Tag: Architects (7)

Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd | Preserving Character

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD | PRESERVING CHARACTER The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Minneapolis had begun to turn the page into a new chapter, which called for an adaptation to their sacred space to meet contemporary needs. Originally built over 65 years ago, the renovation aimed to uphold the historic integrity and respectfully adapting the Vic Gilbertson, FAIA mid-century modern church to meet current programmatic needs. The Kodet Team understood the importance of this historic restoration and through carefully studying sketches and the building’s artwork we were able to develop a better understanding for the back-story and connection to the details. Integral to the renovation was the idea of strengthening the bond between the church and the congregation, which reflects the celebration of their faith and community. The ever-present theme was preservation + improving functionality to serve current and future generations. ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTION The renovation and restoration looked how to make the best use of the buildings great art and architecture. A key element was to connect the existing sanctuary to the existing courtyard originally separated by brick wall with stained glass windows. By removing the south wall of the nave, we were able to expand the space by creating large custom wood sliding doors. These grand doors open the worship space to the new catwalk, which features a balcony overlooking the updated exterior courtyard. The worship expansion and inclusion of these custom doors incorporated the relocated original stained glass and allows a full view over the courtyard and introduces natural light into the sanctuary. Most importantly, we were able to creatively save and utilize the existing stained glass panels. By using materials original to the building and combining this with the glass, the changes transformed the church from an introverted interior focused space to a […]

Emerging Professionals Firm Tour

Have you ever been to an architecture firm? When I decided to become an architect, I had met exactly 2 architects and only visited one of their firms. Call it love at first sight. Call it a leap of faith. I was 14 and knew I wanted to be an architect. Over the next 8 years, I didn’t meet another architect until graduate school. A career path into architecture does not require this blind leap of faith. This year, the AIA Emerging Professional’s Committee (EPC) is coordinating Firm Tours at 6 different architecture firms in the Twin Cities. These firms open their doors for students and early career professionals to experience their work space and unique culture. You get a guided tour of the office, hear about projects, and ask questions about daily tasks and challenges. The 2018 Firm Tours are a revamp of the EPC’s Draughting Club. At Draughting Club, emerging professionals and students in the Twin Cities could meet, enjoy a local brewery or distillery, and chat about challenges we face in our early architectural career. The new Firm Tours still foster a relaxed atmosphere for networking but with several upgrades: Meeting experienced professionals from the host firm Seeing architecturally designed offices Tours guided by firm leadership Free food! In April, Kodet Architectural Group is hosting the EPC Firm Tour in collaboration with the AIA Architecture in Schools Committee. We invite emerging professionals of all ages (high schoolers, undergraduates, graduate students, and early professionals) to see our office by the Walker Art Center. It’s a free tour with snacks and beverages but space is limited. Register today at this link  We work in a remodeled mansion complete with fireplaces, beautiful woodwork, and “bridge” addition off the back. It’s a fun place to see, but the character of our […]

Kodet Architectural Group AIA-Minnesota Firm Award

2017 Firm Award

AIA-Minnesota Firm Award AIA Minnesota has announced and recognized Kodet Architectural Group as the 2017 AIA Minnesota Firm Award recipient. Given biennially, this prestigious award is the highest honored bestowed by the association, recognizing an AIA Minnesota member firm that has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the profession of architecture. “Design excellence is a hallmark of any Kodet project, but what made them outstanding to the jury is far more than their exceptional body of award-winning work.”  – Meredith Hayes Gordon, AIA, AIA Minnesota President + Selection Committee Member The AIA Minnesota firm award selection committee, comprised of AIA Minnesota board members and leadership, agreed that Kodet met or exceeded all criteria for selection, which included: Demonstrating Depth + Breadth of Work Impacting the Profession in Minnesota Produced Work that is a Product of a Collaborative Environment Work that Transcends Specific Areas of Expertise Work that is Known by the Profession + Outside for its Quality Our firm is truly honored to receive the award and from all of us here at Kodet we appreciate the kind words provided from our fellow architects, colleagues, and clients.  We pride ourselves on our commitment to community service, volunteer efforts, and in working with our clients within the community which build upon efficiencies, aesthetics, longevity while establishing long-standing relationships. Kodet will be honored at the AIA Minnesota Awards Celebration on December 8, 2017, at International Market Square, Minneapolis. To learn more about the Firm Award, please click here.

