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 the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

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 EDITOR IN CHIEF Robert Ivy, FAIA, rivy@mcgraw-hill.com
MANAGING EDITOR Beth Broome, elisabeth_broome@mcgraw-hill.com
DESIGN DIRECTOR Anna Egger-Schlesinger, schlesin@mcgraw-hill.com
SENIOR EDITORS Charles Linn, FAIA, linnc@mcgraw-hill.com
Clifford Pearson, pearsonc@mcgraw-hill.com
Sarah Amelar, sarah_ amelar@mcgraw-hill.com
Sara Hart, sara_ hart@mcgraw-hill.com
Deborah Snoonian, P.E., deborah_snoonian@mcgraw-hill.com
William Weathersby, Jr., bill_weathersby@mcgraw-hill.com
Jane F. Kolleeny, jane_kolleeny@mcgraw-hill.com
PRODUCTS EDITOR Rita F. Catinella, rita_catinella@mcgraw-hill.com
NEWS EDITOR Sam Lubell, sam_lubell@mcgraw-hill.com
PRODUCTION MANAGER Juan Ramos, juan_ramos@mcgraw-hill.com
DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Kristofer E. Rabasca, kris_rabasca@mcgraw-hill.com
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Clara Huang, clara_huang@mcgraw-hill.com
WEB EDITOR Randi Greenberg, randi_greenberg@mcgraw-hill.com
WEB DESIGN Susannah Shepherd, susannah_shepherd@mcgraw-hill.com
WEB PRODUCTION Laurie Meisel, laurie_meisel@mcgraw-hill.com
EDITORIAL SUPPORT Linda Ransey, linda_ransey@mcgraw-hill.com
John Wilson, john_wilson@mcgraw-hill.com
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COPY EDITOR Leslie Yudell
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Dean, David Dillon, Francis Duffy, Lisa Findley, Blair Kamin,
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ARCHITECTURAL RECORD: (ISSN 0003-858X) December 2004. Vol. 192, No. 12. Published monthly by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New
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THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS 2004 BOARD OF DIRECTORS • OFFICERS: Eugene C. Hopkins, FAIA, President; Douglas L Steidl, FAIA, First Vice President; Paul Davis
Boney, FAIA, Vice President; RK Stewart, FAIA, Vice President; David H. Watkins, FAIA, Vice President; Lawrence R. Livergood, AIA, Secretary; James A. Gatsch, FAIA, Treasurer; David
Lancaster, Hon. AIA, CACE Representative to the Executive Committee; Norman L. Koonce, FAIA, Executive Vice President/CEO • REGIONAL DIRECTORS: Douglas E. Ashe, AIA; Jamie
Aycock, AIA; John H. Baker, AIA; Ronald J. Battaglia, FAIA; William D. Beyer, FAIA; Michael Broshar, AIA; Randy Byers, AIA; Tommy Neal Cowan, FAIA; Glenn H. Fellows, AIA; Robert D.
Fincham, AIA; Betty Sue Flowers, PhD; A. James Gersich, AIA; Ana Guerra, Assoc. AIA; T. Gunny Harboe, AIA; The Hon. Jeremy Harris; John J. Hoffmann, FAIA; William E. Holloway,
AIA; Michael M. Hricak Jr., FAIA; Orlando T. Maione, AIA; Thomas R. Mathison, AIA; Carl F. Meyer, AIA; Robert E. Middlebrooks, AIA; George H. Miller, FAIA; Wayne Mortensen; Hal P.
Munger, AIA; Gordon N. Park, CDS, AIA; David Proffitt, AIA; Marshall E. Purnell, FAIA; Bruce A. Race, FAIA; Miguel A. Rodriguez, AIA; Jerry K. Roller, AIA; Jeffrey Rosenblum, AIA;
Martin G. Santini, AIA; Robert I. Selby, FAIA; Saundra Stevens, Hon. AIA; Norman Strong, FAIA; Stephen T. Swicegood, FAIA; M. Hunter Ulf, AIA; J. Benjamin Vargas, AIA; Bryce A.
Weigand, FAIA. • AIA MANAGEMENT COUNCIL: Norman L. Koonce, FAIA, Executive Vice President/CEO; James Dinegar, Chief Operating Officer; Richard J. James, CPA, Chief
Financial Officer; Jay A. Stephens, Esq., General Counsel; Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, Team Vice President, AIA Community; Ronald A. Faucheux, Team Vice President, AIA
Government Advocacy; Barbara Sido, CAE, Team Vice President, AIA Knowledge; Elizabeth Stewart, Esq., Team Vice President, AIA Public Advocacy; Elizabeth Casqueiro, AIA, Managing
Director, AIA Alliances; James W. Gaines Jr., Assoc. AIA, Managing Director, AIA Professional Practice; Suzanne Harness, AIA, Esq., Managing Director and Counsel, AIA Contract
Documents; Richard L. Hayes, Ph.D., RAIC, AIA, Managing Director, AIA Knowledge Resources; Brenda Henderson, Hon. AIA, Managing Director, AIA Component Relations; Christine
M. Klein, Managing Director, AIA Meetings; Carol Madden, Managing Director, AIA Membership Services; Philip D. O’Neal, Managing Director, AIA Technology; C.D. Pangallo, EdD,
Managing Director, AIA Continuing Education; Terence J. Poltrack, Managing Director, AIA Communications; Phil Simon, Managing Director, AIA Marketing and Promotion; Laura
Viehmyer, SPHR, CEBS, Managing Director, AIA Human Resources.

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 Sure, you’re challenged to reinvent the wheel.

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12.2004 On the Cover: Miran Galerie, by dECOi
Right: Natural Ellipse, by Masaki Endoh.
Photograph by Y. Takase

Departments 186 29 Garden Street, Massachusetts by Nancy Levinson*

17 Editorial: Thoroughly Modern
21 Letters*
52 Dates & Events*
57 Archrecord2: For the emerging architect by Randi Greenberg*
61 Correspondent’s File: Moscow by Paul Abelsky
65 Commentary: Architects’ offbeat appellations by Aric Chen
67 Critique: Cuban Modernism’s short moment by Michael Sorkin
71 Books: Looking back at Ground Zero
77 Exhibitions: Eisenman in Verona by Fred A. Bernstein
81 archrecord.com: Beyond the printed page by Randi Greenberg*
85 Snapshot: MU Skate Bowl by Beth Broome
346 Profile: Matteo Pericoli by Deborah Snoonian, P.E.*
Jonathan Levi Architects
192 Olympic College Poulsbo, Washington by James S. Russell, AIA*
Miller/Hull Partnership
198 Unified Science Center, Pennsylvania by Suzanne Stephens*
Einhorn Yaffee Prescott and Helfand Architecture
204 Santa Monica College Library, California by Morris Newman*
Anshen+Allen Los Angeles
For additional college and university projects, go to Building Types
Study at architecturalrecord.com.
Architectural Technology
213 Introduction by Deborah Snoonian, P.E.*
215 Entrepreneurial Curators Seek Innovations by Sara Hart*

Features 222 Getting Down to the Wire by Alex Wilson*

226 Zoom In: Universidade Agostinho Neto by Deborah Snoonian, P.E.*
90 Snøhetta by Sam Lubell
229 Tech Briefs*
94 2004 Aga Khan Awards for Architecture by Sam Lubell
235 Tech Products by Deborah Snoonian, P.E.*
104 Peter Bialobrzeski: A photo essay

Projects Product Reports

111 Design Vanguard 2004 by Mark C. Taylor* 278 Introduction by Rita F. Catinella
114 nARCHITECTS, New York City by William Weathersby, Jr.* 280 Editors’ Picks by Rita F. Catinella
118 Christoff:Finio Architecture, New York City by Charles Linn, FAIA* 282 Top 10 Green Products
124 Patterns, Los Angeles by Michael Speaks* 285 Digital Products*
130 dECOi, Massachusetts by Sarah Amelar* 289 Sitework*
136 Contemporary Architecture Practice, New York City 291 Concrete & Masonry*
by Sam Lubell* 295 Metals, Woods & Plastics*
140 Byoungsoo Cho Architects, Korea by Clifford A. Pearson* 299 Thermal & Moisture Protection*
146 Masaki Endoh/EDH, Japan by Naomi R. Pollock, AIA* 301 Doors & Windows*
152 Architecton, Japan by Naomi R. Pollock, AIA* 305 Finishes*
158 Alejandro Aravena, Chile by Nancy Levinson* 311 Specialties & Equipment*
164 Antón García-Abril, Spain by David Cohn* 314 Furnishings*
170 Plasma Studio, London by Sara Hart* 319 Special Construction & Conveyance*
321 Mechanical*
Building Types Study 840 322 Electrical*
177 Introduction: Colleges & Universities by James S. Russell, AIA
178 Shapiro Campus Center, Massachusetts by Nancy Levinson*
Charles Rose Architects 336 Reader Service* 326 AIA/CES Self-Report Form*

The AIA/ARCHITECTURAL RECORD * You can find these stories at www.architecturalrecord.com,

Continuing-Education Opportunity is “Entrepreneurial including expanded coverage of Projects, Building Types Studies, and Web-
Curators Seek Innovations” (page 215). To find out about other Continuing only special features.
Education opportunities in this issue, go to page 241.

12.04 Architectural Record 13

Visit us at December 2004

archrecord.construction.com
Design Vanguard 2004
This year’s 11 firms investigate the interrelation of natural
and built environments. Hailing from six different countries,
from Spain to Korea to Chile, discover the complex designs
of these young firms. On the Web, we expand each Design
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and renderings.

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 Thoroughly Modern
Editorial
N
ot all buildings need to shout. If you are a typical reader of
architectural record, you might conclude that most
contemporary architecture speaks assertively, even independ-
ently of its surroundings. Bold, inventive architecture maintains
ascendancy, while finesse or urban fit seem to have been relegated to second-
class status. What has happened to the refined, respectful urban solution?
New York’s recently reopened Museum of Modern Art proves that skill and
subtlety are still thriving.
In weaving together a disparate smattering of parts that the
Modern had become, including the Philip Johnson and Cesar Pelli addi-
tions, the architect, Yoshio Taniguchi, faced formidable obstacles. Initially,
he lacked recognition by a star-crazed public; few in the United States
knew his work, since the architect had built almost nothing outside Japan.
But his patience and tenacity, legendary among his peers, had produced
a painstaking body of work, significant for its perfection of detail and
devotion to scale and proportion. Taniguchi’s work has refined the
International Style, forged in Europe (and at the Modern), and honed it
to a classic, minimal language that clarifies Modernism. His projects, like
the Museum of the Horyuji Treasures [record June 2002, page 90],
unfold like origami, offering a procession of sensory experiences in three-
dimensional, interlocking space.
His pared-down material palette deepens the architectural dia-
logue. The list is brief, but pungent: translucent fritted glass; walls of black
granite and gray glass; silver anodized aluminum panels; simple white
interior walls; green-slate and light-oak flooring. Here, the architect
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A N D R É S O U R O U J O N
deployed the materials to maximum effect, allowing glass to glow or
grounded walls to hunker into solidity.
Taniguchi’s client, a foremost repository and expositor of the
Modern movement, needs no forceful declamation, no statement of iden-
tity as have its newer rivals like the Guggenheim Bilbao, in Spain. Instead,
the Modern needed significant expansion, coherence of multiple parts,
which had grown through the years, and a functional shake-up. The world
had shifted since Abby Aldrich Rockefeller’s early galleries confronted a new
century. Today the Modern’s collections and support, unrivaled and superb,
By Robert Ivy, FAIA
warranted a kind of understated hegemony that this new museum
would provide.
Blissfully, the Taniguchi design, executed with the skills of the
associate architects, Kohn Pedersen Fox, transcends its brief. Visitors now
enter and rise to the fifth floor via escalators to commune with Matisse or
Jackson Pollock, then descend toward a voluminous atrium, where zoom-
ing spaces intersect and project out toward the sculpture garden. From 54th
Street, the rising floors offer an urban drama.
Galleries provide intimate moments away from the hype and scale,
appropriate to the art they contain. If the largest spaces seem overwhelming
for their installations, overall, the Modern seems to resolve the dichotomy
between spectacle and privacy outlined in an interview with Victoria
Newhouse in this magazine in January 2004 [page 80], offering both quiet
and sociability in due measure, all bound within a single, unified plan.
The highest compliment may reside within the visitor’s experi-
ence. Upon completion of a tour, the art is what remains memorable—the
chromatic, glowing canvases or the parametric curve of a bronze sculpture,
attesting to a welcome lightness of touch. Few architects today, outside of a
handful, including Renzo Piano, would have the confidence to allow the
objects contained to outshine the container.
During the recent opening days, some cognoscenti groused about
the Modern’s apparent lack of “newness”or innovation, as if every structure
should advance architecture intellectually or formally. Rather than a
theoretical display, today’s MoMA represents a culmination, a mastery of
idiom that we seldom witness in the United States. Replete with its own
ideas, the new Modern’s translucent unfolding sets a standard for a new
century’s ideas, and works of art yet to come.
12.04 Architectural Record 17
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It’s what’s inside
I was pleased to see the copy that
accompanied the image of Daniel
Libeskind’s Danish Jewish Museum
on ARCHITECTURAL RECORD’s October
cover. I agree the “debate contin-
ues” over museum design, and the
cover photo says it all: more bom-
bastic architecture from Libeskind
preying on art. I no longer feel
these solutions are completely
driven by the architect. Rather,
buildings like this fill a gap in the
curatorial mission of some institu-
tions. If a museum can’t tell
engaging stories with its collection,
then it builds a provocative box
around it.
Fortunately, the October issue
also showcases some redeeming
projects. James Stewart Polshek’s
design for the Brooklyn Museum
Letters
[page 116] is a wonderful front
door, although the museum has
significant problems that remain
to be addressed (for example,
many galleries aren’t even air-
conditioned). Richard Gluckman’s
Picasso Museum in Malaga [page
132] seems to be a scheme that
lets the curatorial interests and
architectural context take prece-
dence. It’s a sensible model that is
also reflected in Ando’s project in
Aomori [page 124].
I believe that great architecture
and a great museum experience
can coexist if those responsible—
trustees, museum directors, and
architects—remember that these
projects are more about the con-
tents than the container.
Ken Carbone
Manhattan
Diversity resolution
Your facetious October Record
News headline, “Will Number
Crunching Fix Architecture’s
Diversity Crisis?” [page 40], dis-
misses the sad reality that after
30 years of minority scholarships,
mentoring, programs aimed at
attracting underrepresented middle
and high school students, and cur-
ricular interventions, we have only
inconclusive anecdotal data on why
our profession still fails to reflect
the demographics of the society
we serve. Other professions, such
as law and nursing, have diversified
as they undertake systematic
quantitative and qualitative studies
to determine who is attracted to
their fields, how underrepresented
groups fare in professional schools,
what happens during internships
and the early stages of practice,
DEPARTMENTS
and why people drop out of profes-
sional tracks before becoming
licensed.
Architects often speculate
that a lack of early exposure to
design professionals, low pay, or
workplace practices may be driving
qualified people of color, women,
and those who are physically chal-
lenged out of architecture, but we
have not self-assessed our prac-
tices in a systematic way. Such
speculation begs the question of
why so many white males are will-
ing to accept the challenges of our
profession while others are not.
The AIA’s Diversity Resolution is
designed to bring together all the
groups involved with this profes-
sion, in order to capture both
statistical data (longitudinal “num-
 Letters
ber crunching”) and qualitative
information. We invite comments
and recommendations through
the Diversity listserve on the AIA’s
Web site. This will enable us to
introduce effective and focused
programs to address what you
rightly call a “diversity crisis” as the
world evolves dramatically around
us, but the demographics of our
profession change only minimally.
Ted Landsmark, Assoc. AIA,
M.Ev.D, J.D., Ph.D.
President, Boston Architectural
Center
Chair, AIA Committee on Diversity
Steely resolve
I certainly wish to congratulate the
concrete industry on the accom-
plishments highlighted in Sara
Hart’s article, “Slender, Robust,
and Very Tall,” in the Innovation
supplement to the November 2004
ARCHITECTURAL RECORD [page 36].
Concrete certainly has made
progress as it seeks to emulate the
strength, aesthetic appeal, design
flexibility, cost effectiveness, and
schedule benefits of structural steel.
Regretfully, the article echoes
some misleading assertions of the
concrete industry with respect to
structural steel. It is critical that
owners, architects, developers,
structural engineers, and develop-
ers make informed decisions
based on accurate information, not
misrepresentations being spread
by representatives of competing
systems.
H. Louis Gurthet, P.E.
President
American Institute of Steel
Construction
Set and setting
Robert Campbell [Critique, Novem-
ber 2004, page 75], citing lines of
Londoners awaiting the opening of
Norman Foster’s Gherkin, a work
of commercial architecture, says,
“It’s hard to imagine that kind of
interest … in the U.S.” Perhaps, but
on April 22, 1939, 26,000 people
(over one third the population of
Racine, Wisconsin, where the work
was located) waited for two hours
in lines two blocks long to experi-
ence the interior of the Johnson
Administration Building, a strictly
for-business work of architecture.
Frank Lloyd Wright, waxing confi-
dent, had predicted the project
would attract spectacular atten-
tion—and more—for his client.
Given that both projects serve
private business interests, this may
be more of a commentary concerning
the quality and attraction of public
spaces within the vicinity of both.
J. Spencer Lake
San Diego
Thanks for the memories
I’d like to compliment you on the
October issue—it is probably the
best edition I have ever seen in the
many years I have been reading
ARCHITECTURAL RECORD. The issue
truly expresses the design of the
international architects you have
honored.
Additionally, in reading the
obituaries [Record News, page 31],
I find it difficult to contain my
admiration for some of the great
architects who helped develop our
industry over the past 50 years.
Max Abramovitz has never gotten
his due. Certainly, Ed Barnes has
left his mark on American architec-
ture, and Irwin Miller of Cummins
Engine Company in Indiana was one
of the first individuals who appreci-
ated the quality of good design.
Marvin A. Mass
Consentini Associates
New York City
Corrections
A November News item about a
new building for New York’s Cooper
Union [page 30] failed to name
the project’s associate architect,
Gruzen Samton.
Write to rivy@mcgraw-hill.com.

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 Record News Highlights SOM sued over Freedom Tower p. 26
Photographer Ezra Stoller dies p. 31
Piano unveils Whitney model p. 32
Architecture programs growing in China p. 40

New law gives significant tax cuts to architects
On October 22, President Bush
signed the new JOBS tax bill into
law, representing $137 billion in cor-
porate tax cuts. As part of the law,
architecture and engineering firms will
receive a $358 million tax break.
For the 2005 and 2006 tax
years, firms—including sole propri-
etors, partnerships, LLCs, subchapter
S corporations, and C corpora-
tions—will be allowed to deduct 3
percent of their net revenues from
projects undertaken in the U.S.
That percentage increases to 6
percent in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
After 2009, it becomes 9 percent.
“This is a great victory for us,”
says AIA C.E.O. Norman L. Koonce,
FAIA, whose organization lobbied
hard for the legislation. “Our mem-
bers will receive a tangible benefit
for years to come.”
Responding to fiscal doubts,
Ron Facheaux, vice president of
governmental advocacy for the AIA,
makes it clear that the benefit for
architects “has nothing to do with
increasing the deficit.” He notes, “If
architects and engineers didn’t get
the money, it would have been used
for other corporate tax benefits.”
Because of the way the bill was
structured, he adds, every new tax
cut had to be paid for by a revenue
offset, including repealing the $50
billion export tax break and elimi-
nating $60 billion in tax shelters and
tax avoidance practices.
Many architects relished the
law’s benefits to their companies.
But others, like Ron Viergutz, an
architect at Jones Studio in Phoenix,
have concerns about who will not
benefit: “While I’m all for saving
money, I’m not willing to sacrifice
money in the system that could be
spent for education, social security,
environmental protection, health
care, troops’ body armor, or home-
land security,” he says. Sam Lubell

Praise and questions sidering its close prox-

for Ground Zero cul-
tural center choices
While significant praise has been
given for both the choice of cultural
institutions at Ground Zero and the
selection of Frank Gehry, FAIA, and
Snøhetta as project architects, some
community members and architects
have voiced concerns.
One of the biggest sources of
anxiety is whether the chosen archi-
tects—particularly Gehry, who is
designing the theater complex—will
connect their designs with the accu-
mulating architectural pastiche that
P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY F R A N K O . G E H R Y A N D PA R T N E R S
imity to the memorial.
Others, including
Calatrava himself, ques-
tion the location of the
museum complex. At a
recent book event in
New York, he claimed
the building’s location
just in front of his Transit
Hub would block light
from entering the struc-
ture, and he suggested
Some wonder if Gehry’s boisterous designs, like “Ginger and Fred” in Prague (left) and the that the museum be
Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles (right), will add to architectural cacophony at Ground Zero. moved elsewhere. Master
planner Daniel Libeskind,
“Without an overall vision, with- who along with the Signature AIA, quickly rejected this idea in an

is the new Ground Zero. Gehry, crit-
ics point out, is well known for his
sculptural prowess, formal original-
ity, and powerful statements. He is
not, however, known for his ability
to fit seamlessly into a larger urban
framework, particularly one that
must address mourning. Beverly
Willis, director of Remake Downtown
Our Town (RDOT), a Lower Manhattan
neighborhood group, is happy about
the wide variety of architecture devel-
oping in her area. But she wonders
if any of the buildings, designed by
very distinctive architects like Gehry
and Santiago Calatrava, will be
developed into a unified plan.
out some similarity in terms of color Theater hired Gehry, wonders if interview with The New York Times,
or materials, there’s not going to be meshing their building with the stating that the move would isolate
anything there to identify the buildings others is the point. “These arts the museum center and hurt the tone
that are being designed as part of a institutions have been brought in of the area. Lastly, questions have
larger place,” she notes, echoing sen- as a catalyst for redefining this arisen over whether the small-scale
timents from a few local architects, neighborhood. If you put in a square arts groups moving downtown could
who rumble that the site may become cement box, will people rush down present a substantial draw to bolster
an “architectural World’s Fair” instead to see that? We are, after all, in the the neighborhood at all times. Groups
of a World Trade Center. Design business of generating audiences.” say they plan to host events day and
guidelines for the site, not officially Still, she adds, “we are right across night, while Shelton adds that it
released, are not clear or forceful the street from the memorial, and would have been impossible to find
enough to maintain such unity, adds we have to be sensitive to that.” an “elegant solution” to fit a huge
Petra Todorovich, associate planner Meanwhile, the directors of the institution like City Opera on the site.
at the Regional Plan Association. Drawing Center and the Freedom The audience for downtown institu-
Gehry could not be reached for Center say the exterior of their tions, she adds, will be much more
comment, but Linda Shelton, exec- building, designed by Snøhetta, will “adventurous” than one coming from
utive director of the Joyce Theater, almost certainly be Minimalist, con- Lincoln Center. S.L.

12.04 Architectural Record 25

 Record News
Architect sues SOM over design of
Freedom Tower
District Court in New York that
Childs copied a project Shine
had developed while he was a
master’s student at Yale
University School of Architecture.
Shine claims to have presented
the project to Childs in the fall
of 1999.
The project, named
“Olympic Tower,” is a twisting
tower with a symmetrical diag-
onal column grid, expressed
on the exterior of the building,
following the twisting surface
created by the floor plates’
geometry. Shine copyrighted
the idea last spring and is
suing for copyright infringe-
Freedom Tower (left) and Shine’s project ment under the United
(right) twist in a similar fashion. States Copyright Act.
“From the first time I saw
1999 Yale studio course with archi-
tect Cesar Pelli. Childs was one of
the jurors who reviewed the final
proposals. As part of the law suit,
Shine, now a partner at his own
firm, Choi + Shine, which he runs
with his wife, has presented his orig-
inal drawings and models next to
SOM’s. He admits having reserva-
tions about the suit.
“No one undertakes suing a
multinational corporation lightly,
and you can’t help but feel vulnera-
ble,” notes Shine, who was born in
England but is now a U.S. citizen.
“But it’s not easy for me to just walk
away and let it go.” He mentions that
he and his lawyer, Andrew Baum of
New York firm Darby & Darby, tried
several times to settle the issue with
SOM outside of court, but that the
firm was unreceptive.
Baum stresses,
“We’re not trying to inter-
fere with the construction
of this building, and we’re
not trying to change
the plans. We’re looking
suit that Thomas Shine filed against
SOM for copyright infringement is
specious. While Mr. Shine’s building
and Freedom Tower share some
common design elements, most of
these elements have been industry
standards for decades. The diagrid
structural system combined with
shaped geometry, for example, was
first used by SOM in Chicago’s John
Hancock Center in 1970 and has
been widely used since.
“This is a high-profile project
and a number of people have
made claims that they were the
inventors of various parts of
Freedom Tower’s design. However,
SOM and its team of engineers has
combined these elements in a
unique way that reflects the special
nature of the building’s site and its
importance.” S.L.

Brookline, Massachusetts–based
architect Thomas Shine has pitted
himself as an architectural David
versus Goliath in a battle with David similarities, “I was very surprised at
Childs, FAIA, and Skidmore, Owings
& Merrill over the design of the
World Trade Center Freedom Tower.
Shine claims in a lawsuit filed
on November 8 in United States
the design of the Freedom Tower,”
which also features twisting surfaces,
a diagonal exterior grid, and other
how close it was to mine,” says Shine.
Shine, who says he has always
been fascinated by the twisting
forms in ceramics, says he came
up with the idea while attending a
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY T H O M A S S H I N E ( TO P ) ; N AT I O N A L I N S T I T U T E O F S TA N DA R D S A N D T E C H N O LO GY ( B OT TO M )
for fair recognition of
Thomas’s contribution and
fair compensation for his
original work,” he says.
SOM spokesperson
Elizabeth Kubany quickly
responded to the suit’s
filing with a lengthy state- Shine’s (left) and SOM’s (right) projects both
ment, which stated: “The feature diagonal exterior grids.

Interim results of World Trade Center Investigation “exonerate” twin towers design
The structural steel of the World Trade Center (WTC)’s Twin Towers was more sensitive to heat than any areas where there was missing or thin fire-
stripped of its fireproofing by debris from the aircraft impact and weakened proofing before the aircraft impacts,” says the report.
by the resulting fires, eventually causing the towers to collapse, according Many experts familiar with the Twin Towers’ design are not surprised by
to interim findings released in late October by the National Institute of the findings. But they are worth noting, say sources, because both structural
Standards & Technology (NIST). engineers and fire experts have questioned whether the design by Skilling
The findings say the region of dislodged fireproofing was determined from Helle Christiansen Robertson in some way contributed to the collapse.
the predicted path of the debris. “Had the fireproofing not been dislodged, the According to S. Shyam Sunder, NIST’s lead investigator for the study, an
temperature rise of the structural components would likely have been insuffi- ordinary office fire would likely have resulted in burnout, not collapse. In
cient to cause the global addition, NIST has determined that the majority of the steel was stronger
collapse of the towers,” says than minimum requirements. “The safety of the towers was most likely not
NIST in the October 19 affected by the small percentage of steel below the minimum,” says the
release of the interim report, report. In fire tests in August (pictured, left), NIST also determined that the
part of its $16-million study floor systems in the towers met the New York City building code of the time.
of the WTC destruction NIST plans to release its final draft of the Twin Towers report in
on September 11, 2001. December or January. A four-to-six-week public comment period will follow.
“Fireproofing dislodged by The final release is expected in May. The draft report on 7 WTC is set to be
debris left the components released in May. The final report is expected out in July. Nadine M. Post

26 Architectural Record 12.04

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 Record News

Polshek’s Center for the Arts Theater in San

Francisco (left). Joy’s Casa Jax project in
Tucson, Arizona (below left).

original, often poetic use of natural mate-

Cooper-Hewitt honors Polshek
Partnership and Rick Joy
Rick Joy, AIA, and Polshek Partnership were
awarded the 2004 Cooper-Hewitt National Design
Award for Architecture Design, marking the first
time in the award program’s five-year history that
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © J E F F G O L D B E R G / E S TO ( TO P ) ; B I L L T I M M E R M A N ( S E C O N D F R O M TO P ) ;
rials and for his projects’ environmental
awareness. Recent works include his
Catalina House and Casa Jax, both in
Tucson, Arizona. He is now working on
a luxury resort in Utah and several
residential projects in the Southwest.
New York City–based Polshek
Partnership, whose William J. Clinton
Presidential Library opened in November,
has long been a dynamic force in educa-
tional and cultural design. Other recent
projects by the firm include an expansion
of the Brooklyn Museum of Art and Zankel
Hall, at Carnegie Hall, in New York.
The National Design Awards were
conceived in 1997 by the Smithsonian
Institution’s Cooper-Hewitt, National
Design Museum to honor excellence,
innovation, and enhancement of the
quality of life. Winners in other categories
included Milton Glaser for Lifetime
Achievement; Yeohlee Teng for Fashion Design;
Yves Béhar for Product Design; and Amanda M.
Burden, chair of the New York City Planning
Commission and director of the Department of

two winners were honored in that category. City Planning, who received the Design Patron
Joy, based in Arizona, is renowned for his Award. Audrey Beaton

“Gherkin” takes Stirling Prize

London’s first environmentally advanced tall building, 30 St. Mary
Axe, widely known as the “Gherkin,” has won this year’s RIBA
Stirling Prize, the U.K.’s premier architectural award. Foster and
Partners designed the 40-story tapering structure for the Swiss
Re insurance firm. The structure has been a popular icon in the
capital since its completion earlier this year. Award judges
acknowledged its success in terms of facility, ambience, and
intelligent internal division of space. The relatively small footprint
of the aerodynamic structure and the discretion of its siting were
huge assets, they also felt. The building takes many ideas about
FO S T E R A N D PA R T N E R S ( B E LO W )

naturally ventilated tall structures, like drawing fresh air through

the light wells that spiral up the building, from Foster’s
Commerzbank in Frankfurt.
Although unanimous in their decision, the judges acknowledged the stiff competition present-
ed by five other British projects: the Kunsthaus, Graz, by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier; The Spire,
Dublin, by Ian Ritchie Architects; Imperial War Museum, Manchester, by Studio Daniel Libeskind;
the Phoenix Initiative, Coventry, by MacCormac Jamieson Prichard; and the Business Academy
Bexley, also by Foster and Partners. Lucy Bullivant
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 Record News
7 World Trade Center tops out
On October 21, Tishman
Construction topped steel for 7
World Trade Center, the last build-
ing at Ground Zero to collapse on
September 11, 2001, and the first
on the site to be rebuilt. The 750-
foot-tall, 1.7-million-square-foot
tower is designed by David Childs
of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
The original building, designed
by Emery Roth & Sons and com-
pleted in 1985, stood 641 feet
tall but contained more floor space
than the new building, which is The final beam is lifted at
narrower to accommodate a 7 World Trade Center.
restored street. According to Ken
Lewis, SOM project manager for the building, con-
struction is about two months ahead of schedule,
and 7 WTC will likely open in October 2005.
“It was pretty powerful to watch the last beam
Architectural photographer Ezra Stoller dies
Renowned architectural photographer Ezra
Stoller died on October 29 at his home in
Williamstown, Massachusetts, at the age of
89 from complications due to a stroke.
Attending architecture school at New York
University as Modernism took hold in the 1930s,
Stoller came along just at the right time to become
one of the preeminent pioneers of Modernist archi-
tectural photography. By 1939, he shot the New
York World’s Fair, creating images that, as in many
of his pictures, now commemorate the buildings
and even define them in our mind’s eye. During an
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R A M I N TA L A I E ( TO P ) ; E S TO ( B OT TO M T W O )
active career that would last until the early 1980s,
Stoller photographed many of the remarkable new
Stoller (right) shot classics like Saarinen’s TWA terminal (above).
inventions of the postwar era.
It took a Modernist eye to see Modernist
buildings, and Stoller framed views that, in their
limpid transparency, always clarified the struc-
tures. He did not simply document a building.
go up,” says Lewis, whose office at
SOM is just blocks from the Trade
Center site. “Especially given the
fact that so many of us watched as
the [original] building came down.”
That collapse destroyed an electri-
cal substation housed in the base
of the building. The need to replace
the station hastened construction
for 7 WTC, which was not a part of
the master plan competition.
The new building will have
a dense, 2-foot concrete core
and a steel skeleton. The stairs,
contained in the core, will be 20
percent wider than the original
building’s, and the staircase will be pressurized.
World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein
has yet to find tenants for the new building.
Kevin Lerner
According to his daughter,
Erica Stoller, who runs
ESTO, the architectural
photo agency her father
established in 1966, he
said that he didn’t just
“take” photographs, but
“made” them. Using a highly laborious process
that involved a car laden with suitcases and
ladders, he strategized shoots by mapping views
on plans and stalking buildings for optimal sun
angles and shadows.
The images often provide the lasting record
of a building understood in the way the architect
intended, revealed in a chiaroscuro
of light and shade that explained
its form, spatiality, and sensibility.
In a way, his aesthetic of crisp
delineation, often achieved through
the sculpting effects of natural
light, provoked architects to design
for the same effects, so that he
affected the designs that he would
capture. Great architects—Eero
Saarinen, Paul Rudolph, Louis Kahn, Mies van
der Rohe, Richard Meier—regularly sought out
his services. Asked to advise how Stoller should
shoot one of his buildings, Frank Lloyd Wright said
not to worry, “Ezra will know.” Joseph Giovannini
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Record News
Whitney Museum unveils model for its expansion
Just when all eyes were focused on the Museum
of Modern Art’s elegant addition, the Whitney
Museum of American Art on November 9
Koolhaas, whose flamboyant addition would have
altered the building’s image significantly. That plan
was canceled in spring 2003.
released model images of Renzo Piano’s design
for an expansion and renovation of the institu-
The project will also include significant reno-
vation of the museum’s current galleries, sculpture
tion’s space on New York’s Upper East Side. Piano courtyard, and facilities for art handling, while
was chosen for the project early this summer and
has since been developing a compre-
hensive vision for the site.
adding new retail and restaurant facilities. It comes
The understated expansion plan,
which the museum stresses will be
“scaled to the residential buildings” in
the area, will add new permanent and
special exhibition galleries, education
space, an auditorium, research center,
a paper study room, library, and
administrative space.
The new structure will sit among
a group of brownstones on Madison
Avenue and 74th Street, connected to
the Whitney’s Marcel Breuer–designed Piano’s “respectful” addition (right) will rise above the Breuer
building by transparent, enclosed building (left) and will likely include an alloy facade.
bridges between galleries on each floor.
Piano’s cubical exterior, says museum director at a crucial time, Whitney officials point out. The
Adam Weinberg, will likely be covered in a cast- museum’s permanent collection has grown by more
alloy skin and rise higher than the Breuer than 65 percent over the past 10 years, ballooning
building. It will emphasize the art inside with to almost 15,000 works, but because of space
elegant, muted exhibition spaces. constraints, the museum has been able to exhibit
Weinberg adds that the design will not alter less than 2 percent of the collection. The design
the forms of Breuer’s building, nor will it affect will be presented to the city in the next few
the museum’s adjacent storefront buildings and months, says Weinberg, while dates for con-
nearby town-house office buildings. The design struction and completion will be announced in
contrasts markedly with an earlier plan by Rem the near future. S.L.
Economic outlook for 2005 is upbeat
I M A G E : C O U R T E SY W H I T N E Y M U S E U M O F A M E R I C A N A R T
Economists were upbeat at McGraw-Hill Construction’s Outlook 2005 Executive Conference, held on
October 28 in Washington, D.C. David Wyss, Standard & Poor’s chief economist, says that the nation’s
economic recovery is finally accelerating, with capital spending on the rise, despite excess capacity in
the manufacturing sector. Robert Murray, McGraw-Hill Construction’s vice president for economic
affairs, noted that McGraw-Hill Construction estimates new construction starts will be up a total of 9
percent by the end of 2004. It is projected that single-family construction starts will increase 8 percent
in 2004 to an all-time high of 1.53 million units. On a dollar-volume basis, income property construction
will be up 11 percent.
According to Construction Outlook 2005, a report that is released at the conference annually,
this favorable climate should continue into next year. The report estimates that on a dollar-volume
basis, construction of institutional building will be up 7 percent, and income properties up 9 percent.
Single-family residential construction starts, however, will retreat 7 percent. Murray notes that
although this might appear to be a significant decline, single-family starts have grown so rapidly in
recent years that even if the market decreases by 7 percent, this would still be 1.425 million units,
the second-highest number in history. Charles Linn

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Record News
Now opening: new projects around the world
La Scala, Milan Two years and $67 million later,
Milan’s La Scala, one of Europe’s premier opera
houses, will reopen in early December, renovated,
restored, and reinvigorated. According to project
architect Mario Botta, the work involved mostly
stripping away detritus, linoleum floors, and bad
carpeting that had obscured the 1778 original.
Behind the scenes, Botta was much more forceful,
La Scala reopens after renovation (top left). Cairo gets a much-needed
new park (top right). Caltrans headquarters adds to L.A. dynamism
(bottom left). Taipei 101 is the new height champion (bottom right).
clearing out rehearsal and staging areas and con-
structing two new buildings at the rear of the
structure that, at 50 and 130 feet tall, rise above
the height of the facade. After work began in 2002, the Civic Center, the building is approximately
local conservation groups protested the demoli-
tion, temporarily halting work with a lawsuit. But
the project eventually resumed and proceeded at
a brisk pace. On December 7, Riccardo Muti will
inaugurate the renovated theater by directing
Antonio Salieri’s Europa Riconosciuta, which was
performed at the opening of the building 230
years ago. Paul Bennett
Al-Azhar Park, Cairo Al-Azhar Park, created by
the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, provides one of the
world’s densest cities with its largest green space
to date. Its 74 acres of rolling hills, bounded to the building the tallest in the world, surpassing the
west by Cairo’s 12th-century city wall and the his-
toric Darb al-Ahmar district beyond it, had been the
city’s dumping grounds for more than 600 years.
The park design, by Boston’s Sasaki Associates,
with Sites International, a Cairo-based landscape
firm, uses elements common to gardens of the
Islamic world: a mix of orchards and naturalistic
landscapes, and formal open spaces, including
fountains and water features with a strong
emphasis on symmetry and geometric design.
Park buildings—a rectilinear Lakeside Café
by Serge Santelli and an arcaded Hilltop Restaurant
by Rami al-Dahan and Soheir
Farid—are strikingly different,
reflecting the trust’s concern
with exploring Islamic archi-
tecture, addressing questions
of tradition and modernity.
Seif El Rashidi
Caltrans Headquarters, Los
Angeles On September 27,
the new Caltrans District 7
headquarters in downtown
Los Angeles opened. Designed
by Morphosis Architects, the
13-story, L-shaped building
P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY T E AT R O A L L A S C A L A ( TO P L E F T ) ; A G A K H A N T R U S T FO R C U LT U R E ( TO P R I G H T ) ;
was completed on a fast-track
schedule of just over two
years. The design integrates a
unique exterior skin composed
of operable aluminum panels
that shield the east and west
facades from direct sunlight.
On the south wall, a series of
photovoltaic cells generate an
electrical output of 92 kw, contributing to the build-
T U R N E R C O N S T R U CT I O N ( B OT TO M R I G H T ) ; M O R P H O S I S ( B OT TO M L E F T )
ing’s overall sustainability. LEED has given it a Silver
rating. Consuming an entire block in the heart of
750,000 square feet. Allison Milionis
Taipei 101, Taiwan Taipei 101, now the world’s
tallest building, is set to open in December. The
1,667-foot-tall, 101-floor, $700 million office tower
was designed by local firm C.Y. Lee & Partners. It
was developed by Taiwan Financial Corporation and
built by Turner Construction. The building’s sloping
walls are divided into eight parts, incorporating the
Chinese pagoda form and the shape of growing
bamboo flowers. In October, the Council on Tall
Buildings and Urban Habitat officially certified the
1,483-foot Petronas Towers in structural height,
habitable floor height, and rooftop height. Sears
Tower in Chicago still holds the record for pinnacle/
antenna height. S.L.
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Custom Entrances Record News
GOVERNMENT
Initial plan for New York East River project nears completion

Architect:The Malmfeldt Associates

While New York City’s West Side
waterfront has seen extensive
improvements, particularly
along the impressive Hudson
River Park, the East Side water-
front has remained a relatively
Superior Courthouse, Hartford, Connecticut neglected eyesore, largely sub-
jugated to the noisy tyranny of
the FDR Drive.
EDUCATIONAL Until now. Last February, Amenities could include pavilions under the FDR and new greenspace.
the New York City Planning
Department hired local firm SHoP and London- stronger sense of intimacy in the city by drawing
based Richard Rogers Partnership to master its outer edge out to the water,” says SHoP part-
Architect:Perry, Dean & Associates

plan a new East Side waterfront area. The first-
stage “concept plan,” a vision for uses and
amenities in the area, is expected to be com-
plete by February 2005.
The new park will stretch from Maiden Lane
to Old Slip in Lower Manhattan, south of the
Tufts Dental School, Denver, Colorado Brooklyn Bridge. Short-term work, including
pavilions—possibly made of glass—hosting pub-
lic amenities under the FDR, is expected to be
COMMERICAL completed in three to five years. Long-term proj-
ects, including several acres of new park space,
should be completed in five to fifteen years. The
price for the development has not been released
yet, says the planning department.
Architect:Bermari & Berrolini
ner Chris Sharples. City planning officer Michael
Samuelian notes that final plans would include 5
to 10 acres of new open space built directly over
the water on caissons and piles. New high-rise
housing may also be built within the inner lanes of
the FDR to help pay for development, he adds.
Other entities involved with the project
include the New York City Economic Development
Corporation, the New York State Department of
Transportation, and various local community
boards. The developments, explains Samuelian,
couldn’t come at a better time. “We expect up to
15,000 new units of housing to go up in Lower
Manhattan between 2000 and 2010. At some

“Now there’s a possibility of creating a point, they’re going to demand amenities.” S.L.

I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY S H O P A R C H I T E CT S ( TO P ) ; H O L LO M O N A R C H I T E CT S ( B OT TO M )
U.S. back at the World’s Fair, but without government help
Tiffany's, Beverly Hills, California The Kyoto Accord is not the only major global initiative without the full-fledged support of the United
States. At the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi, Japan, which opens in March, the U.S. pavilion is one of
the few not receiving government financial backing. Instead, U.S. Pavilion World Expo 2005, a nonprofit
RESTORATION group, is shouldering the task of showcasing American ingenuity. The U.S. once aggressively partici-
pated in world’s fairs, but government interest has waned since the end of the cold war, and in the late
1990s, Congress prohibited the use of federal funds
Architect:Ceaser Pelli & Associates

for the events. “The U.S. was king of the world,” says
Alfred Heller, author of World’s Fairs and the End of
Progress, “and Congress and the executive branch
didn’t feel we needed to burnish our image.”
Bud Hollomon, AIA, a Jackson, Mississippi–based
architect, has designed an immense wave-shaped
American flag, stretched over an aluminum frame, for
Cassell Community House, New York, NY
the pavilion’s facade. Behind the flag, LED screens will display iconic images of storied American land-
scapes (above). Hollomon says his design takes its cue from U.S. tourist attractions. “It’s show design—
it’s Disney World, it’s Times Square, and it’s trying to get people to us,” he says.
S i n c e 1 9 4 6 When the Aichi Expo ends, the prefabricated warehouse-style pavilions for the estimated 125
participating countries will be dismantled, the building materials recycled, and the park that the fair
BALANCED SWING SLIDING METAL CRAFT will be held in will be restored to its original state. In keeping with the exposition’s sustainable design
visit us at www.dawsondoors.com themes, the U.S. pavilion will be partially powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Alex Ulam
716.664.3811
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 Record News
Miami Modern, or MiMo, making a big comeback
Move over, Art Deco. MiMo is making a name
for itself.
Miami’s South Beach brags about its signa-
ture Art Deco style, but Miami Modernism, fondly
referred to as MiMo, is making a splash in the
area, with its boasting boomerangs, corrugated
walls, and Swiss-cheese-looking windblock.
Popular in the 1950s and ’60s, MiMo, the once-
futuristic style, is one of Miami Beach’s three
predominant architectural styles, with roots in
the early Bauhaus movement. Many people
confuse MiMo with Art Deco. But asymmetrical
designs, kidney shapes, and delta wings character-
ize the style, while Art Deco features symmetrical
square buildings with piping and ornamental
accents.
A quiet movement to save postwar MiMo
architecture got under way about six years ago.
Today, that movement has escalated to a full-
blown commotion. A MiMo photography exhibition
has made its way to New York City and a book,
MiMo: Miami Modern Revealed, has just been
released. More shows and books are in the works.
“Great cities are layers of their past,” says Randall
Robinson, executive director of the North Beach
Community Development Corporation,
who coined the term MiMo. “It
only makes sense to preserve the
best buildings in every era.”
Unfortunately, South Florida
lost some real beauties before the
public-backed preservation efforts
began. The Bel-Aire Hotel’s facade
has been destroyed, the Royal York
is long gone, and the only part of
the Carillon left standing is its his-
toric tower. But those demolitions
have served to spark a renewed
interest in saving the region’s MiMo
treasures. “Along with Los Angeles,
we have the most diverse collec-
tion of MiMo in the U.S. It’s all over 1957 Vagabond Motel, the
the place,” says Don Worth, vice first MiMo building to get
chair of the Urban Arts Committee, historic designation.
an organization devoted to saving
the best of Miami’s MiMo collection.
All over the place is right. North Beach, Sunny
Isles Beach, the Bay Harbor Islands, and Biscayne
Boulevard all sport classic MiMo. And the preserva-
tion movement is beginning to bear fruit. The Miami
Beach City Commission approved the North Beach
Resort Historic District, located on Collins Avenue
from 63rd to 71st Street, in the spring of 2004. The
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Sherry Frontenac, 1946, by Henry Hohauser, one
of the first MiMo hotels.
new district protects the Sherry Frontenac Hotel
(above), a Casablanca-style building that greets vis-
itors with a row of genies wearing turbans, and the
Deauville Hotel, which hosted the Beatles for their
1964 performance on The Ed Sullivan Show.
The MiMo movement has sparked what
Worth calls a “real estate boom” in North Beach.
Canyon Ranch, a luxury spa group, is renovating
what’s left of the Carillon Hotel. And André Balazs
recently opened a new Standard Hotel in the Lido
spa, a revitalized MiMo landmark. That momen-
tum is expected to continue as North Beach
completes a master-planning
process that could include vari-
ous historic districts to protect
MiMo buildings.
While North Beach is leading
the way, nearby MiMo preservation
victories include the Vagabond
Motel’s (pictured, left) designation
as historic by the City of Miami’s
Historic Preservation board in the
spring of 2003. The Bay Harbor
Islands will celebrate “MiMo Day”
next year in an effort to bring
awareness to its unique collec-
tion of MiMo apartment buildings.
Ft. Lauderdale is now showing
interest in preserving its MiMo
buildings, and even South Beach
is making room for MiMo with
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R O B I N H I L L
a newly refurbished 1953 DiLido Hotel that now
serves as the Ritz-Carlton South Beach.
“There’s a growing respect here for archi-
tecture that gives the city character,” says
Miami-based architect Allan Shulman, who
rehabbed the DiLido. “We have to consider the
urbanism of the period and focus on saving the
most significant buildings.” Jennifer LeClaire
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NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM Record News

AT NBM Web site eyes Beijing’s “bad” architecture

Think of Beijing architecture these days,
lectures and you’re likely to conjure up impressive

COURTESY ROBERT M. GURNEY. PHOTO ANICE HOACHLANDER

December 1 new images like Rem Koolhaas’s CCTV
Design Like You tower, Paul Andreu’s National Theater,
Give A Damn even the Forbidden City, now undergoing
Cameron Sinclair, a multimillion-dollar overhaul. But beside
founder of Architecture these grand plans is a very different sort
for Humanity (AFH) of design style, best summed up in the
name of a new Web site that showcases
December 15 it: badarchitecture.org.
Protecting Water The site, a collaboration of archi-
Two of the site’s many featured
Resources: Smart Growth and tecture aficionados in Beijing, skips
architectural monstrosities.
Low Impact Development the commentary and lets the pictures
John Tippett, executive director of speak for themselves. These include garish office ring mishmash of architectural styles. Meanwhile,
Friends of the Rappahannock towers lining the city’s main boulevard, a series many of the city’s traditional courtyard homes have
of gaudy, Greek-inspired buildings from across been demolished to make space for rows of hulking
December 15 the city, and an artist’s rendering of a planned high-rises, white-tiled facades, colored-glass win-
The U.S. Capitol: structure that looks “like a giant ball on top of a dows, and an abundance of neon accents.
Its Lessons for Today toaster oven,” says Daniel Elsea, a RECORD con- “It seems a lot of people who create these
Henry Hope Reed, author tributor who cofounded the site with Jeremy buildings are copying an idea,” Elsea adds. “They
Wingfield, Connor Wingfield, and Daniel Shupp. see a picture from a book or a movie, but they
December 16
The project is “not a critique, but an obser- don’t see the details.” Since the site’s official
Robert M. Gurney
vational exercise” designed to highlight some of launch in mid-September, online traffic has risen
Robert M. Gurney, FAIA
Beijing’s tackiest facades, Elsea says. “China has to a steady 18,000 page views per week from
a beautiful heritage, and wonderful buildings from fans eager to see what the next featured mon-
exhibitions over the centuries. A lot of detail, craftsmanship,
and elegance went into them, but something
strosity will be. “We’ve only covered a tiny fraction
of what’s out there,” Elsea says. “There’s literally
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION

Five Friends
happened to those ideas along the way.” mile after mile of these buildings. And the rest of
from Japan:
Now the Chinese capital houses an often jar- China is even worse.” Betsy Lowther
Children in
Japan Today
through February 13,
2005 China’s art schools begin to offer architecture programs
Many a visitor to China’s cities has bemoaned the lackluster high-rise buildings that have gone up in
Liquid Stone:
recent years (see story above) as the economy has boomed. Some suggest that a Chinese architect’s
New Architecture
education might be to blame: Traditionally trained at engineering schools, architects develop a techni-
in Concrete
cal aptitude for building that places little emphasis on aesthetics. But some architects believe that is
through April 17, 2005
set to change now since art institutes across the country, with the mission of beautifying the skylines

P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY B A DA R C H I T E CT U R E . O R G
Washington: Symbol & City of China’s cities, have started architecture departments.
long-term exhibition Three top art schools in the country—Central Academy of Fine Arts, the China Art Academy in
Hangzhou, and the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute—have begun to offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees
in architecture in the past two years. About a dozen other art schools in the country have expressed

national building museum interest in following suit, says Lu Pingjing, dean of the architecture school at Central Academy of Fine
Arts. Such programs signify a shift from a system in which “architects have only emphasized the prac-
401 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20001 tical side of architecture,” says Wong Shu, architecture chair at the China Art Academy in Hangzhou.
202.272.2448 A 2001 decision by China’s ministry of education to give universities more autonomy allowed art
schools to open architecture departments, which since the Communist takeover in 1949 had been
www.NBM.org
solely the domain of engineering schools. Such programs have traditionally taught that “thinking dif-
For more information and to register ferently is not as valuable as being efficient,” says Juan Du, a visiting Fulbright scholar based at Tongji
for programs, call or visit our website. University in Shanghai. “The outcome is that architects reproduce buildings that they have seen.” Art
Discounts for members and students.
school administrators say that more attention is placed on sketching and drawing in their programs.
Unlike in engineering schools, “We see architecture as an art,” says Lu. Jen Lin Liu
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 Record News
Urban Land Institute awards superior development
The Urban Land Institute (ULI) recently named its
2004 Excellence Award winners. The competition
recognizes quality land-use projects based on
design, resourcefulness, and relevance, as well
as community and environmental sensitivity.
Winners include:
Baldwin Park, a mixed-use community in Orlando, Massachusetts, was a blighted 27-acre-site redevel-
Florida, located on a former
naval base, consisting of
homes, retail, office, and
recreational amenities.
Fall Creek Place, a public-
private urban renewal project
in Indianapolis, Indiana.
First Ward Place, a run-
down public-housing project
in Charlotte, North Carolina,
redeveloped into a market-rate A Playhouse Square Center theater
residential community. (right). Technology Square (above).
Fullerton Square, a historic
civic center in Singapore, has been transformed into
a world-class hotel with a commercial complex.
Playhouse Square Center in Cleveland, Ohio,
underwent a 10-year effort to restore five historic
theaters to their original architectural condition.
The Plaza at PPL Center in Allentown,
New coating for Mies building ruffles feathers
When is a new finish more than
a new finish? When it is used
on the Cor-Ten steel facade of
a little-known building by the
Office of Mies van der Rohe.
The building in question is
the American Life Building in
Louisville, Kentucky, built in
1969, just two months before Witness the offending brown finish.
Mies’s death. Nana Lampton, a
member of the family that commissioned the
project, insists that Mies designed the building,
completed after his death by Bruno Conterato.
It is the only one by Mies or his successor firm
to use Cor-Ten. The material was supposed to oxi-
dize for seven years, creating a self-sealing, rusty
patina. After more than 30 years, however, the
rusting had continued, and had become streaked
by chemicals used to clean the windows. “We were
getting a lot of complaints,” says Lampton, “includ-
ing from prospective tenants.” Lampton consulted
experts at US Steel and Turner Construction before
deciding to coat it in a sealant called Shur-Cryl,
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Pennsylvania, the city’s first major new downtown
business development in a decade.
Technology Square at Georgia Institute of
Technology was a blighted three-block area in
Atlanta, remade into a vibrant urban campus.
University Park at MIT, Cambridge,
oped into a mixed-use campus
with biotechnology research
facilities, as well as office, res-
idential, retail, and hotel uses.
Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles has
become a catalyst for downtown revitalization as
well as a tourist destination since its 2003 opening.
WaterColor in Seagrove Beach, Florida, is a 500-
acre mixed-use community dedicated to preserving
the natural setting of the Gulf Coast. Tony Illia
P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY U R B A N L A N D I N S T I T U T E ( TO P ) ; C O U R T E SY J O H N N AT I O N ( B OT TO M )
leaving a flat, milk-chocolate-
brown finish. “I think of it as a
rust unifier,” she says. “The oxi-
dation will continue, but it will
be more even and stable.”
The move has caused
some controversy locally and
among Mies experts. Dirk
Lohan, a Chicago architect and
grandson of Mies, attributes
the building to Conterato entirely, and disputes the
need to tamper with the Cor-Ten: “The material is
self-sealing, and I don’t think it would be a good
idea to coat it.” Barry Bergdoll, an art historian at
Columbia University who has worked extensively
on Mies, agrees. “Surface was very important to
Mies. But I suppose this is a question to be asked
of the whole Cor-Ten moment in architecture.”
Lampton is unfazed. “I think Mies would have
approved. I love the gutsiness of the building, and
I’m so proud that it’s here, with its ancient propor-
tions, that it will root Louisville here at the river for
decades to come.” Alan G. Brake
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Record News On the Boards
Libeskind designing first project in China
The City University of Hong
Kong has awarded Studio
Daniel Libeskind a $100 million
commission to build a multi-
media facility, the firm’s first
project in greater China.
The building (right) will
house classrooms and labora-
tories for the school’s media technology, computer
engineering, and information technology depart-
ments. It will also include a multipurpose theater,
an exhibition area, café, and restaurant.
The nine-floor, crystalline building’s form
reflects the ancient Chinese character for creativity,
composed of the cutting tool and the plough,
according to David Luther, the firm’s director of pub-
“Eye-catching” museum by Pelli under way
Cesar Pelli & Associates was recently awarded the
commission for the Connecticut Center for Science
& Exploration in Hartford, Connecticut.
The project is a major part of Adriaen’s
Landing, an initiative to reconnect downtown
Hartford with the Connecticut River. The site is an
existing brownfield, situated next to a major high-
way and railroad tracks. By placing the building
as high as possible, Pelli’s plan carefully negoti-
ates these conditions, linking the facility with an
existing riverwalk, and creating remarkable views.
The building’s forms are simple, but dynamic,
with wings that extend to dominate the site.
“The building will catch your eye from wherever
you arrive,” says Pelli. A 50-foot-by-60-foot LED
Adjaye’s plans for Denver
unveiled
The Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver (MCA)
recently unveiled designs for its new permanent
facility in Denver’s Central Platte Valley. Designed
by London architect David Adjaye, the 25,000-
square-foot MCA will be a space where architecture
supports, rather than defines, the display of art.
lic relations. The building will
serve as a “lighthouse,” radiat-
ing its message and intent to
the campus. The interior has
been “designed to encourage
collaboration through the
openness and connectivity”
of spaces, adds Luther.
Libeskind became involved in the project
because of his interest in the performing arts,
having been a professor at the Center for Art and
Media Technology in Karlsruhe, Germany. The firm,
which has focused on projects in Europe and the
United States, has recently been short-listed in a
Taiwan competition to build the southern branch
of the National Palace Museum. J.L.L.
screen on the west-
ern wall of the north
wing projects images
out toward the main
street, further beck-
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY C I T Y U N I V E R S I T Y O F H O N G KO N G ( TO P ) ; C E S A R P E L L I & A S S O C I AT E S ( M I D D L E ) ;
oning visitors toward
the excitement within.
The glazing on
the eastern wall of the south wing, overlooking
the river, is slanted downward in order to protect
against direct sun. The western wall of the south
wing, meanwhile, slopes upward, bringing sunlight
into the greenhouses inside the facility. The $150
million project is expected to open in late 2007.
Audrey Beaton
Located in the historic LoDo lofts district, the
D E N V E R M U S E U M O F C O N T E M P O R A R Y A R T ( B OT TO M )
MCA will house five galleries, educational and
children’s areas, and an outdoor garden and
sculpture/event space.
Design of the $5 million project calls for a
glass-and-polypropylene curtain-wall system that
encloses simple, discrete gallery spaces. Adjaye,
who admits that he “likes to break the rules when-
ever possible,” says the design of the museum’s
skin will underscore his interest in using light in
surprising and unconventional ways.
The project will be the first in the U.S. for
Adjaye, who was selected in April 2004 after a
seven-month process. Construction is expected to
begin mid-2005, with a projected opening in late
2006. Mark Shaw
 Masonite, Palazzo and Masonite. The Beautiful Door. are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Masonite International Corporation.

