Wrightwood Crossing, a G.Corp Development project designed by [1016] Architecture recently appeared on McGraw Hill's Midwest Construction News page. This project is an example of sustainable infill development in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.
For full article with rendering image by Studio2a, click here.
Check out this video for a cold and windy walk-by video showing some construction progress.
Sure, something called a McMansion probably wasn't going to last forever, but a lot of them were built. McMansions resulted from the excesses of a real estate boom obsessed with resale and "moving up" the housing ladder. No one asked about energy bills or seemed too concerned about how much they really needed that third car in the garage. They assumed they could sell to someone else in a few years for more money.
Those times are certainly over, and perhaps with them, McMansions.
The Home for a New Economy was the 2010 Show House at the International Home Builders Show in Las Vegas. Designed by fellow Notre Dame Architecture graduate Marianne Cusato, among a team of important consultants, the 4 BR / 3.1 BA home is billed as a direct response to current economic, environmental, and demographic concerns.
The house is affordable ($85/sq. ft. construction), livable (no wasted space, no extraneous features), sustainable (green materials, efficient mechanical systems), and adaptable (rooms can be re-purposed as the household changes).
Check out this video on WSJ.com
After taking a virtual tour of the home here(sign-in required), it is clear to the author that this home is a great start as a prototype to show people how they can live just as well in 1,700 square feet as they can in 3,500. While this home is attractive and highly functional, it is important to note that this is not the only physical form a small, usable house can take; well-designed condos, apartments, and other multi-family residential solutions can succeed in this regard, as well.
All of the problems that the prototype addresses are also greatly affected by its ultimate location. As Inside the Bracketspreviously wrote, we believe strongly in the affordability, livability, sustainability, and adaptability of existing cities as an alternative to new suburban growth.
Would you live in this house? Do you think you could live there for the rest of your life? Let us know what you think.
Is your opinion that spending time and money building sustainable, "green" condos is a risk that further compounds an already dangerous investment, or is it a perfect differentiation in a market of commodity that will lead your project to success?
Check out this video about one of the greenest residential buildings in NYC, The Visionaire, also previously featured on Inside the Bracketshere and see what you think.
Video from McGraw-Hill
It should be pointed out that despite all of the 2008-2009 economic headwinds, The Visionaire sales team reports great results in this Bloomberg.com article by John Gittelsohn.
"Starwood is the majority investor in the Visionaire, a $300 million, 35-story apartment building that opened in October 2008. Apartments there have been selling at a pace of more than one per week, with six units closing in November, said Christopher Albanese, principal of the Albanese Organization that developed the project. 'In this market, selling more than one a week is like hotcakes,' he said. Almost 60 percent of the Visionaire’s 250 apartments have been sold, Albanese said."
Perhaps this is further evidence that well-designed, well-built, sustainable, and correctly priced units will vindicate a development strategy that may look riskier upfront because it is different from the norm. This is Albanese's third green residential tower in NYC, so clearly they believe they are onto something good.
Andrew C. Wilson, AIA, LEED AP is a Principal at [1016] Architecture in Chicago and New York. Contact him to discuss sustainable, infill development opportunities in either of these cities.
Construction continues at a healthy clip over at Wrightwood Crossing, a GCorp Development project and [1016] Architecture design. This project is LEED registered with the certification goal of Platinum.
The activity is attracting attention in a neighborhood that otherwise has few projects under development at this time, and was recently featured on the blog ChiTown Living in a post called Wrightwood Crossing Rises.
Despite being a 19-unit building, efforts were made to ensure that the street frontage of the building fit the scale of the neighborhood. From the front, only the two and a half stories shown here will be visible. The third floor and penthouse levels will be set well back from this wall.
The deep site will be well landscaped with native plants and trees along this long side. The corners of the building (now empty) will be high-performance window walls for floor-to-ceiling views.
Wrightwood Crossing construction progress continues. First floor concrete plank is set, foundation is backfilled, and columns shown will support the second floor. Masons have begun laying the stone base which will eventually circle the whole building. Nothing too glamorous yet, but any construction activity in this environment is good news.
View from Northwest corner of front property line.
Rendering of final building. (Image by Studio 2a)
Wrightwood Crossing, a [1016] Architecture design, is LEED Registered with the certification goal of Platinum. The first group of the 19 overall units are scheduled for delivery in Spring 2010.
On the previous growth of LEED: In his GreenBiz.com email newsletter, Rob Watson, a USGBC Board Member, explores the idea and consequences of LEED pushing into the mainstream:
About five years ago when we were wrestling with the phenomenal growth of LEED, I came across a book by Geoffrey Moore that changed my life. Entitled "Crossing the Chasm," Moore's book introduced me to the concept of market composition and segmentation . . . it also scared me to death.
