06 2023

$11.99
architecturalrecord.com

WOOD
The Next Wave
DESIGN VANGUARD 2023
Ultima ® Tegular HRC Ceiling Panels > Red Thread, East Hartford, CT > QA+M Architecture, Farmington, CT

Ceilings that turn

cacophony into calm
 Visit us
at AIA Booth
#5857

Our Total Acoustics® portfolio of ceiling solutions

features the ideal combination of sound absorption
and sound blocking. So whether you’re trying to
reduce noise in collaborative environments, focus
spaces, or areas where confidentiality counts,
Total Acoustics ceilings offer total noise control
and design flexibility. In addition to great acoustics,
Ultima® Tegular HRC ceilings feature post-consumer
recycled content from the Ceilings Recycling
Program. See all the ways you can turn cacophony
into calm at armstrongceilings.com/totalacoustics
 SCHOOL SAFETY
IS OUR #1 PRIORITY

Trust your school design projects to Technical Glass Products.

As North America’s most specified fire-rated glass company, TGP is the proven answer to achieving your design goals, while
still securing fire- and life-safety requirements. We are committed to innovative solutions that protect students and staff.

© 2023 Technical Glass Products, Inc. Pilkington Pyrostop is a registered trademark of Pilkington plc. Fireframes, Fireframes ClearView, Technical Glass Products and Fireglass
are registered trademarks of Technical Glass Products, Inc. #1 specified fire-rated glass company in North America among architectural specifiers as reported by a national
research/analytics firm, ConstructConnect, Inc. 2014-2022.
 Learn how TGP is keeping
schools safer and more secure
at fireglass.com/schools.

W.R. Murchie Science Building, University of Michigan-Flint

Location: Flint, MI
Architect: HED Design
Glazing Contractor: Glasco Corp
Product: Fireframes® Aluminum Series with Pilkington Pyrostop®
fireglass.com | 800.426.0279
fire-rated glass, Fireframes® Designer Series fire-rated doors
and Fireframes ClearView® System
Terrazzo Excellence
Since 1923
Terrazzo is a handcra ed building material; its
primary components are assembled on the
construction site. For 100-years, the contractor
members of the National Terrazzo and Mosaic
Association have brought integrity and skill to
countless installations. The NTMA has the expertise
your project needs. Find specifications, information,
color samples, contractor and supplier members at
www.ntma.com or call 800-323-9736.

Pacific Gate • San Diego, CA

Architect General Contractor/Owner

Kohn Pedersen Fox Bosa Development
Associates PC California, Inc.
New York, NY San Diego, CA

Terrazzo Contractor Photographer

T.B. Penick & Sons, Inc. Nathan Padilla Bowen
San Diego, CA
 Harness the
beauty and EDITOR IN CHIEF

DEPUTY EDITOR
Josephine Minutillo, minutilloj@bnpmedia.com

Joann Gonchar, faia, leed ap,

power of MANAGING EDITOR

goncharj@bnpmedia.com

Linda C. Lentz, lentzl@bnpmedia.com

solar. SENIOR EDITOR

SENIOR NEWS/DIGITAL EDITOR

Leopoldo Villardi, villardil@bnpmedia.com

Matt Hickman, hickmanm@bnpmedia.com

Introducing Solstex®. A facade ASSOCIATE DIGITAL EDITOR Ilana Herzig, herzigi@bnpmedia.com

system designed to harness the
power of the sun, stand up to
the harshest of climates, and
bring unparalleled design
flexibility to your building. Its
lightweight, large-format
design is easy to install,
and works seamlessly
with the entire
family of Elemex®
facade systems.
ASSISTANT EDITOR
CONTRIBUTING PRODUCTS EDITOR
COPY EDITOR
ART DIRECTOR
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR,
PRESENTATION DRAWINGS
EDITOR AT LARGE
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Pansy Schulman schulmanp@bnpmedia.com
Sheila Kim, sheilakim.nyc@gmail.com
Anna Shapiro
Michael T. Powell, powellm@bnpmedia.com
Sarah Wojno, wojnos@bnpmedia.com
Peter Coe
Cathleen McGuigan
Sarah Amelar, Fred A. Bernstein,
Beth Broome, James Gauer, Blair Kamin,
Izzy Kornblatt, Katharine Logan,
Clifford A. Pearson, Naomi Pollock, faia,
James Russell, faia, David Sokol,
Suzanne Stephens

INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENTS Tim Abrahams, Andrew Ayers, Aric Chen,

David Cohn, Chris Foges

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Iwan Baan, Roland Halbe

ARCHITECTURAL RECORD (ISSN: Print 0003-858X Digital 2470-1513) June 2023, Vol. 211,
No. 06. record is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media II, LLC., 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd.,
Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317.

Annual rate for print: US $44.99, Canada $84.99, and Foreign $149.00. Annual rate for digital: $19.00. Single
Copy sales: $12.00.

LEED Reliable Return/ Design Eco-Efficient Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2023, by BNP Media. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may
Compliance High Return Flexibility not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for
product claims and representations.

Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI, and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: ARCHITECTURAL RECORD, P.O. Box 1514, Lincolnshire, IL
60069.

CANADA POST: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns (Canada)

SOLAR FACADE SYSTEM to IMEX Global Solutions, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6c 6B2.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send old address label along with new address to ARCHITECTURAL
RECORD, P.O. Box 1514, Lincolnshire, IL 60069.

FOR SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION OR SERVICE, PLEASE CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE AT:

Local Phone: (847) 504-8163; Toll Free: (866) 501-7541; Fax: (847) 291-4816.

elemex.com EDITORIAL OFFICES: (646) 849-7124. 350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 6000, New York, NY 10118.
WEBSITE: architecturalrecord.com.
530 Admiral Dr., London, Ontario N5V 0B2
1 844 435 3639 I info@elemex.com BNP Media Helps People Succeed in
Business with Superior Information

PRINTED IN USA
 TM

Folding Glass Walls by NanaWall

Easy Operation: Smoothest and easiest operation

of any folding glass wall.

Increased Transparency: Clean aesthetics with the slimmest

Helping you push profiles available and minimal exposed hardware.

Flexible Stacking: Floating panel sets can stack to the left

your boundaries or right with panels inward or outward opening.

Uninterrupted Transitions: Only ADA-compliant sill

meant reinventing with a water rating and a high heel resistant feature.

Acoustical Privacy: Range of unit STC options from STC 32

our own. up to STC 45.

Proven Durability: Air, water, structural, and forced entry

tested. Swing door tested to 500,000 and bi-fold panels
to 20,000 open/close cycles.

Available in
NanaWall.com
three different
800 873 5673
material choices: ALUMINUM WOOD CLAD
WELCOME
BACK ...
… to domestic and international mobility.

… to professional credibility.

… to free continuing education.

… to opportunity.

With an ever-expanding suite of exclusive

benefits, its time to invest in your future with
the NCARB Certificate. And for a limited
time, we are waiving your reactivation fees.

Save up to $1,235 when you reactivate

your NCARB Certificate or become
NCARB certified for the first time.

Renew your NCARB Record through June 30, 2023,

to take advantage of these savings.

Learn more at www.ncarb.org/welcomeback

 Nucor Mind of Steel Dave Eckmann

AEOS ™ SE, PE, FAIA, President of Magnusson

Klemencic Associates
ASTM A9 13
HIGH-STRENGTH
STRUCTURAL STEEL

DELIVER
INNOVATION.
DESIGN
WITH
AEOS.
Elevate your designs with Aeos, the
optimized high-strength structural
steel backed by our collaborative
experts. The strength of Aeos (agile,
efficient, optimized, and sustainable)
lets architects like you deliver
innovative designs while meeting
your sustainability goals.

D I S C OV E R H OW D E S I G N E R S
B E N E F I T F R O M A E O S H I G H - S T R E N GT H
STRUCTURAL STEEL.
nucor.com/elevate
 PUBLISHER
Alex Bachrach
bachracha@bnpmedia.com

ADVERTISING SALES
MA, CT, RI, NH, VT, ME, NY, NJ, DE, MD, D.C., EASTERN PA: Joseph Sosnowski
(610) 278-7829, sosnowskij@bnpmedia.com
WESTERN PA, IN, MI, OH, TX, LA, OK, NC, TN, VA, WV, KY, AR, EASTERN CANADA: Lisa Zurick
(513) 345-8210, zurickl@bnpmedia.com
CA, OR, WA, AZ, NV, UT, NM, CO, WY, ID, MT, SD, ND, WESTERN CANADA: Bryce Madden
(503) 200-9280, bryce@maddenandassociates.net
WI, MN, IA, IL, MO, MS, NE, FL, GA, SC, AL, KS, INTERNATIONAL: Chris Wilson
(248) 819-0751, wilsonc@bnpmedia.com

WORKFORCE/RECRUITMENT: Diane Soister

(646) 849-7137, Fax: (248) 502-2046, soisterd@bnpmedia.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER: Kristen Carpenter

(248) 786-1222, Fax: (248) 502-2051, carpenterk@bnpmedia.com

CONTINUING EDUCATION
CONTINUING-EDUCATION GROUP MANAGER
Brittnie Wilson
CONTINUING-EDUCATION PROJECT MANAGER
Nikolina Liveric
CUSTOM CONTENT EDITOR
Ellen McCurtin

AUDIENCE MARKETING
AUDIENCE MARKETING PROJECT MANAGER
Cassandra Kerby
INTEGRATED-MEDIA SPECIALIST
Catherine Neal

LIST RENTALS
Please contact your sales representative

CORPORATE
CHIEF HR & INFRASTRUCTURE OFFICER
Rita M. Foumia
CHIEF PRODUCTION OFFICER
Vincent M. Miconi
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Lisa L. Paulus
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER
Michael T. Powell
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Nikki Smith
CHIEF EVENTS OFFICER
Scott Wolters
PANEL AND RESEARCH DIRECTOR
Ariane Claire

BNP MEDIA: (248) 244-6400

WEBSITE: architecturalrecord.com. SUBSCRIBER SERVICE: For subscription information or

service, please contact Customer Service at: Phone: (800) 952-6643; Email: AR@omeda.com SINGLE
COPY SALES: www.architecturalrecord.com/scs. If the Post Office alerts us that your magazine is
undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year.
REPRINTS: reprints@bnpmedia.com.

Transform spaces with Backlit Columns, Walls and Ceilings BNP Media Helps People Succeed in
Business with Superior Information

mozdesigns.com | 510.632.0853 | Bay Area, CA PRINTED IN USA

 METAL COMPOSITE MATERIALS

trust us to be
the face of
your brand.

BRAND IDENTITY
alpolic-americas.com | 1.800.422.7270

©2022 All Rights Reserved. ALPOLIC® is a registered trademark of Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation.
 EXCEPTIONAL
The KB3000-AHL Special Needs Changing Station
Integrated height controls
on wall unit resist tampering

Folds flat against the

wall to save space

No removable parts
or exposed cables
to deter vandalism

Stretcher supports
up to 500 lbs.

Emergency stop feature

Easy access controls

to adjust height from
12" to 41" from the floor

Vandal resistant changing

surface that is cut resistant
and easy to clean

A Must for the Inclusive Facility

Suitable for use by adolescents and adults, the KB3000-AHL is the first
adjustable height changing station offered by Koala Kare Products. Featuring
contemporary aesthetics and intuitive design, the unit’s height adjustability
from 12" to 41" allows the patron to be safely transferred to the changing surface
without requiring the caregiver to assist with lifting.

Designed for public spaces, our adjustable height changing station incorporates
exceptional safety features, unmatched durability and thoughtful features that
will be appreciated by both the cared for and caregiver.

To learn more, visit

www.koalabear.com/kb3000
A Division of Bobrick
JUNE 2023
DEPARTMENTS
22 EDITOR’S LETTER
27 CURRENTS: Two Retrospectives for Two
Pritzker Prize–Winning Architects
28 HOUSE OF THE MONTH: Courtyard
Houses, Santa Monica, California INABA
WILLIAMS ARCHITECTURE By Sarah Amelar
35 TRADE SHOW: Milan Design Week
By Andrew Ayers
44 TRADE SHOW: NeoCon By Sheila Kim
48 PRODUCTS: Wood By Sheila Kim
52 EXHIBITION: Reframed: The Future of
Cities in Wood By James Gauer
57 BOOK REVIEW: Touch Wood, by Carla
Ferrer, Thomas Hildebrand, and Celina
Martinez-Cañavate Reviewed by Nader Tehrani
61 BUILDING TECHNOLOGY: Earthquake
Shake-Table Test for Mass Timber
By Sarah Amelar
67 GUESS THE ARCHITECT
70 NEWSMAKER: David Adjaye By Izzy Kornblatt
72 NEWSMAKER: RIBA Gold Medal Winner
Yasmeen Lari By Matt Hickman
PROJECTS
100 Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts,
Little Rock; American Museum of
Natural History Gilder Center, New York
STUDIO GANG By Clifford A. Pearson
DESIGN VANGUARD 2023
77 Introduction
78 BLDUS By Deane Madsen
80 Linehouse By Jennifer Krichels
82 Zeller & Moye By Ian Volner
84 Studio J. Jih By A. Krista Sykes
86 Studio Contra By Izzy Kornblatt
88 MIX Architecture By Aric Chen
90 Office MI—JI By Dillon Webster
92 Linden, Brown Architecture
By Randy Gragg
94 Kiyo Takeda Architects
By Naomi Pollock, FAIA
96 Future Expansion By Matt Hickman
BUILDING TYPE STUDY 1,053
SPIRITUAL BUILDINGS
115 Abrahamic Family House, Abu
Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
ADJAYE ASSOCIATES By Izzy Kornblatt
122 Christ Church Somerset West,
Cape Town NOERO ARCHITECTS
By Iain Low
128 Erlöserkirche, Cologne, Germany
HARRIS + KURRLE ARCHITEKTEN
By Mary Pepchinski
FOCUS ON WOOD
137 Introduction
138 Sourcing Sustainable Timber
By Joann Gonchar, FAIA
141 Europe’s Timber Construction
Targets By Katharine Logan
144 Mass Timber Helps Resurrect a
Fire-Torn Town By Sarah Amelar
148 Portland International Airport
Main Terminal Expansion, Oregon
ZGF By Randy Gragg
154 World of Volvo, Gothenburg,
Sweden HENNING LARSEN
By James Gauer
158 Innoasis, Stavanger, Norway
HELEN & HARD By Katharine Logan
162 Wood Project Portfolio
171 Glossary of Terms
197 Dates & Events
204 SNAPSHOT: Malmö Stadsteater
Hippodrome, Sweden HAWORTH
TOMPKINS AND WHITE ARKITEKTER
By Chris Foges
THIS PAGE: SHANSHUI FIREWOOD GARDEN, SICHUAN PROVINCE,
CHINA. BY MIX ARCHITECTURE. PHOTO © BOWEN HOU.
Expanded coverage at architecturalrecord.com.
COVER: WORLD OF VOLVO, GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN. BY
HENNING LARSEN. PHOTO © RASMUS HJORTSHØJ.
13
 R16

These R the same

 R16

Get wall-like R-values — with the aesthetic and daylighting benefits of glass.
With VacuMax™ vacuum insulating glass (VIG) by Vitro Architectural Glass, it’s possible to
achieve R-values as high as R16 in a nominal 1-inch insulating glass unit. VacuMax™ VIG —
the ultimate thermal insulation in a window.

Learn more at VacuMaxVIG.com VacuMax

Vacuum Insulating Glass
ª
 LEARN & EARN
Earn your continuing education credits free online at ce.architecturalrecord.com*
CONTINUING EDUCATION

IN THIS ISSUE
Photo courtesy of Michael Blackburn

Photo courtesy of Onyx Solar Group

Photo courtesy of Pulp Studio

p180
p182
p178
The Active Adaptive Facade
Designing with Architectural
Sponsored by The Ornamental Metal Institute
Exploring Large Aggregate Terrazzo of New York Decorative Glass
Sponsored by National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; Sponsored by Pulp Studio
CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW 1 GBCI CE HOUR; 1 PDH CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU

Photo courtesy of WATTS Water Technologies

Photo courtesy of Armstrong Ceiling

p184 p192
Photo courtesy of Infinity Drain

p188
Photo courtesy of Excel Dryer

p186
Universal Design Meeting Today’s Most
Incorporating Architectural 3 Keys to Commercial Controlling Water Use Stringent Sustainability

and Wall Solutions

Linear Drains Restroom Design: Safety, in Sustainable Buildings Standards
Sponsored by Infinity Drain Sustainability, and Savings Sponsored by WATTS Water Technologies Sponsored by Armstrong Ceiling and
CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; Sponsored by Excel Dryer CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; Wall Solutions
1 IDCEC CEU/HSW CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU 1 GBCI CE HOUR CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU

TRENDING ARTICLES ON THE CE CENTER

Photo courtesy of CMP (Construction Metal Products) and Metal Alliance LLC Photo courtesy of CUBE 3 Studio & Rixon Photography Photo courtesy of Infinity Drain

Site Selection Criteria for

Contending with Corrosion Commercial-to-Residential /hi>nÞ iniwÌÃov
in Metal Exteriors Conversions Barrier-Free Showers
Sponsored by DuPont™ Tedlar® Sponsored by The Steel Institute Sponsored by Infinity Drain
1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW; of New York
1 AIA LU/HSW
0.1 ICC CEU; 1 IIBEC CEH 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 GBCI CE HOUR;
1 PDH; 1 AIC CPD

NEW LUNCH & LEARNS AVAILABLE ON THE EDUCATION EXCHANGE

The Health, Safety, and Welfare of Ageless Elegance: Steel Windows and Doors ADA Signage: Mastering the Compliance Basics Thin Shell Precast Exterior Wall System
Structural Glass Systems Presented by Euroline Steel Windows & Doors Presented by Inpro® Presented by SlenderWall
Presented by Enclos Tensile Structures 1 AIA LU/ELECTIVE 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 ADA STATE 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 PDH
1 AIA LU/HSW ACCESSIBILITY/BARRIER-FREE

ACADEMY SPOTLIGHT

Sustainability Academy Thermal Bridging Academy

Brought to you by Armstrong Brought to you by NYSERDA
Ceiling and Wall Solutions 4 AIA LU/HSW; 0 AIA LU/ELECTIVE
6 AIA LU/HSW; 2 AIA LU/ELECTIVE

This training program will introduce

The steps the building community takes architects to the concepts, science, and
today will dramatically affect our planet now mitigation of thermal bridging in building
and for future generations. envelope systems.

To receive credit, you are required to read the entire article and pass the quiz. Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for complete text and to take the quiz for free.

*All Architectural Record articles and presentations count toward the annual AIA continuing education requirement. All sponsored exams are available at no charge and are instantly processed, unless otherwise noted.

16 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

ASI OFFERS THE ONLY METAL PARTITIONS
WHERE PRIVACY IS ENGINEERED INTO
THE DESIGN.

DON’T SETTLE FOR AN ADD-ON PRIVACY

STRIP AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT.

AT ASI, PRIVACY ISN’T OPTIONAL.

IT IS OUR STANDARD.

ASI’s proprietary, Integrated Privacy ™ partitions are engineered with

built-in privacy and manufactured as one color matched unit, offering
complete privacy without the need for any retrofitted components.
Exactly what building occupants want and deserve. See the difference
at asi-globalpartitions.com/privacy.
 LEARN & EARN
Earn your continuing education credits free online at ce.architecturalrecord.com*
CONTINUING EDUCATION

NEW IN WEBINARS WATCH NOW

Photo courtesy of NYSERDA Photo courtesy of Technical Glass Products Photo courtesy of BQE Software

Basics and Beyond:

Calculation Procedures for Building a Better Proposal:
Understanding and Designing
Assessing Thermal Bridging How Worldclass Architects
with Fire-Rated Glass & Framing
Impacts Get Clients to Say Yes
Sponsored by Technical Glass
Sponsored by NYSERDA Products (TGP) Sponsored by BQE Software
1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU 1 AIA LU/ELECTIVE; 0.1 ICC CEU

Photo courtesy of Commercial Observer Photo courtesy of Hörmann 2022 Photo courtesy of TAAO | Atelier 5 - Bern 131

Beyond Gray: Designing with Speed is the New Green Operational Energy Basics for
Decorative Concrete Sustainable Architectural Design
Sponsored by Hörmann High
Sponsored by Build with Strength, Performance Doors Sponsored by Vectorworks
a coalition of the National Ready
Mixed Concrete Association 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU;
1 GBCI CE HOUR 1 ZNDC CREDIT
1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU

NEW IN MULTIMEDIA
Photo courtesy of NYSERDA Photo courtesy of Georgia-Pacific Building Products Photo courtesy of Alpolic ® Metal Composite Materials

Advanced Design Against

Thermal Bridging Impacts on Adverse Conditions in a iÃi}nE-«iViwV>Ìionov 
"vwVií ÕÀÌ>in7>ll onÃÌÀÕVÌion® ommiÀVi>l,oown}-ÞÃÌim in Today’s Architecture
Sponsored by NYSERDA Sponsored by Georgia-Pacific Sponsored by ALPOLIC® Metal
Composite Materials
1 LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU Building Products
1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU
1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 IIBEC CEH

Photo courtesy of XPEL Photo courtesy of Georgia-Pacific Building Products Photo courtesy of Holcim

Integral Sheathing Solutions Concrete Impacts: Maintaining

Improving Buildings performance and reducing carbon
for Multi-Family Projects
with Window Film with Portland-Limestone Cement
Sponsored by XPEL Sponsored by Georgia-Pacific
Sponsored by Holcim (US) Inc.
Building Products
1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU 1 AIA LU/ELECTIVE; 1 GBCI CE
1 AIA LU/HSW
HOUR; 0.1 ICC CEU; 1 PDH

NEW IN PODCASTS LISTEN NOW

Photo courtesy of Keep Pushing Inc. Photo courtesy of Timothy Hursley Photo courtesy of Confluence Communications

Dan Mancina-Adaptive Andrew Freear of the Rural How to Calculate the Wood
Skatepark Design Studio at Auburn University Carbon Footprint of a Building
Presented by Dan Mancina Presented by Andrew Freear Presented by Andrew A. Hunt
0.5 AIA LU/ELECTIVE 1 AIA LU/ELECTIVE; 0.1 ICC CEU 0.5 AIA LU/ELECTIVE

Photo courtesy of Kevin Abosch Photo courtesy of Brigitte Lacombe Photos courtesy of LEVER ArchitectsArchitects

Chandra Robinson of Lever

Designing-and learning-Across Renovating Art Spaces in Presented by Chandra Robinson
Cultures Service to Public Experience 1 AIA LU/ELECTIVE; 0.1 ICC CEU
Presented by Mark Gardner Presented by Annabelle Selldorf
1 AIA LU/ELECTIVE; 0.1 ICC CEU 0.5 AIA LU/ELECTIVE

*All Architectural Record articles and presentations count toward the annual AIA continuing education requirement. All sponsored exams are available at no charge and are instantly processed, unless otherwise noted.
This course is part of the Concrete Academy. This course is part of the Thermal Bridging Academy.

18 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 bio-circular
architectural mesh

Bio-circular architectural mesh by Kaynemaile www.kaynemaile.com

• Reduces solar gain • 70% bio-circular materials
by up to 70% • Fully recyclable Find out more about Kaynemaile RE8
• ISCC PLUS certified • Exterior and interior Get in touch at sales@kaynemaile.com
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Lucas Fladzinski Photography | Jason Mann Photography | Angus Martin Photography
Foot traffic and maintenance work on a commercial rooftop without cover
board protection can lead to costly puncture damage. Specify DensDeck®
Roof Boards to strengthen your roofs and your reputation.
Don’t let preventable damage hold anyone back. See how your
buildings can be ready for anything at DensDeck.com/StopCallbacks.
©2023 GP Gypsum. DensDeck and the Georgia-Pacific logo are trademarks owned by or licensed to GP Gypsum.
 From the EDITOR

Next Generation
A CERTAIN rare sight in Paris continues to amaze me whenever I
come upon it—half-timber houses with the wood exposed, dating back
centuries. The contrast with the limestone, mansard-roofed buildings
of the Haussmann era that dominate the capital is striking. With the
grand exception of Notre-Dame, very little of Medieval Paris remains.
And that cathedral’s timber roof spectacularly went up in flames in
April 2019.
This Parisian scenario is perhaps a simple answer to the somewhat
naive question: Why did we stop building in wood? With the growth
of cities, advances in steel and concrete technologies made it possible
to erect higher, faster, cheaper, and safer, buildings that are more

PHOTOGRAPHY: © JILLIAN NELSON

hygienic, and less likely to catch on fire. But fast-forward to the 21st
century, and the carbon-storing capacity of wood has brought about a
renaissance in the use of this natural material, not only in the con-
struction of houses, but in office and apartment towers, museums,
academic buildings, stadia, and even airports. It’s worth noting that
Paris, particularly with its preparations for the 2024 Olympics, is one
of the cities leading the charge.
This issue takes a closer look at the recent surge in building with
wood. We’re showcasing a number of completed and soon-to-open
projects, as well as ones that are on the boards. We also examine the reasons for wood’s growing
popularity, not least of which is speed of construction. These are not the stick-built structures of
yore, but projects where giant prefabricated CLT and glulam members are easily assembled on-
site. This new engineered timber takes a material that was once fire-prone and makes it fire-
resistant. Did I mention carbon storing?
But there’s more to the wood story. We detail the progress of building with wood, but also the
stumbling blocks—quantifying the climate impacts and benefits with any precision is still tricky
business. And, in some cases, demand is exceeding supply! Reading this comprehensive 35-page
package, overseen by deputy editor Joann Gonchar, FAIA, LEED AP, can earn you not one but
two HSW credits.
Also in this issue we present a new generation of architects embracing the natural world and build-
ing with bio-based materials: Our annual Design Vanguard feature spotlights 10 emerging practices
from nearly every continent. Keeping to that theme, “Next Generation” is the title for this year’s
Innovation Conference, Thursday, October 26. Do join us for this full-day event presenting a cohort
of architects making their mark on the future of the profession and the built environment.

Josephine Minutillo, Editor in Chief

22 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

HANDCAST BRONZE HARDWARE | 12 FINISHES | MADE TO ORDER IN THE USA | rockymountainhardware.com
 3

Solutions Studio® Custom Acoustic Solutions

Arktura’s Solutions Studio® team is here to serve as your partner at every stage - from design and production to seamless
install coordination - in projects that push the boundaries of creativity and technology. As architects and engineers,
everything we do is centered on bringing your vision to life. Let us make your next creative vision a reality

Scan to find your rep

& learn more now!

arktura.com/solutions-studio | info@arktura.com Fueling Possibilities

Possibilities®
Pictured: 2023 CISCA Construction Excellence Award Winning Solutions Studio® Fin Wall & Atmosphera® Adaptive Analog Ceiling
at Confidential MedTech HQ, Cambridge, MA. A collaboration with Perkins & Will. Photo by Anton Grassl.
 Our yakisugi “shou sugi ban” siding won’t just last a lifetime,

it will enhance it.

Product Used: Suyaki™

Architect: SHED
Builder: Whelbilt Homes
Photography: Rafael Soldi

SUYAKI™ GENDAI™ PIKA PIKA™ nakamotoforestry.com

 Record CURRENTS

The line of charcoal, pencil, and pen is an expressive and emotional line . . . Every move, weight, shade, thickness,
and velocity of the hand-drawn line carries a particular meaning.
—Juhani Pallasmaa, in his book The Thinking Hand: Existential and Embodied Wisdom in Architecture
PHOTOGRAPHY: © CASADAARQUITECTURA_ARCHIVE (TOP); NORMAN FOSTER (BOTTOM)

In May, retrospectives spanning the decades-long careers of two Pritzker Prize–winning architects opened,
exploring the ambitions and breadth of their work. At the Centre Pompidou in Paris, a monumental self-
portrait is painted of British starchitect Norman Foster. At the Casa da Arquitectura in Portugal, the work of
the late Brazilian modernist Paulo Mendes da Rocha offers a more intimate experience. In each, drawings play
a prominent role. Above is Foster’s drawing of the Great Court at the British Museum. At top is a sketch by
Mendes da Rocha of a private residence. In Foster’s words, “Sketching and drawing has been a way of life for as
long as I can remember.” A way of life, perhaps, that is changing dramatically. One can only hope that future
retrospectives of a next generation of architects include such gems.

27
 HOUSE of the Month
A PAIR OF COURTYARD HOUSES IN SANTA MONICA BY INABA WILLIAMS RESPONDS NIMBLY TO STRICT ENERGY CODES. BY SARAH AMELAR

INFLUENTIAL architectural solutions

sometimes emerge from specific zoning or
code constraints. In New York, the 1916
setback requirements bred an entire language
of massing (think of Hugh Ferriss’s evocative
drawings and the Manhattan skyline that
followed); in 19th-century Paris, building
regulations gave rise to the city’s ubiquitous
multistory mansard roofs with dormers. In
like spirit, Inaba Williams Architecture re-
cently completed a pair of single-family houses
in Santa Monica, California, embracing the
belief that restrictions can inspire invention.
There, key challenges came from Title 24,
PHOTOGRAPHY: © BRANDON SHIGETA

Part 6—California’s Building Energy Effic-

iency Standards, which began developing in
the 1970s and, more recently, has been modi-
fied or updated every three years to make new
construction and renovations increasingly
sustainable. It addresses such aspects as fenes-
tration, HVAC, insulation, lighting, and
electrical systems. To reduce wasteful opera-

28 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

tional-energy consumption, “Title 24 favors
small windows in solid walls,” explains prin-
cipal Jeffrey Inaba. “Here [in single-family
houses and low-rise housing], glass can cover
only 20 percent of the building envelope.
While it’s still possible to create Case Study
House–inspired walls of floor-to-ceiling
glass, that has become impractical and very
expensive.” Put another way, designs that
don’t follow the prescribed guidelines, includ-
ing the glazing maximum, must undergo
rigorous performance reviews and adopt
counterbalancing efficiency measures that
often increase construction costs significantly.
“So, what becomes of the classic Southern
California ideal of indoor-outdoor living,”
asks Inaba, “the birthright of Angelenos and
source of year-round joy?”
His firm’s Courtyard Houses—mirror
images on two adjacent lots—tackle that
question. The design, says Inaba, “also pro-
poses a prototype that could be modified for
middle-income homes on tight sites” (al-
though these two examples are higher-end,
due to their finishes and fixtures, as well as
local land values). The strategy focuses not on
the quantity of daylight, but on its nuanced
qualities—its poetics, expressive range, and
potential to animate and punctuate space. In
tandem with that approach, the architects
resisted the commonplace pressure to max out
the allowable building envelope for each
house, choosing instead to integrate multiple
open spaces—modest side patios and a central
courtyard—and cut back the massing to
optimize sunlight into those outdoor “rooms.”
With simple, crisp forms, clad in luminously
white stucco, the exterior compositions recall
the work of such early Modernists as Le
Corbusier or, specific to Southern California,
Irving Gill (though, Inaba maintains, no
homage to the past was intended). Within that
vocabulary, each house—at 3,900 square feet
on a relatively narrow 5,500-square-foot par-
cel—deftly alternates open and enclosed space,
solid and void. The sequence begins with a
private front garden (which will eventually be
hedged in), followed by a 690-square-foot
street-facing volume like an accessory dwelling
unit (ADU) that connects with the rest of the
house via a glassy breezeway along the court-
yard. Water features—a fountain in the entry of both interior and exterior realms. Each of the two mirrored houses (opposite, top)
forecourt and a spa/pool in the central yard— Inside, clean-edged, pared-down surfaces features interior spaces that spill out into a
weave together the spaces, helping cool them capture and modulate daylight in varied ways: central courtyard (opposite, bottom), side
while also reflecting rays. Judiciously placed windows and glass doors tend to be clustered patios, and a yard (above).
thresholds and moments of transparency invite at corners to concentrate intensity and illumi-
indoor-out flow, letting, for example, the nate multiple interior surfaces; similarly, the
kitchen area spill into open-air dining and pairing of skylights and windows with light
making the courtyard central to the experience scoops heightens the diffuse glow. With fluid

29
 HOUSE of the Month

detailing—not unlike Los Angeles’ early-to-

2 3 mid 20th-century Spanish-style houses—
high ceilings meet walls with coves, or curves,
A 1 A and doors and windows have bullnose sur-
8 7 6 4
rounds (some of them boosted in scale). Set at
9 5
grade, the open-plan living/dining/kitchen
2 1 GARAGE area has white terrazzo flooring, as if extend-
2 PATIO
ing all-weather paving inside, whereas the
3 ENTRY COURT
stairway to upstairs bedrooms and that entire
level have pale oak underfoot. Nearly every
4 MEDIA ROOM
bedroom (four in the house’s main section and
5 COURTYARD
one in the front volume) opens onto its own
6 LIVING
small balcony or other outdoor space.
7 DINING Both houses, built on spec and completed
8 KITCHEN in 2022, have been sold—one to an artist-
0 20 FT. 9 BEDROOM and-curator couple with a collection of their
GROUND-FLOOR PLAN
6 M. 10 FAMILY ROOM own. Colorful, contemporary, mostly 2D
11 DECK works now play against their pure-white
12 PRIMARY SUITE walls, picking up the architectural rhythms of
light and form. Inaba Williams Architecture
10 12 intentionally designed the front volume
9
(though not officially an ADU) with the
1 9 8 7 6 5 4 flexibility to serve as a granny flat, a unit for
grown children, an art studio, or a home
0 20 FT. office—and these owners rent it out to a close
SECTION A - A
6 M.
relative with a solo legal practice.

30 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 While the architects set out to explore and
illustrate the potential for luminous indoor-
outdoor living, well within code standards, says
Inaba, “we were also looking to show how
bigger, pushed to the limits, really isn’t better.” n

Credits
ARCHITECT: Inaba Williams Architects —
Jeffrey Inaba, Darien Williams, principals;
Sharon Leung, project designer; Nabila Morales
Perez, Yasamin Mayyas, James Brillon, Andrea
Macias-Yanez, project team
ARCHITECT OF RECORD: Modative
ENGINEERS: Gouvis Engineering (structural);
Gaspar Obando (civil)
CONSULTANTS: Title 24 Guys (code); Studio
H20 (landscape architect)
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Modative Build
CLIENT: Machine for Living
SIZE: 4,080 square feet
COST: withheld
COMPLETION DATE: May 2022

Sources
DOORS: Fleetwood, Milgard
WINDOWS: Milgard, Velux A glassy breezeway runs along the courtyard (opposite). Interior spaces are illuminated by skylights,
LOCKSETS: Baldwin sliding doors, and precisely placed windows (this page).

31
Need Solutions
to Help with Your
Innovative Design?
The D-Max Wall Assembly from HBS is an insulation and air
barrier solution:

• Adaptable to most design shapes Learn more

• Using fewer products
• Accelerating the building delivery
• Reducing installed labor cost

It’s in our name

 TRADE SHOW Milan Design Week

Is the world’s biggest design event past its prime?

BY ANDREW AYERS

THIS YEAR, for the first time since the

advent of the coronavirus pandemic, Milan’s
mammoth Design Week, the motor of which
is the mythic Salone del Mobile, returned to
its traditional April slot (a huge relief after the
exhausting stickiness of last year’s June Design
Week). “Back to business with some climate-
conscious improvements” was essentially the
message promoted by the fair’s president,
Maria Porro, in her opening remarks to this
61st edition. Attendance figures certainly
indicate a relative return to form: 307,418
people passed through the turnstiles of the
six-day event at the Rho Fiera exhibition
halls—15 percent more than 2022’s 262,608
attendees but still significantly below 2019’s
pre-pandemic 386,236 (the benchmark by
which all post-Covid editions of the fair are
now measured). At the stands, the bustle was
at times unbearable, but that was because
Salone 2023 was considerably smaller than in
the past, occupying just one level of the
10 million-square-foot Fiera Milano (Milan
Fair) rather than the usual two. Official fig-
ures are a little vague but seem to indicate that
the number of exhibitors was down by around
125 from last year, settling at just over 2,000, names like Vitra (which has apparently de- “Salone is the mirror of an entire sector,” Porro
and including 550 young designers showing at cided to stop bothering with most trade fairs), told journalists—but is that really still the case?
SaloneSatellite. While the lack of Russian visi- Danish brands HAY and Fritz Hansen, and The reluctance of some did not discourage
tors helps explain the disappearance of all even Italian stalwarts such as B&B Italia and others from spending what must amount to
those halls stuffed with gilded pastiche furni- Cassina (which, it’s true, have more than millions on vast, bombastic megastands—in
ture, more surprising was the absence of adequate showrooms in the center of Milan). halls five and seven, where names like Bax-
ter’s, Poliform, and Minotti competed to see
who had the biggest. (Minotti won hands
down; you felt as if you’d wandered onto a
PHOTOGRAPHY: © BAS PRINCEN (BOTTOM); COURTESY SALONE DEL MOBILE.MILAN (TOP)

Hollywood soundstage, with entire houses

constructed under the corrugated-steel roofs
of Fiera Milano’s soaring sheds.) All of which
had everyone immediately wondering how
any of this could possibly be sustainable,
especially in light of Salone’s much-trumpet-
ed pledge “to attain ISO 20121 certification
for sustainable events management” (the final
audit for which was being undertaken during
the fair). According to ISO 20121’s own
website, the standard “does not specify which
sustainability issues to manage or what per-
formance levels to achieve,” but instead “re-
quires . . . that an organization has in place a
transparent process through which it system-
atically evaluates the issues relevant to its

The Fiera Milano featured stands by design

giants like Knoll (left) in addition to the work of
younger firms, at its SaloneSatellite (above).

35
TRADE SHOW Milan Design Week
British designer Tom Dixon presented a giant
display of his luminaires at Euroluce (left), the
lighting exhibition that occupied four entire
halls this year.
operations and sets its own objectives and
targets for improvement.” Quite what those
were, and whether they applied to exhibiting
brands, Salone did not reveal.
One brand that not only made the right
noises on sustainability, but also built perhaps
the most beautiful stand, was Knoll, now
under the creative direction of designer
Jonathan Olivares. Designed by Belgian
architects (and 2009 Record Design Van-
guard) OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van
Severen, the deceptively simple concept in-
volved aluminum (admittedly not the most
low-carbon material), glass, terrazzo tiles, and
desert plants, combined in such a way as to
produce an evocation of a midcentury Cali-
fornian Case Study–style house. What makes
Knoll’s stand more sustainable than using the
usual mountains of throwaway plasterboard is
the extreme economy of materials used, as
E L EG A N T. RO M A N T I C . T I M E L E S S .
source and fabricator of the finest marble, granite, limestone,
well as the fact that the hard-wearing parts
can easily be packed up and shipped off for
installation elsewhere. (With nothing much
new in the way of furniture, you could also
say that Knoll made a virtue of recycling their
old models.)
After kitchens and bathrooms in 2022, the
spotlight at this year’s fair was on lighting,
PHOTOGRAPHY: © ALLEGRA MARTIN; PIERCARLO QUECCHIA (OPPOSITE)
with the return of Euroluce, which filled four
entire halls. All the usual suspects were pres-
ent, as well as some newcomers—British
designer Tom Dixon, for example, with a
giant display—proposing every imaginable
product from chandeliers and high-design
suspension systems to reading lamps, street
lighting, and museum spots.
But Milan Design Week is not only the fair,
even if Salone is the main and original event.
It’s also Fuorisalone, the myriad and countless
displays and happenings put on at museums,
galleries, showrooms, and disused industrial
sites all over the city. Among them is an entire
alternative fair, Alcova, now in its fifth year,
which mostly showcases younger and emerg-
T H E PERF EC T F IT
W I L D A G AT E B L A C K
Cumar Couture Stone is New England’s preeminent
and exotic stones.
617.389.7818 | cumar.com
A disused slaughterhouse served and-onyx labyrinth in an under-
as the backdrop for Alcova, a ground parking lot; it won the
showcase for more avant-garde Fuorisalone Award for Best
products, such as Estúdio Rain's
Installation. Maarten Baas’s
Rícino series (right).
denim-wrapped private jet for
ing talent. After last year’s edition jeans manufacturer G-Star was a
in an abandoned military hospital, supposedly ironic comment on
this year’s outing felt a little déjà vu, sustainability and overconsump-
in terms of both the kind of work tion. More and more fashion
shown and the location—a very brands are proposing furniture
photogenic disused slaughterhouse during Design Week; developed
(which meant that exhibitors were with Kvadrat, the G-Star display
all displaying against a backdrop of also included cabinetry by Baas
the same kind of early 20th-century fabricated in a textile board made
architecture and the same kind of from recycled jeans. With so
hygienic tiles). Elsewhere, standouts much fuorisalone on offer, you
included Shigeru Ban’s cardboard- could easily forgo the fair and
tube tunnels in a Brera gallery for spend the entire week in town,
Japanese lighting manufacturer which many visitors did. Will the
Yamagiwa, and a new collaboration relevance of one outstrip that of
between OMA and Dutch stone the other? And will any of it ever
company SolidNature, which this be truly sustainable, or are inter-
time saw the Rotterdam architects continental design weeks doomed
build a highly compelling marble- to climate-crisis oblivion? n

Wooster Products Inc.

