Innovative Multi-Purpose Room Unveiled

March 10, 2011

Last evening our design for a new multi-purpose building at Yulupa School in Santa Rosa was presented to the Bennett Valley Union School District board. This building represents a unique approach to the design of multi-purpose buildings, and is part of a larger project that will reconfigure and transform the campus. Other key project features include 12 new classrooms, conversion of the former multi-purpose room into a library, and rooftop solar panels that will provide almost all of the school’s electricity.

The building is configured with a large sloped roof to accommodate as many solar panels as possible. The orientation of the building allows a large expanse of glass on the back, north-facing wall of the main room, as well as the stage. The stage is only 18 inches in height, scaled to the primary aged students at this grade K-3 school.

Unlike most stages, the curtains will customarily be open so that the stage’s north-facing windows are open to the main room. This unique and informal relationship between the main room and the stage is emphasized by stage curtains that when drawn, are visible through a metal mesh from the main room.

The building orientation and roof slope facilitate passive nighttime cooling by means of natural, stack ventilation. This is accomplished by means of hidden louvers on the south and operable clerestory windows above the stage. An exposed radiant concrete floor slab will provide heating, while below-stage displacement cooling will eliminate the need for ducts. Wall mounted lighting is entirely indirect, leaving the acoustical roof deck free of light fixtures or ducts.

Water from the main roof will be collected by vertical tubes, and discharged into a bioswale, and natural filtration system. The entire process of conveying rainwater from the gutter, into the tubes, then into the bioswale will be visible.

Interior View Looking North at Stage

Leave a Comment » | Design, High Performance Building / Sustainability, Interior Design, K-12 Education, Santa Rosa | Permalink
Posted by Don Tomasi

Roseland Creek School Receives Funding

December 16, 2010

Bird's Eye View from Burbank Avenue

We had an unexpected phone call from the Roseland School District this morning informing us that they have received state funding for the construction of Roseland Creek School.  This 750 student energy-effiecient elementary school will be built on Burbank Avenue in west Santa Rosa.  It has been awaiting funding for almost 3 years.  The primary challenge in designing this school was accommodating a large student population on a small, 8 acre site.  Our compact ‘urban’ 2-story design solution is unique for an elementary school in our area, and frees up substantial outdoor play area for students.

Leave a Comment » | Construction, K-12 Education, Santa Rosa | Permalink
Posted by Don Tomasi

Middle School Students Visit TLCD

October 22, 2010

On October 7th TLCD Architecture was visited by 30 students from Roseland Middle School.  These students were interested in learning about the professions of architecture and interior design and heard from four presenters.  Domenica Sheets talked with the students about interior design.  Dylan Chavez explained the importance of green design in light of global warming, and he showed them TLCD Architecture’s green roof.  Guy Messick showed images and videos of various BIM and 3D modeling programs, and gave students the opportunity to take control and fly through a building model.  Don Tomasi talked about becoming an architect and talked about the process of design, using Museum on the Square as an example.The students each wrote wonderful thank-you letters.  They are great – you have to check them out!

Student Thank-You Letters

Leave a Comment » | Cool Stuff, Events, Office Matters | Permalink
Posted by Don Tomasi

Museum on the Square Approved by City

June 30, 2010

Last evening at a joint meeting of Santa Rosa’s City Council and Redevelopment Agency, terms and conditions for the sale of our Museum on the Square project to our development team won approval. The project was discussed for more than 2 hours, and was finally approved unanimously. This action is the last major governmental approval, and gives Museum on the Square, LLC the right to purchase the property at the time we pull our building permit. It culminates 6 months of negotiations between the City and Museum on the Square, LLC. The Press Democrat did an excellent job of covering the meeting: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100629/ARTICLES/100629478/1350?Title=Santa-Rosa-sells-AT-T-building-for-Museum-on-the-Square-

Museum on the Square from Exchange Avenue

Leave a Comment » | News, Santa Rosa | Permalink
Posted by Don Tomasi

Exposure for Museum on the Square

April 14, 2010

The Sonoma County Museum featured Chris Baumbach’s renderings of Museum on the Square in an article on the cover of its monthly publication. The article is about the Museum’s new space on the ground floor of the building.

We are looking forward to to other opportunities to promote Museum on the Square as well. Don Tomasi and Bill Carle will be presenting the project tomorrow at Leadership Santa Rosa’s Planning and Development Day. On Friday Don will present the project to the membership of SIR, Sons in Retirement at the Scottish Rite Temple in Santa Rosa. Our plans are to present our recently developed Museum on the Square powerpoint to other service groups and organizations that may be interested. If you are aware of any organizations that may be interested in a presentation please let Don know.

Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by Don Tomasi

Career Day at TLCD

March 24, 2010

This morning approximately 30 middle school students from Roseland Accelerated Middle School visited our office to learn about the profession of architecture.  We divided them into two groups.  Guy and I met with them in the Garage and discussed what an architect does, how one becomes an architect, the design process, and how we build virtual buildings.

Alan and Suzanne met with the other group in the ‘Martini Lounge” and discussed sustainability and interior design.  They also showed the students our demonstration green roof.  The groups switched locations at the midpiont of their visit so that both groups had the opportunity to hear all 4 of our presentations.

The students asked great questions.  The very first question asked was “how much money do you make”?  Fortunately I’ve done presentations to middle and high school students before, and was ready for this question.  These students are much smarter than those of us who forgot to ask this important question when we were their age!

Most of these students graduated from Roseland or Sheppard Elementary Schools and will eventually matriculate into Roseland University Prep School, a charter high school that prepares students for college. This is significant because few of these students come from families with any college background, and they otherwise would have had little or no exposure to college or professional careers.  Hosting their career day activity is one small opportunity for us to help expose these students to career choices they might otherwise never have the opportunity to learn about.

A special thanks to Alan, Suzanne and Guy for participating in this event.

Leave a Comment » | Events, Office Matters, Santa Rosa | Permalink
Posted by Don Tomasi

Nate Publishes ‘Sketchbook: Next City Drawings’

December 7, 2009

Front Cover

For 26 days during September Nate spent an hour or two each evening sketching how the ‘Next City’ might appear, covered in green.  Nate published a book of these sketches on-line, along with companion text and sketch notes.  The collection is intended as an offering to friends, colleagues, and fellow architects.  Nate has given a copy to the firm, and  additional copies can be ordered here where you may also preview the book.

Sketchbook:  Next City Drawings is a remarkable exploration of possible green cityscapes.  It is beautifully produced and is particularly remarkable for the incredible energy and vision that went into this most impressive work.  The sketches are wonderful, and the text sheds light on the thinking behind the sketches. Check it out!

3 Comments | Design, Publication | Permalink
Posted by Don Tomasi

Hundreds Turn Out for VA Clinic Grand Opening

November 6, 2009

A couple hundred people turned out Friday afternoon for the grand opening of our new VA clinic on Airport Boulevard. The rain stopped just in time, and several speakers expressed their appreciation to everyone who made the project a success.
Jason, Seth, Orange, Suzanne and Vanessa are to be commended for a job well done. Though primarily an interiors project, our new exterior canopy is a beauty (though looks a bit like the one at NVC Science Building!).
The interiors are spectacular; I was truly impressed by their sophistication. In particular, the selection of multiple, light but very bright paint colors made for a vibrant interior environment. The selection of materials was equally impressive. The project will be professionally photographed next week.
Congratulations to the project team!

IMG_6145

Grand Opening Presentation Under New Canopy

IMG_6146

Lobby

IMG_6147

Waiting Area

 

2 Comments | Events, Healthcare | Permalink
Posted by Don Tomasi

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.