From Paper and Pencil to Reality Through Collaboration
Posted: July 12, 2011 Filed under: Architecture, JustArch | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Builder, Built, Creation, Design, Education, Finley Hall, Higher Ed, Higher Education, In Progress, MSU, New Jersey, NJ, Portfolio, Rehab, Under Construction, University, Vision 5 CommentsOne of the last two projects I worked on while at Cubellis Ecoplan (now Environetics) is currently under construction (below). The other project I was fortunate to design was the Delaware Welcome Center (featured here). I was only involved in the design and design development of both projects (not the construction) but they were fun to work on with the other team members. As the lead Project Manager I collaborated with others because I feel that through collaboration the best product can be delivered to the client. The sketch below was the result of about a work week worth of sketching with various people around the office. Every line and every curve was meticulously thought out and designed to be exactly where it needed to be (sort of like when Kahn said, What does this brick want to be?). Although it was unfortunate that the timing of my departure occurred before I could be involved with wrapping up the construction drawings and overseeing construction, it is still rewarding to see the progression of the construction of this 45,000 SF project at one of NJ’s largest Universities. There is no feeling like the one you get watching the lines you drew on a piece of paper become reality right before your eyes. Although I’m not involved in construction I quietly admire all the contractors and design team members that are helping my design become a reality. Without the collaboration of many this vision would have never been able to be executed.
Finley Hall – Under Construction
Finley Hall – Design by Frank Cunha III
Finley Hall
Click Here to Read More about this building.
Also Check Out:
- My Personal Architecture Portfolio
- Conrad J. Schmitt Hall Renovation, Montclair State University
- From Paper and Pencil to Reality Through Collaboration
- Babbio Center, Stevens Institute of Technology
- Student Recreation Center, Montclair State University
- Music School, Montclair State University
- Frank Sinatra Hall, Montclair State University
- Delaware Welcome Center
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
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Licensed in NJ, NY, PA, DE, CT.
Production & Productivity: Part 4/12 of the 12 P’s–– A Guideline of Design for Architects and Other People Who Want to Save the World and Design Like an Architect #ilmaBlog #Architecture
Posted: November 9, 2019 Filed under: 12 P's Guidelines by FC3, Architectist, Architecture, Design, Design Thinking, JustArch, More FC3 | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Communications, Construction, Design, Design Team, FC3, Ideas, Ideas Worth Sharing, ILMABlog, People, Principles, Production, Productivity, Technology Leave a commentA 12 part series on the 12 P’s Doctrine: A Guideline of Design for Architects & Other People Who Want to Save the World and Design Like an Architect; developed by Frank Cunha III, AIA, NCARB, MBA.
PART FOUR
Project Resource Allocation and Resource Management
The resources of an organization consist of people, materials, equipment, knowledge and time. Organizations typically have limited resources; therefore, tradeoffs on what project resources are expended and when are made every day within organizations. A resource allocation plan is an important tool in effective management of scarce resources. The timing of the need of those resources can be and should be determined within the project schedules. A resource plan, which describes the type of resource needed and the timing of that need, is critical to effective resource management. As the project schedule changes, the resource plan must also be flexible enough to adjust as these changes occur.
Production – During Design
Construction drawings are produced by the design team, and go through several drafts during the design phase before the final draft becomes part of the contract, which is then sent out to be bid on by contractors. The winning contractor is bound by all of the contract documentation, including the construction drawings (click here for more information).
Construction Drawings:
- Represent the building as a whole as designed
- Are produced by the design team
- In a traditional construction environment, are created before the project is bid on
- Are official contract documents
- Are subject to mark-ups, change orders, and redlining throughout the project
Shop Drawings:
- Represent building components as designed
- Are produced by the contractor and subcontractors
- In a traditional construction environment, are created after the project is awarded and before construction begins
- Are not usually official contract documents
- May be subject to mark-ups, change orders, and redlining
As-Built Drawings:
- Represent the building as a whole and all its components as actually constructed
- Are produced by the contractor and subcontractors
- Are produced after the project is complete
- Are sometimes mandated by the contract but are not part of the contract documents
- May be subject to change during later renovations, but represent the final documents upon completion of initial construction
Production – During Construction
Lean Project Delivery
- Lean construction is a method of production aimed at reducing costs, materials, time and effort.
- Minimize the bad and maximize the good.
- The desired outcome would be to maximize the value and output of a project while minimizing wasteful aspects and time delay.
- Beneficial for general and subcontractors
- Communication drives the project
- What goals should the project team be working toward?
- What goals can be achieved reasonably?
- What commitments has each last planner made?
- Has each contractor or supplier met their schedule promises?
- How has each company performed, and what could be changed or improved if any member of the project team fails to meet a milestone?
Prefabricated Construction
- Material Management and Installation
- Formal Quality Program
- Efficient Coordination of Work
- Diligent Supervision of Work
- Standardized Internal Inspection and Tests
- Third Party and Consultant Reviews
- Improved Communications
- Experienced Teams and Worker Skills
- Quality Culture
- Prefab rooms allow for simultaneous progress
- Easy assembly for large projects
- Streamlining onsite labor processes
Types of Prefab:
- Panelized Wood Framing
- Timber Framing
- Concrete Systems
- Steel Framing
- Modular Systems
Benefits of Prefab
- Eco-Friendly
- Financial Savings
- Consistent Quality
- Flexibility
- Reduced Site Disruption
- Shorter Construction Time
- Safety
Technology and Automation
- Software & Mobile Apps
- Offsite Construction
- AI & Machine Learning (click here for more information)
- Safety & Training (click here for more information)
- Augmented & Virtual Reality (click here)
- Wearables
- Site Sensors
- Labor Shortages
- Drones (click here)
- Robots (click here)
- Autonomous Heavy Equipment (click here)
- Collaboration
- Mobile Technology
- BIM (click here)
Subscribe to our blog for updates on each of the 12 doctrines established by Frank CunhaIII, AIA, NCARB, MBA.
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
- Belém Tower, Lisbon, Portugal #ilmaBlog #European #History #Architecture
- Basilica of San Lorenzo By Filippo Brunelleschi #ilmaBlog #Architecture #History
- ILMA of the Week: Antoni Gaudí
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- ILMA of the Week: Thomas Jefferson
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Architecture of Hope #ilmaBlog
Posted: August 25, 2019 Filed under: Architectist, Design, Design Thinking, More FC3, Uncategorized | Tags: Architecture, Frank Furness, Frank lloyd wright, Hope, Joy, Love, Manifesto Leave a commentEveryone loves when new project is conceived. The designs that are imagined in collaboration with an Architect and an Owner is magical – it is one of the rare opportunities in life when we have some control about creating something meaningful. An architecture project offers hope and meaning to a world filled with complexity, anxiety and chaos.
When a project is developed there is a sense of hope that the world will be a better place. Great architecture allows people’s lives to change for the better addressing the programmatic needs of the client while offering beautiful, harmonic spaces for the occupants.
When an Architect envisions a space for a client, they are taking a wish and making it a reality. The new spaces that make up the built work will become treasured by those who are able to experience it. The building itself will shape the lives of the occupants and allow them to do the things they could not before. Great architecture is more than just a shelter or a place that addresses the client’s need. Great architecture transcends time and space and connects us in various ways: literally connects us in real time when using the space but also interacts with the occupants as experiences are etched into the memory of the building. There is a feeling you get when you are in a great building. It is difficult to describe but the space itself is more than the sum of its parts. It is a spiritual experience. An example of such a building for me is the Guggenheim Museum by Frank Lloyd Wright or the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts by Frank Furness.