“Make Every Step a Safe One”

ALUMOGRIT¨
• Anti-Slip Properties

• Highly Durable

• ADA Compliant

• Concealed anchors
available - no screws

PROUDLY MADE
800-321-4936
woosterproducts.com
IN THE USA
sales@wooster-products.com
Snowbird Ski Resort, Utah

37
 TRADE SHOW Salone del Mobile

DLT Tables
Milan’s monster Design Week features not one but Headed by architect Joseph
multiple events: the legendary Salone del Mobile and Grima, studio Space Caviar
alternative events around town, such as Alcova, located launched these tables at Alcova,
at Ex Macello, the city's former slaughterhouse. Record the alternative fair Grima co-
founded. Eschewing glue,
walked the halls of the Fiera Milano and beyond, in
screws, and all else that under-
search of 2023’s most striking new pieces. mines wood's environmental
BY ANDREW AYERS virtues, the DLT range uses
cross-laminated timber held by
hardwood dowels. Thanks to
attractive color contrasts
among the woods used—beech,
mahogany, walnut, and cedar—
the technical and decorative
become one.
dlttables.com

Cinnamon
Under the creative direction of Belgian
architect Vincent Van Duysen, Molteni&C
commissioned this armchair from Japanese
designer Naoto Fukasawa, known for infus-
ing ideas of “outline” and “archetype” into
his work. A near-cartoonish take on the clas-
sic club chair, Cinnamon illustrates this
approach in 21 elastic-jersey options.
molteni.it
Agetti
Udine-based seating manu-
facturer LaCividina works with
a number of well-known design-
ers, among them the Hispano-
Italian duo Garcia Cumini.
Available in a variety of striking
colors as both an armchair (pic-
tured) and a sofa, their new Agetti
range distills its function into decep-
tive formal simplicity, while metal-
reinforced timber frames ensure
sufficient solidity for heavy public use.
lacividina.it

Portaluppi Pattern Project

What could be more Milan than Piero
Portaluppi (1888–1967), the prolific
interwar architect of Villa Necchi
fame? Thanks to Milanese decorators
Pictalab, you can have his sophisti-
cated glamour at home. Available in a
variety of colorways, these 11 digitally
printed wallpapers feature motifs
taken from Portaluppi-designed floors,
gates, tiles, and mosaics.
pictalab.com
Quaderna Sideboard
First rolled out between 1969 and 1972, Zanotta’s
Quaderna collection was designed by the Italian radi-
cal Superstudio, with a surface finish that evokes the
endless dystopian grid of its Cartesian Continuous
Monument. Half a century later, Zanotta has released
new pieces, including a mirror, a small cabinet, and
this striking sideboard.
zanotta.com

38 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023


Due Più
Nanda Vigo (1936–2020) was an
important figure on the radical Italian
scene, as Acerbis′s re-release of her
1971 Due Più chair makes clear.
Europe’s love affair with tubular steel
dates to turn-of-the-century hospital
furniture, which the architect-clinicians
of Modernism (Corbu, Mies, et al.)
streamlined into machinist perfection.
As Postmodernism loomed, Vigo
celebrated and subverted that legacy
with an object that sends up hygien-
ics and utility in a Surrealist ges-
ture. The 2023 version of this
witty piece comes in fluffy
Mongolian sheepskin recov-
ered from the food industry.
acerbisdesign.com
Mangas Outdoor
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, outdoor
furniture has become ever more prevalent at the
Salone del Mobile. Following the trend, Spanish
rug manufacturer Gan has just released these
exterior versions of Mangas, the popular Patricia
Urquiola–designed collection it débuted in 2009.
Handmade in 100 percent recycled PET, the
cheery poufs, mats, and low chairs come in a
variety of stripy colorways.
gan-rugs.com
Ralik
In an age when the line between home, office, and hotel is ever
more blurred, the time is ripe for furniture that rides the in-
between. Japanese designer Ichiro Iwasaki channels the
Zeitgeist with this modular group of seating and tables pro-
duced by Arper in delicious colors.
aper.com

Mickey
Tired of low-slung horizontal seating that looks
good in photos but pains the neck and spine? The
original bentwood manufacturer Gebrüder Thonet
Vienna has come to the rescue with this high-
backed chair, a cheeky piece of comfort commis-
sioned from Paris-based designer India Mahdavi.
With its ears-cum-handles that show off the firm’s
technical prowess, Mickey brings 19th-century
know-how into the Internet age.
gebruederthonetvienna.com
Nia
Commissioned by Dieffebi, the Treviso-based firm specializing in of-
fices and public spaces, Milan-born Leonardo Talarico has designed
this very chic bench-and-tables unit. Belying its apparent levitation, Nia
is in fact reassuringly down to earth and sturdy, thanks to its immacu-
lately wrought steel frame.
dieffebi.com

39
 TRADE SHOW Euroluce

At this April’s Salone del Mobile, lighting was once

again showcased, with the return of Euroluce
after a four-year absence. Record brings you all
the latest illuminating trends from both Fiera
Milano and the Fuorisalone events.
BY ANDREW AYERS

Pipe Lights Circus

A notable trend at Euroluce was indirect light, bounced off walls, ceilings,
Stylnove Ceramiche, a producer of porcelain objects and
floors, and shades. But no one surpassed the panache of Barcelona brand
lighting, called on rising Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis for
Vibia, which unveiled its trapeze-inspired Circus suspension system, by
these outdoor wall fixtures. Available in a variety of colors,
Antoni Ariola. The graphic black-and-white group includes globes, spots,
the extruded fittings playfully subvert the classic glass
shades, tubes, and reflectors that can be arranged in myriad combinations.
tube: while their high gloss brings out their beautiful “im-
vibia.com
perfections,” the ceramic shade’s opacity results in a dif-
fuse, indirect glow.
stylnove.com SCR01
Founded in 2010 to
celebrate classic
Milanese design,
Restart/Milano looked
to the 1970s living
room stalwart the free-
standing hi-fi speaker
for their SCR01 stan-
dard lamp. Perched on
four angled legs, a
felt-wrapped alumi-
num frame contains
LEDs diffused into a
strong yet ambient
back-and-front glow,
thanks to white Lycra
coverings on both
faces. Available with
two or three buttons,
Shades or none.
On the Milanese design scene since 1970, the year he left Britain to work with Ettore restartmilano.com
Sottsass, 81-year-old George Sowden shows no signs of slowing down. Launched at his
Corso di Porta Nuova store, the SHADES collection, which follows on the heels of his color-
ful coffeepots and pepper grinders, proposes pendant, table, floor, and cordless lamps
with soft-silicone lightshades. If their decorative Pop ethos recalls Memphis, the mythical
1980s design movement, it’s no accident—Sowden was a founding member.
sowdenlight.com

40 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

Uebu
Scheduled for release this year, the Uebu suspension system by Ljubljana-based,
Japanese-inspired Tokio was one of the more poetic offerings at Euroluce. LED strings
are mounted inside glass-tube diffusers that are joined by metal connectors to form a
blanketlike mesh that can be any size you like, in one of five available colors.
tokiotokio.com

Cabriolette
First issued as a pendant, Martinelli Luce’s
playful pivoting Cabriolette is now available in
a whole family of variants, including table, Sistema
standard, and wall lamps. Designed by Italian Shown by Convey, an “accelerator for
creative agency Studio Natural (industrial design brands,” at events space
designer Marco De Santi and graphic design- BasicVillage in Milan’s Farini district,
er Alessandro Paoletti), it was one of many Sistema (“system”) was produced by two
fixtures proposing indirect, reflected light at young design firms, NM3 and 6:AM
this year’s Euroluce. Glassworks. Textured glass bricks slide
martinelliluce.it into polished-steel frames to form stan-
dard lamps (with marble bases), overhead
suspensions, and folding room dividers
(the latter without LEDs)—a deceptively
simple system that is beautifully effective.
nm3.xyz.com
6am.glass

K830
Product
Stretching back to 1919, Midgard was among the oldest
Italian heavyweight Artemide is producing this
brands at Euroluce. Offering a mix of new and heritage
modular system with Herzog & de Meuron.
pieces, the German firm is best known for its TYP 113 from
Named Dreispitz (German for “triangle”), it
the 1920s, which caught the eye of Walter Gropius and
comprises a triangular core, carrying from one
traveled the world after the Bauhaus was disbanded.
to three LED tubes, and will be available in
Gropius would no doubt have been appreciative of the 830,
black, silver, or green as a wall/ceiling, floor or
designed by 27-year-old Werner Glasenapp in 1930 and
suspended fixture (with an optional diffuser
originally made by Kandem—hence the K in the labeling of
for the downward-oriented tube). This versa-
this 2023 reissue. Wall-mounted and articulated, the K830
tile solution was developed for an artist’s
has a swiveling shade, to direct light wherever you wish.
studio, say the architects.
midgard.com
artemide.com

41
 TRADE SHOW NeoCon

Contract furniture’s biggest showcase is back and

taking over Chicago, at the Merchandise Mart—
and beyond. The furnishings here are just a hint of
what’s on view.
BY SHEILA KIM

Couple Coffee Table

Bay System
A sophisticated take on
Foster + Partners collaborated with
handcrafted tile-topped
Poltrona Frau on this modular seating
tables, Muuto’s Couple
designed for waiting areas such as
features large ceramic-
reception and airport lounges. The
stoneware tiles that lend a
system is offered two ways: Bay Gate,
streamlined look to the
with more typical linear seats, and Bay
piece, as opposed to a
Lounge, which is defined by curving
traditional patchwork
forms (left). Both can be specified
pattern. Framed by FSC-
as single- or double-sided, in
certified oak, the tile is
numerous configurations, and
available with a flat or
with integral power, charging
undulating surface.
stations, and lighting.
Three sizes are offered,
poltronafrau.com
from 33¼" x 15¾" to
47¼" x 33¼".
muuto.com

BuzziShade Square
Following up on its conical-shade acoustic-lighting
family, BuzziSpace introduces a squared version in
two configurations: Square Medium offers a
29½"-square shade for concealing a single light
source, while Square LED Beam accommodates
three lamps with a 59½" x 29½" shade. Each is
made of 100% recycled PET felt with latex backing.
buzzispace.com

Asari Chair
Drawing on organic forms found in nature,
Japanese product designer Naoto Fuka-
Pindrop
sawa developed this chair for Herman
Textile brand Momentum’s first foray into
Miller with the intention of providing an
ridged acoustic tiles and panels, Pindrop is a
ergonomic piece with soft “resi-mercial”
flexible sound-dampening solution for work-
qualities. Asari is available in mid- and
places, as well as hospitality and education
high-back heights, with or without height-
settings. Made of recycled PET felt, it’s avail-
adjustable arms, in eight standard colors.
able in several shapes and panels—including
Custom hues are also offered.
modular hexes and petals—in 12 colorways.
hermanmiller.com
momentumtextilesandwalls.com

44 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 Purpose. Built.
Designed by Perkins&Will, executed in Acme Brick.

Beacon and bulwark for Houston’s African American

community, historic Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church

has a new home, designed by Perkins&Will and clad

in Acme Brick.

Combining a new main sanctuary with educational,

support, and administrative spaces, the building embodies

the metaphor of a church built on rock. The architects

collaborated with Acme Brick on a custom blend, in

extra-long Norman size, to suggest strata. Light tan

brick echo the original church, still part of the Wheeler

Avenue campus.

At the building’s dramatic main entry, relief is created

through alternating courses of brick. Its footprint is

separated by function into wedges that are bridged

by canyon-like interstitial spaces that amplify the

church’s hallmarks: solidity, strength, and resolve.

In Houston and around the nation, today’s landmarks

are being built with Acme Brick.

Owner: Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church

Architect: Tony Martin, Perkins&Will, Houston, TX
3024 Acme Brick Plaza Fort Worth, Texas 76109
General Contractor: Horizon International Group LLC, Houston, TX
Masonry Contractor: City Masonry LLC, Tomball, TX 800-792-1234 brick.com

WHY DRI-DESIGN?
Dri-Design Tapered Series panels have the ability to
create a unique effect of rich texture, giving buildings
their own individual identity. Although painted a
single color for the Mill Woods Library project, the
multifaceted wall panels allow nature to create its
own color palette as natural light reflects differently
off each individual piece. Even with this unique look,
Dri-Design’s signature ease of installation and water
management system are maintained, and only a single
plane of substrate is needed.
INNOVATIVE.
INTELLIGENT.
EXTERIORS.
• No sealants, gaskets or butyl tape means no
streaking and no maintenance for owners.
• Not laminated or a composite material,
so panels will never delaminate.
• At Dri-Design, we have a strict policy of
recycling and creating products that the
world can live with.
• Fully tested to exceed ASTM standards and 616.355.2970 | dri-design.com
the latest AAMA 508-07.
Mill Woods Library, Seniors and Multicultural Centre - Edmonton, Alberta
• Available in a variety of materials and colors. Architects: Dub Architects and HCMA Architecture + Design
 PRODUCTS Wood

Versatile and warm, with countless applications for

building materials and furnishings, wood has endured
through the ages by evolving with today's
manufacturing processes.
BY SHEILA KIM

Ready Dining Chair

This sleek, ribbonlike seat from
Menu is crafted from bent
plywood clad in oak veneers, in
a choice of natural, red-stained,
or black-painted finishes.
While intended as a dining
chair, Ready can also be
grouped in multiples by
an aluminum bracket for
conference settings.
Other options include an
Acoustic Slat Color Panels upholstered seat or
In response to requests made by architects and designers, the upholstered seat
Wood Veneer Hub has unveiled new on-trend shades for its sound and back.
absorbing Slatpanel range—Midnight Blue, Snow White, Dusty menudesignshop.com
Gray, and Black. The colored slats are mounted on black or white
PET felt, depending on selection. Each finished panel measures
around 95" x 13" and can be cut to size, as needed, for installation.
thewoodveneerhub.com

Eye Lounge Chair

An extension of Ethnicraft’s Eye
solid-wood dining-chair collection,
this new version, like its counter-
parts, is made of solid oak and
finished with a hardwax oil. Its
smooth, gently curved seat and
back—reminiscent of a
winking eye—rest on
angular legs that put the
seating height at a
comfortable 15¾”.
ethnicraft.com
New Profile for CCS System
Introduced last year, Kebony’s Click-In Cladding System
(CCS) improved rainscreen installation by speeding
up the process as much as 50% with its hidden
fastening system. Originally accommodating
1" thick x 6" wide boards, CCS is now also
compatible with a 1" x 8" profile. The
boards are sustainably made
with modified softwood.
us.kebony.com

CDA Wood
American manufacturer Coeur d’Alene (CDA) Wood has
developed an accelerated aging process that recreates exposure to
sun, soil, water, and wind, giving the raw timber a reclaimed-wood
appearance—sans the toxins and hefty price tag typical of reclaimed
boards. The process also includes germicidal technology that protects
against rot and insects, making the wood suitable for a range of appli-
cations from outdoor siding to interior walls and ceilings.
cdawood.com

48
 This Isn’t Wood.

Fortina is a remarkable architectural system that looks and feels like real wood,
but is made with aluminum and a hyper-realistic non-PVC surface.
Available in a multitude of wood species and metal finishes for interior and exterior applications.

Fortina Small Photos, left to right: Louvers

in Earl Walnut M, Abel Oak N, Rican
Oak, some profiles in Vent Walnut, Earl
Walnut and Rokko Cedar.

www.BNind.com Featured: Louvers in Earl Walnut M

© B+N Industries Inc. 800.350.4127 Exterior Finish
 BIM is good.
Free BIM is better.
Free BIM without registration is best!

BIM content should be free, and you shouldn’t

have to give up data in exchange for it.
ARCAT is your solution for free BIM content!

• Data-rich objects
• Families & Systems
• Revit® formats 2019-2022
• No dues!
• No subscriptions!
• No registration required!

Enjoy the freedom. arcat.com

 Record EXHIBITION
Mass-Timber Exhibition in Chicago Barks Up the Right Tree
BY JAMES GAUER
THE BENEFITS of mass timber—a struc-
tural system of engineered lumber formed by
joining wood boards into larger members, each
stronger and more durable than its constituent
parts—are well known. Wood is a renewable
resource and therefore has sustainable attri-
butes. As trees grow, they capture carbon diox-
ide (CO2), a primary cause both of air pollution
and global climate change. The production of
concrete and steel, on the other hand, releases
vast quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere. It
follows that using sustainably produced timber
as a structural material reduces the harmful
environmental impact of buildings.
But is minimizing the negative effects of
construction the best that architects can do?
According to REFRAMED: The Future of
Cities in Wood, an exhibition at the Chicago
Architecture Center (CAC), the answer is a
resounding no.
S TA N F O R D B A S S B I O LO G Y C A F E
Presented by the industry-funded Soft-
wood Lumber Board and developed in part-
nership with the Council on Tall Buildings
and Urban Habitat, this thoughtful and
encyclopedic display of emerging technology
and design, primarily in North America, will
remain open through October 2023. Its el-
egant venue, CAC’s high-ceilinged Drake
Family Skyscraper Gallery, overlooking the
Chicago River and the North Michigan
Avenue skyline, cannot help but remind
visitors that wood is more than just an envi-
ronmentally useful construction material. In
skilled and talented hands, it can be the basis
of first-rate architecture and urbanism.
Marking the entry to REFRAMED is a
secondary exhibit, RECOVERED: Chicago’s
Urban Tree Canopy, curated by Ross Barney
Architects, the firm of 2023 AIA Gold
Medalist Carol Ross Barney. Here, visitors
can learn about the impact of trees—from
quality of life to quality of air—on the city
dweller’s experience, along with species
native to the area and planting initiatives
throughout Chicago. Overhead is an enor-
mous abstraction of a leafy canopy that al-
lows dappled light to filter through, evoking
a grove of trees.
The introductory text of REFRAMED
states the exhibit’s thesis clearly: mass timber
has great potential for sustainable develop-
PHOTOGRAPHY: © ANNA MUNZESHEIMER
ment and breathtaking design. Additional
panels of text offer insight on topics ranging
from sustainable sourcing to the recent inter-
est in biophilia. Also addressed is the sequoia
in the room: fire resistance, especially relevant
in Chicago, a city that dates its rebirth to a
catastrophic conflagration in 1871. The
exhibition argues that wood has a long history
of proven fire performance. Current lab tests

Photographs, renderings, and models are arrayed
around a gridded timber pavilion (above).
on mass timber show it can withstand tem-
peratures of 1800 degrees Fahrenheit for up
to three hours. In recognition of this predict-
able performance, the 2024 International
Building Code proposes to increase the per-
missible use of exposed mass-timber ceilings
and beams in buildings up to 12 stories.
From there, a sequence of displays unfolds,
with photographs, renderings, models, and
explanatory text documenting exceptionally
handsome and well-designed projects, all
using wood as a primary component. One
standout is the Jones Beach Energy & Nature
Center on Long Island, New York, a net zero
mass-timber park facility by nARCHI-
TECTS, perched above the dunes on the
wooden piles of a former bathhouse (record,
March 2022).
On the West Coast is Arbor, a compact
timber-framed office building in San Jose,
California, to be completed in 2024 by Studio
Gang. With cascading planted terraces, this
project uses passive-design strategies to en-
hance natural lighting, shade, and ventilation.
Another noteworthy project is the San Mateo
County Office Building in Redwood City,
California, by SOM, expected to open this
year. Located near the San Andreas Fault,
the structure’s lightweight timber frame
minimizes seismic mass and stress.
In Toronto, Adjaye Associates is collabo-
rating with Alison Brooks Architects, Hen-
ning Larsen, and SLA Landscape Architects
on Quayside, a proposal to redevelop 12 acres
of the city’s lakefront, which will include the
largest timber structure ever built in Canada
(Phase 1 is due to be completed in 2030).
This is just a sampling of the many proj-
ects featured. But visitors need not worry
about eyestrain or fatigue from this multitude
of highly detailed presentations. If even the
slightest bit overwhelmed, guests can retreat
at any time to REFRAMED’s piece de resis-
tance: a full-scale timber pavilion at the
gallery’s center. Its walls are open grids of
dimensional lumber, artfully mortised to-
gether. Inside are samples of the components
of mass-timber construction: CLT panels,
hefty columns and beams, and the massive
steel connectors that hold them together. It’s
a reminder that all the sophisticated architec-
ture on display emerged from these basic
building blocks. n

Solutions for buildings.

Designed for people.
All of our architectural products serve a distinct, functional purpose–
from louvers to wall coverings to every detail we perfect. At the same
time, we never lose sight of the effect a building has on people. The
inspiration it provides. The satisfaction it brings to all who enter. For 70
years, we’ve based our success on the idea that putting people first is the
foundation for building better buildings. And, for 70 years, our partners
have depended on us for architectural product solutions. Are you ready
to think beyond the building with us? Visit c-sgroup.com.
 ACADEMY
OF DIGITAL LEARNING
Focus On: Thermal Bridging

Become an expert on Thermal Bridging through

Architectural Record’s Academy of Digital Learning.

Upon successful completion of the Thermal Bridging

Academy, you will earn 4 AIA LU/HSW + 0.4 ICC CEU
and a digital badge that demonstrates your mastery
and achievement.

Earn your digital badge and showcase your expertise!

CREDITS: 4 AIA LU/HSW + 0.4 ICC CEU

This training program will introduce architects to the concepts, science, and
mitigation of thermal bridging in building envelope systems. The four-course
academy includes a review of how current NYS energy code regulates thermal
bridging, and then explores thermal bridging in three common construction
types and building case studies. The case studies highlight the physics of
thermal bridging within specific details, impacts thermal bridging on building
performance, durability and comfort, and common design solutions to mitigate
thermal bridging and achieve desired thermal performance targets.

ce.architecturalrecord.com/academies/thermal bridging

Brought to you by
 Clopay offers the widest range of styles, with
designs and durability that will stand the test of
time — all so you can ensure your customers’
garage doors will turn heads for years to come.

See how Clopay doors help any project

make a statement. View our lookbook at
ClopayDoor.com/Lookbook.
Clopay® is a brand of Clopay Corporation. © 2023 Clopay Corporation. All rights reserved.
BOOKS
Touch Wood: Material, Architecture, Future,
by Carla Ferrer, Thomas Hildebrand, and Celina
Martinez-Cañavate. Lars Müller, 304 pages, $45.
REVIEWED BY NADER TEHRANI
THIS CAREFULLY PREPARED anthol-
ogy dedicated to wood explores the medium
through multiple lenses. Composed of three
segments, its various writers bring perspectives
ranging in disciplines to allow for a broader
cultural reading than any conventional book
on wood technologies. Acknowledging the
already present and looming
crisis of climate change as a
central protagonist, the book
also positions the balance of
merits and liabilities in devel-
oping an attitude toward the
production of wood, allowing
the readers to better under-
stand how a sustainable
production of wood is a plan
that cannot occur as a single
decision but as something
that requires ongoing efforts
over years, administrations,
nations, and cultures.
The subtitular material is
explored in the section “From Forest to
Timber,” a foundational starting point, in-
specting the tree from its botanical roots to
the logistics of its forestry management.
Contrary to the oft-held misconception of
wood’s being a naturally renewable resource,
producing the illusion of infinite bounty, the
authors recenter the discussion on the sheer
fragility of its management, the delicate role it
has in calibrating the climatic environment,
and the long-term planning required to over-
see its sustainable use. In the face of the pres-
ent architectural arms race to build enlight-
ened wood structures, it is a sobering reminder
that this commitment must have a sustained
vision longer than the fascinations of this
historical moment.
“From Timber to Architecture” continues
the process, where the diverse means and
methods of construction gain agency in the
conceptualization of architecture itself—where
materiality contains a cultural value beyond
the mere specification of matter once the
architecture is in place. Here the anatomy of
wood as a complex organism is articulated, its
historic and delicate relationship to fire
framed, and its related details delineated. This
second segment of the book contains the lion’s
share of its research, projecting forward and
speculating on the types of explorations to
come, from assembly to disassembly, from
handcraft to digital manufacturing, and the
catalytic details that allow for unprecedented
technological change. Many essays in this
section maintain an air of scholarly distinction
by incorporating broader historical and cul-
tural references, while other essays serve as no
more than extended captions to images; how-
ever, together they cohere as an important
narrative and an introduction to areas of in-
quiry for the reader.
Foreshadowing the future, “Architecture in
Timber” is a series of case studies meticulously
curated from contemporary
culture with an eye not only
toward technical innovations
but also architectural sophis-
tications of various types.
Beginning with a host of Swiss
examples from the 1980s and
1990s, this section highlights
Peter Zumthor, Marcel Meili,
and Herzog & de Meuron, screen wall
among others, with a focus on
the artful tectonic virtuosity
they reintroduced to wood
BLOCKS made in USA
architecture. The collection
expands culturally with geo-
graphic examples in South
America, Europe, Asia, and beyond, helping
to conceptually broaden how wood has been
rethought in recent years. Peris + Toral’s Social
Dwellings in Spain stand out in their raw
simplicity of structure, seemingly repetitive in
the spatial cadence of units while infinitely
typologically malleable in their programming
of spaces. In contrast, White Arkitecter’s Sara
Cultural Center in Sweden stands out not only
for the complexity of its spatial and construc-
tive logics, but its all-important exploration of
unprecedented heights in wood architecture—
what many other countries have not yet yield-
ed to due to outmoded code restrictions.
The anthology closes with manifestos by
Markus Schaefer, Helene Romakin, and the
duo Andreas Jud and Stefan Kurath, essays
that amplify the urgency of our current mo-
ment and call for a new type of consciousness
in the age of the Anthropocene. They are an
alert that the signs of the future are already
present among us, and that a reformed idea
about nature must be defined, not only to
build our planet, but also to preserve it. n
Nader Tehrani is the founding principal of
NADAAA. Among other completed mass-timber stack ‘em up!
projects, the firm is currently collaborating with modulararts.com
HDR on the redesign and mass-timber expansion
of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of
Architecture (page 166).
206.788.4210 | info@modulararts.com
GUESS THE ARCHITECT
WIN A $500 GIFT CARD

PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY CAROL M. HIGHSMITH ARCHIVE, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

TAKE A LOOK ON PAGE 67

ENTER @ ARCHITECTURALRECORD.COM/GUESSTHEARCHITECT

Sponsored by:

Guess the Architect Contest

FOR COMPLETE RULES AND REGULATIONS GO TO ARCHITECTURALRECORD.COM/GUESSTHEARCHITECT
PROJECT Chinatown Library.
Chicago, IL.
DESIGN site design group.
PRODUCT Permeable Plank Pavers
with Smooth Premier finish.

Your
CREATION
Our
TEAMWORK
Our team of Unilock hardscaping
experts are ready to support your
next unit paving or retaining wall
project from start to finish.

Combine our technical expertise

with a vast array of Unilock colors,
shapes and textures, to bring your
unique vision to life.

UNILOCK.COM | 1-800-UNILOCK

CONTACT US
FOR SAMPLES,
INFORMATION,
& CEU SEMINARS

Rainwater naturally
flows between the
paver joints and
into the sub-base,
reducing runoff.
 Building TECHNOLOGY

Shaken, Not Stirred: Tallest Mass-Timber Shake-Table Test

BY SARAH AMELAR

ON MAY 9, a 10-story tower was deliberately

shaken with forces equal to a magnitude 6.7
earthquake, followed, minutes later, by the
equivalent of a 7.7 quake. Designed by
Portland, Oregon– and Los Angeles–based
LEVER Architecture, in collaboration with
several university and industry partners, the
structure swayed and rattled under the severe
stress—but then it instantly sprang back to its
original vertical position, apparently un-
scathed. The building—which had been
constructed, at a cost between $3 and $4 mil-
lion, specifically to test and demonstrate the
seismic resiliency of mass timber—is the
centerpiece of the TallWood Project of the
Natural Hazards Engineering Research
Infrastructure (NHERI). After these long-
anticipated simulations, each preceded by a
countdown that evoked a rocket launch,
participants cheered and hugged one another,
celebrating the success.
The test structure, which took about nine The tallest primarily mass-timber structure to be tested for seismic resilience on an earthquake
months to build, will remain standing for shaking table is located at the UC San Diego Englekirk Structural Engineering Center.
nearly a year on the “shake table” at the Uni-
versity of California San Diego’s Englekirk benefits include structural strength, sustain- quake. Despite the brevity of each reenacted
Structural Engineering Center, where it was ability, and earthquake-withstanding proper- event, this National Science Foundation–
erected. This large earthquake simulator— ties. This is the tallest full-scale primarily funded project had been years in the making,
with a 25-by-40-foot, 3-foot-thick platen, or mass-timber structure ever to undergo this involving many different entities. Led by
plate, onto which the building was bolted— type of testing. principal investigator Shiling Pei of the
was upgraded in 2022, with six axes of move- The recent trials, which were computer- Colorado School of Mines, it engaged a con-
ment, enabling it to reproduce the entire controlled and lasted just under a minute each sortium of research institutions, including
range of 3D motion possible in a seismic (consistent with actual earthquake durations), Colorado State University, Oregon State
event. The tower incorporates different types simulated two major temblors from the past: University, Lehigh University, the University
and applications of mass timber, the multi- California’s 1994 Northridge quake, followed of Washington, the University of Nevada,
layered engineered-wood products whose by Taiwan’s even stronger 1999 Chi-Chi Reno, the University of California San Diego,
IMAGES: COURTESY TIMBERLAB/FLOR PROJECTS (TOP); LEVER ARCHITECTURE (BOTTOM)

E-W Rocking Walls N-S Rocking Walls

Cross-Laminated Timber Mass-Plywood Panel
Douglas Fir Spruce Pine Fir

Floors 1-2 Floors 3-4

Cross-Laminated Timber Glue-Laminated Timber
European Spruce European Spruce

Floors 5-6 Floors 7-10 and

Nail/Dowel-Laminated Columns and Beams
Timber Veneer-Laminated
Spruce Pine Fir Timber
Douglas Fir

AXONOMETRIC DIAGRAM

61
 Building TECHNOLOGY

and Pei’s own. Additionally, many industry partners contributed mate-

rials, building products, construction services, and/or expertise.
To learn as much as possible from each simulated event, the design
team integrated a wide range of building conditions and components.
F E N C E S At 112 feet tall, the tower has 32-by-34-foot floor plates, partially
extending beyond the shake table, allowing the researchers to test the
performance of cantilevers. Depending on the structural role and level
P E RG O L A S within the building, different types of mass timber—including cross-
laminated (CLT), glue-laminated (glulam), nail-laminated (NLT),
dowel-laminated (DLT) and laminated-veneer lumber (LVL)—form
A R B O R S such elements as floor slabs, walls, columns, and beams.
Though there were only resources for exterior cladding on the bot-
G AT E S tom three stories, each quadrant broadens the research scope with its
own type of sheathing system and/or windows. Whereas the balloon-
frame skin is independent of the floor slabs, other sheathing connects
T R E L L I S E S to those horizontal planes directly. The facade variations range from a
glazed curtain wall system to two types of punched fenestration. “We
made sure to include, for example, ribbon windows that meet at a
R A I L I N G S corner,” says LEVER principal Jonathan Heppner, “because that’s
often a weak spot in a quake.”
Among the many motion-accommodating measures, expansion
joints separate certain materials, and some nonstructural partition
walls have deflection heads with tracks to allow for seismic displace-
ment. Similarly, the 10-story self-supporting stairway near the build-
ing’s core has flexible connections on most floors, to permit drift dur-
ing seismic events.
Perhaps the tower’s most innovative feature is its mass-timber “rock-
ing wall.” As Pei explains, “It’s a solid wood plane that rises the building’s
full height and is anchored to the ground by post-tensioned steel rods
(though they could be cables instead). When subjected to lateral forces,
the wall rocks back and forth—which reduces seismic impact. Once the
earthquake is over, the tensioned rods, or cables, pull the building right
back to center, or plumb.” Although teams in both the U.S. and New
Zealand had studied concrete rocking walls, the realization of a mass-
timber version is a significant breakthrough. The test structure includes
four of these walls—two along the building’s periphery, and two near its
core—made of CLT and mass-ply panels (MPP) with integral U-shaped
steel flexural plates at regular intervals, to absorb the rocking forces
during an earthquake. “And if they become over-stressed,” says Heppner,
“they’re replaceable afterwards—like fuses.” As with many of the tower’s
structural and nonstructural parts, they’re designed to minimize earth-
quake damage or, following the most extreme conditions, provide for
building survival with relatively easy repairs.
“The post-quake analysis here will teach us a lot,” says LEVER
founding principal Thomas Robinson, “as there are more than 800
data-collecting sensors throughout the building.” As investigation
continues, a simulation of an upthrusting quake followed the North-
ridge and Chi-Chi reenactments; eventually, the tower’s upper stories
will be removed to allow researchers to study matters involving, for
example, built mass relative to quake frequency.
Underscoring the test project’s value, Pei points out, “mass timber is
part of a major trend in architecture and construction, but its seismic
performance in tall structures is not as well understood as other exist-
ing building systems.” As several investigators mentioned during the
DESIGN OUTSIDE May 9 simulation, the hope is for this project to advance the use of
mass timber, particularly in earthquake-prone areas, and to lead to
E X P E C TAT I O N S far-reaching building code changes for both residential and commercial
structures—to include the rock and roll of seismic design: wood rock-
Learn more about how Walpole Outdoors ing walls. n
can enhance and execute your work with total
collaboration from concept to completion.

62 walpoleoutdoors.com
ARCHITECTURAL RECORDJUNE 2023 | 866.792.0891
 Do your restrooms comply with the latest
legislation for free access to
menstrual-care products?
As your go-to resource on designing restrooms that
meet the needs of all patrons, Bobrick’s unmatched
selection of stainless-steel Napkin / Tampon Vendors,
Free Vend Operation are fully ADA compliant and
available in three design configurations.
In the fight to end period poverty,
we’re only getting started.

Specify to comply at
Bobrick.com/freevend

BUILDING VALUE SINCE 1906

Sound Control Toolbox for Architects
June 8, 3pm, Theater D: Booth 5579CE

Visit us: PABCO Gypsum Booth 6359

LOOKING
FOR SOUND
INFORMATION?
Look no further than QuietRock by PABCO Gypsum.
As the first and most technically advanced sound
reducing drywall, sound control is our specialty.
Whether we’re conducting acoustic tests, presenting
at prominent acoustical organizations, writing articles
for technical journals or working with acoustical
consultants, you can count on us to provide the sound
control solutions needed for your residential and
commercial projects.

Scan code or visit

pabcogypsum.com/quietrock
 ORIGINAL EXCEPTIONAL

Project: One Hundred Residential Tower At CRL, our purpose is to elevate architectural metal and glass to
Products: Blumcraft® PA100 Panic Devices & their highest forms of expression. To meld the latest technologies
DRS Door Rail Systems with a deeper sense of craft. For over 50 years, our Blumcraft®
Architect: Studio Gang brand has been the unquestioned spec of visionary architects and
Photo: Tom Harris designers around the world.

800.458.7535 • crlaurence.com
abd@crlaurence.com
 MODULAR AL
E L E VAT E D D E S I G N

NEW Metal Wall System

This incredibly versatile metal cladding system will inspire you. Stretch your imagination to
create unique sculptural façades using PAC-CLAD’s extensive PVDF color palette
including brilliant metallics, warm wood grains and elegant ore finishes. Spell words, form
logos, shapes or images with perforation. Explore the possibilities.

VIEW IN

AR
Stacked Running Bond Mosaic 1 3/8” to 3” Depths

Proud Sponsor of GUESS THE ARCHITECT

Visit us at A’23: Booth 1951

PAC -CLAD.COM | 800 PAC CLAD
 Guess the Architect Contest
ENTER NOW! A monthly contest from the editors of RecoRd asks you to guess
the architect for a work of historical importance.

A STEEPLY RAKED A-FRAME

STRUCTURE DEFINES THE TENTLIKE
INTERIOR OF THIS CATHEDRAL AND
GIVES IT A MEMORABLE
SILHOUETTE—A CRUCIAL FEATURE,
GIVEN THAT IT IS LOCATED IN AN
PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY CAROL M. HIGHSMITH ARCHIVE, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS (TOP); © STELLARD, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS (BOTTOM)

INLAND AMERICAN CITY KNOWN FOR

ITS LIVELY ARCHITECTURE.
COMPLETED IN THE EARLY 1960S, THE
CATHEDRAL WAS DESIGNED BY A
PROMINENT LOS ANGELES ARCHITECT
WHOSE WORK SPANS NUMEROUS
STYLES AND BUILDING TYPES.

The Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar, was designed by I.M. Pei. Though the
project is not as well known as Pei’s work at the Louvre in Paris and National Gallery
in Washington, D.C., its confident melding of abstraction and historical references
places it among Pei’s most significant museums and makes it a fitting home for one of
the world’s largest collections of Islamic art.

By entering, you have a chance to win a $500 Visa gift card. See the complete rules and
entry form online at architecturalrecord.com/guessthearchitect.

67
 TAMLYN
¨

FAMILY. VALUE. SERVICE.

ARCHITECTURAL ALUMINUM TRIM

Tamlyn’s XtremeTrim® Delivers Aesthetics and

Sustainability with Extruded Aluminum Trim.

Profile: XZS Profile: RV Profile: XICLP-135 Profile: XOCLP / CALP Profile: SHM / MHF Profile: XOCBT

WHEN DOING IT RIGHT MATTERS

WATER MANAGEMENT | XTREMEINTERIOR | XTREMETRIM® | XTREMECOLOR FLASHING | SIDING ACCESSORIES | VENTILATION | METAL FLASHING | CONNECTORS
TM TM

Phone: (800) 334-1676 E-mail: info@tamlyn.com

www.tamlyn.com
Record NEWSMAKER

David Adjaye Discusses Designing in

the Middle East
With the opening of the Abrahamic Family House
on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island (page 115)
earlier this year, David Adjaye joined the ever-
growing list of international star architects with
work in the United Arab Emirates. But Adjaye’s
project is quite unlike the museums and towers for
which Dubai and Abu Dhabi are known: it
consists of a synagogue, a church, and a mosque,
each a concrete cube of identical size, set atop a
sweeping plaza in an intended show of religious
harmony. The name of the complex refers to the
three faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam—and also seemingly nods to the UAE’s
inauguration of diplomatic relations with Israel
under the Abraham Accords of 2020. record
contributing editor Izzy Kornblatt sat down
with Adjaye to discuss the complexities of design-
ing religious spaces in the UAE, the importance of
the Abrahamic Family House for international
diplomacy, and Adjaye’s planned Africa Institute
in the emirate of Sharjah.

What are the key ideas underlying the

design of the Abrahamic Family House?
The key thought is to create another narra-
tive about the different strands of the
Abrahamic faiths, and to move from a dis- in that it meant that I didn’t have to negotiate
course that was about the development of preconceptions of what the rituals are and the
each religion within its own locality to an idea way the faiths should work. That was what

that they have a commonality that unifies
them. This idea of using architecture to find
unity rather than specificity of different
cultural developments is at the core.
It seems like a difficult thing to navigate,
because the specificity of each of the reli-
gious buildings is still important.
That’s the contradiction that manifests in
the project, because, even though we look for
this unifying element, the three have different
personalities. And that’s my acknowledge-
ment of the fact that they do have these histo-
ries, and they do have these trajectories that
are unavoidable. Even though they’re unified
by the 30-meter by 30-meter by 30-meter
cube and the courtyard, each one has a spe-
cific identity.
If you were to design a mosque or a church
or a synagogue in much of the rest of the
world, you would have a preexisting reli-
gious community to work with. But this was
different—this was led by the government.
In a way, the negative of that is the positive
PHOTOGRAPHY: © CHRIS SCHWAGGA (TOP); STUART RENNIE (OPPOSITE, TOP); ARWA ALHATI (OPPOSITE, BOTTOM)
was exciting about the project, because it
allowed faith to just express what it wants to
do rather than taking on the sort of narratives
of what has happened for centuries. It’s a
restart space. But [we also worked with]
consultants who are leaders in each of the
faiths—the chief rabbi, the cardinal, the
imam.
What did you like most about working in
the UAE? And what were the biggest chal-
lenges?
The most incredible thing was having a
client that just took action on everything. A
project like this would’ve taken at least a
decade to deliver anywhere else. But working
with a client that would make decisions right
there on-site was refreshing. And the difficul-
ties? Sometimes, because the client could
override like that, we as architects felt that we
were the second people in the room when
certain decisions were made. That could be
disorienting. But the client was great, and the
team would always bring the conversation
back to us.
Did you have any hesitation about taking on
the project? It does raise complicated issues
about the relationship of an autocratic
government to these religions.
We did think about it. We thought about it
in terms of working in the UAE, but it has
more to do with seeing the conditions of how
you build. How do the buildings serve the
community? Are there freedoms for the com-
munity to be able to use these buildings in a
specific way? I felt that those answers were yes.
So even though it’s different from the govern-
ments that we normally work for in the U.S. or
in Europe or parts of Africa, it was a situation
where we could build and know the structures
could serve the communities they were in-
tended for. I felt I could deliver a building not
within oppressive systems, but within a good
contractual framework.
The Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi
The project is also tied up with the UAE’s includes a church (above), a mosque (bottom),
diplomatic efforts. Is that something that and a synagogue in one complex.
you thought about?
The impetus for me for the project—the The UAE has been cited by NGOs for mis-
reason for doing it—was a document that treatment of migrant laborers, particularly
was signed by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in construction. How did you go about
and Pope Francis. This “document on hu- ensuring that good working conditions were
man fraternity” talked about the ability of maintained on this site?
these religions to move past their entrenched Worker safety was a high priority. It was
positions into a new space. I thought that for part of the CSR [corporate social responsibil-
the UAE to take that on as an agenda was ity] on the project. Our site had no fatalities
admirable. or issues, and it was something that we were
very stringent about monitoring and some-
thing that we would not tolerate in any way.
The labor conditions of the workers, their
pay, and the places they stayed were all ob-
served.

