18
CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio 2017 Design Review

CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    0

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

CULTURAL+PERFORMING ARTSstudio2017 Design Review

Page 2: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

DLR Group’s Cultural+Performing Arts Studio celebrated many successes and opportunities over the past year since Westlake Reed Leskosky joined with DLR Group in September 2016. The designers in DLR Group|Westlake Reed Leskosky’s (DLR Group|WRL) Cultural+Performing Arts Studio have strengthened its position as an award-winning global design leader in this diverse specialty practice that includes visual and performing arts facilities for institutional and higher education clients.

Over the past year, we expanded our unique model as the world’s most deeply integrated cultural design practice to include media and technology expertise. We designed projects nationally and internationally–from Broadway in New York City to a new Broadway theater district in Shanghai. We cut the ribbon on a comprehensive arts district utilizing historic tax credits, a project that serves as a national model for urban renewal and economic development. We applied our experience working with world-class institutions to cultivate best practices, focus on trend-setting innovations, and develop and disseminate our expertise through media and social media channels. And throughout all of this, we found many opportunities to collaborate across sectors, working with DLR Group’s Higher Education, Hospitality, and Sports studios to bring added value to our clients.

In this annual design review, you will find insight from DLR Group’s Cultural+Performing Arts design professionals and examples of our most innovative designs from 2017.

To our clients, partners, and friends, and on behalf of the DLR Group Cultural+Performing Arts Studio, thank you for a remarkable year.

Paul Westlake Jr., FAIA, Global Cultural+Performing Arts Leader

Welcome

Page 3: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+CLos AngelesSenior Associate

Raymond Kent, Assoc. AIA, DMC-DClevelandPrincipal

Roger Chang, PE, LEED Fellow Washington, D.C.Principal

Jonathan Hopkins, LEED Green Assoc.New York Senior Associate

Peter Rutti, AIA, NCARB PhoenixPrincipal

Tom Gallagher, AIANew York Principal

Glenn Johnson, AIACharlotteSenior Associate

Dan Clevenger, AIA, LEED BD+C PhoenixSenior Associate

Matthew Janiak, AIA, LEED AP ClevelandPrincipal

Chris Loeser, RA Cleveland Senior Associate

Scott Cryer, AIA, LEED AP BD+C Washington, D.C.Associate

Paul Siemborski, AIA ClevelandPrincipal

Cultural+ Performing ArtsLeadership

Dennis Bree, AIA, LEED AP PhoenixSenior Associate

Michael Rudolph, AIA PhoenixSenior Associate

Monika Smith, AIA, LEED AP BD+C Washington, D.C.Associate

Noah Steffes, RA New YorkSenior Associate

Page 4: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

Insights in Cultural+ Performing Arts

DLR Group integrated design professionals share their ideas and opinions about innovation and best practices for the design of culture and performing arts facilities.Browse through the next few pages to read our team’s ideas about the latest innovations and best practices.

Page 5: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

Facilitating Interdisciplinary Collaboration Through DesignArchitecture should help collegiate programs make meaningful campus connections and provide students with dynamic learning opportunities.

byPaul Westlake Jr., FAIAPaul is the Global Cultural+Performing Arts Leader for DLR Group.

Technology, demographics, and lifestyle demands have shaped the way students expect to access, consume, and engage with information, and each other. Everyday technology—from mobile devices to social media—has embedded on-demand information and spontaneous interactions into the palms of our hands. And when students step onto a campus, they expect their university to provide them with learning experiences that assimilate into their daily lives.

To adapt to this changing paradigm, many universities are shifting away from a traditional model where academic programs are siloed from other disciplines: A more interdisciplinary and collaborative model infused with technology, or overlaid with rich digital infrastructure, is gaining popularity as a means to provide students with more dynamic learning opportunities, especially in the arts. But universities face physical challenges within the confines of their existing campuses, which have been defined by isolated and restricted spaces for decades. I was honored to facilitate roundtable discussions around this topic at the recent International Council of Fine Arts Deans (ICFAD) conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where a number of academic leaders and I explored potential advantages and solutions for integrated design opportunities.