Experiencing these buildings on various occasions exemplifies how Architects can design buildings in a way that epitomizes hope. There are two definitions for hope: (1) a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen and (2) a feeling of trust. Indeed, experiencing these spaces and many others the occupant does have a strong desire for something to happen and there is a feeling of trust that something will happen. When visiting these special places, it is easy to see that designing architecture of hope allows the visitor a chance to experience a space that otherwise would be unexciting and humdrum.
When starting out on a project it is important to address this inherent desire to create someplace distinctive and extraordinary by thinking about how we as great Architects can live up to the desires and hope of our clients, even when they may not clearly see or sense the hope in the vision they are trying to construct. Our jobs as Architects is to offer hope to our clients through our exceptional and distractive skills, blending art and science and craft when practicing Architecture. If we can do this then we can create an Architecture filled with hope.
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
Suggested Reading:
Architects Vs. “Sculptor” Architects based on a conversation btw @WJMArchitect and @FrankCunhaIII
Ophiuchus: The Serpent Bearer (Playing With Numbers)
University Architect @FrankCunhaIII Earns #ExecutiveMBA from @BizFeliciano at @MontclairStateU
Posted: May 22, 2019 Filed under: Architecture, Education, Leadership | Tags: Architect, FC3, Frank Cunha, MBA, News 1 CommentOn May 21, 2019, Frank Cunha III, graduated from the Executive Masters in Business Administration program at Montclair State University, where he has served the students as an outside consultant from 2001-2007 and as an employee in the Facilities department since 2007. Most recently Frank has served as the University Architect at the institution which is the second largest public university in the state.
Frank Cunha III, University Architect, has been with the University Facilities team since 2007. Since graduating from the New Jersey Institute of Technology School of Architecture in 1998, he has obtained licenses to practice architecture in 9 states.
Frank is passionate about strategic planning, architectural design and constructing of complex projects in a challenging and ever changing environment. He considers the environment, energy, and the health and wellness of the occupants during all phases of the project while addressing the programming needs to ensure the stakeholder’s program requirements are met and align with the organization’s mission, vision and values.
Frank has led various teams over the past 20-years, both with the American Institute of Architects, serving on local, state and national level committees; he has worked on various charity projects over the years; Through collaboration and enhancement of his expertise as a Registered Architect through practice, research and innovation he has dedicated his life to serving others.
With the assistance of his design and construction teams, Frank has been responsible for many projects of various size and scope around campus. Some project highlights include: Student Recreation Center, Center for Environmental Life Sciences, Cali School of Music, School of Nursing, the Center for Computing and Information Science, Sinatra Hall, School of Business, Schmitt Hall and historic renovation and addition to College Hall, to name a few. Click Here for more information.
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
THE SPIRIT OF CAMPUS DESIGN: A reflection on the words of Werner Sensbach #Campus #Planning #Design #University #Architect
Posted: January 25, 2019 Filed under: Architecture, Campus Planning & Design, Higher Education - Architecture & Design | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Campus, Campus facilities, Campus planning, Design, Designer, FC3, Planning, Poetry, University, Urban Planning Leave a comment
Photo Credit: Mike Peters
In 1991, Werner Sensbach, who served for over 25 years as Director of Facilities Planning and Administration at the University of Virginia, wrote a paper titled “Restoring the Values of Campus Architecture”. The paragraphs that follow were excerpted from that article. They seem particularly appropriate to Montclair State University as it looks at its present campus facilities and forward to the planning of future facilities on a piece of land of spectacular beauty.
Nearly two thousand years ago, the Roman architect Vitruvius wrote that architecture should provide firmness, commodity, and delight. It is the definition of “delight” that still troubles us today. This is especially so on college campuses. Many who try to give voice to what it is that brings delight in a building or an arrangement of buildings may mention the design, the placement on the site, the choice of building materials, the ornamentation, or the landscaping. But mostly it’s just a feeling, or a sense that things are arranged just right, or a sensation of pleasure that comes over us. So academics, like nearly everyone else, often are unsure when planning for new campus construction about what is likely to be delightful. Even though the United States has 3,400 colleges, while most other advanced nations only have a few dozen, we simply have not developed in the United States a sensibility, a vocabulary, a body of principles, an aesthetic for campus architecture.
That each campus should be an “academic village” was one of Thomas Jefferson’s finest architectural insights. Higher learning is an intensely personal enterprise, with young scholars working closely with other scholars, and students sharing and arguing about ideas, religious beliefs, unusual facts, and feelings. A human scale is imperative, a scale that enhances collegiality, friendships, collaborations on research.
I believe the style of the campus buildings is important, but style is not as important as the village-like atmosphere of all the buildings and their contained spaces. University leaders must insist that architects they hire design on a warm, human scale. Scale, not style, is the essential element in good campus design. Of course, if an inviting, charming campus enclosure can be combined with excellent, stylish buildings so much the better.
The third imperative for campus planners, the special aesthetic of campus architecture, or the element of delight, is the hardest to define. It is the residue that is left after you have walked through a college campus, a sense that you have been in a special place and some of its enchantment has rubbed off on you. It is what visitors feel as they enjoy the treasures along the Washington Mall, or others feel after leaving Carnegie Hall, Longwood Gardens in southeastern Pennsylvania, Chartres Cathedral, the Piazza San Marco in Venice, or the Grand Canyon.
On a college campus the delight is generated by private garden spaces in which to converse, by chapel bells at noon or on each hour, by gleaming white columns and grand stairways, by hushed library interiors, by shiny gymnasiums and emerald playing fields, by poster-filled dormitory suites, by a harmony of windows and roofs, and by flowering trees and diagonal paths across a huge lawn. The poet Schiller once said that a really good poem is like a soft click of a well-made box when it is being closed. A great campus infuses with that kind of satisfaction.
In my view, American’s colleges and universities—and especially their physical planners—need three things to become better architectural patrons. One is a renewed sense of the special purpose of campus architecture. A second is an unswerving devotion to human scale. The third is a sense of the uncommon and particular aesthetic—the delight—that a college or university campus demands.
A surprisingly large sector of the American public has conceded a special purpose to higher education. College campuses have provided a special place for those engaged in the earnest pursuit of basic or useful knowledge, for young people devoted to self-improvement, and for making the country smarter, wiser, more artful, and more able to deal with competitor nations.
Therefore, college and university campuses have a distinct and separate purpose, as distinct as the town hall and as separate as a dairy farm. For most students the four to seven years spent in academic pursuits on a university campus are not only an important period of maturing from adolescence to adulthood but also years of heightened sensory and creative ability, years when the powers of reasoning, feeling, ethical delineations, and aesthetic appreciation reach a degree of sharpness as never before. During college years, young minds absorb impressions that often last for a lifetime: unforgettable lectures, noisy athletic contests, quiet hours in a laboratory or library, jovial dormitory banter, black-robed commencements, encounters with persons of radically different views, the rustle of leaves, transfigured nights. The American college campus serves superbly as an example of Aristotle’s idea of a good urban community as a place “where people live a common life for a noble end.”
Photo Credit: Mike Peters
No architect should be permitted to build for academe unless he or she fully appreciates that his or her building is an educational tool of sorts. New buildings should add to the academic ambiance and enrich the intellectual exchanges and solitary inquiries. They should never be a mere personal statement by the architect or a clever display of technical ingenuity or artistic fashion.
Campus facilities planners need to be sure that the architects they choose are able to incorporate surprise, touches of whimsy, elegance, rapture, and wonder into their constructions. This special campus aesthetic is definitely not a frill. It is what graduates remember decades after they have left the college, and what often prompts them to contribute money to perpetuate the delight. It is what captures high school juniors and their parents in their summer pilgrimages to numerous college campuses to select those two or three institutions to which they will apply.
