22 December 2011
A New Home for DISA
This article highlights the design process for the new DISA headquarters located at Fort George G. Meade in Maryland. Previously located in Virginia, this move was the largest relocation in the history of the agency and the first time since DISA was established in 1960 that all personnel were co-located under one roof.
|
15 December 2011
LHA names Hotel Beaux Arts Miami "Boutique Hotel of the Year"
The Latino Hotel Association (LHA) named Hotel Beaux Arts Miami “Boutique Hotel of the Year” for having the "best new product of a niche market ." The award was presented at the LHA’s recent Estrella Awards in Las Vegas.
|
29 November 2011
A Payoff at the End of a Rocky Road
Breaking into emerging markets means dealing with government and infrastructure challenges, but it has its rewards. Outdated zoning laws, shaky local infrastructure and the far-reaching hand of the European debt crisis all have an impact in these locations. But the lure of a growing middle class can make spots like Brazil, Turkey, Colombia, China and India too attractive to resist.
|
07 November 2011
Breaking Down NGA's Success
The Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Act of 2005 directed consolidation of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s (NGA) east coast operations into a new headquarters facility at Fort Belvoir, Va. At 2.4 million-ft2 and $1.7 billion, NGA Campus East (NCE) isthe largest facility project resulting from BRAC 2005. Completion of the undertaking involved a large cast of stakeholders, including three separate government contracting agencies and seven prime contractors. The robust partnering initiative embraced by the team enabled a shared vision, enhanced trust, and ultimately the flexibility that proved essential to success. Integrating partnering with program management—instead of considering partnering a separate element—was the key to executing this large, complex program on time despite its ambitious schedule.
|
04 November 2011
Meeting Healthcare's Modern Audiovisual Challenge
We’re a long way from the days when “audiovisual” meant a projector, a screen, and a collection of slides—or, more contemporarily, a PowerPoint presentation. Audiovisual systems in the hospital encompass tools and technologies barely envisioned at the turn of the 21st century. Ranging from integrated operating rooms and patient bedside information modalities, to interactive training programs and telemedicine, to videoconferencing (both big-screen and small-screen) and smartphones, the planning and design of these systems has evolved in many directions.
|
31 October 2011
Plans for Festival Supermall Move Forward
The massive expansion project for Festival Supermall in Manila will make it the first themed mall in the country. It will also help accommodate the 100,000 people that visit the mall each day and help establish it as the regional retail and recreation center south of metro Manila. Construction for the expansion project is set to begin in the last quarter of 2011.
|
28 October 2011
RTKL and John Deere Team Up
A team from RTKL's Chicago office will work with John Deere to build the company's new S-690 Combine using only canned goods. If completed successfully, the structure will set the world record. The combine can sculpture will be on display at the John Deere Pavilion in downtown Moline, Ill., from mid-November to mid-December. All the canned food will be donated to the River Bend Foodbank when the sculpture is dismantled.
|
12 October 2011
The U.S. Embassy in Brunei Opens
This new Embassy compound designed by RTKL features sustainable elements throughout the design, including an irrigation system that utlizes Brunei Darussalam's rainfall. The buliding has been registered with the USGBC and will also be submitted for LEED certification.
|
12 October 2011
RTKL's Approach to International Healthcare Projects
RTKL's Scott Rawlings and Gregory Stackel discuss the key factors in creating successful healthcare projects around the world. They focus on three of RTKL's current projects in Shanghai; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Santiago, Chile. Rawlings and Stackel note that each project has its own set of unique needs and must be designed for vastly different user groups.
|
10 October 2011
Ribbon Cutting Held for SAMMC
Previously known as Brooke Army Medical Center, SAMMC now features 425 inpatient beds, 32 operating rooms and the Defense Department's only Level 1 trauma center on the U.S. mainland. The building, with the department's only rooftop helipad, and emergency radiology and CT scan capability, is designed to save precious seconds in treating the critically wounded, including civilian accident and gunshot victims.
|
10 October 2011
Developing Malaysia's Intelligent Garden City
Completed in phases, this development will parallel other resort spaces in serving as a relaxing destination where people can retreat from the stresses of modern life. Located in Putrajaya, just south of Kuala Lumpur, this relatively new city is enveloped by breathtaking vistas and serves as the country’s federal administrative center.
|
03 October 2011
A New Type of Office
RTKL senior vice president Kim Heartwell discusses workplace design with the Washington Post. She notes the changes and new features that are an important part of these unique spaces.
|
27 September 2011
NGA Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
The facility includes 2.1 million square feet of office space. The atrium at the center of the main office building — 500 feet long and 120 feet wide — is large enough to house the Statue of Liberty. The joint venture design team of RTKL and KlingStubbins applied an integrated design approach to sustainability, while achieving NGA’s objectives to enhance their organizational vision of cultural transformation by unifying the workforce in a collaborative, mission-focused facility.
|
26 September 2011
600 Brickell Brings Advanced Technology to the Workplace
The 600,000-square-foot, 40-story project, formerly known as Brickell Financial Centre, is located in the heart of Miami’s is the most “connected” office building in the Southeast. 600 Brickell is South Florida’s first Cisco Connected Commercial Office Building, in partnership with Cisco Systems, Inc., and will offer infrastructure designed to meet tenants’ present and future information technology needs quickly, simply and cost-effectively. Global architecture firm RTKL served as the architect on the project, which also features a 30,000-square-foot ground level plaza.
|
20 September 2011
RTKL Stands Out as a Leader in Retail Architecture
RTKL began specializing in retail design in the 1950s. Since then, the firm's reach has greatly expanded and RTKL now has projects all over the world. "Working across cultures and time zones enriches the experience of everyone and leads to better design and commercial outcomes" says Director Ken Christian.
|
20 September 2011
The Process Behind the Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center
Located on the University of California San Diego’s (UCSD) Medical Center Campus, the complex is the first in the area to combine cardiovascular research, education, and patient care. The initial set of goals was ambitious: It needed to relieve pressing space limitations, consolidate outpatient and inpatient cardiovascular services, ensure capacity for a projected increase in demand for services, and prepare for more complex cases from a fast-growing over-65 population. As if that weren’t enough, the facility also needed to maintain a financially sustainable payer mix. Seven years later, with construction completed, those involved marvel not just at the project’s ability to meet those goals with a cutting-edge design, but at the intensely collaborative process that allowed them to do so on time and under budget.
|
15 September 2011
Care-RTKL Launches in Jeddah
Care-RTKL, a subsidiary company of HDH, was developed to enhance the quality and infrastructure of health care services in the Middle East region. It is also the first regional company with the capacity to deliver a competitive full turnkey health care solution from concept to operation. Care-RTKL is already executing several large contracts to provide integrated health care solutions in the field of medical equipment and medical IT systems planning.
|
14 September 2011
Hotel Beaux Arts Creates a New Identity for Downtown Miami
Hotel Beaux Arts, which opened this spring on the 38th, 39th, and 40th floors of the JW Marriot Marquis, brings an upscale feel to downtown Miami. As part of the burgeoning Metropolitan Miami mixed-use development, the hotel's many luxurious elements and sumptuous design elements reflect the Beaux Arts’ allure as a hideaway.
|
14 September 2011
LA Rejuvenated by RTKL District Masterplan
In the 1990s, downtown Los Angeles suffered from a declining urban population, disinvestment in the urban core, and rising social inequity. Consequently, a progressive group of leaders came together to effect positive change. The RTKL-master planned, 33-acre area now known as the LA Sports and Entertainment District (LASED) is a result of that effort.
|
13 September 2011
Chengdu Retail Center Brings New Elements to Chinese Retail
The Chengdu retail center is a 1.18 million-sf, four-level shopping center that will connect to a 35-story Class A high-rise. The mall with also feature a green roof. Plazas, pedestrians walkways, and open green spaces outside the retail complex will link to a “lifestyle environment” that will be lined with restaurants and shops to evoke the character of a traditional Chinese market.
|
02 September 2011
Improving RTKL's Global Reach
Many U.S.-based firms are finding growth globally and are helping to prepare for the future by developing projects outside of the U.S. Thinking about the future helps us anticipate and create economic and professional agility in the face of a range of what-next scenarios. There are massive opportunities now and there will be more ahead.
|
01 September 2011
Movement Towards a Continuum of Care
Ever since the Affordable Care Act was officially signed into law in March 2010, the industry has been abuzz with speculations as to how the largest anticipated restructuring of the U.S. healthcare system in recent history will ultimately shake out. While most of the broader market reforms won’t be rolled out until 2014, a number of initiatives are already in place. However, looming large is the million-dollar question: Does the industry have any more clarity about how reform will reshape the world of healthcare than we did a year ago?RTKL vice president Stanley Chiu AIA, LEED AP discusses the future of healthcare and notes the changes that will occur to move the industry forward.
|
01 September 2011
ASH Recieves More Recognition for LEED Platinum Certification
When the American Society of Hematology (ASH) was researching options for their new headquarters in 2008, they found a building in downtown Washington, D.C., that offered the benefit of a central location combined with ample square footage. RTKL's team created a workplace to meet ASH’s various goals.
|
29 August 2011
RTKL Participates in IDD Inaugural Event
The International Design & Development conference (IDD) recently attracted 597 attendees— made up of of architects, engineers, interior designers, construction firm managers, facility managers, hotel owners, and government officials—to its inaugural event. The conference, a two-day symposium made its debut in Seoul, Korea, and will be an annual event. Steve Galbreath was a conference presenter and also discussed RTKL's selection to masterplan phase two of NCD 2015.
|
15 August 2011
Asia's Newest Urban Resort
With innovative planning approaches, iconic architecture and an unparalleled guest experience, the Grand Hyatt Shenzhen is Asia’s newest luxury property. Located within the prestigious multi-functional commercial complex City Crossing near Luohu, including the building of China Resources, Park Lane Manor, shopping mall and subway station MixC, Grand Hyatt is ideally situated near business and entertainment districts. It completes the client’s vision for a flagship mixed-use and new 5-star hotel in China.
|
15 August 2011
RTKL and Growth in China
Baltimore-based RTKL Associates Inc. recently beat two international rivals to win a contract to design an iconic structure for a city along the Yangtze River in China. Last winter, RTKL and two other architectural firms — one British, the other French — were invited by a real estate subsidiary of Chinese steel conglomerate Jiangsu Shagang Group to submit plans for a twin-tower, mixed-use project in Zhangjiagang, a city of about 1.5 million people 60 miles west of Shanghai.
|
11 August 2011
City Crossing Sets an Example for Mixed-Use Developments
Opposite Hong Kong, Shenzhen is home to the best and brightest of China’s younger generation. The developer selected a 77,000-SM site in the central business district. City Crossing appeals to a wide mix of age groups, but most important is its appeal to the “matrix consumer”: young, well educated, seeking an experience and convenience to satisfy their sophisticated tastes. This article takes a look at what makes this development stand out from the crowd.
|
11 August 2011
RTKL Helps Revitalize Oklahoma City
The Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority approved a redevelopment agreement for construction of a $28.2 million, 250-unit apartment complex in MidTown Oklahoma City. RTKL was hired by Urban Renewal to review the project and has been working with the contractor on the development.
|
10 August 2011
How L.A. Live Helped Downtown Los Angeles
Nate Cherry speaks to Urban Land magazine and discusses L.A. Live. He reflects on the idea that the urban development not only responds to the needs of conventioneers and sports fans, but also to those of tourists and residents from around the region, building on the sports and music identity of Staples Center to create a true mixed-use district.
|
05 August 2011
Helping Data Centers Save Energy
Spinazzola and Battish explain the techiniques behind cooling plant optimization. They also spotlight the several key elements that, when combined, can produce significant savings in energy use over the life of the facility.
|
04 August 2011
Implementing Soft Programming at Reston Town Center
The author proposes that if “soft programming” is made a part of the “design” of public and private spaces, spaces that “look good” in plans will become great people places. He uses Reston Town Center as an example of how “soft programming and great physical design transformed Reston from a series of neighborhoods and commercial centers in a master planned community to a real place that contributed to property values."
|
02 August 2011
Design With a Purpose at Central DuPage Hospital Cancer Center
Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Ill, west of Chicago, commissioned RTKL to design a freestanding cancer and diagnostic imaging center for a cancer care campus in nearby Warrenville. RTKL’s design showcases the high quality of the hospital’s brand and its world-class cancer program by creating a building with a contemporary appearance, simple wayfinding, and a comforting environment for cancer patients and their families.
|
20 July 2011
RTKL to Create Master Plan for Guri World Design Center in Korea
Set for completion in 2015, Guri World Design Center is one of the world's largest mixed-use projects. K&C Chang Ko has tapped RTKL to master plan the second phase of the mixed-use development. RTKL vice president Steve Galbreath says “Now that RTKL is involved, we are picking up the pace on the master plan and look forward to our collaboration with Mayor Park, Chang Ko and the entire team. We intend to finalize our design by early 2012 and it will incorporate the iconic Design Center as its focus, the first of its kind in Korea.”
|
20 July 2011
eBay's Topaz Data Center Leads the Way
When one of the largest companies in the e-commerce industry looks to increase the stability of its data center, a critical component to its business strategy is continuous power. RTKL's comprehensive and customized design allowed for eBay to be able to use the Quad PAC Redundancy Control Systems from GE Intelligent Platforms. By implementing design principles of reliability, maintainability, sustainability and efficiency RTKL and eBay worked together to achieve a LEED Gold rating for the facility.
|
15 July 2011
The Modern Age Of Retail Architecture
Where is the retail architecture industry heading? According to Jeff Gunning, projects that are successful focus on mixed-use, street-oriented urban projects that are department store-anchored, and have office use above retail space. He also notes the imporance of international locations and sites RTKL's City Crossing in Shenzhen, China.
|
14 July 2011
Community Hospital South Project Wrapping Up
The new five-story, 155,000 square foot patient tower went into operation last year and has increased patient capacity at Community Hospital South to 150 private rooms. The new patient tower houses cardiopulmonary services, medical surgical beds, meeting and training space, a new main lobby, and a mechanical penthouse. Also included is a new 34,500 square foot surgery suite and administrative space.
