One of the easiest and often overlooked ways to incorporate green design is through the implementation of indoor environmental control systems to improve the quality of the lighting and thermal systems of a building.  LEED groups these systems under a series of credits known as the Indoor Environmental Quality credits (IEQ).  The IEQ credits include things such as programmable lighting, thermal comfort systems, day lighting, and views of the exterior.  LEED created these standards “to provide comfort, well-being, and increase the productivity of the building’s occupants.”  Studies have found not only can these credits create a greener building, but they can actually improve occupant health, productivity, and in turn improve a company’s profit.

Research has shown that employees who are more comfortable in their environment are more efficient and productive at their jobs.  In addition, a thermally comfortable space may help control moisture issues which can lead to mold growth or worse the presence of bacteria and viruses.  Avoiding such hazards keeps employees healthier and they use less sick time.

It isn’t hard to understand why day lighting and views of the exterior are important components to green design.  Day lighting will reduce the energy load from unnecessary lighting, and views to the exterior bring the “green” world around a building into the interior.  What you might not realize is that employees who have a day lit space with visual connection to the outdoors are often more attentive, creative, and sometimes can even be better problem solvers.  These are all major benefits to a company.

So when considering some of the LEED credits, it is important to take into account what achieving that credit may do for the environment, your company, and even your employees health and well being!

When I was a kid, my brother and I had developed a lingo around Legos, we called them two-ers and three-ers, and two by two-ers and flat two by fours.  This radically simplified our communications during the many hours spent huddled around the Lego pile sprawled out on the floor of our bedroom.  Not too long ago, in simpler times, Legos were simpler as well.  The typical kit was composed of mostly rectilinear blocks of varying dimension and the basis of our language was to describe the geometry of the bricks we sought to complete our creations.  As a kid I never really thought about the bricks much beyond what I could create with them.  As I sat down to build with my 5 year old recently, it occurred to me that they are an unbelievably precise (The LEGO manufacturing process is so precise that only 18 out of 1 million LEGO bricks produced is considered defective), well thought out medium.  You read that correctly, I said medium, as in art.  Admittedly, this is not an original idea.  There are people who agree with me, and they are accredited by Lego as Lego Certified Professionals.

Trust me when I tell you that Legos have come a long way since when I was a kid.  While the Lego kits of today are still built around the basic block shapes, the level of customization that the company has achieved is astonishing.  Today’s palette of Lego pieces seems much more robust than what I remember from when I was a kid.  However, researching the stats on this I found that Lego went from 12,000 different pieces to 6,800 in the last few years-a number that includes the color variations.  I can only conclude that I grew up near the bottom of the bell curve that describes the number of different Lego pieces.  If you take a look at Lego’s web site, you’ll find that the company has diversified, big time.  From the basic brick sets to Architectural icons, from super heroes like Batman and Robin to Harry Potter, from Pirates to Friends there is something for everyone.  They have even created an entirely new (brick free!) building system for the creation of larger scale figures in their Hero Factory and Bionicle lines, which just so happen to be my kids’ favorites.

They have also made it possible to design your own models on your computer.  You can download the Lego Digital Designer program for Mac or PC, design your custom model, and then order it via the internet.  Lego packages all of the bricks required to build your creation and ships them to you complete with a custom instruction manual!  I’m eagerly waiting for the day when a client asks me to build them a Lego model of their building design.

At this point, I’m sure you’re dying to know what I spent Christmas break building with my kids.  Since a recent family trip to Disney this past fall, they are recently inaugurated Star Wars fans.  We painstakingly assembled over 5,000 pieces to create the Millennium Falcon, the AT-AT (now discontinued), Hoth Echo Base, and an Imperial Frigate, among others.  The time spent with my kids was the most fun I’ve ever had with Legos… and they’re already starting to pick up on the Lego lingo!

Munich

I visited Munich in 1981 for a few days spent mostly studying churches, museums and baroque architecture.  Ok, maybe there was one night at the Hofbrau House, but that’s a story for another time.  Other than the central old town, Munich has the feel of an American city.  The destruction of a majority of the buildings during WWII combined with the following American occupation and expansion of the city has led to modern buildings and a city designed for the automobile surrounding the history of old town.  The old town is primarily a pedestrian shopping and entertainment district now, somewhat touristy, but still an enjoyable place to observe significant architecture and people and enjoy one of the many outdoor cafes / beer gardens.  Most cafes serve their own beer and all of it is just amazing.  Our typical day here was taking a walking tour of city sights such as the Oktoberfest grounds, Hofgarten or urban Alpine surfers in the morning and using the afternoon to wander the old town with hourly stops for a break at one of the outdoor cafes – yes, an afternoon beer crawl.  Unfortunately, I knew I was an American lightweight when on Easter Sunday I observed a twelve year old German girl down a pint about four times faster than I did.  On the central square Marienplatz you can observe the active Glockenspiel in the gothic tower of the New Rauthaus (city hall) and listen to the echo of numerous church bells mark each hour.

Neuschwanstein Castle – Fussen

Of all the interesting things we did in Munich, the most fun we had was leaving the city on a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle near Fussen in the Bavarian Alps.  The 19^th Century Romanesque Revival palace is built on the top of a rugged mountain and is most famously known for its inspiration of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle.  The views of the surrounding mountains and valleys from the castle are spectacular as are the stories of King Ludwig II life and mysterious demise and the construction of the castle.  We were very lucky to have a fabulous tour guide for the entire day, Roland.  Roland who is originally from England has been teaching English in Munich and leading tours of various architectural sites as a hobby for ten years.  Roland’s knowledge of the castle and Bavarian history and his dramatic humorous delivery certainly created a day that was so much better than if we had done this tour on our own.  The train ride to and from Fussen, the hike up the mountain, the tour of the castle and the cold refreshments at the end of the tour left us all with great memories of a day well spent.

Please take this tour if you are in Munich and ask for Roland.  While in Munich, you must also visit BMW Welt and Museum as I will tell you all about soon!

My favorite architect is Antoni Gaudi because he was so far out of the box he created his own style, and I could never in a million years come up with the types of designs he did.  The Basilica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia (more commonly known as the Sagrada Familia) is my favorite of his works.  It looks like a castle you would make at the beach with really wet runny sand!