Can you tell us a bit about your next project

in the UAE, the Africa Institute in the
emirate of Sharjah?
The Africa Institute is about creating a
postgraduate institution that builds upon the
work that the government of the UAE has
already started—a dialogue about African
studies, but also about the Middle East and
Africa and their long, complex, very entwined
history. I’m excited that Salah Hassan, who is
a professor I deeply admire, is the director. It’s
his baby, and it will bring more light to that
relationship, which I think has not been fully
articulated in the academic sphere.
My interest in how Africa relates to the
world connects me to working in the Middle
East. So, for me, this is the next logical proj-
ect. Unfortunately, because of Covid, the
project slowed down. Even though it started
before the Abrahamic Family House, it’s [only
now] about to begin construction. n
 Record NEWSMAKER
Yasmeen Lari Awarded 2023 RIBA Royal Gold Medal
BY MATT HICKMAN
ON APRIL 27, the Royal Institute of British
Architects (RIBA) announced Pakistani archi­
tect and activist Yasmeen Lari, 82, as the 2023
recipient of its prestigious Royal Gold Medal.
Lari is the first recipient to be personally
approved by King Charles III, whose mother
sanctioned past winners ranging from Buck­
minster Fuller (1968) and Mies van der Rohe
(1959) to Rem Koolhaus (2004) and 2023
Pritzker Prize laureate David Chipperfield
(2011). Transitioning, more than two decades
ago, from landmark civic and commercial
commissions that garnered international
recognition in the 1970s and ’80s to focus on
humanitarian design work, Lari is arguably
Pakistan’s most well­known living architect
and the first woman to practice architecture
in the country. She joins a modest but grow­
ing list of female Royal Gold medalists that
includes, among others, Shelley McNamara
and Yvonne Farrell of Grafton Architects
ALL YOU NEED IS ONE
MANUFACTURER OF HIGH PERFORMANCE,
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERICAL DOORS
Hörmann offers a stunning array of
models, customizations, and options,
all from one manufacturer.
COMMERCIAL DOORS
Economical, Better, and Best product choices to comply with any budget.
RESIDENTIAL DOORS
Value Builder offerings or Luxury designs accommodate any style preference.
HIGH PERFORMANCE DOORS
Fabric, rubber, and rigid models designed
for industry, food, parking, retail automotive,
EMS and more (BIM objects + specifications available).
VISIT HORMANN.US FOR MORE INFO.
(2022), Zaha Hadid (2016), and Ray Eames,
who was jointly presented with the award
with husband Charles in 1979.
“I never imagined that, as I focus on my
country’s most marginalized people—ventur­
https://qrco.de/bdhrGl
ing down uncharted vagabond pathways—I
could still be considered for the highest of
honors in the architectural profession,” said
PHOTOGRAPHY: © ANAM BAIG; HERITAGE FOUNDATION OF PAKISTAN (OPPOSITE)
Lari, whose past accolades include the Jane
Drew Prize (2020), among others.
While the Royal Gold Medal recognizes
the body of work created by architects over
the course of their celebrated careers, RIBA
has placed particular emphasis on Lari’s
activities after her formal retirement from
practice in 2000, specifically her work with
the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, a hu­
manitarian organization she established in
1980 with her late husband, fellow architect
Suhail Zaheer Lari. In its official citation, the
2023 RIBA Honors Committee praised Lari
and the foundation, for which she serves as
chair and CEO, for “reacting imaginatively
and creatively to the physical and psychologi­
cal damage that a number of major natural
disasters and conflicts have inflicted on the
COMMERCIAL
RESIDENTIAL
HIGH PERFORMANCE

people of Pakistan.” The citation added that
her work with emergency shelter and housing
is “distinguished by the fact that it has fo-
cused on developing robust, intelligent, yet
simple architectural designs that allow those
who are in distress to build for their own
needs using the available debris of disaster.”
Born in 1941 in the Punjabi city of Dera
Lari House (1973), the architect’s
self-designed residence in Karachi,
Pakistan, where Lari continues to
live and work.
Ghazi Khan, Lari spent much of
her young adulthood in London,
graduating from the School of
Architecture at Oxford Brookes
University (then Oxford
Polytechnic) in 1964 before return-
ing to her native Pakistan, at the
age of 23, to establish the busy
Karachi practice, Lari Associates,
alongside her husband. With the
firm, Yasmeen Lari gained recog-
nition as a leading adherent of the
Brutalist style, with major—fre-
quently monumental—works in and around
Karachi, including the Taj Mahal Hotel (1981),
the Finance and Trade Center (1989), and
Pakistan Oil House (1991). Much of her early
work in the 1970s was dedicated to social hous-
ing, including Angoori Bagh, which was com-
pleted in 1973 in the Punjabi capital of Lahore
as Pakistan’s first public-housing scheme.
In more recent years, Lari’s work with the
Heritage Foundation has yielded more than
50,000 low-cost, accessible dwellings built
from natural, readily available materials—
chiefly bamboo—for communities across
Pakistan displaced by disasters like earth-
quakes or floods, and those living on the
margins of society. She is also the designer
of the Chulah Cookstove, a smokeless,
self-build cooking device using mud that
offers an economical, ecofriendly alternative
to highly polluting and fuel-intensive tradi-
tional Pakistani stoves.
“Lari’s vital contribution identifies differ-
ent ways of working which suggest how the
international architecture profession can play
an ever more useful role in helping commu-
nities to help themselves, while also re-
sponding to climate change,” concluded the
award citation. “It is Lari’s focus on architec-
ture as a complete and vital social, cultural,
economic, and aesthetic model, as well as her
mantra of ‘low cost, zero carbon, zero waste’
that makes her hugely relevant to all who
practice today.” n
73
green
Add some

to your scene.
Turn your walls from lean to green. With greenscreen®
wall-mounted trellis systems, you can transform any blank
vertical surface into a green façade of living art.
@KHWKHU LWV D QHZ SURMHFW RU UHWURfiWWLQJ DQ
existing building, our trellis panels are built to adjust to
all types of surfaces, from entryways, windows and
courtyards to bare building walls—so you can change
WKH HYHU\GD\ LQ D ZD\ WKDWV WKRXJKWIXO FRVWHffiFLHQW
and sustainable.

9URMHFW=KHB^UGV@^VKLQJWRQ- ,
*UFKLWHFW5^QGVF^SH*UFKLWHFW69/955,
,RQWU^FWRU<PRRWm93-LFN@^WHUIURQW3RLQW?HQWXUH
Reimagine the Outdoor Experience

Interface Inc. Headquarters, Atlanta GA | architect: Perkins & Will | photographer: ©Nick Merrick

ROOFTOP DECKS PLAZAS GREEN ROOFS POP-UP PARKS WATER FEATURES DECK SUPPORTS WOOD TILES
CONCRETE & STONE 2CM PAVERS PAVER SUPPORT TRAYS ARTIFICIAL TURF GRATING SITE FURNISHINGS

Ugly QR code. Beautiful Decks.

bisonip.com | 800.333.4234
Make lasting

Steel roof and floor deck with realistic wood-grain finish

Get wood’s natural beauty and steel’s unmatched strength — all in one innovative structural building
component. Introducing IMPRESSIONS™, a revolutionary steel roof and floor deck available in six distinct
digitally printed wood-grain finishes so realistic, you won’t believe it’s steel. Realize your architectural LEARN
visions while achieving project goals. Together, let’s build it better. MORE

See us at A’23 / Booth 526

 FEATURED FIRMS
BLDUS
Washington, D.C.
Linehouse
Hong Kong/Shanghai
Zeller & Moye
Mexico City/Berlin
Studio J. Jih
Boston
Studio Contra
Lagos, Nigeria
MIX Architecture

Design
Nanjing, China
Office MI—JI
Melbourne

Vanguard
Linden, Brown Architecture
Portland, Oregon
Kiyo Takeda Architects

2023
Tokyo
Future Expansion
Brooklyn, New York
PHOTOGRAPHY: © TY COLE

POPLAR GROVE, WASHINGTON, D.C.,

BY BLDUS

77
 DESIGN VANGUARD
FOUNDED: 2013
DESIGN STAFF: 3
PRINCIPALS: Jack Becker, Andrew Linn
EDUCATION: Becker: Harvard University
Graduate School of Design, M.AUD., 2013;
Cornell University AAP, B.Arch., 2011
Linn: Yale University Graduate School of Arts
and Sciences, MA in the History of Science
and Medicine, 2013; Cornell University AAP,
B.Arch., 2011
WORK HISTORY: Becker: R. McGhee &
Associates, 2020–21; Urban Investment
Partners, 2018–20; Quinn Evans Architects,
2014–18; SGA Companies, 2013–14; Becker
Architects, 2012; Newmark Knight Frank,
2011; David Garcia Studio, 2010; FXFOWLE,
2008
Linn: Arquitectonica, 2011–12; OMA, 2010;
Fantastic Norway, 2009; Tigerman McCurry
Architects, 2007; Corcoran Ota Group, 2005
KEY COMPLETED PROJECTS: Poplar
Grove, 2022; Poplar Cloud, 2022; Grass
House, 2018 (all in Washington, D.C.);
Swampy Hollow, 2022, East Hampton, NY
KEY CURRENT PROJECTS: Lois Mailou
Jones Alley House; Ruth Ann Overbeck Alley
House; Ramble House; Temple House; Piney
Branch; Fairland (all in Washington, D.C.);
Highland Beach House, Annapolis, MD; The
Sparrows, Front Royal, VA
www.bld.us
Swampy Hollow
With walls built entirely of readily available 2-by-4
studs, this temple-fronted screened porch
connects with a newly renovated kitchen and
breakfast nook. Anchoring the far end of the
structure is a ventless hearth.
78 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
BLDUS
WASHINGTON, D.C.
IN WASHINGTON, D.C., where the height act of 1910 limits upward growth and residen-
tial blocks were built a century ago, development opportunities are few and far between. But
local firm BLDUS has found a niche in alley dwellings, filling in one of the last untapped
streams of potential real estate in the city. With a “farm-to-shelter” mentality, BLDUS designs
structures that have a sustainable aesthetic and challenge mainstream stick-built construction.
Founders Andrew Linn and Jack Becker, both 35, have taken a particularly hands-on approach,
using their own residences and workspace as proving grounds for both novel materials and ideas.
Based in D.C.’s Anacostia neighborhood, the firm’s office combines a renovation of an 1892
Victorian house (where Becker lives) with an adjacent accessory structure, which serves as the
duo’s studio and a material showcase for prospective clients. This structure, which is limited by
zoning constraints to 20 feet in height, is the Grass House, so named for its composition of walls
made of a hybrid wood-bamboo prefabricated structural-panel system. “It is kind of a pun on
Philip Johnson’s Glass House—but bamboo is fast-growing and happens to be of a structural
gauge,” Becker explains, referring to it as the “mass grass” counterpoint to cross-laminated timber.
Across the Anacostia River, in Capitol Hill, co-principal Andrew Linn resides in another
alley dwelling, Poplar Grove, so named for its tulip poplar and cork cladding. Surrounded on all
sides by neighbors, Linn and his family have returned to the Roman ideal of the domus—a
classic nine-square plan, 33-feet-long per side. Above a central circulation square, marked by
four poplar posts at its corners, the nod to John Hejduk becomes clear with a three-by-three-
grid skylight. Fragments of pink Tennessee marble salvaged from the National Air and Space
Museum’s exterior refurbishment add a touch of grandeur to an otherwise modest palette.
“We’re hoping to build some momentum with healthy housing,” Linn says. “That we’re demol-
ishing what was built 30 to 50 years ago suggests new buildings should be made of compostable
materials, so that when we inevitably rebuild in 100 years, we can recycle everything.”
A few larger residences—Poplar Cloud, in D.C.’s Palisades neighborhood, and Mailou Alley,
currently under construction—take the trials at the Grass House and Poplar Grove to greater
scales. And a speculative village they’ve designed, tucked in the Shenandoah Valley, would
disperse their ideals farther and to a much broader audience, although convincing some clientele
of the benefits to their approach remains an uphill battle: “A majority still wants traditional
siding and pitched roofs. Anything different is a longer conversation,” Linn adds. “But that’s one
reason why we enjoy working in historic districts—there’s an admission that aesthetics will have
some kind of influence, but the driver can be more about performance than purity.”
For the moment, BLDUS relishes the opportunities these alley infill lots provide. As Becker
says, “In a city that’s truly known for its architectural conservativism, the unconventional con-
straints and strangeness that abound in these residual lots facilitates, necessarily, an architecture
that is a little more fun and engaging. Out of that comes more personality, and perhaps more
humanity in architecture.” Deane Madsen
PHOTOGRAPHY: © TY COLE
Poplar Grove
Tall sassafras boards on a black locust frame form a palisade (right) along the
property line, serving as a privacy buffer and enclosing a small carport and
5-foot-wide side yard for a grill, waste disposal, and an outdoor shower. Inside,
stretched white netting wraps the staircase and extends above the double-
height living area to create a playscape without blocking natural light.

Grass House
Local black locust, strikingly detailed at the corners (below, left), makes up the
bulk of the exterior siding, while a woven-willow wall lines the stairs inside
Grass House. Even the light fixtures offer a touch of renewable flair: made of
mycelium, the pendants are grown, formed, and baked, but can ultimately be
returned to nature simply by adding water (below, right).

79
 DESIGN VANGUARD
FOUNDED: 2013
DESIGN STAFF: 30
PRINCIPALS: Alex Mok, Briar Hickling
EDUCATION: Mok: Bartlett School of
Architecture, Dipl.Arch., 2005; University of
Newcastle Upon Tyne, B.A. Architectural
Studies, 2002
Hickling: Massey University, Bachelor of
Design, 2005
WORK HISTORY: Mok: Neri & Hu, 2009–13;
Níall McLaughlin Architects, 2004–09;
Terry Farrell & Partners, 2002–03; Paul
Davis & Partners, 2001
Hickling: Neri & Hu, 2009–13; Allistar Cox,
2006–09
KEY COMPLETED PROJECTS: Central
World, 2022, Bangkok; Gaga Coast, 2023;
Tingtai Teahouse, 2019; WeWork APAC
Headquarters, 2016 (all three in Shanghai);
John Anthony, 2018; Ying’n Flo, 2022; Cape
Drive Private Residence, 2022 (all in Hong
Kong)
KEY CURRENT PROJECTS: Fish Market,
Shanghai; Northpole Mix-Use; Dusit Central
Park (both in Bangkok); Food Hall, Manila
www.linehousedesign.com
Fish Market
Linehouse’s adaptive reuse of a former fish market
is designed to engage locals with a community
center, a nursery, and restaurants, as well as new
outdoor spaces.
80 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
Linehouse
HONG KONG/SHANGHAI
THE HONG KONG– and Shanghai-based Linehouse well represents a broader momentum
in the culture of design and craftsmanship in China. Its founders, Briar Hickling, 40, and Alex
Mok, 42, build their projects around knowledge of local materials and craft, while creating
architecture that both engages with its immediate surroundings as well as with the discipline
more broadly.
Paradoxically, neither grew up in the country. Mok grew up in Sweden and moved to China
in 2009 to explore her ethnic heritage and find a less rigid way of practicing than what she had
experienced in the UK. Hickling, a native of rural New Zealand, had never been to China
before she moved to Shanghai to take a position with Neri & Hu, a 2009 Design Vanguard
firm. It was in that office she and Mok met; in 2013 the women established Linehouse and
assembled a diverse team that could work across many scales and design disciplines.
“When I first moved to China, I was really inspired by the streetscape and how you see peo-
ple living in a very public way,” says Hickling, who is now based in Hong Kong. “You walk
down the laneways, and people are cooking, bathing, washing.” They were able to put an under-
standing of Chinese culture into practice on a large scale after being hired to design WeWork’s
first Chinese location, in Shanghai’s Jing’An district. The central atrium nods to the tableau of
the city’s lively streets.
Another notable adaptive-reuse opportunity came when Linehouse was picked to transform
an abandoned factory, in Shanghai’s Moganshan Road arts district, into a modern teahouse.
Stripped to its bones, the factory revealed textured concrete columns, brick ceiling tiles, and
clerestory windows. “We inserted different kinds of teahouses into the existing structure with-
out touching it, to create tension between new and old,” says Mok, describing the project. The
teahouses also play on ideas of public and private.
Recently, Linehouse is working at even larger scales, transforming an outdated billboard-
covered Bangkok shopping center into a modern piece of architecture, whose arched concrete
facade openings now harmonize with adjacent Hindu temples. The area was once abundant in
lily pads, so the mall’s interior columns radiate onto the ceiling to form leaflike canopies over
the seven-story space.
PHOTOGRAPHY: © ERIC LELEU (TOP); DIRK WEIBLEN (BOTTOM; OPPOSITE, BOTTOM AND OPPOSITE, MIDDLE LEFT);
Hickling points out that the firm’s first large building renovation, the transformation of a fish
market in northern Shanghai begun in 2015, is finally slated to be complete this year, after a
mid-project pause. Needing to clad the large structure at a low budget, the architects sourced
every style of brick and block that could be found locally and drew plans for a unique patchwork
of installation patterns to be followed by masons. “We have a huge wealth of knowledge about
crafts and making in China,” says Mok. “People assume China is one big factory, and I think
some of the greatest people I’ve met lead mom-and-pop-style shops and are willing to work with
DEPTH OF FIELD (TOP, 2); JONATHAN LEIJONHUFVUD (OPPOSITE, MIDDLE RIGHT)
you through the design process.” The hand-hewn, locally crafted approach is something they
intend to keep investing in, even as they increasingly take on larger projects, and those outside
China. Jennifer Krichels
World Central
Tasked with renovating the Isetan shopping center
in Bangkok, Linehouse conceived a double-layered
fluted concrete facade with a mix of fenestrated,
open-air, and blank arches. Inside, ceiling planes
vary in material, from green metal grids to timber
trellises and woven caning.

WeWork APAC Headquarters

An early 20th-century courtyard building—a former opium factory and artist
residence—was transformed into a grand hotel–inspired coworking space for
WeWork. A meandering green steel staircase projects into the expansive
triple-height atrium, while a bronze structure for hanging artwork (above), and
lighting suspended from ropes lends a domestic scale.

Tingtai Teahouse
Linehouse filled a disused factory with a variety of teahouses. On
some, a half-height opaque datum conceals part of the interior
volume, while the timber-clad interiors of others are fully on
display through glass walls, all amid a topography of terrazzo
steps and seating platforms.

81
 DESIGN VANGUARD
FOUNDED: 2013
DESIGN STAFF: 5–7
PRINCIPALS: Christoph Zeller, Ingrid Moye
EDUCATION: Zeller: Universität der Künste
Berlin, Dipl.Arch., M.Arch., 2002
Moye: Universidad Anáhuac México, Dipl.
Arch., 2007
WORK HISTORY: Zeller: Herzog & de
Meuron, 2004–12; SANAA, 2001; J. Mayer
H. Architects, Berlin, 1999–2000
Moye: Herzog & de Meuron, 2009–12;
SANAA, 2007–09
KEY COMPLETED PROJECTS: La Ribera,
2022, Mexico City, Mexico; House Köris,
2020, Brandenburg, Germany; Casa Hilo,
2019, Apan, Mexico; Hollow, 2016, Royal Fort
Gardens, Bristol, UK; Casa Verne, 2017,
Mexico City, Mexico; Sandra Weil Concept
Flagship Store, 2014, Mexico City, Mexico;
ODEEH Concept Flagship Store, 2014,
Berlin, Germany
KEY CURRENT PROJECTS: Mirage,
Cupertino, CA; House Oaxaca, Puerto
Escondido, Mexico; Hotel Sevilla, Mérida,
Mexico; House Thielalle, Martin Luther
Memorial (both in Berlin, Germany); Anfal
Memorial, Rizgary, Iraq
www.zellermoye.com
La Ribera
Replacing an informal-housing development, this
apartment building (foreground) is constructed of
concrete, hand polished to expose pink and brown
stone aggregate. Each of the eight units is
organized as a three-story townhouse, with freely
placed windows to give each a sense of
uniqueness.
82 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
Zeller & Moye
MEXICO CITY/BERLIN
WHEN MEXICO CITY–born Ingrid Moye met Berlin-born Christoph Zeller in the London
studio of Herzog & de Meuron, both were already well-traveled cosmopolitans. In fact, their
paths had nearly crossed before, in Tokyo, where each had served a brief stint at SANAA. After
collaborating on Herzog & de Meuron’s landmark Tate Modern project, the two globetrotters
decided to set up shop (and house) together, but the question remained: his hometown or hers?
“We couldn’t decide which,” says Zeller, 48. “So, we decided both.”
Now a decade into their shared practice, the Zeller & Moye team has turned their unusual
bicontinental arrangement to good use, executing projects in Latin America and in Europe
while allowing their experience in one to inform their projects in the other—and vice versa. “I’ve
learned to float between the two,” says Moye, 39. “It’s sort of maddening, but I find a lot of joy
in it.” In their projects to date, the duo have manifested a flexibility that allows them to move
PHOTOGRAPHY: © ANDREAS GEHRKE (TOP); SERGIO LÓPEZ (BOTTOM); CESAR BEJAR (OPPOSITE, TOP RIGHT); OMAR MUÑOZ (OPPOSITE, TOP LEFT, 2); HARRY WEBER (OPPOSITE, BOTTOM, 2)
between their disparate worlds with remarkable ease.
In Mexico City, the firm’s La Ribera apartment development in the Santa María la Ribera
district takes a traditional model of city living and transforms it for a fast-changing neighbor-
hood. “There are so many new galleries and new developments around,” says Moye. “We wanted
to bring in more diversity in terms of types and uses.” From the street, the building presents a
subdued facade, but it opens to a remarkably complex courtyard arrangement in which all the
individual apartments have their own rooftop terraces while connecting to each other via a
shared patio. “It creates a very democratic feeling,” says Moye, comparing the design to the
communal arrangements common to older Mexican housing typologies.
Contrast that with the firm’s Haus Köris, a rural retreat just outside Berlin comprising five
square volumes. The project is as rustic as La Ribera is urban, yet it creates a village-like envi-
ronment all its own. “We took a simple concept, just these individual spaces,” says Zeller, “and
then we attached them together to form clusters.” Built using a modular woodblock system, the
structures are assembled on a dynamic pinwheel plan that makes the design feel active despite its
somber geometric simplicity.
With private apartments (including the strikingly tropical Casa Verne in Mexico City) and
commercial work (the uber-cool Odeeh fashion boutique in Berlin), momentum behind the
practice continues to build, and they’re looking forward to their first project in the United
States, an artist collaboration on Apple’s Cupertino campus, expected to open this summer.
International in outlook, their partnership seems to draw strength from contrasting perspec-
tives. “Coming from such absolutely different backgrounds—our minds work in different ways,”
says Zeller. “But it’s very fluid. Spontaneous.” Ian Volner
Casa Verne
A verdant roof garden and bedroom top the
three-story Casa Verne. Extensive glazing, minimal
detailing, and white marble-pebble floors maintain
a luminous interior.

Haus Köris
Hovering above the ground and nestled between
tall, spindly pine trees, this single-family house is a
series of interconnected volumes, each with its
own domestic function.

Odeeh Boutique
A modular system of raw cement-board screens
and faceted plinths maximizes flexibility, allowing
staff to curate new clothing collections. Delicate
white metal objects—clothes racks, hooks, and
trays—and mirrored walls add to the minimalist
aesthetic of the store.

83
 DESIGN VANGUARD
FOUNDED: 2017
DESIGN STAFF: 3
PRINCIPAL: J. Roc Jih
EDUCATION: Harvard University Graduate
School of Design, M.Arch., 2012; Brown
University, B.A., 2008
WORK HISTORY: Höweler + Yoon, 2012–13;
Ibañez Kim, 2012; IwamotoScott, 2011;
Diller Scofidio + Renfro, 2010
KEY COMPLETED PROJECTS: Hairpin
House, 2022; Oblique Figures, 2019; Fly
Gallery, 2019 (all in Boston); Trinocular
House, 2017, Stowe, VT
KEY CURRENT PROJECTS: Memorial to
the Victims of the 1871 Chinese Massacre,
L.A.; Periscope House, Boston; Roundabout
House, Yangon, Myanmar
www.jih.studio
Memorial to the Victims of
the 1871 Chinese Massacre
Commemorating the overlooked 19th-century
massacre of Chinese immigrants, this scheme is
shortlisted for a competition sponsored by the Los
Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. A honed,
cylindrical limestone vessel is carved out to reveal
an interior void with 18 polished flutes—one for
each victim.
84 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
Studio J. Jih
BOSTON
AT STUDIO J. JIH, architecture aligns with exploration and growth. In the words of princi-
pal J. Roc Jih, architecture is a place “to dissect value, to encounter the values of others, and to
continually evolve one’s own values.” This readily occurs through collaboration, a notion that
pervades all aspects of the firm’s practice.
Perhaps the clearest form of collaboration takes place among the members of Studio J. Jih
working in its open-plan one-room office, replete with intricate models and housed on the third
floor of a converted brick warehouse in Boston’s South End arts district. Jih (they/them), 37,
who founded the firm in 2017 after studying at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and
serving as a Rotch Travelling Scholar, describes its culture as “horizontal and cooperative”; the
team collectively devise the guiding concepts for projects, which then frequently switch hands to
keep everyone engaged. To introduce additional perspectives into their design work, Jih likes to
partner with other architects, often the San Francisco–based firm Figure (led by James Leng
and Jennifer Ly) or Harvard GSD assistant professor Sean Canty (with whom Jih has teamed up
under the “drag design identity” of Jih Sean). Likewise, the idea of collaboration extends to Jih’s
role as associate professor of practice at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where their
teaching focuses on the dialogue between form and material as well as the relation between
bodies and space.
Jih’s pedagogical explorations of form and material influence the studio’s output. Jih appears
fond of the term choreography when discussing their work, and the description is apt, in that the
studio’s designs orchestrate movement, behavior, and interactions between the occupants and
the architecture, in both the way the space is used and how it’s understood. For example, in the
Hairpin House, codesigned with Figure, a sculptural wood staircase adjusts in shape and di-
mension as it encounters constraints on its switchback journey through a narrow four-story
rowhouse. In the Fly Gallery, rapidly reconfigurable partitions lower from the ceiling to create
different spatial and lighting conditions for cultural events, from art shows to performance
pieces. And in their shortlisted proposal for the Memorial to the Victims of the 1871 Chinese
IMAGES: © ADAM KARUTH (TOP); STUDIO J. JIH (OPPOSITE, BOTTOM AND OPPOSITE, TOP LEFT); JAMES LENG (OPPOSITE, 3)
Massacre in Los Angeles, again designed in conjunction with Figure, Chinese concepts of Jing
(scene) and Pen (frame) are merged in a seemingly timeless limestone vessel that houses a minia-
ture garden, to be maintained by the community in an act that honors the past while forging
new futures.
Looking forward, Studio J. Jih is excited about its future—in particular, a project in
Myanmar that consists of two event spaces centered on an amphitheater, all surrounded by
extant residential towers. Codesigned with Canty, this endeavor represents a jump in scale from
Studio J. Jih’s previous work. More exciting for Jih, though, is the chance to alter the typically
solitary dynamic of solely residential tower complexes without changing the form of the com-
plexes themselves. Rather, exploring concepts of visibility, transparency, and gathering, the
designers intend to create a focal point for community growth. A. Krista Sykes
Fly Gallery
By adapting a theatrical fly rigging system to a gallery setting, a grid of
operable translucent scrims can descend and retract to shape spaces for
performances and events. Designed for a nonprofit dedicated to supporting
emerging artists, this project was built for under $50,000.

Hairpin House
Located in Boston’s South End, this 15-foot-wide four-story rowhouse was
renovated by Studio J. Jih in collaboration with San Francisco–based Figure. A
custom white oak staircase unspools and meanders upward through the
house, constrained by rooms with fixed dimensions.

85
 DESIGN VANGUARD

FOUNDED: 2017
DESIGN STAFF: 15
PRINCIPALS: Jeffrey Adjei,
Olayinka Dosekun-Adjei
EDUCATION: Adjei: Architectural
Association, Professional Practice, 2017;
University of Canterbury, MA in Urban
Design, 2014; University of Canterbury, BA in
Architecture, 2010
Dosekun-Adjei: Harvard University Graduate
School of Design, M.Arch., 2015; Oxford
University, BA in Classics, 2009
WORK HISTORY: Adjei: Assael Architects,
2016–18; Sheppard Robson Architects,
2013–16; Harry Dobbs Design, 2013; Bell
Associates, 2010–11
Dosekun-Adjei: MOE+, 2016–17; Sheppard
Robson Architects, 2015–16; MASS Design
Group, 2015; Barkow Leibinger, 2013
KEY COMPLETED PROJECTS: Institute of
Contemporary African Art and Film, 2023,
Ilorin; BAMBU Beach House, 2022, Lagos;
CLAN Showroom, 2019, Lagos; Atelier
Boutique Hotel, Retro Africa Gallery, and
Pavilion Café, 2019, Abuja; Workstation,
2018, Lagos (all in Nigeria)
KEY CURRENT PROJECTS: Quartey
Residence, Accra, Ghana; Art Guesthouse
for the EMOWAA Cultural District, Benin,
Nigeria; 3333 Mississippi Avenue, Abuja,
Nigeria; The Centre for Contemporary Art,
Lagos, Nigeria
www.studio-contra.com
Studio Contra
LAGOS, NIGERIA
AFTER STUDYING classics at Oxford, Olayinka Dosekun-Adjei settled into a life many
would envy as a financial analyst at Lehman Brothers. It wasn’t for her. “I was hungering for
something tangible,” she says, “for projects that could be seen and found and experienced di-
rectly.” Eight years later, after receiving her Master of Architecture from Harvard, practicing at
several firms, and moving back to her home country of Nigeria, Dosekun-Adjei, 36, and her
partner, Jeffrey Adjei, 36, realized that ambition with the founding of their Lagos-based firm,
Studio Contra.
In the six years since, Studio Contra has completed a series of increasingly prominent projects
of varying types, culminating in the Institute of Contemporary African Art and Film, in the
Nigerian city Ilorin. The building, which will be completed this year, takes the form of low-
slung interconnected pavilions that are topped with swooping roofs and arrayed around light-
filled courtyards. Its frank symmetry lends it spatial hierarchy and civic presence, but this pomp
is undercut, productively, by the playful curves of the roof and gentle interplay of interior and
exterior spaces. The partners say they sought to undermine the rarefied connotations of contem-
porary art, and in this vein the building’s informality seems to reach out to local visitors, inviting
them into its galleries, media workshop, and other public spaces.
Getting up and running so quickly has not come without its challenges. Dosekun-Adjei
trained in the United States and Adjei in the United Kingdom—and the two, now married, had
more prior architectural experience in London than in Lagos. Both are candid about the dif-
ficulties of practicing in an entirely different context, from learning local construction methods
to contending with regular power outages in the office. “It was important to position ourselves
on the ground,” says Adjei, “to learn and absorb and experience as much of the local conditions
as possible.”
Among the firm’s completed works are a boutique hotel, a coworking space, and a gallery. A
skate park in the former center of Lagos is now under construction, as are several residential
projects. Bigger things are on the horizon: the firm is working on its first building of substantial
height (seven stories), as well as another museum in Ilorin. And in nearby Benin, they are design-
ing an “art guesthouse” in a new cultural district anchored by the planned Edo Museum of West
African Art that will house repatriated Benin bronzes in a David Adjaye–designed building.
What brings together their disparate projects is the skillful deployment of material, the gen-
erous provision of space and light, and a clear sense of respect for the occupants of each building.
Adjei speaks of the firm’s desire to find “sensible contemporary approaches to the problems we
have in our context.” More broadly, the work concerns itself with how architecture can represent,
and speak to, diverse audiences, and with the question of how rapidly expanding cities can offer
dignified civic and cultural spaces for their populations. Against what Dosekun-Adjei describes
as the “anonymity of the city,” Studio Contra contends that architecture can help create a sense
of belonging. Izzy Kornblatt
IMAGES: © YUSUF SANNI (TOP); STUDIO CONTRA (6)

Red Clay Villa

Concrete mixed with red clay is shaped into a
composition of simple forms. Key to the
spatial arrangement of this unbuilt house are
considerations driven by environmental comfort:
glazing that is set back, slatted screens that
provide shade, and a central courtyard that
maximizes airflow.

86 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

Institute of Contemporary
African Art and Film
Motifs from Nigeria’s Islamic architecture are
reinterpreted as a contemporary language of
asymmetrical and elliptical arches. In addition to
art galleries, the institute includes studios for film
editing and production, a screening room,
coworking spaces, and public gardens.

LSE Firoz Lalji Global Institute

Designed in collaboration with London-based practice
Alison Brooks Architects, this shortlisted competition
entry for the London School of Economics expresses the
cultural, economic, and environmental significance of the
African continent.

CLAN Showroom
Restraint, bold simplicity, and the blending
of the classic with the contemporary define
this womenswear brand based in Lagos.
Their showroom features custom furniture,
mirrors, and lighting designed by Studio
Contra.

87
 DESIGN VANGUARD

FOUNDED: 2016
DESIGN STAFF: 13–15
PRINCIPALS: Suning Zhou, Tao Tang,
Ziye Wu
EDUCATION: Zhou: Chongqing University,
B.Arch., 2006
Tang: Nanjing University, M.Arch., 2011;
Tianjin Chengjian University, B.Arch., 2008
Wu: Nanjing University, M.Arch.,2012;
Qingdao University of Technology, B.Arch.,
2009
WORK HISTORY: Zhou: AZL Architects,
2006–14
Tang: AZL Architects, 2011–14
Wu: AZL Architects, 2012–14
KEY COMPLETED PROJECTS: Jiangshan
Fishing Village Renovation, Phase I & II,
2018–19; Wuxiang Mountain Qiu Hu Station,
2021; Lishui Ancestral Hall Renovation, 2021
(all three in Nanjing); Forest Tea House,
2022, Wuhan; Shanshui Firewood Garden,
2021, Yibin; Sun Shed Renovation, 2018, Yi
Zheng (all in China)
KEY CURRENT PROJECTS:
Combat Machinery Factory Renovation;
Red House; Headquarters R&D Economic
Park (all in Nanjing, China)
MIX Architecture
NANJING, CHINA
THERE ARE common professional trajectories that plucky young architecture studios tend to
follow, depending on where they are. In the United States, they might start with single-family
houses or retail interiors—but, in China nowadays, the countryside is where budding designers
often show their chops before taking on wider-ranging projects.
Such has been the case with MIX Architecture, a Nanjing-based partnership founded in
2016 by Zhou Suning, 42, Tang Tao, 38, and Wu Ziye, 36. “There were a lot of opportunities,”
Zhou says of the practice’s start in rural China, citing government investment aimed at revital-
izing areas that have long suffered from lagging economic development and migration toward
the country’s wealthier cities. “It also gave us a chance to think carefully about what was pre-
cious and what has value,” he adds.
Beginning with small insertions in historic houses and going to the conversion of an agricul-
tural warehouse into an event hall with dendriform bamboo pillars, MIX has quickly developed a
methodology that provides complex briefs a nuanced formal expression. Given their rural context,
these projects aim to improve living conditions, boost social and cultural infrastructures, and
stimulate local economies while revisiting traditional building and craft practices through a con-
temporary lens.
With MIX, this has often produced subtle atmospherics and striking juxtapositions, whether
using the pristine glass boxes and white volumes they inserted in the siheyuan that now houses
the Jiangshan Fishing Village bookstore or the sleek, low-slung, faceted roof that frames views
of the forests surrounding their Wuxiang Mountain Qiu Hu Station. “We try to discover the
DNA of a place to make the project suitable, so it can adapt to and change the culture,” adds
Wu. “This is true for both smaller and larger-scale work, rural and urban.”
Indeed, as its name implies, MIX does not want to limit itself to a single genre or style.
Recently, the studio has taken the approach it has honed in the countryside to the city. For one
project, the practice is transforming a 1960s factory in Nanjing into an office complex compris-
ing interlocking stacked volumes designed around courtyards and inspired, in form and materi-
ality, by the original redbrick building. At another, a ground-up, 750,000-square-foot tech-
company headquarters, also in Nanjing, has been designed as a kind of threshold between
interior and exterior landscaping, with gestures intended to accentuate mountain views.
Meanwhile, the studio is keeping one foot in its countryside proving grounds with a moun-
tain resort—whose horizontal pavilions will trace the contours of the valley it sits in—while also
developing regional strategies for the adaptive reuse of old buildings. “Working closely with
local residents on small projects,” says Tang, “gave us valuable insight into designing sensitively
for people’s needs.” Adds Zhou: “And that has helped us more comprehensively engage complex
projects.” Aric Chen

Sun Shed
MIX Architecture transformed a former agricultural
warehouse, capped with a glass roof, into a
dynamic event hall—complete with “treelike”
bamboo columns, which veil the original steel
structure. Inside, a visual connection to the sky and
planted areas evoke a pastoral landscape.

88 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 Shanshui Firewood
Garden
Situated between a bamboo forest
and a rural village in China’s Sichuan
province, this structure pinwheels
around a central pond. Walls made of
suspended split logs shape space and
cast dynamic shadows.
PHOTOGRAPHY: © CONG LIN (OPPOSITE, BOTTOM); MIX ARCHITECTURE (OPPOSITE, TOP); ARCH-EXIST (TOP); BOWEN HOU (3)

Jiangshan Fishing
Village
This multiphase project included the
adaptive reuse of historic structures as
well as new ground-up facilities. Glass
volumes were inserted into an older
building to transform it into a bookstore
and teahouse (below, right). A new
community center features a deep-
eaved roof with a circular cut-out for a
growing tree (right). Public restrooms
also dot the village (below).

89
 DESIGN VANGUARD

FOUNDED: 2014
DESIGN STAFF: 2
PRINCIPALS: Millie Anderson, Jimmy Carter
EDUCATION: Anderson: University of
Melbourne, M.Arch., 2012; Bachelor of
Architectural Studies, 2010
Carter: University of Illinois at Chicago, MA,
Design Criticism, 2018; University of
Melbourne, M.Arch., 2014; Bachelor of
Property and Construction, 2014; Bachelor
of Architectural Studies, 2010
WORK HISTORY: Anderson: Zaha Hadid
Architects, 2016–20; Plus Architecture,
2010–16
Carter: Kwong von Glinow, 2018; Folk
Architects, 2014–16
Office MI—JI
MELBOURNE
MANY KNOW Melbourne for its Victorian rowhouses, with ornate details and filigreed
ironwork. But houses in the city had humble beginnings—simple forms, corrugated metal roofs
with deep eaves, walls made of timber or clay bricks, and verandas to provide shelter from the
relentless sun. Leaning on these lessons, Office MI–JI has found strength in rearticulating
low-cost local materials in a contemporary idiom. With several completed projects to date—each
unpretentious yet full of intrigue—and several more under construction, the firm has introduced
a refreshing new approach to the Melbourne design scene.
Having met at the University of Melbourne, classmates Millie Anderson and Jimmy Carter,
both 34, began moonlighting on small freelance projects in 2014—a karaoke-room fit-out first,
followed by installations and intimate pavilions. After Anderson moved to London to join Zaha
Hadid Architects, and Carter to Chicago to pursue additional graduate studies in criticism, they
continued to collaborate over the long distance for four years before reuniting in Melbourne in
2020. Office MI–JI, a portmanteau of its founders’ first names, shares a lively, light-filled studio
space with several other small architecture practices and graphic designers. Although working
within tight design constraints can bring friction to any working friendship, and despite their
varied work experiences, the duo closely collaborate on all aspects of design. As the only two
employees, any differences in opinion are interrogated as a team, which Anderson and Carter
agree “ultimately leads to much stronger ideas.”
The unassumingly named A B House, a single-family vacation getaway in the coastal town of
Barwon Heads, manages to be both austere and innovative. Beneath simple boxy forms lies a
playful subtext: the street-facing elevation reinterprets the familiar cost-effective corrugated
metal sheets as a crisp geometric shell. Inside, the house is warmed with light diffused through
polycarbonate panels and walls and floors treated with tallow wood; the kitchen features barrel-
vaulted ceilings, while a gently curved hallway separates domestic functions.
In Castlemaine, another residential project utilizes materials salvaged from local industrial
yards—raw clay bricks are underfoot in the bathroom, and glass blocks form a translucent show-
er barrier. Originally A House for One, with a later addition called A Renovation for Three, this
dwelling has no interior doors, per client request, so cleverly placed corners and changes in level

PHOTOGRAPHY: © CHARLIE FORD (TOP); MARTHA POGGIOLI (OPPOSITE, BOTTOM LEFT); BENJAMIN HOSKING (4)
preserve privacy without compromising spaciousness for the family.
KEY COMPLETED PROJECTS: A
Anderson and Carter recalled a motto that arose when they began working together: “Do
Renovation For Three, 2022; A House for
One, 2016, Castlemaine (both);
good work.” The phrase may sound open-ended or loosely defined, but it continues to speak to
A B House, 2022, Barwon Heads; A Pavilion Office MI–JI’s deft ability to curate quiet sophistication and aesthetic simplicity. Dillon Webster
(designed in collaboration with client), 2021,
Collingwood; A Certain Kind of Life (with
Abigail Chang, Francesco Marullo, and Agata
Siemionow, in conjunction with the
University of Illinois at Chicago), 2019,
Lisbon, Portugal; A Room for Karaoke and
Other Things, 2015, Prahran (all in Australia,
except as noted)
KEY CURRENT PROJECTS: Bay House,
Brighton; Malakoff House, St. Kilda East
(both in Australia)
www.mi-ji.com.au

A Pavilion
This unquestionably small (8½-feet long by
4½-feet wide by 7½-feet tall) pavilion once served
as a food cart, but currently serves as a storage
unit—one that, after the sun sets, emits a diffuse
glow through panes of translucent glass set within
in a gridded steel frame.

90 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

A B House
Bounded within a perimeter
set by 52 posts, and entirely
raised off the ground, this
weekend retreat is organized
into two volumes connected
by a curved, daylit hallway. An
industrial palette of steel and
translucent polycarbonate are
complemented by warm
woods and deep greens.

A House for One

& A Renovation for Three
A previous client asked Office MI–JI to revisit
its design for a house conceived as a
double-height room, and make space for three
more. The new addition, in plan, spirals
inward—ensuring privacy on an otherwise
small lot.

91
 DESIGN VANGUARD
FOUNDED: 2019
DESIGN STAFF: 5
PRINCIPALS: Christopher Brown,
Brent Linden
EDUCATION: Brown: University of
Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture,
B.Arch., 2004
Linden: Rice University School of
Architecture, M.Arch., 2003; University of
Florida, B.Des., 1998
WORK HISTORY: Brown: Allied Works,
2013–17; Skylab Architecture, 2007–12;
Marlon Blackwell Architects, 2002–05
Linden: Allied Works, 2003–17; Skidmore
Owings & Merrill, 1999–2001
KEY COMPLETED PROJECTS: 4015
House and Studio, 2023; Tonal House,
2023; Gradient House and Studio, 2021;
Little Big House, 2019 (all in Portland, OR);
Sequitur Winery, 2022, Newberg; Jennings
Installation, 2019, Joseph (both in Oregon)
KEY CURRENT PROJECTS: Hill House,
Portland; Joseph Center of Arts & Culture
Expansion, Joseph; ProtoADU; Newberg
Winery (all in Oregon); Figure House,
Camas, WA
www.lindenbrownarchitecture.com
Figure House
Taking cues from the logging history of the Pacific
Northwest, rounded wood-clad volumes weave
through this low-slung house (under construction)
to delineate spaces. A second floor, expressed in a
different material palette, caps the composition.
92 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
Linden, Brown
Architecture
PORTLAND, OREGON
AS THE FIRST project of their newly minted firm, Brent Linden and Chris Brown trans-
formed a 90-year-old barn into a rich blend of winery and three-dimensional puzzle.
The clients, Sequitur Wines, had repurposed a 60-acre Douglas fir tree farm into a vineyard
and winery six years before. Ready for a more public face, they imagined the barn’s becoming a
centerpiece “fermentation hall.” Linden, Brown raised the entire structure 18 inches to put in
concrete foundations. They intermingled a new post-and-beam structure with the historic
heavy-timber frame, and replaced dry-rotted post bottoms with custom-fit wood grafts.
Removing and cataloguing the original corrugated-metal roof sheets, they put them back on,
but with a new skylight stretching the length of the roof ridge. An adjacent silo features a stair-
case that spirals around a lift for barrels, all skylit by an open wedge cut from the domed top.
Five new buildings for the tasting room, offices, and production surround the barn, each
wrapped and roofed in weathering corrugated steel. Old and new commingle like different
vintage vines grown from the site’s iron-rich jory soil.
Brown, 43, and Linden, 48, met at the Portland and New York–based Allied Works, discov-
ering a shared philosophy and complementary skills between them while they were developing
competition entries for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Albright-Knox Museum. But
after 15 years at the firm for Linden and five for Brown, they longed to develop a smaller, craft-
based practice built on intimate partnerships—with each other, their clients and builders, and
their projects’ sites.
“Brent’s focus as a designer is creating dynamic space and light,” says Brown. “My tendencies
are toward material detail and the way elements come together.” Linden echoes the portrayal in
how they start a design: “I prefer to jump into 3D modeling, while Chris gets his hands dirty
with charcoal drawing.” They closely collaborate through every phase of design and construc-
tion, with one or the other leading each project’s management duties.
As with Sequitur Wines, Linden, Brown’s clients thus far have been highly talented creatives
and entrepreneurs whose ideas the architects welcome. At Tonal House, a nearly finished hill-
side home in Portland, the architects started the design process with a request by their client, a
Swedish-born psychologist-turned-fashion stylist, to use her preferred material: hand-troweled
white plaster. Linden, Brown will apply it over an energy-efficient FastWall construction sys-
tem. Large alternating light monitors bounce daylight over the subtly differing tones and tex-
tures of plaster and white oak floors and cabinetry. Generous windows frame the views of
Mount St. Helens and the city’s skyline.
IMAGES: © JEREMY BITTERMANN (6); LINDEN, BROWN ARCHITECTURE (BOTTOM)
“Our role as visionaries is to create a passionate conversation that everybody—clients, con-
tractor, and craftspeople—can feed off,” Linden explains.
The duo is fostering a less expected collaboration in the tiny eastern Oregon town of Joseph:
expanding a community center housed in a locally beloved, but very quirky, 1980s bank build-
ing. To the “log-clad” original, with its odd, origami-like roof, they’ll add simpler, more abstract
volumes. The commission’s modest scale evinces Linden, Brown’s passion for collaborating with
the community’s stew of farming families, 1970s-counterculture-era artists, the nearby Nez
Perce Tribe, and even the town sawyer. “We think we can apply the same ethos at a public
scale,” Linden says, “using the community’s hands in making it.” Randy Gragg
Gradient House and Studio
Linden, Brown transformed a postwar house into a
new residence and home studio for a local design
business. The L-shape of its plan frames a
courtyard that has views of the St. Johns Bridge
and the Willamette River.

