Climate Design™ series – Wanderings by Chicago-based design studio WEATHERS investigates its ‘climatic infrastructure’ that augments and re-configures existing external micro-climates for occupation and programmatic use. The attempt is to create multiple zones (micro-climates) that pull from and alter the existing climatic context, creating distinct and definable edges, boundaries and transitions of these materials.

‘Wanderings‘ can be arranged as a public seating system that provides light and local climatic control along its surface, attractive to human touch and congregation. When the individual units are clustered together, the system intensifies in scope and area to create an inviting micro-climate that provides relief from cool night temperatures and long winter months.

WEATHERS

+ Project description courtesy of WEATHERS

Wanderings belongs to the Climate Design™ series from the WEATHERS office. What window air conditioning units do for the domestic house, and street lighting does for public spaces by extending daylight into darkness so that activities and commerce can occur in the street past nightfall, Climate Design™ intends to do for the private garden, commercial courtyard and city park.

Climate Design™ is an exterior product series that is commercially available for use in residential patios, gardens, public parks and landscapes to enhance and change the local climate of the site. The system is elastic enough to accommodate multiple climates and geographies, dehumidifying the air in more humid climates or providing warming during the cooler months of more temperate zones. This local climate augmentation can increase pedestrian activity and shopping, allowing people to use these outdoor areas over a greater period of the year by expanding and creating new local seasons.

In addition, ‘Wanderings‘ can be arranged as a public seating system that provides light and local climatic control along its surface, attractive to human touch and congregation. When the individual units are clustered together, the system intensifies in scope and area to create an inviting micro-climate that provides relief from cool night temperatures and long winter months.

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Polish 4th year students of architecture Academy of Fine Arts, Ryszard Rychlicki and Agnieszka Nowak of H3AR received a special mention for their proposal in the 2010 skyscraper competition – Rain Collector Skyscraper. The proposal understands the water consumption of its inhabitants in US, it aims to capture rainwater as much as possible through the innovative roof and external shell design.

+ Project description courtesy of Ryszard Rychlicki + Agnieszka Nowak of H3AR

Capture the Rain skyscraper is a building whose roof and external shell ,which consists systems of gutters, are aimed at capturing as much rainfall as possible to meet the daily needs of its inhabitants. Average daily consumption of water per person is 150 liters, out of which 85 liters may be replaced by rain water. Within the last thirty years water consumption has significantly increased.

There are lots of factors that contribute to such an increase such as increasing number washing machines and dish washers, increasing popularity of garden showering devices and flushing toilets. A third of water being used in households in western countries is flushed in toilets. Since 1900 the total water consumption in the US has increased by 1000%. At present, an average American uses five times more water that a citizen of developing countries. Such an increase is related to among others improved living standards.

On the other hand, a national hobby of the Danes is collecting rain water for washing and watering plants. Within the last ten years average use of pure water in Denmark dropped by 40% and inhabitants of the so called eco-villages use a third part of the national average. In view of these data, we decided to design a tower, whose structure will allow for capturing and processing as much rainfall as possible to provide with water for its inhabitants.

For millennia plants have been developing systems of capturing and processing rainfall. Such systems helped them to deal with water deficits or surpluses. Similarly, we wanted to copy their simple mechanisms of rainfall capturing and processing. Initially, in designing the tower, we focused at shaping and modeling the surface of the roof to capture as much rainfall as possible.

Under a roof’s surface, there are water reservoirs in the form of a large funnel and reed fields, which serve as a hydro botanic water treatment unit. The unit processes water into usable water that is further transmitted to apartments. A network of gutters on the external surfaces of the building is designed to capture rainfall flowing down the building. Such flowing rainfall is transmitted to floors and its surplus is stored in a reservoir under the building.

Water captured and processed by the building may be used for flushing toilets, feeding washing machines, watering plants, cleaning floors and other domestic applications. Having analyzed rainfall in several large cities in developed countries, we obtained a formula that shows what percentage of daily pure water consumption may be replaced with rainfall thanks to the technology applied in our building.

+ Project data

Project: Rain Collector Skyscraper
Location: USA
Architect: Ryszard Rychlicki, Agnieszka Nowak of H3AR
Award: Special Mention-2010 Skyscraper Competition eVolo

+ All images and drawings courtesy of H3AR

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Stunningly Modern Bainbridge Island Home

The clean modern lines of this newly constructed waterfront home are a rare and perfect match for the person looking for simplicity and a zen-like quality in a home. Striking and progressive materials are utilized throughout in this smart and edgy design. Featured in a recent Seattle AIA exhibition, the architect/builder has been recognized as one of the top twelve firms that will shape the future of Seattle architecture with their forward thinking.

