Category: Design

Santa Rosa’s Evolving City Center

Santa Rosa Courthouse Square, Downtown Revitalization, City Center

Santa Rosa’s city center has long been known as Courthouse Square and it carries a long, rich history. Originally laid out as a plaza in the early 1800’s, it later became the site of a grand County Courthouse. The Square was a lively center of community and political activity and a place where young and old gathered. The 1906 earthquake destroyed the Courthouse and a new one was built on the same site as part of the reconstruction efforts.

By the 1960’s county government had outgrown the Courthouse and it was razed. In the midst of urban renewal, the Square was divided into two parts by varying interests and Mendocino Avenue was routed through the middle. Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa, TLCD Architecture, Reunification of Courthouse SquareSeveral decades and many City Councils later, the City of Santa Rosa is moving forward with the Reunification of Courthouse Square. This plan reunifies the Square and creates an urban park and gathering space for residents and visitors alike. With proximity to great dining, shopping and events like the Wednesday Night Farmers Market, it will also serve as an economic boon to local businesses.

TLCD Architecture has been a downtown Santa Rosa business for over 50 years and the architect on many key public projects. In February 2016, the firm moved to our new office at 520 Third Street, which fronts Courthouse Square. The building, a former telephone switching facility, had been abandoned for decades. TLCD’s team recognized the potential to transform it into a contemporary building with urban office space and retail opportunities. Working as part of the development team, this building was designed with the reunification of Courthouse Square in mind as a way to reinvigorate the city center.

Recognized for our role in the revitalization of downtown Santa Rosa, as well as other community projects, the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce recently named TLCD Architecture Small Business of the Year. Principal Don Tomasi, accepted the award and spoke to our firm’s commitment and work culture.

Furthering this exciting momentum are key infrastructure projects including the SMART Train, which is set to begin passenger rail service in late 2016. With stations that include the Sonoma County Airport (also in active expansion mode) and Railroad Square, there will be non-vehicular transportation directly to downtown Santa Rosa. This connectivity will bring a new level of energy and activity to the city center… aka Courthouse Square!

City of Santa Rosa, Downtown Station Area Specific Plan, Courthouse Square To learn about the City of Santa Rosa’s vision, see the Downtown Station Area Specific Plan.

For more about the history of Courthouse Square, read Gaye LeBaron’s article: Old Courthouse Square has divided Santa Rosa for 160 years.

Pharmacy of the Future – Less Confusion, More Accuracy

TLCD’s Healthcare Studio team recently had the opportunity to design a pharmacy space that incorporates a new technology called GSL Solutions Will-Call Intellicab System. This technology aims to create less confusion and room for error when you pick up your medicine.

Who first thought up those alphabetical bins at the pharmacy stuffed with little white prescription bags? Even when they have 2 “S” bins and the curious “P/Q” bin, it always seems that half the lettered bins are overflowing, the others suspiciously empty. The pharmacist shuffles though the piles only to find your prescription isn’t in the bin at all. They talk it over with their mystified colleagues. “Why don’t you give us ten minutes to figure it out?” they say.

before and after prescriptions_crop

That was the past. The next time you get your prescription filled it may start out on a conveyor belt. In this layout below, a Pharmacist sees your order and picks it out of inventory, just like they used to. From there it is placed in a plastic bin and then onto a conveyor belt. After that it heads to a second station where another Pharmacist confirms the order and requests a slot for the patient in the Intellicab. The Intellicab randomly assigns one of its drawers and a blinking light flashes. The pharmacist heads over, waves their ID and a drawer opens. A blinking slot appears and the Pharmacist inserts the order into the bay. If a pharmacist inserts the item into an adjacent bay the Intellicab will make a record of the event to help train the user.

When the patient shows up to collect a prescription, their personal data is entered, and once confirmed the bin with their order in it is identified. A light appears on the drawer that holds it, then the Pharmacist heads over, waves their ID card to let the Intellicab know which Pharmacist is making the request. The drawer opens and a light appears at the patient’s randomly assigned bin. The pharmacist would then check the name on the bag and complete the transaction.

Even more important than speeding up pharmacy lines at busy hospitals, this technology has the power to save lives. Taking the wrong medication can have deadly side effects and, while rare, the wrong medication is delivered to patients from time to time. No system is fool-proof from human error, but this technologically advanced pharmacy design will provide a faster and safer way to get medication.

If you’d like to read more about TLCD’s Healthcare Studio, check out some of our other projects here.

How to Play with Food

2016 Canstruction Video

Recently the Redwood Empire Food Bank held its annual “Canstruction” event, which turns a food drive into a can sculpture competition. It was held at the Coddingtown Mall for a week of display and voting. Afterwards all the food was donated to our local food bank where it was dispersed into the 52 million pounds of food they donate to families of Sonoma County every year! We were able to raise donations for 2,889 pounds of food for the final design. To start this mission ZFA laid down the strong ground work and rallied the troops for a few fun filled weeks of designing and developing the sculpture. To help visualize and smooth the build day, the team leaders arrived with 3D drawings that were comparable to a Lego instruction book. The day of construction was so fun and rewarding we decided to share the experience. Hey mom, playing with your food is awesome!

TLCD Architecture’s Chair Parade Signals Move to New Office

TLCD Architecture, Downtown Santa Rosa, Urban Office SpaceFriday brought cloudy skies and rain, but it certainly didn’t dampen spirits as TLCD Architecture moved to our new office just two blocks down Santa Rosa Avenue. Why have movers pack up your chairs, when you can roll them over – umbrellas and all! This symbolic move signifies a nearly decade-long process to renovate an abandoned building in downtown Santa Rosa and turn it into a vibrant, mixed-use project. The Press Democrat captured the essence of this move in this article that appeared over the weekend “Tenants Move Into New Office in Santa Rosa’s Former AT&T Building”.

The exterior transformation of the building is very apparent, but the space inside is simply amazing. With 16′ high ceilings, raw concrete walls, and sleek lines, the office feels urban and very hip. As architects, designing your own office space comes with no shortage of ideas for work environment, furniture and finishes. We’ll post more about our new office design in coming weeks… but for today, it feels great to settle in and begin work in our new digs!

Monolithic Desk Installed at American AgCredit Headquarters

As the TLCD Architecture designed American AgCredit Headquarters project nears completion, one of the most exciting details of the project is being installed – the main reception desk.  Set in front of a rammed earth wall, this dramatic, 27-foot long monolithic white desk stands in striking contrast to the earthen wall behind it.  The desk is manufactured in modules by Isomi in England, and is being installed by a crew from Connecticut.  The crew glues the modules together, which are pulled tight by means of a motorized clamping system.  The seams are filled and sanded, and the resulting monolithic structure is quite simply stunning.  LED lighting will be installed at the base of the desk so that it will appear to float above the floor.

TLCD Announced as Architect for Wine Spectator Learning Center

Wine Business Institute, Sonoma State University, TLCD Architecture, Hospitality Classroom

Sonoma State University announced today that TLCD Architecture and BNBT Builders will partner on the design and construction of the Wine Spectator Learning Center in Rohnert Park.

“As the educational nucleus of a thriving regional economy, it was important to us to engage local professionals on this project. We decided after a lengthy review of top quality firms that TLCD and BNBT have the right combination of skill and experience. Over the coming months, a cutting-edge facility will take shape on campus, designed and built to provide the University community a teaching and learning environment that meets its demands and exceeds expectations as one of California’s leading institutions of higher education,” Dr. William Silver, Dean of the School of Business and Economics said.

TLCD Architecture has been working with the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State since early 2014 to bring high level design visualizations to the fundraising effort and is thrilled to continue as the architect for this project.

“It’s a real privilege to be involved in such an innovative project.  Sonoma State University and the Wine Business Institute have taken a very sustainable approach by revitalizing one of the original campus buildings. We believe the transformation will be truly stunning, and provide a perfect home for this forward-thinking regional and international program,” Brian Wright, Principal at TLCD Architecture said. 

Bent Origami Panels Going Up on Museum on the Square

TLCD Architecture, Museum on the Square, Santa Rosa, Urban Infill Project, Perforated Metal Panels, Origami, B.T. Mancini Company, McNichols

When you think of origami, images of delicate and intricately folded paper comes to mind. TLCD takes origami one giant step further with the installation of a key exterior feature on the Museum on the Square project in downtown Santa Rosa. Perforated metal panels are being installed on the north side of the building to create a “veil” for the raw concrete facade. Typically perforated panels are installed as flat sheets, but TLCD Architecture worked with B.T. Mancini Company to custom fabricate panels manufactured by McNichols. The panels are then bent to form a unique sculptural pattern much like folded origami. The panels also serve a practical function as sunshades for the building. The panels are angled toward nearby Courthouse Square in acknowledgment of the downtown’s main urban space. The north side of the building was covered during much of the early construction and for the last several months work was focused on the exterior glass. When the metal panels began going up it created some buzz, but this week’s installation of the bent panels is literally turning heads. Check out what’s going on at 3rd Street and Santa Rosa Avenue!

Who’s Up for a Field Trip… to American AgCredit?

Architecture firms are all about field trips… and often they are tours of our projects under construction. This week, TLCD’s staff got out for a tour of the American AgCredit Headquarters project in Santa Rosa. This landmark 120,000 square foot project is nearing completion with portions of the building to be occupied within a few weeks. It was a great opportunity to tour it and see how many of the key features are taking shape. In the photo above, our team is looking at the rammed earth feature wall which was built early in construction. It was encased in a wooden structure for protection, and then the building was constructed around it. The wall is a stunning reference to the soil that makes agriculture possible and supports American AgCredit’s mission of farm lending.

American AgCredit Headquarters, TLCD Architecture, Zinc Cladding, Santa Rosa Construction Project

American AgCredit Headquarters, TLCD Architecture, Zinc Cladding, Santa Rosa Construction Project

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of many exciting design elements will be perforated zinc exterior cladding, which is only now beginning to be installed. Over the next few months these zinc panels will completely transform the appearance of the building. Not only will they visually define the facade, the panels will also provide sunshading that will significantly reduce the cost of cooling the building.

On the second floor, we walked one of the sky bridges with a feature wall of channel glass. From the outside, the glass provides a distinctive entry element, but from the inside, it creates wonderful, diffused lighting for what will be a casual work area for the employees of American AgCredit. This sky bridge will have soft lighting to one side and clear views to the inner courtyard on the other side.

Throughout the tour we did what most architects do… looked up, looked down, looked all around. These tours are a learning process for the entire staff and also expose us to ideas, materials and solutions we can use on other projects.

Serious Fun: California’s Wine Business

Wine Business Institute, Sonoma State University, TLCD Architecture, Interior Rendering

Anyone living in California knows the impact the wine industry has on our economy. California produces 90% of the wine for the US with an estimated retail value of $24.6 billion. California is also becoming the leader in wine business education for professionals worldwide. What you might not know is that Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, is leading the way with its innovative Wine Business Institute (WBI). The WBI is an education and research institute within the School of Business and Economics. It was created as a public-private partnership with a clear mission: to educate students, provide research and develop programs that would support the needs of one of the primary industries and employers in our region and around the world. WBI is the first and only program in the US to focus exclusively on the business aspects of the wine industry, offering both an undergraduate degree and MBA program.

TLCD Architecture, located just minutes from Sonoma State University, has a diverse practice that includes work for both winery/hospitality and educational clients. These two areas of expertise meshed beautifully when TLCD was selected to design the new Wine Spectator Learning Center at Sonoma State. It’s given us an opportunity to explore the programmatic needs of wine business and marketing majors and assist the school in developing high level design visualizations for fundraising efforts.

Our work with the WBI began by meeting with the administrators and faculty to develop a vision and concept for the new facility, which will comprise a complete remodel of the original University Commons Building. From that initial vision we created several renderings of the design concept, which in turn helped to generate several large donations for the project from the Institute’s partners in the wine industry. Schematic Design has been completed, and we’ll be moving into the next phases of design shortly. We’re fortunate to have Summit Engineering on our team, who also happens to be one of the premier winery engineers in Northern California.

It’s incredibly fulfilling to be part of a program that will educate and train the next generation of wine business professionals and entrepreneurs. While TLCD Architecture’s work extends throughout Northern California, we have been in business here in Sonoma County for 50 years. Contributing to our community, quality education and a thriving business culture is important to us.

Wine education is not all about classes, research and training. It’s also about immersing ourselves in the culture of wine and having some “serious fun.” We recently teamed with our friends at Summit Engineering for a showdown at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair “World Championship Grape Stomp” competition. Celebrating its 41st year, the Harvest Fair celebrates Sonoma County’s harvest by honoring world-class wine, beer and culinary creations.

Click the video below to see the TLCD Architecture/Summit Engineering Grape Stomp Showdown!

 

More articles about the Wine Spectator Learning Center

Wine Spectator Donates $3 Million to Sonoma State University

SSU Wine Institute Gets Another Major Gift

Peter Michael Adds Its Support To Wine Spectator Learning Center At Sonoma State University

Wine Spectator Learning Center – The Next Vintage

We Rock: Creative Preparations for IIDA Fall Art and Wine Event

Stacey Walker, Interior Designer

IIDA North Bay City Center is gearing up for the 2nd Annual Fall Art and Wine Event and enlisted the help of our TLCD office for the decorations.

Suzanne, Domenica and I are on the planning committee for the festive Dia de los Muertos themed event that will be hosted at Museums of Sonoma County in downtown Santa Rosa on Saturday, October 17th from 3-6pm. There will be docent tours of the historic museum exhibits, ‘Dia de los Muertos Altars’ and ‘Artisty in Wood’, as well as tours of the new contemporary museum exhibit ‘The Sculpted Fiber: West Coast Fiber Artists’. Clementine The Amazing Face Painter, a local award winning face painting artist will be magically transforming our guests’ faces into Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls. There will be a silent auction with wonderful prizes and the proceeds of this event will benefit the Museum’s Educational Program for Students.

We harnessed the creativity of our staff to paint river rocks with sugar skull faces and create beautiful tissue paper marigolds to decorate the Museum Sculpture Garden. Our normally boisterous crowd was quiet with concentration as they painted colorful faces on the collection of river rocks and cut, crimped and twisted the tissue paper into beautiful Marigold flowers!

Tickets for this fabulous event can be purchased online http://www.eventbrite.com/e/iida-north-bays-2nd-annual-fall-art-wine-event-tickets-18317944465 – We would love to see you there!

College of Marin Celebrates Successful Measure C Bond Projects

College of Marin held a celebration Thursday afternoon to mark the completion of the Measure C Bond Program, and the ribbon-cutting for the newly completed Academic Center, which was designed by the team of TLCD Architecture + Mark Cavagnero Associates. Don Tomasi and Brian Wright represented TLCD Architecture at the event, along with John Fung and Olga Kozachek from Mark Cavagnero’s office.

college of marin, new academic center, john fung, mark cavagnero associates, brian c wright, tlcd architecture, ribbon cutting ceremony
John Fung from Mark Cavagnero Associates and Brian C. Wright from TLCD Architecture celebrate a successful collaboration

Situated at the corner of College Avenue and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, the new Academic Center, provides a welcoming front door to the Kentfield campus. The 43,000 square foot building houses 16 classrooms, a 100-seat lecture hall, 3 computer labs, and offices for the college faculty and administration. The building was designed to be fully integrated with the sloping site, carefully preserving many of the heritage oak and redwood trees, and featuring native and drought-resistant landscaping. The project is pending LEED Gold certification.

