Chronicle 27: 5 "Sustainable Design Solutions"

TechTown|1st Floor Renovation Project

Designed by Centric Design Studio

By Saundra Little, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA
Principal - Architect

In this post we are presenting a Sustainable-Design Case Study. Centric Design Studio (CDS) begins each sustainability design journey often advising our clients to go after the “low hanging fruit” for energy efficiency and sustainable design solutions.   They are easy to explain, readily achieved, and, often reward you with a high ROI. 

5 simple steps in sustainable design in an urban context.

The open floor plan at TechTown's Junction 440, designed by Centric Design Studio and engineered by Ghafari Associates, was specifically created in collaboration with Patrick Thompson Design to use fewer construction materials than traditional private office design. (the original floor plan layout was very traditional in plan) The design not only reduces resource use, but also allows for increased collaboration in an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere.  

Now, windows border the entire space, allowing natural light to penetrate deep into the office, reducing the need for unnecessary energy use. (BIM Daylighting studies were completed by the design team)  We reused the sound insulation material for the new conference rooms and event center. Existing lighting fixtures were reused in new "X" configuration for surprising design element.

5 Sustainable Solutions used on the TechTown 1st Floor Renovation Project:

1. Material Re-Use + Recycled Content in Materials - Reuse of 
2. LED Lighting and Retro Fit to LED Lighting
3. Daylighting
4. Energy Efficiency Controls
5. Walkable City Principals - Bike Rack in Coworking Space

Take a look at our slideshare of our 5 "sustainable solutions"..........

5 Sustainable Solutions at TechTown - Green Design Approach from Centric Design Studio

Chronicle 26: 2014 Detroit Policy Conference

By Saundra Little, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA

Centric Design Studio's Principal Saundra Little on 2014 Detroit Policy Conference Panel Discussion

"Partnering for Success: Small Business Resources in the D"

Entrepreneurs Highlighted Small Business Resources in Detroit the During Detroit Policy Conference - A Detroit Regional Chamber Event

Accessing business resources and support programs can be the difference between success and failure for start-ups; as obstacles to growth, such as lack of capital, exist in every economic climate or city. This panel of entrepreneurs shed their experience and light on the organizations and assets available to help small businesses overcome challenges and thrive in Detroit.

Panel:
Elias Khalil, Owner and General Manager, La Feria – Spanish Tapas Restaurant
Saundra Little, Founding Partner, Centric Design Studio
Tammy Tedesco, President and CEO, Edibles Rex
Espy Thomas, Owner, Sweet Potato Sensations


Moderator: Evette Hollins, Urban Initiatives Manager, Detroit Regional Chamber

Chronicle 24: Book Review - 'Make Space'

By Saundra Little, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA

"Collaborative Spaces"

At last year's AIA 2012 Conference in Washington DC we add a new book to the Centric Design Studio library -it is called ‘Make Space‘ by Scott Doorley & Scott Witthoft.

'Make Space' is designed as a tool for helping people intentionally manipulate space to ignite creativity. This book is full of ideas on making a great working space.  

Make Space breaks down content into 5 buckets:

Tools—tips on how to build everything from furniture, to wall-treatments, and rigging

Situations—scenarios, and layouts for sparking creative activities

Insights—bite-sized lessons designed to shortcut your learning curve

Space Studies—candid stories with lessons on creating spaces for making, learning, imagining, and connecting

Design Template—a framework for understanding, planning, and building collaborative environments

Centric Design Studio used one technique from the book on our work with TechTown's new Co-working space Junction 440 called Situation_Hiding space on page 132. Hiding places offer a crucial respite from an open, collaborative environment. Few offices have legitimate hiding places; if your space lacks one, people will go elsewhere to find it.

Take a look at this great video from the author's using space for a cover shoot - a graphic element- "a book cover". (A+G)

This book gets two "Thumbs Up" from Centric Design Studio!

Chronicle 16: Looking Back and Moving Forward

As we venture into a new year of architecture and graphic design, we reflect on the things we are most proud of accomplishing in 2012 (in no particular order of importance):

Our relationship with TechTown. Our offices are located in TechTown, a business incubator in Midtown Detroit. We appreciate the support we receive there, the relationships with the staff and residents, the leadership opportunities, and we were even named Entrepreneur of the Month.

Strengthening our foothold in the healthcare design market.  We partnered with Harley Ellis Devereaux (an Architectural Record Top 250 Firm) to provide design development, construction documentation and building information modeling (BIM) services for the new the 162,000 square foot, $110 million Cardiovascular and Multispecialty Building at the Detroit Medical Center central campus.

