Architecture, Engineering & Planning EVstudio | Denver & Evergreen Architect | Colorado & Central Texas | Blog

EVstudio joins the Apartment Association of Metro Denver (AAMD)

Rich Muller — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:59:26 +0000

With the turn of the new year EVstudio has embarked on a new emphasis in the multi-family residential market. Seen as a growing field and coupled with a recent up-tick in architectural billings, multi-family is poised to represent a large portion of the construction market here in the Front Range.

EVstudio recently inked a major multi-family commission in Colorado Springs. With 288 units on roughly 6 acres the development is targeting the Colorado College and University of Colorado at Colorado Springs populations. We also have two 100 plus unit projects in Central Texas slated for the spring.

Heading the multi-family push is Rich Muller who comes to EVstudio from Houston, Texas where he had worked in the multi-family arena for several years and has over 3,000 designed units to his credit. His specialty is high-density, urban developments as well as suburban garden-style apartments.

EVstudio recently joined the Apartment Association of Metro Denver and is looking forward to becoming an active member in the Association, offering classes and lending an architect’s perspective to the industry.

If you are planning on a multi-family development over the next year, please feel free to contact EVstudio to discuss entitlements, density and overall strategy.

Latch Required in Fire Doors – Opening Protectives

Sean O'Hara — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:50 +0000

Under the International Building Code, fire doors and swinging pairs of fire doors must be provided with an active bolt that can secure the door when locked.

One spot where this could be easily overlooked is restrooms shared between spaces where the restrooms do not have lockable doors. If a door is in a fire wall, you need to be able to latch it closed.

Originally posted 2009-04-30 23:09:12.

Water Wise Landscapes – Xeriscape Not Zeroscape

John Olson — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:49 +0000

EVstudio specializes in providing low-water use and water conservation landscapes to our clients.

Xeriscape is a common term used as it relates to the landscape architecture profession, especially in the State of Colorado. According to dictionary.com, xeriscape "employs drought-resistant plants in an effort to conserve resources, especially water". In Colorado, this is vital for not only water conservation, but also as a money-saving strategy. Most consumers are not going to plant low water-use plants just because it saves our precious resource, water. Most consumers plant low-water use plants because it is the cost-effective thing to do.

Another common misconception about xeriscape is that xeriscape is too not have any plantings at all or to have a brown landscape. This is not correct either. In fact, the majority of the plant material that is low-water use is rich with color and many are often flowering plants for at least a couple of months of the year. The image to the right is a beautiful example of low-water use/ xeriscape plantings by High Country Gardens (a landscape nursery and wholesale provider of xeriscape plant material in Colorado). There is a major difference between "xeriscape" and "zeroscape". Zeroscape is the unpopular, unsightly and evil cousin of xeriscape which typically involves large masses of breeze or rock beds without plant material. In the Southwest, this is common for rear yards and unfortunately front yards of homes. Contrary to "zeroscape", is the more common occurence of yards full of Kentucky Bluegrass. Kentucky bluegrass is far from native to Colorado, yet is dominates the urban landscapes of our cities and towns.

There are alternatives for a lawn other than a bluegrass lawn which will consume over 48-inches of water per year. The image below is of a buffalo grass lawn by High Country Gardens. Legacy buffalo grass is planted with plugs that will fill in and create a beautiful low-maintenance lawn.

In comparison to bluegrass, xeric turfgrasses such as "Legacy Buffalo grass" utilize 45% to 75% less water per year (requires only 2" of water per month)!

Originally posted 2010-04-10 00:01:43.

No related posts.

Very Narrow Unit Plans for Apartments, Townhomes and Condos

Sean O'Hara — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:48 +0000

Typically residential units are 20' wide or wider but on occasion we design units that are much narrower. The example above is only 13' wide (4 meters) with a total living area of 1,200 square feet or about 120 square meters. This is a townhome unit and would be bordered by other units on both sides. With a comfortable size room being at least 10 feet (3 meters) wide this configuration leads to four rooms that can have windows. Typically that means the living room, kitchen/dining and two bedrooms. This unit is set up with a shared upstairs bathroom that would work better if the second bedroom was primarily used as an office.

