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News Archive
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects Launches New Blog
6/1/2012
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects is delighted to announce the launch of our new blog. We see the blog as a great opportunity to give our clients, friends, and colleagues a more dynamic insight into the projects and events at our two offices. It is also a chance to celebrate and learn from the diversity of our work in the northeast and southwest.
All of our firm news will now be posted on the blog, so please check the blog for regular updates!
Tom Pederson Completes Second Western Apache Ethnography and GIS Field School
1/11/2011
In partnership with the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the University of Arizona hosts the Western Apache Ethnography and Geographic Information Systems Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) each summer, 2010-2012. Tom Pederson recently completed his second year of assissting with the program, where he taught students how to use Geographic Information Systems in the analysis and interpretation of ethnographic data.
Participants engage in community-based participatory research, working with Western Apache elders, tribal natural resource managers, and heritage program personnel to contribute to the Western Apache tribes' efforts to document cultural histories, traditional and local ecological and geographic knowledge, and issues of historic and contemporary resource management. Students' final projects provide content that will be included in a Western Apache cultural and historical atlas.
Funding for the program has been provided by the National Science Foundation and is being conducted through the University of Arizona's Department of Anthropology under the direction of Dr. Karl Hoerig, who is also the Director of the Nohwike' Bagowa Museum, White Mountain Apache Tribe, and Fort Apache Heritage Foundation, Inc. Atkin Olshin Schade Architects' use of GIS in the Fort Apache Master Plan contributed to Dr. Hoerig's ideas for the development of the program.
Community Legal Services Breaks Ground for New Office Building in North Philadelphia
10/10/2011
Community Legal Services held a formal ground breaking ceremony on September 16th to mark the beginning of a one-year construction period for their new Law Center North Central office building in North Philadelphia. The ceremony, led by CLS Executive Director Catherine Carr, included local, state, and federal officials. Mayor Michael Nutter, Congressman Chaka Fattah, and State Senators Jay Costa, Dwight Evans, Vincent Hughes, and Shirley Kitchen were in attendance. Community Legal Services will continue to keep its main office in Center City. The new building will replace offices it has rented for three decades just around the corner from the new site, and will house about 45 employees. Our firm has designed the new 20,000 square foot building to achieve LEED Gold Certification.
Jamie Blosser Volunteers as a Sustainable Design Expert for the Sustainable Cities Design Academy
10/10/2011
A program of the American Architectural Foundation in partnership with United Technologies Corporation, the Sustainable Cities Design Academy provides leadership development and technical assistance to local community leaders who are engaged in planning sustainable building projects in their communities.
Jamie Blosser, AIA, LEED AP, was one of the sustainable design experts who volunteered their time to assist project teams from Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia at the Sustainable Cities Design Academy that took place this past week (October 2-4) in Philadelphia. The Academy provides tools and resources that public-private partnership teams need to develop long-term, sustainable solutions for the built environment in their communities.
Jamie Blosser Presents at Design in Action 2011 Conference
10/10/2011
The Sustainable Native Communities Collaborative is a nationwide group of community designers who are invested in affordable housing and sustainable design, particularly in Native American communities. The Collaborative was launched this past June with an interactive workshop involving participants from five case study projects. At Design in Action 2011, a two-and-a-half day conference co- sponsored by the Association for Community Design, the Association of Architecture Organizations, and the Architecture + Design Education Network, October 9-11, in Philadelphia, Jamie Blosser, AIA, the Founder of the Sustainable Native Communities Collaborative and Director of Atkin Olshin Schade Architects' Santa Fe office, takes part in a panel discussion of SNCC, presenting some of the goals, successful strategies, challenges and surprises that were shared during the initial SNCC workshop among case study participants.
Michael Schade to Present at Design on the Delaware
10/10/2011
Michael Schade, along with Susan Weiler of OLIN, will lead a presentation and tour of the Anne d'Harnoncourt Sculpture Garden and Parking Facility at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on November 8th as part of the Design on the Delaware Conference. The presentation will cover design challenges, technical issues, and the review process with authorities having jurisdiction over the project. Construction-related issues including soil conditions, retaining walls and foundations, structural systems, architectural systems, storm water management, landscape, and the intensive green roof design will also be discussed.
The Union League Celebrates Opening of The Heritage Center
10/10/2011
The Union League of Philadelphia will be opening The Heritage Center on Saturday October 15th. Atkin Olshin Schade Architects designed the renovations to the ground floor of the League's iconic building at 140 South Broad Street.
The Heritage Center includes an exhibition, programming, and event space. The Center currently features two exhibits, Love of Country Leads, which tells the story of the Union League, its members and its activities - from its inception during the Civil War to the present and Philadelphia 1861: The Coming Storm, which tells the story of the Philadelphia home front including political memorabilia, portraits, and books. The Heritage Center is also home to the Union League's three charitable foundations: Youth Work, Scholarship, and Abraham Lincoln.
Owe’neh Bupingeh Preservation Plan Wins Merit Award from AIA Philadelphia
10/7/2011
The Owe'neh Bupingeh Preservation Plan won a 2011 Merit Award from AIA Philadelphia. The project was one of twelve to receive an award, out of over one hundred projects submitted.