Sequitur Winery
A restored barn and surrounding additions accommodate wine production
and tasting as well as spaces to experience a working farmstead. Long, linear
buildings are sheathed in weathering steel and supported by slender columns.

93
 DESIGN VANGUARD

FOUNDED: 2019
DESIGN STAFF: 5
PRINCIPAL: Kiyo Takeda
EDUCATION: University of East London,
Dipl.Arch., 2007; Tokai University, B.Arch.,
2004
WORK HISTORY: Kengo Kuma &
Associates, 2008–18; David Chipperfield
Architects, 2007–08
KEY COMPLETED PROJECTS: Yukinoshita
Farm House, 2022, Kamakura; Tsuruoka
House, 2021, Nerima, Tokyo; House with Six
Annexes, 2019, Chino (all in Japan)
KEY CURRENT PROJECTS: Gymnasium,
Kannami; House on Garden, Zushi (both in
Japan)
www.kiyoakitakeda.com
Kiyo Takeda
Architects
TOKYO
MORE OFTEN than not, buildings are designed, and then landscape components are added.
But Kiyo Takeda, 41, doesn’t differentiate between the two. “All natural elements are architec-
tural elements,” he explains. For this young Tokyo architect, integrating trees, shrubs, soil, and
rocks with concrete, glass, and steel is, well, second nature.
Takeda’s stance is an outgrowth of early exposure to architecture, followed by his professional
training. As a youngster, he often spent time in his architect father’s studio and visited buildings
with him. That segued into an undergraduate architecture degree from Tokai University, and a
master’s degree from the University of East London. Reasoning that Japanese schools are “more
conceptual,” Takeda opted to go overseas, where he encountered a greater emphasis on making
things and materiality. His studies included research in Urbino, Italy, where he examined the
area’s dilapidated buildings to observe how architecture falls apart when it is disused. “It was
really interesting to see buildings with forests growing inside them,” Takeda recalls. “Though
originally for people, this architecture had become a place for plants.” Following graduation,
Takeda joined the Tokyo office of Kengo Kuma, who often focuses on materials and environ-
mental awareness. Working on a variety of projects, such as the Asakusa Culture and Tourism
Center in Tokyo and the Tomioka City Hall in Gunma Prefecture, Takeda remained in Kuma’s
firm for 10 years before launching his own practice.
Takeda’s first independent project was the House with Six Annexes, a renovation of a Nagano
Prefecture property belonging to a schoolmate’s grandparents. The clients were keen to replace
their 80-year-old wood house but instead were convinced to leave their historic home intact and
modify its surroundings. “I was interested in the below-grade space,” says Takeda. Like many
agricultural homesteads, this one included a root cellar and a well, but also a World War II–era
bomb shelter. Providing a wine cellar, greenhouse, storage, and a secondary kitchen, Takeda
repurposed these underground spaces and added three new ones, each capped with a delicate,
glass-and-steel enclosure.
Whether located in the country or the city, Takeda’s works incorporate the earth’s capacity to
heat or cool, trees’ ability to shade, and even boulders’ strength to support. His most ambitious
effort to date is the Tsuruoka House, situated in Tokyo but facing a large pond. Usually, a site is
divided into house and garden, explains Takeda, but here the two stack vertically. The defining
elements of the two-story glass-enclosed building are its vaulted concrete slabs, designed to hold
sufficient soil to nurture trees and shrubs. Inside, the earth covering cools the cavelike interior
in summer and radiates heat during the winter. Though intended as a residence, its ground floor
is currently occupied by Takeda’s office, enabling the architect to experience his experimental
approach firsthand. “I was really surprised,” he says. “There is a lot of greenery that we didn’t
plant.” Takeda credits birds with seeding and fertilizing the new growth that has become inte-
gral to his architecture. Naomi Pollock, FAIA

House with Six Annexes

Part renovation, part new-build, Kiyo Takeda’s first
independent project balances traditional Japanese
domestic architecture and high-tech construction.
Glass enclosures cap existing spaces that have
been repurposed.

94 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 Tsuruoka House
Interconnected concrete barrel
vaults of varying diameters support
deep troughs of soil, allowing
vegetation of all kinds to thrive. Red
mullions and steel bracing add a
splash of color.
PHOTOGRAPHY: © FUTOSHI OSAKO (OPPOSITE, TOP); MASAKI HAMADA (6)

Yukinoshita Farm House

Facets and angled geometry defy the rigidly orthogonal surroundings of this
house for a small family, who cultivate their own produce. Inside, roof planes
shape interior spaces with exposed wood construction.

95
 DESIGN VANGUARD
FOUNDED: 2013
DESIGN STAFF: 6–8
PRINCIPALS: Deirdre McDermott,
Nicholas McDermott
EDUCATION: D. McDermott: Cornell
University AAP, B.Arch., 2002
N. McDermott: Yale University School of
Architecture, M.Arch., 2008; University of
Pennsylvania, B.A., 2002
WORK HISTORY: D. McDermott: MdeAS
Architects, 2008–14; CCS Architecture,
2006–08; SOM, 2002–06
N. McDermott: Rogers Marvel Architects,
2009–12; SOM, 2003–05
KEY COMPLETED PROJECTS: Open
Church, 2022; Drape Stair, 2021; Flatiron
Reflection, 2018; Robert Rauschenberg
Foundation Office Renovations, 2017; Vital
Strategies HQ, 2017; The Loop, 2016 (all in
New York)
KEY CURRENT PROJECTS: Vernon
Housing, Queens,NY; FoG Farm Planning
and Buildings, Sullivan County,NY; Grand
Street Mixed Use, New York; House,
Eastham, MA; Penthouse Renovation,
Brooklyn, NY
future-expansion.com
Flatiron Reflection
Part sculpture, part public stage set, and part
material experiment, this temporary installation
in Manhattan comprised bundled cardboard
sonotubes weighted in place with sandbags.
Reflective coatings echoed the tones of the sky
and lights of passing cars.
96 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
Future Expansion
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
FOR A YOUNG New York architecture and urban-design practice describing itself as founded
“on the belief that the future provides us with opportunity to constantly improve on the past,”
Future Expansion couldn’t have based its studio in a more apropos location. It abuts Brooklyn’s
Gowanus Canal, where a (rezoning-spurred) transformation is bringing housing, open green
space, and amenities to the banks of one of the borough’s most befouled—and beloved—indus-
trial waterways. Just outside the studio’s door, on the opposite bank of the canal, in the shadow
of the Culver Viaduct, a six-story office and retail building fronted by a public esplanade is on
the rise where a concrete factory once stood. Anchored in a neighborhood in flux, Future
Expansion is in its element, in the thick of it all, as new development in the borough swells
upward, outward, and into areas, like the banks of the Gowanus, previously untouched.
Husband-wife partners Nicholas, 43, and Deirdre McDermott, 44, have been professionally in
the thick of it all for some time prior to formally establishing Future Expansion in 2013, Deirdre
as a designer at CCS and later director at MdeAS Architects, and Nicholas as a designer at Rog-
ers Marvel Architects. Both also worked at the New York office of SOM, where they first met.
“What we realized working in these offices is that, because we were involved in real projects, it
wasn’t about an initial gesture—it was about doing something over time and building relation-
ships, and that’s the exciting part,” says Nicholas, emphasizing the firm’s focus on contextualism.
“Context isn’t the thing to restrain you—it’s where you find opportunities, realize potentials,
and connect the dots,” he adds. “The future, no matter how scary it is at times, is all that we’ve
got, and there’s a kind of optimism in working this way—in recognizing that what exists is the
context.”
Over the course of a decade, Future Expansion has designed projects within disparate con-
texts ranging from an abandoned lot in downtown Brooklyn to the wraparound setback of a
1920s-era Park Avenue office high-rise and a 380-acre agrarian tract in Sullivan County, New
York (where the studio has renovated a modest farmhouse as the initial phase of a larger master
IMAGES: © NOAH KALINA (BOTTOM); HANNA GRANKVIST (TOP; OPPOSITE, TOP 2); FUTURE EXPANSION (OPPOSITE, BOTTOM 2)
plan for the property). Back in the city, recent projects have found Future Expansion working on
the waterfront of Astoria, Queens, where construction is wrapping up on an apartment complex
with street-level commercial space—the studio’s first foray into multifamily housing—and in
Brooklyn, where a modest yet transformative entryway addition to the Park Slope United
Methodist Church was recognized earlier this year, winning a preservation award for its deeply
considered community-driven design, which enhances accessibility and opens up the 1915
building to an adjacent garden.
Stressing the church’s once-cloistered presence in the neighborhood, Deirdre explains that
the “ethos of the congregation itself is so much about being connected to the community, but the
church building didn’t reflect this. The project was an extension reaching out and connecting all
these things that weren’t connected to the neighborhood and to the street. It was something that
didn’t exist before.” Matt Hickman
Drape Stair
Commissioned by a pastry chef for a family home in Manhattan, this stair
expresses the folding of dough in perforated steel—slumped, turned back
on itself, and draped.

Open Church
This addition to an existing church in Brooklyn, New York, incorporates wide
stairs and an integrated wheelchair lift. Extensively glazed, the space looks
out into an adjacent neighborhood garden that is accessible to the public. Per
the studio, it aims “to suture the interior with the exterior and the future with
the past.”

Vernon Housing
Future Expansion’s 67-unit apartment building in Queens, New York, is expected
to open this summer. Between windows, diagonal rows of projecting bricks
gradually recede into the building’s facade, adding a layer of visual interest. Early
planning meetings with community members and nonprofit organizations also
led to the inclusion of three ground-level commercial spaces.

97
Global icons made in LEGO® bricks

Come build with us!

B rick City celebrates iconic architecture from cities around the world through carefully recreated constructions made from
LEGO® bricks by U.K.-based artist Warren Elsmore. Visitors will take a world tour discovering new destinations across all
seven continents that include: lively streetscapes from Cartagena, Columbia; Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans; intricate
temples from India to Mexico; and imaginative castles from medieval Japan to modern Las Vegas.

Builders young and old can channel their creativity in an interactive area where they can build their own masterpieces out of
LEGO® bricks. An expansive “graffiti wall” will provide a canvas to create pixelated art using the toy bricks, while building areas
will prompt visitors of all ages to build imaginative cities of their own.

Presenting Sponsor

401 F Street NW Washington, DC 20001

202.272.2448 • nbm.org
GREAT LOOKING. BRADLEY LAVATORY SYSTEMS offer a variety of touch free and worry-free
options for handwashing in public spaces. Design your ideal solution with multiple

GREAT OPTIONS.
GREAT materials, basin shapes and faucet choices. Trust Bradley for your next project, the
leader in commercial handwashing. Visit bradleycorp.com for more information.
GREAT VALUE. Commercial Washrooms. Brought to Life.

CAST-FORMED NATURAL QUARTZ

SOLID SURFACE MATERIAL

bradleycorp.com/lavatory-systems
 Double Vision
Studio Gang designs additions to the American Museum of Natural
History in New York and the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts in Little Rock.
BY CLIFFORD A. PEARSON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY IWAN BAAN
AT FIRST BLUSH, the challenges were
remarkably similar: design a major addition to
a sprawling museum that had grown piecemeal
over many decades, creating a new face for an
old institution and cleaning up a host of nag­
ging problems in the process; integrate archi­
tecture and landscape at an urban project set
within an existing park; respect the historic
fabric, but inject a big dose of bold design to
energize the client’s mission. But New York
isn’t Little Rock, and the American Museum
of Natural History (AMNH) isn’t the Arkan­
sas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA). So Studio
Gang developed schemes for the two projects
100 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
that have strikingly different expressions.
Though both might be described as “organic”
in form, the one in New York draws its shape
from geology, and the one in Little Rock
conjures images of plants and flowers.
The key to each project was figuring out
how to break through the thick carapace that
had developed over the years separating the
museum from its surroundings. Each com­
mission required Jeanne Gang and her team
to subtract, then add, removing pieces that
got in the way of the museum’s reaching out
to its neighbors and then inserting an alluring
new threshold.
 NEW ENTRANCES draw visitors to the Museum
of Natural History (above and right) and the
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (opposite, top
and bottom).
At AMNH, time is the force driving every-
thing. From its jaw-dropping dinosaur skel-
etons and multimillion-year-old fossils to its
displays on evolution, the museum on Man-
hattan’s Upper West Side reveals the wonders
of our planet and the universe through the lens
of time. Studio Gang’s design for the new
Gilder Center for Science, Education, and
Innovation expresses that same hidden force,
evoking the form of an ancient canyon sculpted
by wind and water over the course of many,
PHOTOGRAPHY: © ALVARO KEDING/AMNH (TOP)
many years. First announced in 2014, the
230,000-square-foot, $465 million Gilder
Center serves as a new gateway on the west
side of the 149-year-old original building.
What had once been a tucked-away back entry
off Columbus Avenue and a quirky piece of
Theodore Roosevelt Park has been trans-
formed by Jeanne Gang and her team into an
immediately recognizable feature attraction.
With its bulging facade clad in 18-by-9-
foot panels of angled strips of Milford pink
granite and punctuated by a five-story glazed
wall and curvaceous windows, the Gilder sets
itself apart from the existing dark stone-and-
brick buildings to which it is attached. But it
plays nice with its older neighbors, matching
the height of the Neo-Romanesque building
to its south and aligning its floors with those
of that structure too. Its masonry courses
recall the layers of Manhattan schist on which
it sits. And its pink granite comes from the
same source as the stone on AMNH’s grand
entrance on Central Park West, on the oppo-
site side of the four-block campus—a material
echo that will resonate with visitors of all ages
who have made many trips to the institution.
As soon as you step into the Gilder Center,
you’re pulled into a five-story high, 10,000-
square-foot atrium topped by a set of large
oval skylights. There are no right angles here.
Instead, you’re enveloped by a self-supporting
cavelike structure made of shotcrete blasted
onto an undulating network of rebar without
the use of disposable formwork. (Shotcrete
was invented by Carl Akeley, founder of the
AMNH Exhibitions Lab.) Gang toured train
tunnels under construction to see how shot-
crete has been used in large projects, but the
101
 Gilder atrium has more organic curves, which generate a wide-eyed
wonder in most visitors. “I’ve always been fascinated by spaces of ad-
venture, like canyons and gorges,” says Gang. Such places encourage
flow and movement, which are important in what is essentially a giant
entry lobby. “We’re constantly investigating structures in nature,” says
Weston Walker, a design principal at Studio Gang and the partner in
charge of the firm’s New York office. The architects also looked at
Eero Saarinen’s models of the TWA Terminal at JFK Airport and
Antoni Gaudí’s models of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, curious
about how forms can merge and connect.
The role of a natural history museum in our society has never been
more important, says Ellen V. Futter, who stepped down as AMNH
president in April after nearly 30 years in that role. Researching, col-
lecting, and exhibiting science are essential tasks in the wake of Covid
and “in a post-truth era,” she states. Gang’s design “invites references to
the natural world and inspires curiosity,” says Sean M. Decatur, the
institution’s new president. “It’s a place where people will want to
wander around and explore.”
Though fluid in form, the Gilder Center reinforces the axial ar-
rangement of the museum’s original plan prepared in 1872 by Calvert
Vaux and J. Wrey Mould, and aligns its atrium with the grand entry
hall on the opposite side of the campus. Knitting together 15 decades
of growth was a key challenge. The west sector of the museum, in
particular, was notorious for its U-shaped circulation and dead ends THE CANYON-LIKE atrium (this page and opposite) was formed by
that charmed regular visitors but maddened everyone else. Gang’s spraying shotcrete on a network of rebar and then hand-finishing it,
addition connects to nine other buildings at 33 different points, estab- creating a self-supporting structure with a crafted texture.

102 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

103
 A

6
2

1
5

4 9

LEVEL-ONE PLAN LEVEL-TWO PLAN

1 ATRIUM 8 BUTTERFLY VIVARIUM

2 INSECTARIUM 9 CURIOSITY ZONE

3 COLLECTIONS GALLERY 10 LIBRARY

4 GUEST SERVICES 11 STUDIO LEARNING ZONE

11
5 RETAIL 12 LEARNING LABS

6 RESTAURANT 13 IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

7 LEPIDOPTERA COLLECTION 14 SCIENCE LABS

10
Credits CONSULTANTS: Reed Hilderbrand
(landscape); Ralph Appelbaum
ARCHITECT: Studio Gang — Jeanne
Gang, founding principal and (exhibition); Renfro Design Group
3
partner; Weston Walker, design (lighting); Clinard Design Studio,
principal and partner; Ana Flor Ortiz, AMNH Exhibition (exhibition
design principal; Anu Leinonen, lighting)
design-management director; CLIENT: American Museum of
Anika Schwarzwald, project Natural History
leader; Margaret Cavenagh, Maciej
SIZE: 230,000 square feet (Gilder:
Kaczynski, Andrew McGee, Arthur
0 30 FT. 190,000 square; renovation: 40,000
LEVEL-FOUR PLAN Terry, Spencer Hayden, Kathleen
10 M.
Stranix, Stanley Schultz, John square feet)
Castro, Jay Hoffman, Wei-Ju Lai, COST: $465 million
Bethany Mahre, Dimitra Gelagoti, COMPLETION DATE: May 2023
Claire Cahan, Chris vant Hoff,
Mark Schendel, Peter Zuroweste,
Schuyler Smith, Franco Bolanos, Sources
14 William Lambeth, Elif Erez, Magda
SHOTCRETE: COST of Wisconsin
14
Wala, Gabrielle Poirier, Natalya
Egon, Juan De La Mora, Paige CONCRETE SUPERSTRUCTURE:
11 Adams, project team Winco
13 12 ARCHITECT OF RECORD: STEEL SUPERSTRUCTURE:
Davis Brody Bond Orange County Ironworks
8 9
ENGINEERS: Arup (structural, STONE MEGAPANELS:
1 acoustics, AV); BuroHappold Island Exterior Fabricators
2 4
(electrical, mechanical, plumbing,
METAL/GLASS FACADES AND
fire protection, facades); Atelier
SKYLIGHTS: W&W Glass
Ten (sustainability); Langan
(geotechnical, civil) GLAZING: Interpane
0 30 FT. GENERAL CONTRACTOR: CABINETWORK:
SECTION A - A
10 M. AECOM Tishman Construction Whalen Berez Group

104 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

A READING ROOM on the fourth floor serves as the public face of the
museum’s library and learning center.
lishing an uninterrupted flow throughout the campus. Making her
building porous to the rest of the museum and to the city was impor-
tant, says Gang. Now visitors in the Gilder atrium can look out toward
79th Street and, on clear days, see the sun set past the Hudson River.
Anchoring the center of the Gilder atrium, a grand stair takes you
up two floors and provides stepped seating on one side, so you can
relax or listen to a presentation on the ground level. On the south side
of the space, glass cases with 4,000 items from the museum’s collection
rise three stories in a gesture reminiscent of Gordon Bunshaft’s glass
book tower inside the Beinecke Rare Book Library at Yale, and one
that expresses Gang’s goal of using architecture to reveal the museum’s
mission. On the north side of the ground floor, visitors discover an
insectarium with displays of live ants and insects, as well as a giant
model of a beehive. On the floor above, a vivarium allows museumgo-
ers to walk among fluttering butterflies and learn about these fascinat-
ing creatures. An immersive and interactive experience called Invisible
Worlds surrounds visitors on the third floor with moving images of
oceans, skies, the microscopic, and the galactic. On the fourth floor, a
reading room with a mushroom-shaped column at its center offers an
elegant place to relax and enjoy views of Theodore Roosevelt Park.
Ralph Appelbaum Associates designed all the exhibits in the new
building.
When plans for Gilder were first announced in 2014, some resi-
dents of the Upper West Side protested changes to the park and the
loss of some trees. Making an omelet requires breaking some eggs. In
this case, that meant tearing down some unglamorous structures and
redesigning outdoor spaces along Columbus Avenue. Reed
Hilderbrand, the landscape architects for the project, have created a
gracious entry sequence, with paths, benches, and native species, and
an expanded lawn on the north side of the block, and 23 new canopy
and understory trees.
105
 From New York to Little Rock
At the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Gang tackled a building that
had grown over the course of 80 years to include eight additions and a
multitude of styles. It had become an architectural jigsaw puzzle—hard
for visitors to navigate and disconnected from its setting in Little Rock’s
MacArthur Park. The challenge here was to add yet another piece to
this beloved institution while making sense of it all, and reaching out
to its leafy surroundings and the city beyond. Eventually, Gang de-
cided that the right approach was to crack open the structure and graft
a sinuous, light-filled atrium onto it.
The organically shaped insertion, which Gang calls the Blossom,
provides a dramatic counterpoint to the existing museum’s orthogonal
architecture. It runs from the front on the north, ripples through the
torso of the building, and then fans out like a giant gingko leaf as it
emerges on the south to face MacArthur Park. A curving concrete
structure topped by a pleated roof, the Blossom negotiates the sloping
terrain, stepping down 6 feet from north to south. To reconnect the
museum to the city and Crescent Drive on the north, the design team—
including Little Rock–based Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects—removed
a set of additions built in the 1980s and early 2000s, revealing the 1937
Art Deco front facade and returning it to its role as the main entrance. a casual space flowing directly to the galleries on the same floor and
Welcoming visitors now is a glass-fronted pavilion raised one story then down to the atrium, which provides access to the Windgate Art
above an entry courtyard paved with a honey-color granite that com- School plus a 350-seat performing arts theater, a 153-seat lecture hall,
plements the white oak–clad roof soffit of the new building. The pavil- a museum store, and a restaurant with both indoor seating and a cov-
ion houses what the museum calls the Cultural Living Room, a 5,960- ered outdoor terrace looking onto MacArthur Park. Clerestory win-
square-foot space furnished with sofas, comfortable chairs, tables, and dows under the central spine’s snaking roof bring daylight into the
a bar that serves coffee in the morning and cocktails in the evening. It’s heart of the building and make navigating the museum clear and

106 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

A CURVING ATRIUM (this
image) provides access to
all major spaces at the
Arkansas Museum of Fine
Arts. The Cultural Living
Room (opposite, top) acts
as a social hub, with views
to the restored 1937 facade
(opposite, bottom).

107
 AXONOMETRIC BEFORE ADDITION AXONOMETRIC AFTER ADDITION

1 COURTYARD ENTRANCE 9 MUSEUM STORE

2 CRESCENT LAWN 10 PERFORMING ARTS THEATER

3 COURTYARD 11 LECTURE HALL

1 4 1937 LOBBY 12 ADMINISTRATION

5 ATRIUM 13 MULTIPURPOSE

6 RESEARCH CENTER 14 RESTAURANT

7 WINDGATE ART SCHOOL 15 PETAL GARDEN

3 8 ART LAWN 16 MACARTHUR PARK
6
12
4

Credits CLIENT: Arkansas Museum

of Fine Arts
ARCHITECT: Studio Gang
— Jeanne Gang, founding SIZE: 133,000 square feet
principal and partner; COST: $155 million
7
Mark Schendel, Juliane
8
Wolf, Margaret Cavenagh, COMPLETION DATE:
5
Angela Peckham, Wen Zhou, April 2023
13
9 Jill Doran-Hoffman, Rolf
Temesvari, Peter Yi, Paige Sources
Adams, Emily Licht, David CONCRETE: Bass Concrete
Swain, AJ Rosales, Stanley CONCRETE FLOOR SLABS:
Schultz, team White River Flooring
15
ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT: MASONRY: Belden Brick
Polk Stanley Wilcox
STEEL CURTAIN WALL:
15 ENGINEERS: Thornton Roschmann Steel and Glass
Tomasetti (structural);
McClellend Consulting ALUMINUM CURTAIN
Engineers (civil); dbHMS WALL: Kawneer
(m/e/p) GLASS: Tvitec
CONSULTANTS: Scape WOOD RAINSCREEN:
(landscape); LKL (lighting); Accoya
dbHMS (sustainability); Arup
(acoustics, theater, AV)
16
GENERAL CONTRACTOR:
Nabholz Pepper Doyne
0 60 FT.
GROUND-FLOOR PLAN Construction
20 M.

108 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 THE ART PERCH displays an artwork by
Natasha Bowdoin and offers views of the
Crescent Lawn to the north (above). On the
main floor, the restaurant spills out to
MacArthur Park (right).

intuitive. Individually suspended from the

roof are more than 6,000 plywood strips that
diffuse light and sound, and add to the dy-
namic quality of the spine.
“We needed to provide the connective
tissue for the museum,” says Gang of the new
spine and flowing spaces. Sustainability was
an important strategy driving the 133,000-
square-foot project, so the architects kept as
much of the old building as possible, refur-
PHOTOGRAPHY: © JASON MASTERS (BOTTOM)

bishing spaces like the theater, lecture hall,

and art school, and adding new galleries on
top of what had been galleries, a restaurant,
and a variety of support areas. “We edited
and excavated old elements to create a new,
more connected museum,” says Gang. Deep
cantilevered eaves on the front and back of
the Blossom protect the outdoor spaces un-
derneath and the ones inside from the full
impact of the sun, while a radiant-heating

109
 and -cooling system in the concrete floor slabs reduces energy use.
Juliane Wolf, a design principal and partner at Studio Gang, likens
the daylit spine to a crack in a sidewalk where plants emerge from the
soil below.
Inheriting a hodgepodge of brick, stone, precast-concrete and metal
structures ranging in color and texture, Gang unified them by painting
them all with a common palette of hues that reads as a blue-gray white.
Creating a new, cohesive identity for the museum was a top goal, but so
was making key parts—such as the Cultural Living Room, the arts
school, and restaurant—visible to the public. “Enhancing and clarify-
ing the public experience was important,” says Wolf, especially since
admission to the museum is free.
From the start of the project, Gang collaborated with Kate Orff and
her New York–based landscape architecture firm SCAPE to address
key siting and sustainability issues and to integrate indoors and out. On
the north side of the site, Orff ’s team designed Crescent Lawn to draw
people to the main entrance, while on the south it created a series of
outdoor spaces flowing from the museum’s dining terrace to its “Event
Lawn,” and finally to paths and plantings blending seamlessly with the
rest of MacArthur Park. Building and landscape work together—for
example, on the south end, with “petal” gardens capturing rainwater
from the museum’s roof and absorbing it into the soil.
The galleries occupy the northwest quadrant of the complex,
offering 20,000 square feet of space for the museum’s collection of
14,000 objects ranging from 14th-century European paintings to
works on paper, contemporary crafts, and pieces by living artists such
as Oliver Lee Jackson and Ryan RedCorn. With their white oak
floors and 15½-foot-high ceilings, the galleries are comfortable and
understated. Two design moves add punch: an angled pathway slicing
through the rectangular rooms and an “Art Perch” at one end that
110 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
A NEW ENTRY on the south side reaches out to MacArthur Park with a
roof canopy that extends as much as 40 feet, to shade the building and
outdoor diners.
provides a deep seating ledge in front of a large window (the only
source of daylight in the galleries).
Gang and Orff carefully orchestrated a sequence of spatial experi-
ences that draw you inside and through the museum. It starts with the
angled glazing on the Cultural Living Room, reflecting images of the
lawn behind you as you walk under the elevated pavilion toward the
entry courtyard. A tall Henry Moore sculpture, Standing Figure: Knife
Edge, anchors one corner of the outdoor space, but a dearth of landscap-
ing here seems like a lost opportunity. The two-story lobby behind the
1937 facade is also underwhelming, with its dark walnut paneling remi-
niscent of a corporate boardroom. As soon as you step into the soaring
atrium, though, you’re pulled into a thrilling space that flows down a
grand staircase and out to MacArthur Park. If you turn around, you can
take a different stair up to the galleries and the Cultural Living Room
on the upper level. The spacious lounge is gracious and alluring, with
views in three directions. If you look to the entry courtyard, you find
yourself at eye level with the museum’s name carved into the Deco-era
limestone wall now revealed. Gang says she loves this perspective be-
cause it reminds her of riding Chicago’s elevated trains and looking into
nearby buildings as you move along.
Gang’s accomplishment at the natural history museum and the art
museum was crafting a pair of 21st-century institutions that read as
palimpsests, with layers of history emerging and syncing with the
contemporary. The two projects deliver a bold message that change
can be both dramatic and sensible, and that architecture can help
make science and art exciting for people of all ages. n
 Easy Operation: Smoothest and easiest
operation of any folding glass wall.
TM

Folding Glass Walls by NanaWall Increased Transparency: Clean aesthetics

with the slimmest profiles available.

Acoustical Privacy: STC ratings from 35 to 45.

Drawing from four decades of innovation,
NanaWall once again creates the most
advanced family of folding glass walls.
Flexible Stacking: Unique floating panel sets
can stack either to the left or right.
Proven Durability: Swing doors tested to 500,000
and bi-fold panels to 20,000 open/close cycles.

Available in Visit NanaWall.com

three different 800 873 5673
material choices: ALUMINUM WOOD CLAD
 ENTER
TO WIN A

COCKTAIL NAPKIN
$300 GIFT
CARD!

SKETCH CONTEST 2023

If you are a licensed architect or related professional who practices in the United States, you can enter this remarkable contest.

All you need is a white cocktail napkin and pen to demonstrate that the art of the sketch is still alive. Two grand prize winners will be chosen
(1 licensed architect, 1 related professional). Grand prize winners will receive a $300 gift card and a set of cocktail napkins with their winning
sketch printed on it! The winning sketches will also be announced at and utilized on napkins at our Innovation Conference in October.

The sketches of the winners and runners-up will be published in the November 2023 issue of Architectural Record and shown online in the
ArchitecturalRecord.com Cocktail Napkin Sketch Gallery.

HOW TO ENTER:
• Sketches should be architecture-oriented and drawn specifically for this competition.
• Create a sketch on a 5-inch-by-5-inch white paper cocktail napkin. You may cut a larger napkin down to these dimensions.
• Use ink or ballpoint pen.
• Include the registration form below or from the website.
• You may submit up to 6 cocktail napkin sketches, but each one should be numbered on the back and include your name.
• All materials must be postmarked no later than September 11, 2023.

CALL FOR
5 INCHES

ENTRIES
NAME

FIRM

SUBMIT SKETCHES BY SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

ADDRESS
For more information and official rules visit:
architecturalrecord.com/cocktail-napkin-sketch-contest
Due to the volume of entries, cocktail napkin sketches
5 INCHES

YEARS IN PRACTICE PHONE EMAIL

will not be returned.

SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS IN ONE ENVELOPE TO:

JOB FUNCTION:
Cocktail Napkin Sketch Contest
❒ ARCHITECT ❒ DESIGNER Architectural Record
350 5th Avenue, Suite 6000
❒ SPECIFICATION WRITER ❒ FACILITIES MANAGER
New York, NY 10118
❒ ENGINEER ❒ CONTRACTOR

❒ STUDENT ❒ OTHER
Sponsored by:

Entry form the size of 5 x 5 cocktail napkin, for reference. c-sgroup.com

Build with
Purpose.
What we build today impacts tomorrow.
How we build requires new solutions
that consider future resources and
realities. Innovations that contribute to
healthier people and a healthier planet.
Partnerships that thrive because we all
have a role to play.

Together we are Futurebuilt .

TM

certainteed.com/futurebuilt
The sky is the limit.
An architect’s time and reputation are priceless.
B&D builds your vision while protecting both.

Interested in working
together? Schedule a visit.
717.687.0292 | BandDBuilders.com
 SPIRITUAL BUILDINGS

BUILDING TYPE STUDY 1,053

ABRAHAMIC FAMILY HOUSE I UAE I
ADJAYE ASSOCIATES

Like a
Prayer
Abu Dhabi’s new religious complex
aims to link the Abrahamic faiths.
BY IZZY KORNBLATT

IN ORDER to make sense of the Abra­

hamic Family House, a lavish religious
complex designed by David Adjaye on Abu
Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island, one might begin a
few hundred yards away, in a darkened
gallery at the Jean Nouvel–designed Louvre
Abu Dhabi. There, bathed in warm light,
sit a Yemeni Hebrew Torah, a two­volume
Parisian Gothic Bible, and a decorated
Quran from Damascus—the three “Reli­
gions of the Book,” as the wall text refers to
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, brought
together in a display of religious harmony.
At the Abrahamic House, the tableau has
undergone a leap in scale and medium,
emerging in the tripartite form of a mosque,
PHOTOGRAPHY: © DROR BALDINGER

115
 PHOTOGRAPHY: © STUART RENNIE
SPIRITUAL BUILDINGS

THE MOSQUE (left), synagogue (center), and

church (right) unite in a tripartite composition.
Daylight filters into the mosque via mashrabiya-
like screens (previous page).

116 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

a church, and a synagogue, each a 100-foot-tall cube of bush-ham-
mered concrete, that stand atop an expansive limestone plaza. The
message, too, has grown in its pretensions: whatever their differences,
this complex suggests, these peoples of the book are united by a com-
mon origin—and under the model of tolerance promoted by the United
Arab Emirates, peaceful coexistence lies squarely within reach.
Absent from Adjaye’s composition, as from the Louvre gallery, is
any acknowledgement of the brutal conflict that has marked the inter-
twined histories of the three faiths—and that continues today in the
form of ongoing violence and dispossession of land. But to grapple with
history was never the point. Nor was it to create needed spaces of
worship: no Jewish or Christian congregation sought a home here, and
mosque construction in the Emirates is tightly controlled by the gov-
ernment. Rather, the Abrahamic House is primarily a geopolitical
event, to borrow the scholar Nasser Rabbat’s apt description of the
building of the nearby Louvre. Both grands projets are master classes in
the projection of soft power on the part of Abu Dhabi ruler and UAE
president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Both position the
Emirates as a champion of enlightened values, primarily for the benefit
of foreign audiences, and both leverage the prestige of their architects
to do so. Both are also tied to immediate diplomatic priorities: the
Louvre was developed in parallel with a nearby French naval base, and
the Abrahamic House was conceived to commemorate Pope Francis’s
2019 visit to Abu Dhabi as well as the UAE’s inauguration of diplo-
matic relations with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords. Ebtesam
Al Ketbi, the president of the government-aligned Emirates Policy
Center, has described the Abrahamic House as a site of “religious
diplomacy,” and its construction accompanies a deepening in ties that
117
 SPIRITUAL BUILDINGS

was punctuated, last September, by Israel’s decision to sell a missile

defense system to the UAE for the first time.
In such a context, the task given to the architect is only nominally
religious: the real aim is to monumentalize the ambitions of the
state. This, Adjaye has done with aplomb. In contrast to the playful
libraries and community centers he has designed around the world,
and to his dark, diaphanous National Museum of African American
History and Culture in Washington, D.C., which stands in resolute
contrast to its white-stone neighbors, the Abrahamic House projects
authority unquestioningly. Its heavy, tripartite composition, pin-
wheel-like in plan, conjures a weighty sense of history without creat-
ing a hierarchy among the mosque, church, and synagogue—as
project architect Stuart Rennie puts it, the challenge was “how you
make these three structures harmonious rather than conflicting.”
Adjaye’s solution was to differentiate the trio through facade articu-
lation and interior spatiality. The mosque’s facades are marked by a
set of stretched parabolic arches that grow taller near the center,
suggesting the outline of a larger arch; the interior, which consists of
nine soaring domes, is illuminated by daylight filtered through tall
mashrabiya screens. The church’s facades, by contrast, are made up
of dozens of columns arrayed in several layers to create a forest-like
effect, foreshadowing an interior dominated by an enormous sculp-
tural composition of vertical oak boards that take the form of two
intersecting naves. And the synagogue’s exterior is defined by mus-
cular Y-shaped columns that create a repeating pattern of large
triangular openings; these allow daylight inside, where a vast,

A
1 3 7

9
2 6 8 2 8
5
4

PHOTOGRAPHY: © DROR BALDINGER (TOP AND OPPOSITE, BOTTOM); STUART RENNIE (OPPOSITE, TOP)
12 12
11 11

10

0 100 FT.
GROUND-FLOOR PLAN PODIUM PLAN
25 M.

1 MOSQUE ENTRANCE 5 RETAIL SHOP 9 BAPTISTRY

2 MOSQUE 6 EXHIBITION SPACE 10 SYNAGOGUE

3 WELCOME CENTER 7 CHURCH ENTRANCE ENTRANCE

ENTRANCE 8 CHURCH 11 SYNAGOGUE

4 MULTIUSE SPACE 12 PARKING

11
3

SECTION A-A 0 100 FT.

25 M.

118 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

VISITORS can enter through a welcome center (opposite), or climb up to
a landscaped plaza. The synagogue (above and right) is defined by outer
Y-shaped columns and an internal shroud-like scrim that mitigates glare.

shroud-like scrim hangs from the ceiling and helps prevent glare. To
say the least, all three are memorably grand.
Occupying the remainder of the site is a one-story structure hous-
ing parking and a “welcome center,” which includes a café and cen-
tral hall as well as a large, video-heavy exhibition trumpeting
Emirati religious tolerance. Outdoor courtyards separate these spac-
es from the mosque, church, and synagogue, and from the smaller
faith-specific spaces that ring each, engendering a definitive sense of
arrival for visitors as they pass outdoors and are confronted with the
heavy mass of each religious structure. Atop the one-story volume
sits the central plaza, which, while effective as a visual datum, is far
too hot under the brutal equatorial sun to allow for lingering during
daylight hours.
Actually, it isn’t just the plaza. One does not feel welcome to linger
anywhere in the Abrahamic House, except, perhaps, the welcome
center’s exhibitions. Indeed, much of the complex’s programming is
aimed at visitors rather than the faithful: guided tours are offered
eight hours a day, five days a week. And each of the religious spaces is
administered under a conservative interpretation of its respective faith
that hardly feels welcoming to all. It’s no accident that Vatican offi-
cials were consulted on the design of the church or that Orthodox
rabbis were consulted on that of the synagogue; and the mosque, like
all Sunni mosques in the UAE, is governed by the national authority
Awqaf, which prescribes a neotraditionalist version of Islam empha-

119
 SPIRITUAL BUILDINGS

THE CHURCH (left) contains an installation of

suspended oak posts that hovers above the
worshippers. The mosque (opposite) glows at
night through its arched screens (below).

sizing adherence to scripture and discourag-

ing political action. The Emirati leadership
seems to have concluded that such rigid ide-
ologies are the ones most easily co-opted by
the state—and that they are unlikely to be-
come threats to autocracy.
An architectural review isn’t the place for a
full assessment of the political agenda at work
here. Nonetheless, the ethical issues that the
project raises cannot be ignored—from its
discomfiting vision of religion collapsed into
state power to the military dealings it helps
enable or its propagandistic value for a coun-
try that would prefer the world to overlook its
treatment of the migrant laborers who built
this and every other architectural wonder
within its borders. On the other hand, the
UAE’s efforts to position itself as a bastion of
tolerance, self-serving though they are, have
brought some welcome social changes. Last
October, the UAE’s first purpose-built Hindu
temple opened in Dubai—a landmark event,
given that nearly a million UAE residents
practice Hinduism—and another is under
construction in Abu Dhabi. And this January,

PHOTOGRAPHY: © STUART RENNIE (BOTTOM); DROR BALDINGER (TOP AND OPPOSITE)

120 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

the Emirates became the first Gulf state to introduce the Holocaust Credits
into school curricula. ARCHITECT: Adjaye Associates
There are no easy answers here, and it would be simplistic to look — Sir David Adjaye, principal;
Yohannes Bereket, senior associate;
down on those architects who take on work for the Emirati govern- Stuart Rennie, senior project
ment—a group that includes not just Adjaye and Nouvel but also Frank architect; Trevore Grams, project
architect; Kahila Hogarth, global
Gehry and Norman Foster, among others. In the United States and
head of interiors; Manuel Guemes,
Europe, after all, architecture is no less engaged in what the writer head of landscaping; Duncan Wilson,
Deyan Sudjic calls the “dance with power” than it is in the Persian furniture and exhibition
Gulf. The question is rather how architects undertaking such work ARCHITECT OF RECORD: AECOM
might find, in the narrow gap between themselves and their clients, ENGINEERS: Buro Happold
agency of their own—agency to create something of civic significance; (competition to Stage 2); James L.
Williams Middle East (m/e/p)
agency to provoke audiences to think differently; agency, even, on
CONSULTANTS: Maynard Design
occasion, to subvert clients’ ideological ends. Such agency is difficult to
(signage/wayfinding); Arcadis
discern at the Abrahamic Family House, which today seems most (client project manager)
effective as a work of architectural statecraft. But the question remains GENERAL CONTRACTOR:
of how, in the coming years, the people of Abu Dhabi—the vast major- Zublin Construction
ity of them foreigners who have come from around the world in search CLIENT: United Arab Emirates
of a better life—will make this complex their own. Is it too optimistic Government
to hope that they come to feel a sense of belonging within these im- SIZE: 70,000 square feet
pressive halls of worship—and even find space to practice religion in COST: withheld
ways that evade state control? n COMPLETION DATE: January 2023
Sources
OMANI LIMESTONE:
Valencia Marble Factory
METAL PANELS: Super Sign
CURTAIN WALL: Schüco, GEZE,
Wall-Tech
RAINSCREEN: Fibrex (mosque
mashrabiya)
GLAZING: Dongguan CSG
Architectural Glass
CONCRETE: Abu Dhabi Precast
FENCES & GATES:
Shahama Desert Metalwork
INTERIOR FINISHES: Arabian
Vermiculite Industries (acoustical
plaster); Spazio Interiors (cabinetry,
woodwork); Jotun Paints; FourStyle
(wood paneling); RAK Ceramics
(floor, wall tile); Harmony Furniture
(timber battens)
LIGHTING: Jiso Illuminación,
Avolux, Roma Luce, Havit Lighting,
Flexa, Novalux
ELEVATOR: Thyssen Krupp
121
 SPIRITUAL BUILDINGS

THE PLAN for the church developed as a circle within a

square. The drum is formed of plastered and painted
clay brick. Concrete breeze-block walls were used
to make a permeable boundary between inside and
outside, and provide cross ventilation and sun control.