Karen Sander

I decided to write about my favorite interior designer, Laura Day.  Interior design is such a crucial part of architecture and can change the entire feeling of a space.  Laura was born in farm country but transitioned to Manhattan.  She brings her love of nature and the outdoors from back home and uses it in her upscale/chic city designs.  She has a way of weaving the two together that I absolutely love and admire.  She also has an eye for how to give more than one function to a room without making it feel overcrowded (quite necessary in small city apartments). One of my favorite apartment designs is her West Village Penthouse where she introduced bold colors and patterns to spruce up the interior.  Her renovations to the interior of a farmhouse in Bridgehampton is also an impressive collage of interior spaces that are simple, tasteful, and modern yet rustic at the same time.

Kim LaBrake

Strangely I would say my favorite architect is one Vincent Scully criticized for “having no identifiable style”.  I believe this trait is what made Eero Saarinen an icon.  When most architects of his time were pushing the Modern Style even if elements of the final projects presented issues for the specific building or its usability, Saarinen adapted his modernist vision for each client to complete a successful project.  His belief that no 2 clients are the same allowed him to avoid being stereotyped which is evident in his vast catalogue of buildings, monuments and furniture.  The TWA terminal at JFK was considered his greatest building, but I am drawn to the impact he made on “community”, specifically Columbus, Indiana where his building types were as varied as his furniture designs.  I applaud his ambition to include his clients and their needs which as an architect I believe vital in any successful project.  My favorite building would be the Miller House in Indiana, where coincidently he designed the first “conversation pit”. Eero Saarinen understood the key to success was to communicate.

Morning Call, October 4th
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/bethlehem/mc-housenick-estate-master-plan-20111004,0,6056895.story

Bethlehem Patch, September 23rd
http://bethlehem.patch.com/articles/park-committee-recommends-reuse-of-mansion

Morning Call, September 23rd
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/bethlehem/mc-bethlehem-township-housenick-property-20110923,0,3676735.story

I visited Amsterdam in 1981 for a grand total of one afternoon so I consider this spring’s visit to be my first time there.  I discovered a city that is like no other I have ever visited because of the canal system, people, openness and walkability.  Think Venice without the humidity and sewage smell.   In the historic city, you don’t need to watch for cars when you cross the street because there are so few of them.  You need to watch for the silent killers – electric trams and by my estimate one million bicycles!  Everyone from businessmen in suits to Rastafarians bike everywhere.  Now you might think they ride nice new European stylish touring bicycles, but you would be wrong.  They ride what look like pre-WWII heavy steel bicycles mostly because of the cobblestone streets, but perhaps more importantly because they are practical and unpretentious.  I found the Dutch to be the most down to earth, friendly, non-judgmental and unpretentious people I have ever spent time with so no need for a new fancy bike when you have one or can share one that is perfectly functional.  I believe these characteristics are pervasive in their culture reflected in their lifestyle, respect for the environment (now that they have control of it) and their contemporary architecture and engineering.  Amsterdam is clearly a fantastic place to live with no concern for being welcomed or accepted for exactly who you are.  The city is vibrant, open and diverse as a reflection of this philosophy and not filled with the tension created by automobile traffic as so many other cities are.

A few of the sites I visited and highly recommended:

Amsterdam Museum – excellent exhibit on the history of the region primarily focused on economic drivers and the engineering of reclaiming land from the sea.

Ann Frank House and Museum – we finally got in on Saturday night at 10pm which was an appropriately quiet hour.  I had read the Ann Frank Diary on the flight over so being there brought it all to life.

Van Gogh and Rembrandt Museums – need I say more about these two Dutch painters?

Canal Cruise – the best perspective of the city, its infinite crooked buildings, draw bridges and harbor.

Edam –  we took a half day bus tour to this small coastal town just outside of Amsterdam to learn about many Dutch customs including wooden shoes, dikes, cheese and operating windmills.  Edam was spectacularly quaint – beautiful homes, two monumental churches, and public plaza, all connected by narrow stone streets and a mini-canal system loaded with innovative manual draw bridges.  The drive to Edam brought us by numerous tulip farms which painted the landscape in a rainbow of colors.

Dam Square – Times Square meets Piccadilly Circus with amusement rides.

Other reflections:

Food surprise – for a city near the sea, surprisingly little seafood in restaurants.

The pancakes are the best – thin like crepes, but you can put anything on them like pizza and they are served any time of day or night.

Beer – Heineken with no aftertaste (what do they put in the American version?) Grolsch and Amstel among many other local micros.  I’d love to be the company that provides the exterior beer signs for Amsterdam as there are twice as many signs as bicycles!

Street Cleaning – there are very few trash receptacles and in a town that can party like any other so the streets are completely littered at the end of the night.  However, they are sparkling clean by 9am because the street cleaning crews are enormous and have state of the art equipment!

No Guardrails – not on the canals, not anywhere – take responsibility for your own actions – if only we could.

Houseboats – they are made from everything including masonry and there is no requirement to connect to the sewer system. (don’t swim in the canals)

Red Light District – a must on a city walk, just keep walking!

Coffee Houses – aromatic.

Hard Rock Café – unfortunately there is one.

Please, go visit Amsterdam, go for at least 4 or 5 days and when you are there, look me up!

A little background on this year’s race from our race reporter, Karen Sander:

• Due to the flooding earlier in the week, two of the legs (first & last) had to be rerouted which created a more difficult run with steep hills for Nick, Kim, & John.
• Both teams were neck and neck most of the way so we were able to stick together and watch members of both teams finish.
• The weather was perfect for a Sunday morning run!  You could definitely tell fall is rolling in because it was nice and cool, especially along the river.  Most legs were along the river trail so the course was very scenic.

 Q: What did you think of the course?

Nick: The course was nice – same as last year except for the adjustments due to flooding.  AND it wasn’t pouring rain (like last year) so that was great!!

Kim: I enjoyed seeing the Lehigh Valley from my everyday view

John: 5^th leg detour was unfortunate but provided an often missed ‘opportunity’ to see Easton’s South Side neighborhood and hills.

Silvia: Beautiful, flat, (except for SOME sections!) toe path is easy on the legs and knees. Nice and shaded in my section, great views!

Alicia: My leg of the race was the BEST!! I was in the shade along the river looking across to the beautiful Steel for most of the run – The views kept me going!!

Q: What was the most interesting thing you saw all day?