This unit is about the same size but slightly wider and less deep. It has two bathrooms upstairs and is slightly more efficent.

The difficulty with these small units is that the stair is not terribly efficient, it takes up a lot of space per unit. This client wanted townhome type condo units but if we had been able to use two common area stairs and 1,200 square foot flat units we would have had more options in the unit plans. A townhome unit also tends to necessitate an additional powder room per unit to avoid having guests using the upstairs bathrooms.

The narrowest that you can make a room in the International Building Code is 7' which provides a minimum unit width but a unit that narrow would be very hard to make inviting.

Originally posted 2009-12-26 00:50:16.

ALTA Table A Optional Survey Responsibilities and Specifications

Sean O'Hara — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:47 +0000

ALTA surveys are a cafeteria style survey where the client can pick specific items to build a survey that meets their specific needs. In addition to the standard survey requirements for all ALTAs there is the list of options on Table A which include:

Monuments placed (or a reference monument or witness to the corner) at all major corners of the boundary of the property, unless already marked or referenced by an existing monument or witness to the corner.
Vicinity map showing the property surveyed in reference to nearby highway(s) or major street intersection(s).
Flood zone designation (with proper annotation based on federal Flood Insurance Rate Maps or the state or local equivalent, by scaled map location and graphic plotting only.)
Gross land area (and other areas if specified by the client).
Contours and the datum of the elevations.
List setback, height, and floor space area restrictions disclosed by applicable zoning or building codes. The source of such information must be disclosed.
Exterior dimensions of all buildings at ground level
Square footage of exterior footprint of all buildings at ground level, gross floor area of all buildings; or other areas to be defined by the client
Measured height of all buildings above grade at a defined location. If no defined location is provided, the point of measurement shall be shown.
Substantial, visible improvements (in addition to buildings) such as billboards, signs, parking structures, swimming pools, etc.
Parking areas and, if striped, the striping and the type (e.g. handicapped, motorcycle, regular, etc.) and number of parking spaces.
Indication of access to a public way on land such as curb cuts and driveways, and to and from waters adjoining the surveyed tract, such as boat slips, launches, piers and docks.
Location of utilities (representative examples of which are shown below) existing on or serving the surveyed property as determined by either observed evidence or observed evidence together with evidence from plans obtained from utility companies or provided by client, and markings by utility companies and other appropriate sources (with reference as to the source of information). This includes railroad tracks and sidings; manholes, catch basins, valve vaults or other surface indications of subterranean uses; wires and cables (including their function, if readily identifiable) crossing the surveyed premises, all poles on or within ten feet of the surveyed premises, and the dimensions of all
crossmembers or overhangs affecting the surveyed premises; and utility company installations on the surveyed premises.
Governmental Agency survey-related requirements as specified by the client.
Names of adjoining owners of platted lands.
The distance to the nearest intersecting street as designated by the client.
Rectified orthophotography, photogrammetric mapping, laser scanning and other similar products, tools or technologies may be utilized as the basis for the location of certain features (excluding boundaries) where ground measurements are not otherwise necessary to locate those features to an appropriate and acceptable accuracy relative to a nearby boundary. The surveyor shall (a) discuss the ramifications of such methodologies (e.g. the potential accuracy and completeness of the data gathered thereby) with the title company, lender and client prior to the performance of the survey and, (b) place a note on the face of the survey explaining the source, date, relative accuracy and other relevant qualifications of any such data.
Observable evidence of earth moving work, building construction or building additions within recent months.
Any changes in street right of way lines either completed or proposed, and available from the controlling jurisdiction. Observable evidence of recent street or sidewalk construction or repairs.
Observable evidence of site use as a solid waste dump, sump or sanitary landfill.

Originally posted 2010-01-25 00:38:09.