122 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

CHRIST CHURCH I CAPE TOWN I NOERO ARCHITECTS

Sacred Circle
A new church is built opposite its predecessor with a very different form.
BY IAIN LOW
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PARIS BRUMMER

IT IS ALMOST three decades since South Africa officially realized its radical political change:
the abandonment of its system of discriminatory rule. Spatial exclusion and the concomitant
segregation of so-called indigenous peoples had been the primary building block for apartheid.
Whereas it has been relatively easy to change and dismantle that practice’s legal structure, the
legacy of its spatial infrastructure continues to present its most enduring and divisionary attribute.
Noero Architects, originally founded in 1984, represents an inherent ability to generate
design projects that complement this national imperative. This has enabled the development
of a unique identity. Predicated on the ability to ask thoughtful questions, as opposed to sim-
ply solving design problems, this studio pursues what is possible in conditions particular to
each project. One of these has been the Red Location Cultural Precinct (record, August 2012),
which transformed the oldest surviving relocation site in Port Elizabeth—where thousands of

123
 SPIRITUAL BUILDINGS

0 15 FT.
SECTION A - A
5 M.

0 15 FT.
SECTION B - B
5 M.

1 ENTRANCE 6 CRY ROOM

2 COURTYARD 7 STORAGE

3 FORMER CHURCH 8 RESTROOM

4 VESTIBULE 9 KITCHEN

5 SANCTUARY 10 CLASSROOM

6 7 8 9 10 10 10 10
8

A
4
2 3

0 30 FT.
AXONOMETRIC GROUND-FLOOR PLAN
10 M.

124 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 native Africans were forced to settle—by
providing opportunities for education, em-
ployment, and artistic expression. An endur-
ing response is evident in the sustained
production of transformed building types
that directly contribute to offering new life
for users.
The design of a set of interventions for
Christ Church in Somerset West is a project
that comprehensively demonstrates this inten-
tion. There, a congregation had outgrown its
existing parish—a common occurrence in the
suburbs, where churches have expanded to
accommodate growing community needs
and to become centers of help, learning, and
recreation. Noero’s design has transformed an
existing suburban setting into a compound by
providing a landscape for both religious and
secular activities.
Bounded by an enclosure of breeze blocks,
PHOTOGRAPHY: © DAVID SOUTHWOOD (2)

the reconfigured site offers ambiguous read-

ings through its relationship with context—
sharing its entrance and parking lot with an
adjacent shopping center; looking like a water
tank; and, through the power of its circular
form, establishing a holy place on its sloping
site to engage with the community, recalling THE ENTRANCE COURT (top) brings the old and new churches into alignment along a longitudinal
historical religious associations. axis. Bathed in sunlight from the cruciform skylight above it, the circular worship space allows the
Leaving the parking lot, one enters the priest to be in close proximity to the congregation (above).

125
 SPIRITUAL BUILDINGS
walled courtyard through a sliding gate and semi-enclosed ramp. To the
right is the old church, which now operates as a hall for weekly gather-
ings and community meetings. Directly opposite, on axis, the new
church complex predominates, presenting itself as a pure white cylinder
emerging from within the newly raised and landscaped precinct.
The opposite edge of the site is lined by an ancillary building, ac-
commodating breakaway classrooms, restrooms, and a kitchen, and
linking to the church with a connecting “cry room” for youngsters and
babies. Spanning the entire length of the site, this bank of rooms acts as
a retainer, and might in the future take an additional floor, with the
potential of alternative means of access from the higher reaches of the
sloped site.
The purity of the cylinder provides the primary signifier for the
sacred space within an extended ground plane. This light-filled silo
floats 8 feet above the church’s finished floor level, marking the pri-
mary worship space. The ground plane extends beyond the circle to a
rectangular space whose glazed edges establish an expanded zone of
use for secular activities or larger congregations. The main circular
church space comfortably seats 450, while the adjacent area can extend
this to 900. Depending on the occasion, the seating is easily reconfig-
ured for alternative uses.
Daylight comes mainly from an overhead cruciform opening, allow-
ing the reflection of light to play across the textured acoustic treatment
within the cylinder. Peripheral natural light enters from the greened
landscaped area, affording a further temporal experience—both diur-
nal and seasonal—and evoking, in a sense, a contemporary baroque.
The ability of the church to straddle the tensions between the
sacred and the profane has been significantly informed by the contri-
bution of the client, as represented by its new minister, Gavin Millard.
As an architecture student of Noero’s at Wits University in
126 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
FURNITURE and finishes, which include custom ash wood and white
steel–framed chairs and a polished-concrete floor, were kept to a
minimum, following the ethos of the church (above and opposite).
Johannesburg, earlier in his life, he had been particularly interested in
St Pauls Church in Soweto, which was circular in plan and completed
by Noero in 1985 for Bishop Desmond Tutu. This project represents
both a radical return and significant closure for him.
A particular defining aspect in the recent work of Noero Architects
is the consideration of the ground plane as an architectural element.
This has contributed directly to the experiences shaped by the making
of architecture—and perhaps represents a significant measure for
spatial transformation and its productive role in societies that have
suffered under colonialism.
Design thinking, when creatively deployed, is capable of giving new
life to forms. Architecture in both its practice and teaching requires a
return to the measured complexity that results from expanding our
imagination within the exigencies of specific localities. n
Iain Low is professor emeritus at the University of Cape Town, where his
research has been focused in space and transformation.
Credits CONSULTANTS: Mackenzie Hoy
(acoustics)
ARCHITECT: Noero Architects
— Jo Noero, principal; Joao Silva, CLIENT: Christ Church Somerset
Michael Hobbs, design team West
ENGINEERS: De Villiers and Hulme SIZE: 11,000 square feet
(structural and civil) COST: $700,000
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Abrach COMPLETION DATE: January
Constrcution 2020
127
 SPIRITUAL BUILDINGS

ERLÖSERKIRCHE I COLOGNE, GERMANY I HARRIS + KURRLE ARCHITEKTEN

Crossing Over
Harris + Kurrle crafts a hybrid that’s part church, part day-
care center and apartment building.
BY MARY PEPCHINSKI
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROLAND HALBE

128 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

CAN NEW ARCHITECTURE help offset the dwindling partici-
pation in organized religion and foster spirituality in everyday life?
While this question has occupied the Protestant Church in Germany
for some time, the recently completed Erlöserkirche (Redeemer
Church), in a working-class district in north-central Cologne, provides
evidence that an innovative building can indeed effect such change.
In 2014, two congregations, from the city’s Mauenheim and Wei-
denpesch neighborhoods, respectively, began the process of creating a
new church complex on the larger, more accessible Weidenpesch site by
launching an architectural competition. Both congregations agreed to
demolish their existing parish buildings; while the 1951 Weidenpesch
church, constructed partly from wartime rubble, was deemed unfit for
renovation, the Mauenheim property was leased for development. In
addition to the sanctuary and other liturgical and congregational spac-
es, the competition called for a day-care center and 13 market-rate
rental apartments—the latter to underwrite the new construction. In
response to this unusual programmatic mix, says architect Joel Harris,
whose firm, Harris + Kurrle Architekten, won the commission, “We
designed a single, unified form and did not separate the different parts
of the program, but rather wrapped them around the church, which we
located on the most prominent part of the site.”
On a midblock parcel, facing the Derfflingerstrasse, a short, tree-
lined, residential street, the resulting compact yet still monumental
volume—a sculpted cube with a carved-out middle—fits well with the
surrounding four- and five-story multifamily dwellings and defines a
public space that extends to an even narrower street to the west. The
church and its bell tower occupy the building’s southwest corner and
are visible from a nearby commercial thoroughfare. The building’s
secular components, to the north and east, assume supporting roles—
the residential section forms the backdrop, rising five stories above
street level, opening onto a rear garden below grade.
During design development, cost-cutting measures involved scrap-
ping plans for a parking garage and reducing the volume by one story,
capping it at 56 feet, thereby eliminating four of the 13 apartments and
lowering the sanctuary’s interior height. Nonetheless, the completed
Erlöserkirche still feels imposing and evokes, as some German archi-
tecture critics have noted, the citadel of Martin Luther’s classic hymn,
“A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” At closer range, this impression is
balanced by the delicate irregularities and textured arrangements of the
sand-toned clinker bricks that clad the reinforced-concrete structure,
conveying warmth and approachability.
Although multifunctional, “the building should have the appearance
and expressive qualities of a church,” says Harris. To this end, the
architects employed two facade strategies—windowless elevations for
the sanctuary, bell tower, and major circulation, with vertical fenestra-
tion for the remaining functions. Two religious symbols emerge subtly
from variations in the brickwork—the simple bas-relief cross on the
QUIETLY MONUMENTAL, the mixed-use building still reads as a church
(opposite). Oblique rays of daylight reach the interior (below).
129
 SPIRITUAL BUILDINGS

western facade and delineations of loaves and fishes, ancient signs of

Christian hospitality, on the south elevation.
The building required two main entrances—one on the west facade,
into the church, and one on the south side, along the Derfflingerstrasse,
for the housing and day-care center. Both doorways, as well as the sanc-
tuary’s main window, are accentuated by partially inward-tilting sur-
rounds of Flemish-bond brickwork, rendered in basket weave relief.
Further embellishing the church entry, a quote from the Gospel of
John—written on glass and metal in languages that are local (German),
global (English), and referential to the early church’s Eastern
Mediterranean roots (Greek, Latin, Hebrew)—invites those who are
searching to enter.
Inside, the sacred spaces and other congregant rooms have white
walls with pale gray concrete floors, exposed and polished. Evoking a
sense of connection between the old and new venues, religious artifacts
from the predecessor churches—such as striking backlit Expressionist
stained-glass panels by Elfrieda Fulda in the vestibule and church
foyer—play against the austere finishes.
The church interior, measuring 40 feet wide by 45 feet long and
rising up to 18 feet high, includes boldly inclined wall and ceiling

3 4 6
3

5
1

A 4 A

0 15 FT.
GROUND-FLOOR PLAN SECOND-FLOOR PLAN
5 M.

7
5

1 FOYER
5
2 CHURCH
5 3 CONFERENCE

4 DAY CARE
5
5 APARTMENT

6 OFFICE
2 4
7 BELL TOWER

4 4

SECTION A - A

130 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

FILTERING LIGHT, the building integrates
colorful new fenestration (above) and printed
glazing (opposite), plus stained glass from one
of the predecessor churches (right).

planes, positioned for acoustic purposes so

that words spoken from the center altar dis-
perse evenly throughout the space.
Natural illumination—the shaft of light
emanating from the ceiling at the southwest
corner, drawing the eye to an adjacent cross,
and a new stained-glass window on the south
wall by Gabriele Wilperts, projecting color
and pattern onto the canted surfaces—lends
this surprisingly intimate space a feeling of
the sublime.
Pastor Susanne Zimmermann guided the
decade-long process to create this building,
bringing the two congregations together and
mediating between them and the architect.
Now the Erlöserkirche strives to be, as Zim-
merman puts it, “surrounded by life”—and
that extends from community events in the
entrance court to classes and celebrations
inside. Throughout the building, boundaries

131
 SPIRITUAL BUILDINGS

between the place of worship and secular spaces become blurred, form- SAND-TONED clinker bricks, arrayed in a textured basket weave pattern,
ing a unique hybrid that includes some shared circulation. Through give the entrances a subtle sense of grandeur.
ordinary interactions, children from the day care intermingle with
tenants (representative of Cologne’s diverse population and including
Credits Sources
the pastor and her family) as well as congregants.
ARCHITECT: Harris + Kurrle MASONRY: Feldhaus Klinker
To encourage people to explore spirituality, the simple act of bring- Architekten ROOFING: Bauder (elastomeric)
ing them into daily, even if peripheral, contact with the church has ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT: Schilling WINDOWS: Schüco (metal frame);
already proven itself as a strategy. And, not surprisingly, the building Architekten (site management) Velux (plastic frame)
has sparked local curiosity. “People are always looking inside and ENGINEERS: Engelsmann Peters DOORS: Schüco (exterior
asking to take tours,” says Pastor Zimmermann. As she observes, this (structural); Gassen, IB Kierdorf entrances); Neuform, Schörghuber
interest—combined with the transcendent qualities of the sanctuary— (technical planning) (wood and fire doors)
has spawned open devotional sessions on Sunday evenings, when CONSULTANTS: Studio Grijsbach
(landscape architect); DesignKlinik
people gather, accompanied by a musician or a member of the clergy, (interior design)
for discussion or meditation, or just to experience the space. “This CLIENT: Evangelical church
church hasn’t changed only the streetscape,” she says. “Its radiance has community, Köln-Mauenheim-
changed people too.” n Weidenpesch
SIZE: 18,900 square feet
Mary Pepchinski is a writer, curator, and former professor of architectural COST: $12.7 million
theory at the Technical University Dresden. COMPLETION DATE: January 2022

132 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 Lower Thermal
Performance

Better Thermal
Pour & Performance
Azo-Core PVC Polyamide
Debridge

Azon technology material thermal conductivity - Btu-in/(hr-°F2-ft)*

 The DESIGN:ED Podcast by Architectural Record takes you inside
the profession through informal conversations with the field’s leading
architects and designers. Tune in to hear inspiring stories from design
leaders, posted twice a month.

Hosted by Austin, Texas–based architect Aaron Prinz, Architectural

Record’s DESIGN:ED podcast features the most renowned architects of
our time – such as Thom Mayne, Deborah Berke, Bjarke Ingels, Michael
Murphy, and Billie Tsien, as well as rising professionals in the next
generation, such as Pascale Sablan, Jesus Robles Jr, and Jenny Wu.

MAY PODCAST GUESTS:

Andrew Freear and Güvenç Özel

Andrew Freear Güvenç Özel Dan Mancina

The Rural Studio Özel Office Adaptive Skatepark Design

Jason Frantzen Andrew Daley & Danielle Tellez Cade Hayes &
Herzog and de Meuron Architectural Workers United Jesús Robles Jr.
DUST

Chandra Robinson Angela Brooks, Lawrence Carol Ross Barney

LEVER Architecture Scarpa, & Jeff Huber 2023 AIA Gold Medal Recipient
Brooks + Scarpa

Now all DESIGN.ED Podcasts will offer AIA LUs. Listen to conversations with design legends and emerging stars
while earning CEUs. After listening to the podcast, visit https://continuingeducation.bnpmedia.com/podcasts
and take a quick quiz to earn one learning unit towards your license requirements.

PLATINUM SPONSORSHIP:

www.architecturalrecord.com/designed-podcast
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio FOLLOW: Instagram
 1963 • 2023

INNOVATE YOUR
City Modern - The Hybrid | Detroit, MI
1st Place Winner For Commercial Roofs in
ATAS’ 2022 Project of the Year Competition
Roof and Wall Panels: Dutch Seam in Classic Bronze

VISION
Architect: Bedrock Detroit
Contractor: Pro-Shield LLC
Distributor: ABC Supply Company

Dutch Seam® is a continuous standing seam metal roof and wall panel with an integral seam. With the
lock and seam an integral part of the panel, there are no seam caps to install. This prevents “blow-off” or
“creeping” of the cap or seam. Mechanical field seaming of the panel is not required. Just snap the panel
onto the previously installed panel, fasten the clip and the panel is in place. Dutch Seam® is a structural
metal roof and wall panel and can be fastened directly to purlins or solid substrate. The minimum slope
requirement for a roof is 2:12. A flat roof can be converted to the correct slope with the simple addition
of a lightweight truss system.

ATAS International, Inc.

Allentown, PA | Mesa, AZ | University Park, IL
610.395.8445 | www.atas.com
It’s time for more than talk. Through our
Planet Passionate program, Kingspan is
driving energy and carbon out of our global
business operations and supply chain, as
well as increasing our recycling of rainwater
and waste, while also accelerating our
participation in the circular economy.

LEARN HOW WE’RE WALKING THE TALK

kingspan.com/planetpassionate
 FOCUS ON WOOD
Building with wood is on the rise—and we’re talking
large-scale projects and even infrastructure. This
special section examines the forces driving the demand
for timber construction: the policies in place to
encourage its use, advances in its engineering to suit
unexpected building types and locations, and efforts
to source it sustainably.
PHOTOGRAPHY: © JENNIFER BONNER/MALL, TOUCH WOOD, LARS MÜLLER PUBLISHERS (PAGE 57)

“4 OVER NONE”
IS A PITCH TO
DEVELOPERS, BY
THE FIRM MALL, TO
FLIP THE FORMULA
FROM “5-OVER-1”
(MULTISTORY WOOD
CONSTRUCTION OVER
A CONCRETE PODIUM)
TO TYPE IV (HEAVY
TIMBER).
137
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD
SOM’s COB3 (this
image) has a frame
(opposite, top)
designed for
disassembly.
To better understand what it means to build
with wood, architects start in the forest.
BY JOANN GONCHAR, FAIA
WOOD IS an ages-old con-
struction material—but it is one
that is receiving renewed atten-
tion, especially with the rise of
mass timber. This group of
engineered-wood products offers
the possibility of, rather than
extracting the raw materials for
our buildings and cities from the
earth, growing them instead,
capturing climate-warming
greenhouse gases in the process.
But is timber always good for the
environment? Or is it simply less
bad than mineral-based materials
such as concrete and steel?
Answering these questions is
far from straightforward, but it
starts with where the wood is
138 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
grown. Managing a forest sus-
tainably involves balancing pro-
ductivity with protection of water
bodies, preservation of wildlife
habitat, and consideration of
carbon and climate. “Exemplary
forestry is a holistic look at all
three,” explains Jennifer Shakun,
bio-economy-initiative director
of the New England Forestry
Foundation, a land trust and
conservation organization.
One tool that can help deter-
mine if a wood product origi-
nated from such a forest is certi-
fication. The most dominant
wood-certification labels in
North America are those admin-
istered by the Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC) and the Sustain-
able Forestry Initiative (SFI).
These programs take into ac-
count such factors as the size of
clear cuts, levels of live-tree
retention, pesticide use, and the
protection of threatened and
endangered species. Of the two,
FSC is considered the more
stringent, with SFI-sanctioned
practices being equivalent to
what Canadian and U.S. regula-
tions already require. “FSC is
more robust,” says Amy Leed-
ham, U.S. carbon practice leader
for sustainability consultancy
Atelier Ten. “It addresses more
criteria in more depth,” she says.
But there is a rub: FSC products
IMAGES: © SOM; CESAR RUBIIO (OPPOSITE, TOP); JEREMY BITTERMANN (OPPOSITE, BOTTOM)
are not always available, and the
certification process can be
expensive, putting it beyond the
reach of small private landowners
and tribally managed forests.
The best management prac-
tices promote forest ecosystems
that sequester more carbon.
However, estimating just how
much biogenic carbon is in any
given wood product is tricky.
One reason is that most life-cycle
assessment (LCA) calculators—
tools that quantify the environ-
mental impacts of manufactured
products—use national data sets
that do not account for the wide
variation in practices at indi-
vidual forests. “With current

LCA tools, it is hard to under-
stand the underlying assump-
tions,” says Jacob Dunn, a ZGF
associate principal. In collabo-
ration with the University of
Washington’s Applied Research
Consortium, the firm is trying to
remedy this situation through its
UpStream Forestry Carbon &
LCA Tool. Currently in public
beta testing, the open-source
calculator aims to make underly-
ing data transparent and easy to
manipulate. “The idea is to help
designers better understand the
dynamics between the forests
and the wood products that come
from them.”
Given current limitations, one
of the best ways for architects to
get a handle on where the wood
products they are specifying are
coming from is to work directly
with manufacturers, asking them
detailed questions. For instance,
the team behind COB3—a
$230 million SOM-designed
mass-timber office building for
San Mateo County, nearing
completion in Redwood City,
California—evaluated potential
fabricators for the building’s
custom-engineered cross-lami-
nated timber (CLT) floor panels.
They researched manufacturers’
The sourcing criteria
for LEVER’s Meyer
Memorial Trust
project reflected the
values of the owner.
capability for panel size and
limitations on bearing capacity,
but also investigated their supply
chains. The Montana fabricator
eventually selected was less than
a mile from the forest where the
timber was harvested and was
next door to another plant mak-
ing fiberboard from CLT scraps.
Increasingly, project teams are
tailoring the wood-sourcing
process to reflect the priorities of
their clients. Portland, Oregon–
based LEVER Architecture did
so on the $10.8 million 19,800-
square-foot headquarters it
designed for the grant-making
organization Meyer Memorial
Trust (, March 2021).
Completed in 2020 in Portland’s
Lower Albina neighborhood, the
sawtooth-roofed building has
structural components fabricated
primarily from mass plywood—a
large-scale engineered panel
made of wood veneers. The
building also incorporates nu-
merous other wood products,
including roof trusses, flooring,
and ceilings. For Meyer, the
construction process and the
procurement of these materials
was an opportunity to advance
its mission of racial, social, and
economic justice, particularly in
Oregon.
Meyer worked with the non-
profit Sustainable Northwest to
develop procurement guidelines
that went beyond forestry and
manufacturing processes, also
considering a supplier’s proximity
to the site, minority and small-
business ownership, and cost.
The premium for this strategy
was negligible, amounting to less
than $25,000, or about three
percent of the $745,000 wood
package. But the modest invest-
ment had an outsize impact.
Over the building’s 12 categories
of wood products, 10 were grown
and manufactured in Oregon.
Minority-owned companies were
involved in the purchase and
installation of six of the 12, while
small businesses were responsible
for seven. Nine of the products
were sourced from forests that
were determined to be ecologi-
cally managed. The project
influenced sites beyond the
building, says Thomas Robinson,
LEVER founder.
The revamp of the main
terminal at the Portland Inter-
national Airport is another
project with custom-tailored
sourcing criteria, but one that is
taking the approach to a whole
new scale. Designed by ZGF, the
$1.8 bil lion expansion, currently
under construction (see story,
page 148), has a 380,000-square-
foot wavelike roof being built
from over 2.6 million board feet
of glulam beams and 400,000
square feet of mass-plywood
panels. For the terminal’s owner,
the Port of Portland, transpar-
139
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD
ency and traceability were key.
“They wanted to know the tim-
ber’s local story,” says Dunn.
“They wanted to know who
owned the land and how they
were stewarding it,” he says.
Virtually all the wood prod-
ucts used in the terminal can be
traced back to individual land-
owners and mills in Oregon and
Washington State, or are FSC-
certified. Much of the timber
originated from small, family-
owned forests or from Pacific
Northwest tribal lands. About
370,000 board feet for the glulam
elements came from the forests of
the Yakama Nation, for whom
the land has spiritual and cul-
140 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
tural importance but is also a
source of water, food, and rev-
enue. The tribe’s forest-manage-
ment practices include thinning
from below to leave the largest
and healthiest trees, generous
buffers around waterways, and
“no-harvest” protected areas.
Such owners “have a fundamen-
tally different relationship to the
land compared to large, industri-
alized operations,” says Dunn.
Even when the wood comes
from exemplary forests, it is still
crucial that it be used thought-
fully, say timber specialists. SRG
Partnership discovered just how
critical the judicious use of tim-
ber can be on Edward J. Ray
Closer column spacing at SRG’s
building for the University of
Oregon-Cascades (left and below)
saved material.
Hall, a $49 million,
50,000-square-foot lab and
classroom building the Seattle-
based architecture firm designed
at Oregon State University-
Cascades in Bend. Completed in
2021, the four-story mass-timber
structure includes glulam col-
umns and beams, CLT floors
with concrete topping slabs, and
concrete cores. Initial schemes
were based on a column spacing
of 13 feet 4 inches. But, through
extensive analysis, it was deter-
mined that shortening this dis-
tance would result in significant
materials savings. A 10-foot
column spacing—which is what
was eventually built—permitted
CLT with fewer plies, which in
turn allowed shallower beams,
translating into a 25 percent
reduction in wood fiber. Al-
though the architects did not
quantify the two schemes’ em-
bodied carbon, it is logical to
conclude that the closer spacing
produced meaningful savings,
since it also made possible a
3 percent reduction in concrete,
and an overall reduction of
10 percent in building mass.
Notably, it shaved $10 per square
foot from the construction cost.
“The analysis underscores the
importance of whole-systems
thinking,” says Lisa Petterson,
SRG principal in charge.
Using timber wisely also
includes considering what will
happen to the material once the
structure has reached the end of
its useful life. Buildings, the
experts say, should be detailed to
increase the chances that com-
ponents will be reused rather
than discarded. At SOM’s
COB3, details that will decrease
the likelihood that its compo-
nents will end up in landfill—
where they would return their
stored carbon to the atmo-
sphere—include steel bucket
connections at the base of each
glulam column in the H-shaped
five-story building. Their
threaded rods and nuts could be
unscrewed, if necessary, says
Eric Long, a structural engineer
and SOM partner.
Other features of COB3 were
conceived to prevent its obsoles-
cence. The building anticipates
changes, with structural bays
designed to accommodate a
variety of open- or closed-office
configurations. Precut penetra-
tions in the building’s beams,
which will in large part remain
exposed, should allow for the
necessary infrastructure, regard-
less of workspace layout, includ-
ing lighting, mechanical sys-
tems, and sprinklers. “The
future has been built in from day
IMAGES: © KEVIN SCOTT (TOP); COURTESY SRG PARTNERSHIP (BOTTOM)
one,” says architect Francesca
Oliveira, an SOM principal.
COB3’s forward-looking
strategy demonstrates the rel-
evance of design in addressing
climate, and how decisions made
now, starting with the forest but
extending to the building’s
frame, can affect the future.
“The reality is, our choices have
an impact,” says LEVER’s
Robinson. Architects need to be
cognizant of that, he says, de-
signing for the larger materials
landscape. “It is a role for archi-
tects to play.” n

Starts and Stumbles: �e Rocky Road to Europe’s
Ambitious Timber Construction Targets
BY KATHARINE LOGAN
EUROPE IS a clear leader in
mass-timber construction—
home to 60 of the world’s 84 tall
timber structures (eight-plus
stories), according to a 2022
count by the Council on Tall
Buildings and Urban Habitat—
and there’s no shortage of ambi-
tion to scale up. With an eye to
the material’s renewable and
carbon-storing properties and its
fit with prefabrication and circu-
IMAGE: © PROLOG
lar economies, European juris-
dictions have introduced a slew
of initiatives to increase building
with wood. But, while these
measures are important steps, in
practice major obstacles remain.
Policies and programs intro-
duced to date are widespread and
wide-ranging. In the Nether-
lands, 32 municipalities and over
80 companies and agencies in the
Metropolitan Region of Amster-
dam (MRA) have signed a
Timber Construction Covenant,
agreeing to use wood as the
primary structural material for at
least 20 percent of residential
buildings by 2025. In Finland,
targets for the use of wood in
public construction aim to reach
45 percent of market share by
2025. In France, public buildings,
including those constructed for
the 2024 Paris Olympics, are
mandated to use bio-based mate-
rials. The requirements are set at
25 percent of major refurbish-
ments and new construction by
2025, increasing to 50 percent by
2030. France also mandates life
cycle embodied-carbon analysis
for residential buildings, schools,
and select commercial-building
types, with limits set to tighten in
stages. In Sweden, life cycle
embodied-carbon calculations are
The aquatics complex
by VenhoevenCS and
Ateliers 2/3/4, for the
2024 Olympics in
Paris, will have a vast
timber roof.
a precondition for planning
permission for new buildings,
with limits on embodied carbon
likely by 2027. At a supranational
scale, the European Commission
is considering an EU-wide re-
quirement to measure construc-
tion materials’ life cycle carbon
emissions; also contemplated is a
provision for EU member states
to create national building-reno-
vation plans setting out how they
will reduce embodied carbon.
So far, though—apart from
small-scale residential projects,
which are not going to densify
141
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD
cities using bio-based materials at
scale—progress is still a series of
starts and stumbles. “There’s a
lot of timber plans, but not nearly
as many timber-construction
sites,” says Mathew Vola, director
of sustainable development in the
Amsterdam office of Arup. The
office provided a range of engi-
neering services to two recent
local timber developments:
HAUT, a 21-story residential
building (with concrete founda-
tion, basement, and core) de-
signed by Team V Architecture
and completed in 2022; and
Mediavaert, DPG Media’s
495,000-square-foot headquar-
ters (also by Team V), now under
construction and set to become
Europe’s largest timber-hybrid
office building. But even with
the MRA’s pro-wood covenant,
Vola can count on one hand the
number of large-scale timber
projects that are actually going
up in the Netherlands. “Everyone
wants to do timber, but some-
where along the line the ambi-
tion gets lost,” he says. “In our
experience, it always has to do
with the business case.”
While the specific obstacles
HAUT, a 21-story
residential building in
Amsterdam, is one of
relatively few large-
scale timber projects
in the Netherlands.
142 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
that burden timber’s business
case vary from jurisdiction to
jurisdiction, from his experience
in the Dutch context, Vola iden-
tifies three general sticking
points. The first is a lack of
financial incentives for making
the switch from concrete and
steel. For example, in the
Netherlands, the cement and
steel industries are both exempt
from carbon tax: “You could
argue that this exemption
amounts to a subsidy for those
industries,” Vola says.
It’s difficult to make headway
against concrete’s advantages in
Finland too, according to Mikko
Leino, CEO of Helsinki-based
mass-timber fabricator and
builder Puurakentajat Group:
“Big construction companies
often have links to, or ownership
of, concrete and cement inte-
grated into their balance sheets,”
he said in a recent webinar hosted
by the Swedish office of the
Programme for the Endorsement
of Forest Certification (PEFC).
Without incentives, “it takes a
long time to turn that ship.”
In the UK, the advantaged
competitor is a bit different: there
are greater incentives to burn
wood than there are to build with
it, says Andrew Waugh, founding
director of London-based Waugh
Thistleton Architects. “The use
of wood for construction is taxed
and unsubsidized, whereas its use
for fuel is subsidized and un-
taxed. Most of the trees that are
cut in the UK are burned.”
The second burden on timber’s
business case is supply bottle-
necks. The European cross-
laminated timber (CLT) market
reached 1.6 million cubic meters
in 2022, and is expected to reach
2.9 million by 2028, according to
a report by the International
Market Analysis Research and
Consulting (IMARC) Group.
But, for the moment, says Vola,
demand exceeds supply. Counter-
intuitively, the solution may lie in
further increasing demand. A
2021 policy-gap analysis of pro-
grams promoting timber con-
struction in Norway, Sweden,
and Finland found a widespread
expectation among sector experts
that increasing demand for tim-
ber components will stimulate
competition in the market and
help smooth out supply-chain
inefficiencies and shortfalls. In
Amsterdam, says Vola, “one of
the things the MRA is trying to
achieve is a more constant de-
mand for these factories to run.”
The third constriction is a
shortage of education among
industry players. “You can design
timber buildings that are just as
safe, just as water-resistant, just
as acoustically friendly as con-
crete buildings—better, even,”
says Vola, “but we don’t have
enough timber knowledge wide-
spread in the industry to deliver
them.” Because of wood’s low
weight and sensitivity to mois-
ture, light, and fire, it’s more
dependent on careful detailing
and construction practices than
are concrete or steel. “In a first
generation of fairly poorly de-
signed timber buildings, you see
quite a number of damage cases,”
says Vola. Insurers see them as
well. “That’s perceived as risk.
Risk translates to added cost.”
Closely related to the need for
education is a need for standard-
ized solutions. Technical issues
are being resolved project by
project, says Lars Tellnes, one of
the authors of the Scandinavian
policy-gap analysis, but “codes
are developed on standards.”
This ad hockery feeds the devel-
opment of diverse and, in some
cases, unnecessarily stringent,
regulations, which translate into
project costs and sector uncer-
tainty. “Apparently, wood burns
differently in Turku from how it
burns in Helsinki,” Leino says
wryly. He describes uneven
regulations and, especially, un-
PHOTOGRAPHY: © JANNES LINDERS; JAKE CURTIS (OPPOSITE, 2)
even interpretation of them as “a
huge attitude issue.”
In England, the attitude issue
is compounded by the legacy of
the fatal 2017 fire at the Grenfell
Tower, a 24-story concrete struc-
ture with combustible envelope
components. New regulations
in response to the tragedy ban
combustible materials in external
walls of residential buildings over
six stories. The inclusion of mass
timber among the banned mate-
rials has changed the perception
Waugh Thistleton Architects, designer of a six-story mass-timber office building in London (above), is collaborating on efforts to create prewarrantied
wood-construction details for both the residential and construction sectors.
of industry members, insurers,
and to some degree the public “to
a ‘Three Little Pigs’ mentality,”
says Waugh, which he describes
as an obstacle to timber construc-
tion: “In the rest of the world,
codes are changing to promote
mass timber’s use. That’s just not
happening in the UK.”
To help the European timber-
construction sector through these
growing pains, a number of new
initiatives are under way. In a
project funded by Built By Na-
ture, a philanthropic organiza-
tion, Waugh Thistleton is
collaborating with University
College London and Buro Hap-
pold to build confidence in tim-
ber construction among UK
insurers, code officials, contrac-
tors, and clients. Focusing on
residential construction up to six
stories high, the team is develop-
ing a pre-warrantied system of 25
building details along with a
suite of specification guides
covering fire safety, water man-
agement, and construction prac-
tice. The resource, to be made
available as an open-source
document, “will ensure that
mass-timber residential buildings
can be built to competent stan-
dards and will be insurable and
able to obtain mortgages,” says
Waugh, “hopefully kick-starting
low-carbon timber development
across the UK.” In another Built
By Nature–funded initiative,
Waugh Thistleton is collaborat-
ing with a diverse consortium,
led by engineering consultancy
Elliott Wood, to design similar
systems for the commercial office
sector. These will be made avail-
able internationally, including in
the United States.
Under the auspices of Build-in-
Wood, an EU-funded program
based at the Danish Technological
Institute, seven cities from across
Europe, representing a range of
sizes—capitals Amsterdam and
Copenhagen, a borough of Lon-
don, two mid-size cities (Trond-
heim, Norway, and Brasov, Ro-
mania), and two smaller ones
(Innsbruck, Austria, and Trento,
Italy)—have identified focus areas
for boosting timber construction
in their jurisdictions. Priorities
include strengthening local wood
value chains, enhancing training
and regional knowledge, and
facilitating cooperation between
industry and municipal adminis-
tration. Additional goals include
simplifying building codes and
promoting timber-positive public-
sector procurement. Some of the
participants emphasize urban
densification through adding new
stories onto existing buildings,
and facilitating circular economies
for wood construction. Build-in-
Wood is supporting these seven
cities through a program of de-
tailed context analyses, work-
shops, and implementation guid-
ance. A publicly available policy
catalogue, developed in partner-
ship with Bucharest-based plan-
ners Urbasofia, presents and
analyzes policies and best prac-
tices for prioritizing wood in
multistory buildings, and will
eventually incorporate results
from the early-adopter cities.
Build-in-Wood has also estab-
lished an international knowl-
edge-sharing network, with 1,300
members and growing.
Meanwhile, as companies’
success increasingly links to
environmental, social, and
governance (ESG) factors,
private-sector investors are
seeing the value of wood in a
new light, says Vola, one in
which the material’s additional
costs bring in additional ben-
efits. “Looking to the future, a
carbon-friendly timber building
is more interesting to investors
than a polluting, non-circular
concrete one,” he says. “The
hope is that, as this goes
through, it does put a more
positive spin on the value of
timber construction. The busi-
ness case does make sense.” n
143
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD

Weathering-steel
cladding provides
extra fire protection.

Rising from the Ashes: Mass Timber Helps

Resurrect Fire-Torn Greenville, California
BY SARAH AMELAR

THE DIXIE WILDFIRE—
one of the largest in California
history—began in July 2021,
blazing through nearly a million
acres of forest and, in the rural
town of Greenville alone, de-
what if the institute facilitated
the use of cross-laminated timber
(CLT), an engineered-wood
product, to fast-track the creation
of high-quality, fire-hardened
replacement homes in Green-
and possible manufacture of mass
timber, including CLT—a mate-
rial that took off in Europe in the
1990s, but is relatively recent in
the U.S. Its panels—engineered
from kiln-dried lumber, layered
forms a seal-like char, which
protects the dense, unburnt core
from damage or even significant
temperature rise. Since the pan-
els—which perform well for
roofs, floors, and structural
IMAGES: © ATELIERJONES, EXCEPT AS NOTED

stroying nearly 600 homes and
most of the village center. While
residents were still reeling from
the devastation, Steve Marshall,
an expert on mass timber, and
Jonathan Kusel, executive direc-
tor of the Sierra Institute, a local
nonprofit focused on community
revitalization and the environ-
ment, came up with an idea:
ville—demonstrating the mate-
rial’s potential while permanently
rehousing people and boosting
the local economy?
Marshall—a 42-year veteran
of the U.S. Forest Service—had
just been working with Kusel and
others on a Sierra Institute report
for the State of California with
recommendations for future uses
with the grain in alternating
perpendicular directions and
pressure-bonded with adhe-
sives—can produce buildings
that are lighter in weight and
more carbon efficient than those
of concrete or steel, yet structur-
ally strong, seismically resilient,
and fire resistant. When exposed
to flames, CLT’s outer layer
shells—are typically factory
precut, the work on-site (once
land preparation and foundations
are done) is more assemblage
than traditional construction.
Doubling as a structural system
and basic enclosure, CLT tends
to require smaller crews and less
site time than, for example, stick
framing.

144 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 Soon after discussing ideas for
rebuilding, Marshall made a
match between the Sierra Insti­
tute and the Seattle­based archi­
tectural firm atelierjones, one of
the few practices with extensive
experience designing houses
primarily with CLT. Its founding
principal, Susan Jones, had not
merely used it for houses, includ­
ing her own—but also, between
2016 and 2019, had helped de­
velop the International Building
Code for mass­timber buildings
up to 18­stories tall. Her projects
with such materials have ranged
from religious structures to
multifamily high­rises. Mean­
while, the Sierra Institute also
had experience with mass timber,
having used it in 2018 to con­
struct a modest biomass­fueled
power plant, California’s first
almost entirely CLT building.
But this would be the organiza­
tion’s initial foray into CLT in
the residential realm.
“The majority of Greenville’s
pre­fire population, of just under
1,200, had lost their homes—it
was disastrous,” recalls Kusel.
“Even though we couldn’t rebuild
everything instantly, we could
give the community hope, confi­
dence, and a path forward by
demonstrating and offering ways
of creating well­designed houses
quickly—and with dramatically
improved fire­hardening.”
Fortunately, atelierjones had a
head start, having already pro­
duced modular houses elsewhere,
with designs it could adapt or
borrow from. In 2022, the Sierra
Institute commissioned the firm
to produce three prototypical
schemes—for one­, two­, and
three­bedroom houses—with
some add­on and accessory
dwelling unit options for future
growth. The organization then
offered the designs free of charge
to residents of Plumas County,
where Greenville is located and
the Dixie Fire had been particu­
larly destructive. Further expe­
diting the process, the plans were
pre­permitted—leaving home­
owners simply to complete their
own permitting to cover site­
specific matters and deviations
from the master plans. To speed
construction, the initial houses Weatherng-steel and
aluminum cladding
will have prefabricated kitchen­
bathroom wet cores, although
other methods will be tried in
later iterations.
The total construction cost
(expected to range from
$250,000 to $400,000, depend­
ing on house type/size) was
tailored to fit within anticipated
available funds. About 56 resi­
dents from this median­low­
income community agreed to
immediate presettlement payouts Mass timber
structure
from Pacific Gas & Electric
(PG&E), the utility company
that took responsibility for spark­
ing the Dixie Fire with its out­
dated power lines, while other
homeowners are still hashing out
more individualized PG&E
settlements.
To keep within the expected
budgets, Jones designed hous­
es—at 600, 700, and 960 square Modular
feet each—that are smaller than wet core
many pre­fire versions, but with
great versatility and such archi­
tectural features as double­height
living spaces, in addition to the
enhanced resiliency and durabil­
ity. Although CLT, at this stage Mechanical systems
in its U.S. production, can still be
more expensive than “legacy”
materials such as concrete and
sometimes even steel, the savings
come in the construction effi­
ciencies and, environmentally, in
captured carbon. Furthermore,
CLT walls, exposed on the
interior, eliminate any need for
additional finishes, while offer­
ing the warmth, beauty (and,
early on, the fragrance) of fresh­ Foundation and decks
hewn wood. But for extra fire
and moisture protection, as well
as perceptual reassurance, in an
area vulnerable to both wildfires
and heavy winter snowfalls, these
houses will be clad in weathering
steel. The buildings will meet
the strictest state codes for fire­
hazard­severity zones, as well as
stringent new Wildlands Urban
Interface guidelines. The modular wet cores were craned into place, and the structural shells’
In an ideal recovery scenario, flat-packed precut CLT panels were assembled on-site.
145
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD
Some scorched trees are
chipped; others are
salvageable for lumber.
the CLT would be manufactured
nearby, using wood from the
surrounding fire-ravaged forests,
as it’s well established that burnt,
still-standing trees are often
salvageable for lumber for a
significant period after wildfires.
How long depends on such
factors as tree size and species,
weather, climate or microclimate,
and the characteristics of the fire
itself. Large-diameter trunks
typically emerge with only the
outer layer charred (like CLT),
leaving the underlying wood
unharmed. Though some trees,
under exceptional conditions,
have been salvageable longer,
generally, the average time before
rot sets in is about two years. A
phoenix rising from ashes via
locally sourced CLT would
clearly be optimal for Green-
ville—but it’s not entirely feasible
immediately. “We’re making
146 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
strides in that direction,” says
Marshall, noting that the whole
rebuilding process could take
years, allowing it to benefit from
interim measures as well as later
achievements.
One of the biggest challenges
is manufacturing CLT locally.
Even though California, accord-
ing to Marshall, now builds with
mass timber more than any other
state, it doesn’t yet produce the
materials itself. And, given the
Greenville area’s modest popula-
tion and remoteness from inter-
state highways, only a small CLT
plant—one of the first of that
size in the United States—would
make sense. The Sierra Institute
is working toward creating such a
facility here, but the funding is
not yet in place, and there are
both technical and economic
hurdles in scaling down.
With the clock ticking on
Dixie-charred trees, the Sierra
Institute has come up with alter-
native uses. It has already retooled
and revived a long-dormant mill
site, just outside Greenville,
which is now churning out
2-by-4s and 2-by-6s, mostly of
Ponderosa pine, the predominant
species here, for sale across the
region. Previously, California’s
Department of Transportation
(Caltrans), whose oversight in-
cludes highways, was removing
and then chipping massive burnt
trees that were at risk of falling
onto roads bordering the wood-
land. The Sierra Institute suc-
cessfully petitioned to have those
enormous logs (some upward of 3
feet in diameter) rerouted to the
refurbished mill.
“The big-picture, long-term
goal,” says Jones, “is to support a
small-scale local industry that
would produce CLT for future
home construction, here and in
neighboring communities.”
There’s already been significant
interest from surrounding areas.
And even after the scorched
trees are no longer usable, the
forests here, which include pri-
vate and federal lands, will still
require enough ongoing fire-
protection maintenance, includ-
ing thinning, to continue feeding
PHOTOGRAPHY: © TY O’NEIL/SOPA IMAGES/SIPA USA/NEWSCOM
local mills and CLT production.
Although pine is not yet certi-
fied for such mass timber, groups
elsewhere in the U.S. are pro-
gressing on that front.
For now, the rebuild will
rely on Oregon-manufactured
Douglas-fir CLT for the houses,
as well as a new community
center, at the heart of Greenville,
for the local Maidu Indian tribe.
That atelierjones-designed struc-
ture will rise on the site where
the Dixie Fire destroyed a build-
ing full of irreplaceable tribal
The CLT structural
artifacts. Construction will begin shell doubles as
this summer, with completion exposed interior
expected in the fall. wood surfaces.
Meanwhile, the first three
houses—each commissioned by
an individual homeowner—are
almost done. “Response to the
designs has been very positive—
and we expect more commissions
once more settlements are
reached,” says Kusel. Among
those who’ve already taken the
leap, longtime Greenville resi-
dent and developer Ken Donell
is not merely gearing up to move
into his own new CLT house—
he’s also planning to build more
of them, plus a low-rise multi-
family building by atelierjones,
as affordable rental properties.
“CLT is amazing in so many
respects,” says Donell. “On top
of that, its warm wood surfaces
and remarkable properties are
particularly well suited to
Greenville, where we’re sur-
rounded by magnificent for-
ests—but also, of course, the
potential for wildfire.” ■

Credits
ARCHITECT: atelierjones — Susan
Jones, Meghan Doring, Eleanor
Lewis, Lenore Wan, project team
ENGINEERS: Hariott Valentine
Engineers (structural); Sugarpine
Engineering (m/e/p)
CONSULTANT: Method Homes
(modular wet-core fabricator)
GENERAL CONTRACTOR:
Lights Creek Construction
CLIENT: Sierra Institute for
Community and Environment
SIZE: 600–960 square feet per
house
COST: $400 per square foot,
estimated
COMPLETION DATE: Late spring
2023 (first three houses)

Sources
MASS TIMBER: DR Johnson
Wood Innovations (CLT and
glulam)
WINDOWS: Alpen
INTERIOR PAINTS/STAINS:
Sansin; Bellingham Professional
Finishes
INSULATION: Rockwool
TILE: Florida Tile

147
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD

Project: PDX Main Terminal Expansion

Location: Portland, Oregon
Architect: ZGF
An airport terminal reaches for the sky with a spectacular mass-timber roof.
BY RANDY GRAGG

SINCE THE Portland Inter-
national Airport (PDX) first
sprouted 83 years ago next to the
Columbia River, its operator, the
Port of Portland, has aimed to
give travelers a deep sense of the
local. Early versions of the main
terminal framed nearby Mount
Hood with a dynamic entry of
western cedars planted in run-
way-inspired chevron rows. As
explosive growth obliterated
those features, the Port brought
the region indoors with the
“Oregon Market”—often de-
scribed as the first entirely loca-
vore airport shopping experience
in the world—offering boutique
Oregon wines, eats, and an out-
post of the famed Powell’s Books.
Several local architectural
firms have stewarded the “sense
of place” that routinely nets PDX
“top airport” awards, but none
more than ZGF, designers of
over a dozen expansions and
remodels since the 1960s. The
latest, a dramatic enlargement

The new terminal, with its

undulant roof (below and
opposite, bottom) will be twice
the size of the one it replaces.