"Chasm" woke me to the fact that the 100 percent to 200 percent annual growth we were seeing in LEED at that time was nothing compared to the frenzy that awaited us if we "got it right." You see, 100 percent growth against a small number is still a small number, but 50 percent growth against a big number is a big number indeed.Moore argues that the Innovators and the Early Adopters are fairly forgiving folks compared to the Early Majority segment of the market.
The titular so-called chasm refers to the performance and expectation gap between products that succeed in the Early Adopter market compared with products that exceed in the Early Majority market. Innovators and Early Adopters are willing to put up with quirks and foibles of products that the Early Majority will not tolerate.
As green buildings penetrate the Early Majority market, expectations of performance and cost are becoming quite high.In order for green to succeed, any gaps or holes in products' and buildings' performance must be plugged...
Consistent with the USGBC's commitment to providing excellent service -- for those smugly snarking, consider for one moment that in the year 2000 only about 2,000,000 square feet entered the LEED system and in 2008 LEED had 2 BILLION square feet come in, and then ask yourself when was the last time you handled a thousand-fold increase in anything with grace -- the organization is beginning an intensive dialogue with users of the system to determine how it can be improved from an operational perspective. So, while LEED is firmly into the Early Majority market in the United States, 2 billion square feet represents less than 5 percent of the global market.
On the continued growth of LEED: Inside the Brackets is, on one hand, very glad that LEED is growing so fast it can hardly contain itself. We don't like the idea of Mr. Watson making excuses for the shortcomings of the system during expansion, but we appreciate the dialogue for improvement. We are building an architecture firm around the design ideas that LEED and other green building rating systems espouse, so [1016] has a vested interest in exposure of the USGBC/LEED brand.
On the other hand, we posit that at a certain "tipping point" (to use a buzz word) we don't need LEED. Let us be more specific: we don't need LEED to grow so large as to certify 50% of the built square footage in the global market.
Once upon a time, the ideas, building practices, and materials that LEED sought to call attention to were progressive. The LEED designation meant a building's design and construction were truly "outliers" (another buzz word) and worthy of showcasing. Now, a combination of many factors, including the work that LEED has done, have raised the awareness of green and high-performance building to a much higher level. Municipalities are codifying sections of LEED standards and incentivizingLEED buildings with reduced permit fees or expedited approval... in other words, they get it.
LEED should be focused less on certifying more square feet, and more on progressing the dialogue of green materials and policy. Growing so large as to certify 5% of existing market is quite an accomplishment, though one not without growing pains. Growing larger than that threatens LEED's continued relevance by making a commodity of the designation and rendering the added expense of administering the checklist for any given building a waste of money.
Conclusion: Inside the Brackets is not saying that LEED is dead or pointless. (Full disclosure: Andrew Wilson, [1016] Architecture Principal, is a LEED Accredited Professional, and [1016] Architecture is a USGBC Member Firm.) We are saying that LEED and the USGBC should stick to the cutting edge, progressive green design that brought it to where it is today. In our opinion, this is the spirit of LEED. After all, the "L" stands for "Leadership," right? We think aiming to certify more than 2-3% of the built square footage in the world dilutes the brand and speaks more towards greed than green.
What say you about the explosive growth of the LEED certification? Should LEED stick to the cutting edge? Drop a comment to let us know what you think.
Full article text for the Green Biz newsletter. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a 501(c)(3) non profit that developed the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System.
The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
Apparently, there is a growing opinion that pre-fabricated architecture is dead. To the heap of recent pile-ons for this form of design, once heralded by modernists as the next generation of housing in America, you can add: "bad business," "cliche," and "over-designed" for common consumption in the United States.
This excellent blog article by Build LLC stakes out the "death" case well from their practical point of view: Pre-fab Houses Don't Work. After reading, be sure to subscribe to their RSS; they write good stuff.
Theirs is a provocative, intelligent piece supporting the idea that pre-fab is dead. Most of the arguements are well-written, but thankfully easily countered (as done by reader Brian of Method Homes in the comments). We're going to take a bigger-picture approach to the arguement to further discussion.
So, what of it? Is modernist pre-fab over-designed, cliche, bad business, or just plain dead? On one (small) hand, we think yes (see qualifier below), but on the other hand, decidedly no.
Qualifiers:
While pre-fab is at its heart a process (not dead), we think modernist pre-fab also brings baggage of aesthetic (dead) into the discussion. We will address both.