The celebration was attended by community members, college faculty, staff, board and administration, contractors, program managers, students, and regional elected officials. The mood was festive, with refreshments and conversations centering on the successful completion of the 10-year building program. The college president, Dr. David Wain Coon, led the formal presentation that also included comments by board members, administrators, students and elected officials.

 

Game On… Architectural Renderings Go Interactive

Angel the Office Dog, TLCD Architecture, Virtual Reality RenderingNick Diggins, Designer 

Architecture is a complex process that is integrated with massive amounts of information requiring coordination between many parties. We use software specifically developed for this type of information management (BIM), but what’s so interesting is all this information is imbedded in a digital 3D model. We are constantly finding new ways to use and extract this information throughout the design process.

The current hot trend in design visualizations is the integration of virtual reality (VR) rendering into the Revit (BIM) workflow. I’ve had a lot of fun sharing this new type of presentation with clients, staff, friends – even Angel our office dog tried it out using Google Cardboard. After showing my 9-year old son this cool technology, which literally puts the viewer in the space, I realized it’s already out of date when he said, “Dad, all you can do is look around.” It hit me that the future is here. His generation will be expecting software that enables true interactive immersion. What if we, as architects, can design workflows that allow the user to interact with a space while it’s still in development – much the same way we build physical models to critique and explore ideas?

A physical model has always been an easier tool for sharing ideas than technical drawings. A model isn’t static – you can pick it up, rotate it, move around it, and feel what the idea is in a physical solution. Models are the universal language of design and they help us understand the concept of three-dimensional problem solving. In the digital landscape it’s quickly changing how we share ideas with each other and our clients.

TLCD’s culture is very supportive of testing new software. If you follow trends in new techniques of rendering and architectural visualizations, you may have seen some examples of interactive environments taking off recently. There are many resources for starting this workflow and one that we’ve been testing recently is Unreal Engine 4. We took this software for a test drive and modeled our new office space. Rather than strapping on VR goggles, our staff can walk through our new office and experience it from the comfort of their own computer monitor (view video above).

On the more technical side, how does this type of software change our current workflow? For a current static rendering like the one shown in the first part of the video, we can prime a digital model for rendering pretty quickly. Using the power of our render farm, we usually run 80 cores (CPU’s) resulting in one render after a few hours. Not too bad considering we used to wait days for the same output only a few years ago.

Now if you want video, you are looking at a lot of time and resources to develop an in-house animation that is usually under a minute in length. At the end of multiple days of work you have an amazing video to share with clients and others (and everyone loves movies, right?) That thirty-second video loses its sparkle when you realize that you need to change something in the design as a result of meeting comments. Usually you can’t re-render a whole walkthrough because of tight schedules – but what if you could? What if it was just a part of the standard workflow and you could render the space and were allowed to change views or make a movie within minutes?

Why not turn the scripted walkthrough into a “game” and let someone else walk around and experience it in real time! This is the direction we are headed at TLCD… and virtual reality is just fuel to the fire. Integrating the visual experience with a physical/digital experience is so exciting to us as architects because we are integrating it into our early designs as a linkable workflow. Immersing yourself deeper into an environment is an architectural experience beyond the average visual.

Learning to craft a visualization to create an interactive experience is the new art of rendering. Video game developers have been doing this for years and the most current digital environments are so immersive it almost feels real. This way of sharing a design brings in thoughts of simple actions infused with realism – like adding sounds of the city when you open a door. We see so many possibilities for this in the near future. Imagine an environment that allows end users to experience the space and use it as a learning tool with interactive virtual diagrams.

Our goal is to integrate this software into our designs to create new modes of integrated thinking for clients who are looking for innovation and value for their project. At the moment, we are only designing buildings, but soon we might be creating worlds! This is too much fun to be had all alone, come join us!

Angel the Office Dog, Nick Diggins Designer, TLCD ArchitectureNo animals… or architects were harmed in the making of this blog post. Most days Angel can be found at our office brightening people’s days while stopping by their desk for a treat or pat on the head. Nick can be found any number of places…job sites, his work station, client meetings, or low crawling to sneak up on his unsuspecting coworkers!

Milestone Celebration for American AgCredit Headquarters

TLCD hosted and toasted the American AgCredit furniture selection team yesterday on the occasion of completing the ancillary furniture specifications for their Santa Rosa Headquarters Building.  Homemade peach pie and local Sonoma County champagne were savored amidst a colorful disarray of fabric samples and drawings.

After 18 months of furniture research and evaluation, the accomplishment of this major milestone was cause for celebration.  The TLCD Interiors team is excited about being one step closer to the December 2015 completion date and seeing all the interior spaces come to life.

The ancillary package being ordered through RDI includes over 800 pieces of furniture for conference rooms, collaborative spaces, break rooms and outdoor spaces.

Cheers to a great team effort!

(For more information on the American AgCredit project, check out previous blog posts here, here, here and here.)

Praxis in Action: Healdsburg’s Cerri Building

tlcd architecture, cerri building, city of healdsburg, historic building, adaptive reuse

In May we put up a post, Praxis: Practical Application of a Theory that talked about the stage in our process where investigation and critical analysis leads to idea generation and critique. We routinely tap into the collective expertise of our team for this critique process – whether it be a casual discussion or a full charrette. Yesterday we held a firm-wide design discussion of one of the more unusual projects in our office – the historic Cerri Building in Healdsburg.

tlcd architecture, cerri building, city of healdsburg, historic building

TLCD Architecture is teaming with Healdsburg architect Alan Cohen in the design of the this downtown parcel that will accommodate the City’s farmers market and additional parking. At issue is whether to preserve an existing structure on the site, or to remove it and install new shade structures with photovoltaic (solar) panels. Although very early in the design process, yesterday’s discussion yielded many good ideas that the design team will explore. The main concept is to transform the existing building into a new space that will serve many functions and add to Healdsburg’s vibrant downtown culture. We are looking at strategies that allow for a stronger connection with the adjacent street, sidewalk and most importantly, the visitor. The team also shared inspiration photos that suggest other directions for the design, such a new structure providing indoor/outdoor space for the farmer’s market, as well as alternate surfaces for the photovoltaics.

These open office design conversations are what keeps our projects fresh and the design concepts clear and focused. We refine our ideas by critiquing our work as a group and we are always fascinated by the power of sharing with each other.

Design Features Take Shape on New American AgCredit Headquarters

This week TLCD Architecture’s staff toured our American AgCredit project, a 120,000 square foot, 3-story headquarters building just north of Santa Rosa. The project is scheduled for occupancy in early November and is currently at an exciting stage of construction, with many facets of the design taking shape.

Perhaps 2 of the greatest points of interest were the grand stairway, and a rammed earth wall. The grand stairway connects each of the 3 floors in a dramatic atrium that opens onto the building courtyard. The stair soars through the space at varying angles, and is clad with steel plate railings that were individually lifted into place by crane. These will be “blackened” by an artist in order to provide a deep, black patina. When the building is complete, a 3-story high cowhide mural by Kyle Bunting of Austin Texas will be a prominent feature of the atrium.

The rammed earth wall was built early in construction. It was incased in a wooden structure for protection, and then the building was constructed around it. The protective wood structure was removed just early this week, and so we were some of the first to see this amazing wall, which will form the backdrop to the main reception desk. The wall is a tangible reference to the soil that makes agriculture possible, a powerful reference to American AgCredit mission of farm lending.

TLCD Architecture, American AgCredit Headquarters Building, Santa Rosa, CA, Staff Tour, Construction UpdateThe floors are raised pedestal construction, which allows the reconfiguration of under floor electrical, data, and other systems. In this project we are also using the space below the floor for the supply of conditioned air, an very energy-efficient, quiet and healthy system known as displacement ventilation. We were able to observe the below-floor infrastructure in areas where the floor tiles have yet to be installed. Among other things, we saw “air highways” that are being constructed to efficiently deliver air to the far reaches of the building.

The exterior of the building, aside from dramatic, sweeping curves and multiple “sky bridges”, has an appearance not unlike many other modern structures. However, beginning in late August an exterior “skin” of perforated zinc panels will be installed. These zinc panels will transform the appearance of the building, and will visually articulate the façade while providing sunshading that will significantly reduce the cost of cooling the building.

 

Architecture Reborn: Fading Past to Vibrant Future

DeTurk Round Barn, City of Santa Rosa, TLCD Architecture, Adaptive Reuse, Historic Round Barn

By Kevin Teel, Project Architect

KevinTeel_TLCD ArchitectureTLCD Architecture has had the opportunity to work on several diverse historic projects over the last decade – from the 1912 stone Vintage Hall at St. Helena High School – to the 124 year-old DeTurk Round Barn in Santa Rosa. We are set to begin work on another storied historical structure in Healdsburg – a 1920’s warehouse called the Cerri Building. Historic projects are of particular interest to me because we each have our own way of “seeing” the character of a building, leading to unique interpretations and end results.

abandoned barns and mines, southwest, arizona, colorado, architecture, kevin feel

My personal journey began in Colorado and Arizona – places where I honed my own process for interpreting the history of buildings. Though most buildings I refer to are not historic landmarks, the process of revealing their inner character is the same.

I began to roam old mining towns and backcountry while attending college in the Southwest. There is a romance for the bucolic nature of dilapidated barns and mining structures in this area, but for me the real excitement is in imagining these places in their heyday. What was happening on any typical day? I pull each of my senses into the story and build around the experience. While none of these mental images may have happened, they help set basic parameters for how I would investigate design decisions in future projects. This same philosophy governed my thesis work in Arizona, when exploring adaptive reuse ideas of mining ruins near Prescott, Arizona.

prescott arizona mine ruins, kevin teel, tlcd architecture

Adaptive Reuse in my mind, is a process of inspiration and evaluation that allows the original building to shine, while simultaneously providing for current needs, regulations and community desires. It attempts to fuse, not separate, these elements into a lasting whole that, when done well “just seems right.” This approach doesn’t lessen the importance of the original building – it simply highlights it. It doesn’t suggest superiority of contemporary materials and methods; it attempts to show commonality of past and present construction means. This is why initial observations are so important to maintain, even in the presence of often complex and competing concerns.

DeTurk Round Barn, City of Santa Rosa, Historic Round Barn, TLCD Architecture

My first visit to DeTurk Round Barn in Santa Rosa was not unlike entering the old mining structures in the Southwest. The barn was boarded up and in quite a state of disrepair, but I felt an immediate connection. After I got over wanting it for myself (yes, adaptive reuse can be a residence), I was immediately struck by what a calming space it was. This is when I began to consider the original function – the barn was built for horses, but they were trotters, not barrel racers. I imagined a well-lit space with beautiful horses steadily moving around the inner ring, clean horse stalls around the edges and hay carefully stacked overhead. This spirit of calmness would be fundamental to the success of this project, no matter the amount of chaos in getting to the finish line!

Next, I was amazed at the light quality of the barn considering every ground floor window was boarded up and covered with plastic. The only light was from the original, dusty skylights above. Clearly this space could be light and bright again. Sometimes seemingly mundane ideas, such as seismic mitigation, take over my thoughts, but this is almost without exception an opportunity to enhance our interpretations. DeTurk Round Barn, TLCD Architecture, Historic Round Barn, For example, wooden posts carrying the weight of the loft would not be adequate to meet modern codes and would need retrofitting. These materials could simply be construction waste, or we could find a way to “carry history forward.” Spectacular old growth redwood (a huge piece of our local history) was resawn and used as interior finish in the barn, exposing its beauty for future visitors to enjoy.

With this inspiration in mind, and as a foundation, the question becomes “What is the vision for this building now and in the foreseeable future?” This is where public input and design team coordination comes into play. Although the community’s feedback reduced the project scope considerably, it didn’t reduce the challenges TLCD Architecture would face. The firm still needed to rehabilitate an extremely unique and dilapidated 8,300 square-foot round barn while maintaining its historic integrity. We were also tasked with seamlessly incorporating a kitchen, restrooms, mechanical/electrical and storage rooms, as well as integrating 21st century technology to ensure DeTurk Round Barn would become a popular event space for the City of Santa Rosa.

DeTurk Round Barn, National Registry of Historic Places, TLCD Architecture

TLCD now has another wonderful opportunity to play a role interpreting the history of the Cerri Building in Healdsburg. This is another building with a long, storied history and most certainly a quite different future. It will not be possible without community input, technical expertise and a fundamental understanding of the nature of the space and surrounding environment.

DeTurk Round Barn has been one of TLCD’s most published and recognized projects… I hope you will find the following links of interest:

AIA California Council, Adaptive Reuse Merit Award 2014

Retrofit Magazine Article “Barn Raising”

GreenSource Magazine Article “Uplifting a Round Barn”

Big Ass Fan Case Study DeTurk Round Barn

View video below for more background on the DeTurk Round Barn 

Designer’s Toolbox: Steel

metals Page 001

Concrete, steel, and wood are the fundamental building blocks of the built environment, and when possible we will try and expose them.  It is raw materials that give our buildings character:  they are direct expressions of those who designed and built the edifice.  No two pieces are alike.  We love raw materials for their character and inherent language of honesty.  They age with the building.  It is good not to overdo it, but something as simple as raw steel can convey a sense of permanence and craftsmanship.

Typically, the majority of these materials may get covered in gypsum board or other ‘finish’ materials in order to provide a level of fire protection or acoustical rating required for a particular space.  However, there are a number of opportunities in any given space to expose them.  In addition to exposing the structure of the building, items  such as furniture, hardware, lighting and stairs (among others) are all good opportunities to detail an exposed connection.  And in the end these are typically the details that become the monuments of design.

With that in mind, at TLCD we recently held a quick ‘refresh’ workshop on steel.  To fully comprehend the  materiality of steel, we decided it was important to understand the processes that are used to tool it.  Thus, the discussion for the most part revolved around the fabrication process: welding.  It was the beginning of our ‘Designer’s Toolbox’ series, a set of talks and discussions aimed at invigorating the creative knowledge in the office and educating ourselves in materials, methods, and ideas in a profession where fabrication techniques are rapidly changing.

The discussion was meant less as a ‘presentation’ and more as an informative and informal talk.  Challenging ourselves to take another look at the process was invigorating, but more importantly a reminder of why we do what we do.  Our hope is that the discussion does not end here but is a continuous living dialog that informs our projects.

After the Napa Earthquake: Rebuilding and Connecting a Community

 

Brian c. wright, tlcd architecture, principal, project manager, napa county earthquake repair projectsBy Brian C. Wright, Principal | Project Manager

We live in earthquake country and for most Northern Californians’ the possibility of a major earthquake is etched into our consciousness. When the Napa Earthquake struck last August, the 6.0 magnitude quake made national headlines. Images of damaged downtown buildings, wine barrels collapsed into piles and homes leaning sideways were everywhere on the media.

Napa Earthquake 2014, damage to homes, chimney and overturned furniture

For those of us with friends and family in Napa County, our first reaction was to make sure everyone was safe and to offer our help. I grew up in Napa and the recovery effort began on a personal note for me. Within hours of the earthquake, my sister and I were cleaning up damage and debris at our 94 year-old father’s home. Even without structural damage, it was amazing to see how devastating an event like this can be. There was overturned furniture, dislodged doors, contents literally thrown out of the refrigerator, and of course broken glass everywhere. One of our clients at Napa Valley College had his chimney collapse into his living room – something you don’t see everyday.