148 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 and rethinking of PDX’s main
A wood-lattice “overstory”
terminal, set to open next year, (this image) will filter the
takes the ethos to new heights, sun from 46 skylights into
architecturally, economically, the tree- and plant-filled
and, perhaps, even politically. terminal (below).
Constructed by Hoffman
Skanska, with KPFF as the
structural engineer, the design is
inspired by what ZGF partner
Gene Sandoval describes as “your
first walk in an Oregon forest.”
Visitors will arrive at a nine-acre
room where a grid of 34 steel
columns branch 53 feet upward
through an undulating lattice
“overstory” made of 34,000
lengths of 3-by-6-inch timbers.
Rising and falling in a basket-
weave of arches and scallops and
gently filtering the sun through
46 skylights, the lattice will offer
a forest canopy’s calming sense of
enclosure. But in three central
places, the lattice will vault
upward around oval-shaped
skylights, opening like a sudden
clearing. The entire 400-by-
1,000-foot volume will be laced
with trees and hanging plants
and wrapped by floor-to-ceiling
curtain walls of glass, creating a
biophilic refuge for watching the
busily taxiing planes.
The structure, sourcing, and
systems behind the space are
equally impressive. The ceiling’s
curves are shaped by 1,684 vari-
ously flat or arched glulam
beams. The roof ’s resulting
ski-mogul bumps are shaped by a
2-inch-thick mass-timber dia-
phragm. In all, 3.3 million board
feet, entirely Douglas fir, along
with the milling and fabrication,
were sourced within 250 miles.
Doubling the old terminal in size
IMAGES: © PORT OF PORTLAND/ZGF

149
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD

and capacity, this single volume

will serve all functions: ticketing,
shopping, and airport security,
but with a projected 90 percent
reduction in fossil fuel use
through such features as a radi-
ant-floor system tied to a
ground-source heat pump draw-
ing from a sandstone aquifer 500
feet below and 30-foot-tall cur-
tain walls in which the mullions
have been designed as an exo-
skeleton to reduce heat transfer.
The terminal has been engi-
neered so that when the inevi-
table 9.0 Cascadian subduction
zone earthquake comes, the
EXISTING TERMINAL building will be operational
within days. KPFF moved to the
top of each column the cups and
bearings normally used to isolate
the base of a building from the
shuddering ground. With the
curtain walls hung from perim-
eter beams, the roof and walls
will be able to move up to 22
inches free of the slab and col-
umns. Beyond providing resil-

CASSETTE INSTALLATION
COMPLETED TERMINAL
IMAGES: © PORT OF PORTLAND/ZGF (LEFT AND OPPOSITE, BOTTOM); TIMBERLAB/FLOR PROJECTS (OPPOSITE, TOP AND OPPOSITE, MIDDLE)
iency, the design allowed the
steel columns to be narrowed to
their thin, tree-like profile.
The stunning architecture
leapfrogs a cluster of practical
problems. Like virtually every
major airport, PDX grew
through an agglomeration of
additions; the main terminal,
alone, is made up of eight sepa-
rate structures of different eras
sitting atop 200 columns, some
built of 1950s-era wood—all in
the liquefaction-prone soils that
filled what once was marshlands.
According to Vince Granato,
chief projects officer for the Port
of Portland, attempting to up-
grade the old structure would
have triggered dozens of com-
plex, individualized, and costly
seismic upgrades. And such a
terminal would lack the open
spans prized by airlines, and the
ability to accommodate the
Transportation Security Admin-
istration’s (TSA) ever-changing
ticketing and security protocols.
The new facility, he says, “needed
to be flexible enough to adjust to
the changes in the passenger

150 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 The roof was built in its entirety
next to the existing terminal
(this image and below) and
then installed as “cassettes,” or
modules, at night (bottom).
journey that we can’t even antici-
pate today.”
While many airports—among
them Denver, Salt Lake City,
New Orleans, and Kansas City—
solved similar constraints by
building anew on greenfield sites,
Oregon’s half-century-old agri-
cultural-land protection laws long
ago precluded building anew in
the grape-rich Willamette Valley.
The solution became a phased
replacement on the site of the
existing terminal. “This land is all
we’ve got,” says Granato, “so we’ve
had to get creative.”
Construction logistics were a
major driver. The new facility
had to be built while the old
terminal remained operational.
Control tower sight lines preclude
cranes. Federal Aviation Admin-
istration rules forbid nighttime
construction except during the
four-hour early-morning no-
flight window. And any work in
the security zone would add
measurably to labor costs, with
hundreds of workers standing in
TSA queues. The team’s re-
sponse: monster prefab. ZGF and
KPFF designed the roof to be
built in its entirety—structure,
insulation, and utilities—on the
ground next to the existing ter-
minal, then “unzipped” into 18
separate “cassettes,” each about
120 by 110 feet. Each piece would
then be installed by giant trans-
porters in just three nights: lift,
move, and place.
The Port pushed for as much
wood as possible, for its lower
carbon footprint, to showcase
Oregon’s forest-products heritage
and continued innovation, and to
make the project a regional
economic driver (see story, page
138). To achieve the long spans
needed for optimal ticketing and
TSA security checks, the design
required numerous engineering
and construction innovations
and, Sandoval notes, 160 local
building code appeals. Eugene,
Oregon’s Zip-O-Laminators, for
instance, had never built 80-foot-
long glulam beams before, much
less ones 9-foot-3-inches deep
and bent into 15-foot-6-inch
arches. For longer spans, KPFF
developed never-before-achieved
moment connections between
6-foot-deep steel-and-wood gird-
ers. Freres Lumber, a 100-year-
old family-owned Oregon com-
151
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD
pany that invented its own
mass-plywood panel, had to
uniquely shape 1,350 panels,
most 11 by 30 feet, many with
parabolic curves, to create the
undulating roof. The lattice’s
basket-like twists and turns
required individual puzzle-piece-
like cuts, a daunting amount of
finish carpentry. ZGF broke the
elements down into seven pro-
files that could be factory fabri-
cated and bar-code labeled to
facilitate quick assembly.
On a March walk-through, 14
of the cassettes were in place.
Ten-thousand-pound weights
dangled from the perimeter
beams, preloading them for the
eventual hanging of the curtain
walls. But even at 50 percent
completion, the overall effect was
152 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
thrilling, the still-unwoven
sections of lattice revealing the
many layers of cutting-edge
wood structures above.
Sandoval describes the termi-
nal as “maybe the most tectoni-
cally pure building we’ve ever
done” and contends that the
methods pioneered at PDX might
solve similar problems faced by
the world’s growing number of
landlocked airports. But, more
locally, he says the team also
hopes the Oregon-crafted main
terminal can be a stitch between
the urban/rural divide, referring
to the often politically conten-
tious relationship between major
Northwest cities and their sur-
rounding resource-based small
towns. “Maybe we can bring
everybody together with a build-
ing made by many, from scientists
to architects and engineers and
people who just like working
with their hands.” n
Credits
ARCHITECT: ZGF Architects
ENGINEERS: KPFF Consulting
Engineers (structural); PAE (m/e/p)
CONSULTANTS: Swinerton
(mass-timber trade partner); W&W
AFCO Steel (steel trade partner);
Sustainable Northwest, Sustainable
Northwest Wood (wood advisors);
Arup (aviation planning); Terrapin
Bright Green (sustainability)
GENERAL CONTRACTOR:
Hoffman Skanska Joint Venture
CLIENT: Port of Portland
SIZE: 1 million square feet
COST: $1.79 billion
COMPLETION DATE: 2025
Randy Gragg, executive director of
the Portland Parks Foundation, is
a Pacific Northwest-based writer
and editor.
Sources
PHOTOGRAPHY: © MIKE BREWINGTON (TOP); FRERES (OPPOSITE)
EXTERIOR CLADDING: Morin
(metal panels); Henry (moisture
barrier); Benson Industries, Arcadia
(curtain wall); McKinstry (exterior
sunshades)
MASS TIMBER: Timberlab, Calvert,
Freres, Zip-O-Laminators
GLULAM CONNECTIONS:
Madlyn Metals Fab
Y COLUMNS: Thompson Metal Fab
SKYLIGHTS: Deamor
GLAZING: Carey Glass, Glas Trösch,
Viracon
PAINTS AMD STAINS: Timber Pro
SEISMIC ISOLATORS: Maurer
The arched beams (opposite)
are up to 80 feet long. The
in-progress installation of the
lattice (this image) reveals the
many wood layers above.

153
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD
Project: World of Volvo
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Architect: Henning Larsen
The carmaker gears up to showcase its brand with a sculptural “experience center.”
BY JAMES GAUER
WOOD IS ubiquitous in the
architectural heritage of Scan­
dinavia, whose forests have long
supplied an abundance of the
building material. “It dates back
to the Viking era and has re­
mained an important aspect of
154 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
Swedish architecture ever since,”
says Martin Stenberg Ringnér,
associate design director of Hen­
ning Larsen. Based in Copen­
hagen, the firm has designed
World of Volvo, an “experience
center” combining entertain­
ment, exhibitions, food and
drink, and retail in a single
structure, now under construc­
tion and due to open to visitors in
2024. For this 236,000­square­
foot project, located in the
Swedish city of Gothenburg
(which bills itself as “the world’s
most sustainable destination”),
timber takes center stage.
Situated in Gothenburg’s
event district, home to many of
the city’s museums, parks, and
theaters, World of Volvo is a
large­scale branding exercise that
aims to immerse visitors in the
company’s history, values, and
aspirations through exhibits and
product displays. The building’s
site, between the E6 highway to
the east and the Mölndalsån river
to the west, is adjacent to a pe­
destrian and bicycle path that
runs north along the water to the
city center.
If you think of mass­timber
buildings as boxy and predict­
able, World of Volvo will make
you think again. Viewed from
the riverfront, it’s a glass cylinder,
 more than 300 feet in diameter
and almost 100 feet tall, nestled
into a grassy hillside. Clearly
visible behind the building’s glass
curtain wall are the timber col-
umns supporting a deeply over-
hanging cantilevered wood-
framed roof. Inside are three
smaller timber cylinders con-
ceived as metaphorical “trees”
whose “trunks” contain exhibi-
tion spaces and vertical circula-
tion. The trunks are framed in
glulam columns, which branch
out as beams to support the
canopy of the roof, whose struc-
ture is articulated in multiple
radial patterns.
The main entry level will
Splayed mass-timber ribs
contain areas for the display and (this image and opposite)
sale of vehicles. Near the build- structure the circular
ing’s western perimeter, a vast exhibition center (below).
public space will rise to the full
IMAGES: © RASMUS HJORTSHØJ (OPPOSITE); KVANT (2)

155
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD

Structural elements stand

as tall as 50 feet and span
distances of 115 feet (this
image and opposite).

1 1
height of the glass cylinder,
whose transparency will offer
views of the natural landscape
2 2 1
beyond. A monumental stair,
2 2 to be used as casual seating,
2 will follow the slope of the site
up to the second level, whose
1 1 2
amenities will include a plaza
indoors and out, a café, a VIP
1 lounge for customers buying
3 3
vehicles, and an area for visit-
ing school and youth groups.
penthouse, providing a bar and
restaurant, conference center,
and offices.
The project takes a decidedly
modern approach to the coun-
try’s long tradition of wood
construction. The vertical and
horizontal structural members,
made of glue-laminated timber
(glulam), are enormous: some of
the columns are as tall as 50
feet, while the beams span as
PHOTOGRAPHY: © RASMUS HJORTSH0J

3 The third and fourth floors much as 115 feet. Due to their
will have exhibition spaces size, they were sourced in
enclosed within the three wood Austria, where computer-con-
cylinders as well as open galler- trolled fabrication allowed the
ies overlooking the glass cylin- curved pieces to be cut with a
FIRST-FLOOR PLAN
0 080 FT. der’s
80 FT.interior volume. The big, high degree of precision. Metal
FIRST-FLOOR PLAN
25 M. circular
25 M.
roof will be lushly connectors hidden inside the
1 MAIN 2 EXHIBITION 3 VERTICAL 0 planted,
80 FT.
and a fifth floor will wood members provide rigidity.
FIRST-FLOOR PLAN
EXHIBITION STUDIO CIRCULATION rise above it as a curvilinear
25 M. The floor and roof slabs are

156 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

CLT (cross-laminated timber),
which was sourced locally. Both
the glulam and the CLT, made
from spruce and pine, are 100
percent certified by PEFC
(Programme for the Endorse-
ment of Forest Certification).
Reflecting on timber con-
struction, lead design architect
Filip Francati says, “Despite
strides in structural develop-
ment, aesthetic expression
hasn’t kept pace.” Stenberg
Ringnér concurs, adding,
“There is a perception that if
you build in timber, you can
only build boxes.” But the
World of Volvo, he points out,
has challenged this expecta-
tion. The project takes inspira-
tion from nature to create
organic forms, rendering them
in organic materials. n

Credits
ARCHITECT: Henning Larsen —
Søren Øllgaard, partner design
director; Martin Stenberg Ringnér,
associate design director; Filip
Francati, lead design architect;
Anders Astrup Andersen, Anders
Åkesson-Björsmo, Carlos
Seidenfaden, Fabia Baumann,
Leonardo Castaman, Marina
Gonzalez, Nanna Neergaard,
Phillip Grass, Samuel Morris,
Tilde Haremst, Uni Þeyr Jónsson,
design team
ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT:
Fredblad
ENGINEERS: Cedås Akustik
(acoustics); Confire (fire);
Granitor (electrical); Wiehag
(glulam); Optima Engineering
and BRA Teknik (concrete); Brion
and Andersson & Hultmark
(ventilation)
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: BRA
CONSULTANTS: Tyréns
(accessibility)
CLIENT: AB Volvo and Volvo Cars
SIZE: 236,000 square feet
COST: withheld
COMPLETION DATE: 2024

Sources
CURTAIN WALL: Lindner
Scandinavia
INTERIOR FINISHES: Nordisol
(acoustical ceiling); Lindner
Scandinavia (woodwork); Kode
Plåt (steel panels)
DOORS: Vitrocsa

157
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD

Project: Innoasis
Location: Stavanger, Norway
Architect: Helen & Hard
An outdated modernist office building is spruced up for the 21st century with a wood insertion.
BY KATHARINE LOGAN

IF, IN 1978, a Corbusian villa

had migrated to Norway, fully
embraced Brutalism, and tried to
fit in as an office building, it
might have turned out something
like Sverdrupsgate 27, the head-
quarters for the then newly estab-
lished Norwegian Petroleum
Directorate in Stavanger. Start-
ing with a two-story horizontal
concrete block, complete with
ribbon windows, ground-floor
cut-aways, and even a ship’s-
funnel-shaped stair tower,
Sverdrupsgate 27 then took a
note from its snow-savvy ver-
nacular neighbors and adopted a
pair of steeply pitched, height-
doubling shed roofs. Volumetric,
dynamically asymmetrical, and
rational in plan, the building
achieved a locally adapted, classi-
cally inspired iteration of late
modernism that somehow man-
aged to imply the not-yet-bitter
promise of the petroleum age.
In time, however, Sverdrups-
gate 27 lost its luster, the Petro-
leum Directorate moved on, and,
by 2018, when the current own-
er, the development company
Smedvig Eiendom, acquired the
building, it had dwindled into an
underperforming, energy-ineffi-
cient candidate for demolition—
or complete overhaul. With
Smedvig’s decision to renovate,
Sverdrupsgate 27, now known as
Innoasis, has acquired new life
as a 43,000-square-foot light-
filled hub for smart-city-focused
The atrium’s
lowest level is a innovation.
social stair. “In Norway—and I think
everywhere—we have a lot of

158 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 these poor-performing 1970s
office buildings,” says Siv Helene
Stangeland, founding partner at
Stavanger-based Helen & Hard,
architect for the renovation.
“This project proves that you can
reduce their climate footprints,
create high-standard work envi-
ronments, and provide them with
a completely new identity that
people really like.” Central to the
renovation’s success is the inte-
gration of new timber elements
that complement the original
concrete structure while creating
fresh, contemporary spaces.
The renovation inserted a
prefabricated structure of peeled-
log columns, glue-laminated-
timber beams, wood joists, and
slatted wood ceilings into an
existing courtyard (formed by
earlier additions to the building)
to create a skylit atrium.
Rounded wood galleries at each
floor level overlook the new
space, and the original concrete
stair spirals up through it.
Floored with wood and filled
with plants, the atrium facilitates
informal meetings that foster
connections and collaborations
among the building’s start-ups. It
is also open to the public via a
ground-floor café.
Compared to other forms of
mass timber, the log columns,
which come from sustainably A spiral stair connects five
managed Norwegian forests, stories (above). Outside,
required very little machining and Innoasis has been reclad
no gluing. And, while initially the with wood on some
client took some convincing that facades (this image).
the inevitable checks and fissures
that unprocessed heavy timber
develops as it dries need not be
considered unsightly, “now every-
one thinks they’re beautiful,” says
Stangeland. “Seeing these trunks
gives a much closer connection to
natural materials and where they
come from.”
PHOTOGRAPHY: © SINDRE ELLINGSEN

In addition to the aesthetics of

the wood, enhanced by its con-
trast with the concrete structure
through which the atrium is
reached, the space derives much
of its character from its acoustics.
Ribbed and curved wood sur-
faces, supplemented with acous-

159
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD
3
2
FIRST-FLOOR PLAN
6
5
SECOND-FLOOR PLAN
1 LOBBY
2 ATRIUM
3 CAFÉ
tic panels, hush the hall. “It’s
very calm,” says Stangeland.
“Although it’s open to four
floors, and people are talking
and meeting and circulating, it
has a very good atmosphere.”
The slatted ceilings carry
through as part of the acoustic
strategy for the concrete structure
as well, where they are fitted into
the existing site-cast T-beams’
irregular intervals. (This feat was
made possible by the use of a
digital twin, based on a LiDAR
EXPLODED-AXONOMETRIC DRAWING laser scan of the original struc-
160 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
1 4
4
0 20 FT.
6 M.
5
6
4 6
0 20 FT.
6 M.
4 COLLABORATION SPACE
5 OPEN OFFICE
6 CONFERENCE ROOM
ture, which generated the mea-
surements for prefabricating
elements to fit.) To provide flex-
ibility for future changes, the
ceiling also contains infrastruc-
ture to support cellular offices—
should they be preferred—with
built-in wall tops to which divid-
ers can be affixed, and ventilation
and lighting spaced at the inter-
vals of office modules.
While the timber atrium is the
signature element in the building’s
new identity, the project also
entailed removing a hodgepodge
 Greenery abounds in the
atrium (this image), while
sloped roofs allow daylight into
the fourth-floor offices (below).
of extensions between the original
roofs, and building two new
pitched roofs to complete a square
around the atrium. As well as
shedding snow, the roof forms
allows light and air in fourth-
floor offices, and generates sec-
tional variety, including lofts and
mezzanines, which make for a
dynamic spatial experience.
The envelope was upgraded
with new windows, insulation,
and cladding—on some facades
in wood—complemented by
improved environmental controls
and solar panels. Together, these
enhancements, which the digital
twin facilitated, achieved a
50 percent reduction in the build-
ing’s carbon footprint, compared
with a reference building.
“When you’re working with
an existing building, the question
is always how you can create the
possibility to adapt,” says Stange-
land. “Our attitude is that the
aesthetic experience is much
richer if you can retain more of
the old and add new where you
need to.” Back when the original
Sverdrupsgate 27 was new, the
building—and the work it
housed—played a significant role
in ushering the region into the oil
age. The hope now is that the
rejuvenated building, with its
expressive wood elements, will
play an equally significant role in
the quest to start up a more
sustainably driven era. ■
Credits
ARCHITECT: Helen & Hard —
Siv Helene Stangeland, Reinhard
Kropf, creative directors; Håkon
Solheim, project architect; Ingrid
Sekse, architect
CONSULTANTS: Norconsult
(technical); Brekke & Strand
Akustikk AS (acoustic); Konsepta
(fire); Procon (structure); Veni
(energy and VDC/BIM)
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Faber
CLIENT: Smedvig Eiendom
SIZE: 43,000 square feet
COST: $18.7 million
COMPLETION DATE:
October 2022
Sources
TIMBER CONSTRUCTION:
Woodcon
161
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD

Quick Takes
Projects from around the globe demonstrate diverse approaches to building with wood.

JARDÍN ANATOLE
In Mexico City’s Colonia Polanco neighborhood, Delle-
kamp Arquitectos recently completed Jardín Anatole,
a four-story timber structure on a lot that had previ-
ously been the garden of a historic residential build-
ing next door. The new 10,000-square-foot structure,
which houses a clothing store, a furniture showroom,
and office space, is built almost entirely of oak from
northern Mexico. Jardín Anatole is the country’s
largest and tallest glulam building, according to the
architects. Though primarily made of wood, it incor-
porates some concrete elements, as in its circulation
core and an existing party wall provided by the neigh-
boring building. The interiors are column-free, due to
a perimeter structure that includes a second-story
glulam truss and, on the levels above, closely spaced
finlike elements, also of glulam. At the base, V-shaped
steel perimeter columns allow the glass-enclosed
“wood box” to float visually above the surrounding
terraced outdoor space. Joann Gonchar, FAIA

PHOTOGRAPHY: © RAFAEL GAMO

162 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 FLORA
Gently curving elevations, punctuated by full-height
windows and slatted-wood screens, will wrap Flora, a
sculptural building in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.
Designed by Vancouver-based mass-timber specialist
Michael Green Architecture (MGA), with the French firm
CALQ Agence d’Architecture as the architect of record, this
nine-story, 90,000-square-foot residential-and-commercial
project is slated for completion in 2024, as part of a
broader plan to develop the emerging Les Groues district,
not far from the business center La Défense. Triangular in
plan, with a central courtyard, the massing consists of a
two-story podium with two interconnected towers above it.
The top seven floors will be residential, with a mix of
IMAGES: © WICHMANN+BENDTSEN PHOTOGRAPHY (BOTTOM); COURTESY MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTURE (TOP)

market-rate and social-housing units, while the lower two

stories will be a mix of retail, office, and coworking spaces.
The round-cornered facades, dotted with balconies, will
meet the street in a modern twist on the classic 19th-
century facades of Paris, a city whose urban plan creates
many triangular sites. With a primary structure of CLT and
glulam above level three, “it’s really a showcase of what’s
possible in wood,” says MGA founder Michael Green.
Commissioned by developer Woodeum, Flora has already
won the 2022 Bâtiment Bas Carbone Award for
implementation of low-carbon practices. Ilana Herzig

ESBJERG MARITIME CENTER
This drumlike Maritime Center, designed by Snøhetta and WERK
Arkitekter, in the Danish seaport town of Esbjerg, revolves around the
notion of community. Forging a connection between Denmark’s west
coast and the North Sea, the 40,900-square-foot laminated-pine
structure sits on a waterfront site along boat slips, and hosts training and
educational workshops as well as water sports. Powered by rooftop solar
panels, the new facility, with its ring-shaped double courtyard, forms an
amphitheater partly open to the elements, and accessible by land or
sea—via boat launch, dock bridge, and footpaths. The building is clad and
roofed in thermally modified pine from northern Denmark, echoing the
craft of Nordic wood boat-making. Its elliptical plan encircles a raised
terrace punctured by two oblong apertures that filter light into lower-level
boat storage. Constructed to withstand extreme climatic events, the
poured-in-place concrete first floor can accommodate high water. The
vertical fins between the staggered windows evoke the rhythm of waves.
With rectangular openings of varying sizes and proportions, the building
glows like a lantern by night. IH

163
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD

PHOTOGRAPHY: © BOYSPLAYNICE (BOTTOM); SERGIO GRAZIA (TOP 2)

SCHOOL AND HOUSING KLOBOUCKÁ LESNÍ HQ foot building in 2022. Set against a moun-
At Issy-les-Moulineaux, just outside Paris, Nestled in the Czech town of Brumov-Bylnice, tainous backdrop, this multifunctional
the anticipation of Metro Line 15 (due to the headquarters for wood-products manufac- space—a stone’s throw from their manufac-
open late 2025) has prompted redevelop- turer Kloboucká Lesní is an elongated turing center—includes areas for events and
ment of the surrounding neighborhood. structure with a steeply pitched roof and relaxation. Sourced predominantly from local
Among the new buildings is a 2021 mixed- gabled ends, each shaped like an upward- timber grown in the surrounding forests and
use complex by architects Brenac & pointing arrow. Mjölk Architekti, based in the engineered on-site, the structure has a
Gonzalez, comprising a school and 104 Czech city of Liberec, designed it with a load-bearing glulam skeleton braced by steel,
social-sector apartments. Commissioned modular timber shell constructed from and a concrete core. With much of the roof
in 2017 by housing company Seine Ouest laminated-spruce “bioboards.” The company, covered by photovoltaic panels and a central
Habitat et Patrimoine (SOHP), the project which aims to advance sustainable forestry boiler fueled by wood chips produced at the
features two distinct parts—a four-story through “ancestral knowledge and techno- compound, the building generates enough
concrete base containing two underground logical inquiry,” settled into the 10,800-square- energy to meet its own requirements. IH
parking levels and two above-grade school
floors and, rising from this podium, two
eight-story residential blocks, offering a
range of typologies from studios to four-
bedroom apartments. Around concrete
stair-and-elevator cores that ensure wind
bracing, timber specialist Mathis built the
dwellings from prefabricated CLT panels
held together with metal connectors. Clad
in a mix of pre-grayed larch and stainless
steel, the apartments all feature balconies,
realized as hybrid steel-wood structures
bolted onto the facades. Timber offered
advantages to both client and architect: for
SOHP, it helped meet environmental
targets; for Brenac & Gonzalez, wood’s
relative lightness allowed construction of
the housing on a different structural grid
from the school, while the swift assembly
of factory-fabricated components ensured
they met the strict completion deadline.
Andrew Ayers

164 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 GLOBEVILLE LIBRARY AND APARTMENTS
Of Denver’s 78 neighborhoods, the name Globeville is among the most
fitting. A multicultural, working-class enclave in the city’s northern
reaches, it has been home to generations of immigrants—first from
Central and Eastern Europe and later Latin America—who found employ
in the neighborhood’s namesake smelter. Globeville is also known for its
disconnections. Bounded on the east and south by the South Platte
River and cleaved by railway lines, the former company town found itself
fractured and even more isolated following the mid-20th-century
construction of two major interstates that bisect its heart, displacing
communities and leaving the cloistered and polluted neighborhood
beset with neglect.
Efforts now under way to mend and revitalize Globeville include
new affordable housing and overdue community resources. Combining
both is a forthcoming project by Chicago-based John Ronan Architects
IMAGES: COURTESY JOHN RONAN ARCHITECTS

(JRA) for the Globeville Development Partners, which will create a new
branch of the Denver Public Library, topped by 173 units of family-
oriented mixed-income housing, in response to encroaching
gentrification. The design intentionally reflects the neighborhood’s gritty
character through its cladding of two U-shaped hybrid mass-timber
volumes, one in galvanized steel and the other in corrugated weathering
steel, encircling a landscaped courtyard for residents and, in areas,
library patrons.
Originally envisioned as a “stack of wood blocks,” the building has a
poured-in-place concrete podium beneath five residential floors
constructed with cross-laminated timber. Engineered wood also extends
to nonstructural elements, including plywood in the library interior—
shelving and ceiling and wall cladding—in another nod to Globeville’s
blue-collar roots.
“There’s a theme of dirty/clean in the project, with Globeville being
home to these historically dirty industries that need to be cleaned up,” says
Ronan, “so CLT was fed into that narrative, in that it’s a very clean,
sustainable technology—a new direction for Globeville.” Matt Hickman

165
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD

UNL COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE

Omaha-based HDR has garnered attention for its typology-spanning
mass-timber projects, yet all these buildings, completed and in progress,
are located outside the Cornhusker State (with most coming from the
firm’s busy British Columbia offices). HDR is now, however, using
engineered wood in its own backyard for a major addition at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Architecture (plus one other
mass-timber project elsewhere in the state). They’re joined by Boston-
based NADAAA, which has won praise for its timber-and-steel-framed
North Hall at the Rhode Island School of Design (record, March

IMAGES: COURTESY GRAFTON ARCHITECTS AND MODUS STUDIO (BOTTOM); COURTESY HDR + NADAAA (TOP AND MIDDLE)
2020)—“not extensive experience, but substantial enough that it was
something that we could bring to the table,” says NADAAA founder
Nader Tehrani. Now under construction as the second phase of a larger
overhaul of the College of Architecture, HDR and NADAAA’s four-story
linear expansion built from glulam and CLT replaces the 1950s-era of structures—which includes two main halls, completed in 1892 and
“stacks” addition at Architecture Hall West, yielding 14 new studios, a 1912, a connective atrium known as the Link that debuted in 1987, and
student lounge, and more. “It’s an interesting time line of buildings,” says soon this mass-timber addition. “It’s very appropriate for a college of
HDR design director Tom Trenolone, of the college’s eclectic assemblage architecture.” MH

TIMBERLANDS CENTER
Site work has commenced on the Anthony Timberlands
Center for Design and Materials Innovation at the
University of Arkansas. This is the first project in the U.S.,
and the first built with timber, for Pritzker Prize–winning
firm Grafton Architects, which is working with local firm
modus studio. As part of the Fay Jones School of
Architecture and Design, it will be a space for fabrication,
research, and development, constructed significantly of
timber and wood sourced in Arkansas, the eighth-largest
timber producer in the U.S. It will be home to the school’s
ongoing design-build and graduate programs and
collaborative efforts with partners in the state’s forest
industries. It is expected to complete at the end of 2024.
Josephine Minutillo

166 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 OFFICE BUILDING
“The right material in the right place,” says
architect Anne Carcelen of this eight-story office
IMAGES: DARC STUDIO, COURTESY PMA, LEVER ARCHITECTURE, DOVETAIL DESIGN STRATEGIES (BOTTOM); © NICOLAS GROSMOND (TOP)

building in Paris’s 19th arrondissement. One

element in the redevelopment of a former
industrial area, and completed in 2021, the project
is located on an awkward wedge-shaped site next
to railroad tracks. The partly state-owned
developer, Icade, wanted to set an example by
building in mass timber, and commissioned
Carcelen for her experience with the technique,
which includes the 2014 Lycée Nelson Mandela in
Nantes, designed when she was a partner at
Leclercq Associés. With a concrete elevator core
and concrete base, the cross-laminated-spruce
frame, which is left largely exposed inside, carries
prefabricated concrete-slab floors, chosen for
their acoustic properties and speed of assembly.
A similar pragmatism prevails in the treatment of
the timber-framed facades, using folded red-
brown zinc cladding on the two longest eleva-
tions—both diffusing train noise and evoking the
site’s industrial past—and, at either end, glass
curtain walls. BIM, employed for design, construc-
tion, and maintenance, was essential in realizing
the many one-off pieces required for the building’s
irregular shape. A proponent of environmentally
responsible construction, Carcelen is now bringing
her expertise to the U.S. as a partner in the New
York firm OulipO. AA

PORTLAND MUSEUM OF ART

LEVER Architecture, a firm based in Portland, Oregon,
noted for its pioneering embrace of mass-timber
construction, is making its mark on the other
Portland—the similarly forest-flanked one in
Maine—with a $100 million revamp of that city’s most
venerable public art institution. The first expansion of
the Portland Museum of Art (PMA) in four decades, it
includes a new 60,000-square-foot wing that knits
together PMA’s quartet of disparate but architec-
turally significant buildings at Congress Square.
Adjacent to the museum’s Payson Building (1983),
the six-story addition will include gallery space and
community gathering areas, with a design incor-
porating mass timber, terra-cotta, and glass. “The
possibility of using Maine lumber is really exciting,”
says LEVER principal Chandra Robinson, noting that
sourcing local timber is “something we do in our
projects, because we feel it helps balance the rural
and urban equity, so we’re pushing more jobs and
manufacturing back into rural areas.” MH

167
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD

SUMMIT BUILDING
A 1.5 million-square-foot extension of the
Seattle Convention Center, the Summit
building was completed in January. Designed
by local firm LMN Architects, the centrally
located urban project has six levels of event
spaces, which include an 85,000-square-foot
ballroom on the top level. The steel-framed
building is visually open to the street via
extensive glazing on the exterior, and LMN
incorporated warm timber accents
throughout the interior as a nod to the
regional heritage of the lumber industry. The
amphitheater-like social stairs, made from
madrone hardwood native to the Pacific
coast, cascade within the west-facing glass
curtain wall from the fifth floor to the ground
level. Above them hangs a canopy of dangling
Douglas fir “combs.” This effect is repeated on
the ceiling of the ballroom, where the combs
are made up of wormwood—wood salvaged
from log booms off the Washington coast in
the Salish Sea, which is uniquely textured
from the tunneling habits of Teredo clams.
Pansy Schulman

NEW YORK CLIMATE EXCHANGE
The transformation of Governors Island continues with the April
announcement that Stony Brook University will serve as anchor
institution for a $700 million climate-solutions hub, planned for the
172-acre former military outpost in the heart of New York Harbor.
Dubbed the New York Climate Exchange, the campus will be developed
over two phases, with Skidmore, Ownings & Merrill (SOM) leading a
team with three other firms. The design, as the firm’s own description
puts it, intends to “weave new architecture into the island’s beloved park
to create a living laboratory for research, education, and public
enjoyment.” The first phase of the 400,000-square-foot facility will
encompass a pair of sinuous mass-timber buildings by SOM. Centered
around several acres of newly created public green space near the
island’s eastern shoreline, these multistory pavilions will host spaces
dedicated to education and research, and incorporate myriad
sustainability strategies to help satisfy the holistic—and ultra-stringent—
performance metrics of the Living Building Challenge. MH

IMAGES: © SOM, BRICK VISUAL (BOTTOM); TIM GRIFFITH (TOP)

168 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 H1 APARTMENT BUILDING
At the Zwhatt development in Regensdorf, north of Zürich, Boltshauser
Architekten is building a 24-story mass-timber apartment block due for
completion in 2024. One of two residential towers programmed in Peter
Märkli’s master plan, H1, as it is known, will contain 150 units ranging from
studios to family duplexes, as well as a café and a coworking space in its
lower levels. Winners of a 2019 design competition, Boltshauser proposed
timber both for its low-carbon credentials and its speed of construction—
approximately six months faster than an all-concrete tower, the architect
estimates. Structurally hybrid, H1’s first five levels (including two base-
ment floors) are poured-in-place concrete, as is the central elevator tower;
around this core rises a timber/concrete structure comprising columns,
IMAGES: © STUDIO BLOMEN

beams, and facades in Swiss beech, with prefabricated concrete floors.

Wind loads are transferred via the floors to the core and down to the po-
dium, a solution that also fulfills seismic requirements. Outside, the red-
metal-clad elevations feature brise-soleils carrying photovoltaic cells, while,
inside, the timber/concrete structure is fully expressed. Residents will enjoy
living rooms with loggias as well as highly flexible layouts. AA

169
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD

ATLASSIAN
Australian software company Atlassian
is building a new headquarters near Syd-
ney’s Central Train Station. Designed by
SHoP, with BVN as executive architect,
the nearly 600-foot-tall structure is one
of several projects vying to become the
world’s tallest hybrid timber skyscraper.
Atlassian Central Tower will include a
39-story shaft rising from a podium, a
concrete core, and a steel exoskeleton.
Within that framework, floors will be
organized as four-story “habitats,” each
a freestanding assemblage of glulam
columns and beams and CLT floor slabs.
Due to structural requirements and
the need for large production volumes,
these mass-timber components will
be sourced from Europe, according to
the architects. The hybrid approach is
expected to produce a building with half
the embodied carbon of a conventional
skyscraper. It will be powered 100 per-
cent by renewable energy, including
electricity generated by facade-inte-
grated photovoltaic panels. The project
is targeting 5.5 out of six possible stars
from the National Australian Built En-
vironment Rating System (NABERS).
Excavation began earlier this year, and
steel erection for level 1 is slated to start
in 2024. JG

ZURICH AIRPORT
After a two-stage international design competition to
overhaul Zurich Airport’s main terminal, Bjarke Ingels
Group (BIG) and HOK were awarded the project in
June of 2022. With an expected completion date of
2032, the winning redesign of the aging structure,
originally built in the 1950s, is titled Raumfachwerk

IMAGES: COURTESY BIG (BOTTOM); SHOP ARCHITECTS (TOP)

(or “space frame”) and will be constructed primarily
with locally sourced timber. The ground-up
renovation will consist of a seven-story central hub—
with a new air-traffic-control tower, retail, and airport
services for passengers—connecting to a narrow pier
with a bevy of new gates and waiting areas. According
to BIG principal Bjarke Ingels, the project is both
“rooted in tradition and committed to innovation.” Its
timber framing is an homage to Swiss architectural
tradition, while its roof, which extends from the
central hub through the length of the pier, will be
entirely clad in solar shingles. PS

170 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 Glossary of Terms
biogenic carbon
The carbon in wood, paper,
grass trimmings, and other
organic matter removed from
the atmosphere by photosynthe-
sis, which will ultimately be
returned to the atmosphere
through burning or decay.

cross-laminated timber
(CLT)
An engineered-wood panel
consisting of layers of lumber
stacked with the grain at 90-de- A B
gree angles and glued together
with structural adhesives.
Applications include floor slabs,
walls, and roofs (A, right).

dowel-laminated timber
(DLT)
A mass-timber product made of
dimensional softwood lumber
stacked and friction-fit together
with hardwood dowels.
Although similar to nail-lami-
nated timber, because the panels
are made without nails or
screws, they are safer to mill
and cut. The panels can be used C D
IMAGES: © THINK WOOD (4); STEPHAN RAPPO (BOTTOM), TOUCH WOOD, LARS MÜLLER PUBLISHERS (PAGE 57)

in flooring, roofing, and wall

applications (B, right).
embodied carbon
The greenhouse gases emitted
during the manufacturing,
installation, maintenance, and
disposal of building materials.
Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC)
An international nongovern-
mental organization that over-
sees certification programs for
forest management and wood
and paper products.
glue-laminated timber
(glulam)
An engineered-wood product
commonly used for beams and
columns. Laminations are glued
together with their grains run-
ning parallel to the member’s
length and are jointed end to
end, allowing for long spans (C,
above).
heavy timber
A traditional construction
method in which the primary
load-bearing system is made of
large wood members.
laminated-veneer lumber
(LVL)
An engineered-wood product
manufactured from multiple
thin layers of veneer that are
aligned with the length of the
finished lumber. It is often used
for headers, beams, and rim
board.
life cycle assessment (LCA)
A standard approach to quanti-

171
 CEU FOCUS ON WOOD

fying the environmental im-
pacts of a product or process
during its entire life cycle, from
the extraction of raw materials
to disposal.
mass-plywood panels
(MPP)
A large-scale structural panel
made from wood veneers. This
“super plywood” is manufac-
tured of thin sheets of wood
laid down in an alternating
pattern with resin applied
between each layer.
mass timber
A construction system in which
the load-bearing elements are
made of engineered compo-
nents formed by laminating or
fastening together layers of
wood. These components are
often fabricated off-site.
nail-laminated timber
(NLT)
A panel made of dimensional
lumber placed on edge and
mechanically fastened to-
gether with nails or screws,
creating a single structural
element. It is most commonly
used for floor and roof sys-
tems (D, previous page).
Programme for the
Endorsement of Forest
Certification (PEFC)
A global alliance of national
forest-certification systems.
Sustainable Forestry
Initiative (SFI)
A nonprofit organization
that provides a certification
framework for forest man-
agement and wood and paper
products.
Wildlands urban interface environment meets the natural
(WUI) environment. Human settle-
The zone of transition between ments in the WUI are at
wilderness and land developed by greater risk of damage due to
human activity, where the built wildfire.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
To earn two AIA learning units (LU), including two hours of health, safety, and welfare
(HSW) credit, read the “Focus on Timber” section, review the supplemental material found
at architecturalrecord.com, and complete the quiz at continuingeducation.bnpmedia.com.
Upon passing the test, you will receive a certificate of completion, and your credit will be
automatically reported to the AIA. Additional information regarding credit-reporting and
continuing-education requirements can be found at continuingeducation.bnpmedia.com.
Learning Objectives
1 Explain factors that influence how much carbon is stored in wood building products.
2 Explain how product procurement can be tailored to reflect a client’s environmental,
social, and economic goals.
3 Discuss policies regulating and encouraging wood construction globally.
4 Describe innovative engineering and construction strategies for large-scale timber
buildings.
AIA/CES Course #K2306A

Overly: The First Name—and Last Word—in Specialty Doors.