|
14 July 2011
RTKL Names New Regional Leaders
RTKL, the international architecture, urban design and planning practice, took major steps forward this week in its global strategy with the announcement of key regional appointments in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East and Asia. Part of a larger strategy to strengthen the firm’s local positions around the world, the regional director structure is new for RTKL, which was acquired by ARCADIS in 2007.
|
11 July 2011
RTKL Recognized for LABC Award
This year’s Los Angeles Business Council Architectural Awards judges presented RTKL’s City Crossing Shenzhen with the top prize in the Best of L.A.—International category. The award ceremony was held at the RTKL-designed L.A. Live.
|
08 July 2011
"The Art of Experience" at Hotel Beaux Arts
Located in an upbeat urban mixed-use district, Hotel Beaux Arts heralds a new boutique brand embodying an exclusive luxury experience. Inspired by the ‘art of experience,’ the design team created a hotel emulating a gallery space that resonates with discerning guests. The hotel concept is conceived as a presentation of luxury craftsmanship. Custom-designed modern interiors and furnishings are set against fine art displays, immersing guests in a museum-quality journey.
|
08 July 2011
Upgrading Lowell General Hospital
Lowell General Hospital is midway through a six-story, 145,000-square-foot addition that will double its emergency-patient capacity. The expansion is expected to open in mid 2012. Hospital officials said the project will bump its annual emergency and trauma-center capacity to around 75,000 patients, compared with its current designed capacity of 35,000.
|
07 July 2011
ASH Headquarters Recognized For Unique and Sustainable Design
When designing the American Society of Hematology headquarters in Washington, D.C. the RTKL design team incorporated the needs of the staff and society members in one unique space. The shared fervor between RTKL and ASH to serve as environmental stewards was an essential catalyst in the project's LEED platinum certification.
|
01 July 2011
RTKL's DC Office Featured on Arthitectural
This article discusses the design process behind the Washington, D.C. RTKL office. In creating the space, the design team identified the qualities of the workplace that supported the firm’s culture. In addition, workplace anthropologists observed RTKL’s working habits while the design team engaged employees in on-line surveys, focus group sessions, and numerous town hall meetings. All of these elements foster an environment that is more about teamwork and partnerships than a traditional corporate hierarchy.
|
23 June 2011
Technology's Influence in LEED certification
The RTKL vice president tells RCR Wireless that use of technology in a design has little impact on achieving LEED certification and notes that it counts for only 47 points of the certification process.
|
21 June 2011
RTKL's Success at the 2011 ICSC Awards
Continuing the firm’s winning streak, RTKL received honors for three retail projects at the 2011 ICSC European Shopping Centre Awards last week. RTKL-designed and masterplanned Metropolis in Moscow received a commendation in the Best New Development category, and Sofia Shopping Mall in Bulgaria was named a finalist, benefitting from RTKL’s concept design. Belgium’s Médiacité, a project on which RTKL provided early masterplanning work, took the top prize for large refurbishment or expansion. The awards came just days after the Global Retail & Leisure International Awards where RTKL was named Designer of the Year 360 MALL in Kuwait was selected as International Shopping Centre of the Year.
|
16 June 2011
RTKL Wins at ICSC Awards
The Mall in Sofia, Bulgaria received won in the new development (large) catergory, Metropolis in Moscow received an honable mention in the new development (extra large) category and Médiacité in Belgium won in the refurbishment and extensions (large) category at the 2011 ICSC European Shopping Centre Awards. To judge each project, an expert jury travels throughout Europe and assesses each development in person. The difficult judging process makes this annual award highly revered in the industry. Many consider it to be a benchmark of industry quality and success.
|
15 June 2011
JW Marriott Marquis Miami and Hotel Beaux Arts Spotlighted
The RTKL designed JW Marriott Marquis Miami and Hotel Beaux Arts is the first hotel of the new exclusive brand and offers guests a distinct luxury experience. The project is part of an urban mixed-use district that will offer office space, residential condominiums and retail.
|
14 June 2011
WBAL-AM Highlights New RTKL Project
During a 10 day economic mission to Asia with Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, RTKL announced it will be providing design consulting services to Beijing United Family Hospital.
|
13 June 2011
RTKL Vice President Speaks at 7x24 Exchange Conference
Steve Spinazzola PE, LEED AP, discussed technical details and offers site selection guidelines for LEED Gold certification at the annual 7x24 Exchange conference. Held this year in Orlando, Fl., the conference brings together people who design, build, use and maintain mission-critical enterprise information structures.
|
13 June 2011
RTKL Recognized By Sustainable Business Oregon
RTKL and nine partners have teamed up to form an industry consortium that aims to make hotel purchasing more sustainable. The group will take on sustainability concerns in the hotel industry supply chain, tackling everything from toxic ingredients in products to the social impact of hotels in their communities. The consortium's first order of business is to develop a questionnaire for suppliers that will gather information about green attributes of different items from wall coverings to bathroom fixtures. The group will then choose a hotel remodel to use as a case study for green purchasing.
|
09 June 2011
RTKL Recognized as a Leader in Healthcare Facility Architecture
Practice leader of operational modeling and simulation, David Morgareidge, discusses healthcare facility design in Price WaterhouseCoopers' "Health Care Gold Rush" report which outlines the firm's predictions for the future of the health care industry. The report estabilishes two systems of care and divides opportunities into four categories. RTKL is defined as a leader in the "implementer" category for "making hospitals and clinics more efficient through design" beginning on page 12.
|
06 June 2011
Behind the Curtain: ASH by RTKL
When RTKL was commissioned to design a new headquarters for the American Society of Hematology (ASH), they knew it would be a challenge to combine the needs of its 15,000 member and employees in one space. In an article for Workspace Design Magazine, RTKL Vice President Dennis Gaffney explains the process behind the design of ASH’s new location. The team’s main goal was to “marry flexibility and sustainability to demonstrate a commitment to the changing workplace.” This was created by establishing clearly defined spaces and implementing numerous green initiatives. The result of ASH’s new office space is a fresh, branded workplace environment that reflects the organization’s innovative culture.
|
06 June 2011
Becoming LEED Platinum Certified
In this article for Eco-Structure Magazine, RTKL Vice President's Rod Henderer, Kim Heartwell, and Dennis Gaffney describe the process of designing three different structures to meet LEED Platinum certification standards. For each team, the primary focus was to design a workplace environment that reflected the needs of the organization. While assuring that the project met the LEED checklist requirements was important, it was not the driving force behind the design. By using a collaborative approach to design, Brickell World Plaza, RTKL's DC office and the American Society of Hematology (ASH) were able to achieve LEED Platinum certification by incorporating the user's needs into sustainable and functional environments.
|
06 June 2011
Retail in Emerging Markets
As global populations continue to rise, cities around the world are moving away from rural lifestyles and towards modernization. Previously small central business districts are now expanding and a surge of new retail developments are cropping up. China, India and Brazil have emerged as leaders in this recent trend and are working with international architecture firms to meet the growing demands for a more contemporary lifestyle. In 2010, RTKL completed a modern and forward-thinking design schematic for the Panambi Collection in São Paulo. Jeff Gunning AIA, a senior vice president at the firm, sites this mixed-use retail site as an example of the changing landscape of retail development in these emerging markets.
|
18 May 2011
Redesigning Festival Supermall
The Philippine Daily Inquirer speaks with Norm Garden AIA, LEED AP about the redesign plans for Festival Supermall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. He says “retail is like theater—you need to breathe new life into it every 10 years or so.” With the redesign, Festival Supermall will become an indoor-outdoor experience that capitalizes on the assets of the nearby creek. The expansion mall will add three districts: the Festival Walk, the River Park and the Water Gardens. RTKL will also incorporate sustainable design into the new layout.
|
13 May 2011
Portofino in Manila
PhilStar.com celebrates the opening of Portofino shopping mall in Manila, Philippines. The article also celebrates RTKL's role in the development. The shopping mall will bring modern conveniences and retail to this area.
|
11 February 2011
City Crossing Shenzhen
The City Crossing development in Shenzhen, one of China’s richest cities and bordering Hong Kong, gets a cutting edge ‘urban-resort’ from international architectural firm RTKL. The firm has a long standing relationship with the client, conglomerate China Resources Company which began in 2001 with the master plan for and architectural design for both phases of the City Crossing development culminating with the Grand Hyatt Shenzhen as the capstone of the mixed use development.
The 193-metre tall, 36-story hotel tower features a series of terraced levels that stem from a base podium. Divided into wedges, the building creates a geometrically curved expression embracing the site and surrounding open spaces.
The hotel is noted for its unique inverted ‘upside down’ layout which positions the front desk, main lobby and signature restaurants at the rooftop level with the guestrooms below. This feature is expressed by a 50-metre glass atrium on top of the tower, inspired by the mountainous region and the four points of the China Resources’ company logo.
As is often the case with mixed-use developments in China, the concept phase for the hotel started prior to the operator being in place. Once the operator, Hyatt, was on board, RTKL’s design team worked to incorporate many of the Hyatt teams’ visions in conjunction with interior design firm Wilson Associates. This included rethinking the organization of the hotel programme and resulted in the unique sky lobby at the top of the building, which was incorporated midway through the design process.
The tower’s façade treatment employs a series of stainless steel vertical fins that highlight the tower’s vertical line while horizontal polished stone spandrels contour the shape into a harmonious, continuous curve.
“The hotel forms part of an urban neighbourhood surrounded by landscaped courtyards and plazas, water features, and a pedestrian-friendly streetscape,” says Todd Lundgren, Vice President and Global Hospitality Leader for RTKL. “The hotel tower expresses its height from the ground fronting Bao An Road and is flanked by a podium towards the north and a pavilion-like component in the south. The tower races to the sky at the south-west, and terraces down to the northeast sympathetically to tie in with the podium architecture.”
|
01 October 2010
National Hellenic Museum Celebrates Kickoff
Museum officials recently held a kickoff celebration in the West Loop’s Greektown community at 333 S. Halsted St., site of the forthcoming National Hellenic Museum.
As the first U.S. institution devoted to honoring Greek culture, traditions, history, and civilization, the $15 million, 40,000-square-foot structure will combine elements of old and new architecture to represent ancient through modern Greek civilization.
“Our Greek-American population is the second-largest in the United States and third-largest in the world,” said Mayor Richard M. Daley. “That’s why it is only fitting to open the National Hellenic Museum here.” Daley also noted the museum “will complement Chicago’s already vibrant arts and cultural community.”
Also on hand were Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th Ward); Congressman Danny Davis (D-7th); Consul General of Greece Anastasios Petrovas; and the museum’s board president, Aristotle Halikias, and executive director, Stephanie Vlahakis.
“The museum is a dream come true because Greektown has been part of Chicago’s cultural fabric for decades, and it will be even more beneficial to the hip, up-and-coming West Loop to have this historical, cultural addition,” Vlahakis said. With Greektown’s proximity to Jane Addams’Hull-House down the street on Halsted, Vlahakis noted the area “has long been a gateway for immigrants into the city” and that “the museum will provide an experience of what immigration was like, not only for theGreeks but for all immigrants who have come to this city and country.”
Vlahakis said the kickoff was “as if we had made it to the top of Mt. Olympus, and to be under construction during this difficult time in the economy is especially a time for celebration.”
Burnett said the museum “will benefit our neighborhood and our city” and aid tourism.
Lynn Seermon,managing director of the West Central Association, said the museum“ will be a wonderful contribution to the neighborhood, especially since the fire last year at Van Buren and Halsted Streets that destroyed Greek restaurants, businesses, and the Greek grocery store. I think that it will play an important role in preserving the Greek corridor on Halsted Street.”
Martha Goldstein, executive director of the West Loop Community Organization, said, “I think it’s going to be a wonderful thing for the entire community. Our organization represents the residents and businesses of the West Loop, and have since 1991. We’re very much looking forward to this historic museum and the people that it will bring to the neighborhood.”
The museum will focus on history, culture, and art. It will recount Greek history fromancient times to the present, from the stories of Homer and Herodotus to the experiences of Greek immigrants.
Architecture is by Demetrios Stavrianos of the firm RTKL, with construction by Centaur Construction; together they are creating a LEED-certified green structure.
The first floor’s 10,000 square feet will include the Calamos Great Hall, a 5,300-square-foot space for temporary exhibitions. First up will be Gods, Myths, and Mortals, a show exploring mythology and featuring a 14-foot Temple of Zeus and 14-foot Trojan horse. The first floor also will hold the museum store and a special events hall.
The second floor will contain the Halikias Family Exhibition Hall, permanent exhibitions, and an education center with classroom space and an art studio.
The third floor will house the Gus and Mary Stathis Library, the Frank S. Kamberos Oral History Center, a recording studio, and staff offices. A rooftop terrace will feature three gardens.
The museum will open late next fall. For more information, call (312) 655-1234 or log on to www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org.
|
September 30, 2010
RTKL Announces Groundbreaking of New Chengdu City Center
Signaling the growing influence of China’s inland cities, global architecture, engineering and urban design practice RTKL, announced the groundbreaking of the first phase of Pearl River New Town, an 80-acre district in Chengdu that will form the heart of the city’s westward growth and modernization.
Located in the Wenjiang District along the banks of the Jiang’an River, the entire site is conceived as a fabric woven together by public streets, pedestrian paths, and bridge connections. The inspiration for the design came from Chengdu’s history as a leading center for the production of brocade cloth. The fabric design, with its flowing lines and rich colors, is a metaphor for the architecture: a place that weaves together a variety of uses and experiences, and a mix of old and new.
The centerpiece of the plan is a 110,000-square-meter, four-level shopping mall, which will be anchored by an Ito department store. The mall will be open and airy, with generous natural light, a central court, and green roof that will connect to a 35-story Class A office tower.
