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In between the here and gone: A conversation with Abandoned: South Dakota

AcV2 has been a fan of Abandoned: South Dakota since it launched. We pour over the new images and compare favorites. Last winter Patri was on a trip and realized that the woman behind the A: SD lens was the person she was having dinner with. Abby and Patri have become friends (they even share a birthday) and after much arm-twisting, she agreed to be interviewed for our latest blog post.

The most talented Abby Bischoff

AcV2: How did you get the idea to start Abandoned South Dakota?

A: SD - I think there were several things that converged to start Abandoned: South Dakota. At the time, I was covering lots of ground around the state for work and photography shoots and was tired of driving the same roads. You can only drive the same roads so many times before you want to see some new scenery. As I would take less travelled roads, I'd find more and more homesteads.

Also, my parents had started building a new house on our farm. It was going up right behind our old house and we lived in the old house while the new one was under construction. This gave us the chance to really talk about moving and leaving the old house behind. We'd gather around the kitchen table and talk about all the memories the walls of our house held. On more than one occasion, I made people cry by playing the song "Tear Down the House" by The Avett Brothers after a few well-told stories. I'm a little manipulative...

The Bischoff homestead.

AcV2: Any interview that starts with the Avett Brothers is wildly successful. What music do you listen to out on the road?

A:SD - I listen to a lot of modern folk singers on the road. The Avett Brothers, Nickel Creek, The Lone Bellow, The Civil Wars, Bon Iver, Phosphorescent. But some indie rock too - Arcade Fire, Ought, CHVRCHES, Twin Shadow, Jenny Lewis, Local Natives. And Justin Timberlake. And Sam Smith.

AcV2: Is there an area of SD that yields the most bang for your buck?!

a: SD:There's a few highways that have been amazing. Highway 45 (between Faulkton and I-90) and Highway 25 between I-90 and the intersection with Hwy 34) are a few of my favorite spots. But, I had a great escort once out West River in the Timber Lake, Firesteel, McIntosh area.

AcV2:What makes a good "abandoned" find?

a: SD:I'm always drawn to homes that sit back a bit off the road and have a few trees around them but not much else. Sometimes I'll find a home, but it is surrounded by the stuff that ends up "in the trees" at lots of farms - old fence posts, tires, rolls of barbed wire, outhouses. Lots of times these things make it difficult to get a pleasing photo of a home. I tend to gravitate towards homes that are stripped of most any traces of "man-made elements". So, no paint, no cement, electrical poles, etc. Homes that are just bare, worn wood are by far my favorites. I think there's something really beautiful about how they exist in that sort of in-between? In between here and gone. In between man-made and nature. Kind of a combination of both. Materials from the land, put there by man, left behind by man, nothing left but what came from the land.

AcV2: Interesting that you separate between the home and the stuff (a much nicer word than we might have used).There is also an obvious contrast between a rural home and the land. As architects, we definitely negotiate that relationship between the built and natural environments, so we have a natural fascination with your (amazing) photographs. I am curious if the homes or the land have had a greater impact on you (and how you view South Dakota)?

A: SD - Through the scope of this project, the homes have had a bigger impact on me. I've been pretty fixated on figuring out the last moment in the home. What must have happened for someone to decide to shut the lights off and leave a home behind. If those forces are economic, personal tragedy or systems failure in the house, leaving a home behind feels like a heavy decision.

Now, that's not to dismiss the importance of the land as a part of the project. As a farm kid, I've had the importance of stewardship of land instilled in me from a young age. I mean, I won a cow for two years by learning the ins and outs of rotational grazing. I try and be intentional about including land in the photo. I think it's important to show the house how it sets on the land. I think that's a really important part of what I'm trying to capture. That's why I don't trespass or explore inside the home, I take the photo from how everyone sees it.

AcV2: What narratives, other than abandonment, recur in your work?

A: SD - I know a lot of people see abandonment, loneliness or loss in my photos, but I think the inverse is also true. There's something so hopeful and strong when I find a house still standing after years of wear and no upkeep. They seem to serve as a monument to the people that built them. They say, "We were here. And we were strong and deliberate. And even though I've been left behind, I won't fall. We're still here."

By unanimous vote, AcV2's favorite "Abandoned".

We encourage you to purchase prints or the 2015 calendar here.

(All images courtesy of Abby Bischoff @ Abandoned: South Dakota)

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Out in the Field (literally): H3 Residence

John documented his most recent trip to the project site and brought back great pictures. The project is almost done. Almost.