Nick: Most interesting was that each MKSD pair finished pretty much at the same time on each leg!  Oh, and John running in the opposite direction on the course after Christian tagged him!

Kim: John running atop a 42” high railroad embankment along the last leg.

John: The red dress running with men’s nipples team

Silvia: I just love seeing so many people we know having a great time running the race. Especially the many people you never knew were runners. It gives you a true view of the network of friends throughout the Lehigh Valley.

Alicia: The plethora of bagels waiting for runners at the end of the race.

Q: Did the course re-routing make your leg a lot more difficult than you expected?

Nick: Yes – 1^st leg included A LOT more hills!  Much harder than the planned route in the Parkway

Kim:  I ran on a similar level path to train, so re-routing me onto a hard surface with a huge, long hill had me walking more than I wanted to.

John: Yea…….approximately 150-ft elevation rise

Silvia: I was a lucky one with a very flat section that didn’t change. My friend Rick Holtzman from the Allentown Parks Department made sure my section was nice and cleaned up for me after the storms. Thanks Rick! Didn’t trip on any branches or step in any puddles!

Q: Will you do it again next year?

Nick: Yes I’d do it again next year.

Kim: Yes, the last leg! Not sure I want to run more than 4 miles!

John: Sure – I need a goal to get me to run past the refrigerator

Silvia: Yes and I will be scouting for a THIRD MKSD team….

Q: Did running against a co-worker motivate you to run faster?

Kim:  Running WITH John made my day! I actually ran my fastest 5k because his antics kept me laughing and moving!

John: Hmm? Heck yea……. and sometimes backwards and sideways and on a railroad retaining wall!

Silvia: Karen, AKA the Gazelle, flew past me on the 6.6 leg. She asked me not to fire her as she past me, since she left me in the dust. I ran fast, but knew I would never catch Karen.

Additional Quotes:

Kim: I loved the camaraderie our teams displayed!  Much more fun to have a team of 10 than 2 teams of 5 each!

Silvia: Many of our team members have never run much before this race. I am really impressed by their commitment to not letting the team down. Everyone did a great job and had fun. Just like everything else in life, team effort wins the game. We may not individually be able to run a marathon, but we can run one together!

Alicia Mason

Carlo Scarpa is my favorite architect because I believe he is the master of detailing architecture materials into meaningful form.  I have visited some of his projects and small renovations in Italy and his style and material choice and the way that he details his work creates a specific spacial experience that is particular to each project.  One of my favorite, the Brion-Vega Cemetery/garden/sculpture, is his ode to the Italian couple and their marriage together.

Christian Didra

Tom Kundig is easily one of my favorite architects of residential space. I am captivated by his ability to instill a modern and “industrial” aesthetic into his designs, while maintaining human comfort and beauty within the natural serenity of Washington State’s beautiful landscape.  His designs for residences are an entourage of starkly contrasting materials – wood, concrete, and steel.  He emphasizes each to take advantage of the views and topography around it, and left unfinished to age naturally with the surrounding landscape.  Chicken Point Cabin on Lake Hayden in Idaho features a large window that opens via a wheel attached to a hand crank; in a few moments the entire main living space is open to the lake and the mountains.

Nick Hewes

My favorite architect tends to change from time to time.  The one that seems to stand out for me right now is Santiago Calatrava.  As an engineer AND an architect, he has the ability to design buildings and structures that seem very physically detailed and complex while also showcasing their forms as true pieces of art.  The “Auditorio de Tenerife” is one of my favorites – an auditorium & concert hall in Tenerife, Spain, made of large swooping concrete arches and located right on the water.

 Episode 1: Scuba Diving… part 1 

While this seems like the natural starting point for my blogs, it also runs the risk of being really long.  The reason is simple… I. LOVE. SCUBA DIVING.  It’s my absolute favorite activity and I can talk about it at great lengths… but I will try to keep this fairly reasonable.  I’ll start with a question… Have you ever dreamed of flying?  I’m not talking about piloting a fighter jet or commercial airliner – I’m talking about having your feet lift off the ground as you glide effortlessly through the air Superman-style! Of course you have!  As an architect, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked up at tall skyscrapers or other homes/buildings and thought to myself, “I wish I could just float up there to get a better look at that detail… or see the view from that executive corner office in NYC.”  “How easy it would be to get from here to there!”  “It would be incredible to sail next to the birds, experiencing exciting new landscapes and beautiful scenery!”  Recently, I discovered the secret to flying was “right under our noses”… literally!  Jump in the water, strap on some scuba gear, and you’ll experience something you never thought possible!

Picture yourself standing on the ground looking up at the bright blue sky and tall buildings.  Now replace the ground with white sand… replace the blue sky with crystal blue turquoise water… and replace the buildings with large rock formations, coral reefs, and kelp forests.  On the surface, a little thing called gravity keeps our feet planted firmly in place. Beneath the surface, however, you’re free to lift off the ground and explore wherever your heart desires.  You can travel from here to there without ever having your feet hit the ground. You can glide in any direction, see playful wildlife you never knew existed, and gaze upon gorgeous scenery that can rival even the most beautiful state parks.  You can do all of that while at the same time accomplishing yet another incredible phenomenon – breathing underwater!  Though it may be a word I use way too often, it describes my favorite hobby perfectly – AWESOME!  Both relaxing and exhilarating, Scuba Diving is something I would absolutely recommend everyone try at least once in their lives – you won’t regret it!

Luckily, one of the largest Freshwater Diving facilities on the East Coast is only 20 minutes from my house… and is where I do most of my diving every summer – Dutch Springs in Bethlehem, PA (www.dutchsprings.com).  It’s a 50 acre lake, with various attractions sunk at different depths for divers to explore (some up to 100’ deep!).  Some of these include: a fire truck, a school bus, small airplanes, and even a large World War 2 helicopter!  The lake is naturally spring-fed, making it really clear!  There are tons of fish in the lake, including large-mouth bass, rainbow trout, and even Koi – some of which can get up to 3 feet long!  I’ll talk more about my trips to Dutch, as well as dive trips to West Palm Beach, Key West, and St. Lucia in a future blog.

Have fun out there,
Nick

MKSD architects’ Associate Partner Jill Palazzo Hewes, RA, LEED AP, has passed her Architect Registration Examination^® (ARE^®) to become a licensed architect in Pennsylvania. The ARE^® is a testing procedure comprised of seven different examinations related to the various architectural disciplines. It assesses candidates for their knowledge, skills, and ability to provide the various services required in the practice of architecture and has been adopted for use by all 54 U.S. and Canadian member boards.

