The @FelicianoCenter’s @MIXLabDesign Design Charrette for “B.E.L.A.” Summer High School Program Entailing the Redevelopment of a Significant Urban Historic Site #UrbanPlanning #Redevelopment #Business #Entrepreneur #Education #HighSchool #DesignThink #Innovation #NJEd @MontclairStateU
Posted: July 10, 2019 Filed under: Architectist, Architecture, Design, Design Thinking, Education, Green, Leadership, More FC3 | Tags: Architecture, Autonomous Vechicles, Charrette, Design, Design Think, Education, Feliciano, High School Students, Historical, Innovation, Kids, LEED, Mixed Use, MIXLAB, Montclair NJ, Montclair State University, Planning, preservation, PURE, Redevelopment, Retail, School of Business, SITES, Smart Cities, Solving for X, students, Summer Program, Sustainability, Technology, University Architect, Urban, WELL Leave a comment
On July 9, 2019, in the capacity of University Architect at Montclair State University (and Alumni of the Feliciano School of Business). I had the privilege of participating in a design charrette with a local high school. The project consists of an urban redevelopment site with a precious historical building at the site. I was invited by the people who run the Montclair State University MIX Lab (Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship), an interdisciplinary hub for transformative innovation, and digitally mediated making.
M.I.X. stands for Making and Innovating for X, where X is the unknown, that which exceeds our grasp, the future, and the open-ended nature of creativity, good design and big problems. The co-directors of MIX Lab are Iain Kerr, associate professor of Innovation Design, and Jason Frasca, entrepreneurship instructor.
I graciously accepted Jason and Ian’s invitation to participate as a guest critic along with another fellow professional, Frank Gerard Godlewski of Fellsbridge Studio LLC, who specializes in historic preservation in the area where the redevelopment project is located. The format for the design charrette, hosted by the MIX Lab for the high school program led by high school teacher, Kevin Richburg, included: (1) The students, in groups of 4-5, presented their concepts for the redevelopment of the site (there were 5 teams); (2) the guest critics gave suggestions and further thoughts on how to further explore and develop the student’s ideas; (3) the guest critics summed up their thoughts for all the students with key take-aways. The following is a recap of what I learned from the students (in so far as what is the most significant to them) and the key take-aways I offered the students (in no particular order of importance) from my perspective as an Architect who has been involved in the planning, design and construction of projects over the past 20-years.
What the Student Teams Focused on as Key Ideas for their Projects:
- Historic preservation of the existing building
- Connecting with local community
- Local and state pride
- Affordability
- Sustainability
- Celebration of diversity and inclusion
- Love of the arts
- Focus on the user “experience”
- Spaces for families to enjoy
- Entertainment
- Accessibility to quality food and goods
- Mixing of “Bright and Bold” historic and modern elements
- Transformative
- “Modern” vibe
Proposed Amenities of the Re-Development Site:
- Supermarkets (one group proposed a two-story whole sale supermarket)
- Open-air markets (farmer markets, etc.)
- Retail, restaurants, food trucks
- Open space, a square or plaza
- Parking for visitors (possible tunnel or bridge)
- Parking at perimeter
Types of Buildings (Programmed Spaces)
- Main historic building’s exterior appearance
- Main historic building’s exterior appearance
- Explore modernization of existing historic building interior to suite new uses
- Mixed use buildings with green roofs and roof top patios
- Modern, light and transparent
- Restaurants and sports bars
- Entertainment – bowling alley, arcade, movie theater
- Arts – Museum showcasing tradition and innovation
- Grocery stores
- Food trucks
- Retail
- Technology/electronics-based retail
- Main historic building’s exterior appearance
- Explore modernization of existing historic building interior to suite new uses
- Mixed use buildings with green roofs and roof top patios
- Modern, light and transparent
- Restaurants and sports bars
- Entertainment – bowling alley, arcade, movie theater
- Arts – Museum showcasing tradition and innovation
- Grocery stores
- Food trucks
- Retail
- Technology/electronics-based retail
Types of Exterior Spaces
- Open spaces with green lawns and fountains
- Places to reflect and remember
- ·Field with stage and seating
- Outdoor seating for restaurants
- Areas to relax
Key Take-Aways & Ideas for Further Exploration:
- Site plans – Delineate site elements separately from building elements (so easier to comprehend) using color or graphics (Example)
- Floor plans – Delineate building areas/rooms with designated color so it is easier to understand program of spaces (i.e., circulation vs apartments vs retail vs support spaces, etc.) (Example)
- Work together as a team – commemorate each other’s strengths but give everyone credit even those whose work may be behind the scenes
- Focus on one main idea (let other ideas support the one main theme)
- Context and Scale – Observe and learn from the surrounding community; apply those elements to the proposed project so that it complements the adjoining communities
- Materials – Understand how the new materials can complement the historic ones (let the original historic building stand on its own and celebrate its historical significance)
- Consider “big box” retail versus the Local “pop ups” (gentrification good and bad)
- Parking/Transportation – As mass transportation has changed from ships to locomotives to buses and cars; look to the future as the world heads to autonomous vehicles (particularly China). If parking is required think about how a parking lot or parking garage can be transformed in the future. Example
- Sustainability is important but do not forget to consider W.E.L.L. as well. LEED/Sustainability concepts Resource 1 ; Resource 2 also check out the following link for ides about other program types for the redevelopment project Resource 3
- Consider more technology in your projects, for instance: Smart Cities, AR/VR, and other innovate concepts, like: Immersive Experience and Virtual reality in theme park attractions. Also consider utilizing QR Codes as a teaching tool.
- Consider developing a pedestrian mall by converting an existing street into a pedestrian friendly zone like they have done in Jersey City, NJ or Times Square, New York City, NY or Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas, NV, the taking cars, trucks and buses off the street and giving the spaces back to the pedestrians who can enjoy it (also it would make the entire site one big site instead of two separate parcels dived by thru traffic).
- Lastly, and not least important, when considering injecting modern elements with historic architecture, it must be considered whether the original is to remain intact or be altered. There are interesting examples of tasteful alterations, however, the older I get the less comfortable I am with injecting new with old for the sake of “shock” value (where as a student of architecture 20 years ago the concept was more appealing). I reminded the students of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, and the ensuing debate that is going on whether or not the renovations/upgrades should be true to the original or whether the new design should be bold and innovating and perhaps less true to the original. Whether the designers choose to go in one direction or another much thought should be given to preserving the historical elements of our precious structures because they are irreplaceable (think Grand Central Station in New York City, NY, which acted as a catalyst for the preservation movement). Click here to read about the history of the Preservation Battle of Grand Central Station.
Overall, I was impressed by the talent and creativity of all the students and I was pleased with the quality of their presentations. I hope I was able to contribute in some small way to the success of their respective projects. The high school student participants’ contributions to the build environment would be welcomed by the design and construction industry, since the students are willing to understand and develop their skills in the area of deep thought, innovation, design, construction and socio-economic concepts at an early age. I gladly encouraged each and every one of them by letting them know that if they choose a career in architecture, engineering, real-estate development, construction or related field that they would certainly all be able to achieve their goals based on their willingness and eagerness to learn and present their visions and concepts. I hope my involvement was as rewarding for the students as it was for me.
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Ask the Architect: What is Sustainability? #Green #Architect #ilmaBlog
Posted: June 6, 2019 Filed under: Architecture, Ask the Architect, Green, Higher Education - Architecture & Design | Tags: Architect, Architecture, conservation, corporate social responsibility, ECO, fc3green, green, Planet, Sustainability, Triple bottom line Leave a commentWhat is sustainability?
Sustainability has become a “buzz” word which has been used to describe conservation and protection of the environment we live in.
Due to the fact that the general public (through old and new media platforms) has become increasing knowledgeable about climate change and pollution (from print news articles, online websites, documentaries and films that focus on the wrongdoings of companies), they are holding companies accountable and voting amongst industry competitors with the dollars they spend on goods and services. An Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 American concert film/documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about former United States Vice President Al Gore’s campaign to educate people about global warming. The film features a comprehensive slide show that, by Gore’s own estimate, he has presented over a thousand times to audiences worldwide. Films like “An Inconvenient Truth” can shed light on the way that people and companies play a part in the world we live in. Because we live in a world of limited resources it is important that we focus not only on ourselves, but the earth and all its eco-systems (plants and animals included, not just human beings). Human beings have the greatest impact on the planet and need to be accountable for how we live our lives. Companies and organizations need to do the same.
How can we make sustainable development a reality?
This response focuses on a world driven by economics: Impact from “Corporations” & “Organizations” are two of many ways to help materialize sustainability because they shape the lives we live through community, what we buy, where we learn, where we work and how we choose to spend our income.
The European Commission (2010) defines corporate social responsibility (CSR) as ‘‘a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis.’’ A common definition in the management literature comes from Davis (1973, p. 312), who defines CSR as ‘‘the firm’s considerations of, and response to, issues beyond the narrow economic, technical, and legal requirements of the firm to accomplish social [and environmental] benefits along with the traditional economic gains which the firm seeks (Source: The benefits and costs of corporate social Responsibility” by Geoffrey B. Sprinkle, Laureen A. Maines) .”
In creating and distributing CSR Reports, companies not only share their reports with their customers and their employees, but in the process, they are able to reflect on what they are doing and how they can make improvements. In the words of W. Edwards Deming, “Measure of productivity does not lead to improvement in productivity.” However, by recognizing attributes that make the organization unique help move it forward. By identifying key metrics that impact the business the organization will be able to better address the financial, social, and environmental benefits, commonly referred to as the Triple Bottom Line.
Customers need to be aware of companies that may be using “greenwashing.” There are times when organization may not want to directly promote their activities through advertisements because it may appear like “pinkwashing” or “greenwashing.” Savy customers may be turned away by marketing tactics. More important is to do the right thing, keep employees motivated and focused on the organization’s values, and report in their annual CSR report (Source: Marquis, Christopher, Pooja Mehta Shah, Amanda Elizabeth Tolleson, and Bobbi Thomason. “The Dannon Company: Marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility (A).” Harvard Business School Case 410-121, April 2010. (Revised September 2011)).
How sustainability can be measured?
Because I have focused the past 20 years of my career primarily in the higher education industry I will focus my response on what I know, instead of tackling this problem from a larger more global perspective like I have in the responses above. However, it is with much thought and consideration that I share these insights because I strongly believe that other industry sectors can prosper from this information. This is by no means an end to all measurements of sustainability but it certainly is a good start to put a dent in this massive undertaking!
For the past few years APPA/NACUBO has compiled a survey of institutions of higher education.
The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) is a membership organization representing more than 1,900 colleges and universities across the country. (https://www.nacubo.org) APPA is the gathering place for educational facilities professionals, dedicated to the ongoing evolution of the profession. Although their name has changed over the past 100 years their mission remains: “To support educational excellence with quality leadership and professional management through education, research and recognition (https://www.appa.org).”
APPA/NACUBO provides an annual survey on the self-reported information submitted by their constituents which is comprised of: (1) Community Colleges; (2) Small Institutions; (3) Comprehensive/Doctoral; and (4) Research Institutions (High and Very High Research Institutions).
The following key performance indicators are measured, compiled and reported by APPA/NACUBO based on the one of 4 categories listed above:
- Energy Use Intensity (measured KBTU per square foot)
- Electrical (measured kW per square foot)
- Water daily (measured average gallons per FTE student enrolled)
- Recycled waste (measured in pounds annually per FTE student enrolled)
- Garbage waste (measured in pounds annually per FTE student enrolled)
- Carbon footprint (measured in metric tons CO2 per FTE student enrolled)
The report illustrates the year-over-year comparison of results from the survey, as well as comparisons by type of institution. APPA/NACUBO encourages the academic institutions of higher education to explore these findings as a starting point to better inform their campus decisions.
It is vital that each institution look at similar organizations (community colleges, small institutions, comprehensive/doctoral, and research universities). The survey reports raw data by gross square feet (GSF) and by student full-time equivalent (SFTE). The raw data can be used to evaluate and reduce consumption.