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 News Briefs
Boston ICA breaks ground
The Institute of Contemporary Art
(ICA) in Boston recently broke
ground on its new home, a 65,000-
square-foot waterfront building
designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
[Record News, October 2002, page
31]. Slated to open in 2006, the
Rendering of the Boston ICA.
museum will incorporate gallery
space, a 325-seat performance hall, soon grace New York City streets. The
an education center, and digital
media facilities.
The firm’s first freestanding
building project in the U.S., the
glass, metal, and concrete structure
features natural lighting and exten-
sive water views. Its upper levels will
project over and merge with the
Boston Harbor walkway. The can-
tilever allowed the designers to fit the integrates light-emitting diodes
museum’s gallery space on a single
floor, explained principal
Charles Renfro. “The
form isn’t gratuitous.
It’s a response to the
demands of the pro-
gram and opportunities
of the site.” Ted Bowen
Miami architect
sues Trump Paul
Oravec says he was
“shocked and dis-
mayed” to see design Phifer’s lights integrate
photos of the Trump LED and photovoltaics.
Grande Ocean Resort
and Residences in newspapers.
That’s because the Miami architect
claims Trump turned down similar
concave-convex concepts he
created in 1996. So dismayed is
Oravec that he filed a copyright
violation suit against the billionaire
hotel developer asking a judge to
halt construction and order the
destruction of the two Trump-
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branded condo towers. Oravec is
also seeking unspecified damages.
Intellectual property attorney
David Tener, a partner with Caesar,
Rivise, Benstein, Coehn & Pokotilow
in Philadelphia, says that, while
architects cannot completely
avoid such disputes, they can take
steps to discourage design theft.
Trump legal counsel wasn’t imme-
diately available for comment.
Jennifer LeClaire
Phifer wins streetlight com-
petition New, modern streetlights
designed by New York’s Thomas
Phifer and Partners, the winner of an
international design competition, may
City Lights competition, sponsored by
the city’s Department of Design and
Construction and the Department of
Transportation, sought innovative
designs that incorporate the latest
technology to replace the circa 1963
“cobra head” lights.
The firm was named the winner
in October for its sleek design that
(LED) and photovoltaics in a slender
lamp’s arm. The arm
is connected to an alu-
minum base pole by
two, thin stainless-
steel rods. T-shaped
slots in the post’s
fluted base will allow
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY I N S T I T U T E O F C O N T E M P O R A R Y A R T ( TO P ) ;
signage and other ele-
ments, such as street
C I T Y L I G H T S / T H O M A S P H I F E R A N D PA R T N E R S ( B OT TO M )
and traffic signals,
additional lighting,
traffic control boxes,
and pedestrian push
buttons, to be inte-
grated in the design.
The pole’s geometry, and a
nonstick Teflon paint, will make it
difficult for stickers and tape to be
permanently affixed to the pole.
New York City will add the Phifer
design to its street-lighting catalog,
which includes about 15 lamps
from which Business Improvement
Districts can choose.
John E. Czarnecki, Assoc. AIA
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News Briefs
A look at Wright’s
skyscraper ideas
Frank Lloyd Wright: The
Vertical Dimension, at
the Skyscraper Museum
in New York City, through
January 9, examines
how the architect took
his vision of organic
architecture into the
design of tall buildings, a
subject that captivated
him throughout his
career. Curated by archi-
tectural historian Hilary Wright’s sketch for
Ballon, the show includes “St. Mark’s Towers” partnership uniting their col-
drawings of projects like in New York City.
the ambitious Mile-High
Project of 1956 and the intricately
drawn St. Mark’s Towers in New
York City (above). While Wright
designed dozens of skyscrapers,
only two—the Johnson Research
Tower in Racine, Wisconsin (1944),
and the Price Tower in Bartlesville,
Oklahoma (1956)—were ever built,
making the show a rare look at how
Wright’s designs parted significantly
from the prevailing current. S.L.
Initiative supports green
affordable housing The
announcement in September of the
Green Communities Initiative, a $500
million effort to provide environmen-
tally and economically beneficial
houses for low-income families, will
likely have a far-reaching effect on
the future of home building and
development in the U.S. The effort
will provide 8,500 green houses to
poorer families across the country
by offering financial incentives as well
as training and technical assistance
to developers who focus on social
and environmental issues. Green
Communities will also rely on com-
munity-based building groups, which
build the majority of the country’s
low-income housing, to help build
the houses. The five-year initiative
is a commitment of the Enterprise
Foundation/Enterprise Social
Investment Corporation, the Natural
Resources Defense Council, the AIA,
the American Planning
Association, and several
corporate and philanthropic
organizations.
Allison Milionis
RIBA and V&A open
new architecture
gallery Two of the U.K.’s
most illustrious cultural
institutions, the Victoria &
Albert Museum and the
Royal Institute of British
Architects, in November
marked the launch of a new
lections by opening a new
architecture gallery, the first
of its kind in the U.K., at the V&A.
The space, located near the
main entrance to the V&A, and
designed by Gareth Hoskins
Architects, features drawings, mod-
els, photographs, and fragments from
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY T H E S KYS C R A P E R M U S E U M ( TO P ) ; R OYA L I N S T I T U T E O F B R I T I S H A R C H I T E CT S ( B OT TO M )
both institutions’ archives, as well as
a number of important loans, such
as a model of the Lloyds Building by
Richard Rogers. The space offers
over 180 exhibits featuring some of
the world’s famous architects and
buildings. Thematic displays introduce
architecture styles, function of build-
ings, and the design process. A new
archive and study room in the V&A’s
Henry Cole Wing, designed by Wright
The RIBA V&A Architecture Gallery.
& Wright Architects, includes over
one million drawings and manu-
scripts from RIBA’s and V&A’s
archives, at a total cost of $18.5
million. The new facility will form the
world’s most comprehensive archi-
tectural resource, representing every
major British architect from the 16th
century to the present, and it will
contain the national collection on
British architecture. Lucy Bullivant
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New & Upcoming
DEPARTMENTS
Exhibitions
The Pei Architectural Legacy
Sarasota, Fla.
December 15, 2004–February 25,
2005
An exhibition of renderings, photo-
graphs, and working drawings of the
designs created by Pei Partnership
Architects (PPA). The event will pay
tribute to renowned architect Chien
Chung Pei, who founded PPA in 1992
along with his brother Li Chung.
Among Pei’s achievements as
designer in charge and project archi-
tect are the Grand Louvre in Paris,
with its emblematic 70-foot tall glass
pyramid, and the West Wing exten-
sion of Boston’s Museum of Fine
Arts. At the Museum of Asian Art.
Call 941/954-7117 or visit
www.museumasianart.com.
The Furniture of Poul
Kjaerholm and Selected Art
Work
New York City
December 10, 2004–January 22,
2005
The first major American survey of
the important Danish designer. The
exhibition will combine Kjaerholm’s
spare, elegant furniture with selected
contemporary works of art in an
exploration of the vibrant dialogue
that has existed between contempo-
rary art and Modernist furniture
collectors throughout the 20th cen-
tury. At Sean Kelly and R 20th
Century. Visit www.skny.com or
www.r20thcentury.com.
Brininstool + Lynch: Process
Chicago
December 10, 2004–January 29,
2005
This exhibition on the work of the
Chicago architecture firm includes
drawings, models, photographs, and
installations of building details, por-
traying projects that are in progress,
52 Architectural Record 12.04
as well as those that have recently
been completed. At I Space. Call
312/587-9976 or visit
www.ispace.uiuc.edu.
ARCHL AB: New Experiments
in Architecture, Art and
The City
Tokyo
December 21, 2004–March 13,
2005
The exhibition explores revolutionary
designs by international architects
from the 1950s to the present,
uncovering the origins of radical and
visionary approaches to building
design and urban planning that
have changed the way we look at
the city. At the Mori Art Museum.
Call 813/5777-8600 or visit
www.mori.art.museum.
Experiments with Truth
Philadelphia
December 4, 2004–March 12,
2005
An international survey of contempo-
rary filmmaking intended to reassess
the influence of cinema and the use
of documentary within contemporary
visual art practices. Architects
Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio,
as well as Paul Kuranko, media arts
specialist at the Guggenheim
Museum, will assist in designing
experimental spaces between gallery
and theater that balance the con-
ceptual and practical demands of
each artist’s installation. At the Fabric
Workshop and Museum. Call
215/568-1111 or visit www.fabric-
workshopandmuseum.org.
Ongoing Exhibitions
Arti & Architettura,
1900/2000
Genoa, Italy
Through February 13, 2005
This exhibition documents forays
into the field of architecture made
by artists as well as architects who
Dates & Events
have trespassed into pictorial explo-
ration during the 20th century. The
protagonists, artists, and architects
ranging from Kazimir Malevich to
Vladimir Tatlin, Antonio Sant’Elia
to Giuseppe Terragni, Ludwig Mies
van der Rohe to Piet Mondrian, Le
Corbusier to Frederick Kiesler,
Frank Gehry to Claes Oldenburg,
have designed ideal spaces, vol-
umes, and pathways based on
forms and colors, born of pure
creativity. At the Palazzo Ducale.
Call 010/557-4004 or visit
www.palazzoducale.genova.it.
Precarious Idyll: The Hinzert
Document Center by Wandel
Hoefer Lorch + Hirsch
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Through December 19, 2004
Coming a year before the comple-
tion of the prize-winning project
by Wandel Hoefer Lorch + Hirsch,
this exhibition highlights the tension
between architecture and landscape.
The Hinzert Document Center, which
will include archives, a research
library, and seminar and exhibition
spaces, is intended to question
the political and territorial deforma-
tions of the landscape. At Dessa
Architectural Gallery. For informa-
tion, call 386-1/421-7970.
34 Los Angeles Architects
Los Angeles
Through February 22, 2005
An exhibition illustrating the spirit
and enterprise of a group of 34 Los
Angeles architects and the issues
that they feel are important in their
current work. At the Architecture +
Design Museum. Call 310/659-
2445 or visit www.AplusD.org.
SocioPolis: Project for a City
of the Future
Vienna
Through January 31, 2005
A new and unique city is rising on
the periphery of Valencia, Spain.
Fulfilling the three prerequisites of
enabling social interaction, the link-
ing of architecture with nature, and
the integration of new information
technology in the living space, 12
internationally active teams of archi-
tects have—based on Vicente
Guallart’s master plan—formulated
responses to the most pressing top-
ics for current and future urban
planning. The exhibition provides an
overview of the planning zone and
an introduction to the architects’
designs. At Architekturzentrum
Wien. Call 431/522-3115 or visit
www.azw.at.
A Highlight of Vienna’s
Ringstrasse: James Turrell
and Targetti Light Art
Collection
Vienna
Through January 16, 2005
MAKlite, a unique permanent light
installation by American artist
James Turrell, provides the MAK
building with a new dimension of
visibility, accentuating the overall
architectural impression. The
technology for the project was
developed by the Florence,
Italy–based architectural lighting
specialist Targetti, whose Targetti
Light Art Collection, Mehr Licht, will
be on exhibit in the MAK Upper
Floor Exhibition Hall. Visit
www.MAK.at for further information.
Ezra Stoller Architectural
Photography
Williamstown, Mass.
Through December 19, 2004
Ezra Stroller was an architect before
he was a photographer, and with his
stunning black-and-white photo-
graphs helped create a public for
Modern architecture, making it
seem heroic. The exhibition consists
of approximately 50 photographs
representing six icons of Modern
architecture: Rudolph’s Yale School
of Art and architecture; Kahn’s Salk
 Dates &Events
Institute; Wright’s Fallingwater and Guggenheim
Museum; Saarinen’s TWA Terminal; Mies’s
Seagram Building. At Williams College Museum of
Art. Call 413/597-3178 or visit www.williams.edu.
Michael Wesely: Open Shutter at the
Museum of Modern Art
New York City
Through January 2005
This exhibition presents a unique photographic
project inspired by the construction of the new
Museum of Modern Art. At the Museum of
Modern Art. Call 212/708-9400 or visit
www.moma.org.
Glamour: Fashion, Industrial Design,
Architecture
San Francisco
Through January 17, 2005
The concept of glamour is based on a notion of
excess and has been glorified in the discipline of
fashion. Conversely, glamour has been marginal-
ized in industrial design and even reviled in
architecture, where the pared-down aesthetics
of Modernism and Minimalism have prevailed
since the middle of the 20th century. On view are
haute couture by Dior and Versace, automobiles
from Jaguar and Bentley, architectural works by
Philip Johnson and Herzog and de Meuron. At
the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Call
415/357-4000 or visit www.sfmoma.org.
Paul Rudolph: The Florida Houses & The
Cannon Chapel
Atlanta
Through December 31, 2004
Paul Rudolph, a pioneer of 20th-century architec-
ture, began his career designing intimate beach
houses on the west coast of Florida. This exhibi-
tion celebrates the innovation and drive that
propelled him to international renown in the
1960s. At the Museum of Design Atlanta. Call
404/688-2467 or visit www.museumofdesign.org.
Lebbeus Woods: Experimental
Architecture
Pittsburgh
Through January 16, 2005
One of the most innovative experimental archi-
tects working today, Lebbeus Woods combines
an extraordinary mastery of drawing with a pene-
trating analysis of architectural and urban form,
and social and political conditions, that is nour-
ished by his wide knowledge of fields ranging
from philosophy to cybernetics. At the Heinz
Architectural Center. Call 412/622-3131 or visit
www.cmoa.org.
Lectures, Conferences, &
Symposia
31st Annual New York Housing
Conference and National Housing
Conference Awards Luncheon
New York City
December 7, 2004
John Zuccotti, the chairman of both Brookfield
Properties and the Real Estate Board of New
York, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award
at this annual luncheon. The event, the largest
annual gathering of the affordable-housing com-
munity in the country, will be held at the Sheraton
New York Hotel and Towers. For further informa-
tion visit www.nhc.org.
Protecting Water Resources: Smart
Growth and Low Impact Development
Washington, D.C.
December 15, 2004
John Tippett, executive director of Friends of the
Rappahannock, will present current practices in
the integration of low-impact development design
techniques with smart projects. At the National
Building Museum. Call 202/272-2448 or visit
www.nbm.org.
The U.S. Capitol: Its Lessons for Today
Washington, D.C.
December 15, 2004
Henry Hope Reed will discuss the design history
of the U.S. Capitol, often regarded as an example
of American Neoclassical architecture. At the
National Building Museum in collaboration with
the Institute of Classical Architecture. Call
202/272-2448 or visit www.nbm.org.
The Architectural League of New York
Lecture Series
New York City
December 2, 9, and 16, 2004
Collaborations between designers, scientists,
and artists, and consensual design approaches
are blurring professional boundaries and creat-
ing new fields of overlap and design exploration.
This series presents architects, landscape
architects, artists, and engineers in lectures,
dialogues, and panel discussions, to probe
how these ideas are being developed in con-
temporary practice. At the Great Hall, Cooper
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 Dates &Events
Union. For more information, call 212/ 753-1722
or visit www.archleague.org.
The Harvard Design School Lecture
Series
Cambridge, Mass.
December 1, 7, and 14, 2004
Lectures by Alan Berger, associate professor in
the department of landscape architecture,
Jeanne Gang, who leads Studio Gang Architects
located in Chicago, and Brian Healy of Brian
Healy Architect, Boston are scheduled in the
Piper Auditorium. Call 617/495-5453 or visit
www.gsd.harvard.edu/events.
Architecture and Identity
Berlin
December 6–8, 2004
The conference will bring together an interna-
tional group of academics and practitioners of
architecture and the social sciences to explore
the “own” in a context of globalization vs.
regionalization, as well as the “foreign” in the
construction identity in architecture. At the
Technische Universitat Berlin. Visit www.
architecture-identity.de for further information.
NFBA Frame Building Expo
Louisville
February 25–27, 2005
The National Frame Builders Association’s (NFBA)
event brings post-frame industry professionals
from across the nation together to share ideas,
as well as architects, builders, building material
dealers, building component manufacturers, and
engineers. At the Kentucky Convention Center.
For more information, call 800/557-6957 or visit
www.nfba.org.
Competitions
National Aids Memorial Design
Competition
San Francisco
Registration Deadline: December 24, 2004
Entry Deadline: January 7, 2005
The National AIDS Memorial Grove is sponsoring
an international design competition to identify an
outstanding artistic feature that will memorialize
all those who have died of AIDS and honor those
who continue to fight the pandemic. The competi-
tion is open to students and professionals in the
disciplines of art, architecture, and landscape
architecture. Visit www.aidsmemorial.org.
Buzzards Bay Design Competition
Bourne, Mass.
Deadline: April 19, 2005
A single-phase, open International Design
Competition seeking proposals for a 17-acre
park with extensive frontage on both the Cape
Cod Canal and Main Street, Buzzards Bay. The
main objective is to create an intergenerational
recreation area and cultural amenity for the
use of local residents, while encouraging down-
town economic redevelopment. Visit
www.buzzardsbayvillageassociation.org.
The 2005 Latrobe Fellowship
Deadline: February 4, 2005
The purpose of the fellowship is to support
research that will increase the knowledge
base of the architecture profession.
Sponsored by the AIA College of Fellows.
Visit www.aiai.org/fellows_latrobe_2005 for
detailed information.
Flight 93 National Memorial Design
Competition
Deadline: January 2005
The response to the violent acts in the skies over
Southwestern Pennsylvania on September 11,
2001, will be a national memorial to the people
who died in what has become known as the first
civilian act of defense in the war on terrorism.
The design competition welcomes all submissions
of ideas that will commemorate the 40 heroes
of Flight 93. For additional information, visit
www.flight93memorialproject.org.
Ceramic Tiles of Italy Design
Competition
Deadline: January 30, 2005
North American architects and interior designers
are invited to submit residential, commercial, or
institutional projects featuring Italian ceramic tile
completed between January 2000 and January
2005. To learn more about the competition, visit
www.italiatiles.com or www.italytile.com.
E-mail event and competition information two
months ahead of event or submission dead-
line to elisabeth_broome@mcgraw-hill.com
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 archrecord.construction.com/archrecord2/

For and about

the new generation of architects

a r c h r e c o r d 2
FOR THE EMERG ING ARCHITECT

This month, archrecord2 invites you to review this year’s Design Vanguard Architects (some of

DEPARTMENTS
whom have formerly appeared in archrecord2) to discover the newest in architectural talent that
spans the globe; coverage begins on page 111. In Work, learn more about an in-house competi-
tion held by RTKL, where young talent designs for other young talent. Also this month, we feature
a listing of upcoming student and open competitions.

WO R K
Designing space for designers

An old alliance between the architectural firm RTKL and the Maryland Institute
College of Art (MICA) recently impacted the young designers of the multinational
firm. In the early 1990s, RTKL designed a visiting artist’s sculpting studio on MICA’s
campus—so when the board of MICA decided a new dormitory was necessary,
they approached the firm that had assisted them years ago. RTKL chairman Paul
Jacob, AIA, describes the timing of MICA’s request as serendipitous.“Every year we
hold a companywide design conference for selected young employees to foster a
culture of collaboration while creating a dialogue on design,” he explains. “For the
conference in October, we used the competition’s process as this year’s topic.”
Seven of RTKL’s offices chose the young designers who would work on
the creation of the new dormitory, whose program would also include a black-
box performance space, a campus café, meeting facilities, and a career devel-
opment center. While young designers spearheaded and ultimately presented
the projects, entire offices would collaborate on the “after work hours” project.
After the allotted two months, the designers presented their schemes to a While the London office’s entry,
panel of jurors at MICA’s Brown Center. Jacob says, “We were absolutely blown consisting of a circular structure
away by the results.” However, it was the London-office entry, led by Grant with an enclosed courtyard (top
Armstrong and Christy Wright, that was overwhelmingly chosen as the winning and right), was the unanimous
proposal. “There is a certain playfulness to the design that successfully winner, the jury agreed that every
resolves a lot of problems in a tight site,” comments Jacob. The circular design entry, like those from Madrid
comprises three residential “pods” that are anchored by a vertical spine (below) and Baltimore (bottom
of studio spaces. The scheme, including the ground-level glass-walled public right), had innovative elements.
spaces, breaks up the scale of the building and also acts
as a gateway to the campus.
The members of the jury were not the only group
R E N D E R I N G : C O U R T E SY R T K L

enthusiastic about the work of the London team: MICA’s

board of trustees and members of the local community
approved of the complex design. Currently, Armstrong,
Wright, and the Baltimore-based office of RTKL are finaliz-
ing the design and setting up time lines that will have this
project completed in the fall of 2007. Randi Greenberg
To see the other entries from the RTKL design competition, go to
archrecord.construction.com/archrecord2/

12.04 Architectural Record 57

 archrecord.construction.com/archrecord2/
COM PET I T I ON S
A subject frequently explored in the pages of archrecord2, competitions are often a good opportunity to sharpen one’s craft, create collaborations, and attract
attention to a burgeoning career. We’ve done a little digging to bring several competition listings to your attention. For easy access to more information on the
competitions listed below, visit archrecord.construction.com/archrecord2, where we’ve linked to the sponsor’s page. Good luck!
Student Competitions
2005 Berkeley Prize Essay Competition Awarding excel-
lence in architectural writing and thought among undergraduate
architecture students in accredited schools worldwide. Finalists
will be awarded a cash prize and be eligible to compete for the
Berkeley Prize Travel Fellowship. For more information, including
the competition question, go to www.berkeleyprize.org.
Submission Deadline: December 10, 2004.
Extreme: Creating Space in Extreme and Extraordinary
Conditions UIA 2005 Istanbul Congress offers an opportunity
for future architects to design spaces for extreme conditions. One
grand prize winner receives $7,000. For more information, visit
www.uia2005istanbul.org. Registration Deadline: January 27,
2005. Submission Deadline: June 13, 2005.
Student Union Building This ACSA/AISC Student Design com-
petition challenges students to design a student union building for
their campus or a campus of their choice. Visit www.acsa-arch.org.
Registration Deadline: February 8, 2005. Submission
Deadline: May 3, 2005.
Textile Structures for New Building The Working Group for
Textile Architecture and Techtextil, the International Trade Fair for
Technical Textiles and Nonwovens, are holding their 8th annual
competition to promote innovative ideas and solutions to building
with textiles or reinforced materials. Young professionals who
graduated after January 1, 2004, are also invited to compete.
More information is available at www.textile-architecture.com.
Submission Deadline: February 28, 2005.
Enlightening Learning Environments The International
Association for Humane Habitats’ third annual design competition
call for entries to create a program for facilities of learning. More
details are available at www.humanehabitat.org. Submission
Deadline: January 27, 2005.
Student Suburban Design Competition Kennesaw State
University is sponsoring a competition on suburban design and
looking for innovative ideas on how suburbs can be organized and
constructed. Students are invited to submit plans for new forms of
housing, transportation, commerce, amenities, and/or recreation.
For more information, contact Dr. Fein at mfein@kennesaw.edu.
Submission Deadline: January 14, 2005.
58 Architectural Record 12.04
Open Competitions
2004–2005 Young Architects Forum The Architectural
League of New York’s call for entries to architects and designers
10 years or less out of undergraduate or graduate school.
Winners of the competition receive a cash prize, exhibit their
work, and present lectures at the League in New York City. For
more information, call 212/753-1722 or visit www.archleague.org.
Submission Deadline: February 4, 2005.
The Parachute Pavilion: an Open Design Competition for
Coney Island The Van Alen Institute and the Coney Island
Development Corporation announce their competition for design-
ers to create a project in Coney Island. The inaugural New York
Prize of $20,000 will be awarded to the first-place winner. More
information on the competition can be found at www.vanalen.org.
Registration Deadline: February 25, 2005. Submission
Deadline: April 18, 2005.
A Door to Paradise designboom and COCIF have announced
an open competition to design an interior residential door. The
design must take into account technological innovation, ease of
use and manufacturing, and may include a variety of materials.
Cash prizes go to five winning entries and four honorable men-
tions. More information can be found at www.designboom.com.
Submission Deadline: January 25, 2005.
Places of Work In their sixth annual architectural photography
competition, architekturbild is seeking a series of four photo-
graphs on the topic of the workplace. Cash prizes will be
awarded. For more information, go to www.architekturbild-ev.de.
Submission Deadline: January 28, 2005
Kyrl’s Quay Design Ideas Cork City Council and the RIAI are
seeking design ideas for a group of prominent waterfront sites
that stretch from Cornmarket Street along Kyrls Quay. More
details can be found at www.cork2005.ie. Submission Deadline:
April 1, 2005.
Buzzards Bay Design Competition A competition seeking
conceptual proposals for a 20-acre park adjacent to waterfront,
commercial, and residential areas. For further details, go to
www.buzzardsbayvillageassociation.org. Submission Deadline:
April 19, 2005.
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 Without government support,
trying to save Moscow’s architectural
heritage is a difficult task

Correspondent’s File
By Paul Abelsky

In May of this year, at Arch-Moscow,

DEPARTMENTS
Russia’s most prominent architec-
tural exposition, one of the central
pieces on display was an eloquent
tribute to several torn-down historic
buildings. Three stylized gravestones,
accompanied by photographs and
epitaphs, acknowledged the loss
of the Manezh Square gates, the
Voentorg (a famous Soviet-era
department store), and the famous
Hotel Moskva, which embodied a
spectrum of more than a hundred
years of architectural history. These
edifices represent the microcosm of
the preservation crisis unfolding in
Moscow amid one of the largest con-
struction booms in city’s history.
The transformation of Moscow
from a socialist city into a faux-
capitalist metropolis experiencing
extraordinary growth has severely
endangered Moscow’s architectural
heritage, which had already suffered
grave damage during the Soviet
period. The administration of Mayor
Yuri Luzhkov has been quite complicit.
On the one hand, the mayor has
shown some historicist tendencies by
approving wholesale reconstruction of
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY M O S C O W T H AT I S N O M O R E

select monuments demolished by the

Bolsheviks. Indeed, as the often-used
term “the Luzhkov style” reveals, the
mayor is the first Russian or Soviet
ruler since Nikita Khrushchev to have Historic areas in
his name firmly attached to an entire Moscow, such as St.
mode of architectural expression. But Nicholas Gate Square
he is also behind an invasive urban- (top, turn-of-the-20th-
planning policy that has not spared century photo), have
major Moscow landmarks. Numerous been all but destroyed.
Church of Christ the
Paul Abelsky is a writer based in Savior (lef t, 1930s) was
St. Petersburg, Russia. He studied destroyed and recently
European history at Yale University. rebuilt (above).

12.04 Architectural Record 61

 Correspondent’s File
ties bind the city administration to
developers and the real estate indus-
try. Elena Baturina, the mayor’s wife,
is the co-owner of the Inteko con-
struction firm, one of the largest in
the Moscow market. The city govern-
ment is closely associated with
similar companies, and the business
interests of government functionaries
blend imperceptibly with their official
duties. As if more proof were needed,
this summer the mayor sued Aleksei
Komech, the director of the State
Institute of Art History and a member
of the city’s architectural council, for
defaming his “business reputation.”
Another way to subvert the
protection of buildings has been to
put pressure on preservation agen-
cies, many of which are branches of
the city administration. For years, a
number of such commissions have
been compiling lists that identify his-
torically important structures. Such
buildings were accorded the rank of
“newly disclosed monuments” and
offered temporary protection. The
fragility of this status became appar-
ent in August 2003, when the
Voentorg was torn down by the city
(which had recently taken over own-
ership), despite its position as a
“newly disclosed monument.”
For the first time since the
years of the Perestroika, a major civic
movement has emerged in defense
of the city’s architectural heritage.
Two prominent groups have come
forward. The first is an Internet proj-
ect called Moscow That Is No More
(www.moskva.kotoroy.net; unfortu-
nately, the Russian characters don’t
translate to normal Web browsers),
which attempts to make public the
loss of historic buildings and compiles
the documentation and images of old
Moscow. Konstantin Sumarokov, the Sovetskaya Square in front of the General- The iconic Moskva
site’s curator, says that his goal is “to (top, 1930s), built in Governor’s house, has Hotel (bottom, 1930s)
create a virtual museum of what has 1792 as a parading a long history of “his- was demolished in
been lost.” Also, three foreign journal- ground for the guards toric reconstruction.” July 2003.
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 ists residing in Moscow recently
launched the Moscow Architectural
Preservation Society to publicize the
situation and involve the international
media. Indeed, the clearest example
of preservationists’ success is the
raised public awareness of the crisis.
Heritage issues are a constant sub-
ject of discussion in newspapers, on
The Polivanov House fire and hasn’t been The Historical Museum TV, and in private, and protests in
(top, early 1900s) was repaired. Streets may and Alexander Gardens front of buildings like the Polivanov
damaged in a 2001 be repaved in front of (bottom, early 1900s) . House (pictured, left) have been seen
on the national news.
Still, while the public often
laments the loss of high-profile land-
marks, lesser-known but equally
significant buildings have suffered in
recent years. The Einem House, built
between the 17th and 19th cen-
turies, contained halls in Naryshkin
Baroque style with well-preserved
interiors and a statue gallery. After
the last inhabitants were evicted, the
building suffered several fires and
was bulldozed in November 2000.
Two prerevolutionary movie theaters,
the Uran and the Neoclassical Orion,
both built in 1910s, were demolished
between 1994 and 1997. And the
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Trubetzkikh House, with its 19th-
century interiors, underwent recon-
struction after a 2001 fire using
modern t√ echniques, effectively eras-
ing its historic value.
The administration’s compro-
mise solution has been to demolish
original structures and replace them
with enlarged replicas that feature
new elements like underground park-
ing and modernized facilities. The city
is thus lined with fake duplicates,
deprived of old Moscow’s historic
fabric. An example of heritage groups’
influence is the recent decision by
the city government to carry out a
more careful, if hurried, reconstruc-
tion of the Neoclassical Manezh
gates, with their intricate wooden
support structures.
Meanwhile, the imperative for
preservationists, says David
Sarkisyan of the Moscow Museum
of Architecture, is “to resist the
authorities at every step.” The real
aim, he adds, “is to convince the city
officials that an authentic building
is inherently more valuable than a
replacement or a fake copy.” ■
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 Playing the name game:
A short primer on what it all means
Commentary
What the heck is an Iterae, dECOi, or
Servo? SHoP, the little O notwith-
standing, we can understand. We
also know—we think—what a Sumo
is. But Emergent is an adjective, not
a proper noun. Nevertheless, these
make up just part of a semantic
whirlwind of offbeat appellations that
architects have lately been giving
themselves. Whatever happened to
the trusty surname?
At a time when exhibitions
called Archilab and Metamorph
present “episodes” and “interven-
tions,” rather than mere projects,
it’s no surprise that emerging—or
emergent—architects have taken
up abstract names. Many, like Ply,
Plot, Peel, and Manifold, allude to the
relationship between process and
form. Some are unabashedly techie,
like Plasma and nARCHITECTS, its
first letter referring to the notation
for a mathematical variable. Others
imply collaboration and creative
convergence, like Mesh and Graft
(though that last one can have
a less savory meaning as well,
especially for a firm that may have
to deal with politicians or certain
trades). More confounding, and
perhaps overzealously punctuated,
have been the likes of LE.FT and
X-ING.PHX.LAX.
What these firms generally
have in common is a desire to place
the collective idea above the individ-
ual. “If we work with others in the
future, they can feel part of some-
Aric Chen is the gossip columnist for
The Architects Newspaper and a
contributing editor for I.D., Surface,
and Interior Design.
thing other than ourselves,” explains
Eric Bunge of nARCHITECTS.
“Our name allows us to change
and grow.”
Such dynamic, collaborative
strategies go back at least to the
1960s, when experimental groups
like Archigram, Archizoom, and
Superstudio rebelled against the
Modernist myth of the singular
genius. Later, Thom Mayne’s
Morphosis, Rem Koolhaas’s Office
for Metropolitan Architecture,
and others tried to keep the spirit
alive, though they’ve since been
overshadowed by their founders’
names.
Who’s that?
Then came the 1990s. That’s when
partnerships called Foreign Office
Architects, fieldOFFICE, Architecture
Research Office (ARO), Open Office,
and Design Office began to appear.
Besides occasional confusion (was
that project by Foreign Office, Open
Office, or Design Office?), these
names imparted a seriousness of
purpose and represented a reaction
against, among other things, the
previous decade’s Postmodernist
grandstanding. “The anonymity of
our name comes from the idea that
the built element is something on
its own, beyond what the designer
puts forth,” says ARO’s Adam
Yarinsky, who cofounded that firm
in 1993.
At the same time, these
names were as coolly minimalist
and fashionably ironic as those of
the trendy eateries (for example,
Cafeteria and Canteen) and hotels
(The Hotel) that helped define the
By Aric Chen
90s’ own self-indulgences. Design
was hip, and many designers began
branding themselves accordingly.
Thus, it makes perfect sense
that at the height of the late-90s
Internet bubble, when the most
current crop of firm names began
to surface, they would express an
infatuation with technology. “In
physics, plasma is described by a
state that is wholly governed by
external conditions,” explains the
London-based Eva Castro of Plasma
Studio, which was established in
1999 and has one partner based in
Italy. “We wanted to work in a model
that responded to technologically
induced transformations.”
Keeping up with the times
Such responses can be contagious,
and even some of architecture’s
most established players have
caught the bug. In 1967, Hugh Hardy
teamed up with Malcolm Holzman
and Norman Pfeiffer. Their practice
would become known for its icono-
clasm, but it was rather reliably
DEPARTMENTS
named Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer
Associates. Last summer, when the
three founding partners decided to
go their separate ways after 37
years, Hardy, now 72, christened his
new venture H3 Hardy Collaboration
Architecture.
Too much theory perhaps
Hardy’s latest moniker may be an
unfortunate mouthful—
”We just call ourselves
H three,” he offers—but
such names are often
penetrating, thoughtful,
and even witty. They place
their firms at the cutting
edge, while speaking of a
discipline that is probing
its peripheries with brio.
However, they also carry
risks. “Architects are often
seen as parodies, speak-
ing in pretentious jargon
that keeps others out of
the conversation,” says
Scott Hamrah, a semi-
otics expert who specializes in
naming products and companies.
“And these names don’t help.” They
also become dated.
“Things like slashes and
parentheses are really passé”—
note to Coop Himmelb(l)au—“and
prove only that you’ve been reading
old Postmodern theory,” explains
Hamrah. “However, I would con-
sider hyphens sort of emergent,”
he concedes of the old-school
mark. “Anything low-tech like that
is emergent.” As it happens, the
New York firm LOT/EK fairly recently
switched to LOT-EK. ■
12.04 Architectural Record 65
 Let a thousand flowers bloom:
Cuban Modernism’s short moment
in the revolution’s sun

Critique
By Michael Sorkin

Every revolution has a creative half-

DEPARTMENTS
life. The Russian Revolution begat
Constructivism before its slide into
totalitarianism. In France, the archi-
tecture of Boullée and Ledoux
represented a moment of confi-
dence that was too soon displaced
by the Terror. In Cuba in the late
1950s and early ’60s, a brief hal-
cyon period of intense architectural
and artistic creativity soon gave
way to dreariness as the country’s
economy collapsed and politics
became increasingly repressive.
Architecture and Revolution
in Cuba, a show at Storefront for Art
P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY S TO R E F R O N T FO R A R T A N D A R C H I T E CT U R E / E D UA R D O L U I S R O D R I G U E Z

and Architecture in New York City,

curated by Eduardo Luis Rodriguez,
documents the efflorescence of
architecture in Cuba following the
overthrow of the Batista regime. This
was a time when Cubans embraced
the optimistic promise of bread and
roses, reflected both in the range of
programs encouraged by the new
government—schools, housing, cul-
tural centers, hospitals, ice-cream
parlors—and in the flamboyance and
freedom of their architecture.
Perhaps the best known and
most magnificent of these projects
is the complex of art schools—for
music, drama, modern dance, ballet,
and the plastic arts—begun imme-
diately after the Bay of Pigs invasion
in 1961 as a cultural riposte to
Yankee designs on the island.
Personally initiated by Fidel Castro
and Che Guevara and sited on the
Michael Sorkin practices architecture
in New York and is the director of the
graduate urban design program at
City College of New York.
grounds of what had been a posh
country club, these buildings—
designed by the Cuban Ricardo
Porro and Italians Roberto Gottardi
and Vittorio Garatti—embody the
best of a compassionate revolution,
one in which artistic expression is
seen as indispensable to human
development and success is
marked by expressive freedom.
The buildings themselves are
sinuous, complex compositions—
each an urbane little village—laid
out with tremendous sensitivity to
the lush, undulant landscape, and
built in a common materiality of
brick, tile, and concrete. They share,
too, a technology of hand-built
The National School of
the Plastic Arts (above)
by Ricardo Porro and
the Coppelia Ice Cream
Parlor (left) by Mario
Girona exemplify the
flowering of a human-
istic spirit and sense of
architectural adven-
ture that took place in
Cuba in the first years
after the Communists
took power.
Catalan vaulting—supervised by an
elderly Spanish master of the art—
that yielded an amazing Xanadu of
domes and arches. Both individually
and as ensemble they represent
one of the great architectural
creations of the century, rich in
influences but ultimately sui
generis. A piece of good news is

12.04 Architectural Record 67

 Critique

that portions of the complex—much

of which is in a state of ruinous dete-
rioration—are slowly being restored.
The star of the Storefront show
is Ricardo Porro. He holds center
stage not simply because of his lead-
ership of the Art School project and
his astonishing architectural work
(continued in Europe after his exile
from Cuba), but thanks to his beguil-
ing appearance in a film of interviews
produced for the exhibition. Porro
(whose students and colleagues
affectionately nicknamed him
Porbusier and Porromini) is an enthu-
siastic and articulate sensualist, and
his sexualized and ethnic description The Center for Construction Research and Experimentation in Havana by Hugo D’Acosta, built in 1967.
of his work is unabashed. In the art
schools, Porro sought to express were charged with a variety of adventure throbs from accounts of a the initial ideological armamentarium
the Afro-Cuban culture he thought bourgeois crimes: individualism, moment when all seemed possible. of the long-haired, cigar-chomping
held the island’s soul. Unfortunately, irrationality, idealism, and luxury. Utopia is the ultimate erogenous progenitors of the Cuban revolution,
this sensibility was at the core of But in the beginning, what a zone of architecture, and the merger before their slide into Puritanism and
the project’s fall from favor. As the time it was! Porro describes this of the discourses of revolution and homophobia. Indeed, the cover shot
revolution grew more Stalinist in its “utopian” period as “mas surrealista pleasure was one of the great prom- for the exhibition (a 1959 photo of an
suppression of diversity, the schools que socialista,” and the sense of ises of the time—certainly part of elegant group of architects in suits

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and ties mingling with bearded revo-
lutionaries in baggy military fatigues)
suggests a conflict that was to return.
Describing the Art School
project, Porro recalls the “victorious
and almost epic atmosphere” and
the directive from Fidel to create
“the most beautiful art school in
the world.” He speaks of making a
symbol of fertility and evokes
Ochun—the Afro-Cuban fertility
goddess—as the muse of the build-
ing, and female sexuality in general
as intrinsic to the Cuban national
character. “Cuba es una mulata,” he
declares, and the three (albeit male)
architects of the schools deliver on
this description of the feminine in
terms that, however regressive they
may seem to us nowadays, were
the conceptual medium for produc-
ing work of curvaceous sensuality
and often frank symbolism (includ-
ing Porro’s famous water-squirting
papaya sculpture).
Those happy days were all too
brief, and the schools were never
fully completed and only partially
occupied. Porro describes the dis-
couraging atmosphere engendered
by what was to become a perma-
nent political and economic crisis.
There is a striking moment in the
film when Porro describes the
arrival of Soviet panelized housing
as the death knell for the creative
period that produced the art
schools. (In 1964, the Russians sent
a gigantic factory for production of
the “Gran Panel” system as a gift to
the Cuban people.) As Porro speaks,
the camera angle widens to reveal a
terrible—and terribly out of place—
panelized building for student dorms
looming in the background. In its
grim rectilinearity, mindless siting,
and shabby detailing, the building
is the antithesis of the organic,
humane approach of the schools.
The art schools were not alone
in representing this approach. A
striking revelation of the show is
the numerous examples of post-
revolutionary Cuban architecture
embracing progressive design prac-
tices that were international in their
appeal and very much parallel to
directions contemporary in the U.S.
and elsewhere. Experiments in mod-
ularized housing, cement-asbestos
prefab pods, standardized school
construction, and integrated hous-
ing developments have a wonderful
familiarity to those of us who were
in U.S. schools back then.
A place without development
Although the narrative of a small
island caught in the rivalry between
two colossi is by now the standard
issue, it was crucial in shaping
Cuba’s architecture. A visit to Cuba
nowadays is filled with awful con-
trasts. There are few places where
the gap between education and
income is so great. Terrible scarci-
ties of goods and services (public
transit, for example, is in ruins)
dominate one’s impression of the
island. This is an economy in tatters
because of bad and authoritarian
choices, sclerotic bureaucracy,
misplaced alliances, and, of course,
unending U.S. pressure.
Ironically, the dire situation
has had some fortuitous effects.
Crumbling Havana—one of the
most beautiful cities on the planet,
with centuries of wonderful build-
ings—remains relatively unscathed
by development, because there
isn’t any. But once Fidel departs
the scene, there will likely be a new
set of risks. However much one
wishes the Cuban people to enjoy
lives of freedom and prosperity, the
onslaught of U.S.-style urbanism—
with its domination by the car, its
fast-food effluvium, its insensitivities
to history, its suburbanization—will
likely put the coherence of the city
and its very public atmosphere and
vibrant, if stoic, solidarity at risk.
Although Porro may be the
star of the film, the best line comes
from Mario Girona, architect of the
fabulous Coppelia Ice Cream Parlor.
Girona recalls that in designing the
project—a wonderful and complex
prefab dome—he was struck by a
program that asked for a place where
“a thousand people could eat ice
cream.” That’s my kind of revolution.
For those interested in the art
schools, Revolution of Forms by John
A. Loomis is the definitive work. ■

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 Three years later, a quartet
of books examine the efforts to
rebuild at Ground Zero
Up From Zero, by Paul
Goldberger. New York: Random
House, 2004, 288 pages, $25.
During the first musings about
future designs for Ground Zero, a
dark joke circulated through New
York’s architectural community. It
went like this: If the downtown
rebuilding effort were a board game,
all architects would start at square
one, except for SOM, the firm with
connections to the developer; it
would start at the finish line. Some
two-and-a-half years later, after
thousands of meetings and as many
proposals and skirmishes, it came
to pass. How did this happen?
Paul Goldberger, the New York
Times architecture critic for 25 years,
and the New Yorker’s for the past
seven, knows most of the issues that
shape New York’s architecture, and
most of the players. Up From Zero is
colored, for better and worse, both by
his long view and his insider status.
Goldberger tells the history,
more or less, of the official process,
aiming for an unbiased account that
is both critical and sympathetic. This
stance enables him to move freely
through the complexities of the story,
but it does not allow him to engage
much with its intensity. Still, soberly
documenting this narrative is no
mean feat. Thousands wrangled a
seat at the table—the Port Authority
and its planners, the developer and
his architects, community boards,
civic groups, 9/11 families, two New
York mayors, the governor, the presi-
dent, various henchmen, and the
feuding designers, for starters. Not
to mention the hype! When was an
Books
architectural process covered so
extensively or breathlessly by the
press? Architecture had arrived, and
its coverage had all the cannibalistic
mania of the era’s Big Stories: O.J.
Simpson, Monica Lewinsky, the
elections.
It’s oddly pleasurable to relive
the mad carnival ride in the read-
ing. Time is compressed, many of
the gaps are filled in, and questions
answered as we return to now-
familiar surprises: the soaring
promises and scary free falls.
Remember the high hopes and wild
visions followed by Beyer Blinder
Belle’s rushed plans with their curi-
ous mongrel authorship, the public’s
horrified response, the competition
that dared not speak its name, the
apotheosis of Libeskind and his
slow dismemberment, the triumph
in the memorial competition of
Michael Arad, an unknown? All that
kinetic energy exerted itself against
the downward pull of the governor’s
unstated political imperatives and
the developer’s intent to rebuild
10.5 million square feet of unnec-
essary office space, which finally
ended in a ravaged master plan and
a jumble of designer buildings—
downtown’s own Columbus, Indiana.
This baffling tale is what
Goldberger chronicles. It is the
canonical story, our riddle and
our myth, and it will be repeatedly
retold. It has historic character
because of 9/11, but it also
describes a philosophical process
of dense, indeterminate causality.
Goldberger shows us the cogs
grinding at Ground Zero, revealing
ancient mysteries: repetition (the
towers’ gigantism), free will (the pub- space, and the importance of
DEPARTMENTS
lic input), predetermination (the 10.5 appropriate scale.
million square feet, SOM), the role of But, as in most epic struggles,
great men, the cultural and political nobody ever seems to win for good.
zeitgeist, how process and accidents Goldberger ends his book on a note
have a way of subverting intention. of resignation, saying, “Idealism met
As in Tolstoy’s War and Peace, cynicism at Ground Zero, and so far
Goldberger’s hero is not the they have battled to a draw.”
glamorous leader, like Napoleon, Laurie Kerr
imposing his will on the world,
but an anonymous figure—in
this case, Alexander Garvin, an
empiricist and impresario who
was attuned to the whirlwind
and orchestrated the planning
effort. As if to prove the devouring
power of process and the press,
it appears that Goldberger’s
admiration for Garvin contributed
to the planner’s downfall. After
Goldberger wrote a New Yorker
article praising Garvin’s role,
a board member of the Lower
Manhattan Development
Corporation apparently became
incensed that the governor was
not given more credit. Several
months later, Garvin resigned.
The other great figure in this
story is Jane Jacobs, New York’s
most influential empiricist. Her pres- Sixteen Acres: The Outrageous
ence is off-stage but ubiquitous. Struggle for the Future of
Goldberger sees her epic battles Ground Zero, by Philip Nobel.
against Robert Moses as the tem- New York: Metropolitan Books,
plate for the public’s determination Henry Holt and Co., 2005, 304
to have a say in the design of pages, $25.
Ground Zero, and he credits her
1961 classic, The Death and Life Philip Nobel’s account of Ground
of Great American Cities, with Zero presents a broader, messier,
most of the big ideas that should and more disturbing story than
have shaped the rebuilding: creating Goldberger’s in Up From Zero.
vitality through mixed-use, 24-hour Nobel ventures beyond the vast,
neighborhoods, recognizing the official three-year process to show
street grid as the essential urban how the design of Ground Zero cap-
12.04 Architectural Record 71
 Books
tured the world’s imagination, with
more than 9,000 designs submitted
for the master plan and the memo-
rial. He explores how the inherent
limitations of Modern architecture
became evident when so much—
everything!—was asked of design.
Nobel’s narrative has the wonderful
raw edginess of a handheld cam-
era—zooming in, panning, pulling
back—trying to capture it all.
Nobel is a relatively new kid
on the block among New York’s
architecture critics, a contributor to
numerous publications and a colum-
nist for Metropolis. He is a younger
Tom Wolfe of the architectural world,
puncturing the smug, self-congratu-
latory pieties of the in-crowd by
zeroing in with devastating detail and
hip lingo against the hip. His writing
has provided a welcome tonic for a
discipline that often teeters on the
verge of narcissism.
What works splendidly in short
pieces is somewhat dicey at book
length, and at times during this witty,
thorough, but relentlessly urgent cri-
tique, the gentle reader starts to long
for a more sympathetic commentary,
a few admirable actors, or a truly
compelling idea. Nobel can seem just
plain ornery, for example, when he
criticizes the decision to reintroduce
72 Architectural Record 12.04
the street grid into one of New York’s
most notoriously problematical
superblocks, labeling it “voguish
urban planning dogma.” Is nothing
admirable? Indeed, the only ones
who come off well are those who
counsel doing nothing, at least for a
while: Ada Louise Huxtable, Frank
Gehry, Robert Stern.
Of course, one of the process’s
most disturbing features was the
addiction to haste—our society’s
headlong rush to react, to do some-
thing. We are reaping the sad
results in Ground Zero’s muddle.
Goldberger also decries the haste,
but Nobel goes further in dissecting
exactly how Andrew Cuomo’s chal-
lenge to George Pataki in the 2002
gubernatorial election and the loom-
ing 2004 Republican convention set
the pace—politics driving policy.
The other great failure, Nobel
believes, was architecture’s inability
to deliver when we most needed it.
Perhaps the dialogue had become
too self-involved during the largely
peaceful years of economic boom,
or perhaps the problem was more
fundamental. Maybe Henry Russell
Hitchcock was right when he argued
that Modern architecture can’t
express monumentality because, in
embracing an ideology of continual
revolution, it had forsaken the possi-
bility of forging a common language.
The process breaking down,
politics driving policy, our architects
failing us … If Jane Jacobs the mid-
century urban critic creates the
background of Goldberger’s book,
Nobel’s Jane Jacobs is the current
one, whose Dark Age Ahead
(Random House, 2004) warns of a
potential collapse of our society’s pil-
lars, a breakdown in our professional
and other fundamental processes.
But, despite Nobel’s justifiable
concerns, maybe the wacky, sus-
pect process worked, after all—and
this may constitute its most outra-
geous aspect. Somehow, everybody
got what they needed, if not what
they wanted, and isn’t that sort of,
well, democratic and urban? True,
we did not get a singular, visionary
masterpiece, but the survivors got
their sanctified tower footprints and
the neighbors ensured the product
wasn’t too lugubrious. The urbanists
got their partial street grid and tran-
sit hub, the Port Authority held on
to its power, the nation got its tower
and symbol of defiant rebirth—
hopefully safer with uninhabited
upper floors—and the quixotic envi-
ronmentalists got windmills in a spot
that had once epitomized depend-
ence on foreign oil. And now, with
Silverstein short of capital after los-
ing his lawsuit, market forces may
build residential rather than office
space, as civic groups have wanted
all along. Alexander Garvin, anyone?
Nobel’s final insights into the
relationship between process and
architectural solutions are among
his most compelling. In the end,
we are left with bastardized forms
that exactly embody the tortured
procedures that created them. The
Freedom Tower, he writes, “was
the perfect product of an imperfect
process. It had a thousand authors
and none at all.” And later, “archi-
tecture is never frozen music …
architecture is frozen conflict.”
Could we have expected anything
else in this polarized era? L.K.
Imagining Ground Zero:
Of ficial and Unof ficial
Proposals for the World Trade
Center Site, by Suzanne
Stephens, with Ian Luma and
Rod Broadhurst. New York: Rizzoli
and Architectural Record,
2004, 252 pages, $60.
Just when you thought you
couldn’t stand seeing another
plan for Ground Zero, Suzanne
Stephens’s lavishly illustrated,
annotated collection of more
than 250 designs for the site
draws you right back in. There’s
something riveting about see-
ing all these projects together,
image after image.
Stephens, an architectural
historian, longtime New York
critic, and RECORD special corre-
spondent, sees her book as
serving two purposes. The
world’s architectural community
responded to the destruction of
the World Trade Center with an
unprecedented outpouring of cre-
ative energy, almost all of which will
remain on paper, never to be built.
This book will act as a repository of
nascent concepts, some of which
may contain the germs of future
masterpieces. It is also a snapshot
of the global profession at this
moment, as was the collection of
entries to the Chicago Tribune
competition, some 82 years ago.
Stephens made the canny decision
to go backward in time, presenting
the latest, polished, crystalline
visions first, unpeeling the layers,
returning, like psychoanalysis, to the
initial, raw response to the trauma.
Many of the early projects seem like
the monsters unleashed in Goya’s
etching The Sleep of Reason, with
lurid, writhing forms towering over
the defenseless city—or a collective
Guernica—an agonized shout
protesting the cruelty of civilian
death. Unlike the serene proposals
of the Chicago Tribune competition,
those for Ground Zero responded
to an unprecedented urban
catastrophe.
Philip Nobel contends that
modern architecture has difficulty
clearly conveying ideas without
the crutch of a written text, but
Stephens’s collection shows us that
modern architecture alone is capable
of expressing feelings such as horror.
Ironically, the architects’ texts often
belie their emotional content with
boosterish commentary about the
City of the Future or ultra-rational
conceptual explications, based in bio-
logical/cyber-genic processes. But
many of these visions are profoundly
disturbing, and as we weigh the
relative merits of the visionary
against the compromised products
of process and pragmatism, we have
to ask whether these visions, to par-
aphrase Giuliani, might have been
more than we could bear.
Collections enable us to study
themes and their variations and the
evolution of form. The designs contain
a number of recurring images, many
of which found their way, diluted, into
the official Innovative Design Study
and even into the final design. There
are numerous clusters of towers,
often twisted, tapered, or writhing,
which merge at points. Justified in
structural terms, or as a way of pro-
viding multiple means of egress, it’s
hard not to see these huddled forms
anthropomorphically, leaning on one
another in grief. Another theme is the
tenacity of gigantism. Then, there is
the impulse to balance the defiant or
transcendent skyward gesture with
the Orphic descent into the dark,
damp earth. There are also blobs and
bridges spanning the towers, display-
ing, perhaps, a compulsion to relive
the dreadful moments when the air-
planes struck.
It is also interesting to ponder
what is not in this collection. The
designs are almost exclusively futur-
istic, with hardly a backward or a
sideways look at the unique charac-
ter of downtown Manhattan, with its
thrilling cavernous streets framed by
the now-modest 20-to-40-story
skyscrapers from the turn of the last
century. James Wines’s scheme is
one of the few that harnesses this
remarkable urban fabric.
Little has been made of the fact
that the two nominal winners, Daniel
Libeskind and Michael Arad, are
both children of Holocaust survivors.
Having grown up in the shadow of
catastrophe, it seems they were
uniquely capable of expressing hor-
ror, sorrow, and then the necessary
optimism of daily life. L.K.
Breaking Ground: Adventures
in Life and Architecture, by
Daniel Libeskind and Sarah
Crichton. New York: Riverhead
Books, 2004, 288 pages, $28.
For most of the 1990s, Daniel
Libeskind was known for one build-
ing, the Jewish Museum in
Berlin—where every crease and
crevice seemed a stirring (and
appropriate) reminder of destruction
and dislocation. But by decade’s
end, when the same forms turned
up in other contexts—from an art
museum in Denver to a shopping
mall in Switzerland—it was natural
to wonder whether they were sim-
ply personal fixations. No one asked
Edward Durell Stone whether his
octagons were rooted in childhood
fantasies, or Frank Lloyd Wright
whether his cantilevers signified
repressed risk-taking. But in
Libeskind’s case it’s natural to won-
der what subconscious urges led
him to use acute angles no matter
what the brief.
Tellingly, his memoir is as
shardlike as his buildings—flash-
backs within flashbacks within
flashbacks. Can anyone read the
story of Daniel’s father’s imprison-
ment in 1928 (as a suspected
Communist), and the coda in which
 Books
he met the occupant of the adja-
cent cell 20 years later, without
being moved? The sentiments
aren’t “cornball” (a word Libeskind
uses to describe himself), and the
prose (with Sarah Crichton) is
cogent.
Indeed, if Libeskind had writ-
ten his recollections without
mentioning architecture, they might
have formed a memoir on the order
of Angela’s Ashes. Libeskind’s par-
ents, Nachman and Dora, were
Polish Jews who escaped the Nazis
only to find themselves imprisoned
in Russian hard-labor camps;
released in 1942, they waited out
the war in the Kyrgyz Mountains. In
1946, they fought their way back
home to Lodz, where they had lost
everything (and nearly everyone).
Yet incredibly, pogroms aimed at
the few surviving Polish Jews con-
tinued. In 1957, when Daniel was
11, the family left for Israel; trau-
matically, the possessions they had
packed, including fine china they
had hoped to sell in Israel for a
foothold, had been smashed “to
dust” in transit. Dora resumed her
trade, stitching intricately con-
structed brassieres and girdles, a
kind of engineering that the young
Daniel admired. “She put me to
work inserting whalebone props
into the finely sewn garments.” Two
years later, the family left for New
York, where Nachman became a
photo-offset print stripper. Daniel
notes, admiringly, that his Dad
didn’t need rules or T-squares to
get things absolutely level.
And yet the son eschewed
right angles. He had thought of
becoming an artist, until his
mother told him, “You can always
do art in architecture, but you can’t
do architecture in art.” He enrolled
at Cooper Union, and then, as a
teacher and theorist, roamed the
world until he won the Berlin com-
petition. To get the museum built,
his wife Nina convinced him they
would have to live in Berlin. They
ended up staying 12 years. During
all that time, Libeskind, priding
himself on his outsider status,
never learned to speak German.
No wonder there were skeptics
when, in his bid to win the World
Trade Center commission, he styled
himself a New Yorker and invoked
memories of seeing the Statue of
Liberty when he arrived at dawn
by boat.
So much for biography. It is
in the discussions of architecture
that the boat starts to capsize.
Libeskind describes his buildings
as preordained. Yet his list of inspira-
tion includes an unfinished opera by
Arnold Schoenberg, the light and
geology of the Rockies, a shattered
teapot, an author’s palm print,
Michelangelo, and Groucho Marx—
for starters. He writes ungraciously
about his colleagues, characterizing
his early jobs with Richard Meier as
“mindless, robotic” and with Peter
Eisenman as “a forced act of sub-
mission.” He describes Yoshio
Taniguchi’s MoMA as “an aggressive
expression of corporate power” and
Tadao Ando’s Modern Art Museum
at Forth Worth as “an anonymous
concrete box.” But Libeskind
reserves his strongest opprobrium
for David Childs of SOM, whose
architecture he excoriates (“It hurts
to look up at the Time Warner build-
ing on Columbus Circle”), and
whose character he describes the
way his parents might have talked
about their captors.
But he also concedes that his
plan for Ground Zero was chosen,
over the selection committee’s
objection, because his lawyer had
softened up Governor Pataki with
a photo of Libeskind as a boy, in
front of a haystack; supposedly, it
reminded the governor of a similar
childhood photo of his own. Coming
from a man who repeatedly says
that the 21st century calls for a
new architecture “based on demo-
cratic ideals,” that’s a startling
admission. Fred Bernstein

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 Architectural time warp:
Eisenman lays his own planes of
meaning onto a historic site
Exhibitions
Copying the dimen- outdoor “rooms” with
sions of rooms inside slanted planes and
the Castelvecchio, overlapping grids
P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY E I S E N M A N A R C H I T E CT S
Eisenman created five (above and below).
By Fred A. Bernstein
The Garden of Lost Footsteps:
An Installation at the Museo
di Castelvecchio, Verona, Italy.
Curated by Kurt Forster and
Cynthia Davidson, through
January 23, 2005.
Peter Eisenman, who has been a
part of all nine Venice Architecture
Biennales, was better represented
this time than ever before, not only
by photos and models of his proj-
Fred A. Bernstein is a New York–based
journalist who writes on architecture
and design and is the author of the
book Renovate (Filipacchi, 2004).
ects, but by a room-size installation
DEPARTMENTS
in the Italian pavilion. That plywood-
and-steel-pipe construction,
Eisenman says, was intended to
embody 500 years of architectural
history—from Palladio to Peter. But
it was, at best, a trifle compared to
the architect’s tour de force 90
miles away, in Verona, an installa-
tion also curated by Biennale
director Kurt Forster.
The setting was the
Castelvecchio, a 14th-century
fortress, rebuilt after World War II,
on the Adige River. Between 1958
and 1964, Carlo Scarpa turned
the decrepit castle into a museum
of antiquity, and he did so with a
skill that is difficult to appreciate
from photos. Scarpa began by
carving a cavernous space into
an enfillade of five square rooms.
To separate foreground and back-
ground, Scarpa left a 10-inch gap
between his new concrete floors
and the building’s hoary walls—the
floors thus read as a series of plat-
forms. On these platforms, Scarpa
installed the museum’s collection
on a series of steel pedestals and
shelves. His sensibility, which deals
in puzzle-piece asymmetry and
doubled lines, is so distinctive that
it is possible, walking around the
museum, to identify his contribu-
tions down to the last bracket or
hinge. To Eisenman, Scarpa’s archi-
tecture is all about connections,
about “how the pieces fit together.
He’s small-scale,” Eisenman says,
adding, “I’m large-scale.”
Invited to install a show in the
museum, Eisenman visited it for
the first time in more than 30 years,
12.04 Architectural Record 77
 Exhibitions
and decided “you can’t compete
with Scarpa.” Instead, he asked
permission to build on the lawn out-
side the museum, but inside the
castle walls. And he began with the
five platforms—because, despite
Scarpa’s focus on details, Eisenman
THE EISENMAN-SCARPA INTERACTION IS
LIKE A CHARLES IVES PIECE IN WHICH
TWO ORCHESTRAS MERGE THEN SEPARATE.
said, “The structures have an overall
idea about them—so they’re the
mediating device between my work
and his.”
Reprising Scarpa’s plan pre-
cisely, Eisenman placed five
platforms of concrete, stone, and
steel in front of the museum. Then
78 Architectural Record 12.04
he created another grid, shifted
about 12 degrees from Scarpa’s,
which shoots through the courtyard
like a river that has unexpectedly
changed course. The tension
between the grids (no less the two
philosophies) created fissures;
within them, Eisenman located an
archaeological survey of his own
career. Among the motifs: red steel
I-beams, from his IBA Social
Housing in Berlin; contoured topog-
raphy from his City of Culture in
Santiago de Compostela, Spain; and
square holes from his Cannaregio
Town Square project for Venice. The
builders did an extraordinary job of
capturing architecture seemingly in
motion; for those who can’t make
it to Verona, the handsome catalog
by Cynthia Davidson (Eisenman’s
wife) includes working drawings.
Eisenman said the installation cost
about $300,000.
Eisenman didn’t entirely shun
the museum interior; he installed
a series of architectural fragments
in the trenches around Scarpa’s
platforms, as if inhabiting the gap
between the ancient and the mod-
ern. Eisenman says his intent was
“to confound the relationship of
time to place by questioning which
was the original project: the castle,
Scarpa, or Eisenman?”
Of course you know, but the
Eisenman-Scarpa interaction is like
a Charles Ives piece in which two
orchestras merge, then try to sepa-
rate. Eisenman’s own allusions are
more often literary: His catalog
essay includes references to Proust,
Italo Calvino, and Jorge Luis Borges,
and there are the usual puns
(Scarpa means foot, one of the
reasons, he said, that he called the
installation The Garden of Lost
Footsteps.)
Forster, for his part, describes
the installation as both lucid and
ludic—wordplay being de rigueur
when architecture is treated as
“text.” But Eisenman insists it
isn’t necessary to understand the
intellectual underpinnings to appre-
ciate the result. “We have photos
of children rolling on the lawn,” he
says. “They love it.” Besides, if
Eisenman’s installation does noth-
ing more than get a new generation
of architects to take a close look
Scarpa’s work, it will have been a
success. ■
In the Galleria della
Scultura, Eisenman
inserted fragments
representing some of
his key projects in the
narrow space between
Scarpa’s floor slabs
and the old fortress
walls (above). The
same red grid alluding
to Eisenman’s IBA
housing project in
Berlin runs through
the outdoor displays
(left and top left).
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 Panoramic views that go beyond
the printed page
archrecord.com
Within our Web site, you can view several areas and exhibitions
at the 240,000-square-foot DIA:Beacon, designed by OpenOffice
arts+architecture collaborative.
This on-site panoramic tour of the MoMA Design Store focuses on
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © S U S A N N A H S H E P H E R D
the dynamic lighting design by Johnson Schwinghammer.
By Randi Greenberg
DEPARTMENTS
You may not be aware of archrecord.com’s several Web-only features,
which strive to give more depth and breadth to the architects’ projects we
present in the magazine. These offerings include unique panoramic tours of
selected works throughout the year. The virtual walkthroughs, which con-
sist of dynamic 360-degree images, guide you through museums like the
American Folk Art Museum by Tod Williams Billie Tsien, restaurants such
as 66 by Richard Meier & Partners, and retail spaces like Bisazza by Fabio
Novembre.
Here we present a two-dimensional sampling of different tours,
which are extended into single photographs. On the Web site, you can
click your way through some of the most creative and vibrant interiors
and gain a better understanding of the space than the printed word may
12.04 Architectural Record 81
 archrecord.com

be able to convey. With the virtual tour of

the DIA:Beacon, located in upstate New York
and featured in the October 2003 Project
Portfolio, the subtle nuances of the archi-
tecture as well as the natural lighting are
more easily understood. We tour several
rooms within the museum, and the architec-
ture throughout never interferes with the
large-scale works by artists such as Donald
Judd, Andy Warhol, Richard Serra, and Dan Flavin.
Our exclusive virtual tour of Prada’s Manhattan flagship store by the
Office of Metropolitan Architecture brings you a more comprehensive study
of the complex retail interior. This insider look shows the quirky materials
used throughout the 23,000-square-foot space, from its bold wallpapered
entrance to the subterranean high-tech dressing rooms. The signature ele-
ment in the two-story space—the deep gorge—is shown in its entirety. In
one direction you have a view of the terraced and bleacherlike side, and in
the other direction you are able to see the graceful “wave.” ■

To find our Walkthrough Archive, go to

archrecord.construction.com/projects/multimedia/
The two floors of Prada’s flagship Manhattan store (above) by Rem Koolhaas
are explored on our site, as is the reenvisioned strip-mall tanning salon,
Electric Sun, in Los Angeles (below) by Escher GuneWardena Architecture.

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 Snapshot

By Beth Broome

On the outskirts of Eindhoven, the Netherlands, in the belly of a decommis- Bowl takes skateboarding
sioned hangar, a totally different kind of flying machine has made its home.
The MU Bowl is a pine and birch skateboarding facility that, thanks to a
wealth of resources, has taken the design of such structures to another
to new heights
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M A A R T E N VA N V I E G E N

level. From miles around, skaters—the rippers and the wannabes—come to

grab and grind, and hopefully, perfect their nosegrabs, madonnas, and ollies.
The project was spearheaded by Ton van Gool, director of Eindhoven’s MU Art Foundation, who in organizing
an exhibition on skate culture was seeking “the most perfect wooden skatebowl ever”—one that had both sculp-
tural qualities and practical uses. To design the bowl, van Gool turned to the young Eindhoven husband-and-wife
team Marc and Nicole Maurer of Maurer United Architects (MUA), who have experience with youth culture projects.
MUA’s primary concern was to make a bowl that the skateboarding community—a community defined by their
independent-mindedness—approved of. If the skateboarders did not endorse it, they realized, the facility would remain
little more than a cerebral exercise. So MUA formed a collaboration with 20 students at the Eindhoven University of
Technology, many of whom were enthusiasts themselves. American skateboarder Jocko Weyland hit the scene as a
guest lecturer, spending three weeks coaching the students on the nuances of the sport and the prerequisites of a
good bowl. Twenty different schemes resulted, from which a panel of Dutch skateboarders selected a final design: two

12.04 Architectural Record 85

 Snapshot Lending new meaning to
the word radical, MUA
applied three layers of
1
⁄3-inch plywood sheets to
the bowl’s frame to achieve
the convex-concave terrain.

round sections connected by a “waterfall” to a rectangular deep end.

Input from the community continued into the construction phase. With
religious dedication, skateboarder Marcus Kamps oversaw the carpenters
who, using CAD/CAM, created the prefabricated wooden trusses and ribs
that were later assembled on-site. Though a wooden surface is preferable
to concrete because of its resiliency, it presented the challenge of creating
double curved surfaces for the convex-concave terrain. The effect was
achieved by installing two layers of 1⁄3-inch pine plywood in a patchwork style
across the frame, topped off by a layer of 1⁄3-inch birch plywood.
The form, which not surprisingly takes its inspiration from the empty
California backyard swimming pools where skateboarding began to flourish
in the 1970s, addresses the skateboarder’s principal demands. According
to Weyland, the shape has good “transitions” (the curve of the walls), and
good “flow,” which allows for many different “lines,” or paths for traversing
the bowl. In short, he says, it is very “skateable,” making all kinds of tricks
possible, like salad grinds, feebles to fakie, and backside disasters.
Since the MU Bowl opened in 2002, it has become a central meeting
place for Eindhoven’s suburban youth, illustrating how basic shapes and
building blocks, and the efforts of a dedicated team, can serve as a launch
pad for an infinite number of future choreographies. “It works,” reports
Weyland, “as a beautiful object that serves its purpose to the utmost.” ■

R E N D E R I N G S : C O U R T E SY E I N D H O V E N U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E C H N O LO GY

86 Architectural Record 12.04

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 Snøhetta discusses its new role at
Ground Zero as well as input, inspiration,
and an often unorthodox design process
Interview by Sam Lubell
With its commission to design the museum complex at Ground Zero, Norway-
based Snøhetta has quickly received worldwide media attention. But the firm
FEATURES
hasn’t come out of nowhere. Formed in 1989, Snøhetta (named for a mountain
in Norway) has completed a variety of well-received projects, including the
Alexandria Library in Egypt, which recently won an Aga Khan Award for
Architecture (page 96), the Norwegian Embassy in Berlin, and the Lillehamer
Olympic Art Museum in Norway. The firm is now working on the
Norwegian National Opera House, in Oslo, due to open in 2008, noted for a
sloping roof that descends to the ground, inviting visitors up to view spectacu-
lar local vistas. Known for its innovative use of materials and for smooth
integration of its projects into the landscape, the firm has also proved adroit at
accommodating the needs of diverse clients, one of the reasons it got the
museum complex commission, note officers from both participating museums.
record recently sat down with two of Snøhetta’s partners, Craig
Dykers and Kjetil Thoresen, to discuss their firm, their goals and ideals, and
their plans for the Trade Center site. The discussion also included the subject
of a flexible design process, which may be the wave of the future.
90 Architectural Record 12.04
ARCHITECTURAL RECORD : Congratulations on winning the museum com-
plex commission at Ground Zero. Now comes the hard part: How will you
incorporate the desires of so many parties into your World Trade Center
design?
Craig Dykers: We faced similar problems when we worked on the
Alexandria Library project [in Egypt], which also had several levels of
political influence, all the way from global and national politics to local
Alexandrian needs. First of all, the architecture shouldn’t try to dictate an
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY S N Ø H E T TA
atmosphere; it should try to allow multiple understandings to grow or
exist within it. Process is a key issue—that people work together to create
something. Some say this would diffuse the architecture. We believe pre-
cisely the opposite. If more than one person has to use a building, then
why not have more than one person design it?
Kjetil Thoresen: This is what creative processes are about. Creativity is a
game of tensions between people sitting at a table, or people living in a city.
CD: We see ourselves as facilitators. This isn’t to suggest that we don’t
have strong architectural ideas. Our heads are full of them. But you’re try-
The planned Turner
Contemporary museum
in Margate, England
(opposite), will literally
be built into the local
seascape. The new
Norwegian National
Opera House, in Oslo
(above), will welcome
the local population
onto its expansive,
sloping roof, designed
to echo the surrounding
fjord. The Alexandria
Library, in Egypt (bot-
tom, dramatically lit
at night), emerges from
beneath the urban
landscape, appearing
on the outside more
intimate than its large,
partially buried interior
space would suggest.
 ing to find which one is appropriate and how it can merge with other
peoples’ ideas about the same task at hand.
AR: Have you started designing the museum complex? What are some of
Other Norwegian
your plans?
projects include the
KT: It’s very dangerous to start work already. We have to force ourselves
Sandvika Cultural
not to have plans or to make shapes and forms, because then we’ll be lim-
Center, with a foyer
iting ourselves to a small group of people and their perceptions. You have
and rehearsal rooms
to widen your understanding. We’re having a workshop tomorrow with
that reach out into the
the user groups and the clients. We will certainly have several more with
street (left), while
groups affiliated with the memorial, with our engineers and design team,
the Karmøy Fishing
with the community. We will also meet with artists, as we have on many
Museum (below), on
projects. This helps you sweep away some preconceptions about how you
an island facing the
might understand something. We don’t try to be experts in everything.
North Sea, juts into the
We’re trying to allow those people that are best at what they do to provide
open landscape. The
direct input into the design.
Lillehamer Olympic Art
AR: Can you describe any of your preliminary thoughts on the new building?
Museum (bottom) uti-
KT: The space has to be respectful and mediate between two worlds. It is a
lizes local materials.
transition away from the hectic pace of life in the city. When you come
through the building, you reduce your speed, but you have to pay respects
to the city and accelerate on the way out. We will also look at New York’s
very strong local topography and urban landscape, and of course we have
to stress remembrance, perhaps more than anything, while the building
must complement the memorial and the site.
CD: Within the building, the importance is not just to see things on a wall,
but to develop an intimate interaction between visitors and the institutions.
AR: Architects today, like Frank Gehry [just commissioned to design the
performing arts center at Ground Zero] often create so-called signature archi-
tecture, imposing a certain style onto their buildings. Do you have a firm style?
KT: We don’t have a signature style. What we do is to evolve every project
from its context and its content.
AR: Can you describe your design process?
CD: We call it organized chaos. Today we have no agenda, for example.
KT: The agenda is a powerful tool, because if you put together an agenda,
you’ve told people what to talk about, especially in early design meetings.
We don’t like to tell people what to talk about. People talk about anything,
basically. You start your design process just by trying to get under your
own skin and under the skin of others.
CD: Words are very important. I think many architects either ignore or
misuse language. We tend to rely on objects and models. But before that
process begins, there needs to be at least some common understanding
with language. Being able to talk about what’s important to you.
AR: What are some defining characteristics of your present work?
CD: I believe there is a dialogue between nature and human nature.
KT: Whatever you do and everywhere you turn, you have to deal with
nature. There’s a big difference between reacting to it and physically
immersing yourself in it. Where engineers have traditionally built walls
between construction and the sea, our Turner museum [due for com-
pletion in 2007], for instance, is built within the seascape. To actually
interact with nature directly is a change of mind-set.
AR: What do you find most interesting about architecture today?
CD: That we have the chance today to interact across borders much more
than we have in the past, and in a much different way. People like Mies
van der Rohe came to America 40 or 50 years ago. But it was very differ-
ent. It was about exporting ideas. Now we’re talking about interacting.
AR: When will you have a preliminary design? Is the timeline too tight?
KT: We have been asked to have a design by February. Sometimes strict
deadlines are good. The pressure, the tension that you feel in a group can
help. In reality, everything can be doubted. There is not only one solution
to every problem. ■

92 Architectural Record 12.04

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 2004 Aga Khan Award for Architecture:
Promoting
Excellence in the
By Sam Lubell with James Murdock
T
FEATURES
he Aga Khan Award for Architecture, which
since 1977 has encouraged successful build-
ing practices and promoted local culture in
the Islamic World, was at press time sched-
uled to announce its 2004 winners on November 27
in Delhi, India.
The seven victorious projects were chosen
from a field of 378 nominees by a nine-person jury
(listed below). In choosing the winners, notes juror
Farshid Moussavi, of Foreign Office Architects in
London (and an Iranian native), the panel considered
the project’s social impact, the integration of private
and public spheres, and expressions of power, indi-
viduality, and historical memory. But by far the chief
component was simply architectural excellence. “It’s
about how do you crystallize the forces that shape an
architectural project into form?” says Moussavi, who
was impressed with the overall quality of the work she
saw in a volatile region where architecture is often
ignored by the western public. Short-listed projects
are visited by jurors after being narrowed down by
various architects, engineers, and scholars with
intensely detailed research on performance, cost, and
design concepts, among other criteria.
This year’s winners, says awards secretary
general Suha Özkan, included more experimental and
contemporary work than in past cycles (the prizes are
given out every three years), marking a concerted
effort to expand the program’s boundaries. These
included a prototype for sandbag structures, a school
building in Burkina Faso, and a sleek, highly adapt-
94 Architectural Record 12.04
Islamic World
able modern house in Turkey.
“The awards are not only about celebrating
the heritage of a certain culture, but celebrating the
new ventures coming out of a place,” notes
Moussavi, who also points out that the jury had the
benefit of a very diverse membership that included
philosophers, artists, engineers, architects, and his-
torians. “I think it was very healthy to have different
P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY A G A K H A N AWA R D FO R A R C H I T E CT U R E / © S I M É O N D U C H O U D ( O P P O S I T E )
perspectives. It becomes tougher to talk about
design when faced with a nonarchitect, and I think
that’s very exciting.”
The awards were originally established by
His Highness the Aga Khan, the Imam of the Shia
Imami Ismaili Muslims. Awards total $500,000, mak-
ing this the largest architectural prize in the world.
Winners can include projects in contemporary
design, social housing, community improvement,
restoration, reuse, area conservation, landscape
design, and improvement of the environment.
Master Jury
Ghada Amer, artist, New York; Hanif Kara, partner, Adams
Kara Taylor Structural and Civil Engineering Consultancy,
London; Rahul Mehrotra, executive director, Urban Design
Research Institute, Mumbai; Farshid Moussavi, partner,
Foreign Office Architects, London; Modjtaba Sadria, professor
of Cross-Cultural Relations and East Asian Studies, Chuo
University, Tokyo; Reinhard Schulze, professor of Islamic
Studies, University of Bern; Elías Torres Tur, partner, Martínez
Lapeña-Torres Arquitectos, Barcelona; Billie Tsien, partner,
Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, New York; Jafar Tukan,
principal, Consolidated Consultants for Engineering and the
Environment, Amman.
Primary School, Gando, Burkina
Faso. Diébédo Francis Kéré
Diébédo Francis Kéré, the first person from
the village of Gando to study abroad, was
convinced that education would be the cor-
nerstone of his people’s advancement; so
he decided to design a school for his village
and raise the money to build it himself. The
building’s design and construction was as
simple as possible to avoid the need to
transport materials to the rural site. Three
classrooms are arranged linearly and sepa-
rated by covered outdoor areas. Load-
bearing walls are made from earth blocks.
Concrete beams run the width of the ceil-
ing, and lightweight steel trusses support a
corrugated metal roof, which overhangs the
building to provide shade and help regulate
indoor temperatures.