Construction is well under way on the H3 Residence in Hay Springs, Nebraska. During our most recent visit, the builders were attaching the underlayment to the roof and preparing for the mechanical system to be installed. With the windows ordered, it is a matter of days before the house is enclosed. 

As you may remember, the clients asked us to design an addition to their farm house, which evolved over the years from sod dugout to two-bedroom house. The addition features a Master Suite and Office on the main floor, and a Family Room with vaulted ceilings upstairs. The existing house will be remodeled to include a new bathroom and dining area, as well as a renovated bedroom and living room.

Progress! A view from the backyard of both the existing house and the new addition. 

Happy home-owners. One smiling for the camera, and the other taking in the great view.

Speaking of the view. The grasslands make for an impressive panorama from the second floor Family Room.

Tree saved. And the front of the house is ready for a new porch.

The existing house had a very improvised roofline, so the roof was over-framed to align the various rooflines and to add a cricket between old and new.

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Historic Preservation makes financial sense

We have long been advocates for preserving historic buildings. Of the many reasons to be a preservationist, one is easy for all of our clients to understand: the bottom line. State and federal governments sponsor economic incentive programs for preserving historic properties, of which there are three primary offerings: federal tax credits, grants, and (in many states, including South Dakota) a property tax moratorium. On behalf of our clients, we have applied for, and been awarded, all three incentives.

The South Dakota State Historical Society has a good synopsis of the various incentive programs on their website:

http://history.sd.gov/Preservation/FundingOpps/FundingOpportunities.aspx

FEDERAL TAX CREDIT - 20%: (Parts Central) This is a federal program that offers a dollar-for-dollar tax reduction on personal taxes to an amount up to 20% of the cost of qualified expenses on the project. Without getting lost in the details of what is a "qualified expense," we must stress that a tax credit puts dollars directly back in our clients' pockets.

Now for the technical explanation: The qualified expenses can be for work done on the interior and exterior. And the credit amount can be carried back 1 year or carried forward 20 years. The rehabilitation work must comply with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

The rehabilitation must be substantial. That is, the rehabilitation expenditures must exceed the greater of $5,000 or the adjusted basis of the building and its structural components (the adjusted basis is generally the purchase price, minus the cost of land, plus improvements already made, minus depreciation already taken.) <- How’s that for a little complicated math?

FEDERAL TAX CREDIT - 10%: The 10% tax credit is available primarily for the rehabilitation of non-historic buildings placed in service before 1936. "Non-historic" means that the property isn’t listed or eligible to be listed on the National Register. In order to qualify for the tax credit, the rehabilitation must meet criteria on how much of the walls and structural framework remain in place. There is no formal review process for rehabilitations of non-historic buildings. The rehabilitation work does not need to meet the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. 

DEADWOOD FUND: (Front door to Parts Central) This grant is awarded as a reimbursement. Applications are accepted year-round, but the funds are awarded only twice a year. The funds can be used to retain, restore or rehabilitate a portion of a building. The factors that are used to select the awardees include the rarity of the building and building type, as well as the visibility of the work to be undertaken. The fund is used as a marketing tool, so buildings should be public and visible. The use of the funds should be specific - repairing or restoring a specific element or elements in the building, for example - like a front door. 

STATE PROPERTY TAX MORATORIUM: (Murphy’s) To be eligible for the South Dakota property tax moratorium, the building must be historically listed, either as part of a historic district, or as an individual property. The moratorium application must be submitted the same year the work was undertaken. Work has to meet with standards, but they are not as strictly enforced at the state level. Call the Director of Equalization to make sure the project will have an impact on the property tax assessment (electrical, plumbing, kitchen upgrade). Once approved, the property tax will not increase as a result of the rehabilitation work. This benefit lasts for 8 years, which for a property like Murphy's adds up to six-figure savings. 

Most of our clients who own, or are looking to purchase, historic structures have a passion for the history embedded in the building. The financial incentives offset costs and make the process more affordable for our clients. 

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It's all in the details: The Garage

Back in July, we blogged about our project called The Garage. Occupying about two-thirds of the historic Motor Service Building, The Garage is a co-working space created by a collaboration between our friend Matt, of the Numad Group, and McCarthy Properties.

In early summer, when we wrote the previous post, MAC Construction was starting the demolition. The look and feel of the project still existed as paper drawings, as a finishes board, and in the imaginations of the development team and the design team. Fast forward a couple months, and the space is nearly complete. The tenants started moving into the space yesterday, and we expect the place to be in full swing by the end of the month.

