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He has been here for awhile, but we're proud to announce that Nathan Pepper, one of our designers, has successfully completed the Architectural Experience Program and the Architectural Registration Examinations, and is now officially a licensed architect in the State of Colorado. With his licensure, the [au]workshop staff is now 100% licensed!
We're excited for him, and wish him a hearty congratulations.
Presales for residential units in Confluence are currently underway, with nearly a third of the units already reserved! If you're interested in a residential unit or commercial space, please head over to the Confluence site to learn more before they're all gone!
Below is an example of the two interior finish options in the main living area. We have also added some new images at our project page, if you'd like to see more.
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.
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:
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.
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!
[au]workshop is thrilled to announce that the world-renowned Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will be operating the Mana'olana Place Hotel and Residences as the Mandarin Oriental, Honolulu.
A few selections from the Mandarin Oriental and Salem Partners press releases:
“We are delighted with this opportunity to open a hotel in Honolulu and look forward to bringing Mandarin Oriental’s legendary hospitality back to Hawaii,” said James Riley, Group Chief Executive of Mandarin Oriental. “This new development will be a welcome addition to the brand’s expansion around the world,” he added.
“We are proud to bring the award-winning Mandarin Oriental brand to Honolulu,” said James Ratkovich of Salem Partners. “Mandarin Oriental, Honolulu will set a new standard for luxury service in the islands and will offer a preferred choice to travelers and potential homeowners who desire the finest accommodation,” he added. “We look forward to revitalizing this area at the gateway to Waikiki with the first TOD project in the city and bringing jobs, economic benefits, housing and a world-class hotel to Honolulu.”
Looking Diamond Head
We are excited to have the privilege to continue to work closely with the Mandarin group as the project continues to develop.
For more information about the project, please see our project page, or the Mandarin Oriental or Salem Partners press releases.
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.
"EmQuartier has raised the stakes to such a point that the world’s biggest luxury groups have felt it necessary to make a pilgrimage..."
"...arguably becoming the most important urban redevelopment project in Southeast Asia..."
--Tyler Brûlé, The Financial Times, April 10, 2015
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/608dda3c-de9f-11e4-b9ec-00144feab7de.html#axzz3X7AxMfRX
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