MIAMI, Oct. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The first international resort for Kimpton Hotels will open on the Caribbean Island of Grand Cayman in 2016, marking an important milestone both for San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and for the re-emergence of resort development in the Caribbean. Dart Realty (Cayman) Ltd. has hired San Francisco and Miami-based SB Architects to design the new $170-million hotel, the first development along the island's famous Seven Mile Beach in over a decade and the highest structure on the island to date.

"Our goal is to craft a modern Caribbean aesthetic that sets the tone for future development across Grand Cayman. As the designers of this milestone project, we are mindful of our responsibility to create an authentic design that response to the site, light, views and water, while setting an appropriate tone as the island looks to its future," states Scott Lee, president and principal of SB Architects.

With 262 hotel keys, 62 resort condominiums and three beachfront bungalows, this resort is a significant development that will put Grand Cayman on the map in terms of resort architecture. The hotel will boast no less than five restaurants, including a signature bar and restaurant on the rooftop. The 10-story structures are designed in a contemporary architectural language, with an emphasis on clean lines and simple massing. Angled balconies will capture ocean views and breezes, while myriad details will create an intricate interplay of light and shadow.

As Kimpton Hotels' first resort property, the resort is designed to reflect the playful spirit and welcoming atmosphere of the brand. Landscape design by EDSA and interiors by Powerstrip Studios will help create this distinctive personality. John Doak, an expert in the architecture and history of the Cayman Island, as well as the planning process and local requirements, is an integral member of the design team.

The new Kimpton Grand Cayman Hotel is being developed by Dart Realty (Cayman) Ltd., a subsidiary of Dart Enterprises. The developer of the town of Camana Bay, the residential neighborhood of Salt Creek and the new Kimpton Grand Cayman, Dart Realty is dedicated to promoting the prosperity of the Cayman Islands through thoughtful and sustainable development.

About SB Architects

In over fifty years of continuous design practice, SB Architects has earned a world-wide reputation as a leading designer of hotels and destination resorts, resort residential communities, urban mixed-use and multi-family residential projects. The firm has worked in the Caribbean for several decades, and their portfolio circles the Caribbean basin, from the Turks & Caicos Islands and the Bahamas off the coast of Florida, to the islands of Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, to St. Lucia and Barbados and Aruba to the South, and, of course, the Cayman Islands.

Media contact: Heather Hebert, Director of Marketing, SB Architects, 415-673-8990,Email

Read more news from SB Architects.

Read more here:
SB Architects to Design Kimpton Grand Cayman

IESVE for Architects - Revolutionise your Approach to Sustainable Design
Safeguard your architecture by ensuring you meet performance goals early on. The specially designed IES architectural analysis package offers the most compre...

By: IESVE

See original here:
IESVE for Architects - Revolutionise your Approach to Sustainable Design - Video

Beloit College has selected one of the more celebrated architects in the U.S. to convert an electrical power plant into a recreation center that will showcase sustainable design and revitalize the riverfront.

The college's board of trustees selected Studio Gang Architects of Chicago to transform the century-old power plant, owned by Alliant Energy. The plan calls for a transition of ownership of the electrical Blackhawk Generating Station on the Rock River in Beloit from the Wisconsin utility to the school in 2016.

Studio Gang is known for designs that are pragmatic but cutting edge, elegant without being overly expressive. The studio's process is one that integrates a diverse range of experts, from ecologists to water specialists to artists.

Studio Gang is led by Jeanne Gang, a MacArthur Fellow and FastCompany Master of Design winner. Her work was featured in a solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago last fall. Last month, Gang and managing principal Mark Schendel accepted the 2013 National Design Award in Architecture from the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum during a reception at the White House.

Studio Gang's most known project is the undulating, 82-story tower in Chicago, the Aqua Tower.

"The Studio Gang team is very excited to partner with Beloit College," Gang said in a statement. "Together we can transform this historic structure into a new hub for wellness, green power, and great architecture."