12.04 Architectural Record 95

Bibliotheca Alexandrina,
Alexandria, Egypt. Snøhetta
Hamza Consortium
Commissioned in 1988, the Bibliotheca
Alexandrina is a revival of Alexandria’s
legendary ancient library. Its basic form is a
tilting disc, with four levels below ground
and seven above ground, which helps mini-
mize the building’s scale so visitors are not
overwhelmed by it. The exterior wall is clad
in 4,000 granite blocks that are carved with
letters from the world’s alphabets. The circu-
lar diaphragm wall, 541 feet in diameter and
115 feet high, is among the largest of its
kind in the world.
 Restoration of
the Al-Abbas Mosque, Asnaf,
Yemen. Marylène Barret
The mosque’s modest stone and mud-brick
exterior walls conceal a spectacular sacred
interior, the highlight of which is an elabo-
rately painted and gilded ceiling. But the
mosque, nearly 875 years old, was showing
its age: Its ceiling was warped and suffered
from rot. Traditional construction techniques
and materials—such as a mortar made of
lime and volcanic aggregate—were used
throughout the restoration. Pieces of the
ceiling that couldn’t be conserved were
transferred to a museum, their memory
marked by leaving the spaces plain.
P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY A G A K H A N AWA R D FO R A R C H I T E CT U R E / © C H R I S T I A N R I C H T E R S ( O P P O S I T E ) ; © R E H A G Ü N AY ( R I G H T )

12.04 Architectural Record 97

 Petronas Towers,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Cesar Pelli & Associates
The most significant landmark in Malaysia,

P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY A G A K H A N AWA R D FO R A R C H I T E CT U R E / © K A M R A N A D L E
and until recently the world’s tallest buildings,
the Petronas Towers represent traditional
Islamic forms mixed with local building
materials and technological know-how. The
footprint of each tower is an interlocking
square that forms an eight-pointed star,
which has religious significance for Muslims.
Conceived of in 1981, the towers are
located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s com-
mercial district; they have become symbols
of contemporary architecture in Malaysia.

98 Architectural Record 12.04

 Old City of Jerusalem
Revitalization Program.
OCJRP Office
The revitalization is a comprehensive project
designed to restore the urban fabric as well
as improve the quality of life for residents
in Jerusalem’s Old City. Since 1995, more
than 160 buildings—half of them residential,
the remainder a mixture of public and com-
mercial structures—have been stabilized
or completely restored throughout the
P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY A G A K H A N AWA R D FO R A R C H I T E CT U R E / © S T E V E S A B E L L A

215-acre district. Buildings are selected for

restoration based on the severity of their
physical condition. Local architects and
engineers are being trained in preservation
to ensure the buildings are properly main-
tained following restoration.
 P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY A G A K H A N AWA R D FO R A R C H I T E CT U R E / © C E M A L E M D E N
B2 House, Ayvacik, Turkey.
Han Tümertekin
Two brothers wanted to build a weekend
retreat where they could find beauty, tranquil-
lity, and seclusion. Their two-level house is
embedded in the slope of a mountainside. A
living room dominates the bottom level, while
two bedrooms occupy the top; the levels are
connected only by an external staircase. Glass
sliding doors form the back wall of the house
and allow sweeping views down to the Aegean
coast. Judges felt that the house embodied a
sense of perfection and well-being.
 P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY C A L - E A R T H I N S T I T U T E / © N A D E R K H A L I L I
Sandbag Shelter Prototypes,
various locations. Cal-Earth
Institute, Nader Khalili
The sandbag shelter prototype is a modern
take on a timeless construction method.
Similar to adobe or ice blocks, the sandbags
are filled with earth and arranged in a circular
course that is corbeled at the top to form a
dome. To prevent shifting, the sandbags are
secured with barbed wire. If covered with
stucco, the shelter can become a permanent
building. Sandbags and barbed wire are often
the materials of war, but used in this context
they can provide housing for refugees. The
judges felt this project was so important that
they changed the competition’s rules (which
didn’t include prototypes) to recognize it.

102 Architectural Record 12.04

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Neon Tigers
Photographs by Peter Bialobrzeski
104 Architectural Record 12.04
W
ith streaking tail lights and ghosts of fleeting figures,
Peter Bialobrzeski’s recent photographs portray the
rapidly emerging megalopolises of Southeast and East
Asia. Taken mostly at dusk, his images register the
chillingly pale luminosity and surreal hues of neon, tungsten, and fluo-
rescent sources glowing through waning daylight and milky smog.
“The Tiger Cities mushroom like metastases,” observes Florian
Hanig in the introductory essay to Neon Tigers (Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2004),
a book of Bialobrzeski’s Asian images. Unlike the relatively low-lying sprawl
of Los Angeles or Tokyo, the burgeoning urban phenomena of Hong Kong,
Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur, Hanig notes, “do not
expand only in width, but also in height.” Threaded with networks of raised
thoroughfares and sky corridors, they exist as cities literally on many levels.
 The Blade Runneresque, speeding, techno-utopian character of Kuala Lumpur (opposite)
these high-density, high-rise places—marked by jolting contrasts between

FEATURES
the old and the continually evolving new—inspired Bialobrzeski. Before Hong Kong (above)
working on Neon Tigers, the German photographer embarked on an
assignment to illustrate a magazine article by the sci-fi author William
Gibson. As Bialobrzeski recalls, “I realized at that point that I wanted to
shoot Bangkok the way Gibson writes.”
Then and in Neon Tigers, the photographer captured visions of
the future using, ironically, an old-fashioned, analogue technique, relying
on a 4-by-5-inch view camera and long exposures. He says he never
manipulates his images on a computer, but instead favors “shooting in
weird light,” catching these megacities in the fleeting moments before they
transform themselves even further. Sarah Amelar
 Shanghai

106 Architectural Record 12.04

 Bangkok

108 Architectural Record 12.04

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 Design Vanguard 2004
Shifting terrain in an Emergent World

PRO JECTS INTRO

Architects remap the line
between nature and culture

By Mark C. Taylor

W
ith the death of Jacques Derrida,
an era formally came to an end.
For almost four decades, those
French veterans of 1968 set the
terms for critical debate and profoundly influenced
artistic practices. Cultural critics found in the writ-
ings of Derrida, Gilles Deleuze, Jacques Lacan, and
Jean Baudrillard resources to develop theoretical
interpretations of what architects had labeled post-
modernism more than a decade earlier. Theory
became the rage in departments of humanities and
triggered culture wars still echoing through halls of
power. Nowhere was this more evident than in
architecture. In classrooms and journals as well as
at conferences throughout the world, architects
discussed philosophy as never before. The 1988 1
Deconstructivist Architecture exhibition at the
Museum of Modern Art in New York made clear Design Vanguard 2004:
how deeply theory influenced the practice of 1. nARCHITECTS
many leading architects. Whether you were for it or 2. Patterns
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © F R A N K O U D E M A N ( 1 ) ; B R A D L E Y W H E E L E R ( 2 )

against it, theory was unavoidable. 3. Architecton

By the 1990s, the rapid proliferation of 4. Alejandro Aravena
computers and network technology in design stu- 5. Contemporary Architecture
Practice
dios led to a shift in the critical terrain. Derridean
6. Byoungsoo Cho Architects
interventions gave way to Deleuzian folds in struc-
7. Christoff:Finio Architecture
tures and works that were driven as much by
8. Masaki Endoh/EDH
software as architectural program. As information
9. Antón Garcí a-Abril
systems and technologies spread, biological models
10. dECOi
and metaphors displaced the mechanic paradigm. 2
11. Plasma Studio
The importance of this development extends
beyond any fascination with biomorphic forms
and morphing blobs. What is at stake is a fundamental change in structure and operational logic. This insight makes it necessary to
our understanding of the infrastructure of both the natural and reconsider the relationship between nature and culture. In a world
artificial world. For example, in recent years, we have discovered of genetic engineering, cloning, and implants, where does the nat-
that biological systems and information systems share a common ural end and the artificial begin? The generation of 1968 has little
to offer as we attempt to answer these questions.
Mark Taylor is a visiting professor at Columbia University and author of This year’s Design Vanguard architects come from six
Confidence Games: Money and Markets in a World Without Redemption. countries, but share many common concerns. They do not

12.04 Architectural Record 111

merely break with the simplicity and rectilinearity of Modernism,
but adapt it to meet different needs and changing circumstances.
They tend to prefer complexity rather than simplicity, horizon-
tality rather than verticality, continuity rather than discontinuity,
open rather than closed systems, and emergent rather than fixed
structures. These architects are critically informed without
being driven by theory. Moreover, their use of software in design
is much more subtle and sophisticated than their immediate
predecessors’. This work is not architecture for the sake of soft-
ware but software for the sake of architecture.
When surveying the work of these 11 firms, what is
most striking is their sustained investigation of the interrelation
of natural and built environments. They are not merely trying to
develop green architecture but are involved in the much more dif-
ficult and important exploration of the isomorphism—formal or
structural similarity—between natural and artificial systems. If
physical, chemical, and biological processes are actually informa-
tion processes, then natural and artificial environments can enter
into genuinely interactive relationships. The nature of the inter-
4 7
action in these projects varies from the simple to the complex.
The work of Byoungsoo Cho Architects shows sensitiv-
ity to the interplay between natural topography and building
morphology that is also characteristic of several other Vanguard
firms. The continuity between structure and setting is so subtle
that the buildings are almost inconspicuous. In structures that
recall Ando’s work, Cho effectively integrates exterior and interior
112 Architectural Record 12.04
as well as concrete and wood. In some cases, concrete is grained to
I M A G E C O U R T E SY C O N T E M P O R A R Y A R C H I T E CT U R E P R A CT I C E ( 5 ) ;
suggest slats of wood; in other cases, Cho uses raw plywood to
create an effect as different from Gehry as natural stone is from
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © KO J I O K U M U R A ( 3 ) ; R O L A N D H A L B E ( 4 ) ;
chain-link fence. Christoff:Finio’s Beach House both extends and
complicates Cho’s use of materials and exploration of the inter-
play between outside and inside. Artfully situated on a thickly
wooded dune near the ocean, this house makes effective use of
JONGOH KIM (6); ELIZABETH FELICELLA (7)
wood to form stacked volumes that create enclosed outdoor
spaces. By bringing the outside in, the interplay between exteri-
ority and interiority becomes considerably more.
Though the work of nARCHITECTS differs signifi-
cantly from that of Cho and Christoff:Finio, Canopy, an
installation in the courtyard of P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center in
New York, and Dune Terrace, a proposal for a museum in the
Egyptian desert near the pyramids, both present thoughtful
investigations of nature and artifice. Canopy creates a “deep land-
scape” that is, in effect, an artificial natural environment. Made of
1,100 bamboo poles carefully bent into slender arcs, the project
gives one the feeling of being beneath a breaking wave or in a rain
6
forest. In rooms open to the sky—housing a wading pool and a
gravel beach—the architects simulated different climatic envi-
ronments by producing intermittent showers and misty fog. In
the arid sands of Egypt, they formed waves not with flexible bam-
boo and mist but with rippled sand that seems to float the
Koolhaas-like geometric structure rising above it. Ancient pyra-
mids appearing on the horizon beneath the museum seem no
 more permanent than the drifting sands.
The interaction between form and topography func-
tions differently in the work of dECOi. In the design for an
I M A G E C O U R T E SY D E C O I ( 10 ) ; © D O U G L A S S P E N C E R ( 1 1 )
exhibition center overlooking the caldera of Taal volcano in the
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © Y. TA K A S E ( 8 ) ; R O L A N D H A L B E ( 9 ) ;
Philippines, dECOi principal Mark Goulthorpe creates a series of
flowing spaces carefully crafted to fit the contours of the terrain.
“A series of curling vaults,” explains Goulthorpe,“folds the build-
ing softly back into the terrain, creating a protective carapace to
volcanic debris and a filter to the harsh environment, allowing
penetration of morning light and afternoon breeze.” The figure of
the fold has, of course, been a preoccupation of architects ever
since they discovered Deleuze over a decade ago. The deployment
of the fold in contemporary architecture suggests the importance
of continuity and even integration rather than discontinuity and
fragmentation. The rectilinearity of Modernism and the angu-
larity of Deconstructive architecture give way to supple
convolutions that enrich rather than erase differences.
Ali Rahim uses open structures to create the context for
“emergent behaviors and events.” In his Reebok store in Shanghai,
8 10
9 11
he modulates surfaces and continuously varies structures to artic-
ulate spaces where programmed and unprogrammed events can
emerge. In an ecologically sensitive project, Rahim has designed a
weekend home in London to regulate interior and exterior flows.
The gradient of performative spaces controls circulation in the
house, and a system of troughs and channels irrigates the sur-
rounding land according to seasonal conditions.
The most imaginative and suggestive project among
this year’s Vanguard firms is a work of sculpture rather than
architecture—Marcelo Spina’s Snake-Rice, realized in Icheon,
Korea. Though the relation between art and architecture has
always been uneasy, several of the Vanguard architects freely
appropriate sculptural works. Masaki Endoh and Masahiro Ikeda,
for example, explore the geometry of the ellipse to build what
appears to be a live-in sculpture. This flexible form is defined by
elliptical rings placed along a horizontal elliptical orbit. The out-
side wall, which is made of fiber-reinforced plastic, produces a
sense of ephemerality and impermanence. The work of Antón
García-Abril, by contrast, appropriates sculptural precedents in
buildings whose monumentality insists on permanence. The use
of massive blocks of granite ashlar whose rough-hewn surfaces
bear the marks of quarrying and cutting in his Musical Studies
Center is reminiscent of Michael Heizer’s signature work. His
4,000-seat Bull Ring, located in Pinto, Spain, looks like an archi-
tectural rendering of Richard Serra’s Torqued Ellipses.
While some architects appropriate sculpture to create
architecture, Plasma Studio expands architec-
ture to fashion sculpture. The firm’s installation
in London, entitled Crumple Zone, circumvents
a linear design process to create structures that
seem substantial yet appear to float. These novel
forms are intriguing prototypes for architecture.
What sets Snake-Rice apart from
other projects, though, is Spina’s successful
creation of a work that is both interactive and
emergent. The sculpture consists of 11 polished
aluminum elements assembled by lateral com-
binations and positioned on a gentle slope of a
valley with dense foliage. This work produces
the effect of rippled waves that suggest the green
rice field landscape characteristic of this part of
Korea. Spina explains, “Generically, Snake-Rice
could be understood as an emergent and flexi-
ble system of sculptural assembly. Its snakelike
modular pieces insinuate the possibility of
growth, expansion, reconfiguration, and prolif-
eration.” This work is not merely the setting for
emergent events, but is itself an emergent
event. Snake-Rice might best be understood as a
laboratory experiment for a new kind of
architecture in which structure and site inter-
act to create emergent forms that constantly
adjust and adapt to the environment.
In today’s climate of fear, disaster
always seems near. Though the threat of politi-
cal turmoil and religious fundamentalism
cannot be minimized, the greater danger to our
future is environmental disaster. These prob-
lems are global but solutions must be local.
While the projects recognized this year do not explicitly address
issues like global warming, pollution, and dwindling water sup-
plies, their concern about them is evident. In the absence of
responsible theoretical reflection on these pressing issues, it is
encouraging to see a new generation of architects wrestling so
creatively with new ways to reconfigure the increasingly complex
interrelation between natural and built environments. ■
12.04 Architectural Record 113

Architect: nARCHITECTS
Location: New York City
Founded: 1999
Design staf f: 4
Partners: Eric Bunge, AIA; Mimi Hoang
Education: Bunge: Harvard GSD,
M.Arch., 1996; McGill University,
B.Arch., 1991; Hoang: Harvard GSD,
M.Arch., 1998; MIT, B.S.Arch., 1993
Work history: Bunge: Practice—
Diller + Scofidio, 1999; Kennedy &
Violich Architecture, 1996–98; Paul
Andreu/Aeroports de Paris, 1993–94;
Academic—Parsons School of Design,
2002–present; Columbia University,
2001–2003; Rhode Island School of
Design, 2000–2001; Hoang: Practice—
Steven Holl Architects, 1999–2001;
Leers Weinzapfel, 1998–99; Teun
Koolhaas, 1993–94; Academic—Yale
University, 2003–present
Key completed projects: Canopy,
MoMA/P.S.1 Young Architects Program,
Queens, New York, 2004; Renovation,
The Kitchen, New York City, 2004;
Broadway penthouse, New York City,
2004; First Street house renovation,
Brooklyn, New York, 2004; Installation,
New Hotels for Global Nomads, Cooper-
Hewitt, National Design Museum,
New York City, 2003; Sculpture installa-
tion, Second Means of Egress (artist
Sarah Sze), Washington, D.C., 2003;
Installation, Slot Machine, ArchiLab,
Orleans, France, 2002; Window-Box-
Wall, New York City, 2001; Floor
installation (artist Do-Ho Suh), Lehman
Maupin Gallery, New York City, 2000
Key current projects: Residential
condo building, New York City, 2005;
Exhibition design, Earth from Above,
American Museum of Natural History,
New York City, 2005; Installation, Artists
Space, New York City, 2005; Installation,
Henry Urbach Gallery (with artists
Aziz+Cucher), New York City, 2005;
Varick Street loft renovation, New York
City, 2005
Web site: www.narchitects.com
114 Architectural Record 12.04
nARCHITECTS pursues
the variables of building types,
finding hybrid solutions
By William Weathersby, Jr.
E
voking the language of mathematics, in which n represents an
indefinite number, partners Eric Bunge and Mimi Hoang named
their firm nARCHITECTS to suggest the variable dimension of
their work. “It’s meant to show that our designs can be responsive and
flexible, open to change,” Bunge says. Hoang adds that n also represents
the fluctuating number of design team participants on each project: With
their staff recently doubled to four, the principals often work in collabo-
ration with other firms (such as fieldOFFICE) or contemporary artists,
including Do-Ho Suh, Barbara Steinman, and Sarah Sze.
Bunge and Hoang met in the mid-1990s as students at the
Harvard Graduate School of Design. Both later gained experience with
progressive Manhattan firms known for their strong conceptual bent—
Steven Holl Architects in Hoang’s case, Diller + Scofidio for Bunge, where
he served as project manager for that firm’s Blur Building. Conceptual
rigor paired with methodical research remains a hallmark of the
nARCHITECTS studio, complemented by the principals’ ongoing
exchange of ideas nurtured in academia: Bunge has taught at Columbia
and Parsons School of Design, while Hoang teaches at Yale.
Rather than focusing on formal architectural language, the part-
ners prefer to develop hybrid building types and innovative construction
techniques. “We challenge conventional notions of program, type, and
context,” Bunge says. The duo’s audacious competition entries include an
Egyptian museum that rethinks circulation patterns, the building’s length
marking off a timeline of ancient history. Hotel Pro Forma, meanwhile,
proposed a permanent home for a Danish performing arts group that
merges hotel and theater spaces, with passage and admission fees among
areas controlled by an electronic card system. “We like to carefully think
through the complex identities of public institutions,” says Hoang, “imag-
ining unexpected events and uses in the lives of connected spaces.”
nARCHITECTS made a big splash last summer with Canopy
(opposite), a temporary installation in Queens, New York, that was the
winning entry in the annual Museum of Modern Art/P.S. 1 Contemporary
Art Center Young Architects Program. Though the elegant structure was
built from a simple material with basic tools, the architects had engineered
its complex structure and geometry on computer (including a dazzling
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © F R A N K O U D E M A N ( O P P O S I T E )
virtual walkthrough that plotted changing light conditions and the venue’s
use by five patron types, from party animal to art lover). They spent six
weeks testing each arc type to determine maximum span, minimum bend-
ing radii, and overlap dimensions. Via thorough legwork, the architects
achieved maximum effect with an economy of material means.
To support the office, the firm pursues residential projects from
loft renovations to furniture designs. Its first commission for a freestanding
building is a six-story condominium complex in New York City. One recent
project, Window-Box-Wall, synthesizes the partners’ experimental approach
to program and form by compressing a variety of audiovisual equipment
into one reconfigurable media center. Dubbed by the client his “digital fire-
place,” it is a sculptural collage of wooden containers and mesh screens. The
unit’s 1,600 pieces were modeled in 3D, and the spacing of its slats is based
on the Fibonacci sequence. That’s detailing to the nth degree. ■
Canopy, MoMA/P.S. 1, To turn the art center’s courtyard into
an outdoor party and play space for 10
Queens, New York
weeks, a grid of arched bamboo poles
was constructed on-site over seven
weeks by Hoang, Bunge, and a team of
students, recent grads, and friends who
volunteered. The structure used 30,800
linear feet of freshly cut bamboo,
spliced and bound together by 37,000
linear feet of stainless-steel wire.
 Grand Egyptian A 2002 competition entry titled Dune
Terrace proposes modes of circulation
Museum, Giza, Egypt
outside the typical museum format. A
1,000-foot exterior terrace offers views
of the nearby pyramids. Five lobby gal-
leries lead to permanent collections in a
floating bar (above), or to a temporary
gallery, convention center, and sculpture
gardens (left). The collection is organ-
ized chronologically from west to east.

Thermal Bridge, A proposed 200-unit housing complex

for a region of Japan with heavy snowfall
Aomori, Japan
“balances a suburban desire for seclu-
sion with an urban desire for density,”
says Bunge. An insulating layer of hous-
ing spans above an interior landscape
covering the maximum allowable foot-
print. All apartments receive light and
ventilation from three sides, with views
both outward and to interior courtyards.
Hotel Pro Forma, Collaborating with fieldOFFICE on this
competition entry, Bunge and Hoang
Ørestad, Denmark
designed a hybrid hotel and entertain-
ment venue for the Danish performance
group Hotel Pro Forma. The building
balances the specific and flexible
requirements of hotel and exhibition
functions. A hydraulic stage intercon-
nects floors, permitting simultaneous
presentations and social interactions.

12.04 Architectural Record 117

 Christoff:Finio Architecture
is building a New York practice
by building
By Charles Linn, FAIA

C
Architect: Christoff:Finio Architecture hristoff:Finio Architecture’s principals, Martin Finio and Taryn
Location: New York City Christoff, aren’t the least bit esoteric when it comes to speaking
Founded: 1999 about the influences and ideas that underlie their work. “The thing
Design staf f: 5 that binds our work together,” says Finio, “is that both of our educations
Principals: Martin Finio and [at IIT and Cooper Union] were based on a culture of craft and making
Taryn Christoff things. Architecture is most manifest in construction.”
Education: Finio: Cooper Union, After school, the architects both got jobs in firms that taught
B.Arch., 1988; Christoff: Illinois them much about building things. At Swanke Hayden Connell and Paul
Institute of Technology, B.Arch., Segal Associates, Christoff worked in all phases of the design and con-
1984 struction. “I got a strong enough core that I could move forward with my
Work history: Finio: Practice—Tod own work,” she explains. Finio spent 10 years working at Tod Williams
Williams Billie Tsien and Associates, Billie Tsien and Associates, which he describes as “my graduate school edu-
1990–99; Academic—Yale cation.” That exposed him to everything that goes on in an office where a
University, 1999–present; Columbia premium is placed on the exploration of materials and construction sys-
University, 1996–99; Christoff: tems. That said, the partners agree that they don’t approach their projects
Practice—Freelance, 1993–97; Paul with any one particular set of ideas. They cite Eero Saarinen as an influ-
Segal Associates, 1988–93; Swanke ence because, as Finio says, “you never knew what was going to come out
Hayden Connell, 1984–85 of him. That is remarkably different than someone who finds their own
Key completed projects: Store for niche and plows ahead with it.”
Catherine Malandrino, New York The firm’s attention to craft in construction is especially visible in
City, 2004; Fort Greene Residence, two of its built projects: the Beach House, in Long Beach, New Jersey, and
Brooklyn, N.Y., 2003; Angelo the Angelo Donghia Foundation Materials Study Center at the Parsons
Donghia Foundation Materials Study School of Design, in New York. For example, at the Beach House (oppo-
Center, Parsons School of Design, site), they eliminated all the moldings that normally border windows, door
New York City, 2002; Beach House, frames, and corners, pushing the level of craftsmanship to a height seldom
Long Beach Island, N.J., 2001 seen in builder-constructed houses. At the exhibi-
Key current projects: tion space in the Donghia Materials Study Center
Photographer’s Penthouse, New (page 120), the resin display-support surfaces hang
York City, 2004; Heckscher from sheet metal sleeves that are recessed into ceil-
Foundation for Children, New York ing pockets. Glass partitions are also recessed into
City, 2005; Private House, Sullivan ceiling pockets and anchored by suction cups.
County, N.Y., 2005; Calypso Store, The firm has also done several competi-
Paris, 2005 tions as a way of exploring new directions, and two
Web site: www.christofffinio.com have brought it attention. The team’s entry for City
Lights, a competition to find alternatives to the

Christoff:Finio’s entry for City Lights, a competi-
tion to redesign New York’s streetlights.
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © E L I Z A B E T H F E L I C E L L A ( B OT TO M )
city’s ubiquitous cobrahead-style streetlights, made
finalist (left). Their entry for an Aqua Center in
Aalborg, Denmark (page 121), didn’t place, but
later it found its way into the Liquid Stone exhibi-
tion currently at the National Building Museum.
That’s not a bad consolation prize.
These days, the firm is keeping busy on
the construction of office space for the Heckscher
Foundation for Children in a former town house in
New York City. And it’s doing what young firms do,
what Finio calls the “on-the-job training” necessary
to stay in business. “You’re exposed to some not
terribly wonderful things about running an office,”
he says. “But it’s our office, and that’s great.” ■

118 Architectural Record 12.04

Beach House, Almost every successful new practice
has had a project that prompted its prin-
Long Beach Island,
cipals to quit their day jobs. The Beach
New Jersey
House is the one that started it all for
Christoff:Finio. Wetlands restrictions and
a jammed program led them to stack
rectangularly shaped spaces on top of
each other. These volumes were punc-
tured, divided, and separated to form
decks, balconies, and view corridors.
 When the Angelo Donghia Foundation
Donghia Study Center,
gave the Parsons School of Design a
New York City

P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A L B E R T V E C E R K A / E S TO ( TO P L E F T A N D B OT TO M ) ; E L I Z A B E T H F E L I C E L L A ( TO P R I G H T )
grant for a new Materials Study Center,
Christoff:Finio set to work transforming
a dull studio into a space that includes a
computer lab, classroom, offices, and
this gallery space. Resin panels with
colored interlayers are used to support
display boards. The metallized polyester
curtain can be drawn for exhibitions.

120 Architectural Record 12.04

 In this competition entry, the architects
Aqua Center,
used a series of concrete ribbons to
Aalborg, Denmark
form pools, beaches, islands, bridges,
and diving platforms. The forms bend
and stretch to relate to the proportions
of the human body. The proposal is cur-
rently on view in the exhibition Liquid
Stone: New Architecture In Concrete
at the National Building Museum, in
Washington, D.C., through April 2005.

The firm’s World Trade Center Memorial

World Trade Center
competition entry engaged the entire
Memorial, New York City
city at a public policy level. The archi-
tects wished to “use the opportunity to
radically change the economic, emo-
tional, and physical texture of the city,”
said Martin Finio. One element of the
proposal involved the use of wind tur-
bines, “equating memory with a visible
sustaining source of energy.”
 When the owner of this West Village
Photographer’s
town house found that a portion of his
Penthouse,
Hudson River view would soon be
New York City
blocked, he commissioned a rooftop
pavilion that would allow him a new
view over adjacent buildings. The as-yet-
unrealized project is a combination of
indoor and outdoor space. Motorized
screens are incorporated into the struc-
ture to allow privacy indoors and out.

122 Architectural Record 12.04

 The architects won an invited competi-
Exhibition Design,
tion for the design of an exhibition of
New York City
Russian icon paintings at the Solomon
R. Guggenheim Museum, in New York
City. Their system of cantilevered
mounts allowed the paintings to float
in front of the museum’s curved walls.
Unfortunately, the exhibition was can-
celed after the post-9/11 security
measures made it difficult for couriers
to accompany artworks into the U.S.

The architects are converting a 1900s

Heckscher Foundation,
town house that architect Samuel
New York City
Trowbridge built for himself into offices
for a philanthropic organization. While
the building’s footprint barred the design-
ers from making complex interventions,
they successfully sliced a five-story
atrium into the space adjacent to the
building’s stair by creating a clever struc-
ture from which floors were hung.
 Marcelo Spina and his firm
Patterns shake things up by
fusing materials and program
By Michael Speaks

I
Architect: Patterns n a recent conversation in his downtown Los Angeles studio,
Location: Los Angeles Marcelo Spina, the head of Patterns, a design research architecture
Founded: 1999 practice in Los Angeles, distinguished his work from the blobby
Design staf f: 4 form-making that emerged in the 1990s. “I am not interested in making
Principal: Marcelo Spina formal experiments or cultural statements,” says Spina. Instead, he has a
Education: Columbia University, special interest in the practical implications of prototyping materials and
M.S., Advanced Architectural Design, ideas and fusing them to create unexpected formal and programmatic
1997; National University of Rosario, combinations. He calls this process “patterning.”
Argentina, B.Arch., 1994 Spina, who studied at the School of Architecture, Planning, and
Work history: Reiser + Umemoto Design in Rosario, Argentina, before obtaining a master’s in advanced
1997–98; Keller Easterling architectural design at Columbia University in New York City in 1997, has
Architects, 1997; Gerardo Caballero applied patterning to his built projects. In the Jujuy 2056 Apartments in
Architects, 1993–94 Rosario, Argentina, completed in 2003, Spina used an exterior concrete
Key completed projects: ribbon to pattern the facade. With the small-scale Land.Tiles installation
Jujuy 2056 Apartment Building, in Los Angeles for M&A (Materials and Applications), a gallery and
Rosario, Argentina, 2003; research center, he deployed 144 concrete tiles to create a micro-ecologi-
Snake-Rice, Icheon, Korea, 2003; cal irrigation control system, designed to change according to
Land.Tiles, M&A, Los Angeles, 2003 environmental conditions. As both these projects suggest, Spina is
Key current projects: SCI_Arc Café engaged in experimentation and research as an interactive performance,
and Boardroom, Los Angeles, 2005; where the results of testing materials feed directly back into the design
FYF Residence, Rosario, 2005 process itself. “In Land.Tiles, I wanted to make the design a form of
Web site: www.p-a-t-t-e-r-n-s.net research and experiment, but I wanted to do this with a material—
concrete—which is very familiar in Argentina, and which I used in
previous projects,” Spina explains. “Concrete is, of course, also a material
not often associated with the kind of digital design tools that
many in my generation are now using.”
Indeed, employing digital design and fabrication
techniques such as computer-numerically-controlled milling in
the design of Land.Tiles, Spina was able to test each concrete
block by rapid prototyping, reconfiguring the blocks and thus
the entire installation according to predetermined performance
criteria. This kind of interactive, material prototyping blurs the
distinction between abstract ideas and material form that has
long plagued discussions about architectural experimentation.

Spina explores materials and form in
Land.Tiles (top) and Snake-Rice (above).
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © B R A D L E Y W H E E L E R ( B OT TO M T W O )
By testing and refining formal and programmatic systems,
which are woven together, each project becomes an iteration of
the patterned approach that defines the office’s work.
Spina often structures small-scale projects, such as a
prototype for a bus shelter, as repetitions of previous or con-
temporaneous projects. He considers this acquired design
intelligence a means for developing new techniques and mate-
rial research. His approach underlies the winning competition
entry for the SCI_Arc Café; here, he patterns uses—library and
café—with furniture and shelving components for an elegant
solution that can be constructed cheaply and quickly. In turn,
the patterning developed in the café project has informed
recent projects, such as the FYF Residence, soon to be built in
Rosario, Argentina, and the futuristic Busan Tower competi-
tion entry in Korea.

124 Architectural Record 12.04

Monocoque House, An aluminum monocoque structure—
comprising a single shell and skin
2003
fabricated by a molding process and
used in automobile technology (left and
bottom)—can be assembled on various
sites, such as a slope with Eucalyptus
trees (below). The aluminum-skin roof
features gill-like apertures folded
inward to admit light and air into bed-
rooms and living areas.
 Jujuy 2056 Apartment For a 12-story-high, 18-unit apartment
building (right), Spina devised a poured-
Building, Rosario,
concrete system where slabs and end
Argentina
walls follow a bent ribbon pattern. The
structure is enclosed by brick infill walls
and a partially angled glazing system.
Cantilevered concrete balconies form
a canopy for the lobby (bottom right)
and recede at top (below, and ninth-floor
plan, above) in deference to zoning.

P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A N D R E A O S T E R A ( T H I S PA G E )

126 Architectural Record 12.04

New Busan The aerodynamically inspired shaft of
the tower (above) includes a lower por-
Observation Tower,
tion for community facilities (below), a
Busan, Korea
middle one for business activities, and
an observatory at the top. The attenuated
form is held together by cantilevered
floor plates, spiraling stairs (right),
structural ribs, tendons bonded together
and to the slabs, plus hydraulic jacks
anchored to the ground.
 Bus Shelter Prototype A folded and triangulated steel structure
provides seating while waiting for a bus,
and affords views out to the landscape
(left). Custom laser-cut metal louvers
clad the triangulated tube structure,
which is supplemented with a second-
ary structural system of lateral tension
members, a tertiary structure of metal
members, along with an external skin of
continuous plastic and an internal skin
of faceted plastic (below).

FYF Residence, A basic box (right) is deformed accord-

ing to topographical features of the site
Rosario, Argentina
for a house to be built on the outskirts
of Rosario, Argentina. The 1,507-square-
foot concrete-shell structure folds and
bends to provide a greenhouse, solar-
ium, and swimming pool (right two) for
an agricultural engineer and landscape
designer. The lattice (below) illustrates
the flowing geometry.

128 Architectural Record 12.04

New SCI_Arc Café and Patterns won a competition to design
these spaces in the existing SCI_Arc
Boardroom, Los
building, a long linear concrete former
Angeles
depot near downtown L.A. (left). On
the second floor, Spina hopes to bring
the café and library together through
new aluminum library shelves that are
sloped and inflected toward the café
space. The café tables (above), which
are aluminum single-shell structures,
seem extruded from the shelves. The
boardroom (below), slightly above grade,
is given views to the outdoors through a
new faceted-glass wall.

Architect: dECOi
Location: Cambridge, Mass.,
and Paris, France
Design staf f: 3 to 4, typically
Principal: Mark Goulthorpe
Education: University of Liverpool,
B.Arch., 1987; University of
Liverpool, B.A., 1984
Work history: Richard Meier &
Partners, 1988–91
Key completed projects:
Glaphyros Apartment, Paris, 2003;
Blue Gallery, London, 2001; Aegis
Hyposurface, Hanover, Germany,
2000; Ether/I, Geneva, Switzerland,
1995; In the Shadow of Ledoux,
Grenoble, France, 1993
Key current projects: Miran
Galerie, Paris and Beijing, 2004;
Excideuil Folie, France, 2005; St.
Andrew’s Loft, 2005–2006; Aegis
Hyposurface, MIT, Cambridge,
Mass., 2005–2006
Web site: www.newitalianblood.com/
category/open/519.html
130 Architectural Record 12.04
dECOi releases the potential
energy of digital technologies
in the architectural realm
By Sarah Amelar
A
lthough dECOi’s written descriptions of its work have the ring of
meticulous scientific abstracts, the projects often convey an ele-
gant and expressive dynamism through still forms. With, say, a
metal sculpture resembling windblown fabric or a penthouse akin to a
spiraling crystal formation, dECOi’s poetic aesthetics are inseparable
from the digitally based research and processes that generate them.
But when Mark Goulthorpe founded dECOi in 1991, the potential
of digital technologies was just emerging. As this British-born (and until
recently Paris-based) architect joined forces to work on projects and com-
petitions with collaborators as far-flung as London and Kuala Lumpur,
digital networking became an essential tool. Rather than view technological
change as a mere advance in technique, he envisioned the new digital realm
as a means to “a philosophical and cognitive shift … entirely requalifying the
way architecture is thought about, practiced, formally created, and built.”
Grandiose as such ambitions may sound, dECOi’s projects typi-
cally integrate innovation from concept through fabrication, albeit on a
small scale, engaging the computer to cross-pollinate between architects and
experts from such disciplines as mathematics. (Goulthorpe, currently an
associate professor at MIT, can now pursue his complex interests at both the
architecture school and Media Lab.) dECOi’s cross-disciplinary trajectory
emerged early on, as in Ether/I, which translates the trace of two dancers—
the ghostlike vestiges of movement, invisible to the naked eye but recorded
on video—into twisting aluminum mesh. An evocatively undulant sculp-
ture, it creates intentional ambiguity between image and surface and object.
Again striving “to trap movement in 3D form,” the firm more
recently designed Bankside Paramorph, a London towertop apartment
extension. The term paramorph literally describes a crystal whose form
varies without change to its chemical composition. Here, the word refers to
a faceted, spiral, crystalline configuration, and also to the parametric mod-
eling—based on relational geometry’s alterable parameters—that permits
quick and economical analysis of formal variations, factoring in energy effi-
ciency, ease in fabrication and assembly, optimal views out, costs, and so on.
Paramorph also challenges the existing logic of architectural
fabrication, which treats structure, skin, and insulation as separate entities,
P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY M A R K B U R R Y ( O P P O S I T E )
and must then orchestrate various contractors and suppliers. Eliminating
skeletal frames and intermediary formwork, Paramorph’s multifunctional
honeycomb panels—precision-cut and drilled with dowel-fit holes—per-
form as finished surface, insulation, and structure, ready for quick
assembly by a sole contractor. In “collapsing multiplicity into singularity,”
dECOi rejects the idea of designing an object and then applying computer-
numerically-controlled (CNC) methods to its fabrication, instead
integrating the range of technological implications from the start.
Other dECOi explorations include Aegis Hyposurface, a dynamic,
interactively reconfigurable 3D screen that reacts to motion and sound, pre-
saging fully kinetic and environmentally responsive architectural surfaces.
The realization of these projects remains “time consuming,”
admits Goulthorpe,“but it’s getting quicker, and will undercut standardiza-
tion. Highly complex forms, efficiently and economically produced, with the
potential for infinite variance—that’s the revolution of digital technology.” ■
Aegis Hyposurface, This interactive, dynamically reconfig-
urable 3D screen reacts in real time
Hanover, Germany
to surrounding motion and sound,
transforming Hyposurface’s complex
topography and colors. This project,
which dECOi continues to research at
MIT’s Media Lab, presages fully kinetic
and environmentally responsive architec-
tural surfaces, sensitized to changes in,
for example, climate or security needs.
 Pallas House, Sited on steep jungle terrain in Malaysia,
the single-family Pallas House proposes
Kuala Lumpur,
a curiously monolithic form wrapped in
Malaysia
a breathable skin, following the tropical
precedent of layered filters protecting
against solar gain and rainfall. The
exterior cast-aluminum panels bear a
mathematically generated pattern of per-
forations, poised on the cusp between an
industrial and postindustrial aesthetic.

Ether/I, Marking the 50th anniversary of the U.N.,

Ether/I translates the trace of two
Geneva, Switzerland
dancers—ghostlike vestiges of move-
ment, invisible to the naked eye but

P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY M A R K G O U LT H O R P E ( B OT TO M T W O )
recorded on video—into twisting alu-
minum mesh. Goulthorpe has described
this 67-plus-foot-long sculpture—inten-
tionally ambiguous in image, surface,
and object—as “a threshold, an energetic
phase … [near] the point of liquefaction.”

132 Architectural Record 12.04

 Glaphyros Apartment, In this residential project, every compo-
nent—including metal door handles,
Paris
space-dividing screens, and wash
basins—represents a unique experi-
ment in mathematically generated
digital production. Even while producing
such highly customized elements, rich in
complex curves, dECOi manages to keep
the fabrication reasonably inexpensive
by strategically applying technologies.
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R O B E R T S U C H
 ECO Taal Ecological For the key elements of a complex
intended for the Taal Volcano crater,
Center, Philippines
dECOi gave ECO Taal a form designed
to disappear into the land while simulta-
neously leaving a strong, clear visual
impression. In response to a deeply
wooded site, the architects conceived
a structure with a carapacelike shell,
swelling from the earth. Integral to the
terrain, this shelter’s jointed slats bend
and turn with site contours.

Bankside Paramorph, Paramorph literally describes a crystal

whose form varies without change to its
London
chemical composition. Here, the word
refers to a faceted, spiral, crystalline
penthouse extension, and also to the
parametric modeling that allowed dECOi
to efficiently and economically generate
formal variations, factoring in energy effi-
ciency, ease in fabrication, and so on.

134 Architectural Record 12.04

Miran Galerie, Paris This fashion press showroom, with a
suspended display system, offers an
and Beijing
interior inserted within a larger space.
Here, dECOi overcomes the prohibitive
costs of 3D CNC-machine routing by
using plywood as the primary material
and intelligently devising a design that
can be fabricated by alternating 3D
milling with far less costly 2D planar
cutting, as much as possible.
 Contemporary Architecture
Practice pushes technology
and unfolds a seamless realm
By Sam Lubell

A
Architect: Ali Rahim and Hina t the Soho studio of Contemporary Architecture Practice (CAP),
Jamelle / Contemporary Architecture partner Ali Rahim notes that his firm strives for a “seamless investi-
Practice gation of the potential of digital media.” Seamless indeed.
Location: New York City Computers here seem to be hardwired into designers’ brains.“We’re actually
Founded: 1999 holograms,” jokes Rahim. Not quite, but the company uses digital technol-
Design Staf f: 6 ogy every step of the way, from design research to exploration of user
Principals: Ali Rahim and Hina scenarios to fabrication. The process produces dynamic forms and projects
Jamelle that are shaped equally by software and human intervention.
Education: Rahim: Columbia CAP is now designing a Reebok flagship store in Shanghai whose
University, M.Arch., 1996; sleek, curvilinear contours evoke the aerodynamics of futuristic cars and air-
University of Michigan, B.S., 1987; planes. For its design studies, the team utilized 3D modeling programs, such
Jamelle: University of Michigan, as Alias Studio, Maya, and Rhino (used by the automobile and movie
M.Arch., 1997; Denison University, industries), to develop thousands of virtual models whose forms evolved
B.A., 1993 on-screen over time.“You shape it over and over again until you develop the
Work history: Rahim: Practice— right sensibility,” says Rahim. The final result is a store that curves and
Payette Associates, 1987–93; unfolds seemlessly into overlapping zones as visitors move through it. By
Academic—University of varying the lighting and using composite materials (mostly fiberglass) of
Pennsylvania, 1998–present; different opacities, the firm differentiates the character of each zone and
University of Michigan, 1996–98; adjusts its “intensity.” Each space, meanwhile, accommodates a variety of
Jamelle: Practice—Razorfish, uses. For instance, stairs can double as display shelves or seating areas.
2000–2002; MGA Partners, The team makes such diversity of uses a defining characteristic of
Architects, 1998–2000; its work. Its Multiuse Chaise, for instance, curves in several directions to
Academic—University of accommodate many ways of reclining. “We want people to find uses that
Pennsylvania, 1999 we haven’t even anticipated,” says Rahim. “Who says a couch has to be used
Key completed projects: Catalytic only as a couch?” To produce the chair, the firm worked with a manufac-
Furnishings, Multiuse Chaise, turing company to utilize a “variable mold system” that employed a
Sublime American Design, New York digitally controlled robotic arm to shape the forms.
City, 2003; Olympic Leisure Center, Rahim, who grew up in the U.K., started CAP in 1999 and joined
Athens, Greece, 2003; Residence forces in 2002 with Hina Jamelle, an architect who had been a marketing
for a Fashion Designer, London, specialist at Razorfish, a firm that designs Web sites and other Web-based
2002; Residential/Recording Loft, systems. In addition to designing, she shapes the firm’s marketing strategy,

I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY C O N T E M P O R A R Y A R C H I T E CT U R E P R A CT I C E
New York City, 2000 using phrases like the “seamlessness between brand strategy and spatial
Key current projects: Light Fixture strategy.” Rahim and Jamelle hope to apply such concepts as they progress
Series, Ivalo Lighting, 2005; Reebok from winning competitions to building projects. The firm has won five
Flagship Store, Shanghai, China, competitions—one for a “performative leisure center”
2005; Residential Housing Tower, for the 2004 Athens Olympics—but none has moved
Dubai, U.A.E., 2007 into construction. The team built a loft for a European
Web site: www.c-a-p.net pop star in New York, but the client’s desire for privacy
has prevented its publication.
One project close to moving forward is a res-
idential tower in Dubai, which features curvaceous
pods, each customized for the needs of the clients. The
firm has also modeled a fashion designer’s residence in
England with rows of minute openings that create a
dramatically illuminated hallway doubling as a catwalk
for runway shows. Meanwhile, as CAP evolves, Rahim
and Jamelle will continue to unlock the potential of the
The firm’s Multiuse Chaise accommodates computer, exploring the rich spatial tensions created at
several modes of reclining. the intersection of thought, technology, and form. ■

136 Architectural Record 12.04

Reebok Flagship Store, Located in the city’s upscale Xin Tian Di
district, the store’s highly unusual form
Shanghai, China
contrasts sharply with the conventional
building that contains it. The clean,
curvaceous aesthetic is punctuated by
spaces that blend seamlessly into one
another. Functions also overlap: Stairs,
for example, can become display
shelves or seating spaces.
Residential Housing This proposed residential tower in
Dubai, located on one of the city’s
Tower, Dubai, U.A.E.
busiest thoroughfares, features flexible
units whose shapes are dictated mostly
by the amount of space they require.
Their forms, in turn, affect the layout of
the entire floor. This variability results
in a highly malleable design for the
building as a whole.
Residence for a Fashion In keeping with its vision of dramatic
spaces, the firm designed continuous
Designer, London
rows of small exterior windows to create
highly variable and intense lighting
inside the house. Characteristically, func-
tion also varies: A hallway can become
a catwalk, while stairs can serve as
benches. Each room’s layout has a con-
siderable impact on the next, creating
an unfolding sequence of spaces.

Olympic Leisure Center, The firm’s penchant for multiuse forms

was well suited to the design of this
Athens, Greece
space, meant to encourage many types
of leisure activity for athletes and spec-
tators at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The
mostly fiberglass structure’s dynamic
forms impressed competition jurors
like Zaha Hadid and Hani Rashid. But
Olympic security costs diverted funds,
and the plan was canceled.

Architect: Byoungsoo Cho
Architects
Location: Seoul, Korea,
and Bozeman, Montana
Founded: 1994
Design staff: 10
Principal: Byoungsoo Cho
Education: Harvard, M.Arch. and
M.Arch., Urban Design, 1991;
Montana State, B.Arch., 1986
Work history: Practice—Junglim
Architects, 1992–94; Gruen
Associates, 1991–92; Donham and
Sweeney Architects, 1986–88;
Academic—Montana State,
1999–present; Kyonggi University,
1996–present; Universität
Kaiserslautern, 1995–96
Key completed projects:
Camerata Music Studio and W.
Residence, Paju, Korea, 2004;
Sukokri Studio House, Yangpyoung,
Korea, 2004; C-Shaped Metal Roof
House, Bockpori, Korea, 2003;
Village of Dancing Fish, Facility for
Mentally Challenged, Paju, 2000
Key current projects: PaiChai
University, College of Fine Arts and
Architecture Building, Daejeon,
Korea, 2005; Soemi Furniture
Gallery and Café, Jai-dong, Korea,
2005; Ramp Building, Seoul, Korea,
2006; Wire Museum, Yang-San,
Korea, 2006
Web site: None
140 Architectural Record 12.04
Byoungsoo Cho challenges
norms in the way design and
construction work together
By Clifford A. Pearson
M
illions of years ago, Montana and Korea were next to each other.
That’s what one of my students told me that he saw in a geology
book,” says Byoungsoo Cho, trying to explain his attraction to Big
Sky Country. Cho, who teaches architecture at Montana State University,
first felt Montana’s pull in the 1980s when, inspired by the writings of Mark
Twain, he set out on a road trip through the American West. He ended up
studying architecture in Bozeman and returned 13 years later, after earning
a master’s degree at Harvard and setting up a practice in his native Seoul.
Now he shuttles back and forth, teaching in Montana and running a firm
with its main office in Seoul and a satellite in Bozeman.
“I’m fascinated by the industrial, agricultural buildings of
Montana,” states Cho. “In my work, I try to contrast the contemporary and
the primitive. Sometimes I intentionally keep things rough, not refined.”
For example, he shaped the Sukokri Studio House—overlooking rice fields
in Yangpyoung, Korea—as a simple square box, 46 feet by 46 feet, and
carved out a 16-by-16-foot open courtyard in the center. “I designed the
hole in the center as a moon-watching space. Keeping the primitive in
mind puts mystery back in our lives and lets us experience subtle changes
in nature,” he explains. Cho also kept the house’s details very simple,
designing steel doors and windows without frames on the outside, so they
appear industrial, and creating a frameless skylight in which 3-inch-thick
laminated glass is set directly into concrete.
Growing up in Korea, Cho studied pottery before discovering
architecture. To this day, his work retains the imprint of the hand in its
materiality and details. Most of the time, he builds as well as designs his
projects and has set up a construction arm within his firm. “The building
process has become so specialized today, with each player having a different
role. I want a more organic, more open process,” says Cho, who takes pleas-
ure in challenging the basic tenets of project-delivery management. For
example, the day before construction was to begin on the Sukokri house, he
threw away his original design and started from scratch—without delaying
the building process. “I realized that a two-story structure made the site’s
hill seem too small. So I came up with a more primitive one-story square.”
Of course, being the client for this project gave him the freedom to make
such a last-minute change. Now he’s talking about subverting the usual
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © J O N G O H K I M , E XC E P T A S N OT E D
work process even further, hoping to construct three 10-foot-square con-
crete boxes and then invite three different architects to create works by
cutting openings into the solid planes. “I call this ‘re-finding,’ ” says Cho,
“reversing the design-build process, so it’s build, then design.”
While this may sound like some high-art concept, Cho’s archi-
tecture has a strong base in social responsibility. When he started his firm
in Seoul in the early 1990s, most of his projects were houses for poor fam-
ilies. Using his students as free labor, he helped his clients build small
courtyard houses on narrow alleys. Now Cho is working on larger proj-
ects, including a commercial building in Nonhyun-dong, an architecture
building at PaiChai University, and a museum for a wire manufacturer in
Yang-San. When asked about his transcontinental life, he says, “I grew up
in Korea but learned architecture in the U.S. So I’m like a chef who
learned to cook in America but uses ingredients from Korea.” ■
 Designed for a television anchorman
Camerata Music Studio
and his family in a suburb of Seoul,
and W. Residence,
this residence includes a large studio
Paju, Korea
for listening to the client’s extensive
collection of music. Cho tried to capture
the feeling of a Montana barn with its
tall interior space and limited fenestra-
tion. Daylight penetrates the building
in dramatic fashion, adding a spiritual
dimension to the experience of listening
to music.
 Part of a complex for the mentally hand-
Village of Dancing Fish,
icapped, this dormitory embraces its
Paju, Korea
hillside site and forms an enclave for
people who have little sense of direc-
tion. Cho broke the building into clusters
of two or three rooms, which can be
supervised by one person. A continuous
metal roof floats over the plywood clus-
ters, protecting them from the elements
but allowing views through the building.

142 Architectural Record 12.04

 Years of agriculture and development
C-Shaped Metal Roof
had flattened the site of this house, so
House, Bockpori, Korea
Cho decided to “heal” the property by
adding a small hill and designing a sim-
ple house that hugs the earth. The flat
roof expresses the beauty of the horizon,
and the C-shaped plan forms a central
courtyard that brings daylight inside.
Concrete and timber work together to
create a rough but sensual palette.
 To connect the college’s three compo-
PaiChai University
nents—art, architecture, and music—
College of Architecture,
Cho designed a dark corridor around
Daejeon, Korea
the perimeter of the building penetrated
by tall narrow windows. Classrooms, on
the other hand, look onto a light-filled
central courtyard. Lifting the building
on columns above the hillside site, the
architect created spaces underneath
for outdoor learning.
 Overlooking quiet rice fields, this
Sukokri Studio House,
house—designed by Cho for himself—
Yangpyoung, Korea
provides a welcome retreat from the
hectic pace of Seoul. Cho wanted the
house to appear industrial on the out-
side but engage nature from within, so
he used simple concrete for the exterior
and carved out a “moon-viewing” court-
yard in the center. He also kept details
such as window frames very simple.

Ramp Building, A dark, “cavelike” ramp winds its way up

and through this mixed-use office build-
Seoul, Korea
ing in a busy part of Seoul. A long, low
window provides limited views of the
city from the ramp, giving visitors a new
perspective on the urban context. Cho
wrapped the corner of the site with a
“penetrable blanket” of wire mesh that
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M O O N H Y U N C H O ( LO W E R TO P R I G H T )

contrasts with the heavy ramp. Below

grade, a wine bar overlooks a waterfall.

12.04 Architectural Record 145

 Masaki Endoh’s collaborations
with his engineer creatively
fuse architecture with structure
By Naomi R. Pollock, AIA

I
Architect: Masaki Endoh/EDH f he could, Masaki Endoh would wave a wand and make all columns
Location: Tokyo, Japan and beams disappear. Collaborating with the engineer/architect
Founded: 1994 Masahiro Ikeda, Endoh has been conjuring ways to minimize struc-
Design staf f: 4 tural elements—whether by rendering them as thin as possible or by
Principal: Masaki Endoh disguising them as wall panels and shifting loads to hidden roof trusses.
Education: Tokyo University of The pair already holds a patent on a structural system they
Science, M.Arch., 1989, B.Arch., devised for Natural Seam, a model house-turned-art-gallery on Tokyo’s
1987 outskirts. Beneath a ceiling-embedded, 16-inch-deep steel truss, the archi-
Work history: Practice— tect was free to rearrange the 1.6-inch square structural columns within any
KAI-Workshop, 1989–94; 52-square-foot area. This flexible system adapts readily to most plan shapes,
Academic—Tokyo University of currently allowing Endoh to apply it to an 18-unit apartment complex with
Science, 2000–present an irregular profile, generated by the surrounding natural landscape.
Key completed projects: Natural Though Endoh and Ikeda have separate firms, they maintain an
Seam, Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan, ongoing dialogue about the fusion of architecture and structure, extend-
2004; Natural Strata, Kanagawa, ing far beyond the standard designer-consultant relationship. It began
Japan, 2003; Natural Wedge, Tokyo, when Endoh was working at KAI-Workshop, an architectural firm spe-
2003; Natural Ellipse, Tokyo, 2002; cializing in residential work, and Ikeda at the office of structural engineer
Natural Slats, Tokyo, 2002; Natural Mutsuro Sasaki. When Endoh launched his solo practice with the creation
Illuminance, Tokyo, 2001; Natural of his own home, he sought Ikeda’s input. The two agreed that they
Shelter, Tokyo, 1999; Natural “didn’t like columns,” explains the engineer. So they put the vertical sup-
Unit, Kanagawa, 1999; Hatudai ports outside the exterior walls, yielding column-free quarters for Endoh
Apartment, Tokyo, 1997 and his family on the third floor, above column-free spaces for his office
Key current projects: C-House, and his parents, as well as a ground-floor rental unit.
Tokyo, 2005; Y-House, Nagoya, The duo went on to design Natural Unit, a home for an acoustical
Japan, 2005; Natural Seam 2, engineer and a concert pianist that blends living space with a music studio
Ichikawa, Japan, 2006 by creating a single large room inside a 4-inch-thick, concrete-hyperbolic-

P H OTO G R A P H Y : © H I R O S A K A G U C H I / A TO Z P H OTO G R A P H Y, E XC E P T E D H ( B OT TO M )
Web site: www.edh-web.com paraboloid shell. The dramatic shape, secured by a steel-plate deck with
noise-absorbing panels, yields an echo-free and structurally sound interior.
Whereas Natural Unit stands out in suburbia, with plenty of
open space setting off its unique geometry, Natural Ellipse fills a tiny site
in the heart of Tokyo’s Shibuya entertainment district. “Usually clients
prefer suburban houses with gardens, but this owner likes shopping,
restaurants, and playing in the city,” says Endoh, grinning
widely. On a site hemmed in by bars and love hotels, where
rooms rent by the hour, windows weren’t a real option, so
Endoh created a toplit form: a duplex, clad in a rigid, fiber-
reinforced plastic shell, puffed out like a giant white balloon.
Taking advantage of the virtually windowless outer
enclosure, the designers distributed structure at its perimeter.
Though the unusual oblong shape looks complex, it is secured by
just 24 elliptical steel rings carrying vertical and horizontal loads.
The frame construction simply entailed standing laser-cut steel
hoops on end and tying them together with horizontal bands.
Currently, the twosome is working on C-House
(left), a small structure supported by only two columns and a
bold steel box, made of 0.6-inch-thick steel sheets. Both a load-
bearing element and an enclosure of habitable space, the box
The 850-square-foot C-House (above) deftly blends architecture and structure—epitomizing the
will rise in a Tokyo commercial zone. Endoh-Ikeda collaboration. ■

146 Architectural Record 12.04

Natural Ellipse, Sited amid the glaring neon signs of
Tokyo’s Shibuya entertainment district,
Tokyo
this one-bedroom duplex occupies a
site barely 13 feet wide. Clad in rigid,
fiber-reinforced plastic, the building
resembles a zeppelin standing on end.
Since views were bad, the house is
toplit and nearly windowless. Its frame
relies, with remarkable simplicity, on
hoops of steel.
 Private room Courtyard Living

Kitchen
Entrance

Terrace Dining
Parking Japanese
style room

FIRST FLOOR SECOND FLOOR

Natural Slats, For a residential site measuring less
than 1,000 square feet, the architect
Tokyo
filled the entire suburban Tokyo lot,
rather than leave odd swatches of land
around the house and its sole parking
space. Endoh’s solution engages a sys-
tem of vertical slats that wrap indoor
space, as well as such semi-outdoor
areas as a driveway and roof deck. Here,
the simple, single large volume projects
a stronger presence than a set of more
diminutive elements might have.
Natural Illuminance, This challenging urban site offered a
narrow strip of land in a densely packed
Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo residential district. Endoh
addressed issues of privacy and bound-
aries with a gridded facade. Here, light
enters only between square wall units of
insulated steel, some of which incorpo-
rate storage. The house includes greater
expanses of glazing on other elevations.

Bedroom
Living room
Kitchen

Hall

Dining

Entry

Carport
Veranda

GROUND FLOOR FIRST FLOOR

 Natural Wedge, For a Tokyo site with a narrow frontage
and footprint measuring less than
Tokyo
650 square feet, Endoh designed a
45-degree-wedge house. The shape com-
plies with legal height restrictions while
optimizing daylight entering the north-
facing structure. Maximizing space and
energy efficiency, Endoh devised a thin,
translucent skin—a polyester insulating
material mounted on a steel frame.

Natural Seam, This model house-turned-art-gallery

Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan established a prototype for a flexible
structural system. Beneath a steel truss,
the building is supported on structural
columns, which could have been reposi-
tioned to fit nearly any plan shape.

12.04 Architectural Record 151

 Inspired by a fascination with
stairs, Akira Yoneda’s projects
step in ever-new directions
By Naomi R. Pollock, AIA

A
Architect: Architecton device that introduces movement into static space” hooked Akira
Location: Tokyo, Japan Yoneda on design, he recalls. That device was the stairway. So his
Founded: 1991 graduate studies in architectural graphics at Tokyo University
Design staf f: 4 culminated in a thesis on Le Corbusier’s use of stairs. But then, Yoneda’s
Principal: Akira Yoneda education and training shifted mode. “Those initial studies were,” he
Education: Harvard GSD, M.Arch., explains, “very interesting, but a little removed from architectural design.”
1991; Tokyo University, M.Eng., After a five-year stint—and lots of hands-on experience—at
1984, B.Eng., 1982 Takenaka, the construction giant, he remedied his design deficit by earning
Work history: Practice—Takenaka an M.Arch. degree at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.
Corporation, 1984–89; Upon returning to Japan, Yoneda got his chance to try his hand at
Academic—Kyoto Institute of stairs in White Echoes, a 1998 Tokyo house for a couple with three children
Technology, 2004–present and a live-in grandfather. Though small, the property straddled two zoning
Key completed projects: HP, Tokyo, areas: one low-scale residential and the other higher-scale commercial.
2004; Conoid II, Tokyo, 2004; BLOC, Capitalizing on this disparity, Yoneda’s firm, Architecton, conceived of the
Kobe, Japan, 2002; Conoid, Tokyo, building in section, with a tall vertical volume housing a stair around a cen-
2002; Beaver House, Tokyo, 2002; tral void, and a lower volume containing most of the living spaces.
nkm, Tokyo, 2001; Ambi-Flux, Tokyo, But the architect’s talents really stood the test with Ambi-Flux, a
2000; House E, Kanagawa, Japan, so-called pencil building in the heart of Tokyo. A five-story structure, it
1999; White Echoes, Tokyo, 1998 stands on a 13-foot-wide site, squeezed between a bicycle repair shop and
Key current projects: White Base, a Japanese greasy spoon. The building rises from two floors of rental
Tokyo, 2005; M House, Tokyo, offices to the owner’s three-story quarters, plus roof garden. At the home’s
2005; BLOC II, Kobe, 2006; core, a 39-foot-high void extends up to a glass roof. A folded-metal stair
BLOC III, Kobe, 2006 winds around this light-filled court, ascending to a bath and bedrooms.
Ambi-Flux marked a turning point for Yoneda: his first collabo-
ration with Masahiro Ikeda, the structural engineer of choice for many

P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY A R C H I T E CTO N ( B OT TO M ) ; © H I R OY U K I H I R A I ( O P P O S I T E )
young Tokyo designers. An architect himself, Ikeda is prized for his will-
ingness to investigate new, often unheard of ways to make buildings stand.
The Yoneda-Ikeda team later produced BLOC, a house in Kobe’s
Rokko Mountains. Taking advantage of the site’s spectacular Inland Sea
view, while editing out neighboring buildings, the architect raised and
dramatically cantilevered the main volume, hovering it over a glass-
enclosed stair that anchors the structure to the ground.
In HP, a hybrid post-and-beam house, Yoneda
and Ikeda created a “twisted” wall: a hyperbolic parab-
oloid of dry-wall construction that is sculptural,
functional, and structural, creating an outdoor, off-street
parking spot and, indoors, a huge reflecting panel for the
abundant rays filtering through a skylight overhead.
Yoneda’s current projects on the boards include
a four-unit apartment building and a 6,000-square-foot
house for a 30-something illustrator with a strong cult fol-
lowing. Inspired by the client’s futuristic cartoons, the
designers stacked four boxy volumes, placing living spaces
at the top, a studio below grade, and a pristine garage for
the owner’s DeLoreans and Ferraris in between. Big and
brawny, the building bends skyward. With a scale jump
from Yoneda’s previous work and structural innovations
M House, in Tokyo (above), is slated for that let the top story hang from the back of the house, the
completion in 2005 or 2006. architect seems to be stepping in new directions. ■

152 Architectural Record 12.04

HP, For this 664-square-foot timber-frame
Tokyo house, a hybrid post-and-beam struc-
ture, Yoneda and Ikeda created a
“twisted”exterior wall. With this sweeping
gesture, the hyperbolic-paraboloid (HP)
surface performs sculpturally, function-
ally, and structurally, creating off-street
parking and a three-story reflecting panel
for rays passing through the skylight.

Bedroom

Kitchen

12.04 Architectural Record 153

P H OTO G R A P H Y : © KO J I O K U M U R A ( T H I S S P R E A D )

BLOC, Yoneda built this 2,610-square-foot

house for a woman who had lost her
Kobe, Japan
family homestead in the Great Hanshin
earthquake of 1995. Taking advantage
of spectacular sea views, while editing
out neighboring structures, the architect
raised and dramatically cantilevered the
main volume, allowing it to hover over a
glass-enclosed stair that anchors the
building to the ground.
Ambi-Flux, Ambi-Flux, a five-story pencil building

Tokyo in the heart of Tokyo, stands on a 13-

foot-wide site, squeezed between a
greasy spoon and a bicycle repair shop.
This structure marks the first collabora-
tion between Yoneda and Ikeda. The
owner’s three-story quarters, with a roof
garden, rises above two floors of rental
office space. At the home’s core, a 39-
foot-high void extends up to a glass roof.
 White Echoes, After returning o Japan from his studies

Tokyo in the U.S., Yoneda designed White

Echoes, a Tokyo house for a couple with
three children and a live-in grandfather.
The small property straddles a low-scale
residential and a higher-scale commer-
cial zone. Capitalizing on the disparity,
the scheme plays a tall vertical volume
against a lower-lying one.
Loft

Roof terrace

Closet

Room 2

Living/Dining room Kitchen

Room 1 Garage
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © KO J I O K U M U R A ( O P P O S I T E A N D T H I S PA G E , TO P T H R E E )

White Base, This 6,000-square-foot house, in Tokyo’s

Tokyo dense urban outskirts, will provide a
young illustrator with a home and studio.
Inspired by the client’s futuristic cartoons,
the scheme offers dramatic cantilevers.
Here, a stack of four boxy volumes place
living spaces at the top, a studio below
grade, and a pristine, white garage for
DeLoreans and Ferraris in between.

