VLK ARCHITECTS, INC.
“VLK Architects has both the technical expertise and the service that always makes our projects incredibly successful. They go above and beyond every time and I have the utmost trust in them to always deliver for our company. No one knows auto dealerships and delivers on our vision better than Jim Stephenson and VLK.” Bobby Baillargeon, Owner Baillargeon Automotive
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Services
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Design Philosophy
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Grubbs Acura
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The Gearheads of VLK
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Hiley Mazda
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Grubbs Volvo
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Collision Repair and Customization Center
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Family Volkswagen
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On The Boards and Under Construction
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Clients
We guide clients through process, collaboration and imagination to realize exceptional environments to work, live, learn and play. Driven by innovation, purpose, and design excellence, VLK Architects is a multidisciplinary architecture firm whose practice areas include Commercial, Municipal, Education, and Automotive market sectors. With over 35 years of experience and a robust staff, VLK has the size and experience to service clients and projects of any size. Our business and project delivery processes have been recognized regionally and nationally multiple times, including Zweig Group; Building Design + Construction’s Annual Giants 300 Report; and by Architectural Record as a Top 300 Architecture Firm. Our automotive clients experience designs that are influenced and informed by extensive regional, national, and international experience. With offices across the state of Texas, we have formulated deep community roots, experiences, and relationships in all of the major metropolitan areas and sub-markets of Texas.
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Architectural Design Architectural Rehabilitation and Restoration Working Drawings and Specifications Life Safety Systems Design Code Analysis Sustainability Services LEED® Documentation Education/LEED® Training Visualization Building Information Modeling 3-D Rendering 4 VLK Architects, Inc.
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Animation
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Design, Planning & Consulting Research
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Communications Systems Design
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Architecture
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Interior Design Tenant Finish-Out Space Feasibility and Utilization Studies
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Materials, Finish and Color Selection Furniture Specification Color Coordination Construction Contract Administration
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Budget Reconciliation Schedule Adherence Job-Site Visits Construction Contract Adherence Project Management Website
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DESIGN PHILOSOPHY 6 VLK Architects, Inc.
At VLK, we recognize the power of a brand – from manufacturers’ makes and models to the dealerships where customers visit. And across our many automotive dealership projects, we’ve forged a path of close adherence to automakers’ brand standards combined with an innovative approach to help dealers manifest the vision they have for each of their dealerships. We do that through a partnership with you, the owner. Through listening to your perspective, understanding your vision, and recognizing your budget. We find a tailored solution for you that is unique to your site and unquestionably reflects your brand. And we bring our deep experience of designing dealerships to work for you through the entire project, as well as a resource to you long after the work is complete.
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G R A PE V I N E , T X
GRUBBS ACUR A For Grubbs Acura, our design perfectly reflects the brand’s aesthetic with a refined, upscale showroom. Details such as polished floor tiles, rich wood accented walls, a balcony with glass railing running the length of the showroom’s second level are punctuated by a soaring skylight that lends drama to the space and gives the showroom a sense of scale. The skylight includes LED lighting allowing for the ability to change colors to suit a specific need. VLK’s experience partnering with just the right vendors allowed us to find costs savings for our client, despite using such high-end materials. For the repair box, we maximized square footage by angling the shop to allow us to fit an extra couple of bays. The bays themselves feature built in work benches and tool drawers, which along with the in-ground lifts, keep work areas clutter-free.
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THE GE ARHE ADS The purr of a deep exhaust note. The soft give of a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The satisfaction of a restoration project finished (or at least finished for now). For many of our VLK team, vehicles represent the joy of sharing time with someone special, complete with dirty hands and broad smiles. It’s one reason why VLK truly enjoys work with dealerships partners — across any and all makes and models — and developing them for the long term.
Tim Kunz, a principal here at VLK, developed his passion for vehicles when he was kid, taking things apart just to figure them out. As time wore on, that early curiosity blossomed into a full-blown hobby of keeping all kinds of vehicles running, from ATVs to trucks to tractors. Tim knows it’s all about finding solutions, “When you encounter vehicle problems, you find ways to fix them. When you have a problem on a project, you find good solutions to keep things moving forward.”
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Now we’ve all seen beautiful cars. And many of us have seen a beautiful restoration job. But if you want to see both demonstrated in one automobile, look no further than this 1939 Packard 100 Coupe lovingly restored by our Chief Creative Officer Ken Hutchens. The forestdeep green exterior and luxurious ivory interior immediately cue the decadence that Packard was famous for producing in all of their vehicles. Head to tail -- from the distinctive Packard cormorant hood ornament to the graceful arc of the chrome back bumper -- Ken’s Packard reflects the passion for design he brings to VLK.
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Thomas Stewart says his car hobby is in many ways a lot like his construction administrator work at VLK; it’s getting the right parts at the right time and getting it all put together. Thomas has no fewer than three major projects going right now — and yet he always has his eye out for the next hidden gem to bring back to life. After finding this Datsun Z in a farmer’s field, Thomas looked to work his magic, but alas this car was beyond even his help. Ever resourceful, Thomas decided if it couldn’t come out of his garage beautifully, it could work to make his garage more beautiful. So, he cut the sports car in half and hung it on the wall. As much as he loves working on cars, including a large collection of Datsun Zs that actually run, Thomas says, “It’s also just fun to drive around.”
Project Coordinator James Garza says the allure of automobiles begins with feeling the freedom of the open road when he gets out for a drive. Although he’s a self-confessed speed demon, he still only has one speeding ticket since college, so we know he’s got some sense of moderation. He’s also got an incredible sense of design as he demonstrates in his work with us every day. An avid car show attendee James says that seeing how car designers create spaces and elicit emotion through their craft, which isn’t so far away from his work at VLK. In particular, James says he’s always struck by how trends in design can permeate everything — from graphics, to fonts, and all the way through architecture.
