Champlain Investment Partners Awarded LEED-CI Silver

TruexCullins Architecture + Interior Design is pleased to announce that the interior office space for Champlain Investment Partners has been awarded LEED Silver Certification for Commercial Interiors from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The design of this Class A office space was inspired by the surrounding landscape of the Lake Champlain basin and is a celebration of Vermont culture and community. The use of natural and local materials supports the LEED rating system and establishes a true Vermont character for this independent employee owned firm.

The new 13,000 sq. ft. tenant fitup is located within the recently completed Waterfront Plaza building in downtown Burlington, recently awarded LEED Certification for Core & Shell Development. The LEED Core & Shell rating system is designed to be used by developers to certify the core and shell of a project and prepare the building for environmentally conscious tenants. The LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system recognizes high performance green tenant spaces that are healthy, energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

The tenant project earned high marks for its downtown site location; energy efficiency measures; and superior indoor air quality. The project also received credit for utilizing sustainable materials and resources. The building materials and furnishings used in the project contain a total of 24% recycled content, and interior wood products were sourced from well-managed FSC-certified forests.

The reception area features hardwood flooring salvaged from the Vermont forest and Champlain Marble quarried from the region. A billowing ceiling of cloth panels provides a contrasting softness to the space and alludes to the gentle sailboats on Lake Champlain. The design of the workspace promotes teamwork and collaboration with shared meeting and lounge spaces in prime locations and a quiet library for focused work or small group meetings.

The project was led by TruexCullins Principal David Epstein, AIA, LEED AP, and Associate Matthew Bushey, AIA, LEED AP. The developer/contractor was Investors Corporation of Vermont. Additional design team members include: Hallam-ICS, building commissioning; Mountain Air Systems, mechanical engineering; and Pearson Associates, electrical engineering.

Furnishings for Introverts Revealed at Neocon 2013

by Matt Bushey

At NeoCon 2013 in Chicago last week, the contract furniture industry rolled out their latest products, and I noticed one major recurring theme: furnishings that create private spaces for individuals and small group meetings, free from the distractions of the open office:

These plush booths by the contemporary Swiss furniture company Vitra are perfect for a cozy meeting with colleagues when a little more privacy is called for.  Named the Alcove Cabin, this high-backed booth creates a room of its own that wraps around you on all sides.  This is one line in what Vitra refers to as "Meet and Retreat" spaces in the modern office.

In the Business section of today's Burlington Free Press, I talk about the need to design workspaces like this that are appropriate for both extroverts and introverts.  And based on what I saw in Chicago, many of the furniture manufacturers are getting the message.

Read on for the full story, with more examples of furniture for introverts and extroverts at the end of the article:


Space for Introverts and Extroverts
Workspaces increasingly strive to provide a balance between collaboration and concentration 

Every company is comprised of individuals, each with their own personalities, work styles, and preferences. So how do we craft one space that meets the needs of such a diverse group?

At the recent Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility spring conference, I led a workshop on designing workspaces to provide a balance between collaboration and concentration, and one of the most compelling questions we heard was how to provide space that is effective for both introverts and extroverts.

True extroverts are gregarious, social, and assertive. Extroverts are outgoing and comfortable expressing themselves, and they tend to be good at multitasking and handling large amounts of information at once.

However, an estimated 30- 50% of the people we work with are introverts. In general, introverts prefer one-on-one conversations to group activities, tend to think before they speak, and work best focused on a single task with few interruptions.

In business, as in life, we need both types of people: those who speak freely and those who think deeply. Studies have shown that the most productive teams are those that combine both introverts and extroverts, and the most effective leaders are those who can bring out the talents of all.

The modern office has become more open and fluid to promote teamwork and collaboration but this has introduced challenges for meeting individual’s needs since introverts and extroverts exhibit different work styles and react differently to their physical surroundings.

How do these differences manifest themselves in the workplace? One theory is that extroverts excel in the open plan because they thrive from the multiple interactions within one space. They draw creative energy from chance encounters and group collaboration. Introverts, on the other hand, prefer to retreat to a secluded space where they can focus on individual tasks without distraction.

An opposing theory claims the exact opposite: that introverts actually work better in an open plan because they have an innate ability to block out noise and distractions. They can shut out their surroundings and look into themselves to accomplish their work. According to this theory, extroverts are at a disadvantage because they are more easily distracted by all of the activity surrounding them.