Also, we are including shipping container architecture in the pre-fab arguement, because it is relevant to a project [1016] Architecture is working on right now.
On the count of over-designed: GUILTY
Let's face it, architects usually over-design. It is a pleasure of the artist-patron relationship that is the reason for our profession. The one-on-one attention and problem solving that is the key to successful residential design is a major hinderance to producing scalable, mass-market solutions. Taking too much time means you have to charge more money to make a profit, which kills the main economic driver of pre-fabricated architecture.
Also, modernist pre-fab misses, or more probably, chooses to ignore, a blatant mass-market fact: Americans, as a whole, do not prefer the modernist aesthetic for their homes. They prefer traditional looking houses. Successful mass market products fill a need, they don't instruct people on how a designer thinks they should live.
On the count of cliche: NOT GUILTY
This is where modernism really gets in the way of success for pre-fabricated architecture. The out-of-the-box, avante garde thinkers that push moderism to new places, like pre-fab and shipping container architecture, are only happy at the edge of the envelope. As soon as the "newness" wears off, it doesn't even really excite them and they are on to different things.
The real problem is countless critics, followers, and media pile on and reinforce the stigma that an idea is no longer worthwhile.
Traditional architecture evolved over hundreds of years, yet still has a place in everyone's heart (except Arch'l Record editors, we'd suppose). The fragmented, haphazard way in which housing is delivered, codified, and regulated in this country will take many years to change
Just when modernism leaves something behind it is good and ready for mass acceptance. The flight of the modernist is mostly driven by the fear of being called cliche because they dare do something that has been published before.
Most people that we tell about our container project have never heard of container or pre-fab architecture at all. How can this be cliche?
On the count of BAD BUSINESS: Adjournment requested
Imagine a tailor on Saville Row cranking out hand-made suits, out of some flaboyant fabrics, in one size, and then wondering why he can't sell (for a profit) to anyone who walks in the shop. Even if he could make them fast enough to sell them cheap (he can't), the design is too intense, they won't fit everyone, and the mass market therefore rejects them.
This is ITB's understanding of the current pre-fab. The pioneers of the business are having a tough go: they over-design, use a production method that doesn't quite have enough efficiencies, and generally push a product that most Americans don't want.
Another example: Twitter. This internet service is all the rage right now. Even though Twitter makes no money whatsoever, no one close to it is really calling it dead. The owners are taking time and investors are risking capital to find the recipe for profitability.
On reports of it's death: GREATLY EXAGGERATED (but fun to read) In a May 2009 Q&A interview with Dwell, Adam Kalkin (an interesting character, and self-described performance-artist-architect) had this to say about the future of container architecture.
[Currently] the people using containers in building are mostly very sophisticated clients; they’re not, at this point, for every man. If you were able to figure out the manufacturing methods and scale them, you could make containers inexpensive, though right now they’re not.
The end user does not care about the process used to deliver housing. Therefore, the process of pre-fab is alive and ripe for innovation.
We at [1016] Architecture and Inside the Brackets believe that pre-fab has tremendous potential in urban infill architecture settings, with a slightly more traditional aesthetic responsive to its location, and when not pitched to the public as a truly custom solution (i.e. is embraced by for-profit developers).
The benefits of pre-fab (controlled quality, reduced construction schedule, sustainable construction practices, etc.) are undeniable. With time, investment, and tweaks to the way modernist pre-fab is brought to the public, it will be a viable chunk of the residential housing market share.
Join the discussion: comment below.
Inside the Brackets is looking for contributing authors. Contact us if you are interested.
Last month's issue of New York House Magazine featured an interview with the influential architect Robert A.M. Stern, at his firm Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA). We at Inside the Brackets happened to have been trained at an architecture school that was/is extremely sympathetic to Mr. Stern's traditional approach to architecture, interiors, and urban design.
While not specifically known for "sustainable design," the list of Stern's accomplishments in this arena is nonetheless impressive. For instance, his firm is responsible for the following:
the first LEED Platinum business school in the world;
the first LEED Platinum speculative and multi-tenant office building;
the first LEED-certified museum;
the first LEED-certified U.S. General Services Administration courthouse, among many others.
So you can see why when he talks, Inside the Brackets, among others, listen. From the article,
Sustainability is inherent in each project his firm touches. Says Stern: 'We don’t wear it on our sleeves, but it’s there... I don’t think we have any projects on board, nor have we had in a while, that haven’t had sustainability built into the agenda just like structural integrity. It’s a very important part of our practice.'
It is encouraging to know one of the best "traditional" firms is publically approaching sustainability not as an "add on" to a traditional design, but as an integral aspect. Also, it's nice for [1016] Architecture to have something in common with RAMSA.
