Greetings from Japan. 

 by V Brandy LeMae, managing partner

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yokohama

shinagawa

meguro-ku

takadanobaba

shinagawa

osaki

shinagawa

nakameguro

shinyurigaoaka

shinagawa

sendai

yokohama

shinagawa

takadanobaba

shinagawa

shinyurigaoaka

shinagawa

inagi city

photos by: Brandy LeMae, Joseph Vigil and Carmen Vigil

Joseph Vigil’s Ghost House is included on the “Home Sweet [Energy Efficient] Home: A Sampling of Denver’s Sustainable Residential Projects” Tour during the AIA National Convention in Denver this Summer. 

 by V Brandy LeMae, managing partner

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We are so happy with the house and its site — Brad Goeddel, Home Owner.

The Ghost House is perched on a slope of Green Mountain, backing onto open space which in turn backs onto State and National Forest. The lot is a rectangular ½ acre that is only large enough to accommodate the modest (2,200 SF) structure and a very long driveway.

The East face of Green Mountain is high plains-foothill transition in elevation extremely dry with high desert vegetation. The home has a small footprint with low water plants and grasses immediately around the house that quickly transitions to the native species. Areas disrupted by construction are once again self sustaining.

The barrier free upper floor provides convenience for the home owners and accessibility for the future. The lower floor provides multi use spaces that can function as offices, private space, and bedrooms.

Energy Efficient features include:

• 10k PV on roof
• domestic solar hot water
• insulated foundation building blocks w/ 5” foam walls creating a 13” foundation
• 6” SIP walls 10” SIP roof
• gas filled Alpin windows and doors
• high fly-ash content concrete floors with radiant heating
• moderate size (2,200 SF) taking advantage of urban infill of a challenging physical location with spectacular views of the Denver metropolis and proximity to Open Space and State and National Forest
• 90% (or so) LEEDS compliant — though not certified
• built without the use of a roll off trash receptacle, all scrap and left over materials sorted and recycled
• ADA accessibility for the main floor
• shade sails over patio and on east facing upper story windows provide shade in summer while excellent cross ventilation and consistent breezes provide cooling on summer nights
• in winter the south facing windows provide sun exposure into the main living area 10 to 15 feet, creating a passive solar mass of about 300 SF.
• 4 FT eves prevent summer sun from entering
• all electric appliances including latest cooking technologies of convection and induction, on demand hot water supplementation and boiler maintained hot water heat

WORKSHOP8’s Ulla Lange is not only a talented and dedicated interior and architectural designer, she is also dedicated to sustainability and passing that knowledge onto the next generation.

 by V Brandy LeMae, managing partner

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The Young Ambassadors’ Program 2013 is still urgently looking for a few more host families for the five week period, June 7 – July 14.

Email or call Ulla for more information: ulla@workshop8.us or 303-442-3700.

Ulla is running the Finland Young Ambassadors’ Program for a second year in a row. This five week summer program was started and sponsored by Boulder’s very own Bruce Oreck—the US Ambassador to Finland. Bruce is a longtime Boulder resident and an advocate for the “green approach” in both his personal projects on local and state level, and now globally. It was Bruce’s strong commitment to the environment and sustainable development, as well as his deep ties to Finland that sparked the idea of a full scholarship program to educate Finnish youth about environmental matters in the U.S., and to give them a chance to experience American life as a member of a local family.

Ulla’s knowledge of sustainability in building practices, personal connection with Ambassador Oreck and his wife Cody, as well as the fact that she grew up in Finland made her a natural candidate to organize the Young Ambasadors’ Program in 2012, the second year it was running. She is building on last year’s successful experience and taking this year’s 12 students again on the informative and fun visits during their five week stay in Colorado.

The five week program takes place in Colorado, where the students visit government offices, institutions and businesses that have demonstrated innovation in energy technology and a commitment to conduct their business in an environmentally conscious manner. Twice weekly activities include learning about the work at NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), seeing the every day environmentally friendly operations at the Denver Zoo, and visiting RASEI (Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute) at the University of Colorado. The students will also visit Boulder’s Eco-Cycle  recycling facility, see building salvage materials at the ReSource Yard, visit the Green Guru facility in Boulder, and experience a day working at an organic farm.

Ulla is no stranger to environmentally conscious policies and specifically green building and development. As a founding partner and interior designer at WORKSHOP8, her approach to all projects is a creative one, stemming from her fine arts background in textile design, yet based on technical knowledge gained when acquiring her Master in Architecture degree from University of Colorado Denver and years of experience in the field of architecture and design.