In the immediate days following the earthquake, my involvement would take a turn, as TLCD Architecture was selected to work with the County of Napa to assess and repair their damaged buildings in the downtown core. The team assembled for the earthquake repair projects was more than just a slate of companies able to perform the work. This quickly became a close-knit team that worked tirelessly to meet the constantly evolving and unforeseen issues that arose in the days and weeks following the earthquake.

Downtown Napa, earthquake damaged buildings, County of Napa, Carithers Building, Main Administration Building

TLCD Architecture, County of Napa, Napa Earthquake 2014, earthquake repair projects, jason campbell deputy director of public works

In any emergency, citizens rely on County services for help and support. Many of these important functions were housed in two critical buildings that were damaged – the County’s Main Administration Building and the Carithers Building. In addition to the actual repair work, we were tasked with moving people into swing space to ensure minimal disruption of services. Fortunately, TLCD had been working with the County on a tenant improvement project for the Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA), and this large-scale campus provided the space needed to accommodate teams that were displaced. Juan Arias, the County of Napa Capital Projects Manager shared his thoughts: “The work product and flexibility shown by TLCD in program and project development for our Health and Human Services Agency has been second to none, particularly in light of the earthquake-related needs for relocation of people and departments.”

Every project we work on is a team effort with our clients, but the circumstances surrounding the Napa earthquake took this to another level. The degree of communication, coordination and oversight required to keep so many moving pieces in motion was truly extraordinary. Project Architect, Dennis Kennedy, has been with TLCD for 28 years and played an integral role throughout the scope of these projects. He summarized his experience best: “I feel very fortunate to work for a firm that values relationships and puts resources where they are most needed. My priorities for the last year were the projects for the County of Napa and I feel an immense sense of pride and accomplishment in what we’ve achieved.”

Reflecting back on this last year, the word that most encapsulates my experience is “connection“. In addition to growing up in Napa, a big portion of my career with TLCD Architecture has been focused in Napa County – from major campus bond improvements at Napa Valley College, to the historic renovation of Vintage Hall at St. Helena High School, and in recent years, our work with the County of Napa. When this disaster struck last August, the quality relationships we had formed with the County were only made stronger through the rebuilding process. The entire project team has connected on a deeper level because we came together to do the right thing. We also learned many lessons, which we will share with our existing and future clients. The biggest take-away is the value of implementing current codes that require proper bracing of ceiling systems, ductwork, piping and even furniture systems. For more technical information TLCD’s work on the County Buildings, click here.

Interesting Links…

What to do before, during and after an earthquake

Family Communication Plan

Earthquake Safety Checklist

How to Build a Kit

Drone’s Eye View of Earthquake Damage

 

 

Design Competition Fuses Primary Care and Mental Health Services

The healthcare landscape is always changing as providers evolve the framework for care and adjust capital plans to maximize shifting reimbursement models, stay current with medical technology and respond to shifting political priorities and societal demands. In recent years, the Affordable Care Act and the cry for improved mental healthcare services have pushed the industry to increase outpatient primary care and mental health capacities. This trend is leading some in the industry to cast away old notions and stigma – and seize the opportunity to make mental health an integral part of primary healthcare.

tlcd architecture, healthcare design, integrating primary cary and mental health, jason brabo, design competition

In a recent design competition, TLCD Architecture explored how the fusion of mental health and primary care could be supported in the built environment. The resulting outpatient campus brings primary care and mental health together in a unified, community-focused design while addressing privacy and security concerns. The concept of total patient wellbeing begins with easy access for patients and incorporates healthy opportunities of exercise, farmers markets, community activities, health education and medical care. Giving people a reason to visit the site on a regular basis for everyday activities serves to promote health and wellbeing.

tlcd architecture, healthcare design, integrating primary cary and mental health, jason brabo, design competition, outdoor plaza, food trucks, kid play areas, indoor outdoor stair

During the design process TLCD Architecture used our own healthcare experience that includes recent work on acute and outpatient mental health facilities, as well as assembling a team of designers, planners and engineers with diverse backgrounds to bring fresh perspectives to the discussion. We also used the growing body of research that brings these ideas into focus and provides motivation for healthcare providers to integrate primary care and mental health services that result in improved patient care, financial efficiencies and increased marketplace appeal.

As designers, TLCD Architecture believes that it’s our responsibility to bring design and operational innovations and new thinking to our clients so they are well informed as they make decisions that shape the future of healthcare.

For more information visit these resources.

Integrated Behavioral Health Project

Behavioral Healthcare

Article: More ACOs Look to Behavioral Health

World Health Organization

Report: Integrating mental health into primary care: a global perspective 

tlcd architecture, healthcare design, integrating primary cary and mental health, jason brabo, design competition, outdoor plaza, food trucks, kid play areas, indoor outdoor stair

Windows on the Square

After many months of sawing, grinding, dust and demolition, the scaffolding for the Museum on the Square project in downtown Santa Rosa came down today revealing a new presence for the repurposed AT&T telephone switching building. Soon to be followed by a new perforated metal skin, todays unveiling shows the possibilities for an engaging new architectural presence on the square.

This week also saw the beginning of the tenant improvements for Luther Burbank Saving’s new headquarters on the fourth and fifth floor of the building. A construction elevator has been erected on the south face of the building and job boxes for the subcontractors were being hoisted by crane to the upper floors.

See the Press Democrat Article here

PRAXIS: practical application of a theory

What is your work environment like? Does it motivate and energize you? Well it should! Each workplace has an optimum environment in which to achieve maximum functionality and purpose. As architects we are often called upon to understand and develop what this might be. Most of the time this moment in the design process is called programming, but there’s an even more important stage prior to that. Analysis! Developing a strong base of information can begin to inform designers beyond the norm and make something really unique for a client (or ourselves). This process of investigation, research and critical thought allows us to map information from all influences of a project.

Reflection is another key piece of our design process. We gather all the findings from the analysis stage and move to graphic representations as tools for idea generation and critique. For instance, the Praxis infographic below breaks down one idea to it’s simplest form by graphically telling a story. In this example, “the way we work” was a key element for developing the design of our firm’s new office. Rather than just laying out how many people and offices get implemented into a floor plate, we dove into our office culture. We really wanted to understand what would empower our designers and staff. Read on after the graphic…

tlcd architecture, design process, work environment, office design, renderings, visualization, infographicAt TLCD Architecture’s new office, which is currently in design, we are consciously surrounding ourselves with our work – a sort of demonstration space to show what we are doing at any given time. You may visit one day and see a process of design happening right in front of you… creating spontaneous interactions between people across multiple projects. Design feeds off of strong studio cultures, and to strengthen ours, we are embracing the process of design and implementing it even further into our own space.

The practice of architecture and designing space for people is an amazing experience that TLCD gets to participate in everyday. We thought our own office space should share this process and not hide it. As we move to the next phase of design, we will begin to activate the space through the use of models, renderings and other visualization techniques. Recently, our staff got together to see what the new office space could look like using a new iPhone app and a simple cardboard box.

The built environment is in constant evolution and it’s a very exciting time for architecture and technology. Having the right team to take you to new levels means that we have to constantly be able to adapt, evolve and learn from each other. Our team thrives off the mutual respect, creative energy and ideas we can generate together. We can’t wait to show you what this looks like at TLCD’s new office, but more importantly to put it into action for our clients. Stay tuned!

Improving Mental Health Care in Sonoma County

A small but important TLCD Architecture project was featured in an article, ‘County Overhauling Mental Health Services for Those in Crisis’ in today’s Press Democrat. The Sonoma County Crisis Stabilization Unit is a new facility that will replace the existing, outdated facility currently housed in the old Sonoma County (recently Sutter) Community Hospital complex on Chanate Road.

The Crisis Stabilization Unit will expand and improve the County’s emergency mental health services which treat 4500 clients each year. This new, larger facility located at The Lakes business park in west Santa Rosa will be more accessible to the clients they serve and visible to the community. In addition to providing services to adults, it will also provide much needed services to adolescents who are currently among the most underserved in the North Bay mental health care community. Project Manager Jason Brabo, Project Architect Carl Servais, Project Captain Julie Wycoff and Interior Designer Domenica Sheets are the project team.

The 15,000 sf unit is a Tenant Improvement in an existing business park and has been designed to meet the specific needs of the clients and staff. It will serve those who come in on a voluntary basis as well as those who arrive involuntarily or by law enforcement and will provide a calm, clean and welcoming place for them to access treatment.

Inside the Aurora Santa Rosa Hospital. TLCD Architecture recently completed renovations at this mental health hospital in Santa Rosa, CA. The finishes selected create a warm, welcoming atmosphere conducive to healing. The same design approach is being used in the Sonoma County Crisis Stabilization Unit.

The Crisis Stabilization Unit is the second mental health services project TLCD has worked on – the first being the recently completed 95-bed Aurora Santa Rosa Hospital, mentioned in the article.

Mental health facilities present a wide range of design challenges and requirements. Clients need a safe and secure place in which to be treated where they cannot harm themselves or others, and the built environment should support that. Staff also need to be able to observe and monitor clients at all times. The finishes play a large role in creating a warm and welcoming environment while also being durable. The right finishes and color palette can help create a hospitality feel rather than an “institutional” feel. Natural lighting is used as much as possible because evidence has shown that natural light helps balance moods and aids the healing and recovery process. As Stephen Parsons, client case manager at the facility noted in the article, “It will be the kind of place where people who walk in will feel welcome.”

TLCD’s design team has worked closely with the Crisis Stabilization Unit care providers to create a space that will greatly improve emergency mental health care for Sonoma County residents. The work is interesting, complex and challenging. It is also very satisfying to know that the work we do will help improve care for some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

Revit Virtual Reality…What?!

Nick Diggins, Associate AIA

Recently, Carl, Phil and I watched a webinar about cloud rendering in Revit. I had seen this process emerge some months back and Carl and I briefly took a look at it. However, we quickly discovered a major drawback of not being able to use custom textures in the cloud. Out of the box texture mapping usually results in less than adequate representation of your design. Well guess what… you now can incorporate as many custom textures and material assets as you’d like!

Revit has been one of the slowest rendering engines out there, but I’ve always been impressed with its capabilities when it came to doing interior rendering for a native program. Time is a major factor in our business, and slow is a “no go”. A 12-20 hour rendering is not an uncommon thing with geometry heavy models, even with a render farm. Now with cloud rendering, we can send multiple views and let the magic and speed of the cloud to do its thing, while we keep working. An important thing to note is that renderings are vital for developing and sharing designs. Architects want to get their clients “into” the design, and a rendering can be great at starting to describe the space. Here’s the cool part, with Autodesk’s Cloud Rendering we are able to literally put the viewer in the space. It’s called stereo panorama (more about it here) and it’s transforming the way we use Revit with new levels of workflow for developing and sharing designs on the fly, not only with clients, but with each other.

Discussing Virtual Reality and GoggleI decided to give it a go and developed several views of 3d panoramas of a current office interior design. I had less than 6 hours for developing the scene materials, lighting and final render time, and little room for production time. I was able to fire off multiple draft renders during the process and keep working the scene similar to our backburner setup for 3dsmax. This was during normal work hours though so backburner was unavailable. Normally this type of work would have been rendered over a weekend but that was not the goal of the exercise. Once I had the developed views uploaded in the cloud, I had Autodesk sprinkle some magic over the top of them. Here’s where we take it up a few more notches, by pairing Cloud Rendering with a couple of iphones and pieces of cardboard, suddenly we were immersing the whole office into the design. You can stand and look all the way around you, with total freedom – and with your body rather than a computer mouse. Amazing!

“Holy %&$#” was the phrase we heard from most of the office as first time viewers stood up to put on the goggles. It’s an amazing experience to witness the effect of going from sharing a 2D floor plan to actually putting people in the space. We are very excited  for this new design horizon and you can bet TLCD Architecture is going to keep pushing it’s abilities and usability. We look forward to what Autodesk might throw our way in the near future…3D walkthroughs maybe? Who knows, but TLCD is ready and excited for what might be brewing.

TLCD’s first LEED Certified project!

Carl Servais AIA

The construction of Solano College Building 600 was completed last December and we recently received news that the project has been awarded enough points to achieve the level of Certified under LEED 2009 for New Construction and Major Renovations (LEED-NC), making it the first TLCD project to officially achieve LEED certification!

Solano College Board Room

TLCD Architecture was hired as a consultant to Architect-of-Record, Henley Architects + Associates (now A2R Architects) to work throughout the design and construction process of Building 600, a 13,837sf addition and remodel project at Solano College in Fairfield, CA.  The project includes bright new office space for the Solano College Administration and a wonderful new Board Room addition with high ceilings and a curved transom window that provides daylight across the beautifully crafted Cherry wood dais.

SCC_BLDG600_view1straight

Some of the green features of this LEED Certified project include:

  • High-efficiency HVAC system, designed and built by Peterson Mechanical out of Sonoma, CA.
  • High-efficiency LED lighting, designed and built by Sac Valley Electric out of Sacramento, CA.
  • A new high-reflectivity, Energy Star certified TPO roof over new rigid insulation.
  • New insulation at all existing concrete exterior walls that, combined with other energy efficiency measures, pushed the design to perform almost 10% better than California’s already strict Title 24 Energy Code.
  • Tubular Skylights from Solatube that provide natural daylight into open office spaces and corridors in the building that would otherwise have very little access to daylight due to the small amount of windows in the existing exterior. Even during construction, the contractor could work in the sky lit spaces without any electric lights turned on.

As the Project Architect for Building 600, I have to give special thanks to Green Build Energy Group, the LEED consultant who helped guide the team across the finish line, and DPR Construction, the general contractor who built the project with an extraordinary level of care and quality.  This project had a lot of budget and schedule constraints, which made LEED Certification an immensely difficult task that could only have been achieved by the wonderfully collaborative effort of everyone involved.

LEED, an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a green building certification program created by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1998 to recognize buildings that take extraordinary measures towards sustainability in the areas of energy and water efficiency, material and resource efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and site design.  Sustainable design is an important part of all the work we do, and we have several projects that are currently pursuing LEED certification, so we know that Building 600 will be the first of many LEED certified projects at TLCD.

 

Look Who’s Talking: Congress Visits the New American AgCredit Headquarters!

The new 120,000 sf American AgCredit Headquarters project by TLCD Architecture is attracting a lot of attention! Last week Congressmen Mike Thompson and Jared Huffman toured the project along with about 20 folks from the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau, led by its Executive Director Ken Fischang. American AgCredit will offer approximately 40,000 sf of lease space, and the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau will move their offices to this new space.

tlcd architecture, american agcredit headquarters building, sonoma county airport, architecture, design

On the heels of the visit by our local Congressmen, TLCD staff took a tour of this amazing project this week. We walked up the temporary stairs to the 3rd floor to explore the Board Room and adjacent outdoor deck. We then checked out the 3rd floor “skybridge”, and saw where the roof walk is being installed. The roof walk will connect the two 3-story portions of the building, and will provide seating with views into the courtyard. It was a beautiful day, and we were able to admire the 360-degree views to nearby hills including Mt. St. Helena.

We also examined the mockup of the building’s perforated zinc cladding. This custom designed cladding system will be installed about 3 feet beyond the building exterior to provide shading, which in turn will greatly reduce the cost to cool what is already a highly energy efficient building. TLCD designed the cladding system with built-in pockets that will hide randomly spaced vertical LED lights around the perimeter of the building. At night these lights will be connected to a computer controller that will provide a randomly changing pattern of lights that will slowly fade on and off, creating ever-changing patterns.

