April is Colorado Architecture Month, an as part of the festivities, we were asked by AIA Colorado to put together something to demonstrate what a day in the life of an architect in Fort Collins is like. After a good deal of head-scratching, Spencer through together a .gif (below) documenting the most important aspects of architecture life: coffee, mouse-clicks, and custom desktop backgrounds. 

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A day in the life of [au]workshop.

Spencer also provided a few slightly verbose answers to some of AIA Colorado's questions, which they understandably didn't have room for, so we've reproduced them here:

What do you enjoy most about being an architect? An architect in Northern Colorado?

I love lots of aspects of my job (drawing all day, working with great people, a sense of play in the things we do) but I think the thing I enjoy most is the chance to think about and directly affect part of the world that is so important but so hidden in plain sight.

Architecture and the urban environment have a huge impact on where and how we live and work and play and gather and discuss; they form perhaps our largest collective experiences and endeavors. But a big part of their power is that they exist in the background, silently keeping us warm and dry, shaping space and activity while we go on about our days.

I find it really rewarding to be able to help shape that background, and I feel privileged to get a view into a part of the world that goes largely unnoticed.

Northern Colorado is an interesting example of this. As Fort Collins continues to grow, I think the quality of urban space and architectural design is becoming more frequently discussed and more highly valued, both in the form of traditional downtown urbanism and in new architectures unique to our context. This is of course a boon for us as architects, as it allows a greater public investment in and engagement with our work. That said, I think architecture and urban design will always remain somewhere below the surface of the public consciousness, which I think is appropriate.

What has been your favorite project to work on? (It would be great to have a photo to go with this!)

I’ve really enjoyed working on our smaller, more local projects (405 Linden, Confluence, Block One) as it’s incredibly rewarding to see the real-world results of your work.

My favorite project, though, might be 1500 Kapiolani, in Honolulu. Honolulu is a super interesting context for the extremity of the relationship between the ocean, mountains, and city, which is highly pertinent to Northern Colorado as well. I’m also quite infatuated with the mirrored relationship between the two towers, both as a massing and an experience.

The part I’ve really enjoyed about working on it has been the development of the very simple, elegant diagram into this very messy and complicated series of functional requirements and front and back of house relationships; developing a sketch into a working building while keeping the essence of the sketch. To me, that’s what architecture is about, so I’m thrilled to get a chance to put it into practice. 

We're thrilled to be able to contribute to Architecture Month again, and we look forward to participating again next year!

Arlo is a father! Gretchen was born on February 9, 2017 at 6 pounds, 3 ounces. 

We are quite proud of Arlo and Jasmine, and happy to welcome another Junior member of the workshop. 

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[au]workshop is excited to announce the hire of our newest team member: Ms. Stephanie Bedinghaus, AIA.

A graduate of the University of Arkansas, Stephanie is a licensed architect and has several years of design experience in a variety of project scales, primarily commercial, mixed-use and multi-family residential. Her organizational, problem-solving and communication skills, as well as her attention to detail and drive to create the best solutions for her clients, make project management her forte.  Having worked on several historic renovation re-development and multi-family housing projects, Stephanie’s particular design interest is in revitalizing abandoned or underutilized buildings and creating quality design for all those occupying a space.

She received the 2015 Rosebud Award for Southwest Missouri’s Outstanding Woman in Construction.  Her community involvement includes memberships ranging from a Crisis Maternity Home Committee to a High School Career Advisory Board and she genuinely values civic involvement.

We are thrilled to have her expertise and insight as we embark on a host of exciting projects. 

A big "Thank you!" to all of our wonderful clients and collaborators! We look forward to continuing to work with all of you, and wish everyone a happy and successful 2017! 

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To celebrate, we had a little fun with our Habitat for Humanity project in Glendale, California; please take a look at the project page for more information.

*EDIT - POSITION FILLED* 

Job Description

[au]workshop  architects+urbanists located in Fort Collins, Colorado, the 2015 AIA Colorado North Firm of the Year, is seeking an experienced Architect/Project Manager to lead project teams in creating awesome buildings and places. This position includes managing all aspects of the design process for variously scaled, multi-disciplinary projects ranging from international mixed-use developments, to civic and institutional projects and local multi-family housing.  We offer competitive salaries, a comprehensive benefit package and the opportunity to live and work in downtown Fort Collins, consistently rated one of the best towns in the US.  Browse our website to learn more about [au]workshop.

Qualifications

• Licensed Architect in the State of Colorado
• A minimum of 8 - 10 years of experience
• Knowledge of Revit required; Sketch UP, Adobe Suite
• Proven experience with project completion
• Strong communication skills
• Large-scale commercial and high rise project experience a plus
• Willingness to travel

Responsibilities

• Work well in a team oriented environment
• Manage various scales of projects from design and entitlements through contract administration with a high degree of technical ability including creating and/or coordinating project specifications
• Develop building envelope and interior details
• Have knowledge of current building codes and other regulatory requirements
• Manage project staff and coordinate with consultants through all phases of project
• Review work performed by project staff

Resumes and portfolios should be sent to “want2work@auworkshop.co”

[au]workshop is proud to help sponsor the first Fort Collins Book Fest! On Saturday, October 22nd, the River District and Downtown Fort Collins will be host to a celebration of the local intersection between books and beverages.