Inside the Brackets wasn't familiar with NY House Magazine until the GreenBuildingsNY 2009 Conference. It is a really striking publication: large format, good articles, and great photos. Check it out.
Inside the Brackets previously posted about the Midnight Moon Alpaca Ranch project (click here and scroll down). In all probability, MMAR is to be the first alpaca ranch made from shipping containers (ISBUs, to be exact).
[1016] Architecture recently made some good progress on the main house design for the ranch.
This design is made of (3) 8' x 40' High Cube (HC) containers, and the owner wants the containers to be visible on the exterior.
The decks, stairs, and curved metal roof are all additional parts, but can be disassembled in order to be reused should that become necessary.
The building will be sited to take advantage of summer/winter sun angle differences to promote energy savings and daylighting.
The result... not your typical midwestern agricultural building, for sure.
Here is an animation of the main house design in progress:
There is still a lot of work to be done before this becomes reality, and eventually Inside the Brackets will bring you updates on the planned barn and guest cottages for the property.
[1016] Architecture Principal and Inside the Brackets contributor Andrew Wilson, AIA, LEED AP recently attended the GreenBuildingsNY 2009 conference to bring you this first person account.
"GreenBuildingsNY is the place to source green solutions and materials for the design, construction, restoration, renovation and historical preservation of existing commercial, residential and industrial buildings. See how eco-friendly can be economy friendly. Discover how a smart investment on environmental and sustainability improvements can deliver up to 20–40% risk free return on investment. NY Metro focused, convenient, and ever evolving, GreenBuildingsNY provides easy access to more of the green sustainable products and services that building professionals need."
Overall Impressions:
While I only toured about 50% of the overall conference floor, and this was the first year I attended this event, I did walk almost the entirety of the Green Buildings presenter booths and got a good feel for the show. The quality of the displays and direct applicability to "green" buildings varied extensively and not in direct relationship. In fact, just determining what some companies did was not readily apparent.
Fortunately, I came prepared, having armed myself with a list of exhibitors I was interested in visiting by utilizing the software developed by Map Your Show. Click here to see how it works, though I am not sure how long this link will stay active after the show is done.
Top Five Standout Exhibitors:
Inside the Brackets would like to acknowledge its favorite products/presenters from the show. ITB's selections are based on the following criteria:
If the product was new, or just new to me. I didn't waste time going to large manufacturers displays... I was there to expand the options to bring to my clients.
How helpful the company representatives were in person. This is a big deal, because I want to work with people who are passionate about sustainability, not just there only to boost commissions (nothing wrong with commissions, though).
Quality and utility of product literature and take-away items. Sorry, but I'm not impressed with a pencil with your product logo on it.
How likely I am to specify the showcased product(s) in future projects. This probably has the most weight
#5) Mythic Paint: A direct, and perhaps superior, competitor to Benjamin Moore's premium lines, Mystic touts itself as "the world's only high performance premium paint with zero VOCs, zero toxins, and zero carcinogens."
In addition to their interior and exterior opaque finishes, the company is scheduled to turn out a line of stains sometime this year.
These products will be a welcome addition to designers working in California and some East Coast state which have very tight VOC and air quality standards.
The company's website has an excellent FAQ if you are interested in more information.
#4) Trespa (metal panels): Honestly, there's really not that much exciting about metal panels, but Trespa gets the nod for providing the most comprehensive design materials as a take away. Inside the Brackets like this.
#3) Leibherr Appliances: I was quite impressed with the quality, feel, and look of these refrigeration appliances. The door hardware and action exuded cool quality, and the appliances are available in free-standing, built-in, and fully-integrated options to suit the needs of any design. Leibherr is a German company which has only relatively recently expanded efforts to sell in the United States. They are positioning themselves as competitors to SubZero, but the representative was sure to stress that they are both greener (100% of their models meet or exceed Energy Star requirements, not so for SubZero) and less expensive than their American counterpart. The company has summarized all of the green benefits for owning a Leibherr appliance in their ActiveGreen campaign.
Liebherr proves that green can be beautiful, and less expensive than other alternatives.
#2) Roofscapes, Inc.: Melissa Muroff, a Roofscapes Principal, displayed both a noticeable passion for the ideas behind green roofs and a high level of technical knowledge about them. Inside the Brackets applauds Melissa and Roofscapes for their dedication to providing it clients the best possible green roof. Since they don't manufacturer any particular system or component, they are able to look objectively at each client's needs and deliver the best solution.