 

 

West Valley College Entry Project: More Than Just Signs

Replacing entry signage and more than an acre of gopher infested turf at West Valley College in Saratoga seems most appropriate given Governor Brown’s recent statewide mandate for a 25% cut in water use. This project was conceived to highlight the identity of West Valley College on the main approach to campus. It also aimed to replace the turf with drought resistant plantings. The project, led by TLCD Architecture ultimately added a few more unexpected and interesting elements.

The signs themselves are bold new statements of West Valley College’s identity and take a fresh approach to the campus’ existing trademark logo. Designer Dickson Keyser of the GNU Group created sculptural leaf elements that stand out from the body of the three new signs and add animation to the ensemble. The 60 foot long main sign and the two electronic reader boards are made of self-healing Cor-Ten steel and merge seamlessly with the drought tolerant landscaping and the storm water recharge basin at the base of the site.

West Valley College, Entry Project, TLCD Architecture, Oak Nursery, Historic Palm, Signage, Drought TolerantThe West Valley Campus is centered on a meandering creek lined with stunning, mature oak trees. Many of these trees have reached the end of their life cycle and are dying off. At the top of the Entry Project, Quadriga Landscape Architecture established an “Oak Nursery”. Over time this nursery will provide stock to replant the deceased trees, keeping the oak lined central spaces of campus vibrant and alive.

Two historic palms were relocated from the location of the original farmhouse that preceded the college, when the site was orchard lands. They have been moved from an unnoticed location in the middle of a parking lot to create a fresh reminder of the history of the land.

The two reader boards are intended to announce campus events. WVC Director of Communications and Technology, Scott Ludwig, has programmed them with inspiring words that rotate on ten-minute cycles. Scott told me yesterday that students now walk up to him a spontaneously exclaim “Collaborate!” or other words of the moment, taking their cues from the reader boards.

The campus and nearby community has taken notice of the change and is appreciative of the dynamism of the statement. Over time, as they discover the other elements, it will become an even richer experience.

West Valley College Entry
“Before” view of West Valley College Entry
West Valley College, Entry Project, TLCD Architecture, Oak Nursery, Historic Palm, Signage, Drought Tolerant
“After” view of West Valley College Entry

Modern, Energetic and Flexible Work Places are Emerging in the North Bay

TLCD Architecture’s approach to a project fully integrates architecture and interior design to create modern and energetic work places. One project, which has been getting a lot of attention, is the 120,000 SF American AgCredit Headquarters building at the Airport Business Center in Santa Rosa.

The North Bay Business Journal recently did a piece on “Designing the New Workplace” which looks at how the design of modern work environments are focusing on flexibility and encouraging collaboration.

Suzanne Nagorka, TLCD’s Director of Interior Design, was interviewed for the piece and describes how American AgCredit’s new headquarters was designed specifically for the financial institutions’ changing needs – including movable sound-insulated partition walls that can be reconfigured.

Over our 50-year history, TCLD has worked closely with a variety of clients on office planning solutions for private sector, public sector, healthcare and financial markets and we are always looking for ways to innovate and best meet our clients’ needs.

Read the full NBBJ article here.

KI.com, furniture solutions, movable partitions, office design, tlcd architecture, american accredit, architecture
An example of the movable sound insulated glass walls that are going to be used in the American AgCredit building.

 

Carl Servais Takes on Winter in DC for AIA Grassroots Conference

As the 2015 President of the AIA Redwood Empire Chapter (AIARE), I recently had the privilege of traveling to Washington DC for the annual AIA Grassroots Conference. Over 600 architects and administrative staff gathered together to advocate important legislative issues with our representatives on Capital Hill, to receive leadership training, and to network and collaborate with each other to find ways of better serving the AIA membership. I met with AIA leaders from chapters all around the country, from coastal Louisiana to northern Minnesota. Many of the folks I spoke with had issues similar to what our local chapter faces: how to best serve a diverse set of professionals from a vast geographic area with limited resources and how to motivate and inspire the emerging professionals who will carry the leadership torch of our future. There are no simple or easy answers to these questions, but I met lots of inspiring colleagues and I returned with a renewed sense of focus and energy, and with a handful of ideas that I will bring to my fellow directors on the AIARE Board.

Here are three of the highlights of my trip:

As an architect, of course the first thing I had to do after arriving was to walk the Mall. What I hadn’t realized is how beautifully the many historical buildings and monuments are lit up at night. I grew up in Wisconsin, so the cold winter night was no problem for me.

On the first day of the conference, my schedule didn’t start until the afternoon, so I took advantage of the free time by waiting in line to see oral arguments of the so-called “Obamacare” law at the Supreme Court. I waited for about 2-1/2 hours to get in, and I only got to sit for about 3 minutes in the courtroom, but it was well worth the wait to see the court in action. Fortunately, there were about 200 protestors providing entertainment for everyone waiting in line.

Finally, Wendy Young, the AIARE Executive Director, set up meetings for us to meet with 5th District Congressman Mike Thompson, and 2nd District Congressman Jared Huffman. After receiving training from the AIA federal advocacy team about the important legislative issues that were on the table, I was prepared to discuss the following:

1. Protect and enhance the Federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC).

2. Cosponsor the Safe Building Code Incentive Act, which encourages states to voluntarily adopt and enforce nationally recognized model building codes for residential and commercial structures in order to qualify for additional post-disaster FEMA grants.

3. Cosponsor the National Design Services Act, which extends to architecture graduates student debt relief in exchange for work in underserved communities.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature intervened and dumped 6 inches of snow the day of my meeting, thereby effectively shutting the government down for the day. We still made the trek up to Capital Hill and had the opportunity to meet with Scott Rasmussen, Congressman Huffman’s Legislative Assistant. I think I made a good, confident presentation of the legislation we were there to promote and I went away feeling great about having advocated for our profession.

Academic Center at College of Marin Nears Final Completion

The new Academic Center at College of Marin, designed by TLCD Architecture and Mark Cavagnero Associates, is rapidly reaching the final stages of construction. Prominently situated on the corner of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and College Avenue, the splendid combination of massing, materials, and craftsmanship is becoming visible as the scaffolding gradually disappears.

college of marin, new academic center, tlcd architecture, mark cavagnero associates, new constructionOne of the unique features of the building is the grand atrium space, which with the finishes installed, is now showing off wonderful qualities of natural light. The building is expected to be completed in May, with full occupancy by the College in time for the Fall Semester. The project will signal the successful completion of the District’s Measure C Bond program, approved by local voters in 2004.

Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Day – GoPro Style!

Quick update to the recent blog post on the AIA Redwood Empire volunteer day for Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County.  What I didn’t mention is that we brought the GoPro camera and had a little fun capturing our work. You’ve heard of the “birds-eye” view, we thought strapping the camera to a shovel would add an interesting perspective!

For more information on the AIARE Volunteer Day, read more here.

Birds-Eye View of New American AgCredit Headquarters at Airport Business Center

Recent aerial photographs show the new American AgCredit headquarters building taking form at the Airport Business Center in Santa Rosa. The project, designed by TLCD Architecture clearly show how the two buildings that comprise this 120,000 square foot complex wrap around to enclose a central courtyard, and how the buildings are connected by pedestrian bridges at each end.

Read other posts about the American AgCredit project:

Building Design Reveal

Groundbreaking Ceremony

Rammed Earth Wall Feature

 

 

Win-Win Meeting Space for Non Profits in Sonoma County

Each year, the Board of Directors of the AIA Redwood Empire (AIARE) gathers for a retreat to strategize and plan for the coming year. This year as the current AIARE President, I organized the retreat that was held at the new Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB) facility in Santa Rosa. In addition to supporting and partnering with an essential community assistance organization by renting the REFB boardroom for the day, the AIARE board members were also able to take time during the retreat to do some volunteer work in the warehouse. Our group enthusiastically worked on sorting carrots from a pair of 1,700 pound palettes into 3 pound bags to get them ready for distribution to families in need.

After volunteering, the AIARE board members were led on a tour of the facility by the architect, Julie Jackson, AIA of Jackson Liles Architecture in San Francisco, and by a former President of the REFB Board of Directors, Alan Butler, AIA of TLCD Architecture. Alan was board member of the REFB at a time when they had outgrown their old facility. Alan helped write the program for the innovative new facility after touring a number of food banks across the country to see what worked and what didn’t. As a result, the new facility includes elements that do more than just store and distribute food, like a small market for low income customers and a commercial kitchen that supports new programs like “upcycling” bulk foods, and culinary education for the community.

The REFB is the food distribution hub for over 175 food related non-profits and distributes almost 14 million pound of food to the region each year. They offer their conference facilities at a very reasonable rate to non-profits in order to expose their operation to a wider audience. Check out the REFB if your non-profit needs a meeting space!

Welcome to the Beach

We started the surface refinishing of our new office!  As usual photos don’t do it justice. I did manage to sneak in during their lunch hour and take a peek at the transformation in its early stages.  The concrete is taking on a satin feel which is truly remarkable to experience. I wish all concrete could be like this…  Oh and another bonus, having an indoor beach is be pretty cool for office parties too.

 

Wondering how that giant opening got in this solid concrete box?

 

Recognition for the Mendocino College North County Center in Willits

North County Center_extThe Mendocino College North County Center in Willits was recently named a winner in the education category of the North Bay Business Journal’s awards program for Top Real Estate Projects in the North Bay. The North County Center, designed by TLCD Architecture and built by Midstate Construction, opened in the Fall of 2013 and has spurred a growth in the number of students enrolling in classes at the Center. The heart of this facility is the Learning Center, a collaborative learning resource environment with a pair of redwood barn doors that open to administrative space and a wood and glass sliding storefront wall that connects to a computer classroom. The redwood barn doors and redwood board paneling on the interior serves to complement weathering steel panels on the building’s exterior that are slowly oxidizing to a beautiful rust red color.

As Project Architect for the North County Center, this was the first project at TLCD that I was able to work on from conceptual design all the way through construction. When my Mom came to town for a visit, this is the project I took her to see. I am anxious to see the final results of this oxidation process so that the complete design vision can be realized (and so we can do the final photography!). I can’t complain though since I got to work with a couple of folks from the College, Mark Rawitsch, Dean of Instruction, and Mike Adams, Director of Facilities Planning, who had to wait more than 25 years to see the North County Center realized! I guess it’s like they say, all good things are worth waiting for.

North County Center_int

Rapid Prototyping: Captured on Video

This was the perfect project to take a test drive of Autodesk’s Dynamo for Revit and see what we could do.  Dynamo is a new, exciting, visual programming software that is similar to Grasshopper for Rhino.  We are actively beginning our exploration into computational design, and have already begun to see its benefits as we integrate Dynamo into TLCD’s BIM design process.  In this quick exercise we were able to quickly develop eight different iterations from our design. Don’t miss the video and take a peek of us creating an addicting, generative design solution to share and discuss with the entire office and friends!

Check out an earlier blog post from December that started this conversation.  Rapid Prototyping: Exploring Multiple Design Options

 

Rapid Prototyping: Exploring Multiple Design Options

One year ago TLCD Architecture purchased an Universal LS 6.60 laser-cutting machine. This amazing piece of equipment can cut and etch wood, cardboard, plastic and metal with precision cuts to 3/1,000 of an inch. We are still exploring all the options of what this technology can do.

The laser cutter is being used primarily for producing architectural models. It can take digital files and make incredibly precise cuts at a small scale. Something very difficult to do with an X-Acto knife… and with fewer sliced fingertips!

We are currently exploring the ability to do rapid prototyping, which means we can easily explore multiple design options in model form very quickly. This process took many hours of hand cutting in the past and rarely produced more than one option.

This last week Nick Diggins and Carl Servais from our office experimented with a new workflow made possible by the Dynamo scripting software now available within the Revit modeling software that is our mainstay architectural design tool. They created eight different versions of a complex perforated 3-D form for centerpieces for our holiday party at DeTurk Round Barn. With the scripting software, Revit output can be prepared for the laser cutter quickly and design options created and manufactured with the laser-cutter.

One exciting possibility is that the models can be scaled up and architectural designs can be fabricated at large scale with CNC Routing machines for wood and softer materials, and plasma cutters for metal and other more durable materials. Forms that were nearly impossible to conceive of or too expensive to fabricate by hand are now easily accessible. The possibilities are endless!

Watch the video we produced on our GoPro of this fabrication process. Rapid Prototyping: Captured on Video

New Academic Center at College of Marin Will Create Iconic Identity

 

college of marin, new academic center, tlcd architecture, mark cavagnero associatesThe new Academic Center for College of Marin is currently at 60% construction and scheduled for completion in April 2015. Located on the corner of College Avenue and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Kentfield, this project replaces 3 aging academic buildings and Mexican restaurant formerly located on this prominent corner. Set against the backdrop of Mount Tamalpias, the Academic Center will provide a new and iconic identity for the college.

The new building will house classrooms, as well as faculty and administrative offices. A central classroom atrium and a courtyard built around a majestic oak on the upper level will make this a most distinctive academic environment within the college.

college of marin, new academic center, tlcd architecture, mark cavagnero associates

The project is the result of a design competition won in a collaborative effort with TLCD Architecture of Santa Rosa and  Mark Cavagnero Associates of San Francisco. The Academic Center was developed with substantial input from the students, staff, faculty and community in a series of workshops and public forums.

TLCD Architecture’s Don Tomasi Celebrates 30th Work Anniversary!

don tomasi, principal at tlcd architecture, 30th work anniversaryBy Alan Butler, Principal TLCD Architecture

In today’s world it’s rare to stay anywhere for 30 years, so it’s with great excitement that we celebrate the 30th work anniversary of my friend and partner Don Tomasi. Our paths nearly crossed in the summer of 1984 when unbeknownst to each other, Don and I were working and living on the same street in Seattle, Washington. Later that year, Don returned to Santa Rosa to work for his father at Tomasi Architects. The following year in 1985, I returned to Santa Rosa and began working at Lawry Coker DeSilva Architects… located at the other end of Sonoma Avenue as Tomasi Architects. Although blocks apart, it would be another few years before we met.

In 1993 the two firms merged to form Tomasi Lawry Coker DeSilva Architects later to become TLCD Architecture. In the ensuing 21 years that we’ve worked together, the firm has grown to become a premier design firm in the North Bay region. It is under Don’s design leadership that the firm has evolved to produce a wide range of innovative and finely crafted projects in the education, healthcare, civic and commercial realms.

don tomasi, principal at tlcd architecture, deturk round barn, aiacc award
DeTurk Round Barn

To mark this occasion, we started the day with cake and champagne at the office, and then Don will fly down to Los Angeles with TLCD Architect Kevin Teel to accept an AIA California Council Design Award for the DeTurk Round Barn project located in Santa Rosa. This is the 7th award for this notable historical project, and the first AIACC award for the firm. Not a bad way to celebrate a milestone work anniversary!

It’s been quite a ride, and next year TLCD celebrates its 50th year of practice since Don’s father founded the firm in 1965. In spring 2015, we will be moving our office to the Museum on the Square building in downtown Santa Rosa. Like so many other projects he has been involved with, I believe Don’s vision for Museum on the Square will be a transformative event in the life of our city.

museum on the square, TLCD Architecture, Santa Rosa, California, Luther Burbank Savings, California Wine Museum
Museum on the Square

I am glad we finally made the journey down the block and got together. I am proud to have been Don’s partner during many of his 30 years in practice. The relationship has always been rewarding and we have been blessed to find a group of talented people to work with. Happy 30th anniversary and here’s to many more!