Beloit College will need to raise $30 million for the project to move forward and to formalize the sale of the electrical power plant to the college. The funds will be used to acquire the property and restore it.

Beloit College has completed a campuswide study to look at ways that the building might be used, including a 150-seat auditorium and a swimming pool.

One of the more known transformations of a power plant was the reuse of the electrical power plant on the south bank of the River Thames in London into the Tate Modern museum by Herzog & de Meuron architects in 2000. The large turbine hall has become one of the more prestigious locations for artists to create installations in the world.

2013, Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved.

Visit link:
Beloit College hires Studio Gang Architects to convert power plant

TOWNSEND -- The North Middlesex Regional High School Building Committee voted to allow architects to get estimates on exterior building materials and to pursue additional energy-certification points at a meeting Monday.

The committee discussed the merits of using brick, concrete and metal on the exterior of the building before deciding to let the project architects get estimates for the material it thinks is best-suited to the project's budget and the building's needs.

Project manager Alex Pitkin warned against trying to save money by choosing cheaper materials that will require maintenance. Metal, he said, could be easily dented and would need to be replaced, while brick is more durable.

"There can be a tendency to try to go toward windows that are residential," Pitkin said. "We are an institution, not a residence, and we want the quality that will last 50 years."

Pitkin said the exterior of the building will be in keeping with the area's rural character.

When committee member Sue Lisio said she is more concerned with the functionality of the inside of the building than its outward appearance, Pitkin responded that the outside is also important.

"What happens inside the building can be affected if the outside deteriorates," Pitkin said.

Once the budget is set, the committee could choose to use less expensive materials, but not more expensive ones, Pitkin said, making it wise to budget for the higher-quality materials if the committee

Member Gary Shepherd said he favors brick and concrete over metal.

"I believe that brick and concrete has proven itself over the last 100 years," Shepherd said. "I'd rather see that than metal. We're not building a building that we want to have a long-term maintenance program for."

Go here to see the original:
NMRHS panel: Architects OK to get building estimates

by Marylin Ten, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on October 8, 2013, Tuesday

KUCHING: Architects are urged to think outside the box on how their architectural designs can be merged into the city landscape.

Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Datuk James Chan said with the state constantly developing, architects also ought to change by taking on the challenge to create architectural designs relevant to the state.

I believe that practical and pragmatic Sarawakians want friendly architecture and this includes creating architecture that is friendly to senior citizens and people with disabilities (OKU).

Buildings must meet the needs of the elderly and OKU who are more physically limited and this must be taken into consideration, he said when launching World Architecture Day (WAD) 3.0 at Tun Jugah Shopping Mall here yesterday. In addition, Chan also advised architects to develop and promote ideas on buildings that are friendly to the environment.

Air-conditioning in buildings are major consumers of energy and if architects design buildings that are energy efficient so that the same degree of air-conditioned comfort can be provided with less energy consumption, this can make a difference to our environment, he said.

Meanwhile, Pertubuhan Arkitek Malaysia Sarawak Chapter (PAMSC) deputy chairman Mike Boon said this years WAD organised by PAMSC comprised three events namely the WAD

T-Shirt Design Competition, WAD Urban Installation Competition and an exhibition showcasing architecture installations from shortlisted participants.

The events are planned to promote good architecture, raise public awareness about architecture and to create a platform for discourse amongst architects and students of architecture, he remarked.

Boon and Chan later presented prizes to winners of WAD T-Shirt Design Competition and WAD Urban Installation Competition Sara Wee and Cika Ai respectively.

Read more:
Think outside the box, mayor advises architects

Several former presidents of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) are leading a revolt against its willingness to comply with new building regulations intended to avoid another Priory Hall dbacle.

An extraordinary general meeting of members will take place on October 14th to debate a motion that the amended regulations will not achieve the objective of better consumer protection and will place an intolerable liability on architects.

It calls for the regulations to be amended to deliver a system of building control to protect consumers interests and ensure that the liability falling on participants in the building process is reasonable, appropriate and insurable.