Outside, a number of plazas and landscaped areas will offer gathering places and retail activity on the street. Of particular note is the pedestrian-friendly “Silk Walk,” a lifestyle environment lined with restaurants and shops. This experience will have the character of a traditional Chinese city, full of activity and life.
“With the groundbreaking of this district comes the beginning of a new city center, and a new standard for international quality urban development in Chengdu,” said Thomas Brink AIA, LEED AP, vice president of RTKL.
In order to give the area a distinctive and memorable character, a comprehensive brand identity will be integrated into all aspects of the environment. The built environment is interwoven into the site in a way that celebrates the city’s vibrant cultural heritage and its diverse mix of modern day lifestyles. This experience creates an interconnected community grounded in tradition but poised for a dynamic and exciting future.
RTKL is overseeing the master planning, architecture, branding and landscape architecture for the project.
Active in China since 1983, RTKL has been changing the face of urban planning and architectural design amidst the country’s strengthening global presence, economic development and rising consumer class. The firm’s projects include some of the country’s most celebrated architectural projects including the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, the Chinese Museum of Film in Beijing, and City Crossing in Shenzhen.
|
August 25, 2010
Best Large Shopping Centre of 2010 Designed by RTKL
The Spanish Assocaition of Shopping Centers (AECC) recently named La Gavia as the 2010 Best Large Shopping Centre. The award was presented to designing firm RTKL at the XII Spanish Conference of Shopping Centers in Bilbao, Spain.
“La Gavia’s commercial mix, coupled with its distinctive design, gives La Gavia a winning combination," says Piers Mohan, RTKL associate director. “One of the most distinctive features of La Gavia is the central ‘spine’ that runs through the project, effectively tying it together. It can be perceived both inside and out and gives La Gavia a strong focal point and presence.”
The Madrid-located mall features multiple retail and entertainment venues, including a multi-screen movie cinema and hypermarket, within its more than 716,300-sq.-ft. space. Other design features include an outdoor leisure area and lagoon, which encompasses a 2,300-space surface-level parking area. Underground, an additional 2,700 spaces are available for shoppers. La Gavia is an extension of Ensanche de Vallecas, an urban border to Madrid’s main transportation outlet.
|
August 2, 2010
Can Beijing Become a World City?
Seven hundred years ago, when Marco Polo travelled to Beijing, the ancient capital was a world city connecting the East and West.
And now it's trying to regain that status. And Beijing isn't alone. Other big cities like Shanghai and Xi'an also want to join the ranks of London, New York and Tokyo.
But do these Chinese cities have what it takes to become a world city?
Watch the video here.
|
July 2, 2010
SEGD Design Award Winners Announced
The Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD) recently announced the winners of its 2010 Design Awards, which seek to recognize exceptional graphic design that enhances the built environment.
Several firms garnered multiple awards for separate project entries. Among these were R2 Design, Wendy Evans Joseph Architecture, P-06 Atelier, and RTKL Associates. RTKL was unique in being the only firm to receive an award for a project in which it was also the client, receiving a Merit Award for the design of its new Washington office.
The new Washington office of RTKL is 60,000-sq.-ft. and is LEED-CI Platinum-certified. The sustainable structure features five activity zones, labeled Greet, Seat, Meet, Eat, and Retreat. Environmental graphics throughout the space use a range of whimsical media to add unique character; these include signs, digital animation, large-scale wall graphics, and printed collateral material. One unique feature is the sketch-like, hand-drawn look of many of the office's graphics. These add a creative touch, while remaining eco-friendly with sustainable adhesives and low-VOC finishes.
"From the beginning, the project had one clear goal: to create a workplace that would serve as a reflection of the company’s collaborative culture—both internally and externally—and as a tangible expression of its commitment to environmental stewardship," comments Kim Heartwell AIA, senior vice president, of RTKL's sustainable design.
RTKL also took home a Merit Award for its Zero Waste temporary structure, created for an exhibition by AIA Dallas that sought to highlight the benefits of quality design on the built environment.
The full list of winners is:
Honor Award:
Boeing Future Factory by NBBJ
California Academy of Sciences by Volume Inc. and Cinnabar Inc.
Green Community by Matter Architecture Practice
LAPD Memorial by Gensler Los Angeles
Legible London by Applied Information Group and Lacock Gullam
The Official NYC Information Center by Local Projects (media design) and WXY Architecture (architecture)
Rugerero Survivors Village Sunflower Cooperative by ex;it Foundation
Sunflower Oil Project by Graphic Design students from Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design and the ex;it Foundation
Theatre and Auditorium Poitiers (TAP) by P-06 Atelier
Merit Award:
The Wayfinding Handbook by Two Twelve
15 Seconds of Fame by R/GA
Aleph by Sara Poli, Silvia Cervellin, Matteo Ferraro, Margherita Rubini
American Eagle Outfitters Flagship Spectacular by The Barnycz Group
Bikeway Belém by P-06 Atelier and Global Landscape Architecture
Christian Dior Temporary Store by Gensler
Docks en Seine by Nicolas Vrignaud
Grey Group by Pentagram
Hand to Hand by María de Ros and Daniel Loewe
Indemann Observation Tower by Maurer United Architects
Mad Mex Fresh Mexican Grill by Holy Cow! Design & Advertising
Metro Opposites Campaign by Metro Creative Services
Museu Fundação Oriente by P-06 Atelier
Obsessions Make My Life Worse and My Work Better by Sagmeister Inc.
Risking Reality by R2 Design
RTKL Office by RTKL
SAP America Corporate Headquarters by ex;it
Soho China by emerystudio
Teknion IIDEX Exhibit 2009 by Vanderbyl Design
Wild: Amazing Animals in a Changing World by MV Studios, Museum Victoria
WNYC Radio Broadcast Studios by Poulin + Morris Inc.
World Square Carpark by BrandCulture Communications
Zero Waste by RTKL Associates
Jury Award:
Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit by Exhibits & Design Department, Royal Ontario Museum
Monastery Street Park by Loysen + Kreuthmeier Architects
Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics by Wendy Evans Joseph Architecture
Two Times by R2 Design
Venturi Scott Brown Window Displays by Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates
Wal-Mart Retail Environment by Lippincott
"Lot With a Little" Award:
2009 AIGA Bone Show by Brandon Bird, Jeff Stammen (directors); Christine Lefebvre (exhibit designer)
The Context of Consumption by Sarah M. Kirchoff (MFA candidate, project manager)
Klaus Moje: Paintings in Glass by Wendy Evans Joseph Architecture
Sculpture by the Sea by Frost* Design
Totem Park by Projects of Imagination
The 430 entrants were judged by a panel jury on a variety of criteria, including creativity, collaboration, and new solutions. All 2010 award winners were honored at the annual SEGD Conference + Expo in June, and will appear in an upcoming issue if segdDESIGN magazine.
|
June 1, 2010
Redeeming History
When Church of the Redeemer was demolished in the 1960s, its destruction helped usher in an historic preservation movement in Washington, D.C. With the newest project on the church’s original site, a new shift is underway in the nation’s capital. Emphasis is moving from building new facilities to undertaking energy-efficient renovations.
As the second LEED Platinum core and shell building in Washington, D.C., as well as the first redeveloped office building in the eastern United States to achieve LEED Platinum, 1225 Connecticut Ave. was brought into the 21st century with both a clean, modern design and energy-efficient features.
The owner, Brookfield Properties, came to architect RTKL with the goal of achieving LEED Gold while repositioning the building as prime office space. All of the company’s new developments are being built to that standard, so it seemed fitting to shoot for the same target with a renovation project. The resulting full-building renovation — which included façade replacement, reconfiguration of the floor cores to comply with current codes, new electrical systems, full mechanical replacement, and a new lobby and fitness center — not only met but also exceeded that objective, thanks to innovative designs, materials and programs.
Right off the bat, three LEED points were achieved with a design that utilized 92 percent of the material from the existing building in the redevelopment process. By extending the life of the building, the team was able to preserve the energy expended in the original construction of the property, conserve resources, and reduce waste and the impact of building material manufacturing and transport.
Just as if it had been new construction, an update to the 43-year-old building needed to be compatible with the materials and styles of other buildings in the historic Dupont Circle, which range from the red brick of the adjacent Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle to the concrete of contemporary high-rise buildings down the street.
The first step towards quieting the building and making it more attuned to the neighborhood was eschewing the existing imposing smoke glass and concrete exterior for shimmering glass and stainless steel. RTKL also designed projected bay windows of various heights, which bring 1225 Connecticut Ave. closer to the scale of its low-rise neighbors.
The glass curtain wall provides floor-to-ceiling windows, which stretch 840 linear feet on the average floor and allow the maximum amount of sunlight into the interior. Given this all-glass design of the façade, the energy performance of the glass was of the utmost importance.
RTKL researched a wide variety of glass types that would provide a clear, nonreflective look while still reducing energy consumption. Ultimately, 80,000 square feet of Solarban 70XL low-E glass was used. The glass blocks 70 percent of solar energy but lets in more than 60 percent of sunlight. It’s estimated that the performance of the glass will reduce annual energy costs by tens of thousands of dollars.
The extensive use of glass helped meet another design goal, as well. Although the landmark Church of the Redeemer was long gone, RTKL’s designers wanted to honor the history of the site. Since the church had featured a square bell tower on its northwest corner, the architects created a glass-clad tower in the same location and capped it with an enclosed observation deck. Not only does the tower recall the church’s most distinctive feature but also provides a retreat.
The rooftop terrace provides entry into another relaxing space away from the bustling city — an 8,000-square-foot green roof. RTKL worked with Davis Construction to create an undulating, fully planted roof atop the eight-story building using American Hydrotech products. This portion of the roof helps reduce the heat island effect and peak storm runoff as well as provide insulation, while another section has a reflective coating to avert the sun’s rays.
Working in conjunction with the low-E glass, the high-tech mechanical system also contributes greatly to the building’s energy efficiency. Centrifugal chillers that exceed Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards pressurize refrigerant to generate an improved cooling method. A heat-recovery enthalpy wheel harvests excess hot air to efficiently normalize the air temperature and improve the air quality for the building’s users. Variable air volume (VAV) controls match the air volume for each floor to actual cooling loads, thus reducing air handler energy consumption significantly.
From the beginning of the renovation, the entire team was actively engaged in the LEED accreditation process. Seemingly small contributions, like Brookfield Properties’ commitment to purchasing green energy and Davis Construction’s construction waste management programs, pushed the project over the threshold to LEED Platinum.
Although the District of Columbia will require all commercial developments over 50,000 square feet to meet LEED certification beginning in 2012, 1225 Connecticut Ave. was ahead of the curve. All told, the green features in the building will reduce annual energy costs by 23 percent. In addition, it’s currently undergoing fit-outs for a single tenant, which will continue along the same sustainable-focused path.
|
June 1, 2010
Miami Modern
Yohandel Ruiz, an associate in the Miami office of RTKL, has designed a line of modern pieces for Cumberland Furniture's Designers Speak initiative, a national two-year program allowing design leaders across the country to create pieces that reflect the region in which they live.
A long-time resident of Miami, Ruiz relied upon the city's architecture and design culture—including retro Art Deco and Miami Modern (MiMO)—to create a series of seating and tables that showcase innovative, contemporary design. The collection includes the Alton bench, Celina lounge, Deauville tables, Drexel bench, Mortiz lounge (pictured), and Palmer tables.
Customers can order the furniture through Cumberland sales representatives.
|
May 23, 2010
EBay Unveils New Flagship Data Center
How do you build a data center that will have $2,000 in transactions flowing through it every second? That was the challenge for the eBay data center team in building the company’s new Topaz data center in South Jordan, Utah. The $287 million facility, which came online May 4, will be the flagship facility for eBay, hosting the eBay.com and Paypal.com web sites.
“We have built a fault tolerant Tier IV level data center that is 50 percent less expensive to operate than the average of all other data centers we lease today,” said Dean Nelson, eBay’s Senior Director of Global Data Center Strategy. “It is also 30 percent more efficient than the most efficient data center in our portfolio. At a designed PUE of 1.4, it lowers both our economical and ecological costs. We only consume the energy we need, when we need it.”
Dean has shared details and photos of the project – along with eBay’s high-spirited launch event – in a blog post at Data Center Pulse.
First of Four Phases
The first phase of the Topaz project is a 240,000 square foot building housing three 20,000 square foot data center halls – one for eBay Marketplace, one for PayPal.com, and a third hall for expansion space. The master plan for the site calls for four phases, which will allow eBay to consolidate leased data center space currently spread across three states. The facility has 7.2 megawatts of capacity in phase 1, with a 30 megawatt substation on site.
Here’s a look at some of the energy efficiency features built into the new facility:
- eBay is using 400V power distribution, allowing it to eliminate an entire level of transformers and deliver 230V to the servers, saving 2 percent in power costs.
- The data center is cooled using a water-side economizer system, which is supported by a 400,000 gallon cistern that collects rain water. eBay expects to use outside air to cool the data center for more than half the year.
- Inside the data center, eBay will use in-row cooling units for close-coupled cooling, and a hot air containment system to isolate the hot and cold air within the server area.
- eBay says it can support power densities of up to 30kw per rack using this design.
eBay anticipates gaining Gold-level certification for the Utah site under the LEED ( Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program for energy efficient buildings. Nelson said he expects to achieve a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) rating of 1.4.
Efficiency Meets Resiliency
“Now, I don’t want to go into the religious debate of who has the lowest PUE, but I do want to point one thing out,” Nelson writes. “In the business of on-line commerce, we do not have a choice but to build a highly available data center to support our customers. From my perspective, achieving a 1.4 PUE with a hard requirement to meet this level of redundancy is quite an accomplishment. The point is you can be resilient, efficient and cost effective if you set your mind to it from the beginning.”
The eBay team also knows how to throw a grand opening, converting the third data hall at the Topaz facility into “Club eBay” for an event featuring break dancers and a giant wall plug for “powering on” the facility.
|
May 18, 2010
AJ100 Awards
A list of the 5 most successful UK based architectural practices operating overseas over the last 12 months has been released by the organisers of the annual AJ100 Awards.
