CATEGORY institutional
School Building, Architect’s Eye
I was recently asked to comment on what the keys to a successful school building project are, by Educational Directions Incorporated. EDI is an international independent school consultant, and they published my comments in their newsletter, The Trustee’s Letter. I chose to focus on three key issues that we have found of paramount importance in our institutional projects:
MASTER PLAN: The biggest architectural challenge with school design projects is figuring out not only what is needed for the specific building / addition, but to think beyond that important but incomplete functional agenda, and to consider the campus as a whole as it relates to the school’s mission. What does it say about our school that we are building a fancy new gym when our classrooms or dorms are falling apart? How can we site a new structure so that it not only accommodates a specific function but also makes the campus as a whole more cohesive? As an example, we designed six new faculty / staff houses at St. Mark’s School in Southborough, MA, that not only housed faculty and staff and their families, but through our overall design strategy – both building and landscape – created a system that will guide the school’s planning for future new structures and also integrated a portion of the campus that had previously been disconnected from the main campus. It is critical that the school have a comprehensive master plan before embarking on additions / renovations / new construction, and this should be a live document that is updated regularly.
SUSTAINABILITY: All architectural projects must be sustainable regardless of scale or budget, not because it is “trendy” but because it is critical for the long term health and well-being of our schools and the students we teach. Designing and building sustainably can save money for a school both short term and long term. And it’s also the right thing to do! One really important consideration is to make sure that prior to adding a new building, to make sure the school’s existing buildings are as efficient and functional as absolutely possible. For example, don’t build a new dorm until all existing dorms are made as energy efficient, livable / comfortable, and fully utilized as possible.
MULTI-FUNCTIONALITY: In this day and age, when all schools are recovering from the Great Recession, I think it behooves all architects working with schools – as well as their clients, including not only school administrators but also Board committees – to plan for multi-functionality for all new spaces and buildings; flexibility must be designed into all projects. What other functions can this new building or addition accommodate besides what you are asking your architect to design?
Will Ruhl
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- We are currently working on a long term master plan for The White Mountain School in Bethlehem, NH. Much of what we are designing may not be built for many years, if ever, but it is important to plan for the future, just as we expect our students to do! There’s nothing worse than wasting resources due to short-sightedness.
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- One project that we are currently designing for The White Mountain School is an addition to an existing dorm that will expand the number of student beds to an easier to manage size as well as add several much needed faculty / staff apartments. The addition will also allow the school to relocate some students from a remotely located dorm, so that all students will feel part of the same cohesive community. That remote dorm can in turn be relatively easily converted to additional faculty / staff housing.
New designs at Ruhl Walker Architects’ studio
We are really excited about several new projects in the early stages of design, including new houses, two new lofts, and a master plan for a small school in northern New Hampshire. We will share some more information about each of these projects in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, check out the images and information below.
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- One of several potential conceptual designs for a new house built on an enormous, shifting coastal bank on the outer reaches of Cape Cod, this view shows the house on the water side. The main living space is elevated above the ground, under an asymmetrically curved roof, to enhance views and natural ventilation.
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- The inland side of the same Cape beach house is more introspective, with smaller windows in a collage of overlapping and sliding curved planes and volumes. The main house is to the right and an art studio is to the left, connected by a deck / bridge.
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- We are also in the very early stages of design for a new house designed for a wooded site on Martha’s Vineyard, for wonderful clients we have known for over 20 years.
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- An early proposal for the Vineyard house illustrates our effort to design a house that appears to almost melt into the land, not unlike the stone farmers’ walls that snake through the woods.
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- A conceptual site model for five small houses built into a hill on Cape Cod. In the upper right corner is the client’s existing glass and steel house; each new house is to have a green roof so that the view down from the main house is of a modern sculptural landscape, not just a collection of roofs.
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- The conceptual site plan shows how the houses hug close to one setback line to allow for each house to have surprisingly large side yards that can be designed to open to the dramatic views as well as capture ocean breezes.
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- This conceptual digital model shows material and formal ideas for the redesign of a penthouse at the W hotel condominiums in Boston. The unit will have a new steel and glass stair to a roof deck, and boasts 270 degree views stretching from the Harbor Islands to the Charles River and Cambridge beyond.
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- The proposed new kitchen for the W unit.
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- We’ve just started redesigning two lofts at the Channel Center in Boston, both units that we happen to have designed for previous owners several years ago. This photo shows an intermediate owner’s idea of appropriate loft décor — not exactly our cup of tea! — and a subsequent owner ripped out the polycarbonate and steel sliding doors and built full height plastered walls, crown mouldings, and a plastic raised panel door around the custom steel, fir, and acid etched glass shelving…
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- The existing heavy timber beams and columns in the Channel Center have steel column caps that are open in the middle to allow for steel tension rods to pass through them; a very cool industrial detail.
