TIM MCDONALD....work by Tim McDonald

PHYSICAL

WORK

Published by: Surly Press 111 West Norris Street, Phila, Pa 19122 ÂŠ Surly Press, 2013 All rights reserved Printed by: mediacopy 1310 Sansom St. Phila, Pa 19107 No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher, except in the context of reviews.

Design: Onion Flats Text by: Timothy McDonald Photo/sketch Credits: Timothy McDonald: 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28 upper left, 30 upper left, 32, 34 upper left, 36 upper left, 38 lower left, 42, 44, 45 left trinities, 46, 48, 49, 50, 52, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84 lower, 86 left, 87, 94, 96 right, 98, 115, 122, 126 upper left, 127, 128, 131, 133, 138, 139 Jim Wasserman: 26 upper right, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 Mariko Reed: 83, 89 upper, 90, 91, 93, 94 upper left, 95, 96, 97 Ted Singer: 114, 116 Kristen Gregory: 7, 50 far left Don Weston: 41, 45 left, 48 left, 50 second from left, 51, 53 Sam Oberter: 85, 86 upper right, 88, 109, 110 Andrew Loxley: 86 lower right Steve Belkowitz: 5, 54 center right and lower left John Fox: 77 left Dan Magno: 56 middle left John Gwin: 54, 55, 62, 63 bottom, 73, 78 lower right, 126, 129, 130 left Roman Torres: 40 Magda Biernat: 102,106 Raimund Koch: 49-51

CONTENTS history 4

PHYSICAL

WORK 3

1997-2013 Patrick McDonald Timothy McDonald Johnny McDonald Howard Steinberg

built market flats capital flats rag flats eflats firehouse berks hewson jackhammer thin flats margarido TED belfield

10 22 40 66 72 76 82 86 94 102 108

on the boards stable homes stable flats zero RIDGE FLATS duck flats capital flats ii moss flats 4th flats thompson triplets wilmington

114 120 130 134 138 146 148 150 154 156

HISTORY

The architectural profession, specifically over the past century, has generated the belief that the art and act of building, while certainly essential to Architecture, is in fact merely but significantly the means by which Architecture presents itself to the world. The notion that building is primarily an act of translation and therefore a significant opportunity and responsibility of the architect, carries little weight in a world segmented into discrete and ultimately disparate disciplines aimed at limiting liability and responsibility in the making of architecture. The ironic yet obvious result has been a kind of familial separation of the architect from the art of building. Perfectly cordial, mutually acceptable and reasonably justified within our increasingly complex world, they have nonetheless become distant cousins. Our work for the past 12 years has been focused on reestablishing those familial bonds, opening up lines of communication between them, embracing the risk inherent between them rather than limiting it and contributing to a culture of thinking which strengthens the discipline of architecture from within. As a“critique”of contemporary architecture and building theory and practice, Onion Flats’mission since 1997 has been fourfold: 1. Extend the imagination of the architect beyond the drawing board into the building process. 2. Educate the public about the collaborative role of the architect in the making of buildings, culture, and meaning in contemporary society. 3. Encourage and/or reestablish dialogue and respect among members of the architectural and building communities. 4. Empower a newer generation of architects, builders, and craftsmen to continue to dream. ONION FLATS the developer PLUMBOB the architect JIG the builder BLOX the modular manufacturer While these four companies are distinct, the intention of our development/design/build collective is to integrate seamlessly the process by which our ideas about architecture, the city, and sustainable development go from interpretation to construction to habitation. In the process we cross and merge a greatly fragmented and sometimes contentious set of disciplines as they currently relate to the built environment. As such, we get to turn our attention to the art of making buildings rather than to the art of covering our asses. We choose to explore and experiment with the entire spectrum of intelligent and practical approaches to the way in which buildings manage their own resources, and create communities that sustain themselves. We strive to be exemplary developers, architects, and builders, rather than “green” ones.

ARCHITECTURE Discipline “A system or method for the maintenance of order; a system of rule for conduct… Etymologically discipline, as pertaining to disciple or scholar, is antithetical to doctrine, the property of the doctor or teacher; hence, in the history of the words, doctrine is more concerned with abstract theory, and discipline with practice or exercise…” (OED, pp. 415-416) Profession “Theoccupationwhichoneprofessestobeskilledinandfollow… theactofdeclaring,acknowledging,oravowinganopinion,belief, intention, practice, etc; declaration, avowal. In later use often with implied contrast to practice or fact…” (OED, p.1429) PLUMBOB Llc. is the licensed architectural component of our development/design/buildcollective.Wehavealwaysbelieved thatdesigningandbuildingmustbeinseparable,thatthinking andmakingareinterchangeableterms,andthatthe“discipline” of architecture will outlive the architectural “profession.”

CONSTRUCTION JIGInc.isthelicensedconstruction/constructionmanagement portion of our development/design/build collective. A“jig”is a fascinating tool and device used in the making of things. Historically the jig has been understood by the craftsman as an intermediary construction one fabricates for the sole purposeofaidingorsupportingtheconstructionofanequally purposefulobject.Infact,thefunctionalpurposeofajigforany craftsman is such that it operates most distinctly at the level of atranslationdevicebetweentherawmaterialandtoolthrough which it is transformed. Jigs are like joints or hinges within the process of making. Once removed from their purposeful context, jigs have no identity, are fundamentally silent, yet hold the essence of both the maker and the thing made. Making a building is similarly an act of translation, an act that has its own identity, and one that transforms as it translates the architectural act of drawing. JIG Inc. allows and actually encourages this translation, in the process providing a creative space for invention beyond the drawing table.

BLOX’s mission is to produce buildings that are built in HALF the time, with at least TWICE the energy efficiency, with a goal of Net-Zero-Energy buildings as standard, at the SAME or less cost than site-built buildings. The core of the BLOX technological innovation is its “sustainable building system” (SBS) which distinguishes them from any other “manufactured building” company in the United States. This “system” is not quickly defined by one particular technological innovation but involves a series of interrelated technological, financial, logistic (delivery method), process and managerial structures creatively and uniquely arranged to produce a highly ‘sustainable building system’ that is comparable in cost to traditional building methods. Some of the components of this ‘system’ involve:

B L OX

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING SYSTEMS TM

AN INTRO TO SUSTAINABILITY

As architects, builders and developers, we began our practice with the belief that thinking and making were inseparable. We believe that the “sustainability” of the profession of architecture itself relies on eschewing the ‘cult of the expert’and eradicating the borders between the fragmented and disparate disciplines responsible for creating the built environment. Sustainability, for us, therefore is a return to the basics. It has more to do with creating the framework within which one thinks and works than the individual works themselves. Our interest lies in the ‘field’ rather than the ‘object’ of sustainability. Wehavebeencommittedtothemakingofcommunitiesratherthanbuildingsinallofourprojects. Itisunfortunate that“green”design and the necessity for sustainable communities is considered a new and distinct strategy for thinking about the city, architecture and domesticity. We believe in‘common sense’and that experimentation is the ground of that sense. We believe that the careful reading and questioning of any given condition, be it physical, programmatic or systemic cannot help but breed both ‘the obvious’ and innovation simultaneously. All of our multifamily and single family projects currently being developed are the first LEED-H Platinum projects in the country. This is not the goal of our work but simply a reflection of our commitment to“being”sustainable. Makingsustainablecommunitiesisourstandardwayofworking.Wethinkthatsustainable,thoughtfulandinspiring architecture should be affordable architecture. Our projects produce rather than consume energy not from a penchant or fetish towards the‘technological’, but from a simple and honest reconsideration of the sky and the ground as our main sources of inspiration and energy.

STRATEGIC

WORK WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT Translate the ‘restrictions’ (ecological, zoning, building, etc...) of any given site into opportunities. Reveal their hidden possibilities. Link the dwelling to the street. Question setbacks and propose connections. Emphasize the pedestrian. Reconsider the car. Embrace‘density’as a fundamental premise to community, affordability and sustainability. Link-it, stitch-it, join-it

9 PROTOTYPICAL WORK WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT

Read the city with intentionality and respond by acknowledging the fundamental building blocks of its fabric and why it came to be that way. Learn to love and dwell within it’s thin, efficient and elegant slits of urban space. Search for the prototypical ‘urban modules’ that define an urban block. Use them, but play. Let the module inform the (STRATEGIC) sense of place. Re-configure, re-think and re-constitute

SYSTEMIC WORK WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT Approach building systems from the perspective that technology is not best suited in the ‘re-creation’ of nature but rather in its ability to focus, collect and harness it. Use the sky, then use the earth. Focus, collect and harness heat and water. Store it in the earth. Use it to feed the building. Insist that each part of the ‘system’ functions in at least three ways. Capture more, consume less. Low-tech, low-cost, low-maintenance

Left: Day one, removing the sale sign; Below: Day two, removing the other sign to discover the historic faรงade beneath; Opposite page: Found object

MARKET FLATS 116 Market St. Old City, Philadelphia 1997-1999 Developer / Designer / Builder: Onion Flats

Market Flats is in the heart of the oldest and most historic district of Philadelphia,commonlyreferredtoas Old City. It is a five-story, historically certified, red brick building facing north and was constructed circa 1880. Our interventions in the building were minimal and inexpensive. Each floor has been renovated into a 1400squarefoot loft with specific attention paid to the manner in which objects, ratherthanwalls,constructandcreate spaces. A large, open-grate steel deck was constructed on the rear of the building in order to provide a second meansofegress,acommunityactivity space, and a light filter for all units. 4 dwellings 1 commercial space

Opposite page from bottom right: existing rear of building; Left: New open grate steel deck and communityspace;Aboveright:JackMcDonald working on open grate steel deck; This page right: Renovated faรงade

Found object; Interior conditions

3rd floor

Clockwise from bottom right: view of study space; Left: view of living/kitchen area; Middle: view of bathroom “pod”; Above: plan of 3rd floor unit; Opposite page: view of entry and bathroom“pod”withviewtowardLivingarea.

4th floor

Clockwise from below: view of kitchen/dining area: Bottom right: view of bath â&#x20AC;&#x153;podâ&#x20AC;?; Left: view of study area; Above: plan of 4th floor; Opposite page: longitudinal views of loft space

5th floor Clockwise from left: view of loft from entry; Above left: Plan of 5th floor; Above right: view of existing 5th floor from entry; Opposite page clockwise from bottom left: view of living area; Middle: view of kitchen bar area; Above: view of kitchen and translucent glass wall of bedroom; Right: view of translucent glass bathroom wall with skylights.

Experiments: We began this project with the belief that each and every building in a neighborhood, regardless of its state, has the potential to transform a community. It was not so much our goal but rather the context within which we worked. The project, therefore, was not about converting a meat-packing plant into apartments. It was about carving out an opportunity within the discipline of architecture to experiment with modes of building, diverse aspects of dwelling, and the communities engendered by both. Forsomeofusasarchitects-in-the-makingaswellasbuilders,thisprojectwasfirstanexperimentinhowone’s ideas are translated into form.The basic premise for this dimension of the experiment was the proposition that an architect’s imagination does not stop at the drawing table even though, for all intents and purposes in the profession of architecture, it must. In order to test the proposition, we intentionally limited the degree to which drawings informed the project. While a project of this scale might typically require 30 drawings, there were a total of seven drawings in the permit sent to the City. These few drawings were significant yet necessarily incomplete and, thus, engendered a context for building which was a creative exercise in the fullest sense. Building became a form of thinking and imagining, not merely executing.“Detailing,” therefore, was not a product of designing, but rather reading. Our days were filled with a continuous backand-forth dialogue between reading and responding. As the months passed, decisions were made based uponawideningrangeofinfluences,themostproductiveofwhichwerechance,mistakes,speed,materials at hand, humor, time of day, season, fatigue, and occasionally sheer will. The“work”that resulted was not about philosophical ideals but rather reflective of the responses to various conditions and spontaneous dialogue. It is, therefore, work which welcomes critique and interpretation. Similarly,“dwelling”began to take on new meaning for us as we responded to the conditions of the site such that fictitious characters and possible activities began to define each dwelling. The spaces began to be occupied in the process.

CAPITAL FLATS 114-150 W. Laurel St. Northern Liberties, Philadelphia 2002 Developer / Designer / Builder: Onion Flats

In 1999 Capital Meats, the former meat-packing plant which operated on this site for 80 years, was a sprawlingmassofravaged,collapsing, and abandoned buildings situated in the middle of a predominantly residential neighborhood. Close to the water, this particular section of Northern Liberties is one of the last vestiges of the neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rich fabric of industrial and residential commingledcommunities.Thescale of the collection of the Capital Meats buildings (originally seven in total) tells a familiar story of a neighborhood industry, which employed the neighborhood. Since 1989 when Capital Meats closed, the site had been the source of numerousfires,break-ins,vandalism, and illicit encounters. When we walked through the building in 1999, we saw the burned-out shell of a windowless cooler with collapsing floors, potential environmental nightmares, and death. Underneath all of this, however, we also saw a place of strength, light, and life. 8 dwellings

UNIT 101 Opposite page bottom left: Second floor loft plan of unit; Above left: existing conditions of unit showingthecomplete absence of light which distinguished this cold storage space; Above middle: second floor outdoor “perch” space sandwiched between the three “light pods”; Right: dining table made from found objects in unit and ladder leading to the lightpod-for-a-good-cup-of-coffee;Below: view of kitchen; Bottom right: view from entry of double high space and floating bridge leading to “perch;” This page bottom left: first floor plan of unit; Above two images: views of living room area; Right: view of loft space with sliding-meat-rack-closet. The closet rolls out into the double height space to create more room on the loft level; Below: view of “coffee pod” from below; Bottom right: view of loft and sliding closet from floating bridge 25

UNIT 102: Opposite page bottom right: Plan of second floor loft; Left: first floorplan;Aboveleft:existingcondition of spaceshowingcomplete absence of light and meat racks; Middle: space in the process of transformation; Right: finished view of living room/kitchen; This page upper left: view of stair landingand“nasty”wallinsemi-ruinous state; Right: View of Dining area with existing meat scale meant to weigh occupants as they enter and leave the dining area; Middle: view of bedroom and closet; Below: view of “object walls”separatingbedroomsfromliving area; Left: View of living area, kitchen, stair and catwalk to second floor loft.

