Archive for April, 2011

IIDA Fashion Show 2011

Friday, April 29th, 2011

IIDA held the 1st annual CRE8 design challenge and fashion show benefiting Dress For Success on April 15, 2011.  HKS has been a fashion show participant in the past, but this year our design team was paired with one softgood and one hardgood manufacturer.  We had the challenge to celebrate the connection between interior design and fashion while incorporating our materials and the use of Sherwin Williams paint color Garden Grove Green.  The design team attended the kick-off event where we received our materials and instruction for the 8 day design challenge.  We developed a concept sketch that eventually developed into something very different.  As a team we decided to turn our 8 day challenge into a 2 day challenge and complete our garment over one weekend.  Our final design was eventually named Avant Garden.  It included vinyl pants, a wire hanger abstract skirt, carpet corset top and a flowing fabric train with wire hanger dachshund.  After all, every lady needs a dog to walk in her garden!  The design team included: Nick Tedder, Emily Becker, Jessica Kollars, Shana Russell (model), Katy Cagle, Lanee Gray, and Adelia Schleusz.  Out of 21 entry’s and only 7 awards given, HKS received honorable mention!  Thank you to all HKS employees who donated clothing to Dress for Success and for those who attended the fashion show event.

Posted in Local Events, News Flash | No Comments »

HKS Bowls for Charity

Friday, April 22nd, 2011

Tuesday Night, April 26, 2011 Team HKS will be bowling for charity!  Please join us and cheer us on from 6:30 – 8:30 at Bay Shore Lanes in Santa Monica.

Bantay BATABantay Bata 163 is a child welfare program of ABS-CBN Foundation that not only rescues and rehabilitates sick and abused children, but also provides shelter, therapy and quality home care for rescued children until they can be reunited with their families or referred to proper child-caring agencies.

BB163 gives emphasis on the family through the following services: training and advocacy on child abuse prevention, rehabilitation of families in crisis, educational scholarships, livelihood, community outreach and medical and dental missions.

http://www.bantaybata163.com/

Posted in Around the Office | No Comments »

Does Great Design Equal Collaborative Learning at Eastfield College?

Monday, April 18th, 2011

 

Eastfield College celebrated the opening of its 55,000-square-foot Learning Center on the campus in 2009. Noting the Center’s two-year anniversary, I had to interview Dr. Jean Conway, interim president of Eastfield, to see if the college’s progressive approach to learning through open spaces and unique classroom configurations was working.

According to Conway, students have gravitated toward the Learning Center as if it were a college cafeteria. She said, “Our alcoves are filled with students not just socializing – but learning collaboratively.”

She notes, “Students are selecting their classes based on topic, teacher and whether the subject matter is taught in the Learning Center. Professors are also asking to teach in the Center. Our vice president for teaching and learning had to request that professors split their teaching assignments between the existing campus classrooms and the new Learning Center, due to high demand for using the learning studios.”

The Eastfield College Learning Center includes a variety of comfortable social spaces outside the rooms to allow for interaction among students. The studio (classroom) learning spaces vary in size, are technologically intensive and have a more informal feel. In addition, furniture in the classrooms is on wheels so that collaboration among students is facilitated. Unique to these learning studios is that there is no “front” of the room. Teachers move about in the classroom and interact with students throughout the class period.

“We know architecture supports and enhances our highly interactive, engaged learning environment,” concluded Conway. “Studies show that students learn, retain and transfer knowledge if engaged with each other and their teachers. The Learning Center is designed as an attractive place to learn. Students intuitively gravitate to the space.”

Plans are in the works to conduct a formal study at the college, next year. So, stay tuned.

Posted in Architectural Design | No Comments »

Celebrate Architecture

Monday, April 11th, 2011



Architecture Week in Virginia is an annual week-long celebration of the design community held each Spring, filled with daily events, including exhibition openings, programs, open house tours, and honors and awards. This year Architecture Week runs April 11-16. On Wednesday, April 13, HKS Richmond will be opening its office for everyone to see our working environment and our work. All events are free and open to the public; please visit this link for more information and event listings.

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Architectural Glass Basics

Monday, April 11th, 2011

Most building codes prescribe glass performance based on the climate zone. Our design teams play close attention to these performance requirements and make smart (code compliant) choices. Glass selection is one of the most critical considerations in improving the energy efficiency of the buildings we design and many of us are not fully knowledgeable about how to make a good product selection.

Low-E glass, an abbreviation for low emissivity, was designed for cold weather climates. One of the most common mistakes is to fall for the “Low-E” marketing label. Low-E is not always the answer and in some cases, can negatively affect energy performance. Seldom should you ever select a glass just because it states “Low-E” on the label.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is the portion of directly transmitted and absorbed solar energy that enters into the building’s interior. In warm weather climate zones a low SHGC is critical but a low SHGC in a cold climate can be detrimental.

U-value is the measure of heat gain or loss through the glass. A low U-Value is critical in cold weather climates but can be harmful in a warm weather climate.

Visible light transmission (T-Vis) – This is the percentage of visible light that is transmitted through the glass. Visible light is the spectrum of light visible to the eye and excludes the other spectrums of light. In most climate zones, I prefer glass that has a T-Vis of at least 40% but not over 60%. Exceeding 60% can cause significant glare issues.

The HKS DesignGreen team has the software available to quickly and efficiently advise you on glass selection. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for assistance.

Posted in Green Design | No Comments »