Digital Crayon: Article 1 - Musings on School Design

posted by TruexCullins Architect and Principal David Epstein, AIA, LEED AP

Welcome to the first entry of Digital Crayon, a series on school planning and design. My goal with this series is to share with you some of the insights learned in our Education Studio and throughout my career.

By way of introduction, I am a partner here at TruexCullins and co-lead our Education Studio with fellow partner Richard Deane. Richard's area of expertise is higher education design. My specialty is K-12 school design. I am passionate about the interrelationship between school design and the “new” 21st century learning paradigm. As I often joke with my clients, I know enough about education to be dangerous, but please don’t expect a scholarly discourse – this will be more of a conversation. I welcome your feedback as well. So let’s get started. This is always the hardest part – getting started (with this blog too!).

It helps to have a strategic plan. Ideally a facility project grows out of a long term strategic direction for your school. Often, however, that is not the case. Sometimes projects are the result of growth and a response is needed – no time for a strategic plan.

There are two main kinds of projects: master planning and design. Master Planning projects look at an entire facility and create a roadmap for improvements over a five to ten year period. Once master planning is completed, a school may elect to implement phase I of the master plan. This is the point where the design project begins. Or if you have a specific need – like a new library – you can often proceed directly with a design project. The difference is really how broad a view of your facilities you would like to address. If it is the whole campus, then a master plan makes the most sense.
 

The first thing you need to do is define the project as best you can and hire an architect. Some schools have ongoing relationships with an architect; others issue a Request for Proposals (RFP). In either case, it always best to be as specific as you can be so that the proposal accurately reflect an appropriate scope of work. We have lots of examples of RFPs (good and bad) which we can share, just email me at David Epstein.

The standard process is to invite several qualified architects, review their proposals and create a short list of three to four finalists for interviews. For international projects, the interviews are often done on Skype. Sometimes there is design work requested, sometimes not. As an architect, we always hope that the level of effort requested is commensurate with the opportunity.

It is really important to find a consultant that’s a good fit – someone not only with the expertise you need, but someone you have good chemistry with. After all, you may be working with them for quite a while. Good planning sets the table for a successful project and planning and design costs are minor compared with building and operating costs so we recommend focusing on the fit and getting the leadership, creativity and expertise with a firm you will enjoy working with.

Next Digital Crayon - Article 2, The Planning Process

20 Years of Art Hop / 40 Years of Rolf

We love this time of year in Vermont. The air turns cooler, students return to their classes, and we ready ourselves for the busy fall season. And the big event in Burlington that always kicks things off is the South End Art Hop.

Once again, TruexCullins is pleased to be participating in this year's Art Hop, with an exhibit in our office on Battery Street on Friday Sept 7 and Saturday Sept 8. We are site # 50 on your Art Hop map, so please stop by when you're out enjoying the festivities on Friday night.
 

This is a big year for the Art Hop, and it's a big year for us. 2012 is the 20th year for the Art Hop, and for the occasion we are celebrating 40 years of architecture by Rolf Kielman. 

On display in our office will be an exhibit of drawings, photographs and models that span the 40 years of Rolf's work, from 1972 to the present. Our office will be open Friday night for the opening reception from 5 to 8pm. Then on Saturday, our doors will be open again for public viewing from 10am to 3pm.

If you miss the events this weekend, fear not. The exhibit will be up throughout the month of September and can be seen any time during regular office hours. More exciting events are also in store for later in the month, so stay tuned.

TruexCullins Invited to Paris Competition

TruexCullins is one of four firms invited by the American School of Paris (ASP) to participate in an international design competition.

In October, TruexCullins will travel to Paris, France to present their design. The TruexCullins team will comprise of Principal and Architect David Epstein, AIA LEED AP, Project Manager Diantha Korzun, AIA LEED AP and Pier Giovanni Spaziani, M.Arch.

