The Philadelphia Architect

Call For Entries: 2010 Philadelphia Emerging Architecture Prize Philadelphia architects registered 10 years or fewer are invited to submit their design work for consideration for the 2010 Philadelphia Emerging Architecture Prize. This biannual prize was established in 2008 to recognize specific works of high-quality architectural design and thinking, and to encourage the exchange of ideas among emerging architects who might otherwise not have a wide forum of exposure for their work.

The PEAPrize will be awarded to a select group of architects/firms as chosen through a juried portfolio submission. Projects of all types, executed in any medium, are welcome. Design work of the prize winners will be featured in an exhibition at the Philadelphia Center for Architecture, with an opening featured as part of the Design Philadelphia celebration, and will also be invited to present a lecture of their work at the Center in late October.

PEAPrize details and entry requirements are available at http://peaprize.blogspot.com/.

Designed by BWA, Weavers Way Co-op's Chestnut Hill Market is Open for Business! BWA Architecture + Planning renovated a complex of interconnected three-story residential/retail structures on Germantown Avenue to serve as Weavers Way Co-op's third food store. In addition to grocery, produce, deli, and meat/poultry/fish departments, the project incorporates a substantial commercial kitchen which expands the co-op's prepared foods business and supplies all three locations- Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, and Ogontz - as well as other area stores.

To fit in with the historic character of the avenue and to satisfy community preferences, BWA designed a 60-foot-long neo-traditional storefront which is garnering rave reviews. Sustainable features were included wherever possible. Perhaps most interesting is a heat recovery system that has been integrated with the multi-stage condenser array which serves the many walk-in and reach-in refrigerators. The captured heat is expected to meet all domestic hot water needs for the co-op operations and six apartments above. Stormwater from all impervious surfaces is being saved for irrigation of the landscaped rear yard with excess going into a recharge system, not the city sewers. A roof-mounted array of photo-voltaic panels is intended for the next phase of work on the building.

FDA's Jefferson Laboratories, designed by KlingStubbins, is certified LEED Gold KlingStubbins transformed a former chemical weapons arsenal building into the modern day research operations known as Building 50, a seven-story tower at the US Food and Drug Administration's Jefferson Laboratories, located in Jefferson, Arkansas. The firm's collaborative commitment to sustainability qualified the adaptive-reuse building a total of 36 LEED credit points, resulting in LEED-Commercial Interiors (CI) Gold Certification. TME, Inc. was contracted by FDA to head up the tracking of the LEED information.

Previous renovations to Building 50 were implemented in the 1990s, but as FDA staff counts increased, a corresponding need for space was necessary, resulting in the more recent fitout of shell space on floors 2, 3, 4, and 5. The tower was retrofitted to accommodate administrative, financial, and computer operations offices and support space. Existing structural framing of the building envelopes was modified for seismic and wind loads, and the windowless exterior walls were removed and replaced with more thermally efficient construction with windows for daylighting and views of the surrounding countryside. The building's long narrow footprint is aligned in a north / south direction easily accommodating individual offices on either side of central core areas, open plan offices, and open break spaces across the full width of the building, where centralized core facilities do not exist. The full width open areas permit natural daylighting into the interior during most of the working day. The office environment takes its cues from the lush, green Arkansas landscape as reflected in selected wood finishes, glass, and fabrics.

Francis Cauffman Appoints David L. Labe as Director of Communication National architecture firm Francis Cauffman has appointed David L. Labe as Director of Communication to direct the firm's marketing, client development, and public relations efforts. Labe has more than 25 years of experience in business development, marketing, operational management, client services, and financial management. He was previously Manager of Client Relations for Francis Cauffman, which has offices in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.

James Crispino, AIA, president of Francis Cauffman, said, "As a leader of firm-wide business development at Francis Cauffman, David has built relationships with new clients and strengthened our relationships with existing clients. He has been a major asset to the firm, and he will continue to help expand our growing business as we reach into new markets and locations."

David L. Labe, 52, has nearly three decades of experience in business development and marketing. Previously Manager of Client Relations with Francis Cauffman, Labe has also served as Director of Business Development at architecture firm Burt Hill, and Recruiting Principal at API Partners LLC. Labe is a graduate of Hobart College in Geneva, NY.

