Fort Worth · 2007.0411
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History has unveiled plans for its new building in the Cultural District of Fort Worth, Texas. Ricardo Legorreta and his firm, Legorreta + Legorreta of Lomas De Reforma, Mexico, designed the $65 million project to blend with neighboring institutions.
A 60-foot (18-meter) "urban lantern" will serve as the main entrance, allowing light into the building during the day and softly illuminating the grounds in the evening. The interior of the 133,000-square-foot (12,400-square-meter) building will feature courtyards, indoor-outdoor spaces, skylights, pergolas, and abundant natural light. The plan features a campus-like environment and a broad plaza that will connect the museum more closely to its neighbors, the Will Rogers Center and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. Construction is slated to begin in fall 2007.
New York · 2007.0410
The New York City Planning Commission has granted final approval for the adaptive reuse of the former American Express Company Stables in the TriBeCa North Historic District of New York City. New York firm Kevin Kennon Architect designed the project, which includes restoration, renovation, conversion, and enlargement of the existing three-story building, built in 1866 and expanded in 1898. The completed five-story, 75,000-square-foot (7,000-square-meter) structure will comprise 17 loft apartments and a glass-rich top-floor penthouse.
A generous setback from the building’s parapet will hide the penthouse from the ground level and from the nearby Holland Tunnel, and will also allow for 8,000 square feet (740 square meters) of outdoor and garden terrace spaces. The warehouse's pine joists, dating to 1898, will be restored and recycled into the flooring of the new lofts. Many objects found during the renovation process, including historic signs, stonework, and piping, will be incorporated into the building's interior design and artwork.
Krakow · 2007.0410
International engineering, construction, and operations firm CH2M Hill has hired Ruben Robles as the director of Polish operations and a vice president in the firm's manufacturing and life sciences business unit. A registered architect in South Carolina, Robles has almost 25 years of experience in account management, project management, sales, planning, design, construction documentation, and construction management.
Based in the Krakow office, he will be responsible for sales and project execution in Poland, and for developing an architectural and engineering technical center to support the company's European operations. Prior to joining CH2M Hill, Robles worked for design-build firm Shimizu America and Lockwood Greene, a company acquired by CH2M Hill in 2003.
Port Aransas · 2007.0405
Construction is underway on the master-planned development of Cinnamon Shore near Port Aransas on Mustang Island, Texas, a Gulf Coast barrier island. Jay Corder, AIA, founder and principal of Austin architecture firm Designhouse, is serving as "village architect" for the 64-acre (26-hectare) mixed-use development, which follows the principles of New Urbanism. His designs feature an adapted Gulf Coast architectural vernacular, with clean lines, simple massing, attention to architectural details, and colors that complement the coastal landscape. Corder will also design the development's key amenities, including a 16,000-square-foot (1,500-square-meter) retail plaza for shops and restaurants, beach boardwalks, pool-area facilities, and a central observation tower. Phase I of construction is underway, with completion expected by 2008.
Seagrove Beach · 2007.0404 Memphis, Tennessee-based architecture, planning, and interiors firm Looney Ricks Kiss has revealed its designs for eight houses in the "Toscana" beachfront enclave of Seagrove Beach, Florida. Inspired by the architecture of Tuscany, Italy, the designs feature such details as clay tile roofs, European stucco, and private courtyard spaces in lieu of yards.
Pyrmont · 2007.0404
Construction has begun on Workplace6, a midrise office building on the Darling Harbor waterfront in Pyrmont, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. Owner GPT Group and builder Citta Property Group will seek a five-star Australian Building Greenhouse Rating for the project and a six-star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia. Environmentally friendly features will include daylighting, power generation, and water reclamation. Completion is scheduled for January 2009.