I think the best way to preserve the particular values of the American college campus is through a three-pronged effort:
The first is to recognize that the village-like university campus is a unique American architectural creation. No other nation has adopted the “academic village” as an architectural and landscaping form, though the ancient Oxbridge colleges came close. Academic leaders should become more knowledgeable about the distinctiveness of their campus communities and more proud of and assertive about maintaining the values of this inventive form.
Second, universities should have a broadly representative and expert blue-ribbon committee to watch over all new construction, not leave it to the vice president for administration, a facilities planner, or a trustee committee. The campus environment should be guarded and enhanced as carefully as the quality of the faculty.
Third, each college and university should draw up a set of design guidelines to help it become a patron who can list what is essential in its campus architecture. These guidelines will differ from campus to campus, but nearly all institutions should include concern for the three fundamentals: academic purpose, human scale, and a special campus aesthetic. Architects can de- sign more effectively and sympathetically if they understand the expectations of the college.
Although these words were written in 1991, they remain true today as Montclair State University continues to grow its enrollment, academic programs, research programs…and the facilities that serve them.
Source: “Restoring the Values of Campus Architecture” by Werner Sensbach (who served for over 25 years as Director of Facilities Planning and Administration at the University of Virginia)
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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!
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FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Design by Architectist @FrankCunhaIII #Architect #Artist
Posted: July 20, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Design, Design Thinking, More FC3 | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Art, Artist, Design, Design Process, Designer, FC3, Process of Design, Space, understanding design, University Architect Leave a commentThank you for all the support and encouragement over the years. Here are some of our favorite blog posts about the design process related to the field of Architecture:
- Architecture Shall Live On (My Architecture Manifesto) by @FrankCunhaIII
- Timeless Architecture – Saying Good Bye to a Teacher/Mentor is Never Easy by @FrankCunhaIII
- Architecture in Motion by @FrankCunhaIII
- X Factor of Design by @FrankCunhaIII
- Creating High Performance Buildings through Integrative Design Process by @FrankCunhaIII
- Frans Johansson: “Act & Collaborate to Drive Change” by @FrankCunhaIII
- SPACE & PROCESS by @FrankCunhaIII
- Order, Formulas, and Rules by @FrankCunhaIII
- Mixing My Work With Pleasure (Design-Build, Modern House Using Legos) by @FrankCunhaIII
- The Blind Design Paradox in Architectural Design by @WJMArchitect
- Architects Vs. “Sculptor” Architects based on a conversation btw @WJMArchitect and @FrankCunhaIII
- Ophiuchus: The Serpent Bearer (Playing With Numbers) by @FrankCunhaIII
- From Paper and Pencil to Reality Through Collaboration by @FrankCunhaIII
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!
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FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
Customer Experience
Posted: July 16, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Design, Design Thinking, More FC3, Science & Technology | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Architecture of the Future, ArchyTechy, Connectivity, Design, Designer, Devices, fc3 tech, Information, Information Architect, Innovation, IoS, IoT, Space, Tech, Technology, Technology Trends, Techy, Trends, Wearables Leave a comment
The way you design your service experiences also makes an important impact on prospects and customers. Smart companies anticipate customer needs and are a few steps ahead of what comes next in the customer awareness through buying cycle. In this digital age, service and communication become the new commodity and it’s critical to design experiences to that model. Experience-based service begins with a process of communicating with customers and letting them initiate communications in return.
Getting personal with customers also enhances the customer experience. People like to buy from companies who they feel understand them and can anticipate their needs. Simple things like email birthday greetings or product suggestions based on past purchases tell customers that you remember them, value them and appreciate their business.
Intentional design is a powerful tool that provides a systematic method to explore a variety of customer interactions and touchpoints that move, engage and respond. Most of all, customer experiences have to be authentic and all touchpoint possibilities explored before recommending appropriate user design scenarios.
(Source: http://madplumcreative.com/enhancing-the-customer-experience-through-intentional-design)
Service providers are continually reshaping their offering in response to changing customer needs and demands. As customer expectations change, businesses need to rethink the experiences they deliver. Meeting new demands does not only require delivery of the right propositions – it also requires developing broader capabilities around the needs of people, across the entire ecosystem.
Adapting to the Fast-Moving Customer World
Most organizations are not designed to meet the changes that occur in their customer’s lives. Stable organizational structures, designed around the needs of the organisation, struggle to provide the flexibility needed to meet the demands of customers. These rigid structures constantly create barriers to customer interactions. They also impact customer loyalty as well as the businesses’ ability to offer more relevant products and services.
Evolving Organizational Design Around Customer Needs
From business architecture to agile methods, organizations constantly try different approaches to move the organization forward and get closer to their customers. Yes, few organizations manage to truly connect with their customer and meet their needs. There is often a gap between what customers really need, and what the organization must be capable of doing. Bringing the customer perspective into traditional change disciplines bridges this gap and enables the organization to evolve its design around its customers.
Seeing the Organization Through Your Customer’s Eyes
The complex systems, processes and connections within many organizations make it challenging to understand how different teams and departments impact customers. Looking at your organization from the outside in, rather than from the inside out, provides insight into how customers see different departments working (together). Customers using a service are generally the ones who are exposed to the entire organization, and its vast amount of divisions, departments and groups. Seeing the organization through your customer’s eyes helps to build a true picture of the organization and its impact on the customer experience.
Design the Business Around Customers’ Experience
Shifting the focus from inside out to outside in helps build an understanding of the experiences customers demand through all their interactions with the organization. Using this knowledge, the right capabilities can be planned and delivered. Designing your business around the needs of people and shifting the organization to a customer first mind-set enables you to differentiate and grow sustainably.
Customer Experience Architecture Translated Into Organizational Capabilities
The customer experience architecture connects all aspects of the customers’ experience with the business and the organization. It maps the fluidity of customers’ needs and expectations, highlights major opportunities to have business impact and translates these into clear organizational capabilities. Understanding capabilities from a customers’ perspective helps determine which aspect delivers the core capabilities – people, process, system – and how this should be developed.
Co-Creating Your Business With Customers
Adopting a customer experience architecture driven approach puts the focus on understanding customer journeys, channel integrations and fulfilment. Adopting this approach, as opposed to the traditional organizational capability perspective, ensures the architecture of the business grows and evolves in line with customer demands. In addition, a more flexible and cohesive structure enables the business to co-create its design – as well as its experiences with its customers.
Delivering Frictionless Experiences
A customer driven architecture provides the ability to design organizational capabilities from the customer perspective. By mapping how customers use and experience a service, it becomes clear how different departments and groups within the organization impact that experience. Collaboration of a variety of skills from different disciplines leads to a cohesive design, which delivers the experiences customers demand, across all key interactions and channels.
Connecting Customers’ to the Business Capabilities
Keeping up with the constantly evolving needs of customers has become increasingly complex. To stay ahead organisations must start designing their structures and capabilities from the outside in, ensuring the business is evolves around the needs of customers. A customer experience architecture not only designs from the outside, it also brings you closer to your customers and their needs which ultimately allows for co-creating excellent experiences.
(Source: https://www.liveworkstudio.com/articles/customer-experience-architecture)
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!
