In addition to being able to accommodate large groups at formal and informal gatherings, the incoming owner wanted to feel comfortable at home amid institutional surroundings. Requirements included a screened porch for summer, which could also be enclosed for year-round use with a sixty-guest seating capacity, a kitchen consistent with the style and character of the house, and a fully-equipped catering kitchen. With the existing style in mind, Lerner | Ladds + Bartels proposed a glazed conservatory as a more appropriate solution than a screened porch. In keeping with the symmetry of the existing structure, the conservatory, constructed of glazed wood panels over a steel structural frame and built over an existing terrace, is centered within the three-story main section of the home. From the exterior, one can still admire original details, such as the home’s massive Flemish-bond brick walls and predominate arches. The addition becomes a counterpoint to the existing architecture, complementing instead of competing with it.
President’s House
November 9th, 2009Church of the Blessed Sacrament
November 8th, 2009The Church of the Blessed Sacrament, built at the turn of the 20th century, is a red brick, terra cotta, and brownstone Romanesque style building. It has a high nave, a semicircular apse at the rear and a towering 136 foot campanile. The interior was made with cinquefoil ceiling of cypress, lower walls finished with marble, and fine stained glass windows. Over time the exterior and interior suffered from neglect and harsh weather. L|L+B did a selected renovation of both the exterior and interior. The project was phased over a decade with the restoration of the bell tower, which was in jeopardy because of structural failures, masonry restorations of designated exterior surfaces, and interior to meet the new fire code requirements. LLB
coordinated the multi-material, multiple subcontractor project, including structural repairs, masonry, wood, flashing, and slate roof-job seamlessly.
The second phase involved masonry repairs, masonry repointing, and roof work to make the structure watertight. The next step was the interior restoration. LLB’s mission was to enhance the worship environment by upgrading the lighting systems, interior painting, millwork, and the fire alarm system-to be code compliant. The new lighting system backlit many of the sacred statues, and restored the overall sense of grandeur to the inside spaces. The restorations reestablished the Church’s stature as one of the finest pieces of ecclesiastical architecture in Providence.
The Providence Athenaeum
November 8th, 2009Over the past 250 years The Providence Athenaeum has enjoyed a vibrant history in remarkable settings. Founded in 1753 as an independent member-supported library, it has been located on Benefit Street on the historic East Side of Providence since 1838. Situated between Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design, the Greek Revival building, designed by William Strickland, is the only example of his work in New England and is credited with promoting the style throughout the area. Subsequent additions by Norman Isham and William Platner allowed the library to expand its collection and storage capacity as well as provide additional spaces for the members; including a children’s area, a climate controlled rare book room, and additional office space.
The Athenaeum contracted Lerner Ladds + Bartels to address structural and life safety deficiencies prevalent throughout the building, as well as refine their existing master plan. The “Bound,” located directly below the circulation desk, (named for its traditional use as a bound-periodical storage area) was experiencing significant structural failure in the ceiling joists. Temporary steel columns filled the room in attempt to curb settling. LLB was charged with finding a permanent structural solution which would also eliminate all intermediate structure from the space. The removal of the existing columns and stacks, along with the subsequent finishes renovation, provided the Athenaeum with much needed flex-space usable for a range of functions. In conjunction with the structural renovation, LLB and their consultants identified all existing life-safety violations existing throughout the building. A report was compiled and presented to the Board of Directors which suggested ways to conform to current building codes while maintaining the historic integrity of the library. Construction was scheduled to coordinate with the Athenaeum’s annual summer shut-down, which allowed all of the heavy work to occur without interruption to the library staff and patrons. Not only was the primary goal to assist in the stability and integrity of the building itself, but also to maintain distinct coordination between consultants, and ensure that full operation of the Athenaeum was maintained throughout its project timeline. Phasing proved crucial to the project’s success, along with many protective measures to guard from debris, noise and other discomforts.
180 George Street at Brown University for Center for Computation and Visualization
November 8th, 2009The Brown Computing Laboratory at 180 George Street was built in honor of Thomas J. Watson, Sr. as a gift to Brown from his wife and son. The building, completed in 1961, was originally constructed to house the IBM 7070 computer, the most advanced computing system on the east coast at the time. Architect Philip Johnson was chosen to design a building that would appropriately link the architectural past of College Hill with the future of emerging technology.
Over time the landmark modern building had been compromised by interior alterations. In order to restore the Computing Laboratory to its original intent, the curtain wall system was replaced, the rooftop mechanical equipment removed, and the lobby restored, while making it a truly functional space for the academic department.
The lobby in particular was poorly utilized as it was bisected by a low ceiling. Through computer visualization, LLB was quickly able to generate possibilities that solved both the solar gain issues and the proportional irregularities of the space. Incorporation of a floating L-shaped “canopy” gives the conference room appropriate scale and intimacy while preserving the look of the exterior curtain wall. This process of visualization allowed the client to be a part of the process, working in dialogue to develop an appropriate design.
Welcome Congdon House
November 8th, 2009The project called for a family room addition to a significant, stand-alone federal style house built in 1822. The house is historically referenced as the Joseph Dorr House, but it is customarily known as the Welcome Congdon House, and often referred to as the “Pumpkin Colored House.”
Upon analysis it was determined that the site lacked privacy, parking and adequate indoor and outdoor living space for a growing family. The house had direct exposure to people in the adjoining Prospect Park and visibility by mpedestrians and motorists from Congdon Street. The interior was encumbered by small, disjointed rooms and inadequate circulation space. The family needed a two-car garage, an in-home office, a game room, a place to entertain, and a way to capitalize on the view of downtown.
