading urbanists seem to think so.

Renowned planner and author Jeff Speck’s diagnosis of Dallas’ walkability: “Your bones are good.” He was referring to the size of our city’s downtown blocks, which measure at 200 x 300 feet. Compared to the nation’s smallest city blocks at 200 x 200 feet in Portland, he suggested that our “bones” set the foundation for a highly walk-able Dallas.

In the coming issues of ON, expect us to investigate this further.

What has worked in our city and what hasn’t? We will learn from current and past projects in an effort to fuel our pursuit of effective solutions to our clients’, city’s, and citizen’s demands for walk-able neighborhoods and developments.

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The Commons is Obrien’s new lifestyle section. Not interested in reading a“serious” article? Or just want to know who has the most steps? From FitBit competition winners and recipes to employee spotlights and company news, The Commons is the place to stay connected - to everything O’Brien and to one another. Stay tuned to the next issue for exciting additions to The Commons including suggested reading lists and games!

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

UPCOMING EVENTS

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

COMPANY ANOUNCEMENTS

THE CO M M ONS

Welcome Robert Evans!

Our newest Senior Project Manager, Robert is originally from Connecticut but has been in Dallas for over 20 years practicing architecture with GDA. His experience is with industrial, high rise residential, office, theaters and interiors.

Robert is married with two children and a soccer coach.

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A STARBUCKS FITBIT REJUNKIE TURNS SULTS ARE IN! BULLETPROOF.

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DFW BIKE MS: WE HAVE A WINNER...

RECIPE: CANSTRUCBREAKFAST ON TION THE GO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

31 EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: JOSH ATKINS

I couldn’t see the benefit. I asked him what was in it and he said, “upgraded coffee, unsalted grass-fed butter and coconut oil.” Sounded…. fatty. And what the heck was upgraded coffee? He said it gave him energy and is helping him lose weight. I was skeptical.

He added that consuming fat in the morning teaches your body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates. WAIT!

A Starbucks Junkie Turns Bulletproof.

by Patra Philips I am a Starbucks junkie.

I go there every day. I say I don’t need it, and then I look up and I’m in the parking lot. It has some fiendish hold on me and I believe I’ve been bewitched! One of my co-workers has been drinking Bulletproof Coffee every morning and swears it is the best thing since homemade, gluten-free, sliced bread. I envisioned coffee that, when consumed, made you bulletproof. Unless you’re a police officer or a drug dealer,

25 THE COMMONS

WHAT? As a diabetic, I immediately perked up. What sorcery was this??

So, I looked it up. There is an awful lot of buzz about it on the interwebs. It seems to be the latest trend in coffee. I wonder if Starbucks sells it?

THE INGREDIENTS: • Upgraded coffee • Unsalted grass-fed butter • MCT oil or Coconut Oil • Vanilla (optional) • Blender

This mystical beverage begins with upgraded coffee.

That’s just coffee low in mycotoxins. Oh sheesh. Another word I had to look up. Mycotoxins is a form of fungus.

They make their way into

coffee by adhering to dried coffee beans. They are incorporated into the process of grinding and roasting the beans and eventually may end up in your cup. While fungus isn’t something we usually need to worry about (i.e. mushrooms) mycotoxins are a form of fungus that can cause several negative side effects: First and foremost, you simply will not feel as good after drinking a cup of coffee with mycotoxins as you will after drinking one that is free of them. Additionally, these substances can cause diseases that affect your liver, kidneys, smooth muscles, and digestive tract. You can get upgraded coffee at Trader Joes and Whole Foods.

Next up is the unsalted grass-fed butter. USE NOTHING ELSE. You do not want salty coffee and why on earth would you put that nasty margarine in your magical potion? Grass-fed butter is loaded with Vitamin K2, which is optimal for heart health, and Omega-3 fatty acid. It’s also loaded with Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that helps fight inflammation.

And those sweet cows get to chew on yummy grass instead of disgust-

ing corn or soy based chow from a trough. Happy Cows = Happy Butter.

Lastly, MCT Oil or Coconut Oil. The benefits of coconut oil or MCT oil include better brain function, improved metabolism and sustained energy. It contains Lauric Acid which can kill harmful pathogens. It can also kill your hunger which could lead to weight loss (especially belly fat). Other health benefits may include reducing seizures, improved cholesterol levels and lowering your risk of Heart Disease.