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FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
13 Examples of Green Architecture
Posted: July 15, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Design, Green, More FC3 | Tags: AI, AIA, AIA Architect, AIA COTE, Amherst, Amsterdam, anti-terrorism regulations, archdaily, Architect magazine, Artwork, Atrium, Automation, Benchmark, BRE, BREEAM, BREEAM certification, Building Research Establishment, cafe, California campus, Campus, carbon dioxide, Certification, Chatham University, Chesapeake Bay, Chief Sustainability Officer, City, city of the future, coffee machines, cooling, cooling recovery system, COTE, cross-ventilation, Deloitte, Deloitte Netherlands, Drinking Water, DTTL, Eco Architect, Eco Builder, Ecology, Eden Hall Farm, Environment, Environmental Center, Facilities, Falk School, Falk School of Sustainability, future city, General Hospital, George Washington University, GHG emissions, Global Chief Sustainability Officer, green, Green Architect, Green Builder, green building, Green Office Building, green roof, greenest, Greenhouse, Hampshire College, heating and cooling, heating recovery system, Innovation, Inouye Regional Center, Landscape, LEED Certification, LEED Certified, lighting, lighting and ventilation, Living Building Challenge, Manhattan, Massachusetts, Metrics, Milken Institute, municipal, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, native vegetation, natural ventilation, naturally ventilated, Netherlands, New York, New York City, Ng Teng Fong, NOAA, NYC, NYCity, Office, Oregon, Pearl Harbor, Public Health, rainfall, Re:Vision, recovery system, resources, salt shed, Savings, School, shading, Singapore, Stanford, Stanford University, Starbucks, Sustainability, Sustainable, Technology, The Edge, University, USGBC, ventilation, Virginia Beach, water resources 2 Comments
The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Environmental Center
The nickname for the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Environmental Center is the Grass Building, and it perfectly captures its spirit. It’s a structure so thoughtfully designed it’s almost as energy-efficient and low impact as the greenery that surrounds it.
The Maryland building is part of an educational farm on the Potomac River Watershed that the Alice Ferguson Foundation used to teach people about the natural world. This new building—which became the 13th in the world to receive full Living Building Challenge certification in June 2017—is an educational facility designed to blur the lines between indoors and out, while still providing shelter as needed. “Part of the intent of the building is to be in the landscape and still have a bathroom to use,” says Scott Kelly, principal-in-charge at Re:Vision, a Philadelphia-based architecture and design studio.
Further Reading:
https://gbdmagazine.com/2017/grass-building
https://www.aia.org/showcases/92581-the-morris–gwendolyn-cafritz-foundation-env
https://living-future.org/lbc/case-studies/morris-gwendolyn-cafritz-foundation-environmental-center
http://hughloftingtimberframe.com/gallery/commercial/cafritz-foundation-environmental-center
http://www.cafritzfoundation.org/
Brock Environmental Center
Drawing thousands of students, the Brock Environmental Center is a regional hub for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, supporting its education and wetlands restoration initiatives. A connection to nature defines the building’s siting, which provides sweeping views of the marsh and also anticipates sea-level rise and storm surges with its raised design. Parts were sourced from salvage: Its maple floors once belonged to a local gymnasium while school bleachers, complete with graffiti, were used for interior wood trim. The center was recognized for its positive footprint: It has composting toilets, captures and treats rainfall for use as drinking water, and produces 80 percent more energy than it uses, selling the excess to the grid.
Further Reading:
http://www.cbf.org/about-cbf/locations/virginia/facilities/brock-environmental-center
https://living-future.org/lbc/case-studies/the-chesapeake-bay-brock-environmental-center
https://www.visitvirginiabeach.com/listing/chesapeake-bay-foundations-brock-environmental-center/979
https://www.aia.org/showcases/76311-brock-environmental-center
Discovery Elementary School
Students have three distinct, age-appropriate playgrounds—with natural elements such as rocks and fallen trees—at Arlington, Virginia’s Discovery Elementary School. The name honors astronaut John Glenn, who returned to space on the Discovery shuttle and once lived in the neighborhood. Exploration is a theme at the school, whose interior focuses on forests, oceans, atmosphere, and the solar system. The largest zero-energy school in the country, it offers “hands-on learning around energy efficiency and generation,” jurors noted. The school maximizes natural light and provides views to the outside in all classrooms.
Further Reading:
https://www.aia.org/showcases/71481-discovery-elementary-school-
https://www.google.com/search?q=Discovery+Elementary+School+AIA&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjS-pnHo6LcAhUMON8KHSlUDlYQsAQIdA&biw=1583&bih=1187
Bristol Community College
A laboratory is an energy-intensive enterprise, with specialized lighting and ventilation needs. That’s why jurors praised the airy health and science building at Bristol Community College, in Fall River, Massachusetts, for its net-zero energy achievement, “a difficult feat,” they noted, “in a cold climate like New England’s.” The move saves $103,000 in annual operating costs and allows the college, which offers a suite of courses in sustainability and energy, to practice what it teaches. Part of a holistic campus redesign, the new building’s location increases the density—and thus walkability—of campus for students.
Further Reading:
https://www.aia.org/showcases/71576-bristol-community-college-john-j-sbrega-heal
https://www.mass.gov/service-details/bristol-community-college-john-j-sbrega-health-and-science-building
http://www.architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/bristol-community-college-john-j-sbrega-health-and-science-building_o
Central Energy Facility
Orange and red pipes flaunt their role in “heat recovery” at Stanford University’s Central Energy Facility. The center for powering the California campus—more than a thousand buildings—the facility was transformed from an aging gas-fired plant to one fueled mostly by an off-site solar farm, fulfilling a goal of carbon neutrality and reducing energy use by a third. With large health care and research buildings, the campus needs as much heating as cooling; now a unique recovery system taps heat created in cooling processes to supply 93 percent of the heating and hot water required for campus buildings. The plant reduces Stanford emissions by 68 percent and potable water usage by 18 percent, potentially saving millions of dollars and one of the state’s scarce resources.
Further Reading:
https://www.aia.org/showcases/25976-stanford-university-central-energy-facility
https://sustainable.stanford.edu/new-system
https://www.archdaily.com/786168/stanford-university-central-energy-facility-zgf-architects
https://www.zgf.com/project/stanford-university-central-energy-facility
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital
Like other buildings in Singapore, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital incorporates parks, green roofs, and vertical plantings throughout its campus. But the city-state’s hospitals haven’t traditionally offered direct access to fresh air, light, and outdoor views. This hospital marks a dramatic change, optimizing each for patients. About 70 percent of the facility is naturally ventilated and cooled by fans, cross-ventilation, and exterior shading, saving on precious water resources. The building uses 38 percent less energy than a typical hospital in the area.
Further Reading:
https://www.aia.org/showcases/76821-ng-teng-fong-general-hospital–jurong-commun
http://www.hok.com/about/news/2017/07/25/ng_teng_fong_general_international_academy_for_design_and_health_awards
https://www.archdaily.com/869556/aia-selects-top-10-most-sustainable-projects-of-2017/58f7c23ce58eceac31000615-aia-selects-top-10-most-sustainable-projects-of-2017-photo
http://www.topicarchitecture.com/articles/154396-how-modern-hospitals-recognize-the-impact-o
Eden Hall Farm, Chatham University
After receiving the donation of 388-acre Eden Hall Farm, 20 miles north, Pittsburgh’s Chatham University created a satellite campus centered around a sustainable living experiment. The university views the landscape—an agricultural area adjacent to an urban center—as critical to supporting cities of the future. The original buildings are complemented by new facilities for 250 residential students (and eventually 1,200), including a dormitory, greenhouse, dining commons, and classrooms. Students get hands-on experience in renewable energy systems—the campus generates more than it uses—sustainable agriculture and aquaculture, waste treatment, and water management. Now home to the Falk School of Sustainability, the farm is producing the next generation of environmental stewards, who follow in the footsteps of alum Rachel Carson.