UNIT 103: Opposite

page bottom left: first floor plan of unit; Above left: existing image of burned out shell of space before construction; Above right: View looking from living area into bedroom; Below: view from bedroom into living area; Bottom two images: views of sliding and translucent walls separating the circulation from the third bedroom which has door leading to outdoor shower; This page lower right: sliding shoji wall between entrance and bedroom; Middle: detail of existing elevator rails in bathroom; Left: image of bathroom and custom sink connection to elevator rails; Above: view of kitchenandlivingareawith door to outdoor garden.

UNIT

201: Opposite page bottom left: plan of second floor unit; Above left: image of existing conditions, previously the office space for the meat packing plant; Right: image of entry into unit with view of bedroom wall/screen meant for housing keysandknick-knacks;Middle: view of living area/kitchen; Below: view of bedroom and built-in desk/filter wall; This page upper right: view from bedroom through sliding shoji screen wall into living area; Below: view from entrance into kitchen living space with filter wall on right.

UNIT 202: Opposite page below left: plan of second floor unit; Above left two images: view of existing conditions of space; Upper right: viewofjuncturebetweenacloset,shelvingunit, existing concrete column, bathroom/elevator, and supply air duct; Bottom right: detail of custom made steel and mdf closet doors; This page bottom left: view of bedroom showing “breakfast-in-bed-window”and winged closet doors; Middle: view of path to exterior garden; Above middle: view of kitchen; Upper left: view of bedroom with floating built-in desk; Right: view of bedroom “perch” to exterior.

UNIT 301: Opposite page lower left: plan of 3rd floor unit; Upper left two images: view of existing conditions of space as pump/mechanical room and “cleaned out”; Upper right: image of hidden door to floating “perch” from bedroom; Middle: image of exterior west façade from unit balcony; Below right: view of 25’-0” tall elevator shaft transformed into bathroom; This page bottom right: view of kitchen showing reconstituted elevator rails into wine glass shelf. Bottom left: view of dining area and stair to reading nook; Top right: view of skylight living and dining areas.

UNIT 302: Opposite page bottom: plan of unit; Above left two images:viewofexistingconditions and preliminary demolition; Middle:viewofbedroomshowing built-in desk on left made from found object on site, and entry doors made from freezer doors found on site; Above right: view of living area with door to exterior balcony; Below: detail of â&#x20AC;&#x153;2 hour doorâ&#x20AC;? (required to be made in 2 hours) to bathroom; This page bottom right: view of kitchen/dining area; Above left: view of living area; Above right: view of joint between bathroom and laundry area.

UNIT 303: Opposite page bottom: plan of 3rd floor unit; Middle two images: view of existing space after skylight was cut into concrete roof; Above left: view of kitchen; Above right: view of living area and kitchen with door leading to balcony; This page bottom: view of living area; Above left: view of bedroom with removableladdertosleepingloft;Above right:viewfrombalconylookingsouth.

Left: Birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye rendering of Rag Flats; Above: initial sketch of prototypical unit for RagFlats; Oppositepage: image of Rag Flats entry court and Trinity E.

RAG FLATS 1338-52 E. Berks St. Fishtown, Philadelphia 2006 Developer / Designer / Builder: Onion Flats Rag Flats is an experiment in and a critique of sustainable forms of urban dwelling. The former industrial rag factory has been re-conceptualized as a residential garden communitycreatedbyprototypicalformsof dwellingscommonlyfoundinPhiladelphia: the row house, the trinity, the loft, and the pavilion.RagFlatsintentionallyexploresthe necessary relationships between density, intimacy,andprivacyinanyurbancommunity.

Rag Flats was a collaborative design/build project. We asked Minus Studios (John Gwin and Jeremy Avellino) and Cover (Dan Magno and Ken Roscioli) to join us in what was understandably a risky endeavor. We gave them little direction and enormous responsibility. Minus took on the “row” experiments, and Cover took on the custom steel experiments. While all had their collective responsibilities, cross-fertilization was commonplace. In the process an inspiring team of architect/ builder/craftsmenwasforgedamongthese three companies as the project was being built. This is a significant dimension to the critique and experiment of Rag Flats becauseitproposesamodeofthinkingand building which is collective, creative, and cohesive rather than specialized, limited, andfragmented.Itsuggeststhatthecoreof any successful project does not rest merely on the architectural gesture/concept but rather on a structure in which all involved “own” the project. This team approach confirmed that, whether at the scale of a building or a city, no real transformation is possible without altering the framework for imagining and actualizing which opens questions, instigates a dialogue, and provokes controversy rather than merely solves problems.

URBAN MODULE:

THE GIVEN

ISOLATED

Search for the prototypical ‘urban modules’ that define an urban block. Use them, but play.

TYPICAL

SINGLE MODULE TYPE

ROW

EXTENSIONS LINEAR/STATIC/CHANNELED

SINGLE MODULE TYPE

ROW-LESS with EXTENSIONS

ROOFS = LIVING ROOMS

RE-CONSIDERED

DISPERSED/PERMEABLE/OPEN

RE-POSITIONED

RE-CONFIGURED

RE-CONTEXTUALIZED

1338-52 E. Berks Street, as we found it in 2002, was vacant except for a few trucks and a family of feral cats. The two-story factory structures facing Berks Street were on the verge of collapse and had been filled with the “remains of the day” by its previous owner, a masonry contractor. We were told by the neighbors that prior to its status as a dump site; it had been a rag factory. Many of the neighbors had at one time worked there. Most fascinating about the site was that from the street it presented an unobtrusive, even silent face to the entirely residential community adjoining it, masking the“secret”space beyond. This“secret” became the source of all experiments on the site. Behind the mask we began to play, explore ideas about the city, dream of gardens flowing from above, below, and between buildings, imagine thin slivers of space and light that were at once solid and then void. We would speak of what makes a city a city, of the “in-between” and the making of communities instead of houses.

Trinities

Inspired by one of the most fundamental urban building blocks of Philadelphia, the “trinities” occupy and redefine the central courtyard of the community. Freestandingyetperceptuallyinterwoven,eachdwellingisa2140-squarefoot,three bedroom, three bath, three story, 20’x20’trinity tower with“extensions”at each level. Outdoor garden spaces at the ground level for each dwelling are intimate andprivateyetinterdependent. Each trinity is oriented to the courtyard and path ofthesununiquely,suchthatthelightandairinsideandoutsideeachunitareever changingandparticulartoitsspecificsetting.Fundamentaltothesetrinitiesisthe desiretooccupyfullyallroofsas“living”rooms,privategardenplatforms,extensions of the interior, and connections to the immediate and surrounding community.

“Trinity communities”made up a significant portion of Philadelphia’s residential neighborhoods100yearsagoandstilldo.Suchcommunitiesgetlittlepresswhen issuesofurbanformanddensityarediscussedinregardstoPhiladelphia’spastand future,probablybecause they were virtually invisible and still are. One finds these communities tucked into the“interiors”of many neighborhood blocks.They are likeRussiandolls,communitieswithincommunities,blockswithinblocks.Toenter a trinity community one generally passes through a small, narrow alley, carved out between two, street-facing row homes. Such alleys appear to be private and strictly for access to the back yards of the adjacent row houses. Often, however, these alleys are actually miniature streets, which lead into the depth of the block behind the row houses“proper”and are lined with trinities on either side. Named for the Christian Trinity of“Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,”these trinities also have three parts or stories.They often occupy a mere 12x12 footprint and are stacked like soldier courses of brick. Some might view these micro-blocks with disdain – unlivable throwbacks and references to Philadelphia as an overpopulated and industrial giant and irrelevant to our present urban condition. We are, however, utterly fascinated by them as metaphors, artifacts, and prototypes.

Elevations for Trinity “A”

Elevations for Trinity “B”

Elevations for Trinity “C”

Elevations for Trinity “D”

3 10

47 5 4

Right: Plan of Rag Flats 1: Trinity A 2: Trinity B 3: Trinity C 4: Trinity D 5: Trinity E 6: Row house 1 7: Row house 2 8: Industrial Lofts #1 and #2 with Photovoltaic system on roof 9: Industrial Loft #3 with Photovoltaic system on roof 10: Pavilion with Photovoltaic system on roof 11: Green roof 12: Parking courtyard with rain water cistern beneath 13: Community garden and composting center Left: Trinity â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;character studiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

6 7

Clockwiseleft:viewintocourtyardfrom one of the Trinities; Above: view from roof top“living rooms”and downtown Philadelphia beyond; Below: detail of “floating” steel stair in Trinities; Opposite page from bottom clockwise: view ofsemi-privategardenspacesbetween Trinities; Above: view from 2nd floor deckdemonstrating‘collage-like’layering of space, structure and color; Right: viewofcommunitycompostingcenter.

Right: View of 32kw solar PV array; Below: View of industrial loft units and courtyard

Above: View of courtyard from lofts Right: View of Trinities from Pig Alley

Above: select views of interstitial spaces between units; Opposite page: view of courtyard from Row House 2nd floor deck

Row Homes Minus Studios was commissioned to design and build the two row homes at Rag Flats. These structures,unlikethetrinities,werestreetfacingand party wall sharing buildings, sandwiched between the existing factory and the humble, wonderfully dissonant neighboring row homes. Because of their visibility, actions spurred much dialogue in the community, both positive and negative, but always direct. Neighbors watched over the work, gave their critiques, and filled water bottles.The network of interactions between such people as Ruthie, Helen, Mike, Gene, Butch, Mike and Joan, was vital to the actions taken and the work created. Minus Studios had very little experience when they were presented with this commission. Most days were amixoffear, ignorance,ingenuity, pressure, despair, joy, pain and rigor. Working with a simple palette ofcommonandinexpensivebuildingmaterials,they focusedonfloodingtheopenplanwithnaturallight, and blurring the reading of two buildings into one coherent composition. They maximized space in an inherently efficient archetype by“pushing”the plan outintopublicspacewhereverpossible.Frontfacing bedroomsgainedareadingnookwithacantilevered box; balconies protruded off of each rear-facing bedroom; a switchback staircase floated over the courtyard to allow a sensible plan; roof surfaces became decks to supplement shallow backyards.

Right: View of street front faces of Row Houses; Opposite page: view of ‘lily pad’ steel bridge in Row House #1, made from ½” thick plate steel, designed and built by Cover.

ARCHITECTURAL, TECHNICAL, MATERIAL, SOCIAL, & FINANCIAL SUSTAINABLITY -

Site plan emphasizes community, density, and intimacy – essential “urban” characters Emphasis on environmentally and socially responsible building site Emphasis on physically working with materials rather than relying on computers Site specific but “prototypical” residential units Fragmented parking areas Orientation of buildings on site to north, south, east, and west, with no emphasis on any one direction Indoor/outdoor rooms on all levels Grass floors (bamboo) Surface heat (radiant) rather than volumetric heat (forced hot air) Hot water “indirectly” heated via radiant boiler Cool air handler “centered” in buildings and 96% efficient 32 kw photovoltaic panel system, individually metered Compact residential unit plans, ample glass, “stair filters,” little need for interior lighting, cross ventilation, decks on all levels “Green” space woven between buildings 6000-gallon cistern for rain water collection Permeable hard/soft parking surface Occupiable “intensive” green roof

Opposite page: sketches and details of Row House process; Right: study of the courtyard facades of Row Houses; All sketches by John Gwin.

Clockwise from bottom left: Detail of handrail; Middle: detail of floating steel stair; Above: detail of 3rd floor bridge leading to bedroom and roof access; Right: view of kitchen with views of courtyard; Below: view of 3 story high living space. All stairs/railings designed & fabricated by Cover. Opposite page upper left: view of courtyard from Row House stair landing; Right: view of courtyard faรงade of Row Houses

Clockwise from bottom left: View of Pavilion from the “alley”; Above: view through kitchen to exterior green roof; Right: view of joint between steel Pavilion and Trinity C; Below: view of stairwell with “steel bamboo” guardrails designed & fabricated by Cover.

Pavilion The Pavilion is a glass and steel structure perched atop a masonry plinth remaining from the defunct rag factory. We approached this unique corner of the site with the desire to experiment with a fundamentally different type of construction, a particular mind-set for detailing, and a new set of tools and challenges.

Both pages: The 8” deep intensive green roof at the second floor level between the Pavilion and a loft space is “community space” as is the spiral staircase to the roof of the Pavilion and access to the 32 kw photovoltaic solar panel array.

This page: sketch of rear elevation and yard. Opposite page bottom: sketch of facade in context along Laurel Street; Above: aerial rendering of project with green roofs. All sketches by John Gwin.

E FLATS 133-37 Laurel St. Northern Liberties, Philadelphia 2006 Developer: Domani Developers Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: Ermilio Group Located on the same block as Capital Flats, this project continues the rhythm of the street and explores the unusual sectional shift between Laurel and Pollard Streets, creating a three- and four-story buildingsimultaneously.Theconventional“pass-through”serviceway, commonly found in many traditional row homes and meant to act as a shared link between the street and the back yard, is used in this projecttoactivatedifferinglevelsofentry,interaction,andcommunity. The “faces” of this project attempt to entice and encourage yet confound definitive readings of program, density and height. 4 dwellings

Thispage:elevationmaskstudymodels; Opposite page bottom: view of facade & balcony from street; Above: overall view of facades from street

Clockwise from bottom left: detail view of rear elevation at balcony; Top: view of floating steel stair and glass walkway from kitchen & dining room; Middle & below: view of kitchen/dining space; Opposite page bottom: view of greenroofandcityscapeAbove:view of skylights, green roof, and entry.