As architects and technology specialists, DLR Group | Westlake Reed Leskosky (DLR Group|WRL) works with our clients to uncover adjacencies of similar programs like theater, dance, music, visual arts, film, and digital media. Bringing similar programs together not only expands opportunities for cross-pollination in teaching and learning; it also allows for efficiencies in square footage of space, infrastructure, connections and circulation, and operating and capital costs. Through discovery with the client, key stakeholders, and user groups, we can determine how needs overlap,and identify opportunities for shared spaces and resources. We explore design opportunities for co-location, either within the same facility or within districts, to create hubs of learning and creative collision. This can often free valuable space on campus, as well as capital, to address individual, divergent program needs. Moreover, co-location facilitates collaboration, such as the combination of music and theater to produce opera or musical theater.

Aligning Interdisciplinary Goals with Physical The Department of Theater Dance and Performance Studies (TDPS) at the University of California Berkeley is an interdisciplinary arts program; however, inadequate teaching and learning spaces carved out haphazardly over time had begun to encroach on the program’s potential. To bridge the gap between TDPS programs and facilities, DLR Group | WRL worked with the University to design a multi-phase master plan that consolidates space, and brings teaching and research together across the curriculum, strengthening the department’s interdisciplinary approach.

As the project began, we convened a programming session with the University’s key stakeholders and end users. The discovery meeting focused on defining spaces by use, type, and activity rather than by discipline, resulting in the development of four shared, similar-sized studio spaces and a physical “core” for gathering and collaboration. The shared studio spaces prioritize universal accessibility and technology-rich infrastructure that supports multiple modes of use including classroom, rehearsal, showing/performance, experimental practice, and collaboration. This design develops a creativity-focused academic center that encourages a convergence of media and production, invites experimentation and collaboration, and infuses socialization and creation.

Page 6: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

Historic PreservationWhich characteristics of historic preservation align with sustainability?

byRoger Chang, PE, LEED FellowBased in Washington D.C., Roger is a passionate proponent of environmental stewardship.

As the year 2030 gets closer and closer, significant industry discussion has focused on aligning energy codes and standards to drive efficient new construction. Yet, it is estimated that almost 75 percent of the building stock in the United States is over 20 years old, a time before energy codes were used more consistently across the country. It is estimated that 3 percent of our existing building stock will need to be deeply energy retrofitted every year, in order to meet 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.

Interestingly, members of the historic preservation community have been driving change to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings. In 2017, ASHRAE released Guideline 34P, a reference document focused on energy efficiency in historic buildings. Current energy standards generally exempt historic buildings from having to meet provisions. There is now a movement to reverse these exemptions and instead have the buildings most representative of our history be at the forefront for how to best renovate buildings of all types and vintages. The National Trust for Historic Preservation and Preservation Green Lab released a study showing the embodied energy benefits of building reuse.

So which characteristics of historic preservation align with sustainability?

• A significant number of historic buildings were designed for passive lighting and ventilation strategies, without spatial allocation for modern building systems. This has triggered significant demand for creative solutions that focus first on heating and cooling load reduction, followed by the use of systems that utilize refrigerant or water for conditioning energy delivery instead of air.

• Building science has been brought into historic buildings for several decades, due to concern over the impact of energy efficiency measures on mass masonry walls. This research has benefited the entire building industry. Analysis tools and technologies now are utilized across all building types.

• The desire to preserve heritage properties aligns with the broader goals of environmental stewardship. If climate change is not addressed, the effort the community has made to preserve our history will be lost to disruptive global change.

Addressing the efficiency of all our buildings is the best way the honor the legacy of the modern preservation movement.

Page 7: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

A Bright Idea in Lighting DesignInnovation at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery solves architectural and engineering challenges.

byTom Gallagher, AIABased in New York, Tom is experienced in a broad range of industry sectors, with a concentration in both visual and performing arts.

Though repurposed throughout the course of U.S. history—particularly during the Civil War and World War I—the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. is the first purpose-built gallery in the country. Originally designed by James Renwick, Jr., and completed in 1874, our renovation for the Smithsonian Institution presented several unique and fascinating challenges. Dedicated to showing the Smithsonian’s collection of three-dimensional decorative objects which take on all shapes and sizes, the building features exceptionally tall ceilings. There was not a good readily available lighting system on the market that would meet our needs.