Further Reading:
https://www.aia.org/showcases/76481-chatham-university-eden-hall-campus
http://www.chatham.edu/news/index.php/2018/01/chatham-views/from-eden-hall-pioneer-to-farm-manager
https://www.archdaily.com/869556/aia-selects-top-10-most-sustainable-projects-of-2017
https://falk.chatham.edu/masterplan.cfm
Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University
At George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, located in the nation’s capital, design embodies well-being. Built around an atrium that admits light and air, the structure encourages physical activity with a staircase that spans its eight levels. A green roof reduces storm runoff; rainwater is collected and stored for plumbing, resulting in a 41 percent reduction in toilet fixtures’ water use. Limestone panels (left) were salvaged from the previous building on the site. Materials used throughout the building contain recycled content.
Further Reading:
https://www.aia.org/showcases/71306-milken-institute-school-of-public-health
https://publichealth.gwu.edu/content/milken-institute-school-public-health-wins-excellence-architecture-new-building-merit-award
http://designawards.architects.org/projects/honor-awards-for-design-excellence/milken-institute-school-of-public-health-george-washington-university/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Inouye Regional Center
Located at the heart of Pearl Harbor, on Oahu’s Ford Island, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Inouye Regional Center repurposed two airplane hangars—which narrowly escaped destruction in the 1941 attack—linking them with a new steel and glass building (right). The research and office facility for 800 employees was raised to guard it from rising sea levels. Given the size of the hangars, daylight illuminated only a small fraction of the space, so specially crafted lanterns reflect sunlight further into their interiors. Necessity required invention: Due to anti-terrorism regulations, no operable windows were allowed in the space. Through a passive downdraft system that taps prevailing sea breezes, the building is completely naturally ventilated. The adjacent waterfront was returned to a more natural state with native vegetation.
Further Reading:
https://www.aia.org/showcases/76911-noaa-daniel-k-inouye-regional-center
http://www.hpbmagazine.org/NOAA-Daniel-K-Inouye-Regional-Center-Honolulu-Hawaii/
http://www.architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/noaa-daniel-k-inouye-regional-center_o
http://www.hok.com/design/type/government/national-oceanic-and-atmospheric-administration-noaa/
R.W. Kern Center
Serving as the gateway to Hampshire College, in Amherst, Massachusetts, the multipurpose R.W. Kern Center holds classrooms, offices, a café, and gallery space—and is the place where prospective students are introduced to campus. The school converted what was once an oval driveway into a wildflower meadow, now encouraging a pedestrian approach (seen above). The center is self-sustaining, generating its own energy through a rooftop solar array, harvesting its water from rainfall, and processing its own waste. Its gray water treatment system is in a pilot program for the state, and may pave the way for others.
Further Reading:
https://www.aia.org/showcases/76921-rw-kern-center
https://architizer.com/projects/rw-kern-center
https://www.hampshire.edu/discover-hampshire/rw-kern-center
Manhattan 1/2/5 Garage & Salt Shed
Two buildings belonging to New York City’s sanitation department redefine municipal architecture. Resembling a grain of salt, the cubist form of the Spring Street Salt Shed holds 5,000 tons for clearing icy streets. The Manhattan 1/2/5 Garage (background), whose floors are color-coded for each of the three districts, is home to 150 vehicles, wash and repair facilities, and space for 250 workers. The garage is wrapped in 2,600 aluminum “fins,” shading devices that pivot with the sun’s rays, reducing heat gain and glare through the glazed walls while still allowing views to the outside. Municipal steam heats and cools the building, so no fuels are burned. A 1.5-acre green roof reduces heat-island effect and filters rainwater. A condensate by-product of the steam is also captured, and, along with the rainwater, used for toilets and the truck wash. Combined with low-flow fixtures, the process reduced water consumption by 77 percent.
Further Reading:
https://www.dattner.com/portfolio/manhattan-districts-125-garage/
https://www.ohny.org/site-programs/weekend/sites/dsny-manhattan-125-sanitation-garage-salt-shed
https://www.aia.org/showcases/76671-manhattan-districts-125-garage–spring-stree
http://www.architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/manhattan-districts-1-2-5-garage-spring-street-salt-shed_o
https://www.burns-group.com/project/manhattan-125-garage-and-spring-street-salt-shed/
Starbucks Hillsboro, Oregon
Starbucks has been a leader in the development and implementation of a scalable green building program for over a decade .Starbucks joined the U.S. Green Building Council® (USGBC) in 2001 and collaborated with them to develop the LEED® for Retail program, an effort to adapt LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) to new construction and commercial interior strategies for retail businesses. In 2008,Starbucks challenged themselves to use LEED certification not just for flagship stores and larger buildings, but for all new, company-operated stores. Many people, even internally, were skeptical, especially with Starbucks growth across the globe. But by collaborating with USGBC and other like-minded organizations, we have been able to integrate green building design not only into new stores but also into our existing store portfolio. Starbucks has also succeeded in providing a practical certification option for retailers of all sizes.
Further Reading:
https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/environment/leed-certified-stores
The Edge, Deloitte
The Edge, located in Amsterdam, is a model of sustainability.is billed as the world’s most sustainable office building and has the certification to prove it. But, it’s more than that. The place is, well, fun. And interesting. And inviting. So much so that professionals are actually applying for employment with Deloitte Netherlands because they want to work in the building. That it has become a recruiting tool is a satisfying side effect of a project designed to both redefine efficiency and change the way people work. “We wanted to ensure that our building not only had the right sustainability credentials, but was also a real innovative and inspiring place for our employees,” says Deloitte Netherlands CEO Peter Bommel.
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
Architecture Robots
Posted: July 4, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Design, More FC3, Science & Technology | Tags: AI, AR, Architect, Architecture, Architecture of the Future, ArchyTechy, Artificial Intelligence, Connectivity, Design, Designer, Devices, fc3 tech, Information, Information Architect, Innovation, IoS, IoT, Robots, Space, Tech, Technology, Technology Trends, Techy, Trends, VR, Walmart, Wearables 1 CommentEnvironmental Robots
Robots are increasingly being utilized in everyday life to monitor and improve our environments. For example, Researchers from theNational University of Singapore have created a bevy of robotic swans that are designed to monitor the quality of freshwater lakes and reservoirs – such as levels of dissolved oxygen or chlorophyll – while blending in with the natural environment. The robotic birds, fitted with a number of sensors, autonomously swim across the water’s surface using underbody propellers.
(Source: https://www.dezeen.com/tag/robots/)
Robots in Construction
At ETH Zurich, Gramazio & Kohler, an architectural partnership that is especially
known for its contribution to digital fabrication and robotic construction, taught at class
using a robot arm to lay bricks. This is the course as they describe it:
“If the basic manufacturing conditions of architecture shift from manual work to digital
fabrication, what design potential is there for one of the oldest and most widespread
architectural elements — the brick? Students investigated this question in a four-week
workshop, designing brick walls to be fabricated by an industrial robot. Unlike a mason,
the robot has the ability to position each individual brick in a different way without optical reference or measurement, i.e. without extra effort. To exploit this potential, the students developed algorithmic design tools that informed the bricks of their spatial disposition according to procedural logics. Positioning this way it was possible to draft a brick wall in which each of over 400 bricks took up a specific position and rotation in space. The students defined not the geometry of the wall, but the constructive logic according to which the material was organized in a particular temporal order, and which thus produced an architectonic form.”
Though robot arms are currently the most prevalent form of robotics in architecture,
architects and designers have begun to employ other, and sometimes more radical,
robotic strategies for design. Gramazio & Kohler, in collaboration with Raffaello
d’Andrea recently put together an exhibition titled ‘Flight Assembled Architecture’ for
which small quad-rotor helicopter bots assembled a 6m-tall and 3.5m wide tower out of
1500 polystyrene foam blocks in Orléans, France.