Acoustic Blast Vault Bullet

• Metal Swinging • VLRB, LRB, • GSA Certified • Metal Swinging
Doors and MRB Series Doors
• DOS Certified
• Wood Swinging • High-Range • Wood Swinging
Doors Doors & • Attack-Resistant Doors
Windows • Day Doors
• Oversized Doors • Fixed Window
• UFC Blast • Day Gates Systems
• Fixed Window Mitigation
Systems Doors • Pass-Throughs
• Pressure
• Gun Ports
Resistant & • Voice Ports
Watertight
Doors
• Radiation
Shielding Doors

overly@overly.com • www.overly.com

172 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 3

5
4

PLASTPRO QUALITY:
1 FIBERGLASS REINFORCED DOOR SKIN
Our exclusive formula is measured precisely to ensure each skin is produced to
6 the highest quality. The skins require little maintenance and will not splinter,
dent, warp, rot, or rust. Choose a door skin from a variety of grains that can
be painted or stained.

2 FULL-LENGTH COMPOSITE STILES

Our full-length, composite stiles protect the door from external moisture to
prevent warping or rotting. They have twice the screw-holding strength of
2 wood.

3 COMPOSITE TOP & BOTTOM RAILS

High-strength, composite top and bottom rails prevent moisture from
seeping into the door and stop the buildup of mold.

1
4 EXTENDED LOCKBLOCK
Plastpro’s full-length LVL allows any type of lock to be placed for increased
security. Our 8/0 doors have a steel bar in addition to the LVL to help
increase the structure’s rigidity.

5 POLYURETHANE FOAM CORE

Our advanced, CFC-free, high-density, polyurethane foam core enhances
3 the door’s soundproofing capabilities and provides insulation up to six times
greater than wood doors.

For more information about our 6 INSULATED 1” GLASS

products scan the QR code or Direct glazed glass creates a seamless and elegant design with large panes
visit: plastproinc.com to allow the most amount of light into your home.
 Earn up
to 6 LUs

REGISTER TODAY
JUNE 20 | BOSTON
MIT | Samberg Conference Center
12:00pm to 5:30pm followed by a reception

SUSTAINABILITY IN PRACTICE
Join Record for a special half-day event showcasing
cutting-edge research and built projects employing advanced
software, mass timber, circular construction, and upcycling.

Moderators:
Josephine Minutillo, Editor in Chief, Architectural Record
Joann Gonchar, FAIA, Deputy Editor, Architectural Record

This program is complimentary exclusively for architects,

designers, engineers, and students thanks to the generous
support of our sponsors.

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Fred Holt Sheila Kennedy Nico Kienzl Caitlin Mueller

Partner Professor, Department of Architecture, Director Associate Professor, Department of
3XN MIT and Founding Principal, Kennedy Atelier Ten Architecture and Department of Civil
& Violich Architecture and Environmental Engineering, MIT

Robert Matthew Noblett Christoph Reinhart Chandra Robinson

Partner Alan and Terri Spoon Professor Principal
Behnisch Architekten of Architecture and Climate, LEVER Architecture
Department of Architecture, MIT

PLATINUM SPONSORS: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:

LUNCH & LEARN SPONSOR:

RecordontheRoad.com
CHECK OUT OUR JUNE WEBINARS

JUNE 6, 2023 @ 2:00 PM EDT JUNE 14, 2023 @ 2:00 PM EDT JUNE 15, 2023 @ 2:00 PM EDT
Basics and Beyond: How to Incorporate Zero Beyond Gray: Designing
Understanding and Waste Initiatives in Your with Decorative Concrete
Designing with Fire-Rated Building Design CREDITS: 1 AIA LU/ELECTIVE;
Glass & Framing CREDITS: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU 0.1 ICC CEU

CREDITS: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU
This course will explore the fundamentals
of fire-rated glass and framing, including
historical background, fire-rated glazing
classifications, product testing and key
fire-rated glazing code changes.
This webinar will cover how architects can
affect waste reduction from building
conception. Designers will learn the basics
of waste management and reduction, as well
as real-world strategies for the design of new
and remodeled construction.
This webinar will cover such
topics as aesthetic and
performance benefits, available This webinar
and dynamic finishes, materials is part of the
Concrete
and methods, process and Academy.
production, how architects
dealt with the challenges of working with
exposed and decorative concrete, and the
designers’ vision, mock-ups and specs.

This webinar
is part of
the Thermal
Bridging
Academy.
JUNE 22, 2023 @ 3:00 PM EDT JUNE 29, 2023 @ 2:00 PM EDT
Building a Better Proposal: How World Calculation Procedures for
Class Architects Get Clients to Say Yes Assessing Thermal Bridging Impacts
CREDITS: 1 AIA LU/ELECTIVE; 0.1 ICC CEU CREDITS: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU
In this course, we review what is included in the proposal, the This webinar focuses on the calculations procedures for architects
difference between a proposal and contract, and terms and to assess how thermal bridging impact overall thermal performance
conditions to turn your proposal into a contract. of an envelope.

TO REGISTER FOR UPCOMING WEBINARS IN 2023, VISIT

HTTPS://CONTINUINGEDUCATION.BNPMEDIA.COM/WEBINARS
Photography by Brian’s Perspective, SF

2 0 2 0

AIA
AWARD
WINNER
W W W.BOKMODERN.COM

Distinctive designs. Unparalleled solutions.

At BŌK Modern, we think beyond the ordinary. As a
single-source provider of structurally integrated archi-
tectural metal systems for the building envelope, we
ensure your designs are realized.

Façade by ENFOLD FAÇADE, a division of BŌK Modern.

Home of 2023 AIA Conference, San Francisco.

MOSCONE CONVENTION CENTER
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill | Mark Cavagnero Associates
CONTINUING EDUCATION
In this section, you will find seven compelling courses highlighting creative solutions for tomorrow’s buildings brought to you by industry leaders.

CONTINUING EDUCATION
Read a course, and then visit our online Continuing Education Center at ce.architecturalrecord.com to take the quiz free of charge to earn credits.

Photo courtesy of Michael Blackburn Photo courtesy of Onyx Solar Group

p178 p180

Exploring Large Aggregate Terrazzo The Active Adaptive Facade

Sponsored by National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association Sponsored by The Ornamental Metal Institute of New York
CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW IN PM SU CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; 1 GBCI CE HOUR; 1 PDH BE PM SU

Photo courtesy of Pulp Studio Photo courtesy of Infinity Drain Photo courtesy of Excel Dryer

p182 p184 p186

Designing with Architectural Universal Design Incorporating 3 Keys to Commercial Restroom Design:
Decorative Glass Architectural Linear Drains Safety, Sustainability, and Savings
Sponsored by Pulp Studio Sponsored by Infinity Drain Sponsored by Excel Dryer
CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU
1 IDCEC CEU/HSW
IN PM RR ACC IN SI ACC PM SU

Photo courtesy of WATTS Water Technologies Photo courtesy of Armstrong Ceiling and Wall Solutions

p188 p192

Controlling Water Use in Sustainable Buildings Meeting Today’s Most Stringent Sustainability Standards
Sponsored by WATTS Water Technologies Sponsored by Armstrong Ceiling and Wall Solutions
CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; 1 GBCI CE HOUR EM PM SU CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU BE IN SU

CATEGORIES
ACC ACCESSIBILITY IN INTERIORS SI SITE INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN
BE BUILDING ENVELOPE DESIGN PM PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS SU SUSTAINABILITY
EM ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL RR RENOVATION AND RESTORATION

Courses may qualify for learning hours through most Canadian provincial architectural associations.

177

CONTINUING EDUCATION
Photo courtesy of Michael Blackburn
Exploring Large
Aggregate Terrazzo
Palladiana and Venetian terrazzo surfaces meet
the durability, versatility, aesthetics, and creative
expression that high-end corporate, retail, and
hospitality designers are seeking
Sponsored by National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association
By Barbara Horwitz-Bennett
R
eemerging in recent years as a strik-
ing, sustainable, and highly flexible
material, terrazzo continues to beau-
tify the floors, walls, ramps, and columns
of lobbies, airports, schools, and municipal
facilities. Terrazzo’s limitless customization
potential makes it an attractive option for a
wide range of applications and budgets while
providing the same durability and ease of
maintenance regardless of design details.
High-profile projects such as David Chip-
perfield’s New York City Valentino flagship
store and actress Mandy Moore’s Pasadena
home have further created a media buzz
around the design opportunities afforded by
this desirable material.
“Terrazzo is a sought-after material due to
its numerous qualities and aesthetic charm.
178 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
Large aggregate terrazzo designs, as pictured here in
this Hudson Square lobby in Manhattan, are growing
in popularity as attractive, high-end spaces for
corporate lobbies, hospitality settings, and museums.
Moreover, terrazzo can be custom made to
include various hues and patterns offering an
unparalleled degree of versatility. The marbled
visual effects produce a distinct and attractive
look to any design,” reports Margine Biswas,
AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Archiphy Architects,
Dallas. In a similar vein, Seattle-based
architect Alison Wilkinson, AIA, NCARB,
LEED AP BD+C, affirms that designers and
architects love terrazzo for its versatility and
durability. “It can be successfully used in a
sleek office building, a high-volume grocery
store, or a residential space due to the endless
design combinations of aggregate and matrix,”
she says.
Made from a mix of a wide variety of
possible aggregates, such as stone or recycled
glass, terrazzo’s qualities as a sustainable,
CONTINUING EDUCATION
1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU
1 IDCEC CEU/HSW
Learning Objectives
After reading this article, you should
be able to:
1. Identify the unique characteristics
driving growing interest in larger
aggregate Palladiana and Venetian
terrazzo.
2. Compare the pros and cons of epoxy
vs. sand-cushion cement binders, from
both a sustainability and performance
standpoint, for different large
aggregate applications.
3. Gain best practices for optimized
Palladiana and Venetian terrazzo user-
focused designs and installations.
4. List the many advantages of working
with an experienced, certified terrazzo
contractor, and involving these
tradesmen early in the design process.
5. Review recent project profiles
showcasing the beauty and versatility
of Palladiana and Venetian terrazzo,
and the enhanced user comfort they
provide.
To receive AIA credit, you are required to
read the entire article and pass the quiz.
Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
complete text and to take the quiz for free.
AIA COURSE #K2305U
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
To achieve a specific look, SOM created a Venetian terrazzo design for the pantry area in their Chicago office.
highly hygienic, and nonporous surface are
further propelling interest. “There are few
products that are 100 percent customizable
and offer the use of designs and patterns in
the same way that terrazzo does. The ease
of maintenance and lack of grout joints
also play a role,” adds terrazzo contractor
Jonathan Maraldo, executive vice president
of Southern Tile & Terrazzo, Houston. As
designers continue to enjoy the opportunity
to play with aggregate types, sizes, colors,
mix compositions, and binding matrixes to
create signature surfaces, designs are trending
toward larger aggregate Venetian and
Palladiana terrazzo.
LARGE AGGREGATE TERRAZZO
“Large aggregate terrazzo designs are gaining
interest due to their unique and eye-catching
visuals, textured patterns, and customizabili-
ty,” explains Biswas. “The material can be tai-
lored to the specific style of a space.” Whereas
the finest microaggregates are 1/8 to 3/8 inch
in size and create a minimal, monochro-
matic look, larger aggregates produce more
contrast. Institutional buildings and airports
tend to go with the more uniform, stream-
lined terrazzo, while the larger aggregate’s
higher-end look is attractive to commercial
spaces. “Larger aggregate can offer a bolder
look, with the color and character of each
stone curated and visible, allowing the design
of the floor to stand out as the centerpiece
of a room,” Biswas adds. Also unique is the
The National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association has been setting the standards for terrazzo since 1923. We offer assistance throughout
the design and installation process. Specifications are available online, and our technical advisor can answer your specific questions.
fact that large aggregate terrazzo is custom
created, which makes it a desirable, one-of-
a-kind material.
With this larger composition, explains
Carolyn Kiernat, AIA, principal, Page &
Turnbull, San Francisco, the stone’s natural
color and texture are more prominent.
This enhanced transparency creates a more
dramatic appearance. In viewing these large
aggregate designs through the lens of larger
societal trends, Andrew Barwick, RA, senior
associate with Cooper Robertson, New York
City, observes, “Large aggregate terrazzo
has a bold, graphic, visual quality that feels
contemporary and modern. This distinct
expression of the material where legibility is
favored over subtlety feels synonymous with
other contemporary trends in visual design
(e.g., web, print, etc.) where visual complex-
ity is often eschewed in favor of more simple,
sober, legible expressions.”
TERRAZZO’S PALLADIANA ROOTS
Dating back to the 15th century in Italy,
marble artisans would gather stone remnants
and use them to build residential terraces.
They would embed them in clay, grind them
smooth, and seal them with goat’s milk to
bring out the luster and shine, explains Brad
Hedges, an Alpharetta, Ga.-based architec-
tural consultant with expertise in terrazzo.
This original terrazzo floor with marble
slabs was Palladiana. The larger-sized marble
fragments would be hand laid into a clay or a
EXPLORING LARGE AGGREGATE TERRAZZO
Photos courtesy of David Burk
CONTINUING EDUCATION
cement-like material. The entire floor would
then be ground and polished. “Named after
the illustrious Andrea Palladio, renowned for
his creative material utilization and intricate
focus on details, Palladiana terrazzo was
developed in Italy and boasts a luxurious,
polished surface,” explains Biswas.
In contrast to some other terrazzo
styles, Gilad Naftaly, CEO of Tel Aviv-based
terrazzo contractor C.R.Contech, believes
that Palladiana appeals to people’s interest
in seeing the stones within the flooring
or surface and the mosaic-type look that
it lends. “Thanks to Palladiana terrazzo’s
smooth surface and easy maintenance,
the application of this mosaic style can
be extended to floor spaces such as lob-
bies, kitchens, and sitting areas, allowing
designers to come up with beautiful, unique,
and exciting designs,” adds CR Contech’s
Director of Sales and Marketing Tali Lahav.
“Architects can also combine new materials
such as large brass ornaments, pebbles,
glass, and stone tile fragments.”
The pieces are often irregularly shaped,
paver-like stone slabs that can be as large as
18 inches.
Barbara Horwitz-Bennett is a veteran architectural
journalist who has written hundreds of CEUs and arti-
cles for various AEC publications. BHBennett.com
179

CONTINUING EDUCATION
Photo courtesy of Onyx Solar Group
The spandrel glass of
Milan’s Gioia 22, an
office tower by Pelli
Clarke and Partners,
includes approximately
55,000 square feet of
monocrystalline silicon
photovoltaic cells.
The Active Adaptive Facade
Advanced and energy-harvesting envelope technologies
Sponsored by The Ornamental Metal Institute of New York
By William B. Millard, PhD
D
esigning and constructing a
net-zero-energy building requires
an envelope that provides effec-
tive insulation and controls solar gain.
An associated goal is that the envelope
contributes to the interior environmental
quality enjoyed by the occupants. Tech-
nologies in use over several decades have
added another goal that informed observ-
ers advocate integrating into the design
process: making a positive contribution to a
building’s energy balance via integration of
active technology into the facade. Though
not yet adopted into mainstream use in the
U.S., their promising use overseas and the
potential researchers are uncovering could
bring about constructive changes.
Because buildings account for 40 percent
of global energy consumption, informed and
responsible architects, engineers, and own-
ers recognize that every measure that can
enhance their energy performance is worth
considering. An adaptive facade not only
can aid in controlling solar energy input
180 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
but in some cases can transform sunlight
and rainwater from adversarial elements to
useful resources. In a three-tier approach to
energy efficiency (load reduction, passive
systems such as shading, and active energy-
harvesting systems), adaptive facades can
address at least the second and third of these
strategies (Lechner 2008), and in certain
cases all three. Generating at least some
of a building’s power locally, rather than
relying on transmission lines, also carries
the promise of mitigating the power-grid
inefficiencies that hinder decarbonization
efforts on every scale.
An envelope that not only conserves
energy but harvests it can function as an
active organ within the building-organism,
as the leaves or petals of plants or the skin of
humans and other animals process sunlight
in their different ways. This biological
metaphor, viewing a building as an organic
system and its facade as resembling a living
skin, membrane, or botanical component
more than an inert shell, can in some cases
CONTINUING EDUCATION
1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU
1 GBCI CE HOUR 1 PDH
Learning Objectives
After reading this article, you should
be able to:
1. Recognize properties of facade
innovations including organic materials,
building-integrated photovoltaics,
electrochromic and photochromic
glass, adaptive sunshading, and other
technologies that can both conserve
and harvest energy.
2. Demonstrate a working familiarity with
the professional context surrounding
these technologies, including factors
affecting their adoption and policies
that might amplify incentives toward
their use.
3. Identify several recent and
contemporary construction projects
that have used adaptive and energy-
harvesting facade technologies.
4. Understand the long-range
environmental effects of designing
and building with these facade
components.
To receive AIA credit, you are required to
read the entire article and pass the quiz.
Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
complete text and to take the quiz for free.
AIA COURSE #K2306F
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT THE ACTIVE ADAPTIVE FACADE

Photo © Christina Eisenbarth / ILEK

literalize the metaphor: increasing numbers
of advanced buildings have incorporated

CONTINUING EDUCATION
living materials into their facades, not only
emulating nature’s energy-transferring
processes but marshaling them directly in
the form of green facades or “biofacades”
(Bonham and Kim 2022; Patterson 2022).
Net zero remains an asymptotically
approachable ideal for some buildings while
becoming an increasingly realistic goal for
others (with the customary caveats about
calculations, questionable offsets, and
greenwashing). To date, most adaptive facade
systems help reduce a building’s energy
burden and carbon footprint incrementally
toward net zero, though certain proof-of-
concept projects demonstrate that crossing
the zero line and reaching net-positive energy
balance is possible, at least under research
conditions. There is no building category that
cannot benefit from analysis and upgrade of
its facade's energy management: retrofitting
an existing building with an active envelope
reduces the waste of embodied energy and
carbon involved in demolition, while design-
ing a new building with its energy profile
included in the planning from the early stages The pneumatically actuated origami sun shading (PAOSS) facade system, a research work by
ensures that the facade and other components the Institut für Leichtbau Entwerfen und Konstruieren (ILEK), uses folding textile elements
add up to a purposefully integrated system. incorporated within cushions of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE).
The relevant terms and philosophies
proliferate (active facades, adaptive facades,
smart facades, green facades, net zero, Passive at the intersection of engineering and design. Zero” (buildings with zero emissions, zero
House/Passivhaus, Aktivhaus, and others), “We can no longer afford to just build the energy, and zero waste generated), with the
yet the common goal is clear: to improve on way that we used to—to just build the way goal of moving beyond Passivhaus efficiency
the practices that have made too much of the that we know because it’s faster or because standards so that a building becomes an
American built environment a profligate user they may be perceived as cheaper, because energy-producing Aktivhaus.
of resources, an intensifier of the urban heat- resources are running out.” Methods of decreasing a building’s
island effect, and a contributor to buildings’ Oliva emphasizes a specific definition of dependence on the external power grid
share of global energy consumption. the challenge: it involves reduced reliance on through local energy harvesting include a
Some specialists in advanced facades fossil-fuel-based energy systems, not energy technology that has become broadly familiar,
recommend that the design, engineering, use generally, and it requires a close degree rooftop-mounted photovoltaic (PV) cells.
and construction fields rethink assumptions of collaboration between architects and The amount of available roof area limits their
that are long overdue for drastic change. engineers. “We’re not running out of energy,” contribution, however, particularly in urban
Professionals working in the transition area she says. “We’re running out of resources. settings; some buildings manage to gather
between research and day-to-day practice The sun is still there. It’ll be there for a very low-hanging fruit by extending PVs to the
advocate fundamental reconception, not long time. So if we use the right sources of larger surface area of the exterior envelope.
maintenance of a steady state, given the energy, we will not run out of that, but the
growth in world populations, the proportion problem is, we’re using resources that are
of urban residents, and the demands for new getting depleted, and that very soon will put Bill Millard is a New York-based journalist who
housing, transportation, and infrastructure. us in a position where we can no longer afford has contributed to Architectural Record, The
“Sustainability is no longer an option,” says to live here.” Her firm’s work on lightweight Architect's Newspaper, Oculus, Architect, Annals
Enrica Oliva, COO and partner of Werner and adaptive structures is guided by a concept of Emergency Medicine, OMA’s Content, and other
Sobek New York (WSNY), a pioneering firm that its founder Sobek defines as “Triple publications.

The Ornamental Metal Institute of New York is a not-for-profit association created to advance the interests
of the architectural, ornamental, and miscellaneous metal industries by helping architects, engineers, devel-
opers, and construction managers transform designs into reality.

181

CONTINUING EDUCATION
Photo courtesy of Pulp Studio
Designing with
Architectural
Decorative Glass
Options, technology, fabrication
techniques, and performance
Sponsored by Pulp Studio | By Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP
F
ew building materials have as great an
impact on aesthetics, performance,
and function as glass does. Yet, not
all the different types of glass and their
potential for being fabricated into different
architectural components are as well-known
as they could be. This course provides ar-
chitects and other design professionals with
an overview of the full range of possibilities
available from glass manufacturers and
fabricators. The intent is to provide a funda-
mental knowledge of glass manufacturing
and fabrication as used in buildings. In the
process, a design palette emerges based on
architectural decorative glass that can help
to create buildings that excel in all areas of
182 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
design and performance. The principles and
concepts covered are applicable to both new
and existing building designs.
GLASS OVERVIEW
Architects have been using glass in inno-
vative ways for decades, in a wide variety
of ways, since glass is recognized as being
infinitely changeable and functional in
design spaces. As a result, manufacturers
and fabricators have been pushing the limits
of glass technology to reveal its exceptional
properties for decoration, energy savings,
and functional uses for interiors, exteriors,
and public spaces. Glass can help create an
energy-saving facade with opportunities for
Architectural decorative
glass is a versatile and
varied set of products
that can be used to
enhance design in a wide
variety of applications
and building types.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
1 AIA LU/HSW
Learning Objectives
0.1 ICC CEU
After reading this article, you should
be able to:
1. Identify and recognize the
characteristics of different types of
architectural glass and some of the
national safety performance standards
that are applicable.
2. Investigate the design potential and
innovative opportunities to create
building exteriors and interiors that
are safe and attractive using glass
technology.
3. Assess the fabrication options of
architectural glass to contribute to the
welfare of building occupants through
light and artistic applications.
4. Specify different appearances, textures,
and properties for architectural glass
for use in new and existing commercial
buildings of all types.
To receive AIA credit, you are required to
read the entire article and pass the quiz.
Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
complete text and to take the quiz for free.
AIA COURSE #K2306D
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
bringing daylight and views into a building.
The range of visual choices means that it can
be used to enhance the aesthetic appearance
of the built environment. In some cases, it is
also strong enough to use for safety consider-
ations, such as guard rails or balustrades. As
an interior design element, it can be fabri-
cated with complex curves, polished edges,
and stunning digital graphics that complete
the visual story of a space with the potential
for privacy or transparency as desired. Some
glass even provides fire safety possibilities
based on its makeup.
Trends in Glass and Glazing
Design professionals currently have access
to an expansive array of different glazing
products with different performance and
design options. Computerized design coupled
with performance modeling have facilitated
the refinement of architectural glass being
incorporated into buildings for appearance,
performance, and benefit to occupants. The
outcomes have been increasingly advanced
and efficient solutions.
In recent years, glass manufacturers have
been asked to respond to the needs of owners
and architects to provide new and higher
performing glass and glazing products to suit a
range of design trends. While exterior glass has
needed to respond to thermal energy concerns,
interior architectural glass has been sought
for a full range of design applications where
thermal concerns aren’t an issue. For example,
architectural glass has become a primary sur-
face to add imagery such as signage, artwork,
wayfinding, and displays. Similarly, glass has
become a design element unto itself with clear,
patterned, opaque, or textured surfaces that
are used for partitions, balustrades, feature
walls, and other design elements. Of course,
larger glass sizes are sometimes required for
these applications, meaning that thickened
glass may be necessary to maintain appropri-
ate deflection control. Additionally, the use of
bent glass has been increasing to help to deliver
architectural design objectives. Current tech-
nology allows for that without compromising
the structural integrity of the glass.
The Significance of Daylighting
Another significant trend is daylighting in
buildings, which refers to the illumination of
Founded in 1996, Pulp Studio passionately advocates for the creative use of glass as a building element. From the begin-
ning, the brand’s defining mission is to fill the void in the market for innovative uses of glass in interior and facade proj-
ects. Pulp Studio combines technical prowess with design sensibility; creating products that reside at the intersection of
fashion and function. www.pulpstudio.com
DESIGNING WITH ARCHITECTURAL DECORATIVE GLASS
Glass is used extensively in buildings to achieve different objectives, design intents, and
performance requirements.
buildings by natural sunlight. In an era in
which we have become accustomed to electric
lighting, it is easy to forget that for most of
the history of buildings, natural daylighting
was a critical influence on architectural form.
The central elements involved in daylight-
ing strategies have been–and continue to–be
windows, skylights, and other openings
in the exterior. It can also include interior
architectural components that allow light
to pass through instead of being opaque. If
translucent glass is used, the daylight can be
diffused, and glare may be avoided.
People have always been naturally
attracted to light. Beyond its innate lure,
numerous independent scientific studies
have proven that daylighting is strongly
correlated with substantial improvements
in human health and performance. These
benefits are fundamentally attributed to
the visually invigorating and productive
environments provided by natural light.
Daylighting can also benefit building
operations. From an energy use standpoint,
natural daylighting may be able to replace
electric lighting used within buildings for
70-80 percent of daylight hours, correlat-
ing with lower energy costs and reduced
pollution from fossil fuel-based power
plants. For buildings with air condition-
ing, reduced electrical lighting creates
less internal heat, further lowering energy
costs. Daylight can have other operational
benefits, too. For example, glass skylights
at the Union Square BART Station in San
Francisco offers a functional walking
surface above ground and a safe space
below that allows so much daylight that it
doesn’t feel like it’s below ground.
Photo courtesy of Pulp Studio
CONTINUING EDUCATION
GLASS MANUFACTURING
Recognizing the ongoing and varied need
for glass in buildings, we turn our attention
now to the basic processes for manufacturing
different types of glass. The main ingredi-
ent of glass is SiO2 (silica sand), which is a
naturally occurring material. Hence, it is not
surprising to learn that glass was discovered
in ancient times in settings where SiO2 was
subjected to high heat, such as a lightning
strike, volcano, or very hot fires as used in
the bronze age. As people started to inten-
tionally create glass, a predominant technol-
ogy was to use molten SiO2 to create a sheet
of glass, or other shapes (i.e., for jewelry,
containers, tools, etc.). As the notion of using
glass in buildings for windows developed,
hot sheets of glass were moved along rollers
which created imperfections in the surface
of the glass. If optical clarity was needed,
then the glass would need to be ground and
polished to produce parallel surfaces.
During the 1950s, Sir Alastair Pilkington
and Kenneth Bickerstaff of the UK's
Pilkington Brothers developed technology
to create optically superior glass. In their
process, a continuous ribbon of molten glass
flows over a molten tin bath unhindered by
the influence of gravity. The top surface of
the glass is then subjected to nitrogen under
pressure to obtain a polished finish.
Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP is
a nationally known architect and a prolific author
advancing better building design through the in-
novative use of glass. www.pjaarch.com
www.linkedin.com/in/pjaarch
183

CONTINUING EDUCATION
All photos courtesy of Infinity Drain
Universal Design
Incorporating Architectural
Linear Drains
Designing buildings and spaces for all
people, with or without disabilities
Sponsored by Infinity Drain | By Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP
T
he discussion of accessible design has
moved beyond just meeting code and
ADA requirements and into a broader
sense of designing buildings that are inclu-
sive for all people across all ages and ability
levels without the need for substantial build-
ing modifications. This concept, referred to
as Universal Design, has caught on in many
situations to make life easier, healthier, and
friendlier for all people. One component of
Universal Design is to incorporate building
features that accomplish the functional goals
but blend in aesthetically so as not to be seen
as distinct or separate items just for people
with disabilities. In this course, these prin-
ciples of Universal Design will be explored
184 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
People of all ability levels need to access
strives at the broadest level, to address
in general and by looking at specific different
building types where they can be readily
applied. In particular, architectural linear, or
decorative drainage solutions are reviewed
as examples of a needed building component
that can be readily incorporated to address
all these situations.
PRINCIPLES OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN
The commonly accepted definition of
Universal Design is "a process that enables
and empowers a diverse population by
improving human performance, health and
wellness, and social participation" (Steinfeld
and Maisel, 2012). In the context of building
design, it means that all aspects of a building
and use buildings. Universal Design
designing for diversity and equity.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU
1 IDCEC CEU/HSW
Learning Objectives
After reading this article, you should
be able to:
1. Identify and recognize the differences
between accessible design and
universal design to provide safety and
accessibility in different building types.
2. Investigate the types of integrated
drainage systems that create well-
drained paths of travel and interior
spaces, so they are attractive, fully
accessible, and safe.
3. Assess effective ways to provide
universal design with integral drainage
systems for floors, balconies, terraces,
bathrooms, showers, and other spaces.
4. Recognize how the principles
described in this course are applied
to specific building types through
project example case studies.
To receive AIA credit, you are required to
read the entire article and pass the quiz.
Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
complete text and to take the quiz for free.
AIA COURSE #K2306E
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
are universally usable by all people.
The concept of Universal Design has been
developed over the past several decades by
many different design and research groups.
According to the Whole Building Design
Guide (WBDG) from the National Institute
of Building Sciences (NIBS) “The 'Principles
of Universal Design' were developed by a
team of U.S. experts organized by the Center
on Universal Design at North Carolina State
University in the 1990's. Accompanied by
a set of guidelines for each Principle, they
were a valuable tool for clarifying Universal
Design for early adopters.” The seven
Principles that were developed are:
• Equitable Use for all people of all ability
levels
• Flexibility in Use of features and spaces
• Simple and Intuitive design
• Perceptible Information
• Tolerance for Error by the building users
• Low Physical Effort for any feature
• Size and Space for Approach and Use is
adequate and functional.
Universal Design, based on meeting
the principles above, has been contrasted
with Accessible Design, which addresses
specific accessibility requirements in a more
prescriptive manner. The fundamental dif-
ference is that Universal Design is intended
to provide building features that blend in
and don’t require extra cost or separate
design solutions for able-bodied and disabled
people. Some examples of this include:
• Building Access Accessible buildings
commonly include an entry with a
ramp at the side that is out of the way
for visitors who need it but meets code
requirements. Universal Design would
more commonly incorporate a no-step
building entry that everyone can use
easily and together, eliminating the need
for a separate ramp.
• Space Designs A custom-designed
accessible home may be based on an
existing floor plan and layout but requires
additional costs for redesign and custom
construction details in specific spaces
such as bathrooms, kitchens, entries,
etc. A universally designed home should
Infinity Drain is the leading manufacturer of premium quality decorative and architectural drains. Innovations such
as the Site Sizeable™ linear drain are ideal for residential and commercial applications. Proudly made in the USA.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN INCORPORATING ARCHITECTURAL LINEAR DRAINS
incorporate features usable by all into the
normal components of a home without
CONTINUING EDUCATION
needing to identify separate or extra
“accessibility costs.”
• Full Building Design Often, only a
portion of a building is considered for full
accessibility, such as a hotel that has only
the code-required percentage of accessible
rooms. By contrast, a hotel that has 100
percent universally designed rooms in a
variety of types would be consistent with
the principles of Universal Design.
In short, Universal Design makes life
easier, healthier, and friendlier for all, with de-
sign features that allow everyone to use them.
It also reduces any social stigma by putting
people with disabilities on an equal playing
field with everyone else. For building owners,
it reduces the economic burden of separate
or special building features to accommodate
users with universally addressable needs.
Providing no-step access between building
Applying Universal Design interiors and balconies or terraces with re-
For the most part, incorporating Universal cessed water drainage is one way that Univer-
Design into buildings has been the task of the sal Design can make life easier for everyone,
individual design professionals involved in regardless of ability level.
a project. However, in 2018, the “innovative
solutions for Universal Design” (isUD) pro-
gram was launched. This program was de- healthcare, transportation, and
veloped at the University at Buffalo's Center other buildings that provide resources to
for Inclusive Design and Environmental society. Universal Design is particularly
Access, School of Architecture and Planning. appropriate in the context of design for
A multidisciplinary group of experts has low-income minority groups, which
worked together to create more than 500 often have higher rates of disability than
Universal Design solutions related to the general population.
commercial buildings. As such, this resource • Workplace: Universal Design is
facilitates integrating Universal Design at all becoming more critical in workplace
stages of a project. (Information available at environments for a variety of reasons.
https://thisisUD.com). First, a low level of unemployment often
With tools like isUD and others, archi- means that older workers and those with
tects and the broader community of design disabilities are more prevalent in more
professionals can address implementation workplaces and can be direct beneficia-
of the Universal Design principles in several ries of Universal Design.
settings, including:
• Social Justice: While initially focused
on disability rights, Universal Design
has been used to focus on many civil Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP is
rights issues since design for diversity a nationally known architect and a prolific author
is concerned with social justice for all. advancing equal access to buildings through better
Universal Design can therefore be used design. www.pjaarch.com www.linkedin.com/
to support access to housing, education, in/pjaarch
185

CONTINUING EDUCATION
Photo courtesy of Excel Dryer
3 Keys to Commercial
Restroom Design: Safety,
Sustainability, and Savings
Sponsored by Excel Dryer | By Kathy Price-Robinson
P
erception of building quality can
hinge on the restroom. When
comparing the square footage of
commercial restrooms to the total square
footage of a building, the impact of the space
far exceeds its relative size. What words
come to mind regarding the last commercial
restroom visited? Was it dirty or clean?
Cramped or comfortable? Outdated or
modern? Wasteful or sustainable? Danger-
ous or safe? Much depends on the features
and amenities provided as well as the level
of maintenance. The Covid-19 pandemic
thrust the safety of restrooms into sharper
focus. This course helps architects consider
what it takes to create sustainable and safe
186 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
restrooms, with a focus on hand-washing,
without breaking the bank.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
COMMERCIAL RESTROOMS
Restrooms cannot be an afterthought when
designing commercial buildings. While they
typically only take up 5 percent of a build-
ing's total square footage, they have outsized
importance. For instance, according to the
American Institute of Cleaning Sciences,
they account for:
• 40% of the building's whole soil level.
• 50% of occupant complaints.
• 20% of the total labor budget.1
An integrated system with
a touchless faucet and hand
dryer in one assembly produces
no paper waste and minimizes
movement around the restroom
in a post-pandemic world.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU
Learning Objectives
After reading this article, you should
be able to:
1. Discuss the role that commercial
restrooms play in supporting
occupant health and well-being.
2. Identify key safety considerations
within commercial restrooms to
protect building occupants.
3. Describe sustainability considerations
within commercial restrooms.
4. Define opportunities for cost
savings when designing commercial
restrooms.
5. Discuss case studies of well-designed
commercial bathrooms.
To receive AIA credit, you are required to
read the entire article and pass the quiz.
Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
complete text and to take the quiz for free.
AIA COURSE #K2305X
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT 3 KEYS TO COMMERCIAL RESTROOM DESIGN: SAFETY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND SAVINGS

Photo courtesy of Excel Dryer

The overall mindset around hygiene is
changing—making clean public restrooms

CONTINUING EDUCATION
more important than ever before. Survey
experts MetrixLab conducted a survey in the
United States over one week in August 2022.1
The sample included 1,000 respondents, with
a mix of adult men and women who had used
a public restroom over the past six months.
The survey resulted in several interest-
ing takeaways regarding consumer habits,
personal hygiene, and public restroom
preferences.
First, nearly 75 percent of consumers
wash their hands three to 10 times a day.

• 21% wash hands three to four times a day

• 30% wash hands five to six times per day
• 23% wash hands seven to 10 times a day

Second, the majority of consumers have

used a public restroom in the past month.
Third, restaurants are by far the most
popular location for using public restrooms.
In a separate study conducted around
the same time, MetrixLab gathered data
from approximately 350 respondents with a This commercial restroom conveys cleanliness and safety with a row of touchless sink faucets
sampling of key stakeholders, including: and high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers.

• Architects/designers (96)
• Restaurant owners (101)
• Commercial facility managers (156)
When presented with nine restroom
features implemented since the beginning of
the Covid-19 pandemic, respondents selected
increased cleaning protocols and touch-free
technology as the biggest changes.
For designers, the focus on commercial
restrooms should incorporate occupant
safety, sustainability, and savings. This
course helps architects consider what it takes
to create quality commercial restrooms, with
a particular focus on hand-washing, without
breaking the bank.
Factors That Impact
Commercial Restroom Design
These are the primary considerations that
impact commercial restroom design and the
questions that should be asked.
Occupants
• How many people will use the restrooms?
• Are there any gender-specific consider-
ations among the anticipated users (i.e.,
gender-specific dormitories or locker
rooms)?
• How will people use the space? Consider
the broader context of the area. People
use restrooms differently at an airport
than at a gym or a school.
• How will accessibility considerations
impact the space required, fixture size
and height, and accessories (such as grab
bars)? While all restrooms must be ADA-
compliant, restrooms in a senior living
facility will likely require more amenities
than those in an office building.
Budget
• What are the initial costs of the rest-
room? These include materials (building
materials, fixtures, and supplies), instal-
lation labor, and inspection fees.
• What are the ongoing costs of the
restroom? These include maintenance,
supplies, and cleaning.
Design Goals
• How do you want people to feel when
they enter the space?
• What are the sustainability goals for the
building, including third-party certifica-
tions, such as LEED, WELL, TRUE Zero
Waste, and others?
Maintenance Considerations
• How durable are the fixtures and materi-
als used in the restroom?
• How easy are the fixtures and materials
to clean?
• How many required touchpoints are in
the space?
• Note: The more touchpoints there are,
the more frequent cleaning and disinfec-
tion are needed.
Kathy Price-Robinson is a nationally known remod-
eling and construction writer. Her award-winning
remodeling series titled Pardon Our Dust ran 12 years
in the Los Angeles Times. www.kathyprice.com.

Excel Dryer manufactures American-made, efficient hand dryers, including their XLERATOR® product line, to provide a hygienic rest-
room environment. More recently, they introduced the XLERATORsync® hand dryer, which allows touchless hand washing and drying
all in one place for the ultimate user experience.