The home’s exterior is comprised of clear tongue-and-groove cedar that is vertically mounted to the roofline and a rainscreen siding system made of Cembonit panels. The Cembonit panels shield a waterproof membrane that allows an exchange of inside and outside air. The purpose is to create a healthier interior air quality by allowing the home to breath while still providing insulation.

As you turn the corner to the great room, you are greeted with an overwhelming view through a dramatic wall of windows reaching clear to the ceiling and seemingly bringing nature directly into the living space. The architect designed the ceiling and outdoor soffit as one continuous line so as not to distract the eye from the immensity of the clouds, water & greenery. Between windows, a sleek, tall column houses a two-sided, see-through propane fireplace that provides definition of living spaces, but does not distract from the view. Sliding doors open to one of three ironwood decks.

The home is sited on approximately ½ acre and offers nearly 90 feet of sandy waterfront that is an accessible setting for swimming, kayaking and long walks on the beach. Yet, the home is located only minutes from the Bainbridge Island-Seattle ferry in a quiet, cul-de-sac neighborhood.

For more information about the green architecture visit: www.bainbridgeislandmodernhome.com

+ All images and drawings courtesy of www.bainbridgeislandmodernhome.com

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Architects Krueck & Sexton has completed restoring 860-880 Lake Shore Drive which was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1951. Widely recognized as one of the 20th Century’s most iconic residential projects, 860-880 Lake Shore Drive consists of two 26-story rectangular condominium buildings surrounded by an irregular travertine plaza. The steel and glass towers are connected by a covered walkway.

Over the years, the problems included corrosion of the building’s exposed steel frame, failure of the lobby glazing system and extensive cracking and discoloration of the travertine plaza. The restoration included recoating the steel frame facade and cleaning the original aluminum windows. In addition, new sandblasted glass in the lobby recreated the soft, velvety glow of the original. Finally, the plaza was rebuilt by replacing the original travertine slabs and recreating the original plaza lighting scheme.

One of the things I’ve learned from restoring these buildings is that, for Mies, there was never a final answer… He was always interested in what else could happen, what the other design possibilities might be. What’s fascinating is to watch his thinking evolve over the course of a project. At 860-880, for example, the early sketches show a scalloped exterior with large bay windows. This eventually changes to what is there today. There’s also a continual process of refinement in terms of the massing, the enclosures at the bottom and the way the plazas are laid out.

Krueck

+ Description courtesy of Chicago Design Bureau

Krueck & Sexton Restores Mies Classic

860-880 Lake Shore Drive redefined highrise living for post-war generation

Architects Krueck & Sexton recently completed restoring one of legendary Modernist Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s most celebrated commissions: 860-880 Lake Shore Drive in downtown Chicago.

860-880, which was built between 1949 and 1951, consists of two 26-story, exposed steel and glass apartment towers set at right angles on an irregular travertine plaza.

Based on ideas and theories Mies had been perfecting since his earliest days as an independent architect in 1920s Berlin, the buildings redefined highrise living for the post-war generation.

They were the most radical buildings of their time… They’re light and delicate and surprisingly sexy. They also prove that – contrary to what many people believe — it’s not so easy to design a glass box.

Ron Krueck

860-880, which is both a local and national landmark, is located just north of Chicago’s Loop central business district and steps away from Lake Michigan.

Many architects and critics believe 860-880 is the closest Mies ever came to achieving his goal of less is more “skin and bones” architecture.

According to the American Institute of Architects’ “Guide to Chicago,” “No other building(s) by Mies had as immediate or strong an impact on his American contemporaries, and the influence of these structures was to pervade much of modern architecture.”

There’s not a lot to them… They’re mainly just steel and glass used in the most efficient way possible. By contrast, buildings today often have layer upon layer of materials.

Mark Sexton

In addition to more than half a century of normal wear and tear, the buildings had endured several restoration attempts over the years. The problems included corrosion of the buildings’ exposed steel frame, failure of the lobby glazing system and extensive cracking and discoloration of the travertine plaza.