Rammed Earth Wall Rises at TLCD Project

Of particular note, soils were collected from various geographic areas from across the western United States serviced by American AgCredit. The colors of these soil samples were then matched to soils of the particular consistency necessary to provide the structural integrity required. This prominent wall will reflect the diverse geography serviced by the company, which makes loans for agriculture. It also reflects the fact that soil, along with sun and water, is one of the key components of agriculture.

We all look forward to seeing the results; waiting until next year is going to require patience!

Two of TLCD’s Best Recognized at AIARE Chapter Awards

It’s always a thrill to see team members recognized for their involvement in the local design community. TLCD Architecture’s Nick Diggins, Associate AIA and Carl Servais AIA, were recently recognized by the American Institute of Architects’ Redwood Empire (AIARE) for their service to the Chapter.

nick diggins, architectural intern, tlcd architecture, AIARE associate of the year 2014

Nick Diggins was recognized as Associate Member of the Year. In addition to serving on the AIARE Board as Associate Director, Nick volunteers his time at a number of AIA events including the Chapter’s Residential Showcase and Design Awards programs. He also lends his stellar graphic design skills to the chapter as needed. After earning a Masters of Architecture from Montana State University in 2010, Nick joined TLCD as an architectural intern. He is currently pursuing licensure and is in the process of taking the ARE exams. Nick quickly immersed himself in all aspects of design at TLCD, and livens things up with his quirky personality and boundless enthusiasm. He has led TLCD’s push towards digital fabrication, and is experimenting with different media and applications. Nick is actively involved in the design of TLCD Architecture’s new office in downtown Santa Rosa and is a key team member on the 120,000 sf American AgCredit Headquarters Building, currently under construction at Airport Boulevard. Nick lives in Santa Rosa with his wife Mindy and their two sons Seamus and Deklyn, where they’re currently developing high module recovery systems for outer space time travel (editorial addition by Nick).

carl servais AIA, tlcd architecture, young architect of the year, AIARE

Carl Servais, AIA, was recognized as Young Architect of the year. Carl has served two years on the Board, last year as Director of Chapter Affairs and as Treasurer for 2014. During his time on the Board Carl organized a membership drive, organized a build day for Habitat for Humanity Sonoma County, and assisted with the Chapter’s Residential Showcase and Design Awards programs. Carl is a Project Architect at TLCD and co-leads Building Information Modeling (BIM) training and mentoring at the firm. He is currently exploring linking and coordinating Revit models with project specifications and is working on a new multi-use building that is a pilot project for this endeavor. Carl is an educator and has taught Digital Architectural Drafting and BIM courses at local college campuses. A quiet personality, Carl unleashes his power on the TLCD bowling team where he not only delivers consistent strikes, but also has been known to shatter bowling balls! Carl and his wife Lauren, an English instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College, have two daughters Chelle and Halle.

Everyone at TLCD Architecture joins the AIA Redwood Empire Chapter in congratulating Nick and Carl for their dedication to the Chapter and to our profession!

TLCD Architecture Recognized at AIA Redwood Empire Design Awards

On Saturday evening at the American Institute of Architects, Redwood Empire Chapter 2014 Design Awards, TLCD Architecture was honored to receive two awards for outstanding projects. The program, juried by a distinguished panel of architects from the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Chicago recognizes design excellence in the North Bay.

tlcd architecture, AIA Redwood Empire Design Awards, Merit Award, Luther Burbank Savings Branch Headquarters

TLCD received a Merit Award for the Luther Burbank Savings Headquarters Branch in downtown Santa Rosa. This project converted the former Traverso’s deli into a striking, modern building that marks the western entry into downtown Santa Rosa. This project has received other accolades, but this is its most prestigious award to date.

mendocinocollegelakecenter_tlcdarchitecture_interior

mendocinocollege, lake center, tlcd architecture, AIARE Citation Award

TLCD’s second award of the evening was a Citation Award for the Mendocino College Lake County Center in Lakeport. This new satellite campus is boldly modern, yet fits comfortably into its rural environment. The buildings are carefully oriented in relation to an adjacent creek and views to nearby hills. The Lake Center was awarded an IIDA Northern California Chapter Honor Award earlier this year.

“TLCD is a firm with a fascination for creative possibilities. Our work represents a contemporary vision of what our communities can be, while deeply respecting the architecture and character that makes this region unique. We are thrilled to have our work acknowledged by the design community”, said Don Tomasi, Principal.

Sneak Peak at the Future of Banking

tlcd architecture, exchange bank windsor, bank branch of the future, ribbon cutting ceremony
Exchange Bank Ribbon Cutting at Windsor “Bank Branch of the Future”

This week the Santa Rosa, California based Exchange Bank held a well-attended ribbon cutting for the grand “reopening” of its Windsor branch. The bank was completely renovated and will serve as the bank’s prototype “Bank Branch of the Future”. The project was designed by TLCD Architecture of Santa Rosa, California in conjunction with DBSI of Chandler, Arizona. Midstate Construction of Petaluma, California was the General Contractor, and Trope Group of Santa Rosa provided furniture specification and installation services. Design of custom furniture was a collaborative effort with DFM Furniture out of San Francisco, who specializes in custom wood casegoods.

Surprisingly, the most unusual aspect of the project isn’t inside; a new outdoor patio offers a casual seating area for customers to relax or do their banking online. It is the only known outdoor bank patio according to those at the opening (if anyone is aware of others, we’d be interesting in knowing!). The patio has been a big hit, and is being enjoyed by many of the bank’s customers.

tlcd architecture, exchange bank windsor, bank branch of the future, outdoor online banking

A customer arriving at the branch is in for a surprise. They are first greeted by a concierge, who accesses the customer’s needs then directs them to the appropriate employee. Then another surprise; it becomes immediately apparent that there are no teller lines. Instead, customers interact with employees at sit-down semi-private offices, or at informal cash bars.

Cash bars are freestanding stand-up tables at which the customer and employee stand side by side during transactions! A “cash recycler” facilitates this informal arrangement. A cash recycler is a complex machine that handles a couple of simple, but important tasks—accepting and dispensing cash. It also stores money securely, keeps an accurate accounting of cash on hand, and automates the cash cycle. Both the cash bars and semi-private offices are equipped to handle any type of transaction

Other important features of the branch include a video conference room where customers can meet remotely with employees at Exchange Bank’s various locations about wealth management, trust services, and other services not provided at the branch. A coffee bar, kid’s area, and lounge give the branch hospitality feel, and make for an inviting environment for customers. Even if you are not yet an Exchange Bank customer, stop by the Windsor branch and check out what the future of banking looks like.

 

Keeping up with Architectural Fabrication Techniques

Architectural fabrication, computerized router, CNC router, Gus Dering, Sonoma Country Pine, TLCD Architecture tour
Selexx Chief CNC Router at Sonoma Country Pine

Alan Butler AIA

As architects, it’s critical to keep up with new materials and emerging fabrication techniques. The materials we use, the way they go together and their application in buildings is constantly changing. In an effort to better understand the potential of new fabrication tools, TLCD Architecture purchased a laser cutter at the beginning of 2014. Small, but powerful and precise, it’s an incredible tool for making mockups and architectural models. We can cut wood, plastics and paper up to ½” thick and and to a maximum size of 18”x 24”. We are now able to quickly produce models and look at various design options very quickly versus the time consuming process of hand cutting mat board with a utility knife. Recently, we’ve been experimenting with designs for screen elements at our new office in the Museum on the Square building in downtown Santa Rosa. We’ve been producing some beautiful prototypes of the screens, but the question arises… how do we make the full size version?

So as any curious design firm would do, we set out exploring. Last week, Nick Diggins and I visited Gus Dering’s cabinet shop in Cotati to see a CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) Router in action. The shop is called Sonoma Country Pine, but we didn’t see any cabinetmakers with hand planes making colonial style cabinets. Rather we saw the Selexx Chief CNC Router in action. This machine has an eight bit rotating tool head that can cut, drill and route all the parts for a cabinet body in a matter of minutes. The machine holds the plywood in place with the suction of two vacuum pumps, through a sacrificial layer of low density fiberboard. With incredible precision it can cut all the parts to tolerances of thousandths of an inch. Because of the sophisticated programming there is little waste, sometimes only the sawdust from the router bit! The machine is so precise, it can produce “miter folded” applications leaving the last 3/1000th of the veneer face in tack, so plywood sheets can be folded with seamless corners. With the CNC Router, Gus produces cabinet parts for his own shop and several others.

A few days prior, Nick Diggins and TLCD Principal, Don Tomasi visited the shop of Klaus Rappensberger, a Sonoma County sculptor and craftsman. They discussed the option of making screens from sheet steel and cutting the screen patterns with a water jet cutter. We are now considering what we can produce in-house with our laser cutter, or possible options with these other digital technologies. The possibilities and potential are endless. The more we understand, the more we can do.

 

The Emergency Department – Considerations for Innovative and Strategic Design

Kaiser Permanente, TLCD Architecture, Emergency Department Design, The Center for Healthcare Design
Kaiser Santa Rosa Emergency Department, completed 2010

By Julie Wycoff

I recently had the pleasure of attending a conference focused on Emergency Department design hosted by The Center for Healthcare Design and held at the AIA San Francisco. TLCD Architecture is a corporate affiliate of the CHC which gives us access to a wide array of seminars, webinars and conferences related to healthcare design. The topics presented at the ED Design Conference delved deeply into the current thinking of how Emergency Departments are designed and organized with an eye to better addressing long wait times, delivery of care, and responding to an ever-changing healthcare environment. The presenters were a mix of healthcare providers and designers specializing in Emergency Department design.

Over the course of the discussions, some key themes emerged:

  1. Eliminate Triage

Triage based intake practices are outdated and increase wait times and create backlogs. More and more EDs are going to “Split Flow” patient intake and rapid treatment methods whereby patients are seen immediately and are either treated in a low acuity area or are sent to an ED treatment room. Patients never return to the waiting area, but are constantly kept moving through their care.

  1. Design for Flexibility

Emergency Departments must be designed so that they can respond to all types of patients and all types of events. Rather than designing highly specific treatment rooms, all rooms should be of a universal design that can accept any patient at any time.

  1. Evaluate the Problem

The answer to the problem of overcrowding and long wait times isn’t necessarily adding more treatment rooms or space. Often a thorough evaluation of staffing and patient intake patterns can lead to changes that do not require costly changes to the physical environment.

The Emergency Department is increasingly the primary healthcare access point for many in this country not only for trauma patients but for those with chronic conditions to the mentally ill. As such, EDs must be able to rapidly adapt to these types of patients in addition to everything from an infectious disease outbreak to a natural disaster. Designers and providers can work together to create spaces that can effectively deliver care, provide an organized work environment for staff, and a safe, healing space for patients. Knowing the needs of Emergency Departments and the challenges they face allows TLCD to help our healthcare clients plan their Emergency Departments for the present and future.

Lowery Student Center – Transformation Inside and Out

From outdated library (view spectacular new Library here: Mendocino College LLRC) to the Lowery Student Center this project shows how an existing building can be repurposed for additional important functions. Since the new library location would essentially displace all existing student center functions on campus (bookstore, student lounge and café / dining) it was decided that the old library location would be a perfect fit for their relocation. To this end Midstate Construction deftly handled the idiosyncrasies of working in an older building.

By opening the western wall of the building a dramatic entry element was realized. Entering the main gathering space, campus users can easily navigate between the student lounge (complete with pool table and gaming devices), bookstore, or the greatly expanded Schat’s Café and dining area. This is a great place to get morning coffee, a Danish, and maybe finish the homework in a relaxed setting! The light filled spaces are accented with warm, rich recycled redwood paneling by Viridian.

It was also a great opportunity to consolidate all of these functions around a wonderful new courtyard. The courtyard now serves large campus gatherings and student activities. In a time where campuses find it hard to persuade students to stay on campus, beyond class time, this consolidation / modernization is sure to help on this campus.

Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State Receives $3 Million Gift

Sonoma State University, Wine Business Institute, TLCD Architecture RenderingThe press was lighting up this week at the news of a $3 million donation for the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University. The transformation of the former University Commons building to the home of the 16 year-old wine program is being supported through generous gifts from key partners in the wine industry such as Marvin Shanken of the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation.

TLCD Architecture is pleased to be working with Sonoma State on designs for the Wine Institute and we have enjoyed the opportunity to help create an innovative and collaborative learning center that will support wine business education, both locally and internationally. Look for future updates as this exciting project moves forward!

Read full article in North Bay Business Journal

Read full article in Press Democrat

wine business institute, sonoma state university, tlcd architecture rendering

 

 

Mike Hauser Algebra Academy: Mentoring Students in Math and Technology

mike Hauser algebra academy, Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, TLCD Architecture, Student thank you

For the past 3 mornings, TLCD Architecture has hosted 30 freshman high school students attending the Mike Hauser Algebra Academy, now entering it’s 7th year. This is a tutoring program organized by the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce to assist students in becoming proficient in algebra to meet graduation requirements. TLCD joined other local businesses – Agilent Technologies, Medtronic Cardiovascular, JDSU, PG&E and the City of Santa Rosa Utilities Department in providing classroom space within their companies. One of the primary goals of the MHAA program is to show the students the connection between math and technology and how it’s used in the real world work place.

Mike Hauser Algebra Academy, City of Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, TLCD Architecture demonstrationMike Hauser Algebra Academy, City of Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, TLCD Architecture models

Between instructional sessions, TLCD staff offered insights into the architectural profession with presentations on recent local projects, architectural rendering techniques, and 3D design and drafting with a laser cutter demonstration that created a personalized name plaque for each student. A previous MHAA session was held at the City of Santa Rosa’s Utilities Field Office, designed by TLCD and it provided an opportunity for staff to present the design and drafting efforts required to construct a physical space recently used by the students.

The MHAA instructor, Math and Science teacher Aaron Prysock called TLCD’s presentation “spot on” and hopes he can return with next year’s academy classes.

It Takes a Team to Skin a Hospital

TLCD Architecture, Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa, Hospital Reclad, Models

The exterior of the existing Kaiser Santa Rosa Hospital, built in the early 1990s was showing the signs of age and was in need of replacement. TLCD Architecture and Swinerton Builders worked together to replace the exterior building skin with a new composite metal panel system. The project not only provided a solution to a deteriorated exterior, it also reinterpreted the original architecture into a contemporary building. The meticulous installation of the composite metal panels was an important aspect of the design and worked with the complexity of the existing building geometry to modernize the identity of the building and campus. The use of virtual models, physical models and on site mock-ups made the precise installation possible and turned the design intent into reality.

The project needed to be constructed in phases to allow the hospital to remain fully operational throughout construction. The design and construction team worked together with the facility to develop construction sequencing and installation strategies that evolved throughout construction to minimize disruptions to the facility and keep them operational.

TLCD Architecture, Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa, Hospital RelcadTLCD Architecture, Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa, Hospital Reclad

It was an amazing process to be a part of and the successful results speak to the teamwork involved to “Skin the Hospital”! Check out this video put together by Swinerton Builders for more on the project.

Museum on the Square: Fiat Lux (Let There Be Light)

 

museum on the square, TLCD Architecture, Hugh Futrell Corporation, Construction Update, Santa Rosa
Views to Taylor Mountain from 5th Floor of Museum on the Square

This morning the upper floors of Museum on the Square were flooded with light as the first exterior concrete panels were removed. Saws with blades as large as 36 inches in diameter sliced through concrete panels weighing upwards of 22,000 pounds each. A large crane then gently lifted the panels to the ground where they will be broken apart and recycled.

