In our search for space in which to relocate our growing architectural practice, we discovered a vacant, Mid-Century Modern structure in a central location. Constructed in 1955, the masonry and steel structure was structurally sound but lacking in energy-efficient features. The design focused on insulation of the building envelope and highly efficient system design.  Thanks to the building’s corner site and long, relatively narrow footprint, interior spaces are filled with daylight. Exterior sunshades were added to the second floor windows, along with interior light shelves, to help control sunlight and glare.

Exposed structure and systems contribute to the sense of openness and texture within the main studio space.  The project represents our commitment to our profession, the city in which we practice and the practice of sustainable design. We occupied the building in 2014 and are pursuing LEED Gold certification for the project.

This adaptive reuse of a 1920’s building in Huntington’s Historic Downtown District converted the structure into a multi-tenant building of approximately 29,000 SF.  The project involved three different scopes of work, with the first being exterior restoration of the building envelope, removing Urban Renewal-era plaster panels from the façade of the building, revealing existing windows in the upper two stories and an arched window element over the front entry.

A core and shell package was developed to enable a future street level tenant space and a new ground floor entry lobby for tenants on upper levels to use, including a new elevator.   The interior was renovated to house a law firm.  The corner site affords open and airy interiors in the original building, with large windows and high ceilings. Daylight to interior open support space is drawn from borrowed lights in office walls. New high efficiency HVAC, plumbing and lighting systems were integrated into the spaces to completely modernize the 92 year old building.

The project was completed in 2010.  Funding for the project was aided by the use of Historic Tax Credits and was completed within The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring and Reconstructing Historic Buildings.

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Darco International, Inc. manufactures and distributes rehabilitative footwear for the healthcare industry. Darco’s existing distribution warehouse is on the edge of a large industrial park that faces a tree-lined boulevard and scenic park. After considering the long term growth and future plans for the company, our firm was retained to design an 11,000 s.f. office building addition to the distribution facility to serve as their United States headquarters.

The project serves as a much needed “face lift” to the industrial site while giving Darco’s employees a pleasant office environment in which to work. Careful attention was given to opening the interior to views of the park utilizing panoramic windows and earthen materials. Skylights wash the interior with natural light creating an airy feel. A conference room and staff lounge open up to an outdoor covered patio with views of the trees and park. The project was completed in 2006.

Completed in 2013, this complex is believed to be the largest and most comprehensive coal mining safety training facility in the world. The variety of training environments required 4 distinct buildings.  The first is a 26,300 sf Class Training Building where miners learn in both classroom and shop type settings.  It includes an IMAX type theater for vehicle simulation, a meeting room for 250 people, and catering kitchen.  The second building is the 6500 sf Weld Training facility where students learn critical welding, electrical, hydraulics, and vehicle maintenance on equipment such as continual miners, scoops, and other tracked systems.

The third building is the 6600 sf Mobile Command Center where in the case of an actual mine emergency, rescue vehicles and a mobile command satellite truck may be dispatched.  The building is also outfitted with a large conference and media room to coordinate rescue activities and to provide news media with current information.

Lastly, the Mine Simulator building is the largest of its kind in the world.  In this 104,000sf single story structure the underground mine environment is simulated with entry points, coal pillars, circulation fans, recessed water pits, and a live fire training section.  All light is sealed out to teach miners how to properly follow overhead cable lines in the event of an emergency.  The live fire training section includes a section of belt line, continuous miner, cribbing, and most importantly a propane fired control booth with overhead heat shield to simulate the conditions of an underground fire.  Construction of the entire complex was completed in 12 months.

In 1999 the Robert C. Byrd Institute commissioned us to renovate their 48,000 sf building into manufacturing and demonstration space, as well as change the building’s exterior image to better reflect the Institute’s mission. A high tech, carefully detailed and executed composite aluminum panel system was chosen for the exterior. The first floor was renovated to expand the shop and demonstration areas which house the latest technology in machinery and tools used in industrial manufacturing.  In 2014 we were asked to replace the existing lobby escalators with a monumental stair.  The steel, glass and cable stair structure reflects the Institute’s commitment to modernization and technology.

The goal of this project was to create a single location to house the Union’s apprentice training program as well as a meeting hall, administrative offices and credit union. The project consisted of an addition to the existing apprentice training building, as well as an exterior renovation to the existing building that creates a unified aesthetic for the total structure. The use of Cor-ten steel, Galvalume and integral colored split face masonry emphasizes the connection to construction trades while creating a modern aesthetic for the structure.  The second phase of the project included the conversion of two existing, neighboring structures into additional training space.