12.04 Architectural Record 157

 Alejandro Aravena pursues a
dual path: high-profile projects
and low-income housing
By Nancy Levinson

I
Architect: Alejandro Aravena n a decade of practice, Alejandro Aravena has designed a dozen
Location: Santiago, Chile major projects, published three books, taught internationally,
Founded: 1994 exhibited widely, and racked up an assortment of honors. Soon after
Design staf f: None. Hires people on his 1992 graduation from the Universidad Católica de Chile, with only a
a project-by-project basis. Currently few residential and retail works in his portfolio, Aravena won the job to
has 10 people working in office. design a building for the mathematics faculty of his alma mater. As he
Principal: Collaborates with other recalls, he got the project “because the budget was very low, so nobody
architects on a project-by-project expected the building would amount to much.” The project’s success
basis: Fernando Perez (Medical earned Aravena more university work, including Católica’s schools of
School); Luis Lucero (Medical, medicine and architecture, and its digital technology center, about to start
Mathematics, and Architecture construction. He is also working on a national concert hall and a metro-
schools); Lorena Andrade politan promenade, both in Santiago. Now a professor at Católica, he has
(Architecture School); Claudio also been a visiting professor at Harvard for the past five years.
Blanco (Montessori School); Jorge Yet what especially excites Aravena these days is not his growing
Christie and Victor Oddó (Pirehueico international profile, but rather his ongoing involvement in the design of
House); Charles Murray, Ricardo low-cost housing. In 2001, along with fellow Chilean architect Pablo
Torrejón, Alfonso Montero (Siamese Allard and engineer Andrés Iacobelli, Aravena founded Elemental, a non-
Towers and Elemental); Andres profit organization dedicated to solving the problems of what they term
Iacobelli (Elemental) “scarcity housing.” And as part of the group Taller de Chile, Aravena
Education: Universidad Católica de helped design the Quinta Monroy community for 100 families in north-
Chile, B.Arch., 1992 ern Chile; the new housing, which replaces an illegal development, is a
Work history: Academic—Harvard prototype for Elemental’s ambitious social housing agenda. “In Chile,
Graduate School of Design, more than 10 percent of the population is without housing,” says
1999–present; Universidad Católica Aravena. “This is a problem that really matters.” Inspired by the 1927
de Chile, 1994–present Weissenhofseidlung housing exhibition in Stuttgart, Elemental organized

P H OTO G R A P H Y : © E L E M E N TA L ( T H I S PA G E , B OT TO M ) ; TA D E U Z J A LO C H A ( O P P O S I T E )
Key completed projects: Medical an international competition for the design of seven communities of
School, Universidad Católica, about 200 units each in cities throughout Chile. The competition
Santiago, 2004; Montessori School, attracted more than 730 entries, even though the constraints were daunt-
Santiago, 2001; Mathematics ing: Housing units could cost no more than $7,500, and their designs had
School, Universidad Católica, to anticipate the owner-occupants’ do-it-yourself expansions. In
Santiago, 1999; Sculptor’s House, November 2003, the jury selected seven winners. Construction is to start
Santiago, 1998 next year. Elemental has allowed Aravena to satisfy his longstanding goal
Key current projects: Architecture of “using architecture to solve nonarchitectural problems.” As he says,
School, Universidad Católica, “I’m not running the race that will lead to publication in El Croquis. I’m
Santiago, 2004; Elemental Quinta more interested in connecting with readers of The Economist and Time.”
Monroy, Iquique, Chile, 2004; Nowadays, he is as likely to be meeting with World Bank executives and
Pirehueico House, Pirehueico Lake, government ministers as with design-world colleagues.
Chile, 2004; Siamese Towers, Publication venues aside, Aravena’s focus on
Universidad Católica, Santiago, bare-bones housing is not counter to but rather part of
2005 his ongoing exploration of form and tectonics. While
Web site: www.elementalchile.org traveling in Venice as a student, Aravena spent his days
out in the field, sketching and measuring buildings. “I
needed to connect very directly with the body of
knowledge of my discipline.” The architect’s connec-
tion with this knowledge informs both his professional
practice and his public work. And so it’s no surprise
that Aravena believes that good design will be essential
Elemental is building this low-income com- to Elemental’s success. As he puts it, “In social housing,
munity in Iquique, Chile, for 100 families. good design is good policy.” ■

158 Architectural Record 12.04

Mathematics Faculty, The first in a series of buildings Aravena
has designed for Universidad Católica
Santiago, Chile
de Chile, this 215,000-square-foot
facility for the school’s mathematics
department continues the covered por-
tico of the existing math building on its
north facade (below) while presenting a
glass-and-copper face (above left) to
the south, which gets less sun in this
hemisphere.
Medical School, Aravena calls this 975,000-square-foot
building a “vertical cloister” because
Santiago, Chile
it stacks a dense set of seminar cells,
classrooms, labs, lounges, and auditori-
ums. The building completes an important
courtyard on the campus, providing a
sculptural redbrick facade as the fourth
side. Although the tight program didn’t
allow any double- or triple-height spaces,
the architect carved out large “voids” to
bring in light, and cantilevered a glass
lounge over the south entry.
Siamese Towers, Another project for Universidad Católica,
this building will be a computer center
Santiago, Chile
with offices, research spaces, class-
rooms, and of course, lots of computers.
To give the structure a sense of height,
Aravena split the mass into conjoined
towers. Scheduled to be completed in
2005, the 54,000-square-foot building
will have an outer skin of glass and a
more solid inner membrane.

Architecture School, To entice students to spend more time

on campus, Universidad Católica hired
Santiago, Chile
Aravena to renovate a building com-
pleted in the early 1990s. Reducing
the size of studios by half will provide a
more secure environment for students
who now work on computers. Smaller
studios won’t have room for pinups, so

( P R I O R PA G E , TO P L E F T A N D C E N T E R ) ; V I CTO R O D D O ( T H I S PA G E , B OT TO M )
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R O L A N D H A L B E ( P R I O R S P R E A D ) , E XC E P T E LV I R A P E R E Z
these exercises will take place in areas
just inside the new zinc-clad envelope.
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © TA D E U Z J A LO C H A ( TO P T W O ) ; A L E J A N D R O A R AV E N A ( B OT TO M )

Montessori School, Given just four months to design and

build a low-budget renovation and addi-
Santiago, Chile
tion to an existing school, Aravena
performed what he calls “emergency
architecture.” The client insisted that he
use fake-wood siding, so the architect
explored new ways of applying the artifi-
cial material, treating it like wallpaper
and revealing “clouds of regularity” in
its patterned surface.

Sculptor’s House, Designed for a woman who lives by

herself but entertains often, this 1,300-
Santiago, Chile
square-foot house picks up the brick of
the client’s nearby sculpture studio. A
tight budget kept the rooms small, but
Aravena made them feel bigger by hav-
ing visitors enter them at the corners
and first viewing them on the diagonal.
He kept the forms simple to match the
skill of the bricklayers.
 Spain’s Antón García-Abril
finds freedom in materials
on the outer fringes
By David Cohn

W
Architect: Antón García-Abril and hile Spanish architects are known for seamlessly melding
Ensamble Studio design aesthetics and construction know-how, Madrid-based
Location: Madrid Antón García-Abril carries this love for what he calls “the fra-
Founded: 1995 (Antón García-Abril); grance of the constructive” to a new level, building much of his work
2000 (Ensamble Studio) through an in-house contracting firm. This gives him the freedom to
Design staf f: 7 experiment with new building systems that traditional contractors would
Principal: Antón García-Abril Ruiz shun, he explains, including materials on the outer fringes of solidity and
Education: ETSA Madrid, Doctorate, fragility—from boulder facades to partitions built of plastic CD cases.
2000; ETSA Madrid, M.Arch. and García-Abril worked in the studio of Alberto Campo Baeza as a
Urbanism, 1995 student, while family friend Rafael Moneo gave him personal critiques of
Work history: Alberto Campo his student projects. He describes these two mentors as working from
Baeza, 1990–94; Santiago opposing extremes of poetic and intellectual inspiration, influences
Calatrava, 1992 reflected in his own work. His first building, a music school in Santiago de
Key completed projects: Concert Compostela, is a tour de force in the use of local granite. Conceptually, it
Hall and Music School, Medina is a solid half-cube of stone with public spaces hollowed out of its center
del Campo, Spain, 2003; Musical along three axes. Its primitive density is underscored by the massive
Studies Center, Santiago de blocks of the facades—each weighing up to 11,000 pounds—with their
Compostela, Spain, 2002 rough, drilled, and split faces exposed to the exterior.
Key current projects: Martemar The architect has carried experiments with heavy masonry a
House, Málaga, Spain, 2004; wild step further for Spain’s General Society of Authors and Editors
SGAE Central Office, Santiago de (SGAE). A 285-foot-long curving wall is composed of granite boulders

P H OTO G R A P H Y : © R O L A N D H A L B E , E XC E P T A S N OT E D ; C O U R T E SY A N T Ó N G A R C Í A - A B R I L ( B E LO W )
Compostela, 2005; Príncipe Pío piled into the modular proportions of a “Palladian double order,” with a
Theater, Madrid, 2007 primitive base, columns, and lintels. The tumbledown construction also
Web site: Under construction recalls Stonehenge—a reference to Galicia’s ancient Celtic culture—and a
disordered bookcase, symbolizing the SGAE’s role in collecting royalties
for musicians and writers. At an opposite extreme, the main interior wall
will be built of plastic cases from the 400,000 pirated CDs that the SGAE
helps authorities confiscate annually.
García-Abril’s experiments with geometrically free, triangulated
structures dominate his studio. These range from light fixtures composed
of aluminum studs and colored fluorescent lamps, to a prototype sky-
scraper (left) rising irregularly around a flamelike vertical axis.
He points out that triangulated structures are the strongest for
torsional loads, and compares his tower prototype to the chassis
of a motorcycle, in which crystal-like smaller units are encrusted
into the main structure. “The problem with conventional struc-
tures,” he says, “is that in order to inhabit the horizontal plane,
we have invented a structural deformation, the right angle, that
is the least stable of all. Its stability depends entirely on the rigid-
ity of its connections.”
Among ongoing projects, a seaside house is suspended
below heavy trusses, including an 80-foot-long I-beam whose
profile forms a rough cornice. An artist’s studio at a rehabbed
factory, meanwhile, features walls and patios lined with translu-
cent polycarbonate sheeting backed by fluorescents. It’s worth
noting that these are private commissions in a country known
chiefly for its public architecture. García-Abril’s career marks the
A model for a skyscraper has pride coming of age of a young talent, and the increasing maturity
of place in Garcí a-Abril’s studio. and audacity of Spain’s architectural culture in general. ■

164 Architectural Record 12.04

Concert Hall and Music Garcí a-Abril won a competition for a
concert hall on a small trapezoidal site
School, Medina
facing Segovia Square. The building
del Campo, Spain
sits on a concrete base, which forms
an open public anteroom above street
level. An outer skin, which the architect
likens to a “suit of armor,” is a series
of horizontal steel scales that are pro-
jected out from the lattice of steel
structural members. The auditorium has
the classical proportions of a double
cube, its folded walls dotted with light.
 Musical Studies Center, Employing ancient stone-cutting tech-
niques, the granite facade is composed
Santiago de
of stones presenting the rough-hewn
Compostela, Spain
sides along which they have been split.
Garcí a-Abril explains that this high-
relief surface gives the tenuous light of
Galicia “the chance to trap the volume,
to grab hold of it and allow it to reveal
itself.” Spaces with specific acoustic
requirements were constructed over a
concrete basement. Upper floors are
ordered around wheel-shaped walkways
that narrow as the building ascends.
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01.00 Architectural Record 5

SGAE Central Office, For the headquarters of Spain’s General
Society of Authors and Editors, the
Santiago de
architect juxtaposed three walls
Compostela, Spain
running the length of a long, curved
building that follows the arc of the
street. An interior structure composed
of plastic CD covers serves as an
“inner facade.” A jagged stone wall
faces the garden, while a neutral,
translucent wall faces the street.
“The building is conceived as a wall
in itself,” says the architect.
 Príncipe Pío Theater, An experimental theater facility will
occupy the interior of a landmark-pro-
Madrid
tected railroad station. A large, flexible
black-box structure, which Garcí a-Abril
calls a “hybrid theater room,” features
stages and performance platforms at
different levels with retractable seating.
The project is financed by actor Antonio
Banderas and the SGAE.

Martemar House, For a private residence on a sloping

seaside site, Garcí a-Abril has organized
Málaga, Spain
the program of living zones with the
structural system. Two main portal
frames, one concrete along the garden
facade, the other steel overlooking
the entrance, support five steel cross
trusses. Masonry and glass walls are
juxtaposed to create a progression of
public and private spaces that relate to
terraces surrounding the house.

Architect: Plasma Studio
Location: London and Sesto, Italy
Founded: 1999
Principals: Eva Castro, Holger
Kehne; Ulla Hell (associate)
Education: Castro: Architectural
Association, AAGDG, Grad Des Dipl
(AA), 1996; Universidad Central de
Venezuela, Diploma Arquitectura &
Urbanismo, 1994; Kehne: University
of East London, Dip Arch, 1998,
BSc (Hons), 1996.
Work history: Castro: Plasma
Studio, 1999–2005; Chora,
1997–98; Ocean, 1996–97; Kehne:
Plasma Studio, 1999–2005.
Key completed projects: Minerva
Street, London, 2003; Circus House,
London, 2003; Musician’s Home,
London, 2001; 25 London Lane,
London, 2001; 186 Camden High
Street, London, 2000; 136 Old
Street, London, 1999
Key current projects: Hotel Puerta
America, Madrid, 2005; Hotel
Cristall, Sesto, Italy, 2007.
Web site: www.plasmastudio.com
170 Architectural Record 12.04
Plasma Studio eschews
iconography in favor of
ambience and relevance
By Sara Hart
I
t takes a lot of confidence to name an architecture firm Plasma. It
could end up in the telephone book under “night clubs.” The firm’s
founders Eva Castro and Holger Kehne have earned the necessary
confidence, as their growing portfolio of completed commissions con-
firms. The concept behind the name is worth noting. Looking for a
metaphor to wrap their design philosophy around, they turned to
physics. By naming their practice Plasma, after the fourth state of mat-
ter, they seek to separate themselves from convention, even from the
parameters of Cartesian construction. If one were to think of most
architecture as falling, at least metaphorically, into the other, better-
known states of matter—solids, gases, and liquids—the firm’s
differentiation becomes apparent. Castro and Kehne make the distinc-
tion by describing the plasma state as “a unique condition of matter
arising from a complex overlay of external forces.”
During the past five years, Plasma has pursued a variety of
building types, mostly in London. These include office renovations,
retail, artists’ studios, and various live/work conversions. In addition,
the practice has designed several exhibitions, installations, and furni-
ture. Two current hotel projects, the interior of a radical design hotel in
Spain and a newly built mountain resort in Italy, are contributing to the
practice’s current expansion: They have recently opened a new branch
in Sesto, Italy.
Plasma is often described as the most energetic of the four
states of matter. Plasma, the firm, matches that by being intellectually
agile, and it has won awards and commissions for its creative use of form
and geometry. Not bound to the x and y axes, the designers use shifts,
folds, and bends to create surface continuities that are never arbitrary,
but part of the overall spatial and structural organization. “Our projects
seek to expand from such traditional orthogonal patterns. Their advan-
tages (in terms of human scale, clarity, and versatility, for instance) are
capitalized and used as modeling instruments in the design process,”
they explain. A reduced palette of materials and colors with Minimalist
detailing is used to emphasize such ephemeral occurances as light
changes and reflections.
Although Castro and Kehne’s work is fortified with theory, it’s
also grounded in material and economic reality. All their projects are
geared toward maximizing space, performance, and value. Starting with a
careful analysis of the site and the brief, the studio develops a thorough
framework of the underlying contraints, objectives, and potentials.
Tangible and intangible parameters, such as material, light, budget, usage
patterns, atmosphere, weathering, and so on, are all equally processed as
determining forces.
They also exploit every available technological innovation.
Castro and Kehne are researching and developing parametric and emer-
gent design processes through the use of 3D software and CAD-CAM
modeling at the Architectural Association. They emphasize that these
investigations make the design process more inclusive, interactive,
flexible, and transparent for the designers, clients, consultants, and
fabricators alike. ■
Hotel Cristall, Located in a small village in the Italian
Dolomites, this four-star hotel is
Sesto, Italy
Plasma’s first new-construction commis-
sion. Rejecting the common vernacular
of the region, the architects used the
organization of crystals as a leitmotif.
Their process produced a complex
artificial topography that undulates
over an extensive spa.
 25 London Lane, The client, a silversmith, needed
distinct spaces sculpted within his

P H OTO G R A P H Y : © H O LG E R K E H N E ( T H I S PA G E ) ; D O U G L A S S P E N C E R ( O P P O S I T E , TO P T H R E E ) ;
London
expansive live/work loft, without los-
ing any of the natural light provided
by an existing skylight. The solution
involved creating spaces out of
industrial-steel grating, which both
transmits and deflects the light. The
truss that supports the spiraling sur-
faces also acts as the balustrade.

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172 Architectural Record 12.04

 Crumple Zone, Crumple Zone, a site-specific installa-
tion, utilized CNC-punch-pressed steel
London
with projected imagery to create a work
that challenges the preconception of the
Vitruvian principles of stability, utility,
and beauty in the inaugural exhibition
by Fractio, a not-for-profit curatorial
collective supporting British fashion,
art, design, and architecture.

Minerva Street, In this conversion of the ground floor of

an old industrial building, the architects
London
introduced pods, finished in different
shades of gray, which organize the space
into zones with varying degrees of open-
ness and enclosure. Fluorescent tubes
along the bottom of the walls create the
proper ambience for video production.

Bathroom

Darkroom
Bedroom

Living room

Kitchen

Of fice
 Circus House, This redesign for Feiden Clegg Bradley
Architects provides for maximum flexi-
London
bility. The overall flow pattern is a U
with the corridors displaced on both
levels, and a new internal staircase
connecting them. The stair consists of
solid slags of plywood suspended from
full-height Perspex screens, correspon-
ding with an extensive Perspex display
system.

P H OTO G R A P H Y : © P E T E R G U E N Z E L ( T H I S PA G E )

174 Architectural Record 12.04

UrbaNite, With this one-night installation at a
night club for Architecture Week, the
London
architects sought to create a virtual
space that embodied cultural mix and
fusion through the use of projected
images and film. The images were pro-
jected from either end of the room and
strike screens covered with semitrans-
parent film that both capture and filter
the images.
CIRCLE 63 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR GO TO WWW.LEADNET.COM/PUBS/MHAR.HTML
 COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
The Boom Goes On
COLLEGES ARE BUILDING MORE, AND THEY ARE BUILDING
BETTER. WITH STATES UNDER STRESS AND WORK DEMANDS
RISING, WE MAY NEED TO BUILD FASTER AND BETTER YET.
1.
Waltham, Massachusetts
Charles Rose placed the Shapiro
Campus Center at the crossing of a
network of pathways, erecting a sun-
dappled atrium over the intersection.
2.
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Reworking a former hotel, Jonathan
Levi offers housing-pressed graduate
students at Harvard University a
variety of accommodations.
3.
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © C H U C K C H O I ( 1 ) ; P E T E R VA N D E R WA R K E R ( 2 ) ; N I C L E H O U X
Poulsbo, Washington
Miller/Hull interpreted Scandinavian
style for Olympic College, constantly
called on to adapt to the needs of a
fast-growing, semirural area.
4.
( 3 ) ; J E F F G O L D B E R G / E S TO ( 4 ) ; TO M B O N N E R ( 5 )
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Margaret Helfand used new
construction to stitch together out-
dated science buildings, creating a
revived, more socially engaging whole.
5.
Santa Monica, California
Filtered daylight enlivens the three-
story computer commons that
Anshen+Allen dropped into Santa
Monica College’s dour 1970s library.
By James S. Russell, AIA
P
rojects from higher education institutions, both plebian and elite,
BU I LDING TYPES STUDY 840
have poured into record’s offices this year. With such powerful
evidence of the nation’s commitment to college, record was able
to devote much of its August issue to a range of high-ambition
projects and still be able to offer a rich mix this month. We saw not only
quantity, but quality: designs that are sensitive to budgets yet still transcend
the painted drywall and dropped-ceiling norm.
With too many students relying for their social life on iPods,
video games, and e-mail, institutions are building to ease the stresses of
meeting new people and fitting in. Charles Rose supplied the center that
Brandeis University never had. (It’s hardly alone.) Jonathan Levi responded
to Harvard University’s desire to lift graduate-student housing out of its
customary squalor. Miller/Hull integrated plenty of meeting places into a
small community-college campus of mostly part-timers.
Math and science remain high priorities, but many institutions,
saddled with the legacies of a gigantic building boom of the 1950s and
1960s, are lookng for ways to fix old facilities, not just replace them.
Margaret Helfand gracefully accommodated both growth and renovation at
Swarthmore. Hers is a work of urban design as much as of architecture.
Community colleges often get orphaned by fiscally overstretched
states. But legislators are increasingly paying attention to these systems,
because meeting the demand for qualified workers has become a key factor
in business expansion and relocation decisions. Anshen+Allen gracefully
expanded an aging concrete-block hulk of a library at Santa Monica
College, creating in the process a campus magnet, with reading areas beau-
tiful enough to incite envy from far wealthier schools.
Olympic College is well-attuned to the fast-changing workforce
desires of employers in its fast-growing, semirural region. Miller/Hull deliv-
ered a facility capable of rapid adaptation.
For all the good news, plenty of institutions face dire cash
crunches. Many states remain fiscally stressed, incapable of meeting the
needs of institutions where student bodies are growing just as fast as facil-
ities are deteriorating. There’s no doubt that future economic growth and
global competitiveness rely on the nation’s higher education system. The
big question remains: Is America up to the challenge? ■
For more information about these projects, go to Projects at
www.architecturalrecord.com.
12.04 Architectural Record 177

1
Architect: Charles Rose Architects
Client: Brandeis University,
Waltham, Massachusetts
Consultants: Arup (structural
engineering, m/e/p); Stephen
Stimson Associates (landscape);
Accentech (acoustical); Judith Nitsch
Engineering (civil)
General contractor: William H.
Berry and Son
Size: 65,000 square feet
Cost: $21 million
Completion date: October 2002
Sources
Masonry cladding: Cenia Limestone
(Kenneth Castellucci and Associates,
fabricator)
Metal cladding : Revere Evergreen
Copper
Roofing: Firestone (single-ply
membrane)
Window wall, entrances: Kawneer;
Viracon (glazing)
Millwork: American Architectural
Woodwork
Custom railings: Cape Cod
Fabrications
Terrazzo: Depauli Mosaic
Elevators: ThyssenKrupp
For more information on this project,
go to Projects at
www.architecturalrecord.com.
178 Architectural Record 12.04
Shapiro Campus Center
Waltham, Massachusetts
CHARLES ROSE PLACED A LIGHT-DAPPLED ATRIUM WHERE FOUR CAMPUS PATHS
COLLIDE AND WRAPPED IT WITH A HIVE OF ACTIVITY.
By Nancy Levinson
Brandeis University welcomed its
first students in the fall of 1948, and
since then the institution has been
more or less under construction. In
the past half-century, the wooded
campus in Waltham, Massachusetts,
has grown from a 90-acre site with a
motley group of existing buildings—
purchased from a defunct medical
school—to more than a hundred
structures on 235 acres.
Given the rapid pace of devel-
opment, it’s not surprising that
functional imperative at times ran
ahead of planning logic. By the
mid-1990s, it was apparent that
the pastoral postwar campus of the
early years had long since grown
into what the school’s Web site
describes as a “dense, more urban
place.” The question of how to deal
with that growth spurred a 1997
planning and design charrette. One
Nancy Levinson, a record contributing
editor, lives in Cambridge, Mass.
N 0 50 FT.
SITE PLAN
15 M.
of its key recommendations pro-
duced the Shapiro Campus
Center, designed by Charles Rose
Architects. “At the charrette there
had been general agreement that
the campus lacked a real center,”
says Peter French, the university’s
executive vice president and chief
operating officer. French notes that
the center of the campus was then
occupied by a nondescript redbrick
Protected by a broad
overhang, a café
and bookstore open
to a sunny lawn on
the south side of the
Shapiro Center.
Louvers shade a
two-level library.
building—one of the structures
bought when the school was
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © C H U C K C H O I
founded—and a big parking lot.
“The location was a major campus
crossroads,” says French, “but it
sent all the wrong signals.”
Program
The new campus center would
augment an existing student center
to the north, and it would house
diverse tenants: the university
bookstore, an electronic library, a
250-seat theater, the school radio
station, the school newspaper,
administrative offices that oversee
student life, assorted student organ-
izations, a café, and exhibition
space. And beyond its program, the
new facility would need to answer to
evolving campus lifestyles: It had to
180 Architectural Record 12.04
be open and available round-the-
clock, and it had to provide what
the school had long lacked, a vital
center worthy of both the name
and location.
Solution
For Rose, who has training and
experience in landscape architec-
ture, the opportunity to enhance
cross-campus connections was
compelling. So too was the chance
to create outdoor spaces that
would enliven and extend the interi-
ors. To the south, these include
ground-level and second-floor ter-
races and an expansive green lawn;
and to the west, a quiet and shady
courtyard defined by Shapiro and
the adjacent Faculty Club.
The Faculty Club, designed by
Harrison & Abramovitz, is Modernist.
In this, it’s like much of the postwar
campus: Eero Saarinen created the
initial site plan, and the roster of
campus architects also includes
The Architects Collaborative, Hugh
Stubbins, Benjamin Thompson, Hideo
Sasaki, and Edward Larrabee Barnes.
Before beginning Shapiro, Rose stud-
Copper faces the north (bottom middle).
wing of this campus Walkways bisect the
crossroads (below building through
and bottom left), while recesses between
stone predominates the wings (top spread
on the south wing and bottom right).
 7

7
7 In plan (left), it looks
as if the two wings, like
12 7 7 tectonic plates, have
8
10
floated apart, leaving
10 behind a great open
7 space where many
8 paths can cross. The
7
open upper-floor bridges,
to
below
like tendons, unite the
8 two wings, while
enlivening the great
atrium with activity on
13 7
three levels and on the
stair (opposite).
THIRD FLOOR

7 7

1. Atrium
10 2. Café
12 3. Bookstore
11 12
4. IT Library
5. Theater
7
12 open 6. Lounge
8 to
below 7. Club offices
4
8. Function room
9. Multipurpose
9
10. Mechanical
4
11. Terrace
12. Staff office
13. Gallery
SECOND FLOOR

1
3

6
4
A
0 20 FT.
N
FIRST FLOOR 6 M.
 ied the campus carefully, noting the
patterns and characteristics of its
buildings and open spaces, and as
a result he has made a strong, clear
structure that neither mimics nor
clashes with its context. In its forms
and materials, Shapiro is by turns
Minimalist and bold. The south
facade, clad in limestone and pre-
patinated copper, with windows of
tinted glass, is gently inflected toward
the large lawn. The sculptural north
facade features large expanses of
glass and copper. The copper is
especially striking. “We wanted to
add texture to the building,” says
Rose. “The copper, which we’ve used
in small and large panels, seemed a
good, interesting way to do that.”
The 65,000-square-foot build-
ing provides for its numerous users
in two wings connected by a three-
story atrium. The atrium is more
than the literal center of the building:
With large glass walls to the north
and south and bridges crisscrossing
the upper levels, the space is ener-
getic and inviting, and it has become
the nonstop scene of assorted
events, including art exhibitions and
craft sales, dances and concerts,
midnight buffets and slumber par-
ties. And with its strong north/south
and east/west axes, and entrances
on all sides, the atrium is a major
campus circulation link, drawing
students and faculty to and through
Shapiro both day and night.

Commentary
The Shapiro Campus Center clearly
appears to be fulfilling its mandate
to serve not merely as the geo-
graphic but also the functional and
Skylights and broad perceptual heart of campus. On a
planes of glass (above) recent visit, the place was bustling:
scatter light across The library was standing room
stairways and bridges only; the atrium was hosting a
to make the great poster sale; the café was packed.
atrium space luminous Administrators and students enthu-
and active. Wood faces siastically described how much
a two-level lounge (left). they liked the building and how well
it accommodated activities ranging
from peer counseling to tango les-
sons. And one junior was especially
effusive: “I practically live in this
building,” she said. Brandeis and
its architect have given her a great
place to live in. ■
Light from many
sources bathes the
stair (above) that verti-
cally unites the central
atrium, touching each
floor at different points
(section, right).

SECTION A-A

12.04 Architectural Record 185

 29 Garden Street
Harvard Graduate Housing
Cambridge, Massachusetts

2
JONATHAN LEVI ARCHITECTS CREATES AFFORDABLE UNIVERSITY HOUSING
THAT ENCOURAGES A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AMONG GRADUATE STUDENTS.
By Nancy Levinson

Architect: Jonathan Levi Architects— Undergraduate life at Harvard has

Jonathan Levi, FAIA, partner in
charge; Matthew LaRue, AIA, project
architect
Associate architect: Bergmayer
Associates—Darryl Filippi, project
manager; Doug Coots, project associate
Client: The President and Fellows of
Harvard College
Engineers: Weidlinger Associates
(structural); Cosentini Associates
(mechanical/electrical); Green
International Affiliates (civil); Richard
Burck Associates (landscape); Lam
Partners (lighting); Acentech (acoustics)
General contractor: Suffolk
Construction; Bond Brothers
Size: 114,000 square feet
Cost: Withheld
Completion date: August 2004
long revolved around the network of
houses the university built in the
1930s—imposing neo-Georgian
residences that accommodate com-
munal dining and common rooms
as well as living quarters. Graduate
student life, however, has enjoyed
no comparable amenity. For years,
the majority of graduate and profes-
sional students who arrived in
Cambridge had little choice but to
hunt for a good deal on a rental—a
nerve-racking pursuit in a market
where limited supply and inflated
prices meant that most settled for
crowded housing in dumpy neigh-
borhoods far from campus.
With the reopening of 29
Garden Street, designed by
Jonathan Levi Architects, with
associate architect Bergmeyer
Associates, the choices have been

Sources
Curtain wall: Kawneer; Reynolds
Roofing: Genflex; Hydrotech
Windows: Efco
Glass: Solarseal
Doors: Blumcraft; Kawneer;
Lambton Doors; Total Door
Door hardware: Schlage; Hager;
LCN; Von Duprin; Blumcraft
Acoustical tile: Armstrong
Paints: ICI; PPG
Lighting: Lithonia; Nulux;
B-K Lighting; Hydrel; Sylvania
For more information on this project,
go to Projects at
www.architecturalrecord.com.
happily enhanced. A thorough reno-
vation of an undistinguished hotel
from the 1920s, 29 Garden features
well-appointed student apartments.
It also includes a variety of shared
spaces intended to encourage a
sense of community, a first for the
university’s graduate apartment-
house system.
Program
Harvard converted 29 Garden to
housing years ago, but the renova-
Contributing editor Nancy Levinson
is a writer and architect based in
Cambridge, Mass.
tion was modest in concept and
effect, and the building needed
upgrading. According to Susan
Keller, vice president of residential
real estate at Harvard, the motiva-
tions for this latest project were
both economic and political.
“Because of the tight and expen-
sive housing market, and because
of municipal pressure on the uni-
versity to house more students,”
says Keller, “we wanted to increase
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © P E T E R VA N D E R WA R K E R , E XC E P T A S N OT E D
the number of affordable apart-
ments close to campus.” The
university also wanted to enrich
its housing-type mix, adding the
“double studio,” consisting of two
private living spaces that share a
kitchen and bath.
Solution
Jonathan Levi Architects responded
to the university’s requirements with
two kinds of double studios. In the

186 Architectural Record 12.04

A newly constructed
opening on Garden
Street (opposite) con-
nects Arsenal Square
with the courtyard
garden designed by
Richard Burck
Associates (right and
below). The garden
covers the roof of the
apartment building’s
parking garage, a space
that was formerly
covered with blacktop.
Each of the three-
bedroom, third-floor
faculty apartments is
accessed via stairs
leading from the court-
yard garden.

smaller, students share a kitchen
and bath; in the larger, each has a
private bath. Three other residence
types—one-person studios and
two- and three-bedroom apart-
ments—complete the mix. And for
each type, the architect has
designed stylishly contemporary
living quarters. Built-in shelves,
tables, and desks “ease the move-
in transition for new students,” in
Levi’s words, and the birch-veneer
cabinetry visually warms the rooms.
Kitchens feature translucent-front
cabinets (manufactured by Ikea, but
with custom-designed hardware)
and undercounter refrigerators that
allow for maximum counter space.
Ceiling-mounted convection heat-
ing/cooling valances are sleek,
quiet, unobtrusive, and energy effi-
cient, and allow residents to control
their thermal environment. (Opening
the window automatically switches
off the mechanical system, another
efficiency touch.)
But Levi did more than satisfy
the basic program; ultimately, he
convinced the university to expand
its understanding of 29 Garden’s
programmatic and urban potential.
Entrances to faculty newly created exterior
apartments are joined passageway and grand
by a balcony that stair lead from Garden
extends the entire Street (below) to the
length of the building courtyard garden (top),
(left and opposite). A one level above.
Early on, the architect envi-
sioned a project that would be
more than just another university-
owned apartment house. “We
became interested in the idea of
a ‘graduate house’—something
akin to the undergraduate houses,
a place that would spur a sense
of community,” says Levi. “Since
residents would be drawn from
different schools and programs,
we saw it also as fitting in with the
academic trend toward greater mix-
ing of disciplines.” 29 Garden fully
satisfies the university’s quota for
beds (increasing the number from
121 to 143). It includes a ground-
floor buttery/convenience store
with an adjacent dining/common
room, and light-filled, double-height
lounges on alternating residential
floors. Especially impressive is a
new garden (designed with the
landscape architecture firm Richard
Burck Associates) located on what
had been the blacktop roof of the
building’s one-story garage.
Levi’s design expands the
urbanistic potential of 29 Garden,
too. The building fronts Arsenal
Square, a small green space where
12.04 Architectural Record 189
 The single-student stu- two major streets converge, just
dio units (above left) beyond Harvard Square. The archi-
have built-in shelves tect saw this as “a significant urban
and concealed lighting. moment” that demanded an archi-
Large double studios tectural response. In the middle of
(above right) feature the Garden Street facade, the
built-in dining tables architect cut a three-story entryway
and dual refrigerators. into the volume of the building;
The dining commons from here, residents can access
(left) provides multi- the ground-floor lobby or ascend a
functioning space that grand stair to the garden. If the
can be used for eating, gesture is monumental, the materi-
studying, or seminars. als are modern: The garden entry is
a glass curtain wall, and the side
walls are clad in metal panels offset
to create a sculptural pattern. With
this architectural move, the archi-
tect transformed a nondescript
facade into a graceful and elegant
civic presence.

1. One-person studio Commentary

P H OTO G R A P H Y : © N I C K W H E E L E R ( T H I S PA G E , TO P T W O )
2. Double studio At 29 Garden Street, Levi and his
4 2 2 2 2 2 3. Three-bedroom associates have programmed and
apartment designed a residence that fits the
4
4. Two-bedroom transitional nature of graduate
5 3 3 3 3 3 apartment student life, that time between the
5. Lobby college dorm and the first mort-
6. Large double studio gage. And in reinvigorating a tired
and dreary building, they have
6 produced a place that respects its
4 historic Cambridge context while
avoiding any banal imitation of
1 older motifs. At a university that has
lately seemed to favor a dull
neotraditionalist approach to archi-
N 0 20 FT.
tecture, 29 Garden is an exemplary
THIRD FLOOR
6 M. blend of old and new. ■

190 Architectural Record 12.04

The main stair (near
left) connects the first-
floor lobby (far left)
with the second-floor
lobby and main corri-
dors. Windows in the
ground-floor lobby
(below) look into the
dining commons.

3
Project: Olympic College Poulsbo,
Poulsbo, Washington
Architect: Miller/Hull Partnership—
Craig Curtis, AIA, Scott Wolf, AIA,
Bill Franklin, AIA, Norm Strong,
FAIA, Rob Hutchison, Amy
DeDominicis, Ruth Coates, Daniel
Mihalyo, Annie Han, Laurie Fanger
Engineers: AKB Eningeers (struc-
tural, civil); Sparling (electrical);
The Greenbush Group (mechanical)
Consultants: Edaw/Site Workshop
(landscape); Sparling (lighting); The
Greenbush Group (audio/visual)
Size: 40,000 square feet
Cost: $8.6 million
Completion date: Spring 2004
Sources
Masonry: Mutual Materials
Curtain wall: EFCO
Metal roofing: AEP Span
Windows: Quantum (wood); EFCO
(metal); PPG, Milgard, Pilkington
(glass); Evergreen House (skylights)
Cabinets and millwork: W.W. Wells
Flooring: Dex-O-Tex (epoxy);
Dal-Tile (tile); Armstrong (resilient);
Blueridge (carpet)
Marine-grade exterior stain:
Sherwin Williams
For more information on this project,
go to Projects at
www.architecturalrecord.com.
192 Architectural Record 12.04
Olympic College Poulsbo
Poulsbo, Washington
MILLER/HULL INTERPRETED SCANDINAVIAN STYLE FOR A COMMUNITY COLLEGE
SERVING A REGION THAT’S GROWING QUICKLY FROM RURAL TO URBAN.
By James S. Russell, AIA
One building at 40,000 square feet
comprises the entirety of Olympic
College’s new branch. Such a small
facility makes sense in a largely
rural area that’s quickly growing
urban, with commuters hustling
along the tree-lined highways to
nearby military facilities or rushing
to catch ferries to jobs in Seattle, a
few miles across Puget Sound.
Kelly Woodward, the director of
Olympic College Poulsbo, explained
that the main Bremerton campus
was not only inconvenient to reach,
but it was densely built out, with lit-
tle room to expand. With the new
structure, she added, the school can
serve students who would otherwise
have to make laborious commutes
to facilities elsewhere.
Program
The building offers conventional
two-year degrees, adult continuing
education, and distance learning in
a combination of 14 classrooms,
seminar rooms, and labs. It needed
to adapt readily to changes in cur-
riculum proposed by an ongoing
local Workforce Advisory Committee.
An overstretched state funding
system put Olympic College in a
bind. Seattle-based architect
Miller/Hull started planning for the
project in 1996. (It had just com-
pleted another small branch of the
same college, in Shelton, 40 miles
to the south [RECORD, November
1996, page 90], which went on to
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © N I C L E H O U X
win a national AIA award.) The col-
lege secured state aid for the
Poulsbo campus after a local devel-
oper donated 20 acres of a
220-acre commercial tract. A local
gift also signaled the community’s
commitment to the project.
The highway-oriented commer-
cial development raised local ire,
A broad porch faces the
auto drop-off (opposite,
left). From lower-level
parking, a stair tower
beckons like a cam-
panile (below and top
left). Shedlike structures
enclose spaces to meet
and relax (top right).
 Judiciously bringing however. Opponents claimed it (and
the exterior stained especially a planned Wal-Mart)
wood into the public threatened Poulsbo’s center, which
areas (left, entrance locals have lovingly nurtured by affix-
from south-facing ing a faux version of Scandinavian
plaza, above) enhances style to ordinary storefronts. The
the experience even development row remains unset-
within the tight $215- tled, but the college finally opened
per-square-foot budget earlier this year.
(which included exten-
sive site infrastructure). Solution
The donated site, unfortunately,
offered only one amenity, its shaggy
cover of second-growth firs. So
Miller/Hull tucked the classroom
building tightly to the side of the site
that faced a protected woodland.
Partner Craig Curtis, who lives
nearby, says the firm welcomed the
chance to work with a community
that was “both active and vocal.” In
the program, a requirement to rec-
ognize the town’s Scandinavian roots
was spelled out. It was challenging,
Curtis admitted, to help people
understand that Scandinavia’s
design heritage is Modern, not just
vernacular-style carpentry. “We
showed them that it wasn’t neces-

194 Architectural Record 12.04

The lobby opens to
the full-height glass
of the computer lab
(right), giving it partic-
ular visibility. Pivoting
doors (below) unite
classrooms with the
commons (beyond
doors in photo) for
meetings, receptions,
and parties.
 The glass-enclosed sarily the images, but the handling
main stair (left) offers of light and the climate, which are
a nighttime beacon very similar.”
and encourages stu- Curtis’s team packed class-
dents to use stairs, rooms tightly against each other
not the elevator. The on the north side. Shedlike vol-
computer lab (opposite, umes with clerestories and high
top) is the academic window walls open to the south to
heart of the building, grab low winter light. They shelter
since writing labs quiet places to study and eddies of
and distance-learning space for socializing in the simple,
classrooms open double-loaded corridor plan. The
directly into it (plans, lobby and the porched commons
below). Second-floor are double-height gathering spaces
lounge alcoves (oppo- that bookend the structure. A long
site, bottom left) and plaza, like an external corridor,
the double-height com- parallels the building. The sense
mons (opposite, bottom of spatial generosity doesn’t just
right) are appealing add visual appeal; the opportunities
places to gather. to see and be seen ease the social
isolation common to colleges with
mainly part-time students.

Commentary
1. Lobby The focus on easy sociability is
2. Auditorium important for a structure that
3. Writing lab operates day and evening to serve
11 12
7 4. Computer lab both adult-education and degree-
3 1 1 9 10
5. Distance learning earning programs. Many students
0 20 FT. 6. Receiving take courses both in Poulsbo and
6 M.
7. Lounge Bremerton, but director Woodward
SECTION A-A
8. Classroom says students can complete several
9. Food service programs, including nursing and
10. Commons office technology, entirely within the
11. Office building already. It attracts 350 full-
8 8 8 8 14 12. Seminar time-equivalent students. (Capacity
13. Director is 800.) “Our Workforce Advisory
14. Science lab Committee has recommended
11 changes in the curriculum, like
open
open
to below open to below
the addition of culinary arts,” says
to below 12
13
Woodward. “We can accommodate
this because of the flexibility of
the classrooms.”
The architect was constrained
SECOND FLOOR by the unfortunate site. It is well
away from the main road and
invisible to passersby, so there
was no opportunity to develop a
5
6
3 civic image for a campus that will
4 8 8
probably grow. The developer that
5
donated the site also unwisely
2 4
A A scraped clean its 200 acres, creat-
1
ing an appalling eyesore. It is
9
7 10
1 not surprising that activists have
kept development from materializ-
ing. Luckily for Olympic College,
the fast-growing local flora should
FIRST FLOOR N 0 20 FT. quickly obscure whatever gets
6 M.
built next door. ■

196 Architectural Record 12.04


4
Architect: Einhorn Yaffee Prescott
(EYP) and Helfand Architecture
(HA; formerly Helfand Myerberg
Guggenheimer), architects in associa-
tion—Cahal Stephens, AIA (EYP),
principal in charge; Margaret Helfand,
FAIA (HA), design principal; Kip Ellis
(EYP) project manager; Jennifer Tulley
Stevenson, John Tinmouth (HA),
Lila Khalvati, AIA (EYP), project
architects; Yelena Lembersky, AIA,
Jay Hallinan, AIA, Nikolas Dando-
Haenisch, AIA (EYP), Elisa Testa,
Tom Chang (HA), design team
Client: Swarthmore College—
Lawrence Schall, vice president for
administration; Janet Semler, director
of planning and construction; Rachel
Ann Merz, planning committee
Engineers: Christakis VanOcker
Morrison (structural); Einhorn Yaffee
Prescott (m/e); Robert W. Sullivan
(plumbing)
Landcape design: Gladnick Wright
Salameda; ML Baird & Co.
Size: 69,000 square feet (renovation);
75,000 square feet (new construction)
Cost: $48.2 million
Completion date: Summer 2004
Sources
Ashlar stone: Wissahickon schist
Metal and glass curtain wall: Kawneer
Aluminum windows: Wausau
Glazing: Pilkington
For more information on this project,
go to Projects at
www.architecturalrecord.com.
198 Architectural Record 12.04
Swarthmore College
Unified Science Center
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
EINHORN YAFFEE PRESCOTT AND HELFAND ARCHITECTURE SMOOTHLY
INTEGRATE MODERNIST FORMS WITH TRADITIONAL MATERIALS.
By Suzanne Stephens
In renovating and adding onto an
existing science facility, Swarthmore
College faced an old dilemma. The
college wanted to create a contem-
porary architectural response
befitting an evolving program, yet not
jeopardize the cohesion and spirit of
the campus’s historic architecture.
Located on the edge of a 200-acre
woods, the college, founded in 1864
by the Hicksite Quakers—the more
liberal branch of the Society of
Friends—was, and still is, coeduca-
tional and fiercely intellectual.
“Architecture is vitally important in
expressing this tradition as well as
inspiring imagination and creativity,”
says its president, Alfred Bloom.
The campus displays its fair
share of architectural styles, includ-
ing the central building, Parrish Hall,
a Second Empire–style, mansard-roof
affair dating to 1881, plus superbly
iconic examples of Collegiate Gothic
buildings by Karcher and Smith, such
as Clothier Hall, designed in 1929,
and Worth Hall, a dormitory built in
1924. Although Swarthmore’s archi-
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © J E F F G O L D B E R G / E S TO
tecture has taken on a variegated
look over the years, the campus
buildings are unified by the pervasive
use of local stones, most notably
Wissahickon schist, glinting of silver
and gold mica. Yet the DuPont
Science Center, designed by Vincent
Kling in 1958, egregiously diverged
from the campus mien. The Modern
rectilinear center, clad in a yellow-
tan precast-concrete aggregate
panel, has always struck a jarringly
In keeping with the V-shaped roofs are
college’s stone build- sheathed in terne-
ings, the architects coated stainless steel
clad new spaces in (below). Ceramic
the local Wissahickon fritted glass creates
schist, alternating it a partly gauzy curtain
with granite (this page). wall (below center).
tacky note. Fortunately, it needed to
be updated and expanded.
Program
For economic reasons, the college
wanted to keep most (69,000
square feet) of DuPont, adding
75,000 square feet of new con-
struction for science classrooms,
laboratories, offices, and a student
commons. The new addition would
also link physically to an adjacent
library, along with Martin Hall, a
handsome, Moderne-style stone
biology building, designed in 1937
by Cram and Ferguson.
The college first brought in
Einhorn Yaffee and Prescott (EYP)
of Boston to program the spaces.
As Larry Schall, vice president of
administration at Swarthmore
explains, the school was impressed
by the architecture and engineering
firm’s previous work on large sci-
ence buildings at other college
campuses. But Swarthmore also
valued the design sensibilities of
Margaret Helfand, FAIA, of Helfand
Architecture (HA; formerly Helfand
Myerberg Guggenheimer), who in
1996 had designed the Modernist
stone-clad Kohlberg Hall [RECORD,
February 1997, page 70]. “Helfand’s
design talents and our experience
in working with her before proved so
successful, it made us want to do
that again,” says Schall. So the
college (Schall, Bloom, and the
Science Center Planning Committee)
proposed an arranged marriage
between the two firms for the job.
Cahal Stephens, AIA, of EYP would
be the principal in charge, and
Helfand the design principal.
Solution
The architectural team decided to
place the new additions to the sci-
ence center along the eastern and
southern edges of the renovated
buildings, where they would create
an outdoor courtyard, with the Kling
structure forming the rear backdrop.
A second outdoor court carved out
of the slope to the west allows day-
light to be admitted into physics
laboratories placed under the stu-
dent commons. Two V-shaped,
terne-coated stainless-steel roofs,
200 Architectural Record 12.04
New construction
Renovated spaces
5
7
8 2
9
10
SITE/FLOOR PLAN
essentially rectangles folded on a
diagonal, define indoor and outdoor
areas through their projecting can-
tilevers. Although the existing Kling
building’s precast-concrete aggre-
gate panels and its poured-in-place
concrete frame would remain, the
architects installed a new, sleek
glass curtain wall at its base, and
fully revamped the interiors. In addi-
tion, new steel-framed blocks for
laboratories, auditoriums, and class-
rooms, clad in glass, aluminum, and
stone, are cranked slightly so that
their front elevations become a
series of inflected planes: “This was
4
6
2
1
N 0
to foster a path of movement from
the parking lot—the new primary
visitor entrance—on the east down
to the center of the campus on the
south,” says Helfand.
Inside and out, HA combined
vibrantly natural materials—the
Wissahickon schist in an ashlar
(squared) pattern, black and gray
granite, cherry wood, and slate—to
great effect. Details diverge from the
usual fast-and-cheap school specifi-
cations; for example, granite lines the
window sills indoors and provides
brise-soleils outside. “These are cost
effective and low maintenance,”
11
3
1. Gateway entrance
2. Lecture hall
3. Chemistry
4. Math, statistics,
computer science
5. Physics and astronomy
6. Main (upper) court
7. Lower courtyard
8. Student commons
9. Science library
50 FT. 10. Biology building
15 M. 11. Chiller plant
states Helfand. The stairs have slate
treads and blasted-stainless-steel
banisters, while sintered aluminum
fiber over perforated masonite pro-
vides acoustical surfaces inside
classrooms and auditoriums. To
dramatically shape the indoor space
of the commons, the social heart of
the science center, the architects
designed a glue-laminated timber-
truss roof that cantilevers from
poured-in-place concrete piers and
wood columns. The furnishings in
this meeting place appear comfort-
ably noninstitutional, with chairs by
Dakota Jackson and Cassina, and
Honed black granite is complex (below), articu-
used as outdoor chalk- lated by granite brise-
boards for science soleils. The entrance
classes (left); a lighter canopy (bottom) frames
granite clads the new a courtyard edged at
chemistry wing on the rear by the reno-
the eastern end of the vated science buildings.
 solid cherry tables by Ted Boerner.
Elsewhere, HA combined dura-
bility and comfort with high design
in its conversational groupings and
niches for studying and socializing,
while EYP attended to creating
crisp state-of-the-art laboratories
and classrooms. Corridors may
often end in inglenooklike alcoves
with built-in high-backed cherry
wood benches. The professors’
offices come with small conference
areas lined with walls of slate for
chalkboard discussions. The effect
is pure Cy Twombly.
Since both the college and
the architects were interested in
Fritted glass keeps birds leg of which extends sustainability, the team went after
from crashing into the 41 feet 4 inches, a silver LEED rating. Accordingly,
panes (above). The stu- cantilevered from con- the architects specified products for
dent commons (below crete piers. Slate wood ceilings and walls, as well as
and opposite) is dynami- covers the commons carpets and tile, that are derived
cally charged by a ceiling floor and the treads for from recycled materials. Operable
with a glue-laminated the stairs inside and windows, local temperature controls,
wood truss (below), one outside (right). and single-loaded corridors make
the most of natural light and ventila-
tion. To deter birds from crashing into
the glass, the architects consulted
an ornithologist. The result: Gauzy
screenlike panes of ceramic fritted
glass alternate with clear glass to
signal a “no flying zone” to the birds.

Commentary
The architects’ handsomely detailed
synthesis of Modernist forms and
traditional materials for this com-
plex of buildings brings to mind
Louis Kahn’s houses in the area,
from the Oser House in Elkins Park
(1942) to the Fisher House in
Hatboro (1967). Although the south
elevation for the grouping of build-
ings appears more stretched out
horizontally and episodic than the
tightly composed forms of other
stone buildings on the campus, it
does a good job of concealing, or at
least mitigating, the sore-thumb
aspect of the precast-concrete
aggregate panels of the 1958 build-
ing. The Unified Science Center is
aptly named in its use of clean geo-
metrical forms and its interrelation
of the outdoor and indoor spaces,
particularly in such a sylvan setting.
More important, it offers meticu-
lously elegant places in which to
study, work, or socialize. ■

202 Architectural Record 12.04

 Santa Monica College
Library
Santa Monica, California

5
ANSHEN+ALLEN LOS ANGELES RENOVATES AND EXPANDS AN OUTDATED
LIBRARY, DOUBLING SPACE AND CREATING A CAMPUS SOCIAL CENTER.
By Morris Newman

Architect: Anshen+Allen Los

Angeles—L. Paul Zajfen, design prin-
cipal; Andrew Labov, project architect;
Fabian Kremkus, Edward Anastas,
Claudia Larrain, Ramon Klein,
Candace Taira, David Consbruck,
project team
Client: Santa Monica College District
Consultants: Arup
(structural/mechanical/electrical
engineering, telecommunications,
acoustic); Ashba Engineers (civil);
Linda Demmers (library program-
ming); Katherine Spitz Associates
(landscape architect); CNI Design
(interior design); Carol Cambianica
(furnishings); ILD (lighting); Tait
Solar (solar design); FHT (hardware)
General contractor: Nielson
Dillingham Builders—C.W. Driver

Size: 54,000 square feet (renovation);

41,000 square feet (expansion)
Cost: $21.95 million (construction)
Completion date: September 2003

Sources
Curtain wall, windows: Werner
Systems For decades, the Santa Monica Los Angeles, the 1970s building has Program
Skylights: Supersky College Library seemed like a been reconfigured as an inviting The existing library was dark, noisy,
Doors: Horton Automatic; Mohawk missed opportunity. Though sited on information center and student outdated for computer use, and far
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © TO M B O N N E R

Hardware: Schlage; Rixon; Von
Duprin
Acoustical ceiling: Armstrong
Shades: MechoShade
For more information on this project,
go to Projects at
www.architecturalrecord.com.
the main pedestrian mall, the mas-
sive, windowless concrete structure
took little advantage of its strategic
position to create a social center on
campus. After a recent renovation
and expansion by Anshen+Allen
Morris Newman is a writer based in
Los Angeles.
gathering place. While the size of
the facility has doubled, it has been
seismically strengthened after dam-
age suffered in the 1994 Northridge
earthquake. Newly centralized,
upgraded electronic systems and
learning centers are now showcase
elements of the college’s informa-
tion technology master plan.
too small for the 28,000 students
enrolled in this two-year community
college. “We were finding students
sitting on the floor around the ele-
vator because there was no other
place to study,” says Mona Martin,
assistant dean of learning resources.
Overcrowding got worse because the
building was one of the few places

204 Architectural Record 12.04

The Brutalist appearance
of the original windowless
library has been trans-
formed with extensive
glazing that fronts a main
pedestrian mall (right
and below). Exterior
sunscreens provide par-
tial shade for interior
spaces. A new cagelike
“front porch” with seating
encourages social inter-
action at the library’s
entrance (opposite).
On the south elevation
(top right), fixed verti-
cal louvers made of
extruded aluminum
provide sun control for
a new central core. In
similar fashion, hori-
zontal louvers along
the glazed addition
(left) minimize striated
shadows falling on
book stacks. The “front
porch” visually unifies
the addition with the
existing structure (top
left). The exploded
axonometric view and
floor plans (opposite)
illustrate the library’s
new islandlike core for
computer-based work.
on the 23-acre campus where stu-
dents could meet to collaborate on
projects.

Solution
To open up the building, the archi-
tects added a new glass wing,
maximizing daylighting while provid-
ing sun control. To accommodate
the need for computer-based library
research, the architects devised
an islandlike building-within-the-
building that concentrates cabling
and mechanical services beneath
a raised floor. And drawing on the
the library’s setting as a popular
gathering hub, the architects went
beyond the technical requirements
of the interior program to enhance
the social quality of the entrance
with outdoor seating and a height-
ened presence on the mall.
EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC
Although the existing library
was undistinguished, project archi-
tect Paul Zajfen decided not to
greatly alter the facade of the 1. Entry
48,000-square-foot structure. A 2. Reference librarians 18
16
canopy was added above the 3. Reference
entrance to aid wayfinding. A four- 4. Circulation desk
16
posterlike cage structure outlines 5. Technical services
the “front porch,” provides overhead 6. Copy room 16
lighting, and partially masks the 7. Staff lounge
15
front elevation. 8. Electronic services
The new addition is a largely 9. Bibliographic 16

glass structure that opens the library instruction

16 16 17
to the mall, allowing passersby to 10. Reference
see inside and casting a glow from photography 2 17

within at night. Initially, the addition 11. Systems room SECOND FLOOR

was conceived as a glass box 12. Curriculum

attached to the concrete mass. development
Requirements for shear walls and 13. Periodicals
the need to screen the interiors 14. Mechanical 1
from sunlight led to changes in the 15. Audiovisual
original design. The west elevation workstations 7
became a poured-in-place-concrete 16. Group study
wall with minimal punched windows 17. Workrooms 10 4
that protect the building from the 18. Offices
afternoon sun. Embracing a strategy
2
of passive sun control, the front
3
elevation is now shaded by external
13
louvers. The south elevation is 5
6
protected with three fixed vertical
louvers that are two stories in 12
8
height and made of extruded alu- 11 9
minum channels. 14

With a budget of only $23 mil-

lion, the architects reserved most of
their firepower for the interior, where N 0 30 FT.
FIRST FLOOR
9 M.
they provided new lighting and a

12.04 Architectural Record 207

 A three-story, skylit (opposite and left). The
atrium brings daylight expanded and easy-to-
into the center of the access book stacks
library and the sur- can store 145,000 vol-
rounding seating areas umes (below).

dropped ceiling in the existing wing

to control noise. A raceway of
communications wiring for laptop
computers is hidden in a hanging
light fixture that runs along the
outer aisles of the building. Stacks
and reading areas are located in
two parallel wings that extend the
structure’s axial organization.
The computer commons, a
three-level, freestanding unit within
the new wing, contains a computer
classroom, a reference facility, and
plug-in study desks. Separating the
computer floors, says Zajfen, pro-
vides a strong visual symbol for
information technology within the
library, while keeping the clicking
of keyboards away from the rest of
the interior. Housed in curving walls
of oak and glass, the computer core
has been nicknamed “the boat” by
students. The boat indeed seems to
float by itself, separated from sur-
rounding floors by a 4-foot reveal
that opens lower floors to daylight-
ing while providing visitors with
visual transparency from floor to
floor. Structurally, the boat has its
own seismically separate founda-
tion and is supported by a concrete
moment frame.

12.04 Architectural Record 209

A wood-clad core struc-
ture was inserted in
the original volume
(right and below). It
centralizes information
technology systems,
housing a computer
commons, enclosed
multimedia lab, and
plug-in workstations.

Zajfen had proposed a row

of rooftop brise-soleils for lighting
throughout the new wing, but dis-
cussions with the client resulted
in a series of individual skylights
with punched openings. This com-
promise does not take away from
the impressiveness of the ceiling
section of the wing’s south-facing
hallway, where the wall reaches up
42 feet to the skylights and then
immediately swoops down to pro-
vide intimate overhead lighting for
study carrels.

