Design Wire May 2024
THE VIEWPOINT, a luxury boutique hotel in York, has debuted seven private SHORESIDE ROOMS made from poured concrete to mimic the rocky shores below. Featuring floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors and unobstructed views of Nubble Light, the Shoreside Rooms reflect a midcentury modern aesthetic juxtaposed with modern elements and natural textures. “As visitors descend toward the units, they are enveloped by imposing concrete walls lining a dark, enclosed entry corridor, evoking a sense of theatrical anticipation. The transition from the enclosed, somber entrance to the airy, sunlit interior with epic ocean views is intended to elicit a profound ‘wow’ moment,” explains Chris Reynolds of CR DESIGN. Carved into the coastline and seamlessly blending into the natural landscape, the contemporary cabanas feature Maine’s first commercial green roof. Known for their insulating properties, green roofs (roofs that have plants growing on them) offer numerous sustainability benefits, including stormwater management, improved air quality, and heat island mitigation. “These living roofs have evolved into captivating visual elements that redefine the ecological impact of buildings. Converting conventional rooftops into vibrant green spaces transcends mere functional utility, [allowing the roof to] become a focal point of aesthetic allure and environmental stewardship,” Reynolds adds.
The 2024 Jury of Fellows of the AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS (AIA) elevated JESSE THOMPSON, cofounder and principal of KAPLAN THOMPSON ARCHITECTS and BRIGHTBUILT HOME, to its prestigious COLLEGE OF FELLOWS. Fellowship, the AIA’s highest honor, is awarded to only 3 percent of the organization’s nearly 100,000 national members. Thompson was recognized for his commitment to designing for ecology, change, and equity, along with his industry leadership, mentorship, and architecture expertise. “I’m honored and humbled to be welcomed into the College of Fellows. I hope this personal award helps push a larger message about the potential and importance of sustainability in architecture,” said Thompson. He will accept the award at an investiture ceremony held during the AIA national conference in Washington, D.C., in June.
After a decade of research and development and nine years of comprehensive testing, RENCO is disrupting the American construction industry with an innovative building system of Lego-like blocks made from a sustainable composite of recycled glass and plastic, resin, and stone. RENCO’s system of interlocking units with “build by color” schematics makes it easy for individuals with varying levels of skill and expertise to build a structure quickly and efficiently; the streamlined construction process eliminates the need for dumpsters and noisy machinery on jobsites by requiring just a rubber mallet and glue gun to assemble an entire building. The first U.S. project featuring RENCO materials, a 96-unit hurricane-proof apartment building in Florida developed by COASTAL CONSTRUCTION, was assembled in less than two months by a team of 11 laborers.
A new exhibition at the SHELBURNE MUSEUM in Shelburne, Vermont, features artwork from 12 multidisciplinary artists from across New England that “delves deep into the inner realms of the psyche to unearth and critically analyze our complex realities.” From still life paintings to assemblage structures, the art showcased in NEW ENGLAND NOW: STRANGE STATES embraces multiple perceptions of the ethereal, grounded in topics of mythology, environmentalism, ideals of beauty, transformation, and gender and cultural identity. Recent work by Maine artists Bianca Beck, Sarah Meyers Brent, Lauren Fensterstock, and Emilie Stark-Menneg will be on display from May 11 to October 20. Strange States is the third installment of the New England Now series: in 2018, the first exhibition highlighted large-scale works exploring the region’s evolving landscape, and New England Now: People, which opened in 2021, focused on artists’ interpretations of portraiture.
BONZAI, a Japanese-inspired tiny home from French firm BALUCHON, takes space-saving to the next level: measuring less than 15 feet long, the cozy structure is half the length of a conventional North American tiny house. Built for mobility on a double-axle trailer, Bonzai features a red cedar exterior, an aluminum roof, and insulation made from sustainable materials including linen, hemp, and cotton. The spruce interior offers a small bathroom with a toilet and shower, a compact kitchen with pull-out table, a multipurpose living space, a woodburning stove, a home cinema setup, and storage in the form of shelves, underfloor drawers, and overhead lockers. Though it lacks a built-in bed, the Bonzai’s floor is large enough to accommodate a roll-up futon. An exterior ladder leads to a small rooftop deck for stargazing and enjoying the outdoors.
BARRY MILLS HALL and the JOHN AND LILE GIBBONS CENTER FOR ARCTIC STUDIES at BOWDOIN COLLEGE are the first commercially scaled mass-timber buildings in the Pine Tree State. Designed by HGA and built by CONSIGLI CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, the eco-friendly structures have a timber-frame system that reduces their embodied carbon footprint by 75 percent (when compared to a steel structure) and an electric heating and cooling system powered by a photovoltaic array. Mills Hall, the larger of the two buildings, is home to the departments of anthropology and digital and computational studies in addition to a 60-person cinema, an event space, and huddle areas for student collaboration. The three-story Gibbons Center houses an archaeology lab, offices, classrooms, and the PEARY-MACMILLAN ARCTIC MUSEUM.
Architecture and design firm WINTER HOLBEN is working to transform two adjacent Kittery properties into a boutique hotel called the FORESIDE INN using a mix of traditional details and contemporary elements. New Hampshire firms ALTUS ENGINEERING and WOODBURN AND COMPANY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, along with MADBURY REAL ESTATE VENTURES, are also on board for the project. One of the site’s original buildings, which dates back to 1890 and was formerly occupied by a small bed-and-breakfast, will undergo extensive renovations, while the other structure will be removed to make way for a larger inn building. A touchless technology system with keyless room access and virtual check-in via a mobile app will eliminate the need for a front desk and reduce on-site staffing.
Established in 2013, the city of Auburn’s POLICE ACTIVITIES LEAGUE (PAL) provides positive experiences, meals, and organized activities for at-risk youth and children in the area. Portland-based SIMONS ARCHITECTS, engineers WOODARD AND CURRAN, and general contractor LANDRY/FRENCH CONSTRUCTION break ground this month on a new $9.5 million, 14,651-square-foot facility for PAL, which will include a basketball court, teen room, meeting space, bathrooms and showers, and a commercial kitchen. (Auburn’s grab-and-go grocery program and a youth mentorship program will also operate from the center.) PANOLAM SURFACE SYSTEMS, which has a national production facility in Auburn, is generously donating material to the project. PAL received $3 million in HUD Community Project Funding facilitated by Senator Susan Collins’s office; Auburn’s city council authorized nearly $4 million from its ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds in addition to $1.5 million in bond funds and an allocation of almost $600,000 from the 2022 undesignated fund balance; and Auburn’s HUD-CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) program is allocating $500,000 toward the facility. “Auburn PAL’s mission and belief is that ‘It is far better to build strong youth than to mend adults.’ We are fortunate that Auburn’s city council is continuing to invest in our youth and their families,” says Rita Beaudry, grant manager for the City of Auburn.
The UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE’s Gorham campus will soon boast a brand-new electronic sports arena thanks to a $750,000 donation from TOWN AND COUNTRY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION. Designed by SMRT ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS, the 2,000-square-foot arena at USM’s Brooks Student Center will include 70 seats for spectating, along with three streaming suites and a broadcast area for student commentators. USM’s coordinator of recreation, Katriana Thebarge, told Mainebiz that the readily available computers, gaming consoles, and other equipment at the arena “will help erase some of the barriers to play” for students interested in esports competition who may not know where to begin or have the proper materials to do so. The esports program at USM is the university’s largest club sport, with almost 200 active members; a new academic minor in esports management will debut this spring.