Twin Cities Academy | Innovation + Environmental Responsibility

TECHNICAL INNOVATION It was imperative to transform and remediate the site into a healthy landscape with athletic fields for a dynamic school program. The innovation to correct the former industrial site is one of the best examples in the Metro Area. The Cemstone plant had inhabited the site for nearly 90 years, and within the site were a collection of dilapidated structures in need of demolition as well as remediation. Paramount to this process was to mine clean soil from the site, which was used in environmentally sensitive areas around the school to adhere to the MPCA guidelines. To minimize the impact on budget, the Kodet Team conducted feasibility and cost saving benefits due to hazardous items discovered on site to minimize impact on budget, while at the time satisfying MPCA requirements. In developing a more sustainable site we coordinated the site layout of the building, parking lot, and infiltration ponds to have the least amount of impact on the environment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY Sustainability was at the forefront of the design process with an aim to design a building that is not only energy and resource efficient, but also provides a healthy learning and working environment. The building itself is actually about 8,000 square feet smaller than the previous home of TCA; however, the efficient floor plan allowed for a smaller building footprint to accommodate improved functionality along with an increased number of students and staff. The project incorporated a variety of sustainable concepts such as the following: Efficient LED Lighting Healthy Indoor Air-Quality Energy Efficient Glazing to provide natural light for students + staff Acoustics in each room to maximize comfort + learning potential Materials with Low VOC content Recycled Materials and utilizing crushed concrete Remediating a brownfield site to create a healthy and safe environment to build a […]

Educational Design + ALEP

EDUCATIONAL DESIGN | ACCREDITED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT PLANNER Edward J. Kodet, Jr., FAIA, ALEP, LEED AP BD+C, recently completed the certification process for the ALEP Credential, a mark of excellence developed to reflect the knowledge, skills and abilities of a competent learning environment planner. The ALEP credential was designed to elevate professional standards, enhance individual performance and identify those in the educational environment industry who demonstrate the knowledge essential to the practice of learning environment planning. The ALEP certification is the industry standard for all professionals engaged in planning, designing, operating, maintaining, and equipping learning environments at all levels of education. With Mr. Kodet’s completion of this process, he has aligned himself with the standards of 21st century teaching and learning ideals, and incorporating the most current and relevant information regarding the school facility industry. The Association for Learning Environments (A4LE),is the only professional organization whose principal purpose is improving the places where children learn. Mr. Kodet’s certification has equipped him with the latest knowledge base in learner needs and styles, Community Engagement and Master Planning, Educational Facility Pre-Design, Educational Architectural Designing, Capitol Project Management and Assessing the School Facility. The CEFPI states, “An individual who has been certified by CEFPI has achieved the highest qualification in our profession. Clients can appoint ALEPs with confidence that they have been examined for competence by our association.” After meeting eligibility requirements and submitting an application, ALEP candidates must pass a rigorous ALEP exam. Once a candidate has earned the credential, they must maintain it by fulfilling certification renewal requirements every three years, in addition to maintaining minimum continuing education units each year. Mr. Kodet has worked with multiple school systems in his career. Kodet Architectural Group, Ltd. and Mr. Kodet have a history of delivering projects on time and under budget, while still […]

District Facilities Planning Process

Is your district considering embarking on a District-Wide Facilities Comprehensive Planning process? Or, is your district experiencing facility accommodation, capacity, efficiency, and/or space utilization challenges? If so, this is a very exciting time for your district! But it may also be a bit daunting if you’re unsure of where to start. Through our experience working with schools, districts, and other educational facility master planners, we have developed a brief overview of the first steps in our District-Wide Facility Comprehensive Planning process for your reference (shown below). We hope this overview helps to clarify what the beginning of this process would look like once the design team has been hired by the district. All design teams and districts are different, so keep in mind that all steps are flexible to adjust to the unique characteristics, needs, and preferences of the team, district, and community. 1) Educational Visioning Event A one-day event that invites the community to envision the future of education in their community. This event kicks off the comprehensive planning process as a community-wide endeavor. Potential discussion topics include:   2) Steering Committee Formation Establishing a Steering Committee, or a Task Force, helps to guide the comprehensive planning process. The committee’s responsibilities include: Represent the district and community in the planning process Review and discuss Educational Visioning Event findings Formulate questions for Community Dialogue meetings Provide feedback to design team throughout process Develop a recommendation to the Superintendent 3) Community Dialogue #1 The first Community Dialogue focuses on creating an educational framework for the district. The educational framework developed will guide the planning process by attempting to define: Grade configuration Class size Number of facilities Criteria for determining facility lifespan Strategies for building and site disposition 4) Community Dialogue #1 Findings The design team will assess and present the Community Dialogue #1 findings to the Steering […]