Park Transformation Creates Sense of Discovery

From a public landfill in the mid-1800s to a world-class public park in a Midwestern city of 100,000, South Bend, Indiana’s Howard Park has become the city’s marquee park. The park has undergone several iterations since its opening in 1899, but over the decades had fallen into disrepair. The park grounds and community center were aging and underused, and the ice rink no longer operational. That all changed in November 2019 when the community celebrated Howard Park’s transformation. Alliance Architects was selected to design the 13-acre park. Alliance Architects’ Bill Lamie, AIA, the principal leading the project, tapped Landscape Architect Kevin Clark, from The Lakota

Advances

Lighting & Controls

Tasty Waves

Surfrider, part of the Point Dume collection, designed by Jeffrey Alan Marks, was inspired by a traditional English look, with tiers of metal curves reminiscent of louvered shutters found in an English country homes. Marks interpreted these details into a modern-minded pendant and sconce grouping that is versatile enough to go anywhere. Oversized hooks, suspended from a simple orb, surround a floating braided metal cable, beautifully marrying form and function for an industrial meets modern-minded point of view. Galvanized finish of neutral silver-gray creates an environment that feels equally soothing and inviting.

Case Study

Flooring

Senior Living Community Helps Residents Feel Closer to Home

The Mooring on Foreside trades the bland, institutional décor of traditional senior living facilities for a calming New England cape aesthetic. The Mooring on Foreside prides itself in providing responsive, specialized care for individuals living with progressive memory loss. In order to offer residents suffering from these conditions effective care in a familiar environment, The Mooring’s owner enlisted Gawron Turgeon Architects of Scarborough, Maine to design the ideal facility.“The overall challenge for The Mooring project was to create a functional, residential scale, small house community with a New England cottage style aesthetic. We also had to offer the safety and durabil

Advances

Exterior Panels/Cladding

Artistic Balance

The fully engineered, layered StoVentec Rainscreen system is made up of steel and aluminum brackets, mineral wool thermal insulation board and customizable glass or finish carrier panels. The colors in the glass panels are fused into the glass so that they will not wear, scratch, fade or incur water damage. The ventilated Render rainscreen portion of the system provides a balance of artistry, economics and performance.

Case Study

Exterior Panels/Cladding

Modern Metal-Clad Apartments Are Bright Standout

Building authorities initially took a dim view of the project’s proposed sharp angles and mixed materials, which stood in high contrast to the surrounding beige stucco. The 17-unit, townhome-style Alan Apartments project in Mesa, Ariz., quickly leased out, once construction was completed in late 2018—but it took some doing to get its unique exterior past city planners. “This project was made to stand out, and not look like all the boring beige houses around it—on purpose it doesn’t look like anything in the area,” says architect Tim Boyle, principal of Tim Boyle Design. “It was rejected by city staff five times because of how it looks, but we s

Advances

Surfaces/Finishes

Architectural Resin Transforms Medical Facility

Steffian Bradley Architects specified LIGHTBLOCKS’ custom color Palette product for MGH Rheumatology in Boston to create a warm, caring experience with a tough durable-finish product that can withstand the everyday use. The product’s non-porous, fingerprint- and scratch-resistant surface makes it especially well-suited for healthcare environments. For this application, LIGHTBLOCKS provided both fabricated wall accents and a thermoformed and fabricated nurse’s station. The LIGHTBLOCKS team worked closely with other trades to ensure a successful installation and timely completion of the project.

AP ProductWire

November 30, 2021 by Jeanie Fitzgerald-Pitts

The Mood-Shifting Power of Shapes

The study of neuro-architecture—which explores the way the body and brain respond to the built environment—is also explaining the way that people respond to different shapes found within the built environment. It turns out that specialized cells within the brain are attuned to the geometry and arrangement of the spaces we occupy. Designs that connect people to objects or patterns commonly found in nature have been found to enhance their overall sense of wellbeing. Increasing stimulation within the visual environment is also linked to positive benefits and can enhance creativity. Rounded décor can encourage more brain activity and feel more friendly than a room designed with only clean and modern lines. Circles can make viewers feel youthful, happy, and carefree. This issue of AP ProductWire will share a few options that architects and interior designers have to incorporate more geometry into their designs and harness the mood-shifting power of shapes.

Recent Articles

Honeycomb Pattern

Triangle Tile

Sustainability Can Be Productive Too

Mobile Living Walls

University of Kentucky Off-Campus Apartments Honor City Equestrian Heritage

Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians Administration Building, Arlington, Wash.

Advances

Windows/Skylights

Not Quite Open Skies

The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians Administration Building in Arlington, Wash., by Womer & Assocs., is designed to look like a canoe when viewed from above, a recognition of their heritage as river people. Inside, natural light was critical, but the architects were concerned about glare and comfort. They commissioned Kalwall to create a custom skyroof for the facility.

Case Study

Ceiling Systems

Ceiling Solutions a Home Run at Atlanta Braves Spring Training Complex

The new North Port location in Sarasota County gives the team a 30-year lease on a purpose-built facility that mimics its home at Georgia’s SunTrust Park. Built on 80 acres of previously vacant land, the new complex was designed by Fawley Bryant Architects (FBA) to create a state-of-the-art, comfortable and fun environment for players, fans and year-round events.The $140 million complex, named CoolToday Park, centers around a 6,200-seat stadium and a three-story, 55,000-sq.-ft. clubhouse with an athletic training facility and executive offices. In addition to Spring Training, the complex is envisioned to become the heart of a planned “town center” commercial and resid

Advances

Paving Systems

Reduce Stormwater Runoff, Beautifully

Permeable pavers have the ability to reduce or eliminate stormwater runoff increasingly important in urban settings and improve the water quality of our lakes and streams. These benefits are essential in the fight against climate change while providing beautiful, durable pavements for pedestrian and vehicular applications. Unilock offers the widest selection of permeable pavers in the market, allowing designers to create beautiful, environmentally conscious sites. Choose from styles including modern, geometric, historic and traditional to achieve your design goals and meet your project's sustainability and technical requirements.

Architectural Products

Park Transformation Creates Sense of Discovery

Read the Digital Edition

Sep/Oct ’21

Tasty Waves

Senior Living Community Helps Residents Feel Closer to Home

Artistic Balance

Modern Metal-Clad Apartments Are Bright Standout

Architectural Resin Transforms Medical Facility

AP ProductWire

The Mood-Shifting Power of Shapes

Not Quite Open Skies

Ceiling Solutions a Home Run at Atlanta Braves Spring Training Complex

Reduce Stormwater Runoff, Beautifully