John Rizor
Delta Dental / OPN Architects
Architect: OPN Architects
Location: Johnston, Iowa
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Wayne Johnson, Main Street Studio
Delta Dental is a national non-profit dental insurance provider with 39 independent member companies devoted to preventative care for oral health and hygiene. With the hopes of creating an economic branding and highly visible promotional device, Delta employed the architectural services of OPN Architects to develop their corporate headquarters along a major interstate.
University Hygienic Laboratory / OPN Architects
Architect: OPN Architects
Location: Coralville, Iowa
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Wayne Johnson, Main Street Studio
Designed for the University of Iowa, the Hygienic Laboratory was designed by OPN Architects and was completed in 2010 as a collaborative and interdisciplinary laboratory facility. In addition to both closed and open laboratory space, the complex features traditional academic functions such as office space, workspaces, and group meeting space. More images and architect description after the break.
University of Iowa BioVentures Center / OPN Architects
Architect: OPN Architects
Location: Coralville, Iowa
Project Year: 2009
Engineer: KJWW Engineering Consultants
Photographs: Wayne Johnson, Main Street Studio
The BioVentures Center is a new office and laboratory facility on the campus of the University of Iowa that functions as a collaborative environment and business incubator for biotech start-ups and the academic field. The 80,000sf facility was designed by OPN Architects of Cedar Rapids, Iowa in conjunction with KJWW Engineering and Consultants. In addition to traditional academic functions, half of the buildings usable area was designed as speculative lab space and is available for commercial lease.
Sheboygan Police Department / Zimmerman Architectural Studios
Architect: Zimmerman Architectural Studios
Location: Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Project Year: 2008
Engineer: Harwood Engineering Consultants
Photographs: Greg Gent, Kevin O’Donnell
Designed by Zimmerman Architectural Studios of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Sheboygan Police Station is a municipal facility that was awarded an AIA Wisconsin Merit Award in 2011. Perhaps the most signature element of the architectural scheme would be the blue glow that emanates from the structure — a revered and feared image standing as a symbol for law and order in the community.
Kirkwood Horticulture Building / OPN Architects
Architect: OPN Architects
Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Wayne Johnson, Main Street Studio
Designed by OPN Architects, the Kirkwood Horticulture Building at Kirkwood Community College is a 40,000sf facility that houses the burgeoning floral and horticultural program for its host school. In addition to typical academic programs such as lecture halls, office space, student commons, and laboratory facilities, the complex also includes an 8,500sf greenhouse for production. More images and architect description after the break.
Iron Horse Hotel / The Kubala Washatko Architects
Architect: The Kubala Washatko Architects
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Project Year: 2008
Photographs: The Kubala Washatko Architects
Designed by the Kubala Washatko Architects of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, the Iron Horse Hotel is an upscale boutique hotel that caters to motorcycle enthusiasts and travelers. The 100,000sf project was completed in 2008 as a refurbishment to an existing factory — more images and architect description after the break.
Colin Powell Middle School / Legat Architects, Inc.
Architect: Legat Architects, Inc.
Location: Matteson, Illinois
Construction Manager: Louis Jones Enterprises, Inc.
Technology/Audio-visual/Security/Geothermal Feasibility Consultant: KJWW Engineering Consultants
MEP/Structural/Civil Engineer: Globetrotters
Photographs: James Steinkamp
Designed by Legat Architects, Inc. of Chicago, Illinois, the 122,000sf Colin Powell Middle School is an academic facility that serves grades 6-8 for Illinois School District 159. According to the architect, “The design of Colin Powell Middle School responds to the client’s desire to provide a progressive symbol of education to its students and community. Energy efficiency, environmental conscientiousness, and openness were all driving factors in the design.” More images and description after the break.
Beijing Core Area Plan / Brininstool, Kerwin, + Lynch
Designed by Brininstool, Kerwin, and Lynch, the Beijing Core Area Master Plan is a massive civic proposal of over 27 million square feet of building area and an additional 1.5 million square feet of public space design for the Central Business District of Beijing, China. More images and architect’s description after the break.
37signals / Brininstool + Lynch
Architect: Brininstool + Lynch
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Project Year: 2009-2010
Photographs: Christopher Barrett
The 37signals project is a 10,000sf commercial build-out for a software company in Chicago, Illinois. The build-out was designed by Brininstool + Lynch of Chicago, Illinois and was completed with full occupancy in March 2010. More images and architect’s description after the break.