The Brewing: Double, Double, Toil and Trouble… A lot of sites suggest brewing your upgraded coffee using filtered water with 2-1/2 heaping tablespoons of freshly ground upgraded coffee beans and using a French Press or Coffee Cone. I think I’ll start with just my plain old coffee maker.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of grassfed, unsalted butter or ghee.

Add 1-2 tablespoon of Coconut Oil or MCT Oil. I’ve been told that a few drops of vanilla makes it even better. You’re choice.

Mix in a blender for 20-30 seconds until it is frothy.

Will this spectral sarsaparilla help me lose weight? Who knows? Will it reduce my cholesterol levels (that came back much too high and left me vacillating between fits of rage and uncontrollable crying)? Maybe? Will it help break my Starbucks addiction? Hopefully – ok, probably not. All I know is that it’s dang good coffee. Word of caution: It is recommended that you start with small doses and build up. While your mind may benefit immediately with the new buttery concoction, your innards may not!

RESULTS 1st David Hoff 1,112,714 steps

2nd Mark Guest 983,168 steps

3rd Marc Quintana 835,805 steps

ARE IN! The O’Brien Architects Health & Wellness Committee rewards the efforts of the highest Fitbit Step totals for the last quarter. Each of the three winners is awarded their choice of one additional day of Personal Time Off or a gift certificate of $30.00 to the restaurant of their choice.

THE COMMONS 26

The organization helps to provide funds for research, information on the disease and its effects as well as provide assistance to those who need it.

DFW BikeMS: We Have A Winner...

by Mark Guest

And, that winner is the North Texas Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS)! Every year, the first weekend in May, is a little bike ride known as the Sam’s Club Rodeo Roundup of Bike MS. The ride is for those who have spent the previous year, or any portion thereof, raising money to help the efforts of the NMSS.

27 THE COMMONS

I have been lucky in the past to have been a part of the organizing and marketing efforts to help the ride grow into what it is today. And, though I am not able to participate in it every year, it was my pleasure to attend this year’s event. And, thanks to those who donated I was able to add to our team’s total of $113,884.69 and counting.

This year was also a landmark event for our team, Team Plano, Cycling and Fitness, as they have reached over $1 Million cumulatively since the team’s inception, a feat that only 4 other teams have accomplished in the 28 year DFW BikeMS history! Way to go TEAM! I hope that we can get more O’Brien participants next year!

It is a testament that when people put their minds and efforts together for a good cause, good things happen.

Breakfast On the Go: Egg Muffins

by Steffen Staiger THE INGREDIENTS: • 1 dozen eggs • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend • salt and pepper to taste • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, stir together eggs and cheddar cheese.

Add the Italian seasoning, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Ladle into lined muffin pan cups. Sprinkle the tops with Parmesan cheese.

4. Bake for 25 minutes, or until puffy and slightly browned on top. Remove from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes on a wire cooling rack. Loosen paper cups with a butter knife and lift out of the muffin pan.

5.

Serve immediately while still warm, or let cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for breakfast on the go!

limes • Thinly sliced lemon and crushed fresh mint leaves • Thinly sliced lemon and thinly sliced or crushed ginger • Thinly sliced lemon, cucumber, crushed mint, a fresh sprig of rosemary

Sparkling Spring Detox Water http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC2859815/

Steal a trick from the spa and add infused water to your repertoire. Infused waters are an excellent way to do a little spring cleaning for your digestive system and aid in healthy weight loss.

Try adding the combinations below to water, sparkling water, mineral water or even unsweetened tea or herbal teas.

• Thinly sliced cucumbers and crushed fresh mint leaves • Thinly sliced lemon and/or

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Canstruction 2007 This was supposed to be our volCANo. Something about “erupting” hunger. Since it was our first year to participate, we underestimated the amount of cans we needed so our volCANo looked a more like a camp-fire.

CANstruction Volunteers Needed!

Canstruction 2008

In 2008 we decided to “CRUSH” hunger. We did a lot better this year. We had the words CRUSH HUNGER under the Orange Crush can, but you can’t see it since we’re sitting in front of it.

by Patra Philips

The 19th Annual Design and Build Competition, Canstruction 2015, is in motion! This year’s theme is “Passport to End Hunger.”