We wanted to share a few of the details in the building - in a way, showing you our cards.

STEEL-FRAMED WINDOWS: The steel-frame windows were salvaged and reused either in their entirety, or in smaller pieces. We replaced the windows because they were damaged and lacked insulation.

The original windows are shown in this picture. MAC Construction replaced them with Manko windows that resemble the original units. These are the windows you will see reused throughout The Garage's interior.

For the conference room, we were able to reuse two of the original steel windows in their entirety. Bonus: the operable center portions still work.

Others were separated and used as windows for the private offices. We call this kind of interior window a "borrowed light," which were made from the operable center portion of the original steel windows.

The remaining portions of the windows were used to make interior clerestory windows for a couple of the offices.

Detail. Bullet hole filled with gray putty.

WOOD DOORS: All the existing wood doors, windows and casing were reused in the new space. All the doors were different in one way or another - some doors had stenciled words on them.

Original women's bathroom door.

The doors were all reused in the new space as office doors. The different doors lend uniqueness to each of the offices.

Hand-painted detail.

The builders kept as much of the original hardware as possible. The offices needed new locks.

GARAGE DOORS: The  overhead doors add a great amount of character and light to the interior of the garage space. We wanted to retain their look and feel, but we needed to make sure we kept the weather out.

The overhead doors provided light, but also lacked insulation and weather-proofing.

We kept the overhead doors, stripped of all the hardware and secured in place. The partial height wall is insulated and dips down to allow for the door glazing to remain uncovered.  

The top of the partial height wall serves as an art ledge, and it mimics the orange paint stripe from the garage's previous paint scheme. 

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DoubleTree Omaha: Nearing Completion

We are excited to show off a few new photos of the hotel down in Omaha. The renovation is nearly complete.

The DoubleTree sign faces I-80, the main east-west highway through Omaha. The rooms and suites are almost ready for guests.

Hotel guests will approach a brand new porte-cochere from 72nd Street. The adjoining restaurant has been demolished and will be replaced during the next phase of construction. 

Looking back toward the entrance, we see the exterior of the hotel lobby and business offices. 

Stay tuned for pictures of the interiors and the grand opening date.

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Dinosaur Park: A conversation with Tallgrass Landscape Architecture

"Nearly 80 years after dinosaur statues rose above Rapid City, the iconic hilltop landmark known as Dinosaur Park may soon be reborn." That is how the Rapid City Journal article on the renovation project for the Dinosaur Park begins. Our friends Matt Fridell and Tanya Olson, of Tallgrass Landscape Architecture in Custer SD, are the creative force behind the design work.

After seeing the Master Plan and talking to Tanya about the process, we wanted to share the conversation.

AcV2: Tanya and Matt, we have been excited to see the progress on the Dinosaur Park renovation in the paper. Can you tell us a little bit about the history of the park?

Tallgrass: Dinosaur Park was constructed in 1936-38, the brainchild of R.L. Bronson, secretary of the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce and Dr. C.C. O'Harra, retired paleontologist from the Dakota School of Mines (now SDSM&T). Mr. Bronson  attended an exhibition that had some kind of animatronic dinosaurs and was so impressed that he wanted to bring the idea to Rapid City. City forefathers were also hoping to capitalize on the tourists beginning to visit Mount Rushmore and to obtain WPA funding for jobs for unemployed men during the recovery from the Great Depression. 

Emmet Sullivan was the designer and main sculptor of the dinosaurs and received scientific consultation from Dr. Barnum Brown, curator of the American Museum of Natural History in NYC. 

The dinosaurs were intended to be a natural history exhibit - life-sized exact replicas of the prehistoric residents of this area. They were originally painted grey and had teeth and claws that have been lost over time. 

AcV2: What part of the history do you feel needs to be celebrated most?

Tallgrass: I think the most interesting thing about the history of the park is the intention that the park be a natural history park, particularly contrasted with what we know about dinosaurs today. In the guide to Dinosaur Park, the park was "constructed as a memorial to perpetuate the facts of history, and to acquaint the present generation and others to follow with a fair idea as to the appearance, size and characteristics of these, our earliest known inhabitants". People think of them as a goofy roadside attraction - but they actually represent our change in knowledge and understanding of these animals. 

AcV2: In your research, did you find any features of the park that have been lost to time?

