In all seriousness, I am a sucker for structural engineering achievements.  Strange, I know, seeing as how I am an architect.  But, the structural engineer deserves more props than they get in a lot of cases (such as anyone as a sub to Frank Gehry).  This was a huge challenge and the engineer should be proud.

…and because everyone else has thrown out their opinions, I’ll take the opportunity to give mine.  I like this building…yes, its excessive and impractical.  It is a reflection of achievement and ingenuity.  The architecture reflects the building’s soaring height and it appears as though it’s poised to rocket towards the sky to pierce the heavens…

Here’s my response…

Happy New Year to you…

That’s a great question.  One that was touched on in a mastermind group I recently joined, but haven’t sat down to pull it together.  Having just launched my business in 2009, I am looking in all directions to take the next step.

I would say in a nutshell, that my goal is to continue to build on the momentum I’ve gained in 2009.  Using that as the force behind me, push forward to more exposure in the market and pursuit (and award) of larger projects.  The response my hanging out my own shingle has been very positive and I am finding opportunities where I thought none existed.

I do want to refresh my branding… using my “one year in business” as a targeted launch point.  I have a ton of ideas on my company website, my blog, appearance of plans, letterhead, etc.  I have until July to get it done…  There seems to be something about a one year anniversary that shows the world that your in it for the long haul.  I want to use that moment to reintroduce my firm.

I also want to get more consistent in my blog posting and writing for Examiner.com.  I have been getting better, introducing some weekly features to help build content.  Using these, I’m looking into generating other revenue streams to supplement the professional services fees.

So, I guess I have thought about it…

I wish you good luck and prosperity for 2010!  Hopefully things turn around for architects this year.

Dave

You have to clear space for new things, mentally and physically…

My family spent a few days this week cleaning house and organizing.  My wife’s workspace, as well as mine, were the focus really.  We juggle many different things throughout each day, and having a mess of disorganization stifles the creative flow (as well as sanity).  So, the trash collector has a little extra to pick up today.

From the mental side, I am now able to put 2009 behind me.  There were a lot of changes in this year and there is a distinct dividing line of when the clouds parted and the sun returned.  Making the decision to leave a midsize firm and going it alone is scary stuff, but four months of success in the midst of a deep recession can build confidence in yourself and your abilities.  More importantly, it helped me regain a passion for architecture and building.

I’m excited about 2010…

Opportunities abound, if you know where to find them and are willing to take the steps necessary to get there.  Scrape away the old, get back to the basics and find your passion.

Happy New Year…

I’d love to hear what great things you are going to do this year.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

(Oomen Architecten)

Take this home by Oomen Architecten.  I love the home and the design…its fantastic!  But, the interior is all white.

(Oomen Architecten)

I don’t mean to pick on this one home because I have seen a number homes and commercial spaces in all white lately.  Architects dress in black, design in white, and are trying to be green.
  Why are we so afraid of color?

Now, I’m not the greatest at color, which is why I call my favorite color consultant when I want to step out of my comfort zone.

And, I’m curious, do these architects have children?

Daniels and Fisher Tower (David Shankbone)

Downtown Denver was the center of the American West department store world in the early 20th Century.  Numerous stores lined 16th Street, creating a shopping district that drove each store owner to try to set themselves apart from the crowd.

The Daniels and Fisher department store at 16th Street and Arapahoe Street was anchored by the clock tower that remains as an icon in the Denver skyline.  The department store itself was torn down in the 1970’s and the current Tabor Center stands in its place.  The line of the original department store’s roof can be seen on the west facade of the tower, a reminder of the past that stirs the curiosity of visitors unfamiliar with its history.

The D&F Tower is modeled after St. Mark’s Campanile in Venice.  The 325-foot tall Renaissance Revival tower was designed by architects George Williamson and Frederick Sterner in 1910 and, at the time of its construction, it was believed to be the 3rd tallest building in America.  The building’s facade consists primarily of brick and includes terra cotta features and highlights.  The clock still keeps the time, but occasionally needs to be helped along to stay accurate.

The Daniels and Fisher Tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places, 40 years ago today, December 3, 1969.

In the late 19th Century, Denver was among the handful of cities that used cable cars and a means of public transportation.  After growing to nearly thirty miles of cable rail routes, the last cable car ran in 1900.  The Denver City Cable Railway Building at 18th Street and Lawrence Street in Denver, Colorado opened in 1889 and it was originally built to house power and maintenance facilities.

Denver City Cable Rail (David P Goode)

The Romanesque Revival building features numerous arches throughout the two-story facade, including the soaring two-story main entry on 18th Street.  Intricate brickwork and corbels reflect the craftsmanship of the era, adding to the building’s charm and character.

The roof structure consists of cast iron columns and a variation of a Vierendeel truss (although Vierendeel invented the truss in 1896).  The bottom chords of the trusses are reinforced by cast iron struts and tie-rods, taking up significant tension forces.

Denver City Cable Rail (David P Goode)

The building now houses a restaurant and office space and the current owner has proposed to construct a hotel tower on site, keeping the existing, historic facade in place.  The brick smokestack chimney, which stands prominently over the building, will be left in place or relocated in whole to respect its historic significance.