BDP, RTKL, RMJM, Aedas and Pascall & Watson have all been placed in the top 5 practices working overseas, and between them they employ more than 1400 architects outside the UK.
Broadening the focus from the top 5, a total of 14 of the AJ100 practices each employ more than 100 architects based outside of the UK.
Overseas markets remain a lucrative income stream for many UK practices. The combined overseas fees for AJ100 firms totalled £719,711,000 in 2009, with the top 5 practices alone accounting for £176,156,000 in overseas fees.
The largest overseas markets for UK practices remain Europe and the Middle East, which account for 37.2% and 36% of fees respectively, although many practices are securing contracts further afield, including in sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South America and Russia.
The results of the AJ100 survey also reveal that on average practices that have invested in a strong overseas presence have benefited from some insulation against the challenges that the UK market has faced in recent years.
Paul Finch, editorial director, The Architects' Journal, comments, "While reported overseas fee income is lower than stated in last year's survey, it is clear that fees from outside the United Kingdom remain very important to our sector, and perhaps on some levels architecture has performed better than might be been expected a year ago.
"With many practices now employing more people overseas than they do in the UK, and the growth of some truly global architectural brands, it seems clear that a business model which includes a significant international dimension will remain essential for the health and competitiveness of the sector."
The annual AJ 100 survey is the authoritative barometer for the state of the UK's architectural sector, with the vast majority of UK practices submitting commercial information on their performance in the last 12 months.
The data submitted into the AJ100 rankings provides a vivid snapshot of the performance of the sector, with awards presented based upon findings from the data and nominations made by senior architects and industry observers. This year, Imperial College London is also working with the AJ to analyse the data and provide greater insights into the current state of the sector.
Categories include:
Highest First Time Entrant
Fastest-Growing Practice
Employer of the Year
Regional Awards (eight awards)
Most sustainable Practice
Building of the Year
International Practice of the Year
Practice of the Year
Contribution to the Profession
The winner of the International Practice of the Year will be revealed at the AJ100 Awards on 19th May 2010 at The Grange Hotel St Paul's, London.
The AJ100 is organised by The Architects' Journal magazine, published by Emap. Supporters and sponsors include Passionate about Cinema, BST Global, SIV Human Resources, Griffiths & Armour and Beale and Company, Hilson Moran and Schuco, with FD as the Official Communication Partners to the AJ100.
|
May 14, 2010
Property Mall/Blackpool Grants Permission for Talbot Gateway
Blackpool grants Outline Planning Permission for £220 million centre.
Blackpool Borough Council has granted Outline Planning Permission to Muse Developments, the developer of Talbot Gateway, to proceed with a £220-million civic and commercial centre that will be the centrepiece of efforts to revitalise the seaside town in the North West of England.
Masterplanned by RTKL, this step opens the door for Blackpool's continued regeneration effort, with the first phase of construction scheduled to begin in 2011.
RTKL's vision will transform 25 acres of underutilised land around Blackpool North Station and Talbot Road into a new "gateway" to the town. Talbot Gateway is a key development in Blackpool's long-term efforts to elevate its image and attract visitors, residents and investors.
"Blackpool is making a significant investment in its future," said Mahmood Faruqi, LEED(r) AP, Director of Planning and Urban Design with RTKL's London office. "This project will create a high-quality environment, an attractive welcome to the town, and a place where visitors and residents want to both live and work. It is a vital element of the town's long-term development aspirations."
It won't be the first time this particular transportation hub has been a catalyst for Blackpool's urban transformation. When it first opened in 1846, what was then known as Talbot Road Station brought the first trains-and the first tourists-to Blackpool. The influx of travellers quickly transformed Blackpool from a small coastal farming community into England's top travel destination. The leisure industry boomed for a century and at its peak, attracted over 10 million visitors per anum.
Blackpool Council and ReBlackpool, the urban regeneration company, have embarked on a 15-year effort to restore the town's image; Talbot Gateway is a key component of this effort.
Talbot Gateway will provide a new transport interchange that features a redeveloped train station, 2,987 parking spaces, and improved pedestrian and bike routes. As the entry point to the town, the high-quality public space will feature a new council office building, police headquarters, county/magistrates courts, a supermarket, retail space, dining, four hotels, office space and residential development.
"The district will create hundreds of jobs and be a long term economic engine for the town. It will help Blackpool retain businesses that already exist in the town centre and attract new investment, visitors and residents," Faruqi said.
With Blackpool Council's approval of the planning application, RTKL will prepare detailed architectural plans for specific projects contained in the master plan.
|
May 11, 2010
Keeping It Simple
Dubai, UAE–The new Mirdif City Centre is noteworthy for many reasons – not least because it could be the last big retail project to open in Dubai for some time to come.
According to a recent Jones Lang La Salle report, Dubai Retail: A Market in Transition, the opening of the new mall on March 16 “marks the end of an era of wide-scale development of super regional malls in Dubai. Mirdif City Centre is likely to be the last of its kind, at least in the short to medium term, as this sector of the market approaches saturation”.
Going For Gold
The mall is very much of its time, and acts as a clear indicator of how Dubai’s retail industry is evolving. For a start, it is one of the first retail developments in the UAE to be built with a LEED Gold rating in mind. “We decided that we wanted to be the first of a new generation of sustainable malls, and not the last dinosaur.
“So we went and set ourselves a target of LEED Gold, which is the highest standard that we felt was in our reach, to set a new benchmark and test ourselves,” explained Jonathan Emery, senior vice president, project management, of mall operator, Majid Al Futtaim.
This was something that guided the design from the very offset, explained Ken Christian, director of RTKL UK, the architecture and design firm responsible for the master planning, concept and interior design of Mirdif City Centre.
“A lot of a LEED Gold rating has to do with getting the planning done correctly and understanding the relationship between building configuration and energy modelling,” Christian commented.
“The other part has to do with the team’s level of commitment, from design to construction to operations. From the start, the entire team was committed to the LEED protocols, and it was extremely rewarding to be involved in one of the first retail centres in the region to have such a distinction,” he continued.
Keeping It Simple
A defining characteristic of the new mall is a distinct lack of gimmicks and over-the-top attractions. Instead, the emphasis was on creating a simple, straightforward, comfortable shopping experience. “While our aspirations for the design were high, we also knew that we had to create a space that was warm and welcoming rather than super glossy,” Christian noted.
The design scheme is based on the idea of a ‘desert villa’ which features a collection of enclosed and semi-enclosed spaces connected by a series of ‘streets’ and passageways. A simple racetrack layout, bisected by a central street, makes the space straightforward and easy to navigate.
“The scheme was designed as a series of interconnected rooms, each with its own personality, which creates an overall sequence of experiences or events. The reason for this was not only to inform the design of the spaces but also to help shoppers orientate to the scale. Each room has a different mood or atmosphere. Some are seen as main events while some are seen as transitions,” said Christian.
In keeping with the desert villa theme, the food court area draws inspiration from the patios and courtyards commonly found in local architecture. Food stalls are set around the perimeter, beneath vaulted ceilings, while the central space is heavily landscaped to mimic an outdoor dining terrace.
Interior landscaping plays a significant role in the overall design of the mall, and supports its ‘green’ approach. Water features and soaring palms form part of the interior, creating an indoor oasis. Indigenous plants, which are better suited to the climate and easier to maintain, were used wherever possible.
This is complemented by an abundance of natural light, which is filtered through intricate ceiling and wall finishes. “We emphasised natural light as much as possible but used creative ways of diffusing that light so it was not overwhelming, so patterns and fretwork play a large role,” said Christian.
Local Flavour
Throughout the mall, preference has been give to high-quality materials, which ties into the fact that Mirdif City Centre is predominantly targetting residents, rather than visitors to Dubai.
While this is in keeping with the more residential locality of the project, it is also reflective of a key trend currently shaping the emirate’s retail landscape, as highlighted by the Jones Lang La Salle report.
“Much of Dubai’s retail offer has been targeted at attracting tourist spending. The market is now adjusting to address the resident population. Industry players are increasingly focusing on demand from those living within the city and how to capitalise on its potential in generating retail sales,” the report pointed out.
This is something that UK-based creative agency Caulder Moore was acutely aware of when it came to design a Boutique 1 store for the new mall. “Because of the location, there are a lot more local people around there, so we thought there would probably be less tourists coming in.
“We wanted to keep the ethos of Boutique 1 – which is the discerning provider of premium, contemporary fashion and lifestyle design – but we also wanted to move on a bit from that,” explained Ian Caulder, creative director at Caulder Moore.
“In Mirdif we really wanted to add a sense of energy to the store and because it was focusing more on locals, I wanted them to feel like they could frequent the store more often, and that they’d see something different all the time,” he continued.
“That’s obviously different than when you are dealing with a tourist who will come in just once. As a local you might go in there every week, so we designed the store with elements that would feel like they were constantly changing.”
For example, the entrance to Boutique 1 is dominated by a huge, catwalk-like stage that can come apart and be reconfigured. Meanwhile, a series of brightly-coloured boxes that act as a striking backdrop for products can be moved around or removed entirely.
As with any mall-based retail project, the challenge with Boutique 1 was transforming a large, empty, white box into a vibrant space that would stand out in a sea of outlets. So, Caulder decided to convert the 1,100m² box into a gallery-like space that was interesting, but also low-key.
“The site, like a lot of mall sites, was rather uninteresting; it was a square box with no real architectural merit. I liked the idea of creating a contemporary art gallery. We had these columns going through the site and we thought, rather than them being obstructions, they could become more like sculptures. So we actually made each column a different shape. The intention was to create a lovely, airy, loft-like space.”
For Steve Leung, founder of the Hong Kong-based Steve Leung Designers, and the man responsible for designing the mall’s Mango Tree Bistro, one of the main challenges of designing for a mall setting is creating an effective entrance area that lures people in. “When designing a restaurant in a mall, we have to consider how the entrance can attract shoppers’ attention and draw them into the restaurant,” he said.
For this new setting, Leung was asked to extend the design concept of the original Mango Tree Dubai, which is located at Soukh Al Bahar, but to present it in a more casual way. “Various features have been maintained, including the pavilion, the use of a bronze mirror and the rectangular patterns on the metal screens, which all originated from Thai architecture,” said Leung.
“A wooden-beaded, layered, rectangular chandelier in the main dining area becomes a focal point of the restaurant. Loose furniture and some bench seating have been used to cope with the fast turnover of the bistro, while a big table made with walnut wood and Nero Portoro marble is purposely designed to enable food sharing among guests.”
Easy Shopping
The mall took 31 months to construct and opened on March 16 with 350 stores – some 1.8 million ft² of retail space –operational, a new record for the industry. “Completion in March was something we wanted to achieve so we didn’t have the luxury of slowing everything down,” said Emery.
The end product is easy to get to and easy to use, which, unfortunately, is not always a given with Dubai’s mega-malls. “In terms of the product, I think it is quite fresh. It is certainly different to other malls in the region and globally,” Emery commented.
“It is of a large scale and it is accessible; it is light, it is very simple to navigate your way around, it is clean, it feels safe and secure, and it gives customers a range of choice. It ticks all the boxes it needs to tick to be a good mall.”
Caulder agreed. “It’s a very comfortable mall to shop and it’s very easy to navigate. It’s very practical to get in and out of; access is really easy. It feels very pleasant,” he said.
However, not all of the stores do the mall justice, Caulder suggested. “I just thought some of the shops weren’t very exciting in their design. It is a shame, because the mall deserved better.
“I think people have obviously cut back and are trying to do things on a budget and are probably reusing design from elsewhere. I think it’s a shame because I don’t think that there will be many new malls like that opening anytime soon,” he commented.
And in a region where shopping represents a fundamental lifestyle activity, and consumers are well-travelled and exceedingly savvy, the need to create effective experiences is particularly acute. “The shopping culture here is huge,” said Caulder. “It’s the major lifestyle activity, so more here than anywhere else, you have to be competitive. Middle Eastern consumers are looking for things that will excite them.”
|
April 19, 2010
Changing Market Prompts High-End Retail
Multiplaza Escazu's recently opened luxury wing caters to Costa Rica's new wealth demographic.
|
April 1, 2010
New Mexico Eyes TOD
ALBUQUERQUE, NM-In 2006, New Mexico Rail Runner launched commuter rail service between Albuquerque and Sandoval County to the north. These days, with a 97-mile rail now open between Belen, south of Albuquerque and Santa Fe to the north, officials are starting to consider transit-oriented development around stations along the rail line.
Late in 2009, the Bernalillo County, NM commission adopted the Bernalillo County-International Sunport Station Area Plan, which called for the transformation of an area around the Rio Bravo/Second Street station into a mixed-use development containing retail, residential and housing projects. No blueprints have been drawn up and no funds allocated to this as yet.
However, Eric Dohrer and Tom Brink with RTLK Associates Inc. tell GlobeSt.com they aren't surprised at the development. Transit lines being developed in the southwest, such as the Rail Runner and the Phoenix light rail in Arizona, are coming online with the idea that, at some point, some developer is going to want to put a mixed-use project on land surrounding the stations.
"This is an interesting development and an evolution we've seen in the southwest with regards to how the transit lines are actually implemented," says Dohrer, an RTKL principal. A decade or two ago, he points out, planning for transit involved a route, stations and accommodating parking. "But now agencies are understanding the value of having people live, work and shop near the station," Dohrer remarks. "They're planning not only routes and stations, but are also planning where and how these transit-oriented development sites can occur in tandem."
The goal of any transit-oriented development, RTKL vice president Brink comments, is to create a lot of density, diversity and design around the nodes, or train stations. But this is a difficult concept, at times, to get across to city and town zoning boards, which are used to residential and retail structures that are maybe three or four stories tall. "You can't just jump from an environment of three or four stories tall to one that is 20 stories or taller," he adds. "That's the challenge when it comes to density."
The good news, however, is that city planners are starting to understand that density is critical for the successful functioning of transit oriented developments. "We're seeing a lot more flexibility on this issue with decision-makers in government regarding density than we did, say, a decade ago," Dohrer remarks.