Surveys and site layouts

Foundation Wall Height Design Considerations for Residential Garages

Kacy Landsittel — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:46 +0000

There are many ways that openings like doors and windows come into consideration with respect to how we, at EVstudio, design foundation walls. More specifically, there are special criteria that go into a foundation wall design for residential garages because the threshold of door openings are at grade elevation. It is firstly critical that the wall maintain a minimum height of 6 inches above grade to prohibit moisture penetration to the typical wood framed structure it supports and of course the interior too. The foundation wall has to also maintain proper frost depth, which is a specific distance below grade, determined by local building codes and varies by location and state. Typically in our plans, the heights of a foundation wall are all relative to the finished floor elevation. However, when it comes to incorporating a swing door or an overhead door, the distance that a portion of the foundation wall we specify to be dropped is relative to the wall at that particular location.

There are some general rules we go by and different circumstances can result in a variety of solutions. For a typical above grade garage accommodating one car length in depth, we normally set the top of foundation wall height a minimum of 6-12 inches above the lowest point of the top of the garage floor slab. There are a variety of reasons the top of foundation wall is set to where it is and some architects and builders take that into consideration on a case by case basis, others just conform to standard practices. Also, we specify to slope the garage floor, and is usually 4-6 inches of fall from back to front depending on the depth of the garage and the presense of any floor drains. The result then at the rear of the garage is that the foundation wall ends up at 2-8 inches above the rear of the garage floor. For the allowance of a swing door or an overhead garage door, whether it is at the rear of the garage or the front, not only does the foundation wall need to be lowered for the purpose of the door threshold, but it also needs to be dropped further to allow for the floor slab to be thickened for structural support of the slab itself, stabilization of the adjoining foundation walls, and also the load of vehicles above. This thickened slab is formed and poured after the foundation walls have cured, which is why specifying the distance of the drop itself is important for the workers in the field who set up the form work for the concrete that is to be poured. We set the vertical depth of the thickened slab at a minimum of 8 inches below the 4 inches of actual floor slab, or 12 inches below the lowest top of slab height .

Once we have determined what height the foundation wall needs to be above the lowest top of slab height and take into account the 12 inches of thickened slab, the drop in the wall for an overhead garage door is pretty easy to calculate. For the graphic example above, I have set the foundation wall height at 8 inches above the lowest point of my top of slab height, so the net distance for dropping the foundation wall is 8 inches plus 12 inches, or 20 inches. While an above grade garage will usually have a continuous foundation wall height, we specify the necessary drops in it so doors can be incorporated. All in all, each project requires its own analysis to determine foundation wall heights and these design considerations are critical for every project.

Originally posted 2009-11-01 02:00:36.

How Can You Tell if a Door is Fire Rated

Sean O'Hara — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:45 +0000

When you're putting together code reviews for remodels and additions in commercial projects, its often important to know which existing doors are rated.

Figuring it out is pretty simple, in order to qualify as a rated door it has to be labeled. So look at the door (typically the hinge side) and there should be a metal plaque with the rating on it. If the plaque has been painted over, clean it off. If you don't find a label, then chances are its not rated.

Originally posted 2011-08-18 00:01:24.

Architecture School on Sundance

Sean O'Hara — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:44 +0000

The Sundance Channel has a show called Architecture School. It follows the work of a studio at Tulane focused on designing and building a house in some of the more difficult neighborhoods in New Orleans.

Chris and Elicia and I have been watching it and I think it is well done. The project involves real clients and real construction so it is a more interesting show that it might be if it focused more on the traditional studio project. Of course my perspective favors the architecture school experience.

Originally posted 2008-09-12 20:35:47.

Caribbean School of Architecture

Restaurant Floor Plans Free Initial Consultation

Dean Dalvit — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:43 +0000

Evstudio has had the pleasure of designing a wide variety of restaurant, cafe, bar and similar projects and it has become a specialty within our greater body of commercial work.

Overseas Cafe Floor Plan

Designing a restaurant can be difficult business if you are not fully in tune with all of the codes and regulations that go along with it. Whether you are renovating an existing retail or restaurant space or building an entirely new building, with a free initial design consultation from EVstudio, you can quickly learn the ins and outs of what you will be up against with your local jurisdiction as well as the health department. Our expert staff is well acquainted with everything from kitchen design to the egress requirements from an assembly space, and everything in between.

