a4architects » David Darling

New North Dorm at CRMS

David Darling — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:10:10 +0000

Just completed dormitory and faculty residence at Colorado Rocky Mountain School in Carbondale.

Faculty Residence (red) connects to the dormitory. The dark recess in the distance is a covered bike storage area, adjacent to one of the main entries.

Large volume in the center contains a common room. Dorm rooms are in low wings to either side.

West entry faces cottonwoods along an old ditch.

Upstairs in the faculty residence, a slightly oversized hall can accomodate a desk, playpen, excercise bike or ironing board.

Zebra striped bamboo cabinets with climbing webbing pulls.

The common room, lined with local, beetle-kill pine. High windows capture a glimpse of Red Hill, a favorite mountain biking spot. Built-in study counters and a bench reduce the amount of furniture needed.

A sun shade on the large, south facing window in the common room is adjacent to the east entry.

CRMS Students Making Chandelier for New Dorm

David Darling — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:02:09 +0000

A4 has been working with Colorado Rocky Mountain School for a while now on refining their campus, including designs for two new dorms and a music studio and rehearsal space. During their current interim week, CRMS students are creating a chandelier for the reception room of the new North Dorm. Working together, the glass blowing and blacksmithing classes designed the metal and glass piece, starting with a small scale model shown below. Now they are in their separate studios making the glass and steel portions of the structure, which will later be fit with LED lights.

While the North Dorm is still just a building shell, the students are already anxious to move in.

The small scale model of the metal portion of the chandelier, showing how it will hang from the ceiling. A full-size mock-up is on the table in the background.

A student forging a bar of steel

Rolling a piece of molten glass to keep it symmetrical.

Students working together to form a glass piece

Menardi Residence Completed December 2009

David Darling — Mon, 24 May 2010 18:12:31 +0000

The Menardi Residence near Redstone, Colorado, was completed late in 2009. The house is fitted into the contours of a steep site, with the main living areas on the upper floor.

Custom Bench Design for Basalt Library Plaza

David Darling — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:33:17 +0000

The 5° Seating line of site furniture for the Basalt Regional Library plaza was designed by A4 to compliment the library building. These benches and bike racks are built out of steel and ipé wood with longevity and ease of maintenance in mind. The first bench prototype is currently being manufactured by local craftsmen and will be on display for First Friday.

First Friday at A4

David Darling — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:43:09 +0000

New Basalt Library Photos

David Darling — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:16:02 +0000

The exterior of the building is mostly complete and the interior of the library is getting finished out. Walls are all enclosed and the aspen wood paneling is going on the ceiling. Here are a few pictures from last week.

Bench at community room entrance

Corrugated copper entrance soffit

Kalwall glazing and aspen ceiling

Lobby

Thompson Park: Facts + Figures

David Darling — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:30:41 +0000

Cerise Park LLC is seeking annexation of Thompson Park into the Town of Carbondale. Our site plan for the project establishes a road and infrastructure framework that preserves the historic precinct around the Historic House, enhances connectivity of roads and bike/pedestrian paths in town and allows for build out of the rest of the “county island”. The plan also allows a certain amount of flexibility for the type of housing that can be built, although diversity of unit types and a gradation of density from low to high closer to Highway 133 remains a primary goal of the development team. The issue of sustainability is addressed in this project by its smart location and non-automobile dependent linkages; by a traditional, walkable neighborhood pattern; and by a commitment to green construction and solar-ready buildings.

Quick Facts:

total property size = 10.2 acres
preservation of Historic Thompson House
17% of land dedicated to open space
6% of land additionally dedicated to bicycle and pedestrian paths
20% of land additionally dedicated to roads
future connections to Weant Blvd., North Bridge Dr. and Graceland Drive.
45 – 85 residential units, with higher density at Highway 133
variety of housing types and price points
sustainable siting and construction

Thompson Park conceptual site plan

Making Progress on the Basalt Library

David Darling — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:08:04 +0000

Just a few quick photos of the current state of the library. The pre-patinated copper is already starting to change color, the difference in color on the bottom portion is from a batch installed a week later than the top.

Buchstabenmuseum : Museum of Letters

David Darling — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:34:13 +0000

Berlin Museum of Letters

Stumbled upon this over at Core77 – an entire museum devoted to giant letters. There are some excellent specimens of typography salvaged from Berlin and all over the country. Gallery

From Core77 and Buchstabenmuseum

Great day for pictures

David Darling — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:12:23 +0000

Olivia and I spent the afternoon taking some pictures of one of our newly finished strawbale houses. Here are a few to check out-