Also, they incorporate maintenance, landscape design, and roofing contractors upon request to provide a fully warranted and performing product. I hope [1016] Architecture can work with this shop on a future project.
This company is in the top spot simply because Inside the Brackets and [1016] believe in their business model and think that companies that educate and outfit existing building owners with more efficient buildings are going to do the most to lessen the impact of our built environment on the earth.
From their website:
"Sustainability Partners LLC is a collaboration of professionals from the architecture, finance, engineering, real estate, and construction industries who have joined forces to reduce energy consumption and stabilize our critical housing resources. We have pooled this expertise so that we may offer practical insights and advice to property owners on how to design and cost effectively implement energy saving measures for their buildings, while also taking advantage of the many powerful incentive programs currently in place to help finance such improvements."
Any existing building owner in New York should contact Sustainability Partners to see if they can help them save money on operating costs by implementing tax-subsidized building improvements.
Did we miss something big? Let us know.
Further commentary: LEED Platinum and Beyond (Education Session)
Presented by: Chris Benedict, R.A., and Jonathan Rose of Rose Companies
I happened into this education session to take a break from walking the floor and was pleased with the time spent. While the LEED checklist was not really discussed much at all, the presenters definitely highlighted ideas which make up the backbone of the program. In my opinion, it was more interesting this way.
Chris Benedict presented recent projects showcasing her sustainable building science knowledge. Emphasis on strategies for detailing tight, super efficient buildings composed the bulk of her part of the presentation. One of her latest projects is set to meet the Passive Building Standard (Germany), which according to her is one of the most rigorous "green" building standards in the world. For more: Check out this Passive House article by Greenline.
Jonathan Rose brought an intriguing, casual passion to his presentation on building sustainably (by choosing the right development location). He long ago concluded the most sustainable sites to be dense and urban, and has built several companies around the desire to improve and restore cities. This is, of course, a shared belief of [1016] Architecture, and one we have written about before. If you haven't heard of Jonathan Rose, check out his website (linked above).
Inside the Brackets is the blog for [1016] Architecture, Inc. Visit our company's website to find out more. Comments are encouraged. Please join the discussion about sustainability.
[1016] Architecture principals Josh Canale and Andrew Wilson were featured in an article called "Infill Architecture" in the June 8, 2009 edition of Chicago Life magazine, the Sunday magazine of the New York Times (Midwest Edition).
This article compliments several topics central to the firm's design and business practice, but especially (and obviously) infill architecture.
[1016] is glad to contribute to a broader discussion on sustainable ideas underlying infill architecture, especially in Chicago, and would like to offer the following clarification for Inside the Brackets readers:
Wrightwood Crossing is seeking a LEED®Platinum rating, but it will not be "earned" until after construction.
As a follow up to our post on Living Green: Improving Within Authentic Environments (read full post here), we'd like to call attention to ULI's recent statement in favor of inserting responsible land use policy into the auto-efficiency discussion currently unfolding in Washington DC.
Does it really matter if one car here gets 27.5 MPG (current CAFE standards) and another gets 35.7 MPG (2015)? Not if there are 30% more cars on the road then.
Source: EDAW
Basically, ULI says the "greenest car is the one that isn't needed," and the only way people are not going to need cars is to build densely with transportation options other than cars. This is a major benefit to the projects that [1016] Architecture excels in delivering in Chicago.
Infill development and architecture can actually help keep cars off the road. Is it too much of a stretch then to say infill architecture can decrease our dependency on oil and increase our potential security as a nation? Perhaps. But Inside the Brackets thinks it makes sense to some degree. It's not a straight line correlation, but taken as an alternative to suburban (auto-dependent) development, infill architecture can't hurt.
Realizing the interdependency of all legislative decisions relating to living sustainably (such as land use policy, infrastructure, auto efficiency standards, etc.) will frame a necessary and holistic discussion on this topic. We hope our politicians are listening. If you are, honk.
There are plenty of diverse opinions on the best ways to "live green." It's enough to make one think there is no right answer, especially when an exploration into the data supporting the varying opinions seem to check out. Who to believe?
Admittedly, Inside the Brackets is not going to be the source to end all debate; indeed, we think the debate is healthy. However, we would like to present our stance on this issue, in part by discussing and explaining our firm's motto, "Improving Within Authentic Environments."
Infill Architecture: Inherently Green Presenting this motto describes [1016] Architecture's core belief that designing infill architecture is the most sustainable and responsible way to build: not only new construction, but also renovations and other improvements. Infill architecture, also referred to as "urban infill" or "infill development", refers broadly to working in existing cities and dealing with buildings, lots, and zoning limitations surrounding a site.