There are stone foundations to the south of the Apatosaurus (what everyone calls the Brontosaurus) that were foundations for a rustic stone and log shelter. You can see them to the left of the Apatosaurus in the image above.

AcV2: Did you find any funny or unique historic photos you can share?

The dog and the trachodon, with the "brontosaurus" photobombing. 

We found a bunch of postcard pictures that while hunting around online. For some reason there are a lot of photos of dogs near the dinosaurs. We think that's hilarious!

AcV2: The dog is hilarious... but let's talk about the design a little bit. How many different concepts did you come up with for the renovation? 

The primary goal of the Master Plan was to design an ADA accessible path from the parking lot to each of the Dinosaurs and create a park plan that will last for another 50 years. For the Master Plan we created 4 preliminary themes. These were themes based on exaggerations of what is already there - they were: The Adventure Park, the Natural History Park, the WPA Park, and the Americana / Roadside Attraction Park. 

AcV2: Which of the concepts was the most fun to develop? 

Matt had the most fun with the Americana Park (shown above), which we nicknamed "going full Flintstone". The theme was based on seeking a connection to our own childhood road trips and included oversized 'bone' gate, funny photo view points, and exaggerated designs for a shelter and steps on top of the hill.

I had the most fun with the Natural History Park. This theme was based on illustrating our changing ideas of what dinosaurs were like. Features included  fossils of the same species, like shadows of the sculptures, embedded in retaining walls and walking surfaces, a slope with multiple dinosaur footprints like the fossilized footprints found around the west, an overlook at the top with a ammonite design and sculptural eggs and a nest at the Trachodon.

AcV2: That answer is so telling in who you two are: the goofy versus the academic! So back to this, in the end, what concept was chosen?

In the end, the Master Plan most followed the Adventure Pod idea with an accessible trail winding up the slope to each dinosaur. The trail is studded with places to stop and take in the view, areas for kids to run ahead and play (we call this leap-frogging: kids run ahead, parents catch up, kids run ahead, parents catch up), picnic areas out of the wind, easier maintenance access, more contained overlooks allowing revegetation of the top of the hill and a trailhead connection to Skyline Wilderness trails. 

  Photo courtesy of Tallgrass, taken by Charlotte Wilsey.

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AUGUST: How Goes It

Disclaimer: "How goes it" is a military term that roughly translates to "status update." Please don't send the grammar police after us…John can't suppress certain "tendencies and learned behaviors". 

Three of our current projects showcase three of our specialties: hospitality, custom residential, and historic preservation. The projects also illustrate three different stages of the design process: site planning, design development, and construction administration. 

Crossroads Master Plan (Site Planning Phase)

Our clients wanted us to explore some site planning options for two new hotels. Instead of surrounding each of them with parking, we proposed a site layout that creates a shared courtyard and more of a campus feel.

M3 Kitchen Renovation (Design Development Phase)

This image shows the M3 Kitchen roughly halfway through the design process. Alecia used this depiction to figure out whether open shelving would work and to decide which cabinet doors should have glass fronts. The renovation will be started soon by Cal Weidenbach.

Garage (Construction Administration Phase)

The Motor Service Building is nearing completion! Alecia stopped by yesterday to check on the progress. This photo shows the former garage bays, which will be home to the appropriately named new coworking space: The Garage.

We enjoy having this much variety happening all at once - although it makes it tough to keep things in line every once in a while! 

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Rapid City native Becky Hammon was named an Assistant Coach for the San Antonio Spurs on AcV2-sday. We are excited on a few levels: as South Dakotans, as sports fans, and as supporters of women in male-dominated professions. We realize the band wagon might be full, but Go Spurs Go.

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The Look and Feel: Mc Residence

Over the past few weeks, we have been narrowing down options for what the Mc Residence addition will look like. The clients, who share our passion for the beauty of the historic and weathered, live in an stunning converted Kirk barn. They requested that the materials for the new addition not match those used on the barn exactly, but still be complementary. The existing residence has typical barn siding with a nicely weathered appearance and a beautiful stone foundation.

The existing materials.

This project demanded simple, honest materials that will stand up to cold, wind, heat, dryness, snow, rain, etc. The Black Hills climate is remarkable for its variety of weather throughout the year. We figured the exterior of the addition should be composed of three basic elements: the foundation, the siding, and the roof.

For the garage and foundation walls we are proposing to use board-formed concrete. To achieve the "board-formed" look, the builders will use narrow boards (rather than the typical plywood) to make the formwork for casting the walls.