There were also aesthetic issues. The original frosted glass in the lobby had been replaced in the early 1980s by a laminate system with a translucent interlayer that created an historically inaccurate aquamarine tint.

The restoration included recoating the steel frame facade and cleaning the original aluminum windows. In addition, new sandblasted glass in the lobby recreated the soft, velvety glow of the original.

Finally, the plaza was rebuilt, a process that included replacing the original travertine slabs, designing a new drainage system and recreating the original plaza lighting scheme.

Designed to take advantage of a 2008 tax credit, the project began in the summer of 2007 and was completed in December. The cost was $9 million.

860-880 is the third and largest Mies commission Krueck &  Sexton, a firm more noted for its original work, has completed in recent years.

The other two – all are in Chicago – are Crown Hall on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology and the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago.

One of the things I’ve learned from restoring these buildings is that, for Mies, there was never a final answer… He was always interested in what else could happen, what the other design possibilities might be. What’s fascinating is to watch his thinking evolve over the course of a project. At 860-880, for example, the early sketches show a scalloped exterior with large bay windows. This eventually changes to what is there today. There’s also a continual process of refinement in terms of the massing, the enclosures at the bottom and the way the plazas are laid out.

Krueck

+ About Krueck & Sexton Architects

Krueck & Sexton Architects was founded by architects Ronald Krueck and Mark Sexton in 1991 and is a multi-disciplinary firm with a varied portfolio. In addition to its innovative Mid-Century restoration and renovation practice, it has completed numerous award-winning civic, commercial and residential projects. The firm’s Spertus Institute Building on Michigan Avenue in Chicago received three AIA awards in 2008, including a Distinguished Building Award. The firm currently is working on a 25 acre expansion of Grant Park in downtown Chicago, the highlight of which will be a new home – also designed by Krueck & Sexton – for the Chicago Children’s Museum.

+ Project credits / data

Project: 860-880 Lake Shore Drive

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Date:

Original Completion Date: 1951
Restoration Completion Date: 2009

Client / Owner:

860 Lake Shore Drive Trust
880 North Lake Shore Drive
Chicago IL 60611
Marc Boxerman, Board Member & President

Building Management :

860 Lake Shore Drive Trust
880 North Lake Shore Drive
Chicago IL 60611
Kayla Ehrlich, Building Manager

Owner’s Representative:

Cotter Consulting, Inc.
100 South Wacker Drive
Suite 920
Chicago IL 60604
David Krc, Senior Project Manager

Architect & Prime Consultant:

Krueck & Sexton
221 West Erie Street
Chicago IL 60610
Mark Sexton, Principal in Charge; Ron Krueck, Design Principal; Tim Tracey, Project Architect

Preservation Architect:

Harboe Architects, P.C.
140 S. Dearborn Street
Suite 205
Chicago IL 60603
Gunny Harboe, Principal in Charge; Douglas Gilbert, Preservation Project Architect

Forensic Analysis, Structural Engineering

Wiss Janney Elstner Associates, Inc.
330 Pfingsten Road
Northbrook IL. 60062
Arne Johnson, Principal in Charge & Structural Engineer; Michael Scheffler, PE, Senior Consultant; Ken Itle, Forensic Project Architect

Wiss Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
10 South LaSalle Street
Suite 2600
Chicago IL 60603
Paul Gaudette, Concrete Quality Control; Joshua Freedland, Paint Forensics; Jason Aspin, Roofing

Lighting Consultant:

Schuler Shook
750 North Orleans
Suite 400
Chicago IL 60610
Jim Baney, IALD, LC

Chicago Landmark Review:

City of Chicago
Department of Planning and Development
Landmarks Division
33 North LaSalle Street
Suite 1600
Chicago IL 60602
Dijana Cuvalo, Director of Permit Review

General Contractor:

Bulley & Andrews, LLC
1755 West Armitage Ave
Chicago IL 60622
Paul Hellermann, President
Bruce Wance, Sr. Project Manager

Painting Subcontractor:

National Decorating Service, Inc.
2210 Camden Court
Oak Brook IL 60523

Travertine Supplier / Fabricator:

Mariotti Carlo & Figli S.p.A.
Via Tiburtina 287
00011 Tivoli Terme (Roma) – Italy
Primo Mariotti; Fabrizo Mariotti

Travertine Testing:

Corestone S.r.l
Via Delle Ciocche, 889
55047 Seravezza
Italy
Marc Heinlein

Travertine Installer:

Cleveland Marble Mosaic Company
4595 Hinckley Industrial Parkway
Cleveland OH 44109
Robert Zavagno Jr., President; Daniel Ulmer, Project Manager

Waterproofing Sub-Contractor:

Allied Waterproofing, Inc.
4205 Lawndale Ave.,
Lyons IL 60534-1131
Bill Leonhard

Landscape Contractor:

Landscape Maintenance Kinsella Landscape, Inc.
13821 South Harrison Avenue
Blue Island IL 60406
George Kinsella

Material Testing:

STS
750 Corporate Woods Parkway
Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061
Raul Dilig

Photographer: William Zbaren

+ All images and drawings courtesy of Chicago Design Bureau

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California-based architect Marcy Wong & Donn Logan Architects designed the Orange Memorial Park located in South San Francisco. The building is conceived as a pavilion in a park and an icon for the community.

+ Project description courtesy of Marcy Wong & Donn Logan Architects

Orange Memorial Park is the most important public recreation venue for the citizens of South San Francisco, and is the context for the new 6,400 sq. ft. recreation building which is encircled by soccer, basketball, picnic and other outdoor amenities. The facility’s function is to serve cultural, recreational, celebratory, and educational activities. But more importantly, the recreation building is conceived as a pavilion in a park and an icon for the community.

Towards that goal, the use of natural materials that are sustainable, that have a sense of  quality and longevity, that are complementary to each other and to the park context, and that are attractive, was of fundamental importance both to the designers and the client. For that reason, wood – in particular Western Red Cedar – and natural basalt stone are two of the most prominent materials in the building’s materials palette.

Western Red Cedar wood grilles form a rain screen of longevity and beauty for the walls, while evoking the sense of lightness, transparency and horizontality. Due to the strong though simple geometric forms, the importance of Western Red Cedar in the design idea is especially critical. As a consequence, the building’s materials and massing come together to provide identity and a strong civic sense of place for the 23-acre park.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Orange Memorial Park
Location: South San Francisco, California, USA 9
Architect: Marcy Wong & Donn Logan Architects
Project Manager: Tai-Ran Tseng of Marcy Wong & Donn Logan Architects
Structural Engineer: Umerani Associates
Civil Engineer: Winzler & Kelly
Mechanical Engineer: Mechanical Design Studio
Electrical Engineer: Int-Elect Engineers, Inc
Landscape: Gates & Associates
General Contractor: RGM & Associates

+ All images courtesy of Marcy Wong & Donn Logan Architects

Related posts:

1. The Vivanta by Warner Wong Design | WOW Architects
2. The Hilton in Bandung by Warner Wong Design | WOW Architects
3. Finderup Park Mix-use Complex | C. F. Møller Architects

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San Francisco-based designer Joanna Borek-Clement has designed the Tafoni Floating Home located in Sausalito, California. This is a conceptual house designed to promote a new type of residential design, living and lifestyle. It is also a multi-purpose living pavilion that serves as a permanent house, a weekend retreat, a relaxing summer destination or a place to entertain friends and hold business parties.

+ Project description courtesy of Joanna Borek-Clement

Promoting a New Attitude in Residential Design and Living

The primary goal of this conceptual project is to change the attitude towards living on a houseboat and promote a lifestyle that limits disruption of the environment. Tafoni is spacious, yet compact. Typical houseboats have low ceilings and often feel cramped, which can detract from comfort many residents desire of their homes. In contrast, even though Tafoni has a relatively small floor plate, it is spacious because of the high ceiling and the minimal amount of full-height interior partitions. The partial-height sculptural walls divide the space visually and increase the interaction between people without limiting views. Tafoni is a multi-purpose living pavilion that serves as a permanent house, a weekend retreat, a relaxing summer destination or a place to entertain friends and hold business parties. In the current era of overpopulation and decreasing greenfields, building houseboats is a solution we should consider.

The exemplary location of this project is the houseboat district in Sausalito, California, which features the beautiful views of San Francisco Bay overlooking neighboring Tiburon. This area serves as a permanent residence for many and is an example of peaceful coexistence between humans and nature. Every respectful and creative design, both modern and traditional, is accepted here; the residents pride themselves in the diversity of this floating enclave, which inspires everyone who comes to visit. Living close to unspoiled nature means being surrounded by beauty that enriches life in a way that apartments and on-land houses do not. Floating homes respond to low and high tide and more intimately connect with the environment than suburban houses with manicured backyards. Tafoni helps one discover the possibilities available with realizing that a living space can be very different than the one we grew up in and are used to.