Do you see the opportunity in the image on the right?
Some see these preexisting conditions as constraints, but Inside the Brackets argues that these "constraints" are actually tremendous opportunities for high-performance architecture and sustainable design. In fact, the LEED(r) Rating system highly rewards buildings and developments in existing urban areas via the "Sustainable Sites" section of their rating systems. So, merely by selecting to develop within an urban area, a building is "greener."
Even developments with legitimate high-performance ("green") architecture fail to become the perfect "green living" solution when they are not appropriately integrated to existing infrastructure and transportation options. Within a given household, transportation represent a significant factor of overall energy consumed.
Inside the Brackets recently found a great article titled "Seeing Green through Rose Colored Glasses" by Chicago Life writer Joseph Valerio supporting this idea as well as outlining a good case for taking care of an existing building stock. See full text here.
The main shortcoming of progressive suburban developments is a lack of density, both within the development itself and in the immediate area. Thus, it is our conclusion that high-performance ("green") architecture, while superior to standard buildings, is not complete until it is deployed in an infill context.
Managing the Pitfalls of Infill Projects Increasing density may be a perfect idea in theory, as illustrated well in this article published in Urban Land magazine, but is often difficult in practice. Local government and/or ordinances may be structured in just a way to make it difficult, and almost invariably, the most vocal neighborhood groups are made up of those in opposition of a project.
Unfortunately, success in this regard is more about managing public perception and satisfying the large number of groups which may have a stake in a project's progress; and less about good design or intentions. Working with an architect with experience in a given municipality is a good way to mitigate this problem, but without shareholder buy-in, your project will have a tough go.
Conclusion Infill architecture is fraught with opportunity, and a savvy project team can make even the most onerous site green in more ways than one. That idea makes infill a good way to build, and[1016] Architecture is dedicated to it.
[1016] Architecture a U.S Green Building Council Member Firm Improving Within Authentic Environments
When originally approached to design an alpaca ranch, [1016] was excited to work on such a unique project type. The client went further to ensure his project would be original: he declared that it would be built from shipping containers. As in the 8' x 8'-6" x 40' steel boxes you might find near a port or railyard. Midnight Moon Alpaca Ranch will be another example of shipping container architecture.
Shipping containers and alpacas...
Seems like a natural fit.
What's the Deal? Once modified for use as building modules, shipping containers are referred to as ISBUs, which is short for Intermodal Steel Building Units.
Due to the net import economy here in the United States, these precisely engineered and robustly constructed boxes stack up empty in shipping yards around the country. Turns out it is more economical to manufacture new containers at the point of origin rather than ship back empty ones to be reused, which is something that [1016] finds powerful.
Powerful because of the opportunity presented by a surplus of unwanted, and therefore relatively inexpensive, containers. ISBUs make use of these otherwise fallow containers and buildings made of them are therefore sturdy, strong, easily modified in the shop (prefab) or on site, and sustainable since all ISBUs are inherently living a second life. All of these reasons make ISBUs an economical and eco-sensitive way to build, and we are happy to join the ranks of designers and entrepreneurs exploring the aesthetic and technological benefits gained by utilizing them.
Resources: Certainly, [1016] is not the first architecture firm to work with ISBUs, but we just might be the first to use them on an alpaca ranch. We have found several good sites to use for resources and inspiration. Please check them out if you are interested in more information on ISBUs or shipping container architecture.
ISBU News is a blog-style website that compiles info on current projects as well as documenting resources for planning a project. ContainerHomes-Info was our primer into the history of shipping containers as building units and architecture.
Jason Cadorette, a former co-worker, and his team won a design contest called What If New York City? with his designs for emergency-deployed, temporary housing utilizing ISBUs.
Fellow Notre Dame alumnus, Pablo Nava, and a business partner, use ISBUs to help shelter families in Mexico. You may have seen NBC television commercials featuring the work he is doing there.
To be continued... [1016] Architecture is excited to be working with Midnight Moon Alpaca Ranch to design their new facilities from ISBUs. Inside the Brackets will cover progress of the project as it unfolds over the coming months.
Also, if you have never seen an Suri Alpaca before, check them out. Pretty mellow and unique-looking:
The Wall Street Journal, one of Inside the Brackets' favorite publications, came out with a feature article today called "The Green House of the Future." Full text available here (may require a subscription log in after a few days). They challenged four architects to imagine and design the house of the future "without regard to cost, technology, aesthetics or the way we are used to living."
Image from Mouzon Design home, included here because of its emphasis on practicality.