Board-formed concrete. Image from Pinterest.

To complement the barn siding, we are looking to use a burnt wood siding, which is a product that has been used in Japan for centuries. Called Shou-sugi-ban in Japan, the siding is protected by the charred finish. It is naturally resistant to fire, rot, and pests, and the siding is also nearly maintenance free. For more information, visit Delta Millworks on the web or on Houzz.

Burnt wood siding. Image from Delta Millworks

For the roof, we have been looking at a variety of metal shingles, and corrugated metal panels. Here are a few we are considering:

Zalmag (a type of galvanized metal) roof tiles by Millennium Tiles. Image from Architectural Metals.

Corrugated, galvanized roof panels.

As we searched for materials, we were excited to come across a project that featured a very similar material palette by Andersson-Wise Architects. The Austin, Texas firm has certainly created some amazing architecture since their founding in 2001, to include the Stone Creek Camp in Montana. 

Stone Creek Camp. Image from Andersson-Wise Architects.

Stay tuned, as we publish more progress on the Mc Residence addition!

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Small Projects

Recently, there was a great blog post by Greg La Verdara about why architects should not turn away small projects. The gist of the post is that even though turning down small projects might make business sense for some architectural practices, they are not necessarily good moves for the architecture profession in general. Architects shouldn't drive away customers who are actively looking for an architect. We wholeheartedly agree.

Lately, we've had the opportunity to work on several very quick projects. Smaller projects provide the fun of working closely with and getting to know an awesome array of clients. Smaller projects also offer an opportunity to let our creativity and curiosity jump around a bit more than usual. Each of these projects take us about a month, which is much shorter than our typical projects take.

Exterior of Rimrock Place property

Original basement layout: One large apartment with an "owner bonus suite".

New basement layout: Two one-bedroom apartments.

Under construction.

Rimrock Place: The clients had a one-bedroom vacation rental with a lot of wasted space, and they wanted to better utilize the apartment. In response, we transformed the existing rental property into two one-bedroom apartments. Sound isolation between the rentals and an upstairs residence was also an issue, so we worked with the clients and builder to insulate the ceiling of the rental units. As construction winds down, we are excited by the fact that our clients will have new earning potential, without having to build a costly new addition.

Existing condition: exterior.

Three options presented to client along with floor coordinating floor plans. 

Cerro Court: For this project we were hired to very quickly come up with a few different solutions for an existing two-story ranch with some serious issues. First off, the entrance to the residence is located on the basement level, not on the living level. Second, the exterior was, in typical ranch fashion, a rectangular box with failing cement-board siding. And finally, because the current owner's goal for the house is to sell it, he wanted to figure out how to fit contemporary needs (3 bedrooms / 2 baths) into an outdated plan (2 bedrooms / 1 bath / 1 room too small for any real use). We definitely look forward to seeing which path the owner chooses in order to make the best return on his investment.

Whether renovating an entrance to a home or designing a grand new civic building, architects need to be willing to offer their expertise, rather than reserve it for a select wealthy few. There are many reasons to hire an architect, and we should avoid creating the impression that small projects are not worth our time. This only pushes willing customers away from professional architects. 

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Poverty Ridge

We recently visited the construction site for a home we designed last year. The project is a true team effort with a lot of direction from the timber framer, contractor, window supplier, and other consultants.  We made sure to visit while the timbers were being raised.

Very early rendering of what the completed house will look like, sort of.

The timber frame is not the only unique aspect of the project - the home will also use passive heating and cooling and will be enclosed using SIPS panels. To achieve passive heating and cooling, the structure is oriented to take advantage of the sun for heating, insulated to minimize heat loss in winter or heat gain in summer, and shaded to keep the house cool in summer and warm in winter. 

The house is sited on a ridge overlooking Rapid Creek, so the crane was parked as close as possible to the edge of the dropoff.

A perfect day for raising beams.

Framing the main living spaces.

Awesome.

The Master Builder, and our tour guide for the visit.

You can follow the project through the builder's (Todd Erskin Construction) Facebook page, and you can learn a little more about the timber framers (Bodensteiner Beamworks) on their website. We will be sure to share the progress…steady as she goes.

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The Garage

Construction is well underway on the historic Motor Service Co building, aka The Garage. Built in 1929, the building originally served as a Studebaker car dealership, and later on for Triumph, MG, Jaguar and Alfa Romeo. 