Clockwise from bottom right: view of opened up living space and mezzanine level;Top left & right: existing space with enclosed attic above; Opposite page clockwisefrombottomleft:viewofglass enclosed shower which filters light into bathroomfromsurroundinglivingspace; Above left: custom made sliding entry gate; Above right : view of spiral stair leading to a glass floored observation deck; Bottom right: completed exterior rear view of the firehouse with a new exterior suspended steel stair and deck.

THE FIREHOUSE 625 N. 13th St. Loft District, Philadelphia 2007 Client: Val and Sue Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: JIG Inc. Thisprojectis a conversion of a former trolley maintenance garageandsubsequent firehouse into anowner-occupied residence and rental loft.The 5,000-squarefoot project incorporates industrial design elements of the former structure through the use of exposed structural and ornamentalsteel,acidetchedconcretefloors,andtheincorporationofon-sitereclaimedlumber intothemillworkandanewcustomstair.Theformerattic,underahighslopingroof,wasopened up to add a mezzanine level and higher observation deck perched high over the living area. 2 dwellings

Clockwise from bottom right: glass floored observation deck; Bottom left: hallway gallery with custom floor & stair made from reclaimed wood from the site.;Top left & right: custom shower with seat; Opposite page: additional dwelling used as rental on the lower floor. View of living space with steel framed bedroom loft hovering above.

This page immediate left: view from backyard deck into living/dining area; Far left: detail of Berks Street entry faรงade; Above: floorplans:Oppositepage: initial sketch of project by John Gwin.

BERKS/HEWSON 1317 Berks St. + 1318 Hewson St. Fishtown, Philadelphia 2007 Developer: Onion Flats Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: JIG Inc.

First LEED-H Gold Residential Dwellings in the City of Philadelphia A simple in-fill set of row houses between other rows has allowed us to concentrate on the purity of the row as a thin slit of space with two faces, front and back, and a contemporary desire for ample light and air. The plan, while open and free, still manages in its small footprint to house three bedrooms, three baths, and an inviting presence from the street. Some significant features of the house include an occupiable “intensive” green roof, rainwater collection tank, 50% more energy efficiency than is required by code, and insta-hot water connected to solar thermal panels on the roof. A neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) comes with each house as well as dedicated “electric car parking only” spaces on the street. 2 dwellings

This page immediate left: view of bedroom into stairwell; Left: view of entry space; Above left: view of stair screen; Above right: view of kitchen, entry and stair screen; Opposite page bottom left: view of back yard from living area; Upperleft: viewofrearelevation;Right: view of Berks St. faรงade.

Opposite Page: Clockwise from bottom: View of master bedroom and deck. Upper left: View of bedroom space with interior light filtering glazing. Upper right: Details of interior light filtering glazing. This page: Lower Right: View of ships ladder up to Green Roof from the Second Floor deck. Lower Left: Detail of Berks St. faรงade Top: View of Green Roof overlooking the neighborhood.

JACKHAMMER 636 Belgrade St. Fishtown, Philadelphia 2008 Developer: Jackhammer Architect: Plumbob Llc. Design/Builder: Kurt Schlenbaker FirstLEED-HGoldResidential/Commercial live/work space in the City of Philadelphia

Formerly a convenience store and significant loitering/drug-dealing corner property,neighborsseemedpleasedwhen it caught on fire and was demolished in 2005. We felt it was important to restore the life and sense of community to this small but unique corner of Fishtown. From only a fourteen-foot width and barely a 700-squarefoot footprint, we managed to create a vibrant, light-filled commercial space on the ground floor and basement as well as one residential dwelling on the 2nd and 3rd floors with a large green roof. 1 dwelling 1 commercial space

View of recently planted 4â&#x20AC;? deep extensive green roof with inset image of fully grown sedum plants

Thispageleft:ViewfromKitchentowards Living space with reclaimed wood flooring; Upper Right:: View of stair and metal rail leading up to second floor; Bottom Right: View of Master Bedroom and balcony.

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THIN FLATS 145-57 Laurel St. Northern Liberties, Philadelphia 2008 Developer: Onion Flats Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: JIG Inc.

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First LEED-H Platinum Duplexes in the Country. This project explores the latent potential hidden within the vertical rhythm and regularity of the Philadelphia row home. Thin faces fronting both Laurel and Pollard Streetsmaskandblurconventionallinesofdemarcation betweenneighboringdwellings.Intheprocessadegree of density yet expansiveness uncommon to the thin space of the single-family row home emerges. 9 dwellings

in the Americas each year that represent workable, livable, ans sustainable models for future development.

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VOID: SURFACE:VEIL

The façade of Thin Flats is at once a surface and a void, blurring the limits of the units within. The façade of the lower units is pushed back from the sidewalk to accommodate circulation, flood a‘basement’space with light, aid in solar shading and create a veil from public view. Balconies on upper floors recess from behind the surface of the veil to create opportunities for civic engagement within the thin space of the façade.

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This Page: Left; Detail photo of projected balconies. Right; North Facade. Opposite Page: Upper Left; Exploded axonometric diagram of south facing street facade. Lower Left; Photo of street facade before installation of cladding. Lower Right; Photo collage study of final cladding composition.

This page: Bottom Left; Birds eye view of the living rooftop. Bottom Right; View of skylight & green roof at night. Upper Right;View of green roof. Opposite Page; Clockwise from Bottom Left: Light filters down to the lower level of the unit through the glass floor above. Upper Left: Detail of glass & steel stair and bridge guardrail. Right: Glass, steel, and wood stairs floating in the space.

Opposite page: Bottom: Sectional study of Unit layouts. Top Left: View of Kitchen.Top Middle;View of dining area. Top Right: View of Living Area This page Left: View of upper unit Master Bath with clerestory. Right; Viewof glassbridge, skylight, andstair up to green roof.

This page bottom: site plan of property; Above left: Patio space at terraced garden. Abovemiddle: Doubleheight entry;Right:Customsteeland wood floating stair. Opposite page top right: Overall view of house on terraced site at twilight Bottom: Overall view of south elevation. PL

INTENSIVE GREEN ROOF

ROOF DECK SOLAR PV ARRAY

RAINWATER CISTERN

MARGARIDO HOUSE 5950 Margarido Dr. Oakland, California 2008 Client: Mike McDonald & Jill Martensen Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: McD Construction First LEED-H Platinum single-family home in northern California

Thissingle-familyhomeinthehillsofOakland,overlooking the Bay Bridge and all of San Francisco, is designed to mergecomfortablyintoitsdifficultandsteeplyslopedsite while providing a tranquil setting for a young couple and their two children. Completed in 2008, this house has an array of sustainable features. It incorporates a green roof garden, a photovoltaic panel system generating all electricity necessary for the home, and solar thermal panels, which provide pre-heated domestic hot water and radiant heat. Other features include an underground cistern to capture rain and groundwater for reuse in landscaping, interior air quality management system, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;smart houseâ&#x20AC;? technology to minimize energy and maximize convenience. 1 dwelling

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Opposite page left: first, second and roof plans; right top: view of entry into dwelling under construction; middle: view of driveway and entry path under construction; bottom: view of North terraced garden retaining wall; This page right: view of front living space under shade of the overhang; bottom left: view of San Francisco from roof top garden. Top left: View of entry facade.

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This page: Left: light washing the shower and sink walls from skylight above in the Master Bath. Middle: View of stair and side patio. Right: Light filled living space. Opposite page: Clockwise from lower left: Detail of stucco and wood facade. Middle: Shadows cast across entry tiles. Top: Details of custom steel and wood floating stairs. Right: view of Entry approach under sun shade overhang.

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Our proposal for this single-family, 24’x24’ 1100sf home, affectionately referred to as TED, focuses on a dwelling that both challenges and supports the project’s historic NearWestside Neighborhood.TED was conceived as a prototypical home that could comfortably sit on a variety of lots in the neighborhood and yet be unique to each site. Programmatically,TED is surprisingly versatile, easily transformed from a two to three to four bedroom home, or into two duplex units, or into a home office/studio with residence above, all accomplished with minor interior alterations. A small addition to the rear of TED creates the option for future expansion.TED is a dense, ultra-efficient, thickskinned yet light-filled and spacious powerhouse of contemporary urban dwelling.TED exudes more energy than it consumes, collects and recycles water and has the ability to produce food. TED easily meets the requirements for LEED for Homes Platinum Certification. It’s form follows function pleasingly, as the lines of its gables rise in direct and perpendicular relation to the equinox sun, creating a mechanism for both heating and cooling, naturally and sustainably.

TED 102 Thispage:Above:physicalmodels. Below: Rendering of north facade. Opposite page: Upper Right: Site aerial. Below: Images of Symposium and Exhibition at Syracuse University School of Architecture

FROM THE GROUND UP: INNOVATIVE GREEN HOMES COMPETITION Syracuse, New York 2008 Competition Sponsors: Home Headquartes Inc., Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental Energy Systems, Syracuse University School of Architecture Challenge: design a modestly priced, environmentally thoughtful house on a narrow lot in an urban neighborhood, easily adaptable to other sites in the area and for a budget to no more than $150,000 inclusive of fees and site work. Entries were required to include a detailed budget to be reviewed by a technical evaluation team consisting of construction, cost estimating and sustainability experts who would assign a feasabilty rating that would factor into the jury selection. The result of the competiton was to select one or more schemes which are now under construction. WINNERS:

103 Onion Flats & Andropogon

Cook+Fox ARO & Della Valle Bernheimer FINALISTS: Office dA David Adjaye Assoc. Erdy McHenry Briggs Knowles + Peter Lynch

STORM WATER MANAGEMENT

The intention of TED’s stormwater management plan is to produce zero runoff through the captureandreuseofwater.Precipitationthatfallsonthebuildingisdirectedtoanunderground 1000 gallon rainwater cistern. Rain/snow that falls on the rest of the site is entirely managed by the landscape. Given that Syracuse has an annual precipitation of 40 inches per year (includes 114” of snow), the proposal diverts an average of 88,300 gallons of water per year from entering the public combined sewer, relieving stress on the aging infrastructure system as well as the surrounding natural hydrology. A rain garden, prominently located in the front, manages rainwater from the entry porch roof and walkway while hosting a community of native flowering herbaceous plants that attract pollinators.

WATER USE AND RE-USE/LANDSCAPING

TED’s water consumption is reduced by a minimum of 50% through the use of low-flow faucets and showerheads, dual flush toilets and reuse of the collected rainwater for irrigation ofvegetablegardens.Alllandscaping,excludingthevegetablegarden,isspecificallydesigned to require little maintenance and no irrigation once established. All turf is a “No-Mow” lawn mix which blends six different deep-rooted, drought resistant fescues varieties. Native and fruiting trees require no irrigation and provide texture, shade and scale to the front and back yard while producing food and supporting the local wildlife. The hearty sideyard‘Red Sprite’ (Winterberry) shrubs produce gorgeous red fruit that will remain on the branches long after the leaves have fallen, enhancing the winter landscape and enticing songbirds. An important “add-on” is a proposal for a small constructed wetland that would disconnect TED from the public sewer system and remotely manage sewage treatment. Until recently (past 20 years) most American homes, through the use of a septic tank and leaching field, effectively managed the majority of their own sewage. The proposed constructed wetland wouldworkthroughthesameprinciple,butratherthanleachingeffluentbackintotheground, it gets cleansed through a series of simple and effective bio-filters to then be reused in the home for toilet flushing, car washing and irrigation.

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Thispage:Above:Planoptiondiagramsshowing howthebaseplancanbere-configuredtomeet future changes in use. Bottom: Axonometric diagrams of massing morphology. Opposite page: Site-plan and floor plans.

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TWO STORY & ROOF:

VERTICAL STACK:

STACK AIRFLOW:

This page: Upper left: Cross sectionlookingsouth.Upperright: Cross section looking west. Lower left: South elevation in winter Lower right: South elevation in summer with addition. Opposite page: Upper left: Exploded axon of building envelope & HVAC system. Upper Right: Diagrams of construction types. Lower left: Interiorviewlookingnorth. Lower Right: Interior view looking south.

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CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

TED was designed so that it could be built in three different ways: 1. Stick framing, 2. Modular, 3. SIP panels. Stick framing has the one significant benefit that it is the most common and preferred method of construction for single family homes in the area. Stick framing is the least expensive and in many ways the most‘sustainable’method of building from the perspective of supporting local economies but far less sustainable from the perspective of material efficiencies and waste, quality control or mass production. Modular construction would answer all these concerns and be the preferred method of building for TED if multiple dwellings were constructed at the same time and if a relationship with a local factory willing to ‘experiment’ with alternative building plans not within the factory’s ‘stock’ portfolio was established. The significant advantage of SIP panel construction is that its insulation properties are superior to any other method of building. While all methods of construction are appropriate for TED, for the purposes of our proposal, our pricing reflects a stick-built TED as it is commonplace and therefore makes common sense.

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HEATING AND HOT WATER

Four 6’x6’evacuated tube solar thermal panels located on the 44º sloped,southfacingroofcombinedwitha120gallonstoragetank, radiant tubing in all floors and a 96 % efficient condensing boiler will provide all of the heating and domestic hot water needs.

COOLING

The three-story open interior atrium space combined with the climate of Syracuse eliminates the need for mechanical cooling during the summer months. Natural convection created by a‘solar chimney’continuously exhausts warm air and humidity from the home while maintaining a comfortable ambient temperature.

