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!

The City of Fort Collins Utilities Administration building is now complete! Please check out our project page for professional photos and more, and be sure to see our previous post for additional images.

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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Poudre Garage LLC hosted a ground-breaking ceremony Tuesday at the project site at Remington and Oak in Old Town Fort Collins. Renovations to the interior of the historic Forest Service garage have already begun, and work on footings and foundations for the addition is scheduled to begin shortly.

David Diehl, one of the company's principals, said a few words, thanking the Downtown Development Authority for their contribution to the project, which he indicated made a big impact in the quality of the exterior materials that the project budget could accommodate.

It has been a fun and productive collaboration with the owner, and we are excited to see the project beginning to be realized! More information about the project is available at our project page, and we will provide updates as soon as a leasing website is available.

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[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.”

Arrival Rotunda

View of Tower from Above Kapiolani Boulevard

View from Outside the Makai Penthouse

Looking Diamond Head

View from Mauka Penthouse Kitchen

Mauka Penthouse Kitchen

Mauka Penthouse Living Area

Luxury Guestroom Bath and Makai Facade

Hotel Pool Deck and Lounge

Hotel Pool Cabanas

Hotel Pool Deck

Resident Amenity Deck

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.

The San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity is making great progress

on the Desiderio Homes at the foot of the Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena, California. With four homes nearly fully framed, and permits pulled for the remaining five, we're excited to see the community coming together to realize this project. 

For more information on the project, please check out our project page here, or visit the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity page to donate or volunteer. 

[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.

Job Description

[au]workshoparchitects+urbanists located in Fort Collins, Colorado, the 2015 AIA Colorado North Firm of the Year, is seeking a well-rounded Architectural Intern or recently licensed Designer to create awesome buildings with us. This position includes completing directed architectural assignments on large and small-scale urban projects.  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.

Responsibilities

• Perform site analysis, including survey of existing conditions and field measurements
• Working from the design and direction of others, compile data, and perform elementary design computations.
• Understand fundamentals of basic architectural and engineering systems
• Prepare detailed scale drawings of architectural designs and plans
• Create preliminary drawings and modify them as directed by the responsible architect to produce final plans.
• Display working knowledge of building codes and other regulatory requirements
• Perform graphics and computer tasks according to company standards
• Develop detail sketches generated by project leaders
• Research manufacturers’ materials and systems
• Develop and produce parts of the Construction Documents;
• Coordinate with consultants, such as model builders and engineers
• Provide support to other architects, interior designers, planners
• Perform duties assigned using a wide range of professional software products such as Revit, 3DS Max, Sketch Up, Rhino, Adobe Suite, etc.
• Physical model making skills a plus

Qualifications

• BS/BA Degree in Architecture (MArch preferred) no earlier than 2008
• 1-6 years of experience
• Licensure in process (AXP) or recently completed
• Ability to prepare hand and computer sketches and renderings
• Able to effectively work in a team oriented environment and communicate with the design team
• Large-scale international commercial project experience a plus

Submit Resume and portfolio to “want2work@auworkshop.co”   Submissions without portfolio or link to same will not be considered.

*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 had some fun with the new aerial camera last week while in Pasadena for another project, so we put together a quick overview of the nearly-completed Andalucia (previously El Molino Court).

We've been working on the project with RTKL, Mill Creek Properties, and Mack Urban Development for quite some time, so we're excited to see the project nearing the finish line!

For more information on the project, please see our project page and http://liveandalucia.com/.