The jury, comprised of architects from southern California, shared: "This study demonstrates a strong social commitment supported by great perseverance. The Native American Community is one of the most underserved and is often disconnected from popular awareness. This modest plan seeks to achieve the not so easy task of utilizing a grass roots methodology to identify and build on village culture and the economic and technical means available. These indigenous habitats are both precious and endangered and it is inspiring to see architects and clients making a long-term commitment to serving and preserving these communities."
The Preservation Plan was completed in July 2010 and rehabilitation of the first 21 homes is well underway. Funds have been secured for the next phase and we are hard at work on the design and documentation of the next 10 homes.
Shawn Evans to present at the Lower Merion Conservancy with the Chief of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania on the Preservation of Native American Places
10/3/2011
Hundreds of Native American tribes across the country are engaged in cultural preservation efforts, struggling to save languages, arts, and places important to their past and their current communities. 10,000 years before William Penn arrived in Pennsylvania, Lenape peoples lived in small settlements between the Delaware and Hudson Rivers, including the area now known as Lower Merion. Manayunk, Arramingo, Conshohocken, Ogontz, Perkiomen, and Skippack among countless other places trace their names to Lenape history. The Chief of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, Chief Bob Mexhalaniyat (Red Hawk) Ruth, will present indigenous heritage of Lower Merion and preservation activities of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania. Shawn Evans, AIA, will present recent tribal preservation projects of Atkin Olshin Schade Architects, including the Owe'neh Bupingeh Preservation Project, as well as preliminary findings from his study of preservation practices among the pueblo peoples funded by the James Marston Fitch Foundation.
Lower Merion Conservancy: Thursday, October 13, 7:45 PM
Waverly Heights, 1400 Waverly Road, Gladwyne
Free! Audience: Adults, children ages 8 & up
Shawn Evans to Present at the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums Annual Conference
10/3/2011
Director of Preservation and Cultural Projects, Shawn Evans, AIA, will participate in a panel discussion entitled, "The Role of Interpretation in Master Planning," at the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums Annual Conference in October. The panel will address the interface of master planning, historic preservation, and interpretation at two massive 19th century stone structures: Fort Monroe in Hampton, VA and Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA.
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects recently completed a Master Plan for Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site to help set priorities for preservation and reflection on the nature of incarceration and issues of criminal and social justice. Interpreted as a stabilized ruin, Eastern State Penitentiary was designed to guide criminals to repentance and is arguably the most influential prison ever built.
Further information on the conference: Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums Annual Conference, October 9-12th, Baltimore, MD; The Role of Interpretation in Master Planning: Tuesday, October 11th, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM
St. Paul's Episcopal Church Wins Faith & Form Award
8/12/2011
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects is pleased to announce that our project for St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Indianapolis has won a 2011 Merit Design Award from Faith & Form magazine and the Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art and Architecture (IFRAA). The project will be published in the Winter 2011 issue of Faith & Form magazine and will be displayed at the 2012 National Convention of the AIA.
Kristen Suzda, LEED AP, Presents at the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division Conference
8/4/2011
Kristen Suzda was invited to speak at the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division conference in July. She presented on sustainability and the LEED certification system, outlining strategies for how law offices can embrace sustainable design. The strategies included how offices can increase bicycle commuting, improve recycling rates, and utilize sustainable office supplies. Additionally, she showcased the sustainable strategies employed in Atkin Olshin Schade Architects' design for new LEED certified office building for Community Legal Services in North Philadelphia. Kristen is a LEED Accredited Professional and serves on the Board of Directors of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council.
Shawn Evans, AIA, Receives the 2011 James Marston Fitch Mid-Career Grant to Study Preservation Philosophies of the Pueblo Indians
4/28/2011
Shawn Evans, AIA, has received a Fitch Mid-Career grant to study the range of preservation philosophies of the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. These centuries-old villages represent the oldest continual architectural tradition in the United States but are threatened by underutilization, deterioration, and the loss of traditional building practices. His study will review the physical conditions of the Pueblo villages, examine the past and present traditions for preservation of the historic housing, and provide an opportunity for the Pueblos to discuss their varying self-determined approaches. Results of the study will be presented and published in a manner deemed appropriate by the tribes. The study builds on the research and planning by Atkin Olshin Schade Architects,and the Ohkay Owingeh Housing Authority for the ongoing rehabilitation of the historic core of Ohkay Owingeh.
Since 1989, the James Marston Fitch Charitable Foundation has been in the vanguard of historic preservation practice and theory. James Marston Fitch (1909-2000) is a central figure in the development of of historic preservation in the United States. He founded the preservation programs at Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania and published many of the seminal texts in the field. Fitch Mid-Career grants are awarded annually to one or two mid-career professionals working in preservation, landscape architecture, urban design, environmental planning, decorative arts, architectural design and architectural history. Shawn is the sole recipient for 2011 and will complete his research throughout the year.