Fort Collins' overlapping cultures of independent books and craft coffee, tea, beer and spirits are one of our favorite reasons to live here, so we're excited to be a part of the event!  And it all takes place within a five minute walk of our office.

More information is available at the event website. We hope to see you there!

We're excited! EmQuartier and the rest of the Em District have been featured in New Design Retail Thailand, an English-language compendium of "recently-completed high-end shopping mall[s], department store[s], hypermarkets, [...] from Li Zenn Publishing" 

The book contains some wonderful photographs and drawings of the projects. Check out a preview on Issuu, or order a copy on the publisher's website here for 1400.00 Baht (about $40). Don't forget to see our own EmQuartier page for more information. 

It's always nice to see our work out in the world!

He's actually been here for awhile, but we're proud to announce that Spencer Lindstrom, one of our designers, has successfully completed the Intern Development Program and the Architectural Registration Examinations, and is now officially a licensed architect in the State of Colorado. 

Spencer had this to say:

"I can't say how grateful I am for [au]workshop's support and guidance through this process. I'm excited to continue learning and making great places with them!"

We're excited too, and wish him a hearty congratulations.

Out standing in the field at Crozier Mountain.

We believe it's important to take a step back from time to time; gain a little distance, re-evaluate. With that in mind, we whisked the office up to Glen Haven for a 24 hour whirlwind of spirited discussion, goal-setting, and bonding. We accomplished a lot, but we'll leave ourselves a little more time next year.

In the meantime, back to work!

We're proud to be a part of AIA Colorado's Architecture Month 2016! Check out our office tour below and see more at their facebook page or website.  

As part of the series, which celebrates architecture and the people who make it, Randy and Jason were also interviewed about their interests and responsibilities:

AIA Colorado: Why did you decided to become an architect?

Randy:  As a little kid, I lived in a house and neighborhood in Germany that always had some kind of construction in progress and I liked hanging around the workers while they made places.  I started drawing houses and constructing elaborate Lego buildings around the age of eight so I guess I have been on course for about 42 years!  I still play with Lego…

Jason: My father and grandfather were constructors; because of this I had a different view of buildings as a child. For me, buildings were about people coming together to create something that didn’t exist before. Architecture is the first step in that process and is where I found my passion.

What is a typical day like for you? Run us through your day-to-day responsibilities and “to-do” lists.

Randy:  Make breakfast for my wife and sons, find work, listen to our clients, make sure we do the work the best we can, sketch, erase, sketch, run along the Poudre River, write, call, critique, eat dinner with my family, read, sleep, start over.

How you find inspiration for your projects? 

Randy:  Place drives everything. I can’t imagine a solution until I understand the site, the climate, the user. 

What are the biggest challenges you face throughout a project?

Jason: Communication. Whether it is communicating with colleagues, clients or contractors, Architecture is about communicating ideas.

What do you enjoy most about being an architect?

Randy: Every day brings new challenges and no project is ever the same so there is a constant need to learn and grow.

Jason: It is never boring.

What has been your favorite project to work on?

Randy:  The next one that comes in the door.

Jason: We have recently been working on a couple of 400’ tower projects in Hawaii that are quite fun.

What is your favorite building in Fort Collins? In Colorado?

Randy: In Fort Collins, the Ranchway Feeds building—it is all muscle and no pretention built over a hundred years.  In Colorado, Balcony House at Mesa Verde: a great view, a water source and a railing.

Jason: Danforth Chapel at CSU.

How do you spend your free time?

Randy: I love introducing my boys to new experiences and places.

Jason: Traveling with family, fly fishing and spending time at the family cabin.

We love to show off the space, so don't be intimidated by the rat-rod exterior and come visit us at 405 Linden Street!

[au]workshop architects+urbanists, the American Institute of Architects Colorado North 2015 Firm of the Year, has promoted  three professionals who are helping design a growing portfolio of projects in northern Colorado, California, Hawaii and internationally.

“These promotions recognize the growing responsibilities of our dedicated and talented architects and designers as we continue to grow into new markets and increased project scale,” said [au]workshop’s Design Principal Randy Shortridge, AIA, LEED AP.

Promotions include: Brian Betsill, AIA, LEED AP (Senior Associate), Arlo Schumann, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP (Associate) and Spencer Lindstrom, Assoc. AIA (Associate).

Betsill is a project manager with more than ten years of experience on academic, civic, residential and commercial projects. Schumann, who has over 14 years of professional experience, is a project architect responsible for the execution of [au]workshop residential, hospitality and mixed-use projects. Lindstrom, an architectural intern who recently received his Master of Architecture degree from Rice University, is involved in most of the firm’s varied design work.

“Each of these guys have been key to our growth and wellbeing and we are proud to have them as part of our team,” added Jason Kersley, AIA, LEED AP, [au]workshop’s Managing Principal.

Please feel free to visit our leadership page for more information on our team.

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