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But perhaps no one else on the VLK team demonstrates the close ties between vehicles and architecture more than Brandon Kendall, Construction Administrator in our Fort Worth office. He works day by day after hours to realize a decade-old dream of building a small home on wheels. He started with a 38-foot long, 74-passenger decommissioned school bus and together with his 15-year-old daughter will transform the interior into a fully functioning home. Home may be where the heart is, but for Brandon and his family, it will be wherever they choose to park. Brandon's plans feature a full kitchen, complete with a refrigerator and wood-burning stove, a full bathroom with a shower and bathtub, and room to sleep five people, including a space with a queen-sized bed. When it is finally finished, Brandon's mobile mansion will be equipped to operate off-grid, with both propane and solar power. Needless to say, Brandon brings new meaning to phrase, "Taking you work home with you."
No matter how our resident gearheads express their passions for vehicles, all of the VLK team are passionate about our projects helping our dealership partners realize their visions for well-designed and well-constructed structures for their businesses.
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BU R LE SO N & FO RT WO RTH , T X
HILE Y MA ZDA Our work for Hiley Mazda began with close adherence to brand specifications, but we didn’t stop there. The showroom’s prominent use of wood is echoed with ceramic floor tiles designed with a wood grain pattern. Lifts in the showroom add a unique feature making a customer’s visit to Hiley memorable. VLK designed the service area to be three-feet lower than the rest of the dealership to conform to the site’s grade, providing two benefits for our client. First, it meant a reduction in the amount of dirt work required in construction; and second, because we were building on rock, the site allowed for a shallower foundation.
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GRUBBS VOLVO
G R A PE V I N E , T X
The site for Grubbs Volvo is essentially 1,200 feet from one of DFW Airport’s busy runways, posing several challenges both before and during construction. The proximity required a study for airspace, soil testing, and special lighting to ensure the dealership’s illumination wouldn’t interfere with flight operations. VLK worked in close collaboration with DFW Airport, managing a relationship with airport officials to ensure a successful project, including coordinating with the airport team when we’d be using a crane and organizing careful use of drone flights during construction.
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COLLIS ION RE PAIR & CUSTOM IZ ATION CE NTE R Mention a collision repair shop to your typical driver and they are likely to have expectations of what that might look like, perhaps a dark cluttered garage, messy paint booth hidden in the back, and dust and grime everywhere. In listening carefully to our client, understanding the business they wanted to build, with the kind of high technology they wanted deployed, VLK knew this Collision Repair & Customization Center would look like no other. At its heart, this building is a stage for the cutting-edge technology inside it – a gleaming, glass-fronted, architecturally dynamic showcase. The site on a densely packed highway provides the opportunity for the building to serve as its own signage, inspiring curiosity for passersby and leaving a lasting impression.
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BU R LE SO N , T X
FAMILY VOLKSWAGE N Family Volkswagen is built to take full advantage of its site – the top of a hill looming 20 feet over Interstate 35W – providing great visibility to a busy freeway. The severity of the slope had been a challenge for the owner. VLK maximized how much of the hill needed to be removed to allow space for the dealership and providing adequate parking – while maintaining the commanding presence of the location. Double height glazing across the tall showroom and a bright white facade make the dealership strikingly prominent, making the most of the site.
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ON TH E BOARDS BRP Power Sports DID, Nationwide Projects
Collision Repair & Customization Center Dallas, Texas Grubbs Polestar Grapevine, Texas Hyundai Hiley | Burleson, Texas Hiley | Fort Worth, Texas Patrick | Schaumburg, Illinois Mega Off Lease Only Pre-owned & Reconditioning Katy, Texas Metro Mazda Mesquite, Texas Off Lease Only Pre-owned Spring, Texas Subaru Fort Worth, Texas
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UN DE R CONSTRUC TION Classic BMW Pre-owned Plano, Texas Family Volkswagen Burleson, Texas Grubbs Volvo Grapevine, Texas Pristine Car Wash Fort Worth, Texas Town North Mazda Richardson, Texas
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GRUBBS Grubbs Infiniti Grapevine, Texas Euless, Texas Grubbs Acura | Grapevine, Texas Grubbs Volvo | Grapevine, Texas BAILLARGEON Audi DFW | Euless, Texas Audi Fort Worth | Fort Worth, Texas Audi Fort Worth - Service Center | Fort Worth, Texas Baillargeon Audi | Euless, Texas FRANK KENT Frank Kent Cadillac | Fort Worth, Texas Frank Kent Honda | Fort Worth, Texas HILEY Hiley Mazda Fort Worth, Texas Arlington, Texas Hurst, Texas Burleson, Texas Hiley Subaru | Fort Worth, Texas Hiley Hyundai Fort Worth, Texas Burleson, Texas HILLARD Hillard Auto Park | Fort Worth, Texas Hillard Saturn Arlington, Texas Hurst, Texas Fort Worth, Texas Hillard Saturn Used Cars | Fort Worth, Texas
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SUBARU Subaru of America | Plano, Texas
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JIM MCNATT Jim McNatt Honda Lewisville, Texas DeSoto, Texas Denton, Texas Jim McNatt Acura | Jackson, Mississippi Jim McNatt Used Cars | Lewisville, Texas Jim McNatt Toyota-Dodge | Denton, Texas
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HUGGINS Huggins Honda | North Richland Hills, Texas Huggins Honda - Image Program And Renovation North Richland Hills, Texas Huggins Honda - Pre-Owned Sales Building North Richland Hills, Texas
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