Community

The Argentinean edition of Hello Wood international summer festival for architecture has ended. The Budapest-based studio – which has attracted the attention of such legendary architects in the last few years as Urban Think-Tank from Zürich or Kengo Kuma from Japan – can proudly say that one of Europe’s leading architectural summer universities has become an export, along with their teaching methods. For 4 years now, the Argentinian partners, the MANDARINA design agency and TACADI architecture studio (Bea Palacio, Mercedes Palacio, Jerónimo Fanelli, Marcos Llerena) organize Hello Wood Argentina, following the Hungarian model. “We are proud to be able to spread our knowledge, experience and inspiration in... More

A joint project between the City of Half Moon Bay and the County of San Mateo, the design of the new Half Moon Bay Library honors the region’s agricultural roots and coastal environment while providing a valuable community resource to serve the 270-square-mile area. The challenge was how to satisfy the needs of the growing coastal region (in addition to Half Moon Bay, the library serves 10 other unincorporated communities along the coast, from Montara to Pescadero), while preserving the modest architecture character of Half Moon Bay. The resulting $18.2 million, 22,000-square-foot building strikes a balance—a facility large and flexible enough to meet the region’s current and future needs, yet one that responds directly to... More

Working closely with Palo Alto High School staff and leadership, HED identified key goals for the library renovation: a classic feel with modern finishes. Together, we envisioned a space that would support a wide variety of work styles and activities that featured updated technology, natural light, and a more functional, open layout with clear sightlines and improved circulation patterns. Built in the 1960s, the former library was disjointed, dark, and inefficient. Faculty offices and storage spaces crowded the building’s perimeter, leaving an echoing, two-story column in the building’s center to house the library.   Still contained within its original footprint, the modernized 37,500 square foot building now houses four... More

Located in the heart of Cayuga, a small town on the Grand River, this project brings together a local library branch with a museum and genealogy centre as a vibrant focal point for the community that will enrich the lives of users.  The project is an illustration of architecture crafted to serve and inspire its community.  While simple, very economical, and efficient, the Library/Museum has bold architectural ambitions looking forward to the future.SITE DESIGNThe building engages the historic town core opposite the site and enfronts a small parkette, a welcome public greenspace for the library to look onto.  Maintaining the urban fabric, the building is at the sidewalk line, with parking kept to the rear of the building.BUILD... More

Situated in close proximity to existing drama, choir and music programs, Palo Alto High School’s Performing Arts Center creates new, flexible spaces—and new opportunities—for each.   Providing community gathering and meeting areas as well as performance space, the facility is fully equipped with the latest A/V technology, and can accommodate an entire grade group for orientations, lectures and assemblies.   The exterior elevation features traditional design elements, including covered porches and arcades. Multifunctional, the gabled roof utilizes a simply conveying system to channel and discharge water, while the porches and arcades offer shading to reduce heat gain.   With construction recently... More

HED was selected from a pool of 28 submissions and 5 finalists to design the Oceanside Unified School District’s, New Performing Arts Center at Oceanside High School. This $17 Million project includes a 500-seat main hall and 150-seat studio theater.Sustainable Building Strategies:- Exposed southwest walls are covered with ‘green screen’ for cooling and protection.- Broad roof overhang provides protection from sun and rain and reduces glare while promoting indoor / outdoor use of lobby with natural ventilation.- Fly tower utilized to integrate a solar chimney for passive cooling. - Main spaces in the building employ displacement ventilation, taking advantage of the single tiered seating and high volume in the theaters. This system will... More

Located in the heart of the Pacific Highlands Ranch region, Solana Ranch Elementary School is an independent elementary school serving approximately 6,000 students. In our partnership with Solana Ranch, HED designed and engineered a vibrant, community-oriented school that is sensitive both to context and to the fundamental design building blocks that foster community-building. Creative and iterative, the planning process brought together community members, parents, teachers, staff, board members and students to craft a comprehensive, inclusive vision for the new school. An environment that supports collaborative learning. Spaces that inspire revelatory “aha!” moments. A sustainable structure that leverages energy-efficient design strat... More

Woven into the urban fabric of downtown Glendale through expansive pedestrian promenades and a central courtyard, Americana at Brand combines a vibrant mix of residences, shopping, dining, and entertainment.  At its heart, it has a two-acre park featuring fountains, pathways and abundant shade trees. The residential development provides 242 units in four distinct housing “districts” called “The Collection” with varied unit styles offered at the Marc, the Lido, the Continental, and the Raleigh. Amenities include private patios, master suites, energy efficient glazing and building systems, integrated wireless and high-speed cable, and a 3,200-space parking structure.There was constant interaction between the contractor, the design team,... More

21st-century art museums bear little resemblance to the hushed, cordoned-off cathedrals that once separated visitors and artwork. Today, emphasis is placed not only on the artwork itself, but on the visitor’s experience of—and participation in—the museum as a whole. These cultural institutions are moving beyond passive observation to active engagement and education; creating—and convening— communities; and fostering critical discussions on the most important topics of our time. The role of museums in the 21st century is an ongoing conversation—one that Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) has furthered with its recent renovation.   Combining performance and public discourse, education and community engagement, interacti... More

As a part of a larger multi-phase project and masterplan of a suburban stripmall, Atelier MjK designed and built the "Waterway" plinth and playground in partnership with KaBOOM! as well as a 2,000 square foot raingarden sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Trust.  More

Unleashing the superpower of the architect   Hello Wood celebrated its 10th Summer School and Festival with ‘new tribe’ of international architects and 20 projects    The Hello Wood Summer School and Festival has expanded over the years to build up a lot of recognition internationally within the architecture community, with previous years having more than 1000 participants from across 70 countries and over 50 universities take part in Hello Wood’s educational event. By looking to the future and adopting an attitude of rebirth, a large part of the tenth anniversary of the festival was about criticism of the stereotypical role of the architect - one that is constrained by expectations and deadlines - while searching for the true superpower of... More

The Ocean House, popularly also called the Stokvis building, was a “modern business palace” with innovations such as car passages, a covered courtyard, and a canteen with a roof terrace. Due to an eventful history, many different time layers are visible in the building. With the transformation into a residential loft building with modern topping, Mei adds a new time layer with respect for the existing building, while remaining the national monumental parts – such as the entrance, the Gothic room, Tudor room, and the canteen on the roof.   History The Stokvis building was once the headquarters of Europe’s largest trading company. The Rotterdam Stokvis en Zonen, founded in 1849 by a Jewish family, traded in all... More

Tall | Community | MetrogradeTwo 35 StoreysResidential + Day CareScarborough, Ontario668 Dwelling Units More

A landmark Metrogate community at 151 Green Village Square. Overlooking the lush, green eco-friendly Metrogate Park, AVANI is a condominium address that resonates with sleek symmetry, striking glass silhouettes of glass, pre-cast detailing and modern design, State-of-the-art amenitiesAs a community, Metrogate has been designed to ensure that daily conveniences – leisure time, childcare and even the daily commute – are well within reach. Pedestrian-friendly streets give way to beautiful town homes, modern high-rise residences, spectacular recreational amenities and even two on-site daycare centres. Not only that, the community’s ideal location at Kennedy Rd. and Hwy. 401 puts the surrounding urban pursuits and conveniences well within reach. More