Further Reading:
https://www.nacubo.org/Topics/Facilities-and-Environmental-Compliance/Key-Facilities-Metrics-Survey
https://ilovemyarchitect.com/category/green/
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Frank_Cunha/answers
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
What Will Higher Education Look Like 5, 10 or 20 Years From Now? Some Ways Colleges Can Reinvent Themselves #iLMA #eMBA #Innovation #Technology #Planning #Design #HigherEducation #HigherEd2030 #University #Architect
Posted: April 16, 2019 Filed under: Architecture, Ask the Architect, Campus Planning & Design, Design, Design Thinking, Education, Executive MBA, Higher Education - Architecture & Design, JustArch, Leadership, More FC3, Science & Technology, University | Tags: 2030, Architect, Architecture, Citizen Architect, College of the Future, Design, Digital, Education, eMBA, FC3, Future, Future Architect, Future Trends, Futurist Architect, Higher Education, Hybrid, Innovation, Leadership, Learning, management, MBA, Sustainability, Technology, Trends, University, University Architect, University Facilities, Visionary Leave a comment
Introduction
Change is a natural and expected part of running a successful organization. Whether big or small, strategic pivots need to be carefully planned and well-timed. But, how do you know when your organization is ready to evolve to its next phase? Anyone that listens, watches, or reads the news knows about the rising cost of higher education and the increasing debt that education is putting on students and alumni and their families.
At a time when education is most important to keep up with increasing technological changes, institutions need to pivot or face imminent doom in an ever increasing competitive environment. Competition can come from startups or external factors in the higher education market therefore it is increasingly necessary for institutions of higher learning to take a different approach to their business operations.
This post will focus on:
- Current Trends
- Demographic Shifts
- Future of Higher Education (and impacts on University Facilities & Management)
- Changing Assumptions
- Implications for the Physical Campus
- Changing Trajectory
- More Trends in Higher Education (Towards 2030)
- Driving Technologies
- External Forces
Current Trends
- Online education[i] has become an increasingly accepted option, especially when “stackable” into degrees.
- Competency-based education lowers costs and reduces completion time for students.
- Income Share Agreements[ii] help students reduce the risk associated with student loans.
- Online Program Manager organizations benefit both universities and nontraditional, working-adult students.
- Enterprise training companies are filling the skills gap by working directly with employers.
- Pathway programs facilitate increasing transnational education[iii], which serves as an additional revenue stream for universities.
Demographic Shifts
According to data from the National Clearinghouse and the Department of Education[iv]:
- The Average Age of a College/University Student Hovers Around Twenty-Seven (Though That Is Decreasing as The Economy Heats Up)
- 38% of Students Who Enrolled In 2011 Transferred Credits Between Different Institutions At Least Once Within Six Years.
- 38% of Students Are Enrolled Part-Time.
- 64% of Students Are Working Either Full-Time or Part-Time.
- 28% of Students Have Children of Their Own or Care For Dependent Family Members.
- 32% of Students Are from Low-Income Families.
- The Secondary Education Experience Has an Increasingly High Variation, Resulting In Students Whose Preparation For College-Level Work Varies Greatly.
Future of Higher Education (and impacts on University Facilities & Management)
The future of higher education depends on innovation.
University leaders who would risk dual transformation are required to exercise full commitment to multiple, potentially conflicting visions of the future. They undoubtedly confront skepticism, resistance, and inertia, which may sway them from pursuing overdue reforms.[v]
Change is upon us.
“All universities are very much struggling to answer the question of: What does [digitization[vi]] mean, and as technology rapidly changes, how can we leverage it?” . . . . Colleges afraid of asking that question do so at their own peril.”[vii]
James Soto Antony, the director of the higher-education program at Harvard’s graduate school of education.
Changing Assumptions
Until recently the need for a physical campus was based on several assumptions:
- Physical Class Time Was Required
- Meaningful Exchanges Occurred Face to Face
- The Value of an Institution Was Tied to a Specific Geography
- Books Were on Paper
- An Undergraduate Degree Required Eight Semesters
- Research Required Specialized Locations
- Interactions Among Students and Faculty Were Synchronous
Implications for the Physical Campus
- Learning – Course by course, pedagogy is being rethought to exploit the flexibility and placelessness of digital formats while maximizing the value of class time.
- Libraries – Libraries are finding the need to provide more usable space for students and faculty. Whether engaged in study, research or course projects, the campus community continues to migrate back to the library.
- Offices – While the rest of North America has moved to mobile devices and shared workspaces, academic organizations tend to be locked into the private, fixed office arrangement of an earlier era – little changed from a time without web browsers and cell phones.
- Digital Visible – From an institutional perspective, many of the implications of digital transformation are difficult to see, lost in a thicket of business issues presenting themselves with increasing urgency.
Changing Trajectory
University presidents and provosts are always faced with the choice of staying the course or modifying the trajectory of their institutions. Due to failing business models, rapidly evolving digital competition and declining public support, the stakes are rising. All should be asking how they should think about the campus built for the 21st century.[viii] J. Michael Haggans[ix] makes the following recommendations:
- Build no net additional square feet
- Upgrade the best; get rid of the rest
- Manage space and time; rethink capacity
- Right-size the whole
- Take sustainable action
- Make campus matter
More Trends in Higher Education (Towards 2030)
- The Rise of The Mega-University[x]
- ; Public Private Partnerships (P3’s) Procurement Procedures Will Become More Prevalent
- More Colleges Will Adopt Test-Optional Admissions
- Social Mobility Will Matter More in College Rankings
- Urban Colleges Will Expand[xi] — But Carefully
- Financial Crunches Will Force More Colleges to Merge
- The Traditional Textbook Will Be Hard to Find; Free and Open Textbooks
- More Unbundling and Micro-Credentials
- Continued Focus on Accelerating Mobile Apps
- Re-Imagining Physical Campus Space in Response to New Teaching Delivery Methods
- Transforming the Campus into A Strategic Asset with Technology
- Education Facilities Become Environmental Innovators
- Ethics and Inclusion: Designing for The AI Future We Want to Live In
- Visibility (Transparency) And Connectedness
- Sustainability from Multiple Perspectives
- Better Customer Experiences with The Digital Supply Chain
- Individualized Learning Design, Personalized Adaptive Learning
- Stackable Learning Accreditation
- Increased Personalization: More Competency-Based Education They’ll Allow Students to Master A Skill or Competency at Their Own Pace.
- Adaptation to Workplace Needs They’ll Adapt Coursework to Meet Employer Needs for Workforce Expertise
- Greater Affordability and Accessibility They’ll Position Educational Programs to Support Greater Availability.
- More Hybrid Degrees[xii]
- More Certificates and Badges, For Example: Micro-Certificates, Offer Shorter, More Compact Programs to Provide Needed Knowledge and Skills Fast[xiii]
- Increased Sustainable Facilities – Environmental Issues Will Become Even More Important Due to Regulations and Social Awareness; Reduced Energy Costs, Water Conservation, Less Waste
- Health & Wellness – Physical, Spiritual and Metal Wellbeing
- Diversity and Inclusion Will Increase
- Rise of The Micro-Campus[xiv] And Shared Campuses[xv]
- E-Advising to Help Students Graduate
- Evidence-Based Pedagogy
- The Decline of The Lone-Eagle Teaching Approach (More Collaboration)
- Optimized Class Time (70% Online, 30% Face to Face)
- Easier Educational Transitions
- Fewer Large Lecture Classes
- Increased Competency-Based and Prior-Learning Credits (Credit for Moocs or From “Real World” Experience)[xvi]
- Data-Driven Instruction
- Aggressive Pursuit of New Revenue
- Online and Low-Residency Degrees at Flagships
- Deliberate Innovation, Lifetime Education[xvii]
- The Architecture of The Residential Campus Will Evolve to Support the Future.
- Spaces Will Be Upgraded to Try to Keep Up with Changes That Would Build In Heavy Online Usage.
- Spaces Will Be Transformed and Likely Resemble Large Centralized, Integrated Laboratory Type Spaces.
- Living-Learning Spaces in Combination Will Grow, But On Some Campuses, Perhaps Not In The Traditional Way That We Have Thought About Living-Learning To Date.
Driving Technologies:
- Emerging Technologies – Such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, And Artificial Intelligence – Will Eventually Shape What the Physical Campus Of The Future Will Look Like, But Not Replace It.[xviii]
- Mobile Digital Transformation[xix]
- Smart Buildings and Smart Cities[xx]
- Internet of Things
- Artificial Intelligence (AI), Including Natural Language Processing
- Automation (Maintenance and Transportation Vehicles, Instructors, What Else?)
- Virtual Experience Labs, Including: Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality Learning, And Robotic Telepresence
- More Technology Instruction and Curricula Will Feature Digital Tools and Media Even More Prominently
- New Frontiers For E-Learning, For Example, Blurred Modalities (Expect Online and Traditional Face-To-Face Learning to Merge)[xxi]
- Blending the Traditional; The Internet Will Play Bigger Role in Learning
- Big Data: Colleges Will Hone Data Use to Improve Outcomes
External Forces:
- [xxii]: Corporate Learning Is A Freshly Lucrative Market
- Students and Families Will Focus More on College Return On Investment, Affordability And Student Loan Debt
- [xxiii]
- Greater Accountability; Schools will be more accountable to students and graduates
- Labor Market Shifts and the Rise of Automation
- Economic Shifts and Moves Toward Emerging Markets
- Growing Disconnect Between Employer Demands and College Experience
- The Growth in Urbanization and A Shift Toward Cities
- Restricted Immigration Policies and Student Mobility
- Lack of Supply but Growth in Demand
- The Rise in Non-Traditional Students
- Dwindling Budgets for Institutions[xxiv]
- Complex Thinking Required Will Seek to Be Vehicles of Societal Transformation, Preparing Students to Solve Complex Global Issues
Sources
& References:
[i] Online education is a flexible instructional delivery system that encompasses any kind of learning that takes place via the Internet. The quantity of distance learning and online degrees in most disciplines is large and increasing rapidly.
[ii] An Income Share Agreement (or ISA) is a financial structure in which an individual or organization provides something of value (often a fixed amount of money) to a recipient who, in exchange, agrees to pay back a percentage of their income for a fixed number of years.
[iii] Transnational education (TNE) is education delivered in a country other than the country in which the awarding institution is based, i.e., students based in country Y studying for a degree from a university in country Z.
[iv] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://er.educause.edu/articles/2019/3/changing-demographics-and-digital-transformation
[v]Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://ssir.org/articles/entry/design_thinking_for_higher_education
[vi] Digitization is the process of changing from analog to digital form.
[vii] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://qz.com/1070119/the-future-of-the-university-is-in-the-air-and-in-the-cloud
[viii] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: http://c21u.gatech.edu/blog/future-campus-digital-world
[ix] Michael Haggans is a Visiting Scholar in the College of Design at the University of Minnesota and Visiting Professor in the Center for 21st Century Universities at Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a licensed architect with a Masters of Architecture from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He has led architectural practices serving campuses in the US and Canada, and was University Architect for the University of Missouri System and University of Arizona.
[x] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/Trend19-MegaU-Main
[xi] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://www.lincolninst.edu/sites/default/files/pubfiles/1285_wiewel_final.pdf
[xii] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://www.fastcompany.com/3046299/this-is-the-future-of-college
[xiii] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://www.govtech.com/education/higher-ed/Why-Micro-Credentials-Universities.html
[xiv] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://global.arizona.edu/micro-campus
[xv] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://evolllution.com/revenue-streams/global_learning/a-new-global-model-the-micro-campus
[xvi] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://www.chronicle.com/article/The-Future-Is-Now-15/140479
[xvii] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://evolllution.com/revenue-streams/market_opportunities/looking-to-2040-anticipating-the-future-of-higher-education
[xviii] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://www.eypae.com/publication/2017/future-college-campus
[xix] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2019/02/digital-transformation-quest-rethink-campus-operations
[xx] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://ilovemyarchitect.com/?s=smart+buildings
[xxi] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/04/college-online-degree-blended-learning/557642
[xxii] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://qz.com/1191619/amazon-is-becoming-its-own-university
[xxiii] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://www.fastcompany.com/3029109/5-bold-predictions-for-the-future-of-higher-education
[xxiv] Article accessed on April 16, 2019: https://www.acenet.edu/the-presidency/columns-and-features/Pages/state-funding-a-race-to-the-bottom.aspx
We would love to hear from you about what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Personal Reflection on the Tragedy of April 15, 2019 at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France #Paris #Fire #NotreDame #Reflection #Architecture #CarpeDiem
Posted: April 15, 2019 Filed under: Architecture, Isms, Safety | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Art, carpe diem, Christian, churches, Designer, Easter, Europe, European, FC3, Jesus, Notre Dame, Paris, Pray, REFLECTION, seize the day, Treasures 1 CommentReflection on the Tragedy of April 15, 2019
This week is Holy Week, when millions of Western Christians mark the death and resurrection of Jesus. Under normal circumstances, Notre Dame cathedral in Paris would have been preparing to display its holy relics to the faithful on Good Friday.
