I am working on a design for a couple from Chicago with roots in India. They asked for separate gathering rooms; one for men and one for women. I love learning about the varying purposes for meaningful space!

301 Westfield

Owner/Developer: T. Wall Properties
General Contractor: Miron Construction Co., Inc.
Architect/Engineer: Bouril Design Studio/Henneman Engineering
Completion Date: November 2010

With dramatic change that included a new and more robust entranceway, the 301 Westfield building occupies a major commercial site on Madison’s west side, directly adjacent to the new MATC expansion and West Towne. With approximately 110,000 square feet of floor space on three levels, the former single-user building required a facelift to become multi-use, attract new tenants, and provide spaces for meetings and general reception.

Judges felt the architects accomplished their goal of bringing a fresh, open, airy look to the building. “It almost looks like a whole new building,” said one judge. “That entryway is very dramatic.”

Designers not only focused the conversion on the more welcoming entryway, but also on an interior that features a remodeled lobby that serves as a transition space, allowing multi-tenant users access to two main building wings on each level. Judges were quick to point out the detailed metalwork, which is accented with wood wall finishes and comfortable seating areas. “There is no mistaking that entryway, but there is also a pleasant, light-filled atrium,” added a second judge. “It’s very well detailed and comfortable.”

“Very visually striking” offered a third judge. “The entrance, the use of lights around the large, glazed area … it’s almost brash, but it doesn’t go too far.”

Drawing Investments

Having architectural drawings created during the sales stage can help you win jobs and get ahead of schedule.

By: Bridget McCrea
Credit: Kyle T. Webster

A few years ago, Steven Feigeles wouldn’t have A dreamed of investing $200 to $500 in preliminary architectural drawings for “possible” projects. At a time when eager clients and winning bids were plentiful, the cost and time involved were just too steep to justify.

Fast forward to 2010 and this vice president of sales at Premier Builders & Remodeling, in Williamstown, N.J., says that his company’s close rates have increased as a result of that extra step. The 12-employee firm, which specializes in design/build remodeling with an emphasis on in-law and master suites, is also able to mobilize faster once projects do solidify.

Premier Builders formed a relationship with an outside architectural firm that creates the preliminary drawings on projects that “we feel are serious,” Feigeles says, “but that haven’t been awarded yet.” Feigeles and his team take photos and measurements and then hand them over to the architect, who drafts the preliminary sketches for $200 to $500, depending on project size.

Money Well Spent

The out-of-pocket expense pays off for the remodeling company on several fronts. It lets the customer know that the remodeler is “serious” about getting the project and is willing to get some skin in the game in order to close the deal. Having the drawings prepped in advance also puts the remodeler two weeks ahead of schedule and budget once the homeowner signs the contract.

“When we do sell the project, we’re already ahead on architectural fees,” says Feigeles, who adds that he is now using the strategy on about 85% of the company’s bids. He estimates that close rates are up by about 15% as a result. “It’s certainly a viable strategy for us and is money well spent,” Feigeles says.

—Bridget McCrea is a freelance writer in Dunedin, Fla.

Pellitteri Waste Systems Transfer Station – Madison, WI

This long established firm was outgrowing their existing facility, and this project was phase one of their expansion onto a new site. Phase one was the design of a new Material Recovery and Transfer Facility, and Truck Scale.

The site is located in a designated manufacturing district that has existing residential properties abutting the site. Due to the presence of the residences, the building had to be sited to minimize the impact on the residents, allow for future buildings, and function efficiently. The building includes 6 overhead doors allowing trucks to back into the facility to make deliveries and unload. Two overhead doors accommodate trailers for loading from the trash compactors, and two full loading docks allow parking of trailers for loading of recycled cardboard. The more frequent truck deliveries are located on the side of the building away from the residential properties using the building to help mitigate vehicle noise. Berming and fencing also assists with screening the operations from residences. Studies were made detailing the turning radiuses of the different trucks making deliveries, delivery of trailers, pick-up of trailers from the docks, and trucks entering and leaving the truck scale at the entry of the site from two directions to ensure a safe and efficient use of the facilities.