A total of 9 concrete panels were removed today, about one third of the total panels that will be removed during the course of construction on this project designed by TLCD Architecture.

Exterior demolition continues on the opposite, Courthouse Square side of the building where exterior precast panels are being removed by jackhammer prior to the removal of the structural concrete walls. On the interior, portions of the concrete floor slabs are being removed to accommodate new elevators and stairs.

The changes to the interior space are going to be dramatic as natural daylight visits this building for the first time!

Concrete Saws in Action at Museum on The Square!

Museum on the Square, TLCD Architecture, Hugh Futrell Corporation, Mixed-Use, Renovation
Crews saw through concrete on 3rd Street side of Museum on the Square

This week heavy-duty concrete saws began cutting through walls as thick as 15 inches at Museum on the Square.  This existing 5-story building, formerly a nuclear blast resistant telephone switching building, was constructed without windows. The building is now being converted to retail, office and museum use, necessitating the removal of large portions of the concrete walls.

The saws are mounted to rails that are attached to the building walls.  Blades as large as 3 feet in diameter slice through the concrete.  A very small length of the total perimeter of each new window opening is left uncut.  Once all of the new window openings have been cut in this manner a large crane will be brought in, the final cuts will be make in order to free the panels from the building structure, and the panels will be lowered to the ground to be demolished, then removed.

Currently concrete sawing is occurring on the south face of the building. On the more visible north side – from Courthouse Square, there are two layers of concrete. The outer, precast concrete panels are being removed by jackhammer before the structural concrete can be removed. Concrete is also being removed on the interior of the building to accommodate new elevators and stairways. Interior demolition of walls, ceilings and equipment is nearly complete.

Check back for further updates!

Groundbreaking at Santa Rosa's American AgCredit Headquarters

American AgCredit, Headquarters Building, Groundbreaking Ceremony, TLCD Architecture

Approximately 200 people turned out yesterday for the formal Groundbreaking Ceremony for American AgCredit’s new 120,000 square foot headquarters building in the Airport Business Center, just north of Santa Rosa.

Designed by TLCD Architecture, the iconic zinc-clad structure will feature three floors of office space wrapping around an enclosed outdoor courtyard, two roof decks, and three “sky bridges”.

Several executives and board members from American AgCredit, along with Sonoma County 4th District Supervisor Mike McGuire spoke about the project, American AgCredit’s recommitment to keeping its headquarters in Sonoma County and how the project will allow the organization to accommodate projected growth. Then Supervisor McGuire along with representatives of American AgCredit, TLCD Architecture, and JMA Construction dug the ceremonial first shovelfuls of dirt. Following the ceremony, guests and dignitaries enjoyed snacks and beverages under a agent on what proved to be the hottest day of the year to date!

Construction will last approximately 18 months, with completion scheduled for November of 2015.

 

At Last! Demolition of AT&T Building Begins

 

museum on the square, tlcd architecture, hugh futrell corporation, santa rosa, mixed use

After 7 years of planning, redesign, and changing political winds, TLCD Architecture’s Museum on the Square project is finally underway! A front page article in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat this morning discussed current demolition activities and the upcoming removal of 18 inch thick concrete walls. Large sections of concrete will be removed from the currently windowless building by means of industrial concrete saws, lowered by a large crane onto flatbed trucks, then removed and recycled. As developer Hugh Futrell noted, this will be a particularly exciting phase of the project. In my opinion it can’t happen soon enough!

This 100,000 square foot landmark downtown Santa Rosa project will be completed in early 2015. We will call the 3rd floor home and are currently busy designing our new office. Stay tuned for details!

museum on the square, tlcd architecture, hugh futrell corporation, santa rosa, mixed use

IIDA Northern California Honors TLCD at 2014 Awards Gala

At an evening ceremony held on March 19th, TLCD Architecture received an Honor Award from IIDA Northern California for the interior design of the Mendocino College Lake Center. The annual event, held at the beautiful Fox Theater in downtown Oakland, celebrates the very best in interior design. Nate Bisbee, Suzanne Nagorka and Domenica Sheets were present from our office and enthusiastically received the award in front of a packed house.

“We are so pleased that the IIDA jury chose to recognize the modestly-scaled project in Lake County as one of this year’s recipients. The new Lake Center Campus is the result of a 4-year long collaboration with Mendocino College staff and faculty. We could not be happier with the outcome! For our team of collaborators, this honor is a great way to recognize the tireless efforts of those who made the project a reality. We hope you appreciate the palette of simple, natural materials and the genuine care we put into the details,” said Nate Bisbee, lead Architect and Designer.

In 2013, TLCD Architecture received the IIDA NC Honor Award for the DeTurk RoundBarn. Back-to-back wins have us feeling well-loved!

 

 

Museum on the Square: Santa Rosa Revitalization Project to Begin Construction

TLCD Architecture, Santa Rosa, California, Museum on the Square, Construction UpdateTLCD Architecture just learned that the project loan for Museum on the Square has been approved and that construction of this high profile downtown Santa Rosa project will commence immediately. The team at TLCD Architecture wasted no time in celebrating the news today with sparkling wine!

The idea for Museum on the Square began in July 2008 when TLCD Architecture decided to pursue the prospect of renovating the building to house, among other tenants, our own offices. The Hugh Futrell Corporation formed a project team to develop the building, and nearly 6 tumultuous years later, TLCD is within a year of taking occupancy of the 3rd floor.

Construction of Museum on the Square will begin Monday, March 24th, with completion and occupancy slated for early next year… just in time for TLCD’s 50th anniversary! Museum on the Square will be the first large-scale construction project in the heart of Santa Rosa’s downtown in nearly 2 decades and will play a significant role in the revitalization of Courthouse Square. Luther Burbank Savings, a local lending institution will occupy the 4th and 5th floors, and a restaurant and The California Wine Museum will anchor the lower street level.

TLCD will continue to post updates on this exciting project as construction and interior renovations progress!

museum on the square, TLCD Architecture, Santa Rosa, California, Luther Burbank Savings, California Wine Museum

Academic Center Taking Shape: Steel Topping Out at College of Marin

College of Marin, Academic Center, Topping Out Ceremony, TLCD Architecture, Mark Cavagnero Associates
Academic Center as seen from College Avenue

I had the great pleasure of participating in the Topping Out Ceremony for the College of Marin Academic Center on Friday, March 7. With perfect weather accompanying the event, the final piece of steel was lifted onto the three-story structure by the project’s general contractor, Wright Contracting. Designed by the team of TLCD Architecture and Mark Cavagnero Associates, the structural frame of the new building has taken shape at the corner of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and College Avenue in Kentfield. It is especially pleasing to see this project, which our team started planning with the College in 2009, progress towards its completion early next year. See the full article on the event in the Marin Independent Journal.

And for those who enjoy a high-wire act, see the amazing video from the steel beam’s perspective, as filmed by Wright Contracting:

Project-Based Learning: The Catalyst for New STEM Buildings

trinity university, project based learning, STEM buildings, science, technology, math, engineering
Entry plaza to The Center for Sciences and Innovation at Trinity University

By Alan Butler AIA, LEED AP

Project-based learning is at the forefront of teaching in the STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) disciplines in both K-12 and Higher Education. A new generation of innovative science buildings are being designed that support this new active learning pedagogy. 

This past week I attended a conference in San Antonio, Texas on creating STEM buildings for Higher Education institutions. We heard from faculty, architects and educational thinkers about the evolution of science education and laboratory design and toured the new Center for the Sciences and Innovation at Trinity University. Their new STEM building embodied many of the concepts we explored together during interactive conference sessions.

What are the hallmarks of a 21st century science teaching facility? Foremost they are about active and project-based learning. These are environments where students become agents of their own learning and work both collaboratively and individually to solve real world problems. The buildings are transparent and accommodating, making science visible and blurring the boundaries between the laboratory and the classroom. With plenty of “soft spaces” they become a magnet for students and build a supportive community of science learners. 

At the Center for The Sciences and Innovation at Trinity University we saw labs with floor to ceiling glass, making the activity of the labs less mysterious and immensely inviting. On every floor, formal and informal study spaces were full of science (and non-science) students who inhabit the building almost around the clock. Write up spaces, separate but housed within the labs, become the places where, it was pointed out, all the data from the labs is transformed into learning. These are also spaces where students can study, collaborate and meet with faculty.

While the entire building is a beacon, reaching out to the greater campus community, the highlight of the facility is the Innovation Studio, a multi-modal maker space surrounded by shops, computer design labs and meeting spaces. The Innovation Studio, which is part of the Engineering Department, reaches out to all the sciences and the greater campus as a place for students to make their projects real. This facility will have strong links to the Business and Entrepreneurship programs within the University.

Link to expanded White Paper…

 

"If You Build It Movie" Inspires

Screen Shot 2014-02-13 at 10.42.45 AM

IF YOU BUILD IT is a captivating movie that follows designer-activists Emily Pilloton and Matthew Miller to rural North Carolina where they work with local high school students to transform their community and lives. Pilloton and Miller lead their students through a year-long design and build project that does more than teach just basic construction skills – it shows them the power of design-thinking to reinvent their town and what is possible.

The movie will be released on February 28th at the Landmark Cinema in San Francisco and the Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley. It opens March 1st at the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. Watch the trailer and be inspired!

Thanks to my SMPS group for sharing this great link!

Digital Fabrication Arrives at TLCD Architecture!

_1000894

TLCD Architecture’s first laser cutter arrived today amid a lot of excitement – and a demonstration that cut out the letters “TLCD” from a piece of wood. The freestanding unit (VLS 6.60) is designed and engineered for light manufacturing operations. We will use it to cut through a variety of media such as cardboard and acrylic, and to engrave various materials including metal. The unit is also capable of laser graphic imaging.

Our laser cutter will help create physical architectural ideas from sketches and 3-D programs (Rhino3D). The unit will be used to produce finished models, but we are most excited about the ability to produce study models that will be used in the process of design exploration.

This is the first of several tools that TLCD plans to acquire for our shop space at our new office in Museum on the Square.  These tools will allow us to more effectively explore new materials and technologies, and will allow us to better communicate our ideas.

Dey Laboratories new site for County of Napa Health Services

Dey-Labs-campus-aerial-Google-Maps-500x296

TLCD Architecture began working with the County of Napa over two years ago on the master planning of their current site on Old Sonoma Road in Napa. The County ultimately selected the existing Dey Laboratories site at Napa Valley Corporate Drive as its base of operations for county health services. TLCD will be working with the County of Napa on renovations/tenant improvements for Phase I of the project.

Read full article in North Bay Business Journal

New Mendocino College Lake Center Wins! Region’s Top Real Estate Projects Honored by the North Bay Business Journal

Image

TLCD Architecture’s Lake Center, completed earlier this year, has been awarded Top Project honors for 2013 by the North Bay Business Journal. We were fortunate enough to present the award to Michael Adams and Carolyn Pryor, Facilities Director and Assistant Director, in front of a packed room of co-honorees at last night’s awards ceremony.

The Lake Center opened last year to students and public and has become a vital outpost for Mendocino College and community hub for the citizens of Lakeport. We are very gratified to see the contribution the campus is making to students in the region. Congratulations go to the College for their commitment to building outstanding projects.

The new Center was one of a remarkable 6 new projects built by Wright Contracting recognized by the Business Journal this year. This is a tremendous accomplishment and shows their versatility as a General Contractor. Our partnership with Wright and the College was essential to the success of the project.

Here are some of the highlights from the awards ceremony:

The Redwood Empire Food Bank, was recognized for its new facility, also built by Wright. TLCD’s own Alan Butler, Principal, served the Food Bank as Board President during the acquisition, planning and construction of the building. David Goodman, Executive Director, received the award on behalf of the Food Bank. We are inspired by the Food Bank’s daily contribution to our community.

Cuvaison’s winery expansion in the Carneros region demonstrates excellent design quality. Built by Ledcor Construction, the facility fits into the natural setting seamlessly. The winery is a neighbor to TLCD’s Carneros Inn project, located just down the road toward Napa.

The Person Senior Wing expansion of the Finley Community Center in Santa Rosa gives seniors in our community a destination that meshes with the already active center, completing the Center’s goal of inter-generational programming. The design of the expansion by Larry Simons honors the facility’s Architecture and fulfills the original vision of Roland Miller Architects. The project was built by AE Nelson.

The new Barlow center in Sebastopol was also recognized by the Business Journal. This is a unique, game-changing project built by Steve Kilgannon of FDC. The Center brings a range of light industrial, retail and commercial uses to an important redevelopment area of the town, including the Kosta Browne winery and the Zazu restaurant. It will be interesting to watch how this project positively transforms a formerly under-utilized district of Sebastopol’s downtown in the years to come.

In all, the evening’s events showed renewed vigor in the design and construction industries and a palpable anticipation for future growth in our region.

Museum on the Square Receives Final Approval

At a meeting of the Santa Rosa City Council this week our new design for Museum on the Square was approved.  This nearly 100,000 square renovation of a former telephone switching building will be our new home, where we will be joined by the California Wine Museum and Luther Burbank Savings.  Construction is expected to begin in early 2014 and wrap up before the end of the year.  TLCD Architecture will move to Museum on the Square just as we prepare to celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2015!

The building’s north façade, facing Courthouse Square, features a veil of perforated aluminum panels over the existing concrete structure.  The design takes a bold approach to transforming the existing industrial loft structure without concealing it.  A portion of the perforated façade will be in the form of sculptural panels that will help shade windows from late afternoon sun.

Our new offices on the 3rd floor will take full advantage of one of the few urban loft spaces in the North Bay and will be a unique space designed to serve as a lab for testing new ideas, mocking up building assemblies, and staging furniture.

Healthcare Design Conference Highlights

http://www.healthcaredesignmagazine.com/sites/healthcaredesignmagazine.com/files/conference/2013-tours/T05--FH-Orlando-Neurosurgery-moveable-MRI-OR_700X522.jpg

The annual Healthcare Design Conference was held in Orlando Florida this year, and  is put on by the Healthcare Design Magazine and The Center for Health Design.  As an attendee of the four-day conference I came away with inspiration, information and invigoration. In addition to the exceptional facility tours, educational sessions, roundtable discussions and networking events, the keynote speakers stood out as the highlight of the conference.

Debra Levin (President and CEO of the Center for Health Design) provided inspiration in her opening address and reminded everyone that we are all working toward the common goal to improve healthcare delivery. The conference was full of chatter about the  Kid President video she showed during her address.

Thomas Goetz (former Executive Editor, Wired Magazine, and Author of The Decision Tree) talked about new ideas and technologies that can mitigate failure and optimize innovation in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare infrastructure. He touched on everything from data visualization to workplace workarounds, and emphasized the opportunity everyone in the healthcare profession has to apply design thinking to their day-to-day routine.

Michael Murphy (Executive Director and Co-Founder of MASS Design Group) was the recipient of the Changemaker Award, and shared his experience  working with the Butaro Hospital in Rwanda, assisting with architectural solutions to mitigate and reduce the transmission of airborne diseases like tuberculosis.

Jake Poore (President and Chief Experience Officer, Integrated Loyalty Systems and former Disney Executive) closed the conference by sharing practical examples from a 20-year Disney veteran, who is now a “human architect” driven to elevate patient experiences, how patient-driven healthcare design links directly to patient satisfaction and, consequently, the success of the healthcare organization.

