Architecture, Engineering & Planning EVstudio | Denver & Evergreen Architect | Colorado & Central Texas | Blog » Projects in Process

Office Remodel in Kittredge Colorado

Anthony Ries — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 06:40:49 +0000

I was recently up to our Evergreen office for a meeting on a new custom home we are doing. The road I take happens to go past an office remodel of ours which is currently under construction.

Previously this building had office space and two residential rental units. The interior was completely gutted and re-worked. The ample crawlspace made this a very easy process. Plumbing and HVAC were a snap.

We also developed a new exterior facade and window pattern for the building. The idea was to make it fit better with the mountain aesthetic of the area. The building is nestled along the creek and now it really feels like it belongs in the area. In the spring the decks will be re-worked and wired for power and internet access. It will be a great location to work indoors or out.

For your viewing pleasure you can see how we turned a rough looking building in a quite attractive building with a consistent and thought out exterior renovation. The project is still under construction but the transformation is striking.

Kittedge Office Building Before

Kittredge Office Building After (During Construction)

This project was completed using Revit. During the design process we were able to show the client 3D views of the exterior as well as the interior. This was very helpful as it helped the client visualize the exterior of the building within context of the parking and grading. On the interior they were able to see how the spaces related in a more meaningful way than simple 2D floor plans.

Cherry Hills Village Addition-interior geometry

Matt Svoboda — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 06:37:09 +0000

Even small additions are opportunities to create fun, memorable and well composed moments. This new addition in Cherry Hills Village is a great example. The individual spaces within this new master bath are defined by views and natural light...here are some examples in progress.

The north end of the addition employs strong symmetry to be complimentary with the existing home. High windows allow light without compromising privacy or wall space.

The interior "hall" is defined by an arched passage that is the organizing element for the entire bathroom. The locations for the main entry, the toilet room, the tub, the closet and the sink areas are all directed by this passage. Upon completion, the double door seen in the distance will be replaced by a single door centered on the arch.

Even sub-spaces like this tub area will feel composed and centered by a well-placed window (with glass block for privacy of course).

Ft. Hood Architecture Projects in Progress

Bill Foster — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 06:35:40 +0000

I went down to Texas this week to check out the progress being made on our Ft. Hood projects.

3 Buildings going up.

Soldier Family Assistance Center: Part of the Army's Warrior in Transition program, this will provide services for soldiers including social areas, child care and transitional counseling.

Company Headquarters: Also part of the Army's Warrior in Transition program. This building serves more of an administrative function for the staff that helps with transitioning personnel.

American Water Administrative offices: American Water's new base of operations on Ft. Hood will provide both offices and storage for American Water while they serve the base over the next 50 years.

Cherry Hills Village Addition-framing update

Matt Svoboda — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 06:34:43 +0000

Here are some new photos of an addition that is under construction in Cherry Hills Village. It is a main floor master bath addition which features a tall ceiling and clerestory windows. The form of the addition is complementary to the existing home with matching roof pitches and materials.

Note the 10'-0" ceiling inside. The dividing wall between the master closet and the sink area is low to allow light to spread naturally throughout the addition. Notice that the addition is completely under roof and there is plenty of natual light.

The addtion was laid out to assure a clean transition between the brick on the existing house and the new brick for the addition.

More photos as construction continues!

Soda Creek Antique Barn Style Home in Colorado

Beth Concha — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 06:16:18 +0000

We just completed plans for a 4,000 square foot home in Soda Creek. The design intent was a house that resembles an old barn that has been restored and added onto over the years. The main house and garage represent the ‘original’ structures, with the eastern bump-out and back hall connector being the later ‘additions’. The entire home will have a variety of reclaimed wood siding, weathered stone, asphalt shingle and rusted corrugated metal roof for an antique aesthetic.

The home has 4 bedrooms and 5 baths with a large bonus room over the garage. We also provided the option for storage in the attic trusses above the main house. With sustainability playing an important role, we oriented the house on the east-west axis across the site, and incorporated radiant heat flooring system, low-e windows, PV roof panels, high-efficiency heating system, reclaimed exterior materials, and even reclaimed structural elements wherever possible. Construction should be underway over the next few months.