Sustainable Features and Environmental Design Goals

The substantial damage to the environment in traditional on-land construction happens immediately at the start of the project; plants must be removed from greenfields that, in turn, impacts the natural nesting habitat of wildlife. In urban sites the construction debris associated with demolition and remodel of an existing building typically adds to the global refuse problem. Houseboats, as opposed to traditional homes, have no foundations that permanently impact the land. They can be moved from one dock to another to allow the shaded land underneath them to recover. Houseboats can be disassembled and transported to another location in a different city. The environmental goal of this project is to give Tafoni owners the flexibility and options that are invaluable in an environmentally conscious lifestyle.

Local Inspiration from the California Coast

The natural flora and fauna of the California coast provided inspirations for the project. First among them is a tafoni rock formation.

Tafoni

Tafoni are beautiful naturally occurring sculptures of stone, commonly sandstones. These extraordinary rock formations are hypothesized to be results of salt weathering. It is a unique phenomenon that is common along the Northern California shore in such locations as Salt Point State Park in Sonoma County. Their diversity and simple geometric beauty is astounding, shaping the design of the houseboat.

Pebble & Wave

Other important inspirations are the simplicity of coastal pebbles and the beauty of ocean waves. The furniture and casework in the Tafoni project are entirely inspired by smooth, oval-like pebbles polished by the water. Also, the sleeping area features an ocean wave wrapping around the bed formed by the additional curved interior wall separating the bedroom from the bathroom area. The floor pattern references the linear graphics found on California coastal pebbles.

Circulation & Space

The basic spatial concept is simple and minimal; in plan view the sculptural tafoni-inspired exterior and interior feature walls divide the space into three major parts: kitchen, living area and bedroom/ bathroom/closet area.

The middle part consists of a fully glazed sunroom that contains the kitchen, dining area and the main entrance to the boat.

The front part of the houseboat is occupied by a living room and the back part contains a bedroom. Both of these areas feature views of the Bay framed by tafoni-shaped windows. There are no full-height interior walls with the exception of the bathroom and walk-in closet.

Sustainable Structure

The house

The framing of the houseboat consists of the modular repetitive ellipsoidal wooden trusses that can be mass-produced to conserve resources and energy. The ellipsoidal shape of these structural elements allows for a large spanning capacity, thus eliminating the need for additional walls and columns that would cram the space inside affecting the quality of the interior space.

Floating pontoon

The floating pontoon for this houseboat can be made out of variety of materials, including fiberglass or concrete, depending on a specific location of the houseboat. In the exemplary location in Sausalito, the preferred option is a prefabricated concrete pontoon that has a high strength, durability and carrying capacity while requiring little maintenance. One of the characteristics of the San Francisco Bay is a constant change in the water level caused by high and low tide. The pontoon needs to have a sturdy structure and an ability to take the ground. Concrete is a durable and inexpensive construction material utilizing aggregate that can be harvested locally additionally contributing to the sustainability of this project.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Tafoni Floating Home
Designer: Joanna Borek-Clement
Project Type: Conceptual Project
Location: Houseboat district in Sausalito, California, USA (Representing a sample bay or lake houseboat district)
Use: Residential / Recreational
Stories above Ground: One level
House Structure: Wood
Pontoon Structure: Concrete
Building Height: ~17’-9” Feet (~5.2 Meters)
Floor to Ceiling: ~13’-0” Feet (~4.0 Meters)
Area: ~960 Square Feet (~89 Square Meters)

Related posts:

1. Skyline Residence + Outdoor home theater | Belzberg Architects
2. Ozeaneum German Oceanographic Museum | Behnisch Architekten
3. Slice House | Studio ST Architects

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New York-based architects Michael Morris and Yoshiko Sato of Morris Sato Studio custom-designed the Dupont Corian Design Studio using cutting-edge lighting, sound and shape technology to create a sanctuary of experience which was inspired by the Japanese concept of a “borrowed landscape”.

+ Project description courtesy of Morris Sato Studio

Conceived as a sanctuary of experience and inspired the Japanese concept of a “borrowed landscape,” the Corian® Design Studio is a sensory experience where designers can look, touch, feel, and see the energy that Corian® evokes.