Whichever may be the case, I am increasingly recommending "flexible", open plans with a mix of spaces to support different tasks and personalities. This concept was evident last week in Chicago at NeoCon World Trade Fair, North America's largest design expo for commercial interiors. Here, more than 700 manufacturers release their new products each year, much of it based on research related to ergonomics, human psychology, and work styles.

In past years, the emphasis was on ‘benching’, long open tables where rows of workers sit side-by-side with no separation. This year, however, the focus was on furnishings and systems that provide greater individual privacy, such as 4-person booths with tall panels that wrap around three sides, and chairs with felt-lined canopies that can muffle a private phone call.

Some of these solutions are practical and some are playful, but they all aim to create peaceful spaces that offer visual and acoustical privacy within a louder open plan. This is a clear acknowledgement that workers have varying space needs as they perform different tasks throughout the day, and people perform better in different environments depending on their personality type: introvert, extrovert, or something in between.



Coalesse, a division of Steelcase, released the Massaud Lounge chair at NeoCon this year.  This "privacy pod" features a flip-down hood that masks your vision and voice.  Inside, an iPad mounts to the felted canopy for some private facetime or Skype sessions.

Another example of space-making for introverts: This high-backed booth by Bretford, where 4 people can meet in relative privacy.  The furniture is embedded with power and USB ports for charging your mobile devices.

Tips for Collaborative Workplace Design published in Free Press Business pages

by Matthew Bushey

The following article appeared in the 'Innovate' Business section of the Burlington Free Press on Thursday March 21, 2013.  It is also available for viewing online.


Creative Corner: Not Behind Closed Doors
Designing for teamwork in the workplace
 
In today’s workplace, one of the biggest challenges we face is how to foster creative teamwork while allowing for privacy and concentration. Most office workers spend their time split between group meetings and individual tasks, so it is difficult to apply a one-size-fits-all solution and expect good results.

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer recently announced plans to eliminate her company’s work-at-home policy, ordering everyone back to the office. In explaining the change, the company cited the need for greater communication and collaboration.

This rationale follows the general industry trend toward a more open and collaborative workplace. There is an increased recognition that the most creative problem-solving does not occur by an individual behind closed doors, but rather by a group effort of people putting their heads together.

Over the past few years the walls have been coming down, and more people are moving out of the private office into an open office setting. The problem here - and the reason many Yahoo employees had chosen to work from home – is that the visual distractions and noisy interruptions of the office prevent them from focusing on their work.

This is one of the biggest challenges we face with the design of the workplace: How to provide a comfortable balance between teamwork and individual privacy.

The first place we start is with the design and planning of the open office workstation. Repetitive rows of Dilbert-style cubicles do a poor job of providing privacy, and they are not conducive to group work. One solution is to break out of the box and think about alternative planning modules, or scatter workstations in a layout that gives each person a unique boundary and line of sight. The in-between spaces then become additional opportunities for impromptu collaboration, while promoting individuality.

Another method to support conflicting work styles is to provide a variety of spaces that people can use throughout the day as their needs change. Working in an open office is more accepted if other spaces are available for a private phone call or a quiet one-on-one meeting with a colleague. These are not scheduled rooms. They are free for anyone to use on a moment’s notice.

Finally, we look at the design of group spaces that maximize the benefits of working together. Often the most creative problem solving comes not from scheduled meetings but from spontaneous interactions among coworkers. Conference rooms are still necessary, but informal, social spaces are becoming more important. A cafeteria or lunchroom can double as a social meeting space, with furnishings and technology that can turn a casual encounter into a productive work session.

The move by Yahoo is a sign that companies are starting to rethink the role of the workplace. In this age of remote access and virtual meetings, the message is clear that face-to-face interaction is still valued for successful teamwork. Ultimately to be effective, our spaces need to be flexible and responsive to meet the needs of groups and individuals alike.


Matthew Bushey, AIA, LEED AP is a registered architect and the lead project manager for the Workplace Interiors Studio at TruexCullins Architecture and Interior Design. www.truexcullins.com

Join our Team

We are happy to say that due to an increase in our project workload, we are now hiring Architects and Project Managers to join our team at TruexCullins. We currently have immediate openings for these full-time positions:

ARCHITECT / PROJECT MANAGER
TruexCullins is seeking a senior level Architect / Project Manager with 10+ years of experience to work on a variety of project types in our resort, workplace and education studios. Registered architects with a B.Arch or M.Arch degree are preferred. Qualified candidates should possess extensive Project Management experience, experience coordinating a consultant team, superior design and communication skills, familiarity with building and life-safety codes and be capable of running multiple projects independently. Proficiency in AutoCAD, SketchUp and Revit is required, and LEED AP Certification is highly desirable.
 