Good museum lighting is all about the control of light and, in this case in particular, the control of beam angles. Given that the light sources would be mounted on ceilings over 20 feet tall illuminating objects ranging in scale from a small vase to a large sculpture, the need for a range of beam choices was paramount. Legacy halogen fixtures traditionally available in 5-, 9-, 12-, 15-, 20-, and 30-degree beams can be suitable for some museums. However, the museum-grade fixtures available on the market were typically limited to 20, 40, and 60 degrees by using different reflectors mounted in front of an LED module. Some institutions mix halogen and LED sources in order to achieve the range of beam spreads we needed, but this was not a suitable option for the Renwick Gallery.

For this project, our goal was to be among the earliest museums lit entirely by LED sources. We had full support from the Smithsonian Institution’s in-house lighting designer Scott Rosenfeld, who had been exploring the use of LED retro-fit lamps, or bulbs, made for the commercial market which offered more beam sizes. Together, we set out to develop a custom family of fixtures that would meet all the requirements of a museum-grade lighting system utilizing commercial retro-fit LED lamps.

It was not clear whether the project budget could afford an all-LED system, much less a custom one. Additionally, the architectural and mechanical engineering team wanted to ensure an LED system could be implemented to allow a reduction in cooling requirements and reduce energy consumption by approximately 75 percent. If we could reduce the cooling requirements for the lighting, our Energy + Engineering Leader Roger Chang and his team could reduce the size of the mechanical equipment on the uppermost level of the museum and maintain the original roof profile. As an historical landmark across the street from the White House, changes to the building’s historic roof profile would trigger considerable risk and cost. Our solution for a new lighting system in legacy halogens, a hybrid system, or an all-LED system directly affected the size and capacity of the building infrastructure and project budget.

An additional benefit of an all-LED lighting system is the lamp life. Halogen lamps have an average life of 3,000 to 5,000 hours, whereas LED modules can typically last up to 50,000 hours. This is a particularly significant issue

within the museum environment. When a lamp needs to be changed it is often done by maintenance personnel who do not have the same level of sensitivity and rigor as a lighting designer. The overall lighting quality and “focus” normally deteriorates as lamps burn out and get replaced. Labor to replace lamps is much more costly than the lamps themselves, and can sometimes result in gallery closures.

Our solution was a customized lighting system that solved all project criteria. The track layout, combined with individual fixture tilt-and-rotation capabilities, provided full flexibility of mounting positions, as well as how light beams can be aimed and locked into position. The new fixtures were custom-sized to accommodate widths and lengths of the most commonly used retro-fit lamps, and allow the use of a full range of sources with different beam spreads. Heat is the enemy of LED sources, so our fixtures are passively cooled by a chimney effect with engineered openings at the front and rear of each fixture type that allow air flow but control light spill. The fixtures also provide mounting opportunities for the full range of both thicker glass lenses and newer thin films to shape the light into various ovular shapes critical for gallery lighting. The profile of the fixtures and integral snoots simultaneously provide state-of-the-art glare control and a quiet presence in the galleries.

The implementation of an all-LED custom retro-fit lamp system lends significant benefits not only to the lighting systems, but many other aspects of the building renovation. In addition to a satisfied client, our unique solution was subsequently recognized by Architectural Lighting magazine as “a new benchmark in museum lighting.”

Page 8: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

Sonic ImpressionsAn international exhibit on sound art pushes the limits of theatrical expression with lasting repercussions.

byBradlee Ward, MFA, CTS-DBased in New York, Brad has extensive experience in the design and management of audiovisual and theatrical systems for a wide variety of project types.

This year, I had the opportunity to curate and design the biennial Sound Kitchen exhibit, which took place over four days in Taipei, Taiwan, as part of World Stage Design 2017, and featured 21 performances by sound design students, educators, and professionals from 16 countries. Sound Kitchen was launched by the Organisation Internationale des Scénographes Techniciens et Architectes de Théâtre (OISTAT) at the 2011 Prague Quadrennial as a “listening-friendly” venue for sound artists to share their work. The experience was both exhilarating and challenging, yielding insights and opportunities that not only enrich my immediate work but a broader scope into the future.

As in previous years, a jury of sound design professionals, including myself, curated presentations that required a live performance component, or a playback of one. In addition, applicants were encouraged to submit work that was previously developed for a performance or theater piece, involved remote collaboration, or incorporated audio recordings taken on site at World Stage Design 2017. Of particular interest were pieces that not only pushed the boundaries of sound technology but more importantly, used the sonic medium to explore innovative ways of narrating a story, fostering audience interaction, and staging compelling theatrical experiences.

