Fun - lesliesaul

Guerilla Architecture Movie

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

TRANSFORMING SCARY SPACES INTO PLEASANT PLACES!

Boys & Girls Club of Woburn was built in 1963. The club outgrew the worn out building and in September of 2016 broke ground for the renovated and expanded facility. The new “Clubhouse” is more than double the size of the original. It includes an expanded pool and new gymnasium, along with new offices, cafe, teen club room, classrooms, art rooms, and childcare center.

The club was renamed in memory of James L. McKeown, a former president of the club, whose premature death cut short a life committed to improving the lives of children of Woburn, MA.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
LS&A IS CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF DESIGNING WITH “LIFE BUILT-IN”

LS&A IS CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF DESIGNING WITH “LIFE BUILT-IN.”

PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR FROM THE COLOR INSTITUTE TIMELINE SINCE 2000.

Celebrating 25 Years!

June 27, 2017

LS&A is celebrating 24.50 years of designing with "life-built in"

HAPPY SUMMER!

As we enjoy the long Summer days that are full of light, we honor the lighting designers who brighten our lives in the evenings throughout the year. See what 5 of our favorite lighting designers can do for you, as you work, play, age, live, learn (our 5 practice specialties). Read their tips about how to successfully start your next lighting project.

TIP from ROBYN: I like to encourage my clients to think and work outside of their comfort zone and lean into bold and sometimes nontraditional ideas. I always like to offer up at least one creative and maybe sometimes initially uncomfortable lighting concepts and have found that the clients who are most willing to travel down that occasionally scary path have had some of the most truly satisfying and successful projects.

TIP from CARRIE: “When designing “play” spaces, it’s all about establishing a mood to help transport people from their everyday lives. Similar to theatre, lighting is a critical element that helps set the scene for any function or atmosphere you desire. Focus on incorporating layers of light which can be adjusted through a dimming system to create various looks from day to evening to late night. It’s always great to incorporate a little of the unexpected to help boost the visual experience. Think about blending decorative lighting elements with subtle lighting layers that are carefully blended into the architecture. By using this technique, you draw the eye to these “wow” elements while still achieving the function, sparkle, and texture you need throughout.”

TIP from LUKAS: “What’s the lighting budget for your project?” Same as our clients, we find the lighting industry to be fairly opaque and frustrating, as far as pricing goes, which often results in us coming on to a project and there not being a lighting budget in place. With that in mind, one of the first steps we take on most projects is to develop a lighting budget with our clients, while discussing with them what their ultimate goals for the lighting are. We find that once a budget has been developed a lot of the decisions we make during the design process tend to be much easier, it allows us the freedom to be creative, and our client knows that what we are proposing will ultimately be something they can afford.

TIP from NANCY: The most important thing you can tell a lighting designer is how you and your family will live in the space created for you by your design and construction team. Is your dining room table also a homework/crafts table? Do you want to be able to read a book in your home theater while your kids watch Kung Fu Panda? Will you miss the warmth of incandescent lighting as it dims in intimate spaces if you install LED down-lights? (We have a solution for that!) The more you share with me about your lifestyle, the better I can layer the light to give you maximum flexibility and rooms you love to live in.

TIP from JEFFREY: Be sure to consider all views and conditions when creating a lighting design. Paul Rudolf’s iconic concrete architecture played a major role in determining the rhythm of the lighting for this project. Taking into consideration not only the interior lighting comfort but also the nighttime exterior views, a balance between function and beauty was achieved for all times of the day.

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May 25, 2017

LS&A Is celebrating 24-25 years of designing with "life-built in"

In our continuing celebration of spring and our colleagues, the landscape architects with whom we work, we want to spotlight:
Todd Richardson of Richardson & Associates and Emma Kelly of Emma Kelly Landscape
Together we designed a remarkable house and grounds located on a lake in Maine’s ski country. In April 2017, this project won a Merit Award in Design from Boston Society of Landscape Architects!

Congratulations to Todd, to Emma and to our wonderful clients!

Design Challenge: The early eighties ski/lakefront house/camp had a good structure, but was cut up into small rooms that didn’t accommodate our clients’ lifestyle. The house was located perfectly, but had almost no curb appeal. Take a look at how we solved these challenges:

We took away a bedroom to create a foyer and added a mudroom and a front door vestibule to make a better entry experience.

We closed off one of the garages (that had been almost impossible to get out of), turning it into ski and other storage area, allowing the landscape architects to add mid level garden that really took the curse off that corner. A garage bay and lower level mudroom (for lake gear) were added under the new screened in porch addition.

The fireplace was re-designed in an asymmetrical way, to make it feel more rustic and less squat. We had discovered during construction meetings that each person would move their folding chairs to look out at the lake, rather than at each other, so we knew that typical furniture layouts wouldn’t work. The sofa and the area rug were custom designed to take advantage of the views.

We reorganized the master bathroom without adding space, but added a skylight over the shower for a year round outdoor shower feel. We expanded the deck off the master bedroom to accommodate a hot tub and lounge chairs.

For more “AFTER” images click here

April 14, 2017

LS&A is celebrating 24.50 years of designing with "life-built in"

HAPPY SPRING!

It’s time to start planning your garden. Learn how to integrate the landscape with the architecture. See what 5 of our favorite landscape architects can do for you, as you work, play, age, live, learn (our 5 practice specialties). Read their tips about how to successfully start your next landscape project.

TIP from JOE: Work on articulating your vision or goals for the project, so your designers have the right information from the start. It’s important to understand the client’s goals and objectives at the start of the design process. Once we understand that, as a project team we can help the client clearly articulate their vision. For Athenahealth, we reimagined the existing Arsenal on the Charles to create their goal of an integrated, open, sustainable campus.

TIP from DEB: A project centered on play should be fun! In my experience designing for play can mean many different things and the opportunities are unlimited for kids as well as those just young at heart. I start every project by listening closely to my clients, to better understand their project goals and how they define success. Play is always evolving and I encourage my clients to think outside of traditional play equipment and source both natural and manufactured elements in unique ways. There is nothing more interesting to children then being able to manipulate and test their environment in a protected and safe place.

TIP from REBECCA: Take time at the beginning to think about alternate activities, so your designer can accommodate them. I follow many of our clients’ completed assisted living residences on Facebook. By following them on social media, we get a more intimate look into how the residents, their families and guests, and the staff are using the spaces. One image that stood out to me was of a family playing the bean bag game (aka cornhole or bag-o) in one of the courtyards we designed. This was definitely not in the “programming” we discussed during the design process! Seeing their posts about barbecues, dog shows, and bean bag game competitions reminds me that as we design these spaces, we need to be ready for anything!

TIP from GREG: Better with Age. Stewardship, for generations to come, requires a commitment to and appreciation of the ever-evolving nature of a landscape. We work with our clients as they grow in their understanding that a well-executed residential design is just the beginning of a homeowner’s and property’s combined legacy. Done well and cared for, it will only get better as it matures.”

TIP from BILL: Clients are encouraged to share all they know about a property’s past while, together, we envision its future legacy. We approach each site with the understanding that there is a story to be told. The result is a cohesive weaving of that narrative with a beautiful, implementable, and highly functional design. For this Newburyport MA client, providing a welcoming space that embraces and celebrates the larger community allows this property to evolve from a neighborhood pass-through to an engaging and beloved community “center”.