But there is another issue peculiar to the Rail Runner that its light rail counterparts in Phoenix and Dallas aren't facing. "Heavy rail has a lot more noise issues, the frequency and regularity of the trains coming through is different, and the area between the stations is different," Dohrer explains. "In this way, developers along this route are going to have to take those differences into account."
Still, Dohrer and Brink are confident that development will eventually integrate into rail transportation nodes, even in the car-dependent southwest. Brink says the movement toward acceptance of transportation oriented developments is long term, but it will happen. "We're at the beginning of the process," he adds, "but in place like Phoenix, Houston and even Denver, that'll be inevitable."
|
April 1, 2010
Hospitality Renovations and Upgrades
While U.S. corporate travel buyers plan to decrease nonessential travel this year, leisure travel forecasts international arrivals to increase and is expected to continue to outpace business travel. These changes portend new needs for hospitality buildings designed originally for the booming business market that may now need a more consumer-oriented profile.
Click below for full article
|
March 17, 2010
Hellenic Museum Underway
The Greektown community, still reeling from a fire last month that destroyed a number of longtime businesses, is encouraged by construction activity on the site where a new National Hellenic Museum will rise and serve as a gateway to the area.
Plans for the museum have been under way for nearly a decade, but the last of 24 caissons for the three-story 40,000 square-foot structure on the northeast corner of Halsted and Van Buren streets only went in last week. The foundation is expected to be poured next month and the facility should open in fall 2011.
It will house 180 oral histories of Greek-Americans and thousands of artifacts ranging from pottery crafted before Christ to clothing worn by the first Greek immigrants to Chicago.
"It will bring a presence back to Greektown after the tragic loss of those three businesses," said Aristotle Halikias, president of the museum's board of directors. "It's been a long wait. People are anxious. Now there is a resurgence of energy and desire for the museum because they're going to see an actual building going up."
The museum, formerly the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center, was founded in 1983 to promote appreciation for the rich cultural traditions of ancient and contemporary Greece. Since 2004, it has been operating out of the fourth floor of 801 W. Adams St., in the same building that houses the Greek Islands restaurant. Officials announced the new name last August along with a redefined statement of purpose, "Connecting Generations."
It will be a "one-of-a-kind" museum, said Executive Director Stephanie Vlahakis, who expects to expand the collection once there is more space and funds to hire guards and install industry-standard climate control for antiquities and other objects. The current 10,000 square-foot space is inadequate, but the not-for-profit facility still attracts 10,000 visitors each year, she said.
Museum officials have raised $10 million toward a target goal of $25 million to construct the building and establish an endowment to sustain operations. The city of Chicago gave the museum $3.5 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds in 2001 to buy the land at 333 S. Halsted St., formerly occupied by the Turek hardware store, which was demolished.
The new museum would be "a wonderfully exciting addition to the city's cultural landscape," said Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Lois Weisberg. "Our ethnic museums are civic treasures. They're precious records of the hopes, struggles and accomplishments that define our communities and ultimately bind them together. The Greek community has worked long and hard to make this dream of a new museum come true," she said.
While some in the community have been skeptical that a new museum would ever be built, Halikias said there was an "arduous" regulatory process.
"It requires a great deal of perseverance and tenacity to get through (a project) like this, especially for a museum that has its own idiosyncrasies and requirements from assembly and curation standpoints," Halikias said. Now that construction is on a fast track, he said, "We've had individuals who have come out of the woodwork to make substantial financial and archival donations of family (artifacts)."
The new site offers unique opportunities, said architect Demetri Stavrianos, who designed the proposed building. "It has exposure on three sides, which in Chicago, unless you're over 50 stories, just doesn't happen," he said. "It gives an opportunity to have three distinct faces of architecture, one that faces south, one that faces Halsted, which is the ceremonial street in Greektown, and one that faces toward the city.
"From my perspective, it is important to create a museum that embraces the past, responds to the present and also seeks out a new future. As Greeks, we have a responsibility to pioneer things. We always feel the need to push and advance. It is important to me from a building standpoint to push technology and science and art to try and bridge a gap between the old and the new," Stavrianos said.
A feature of the new building, he said, will be a dramatic east-west staircase sky lit from above that symbolizes the Greek-American immigrant experience "of looking back and forth" between the old and the new country. The staircase, he said will contain material — either wood or stone — from Greece.
The first floor, designed with a glass facade to integrate the museum's interior with the neighborhood, will feature an approximately 6,000 square-foot multi-purpose space for high-profile exhibitions, as well as a gift store and special events hall. The second floor will contain several galleries that will tell the Greek story from ancient Greek history to the Greek-American immigrant experience, to spotlighting contemporary contributions to Greek culture and art.
The third floor will contain the Frank S. Kamberos Oral History Center. The interactive digital archive, dubbed Homer, contains 180 firsthand accounts of Greek-Americans. It was designed for the museum by local architectural design collaborative Sand_Box.
"Preserving these stories is the heart and soul of the (museum)," Vlahakis said.
The museum also has 7,000 artifacts spanning ceramic pottery from 1400 BC to the wardrobe of the first Greek woman to emigrate from Greece to Chicago in the late 1800s to wrestling shorts worn by "The Golden Greek" Jim Londos.
Curator Betheny Fleming, who previously was director of collections and exhibitions at the Illinois Holocaust Museum, said, "So many of the foundational elements of western civilization were built in ancient Greece. The challenge is to build on that and connect all of these stories into a cohesive experience for visitors."
One new exhibit under development, she said, will take its inspiration from Homer's "The Odyssey" and "The lliad," to explore how these seminal texts have informed modern storytelling from the Coen brothers' "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" to the raps of Tupac Shakur, to social networking. The catchy working title: "Homer, Hip-Hop, and the Art of Storytelling."
The museum, she said, is visited by 4,000 schoolchildren annually, and will feature kid-friendly exhibits, such as "Gods, Myths and Mortals," which is currently at the New York Children's Museum in Manhattan.
Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune
|
March 16, 2010
Mirdif City Centre Opens
16 March 2010, Mirdif, UAE - The eagerly awaited Mirdif City Centre opens its doors to the public today with over 350 stores trading, making it the most impressive launch of a mall in the region.
With an investment of over AED 3 billion, Mirdif City Centre has been developed by Majid Al Futtaim Properties, owners and managers of the region's most innovative retail and leisure malls, and follows the success of the company's other two leading malls in Dubai - Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre.
Mirdif City Centre is a two-level super-regional mall on a similar scale to Mall of the Emirates, featuring many new brands to the UAE and offers visitors the best shopping, entertainment, dining and leisure all designed with one aim in mind: attracting and retaining valued customers.
Click below for full article
|
March 11, 2010
Engineering a Brownfield Site
The nation's largest brownfield site became a unique planning, architecture and engineering challenge and, according to RTKL's Keith Campbell, an opportunity to celebrate the location's heritage while converting it into a contemporary entertainment and tourism complex.
|
March 9, 2010
Contract / FDA Headquarters in the LEED
Washington, D.C.-based KlingStubbins, with RTKL, announced yesterday (March 8) that its design for Building One of the US Food and Drug Administration Headquarters Consolidation at White Oak in Silver Spring, Md. was awarded LEED-NC Gold certification, making it the first renovation project in the GSA National Capitol Region to gain the distinction.
The project, which employed the guidance of Sustainable Design Consulting during the LEED process, included the restoration and renovation of Building One, a 102,000 sq.-ft. weapons research facility, into an eco-friendly administrative hub for the White Oaks campus. The campus features five buildings in total: the old four-story building; a new multi-level link that connects the lobby to the Central Shared Use building’s atrium; a new security pavilion; and a landscaped entry.
To maximize sustainability, the original brick and limestone core of the historic Building One was reused in conjunction with additional building materials containing low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). To better conserve energy, the historic building envelope was thoroughly insulated and the original single-pane windows were replaced with operable, low-E steel units that feed into the HVAC system. A High Solar Reflective Index (SRI) roofing system was installed to disperse heat islands, as well as daylighting dimming controls, outdoor air economizers, and CO2 demand control ventilation.
“We are thrilled to be able to showcase cost-effective, innovative building strategies in our FDA headquarters building to minimize energy, water, and materials consumption.
We are honored to support the President’s Sustainability strategy to create a clean energy economy that will safeguard the health of our environment,” says Deanna Murphy, director of FDA’s Office of White Oak Services, in a statement.
ChetanFDA Headquarters in the LEED
Washington, D.C.-based KlingStubbins, with RTKL, announced yesterday (March 8) that its design for Building One of the US Food and Drug Administration Headquarters Consolidation at White Oak in Silver Spring, Md. was awarded LEED-NC Gold certification, making it the first renovation project in the GSA National Capitol Region to gain the distinction.
The project, which employed the guidance of Sustainable Design Consulting during the LEED process, included the restoration and renovation of Building One, a 102,000 sq.-ft. weapons research facility, into an eco-friendly administrative hub for the White Oaks campus. The campus features five buildings in total: the old four-story building; a new multi-level link that connects the lobby to the Central Shared Use building’s atrium; a new security pavilion; and a landscaped entry.
To maximize sustainability, the original brick and limestone core of the historic Building One was reused in conjunction with additional building materials containing low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). To better conserve energy, the historic building envelope was thoroughly insulated and the original single-pane windows were replaced with operable, low-E steel units that feed into the HVAC system. A High Solar Reflective Index (SRI) roofing system was installed to disperse heat islands, as well as daylighting dimming controls, outdoor air economizers, and CO2 demand control ventilation.
“We are thrilled to be able to showcase cost-effective, innovative building strategies in our FDA headquarters building to minimize energy, water, and materials consumption.
We are honored to support the President’s Sustainability strategy to create a clean energy economy that will safeguard the health of our environment,” says Deanna Murphy, director of FDA’s Office of White Oak Services, in a statement.
FDA Headquarters in the LEED
KlingStubbins-designed consolidation, with natural ventilation, daylighting, and SRI roofs, first GSA National Capitol Region project to attain LEED-NC Gold Certification.
|
March 1, 2010
Planning / Essentials in Sustainable Design
In an excerpt from the new APA Planners Press book ‘Grid/ Street/ Place’ author Nate Cherry and Kurt Nagle review the eight essential elements of sustainable urbanism from ‘urbanism as brand’ to ‘smart infrastructure.’
|
February 20, 2010
Lakeside residential enclave dubbed ‘Makati of the South’
Sunday, 21 February 2010 00:00
As the quality of life continues to progress, residential land developers are keen in pushing all creative boundaries to reinvent sustainable urban communities that will present infinite choices for today’s homebuyers. Leading this innovation is Eton Properties Philippines Inc., the global real estate brand of the Lucio Tan Group, as it launches Eton City, its first master-planned township project dubbed as the “Makati of the South.”
Situated in a sprawling almost 1,000-hectare property along the South Luzon Expressway in Santa Rosa, Laguna, the much anticipated community hub features a good combination of excellent business location, private residential enclaves and a broad range of commercial and resort-style recreation facilities previously found only in master-planned cities abroad.
Besides being hailed as the South’s future commercial and industrial giant, Eton City also emerges as the next viable area for land development in Luzon. With travel time lessened and made highly convenient via its own exit on SLEX and also through the Santa Rosa exit, the expansive development—master-planned by Baltimore-based architectural firm RTKL and urban planner N.S. Mangio Associates—is inspired by some of the world’s next-generation lakeside communities such as The Palm Island and Jumeirah in Dubai, Lake Las Vegas in Nevada and Foster City in California.
Built with eco-sustainable features, the development complements its location’s natural lush terrain with environment-friendly man-made aesthetics. The modern urban oasis also includes purpose-built infrastructures, among which is the placement of aerators. This feature ensures the constant movement of the lake’s water to avoid the breeding of harmful insects like mosquitoes. Special drainage systems would offer total flood-proof assurance to future residents.
Besides generous sizes and exclusive leisure amenities, Eton City also contains residential and commercial developments to create an independent economic base for primary necessities such as dependable transport systems to employment opportunities for residents.
The world-class development master plan for Eton City also includes a high-end residential enclave and a 100-hectare central business district that will have medium-rise office buildings for business process outsourcing and retail establishments, shopping malls, hotels and condominiums. As for healthcare and education, the self-contained community will include provisions for schools and medical institutions within close proximity to all neighborhoods.
Upon completion, the multibillion-peso township project will be composed of three residential enclaves:
South Lake Village (the first residential island lot development in the Philippines and the centerpiece of Eton City which boasts 18 prime residential islands surrounded by a 35-hectare man-made lake); RiverBend (Contemporary Asian-inspired village) and The West Wing Residences (a community inspired by contemporary American architecture).
All generously provided with wide open spaces, premier lifestyle amenities, and round-the-clock security, the three exclusive villages of Eton City will host a myriad of features and amenities such as landscaped linear parks and playgrounds, Wi-Fi and other recreational amenities, retail shops among many others.
Eton Properties specializes in the development of premium and mid-income residential and commercial buildings; construction of latest information technology and business process outsourcing office buildings; creation of mixed-use master-planned township projects that incorporate residential, office, commercial, leisure and institutional components, and development and management of commercial centers.