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BELFIELD TOWNHOMES 1735-39 Belfield Ave. Philadelphia 2012

Developer: Onion Flats / Raise of Hope / RDA Architect: Plumbob Llc. General Contractor: JIG Inc Modular Builder: BLOX Sustainable Building Systems

FIRST Certified Passiv Haus in Pennsylvania The project involves the development, design and construction of three row homes for the Raise of Hope (ROH) organization for 1735, 1737 & 1739 Belfield Avenue, in Philadelphia. The townhomes are three stories, 1920 sf, and have 4 bedrooms, and three bathrooms, living room, kitchen and office. Parking for one vehicle will be on site for each home and accessed from the rear. The intention of this project is for it to be a model of affordable and sustainable building for the City of Philadelphia. They are designed to be high performance buildings, to achieve Passiv Haus standards and to approach zero-energy status. Onion 109 Flats hopes that this project will demonstrate the economic development feasibility of a highly sustainable buildings for the affordable housing market. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We cannot simply think of our survival; each new generation is responsible to ensure the survival of theseventh generation. The prophecy given to us, tells us that what we do today will affect the seventh generation and because of this we must bear in mind our responsibility to them today and always.â&#x20AC;? Haudenosaunee Leauge 1142 AD

Philadelphia City Paper BELFIELD TOWNHOMES 2012 BIG VISION Awards: Sustainability & Design

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SITE ASSEMBLE

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FACTORY BUILD

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GYPSUM WALL BOARD

TAPE JOINT OF RIGID INSULATION

PTD. CONCRETE BOARD SIDING

TRIPLE GLAZING: U-value: 0.105 (R-9.5) UPVC TILT/TURN INSWING CASEMENT WINDOW PTD. ALUMINUM FLASHING BITUMINOUS FLASHING TAPE SPRAY FOAM AROUND WINDOW FRAME 1x3 WOOD FURRING STRIPS

PTD. METAL SIDING FOIL FACED POLYISOCIANURATE RIGID BOARD INSULATION, (2 LAYERS 1” W/ JOINTS STAGGERED) WALL SHEATHING W/ INTEGRAL AIR & MOISTURE BARRIER DENSE PACK CELLULOSE INSULATION

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STABLE HOMES 1102-34 N. American St. + 1101-31 Bodine St. Northern Liberties, Philadelphia 2011 Developer: Onion Flats Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: BLOX Sustainable Building Systems

Designed to be LEED-H Platinum Certified AND Passive House Certified

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Stables is a 27 unit townhome development in the heart of Northern Liberties. Once completed it will be the first Passive House community in the United States. With a projected 90% reduction in energy consumption required for these homes, supported by a significant PV solar array, Stables also intends to be one the country’s first “zeroenergy” communities. Designed on the prevalent Philadelphia row typology, the project begins with one of the most efficient urban forms of dwelling, which also make it an ideal model for modular manufacturing. The entire project, above the foundation, will be built in a modular factory, while foundations are being constructed on site. This fast track process will reduce construction time by 50%.

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Clockwise from left: rendering of Bodine Street elevation;above:renderingofAmericanStreetelevation;middleright:renderingofâ&#x20AC;&#x153;floatingcourtyardsâ&#x20AC;?; Lower right: Street view of Entry lobby and street facade;Oppositepageupperright:birdseyeandsite plan;bottom:renderingofprojectindicatingextent of green roofs and 260 KW photovoltaic system.

STABLE FLATS 1102-34 N. American St. + 1101-31 Bodine St. Northern Liberties, Philadelphia 2009 Developer: Joint venture partnership between Onion Flats and Domani Developers Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: JIG Inc. Designed to be the first, multi-family LEED-H Platinum certified project of its kind in the United States Stable Flats is a 70-unit, residential project intended to be a model of sustainable, residential and community urban redevelopment.Theprojectbenefitsfrominnovativepublic/privatepartnershipswiththePhiladelphiaWaterDepartment and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. Of the 70 units, an unprecedented 31% are Affordable Housing units.The project is located in the heart of a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood with more than one hundred thousand square feet of commercial space currently approved for construction within a four-block radius, public bus service within one block, and the“El”or elevated train, part of Philly’s mass transit system within four blocks. A percentage of parking spaces will be dedicatedtoPhillyCarShare,hybrid,andelectricvehicles.Amechanical,automatedparkingstructurestackscarsthreehigh. 70 dwelling units

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URBAN MODULE:

Learn to love and dwell within it’s thin, efficient and elegant slits of urban space

WORK WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT

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SHIFT-IT

STITCH-IT

Insist that each part of the ‘system’ functions in at least three ways. Capture more, consume less.

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RAINWATER CISTERN

STORMWATER COLLECTION

GEO-THERMAL HEATSINK

The community garden is designed as a combination of vegetable garden, flower garden, composting center, children’s playground, stage, and community barbecue. The “floating courtyards” in the center of the project – a combination of private green roofs, outdoor decks, and passageways for the entire complex – are features that encourage a sense of community. An expansive southfacing façade incorporates a vertical planted wall and photovoltaic solar panels. The modular steel and concrete frame structure is designed to reduce overall energy use by at least 50%. Two central lobbies house rotating galleries and permanent exhibition spaces containing educational tools and displays demonstrating the“green”aspects of the project, which monitor the energy being generated and the water being saved by the project. The roof consists of multiple eight-inch deep intensive (occupiable) and four-inch deep extensive (nonoccupiable)greenroofsystemsplusa260kwphotovoltaic panel system. Green roofs along with the community gardenprovideopengreenspacetotaling93%coverage of the total site. Thus only 7% of the site has impervious coverage. Green roofs increase the insulation values of each unit, reducing cooling and heating costs, while fulfilling 100% of the storm water management needs. 124

This page: Lower left: rendering of community garden and south facing“living wall”; Upper left: rendering of Northern view down American Street with“living wall” Opposite Page: Upper right: Rendering of fourth floor level of“floating courtyards”acting as main circulation andcommunity/privateoutdoorspace;Lowerright:rendering of green roof balcony as it relates on a dwelling unit;Lowerleft:renderingofperviousdrivewayandmechanicalparkingareawith“floatingcourtyards”above.

The “macro” storm water management system/geothermalheatexchanger/rainwater cistern is a 430,000-gallon tank, which will “siphon” water from the high water table in the immediate vicinity of this neighborhood. It will be used as a geo-thermal “heat exchanger” for the project’s central heating and cooling systems. It will also act as an overflow cistern for any rainwater collected on the site.This multi-dimensional system will reduce common flooding in the surrounding blocks,significantlyreduceheatingandcooling costs for occupants, and reuse all rainwater to irrigate the community garden and all green roofs. Natural light and air are designed into all areas of the residential units in order to minimize electric light usage during the day. Allmechanical,kitchen,andbathroomspaces are centrally and efficiently located. Radiant floor heat tubing is embedded in polished concrete floors. The centrally located boiler for the radiant heating simultaneously and indirectly heats the domestic hot water for all 125 units, which use low-flow toilets, faucets, and showers.

1st-2nd FLOOR 2 BEDROOM / 2 BATH UNITS 1200sf

3rd-4th FLOOR 1 BEDROOM / 1 BATH UNITS 900sf

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3rd-4th FLOOR 2 BEDROOM / 2 BATH UNITS 1400sf

5th FLOOR 3 BEDROOM / 3 BATH UNITS 2300sf

Opposite page right: floor plans of typical dwellings and how the modular units are connected horizontally to create one, two and three bedroom units; left: interior renderings of typical dwellings This page: second floor and fifth floor plans.

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SECOND FLOOR PLAN

FIFTH FLOOR PLAN

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This page: faรงade studies of material connections, modular connection details and colors; Opposite page: rendering of stacked modular units.

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ZERO 32nd & Chestnut St. Philadelphia 2011 Developer: Joint venture partnership between Onion Flats and Tower Investments Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: BLOX Sustainable Building Systems

Designed to be the first, multi-family Passive House certified Zero energy project of its kind in the United States

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When one reviews the 2007 Campus Master Plan for Drexel University, it is clear that the site for this RFP on the South side of Chestnut Street, between 32nd and 33rd Streets currently holds an important yet fragile position in the overall vision for the future of Drexel’s campus. As the University’s Southern-most site and its position relative to Penn’s campus, it becomes, by default, a crucial threshold for definition within Drexel’s campus and identity. When one studies the existing vehicular and more importantly pedestrian paths and linkages surrounding the site, it becomes obvious that the corners of 33rd and 32nd and Chestnut have the potential to establish themselves as critical and active “nodes” and gateways into the University. The “32nd Street Mall” currently under construction, along with the future Law School planned for the North side of Chestnut at 32nd suggests an opportunity for an important “Retail Node” on the Southwest corner of 32nd and Chestnut. Likewise, the corner of 33rd and Chestnut while currently inactive, is in fact a hub of pedestrian activity as it is the meeting point of Drexel’s Quadrangle to the Northeast and Penn’s Hill Square to the Southwest. This, combined with the exquisitely designed and soon-to-be-completed Integrated Sciences Building on the Northeast corner, elevates the significance of this presently under-utilized and underestimated corner into a vibrant and relevant retail, residential and promotional gateway into Drexel’s campus. An important dimension of our proposal therefore involves designing the “bigger picture” potentials of this site, potentials that have this development contribute not only quality retail and housing to Drexel’s campus but also important gateways into the future envisioned in Drexel’s Master Plan.

Crucial to the success of ZERO is our commitment not to “green” building but rather to the highest levels of sustainability possible within our current thinking and technology. We intend this project to be Drexel’s first LEED Platinum structure, the City’s first Passive HouseTM Certified complex and the country’s largest NetZero-Energy community. Aligned with the principles of the Drexel Green Initiative, this project will become a model of sustainable design and building practices and act as a laboratory for student, faculty and the local community’s education and engagement. Central to the sustainable goals of ZERO and the development team is the core principal belief that building sustainably does not mean building expensively. We have developed in Philadelphia some of the first LEED Gold and Platinum projects in the country at no cost premium. We achieve this level of financial, social and environmental sustainability by creating a more streamlined and efficient design/build process for all of our developments, eliminating waste, miscommunication and the costs associated with it. We translate those cost savings into a higher quality, more energy efficient and inspiring building.

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Our proposal incorporates a variety of high-sustainability strategies, including: - Intensive and extensive green roofs over 95% of all built area (storm water management, urban heat island, & habitat creation) - Sustainable Materials (renewable, recycled content, locally sourced) - 200 KW PV Solar Array (generates all electricity needed for the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operation. - High Performance Envelope (Passive House Certification: see below) - Low-flow fixtures and faucets which reduce water consumption by 50% - Integrated Design (maximize efficiency by taking a holistic approach to design and construction) - Superior Air Quality (low or no-VOC materials in conjunction with passive and active ERV ventilation) - Interior bicycle storage for all residents - LED displays of energy and water consumption within the complex in all public areas - ZIP/ Philly Car Share parking and electric charging ports within the South parking lot - LEED & Passive House Certification (Third party verification: accountability to meet project goals)

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SHAPING THE SITE

1. Activate the street with appropriate retail uses

3. Create a “new ground”, or garden landscape, at the second level

5. Create a 100% “pervious” site with 100% Green Roof coverage, so that stormwater is managed naturally

2. Provide sufficient parking at grade only, but eliminate the car from sight and create a pedestrian experience

4. Design “THE RIDGE” with blocks of residential units across the entire site

6. Generate all power necessary for the community on site with a significant Solar PV array

Along with incorporating all of the design guidelines within the RFP (ie, setbacks, Ridge/ Calumet expansion, curbcut, parking, service, loading, streetscape elements and signage), our proposal, RIDGE FLATS named after both the site’s street address as well as the natural landscape that has inspired it’s design, is a mixed-use residential/ retail “sustainable garden community” that takes it’s planning, architectural and sustainable design strategy from six basic principles:

RIDGE FLATS Ridge Ave & Calumet St Philadelphia 2011 Developer: Onion Flats Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: BLOX Sustainable Building Systems

Designed to be the first, multi-family Passive House certified Zero energy project of its kind in the United States

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RIDGE FLATS’ itention is to become Philadelphia’s first Net-Zero-Energy mixed-use residential/retail community and the country’s largest. RIDGE FLATS intends, therefore, to achieve net zero energy consumption and net zero carbon emissions annually, with all energy required for heating, cooling, lighting and domestic hot water generated on-site. As a model of sustainable development, our proposal articulates an urban, social and financially sustainable strategy that matches its environmental commitment.We have carefully considered the requirements as articulated in the RFP as well as the requirements of this site from an urban planning and community engagement perspective. Critical to the design intent of RIDGE FLATS is the creation of a pedestrian oriented and landscaped residential community that reconnects this currently blighted site back to its adjacent Fairmount Park and Schuylkill River neighbors. As the image below shows, the “new ground” created at the second level acts as a main entrance to all residential units, an idyllic and relaxing community garden as well as a viewing platform to the River, running/biking trails and the Park. Another significant design concern of RIDGE FLATS was how it could act as 1. a “gateway” into the East Falls community, 2. a transitional buffer between a heavily travelled vehicular Kelly Drive and the pedestrian oriented Fairmount Park trails, 3. a place of “pause” and reflection along the River for joggers, bicyclists and neighborhood residents.The image below communicates our intentions to meet those goals.

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Our proposal incorporates a variety of high-sustainability strategies, including: - Intensive and extensive green roofs over 100% of all built area (storm water management, urban heat island, & habitat creation) - Sustainable Materials (renewable, recycled content, locally sourced) - 200 KW PV Solar Array (generates all electricity needed for the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operation. - High Performance Envelope (Passive House Certification: see below) - Low-flow fixtures and faucets which reduce water consumption by 50% - Integrated Design (maximize efficiency by taking a holistic approach to design and construction) - Superior Air Quality (low or no-VOC materials in conjunction with passive and active ERV ventilation) - Interior bicycle storage for all residents - LED displays of energy and water consumption within the complex in all public areas - ZIP/ Philly Car Share parking and electric charging ports within parking lot - Passive House Certification (Third party verification: provides accountability)

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Clockwise from bottom left: birds eyerenderingofprojectwithview of green roofs, solar panels, and interiorcourtyard;above:plansof project; Opposite page bottom: renderingsoftheinter-connecting courtyardsandpedestrianwalks; middle: physical model views of project; above right: aerial plan view of project in context with neighborhood showing courtyards and solar panels; above left: facade rendering on 4th Street

DUCK FLATS 818-824 N. 4th St. Northern Liberties, Philadelphia 2008 Developer: Joint venture partnership between Onion Flats and Domani Developers Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: JIG Inc. Designed to be LEED-H Platinum Certified

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Formerly a storage facility for the “Ride the Ducks” tourist company, this site seemed ideal for an “affordable” community in a Northern Liberties that is currently unaffordable for most. Secondly, a significantsitestrategywastoeliminatethepresence of the automobile in favor of open, green, pedestrian community space. Circulation to all units is from exterior walkways and stairways which double as places of community interaction and dialogue. The project is designed for fabrication in a steel and concrete modular factory. 25 dwellings

URBAN MODULE:

140 THE GIVEN

ISOLATED

Read the city with intentionality and respond by acknowledging the fundamental building blocks of its fabric

THE GIVEN SITE

WAREHOUSE THE CAR

CREATE COMMUNITY

SUBDIVIDE

RE-CONFIGURE THE MODULE

RE-CONTEXTUALIZE

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URBAN ROOF = GREEN ROOF = LIVING ROOM

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Opposite Page : renderings of interior spaces of unit above: plans of project; This Page: renderings of the inter-connecting courtyardsandpedestrianwalks.

