King Street Center Unveils New Building

New King Street Center design by TruexCullins

Our neighbor King Street Center is growing and expanding their space. TruexCullins Architecture is proud to be a part of the effort. The King Street Center has been an essential hub in our neighborhood for more than 20 years, serving the young and their families with the process of learning and growing. Twenty years ago Roland Batten Architect helped create the original King Street Center and now Rolf Kielman (a former partner of Roland’s), a principal at TruexcCullins, is continuing that work with the re-design of the new and expanded Center.

The new King Street Center will be a 4.5 million dollar project and will significantly expand the space needs of the center. A new entry, a new two and half story west wing and a renovated gymnasium are features of the project. A roof top playground will address the small amount of play space that exists now on the King Street Center site. The building will address environmental needs and be a model for energy efficiency exemplified by the use of day lighting and high quality mechanical and lighting systems.

 

Design is currently underway and construction is expected to start in early 2014 with completion in the late fall of 2014.  To make a donation please contact the King Street Center.

 

Many joined in to celebrate the unveiling of plans for the new King Street Center.

 

King Street Center Executive Director Vicki Smith






Chair of the Board of Directors Clarence Davis

The Honorable Madeleine Kunin



Bob and Holly Miller



Bob Stiller from The Stiller Foundation

 

Architect Rolf Kielman and Tom Clavelle

 




 King Street Center Lemonade Stand

 

 

View more photos on the King Street Center Facebook page.

 

 

Travel Notes from Albania

by Rolf Kielman

We just received this message from Rolf, who is travelling through Eastern Europe along the Adriatic Sea. As always, we love reading about the adventures of our colleagues on their global travels, especially when they are to some of the more lesser-known corners of the world.

Rolf writes from a small city in Albania. While visiting the region, Rolf gave a lecture at the University of Polis in Tirana on Making Good Towns, showing examples from Norway, Switzerland and Vermont.

 
Hi from an obscure but beautiful spot in the south of Albania named Girokaster. A small city notable for its lovely stone houses and also the birthpace of Enver Hoxah, the communist dictator who kept this country closed up like a sturdy closet, for over 40 years.

And all that privacy seems to have made this a weird but still very likeable place . The people are very friendly and curious about visitors. They love Americans and Canadians aren't far behind it seems. The countryside is beautiful. Spectacular and still snow covered peaks at 8,000 feet. Deep valleys with mountain streams still running clear. Distinct little villages with stone slate roofs ... A little too much trash for my liking (ubiquitous little blue plastic bags caught up in the trees standing by the rushing streams) but that seems to be the norm in a place that is still learning how to consume.

The entire country is 200 miles top to bottom (Vermont roughly?) but populated by three million Albanians. A cross of muslim, orthodox and christian faiths, much of which lay dormant during the communist period and perhaps accounting for little in the way of religious strife. Have seen some terrific towns and villages that probably won't ring any bells. ... Korca in the southeast has tight little streets and a pedestrian mall rivaling Church street in Burlington. Some of the most wonderful iconic religious paintings on display here and also in a nearby mountain village named Voscopoja. Also nearby is the stone retreat of Dardha at the end of a perilous mountain road, an isolated little spot that provided refuge from the Ottoman Turks that ruled here for over 400 years.

Shortly after my arrival I gave a lecture at the University of Polis in Tirana. I did the talk on Making Good Towns ... In Norway, Switzerland and Vermont. Could include Albania I think.  Now we're going to tour Girokaster and from there on to Butrimt, a classical and preserved ruin that we were told we shouldn't miss.

Making Good Homes: Beauty in Order

by Rolf Kielman

In a February blog post, Lee Grutchfield and I discussed the challenges involved in making good and affordable places to live. We’ve made some progress on this front, and we’re back to share what we’ve done to date.

The criteria, as we described it, is to design a home that is affordable, easy to build, healthy, beautiful, durable and energy efficient. We want to make these houses so they can be manufactured under controlled circumstances and then shipped in manageable parts to the building site. And we want to erect houses in 2 months rather than the 4-6 months often required for homes of modest proportion and size.