For inquiries, call Eton Properties Philippines, Inc. at 845-ETON (3866) or 0917-894 ETON(3866) or visit www.eton.com.ph.
|
February 2010
Apple.com / Architecture in Motion
For most businesses, the term “currency” refers to financial resources. But at international architecture firm RTKL, currency is synonymous with the company’s wealth of innovative design ideas. With offices from Baltimore to Shanghai and award-winning projects spanning six continents, unlimited communication is key to keeping the firm’s intellectual capital flowing. That’s where iPhone comes in.
|
January 29, 2010
Metropolitan Urbanism? A Review of Grid/Street/Place
The Obama administration has signaled that its priorities for urban development will be metropolitan; it intends to improve livability throughout our metropolises and stop the spread of sprawl by directing investment into cities and already-built suburbs. As if on cue, books are appearing with instructions for doing so. A few weeks ago I reviewed one of them here -- The Smart Code Manual (SGM). The American Planning Association has published its own how-to urbanism book. Written by architect Nathan Cherry (with Kurt Nagle), the title is Grid/Street/Place: Essential Elements of Sustainable Urban Districts.
|
January 26, 2010
Signs of the Times / Taking Flight
For rental-property owners, the market has become increasingly competitive, and property owners are taking bold measures to make their properties desirable. The RTKL-designed Monarch offers aesthetic amenities that appear more befitting to a hotel.
|
January 25, 2010
VMSD / Peeps & Company
Candy treats and branded merchandise for Peeps, Mike And Ike, Hot Tamales and Peanut Chews are the stars in this first-ever store for parent company Just Born Inc. (Bethlehem, Pa.).
|
January 12, 2010
Emirates Business / Work begins at India Entertainment City
Abu Dhabi Investment House (Adih) said work has begun at $400 million (Dh1.46 billion) India Entertainment City development in Navi Mumbai. The project has a team of industry experts supporting it, including RTKL – project masterplanners, in addition to an advisory board which comprises international leaders within the entertainment and media industry. India Entertainment City is one of a series of Shariah-compliant "Entertainment Cities" funds created by Adih, first of which is currently being developed in Doha, Qatar. The concept is a mixed-use development, encompassing residential, commercial/retail and entertainment components.
|
January 8, 2010
Healthcare Design / St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System, Houston, Opens RTKL-Designed Hospital
St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System in Houston, Texas, is celebrating the opening of Lakeside Hospital, a new addition on the campus of St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital. The $28.5 million facility, designed by RTKL, focuses on three areas of excellence in medicine: cardiology, sports medicine, and orthopedic/spine care. The Woodlands is a master planned community located 25 miles north of Houston. The new 90,000-square-foot, stand-alone hospital includes 30 inpatient beds, six operating rooms, and three cardiac catheterization labs, as well as the latest diagnostic imaging technologies. With shell space and the flexibility to add on, the facility has been planned for growth, which positions Lakeside to become the major cardiac, sports medicine, and orthopedic/spine healthcare provider in the region.
|
January 7, 2010
Hospitality Trends in 2010
As tough as 2009 has been, it might seem that worrying about sustainability would be the last thing on a designer’s mind. Pursuing the other—suddenly more scarce—type of green would seem to be the better path. But environmental matters have been top of mind for those in the design community, and that trend will carry into 2010 and beyond. Hotel & Motel Management interviews leading hospitality designers, including RTKL's Todd Lundgren, Wendy Mendes and Clay Markham, to see where they think the industry is headed in 2010.
|
December 21, 2009
Aurora News Register / RTKL hired for Aurora power park
The Aurora City Council and Aurora Development Corp. are bringing in a hired gun to help market a power park proposal designed to recruit a data center. The council authorized Mayor Marlin Seeman last week to enter into an agreement for professional services in connection with developing a power park site between the city and Interstate 80.
Christian Evans, executive director for the Aurora Area Chamber and Development, recommended RTKL Associates, Inc., a firm with offices worldwide, to work with the city and development group to form a master plan and begin marketing the site. RTKL turned out to be the top company in a scoring system that ADC used in its request for funding proposal.
|
December 10, 2009
USA Today / Peep's store opens near Washington, DC
Just Born, maker of the chick- and bunny-shaped marshmallow Easter treats called Peeps, is officially opening its first store devoted to its well-known products and brands.The store, located at the National Harbor development near Washington, D.C., was designed by the Chicago office of RTKL. It's focal point is a giant iconic Peep flanked by a Mike And Ike® bulk candy wall and an interactive Hot Tamales® “How Hot Are You” thermometer. Illuminated by thousands of multi-chromatic LED’s, the glowing Peep—and the overall environment—changes color and mood to reflect the different seasons and highlight the assorted brands.
|
December 4, 2009
Cruise Industry News / Seabourn Refurbishes Pride, Spirit and Legend
Capping off a year that saw the launch of its first new yacht in over a decade, The Yachts of Seabourn has embarked upon a multi-million dollar renovation of the original trio of its award-winning, small-luxury fleet. Seabourn Spirit has just completed a makeover, and Pride and Legend are planned to undergo extensive refurbishments during the coming year. transforming the look and feel of each vessel with open and airy interiors, modern embellishments, and richly colored contemporary on-deck furnishings. The renovation is being overseen by RTKL Associates Inc. in Miami, an award-winning international design firm recognized for its creative approach to commercial and residential spaces.
|
December 3, 2009
Cruise Business Review / Seabourn refurbishes Pride, Spirit and Legend
Capping off a year that saw the launch of its first new yacht in over a decade, The Yachts of Seabourn has embarked upon a multi-million dollar renovation of the original trio of its award-winning, small-luxury fleet. Seabourn Spirit has just completed a makeover, and Pride and Legend are planned to undergo extensive refurbishments during the coming year, transforming the look and feel of each vessel with open and airy interiors, modern embellishments, and richly colored contemporary on-deck furnishings. The renovation is being overseen by RTKL Associates Inc. in Miami, an award-winning international design firm recognized for its creative approach to commercial and residential spaces.
|
December 2, 2009
Using BIM to Optimize the Building Envelope
Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology is a software-based approach to building design that incorporates 3D data, performance data, and more. BIM is not new technology. It is, however, just now "rising to the consciousness of a substantial number of people."
Purchasing and using BIM software does not automatically make an architect an expert in building design, much less in optimizing the building envelope. Enter the professionals at RTKL Associates, who made a conscious decision in 2003 to transition to BIM from a CAD-based design process. The firm’s software of choice is Revit. “Using BIM gives us an increased efficiency in our workload,” says Douglas Palladino, AIA, principal in the Washington office. “Because it automates the repetition and coordination of items, it has freed us to do the analyses we want to do, which allows us to increase energy efficiency.”
|
November 23, 2009
The Loews Miami Beach Gets a Facelift
Image is everything in South Beach. And keeping up with the hot new things requires maintenance. So, with all those swank new hotels opening up further up the beach, one of Miami Beach's stalwart oceanfront hotels, the Loews Miami Beach, is getting a facelift.
|
November 20, 2009
Construction Complete for Mercy Medical Plaza
Shell and core construction is now complete for Mercy Medical Plaza, an RTKL-designed facility that will expand the hospital’s surgery capabilities and provide needed medical office space and parking when it opens later this year.
|
November 19, 2009
Plans muddle New Urbanism
Cozy town centers, hiking trails, schools, libraries and active streetscapes—these are the small-town ideals of New Urbanism, a movement that embraces the foot, not the wheel. But how do you ensure that these pedestrian-friendly projects are meeting the needs of developers and taxpayers while living up to the goals of New Urbanism? Such are the challenges facing developers of North Rim Village and the Village at West Pointe, new developments near San Antonio, Texas.
|
November 13, 2009
South Florida Business Journal / Oasis of the Seas arrives amid fanfare
The world's largest cruise liner, born in chilly Finland, arrived at its semi-tropical home at Port Everglades for the first time at 8 a.m. on Friday. A festive crowd was dwarfed by the 16-deck ship as it passed the jetty at John U. Lloyd State Park. At 225,282 gross tons, the Oasis of the Seas is a record-breaking 40 percent bigger than the next-biggest cruise ship and five times bigger than the fabled Titanic. The RTKL architecture firm in Coral Gables designed the ship's three-deck Opus main dining room, the Casino Royale, the conference center, lobbies, elevators and landings. Royal Caribean's Newbuilding & Fleet Design Group, based in Miami, designed many of the ship's other public areas and 28 two-story, 545-square-foot lofts for guests who want to splurge.
|
November 6, 2009
Skyscraper News / Shenyangs Epic Lotte World
Hot off their ambitious plans for a supertall tower in Korea the conglomerate the Lotte Group is now turning its eyes towards the People's Republic of China and the city of Shenyang. The massive scheme for eight skyscrapers arranged around the perimeter of a massive central shopping have been designed by RTKL and Junglim Architecture with the scheme including not one but three supertall towers.
|
October 30, 2009
Contract / Loews Miami Beach Investing $50 Million in Renovations
Loews Miami Beach is in the midst of $50 million in upgrades to keep up with competing hotels, such as Fontainebleau, which recently underwent a $1 billion renovation. The Miami office of RTKL is responsible for the hotel's transformation, with help from Loews Hotels CEO Jonathan Tisch. The renovation is the first of its kind for Loews Miami Beach, which originally opened in 1998.
|
October 28, 2009
Contract / Sea Level Restaurant Slated for Harbor Beach Marriott
Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale will welcome the new Sea Level restaurant in February. The 160-seat oceanfront venue, designed by the Coral Gables, Florida, office of RTKL, will be perched 15 feet above the area's largest private beach.
|
October 15, 2009
Arizona Republic Online / Mechanical and HVAC design goes underfloor
During the design and construction of a 1.5-million-sq-ft facility for the new in Suitland, Md., for the (GSA), Southland Industries was presented with several MEP challenges. The project included 1-million sq ft of underfloor air distribution (UFAD), and Southland Industries, Dulles, Va., had become familiar with the mechanical system layout, controls strategies, construction, quality control, and integrated team design requirements to achieve a successful underfloor air project. This experience was refined during the recently completed mechanical design for the new 1,000,000-sq-ft headquarters complex for the (DISA), including 700,000 sq ft of UFAD.
|
October 7, 2009
AME Info / India Entertainment City announces commencement of infrastructure work
India Entertainment City Company, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Investment House, announced yesterday the commencement of infrastructure work on its $400m India Entertainment City project, in Navi Mumbai.India Entertainment City is one of a series of 'Entertainment Cities' created by ADIH, first of which is currently being developed in Doha, Qatar. The RTKL-designed master plan is an embodiment of a mixed-use development, encompassing residential, commercial / retail and entertainment components. The entertainment component will include film and multi-media studios, movie theatres, convention halls and other cultural elements. The residential area will consist of medium to high living areas including branded villas and neighborhoods.
|
September 29, 2009
Hotels Magazine / Loews Miami Beach Plans US$50m Renovation
Loews Miami Beach Hotel has announced a $50 million renovation that will elevate the South Beach guest experience to an entirely new level. The renovation will be finished by the end of 2009 and includes completely redesigned guestrooms and bathrooms, lobby and retail spaces and the porte cochere. RTKL, based in Miami, FL, is handling the guestroom, bathroom and hallway redesign as well as the porte cochere.
|
September 29, 2009
SouthtownStar / Silver Cross opens its doors in New Lenox
Saturday marked the grand opening of Silver Cross Health Center. The project is the first step in a proposed development that will end with six new buildings, including a new hospital due to open in spring 2012. RTKL is architect for the campus.
|
September 26, 2009
Architectural Record / AIA Dallas Names Recipients of 42nd Annual Awards
The Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects presented its 42nd annual AIA Dallas Design Awards on Wednesday evening at Victory Plaza. They honor both built and unbuilt designs by Dallas architects, selected by a six-person jury from 138 entries. RTKL received a Citation in the Unbuilt category for its new casino project in Las Vegas.
|
September 25, 2009
FacilitiesNet / How Good is Your Hospital's Data Center Reliablity?
The data center is commanding new respect. Nowhere is this more evident than in the health care arena. As technology enables data to be transmitted in real time to an integrated operating room, patients bedside or physicians office, IT infrastructure is becoming a more critical link in basic care delivery. In fact, once a hospital makes the leap into digital imaging, digital pharmacy, clinical communication systems and digital medical records, its a new ball game. As a result, todays business model for health care data centers is undergoing rapid transformation with immense implications.
|
September 13, 2009
Chicago Architects Envision 21st Century for Burnham Plan Centennial
Part of the Burnham Plan Centennial, the Big. Bold. Visionary. exhibition offers visions of the 21st century from leading Chicago architects. The exhibit will run through October 4 at the Chicago Tourism Center at 72 East Randolph Street. Among the great work on display are two projects by RTKL's Chicago office.
|
September 11, 2009
George Jetson meets Blade Runner Architects on the Future of Chicago
Blair Kamin reviews the futuristic showcase, "Big. Bold. Visionary. Chicago Architects Consider the Next Century," curated by architect, Edward Keegan, on the anniversary of Burnham and Bennett's Plan of Chicago.
|
August 28, 2009
Eau Spa named a 2009 Gold Key Finalist
The International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show (IH/M&RS) has named finalists for the prestigious Gold Key Awards for Excellence in Hospitality Design, an honor bestowed annually to design firms representing the most innovative hospitality properties completed or renovated within the past 18 months. Among the finalists is the RTKL-designed Eau Spa at the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach hotel in Manalapan, Florida.
|
August 15, 2009
Caribbean Business / Sheraton Puerto Rico to open in December
The new Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel and Casino, the 503-room RTKL-designed property, is nearing completion at a cost of $210 million and scheduled to open in December of this year.
|
August 14, 2009
ArchiTech Online / Transparent Security
Buildings readers have always directed a great deal of respect toward security design, processes, and technology, so it’s no surprise - with public awareness at an all-time high - that their mentality (as well as their capital and operating dollars) has moved from a level of high importance to one that is continually top-of-mind. Top-of-mind doesn’t necessarily have to mean in-your-face, however. As 'transparent' security gains momentum among building owners, design professionals continute to explore new and innovative ways to implement high level security that is effective but not visibly overbearing.
|
August 6, 2009
RealEstateBiz / Top 100: RTKL's Chicago Love
September 1 is the day Lance Josal is effectively the new CEO of RTKL Architects, and also marks about three years since he moved from the Dallas office. He’s been with the company for nearly 30 years but loves the new hometown because it provides such great historic architecture and talent for young architects, he says. The firm finished out its own office a year and a half ago, creating a two-story atrium on the 18th floor overlooking Buckingham Fountain.
|
August 1, 2009
RTKL-Designed West Chester Medical Center Opens
Construction is complete on the new 385,000-square-foot West Chester Medical Center in West Chester, Ohio, just 18 miles north of Cincinnati. The $116 million acute care hospital and medical office building complex was designed by the Dallas office of RTKL. Its evidence-based design and high-tech tools support advanced, patient-centered care.