But as fire engulfed the sacred site on April 15, 2019, Catholics across the world reacted in horror and disbelief, particularly when the cathedral’s iconic spire toppled amid the flames.
For generations, Notre Dame Cathedral has been a place of pilgrimage and prayer, and, even as religion in France has declined for decades, it remained the beating heart of French Catholicism, open every day for Mass.
Source: CNN
REFLECTION
When something that is tragic like the Notre Dame Cathedral fire occurs, it is important to take time to reflect on what happened. First, I look at this tragedy as a Christian, then as the grandson of European immigrants, and finally as an Architect. I reflect on these recent events using three distinct but entwined lenses:
- As a Christian, I reflect on what it means to be Christian. Although imperfect, we are all put on Earth to accomplish great things. Some have more than others, but we all have our crosses to bear. As Easter approaches, for many Christians around the world who celebrate this holiest of days it is a time of reflection and hope of things to come. As Jesus said, you are not of this world (we belong to Him). When these events happen it also makes us aware of our fleeting earthly lives.
- As a grandson of Europeans, I feel a strong camaraderie with my neighbors in France. As technology helps the world shrink we are becoming global citizens. But as someone who has spent many summers and taken many trips to Europe (probably more than 30 trips over my four decades), I feel a strong connection to what happens in Europe. I have the same feeling in my stomach that I had when 9-11 happened in New York City. We take for granted that these beautiful structures will always be here with us. These events remind us that we must cross off trips that are on our bucket lists sooner rather than later.
- As an Architect, my primary objective is to safeguard the public. Sure, I love great design and inspiring spaces as much as the next designer. However, being an Architect means that we must put safety above all else. When these events occur, I cannot help but think how vulnerable we are. As Architects we are always trying to evoke safety and security into our projects – Many times decisions are made with money more than risk aversion. A 100% safeguard world is not possible, but I challenge my fellow Architects to consider ways that we can educate and confront our clients to ensure that all our buildings are safe. We are all human with earthly perspectives and we are all bound to mistakes as we manage economics with safety. Take for example, the Seton Hall student housing fires that changed safety for campus of higher educations around the country. Can this tragedy bring some good? Perhaps as leaders in our industry we can shape the safety and preservation of our landmarks and new building projects to ensure the safety of the occupants.
Churches, castles and forts are the primary reason I chose this profession. Whenever we lose a structure of significance it is like losing a loved one. Like life itself, our art and architecture must be cherished because it is all temporary after all. Carpe Diem.
We would love to hear from you about what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
What About Public Private Partnerships? #ilmaBlog #HigherEducation #P3 #PPP #University #Architect
Posted: March 22, 2019 Filed under: Architecture, Campus Planning & Design, Education, Higher Education - Architecture & Design, University | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Assets, Budgeting, Business, College, Construction, Delivery Methods, Delivery Models, Design, Developer, Education, Expertise, Facilities, Finance, Higher Education, MBA, P3, Partnership, Private, project management, Public Sector, Risk Management, Strategic Partnerships, Student Housing, Turn Key, Turn Key operation, University Architect Leave a comment
Background on Public Private Partnerships (P3’s):
Many institutions of higher education are facing mounting pressure on their mission to deliver high-quality, affordable education to students and perform world-class research. Reductions in public funding support and concerns about overall affordability present substantial near-term and longer-term budget challenges for many institutions.
Public institutions are predominantly affected, having been constrained by suspensions or reductions in state funding. State appropriations across the US grew by just 0.5% annually between 2005 and 2015. State funding has still not recovered to 2008 levels, the last year in which state funding decisions would not have been affected by the Great Recession.
(Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — state appropriations revenue divided by total fall enrollment, 2005–15)
Public-private partnership models are continuing to proliferate as cash-strapped colleges and universities seek to replace or update aging and outdated infrastructure amid tight finances.
(Source: Proliferating Partnerships)
What is the P3 Delivery Model?
A public-private partnership, or P3, is long-term agreement between a public entity and a private industry team that is tasked with designing, building, financing, operating and maintaining a public facility. The past decade has seen a steady increase in the use of P3 structures, both inside and outside higher education. In 2016, something of a watershed year for P3, multiple high-profile projects came online in response to a variety of public needs, including a $1-billion-plus water infrastructure project servicing San Antonio, and a $300-million-plus renovation of the Denver International Airport’s Great Hall.
(Source: A Few Lessons About Public-Private Partnerships)
“Public” is a non-profit institutional or governmental entity that engages a “private” for-profit entity to pay for a particular project.
The “private” partner provides funding (and often expertise) to deliver (and often operate) the project used by the “public” entity to meet its purposes.
In return for its capital, the “private” entity gets a revenue flow from the asset it has paid for.
(Source: Should your University enter into a Public/Private Partnership – the Pro’s and Con’s)
The emergence of the P3 option is happening where it matters most: projects that would be otherwise unattainable under the traditional public-improvement delivery models. For instance, 10 years ago, only a handful of higher education P3 projects were up and running; today, we are approaching three dozen such projects.
The biggest challenge is, of course, the financing component, but P3 teams bring much more to the table than money — they give public entities access to expertise and innovation that can add significant value to projects at each phase of development.
(Source: A Few Lessons About Public-Private Partnerships)
Illustration of Institutional Functions
Motivations for P3 transactions vary widely, but include:
- Supplementing traditional debt instruments. These include private capital, using off balance sheet or alternative mechanisms.
- Transfer of risk. Historically, universities have born all or most of the risk of facilities-related projects themselves. A P3 is a way to either transfer or at least share the risk.
- Speed and efficiency. A P3 allows for a faster development process, and time to completion is generally shorter and on schedule. The sole focus of the private entity is to complete the project on budget and on time. University infrastructure tends to have competing priorities across all-campus facility needs.
- Outsourcing provision of non-core assets. Outsourcing allows institutions to focus investment of internal resources and capabilities on those functions that are closer to the academic needs of its students.
- Experience. Private partners often have much more experience and skills in a particular development area (e.g., facility architecture and infrastructure, student housing needs) and are able to better accommodate the needs of students, faculty, administrators, etc.
- Planning and budgeting. Private partners offer experience and know-how in long-term maintenance planning and whole life cycle budgeting.
(Source: Public-private partnerships in higher education What is right for your institution?)
The four types of P3s:
- Operating contract/management agreement. Short- to medium-term contract with private firm for operating services
- Ground lease/facility lease. Long-term lease with private developer who commits to construct, operate and maintain the project
- Availability payment concession. Long-term concession with private developer to construct, operate, maintain and finance the project in exchange for annual payments subject to abatement for nonperformance
- Demand-risk concession. Long-term concession with private developer to construct, operate, maintain and finance the project in exchange for rights to collect revenues related to the project
Pro’s and Con’s of P3’s:
Since their emergence in student housing several years ago, P3s have become important strategies for higher education institutions because of the many benefits they offer, including:
- Lower developer costs
- Developer expertise
- Operational expertise
- Access to capital
- Preservation of debt capacity
- More favorable balance sheets and credit statements
- Risk mitigation
- Faster procurement and project delivery (It can typically take a university about 5 years to get a project built. With a P3, that process can be reduced to just 2 years. Additionally, P3s can save approximately 25% in costs compared to typical projects.)
Beyond the above, the indirect advantages of P3s in student housing are numerous, such as they:
- Provide better housing for students
- Expand campus capacity
- Create high-quality facilities
- Expand the tax base for both a city and county
- Provide an economic boost to surrounding areas, which likely lead to private growth and other improvements
It is important to note that, while there are many benefits of P3s for higher education institutions, these agreements also have disadvantages that need to be considered, including:
- High cost of capital
- Reduced control for the university
- Complexity of deals
- Multi-party roles and responsibilities
- Limitation on future university development
(Source: Student Housing A Hot Sector For Public-Private Partnerships)
A LOOK AHEAD
Where Are We Heading?
- More political involvement and pressure to consider P3
- Pre-development Risks – Many projects failing to close
- Issues with Construction Pricing & Labor Shortages
- An increasing number of developers are getting in the on-campus business; however, developers are being more strategic on which projects/procurements to respond to
- Exploration of other sources of funds like tax credits, USDA, and opportunity zones
- Shared governance continues to grow
- Larger, more complex P3 projects including long term concessions, availability payment models, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Bundling of Procurements (food, housing (including faculty), academic buildings, hotel, energy, facility maintenance, etc.)
Further Reading:
- State of the P3 Higher Education Industry by Brailsford & Dunlavey http://programmanagers.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/P3-State-of-the-Industry-Final_Small.pdf
- Should your University enter into a Public/Private Partnership – the Pro’s and Con’s https://edualliancegroup.blog/2017/06/26/should-your-university-enter-into-a-publicprivate-partnership-the-pros-and-cons
- No Free Lunch: The Pros and Cons of Public-Private Partnerships for Infrastructure Financing https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2017/02/09/no-free-lunch-the-pros-and-cons-of-public-private-partnerships-for-infrastructure-financing
We would love to hear from you about what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
The Architect’s Role in Sustainable Design (and How to Use Technology & Innovation to Advance Our Green Agenda) #ilmaBlog #green #design #architecture
Posted: November 27, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Design, Design Thinking, Green, More FC3 | Tags: BIM, Green Architect, Innovation, Sustainability, Sustainable, Technology Leave a commentBackground
In the design and construction field, there are two major categories of resources: renewable and non-renewable. As opposed to non-renewable resources, which are depleted with their constant use, renewable resources are not. If not managed properly Non-renewable resources might become non-existent when the rate at which they are used is much higher than the rate at which they are replaced. Renewable resources include water, geothermal energy and wind energy. Non-renewable resources include coal, natural gas and oil. The demand for new construction is on the rise as the world’s population increases and the demand for newer, more efficient modern buildings also increase.
Architect’s Role
Because buildings account for so much energy to build and maintain, architects and designers have become very conscious about our role in minimizing our environmental footprint when we design buildings. The American Institute of Architects, the largest organization of architects world-wide has a committee called the Committee on the Environment (COTE), which works to advance, disseminate, and advocate—to the profession, the building industry, the academy, and the public—design practices that integrate built and natural systems and enhance both the design quality and environmental performance of the built environment. COTE serves as the community and voice on behalf of AIA architects regarding sustainable design and building science and performance.
Renewable Resources
In green construction processes, there is an emphasis on the use of renewable resources. In many cases, this natural source becomes depleted much faster than it is able to replenish itself, therefore, it has become important that buildings make use of alternative water sources for heating, hot water and sewerage disposal throughout their life cycles, to reduce use and conserve water supplies.
Architects and designers specify rapidly renewable materials are those that regenerate more quickly than their level of demand. Our goal is to reduce the use and depletion of finite raw materials and long-cycle renewable materials by replacing them with rapidly renewable ones. Some commonly specified rapidly renewable materials include cork, bamboo, cotton batt insulation, linoleum flooring, sunflower seed board panels, wheat-board cabinetry, wool carpeting, cork flooring, bio-based paints, geotextile fabrics such as coir and jute, soy-based insulation and form-release agent and straw bales. Some green building materials products are made of a merger of rapidly renewable materials and recycled content such as newsprint, cotton, soy-based materials, seed husks, etc.
Check out this ILMA article about “Materiality and Green Architecture: The Effect of Building Materials on Sustainability and Design” for more information on this topic.
Responsibility of Architects
Architects and designers who align with AIA’s COTE objectives, (1) recognize the value of their role in environmental leadership to advance the importance of sustainable design to the general public while incorporating sustainable design into their daily practice, (2) influence the direction of architectural education to place more emphasis on ecological literacy, sustainable design and building science, (3) communicate the AIA’s environmental and energy-related concerns to the public and private sectors and influence the decisions of the public, professionals, clients, and public officials on the impact of their environmental and energy-related decisions, (4) educate other architects on regulatory, performance, technical and building science issues and how those issues influence architecture, (5) educate the architectural profession on programming, designing, and managing building performance, (6) investigate and disseminate information regarding building performance best practices, criteria, measurement methods, planning tools, occupant-comfort, heat/air/moisture interfaces between the interior and exterior of buildings, (7) promote a more integrated practice in order to achieve environmentally and economically efficient buildings. One of the tools we will plan to promote to achieve this integration is Building Information Technology (BIM).