The Denver City Cable Railway building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Rem Koolhaas

Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas was born November 17, 1944 and heads one of the world’s more notable firms, the Office for Metropolitan Architecture.

Koolhaas won the Pritzker Prize in 2000 and the Jury stated, “His architecture is an architecture of essence; ideas given built form. He is an architect obviously comfortable with the future and in close communication with its fast pace and changing configurations. One senses in his projects the intensity of thought that forms the armature resulting in a house, a convention center, a campus plan, or a book. He has firmly established himself in the pantheon of significant architects of the last century and the dawning of this one. For just over twenty years of accomplishing his objectives - defining new types of relationships, both theoretical and practical, between architecture and the cultural situation, and for his contributions to the built environment, as well as for his ideas, he is awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize.”

A recent notable structure is the China Central Television Headquarters in Beijing.  The building opened in June 2008, just ahead of the Olympic Games.

China Central Television Headquarters

Often, the manufacturer’s standard hardware arrangement is accepted by the architect and considered solved because of section 1008.1.8.3 Locks and Latches, condition 2.2.  This condition allows the deadbolt lock if signage is provided above the door that states “THIS DOOR TO REMAIN UNLOCKED WHEN BUILDING IS OCCUPIED.” 

The owner just needs to keep the door unlocked while someone is inside, and voila, we’re good.

More and more, jurisdictions will no longer allow this.  Building officials are requiring that door hardware be operable at all times, whether the door is locked or not.  The problem is usually this: storefront doors come with push/pull handles and a thumb-turn operated deadbolt, which do not comply with the building code nor the ADA/ANSI 117.1 standards.  Furthermore, buildings are often occupied after normal operating hours, evenings or weekends in the case of an office, and someone could become trapped in an emergency.

Now what? There are options….

Rim Device

Rod Device

One of the easiest solutions is to add a panic or push bar to the door assembly and there are two primary operations: rods or a rim device.  The rim device utilizes a latch to hold the door closed, and that latch can be locked to secure the door.  The rod assembly doesn’t use a deadbolt, rather vertical rods are thrust into the frame head and the floor in order to secure the door. The push bar, when depressed, will retract the rods and the door is free to open.  Rods can be concealed within the door stile or they can be surface mounted.

The panic bar option, although meeting virtually all egress requirements, is probably the most costly.

Lever Handle

Another solution is an actual lever handle which takes the place of the thumb turn on the interior side of the door.  Same concept as the panic bar, when the handle is turned, the deadbolt releases and the door is free.  Although this option is fairly popular, the handles have been known to shear off after some use.  Be sure to specify heavy duty or extra heavy duty hardware.

Push Paddle

A third option is a push paddle.  These are approximately 6 inches wide by 4 inches high.  The placement can be the same as the lever handle, or it can be placed lower on the door in lieu of the standard push handle in order to keep the thumb turn or key cylinder to throw the lock.  Although this solution works well, this seems to be a less popular option perhaps only because of limited information available.

On large projects, it is beneficial to work with a consultant that specializes in doors and door hardware.  The building code and the ADA contain a maze of requirements for doors and its easy to get lost.  These consultants will often generate your schedule, write your spec, and review your submittals in exchange for specifying their product lines.

Chapel of the Sky

Honor, Built Architecture

Anderson Mason Dale Architects (Denver) for Chapel of the Sky (Granite, Colo.)

Armstrong Oil and Gas

Honor, Built Architecture

Bothwell Davis George Architects (Denver) and Lake|Flato Architects, Inc. (San Antonio, Texas) for Armstrong Oil and Gas, Inc. (Denver)

DEA

Honor, Built Architecture

Gensler (Denver) for DEA – Centennial Station Office Building (Centennial, Colo.)

Additionally, Brian R. Klipp, FAIA of klipp (Denver) was named Architect of the Year and Studio B Architects (Aspen) was named Firm of the Year.

Redstone Castle

Redstone Castle, or Cleveholm Manor, in Redstone (just south of Carbondale) was once home to the sixth wealthiest man in the world, John Cleveland Osgood.  Mr. Osgood was a coal and steel pioneer in the late 19th century and came to Colorado for the mining.   The home anchored a model company town and served as a retreat for world dignitaries and businessmen.

The English Tudor style structure is constructed of large sandstone blocks which were quarried and hand cut from the cliffs of the Crystal River.  The 24,000 square foot home was built with the finest of craftsmanship inside and out.

Visitors to the manor have stories of the smell of cigar smoke or perfume wafting through the halls.  John Osgood was rarely seen without a cigar in his day.  Osgood’s first wife, Irene, died before the home was completed.  Alma Osgood, the second wife, is rumored to have affairs with artists she commissioned for paintings and sculpture.

After the Osgoods abandon the castle, it sat empty for years.  There have been a series of failed purchases and conversions, including a 1997 default on the motgage.  The property was seized by the IRS in 2003 in connection with an investment scam.  The property was later sold at auction in 2005 and now operates as a hotel and retreat.

Could it be the Osgoods were still watching over their beloved estate until the right owners came along?