So together with Josh Chafe, our young and creative cohort, we have begun to define and execute homes that fulfill the criteria we described. Thus far we’ve been working with designs that are basically one room wide. We’ve looked at archtypes in the factory housing of Sheldon Springs, going back 25 years to work that Rolf did with Roland Batten, and we looked carefully at the houses strung along Mansfield Avenue in Burlington, Vermont. There are lessons in these houses worth studying, such as advantages in ventilation and ease of shipping attributable to building widths of one room.



We are also working on a standard system of dimensioning. This is not a new concept: witness Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian houses spread through portions of North America. Wright’s work exhibits both elegance and quiet beauty in the establishment of order and hierarchy. In this vein, we are utilizing modules of 48” increments and utilizing common window widths and room sizes to achieve this order.

In our work, we are utilizing a standard system of components applicable to homes of differing overall size. By this we mean that a single bathroom or kitchen layout can be used in a 1400 square foot house as well as one that is 1800 square feet. By using common components, we can drive down the cost and increase the efficiency.

In our sketches below we show 3 slightly different houses. They vary in size and program but have strong similarities. They exhibit options that will give home buyers discretion in how they arrange component parts. The designs can be pre-made or manufactured off site and they exhibit simple dimensioning systems that are economical and elegant. The designs run from 1400 to 2200 square feet and contain different program components for those with larger families or those who have chosen to work at home.

Our hope is to build several of these homes in a new development near Burlington. If you have suggestions, questions or comments, we would love to hear from you!

Making Good Homes: Conditions and Challenges

by Rolf Kielman

At TruexCullins we’ve spent decades contemplating the necessary requirements for good places to live. Twenty years ago we designed a series of modestly sized, affordable and energy efficient homes for a statewide competition sponsored by Housing Vermont. Now, we are picking up that banner again, developing the design for a prototypical home that meets all of the requirements and expectations of a modern-day family in an affordable and efficient package.

First, let’s define the criteria. What are our basic needs for the places where we live? The basic components of a house in Vermont include spaces to sleep, prepare and eat food, and wash ourselves and our clothes. Beyond these human necessities, we place great importance on having a comfortable place to socialize and entertain. Conversely, our homes are increasingly places where we work and study. The spaces just outside our homes are also valued, whether it’s a porch for protection from the elements or a garden within which to grow food and play. Finally, an auxiliary building such as a garage or shed is added to store vehicles and outdoor equipment. All of these components have come to be viewed as essential parts of our homes.

Second, we must come to term with the challenges we face. Externally, the need for shelter from our environment is perhaps more challenging now than it has ever been. Our climate is demanding and unpredictable, from the cold of winter to the heat and humidity of summer. Global climate change has brought an increase in extreme weather events that test the endurance of our structures, from flood to drought to the frequently returning 100-year storm. Meanwhile, the cost of fuels is accelerating, in economic costs and environmental costs. The physical land and materials with which we build our homes are also increasingly rare and expensive to come by.

We look forward to addressing these challenges over the next several months, continuing our exploration of designs for homes that sufficiently meet our needs while abundantly filling our souls. Ultimately, our goal is a product that could be acquired in any number of forms: a set of complete architectural plans for purchase at a modest cost; a set of component parts available for purchase with a manual for assembly; or even a complete home, pre-made and brought to the site ready for placement and occupancy.

In the meantime, you can expect that we will share our thoughts, present some designs, and keep you informed of our progress. We hope you enjoy this creative journey.

A New Venue for the Big Game, on the Field and on the Ice

This is it, sports fans: the weekend you’ve all been waiting for. (cue football music) On Sunday all eyes will be on New Orleans for the biggest sports event of the year.

This will be the seventh Super Bowl played at the Louisiana Superdome (now rebranded as the Mercedes-Benz Superdome). This impressive arena opened in 1975 and soon became a major draw for its size and location. More recently, in 2005 it suffered major damage from hurricane Katrina and became the symbol of institutional failure in the wake of a disaster.

