Scenario
A very well-funded non-profit humanitarian organization is planning to build a series of significant projects to serve selected communities in the SF Bay Area
over the next ten years. The venture capitalist founder of this organization will be fully funding these projects with the expectation and goal that the projects
will not only serve the needs of their communities but also that the projects will be lasting and significant works of contemporary architecture and iconic
exemplars of quality 21st century design making the world a better place.
You are an advisory member to the Board of Directors of this non-profit organization, and due to your extensive knowledge of architecture and in particular
the design motivations of 20th & 21st century contemporary architecture in particular, you are being asked to assist in the selection of the architect for one of
the following projects being scheduled for design & construction in the next few years:
Select one of the projects below for your assignment:
Project A: A 50-unit affordable / low income level apartment building with a ground floor grocery store & cafe;
Project B: A new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) building for a local High School;
Project C: A neighborhood development of 20 new single family starter homes for young families of local city employees, healthcare workers, teachers
and first responders (firefighters & police).
Project D: A new green / sustainable & carbon neutral community recreation center and library;
You are being asked to select an Architect for your project from the following is list of respected San Francisco Bay Area architectural firms:
Siegel & Strain Architects, www.siegelstrain.com/ (http://www.siegelstrain.com/)
Mark Cavagnero Associates Architects, https://www.cavagnero.com/ (https://www.cavagnero.com/)
David Baker Architects, https://www.dbarchitect.com/ (https://www.dbarchitect.com/)
Fougeron Architecture, http://www.fougeron.com/ (http://www.fougeron.com/)
Fernau & Hartman Architects, https://www.fernauhartman.com/ (https://www.fernauhartman.com/)
Aiden Darling Design, http://www.aidlindarlingdesign.com/ (http://www.aidlindarlingdesign.com/)
Field Architecture, https://fieldarchitecture.com/ (https://fieldarchitecture.com/)
Stanley Saitowitz / Natoma Architects Inc, http://www.saitowitz.com/ (http://www.saitowitz.com/)
Paulett Taggart Architects, http://ptarc.com/ (http://ptarc.com/)
MK Think, https://www.mkthink.com/ (https://www.mkthink.com/)
In your papers, please make your choices clear - Project and Architect chosen.
Instructions
- Review the websites of the ten firms as provided. Each firm’s websites include information about their services, how they work, their philosophy of
design, the composition of the firm and a visual portfolio of the projects they have completed or are working on, as well as some references to articles
about them and awards. - Select an architectural firm from the list that would be, based upon your research and evaluation, most ideally suited to design the project you selected,
and satisfy the goals of the project sponsor to be an icon of contemporary design for the betterment of humanity. - Discuss in detail your research and justification for your selection of an architect for your project and how or why the architect selected may be somehow
inspired or in the tradition of any of the architects or movements of 20th & 21st C architecture presented this semester in Arch 100, both in terms of their
design philosophy and / or their actual works of architecture.
What is name of the Architectural Firm and the Project you have assigned / matched to this firm?
Describe the composition and background of the architectural firm. Who is / are the principal / key person / professionals of the firm?
What is their background, specialty interest and when was the firm started? Where is the firm located?
Why did you select this firm & why did you select this firm for the particular Project you have chosen?
Discuss all that may apply or contributed to your evaluation and selection process: Was there something that attracted you to this firm? Their
philosophy of architecture or design process? Or something about the portfolio of their work / buildings the firm has done? Why did you match this
firm to the project you selected? Why did you choose the project selected?
Discuss in detail, one particular project from the firm website portfolio that you considered successful, interesting or in some manner “positive” or
“attractive”. Include the name and location of the project. How does this selected building relate to any work or topics discussed in class this
semester? How does this building seem to endeavor to achieve a unity of “firmness” (utilization & expression of contemporary construction
technologies), “commodity” ( serves the needs of contemporary society / people) and “delight” (instills a positive human experiences)? and / or : How
does the architectural solution achieve some aspect of a sense of “purpose”, “timeliness”, “materiality” or “aesthetics of function” as discussed in our
course textbook?
Discuss how your selected architectural firm and their work or design philosophy remind you or could be considered in the tradition of / or related to
any of the architects, architectural movements and / or conceptual / philosophical motivations of 20th & early 21st century contemporary architecture
as presented in Architecture 100 this semester?
Why do you believe the firm you selected could be capable of designing a project that would satisfy the project sponsor’s critical goal of not only
satisfying the needs of the communities being served, but become lasting and significant works of contemporary architecture and iconic exemplars of
quality 21st century design? - Include images and/or diagrams, if appropriate.