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- We have also been working on a master plan for The White Mountain School in Bethlehem, NH. The plan includes renovations and energy enhancement improvements to all existing buildings, converting underutilized older buildings into staff housing, bringing the original Frederic Law Olmstead landscaping back to its original glory, bringing the 1960’s vintage main administrative / classroom building into the 21st century, and adding a new theater / gathering space and arts classrooms, a 16-bed dorm addition with two faculty apartments, and a new 28-bed dorm with 3 staff apartments. Clearly this ambitious plan will take many years to realize.
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- Most of the administrative, classroom, and gathering spaces are within a rambling main building. Much of the building was rebuilt in the early 1960’s after a devastating fire destroyed most of the original structure, which had been a private estate prior to being donated to the school. The plans above show preliminary thoughts on how to add a new entrance that includes an elevator and other accessibility improvements, new art classrooms with a green roof, a new theater, converting underutilized ground floor space to a fully accessible infirmary, and converting the former upstairs infirmary into staff housing.
Maurizio Cattelan: All at the Guggenheim New York
Did you see the recent Maurizio Cattelan show, “All”, at New York’s Guggenheim? While the Guggenheim is a favorite of many architects, it has often been criticized for the inherent difficulty of hanging art on its curved walls, to be viewed from spiraling ramps. Fortunately, as the museum passes its fiftieth anniversary, art sometimes seems to be catching up to it, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s rotunda has inspired more than a few amazing site-specific installations. Cattelan’s assemblage of hanging objects has to be one of the best.
See Aaron Seward’s recent article on how the exhibit was hung, “Get A Rope” in The Architect’s Newspaper here.
Credits:
The Guggenheim Museum: http://www.guggenheim.org
The Architect’s Newspaper: http://www.archpaper.com/
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- Maurizio Cattelan’s sculpture,“All”, at New York’s Guggenheim. Cattelan really takes advantage of Frank Lloyd Wright’s tour de force, the Guggenheim’s central Rotunda. Credit: Guggenheim Museum
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- Museum goers rotate up, down and around Cattalan’s sculpture on Frank Lloyd Wright’s spiraling ramps. “All” is an assemblage of representations of all of Cattelan’s work since 1989. Photo: Molly Heinz, AN
Modern Hawaiian Lanais (part II, hotels)
After a very long, exhausting day flying from Boston to the Big Island of Hawai‘i, and after a bizarre drive across seemingly endless miles of lava – usually at night with little sense of scale – harried visitors are often welcomed by a warm “aloha”, friendly faces, cool towels, fresh guava juice, and hotels unlike anything most of us have seen before. Who knew that hotels didn’t really need walls? As with Hawaiian houses, the main public spaces of most Hawaiian hotels are essentially large open air lanais; no screens as you would find in the Caribbean since flying insects are less prevalent in Hawai‘i, and it is rare to see the discrete bi-folding shutters or sliding skylights closed. The next morning you wake up, and you see views like those below. Pure heaven! And fresh ideas for how these design possibilities might translate into our own work on custom vacation houses in New England…
Credits:
Mauna Kea Beach Resort: Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
Four Seasons Hualalai: Four Seasons Resort At Hualalai
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- One of William Ruhl’s (principal of Ruhl Walker Architects) favorite hotels on the Big Island is the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, designed by SOM and completed in 1965. All of the public spaces are cooled naturally by being designed without walls, taking advantage of the trade winds and natural convection, and allowing uninterrupted views of the magnificent coastline.
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- One of Mauna Kea’s open air restaurants, Manta, overlooking Kauna‘oa Beach, one of Hawaii’s most breath-taking beaches. And yes, you do occasionally run into manta rays as you snorkel, and during dinner.
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- The inversely-stepped profile of the Mauna Kea’s main lobby enhances the natural cooling of the space, with cool breezes flowing freely and warm air disappearing through the roof openings.
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- The main stair of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, looking down to its spectacular beach and crystal clear waters. Photo credit: Jeff Green
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- Another favorite hotel on the Big Island is the Four Seasons Hualalai. As with many other Hawaiian hotels, all public spaces are open air, with bi-folding screen and/or glass panels providing protection during the occasional inclement weather. Above and to the right is Pahu i‘a restaurant, directly on the beach. Just magnificent…
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- Without walls, views are infinite and fresh air is abundant.
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- The Four Season’s lobby is a separate pavilion (“hale” in Hawaiian) which is essentially open to the elements but does have sliding and bi-folding glass doors in case of (rare) inclement weather.
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- You have to look pretty hard to see the glass and mahogany doors in the main lobby (lanai) of the Four Seasons. Furnishings are perhaps a bit too faux-historic, but sure are comfortable…
The Hawai‘i Wildlife Center has its official opening!