It is a space that showcases the endless possibilities afforded by this remarkable material. Nonporous DuPont™ Corian® is a high-performing, easy-to-maintain solid surfacing material that can be fabricated into a virtually seamless surface.

It can be thermoformed into custom shapes and contours, sandblasted, routed, carved, laser-etched and backlit. It can be straight and rigid or voluptuous and supple making it ideal for a wide range of applications.

Located in the visual arts-centric Flatiron district of New York City, the 5,000 square-foot space is an interactive workshop where design influencers can consult with experts to address specific project needs and help bring their ideas and applications to life—from the most simple to the most advanced designs.

Through a series of vignettes, the studio showcases many design possibilities for Corian’s applicability in a variety of market environments including healthcare, education, hospitality, retail, office, and residential.

One standout design feature of the Design Studio is the starry sky lighting, featuring 74 pieces of CNC-milled and thermoformed translucent Glacier Ice Corian®. The abstracted “heavens” above connect visitors to the application vignettes within the studio. This large-scale interactive lighting feature provides an animated array of luminous color that gently maps the visitor’s movement across the space suggesting new and innovative uses of Corian®.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Dupont Corian Design Studio
Location: New York, USA
Architect: Morris Sato Studio

Related posts:

1. Museum of Tolerance Renovation | Yazdani Studio of Cannon Design
2. Tooth Tales – Pediatric Dental Office | Evoke Design
3. UrBan Homme | Design Act

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New York-based architectural firm Morris Sato Studio has designed the YN-13 House located in Shelter Island. The house was organized on its site as three independent volumes (Main, guest house and garage) enclosing a swimming pool and a courtyard, conceived as a buoyant mass and inspired by historic Japanese residential structures in Kyoto and Kanazawa, the skin is finished in bleached vertical battens and clapboard siding merge with stainless steel roofing to form a unified textured appearance between the walls and the roof.

Here is the link to the interview video.

+ Project description courtesy of Morris Sato Studio

YN-13 House is organized on its site as three independent volumes enclosing a courtyard-like space with a swimming pool at its center. The biased cut of the main house’s pitched roof and its protruding corners underscore primary views of the landscape and ocean.

Conceived as a buoyant mass and inspired by historic Japanese residential structures in Kyoto and Kanazawa, the house’s bleached cedar vertical battens and clapboard siding merge with the standing seams of the terne-coated stainless steel roofing to visually unify the wall and roof surfaces that, over the course of a day, lends the house an aura of both permanence and temporality.

On the interior, the open, loft-like first level allows for an uninterrupted diagonal flow of space, and the expansive glazing at the corners connect indoor and outdoor activities.

The second level’s bedrooms are punctured with a series of openings and terraces providing light and views. A large interior void joins the first and second floors with light and air and serves as a spatial counterpoint to the masonry chimney tower on the exterior.

+ Project credits / data

Project: YN-13 House
Location: Shelter Island, New York
Architect: Morris Sato Studio

+ All images and drawings courtesy of Morris Sato Studio

Related posts:

1. Slice House | Studio ST Architects
2. Eco-Friendly Cascade House | Paul Raff Studio
3. Plan, Elevation & Section of Cascade House | Paul Raff Studio

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Denmark-based Hvidt Arkitekter has completed the new headquarters for the American software company ‘ESRI’ (Environmental Systems Research Institute) located in California, USA.

+ Project description courtesy of Hvidt Arkitekter

HVIDT ARKITEKTER BEHIND NEW HEADQUARTERS FOR ESRI – CALIFORNIA, USA

The new headquarters of the American software company ’ESRI’ in Redlands, east of Los Angeles, California, has been designed by HVIDT ARKITEKTER. The building has now been completed and is ready for occupation.

HVIDT ARKITEKTER was contacted by ESRI’s owner, who had been in Denmark and seen some of HVIDT ARKITEKTER’s head offi ce designs, and he was very impressed of these buildings.

Subsequently HVIDT ARKITEKTER participated in the competition among several other American architectural fi rms – and won. Cooperation was then initiated with the locally based drawing office, Armantrout Architects, who were already cooperating with ESRI.

The headquarters, encompassing 8.000 m², is constructed in connection with ESRI’s existing buildings in a campus-like and very green area, traversed by an avenue of high palm trees. The main entrance of the new building is located at the end of the avenue.