For more information, see: Fitch Foundation Grantees - Shawn Evans
Tony Atkin, FAIA, Publishes New Book, Chinese Architecture and the Beaux-Arts
4/28/2011
Principal Tony Atkin, FAIA, has published his third book, Chinese Architecture and the Beaux-Arts. Edited by Jeffrey W. Cody, Nancy Steinhardt and Tony Atkin, and released by the University of Hawaii Press earlier this year, the volume examines the coalescing of Chinese traditional architecture and the French-derived methods of the École des Beaux Arts that influenced Chinese architects by way of American universities in the early twentieth century. Contributed by scholars from around the world, the fifteen chapters place significant shifts in Chinese architectural theory and practice within relevant, contemporary cultural and educational contexts. Additionally, the publication sheds light on the dramatic architectural and urban changes occurring in China today - many of which have global ramifications.
Tony discussed the publication with co-author Nancy Steinhardt, Professor of East Asian Art and Curator of Chinese Art, at the University of Pennsylvania on April 13th.
Shawn Evans, AIA, Presented Owe’neh Bupingeh Project at Colorado Preservation Inc’s Annual “Saving Places” Conference
2/21/2011
The project was featured as one of two case studies in a session entitled, "Adobe: Building Blocks of the West." The current work follows a comprehensive preservation plan for the historic pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh. 21 of the historic homes on the plazas are currently being rehabilitated. The project balances a return to a more traditional appearance while making the homes suitable for contemporary life. Shawn summarized the history of the project and the tribe's philosophical approach to the preservation effort. Pat Taylor and Mateo Peixinho, both of Avanyu General Contracting, discussed the training of tribal members in physical restoration techniques, and the positive economic impact the project has on the tribe.
Paul Avazier Elected as Associate Committee Director for AIA Philadelphia
2/11/2011
Paul J. Avazier, Associate AIA, LEED AP, has been elected as the 2011 AIA Philadelphia Associate Committee Director with a seat on the AIA Board of Directors. The Associate Committee is comprised of 150 members of AIA Philadelphia who have graduated and are on the path towards licensure. Paul's position includes oversight and coordination of the Associate Committee's multiple event programs. As a member on the Board of Directors, Paul will provide updates on the Associate Committee's programs and contribute insight from a license candidate's point of view on various discussion topics.
"I think this is going to be a very interesting year for me as I participate on the Board and become involved in the behind-the-scenes activities of the AIA. My plans for this year are to help the Associate Committee grow and gain back the membership we have lost over the past two years, while also working to provide resources to allow our programs to advance."
Please follow the link below to find a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article announcing the new AIA Board members:
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20110131_On_the_Boards.html?viewAll=y
Architect Magazine Selects Anne D’Harnoncourt Sculpture Garden & Parking Facility as Best in American Architecture for 2010
12/3/2010
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects has received a 2010 Design Citation from Architect Magazine for our new parking facility and sculpture garden at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The project, designed with OLIN landscape architects, is featured as one of this year's twenty-four strongest projects nationally.
The Annual Design Review selects the best in American architecture in six categories: "Work,""Live,""Play,""Grow,""Bond," and "Move." Our project, The Anne D'Harnoncourt Sculpture Garden and Parking Facility, was one of three projects commended in the "Move" category.
To view the project's full-page spread, visit the online edition of Architect Magazine's November 2010 issue .
Kristen Suzda, LEED AP, Elected to DVGBC Board of Directors and Nominated for Rising Star Award
11/8/2010
Project architect Kristen Suzda, LEED AP, has been elected for a three-year term to the Board of Directors of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC). Kristen has been involved in DVGBC for six years as Co-Chair and Chair of the Emerging Professionals Committee, and since the beginning of 2010, she has been serving on the Board in an appointed seat. Her experience in historic preservation will help to further the mission of DVGBC, which is seeking to increase the connections between sustainability and existing and historic buildings.
In recognition of her continued volunteer involvement with DVGBC, Kristen has been nominated as an Exceptional Emerging Professional for the nationally recognized Rising Star Award from the US Green Building Council. The announcement of winners and the award ceremony will occur during Greenbuild 2010 in Chicago.
Michael Schade and Lisa Dustin present at Traditional Building Conference
11/5/2010
Principal Michael Schade and Associate Lisa Dustin presented our project for St. Paul's Episcopal Church at the Traditional Building Conference in Chicago. The project, located in Indianapolis, IN was honored with a 2010 Palladio Award from Traditional Building Magazine.
The Palladio Awards Program is designed to honor outstanding achievement in traditional design. Named in honor of the Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio, the Program recognizes "individual designers and/or design teams whose work enhances the beauty and humane qualities of the built environment through creative interpretation or adaptation of design principles developed through 2,500 years of the Western architectural tradition."
Honor Award given to the Anne D'Harnoncourt Sculpture Garden and Parking Facility
11/5/2010
The Anne D'Harnoncourt Sculpture Garden and Parking Facility at the Philadelphia Museum of Art won a 2010 Honor Award from AIA Philadelphia. Atkin Olshin Schade Architects was one of fourteen firms recognized, and our project was one of the sixteen that received awards out of the 113 projects submitted. Only three received Honor Awards for built projects. The awards jury, chaired by Cesar Pelli, commented,"The Landscaped Parking Facility and Sculpture Gardens for the Philadelphia Museum of Art solves in an agreeable way, the difficult problem of parking many cars in front of this revered institution. We appreciated the sensitivity with which this project was done."
