Journal

Constuctivegc.com

Rick Fontenot of Constructive General Contractors has relaunched his site in a fresh, innovatve format consistent with his building style. www.constructivegc.com In his "It's in the details" section, he highlights the value a meticulous, design-sensitive contractor can add to a detail intensive project. Using construction sketches and diagrams from his projects, he illustrates the benefit of proactive conflict resolution.

In 2011, Fontenot managed an unlikely coup. Up against several established local contractors, he landed a very significant project of ours; the Old Range. He has proven to be an invaluable asset. He will inevitably be a top candidate for constructing our future.

NIMMO Wins AIA Dallas 2012 Honor Award

2012 AIA Dallas Design Awards

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2012 BUILT DESIGN AWARDS RECIPIENTS:

HONOR AWARD
Auberty Ranch
NIMMO American Studio For Progressive Architecture

HONOR AWARD
Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy
SHW Group

MERIT AWARD
Hallam Residence
Morrison Dilworth + Walls

MERIT AWARD
Addition to a Military Hospital
RTKL Associates Inc.

CITATION AWARD
Laura Rathe Gallery
Albert Marichal, Architect

CITATION AWARD
Watermark Community Church
OMNIPLAN

2012 BUILT JURY:

Brian MacKay-Lyons, Hon. FAIA

, was born and raised in Arcadia, Nova Scotia. Since 1985 Brian's practice-based research has built an international reputation for design excellence, confirmed by 67 awards, including five Governor General's Medals, six Canadian Architect Awards, Architectural Record House Awards, and an AIA Honor Award. His work has been published in 164 books, journals, and monographs including The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture, American Houses for the New Century, The History of Canadian Architecture, Encyclopedia of 20th Century World Architecture, Brian MacKay-Lyons: Selected Works 1986-1997, Wallpaper, The Architectural Review, Architectural Record, and Architecture. Plain Modern: The Architecture of Brian MacKay-Lyons, written by historian Malcolm Quantrill, was published by Princeton Architectural Press in 2005. This work has been the subject of 74 exhibitions, including "10 Shades of Green" by the Architectural League of New York.

In addition to his 24 years as a Dalhousie professor, Brian has held visiting professorships at universities in the USA, Canada and Germany. Each July Brian offers the 'Ghost' international internship on his farm. This design-build workshop involving professors, students, and architects functions as a research laboratory. Brian contributes to the architectural community through participation on professional design juries, including the National Capital Commission in Ottawa since 1996.

While Brian's house designs have made him a leading proponent of critical regionalist architecture worldwide, his practice,

MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects

, is in transition. A new office in Halifax's north end, where the firm has been engaged for two decades, now facilitates larger, public, and international commissions, including a new Canadian High Commission in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Michel Rojkind was born in 1969, in Mexico City, Mexico. From 1987 to 1999, he was the drummer in aleks syntek's band 'la gente normal'. He studied architecture and urban planning at the Universidad iberoamericana, Mexico City. After working on his own for several years, he teamed up with Isaac Broid and Miquel Adria to establish adria+broid+rojkind (1998-2002) and finally he established the firm rojkind arquitectos(2002). More recently Michel has been short-listed to participate in several large scale international projects, in Canada, Kuwait, China, Dubai, Singapore and Spain. in addition to being a regular contributor in several international architectural and design publications Michel Rojkind has served as editor of the technology section of 'FWD', the architecture journal arquine international.
He has been held several visiting professorships at universities across the world. rojkind arquitectos were nominated for the Ordos Prize, China 2009, twice for the Marcus Prize, U.S.A. (2007, 2009), and twice for the Iacov Chernikhov Prize, Russia (2006, 2008).

Anne Schopf, FAIA, provides inspired leadership in her role as Design Partner atMahlum and is a dedicated champion of design excellence with environmental stewardship. An award-winning architect, teacher, speaker, critic and mentor, she pushes for work that expands design dialogue, cross-pollinates ideas, enriches communities and integrates approaches to green design. Her projects and professional activism highlight the inextricable links that bind our lives and our buildings to the environment — enhancing the discourse on design and place. She recently served as the 2011 Chair of the AIA national Committee on Design (COD) Advisory Group and a peer reviewer for the General Services Administration (GSA) Design Excellence Program. She is a frequent juror for awards programs, including AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Green Awards, AIA Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) healthcare design awards and the 2009 AIA National Honor Awards for Architecture. With over five years serving on the AIA Seattle Board, including one as AIA Seattle President, Anne has advocated on behalf of the profession for design solutions that represent significant cultural and environmental value.

Project: Prospect Residence

The Prospect Residence was designed for a gentleman looking to develop a moderately sized home in central Dallas. The site was located on an interior lot that was 50’ wide by 180’ deep. There were no existing structures but preserving a large pecan tree near the front of the lot was of the utmost importance. The homeowner wanted a place that would provide inspiration and that could be adapted for accessibility if necessary as he aged.

The single-story solution assembles large, simple masses and cantilevered planes to create expansive, open spaces within a typical single-family lot. It was a priority to balance the drama of monumental spaces and forms with the serenity of nature. Blurring the boundary between interior and exterior, at some perspectives the residence is completely see-through. From other points of view, forms and objects slowly reveal themselves. The house itself hides behind a large pecan tree as well as an architectural screen and landscaping.

