AIACNY

The Bayview Country Estate draws upon the traditions of turn-of-the-twentieth century, classic, shingled, water-focused, summer homes. In this context, its design is closely linked within a distinctive pattern of building for relaxed summer living that extends from the Maine coast to Long Island Sound to the lakes of Central New York .

The house is sited in a long meadow oriented to the southeast, so that it receives both morning and afternoon sun. Its location at the north end of a small bay offers panoramic views down the length of the lake. Extensive porches and verandas allow outdoor life to take best advantage of both the view and the time of day.

The open informal plan is carefully organized by a series of cross axes in the manner of Edwin Lutyens. The porticoed entry and large foyer provide a transition zone from the day’s busier pace to the more relaxed atmosphere of the house. Across the living room area is the veranda with views to the bay beyond. Also off the living room, is the roofed west porch, with a fireplace ideally suited to outdoor evening activities. A study, adjacent to the entry foyer provides a quiet, more formal reception area and workspace.

The dining area opens directly onto the living area, and toward the kitchen, with its views of the bay. The cabinetwork, countertops, and tile backsplash are evocative of a traditional pantry. A bar area and cooking fireplace complete the space. The dining area opens directly to the veranda, and to the enclosed south porch.

A classically elegant formal stair leads from the foyer to the second floor. Four children’s bedrooms surround a family room space. Each room contains distinctive architectural touches, such as window seats, oriel windows, and cathedral ceilings. The master bedroom is in fact a sleeping porch with 180º views of lake and meadow.

The exterior of the house is anchored to its site by the use of natural materials and sweeping roof forms. Verandas are paved with bluestone, and the first floor is faced with buff colored random stone. The shingled upper stories and understated Classical Revival trim evoke the relaxed dignity of one hundred years ago, and place this residence solidly in the tradition of country house architecture.

#19 Bayview Country Estate – Well executed in detail but not exceptional in design uniqueness.

The President's Message

Okay summer is finally here and many of you are traveling, myself included. Some days it is difficult to find the time to write but thanks to Neel Garofano who tirelessly organizes this newsletter, information gets to our membership. Each of our members and member firms should have received the AIACNY 2009 Design Awards packet. This yearly event, which is an excellent opportunity to promote design and leadership within our community, encourages a dialogue between our professionals in an entertaining and social milieu bringing recognition to our community and the work of many of our outstanding architects in Central New York. I encourage you to participate. In the coming months, you will hear more out this fabulous event; a “Celebration of Architecture.” It promises to be outstanding.

SWINGING ON A STAR

“Would you like to swing on a star, carry moon beams home in a jar and be better off than you are, or would you rather be a Contractor?”

Would you like to be a Contractor?

“ 2009 may well be the year when we (architects) take charge of the means and methods and move into areas we have not known for over 50 years.”, Burton L. Roslyn, AIA, AIANYS 2009 President.

CrookedBrains presented Construction Mistakes on the internet in March. It showed 11 pages of photos of goofs by builders. The photos showed a bridge misalignment by at least one lane and a multitude of stairs going nowhere. There were railroad tracks with a pole in the middle of it and a balcony three feet above and directly over a railroad. It makes one pause to think.

These photos give credence to the designer taking charge. Some of the examples may have had the designers input. If so, obvious the finger pointing would occur.

Justification could be found for the six feet wide stairs under a window. It could be a code requirement. The client had a large daughter that they wanted to elope? It could be for a future entrance?

The photo of an entrance canopy and steps that seems to be missing a door could fit the above criteria. The two urinals tight in a corner is poor design especially with today’s handicap criteria. It reminded me of the time, when doing research for my thesis of a recreation center, I visited the Corning Glass Center to see the Companies recreation facility. It was pointed out to me that the New York firm had an odd number of bowling alleys. “It was obvious they never bowled!”, was the comment by my guide. Designing a toilet room with two unusable urinals has no valid excuse for common sense should have prevailed.

The ATM installation could use the no-where stair window ploy. Little old ladies on their toes could not use the one in the photo. Do little old ladies use ATMs?

The elevated door photo look like it belonged in a fun house. Don’t let anyone show you to the door.

Watch out for the first step!

The photo showing an escalator going to the finished ceiling with no floor opening poses the question. How do you get to the down side of the escalator? Flip up the ceiling panel dummy! Look who’s calling, who a dummy.

The photos keep going on from the garage door made for the downsizing auto industry to balconies with a view but no access. The photos are another justification for licensing of contractors. As stated before, “Architects will be too late to control methods and means as the codes writers have beat them to it. The real goal for Architects and Code Enforcement Officials is to have contractors read and understand what is required by the prescriptive codes. Contractors should stop being Philadelphia Lawyers selecting a phrase or one section to take issue with. They need to understand the whole family of codes that affect their scope of work (method and means) and apply due diligence in performing their tasks.” The construction industry and building owners shares construction mistakes and until the team accepts reasonable responsibility the laugh shall be for everyone.

Guess what? It appears everyone would like to get into the green building standards act. Please pass the aspirin. In addition to the headache, architectural firm owners should be aware of the extra costs and possible liability. Having said that, it may be good medicine for all of us in the end.