Representatives from the Museum, along with key design team consultants OLIN landscape architects and CVM structural engineers, accepted the award at the AIA Philadelphia Chapter's Annual Awards for Design Excellence program. Tony Atkin, FAIA, led the design of the project.
The Museum recently installed Giant Three-Way Plug a sculpture by Claus Oldenberg in the Sculpture Garden. The piece complements other works already installed by Isamu Noguchi, Scott Burton, Thomas Schütte, and Gordon Gund.
Sam Olshin, AIA, Lectures at Woodmere Art Museum
8/25/2010
On September 20th at Woodmere Art Museum, Sam Olshin AIA shared the story of the firm's artistic collaboration with artist Sam Maitin. The Clubhouse at the Enclave, an integrated project of architecture by Atkin Olshin Schade Architects and a three-dimensional collage by Maitin, is featured in the show, Prints and Places, which will be on exhibit at Woodmere until March 6, 2011.
For more information, please click on this link: http://www.woodmereartmuseum.org/public.html
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects Featured in Traditional Building Magazine
8/12/2010
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects is featured in the August edition of Traditional Building Magazine.
Click on the following link for the full article. http://www.traditional-building.com/Previous-Issues-10/AugustProfile10.html
Saint Paul's Episcopal Church Project Featured in Traditional Building Magazine
6/23/2010
In February 2010 Atkin Olshin Schade Architects project at Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Indianapolis, IN won a Palladio Award in the category of Sympathetic Addition. This month the project is featured in Traditional Building Magazine.
Please see the following link for the complete article: http://www.traditional-building.com/Previous-Issues-10/JunePalladios10stpauls.html
Atkin Olshin Schade Architect's Fort Stanton Project Wins State Award
4/15/2010
The New Mexico Cultural Properties Review Committee has awarded Atkin Olshin Schade Architects with a 2010 Heritage Preservation Award in the category of Architectural Heritage for a project at Fort Stanton, New Mexico. Established in 1855 to allow the settlement of southeast New Mexico, Fort Stanton was decommissioned in 1899 and served as a Navy tuberculosis hospital and World War II internment camp in subsequent years. Fort Stanton is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects was commissioned to design and oversee critical repairs to three of the Fort's oldest and most important historic buildings, the Commandant's House, the Junior Officers Quarters, and the Officers Family Quarters. Each of the buildings retain elements of their 1855 original construction as well as the traces of 150 years of changing use.
The 38th Annual Heritage Preservation Awards Ceremony will take place on May 21st at the historic Scottish Rite Center in Santa Fe, NM.
Shawn Evans, AIA, organized and moderated the AIA Philadelphia Historic Preservation Committee's 4th Annual Forum on Historic Preservation Practice
4/9/2010
Shawn Evans, AIA, organized and moderated the AIA Philadelphia Historic Preservation Committee's 4th Annual Forum on Historic Preservation Practice. This year's forum focused on Standard 9 of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Properties, a provision which states that additions to historic properties shall be compatible with, yet differentiated from, the historic resource. Presenters at the forum included architects John Blatteau, Dan McCoubrey of Venturi Scott Brown & Associates, Richard Maimon of Kieran Timberlake, and Steven Semes, author of the recent book: The Future of the Past.
Jamie Blosser, AIA and Shawn Evans, AIA speak at annual New Mexico Heritage Preservation Alliance conference
4/9/2010
Jamie Blosser, AIA and Shawn Evans, AIA, both Associates at Atkin Olshin Schade Architects, spoke at the 2010 New Mexico Heritage Preservation Alliance conference, "The Value of Preservation: Sustaining Evidence of Cultural Inclusivity." Their presentation focused on the planning and implementation of the Owe'neh Bupingeh Preservation Plan which aims to rehabilitate the historic central core of the Pueblo. The Preservation Plan has recently been approved by the State Historic Preservation Office and construction will begin this summer on the rehabilitation of 22 of the centuries-old dwellings. Also speaking were Councilman Joe Garcia, a former Governor of Ohkay Owingeh and recent president of the National Congress of American Indians, and Tomasita Duran, the Executive Director of the Ohkay Owingeh Housing Authority. The project is a challenging example of combining housing standards with self-defined tribal preservation standards, while meeting Section 106 requirements and HUD compliance.
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects' Santa Fe Office Breaks Ground on Two Projects
3/10/2009
On Wednesday, February 24th, Atkin Olshin Schade Architects broke ground on 2 projects. The first was the Santo Domingo Safety Complex project located on the Santo Domingo Pueblo in New Mexico. Representatives from Atkin Olshin Schade Architects and Tribal Officials were present. The 10,500 square foot project will serve the Santo Domingo Pueblo's growing Emergency Medical Services and volunteer Fire Department and will house a Police Substation for the state, county, tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs Police Departments. The Safety Complex will be a state-of-the-art, sustainable facility and is designed to be LEED Silver Certified.