But this year marks a new beginning for the aging structure. With a major renovation complete that spanned 6 years and cost $300 million, the Superdome may seem like a brand new building, inside and out, to the millions of fans tuning in.

If you’re still reading, you’re probably wondering what our connection is to this modern architectural landmark. Well, this is the moment in the TruexCullins blog when we roll out our design for the new 70,000 seat sports arena that will soon grace the Burlington waterfront.

Well, not quite. But we can share a sports facility renovation project that’s a little more… Vermont-style.

While modest in comparison to this weekend’s Super Bowl site, this project nonetheless would have made a notable difference for some local skaters. The project is an addition to one of our community ice rinks.

The building currently consists of two ice rinks connected by a long walkway. The design on the drawing board connects the two sides with a new addition that provides a suite of new amenities. A new Pro Shop, concessions, seating areas, offices and locker rooms all occupy a central location, with direct access to each of the rinks. The project improves circulation for players and spectators, and it unites the two rinks under the same roof with a singular grand entrance.

Unfortunately, this project can be filed under ‘Unbuilt Works’ due to a detour on the road to construction. This is a story not uncommon in the world of real estate and development, as many projects never get off the ground. But perhaps some day this addition will be built, and perhaps some day millions of viewers will tune in to watch two teams go head to head on the ice in northern Vermont.

Meet the 52 Kids Foundation

Join us this Thursday, October 18 from 5:30 to 7:30pm for a special presentation on the 52 Kids Foundation.  This group, based in Charlotte, Vermont, is dedicated to teaching Ugandan children to live positively without aid.

This summer, Rolf joined a group of men known as “Team USA” for 10 days in the town of Kamuli, Uganda, working on one of the Foundation’s many initiatives:  repairing the local school, giving 52 kids the opportunity for primary and secondary education.

This Thursday the group will host a reception, presentation, and discussion (and some food and refreshment too!) at the Main Street Landing Film House (corner of College and Battery Streets in Burlington).

Come celebrate with everyone who has worked so hard to support the 52 Kids Foundation and meet the Uganda program director, Frank Woitera, on his first visit to the U.S. He’ll share his first-hand knowledge of the impact that the Foundation’s efforts have on the 52 wonderful kids they support as well as the ongoing challenges for the children and foundation.

RSVP via email to Colleen Brady at cpb513@comcast.net

For more on the 52 Kids Foundation, visit their website at www.52kids.org

Celebrating the work of Rolf Kielman

In the early 1970s, Rolf Kielman joined fellow classmate Terry Jacobs and designed a series of cutting-edge houses that utilized an air panel system for the collection of warm air and a rock box for thermal storage. The Sunpower homes, as they were called, adhered to the design principals of reduced size, improved thermal envelopes and effective siting and orientation. Four of these were built around Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

It is now 40 years later, and Rolf’s portfolio of projects has steadily grown to include numerous energy-positive homes, hotels and resorts that are naturally wedded to their environment, and cultural and civic buildings that galvanize communities. His work includes creatively branded workspaces, custom designed furniture and architectural follies. His urban planning projects are instantly recognizable as some of our most notable public spaces.

Please join us on Friday September 21st to celebrate this 40 year span of impressive work by Rolf Kielman. We are hosting a reception from 5 to 8pm with an exhibit of his architecture in our office on Battery Street.

If you stopped by last week during the Art Hop, you were able to catch a sneak preview of the show. Throughout the exhibit, the thoughtful and artful communication of each design is clearly evident, from beautifully drawn sketches and original watercolors to handmade wood models, including some specifically commissioned for this event.

While we may marvel at his craft, anyone who knows Rolf can attest that his “living legacy” reaches beyond just the architectural work he produces. Much of his energy today directly touches people’s lives through his work with local community organizations such as the Committee on Temporary Shelter, the King Street Youth Center, the 52 Kids Foundation, the Howard Center, and many more.