HIGHEST TOP-HUNG GLASS FACADES IN THE WORLD

The domicile consists of two building volumes, the offi ce wings, and a large intermediate glass atrium, where the entrance is located. The two volumes are faced with Californian red wood in a warm orange colour. The atrium facades stand as a continuous glazing, constructed in frameless glass and mounted on light steel constructions with discreet steel fi ttings. With a height of 14 m, these glazings are the highest top-hung glass facades in the world.

RED WOOD, CONCRETE AND GLASS

The volume of the atrium is contained by four sculptural concrete walls that extend outside the building into the landscape and over the roofl ine. The concrete walls further emphasise the directionality of the atrium, creating movement from the entry garden, through the atrium and to the gardens on the southern side. Simultaneously, the walls create verticality within the space, drawing ones eyes upwards. The cool steel and glass construction interplays with the dynamic orange colour of the wood and the two light concrete plates, which match facings, stairs, balconies and other fine concrete details, both inside and outside the building. The large atrium and the partly freestanding concrete plates create a transition from the building to the landscape outside.

STATE OD THE ART AUTITORIUM

Two light bridges span the width of the atrium, connecting one offi ce wing to the other. From the bridges there is access to a suspended wooden box with meeting rooms at each level. A light, white stair that moves vertically through the space creates a contrast to the heavy, grounded concrete walls. In addition to the offi ces, which can accommodate 250 employees, and to the various meeting rooms and a café, a lounge and a canteen, the headquarters accommodates a magnifi cent auditorium with 300 seats. The auditorium is state of the art, and all surfaces have been constructed with the aim to ensure optimum acoustics. Despite the size of the room, it is possible to make speeches without using a microphone. All materials chosen for the interior of the building are based on the wish to optimise the indoor climate, and at the same time ensure beautiful, solid and easyto-maintain surfaces. Wood walls and flooring have been used throughout the project to bring a warmth and Scandinavian touch, but also improve acoustics. The auditorium uses a combination of maple and cherry panelling that have been thoughtfully designed with acoustics in mind, placing perforation at carefully located places and creating specially formed surfaces that strategically refl ect the sound so that the space is ideal for small seminars and large presentations.

’AN INCREDIBLE PIECE OF BEAUTY’

Both the building owner and the local residents are very enthusiastic about the new headquarters. At the inauguration, ESRI’s president, Jack Dangermond, said “The building is an artistic expression. It is not only functional, but it is an incredible piece of beauty. How people interact with it is wonderful… The building is a beautiful thing all by itself”. ESRI’s director of company operations, Don Berry, expressed his enthusiasm by saying “I want to make our other buildings feel like this. The building is so energizing. I want to be in my office”. Redland’s planning commissioner, Eric Shamp, has also praised the modern building design and called the project “a step forward for Redland’s design”.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND SOLAR CELL SYSTEM

The building has been constructed so that it meets the Californian demands to insulation, indoor climate, water and energy effi ciency etc. Very effective sun screens have been installed, and the choice of glazing has been based on the amount of sunlight. Protective planting along parking areas and other outdoor areas around the building supplements the sun screens and minimises the “heat-island” effect.

The auditorium is placed on the south-west corner of the building. The entrance to the space is at grade but descends nearly a full level under grade level. The two cast-in-place concrete exterior walls in combination with the location underground create help to control temperature swings and reduce the need for cooling. In addition, the domicile has energy-effi cient light fi ttings, water-saving toilets and water-free urinals. A large solar cell system on the roof contributes to the building’s power supply.

+ Project credits / data

Project: ESRI headquarters
Design: Hvidt Arkitekter, architectural services in cooperation with Armantrout Architects
Owner: Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.
Floor area: 8,000 m²

Related posts:

1. Cabin in Stockholm Archipelago | GRAD arkitekter
2. Headquarters for Marchesini France | LAN Architecture
3. Distrito C, Telefónica’s Headquarters | Rafael de La-Hoz Architects

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Florida-based Evoke Design recently has completed the Tooth Tales – Pediatric Dental Office located in Miramar, Florida.

The project begins to rethink the dental typology and creates a more playful and fresh environment that appeals to the imagination and the senses of both the parents and kids alike.