The Role of Technology & Innovation – A Case Study (“The Edge”)
PLP Architecture and the Developer OVG Real Estate, built “The Edge” is a 430,556 SF (40,000m²) office building in the Zuidas business district in Amsterdam. It was designed for the global financial firm and main tenant, Deloitte. The project aimed to consolidate Deloitte’s employees from multiple buildings throughout the city into a single environment, and to create a ‘smart building’ to act as a catalyst for Deloitte’s transition into the digital age.
They key features of this building include the following innovations which address the environmental impact of building such a large edifice:
- Each facade is uniquely detailed according to its orientation and purpose.
- Load bearing walls to the south, east and west have smaller openings to provide thermal mass and shading, and solid openable panels for ventilation.
- Louvers on the south facades are designed according to sun angles and provide additional shading for the office spaces, reducing solar heat gain.
- Solar panels on the south facade provide enough sustainable electricity to power all smartphones, laptops and electric cars.
- The North facades are highly transparent and use thicker glass to dampen noise from the motorway.
- The Atrium façade is totally transparent, allowing views out over the dyke, and steady north light in.
- The building’s Ethernet-powered LED lighting system is integrated with 30,000 sensors to continuously measure occupancy, movement, lighting levels, humidity and temperature, allowing it to automatically adjust energy use.
- 65,000 SF of solar panels are located on the facades and roof, and remotely on the roofs of buildings of the University of Amsterdam – thereby making use of neighborhood level energy sourcing.
- The atrium acts as a buffer between the workspace and the external environment. Excess ventilation air from the offices is used again to air condition the atrium space. The air is then ventilated back out through the top of the atrium where it passes through a heat exchanger to make use of any warmth.
- Rain water is collected on the roof and used to flush toilets and irrigate the green terraces in the atrium and other garden areas surrounding the building.
- Two thermal energy wells reach down to an aquifer, allowing thermal energy differentials to be stored deep underground.
- In The Edge a new LED-lighting system has been co-developed with Philips. The Light over Ethernet (LoE) LED system is powered by Ethernet and 100% IP based. This makes the system (i.e. each luminaire individually) computer controllable, so that changes can be implemented quickly and easily without opening suspended ceilings. The luminaires are furthermore equipped with Philips’ ‘coded-light’ system allowing for a highly precise localization via smartphone down to 8 inches (20 cm) accuracy, much more precise than known WiFi or beacon systems.
- Around 6,000 of these luminaires were placed in The Edge with every second luminaire being equipped with an additional multi-sensor to detect movement, light, infrared and temperature.
- The Philips LoE LED system was used in all office spaces to reduce the energy requirement by around 50% compared to conventional TL-5 Lighting. Via the LoE system daily building use can be monitored. This data is fed to facility managers via the BMS allowing:
- Remote insight into the presence of people in the building (anonymous). Heating, cooling, fresh air and lighting are fully IoT (Internet of Things) integrated and BMS controlled per 200 sqft based on occupancy – with zero occupancy there is next-to-zero energy use.
- Predictions of occupancy at lunchtime based on real time historical data and traffic and weather information to avoid food-waste.
- Unused rooms to be skipped for cleaning.
- Managers to be alerted to lights that need replacing.
- Notification of printers needing paper.
- Every employee is connected to the building via an app on their smartphone. Using the app they can find parking spaces, free desks or other colleagues, report issues to the facilities team, or even navigate within the building.
- Employees can customize the temperature and light levels anywhere they choose to work in the building via the mobile app. The app remembers how they like their coffee, and tracks their energy use so they’re aware of it.
- The vast amount of data generated by the building’s digital systems and the mobile app on everything from energy use to working patterns, has huge potential for informing not only Deloitte’s own operations, but also our understanding of working environments as a whole. Discussions are currently ongoing regarding the future of this data and its use for research and knowledge transfer.
- The green space that separates the building from the nearby motorway acts as an ecological corridor, allowing animals and insects cross the site safely.
Conclusion
Because buildings account for nearly 40 percent of global energy consumption, architects and designers have been working to impact the built environment in a positive way. Although not every project can be as green as The Edge, by selecting materials that are renewable while reducing energy are two big contributions we can make to help ease the increasing demand for construction.
Technology can play a big part in our role to design more sustainable buildings through the use of building information modeling, energy management software, building management software, online sustainability calculators, energy modeling software, new lighting innovations, new techniques to capture and deliver energy and clean water while reducing waste, and mobile applications utilizing IoT.
Sources:
- COTE https://network.aia.org/committeeontheenvironment/home/new-item2
- The Edge https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2015-the-edge-the-worlds-greenest-building
We would love to hear from you about what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends.
Feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Smart Cities
Posted: July 7, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, More FC3, Science & Technology | Tags: architectural, Architectural Design, Architectural Designer, ArchyTechy, Barcelona, Cities, City, City Planning, Design, Dubai, Energy, Innovation, Planning, San Diego, Singapore, smart city, Spain, Tech, Technology, telecommunications, United Arab Emirates, Urban Planning, WiFi 1 Comment
Smart cities use data and technology to create efficiencies, improve sustainability,
create economic development, and enhance quality of life factors for people living and
working in the city. It also means that the city has a smarter energy infrastructure.
(Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_city)
- Emerging trends such as automation, machine learning and the internet of things
(IoT) are driving smart city adoption. - Smart transit companies are able to coordinate services and fulfill riders' needs in real time, improving efficiency and rider satisfaction. Ride-sharing and bike-sharing are also common services in a smart city.
- Energy conservation and efficiency are major focuses of smart cities. Using smart sensors, smart streetlights dim when there aren't cars or pedestrians on
the roadways. Smart grid technology can be used to improve operations, maintenance and planning, and to supply power on demand and monitor energy
outages. - Using sensors to measure water parameters and guarantee the quality of
drinking water at the front end of the system, with proper wastewater removal
and drainage at the back end. - Smart city technology is increasingly being used to improve public safety, from
monitoring areas of high crime to improving emergency preparedness with sensors. For example, smart sensors can be critical components of an early warning system before droughts, floods, landslides or hurricanes. - Smart buildings are also often part of a smart city project. Legacy infrastructure can be retrofitted and new buildings constructed with sensors to not only provide real-time space management and ensure public safety, but also to monitor the structural health of buildings.
- Smart technology will help cities sustain growth and improve efficiency for citizen
welfare and government efficiency in urban areas in the years to come.
Water meters and manhole covers are just a couple of the other city components
monitored by smart sensors. Free and/or publicly available Wi-Fi is another perk smart cities often include. - San Diego installed 3,200 smart sensors in early 2017 to optimize traffic and parking
and enhance public safety, environmental awareness and overall livability for its
residents. Solar-to-electric charging stations are available to empower electric vehicle use, and connected cameras help monitor traffic and pinpoint crime. - Often considered the gold standard of smart cities, the city-state of Singapore uses
sensors and IoT-enabled cameras to monitor the cleanliness of public spaces, crowd
density and the movement of locally registered vehicles. Its smart technologies help
companies and residents monitor energy use, waste production and water use in real time. Singapore is also testing autonomous vehicles, including full-size robotic buses, as well as an elderly monitoring system to ensure the health and well-being of its senior citizens. - In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, smart city technology is used for traffic routing, parking, infrastructure planning and transportation. The city also uses telemedicine and smart healthcare, as well as smart buildings, smart utilities, smart education and smart tourism.
- The Barcelona, Spain, smart transportation system and smart bus systems are complemented by smart bus stops that provide free Wi-Fi, USB charging stations and bus schedule updates for riders. A bike-sharing program and smart parking app that includes online payment options are also available. The city also uses sensors to monitor temperature, pollution and noise, as well as monitor humidity and rain levels.
(Sources: https://internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com/definition/smart-city and https://www.engadget.com/2016/11/03/singapore-smart-nation-smart-city/)
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Library of the Future – For Colleges & Universities
Posted: July 6, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Design, Education, Higher Education - Architecture & Design, More FC3, University | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Artificial Intelligence, Campus, College, College Students, Design, Designer, digital scholarship, Education, Future, Gensler, Higher Ed, Higher Education, ILMA, Innovation, innovative, Internet of Things, librarian, Library, Library of the Future, library resources, New Jersey, NJ, patron, Perkins+Will, Research, Research University, scholarship technologies, social learning, Steelcase, Steelcase WorkSpace, student, students, technologies, Technology, Trends, University Leave a commentIf the classroom is the heart of higher education, the library is its soul.
Brief History of College Libraries
Typically, undergraduate libraries were not often discussed during the first part of the 20th century — It was thought that the basic library collections were able to meet the needs of all users, undergraduates, graduate students and faculty.
As a result of the rapid increase in the student population after World War II, undergraduate service became an issue for library and university administrators. With the growth of a complex research-oriented library and university system, undergraduate students were often bewildered. Huge card catalogs, closed book stacks and extensive reference materials overwhelmed new students and many did not seek assistance.
Harvard’s Lamont Library was the first large university’s effort to open an undergraduate library. Many other universities followed suit, such as Michigan, Texas and South Carolina. Some established full-scale libraries while others provided separate reading rooms aimed at undergraduates. One characteristic of these projects was that the books were housed in open stacks. Through design and layout undergraduate libraries and reading rooms tried to convey an informal and accessible air.
(Source: https://www.library.wisc.edu/college/about-college/history-of-college-library/)
Robert W. Woodruff Library- Atlanta University Center
“Libraries need to break out…. We need to rethink our whole attitude about the relationship between students and space, furniture, and information, and redefine what a library should be.”
–Lee Van Orsdel Dean of University Libraries, Grand Valley State University
In a digital world, libraries are “ripe for reinvention,” says Derek Jones, Principal in Perkins+Will’s Raleigh, N.C., office. Colleges are trimming the space their libraries allocate for books and storage and are forming consortiums to share resources. Digitization is facilitating just‑in‑time delivery of information and materials, although, as Jones points out, “when you have a million items and no budget, digitizing can be a formidable task.”
Steelcase WorkSpace Futures researchers and designers have developed key design principles for planning 21st century libraries. Like the classroom design principles, they’re based on primary user-centered research. The library design principles reflect the changed nature of a library in higher education today:
- Design library spaces that support social learning
- Support the librarian’s evolving role
- Optimize the performance of informal spaces
- Plan for adjacencies
- Provide for individual comfort, concentration, and security
- Provide spaces that improve awareness of, and access to, library resources
These top 10 highlights capture the big picture themes of organizational change that need to take place to develop a Library of the Future for institutions of higher education:
Libraries remain the gatekeepers to rich tapestries of information and knowledge. As the volume of web resources increases, libraries are charged with finding new ways to organize and disseminate research to make it easier to discover, digest, and track.
Incorporating new media and technologies in strategic planning is essential. Libraries must keep pace with evolving formats for storing and publishing data, scholarly records, and publications in order to match larger societal consumption trends favoring video, visualizations, virtual reality, and more.
In the face of financial constraints, open access is a potential solution. Open resources and publishing models can combat the rising costs of paid journal subscriptions and expand research accessibility. Although this idea is not new, current approaches and implementations have not yet achieved peak efficacy.
Libraries must balance their roles as places for both independent study and collaboration. Flexibility of physical spaces is becoming paramount for libraries to serve as campus hubs that nurture cross-disciplinary work and maker activities — without eschewing their reputations as refuges for quiet reflection.
Catering to patrons effectively requires user centric design and a focus on accessibility. Adopting universal design principles and establishing programs that continuously collect data on patron needs will make libraries the ultimate destination for learning support and productivity.
Spreading digital fluency is a core responsibility. Libraries are well-positioned to lead efforts that develop patrons’ digital citizenship, ensuring mastery of responsible and creative technology use, including online identity, communication etiquette, and rights and responsibilities.
Libraries must actively defend their fundamental values. In times of economic and political unrest, libraries will be challenged to uphold information privacy and intellectual freedom while advocating against policies that undermine public interests and net neutrality.
Advancing innovative services and operations requires a reimagining of organizational structures. Rigid hierarchies are no longer effective. To meet patrons’ needs, libraries must draw from different functional areas and expertise, adopting agile, matrix like paradigms.