Jill has been a MKSD architects employee since 2004. She serves as project designer, project manager, and construction administrator for the firm. Jill has worked on many local design projects, including facility designs for Northampton Community College, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Lehigh University, and MINI of Allentown . She is a 2004 graduate of Philadelphia University with a Bachelor of Architecture degree and is also a LEED accredited professional.

Jill’s registration means that MKSD architects now features eight Pennsylvania-registered architects, along with our five LEED accredited professionals.

“We might not always consciously acknowledge it but, as we move, the places we experience take us from emotion to emotion: from the confusion of a dark forest into the sunlit certainty of a rocky clearing; from the invigoration of open heath into the calm of a country church…or the knee-weakening precipice of a thousand-foot cliff; from the fresh warmth of a summer beach into the nausea-inducing urine stink of an uncleaned public lavatory; from the solitude of a dark deserted street into the fellowship of a local pub . . . Instances are innumerable and range from the infinitesimally subtle to the starkly dramatic, from the remote to the intimate, from the life threatening to the life affirming.  Every time we cross a threshold we feel a slight frisson as if the crossing will change us in some way . . . which it always does.”

As I continued my study I revisited the memories I have as a young toddler, mesmerized by the seemingly infinite stretch of grass in my backyard and that one awesome tree that stood in the middle of it, or the comfort that the ugly shag carpet in the living room of my childhood home provided as I weaved my wooden train tracks around packaging cardboard that resembled mountains.  There is inexhaustible curiosity and wonder inherent within toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners.  These types of experiences, whether indoor or outdoor, man-made or natural, or both combined are incredibly important for the developing minds and bodies of young children, therefore I focused on them as the primary user of whatever it was I was going to design.  To avoid a seemingly never ending study, I decided to focus my studies on the learning and developmental potentials of just one experience, how the architecture was influenced by that experience, and therefore how a new experience is then created.   Simply put, because I remember spending more of my time in trees than indoors, I chose experiences in nature as my vehicle of study.

Consider this: studies indicate that multisensory interactions in nature are particularly effective in influencing creative, cognitive and other important developments in a growing child.  In today’s frequent and rapidly changing world of technology, it’s hard to ignore the benefits of educational television programming and computer games that are able to expand children’s mental capacities in ways they couldn’t before.   However, studies also reveal that children are becoming increasingly more consumed by such media, masking the unique learning experiences provided by interactions in nature.  Arguably, I could design a building that perfectly housed digital media in inventive ways to achieve a similar goal, but because I’d hate to see the day where digital media has replaced all physical interaction with our natural world, I aimed to create spaces where as the power of its learning potential lay within its placement and manipulation upon its site.  After several months of immersive site analysis and 300 sheets of chipboard later, I presented the following:

A daycare/nature center fragmented among various conditions in Philadelphia’s Pennypack Park becomes a vehicle with vast potential for resolving what researchers and various authors have defined as “nature deficit disorder”.  It is here, and among other natural settings dispersed among large urban densities that it becomes vital to orchestrate such efforts.  An architecture in the landscape can heighten and transcend the natural experience, providing endless interactive combinations of play and learning for these young users.  The careful processes inherent in exploring and designing such opportunities gives architects/designers an intimate knowledge and understanding of their chosen site.  This understanding translates into a design that gives toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners profound alterations of the natural experience that otherwise wouldn’t exist had that architecture not been there.  “Inside” and “outside” become loose terms blurred together by careful manipulations of form and space upon a site that is as intimately known to the designer as it is to the user.  The Design becomes the threshold of the natural experience defining a place for new ways of furthering the developmental potentials within young children today.

I drove along every mile of Pennypack Park’s perimeter.  I took pictures at every time of day through three different seasons.  I trudged through two feet of snow, crawled through tall grass, and risked harassment from angry parents concerned by the strange male college student wandering through and taking pictures of the playground from which their kids played.  I viewed the site as a young kid would, not only because I assumed the “spidey” position and crawled through grass and among trees to lower myself to child height, but perhaps also because every second of the 24 hours I spent there brought back the inner child in me.  My study became my own personal threshold – a place, a design, and an idea that I can always revisit in my mind . . . and imagination is endless.

Karen also loves to run and hike; anything outdoors. She is into hiking more than camping but it usually comes after by default.

A few things you may not know about Karen:

Karen started PSU as a Secondary Education/ Math Major but made the switch to architecture because she needed something more hands on and creative.

LOVES Football! She loves the Eagles and went to every home game while she was at Penn State except when she studied abroad.

Family Nickname: “Little Tornado” because she is never in one place very long.

When we moved to a house with an open yard our garden was designed using the common view of back yard gardening.  A traditional plowed square plot of dirt with rows of vegetable and flowers. Each variety occupied their own row, the vegetables and flowers staked separately in their own zone. This layout worked for our girls because it provided a learning opportunity! We planted and marked each row and were careful to plant each variety by its height. Being an architect, I noted the solar angle and oriented the rows to optimize the sunlight. We planted sunflowers and corn where it would not shade the other vegetables.

The “row” method also allowed for direct comparison of each seedling. This way we could easily move any errant seedling back to their “home” row.

 Gramma Advice: Even the rarest of seedling could be considered a weed if it is not in its intended location.

This garden provided a good visual learning opportunity for all of us, but the visual design quality of the garden was boring to me because of the symmetry.  As an architect I find myself fighting symmetry in my designs. My initial layouts are predictably symmetrical and linear. I have learned to review these initial layouts, identify the axis and with purpose redefine the parti to adjust for this symmetry. Over the past 5 years I have been contemplating what this means for a garden, “redefining my parti”.  As I look back at the designs of our earlier gardens, I now understand they were unfinished. The garden functioned well because we harvested wonderful vegetables and bouquets of flowers each season, but there was something missing.

Confirming, even in gardening, Function is made better by Form.

This is why I have decided to rethink my garden.  I have introduced containers to the plan. I have already learned planting in containers is less forgiving then traditional gardening. The combination of plants must be thought through because each plant must coexist in a relatively small area without overpowering its neighbors. The biggest revelation for me was combining both vegetables and flowers in the same container. Vegetable plants are not always visually pleasing throughout their growing cycle. Combining the color of flowers with vegetables provides you the opportunity to produce food that is beautiful in form.