(Source:https://www.archdaily.com/336849/5-robots-revolutionizing-architectures-future)
Walmart filed five more patents for farming processes
The patent was one of six filed by Walmart, including several focused on automating agricultural processes. The supermarket chain also plans to use drones for spraying pesticides and monitoring crop conditions.
However artificial pollination has the bigger potential to significantly affect the company’s business.
According to research by Greenpeace, pollination by bees contributes $265 billion to the global economy. So, with the world’s bee population now in major decline, robotic alternatives could prove necessary to meet the global demand for food production.
Walmart isn’t the first to have invested in artificial-pollination technology. Brisbane-based artist Michael Candy recently unveiled his design for a device featuring 3D-printed robotic flowers, while a research lab in Japan recently became the first to successfully achieve pollination using a drone.
(Source: https://www.dezeen.com/2018/03/20/walmart-patent-autonomous-robot-bees-pollinating-drones/)
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
Creating High Performance Buildings through Integrative Design Process
Posted: March 22, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Design, Green, More FC3 | Tags: Architect, Architecture, Charrette, cohesive, daylighting, Design, design charrette, design elements, Design Process, Designer, energy efficiency, green building, green design, High Performance Buildings, high-performance, integrated design, Integrative Design Process, Nature, optimal performance, Planner, Planning, renewable energy, sustainbility, understanding design, Urban, whole building design 6 Comments
The “High Performance by Integrative Design” film by RMI includes examples of how design teams collaborate in new ways to integrate high-performance design elements, such as daylighting, energy efficiency and renewable energy, for optimal performance. Viewers experience charrette discussions and see the design process unfold on projects such as the Empire State Building retrofit, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Phipps Conservancy in Pittsburgh, the Desert Living Center in Las Vegas, Willow School in New Jersey and Chicago Botanic Gardens.
Typical Design & Construction Process
Conventional planning, design, building, and operations processes often fail to recognize that buildings are part of larger, complex systems. As a result, solving for one problem may create other problems elsewhere in the system.1
Integrative Design & Construction Process
Collaboration leads to innovation
An integrated design process (IDP) involves a holistic approach to high performance building design and construction. It relies upon every member of the project team sharing a vision of sustainability, and working collaboratively to implement sustainability goals. This process enables the team to optimize systems, reduce operating and maintenance costs and minimize the need for incremental capital. IDP has been shown to produce more significant results than investing in capital equipment upgrades at later stages.2
As discussed in a previous post, the integrated process requires more time and collaboration during the early conceptual and design phases than conventional practices. Time must be spent building the team, setting goals, and doing analysis before any decisions are made or implemented. This upfront investment of time, however, reduces the time it takes to produce construction documents. Because the goals have been thoroughly explored and woven throughout the process, projects can be executed more thoughtfully, take advantage of building system synergies, and better meet the needs of their occupants or communities, and ultimately save money, too.3
Considerations and Advantages of an Integrative Design Process:
- ID&CP processes and strategies can be implemented to varying degrees depending upon the complexity of a project and an owner’s project goals.
- A project team must be carefully assembled very early on in the process to ensure success.
- All key participants must subscribe to the collaborative effort of establishment clear goals.
- All project stakeholders must be involved and remain involved in the project, and must communicate openly and frequently.
- Key participants must employ appropriate technology to foster collaborative design and construction.
Similar to the Construction Management at Risk approach to project delivery, the owner can benefit from the following IPD advantages:
- Owner receives early cost estimating input, sometimes as early as conceptual design.
- The owner can take advantage of special services such as:
- Feasibility studies
- Value engineering
- Life cycle costs
- Identification of long-lead items and their pre-purchase
- Significant time can be saved because the design effort is emphasized and completed earlier in the process, and because construction can begin before the design is fully complete.
- Architectural and engineering fees can be reduced by the early involvement of the specialty contractors.
- Construction costs are minimized by incorporating constructability reviews into the process, and by the designers incorporating materials, methods, and systems that the team knows are more cost effective.
- Operating costs can be reduced by providing opportunities to greatly affect long-term energy and resource use through design.
- Capital costs can be reduced, thanks to clearer and better coordinated construction documents, which should minimize the incidence of change orders that impact both cost and time.
- Misunderstanding between the parties is minimized when the IPD Team works together during the planning stages of the project.
- The owner’s risk is minimized as the IPD Team approach tends to focus on early identification of potential conflicts and issues through the utilization of modeling tools. This early identification results in timely problem solving and resolution of issues through the use of models, as opposed to problem solving in the field and constructed environments.
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 Tim Witzig of @PKSBArchitects
Posted: February 1, 2018 Filed under: Expose, ILMA Interview, More FC3 | Tags: Architects, Architecture, Bess Myerson, Design, Exclusive, FC3, Firm, FLW, Frank lloyd wright, ILMA, New York City, NYC, PKSB, Tim Witzig 1 CommentThis week we have a great interview with Tim Witzig. I had the pleasure of meeting Tim this year and we had a lengthy conversation. I think you will be impressed with his take on the world of architecture and design.
About Tim Witzig
Tim Witzig, AIA, Principal at PKSB Architects, is known for his breadth of understanding. He has played an instrumental role in the success of PKSB for almost two decades.
Mr. Witzig has overseen teams for numerous projects. His experience includes, public and private schools, religious spaces, residential interiors, personalized homes, commercial interiors and a history of projects with civic importance. He served as a designer and Project Manager for the interior renovations of the AIA award-winning Franklin, Mansfield and Shoreham Hotels in New York City.
He was responsible for directing fabrication for guest area upgrades, interior elements and furnishings for all three hotels. Mr. Witzig has also participated in the design and construction administration of the Physics Building Addition and Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Research Building at the University of Virginia, refurbishments for the Joseph E. Seagram Company in New York, and customized hotel resort interiors for the Walt Disney World Company. Prior to joining PKSB in 1990, Mr. Witzig was a designer at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with a team developing the first designs for Worldwide Plaza at Columbus Circle. His participation in designing and managing projects with various scales, local code requirements, and unique technical requirements has brought Mr. Witzig a broad understanding of the challenges our client’s face in realizing a project.
About the Firm
PKSB Architects was established in 1964 by Giovanni Pasanella. Celebrating over 50 years in practice, PKSB is recognized as an award-winning full-service firm with a long history of completing projects of every scale and scope. Our practice areas include academic, preservation, institutional, residential, hospitality, public housing, infrastructure, public art, civic memorials, and houses of worship. PKSB’s efforts have been recognized with numerous design awards, including the prestigious P/A Award and AIA honors on the local, state and national levels.
While PKSB’s practice has evolved since its first years as Pasanella + Klein Stolzman + Berg, a commitment to architecture that blends artistry, craft, and pragmatism has always defined its work. The firm has a modernist foundation, but does not rely on a set “PKSB style.” Rather, the needs of the client come first, and PKSB’s strength lies in its ability to create solutions that respond to the unique aspects of each client, program, and location.
“Since its founding in 1964, PKSB has distinguished itself as an innovative practice whose projects combine artistry, craft and pragmatism. A spirit of collaboration and a willingness to explore have been the hallmarks of the firm since its inception.”
When and why did you decide to become an Architect?
High School age. Seemed to encompass all my interests when I listed them. Before those years I wanted to be a Disney Imagineer.
What were some of the challenges of achieving your dream?
Math. Undergraduate math, calculus, trig were such failures. Cost of school, lived in a marginal neighborhood in St. Louis to keep my living costs low for a couple of undergraduate years. During grad school working during breaks, working in the library for a little cash in my pocket when I should have been in studio probably. The library that I worked in up at Columbia was the library devoted to library sciences…only… could not have been more boring.