In addition to the architectural concerns, residents were keen to have input regarding the building site and the final function of the facility. This project was submitted to the planning commission several times to ensure that the needs of the residents and the functionality of the site were met. The entire project was completed in a 12 month period of time in spite of delays.

Some household products just look too good to be good for the earth, and the best-looking ones might just be in our own backyard

by Jennifer Garrett
You can please the eye and the earth at the same time. Many popular household products are environmentally friendly without even trying. But now environmentally minded designers are also considering not just what they use, but where it all comes from. Because already-green choices can get even greener if you shop smarter-and locally.

Locally Grown

Most eco-conscious architects, interior designers and homeowners know that natural materials are usually “greener” than synthetic counterparts. So wood floors are favored over nylon carpeting and slate is preferred to vinyl. But just because something is all-natural doesn’t mean it’s as green as it could be.
Take granite. When Melissa Destree of Destree Design Architects was designing an “active solar environmentally sensitive” house, she wanted to use local materials whenever possible. When it came time for the countertops, Destree’s clients wanted granite, but Destree knew that importing the heavy stone from Italy or China-the two most common sources-would “never be considered responsible choices” because of the fuel expended when shipping such a long distance.
She had heard of Wisconsin granite but had never used it, so she began to call around without much luck. She eventually turned to a distant relative who had retired from the stone business. “Within twenty-four hours we had five granite samples from local quarries from Wausau and Waterloo in our office,” she says. “There is nothing better than getting exactly what you want right in your backyard.”
Architect Bob Bouril of Bouril Design Studio agrees that the grass-or in his case, flooring-is greener in our own backyard, especially when compared to other products commonly marketed as environmentally friendly. “Bamboo may grow fast, but it is shipped from halfway around the world and requires an intensive manufacturing process,” he says. “We have native ash, birch, maple, oak and hickory growing right here. [They are] timeless, durable and will outlast the occupants.”
Interior designer Wendy Moore Skinner, a self-described recycling fanatic and owner of Moore Designs, also prefers to use local products and manufacturers. Not only does it cut down on shipping costs and fuel, but it also gives her more control over the output while supporting the local economy. “If you need a special coffee table, isn’t it possible to use a local woodworker and not pay for shipping and get exactly what you want?” she reasons. “It does make sense to think locally.”

Other Green Choices

Sometimes we throw the baby out with the bathwater. Wood and stone are so obviously natural that we think that everything else isn’t. Think again. Or consider these two flooring choices that were all but written off.
Carpet has gotten a bad rap. All the talk of off-gassing and durability has some fiber-loving folks shying away from soft surfaces. But carpeting can be green, and we’re not talking about avocado shag here. We’re talking about wool, a “sustainable and biodegradable fiber that is naturally hard-wearing and beautiful,” says Alyssa McDonald, an interior designer with Destree Design Architects. McDonald also points out some of wool’s other benefits: it is naturally dirt and soil-resistant and fire retardant.
And make a mental note of this: Linoleum and vinyl are not the same thing. Although most people use the terms interchangeably, the flooring cousins are actually quite dissimilar. The primary ingredients in linoleum are cork and linseed oil. Vinyl is a petroleum product. Linoleum is earth-friendly and, well, vinyl isn’t. Plus linoleum’s colors pack a punch that vinyl can’t match, and the warm waxy glow is cozy, not slick and plasticky. It’s biodegradable, and the brands carried at Madison’s Eco-Friendly Flooring are also antistatic (repels dust) and hypoallergenic.
So whether you’re shopping for flooring, countertops or anything else, there are always options that are greener than others. Don’t assume you know, because new products are coming onto and old favorites are returning to the market all the time. And remember: don’t just ask what something is made of; also ask where it comes from. Locally grown is often greener than comparable choices from afar.