PERSPECTIVES

The construction of our “Flats on Savin” project is really starting to take shape.  The Hush-Frame rafts have all been installed with a layer of 7/8” wood strapping.   Insulation will soon be in place and the final layer of the system, drywall, will follow.

One of the most important aspects of the installation has been the ‘buy-in’ of the G.C.’s sub-contractors.   All of the rough electrical, fire alarm, HVAC must be isolated from the studs.   This isolation prevents any transition of sound vibration to the strapping and the drywall.   Bald Hill Builders and their subs have been working hard to ensure that all the roughs are fastened to the strapping.  In addition, when the drywall is installed, the contractor will use drywall screws no larger than 1 1/4” to ensure there is no fastening through the strapping and into the studs.   This kind of attention to detail will pay dividends to the proper execution of the system.  

Below is a collection of data that was gathered on-site after the windows and sheathing were installed and prior to drywall, insulation, and siding.  

On Wednesday April 19, 2017 @ 10:00am the following reading were collected from Bedroom #1 in Unit 206 on the Second floor.

Ambient sound facing away from I-93         – 46 dB (Delta - 8 dB)

I-93 Ambient base sound                               - 56 dB (Delta - 9 dB)

I-93 Spike from truck                                       - 63 dB (Delta - 15 dB)

Ashmont Train arrival to Savin Hill                 - 70 dB (Delta - 12 dB)

Ashmont Train departure from Savin Hill     - 64 dB (Delta - 22 dB)

Braintree Train passing at full speed            - 73 dB (Delta - 22 dB)

‍

GE hosted a “Lighting Design Competition” to crowdsource ideas and drive innovation to tackle industry problems Entrants were eligible to win cash as well as internships and future collaboration opportunities. We tapped RODE Architect’s own Katie Cressall to participate, as well as to share her approach and ideas developed for the competition. Here’s her take on the challenge and proposed solution:

“The challenge was to design a new office lighting typology using cutting edge GE products, including Bluetooth technology and cloud data, as a basis. My approach was to incorporate concepts from environmental psychology and use new technology to enhance feelings of wellness. Light has a large influence on comfort levels and can play a suggestive role in the emotions and sensory experience of occupants.

One clear example of light influencing the mind-body connection, is apparent in its ability to activate the body’s arousal system to change the sleep-wake schedule. Many people in the workforce suffering from sleep deprivation and lighting systems can help to adjust the natural circadian rhythm. This approach presents the opportunity for employees to receive enough early-morning light exposure to “wake up” their natural body clock and become more productive. Illumination of approximately 2500 lux or more at eye level for 1-2 hours is required to obtain successful results. If the lighting system is set to turn on the eye-level desk or task lights in the morning – it can act like cup of coffee in light fixture form.

The increase and decrease of eye-level light in the morning would be gradual so as to not disrupt workflow. An increase in eye-level light during the late afternoon would also activate the arousal system and get people through the “afternoon slump.” Light levels would decrease after typical work hours to allow the body to prepare for sleep. This also presents the option to increase light levels to help meet certain deadlines by overriding the system. Light levels and the body’s natural clock have been noted to help with jet lag and adjustment to changing time shifts for work. A custom light setting can be made for employees who work odd hours I, to accommodate differing time zones, or for companies that operate 24-7.

The psychosomatic effect of the lights could also increase the levels of light for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during the winter. The cloud would activate the lights more in the winter to aid employees, especially those who work in environments with darker winters. Supporting workers in this way increases productivity and lets them know their employer is  prioritizing their wellbeing and  improving the office experience. A sensor monitoring natural light levels can also decrease cost by providing illumination only when natural light is not sufficient. Occupancy and motion/cellphone tracking can provide light only where there are people around and shut off when there are not. When there is cell signal, but no movement, this indicates to the system that users are sedentary and likely looking at a self-illuminated screen so normal light levels can be decreased. This system works to create an environment that focuses on the employee experience while also decreasing lighting overuse by taking into account people using the space and outside weather conditions.”

For more information on the challenge, visit: http://static.geinnovationlab.com/challenges/lighting.html

‍

It all goes back to Leazar Hall for Eric Robinson and Kevin Deabler. It was there that the friends-turned-business-partners met on their first day of class at NC State. And more than 20 years later, the pair continues to work side by side, leaving their imprint on Boston neighborhoods at RODE Architects, the firm they founded in 2005.


“We’re raising our families in these neighborhoods that we’re actually doing this work in,” Deabler said in a recent talk the two gave on campus with College of Design students. “We’re forming the city that our kids are going to grow up in, and there’s something pretty authentic about that.”

PHOTO: From left to right, Kevin Deabler, Roger Clark and Eric Robinson


Robinson and Deabler both graduated from NC State with design degrees in the mid-1990s and eventually used parts of both of their names to arrive at RODE as the moniker. They have taken on a variety of projects in the 12 years since they founded their firm, from Harvard Art Museums to restaurants and multi-family residences. But working in Boston has its challenges. The crooked, winding roads and lack of a consistent grid system result in oddly shaped plots of land, which can make it an architecturally challenging city.


Those challenges can be overcome, Robinson and Deabler said, by taking a holistic approach to their projects. “We do work very hard to do a rigorous assessment of the sites and sort of looking at everything — solar orientation, proximity to whatever it might be,” Robinson said.