ARCHITECT / PROJECT MANAGER, EDUCATION STUDIO
TruexCullins seeks a registered architect with 10+ years of experience in K-12 school planning and design to work in our Education Studio on US and International school projects around the world. Familiarity with educational trends, space programming and master planning required. Qualified candidates should have Project Management experience, superior design and communication skills, and be capable of running multiple projects independently. Proficiency in AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit and LEED AP Certification is highly desirable.


Our creative team is currently comprised of over 25 talented and dedicated individuals who are passionate about design and enjoy working together. Our work includes local, national and international projects in the residential, commercial, education and resort markets. We offer competitive compensation with full benefits including health insurance, 401k retirement plans, profit sharing, flexible vacation and sick time.

For either of the above positions, please send a cover letter, resume, and a portfolio sample of your work to: employment@truexcullins.com.

The Spirit of Vermont in Norwich

What qualifies as the best examples of excellent new architecture in Vermont? That was the question addressed by Donald Kreis on yesterday’s episode of the popular Commentary Series on Vermont Public Radio.

Kreis is an attorney with Vermont Law School and a regular contributor to VPR.  In this episode, Kreis praises two of this year’s recipients of the AIA VT Excellence in Architecture Design Awards, including the King Arthur Flour campus expansion in Norwich, Vermont.

TruexCullins was pleased to learn recently that the King Arthur Flour project received a Merit Award from the Vermont Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.  The jury was impressed with the arrival sequence and the creation of a communal courtyard that connects the various program elements.  Also noted was the use of materials and forms that are harmonious with the site and effective daylighting strategies.  According to the jury, “This building captures the spirit of Vermont without being too referential.”
 

We owe much credit to ORW Landscape Architects and Planners for working with us to develop this overall site and building experience.

In his Commentary on VPR, Kreis expands on this concept of place-making with a comparison to another New England town anchored by a growing retail empire: Freeport, Maine.  Unlike this and other towns that have succumbed to a mall-ification of outlets and souvenir shops, Norwich has managed to retain its classic Vermont heritage while permitting – in fact, promoting – the growth of companies like King Arthur Flour.

The new building at King Arthur is based on the concept of the classic Vermont monitor barn, but with contemporary and artful detailing.  As Kreis states, “Whenever we fail to turn a piece of Vermont into another Freeport, and build something new and graceful instead, I say it's time to break out the plaques and trophies.”

You can read (or listen to) the full Commentary at vpr.net:

http://www.vpr.net/episode/55299/kreis-aia-vermont/
 

A Machine for Driving

I’m going to let you in on a little secret about the dreams and desires of architects: the building types that we find the most pleasure in designing are not the ones you would suspect.  Of course, we all have our own individual passions and talents, but for many of us, I can think of one building type that gives us particular satisfaction: the automobile showroom.

So much of our work is (rightly) focused on the comfort and cultivation of people, that perhaps the chance to design a structure solely dedicated to the celebration of machines is a welcome change.

A good example of this is a building that TruexCullins just completed and is now open in South Burlington: the Audi Showroom at 1325 Shelburne Road.  You may have seen this ad recently in the Sunday Burlington Free Press:
 

German cars are known for their superior engineering, but the Audi brand today is just as much about beautiful design as anything else.  And the architecture of the automobile showroom is there to serve one function: to showcase these beautifully designed machines.

The Audi showroom in South Burlington is a pure glass box, with sharp lines and crisp edges that contrast fittingly against the sinuous curves of the automobile. Smooth, rectilinear metal panels wrap a pure geometric form. Large expanses of glass extend all the way to the ground, with no horizontal mullions to obstruct the view into the showroom.  In fact, the mullions are placed on the inside face of the glass to minimize any break in the transparent cube.

The roof passes overhead as a clear horizontal form, floating effortlessly over the glassy showroom, with no need for heavy columns.  This is repeated at the roof of the service bay, where customers take the experience one step further: by driving into the building, their own car becomes the one on display.


Architects’ fascination with cars is nothing new.  The man who started the love affair and introduced architecture to automobiles was the early modernist master Le Corbusier.
 