What's the deal? [1016] Architecture thought that it was interesting that despite some forward looking technologies (self-healing building skin, thin-membrane photosynthetic layers, color-changing cladding, etc), the article emphasized several things that are already being implemented in good sustainable design: the importance of urbanism (which we believe should be mostly infill architecture), the importance of efficiency of space, and the importance of incorporating proven technologies (even if they are ancient).
Importance of Urbanism: The article paraphrased E.O. Wilson by saying, "No matter how advanced we get with technologies, there are things that make the human feel good no matter what. People like to see a horizon view and feel safe." In other words, "aesthetics and the way we are used to living" are not something that can be discounted, even in a futurism competition.
One of the houses incorporated a front porch and another was arranged on three levels to allow denser, urban arrangements. These are hallmarks of the way people are used to living, and the continued trend of the world's population moving into cities means that forward-looking residential architecture and design will improve existing urban environments and acknowledge the continuum of human aesthetic taste and daily needs.
It is impossible to judge the sucess of a building without understanding its context. Architecture and urbanism are completely linked.
Efficiency of Space: One entry emphasized the use of movable walls and furniture on wheels to allow for traditionally under-utilized square footage (like bedrooms) to be more flexible. [1016] likes this idea a lot, though it is hardly new. It is best expressed in hard loft spaces in urban environments which are some of the most flexible and adaptable spaces available. The easier a current, or future, user can adapt a space to her needs, the less likely she becomes to tear it down. The greenest building, after all, is the one that's already built.
Improving Proven Technologies: Despite advances in our understanding of building materials' impacts on the environment, as new materials and technologies are developed and produced, the law of unintended consequences will apply, and sometimes not in a good way. Chemists and scientists did not develop CFCs as a way to harm the ozone layer, after all.
This is not to say innovation should stop, of course, but rather to emphasize the importance of using what we already know works. Even if something already works, the process by which we make it work can often be improved for increased sustainability, as outlined in William McDonough's "Cradle to Cradle."
Conclusion: As the article touched upon, but did not concisely conclude, the green house of the future should be a natural extension of current spatial arrangements and urban locations, not a brand new prototype which represents a break in the way people are used to living. A few break-through technologies will be incorporated into flexibly designed homes, though they should be substantially built with proven ideas in mind. These are guiding principles of our design philosophy at [1016] Architecture. Improving within authentic environments looks smarter and smarter.
Credits: Credit and compliments to the four design teams which produced the content for the WSJ piece, Cook + Fox, William McDonough + Partners, Rios Clementi Hale Studios, and Mouzon Design, as well as to Alex Frangos at the WSJ for putting it together. By the way, Mr. Frangos, next time you are looking for residential architecture and sustainable design commentary, feel free to contact us.
I took a tour of New York City's "greenest" condo building yesterday at an event co-sponsored by USGBC Green Builders and ULI. The tour was given by the project manager from the development company, Albanese Development. There was Q and A before, during, and after the walk through, which covered a 4000+ SF residential unit, the building's mechanical penthouse, common roof deck, and the blackwater treatment plant in the basement.
Project data from the developers website:
Status: Under Construction Project Type: High Performance Residential Condominium/Retail/Public Use/Parking Project Size: 35 stories, 251 units, 500,000 square feet Owner: Battery Place Green, LLC Design Architect: Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects Architect: Schuman Lichtenstein Claman & Efron Interior Design: Stedila Design, Inc. Financing: Heleba (Landesbank Hessen-Thuringen Girozentrale)
From the perspective of an architect interested in high-performance design, I must say that the building really lives up to its grandiose name: The Visionaire (warning: link has embedded sound). Apparently, U.S. Green Building Council agrees, as the developer announced that just two days ago the building was LEED®. Platinum Certified (the highest level possible). The Visionaire completes a sustainable, Battery Park City trifecta for Albanese Development, who also completed residential towers called The Solaire and The Verdesian; both are rental buildings.
Overall, the Visionaire tour offered good insight to the measures that were taken to reach LEED® Platiunum, including:
One of NYC's first reGenerative elevators which captures and re-uses energy from the cabs' brakes.
A four-pipe fan coil heating and cooling system normally found in high-end hospitality installations, with highly flexible, user-controlled thermostats.
Natural gas fired heat pump supplies the four-pipe system
Occupancy sensors in common areas, with almost exclusively CFL (compact fluorescent) light bulbs in those areas
LED downlighting in-unit (it was noted that some down fixtures had $100 lamps in them!)
A PV (photovoltaic) array on the exterior parapet to generate 48kW of power
75% coverage with green roofs
Rainwater capture system (captured water is used for landscape irrigation)
And the standard mixed of sustainable items you'd expect on unit interiors: dual flush toilets, sustainable harvested (FSC-certified) hardwood flooring, highly-renewable materials for cabinetry, and low-VOC paints and sealants.