Evoke Design – Daren Chen

+ Project Narrative courtesy of Evoke Design

Parents and kids alike are always in fear of the dentist. Traditionally, most dental offices are cold, sterile spaces, maybe with walls painted yellow, crown molding and a small colorful space in the corner for the kids, in an attempt to create a ‘comforting and inviting’ space…..

At Tooth Tales, the Dental Space typology is redefined and breaks down these negative perceptions by creating a welcoming environment that appeals to the young patients and their parents. Upon entering the space you are greeted with a playful and fresh environment that appeals to the imagination and the senses. Through the play of colored wall graphic ‘petal-like’ patterns of Sparky (the mascot), contrasted by the fresh white backgrounds, tactile synthetic grass-scapes, translucent materials and lighting effects, a space reminiscent of an interior playground is created. As you proceed to the treatment spaces vertical and horizontal surfaces and masses are colored in bright green hues and wall graphics continue to add splashes of color and visual texture to the spaces.

Custom-built aluminum and Polycarb partitions separate the primary circulation corridor from the open bay treatment area, while still allowing a greater sense of depth and continuity, as light and shadows are able to permeate from one space to another. The use of wall graphics continues into the private treatment rooms, contrasted again by the crispness of the white backgrounds and are designated by different colors and a shift in the graphic wall patterns, again using Sparky as the base pattern.

From the onset of design, the Tooth Tales brand and identity was designed in close collaboration with the graphic designer. This transcends throughout the office collective from the business cards, postcards, coloring books and graphic patterns to the overall spatial experience and language, thus creating a holistic and strong branding and identity throughout the total experience.

LED tickers in the waiting space provide the waiting parents and patients with constantly changing information from patients who are up next, to birthdays, personal achievements and various factoids.

The ‘wall of fame’ provides the kids with an ever changing area to display their art work (Tooth Tale coloring book /activity sheets are given to the patients while waiting and are displayed and rotated on a monthly basis). This allows for a more personal environment where the kids can have a sense of accomplishment and ownership.

The art wall is an area painted with dry erase marker paint and a series of vinyl stickers with the outline of Sparky’s head, allowing the patients to design and draw their own custom faces.

The circulation and spatial relationships are strategically designed to promote efficiency and reflect the dentist’s specific working methods and procedures. All public programmatic functions are situated along the perimeter edge of the existing shell, providing views to the outdoors, while the private, back of house spaces are located along the inner core. Through materiality, lighting, color and form, the spaces appear to be more open and inviting, allowing for a greater transparency and perception of spatial depth, than the actual fully programmed spatial dimensions allow.

+ About Evoke Design

Evoke design lab is a young, progressive multi-disciplinary architectural design studio interested in developing innovative and practical design solutions for healthcare practices, residential, commercial and mixed-used projects of various scales. We are LEED accredited and interested in sustainable design practices and incorporating environmentally friendly building systems, materials, and construction techniques into the firm’s cutting edge design solutions.

Evoke Design is based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and has worked on projects of various scales ranging from interior build-outs of health care facilities to larger mixed-use developments. Our client list includes clients in Los Angeles, Toronto, Miami and the Caribbean.

Through our broad network of talented designers of various backgrounds, not only do we offer architectural design expertise, we also provide services ranging from interior architecture, graphic design, branding and identity development and furniture design. This enables us to create a holistic environment that transcends throughout the design intent as required by the project.

Design solutions for all project typologies operate within environmental conditions generated by the dynamics of budget, technology, market, social, cultural and contextual influences. We are committed to helping our clients realize their objectives and to promote an effective, collaborative effort, tailored to the specific needs of each client. We understand the value in design and the importance of fusing design and business to produce quality design solutions that are responsive to the shifts in human needs, the environment and provide the key for shaping a sustainable competitive advantage in the rapidly changing economy…more importantly, we just want to share the fun and the passion we have for design with you.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Tooth Tales – Pediatric Dental Office – Miramar, Florida
Function: Pediatric Dental Office w/ Infrastructure + Equipment for Orthodontic Practice
Floor Area: 1,580 sf (existing commercial condo shell)
Location: 12781 Miramar Parkway suite 306, Miramar, Florida 33027

Architect/Designer: Evoke Design – Daren Chen LEED AP (principal)
Client: Dr. Timothy Chen DMD
Graphic Design: Jack Ngan
Lighting: Jaime Gonzalez
Construction: Candas Construction
Photography: Richard Patterson
Completed: August 2009

+ All images and drawings courtesy of Evoke Design

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