Corbu claimed that the house was a “machine for living”, and he liked to photograph his buildings with a modern automobile parked in the foreground, such as this famous shot of the 1927 Casa Weissen:

Today, automobile manufacturers themselves are pushing this marriage between architecture and cars, evident by a slew of ads that combine the two.  A good collection of these can be found on a blog by Donnie Silberman, such as this ad for Buick with the car parked in front of David Chipperfield’s World Cup Building in Valencia, Spain:

Or this one with a Nissan Altima at the Diamond Ranch High School by Morphosis:

 

In these ads, the architecture is always modern and linear, portraying a rigid sense of strength.  The buildings set up a sharp contrast with the fluid form of the cars, emphasizing motion and speed.  The architecture here is used to sell cars in print, just as the Audi showroom in South Burlington achieves the same goals in glass and steel.

Congratulations Diantha Korzun

TruexCullins Architecture and Interior Design has promoted Diantha S. Korzun of Cambridge to Associate. She is the daughter of Grace and Leonard Korzun of Shrewsbury, Vermont. 

Diantha Korzun, AIA, LEED, AP

Korzun is the President of The American Institute of Architecture of Vermont and the newly elected Secretary/Treasurer for the American Institute of Architects of New England, She successfully orchestrated a three-day AIANE conference in Burlington, Vermont. 

She received a Master in Architecture from the University of Washington and a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University, with a minor in European Studies. Korzun is a registered licensed architect in the State of Vermont, the State of Wyoming and the State of Washington. She is a LEED accredited professional and she holds her NCARB Certificate.

For the past five years, Korzun has been the Project Architect and Manager in TruexCullins’ Education and Workplace Studio. As Project Architect she was responsible for overseeing the design of the recently completed King Arthur Flour Headquarters expansion project and  Anglo American School of Sofia Project in Bulgaria, anticipated to receive LEED Gold.  She was the LEED Team Administrator of the Heritage Flight building, which was awarded LEED Gold Certification and won the Efficiency Vermont Award and Governor’s Efficiently Award. She was also the LEED Team Administrator for the Currier Project in Hanover, NH.

King Arthur Flour's Headquarters in Norwich, Vermont

Current projects she is managing include the St. John International School in Belgium and the American International School in Bucharest. She is part of the team that is participating in the American School of Paris Competition.

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.

Collaboration in the Workplace

The biggest buzzword in workplace design these days is collaboration.  And for good reason: the nature of the workplace is changing, with an increased focus on teamwork and informal interaction.

There are many factors driving this change. Younger Gen X and Gen Y workers tend to be more social, and more comfortable working in groups. Advancements in technology have eliminated some of the traditional constraints of space use, such as being tethered to a desk. And organizations everywhere are dealing with an economy that begs for a more productive use of real estate.

Collaboration is not the same thing as attending a formal meeting. The kind of workplace collaboration that we are talking about is the spontaneous, informal interaction that occurs between coworkers at unplanned moments. There is an increased recognition that the most creative problem-solving does not occur by an individual behind closed doors, but rather by a group effort of people putting their heads together.

Private space for concentrated work is still needed, but the traditional office and meeting room are increasingly being supplemented by more flexible, open spaces that allow for spontaneous collaboration.

Here are three examples from some recent projects of ours that we designed to facilitate collaboration in the workplace. For these examples, we will look at three different space types: an open office area; an employee cafeteria; and a pair of nontraditional meeting rooms.

AN ORGANIC PLAN

The conventional office cubicle is not very conducive to group work. Partitions are too high for interacting with your neighbor in any meaningful way, and the repetitive rows of desks and panels stifle individuality and creativity.

At the Institute for Sustainable Communities, we designed a workplace environment that breaks out of the “cubicles” box and promotes collaboration through the creation of “in-between” spaces. (click to enlarge)

The ISC is a global non-profit organization that helps communities around the world address environmental, economic and social challenges. At their headquarters in Montpelier, we designed an office landscape using new and reused components in a seemingly random pattern. Unlike a conventional plan, where rows of workstations mean everyone sits facing the same direction, at the ISC the desks are arranged so that each workstation is spatially unique. 

This layout accomplishes a few things. By breaking the line of sight and giving each person a unique perspective, a certain sense of privacy is achieved, without having to resort to 60” high panels.