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THE SKY AND THE EARTH

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HARNESS

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STORE

HEAT

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This page below: vignettes of the courtyard spaces as they define the ground floor plan and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relationship to the dwellings surrounding them; middle: floor plans; top: images of physical model and how it relates to Capital Flats 1 and Thin Flats across the street; Opposite page top right: site plan; bottom: Hancock Street rendering.

CAPITAL FLATS II 152-158 W. Laurel St. Northern Liberties, Philadelphia 2009 Developer: Onion Flats Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: JIG Inc. Designed to be LEED-H Platinum certified The second stage of Capital Flats creates the atmosphere of a family compound.This project is informed by the desire to have the ground floor act a continuous interior/exterior playground for children to run and play among Grandma’s place to the north, Mom and Dad’s place in the center, and Uncle Johnny’s place to the south. All parking spaces for both Capital Flats 1 and II are underground, accessed by a car elevator at the southwestern edge of the site. The project is designed for fabrication in a steel and concrete modular factory. 8 dwellings

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This page: vignettes of elevated green streets, paths, private and community gardens. Opposite page bottom: site plan; above: conceptual diagram of stitched structures.

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MOSS FLATS 850 N. 3rd St. Northern Liberties, Philadelphia 2009 Developer: CNO Properties Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: TBD

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Situated on a 34,000-squarefoot site in the heart of Northern Liberties, this project attempts to create a pedestrian garden community one story above grade with parking and a relocated day care center. Conceptually, the site is “wrapped” from 3rd Street to Orianna Street with a new green landscape upon which a modern, pedestrian-oriented, residential community can prosper. Green roofs, private gardens, communal vegetable gardens, balconies and decks, and with them people, barbecues, lounge chairs, bicycles, potted plants, and baby pools occupy the spaces between the three blocks of“stitched”structures in an intentionally urban and collective manner.The project is designed for fabrication in a steel and concrete modular factory. 42 dwelling units 75 parking spaces 1 day care center

Clockwise from bottom left: birds eye sketch of project with view of green roofs, solar panels, and interior courtyard. top left & right: physical model of project in context; bottom right: rendered sketch of interior courtyard space which filters light into the living spaces and the floating walkways which bridge the two buildings. Opposite page bottom right: 3D rendering of theâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;wonky wallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;facade from street view. above: aerial plan view of project in context with neighborhood showing green roofs and solar panels.

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4th FLATS 1036-38 N. 4th St. Northern Liberties, Philadelphia TBD Developer: 1036 4th Street Associates Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: TBD Nestledbetweensingle-familyhomes,thisformerfactorysitestitches together 4th, George, and Leithgow Streets and offers a challenging juxtaposition of scales, programmatic elements, and streets, which helps to create the many “faces” to this project. The 4th Street “face” takes some initial cues from Ben Franklin’s “busy body” (a voyeuristic, monitoring mirror prevalent on Philadelphia rows).This allows inhabitants views of the sidewalk, the neighbors, and the sky simultaneously while challenging the passerby to reconsider initial readingsofdensity,height,andprogram.Thisrelationshipisinverted with the courtyard“faces”that completely and unabashedly open to the shared exterior terraces of circulation and dialogue within the flats’ community. The George and Leithgow Streets “faces” quietly hover above the ground while participating in the intimate and frequent “stoop” dialogues of these tree-lined streets. 151 5 dwellings

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This page clockwise from bottom: perspective sketch looking south-east from George St ; elevation rendering of facade on 4th street. top left: 3D rendering of ‘wonky wall’ from street view top right: 3D rendering of courtyard and the floating walkways connecting the two structures. Opposite Page: sectional study of both the light filtering effect of the ‘wonky wall’ and its framed views. left: plans of 4th flats units and the interconnecting courtyard space.

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Clockwise from bottom left: concept sketch of project with view of green roofs in context with neighborhood. top left: concept sketch of project from street view; top right: 3D rendering of project with light filtering facade bottom right: rendered view of balconies leading up to green roof deck. Opposite page clockwise from bottom right 3D rendering of project corner from Susquehanna street bottom left: 3D rendering of projectlookingeastdownThompsonstreet. above right aerial plan view of project in context with neighborhood showing green roofs. above right: 3D rendering of project looking west down Thompson street. 154

THOMPSON TRIPLETS Colona, Thompson Sts., + Susquehanna Ave. Fishtown, Philadelphia TBD Developer: Deceased Architect: Plumbob Llc. Builder: TBD The challenge of this project begins with its rare and evocative setting within the heart of Fishtown. Straddling three streets yet prominently positioned on one, this project explores the “exposed” condition and unlikely meeting of two rows at two corners. What emerges is the opportunity to experiment with the row as a “wall dwelling” rather than a “thin space.” The “wall”is approached as a filter for light, circulation, communal participation and dialogue. 3 dwellings

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WILMINGTON Market St. btw 2nd + 10th St. Wilmington, Delaware On-going... Developer: Buccini-Pollin Group Architect (Master Planning): Plumbob Llc. Builder: TBD In 2007 we were approached by Buccini/Pollin to create a “vision” for a nine-block stretch of one of the most historic downtown sections of Wilmington,Delaware. For years our client had been takingcreativedevelopment andarchitecturalrisksontheChristinaRiver port ofWilmington and owned a significant portion of the commercial space downtown. The group was interested in both linking the corporate downtown with the river and inspiring a new generation of urban dwellers to settle in this strangely vacant (at least after 5:00 p.m.) city. Our client’s bold and comprehensive passion to repopulate the downtown of a significant North American city was both infectious and crazy enough to capture our kindred spirit. While this is very much a project in process, we have initiated a master-planning exercise with a number of objectives:

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Restoration of the historic context of Market Street Inclusion of a vibrant mix of commercial, office, retail and residential uses to create a sustainable community Commitment to open/community space and “green links” that connect Market Street to the more desolate King and Shipley Streets Dedication to “sustainable” modes of thinking and building Connection of a corporate downtown with its waterfront Support the significant cultural and historic institutions anchored in this community. Create an infusion of residential dwellings, which re-situate this historic section of Wilmington within a contemporary and reconsidered image of the city.

The master plan, therefore, requires a“master team,”or as we have dubbed it,“DreamTeam,”of architects, planners, and landscape architects from NewYork, Philadelphia, and Delaware, chosen for their experience and innovative work within similar urban contexts throughout the country. This“team”has been assembled at an early stage, sites have been divvied-out, and preliminary ideas proposed so that this comprehensive vision may be cohesively communicated and achieved. 225 dwellings (approx.) ___sf commercial space

800 BLOCK 6 FLOORS 15 RESIDENTIAL, 1 RETAIL

800 BLOCK 7 FLOORS 8 RESIDENTIAL, 2 RETAIL

600 BLOCK 7 FLOORS 54 RESIDENTIAL, 4 RETAIL

600 BLOCK 12 FLOORS -TOWER 4 FLOORS - TOWNHOUSE 78 RESIDENTIAL, 8 RETAIL

400 BLOCK 8 FLOORS 14 RESIDENTAIL, 2 RETAIL

200 BLOCK 4 FLOORS 6 RESIDENTIAL, 2 RETAIL

100 BLOCK 8 FLOORS - TOWER 8 RETAIL SITE: 80’ X 100’ 5 FLOORS - ROW BLDG. 5 RETAIL

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ARCHITECTURAL TEAM

159

MARKET STREET RE-IMAGINED

600 BLOCK PROPOSED UNITS: 54 RESIDENTIAL, 4 RETAIL. NO. OF FLOORS: 7

800 BLOCK PROPOSED UNITS: 2 RESIDENTIAL, 2 RETAIL NO. OF FLOORS: 1, 4

C O U RT YA R D T H R O U G H - B L O C K WA L K WAY R E TA I L S PA C E 2

13 12 11

THIRD STREET

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

LOFT LOBBY

SITE PLAN

200 BLOCK PROPOSED UNITS: 6 RESIDENTIAL, 1 RETAIL NO. OF FLOORS: 4 / 50 FT

MARKET STREET R E TA I L S PA C E 1

40’-0”

M A R K E T S T R E E T E L E VAT I O N

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We imagine the groundplane becoming an urban lanscape with pathways emphasizing the existing through-block connection and creating a special courtyard relationship to the Third Street renovation project. We i m a g i n e d t h e b u i l d i n g a s a kind of “Kunsthalle”, a creative pavilion that becomes the heart of an emerging design district. A ground floor coffee shop and gallery could activate the inner and outer zones of the site with live/work loft space above. The building sets back on the south side to create a surprising invitation for pedestrians, but also to provide loft spaces above with natural light penetrating on three sides. The boxy top of the buildng looks to stepback from the historic streetwall so as not to interfere with the domain of “history” while the mesh-like underbelly of the building glows brightly at night, inviting visitors to explore the secret garden.

SECTION SEQUENCE

220 MARKET STREET - WILMINGTON, DE //

800 BLOCK PROPOSED UNITS: 15 RESIDENTIAL, 2 RETAIL NO. OF FLOORS: 6 / 72 FT

The 220 Market Street site is special given the adjacent historic context and the many opportunities the site provides to “connect” people in new and unexpected ways.

200 BLOCK PROPOSED UNITS: 3 RESIDENTIAL, 1 RETAIL NO. OF FLOORS: 4

BUCCINI POLLIN GROUP

800 BLOCK PROPOSED UNITS: 15 RESIDENTIAL, 1 RETAIL NO. OF FLOORS: 4

3RD STREET PROPOSED UNITS: 16 RESIDENTIAL, 1 RETAIL NO. OF FLOORS: 4 / 50 FT

700 BLOCK: PROPOSED UNITS: 5 RESIDENTIAL, 1 RETAIL NO. OF FLOORS: 4

800 BLOCK PROPOSED UNITS: ALOFT HOTEL; 135 rooms NO. OF FLOORS: 4 NO. OF ROOMS: 240

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S I T E # 13 Gateway East 102 MARKET STREET SITE SIZE: 8000 SQ FT PLOT DIMENSION: 80’ x 100’ PROPOSED UNITS: - 8 RETAIL 2500 SQ FT TYP. NUMBER OF STORIES/HEIGHT: 8 / 96 FT.

NINTH ST

EIGHTH ST

SEVENTH ST

FIFTH ST

SIXTH ST

FOURTH ST

THIRD ST

SECOND ST

800 BLOCK PROPOSED UNITS: 5 RESIDENTIAL, 1 RETAIL NO. OF FLOORS: 3

100 BLOCK PROPOSED UNITS: 8 FLOORS COMMERCIAL NO. OF FLOORS: 8 / 96 FT

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PHYSICAL WORK Onion Flats 111 west norris street philadelphia, pa 19122 www.onionflats.com

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PHYSICAL WORK

1997 - 2 0 13 164

ONION FLATS

ACADEMIC

WORK TIMOTHY MCDONALD

GRADUATE STUDENT WORK

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA University of Pennsylvania Dept of Architecture/PennDesign ARCH 601: Design Studio III, Fall 2010 Timothy McDonald BUSTED BOOMERS PROJECT Your project is to design an alternative model of “senior housing” for the City’s burgeoning busted boomers. Your model should be affordable and focused on independent yet collaborative living. This intentional community should be designed for 50+ residents which, while marketed toward busted boomers (aged 46 to 64), must not discriminate against other age groups. Your proposals should address the growing niche market of aging boomers that, while financial realities require or suggest some degree of “dependent” living, remain doggedly determined to live independent and self-determined lives. Your proposal should be fundamentally sustainable from an economic, communal and environmental perspective. As such your building should not only achieve net-zero energy status (ie, net utility costs of $0), but it should also be capable of seasonal food production, generate income from retail, day care facility and community/flex spaces and act as catalyst of revitalization for this important strip in the community.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS SPACE

Quantity

Residential units Flex/Community Room/Library Communal Dining/Flex Lobby Bicycle storage Administration/Offices/Counciling Workshop/Art studio Communal Guest Sleeping rooms Day Care Center Retail Circulation TOTAL

50+ 1 1 1 for 50 bicycles 5 3 10 1

ZONING REQUIREMENTS Open space Lot coverage Building Height (max) Parking

40% 60% 130'-0" 25 cars

SF 500-1200 2,500 2,500 700 400 200 400 120 2,500

Area 35,000 2,500 2,500 700 400 1,000 1,200 1,120 2,500 2,500 7,000 56,420

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA Graduate Group Thesis Project Thesis Advisor: Timothy McDonald â&#x20AC;&#x153;In Res Mediaâ&#x20AC;? Adam Montalbano Roman Torres Richard Stewart 2003-2004 1301 N. 6th St. Philadelphia PA This was the first group and design/build thesis project approved by the Department of Architecture. It was focused on the transformation of an abandoned building in North Philadelphia into a place for the exhibition of architecture and itself. The students worked with the layers of history uncovered as a means of generating appropriate programmatic responses for the reinterpretation of the building.