Enabled by digital scholarship technologies, the research landscape is evolving. GIS data, data visualization, and big data are expanding how information is collected and shared. These tools are helping libraries preserve and mine their collections while illuminating collaborative opportunities.
Artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are poised to amplify the utility and reach of library services. These emerging technologies can personalize the library experience for patrons, connecting them more efficiently to resources that best align with their goals.
(Sources: http://uwmltc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/360_Issue60-1-small.pdf and https://www.steelcase.com/research)
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
The 7 Dimensions of Building Information Modeling
Posted: July 5, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Design, More FC3, Science & Technology | Tags: 3 Dimensional, 3-D, AIA, AIA Architect, Architect, Architects, architectural, Asset Management, BIM 4D, BIM 5D, BIM 6D, BIM 7D, Builder, Common Data Environment, Construction, Construction Management, Construction Manager, Construction sequencing, Contractor, Cost, Cost Estimate, Data, Design Architect, Designer, Disaster & Emergency Planning, Disaster Planning, ECO, Eco Architect, Eco Building, Emergency Planning, Estimating, Facility, Facility professionals, General Contractor, green, Green Architect, green building, Level of Detail, Level of Development, Lifecycle, LOD, Maintenance, Milestones, O & M, Operations, Preventative Maintenance, Preventative Maintenance Scheduling, Primavera, Probable Cost, Production Architect, professionals, Project Lifecycle, Project Lifecycle Information, project management, Project Manager, Schedule, Sequencing, Space Utilization Management, Subcontractor, Sustainability, Sustainability Analysis, workflow 1 CommentIt has increasingly become crystal clear that BIM represents the opening of the architectural design community and construction industry to interoperability. There is no doubt that it’s a long and tedious way to being fully developed, however, important steps have been made during the last decades and the future of construction looks brighter day by day.
What is BIM?
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the process of creating information models containing both graphical and non-graphical information in a Common Data Environment (CDE) (a shared repository for digital project information). The information that is created becomes ever more detailed as a project progresses with the complete dataset then handed to a client at completion to use in the building’s In Use phase and potentially on into a decommissioning phase.
When we talk about BIM maturity we are essentially talking about the supply chain’s ability to exchange information digitally. The maturity levels from Level 0, through Levels 1, 2, 3 and beyond are often visualized via the maturity ‘wedge’ diagram conceived by Mark Bew and Mervyn Richards. Our article on BIM Levels Explained is a good place to start if you’re looking for more information.
BIM dimensions are different to BIM maturity levels. They refer to the particular way in which particular kinds of data are linked to an information model. By adding additional dimensions of data you can start to get a fuller understanding of your construction project – how it will be delivered, what it will cost and how it should be maintained etc. These dimensions – 4D, 5D and 6D BIM – can all feasibly (but not necessarily) occur within a BIM Level 2 workflow.
In this blog post we explore what it means to add different dimensions of information to a BIM process and explore what this looks like in practice and what benefits might be expected.
3D (The Shared Information Model)
3D BIM is perhaps the BIM we are most familiar with – the process of creating graphical and non-graphical information and sharing this information in a Common Data Environment (CDE).
As the project lifecycle progresses this information becomes ever more rich in detail until the point at which the project data is handed over to a client at completion.
4D (Construction sequencing)
4D BIM adds an extra dimension of information to a project information model in the form of scheduling data. This data is added to components which will build in detail as the project progresses. This information can be used to obtain accurate programme information and visualisations showing how your project will develop sequentially.
Time-related information for a particular element might include information on lead time, how long it takes to install/construct, the time needed to become operational/harden/cure, the sequence in which components should be installed, and dependencies on other areas of the project.
With time information federated in the shared information model planners should be able to develop an accurate project programme. With the data linked to the graphical representation of components/systems it becomes easy to understand and query project information and it is also possible to show how construction will develop, sequentially, over time showing how a structure will visually appear at each stage.
Working in this way is enormously helpful when it comes to planning work to ensure it is safely, logically and efficiently sequenced. Being able to prototype how assets come together before ground is broken on site allows for feedback at an early stage and avoids wasteful and costly on-site design co-ordination and rework. Showing how projects will be constructed visually is also handy when engaging with stakeholders, giving everyone a clear visual understanding of planned works and what the finished construction will look like with no surprises.
Adding sequencing information can be extremely useful, not just in the design phase, but earlier too, allowing for the feasibility of schemes to be assessed from the off. At tender stage this kind of information can allow initial concepts to be explored and communicated to inspire confidence in the team’s ability to meet the brief.
It’s important to note that working with 4D information doesn’t negate the need for planners who remain an integral part of the project team. Rather than creating programs as proposals develop, as is the case in traditional workflows, in a digital workflow planners can now influence and shape proposals from a much earlier stage in a project. Indeed, by being closer to the wider project team and providing feedback earlier in the process, there is the potential for planners to add significantly more value to a construction project.
5D (Cost)
Drawing on the components of the information model being able to extract accurate cost information is what’s at the heart of 5D BIM.
Considerations might include capital costs (the costs of purchasing and installing a component), its associated running costs and the cost of renewal/replacement down the line. These calculations can be made on the basis of the data and associated information linked to particular components within the graphical model. This information allows cost managers to easily extrapolate the quantities of a given component on a project, applying rates to those quantities, thereby reaching an overall cost for the development.
The benefits of a costing approach linked to a model include the ability to easily see costs in 3D form, get notifications when changes are made, and the automatic counting of components/systems attached to a project. However, it’s not just cost managers who stand to benefit from considering cost as part of your BIM process. Assuming the presence of 4D program data and a clear understanding of the value of a contract, you can easily track predicted and actual spend over the course of a project. This allows for regular cost reporting and budgeting to ensure efficiencies are realized and the project itself stays within budget tolerances.
The accuracy of any cost calculations is, of course, reliant on the data produced by multiple teams and shared within the Common Data Environment. If that information is inaccurate, so too will be any calculations that rely upon it. In this respect using BIM to consider cost is no different to more traditional ways of working. It is for this reason that quantity surveyors and estimators still have an important role to play, not only in checking the accuracy of information but also in helping to interpret and fill information ‘gaps’. Many elements of a project will still be modelled in 2D or not at all. There’s also likely to be differences between models in how things are classified and the cost manager will need to clarify and understand the commonality between what at first feel like disparate things.
An information model is likely to contain three types of quantity. Quantities based on actual model components (with visible details) which you can explore through the model are the most obvious. Quantities may also be derived from model components (such as moldings around windows) that aren’t always visible. The third kind of quantity is non-modeled quantities (these include temporary works, construction joints etc.). Unless the construction phase is modeled then the design model will show, graphically, design quantities but not the construction quantities. A cost manager is likely to be skilled in picking up the quantities that aren’t solely based on model components.
One of the advantages of extrapolating cost from the information model is the fact that the data can be queried at any time during a project and the information that feeds cost reports is regularly updated. This ‘living’ cost plan helps teams design to budget and because cost managers are engaged from the start of a project this allows for faster, more accurate reporting of costs at the early stages of a project. Compare this to a traditional approach where a cost manager’s report may be updated a few times during the early stages of a project with completed designs only fully costed at the end of the project team’s design process.
The cost manager may have to get used to working earlier and more iteratively than in a traditional process but has just as important a role to play in overall project delivery.
6D BIM (Project Lifecycle Information; Sustainability)
The construction industry has traditionally been focussed on the upfront capital costs of construction. Shifting this focus to better understand the whole-life cost of assets, where most money is proportionately spent, should make for better decisions upfront in terms of both cost and sustainability. This is where 6D BIM comes in.
Sometimes referred to as integrated BIM or iBIM, 6D BIM involves the inclusion of information to support facilities management and operation to drive better business outcomes. This data might include information on the manufacturer of a component, its installation date, required maintenance and details of how the item should be configured and operated for optimal performance, energy performance, along with lifespan and decommissioning data.
Adding this kind of detail to your information model allows decisions to be made during the design process – a boiler with a lifespan of 5 years could be substituted with one expected to last 10, for example, if it makes economic or operational sense to do so. In effect, designers can explore a whole range of permutations across the lifecycle of a built assets and quickly get an understanding of impacts including costs. However, it is at handover, that this kind of information really adds value as it is passed on to the end-user.
A model offers an easily-accessible and understood way of extrapolating information. Details that would have been hidden in paper files are now easily interrogated graphically. Where this approach really comes into its own is in allowing facilities managers to pre-plan maintenance activities potentially years in advance and develop spending profiles over the lifetime of a built asset, working out when repairs become uneconomical or existing systems inefficient. This planned and pro-active approach offers significant benefits over a more reactive one – not least in terms of costs.
Ideally the information model should continue to develop during the In Use phase with updates on repairs and replacements added in. Better yet, a myriad of operational data and diagnostics can also be fed in to inform decision making still further.
7D (Operations and Facilities Management)
Studies indicate that over 90% of total building lifecycle costs are related to facility maintenance and operations. Real estate and facility managers are increasingly showing interest in using BIM in facility management.
Some of the highlights of effectiveness of utilizing BIM 7D include:
- Preventative Maintenance Scheduling: BIM can be used to plan and track maintenance activities proactively and appropriately by using the information about the building structure and equipment used in the facility. This type of preventative maintenance activities will help improve building performance, reduce corrective maintenance and emergency maintenance repairs and increase productivity of maintenance staff.
- Sustainability Analysis: BIM integrated with other analysis & evaluation tools are used to track building performance data, which can be compared with specified sustainable standards to identify the flaws in the building systems. Facility’s sustainability program can be improved to better match the sustainability goals.
- Asset Management: Assets of a building consist of the physical building, its systems, equipment and surrounding environment. Asset management is essential in short-term and long-term planning for proper upkeep of building assets. The bi-directional Building Information Modeling (BIM) integration into asset management software can help in better visualization of assets and aid in the maintenance and operation of a facility.
- Space Utilization Management: Facility professionals and department liaisons can utilize BIM to effectively manage, track and distribute appropriate spaces and related resources within a facility. BIM space management application turns out to be beneficial in planning renovation projects and future needs, allocating space for proper usage of each corner of the building and tracking the impact of proposed changes.
- Disaster & Emergency Planning: BIM can provide critical building information to improve the efficiency of disaster response plans and minimize any risk. BIM can be integrated with building automation system (BAS) to display where the emergency is located within a building, to find possible routes to the affected area and to locate other dangerous areas within the building during such emergencies.
Sources & References:
https://www.autodesk.com/solutions/bim
https://geniebelt.com/blog/bim-maturity-levels
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Our Exclusive ILMA Interview with @KimVierheilig
Posted: July 2, 2018 Filed under: AIANJ, Architecture, ILMA Interview, More FC3 | Tags: advice, AECOM, AIA, AIA New Jersey, AIA NJ, American Institute of Architecture, Architect, Creativity, Design, Designer, Diversity, Emerging Progfessional, Expert, Kim, LAN, Leader, Leadership, Manager, NJIT, Planning, Social Equity, STEM, STEM Profession, TeamBuilder, Technology WIA, VP, Woman Architect, Women, Women in Architecture 1 CommentAECOM welcomed Kim Vierheilig, AIA, LEED AP BD+C as vice president and managing principal for our Design and Consulting Services New Jersey Buildings + Places practice in June of 2018. Kim brings 19 years of experience in the development and leadership of high-performing teams and has worked across the education, transit, hospitality and corporate commercial sectors. As managing principal for the New Jersey team, she will provide strategic oversight, management and direction for the region’s architecture; engineering; interiors; design + planning/ economics; strategy plus and asset advisory practices.
“In everything that we do, we create value,” says Kim. “Our focus is on design excellence and creating value by bringing the very best in interdisciplinary thinking to our clients and our communities. I’m thrilled to work with the talented team here at AECOM to develop effective, innovative and holistic solutions for our region’s most pressing challenges.”
Prior to joining AECOM, Kim most recently served as vice president for another firm where she managed the architectural, business development and marketing departments. Over the course of her career, she has partnered with clients across markets to deliver highly engaging environments. With clients such as Unilever, Four Seasons and Marriott Hotels and many K-12 and higher education institutions, she has built a portfolio of award-winning work and is widely recognized for her impact on the development industry. In 2017, Kim was named one of the Best 50 Women in Business by NJBIZ and received the Outstanding Woman Award from the Women Builder’s Council. She has also been recognized in the NJBIZ 40 Under 40 and honored with the 2016 Smart CEO Brava Award. From the New Jersey Institute of Technology, she holds a Master of Science in Management and a Bachelor of Architecture.