The process of creating a successful container of garden is similar to refining an architectural parti which creates a form that functions.  The months of April and May were the beginning of the new plan. The vision of the final form starts with a single seed.

But what is so “LEED” about it?  Isn’t it green design not “LEED” design we are all after?

After becoming a LEED AP in 2008 and beginning to work on LEED projects in our office, I quickly realized that there is a lot to green design that is inherently good design.  At MKSD, we strive to create sound architectural solutions for our clients that include at a minimum: recycled products, day lighting of interior spaces, controllability of HVAC systems, reuse of building components or systems, and reduced energy use.  So what is the benefit of a “LEED” building? And why should we bother with the added costs, time, and money associated with the design and documentation?

It really isn’t the use of “LEED” products that creates a “LEED” building.  Green products and materials are such a small component of what the benefits are to LEED certification.  After documenting my first major LEED project, I have found that there are certain credits within the LEED rating system that go above our normal “green” design approach and provide not only a “greener” solution, but can provide our client with great benefit in ways that aren’t always obvious, in some instances even operational or construction cost savings.

These credits include the following LEED credits which are part of the LEED for New Construction rating system:

Sustainable Sites Credits:
Alternative Transportation: Public Transportation Access(SSc4.1)
Light Pollution Reduction (SSc8)

Energy & Atmosphere Credits: 
Fundamental Commissioning of Building Systems (EAp1)                                                          Optimize Energy Performance (EAc1)

Materials & Resources Credits:
Building Reuse (MRc1.1)
Construction Waste Management (MRc2)
Regional Materials (MRc5)

Indoor Environmental Quality: 
Controllability of Systems- Lighting (IEQc6.1)
Controllability of Systems- Thermal Comfort (IEQ6.2)
Daylight and Views- Daylight (IEQ8.1)
Daylight and Views- Views (IEQ8.2)

Some of these credits may produce reduced construction costs, others may provide a more enjoyable working environment for employees, and a few may even promote growth in your local economy!   In future blogs in this series, I will take a look at some of these credits and how specifically our clients can benefit from the approach to the credit.  So stay tuned for future installments in the “LEED”ing Green Design blog series!

Another passion of Christian’s is hiking! His favorite place to hike is Glen Onoko Falls where he visits about 6 times year. His love of the outdoors has definitely influenced hi s choice for favorite vacation spot- Chincoteague Island in VA where he enjoys hanging out with the wild ponies, surfing and ocean kayaking.

A few things you may not know about Christian:

He has a younger sister, who married his best friend

Favorite Superhero: Spiderman, he dressed at Spidey for MANY Halloween’s in a row.

Couldn’t live without:  Nature. He says he knows its corny but he is not a city dweller.

Please click here to view the full article or all of Aspire magazine is available on LCCC’s website.

John’s broad experience background started working for his father moving buildings out of the Tocks Island Dam area from Delaware Water Gap to Milford, PA. John knew that he liked the construction industry but also knew that he wasn’t a fan of handling cold steel at 7 am in January and opted for designing buildings instead.

John designed & built his first home (earth sheltered) with a geo-exchange heating/cooling! He was incorporating sustainable design before green was green with influences from Mother Earth News in the 70s.

A few things you may not know about John:

In his first job John earned $12 a summer loading hay on a dairy farm……the local fitness club.

He is a surfer wanna-be: bought a used long board from Dana Point, CA 4 years ago.

John ran out of gas with his new bride Catherine, in the desert near Death Valley, CA, after being turned away at Fort Irwin, Air Force Base.

The changing models of care have forced a change in the types of buildings where health care is provided, with the biggest change being a dramatic increase in the number of outpatient facilities and medical office buildings.  These types of facilities bring healthcare directly to the people, where ever they may be, even if they are not in close proximity to a hospital.

Many changes have prompted the growth and success of these stand alone facilities. For example, the demographics of our society have changed and the aging population, although not always in need of hospitalization, may require consistent care, for example for a chronic illness like diabetes.  Technological advances in health care are made on what seems to be a daily basis and many minimally invasive and non-invasive procedures now can take place in an out-patient facility rather than a hospital requiring an expensive overnight stay. The economics of ambulatory is clearly evident in the bottom line. These facilities are not only faster and less expensive to build, but also cheaper to run and maintain than a 24 hour a day hospital. They are also more profitable.

Outpatient facilities are everywhere, on each corner and even in many shopping complexes. Locating these facilities in high traffic areas goes hand in hand with making health care easily accessible. But perhaps more importantly, easy access makes healthcare a part of daily life which is a modern phenomenon. Health care reform has moved firmly away from just treating the illness and instead creating a whole life of wellness. This focus on wellness has also created a different architectural image for health centers. The buildings and spaces within them have a more ‘hotel’ or ‘hospitality’ feel.

The trend in creating ‘homey’ environments delivers a clear message about comfort and personalization of care. Doctors don’t make house calls anymore, but we can bring the house to you. Health care consumers are also concerned with their privacy, keeping their level of stress down during a doctor visit or procedure and the environment impacts these emotions.

Convenient, one stop shopping attracts and retains health care consumers. If a person has a doctor’s appointment, they want to be able to get an x-ray and even a prescription filled in the same place.  The facility that can provide this will see repeat clientele.

Health care planners, facilities directors and architects have an opportunity to influence consumers from the moment they drive to a facility, on the walk into the building, on the path to their destination, in the waiting room and exam room and then again as they leave the appointment or procedure. Each part of their experience creates an opportunity to enhance and support the mission of the health care provider. Each part of the experience is an opportunity to make the consumer aware that they are receiving exceptional care and to continue to serve them.