Commentary
Students have embraced the
enlarged library, with about 7,500
people, or roughly a quarter of the
student body, using the building
daily. The existing seating has dou-
bled, while the library provides 19
new conference rooms for collabo-
rative student work, plus a larger
meeting room that is popular for
faculty gatherings. Outside, new
built-in seating near the entrance
has cemented the role of the
library as the social center of
the college. A recent master plan
proposes a new main road through
the campus terminating at the
library’s south elevation. The
success of the building seems
confirmed by the ownership
expressed by students, according
to Martin, who reports that “every
student seems to have identified
his or her favorite place.” ■

210 Architectural Record 12.04

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Keeping up with the latest materials
has become a full-time job, and several
groups are now doing it
CONTENTS
215 Material entrepreneurs
222 Getting Down to the
Wire
226 Zoom In: Universidade
Agostinho Neto, Angola
229 Tech Briefs
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY S K M A N T H O N Y H U N T S ( TO P L E F T ) ; P E R K I N S + W I L L ( B OT TO M L E F T ) ; N B B J ( R I G H T )
235 Tech Products
A pedestrian bridge in London makes
waves by rolling out of the way (230).
In Angola’s capital, an eco-efficient
campus takes shape (226).
Architectural
Technology
T
raditional building materials and finishes will always have their place, but it’s
not just a concrete, steel, and glass world anymore. Material science has rock-
eted forward in the past decade, and manufacturers are developing new
products at such a rapid pace that keeping abreast of the latest information
has become an uphill battle for many of our readers. This month’s continuing-
education feature helps alleviate the burden of research by identifying a handful of
enterprising individuals and organizations who make it their business to collect, inves-
tigate, or publish information about new materials and products for buildings. Even
the mighty engineering firm Arup has recently spun off its own materials-consulting
practice, and it’s not unlikely that experts like these will become integral members of
project teams in the future.
In talking to these entrepreneurs and researchers, we learned again how green
building is driving innovation in design. Our second feature addresses sustainability for
a different and often-overlooked material in buildings—wiring. A story on this topic in
Environmental Building News by its executive editor Alex Wilson caught our attention
earlier this year, and we’re sharing much of this valuable information with you here.
Wilson’s story illuminates the complex processes of making, installing, and removing
wiring from buildings, and high-
lights environmental and health
issues surrounding its manufac-
ture and use.
Finally, we examine the
science behind the design of two
recently completed projects that
have a lot of kinetic energy: a lift
for vintage cars that’s a sleek
machine in its own right, and a
footbridge that curls up on itself
to make way for nautical traffic.
Aside from being good examples
of the advantages of architect-
engineer collaborations, they’re
just plain fun. Take a look.
Deborah Snoonian, P.E.
(215).
12.04 Architectural Record 213
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 Entrepreneurial Curators Seek Innovations
A COTTAGE INDUSTRY IS EMERGING TO COLLECT, EVALUATE, AND PROPEL INNOVATIVE BUILDING
MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES FROM DRAWING BOARDS TO CONSTRUCTION SITES
By Sara Hart
M
ore products have been invented in
the past 15 years than in the entire
prior history of architecture. We’re
only beginning to tap the potential of
those materials,” says Stephen Kieran, FAIA, prin-
cipal of Philadelphia-based KieranTimberlake
Architects. There’s very little data to confirm real
numbers, but Sweets (sweets.construction.com)
currently tracks 61,000 building products, and
Greenspec (buildinggreen.com) lists over 1,800
sustainable materials. And yet there are appar-
ently so many new and unusual materials
flooding the marketplace that the phenomenon
has spawned a cottage industry of boutique
libraries and subscriber services to evaluate
and promote them.
The hunters and gatherers
Materials ConneXion, started by George Beylerian in 1997 in New York, is
the gold standard for collecting, evaluating, and dispensing information
about new materials and manufacturing processes for a variety of indus-
tries, from architecture to toy manufacturing. Its on-site library in New
York displays many items from its collection of more than 1,400 new
materials samples. Its online database gives members access to a reservoir
of marketing services, strategic alliances, and research, and it has recently
established on-site libraries in Milan and Cologne.
CON T I N U I N G E DU CAT I ON
Use the following learning objectives to focus your study
while reading this month’s ARCHITECTURAL RECORD/
AIA Continuing Education article. To receive credit,
turn to page 326 and follow the instructions. Other
opportunities to receive Continuing Education credits in this issue
are found on page 241.
I M A G E : C O U R T E SY N B B J A R C H I T E CT S
L E AR N I N G O B J ECT I VE S
After reading this article, you should be able to:
1. Describe the new industry that has developed around building
materials.
2. Explain how different companies collect information and evaluate
materials.
3. Discuss new trends regarding building materials.
For this story and more continuing education, as well as links to sources, white
papers, and products, go to www.architecturalrecord.com.
ARCH I TECTURAL TECHNOLOGY
Seattle-based NBBJ
did many facade itera-
tions in order to design
a buildable rain screen
out of a new material.
And yet there are newcomers to the innovative materials mar-
ket, which seems to confirm that the expanding universe of products and
innovations is big enough for multiple archivists. Zach Kaplan and Keith
Schacht launched Inventables in 2002. The company publishes
DesignAid, a smart subscription service that is packed with objects and
information. Every three months, subscribers receive a three-part
issue—20 samples displayed in three cases, a hard-copy design guide, and
access to its online database.
The Chicago-based entrepreneurs started Inventables by inter-
viewing design professionals and compiling information about how they
find and use product samples. Kaplan says they discovered that many
design professionals either don’t have time for research, or they do it cycli-
cally depending on specific project needs. “We found a lot of unfinished
databases and materials in cardboard boxes in a lot of offices,” he explains.
Kaplan has gleaned the typical ways in which designers work with
information about materials.“They often use iteration. Traditionally, this is
the methodology used when trying to optimize cost. It is the repetition of a
design process by calculating [different material applications] again and
again, each time improving the accuracy of the result by some amount,” he
says.“Or they use interaction. This is sometimes referred to as play. By inter-
acting with a material, by touching it or playing with a prototype or a model,
they can learn things that they may not have logically deduced otherwise.”
Once armed with real data and keen observations, Kaplan and
Schacht assembled a panel of volunteer professional designers and engi-
neers that now meets four times a year to establish criteria for choosing
materials, which they then use to evaluate and make selections. Kaplan
and Schacht share the information they gather with clients and industry
experts; they scour trade shows, trade journals, and press releases, and
develop relationships with manufacturers, in an effort to keep news of
12.04 Architectural Record 215
 Materials tested for one application can work in another

NBBJ Architects layers of paper and a lapped rather than

sought an alternative low-VOC phenolic butt-jointed. The alu-
cladding system for a binder, manufactured minum sunshades
172-unit residential by Rainier Richlite are of f-the-shelf
complex in Seattle. (lef t). The isometric proucts. The details
The hardboard panels (opposite, top) shows (opposite, bottom
making up the rain how the panels two) show an airspace
screen are made of (brown colored) were for water vapor.
ARCH I TECTURAL TECHNOLOGY

innovation flowing in multiple directions.
Kaplan describes their efforts as “focusing on things that make
something possible that was not possible before. The intent is to find
things that provide stimulus and jumping-off points for fresh ideas.” An
important editorial policy is that DesignAid does not feature incremental
improvements, nor does it publish materials in research and develop-
ment. “We focus on materials and technologies that are available for
“THE INTENT IS TO FIND THINGS THAT
specifically for architects. The publisher has hired Jennifer Siegal, an archi-
tect and principal of MobileDesign in Los Angeles, to be the series editor.
Her interest in innovation can be traced to her investigation into smart
materials as a Loeb Fellow at Harvard and MIT, and now she teaches a sem-
inar about smart materials at Woodbury University in Los Angeles.
Scheduled to launch in the spring 2005, Materials Monthly will
be a subscriber-based magazine-in-a-box, and like DesignAid, it will
include material samples, a written guide book, and access to an online
database. Rather than assemble a permanent panel to choose materials I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY N B B J A R C H I T E CT S

PROVIDE STIMULUS AND JUMPING-OFF
POINTS FOR FRESH IDEAS.”
production. If we identify something in the research labs, we wait until it’s
ready before featuring it.” Kaplan declines to divulge the exact number of
subscribers, but he claims there are hundreds, which is promising, con-
sidering Material ConneXion has more than 400.
Whereas DesignAid is aimed primarily at industrial designers,
New York–based Princeton Architectural Press, a publisher of architecture
and design books, is developing a materials sampler, Materials Monthly,
like the DesignAid principals, Siegal will select a guest designer to edit
each themed volume.
Then there’s Blaine Brownell, an architect and associate at
Seattle-based NBBJ Architects, a one-man clearinghouse for the most
cutting-edge materials on the market. Whereas Material ConneXion,
DesignAid, and Materials Monthly charge subscription fees, Brownell’s
undertaking—Transstudio—is a not-yet-for-profit enterprise. A self-pub-
lished catalog of the latest materials, Transmaterial, currently weighs in at
196 pages in its hard-copy version. Because it’s an ever-expanding archive,
Brownell invites architects to download the entire catalog as PDF files at

216 Architectural Record 12.04

 Membrane roofing

Fiber cant

Cover board

Rigid insulation

Weather barrier Hardboard (Richlite)

Self-sealing adhered
membrane flashing

Furring

Hardboard (Richlite)

1/16-inch aluminum bar

with 1 /16-by-2-by-2-inch
angle run full height
between channels

Roof framing

5/8-inch GWB

OUTSIDE CORNER DETAIL PANEL DETAIL AT ROOF

no charge from his Web site. He also produces a free product-of-the-week
newsletter, delivered by e-mail and added to his database. Recipients get a
one-page description of a material in the same format as the catalog so
that it can easily be added to the appropriate category.
Strategies and arrangements
Each enterprise adopts similar subscription models, although there are
differences. Material ConneXion uses somewhat traditional genres—
polymers, glass, ceramics, carbon-based materials, cement-based
materials, metals, natural materials, and natural material derivatives. Still,
the catalog receives 35 to 45 submissions of highly innovative products
each month.
Kaplan and Schacht organized DesignAid’s material into cate-
gories—materials, mechanics, processes, electronics, and last but not
least, the sexy “wow” division that gets the creative juices flowing. “Our
five categories were developed for easy sorting. These were the primary
categories of items that designers we interviewed look into. Also, since we
only publish 20 per month, because we are being so selective, we did not
want to get too specific limiting what could be in a particular category.
For example, if we made a category ‘glass,’ it would be too narrow. We
cover more than just materials.”
Like DesignAid, Princeton Architectural Press is developing
Materials Monthly to be a tool kit with which architects can build their
own libraries. At this point in development, Siegal is using the following
general system—natural materials, color-changing materials, recycled
materials, pattern materials, shape-memory materials, films, plastic com-
posites, super soy, paints and coatings, and future fabrics.
Brownell, on the other hand, delivers no samples for fondling.
However, he has employed a unique curatorial classification system
in lieu of generic labels. Transmaterial is organized according to ultra-
performing, multidimensional, repurposed, recombinant, intelligent,
transformational, and interfacial materials. His goal with this system is to
collect seemingly dissimilar materials into groups that will identify trends
that may not be evident in more generalized groupings.
Trends and predictions
When asked what research and development is garnering the most atten-
tion, Siegal says that sustainability is the most important. “Green,

12.04 Architectural Record 217

 DESIGNAID Materials
CarbonX Fire-Resistant
Fabric from Chapman
Innovations in Salt Lake City Processes
is a carbon-fiber-based Processes generally require
material that will not char, more than one step before
shrink, burn, ignite, or they benefit an existing
decompose when exposed to product. A Carbon-
an open flame. It is different Reinforcing Web by IsoGrid
from other fire-resistant is an additive that provides
products because of its abil- stiffness in areas where a
ity to resist flaming and the product needs it most.
conduction of heat for more Applications that have thin
ARCH I TECTURAL TECHNOLOGY

than 60 seconds per layer. wall sections relative to their

Mechanisms
Expando Pin from Los
Angeles–based Monogram
Aerospace Fastners is a
secure mechanism that is
used when the back side is
inaccessible. Rotating the
lever the length of the shaft
constricts the metal rings
and expands the diameter
of the shaft. Expando Pin is
simple to use, requires no
tools and no loose parts. It
provides a tight radial fit
resisting vibrations. And it is
a blind operation, so it can
be installed and removed
from one side only.
CarbonX yarns are blended
with different types of
strengthening fibers to
achieve the desired tensile
strength and abrasion-
resistant properties.
Electronics internal diameter benefit the
The Reflective Light Pipe most from the addition of
from Luxaura USA contains IsoGrid. It can be applied to
no glass and no gas. It uses extremely small diameter
LED and electricity to pro- parts, such as a fishing rod.
duce the color that glows IsoGrid provides a way to
along a solid acrylic tube. reduce weight and maintain
The light diffuses through or improve performance, par-
the material from the LED ticularly in sporting goods
mechanism at one end. The applications.
tube can be bent like a
horseshoe, but there is a
maximum bending radius.
The LED source can light a
tube of about 6 feet. Due to
the lower power of the LED,
the glow is softer, more
ambient, than the bright
glare of neon.

recycled, or materials that don’t off-gas is very important to my clients
and myself,” she explains.
Brownell agrees with Siegal about the need for sustainable
products and processes, especially when complying with the Green
Building Council’s LEED Rating System, a consensus-based national
standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.
“LEED is taking off like wildfire, and affecting the entire construction
industry. For example, just recently, the State of Washington ruled that
all new state buildings be LEED Silver minimum; the University of
Washington also mandates LEED Silver for all its new construction,”
explains Brownell. “We’re even seeing shell and core developer interest in
LEED, which is quite interesting. Many architects will be forced to
become LEED accredited very quickly, given the market demand.”
“I would say that another area concerns technology and process,
which would correspond to my ‘interfacial’ category,” he continues. “The
computer is radically changing how we construct buildings, from sharing
digital CAD files with subcontractors to translating data directly to building
materials. For example, the Italian company Abet Laminati makes photo-
cast tiles, using a digital imaging process for exterior laminate panels.” Siegal
adds, “The ‘smart’ materials such as color changing, shape forming, com-
posites, and so on, are truly the wave of the future. There is also a great deal
of interest in the processes of forming shapes and building components.
Three-dimensional printing is used primarily in my office to create models
of buildings to achieve cost and time savings.”
Brownell is particularly drawn to “recombinant” materials,
such as Plasphalt [a proprietary combination of asphalt and plastic,
developed by TEWA Technology]. “It derives its performance from the
P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY I N V E N TA B L E S
combination of dissimilar ingredients to create a whole that is stronger
than the sum of the parts,” explains Brownell. “It represents a trend that
many manufacturers have been implementing, which is to create these
hybrid or composite materials in order to use materials in a smarter
way, to use fewer raw materials, and/or to divert resources from the
waste stream.”
Proof is in the details
Materials make it to the market place with greater ease these days, but how
do the new and unusual make it into projects? NBBJ is designing Alley 24,
a 362,000-square-foot mixed-use project in the South Lake Union district

218 Architectural Record 12.04

 TRANSMATERIAL

Recombinant
Recombinant materials con-
sist of two or more different
materials that act in harmony
to create a product whose
performance is greater than
the sum of its parts. Glare
is a blast-proof fiber-metal
developed by Delft University
of Technology in the
Netherlands. It consists of
multiple aluminum layers
interspersed with layers of
fiberglass and adhesive
bonding that are supple yet
strong. It expands with a
blast, absorbs the explosive
energy, and redistributes the
impact load.
Intelligent
Materials that often take
inspiration from biological
systems are classified as
intelligent. They can act
actively or passively, and
they can be high- or low-
tech. Porocom is short for
“porous construction mate-
rial.” It is an environmentally
friendly product that reduces
noise pollution. It consists of
granules of recycled materi-
als (such as sintered coal,
ashes, clay, glass shards,
eco grid) heated before
being brought into contact
with thermosetting powder
paint. The end product is
made by sintering the gran-
ules in a mold, causing
them to stick together and
achieve maximum hardness.
Multidimensional
A new trend highlights the
z-axis in the manufacture of
a variety of materials. One
reason is that greater depth
allows thin materials to
become more structurally
stable. Aero uses tightly cor-
rugated, anodized aluminum
sheets that are both flexible
and formable. They are ideal
for many interior applica-
tions for either geometric
compositions or fluid curves.
The lightweight material is
sturdy enough to be used for
wall and ceiling panels, yet
is malleable enough to be
rolled like a carpet.
Repurposed
Ultra-performing materials
are those that are stronger,
lighter, more durable, and
more flexible than their con-
ventional counterparts. SMI
Steel makes a smartbeam,
which is suited for long-span
composite floor construction
or long-span roof applications
for architecturally exposed
steel. Produced with castel-
lated, hexagonal web
openings or cellular, circular
web openings, smartbeams
operate most efficiently
between 30- and 80-foor
spans. The most common
building types for smart-
beams are office buildings,
mezzanines, parking garages,
or any application using a
suspended composite floor.

of Seattle, scheduled for occupancy in early 2006. Part of the program calls
for 172 market-rate residential units. The program also required that the
architect incorporate sustainable features, including daylighting, operable
windows and sunshades, and sustainable materials.
Brownell and colleague Andrew McCune led the facade-design
team. Although the budget was tight, they wanted to get away from the
typical Seattle cladding materials—Dryvit, vinyl siding, and corrugated
ARCHITECTS MUST DETAIL [MATERIALS]
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY T R A N S S T U D I O
and functional attributes required of the finished component and then
work backwards to find the best materials or combination of materials.
After evaluating several cementitious panels, the architects were con-
vinced that one of Transmaterial’s recombinant materials—Richlite—was
a good alternative. A panel made of layers of paper impregnated with a
phenolic binder, it’s tough, long-wearing, and low-maintenance. The
architects made it clear to the client that this hardboard is environmen-
tally friendly by virtue of employing a low-VOC binder and paper from
certified managed forests. They also explained that its durability and low-

SO THAT THEY ARE BUILDABLE AND THEIR
INHERENT ATTRIBUTES REMAIN INTACT.
metal, while addressing the sustainability issues. Because of Brownell’s
experience collecting and evaluating new products and processes, he pro-
posed several new hardboards that could conceivably perform well as
exterior cladding. At first, the client balked, not wanting to take a risk on
an unfamiliar material with no precedent for the proposed application.
Brownell and McCune’s subsequent research suggests an
emerging trend in specification: begin at the end. Describe the aesthetic
maintenance made it an excellent cladding material for Alley 24.
Specifying a material, however, is only a small part of the
process. For new materials to make it from the catalog to the construc-
tion site, architects must figure out how to detail them so that they are
buildable and their inherent attributes remain intact. In this case, the
architects decided to detail the hardboard as a rain screen for several rea-
sons, but one in particular—mold. Brownell says that mold is a problem
in the damp Seattle area, because wall cavities are often too thin and trap
moisture. They designed a generous airspace behind the rain screen,
which will allow water vapor to exit the wall cavity, thus discouraging the

12.04 Architectural Record 219

 cultivation of a mold (see details on page 216).
NBBJ encourages the evaluation of the key materials on a proj-
New services for innovative materials
ect, but Brownell admits that it takes a great deal of time to study
alternatives to time-tested materials. It requires factory visits, engineer- Material ConneXion, New York
ing calculations, mock-ups, multiple iterations of details, and even Contact: 212/842-2050
letters to the building department regarding code compliance. Although www.materialconnexion.com
it is hard to assign the cost of this research, Brownell estimates that it
could add 5 to 10 percent to the design-development and construction- DesignAid (Inventables), Chicago
document phases for those areas being studied. Sometimes, though, Contact: Zach Kaplan and Keith Schacht, 773/697-0130
clients see the value and the long-term benefits of the additional costs, www.inventables.com
especially those who place a priority on environmentally responsible
development. Still, paying extra for research is a long way from becom- Materials Monthly (Princeton Architectural Press), New
ing the norm. York and Los Angeles
ARCH I TECTURAL TECHNOLOGY

On the other hand, it’s possible that clients will begin to hire Contact: Jennifer Siegal, 310/439-1129
additional consultants to provide their architects with material research www.materialsmonthly.com
for difficult projects with exigent circumstances. In July 2003, Arup www.papress.com
launched an independent specialty—Arup Materials Consulting www.designmobile.com
(arup.com). Materials specialist Graham Gedge said then that this was an
opportunity for the international engineering firm to provide “best-
Transmaterial (Transstudio), Seattle
practice advice on the use of materials from design to demolition, from
Contact: Blaine Brownell, 206/223-5135
steel and concrete to glass, stone, timber, and new materials technolo-
www.transstudio.com
gies.” If these and other experts can guarantee minimization of risk,
www.nbbj.com
enhanced performance, and added value, then we may see more inno-
vation in design and building sooner rather than later. ■

A I A / ARCH I TECTURAL RECOR D

CONT INU ING EDUCAT ION of volunteer professional designers and engineers to establish selection criteria?
a. Material ConneXion
INSTRUCTIONS b. DesignAid (Inventables)
◆ Read the article “Entrepreneurial Curators Seek Innovations” using c. Materials Monthly (Princeton Architectural Press)
the learning objectives provided. d. Transmaterial (Transstudio)
◆ Complete the questions below, then fill in your answers (page 326). 6. Of the four materials-based enterprises discussed in this article, which one is
◆ Fill out and submit the AIA/CES education reporting form (page a tool kit for architects to build their own libraries?
326) or download the form at www.architecturalrecord.com a. Material ConneXion
to receive one AIA learning unit. b. DesignAid (Inventables)
c. Materials Monthly (Princeton Architectural Press)
QUESTIONS d. Transmaterial (Transstudio)
1. What are recombinant materials?
7. Of the four materials-based enterprises discussed in this article, which has a
a. materials designed by a digital imaging process
goal of identifying trends?
b. materials with a combination of aesthetic and functional attributes
a. Material ConneXion
c. a combination of dissimilar ingredients to produce a smarter material
b. DesignAid (Inventables)
d. a combination of sustainable and traditional materials
c. Materials Monthly (Princeton Architectural Press)
2. Included in the “wave of the future” are all of the following except which d. Transmaterial (Transstudio)
materials?
8. Which of the four is considered the gold standard for collecting, evaluating,
a. color-changing materials
and dispensing information about new materials and manufacturing
b. shape-forming materials
processes?
c. polymers
a. Material ConneXion
d. sustainable materials
b. DesignAid (Inventables)
3. Emerging trends in specifications include which? c. Materials Monthly (Princeton Architectural Press)
a. multiple iterations of details d. Transmaterial (Transstudio)
b. describing the aesthetic and functional requirements of the component
9. Which best describes the iteration method used by designers?
c. visiting factories during production
a. gathering information from industry experts and trade shows
d. engineering calculations
b. touching or playing with a prototype
4. The article says architects will soon be forced to become LEED accredited c. the repetition of a design process
because of which? d. research for specific project needs
a. market demand
10. Which of the following does not describe ultra-performing materials?
b. State of Washington ruling that all new buildings be at least LEED Silver
a. stronger and lighter
c. University of Washington’s mandate that all new construction be LEED Silver
b. more flexible
d. building developer’s interest in LEED
c. more durable
5. Of the four materials-based enterprises in this article, which one uses a panel d. inspired by biological systems

220 Architectural Record 12.04

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A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY
Getting
Down to
the
Wire
F E AT U R E
LIGHTS, COMPUTERS, PHONE
SYSTEMS—THE WIRES THAT
POWER OUR BUILDINGS
ARE MADE OF A TANGLE
OF MATERIALS THAT RAISE
ENVIRONMENTAL AND
HEALTH QUESTIONS.
By Alex Wilson
E
ven the greenest of architects seldom give much consideration
to wiring in buildings. How significant can wiring be? It’s just a
small fraction of what’s installed compared to other building
materials—and don’t fire codes more or less dictate what can be
used? But some sleuthing about how wiring is made and used in build-
ings sheds light on a highly complex issue and points up a need to pay
closer attention to today’s practices, from environmental, health, and
safety standpoints.
All modern buildings, of course, require wires and cables for
power distribution and to carry voice and data signals. The term wire
refers to an individual strand of material that conducts electrical current,
whereas cable refers to two or more wires twisted together. Virtually all
wire and cable used in buildings is wrapped in plastic insulation, and
most of these components are made by bundling multiple insulated wires
together, sheathing them in an additional outer jacket. Insulated wire and
cable come in a large variety of types, and there are many performance
standards and ratings that govern how and where they can be used. In the
U.S., insulated wire and cable represents an annual $20.5 billion market
that is projected to grow by more than 5 percent per year through 2006,
according to a 2002 report from the Freedonia Group. There are an esti-
mated 11 million miles of data cabling in U.S. buildings today.
In general terms, power cables in commercial buildings must be
either sheathed in metal armor (BX cable) or protected within metal con-
duit. In residential buildings, power cables can be jacketed in plastic; this
Alex Wilson, the president of BuildingGreen and the executive editor of
Environmental Building News, has written about energy-efficient and environ-
mentally responsible design and construction for more than 20 years.
222 Architectural Record 12.04
type of cable is commonly referred to by a trade name, Romex (made by
the Southwire Company). Data or communications cables can be
installed in most buildings without metal protection, but a specialized
plenum rating is required for installation in ceiling and floor plenums.
Many materials coming together
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © G E T T Y I M A G E S , I N C . ; C O U R T E SY A L E X W I L S O N ( O P P O S I T E )
Copper is the dominant conductor used in insulated building wire and
cable. Though less common, aluminum wire is also used; it’s lighter and
less expensive than copper, but also less conductive, so more material is
required for the same electrical capacity. Fiber-optic cable, which is made
of glass, is increasingly used for data and communications applications
commonly served by insulated wire and cable. Fiber optics transmit light
signals instead of electricity to carry data—and they’re lighter, less expen-
sive, and more energy-efficient than copper for data transmission.
Because they don’t carry electric current, insulation requirements are not
as great as for metal conductors.
Copper and aluminum wires and cables are typically insulated
with a nonconductive material that allows wires to be in contact with one
another without conducting electric current between them. The most
common resins used for insulating wire are polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl
chloride (PVC), and fluoropolymers. Nylon, various rubber com-
pounds, silicone, and polyurethane are also used for insulation and
jacketing, but less widely.
Polyethylene is the most common type of insulation and jack-
eting for high-voltage power-transmission cables, as well as for
non-plenum-rated data cables, radio frequency wiring, and audio
wiring. It has excellent dielectric properties (that is, it insulates well) but
is inherently less flame resistant than other insulation materials. As a
result, it’s rarely used for power in buildings, and when used, other mate-
rials are often added to it to improve its flame resistance. It is widely used
for data cable installations requiring no flame resistance, such as wire
runs in conduit or behind fire-rated barriers.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is the most common insulation and
jacketing material for wiring in buildings, owing largely to its good flame
resistance and low cost. In Romex-type wiring, for example, PVC is typi-
cally used both as the insulation on individual conductors and as the
jacketing that surrounds the bundle of individual wires. PVC has signifi-
cantly greater flame resistance than polyethylene, but other additives are
required to make it flexible and stable.
In the past 10 years, PVC has come under attack by several
groups because of a variety of health and environmental concerns. The
biggest concern is that under certain conditions, highly toxic dioxins can
be released—especially from accidental fires or incineration at the end of
its life. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences (NIEHS), dioxins are known to be toxic to laboratory animals,
causing cancer and altering reproductive, developmental, and immune
functions. There are also concerns about the need to add stabilizers and
plasticizers to PVC, some of which have health impacts, and PVC also
releases hydrogen chloride, a toxic, corrosive gas, when exposed to
extreme heat—both before and after it ignites.
Various fluorine-containing polymers, especially fluorinated
ethylene propylene (FEP), are increasingly common in data wiring insu-
lation because of their exceptional dielectric properties, superb flame
resistance, heat resistance, chemical inertness, durability, and flexibility.
For plenum-rated data cable, FEP-insulated wire is often the only option
allowed by code, due to fire-safety concerns. Such wire is often wrapped
in a PVC jacket, though newer, more stringent “limited combustible” rat-
ings require FEP jacketing. In addition to these
performance benefits of FEP, the polymer can be
recycled easily, according to DuPont.
While superb performance has spurred
rapid growth of FEP wire insulation, some sig-
nificant environmental and health concerns
have arisen about the whole class of fluo-
ropolymer materials (see sidebar at right). FEP
does not burn easily, but it can emit toxic gases
when it gets very hot, even without actual com-
bustion. The primary gas emitted is hydrogen
fluoride, which is more dangerous than the
hydrogen chloride given off by PVC. Other toxic
chemicals can be given off by FEP during fires;
these poorly understood thermal degradation
products have been referred to collectively as
“the supertoxin.”
In addition to toxicity concerns, the
chemicals emitted by FEP (and to a lesser extent by PVC) during a fire are
highly corrosive. An article by Stephen Saunders, “Cabling: What You
Don’t Know Can Kill You” (posted at www.wireville.com), suggests that it
is the corrosivity of halogen-insulated wiring that may ultimately shift us
away from halogen-based wire insulation and jacketing. Frank Bisbee, a
data cable consultant and editor of www.wireville.com, suggests that how
good or bad a particular type of cabling looks—relative to toxicity and
potential for corrosive by-products to cause damage to electronic equip-
ment—is highly dependent on how the tests are performed. If humidity
during testing is very low, for example, there won’t be enough water vapor
to convert hydrogen fluoride into hydrofluoric acid, or hydrogen chloride
into hydrochloric acid, and acid corrosion will be less of a problem.
The Fluorine Debate
Fluorine, chlorine, and bromine all belong to a family of elements
known as halogens. Halogens form strong chemical bonds, which
makes the resultant compounds durable and often inert—but
their longevity also allows them to accumulate in biological sys-
tems. Many halogenated compounds have been demonstrated to
be toxic in laboratory tests.
There is growing evidence that fluoropolymers, comprised
almost entirely of carbon and fluorine, pose health and environ-
mental dangers. According to some environmental and health
advocates, they may be a worse threat than chlorinated polymers
such as PVC.
Fluoropolymers go by many different names, but the family
of chemicals is often referred to as perfluorochemicals (PFCs).
They are synthetic chemicals that don’t occur naturally in the
environment, and they exhibit properties that have made them
useful for a wide range of applications, from nonstick surfaces to
stain-shedding fabric treatments to wire insulation.
In April 2003, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) released a preliminary risk assessment for perfluorooc-
tanoic acid (PFOA), one type of PFC, noting that “studies recently
evaluated by the agency have raised a number of potential toxic-
ity concerns.” The agency has solicited information about PFOA
from the industry and the scientific community, and fluoropolymer
manufacturers have voluntarily agreed to reduce emissions, to
study their products to determine if they contribute to the wide-
spread PFOA pollution, and to take steps to reduce worker
exposure during manufacturing.
Several recent peer-reviewed papers
in the journal Environmental Health
Perspectives also detail the potential
health impacts of PFCs. A September 2003
paper entitled “Neuroendocrine Effects of
Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOs) in Rats”
presented evidence that PFOs can function
as an endocrine inhibitor. In the December
2003 issue, another paper showed that
out of 645 blood samples collected at
random from six Red Cross blood banks
around the country, all but one had meas-
urable levels of PFOs.
Industry response to these concerns
has been mixed. In the late 1990s, manu-
facturer 3M discovered that PFOA, used in
producing its popular Scotchguard fabric
treatment, was showing up in humans and wildlife worldwide, and
in May 2000, the company announced it was voluntarily pulling it
off the market. DuPont, which had purchased PFOA from 3M, has
continued to produce the chemical to fuel its $1.5 billion fluo-
ropolymer business. DuPont downplays health and environmental
concerns about PFOA, but also points out that its Teflon products,
such as FEP, use PFOA in manufacturing but don’t contain the
compound in the finished product. While DuPont claims that its
fluoropolymer products are safe, the company also posts some
consumer warnings on its Web site. A.W.
12.04 Architectural Record 223
 Depending on the amount of oxygen present during a fire, the resultant
A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY
emissions will vary tremendously, he says.
Making wires workable
To make insulated cables easy to manufacture and safe for buildings, three
additives—plasticizers, stabilizers, and flame retardants—are typically
added to insulation and jacket materials.
Plasticizers are usually added to PVC to make it flexible
enough to be used to insulate wires. The most common plasticizers used
in PVC are phthalate compounds, which have come under scrutiny
because their chemical composition mimics natural hormones in
humans and other animals, causing reproductive problems and birth
defects. Unlike PVC, polyolefins used for wire insulation do not require
the use of plasticizers.
Stabilizers are added to some plastics to increase resistance to
F E AT U R E
heat, sunlight, moisture, and other stressors. The most common stabiliz-
ers used in insulation and jacketing are lead compounds, which can
constitute 2 to 5 percent of the total weight of the material. PVC is the
only widely used resin for which lead stabilizers are needed. Other stabi-
lizers beginning to appear on the market include salt-metal blends, such
as barium-zinc and calcium-zinc; organotin compounds; and metal-free
organic compounds. Cable manufacturer Mohawk/CDT is one of the
companies shifting to lead-free PVC; according to Michael Rubera,
Mohawk’s director of technical support, the company primarily uses
polyolefin insulation and lead-free
PVC jacketing on its non-plenum-
rated data cables.
Flame retardants are added
Some manufacturers are developing wire
to plastics to slow the spread of a
fire, reduce the amount of heat and
insulators that are free of halogens,
smoke emitted during a fire, and
cause a fire to self-extinguish. They
which have come under fire for negative
operate by different means. Some
retardants reduce the fuel content of
environmental and health effects.
the material, for example; others
raise the decomposition temperature of the polymer by more tightly
bonding the molecules; still others emit water at high temperatures.
PVC and fluoropolymer resins are inherently flame resistant due
to their halogen content, but the plasticizers added to PVC are not, so
additional flame retardants have to be added to PVC for use in some
wiring applications. FEP is more flame resistant than PVC, but the hydro-
fluoric acid released when it’s exposed to heat is more toxic than the
hydrochloric acid released by PVC.
Three classes of flame retardants are commonly used in wire
and cable insulation: halogenated compounds (based on bromine, fluo-
rine, or chlorine), inorganic compounds (such as antimony), and
phosphorous compounds. Among halogenated flame retardants,
bromine-based compounds are more effective than chlorine-based com-
pounds, because bromine forms a weaker bond to carbon and thus
interferes more effectively with combustion. A number of brominated
flame retardants are commonly added to polyolefin wire and cable insu-
lation—either alone or mixed with an antimony compound.
Chlorine is sometimes added to polyethylene insulation, but its
presence can negatively affect the performance of the polymer, and as
with PVC, it may release hydrogen chloride or dioxin in the event of a fire.
The most common inorganic flame retardants are metal
hydrates, antimony compounds, and zinc borate. Metal hydrates work by
introducing water to the fire; when used, they can be either compounded
with the resin, or packed in around the wires as the cable is manufac-
224 Architectural Record 12.04
tured. Aluminum hydroxide is widely used in plastics such as polyethyl-
ene. At temperatures above 480 degrees Fahrenheit, the compound
degrades into water and alumina, slowing flame spread or extinguishing
the fire. Magnesium hydroxide is similar but degrades at a higher tem-
perature; it is more commonly used with polypropylene.
Antimony flame retardants are generally most effective when
combined with halogens. Antimony trioxide is commonly added to PVC,
for example. Halogen acid, released during a fire, reacts with the anti-
mony compound and produces char, which acts as a physical barrier to
flame spread. Antimony-halogen reactions in a fire also keep oxygen from
easily combining with the fuel contributed by the polymer.
Zinc borate, alone or in combination with aluminum hydrox-
ide, is used as a flame retardant in a variety of halogen-free polymers.
Phosphorous-containing flame retardants are very versatile; many differ-
ent compounds are used, although the most common are phosphate
esters (used in flexible PVC) and chlorinated phosphates (used in
polyurethanes).
Other components used to make insulation and jacketing, like
fillers, pigments, dyes, and lubricants, are generally of lesser environ-
mental priority and concern than the ones mentioned above.
Searching for greener solutions
To date, there’s been little attention paid to health and environmental
concerns related to wiring, but one group that has studied the issue in
some depth is the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI).
According to TURI deputy director Liz Harriman, there are significant
international efforts to reduce lead use in insulation and jacketing. The
European Union’s directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(WEEE) and the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS)
will ban lead from electrical equipment and electronics by 2006, and
some manufacturers are removing lead from their products before this
deadline. “TURI is working with the wire and cable industry and their
suppliers in Massachusetts to keep them competitive in the global mar-
ketplace,” Harriman says.
In terms of fire safety, U.S. codes rely exclusively on test stan-
dards for flammability and flame spread, ignoring the risks of toxic and
corrosive gases released before and after ignition. This approach differs
from some European codes, which assume that incapacitation from irri-
tating gases can affect occupants’ ability to escape from a building fire.
There is clearly interest in some circles in specifying halogen-
free wiring. Clear alternatives to halogenated wire and cable are
polyolefin products; to use these for insulation and jacketing, com-
pounds are typically added for flame resistance, as described earlier.
Borealis Compounds, the U.S. division of the Danish company Borealis
A/S, offers such products in the U.S., but sales are limited. They’re used
primarily in subway systems and other locations where acid emissions
from halogenated compounds are unacceptable. The manufacturing
costs of flame-resistant polyolefin wiring are significantly higher than
those of PVC, according to a Borealis engineer, and regulatory changes
would probably be required to bring about a significant shift toward
polyolefins from PVC.
Some manufacturers, including Mohawk/CDT, offer PVC-insu-
lated wiring without lead or other heavy metals. Demanding lead-free or
heavy-metal-free cable can hasten the transition away from these toxins.
Yet another approach is to specify polyolefin cable with lower
flame resistance and place it in a fire-protected environment (e.g., metal
conduit or cellular cores of concrete floor panels). Such a method will add
to a project costs, however, and the trends are generally in the other direc-
tion: specifying plenum-rated, FEP-insulated cable that can be installed in
plenums without additional protection.
For data and voice signals, fiber-optic cables and wireless tech-
nologies are increasingly viable options. One fiber-optic cable can replace
many copper cables in high-capacity applications, and wireless data net-
works are quickly supplanting hardwired connections in settings such as
classrooms and meeting rooms.
Leave no wire behind
A new requirement in the 2002 National Electrical Code (NEC), known
as Article 800, specifies that abandoned cables must be removed from
plenum spaces. The change was made because of a concern that leaving
old cables in place when new ones are added leads to dangerous fuel load-
ing in plenums. Though it’s already being enforced in some jurisdictions,
the requirement generally kicks in when a space is remodeled.
Removing old cable during renovations and retrofits raises the
issue of lead exposure. Since 1984, most cable jackets have been made
with lead-stabilized PVC. As the plasticizer leaches out over time, the jack-
ets become brittle and the lead migrates to the surface, leaving behind
dust with a high lead content. This dust, loose in ceiling or floor plenums,
can easily reach building occupants or workers removing old cable.
Although there seems to be no concerted effort to study or
address this potential health hazard, the new NEC requirement forces
building owners and occupants to consider potential removal options
when cables are first installed. Many owners are now requiring tenants to
remove cables once they leave a space; this requirement should lead to
more frugal use of cable, the installation of systems that facilitate eventual
removal, and better labeling practices for cables in use.
Once old wire and cable is removed, what can be done with it?
Copper is a valuable commodity, so old wiring is commonly recycled, but
the various additives in wire insulation and jackets raise concerns about
incineration, and most of these materials are difficult if not impossible to
recycle. Of all the wire insulation and jacketing materials, FEP is the most
recyclable, though recycling programs for this material are not known to
exist and may not appear any time soon, since the labor involved in iden-
tifying and separating it out is substantial.
Wrapping up
Wiring remains a challenge for designers and builders involved in sus-
tainable design. Acceptable alternatives are heavily controlled by codes
that focus almost exclusively (in the U.S.) on flame spread and smoke
development, with no regard for the toxicity of wire and cable products.
Whether this will be considered in fire-safety testing of wire and cable
remains uncertain, but it seems clear that the EPA and other agencies will
continue researching the safety of halogen-containing insulators.
Perhaps the best news is that better solutions are on the way.
“New, innovative materials that are halogen-free and flame retardant will
hit the market,” says TURI’s Harriman. “There are significant drivers for
their development, even if not from the building industry.” ■
Greener Wiring: A Checklist for Action
General Guidelines
Design for easy access. Install wiring in readily accessible
wiring chases to simplify future modifications.
Minimize wiring runs. Reduce material use by installing high-
capacity runs to local hubs, rather than connecting each directly
to a central hub. Local hubs can connect to workstations via wire-
less or short-wired connections.
Avoid wiring in exterior walls. Limit wiring runs and receptacle
placement in exterior walls, particularly in residential buildings.
Such installations interfere with insulation and can result in signifi-
cant air leakage.
Avoid the need for plenum-rated and limited-combustion
cable. Run data cable in metal conduit, sealed wiring chases, or
cellular raceways in concrete decking to avoid the need for highly
flame-resistant cable.
Don’t overwire. Design for future wiring needs, but avoid
installing wires unless there is an immediate need for them.
Design for future removal. Design installations so that wire can
be easily removed when not in use.
Minimize EMF. Rely on “prudent avoidance” strategies to mini-
mize exposure of building occupants to electromagnetic fields.
Go wireless. Use wireless data connections instead of hard-
wired ones for maximum flexibility and minimum material use.
Wireless connections may be usable in some local areas, even if
they are not usable buildingwide.
Specifications
Plan for future needs. Install voice-data-video (VDV) cable that
can serve upgraded networks so that cable will not become obso-
lete as quickly.
Eliminate use of lead stabilizers. Some PVC wire insulation
and jacketing are composed of 5 to 10 percent lead by weight.
Specifiy products that don’t contain lead stabilizers.
Don’t install lead-stabilized cable loose in plenums. To keep
lead dust out of indoor air, cable that’s stabilized with lead (which
includes most plenum-rated cable) should be installed in metal
conduit and not directly exposed to conditioned air circulating
through ceiling or floor plenums.
Specify halogen-free products. Wherever possible, specify wire
and cable insulation and jacketing that do not contain PVC, chlori-
nated polyethylene, FEP, or products containing brominated flame
retardants.
Specify heavy-metal-free wire and cable. Cadmium,
chromium, and other heavy metals are often using in pigments for
wire insulation and jackets. Avoid using them whenever possible.
Use fiber-optic cable. Fiber optics, widely used to carry voice
and data signals, require less insulation and jacketing than copper
wiring. It may be possible to run fiber-optic trunk lines to smaller
copper distribution lines, thus reducing total insulated cable use.
Removal
Remove old cable. As per 2002 revisions to the National
Electrical Code, remove cable that is not being used or will not be
usable in the future.
Follow safety precautions when removing old cable. Old
cable contains high levels of lead dust. Ensure that workers wear
proper respiratory protection, and seal removed cable in plastic bags.
Recycle old cable. Deliver old cable to facilities where it’s prop-
erly recycled; never burn old cable to recover copper.
12.04 Architectural Record 225
 Zoom In
A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY

Universidade Agostinho Neto

Luanda, Angola

By Deborah Snoonian, P.E.

Green design has taken center stage in a country

struggling to its feet after more than 25 years of civil
war. Perkins + Will, with sustainability consultants
Battle McCarthy, has developed a master plan for a
new university for 17,000 students in Angola’s capital
city of Luanda. The eco-ef ficient campus of nearly
5,000 acres integrates landscape, building orienta-
tion, and massing to take advantage of wind and sun.
The design team, led by Ralph Johnson, first imag-
ined a circular plan with quadrangles that pinwheeled
from a central point and academic buildings located
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY P E R K I N S + W I L L

equidistant from the campus center, to project an

image of equality the school’s leaders wanted. After
studying the local topography and arid, savannah cli-
mate, the shape was altered to an ellipse that better
conforms to the site’s natural drainage patterns,
which also reduced landscaping costs. The main axis
of the campus is rotated of f true north to optimize
both passive cooling and daylighting. Now under con-
struction, the master plan will be realized over the
next 10 to 15 years. ■

226 Architectural Record 12.04

 MASTER PLAN TYPICAL BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION
Plant
nursery

Breeze Savannah
harvesting

Botanical
research

Sh
ad
ing

En
ve l
op
e

Str
u ct
u re

En
ve l
op
e
Sh
ad
ing

The master plan calls at their roofs by a ance lighting needs

for low buildings to be louvered-shade system with minimizing heat
sited upwind of taller (below) that screens gain (above right).
ones (left) to create the out strong rays and Rows of trees will be
pressure differentials enables turbulent, planted in the south-

WIND SHADOWING
needed for wind to
penetrate deep into the
campus. Many build-
ings will be connected
cooling eddies to form west portion of the
outdoors. Structures campus to channel
will have screens and the savannah breezes
light shelves to bal- (above left).

PRESSURE DIFFERENTIATION
 ©2004 Johns Manville

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 Tech Briefs Projects: A sleek new lift system moves vintage vehicles in technofuturistic style

A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY
•
Infrastructure: In London, a pedestrian bridge rolls up and out of the way for nautical traffic Codes and •
standards: Study finds few U.S. municipalities accept electronic permitting data

BYTES
Seeking a way to generate electricity
from the motion of ocean waves, a
company called Energetech recently
anchored a 486-ton wave turbine off
the coast of Australia, 150 miles south
of Sydney. In 2006, they will install a
similar turbine off the coast of Rhode
Island.
The U.S. Green Building Council and
the National Environmental Education
& Training Foundation have teamed up
to launch greenerbuildings.com, a free
Web site that provides information and
resources about key environmental
issues related to buildings and facility
management.
Researchers from Oak Ridge National
Laboratory and the University of
Tennessee have formulated a new,
stronger type of steel with an atomic
structure that’s amorphous, like glass,
rather than crystalline, like most metals.
Practical applications are still a year or
two away.
The General Services Administration
has posted a free, searchable data-
base of companies that recycle
construction and demolition waste,
at cwm.wbdg.org. The EPA estimates
that 136 million tons of such waste
are generated each year.
At MIT, architecture professor Larry
Sass is working on a software program
that would let architects quickly design
temporary emergency shelters from
off-the-shelf, standardized sizes of ply-
wood sheets. The software would
determine automatically the most effi-
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY R O A R T
Need a lift? New York firm designs a high-tech car-transport system
It’s an elevator! It’s a material lift!
No, it’s the Vertical Reciprocating
Conveyor (VRC), a transporter
custom-built for a vintage-car col-
lector who stores several vehicles
in a two-story lot. Its designers, the
New York firm ROART, coined the
moniker. (“We still don’t really know
what it means,” admits project
architect Eran Shemesh.) Combining
sleek materials, sensors and actua-
tors, and innovative digital signaling
technologies, one might call the VRC
a 21st-century machine for moving.
The firm began the project by
researching the history of cars and
driving, and principal Ran Oron ran
across an old black-and-white photo
of an early auto race. The client
loved the idea of driving onto the lift
and becoming part of the life-size The car lift, or VRC, glows softly, as if welcoming the vehicles it transports.
image. From that point forward,
working with the building’s architect,
Derek Larson, “we thought of the
VRC less like a lift and more like a
pleasure machine—a mechanical
device that would possess the same
technological ingenuity and design
5
sophistication as the cars it trans- 1
ports,” Oron says. 2
3
Poetry in motion
4
The site’s constraints dictated many
of the design decisions. The two-
floor garage, only 15 feet wide and
6
100 feet deep, left no room for
doors that slide open to the side or
pivot outward; for aesthetic reasons, 1. Hoistway door 4. Infrared sensors
the architect eschewed garage-style 2. Platform gate 5. Control panel
rolling doors on tracks. Instead, the 3. Safety edge 6. Lift platform
firm designed doors and gates cus-
tom-manufactured of stainless-steel

cient way to assemble the structures,
based on input from the architect.
The AIA and the Associated General
Contractors have posted a new primer
on project delivery methods online. It’s
available free of charge to members at
either www.aia.org or www.agc.org.
mesh, powered by a system of sen-
sors and actuators that elevate and
tilt each barrier out of the way. The
two gates are installed on the lift
itself. When a gate is raised, it slides
up on recessed, multifaceted race-
ways that force its upper and lower
points to take separate paths as the
gate tilts into the cab. The doors,
installed on the building’s hoistways,
take the opposite motion, sliding
first up and then tilting outward with
the help of linear ball-screw actua-
tors. The motions are synchronized
to an elegant choreography, giving
the visual effect of a giant pair of
scissors that moves in three dimen-
sions. The speeds, trajectories, and
timing can be changed at will.
Five full-scale mock-ups of
the doors and gates, each with dif-
ferent geometries and movement
trajectories, were tested before the
architects found the effect they

12.04 Architectural Record 229

 Tech Briefs
A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY

were satisfied with. “We reviewed interlayers, and stainless-steel

three options: a mechanical system
with chains and cables, a hydraulic
system, and an electrical system.
In the end, we needed the actuators
to make the motion smooth and
reliably repetitive,” says Oron.
To prevent injuries (or—
gasp!—dents and scratches), the
architects also installed a series of
infrared sensors around and inside
the lift that detect obstacles within
a prescribed safety zone, and halt or
reverse the motion of the doors and
gates. Programming the safety sys-
tem so that the sensors would not
interfere with one another, or with
the normal trajectory of the doors
and gates, was no small challenge.
The call buttons were given
equal attention. (“This one took at
least 15 mock-ups to get right,”
mesh. Some layers are frosted,
some clear, and the middle layer
has a sandblasted mirror finish.
Four images are etched onto the
back side of the front layer of each
panel; they indicate what floor the
lift is on, and whether the door and
gates are open or closed. Electro Kinetics built
the doors and gates
Picture-perfect touches out of custom-made
Incorporating the vintage car- stainless-steel mesh.
racing photo at life-size also took Behind the glass call
some sleuthing. Originally, Oron panel (left in photo
intended to have it enlarged and at right), theatrical
silk-screened onto laminated glass multicolored LED fix-
for one wall of the lift, even going tures were installed
so far as to track down Andy to indicate the VRC’s
Warhol’s former silk-screener for position and status.
the task. But ultimately the process
was deemed “a logistical night-
mare” because the five 4-by-8-foot DuPont’s digital printer was only a Call it a VRC, a pleasure

says Shemesh.) Instead of conven-
tional pressure-activated buttons,
ROART designed a multilayered
glass panel embedded with charge-
transfer touch sensors, which are
capable of detecting near-proximity
or human touch. When the user
touches a panel, the sensor sends a
signal to a control room that then
transmits the proper instructions to
the lift system. The panel itself is
composed of seven layers of glass,
panels that constitute the image
would have had to be printed at
the same time, in a dust-free envi-
ronment, with no room for error or
damage to the glass. Then one of
ROART’s collaborators, Depp Glass,
told Oron they’d been working with
DuPont on a new system that
allowed digital printing on an inter-
layer film typically used to laminate
glass, with an ink DuPont invented
for the process. At the time,
foot wide, but a year later the
company developed a working
4-foot-wide printer, and Oron had
his image panels. As the client
requested, the photo retains the
pixellated, grainy character of a
silk-screened image—thanks to
an algorithm ROART wrote to alter
its appearance in Photoshop.
Fiber-optic lighting illuminates the
five-panel image, while LEDs light
up the lift’s glass floor panels.
P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY R O A R T ( TO P T W O ) ; © J O H N O F F E N B A C H FO R S TO C K L A N D M A R T E L . C O M ( B OT TO M T H R E E )
machine, or a lift: This project is a
sophisticated mini-laboratory of the
architecture of motion. And working
out the kinks in the kinetics was
exactly the sort of detective work
that the firm enjoys. Oron con-
cludes, “We were fortunate to have
the luxury of time to grapple with
the challenges. As Einstein said, it’s
not that we’re smarter—we were
just able to stay with the problem
longer.” Deborah Snoonian, P.E.

This London Bridge doesn’t fall down—it does a backbend

The latest cultural adornment to a
2.1-million-square-foot mixed-use
development in the Paddington
region of West London is a pedes-
trian bridge that’s as much mobile
sculpture as engineered structure.
Spanning the mouth of a small dock
off the Grand Union canal, the
Rolling Bridge rests steady for foot
traffic, but opens for boat navigation
by curling upward and onto its one
fixed support, like a scorpion’s tail.
The 39.4-foot-long bridge, which has
a steel frame and timber deck, was
designed by Thomas Heatherwick
Studio of London.
The structural metamorphosis
from footpath to wheel has become
The Rolling Bridge (photos above)
goes through its motions to make
way for nautical traffic. The hydraulic
system is controlled remotely.

230 Architectural Record 12.04

A Fully Integrated Design

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 Tech Briefs also control the bridge’s
A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY

opening motion, which is

a weekly spectacle for passersby
since the bridge’s inauguration in
September. The feat occurs more
often when needed for navigation.
“We think it’s fantastic,” says Mike
Rayner, an official with Chelsfield,
Paddington’s lead developer, which
commissioned Heatherwick for the
project.
Set among a number of
powered by underground
hydraulic equipment.
ture, engineering, and product When the bridge
design in his work. Among his recent needs to be opened, the
pieces is a seven-story sculpture of pistons along the deck
150,000 glasslike beads, linked by elongate. As this happens,
more than half a million miles of articulated sections of
wire, for a corporate headquarters the balustrade over each
in London. part of the footpath turn
Heatherwick says he wanted toward each other, causing
the bridge to open in a “sensuous the bridge to curl up. When
manner, transforming itself entirely, fully open, the bridge forms

Modern, understated buildings,
the bridge was detailed “seriously
and maturely” and is “almost bor-
ing” under normal use, says Stuart
Wood, a project designer. “That
heightens the element of surprise
when it starts to do its action. There
is a strong element of theater.”
Structure or sculpture?
Since completing his studies in 3D
design at Manchester Polytechnic
and later the Royal College of Art in
London, 34-year-old Heatherwick
has adeptly blended art, architec-
rather than simply lifting up and out
of the way.” Conventional draw-
bridges or retracting bridges “look
broken” when opening, adds Wood.
A structure that curled upon itself,
on the other hand, would “look com-
plete in both states.”
Heatherwick collaborated with
an engineering team that included
structural designer SKM Anthony
Hunts of Cirencester. Heatherwick
and the firm had been looking for a
site to build an all-glass bridge they
had conceived in the 1990s, says
Alan Jones, a principal of Hunts.
P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY L I T T L E H A M P TO N W E L D I N G
a loop with the tip resting
Thomas Heatherwick on his Rolling Bridge. on the base. Closing the
bridge involves reversing the
Paddington looked like a possible process in an operation lasting less
setting when Chelsfield called, but than three minutes.
the scheme was ultimately replaced Initially the bridge was
by the Rolling Bridge. designed to be retracted into three
The 4.5-ton bridge is made of quarters of a full circle by pulling
eight segments joined together by cables in the handrails. The struc-
hinges. Its articulated balustrades ture would have opened again
act as trusses, with the deck-floor under its own weight, without the
elements acting in tension and the aid of machinery. But for better
handrails in compression. Seven ver- access and other reasons, the
tical pistons above the deck hinges design team opted for a bridge that
form part of the balustrades. They would bend into a complete circle,

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which eliminated the possibility of
using gravity’s forces for reopening
it. At that stage, the bridge was to
be curled section by section, with
pistons activated in turn, expending
minimum energy, says Jones. Then
Heatherwick asked the engineers
if the segments could be retracted
at the same time and speed. “I
think this is a work of art,” Jones
declares. “It ceased to be purely
structural when its function was
determined more by aesthetics
than mechanics.”
Considered a maverick among
the U.K.’s design circles, Heather-
wick has shown a flair for the
dramatic at many scales. In 1997,
he designed a window display for
Harvey Nichols in London that broke
the plane between private and
public space, extending from the
store onto the sidewalk. Upcoming
work includes the U.K.’s tallest
monument, which will be built at
Manchester Stadium; a Buddhist
temple in Japan; and a tote bag for
clothing manufacturer Longchamp.
Peter Reina
Illustrations courtesy of Lord, Aeck & Sargent
A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY
Few jurisdictions in U.S. use electronic documents for permitting
The Stone Age, the Barbarian invasions, the submittal process for building permits in the U.S.: Unfortunately, these
three things share a similar level of sophistication, according to the results of a recent study conducted by the
National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards (NCSBCS) and the AIA, which are making strides
to update the technologies and processes associated with the collection of permits. The AIA is part of the
NCSBCS’s National Alliance for Building Regulatory Reform in the Digital Age.
The survey, conducted last winter and released in June, studied state and local government techniques for
building-document submittal, and revealed seriously outdated procedures. Out of 120 jurisdictions representing 16
states and 26 major cities, only 16 accept plans electronically over the Internet, the survey shows. Meanwhile,
less than 10 percent of reporting jurisdictions share electronically submitted plans with other districts, and 47 of
the responding areas don’t accept electronic plans at all. Of those that do accept plans digitally, only about five or
six, says NCSBCS’s executive director Bob Wible, keep the process electronically based all the way through (most
state governments still require documents to be wet-sealed on paper).
“It’s 2004. I was astounded by how few jurisdictions had implemented any changes at all,” says Paul
Mendelsohn, senior director of state and local affairs at the AIA, who attributes the lack of progress mostly to
squeezed budgets, bureaucratic inertia, out-of-date laws, and the lack of interoperability in available design soft-
ware. The advantages of updating the technology, Mendelsohn adds, include improved approval speed, accuracy,
job-site safety, and perhaps most important, economic benefits. “If a city doesn’t have a good system and can’t
get plans passed quickly, companies will jump elsewhere,” he points out.
The good news is that 33 of 54 responding jurisdictions said they expect to accept electronic plans within the
next one to two years, and the NCSBCS’s alliance partners are undertaking several initiatives to assist state and
local governments making the transition. They’ve drafted model streamlining processes, procurement require-
ments, and systems for submitting and tracking online permits and plans, as well as field inspection and code
enforcement. The AIA may retain a consulting firm to help lay out the case for improved digital plan sharing, and
the NCSBCS is also helping jurisdictions to update their laws concerning electronic sign-off, and to create new
standards for interoperability of building-permit data. Sam Lubell
Integrated Specs from Concept Through Construction!
BSD SpecLink now includes everything from design criteria at the programming phase to automatic
administrative reports during the construction phase. Performance, short form, and construction
spec modules are now linked, eliminating the need to re-enter data at every phase.
One software tool now produces:
• Initial performance specs for building security, energy, acoustics, lighting, etc.
• Short form specs for schematic design and design development
• Detailed construction specs and bidding documents covering all design disciplines
• 28 automatic construction administration reports—everything from required submittals
to acceptable manufacturers
Worried about transitioning to the new MasterFormat? In BSD SpecLink, one mouse click
switches your projects between the current 16-division format and the new MasterFormat 2004!
Call us today to learn more about how BSD SpecLink can help you produce better specs in half the time.
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 Tech Products
By Deborah Snoonian, P.E.
Lamina 1.0
Lamina Design
www.laminadesign.com
Windows only
This new software package enables
the fabrication of large-scale,
free-form structures from planar
materials like plywood, plastic, and
metal. Useful for a wide range of
architectural applications, including
interior finishes, lighting and product
design, and custom signage, Lamina
works by taking a 3D model file
and “breaking up” the structure into
machinable 2D parts that are fabri-
cated using laser cutting, waterjet
cutting, or plasma cutting, depend-
ing on the material used and the
size of the desired end product. The
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY L A M I N A D E S I G N ( TO P T W O ) ; AU TO D E S K ( M I D D L E T W O ) ; G R A P H I S O F T ( B OT TO M )
software automatically accounts for
material properties like thickness
and flexibility, and subsequently
adjusts joining angles and joint types
automatically during the cutting
process. The preferred 3D file for-
mats that Lamina can accept are
OBJ and 3DS-formatted files, but
it can also use STL files, which are
common in digital fabrication.
Revit 7
Autodesk
www.autodesk.com
Windows only
Autodesk has followed an aggres-
sive upgrade schedule for Revit
(this release is the second major
update in the past year). New fea-
tures include the “building maker”
design environment that lets users
For more information on technology
for architects, including
reviews, vendor lists, and links, go
to Digital Architect at
www.architecturalrecord.com.
A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY
Updates for 3D CAD, collaboration tools
map conceptual models to compo-
nents such as doors and curtain
walls; parametric components that
are alterable, so that repeating ele-
ments within a design, such as an
office, can be changed quickly
throughout a model; and improved
tools for drawing tasks, including
change-tracking legends.
Lamina aids the design
ArchiCAD 9 and production of com-
Graphisoft plex 3D forms made
www.graphisoft.com from planar materials
Windows and Mac like metal and wood.
The biggest revision in the latest
version of Graphisoft’s flagship CAD
software is a simplified interface
that users can customize with tools
of their choosing. A redesigned lay-
out for palettes gives
users up to 50 percent
more room on-screen
to see their designs
(rather than software
tools). AutoCAD DWG
files can be dragged
and dropped directly
into ArchiCAD for
changes and modifications. Re- Revit’s latest upgrade offers enhancements to its parametric components.
engineering the product has also
improved its speed; the company
says that tasks like automatic sec-
tion generation occurs up to 10
times faster than in previous ver-
sions. Productivity-boosting features
include enhanced text formatting
and the ability for multiple users to
share the same customized work
environment to make it easier for
clients to adhere to companywide
layering conventions and drafting
standards. Graphisoft has also
incorporated the LightWorks render-
ing engine into the product, which
improves its presentation capabili-
ties and its support of output using Graphisoft’s revised interface for ArchiCAD 9 lets users customize
the popular PDF format. tools and see more of their designs on-screen.
12.04 Architectural Record 235
 Tech Products
A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY
Treo 650 Smartphone
palmOne
www.palmone.com
Palm OS/Windows and Mac
After the wild success of last year’s
Treo 600, palmOne has upgraded its
popular mobile device with several
new and improved features. Like the
older version, it combines a Palm
handheld organizer, a full-featured
mobile phone with speakerphone
and conferencing capabilities, a digi-
tal camera, an MP3 digital music
player, and a Web browser. Carriers
Sprint, T-Mobile, and Cingular pro-
vide mobile-phone service for the
Treo. Customers can download their
e-mail messages using palmOne’s
VersaMail technology, and for
corporate customers, the 650
also enables synchronization with
Microsoft Outlook data such as
messages, task lists, and calendar
items. Integrated Bluetooth technol-
ogy communicates wirelessly with
accessories such as headsets, car
kits, and computing devices, and a
full (if tiny) keyboard lets users type
text messages, e-mails, or phone
numbers on the fly. Expansion
cards also let users add custom
content and applications like games
and electronic books. Even among
smartphones, this device is an
overachiever.
Texxus
Texxus
www.texxus.com
Windows and Mac
Texxus is a specialized service firm
offering surface design, texture
design, and rendering and manu-
facturing capabilities. Originally
envisioned as a company to assist
designers in creating custom-tex-
tured surfaces for injection-molded
materials, the firm now used 3D
CAD/CAM technology to model
complex geometries and surfaces
that can be mass-produced using
digital manufacturing methods, in
any machinable material—including
236 Architectural Record 12.04
The Treo 650
Smartphone is compat-
ible with mobile-phone
carriers Cingular,
stone, concrete, wood, terrazzo, Sprint, and T-Mobile.
and rapid-prototyping materials.
The company works on projects
on various scales, from model
development to full-scale manufac-
turing, and its services have been
employed for both preservation
work and new projects. When creat-
ing customized surfaces, the team
combines its aesthetic approach
with an intimate knowledge and
understanding of material proper-
ties and behavior, so that the
surfaces imagined can be produced
cost-effectively. The firm uses
several different software
programs in its work,
including CATIA and
ProEngineer. Projects the
company has supported
include the Diana,
Princess of Wales
Memorial Fountain in
London’s Hyde Park.
LaunchPad
CadOperator
LaunchPadOffice
www.aclaunchpad.com The Texxus team is helping design the Skipper Library in England (above), a pebble-
Windows only shaped structure that will house a private collection of Japanese manuscripts.
As any budding architect knows,
CAD drafting can be mind-numb-
ingly rote and repetitive. This
combined software/hardware pack-
age aims to slash drafting time by
50 percent or more (a video show-
ing a mock race between two CAD
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY PA L M O N E ( TO P ) ; T E X X U S ( M I D D L E T W O ) ;
operators using traditional entry
methods versus this product even
verifies the claim). A specialized
keyboard and mouse device simpli-
fies repetitive tasks and reduces the
number of keystrokes needed for
common operations. The software
L AU N C H PA D O F F I C E ( B OT TO M T W O )
allows users to create shortcuts for,
and libraries of, specialized “blocks”
LaunchPad
(combinations of CAD keystrokes or
CadOperator lets users
“objects” that repeat throughout a
customize common
project), hatch patterns, color com-
CAD tasks to improve
binations, layering rules and styles,
efficiency, productivity,
line weights, and other popular
and accuracy.
drafting tasks. Training videos and
online tutorials are also available to
bring users up to speed—literally.
 D

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G O R G E O U S N E W P E N D A N T S I N R I C H D A R K E R F I N I S H E S . C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T : C R I S S C R O S S , F U T U R A L A N T E R N , PA R A S O L , P R E M I E R L A N T E R N.
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B
 Tech Products
A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY
ProjectWise V8 2004
Bentley Systems
www.bentley.com
Windows only
Bentley’s collaboration software
provides a repository and common
platform for project team members
working in far-flung locations. With
ProjectWise, users can exercise con-
trol over the flow of data throughout
a project’s lifetime, such as creating
checkout and approval procedures
for drawings and automatic notifica-
tion to team members when critical
documents have been revised.
Features include the ability to search,
query, and navigate all content
stored, including metadata such as
keywords and individual building
components, for example doors or
windows, that are modeled in larger
project files. Facility managers can
also use the system to track a build-
ing’s operations, maintenance, and
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STEPSTONE, INC.
NATIONWIDE DISTRIBUTION
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renovation projects. Supported file
types include those from all of
Bentley’s design and engineering
software, as well as AutoCAD,
Microsoft Office documents, and
some Adobe applications.
Xdrive
Xdrive
www.xdrive.com
Windows only
Backup storage for critical data is
never farther away from your Web
browser with Xdrive, an online stor-
age solutions company that has
several small and medium-size
architecture firms as clients. Users
can access their storage areas
directly via a Web interface that
works with all popular browsers, or
through the company’s desktop
software. Pricing varies depending
on the amount of storage space
desired.
TM
Bentley’s ProjectWise software is being used by a 150-member proj-
ect team designing stores in the U.K. for Sainsburys Supermarkets.
Through either a Web
browser or a desktop
interface, Xdrive gives
users a place to back
up, store, and share
critical data online.
Concrete
Construction
Footing Forms
Build it with Bigfoot
Saves Time, Money and Aggravation.
• Decks • Cottages
• Porches • Pole Barns
• Fences • Bridges
… and More.
Stronger, Safer, Better than
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Sized to fit Residential and
Commercial Use
E 1-800-934-0393
www.bigfootsystems.com
1 Day Installation info@bigfootsystems.com
Building Code
Evaluated across
North America
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 A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E C H N O L O GY
PowerCAD SiteMaster/Leica ventional methods involving those
DISTO Plus lowly low-tech tools: measuring
GiveMePower/Leica Geosystems tapes, paper, and pencil.
www.givemepower.com or
www.leicaus.com Corecon 4.0
Windows only Corecon Technologies
I M A G E S : C O U R T E SY G I V E M E P O W E R ( TO P T W O ) ; C O R E C O N ( B OT TO M ) ;
B E N T L E Y SYS T E M S ( O P P O S I T E , TO P ) ; X D R I V E ( O P P O S I T E , B OT TO M )

A handheld Leica DISTO and a PC Two companies have teamed up to
with a Bluetooth device are all sell a combined software/hardware
you need to create as-built draw- solution that automates the cre-
ings with PowerCAD SiteMaster. ation of as-built floor plans using
wireless technology. Laser meas-
urements are collected with the
Leica DISTO device; the spatial
information is communicated via a
Bluetooth connection to a Pocket
PC, tablet PC, or laptop computer,
where the PowerCAD SiteMaster
Corecon has released software transforms the information
an architect-specific into AutoCAD-compatible drawings.
version of its estimat- The companies say the system can
ing and project- be operated by a single person and
management software. is capable of producing as-built floor
plans from site measurements up to
10 times faster compared to con-
www.corecon.com
Windows only
Once geared to the contractor com-
munity, this Web-based estimating
and project-management software
now offers a customized package
for architects and engineers, which
is geared to small and midsize firms.
It offers several productivity and
management tools, such as online
time-sheet entry; task scheduling;
and tracking of proposals, leads,
team members, and expenses and
hours on projects under way. Users
can set up the software’s desktop
to obtain at-a-glance project infor-
mation, such as unfinished tasks or
dollars expended. ■

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 A R T E C Stainless Steel Railings

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 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Section: December 2004
You can earn AIA Continuing Education Learning Units by reading
designated articles and sponsored sections in Architectural Record
and on Architecturalrecord.com, and answering test questions following
each article. This month’s sponsored Continuing Education sections
cover a range of architectural and design challenges and innovations
and have been approved by AIA for Continuing Education Credit.
They are presented by manufacturers and professional organizations
who share Architectural Record’s strong commitment to serve the
educational needs of architects.
For more information, visit www.construction.com/ContinuingEd.

Hard surface flooring

Today’s hard surface floors are drawing eyes downward with new materials,
textures and colors that not only demand admiration, but also provide enduring
value for a variety of applications. After reading this article, you will be familiar
with the trends in hard surface flooring materials, have a better sense of the
various applications for hard surface flooring and understand how flooring
materials can impact the client’s cost of ownership. Page 243.
Sponsored by American Marazzi Tile, BR-111, Daltile, Florida Tile, L. M. Scofield, Nathan
Allan Glass Studios, The Noble Company, Viva Ceramica, Wilsonart Commercial Flooring.

Improving project performance and productivity:

The coordination and completeness of structural
construction documents
Proper coordination of information between design and construction professionals
resulting in coordinated drawings that are complete for construction has the
greatest impact on project quality and cost. After reading this article, you should
be able to recognize the value of the coordination of construction documents,
identify the process required to generate coordinated and complete construction
documents, understand the role of the architect in the provision of coordinated
and complete construction documents, and be motivated to encourage the use of
the CASE 962D Guideline in projects. Sponsored by the Council of American Structural
Engineers, in conjunction with the American Institute Of Steel Construction, Inc. Page 273.

Designing for security:

Glass technology for blast protection
In order to be prepared for a blast event, risk assessment and planning must be
completed far in advance and protection needs to be in place at all times. After
reading this article, you should be able to understand how laminated glass with a
polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer can be used in the design of a building to protect
that building, neighboring buildings and their occupants in the event of a bomb blast,
recognize the situations in which a bomb blast risk assessment should be conducted
prior to the design of a building or prior to the retrofitting on an existing building’s
windows, and understand the dynamics of a bomb detonation and the impact of
bomb fallout on a building’s structure. Sponsored by Solutia Inc. and Viracon. Page 261.

The art and science of good ventilation

Today’s homes are built tightly, which makes them more energy efficient. The emphasis
on energy efficiency, however, has led to another unexpected result: new homes are
experiencing air quality problems unknown to older buildings. After reading this article,
you should be able to understand why ventilation in the home is more important today,
identify the components of systems that ensure good indoor air quality, and design to
achieve good indoor air quality. Sponsored by Broan-NuTone LLC. Page 267.

241
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Special Advertising Section

Hard surface
flooring:
New materials are driving
big changes underfoot
INSIDE

244 Hard surface flooring

Continuing Education Section
258 Product review

PRESENTED BY
American Marazzi Tile Nathan Allan Glass Studios
BR-111 The Noble Company
Daltile Viva Ceramica
Florida Tile Wilsonart Commercial Flooring
L. M. Scofield

Hard surface flooring. 243


CONTINUING EDUCATION
Use the learning objectives below to focus
your study as you read Hard surface flooring:
New materials are driving big changes
underfoot. To earn one AIA/CES Learning Unit, including
one hour of health safety welfare credit, answer the questions
on page 256, then follow the reporting instructions on page
326 or go to the Continuing Education section on
archrecord.construction.com and follow the
reporting instructions.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this article, you should be able to:
• Be familiar with the trends in hard surface flooring
materials
• Have a better sense of the various applications for
hard surface flooring.
• Understand how flooring materials can impact the
client’s cost of ownership.
244 Hard surface flooring.
Special Advertising Section
Hard surface
flooring:
New materials are driving
big changes underfoot
Where are you right now? In your home, the office, a restaurant having lunch?
How did you get there? What did you see along the way?
You might have noticed the new trees in the park that outline the fountain.
Maybe you enjoyed the way your office windows bring light into the entire room
as you walked to your desk. Or maybe you were pulled into the restaurant by its
walls that are reminiscent of a café you enjoyed while in Paris. Did you notice the
tile underfoot as you walked into the restaurant? Or the stained concrete in your
office atrium?
Each day when we’re stepping up, putting our best foot forward and even toeing
the line, we expect to be supported at every stride. But how often do you look down,
regard and ponder what’s underneath you? And how often does the flooring you
chose take center stage in your design?
All too often flooring takes an understudy role to those features that make people
look up in awe. In many projects flooring is the first budget cropped, with teams
opting to minimize initial building costs by using flooring materials that ultimately
maximize the client’s long-term cost of ownership. But today’s hard surface floors are
drawing eyes downward with new materials, textures and colors that not only demand
admiration, but also provide enduring value for a variety of applications.
A clean approach
Nowhere is the need for texture, color and value so evident as in the healthcare
industry. It’s more than medicine that heals. A patient’s environment plays an
important part of shaping their attitude and will. Faced with strict air quality
and cleanability standards since sterile conditions must be easily maintained,
designers sometimes can find their choices restricted in their drive to create a
healing atmosphere.
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 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series Special Advertising Section
Glazed porcelain tile. Courtesy Marazzi Tile.
Such was the case with the new oncology clinic in Poland.
The architect was aware that patients and their families are in
the facility during one of the most difficult times in their lives
and wanted to make it as vigorous and encouraging as possible.
In order to energize the facility while providing durability, the
architect selected glazed ceramic tile. The colorful tiles are laid
in an intricate celestial design that creates visual interest plus
offers the unique properties of allergen-free wear and cleanability.
Not all ceramic tile is created equal though. Over the last
several years there have been advances in firing and glazing
techniques, resulting in different types for different uses from
institutional grades to luxurious tiles for the most exclusive
applications. According to Andrea Cacciari, Vice President,
Distributor Sales and Marazzi Tecnica, American Marazzi Tile,
Sunnyvale, Texas, advances include:
• dry glaze application methods that vastly enhance
the aesthetic variations in tile
• development of silkscreen applications for glazing tile
• origination of abrasive tile to reduce slip-fall accidents
and make safer environments
• rotocolor application of glaze to produce intricate,
ever-varied patterns
• development of through-body porcelains in which
color and pattern of the tile surface extends through
the entire body of the tile
246 Hard surface flooring.
The advancement used to create the tile in this clinic resulted
in a material that is completely inert. The tile is glazed while still
in the kiln, where it fully adheres to the body, creating a dense,
homogeneous layer of glaze that is virtually non-porous. This is
important in creating a sanitary environment because pore-free
surfaces virtually eliminate staining and the retention of bacteria.
And for the maintenance staff, cleaning requires only water and
commonly available soapless detergent.
“Generally, it is a healthcare environment that requires ease
of maintenance, durability, chemical and mold resistance and
allergen-free materials,” says Cacciari. “Ceramic tile eliminates
concerns about out-gassing, allergens, bacterial growth and
repeated maintenance cycles of stripping and refinishing.”
Overall, hard surface flooring is preferred over other types of
flooring such as carpeted surfaces for sanitary environments due to
faster cleaning and drying times. In addition, advanced grip finishes
eliminate the concerns for slip-and-fall injuries. An added bonus,
a recent study evaluating a 50-year life cycle cost put ceramic floor
tile, mortar set, at just $13.56 per square foot. This compared to
carpet tile at $99.62 per square foot.
Proven materials, new applications
It may be beneath your feet and you don’t even know it. That’s because
concrete is taking on a whole new look. This is not your father’s
concrete. It’s become a chameleon, changing colors and textures to
serve diverse applications. In a restaurant it may be formed to look
like rich, dark hardwood floors; in hotels it make take the form of
sleek marble tiles, but all the time providing durability for even the
highest foot traffic areas.
Concrete has been used in California
since 1915 as a flooring material and was
used in all the homes of the major movie
stars throughout the building boom in the
first half of the 20th century.
Long used as flooring in warmer, southern climates, concrete’s
durability and versatility is driving the material north, particularly
the Northeast, to diverse commercial and residential projects.
“Concrete has been used in California since 1915 as a flooring
material and was used in all the homes of the major movie stars
throughout the building boom in the first half of the 20th century,”
says Sherry White, Scofield Director of Corporate Communications,
Los Angeles, Calif. “It’s also been essential in retail design,
especially large stores that elect to color and finish the actual
structural slab, which saves considerable time and money.
It provides exceptional durability to the hundreds of thousands of
people who walk across the floors every year.” Having the concrete
colored throughout ensures color consistency if ever a chip or gash
should occur.
 FourReasons
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The same quality and beauty you’ve come to expect
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Tigerwood

ww w. b r 111 . c o m 1.800.525.BR111 (2711)

 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series
Stained concrete floor. Courtesy L. M. Scofield.
Fantastic effects can be created when various methods of coloring concrete are combined. Courtesy L. M. Scofield.
In a recent study that examined flooring’s initial costs and life
cycle costs, colored concrete flooring came in at $5 to $8 per square
foot, as compared to slate at $35 to $50 per square foot and marble
at $20 to $60 per square foot.
With a considerable wide range of colors already available,
concrete color can be custom-blended to match specific client’s needs,
adding to its versatility. In addition, new grinding and polishing
techniques help to bring out rich colors of integrally colored
concrete. Grinding and polishing darkly colored concrete can result
in a surface resembling polished stone. Reds tend to appear as
burgundy slate and black looks like granite.
In addition to design benefits, concrete has several
environmental pluses. White adds that the fact that there is no
out-gassing and nothing carcinogenic within the material makes
it appealing to architects concerned with indoor air quality and
sustainable construction issues. Concrete advocates are also noting
that when you cover concrete with other materials such as carpet,
you’re unnecessarily consuming resources and energy. Using
concrete eliminates that waste.
Colored concrete was the only option a church in Evergreen,
Colo., would accept. This popular church wanted flooring to support
248 Hard surface flooring.
Special Advertising Section
its weekly congregation — along with the more
than 5,000 people who attend its many jazz music
festivals—for years to come. The solution was to
sandblast the existing floor to its substrate then relay
the surface, which is designed to look like raw silk.
There are two essential options for colored concrete—
either color the entire slab upon pouring or provide
color on the surface like they did here. The second
option is ideal for retrofit situations. To provide special
effects to concrete, these penetrating stains can also
simulate the shadings of natural stone or create artistic
faux finishes. Such stains become part of the surface
and will not fade, chip, crack or peel.
What about the acoustics in this vaulted ceiling
church with a hard surface floor? It’s a bad rap put to
all hard surface flooring. “You really just need to put
thought into your soft surfaces,” White says. “This
church is designed to serve as a musical arena and
the concrete plays its part.”
White reminds that proper sealing and waxing
are essential to maintain the floor’s appearance and
durability. Sealers are color-matched to the concrete’s
color. They can improve appearance and enhance depth
and uniformity of color while offering an easy-to-maintain,
low-gloss finish resistant to staining, abrasion, many
chemicals, weather, deicing salts and UV radiation.
Some of these coatings chemically bond with the concrete
to make it even stronger.
“Just before the church opened its doors for its
latest jazz festival, they waxed the floors. The day after the
festival, you couldn’t tell that 5,000 people had walked
over it just a day earlier.” According to White, each
application is different and foot traffic will determine just
how much maintenance is needed on a particular project.
Creating a clear walkway
We all know what happened when Alice stepped through the
looking glass, but what would happen if she could walk atop it?
New technologies in cast glass are making it happen.
Entry floors, lobbies, casino walkways, stair treads and elevated
surfaces are just some of the recent installations with which Barry
Allan, Director of Nathan Allan Glass Studios, Inc., of Richmond,
We all know what happened when
Alice stepped through the looking glass,
but what would happen if she could
walk atop it?
British Columbia, has been involved. “Cast glass flooring is cutting
edge material that has not been duplicated and produced many
times over. Some architects cannot believe that glass products can
be walked upon,” he says, noting that most of the clients he’s
 Creativity.
Apply liberally.

