Commercial Architecture March 2018 - 14

FEATURE

historic buildings

MISTAKES AND PITFALLS

Mistakes and pitfalls naturally accompany historic work.

Ken's V I E W

John Cetra offered the following advice: "One challenge
with historical projects is that until you really inspect and

What's On Your Palette?

learn about the building, you won't know exactly what
you're dealing with. Are all the columns really located
exactly where the plans and drawings say they are? If it's a
large loft building with limited interior light and airflow,
how much structural work is required to insert an atrium

P

antone recently declared Ultra Violet to be the color of

At the Oak Grove School in Green Oaks, IL, a suburban

the year. (See January 2018 CA, Editor's Notebook.) But

Chicago school and community that are both apparently

wait, Benjamin Moore's color of the year is Caliente. Can

most notable for their trees, students are reported to be

the building will save so much time and effort down the

they do that? Have more than one color of the year? You bet

pedaling away at "bike desks" in a kinesthetic classroom,

road. The biggest mistake is not doing your homework."

they can. The color of the year is whatever those promoting

whatever that is.

"A potential pitfall for structures of historic signifi-

that color want it to be. And that's OK. What's a market for

or light well? Putting in the time up front to get to know

cance is the failure to accurately recreate lost architectural

if not choice?

Apparently, the idea is that pedaling is supposed to
make the young scholars more focused and attentive. I'm

details and elements. Doing so properly takes thorough

Sherwin-Williams wasn't content with a single color of

sure a study or two has been done, but I'm not buying it. Kids

research into the original methods of construction. One

the year. The company touted "specially curated palettes

have to learn to focus on one thing at a time, and encourag-

often sees quick-and-easy approaches taken such as the

for the new residential, commercial, multifamily, healthcare,

ing hyperactivity, whatever the health benefit, isn't going to

use of foam or plastic to recreate plaster or terra cotta,

hospitality, and education markets."

accomplish that.

which is inadvisable. Not only do these materials not re-

Regarding the hospitality palette, Sherwin-Williams

A much better and more understandable idea, in my es-

semble each other, but the foam and plastic solutions of-

offered the following insight: Guests, specifically millenni-

timation, is the KidsBuild! program, described as a "commu-

ten deteriorate quickly, or otherwise create more prob-

als... expect selfie-worthy spaces to take pictures in.

nity outreach process that educates school children about

lems than they solve. Application of appropriate materials

Enough with the millenials already. They'll choose

will be more historically sensitive, visually appealing, and

a hotel-or be impressed by one-because it's selfie-

long lasting," Lada Kocherovsky said.

worthy? Seriously? My worst nightmare-one of them-is

Conceived by Svigals + Partners, New Haven, CT, the

to arrive at a hotel to find a lobby full of selfie-taking millie-

idea behind KidsBuild! emerged more than two decades

nials.

ago in the creation of the first-ever School-Based Building

Mistakes can lead to the loss of tax credits, Verrier
warned. He related the tale of one developer who didn't

the design, construction, and maintenance of their own
school buildings."

like a free-standing chimney on the property he was de-

Maybe I'm just not a color guy. That's why I was in-

veloping and bulldozed it against advice. He lost the tax

trigued by the Asif Khan-designed pavilion at the Pyeo-

"These SBBACs gave birth to schools rooted in their

credits he was counting on.

Advisory Committee.

ngchang Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, which

neighborhoods and the particular needs of their communi-

"I think people underestimate what it takes to deal

is described as the "darkest building on earth." The

ties," said Julia McFadden, AIA, an architect and associate

with these kinds of buildings, Jeffrey Murphy said.

British architect spray-painted the 32-ft.-high temporary

principal with Svigals + Partners.

"Sometimes it's a challenge to balance interventions

structure with Vantablack VBx2 (Surrey NanoSystems,

KidsBuild! since has been introduced in eight Connecti-

with preserving the historic fabric. There can be a point

Newhaven, UK), a substance that absorbs more than 99% of

cut public schools. Recently, Svigals + Partners conducted

at which you make the wrong decision about taking out

light. The coating is thought to be the closest thing to a black

a KidsBuild! program as part of the design and construction

historic fabric. On the flip side, maybe there are some

hole one will ever experience. It appears to change the di-

of the Engineering & Science University Magnet School

things that are not of such value that you work around

mensions of an object, rendering 3D objects completely flat,

(ESUMS), a "maker school" for grades 6 to 12 located on a

when, at the end of the day, it probably would have

according to a CNN report.

university campus in West Haven, CT.

been better just to take something out and start all
over," he continued.

Tiny white lights and the parabolic curves of all four

"Workshops included teaching about the architectural

sides of the pavilion give the impression of stars suspended

design process and specific topics-like cantilevers and

Historic buildings require a good deal of knowledge

against the darkness of space. Personally, I think the lights

sustainability, devising ways to integrate art into the new

and thought. Recognizing challenges, variables, and op-

are there to keep people from walking into the side of the

building, and imagining how adjacent wetlands could affect

portunities upfront is the first step toward any project. CA

building at night, like aircraft warning lights on tall struc-

the engineering and construction process," said Svigals +

tures. Let's hope there isn't a power failure.

Partners project architect Katelyn Chapin, AIA.

Want more information?
To download the information listed below, visit
commercialarchitecturemagazine.com/1803historic.

It's almost too difficult for humans to comprehend, the

Other workshop sessions introduced careers in archi-

architect is said to have commented about the design. I

tecture and engineering with site visits led by design-team

know the feeling. I frequently encounter things in daily life

members to enable students to track the construction pro-

that are beyond comprehension, and I don't need to go to

cess. The experience introduced students to the concepts

Pyeongchang for the experience.

of surveying, groundwater flow, structural engineering, and
construction sequences.

BACK TO SCHOOL
Historic Preservation and Conversion Commons

COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE

MARCH 2018

kids already know how to pedal.

what's happening in education even less than I understand

National Register of Historic Places

14

As long as we're talking about comprehension, I understand

Clearly, KidsBuild! is a winner over bike desks. After all,

color. At least when it comes to color, I know what I like.

commercialarchitecturemagazine.com

- Kenneth W. Betz, Senior Editor
http://www.commercialarchitecturemagazine.com/1803historic http://www.commercialarchitecturemagazine.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture March 2018