Construction at the DMC Heart Hospital

Blogging and Social Media. In addition to posting regularly on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, we started this new blog – “Inside the Studio” – chronicling office activities and highlighting our people and our work. Our Top 3 Blog Posts:

      3)  Historical Residential Re-Design in Detroit

      2)  The Detroit Design Festival

      1)  CDS in the Detroit Community

Government design. We worked with Ghafari (an ENR Top 200 International Design Firm) and AECOM (ranked the number one design firm by ENR) on the Wayne County Justice Project. Centric Design Studio played an integral role in the 3D Building Information Modeling (BIM) documentation and detailing of the facility, and the project team adopted Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) to save costs.

Wayne County Justice Facility - Sketches

Wayne County Justice Facility - 3D Model

Wayne County Justice Facility
Under Construction

Our Employees. We’re especially proud of the graphic design and BIM work by Shanita Rutland and the enthusiasm for the architecture profession that our summer intern, Stephen Lentini, brought to our office.

Our affiliation with the Detroit Creative Corridor Center (DC3). This year we completed the first-ever Creative Ventures Program sponsored by DC3 and celebrated our graduation with 17 of our businesses classmates, including architects, performing artists, web designers, and others growing their businesses in Detroit. CDS principal, Saundra Little, also serves on the Advisory Board of DC3.

Detroit Design Festival. DC3 sponsors the annual Detroit Design Festival, and this year we displayed mobile demonstration units for W.A.R.M. Training Center in Detroit, one of eight energy demonstration centers in the state of Michigan. CDS joined the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) in a design charrette to design the flexible, compact, mobile units that will carry and display sustainable building products, educational materials, and tools.

NOMA Conference. We were pleased to have been an integral part of the planning and hosting of the National Organization of Minority Architects Conference that was held in Detroit in October. We got to see old friends, build new relationships, and network a little, even though we were quite busy with the day-to-day logistics of the Conference.

Bryant Residence. We re-designed a home in the historic Palmer Park area of Detroit. We’re seeing our design come to fruition as the changes are now under construction. We can’t wait to show the finished product.

Bryant Residence Under Construction (First Floor)

Bryant Residence Under Construction (Second Floor)

Our Commitment to Detroit. What a surprise to have a spot in QuickenLoans’ “Made in Detroit” commercial. We are proud to be part of Detroit’s high-tech corridor, and we are fully committed to the design and re-building of this great city.

The Centric Design Studio family wishes everyone a healthy and prosperous 2013!

Chronicle 5: CDS Shares Best Business Practices

For the second time in as many months, Centric Design Studio was represented on a panel of entrepreneurs chosen by business incubator, TechTown, to meet with federal government officials. On June 14, CDS partner Saundra Little met with Lorraine Hariton, special representative for commercial and business affairs at the U.S. Department of State, as part of Global Economic Statecraft Day. Other participants included: Leslie Smith, president and CEO of TechTown; Dr. Souad Rouis, TechTown Incubation Prize winner from Tunisia and co-founder of BiotechRDP; Roger Newton, president of Esperion Therapeutics; and Christopher Danowski, director of technology commercialization at Ford Global Technologies.

Saundra at Global Economic Statecraft Day

Through the State Department's Global Entrepreneurship Program, Hariton is responsible for outreach to the business community, and she works to ensure that commercial diplomacy efforts support U.S. foreign policy objectives. The Department of State focuses on economics as part of the foreign policy agenda, Hariton said, and she came to find out how Detroit's lessons in entrepreneurship can be applied globally. Countries respect the United States in innovation and entrepreneurship and want to learn best practices.

TechTown, where CDS offices are located, is one of the Global Entrepreneurship Program's 100 partners in the U.S. and is a tangible example of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's vision for "economic statecraft."

Although Centric Design Studio is not involved in international projects just yet, our company is following a course for successful entrepreneurship and business growth shared by the State Department and TechTown. We are nurturing our business in the TechTown “ecosystem:” taking full advantage of the training, networking opportunities, mentors and other resources offered. “We found ideas and relationships at TechTown to get the business up and running in three years,” Saundra says.

The architectural and graphic design services we offer“create community and place,” she continues. Those services, combined with our client-centric approach, can be offered internationally to emerging businesses and countries developing and re-establishing communities.

As a woman in a male-dominated profession (women make up about 20%. of the population of registered architects in the U.S.; Black females account for 0.2% of the industry), Saundra has a unique view of entrepreneurship and growing a professional service firm. She shares some of the same desires as Dr. Souad Rouis from Tunisia, also a panel participant, of being a role model for girls and sharing business experiences with her community.

Saundra meeting with White House economic advisors

In May, White House advisors also met with Detroit-based entrepreneurs, including Centric Design Studio. Gene Sperling, Director of the National White House Economic Council and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and Greg Nelson, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, met with the group to gather ideas about how the White House can support entrepreneurship in economically challenged communities like Detroit.

Centric Design Studio is proud to have been selected to share entrepreneurial best practices with the U.S. State Department and the White House, and we will continue to share our story with emerging businesses locally and globally.