This is a building we've had our eyes on for years now. Not only is it an iconic building in the Rapid City's core, but it is in great shape due to the simplicity and honesty of construction. With load-bearing exterior masonry walls and a barrel vault that spans the width of the building, the interior spaces are free from any structural elements, creating one open, large space. 

The front of the building previously housed the office and showroom portion of the business, and the back area served as the multiple-bay service garage. We designed the front spaces to house two longterm tenants and the back area to house an exciting new co-working space - the first of its kind in Rapid City, cleverly named The Garage.

"Before" conditions. Back area. Garage. 

"During construction" conditions. Back area. Garage. 

Interior elevation. Back area. Garage. 

The uninterrupted floor space allows for a large amount of flexibility in the co-working space layout. The space is designed to host 11 private offices, a dozen workstations and a drop-in area that can host up to another dozen users. The common amenities for the users include a kitchen, a lounge area and a conference room. Our design goal was to preserve the utilitarian, garage-like feel of the space, while creating an environment that is conducive for a range of professionals to be productive. 

Stenciled door lettering. Detail.

Finishes board. 

The renovation will reuse all the existing doors and the rest of the materials have been selected to evoke a garage feel - without the smell of brake fluid and carburetor cleaner. Because of it's raw look, we used clear-stained plywood as a finish wall material. On the largest office wall the plywood creates visual contrast with the existing white vaulted ceiling and orange clay block. We used blues to offset the orange tones of the historic clay block walls, and tones of grays and whites to complement the black steel trusses and the gray concrete floor. 

We really enjoy construction season here in the Dakotas. Everything seems to happen at the same time and in a hurry, as we take advantage of our construction weather window.

Check back for more construction updates on  projects coming soon!

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Most endangered

Yesterday, The National Trust for Historic Preservation issued the annual list of Most Endangered Historic Places. The goal of the list is to raise awareness of the places that define our nation’s past and inspire people to rally behind important sites in their own communities. Not to our surprise, the Battle Mountain Sanitarium in Hot Springs, South Dakota (about an hour drive from the office) is on the list. 

2014 List of 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Image courtesy of Preservation Nation

The Battle Mountain Sanitarium, most commonly known as the Hot Springs VA, consists of about 50 structures, 38 of which are considered "contributing resources." The campus has been front and center when it comes to veteran care, as well as historic preservation on the local, state and federal level. Essentially, the VA and preservationists have conflicting goals for the campus.

The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2011 and named a National Treasure in 2012. It has, in recent years, faced threat of closure and abandonment due to the modernization of medical services and a strong push by the VA to consolidate services at a different site in South Dakota. 

Administration/Hospital Building. Image courtesy of Preservation Nation

Significantly, Battle Mountain Sanitarium was the first dedicated veterans hospital in the US. Before that, the government only built veterans homes. Opened in 1907, the building represented the understanding of the need for specialized medical care for veterans.

As with any historic property that has to provide modern comforts, Battle Mountain is plagued with building code issues. The most talked about challenge is the lack of handicapped accessibility. During our tours of the facilities, we found two things extremely interesting in the forward thinking of the architects at the time: First, the Administration/Hospital Building floors were built on an incline to facilitate moving patients in wheelchairs and transporting medical equipment. The 1:6 slope is steeper than that deemed safe for modern purposes, but one can actually circulate vertically through the domiciliary using only the ramps. Second, the operating rooms were originally flooded with natural light. This lighting method was abandoned in favor of electric light in more recent hospital designs. To our delight, we came across recent studies about creating better conditions in operating rooms: "Studies have shown that natural light in hospital operating rooms helps medical staff maintain alertness, while relieving stress and enhancing their mood." Sounds like the designers were on to something back in the day!

Northeast view, ca 1950. Image courtesy of Dept of Veterans Affairs

The location has been touted for it restorative powers through it's warm spring waters. This excerpt from the National Historic Landmark Nomination explains:

The waters from mineral springs situated nearby were used to treat musculoskeletal conditions while the high, dry atmosphere was believed to ease respiratory ills. The property also represents the goals of the NHDVS Board of Managers to create attractive, well-designed institutions that would provide a dignified home for disabled veterans. The primary complex features a prominent administration center connected to an innovative hospital complex that placed wards in rectangular spokes. The picturesque road layout and landscaping reflect the era’s appreciation for naturalistic settings.

Domiciliary gardens, 1908. Image courtesy of Dept of Veterans Affairs

AcV2's veteran (John) could not agree more. The location is amazing and perfectly suited to recovery. We have multiple generations of veterans (WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan…) who need a healthy dose of tranquility, and we cannot think of a better setting, in terms of both the natural and built environment.