MKSD team members joined the crowd of 600 people to celebrate the official grand opening of the 40,000 sf facility which currently includes suites for family practice, physical therapy, radiology, orthopedics, pediatrics and OB/GYN with additional spaces planned for the future.  We are working on this renovation project with Bucks Development & Contracting Corporation. The evening included project tours, opportunities to meet the physicians, refreshments and even mini-golf!

http://www.slhn-lehighvalley.org/about/news/wind-gap-medical-ctr-grand-opening.aspx

Silvia- KC & the Sunshine Band

Rae- En Vogue

Patty- Van Halen

Nick- Billy Joel & Elton John

Christian- Yes

Ray- The Guess Who

Mark- Sonny & Cher

Kim- Merle Haggard

Jill- Aerosmith

Jess- Mandy Moore

Karen- Dave Matthews Band

Gabe- Genesis (with Peter Gabriel)

Alicia- Maroon 5

Todd- Three Dog Night

Jason- none

Outside of work Jess enjoys spending time with her husband, Joe, and their six- year old Yorkie, TJ. They love the outdoors and Jess can often be found in her garden or bike riding and camping with Joe. It is a good thing that she enjoys all things outdoorsy because her yard often looks like conservation land with all the wildlife visitors. The most entertaining of the group is a rambunctious squirrel who likes to attack the grill.

Another thing that has influenced Jess’ hobbies is that when she was 11 years old she found out that she was allergic to pepper after a visit to Mr. Bill’s in Allentown where she sampled some turkey London broil. Her allergy forced her to be creative in her cooking and now she loves it!

A few things you may not know about Jess:

Favorite TV show: All of the Real Housewives shows but NY is my favorite because of Bethenny

What’s in your fridge? A huge bucket of bread dough, pickles and the normal stuff. OH, and Skinny Girl Margarita.

A little OCD: She cleans out her closet once a month and donates her wardrobe surplus items to Purple Heart.

The vision of my garden entered my dreams.

These thoughts were in direct response to my need to get out of the house after a very grey and cold winter. I waited for the “time change” with great anticipation even though it meant the loss of an hour of sleep (I am so not a morning person). I found myself wandering through barely open garden stores with similarly minded people. We are easy to spot; our glossy eyed gaze in front of this year’s seed display is mesmerizing. I actually look forward to receiving plant catalogs, which most people write off as junk mail. Last year I restructured my view of my garden. More on that in another blog, but first my garden history needs to be explained.

When we bought our first house, there was a lone maple tree in the yard that needed a little TLC. It was perched on top of the upper yard precariously too close to the top of the hill. We had to save it because we were now responsible for the tree, (we weren’t parents yet but definitely approaching the nurturing phase). So my first solo garden was based on a structure of tiers.

Approaching this dilemma as an architect, I planned a series of tiers stepping down to the lower yard. This made a lot of structural sense but did create some issues on where to plant which vegetables. I wanted to create a kitchen garden but knew that ultimately this maple would put my vegetable garden in heavy shade once cared for properly. That first year my garden flourished in its neat linear tiers because of an abundance of sun, healthy soil, and my undivided attention. I was creating my garden by melding living things with form……forms to plant in, forms created by plant growth and forms created by plant color. With a Utopian view of what could be created I carried my enthusiasm for my yard directly into the beginning of my career in architecture.

I can’t wait to start planning my garden every season. To play and create with these living forms, even if I have to turn the light on at 4:30pm in the winter to leaf through the latest seed catalog. I am amazed at the thought that the planning of my yearly garden parallels my architectural projects, both of which I have been working on through the winter. I am eager to see the ideas I have been crafting all winter as soon as the shovel can break through the defrosted ground.

March means anticipation of working with the earth and having to be satisfied with touching “dirt” while you are planting seeds inside!

This project started from a feasibility study MKSD architects completed of the existing municipal building located on Monroe Street in Freemansburg. The municipal office has remained almost untouched since its construction in 1970, MKSD collaborated with the municipality to present the need for the expansion of the current Police office to the members of the Northampton County Gaming and Economic Redevelopment Authority, explaining how the existing police facilities are “functionally obsolete.”. The Authority was hearing grant application to disburse $1.5 million in revenue from the casino. The Design team was very excited to secure $825,000 for their project.

Here are a few thoughts on the end of the race by Silvia:

“The last few miles are tough, physically and emotionally, but somehow you keep in motion, focusing on finishing. Near the end the encouragement from the spectators is sometime the only thing that keeps you moving. They came to see you run, so you don’t want to let them down. Across Hamilton street and through Cedar Beach, in the home stretch you just want it to be over. From the side of the road you hear: “You’re almost there” “Come on, you can do it!” The stadium is in sight, just left around the bend….but before you enter, an excruciating incline lies ahead of you, as if the road is testing you one last time, to see if you are truly worthy of the accomplishment. You make a final effort, head down and up the hill …. feet finally hit the red spongy track, now I know I’m in the clear….I see the finish line and my spirit and legs are refreshed if only for a moment. I give it everything I have to get through the finish line sprinting. I see the smiling faces of volunteers holding out the medals. The second my foot crosses the threshold and I am overwhelmed with pure relief, satisfaction, joy. I made it. I did it.

Today, take the opportunity to say “you can do it.” You may be surprised at the result.”

We will be honored at the awards ceremony on June 16^th at Lipkin Theatre, Northampton Community College Main Campus in Bethlehem. For more information about the awards ceremony, click here.

Teamwork is our cornerstone…Established in January of 2005, MKSD architects provides complete in-house architectural services for all phases of master planning, design development, and project management. We create designs that are thoughtful and accurate responses to our clients’ needs that meet our clients’ program missions, that are functional and sustainable, and that blend within our clients’ physical settings. MKSD’s highly qualified and dedicated staff represents a variety of professional architectural disciplines and is complemented by state-of the-art technology. MKSD serves the recreation, education, commercial, municipal, and healthcare markets, providing designs for building renovations, alterations, maintenance, and repairs and innovative solutions for new additions and new construction.

As Jill’s nickname suggests, she loves to travel! And although she is typically a rule follower that is not spontaneous, Jill has become adventurous in her travels ever since studying abroad in Italy and with the help from her husband Nick. Her first adventure was paragliding off the Swiss Alps. Since then Jill has been bobsledding in Lake Placid, jet skiing, snowmobiling, and swimming with Sting Rays.

Another newer love in Jill’s life is the love of cooking. She went from not knowing what kitchen utensils were called to having Iron Chef nights with Nick.

Things you may not know about Jill:

Dream Vacation: Greece

All-time Favorite Meal: Filet Mignon, green bean casserole and a glass of Pinot Noir

Favorite Movie: Steel Magnolias

Ray Reppert coordinated the annual in- office putting contest again to increase donations for theMKSD walk team. Our fundraising efforts allowed us to donate $1795 to the March of Dimes. Thank you to everyone who helped us exceed our goal!