Existing conditions

Final Review

Drawing and material investigations

Final Review

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA Graduate Summer Design/Build Elective Instructors: Alice Chun and Timothy McDonald Summer 2002 sierra bainbridge jill desimini ali fazio christian munoz julia murphy tom roy myers jessica penzell chris rubino geeta shah roman torres ebbie wisecarver kelly yates Merry Place: Havertown, PA TREE HOUSE THEATRE

Tim Denny, the manager of this park established the program for this studio by asking, “Isn’t it just fun to be up, looking down? Kids in wheelchairs never get that opportunity.” The students were asked to create a tree house for children of all abilities.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT WORK

22 DAY 1: Read Task #1 You will each be given a representation of one painting of the “Sections” series. You are first asked to look carefully, intently and deeply at it for 30 minutes. You are not looking for anything in particular. Experience it in the way that would experience a song. Read it in the way that you might read a poem. Study it in the way that you would study a lover. Analyze it in the way that you might analyze the human digestive system. During this 30 minutes, write down any word that comes to mind below the image. Task #2 Find two “sections” that most clearly and obviously “bookend” your “section”. This is a collaborative exercise. You will now need to look at other student’s Sections for clues, regulating lines, atmospheric consistencies, structural integrities, textural adjacencies, conceptual groundings, spatial regularities, words written below the images etc that would naturally “place” your section next to another’s section. Task #3 On a large flat surface, organize all sections linearly according to their rightful place and adjacent section. Collectively “draw-out” the connective tissue between the sections, the ‘arteries’ that link and pulse between the sections, the ‘bones’ that hold them together. Using a combination of different colored chaulk lines, colored pencils and ink, begin to articulate the visible and invisible relationships between all the Sections. Task #4 Reposition the Sections 90 degrees from their current position such that they are in their rightful “sectional” relationship to one another. Collectively build a base into which your Sections will be anchored. The base should have slots in it that firmly hold your section. Begin to “construct” the invisible relationships you have drawn-out in the previous tasks. You may use any materials necessary to articulate what you are seeing (colored thread, wire, basswood, plexiglass, etc…... ) Remember to respect the readings of your neighboring Sections, ie you must communicate, coordinate and collaborate with each other in order to arrive at a mutually accepted construction. DAY 2: Thickness Pair up with one sectional neighbor.You are to collectively build a model at the height and width of your Sections and 4 inches thick. Any materials may be used however your model should convey the “thickness”, the wonder and the mystery of the space between your Sections. Pay particular attention to the light, shadow and “atmosphere” that you have already discovered in the previous day’s Tasks.

Fodder Design International : UQAM, Montréal, PQ, May 1-7, 2011 Fodder for May 1-7: Richard Diebenkorn’s well-known “Ocean Park” series, developed over a 25 year period starting in 1967 and resulting in more than 140 paintings are named after a community in Santa Monica, California where Diebenkorn had his studio. The series has been the source of fascination and countless interpretations for forty years. Many of them interpret the paintings as “aerial landscapes”, or translations of the light of Ocean Park itself, or as directly related to the view through the artist’s studio window, or as a series that traces a daily path between his home and his studio. Others are less interested in the paintings’ references and concern themselves more with the rigor of the compositions, the painterly structure, color, form, scale and geometry. Still others focus on historical references, attempting to place Diebenkorn’s work within a history of painting, in order to provide meaning to the work by understanding it’s position within early 20th century ‘abstract expressionism’ and the work of figures such as Matisse,Willem de Kooning, Hans Hoffman, Edward Hopper and Arshile Gorky. And while all of these approaches to the reading and translation of Diebenkorn’s work have validity, we will be approaching the Ocean Park series from a decidedly different point of view, one that is not concerned with discovering the ‘meaning’ of the work at all, but on the contrary, with injecting a deliberate and audacious ‘un-truth’ upon the work from the get-go. Un-Truth #1: Diebenkorn’s series is renamed “Sections” replacing the intentionally confusing “Ocean Park”. Un-Truth #2: All paintings within the series are to be read as “sections” of the same contiguous space and are therefore “related” to each other in the way that all sections of the same building are related to each other. They should therefore be imagined and viewed as scaled representations of the structure, form, light, color and atmosphere of an-other place.

2'-7"

1'-0

2'-0

DAY 3 Site and Drawing Site all your sectional models within the frame provided. Draw sections and plans of the spaces between your models and your neighbors. Begin to inhabit these spaces and respect the light and air of your neighbors.

2'-6

25 DAY 4-5 Site 2, Rue St Laurent A developer, who owns an empty parking lot on Rue St. Laurent, the proportions of which looks suspiciously similar to those of your sectional model site, has approached us after seeing the previous day’s investigations. She is inspired by our work and asks us to “discover” a program for inhabitation that might make sense for her site, based on the work you have already done. You are to propose a “program” through drawings and the construction of a 3/4’ scale model of a section of your proposal which best communicates the wonder of your ideas.

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM Arch 011 / 031 Design Foundation/Fundamentals Spring Semester 1997 PROJECT 1: FRAME/SOLID-PATH-MOVEMENT Site 1 You will be assigned one of the following buildings:

Watanabe, Toyokazu - Divine House (Chikyuan), Mekamiyama, Japan - Breast House(both can be initially found in Japan Houses in Ferro Concrete, 1988, isbn# 4-7661-0460-9 Takamatsu, Shin -”Ark” (Nishida Dental Office), Kyoto, Japan, 1983 Ando, Tadao - Church on the Water, Tomamu, Hokkaido, Japan, 1985 - Koshino House, Ashiya, Hyogo, Japan, 1979-84 Le Corbusier - Convent of La Tourette, (the chapel), Eveux-sur L’Arbresle, 1957-60 Scarpa, Carlo - Castel Vecchio, Verona, - Section drawing: building analysis. Site 2 Construct an individual frame that translates the section space of the building -12”x16” frame, 4”x4”x6” plaster unit

SITE “Q” CASE WORK

SITE "Q"

- you are now asked to construct a case for the display of your sectional models. - each student will be given an 8”x32”x32” volume within the case to situate one’s model (in an appropriate manner). - this display case is to be oriented as shown in the following drwg. - “neighbors” are to be considered with care. - the mysteries of light and shadow are to be your orienting devices. - one 1/4” plan, section and elevation of your sectional models drawn “in relation to” neighboring frames will be due. An initial “siting” of your models “in relation to” other frames is also due. - one 1/4” plan, section and elevation RENDERED of your sectional models drawn “in relation to” neighboring frames will be due. An initial TRANSFORMATION of your models “in relation to” other frames is also due. - build FormZ model of sectional models and combine in group Site “Q” with all other models.

Temple University Fall Semester 1999 Architecture Program Arch 231 MWF (6sh) 2:40-6:00 Timothy McDonald Architecture Design III NIghtclub/Laundrymat In the first part of this project you were asked to ‘Construct a Hybrid’. In the most general sense, this project introduces questions of how and why stuff goes together in a particular fashion. The ‘stuff ’ of the first part of the project concerned ‘volumes’ of space proportional to each other and materials. An attitude, approach, language and order of how such ‘stuff ’ went together is meant to inform the next part of the project. Just as you were asked to consider the thresholds, or “articulate relationships”, between space and architectonic elements, you are now asked to reconsider those ‘relationships’ in reference to program, ‘hypothetical’ site, space and architectonic elements.

35 Part 2 of Project 1 involves a design strategy of a programmatic hybrid, and is intended to focus the student’s attention on the relationship between diverse and disparate ‘characters’ of place, use and tectonics. As such, this first project attempts to establish a strategy of site and programmatic ‘analysis’ which invokes the inherent hybrid nature of any “physical” urban context and use. A Prototypical Urban Setting You are given the following ‘non-site’ in an imaginary North American city. The site is 40’ wide by 80’ long. It is edged on the north by an active, two lane, one way automobile and pedestrian street. To the south is an empty lot which is edged by a small ‘lane’ (shift in scale and activity from the north to south side). To the west and east should be considered retail/commercial/ residential buildings. The context in general should be understood to be a mix of residential, commercial and retail activity. You are asked to design a nightclub/laundrymat.

NIGHTCLUB -Station #1 600 sf total - one ‘bar’ 50 sf - area specifically designated for dancing, and capable of holding 20 people, 200sf (10 sf per person) - table seating for 20 people, 200 sf - stage(s) 100 sf - storage 50 sf (visual projection component) ( two means of egress) -Station #2 1200 sf total - one ‘bar’ with seating for 20 people at bar, 300 sf - area specifically designated for dancing, and capable of holding 40 people, 400sf (10 sf per person) - table seating for 20 people, 200 sf - stage(s) 200 sf - storage 100 sf (visual projection component) ( two means of egress) -Station #3 2400 sf total - one ‘bar’ with seating for 40 people at bar, 600 sf - area specifically designated for dancing, and capable of holding 80 people, 800sf (10 sf per person) - table seating for 40 people, 400 sf - stage(s) 400 sf - storage 200 sf (visual projection component) ( two means of egress) (one or more of the ‘stations’ must have an outdoor component, a place to view the ‘prototypical urban setting’) - men’s and women’s restrooms 200 sf minimum -Kitchen which serves all stations -prep kitchen 700 sf

400sf total min 1000 sf total

-cold storage 50 sf -dry storage 50 sf - support areas for staff 700sf total -2 administrative offices with 200sf (400sf total) - men’s and women’s dressing rooms for wait, bar and bouncer staff (with lockers) 150sf each (300sf total) - coat check 310 sf - entry (as required) - vertical circulation 350 sf - service entrance and area as required approx. 150 sf. - mechanical service space 800 sf LAUNDRYMAT -30 washers -20 dryers - folding/hanging tables -seating for 20 -2 sinks -6 televisions min 2300sf - drycleaning 200 sf - access to men’s and women’s bathrooms - access to bar and food - two means of egress Total required for nightclub/laundrymat

10,410sf

Notes: -you will be permitted a 10’-0” ‘right-of-way’ along the 80’-0” east edge of the site(see attatched drawing). In the remaining vacant lot will be a parking lot belonging to the Nightclub/ Laudrymat (50’-0” x 80’-0”) -you are permitted to excavate below the given site a maximum dimension of 20’-0” deep -the square footages are approximate - thoughtful deviations may be acceptable -thoughtful programmatic deviations may be acceptable as well

Temple University Summer Design-Build Studio 1999 Architecture Program Ethereal Theatre Instructors: Alice Chun Timothy McDonald

A design-build undergraduate studio was prompted by a request from Nick Stuccio and the Philadelphia Fringe Festival to design a light-wieght, demountable and deployable theatre for dance and performance for their growing festival. A custom modular system of columns, beams, rotating wings and canopies were designed and fabricated by the students in a shop set up on site. Students completed the Ethereal Theatre on time and on budget.

Temple University 1998 Architecture Program Thesis Student: Shawn Dougherty TOP THESIS PRIZE WINNER Thesis Advisor: Timothy McDonald

Drug Rehabilitation Center and AA and NA Meeting Hall My fascination with Philadelphia was/is fueled by the culture of drugs, drug dealing and drug addiction. Still after ten years of traveling, I have never seen areas so blighted, so destroyed and so polluted with drug infestation. Growing up with a father who is a junkie created a stack of unanswerable questions for me. My first few years in Philly, every junkie became my father, I could interact with them on the street, hang with them, help them, and ultimately offer up an architecture for them. The undergraduate thesis at Temple University is a self-initiated, individually created project. Each student establishes his or her own building program and site. I chose to design a Drug and Alcohol Rehab Facility including AA and NA meeting spaces. The only time I new where my father was at was when he was in jail. He would send letters asking for money for shampoo and Little Debbie snacks. As I was entering into my thesis year he happened to be serving time in Florida, so I responded to one of his letters asking if he could provide me with a memoir, although I didn’t use those words, I just said, “write something so that I can better understand who you are”. He sent me back about 60 pages that I used to develop a thesis document. Most were a rant, but the first page is brilliant (at left), especially considering he never made it past the 10th grade. Ultimately, my research focused in on a Drug and Rehab center in downtown Philly, sited ‘within’ an abandoned former railroad plinth, a relic from Philly’s booming years. The core of my thesis posed this question; If the act of story telling, or recalling memories in an AA or NA meeting, is fundamental to the process of recovery, how can that ritual be used to inform a new architecture?

The model is made of layering OSB plywood to form the rail plinth, the programmatic spaces of the building are carved from this monolith. The model is scaled at 1/8” = 1’-0”, approximately 5’ long.

entering detox 30”x40”

Temple University Spring Semester 2000 Architecture Program Arch 255 W (3sh) 9:00 – 12:00 Instructor: Timothy McDonald The Art of Detailing

Course Introduction This course is an experimental workshop in the “art of detailing”. It is experimental because we will be addressing this topic in a most immediate fashion, through the design and construction of an “Architecture Café” to be located in the lobby of the Engineering and Architecture Building. Detailing is understood here not simply as the activity and language of finishing a building, but in fact as a mode of thinking and making which exists at all scales and phases of a project. This experiment is aimed in a very focused way at communicating the processes by which an initial idea for an architectural project is translated, developed and finally constructed. Great emphasis will be placed on an investigation into the language of joinery between various materials such as wood, steel, aluminum and glass (plexi). The intent is for you to walk away from this course with a theoretical, practical and imaginative foundation of materials, processes and methods of ‘construing and constructing’ through which an architect must necessarily think and act. You will also hopefully come to gain a great deal of respect for ‘making’ as a mode of thinking and development. The Experiment Presently the lobby of the Engineering and Architecture Building is poorly organized and therefore underutilized. The intention is first for you to assess the present conditions of the lobby: how it is used; how its capacity as a place for people to congregate is working or is being hampered by its present state and why; how the services, bulletin boards, signage, circulation, natural and artificial lighting, entrances and exhibition spaces all affect the functioning and “quality” of the lobby as a habitable place; how the status of the current café cart, belonging to the Palermos, is or is not “working” in the given space and why; how this “Architecture Café” can take on many roles: as a congregational vehicle, as a ‘marketing’ vehicle (for coffee etc.) and as an “entry gate” into the Architecture Program itself. You will each be asked to each make a proposal for an “Architecture Café” which addresses all of these issues. A series of juries will take place in which the class will decide on an appropriate proposal, or combination of proposals, to further develop and present to our “multi-headed client”: the Palermos, Facilities Management, Dining Services. Design development and construction documents of this proposal will be further guided by building codes, client suggestions at the jury, cost analyses as well as the material investigations done by the students themselves. The students will then be responsible for the construction of all the built-in elements of this design. We will be working in collaboration with the Engineering Department for the use of their metal and wood shops. Facilities management has agreed to provide the plumbing and electric services needed for the café. This project will be completed by the end of the Spring semester.