187

CONTINUING EDUCATION
Photo courtesy of WATTS Water Technologies
The efficient use of water in buildings is a
premise of any sustainable building. Monitoring
water use and controlling for any potential
leakage is key to long-term performance.
Controlling Water Use
in Sustainable Buildings
Monitoring water flow in all areas of a
building helps improve water efficiency
Sponsored by WATTS Water Technologies
By Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP
W
ater is needed in commercial
buildings for a variety of reasons.
People require it for drinking
while some is also needed for sanitation.
Building systems require additional water,
particularly for hydronic heating and
cooling systems or for landscape irrigation.
As long as water is properly contained and
channeled in all of these systems, then it
can be used efficiently consistent with water
conservation standards. However, if a leak
or some other malfunction occurs, then
water is wasted or can cause damage. This
is a particular concern in green building
design where the use of water is intended
to be monitored and controlled. In fact, the
LEED Rating System from the U.S. Green
Building Council recognizes water efficiency
as one of the primary categories of effec-
tive green building design. Based on all the
foregoing, this course looks at the issue of
water leaks and the related water waste and
potential damage concerns. It also reviews
188 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
some of the traditional means to safeguard
against water leakage by using several types
of detection systems. The latest technology
of using a wireless leak detection system is
explored and compared to other systems to
help design professionals make decisions on
specifying the most appropriate and sustain-
able system for commercial buildings.
THE ISSUE: EXCESSIVE USE OF WATER
Water is increasingly recognized as a pre-
cious commodity, with scarcity of supply a
growing concern in many regions. Since it
is a necessity for life and needed for many
building operations, it is appropriate to look
more closely at where that water is being
used. According to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), water is typically
consumed for the following multiple pur-
poses in commercial buildings:
• Restrooms/drinking–an average of 37
percent of total use
CONTINUING EDUCATION
1 AIA LU/HSW
1 GBCI CE HOUR
0.1 ICC CEU
Learning Objectives
After reading this article, you should
be able to:
1. Recognize why water efficiency is a
critical concern in green commercial
buildings of all types related to the
safety and health and welfare of
occupants.
2. Identify the LEED water efficiency
criteria for prerequisite requirements
and credit opportunities for
environmentally conscious design.
3. Describe different types of leak
detection systems intended to assure
water efficiency during building
operations while protecting people
and property.
4. Explore wireless leak detection
systems in commercial buildings
based on attributes and options for
greater efficiency, enhanced human
safety, and health.
To receive AIA credit, you are required to
read the entire article and pass the quiz.
Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
complete text and to take the quiz for free.
AIA COURSE #K2306H
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
• Cooling and heating–an average of 28
percent of total use
• Landscape watering–an average of 22
percent of total use
• Kitchen / dishwashing–an average of 13
percent of total use
All these water uses need systems that
provide water in a manner that is efficient,
meaning they only use the appropriate
amount of water when and where it is
needed. Systems that waste water by using
too much for the intended purpose are less
sustainable and can end up being costly over
time. Some of the approaches to prevent
excessive water use include:
• Conservation efforts that use intentional
design efforts to reduce or eliminate water
usage.
• Specifying equipment and systems that
use water as efficiently as possible within
those systems.
• Setting up a means to monitor ongoing
water usage within a building or facility.
• Incorporating a system to detect and
respond to water leaks, unusual water
consumption, or excessive water flow.
Any of these strategies can be applied to
any of the water usage categories described
by EPA.
Leaking Water
According to the insurance industry, water
damage is the number one cause of property
loss claims in commercial buildings by a
significant margin. On average, 57 percent
of all real estate insurance claims made are
for water damage, leaving only 43 percent for
everything else. The bigger picture reality is
that water leaks happen all the time and in
almost every building. That means that even
the most efficient designs for water systems
can be severely compromised if a leak devel-
ops while the building is operating, and the
chances are high that it will.
The significance of water leaks should not
be underestimated, since several unintended
outcomes come about:
• Water efficiency and conservation is
completely undermined if a plumbing
system develops undetected water leaks
that go on over time.
• Water leaks can cause severe damage not
only to building finishes, systems, and even
the structure, but also to building contents
as well such as machinery, equipment,
CONTROLLING WATER USE IN SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS
An undetected water leak not only destroys water efficiency, it can cause considerable
damage to a building, interrupt building operations, and create potentially unsafe indoor
environments for occupants.
furniture, records, computers, etc.
• People can be directly impacted not just
by getting wet, but water leaks cause mold
to grow, which can directly impact human
health and indoor environmental quality.
Not only do building owners need to be
aware of the potential for water leaks, but
so do design professionals as part of their
firm’s risk management strategy. That is
because the longer it takes to discover a leak,
the higher the costs can be and the higher
potential for liability. The longer water leaks
out, the bigger the cleanup will be, business
or other operations may be disrupted, and
the health of building users or tenants may
suffer. And as noted, excessive water leakage
is clearly not sustainable, undoing any efforts
during design in that regard.
While any building could suffer from
water leaks, some circumstances can carry
increased risk:
• Newly constructed buildings, which need
to go through a start-up and commis-
sioning period to find and detect any
plumbing issues.
• Aging buildings (i.e., more than 20
years old) may have plumbing parts or
components that are wearing out.
• Buildings with raised floors which can
conceal inconsistencies in the plumbing.
• Buildings that experience extreme
Photo courtesy of WATTS Water Technologies
CONTINUING EDUCATION
seasonal weather, causing expansion and
contraction of the piping system.
• Medical related buildings with extensive
plumbing/piping systems located near
sensitive and expensive equipment or
near the storage of irreplaceable medical
samples.
• Multi-floor buildings with tenants above
and below each other with multiple
sources of water on each floor.
Design professionals engaged in any of
these higher risk types of buildings should
certainly pay careful attention to the poten-
tial for water leakage from the plumbing and
drainage systems and the means to address it.
LEED AND WATER EFFICIENCY (WE)
The LEED Green Building Rating System
developed by the U.S. Green Building
Council is the most recognized voluntary
standard for determining the sustainability
of a building. Among its various versions
and building types, water efficiency has
always been a prominent category. LEED
version 4 is the current standard with LEED
4.1 available as a Beta pilot. Depending
on the building type, 11 or 12 points are
available for water efficiency out of a total
possible point total of 110–a full 10 percent
of the possible point total. To achieve these
points, there are three prerequisite require-
ments and four credit opportunities.
189
 CONTROLLING WATER USE IN SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS
Photo courtesy of USGBC
CONTINUING EDUCATION
LEED version 4.1 maintains the same water
efficiency criteria as previous versions with
clarifications for different building types.
Water Efficiency (WE) Prerequisites
Prerequisites in LEED are used to set mini-
mum baselines for performance. In the case
of water efficiency, three areas are addressed.
• Outdoor Water Use Reduction LEED
recognizes that water is often used
on building exteriors for things like
irrigation of planted materials or lawns.
The stated intent of this prerequisite is “to
reduce outdoor potable water consump-
tion and preserve no and low-cost potable
water resources.” The requirements are
to show a basic effort to either eliminate
any need for irrigation or to reduce the
amount of irrigation needed by at least 30
percent compared to a calculated baseline
for the site’s peak watering month. Tactics
include selection of plants that need less
water and irrigation system efficiency.
• Indoor Water Use Reduction The intent
of this prerequisite is to similarly reduce
water consumption, but inside the
building in this case, and preserve potable
water resources. At a minimum, aggregate
water consumption must be reduced by
20 percent compared to baseline require-
ments. Further, all newly installed plumb-
ing fixtures need to be labeled under the
EPA “Water Sense” program or a similar
applicable program for efficiency.
• Building-Level Water Metering It may be
surprising for some to learn that certain
areas of the country don’t use or require
190 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
water meters to be installed in a building.
Utility based water usage charges are calcu-
lated in a different manner. LEED therefore
requires in this prerequisite that a building
level water meter is installed to provide the
bulk total water usage of the building and
related grounds. Further, if the building
becomes LEED certified, then the owner
agrees to provide the bulk water usage data
(monthly and annual) for a five-year period
from certification or occupancy.
Once these three prerequisites are
satisfied, then earning points through water
efficiency credits becomes possible.
Water Efficiency (WE)
Credit Opportunities
There are four possible credit categories
here–three extend the prerequisite levels of ef-
ficiency and one addresses process water use.
• Outdoor Water Use Reduction In order to
earn points in this credit, there are simi-
larly two options as in the prerequisite.
First, if it can be demonstrated that the
landscape does not require a permanent
irrigation system beyond a maximum
two-year establishment period, then 1-3
points are possible depending on building
type. Second, if an irrigation system is
used, but it can be demonstrated that the
landscape water requirement (LWR) is
reduced by at least 50 percent (i.e., more
than the minimum prerequisite require-
ment of 30 percent), then 1 point can be
earned. If reductions of 75 or 100 percent
are shown, then additional points can be
earned up to 3 total.
• Indoor Water Use Reduction In order to
earn this credit, additional fixture and
fitting water-use reductions compared to
the baseline calculation must be dem-
onstrated beyond the 20 percent prereq-
uisite. Essentially, one point is awarded
for every additional 5 percent reduction
above 20 percent; up to 5 or 6 points for
buildings that achieve up to 45 or 50
percent water use reduction. Exemplary
performance (potentially eligible for an
innovation credit) requires at least a 55
percent reduction. Some building types
require some additional equipment
documentation for efficiency.
• Optimize Process Water Use The intent
behind this credit is to conserve water
used for mechanical processes while
also controlling corrosion and scale.
There are three options to demonstrate
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
performance for this credit, all of which
rely on sustainability focused engineering
design. The first option is for cooling
towers and evaporative condensers based
on a one-time potable water analysis
in the system compared to five control
parameters. In addition, controlling the
number of cooling tower cycles and/or
using recycled water in the system needs
to be addressed. The second option is
based on optimizing water use for cooling
by comparing actual water use reduction
to an engineered baseline. The third op-
tion allows the use of recycled alternative
water to meet 20 or 30 percent of the
water demand for the system. For any of
the options selected, 1, 2, or 3 points can
be earned depending on the degree of
performance and the building type.
• Sub-System Water Metering LEED
recognizes that it is difficult to measure
your water use, let alone conserve it, if you
cannot track it in real time. Relying on the
municipal water meter to track water usage
is not enough, because it’s a bulk building
measure and usually only offers historical
data. Therefore, this credit is available for
any building design that includes perma-
nent water meters for at least 80 percent
of two or more water subsystems as may
be applicable to a project. That includes
irrigation, indoor plumbing fixtures and
fittings, domestic water heaters, boil-
ers, reclaimed water, and other process
water. Particularly important for LEED
Operations and Management (O+M), it
is pointed out that, “Submetering water
subsystems helps facility managers track
changes in water usage over time and
provides the data necessary to identify
opportunities for water savings by end use,
which may help improve a project’s water
performance score. Submetering is a vital
component of a successful water manage-
ment program; metered data enables
monitoring of consumption and costs as
well as progress reporting throughout the
building life cycle.”
Clearly, there is a multifaceted approach
in LEED to help achieve water efficiency
in buildings and conserve natural water
resources.
WATER MONITORING
AND METERING SOLUTIONS
To address water efficiency and sustainability
goals, determining a baseline water use for a
building and its subsystems is the first step.
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
That data can identify the normal or sustain-
able levels of water usage over time. Reducing
water usage by detecting leaks and shutting off
unusual flow helps to assure that water is not
inadvertently wasted or that other associated
problems arise. If a water leak does occur
in a building, then someone needs to know
about it quickly so that the water flow can be
stopped and the problem repaired. There are
several common approaches to address this as
discussed in the following sections.
Stand-Alone Water Sensors
Simple visual or auditory observation by
users or maintenance staff in commercial
buildings is the most basic, but obviously
the most unreliable, method of detecting a
water leak. That is because leaks can happen
even when the building is not occupied or
when maintenance staff are off duty. Even
if the building is occupied, people may not
be near the location where the leak occurs
(e.g., mechanical rooms, etc.) If the leak is
seen, then some people may not recognize
it as a problem, assuming that it is a normal
maintenance or cleaning activity.
A better method over simple observation
is to have a device available that triggers an
audible alarm if a leak occurs, much like a
smoke alarm alerts people to that hazard.
Water alarms, sometimes called “screamers,”
are inexpensive point sensors that are placed
on the floor–if they detect water, then they
sound an alarm or “scream.” These alarms
use 1980s technology and are stand-alone
devices, i.e., they are not connected either
to each other or to any other monitoring
system. They obviously are only effective
if someone is within earshot to hear it,
understands what it is for, and can act on it.
Hence, these qualities make them suitable
for single-family residential use but not as
well-suited for commercial use.
More up-to-date water leak sensors are
electronic and attach wirelessly to a larger
leak monitoring system. In that situation,
they are well suited to commercial building
systems that incorporate a total, coordinated,
wireless solution. However, it is important to
recognize that not all leak detection and no-
tification systems are the same. For example,
if the system only sends a text or email, the
recipient may overlook that notification,
especially if it occurs at night. Systems that
Watts is a global leader in the design and manufacture of innovative water solutions for residential, commercial, and institu-
tional environments. Products include an extensive line of flow control, filtration, and treatment products for water quality,
and residential plumbing & heating. Founded in 1874, Watts is headquartered in North Andover, Mass.
CONTROLLING WATER USE IN SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS
There are distinct types of flow meters which can either be invasive or noninvasive to the
existing plumbing system.
also initiate alarms and telephone calls are
obviously more likely to actually alert a
person who can respond.
Sensing Cables
Another common commercial building
solution is to use a sensing cable that can
sense water at any point along the wire or
an attached sensor. This approach normally
requires electrical power to each wire or sen-
sor, so that needs to be planned and designed
accordingly. While the cables can cover a large
area, if there is limited power, then additional
electrical wiring is needed which can be costly.
Therefore, they are mostly used in computer
server rooms and data centers where lots
of power and wiring are already available
and there is a need for extensive water leak
detection. Sensing cables can also be good
for placement in tight, hard-to-reach areas,
although once installed, they may be difficult
to maintain and access. They can be attached
to a stand-alone alarm or integrated as part of
a larger, wireless leak detection system.
Flow Metering
Another choice to detect a potential leak uses
a sensor on supply water piping to moni-
tor the flow in the amount of supply water.
The sensor is tracking for any unexpected
increase in the amount of water flowing over
time through the piping–a possible sign of
a leak in the line somewhere. The goal is to
sense water that is coming out of the pipe,
not just flowing through the pipe. However,
since it is only measuring water flow in a pip-
ing system, it does not locate where the leak
is occurring.
There are three types of flow sensing,
also called flow metering. The first type is
Photos courtesy of WATTS Water Technologies
CONTINUING EDUCATION
wrapped around an existing utility meter
and reads inflow to the building. This is a
noninvasive approach that keeps the existing
plumbing intact. The second type is wrapped
around, or ‘clamped-on’ a pipe, instead of
the meter and is similarly noninvasive. The
third type is installed as a submeter and
interrupts the pipe for the meter installation.
In terms of effectiveness, all three of
these flow meter types can detect a leak
significant enough to increase the water
flow in a building or a subsystem. However,
if there is only a slow drip, that would not
be readily detected by most meters unless it
can discern small changes in flow. In a typi-
cal 1.5-inch-diameter pipe, for example, the
flow meter needs to be extremely sensitive
to discern between 10 gallons per minute
(gpm) and a potentially damaging 10.05
gpm. The best ones to specify to perform
to an elevated level are “smart and wire-
lessly connected” as part of an overall leak
detection system and not just a stand-alone
piece of plumbing.
WIRELESS WATER LEAK
DETECTION SYSTEMS
The most up-to-date option for leak detec-
tion and water efficiency control is a wireless,
sensor-based system that connects individual
sensors and flow meters to a central com-
munication hub.
Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP is
a nationally known architect and a prolific author
advancing sustainable building performance
through better design. www.pjaarch.com
www.linkedin.com/in/pjaarch
191

Armstrong World Industries Living Lab
Location: Lancaster, Pa.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Photo courtesy of Armstrong Ceiling and Wall Solutions
Meeting Today’s Most
Stringent Sustainability
Standards
Healthy solutions, circular design, and
digitalization are keys to reducing embodied
carbon and waste in building environments
Sponsored by Armstrong Ceiling and Wall Solutions
T
his presentation provides specific
instruction for interior designers,
architects, and anyone who is choos-
ing and specifying materials. It includes
various strategies for optimization, outlines
sustainable construction practices, and
reviews ways to reduce embodied carbon on
your projects.
Sustainability should be a priority for
designers since a significant portion of
the embodied carbon in a new building
or a renovation comes from the material
decisions they make. Interior designers may
be responsible for emissions at least equal
to those associated with the structure and
Armstrong World Industries is a leader in the design and manufacture of innovative commercial ceiling and wall systems.
At home, at work, in healthcare facilities, classrooms, stores, and restaurants, Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Solutions offer
interior options that help create healthy, sustainable spaces that protect people and cultivate well-being and comfort so
they can be at their best. armstrongceilings.com/commercial
192 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
envelope of a building. Elements to consider
when addressing sustainability include the
design process, material considerations,
green building standards, and how materials
can contribute to meeting those standards,
and the optimization of layouts and parts
though digitalization and automation.
This presentation will offer spe-
cific instruction for specifying sustainable
materials and optimization to ensure that
current standards are met, sustainable
construction practices are retained, and
embodied carbon is minimized.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU
Learning Objectives
After viewing this presentation, you
should be able to:
1. List all the factors that contribute to
Indoor Environmental Quality.
2. Review complex sustainability criteria
for screening materials for your
projects.
3. Discover industry platforms to access
and specify material transparency.
4. Examine the current and future
environmental impacts of waste and
embodied carbon.
5. Explore how to deliver design
solutions to minimize the
environmental impact of projects.
6. Identify best practices for specifying
reclamation, healthy solutions, and
material optimization.
7. Discuss how digitalization is
revolutionizing sustainable design and
construction practices.
To receive AIA credit, you are required to
view the entire presentation and pass the
quiz. Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com
for the complete text and to take the quiz
for free.
AIA COURSE #K2305V
 ACADEMY
OF DIGITAL LEARNING
Focus On: Sustainability

Become an expert on Sustainability through Architectural

Record’s Academy of Digital Learning.

Upon successful completion of the Sustainability Academy,

you will earn 7 AIA LU/HSW + 1 AIA LU/Elective
+ 0.8 ICC CEU + 3 GBCI CE Hour + 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW
and a digital badge that demonstrates your mastery and
achievement.

Earn your digital badge and showcase your expertise!

CREDITS: 7 AIA LU/HSW + 1 AIA LU/Elective + 0.8 ICC CEU + 3 GBCI CE Hour + 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW

The steps the building community takes today will dramatically affect our planet
now and for future generations. With the worldwide push to reduce the effects
of climate change in full swing, architects find themselves at the forefront of
understanding and designing for sustainability in an increasing volatile world
… and the stakes have never been higher. Architects, as community leaders
and stewards of the environment, are rising to the challenge of designing to
improve the lives of people, communities, as well as our planet itself—all while
maintaining a project’s performance, economic, and design goals.

ce.architecturalrecord.com/academies/sustainability

Brought to you by
 Find these and many more available Lunch & Learn presentations at
ce.architecturalrecord.com/ee
BUILDING FOR NOW,
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
1 AIA LU/Elective
Presented by: Holcim (US) Inc.
ADA SIGNAGE: MASTERING
THE COMPLIANCE BASICS
1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 ADA State
Accessibility/Barrier-Free
Presented by: Inpro®
THE SOUND CONTROL
TOOLBOX FOR ARCHITECTS
1 AIA LU/HSW
Presented by: PABCO® Gypsum
INTEGRAL SHEATHING SOLUTIONS
FOR MULTI-FAMILY PROJECTS
1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 IIBEC CEH
Presented by: Georgia-Pacific
Building Products
COMPREHENSIVE HAND
HYGIENE DESIGN
1 AIA LU/HSW
Presented by: Vaask
SPEED IS THE NEW GREEN -
ADVANCED FUNDAMENTALS
FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE DOORS
1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 GBCI CE Hour
Presented by: Hörmann High
Performance Doors
ADVANCEMENTS IN CLADDING SUPPORT
SYSTEMS, DESIGN + PERFORMANCE
1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 GBCI CE Hour; 1 IIBEC CEH
Presented by: CLADIATOR
HIGH-PERFORMANCE FLOORING
FOR SPORTS, RECREATION, AND
FITNESS APPLICATIONS
1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW
Presented by: Ecore
 Super Wideck ®

Long-Spanning Roof and Floor Deck Ceiling Systems

Super Wideck can span up to 58 feet, making it ideal for a featured canopy, entrance, or
atrium application. When specified for interiors, a shade of white finish reflects natural
and artificial light, while the acoustical option can reduce reverberation. A high recycled
content may contribute to LEED® certification. Contact EPIC Metals for your next
entrance focal-point design.

877-696-3742 epicmetals.com

Product:
SW9 Mason Municipal Aquatics Center — Mason, Ohio Architect: Champlin — Dayton, Ohio
 THE MUSEUM
OF JEWISH
HERITAGE
NEW YORK, NY

OCTOBER 26, 2023

CREATIVITY+DESIGN+TECHNOLOGY

NEXT GENERATION
Plan to Attend Our Annual Full-Day Event
Join us October 26 at The Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York for
Architectural Record’s Innovation Conference. Don’t miss this
opportunity to earn continuing education credits and take advantage
of new, reduced pricing for 2023.
Architectural Record brings together key figures shaping the built
environment today and into the future. The 2023 Innovation Conference
will focus on a cohort of designers coming into their own in this period—
designing important cultural buildings and creative models for
housing and adaptive reuse, spearheading alternative approaches to
sustainability, and establishing new pedagogies. The projects presented
will highlight how shifting values, emerging technologies, and innovative
concepts are driving the future of design.
In addition to reduced pricing, registration options include:
• AIA Member Discount
• Reduced rate for Emerging Professionals
• Reduced rate for Students

CONTINUING EDUCATION PRODUCT GALLERY SUPPORTING

SPONSOR SPONSORS SPONSORS

WWW.ARINNOVATIONCONFERENCE.COM
 DATES & Events
Upcoming Exhibitions
Herzog & de Meuron
London
July 14–October 15, 2023
Founded in Basel over 40 years ago by Jacques
Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, the now global
firm is renowned for projects such as the Tate
Modern, Beijing’s Bird’s Nest National
Stadium, and 1111 Lincoln Road in Miami
Beach, Florida. The Royal Academy of
London presents an exhibition, curated in
close collaboration with the architects, that
explores the firm’s past, present, and future
works through digital experiences, models,
material samples, and prototypes. For more,
see royalacademy.org.uk.
Difference Machines: Technology and
Identity in Contemporary Art
Chicago
October 13–December 16, 2023
Wrightwood 659, a Tadao Ando–designed
arts and design center in Chicago’s Lincoln
Park neighborhood, is the final destination of
S I T E FU R N I S H I NGS
IMAGE: THOMASTEAL.COM
a traveling exhibition dedicated to the rela-
tionship between technology and those who
use it, originally shown at the Buffalo AKG
Art Museum last winter. Works by 16 con-
temporary artists explore the impact of digital
technologies on identity in the Internet age,
using both familiar and emerging technolo-
gies from software-based and Internet art to
animated videos, BioArt experiments, online
games, and 3D-printed sculptures. For more,
see wrightwood659.org
Ongoing Exhibitions
Steven Holl: Half Earth
Milan
Through July 14, 2023
A new exhibition of work by architect, artist,
and educator Steven Holl is on view at the
Antonia Jannone Disegni di Architettura
gallery. The show’s title is taken from the
ambitious conservation initiative of biologist
E.O. Wilson, which seeks to devote half of
the earth’s area to nature in order to stave off
the mass extinction of species, including
BIKE LOCKERS &
BURNSIDE BIKE CORRAL
MULTNOMAH UNIVERSITY
humans. Centered in the exhibition is Holl’s
“Edge of a City,” a series of preservation
studies that offer suggestions for restoring the
natural landscape on the edges of large Amer-
ican cities, including his “Spatial Retaining
Bars” (1989) for Phoenix and “Spiroid Sec-
tors” (1991) for Dallas. Also on display are
large-format watercolor drawings inspired by
John Cage’s ideas on chance-controlled cre-
ation. See antoniajannone.it.
Norman Foster
Paris
Through August 7, 2023
The Centre Pompidou presents the largest
retrospective so far dedicated to the prolific
career of Pritzker laureate Norman Foster.
The exhibition includes drawings, workbooks,
and prototypes of almost 100 projects from
the past six decades, including the Carré d’Art
in Nîmes, France (1993), the Hong Kong
International Airport (1998), and the Apple
Park in Cupertino, California (2017). See
centrepompidou.fr/en.
TWITTER
@HuntcoSupply
INSTAGRAM
@Huntco
LEARN MORE AT HUNTCO.COM
197
 DATES & Events
Iwan Baan: Prague Diary
Prague
Through August 20, 2023
On view at the Center for Architecture and
Metropolitan Planning is an exhibition show-
casing the work of Dutch architectural pho-
tographer and record contributor Iwan
Baan. Composed of images captured on a
seven-day trek through Prague, the exhibit
unfolds as Baan’s lens mediates the experience
of a new city through four geographical
themes: first contact, the center, the peripher-
ary, and natural scenery. See praha.camp/en/.
CAMPUS AULA: Educational
Architecture in Latin America
New York
Through September 2, 2023
Curated by Jeannette Plaut and Marcelo
Sarovic, cofounders of the Santiago,
Chile–based architectural platform
CONSTRUCTO, this exhibition at the
Center for Architecture explores nine new
higher-education projects in Latin America.
The featured projects, located in Brazil,
Superior energy savings.
Superior aesthetic appeal.
Ruskin® sun control sunshades offer both
energy-saving heat gain mitigation and a wide
variety of blade styles and configurations for a
pleasing appearance. Available in airfoil, “Z” blade,
tubular and egg crate styles, Ruskin sunshades
are constructed of extruded or formed aluminum
components for reduced weight and superior
corrosion resistance. Many sunshade models are also
available with a variety of PVDF or anodized finishes.
198 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023
Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, and
Peru, represent a rethinking of Modernist
conceptions of “campus” and aula (“class-
room”), with architects championing a more
open and inclusive approach to learning.
Accompanying the main exhibition, which
includes photography, models, drawings, and
diagrams, is an installation of 20 black-and-
white photos by Brazilian photographer
Leonardo Finotti of university projects, un-
derscoring the relationship between their
Modernist lineage and contemporary work.
See centerforarchitecture.org.
Warsaw 1945–1949: Rising from Rubble
Warsaw
Through September 3, 2023
The Museum of Warsaw presents an exhibi-
tion that reexamines the postwar rebuilding
of the city through a material lens, tracing the
collective process of transforming ruins into
rubble, and rubble into viable building mate-
rial over the first four years of reconstruction.
On display are over 500 material artifacts,
including fragments of sculptures and archi-
tecture, stove tiles and ceramics, demolition
bricks and concrete rubble, alongside docu-
mentary footage, photography, documents,
and artworks from the era. The historical
exhibition is complemented by contemporary
commentary on material reuse and recycling
from artists including Tymek Borowski,
Diana Lelonek, Antonina Gugała, and archi-
tecture studios CENTRALA and Archigrest.
See muzeumwarszawy.pl/en.
Gego: Measuring Infinity
New York
Through September 10, 2023
Trained as an architect at Germany’s Tech-
nische Hochschule of Stuttgart, Gertrud
Goldschmidt (1912–94) fled Nazi persecution
in 1939 for Venezuela, where she settled
permanently and became known as Gego.
Though little known outside of her adopted
country, Gego became an integral part of the
Modernist movement sweeping Latin Amer-
ica from the late 1950s through ’70s with her
kinetic sculptures, which she described as
“drawings without paper.” On view at the
ruskin.com
Guggenheim, this is the first major retrospec-
tive of Gego’s work in the United States since
2005. Nearly 200 works from her 50 years of
artistic production are displayed across five
ramps of the museum’s spiraling rotunda,
including sculptures, drawings, prints, and
textiles, as well as archival material and pho-
tographs of her installations and public works.
See guggenheim.org.
Web(s) of Life
London
Through September 10, 2023
Tomás Saraceno’s first solo exhibition in the
UK, on view at the Serpentine Galleries,
draws on the Argentinian multimedia artist’s
ongoing research into spiders: their behavior,
the architecture of their webs, and their
significance in human mythology and cul-
tural perception. Composed of artworks,
video, and interactive installations that extend
into the Serpentine’s grounds, the exhibition
partners with two of Saraceno’s other initia-
tives: Arachnophilia, an “interdisciplinary,
research-driven community of humans, spi-
ders, and their webs,” and the environmental-
activist collective Aerocene. For more, see
serpentinegalleries.org.
Concrete Dreams—And Other
Perspectives on 1970s Architecture
Helsinki
Through October 15, 2023
The Museum of Finnish Architecture presents
an exhibition exploring the architectural styles
and influences that characterized a formative
decade in the history of Finland’s architecture.
Featuring the work of several prominent archi-
tects, including Alvar Aalto, Reima Pietilä,
and Timo Penttilä, the exhibit contextualizes
the artistic production within the era’s eco-
nomics and politics, such as the beginnings of
the welfare state and rapid urban growth and
housing construction. See mfa.fi/en.
Wiener Werkstätte Salesroom 1904—
A Virtual Experience
Brtnice, Czechia
Through October 29, 2023
This traveling exhibition, currently hosted by
the Josef Hoffmann Museum, showcases the
work of the renowned Wiener Werkstätte, a
Vienna-based design collective—founded in
1903 by the graphic designer and painter
Koloman Moser, the architect Josef Hoff-
mann, and their patron, Fritz Waerndorfer—
that aimed to revolutionize the applied-arts
industry. Through a virtual recreation of the
Moser and Hoffman–designed salesroom in
1904, visitors can explore the Wiener Werk-
stätte’s pioneering designs—including furni-
ture, textiles, ceramics, and glassware—that
CRUSH™ it.
laid the foundation for future movements such
as the Bauhaus School. For more information,
see mak.at/en/brtnice.
Hot Cities: Lessons from Arab Architecture
Weil Am Rhein, Germany
Through November 5, 2023
The Vitra Design Museum presents a “travel-
ing archive” that explores the innovative and
sustainable design solutions developed by
architects in the Arab-speaking world in Crush™ PANELS ©2011 modularArts, Inc. U.S.
response to the region’s challenging climate.
Designed by the architecture studio Site
Practice and curated by urban geographers
Ahmed and Rashid bin Shabib, the exhibition
showcases a range of urban case studies and
projects that demonstrate how passive cooling
techniques, water-management systems, and
vernacular design can create livable spaces in
hot and arid environments, inviting visitors to
explore the historical and contemporary
modulararts.com
contexts of Arab architecture and learn from
the lessons it offers. For more information, see
design-museum.de/en.
Radical City inc.
Amsterdam
Through December 8, 2023
The first part of an evolving exhibition dedi- Crush™ PANELS ©2011 modularArts, Inc. U.S.
cated to new ideas for sustainable cities is at
the Transnatural, a nonprofit platform that
explores the merging of art and design with
nature and technology. Radical City inc.,
which also is presenting a performance pro-
gram and an installation at Dutch Design
Week, brings together designers and archi-
tects challenging “conservative notions of city
life and [exploring] different routes to a new,
future-oriented urban landscape.” This exhi-
bition features the work of an interdisciplinary
group of designers and artists addressing
Crush™ PANELS ©2011 modularArts, Inc. U.S
urban challenges, such as climate change, Factioned Photo @factioned.
social inequality, and environmental degrada-
seamless sculptural surfaces.
tion, and highlights the role of technology,
collaboration, and community engagement in
city-making. See transnatural.org/en.
1980 in Parallax
London
Through December 22, 2023
In 1978, Charles Jencks, the seminal theorist
of Postmodern architecture, bought a house in
the Holland Park neighborhood of west
London with his wife Maggie Keswick, an
Crush™ PANELS ©2011 modularArts, Inc. U.S.
artist and garden designer. He and Keswick
and architect Terry Farrell, until 1983, trans-
199
Unlock a Great DATES & Events
Combination:
Your Design and formed the interior of the four-story stucco- Louis Cohen and Vanessa Grossman, the show
Fire Safety. fronted Victorian residence into a “built
manifesto” of Jencks’s architectural ideas. In
spans seven decades of architectural production
and includes a project by Eduardo Souto de
2021, two years after Jencks’s death, the Moura and Nuno Graça Moura. Partnered
Satisfy safety regulations with “Cosmic House” opened to the public as an with a smaller, more intimate, exhibition in a
Aluflam, the key system featuring exhibition space. Launching the Jencks nearby gallery, the show will also be comple-
true extruded aluminum vision doors, Foundation’s exploration of remapping the mented with a program of debates, confer-
windows and glazed walls, fired-rated year 1980 as the inception of the Postmodern ences, and site visits. For more, see casadaar-
canon, the show is built around a commis- quitectura.pt/en/
for up to 120 minutes.
sioned film from the Raqs Media Collective,
Aluflam products are indistinguishable The Bicyclist Who Fell into a Time Cone, and
from non-fire-rated doors and also includes wall drawings and three aug-
Events
windows and are available in a mented-reality “interferences” that spread AIA Conference on Architecture
wide portfolio of most architectural across all four levels of the house. For more San Francisco
finishes. information, see jencksfoundation.org. June 7–10, 2023
Thousands of architecture, engineering, and
Constructed Geographies: Paulo Mendes construction professionals are expected to
da Rocha gather for seminars and practicums and to
Matosinhos, Portugal hear from leading voices in the industry at
Through February 1, 2024 this year’s American Institute of Architects’
An exhibition on view at the Casa da Arqui- annual conference. The keynote speakers
tectura, Portugal’s center for architecture, is include former New Zealand prime minister
dedicated to the life and work of the Brazilian Jacinda Ardern and Walt Disney Imagineer-
Photo: Nick Merrick ©Hedrich Blessing

Pritzker laureate, a founding member of the ing president Barbara Bouza. For more, see
center, who died in 2021. Curated by Jean- conferenceonarchitecture.com.

SKY MARKS
LANDMARKS
Photograph: Cervin Robinson

Fire-Rated Aluminum Window And Door Systems

Aluflam North America

562-926-9520 IN THE GALLERY AND ONLINE | 39 Battery Pl, New York | skyscraper.org
aluflam-usa.com
NeoCon
Chicago
June 12–14, 2023
An annual fair that has been held in the city
since 1969, NeoCon gathers industry profes-
sionals to learn about and experience the
latest innovations in commercial interior
design. This year, nearly 1 million square feet
hosts booths from over 400 exhibitors, in-
cluding leading companies and emerging
designers. See neocon.com.
Record on the Road: Sustainability in
Practice
Boston
June 20, 2023
Join record and MIT Architecture for a
special half-day event showcasing cutting-
edge research and built projects employing
advanced software, mass timber, circular
construction, and upcycling. Speakers include
Fred Holt of 3XN, Nico Kienzi of Atelier
Ten, and Chandra Robinson of LEVER
Architecture. The event is free to all archi-
BETTER
BUILDING
SOLUTIONS
Taking Wood to New Heights
Wood certified to SFI provides better
building solutions and earns points for
LEED certification.
Learn more at:
forests.org/better-building-solutions.
tects and design professionals. See architec-
turalrecord.com/record-on-the-road.
Building a Better Proposal: How
World-class Architects Get Clients
to Say Yes
Virtual Webinar
June 22, 2023
In this free record webinar, we review what
is included in an architectural proposal, the
difference between a proposal and contract,
and terms and conditions to turn your pro-
posal into a contract. We also highlight the
importance of linking to your project setup
and the valuable benefits of using AIA agree-
ments. Continuing-education credits are
available. See architecturalrecord.com/events.
Arquiteturas Film Festival 2023
Porto, Portugal
June 27–July 1, 2023
The 10th edition of the annual architecture
film festival is dedicated to the theme “Where
Life Happens,” which explores how social
dynamics are both shaped by and inform the
built environment. Hosted in several venues
throughout the city, the festival comprises
structured three sections: the official pro-
gram, the guest-institution program, and the
competition program, which will feature the
19 winning films submitted in the festival’s
competition. Film screenings will be accom-
panied by installations, talks, and walking
tours. See arquiteturasfilmfestival.com/en.
Venice Architecture Biennale 2023
Venice
Through November 26, 2023
The 18th edition of the Biennale is curated by
Scottish-Ghanaian architect Lesley Lokko,
who founded the Graduate School of Archi-
tecture in Johannesburg in 2015 and the
African Futures Institute in Accra, Ghana, in
2020. This year’s theme is “Laboratory of the
Future”; the citywide exhibition features
contributions by 89 participants, over half of
whom are from Africa or the African dias-
pora. See labiennale.org
GRIFFOLYN®
DIVISION OF REEF INDUSTRIES, INC.
ROOF UNDER SLAB
CRAWL SPACE WALL
201
 WHAT A BRICK!
ROOFING, SIDING, THERMAL & MOISTURE PROTECTION
DATES & Events
Acme Brick
Nine colors of CityScape thinBRIK™ are available
nationwide, in modular size flats and corners. These
extruded thinBRIK are compatible with formliner or

Competitions
with lightweight metal panel systems. CityScape thin-
BRIK greatly enhance a commercial building’s exterior
façade at a competitive price. Oversized Roman Plus
(19.625” x 1.625”) available in three colors.
Performance Data
Europan 17
• Dickens Creek, La Sal Dark, Mesa Red, Obsidian, Deadline: July 30, 2023
Reaves Park, Rushmore and Taconite are PCI
compliant.
This biennial competition is open to professionals under 40, in the
fields of architecture, urban design, engineering, and landscape, work-
ing in Europe or with a European degree. In recognition of the threat
posed by the climate crisis, this year’s edition is titled Living Cities and
www.brick.com/cityscape | cityscape@brick.com
seeks design proposals that create “complex, global, and dynamic spa-
tial reconfigurations in damaged inhabited milieus in order to revitalize
biological and human communities.” Along with a program brief,
ROOFING, SIDING, THERMAL & MOISTURE PROTECTION
competitors will receive a list of sites in European cities, ranging in
INNOVATE YOUR VISION
scale from micro to macro. Each site is connected to one of three
MRD Dutch Seam
themes, this year oriented around biodiversity, inclusivity, and adaptive
ATAS International, Inc.
Standing seam metal roof and wall panel. reuse, respectively. Winning teams will receive a prize of €12,000 and
Product Application be invited to present their proposals at the annual Inter-Sessions Forum
• Roofing next year. See europan-europe.eu/en.
• Wall Cladding
Performance Data
• Standing seam metal roof and wall panel E-mail information two months in advance to schulmanp@bnpmedia.com.
• Integral seam height is 1 1/2”
• Lock and seam an integral part of the panel
• No seam caps or mechanical field seaming of panels
• Fasten directly to purlins or solid substrate
• Available in aluminum, steel, copper, and zinc
• Choice of three panel widths (11”, 15”, and 19 1/4”)
• Stiffening ribs or striations

www.atas.com | 484.221.6352 | tlerner@atas.com

ROOFING, SIDING, THERMAL & MOISTURE PROTECTION MATERIALS

PVDF ORE FINISHES FIRE-RATED, SECURITY-RATED GLASS
NEW | GREEN | $$ $$$
PAC-CLAD | Petersen Technical Glass Products
PAC-CLAD Ore finishes provide designers with Pilkington Pyrostop ® laminated to School Guard
alternatives to expensive and unpredictable Glass® is fire rated, offers bullet resistance ratings
natural metals. These PVDF finishes add an and withstands forced entry attacks in standard
elegant finishing touch to any project. fire doors.
Product Application Product Application
• 16 unique finishes • Gaffney Elementary School, Oregon City, OR
• Available on wall and • Candy Lane Elementary School, Oregon City, OR
roof panels, coil and sheet
• Available on steel and aluminum Performance Data
Performance Data • Fire-rated up to 120 minutes
• PVDF finishes never tarnish, discolor or rust • Bullet resistance ratings up to UL 752 Level III
• Backed by an outstanding finish warranty for school applications

PAC-CLAD.com fireglass.com
800.722.2523 | info@PAC-CLAD.com | A'23 Booth 1951 800.426.0279 | sales@fireglass.com

COATINGS
MASS TIMBER COATING
WR | GREEN
Timber Pro Coatings US
Low VOC waterborne oil based protective wood finish,
transparent natural finish with superior durability.
Premium mass timber coatings.
Product Application
• New PDX mass timber ceiling
• Packard Foundation building & Pelican Brewery
wood siding for commercial buildings
• Dwell Magazine Modern Bungalow, Venice Beach CA MAKING THE COMPLEX CLEAR
Clear Seas Research is an industry-focused market research company dedicated
Performance Data
• Protected glulams for Portland Airport mass timbers to providing clear insights to complex business questions. Capturing feedback via
for 3 years outdoors during construction quantitative surveys (online, phone, mail or in-person) OR qualitative experiences
• Sustainable, renewable oil waterborne technology
(one-on-ones, focus groups or bulletin boards), we present results that are easily
with just 34 gpl VOC’s
understood, insightful and actionable.
TimberProCoatingsUSA.com
1.888.888.6095 | usainfo@TimberProCoatingsUSA.com www.clearseasresearch.com

202 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

Advertisers Index
Advertiser Page Advertiser Page Advertiser Page

ACME Brick Company 46 C.R. Laurence Co., INC. 65 Nakamoto Forestry 26

ALPOLIC Materials 11 Carlisle Construction Materials 70, 71 NanaWall 7, 111

Aluflam Na LLC 200 Certainteed 113 National Terrazzo

& Mosaic Association 4, 5, 178, 179
ARCAT 50 Clopay Corporation 55
NCARB 8
Architectural Record - Academy of Construction Specialties, INC. 52, 53
Digital Learning Armstrong 193 New Millennium 76
Cumar 36
Architectural Record - Academy of Nucor Corporation 9
Digital Learning NYSERDA 54 DeepStream Designs, Inc. 69
Ornamental Metal
Architectural Record - Ace Mentor 32 Doug Mockett & Co. 73 Institute of New York 180, 181

Architectural Record - AR Dri-Design 47 Overly Door Company 172

Innovation Conference 196
Elemex 6 PABCO Gypsum 64
Architectural Record - Design:ED Podcasts 134
EPIC Metals Corp 195 Petersen Aluminum 66
Architectural Record - Education Exchange 194
Excel Dryer 186, 187 Plastpro 173
Architectural Record - June Webinars 175
Fry Reglet Corporation 21 PULP Studio 182, 183
Architectural Record - National
Building Museum 98 Georgia-Pacific Gypsum 20 Reef Industries, Inc. 201

Architectural Record - Record Goldbrecht 23 RH Tamlyn & Sons 68

on the Road Boston 174
Greenscreen 74 Rocky Mountain Hardware 24
Architectural Record - Sketch
on a Cocktail Napkin Contest 112 Hormann High Performance Doors 72 ROPPE Corporation 45

Arktura LLC 25 Humboldt Sawmill Company 42 Ruskin Company 198

Armstrong World Industries, Inc. CVR2, 1 Huntco Supply 197 Skyscraper Museum, The 200

ASI Group 17 Huntsman Building Solutions 33 Sustainable Forestry Initiative INC. 201

ATAS International 135 Infinity Drain 184, 185 Technical Glass Products 2, 3

AZON 133 Invisible Structures, INC 43 Unilock Group of Companies 59

B&D Builders 114 Kaynemaile Limited 19 Versico Roofing Systems 51

B+N Industries, INC. 49 Kingspan Insulated Panels CVR3 Vitro Architectural Glass
(Formerly known as PPG Glass) 14, 15
Belden Brick Company, The 60 Kingspan Planet Passionate 136
Walpole Woodworkers 62
Bison Innovative Products 75 Koala Kare Products 12
Watts Water Technologies 188-191
Bobrick Washroom Equipment 63 Lumion CVR4
Wooster Products 37
BOK Modern 176 Marvin 34
WR Meadows 56
Bradley Corporation 99 modular Arts 57, 199

MOZ Designs 10

Publisher is not responsible for errors and omissions in advertiser index. R Regional Insert

203
 SNAPSHOT

Malmö Stadsteater—one of Sweden’s leading city theaters—

occupies a 19th-century Art Nouveau building whose distinctive
form reflects its original use as a circus venue. The dodecagonal
auditorium is capped by an elegant timber gridshell roof that
billows upwards in gentle pleats, evoking the lightness of a big
top. Much of the building’s historic character was obscured when
it was converted in the 1990s but has been uncovered to
spectacular effect in an extensive renovation by London-based
Haworth Tompkins. Some deft moves give a starring role to the
wooden dome: a dense cloud of acoustic baffles has been
replaced by flat panels nestled discreetly between the ribs,
revealing its shape, and house lights were redirected upward to
wash across rough-sawn spruce planks, amplifying warm tones
and textures echoed in new additions to the building. “There’s
PHOTOGRAPHY: © ÅKE E:SON LINDMAN

some magic up there,” says project director Roger Watts. “Our

task was to spread it to the rest of the theater.” Chris Foges

204 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD JUNE 2023

 Building
Distinction

Northern Arizona University Student-Athlete High Performance Center | Flagstaff, Arizona

Pioneering Products that Elevate Design and Efficiency.

At Kingspan Insulated Panels, we’re pioneering better technologies
and methods of building for a low carbon world. Kingspan insulated
metal panels are the next generation of building envelope, offering
an unparalleled combination of aesthetic flexibility, energy efficiency
and thermal, air, water and vapor barrier performance.
KS Mini Micro-Rib

Build distinction that stands out.

www.kingspanpanels.us
Create without limits
Anything you can imagine, you can render in Lumion. www.lumion.com