Choose from hundreds of tiles including stone, porcelain, metals,

glass and more. Our architectural reps will also work with you
to make sure you have the tools and products you need to
succeed. No one has an eye for fashion and design quite like
you. And here’s your chance to use it.

daltileproducts.com
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 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
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worked with are among The familiar North American maple, red oak and cherry have
the first ever to use a strong tradition in flooring, but exotic hardwoods are providing a
cast glass flooring. broader palette for designers. For example, when Michael Harris
Of course, like many Homes of Vienna, Va., wanted a unique look for their model homes at
of its hard surface an upscale golf community, they selected Brazilian cherry prefinished
compatriots, glass isn’t flooring over the standard oak, which is popular in the mid-Atlantic
always as it appears. region. The plank is a wide, three-inch width, which results in elegant,
Available in a range of sophisticated country warmth that works throughout the entire house.
colors in transparent
or matte finishes,
glass can also take New varieties of woods together
on a number of with high-quality engineered grades
different textures,
resembling aggregate, have revolutionized the hardwood
sandstone or even lava.
Each look creates a
flooring market.
unique experience in
light and reflection for A benefit of exotic hardwoods is that unlike stained floors,
each pedestrian. where color is applied on top, the color of exotic hardwoods is
Faux finish cast glass. Courtesy Nathan Allan Glass Studios. As cast glass is uniform throughout, mitigating gashes and dents. But gashes and
non-porous and does not absorb grease, dirt or fingerprints, it is easy dents seem unlikely, given that exotic hardwoods are typically harder
to clean and durable. Like many hard surface materials, safety is and therefore more durable than domestic varieties. Hardness is
often an issue. Gripping surfaces imbedded in the product elevate tested by the Janka Hardness system, which evaluates the pounds of
the shoe tread off the glass, not only preventing slipping, but also pressure required to embed a 0.444-inch-diameter steel ball one half
reducing scratching as it elevates the shoe treads off of the glass. of its diameter into the wood. According to the U.S. Forestry Lab
Allan describes the approach as “glass sandpaper,” and it offers using this system, Brazilian walnut requires 3,680 pounds per square
see-through treads while providing a safe walking surface. inch of pressure versus American cherry that requires just 950
For architects looking for a green approach, Allan offers some pounds per square inch of pressure. According to the Janka
caution to claims about recycled glass used in flooring. “Recycled Hardness system, most common, domestic wood species fall at the
glass is not used in the flat glass industry. Broken glass can be used lower end of the hardness spectrum.
when the product is liquefied, but if there is a
compatibility issue, the glass cannot be tempered and
classified as safety glass,” he said. “In projects where
recycled product is mandatory, it would be advisable to
request from your supplier a letter that states the flat glass
product being used is developed from recycled glass. Also
request information from other sources to back up claims.”
An exotic experience
Looking for something new for that commercial office
project? Maybe “Amendoim,” with its reddish-brown
hue and wavy grain pattern, is the right fit. How
about “Purpleheart,” with its deep purple to purplish
brown coloring? Or perhaps “Wenge,” with its
chocolate brown and gold grain.
What is this material with the mysterious names?
It’s actually exotic hardwood flooring and it’s been
coming on strong in both the commercial and
residential markets in recent years. “New varieties
of woods together with high-quality engineered grades
have revolutionized the hardwood flooring market,”
says Steve Wagner, Creative Director, Black Rock
Communications, Darnestown, Maryland. “New
technologies enable architects to carry their designs
throughout a project, from basement to penthouse.” Concrete and cementitious toppings are increasingly popular in office, retail and restaurant environments
because of the advantages in durability, value, reduced maintenance and environmental considerations.
Courtesy of L. M. Scofield
250 Hard surface flooring.
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 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
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Advances in engineered flooring enable the hardwood design to
continue through areas once forbidden, including bathrooms, kitchens
and subterranean floors. “Engineered floors together with new
adhesive technologies enable the flooring to be installed throughout
an entire project—interchanging the best material for each location,”
says Wagner. “For example, new adhesives enable the flooring to be
installed directly on concrete, saving time and money.”
Maintaining both engineered and exotic hardwoods usually
requires commercial spray cleaners or damp mopping, making them
simple to clean. Planks that are damaged can be easily replaced
individually without needing to resurface or refinish the entire floor.
When examining any exotic hardwood products, Wagner advises
to take a hard look at the manufacturer with regard to environmental
responsibility. “There are a lot of things to consider when specifying
a project, but I think it’s most important when using exotic woods to
make certain you’re working with a product produced by a company
committed to reforestation and responsible extraction,” he said.
Laminate flooring. Courtesy Wilsonart Commercial Flooring.
Luxurious laminates
There’s something about laminate that sends minds wandering back
to classic 1950s designs. Think again. Today’s styles, durability
and easy maintenance are anything but retro. And you’ll find them
everywhere—from operating rooms and cafeterias to night clubs
and five-star hotels. New products embrace transparency and light
reflection, such as that found in ceramic glazing. Other laminates
capture the essence of natural stone in both its polished and rough-
and-tumble states. Still others convince you that you’re strolling
across a woodgrain plank floor. Have your own design? All you need
to do is bring in your images, artwork, photographs or illustrations
and laminate can be created to match.
252 Hard surface flooring.
While the diverse styles can help you lay whatever path you
choose, knowing the construction behind laminates will help you
select the right type for your application.
More and more specifiers are looking
for products that install quickly,
have low maintenance requirements
and are extremely durable.
Fundamentally, there are two types of laminate flooring:
high pressure laminate (HPL) and direct pressure laminate (DPL)
flooring. HPL flooring consists of a piece of core sandwiched
between two pieces of high pressure laminate. DPL flooring has
a core sandwiched between two layers of paper and a sheet of
melamine. The differences between HPL and DPL
flooring products are quality, performance and
price. HPL is produced under 1,200-1,400 pounds
per square inch at 350 degrees F. for 25-35 minutes
before cooling, resulting in a significantly increased
static load rating, as well as superior impact
resistance. HPL products also have superior chip
resistance, making them a good option for most
commercial applications. DPL products are
produced under 300-500 pounds per square
inch for 15-30 seconds. DPL products are more
appropriate for light residential applications and
include most laminate flooring products sold at
home centers.
“More and more specifiers are looking for
products that install quickly, have low maintenance
requirements and are extremely durable,” says
Randy Phillips, Sales Manager, Wilsonart
Commercial Flooring, Temple, Texas. “If properly
installed and maintained, quality laminate flooring
products will look as good as the day they were
installed for quite some time.”
Proper installation is imperative to long-term
cost savings. For example, one of the innovations that
changed the laminate industry was the creation of
glueless technologies. While offering quicker installation, this
technique isn’t appropriate for all projects. “We know that the rigors
of commercial installations require a stronger, tighter joint than most
glueless products can deliver long term,” Phillips says. Glued floors
also allow installation in certain healthcare applications where
glueless floors can’t be installed due to moisture resistance issues.
Most laminate manufacturers insist that life cycle costing
is very important in the selling cycle of laminate flooring due
to the low maintenance requirements. Most commercial grade
laminate flooring products will install in the $6.00 to $9.50
per square foot range. This pricing is not inclusive of floor
preparation and moldings.
 MADE FOR LIFE
IN THE PUBLIC EYE!

INTRODUCING CONTACT ™
—

A PREMIUM COMMERCIAL FLOORING

LINE THAT BRINGS CUTTING-EDGE

STYLE AND OUTSTANDING DURABILITY

WITHIN REACH FOR COMMERCIAL

INSTALLATIONS WITH FIXED

IMPROVEMENT BUDGETS.

FEATURING HIGH-PRESSURE LAMINATE

(HPL) CONSTRUCTION, CONTACT
OFFERS BENEFITS OTHER LAMINATES

CAN’T — LIKE BETTER WEAR -AND

IMPACT-RESISTANCE. HIGHER STATIC

LOAD CAPACITY. SUPERIOR DESIGN
CLARITY. AND HIGHER IN-CARTON

PRODUCT INTEGRITY.

IT ALL ADDS UP TO A FLOOR

THAT’S MADE TO ENDURE THE

DEMANDS OF PUBLIC LIFE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

1-800-435-9109
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 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series Special Advertising Section
It adds up
Recent industry studies have determined that over the life cycle of
flooring, products with lower initial costs did not remain cheaper
than products with higher initial costs. Over a 15-year timeline, it
was shown that products with a higher initial cost were the products
that were less expensive overall. But remember, there is no flooring
product that is suitable for every application.
“It is very important for architects to look not only at initial costs
of materials and installation, but also to consider savings that stem
from eliminating or slowing down the need to replace structural
components over the life of the installation,” says Cacciari.
Although ceramic tile and stone is
attractively priced, the real value of an
installation is recognized over many more
years of serviceability.
Consider the example of ceramic tile versus carpet. You need to
analyze initial cost of the product, number of times the product must
be replaced during the life expectancy of the installation and cost of
maintenance over the lifetime of the installation. Studies have shown
that although the initial cost for installed tile is higher than for
installed carpet, the carpet will have to be replaced multiple times
Stone tile. Courtesy Florida Tile.
254 Hard surface flooring.
during the life of the installation, thus yielding a higher life cycle
cost. You also need to factor in loss of use costs to a commercial
facility incurred while carpet is being replaced during business
hours or the premium cost of labor if being done after business hours.
“Although ceramic tile and stone is attractively priced, the real
value of an installation is recognized over many more years of
serviceability,” says John Turner, Sr., General Manager, Commercial
Sales/National Accounts for Daltile, Dallas, Texas. “A ceramic or
stone installation, installed properly and maintained properly
will last many decades. The choice to remove and replace such an
installation in future years will be more of a design decision than a
decision necessitated by lack of performance.” Turner reminds us of
the various orange, olive and tan decors of the 1960s and 1970s that
were replaced for fashion instead of function.
So what questions should be asked when considering hard
surface flooring? Joseph Patterson, Director of Commercial Sales
for Florida Tile, Lakeland, Fla., suggests six areas to consider.
“When you investigate your choices it’s easy to prioritize when
you group your requirements into six areas: aesthetic appeal,
safety, maintenance, stain resistance, traffic and wear, and cost.”
Some points to discuss include:
• What is the expected foot traffic?
• What is the expected life of the floor substance?
• Will the material perform in the climate?
• Is the color range offered by a product line acceptable?
• How easy is it to clean?
• Will it maintain its appearance over time?
• Does the product contribute to energy savings?
• How does the material perform in terms of fire
and heat protection?
• Is the material slip resistant?
• Does the material have the flexibility to work with the
facility’s design and is it adaptable to future design?
According to Turner, you’ll also want to examine the resources
the material manufacturer offers, such as technical expertise and
support, production capacity and distribution availability. “If you’re
designing a national or international chain of restaurants you’ll
want to work with someone who has the capability to deliver what
you need when and where you need it—no matter what,” he says.
Laying a path to the future
Residential, commercial and industrial venues are showing a
continued increase in the specification of hard surface flooring.
“While I can’t predict the future, as baby boomers age, I see
continued expansion into the retirement and healthcare environments,”
Cacciari says. Also, as buildings age and require facelifts, there is
more interest in retrofitting with pre-figured systems that accommodate
computer cabling, ductwork, power lines, security systems or cubicle
walls installed with conventional floor systems.
“The industry has gone through a revolution in the past 15
years,” Patterson says. “We are now part of the fashion industry.
Public awareness and growth of this industry has been steady on the
upward tic.” According to Patterson, not so long ago the choices in
more than decorative

For unique hard surfaces that meet

the most demanding performance
criteria, Scofield Systems pave
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1 800 800 9900 or www.scofield.com

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WAY THE WORLD LOOKS AT CONCRETE, SCOFIELD, , and Texturetop
are trademarks of L. M. Scofield Company.
SD43788a
 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series Special Advertising Section

hard surface flooring were very limited in scope with monochromatic
size and color. Now there is a plethora of choices with an array of
sizes and shapes taken from ancient to modern art.
On the residential front, hard surface flooring is no longer relegated
to just certain areas. The U.S. market is adopting the European tradition
of hard surface materials throughout the home because of their
durability and availability in so many finishes that replicate other
materials without the high cost and maintenance requirements.
Next time you step off an elevator, walk up a flight of stairs or
simply walk through a door, take a look around and down. Regard the
palette of tile, concrete, glass, laminates and hardwood that makes
every one of your steps possible. ■

A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this article, you should be able to: 5. What areas should be considered when choosing flooring material?
• Be familiar with the trends in hard surface flooring materials a. Durability
• Have a better sense of the various applications for hard b. Safety and performance
surface flooring c. Flexibility
• Understand how flooring materials can impact the client’s d. All of the above
cost of ownership. 6. Pore-free surfaces virtually eliminate staining and the retention
of bacteria.
INSTRUCTIONS
a. True
Refer to the learning objectives above. Complete the questions
b. False
below. Go to the self-report form on page 326. Follow the
7. In a recent study that combined flooring’s initial costs and life
reporting instructions, answer the test questions and submit
cycle costs, which of the following flooring materials was the least
the form. Or use the Continuing Education self-report form
expensive?
on Record’s website—archrecord.construction.com—to receive
a. Marble
one AIA/CES Learning Unit including one hour of health
b. Slate
safety welfare credit.
c. Concrete

QUESTIONS d. Carpet
8. What type of flooring is produced under 1,200-1,400 pounds
1. Over the life cycle of flooring, products with lower initial costs did
per square inch at 350 degrees F. for 25-35 minutes before
remain cheaper than products with higher initial costs.
cooling?
a. True
a. Glazed ceramic tile
b. False
b. Engineered wood flooring
2. According to recent studies, what type of flooring surface offers
faster cleaning and drying times? c. High pressure laminate

a. Hard surface flooring d. Concrete

b. Carpeted surface flooring 9. The Janka Hardness system is used to test the hardness of
c. Painted surface flooring what material?
3. Name the inherent benefit(s) of concrete flooring: a. Concrete
a. Durability b. Laminate
b. No out-gassing c. Wood
c. Versatility d. All of the above
d. All of the above 10. What is Wenge?
4. What technique can help concrete appear as other materials? a. Type of cast glass
a. Stripping and refinishing b. Color used in glazed tile
b. Polishing and grinding c. Brand of laminate
c. Washing and waxing d. Type of exotic hardwood

256 Hard surface flooring.

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 Hard surface flooring Special Advertising Section
PR ODUCT R EVIE W

Exotic Hardwood Flooring Premium Blend

Casanova Engineered Florida Tile serves up Premium Blend.
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Engineered exotic hardwood flooring, technology which creates unmatched
featuring a thick-sawn wear layer and realism in depth, color, shade and
superior durability. Casanova Engineered texture. Three breathtaking blends —
is precision milled for quick and easy Latte, Caramel, Macchiato — to satisfy
installation on, above or below grade in the tastes of discriminating designers
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Staple, float or glue-down installation. decorative or 3" x 12" wood-look border
Available in a 4" face size with aluminum add a stunning final touch to any
oxide finish and 24 year residential installation. Highly resistant to stains and
warranty. BR-111, 800-525-BR111 discoloration from virtually any source.
(2711), www.br111.com. Florida Tile, 800-789-TILE,
CIRCLE 330
www.floridatile.com CIRCLE 331

del Lavoro Porcelain Tile

Architects and Designers every-
where know they can count on Professional Grade
Daltile for products that inspire Imprinting Tools
and enhance their creations. LITHOTEX® Pavecrafters® Professional Grade
Recently, Daltile unveiled del Lavoro, Imprinting Tools and embossing skins can be
a Colorbody porcelain tile that used to replicate virtually any texture in the
exudes an rich antiqued appearance, natural or built environment. The wide range
which resembles natural stone. of patterns can be applied on freshly placed
It’s just one of the many beautiful concrete or cementitious toppings to create
tiles that demonstrates how Daltile beautiful interior floors with the durability of
is constantly evolving and expanding sidewalks, driveways, pool decks and patios.
its productline to meet the ever- Since custom tools can be created with
Pavecrafters, the only limit to creativity is your
changing needs of the commercial
imagination. L. M. Scofield, 800-800-9900,
market. Daltile, 214-398-1411,
www.scofield.com. CIRCLE 332
www.daltile.com CIRCLE 333

Pietra Del Sole

This dramatic glazed porcelain surface
is a combination of sheen and matte,
reflection and shadow, rough and Xilo Flooring
smooth that constantly reinvents itself Complete penetration between
based on the lighting and other design body and color grants lasting
optical results, maximum ultimate
elements in a room. Available in 3
tensile strength, absolute
colors ranges (ivory, gold, light walnut),
resistance to acids, scratches,
3 modular sizes (13"x13", 13"x20" and frost and dirt. Environmently
20"x20") and accented with 3 versatile friendly manufacturing process,
styles of mesh-mounted Modular assured by iso9001 quality
Mosaics, Pietra Del Sole readily adapts system certified plant in Fiorano
to either residential or commercial Modenese, series XILO is
settings. Marazzi Tile, 972-226-0110, guaranteed 20 years for private
www.marazzitile.com. CIRCLE 334 homes and 10 years for public
areas. For further information
please consult Viva updated
price list and sales conditions.
Viva Ceramica, www.cerviva.it
CIRCLE 335

Wilsonart® Commercial Flooring’s new Contact™ line

combines Tap-N-Lock™ connections with advanced
BlueFusion™ Adhesive
Wilsonart Commercial Flooring’s new Contact line is revolutionizing the use of laminate flooring
in commercial environments that have been typically dominated by other flooring products.
Contact features high-pressure laminate construction and an exclusive ScuffShield™.
It also incorporates Wilsonart’s award-winning Tap-N-Lock design for fast easy installation —
along with BlueFusion™ adhesive for a strong bond. Wilsonart Commercial Flooring,
www.wilsonart.com, 800-435-9109. CIRCLE 336

258 Hard surface flooring. For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com , under Resources, then Reader Service.
 Cast Glass Stair Treads
by Nathan Allan

Read Record for Credit

Every issue of McGraw-Hill Construction’s
Architectural Record features one or more
Continuing Education self study courses.

Project by:
River Glass Designs
Rockville, MD

w w w . n a t h a n a l l a n . c o m
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■ Read the designated article or sponsored section

in the magazine and on archrecord.construction.com.
■ Answer test questions on the separate Reporting
ProForm™ Niche
Form for each article or section. NobleSeal® TS

■ Fill out each Reporting Form in the magazine or on

the web site, and mail or fax with the processing fee
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■ Earn one learning unit for each self study course

including one hour of HSW credit.

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For CES credit questions, call 877-876-8093.
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 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series Special Advertising Section

SOLUTIA INC. AND VIRACON PRESENT

Designing for security:

Glass technology
for blast protection

Eagleton Federal Building, St. Louis

Photography: Tim Parker

I
n recent years, the bomb has become the weapon of choice for terrorists. advance and protection needs to be in place at all times.
Since the early 1990s, several significant bomb attacks have occurred that Although no single product offers complete protection, laminated glass win-
directly affected the U.S., including the bombings of the U.S. embassies in dows and doors made with a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer can be a critical
East Africa, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, and the first line of defense, because the glass tends to remain in its frame, thereby helping
World Trade Center. These and other attacks have heightened concerns about to protect the interior of the building from the blast wave effect of energy which
the security buildings provide to their occupants and neighbors. In most bomb causes the majority of damage to a building’s interior and surrounding buildings.
attacks, structural damage and broken windows constitute major causes of Protection from flying glass is equally imperative, because as studies of bomb
death and injury explosions indicate, more than 75 percent of the injuries caused by bomb blasts
CONTINUING EDUCATION for occupants of are glass-related.
Use the learning objectives below to focus the targeted and Laminated glass with a polyvinyl butyral PVB interlayer can be installed easily
your study as you read Designing for surrounding during the initial construction of a building and, in many cases, can be installed as
security: Glass technology for blast buildings. a retrofit system for established facilities. Laminated glass with a PVB interlayer is
protection. To earn one AIA/CES Learning Unlike natural- virtually invisible to occupants and outsiders.
Unit, including one hour of health safety welfare credit, ly occurring
answer the questions on page 265, then follow the destructive events
reporting instructions on page 328 or go to the Continu- like hurricanes, a
ing Education section on archrecord.construction.com and bomb blast cannot
follow the reporting instructions. be reacted to with
significant warning,
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
and there is virtual-
After reading this article, you should be able to:
ly no time between
• Understand how laminated glass with a polyvinyl butyral recognition and
(PVB) interlayer can be used in the design of a building to reaction. In order
protect that building, neighboring buildings and their to be prepared for
occupants in the event of a bomb blast. a blast event, risk
• Recognize the situations in which a bomb blast risk assess- assessment and
ment should be conducted prior to the design of a building planning must be Structural damage and broken glass were major contributors to death and injury for both the targeted build-
or prior to the retrofitting on an existing building’s windows. completed far in ings and the surrounding area in the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

• Understand the dynamics of a bomb detonation and the

impact of bomb fallout on a building’s structure Designing for security: Glass technology for blast protection. 261
 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series Special Advertising Section

Terrorist attacks and glazing affects

Recent events such as the September 11 attacks and the Oklahoma City bombing Las Vegas Federal Courthouse:
have dramatically heightened the need for increased security at all high-risk One of first courthouses built after GSA standard introduced
buildings. According to a published study by the Glass Research and Testing Lab-
oratory at Texas Tech University, the leading cause of injury in the Oklahoma
City federal building bombing was flying glass. In fact, it was estimated that of
the hundreds injured in the bomb blast, 80 percent suffered glass-related
injuries. To compile their study, University researchers visited the Oklahoma City
bombing site immediately following the disaster. During their inspection, the
investigative team found glass strewn over an area encompassing six miles to the
north of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, one mile to the south, and one
mile on either side in downtown Oklahoma City. Shards of glass were even
found embedded in walls and inside the buildings surrounding the site.
The researchers’ key findings, however, came while investigating how differ-
ent types of glass products behaved during the explosion. While most glazing
systems used in the downtown area of Oklahoma City in close proximity to the
detonated bomb were completely destroyed, laminated glass windows and doors
made with a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer performed better than any other
glass type found. Having the glass stay in the frame helped protect the surround-
ings from additional amounts of falling and flying broken glass.
During a bomb blast,
laminated glass with a PVB Glazing Contractor: Enclos Corporation, Minneapolis, MN Photography: Wes Thompson
interlayer helps to diminish Laminator: Viracon, Owatonna, Minnesota
the effects of the explosion Interlayer Manufacturer: Solutia Inc., St. Louis, Missouri
Architect: Dworsky Associates, Los Angeles, California
by allowing the interlayer to Blast Consultant: Weidlinger Associates Inc., New York, NY
stretch and in essence absorb Project Completion Date: Spring 2000
some of the energy generated
The Las Vegas Federal Courthouse, one of the first federal courthouses to be com-
by the blast. If the glass
pleted since the Oklahoma City bombing, blends an open and inviting glass facade
breaks, the PVB plastic
with state-of-the art security measures. The building looks nothing like the fortress
interlayer in laminated glass
it is, and its designers say it could fare better through a bomb attack similar to the
tends to hold the broken frag-
attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City.
ments in place helping to
The 407,000-square-foot facility is located on Las Vegas Boulevard in the center
prevent glass-related injuries
of the downtown business district. The $97-million project includes 10 courtrooms,
and damage. With the
judicial chambers and various state offices. It is the first building to incorporate the
appropriate types of glass
federal government’s new anti-blast design standards, which were developed after
Laminated glass consists of a tough protective PVB inter-
and installation in frames,
the Oklahoma City bombing.
layer which is bonded between two pieces of glass under laminated glass with a PVB
The additional security measures, which include blast-resistant glazing and
heat and pressure. interlayer helps protect the
floors designed not to collapse on each other, added about $5-million, or 5 percent,
interior of the building from
to the overall construction cost for the building. The lead designer on the project
the blast wave effect. By retaining the building envelope, the blast wave does not
used laminated glass with a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer in the curtain wall
enter the building and cause additional damage by hurling furniture, fixtures
instead of the annealed glass used in Oklahoma City’s Murrah Building.
and collectibles around the interior environment—causing the majority of dam-
In the Las Vegas Federal Courthouse, light flows through the two seemingly
age to a building’s interior after an explosion. Unfortunately, laminated glass
conventional double-glazed walls, which are actually unitized panels of aluminum
with a PVB interlayer was used in less than three percent of doors and windows
frames and one-inch-thick insulated panes of laminated glass with a PVB interlay-
in the Oklahoma City area affected by the blast pressure.
er. A glass dome tops the structure, which is also blast resistant. The General Ser-
In their analysis, Texas Tech researchers concluded that damage to people and
vices Administration (GSA) gave the designers a tall order — the new structure
property in the Oklahoma City bombing could have been significantly reduced
needed to protect the interior occupants from a terrorist’s bomb — but left the
had laminated glass with a PVB interlayer been used exclusively in the commer-
execution of the assignment in the hands of the design team. Armed with the
cial buildings surrounding the Murrah Federal Building. They also concluded
knowledge gained from Oklahoma City’s massive glass damage, a blast-resistant
that more emphasis should be placed on the design of a building’s non-structur-
curtain wall was designed, fabricated and installed to help heighten the level of
al elements, especially glazed windows and doors.
protection for the building. The entire design team agreed that full-scale testing
The Oklahoma City bombing and other terrorist acts have led laminated
would be required, marking the first time a curtain wall was subjected to such rig-
glass with a PVB interlayer to be used and specified for many high-security
orous blast testing. Two full-scale specimens were used for testing at the govern-
buildings—including the $185-million Eagleton Federal Building located in St.
ment’s White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Two systems were tested using
Louis, Missouri, and the Las Vegas Federal Courthouse in Las Vegas, Nevada. In
laminated glass with a PVB interlayer attached to an aluminum frame, and sub-
addition to using laminated glass in these federal buildings, the General Services
jected to another test where the glass was attached to a steel truss framework.
Administration (GSA) announced that laminated architectural glass is among
The units are integrally connected to the building frame, rather than clipped
the products it recommends to provide bomb blast protection in all new con-
on. Compared with the simple construction of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma
struction and major renovations of federal buildings under their control. In fact,
City, the steel frame is more ductile and has greater energy dissipation capacity.
laminated glass was listed as a preferred system for use in federal facilities, as
Exterior design elements, such as landscaping and concrete barriers, are also
noted in a recent GSA release to the glazing industry, outlining information it
designed to keep explosive laden vehicles from getting near the building.
had recently provided to regional offices “for planning purposes.”

262 Designing for security: Glass technology for blast protection.

 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series Special Advertising Section
Risk assessment
When considering protection for a building, the owners and architects can
work with structural engineers and blast consultants to determine which
threats they are trying to protect against. Terrorist threats range from large
truck bombs to mid-size car bombs to small package or letter bombs, which
can originate from inside or outside the building.
Not all laminated glass is the same, and the same glass configuration may
not meet every facility’s needs. For an installation where a blast hazard is sus-
pected, a risk assessment of the facility should be completed prior to installa-
tion of any product. The risk assessment will encompass many areas that go
beyond glazing, such as progressive collapse and site design.
To start, every project is unique. There is no industry standard, and the
level of protection is determined by the building owner. After a risk assessment
has been performed, the very difficult decision to balance the amount of
acceptable risk with the amount of desired protection must be made. From a
glazing standpoint, several key items need to be understood:
1. Amount of glass desired in structure
2. Structural capacity of the glass (wind and/or snow load)
3. Blast load determination
4. Acceptable hazard level
5. Stand off distance
6. Life cycle of glazing product
7. Solar control needs and aesthetic desire
The trend toward increased amounts of glass in buildings coupled with the
desire for added protection is not mutually exclusive. The developed glazing
and framing techniques, along with structural and blast performance and long
life cycle of laminated glass with a PVB interlayer, have given designers and
engineers the capability to use more glass in buildings. Their desired or target-
ed protection levels can be established without sacrificing the comforting envi-
ronment while still portraying the desired image.
Oklahoma City’s new federal campus showcases blast-resistant
glazing technologies
Sunlight streams into the new Oklahoma Federal Campus that replaces the Alfred P. Murrah
Building destroyed in the 1995 terrorist blast, creating an uplifting vision of a future filled with
hope and renewal. Photography: Brad J. Goldberg
Glazing Contractor: Masonry Arts Inc., Bessemer, Alabama
Laminator: Viracon, Owatonna, Minnesota
Interlayer Manufacturer: Solutia Inc., St. Louis, Missouri
Design Architect/Architect of Record: Ross Barney + Jankowski Architects, Chicago, Illinois
Associate Architect/Engineers: The Benham Group, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Blast Consultant: Weidlinger Associates, New York, New York
Project Completion Date: December 2003
The design of the 181,000 square foot, three-story building in the new Okla-
homa City Federal Campus, embodies a balance between solidity and openness.
The architect defined the disparity between these two concepts by contrasting
street elevations of exposed concrete and punched windows with large areas of
curtain wall at the angled southeast and northwest faces, and in a sweeping
elliptical courtyard. Adding further to the seemingly contradictory terms of
security and openness, concrete colonnades complete the urban rectangular
Designing for security: Glass technology for blast protection.
Properties of glazing to resist bomb blast attack
The primary cause of glazing damage is the shock, or blast wave, that expands
in all directions from the explosive charge. A secondary cause of damage is
debris. The two main sources of debris are 1) the intentional missiles in the
composition of the weapon such as nails, and 2) fragments from the surround-
ing environment such as rocks or pieces of the transport vehicle. To resist the
damaging effects of a bomb attack, the glazing must be able to withstand both
the primary blast event and the accompanying debris.
Basic principles of a bomb blast
An enormous amount of energy is released when a bomb is detonated. After
the detonation, ambient pressure increases almost instantaneously, and
promptly begins to decay, forming a nearly triangular overpressure pulse. The
highest load is called the peak positive overpressure, which represents the pres-
sure seen at a point in space when the shock wave is unimpeded in its motion.
The duration of the positive overpressure is called the positive phase duration.
footprint, separating the building from the street and creating physical and
emotional security for the building occupants. The liberal use of glass in both
the interior and exterior creates a warm and inviting space.
To resist blast loads, the architect chose galvanized steel as the structural
framing components for the windows and curtain wall system. As for any land-
mark project, exhaustive research, testing and verification of performance was
carried out before the final decisions on material type, installation methods
and overall dimensions of products were made. After reviewing the products
available, the designers determined that laminated glass with a polyvinyl
butyral (PVB) interlayer and special framing system was their best option.
With the façade glazing requirements of the building met, the architects
began to explore the use of glass in other spaces. Because the lobby space was
somewhat small, the architects needed to create a welcoming environment for a
building with such a significant emotional legacy. The answer came from above.
To let light flow into the lobby from the dramatic skylights overhead, the archi-
tects designed two glass bridges that span the lobby airspace on the second and
third floors. Armed with the expertise of the blast consultants on the project,
a multi layer glass configuration strong enough to meet not only structural
requirements, but able to withstand an explosion in the lobby below, was created.
One of the most important design challenges was finding a way to use glass in
a distinctive way, while admitting only as much light as necessary and distributing
it evenly throughout the space without introducing glare or heat. Most of the glaz-
ing in the building extends from floor level to ceiling at 11 feet above finished floor.
A clever combination consisting of a high performance low-e coating with tinted
and clear glazing was used. Viracon, the glass fabricator, provided a proprietary
high performance low-e coating with a blue-green tinted glass, which extends
from floor to eight feet to reduce glare in the workspace. At the eight foot level, a
horizontal lightshelf of white vinyl-coated fiberglass awning material on the façade
of the building was utilized. These light shelves shade the glass below from direct
sunlight, and reflect this light through the clear glass in the band from 8 to 11 feet
above the floor and onto the ceiling for a deeper and more uniform distribution.
The lightweight material used in the awnings would disintegrate easily in the
event of an explosion, helping to diffuse the problem of flying debris.
263
 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series Special Advertising Section
The peak overpressure and positive phase duration determine the specific
impulse of the blast wave, and both factors influence the property damage and injury
that the blast wave can cause. These two parameters must be addressed, as some
materials can resist rapid high level blast, but will fail as the duration is extended.
Some of the necessary information for designing glazing for bomb-blast miti-
gation are the peak overpressure (psi), duration of the load (msec) or the impulse
(psi*msec) if the blast properties are known. If only the threat is established, a
load can be calculated from the size of the anticipated bomb (TNT equivalent
lbs), the distance away from the target (stand off distance) and the site altitude.
Bomb blast performance of glazing
The two primary aspects of glazing that characterize blast performance are
1) the level of blast load causing the glazing to initially crack or break, and
2) the retention of glass in the frame. Thus, both the performance of the frame
and the glazing process are equally critical.
If glass leaves the frame, it has the potential to become a secondary hazard
of the explosion. The hazard is dependent upon the size, shape and velocity of
the fragments or shards, as well as the direction in which the glass is propelled.
Classification guidelines for the performance of glazing during a blast event are
used and defined in the diagram below and in Table 1 .
Fragment Severity Rating under the ISC/GSA takes into account the final location of particles from
the glazing after an explosion as seen by the arcs and numbers in the above figure. The hazard rat-
ing developed by ASTM F 1642 takes into account the fragment size, number of fragments and their
final location and is depicted by the blocks of color. All dimensions are the same except for the
height on the back wall which is 0.5 m (20 in) for ASTM and 0.6 m (24 in) for ISC/GSA
Table 1: Interagency Security Council (ISC) Glazing Protection Levels Based on Fragment Locations
PERFORMANCE PROTECTION HAZARD DESCRIPTION OF WINDOW GLAZING RESPONSE
CONDITION LEVEL LEVEL
1 Safe None Glazing does not break. No visible damage to glazing or
frame.
2 Very High None Glazing cracks but is retained by the frame. Dusting or
very small fragments near sill or on floor acceptable.
3a High Very Low Glazing cracks. Fragments enter space and land on floor
no further than 3.3 feet from the window.
3b High Low Glazing cracks. Fragments enter space and land on floor
no further than 10 feet from the window.
4 Medium Medium Glazing cracks. Fragments enter space and land on floor and
impact a vertical witness panel at a distance of no more
than 10 feet from the window at a height no greater than 2
feet above the floor.
5 Low High Glazing cracks and window system fails catastrophically.
Fragments enter space impacting a vertical witness panel
at a distance of no more than 10 feet from the window at
a height greater than 2 feet above the floor.
264
System performance
Equally important to the design of the glass, is the design of the frames and
attachments to the structure. To realize the greatest protection, the laminate
must be retained within the framing members to enable the PVB interlayer to
behave as a blast shield and prevent debris from entering the occupied space.
This can be accomplished by enhancing the framing system design, such as:
increasing the glazing bite, adding structural silicone adhesive, introducing
enhanced anchorage and/or hardware or a combination of all enhanced glazing
techniques. It is strongly recommended to solicit the involvement of a qualified
blast consultant to verify the overall performance of the glass and framing sys-
tem combination to resist the specified blast criteria.
Testing
There are basically two test methodologies utilized in blast testing; shock tube
and arena. Each methodology can be used to evaluate glass lites or a complete
glazed system. The frame in which the glass is glazed, as well as the anchoring
of the frame to the building, both play significant roles in the ultimate success
of a glazing system. Without proper glazing, the glass could come out of the
frame. Without sufficient anchoring, the frame could come out of the wall.
The tests are different, however, in what you can do with them. Typically,
the shock tube tests are done on a single fenestration sys-
tem per blast and can be less expensive than an arena test.
The shock tube sends a wave of pressure through a tube
towards the fenestration. The pressure and speed of this
wave can be manipulated to simulate many different blast
levels. An arena test is performed with an actual blast using
detonated TNT (or equivalent weight TNT) explosive
material. Several systems can be placed around the perime-
ter of the blast, and they will experience a different blast
load depending upon the distance away from the detonated
bomb. An arena test serves a good practice for evaluating
multiple variables with the same blast load.
The two main documents used as a guidance in testing
are General Service Administration (GSA) TS-01 and Amer-
ican Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) F 1642. Both
test methods recognize shock tube and arena testing. The
protocols are very similar, with slight differences in the man-
ner in which glass spall from the glazing is measured at the
end of the test. Both documents measure the overpressure,
duration and the amount of time the load is applied to the
glass – as a means of quantifying the test. The characteristics
of the test that are recorded are:
• Overpressure (psi)
• Duration (msec)
• Impulse (psi*msec – calculated from overpressure
and duration)
• Glass condition
• Glazing retention in frame
• Glass fragment number, size and location
• Frame condition
Neither document provides guidance on the blast size or duration. That informa-
tion comes from the threat and risk assessment of the facility. Some common levels
of blast that have been extracted from designs are: 4 psi at 28 psi*msec (basic level)
and 10 psi at 89 psi*msec (enhanced level). There are some government agencies
that require 40+ psi overpressure with several hundred msec durations; however
those levels are typically used specifically for very high risk facilities. Using lami-
nated glass with polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayers in properly designed frames can
successfully meet all of the mentioned blast levels. For low level blast loads, standard
commercial frames with properly designed glazing, anchoring and laminated glass
have been shown to perform effectively. For higher level loads or complex structures,
a blast consultant or structural engineer may need to be contacted for design review.
In addition to the test methodologies outlined above, software analysis pro-
grams have been established to assist in analyzing the response of windows during
an explosion. These programs were all developed based on past testing that was
conducted and they assist blast consultants and engineers in the design process.
Designing for security: Glass technology for blast protection.
 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series Special Advertising Section

Tests prove that when windows

glazed with laminated glass with
a PVB interlayer are subjected to
a blast impulse, broken glass
fragments tend to adhere to the
PVB interlayer rather than
spraying building occupants.

CLICK FOR ADDITIONAL REQUIRED READING

The article continues online at: archrecord.construction.com/resources/conteduc/archives/0412solutia-1.asp
To receive AIA/CES credit, you are required to read this additional text. For a faxed copy of the material, 877-674-1233 or email glazin@solutia.com.
The following quiz questions include information from this material.

A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series
LEARNING OBJECTIVES 4. When testing glazing systems, the two characteristics by which blast per-
• Understand how laminated glass with a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) formance is measured are blast load and glass retention within the frame.
interlayer can be used in the design of a building to protect that building, a. True
neighboring buildings and their occupants in the event of a bomb blast. b. False
• Recognize the situations in which a bomb blast risk assessment should be 5. After the Oklahoma City bombing, an investigative team discovered
conducted prior to the design of a building or prior to the retrofitting on an glass from the Murrah Federal Building as far as six miles away.
existing building’s windows. a. True
• Understand the dynamics of a bomb detonation and the impact of bomb b. False
fallout on a building’s structure 6. In addition to blast mitigation, windows made with a polyvinyl butyral
INSTRUCTIONS interlayer offer additional benefits that include all of the following except:
Refer to the learning objectives above. Complete the questions below. Go a. Decreased visibility
to the self-report form on page 328. Follow the reporting instructions, b. Noise reduction
answer the test questions and submit the form. Or use the Continuing c. Solar protection
Education self-report form on Record’s website, archrecord.construction.com, d. Intruder resistance
to receive one AIA/CES Learning Unit including one hour of health safety 7. Bomb blast consultants may also weigh the risk of major weather events
welfare credit. when making determinations about a building’s laminated glass needs.
a. True
QUESTIONS
b. False
1. According to research, approximately what percentage of bomb blast 8. Which of the following is not a factor recorded during bomb blast
injuries are glass-related? mitigation testing for glass?
a. 35%
a. Glass opacity
b. 45%
b. Glazing retention in frame
c. 65%
c. Number, size and location of glass fragments
d. 75%
d. Frame condition
2. The strongest blast wave during a bomb detonation is known as the:
9. Of the following methods, which is not utilized to improve blast
a. Blast load
performance of laminated glass?
b. Peak positive overpressure
a. Add structural silicone adhesive
c. Positive phase duration
3. Which of the following may not be addressed during a bomb blast b. Enhance anchorage
mitigation study? c. Decrease the glazing bite
a. Overpressure 10. A risk assessment is not necessary for retrofitting an existing building
b. Load duration for laminated glass.
c. Voltage a. True
d. Site altitude b. False

About Solutia Inc. and Viracon

Solutia Inc. is a world leader in performance films, producing Saflex® and Viracon is an international company of Apogee Enterprises, Inc. Viracon pro-
Vanceva™ brand polyvinyl butyral interlayers (PVB) for laminated glass in duces high-performance glass products, including tempered, laminated, insu-
automotive, architectural and residential applications. lating, and silk-screened glass, and high-performance coatings. Apogee Enter-
prises, Inc., is a leading fabricator, distributor, and installer of value-added
glass products and systems.
Solutia Inc. Viracon
Corporate Headquarters Corporate Headquarters
575 Maryville Centre Drive 800 Park Drive
St. Louis, MO 63141 Owatonna, MN 55060
877-674-1233 800-533-2080
glazin@solutia.com www.viracon.com
www.solutia.com
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Designing for security: Glass technology for blast protection. 265

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 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series
BROAN - NUTONE PRESENTS
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Use the learning objectives below to focus
your study as you read The art & science
of good ventilation. To earn one AIA/CES
Learning Unit, including one hour of health safety
welfare credit, answer the questions on page 271,
then follow the reporting instructions on page 328
or go to the Continuing Education section on
archrecord.construction.com and follow the
reporting instructions.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this article, you should be able to:
• Understand why ventilation in the home is more
important today.
• Identify the components of systems that ensure good
indoor air quality.
• Design to achieve good indoor air quality.
Special Advertising Section
The art & science
of good ventilation
oday’s homes are built tightly, which makes them more energy efficient. The emphasis on energy
T efficiency, however, has led to another unexpected result: new homes are experiencing air quality
problems unknown to older buildings.
Adequate indoor air quality once could be taken for granted because houses leaked enough that
a sufficient air supply was produced by “accidental” ventilation. Today, tighter houses unpredictably
supply adequate air only part of the time—whenever wind and temperature pressures are strong
enough to force enough air through incidental openings.
The problem began to show up in the late 1970s, when tighter construction became necessary
because of rising energy costs. It was soon apparent that tighter homes did not always have a healthy
and comfortable air supply.
Within a short period of time, various methods of mechanically providing continuous fresh air
for breathing appeared on the market. Generally, the products were outgrowths of commercial and
institutional technologies that were modified for the residential field; in fact, most of today’s products
and strategies are refinements of those beginnings.
One such method, mechanical exhaust—range hoods and bath fans, operated intermittently in
kitchens and bathrooms respectively—has been a standard feature in North American housing for many
years. Today, the addition of continuous mechanical ventilation has become necessary in response to
more tightly built houses.
So why is the concern for poor indoor air growing?
Poor quality indoor air aggravates respiratory ailments. The incidence of asthma has increased
dramatically over the last 25 years in the U.S.
The art & science of good ventilation. 267
 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series Special Advertising Section
An estimated 23.2 million Americans suffer from the ailment, including
almost 9 million under the age of 18. According to the American Lung
Association (ALA), asthma is the seventh-ranked chronic health condition in
the United States and the leading chronic illness of children, making their
airways (bronchial tubes) particularly sensitive to irritants.
Asthma causes almost 500,000 hospitalizations and about 5,000 deaths
annually. Health care costs associated with asthma are estimated at $14.5 billion
a year. The number of deaths due to asthma, the number of Americans
diagnosed with asthma, and the health care costs of asthma continue to increase
each year. Hospitalizations due to asthma have increased 25 percent since 1979,
and asthma deaths increased 109 percent between 1979 and 1998. Poor air
quality is suspected to be a main culprit in the rise of respiratory ailments over
the past two decades.
Contamination and excess moisture are chief causes of so-called “sick
building syndrome” and are responsible for a long list of allergies and
pathologies. Concentration of toxic or harmful substances—like dust, pollens,
spores and bacteria as well as pathogenic germs and bacilli increase dangerously
when there is a lack of fresh air.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies of human exposure to
air pollutants indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be 2-5 times, and
occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. These levels of
indoor air pollutants are of particular concern because most people spend about
90 percent of their time indoors.
Modern buildings clearly have a problem in providing a healthy or even
appropriate indoor environment. The EPA concedes that about 30 percent of
new or renovated buildings have serious indoor air quality (IAQ) problems,
and ranks IAQ as the nation’s most prominent environmental problem.
Controlled ventilation, properly considered building design, and the use of
healthy building materials can provide good indoor air quality and help to solve
this problem.
THE MEASUREMENTS
Ventilation brings with it a few units of measure that may need
explanation. The explanations and definitions in this section are
used throughout this paper.
Cubic feet per minute (CFM) is the common measure of airflow.
It reflects the number of cubic feet of air flowing in one minute. The
Standard International (SI) system uses liters per second (l/s). One
CFM is about one-half l/s.
Static pressure, usually measured in inches of water, is a
measure of duct resistance. When used as part of a fan rating, it is
the duct resistance anticipated when rating the airflow of the fan;
if the actual duct system in an installation provides more
resistance, the fan will produce less (CFM of ) airflow. The SI
system uses Pascals (Pa); 0.1 inches of water is about 25 Pascals.
Air changes per hour (ACH) is the number of times in one hour
that a volume of air equal to the volume of a room, or a building,
is exchanged. Note that one air change does not remove all the air
in the room; because of mixing during the exchange, about one-
half of the air is new after one air change.
Sones are a common unit of measurement that translates
decibel readings into numbers that correspond to the way people
sense loudness. The average quiet refrigerator operates at one Sone.
Two Sones sounds twice as loud as one Sone.
268
How much air do we need?
Air for breathing is such a basic human need that it is surprising it was not the
first requirement written into all building codes. The human body can go for
days, even weeks without food, a few days without water, but only minutes
without air. And the air must be of a certain quality.
Research done in the ’70s and ’80s measured the condition of indoor air, the
relationship between the condition of the air and various indoor and outdoor
influences, and the amount of outdoor air required for human comfort and health.
Today’s standards reflect the consensus of various experts in industry and
science. Although variously stated, there is agreement that we need about 15
cubic feet per minute (CFM) of fresh air, per person. Living spaces of average
size will furnish that quantity of air when ventilated at roughly 0.35 air changes
per hour (ACH). In general, older homes may have one to two ACH just
through natural leakage. Tightly sealed new homes cannot provide the required
air through accidental ventilation.
Mechanical ventilation is the only predictable method of furnishing air for
breathing and comfort.
How do we control the air contamination?
There are literally thousands of air pollutants and potential air pollutants.
Human occupants produce some of these contaminants, including CO2,
moisture, particulates, and odors. Building materials and other indoor items
such as furniture also produce a variety of chemical and particulate pollutants.
In general, the contaminants that concern us are either particles or gases.
The list of particulate contaminants includes:
• Mold Spores
• Pollen
• Pet Dander
• Dust
• Smoke
• Grease Particles
Good quality filters may control particulate contaminants. The most effective
filtration tools, however, simultaneously circulate and filter indoor air while
bringing in air from outdoors.
Among the gaseous contaminants are:
• Excess Moisture (humidity)
• VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds – thousands of them)
• Formaldehyde
• Carbon Monoxide
• Carbon Dioxide
• Odors
Gaseous contaminants may be controlled through continually operated exhaust
fans or heat recovery ventilators (HRV) and energy recovery ventilators (ERV), both
of which bring in fresh air from the outside, dilute contaminants and exhaust them.
The art & science of good ventilation.

Special Advertising Section
Any number of high quality and widely available exhaust fans can be used
for continuous use. Two very important aspects of fans designed for continuous
operation are that they are quieter and more energy efficient than fans designed
for intermittent use. The sound level of a product which will run continuously
is much more important than it is for an intermittent exhaust fan.
By recovering the energy to heat in the winter and cool in the summer, an
HRV can provide clean fresh air continuously while helping to keep energy
costs low. An ERV will also recover moisture from the exhaust stream.
An ERV is the best solution if the annual cost of operation is a
consideration, although it may take several years to pay back its higher initial
installation cost. Because the ERV has an energy transfer (enthalpic) core,
excessively low humidity is less likely to be a problem, thereby reducing the
need for a separate humidifier and its considerable energy cost. HRVs and ERVs
also provide balanced ventilation that avoids problems associated with the
home’s pressurization or depressurization.
The use of a dedicated exhaust fan, HRV or ERV to provide low-level
general, effective ventilation at an energy efficient rate must be supported with
intermittent bath and kitchen ventilation for source control.
Continuous ventilation equipment must run whenever the house is occupied,
especially during spring and fall. Windows may be opened, but unless there is a
breeze to ensure ventilation, it is easiest and best to just let the unit run, even if
windows are open. Incidental (or accidental) ventilation is driven by natural forces
and they are least effective when the temperature difference between indoors and
outdoors is the smallest. That is when mechanical ventilation is needed the most.
Moisture can be critical
“We have come a long way in the past 10-15 years in our understanding and
reduction of gaseous contaminants, and the impact of furniture, wood products
and building materials that, historically, out-gassed VOCs,” says David W.
Wolbrink, vice president of research and development for the nation’s leading
residential ventilation manufacturer.
“Excess moisture still exists in the home. In fact, the problem has grown
more severe,” Wolbrink says.
It is essential to understand moisture in designing and operating a home in
a way that preserves good indoor air quality.
Swings in the moisture level—in either direction—can lead to serious problems.
Ideally, indoor relative humidity should be held within a range of 30 to 50
percent. In hot humid climates that may be difficult, but relative humidity
The art & science of good ventilation.
A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
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must absolutely never be permitted to be above 65%. In cold dry climates,
relative humidity should be no lower than 20%.
Less than 30 percent relative humidity can cause wood to shrink, result
in increased dust, cause respiratory, throat and skin irritations and create
static electricity.
As the outside temperature drops, so does the recommended relative
humidity inside the home, because during cold weather higher humidity
will lead to excessive moisture and condensation, which can lead to mold
and mildew.
Mold can grow on surfaces in any climate at humidity levels above 70 percent.
Water intrusion problems leading to mold buildup often are a result of
faulty building envelope design and construction that permits water to
enter the wall from inside or outside and trap it so the inside of the wall
can’t dry out. Crawl spaces also are common sources of moisture buildup.
More new homes than ever today are
gabled, and intersecting rooflines can
be another problem area if errors are
made in roofing or flashing installation.
“Moisture—and resultant mold
problems—are the subject of more
current research than any other area of
construction,” says a spokesperson for a
U.S. ventilation manufacturer.
“Ventilation won’t overcome the
problems of bad design, but ventilation,
coupled with good design, will create a
very good indoor environment.”
The house is a “system”
Modern homes have several interactive systems. Mechanical components of
the system are envelope design, infiltration/exfiltration, HAC system, sources/
remediation and general occupant contamination. The envelope design,
infiltration/exfiltration and HAC system must be appropriate for the climate to
support effective ventilation. Assuming that they are, the house will have these
things in common: people and their activities are the major source of indoor
humidity; showers are the greatest contributor; breathing and perspiration,
second; and cooking, third.
Major sources of indoor humidity
Showers Breathing & Cooking
Perspiration
Showers and cooking always produce high concentrations of moisture for a short
time in predictable spots, and are best controlled by intermittent “spot” ventilation.
Breathing and perspiration, in contrast, take place throughout the house and
are best controlled by general continuous ventilation.
Keeping these two quite different strategies in mind makes control of excess
moisture more logical.
If high moisture concentrations produced by the shower or cooking are not
controlled at the source, they are dumped into the whole house. That causes
excess moisture and makes it difficult if not impossible to provide good indoor
air quality.
Continuous ventilation is for general health and breathing, and the instal-
lation must be done with that in mind. A quiet unit properly located and
installed will be running continuously, 24/7.
269
 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series Special Advertising Section
Design of central ventilation requires decisions related to distribution. Each
room requires fresh air, and mixing can be good if doors are open between rooms.
The central heating and cooling systems ensure the air is well mixed between the
rooms and a single inlet for fresh air is usually acceptable. The furnace return is a
good way to introduce the fresh air. A single outlet for stale exhaust, centrally
located, is being used more and more as the technology matures.
The key is to ensure that homeowners will use what has been installed. The
quieter the fans are, for instance, the more often they will be used. It is important
to remember that the simpler the design, the more likely it is to be effective. For
spot ventilation, some type of automatic control would be beneficial.
Today’s exhaust fans are quieter and more energy efficient. Some
manufacturers now offer a variety of Energy Star-qualified ventilation fans
designed for use not only in bathrooms and kitchens, but also in dens, utility
rooms, offices, conference rooms and recreation rooms. Recently developed
models use 65 percent less energy than standard models and may qualify for
local utility rebates. Energy Star-qualified models now incorporate high-
efficiency centrifugal blowers that provide virtually silent performance.
Newer models have a myriad of light options, may be recessed to match
overhead lighting and some incorporate heaters. The style and operation of
these new models encourage their installation in laundry rooms, basements,
craft rooms, workshops, hallways and closets.
“Even the best designed home indoor air quality system is of no value if it is
not used,” says a manufacturer’s spokesperson. “Humidity sensing fans are the
best solution we have to that problem.”
270
What about the bathroom?
Contemporary bathrooms are, generally speaking, larger, and many new master
baths now include showers with multiple heads, whirlpool baths and steam
rooms, all of which contribute additionally to the humidity load and create a
need for increased ventilation.
The most important thing to remember with regard to bathrooms is that showers
are the greatest contributor to excessive humidity and that homeowners can save the
house from excess moisture by running the fan for 20 minutes after each shower.
Self-sensing humidity fans operate automatically when humidity rises rapidly
and turn themselves off 20-30 minutes after humidity returns to where it was before.
There are two important things to understand about humidity sensing fans.
First, the best models sense the change in humidity, not the humidity level itself,
so climates that are naturally more humid will not trigger the fans to operate
unless over-ridden by the occupant. And second, sensitivity levels and after-run
times can be personally set by the home’s occupants.
Installing a wall timer switch allows the fan to remain on long enough to
remove the excess moisture without having to return to switch it off.
Location of the bathroom fan is also a critical factor in ensuring proper
performance. The first choice should be over the shower. If this is possible,
select a fan UL-listed for tub or shower installation.
Where that is not
practical, one should
visualize a line from the
bottom of the bathroom
door and the heating/
cooling register (which are
the exhaust fan’s air
supplies) to the ventilator.
Make certain that that line
passes through the steam
cloud generated by the
shower. Air flowing through
the room along that line will capture the excess moisture from the shower.
Since intermittent contaminants are produced in high concentrations, a
high ventilation rate is required to keep them from dispersing throughout the
house. This explains the relatively high airflow rate of typical intermittent
kitchen and bathroom ventilation.
The Wauconda, Ill.-
based Home Ventilating
Institute (HVI) recom-
mends eight air changes per
hour for bathrooms. This
recommendation is based
on both years of experience
and on calculated needs.
Performance has been tested
through research at Texas A&M, and the results show actual contaminant
concentration follows theoretical dilution calculations with excellent reliability.
Exceptions to the recommendation may be considered in unusual situations such as
when a bathroom is unusually large. In the case of an extremely large bathroom,
multiple fans may be required to effectively handle moisture and odor at their
respective source.
Bath fans must be sized to meet HVI’s recommended 8 ACH. Calculate
bathroom fan size in CFM in the following way:
• For an 8' ceiling, take the square footage of the room and multiply
it by 1.1.
• For any ceiling over 8 ', take the height of the ceiling and multiply it by
.1375. Take this figure and multiply by the square footage of the room.
This will equal the recommended CFM’s. (Example- 10' x 12' room with 10'
ceilings. 10' x .1375 =1.37 x 120 square feet = 164 CFMs.)
• Both calculations will give you the minimum recommended CFM.
The art & science of good ventilation.
 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
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A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this article, you should be able to: 5. The Home Ventilating Institute recommends ______air changes per
• Understand why ventilation in the home is more important today. hour for bathrooms.
• Identify the components of systems that ensure good indoor air quality. a. two
• Design to achieve good indoor air quality. b. four
INSTRUCTIONS c. six
Refer to the learning objectives above. Complete the questions below. d. eight
Go to the self-report form on page 328. Follow the reporting 6. Two very important aspects of fans designed for continuous operation are
instructions, answer the test questions and submit the form. Or use a. size
the Continuing Education self-report form on Record’s website— b. sound level
archrecord.construction.com—to receive one AIA/CES Learning Unit c. energy efficiency
including one hour of health safety welfare credit.
d. style
QUESTIONS 7. Excess moisture makes it difficult, if not impossible, to provide good
1. New homes are experiencing indoor air quality problems unknown to indoor air quality.
older buildings. a. true
a. true b. false
b. false 8. Bathroom fan size in CFM may be calculated by taking the square
2. What is the ideal range for indoor humidity?
footage of the room with an 8 ft. ceiling and multiplying it by _____.
a. 20-40 percent
a. the duct size, in inches.
b. 35-60 percent
b. 2.1
c. 30-50 percent
c. .75
d. 45-70 percent
d. 1.1
3. We need about ____cubic feet per minute (CFM) of fresh air per person.
a. 5 9. Cooking grease and smoke are easily distributed throughout the home
b. 10 if not immediately and completely removed at their source.
c. 15 a. true
d. 20 b. false
4. Tightly sealed new homes cannot provide the required air through 10. Homes must be designed properly and incorporate appropriate
accidental ventilation. ventilation technology to provide the potential for good indoor air quality.
a. true a. true
b. false b. false

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Over 70 years ago, two young entrepreneurs set out to make residential
environments more comfortable and convenient. Today, the brands
Henry Broan and J. Ralph Corbett established lead the residential
industry in providing trusted and respected products that make today’s
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conscience, on-the-go families
Broan® is a trademark of Broan-NuTone LLC, North America’s leading
manufacturer and distributor of residential ventilation products including
range hoods, ventilation fans, heater/fan/light combination units, Indoor Air
Quality (IAQ) Fresh Air Systems, built-in heaters, whole-house fans, attic
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The art & science of good ventilation. 271

How did this owner save 12% on his steel structural system?