RAM-TECH Engineers Honored with 2010 VISTA Award RAM-TECH Engineers has been awarded the 2010 VISTA Award by the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) of the American Hospital Association (AHA) for the exemplary teamwork represented in the new construction of the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Critical Care Building in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

"The Vista Award is unique in that it recognizes a team working together with the ultimate goal of designing and developing a healing environment. By sharing a common vision and stated goals, team members overcome challenges presented along the way," explained Dana Swenson, PE, MBA, Senior Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer, UMass Memorial Health Care, and chair of the 2010 Vista Awards Task Force. "The team brought together by the Geisinger Health System clearly demonstrated this important facet of a new construction project. Ultimately, the real people to benefit from the team's hard work are the people of Wilkes-Barre who will use and work at the facility."

The design team as a whole is recognized with this national award. The team consisted of RAM-TECH Engineers of Philadelphia PA as the MEP/FP Engineer, Francis Cauffman of Philadelphia, PA as Architect, Borton-Lawson of Wilkes-Barre PA as the Civil Engineer, Alvin H. Butz, Inc. of Allentown, PA as Construction Manager and Geisinger Health System of Danville, PA is the Owner.

Legacy Embraced Opens 9/10 at Always by Design Gallery How does a contemporary artist produce work in the shadow of an internationally acclaimed elder? Local to Philadelphia, both the Calder and Wyeth families offer three-generation examples. This latest exhibition at AxD gallery features the work Maria Nevelson, granddaughter Louise Nevelson and Val Bertoia, son of Harry Bertoia. Both of these sculptors have chosen to embrace their unique artistic heritage while finding their own unique artistic voices within it.

Harry Bertoia was a prolific creator of mono-prints, jewelry, monumental outdoor metal sculptures, and the revolutionary wire mesh designs for the Knoll furniture company in the 1950's. Harry Bertoia was best known, however, for his sonorous metal rod sculptures and the unique Sonambient music they could produce. Harry's son Val assisted in building hundreds of his father's sound sculptures in the 1970s and continued the work after Harry's death. Val works predominantly in bronze and copper, often incorporating sound and a love of natural form but with an added sense of whimsy and asymmetry.

Maria Nevelson's work closely resembles the monochromatically painted found object assemblages of her internationally acclaimed grandmother Louise, but on a smaller scale. Where many of Louise Nevelson's sculptures are imposing structures, the largest of them being as tall as a house, Maria's work reflects a more intimate and delicate nature. To Maria the sense of harmony felt during the creation of this variety of found object sculpture is the most profound gift of her grandmother's legacy and the root her own artistic career.

The resonance of the contemporary Bertoia and Nevelson work attains new meaning and nuance as these artists essentially multitask -- revering and preserving the artistic legacy of their elders while simultaneously pursuing their own artistic explorations. Legacy Embraced opens with reception Friday, September 10, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and continues through October 2. 265 South 10th Street, Philadelphia.

Wohlsen Construction Receives North American Sustainable Enterprise Award Wohlsen Construction Company has been awarded a North American Sustainable Enterprise Award by the Green Plus Institute for Sustainable Development. Wohlsen Vice President, Bill Forrey accepted the Green Plus Sustainable Medium-Sized Business of the Year award on behalf of Wohlsen Construction at their annual conference. The award is designed to recognize enterprises in a variety of sectors for the example they have set in advancing triple-bottom-line sustainability.

Atkin Olshin Schade Architects Featured in Traditional Building Magazine Atkin Olshin Schade Architects is featured this summer in two separate editions of Traditional Building Magazine. The August 2010 issue features a full firm profile and description of the firm's highly diverse range of place-based projects across the country. Atkin Olshin Schade Architects was also featured in the June 2010 issue of Traditional Building when its project for the Renovations and Additions to St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Indianapolis, IN was awarded a Palladio Award. The Palladio Award program, sponsored by Traditional Building and Period Homes magazines, honors outstanding achievement in traditional design. The project, which, includes the renovation and expansion of St. Paul's to support the worship, educational, outreach and social programs of the 2,000-member parish, also won a 2008 AIA Pennsylvania Merit Award.

John M. Evans Joins Preservation Design Partnership, LLC John M. Evans, LEED AP, has joined Preservation Design Partnership (PDP) as an Associate and Project Coordinator. Prior to joining PDP, Mr. Evans worked in the Preservation Design Studio at HillierARCHITECTURE/RMJM, where he collaborated with PDP partners Dominique Hawkins and George Skarmeas on several preservation projects, including the Virginia State Capitol and the Cincinnati Museum Center. Mr. Evans has also completed several preservation projects in the Philadelphia area as an architectural conservator and restoration contractor. He is currently an adjunct faculty member in the Historic Preservation Program of Bucks County Community College.