Zenith / DeStefano Partners
Otherwise known as Doosan Haeundae U-Dong (or “We’ve the Zenith”), the Zenith complex is a residential condominium development in the Haeundae region of Busan, South Korea. The complex was designed by DeStefano Partners of Chicago, Illinois and is slated for substantial completion in November of 2011 and full occupancy in the summer of 2012. More images and architect’s description after the break.
Advanced Energy Center, Stony Brook University / Flad Architects
Architect: Flad Architects
Location: Stony Brook, New York
Project Year: 2011
Photographs: Steve Hall of Hedrich Blessing
Garden 5 Tool / DeStefano Partners
Architect: DeStefano Partners, Samoo Architects & Engineers
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Project Year: 2o11
Photographs: Samoo Architects & Engineers
Originally called the Dongnam Distribution Center (DDC), the recently renamed Garden 5 Tool complex is a mega-shopping center in Seoul, South Korea. The structure was designed by DeStefano Partners of Chicago, Illinois in conjunction with Samoo Architects & Engineers as the associate architect.
College of DuPage Technology Education Center / DeStefano Partners
Architect: DeStefano Partners
Location: Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Project Year: 2o10
Photographs: Barbara Karant / Karant + Associates, Inc.
Coffou Cottage / Brininstool + Lynch
Architect: Brininstool + Lynch
Location: Michigan City, Indiana
Project Year: 2006-2008
Photographs: Christopher Barrett of Hedrich Blessing
AD Classics: Pearl Bank Apartments / Tan Cheng Siong
At the time of its completion in 1976, the Pearl Bank Apartment complex was the highest-density and tallest residential structure in Singapore at 38 stories. The total height of the horseshoe-shaped complex exceeded 430’ tall and was home for over 1,500 inhabitants. Designed by Tan Cheng Siong of Archurban Architects & Planners, Pearl Bank served as a beacon of contemporary residential design and acted as precedent to the subsequent high-density urban development in Singapore and throughout southeast Asia.
WBF Lab / Flad Architects
Architect: Flad Architects
Location: Davis, California
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Flad Architects
AD Classics: Armenian Opera Theater / Alexander Tamanian
Opened in 1933 and completed in its current state in 1953, the Armenian Opera Theater was designed by Armenian architect Alexander Tamanian. The theater is one of Tamanian’s most profilic architectural works, which include a plethora of Armenian architectural icons such as his hydroelectric station (1926), Republic Square (1926–1941) and many others.
AD Classics: Royal Hotel / Arkady Mordvinov
Originally completed in 1953 as the Hotel Ukraina, the Royal Hotel was designed by Arkady Mordvinov and Vyacheslav Oltarzhevsky and stands as one of the “Seven Sisters” of Moscow (Mordvinov was acting as the Chairman of the Committee of Construction and Architecture at the time). This five-star hotel complex was the tallest hotel in the world at its completion at 34 stories (650ft) and is sited on the banks of the Moskva River. This unique site required considerable structural innovation during early construction, which will be discussed later in the feature.
Bluff House / Bruns Architecture
Architect: Bruns Architecture
Location: Baraboo, Wisconsin
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Bruns Architecture
Chicony Plaza / Goettsch Partners
Architect: Goettsch Partners
Location: Chengdu, China
Project Year: 2011
Photographs: 1st Image
Chicony Plaza is a 37-story mixed-use complex that has just recently reached substantial completion in Chengdu, China. Designed by Goettsch Partners of Chicago, IL, the massive complex occupies a complete city bock and, at present, serves the city of Chengdu as a department store with a 450-room hotel schedule to open in the fall of 2012.
Greenland Zhengzhou Towers / Brininstool, Kerwin, + Lynch
The Greenland Zhengzhou Towers are unbuilt towers designed by Brininstool, Kerwin and Lynch in 2010. According to the architect description, the unique forms are “rooted in cultural influence, in which the massing is identifiable with the mountain formations found outside of Zhengzhou. The expression is balanced between historical symbolism and contemporary innovation.”
With an area that exceeds 6.5million square feet, this massive mixed-development was proposed to house a variety of programs, including office space and a five-star boutique hotel that occupies the top floors of the shorter tower on the south site. BKL was involved with the design of the complex on all scales, from the site considerations the lighting design of the hotel units. In addition to the typical hotel amenities afforded by luxury hotels (ballrooms, lap pools, spa, fitness center, etc.), the complex is decidedly Eastern, with meditation gardens and outdoor terraces. More after the break.