“Kim will lead [AECOM’s] teams in New Jersey to connect and creatively partner with our clients to develop the most impactful projects in the region,” says Tom Scerbo, vice president, Buildings + Places, New York metro regional lead. “Kim’s depth of experience leading teams to deliver complex, functional buildings and places affords our team strategic growth opportunities and brings tremendous value to our clients.”
ILMA INTERVIEW
When and why did you decide to become an Architect?
Growing up an only child, I was always encouraged to participate in anything that was of interest. My weekends often involved household construction projects with my dad, which I enjoyed tremendously. At the age of ten, I decided I wanted to become an architect. Architecture was the natural choice of a profession that blended creativity and science.
What were some of the challenges of achieving your dream?
As a woman in the architecture and engineering industry, where women make up only 15% of the job force, there were several challenges I faced to get to where I am today. In beginning of my career, I was the sole woman at the firm slotted as the office “receptionist,” where I answered phones and made coffee while designing and working on building projects. I was told I was not allowed to go into the field for construction site visits, even though my male counterparts were allowed, because I was “too much of a liability.” I realized that I could either complain about the situation or take what opportunities presented themselves and use these to better myself. It wasn’t long until in addition to answering the phones, clients were calling to talk to me about projects, not just get transferred to a male colleague. What I’ve learned is that in every bad situation there is something you can take from it to grow both personally and professionally. Although eventually I left that firm, to find a company that more fully supported my development as an architect, there is no doubt my early work experiences made me a more passionate professional who wants to support the next generation of female architects.
How does your family support what you do?
My family has always been extremely supportive of my career. As a partner of my firm, I often travel or attend evening receptions. I am fortunate enough to rely on my family’s support which has been a major factor in my success.
How do Architects measure success?
I like to think I have a broader vision of what architects and engineers can bring to their communities through the design and construction industry. Almost all of the projects we work on have an impact on our communities; a successful project is one that fosters long-term relationships with the client and positively impacts the community.
What matters most to you in design?
To me, designing a space that sparks creativity is most important. Using a holistic design approach, we focus on incorporating light, flexibility, choice, connection, complexity, and color into all of our designs.
What type of technology do you see in the design and construction industries?
Over the last few years, we’ve seen a significant shift in technology in the A/E/C industry. We are now incorporating virtual reality renderings and realistic walk-throughs of buildings or spaces, as well as, 3D printed models to allow our clients to better understand our design before construction begins.
How do you hope to inspire / mentor the next generation of Architects?
I have been active in mentoring female architects on many different levels, from helping to fund architectural scholarships, to lobbying for change in the intern development process, assembling opportunities through design competitions to promote general learning, and serving as an individual mentor to numerous staff with her firm. I have partnered with various vendors and professional organizations to bring awareness about the challenges facing female architects. As such, I previously served as the American Institute of Architecture (AIA) Women in Architecture Chair for New Jersey to educate women on how to conduct business in a male-dominated industry by hosting seminars and providing networking opportunities with successful women speakers from various disciplines.
What advice would you give aspiring architects (K-12)? College students? Graduates?
I am an advocate and mentor for young women who wish to pursue a career in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. If I could give any advice to aspiring architects, I would say to break the barriers and follow your passion. This is a great industry with amazing potential.
Final Thoughts on How to Be Successful?
Continue to push forward every day by overcoming any hurdles that might face you and success will find you.
For more exclusive ILMA interviews click here.
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Our Exclusive ILMA Interview with Matthew B. Jarmel, AIA, MBA of @JarmelKizel
Posted: March 3, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Expose, ILMA Interview, More FC3 | Tags: 3-D, architectural education, Architecture, Ayn Rand, BIM, Business, Career Goals, CEO, Chicago School, Civil Engineer, Coach, commercial project, Communication, Design, Design Think, Develop, development, Education, Effective Leadership, Engineering, Fees, influence, K-12, landmark, Leader, Leadership, licensed architect, Life Work Balance, linkedin, Louis Sullivan, MBA, Mentor, next generation, NJ, NJIT, real estate, real estate developer, real estate development, registered architect, reinforcing concrete, revit, Roman Pantheon, Rutgers, Rutgers U, School of Architecture, Skills, skyscrapers, Social Media, Technology, The Fountainhead, Trends, Twitter 1 CommentMr. Jarmel is an Architect, Real Estate Developer, Renewable Energy Enthusiast, Entrepreneur and Owner of Jarmel Kizel Architects and Engineers Inc.
He received a Bachelors of Architecture from NJIT in 1990 and an MBA from Rutgers University in 1994. He can be found online at the following social media sites: LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
About the Firm
Since the firm’s founding in 1975, Jarmel Kizel has worked its way from the inside out; originally concentrating on the interior design of corporate offices and since has grown into a full-service Architectural, Engineering, and Interior Design firm that provides a single point of accountability for all aspects of design services. The firm’s size and abilities enable it to handle a broad spectrum of projects while allowing the principals to put their seal on every one. With in-house Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection Engineering, clients can look to Jarmel Kizel to have all aspects of their projects designed and managed by one firm.
Today the firm provides a unique service platform that provides a single point of accountability for architectural and engineering services formatted to assist clients with managing their project’s design needs from site design and land entitlements to building design through construction oversight.
ILMA INTERVIEW
When and why did you decide to become an Architect?
I knew when I was in Junior High School that I wanted to become an architect. I grew up in the industry in that my father is a commercial interior designer, he actually founded our firm in 1975, and I was exposed to design and construction at a very early age. My dad totally remodeled our home and he had my brother Richard, who is a civil engineer and partner in our firm, and myself helping and working with tools.
What were some of the challenges of achieving your dream?
The architectural and engineering industry can be very rewarding. There is tremendous emotional fulfillment to see your ideas first take shape on paper and then through construction. I take great pride driving by a building our firm has designed and saying we did that. Despite the rewards the business of architecture can be very difficult. Our industry is first hit by a recession, hardest hit and usually the last to recover. One of the greatest challenges of working in the profession is learning how to batten down the hatches and weather the economic storms when they come.
Any memorable clients or project highlights?
I have many projects I am proud of many clients that I respect and that have become good friends and even partners over the years. Some of the more notable projects I have worked on include designing the Bear Stearns Campus in Whippany, NJ. This project was developed over years and ultimately included approximately 700,000 sf of office and data center space in five buildings, two of which we designed and the rest we designed major renovations to. Unfortunately Bear Stearns does not exist anymore but the campus is still there. We also were fortunate to design the first major redevelopment project in Plainfield, NJ where we designed four buildings for the Union County Improvement Authority that included a 100,000 sf office building, two retail buildings totaling 40,000 sf and a parking structure. This project acted as a catalyst for new development in the city. Over the last several years the firm has been very active in NYC designing many mixed use large scale projects, we have a 17 story building under construction in Queens right now. One of my most memorable clients is The Learning Experience. The Learning Experience is a national and soon to be international brand of child development centers. We designed their first center 16 years ago and have since completed over 200 projects throughout the country for them. Because of the volume of projects we have completed for them, about 70 in NJ alone, I gained tremendous experience in land entitlements and have become an expert in land entitlement strategy.
How does your family support what you do?
The creative process can be very time consuming, running a business and being creative magnifies the time required to be an architect. Some days I leave the house at 7 and if I have a hearing don’t get home until midnight. Other times I am hopping on an airplane and away overnight. My family is supportive in that they understand the taxing requirements of the job. With that said everything I do is for my family. So I make sure my wife and children get the attention they need from me and we plan as much quality time as possible.
How do Architects measure success?
Some might say you measure the success of an architect by the quality and aesthetic of the buildings he or she designs, or by how much wealth and fame they have obtained. To me a successful architect you have to be a strong leader, a strong communicator and be able to balance the aesthetic and technical issues of a building’s design all while understanding the functional and economical goals of your client. The architect that can achieve this can become successful. Ultimately success is measured by obtaining the respect of your peers, clients and even contractors in the industry.
What matters most to you in design?
Achieving my clients goals of function and budget while creating a building that is safe and attractive.
What do you hope to achieve over the next 2 years? 5 years?
Our firm has developed strong skills in real estate development which include land entitlements and real estate economics. Many times we set the strategy for how to present a project to planning and zoning boards, explain the process to our clients and even their attorneys, advise on PILOT and other incentives, building valuation and assist in making introduction to equity investors and lenders. These skills make us stand out from our competitors but not necessarily obtain higher fees. Our goal for the next 2 to 5 years is to expand our Real Estate Advisory services to create additional revenue as a “Fee Developer” and on our own development account.
Who is your favorite Architect? Why?
I respect the design styles of many current and historic architects. I am a big fan of the Chicago School and of those architects Louis Sullivan is probably my favorite. I like this style for the buildings of the time were the first commercial buildings and first to break away from using ancient detailing by employing and emphasizing technology in design.
Do you have a coach or mentor?
I do not have a specific coach or mentor but I like to bounce ideas off of my team, clients and friends.
What is your favorite historic and modern (contemporary) project? Why?
My favorite historic building is the Roman Pantheon. It was built around 113 AD and has the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever made which has a giant hole in the center that allows the sun and the moon to shine in along with the rain. It still stands 2000 years later. The Romans were great builders, they invented concrete, experimented with reinforcing concrete with brass chains and even developed zoning rules and regulations. As far as contemporary buildings there are so many that I love. I lean towards high rise sky scrapers.
Where do you see the profession going over the next few decades?
Although new technologies are implemented in the profession and we go through these stages where we preach design build vs a separation between design and construction professionals the industry has not changed much in my career. I find it interesting that Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead” which was written in the 40’s and takes place in the 20’s and uses the architectural industry as a back story to promoting her political views speaks to many of the same type of players and issues in the industry today. There are developers, contractors, politicians and architects. There are residential, public and commercial buildings and she even tackles issues such as affordable housing. All the same issues we deal with today. I do not see major changes in the business of the profession. Although I do see major technical influences which will affect the way we design and build buildings. There is a robot that lays brick now. I think as the world gets smaller through technology building codes and licensing laws will become more standardized.
What type of technology do you see in the design and construction industries?
The use of BIM is becoming the most prevalent tool used in the design of buildings. It allows architects and engineers to work in 3 dimensions, quickly and efficiently to improve coordination and actually see the building take shape on the screen. Despite my comment about the brick laying robot above most construction is still done with heavy machinery and by hand. However, technology has taken over the management of projects from creating schedules, to tracking financing and creating a database of information.
Who / what has been your greatest influence in design?
This answer may seem odd to most architects but my great influence in design arrives from an understanding of real estate economics tied to a building’s function and economics. When a student at NJIT I took an elective in real estate development. It was taught by a gentleman who ran the development arm of a now defunct savings and loan so we will allow him to remain nameless. However, he was very influential in that he said he hated architects and found them to be a necessary evil in the process because the law forced them on him to use. Obviously, this got most of the students in the class upset but I wanted to know why he felt that way. He thought that architects only cared about what the building looked like and had no understanding or really care for what it might cost to build, what’s its function was to be or how it generated revenue for its owners. He introduced me to the business side of why clients build in the first place. This motivated me to go on and obtain an MBA with a concentration in real estate development and urban land use after architectural school. I feel that the business education in conjunction with my architectural education make me a stronger architect and have been the most influential on my design.
Which building or project type would you like to work on that you haven’t been part of yet?
I have been fortunate to work on almost any type of commercial project. I would like to be exposed to more hospitality projects.
How do you hope to inspire / mentor the next generation of Architects?
I hope to mentor the next generation of architects in a way that they can understand the business goals of the client and why they are building so that they can better respond to the client’s needs I also want to mentor them to be strong leaders and great communicators.
What advice would you give aspiring architects (K-12)? College students? Graduates?
I would advise them to not only pursue their dream of designing buildings but to learn about the profession as a whole, to learn about the process of becoming an architect and career choices in the industry. When I was in school no one told me how to become a licensed architect I had to figure it out on my own.
What does Architecture mean to you?
It is my profession, it is my life!
What is your design process?
First understand the client’s program goals and budget, then study the site and zoning constraints, roll up my sleeves and dive in.
If you could not be an Architect, what would you be?
A civil engineer and or real estate developer.
What is your dream project?
A really tall building in a major city that becomes a landmark for years to come. If I can be a partner in its ownership even better.
What advice do you have for a future Executive leader?
Respect and care about the people you are leading, be kind but stern.