Last Saturday, November 19th, our Hawai‘i Wildlife Center had its official opening, and Will Ruhl and Sandra Baron were fortunate to be able to be in Kapa‘au to represent Ruhl Walker Architects in paradise. We were joined by our Associate Architects and great friends Rhoady Lee and Aaron Spielman of Rhoady Lee Architecture + Design, our landscape architects Jason Umemoto and Nancy Cassandro of Umemoto Cassandro Design, the rest of our talented (and pro bono) design and engineering team, the general contractor and many of his incredibly generous sub-contractors (many if not most of whom had donated or discounted their time and material costs), and hundreds of neighbors, family, and friends.
The celebration began with a quietly beautiful and poetic blessing of the Center by Kumu Hula Raylene Ha‘alelea Kawaiaea, and also included some other visiting dignitaries who publicly declared their support, like John Buckstead of Governor Abercrombie’s office in Honolulu, who spoke on behalf of the Governor, who declared November 19th, 2011 as the official day of the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center. In between the speeches, entertainment was provided by students of the nearby Kohala Middle School, as well as the Kohala Hula group, Halau Kalaniumi Aliloa O Hawai‘i Nei, and topped off by the Grammy Award winning slack key guitarist John Keawe. There is always an element of bittersweet sadness at the end of a project, for clients and architects alike, but the focus of the day was on the path that led us to this point, and on the new beginning of the HWC’s important efforts to protect and rehabilitate the native flora and fauna of this magical place.
Though the project has a (small) punch list still to complete, the Certificate of Occupancy is in hand and “all” that is left to do is construct the pens and pools in the fenced-in rehabilitation yard for the expected endangered native species, build the custom pens for the recovery rooms, connect the custom hoses for the wash-rinse room (for handling any future oil-soaked animals in the event of an oil spill), install the rooftop solar photovoltaic array and the water-collection catchment system, deliver the triage room furniture, install building signage and educational displays, hire staff, and … raise some money for operations! We hope you will consider joining us in donating online to this wonderful and critically important environmental organization; just click here! Mahalo!
For additional information on the opening of the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, see:
Big Island Video News (great video, if you have time!)
Hawai‘i Wildlife Center Facebook
Ethan Tweedie’s online photo album
For additional information on the HWC architecture, see:
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- Much needed rain greeted the early arrivers, but as Kumu Raylene blessed the Center the skies began to clear. image courtesy of Ethan Tweedie
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- The native species plants have really begun to take root, and looked great thanks to some substantial weeding by students from Kohala Middle School.
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- A quiet beginning…
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- … gave way to a crowd of over 400 well-wishers.
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- Kumu Hula Raylene Ha‘alelea Kawaiaea blessing the HWC.
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- The Kohala Hula group, Halau Kalaniumi Aliloa O Hawai‘i Nei.
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- Linda Elliott, Director of the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, and Kumu Raylene officially opening the Center’s front door Hawaiian-style.
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- A ceremonial lei left as a blessing in the Native Species Garden.
images courtesy of Ethan Tweedie.
Ruhl Walker Architects’ Projects Featured Online
Check out some of our recently published work, featured in several online design blogs and magazines!
The Hawai'i Wildlife Center
The Hawai’i Wildlife Center in Dezeen
The Hawai’i Wildlife Center in AECCafe
The Hawai’i Wildlife Center in Archello
Urban Living XXL
Bridge House
Truro Dune House
eBay House
Hawai’i Wildlife Center featured in ArchDaily
The Hawai’i Wildlife Center, designed by Ruhl Walker Architects, was featured in ArchDaily on August 20th. ArchDaily is one of the leading and most influential architecture website in the world, and gets over two million visits and eighteen million page impressions per month according to Google Analytics.
Please visit our portfolio website for additional information on the design of the HWC, and join us in supporting this critically important environmental cause by visiting the HWC’s online donation page!
The exterior of the HWC has been completed, and the interiors will be finished in November, in time for a grand opening celebration on November 19th.
UNIFORM wins Best of Boston 2011
Once again, uniform – designed by Ruhl Walker Architects – has won Boston Magazine’s Best of Boston 2011 for Men’s Casual Clothing. We certainly can’t claim responsibility for this seemingly annual feat, but love being a part of, and celebrating uniform’s continuing success!
We first met Gary Ritacco, uniform’s owner, in late 1998, when we designed his fabulous South End loft, and a great friendship as well as amazing architectural relationship was formed. The loft was designed to be equally comfortable for two to two hundred people, and was completed just in time for one of Boston’s wildest Millennial parties, a key element of the architectural program.