The second groundbreaking took place at the Espanola RailRoad Museum located in Espanola, New Mexico. The project is at the eastern edge of the Espanola City Plaza which will become the focal point of the historic Main Street, which is also undergoing a revitalization initiative. The project will include the depot building, used for historic display and retail, as well as a boardwalk and narrow gauge railway section to house a borrowed locomotive from a sister depot in Chama. The plaza will also receive much needed landscaping improvements such as trees, gardens, a small apple orchard, walkways, benches, and playground area, all done with materials that evoke the traditions and history of the valley.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church Project Wins Palladio Award
2/18/2010
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects has won a 2010 Palladio Award for Renovations and Additions to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Indianapolis, IN. The Palladio Award program honors outstanding achievement in traditional design. The project, which was awarded the prize in the Adaptive Reuse/Sympathetic Addition category, includes the renovation and expansion of St. Paul's to support the worship, educational, outreach and social programs of the 2,000-member parish. The project also won a 2008 AIA Pennsylvania Merit Award. The Palladio Awards are sponsored by Traditional Building and Period Homes magazines.
Center for Contemporary Arts wins Santa Fe AIA Award
1/4/2010
The Center for Contemporary Arts Warehouse Renovation and Expansion project has been recognized with an Honor Award by the Santa Fe Chapter of the AIA. The Center for Contemporary Arts (CCA), a local, nonprofit arts center in Santa Fe, has served artists and the Santa Fe community since 1979. The project, developed in phases, presents a new, iconic landmark for CCA and Santa Fe's arts community. Housed in an historic tank armory dating from WWII and with no mechanical or electrical building systems, the warehouse space was renovated and expanded into a state-of-the-art visual arts gallery, as part of Phase 1. New prep areas, storage and bathroom facilities were located at the rear of the warehouse gallery, allowing for professional installations and multi-purpose space.
Phase 2, not yet completed, includes adding a new two-level space to the Warehouse Gallery for lobby and small gallery functions. This addition will overlook the larger warehouse gallery as well as connect to the remaining building with an elevator and stair. A new sculpture garden and trail has been designed that will connect the new gallery to the existing 'skyscape' installation by artist James Turrell at the south end of the property.
The project was designed to achieve a LEED Silver rating. For the Phase 1 project, over 95% of the existing building components were re-used, fly ash was used in the new concrete flooring and structural concrete mixes, low-flow plumbing fixtures were installed, and a construction waste management plan was implemented, resulting in over 75% recycled construction waste. Extensive water conservation and recycling measures were employed, including low-flow fixtures and roof rainwater harvesting. For the Phase 2 project, new Corten wall panels will be made of recycled steel. Translucent wall panels in the elevator and circulation core will be insulated for a high performance building envelope, and the new mezzanine flooring will be bamboo. Through effective energy modeling, the client is expected to save over 50% in energy costs in comparison with a conventional building.
Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo Preservation Project Receives Major Funding
9/24/2009
Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo has received a $2,000,000 grant from federal stimulus funds to implement a new preservation plan for their historic village and rehabilitate housing for low-income tribal members. Announced on August 11, 2009 by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, the project is among 61 grants, totaling $132 million, awarded to Native American and Native Alaskan communities across the country to improve housing and stimulate community development. Atkin Olshin Schade Architects has been working with the Ohkay Owingeh Housing Authority since 2005 on a comprehensive preservation plan for the historic core of the Pueblo. Construction for twelve homes will begin in July 2010, with ten additional homes in September. The village is understood to have been in existence since 1300. While the ages of the adobe homes are unknown, it is likely that some pre-date western contact in 1540.
Mescalero Apache Tribe Housing Project Ribbon Cutting
7/30/2009
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects joined in the celebration of the opening of 30 new affordable houses that the firm designed at the Mescalero Reservation in Mescalero, NM. The development is named I-Sah'-din'-dii, which means drumbeat in Apache. The homes are the first to be built on the reservation in 10 years and help address a severe housing shortage at the reservation.
The houses incorporate many green building features including rainwater collection, high performance windows and doors, energy efficient appliances, low VOC and formaldehyde-free materials, and natural ventilation. The houses are oriented to take full advantage of passive solar heating and to preserve a stand of large pines.
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects Recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal
6/15/2009
In the June 4th edition of the Philadelphia Business Journal, Atkin Olshin Schade Architects was recognized as one of the Top 25 Architecture firms (22nd). The rankings were based on 2008 local architectural billings.
Philadelphia Museum of Art Project wins Award
6/15/2009
The Philadelphia Museum of Art Landscaped Parking Facility and Sculpture Garden won a Silver Commonwealth Award for Design from 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth Awards recognize smart growth projects in Pennsylvania.
This is the third award the project has received. In November 2007, the project won an AIA Pennsylvania Award for Architectural Excellence, and in 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency awarded the project a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of "Leading by Example".
For more information about 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania Commonwealth Awards, please visit http://10000friends.org.
Michael Schade, AIA, LEEDap conducts CEEP conference workshops
3/11/2009
Michael Schade, AIA, LEEDap led two conference workshops at the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes 2009 Annual Conference held in New Orleans March 5-7. CEEP is a national organization that brings together parish leaders to encourage responsible use of endowments locally and around the world.
The workshops addressed sustainable design for churches and planning for and accommodating congregation growth and changing programs.
