September 2011 - domusstudio architecture

Monthly Archives: September 2011

September 28, 2011

55-Year-Old Burbank Church Launches Major Renovation

Members of the First Presbyterian Church of Burbank gathered Sunday, Sept. 25, for a groundbreaking event to celebrate the start of construction on a grand scale interior and exterior makeover. According to the church master plan designed by domusstudio architecture, the work will increase outreach and support ongoing growth at the nearly 125-year-old church.

Built in the 1950s, Burbank Presbyterian’s current structure is a concrete masonry block building with two half towers facing the street. Here are some highlights of the remodel:

• A new entry will be farther back on the campus, providing a better transition from street activity to sacred ministry.

• The existing entry, or narthex, will become a small chapel featuring clear glass and a new skylight that will provide an ethereal connection.

• The church’s main courtyard will be reworked for improved gathering space and ADA accessibility.

• The extensive ADA upgrade also will include an elevator tower that will allow the church to utilize 100 percent of its facilities.

• A bridge will be built from a new elevator tower to the upper levels of the two existing buildings, “providing an exciting three tier exterior kinetic courtyard,” according to David Keitel of domusstudio architecture.

• New windows, skylights and light shelves will maximize the effects of natural daylight and minimize the requirements for artificial lighting for a more sustainable building.

• The basement of the existing sanctuary building will be dug out on one side in order to create a lower-level outdoor courtyard for youth assembly.

Founded in 1986 as Dominy + Associates, domusstudio architecture is a San Diego architectural design firm specializing in sacred facilities, fire stations, educational buildings, senior housing and custom residential projects. For more information about projects and services, call 619-692-9393.

September 14, 2011

Snapshots from the 9/11 dedication of the Parish Center at St. Elizabeth Seton

It was the 10-year anniversary of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a somber day of remembrance for most, but also a day of celebration at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church.

Sept. 11, 2011 was dedication day for the new Parish Center at the Carlsbad parish. Hundreds turned out to witness the blessing of the building by Bishop Robert Brom and Father Don Coleman and to get a first look of the beautiful 18,443-square-foot, two-story structure.

Designed as part of a master plan by domusstudio architecture, St. Elizabeth Seton’s new Parish Center contributes to a cohesive church campus and matches the award-winning sanctuary the San Diego architecture firm designed more than 15 years ago.

domusstudio’s Wayne Holtan, AIA, was the partner in charge of the project, and CW Driver was the general contractor. Parishioner Pete Kruse of Kruse Development Services, Inc., was the project manager on behalf of the Diocese of San Diego.

September 13, 2011

On Winning a Lottery…

I would guess all of us have daydreamed about what we would do with the money if we won the lottery. Here’s a true, feel-good story about a lottery winner.

Our firm designed the Social Hall and Chapel for the Notre Dame Academy in Carmel Valley. We have supported the school the past few years during their annual fundraiser, a golf tournament and dinner.

In addition to a silent auction, the school sells raffle tickets to raise money each year for some special project. Half of the money collected goes to the school and half goes to one lucky winner. In the first or second year, the winner gave his half back to the school as well, and that started a tradition of giving back some or all of the money.

Now, each year, before they draw the winning ticket, the organizers tell the story of the previous year’s “give back” to encourage (pressure?) this years winner to follow suit. The sum has become fairly substantial.

Lo and behold, who should win last year, but my partner David Pfeifer. I was so proud of him when he stepped forward and offered half of his winnings back to the school. He also stated that he was going to donate the other half to his own kids’ school—the Nazareth School in Mission Valley. Wow!!!

But the story does not end here.

David met with the Nazareth School principal and asked that the money be specifically spent as seed money for new technology upgrades to all of the classrooms. He then presented his story of the winning ticket and his gift to the other parents at the school and they stepped-up and raised all the rest of the money to complete the technology upgrades. Over this past summer, with some additional sweat equity by David and other parents, all of the upgrades were installed.

This year’s golf fundraiser at Notre Dame Academy was held recently. I did not know the end of David’s lottery story until the auctioneer told it to the audience just before he drew this year’s winning ticket.

Hooray for David, for his quiet leadership and generosity, and for this tradition continuing to grow.

Look what one act of kindness five years ago has led to today.

Golf Day

September 2, 2011

Smart and Sustainable: Practical Applications for Water Conservation

Part 3: Water efficient landscaping

By John Pyjar, Principal, LEED AP

Sustainable design and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) have been getting a lot of press lately. This is the third in a series of articles intended to give building owners an overview of the sustainable design features which are the most practical and effective in the long-term reduction of building operating expenses and energy consumption as well as features that contribute to the long-term “livability” of buildings.

For anyone living in Southern California, or anywhere in the Southwest, water conservation needs to become part of our way of life. As our population increases and our water resources stay the same or decrease, conservation is the best course of action.

From a design standpoint, high efficiency toilets, low flow faucets, and waterless urinals are all important means to save water. However, the most dramatic area to save water is in landscape irrigation.

According to the California Department of Water Resources, about half of urban water use is for irrigation. In San Diego, that number climbs to 60 percent. Think of it. We use over half of our non-agricultural water supply to turn our corner of the desert into a tropical paradise with dense foliage and lush green lawns.

Here are a few ways to make irrigation more efficient:

“smart” irrigation timers that turn the system off when it rains
efficient rotor nozzles in lieu of spray heads
drip irrigation
use of gray water and recycled water

The biggest impact we can have is to re-think our design aesthetic. The use of native, drought tolerant plant materials can be beautiful and sculptural. Once established, xeriscape areas require little or no irrigation. There is a diverse plant palette of colors and textures that in the hands of a skilled and artistic landscape architect can be used to create a living composition, complimentary to the built environment.

domusstudio architecture has collaborated with a few award-winning landscape architecture firms, including Deneen Powell Atelier, Schmidt Design Group, and Spurlock Poirier.

Sustainable-Architecture-Design-domusstudio

55-Year-Old Burbank Church Launches Major Renovation

Snapshots from the 9/11 dedication of the Parish Center at St. Elizabeth Seton

On Winning a Lottery…

Smart and Sustainable: Practical Applications for Water Conservation

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