The team is currently working on the design of the structure and will take volunteers for the build out on Saturday, Sept. 19th. The location this year is The State Fair of Texas! See Chris Smithhart or Amador Saucedo for more details. We have participated in Canstruction a number of times in the past, so let’s take a trip down memory lane…

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Canstruction 2013

In 2013, the team did a Keith Haring inspired Canstruction. The cans were supposed to be smaller, but somehow the order got mixed up and they got the extra large cans. This caused problems with the proportion and scale, therefore, the overall sculpture exceeded the height limitation.

Canstruction 2014

was the first year the event was held at the Texas State Fair. In the past, it had been at North Park Mall. Can you guess what this is?? They won the President’s Blue Ribbon and Juror’s Favorite Award this year!

Canstruction 2014 was the first year the event was held at the Texas State Fair. In the past, it had been a North Park Mall. Can you guess what this is?? They won the President’s Blue Ribbon and Juror’s Favorite Award this year!

UPCOMING EVENTS 15-Jul Bark + Build Call for Entries 17-Jul ‘til Midnight at the Nasher (6:00 PM) 20Jul Past, Present, Future: AIA Perspectives 21-Jul NTX Sustainable Showcase 2015 22Jul DFCA: Fair Park Spotlight (6:00 PM) 23-Jul Wheelchair for a Day, Bark + Build Kick Off Party (6:00-8:00 PM) 24-Jul ADA Awareness Day 6-Aug Architecture On Tap: How big is your digital footprint?

(6:00-8:00 PM) 13-14 Aug Metrocon 15 18-Aug Building Enclosures Council Meeting 21-Aug ‘til Midnight at the Nasher (6:00 PM) 24-Aug Sustainability and High Performance Series 29Aug Nasher 360 Speaker Series: Phillip Beesley 18-Sep ‘til Midnight at the Nasher 17-20 Sep GrapeFest, Grapevine, TX 17 thru 20-Sep Oktoberfest, Addison, TX 18-Sep Plano Balloon Festival, Plano, TX 19-Sep CANstruction Build Day 25-Sep thru 18-Oct State Fair of Texas Opening Day

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Employee Spotlight: Josh Atkins

by Lorelei Mewhirter

What made you want to work in the architectural field?

I’ve always enjoyed artistic/ creative pursuits and learning how mechanical things perform and are made, so architecture seemed like, and still is, one of the careers I could enjoy my work and wouldn’t be just a job.

What career(s) were you interested in as a child?

Paleontologist: not sure what

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it is about dinosaurs that seemed so interesting. And also, jet fighter pilot: speed and g-forces are still something that interests me.

What is the “oddest” job you’ve ever had?

What project has been the most memorable in your career and why?

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

It was one of the first projects of my career; a renovation/adaptation of a disused 1940s movie theater in downtown Tyler into a new multipurpose performance hall for the City of Tyler. The many layers to the project made it very interesting. For instance, the many facets of history related to the architecture and society of its time, the integration of existing structure with modern structure, mechanical, and electrical systems, the constraints of its location on accessibility and construction, and meeting expectations and budget. I think it would have been a great first project for many people and I really appreciated the opportunity.

What was your first job?

During high school, I mowed lawns in my neighborhood.

Picked cotton for a day in a Bayer Crop Sciences greenhouse in Lubbock, TX.

I’m dyslexic.

Where is the most interesting place you’ve traveled to and why?

Spain and Belgium; both places have pretty interesting history, and now exist with linguistic/cultural divides within their borders.

What’s next on your Netflix or Hulu queue or DVR? Orphan Black, Hannibal (TV), Tiny House Nation, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, and Halt and Catch Fire.

GOT TALENT OUT YOUR YIN YANG? NEED A CREATIVE OUTLET?

WELL HOP

WE NEED WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, AND DESIGNERS TO JOIN OUR TEAM! patra.philips@obrienarch.com

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CRE D ITS: A special thanks to the following: Rik Adamski with Ash+Lime strategies for his multiple interviews and wealth of information. Patrick Kennedy with the North Texas chapter of CNU, for his helpful insight. PHOTOGRAPHERS: TBG (p18/21), Eddie Castaneda (p19/21), Mark Guest (p27), and Mick Granlund (p12/13). ICONS: All icons from The Noun Project by the following artists: Maico Amorim, Sascha Elmers, Natasha Fedorova, Christopher Holm-Hansen, Tommy Lau, Olyn LeRoy, Lukasz M. Pagoda, and Laurent Patain.

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F OLLO W U S! /OBrienArchitects

www.OBrienArch.com

info@OBrienArch.com