The scattered layout also creates plenty of “in-between” spaces that welcome collaboration. Here, it is not necessary to walk into someone’s personal space to speak with them. And conversely, the spaces in-between do not feel like a regular hallway that says “keep walking”. The in-between spaces are welcoming to someone who’d like to pull up a chair or simply ask a question.

The ISC is a non-profit organization, so maximizing their space was very important. According to conventional logic, any plan that varies from a regular grid of cubicles will automatically be less efficient. This plan proves that this need not be the case. The “irregular” layout here actually provided more seating than what they previously had. This is partly due to a more efficient use of circulation space. By blurring the edges around the workstations, we were able to “steal” the adjoining circulation space and claim it for dedicated workspace.

I also love how organic this plan seems, a fitting attribute for a group that at its most basic level is helping communities grow. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Collaboration doesn’t have to occur at your desk or in a meeting room. In fact, the interactions that often yield the most creative results are those that happen unexpectedly, when two or more people exchange ideas while in a social setting such as a café or cafeteria.

It can also be most beneficial when people collaborate with others outside of their own working group. Coming together with people from different areas of a company can lead to a more complete and thought-out solution to a problem. (We see this also in educational institutions with the rise of interdisciplinary studies.)

TruexCullins recently served as the design architects for the new company headquarters of the Sabra Dipping Company. Their new LEED Silver-certified headquarters in Colonial Heights, Virginia employs 260 people in administration, research and development, and manufacturing. The facility includes office space, manufacturing and packaging, and a kitchen lab where they test new flavors of hummus, salsa, and dips.

So where is the one place that everyone can come together, regardless of whether they work in the offices, the labs, or on the factory floor? The company cafeteria.

The Sabra cafeteria is designed to be welcoming. There is no door. The layout of the corridor and the design of the materials on the floor and walls naturally lead you in to the space.

In fact, the cafeteria beckons you as soon as you enter the building. When entering the front reception area, guests and employees are met with a filtered view into the café through a glass display wall. These shelves are lined with canisters of colorful ingredients that are used in Sabra products.

Once inside the cafeteria, a variety of seating options allow for different kinds of casual meetings. The space is flooded with natural light, and the colors and forms make this a lively, engaging space. The curves inscribed into the marmoleum floor are a reference to the curves in the Sabra logo, reinforcing the company’s brand.

A curved bar with seating is located at the head of the room, which doubles as a presentation counter. This was designed to accommodate cooking demonstrations which would be televised. Lighting, background materials, and camera angles were all considered. Overall, it is an active, engaging, multi-purpose space that promotes collaboration among all Sabra employees and their guests.

ROOMS WITH A VIEW

The most valuable real estate in a commercial building has traditionally been the corner office. With views in two directions, this is a space that has status, prestige, and is usually beyond the reach of all but the top executives in a company.

The last of our three examples of workplace collaboration is from a tenant fit-up project for a local financial management firm. Their new offices are currently under construction in a downtown building on the top floor. The best real estate in this building is along the western side, with floor-to-ceiling storefront glazing that overlooks Lake Champlain. And of these spaces facing the lake, the best of the best are at the two corners, with sweeping panoramic views and direct access to outdoor rooftop terraces.  

But instead of reserving these rooms for private offices, both corners are made available for everyone to use, consciously designed to foster collaboration, where people can be free and unburdened to work together dynamically.

At the northwest corner, the Library is a room for both private concentration and small group meetings. This is a casual space with comfortable seating, dimmable lighting, and a stone fireplace with built-in wood casework on each side for books and reference materials.  It is a quiet space that offers a retreat from the main office. And with an all-glass façade and doors that open out to a rooftop terrace, it will surely become a destination for everyone who works here.

Rooms like this are important for informal meetings, where workers may feel they can discuss things more freely than in a formal meeting. And because it is a non-scheduled space, people can come together in a relaxed environment at a moment’s notice.

The counterpoint to this space is the “team room” at the southwest corner of the building. In this room, eight people work together around a peninsula-shaped table. A large LCD display is mounted to the wall at the head of the table.  Through the use of special A/V equipment that is built into the table, each person can take the contents of their laptop or tablet and flip it up on to the big screen to share with the group. There is not a single moderator or presenter here. Rather, everyone comes to the table with an equal voice, made possible through both the technology and the physical design of the room and furniture.

There are a couple good off-the-shelf options available that provide systems like this. For this project, we brought together a Vermont furniture maker – Lyndon Furniture – with a local audio/visual company – Geer Sound – to come up with a custom solution.