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects has worked with CEEP members on numerous projects including Trinity Church, Princeton, NJ; St. David's Episcopal Church, Austin, TX; St. David's Episcopal Church, Wayne, PA; and St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Indianapolis, IN.
Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church wins a Preservation Achievement Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance
3/10/2009
The exterior restoration of Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church has won a 2009 Preservation Achievement Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. The award will be presented on May 11, 2009 at the Preservation Alliance Awards Luncheon, the 16th annual celebration of individuals, organizations, businesses, and projects that exemplify outstanding achievement in the field of historic preservation throughout the region.
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects Completes Restoration of Mother Bethel AME Church
3/3/2009
The restoration of Mother Bethel AME Church was completed in 2008. Funded by the Save America's Treasures program, the Philadelphia Commercial and Cultural Corridors Bond, the PHMC Keystone Grant program, Partners for Sacred Places, the Claneil Foundation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the congregation itself, this project provided urgently needed roof, masonry, foundation, and window repairs. Shawn Evans, AIA, Associate, and Jean Wolf, of Wolf Historic Preservation, spoke at the church's Founder's Day celebration on February 15, 2009 on the history of the site and challenges of the restoration. In 2005, Shawn and Jean authored the Historic Structure Report that guided the restoration.
Mother Bethel AME Church was founded in 1794 and occupies the oldest piece of land continuously owned by African-Americans in the United States. The current church was completed in 1890 to the designs of Hazlehurst & Huckel Architects and is a national Historic Landmark.
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects to Provide Master Planning Services
3/3/2009
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects, an architecture, planning and preservation firm based in Philadelphia and Santa Fe, is pleased to announce that the firm has been commissioned to provide comprehensive master planning services for the St. Peter's Church and St. Peter's School campus in Philadelphia. The site, one of the few remaining open sites in the Society Hill Neighborhood, occupies a full city block. The Master Improvement plan will involve the entire campus and its existing buildings and will investigate alternatives for accommodating programmatic needs for both institutions.
St. Peter's Church, an Episcopal church that has welcomed parishioners since 1761, features a bell tower and steeple designed by William Strickland in 1841. The Church is a National Historic Landmark. St. Peter's School is an independent, private, pre-K-8 school, which will celebrate its 175th anniversary this year.
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects Project Earns Citation of Merit from AIA PA
2/18/2009
The Philadelphia Museum of Art Landscaped Parkting Facility and Sculpture Garden has earned a Citation of Merit from the AIA Pennsylvania. The firm was honored during the Architectural Excellence Awards, held in Harrisburg on November 13, 2007, at the Harrisburg State Capitol building. As commented by the jury, "The design is a wonderful integration of a utilitarian structure and its immediate natural surroundings- one that duly respects the historic landscape while accomodating a large parking structure that appropriately defers to its place".
The Philadelphia Museum of Art Landscaped Parkting Facility and Sculpture Garden
Shawn Evans, AIA, Associate, Conducts Workshop
2/18/2009
Shawn Evans, AIA, Associate, conducted a workshop on historic building condition assessments for Partners for Sacred Places on February 11, 2009. Partners for Sacred Places is the only national, non-sectarian, non-profit organization devoted to helping congregations and their communities sustain and actively use older and historic sacred places. Nine regional congregations attended the workshop, which was part of the intensive New Dollars/New Partners training program developed by Partners. The workshop was held at First Presbyterian Church in Germantown, where Atkin Olshin Schade Architects completed a major sanctuary restoration and renovation transforming the historic house of worship into a flexible venue that accommodates both worship and major musical productions.
See http://www.sacredplaces.org for more information on Partners.
Jamie Blosser, AIA named in BD+C “40 under 40” competition
1/23/2009
Selected from among 208 finalists, Jamie Blosser was named in Building Design + Construction's 4th annual "40 under 40" competition.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Jamie directs Atkin Olshin Schade Architects 10-person Santa Fe office. She oversees the firm's university, tribal, and sustainable projects and is a LEED Accredited Professional. In addition to her responsibilities, Jamie has begun a networking group for Santa Fe's female architects and designers, and was a volunteer co-organizer for the Villa Esperanza design competition for Santa Fe Design Week 2006.
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects awarded project at Princeton University
1/22/2009
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects has been commissioned to provide design services for Renovations to David B. Brown Hall, a 137-bed residence hall located in the center of campus. The four-story brick and granite structure was designed in 1890 in the Renaissance Revival style by Boston architect John Lyman Faxon.
The scope of work involves general infrastructure renovation, the modernization of student amenities, and the creation of a new portal from the courtyard to the south. The addition of the new portal will allow Brown Hall better connections to the campus.
Citation of Merit Award from AIA Pennsylvania 2008
1/22/2009
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects has received a Citation of Merit Award from AIA Pennsylvania for the St. Paul's Episcopal Church Renovation and Expansion project in Indianapolis, Indiana. The project, completed earlier this year, involved 37,000 square feet of renovations and additions to an existing 1940s church and administrative building. The renovations included the reorientation of the 1940s sanctuary, an addition to accommodate a new pipe organ designed by Casavant Freres, Montreal, a new bell tower, and a three-story addition containing a new narthex, elevator, and administrative space. As part of the project, the design team team also negotiated with the City of Indianapolis to close city street that separated the Church from the Parish Hall. A new elevated garden was constructed in its place with connects the Church buildings in a campus-like setting provides an outdoor gathering space for social events. The new program spaces support the worship, educational outreach and social programs of the 2,000-member parish.