Brinjac Engineering Welcomes Two New Senior Engineers Brinjac Engineering, Inc is pleased to welcome two new additions to the Brinjac team. Cynthia Fowler, PE, LEED has joined Brinjac's Philadelphia office as a Senior Engineer, with over 9 years experience in HVAC design. She is a Drexel University graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Patricia Brubaker, PE has joined Brinjac's Harrisburg office as a Senior Engineer, with over 5 years experience. She is a University of Delaware graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering.

aReturnOnDesign.com Online Community Launches BLT Architects created aReturnOnDesign.com in response to the growing conversation around architecture's role in achieving project based business goals. In a demanding economy, architecture can no longer remain a passive asset. The new website focuses on the role architecture and design should play in contributing to the effectiveness of a project. The website hosts a community that shares interest in design's impact on communities, architecture's benefit to stakeholders, and the evolution of the global design. aReturnOnDesign.com's open community will serve as a platform for debate and discussion about architecture and design in a new economic reality. aReturnOnDesign.com is currently taking registrations for new members of the community. We invite you to visit and join the conversation!

Two Metcalfe Projects Win Philadelphia Magazine's Best of Philly 2010 Awards Metcalfe Architecture & Design is proud to announce that not one, but TWO, of its projects were honored with Philadelphia magazine's Best of Philly 2010 awards - the tree canopy walk at Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania and The Little Treehouse, both in Chestnut Hill. Philadelphia magazine named Tree Adventure, an Arboretum-wide exhibit that includes the 450-foot Out on a Limb tree canopy walk, best Stroll through a Forest. The Little Treehouse, an inventive play space for children combined with an adult-friendly cafe, was named best Kids' Party Venue.

"We are thrilled for our two clients, who each had the vision to create such unique entities," says Alan Metcalfe, AIA, LEED AP, the firm's owner and principal. "Congratulations to both for these well-deserved honors. It was a real pleasure to work with them on these spectacular projects."

Out on a Limb, aesthetically exciting and environmentally sustainable, takes visitors five stories above the forest floor. Attendance increased some 50 percent since it opened in July 2009.

"Metcalfe understood our requirements and embraced our vision," says Robert Gutowski, Director of Public Programs at Morris. "Their architectural and exhibition creativity led to sustainable design solutions that worked with our site, our programs, and our team process. Working with Metcalfe, and the phenomenal success of Tree Adventure, is truly a Best of Philly experience."

The Little Treehouse, which melds a high-end cafe experience with a rich play environment, has been wildly popular, building a database of 10,000 families in its first year.

"We are honored to have received the Best of Philly award after only a year in business," says owner Rachael Williams. "In collaboration with Metcalfe Architecture & Design we created an exciting, vibrant space for families that caters both functionally and aesthetically to all ages, which we believe to be a 'first' in the field of family entertainment and dining."

Archer & Buchanan's Arboretum Published in Green Journal A college arboretum project designed by Archer & Buchanan Architecture, Ltd. has been published in the Journal of Green Building, a national scholarly publication advancing the state of knowledge about high performing, sustainable structures. The article is about the design of the Wister Education Center and Greenhouse of The Scott Arboretum on the Swarthmore College Campus in Swarthmore, PA.

"The building is a teaching tool used for public education and outreach as well as a state-of-the-art greenhouse used for plant propogation and horticultural display," said Dan Russoniello, AIA LEED AP, a principal at Archer & Buchanan and the author of the article that has just appeared in the Spring 2010 issue of the Journal. "It's appropriate that the lessons learned on this project be available in a scholarly publication."

Called "the most beautiful campus in America," Swarthmore College is dedicated to advancing sustainable design strategies on the campus. The Wister Center incorporates many sustainable features including, rainwater capture, recycling harvested materials, using local manufactured building products and other standards of energy efficiency. The green roof of the Wister Center, the college has six of them, is flourishing with Sedum, Talinum, Delosperma, Campanula, Allium, and Dianthus. Not yet LEED-certified, the building is expected to soon receive Gold or Silver designation. Photo by Jessica Fogle of Archer & Buchanan Architecture, Ltd.

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