As a response to the ongoing quest to reduce energy consumption, chilled beams are experiencing a surge in popularity, according to “Chill Out: A look at passive and active chilled-beam systems,” which appears in the current issue of eco-structure magazine. In the article, Shepley Bulfinch’s Jonathan Baron discusses the importance of understanding a building’s thermal dynamics and the environments for which chilled beam systems are best suited.

In his interview with writer Judith Stock, Jonathan talks about strategies for addressing potential condensation issues, as well as the need for close coordination with ...[more]

Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven Hospital and Sherman Hospital are among five healthcare facilities recognized for their environmentally responsive design in “Code Green: Examining the Prognosis for Sustainability in Healthcare,” in the August issue of Eco-Structure magazine.

Sherman Hospital opened its new healthcare campus in Elgin, Illinois, in December. The hospital’s 15-acre geothermal lake, which is expected to save the hospital more than $1 million annually over conventional heating and cooling costs, was a creative response that began with the need to manage storm water runoff for the 15-acre site and ...[more]

What can you come up with to transform a parking lot into a community gathering place, in the face of financial and logistical constraints? That was the challenge facing design teams in the Flat Lot competition in Flint, Michigan. “Knot Lot,” a Shepley Bulfinch team submission, was chosen as one of five finalists from among 221 entries in the competition, which was sponsored by the Flint (Michigan) Public Art Project and the Flint chapter of the AIA.  Knot Lot and other top entries will be part of an exhibition opening in Flint on April 14.

Organizers asked designers ...[more]

The transformation of a former Amherst College fraternity house near the main campus into a 44-bed residence hall is now underway, with plans to open in the 2013-2014 academic year.

The 21,000 square foot renovation and expansion of Seligman House, which was built in 1921, preserves the character of the original building and adds a three-story wing that complements it aesthetically. The wood rafters of the original structure are preserved, as are the hewn beams of the living room, along with its wood-burning fireplace.  A patio is nestled in the new ...[more]

Beauty has been banned from the studio. She peers through cracks in boarded windows at the new architecture of performance. The story of her exile is one that spans two disparate events: Sullivan’s dangerous assertion that “form follows function” and the economic downturn that forced a restructuring of architectural practice in the 21st century.

The latter was the blow that erased Beauty’s place in public discourse. A capitalist economy relies on progress and growth, especially in times of duress; this necessity in times of dwindling funds produces a desire for cheaper, more efficient structures, where discussion of Beauty are seemingly moot. It appeared that for the contemporary client, a building’s ability ...[more]

The paired Phoenix dining destination of Windsor and Churn has taken top category honors in the 32nd annual Valley Forward Environmental Excellence Awards, which were announced on September 29. Windsor and Churn, designed by Shepley Bulfinch with redeveloper Venue Projects and Upward Projects, received Valley Forward’s Crescordia (first place) Award (Historic Preservation) and a Merit Award (Commercial/Mixed-Use).

The Valley Forward Association’s Environmental Excellence Awards (EEA) program is Arizona’s oldest and largest environmental competition.

The adaptive reuse project transformed a 1940s retail structure into a lively and open restaurant (The ...[more]

Colleges and universities that are looking for ways to improve energy efficiency and resulting cost savings are realizing that some habits start from the ground up, as discussed in “How to achieve a tight building envelope,”� which appears in the June 2012 issue of College Planning & Management.

In the article, Jonathan Baron talks about the value to owners of investing in building component mock-ups and building commissioning, as well as the importance of evaluating the compatibility of different materials used in creating the building envelope.

Jonathan’s remarks on building ...[more]

Detroit celebrated its new home for pediatric specialty care today with blowing bubbles, a youth chorus, and a marching band at the Grand Opening of Children’s Hospital of Michigan Specialty Center on the campus of the Detroit Medical Center (DMC).

The $43 million specialty center represents the first completed structure following Vanguard Health Systems’ acquisition of DMC and marks the first major expansion for the campus in nearly 30 years.

The ceremony included remarks from DMC CEO Michael Duggan; Vanguard Chairman and CEO Charles Martin; and DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan ...[more]