A NEW WORKPLACE

All three of these examples deal with workplace collaboration in their own way, but they are all reflections of how the workplace today is changing. As a result of worker demographics, advancements in technology, and ongoing economic challenges, the office landscape is evolving to allow for more unencumbered and productive group collaboration.

4 Currier Place grabs LEED Silver

Another TruexCullins project has achieved LEED status!  This time, it is 4 Currier Place, a 35,000 square foot mixed-use commercial building in Hanover, New Hampshire.  This project, built for Dartmouth College Real Estate, has achieved LEED Silver certification for Core & Shell construction by the USGBC.

4 Currier Place is a three-story core & shell development that was built as the first phase of the Sargent Block redevelopment masterplan in downtown Hanover. Sustainable design goals were established early in the design process so that sensible and cost effective green strategies could be employed. The project is now a model for resource efficient, high performance commercial buildings in the region.

From the very beginning of the project, green goals were identified by the owner as a priority for this commercial development.  LEED certification was pursued because this rating system provides a comprehensive checklist for green objectives as well as third party verification that the design is being implemented correctly.

 4 Currier Place achieves a high level of energy efficiency through a number of methods:

• The building features a high-performance exterior envelope to minimize heat transfer and therefore reduce electrical and fuel demand.
• Daylighting and views are maximized while sun control devices are used to control solar gain and glare. Light fixtures are dimmable in response to daylight conditions, and occupancy sensors are used that turn off the lights when the spaces are not in use.
• Innovative mechanical systems are used to minimize energy consumption, including heating, cooling, and ventilation systems.
• Water conservation strategies are employed throughout the building and the surrounding site. Plumbing fixtures are highly efficient to conserve water, and the landscaping incorporates native species that require little or no irrigation.

Other aspects of the design also contributed to its LEED Silver certification:

• The project provides for the health and comfort of its occupants through the use of non-toxic materials and finishes, excellent ventilation, appropriate daylighting and views, and proper acoustical separation of spaces. Indoor climate control provides a comfortable working environment in all seasons, although extreme cooling in summer is not required.
• The project utilizes resource-efficient materials. Not only were durable materials employed, but also materials that require minimal energy to produce and maintain. Many materials were produced locally or regionally, and many have a high-recycled content.
• And what may be the simplest but most important green aspect of 4 Currier Place:  the project is attractive and durable so that it will be around for many generations to come. A well-designed building is a good neighbor to the existing buildings around it and makes a positive contribution to the downtown fabric of Hanover, New Hampshire.

Heritage Flight in 360 Degrees

As beautiful as a photo can be, it can only capture one view.  To fully experience an architectural space, you have to BE there. 

Until now.

New Spin 360 is a young start-up company with Vermont roots that has quickly grown to serve clients nationwide.  They produce interactive 360 degree photos of interior and exterior spaces that are the closest thing to being there.  These are actually more than 360 degree photos, because the view extends in all directions: not only can you pan from left to right, but you can look completely up and down, and … well ... all around. The effect is that you can see everything possible as if you were standing in the space.

The concept is simple, and the interface is simple, but it opens up a whole new way to show off the spaces we design.  So we were very excited to see that Heritage Aviation was recently photographed by the folks at New Spin 360.

Heritage Aviation is, of course, the recently completed LEED-Gold private aviation facility at Burlington International Airport.  If you haven’t been there in person, you can now see what it is like to stand in the middle of the hangar, with a fleet of private jets surrounding you.  Be sure to look up to see all the skylights that flood the space with natural light, sitting above the open steel webs of the original structure, all painted white to maximize reflectance and minimize the need for electric lighting.

Other views are available as well.  You can take a look from out on the runway, looking back toward the hangar doors.  Or step up to the rooftop patio and look out across the runway.  Pan to the right and you’ll see the green roof with its colorful vegetation.  Now look up over the top of the hangar and you’ll see the white roof used for maximum solar reflectance, with the top of the wind turbine visible from the other side of the site.

Another one of our projects that has been captured by New Spin 360 is the Tram Haus Lodge at Jay Peak.  Jay commissioned a big photo shoot that included all of their new buildings, including these guestrooms that we had the pleasure of working on last year. To step inside, go to this site and click on “Lodging & Spa”.

Want to see more?  Check out InsideChurchStMarketplace.com for a New Spin on the summer action at the Church Street Marketplace in downtown Burlington.