The resulting program tackled subject matter as varied as the quiet of a Lutheran chapel in Helsinki; a traditional Korean folktale retold using Western-style music; legal tender; space flight; electronic dance music (EDM); and the literary canon. Some presenters leveraged technology to transcend cultural or geographic borders, composing sound art utilizing audio recorded in real time by webcams in different countries, or multiple performers in remote locations. Others experimented with multimedia interfaces to make their own instruments, set music to images or text, or, in a performance by Carnegie Mellon University, correlate different body parts to sound. For me, theater is meant to transform people by taking them places they have never been. These experiences can lead to new ways of thinking and potentially, in a way, can help transform the world. These experiences are most effectively achieved when the entire team is working in concert toward the same goal. Much like an architectural design team collaborates to design a building, theatrical teams, including the sound designer, are part of a team working to develop a specific, unified outcome.

Personal highlights of the exhibit included “The Mushroom Head,” by Jorge Hernández Jiménez-Smith and Yao Liao, which invited audience members to don mushroom-shaped headpieces containing speakers. Participants were then directed, through the speaker, to perform tasks as they wandered among and interacted with the rest of the audience, who listened to a different soundtrack. In “Acoustic AV Laptop” by Roger Alsop, performers played sounds by manipulating feedback with simple hand gestures in front of a laptop’s internal microphone. Audience members were also invited to participate.

“Being in Sound Kitchen [made me feel] accepted (and kind of validated) among sound and composing [communities], which was one of my ultimate goals in life,” Jiménez-Smith told me. “I loved being part of this sonic bridge.”

Sound Kitchen represented one of my professional design goals: creating and being part of a space that sparks creativity and intimacy. While theater is universal and uses languages that go far beyond words—in our case, sound—there were some differences. Listening to the artists explain their work and what they were trying to communicate was deeply insightful. At times, we “got it” and at other times, we didn’t, but in every case it was a rich and educational experience.

Following Sound Kitchen, my sound design friends toured me through theaters in Taiwan, South Korea, and Shanghai. Theater can transcend language, beyond the audience experience, too. We connected on the challenge of the proscenium arch, which is often so deep that it keeps the performers too far from the audience and inhibits connection. It seems that the design challenges of our Greek and Italian forefathers are universal.

Page 9: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

Design 2017

DLR Group’s Cultural+Performing Arts Studio elevates environmental and social betterment, with emphasis on equity and transformation of the individual and the surrounding community. The projects on the following pages highlight our designs that opened in 2017.

Page 10: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

A former oil boomtown, El Dorado, Ark., has a rich history, unique historic architecture, and a well-established arts and entertainment community, which includes the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the South Arkansas Arts Center, and numerous successful music festivals. Community leaders sought to develop these assets into a regional draw and community anchor that would improve quality of life and re-brand the community as a cultural performance mecca, while also slowing the decline in population and revitalizing the local economy. DLR Group|WRL’s master plan and design leverages existing historic assets, including the National Register-listed Rialto Theatre, five other legacy structures, and new construction, to create a multi-venue downtown arts and entertainment district that preserves and celebrates the unique identity of El Dorado while appealing to contemporary audiences and future generations. The master plan co-locates facilities and performance venues in a dense cluster to maintain the historic connection from Jefferson Street to Locust Street and to exploit synergies among the venues and other entertainment uses.

The Murphy Arts District preserves and celebrates the unique identity of an arts community.

Historic Connection

El Dorado, Ark.

Page 11: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is an art school and museum housed in two historic buildings —the 1876 Landmark Building and the adjacent 1920s-era Hamilton Building. The Landmark Building, designed by renowned Philadelphia architects Frank Furness and George Hewitt, is the first structure in the United States specifically designed for fine arts instruction and exhibition in a consolidated facility, and has been designated a National Historic Landmark. One of the only remaining structures by Furness, the Landmark Building has been maintained and stabilized, but had not been altered from the original function or architectural condition. DLR Group|WRL’s master plan and subsequent renovation accommodates a growing program within a fixed site.