LEED 2009 just came out. I’m sure you have all read the 645-page Reference Guide. Also sitting on my desk is an “out for final comment” version of ASHRAE 189 which will be published in the fall of 2009. If you have never heard of it, you are not alone. Most architects haven’t either. But we will be the ones who will be charged with applying it just like the state code. Granted, it needs to “adopted,” but some jurisdictions undoubtedly will. Here is a link which may not be open for long.

When you start to look at it, you will find things that are similar to LEED but are not the same, and a lot of new material such as needing to design your building for a certain area on the roof for future solar panels.

For those of us who design schools, New York State Education Department (SED) wants us to use NY-CHPS instead of LEED for Schools. However, there is no full certification system for it yet. It looks like LEED, but differs radically in some requirements. It even “promotes” vinyl products for some reason. As I recall, 56 points are needed for self certification which you should keep in a separate cardboard box in case a real certification requirement comes along. SED would like to make it mandatory.

A source connected to AIA national tells me AIA is also thinking of doing their own green building standard which could become an ANSI standard that communities or states could adopt. By definition it would not be the same as LEED or any of these other standards. Then there is the Green Globes which I have been told is an industry trade group building rating system created to pressure USGBC into not condemning some products like vinyl materials. So far, USGCB has not condemned the suspect products. AIA, I understand, doesn’t take sides in this dispute which, of course, makes life more difficult for all of its members.

Enter the Living Building Challenge, a new rating system devised by the Cascadia Chapter of USGBC. This is the ultimate mandatory rating system which could actually put the oil, coal and gas companies out of business if all buildings were built according to it. (Would that cause global cooling and another ice age?) Google it and get a surprise.

The reality is that all of this expensive confusion is probably good in the long run. A little competition never hurts. ASHRAE 198 certainly does have some outstanding new green standards, and we would love to be able to design all of our buildings to conform to the Living Building Challenge requirements. Maybe it would ease our collective conscious about having designed all those energy hogs (buildings) that we all did in the past that now consume 40% of our total energy and are a primary cause of global warming.

You may have missed the recent IDP Sign Up Day hosted by the AIA to help prepare interns for the implementation of the 6 Month Rule on July 1, 2009 or you may just be beginning on your path to becoming licensed. Either way, we offer these resources to aid you in the process

Opening of the Meeting: This meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Architects Central New York Chapter was held Thursday, May 14, 2009 at the AIACNY Resource Center . Julia Hafftka-Marshall, AIA called the meeting to order.

Carlton Holmes accepting the prize for first place from Tournament Director Steve Poplarski, CSI

Madam President, Julia Hafftka-Marshall, enjoys a glass of wine to forget that round of golf.

Board Members enjoy the golf outing. Stephanie Wright, John P. Goodman., FAIA, Julia Hafftka-Marshall, Brenda Law and Joe Piraino

Lake Architectural Welcomes their Charlotte Office to the North Country

Lake Architectural of Maple Street, Marcellus welcomed their architectural team from Charlotte, NC the second week of June. Lake Architectural is owned by partners Wayne La France and Peter Sorber. Lake Architectural is an architectural design firm with a strong focus and extensive experience with higher ed and K-12 educational markets as well as retail, hospital and governmental projects. Our staff is LEED certified and we provide our clients with the knowledge to specify long lasting and efficient building systems that are environmentally sensitive. Their week was filled with collaborating on numerous current projects, attending REVIT and CADD classes as well as visiting the Marcellus and Finger Lakes area.

“ Lake Architectural of Marcellus NY is pleased to announce that they have recently celebrated Jennifer Orman’s fifth year with the company. Jennifer joined the company in 2005 after receiving her Bachelor’s in Architecture from Philadelphia University . Jennifer moved to Charlotte NC in 2007 to become studio leader in our newly opened Lake Charlotte office. She is currently obtaining a Master’s in Business at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte . Since joining the Lake Architectural team Jennifer has worked on many projects varying in size and aptitude. She is a valuable asset to the team at Lake Architectural .”

Ashley McGraw Architects, P.C. is pleased to announce that after 10 weeks of vigorous training, K-12 designer Natalie Hansen and College and University designer David Turturo have become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professionals, bringing Ashley McGraw’s total number of LEED Accredited Professionals to 35. With this expertise in sustainable design, Ashley McGraw can provide a higher level of service to clients, resulting in buildings that are significantly less expensive to operate and healthier for the people that occupy them.

The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system is now the national standard for sustainable design. It includes 69 specific strategies regarding: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality. A building can be certified as “green” if it achieves 26 of the available 69 points.

Ashley McGraw Architects, P.C. is pleased to announce the addition of six employees. Andres Permadhi joins the firm as an Architectural Designer in our K-12 Studio. Joining our College & University Studio is Kelly Ferguson as Architectural Designer, Edward Mello as Architect, A. Fred King as Senior Architect, and Jennifer Walls as Interior Designer. Eri Spaulding joins the firm as Executive Assistant.

Members of The AIACNY Chapter of Central New York
now have access to WI-FI at The Resource Center
Monday-Friday- 8am- 12noon.

All AIA Members have access to all ARE Study Materials, There is no fee to use the ARE Study Material, but a Deposit (Check) will be required, which will vary.

The check for deposit is given to Wendy Odom at Resource Center on the date you want to borrow the material. You will receive your check for deposit on the return of the material to The Resource Center .

AIA New York Chapter’s public calendar is also a great place to promote both this Chapter’s events and other outside events: http://www.aiany.org/calendar/index.php