Any memorable clients or project highlights?
Bess Myerson, Miss America 1945. She made me laugh… not right away. You got the joke on the way home in the re-telling. She wanted a beautiful new modern sculptural stair in her NY apartment renovation. I did not get to design the stair but I watched the process and helped do the drawings for the shell of the apartment. I learned a lot working with her, and helping make presentations and seeing how all talented people involved worked.
How does your family support what you do?
They listen to my ranting. Patiently.
How do Architects measure success?
I think, gladly, that measure is made on very large field. I think if one helps, no matter how small, to make a piece of the world a more beautiful or usable place with our buildings, cities, infrastructure… one is a success. If you enjoy it as well? Huge success.
What matters most to you in design?
Constructability, utility, timelessness, passing on inspiration to the users in some way.
What do you hope to achieve over the next 2 years? 5 years?
Focus and allow others to run with the balls.
Who is your favorite Architect? Why?
I do not really have a favorite, but if pressed on just the Architect part and not the human being part, then Frank Lloyd Wright. He achieved a very warm and approachable transcendence with his own style. If you look up Architect in the dictionary, it would not be wrong to see his picture there I think.
Do you have a coach or mentor?
A few. The founders of the Architecture firm I am a part of now, Henry Stolzman, and Wayne Berg would go day-by-day explaining the practice and business of Architecture. My current business partner Sherida Paulsen brings reality to my day dreams. Going way back to school days there was William B. Bricken and Leslie Laskey. The latter should me how you could live like a designer and get interested in everything.
What is your favorite historic and modern (contemporary) project? Why?
That’s so hard there are so many on both ends. Villa Malaparte in Capri. and almost anything Louis Kahn did, Yale British Art, currently I keep looking at Tod Williams and Billie Tsien and their Kim & Tritton Residence Hall. Over and over I stare at that simple building. 2 story residential dorm building with no stairs or elevators inside. Genius.
Where do you see the profession going over the next few decades?
I think it’s very exciting, and I think Architects or folks who know a thing or two about making buildings will be in high demand. I think the firms will get larger and folks within the firms will be specialized a bit more. I think Architecture as a defined terms will blur and blend into other things we use.
What type of technology do you see in the design and construction industries?
The 3D modeling and Building Information Modeling and ability to bring that up zoom in to look at all of the “guts” anytime and anywhere,, well it is already happening now and it should just get better and more fun. I would like to see a dose of A.I. in some of the mundane and complex tasks we do, like crosschecking current rules, zoning, codes, that come into play. I would like a computer programmer take a crack at developing a “ArchAI” program that will compile a basic building envelope and create a set of drawings just off say 10 basic inputs or dimensions you give it.
Who / what has been your greatest influence in design?
Failure.
Which building or project type would you like to work on that you haven’t been part of yet?
I would love to work on a large community center or cultural icon like the 92Y (92nd Street Y)
How do you hope to inspire / mentor the next generation of Architects?
You sit with them see what they are doing and ask questions? If there is something good there, progress or talent in a particular direction you help develop that and point them to something that they might find helpful or interesting based on the direction they are already heading in. You might point them in a direction where they might get un-stuck (if they share their sticking point). Then they come back and ask again. Then the mentoring kind of begins.
What advice would you give aspiring architects (K-12)? College students? Graduates?
Just keep swimming. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Do not be afraid to fail.
What does Architecture mean to you?
Every time I get mad at it and curse it for being hard, or impossible it comes back, I see a beautiful building and I just think it’s great and there are so many talented people to watch and buildings to visit. I guess it’s just ingrained in there and I hope I can enjoy it as long as possible.
What is your design process?
That is a hard question. It really depends. But Testing and Tossing is such a big part. I used to say do not draw more in the first half of the day that you cannot erase in the second half. Of course we don’t have to spend time erasing anymore, so we have more time for flipping stuff on its head and seeing what can be gained. One tries to list, develop or articulate the restraints, constraints and guiderails first so you can get to the design phase. Then the Testing and Tossing begins. I still believe in the old fashioned pin-up in a room and let the criticism flow.
If you could not be an Architect, what would you be?
The animation thing I guess. It’s never too late to go to Hollywood. Yes it is I think.
What is your dream project?
The Museum of the Tour de France. It must have views and a fantastic café. And banks of Zwifting set-up’s with a huge High Def screens floating in front of real glazed views.
What advice do you have for a future Executive leader?
Help others succeed and then encourage and praise, daily if you can. Sit right across or next to someone at their desk for bit, avoid constant big meetings. Smaller ones. You do the leg work the big meeting might have made easier.
What are three key challenges you face as a leader in business today and one trend you see in your industry?
Technology costs, Marketing. Managing cash flow. I see a trend in larger firms as an umbrella with smaller brands below
What one thing must an executive leader be able to do to be successful in the next 3 years?
Listen, stay positive, learn how people do what they do.
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?
Younger people are very creative in the way they work and use software. I think it’s important to “give in” and “give up” the ways one might have done something in the past. Even if those ways worked well before. Be willing to re-prioritize what you thought was important in how projects are realized and mananged.
Final Thoughts on How to Be Successful?
Keep a sense of humor, laugh and value irony along the way. Take some time to enjoy the journey and not just the finish line. Realize everyone one else is trying to do the same thing, and help whenever you can. Each client is a chance to learn something new.
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 Felicia Middleton @UrbanAesthetics
Posted: December 29, 2017 Filed under: Architecture, Expose, ILMA Interview, More FC3, Social Media | Tags: Aesthetics, African American, America Has Talent, Architect, Art, Church, Construction, Construction Management, Contractor, Corporate, Design, Designer, Developer, development, Diversity, Exclusive, FC3, Felicia Middleton, Female Architect, ILMA, interior design, Interiors, Interview, Italy, Leader, Leadership, linkedin, Lisa Middleton, Love, management, New Construction, PA, Philadelphia, Philly, professional, Rome, Talent, Urban, UrbanAesthetics, Women in Architecture 1 Comment
Felicia Middleton is an Architecture Design Professional, an Author, an EPA Certified Renovator and an Entrepreneur. She is the principal of Urban Aesthetics, LLC serving the Philadelphia metropolitan area. She specializes in Residential and Commercial Architecture and Interior Design – both Renovations and New Construction – as well as Commercial and Residential Kitchens and Baths, Quality Assurance, Interior Material Specifications, Interior Commercial Design including Restaurants and Bars, Salons and Spas, Education and Church Facilities and Corporate Design and Retail Planning. She also provides Construction Administration and Construction Management services.
She can be found on social media by following these links: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and on LinkedIn.
ILMA INTERVIEW
When and why did you decide to become an Architect?
At the young age of 15, while attending the Carver H.S. of Engineering and Science I took a drafting class and decided what I wanted to do as a career. I told a drafting teacher that I wanted to draw on computers. We had a drafting teacher who was very encouraging, named Mr. Avant. The students loved him so much because he would let us eat lunch with him in his drafting class and he had a genuine interest in each one of us. Sadly, he passed last year. I always wanted to thank him for his help and encouragement.
What were some of the challenges of achieving your dream?
College financing often was a challenge for me. My family had difficulties and paying for college became a struggle. I had to work many jobs while in college but I realize now that those jobs helped lay the framework for my future. Thank God for making it possible for me to overcome so many obstacles and pursue and achieve my dream.
Any memorable clients or project highlights?
Earlier in my career, I designed a Commissary Kitchen Warehouse and several cafeterias for the Vineland School District in Vineland, NJ. I learned so much from that project. I learned a lot about the operations of school food facilities. That learning process really reinforced how important the use of a building is in design and planning.