We will continue to support the Save the VA group and SD SHPO in their fight to preserve the Battle Mountain campus. Both groups continue their mandate to protect and preserve our nation's past through the built environment. 

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A post about women in architecture

Recently, Patri has been asked to speak at several events about being a woman in business or a woman in a technical profession. In other words, she is a woman in traditionally male-dominated domains, and she has been given the opportunity to share her story with a range of audiences - typically other women or students. This got us all thinking about women architects we admire, and one woman, Jeanne Gang, seems to be dominating the headlines lately. Patri and John discuss the topic:

PATRI: It seems so ridiculous to me that someone would have to speak about being a businesswoman. Do we really have to rally our "girls" to go be professionals?

JOHN: To be fair, girls don't need to become lawyers or doctors or architects, but I do want them to be empowered to make the decision for themselves. For more on this subject, I encourage everyone (as in, men and women) to read Lean In, by Sheryl Sandberg. 

PATRI: I agree, but that book deserves its own discussion. And a quick search on Google images for "woman architect" pops up a lot of women wearing mostly yellow or blue hard hats (typically for earth movers and plumbers) wearing sharply ironed shirts with a set of plans... but I digress. 

I have also been asked to speak about being a woman architect. It is easy for most people to name an architect or two, but they are usually men: Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Gehry, or maybe Rem Koolhaas.

JOHN: You're right, to name a woman architect is much more difficult, because so few women lead their own firms. Zaha Hadid is certainly a star architect, having designed famous museums and stadiums around the world, but she seems like an exception.

PATRI: She is definitely an exception - many of the women architects I admire practice with their husbands, which seems to obscure some of their achievements (ehem). Most notably, Denise Scott Brown has been denied the same honors bestowed upon her husband and design partner, Robert Venturi... and of course, my crushes in school: Liz Diller and Billie Tsien. 

JOHN: There was a short piece in the New Yorker last year about some students starting a petition for Denise to be retroactively awarded the Pritzker Prize, which Venturi won in 1991.

PATRI: For the work they accomplished together! Admirably, Venturi's first words about the award were "What about Denise?" There's also a great piece in the NYT about couples in architecture.

JOHN: More recently, the New Yorker had a great article about Jeanne Gang, Principal of Studio Gang. She has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, been awarded a MacArthur Genius Grant, and named one of the most powerful people in Chicago.

PATRI: She is definitely the "it architect" at the moment, and she will be one of the keynote speakers at the AIA convention next week. Unfortunately, we will not be attending this year, but for the architects who do go, I would love to know what you think of Jeanne's address. We will be streaming it live in the office - because she is awesome.

[acv2arch]

Inspire - Equip - Connect: #bushCON

Patri recently attended the Bush Foundation's first bushCONNECT event. The purpose of the event was to bring together different networks of leaders from across Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The ultimate goal was to challenge the attendees to think bigger and differently about what’s possible in our communities.

I was invited to attend through our friendlies at OTA: Hugh Weber and Abby Bischoff. OTA is an organization that (also) covers Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota (get it? they all end in "ota"), and it seeks to create connections and creative renewal to strengthen our communities through events in Sioux Falls and Fargo (and soon Rapid City). OTA brings together a diverse array of talent, covering everything from technology, entrepreneurship, community building, charities, branding, marketing, social media and movements, and much more.

Patri's first trip to MSP. Facade detail of the Mill City Museum. 

bushCONNECT didn't disappoint with their tag line of inspire-equip-connect.

The inspiration portion came from Steven Johnson's keynote address. A bestselling author, he discussed the types of environments that foster the development of good ideas. The conversation ranged from the very architectural, to the physiological. 

Patri was  mesmerized by the talk, but even more absorbed by the pant/sock/shoe combo of Steven Johnson.

The equipping portion came through an excellent talk by Angela Duckworth, associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Angela's work examined the impact of grit (the tendency to sustain interest in and effort toward long-term goals) in determining success in one's performance. Check out her TedTalk here. 

The connections happened everywhere. I knew one person attending the event when I boarded the plane in Rapid City Sunday morning - it turned out there were others from Rapid City attending, including a couple of our good friends. I came out in awe of the connections made in a mere 36 hours. Of course, it helps to hang out with Hugh and the OTA crowd - "connection" is their middle name. 