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects wins 2 AIA Santa Fe Awards
1/22/2009
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects won two of the four design awards given out by AIA Santa Fe last month. The first Honorable Mention Award was for the Rail Corridor Strategic Plan. The Rail Corridor Strategic Plan is a forward-looking vision document addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by the arrival of the RailRunner, a new commuter train connecting Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The plan presents a holistic view of the many components of sustainable community, brought together in an urban design vision of Santa Fe's near future.
A House and Studio in the High Desert received the second Honorable Mention Award. This 3,000 SF residence and studio sits on three acres outside Santa Fe, New Mexico. The house incorporates sweeping views of the Jemez, Sandia, and Sangre de Christo Mountains. All of the interior living spaces open onto a long exterior terrace and deck. The design for the house employs local materials and traditional methods of construction, in new ways. Environmentally appropriate materials and building techniques were used throughout the project.
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects Staff to participate in Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity's 2008 Women Build
10/29/2008
A team led by AOS architect Abigail Hopkins Cram will participate in Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity's 2008 Women Build, which will take place on May 10, 2008. The home is planned to be built in three months or less. Habitat's Women Build Program engages women nationwide to address the problem of substandard housing by cultivating construction skills.
Visit Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity's website for further info:
http://www.sfhfh.org/womenbuild/index.php
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects Project Featured in the City of Philadelphia's Rowhouse Manual
10/29/2008
A private residence on Fulton Street in Philadelphia has been featured in the recently published Philadelphia Rowhouse Manual. The manual was prepared by Rachel Simmons Schade, AIA, of Schade and Bolender Architects, and was a collaboration between the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Office of Housing and Community Development, and the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. It serves as a practical guide for row home residents who want to efficiently maintain, expand or maximize their living spaces. The guide is available online at http://www.philaplanning.org
Private Residence, Fulton Street
Shawn Evans, AIA to speak in Preservation Month Speaker Series for Preservation Alliance
10/29/2008
Shawn Evans, AIA will speak on May 22nd with Adrian Scott Fine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation as part of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia's speaker series for Preservation Month. Shawn and Adrian will discuss the plight of Center City Philadelphia's last movie palace, the Boyd Theatre as well as the national struggle to save these spectacular buildings. Since 2002, Shawn and Adrian have assisted the Friends of the Boyd, the non-profit organization organized to save and restore the art-deco theatre.
The talk will be held at the new Center for Architecture, 1218 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA. May 22, 5:30-7:00 pm. This event is free and open to the public.
For information on this and other events sponsored by the Preservation Alliance, see http://www.preservationalliance.com/calendar/index.php?mo=5&yr=2008
For information on the Center for Architecture, see http://www.philadelphiacfa.org/
For information on the Boyd Theatre, see http://www.friendsoftheboyd.org/
Jamie Blosser, AIA Conducts Tribal Green Workshops
10/29/2008
Jamie Blosser, AIA, Director of Atkin Olshin Schade Architects Santa Fe office, is conducting a series of green workshops for tribal housing projects. At the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) conference in Seattle, WA, she presented "Sustainable Design and Building Strategies I and II" an overview and recommendations for implementing sustainable techniques for tribal housing authorities. At the conference, Jamie served as one of the moderators for a case studies panel.
Jamie also recently participated in a panel on straw bale energy production and geothermal projects at the North Dakota Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation. This discussion included practical solutions for homeowners who want to incorporate green strategies into home improvements and their everyday lifestyle. The Chippewa Reservation has completed a Poverty Reduction Plan, of which green housing is a part.
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects Awarded project at Eastern State Penitentiary
10/7/2008
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects is pleased to announce that the firm has been commissioned to lead a broad planning effort for Eastern State Penitentiary, a National Historic Landmark in Philadelphia. Working closely with Lord Cultural Resources, the Toronto-based interpretive and exhibition planning firm, Atkin Olshin Schade Architects is developing a comprehensive master plan that balances the needs of educational programming and visitor services with the ongoing conservation of the 370,000 square-foot historic building. Museum-quality display and support spaces for the growing collection of historical artifacts will be incorporated into the historic building and a proper visitor center will be provided. The plan is scheduled for completion by the Fall of 2009.
Eastern State Penitentiary opened on the outskirts of the city in 1829 as a new model for rehabilitating criminals and with a goal of reforming prisoners in solitary anonymity for their return into productive society. Over the course of the next 142 years, this original idealism met with changing societal views and by the time of its closure in 1971, Eastern State had become a dreadful place into which our most dangerous criminals were locked. Abandoned for many years, stabilization efforts and limited public tours began in 1994. Eastern State is now one of the region's most visited historic attractions. Much of the site remains in ruinous condition, a fitting reminder of the failure of this great experiment.