Having attended several of these conferences over the years, I find myself using the information and evidence based design resources I learn about in my day to day work on projects and in discussions with clients. TLCD Architecture is a Corporate Affiliate of The Center for Health Design, and I was thrilled to participate in a focus group discussion about next years conference being held in San Diego, CA. The 2014 Healthcare Design Conference will be in an amazing venue and full of relevent evidence-based design information and is well worth attending for professions related and associated with healthcare.

American AgCredit Headquarters to Break Ground in 2014

Entry aerial_BlogMuseum on the Square, Napa Valley College’s McCarthy Library, Luther Burbank Savings’ Headquarters Branch are but a few of TLCD Architecture’s recent projects that have garnered a great deal of public attention. TLCD’s recently released design for American AgCredit’s Headquarters building follows in the rich tradition of these projects, while raising the bar.

Located in Sonoma County’s Airport Business Center, this 120,000 square foot zinc-clad landmark building will set a new standard for office buildings in the North Bay when it breaks ground in the spring of 2014. The unique building form reflects the complex shape of the site while acknowledging its important corner location.  Straight and curved forms linked by skybridges define and enclose a landscaped outdoor courtyard that is the heart of the project.

Reddish-brown perforated exterior zinc cladding is evocative of the North Bay’s rich history of wooden agricultural structures. Occasional, recessed panels will be lit at night and will be electronically controlled so that the exterior building lighting is in a constant state of change.  State-of-the-art interiors feature large reconfigurable spaces, raised access floors, and demountable partitions that represent the latest technology that will support American AgCredit’s constantly growing and evolving workplace needs. Santa Rosa’s Jim Murphy and Associates (JMA) is the general contractor.

St. Helena Montessori School Celebrates Opening of New Campus

St. Helena Montessori School welcomed the community to an open house for the new TLCD Architecture designed campus on September 6th. As many as 200 attendees saw firsthand that this is no ordinary school, nor is it an ordinary Montessori School.

This 20-acre campus accommodates a much wider range of ages than most other Montessori Schools, from age 2½ to ninth grade, with an Adolescent / Farm School. The school follows Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophy of education as an “aid to life” – viewing the child as a being whose physical, cognitive, emotional and spiritual parts are interrelated, and whose educational environment must respect that unity.

Classrooms are large, with wood floors and open ceilings. Windows at each classroom building are scaled to the age of the students, and are placed at different heights above the floor accordingly. A State of California licensing inspector proclaimed them the most beautiful classroom interiors she had ever seen.

The school was constructed by Eames Construction of Petaluma, and construction management services were provided by Pound Management of Oakland. When complete the campus will feature boarding facilities, a working farm, and the new home for the Nimbus Arts Center.

Bold New Design Proposals by TLCD

We’ve learned that great ideas sometimes go unrealized. Nevertheless, we find tremendous value and excitement in the generative design process. With two new proposals, one for a financial institution and another for a community college, we’ve dug deep to communicate strong ideals and clear vision. Both projects are now featured on TLCD Architecture’s website.

A Financial Institution Headquarters with strong ties to Agricultural clientele, tasked our team to develop a bold new design. With a concept to connect to regional agricultural landscapes, our emphasis was on developing site strategies that integrate the building form with its landscape. Investigating the building program further we wanted to express that the new building is clearly focused on its function and does not attempt to mimic agricultural forms, rather to reflect their intrinsic values.

This stunning proposal for a Campus Gateway project includes student services, administration and outreach functions for a thriving community college, and demonstrates our passion for creating vibrant new student and community spaces. Dynamic forms carefully frame a new campus entry sequence and define a central common. Interior spaces inspire students to not just occupy, but inhabit the building and make it their own. The conceptual design aspires to welcome the larger community, connect students to learning environments, and provide unification of purpose between both campus and external constituencies.

Urban Sketching in the Bay Area

By Alan Butler AIA

Last week I took a three day urban sketching and watercolor class in the East Bay. It was taught by Alameda architect David Savellano, http://davidsavellano.com. He was a great teacher and it exposed me to many new concepts and techniques for both sketching and using watercolor. I have a long way to go, but had a great time sketching at various waterfront locations in Oakland including the Jack London Square Farmer’s Market and along the Alameda Estuary.

The days following allowed me to do some experiments in watercolor in Alameda, San Francisco, and Stanford. Tuesday was a visit to the DeYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park where I took some of the photos shown below, and later sketched on the band concourse. We saw the Richard Diebenkorn show at the DeYoung which I highly recommend. Diebenkorn is perhaps the most highly regarded California artist of the Abstract Expressionist period from the 50’s to the late 70’s. The show covers his Berkeley years in the mid fifties to the mid sixties. This is his most widely liked work and is much more realistically focused work involving figures and landscapes. His use of color and forms is very exciting.

All in all a great week in our own backyard of the Bay Area. Don’t miss the lights on the Oakland Bay bridge after dark!

 
 

New Academic Center Video Produced by College of Marin

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skGfw8j-Ixw]

The College of Marin New Academic Center (designed by Mark Cavagnero Associates and TLCD Architecture) received DSA approval last week, and will start construction in the early fall. This informational video was prepared by the College as part of their outreach to the local community.

TLCD Architecture Partners with Chico High School Students

439

For the past two school years TLCD Architecture has partnered with the ROP program at Chico High School in an evolving collaboration between students and design professionals. The “iTech” program teaches students about design and construction, and in particular how to use Revit, a Building Information Modeling (BIM) program that TLCD helped pioneer beginning in 2000.

When TLCD was selected to design the new 10-acre Butte Regional Transit Operations Center in Chico, we were given this unique opportunity to involve iTech students in the project in a meaningful way. Since that time the students have been actively involved in the project including participation in design workshops, developing solar shading studies, producing models with their 3-D printers, creating a Revit model, and video “fly throughs” of the project.

The link below takes you to one of these fly throughs, as well as the students’ final 3D model. TLCD Architecture used the iTech model when it presented the project to the Chico Architectural Review Board last week. Way to go students!

Screen Shot 2013-05-23 at 8.00.52 AM

Butte Regional Transit Operations Center Design Approved

 

TLCD Architecture’s design for the new Butte Regional Transit Operations Center in Chico, California was finalized last week. This 50,000 square foot project will provide administrative offices for the Butte County Association of Governments, along with state-of-the-art bus operational and maintenance facilities for its countywide B-Line bus system.

The project design was strongly influenced by nearby orchards and agricultural architecture. An “orchard” of trees will cover much of the site, reflecting the Almond and Walnut orchards that characterize the landscape in the surrounding area. This orchard provides shade to outdoor areas, parking, and buildings, and is a dominant visual feature. Linear plantings of shrubs and glasses recall row crops found in nearby orchards. Building forms are simple, with exterior materials that are inspired by local agricultural buildings.

This project is design to LEED Silver level. A highly efficient HVAC system design will greatly reduce summer cooling costs, and a photovoltaic array will provide most the electric power needs of the facility. Radiant floor slab heating will be used in the bus maintenance building to provide a comfortable work environment for mechanics, and displacement ventilation will be used in the project’s two administrative buildings.

This project is slated to begin construction in June of 2014 and is expected to be complete by summer of the following year.

3 TLCD Projects Receive NBBJ Top Project Awards

Mendocino College Library and Learning Resource Center
Mendocino College Library and Learning Resource Center

Last evening 3 of TLCD Architecture’s projects were recognized by the North Bay Business Journal as Top Projects in the region.  Each year the Business Journal recognizes outstanding projects in the North Bay in several categories.

Mendocino College Library and Learning Resource Center received a Top Project award in the ‘Green’ category, recognizing a project that exemplified sustainable design.  This is the second year in a row that TLCD Architecture received an award in this category.  This project features numerous “green” features including daylight harvesting, a highly efficient mechanical system, and a green (vegetated) roof.

Roseland Creek Elementary School
Roseland Creek Elementary School

Roseland Creek Elementary School, Roseland School District’s first new elementary school to be constructed in 50 years received the K-12 Education award.  This 2-story school features exceptional indoor and outdoor learning environments.  It too is a model of sustainability, and significantly outperforms stringent Title 24 requirements.

Luther Burbank Savings Headquarters Branch
Luther Burbank Savings Headquarters Branch

The winning entry in the Finance category was Luther Burbank Savings Headquarters Branch in downtown Santa Rosa, which opened for business earlier this week.  Defined by cherry colored exterior wood panels and crisp aluminum details, this highly visible project at the entry to downtown is hard to miss.

TLCD Architecture’s People and Projects Acknowledged at AIARE Awards

Maintenance Center | Mendocino Transit Authority

TLCD Architecture was the proud recipient of two Honor Awards for DeTurk Round Barn and the new Maintenance Center for Mendocino Transit Authority at the AIA Redwood Empire Design Awards. The bi-annual event, held on Saturday, October 27 also recognized Jamie Stich for Associate of the Year, and Nate Bisbee for Young Architect of the Year – both new award categories for 2012.

The design awards were juried by a distinguished panel including: Michael Palladino/FAIA of Richard Meier and Partners, Julie VandenBerg Snow/FAIA of Julie Snow Architects, Inc., Mary Griffin/FAIA of Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects, and Mayor Ernesto Olivares from the City of Santa Rosa. With much thoughtfulness and deliberation, they evaluated all the entries and selected winners in three categories: Honor Awards, Merit Awards and Citation Awards.

DeTurk Round Barn | City of Santa Rosa

The DeTurk Round Barn historic renovation for the City of Santa Rosa received an Award in the “Alteration/Restoration/Rehabilitation” category, and the new Maintenance Center for Mendocino Transit Authority received an Award in the “Built Project” category. “Being recognized by such a distinguished jury for two Honor Awards is truly a reflection of our commitment to the community, immensely supportive clients, and of the high level of design both these projects exhibit,” said Don Tomasi AIA, Senior Principal at TLCD.

The AIARE Gala also recognized individuals and firms who have distinguished themselves in the Redwood Empire Chapter through an inaugural set of awards handed out Saturday night. TLCD was thrilled to have two team members recognized: Jaime Stich for Associate Member of the Year and Nate Bisbee AIA for Young Architect of the Year.

Jaime has served on the AIARE Board for several years and leads the Associates program and licensing study group. “I have always been impressed by Jaime’s commitment to architecture, sustainability and the community… his commitment goes well beyond personal interest or casual involvement; he actively participates and provides leadership and inspiration to others,” said Jason Brabo AIA, Principal at TLCD.

Nate has served in different capacities on the AIARE Board for many years and was one of the organizers of the North X NorthCoast lecture series. “Nate’s contributions in the field of architectural design have been focused on the exploration of a regional expression appropriate to our area…his vision and interest in this “regionalism” have greatly shaped and elevated this firm’s design work and reputation,” said Alan Butler AIA, Senior Principal at TLCD.

The AIARE event was a wonderful acknowledgement of the level of design work at TLCD Architecture, and of the talented people who make these projects a reality.

Connecting with Today’s Digital Students

We are witnessing a major shift in the educational environment of the 21st century. Today’s students are plugged into a digital, global learning network. More than ever before, the way they learn is evolving and our education system must adapt to support this dynamic new future in our educational environments.

The young people of today are digital natives. They have grown up with constant access and interconnectivity to digital information resources. In contrast, most educators are digital immigrants, who are learning to adjust/adapt/modify their way of teaching to better reflect the realities of how students absorb information, communicate, and critically think about the subjects they are learning. The incorporation of online learning into this teaching methodology is vital.

Good school design not only supports the current learning needs, but also prepares for change and innovation in the future. It is anticipated that by 2019, 50% of all high school courses may be available online (1). Teachers already use sites such as YouTube to share lecture lessons with students outside of class. Students can learn where they are most comfortable and at their own pace, and have the opportunity to replay a lesson as often as needed to understand the content. This, in turn, opens up class time for interactive discussions and hands on practice of concepts covered in the online lectures. As a result, students and teachers gain more time for individualized tutoring and small collaborative learning groups.

This vision for a new learning methodology is resulting in an entirely different way of looking at classroom design. The rows of organized desks  facing a singular direction are no longer applicable. Having a dynamic classroom with space that can quickly transform from individual learning space to break out groups with easy access to technology is a must. Flexibility to accommodate for varying class sizes, access to fresh air and natural ventilation, and the use of the latest in acoustical and audio visual technology are critical to the design of a successful educational environment.

For nearly three decades personal computers have been used in classrooms, yet many of those classrooms look largely the same as they did 30 years ago. The future of educational environments incorporates computers, document cameras, smart boards, etc. in the core framework of the building design to create a holistic and fully interactive atmosphere for learning.

The learning activities observed in today’s classrooms significantly impact the way we design educational spaces. Administrators, faculty, and teachers are all vital contributors towards each successful project and we build lasting relationships that will provide the tools and resources needed to support a school’s educational program and prepare its students throughout their educational journey. As a design firm, we create inspirational learning environments, where teachers have the flexibility to transform a classroom in response to subject matter, class size, student needs, and teaching styles. Our projects support a school’s educational program while responding to the needs of the students.

(1) Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns, Clayton Christensen, Copyright 2008

John Dybczak AIA
K-12 Practice Leader

When is a Green Roof not Green?

When it’s burgundy.  And gold.  And pink and yellow and, perhaps, four or five shades of green.

Vegetated (“Green”) roofs have historically been used to reduce storm-water run-off, to replace vegetation that would otherwise be lost at the building footprint, to provide energy savings by buffering the roof membrane from the ambient air temperature and to extend the service life of the roof membrane by shielding it from UV exposure.  Originally seen as one of several features of the project to reduce the water-quality impacts of impervious surfaces on the project site and to improve energy performance, the vegetated roof on the Mendocino College Library Learning Resource Center is an example of how a design decision made in support of sustainability goals can also yield extraordinary aesthetic results.

The roof is comprised of a single-ply roof membrane and tapered insulation with the plants contained in 12 by 24 inch LiveRoof trays provided by Florasource, Ltd. installed over a protection membrane.  Heavy-weight roof pavers and ballast complete the roof components.  Working with Landscape Architect Quadriga, the decision was made to use the tray module as an organizing element.  Selecting from the 300 or so species of sedum available, trays containing five different sedum species have been arranged mosaic-like into a design featuring waves of color spreading across the roof surface. Pavers and ballast are used to bound the edges of the plant material and essentially providing a frame for the composition.

Located immediately outside a class room and adjacent to an outdoor terrace area, the vegetated roof provides both welcome views from inside the classroom and a colorful foreground element for the views of the hills rising to the south west of the site.

Bellevue District Office Dedication – Taylor Mountain School is Completed!

[slideshow]

The Bellevue Union School District held a dedication ceremony to formally open their new district office and dedicate the boardroom to long time Board member Yvonne Kennedy. The district office is located at Taylor Mountain Elementary School and its completion ends 5 years of phased construction projects designed by TLCD Architecture at this new $19 million campus located in southeast Santa Rosa.

The design of Taylor Mountain Elementary includes a central courtyard with focused views to its’ namesake mountain to the east. Classroom pods ring the courtyard and lead to the library/media center. TLCD worked with the teaching staff to refine the pod design in support of the District’s teaching philosophy.

In response to wetlands and a tiger salamander habitat, the site design includes enhanced wetland study areas, bioswales, and stormwater detension basins. The interiors include many energy efficient lighting and mechanical systems, and extensive use of sustainable materials.

TLCD also played a key role in assisting Chevron Energy Solutions with the design and installation of a 176Kv photovoltaic power generating system that will generate a majority of the campus’ electrical power needs.

