Barcelona Elementary School’s new classroom building has received a LEED for Schools Gold rating by the U.S. Green Building Council, the first such distinction in New Mexico.

The LEED for Schools rating system, a specific program targeted for education, includes not just sustainable and cost saving energy features, but also environment quality and a connection to the school’s academics. “It’s not just using green building materials and systems, but rather it’s a fully integrated green philosophy,” said Karen Alarid. “ LEED for Schools is not solely about energy savings; it places heavy focus on acoustics, air quality, natural light and views – all to enhance the learning environment.”

Unique green features in the Barcelona Elementary School building include a recycling collection room; insulation made of recycled blue jeans; and numerous skylights and windows that save energy on
electric lighting and provide a direct line of sight out a window from almost any location in the classroom. The dual flush toilets, waterless urinals, and low flow sensor faucets in the rest rooms save 26,000 gallons of water per year compared to conventional fixtures – enough to fill a bathtub over 1,000 times. Water is also saved in the planters around the building that have no irrigation system. Rather, a special gel in the soil is liquefied over time by the microscopic fauna living in the dirt. The plants need to be watered only in their first year while their root systems are being established, but thereafter are self-sufficient. In addition, all building materials were purchased from within a 500 mile radius from the school to minimize the impacts of transportation on the environment.

With an estimated energy savings of 30% as compared to traditional design and construction, this project exemplifies a commitment to the environment as well as a keen interest in reducing operational costs for years to come. “Both Baker Architecture + Design and the LEED consultant, Mike Halcom, LEED AP, were ingenious in the design and creation of this truly original school building,” said Alarid “I credit their attention to every detail in earning a LEED for Schools Gold rating in their goal of creating a quality learning environment for the students of Barcelona Elementary School.”

Howard Roark wouldn't be caught dead with people in his architectural photography. Roark, the heroic ego-centric protagonist of Ayn Rand's seminal work The Fountainhead, was the type of architect to climb to the top of his creation and stand with his chest proud against the wind. For him, the work was about the individuality and creativity of man. Detractors say his architecture was to be consumed and admired rather than lived in and used. A quick skim through most of the glossy architecture mags confirms that the fictional Roark is joined in this sentiment by many of his non-fictional counterparts.

I may not have lived my architectural career guilt-free in this regard. In architecture school (a fading memory), you needn't worry with life's little hassles: budget, structure and client. It's a theoretical free-for-all where unbounded creativity wins the day. But for the practicing architect, the budgets are usually tight, the structure is real, and the client is all the more real. Our clients hire us to solve their problems and improve their lives. A strong architect will realize that the end product is the life that occurs in the space. The architecture needs to empower the activity and reflect the spirit of the users.

Much of our work at Baker A+D is out of the public eye. As of late, we have specialized in residential and educational architecture; two areas where the importance of the user experience are particularly important. However, it is a restaurant where this dichotomy of “user experience vs. purified theory” came to light. Le Corbusier famously said that “a house is a machine for living in”. That may be true, but nobody wants to have dinner in “a machine for eating in”. So as we designed Nob Hill Bar & Grill, we continually checked concepts against a simple test: would we want to be here? It was about being (not about eating, I'd leave that to Sam and Matt – the experts.) We think the results ring true, and we're pleased to say that the Nob Hill Bar & Grill just won a national design competition (read more about that here).

The connective element of the restaurant is the faceted “light cloud” that glows like a lantern above the bar. It connects the dining room to the bar area while simultaneously giving the bar a more intimate atmosphere. The use of a product called 3-form “Banana Fiber Dark” adds a soft and organic quality to the otherwise angular form. The triangulated steel structure which was fabricated by the talented guys at Modulus, is 57' feet long and is completely skinned in this 3-form material.

So, you found the Perspective section of the site. Perspective, in this case, is our clever little architectural way to say blog. Keep your eyes on this space which will be our outlet to express opinions and random musings about various architectural topics.

With this being the innaugural blog entry on the new site, we figured we'd talk a little bit about the site itself and what we have done with it. First, major kudos must go to Albuquerque's most creative agency, 3 advertising that built this robust beast for us. Have a look at their site and you'll see it is a LOT like ours. When we started this process, they asked us what we wanted - we gave them a few requests but basically said "let 'er rip." I think that is the best way to treat professionals; give them input but let them lead the way. After all, this is what they have spent their life doing. We got a kick out of their solution because it reminded us of what you might get from your architect if you gave them carte blanche on your new house design - your house essentially be their dream house.

But we all know that websites and homes only share a few similarities. Of course, a website might be your "home" on the internet, and it needs to evoke your corporate culture, but the similarities stop there. Residential architecture relies heavily on one's personal experience and lifestyle. No two people are the same and no two homes should be either. A good architect will listen to his or her clients and design a home around their wants, needs and even personalities. But I digress...

The star of this site should be the architecture, plain and simple. At the end of the day, we are only as valuable as the buildings we design - not the monetary value, but the true functional and aesthetic value to the clients and users. On the front page, we'll have a featured project that will change from time to time. In our 6 years in operation, Baker A+D has designed over 75 projects. We've uploaded our best projects here that show off our wide range of experience, from small commercial tenant improvements to custom residential to new public schools. We hope you enjoy the projects that we have here.

We now have a News section where we can share what is happening behind the scenes. Check out the A+D Link Of The Week which will connect you to a random internet gem we found, usually having to do with architecture, design or New Mexico. For new clients, you can check out our Firm Profile. We also have a Client Access area where existing clients can log in to check out the progress on their projects. If you want to talk to us about your project, the Contact Us page is for you.

image: Huit Carres by Felice Varini - location-specific installation art which gives the illusion of a flat overlayed image, but is actually painted in perspective.

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