ACADEMIC WORK

1997 - 2 0 13 52

TIMOTHY MCDONALD

CURRICULUM VITAE

Academic and Professional Certifications

Timothy E.G. McDonald 215.783.5591 111 west norris street philadelphia, pa 19122 tim@onionflats.com

B.Arch, Pennsylvania State University, 1989 M.Arch, McGill University, Architectural History and Theory Program, 1994 Registered Architect in PA and NJ Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) and Certified Passive House Tradesman LEED AP Academic Experience

Urban Practice Distinguished Visiting Critic, Spring 2013 The Catholic University of America, The intention of the position is “....to bring in exemplary practitioners who will bring their perspective, methods and work to the students both informally and formally.” Visiting Critic, Spring 2013 Parsons, The New School of Design, Invited to participate in a collaborative design/build studio with Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia and Parsons in the design and construction of a multi-family Certified Passive House project to be located in Philadelphia. Visiting Critic, Spring 2011 Uniiversité Du Québec å Montréal, École de Design, Invited as one of nine international educators/professionals to participate in their International Design Week program, and to run an interdisciplinary design studio within the undergraduate program in Environmental Design. Adjunct Faculty, Fall 2010 University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Architecture, Arch 601 Graduate Studio Instructor. Adjunct Faculty, Fall 2003 University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Architecture, Design/Build Graduate Seminar and Thesis Advisor. Visiting Professor, Summer 2002 University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Architecture, Design/Build Graduate Studio. Visiting Professor, Spring 2002 University of Calgary, Architecture School, 1st Year Graduate Design Studio. Assistant Professor, 1999-2001 Temple University, Architecture School, Third Year Design Studio Coordinator and Instructor. Instructor for “Intro. to Technology” and “The Art of Detailing”. Adjunct Faculty, 1997-199 Temple University, Architecture School: First Year Design Studio Instructor, Second Year Design Studio Coordinator and Instructor Adjunct Faculty, 1997-1998 Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, School of Architecture and Interior Design: Second Year Design Studio Instructor Director of Student and Alumni Services, 1997-1999 Temple University, Architecture School Teaching Assistantship, 1992-1994 McGill University, Graduate and Undergraduate School of Architecture Guest Critic University of Pennsylvania, Parson’s School of Design, Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, Temple University, Drexel University, McGill University, University of Toronto, Université du Québec á Montréal (UQAM), Pennsylvania State University, Carleton University, University of Calgary, University of Toronto, University of Tennessee, Ohio State Univ.

Professional Experience President, Onion Flats LLC, Development/Architecture/Build collective. www.onionflats.com Onion Flats, Philadelphia, PA, 07/97 – Present: Development Firm PLUMBOB LLC, Philadelphia, PA, 02/05 – Present: Licensed Architectural Firm JIG Inc, Philadelphia, PA, 06/06 – Present: Licensed Construction Company BLOX: Sustainable Building Systems, Pottstown, PA, 2008-present: Modular manufacturing facility Anthony Weber Architects, Philadelphia, PA., 10/96 - 10/97 John Holland Architects, Philadelphia, PA., 10/96 - 10/97 Douglas Jones Architects Planners, Philadelphia, PA., 7/95 -10/96 CHI - Atelier for Architectural Research, Montréal, Quebec, 5/94 - 6/95 Peter Rose Architect, Montréal, Québec, 9/93 - 10/94 Yasuo Yoshida Architect and Ass., Osaka, Japan, 9/92 - 9/93 Academic and Professional Honors 2012 BIG VISION AWARD: Sustainability and Design: Onion Flats’ Belfield Townhomes; The Phila. City Paper Award given by The Phila. City Paper to Belfield Townhomes, the FIRST Certified Passive House in Pennsylvania 2010 Good Green Design Award, Chicaco Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design: Thin Flats Good Green Design’s goal is to bestow international recognition on those outstanding projects that have forwarded exceptional thinking and creativity for a healthier universe.

2010 Award for Excellence: GLOBAL, Urban Land Institute: Thin Flats ULI’s GLOBAL Award for Excellence identifies FIVE projects from around the world that exemplify workable, livable and sustainable models for future development. 2010 Award for Excellence: The Americas, Urban Land Institute: Thin Flats ULI’s Award for Excellence identifies projects in The Americas that identify workable, livable and sustainable models for future development. 2009 AIA Honor Award: Thin Flats Thin Flats chosen by Philadelphia Chapter of AIA 2009 Penn Future Green Building Leader Award Onion Flats chosen as a leader in building Pennsylvania’s renewable energy future. 2009 NAHB National Green Building Awards Competition Thin Flats selected as the 2009 Project of the Year - Multifamily Condominium Award 2009 Thin Flats receives LEED-H Platinum Certification Eight unit condominium project in Northern Liberties becomes FIRST LEED-H Platinum duplexes in the country and the first LEED-H Platinum homes in Pennsylvania. 2009 Thin Flats awarded the Philadelphia Sustainability Award 2008 Fairfax Inter-Generational Architectural Competition, 2nd Place $5000.00 prize International Competition to design a Community Center and 40 unit residential community for grandparents responsible for parenting their grandchildren for Fairfax Renaissance Development Corp, Cleveland, Ohio 2008 Winner: From the Ground Up: Innovative Green Homes, Architectural Competition, Syracuse NY, $25,000.00 Onion Flats’ entry entitled “TED” was one of three projects chosen through this national competition to design a sustainable and affordable single family home for the Near Westside neighborhood of Syracuse. The design could not exceed a total cost of $150,000.00 to build. Competition coordinated and managed by Syracuse University School of Architecture, the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environment and Energy Systems and Home Headquarters Inc. Construction begun November, 2009. 2008 Emerging Voices Award and Lecture Series: The Architectural League of New York Onion Flats chosen as one of eight firms in the United States who are “beginning to achieve prominence in the profession”. 2007 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection $700,000 Grant through the Growing Greener II Bond Initiative to be used for the 260KW photovoltaic panel system on Stable Flats 2007 Arts and Architecture Alumni Award. Pennsylvania State University 2005 Philadelphia Water Department Award of Excellence for Creative Storm Water Management Practices, recognizing Rag Flats 2000, A.I.A. Award, New Kensington CDC Housing Project, Philadelphia, Chun, Magno, McDonald + Wei 1996 , A.I.A. Award, Olney Elementary School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Douglas Jones Architects 1995 , “Honorable Mention”, Francisville Housing Competition, Philadelphia, PA. 1993, Ronald J. Thom Award for Early Design Achievement, The Canada Council, $10,000.00 award 1992, First Place, Kobe: House for the 21st Century Design Competition, Osaka, Japan, $10,000.00 award 1989, First Place, Pennsylvania Concrete Masonry Association Design Competition, Penn. State Univ. Press and Publications 2013

The Passive House: Collection of Recently Completed Projects Analysis of Belfield Townhomes, Julie Torres-Moskovitz, Princeton Architectural Press, Spring 2013

2012

Philadelphia City Paper Big Vision Awards: Suatainability and Design for Onion Flats’ Belfield Townhomes, Theresa Everline, Oct., 2012 From the Ground Up: Innovative Green Homes Presents results of international competition and Onion Flats’ winning submission and subsequent construciton of the TED house, Syracuse University Architectur Program and Princeton Architectural Press, Peggy Tully, 2012 American Passive House Developements Chapter 5: Making More with Modulars: Belfield Townhomes”, Mary James, Low Carbon Productions, 2012 CONTEXT: The Journal of AIA Philadelphia Efficiency, An Architect’s New Best Friend (Margarido), Spring/Summer 2012 University of Pennsylvania Lecture to Arch 632 class on “Integrated Design for High Performance Buildings, March 29, 2012 DWELL Magazine “Near Westside Story”, William Lamb, TED House, March 2012 The Architect’s Newspaper “Passive Agressive: Philly firm Onion Flats plans largest net-zero mixed-use development”, Branden Klayko, January 19, 2012 Green Building Advisor.com “Onion Flats’ Big Multifamily Passivhaus Plan”, Richard Defendorf, January 18, 2012

The Fallser “Onion Flats”, January 18, 2012 Hidden Philadelphia “Stable Flats Out of the Gate: http://hiddencityphila.org/2012/01/stable-flats-out-of-the-gate-2/, January 18, 2012 2011

Newsworks “Rebuilding Rivage From the Ground Up”, Amy Quinn, December 19, 2011 Montgomery Media “Onion Flats to develop Rivage in East Falls”, Sue Ann Rybak, December 13, 2011 Flying Kite “Onion Flats hopes to connect the Schuylkill Trail with East Falls through mixed-use development”, Andy Sharpe, December 12, 2011 Inhabit “The Ridge: Net-Zeor Energy Mixed-Use Passive House Project Gets Thumbs Up in Philadelphia”, Andrew Michler, Dec 12, 2011 Newsworks “Onion Flats Selected as Developer for East Falls”, Amy Quinn, December 8, 2011 The Philadelphia Inquirer “Changing Skyline: An Energy-Saving Milestone Planned for Philadelphia’s Kelly Drive”, Inga Saffron, December 11, 2011 AMC Lodgement “Housing, 30 Case Studies” (Thin Flats), Christophe Hespel, pg. 42-45, November, 2011 University of Syracuse News “Event to Celebrate LEED Certification of three ‘From the Ground Up’ Homes, November, 2011 Gray Area “Provocations on the Future of Preservation”, Elise Vider, pg. 34-35, 110-115, November, 2011 Arketipo 49 “Social Housing Case Studies” (Thin Flats), Amalie Vivian, Pg. 52-63, October 2011 Eco-Urban Design “Thin Flats and Margarido House ”, John Flannery, pg. 142-157, 170-177, October 2011 Living Architecture Monitor “Thin Flats”, Summer 2011 CBS Philly.com “Fishtown Web Design Firm Moves Into New Green Office”, Kim Glovas, August, 2011 Builder Online “Here’s the Skinny”, Jenny Sullivan, July, 2011 Arch Daily “Jackhammer”, Christopher Henry, April 15, 2011 Arch Daily “Capital Flats”, Christopher Henry, April 12, 2011 Arch Daily “Philly’s Smartest Infill Architects”, Christopher Henry, April 8, 2011 Arch Daily “Margarido”, Christopher Henry, April 4, 2011 Arch Daily “Rag Flats”, Christopher Henry, March 31, 2011 Grid Magazine “Rising Waters”, “Site Design”, Lee Stabert, pg. 12, 26-27, January, 2011 21st Century Sustainable Homes “Margarido House”, Brian Cleary, pg. 138-41, 2011

2010

Arketipo “Social Housing”, Amalie Vivian, Pg. 52-62, December 2010 Green Building and Design “Paying Homage, Zipporah Porton, pg. 77-79, November 2010 Metropolis Magazine “Syracuse Rising: Urban Intervention” Stephen Zacks, pg. 62-69, 87, November 2010 Metro “LEEDing the Way in Philly”, July 2010 Green Building & Design “Manufactured Living”, Daniel Casciato, July/August 2010 Urban Land Institute “Inspiration in Challenging Times”, Robert Kruger, April 2010

The Philadelphia Inquirer “City’s Green Ground Breakers, Inga Saffron January 17, 2010 The Empowered Municipality “LEED Building Standards in the Future for Municipal Buildings”, January 4, 2010 2009

The North Star Newspaper “Feeding Fertile Ground”, Thomas Nickels, October 2009 The Philadelphia Inquirer “Changing Skyline: Phila. Architects Offer Some Homegrown Ideas”, Inga Saffron, October 9, 2009 Urban Land Institute Cover and article on Thin Flats, August, 2009 Growing Urban Habitats Rag Flats featured as a case study, by Willaim Morrish, Suzanne Schindler and Katie Swenson 2009, William Stoudt Publishers HoCo “Onion Flats: Thin Flats” case study, by Aurora Fernandex Per, pp 392-401, 2009, Edition: a+t ediciones Philadelphia Architecture: A Guide to the City Rag Flats displayed in section on Modern Architecture, by John Gallery, 2009 Architect’s Newspaper “Charged Up”, Thin Flats featured, by Matt Chaban, July 29, 2009 The North Star “A Flat out YES!”, article on Grape Flats project for Francisville, by Hayden Mitman, July 2, 2009 Philadelphia Inquirer “Good Company Venture’s Local Prospects”, by Diane Mastrull, May 31, 2009 Azure “Philly’s Smartest Infill Architects”, by Tim McKeough, pgs. 72-77, May 2009 Diablo “Green House”, by Martha Ross, p. 50, May 2009 Architectural Record “SU names winners of “green home” competition”, article on TED house, by David Sokol, pg. 28, April 2009 The Post-Standard “The Big Story”, article on From the Ground Up competition winners, by Charles McChesney, p18, March 24, 2009 Guanghua Magazine “100% Green Residence: Margarido House”, Spring 2009 Residential Architect “Residential Architect design awards 2009”: Thin Flats, by Nigel F. Maynard, March/April 2009 City Paper “Sustainable.......Philly???”, by Mike Newall, March 12, 2009 Architect’s Newspaper “Green Goes the Neighborhood”, TED house, by Anne Guiney, January 26, 2009 Greensource Magazine “Taking Liberties” case study of Thin Flats, by David Sokol, pgs. 52-55, January/February 2009 Green Living By Design Margarido House featured in this “primer” to sustainable living with foreward written by Timothy McDonald, Filipacchi Publishing, January 2009