Fast forward a few years, and Gary started talking with his friends about starting his own business, and in time that business found its name and mission, and Gary sought out the perfect space to realize his dreams. Will Ruhl and Brad Walker helped scout for this ideal space, and encouraged Gary to jump on an opportunity to open on the ground floor of the recently opened Atelier 505, a major commercial, residential and performing arts facility in the heart of Boston’s South End. The location has turned out to be a great fit for uniform, given its focus on men’s urban casual clothing and accessories that are fashion oriented, value driven, and utilitarian in nature. Just as with his loft, the store was supposed to be equally comfortable for two to two hundred people, and to feel more residential than commercial.
Check uniform out, see what all the buzz is about, and let us know what you think!
 The entrance at 511 Tremont Street, in Boston’s South End. |  Lots of sun, lots of cool stuff. |
 The interior was designed to feel like a residential loft, and has a crisply detailed “proscenium” that defines the virtual stage within which the charismatic owner and his associates entertain and cater to their customers.. |  Gary regularly hosts neighborhood events. |
 Will uniform win again in 2012?... |  Gary and one of his associates with their Best of Boston 2011 award. |
Making great progress at the Hawai’i Wildlife Center
The new native species gardens are growing in nicely at the new facility Ruhl Walker Architects designed for the Hawai’i Wildlife Center on the Big Island of Hawai’i, and the construction team at TDI is making great progress towards the official opening in November. Rough plumbing, electrical, and mechanical work are installed and ready for the interior finish work.
Our partners at Rhoady Lee Architecture and Design are managing the day to day construction administration process which is great except it means for Will there is no longer a regular excuse to visit the islands, unlike the last few years… It’s been great collaborating with Rhoady and Aaron; they’ve been helping us on the HWC, and we’ve in turn collaborated with them on several residential projects, including a recently completed house at the Hualalai Resort, home to the fabulous Four Seasons. In fact, our senior associate, Sandra Baron, spent 6 weeks working in their office in Waimea during the detailing push for that house, 3 weeks each on two separate occasions. Aaron, when are you coming to Boston?!
The outpouring of community support for the HWC continues to be amazing. On June 15th, a contingent of Marines – members of Wing Support Squadron 171, stationed in Iwakuni, Japan, but currently training at the Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island – joined Linda Elliott and others to assemble enormous lava rock slabs into benches and tables within the interpretive courtyard. The slabs had been donated by Ryan Associates.
November can’t come soon enough!
Please join us in supporting the Hawai’i Wildlife Center by donating online here!
 Exterior view of the main façade of the HWC, seen from the parking area, towards the lanai and open-air education pavilion. |  Exterior view of the main entrance to the HWC, with the staging porch (open air triage space) on the left. |
 A vibrantly painted blue planar wall continues from the entrance lanai into the reception area. |  The members of Wing Support Squadron 171, stationed in Iwakuni, Japan, but currently training at the Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island, ready to assemble the lava rock slabs into benches and tables for the interpretative courtyard. |
 The ventilation system will not only cool the injured endangered species being cared for, but also will provide the required air exchanges that will improve their healing more quickly; air conditioning will be minimal despite the tropical climate, due to excellent cross ventilation and reliable tradewinds. |  The elaborate plumbing systems will be able to handle major oil spills as well as day to day rehabilitation needs. |
Community volunteer day at the Hawai’i Wildlife Center
Last weekend, the Hawai’i Wildlife Center sponsored a community volunteer day for the installation of native species gardens in and around their new facility. 100 volunteers of all ages joined the HWC staff and project design team as well as the Kohala Middle School students who had propagated the individual plants, and at the end of a busy day all were proud to show off not only beautiful landscaping, but planters and a courtyard full of native species of flora. With time, these gardens will grow to provide an inspiring educational laboratory for visitors and locals alike.
Future display kiosks will portray native Hawaiian wildlife, the challenges affecting these species, and the critical role of hands-on care and rehabilitation. When the HWC is fully operational later this year, trained volunteer docents will be available to escort visitors through the courtyard and other outdoor facilities, providing a richly informative orientation to the surrounding flora and exhibits, and speaking in depth about important subjects such as the evolution of Hawaiian wildlife, the numerous endangered species of native animals and plants, the natural history of Hawaiian seabirds and water birds, Hawaiian cultural connections to native wildlife, conservation threats, the role of wildlife rehabilitation in conservation, the process and sequence of wildlife rehabilitation, suggested locations to observe native species of Hawaiian wildlife, and what we all can do to help. Ruhl Walker Architects proudly supports the HWC, and we hope you will join us in this important effort to preserve and care for Hawaii’s native wildlife!
Please also see our blog post from March 22, 2011 showing the completed exterior of the Hawai’i Wildlife Center, designed by Ruhl Walker Architects. Phase II – the completion of the interiors – has begun so the facility should be officially up and running this winter!
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