“At TruexCullins, we are committed to creating healthy and productive environments,” imparts Epstein, “places that engage young people in 21st century learning.” Epstein has over 23 years of experience as a registered architect. He co-leads the Education Studio at TruexCullins, with a focus on K-12 and International Schools. Epstein has developed master plans and provided architectural services for schools in over 13 countries including: Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Romania, Russia, and Ethiopia.

Korzun served as the project manager on TruexCullins’ recently completed King Arthur Flour headquarters located in Norwich, Vermont. “We look forward to a vibrant competition,” she shares. “I am confident that our proposal will creatively address the client’s design needs.”

A Parade on Church Street

Now that you've watched the videos documenting the birth of the Church Street Marketplace, it's time to celebrate it!

On Wednesday August 29th at 2pm, the marketplace will be the location of an event to celebrate its 30th anniversary and to dedicate the 124 foot long Trompe L'oeil mural "Everyone Loves a Parade!"

The mural has been going up on the side of the Banana Republic building, along the alley that connects the Mall block to the Marketplace Parking Garage.

The mural is a hyper-realistic drawing with a colorful cast of characters from Vermont past and present, including Grace Potter, Peter Clavelle, Miro Weinberger… and Bill Truex, the Vermont architect behind the creation of the Church Street marketplace.

You can read more about the 30th anniversary celebration from the press release on the Church Street Marketplace website, and in this article from Seven Days.

Church Street Storytellers

Those of us who live and work in the Burlington area may take for granted the lively commercial and cultural activity of the downtown Church Street Marketplace, the artistic and economic heart of the city. But have you ever wondered just how this pedestrian–only area of 4 city blocks came to be?

The Marketplace officially opened in 1981. In conjunction with its 30 year anniversary, the Church Street Marketplace Association recently released a series of 4 documentary videos with interviews of the key people who worked to turn this crazy idea into a reality.

At the center of this group of individuals was Bill Truex, Principal Emeritus of TruexCullins and the architect of the initial marketplace design.

Part 1 takes a look at what initially inspired the founders of the Church Street Marketplace. Bill Truex is joined by Pat Robins, the chair of the Church Street Marketplace Commission, U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, former Burlington mayor Peter Clavelle, Ernie Pomerleau of Pomerleau Real Estate, and many others who were instrumental in developing the initial concepts.

Part 2 describes how the idea for closing the street evolved and the early tests that made it happen. The video features Bill Truex and Pat Robins, the chair of the Church Street Marketplace Commission, who talk about the early experiments with closing the street in the 1970s. Some of the first special events that experimented with closing the street to automobiles included arts and crafts festivals. These events were a big success and were instrumental in paving the way for permanently closing the street a few years later.

Part 3 tells the story of the investment and construction. The construction of the pedestrian marketplace was a major disruption to the downtown businesses at the time, but with perseverance and creative thinking, the merchants and customers made the best of a difficult situation. This is the story of a successfully managed project in the middle of perhaps the busiest commercial block in the state!

And the 4th and final video talks about the role of the Church Street marketplace today. 30 years after its initial construction, this is an area that has become an arts and cultural destination, an economic engine for the city (and the state), and an award-winning example of great urban design, one of the 10 Great Public Spaces in America according to the American Planning Association.

 

You can see more photos of the drawings, models and demonstration projects from the 1970s in this blog post we published last year.

Cascade Restaurant, Phase 1 Complete

We just received these new photos of the Cascade restaurant renovation project. The Cascade is the on-site restaurant of the Teton Mountain Lodge, located in Teton Village at the base of the mountain at Jackson Hole. TruexCullins designed the Teton Mountain Lodge a few years ago, and we are now working on a new design for the restaurant interiors.

Phase One of the renovation is now complete, which includes a lounge and kids' area adjacent to the main bar. This is the first glimpse into what will be a casual and lively space that will provide a fresh interpretation of a comfortable warm mountain aesthetic. Our goal is to provide a chic and sophisticated design solution that will appeal to all ages, the après ski crowd and dinner guests. We are incorporating local materials and crafts to evoke a sense of place that is uniquely Jackson Hole: natural, rustic, yet cosmopolitan in its sophistication.