Boom-A-Rang Diner

And you can be sure that the building department will not permit your project without all of the required construction documentation:

Architectural plans and space design for the amount of seating, functional spaces, kitchen layout and ADA restrooms, all compliant to the fire code, accessibility, health department and even your bank.
Mechanical engineering for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (not to mention those pesky Type 1 and 2 Hoods)
Electrical engineering for the systems, lighting and refrigeration necessary
Structural changes that would need to be made within an existing space or for a new structure entirely.

The in-house integration of all of these disciplines allows EVstudio to be your most affordable choice for getting your project permitted in the shortest amount of time. We can also help you with estimating the construction cost of your restaurant design so that you know that you can build the restaurant you envision for the budget you have.

Acapulco Mexican Restaurant Floor Plan

And do not underestimate the power of good design. The atmosphere you create in your restaurant is in the top three things people claim keeps them coming back. The great food and service is your expertise, leave the quality of the space to us.

Giovanni's Italian Restaurant

So, give us a call and let's talk about your project!

Originally posted 2011-01-21 08:30:13.

Understanding R-Value and Insulation

evstudio — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:20:42 +0000

This post is provided by Earthcore SIPs.

There are many conditions that determine the effectiveness of any building material to provide comfort and energy efficient performance. R-Value is only one of these factors or measurement tools.

R-Value is the measure of resistance to heat flow through the defined material. The higher the R-Value the less heat will transfer through the wall, making the system more energy efficient.

R-Value is determined by testing or by the addition of tested components. When “effective” R-value is used, it represents that at a given condition or circumstance, the system performs the same as a product with the “real” R-value.

It is important to understand the conditions at which the “effective” R-value was determined, and see if your application is the same. For example, a masonry wall may have a high “effective” R-value for a 5 hour test period, but have a very low R-value during a 24 hour test period. Where “real” R-value products will have the same R-value during both test periods.

There are several items to consider when evaluating R-Value and it’s effect on your project

Effective R-Value

An example would be masonry products. Masonry product have a very low R-Value but have a high thermal mass. Foam type products have a high R-value but low thermal mass. There is not a standard measurement or number for the energy effectiveness of thermal mass. While R-value resists the flow of heat, thermal mass delays the transfer of heat but does not reduce it. During a short period, thermal mass has the same “effective” R-value, so it is sometimes advertised with this R-value rating. It is not a real R-value but, under those conditions, an “effective” R-value. Please review other technical bulletins for more details and other related items.

Installed R-Value vs Advertised R-Value

It should be noted that R-Value of an item is the value that was tested in a laboratory and is real, but the item may not perform at the same R-value when installed. Most insulating materials obtain their insulating values from trapped air spaces, often the higher the density of air pockets, the higher the R-value. If these air spaces are compressed, a lower R-value will result. For example, batt type insulation may be rated at R-19 in its free state, but requires a 6 ½” thickness to obtain that value. When this material is installed in a 5 ½” frame cavity, the batt is compressed and the R-value is less than R-19. Likewise, putting two batts in the space for one does not increase insulating value; it might even reduce the R-value. Review the Technical Bulletin on Air Infiltration in Insulation for more related information.

Nonuniform Material

Whole wall R-value is the term used to describe the average R-value for the total wall taking into consideration variations and non-uniformity’s in the insulating material. Often, the R-value of the insulating material is advertised without stating the effect of the total system.

An example would be installing an R-19 batt insulation in a 2×6 frame wall. The resultant “whole wall R-value” is the average of the R-19 insulation and the R-5 stud. Tests have shown that the actual “whole wall R-value” of an R-19 wall system to be R-13.7, much less than the R-19 advertised. This applies to all non uniform wall systems.

The R-value of building materials may be effected or altered by the following items.

Non uniform material
Thermal shorts
Material compression
Air infiltration in the insulation
Humidity
Temperature swing or range of environment
Effects of time and aging.

Along with R-Value, several other factors need to be considered to determine the overall energy efficiency of a building structure.

Thermal Mass
Air infiltration in the building
Radiated heat gains
Internal heat gains
Latent and Sensible heat transfer

Originally posted 2010-03-05 00:01:00.