|
July 28, 2009
BD&C / RTKL names Lance Josal president and CEO
Lance K. Josal FAIA has been named President and CEO of RTKL Associates Inc., the international planning, design and engineering firm. Josal succeeds RTKLs current President and CEO, David C. Hudson AIA, who is retiring from the firm. The changes will take effect on 1 September 2009.
|
July 2009
Find Wellness and Whimsy at Eau Spa
The July issue of Town & Country asks: Where can you find respite from the new austerity? At the latest hotel spas, where whispers and minimalist design are being replaced by—yes!—fun. The RTKL-designed Eau Spa at the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach is one of five facilities profiled.
|
July 9, 2009
BD&C / New LEED-Gold FDA building completed ahead of schedule
Balfour Beatty Construction completes construction on the RTKL-designed Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), located at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters campus in Silver Spring, MD, three months early and within budget. The project goes beyond the LEED Certified sustainability requirements to meet the tougher, LEED Gold criteria.
|
July 8, 2009
PEEPS candy to open its first retail store
Just Born, Inc., maker of PEEPS candies, is pleased to announce that it will open its first retail store, PEEPS & COMPANY, at National Harbor, Maryland. In addition togreat tasting candy, it will offer an array of high-quality branded items such as apparel, gear, china and toys.
|
June 12, 2009
Planned Mesquite data center will be one of the nation's largest
A soon-to-be-vacant telecommunications equipment plant in Mesquite has been sold to a team headed by Dallas-based Capster Commercial Real Estate Services with plans to redevelop the property into a data center for multiple high-tech tenants. Capstar is building the project in partnership with San Francisco-based Cambay Group, and RTKL is the architect.
|
May 27, 2009
Funding approved for first phase of Sandton City
Sandton City Shopping Centre is undergoing a major refurbishment and expansion, with funding of R1,77bn approved for the first phase. The project is already under way with demolition nearly complete and construction on the extension due to start soon. It is scheduled for completion by late 2011. Founded on Sandton Citys position as a national and international retail icon and the premier shopping centre in Africa, Liberty Properties appointed the London branch of RTKL as the repositioning concept designers for the complex. The concept for the extension and refurbishment of Sandton City is being developed in association with the South African-based MDS Architecture and MMA Architects. GHC Africa Projects is the project manager and principal agent.
|
May 23, 2009
A Casino Rises in the Place of a Fallen Steel Giant
For decades, Georgine Corroda watched from her home across the street as the symbol of the region’s pride, the mighty Bethlehem Steel Company, went from an industrial powerhouse to a vacant wasteland. By the time the company declared bankruptcy in 2001, the blast furnaces had been cold for nine years, the 20,000-strong work force had largely been dispersed and the property tax base had plummeted, along with values of the homes of Ms. Corroda and her neighbors. Yet on Friday, when the elegant $743 million Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem opened atop the site of the gigantic ore pit, Ms. Corroda was among the first in line with an ear-to-ear grin that exuded optimism for the area that has been lacking for some time. RTKL provided master planning and architecture services for the new development.
|
May 22, 2009
The Tennessean / ULI Nashville honors The Hill Center
The Urban Land Institute's Nashville District Council recently honored nine local developments projects with the Excellence in Development Awards. The projects were recognized for innovation in land use and design, design excellence, contribution to the community, reflection of the regional or neighborhood character, public-private partnership, environmental sensitivity and financial viability. Award entries were judged on criteria that support ULI's commitment to best practices in the use of land and leadership in creating and sustaining thriving communities. Among the winners was the RTKL-designed Hill Center, recognized as a prime example of "place-making."
|
May/June 2009
Digital Signage Systems: AV design beyond cabling
As convergence between the AV and information transport systems (ITS) industry have increased, the roles and responsibilities of AV designers and RCDD installers have become increasingly blurred. More than ever, it is critical for these individuals to be on the same page with regards to size, brightness, distance and scope. RTKL's Paxson Laird and Gonzalo Rodriguez offer advice to ensure that you get full returns for your digital investments.
|
May 7, 2009
CNBC / ARCADIS Keeps Revenue and Income at Good Level
ARCADIS (EURONEXT: ARCAD), the international consulting, design, planning, engineering, and management services company was able to present a result for the first quarter of 2009 that matched last year's performance. Gross revenue increased by 5% to EUR 418 million, also as a result of a positive currency effect caused by the stronger U.S. dollar. The economic crisis especially affected the business lines environment and buildings, where revenues declined organically due to lower investments from private sector clients. This was almost entirely compensated by the organic gross revenue growth of more than 10% in infrastructure. On balance, this resulted in only a marginal organic decline of activities. Net income from operations at EUR 15.5 million was 2% higher than last year. This good result was reached because of the aforementioned positive currency effect and because the margin remained at a good level of 9.6% (2008: 9.9%).
|
May 5, 2009
Design firm RTKL chairman to retire
Paul F. Jacob III, announced Monday that he will retire as chairman from one of Maryland's largest design firms, RTKL Associates Inc., "to make room for a new generation."
|
May 4, 2009
Hospital Construction Roars Right Along
Health care organizations are raising their bets on baby boomers, pouring ever more resources into new and expanded hospitals in anticipation of a demographic tsunami they expect will send a huge surge of business their way. Several years into a historic hospital construction spree, the buildup kept apace in 2007 despite a nationwide credit crunch and fears of recession.
|
April 29, 2009
Real Estate Bisnow / RTKL named Architect of the Year
RTKL recieves Architecture Firm of the Year honor at the GWCAR's annual awards dinner in Washington, DC.
|
April 22, 2009
Interior Design / Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach Eau Spa
In trying times, nearly everyone could use a bit more serenity. And spa design is keeping pace with the multitude of technologically sophisticated treatments that cleanse the skin, relax the muscles, and focus the mind. In many cases, inspiration begins in the natural world.
|
March 2009
Deflating the Sustainable Luxury Myth
The focus on sustainable design has recently gained exceptional momentum and has played a major role in shaping advancements in the building and design industry. Within the hospitality industry, however, a perceived dichotomy exists between luxury and sustainability. The luxury guest, while perhaps ideologically committed to green principles, expects the comforts and level of service that typically accompany an expensive hotel stay. A sustainable hotel should elevate the guest experience while at the same time make more intelligent and creative efforts to preserve and protect the environment.
|
February 24, 2009
Two RTKL projects receive awards
Last year was one of the strongest development years ever for the city of Los Angeles, unveiling several multimillion dollar projects throughout the community that have contributed to the revitalization of the city. At an awards ceremony held on Tuesday, Feb. 24, the Los Angeles Downtown News recognized two RTKL-designed projects, L.A. Live and 717 Olympic, among others with "Downtowners of Distinction" awards.
|
February 16, 2009
Glass on Web / The Glass is Greener
Owned by Brookfield properties and designed by RTKL Associates, Inc., the eight-story 1225 Connecticut office building was recently covered with over 80,000 square feet of glass, making it one of the first buildings in DC to display PPG’s Solarban® 70XL high performance low-E coated glass. The site was originally home to the Church of the Redeemer. “The Church was considered a landmark piece of architecture and its demolition helped usher in the preservation movement in DC,” wrote Marc Fairbrother, Vice President of RTKL Associates, Inc.
|
January/February 2009
Two from RTKL named to BICSI's 25 Changemakers
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the RCDD® (Registered Communications Distribution Designer) Program. Over the years, we have witnessed the contributions of many influential individuals who, through their vision and drive, have revolutionized the information transport systems (ITS) industry. Although there are countless individuals to recognize as changemakers, the professionals featured in this article have effectively helped to shape the course of the ITS industry. This core group of individuals is empowering in their ability to share what they’ve learned to make a difference. Featured in the group are RTKL's David Labuskes and Tony Whaley.
|
January 21, 2009
Style Weekly / Votes from the Underground
The new Capitol Visitor Center's planners, curators, exhibit designers (Ralph Applebaum Associates of New York) and architect (RTKL of Baltimore) attempt to tell new American stories — stories that weren’t included in the patriotic, 19th-century narrative that permeates the friezes, statuary and paintings of white politicians in the Capitol. Emancipation Hall honors the slaves who built the Capitol, and the 24 statues that populate it are taken from a collection in which each state is allowed two sculptures.
|
January 21, 2009
Architectural Record / A closer look at Obama's proposed stimulus package and its impact on federal building projects
Driven by a need for speedy delivery and an overarching demand for energy-efficient buildings, federal facilities appear primed for a significant facelift in the near future, if proposed stimulus funds come through. Within the stimulus package proposed last week by House Democrats, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and Department of Defense-related facilities would be among the bill’s biggest beneficiaries. But the breadth of opportunities within any funding package could rely heavily on how legislators define “ready-to-go.” RTKL's David Thompson says, "[Federal agencies] can’t afford to go with conventional methods—that would delay things tremendously.” He expects agencies to leverage their emerging experience with design-build and construction-manager-at-rish models to deliver new work.
|
January 20, 2009
Celebrity Solstice: High-profile design firms find their sea legs
When Celebrity Cruises began short-listing design firms to craft the look of the first ship in its new Solstice-class line, the company didn't limit itself to cruise-ship veterans. The company, instead, pooled the efforts of high-profile firms that had marine experience (RTKL, Wilson Butler, BG Studio and Francis Design) with equally impressive names that did not (Tihany Design and 5+Design). RTKL's Greg Walton commented, "Celebrity set out to make a ship with design that was not necessarily thematic or intimidating, but had to blow away the expectations of its luxury market. With Solstice, they've set a new precedent for the industry."
|
January 2009
ADVANCE / Highmark: Secure and stable
Now in its fourth year of operation, Highmark Data Centers continues to serve as a testament of how innovative thinking and smart design can achieve functional, environmental and security goals without compromising great architecture. "We had four primary business drivers that led to the design and construction project. They were to improve reliability, improve security, demonstrate technology as a differentiator in the health insurance market, and show Highmark's commitment to being a good, environmentally friendly neighbor." said Lowell Starling, vice president of infrastructure management at Highmark.
|
January 13, 2009
Contract Magazine / RTKL-Designed Silver Cross Hospital Breaks Ground
A groundbreaking ceremony was recently held for the 560,000-sq.-ft. replacement hospital for Silver Cross Hospital, to be located just three miles east of the current campus in Joliet, Ill. Designed and master planned by RTKL, the $400 million facility will better serve the community with 289 all-private rooms in an environment that focuses on patient-centric care.
|
January 12, 2009
AIArchitect Online / Nature preserve enhances Parrish Health Center
The new Parrish Health Center is situated on a centrally and conveniently located 33.5-acre parcel of land outside of Port St. John, Florida. The seemingly perfect site has one catch - approximately 30 percent is cited as an endangered habitat for the Florida Scrub Jay. While it might have made sense to leave the site entirely for the birds, the client and RTKL pushed for it, therefore turning a potential liability into a tremendous asset for the Parrish Health Center and the community. RTKL Principal and Project Manager Mike Hoffmeyer, AIA, says that from the outset the design team wanted to make the most of the setting by creating a healing site rather than a small-scale healing garden.
|
January 2009
Building Operations Management / A new push for green data centers
Everyone knows that data centers consume tremendous amounts of electricity. In fact, data centers used 61 billion kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity in 2006, according to the National Data Center Energy Efficiency Information Program (NDCEEIP). Energy is at the heart of a burgeoning effort to make data centers greener, and RTKL's Steve Spinazzola was at the forefront when the push began in 2004.
|
December 24, 2008
Forbes.com / Urban President, Suburban Promise
Barack Obama recently announced a four-point infrastructure plan aimed at improving transit facilities for both city dwellers and suburbanites. Tired of long commutes and high gas prices, we, as a culture, are finally ready to embrace mass transit in a suburban setting, argues RTKL's Doug McCoach. To best shape future communities through transit, new programs should take two core questions into consideration. First, does a project make a community more environmentally sustainable? Second, does a project engage in true placemaking? In other words, does it allow mass transit to make that community a more desirable destination?
|
December 2008
Pasadena Monthly / A Downtown Revival: LA Live
When it came time for Los Angeles to build the west coast's premier destination, the choice for the sitting was simple: a centralized location that was accessible to all Angelenos. LA Live, the $2.3 billion entertainment venue combines upscale dining, sports, music and living--the preeminent urban playground for city dwellers and out-of-towners.
|
December 5, 2008
AIArchitect Online / The U.S. Capitol has a New Front Door
Those involved with the new U.S. Capitol Visitor Center had no easy task. How do you design visitor amenity and support space that can complement the monumental and historic structure it’s attached to without competing with it for attention?
|
December 5, 2008
USA Today / Young renters want small spaces, big appeal
When the economy shrinks, so does the size of housing, sending the popularity of tiny apartments and condos soaring as construction costs rise and financial markets plummet. These micro-units are offset by large common areas chock-full of amenities from free wireless service, juice bars and cafes to high-tech health clubs, playrooms equipped with Wii game systems and rooftop terraces. RTKL's Tom Brink offers thoughts on renters' changing tastes.
|
December 3, 2008
Washington Post / D.C.'s New Underground Jewel: The Capitol Visitor Center
"As a station on the classic Washington tourist circuit, as a contemporary museum of American civics and government, and as a demonstration of how to blend education and entertainment without insulting the intelligence of the citizenry, the Visitor Center is a smash hit--the best addition to the District's tourism portfolio since the FDR Memorial in 1997 and the Holocaust Museum in 1993."
|
December 2, 2008
New York Times / The Pursuit of Expansiveness Guides the CVC
Satisfying the demands of contemporary tourism, the new Capitol Visitor Center has more than doubled the building’s footprint and is expected to increase its annual visitors to more than three million.
|
December 1, 2008
The Vision for LA Goes from Page to Street
Ten years ago, when Downtown-based architecture firm RTKL was hired to design the master plan for L.A. Live, company Vice President Jay Clark saw a chance to regenerate Downtown. Last week, that long-ago vision became reality.