Interoperability – or what used to be called Electronic The reality of interoperability is that it enables building
Data Interchange – enabled the entire building team to owners to save blocks of time and money during the
communicate seamlessly so the collaborating firms could design through manufacturing phase.
identify, access and integrate electronic information across For your next project, make sure your building team
multiple systems. This interface created efficiencies that utilizes interoperability. Contact
eliminated manual re-entry of data, duplication of business AISC for a building owner White Interop
functions and the reliance on paper-based information e
Paper that explains the concept Buildin rability &
g Own
management systems. The biggest advantage of of interoperability in more
ers
interoperability is that it enabled real-time discussions on detail, and then give that
detail development and problem resolution to take place. paper to your building team.
Interoperability streamlined the design to manufacturing Just as structural steel is
process to: the material of choice, so
• Improve communication between engineer, detailer too is CIS/2 interoperability
and fabricator to meet owner requirements the technology of choice.
• Increase time for innovative thinking, (design through
erection) taking cost out of the project
• Save time by expediting the structural design
through manufacturing
• Assure accuracy, reduce RFIs and eliminate
fabrication errors
• Accelerate material procurement for on-time delivery
• Allow building occupancy sooner
866.ASK.AISC
Only structural steel gives you the full advantage solutions@aisc.org
of interoperability through CIS/2 technology. Structural Steel: The Material of Choice
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 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series
THE COUNCIL OF AMERICAN
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS ,
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL
CONSTRUCTION , INC ., PRESENTS
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Use the learning objectives below to focus
your study as you read Improving project
performance and productivity: The
coordination and completeness of
structural construction documents. To earn one
AIA/CES Learning Unit, including one hour of
health safety welfare credit, answer the questions on
page 277, then follow the reporting instructions on
page 329 or go to the Continuing Education section
on archrecord.construction.com and follow the
reporting instructions.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this article, you should be able to:
• Recognize the value of the coordination of construction
documents.
• Identify the process required to generate coordinated and
complete construction documents
• Understand the role of the architect in the provision of
coordinated and complete construction documents
• Be motivated to encourage the use of the CASE 962D
Guideline in projects
Special Advertising Section
Improving project
performance and productivity:
The coordination and completeness
of structural construction documents
What one thing could you do on your next project that would have the
greatest impact on project quality and cost?
Improve the quality of construction drawings! But how?
Proper coordination of information between design and construction professionals resulting in
coordinated drawings that are complete for construction has the greatest impact on project quality and
cost. Article after article and study after study verify that today’s typical construction project finds itself
in a morass of requests for information, change orders and extras. Contractors are often unable
to accurately bid projects as a result of poor quality construction documents. Project schedules slip,
budgets are exceeded and the members of the design and construction teams become increasingly
frustrated with each other. Contractors bemoan the decreasing quality of construction documents.
Design professionals feel the pressure of balancing increasing demands with lower fees. Everyone knows
the value of coordinated construction documents, yet the problem remains. How can this critical
problem be solved?
The solution is not to make complete documents the responsibility of a single party. The solution is
for each design professional to communicate their information requirements to design team members,
to understand the needs of the design team, to seek the advice of construction professionals and to strive
to provide a complete coordinated set of documents.
The solution is not to increase the cost of project construction through delays and extras. The solution
is to educate clients to understand that their investment in the proper design fees will add value to the
project and be recouped during the construction process.
The solution is not to point fingers. The solution is to improve the process. The solution is the
development of a Quality Management Plan, specific to each firm and modified to suit each project.
Improving project performance and productivity. 273
 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series Special Advertising Section
Development of a quality management plan
But at the same time, increased fees are not a guarantee that proper
coordination and completeness of construction documents will occur
resulting in the desired level of quality. The key to achieving the desired level
of quality throughout the life of the project is the implementation of a firm,
specific quality management plan modified to suit the particular project.
Such a plan will address, in part, the quality and completeness of the
construction drawings.
Since the mid-1990s a continuing refrain has risen from owners, general
contractors and specialty contractors regarding the poor quality of design
documents. But as often occurs in any personal interaction, complaints often
create a level of defensiveness on the part of designers. Comments like …
“I can’t provide dimensions that aren’t yet fixed.” “I don’t have fees to provide
everything you want.” “You want something different on every project!”
“Just learn to read the plans—the answers are all already there.” … become
a normal part of project dialogue.
In developing the quality management plan, the designer (architect,
structural engineer, HVAC designer…) should be cognizant of the content
and dimensional requirements of other design professionals who use
the documents to generate their portion of the construction plans and
of the contractor who will bid and execute the project from the construc-
tion documents.
Each participating member of the design team must develop such a plan
for their organization and their specific portion of the project deliverables.
At a minimum, the quality goal for construction documents should not only
be compliance with the applicable code to assure public safety, meeting the
owner’s goal of a functional project or completing the project on time and
within budget; the quality goal should also be construction documents that
are accurate, complete and with sufficient detail, quantity and location to
allow a qualified contractor to properly plan, perform material takeoff,
develop fabrication and erection pricing. This will enable the contractor to
prepare reliable initial pricing and an accurate proposal. Then, after the
award, the contractor will be able to build the structure in a manner
consistent with their understanding at the time of bidding.
Managing these routines or quality systems is an investment in time and
effort that will have a positive financial return. Using concepts developed by
professionals in quality management systems is an effective way to gain a new
perspective in establishing or reviewing these systems.
Structural engineers address the problem
In order to help break this harmful cycle, the Council of American Structural
Engineers (CASE) chose to attack the problem through a fresh approach.
Instead of focusing on their required sources of information for structural
design and pointing to examples of where they have received inadequate
information, CASE addressed the issue by recognizing the contribution of
structural engineers to the solution of the problem and focusing on how
structural engineers can contribute to the solution. With a strong focus on
how structural engineers can improve their documents, CASE charged their
National Guidelines Committee with the responsibility to develop the
Guideline Addressing Coordination and Completeness of Structural Construction
Documents (CASE 962D). The CASE 962D Guideline, published in 2003,
provides a guideline for each firm to develop its own specific quality
management plans and to implement that plan on each project. Such a plan
will aid in the production of construction documents that are complete and
well coordinated. However, the structural engineer of record cannot take these
steps alone—the entire design team must get on board in order to reverse the
trend and raise the quality of construction documents. Quality documents
can then be used:
• for accurate bid or cost estimate preparation
• to allow effective project planning and construction schedule development
• to efficiently produce shop drawings
• to allow the structure to be built as intended
274
In addition, complete construction documents will:
• include clear descriptions of structural elements and their material
specifications
• be coordinated across disciplines
• show all dimensions necessary for construction and the relationship of
structural and non-structural elements
• document the governing codes and loads used
• identify and provide requirements for portions to be designed by
specialty engineers
• specify the quality assurance requirements.
These considerations are independent of the type of framing system selected for
the project.
In developing the 962D Guideline, CASE drew on the expertise of its members
from across the country with experience in utilizing various framing materials.
In addition, they sought input from trade associations representing various
industries. This input was used to identify key elements that should be included
in a coordinated and complete set of structural construction documents.
Not a standard of care
The CASE 962D Guideline is a guideline and not a standard of care. It was
developed as the result of the general consensus of a group of authors and is
not intended to be a complete and conscientious evaluation of all of the relevant
project-specific factors and circumstances regarding the structural engineer’s
engagement and performance. The guideline is just that—a guideline that can
be utilized to form the basis of a quality management plan.
The guideline itself is structured as a narrative, discussing:
• responsibilities within the design team
• project communication
• coordination of documents
• completeness of structural documents
• dimensions
• project delivery systems
• construction document revision
• quality management
In addition, a detailed review checklist organized by drawing category, discipline
and structural system is included as a starting point for firms to create their own
quality management plan. In developing the checklist, CASE intended for
structural engineering firms to utilize the checklist as a living document that
would be adapted for each firm’s individual needs and typical project types.
The role of the architect
If the CASE 962D specifically provides a guideline for the structural engineer,
what role does the architect play in the improvement of construction drawings?
The contribution of the architect to the construction documents, while different
in content and scope, parallels that of the structural engineer in purpose. The
end goal of any set of construction documents is to provide documents suitable
for accurate bidding and problem-free construction. The architect can best
accomplish this by developing a quality management plan that establishes lines of
communication and responsibility, defines the importance of information
exchange between the architect and the design team and constructors and is
project specific. The architect may then monitor the process during document
preparation to ensure complete construction documents.
The CASE committee’s vision was that with time organizations representing
other design professionals would adopt a similar methodology and/or
guidelines. However, in the meantime the principles and concepts within the
CASE 962D document can be applied to each discipline in their development of
a quality management plan.
Improving project performance and productivity.
 Special Advertising Section
Specifically, the project architect can aid the process of developing well
coordinated and complete construction documents in the following ways.
First, the architect should establish a firm specific quality management
plan, modified to suit the specific project and encourage the design team
to do likewise.
Second, the project architect should select design team members,
including the Structural Engineer of Record (SER), who will perform their
services within the scope of a quality management plan. In the case of the
SER, the project specific quality management plan should reflect the CASE
962D guidelines. Also, the project architect should recognize that additional
fees may be justifiable for the SER and other consultants due to the higher
level of effort in coordinating and preparing complete structural
construction plans.
What design and construction industry experts
are saying about CASE 962D
Engineering drawings are increasingly being issued as incomplete and are
indicating details that cannot be constructed as drawn…. Design services are
paid for based on the number of hours expended in preparation of design
documents rather than on the quality of the design provided. A dollar spent on
better designs can often result in a $100 savings in hard construction costs,
but owners often fail to realize this.
David A. Beck, P.E.
Bennington, New Hampshire
When I call on an architect or structural engineer I discuss CASE 962D
with them because I know that if they take the time to study and apply it,
my next project with them will flow better.
Ted Hazledine
Benchmark Fabricated Steel
Terre Haute, Indiana
Improving project performance and productivity.
A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series
Third, in the initial meetings with the project owner or developer,
a clear presentation must be made emphasizing the benefits that
will accrue to the project when special effort is made to develop
well coordinated and complete construction documents. These
benefits include more accurate bids, fewer project delays and a
reduced number of requests for extras. Care must be taken by the
project architect to distinguish between the assumption by the
owner/developer that well coordinated and complete documents
are typical on every project, while the current reality is that on
most projects an adequate budget is not available to promote good
team communication and an effective quality assurance plan for
document preparation.
Fourth, the project architect should share specific case studies
of well coordinated projects with the owner. In addition, the owner
should be encouraged to advocate the selection of a structural
engineer who has experience in developing project specific
implementations of the CASE 962D guideline. The CASE 962D
document can serve as a model for the process that can be utilized
by each project design professional.
Fifth, the project architect should present the owner with a
quality management plan for the architectural documents that
clearly spells out the information the architect will be providing
to other designers for the purpose of the creation of coordinated
and complete construction documents. At the same time, a clear
schedule of information required from the owner for the
completion of the architectural process should be provided to the
owner. This schedule should be detailed and the owner/developer
should understand the implications of missing information or late
revisions not just on the development of construction drawings,
but also on the ability of contractors to accurately bid the project, maintain
the schedule and avoid additional charges.
Sixth, the project architect as the prime professional must implement an
effective communication plan defining the coordination of the key design
professionals. Good communication must begin to take place even before the
architect receives an award of services. The development of a comprehensive
scope of services by the architect, in conjunction with the client, is essential for
establishing an appropriate contract and for managing the budget throughout
the design process. It is equally important for sound project management, since
it establishes the responsibilities of the architect including their relationship to
other members of the design team. A comprehensive understanding of the project
scope requires free communication among all parties. The communication
should be open, clear and straightforward to have a well founded agreement.
Nearly two-thirds of owners indicated a decline in the quality of design
documents and pointed to incomplete construction documents as the number
one reason for projects going over budget.
FMI/CMAA Fifth Annual Survey of Owners (2004)
The publication of CASE 962D represents an authoritative integration of
articles and discussions by structural engineers during the past 15 to 20
years. Until now, the participants and audience have been mostly the
structural engineering community. The time has come to involve the
stakeholders who have the most to gain from the benefits of adopting
concepts presented in the CASE guideline.
Emile J. Troup, P.E.
Canton, Massachusetts
275
 A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series Special Advertising Section
Seventh, before and during the preparation of the design documents industry guidelines similar to CASE 962D and implement them through a
numerous team meetings and direct communication between design team quality management plan on each project.
members should take place. When direct communication takes place So, what one thing could you do on your next project that would have the
between design team members it should be documented and shared with greatest impact on project quality and cost? The answer is simple — strive to
other team members. put in place the quality management plan that will result in coordinated,
Eighth, communication does not guarantee the coordination of the complete construction drawings.
final construction documents. The project architect should take the lead in
assuring that various elements of the design drawings coalesce and perform as Typical CASE 962D drawing review checklist
a system in the completed project. Members of the design team are responsible
for coordinating their own documents under the general direction of the
project architect. Such coordination requires the correlation of design
calculations, specifications and existing site conditions with each discipline’s
design drawings. In addition, specifications should be project specific and
coordinated with the calculations and construction drawings.
Ninth, throughout the design project the project architect acting as the
prime professional must monitor the production of design documents by
the design team against the project specific quality management plans.
Managing these plans is an investment in time and effort that will have a
positive return.

Reaching the goal

Is the goal of the design and documentation process to produce a perfect set
of construction documents? No! The goal is a project that reflects the owner’s
needs and the architect’s vision, and is on time and within budget. However,
the production of design documents that are complete and well coordinated
between design disciplines, sufficient for accurate bidding and adequate for
construction are essential to achieving that goal.
CASE 962D: A Guideline Addressing Coordination and Completeness of
Structural Construction Documents is not a solution to the problems inherent in
incomplete and uncoordinated construction documents. It is a starting point
for structural engineers to address their contributions to a problem that extends
beyond just structural engineering. The goal is for each design professional to
accept ownership for their contributions to the problem, develop individual or

Words of wisdom from CASE 962D

Contractors estimate construction costs and develop construction The greatest opportunity for a complete set of Documents exists when
procedures based on the information presented in the Documents. good communication is coupled with experience.
If Documents that reflect a high level of coordination and Chapter 4 “Project Communication”
completeness are provided for a project, the construction process
Coordination of Documents with other disciplines goes well
proceeds smoothly from the initial design phase through
beyond checking that the SER’s gridline dimensions match the
construction and owner’s acceptance. If incomplete, uncoordinated
architectural and that the dimensions “close”. Of particular
Documents are provided, the process will likely contain difficulties
concern for the coordination with architectural drawings, the
and conflicts, including inaccurate project billing, increased costs
SER should check that tolerances for structural materials are
and missed budgets; construction misunderstandings; an excessive
accounted for.
number of requests for information (RFIs) and change orders;
Chapter 5 “Coordination of Documents”
conflicts among the design and construction teams; a disappointed
and angry owner; and potentially costly and demoralizing Although the responsibility for basic dimensioning of the building
litigation. These pitfalls can and must be avoided. rests with the prime professional, the SER should verify that
Chapter 1 “Purpose and Goals” dimensions shown on the structural drawings are complete and
coordinated in themselves. All dimensions shown on the structural
There has been a widening gap between the ability of the
drawings should be checked against the architectural drawings and
construction design profession to adequately describe its design and
should also be checked for closure.
the ability of the construction industry to adequately develop a bid
Chapter 7 “Dimensions”
and schedule representative of that which it ultimately requires to
construct projects.
Chapter 2 “Background”

276 Improving project performance and productivity.


Special Advertising Section
OBTAINING THE CASE 962D DOCUMENT
Copies of the CASE 962D document, A Guideline Addressing Coordination
and Completeness of Structural Construction Drawings, are available for
$30 each from CASE through the bookstore at www.acec.org or by
calling 202-347-7474. The CASE 962D document is item #10417.
A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this article, you should be able to:
• Recognize the value of the coordination of construction documents.
• Identify the process required to generate coordinated and complete
construction documents
• Understand the role of the architect in the provision of coordinated
and complete construction documents
• Be motivated to encourage the use of the CASE 962D Guideline in projects
INSTRUCTIONS
Refer to the learning objectives above. Complete the questions below.
Go to the self-report form on page 329. Follow the reporting
instructions, answer the test questions and submit the form. Or use
the Continuing Education self-report form on Record’s website—
archrecord.construction.com—to receive one AIA/CES Learning Unit
including one hour of health safety welfare credit.
QUESTIONS
1. When construction drawings are not coordinated or incomplete a
contractor will have difficulty
a. accurately bidding the project
b. executing the architect’s design intention
c. maintaining project budget and schedule
d. all of the above
2. The problem with the quality of drawings today rests with the
a. the owner
b. all members of the project design team
c. the architect
d. the structural engineer
3. A comprehensive scope of services
a. is essential for managing the budget
b. establishes the responsibilities of all design team members
including their relationship to other design team members
c. is an essential step in achieving a successful project
d. all of the above
4. CASE 962D is
a. a standard of care for structural engineers preparing construction
documents
b. a guideline that structural engineers can use in preparing project
specific quality management plans
c. language for inclusion in contract documents to limit a structural
engineer’s liability for incomplete plans
d. specifies information to be provided to the structural engineer by
the architect
866-ASK-AISC
www.aisc.org
Email: solutions@aisc.org
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Improving project performance and productivity.
A I A / A RC H I T E C T U R A L R E C O R D
CONTINUING EDUCATION Series
CLICK FOR ADDITIONAL REQUIRED READING
As part of this CES Learning Activity, you are required to read additional
material consisting of sections 4 through 7 and 10 of the CASE 962D
document. To access this material online, visit www.aisc.org/case962d
or to obtain a faxed copy of the selected chapters call the AISC Steel
Solutions Center at 1-866-ASK-AISC.
5. In general, except for several western states, complete structural
documents will not include
a. clear descriptions of structural elements and their material
specifications
b. the relationship of structural components to pertinent non-
structural elements
c. documentation of the governing codes and loads used in the design
d. connection details
6. The best first step to overcome poor quality documents is
a. for each design professional to place the blame on other design
professionals
b. for the architect to encourage communication within the project
design team
c. to request an increase in design fees
d. to ignore the problem
7. As the prime design professional on a project, the project architect
should
a. take the lead in the discussion with project owners about the need
for complete, coordinated documents
b. develop a document quality plan for the structural engineer
c. promise the owner complete, coordinated documents
d. require all communication between design team members take
place with the architect present
8. Drawing review checklists in CASE 962D include
a. all of the items required to be provided to the structural engineer
b. all of the items required to be included in drawings by the
structural engineer
c. typical items that should be included on structural construction
drawings
d. only items relating to steel framed construction
9. When a proper quality management plan is in place
a. there is no need for meetings between members of the design team
b. contractors are never consulted during the design phase
c. the project architect still needs to coordinate communication
between members of the design team
d. complete, coordinated construction drawings are guaranteed
10. The project specifications should
a. identify the material types and strengths to be used
b. include supporting cut sheets
c. duplicate the information noted in the General Notes
d. not be project specific
202-347-7474
www.acec.org
Email: acec@acec.org
277
 Product Reports
How do you recognize a well-designed product? The seminal designer
Charles Eames once said, “The real questions are: Does it solve a prob-
lem? Is it serviceable? How is it going to look in 10 years?” As I sift
through the thousands of product submissions that cross my desk dur-
ing the year, I keep this quote tacked to the wall as a reminder of the
goals of good design. Our aim at record is to feature products that are
useful, timeless, and address a problem in a new way. This is a quest
that is not only rewarding for us, but we hope rewarding for you, as well.
In fact, once a year we gather a passionate and knowledgeable
jury representing our readers—architects, designers, and product
experts—to choose the most outstanding products of the year. This tire-
less group donates a day from their busy schedules to pore over product
submissions, images, and samples, to find products that answer a well-
known or recently created demand in the market. This is no beauty
contest—products are chosen not only for their aesthetics, but also for
their sustainability, durability, ease of maintenance, and a range of
other qualities that push them a step beyond the standard.
Our jury has a different relationship with the product manu-
facturers than our editors do, and while lead times, customer service, and
price points are not part of the criteria for judging,the jury can’t help but
let these issues factor into their choices. Often their personal experiences
with a company that was stellar, or less so, will affect their final decisions.
After all was said and done, our jury selected 125 new products

278 Architectural Record 12.04

 Our 2004 Product Reports Jury
Howard Brandston, LC, FIES, Hon. FCIBSE, FIALD (back row, far left), is a
partner with Brandston Partnership in New York City and an adjunct
professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. Brandston
has more than 40 years experience in lighting design, engineering, and
electronics, having designed illumination for more than 2,500 commer-
cial, institutional, residential, and government projects.
Thomas C. Lekometros (back row, second from left) is a principal
owner and the partner in charge of design for The Lawrence Group
Architects, New York. The office is part of a multidisciplinary firm that
has practiced broadcast, educational, corporate, and residential archi-
tecture. Lekometros was formerly an associate at Gwathmey Siegel &
Associates, where he practiced for more than 12 years.
Blaine Brownell (back row, third from left) is a LEED-certified archi-
tect and an associate with NBBJ in Seattle. Brownell is the editor of a
weekly electronic journal that highlights innovative products, as well as
Transmaterial, a catalog of materials, products, and processes that are
redefining our physical environment. Brownell has roughly eight years of
experience working for firms in Houston, Tokyo, Nagoya, and Seattle.
Roger Klein, AIA (back row, far right), is principal and director of
architectural design at Swanke Hayden Connell Architects (SHCA),
where he is responsible for overseeing the design teams of all architec-
tural projects in the New York office, including commercial, retail,
educational, and public-sector projects. Prior to joining SHCA, Klein was
an associate principal at Kohn Pedersen Fox in New York City.
Morley Bland (front row, left) has been with Beyer Blinder Belle in

2004
New York City since 1991. Following her position as first executive
director of the James Marston Fitch Charitable Trust, founded by the
firm in 1988, she became BBB’s resource director in 1998. Bland is a
member of the Resource Director’s Association, an organization of
product and materials specialists working at architecture and interior-
that they felt deserved recognition this year. While avoiding overdesigned design firms.
products, they favored offerings that combined new technologies and cus- Lauren Crahan (front row, right) studied fine arts and architecture
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © A N D R É S O U R O U J O N ( A L L J U R Y / E D I TO R P H OTO S , E XC E P T A S N OT E D )

tomization options, including a rear-projection acrylic screen that comes at the Rhode Island School of Design, in Providence. She has been a
partner in the Brooklyn, N.Y., firm Freecell since 2000. She has worked
in lengths of up to 340 feet, and a phosphorescent glass block material
as a project designer for Weiss/Manfredi Architects and as a project
that can be crafted into an array of surfaces.
manager for Rafael Viñoly. She is an adjunct professor for the first year
For the second year in a row, our Digital Products editor design studio at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, in Newark.
Deborah Snoonian, P.E., organized a “virtual” jury to evaluate the best
digital products of 2004. Her jury included Patrick Mays, AIA, princi-
pal and C.I.O. of NBBJ, Seattle, and Paul Seletsky, Assoc. AIA, director
of technology, Davis Brody Bond, New York City.
Our thanks go to the jurors, participating companies, and
record interns Audrey Beaton and James Murdock for their help with
this year’s Reports. We are eager to see what manufacturers have on the
boards for 2005, and with Eames’s criteria as a guide, to continue our
search for the industry’s most exciting new products. Rita F. Catinella

280 Editors’ Picks 301 Doors & Windows

282 Top 10 Green Products 305 Finishes
285 Digital Products 311 Specialties & Equipment
289 Sitework 314 Furnishings
291 Concrete & Masonry 319 Special Construction &
295 Metals, Woods & Plastics Conveyance
299 Thermal & Moisture 321 Mechanical
Protection 322 Electrical

12.04 Architectural Record 279

PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Editors’ Picks
Our fifth annual roundup of the year’s most impressive building products

Steelcase’s Think chair is

designed with a three-part
“brain” and 98 percent recy-
clable content. [See RECORD,
June 2004, page 364.]

EcoVeil solar-shade cloth, MechoShade. Top

10 Green Products, page 282.
Ductal composite, Lafarge N.A. Concrete &
Masonry, page 292.

Metalith prefabricated steel wall perimeter security system can absorb the impact of
explosives and/or speeding vehicles and be customized by an architect to enhance its
aesthetic. Corrugated Metals, Chicago. www.corrugated-metals.com CIRCLE 200

The Blue Ocean acrylic projection screen, U.S. Nippura.

Specialties & Equipment, page 311.

Integrated-display screen, ad notam USA. Specialties &

Equipment, page 312. Solarban 60 Starphire glass (left) is ultra-clear with the solar control
of low-e glass. PPG, Pittsburgh. www.ppgglazing.com CIRCLE 201

280 Architectural Record 12.04

 Several of the compelling products that caught our attention this year featured an exciting combina-
tion of materials, such as fiber optics and concrete or LEDs and glass. Others were notable for
improvements in design or advancements in technology that yielded unexpected results, such as a
customizable perimeter wall or a lightweight aluminum chair. As always, the true test of a product’s
merit will be its ability to satisfy the demands of your future projects. Rita F. Catinella

AuraLast water-based treatment from Jeld-

Wen protects wood windows and patio
doors against wood decay and infestation.
[See RECORD, April 2004, page 206.]

LightPoints LED glass, Schott N.A. Doors & Windows, page 302.

Pilkington’s Eclipse Advantage reflective

low-e glass combines subtle reflectivity,
Bas-relief tiles, Photo-Form. high visible light transmittance, and
Finishes, page 306. thermal- and solar-control. [See RECORD,
February 2004, page 171.]

I M A G E : C O U R T E SY L E G AT A R C H I T E CT S , C H I C A G O ( O P P O S I T E , M E TA L I T H R E N D E R I N G )
LiTraCon translucent concrete block, LiTraCon. Concrete & Masonry, page 291.

The Superlight aluminum chair designed by Frank Gehry, Emeco.

Furnishings, page 316.

12.04 Architectural Record 281

PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Top 10 Green Products

Third annual award highlights the year’s most innovative sustainable products

The EcoSpace traction elevator requires

no lubricating oil and consumes 60
percent less energy than conventional
hydraulic elevators. Kone, Moline, Ill.
MSK’s semitransparent www.kone.com CIRCLE 206
building-integrated
photovoltaic glazing
element allows visible
light transmission while
generating electricity.
An edge-mounted electri-
cal connection system
conceals all wiring within
the laminated-glass edge
framing. MSK, Tokyo.
www.msk.ne.jp CIRCLE 202

The ECO I Paver is a

regionally available
interlocking concrete grid
paver designed for porous
paving applications.
Protrusions on the sides
of the paver ensure
proper rainwater infiltra-
tion. E.P. Henry, Woodbury,
N.J. www.ephenry.com
CIRCLE 203

EcoVeil, an interior shade-screen for commercial buildings made from a thermoplastic olefin yarn called
EarthTex, can be returned to the company for recycling when no longer wanted. MechoShade Systems,
Long Island City, N.Y. www.mechoshade.com CIRCLE 204

The multiple-stage Cold Climate Heat Pump rivals many

geothermal heat pumps in performance and can operate
efficiently at much lower temperatures than conven-
tional air-source heat pumps. Nyle Special Products,
Bangor, Maine. www.nyletherm.com CIRCLE 205

282 Architectural Record 12.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
 At last month’s GreenBuild Conference in Portland, Oregon, BuildingGreen, publisher of the
GreenSpec Directory and Environmental Building News, announced the year’s top 10 green build-
ing products. “Reflected in our Top-10 list this year is a concern about energy,” says GreenSpec coeditor
Alex Wilson. Other issues reflected in the selections are water conservation, toxin reduction, and
longer product life cycles. For more info on these products, check out www.BuildingGreen.com. R.F.C.

Ethos carpet-cushion backing from C&A Floorcoverings is made from nonchlorinated polyvinyl
butyral safety-glass film collected when auto windows and other safety-glass panes are recy-
cled. The backing is 96 percent postconsumer recycled, resulting in carpet products with a
total recycled content of 40–62 percent. Tandus Group, Dalton, Ga. www.tandus.com CIRCLE 208
Potlatch is producing chain-of-custody Forest
Stewardship Council–certified Hem-fir and Douglas
fir-Larch framing lumber, inland red cedar decking
and siding, and Douglas fir and white fir plywood
from three mills in Idaho. Potlatch, Spokane, Wash.
www.potlatchcorp.com CIRCLE 207

The Winston Series CPC Collector is a residential and commercial solar

water-heating system that is composed of 12 small compound parabolic col-
lectors that focus sunlight onto absorber tubes through which heat-transfer
fluid is piped. Solargenix Energy, Raleigh, N.C. www.solargenix.com CIRCLE 209

P H OTO G R A P H Y : C O U R T E SY B U I L D I N G G R E E N
The FlushMate IV pressure-assist toilet flush mechanism features an inner airtight
flushometer tank that is pressured after the flush as the tank refills. During the
flush operation, this air pressure flushes the toilet with increased velocity, improv-
ing flush performance. Sloan Valve, Franklin Park, Ill. www.sloanvalve.com CIRCLE 210

TimberSIL is a sodium-silicate-based pressure-treat-

ment system for wood that relies on a mineralization
process rather than toxins to prevent infestations and
decay. Timber Treatment Technologies, Grosse Point
Farms, Mich. www.timbersil.com CIRCLE 211

12.04 Architectural Record 283

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 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
Digital Products
3D CAD • Rendering & visualization software • Hardware • Productivity and
collaboration tools • Analysis software • Integration of design and construction data

GoToMeeting is not only highly affordable, its user

interface is by far one of the easiest to quickly learn
Sharing their digital world and master. —PAUL SELETSKY
Gehry Partners has not only packaged its
high-tech Digital Project software based
212
on CATIA for the design and construction
industry, it has also set up an extensive
training and education program for users
who want to harness its power to make
their own projects beautiful, functional,
and deliverable on time. Gehry
Technologies, Culver City, Calif.
www.gehrytechnologies.com CIRCLE 212
Printing a new dimension
Imagine clicking “print” in your 3D CAD
program and getting a 3D model of your
design, forged from a plastic material
tough enough to withstand field testing.
Dimension’s 3D printers offer just that
for a price lower than earlier generations
of the technology. The SST version sub-
merses models in water to wash away 213

support structures and allow “hands-

free” printing. Stratasys, Minneapolis.
www.dimensionprinting.com CIRCLE 213
N-Gons playing at CINEMA 4D
The latest version of Maxon’s CINEMA 4D
modeling and animation software boasts
a feature called N-Gons, which allows
users to develop complex models based
on polygons of any number of points. The
program also boasts improved “polygon
knitting” (important for realistic render-
ing) and a more efficient interface to
full-screen editing. Maxon Computer,
Newbury Park, Calif.
P H OTO G R A P H Y : © M A R S H A L L B R O W N ( P O R T R A I T )

www.maxoncomputer.com CIRCLE 214

3D models for all
215
NavisWorks allows users to coordinate
3D models saved in any file format. The
system is organized around a module
called Roamer, which allows users to
convert model files into universally read-
able documents. Additional modules,
including the Publisher and Presenter,
allow users to share files, while the 214
Clash Detective finds interferences and
helps design teams work out construc-
tion sequencing. NavisWorks, Phoenix.
www.navisworks.com CIRCLE 215

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PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Digital Products 3D CAD • Rendering & visualization software • Hardware • Productivity and
collaboration tools • Analysis software • Integration of design and construction data

Pocketing paint matches

At the touch of a button, the Pocket
Palette color reader allows users to
match a paint sample to colors within
216
the Benjamin Moore product line, storing
up to 20 color matches. Benjamin
Moore, Montvale, N.J. www.
benjaminmoore.com CIRCLE 216
All you can meet
217
For a flat fee, Citrix offers clients
unlimited online meeting time through its
GoToMeeting software. The software
allows users to broadcast a desktop to
all attendees, as well as share keyboard 218

and mouse controls. Citrix, Santa

Barbara, Calif. www.gotomeeting.com
CIRCLE 217

Integrating space and time

Graphisoft’s Virtual Construction offers
integrated modeling and estimating serv-
ices. Components include a 5D planning
module that lets users create presenta-
tions that integrate 3D models with
time and cost estimates. Graphisoft,
Burlington, Mass. www.graphisoft.com
CIRCLE 218 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
RESTORED CHANDELIERS, CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

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 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
“What-if” questions answered
IES’s Virtual Environment program inte-
grates all aspects of building systems,
performance, and assessment, allowing
designers to explore what-if scenarios
that could reduce operating costs and
improve energy efficiency. IES, Glasgow,
U.K. www.iesve.com CIRCLE 219
Speedy searching
Install X1 software on a computer, and
the program will index the machine’s
219 entire hard drive, e-mail folders, and
e-mail attachments, allowing users to
locate files efficiently in little more than
the time it takes to type a file name.
220
X1 Technologies, Pasadena, Calif.
www.x1.com CIRCLE 220
File sharing made easy
Project Website offers a secure online
repository for all information and com-
munications related to a project—
221
everything from CAD files and schedules
to task lists. Best of all, users can store
as much data as they want. Project
Website Services, Watertown, Mass.
For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. www.project-websites.com CIRCLE 221

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 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
Sitework
Site, street & mall furnishings • Site improvements • Bicycle racks & lockers

The slight slope makes the Dune Series containers a little

A cutting edge doesn’t cut more elegant and different. —MORLEY BLAND
The Nox line, designed by Raul Barbieri,
features cylindrical containers, planters,
223
and vase trays. Made of brushed
stainless steel, the products feature
streamlined “no cut” rounded edges for
safety. They also come with casters.
Rexite, Milan. www.rexite.it CIRCLE 222
Containers dune right
With a graceful form inspired by the
rhythmic undulations of desert sand
dunes, these cast-concrete landscape
containers are appropriately called the
222
Dune Series. They range in size from a
shallow wok to a 44''-high planter.
Kornegay Design, Tempe, Ariz.
www.kornegaydesign.com CIRCLE 223
Secure in its looks
Huntco’s solution to fully covered bike
storage also provides improved security.
Made of high-density polyethylene, each
shell-like pod is 321⁄2'' wide, 511⁄2" high,
and 741⁄2" long. Huncto Supply, Portland,
Ore. www.huntco.com CIRCLE 224
Lightweight and lighthearted
Made from molded polypropylene and
stainless steel or aluminum, the Take 5
seating, table, and planter line offers
lightweight solutions for a variety of
commercial outdoor and indoor spaces.
224 225
Landscape Forms, Kalamazoo, Mich.
www.landscapeforms.com CIRCLE 225
Take a load off
Offering the attractiveness and warmth
of wood, yet boasting construction that’s
rugged enough for use in the most
demanding public space, the Hudson
Bench is 100 percent Ipé wood.
Forms+Surfaces, Carpinteria, Calif.
www.forms-surfaces.com CIRCLE 226
Holier than other tables
The Tolt table and bench combine the
“classic” material of acacia wood with
226
a “high-tech” Corian tabletop. Featuring
227
a retro 1970s feel, the perforated
tabletop allows for easy drainage and
cleaning. Ideas for Living, Albuquerque,
N.M. www.extremis.be CIRCLE 227

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 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
Concrete & Masonry
Concrete materials • Cast-in-place concrete • Precast concrete • Grout • Concrete
restoration & cleaning • Unit masonry • Cast stone • Masonry assemblies

Finding visually satisfying masonry products

Light-transmitting concrete for contemporary designs is difficult. —ROGER L. KLEIN
LiTraCon is a translucent concrete build-
ing block that combines the material with
thousands of optical fibers that run side
by side between the two main surfaces
of the block. The blocks are load bearing, 229
provide the same effect with both natural
and artificial light, and have the same
strength and qualities as common con-
crete blocks. LiTraCon, Aachen, Germany.
www.litracon.com CIRCLE 228
Concrete block wall protection
228
The BlockNet system by Mortar Net
protects single-wythe concrete-block
walls from the damage caused by
water infiltration. It is composed of spe-
cially shaped, 33⁄8''-deep, stainless-steel
drainage strips with an integrated drip
edge, horizontal mesh element, and rear
water dam, plus a separate vertical
mesh element. Mortar Net USA, Gary,
Ind. www.mortarnet.com/ar CIRCLE 229
Fiber-reinforced concrete
Extremeconcrete cast-concrete material
is made from high-quality raw ingredients
blended with a choice of fibers. The
material can be used to create custom
fixtures, surfaces, furnishings, and acces-
sories for office, retail, hospitality, and
entertainment environments. Twelve
standard finishes are available, as well as
231
custom colors. Meld USA, Raleigh, N.C.
www.extremeconcrete.com CIRCLE 230
Greener drainage mat
Made from 100 percent recycled materi-
als, CavClear Stone Mat provides a
full-height continuous drainage area
behind exterior stone that will allow
water to reach the flashing and weep
system. CavClear/Archcovations, Hudson,
Wis. www.cavclear.com CIRCLE 231

230

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PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Concrete & Masonry Concrete materials • Cast-in-place concrete • Precast concrete • Grout •
Concrete restoration • Unit masonry • Cast stone • Masonry assemblies

Improved grout and cement

Lafarge’s Agilia Blockfill self-consolidating
grout is for use in partially grouted and
solid-grouted walls. The grout is capable
of flowing both vertically and horizontally
under its own weight, and has a lower 232
water/cement ratio and significantly
reduced shrinkage compared to conven-
tional masonry grout. Ductal composite,
also from Lafarge, is significantly stronger
than normal concrete: It has a compres-
sive strength of 20,000 psi (six to seven
times stronger) and a flexural strength
of 4,000 psi (three times stronger).
Lafarge N.A., Herndon, Va.
www.lafargenorthamerica.com CIRCLE 232 234
Concrete color stain
Lithochrome Tintura Stain is a new
waterborne, low-VOC, reactive product
that penetrates and bonds with concrete
for color that will not peel. Unlike acid
stains, this material can be applied to
horizontal or vertical cured concrete with-
out time-consuming acid residue removal
and disposal. L.M. Scofield, Los Angeles.
233
www.scofield.com CIRCLE 233
Exterior wall panels
Hanover’s new line of exterior wall
panels bridge the gap between
concrete and natural stone. The
stone units can be prepared with
either slots or grooves that will
accommodate many styles and
anchoring systems. Hanover
Architectural Panels, Hanover, Pa.
www.hanoverpavers.com CIRCLE 234
Concrete restoration
Xypex Megamix is a thick repair
mortar for the patching and resur-
facing of deteriorated concrete. It
has been specifically formulated to
produce superior bond, low shrinkage,
chemical durability, and high strength.
Xypex Chemical, Richmond, British
Columbia. www.xypex.com CIRCLE 235
Insulated masonry form
The IMF (insulated masonry form) wall
system is cost competitive with ICF, pre-
cast, and tilt-up. IMF reduces the amount
of concrete delivered to the job site, is 236
nontoxic, and offers a thermal efficiency
in excess of R-20, excellent noise sup-
pression, fireproof construction, no
formaldehyde/CFCs, and mold/mildew- 235

resistance. CBIS/Korfil, West Brookfield,

Mass. www.cbisinc.com CIRCLE 236

292 Architectural Record 12.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
 CIRCLE 100 ON READER SERVICE CARD
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 UC Santa Cruz, Engineering Building, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; Architect: Anshen + Allen, Los Angeles, CA, USA

RHEINZINK® – The Material with a Future

RHEINZINK® is a titanium zinc copper natural flexibility. At RHEINZINK, we take

alloy that is environmentally friendly with great pride in our customer support, pro-

unmatched longevity and elegance, ma- viding technical assistance to both archi-

king it the ideal building material. With tects and installers. With a large number

many detail variations possible, RHEIN- of installers throughout North America

ZINK complements both traditional and and material stocked in several states,

modern architecture. Curvilinear surfaces craftsmanship and lead time is never an

can be clad with ease due to the material’s issue.

CERTIFIED BY THE
A S S O C I AT I O N F O R
E N V I R O N M E N TA L LY
PROOFED BUILDING
[RZ] 2.819-4C-USA

PRODUCTS NUMBER OF
CERTIFICATE Z.RHE102

RHEINZINK America, Inc., 955 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 770, Cambridge, MA 02139
Tel. +1 (617) 871- 6777, Fax +1 (617) 871- 6780, E - Mail: info@rheinzink.com, www.rheinzink.com CIRCLE 101 ON READER SERVICE CARD
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 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
Metals, Woods & Plastics
Architectural woodwork • Structural plastics • Railings & handrails • Wood veneer •
Plastic fabrications • Solid polymer fabrications

Pep/Stage is an interesting improvement on the

polycarbonate system for making walls, plus its ability to be
Attractive tropical toppings used as flooring is great. —LAUREN CRAHAN
The Tropical Veneers collection features
handcrafted veneers containing slivers of
organic materials from South America,
such as coconut and totumo shell, plan-
tain bark, and tagua seed. These exotic
materials are embedded in an MDF base
that comes in a variety of colors and
three different thicknesses. Applications
237
include walls, doors, ceilings, screens,
and furniture. Architectural Systems, New
York City. www.archsystems.com
CIRCLE 237

High-performance honeycombs
Pep and Stage are 3form’s latest honey-
comb panel products. Pep is suitable for
vertical and horizontal surfacing, while
Stage is specifically engineered for floor- 238

ing. Both are ultra-lightweight, class A

fire-rated, and highly structural. 3form,
Salt Lake City. www.3-form.com
CIRCLE 238

Economical glazing
Suitable for wall and roof applications,
Spectra lite 16 is an economical
translucent glazing material made
from high-impact-resistant polycar-
bonate. Internal chambers create an
insulation value comparable to insulated
glass. Available in a rainbow of colors as
well as clear and milky white, Spectra lite
16 is ideal for nursery and kindergarten
projects. Rodeca, Mulheim-Ruhr,
Germany. www.rodeca.de CIRCLE 239
Prefabricated possibilities
The X-Tend2 prefabricated handrail sys-
tem features DecorCable’s X-Tend SS 239
mesh panels premounted on 316 SS
frames. Panels are available in lengths
up to 6 feet long and come in three
heights and several mesh densities. For
easy installation, the X-Tend2 system
features “no-drill” mounting brackets. 240
Carl Stahl DecorCable, Chicago.
www.decorcable.com CIRCLE 240

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PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Metals, Woods & Plastics Architectural woodwork • Structural plastics • Railings & handrails • Wood
veneer • Plastic fabrications • Solid polymer fabrications

Self-supporting curves
Panelite’s Cast Polymer Series of
translucent honeycomb panels boasts
self-supportive, light-transmitting, curved
and straight panels. The straight panels
feature a translucent colored resin cast
onto a polymer woven grid core (left),
while the curved panels feature clear or
colored resin cast onto an aluminum
overexpanded core (right). Panelite, Los
Angeles. www.e-panelite.com CIRCLE 241
Pearly fluorescents
Made of hardy Eastman PETG resin,
241
known for its fire- and impact-resistance,
the Pearls hard surface collection offers
six super-bright fluorescent colors and a
vibrant iridescent surface finish. Designtex,
New York City. www.dtex.com CIRCLE 242 243

Strength on both sides

Hybrid glulam beams feature laminated
veneer lumber on the outermost top and
bottom laminations. A balanced layup 242

means the beam retains structural value

even if installed upside down. APA-The
Engineered Wood Association, Tacoma.
www.glulambeams.org CIRCLE 243 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.

Design Contest isit our website

Winning V or order our full-

Table color catalog to see all

50 of our Table Legs.

Leg
Whitley
Exciting and provocative
design of our Whitley
Leg gives an illusion of
curves. Visual Interest
is created by negative
spaces. Perfect for
contemporary tables.
Two sizes, 27” and
341/2”, finished in
Matte Black or
Christalite Chrome.

“ F I N E A R C H I T E C T U R A L H A R D W A R E F O R YO U R F I N E F U R N I T U R E ” ®

Doug Mockett & Company, Inc.• Manhattan Beach, CA • 800.523.1269

w w w . m o c k e t t . c o m

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 Anti-Blast, Anti-Ram, Anti-Terrorism Barriers
Corrugated Metals, Inc. proudly introduces the Metalith, a
twenty-first century perimeter security system, designed to
protect critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks involving
the use of explosives and/or speeding vehicles.

Originally used by the United States Armed Forces for force

and critical equipment protection in forward areas, the
Metalith has been modified to accommodate the growing
demand for the protection of commercial, industrial, and
governmental sites against various types of attacks.

The Metalith is a prefabricated steel wall structure which

offers superior blast mitigation, anti-ram vehicle protection,
cost efficiency, and ease of installation. The product is
available in multiple sizes and configurations to meet the
custom requirements of any site in need of physical perimeter
protection.

Architects will prefer the Metalith because of the availability

of the product in varying paint finishes, metal substrate types,
and modification options to enhance aesthetics.

If you are serious about protecting assets against vehicle-borne

improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs), or perimeter
security penetrations by unauthorized vehicles, the Metalith
is the perfect solution for your physical perimeter security
requirements.

Call us at (800) 621-5617 to learn more

Corrugated Metals, Inc. about how Metalith blast mitigation and
Homeland Security Division anti-ram barriers solve critical infrastructure
4800 South Hoyne Avenue perimeter security problems.
Chicago, IL 60609
Visit our website at: www.themetalith.com

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 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
Thermal & Moisture Protection
Air barriers • Exterior wall assemblies • Siding • Waterproofing & dampproofing

[Terrart] is an ingenious system for a solid or partly solid

facade exterior. It’s a good addition to the kit of parts for
Air and moisture barrier exterior design and construction. —THOMAS C. LEKOMETROS
Sto Guard is a breathable, fluid-applied
air and moisture barrier, providing pro-
tection against air and moisture intrusion
underneath brick, wood, vinyl, cement
245
siding, and exterior insulation and finish
systems, and even cement stucco if
used in conjunction with a bond breaker.
Sto Corp., Atlanta. www.stocorp.com
CIRCLE 244

Terra-cotta facade system

Known as Terrart, NBK’s suspended
facade system is made from large-scale
terra-cotta elements that are ventilated
at the rear. By combining classic tech-
niques along with the latest technologies,
the system can work with closed sur-
faces, open glass constructions, and to
create transparent optical effects. The
Terrart-Flex system is a patented sub-
structure consisting of 15 components
that can integrate the facade into any
classic or modern wall construction.
NBK Keramik, Emmerich, Germany.
www.nbk.de CIRCLE 245
Concealed fastener
panels
Concept Series concealed
fastener panels feature a
complementary asymmetrical
geometry and identical side
joinery permitting integration
of multiple profiles within a
single elevation for horizontal or
vertical application. They are
available in three 12'' and three
16'' widths. Centria, Moon
Township, Pa. www.centria.com
CIRCLE 246

244

246

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What can you create with E-Wall ™ ?

An easy solution
to tough
performance
specifications,
for starters.

Burbank Regional Intermodal

Transportation Center
Burbank, California
Representative: Glass Systems, Inc.
Architect: HNTB
Erector: Pico Glass © 2004 EFCO Corporation

Creating sleek designs with strong thermal performance is simple, with the
E-Wall™ Silicone Gasket Curtain Wall System from EFCO Corporation. The
E-Wall™ system’s efficient compression gasket eliminates leaks, reduces
installation labor, and stays flexible permanently, even under extreme
weather conditions. And E-Wall™ boasts a U-value of .19 with a CRF of 85.

For complete features and specifications on the E-Wall™ Silicone Gasket Windows are just the beginning.

Curtain Wall System, visit efcocorp.com, call 800-221-4169, or contact your efcocorp.com 800.221.4169

EFCO representative.
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 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
Doors & Windows
Glass • Translucent wall & roof assemblies • Fire-rated glazed wall/door
assemblies • Metal windows & doors • Storm sash & screens • Door hardware

Gore-Tex meets windows? The boundary between

inside and outside is becoming all the more transparent.
Glow-in-the-dark glass —BLAINE BROWNELL
Luna cast glass contains a phosphores-
cent chemical that absorbs light during
247
the day and glows for hours at night.
Supplied in flat sheets and bricks, Luna
is ideal for bar tops, feature walls, 248
flooring, or any interior or exterior area.
Architectural Systems, New York City.
www.archsystems.com CIRCLE 247
Rated aluminum systems
Originally developed in Europe, the
Aluflam aluminum door and window sys-
tem has been completely fire-tested for
the North American market. The system
is comprised of custom-extruded and
-filled aluminum framing combined
with a clear, wire-free glass laminate.
Aluflam N.A., Huntington Beach, Calif.
www.aluflam-usa.com CIRCLE 248
Get a better view
Pella Vivid View screens feature a patent-
pending high-transparency screen fabric
from W.L. Gore Associates, the manufac-
turer of Gore-Tex fabric. Vivid View screens 249
allow 50 percent more natural light and
up to three times the ventilation compared
to standard fiberglass screens. Pella, Pella,
Iowa. www.pella.com CIRCLE 249
Sawtooth cast glass
Profile 3D cast glass features a trio of cast-
glass textures available in unlimited colors
and transparent, frosted, opaque, and
sfumato finishes. Based on a glass for the
Sten Frenke house designed by Richard
Neutra, Profile can be made using 100
percent recycled materials. Joel Berman 250

Glass Studios, Vancouver, Canada.

www.jbermanglass.com CIRCLE 250
Luxurious leather pulls
Rockwood’s line of leather door pulls
251
feature English Bridle leather for interior
and exterior applications, and Upholstery
leather for interior applications. Both are
available in straight and offset versions
and can be wrapped onto an ergonomic
oval-door-pull shape. Rockwood
Manufacturing, Rockwood, Pa.
www.rockwoodmfg.com CIRCLE 251

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PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Doors & Windows Glass • Translucent wall & roof assemblies • Fire-rated glazed wall/door
assemblies • Metal windows & doors • Storm sash & screens • Door hardware

Glass of bubbly
WaterGlass is a highly translucent glass 253

material that suspends air bubbles within

the sheet through a proprietary casting
process. Architectural Systems, New York
City. www.archsystems.com CIRCLE 252
Fire-rated, minimal profile
SGG Swissflam Structure is a fully tested
60-minute flush-joint system that provides
a clear vision area and high-impact safety,
and makes vertical joints virtually invisible.
Vetrotech Saint-Gobain, Auburn, Wash.
252
www.vetrotech.com CIRCLE 253
Translucent aerogel panels
Kalwall + Nanogel translucent aerogel 254 255

panels provide a U-value of R-10, up to 20

percent light transmission, and improved
sound attenuation. Kalwall, Manchester,
N.H. www.kalwall.com CIRCLE 254
Floating points of light
The LightPoints LED system incorporates
LEDs into transparent glass conductor
plates protected by a top and bottom layer
of laminated glass, eliminating the need for
any visible wiring. Schott N.A., Elmsford,
N.Y. www.us.schott.com CIRCLE 255 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.

Turning Grey Concrete

GREEN
These microscopic, glassy spheres are fly ash – and at Headwaters Resources,
we sell millions of tons of them every year.
Produced by burning coal at electric power plants, fly ash might be
destined for disposal in a landfill. But when added to concrete, fly ash makes
concrete easier to work with, stronger and more durable.
Fly ash also improves the environmental performance of concrete. Mining
and manufacturing of other raw materials can be reduced. Greenhouse gas
emissions also decrease. In fact, using a ton of fly ash can save almost a ton of
CO2 emissions from being introduced into the atmosphere. In addition
to concrete, fly ash is used in mortars, stuccos and a variety of other
building materials.
That’s an improvement worth specifying.

Formerly ISG Resources

1.888.236.6236 • www.flyash.com

Contact Headwaters Resources for free technical literature and

information on how fly ash use benefits the environment.

Member AIA/CES Registered Provider

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chicago school district - national teachers academy - pds
de stefano + partners wausau window and wall systems

1 877 678 2983

wausauwindow.com

Deadlines Budgets S p e c i f i c at i o n s

See Through It All

wausau window and wall systems

advantage by wausau pre-engineered windows

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Italian works of Art around the World.
There are many works of art by Italians that are not found in museums. Since the dawn of civilization,
Italians have created and exported some of their most lasting works of art in Natural Stone: statues,
mosaics, floors, balustrades, columns, countertops, stairs and facades found in buildings around the
world. PIETRA NATURALE is recognized as the highest quality of Italian Craftsmanship and stone pro-
cessing technology. Look for our PIETRA NATURALE trademark as your assurance of an Italian work
of art in Natural Stone – the perfect encounter between man and nature.

www.pietranaturale.com

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 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
Finishes
Tile • Wall coverings • Carpet tile • Resilient flooring • Indoor/outdoor carpet •
Tile-setting materials & accessories • Special wall surfaces

I’m excited to see the reuse of the old technology of

gypsum block as a finish material [for Bas-relief tiles from
Archival inspiration Photo-Form]. —LAUREN CRAHAN
Over the next three years, an exclusive
licensing agreement between Designtex
and the Guggenheim Museum will result
in several collections of upholstery, drap-
ery fabrics, wall covering, carpeting, and
translucent acrylic paneling inspired by
the museum’s collections and archives.
The first collection, entitled Singular 256

Forms, was inspired by a recent exhibi-

tion at the museum. Designtex, New York
City. www.dtex.com CIRCLE 256
Glue-free carpet back
TractionBack is a high-friction coating
applied to carpet backings that
eliminates the need for traditional wet
glues or the newer “peel and stick”
dry adhesives. Available on all Milliken
modular carpets, the glue-free system
reduces installation time and expenses
while improving indoor air quality.
Milliken Carpet, LaGrange, Ga.
www.millikencarpetsamplestudio.com
CIRCLE 257

Modern Astroturf
Plynyl Shag indoor/outdoor flooring, the
first tufted product from Chilewich, is
available in 3-foot widths and in five bold
stripes, incorporating bright vinyl yarns
that appear to have an anodized finish.
Chilewich, New York City. www.plynyl.com
CIRCLE 258
257
Three-dimensional rugs
Topissimo, designed by Nani Marquina, is
made of 100 percent hand-tufted wool
and is guaranteed to be child-labor-free.
The rug is practically flat, while featuring
voluminous polka dots that are available
either multicolored or in two tones of the
same color. The Terence Conran Shop,
New York City. www.nanimarquina.com
CIRCLE 259
258

259

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PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Finishes Tile • Wall coverings • Carpet tile • Resilient flooring • Indoor/outdoor carpet •
Tile-setting materials & accessories • Special wall surfaces

Brooklyn in the house

Designtex’s new collection of products
designed by the Brooklyn, New York,
design studio twentytwo includes nine
wall-covering patterns (several shown
here); three upholstery patterns; and
three drapery patterns for hospitality,
corporate, or residential applications.
Designtex, New York City. www.dtex.com
CIRCLE 260

Snapshot tiles
260
Using a patent-pending Photo-Cast
process, Photo-Form can create bas-relief
tiles from any type of two-dimensional
image. Ceramic tiles or gypsum-based
polymer tiles with a metallic finish are
261 262
available for wall-mounted applications.
Photo-Form, Scottsdale, Ariz.
www.photo-form.com CIRCLE 261
Send a strong message
The Pause wall-covering pattern is com-
posed of oversize commas and periods
that refer to the digital stream of elec-
tronic transmissions, including e-mails,
chat rooms, and instant messaging.
The large-scale vinyl wall covering comes
in orange, gray, and blue. KnollTextiles,
New York City. www.knolltextiles.com
CIRCLE 262

Fabric-inspired glass tile

Quilt-glass tile, designed by Erin Adams,
features a retro geometric look for resi-
dential or commercial interiors. Available
in 36 color options, the handcrafted tile
is created using fused glass in a design
that resembles a quilted fabric. Ann
Sacks, Portland, Ore. www.annsacks.com
CIRCLE 263

Designing with fire

When thick terra-cotta pieces are fired,
oxygen does not reach the center, leaving 265

the natural gray of the original clay in

that area. Vertically cut, the tile features 263
a gray surface and terra-cotta-colored
striping on its edges. Named Terra
264
Serena, this listello is designed for fin-
ishing and decorative applications in
outdoor or indoor areas. EX: Inc., New
York City. www.exinc.org CIRCLE 264
Stain-fighting grout
Laticrete SpectraLock Grout with
Microban locks in color and inhibits the
growth of stain-causing bacteria, mold,
and mildew. Laticrete, Bethany, Conn.
www.laticrete.com CIRCLE 265

306 Architectural Record 12.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
 MILLENNIUM
TM

M e t a l A rc h i t e c t u r a l P a n e l s

Ceiling Systems

Wall Systems Column Covers

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F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n, P l e a s e v i s i t o u r W e b - s i t e a t :
w w w. g o r d o n c e i l i n g s . c o m
F o r L i t e r a t u r e , C a l l To l l - F r e e : 8 0 0 . 7 4 7 . 8 9 5 4
PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Finishes Tile • Wall coverings • Carpet tile • Resilient flooring • Indoor/outdoor carpet •
Tile-setting materials & accessories • Special wall surfaces

Fresh take on wood wall panels

The Embossed Wood Collection of 266

dimensional textured panels for vertical

applications is available both single-
and double-sided in 14 relief patterns.
Architectural Systems, New York City.
www.archsystems.com CIRCLE 266
Plug-and-play
The Focus tile from Viva Ceramica fea-
tures a dimpled white base tile that can
be fitted with whimsically patterned
inserts. Italian Trade Commission, New
York City. www.italytile.com CIRCLE 267
Oxidized-steel-like tiles 268 267

Cor-Ten replicates the look of naturally

oxided steel and is available in a dark-
blue-iron finish and a rusty bronze color.
Tau Ceramic, Castellon, Spain.
www.tauceramic.com CIRCLE 268
Tough and luminous vinyl
Lonseal Nova UV sheet vinyl combines a
tough, UV-cured urethane finish with a
light-shifting range of colors and 20 per-
cent recycled material content. Lonseal,
269
Carson, Calif. www.lonseal.com
CIRCLE 269 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.

Innovative ControLite® Technology

Provides Managed Daylighting for Versatile Performance in School
Gymnasiums, multipurpose space, corridors and class rooms
ControLite® panels consist of
proprietary translucent half-cylinder
Rota-blades built into translucent light
transmitting polycarbonate panels.
The angle of the Rota-blades is
completely adjustable for controlling
and maintaining the desired light
intensity and comfort level –
any time of day, any time of year.
Models are available in a full range
from simple manual operators to
motorized operators to technically
advanced, fully automated systems.

TEL (847) 816-1060

The ControLite® Wall Glazing System
consists of proprietary translucent
FAX (847) 816-0425
rotating half cylinder Rota-blade with 800-759-6985
an opaque flat surface, built right into www.cpidaylighting.com
translucent polycarbonate panels.
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 a new
material
We are developing
the ideas of the future.
Giant formats, ventilated façade
systems, metallic surfaces,
extreme resistance, exclusive
designs... ceramic tile is no
longer only the traditional wall
and floor covering you knew.
It is evolving into a new material.
Discover it.

a new material

www.spaintiles.info • Tile of Spain - Trade Commission of Spain • Voice (305) 446-4387 • Fax: (305) 446-2602 • e-mail: miami@mcx.es

Tile of Spain is a registered trade mark of ASCER (Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers’ Association)

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 Axor Citterio.
A New Form of Luxury.

Designed by Italian architect and designer, Antonio Citterio, the Axor Citterio collection combines angle and curve
into a harmonious, luxurious balance. With its clean geometric lines and subtle contours, Axor Citterio
clebrates the wealth and luxury of water. From the collection’s lavatory mixers and shower products to its
complementary accessories, Axor Citterio is clear in form, rich in detail and diverse in use. For more information
or to locate a dealer near you, visit www.hansgrohe-usa.com or call 800-334-0455.
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 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
Specialties & Equipment
Residential appliances • Kitchen hoods & ventilation • Wardrobe & closet specialties •
Toilet compartments • Audiovisual equipment • Kitchen & bath cabinets

Anything we can do to improve bumper systems is

Super suction centralized a good thing. —ROGER L. KLEIN
Afuera is a built-in central vacuum sys-
tem offering permanent HEPA filtration.
Powered by a 520-air-watt motor, it
270
screens particles as small as dust mites,
pollen, mold spores, and tobacco smoke,
preventing their reentry into the home.
Electrolux Home Care Products, Webster
City, Iowa. www.electrolux.com CIRCLE 270
Futuristic flat filtration
Om is an almost vertical, completely flat
glass hood. The glass is silk-screened on
the back in plain colors but can be cus-
tomized with patterns and decoration; it
is less sensitive to finger marks and is 271

easy to clean. Highly efficient, it is also

quieter than conventional hoods. Elica,
Ancona, Italy. www.elica.com CIRCLE 271
How deep is your Blue Ocean?
Providing a 3D portrayal of digital video
and graphics, and asymmetrical projec-
tion for viewing from both sides at once,
the Blue Ocean screen is finely cast in a 272

high-grade acrylic between two ultra-

clear, optical cell-cast-acrylic panels that
are scratch-resistant. U.S. Nippura,
Charlotte. www.usnippura.com CIRCLE 272
Tall, Starck, and handsome
The Starck 1.2.3. tall cabinet coordinates
with every ceramic piece in Duravit’s
extensive Starck inventory. The cabinet
is made of compressed three-ply chip-
board with a melamine resin decor
pressed on both sides and is finished in
a matt varnish. Duravit, Duluth, Ga.
www.duravit.com CIRCLE 273
Bumpered up to first class
Ideal for hospitality, food service, health-
care, and other busy public spaces, 273

the Latitude Bumper System consists of

an aluminum mounting channel that
accepts impact-absorbing Santoprene
thermoplastic rubber extrusions, which 274

can be fitted with decorative strips. The

system is available in stock lengths for
on-site cutting or as a pre-engineered
kit. Forms+Surfaces, Carpinteria, Calif.
www.forms-surfaces.com CIRCLE 274

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PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Residential appliances • Kitchen hoods & ventilation • Wardrobe &

Specialties & Equipment closet specialties • Toilet compartments • Audiovisual equipment

Well-dressed closet
The Varia closet, designed by Paolo Piva, 276
is defined by a series of vertical alu-
minum studs, with shelves and
sleek-fitting containers for alternative
storage options. Poliform USA, New York
City. www.poliformusa.com CIRCLE 275
Floats like a cloud
The whisper quiet SIU401-22 sculptural
island-style hood is a sleek combo of
stainless steel and glass. Sirius Range
Hoods USA, Buffalo, N.Y.
www.siriushoods.com CIRCLE 276 275
Graffiti ghostbuster
Perfect for heavy abuse, vandal-prone
277
environments, the scratch- and impact-
resistant Sierra Series is solidly colored
throughout to avoid ghosting. Bobrick
Washroom Equipment, North Hollywood,
Calif. www.bobrick.com CIRCLE 277
Smoke and mirrors
An integrated-display screen that utilizes
278
thin-film transistor technology appears
in a mirror when on, and disappears
completely when off. ad notam USA, New
York City. www.ad-notam.com CIRCLE 278 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
 FOLLOW THE LEADER

Copyright © 2004 BSH Home Appliances Corporation. All rights reserved.

Five decades ago we invented the built-in oven—and revolutionized the American kitchen. Now the revolution continues, with a
new collection of built-in ovens offering a host of powerful features and state-of-the-art functionality that give passionate cooks
unmatched performance. Like the Personal Culinary Assistant,™ which guides you step-by-step through the cooking process so
you can quickly harness the power of these new ovens to prepare your favorite recipes. From pioneering the category to today's
advancements in technology and design, Thermador has been empowering the kitchen enthusiast for more than 70 years.

w w w. THERMADOR.COM 1-800-656-9226

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PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Furnishings
Office furniture • Dormitory furniture • Multiple seating • Room dividers • Draperies &
curtains • Blinds, shades & shutters • Hotel & motel furniture • Manufactured casework

The Nung chair is sustainable and very inviting looking.

Colorful collaboration —MORLEY BLAND
Allsteel’s partnership with Pantone
means that any of the more than 1,900
colors in the Pantone for architecture
279
and interiors group or the 1,100 colors
in the Pantone Matching System can
be applied on Allsteel’s Terrace office
system tiles. Allsteel, Muscatine, Iowa.
www.allsteeloffice.com CIRCLE 279
Supportive mesh chair
The design of the Liberty chair trans-
forms traditional mesh into an adaptable
and supportive material that combines
all the benefits of traditional mesh with
the body-friendly support found in highly
contoured structural foam cushions.
Humanscale, New York City.
www.humanscale.com CIRCLE 280
Bamboo cocoon 280
The curvilinear shape of the Nung chair
cradles the user in layered, recursive
rings of bamboo that build on and sup-
port each other. Its bamboo fibers are
sealed together with an extremely
durable, environmentally friendly epoxy
that contains 60 percent less VOCs than
281
other resins. Xeno Objects, Austin, Tex.
www.xenoobjects.com CIRCLE 281
Always in style
The Timeless chair’s seat and back-
rest are a single stretch of leather
attached to a chromed-metal
frame, accentuating its curvilinear
silhouette. Flexform, New York City.
www.flexformusa.com
CIRCLE 282

282

314 Architectural Record 12.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
Soft wall partition
Soft Wall is a flexible partition prefabri-
284
cated from 600 thin layers of a soft,
translucent, nonwoven textile. The wall
measures a mere 1'' in length when
compressed and extends to a length of
20' or more when expanded. The mate-
rial is being designed to be flame-, U.V.-,
and chemical-resistant, as well as 100
percent recyclable and made with recy-
283 cled content. molo design, Vancouver.
www.molodesign.com CIRCLE 283
Letter perfect
The k chair has a tubular steel frame
with a matte chrome finish and consists
of three removable parts for easy ship-
ping. Upholstered in Woodnotes fabrics,
the removable cover is a combination of
285
paper yarn and cotton and is available in
five colors. Centro Modern Furnishings,
St. Louis. www.centro-inc.com CIRCLE 284
Got it covered
The Flori chair and ottoman, designed
by Werner Aisslinger, features a steel
base and a back seat grip in varnished
aluminum. It has both a nonremovable
internal nylon cover and a removable

287
external cover in fabric or leather.
Modern Living, Los Angeles.
www.modernliving.com CIRCLE 285
Streamlined workstation
Vox Office workstation was designed to
meet the needs of the shrinking execu-
tive office footprint. To fit into the new
long, lean office design, Vox Office is
designed as an elegant L-shaped office
surface (wrapped in wood veneer) that
can be personalized to the individual’s
needs. Nienkämper, Toronto.
www.nienkamper.com CIRCLE 286
Sailworthy curtain fabric
Cadena, designed by Suzanne Tick, is
made of high-tenacity polyester bor-
286
rowed from the marine industry that can
withstand even the harshest of salty,
sunny, or wet locations. KnollTextiles,
New York City. www.knolltextiles.com
CIRCLE 287

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PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Furnishings Office furniture • Dormitory furniture • Multiple seating • Room dividers •

Blinds, shades & shutters • Hotel & motel furniture • Manufactured casework

Greener protection
For a description of the EcoVeil solar
shade cloth, see page 282. CIRCLE 204
Lightweight, strong effect
The Superlight aluminum chair, designed
by Frank Gehry, weighs in at 61⁄2 pounds
and is available with an industrial felt
pad or in brushed/anodized aluminum.
It stacks by unclipping the skin from the
structure. Emeco, Hanover, Pa.
www.emeco.net CIRCLE 288
Shore-inspired seating
The curved lines of the Strip chair,
designed by Carlo Colombo, were
inspired by the shape of a shell. The
polyurethane structure is available in
white or black, and with a revolving base 204
or chromed stationary legs. Poliform
USA, New York City.
www.poliformusa.com CIRCLE 289 288

Flexible office worker

Topo’s “flex-fit” walls feature unlimited
adjustment within an 18'' range to
increase or decrease worksetting size
without additional components. Users
may open or close their work space
with sliding window screens between
desks and roller screens between work-
stations to facilitate collaboration or
concentration. Metro, Oakland, Calif.
www.metrofurniture.com CIRCLE 290
Turn over a new leaf
The Leaf seating collection, designed by
the Swedish design partnership of 289

Claesson Koivisto Rune, features a light-

weight, painted steel frame that supports
a fixed cushion folded over on itself to
striking effect, particularly with two-tone
290
upholstery (shown). Living Divani, Los
Angeles. www.modernliving.com
CIRCLE 291

Sustaining student life

Sustain residence-hall furniture features
an appearance, strength, and hardness
similar to oak, but it is constructed of
renewable, ecofriendly rubberwood.
Intended to weather years of heavy use,
the line features solid wood construction,
integrated drawer pulls with replaceable
drawer fronts, 100-pound steel-ball-
bearing drawer slides, and joinery details
such as dovetails, mortise, and tenon. KI, 292
Green Bay, Wis. www.ki.com CIRCLE 292
291

316 Architectural Record 12.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
PUSHING THE BUILDING ENVELOPE
THERMO 3 SERIES
HIGH PERFORMANCE UNITIZED CURTAIN WALL SYSTEMS
Sota Glazing Inc. has developed the new THERMO 3 SERIES SYSTEM to satisfy the performance
requirements of today and the future. The use of Polyamide Structural Thermal Breaks have
allowed Sota to improve the thermal performance of the framing system by 100% over
conventional thermally broken type curtain wall systems. The unique design of the THERMO 3
SERIES SYSTEM allows for an array of options like, Fully Captured, Vertical Butt Joints, 4-sided
Structural Silicone, Metal Panels, Granite Infills, Sunshades and much more.

Frame 'U' Values Approx. Weighted Wall 'U' Values Condensation Resistance Factor

0.75 btu/h-ft2-F° * 0.25 btu/h-ft2-F° ** No Condensation ***

-10°F Exterior / +72°F Interior
Relative Humidity of 50%

* Approximate Value for Fully Captured Mullion ** Based on 40% Spandrel & 60% Vision *** May vary according to frame & glass configuration

1 866 846 SOTA

www.sotawall.com
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 You’ve designed your own
exposed connectors for years.
It’s break time.

You’ve always had to custom-design connectors for exposed residential and commercial wood
framing, then have them fabricated and finished. Now you can simply specify them. The new
Architectural Products Group from Simpson Strong-Tie® offers a wide range of prefinished
connectors that combine load-rated structural integrity with decorative architectural detailing.
To see the full line visit our Web site, or call 866.860.9011 to learn more.

www.ExposedConnectors.com/Details4

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 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
Special Construction & Conveyance
Solar energy systems • Security access • Retractable enclosures • Elevators

Siedle ushers in the brave new world of fingerprint-based

Space-saving elevator system security control with a Minimalist design. —BLAINE BROWNELL
ThyssenKrupp claims the company’s ISIS
elevator saves, on average, 60 square
293
feet of building space per elevator. The
geared traction system will serve two to
50 stops, and features a lift system that
includes a synthetic hoist rope made of
Dupont Kevlar that is stronger and more
flexible than traditional steel rope, and an
advanced set of synthetic modular traction
sheaves. The sheaves, one third the size of
typical steel sheaves, allow for reduced
machine and motor sizes and for ISIS to
be contained completely within the eleva-
tor shaft. ThyssenKrupp Elevator, Frisco,
Tex. www.thyssenkrupp.com CIRCLE 293
Powerful photovoltaics
RWI Schott Solar’s semitransparent
building-integrated photovoltaic panels
for windows, facades, and skylights lower
294
energy costs, provide glare protection,
supply heat insulation, and help reduce
greenhouse gases. Independent studies
show that the thin-film panels provide 20
percent more energy per rated wattpeak
unit than other solar-cell technologies.
Schott North America, Elmsford, N.Y. 295

www.us.schott.com
CIRCLE 294

Large-span retractable roofs

OpenAire has developed a proprietary
aluminum building system that can span
150 degrees and extend to any length
desired. These structures have thermally
broken frames and incorporate a
retractable roof capable of opening 50
percent of the rafter length. OpenAire,
Mississauga, Ontario. www.openaire.com
CIRCLE 295

Security at your fingertips

Siedle’s fingerprint-based access control
for residential and small commercial 296
applications features a compact design
and simple operation. Each finger read is
compared with stored print information
of entitled persons. Siedle
Communications Systems, Broomall, Pa.
www.siedleusa.com CIRCLE 296

For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service. 12.04 Architectural Record 319
 INTRODUCING SLOAN NO FLUSH,
NO FUSS WATERFREE URINALS
Water Conservation.
Superior Performance.
Design your next “green” restroom with Sloan Waterfree Urinals.
Sloan offers the latest in water-saving technology—without
sacrificing performance—with sleek, contemporary styling that
complements any restroom design.

Sloan Waterfree Urinals keep restrooms fresh, eliminate water Cartridges Filter Waste,
usage and provide additional benefits including: Lock in Odor

• Water-efficient LEED™ credit points

• Hygienic touch-free, odor-free operation
1
• Easily replaceable cartridge filters waste and seals in odors
• Easy installation and less maintenance 2
3

Sloan Waterfree Urinals, which contribute to water-efficient The cartridge acts as a funnel directing
flow through the liquid sealant 1 ,
LEED credits, save nearly the capacity of your average swimming preventing any odors from escaping.
Next, the cartridge collects sediment 2 ,
allowing the remaining waste to pass
pool per cartridge—savings that have a meaningful impact on freely down the drain 3 .

building operating costs year after year.