Incorporating sustainable design strategies was a high priority. Examples include addressing solar orientation through the careful placement of openings, overhangs, and landscaping; utilizing a highly reflective roof membrane; omitting heat-storing, attic space; detaching the garage to prevent the transmission of potentially harmful fumes and unwanted heat; and incorporating porous walkways to reduce the impact of storm runoff.

NIMMO selected in Best of Houzz 2013

Houzz Unveils 2013 ‘Best of Houzz’ Winners

Annual Survey and Analysis of Community of 11 Million Monthly Users Reveals Top-Rated Professionals and Design Trends

Houzz, the leading online platform for residential remodeling and design, today announced the community’s 2013 picks for Best Of Houzz, a homeowner to homeowner guide to the toparchitects, interior designers, contractors and other residential remodeling professionals in the U.S. and around the world.

“Houzz is the top choice for homeowners seeking residential remodeling and design services, providing an in-depth, 360-degree view of each professional through images of their work, reviews and an opportunity to interact with them directly on Houzz,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of community. “The ‘Best of’ winners are professionals recognized by our community of homeowners and home design enthusiasts for delivering exceptional customer service and results, and for creating the most inspiring and innovative residential designs in the past year.”

The Best of Houzz award is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design. Customer Satisfaction award winners are based on homeowner members who rated their experience working with remodelers and designers in categories ranging from landscape contractors to kitchen & bath designers. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 11 million monthly users, known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 124 million professional images of home interiors and exteriors to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz site, iPad/iPhone app and Android app. With Houzz, homeowners can identify top-rated vendors as well as those whose work is a match with their own design goals. Homeowners can also evaluate professionals by contacting them directly on the Houzz platform, asking questions about their work and evaluating their responses to questions from others in the Houzz community.

By analyzing professional images added to the most ideabooks on Houzz over the past year, Best of Houzz 2013 also serves as barometer for decorating and remodeling trends across the U.S. and around the world:

Houzzers want to make a statement from the moment you open their front door. Popular entryways feature elaborate wall treatments such as stone, board and batten and creative storage for shoes and coats.
Kitchen favorites include bold pendant lighting over islands and specialized built-ins to help keep cooking essentials (like spatulas and baking pans) neat and tidy. Houzzers are also drawn to architectural details like crown molding, trim and breadboard, tray and coffered ceilings, as well as neutral color palettes and shaker-style cabinetry.
Must-haves for the bathroom are open shower spaces with glass doors, an abundance of natural light and bold tiles that are either very large or very small in size.
Laundry rooms are getting a makeover with bright, bold hues and special touches to make the room feel less industrial and more homey such as stained glass and wallpaper.
Firepits and outdoor fireplaces top wish lists for outdoor spaces. Stone and paver pathways and patios are also favorites. Houzzers are maximizing outdoor spaces for entertaining.
Garages are no longer just for cars and storage. Houzzers are finding inspiration in garages transformed into a potting shed, playspace, man-cave or home office.

About Houzz
Houzz (www.houzz.com) is a leading online platform for home remodeling, providing inspiration, information, ‘advice and support for homeowners and home improvement professionals through its website and mobile applications. Houzz features the largest residential design database in the world, articles written by design experts, product recommendations, a vibrant community powered by social tools, and information on more than 1.5 million remodeling and design professionals worldwide who can help turn ideas into reality. @houzz_inc

Project: Auberty Ranch

Developed by a local artist to be a studio, residence, and retreat for artists; Auberty Ranch aspires to provide a place of inspiration and reflection for family and guests. The celebration of life and its experiences is a key theme of the project.

The artists are fortunate to be surrounded by nature and numerous wildlife species. These native residents are a vital component of the Auberty Ranch experience.

Rooted in the vernacular, the design incorporated building techniques familiar to the local craftsman and materials of the region. The integration of numerous sustainable strategies was of the utmost importance. Water reclamation, recycled/recyclable materials, porous site materials, and natural ventilation were some of the methods used. Solar orientation was carefully considered.

Project: Emerging Dallas

Design within context? What is context? Is it a snapshot of the existing landscape and buildings surrounding a project site? Or, is it much more than that?

The city of Dallas is undergoing a revolution relevant to its historic condition. Our context is a new set of values emerging from the recent financial crisis coupled with a public that is more informed than has ever been. People are seeking affordable places that can provide long term value, address issues of sustainability, and are relevant to an evolving urban lifestyle.

This project sought to address the emerging context. An important goal was to build single-family homes on lots one-fourth that which is typical for the local market. It was important to provide open exterior spaces. Another significant priority was balancing solar orientation with light and views.

Besides serving the primary function of residences, this development sought to facilitate community interaction. The outdoor spaces have been designed to serve multiple functions; utilitarian, leisure, and social.

The concept for the vertical circulation used common spaces such as living, dining, and study as stair landings. Stair landings also served as corridors.

NIMMO Goes Mobile

NIMMO begins projects on Vanguard Way. For the next few months we will be stationed at Urban Reserve; an incubator for progressive residential architecture. Our first residence in the area is scheduled to break ground in December of 2012. As well, we are beginning design work for another home in the area. While maintaining relatively close proximity to urban Dallas, working in the vintage Airstreams surrounded by nature is a welcomed change of scenery. Special thanks to our sponsor: Urban Reserve. www.urbanreserve.net