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September 23, 2018
in
by John W

Milton North Campus Expansion

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School Washington, DC   Originally constructed in 1950 and located on a steeply sloped site across from Rock Creek Park, the existing building had been home to the Jewish Day School since 2002.  A primary driver for the project was expansion of the school’s academic program to include middle school.   GBR’s design retained and renovated the original classroom wing on 16th Street N.W.  The existing gymnasium and core areas were removed to allow for a properly sized and equipped gymnasium for middle school students; including a turf recreational field on the roof.  The middle school (grades 6 through 8) occupies a new third floor level.  A new classroom wing located on the north east edge of the site provides shared space for Art and Music classrooms.  The renovation includes upgrades to all building systems and has been designed to achieve LEED® silver certification   Contextually, the building aesthetics are intended to quietly...

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September 22, 2018
in
by natasha

Riverside Baptist Church

23[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Riverside Baptist Church Washington, DC   The new Riverside Baptist Church replaces the church’s third location in the city.  A longstanding institution of DC’s Southwest neighborhood the new church remains a centerpiece of a reimagined waterfront district.  Strategically located at a major gateway into the SW neighborhood it will provide a link to the redeveloping waterfront.  This location delivers a primary project objective to achieve a significant and expressive structure.   The overall building form clearly expresses the three elements of a place of worship; a visible entrance, its identity as a church and clarity in the presence of a worship space.  The transparent corner at 7th Street and Maine Avenue visually connects to The Wharf development.  The bell tower, a clear and common reference to a Christian church, anchors the corner and is topped by another symbol and identity reference, a cross.  The worship space is represented by a wall of glass formed to...

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September 17, 2018
in
by John W

Montgomery County Humane Society Campus

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Montgomery County Humane Society Aspen Hill, Maryland   GBR Architects is currently working on the Master Plan and architectural design for the new Montgomery County Humane Society headquarters located in the historic Aspen Hill Memorial Park in Montgomery County, Maryland. The site includes two historic properties, listed with the Maryland Historic Trust.  These existing buildings will be fully rehabilitated along with new buildings arranged around an open courtyard added to house additional programmatic elements. The new structures are modern in design using the vernacular aesthetic of rural Maryland while remaining respectful of the two existing historic buildings and their historic view shed.   The new 16,000 sf headquarters will provide adoption, pet education and a community services clinic at the site. It will also be open for a number of community events and will also provide an inviting park accessible to the public. The historic pet cemetery will be fully restored with new interpretive paths...

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September 15, 2018
in
by John W

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Federal Republic of Germany Washington, DC   The German Embassy in Washington has undergone a comprehensive, multiple building renovation that includes the architecturally significant Chancery and Consular buildings designed by German architect Egon Eiermann in the 1960’s. Recognized as landmark historic buildings, both for their architectural quality and their political significance.   Primary project goals for the renovation were the removal of hazardous materials, upgrades for life-safety and security, and integration of high-performance building systems for heating, cooling and lighting while respecting the original exterior and interior design of this mid-century icon. Sustainable design features include a grey water system, radiant heating and cooling, a central plant with cogeneration, photovoltaic panels, and LED lighting throughout.   As the U.S. partner in support of HPP Architekten GmbH, GBR Architects coordinated the design requirements of the German Government and the German architects with the regulations of the U.S. Department of State and local governing agencies. GBR’s services included preparation...

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September 12, 2018
in
by sean

Quaker Welcome Center

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] FCNL Education Fund Washington, DC   Located across the street from the U.S. Capitol, the Friends Committee for National Legislation had acquired the 1860s townhouse immediately adjacent to their headquarters. This three story brick building, in the Capitol Hill Historic District, had been modified and expanded over the years; most recently in the 1980s when it was converted into four residential rental units.   The program called for creation of a new flexible meeting space on the ground floor while maintaining four rental units on the upper floors.  The mission for the new Welcome Center is to provide a peaceful place for dialogue and the promotion of peace, justice, and environmental sustainability.   The GBR design preserved the original historic structure fronting C Street N.E.  The original first floor parlor was renovated to create a living room style space for small gatherings.  The rear addition was removed and re-imagined as a larger flexible meeting space that flows...

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September 12, 2018
in
by sean

Baumann Consulting DC Headquarters

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Baumann Consulting Washington, DC LEED Platinum®   Located at 1424 K Street, NW, GBR Architects designed a new DC Headquarters for Baumann Consulting Engineers.  Embodying a strong commitment to sustainable design, the project achieved platinum certification under LEED for Commercial Interiors.   As a National Register Historic Building, built in 1905, only minimal changes to the existing mechanical system were allowed to the design team.  Consequently, all other systems needed to be designed to be as sustainable as possible to achieve the LEED Platinum level.  This includes lighting, plumbing and all interior finishes.   The 5,400 sf interior renovation included two large open floor plan work areas, a large glass fronted conference room, three meeting rooms along with a work room and pantry/dining area.  The two existing toilet rooms were renovated with ultra-low flush toilets and a third, accessible toilet room with shower was added.  We reused resin panels from the previous build out to create a bike...

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September 10, 2018
in
by John W

Embassy of the Republic of Hungary

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Republic of Hungary Washington, DC   In collaboration with the Hungarian design architects of A+D Studio, GBR was the Architect of Record for the renovation and addition to the existing Chancery and new Consulate building for the Hungarian Embassy in Washington, DC.  The existing chancery building is a 1970s structure with exposed cast-in-place concrete beams, precast concrete exterior panels and dark interiors. The intent of the work is to give a new and appropriate presence to the embassy, while respectfully relating to the surrounding residential neighborhood and the environmentally sensitive adjacent Rock Creek Park.   In an effort to limit the project scope and costs, a decision was made to retain the existing chancery building and alter its architectural character through new cladding combined with additions at the public entry area. The existing facade is re-clad through a combination of pre-patinated copper and large-format porcelain wall panels. The additions help form and emphasize a ceremonial...

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September 6, 2018
in
by John W

German School Science Building

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] German School Washington Potomac, Maryland LEED Gold® Merit Award, Washington, DC AIA UnBuilt Awards   This unique independent school serves the local German language community in the DC Metro area with a curriculum according to German educational standards. The new building provides modern laboratories and support spaces as the new home for the science department. The building and surrounding landscape design reflect the school's commitment to healthy and enriching places for learning while keeping utility and maintenance costs at a minimum. The building further synthesizes the school’s science program with the tangible and quantifiable building technology by embracing light, thermodynamics, acoustics, and environmental and hydrological systems as core design parameters.   The completed facility achieved LEED gold level certification. It is the first phase of a two phased campus enlargement to create a stand-alone upper school. The original campus was organized in a series of terraced levels. The new structure bridges two of these levels to provide an...

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September 1, 2018
in
by John W

Lab School Library

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Lab School of Washington Washington, DC Award of Merit, AIA Northern Virginia   The Lab School Washington serves students with learning differences through a unique art-based education that seeks alternatives to traditional classroom instruction. This project provided a new library and media center that facilitates multiple methods for learning while still celebrating the importance of books as part of a complete educational experience. Three existing classrooms were set aside to create a library of 4000 volumes. While budget and space constraints were tight, the real challenge was designing a library for a student population for whom words can be indecipherable puzzles and libraries a mystery.   Careful study of the space needed for circulation and book perusal revealed that double-sided rotating bookcases would hold twice the amount of books and also eliminate clutter.  These rotating bookcases also proved to be enjoyable and appealing to the children.  The optimized bookcase arrangement coincided with the buildings existing...

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