On the exterior, the project includes new windows and patio furnishings, which have already transformed these outdoor dining and lounge areas.

Anglo American School of Sofia nearing completion

Written by Principal David Epstein, AIA, LEED AP

On a recent trip to Bulgaria, Diantha Korzun was able to check in on the construction of one of our current higher-ed projects, the Anglo American School of Sofia.  TruexCullins has been working with the school to develop a master plan, growing the school from 350 to 650 students.

The school serves middle school and high school students and the new facilities include classrooms, sports facilities and a performing arts complex, including a new outdoor amphitheater.  The design allows each section to be built independently, fosters the creation of smaller learning communities within a larger school, and minimizes disruption to ongoing operations.

When working on international projects, we take special care to listen to our clients and design spaces that are appropriate to each locale and culture.  On this project, we have had a wonderful working relationship with the local architecture firm Ivo Petrov Architects.  TruexCullins has been providing Design Guardianship with Ivo Petrov Architects acting as the local architect of record.

The facilities are nearing completion and will officially open for the start of the 2012-2013 school year.

 

Respecting Victorian Design

This summer we are working on the interior design for the renovation of a Victorian mansion dating from 1885.  This has sparked our interest in the history of this British-born architectural style.

Most people associate Victorian design with a grand excess of ornament, an arbitrary over-abundance of decoration.  But the real story of Victorian design is much broader and deeper than most people probably realize.  Some even attribute the Victorian era with being the first chapter (or perhaps prologue) to today’s modern design.

The Victorian period is named for Queen Victoria, and coincides with her tenure from when she was crowned in 1837 until her death in 1901.  This was a time of great upheaval, as the industrial revolution brought about major changes to just about every aspect of British life.

If you watched the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics from London last week, you probably caught the tribute to the Industrial Revolution, which started in the United Kingdom and eventually spread to the rest of the world.  This was a time of remarkable inventions and engineering marvels.  Architecturally, this technological revolution was evident in structures such as the glass roof of the Crystal Palace in 1854, or the iron spire of the Eiffel Tower in 1889.

Crystal Palace, Joseph Paxton, 1854

But the speed of change during this time is best illustrated by the arrival of the steam train, which gave people the ability to suddenly travel great distances.  As people were exposed to new worlds they borrowed pieces of new and different architectural styles.  This was a period of eclectic design.  Historic styles were mixed with foreign influences, such as neoGothic, Romanesque, Japanese and Egyptian.

Trinity Church, H.H. Richardson, 1872-1877

These imported styles were used to rebel against industrialization.  With change comes resistance to change, and the resistance to the Industrial Revolution was expressed in romantic or “picturesque” design.  It is this tension between the practical and the ideal which led to some of the best examples of architecture and design of the Victorian era.

The structure that best symbolized this tension between practical, efficient engineering and the romantic ideal of picturesque design was perhaps the Brooklyn Bridge, built from 1870 to 1883.  Its arcing cables speak the language of utility:  machine-made, functional, and efficient.  The neo-Gothic brick piers speak the language of ideal beauty: hand-laid bricks forming lofty arches that evoke Old World cathedrals.

Brooklyn Bridge, John Roebling, 1883

These themes in Victorian architecture applied to all aspects of design: industrial design, furniture, graphic design …  even fashion.  Technological advances in fabrication combined with romantic notions of design in the bentwood chairs by Michael Thonet.

The Victorian curve showed up on everything from typefaces to teaspoons and women’s corsets.  Some of this still lives with us today: the classic Coca-Cola bottle came later, in 1915, but the design was based on this ideal curve from the Victorian age.