During that same time, I worked on many well-known food facility projects in casinos throughout the country. I found a design niche that I grew to love and still love over a decade later.
How does your family support what you do?
My immediate family supports me 100%. Especially my mother. She has been my biggest fan. My friends and family will often pass my name to others who may need my services. In addition, they support events and projects sponsored by my company, especially the community projects.
How do Architects measure success?
Many architects measure success via projects and achievements and the impact that they have on others. I would also add that success is measured by the way we are able to make a difference in our communities.
What matters most to you in design?
Safety, is extremely important to me, also function and aesthetics. Buildings are where we spend the majority of our time so they should be safe spaces that add to our well-being.
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!
What do you hope to achieve over the next 2 years? 5 years?
Over the next two years I will focus on managing Urban Aesthetics projects while developing my own individual brand. Within 5 years I will have my brand developed in Food Facility Design and operate separately from Urban Aesthetics.
Who is your favorite Architect? Why?
I feel in our profession mentoring and inspiring is very important. Your life, work and values should inspire your followers. My favorite historical architect, Daniel Burnham’s life story is inspiring, his buildings are beautiful and he has written very inspiring quotes. I have used his quote as a motto for my business.
“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency…”
My favorite current architects are my colleagues.
Do you have a coach or mentor?
I have a Business Coach but unfortunately, I do not currently have a mentor. I have been blessed with many mentors throughout my life and career and I have mentored many.
Mentoring relationships are not permanent. They end or change as we grow. I have desired to find a mentor for a couple of years but I have not been able to create the relationship.
The architect that I share an office with is probably the closest person to a mentor that I currently have. He is a senior on the architecture profession and he offers advice and gives advice when I ask. I have a great deal of respect for him.
What is your favorite historic and modern (contemporary) project? Why?
My favorite historic project is the Colosseum. The Colosseum is a grand structure located in Rome, Italy. It is beautiful and strong, representing the games that were performed for spectators. Amazingly, it has stood robust and tall for almost 2000 years.
My favorite modern building has changed a many ties over the last 20 years, as innovation, design and the environment surrounding me changes. Most recently, the Cira Center, in Philadelphia, has been a favorite. I love it because it stands a jewel above the surrounding buildings and it represented the expansion of our downtown to the other side of the Schuylkill River. An added bonus is that the building is green, LEED Certified.
Where do you see the profession going over the next few decades?
For a while, it seemed as if there was a decline in the profession but I have noticed a recent resurgence. I do believe there needs to be some liberation in the process involved in becoming an architect and function within the profession. I see the profession opening up to multiple careers, interchanging with architecture.
What type of technology do you see in the design and construction industries?
Virtual 3d Modeling is a form of technology that I have seen most recently. Virtual reality in design will help us communicate designs to clients who have difficulty understanding plans. In addition, advances in project management software helps to streamline the planning and construction processes.
Who / what has been your greatest influence in design?
The Green Movement has been my greatest influence in design. I became serious about environmental issues while in college and there I decided that it would have a big impact on my work. I worked for an environmental organization for a couple of years while in college and I learned so much. I added a few environment-centered courses while in college and
my senior internship included researching Brownfield’s Redevelopment. When I first entered the design world, eco-friendly design was not a large part of what we did. I was a bit discouraged at first but was reenergized in the early 2000’s when the green movement really started taking shape.
Which building or project type would you like to work on that you haven’t been part of yet?
A LEED project. My current burning desire is to participate on a LEED project.
How do you hope to inspire / mentor the next generation of Architects?
I will to continue mentoring our young people by explaining to them as many aspects of our work as I can, to help the understand all that is included and let them see that this profession has so much to offer, depending on what direction you wish to go. I will let them see that when you fall in love with your work, it can be very fulfilling. I hope to let them see that you can make a difference in your community and also the world while working in this field but you MUST find your way.
What advice would you give aspiring architects (K-12)? College students? Graduates?
Fall in love love with architecture and the profession if you want to succeed and endure the work. You will have to put your time in while working but be sure to learn more than what is expected.
What does Architecture mean to you?
Architecture is art in the form of function and use. We create structures that affect people physically and emotionally. We discover solutions to problems both spatially and creatively. I learned at a young age that I liked seeing how things come together. In architecture, part of your work is to develop the way a building comes together. At times we have to take a building apart to bring the desired project together.
What is your design process?
I follow a basic process:
- Determining the client’s Gain an understanding of their situation (financial, time constraints and any limitations)
- Preliminary Research – Code, Zoning, Needs of Use, Property,
- Pre-Design – Discuss research findings, create
- Design Development – Develop the concept into a more workable Additional research.
- Coordinate with project team.
- Complete
If you could not be an Architect, what would you be?
If I could not work in this great profession, I would be a writer. I guess I already am a writer. I have always excelled at writing. Writing is my second love, next to architecture. I have published 2 books, written for magazines and published several blogs. I absolutely love to write.
What is your dream project?
I have a strange desire to design a high-end Starbucks, similar to the project in progress in Chicago.
What advice do you have for a future Executive leader?
Take time to let things develop. Relish in the importance of being guided by others, mentors who can help you and your interests. You must share in your success, look to give to your fellow business colleagues. Develop a relationship with fellow business owners and remember that collaboration produces multiple wins. Work with partnerships, strategically develop partners with whom you can develop lasting business relationships.
What are three key challenges you face as a leader in business today and one trend you see in your industry?
Maintaining Momentum is a challenge that requires constant thought and planning. Moving to the next level while continuing a current pace is very important for success.
Keeping the needs of our community in focus while maintaining momentum is important and also challenging.
One trend I have seen in my industry, especially locally is the explosion of development within the inner city. It is similar to the Mc-Mansion boom we saw years ago.
What one thing must an executive leader be able to do to be successful in the next 3 years?
Remain relevant to society, business and your community. Offer a unique service that keeps the client as a focus.
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 have learned that business is difficult and you have to extract emotion from the process or it will wear you out. I work in a creative profession but often the bottom line drives my work. I’ve read about and followed the lives of innovative leaders in business to inspire me, geniuses such as Steve Jobs. Although they are one-in-a million I you can be one, I can make a difference. I strive to learn as much as you can from these leaders, both good and bad and use their tools in my work.
Shark Tank may be entertaining but you can learn a lot watching that show. Learn where you can. Never stop educating yourself. Follow the rules.
A surprise I have encountered is the number of opportunities that are available for current and future business owners.
Final Thoughts on How to Be Successful?
Read as much as you can. Keep learning. Be honest, thankful and give back as much as possible. Follow the rules. To me, true success, being able to use the resources that you’ve been blessed with to bless someone else. Whether it is with your money, labor, knowledge, time, mentoring, etc.
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
Christmas Gift Ideas from ILMA
Conceptual Design – Adaptive Re-Use of Existing Cogeneration Plant
Posted: December 26, 2017 Filed under: Architecture, Higher Education - Architecture & Design, More FC3, Portfolio, University | Tags: adaptive, Architect, Architecture, Campus, Concept, Conceptual, Design, FC3, Melillo and Bauer, MSU, Planning, Re-Use, reuse, Studio 200, University Architect, Urban 1 Comment
Project Information: Re-Use of Decommissioned Cogeneration Plant
My Role: University Facilities, University Architect
Architect of Record: Studio 200 Architecture
Landscape Architect: Melillo and Bauer Associates
Client: Montclair State University, University Facilities
About the Project:
Design collaboration with Landscape Architects, Melillo and Bauer Associates, for an adaptive reuse of a current building on campus overlooking the football stadium to be converted into an Alumni Center with stadium amenities and a Co-generation facility.
Project Status:
There are currently no plans to further develop this conceptual design.
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