The Abbey on Adams: Structural Design for a Historic Building Remodel

Adam Denton — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 07:47:03 +0000

EVstudio was recently awarded the contract to provide structural engineering services for the remodeling of a luxury condo unit located in a historic brick church at 14^th and Adams in Denver. This church was repurposed as two unique luxury condo units in 2000. The scope of our services is the design of a new office floor “platform” and roof replacement in the bell tower.

The Bell Tower

The original construction of the bell tower appears to be triple wythe brick covered with a newer brick veneer at the exterior. The bell tower is braced on the south by the structure of what was the original congregation area which includes several magnificent heavy timber trusses (unfortunately hidden from view inside the condos). Because of the age of the brick and mortar beds, the main challenge with this project will be the design of the connection of the new structure to the historic brick walls so that the new loads do not overstress the original building components.

Further updates will follow as the project continues.

Visualizing Your Next Project with BIM

Anthony Ries — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:20:26 +0000

As EVstudio moves to full integration of the 3D BIM (Building Information Modeling) software Revit we are doing more and more basic renderings as a matter of course. Currently all architectural projects are completed 100% in Revit. Our structural department is gearing up and is currently completing about 75% of their projects in Revit. With each project our staff becomes more efficient with the software which allows us to give you more service.

Below is an early rendering we completed as part of the design process for a modern home we are designing for a west coast client who is relocating to the foothills just west of Denver. This rendering clearly shows the design concept, locations of different materials and, of course, massing. As an additional service we can map the exact materials to the model in order to get a true feel. However, for most clients the basic rendering with accurate material types is sufficient to understand the material vocabulary of a project.

South West View of Home

This home is designed for optimal solar orientation with the long axis east to west. The main level's roof overhang is designed to provide maximum shade in the summer while allowing direct sunlight in the winter. There is also an east/west mass wall as a center spine with an integral fireplace. As you have already surmised, this will allow the heat of the fire to build into the mass wall and really radiant out a steady, warmth to the great room and recreation room. This will go a long way in modulating the temperature of the interior spaces. There are no windows on the north side. The master bedroom on the upper level is situated so that the windows can be opened and create natural convection from the lower level through to the upper to help purge the home of excess heat.

Santa Fe Style House in Roxborough State Park Complete

Beth Concha — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:56:25 +0000

We recently visited the custom Santa Fe style house we designed in Roxborough Park that was completed this past summer. The house is 3,360 finished square feet on two levels, with a viewing deck on top of a 3-car garage. The house has an open floor plan with a main level master suite and private courtyard, and two finished bedrooms, wet bar, rec room and sewing room in the lower level.

The oversized wood viga trellis in the front courtyard is one of the focal points of the house, leading into the study.

A view of the cozy window seat in the study, especially popular with the furry members of the family.

A unique decision to have windows rather than upper cabinets made for a nice and bright kitchen. We made sure to provide them with enough under counter storage.

A view of the family room with the exposed vigas above. The homes builder, Steve Dow with Peak Construction, provided a unique antique mantle for the project.

Inside the spacious master bath sits this free standing copper soaking tub. The master bath connects to a large walk-in-closet which also accesses the laundry room.

The front courtyard and entry gate with steps up to the rooftop deck above the garage.

A personal favorite feature of the house, a private rooftop deck overlooking the red rock formations of Roxborough State Park.

Foundation ready in Cherry Hills Village

Matt Svoboda — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 07:44:00 +0000

The foundation is ready to be poured for a residential master bath addition we designed in Cherry Hills Village.

The soils report necessitated the use of helical piers and our structural engineer was able to value engineer the number and spacing to minimize cost.

In this photo you can also see the forms at the top of the grade beams which produce the brick ledge. This creates the clearance between the top of concrete and grade that is required by code while simultaneously allowing the brick to go right into the ground on the addition's exterior. When using this detail it is essential to grout solid behind the brick at the bottom of the wall to above grade so that the cavity will drain properly.

More updates to come as construction continues!

Entry Courtyard for a Santa Fe Style Home

Sean O'Hara — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 07:11:30 +0000

I recently had the chance to take a number of photographs of one of our projects in Roxborough. It is a Santa Fe or Pueblo style home. This is the south facing entry courtyard, we'll head in the front door when I have a chance to edit those photographs over the next few days.