Among the many important things I learned during that summer while exploring Europe’s architectural heritage is that our best design is based in experiences not only academic and professional, but also leisure. Experiencing different cultures opens one’s mind to the freedom of design exploration. My plans include the Ann Frank House, Rijkmuseum and Van Gohe museums, windmill tours and bike riding in Amsterdam, and tours of castles in Bavaria, the BMW Experience and Dachau while in Munich.

Finally a few days in Vienna to visit my son Joshua who is studying international economics and business this semester as part of his curriculum at George Washington University. Josh has already instructed me to ‘let him do the talking’ to which I will graciously comply! Along the way I’m sure there will be many visits to breweries and a few sidewalk cafes for coffee and more interesting foods than KFC! Pictures are promised in the next installment of this blog!

Outside of work, Nick has one particularly interesting hobby…SCUBA! Although he is allergic to cold (legitimately, it’s genetic), Nick had decided that he wanted to swim with sharks after seeing the movie Jaws. His first opportunity arose on his honeymoon and he was hooked after that. He has tried to dive as much as he can when he travels and his ultimate goal is to swim with the Great White.

Things you may not know about Nick:

Favorite Professional Sports: 1. Football (Giants, duh); 2. Lacrosse; 3. Hockey (Rangers)

Non-work website you frequent: www.lvdive.com

Favorite Project: I recently renovated my basement and built a full working bar.

Before enrolling in Drexel five years ago, Jason did a lot of traveling in his spare time. Among his destinations: Florida, Denver, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, and Cancun, Mexico. Now his “free time” is spent on homework.

Things you may not know about Jason:

Favorite movie: A self proclaimed Netflix junkie, he cannot pick a favorite.

Hobby: Driving back and forth to Drexel

Currently reading/ listening to on iTunes in the car: The Devil in the White City

Although Todd is not a Lehigh Valley native, his wife Brie is so they moved here when he joined MKSD in 2006. He and Brie both attended Temple University but did not meet until they were studying abroad together in Rome, Italy. They now live in Bethlehem with their two sons, Carrson & Dylan, and two dogs, Ike & Finn.

Outside of his responsibilities at MKSD, Todd is very involved in professional organizations and civic associations. He is a member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, on the Advisory Board for Lehigh Valley Summerbridge at Moravian Academy, a Council of Associates Member for the Historic Bethlehem Partnership, a Hands-on Museum Committee Member for the Burnside Plantation, and is on the Community Advisory Board for WDIY FM.

Things you may not know about Todd:

Superhero Power: To be able to run really, really fast… like the Flash.

Coffee or Tea? YES

Celebrity doppelganger: Greg Germann

Silvia is a registered Pennsylvania architect and a LEED accredited professional and has 17 years of experience in designing all types of facilities, from Colleges and Universities to healthcare facilities. Silvia graduated from Lehigh in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and a Minor in Urban Studies. She then went on to North Carolina State University where she obtained her Master of Architecture in 1997. In addition to being an accomplished Architect, Silvia serves on the Northampton Area Community College Foundation Board, is an Eastern PA Easter Seals Board Member and is involved in numerous other trade associations.

In her free time, Silvia enjoys spending time with her husband (especially preparing for their yearly Lehigh V. Lafayette Football Rivalry Tailgate and Game) and keeping up with her two pre-school daughters, whom she credits with making her a very good long distance runner.

Things you may not know about Silvia:

Favorite thing about being an architect:Creating spaces that clients say they couldn’t have imagined

Favorite movie: Wedding Singer & Napoleon Dynamite

Last book read: She used to read before she had kids, but now can only spare a few minutes to read a blurb in the occasional gossip magazine

Before Patty and her husband moved to Allentown, they lived in Reading for 4 years. When they first moved to the Lehigh Valley, Patty was employed at Penn Title as their receptionist and payoff specialist for 5 years before deciding to be a stay at home mom. One of Patty’s first jobs was working at the Ground Round as a busgirl where she met her husband when she was 17! For fun, Patty really enjoys cooking but definitely not baking.

Things you may not know about Patty:

Born and raised: In Manayunk but moved to West Chester when she was 12.

Special skill: She can wiggle her eyes and so can both of her kids!

Dream job: Meredith Viera on the Today Show

Gabe’s entrée to architecture came when she was five years old and living in downtown Toronto. She decided to build a cardboard house complete with windows, a working door and chimney! In high school, Gabe was the first girl to complete the school’s drafting program after being the only girl for the last two years of the program. From her drafting classes, and earlier career experience, Gabe is still familiar with all of the old drafting tools but doesn’t have any sentimental attachment to them and was happy to trade them for AutoCAD and Revit. In her free time, Gabe enjoys painting, hiking and culinary experimentation. She also enjoys travelling and assimilating into various European cultures with her knowledge of Hungarian, French, and German.

Things you may not know about Gabe:

High School Yearbook quote: “I’ll probably be designing igloos for the Eskimos.”

Language change: Saying the letter ‘z’ instead of ‘zed’

Coolest thing accomplished as an architect: She was able to show a blind man drawings by taping over the lines. Seeing the enthusiasm on his face was amazing!

Outside of work, Kim enjoys spending time with her husband, Steve, daughters, Aryn & Kodi and her four-legged son, Moshy. While Steve owns a bike shop, when asked if Kim enjoys biking she will say that she did as a family activity, but once the girls were ok on their own she took up golf. Kim is also our resident green thumb and enjoys photography.

A few things you may not know about Kim:

Couldn’t live without: Tea- any style or size

What is playing on your iPod? The Decemberists, Rubblebucket, Silversun Pickups

Favorite food and drink combination: A steak and a T&T

Things you may not know about Mark:

#1 Hobby: Golf

# 2 Hobby: Travel to new cities. Next on his list Amsterdam & Vienna

Superhero power of choice? To be able to fly.

When Ray is not at MKSD, he enjoys teaching as an Adjunct Faculty member at the Lehigh Carbon Community College – specializing in CADD and the Construction Technologies programs. He is also a mentor with the ACE program, working with High School students.

When it comes to his free time, Ray enjoys the company of his grandson and spending time in the great outdoors. Hiking, boating, fishing and birding are at the top of the list.

Things you may not know about Ray:

Favorite Movie: Animal House<

Where were you born? A life-long resident of the Lehigh Valley.