Boston’s rich history also means some pushback from community members who fear the modern, paneled designs are too futuristic for the nearly 400-year-old city. But for Robinson and Deabler, embedding themselves in their neighborhood makes a difference. “I think a lot of [it] is explaining how we see this as architects blending into the neighborhood, even though it might be adjacent to some hundred-year-old brick building,” Robinson said. “We want buildings to reflect what it is today, not what it looked like a hundred years ago.”


Robinson and Deabler still keep in touch with their Wolfpack roots, attending football games at Boston College and getting together with fellow alumni. And when a former Wolfpack quarterback was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2016, they were excited to show their support around town.


“I think we’re the only two people in Boston with Jacoby Brissett jerseys,” Deabler said. “We had them custom-made.”

Original Article by Megan Ellisor can be read in the NC State Alumni News here.

‍

Our inaugural post for our new blog series that highlights our fabulous team kicks off with a little one-on-one time with RODE’s very first full-time employee: Ben Wan.

1. How long have you been at RODE?

7 years in June – the transformation of the studio over the years has been incredible and exciting to watch.

2. What attracted you to RODE?

My first exposure to RODE Architects was through our principal and owner here: Eric Robinson, who I was lucky enough to have as a professor in my final year at Northeastern University. Initially, I joined RODE to assist with graphic work and worked my way up to a full-time position on the team.

3. What projects are you currently working on?

I’ve had exposure to a variety of projects that RODE leads, including mixed-use, commercial, and residential developments. Some projects of particular interest that I am currently working on include the Appalachian Mountain Club headquarters, a design which is strongly informed by the organization’s fervent conservation and sustainability missions; 105 Washington Street, a Brighton project in partnership with a residential developer and two established Jewish institutions that is nearing construction; and 420 West Broadway, a redevelopment of an old South Boston theater.

4. What is your favorite building in Boston, why?

I love small, sacred spaces - universities in particular tend to create these - that provide a place of spirituality and reflection in otherwise fast-paced environments. Of course there is Saarinen at MIT, but also Safdie at Harvard and Office da at Northeastern. There are similar spaces in the Prudential Center and at Logan Airport. They are tiny gems that use abstraction to stay non-denominational and are, in my mind, always worth revisiting.

5. In your opinion, what is the most interesting facet of the design industry today?

I've listened to a few podcasts that explore how automation has hollowed out manufacturing employment, and whether the creative industries are next and should be concerned. There are many digital tools that allow architects to play with incredibly complex forms with ease, while also making more repetitive tasks less time-consuming. Is there a point at which the tide flips and the technology edges us out of a job? It may not seem likely in the short term, but we should keep one eye on the machines!

6. Where do you find your inspiration?

There is great benefit to taking time early on in the process to really understand the program and define its potential challenges. The temptation is always to jump right in and begin sketching, but by focusing in on the essential nature of a project you define the core basis of your design, and that can inform decisions throughout the entire project. The spirit of this kind of strategic thinking is really championed by RODE’s process.

7. Any fun facts about yourself?

I was a few pen strokes away from pursuing music performance as a major in college! I still play, and though it's mostly a hobby, I still see the value and overlap in creative pursuits. Design inspiration can come from anywhere so it's important to diversify your interests, and expose yourself to new art forms, ideas, and means of communication.

‍

The year’s top technological trend is carving out a place for itself in the architecture industry. Virtual Reality (VR for short) can provide architects with quick outputs of virtual spaces that may not be built for months or even years.  VR is a three dimensional simulation of a real or modeled environment/space that can be inhabited, and often interacted with, through the use of special VR equipment. In order to navigate smoothly through a virtual space a highly powerful computer is needed.

VR has also become an effective marketing tool for many real estate agencies. Capturing VR footage of an existing space requires no expertise in the field, just a 3D camera in a fixed location. The process after a room is scanned varies and depends on the brand of the equipment. For example, Matterport’s monthly plans allow a user to upload room scans to the cloud “where a powerful algorithm” processes the data. In other words, all of the captured photos are stitched together to form a 360-degree image.

Rapid outputs of interior spaces stand to significantly benefit the architecture community, which is constantly looking to streamline practices and maximize efficiency. Design software platforms such as Autodesk’s Revit have begun to integrate VR as an output option. Revit allows users to place a fixed point and provides a 360-degree, three-dimensional view of the space from that position. The procedure is realized in a matter of minutes by selecting any point in a built model and adjusting graphic options.  VR promises enormous value throughout the design process in its ability to communicate design strategies within a firm or to consultants, contractors and clients. For years, clients have struggled to fully comprehend or visualize a space based on floor plans. VR could act as an effective tool for architect-client communication from both a time and cost standpoint.

Improvements to visual representations most specifically image distortion are needed to the current VR outputs for a more comfortable and smooth virtual experiences.Although it is still in the development stage, the possibilities are boundless. Imagine a VR experience where you are standing inside a modeled room and have the ability to simulate the sunlight entering for any given time and date or the ability to walk-through different modeled spaces. Solar studies and walk-through animations already exist, so it will not be long until it’s incorporated into the VR option. It’s safe to assume that these advances could lead to the creation of architecture from first person perspective and the use of gestures as modeling tools. The ability to interact with design models in virtual spaces would be groundbreaking. These ideas are already in the works, so try not to blink because you just might miss this revolutionary step in design.

Check out our project Forbes Townhouse VR Experience:

https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=okfAW2JEcjw

‍