The Careful Weaving of Contemporary Architecture

BB Residence - Raleigh, NC
The Raleigh Architecture Co.

The BB Residence unites an engaged couple together after years of living in separate houses on the same block. The project’s challenges were an abundance of program, restrictive corner lot setbacks, and the aging- in-place stipulation to maximize ground floor program elements. The design response extends the footprint within the setback boundaries, stacking additional program above, and joins the combined households through form with a wrapping roof.  

A shared public area connects the separate programs through a light- filled, double-height space and opens to a modest, private courtyard. Two houses join under one roof. Key considerations for economy and energy were addressed through mindful material selections and space-saving strategies. While the well-being of the clients was given considerable attention with aging-in-place strategies, bountiful daylight, and natural ventilation.

Alamance Community College Advanced Applied Technology Center - Graham, NC

Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, Inc.

The new 55,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Advanced Applied Technology Center at Alamance Community College will provide a much-needed new home with adequate space and specialized equipment for the College’s growing legacy programs in Computer-Integrated Machining Technology; Welding Technology; Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology and Automotive Systems Technology with the addition of a new program, Mechatronics Engineering Technology. The Advanced Applied Technology Center will showcase technical learning and training, maximizing the learning experience and preparing students for careers in highly skilled fields. The building is highly visible on campus. The layout is designed to be compact in nature with the five technology labs surrounding the entry commons and student commons. The central commons are used to display student projects, provide flexible space for interdisciplinary projects, and hold career fairs so students can connect with potential employers. The building is configured to allow visibility into each lab to showcase technology and attract new students. The technology labs are designed for ultimate flexibility and connection to the shared classrooms. Each technology lab is column-free by means of long-span cellular beams that span between 60’-0” to 80’-0” and play a prominent role in the building’s architectural identity, relating back to each of the programs.

Thompson Branch Library - Thompson, OH

Perkins & Will

Thompson Branch Library is designed to reflect the history and culture of its northeastern Ohio township through the careful weaving of contemporary architecture with the rugged familiarity of rural barns. Just as the barn has consistently adapted and innovated over time, the library has transformed from warehouses of collections to information hubs and community gathering places. Interiors are simple, intuitively organized, and in keeping with the functional spirit of agrarian living. Three key areas of inspiration fostered universal community support of the design: honoring the handmade, referencing vernacular barn structures, and welcoming community around a hearth.

Fitts-Woolard Hall - Raleigh, NC

Clark Nexsen

As one of the nation’s premier engineering schools, NC State University is a powerful driver of economic impact in North Carolina and beyond. The design of the new Fitts-Woolard Hall at NCSU is driven by a commitment to “Engineering on Display”. Transparent research and instructional spaces are organized along a primary path that allows students and visitors to experience the cutting-edge research and education occurring within. Daylit sculptural wood walls and structurally expressive stairs orient occupants along the path and bring daylight deep into the large floorplates. Layers of transparency provide visual connections both internally and to the surrounding campus. The commitment to the “on display” design strategy is evident beyond education and research labs. Throughout the facility, structural elements and building systems are revealed as an additional instructional tool. Interactive display panels allow occupants to view building system energy usage in real time while curated exhibit panels provide additional details and information about each of the exposed building components as students circulate through the building.

Duke Student Wellness Center - Durham, NC

Duda|Paine Architects

The Student Wellness Center brings clinical and wellness programs into everyday life for Duke University’s campus. The building’s placement on a primary circulation path engages students as they move between the main academic quad and athletic and recreation facilities. A three-story atrium anchors the corner allowing for natural light and extensive views. Terra cotta rainscreens articulate the three clinic pods. A monumental stair within the atrium links the three levels. Heavy timber framing, stone, and site-harvested wood finishes weave the interior with the outdoors. Natural light infuses the atrium by day and transforms it into a beacon at night.

House BC - Raleigh, NC

In Situ Studio

House BC is in a post-war suburb on a tight lot by Raleigh’s Hebrew Cemetery. The house is solid from the street, with only a deep entry and a hint of green roof suggesting what is within. The entry void leads to a front door in the middle of the house, by a courtyard. Every space in the house opens to the courtyard. Inside, the wonder of the site becomes clear—an unimpeded view across the cemetery to the skyline. Contrasting the heavy front, primary spaces at the rear of the house opens to the lush yard and distant view.

Virginia Beach Sports Center - Virginia Beach, VA

Clark Nexsen - Architect of Record Raleigh, NC

Hanbury - Design Architect Partner Norfolk, VA

The new Virginia Beach Sports Center has already placed Virginia Beach among the top of national sports tourism destinations. The new event center is capable of hosting NCAA and World Indoor Track & Field Tournaments with seating for over 4,500 and is the largest multipurpose basketball/ volleyball/wrestling indoor facility on the East Coast. The venue, designed by Hanbury with MEB, Clark Nexsen, and Eastern Sports Management working in concert with the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Public Works, Planning, Economic Development, and the City Manager’s office, is already placing Virginia Beach at the top of every indoor tournament sponsor’s list. By the first month the venue already had 54 events booked, including the NCAA Indoor Track and Field National Championships for Divisions I, II, and III between 2021-2025. The Center includes courts, indoor track, spectator seating, kitchen/cafeteria, camping, meeting rooms, and exhibit areas along with an entry plaza / recreation area directly across from the Virginia Beach Convention Center in the heart of the resort entertainment district. With the peak season for the center in the fall, winter and spring seasons, it will leverage the hotel and restaurant capacity to ensure Virginia Beach’s goal of becoming a year-round travel destination is enhanced.

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