Call 800-9-VALVE-9 (800-982-5839) for your FREE brochure or visit

www.sloanwaterfree.com to learn more.

Sloan Leads The Way In Water Conservation

8 0 0 . 9 . VA LV E . 9
(800-982-5839)
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 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
Mechanical
Plumbing fixtures • Water filtration equipment • Fittings, trim & accessories

The WT.RX basin offers a striking

Luxe cylindrical basin shape and material presentation. —THOMAS C. LEKOMETROS
Alape’s WT.RX basin is a single stream-
lined cylinder that stands approximately
3' tall. Made of scratchproof glassed steel,
WT.RX is available as a full pedestal in
either a round or rectangular pillar shape.
Alape, Duluth, Ga. www.alape.com
CIRCLE 297 299

Laminar wall-mount faucets

Kohler has paired the clear water deliv-
ery of the laminar technology with the
sleek, paired-down style of the Stillness
and Purist wall-mount faucet designs.
Kohler, Kohler, Wis. www.kohler.com
CIRCLE 298

Drinking water purifier

Capable of removing bacteria, viruses, and
protozoa, the Purefecta Drinking Water
Purifier is the first drinking-water system
certified as a microbiological purifier for
residential, health-care, and light commer- 298
cial applications. Kinetico, Newbury, Ohio.
www.kinetico.com CIRCLE 299 297
Egg-inspired bath fixtures
Inspired by the oval shape of an egg,
300
Conran & Partners have designed Aveo,
a collection of bathroom fixtures from
Villeroy & Boch, including a lavatory,
bidet, toilet, and tub. Villeroy & Boch,
Monroe Township, N.J.
www.villeroy-boch.com CIRCLE 300
Tub for two
Norman Foster’s first design for Hoesch
301
includes single- or double-seated bathtubs
in four sizes. The high neck area of the
double-seated tub offers a modern twist
on the look of the traditional galvanized
tub. Hoesch, Ronkonkoma, N.Y.
www.hoesch.de CIRCLE 301
Updating the original
The Axor Steel collection of stainless-steel
bath and kitchen faucets, shower products,
and accessories has a new streamlined
look that combines the curved and circular
shapes of the earlier version with straight
lines, flat surfaces, and square angles.
302
Hansgrohe, Alpharetta, Ga.
www.hansgrohe-usa.com CIRCLE 302

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PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Electrical
Interior & exterior luminaires • Lamps & ballasts • Sound reinforcement • Dimming
control • Stair, walkway, roadway & parking area luminaires • Fiber-optic lighting

This collection of new lighting products will be of great

value to lighting designers and their future projects.
Minimalist pendant —HOWARD M. BRANDSTON
Soli Zontio comes with or without an
etched-glass diffuser suspended within
the center of the rectangular extruded-
aluminum form. The pendant features
two T5 lamps and two 28-watt or 54-
watt lamps that direct light up and onto
the diffuser and ceiling plane while a slit
of light emanates onto the work surface
below. Lightolier, Fall River, Mass.
www.lightolier.com CIRCLE 303
Adjustable area lighting
The pole top design for Bega’s Adjustable
Gantry System presents a clean, simpli-
fied design solution, addresses a variety
of road and pathway applications, and 303

adheres to I.E.S. Full Cutoff requirements.

Bega/US, Carpinteria, Calif.
www.bega-us.com CIRCLE 304
304
Energy-efficient options
Sylvania Prominence is illuminated by
solid-state LEDs enclosed in polycarbon-
ate tubing and controlled by a patented
low-voltage power supply. Prominence
uses 75 percent less energy than neon
and is virtually maintenance-free.
Sylvania HaloBright halogen lamps can
be used almost anywhere incandescent
lamps are used, and fit in most standard
fixtures. Watt for watt they deliver higher
lumens than standard incandescent
lamps and have a 3,000-hour average
rated life, up to four times longer than
incandescents. Osram Sylvania, Danvers,
305
Mass. www.sylvania.com CIRCLE 305
Camouflaged speakers
Martin Architectural’s new Flat panel
speakers offer top audio reproduction
in a slim speaker construction that
integrates seamlessly into the interior
design of a space. A collection of themed
designs is available, or custom designs
306
can be created to match any concept.
For true camouflaging or flush mounting,
specifiers can print or paint directly
onto the Flat speaker itself. Martin
Architectural, Sunrise, Fla.
www.martinarchitectural.com CIRCLE 306

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 PRODUCT REPORTS 2004
Centralized lighting control
The Grafik 7000 centralized lighting control
system offers advanced hardware capa-
bilities and customizable user interfaces
for flexible and seamless integration of
dimming, switching, window-shading sys-
tems, and daylighting. Lutron Electronics,
Coopersburg, Pa. www.lutron.com
CIRCLE 307

Wildly colorful LED option

iColor Tile FX works independently or as
part of a large-scale, multitile installation.
Each 2' x 2' panel incorporates 144 individ-
ually addressable tricolor nodes that are
308
powered to create images with light. Color
Kinetics, Boston. www.colorkinetics.com
CIRCLE 308

An illuminating wardrobe
Retail Rod is a fluorescent rod system for
307
retail-store clothing displays and residential
closets that evenly distributes light emitted
from a choice of linear T2 and T5 fluores-
cent lamps. Ardee Lighting, Shelby, N.C.
www.ardeelighting.com CIRCLE 309
LED signage and cove lighting
LightScript is an LED-based illumination
solution for channel lettering in corporate
309 identity signage applications. LED-based
signage solutions deliver up to 80 percent
energy savings; greatly reduced mainte-
nance costs; and a wide variety of colors,
font sizes, and design capabilities. Destiny
CV is a cove luminaire that incorporates
high-flux LEDS and advanced solid-state
lighting technology to provide an even sur-
face glow while projecting a farther throw.
TIR Systems, Burnaby, British Columbia.
www.tirsys.com CIRCLE 310
High color rendering
311 Uni-Form Natural White pulse-start metal-
halide systems feature a color-rendering
310 index greater than 90, an improvement
over ceramic metal-halide lamps. When
used with an electronic ballast, the sys-
tems can be dimmed to 35 percent of
rated lamp power for energy savings.
Venture Lighting, Solon, Ohio.
www.venturelighting.com CIRCLE 311

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PRODUCT REPORTS 2004

Electrical Interior & exterior luminaires • Lamps & ballasts • Sound reinforcement •
Dimming control • Roadway & parking area luminaires • Fiber-optic lighting

Colorful downlight
Candéo is a decorative, high-perform-
ance, recessed downlighting product
available in white or saturated colors,
including sky blue, sea green, and sand.
Gotham Architectural Lighting, Conyers,
Ga. www.gothamlighting.com CIRCLE 312
Multitasking landscape light
The SL-43 in-ground/above-ground land-
312
scape lighting luminaire is ideal for
pedestrian areas to wall wash buildings,
314
illuminate signs, light landscape grounds,
and accent pathways. The fixture pro-
vides superior resistance to corrosion,
the effects of UV radiation, and inclement
weather. Allscape, Santa Ana, Calif.
www.alllighting.com CIRCLE 313
Rapid-start ballast
The T5HO high-range voltage AccuStart 5
ballast is intended for applications from
347 to 480 volts. It features programmed
rapid-start technology to provide long
lamp life in frequently switched applica-
tions, such as occupancy sensors.
Universal Lighting Technologies, Nashville.
www.universalballast.com CIRCLE 314
Troubleshooting device
I.Q. On Board is a troubleshooting LED
signal device for outdoor commercial
lighting fixtures. When the lamp does not
go on, a LED will light if the failure is due
to the lamp; if the LED does not go on,
that means the ballast has failed, allow-
ing for the correct component to be
repaired without delay. Beacon Products,
Sarasota, Fla. www.beaconproducts.com 313
315
CIRCLE 315

Fiber-optic downlights
EFO is the only fiber-optic light source to
provide highly energy efficient
downlighting with the focused
luminance and directional optics
of MR series lamps, in a price-
competitive system. Fiberstars,
Fremont, Calif. www.fiberstars.com
CIRCLE 316

Soundmasking floors
The DS2490LP (low profile) sound-
masker is a dual-driver device for
use in cavities as shallow at 13⁄4'',
combating the threat of eaves- 316

dropping through raised-access floors

and from below the area of concern. It
also provides protection in ceiling cavities
317
as shallow as 5''. Dynasound, Norcross,
Ga. www.dynasound.com CIRCLE 317

324 Architectural Record 12.04 For more information, circle item numbers on Reader Service Card or go to www.archrecord.com, under Resources, then Reader Service.
Arts&Crafts TM

Designed with the energy efficiency and

optical performance of a modern luminaire,
the Arts & Crafts reflects the style and
warmth of the Craftsman era.

www.aal.net

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 A I A / ARCH I TECTURAL R ECOR D
CONT INU ING EDUCAT ION
Program title: “Entrepreneurial Curators Seek Innovations,” Architectural Record (12/04, page 215). 124EDITL
AIA/CES Credit: This article will earn you one AIA/CES LU hour of health, safety, and welfare credit. (Valid for credit through December 2006.)
Directions: Select one answer for each question in the exam and completely circle appropriate letter. A minimum score of 70% is required to earn credit.
1. a b c d 6. a b c d
2. a b c d 7. a b c d
3. a b c d 8. a b c d
4. a b c d 9. a b c d
5. a b c d 10. a b c d

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❏ For certificate of completion: As required by certain states, answer test questions, fill out form above, and mail to above address, or fax to 609/426-5592. Your test
will be scored. Those who pass with a score of 70% or higher will receive a certificate of completion.
Material resources used: Article: This article addresses issues concerning health and safety.
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Program title: “Hard surface flooring,” multi-sponsored, (12/04, page 243) 124SPONJ

AIA/CES Credit: This article will earn you one AIA/CES LU hour of health safety welfare credit. (Valid for credit through December 2006)
Directions: Select one answer for each question in the exam and completely circle appropriate letter. A minimum score of 70% is required to earn credit.
1. a b c d 6. a b c d
2. a b c d 7. a b c d
3. a b c d 8. a b c d
4. a b c d 9. a b c d
5. a b c d 10. a b c d

Last Name First Name Middle Initial or Name

Firm Name

Address City State Zip

Tel Fax E-mail

AIA ID Number Completion date (M/D/Y):

Check one: ❏
$10 Payment enclosed. (Make check payable to Architectural Record and mail to: Architectural Record/Continuing Education Certificate, PO Box 682,
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Charge my: ❏ Visa ❏ Mastercard ❏ American Express Card#

Signature Exp. Date

Check below:
❏ To register for AIA/CES credits: Answer the test questions and send the completed form with questions answered to above address or fax to 609-426-5592.
❏ For Certificate of Completion: As required by certain states, answer test questions, fill out form above, and mail to above address. or fax to 609-426-5592.
Your test will be scored. Those who pass with a score of 70% or higher will receive a certificate of completion.
Material resources used: Article: This article addresses issues concerning health and safety.
I hereby certify that the above information is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and that I have complied with the AIA Continuing Education
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326 Architectural Record 12.04

 Joann Davis-Brayman
VP Marketing,
Commercial Ceilings
Armstrong

Sweets works for me.

“We trust and depend on Sweets to carry our product
messages into the marketplace.”
Sweets. Your connection to the most comprehensive source of building product information.
Any format. Any time. Anywhere. Put Sweets to work for you.
Register online for FREE access and searches for building products at
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Manufacturers: To learn more about including your products in Sweets, call us at 1-800-394-4309.

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 A I A / ARCH I TECTURAL R ECOR D
CONT INU ING EDUCAT ION

Program title: “Designing for security: Glass technology for blast protection,” sponsored by Solutia Inc. and Viracon, (12/04, page 261) 124SPONH

AIA/CES Credit: This article will earn you one AIA/CES LU hour of health safety welfare credit. (Valid for credit through December 2006)
Directions: Select one answer for each question in the exam and completely circle appropriate letter. A minimum score of 70% is required to earn credit.
1. a b c d 6. a b c d
2. a b c d 7. a b c d
3. a b c d 8. a b c d
4. a b c d 9. a b c d
5. a b c d 10. a b c d

Last Name First Name Middle Initial or Name

Firm Name

Address City State Zip

Tel Fax E-mail

AIA ID Number Completion date (M/D/Y):

Check one: ❏
$10 Payment enclosed. (Make check payable to Architectural Record and mail to: Architectural Record/Continuing Education Certificate, PO Box 682,
Hightstown, NJ 08520-0682.) For Customer Service, call: 877-876-8093.

Charge my: ❏ Visa ❏ Mastercard ❏ American Express Card#

Signature Exp. Date

Check below:
❏ To register for AIA/CES credits: Answer the test questions and send the completed form with questions answered to above address or fax to 609-426-5592.

❏ For Certificate of Completion: As required by certain states, answer test questions, fill out form above, and mail to above address. or fax to 609-426-5592.
Your test will be scored. Those who pass with a score of 70% or higher will receive a certificate of completion.
Material resources used: Article: This article addresses issues concerning health and safety.
I hereby certify that the above information is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and that I have complied with the AIA Continuing Education
Guidelines for the reported period.
Signature Date

A I A / ARCH I TECTURAL R ECOR D

CONT INU ING EDUCAT ION

Program title: “The art and science of good ventilation,” sponsored by Broan-NuTone, (12/04, page 267) 124SPONG

AIA/CES Credit: This article will earn you one AIA/CES LU hour of health safety welfare credit. (Valid for credit through December 2006)
Directions: Select one answer for each question in the exam and completely circle appropriate letter. A minimum score of 70% is required to earn credit.
1. a b c d 6. a b c d
2. a b c d 7. a b c d
3. a b c d 8. a b c d
4. a b c d 9. a b c d
5. a b c d 10. a b c d

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Check one: ❏
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❏ To register for AIA/CES credits: Answer the test questions and send the completed form with questions answered to above address or fax to 609-426-5592.
❏ For Certificate of Completion: As required by certain states, answer test questions, fill out form above, and mail to above address. or fax to 609-426-5592.
Your test will be scored. Those who pass with a score of 70% or higher will receive a certificate of completion.
Material resources used: Article: This article addresses issues concerning health and safety.
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328 Architectural Record 12.04

 A I A / ARCH I TECTURAL R ECOR D
CONT INU ING EDUCAT ION

Program title: “Improving project performance and productivity,” sponsored by AISC, ACEC, and CASE, (12/04, page 273) 124SPONI
AIA/CES Credit: This article will earn you one AIA/CES LU hour of health safety welfare credit. (Valid for credit through December 2006)
Directions: Select one answer for each question in the exam and completely circle appropriate letter. A minimum score of 70% is required to earn credit.
1. a b c d 6. a b c d
2. a b c d 7. a b c d
3. a b c d 8. a b c d
4. a b c d 9. a b c d
5. a b c d 10. a b c d
Last Name First Name Middle Initial or Name

Firm Name

Address City State Zip

Tel Fax E-mail

AIA ID Number Completion date (M/D/Y):

Check one: ❏
$10 Payment enclosed. (Make check payable to Architectural Record and mail to: Architectural Record/Continuing Education Certificate, PO Box 682,
Hightstown, NJ 08520-0682.) For Customer Service, call: 877-876-8093.

Charge my: ❏ Visa ❏ Mastercard ❏ American Express Card#

Signature Exp. Date

Check below:
❏ To register for AIA/CES credits: Answer the test questions and send the completed form with questions answered to above address or fax to 609-426-5592.

❏ For Certificate of Completion: As required by certain states, answer test questions, fill out form above, and mail to above address. or fax to 609-426-5592.
Your test will be scored. Those who pass with a score of 70% or higher will receive a certificate of completion.
Material resources used: Article: This article addresses issues concerning health and safety.
I hereby certify that the above information is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and that I have complied with the AIA Continuing Education
Guidelines for the reported period.
Signature Date

12.04 Architectural Record 329

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Nalsa Modern Outdoor

Pass the ARE 3.0. Study With Archiflash® 800-411-7314 Commercial Grade Outdoor Furniture 818-838-7060
1 General data 2 Site construction

Get the NEW 2005 5th Edition. High style, clean-lined simplicity, short
Celebrating Over 10 Years of Success. lead times, environmentally conscious
Prepare for the Architect Registration materials—these are the attributes of
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tains 1,152 expertly written flashcards quality outdoor furniture with a defini-
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Forces, Mechanical & Electrical Sys- grade products designed for the
tems, Building Design/Materials & restaurant, hospitality, and resort indus-
Methods, and Construction Documents tries, with an aesthetic that is perfect
& Services. Learning is easy with time- for a residential client's backyard set-
saving charts, definitions, diagrams, ting. The entirety of the Collection is
and multiple choice Q&A. More infor- made from Ipe, Electropolished
mation than you ever thought possible Stainless Steel, and Natural Composite
in an easy-to-use flashcard format. materials. Modern Outdoor offers
Only $99.95. Individual divisions avail- attractive trade pricing and is capable
able for $24.00 each. Order by phone of producing large scale contract
or online. orders. Online, you can view the
Collection and request a catalog.

www.archiflash.com 150 www.modernoutdoor.com 153

Eurocobble DEX Studios

European Cobblestone 877-877-5012 Terrazzo & Concrete 404-753-0600
2 Site construction 3 Concrete

An updated catalog features authentic DEX manufacturers precast architectur-

European cobblestone preassembled al concrete and terrazzo products for
in modular form. Modules in square, commercial, multi-unit, and residential
fan, concentric ring, and custom for- applications. Superior finishes and colors
mats arrive at the job site ready for a in both cast concrete and terrazzo are
quick and easy installation. Pedestrian available in sinks, bathtubs, shower
or vehicular application. Eurocobble® pans, tile, bar and countertops, table-
has supplied the design community tops, fireplaces, and tilt-up wall panels.
with traditional and customized paving All DEX products are pre-cast in a con-
solutions for over 20 years. Call toll free trolled environment, polished to a hard
or visit the Web site. dense finish, and sealed to enhance
depth and protect the finished product.
Sample boards of 25 spectacular con-
crete colors and 10 standard terrazzo fin-
ishes available. DEX has a combined
total of 50 designs and sizes of sinks, all
standardized with several ADA compliant
designs to make specifying them easy.

www.eurocobble.com 151 www.dexstudios.com 154

Master Halco, Inc. L. M. Scofield Company

Decorative Wire Fencing Concrete Coloring Admixture 800-800-9900
2 Site construction 3 Concrete

New EuroScape™ 300 Decorative Wire CHROMIX® Admixtures for Color-

fencing incorporates some of the best Conditioned™ Concrete: Award-winning
design elements of industry-leading orna- projects begin with award-winning
mental iron and color chain-link. Its steel materials. CHROMIX Admixtures for
and wire mesh construction in a special Color-Conditioned Concrete are col-
twin wire design creates unique joint ored, water-reducing, set-controlling
strength and durability. EuroScape 300 is admixtures for ready mixed architectur-
available in four colors: tan, bronze, white, al concrete. Coloring concrete integral-
and black. Decorative wire fencing com- ly, they produce rich hardscapes and
plements a variety of architectural styles precast, tilt-up, or cast-in-place build-
and is backed by a 12-year limited war- ings of enduring beauty. CHROMIX
ranty. With more than 60 locations across Admixtures provide permanent, streak-
North America, Master Halco has the free color conditioning and increased
products and services to satisfy your concrete strength at all ages. Call or
project requirements. Visit the Web site to email to request color cards and speci-
view extensive product offering and fications. Email info@scofield.com
download specifications and drawings.
(Black decorative wire fencing as seen in
the 2003 Sunset Idea House.)

www.FenceOnline.com 152 www.scofield.com 155

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Circle Redmont, Inc. Chemetal

Glass Systems 800-358-3888 Metallic Laminates
4 Masonry 5 Metals

Circle Redmont’s cutting edge tech- Chemetal® offers over 100 metallic lam-
nologies and passion for dramatic ele- inates. The company now produces a
gance shine through every glass new line of "Tints," 13 colors available
system it manufactures. At the heart of on any of six expressive brushed metal
the Circle Redmont philosophy is a firm designs from The Vortex Collection™.
commitment to the production of the Treefrog Veneer™, a division of
highest quality glass products that Chemetal, offers 28 finishes ranging
combine intelligence with sophisticated from traditional species to tropical
precision; the result—simply beautiful. woods, burls, birdseyes, and more.
Call them at 800-358-3888 or visit the Both Chemetal and Treefrog Veneers
Web site at www.CircleRedmont.com. are used in a diverse range of applica-
tions including wall and ceiling panels,
door fronts, decorative columns, sig-
nage, store fixtures, and exhibit booths.
Chemetal has stocking distributors
throughout the U.S. and Canada, as
well as distributors in Puerto Rico,
Mexico, Japan, Hong Kong, and India.

www.CircleRedmont.com 156 www.chemetalco.com 159

Mortar Net USA, Ltd. Curveline

2004 World Of Concrete's Most Innovative Masonry Product Wall & Decking Panels 888-998-0311
4 Masonry 5 Metals

The BlockNet™ System was voted by Curveline can crimp-curve metal panels
industry experts as the 2004 World Of in a range of profiles, substrates, and
Concrete's Most Innovative Masonry finishes for structural or decorative use.
Product. Mortar Net introduces the Applications: roofs, walls, standard and
New Single Wythe Block Drainage acoustical decking, canopies, fascias,
System. Water infiltration in concrete mansards, etc. Specifiers may source
block can cause extensive damage panels from manufacturers in 100+ fac-
such as efflorescence, staining or freez- tory locations and select the desired
ing, and thawing. The BlockNet System curving parameters, including simple,
by Mortar Net USA, Ltd., is a simple complex, and multi-radius curves. Fax
solution that solves moisture problems number 909-947-1510. Email curve-
by directing the flow of water. BlockNet line@curveline.com.
is comprised of a specially shaped 3-
3/8-in.-deep stainless steel flashing
with integrated drip edge and a hori-
zontal mesh element adhered to the top
of the stainless steel, plus a separate
vertical mesh element.

www.mortarnet.com/ars 157 www.met-tile.com/curveline 160

The Belden Brick Company EPIC Metals Corporation

Brick 330-456-0031 Roof and Floor Deck Ceiling Systems 877-696-3742
4 Masonry 5 Metals

Built for success clearly defines The EPIC Metals Skydeck™ option was
Belden Brick Company, which offers a designed to incorporate natural lighting
unique blend of manufacturing capabil- into structural, long-span roof deck
ities for what is considered by many to ceiling systems without the need for
be the finest brick in the industry. Its additional steel framing. By featuring
manufacturing plants utilize both tradi- Solatube® technologies, the EPIC
tional and modern brickmaking equip- Skydeck option provides the brightest,
ment and techniques to provide a cleanest, and whitest light possible
combination of over 400 colors, tex- while minimizing solar heat gain and
tures, and sizes of brick. The Belden glare. Skydeck supports green building
Brick Company's staff is available at all philosophies by reducing the need for
times to answer technical questions or electrical lighting and conserving ener-
consult with you on any aspect of your gy costs that contribute to LEED certifi-
interest in brick. Call any one of its cation. Additionally, Skydeck can be
authorized distributors or call the cor- specified with an acoustical option to
porate office. reduce interior ambient noise levels,
can span up to 55-ft., and has a variety
of appearance options to complement
any architectural design.

www.beldenbrick.com 158 www.epicmetals.com 161

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Gage Corporation, Intl. Panel Source International Inc.

Cast Metal Wall Surfacing 800-786-4243 Fire-Retardant Particleboard, MDF & Plywood Panels 877-464-7267
5 Metals 6 Wood & plastics

Gagecast® is a cast metal wall surfacing Pyroblock ® Class A fire-retardant

material suitable for a variety of interior particleboard, MDF, and Plywood.
architectural applications where pat- Formaldehyde-free, FSC certified,
terns that feature high luster, relief, recycled or rapidly renewable fibers.
durability, and cost effective installation Pyroblock is ideally suited for the AEC
are a requirement. Twenty-eight designs community working on LEED™ regis-
are standard, however, custom collabo- tered projects. Pyroblock is available
ration is encouraged. Gagecast is one in numerous thicknesses and sizes;
component of Gage Vertical Surfacing. availability is not a problem when you
Contact the factory for product literature specify Pyroblock.
and selected samples. Fax number 608-
269-7622. Email gage@centurytel.net

www.gageverticalsurfacing.com 162 www.panelsource.net 165

Gage Corporation, Intl. Cement Board Mfg.

Metal Surfacing 800-786-4243 Fiber Cement Boards 800-366-5378
5 Metals 7 Thermal & moisture protection

GageMetal. An innovative collection of Cement Board Fabricators (CBF) repre-

18 new designs suitable for walls, ele- sents the Minerit and Cembonit lines
vators, and column covers. Standard with a full range of flat and corrugated
sizes 48-in. by 96/120-in. with available high-performance building products for
thicknesses from .025-in. aluminum to any climate with total disregard for the
16-ga. stainless steel. Custom design elements. Time-tested, as well as envi-
and collaboration is available. All ronmentally friendly, for use in residen-
GageMetal designs are available in tial, commercial, institutional, and
sheet form for direct application to the industrial settings. The flat boards can
job site substrate. They can also be be utilized for entire wall systems, or as
panelized for demountable use with Z- an infill panel between masonry, glass,
bar clips or the Gage extrusion system. or metal. Continuous development
Fax number 608-269-7622. Email ensures the product line outperforms
gage@centurytel.net. other fiber cement boards. A combina-
tion of new technologies and experience
has led to a new generation of building
boards that makes other boards seem
dated. Crowder Residence, Faleide
Architects, Denver, CO, shown in photo.

www.gageverticalsurfacing.com 163 166

Melton Classics, Inc. CertainTeed Corporation, Roofing Products Group

Architectural Products Shingles 800-233-8990
6 Wood & plastics 7 Thermal & moisture protection

Melton Classics provides the design CertainTeed’s Landmark™ TL is a sub-

professional with the most comprehen- stantially thick shingle that boasts the
sive selection of quality architectural look and depth of classic wood
products in the industry, including archi- shakes. Featuring three laminated lay-
tectural columns, balustrades, moldings, ers of the industry’s most durable
cornices, and a wide array of architec- materials, the heavyweight Landmark
tural elements. Architectural columns TL exceeds the industry's toughest
are available plain or fluted, load-bearing performance standards and gives
or column covers, round or square in homeowners long-lasting peace of
fiberglass, fiberglass/marble composite, mind. Contact CertainTeed at 800-233-
synthetic stone, cast stone, GFRC, and 8990 or visit www.certainteed.com.
wood for paint or stain. Melton Classics
offers a maintenance free balustrade
product ideal for any application.
Balustrades are available in four durable
materials: MarbleTex™ synthetic stone,
poly/marble composite, cast stone, and
polyurethane, and can meet any code or
radius application.

www.meltonclassics.com 164 www.certainteed.com 167

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CertainTeed Fiber Glass Insulation Icynene Inc.

Vapor Retarder Spec Sheet 800-233-8990 High-Performance Insulation
7 Thermal & moisture protection 7 Thermal & moisture protection

A two-page brochure describes the The Icynene Insulation System® delivers

benefits and features of MemBrain™, high-performance insulation solutions
CertainTeed’s Smart Vapor Retarder. for efficient building envelopes, thermal
This unique product breathes to allow comfort, and a dry, healthy living envi-
excess moisture to escape, reducing ronment. Icynene® is 100% water-
risk and liability of moisture-related blown and contains no HCFCs, HFAs,
problems in walls. The spec sheet HFCs, or formaldehyde. It seals the
also details the product performance building envelope to lock out dust,
and permeability. allergens, odors, and pollutants to
improve indoor air quality. Icynene
delivers advanced moisture manage-
ment by performing as an insulation
and air barrier to eliminate air leakage
and minimize the potential for conden-
sation-related mold and mildew.
Icynene softly expands to 100 times its
initial volume and adheres to the sur-
face, completely sealing all gaps and
crevices that compromise air tightness.

www.certainteed.com 168 www.icynene.com 171

East Coast Lightning Equipment Metl-Span

Metal Snow Guards Wall Paneling
7 Thermal & moisture protection 7 Thermal & moisture protection

East Coast Roof Specialties, a Division Metl-Span’s ThermalSafe™ panel is the

of East Coast Lightning Equipment, latest development in fire resistive wall
introduces Ice-Brakes-metal snow construction technology. Metal facings
guards for metal roofs. Their cast alu- are bonded to a structural mineral wool
minum pad style snow guards are core to create composite panels that
designed to prevent dangerous and achieve fire resistive ratings under the
destructive snow and ice avalanches most demanding conditions. Good ther-
from metal roofs by holding built-up mal performance and protection from the
snow in place. Ice-Brakes are low pro- elements across the entire wall area are
file-projecting just over 1-in. from the assured with ThermalSafe panels. The
surface of the roof. They cast little advanced mineral wool core provides
shadow and are less conspicuous than enhanced insulation values that signifi-
taller style snow guards. Ice-Brakes cantly lower heating and cooling costs.
can be installed with or without roof One-step construction assures rapid
penetrations and are available in mill completion of the wall system. Reusable
finish and powder-coated colors. Ice- panels can be disassembled, moved and
Brakes are 100% handcrafted in the reinstalled rather than having to be
U.S. and economically priced. demolished, the waste materials dis-
posed of and the walls completely rebuilt.

www.icebrakes.com 169 www.metlspan.com 172

Envirospec, Inc. Raven Industries, Inc.

Paver Stone Pedestal System for Roof Gardens & Decks Moisture Migration Control 800-635-3456
7 Thermal & moisture protection 7 Thermal & moisture protection

People can get away from the city right Raven Industries, Inc. is a diversified
on their own roofs. By using the unique manufacturer of underslab vapor
PAVE-EL® Pedestal system, you can retarders and air infiltration barriers, in
transform a flat roof into an attractive, addition to high-performance polyethyl-
usable, maintenance-free, landscaped ene geomembranes. Raven leads the
paver stone terrace. It is also ideal industry with the introduction of Vapor
for laying walkways in green roof gar- Block™ underslab vapor retarder. Vapor
dens. Why do you need PAVE-EL? Block VB6, VB10, and VB15 are high-
Convention methods for setting paver performance underslab vapor retarders
stones in landscape environments designed to retard moisture migration
don't work on waterproofed roofs. through concrete slabs. Vapor Block is
Rainwater puddles and moisture get made from state-of-the-art polyethylene
trapped, causing freeze-thaw damage resins that provide superior physical and
with eventual roof membrane and insu- performance properties that exceed
lation deterioration. The PAVE-EL sys- ASTM E-1745 (Water Vapor Retarders
tem elevates paver stones for perfect Used in Contact with Soil or Granular Fill
drainage. It also levels pavers and Under Concrete Slabs) Class A, B, and C
ensures their uniform spacing for an requirements. Visit their Web site to learn
ideal roof terrace surface. more about this remarkable product.

www.envirospecinc.com 170 www.vaporblock.com 173

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Trespa North America, Ltd. Jerome R. Durr Studio

Exterior Wall Panels Custom Glass Art 800-552-9836
7 Thermal & moisture protection 8 Doors & windows

In addition to lending a modern high- Jerome R. Durr Studio, providing resi-

tech look to building exteriors, Trespa dential, liturgical, commercial, and
Meteon® Natural Prints can also blend in public art since 1973.
harmoniously with natural-looking envi-
ronments and settings. Trespa Meteon
Natural Prints are inspired by wood as a
natural resource and a building material.
Available in four distinct ranges, these
panels evoke the charm of traditional
paneling, while providing the outstand-
ing durability that made Meteon famous.
Features include: Weather resistant, high
color stability, impact and graffiti resist-
ant, non-porous surface structure-easy
to clean, wood grain pattern runs the
length of the panel. Trespa Meteon is
available in more than 70 colors, includ-
ing solids and metallic hues, and is avail-
able in three surface textures.

174 www.jeromedurr.com 177

Aluflam Major Industries

Fire-Rated Aluminum Doors & Windows 714-899-3990 Create Beauty While Hiding Clunky Fasteners
8 Doors & windows 8 Doors & windows

Imagine being able to specify a fire- Major Industries, Inc. is introducing a

rated system that blends in so well new option for hiding exterior fasteners
with non-rated materials that you virtu- on selected skylights and translucent
ally can't tell them apart. Imagine the curtainwall applications. They like to
clean, rich lines of true extruded alu- think of their newest innovation as a
minum frames and large panels of form of “creative beauty,” with the flexi-
clear glass. With ALUFLAM framing bility to blend into the background or to
and VETROTECH SAINT-GOBAIN jump out with an artistic accent touch.
glass, this is reality. Contact them for Beyond its obvious beauty, the Trim
further information. E-mail info@alu- Tones™ option offers a convenient way
flam-usa.com. Fax number 714-899- to cover the ever-increasing number of
3993. Email info@aluflam-usa.com. exterior framing connectors. Tougher
building codes across the country, driv-
en by higher wind loads, have increased
the number of fasteners required to
maximize connection performance. Next
time your requirements include looking
good and hiding your fasteners, specify
Trim Tones from Major Industries.

www.aluflam-usa.com 175 www.majorskylights.com 178

Eliason® Corporation Nathan Allan Glass Studios, Inc.

Double Action Doors Architectural Wall Panels
8 Doors & windows 8 Doors & windows

Easy Swing® Doors manufactured Recently, Nathan Allan’s cast glass has
exclusively by Eliason Corporation. been specified into architectural wall
Model PMP-2 High impact traffic door systems in various projects. The cast
reinforced throughout the impact area glass panels shown here are used in a
and back spline. Prevents cracking at hanging feature wall, supported on a
hinge location and warping at swing cable system, 25-ft. wide and 60-ft.
edge. Strong, durable, and yet flexible high. The cast glass as shown uses the
enough to absorb the initial impact company’s Cascade texture to pro-
without the use of spring bumpers. vide a decorative appearance and to
Excellent for use in sales to stock room also perform as a façade to hide the
use. All doors are custom manufac- concrete wall. Product description:
tured to your finished opening. Use of 1/4-in. cast tempered glass, Cascade
doors range from sales to stock room, texture. Visit the Web site.
walk-in coolers, delis, secondary freez-
er doors, restaurants, or just personnel
doors. Easy to install and can be
shipped directly to the job site.

www.eliasoncorp.com 176 www.nathanallan.com 179

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Oldcastle Glass Technical Glass Products

Glass Products & Services Fire-Rated Steel Framing
8 Doors & windows 8 Doors & windows

Oldcastle Glass® provides the architec- Technical Glass Products offers the
tural and glazing communities with a Fireframes™ Curtainwall Series—fire-
comprehensive range of architectural rated steel framing for large expanses
glass products. With innovative technol- of glass spanning multiple stories.
ogy, they create products that satisfy Available for interior or exterior use,
design and performance needs. These the Curtainwall Series carries fire rat-
include highly visual design products ings up to two hours. Custom exterior
like Stackwall’s™ soaring structural face caps allow a wide variety of
glass walls and Bentemp’s® dramatic appearances, including stainless steel.
glass curves, as well as high perform- For more information visit the compa-
ance products for blast mitigation solu- ny's Web site.
tions, and their exclusive StormGlass™,
the most advanced hurricane-resistant
glazing available. With many North
American locations, they have the prod-
ucts you want, when and where you
need them. Oldcastle Glass®—Where
glass becomes architecture™. Visit
www.oldcastleglass.com.

www.oldcastleglass.com 180 www.fireglass.com 183

Panelfold, Inc. Unicel Architectural Inc.

Closet Doors Pivoting Blinds
8 Doors & windows 8 Doors & windows

Panelfold folding doors make perfect clos- Unicel Architectural Inc. has developed
et doors. They are made to fit the openings a unique patented glazing product:
from floor to ceiling, and wall-to-wall Vision Control®. With this custom-
access is available without costly stubbing designed unit, you can finally enjoy
in or heading down for conventional closet total control of light, privacy, and sound
doors; and they are made to last. Panelfold without having to worry about the
closet doors may be surfaced with a wide cleaning. Unlike ordinary Venetian
variety of materials including wood veneer blinds installed separately from the
in clear lacquer, in-factory stained finish- glass, Unicel's pivoting blinds made of
es matching customer samples, high- extruded aluminum are mounted inside
fidelity wood grain, colorful vinyl a hermetically sealed glass unit offering
laminates, and high-pressure decorative you 100% dust-free and germ-free lou-
laminate. Complete information on vered glazing. Vision Control blinds are
Panelfold folding doors, accordion-folding operated using a small hand crank,
partitions, operable and relocatable parti- thumbwheel, motorized switch, or
tions, and acoustical panels is available in computer: control at your fingertips,
their Architectural Products Catalog and cord-free and string free. Ideal in parti-
from Sweets and Sweets DVD. Panelfold tions, doors, sidelights, windows, sky-
also has an interactive CD-ROM available. lights, and more.

www.panelfold.com 181 www.visioncontrol.qc.ca 184

Special-Lite, Inc. VETROTECH Saint-Gobain

Entrances & Storefronts Door & Wall Sections
8 Doors & windows 8 Doors & windows

Special-Lite, Inc. has updated the stan- VDS Framing System combines narrow
dard colors available for SpecLite 3® steel profiles with fire rated glass from
FRP material to include more neutral, VETROTECH Saint-Gobain to provide
earth tone, and classic architectural the maximum vision, flexibility, safety,
colors. Six of the nine standard colors and stability. Door and wall sections
are new: Sandstone, Seawolf, Slate function as fire barriers offering
Grey, Military Blue, Boysenberry, and increased lighting and visibility with-
Hartford Green. Existing standard col- out compromising fire safety. Listed
ors of Beige, Light Grey, and Dark with ITS (Warnock-Hersey) as a trans-
Bronze remain unchanged. Custom parent wall. Manufactured in the USA,
FRP colors are also available to match the innovative design allows for
any architectural color scheme, subject shortened construction times. Contact
to minimum order requirements. The VETROTECH Saint-Gobain for all your
company’s established collection of fire rated safety glass needs.
Kynar colors has also been updated
and includes an exact match for the
nine new standard FRP colors.

www.special-lite.com 182 www.vetrotech.com 185

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12.04 Architectural Record 335

 TO ADVERTISE: Contact Deidre Allen
T: (212) 904-2010 / F: (609) 426-7136
A D V E R T I S E M E N T deidre_allen@McGraw-Hill.com

Weather Shield Gyford Productions

Telescoping Patio Doors 800-477-6808 Dynamic Building Interiors 800-487-3772
8 Doors & windows 9 Finishes

Weather Shield’s Telescoping Patio Aesthetics, durability, easy cleaning,

Door offers a view up to 24-ft.-wide, and maintenance are key factors when
10-ft.-tall. The ultimate entertaining designing building interiors, counters,
solution, the door brings the outdoors and workspaces in conference rooms,
in, instantly doubling, tripling—or lobbies, and lunch areas. Super strong
more—a room's capacity. It has up to Trespa Virtuon® panels have been
six panels (three per side). Both end specifically developed for creating a
panels are fixed. A three-channel sill unique and memorable workplace—
guides panels into place. When fully pleasant, dynamic, and motivating.
open, operable panels slide behind With Virtuon, superior toughness and
fixed panels. For more information visit superb looks are not mutually exclu-
Weather Shield’s Web site or call them sive. It is available in over 50 colors
at 800-477-6808. including 15 metallics, and also adds
depth and dimension to any interior
with six available textures: silk, satin,
rhino, ribbon, rock and bark. Its high
flexural strength and elasticity performs
well in high-impact environments.

www.weathershield.com 186 www.trespanorthamerica.com 189

Zero International, Inc. L. M. Scofield Company

Automatic Door Bottoms 800-635-5335 Concrete & Cementitious Flooring 800-800-9900
8 Doors & windows 9 Finishes

Automatic door bottoms, designed & Stylish Scofield flooring systems: For
built to last. Tested through 5 million beauty and durability, concrete and
cycles, they are engineered for easy, cementitious toppings provide stylish
precise installation, with a minimum of flooring for high traffic areas in
parts subject to wear. Quality construc- offices, lobbies, public spaces, food
tion to renowned ZERO standard service, and retail areas. Scofield
makes these gaskets the choice for Systems offer diverse choices—rang-
superior performance and unequaled ing from monochromatic toppings to
service life. Double neoprene seals and translucent, antique stains for faux
a patented spring action, automatically finishes and dramatic graphics. Email
drop and retract in a scissors-like info@scofield.com.
motion as door is operated. Fax num-
ber 800-851-0000.

www.zerointernational.com 187 www.scofield.com 190

Alpro Acoustics, A Division of Gordon Musson Rubber Co.

Curved Acoustical Ceiling System Impact Wall Protection 800-321-2381
9 Finishes 9 Finishes

AVIAR is a fully engineered ceiling system Musson has released a new catalog
that combines soaring decorative expres- featuring the latest products in impact
sion and optimal acoustical performance. wall protection. They include flat wall
Versatile in concept, AVIAR may be guards in three heights for high-traffic
curved, vaulted, or undulating in a free areas. Also, handrails in three different
form, according to the designer’s vision. profiles, sculpted, flat, and cylindrical,
AVIAR integrates a stable extruded alu- which meet ADA guidelines for safety
minum suspension system with Alpro and support. And surface-mounted
corrugated metal panels and acoustical corner guards in three styles to protect
backers, and factory contoured perimeter any possible corner situation. All are
trims. 100% in-house fabrication assures easily installed and constructed of
a perfectly installed fit and finish, and a heavy aluminum retainers.
flawless color match of all components.
Even sprinklers, air distribution, and light-
ing may be incorporated for a complete,
fully integrated system. Let Alpro
Acoustical Systems’ design professionals
help you realize your vision for a uniquely
expressive design.

www.alproacoustics.com 188 www.mussonrubber.com 191

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336 Architectural Record 12.04

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T: (212) 904-2010 / F: (609) 426-7136
A D V E R T I S E M E N T deidre_allen@McGraw-Hill.com

New England Wholesale Hardwoods, Inc. HDI Railing Systems

Hardwood Flooring & Decking 800-343-6394 Railing Systems 717-285-4088
9 Finishes 10 Specialties

You seldom find such a time-saving, The high-end d line™ railing system
one-stop experience as that which New from Denmark, is now available in the
England Wholesale Hardwoods, Inc. U.S. exclusively through HDI. d line is
(NEWH) offers via their Web site. By made of the highest quality stainless
simply logging on, you can quickly (AISI 316) for use in any environment.
review their extensive product line of Features include custom bending,
domestic and exotic pre-finished and modular engineering for fast on-site
unfinished hardwood flooring, decking, installation, and quick order turn-
and modular decking systems. NEWH around to meet construction deadlines.
also offers engineered and laminate Complete supply and installation service
flooring, dimensional lumber, mantels, is available throughout North America,
stair parts, moulding, medallions, wood which includes inox™, CIRCUM™,
grilles, and vents as well as installation HEWI Nylon® and d line railing systems.
and finishing supplies, including the
premier Livos Naturals finishing prod-
ucts. NEWH is certain that through their
quality product line, invaluable informa-
tion, great pricing, and timely deliveries,
they can save you time and money.

www.floorings.com 192 www.hdirailings.com 195

Cooper Lighting K-Pro Specialty Products

Floodlights Chalkboards & Tackboards
10 Specialties 10 Specialties

The Lumiere Monaco 6000 family of ProSteel™ chalk and marker boards by
small-scale, HID in-ground floodlights K-Pro feature the new porcelain on steel
(39 W-175 W), for architectural/com- presentation surface for quality and per-
mercial applications, utilizes the formance characteristics unsurpassed
Venterra™ heat and water manage- in the marketplace: excellent chalk and
ment system, providing reduced lens marker pen adherence; erases easily
temperatures and protection from the with soft dry cloth or felt eraser; surface
outdoor elements. Lumiere’s exclusive is acid, fire, stain, and scratch resistant;
Beam-Driver™ aiming system pro- warranted for the life of its installation;
vides easy, precision aiming. The inter- requires minimal care and maintenance;
nal lamp module tilts 0º to 15º and steel holds magnets and magnetic
rotates a complete 360º. Drive-over teaching aids; available in a variety of
rated to 5,000-lb. Visit Cooper colors; resurfacing grade sheets avail-
Lighting’s web site for more information. able. ProSteel chalk and markerboards
Email talktous@cooperlighting.com. are factory assembled with no seams in
standard sizes 2-ft.-H by 3-ft.-W to 5-
ft.-H by 16-ft.-W. K-Pro products are
available through a network of author-
ized fabricating distributors.

www.lumierelighting.com 193 www.K-Prosteel.com 196

G Squared Nixalite of America Inc

Ceiling Fans Architectural Bird Control 800-624-1189
10 Specialties 10 Specialties

Enjoy art. The Cirque ceiling fan, a high Protect architecture from pest bird
performance dynamic sculpture is a mess with Nixalite Bird Control Strips.
Good Design Award winner. View silver Made of 316 stainless steel, Nixalite
and mahogany blade versions on their strips create an inconspicuous barrier
Web site. Includes a 50 W dimmable that stops pest birds from landing,
light and touch control system, and a roosting, or nesting. The thin stainless
remote control is available. Whisper wires are discreet but effective. With
quiet, powerful, and beautifully made, 120 points per foot, Nixalite strips offer
this timeless design can be used on 8- superior gap-free surface protection.
ft. ceilings or on cathedral ceilings with The flexible base strip follows curved
optional downrods up to 6-ft. long. It is surfaces and can be cut easily for cus-
also suitable for sloped ceilings. tom lengths. Nixalite strips are clean,
Lifetime warranty. To buy high-design quiet, and efficient. They outlast and
architectural fans and lighting, please outperform all other steel, plastic,
visit G Squared’s Web site or call chemical, and electronic bird control
between 6 AM and 6 PM PST. methods. Only Nixalite has installations
50-plus years old that still provide per-
fect bird control. Fax number 800-624-
1196. Email birdcontrol@nixalite.com.

www.g2art.com 194 www.nixalite.com 197

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12.04 Architectural Record 337

 TO ADVERTISE: Contact Deidre Allen
T: (212) 904-2010 / F: (609) 426-7136
A D V E R T I S E M E N T deidre_allen@McGraw-Hill.com

Rais & Wittus Inc. New Holland Church Furniture

Fireplaces & Stoves 914-764-5679 Curved Church Pews 800-220-1465
10 Specialties 12 Furnishings

The RAIS Pina is the ultimate in mod- Curved pews are “Round For A
ernism. It floats on an elegant and sim- Reason”™ and are designed and man-
ple base. With the optional turntable, it ufactured by New Holland Church
can be turned in any direction, so the Furniture. Curved pews are designed
fire can be viewed from any part of the for maximum seating, curved for effi-
room. It's a new and futuristic style, cient use of space, designed to
which lends itself to today's contempo- enhance worship, created for commu-
rary lifestyles and homes. The firebox is nity, uniting the family of God. New
equipped with the latest non-catalytic Holland Church Furniture is a certi-
burn technology that assures clean, fied member of the Architectural
reliable, and responsible burning. The Woodwork Institute (AWI), so you can
large glass door is fitted with their be assured of the very highest quality.
patented locking mechanism and stain- Email nhcw@newhollandwood.com.
less steel “cool handle” for ease of
operation. RAIS Pina is available in gray
or black.

www.raiswittus.com 198 www.newhollandwood.com 321

Rangine Corporation / Rakks The Marshall Company

Counter Support Brackets Hardwood Pews 208-642-3344
10 Specialties 12 Furnishings

Rangine Corporation's counter support For over 75 years, The Marshall

brackets provide an easy-to-install Company has offered distinctive church
alternative to full-height laminated pan- furnishings throughout the U.S. and
els. They are available in a range of Canada. A longtime leader in the
sizes to support counters up to 30-in.- church furniture business, Marshall
deep. Brackets install easily into studs prides itself on being one of the few
or blocking and can support loads up to companies in the U.S. to still manufac-
450-lb. Less expensive than laminated ture only quality solid hardwood pews.
supports, they increase open space That means no veneers, no chipboard
while improving handicapped access cores, no plastic laminates, just the
and ergonomics. Brackets can be classic beauty and durability of solid
ordered in either surface or flush mount- Northern red oak. But materials
ed configurations to provide heavy-duty aren’t everything; Marshall’s highly
unobtrusive support. Manufactured of skilled craftsmen are dedicated to
extruded structural aluminum, these designing furniture that is beautiful and
brackets are lightweight and easy to functional, as well as being affordable.
ship. Stocked in mill aluminum, clear Fax number 208-642-9537. Email
anodized aluminum, off-white powder- pews@marshallpews.com.
coat, and primed finishes.

www.rakks.com 199 www.marshallpews.com 322

Design 21 Finlandia Sauna Products, Inc.

Modular Shelf Systems Precut Saunas 800-354-3342
12 Furnishings 13 Special construction

Sistema 1-2-3 is a three step installation Finlandia Sauna has manufactured

system designed by architect Suat exclusive and authentic saunas since
Gurtan. Two uprights and the desired 1964. Finlandia offers precut sauna
amount of shelves are sufficient to start packages and modular sauna rooms as
it. Add as your needs grow. All units affordable luxuries that can be included
have a user-centered design, are modu- in any remodel or new construction. The
lar, and the shelf heights are adjustable company markets four all-clear western
at ease. Adjustability is particularly use- softwoods and is the only manufacturer
ful for the multi-media systems and the to use 1-in. by 4-in. paneling, instead of
bookcases, where the height require- the cheaper 1/2-in. by 4-in. material
ments may change every so often. All used by others. Finlandia's packages
systems are anodized aluminum with include all room parts, a choice of a
stainless steel feet. Available in 8-ft. Finnish-made electric heater, a prehung
(2,438mm) floor to ceiling model, 7-ft. door with choice of glass, and all nec-
(2,134mm), 6-ft. (1,828mm), and 5-ft. essary accessories. Finlandia’s exciting
(1,524mm) floor to wall. new heater, the EverReady, is an excel-
lent option for the person always on the
go. Fax number 503-684-1120. Email
info@finlandiasauna.com.

www.designtwentyone.com 320 www.finlandiasauna.com 323

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338 Architectural Record 12.04

 TO ADVERTISE: Contact Deidre Allen
T: (212) 904-2010 / F: (609) 426-7136
A D V E R T I S E M E N T deidre_allen@McGraw-Hill.com

FabriTec Structures Steril-Aire

Tensile Fabric Structures 866-275-9710 Air Filtering Systems 800-2STERIL
13 Special construction 15 Mechanical

FabriTec Structures introduces a new General products catalog showcases

generation of tensile fabric technology. Steril-Aire UVC Emitters™ for mold and
Its highly specialized fabric structures microbial control in HVAC systems. The
utilize the most advanced architectural devices enhance IAQ and infection
materials available and are non-com- control, reduce absenteeism, save
bustible, both thermal- and UV-resistant, 15%-20% on energy costs, and slash
and can offer full weather protection. A/C coil cleaning costs. Steril-Aire is a
With virtually unlimited design options pioneer in “UVC for HVAC™” because
and applications, FabriTec’s products are its multi-patented devices offer greatly
both practical and often visually spectac- increased output in cold and/or moving
ular. Designers can choose fabrics from a air environments, providing superior
wide range of color and translucency and germicidal performance and longer
enjoy a cost effective and "fast-track" service life. Products include UVC
alternative to conventional building sys- devices for commercial, residential,
tems. FabriTec Structures provides health care, school, food processing,
clients with complete design/build serv- and industrial applications. Email
ices, including concept development, sales@steril-aire.com.
engineering, fabrication, project man-
agement, and installation.

www.fabritecstructures.com 324 www.steril-aire.com 327

Rocky Mountain Hardware Concealite Life Safety Products

Card Key Locking Systems Security Alarms 507-825-2907
13 Special construction 16 Electrical

Rocky Mountain Hardware introduces a Concealite has applied its egress light-
unique line of architectural hardware for ing technology to a new product line for
card key locking systems. Created the security industry. Secure-Alarm
specifically to meet the needs of bou- provides a convenient and immediate
tique hotels and upscale resorts, this method to alert critical executives and
new collection is the industry’s first security personnel of a breach in the
hotel locking solution to combine the facility's secure environment. Upon
advanced security features of an elec- activation by security personnel,
tronic locking system with the aesthet- Secure-Alarm will rotate 180° and begin
ic beauty and flexibility of bronze flashing. The flashing strobe can be
escutcheons and handles. The line fea- mounted in the walls or ceiling of rooms
tures a choice of five standard or hallways and is only visible upon
escutcheon styles that can be com- activation by security personnel. For
bined with one of 28 levers, thus allow- more information contact Concealite
ing property designers to create their Life Safety Products.
own combinations that blend perfectly
with the hotel décor. Custom designs
are also available.

www.rockymountainhardware.com 325 www.concealite.com 328

Ledalite Architectural Products Prima Lighting Corp.

Lighting Systems Light Fixtures 866-885-4915
15 Mechanical 16 Electrical

PureFX™ is a revolutionary recessed The Multi light fixture series gives you
lighting system that utilizes Ledalite’s complete freedom and control over your
MesoOptics® technology to purify and light source with high-end, elegant, and
control light. It offers the perfect intriguing style. Easily direct the light
blend of brightness, control, and exactly where you want and tailor the
energy efficiency—making happier power to your needs. Choose a nine,
people and a healthier environment. six, four, three, or two light configuration
Visit the Ledalite Web site for more available as a wall (shown), pendant,
information and to view the PureFX floor, or table light. Chrome and matte
multimedia presentation. silver finishes. Clean, architectural mul-
tipoint canopies are available for the
pendants. Please visit Prima Lighting’s
Web site or call to find out more about
its breakthrough OPUS line of contem-
porary architectural lighting.

www.ledalite.com 326 www.primalighting.com 329

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12.04 Architectural Record 339

TO ADVERTISE: Contact Diane Soister
T: (212) 904-2021 / F: (212) 904-2074
Diane_Soister@McGraw-Hill.com
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

FACULTY POS IT IONS

Clemson University ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY – DIRECTOR and PROFESSOR

College of Architecture, Arts
and Humanities
Chair, School of Architecture
The School of Architecture is seeking applications
and nominations for the Chair’s position with duties
beginning in August 2005. An ideal candidate
should demonstrate a distinguished record of
nationally or internationally recognized work in
practice, research and/or teaching, and possess
architectural registration and a professional degree
or Ph.D. in architecture. Qualified candidates must
demonstrate strong academic leadership, including
program stewardship and support of faculty and stu-
dent development; excellent interpersonal commu-
nication skills and the ability to establish and main-
tain the confidence and respect of faculty, students,
staff, alumni, and the professional community.
Applications and nominations will be accepted
until the position is filled. Applications received by
January 19th, 2005 will be assured full considera-
tion. Applicants should submit a letter of intent,
curriculum vitae and the names and contact infor-
mation of three references to:
Rob Silance
Chair Search Committee
Clemson University
School of Architecture
145 Lee Hall
Clemson, SC 29634-0503
E-mail submissions can be sent to:
silancr@clemson.edu
Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.
Clemson University is an Equal
Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
Additional departmental information
may be found at:
www.clemson.edu/caah/architecture
The School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) in the
College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) is seeking a
Director to lead the School, with accredited programs in architecture and
landscape architecture, in an era of change and immense possibility. The
SALA Director position is a full-time position (at full professor rank) with tenure. The Director will collaborate
with faculty, staff and stakeholders to develop and implement curriculum; assist faculty in developing their
teaching, research and service; be effective in administration; share in cultivating College vision and mis-
sions; teach at least one course per year in a studio, lecture, or seminar format; engage in research or
creative scholarship; and be an active presence in the School and design community. The required qualifi-
cations include: a professional degree in either architecture and/or landscape architecture and/or a doctorate
in a field of design, and a record of achievement in the field of architecture and/or landscape architecture
appropriate to rank of professor. Desired qualifications include: demonstrated excellence in teaching; admin-
istrative experience in a university setting; professional registration; engagement and scholarship with one or
more of a wide array of topics, including history/theory, building tectonics, sustainable technologies, prac-
tice and the architecture/landscape architecture relationship.
SALA continues to be one of the most highly-rated programs of its kind and features a strong faculty and student
body. It is enhanced by programs in Planning, Industrial Design, Interior Design and Graphic Design, which com-
prise the disciplines of the College. The context surrounding the school is extremely rich as the Phoenix metro
region is the fifth largest in the nation and expanding rapidly, thus offering a laboratory for new modes of con-
struction, urbanism, infrastructure, community engagement, and environmental responsiveness. Appropriately,
ASU is home to an extensive array of research projects focused on the built environment, sustainability, and
immersive visualization technologies. Importantly, the university is in the midst of a massive planning and building
campaign in which it has engaged architects and designers of the highest order to build first-rate facilities and new
campuses for the New American Metropolitan University model as outlined by the President.
Applicants should submit a letter of interest, addressing areas of teaching and administration, creative activ-
ity, research and/or scholarship; a curriculum vitae, transcripts of academic record, examples of course
syllabi; evidence of scholarship and where applicable, other creative activity. Please include the names,
postal addresses, phone/fax numbers, and e-mail addresses of four referees. Questions may be directed to
sara.loughman@asu.edu.
Application deadline is January 31, 2005 and every two weeks thereafter until the search is closed.
Please send applications to:
SALA Director Search Committee, Office of the Dean, College of Architecture and Environmental Design. Arizona
State University, PO Box 871905, SW Corner University & Forest, Tempe, AZ 85287-1905. www.asu.edu/caed
AA/EOE.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
The Construction Management Program (CMP) at
Michigan State University invites applications for a
fixed-term non-tenure track position in Construc-
tion Management at the specialist Assistant Professor
level starting in January 2005. The initial term is for
3-years, with potential to renew depending on per-
formance and availability of funds. Terminal degree
will determine position and rank of appointment.
Primary responsibilities include: Teaching under-
graduate level courses; Conducting funded research
projects; Participate in service and outreach activi-
ties. Position qualification are as follows: (1) A
Master's or PhD degree in Construction Manage-
ment, Construction Engineering and Management,
Architecture, Architectural Engineering, Civil Engi-
neering, or a closely related field; (2) Five years or
more of relevant professional experience in con-
struction project management, estimating, and,
scheduling; (3) Strong communication and com-
puter skills; (4) Demonstrable ability to teach at the
undergraduate level is required in several of the
following areas: construction cost estimating; con-
struction project management and administration,
construction project scheduling, construction tech-
nology, construction material and methods,
construction graphics with emphasis on computer-
aided-design; (5) A potential for conducting
applied research; (6) Relevant professional licens-
ing or certification is desirable. The CMP offers BS
(ACCE accredited) and MS degrees and annually
enrolls approximately 300 undergraduate students
and 25 graduate students. It enjoys a strong repu-
tation within the construction industry. Salary
range and structure are competitive with engineer-
ing programs. For further information about the
construction Management Program at MSU, visit
http://www.canr.msu.edu/cm/. Interested applicants
should Submit, a complete resume indicating US
residency status, a statement of teaching and
applied research interests, official transcripts of
graduate work, at least three recommendation let-
ters, and, if available, a copy of Masters/Doctoral
thesis abstract, to: Dr. Tariq Abdelhamid,
Construction Management Program, 207 Farrall
Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
48824-1323 [Tel: (517) 432-6188, Fax: (517) 355-
7711, e-mail: tabdelha@msu.edu]. Applications will
be reviewed commencing November 1, 2004 and will
be accepted until the position is filled. Women and
Minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Michigan State University is an Equal Opportunity/
Affirmative Action Employer. Persons with disabil-
ities have the right to request and receive reasonable
accommodation.
POS IT IONS AVAILABLE
INTERN ARCHITECTS (2 POSITIONS)
Assist senior architects to perform architectural
design from schematic design to construction docu-
mentations and develop design presentations using
computer rendering programs. Req.: Min. Bachelor
or foreign equiv. in Architecture, and proficiency in
computer 3D rendering, incl. AutoCAD 2000, 3DS
Max/Viz, and Photoshop. 40 hrs/wk. Send resume to
HR Hiring, Michael Brady Inc. 299 N. Weisgarber
Road, Knoxville, TN 37919. Fax: (865) 584-5213. Ref.
Code: TN-JJY-XW.
ARCHITECTS - ALL LEVELS / ALL SPECIALTIES
JR Walters Resources, Inc. specializing in the place-
ment of technical professionals in the A&E field.
Openings nationwide. Address: P.O. Box 617, St.
Joseph, MI 49085 Tel: 269-925-3940 Fax: 269-925-
0448 E-mail: jrwawa@jrwalters.com VISIT our web
site at www.jrwalters.com
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER
Prepare designs, drawings & contract doc. using 3-D
Studio, Form-Z, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photo-
shop, Adobe Pagemaker, Quark Express, CAD,
AutoCAD & Microstation. Req: Bachelor in Archi-
tecture. No license rqd. 40hrs/wk. Job/Interview site:
LA, CA. Send resume to Frank R. Webb Architects,
Inc. @ 8607 Venice Blvd., LA, CA 90034.
DESIGNER/DRAFTER
STONE BY STONE DESIGN
Plans, designs and administers residential building
projects for clients, applying knowledge of design,
construction procedures, zoning and building codes,
and building materials. Prepares information regard-
ing design, specifications, materials, color, equipment
and estimated costs. Plans layout of project and inte-
grates engineering elements into unified design for
client review and approval. Prepares scale drawings
and contract documents for building contractors,
using computeraided design software and equipment.
Bachelor’s degree in Architecture or equivalent edu-
cation and/or experience, plus minimum 2 years
experience in this position. Salary $36,500.00. Send
resume with references to: Stone by Stone Design,
Inc., 14 New Orleans Road, Suite 13, Hilton Head
Island, SC 29928.

340 Architectural Record 12.04


ARCHITECT
Nationally recognized Building Systems Consulting
firm seeks architect for non-design position as Green
Building Consultant. Applicant will have 3-7 years
experience with CD’s, detailing, and specification
writing. Good technical and communication skills
reqd. Knowledge of green buildings a plus, but
training will be provided.
Send resumes to:
Lori Tolentino, Steven Winter Associates, Inc., 50
Washington Street, Norwalk, CT 06854
Consult our website at www.swinter.com
ARCHITECTS
Gresham, Smith and Partners is a national full-serv-
ice design firm with 14 offices located across the
country. Our clients turn to us for innovative design
solutions. GS&P is always seeking the most talented
professionals at multiple levels of experience. For
more information on opportunities available in any
GS&P location or to apply on-line, visit our website
at www.gspnet.com/Careers or fax resumes to 615-
770-8135. EOE M/F/V/D
ARCHITECTURAL DRAFTER
Prep architectural drawings/specs of cmm’l/indust’l/
residnt’l bldg, using AutoCAD, 3D Perspective draw-
ing software. Recommend materials & estimate qty.
Modify drawing/spec/other aspect per change. F/T.
AA degree in Architecture or Architectural Eng + 2
yrs exp. Send resume to: Grace Partnership Inc, 550
S. Wilton Pl, L.A., CA 90020
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ARCHITECTURAL DRAFTER
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 Profile

Matteo Pericoli’s drawings pay

homage to the city he adopted
Interviewed by Deborah Snoonian, P.E.

It took a few Circle Line tours, hundreds of photographs and sketches, and
two long rolls of trace paper to get there, but Matteo Pericoli’s debut book, a
foldout illustration of New York’s West and East Side skyliness called
Manhattan Unfurled, became an instant classic when it was released in
October 2001. He followed up with Manhattan Within and See the City, a
children’s book based on Unfurled, which got an exposure boost when the rap
group The Beastie Boys used its drawings as cover art for To the 5 Boroughs,
their album dedicated to New York. Pericoli earned a degree in architecture
from the Polytechnic Institute of Milan and moved to New York in 1995,
working for a time for Richard Meier on the Jubilee Church in Rome.
Q: Why did you turn Manhattan Unfurled into a children’s book? When
I began drawing the West Side—I didn’t know yet that it was going
to become a book—I thought to myself, if I can make a drawing out of this
apparent or stereotyped chaos of New York that is clear and understandable
even to children, then I will have achieved something. So I gave myself a
simple rule to handle the complexity of the skyline: to draw everything I saw,
not to leave anything behind, that every building is worth drawing because
it’s Manhattan. I wanted the drawing to appeal to children, too, that’s why
the waves in the rivers are drawn playfully, like monsters almost. The idea
would be that, for children, the skyline is an image, an image that you can

change, by adding buildings, or coloring it perhaps.
How have your drawings influenced your relationship with the city? We as
Europeans have a view of New York that’s informed mostly by movies, com-
mercials, magazines, things like that. When I moved here I was expecting
to feel detachment, massive buildings pushing me away. But in reality this
place is very different from what anyone can see from far away. I found it
to be as difficult as I expected, but at the same time there are neighbor-
hoods and sights not in the guidebooks that make it very livable and
humane. And it’s antiquated in a way I didn’t expect. Going into the subway
was like going into the ruins of an ancient city. So, I felt a sense of injustice
Manhattan Within (above) shows Pericoli’s color renderings of the buildings
that ring Central Park, and includes a journal he wrote while he worked on the
book. Below, a portion of the east side from Manhattan Unfurled.
that much of what I’d been led to believe about New York, and by extension
about America, was not true. And I felt a real warmth for the city because
of that. That’s why I began the first drawing—to understand New York, and
to appreciate it.
Do you have a favorite building in Manhattan? I always liked how the U.N. is
rotated off the grid. It’s the only building that looks out toward the east in a
very clear manner. I had nausea while I was working on it because I had to
draw all the windows, and then out of curiosity, when I was done, I counted
the lines and I found out I had drawn 3,000 lines for that building. Three
thousand lines! I probably absorbed it better than I did any other building I
 Profile
(Continued from previous page) “THE SKYLINE IS NOT THE SUM OF BUILDINGS
AGAINST THE SKY. IT IS SOMETHING THAT
TRANSCENDS THE BUILDINGS AND HAS A LIFE
OF ITS OWN.” Matteo Pericoli, from Manhattan Within

drew because of its orientation—it gave me the whole of itself.
What projects are you working on now? I’m writing and illustrating another
children’s book, and I’m also thinking about a new drawing project for New
York. My wife and I moved recently from the Upper West Side to Jackson
Heights, in Queens, and when everything was ready to go, I realized that the
view from the window next to where I worked was stuck there, and I wouldn’t
be able to see it again. Imagine spending seven years working at the same
table and glancing up every minute or so through the window; it must have
been months of staring. I realized how much my view of the city affected my
work and my well-being. So I drew first a sketch and then a larger, more real-
istic drawing of the view, as if I had been able to peel from the glass what I
could see. I took it with me so that I could enjoy this view even from the new
place. In New York, the view from the window is incredibly important. It
belongs to the interior, not the city. So I’m imagining a book of drawings that
would be an encyclopedia of these window views, invisible to everyone else
but the people who use and enjoy the view. The drawings would have to
include the people, of course, and the window frames themselves, to be
complete.
What do you enjoy most about drawing? Each line has an invisible weight of
fear and pleasure. In Manhattan Within, those big lines that go from bottom
to top—like the bridge crossings, zoom!—those were tough, choosing the
angle, the orientation. But you have to start somewhere. The thing that can
never be taken away from drawing by hand is the fear, the fear of doing
something that’s real and committed to paper. It’s the fear that makes it
worth doing.
Photographs by Euclides Santiago

348 Architectural Record 12.04

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