Michael Schade AIA, LEEDap to Speak at Fairmount Water Works
4/22/2008
Michael Schade, AIA, LEED ap will speak at the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center on Wednesday, April 30 at 5:00 p.m. The topic of the discussion will be the Philadelphia Museum of Art Landscaped Parking Facility and Scuplture Garden. Mike will present details of the project and its sustainable features.
640 Water Works Drive
The event is free and open to the public.
Registration required, please phone 215-685-0723 www.fairmountwaterworks.org
Shawn Evans, AIA appointed to the Architectural Committee of the Philadelphia Historical Commission
4/4/2008
Shawn Evans, AIA, Associate, was appointed to the Architectural Committee of the Philadelphia Historical Commission on February 14, 2008. The committee reviews proposals for the preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of the 12,000 historic buildings that are individually designated or within the nine city historic districts and makes recommendations to the full Commission.Founding principal, Tony Atkin, FAIA, sat on this committee from 1990 to 2004.
McLane and Fahey Residence Hall Complex Achieves LEED Gold Rating
2/20/2008
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects is proud to announce that The McLane and Fahey Residence Hall Complex has achieved a LEED Gold Rating from the United States Green Building Council. The project includes standing column wells that provide ground-source heat rejection for the radiant floor heating/cooling system, a highly insulated building envelope, insulated wood windows, and energy efficient mechanical equipment and light fixtures. The sustainable materials incorporated into the building include structural steel and copper roofing with a high recycled content, fly ash concrete and precast plank, FSC certified wood and plywood, and low-emitting paints and sealants.
Santo Domingo Pueblo Safety Complex Seeks LEED Silver Certification
2/18/2008
AOS Architects has recently completed schematic design on a new safety complex for Santo Domingo Pueblo in New Mexico. The complex is planned to be a 10,500 square foot essential services facility, located near I-25 and State Highway 22 on Santo Domingo Pueblo. The facility will serve the Tribe's growing Emergency Medical Services and volunteer Fire Department as well as house a Police Substation for the State, County, Tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs Police Departments.
The Safety Complex is designed to demonstrate the high technology requirements of today's emergency response teams, but also to respect the traditional values and architectural heritage of Santo Domingo. There are three bays for ambulance and fire-fighting trucks; equipment storage; residential quarters for on-duty staff, including bunk rooms, a kitchen, TV room, and a fitness area; office space, a small holding cell in the police substation; and a community conference room. There is space allocated on site for long term training facilities, such as a burn building and tower.
The Safety Complex will be a state-of-the-art, sustainable facility and is designed to be LEED Silver Certified. By harnessing the natural supply of energy on site combined with highly efficient building systems, the Safety Complex will have a reduced environmental footprint as well as lower operations and maintenance costs. Construction is estimated to begin Summer 2008.
Shawn Evans, AIA to speak at 2008 Building Museums conference.
Shawn Evans, AIA will speak at the upcoming Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums conference, "Building Museums," to be held in Washington DC from February 29th to March 1, 2008. Shawn will speak on a panel with Dr. Gerald Margolis, Deputy Director of the Penn Museum, and Billy Prendergast, of David Chipperfield Architects, on the recently completed master plan for the Penn Museum. For information on the conference, please see: http://www.midatlanticmuseums.org/buildingmuseums.html
Sam Olshin, AIA and Shawn Evans, AIA lead a workshop for Partners for Sacred Places.
Sam Olshin, AIA and Shawn Evans, AIA led a workshop at Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church on November 8, 2007 for Partners for Sacred Places. PSP is the only national, non-sectarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to the sound stewardship and active community us of America's older religious properties. The workshop, "Working with Architects and Contactors" was part of Partner's "New Dollars/New Partners" training program, and was attended by over twenty congregations from the Philadelphia region. Also participating in the workshop were Stave Saxon and Brian Quinn, both of Premier Building Restoration, the contractors for our ongoing restoration of Mother Bethel. Shawn and Steve's continued discussion is the focus in an article in the Winter 2008 issue of Sacred Spaces, the Magazine of Partners for Sacred Places. For more information on Partners, please see: http://www.sacredplaces.org/
Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church Project
Announcing Atkin Olshin Schade Architects
Atkin Olshin Lawson-Bell Architects, an architecture, planning and preservation firm based in Philadelphia and Santa Fe, is pleased to announce that the firm will now be known as Atkin Olshin Schade Architects. The new name recognizes the substantial contributions to the firm over the years by Michael R. Schade, who has been a partner since 2000.
In conjunction with the new name, the firm has also launched a new website: www.aosarchitects.com.
Established in Philadelphia in 1979, the firm has worked with a wide range of clients throughout the country on a variety of projects that have won many national, state, and local design awards. The firm has been at the forefront of sustainability issues and energy efficient design - current projects in design and construction include buildings for the Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Fe and the Institute for Sino American International Dialogue at the University of Denver, both of which will be LEED certified. A landscaped Parking Facility and Sculpture Garden at the Philadelphia Museum of Art will have one of the largest green roofs in Pennsylvania. Other current projects include a preservation and development master plan for Fort Apache in Whiteriver, Arizona, a residence hall at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, and the restoration of College Hall for the University of Pennsylvania.