Project implementation involved sequential construction phases to ensure continuous operation. Phase 1 included several interior renovation projects that created new spaces and features in the 280,000-SF Hamilton Building, including a 250-seat auditorium; a Center for the Study of the American Artist; state-of-the-art Works on Paper Conservation Lab and archives; staff areas; exhibition spaces; a café; exterior street-level glazing; and interior studio spaces. Phase 2 encompassed full renovation of the 85,000-SF Landmark Building, including improvements to interior spaces; interior finish conservation; removal of non-historic interior construction; life safety and ADA compliance improvements; and renovation of infrastructure systems. This design solution reinforces the image of the institution to the public while preserving PAFA’s historic structures.

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts connects two historic buildings for arts instruction and exhibition.

Image of an Institution

Philadelphia, Pa.

Page 12: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

Originally designed by I.M. Pei and opened in 1995, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in downtown Cleveland sought to improve the visitor experience, and make operational and infrastructure improvements. DLR Group|WRL’s design refreshes both interior and exterior spaces, modernizing not only the aesthetics but also the museum’s audiovisual and lighting technology. Renovations to the 7,500-SF lobby and atrium included new graphics and wayfinding, a redesign of box office operations, and an assessment of a new ticketing system. A bold graphic program, new audiovisual and interactive components, redesigned casework for easier staff access, and improved visitor circulation paths updated the 21,500-SF main exhibit hall. The main-level permanent exhibits received new lighting and controls. Temporary exhibits and the Hall of Fame, where new inductees are added each year, were also renovated.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame exhibits rock and roll memorabilia while celebrating the genre’s influential figures.

Modern Rock

Cleveland, Ohio

Images provided by BRC Imagination Arts.

Page 13: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown presents the history of the American Revolution within its regional context. DLR Group|WRL’s design evokes regional 18th century architecture, and relates the museum to its architectural context in Yorktown, as well as to the broader Virginia region. The design reflects traditional features, such as gabled roofs, local gray- and red-clay brick, cupolas that provide natural light to large interior spaces, and porches and columns at the entrances. As is typical of agrarian estates in Virginia, the entry forms a two-story volume connected to compatible smaller volumes. The design supports the visitor experience by providing a logical and easy path through the museum. The site topography and its relationship to the York River influence massing, blocking, and stacking of the program. The second-level meeting space offers dramatic river views while interior views take advantage of outdoor vistas across the historic farm and campground. Layout of the ceremonial plaza, car and bus circulation, event lawn, outdoor interpretive areas, and other site areas respond to program requirements and site constraints.

Yorktown, Va.

The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown presents history in a regional context.

National Foundations

Page 14: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

What’s next?

Sacramento Civic Center Theater Transformation Sacramento, Calif.

Renovation and expansion design by DLR Group|WRL opens the building to the surrounding urban fabric and brings Sacramento’s tree-lined-downtown vernacular into the building. Contrasting with the opaque concrete of the exterior, a transparent material palette creates a welcoming presence at the pedestrian level.

University of Nevada, Reno Music and Fine Arts Renovation Reno, Nev.

DLR Group|WRL’s renovation design utilizes a multi-tiered lobby to connect plaza, street, and bridge levels. An addition engages the topography of the site to create an active outdoor area. The addition also efficiently deals with circulation, loading, access, and building structure, maximizing net buildable space.

Page 15: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

Sustainability Report

Challenge of the Century One of the most pressing challenges of this century is to mitigate climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. The DLR Group Sustainability Report for 2017 reflects our progress toward meeting the 2030 Challenge. We extract this information from the estimated operational energy consumption, energy production, and energy optimization of DLR Group designs in 2017. Beyond these typical metrics of achievement, we are further beginning to consider the “water-energy nexus,” calculating not only how much water is used to create the energy we use but how to reclaim or conserve it.

Validate Performance DLR Group continues to complete data research to verify actual performance of our designs. We are excited to have submitted three additional buildings into the process of recognition by the New Buildings Institute in 2017 for exemplary energy performance. Once finalized, it will bring our total NBI- recognized buildings to a total of 1.5 million square feet of emerging zero energy and ultra-low performing buildings.