Interestingly, Mr. Albanese noted that the units are marketed first as luxury units meeting the demanding standards of the target market, and second, as a sustainable, "green" way of living. I would posit that this is the direction of "green" as it becomes more and more a part of how we build and renovate our building stock.
Conclusion:
It is clear that Albanese Development is passionate about sustainability, they even mention social responsibility on their website. This comes pretty close to triple-bottom line accounting, even if they are not using that term. At the Visionaire, they really delivered something to meet their lofty goals.
Developers should take note that sophisticated clients will soon demand these advanced building features as standard, and they should work with design and construction teams that have experience with implementing them.
Check back occasionally, as [1016] Architecture will keep an eye on sales progress for this project and try to bring updates as the units are absorbed in the market, though we are in no way officially involved in this project. However, if you are interested in Chicago high-performance buildings you can check out our website to see another building LEED registered with the certification goal of Platinum, Wrightwood Crossing.
Footnotes:
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a 501(c)(3) non profit that developed the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System.
The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
In order for anyone who is just finding our site a chance to catch up, below are some of the older news items from [1016] Architecture's website, now preserved for posterity Inside the Brackets.
March 2009: [1016] recently saved a client over $15,000 in City permit fees without any additional construction obligations. Contact us to discover if you have been missing this value.
March 2009: [1016] Architecture Principal Andy Wilson, AIA, LEED AP recently appeared in a segment of Fox Business News Channel's "Happy Hour." It all happened fast, but he was proud to represent [1016] and small business owners on national television.
March 2009: Esther's Island, Nantucket cottage is deemed "The Perfect House" by Ridgefield Magazine and is the cover story of their April 2009 edition. [1016] Principal Andy Wilson AIA, LEED AP worked on this home as Project Architect while at Hart Howerton (HH).
Or check out some pictures in our Single Family Portfolio.Other HH project credits: Principal-in-charge: Douglas Wright, III; Initial Project Manager: Carl Pearson.
March 2009: [1016] presented a lecture titled "A Path to Licensure and Owning Your Own Firm" for the University of Notre Dame's School of Architecture Professional Practice course. The lecture included analysis of current market conditions and advice for recent graduates on how to succeed in the workplace.
March 2009: Associate intern architect Brian Dolan recently authored an article on Green Bean Chicago, a website dedicated to increasing awareness of how Chicago is one of the country's greenest cities.Read the full article here.
March 2009: Wrightwood Crossing project website goes live. Check out this g.corp development project, as designed by [1016] Architecture (you might not notice, but we have a project credit at the bottom of the page). The project is LEED registered with the certification goal of Platinum from U.S. Green Building Council.
February 2009: Managing partner Josh Canale of [1016] is now a Professional Consultant to Jameson Real Estate. Jameson is leader in Chicago real estate services and one of its most successful developer representatives.[1016] is excited about the opportunities that this relationship can offer its clients.
January 2009: Our associate intern architect, Brian Dolan, achieved the LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) credential, continuing [1016]'s dedication to responsible, sustainable design and construction practices.
November 2008: [1016]'s latest multi-family project is registered LEED with the goal of a Platinum rating. The project is registered on the LEED for Homes track (LEED-H).
This will be one of the first LEED Platinum projects in Illinois, and one of the first LEED-H Platinum projects in the state. The project will take advantage of expedited permitting through Chicago's Green Building Review process.
May 2008: [1016] Principal Andrew Wilson, AIA achieved the LEED AP credential. [1016] Architecture leadership recognizes the importance that high-performance buildings will play in a sustainable future and seeks to demonstrate that by participating in collaborative approaches to construction that LEED, the USGBC, and other organizations, represent.
So that's what we've been working on at [1016] Architecture. What have you been working on?
Inside the Brackets covers topics such as trends, sustainability, high-performance design, real estate market, and the economy. Chicago, Queens, and Long Island real estate are our areas of expertise.
The main purpose of Inside the Brackets is to develop a conversation and serve as a resource for those who are looking for more information on these topics.
We combine architectural knowledge with real estate expertise.
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Wrightwood Crossing, a G.Corp Development project designed by [1016] Architecture recently appeared on McGraw Hill's Midwest Construction News page. This project is an example of sustainable infill development in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Despite being a 19-unit building, efforts were made to ensure that the street frontage of the building fit the scale of the neighborhood. From the front, only the two and a half stories shown here will be visible. The third floor and penthouse levels will be set well back from this wall.