Eagles or Steelers? Eagles! A Philly sports fan through and through.

A few things you may not know about Linda:

Favorite pastimes: Attending live concerts, for all kinds of music. Having dinner with good friends for great conversation

Currently Reading: True Grit & The Last Czar

Next Vacation: A Baltic Cruise

Happy New Year! January 2011 brings not only the celebration of MKSD’s six year anniversary, but also another significant milestone: the promotion of three staff architects, Gabrielle Rizzi, Todd Chambers, and Jill Hewes, to associate partners.

Many of you know and have worked with Gabe, Todd, and Jill and we are sure you can attest to their high level of commitment to excellent client service, progressive architectural designs and the high standards with which they function on a daily basis. Each one of them embodies and represents the ideals of MKSD and has exhibited leadership qualities that we know will be an asset to our firm and you for years to come.

Gabrielle Rizzi joined the MKSD staff in 2007 and is a Pennsylvania registered architect. Gabe is an embodiment of trustworthiness, honesty, and reliability. Her attention to detail, patience and professionalism are second to none. Her notable clients, from St. Luke’s Health Network to Kutztown University, know her as a consensus builder with a voice of reason. She puts the client first and excels in making their job easier as she navigates and leads the way through complex design and construction projects. She is a mentor and role model for the young designers and architects in our office, not only for her knowledge and experience, but for her good natured reasonable approach.

Todd Chambers joined the MKSD staff in 2006 and is a registered architect in Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well as NCARB certified. Todd not only keeps our firm on the cutting edge of design, but also implements advanced technological tools that enable us to be leaders in our field and perform our work effectively and efficiently. Always a progressive thinker, he never shies away from an opportunity to consider unconventional solutions and possibilities. His clients, from Catasauqua School District to Delaware Valley College know Todd for his commitment to sustainability and talent in designing modern, yet accessible architectural solutions.

Jill Hewes joined our firm in 2004 after graduating from Philadelphia University with her professional degree and is a LEED Accredited Professional. From her first interview with us, her partnership potential was clear. That potential has come to reality over the last 6 years as she has quickly taken a leadership role with all of her clients and on all of her projects. Jill never says no; she is a self-starter. She is never one to shy from a challenge or take on more than you thought possible. She has excelled at every task that she has been part of. She serves her clients, which notably includes Northampton Community College, with honest dedication, dependability, and the goal of always putting the client first.

We look forward to beginning this new chapter at MKSD architects and are confident that this expansion of ownership will build on our already established and successful architectural practice. MKSD will continue to be a client focused practice that designs facilities that become a significant part of the fabric of our community and exceed the expectations of our clients while elevating their missions.

Sincerely,

Mark Thompson, Kimberly Labrake, Silvia Hoffman

Lower Saucon Township Council appointed three representatives to look into a feasible library consolidation with Hellertown Borough.

Lower Saucon Township Council appointed three representatives to a proposed library task force during its Dec. 1 general meeting.

The task force will investigate the feasibility of Lower Saucon Township switching its allegiance from the Bethlehem Area Public Library system to the Hellertown Area Public Library within the next two years. The committee will be made up of three representatives each from Lower Saucon Township, Hellertown Borough and the Hellertown library.

The township’s representatives include Lynn Koehler, Michael Karabin and Kimberly LaBrake. Koehler has served as the township’s representative to the Bethlehem Area Public Library; Karabin serves as a school director in the Saucon Valley School District; and LaBrake is a township resident and architect with experience designing libraries.

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Catasauqua District Administrative Office Building

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MKSD’s design of the new District Administrative Office Building for the Catasauqua Area School District won the Award of Excellence in the Institutional/Commercial design category. The project is a 9,000-square-foot building addition to the Sheckler Elementary School that provides a new sustainable home for the district’s administration. In both massing and materiality, the new DAO building pays homage to the existing Sheckler Elementary school building. The new facility was designed to meet the Administrations’ programmatic needs while minimizing the increased utility impact on the District (a goal of the school board).

Specific sustainable strategies include the conversion of the elementary school campus to a gas fuel source resulting in decreased electrical needs. Replacement of the existing HVAC and electrical equipment to highly efficient units and the installation of solar photovoltaic roof panels on the new structure greatly reduce the campus’ electrical needs. Installation of a solar water heater minimized utility needs for hot domestic water. The utilization of daylight harvesting light fixtures reduces the electrical demand relative to interior lighting, while exterior shading devices over the glazed wall areas decrease the HVAC demand generated by solar gain during peak cooling season. Highly reflective roofing materials help to reduce the heat island effect, while low VOC and high recycled content materials further reduce the carbon footprint of the structure.

The Venel Institute

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The second award won by MKSD was a Special Citation in the Institutional/Commercial design category for the Venel Institute Medical Training Facility in Bethlehem. The owner wanted the design to focus on the experience the user would have when attending seminars in the space for multiple days and how the spaces would keep them engaged and stimulated.

The reception area is the “first impression” the user has so the space was designed with custom millwork, floating wood and metal ceiling features, and a striking tile wall with signage to welcome you to the space. The formal lecture hall with rich wood and leather finishes offers a comfortable atmosphere for listening to an invited speaker. This feeling of comfort is echoed in the locker rooms with wood lockers and a more upscale spa-like feel. The dining hall offers a touch of that café feel where the users can kick back and relax a bit, check their e-mail or get to know their fellow seminar attendees. Then, when it’s back to business, the conversation moves to the conference room, where the owner wanted a more modern and corporate feeling. Additionally, the flexibility in each of these different spaces allows for equipment manufacturers to use the space to market and train the medical professionals on today’s newest technologies in various group sizes and settings. The design offers the owners the state of the art, first class facility they were looking for and can now market to the medical industry to advance the training of tomorrow’s medical pioneers.

MKSD was selected over 20+ other architectural firms and we are excited and eager to bring our extensive community college experience to this new collaboration with Luzerne County Community College.

MKSD’s first ever relay team ran the Lehigh Valley Health Network for Via’s Marathon Relay on Sunday September 12th. The team completed the race, a 26.2 mile course stretching from Allentown to Easton, in just over 4 hours and 30 minutes and raised over $1200.00 for this worthy cause. Via of the Lehigh Valley is a non-profit human service agency that provides services for children and adults with disabilities like autism, cerebal palsy and Down syndrome.