The Victorian era eventually led to the Arts and Crafts movement, Art Nouveau, and early modern design. (evident in such pieces as the bentwood furniture of Charles and Ray Eames.)  Even today, when we pick up our iPhone, we are reminded of the marriage between technology and ideal humanist design.  And it was during the reign of a British queen over a century ago that these themes were first born.

Now Hiring!

TruexCullins is currently seeking a high level Registered Interiors Architect/Project Manager or Certified Interior Design Professional/Project Manager with 10-20 years of experience to play a key role in Project Management of multiple residential, hospitality and institutional projects.

Qualified candidates must have extensive Project Management experience, superior design skills, technical proficiency, and be capable of running multiple projects independently.  Proficiency in AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, and LEED AP Certification are highly desirable.

Those interested in applying for this position may contact Robert “Sparky” Millikin, Managing Principal, at smillikin@truexcullins.com

TruexCullins Hires Carmen George

We are pleased to announce our new marketing director Carmen George.

Previously George was the development and communications coordinator at Burlington College. Before she was the marketing and development manager for Good News Garage for six years. During her time at Good News Garage, they were featured in People Magazine, on the Today Show as well as the Oprah Winfrey Show. Her radio public service announcement won first place in a state-wide competition.

While at Good News Garage she was elected as a city councilor for the city of Burlington where she served on the Transportation, Energy, Utility, and Communications Committee, and the Arts, Parks, and Culture Committee, and was appointed to the Special Task Force on Housing. She was instrumental in saving the Miller Community Center in Burlington. Currently, George serves as a Justice of the Peace in Vermont.

George graduated from of the Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Champlain Program, as well as the Women's Small Business Program.  She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Art Institute of Boston in Massachusetts where she spent a semester abroad at the United World College of the Adriatic in Trieste, Italy. 


George's artistic talents helped her win the Vermont sister city mural competition. She was a guest of the Russian government where she spent a month in Yaroslavl, Russia overseeing a team of artist who transfer her design on a large wall in the city's public library.

As a member of Champlain College's Kelley Marketing Group, George has provide numerous nonprofits with invaluable fundraising and marketing advice. She also volunteers her time to lead the Vermont Development Professionals Lunch and Learn which offers free training for fundraising professionals.George is very involved in her neighborhood and community.

Carmen George may be contacted cgeorge@truexcullins.com or phone 802.488.8232.

A Refined Vermont Office Interior

We recently completed this office fitup for a local asset management firm in Burlington, and we're happy to share these new photos of the completed space. We spent all day with Jim Westphalen, our go-to photographer, who captured these beautiful images of the space as the sunlight streamed in over the lake.

The space looks out over the Burlington waterfront, with views of the horizon over Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks beyond. Our design was therefore inspired by the surrounding landscape of the Lake Champlain basin and is a celebration of our Vermont culture and local community. Natural, local materials were used to give the space a true Vermont flavor, local craftspeople were engaged in the production of furnishings and casegoods, and the workplace was designed to support one of Vermont's strongest values: teamwork.

The reception area features hardwood Butternut flooring by Vermont Wildwoods which was salvaged from the Vermont forest floor and re-milled into an engineered product. The custom casework and reception desk flanking the reception area are faced with panels of Champlain Marble, quarried from the Lake Champlain Basin. A billowing ceiling of cloth panels provides a contrasting softness to the space and alludes to the gentle sailboats on Lake Champlain.

Much of the custom furniture and casegoods were made by Lyndon Furniture, a Vermont company that we have worked with on other projects of ours. The reception desk and lobby shelves are made from FSC-certified Red Birch which matches the beams above. Other tables and case pieces in the adjoining spaces are made of solid Walnut.

The space is also a good example of a design that promotes collaboration in the workplace, with open work areas and shared meeting and lounge spaces located in prime locations for adhoc team work. The library provides a quiet area for focused, concentrated work or small group meetings, and the War Room supports teams of 8 to 10 with interactive technology that fosters group discussion and out-of-the-box problem solving.

This project is on track to receive LEED certification under the LEED for Commercial Interiors program.