The event was held at the Guthrie Theater in downtown Minneapolis, which was an interesting venue. The 9-story building is impressive in both scale and diversity of spaces, but fell short on being a space conducive to promoting connections. There was a dramatic lack of natural light in the common spaces, which was made more painful by the fact that the building sits next to beautiful green space and the river. 

Ninth floor of the Guthrie, looking out onto the Mississippi. 

The event was impressive in scale and goals, and my experience was wonderful thanks to the people I connected with there. I'm already looking forward to the event next year!

[acv2arch]

Questions to Ask your Architect: How Design Works for You

Most architects belong to a trade group called the American Institute of Architects, or AIA. We think the AIA is pretty awesome, as they offer us a lot of support - everything from providing customizable contract documents to advocating on our behalf (in DC, for example) to offering nuggets of wisdom and guidance. Recently, the AIA published a list of questions that clients can use when looking for an architect. It is an awesome list.

Every architecture firm brings its own combination of skills, expertise, interests, and values to its projects. The challenge is to find the one that aligns most closely with your project’s needs.

Here are some questions to address when meeting with a prospective architect. These questions are from a great resource that the AIA has prepared to assist clients in working with architects called How Design Works For You.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR ARCHITECT:

Experience

What sets your firm apart from other architects with similar experience?

Do you have experience with the building type and size of my project?

Will you share with me a portfolio of similar projects and provide a list of client references?

Who from the architecture firm will I be dealing with on a regular basis? Is this the person who will design my project?

My Project

What challenges do you foresee for my project?

What do you see as the important issues or considerations in my project?

What is your estimated timetable for my project?

What means will you use to collect information about my needs, goals, etc.?

Design

What are the steps in the design process, and how are they organized?

What do you expect me to provide?

How disruptive will construction be?

What role do you have during construction? Am I expected to work with the contractor directly?

Green Design

Do you regularly integrate low or no cost sustainable design strategies into projects?

Fees

How do you establish fees?

In anticipation of a formal proposal with costs, what would you expect your fee to be for this project?

What is included in your basic services and what services would incur additional fees?

If the scope of the project changes later in the project, will there be additional fees? How will these fees be justified? How will this be communicated to me?

What is your track record with completing a project within the original budget?

Good design makes a difference.

[acv2arch]

A humble conversation.

About a month ago, Patri was representing the Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity (BHAHFH) at the Home Show hosted by the Black Hills Home Builders Association. She recounts a memorable encounter:

Every year, BHAHFH has a booth at the home show, and, as a board member, I always like to volunteer for a shift or two. The show is a great opportunity to advocate for Habitat. Visitors to the booth love to share about what great finds they've made at the ReStore and how they have volunteered for the organization (so get out there and volunteer, so you can tell us your stories next year). In turn, I enjoyed providing them with information on how to get more involved with Habitat.

During my Saturday afternoon shift, a gentleman stopped by and started in on an entirely different conversation. He pointed out that he was the only Native American in the crowd (which was true from my vantage point), and he commented how all the booths were really targeted toward "people of means." True, there were a plethora of hot tubs and unnecessary kitchen enhancements, but I figured that he stopped by our booth for a reason, so I engaged with him.

I turned the conversation first to Habitat for Humanity. Our biggest goal during the well-attended event is to spread the organization's mission, offer information to anyone looking to be a volunteer, and to broaden our visibility and support throughout the community.

After hitting my usual topics, the conversation turned even more interesting - my new acquaintance mentioned that he recently saw a show about a Japanese architect who realized that architecture only serves the wealthy, and the architect being showcased wanted to change that fact. Our conversation was about the 2014 Pritzker Prize winner, Shigeru Ban. I recently read an article in Architect magazine, which described Mr. Ban as practicing "an architecture of need rather than an architecture of ego."

Cardboard Cathedral, Christchurch, New Zealand. Photo: http://www.shigerubanarchitects.com/ (c) Bridgit Anderson

We talked about the value that Mr. Ban brings to the profession of architecture - namely, he offers global responses to urgent needs for shelter and refuge. In the same vain, affordable housing in the Black Hills is something that my office promotes through our work with Habitat. I was happy to discuss our involvement in the new Garfield Green project (blogged about here in greater detail). As I brought the conversation back to Habitat, we talked about other ways the organization serves our community, such as our education programs. We can help people become good home-owners. 

I definitely wasn't expecting a conversation about the Pritzker Prize at the Black Hills Home Show, but I always enjoy a conversation about ways architects can help everyone - particularly those who need us most.