What are three key challenges you face as a leader in business today and one trend you see in your industry?
All challenges revolve around people. First finding qualified people, there is a tremendous shortage of qualified architects and engineers, second finding people that can see the big picture first before the crawl into the details and finally finding people that can communicate effectively. As far as trends see my answer to where I see the industry going above
What one thing must an executive leader be able to do to be successful in the next 3 years?
I am optimistic that we are at the beginning of a sustainable economic growth period. This will provide many of us with significant projects to choose from and an even more challenging labor shortage. An executive leader will need to be able to recruit talent and keep them motivated to stay.
What are some executive insights you have gained since you have been sitting in the executive leadership seat – or what is one surprise you have encountered as the world of business continues to morph as we speak?
I do not know if I am any smarter today at 50 then I was when I got out of school in my early 20’s what I have gained is life experience. The most important lesson is that people will surprise you. Some will impress you, some will disappoint you, some will be loyal and others not. I have seen some crazy things happen some good and some bad. Just when I think I have seen everything someone surprises me.
Final Thoughts on How to Be Successful?
Learn your trade, be good at and then learn to be a good communication and leader and business person.
For more exclusive ILMA interviews click here.
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Gift Ideas from ILMA
Our Exclusive ILMA Interview with Daniel D’Agostino, AIA of Plan Architecture
Posted: February 25, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, ILMA Interview, More FC3, Uncategorized | Tags: AIA, Architect, Architecture, commrcial, DAgostino, Design, Design Matters, Designer, Exclusive, FC3, FLW, full service, ILMA, Interview, Kahn, NYC, planarchitecturellc, Residential, students 1 CommentWho is Daniel D’Agostino, AIA?
Dan D’Agostino is an architect with over 15 years of experience as an architectural designer and project manager.
Mr. D’Agostino has extensive experience working on projects of varying scales. His portfolio of work ranges from new and renovations to single-family dwellings to high-rise mixed-use buildings in dense urban areas. Mr. D’Agostino’s work has been recognized for achievement on multiple levels. Winning an AIA Gold Medal for a mixed-use structure designed for Lower Manhattan, recurring appearances on NBC’s George to the Rescue and achieving the coveted “Best Of” award on Houzz.
Daniel received his Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the New Jersey School of Architecture at NJIT where he continues to serve as a visiting critic. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, the Little Falls Planning and Zoning Board and Little Falls Economic Development Committee. He is a licensed Architect practicing in Northern New Jersey. In his free time he enjoys being the best father and husband he can be, golfing and playing music.
About Daniel’s firm:
planarchitecturellc is a full-service design firm which specializes in producing innovative client-driven program-based architectural design and budget appropriate problem solving.
Founded by Daniel D’Agostino, AIA, planarchitecture’s mission is to arrive at client and site specific architectural solutions to unique client demands. The firm produces work for public, commercial and residential clients.
You can find Daniel Online by clicking on the following links:
ILMA INTERVIEW
When and why did you decide to become an Architect?
I found drawing to be a great pastime as a kid. I also enjoyed building with my father. Inspired by curiosity, I always wanted to find ways to make things better. Design happens to be a way of making things better. Architecture seemed like a natural fit for me.
What were some of the challenges of achieving your dream?
Becoming an architect in general is a challenging process. While I’m patient with people, I’m not always so patient when it comes to progress. I like to see things getting done, movement and motion. Five years of schooling, 3 years of internship, 7 months of licensing, in the middle of a recession was challenging.
Any memorable clients or project highlights?
Each project has a stand out moment. The best moments occur when we are a part of the building process and able to walk a project with a client and discuss additional opportunities.
How does your family support what you do?
I am lucky to have a very supportive family. Architecture is a big part of our lives. We just had the amazing opportunity to design and build our own home so design is very much a part of our daily conversation. Prior to that, we would travel to see buildings, stop on a walk to discuss a building material. Dining experiences are typically accompanied by a short analysis of how things might have been better.
How do Architects measure success?
I think Architects are an odd bunch if I may say so myself. As such, it’s hard to generalize. For me, if I’m happy – I am successful. Some of the things that make me happy related to the profession are having the time to do something creative or inventive. Having a staff meeting where everything gels. Client meetings that end in laughter, hugs and an optimistic plan for advancing a project. Discussion with a contractor where we walk away saying – this is going to be amazing!
What matters most to you in design?
Function, daylight and views. Each of our projects start and end with how the plan works, how we experience daylight and what we see both internally and externally along a view corridor.
What do you hope to achieve over the next 2 years? 5 years?
I enjoy single family design and construction. Over the last two or three years, we have designed a number of medium density residential developments. I discovered that we were able to bring a neat little twist to this market that isn’t commonly found in these developments. Our attention to detail and space making is needed in these larger projects. I hope that in 5 years, we are doing a lot more of this.
Who is your favorite Architect? Why?
It’s a toss up – Frank Lloyd Wright or Louis Kahn.
As an architect, saying you like FLW is like saying you like the Beatles. I mean, the Beatles are mainstream, have a ton of hits, and reinvented themselves multiple times over the years. FLW did the same thing. His work is accessible and always delivers. If you dig deep and learn about why his buildings look the way they do (sustainability, economics, desire to build cheaply, wartime rationing, etc.) they are amazing.
Louis Kahn, on the other hand, not so mainstream and certainly not so accessible. His buildings manage to be incredibly complex yet simple. Having traveled the world looking at architecture, the Salk Institute was my greatest experience. When you walk that plaza, it’s an actual experience.
Do you have a coach or mentor?
Not really. I’m a pretty good listener and observer. If you keep your antennas up, you are going to learn a lot.
What is your favorite historic and modern (contemporary) project? Why?
The Pantheon in Rome is my favorite historic work. It is structurally significant. The sun is used as a light fixture in the building charting messages. It’s all encompassing. The Salk Institute is my favorite contemporary project due to its connection to site. A strong axis of symmetry and orientation with the horizon. It’s breathtaking.
Where do you see the profession going over the next few decades?
I see the profession going more toward design-build. There’s a lot of waste in the profession. It’s impossible to get every single detail included in a set of plans if you are trying to adhere to an architectural budget and short timeline. In New Jersey, the cost of land and taxes are so high, there is hardly ever an opportunity to draw every single detail and review it with your client. The industry has therefore come to accept (through demanding) a set of plans for base building, and finer elements being decided by the builder. As this process has evolved, we have come to see many features lost because original design intent isn’t considered. It will also help to minimize the number of projects that come in “over budget”.
What type of technology do you see in the design and construction industries?
I think modular still has a chance. When I was leaving college, modular was the new thing because it was faster and cheaper. Over time, it turned out, modular wasn’t exactly faster, or cheaper. We should pay attention to modular building with an emphasis on trying to work aesthetic into it.
Who / what has been your greatest influence in design?
Walt Disney. We need to make sure our buildings work functionally but we also want to be entertained while being part of an experience. Disney was great at this.
Which building or project type would you like to work on that you haven’t been part of yet?
I’d like to do a New York City high rise on the West Side. Growing up in Hudson County, New Jersey, the New York skyline was a big part of my childhood. I drive down a street and see projects I designed going up or completed and you feel a sense of pride and permanence. I’d like to have that feeling looking at the skyline.
How do you hope to inspire / mentor the next generation of Architects?
Our office consists of 10 people, 9 of which are designers. I constantly put forward that our job is to help our clients and serve them. Listen to them and find the best way to deliver that which they are requesting.
What advice would you give aspiring architects (K-12)? College students? Graduates?
I started working as a Sophomore in High School at an architecture firm. I would recommend it. It gives you an opportunity through college to understand “how” you might use what you are learning. I would recommend college students get involved in outreach. Get involved in your local community and start planting seeds for future networking opportunities. Can you join the planning board? Is there a historical society you can join?
For Graduates, it’s going to sound funny but go work at a restaurant as a server. You are going to learn how to interact with people, understand how a person asks for something they need either verbally or with body language. You’ll learn how people feel comfortable by studying where they ask to sit, the way they face, how they talk to one another. You’ll learn about working in a tight space in the Kitchen and the importance of efficiency and flow.
I was lucky – I learned how to speak Spanish working a restaurant while working with the Kitchen staff. This has proven to be invaluable as the two predominate languages spoken on a job site are Spanish and English. I am able to converse in both languages. While sad, it’s worth noting that when I graduated from college, I made more money as a weekend waiter than I did as a full time draftsman. It helps to have money.
What does Architecture mean to you?
Simple, a place to be comfortably protected from natural elements.
What is your design process?
My design process starts with the site. From there, I sit with my clients and I start designing with them. I’m not the type that comes to my single family residential clients with plans for how they should live. With my larger development work, we analyze the site to maximize efficiency and density.
If you could not be an Architect, what would you be?
I couldn’t imagine myself being anything else.
What is your dream project?
I’d love to work on a stage set. Loose some of the parameters of gravity, building code, weather resistance to create an environment.
What advice do you have for a future Executive leader?
Surround yourself with great people in all aspects of your life and consistently invest in yourself.
What are three key challenges you face as a leader in business today and one trend you see in your industry?
As a business leader, I find staffing challenging because we are a service industry – not just design and construction so personnel is the most important. You can get anyone that meet’s your qualifications. You can also get anyone with a good personality. Getting them both isn’t always the easiest. When you do you, do everything you can to keep them. Balancing the administrative elements of the business while maintaining your service qualities is a challenge. I was only able to find success here after hiring administrative personnel. When I started the business five years ago at 29, fresh out of a recession, no portfolio of work and competing against other architects more than double my age was a challenge. We’ve now developed an impressive resume to support my interview process, however being the “young” architect seems to rear its head. I try to convince people, it’s not the number of years you’ve been doing it, rather the number of years you’ve been doing it right. The trend now is the integration of internet design.
What one thing must an executive leader be able to do to be successful in the next 3 years?
Develop patience and resilience which has no regard for timeline. Patience, as I stated earlier, wasn’t one of my virtues. Everything takes time. Resilience is important because the highs are way up there and the lows – we don’t talk about them.
What are some executive insights you have gained since you have been sitting in the executive leadership seat – or what is one surprise you have encountered as the world of business continues to morph as we speak?
As the world of business continues to morph, our industry has stayed the same in principal. We have to be flexible in how we deliver information. A BIM model isn’t always the answer, sometimes a sketch to be texted out in 20 minutes is more important. We also have to remember, architecture is a business. The more successful firms know this.
Final Thoughts on How to Be Successful?
Surround yourself with great people. It starts with family and follows through staff, clients, contractors. Work as hard as possible. While it’s important to get your sleep and rest, you still have to write that extra email or do that extra sketch. Go that extra mile, especially when it may not be needed or no one may be watching.
For more exclusive ILMA interviews click here.
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Gift Ideas from ILMA
Wall Street Journal Headlines – October 6, 2017 by @FrankCunhaIII
Posted: October 6, 2017 Filed under: Executive MBA, More FC3 | Tags: Architect, Biz, Business, MBA, Montclair State University, News, student, Tech, Technology, Update, Wall Street, Wall Street Journal, WSJ Leave a comment
- Russian Hackers Steal NSA Spy Secrets
- US Shale Companies Ease Up on Drilling
- End year at 9.69 million barrels a day, down from 9.82
- Amazon.com
- Hiring 50,000 office workers, mostly software developers
- Illegal Entry to US Gets Rarer, Riskier
- President’s harder line, longer-term trends make SW border tougher to sneak across
- Price Pressures for Renters Begins to Ease Down
- Those that spend more than 30% of incomes on rent
- Fell from 48.9% to 47.7% between 2012 and 2015
- Iraq Drives ISIS From Stronghold
- Turkey Arrests US Consulate Worker
- Saudis, Russia Get Closer
- NATO to Increase Funding for Counterterror Programs
- Catalan Parliament Session Blocked
- Prospects for a Gun – Measure Deal Grow
- Legislation restricting rifle accessory used in L.V. gunman draws GOP support
- Columbia Sets $100M to Diversify Faculty
- Ishiguro’s Quiet Power Claims the Nobel Prize
- Opinion – Why America Needs Tax Reform
- Trump needs to stress the growth payoff and rebut falsehoods from critics at the Tax Policy Center.