Acceptable measuresIf Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan does not agree to amend the regulations in the manner suggested, the motion calls on the RIAI to make it clear that the profession will not operate the system until acceptable measures are in place.

Former RIAI president Eoin Cofaigh has branded the regulations as an attempt to criminalise architects for the failure by local authorities to inspect construction sites, saying they were the 21st-century equivalent of hanging children for stealing sheep.

But current president Michelle Fagan insists that architects should have nothing to fear . . . Comments about bankruptcy and the unavailability of professional indemnity insurance make no contribution to achieving a fair and workable system.

In a message to members, she said architects have always had to carry a substantial burden of liability because of their role in building projects. That is a reality that all practising architects, myself included, have to deal with throughout our professional lives.

Ms Fagan said there had been substantial stakeholder engagement by the Department of the Environment. We have already made good progress and are confident of making more progress through our participation in the stakeholder process.

Some suggest that we should walk away from these discussions. Why would we do so when we have achieved important changes with more in the pipeline? You have to ask yourself what would happen to the interests of architects if the RIAI walked away from the table.

Based on recent experience, she warned that the other parties around the table would continue the discussions and come up with an agreement which we would have to swallow because it would be imposed upon us or we would have to try to unpick.

More:
Architects at odds over regulations intended to avoid another Priory Hall

ANIMAL ARCHITECTS: MIND BLOWING COCOON
Mind Blowing Cocoon. This incredible design is the work of a spongilla fly (Climacia areolaris). The mind blowing structure is the insect #39;s cocoon which is c...

By: AnimalWire

Read more:
ANIMAL ARCHITECTS: MIND BLOWING COCOON - Video

The Evens - Architects Sleep, Berkeley, CA 10/03/13
Architect Sleep performed by The Evens (Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina) at the Florence Schwimley Little Theater, Berkeley, CA. 10-03-2013. Apologies for the fuz...

By: KarinaWow

Continue reading here:
The Evens - Architects Sleep, Berkeley, CA 10/03/13 - Video

McDonald Architects, LLC - Presentation
McDonald Architects, LLC is full service custom residential architecture firm serving Kiawah Island, Palmetto Bluff, Sullivan #39;s Island, Isle of Palms and Dan...

By: Chad McDonald

Read the original post:
McDonald Architects, LLC - Presentation - Video

A CentrePointe rendering released Aug. 14 by EOP Architects. Their design was approved by the city's review board, but EOP backed out of the project on Sept. 10.

EOP ARCHITECTS

The former architects of the long-delayed CentrePointe project in downtown Lexington have not been paid more than $430,000 for their services, according to documents filed Thursday. But developers of the project said Friday that the architects have been paid in full.

EOP Architects of Lexington filed a lien against the CentrePointe property on Thursday. According to the documents filed with the Fayette County Clerk, EOP says CentrePointe's developer, the Webb Companies, owes the firm $432,789.56.

Dudley Webb, the company's chairman, told the Herald-Leader Friday that he has already paid EOP for their services and plans to fight the lien. Thursday's filing will not slow the project's progress, Webb said.

Webb said EOP has been paid $207,808.19, including $25,000 that EOP requested after it pulled out of the project in August.

Rick Ekhoff, an architect who worked on CentrePointe, said it was unfortunate that EOP had to resort to a lien.

"When EOP chose to withdraw from the CentrePointe project at the end of August, the firm was owed past-due fees for services," Ekhoff said. "We are unfortunately being forced to resort to these actions in order to collect."

Ekhoff said he couldn't comment further on the lien.

After the Courthouse Area Design Review Board gave conditional approval to the CentrePointe design at an Aug. 21 meeting, EOP pulled out of the project which has been stalled since 2008. EOP officials declined then to say why they severed ties with the Webb Companies. According to the lien filed Thursday, EOP last provided services on the project on Aug. 30.

Read the original here:
Lexington architects file lien against CentrePointe property, Webb says architects paid in full