Raise the Bar DLR Group’s average reduction targets of predicted energy use for our high performance designs have consistently exceeded the national peer group average. We set an aggressive goal of 10 percent improvement from where we were the previous year. In 2017, our reduction target came in at 40 percent compared to the average building. A 10 percent improvement set our goal at 44 percent for this past year. DLR Group is thrilled to report that we exceeded that goal and reached a 48 percent reduction in 2017. Additionally, in 2016 we reported that 16 percent of our entire portfolio by gross square footage met the 2030 Challenge goal. This past year we achieved 36 percent of our portfolio meeting this milestone.

Read our 2017 Environmental Stewardship Summary

SustainabilityHowever, as a global design leader, we aim for continuous improvement in meeting 2030 Challenge reduction targets. The trend in our AIA 2030 Commitment reporting shows tangible progress in achieving these goals through broader participation across all DLR Group studios. Both renewable energy and building optimization projects are significantly contributing toward our efforts to achieve the benchmarks of Architect 2030.

Through our performance design practice, DLR Group is poised to meet 2030 Challenge goals on every new project by 2020.

environmental2017 Annual Reportstewardship2017 Summary

Page 16: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

AwardsCREATE at Arizona Science CenterPhoenix, Ariz.

Honorable MentionAIA Cleveland

Onondaga Lakeview AmphitheaterNew York, NY.

Government/Public Building of the YearEngineering News-Record

Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick GalleryWashington, DC.

Award of Merit for a High-Performance BuildingSustainable Buildings Industry Council

Straz Center for the Performing Arts Master PlanTampa, Fla.

Honorable MentionAIA Cleveland

Ohio Theatre Lobby RestorationCleveland, Ohio

34th Annual Reconstruction Awards, Gold AwardBuilding Design + Construction

Page 17: CULTURAL+ PERFORMING ARTS studio - DLR Group · Anat Grant, LEED AP BD+C Los Angeles Senior Associate Raymond Kent,Glenn Johnson, AIA Assoc. AIA, DMC-D Cleveland Principal Roger Chang,

2017 was an exciting and very eventful year for DLR Group. We launched the year with 810 design professionals in 24 offices and with demonstrated expertise in 11 building types.

During the year, Westlake Reed Leskosky, Momenta, Studio Hive, Kwan Henmi, and Staffelbach joined DLR Group.

We closed the year with 1,150 design professionals in 29 offices with demonstrated expertise in 15 building types, and added an array of new specialized design services and experts.

In many ways, this acquisition blitz was serendipitous. DLR Group is always looking to add design talent and access to new geographies, and during the year a multitude of factors aligned to enable DLR Group to substantially grow via acquisition. While adding new geographies and expertise is the aim, ensuring a cultural fit is always the strategic imperative. Each of the firms joining DLR Group share beliefs that align with our core values; a commitment to integrated design, sustainability, and design excellence.

The depth of design resources, experience, and expertise that have joined our 100 percent employee-owned firm is remarkable. This includes specialized engineering, theatrical design experts, and internationally recognized interiors, preservation, and planning practices. And new Culture+Performing Arts, Multi-Family Housing, Museum, and Transportation studios, along with enhanced expertise in Education, Justice, Workplace, and sustainable design strengthen our competitive position in the marketplace. The vision is to be a global design leader with resources, reach, and the wherewithal to serve clients wherever, however, and whenever our design services are needed.

Our goal is not to be a big firm. It’s to be a great firm. A highly-differentiated, deeply integrated, global design leader. All our recent acquisitions–WRL, Momenta, Studio Hive, Kwan Henmi, and Staffelbach–further the design ambitions of our employee-owners and our ability to elevate the human experience through design.

Griff Davenport, AIA CEO, DLR Group

ARCHITECT Magazine #1 design firm in 2014Adds 170 people and new locations in Charlotte, Cleveland, and New YorkDoubles design staff in Phoenix and Washington, D.C.Market leading Cultural+Performing Arts StudioAdds highly specialized design & engineering services

Adds 15 design professionals in MinneapolisElevates Minneapolis Workplace StudioAdds leadership and expertise to Global Interiors Practice

Adds seven design professionals to the Kansas City officeEnhances K-12, Higher Education, and Civic design

Adds 30 design professionals and San Francisco office locationEnhances support and service for Northern California clientsAdds Multi-Family Housing and Transportation experts

Adds a recognized presence, and a 50-year legacy of design in DallasEnhances leadership and design resources for Global Workplace Studio and Interiors Practice70 design professionals elevate DLR Group’s reach and ability to serve clients in Texas