2008 Architects’ Home Tour Featuring A2SO4 Project

2008-09-26

2008 Architects’ Home Tour, presented by AIA Indianapolis, is featuring seven houses including the Suter Residence at Douglass Pointe Lofts which was a joint venture project with Rottmann Architects and A2SO4. The interior was designed by John E. Suter of Thresholdesign.

The tour will take place October 4-5, 2008 from 1:00 - 5:00 pm. This year’s beneficiary of the tour will be the Wheeler Mission and Indianapolis Museum of Arts, both non-profit organizations. read more

A2SO4 - An Architect on Masdar - a Zero-Carbon, Zero-Waste City

2008-09-22

Masdar City is the world’s first attempt to create a zero-carbon, zero-waste city. The new six square kilometer energy, science and technology community will open in late 2009. The development is a unique, integrated “Green Community” in the heart of Abu Dhabi, which uses the traditional planning principals of a walled city, together with existing technologies to achieve a zero-carbon and zero-waste sustainable development.

The city will house the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, the graduate science and research Institute currently being established in cooperation with MIT; research facilities; world-class laboratories; commercial space for related-sector companies; light manufacturing facilities and a carefully selected pool of international tenants who will invest, develop, and commercialize advanced energy technologies. The city will also host Masdar’s offices, residential space for employees, as well as a science museum and edutainment facilities.

Masdar Headquarters, Masdar City - Abu Dhabi, UAE
• Associate Architect / Architect of Record
• 104,632 square meters of Gross Floor Area (1,126,248 square feet)
• One 7 story office building with conference center

The new Masdar Headquarters building will embody the spirit of the Masdar Initiative by incorporating several sustainable design strategies and achieving a “net positive” building. As the Associate Architect and Architect of Record, RW Armstrong / A2SO4 is working in association with design architect, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture to ensure that this landmark project is designed in accordance with local codes, standards, and construction techniques.

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Masdar City - Abu Dhabi, UAE
• Associate Architect / Architect of Record
• 45,582 square meters of Gross Floor Area (490,640 square feet)
• Project includes: research lab facilities, residential, retail and amenities

The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (M.I.S.T.) is being established to meet the exceptional and progressive goal of transforming Abu Dhabi’s economy from one based on petroleum to one focused on sustainable technology and renewable energy. As the Associate Architect and Architect of Record, RW Armstrong / A2SO4 is working in association with design architect, Foster + Partners to ensure that this landmark project is designed in accordance with local codes, standards, and construction techniques.

Upcoming 2008 AIA Kentucky/AIA Indiana Convention

The AIA Kentucky/AIA Indiana Convention will be held October 9-11, 2008 in Louisville, Kentucky. The theme is “Evolution of Architecture: From Chisel to BIM,” selected in part to reflect the 100th anniversary of the AIA in Kentucky.

The centerpiece of the program on Saturday, October 11 will be a dialogue on the changing nature of practice, featuring several presenters and panelists including: Michael Speaks, dean of the University of Kentucky College of Design, Chris Sharples, AIA of SHoP Architects in New York City, and Bill Zahner, president of A Zahner Architectural Metal Company.

The gentlemen above will also participate in a panel discussion on the use of BIM, Building Information Modeling, in Kentucky and Indiana along with BIM user and sole practitioner David Banks, AIA of Frankfort, Kevin Klinger of Ball State University’s Institute for Digital Fabrication, and Wil Marquez, director of an exploratory design initiative at A2SO4 in Indianapolis. Louisville historian Dr. Tom Owen will speak at the closing luncheon, and we have arranged three local architectural tours and a special “didactic field drawing” session for the afternoon.

2008-09-18

The Madame Walker Theatre Board said it has chosen a preferred developer for a mixed-use development and renovation of the historic venue on Indiana Avenue, reports the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Full Spectrum of NY LLC would lead the mixed-use development, which may include retail and restaurants, office space and a boutique hotel.

The first phase will involve renovating and expanding Madame Walker Theatre Center, which was built in 1927. The theater board has been planning a capital campaign, which may kick off this fall.

Tapped for design, construction management and engineering is locally-based A2SO4 Architecture, LLC and Khafra Engineering, which has an Indianapolis office.

2009 Summer Internship Opportunities

A2SO4 is seeking student interns for summer 2009. Applications will be accepted starting Monday, March 2 are due Friday, March 20th. All decisions will be made by Friday, April 10th. read more

A2SO4 Team Member Lectures in Argentina

During summer break, Wil Marquez, A2SO4, and Jason Johnson, Ball State University, lead a group of study abroad architecture students for the CAPAmericano experience visiting Chile, Uruguay and Argentina. As part of the trip, Wil Marquez and Will Jodka were invited lecturers at the University of Palermo in Argentina.

More about the lecture at Palermo University.