|
December 1, 2008
Washington Post / The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center puts out long-awaited welcome mat
The basic belief that tourists needed safe, secure shelter from the elements as they waited to be guided through the Capitol grew, as with so many simple notions left in the hands of Congress, into something far grander: a subterranean edifice so magnificent that it alone is worth a visit.
|
December 1, 2008
RTKL's Chicago office featured in Crain's Chicago Business
RTKL has taken the 18th and 19th floors of an otherwise unremarkable ’60s-era building at 200 S. Michigan Ave. and put its own stamp on it, creating a more inviting work environment.
|
November 30, 2008
Baltimore Sun / The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center: A Grand Entrance
America's "temple" has a new front door, just in time for the millions of visitors expected to descend on Washington for the presidential inauguration and related festivities. The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center will open Tuesday, December 2nd, as the starting point for guests touring the Capitol, the seat of the legislative branch of federal government.
|
November 2008
RTKL redesigns the Naval Academy's historic mess hall
Completed in 2008, the preservation of King Hall includes architecture and interior renovations and a brand new, state-of-the-art audiovisual system, complete with LED screens and zoned distribution.
|
November 25, 2008
Contract Magazine / L.A. Goes Live
The second phase of L.A. Live, a $2.5 billion, four million square foot development, will open in December, adding 12 new restaurants, a 2,300 person Club NOKIA, the Conga Room, Lucky Strike Lanes, ESPN Zone, the ESPN West Coast broadcast headquarters, and the GRAMMY museum to the city’s sports & entertainment district.
|
November 13, 2008
Pasadena Weekly / Designing 'Truth': A look at LA Live
Le Corbusier's introduction to the book "Architecture of Truth" raises the question, what, exactly, is truth in architecture? The author of the article pursues this quest for authenticity in her interview with RTKL's Jay Clark. Discussing LA Live, from its master plan to its role in revitalizing downtown LA, the two talk about important design issues such as challenges, goals, approaches and results.
|
November 10, 2008
Washington Post / Glimpse offered of new Capitol Visitor Center
The long-awaited U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, $621 million and six years in the making, was unveiled this morning in all its marble, sandstone and historic splendor. The complex, which officials stressed was built for present and future generations, was opened for a series of press tours and will not open to the public until Dec. 2, when a gala open house will be held.
|
November 5, 2008
Hospitality Design Magazine / A new day in Baltimore for conventions
Not to be outdone by the Baltimore Convention Center's recent expansion next door, Hilton has jumped in and opened a new 757-room hotel—more rooms than any other in the city. Located in the city's scenic inner harbor, with views of Oriole Park, the hotel features 10 hospitality suites with panoramic balcony views of the playing field.
|
October 28, 2008
Interior Design Magazine / IIDA Names Winners of First Annual Government Design Awards
The first annual IIDA Government Design Awards, presented by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), recognizes design excellence in the categories of Administration Buildings, Dormitories and Quarters, Healthcare and Hospitality. RTKL, selected for its design of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration headquarters campus, is one of the four firms to take top honors.
|
October 28, 2008
Sound and Communications / San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter features a new tech-centric ballroom
The hotel's new ballroom serves as a "Texas-sized" example of teamwork, coordination and creative implementation. RTKL worked with The Whitlock Group to renovate the building's 3rd floor, comprising 42,000 SF of ballroom and 10,000 SF of pre-function space, 19 conference rooms, four public restrooms, two registration desks, the elevator lobby and approximately 10,000 SF of corridor space.
|
October 20, 2008
CoreNet Global / Engaging New Leaders
The newest generation of future leaders entering the workforce is children of the ‘70s and ‘80s. RTKL’s Christina Clark shares insights on how workplaces that best accommodate these new needs are the workplaces that thrive.
|
October 3, 2008
Architect Magazine Online / Paul Jacob on Outsourcing
A firm the size of RTKL doesn't depend on outsourcing the way a boutique practice might. Still, with an eye on growth and so much activity overseas, RTKL has found it smart to take advantage of some opportunities to hand off work. Other opportunities, Jacob says, aren't necessarily worth pursuing.
|
October 3, 2008
Architect Magazine Online / Road Trip Strategy: How to get the most out of a tour with clients
To get the most out of a tour with clients, Architect magazine consults industry experts to address the Do's and Don't's of developing meaningful relationships.
|
SeptemberOctober 2008
Masonry Design / Baltimore Clayworks
Located in the Mt. Washington neighborhood of Baltimore, the non-profit Baltimore Clayworks ceramics arts center was established in 1978 to "develop, sustain and promote an artist-centered community that provides outstanding educational, artistic and collaborative programs in ceramic arts." In 2000, the organization commissioned RTKL with the expansion and renovation of the historic structure.
|
September 11, 2008
Washington Times / DC landmarks undergo rich, elaborate renovations
The most exciting architectural developments in Washington this fall aren't new buildings but renovations and expansions to the city's familiar landmarks. Among them is the RTKL-designed U.S. Capitol Visitor Center.
|
September 3, 2008
ISPAL / £700m Leith Docks project gets approved
Plans for the regeneration of Edinburgh's Leith Docks have been given the go-ahead by City of Edinburgh Council. Developers will produce, with RTKL, a detailed masterplan for the heart of the development, which includes two of nine interconnected waterfront villages featured in the approved plans.
|
September 3, 2008
Contract Magazine / The Food and Drug Administration unveils its newest building
Once complete, the new U.S. Food and Drug Administration heaquarters campus will comprise 16 buildings and 2-million SF. The latest and fifth building in the universal plan is the recently completed 300,000-SF Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), which supports FDA's goal of creating collaborative office environments.
|
09/25/2008
Employee Retention: Designing for a New Kind of Workplace Environment
CoStar's new White Marsh office is a glowing example of how design can positively impact the way in which an organization engages with employees and communicates its message to the business community.
|
August 24, 2008
The MICA Gateway: designed to keep people guessing
RTKL's design for the Gateway is intentionally unpredictable and expresses the creativity taking place inside. As one moves through the building, unique interior and exterior spaces slowly reveal themselves.
|
August 18, 2008
Baltimore Sun / Hilton Baltimore to elevate city as convention destination
Baltimore's newest hotel embraces the city, the stadium, and serves as a gateway for convention center guests. Boasting 757 rooms, the Hilton Baltimore responds to a myriad of urban constraints while simultenously fostering a environment that reflects the essence of Baltimore.
|
August 14, 2008
Real Estate Web / RTKL chosen for Sandton City's refurbishment project
RTKL has been selected to design Sandton City's massive refurbishment project. The project is expected to position Sandton City as a world-class destination, adding approximately 30,000 SM of retail space in the process.
|
August 12, 2008
Baltimore Sun / MICA project enhances architectural landscape
Anyone who doubts Baltimore's architectural landscape is leaping into the 21st century needs look no further than the Maryland Institute College of Art's stunning new Gateway building at North and Mount Royal avenues. The RTKL-designed dormitory provides residential space in addition to housing studio space, a black-box theater, exhibition space, and a career counceling center.
|
August 2008
SmartCEO / Hilton Baltimore draws new conventions to the city
Boasting the largest green roof and ballroom in the city, the Hilton Baltimore Convention Center Hotel has become Charm City's newest amenity for convention-goers.
|
July 28, 2008
Hotels Magazine / Suite Sophisticates
Big, bold and beautiful, spectacular suite designs honor the past while luxuriously sweeping into the future. The RTKL-designed Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach Presidential Suite is featured among other exquisite accommodations.
|
July 22, 2008
Forbes.com / Betting on Macau
Macau's status as a rapidly growing gambling destination is changing the landscape for Las Vegas gaming and other high-rolling centers. RTKL's Steve Galbreath explores these changes and explains how Macau and Las Vegas can learn from each other.
|
July 22, 2008
VMSD.com / RTKL on brand-rich environments
In any economy, retailers constantly re-evaluate their brand experience. Today, with recession in the air, retailers must be even more attuned to brand strength and consumer lifestyles. RTKL's Katie Sprague and Lori Mukoyama discuss the Five E's associated with weathering a chillier economy.
|
July 14, 2008
Forbes.com / The effect of the real estate market on home buying
Today's real estate market is forcing home buyers to reevaluate their decision to rent versus buy. Tom Brink shares his thoughts on the issue.
|
July 8, 2008
World Architecture News.com / RTKL Wins Dongli Lake Competition
Multi-discipline firm RTKL has recently won first place in the Dongli Lake Competition. The competition was joint-sponsored by the Tianjin City Planning Bureau and Tianjin Dongli District Government, and challenged four top global design firms to develop a master plan for the 85 square kilometer Dongli Lake site.
|
July 3, 2008
Wall Street Journal / Lifestyle Centers Lose Cachet Among Mall Developers
As the retail industry faces a tough economic front, developers are seeking new ways to extend the life of their projects. RTKL vice president Jeff Gunning offers his thoughts on creating viable retail environments.
|
July 3, 2008
Europaconcorsi.com / New Jiang Wan on display
The New Jiang Wan Cultural Center seems to emerge organically like ancient roots from its lush wetland setting. RTKL's design bridges centuries of reverence for natural forms and a new era of environmental concerns.
|
July 2008
Heartland Real Estate Business / Where Does Design and Build Begin?
Underlying today's design industry is an emphasis on density, smart growth and a mix of uses. RTKL's Keith Campbell, along with a collection of midwest architects and designers, share their thoughts on the current state of the commercial design sector.
|
June 24, 2008
Contract / RTKL to Design New FDA Campus
RTKL, in a joint venture with Kling, is serving as design architect for the new Food and Drug Administration consolidated headquarters campus in White Oak, Maryland. The project is set for completion in 2012.
|
May 21, 2008
Pasadena Star-News / Smart Growth: Pasadena Central District Plan lauded
RTKL's Kurt Nagle discusses the development goals and plans for the new Pasadena Central District.
|
May 13, 2008
BOM / How Reliable is Your Data Center?
Vice President Steve Spinazzola discusses the changing role of healthcare data centers and the transition to electronic filing for patient information.
|
May 2008
Shopping Center Business / Well-Nourished Retail Environments
In recent years, good food has become a new American ethos, affecting everything from the way we live to the way we shop and play. RTKL vice president Keith Campbell discusses how retail designers and developers have an opportunity to capitalize on the newest trends, providing shoppers with a range of dining options and experiences.
|
April 7, 2008
Forbes.com / Coping with a Windowless Workplace
A corner office, with sprawling panoramic views, is still an ultimate status symbol. But how do you create that sensation when a workplace has few or no windows? RTKL's Yvonne Colacion discusses such challenges.
|
April 6, 2008
World Architecture News.com / RTKL Wins China Museum Competition
RTKL, a global architecture and engineering practice, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland has won an international competition to expand the National Art Museum in China.
|
April 1, 2008
Hotel Interactive.com / Can Going Green Save You Green?
While hoteliers agree the green movement is real there is still a lot of head scratching over how exactly to make this work without breaking the bank. RTKL Vice President Steve Galbreath comments on environmentally-conscious design.
|
April 2008
Urban Land / Glorypark
The seventh-most-populous city in Texas, Arlington is poised to become a virtual laboratory of progressive town planning and development.
|
April 2008
Urban Land / Entertainment Capital goes Live
Although Los Angeles may be the world's entertainment capital, L.A. Live is changing the city's landscape, adding more than 4 million SF of mixed-use development. RTKL is responsible for the master plan which covers 27 acres and more than six city blocks.
|
March 26, 2008
Baltimore Sun / Charles Center is a triumph at 50
Considered "the beginning of Baltimore's renaissance," the Charles Center served as a catalyst for the city's urban revival. One of RTKL's founders, architect Charles Lamb was a design consultant for the development and offers his thoughts on its 50th Anniversary.
|
March 19, 2008
Wall Street Journal / For Architects, A Downturn Is In the Designs
As the design industry faces a slowing economy, RTKL strengthens its position internationally by pursuing new global markets.
|
March 2008
Healthcare Design / The Data Center: Now the heart of the hospital?
Hospital data centers are not only linked to the traditional operational aspects of a hospital—personnel records and insurance information—they are increasingly becoming critical aspects of the clinical side as well. RTKL Principal Shawn Reichart discusses the data center master planning considerations that must be incorporated into healthcare environments.
|
January 18, 2008
AIArchitect / Tent-like canopies enhance the design of the Florida Waterman Hospital
The Florida Waterman Hospital expansion incorporates an innovative design solution that not only improves the building's wayfinding, natural light and comfort, but also the aesthetic quality of the space. Michael Hoffmeyer, project manager and principal in RTKL's Dallas office, weighs in on the challenges and rewards of the material choice and design decision.
|
January 2008
Interior Design / RTKL Stands Tall
RTKL welcomes a new workplace interiors department in LA led by vice president Yvonne Colacion and the team's debut project: RTKL's Los Angeles office.
|
November 15, 2007
Forbes.com / Arcadis Q3 tops sales and EBITA forecasts
Engineering and consultancy company Arcadis NV posted forecast-beating third quarter sales and EBITA figures and reiterated its full-year outlook of 20-25 pct growth in net income. The Netherlands-based company reported third-quarter sales of 408 mln eur, up from 311 mln in the same period a year earlier, ahead of the 371-394.8 mln eur range seen by analysts.
|
November 2007
Facility Care / Crafting Hospital Data Centers
As technology moves into a completely paperless environment with digital record keeping, remote access of patient information,bedside patient charting and integrated operating rooms, not only is the importance of technology growing, it is also becoming the keystone to many hospital expansion projects. Shawn Reichart discusses the evolution of hospital data centers.
|
October 2007
SREB / The Green Effect
Historically, commercial real estate decision-makers have frequently commented on what a great idea ‘going green’ was – but who in the world was going to pay for it? RTKL Principals Marc Fairbrother and Donna Becco Schroeder weigh in on the long-term profitability of going green and the sustainable benefits of the decision.
|