- Finge Clips Rank High on YouTube
- Google looking to promote more reliable content
- Uber Steers Steadier Course
- Forget bitcoin, IMFcoin could be the digital future of SDRs
- IMF – International Monetary Fund
- SDR – Special Drawing Rights (ISO 4217currency code XDR, also abbreviated SDR) are supplementary foreign-exchange reserve assets defined and maintained by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The XDR is the unit of account for the IMF, and is not a currency per se.
- Ship Building Alliance to Target Asia
- SpaceX Aims to Launch at Fast Pace
- Planning 30 launches next year (50% of total)
- There are about 60 launches each year
- Netflix Raises Prices as Content Tab Balloons
- Honeywell Pursues Purchase of Evoqua
- Honeywell International Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate company that produces a variety of commercial and consumer products, engineering services and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments. The company operates four business units, known as Strategic Business Units – Honeywell Aerospace, Home and Building Technologies (HBT), Safety and Productivity Solutions (SPS), and Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies.
- Evoqua is the global leader in helping municipalities and industrial customers protect and improve the world’s most fundamental natural resource: water. We have a more than 100-year heritage of innovation and industry firsts, market-leading expertise, and unmatched customer service. Our cost-effective and reliable treatment systems and services ensure uninterrupted quantity and quality of water, enable regulatory and environmental compliance, increase efficiency through water reuse, and prepare customers for next-generation demands.
- Nostalgic Beef Slogan Makes Cut
- “It’s What’s For Dinner” Slogan
- Beef consumption in the US declined 15% in the decade through 2015
- Facebook Cut Russia from Report on Election
- FB under fire for playing down role of influence campaigns
- Equifax timeline Criticized
- New Federal Rule Clamps Down on Payday Loans
- OPEC Pushes Russia to Stick to Plan
- The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is a group consisting of 12 of the world’s major oil-exporting nations.
- OPEC was founded in 1960 to coordinate the petroleum policies of its members, and to provide member states with technical and economic aid.
- Treasury Yields Climb to 3-Month High
- Financial, Tech Stocks Fuel Rally
- Data Center Firm “Switch” Prices IPO Above Range, Raises $531 Million
- Switch Inc.
- Pricing is latest sign of strengthening in tech initial public offering space.
- The data-center company that powers businesses of Amazon.com Inc., eBay Inc. and other tech companies is the latest to cash in on a renewed interest among investors in technology IPOs.
- After pricing above the $14-to-$16 range it initially outlined to investors, Las Vegas-based Switch Inc.’s initial public offering raised roughly $531 million Thursday, excluding shares allotted to underwriters.
- Shares sold at $17 apiece, valuing the company at roughly $4.2 billion.
- NASDAQ
- IPO Price
- Gold Loses Luster as Global Angst Eases
- Bad Timing for Monte Dei Paschi
- Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena
- Known as BMPS or just MPS is the oldest surviving bank in the world and the third largest Italian commercial and retail bank by total assets.
- BMPS and Banco BPM, Banco BPM overtook BMPS as the third largest bank in terms of total assets on 31 December 2016. Since the end of 2016, BMPS has been struggling to avoid a collapse.
- Founded in 1472 (545 years ago) by the magistrates of the city state of Siena, Italy, as a “mount of piety”, it has been operating ever since. In 1995 the bank, then known as Monte dei Paschi di Siena, was transformed from a statutory corporation to a limited company called Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (Banca MPS).
- The Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena was created to continue the charitable functions of the bank and to be, until the bailout in 2013, its largest single shareholder.
- Today Banca MPS has approximately 2,000 branches, 26,000 employees and 5.1 million customers in Italy, as well as branches and businesses abroad. A subsidiary, MPS Capital Services, handles corporate and investment banking.
- This Market Bubble Isn’t Everything It Appears to Be
- 5 Biggest Bubbles
- Real estate
- Cryptocurrencies
- Stocks
- Credit Bubble
- Indexing
- 5 Biggest Bubbles
An Exclusive Interview with Architect @FrankCunhaIII
Posted: September 1, 2013 Filed under: Architecture, ILMA Interview, JustArch, More FC3 | Tags: AIA, AIA Architect, Architect, Architecture, Ask the Architect, Design, Design Process, Designer, Exclusive Interview, FC3, Frank Cunha, Frank Cunha III, Innovation, Interview 1 Comment
Ask the Architect
An Exclusive Interview with Architect Frank Cunha III
by Denise Franklin
Follow Denise Franklin on Twitter
Frank Cunha III, AIA, NCARB is a Registered Architect licensed in CT, DC, DE, FL, MD, NJ, NY, PA and is currently seeking reciprocity in VA as well. Mr. Cunha is the founder of FC3 Architecture + Design, established in 2005 to serve its clients in various markets, including commercial and residential projects. He writes / blogs for I Love My Architect and Just Architecture.
You can find him online at:
- http://www.linkedin.com/in/fc3arch
- https://www.facebook.com/fc3arch
- https://www.facebook.com/fc3architecture
- https://www.facebook.com/ilovemyarch
- https://twitter.com/frankcunhaiii
- https://twitter.com/fc3architecture
- https://twitter.com/ilovemyarch
What was it about Architecture that helped you decide it was the field for you?
I always loved to draw as a child and I always loved to build. Give me scraps of cardboards and leftover bricks and sticks in the backyard and my imagination would take over. I was always fascinated with churches and castles. They have a very obvious Archetype, and from a very early age I always imagined that I too would be able to one day shape the design of our cities and how people inhabit them. Even when I travel, it is the Architecture that defines the people and the place (unless you are in the wilderness, where nature rules supreme). In the city, man (men and women) are able to shape the world we live in. With this ability comes great responsibility not just freedom to do whatever we want. The industrial and post-industrial eras have taught us that!
How long have you been in the profession?
After 5 years of Architecture school and after 3 years of internship and after passing my NCARB IDP Architecture Exam I “officially” became a Registered Architect in January 2004. It was not easy but it was worth it. Going through the arduous process allowed me to learn the different aspects of being an Architect.
It appears that Architecture incorporates many fields of study, for example; astronomy, meteorology, geography and I am sure there is much more. Could you explain?
Throughout history, especially before technology and social media distractions, civilizations, would honor the heavens by building monuments. Examples of this can be seen all over the world and there are plenty of interesting websites that address this.
Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences so it is no wonder that early civilizations would use the mathematics from the heavens to orient their buildings and monuments. Many pre-historic cultures left behind astronomical artifacts such as the Egyptian and Nubian monuments, and early civilizations such as Babylonians, Greeks, Chinese, Indians, and Maya performed methodical observations of the night sky. Climatology, the study of atmospheric science, is another extension coming out from Astronomy. In Architecture both the disciplines that is astrology and climatology, leads to a concept known as Vastu.
If you want to learn more about these interdisciplinary studies, you can click here or click here.
Today, Architects still consider orientation when placing a building and the building components on the site. The building’s orientation can even help Architects obtain LEED credits from the US Green Building Council, an organization that promotes sustainable design and construction around the world.
Is there a deciding factor for you when agreeing to take part in projects?
One thing I have learned over the past 15 years in the field of Architecture is that there are many components to accepting and working on a project. While we all need to make money to eat and survive, here are a few things that should be considered before agreeing to take on a project:
- Is there a chemistry between the client and the designer, i.e., do you like each other? Can you work well together?
- Is the project exciting and challenging?
- Can I assemble the right team to complete the project effectively? And do we have the right fee to allow our design team to perform the project effectively?
If the answer to any of these is “no” then I keep looking for another opportunity. Every time an opportunity passes, two or more new ones appear. Don’t be hasty just for the sake of getting a project!
The projects you are sharing today are they based on specific concepts?
As a young Architect my aesthetic and design concepts are still evolving.
Although we do not force my designs on my clients, we do have some underlying principals we like to maintain on our projects whenever feasible.
FC3 Architecture takes a Holistic approach to each individual project to meet the client’s specific needs. We work with our team of expert consultants to bring the most value to the client through rigorous, integrated design practices. It is our mission to explore and develop the “Architectural Design Aesthetics” & “Building Tectonics Systems” to engage the following issues on a project-by-project basis, where applicable, to discover and address the project requirements established by the client and the Architect during the Pre-Design phase:
- Program / Livability / Functional
- Provide efficient space planning to maximize client’s programmatic needs (don’t over build)
- Contextual/Site
- Determination of most effective use of a given site
- Optimize access to the site
- Maximize land, views, lighting, wind, water elements, other natural features, etc.
- Provide guidance for best use of materials, structure, and form
- Properly integrate new design into existing contextual surroundings
- Sustainable / Environmental
- Coordinate with client’s abatement team when required
- Coordinate with client’s commissioning team when required
- Provide guidance and integration on current sustainable trends
- Sustainable Design
- Energy Use & Conservation
- Waste Management
- Selection of Materials – Reuse, Recycling, Renewable sources, etc.
- Water Use & Conservation
- Structural / Tectonic
- Coordinate with structural team to develop integrated structural design
- Coordinate with MEP team to develop integrated MEP design
- Coordinate with other industry experts as needed to meet project goals
- Historic / Preservation
- When required, document and research preservation of historic elements
- Provide design details that are sensitive to preexisting building/site elements
- Engage our expert consultant team as may be required
- Economic / Legalization
- Provide assistance in developing a feasibility study
- Assist client’s legal counsel with Planning/Zoning Board approvals
- Constructability / Management
- Assist client with project schedules and budgets throughout the project
- Engage our expert construction/project management team as may be required
For anyone in school considering Architecture as a profession, check out this great article by my colleague, William Martin, AIA.
Click here to see some of Frank’s recent featured projects.
Click here to read more “Ask the Architect” articles.
SHOULD I HIRE AN AIA ARCHITECT FOR MY BUILDING PROJECT?
Posted: January 19, 2013 Filed under: AIANJ, Architecture, JustArch, More FC3, Uncategorized | Tags: @FrankCunhaIII, AIA, American Institute of Architects, Answers, Ask the Architect, Design, Design Services, Education, FC3, Hire, ILMA, professional, Questions 7 CommentsAsk the Architect
by Frank Cunha III
What do Architects do? And how can they help me and my business?
Few people realize how complicated it is to build-that is until they find themselves lost in a maze of design options, building codes, zoning laws, contractors and so on. No two building projects are exactly alike, so there is no single clear-cut path to follow. Whether you’re about to expand your current facility, adapt an existing structure to a new use, or construct an entirely new building, your building project represents a major investment that will affect the productivity and efficiency of your organization for years. Smart decision-makers know that the way to maximize such an investment begins with consulting an architect. Architects are the only professionals who have the education, training, experience and vision to maximize your construction dollar and ease the entire design and construction process.
The American Institute of Architects
Why an AIA Architect?
Look for the AIA initials after the name of any architect you consider for your project. AIA architects remain current with professional standards through continuing education and subscribe to a Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct that assure clients, the public, and colleagues of their dedication to high standards in professional practice.
Involving an AIA architect at the earliest stage in project planning can allow for a better opportunity to analyze your needs, develop effective solutions, and propose more ways to reduce costs from the beginning. With a broad understanding of design and construction, an AIA architect can help guide you through the entire process more smoothly.
How Can an AIA Architects Help Me?
- Clarify and define your building needs.
- Look ahead.
- Manage your project.
- Maximize your investment.
- See the big picture.
- Solve problems.
- The Architect can save you money.
“The Architect can make your life easier.”
3-D Modeling Image: Design DCA
Why Are the Architect’s design services a wise investment for the money, not just an added cost to my project?
- A well-conceived project can be built more efficiently and economically.
- An energy efficient buildings can save you money on fuel bills down the road.
- The architect can work with your budget and help you select the appropriate materials and workmanship at a fair price.
- An architect can help you choose materials and finishes that are durable as well as beautiful, saving on frequent maintenance and replacement costs.
- Living or Working in a space that meets your needs and is well designed will make you ( and/or your family, tenants, employees, customers) happy.
- Great design sells.
- Finally, The Architect can make your life easier.
Important Links:
- NCARB – NCARB Homepage
- American Institute of Architects – AIA Homepage
- Why hire an AIA Architect?
- What is Building Information Modeling (BIM)?
- More Posts
- About Me , My Experience , How to Contact Me
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments.
If you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
Frank Cunha III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
FC3 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN, LLC
P.O. Box 335, Hamburg, NJ 07419
e-mail: fcunha@fc3arch.com
mobile: 201.681.3551
direct: 973.970.3551
fax: 973.718.4641
web: http://fc3arch.com
Licensed in NJ, NY, PA, DE, CT.