The house’s integrity, as a unique object, was maintained by an addition at the southwest corner of the property, away from Congdon Street, with a garage on the lower level and living space and terraces above. The elevation was treated simply to reinforce the envelope of the original house. The base of the addition is fashioned as a garden wall to retain the grade similar to most of the other sites in the neighborhood.
The family room is spacious and convenient for entertaining with views of the State House and downtown Providence. The upper floor terrace provides outdoor space for the family and is set above the level of Prospect Park so there is no visual access from the park or the street below.
St. Joseph’s Church
November 7th, 2009The appearance of St. Joseph’s Church was of great concern to the parish. Masonry cracks went through the structure as if it had suffered an earthquake. Through the efforts of a study made by L | L+B the problems were identified, the causes exposed, and a solution found. The church went through an exterior restoration that included a new roof, flashings, masonry pointing, new-protective glazing and painting.
The design of the interior focused on enhancing the religious experience within the Church. A new color scheme was chosen to compliment the stain glass artistry. Reconstructive work was completed on the pews with emphasis to follow a new flooring configuration that reflected the crucifix form. New lighting fixtures were added to illuminate the religious symbolism and rich detail within the Church, and the narthex was refinished to create a warm and inviting atmosphere to welcome the community off the street.
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Brown University
November 7th, 2009LLB Architects, in collaboration with our laboratory programming consultant Payette Associates, was asked to renovate and redesign the 4th and 5th floors of this 1966 Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson and Abbott building. The program called for the renovation of 17,000 sf, 7 laboratories, and an upgrade of the existing mechanical, electrical and fire alarm systems to meet the needs of the current laboratory users. The two floors were carefully studied to determine all code and programmatically deficient areas.
Along with the mechanical and electrical upgrades, many new common areas, conference rooms, study carrels, and offices were added. Improvements to existing environmental rooms and shared laboratory equipment areas, such as microscope rooms, helped to further develop the spaces. A survey was done to determine the location and condition of existing casework. All salvageable casework was refinished and all new casework was specifically designed to meet each laboratory’s needs. The renovation of these two floors has been used as a model for subsequent renovations throughout the building, supervised by LLB.
College Hill Residence
November 7th, 2009The large 2 ½-story Colonial Revival house built in 1911, during the time of maids and call buttons, required a kitchen update. The goal of Lerner | Ladds + Bartels was to transform the detached kitchen into a lively family area capable of providing preparation, dining, relaxation and entertaining spaces.
The form of the new kitchen grew from the existing spaces of the house. The new area was confined to the existing kitchen, larder, butler’s pantry and small porch. To open up the plan an axis was created that aligned the entry, front hall, dining room and kitchen to the backyard. The intent was to integrate the exterior with the interior and flood the kitchen with light. Opening the house to the exterior increased the sense of size.
The grand spaces of the existing house are now complemented by an appropriately proportioned room, upscale finishes and balanced lighting. In the end, the evolution of a separate early 20th century kitchen into a modern central hub of family life has resulted in a successful blend of aesthetics and function.
Dill Center for the Performing Arts & Stuart Theatre at Brown University
November 7th, 2009The Dill Performing Arts Center and Stuart Theater project had to not only link architecture from the past and present, but also separate theatre, dance, and administrative areas. The unifying solution provided by LLB Architects enhanced the cross campus walkway network with granite marker icons and harlequin paving systems. A computerized lighting system incorporated marking lights and linear archway lighting to indicate when the various theaters are active.
The complete recasting of the interior of a historic McKim, Mead & White building included the creation of an acting studio from a sub-basement space, incorporation of an orchestra pit and trap room level from space between existing floors, and the addition of a new balcony with light, sound, and director booths. The project also encompassed the complete renovation of the lobby, auditorium, and backstage areas. Bringing character to the original “shoebox” design of the auditorium demanded some creative thinking by LLB. Strategic curved walls were created to enhance visual appeal as well as acoustics. A railing hugs the wall and accentuates the flow of the space, and the addition of a balcony and layered curvilinear liner, which unfurls onto the proscenium arch, makes the space more intimate and distinctive.
The lobby of the Stuart Theatre borrows dramatic shapes and materials from the auditorium it serves. Hovering over the jewel-like ticket booth is a curvilinear form — a nod to the forms found within, as well as the drapery beneath the theater’s symbolic masks of comedy and tragedy. LLB designed the lobby’s staircase to both bring patrons up physically to the new balcony and raise their sense of anticipation as they prepare to take their seats. A flowing brass railing, which appears to levitate along both sides of the sweeping staircase, draws the eye upward and adds to the drama of this welcoming environment. A sculptural lamp at the top of the stairs reflects not only light but also the other design elements of the lobby.
Ss. Rose and Clement Church
November 6th, 2009Ss. Rose & Clement Parish was in need of a new parish center. Although the project could have been considered a simple addition to a church, LLB Architects took a holistic approach, creating a master plan to fully understand how this addition would impact both the church and its surroundings. Included in the master plan analysis were site conditions, parking, landscaping, lighting, handicapped access, and new building and fire codes.
The major unifying design element, the new courtyard “sanctuary” with grade-level access to the former basement hall, creates light-filled classrooms and parish hall while providing communal access to the outdoor gathering space.
The fully integrated addition provides the church with 9 offices, a youth center, adoration room, gift shop, and meeting and conference rooms. The inclusion of an elevator, along with the reconfiguration of the walkways and entrances, ensured complete accessibility within a seamless design. Above all, the new parish center reinforces the mission and community spirit of the church.