2008

Green Home Builder Margarido House featured in “A Green Home to Hang your Hat.”, p36-39, Fall 2008 Philadelphia Inquirer “Taking Liberties with Design”, article by Inga Saffron on Thin Flats, October 24, 2008 California Home + Design Margarido House featured in annual “Green” Issue, September 2008 San Francisco Chronicle “Green in the Hills” by Zahid Sardar, sec. G: 1, Three-part series on Margarido House, August 13, 14, 15, 2008 The Architect’s Newspaper “Studio Visit: Onion Flats”, by David Sokol, July 30, 2008 Keystone Builder “Green Home in the City” by M.H. Morrison, pgs. 10-11, July/August 2008 Philadelphia Inquirer “Green Houses: Three Chances to Change Your Address and the World Simultaneously”, by Debra Nussbaum, June 1, 2008 Philadelphia Inquirer “Property Line - Green homes: Opportunities to set down roots and grow an eco-sensitive lifestyle” by Eils Lotozo, sec. J: 1-2, June 1, 2008 Metro “Going Green on New Residences, by Solomon D. Leach, pg. 7, Article on Duck Flats, May 21, 2008 CBS Evening News

“Green House up for Sale” by Joan Sill, KYW, Philadelphia, Segment on Berks/Hewson, April 3, 2008 SNJ Business People “Onion Flats” story by Jenny Ryan, Feature Video by Swamp Queen Productions, Showcasing Berks/Hewson, May 2008 Context Magazine “Up Close: Onion Flats” by JoAnn Greco, pgs. 12-13, Spring 2008 Philadelphia Magazine “People to Watch: 2008” Onion Flats principals chosen as four of the people Philadelphia Magazine believes will “shape the next century...”, January 2008 Building Green: Overcoming Barriers in Philadelphia “Rag Flats Case Study: Residential Building”, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, pg. 19, 2008 2007

City Paper “Buy a House, Get a Car” by Bruce Schimmel, Article on Onion Flats and Berks/Hewson project, December 20, 2007 Fishtown Star “Saving the World One Building at a Time”, by Brian Rademaekers, pg. 10, November 15, 2007 Philadelphia Magazine, Home and Garden “The Next Level: How a Couple of Guys from Havertown are Shaking up the City’s Architectural Status Quo” by C. Tiger, Spring 2007

1992-2006

Philadelphia Magazine “Ideas: Let it Grow” by Dan Lee, pg 96-102, December 2006 Philadelphia Weekly “Roof Positive: Gardens are topping a number of Philly homes” by Cassidy Hartmann, August 23, 2006 Philadelphia Inquirer “A City’s Creative Quotient” by Akweli Parker, Article on Onion Flats, June 19, 2006 Architectural Record “Rag Flats, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania”, by Jane Kolleeny, pgs. 118-121, February 2006 Metropolis Magazine “Row After Row” by Daniel Brooke, Article on Rag Flats, October 2005 Philadelphia Daily News “Model Homes: Onion Flats developers seek to inspire the city to think about housing in a new way” by Sono Motoyama Article on Rag Flats, August 22, 2005 The New York Times “Philadelphia Story: The Next Borough”, by Jessica Pressler, sec. 9: 5-6, Rag Flats featured, August 14, 2005 Philadelphia Inquirer “Redefining the Row House” by Inga Saffron, Article on Rag Flats, June 17, 2005 City Paper “Wholly Trinity: Updating an old architectural form in Fishtown” by Trey Popp, Article on Rag Flats, June 2, 2005 Philadelphia Daily News “Contingency Plan: Fired up on fear and Idealism, the Contingent wants to rebuild the city”, August 25, 2003 Philadelphia Inquirer “A Cut Above: Meat Plant to Apartments”, by Inga Saffron, Article on Capital Flats, November 9, 2001 Philadelphia Inquirer “Once a Meatpacking Plant, Now it’s a Cut Above in Housing” by Sheila Dyan, Article on Capital Flats, September 2001 Philadelphia Weekly “A Capital Idea” by Katie Haegele, Article on Capital Flats, August 29, 2001 Venice Biennale VIth International Exhibition of Architecture, 1996 Selected as one of 16 teams respresenting Canada, Exhibition catalogue with published work Agora chez Articule, Montréal “Franz Kafka and the Imperative of Form”, Public lecture March 15, 1995 ARQ magazine August, 1994, Vol. 80, “La Génération X?”, November, 1991, Vol. 64, “Les Lauréats du Concours ARQ, 1991” INSITE magazine July, 1994 - “The Re-Generation: how original thinkers are redefining the power of architecture.”, with published work The Canadian Architect magazine, March, 1994, The Ronald J. Thom Award for Early Design Achievement, with published work Le Devoir (journal), February 13, 1994, “Le poète et le bâtisseur”, with published work ShinKenjiku (magazine) February, 1993, vol. 2, Ito Family Residence “Il Complessio”, Nara, Japan November, 1992, vol. #11 Kobe: House for the 21st Century Design Competition, Kobe, Japan

Lectures/Panel Discussions/Exhibitions 2013 2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

WHYY: Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane, January 18, 2013 “Sustainable Philadelphia”: Invited guest along with Katherine Gajewski, Haile Johnston and John Wybar The Sustainability Workshop, Philadelphia Navy Yard Lecture to Students on Passive House and high-performance building, December 2012 Design on the Delaware: Lean Design Lecture of recent work and panel discussion, November 14, 2012 Association for Energy Affordability, the Bronx, NYC “Where Passive House meets Multi-family Housing”, Lecture of recent work and panel discussion, Nov. 15, 2012 The New Normal: AIA Colorado 2012 Design Conference, Keystone, CO Invited as Guest Speaker for AIA Colorado’s annual conference, November 1, 2012 7th Annual North American Passive HouseConference, Denver, CO Lecture of recent work, September 28, 2012 Design Advocacy Group (DAG), Phila, PA Lecture Ridge Flats, May 3, 2012 Design Philadelphia Lecture of recent work, April 2, 2012 Temple University “PHYSICAL WORK”, Lecture of recent work, April 11, 2012 Knowlton School of Architecture, Ohio State University Critique of Graduate studio run by Rob Livesey and lecture, March 8, 2012 AIA Delaware: 13th St, Delaware Lecture of recent work on Multi-family sustainable housing, February 23, 2011 Columbia University: Different by Design Lecture of recent work and panel discussion, March 29, 2011 TEDxMidlantic: 2010: What If?, Washington, DC Invited to give lecture, November 5, 2010 University of Kentucky, Knoxville, TN “PHYSICAL WORK”, Lecture and Exhibition of recent work, November 2, 2010 Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI “PHYSICAL WORK”, Lecture of recent work, October 19, 2010 McGill University, School of Architecture, Montréal, Québec “ONIONFLATSPLUMBOBJIGGRASSBLOX”, Lecture of recent work, March 31, 2010 AIA Baltimore, Maryland Institute of College of Art (MICA), Baltimore, Maryland, Brown Center “Design with Many Hats”, Lecture of recent work, March 24, 2010 Marywood University, Scranton PA Lecture recent work, February 18, 2010 GREENBUILD 2009, Phoenix “Green Schmeen”, Lecture of current work as part of the Residential Summit, November 12, 2009 University of Pennsylvania Lecture of current work and discussion with Prof. John Landis’s Graduate Real Estate development class, November 10, 2009 WHYY: Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane Invited guest along with Dayna Baumeister to discuss the topics of “biomimicry” and green building. FERTILE GROUND Part of group exhibition of Philadelphia architecture firms at The Ice Box at Crane Arts. , October 7-25, 2009 Drury University, Springfield MO “PHYSICAL WORK”, Lecture of recent work, October 9, 2009 Washington State University “PHYSICAL WORK”, Lecture of recent work, September 29, 2009 Space City, Seattle, WA Part of the Fall 2009 “Urban Acupuncture” lecture Series: www.space-city.net “PHYSICAL WORK”, Lecture of recent work, September 28, 2009 Philadelphia University “PHYSICAL WORK”, Lecture of recent work to Prof. Kim Douglas’ design/build students, September 10, 2009 Architecture League of New York “Emerging Voices”, Washington D.C. & New York City, 2008 University of Pennsylvania Wharton School “Onion Flats: Case Study”, May 2008 Pennsylvania State University 2007 Arts and Architecture Alumni Award Lecture: “PHYSICAL WORK”, Monday, April 13, 2007. University of Maryland 2007 John Wiebensen Memorial Lecture: “Physical Work”, Monday, April 2, 2007. Baskervill Architecture

BEEP Lecture: “Sustainable Infill”, lunchtime lecture on the work of PLUMBOB/Onion Flats to a group of interested employees of this Richmond, Virginia Architecture, Engineering and Interior Design firm, March 2, 2007. Central Delaware Waterfront Planning Process: Design Charette Invited by Penn Praxis and the City of Philadelphia to participate in the design of seven miles of the Delaware River Waterfront, March 1-3, 2007 1992-2006 Temple University Invited Juror for school-wide competition for new School of Architecture, January, 2007 University of Calgary “PHYSICAL WORK”, Lecture and exhibition of PLUMBOB/Onion Flats work with combined lecture and invited juror: November 27, 2006-December 28, 2006 Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit “The Onion Flats Project”, under the “Creative Design of Urban Spaces” panel. Lecture, June 14, 2006 Parsons School of Design, NY, NY “PHYSICAL WORK”, Lecture of recent work, April 6, 2006 “In-fill” A collaborative exhibit of work from PLUMBOB, Qb3 and Richard Taransky in conjunction with Design Philadelphia, April 2, 2006, Gallery 339, Philadelphia Philadelphia Art Alliance, AIA Philadelphia “Condominiums: Designing Philadelphia’s Changing Face”, Invited panelist and discussion: April 4, 2006 Temple University, AIAS Conference Invited Keynote Speaker, March 18, 2006 Design Advocacy Group “Designing Under the Radar”, Collaborative lecture with Interface Studios and Qb3, March 2, 2006 University of Pennsylvania: Penn Design “Boom: New Architecture in Philadelphia”, Exhibition of Rag Flats and Invited Panelist and discussion: January 23, 2006 University of Pennsylvania: Fels Institute of Government “Vacant Property Redefined: Innovative Strategies for Reclamation and Development in Fishtown, Philadelphia and Melrose Commons, the Bronx”, Exhibition of Rag Flats, lecture and discussion: October 5, 2005 Temple University Council on Entrepreneurship “Entrepreneurship in the Arts: From Talent to Venture”, Invited panelist, lecture and discussion: October 28, 2005 AIA Stories From an Architect: Design/Build – Rag Flats Lecture : September 23, 2005 AIA Design on the Delaware Lecture : Design/Build Symposium, October 15, 2004 Pennsylvania State University Lecture of current work: April 2004 University of Calgary and Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Lecture of current work: March 2002. Venice Biennale VIth International Exhibition of Architecture Canadian Pavillion, Venice, Italy, Sept. 15 - Nov. 17, 1996 Louise Nevelson Gallery Philadelphia, PA., Jan. 6 - Feb. 6, 1996, Independence Mall Project - Edmond Bacon, model of Liberty Bell Pavilion Quarried Landscapes Initiative Osaka, Japan, August 21, 1993, drawings and site models / symposium Community Organization Experience Board Member: The John D. McDonald Memorial Foundation, 2001- Present The JDMMF has raised over $500,000 since it’s inception to support children in Havertown PA Member of the City of Philadelphia’s Sustainability Advisory Board, 2008 - Present Asked by Mayor Michael Nutter to participate on this board charged with guiding and supporting the Director, Mark Alan Hughes, of the newly created Office of Sustainability. Northern Liberties Neighbors Association Member of the Zoning Committee, 2003- Present Member of the Urban Design Committee, 1999-Present Neighborhood Community Center, pro-bono design work, 2003 Community Design Collaborative Community Design Challenge: Invited Juror, October 25, 2005 Old City Civic Association Member of the Board of Directors, 5/99-5/00 New Kensington C.D.C., Subsidized Housing Prototypes, Philadelphia, PA., 1996 Selected to develop low-cost housing prototypes for the neighborhood of New Kensington.

Independent Projects Managing Secretary: The John Stewardson Memorial Design Competition 2006 - Responsible for writing the competition brief and managing this annual and 100+ year old state-wide competition between the six schools of architecture in Pennsylvania and recent architectural graduates. Founder, the Contingent? the Contingent? is a loose affiliation of architects, craftsmen, designers, artists, students and entrepreneurs interested, most generally, in exploring collaborative and alternative modes of thinking and constructing within the built environment. the Contingent? wishes to create a public place of dialogue between individuals seeking to ‘take their work into their own hands’. Founder/President , FAARM: a centre for the cultivation of art and architecture, 1998-2000 Opened in October, 1998 in Old City, FAARM is the first non-profit organization dedicated solely to the exhibition of architecture and art in Philadelphia. The primary mission of FAARM is to create and promote a public space of dialogue within and between the disciplines of architecture and art by supporting critical inquiries into both through exhibitions, publications, competitions, lectures, and installation based projects from recognized and emerging artists, architects and students. Coordinator Yasuo Yoshida, Architect: “Fugitive Works”, Traveling Lecture/Charrette, Jan., 1994. Canadian Lecture/Studio tour . Participating Universities: McGill, Carleton, University of Calgary REFERENCES

Alberto Pérez-Gomez, Ph.D. - Saidye Rosner Bronfman Professor, History and Theory of Architecture, McGill University, Montréal, PQ, Canada, alberto.perez-gomez@mcgill.ca, 514-398-6714 Michael Jemtrud - Associate Professor of Architecture, McGill University, School of Architecture, Montréal, PQ, Canada, michael.jemtrud@mcgill.ca, 514.605.4244 Mark Alan Hughes, Ph.D. - Currently, Distinguished Senior Fellow, PennDesign & TC Chan Center, University of Pennsylvania, Formerly the Director of Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, mahughes@earthlink.net, 215.305.7313