Rolf continues to be a creative designer, inspiring leader and gracious mentor for all of us at TruexCullins. And next Friday we do hope you’ll join us to recognize his talents and celebrate his 40 years (and counting!) of architecture and craft.



 

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.

Making Good Towns

This Wednesday, June 20, marks the beginning of the summer lecture series at the Yestermorrow Design/Build School. The series is free and open to the public at the Yestermorrow campus on Route 100 in Waitsfield, VT.

The first speaker for the summer series will be Rolf Kielman, who is presenting a talk on Making Good Towns: From Norway to Switzerland to Vermont.

Vermont's varied terrain is similar to that of Norway and Switzerland. Sloped landscapes; deep, watery cuts between hilly regions; the form of our farmsteads; these terrain characteristics have contributed to the shape of towns and villages in these regions. This lecture explores how the land has formed the architecture of buildings and public spaces and how architects and planners can advance the art of making good towns.

This Wednesday's lecture begins at 7pm. To see the entire 2012 lecture series schedule, go to: http://www.yestermorrow.org/about-us/stay-connected/lectureseries/

Or for more info, call 802-496-5545.

In Memoriam: the Vermont Law School Gazebo

Consider this the first obituary we have had to write for the TruexCullins blog.

The gazebo on the edge of the Oakes Hall parking lot at the Vermont Law School campus was a humble, intimate structure designed for individuals to peacefully reflect and quietly ponder their place in the natural environment.  It was an expression of material, craft and assembly, executed as a simple shelter from the elements.

On the morning of August 29th, the White River raced through South Royalton, overflowing its banks from the forces of Hurricane Irene.  The town of South Royalton suffered $10 million in damages from the storm, with bridges and roads washed out and people’s homes ravaged by the rising floodwaters.  The Vermont Law School thankfully avoided major damage to their campus, but one unfortunate casualty of the storm was our little Gazebo.

The demise of the wood structure was caught on camera in this dramatic video.  The gazebo is shown here eerily floating down the river, posted to YouTube by someone obviously aware of the irony in the situation, as they titled the piece: “Symbolic Bridge to Nature returning to its natural habitat”

The Gazebo at the Vermont Law School was designed by Rolf Kielman, who also led the historic renovation and addition to the nearby Debevoise Hall.  In 2006, the VLS Gazebo was awarded the AIA Vermont Excellence in Architecture Design Award for a Small Project.  The jury thought the project had “charm, pure, simple elegance” and was “very inviting”.

Luckily we had the project documented at the time by our friend Jim Westphalen.  Here are some more photos of the Gazebo that until recently lived at Vermont Law School:

 

 

Flashback Friday: Sunpower Homes

It’s another Flashback Friday on the blog, with a look back at a project that was innovative in its time.

In 1975, Rolf Kielman and Terry Jacobs designed a series of homes that explored alternative methods of heating and cooling, aiming to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.  As we enter into this all-American holiday weekend, this project fittingly reminds us that we are still fighting for energy independence, 35 years later.

The Sunpower Homes, as they were called, were located in eastern Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia.  They were speculatively built and were therefore designed to be very user-friendly for any future occupants.  The heating system did not rely on fluid collectors, which would have been more difficult to maintain for the untrained user and would have been susceptible to freezing in cold weather.  Instead, the homes utilized a more low-tech air panel system for the collection of heat which required less maintenance.

The rooftops were equipped with an 830 square foot active air panel collection system, as well as a domestic solar hot water collection system.  Air from the panels was ducted to a large rock box that filled the basement of the house.  This thermal mass retained the heat from the sun and subsequently distributed it throughout the house when it was needed.  If there was no call for heat, an exhaust system dumped the warm air to the exterior.  In the summer, the system was set up for cooling with the circulation of cool night air through the thermal mass, which drew heat out of the house during the day.

The active energy collection systems in these four homes were financed by a $19,000 grant for each house from HUD, the United States Department of Housing.

The homes also adhered to some basic principals of reduced size, improved thermal envelopes and effective siting and orientation.  All the houses were logically oriented to the south, with the major living spaces facing south and garage and service areas to the north.  Shading overhangs permitted the entry of the winter sun but blocked the warm summer sun.  The buildings had a minimal footprint and an effective building envelope insulated to a value of R-30.