The students’ travel and host family arrangements are taken care of by YFU (Youth for Understanding), one of the largest international exchange programs. All of the host families are volunteers, many of them participating for the second or third time. It is a rewarding experience for both students and families alike, and forges wonderful international friendships, as everyone who as been involved in it would testify.

new interiors project

by V Brandy LeMae, managing partner

Feast your eyes on this new kitchen and bath project by Ulla Lange for Boulder ZED Design Build. Let us know what you think.

If you are interested in finding out more about W8’s residential kitchen, bath and interior design services please shoot Ulla an email or give us a call at 303-442-3700. We work with a variety of budgets and styles.

See more information about this project on our web site or all project photos on HOUZZ.com.

photo by: Dean Cronin

mentor program for middle and high school students

by C Joseph Vigil IV, AIA founding partner | architect

I believe the best time to mentor someone who is considering pursuing a career in the field of architecture or interior design, is during their middle and high school years. To that end, W8 has developed a mentor program for students between the ages of 10 and 18. In our after school mentor program we outline for students the process required to become a licensed Architect or work in the field of planning and design. We can advise them on high school and college class choices and explain the professional internship requirements. We give students the opportunity to observe the day-to-day operations of our small studio and invite them to participate in meetings and site visits.

I am also involved in a number of mentor programs for college students, including the AIA Colorado’s Dinner with an Architect and the AIAS Freedom By Design program. My partners and I also enjoy participating in studio class critiques at CU Boulder.

If you, or a student you know, is interested in finding out more about W8’s mentor program, please shoot me an email or give us a call at 303-442-3700.

Learn more about our mentor program on our web site.

Annual Housing Fair, Tampere

by Ulla Lange interior designer / founding partner

White kitchens are making a comeback because they are spacious and airy. Adding splashes of color and contrasting materials keeps them from looking too cold or bland.

Feature walls—created either with tile or wallpaper are a great way to give a little punch to a room without overwhelming it.

Creating a design element with a continuing pattern from a wall to the ceiling is an interesting idea, and can be work well, but it also can go awry. . .

Just like kitchens, white cabinetry in bathrooms feels clean and is far from mundane, if its shape and geometry have a fresh look and other complementary materials are brought into the mix.

Textural white tile is a simple and understated way to add some visual interest to a bathroom.

Light fixtures can play an important role in an interior as design elements, but their main function—to provide at least some level of illumination—should not be overlooked.  I saw some interesting examples of new takes on pendants, innovative textures, materials and constructions. Some more successful than others. I’ll let you form your own opinions.

Too much of a “good” thing is never good. Blingy chandeliers in modern houses can be really fun, but careful consideration of scale, number of fixtures and placement are key for things to come together.

Just when you thought oak was dead, it’s back! But this time around in new hues, gray being the most prominent one.

Circles are everywhere! Motifs in cutout fabrics (another BIG trend), light fixtures and wall art.

Placing stairs in the middle of a large room could form a real visual barrier. Not so in this space, where the airiness and lightness of these stairs is a real delight. New Finnish design at its best.

It’s soon time to plan for my annual trip and see what I can find next time.

Cheers,
Ulla

jv DeSousa Invited to Present at ULI Conference

by Brandy LeMae managing partner

jv DeSousa, architect and founding partner at WORKSHOP8, has been invited to present at the Urban Land Institute’s Terwilliger Center for Housing’s 5th annual conference—Housing Opportunity 2013—in Seattle, WA, March 20-22.

Housing Opportunity 2013 will attract a diverse group of 200 to 300 attendees from across the country. This is ULI’s premier housing event and the conference will cover a range of housing issues.

jv will present with Jonathan Rose of the Rose Companies (based in NYC) and Erin Christensen of Mithun (based in Seattle). The panel will be moderated by Trisha Miller from the HUD Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities. Presentations by these three thought-leaders will cover the latest trends in greening affordable housing. jv will present a case study on W8’s Paisano Green Community, a cutting edge, award-winning project in El Paso TX.

congratulations design team. . .

by Brandy LeMae managing partner

WORKSHOP8 submitted our Jewel Box to the 2012 3form Installation Contest. There was some amazing competition and the Jewel Box received honorable mention for “Creative Use of Exterior Materials”.

See the images on the 3form web site.