The later phases of construction used the Lease-Leaseback project delivery method. This provided an opportunity for the General Contractor and major subcontractors to provide valuable input during the design process and a guaranteed maximum construction cost to the District.

Taylor Mountain Elementary School is TLCD Architecture’s second new school completed with Bellevue Unified School District. Our collaborative effort and commitment to providing inspirational learning environments for the students resulted in a project that will serve this growing community for many years.

Education Exchange

The 21st Century Classroom, one that focuses on the Four C’s; Communication, Creativity, Collaboration, and Critical Thinking was the main topic of discussion at the inaugural Napa Valley Education Exchange, a three day conference that I was able to attend last week in Napa.  The conference attendees included school district superintendents and educators from all over the State of California.

We were treated to very informative and inspirational presentations from education futurists Dr. Yong Zhao, Ken Kay, and Dr. Pat Wolfe.  The presentations were focused on the current state of our education system and how it needs to be changed in order to support the learning needs of our current and future students.

This conference was especially interesting as I was able to learn about many of the challenges being faced by school districts.  As architects, we play an important role in developing educational environments that are inspirational to those who use them.  Flexible classroom spaces that incorporate advanced technology, flexible furniture, natural daylighting, fresh air, and good acoustics are critical elements of today’s classroom.

John Dybczak AIA

TLCD Architecture Projects Set to Receive Awards

We are pleased to announce that two projects designed by TLCD Architecture for the City of Santa Rosa will be receiving statewide recognition.

On February 28th the City of Santa Rosa Utilities Field Office project will receive an award for Outstanding Architecture/Engineering Project. The American Society of Civil Engineers will be presenting this award to GHD, TLCD Architecture’s engineering partner on the project. This project includes offices, maintenance shops, and a training center. Its design and engineering emphasize a quality workplace environment within the context of a healthy, sustainable facility.

 

Utilities Field Office

On March 20th the City of Santa Rosa will be presented with the California Park and Recreation Society’s annual Excellence in Design Award for the DeTurk Round Barn. This award recognizes projects under $5 million that demonstrate high standards of planning, design, community involvement, operation and maintenance, quality of aesthetics, usability, accessibility and versatility. Built in 1891 for a prized racehorse, the DeTurk Round Barn is one of only two true round barns remaining in California and is listed on both the state and federal registries of historic places. After decades of use as a city corporation yard, this unique adaptive reuse project seismically upgraded and restored the building to its new life as a Community Center.

DeTurk Round Barn

The North Bay Business Journal has also recognized both projects as “top projects”.

TLCD’s Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Hospital Expansion Wins ENR’s Best Healtcare Project

TLCD Architecture attended the 2011 ENR California Best Projects awards  on December 12th  as a member of the Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Hospital Expansion team that won the ENR Best Healthcare Project category. The award is a reflection of the great teamwork between the Owner, Design Team and Contractor who all shared a common goal to make this the best project possible. The Hospital Expansion opened a year ago and also won the North Bay Business Journal’s Top Project award. Congratulations to the whole team!

TLCD Architecture Recognized for 2 Top Project Awards

The North Bay Business Journal announced it’s selection of the 2011 Top Projects in real estate that will be honored at their upcoming awards event in December. TLCD Architecture was the design architect for the Santa Rosa Utilities Field Office selected for the Green Category, as well as the DeTurk Round Barn selected for the Historic Renovation category.

“We’re excited about this recognition because these projects represent the City of Santa Rosa’s commitment to the quality of the built environment”, said Mark Adams who oversees TLCD’s Civic practice.

Don Tomasi Featured in Santa Rosa Magazine’s Issue on “Community Connections””

The latest issue of Santa Rosa Magazine, published by the Press Democrat, focuses on the many threads and relationships that connect a community. Throughout the issue, influential people from the world of sports, food, arts, philanthropy, technology, public safety and architecture were asked to talk about the people they admire most. The result is a fascinating look at the invisible threads that connect us all.

Don Tomasi of TLCD Architecture is featured in the issue on pages 24-25 (online version), where he talks about the people who have directly and indirectly influenced him, and who contribute to a vibrant and  rich community life. This is a must read for anyone who lives, works and feels their own sense of connection to Santa Rosa.

Innovative Multi-Purpose Room Unveiled

Last evening our design for a new multi-purpose building at Yulupa School in Santa Rosa was presented to the Bennett Valley Union School District board. This building represents a unique approach to the design of multi-purpose buildings, and is part of a larger project that will reconfigure and transform the campus. Other key project features include 12 new classrooms, conversion of the former multi-purpose room into a library, and rooftop solar panels that will provide almost all of the school’s electricity.

The building is configured with a large sloped roof to accommodate as many solar panels as possible. The orientation of the building allows a large expanse of glass on the back, north-facing wall of the main room, as well as the stage. The stage is only 18 inches in height, scaled to the primary aged students at this grade K-3 school.

Unlike most stages, the curtains will customarily be open so that the stage’s north-facing windows are open to the main room. This unique and informal relationship between the main room and the stage is emphasized by stage curtains that when drawn, are visible through a metal mesh from the main room.

The building orientation and roof slope facilitate passive nighttime cooling by means of natural, stack ventilation. This is accomplished by means of hidden louvers on the south and operable clerestory windows above the stage. An exposed radiant concrete floor slab will provide heating, while below-stage displacement cooling will eliminate the need for ducts. Wall mounted lighting is entirely indirect, leaving the acoustical roof deck free of light fixtures or ducts.

Water from the main roof will be collected by vertical tubes, and discharged into a bioswale, and natural filtration system. The entire process of conveying rainwater from the gutter, into the tubes, then into the bioswale will be visible.

Interior View Looking North at Stage

Cash Conference 2011

Don and John attended the 2011 CASH conference held at the Sacramento Convention Center. The event was attended by nearly 1000 school district personnel, architects, engineers, and contractors involved with the design and construction of school facilities. The theme of this year’s conference was “Your Challenges, Your Solutions, Your Conference”. Many of the workshops and roundtable discussions were focused on high performance schools, and improving academic performance through good design. It was also inspiring to see some of the award winning projects that school districts around the state have recently completed.

 

Roseland Creek Elementary School Bids!

Roseland Creek Elementary School bids are in and the apparent low bidder is Lathrop Construction at $15,896,000.  This is great news for the District because it includes the cost of the entire school!  There was some concern that if the bids came in high, they would not be able to afford the multi-use building.  We received 6 bids and the three low bids were within $70,000 of one another.  Construction is scheduled to begin in April.

Roseland Creek Elementary School

McCarthy Library and Kaiser Hospital Expansion Honored at Top Projects Awards

TLCD was out in force at last night’s 2010 Top Project’s Awards, hosted by the North Bay Business Journal. Alan Butler, Jason Brabo, Stephen Peakes, Brian Wright, Mark Adams, Nate Bisbee, Suzanne Nagorka and Marina Starkey represented TLCD Architecture at this event which showcases the top real estate projects in the North Bay. Linda Challoner accepted the award for the Kaiser Hospital Expansion on behalf of Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa, and Dan TerAvest accepted the award for the stunning McCarthy Library at Napa Valley College. Winning two Top Project Awards this year is a testament to TLCD’s long-term relationships and spirit of collaboration with our valued clients!

McCarthy Library Receives Merit Award at the AIARE 2010 Design Awards

[slideshow]

It was a great win for TLCD this past Saturday at the AIA Redwood Empire Chapter 2010 Design Awards. Napa Valley College’s McCarthy Library, which was completed in 2009, received the Merit Award in the Built Category. With 57 entries in total, the 2010 competition was one of the toughest yet. Projects ranged from private residences to large education facilities, backyard studios to estate wineries. During the awards ceremony, local architects and their invited guests meandered through the banquet hall to view presentation boards for the submitted projects.

While we all settled into our chairs for the awards announcement, there was a tiny hum of excitement across the hall. Wendy Young, AIARE Executive Director, started off the awards by thanking the sponsors and expressing how great it was to have so many talent individuals gathered in one space.

When McCarthy Library was revealed as the winner of the 2010 Merit Award, a huge round of applause came from the TLCD peanut gallery.  Senior Principal Alan Butler accepted the award on behalf of the TLCD team and appreciated the hard work and creativity that made the McCarthy Library a reality.  Check out the submission photos for the McCarthy Library in the slideshow above. To view the full list of all of the Design Awards entries, visit the AIARE website.

The Uglies

I found an interesting document on the San Mateo Community College website about common oversights that create “The Uglies”  This is something that we all could spend a few minutes looking at.

-aB

The Uglies-San Mateo CCD

From the document:

Okay, so “The Uglies” is not exactly the best way to characterize what’s going on in these photos.

• But there are other things going on that we want to call to your attention, and ask that you do not replicate these conditions in our facilities! These examples illustrate conditions that are:
– Difficult to maintain
– Difficult to operate
– Not durable enough for our institutional or environmental conditions
– And yes, some really are just ugly

College of Marin New Academic Center featured in ArchDaily

The design competition entry for the New Academic Center at College of Marin, prepared by TLCD Architecture and Mark Cavagnero Associates, was featured in the October 26 edition of ArchDaily: http://www.archdaily.com/84268/college-of-marin-new-academic-center-tlcd-mark-cavagnero-associates/

The design competition was held back in November of 2009, and after a very long selection process the team of TLCD/MCA was finally selected in May of 2010. We completed the programming phase of the project in August of 2010, and are currently waiting for Board approval of the program before we start on the Schematic Design.

TLCD Architecture Receives Two NBBJ Top Project Awards

The North Bay Business Journal announced the winners of the 2010 Top Project Awards today and TLCD Architecture had two winning projects! The McCarthy Library at Napa Valley College was selected in the Education category, and the Kaiser Permanente Hospital Expansion in Santa Rosa was selected in the Medical category. These projects will be honored at an Awards Reception on December 8th at the Sheraton Sonoma County and will also be featured in a special NBBJ supplement publishing on December 6th.

The caliber of design work at TLCD and the level of commitment by our staff is a true source of pride!

Check out the Obelisk

The 60' Obelisk on Santa Rosa Avenue

It is not the Piazza di Popolo in Rome or the Place de Corncorde in Paris, in fact it is in front of the Nissan dealership on Santa Rosa Avenue. This weekend a 60 foot obelisk was set in place. It is a 52′ structure with a tube steel frame and welded bicycle parts sitting on an eight foot base.  The sculpture was  commissioned by Santa Rosa Nissan as part of their 1% for art contribution. The sculpture was created by Petaluma artists Mark Grieve and Ilana Spector. Former TLCD architect Danny Strening did the permit drawings and Kevin Zucco of  ZFA was the structural engineer. It is a pretty remarkable and sizable structure. Be sure to check it out. There was an article in the Press Democrat online version yesterday. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100824/NEWS/100829808/1349?Title=From-old-bikes-to-beauty-&tc=ar

aB

TLCD’s Luther Burbank Savings Project Hits the Press!

On Wednesday, July 21, Luther Burbank Savings announced to the public via a Press Release, their plans to relocate their Santa Rosa branch office to the former Traverso’s site at 106 B Street. TLCD Architecture has been working behind the scenes for months on the designs for this dynamic downtown remodel which will double the bank’s current space. The Luther Burbank Savings building in tandem with Museum on the Square project is part of what many hope will be a “downtown renaissance”. Check the following links to articles published today in the Press Democrat and North Bay Business Journal regarding this exciting news!

Kaiser Santa Rosa Hospital Expansion featured in NBBJ article

The North Bay Business Journal featured an article in the June 7th edition titled “Kaiser Tower hits milestone toward October opening”. The project recently met a major milestone, receiving a certificate of occupancy from OSHPD which moves it ever closer to the October 10th grand opening. Jason Brabo was interviewed for this article and describes several of the features of the new facility that will improve patient care and staff efficiencies. As one of the largest construction projects in the North Bay, the Kaiser Hospital Expansion will provide much needed patient facilities to the community.

NVC Presentation of the McCarthy Library

NVC library

History was made at Napa Valley College yesterday afternoon.  Around four o’clock, a large group of community members, campus staff and administrators, librarians, architects, contractors, engineers, parents, friends, and students gathered for the opening of the new McCarthy Library.  “This new building,” as described by Interim Superintendent/President Armond Phillips, “will be the hub of campus activity and a place for student learning and achievement for years to come.”  The building is appropriately dedicated to the late NVC president, Chris McCarthy who advocated for student learning throughout his career. The short presentation also included a few heartfelt words from Dean of Library and Learning Resources Bonnie Thoreen, Vice President of Instruction Sue Nelson, and Director of Campus Planning and Construction Dan TerAvest.  The presentation was concluded with a reading of “The Library,” a poem by Napa Valley Poet Laureate, Gary Silva.

The event proceeded with self-guided tours of the new building, live music, and food service from the new cafe.  The mood was grand in celebration of this beautiful new building.  The only argument I overheard was between a group of librarians debating who had the coolest office!

Congratulations to the TLCD team and everyone involved with this project.  It is something you should all be very, very proud of.

Rainmakers sure Did!

I attended our semi-annual Rainmakers roundtable  in Boston April 8-10.  Talk about making rain, I arrived in balmy 85+ weather and as soon as the group started arriving the weather turned cold. On Friday the group took the downpour tour of some newer Boston projects including the Norman Foster addition to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Rowing Club Boathouse, Gehry’s Strata Center (pictured), Saarinen’s Chapel at MIT and the new addition to the Media Lab at MIT by Fumihiko Maki. I’ll be showing photos of these projects and a few more at Wine Wednesday, April 21 at 5:00 p.m. Umbrellas not required.

aB

6th Annual Celebration of Left Coast Design

On Thursday evening, Suzanne and I attended the 2010 IIDA Honor Awards at the historic Fox Theater in Oakland. The awards are open to design firms of all sizes, focus and interest practicing in the Northern California region of the IIDA (International Interior Design Association). TLCD submitted the Mahoney Library under the category called “Serve” which includes public spaces where people gather. We arrived just as the slide show scrolled through the images we submitted for the Mahoney Library, so it was nice to have that recognition in front of 600 members! The Northern California Chapter is one of the most active in the nation and the caliber of design reflected in the winning projects was truly impressive. While TLCD did not win for Mahoney Library, we continue to be inspired by the passion for interior architecture in this region.

Each year the IIDA also selects a firm to receive their “Pioneer Award” and this year’s recipient is Architecture For Humanity. If you’ve never checked out this organization or their website, it’s well worth it.

Napa LLRC and Great Skies

View of the NVC LLRC from the plaza February 5, 2010

On Friday February 5, Jeff and I were on our way back from investigating the Dixon Public Library and stopped by the Napa Valley College Library site. It  was one of those lucky breaks in the weather where the light and clouds were just perfect, a day that professional photographers wait eagerly for.  The project is really coming along on the exterior. The plaza paving is  going in and the exterior features are becoming more evident. A crew was just starting the Rheinzinc paneling on the east side, most of the fascia panels are in and “The Wall” with its ochre colored Venetian plaster is spectacular. The plaza is going to be a great civic  space. In the large view  you can see one of two  raised outdoor stages that will really help activate the plaza and make it a great venue for a variety of  activities. Views out from the cafe  and  the plaza really make the space even more dramatic. There are some really great views from the interior including the gallery walkway leading up  to the second floor  that you can see at  the left side of the  larger view. From the floating classroom in the  middle  of the  main library floor there is a panoramic view  out through the clerestory windows  to  the  west and the Napa River floodplain.
I  look forward to the  completion with eager anticipation.
aB

The Wall