Creating Sustainable Communities

The Vermont AIA is teaming up with the Vermont chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute to present a one-day symposium on the future of the state’s built environment.  “Designed in Vermont: Creating Communities that Flourish in the 21^st Century” is a full-day event that will bring together architects, policy makers, engineers, developers, landscape architects, and allied manufacturers to explore how best to develop sustainable communities in our state.

The day will begin with a keynote presentation by Michael Tavel, AIA, of Michael Tavel Architects in Denver, Colorado.  Tavel is an architect and urban designer specializing in sustainable urban neighborhoods, and his talk, “Sustainable Communities: Paradigms and Paradox,” will be an overview of many of the often competing paradigms of sustainable communities and sustainable land use.  Tavel will present national and international examples that frame the issues facing Vermont within the context of current global practice and discourse on sustainable communities and sustainable land use.

Following the keynote will be 4 additional sessions, each with 2 concurrent workshops exploring various aspects of sustainable building and land use.  One of these will be presented by Rolf Kielman:

Making Good Towns in Norway, Switzerland and Vermont.  Vermont’s varied terrain is similar to that of Norway and Switzerland.  Sloped landscapes; deep, watery cuts in dramatic valleys; and the form of our farmsteads are terrain characteristics that have contributed to the shape of towns and villages in these regions.  This session explores how the land has formed the architecture of buildings and public spaces and how we as architects and planners can advance the art of making good towns.

The full-day symposium takes place at Shelburne Farms, and has been approved for 5.5 AIA learning units.  The fee for the event is $125 for members of AIA-Vermont or CSI-Vermont; $175 for non-members.  More information is available at www.csivermont.org/green.htm, including a full program brochure.  Online registration is open until May 19.

A Bench for the Montshire

Rolf Kielman, architect and principal with TruexCullins, recently collaborated with Lauritz Larsen, local furniture maker and artist, on a project for the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, Vermont.  Together, Rolf and Lars crafted a bench for visitors to the museum’s Woodland Garden as part of a competition open to members of the Vermont Furniture Guild.  In January a jury reviewed the submissions and selected Rolf and Lars’ design as one of five benches to be commissioned by the Montshire Museum.

The goal of the competition is to expand public awareness of and appreciation for the work of Vermont artisans, and provide artistic and functional features that will enhance visitors' enjoyment of Montshire's Woodland Garden.

An opening reception will be held this Friday, May 6th, from 5 to 8pm, at the Frog Hollow Vermont State Craft Center, on Church Street in Burlington.  The event is free and open to the public. The five winning benches will be on display on Friday night and will remain at Frog Hollow throughout the month of May.  In addition to Rolf Kielman and Lars Larsen, the exhibit features the work of master craftsmen Doug Clarner, Mark Dabelstein, David Hurwitz, and Dan Mosheim and sons.  After the show the benches will be permanently installed in the Montshire Museum’s Woodland Garden in Norwich.

We hope you can come out on Friday night and check out the winning designs and support all our Vermont artists!

Curling for a Cause

This weekend, March 19 and 20, we will be cheering on Rolf Kielman as he competes in the second annual Curling Challenge at Cairns Arena.  TruexCullins is proud to be a sponsor of this event, which benefits the HowardCenter, a human services agency here in Chittenden County.

The story of this weekend's competition is featured on the back page of the March/April issue of Design New England magazine.  Rolf is profiled in his dual role as the chairman of the event and fierce competitor. Pick up a copy or follow the link below to read more about it:

CURLING FOR A CAUSE •  IT STANDS TO REASON THAT IF YOU LIVE IN Vermont, have a heart of gold, and love to play hockey, those elements will come together for a good cause — on ice. On March 19 and 20, that's precisely where architect Rolf Kielman will be. But the principal of TruexCullins, an award-winning architecture and design firm in Burlington, won't be skating; he'll be curling. [read more]