Mountain Health Arena is a vibrant performance venue and a cornerstone of the downtown business district in Huntington, West Virginia. The circa 1980 structure was in need of attention to deferred maintenance and needed a  refreshed image to promote itself as an attractive venue to artists and the public. The renovations to the building were approached in phases, with the first phase being painting the exterior metal panels. ETA brought in renowned artist Don Pendleton to collaborate on the color selections and design, and to provide graphics reflecting elements of the region’s identity.

The second phase was a complete refresh of the convention center, with modern, bright colors and finishes. The third phase included reimagining the entry plaza to incorporate an exterior event space, tensile fabric shade structure, seating area with fire pit, interactive water feature, landscaping and lighting. At night, during events, the lobby is illuminated, and the plaza becomes an extension of the interior space, creating a bustling, beautiful focal
point for Huntington’s downtown.

Marshall Health renovated an existing office building to expand their services to the Teays Valley community in 2017.

The design team was challenged to convert an existing 51,000 sf office building into an outpatient medical facility. The program included a central lab and x-ray suite, along with general adult medicine, pediatrics, a women’s center, medical and surgical specialties, cardiology, neurology, endoscopy, and a sleep lab. Shared waiting areas and registration were provided on each floor, and a cafe was provided on the ground level. The new use for the existing building also necessitated an addition with two elevators, and a patient drop-off canopy.

The design team coordinated all aspects of the project, from space planning and construction documents to furniture and finish selections. The project was delivered for approximately $105 per square foot.

Choosing to renovate and expand vs. tear down and build new, this small but growing school district in eastern Kentucky renewed the Campbell Elementary School through a phased program of improvements and growth for grades K – 3.   The project was divided into two phases, which included renovation of an existing classroom wing and a cafeteria and kitchen addition.

The cafeteria was oriented to take advantage of northern daylight and makes use of the limited site.  Expansive glass floods the space with daylight and frames views of the rail yard, Ohio River valley and hills in the distance.  On sunny days no artificial lighting is required.

While designing for energy efficiency was critical, creating a healthy learning environment was just as important.  The combined improvements in energy, sustainability and health awareness have even led to a shift in menu planning towards healthier food preparation and selection for students.   The project was completed in 2010.

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.

Marshall University’s new School of Pharmacy opened in August 2012. The challenge was to create a state-of-the-art pharmacy program within an existing 1980’s era classroom building. Our firm was the lead architect on the project and we partnered with S/L/A/M Collaborative in Connecticut for programming and schematic design.  The design team provided facility assessment, programming and full design services including interior design & furnishings. The result is an extensive transformation of the first two floors of the four-floor, 69,000 sf building. The lack of access to daylight demanded a new interior environment with a sense of openness in large, flowing spaces that are warm and welcoming. Floors are organized with the primary social/community areas at the heart of the plan.  Glass interior walls provide transparency from the public spaces into classrooms, labs, and skills areas to enhance the sense of community. Strategic use of technology throughout the building creates connectivity and community for students and faculty.  Team-teaching areas, classrooms and common areas all have technology-embedded walls to support the School of Pharmacy’s active learning educational model.

“…speaking for the faculty, staff and students we are very proud of the dynamic educational and research environment… At the end of our first semester with the inaugural class, all of us are enthusiastic about the positive outcomes that are being realized in these new spaces.”
–Dr. Kevin Yingling, Dean, School of Pharmacy, Marshall University