Morgan Devlin « LLB Architects | Lerner Ladds Bartels

R. Drayton Fair Retires After 21 Years with LLB Architects

April 17th, 2024

LLB Architects announced that R. Drayton Fair, AIA, ALA, LEED AP retired at the end of April 2024 following more than 20 years of leading the firm’s municipal and library practice. Drayton has contributed significantly both to LLB Architects’ growth as a leader in the design of public buildings as well as its overall expansion with the opening of a second office in Worcester, MA in 2018. While Drayton will retire from LLB, he will continue in an advisory role and support the firm’s work through his longstanding relationships in the library and municipal sectors.

After receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design, Drayton built an extensive portfolio of work in the public sector, including a special focus on library design. Upon joining LLB in 2003, Drayton became a Principal and later Senior Principal and helped shape the future of the firm as it grew from a well-respected Rhode Island firm to a regional design leader.

Drayton’s legacy includes more than 40 library projects and numerous municipal projects completed while at LLB, including notable work at Acton Town Hall, Bolton Public Library, Boyden Library, Cranston Public Library, Foxborough Town Hall, Franklin Public Library, Marlborough Public Library, Maynard Public Library, Newton Free Library, North Scituate Public Library, Putnam Municipal Building, Watertown Free Public Library and Worcester Public Library. Current projects at the Sharon Public Library and Littleton Senior Center are under construction. Drayton’s work includes a focus on historic preservation and designing modern additions to complement historic libraries.

As a recognized expert in the planning and design of library and municipal facilities, Drayton has taught and spoken at universities and conferences throughout New England. These include the Boston Society of Architects, Harvard University, New England Library Association, Rhode Island School of Design, and recently Roger Williams University. He served as the President of both AIA Rhode Island and AIA New England. Drayton is an active member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the American Library Association, and the U.S. Green Building Council. He currently serves on the Cranston Public Library Board of Trustees and the Rhode Island Board of Examination & Registration of Architects.

Brian Valentine, AIA, LEED AP, who joined LLB Architects in 2014 and was named a Principal in 2021, has worked with Drayton on numerous library and municipal projects. “During my 10 years at LLB, Drayton and I collaborated on multiple projects. He is focused on designing spaces that reflect the story of each community and inspire learning and exploration. From historic reading rooms to playful children’s spaces, Drayton sees an opportunity to inject creativity and life into each project.” Brian and Drayton worked on major renovation and addition projects at Franklin Public Library, Marlborough Public Library and Worcester Public Library.

LLB Architects, which celebrates 88 years in business this year, is led by Senior Principals Christian J. Ladds, AIA, LEED AP and Kathleen A. Bartels, AIA LEED AP. They are joined by four Principals who represent the firm’s next generation of leaders: Suzanne DiSalvo, Associate AIA, LEED AP; Enno Fritsch, Associate AIA, LEED AP; Jonathan M. Taylor, AIA, LEED AP; and Brian L. Valentine, AIA, LEED AP.

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South Kingstown Housing Authority Facilities Assessment

March 27th, 2024

LLB Architects conducted a tailored facility condition assessment for the South Kingstown Housing Authority. We focused our inventory method on the housing assets and their renewal needs to suit the next steps for the Housing Authority. Our assessment team produced a short-term capital renewal outlook based on each facility’s current physical state, centered on life cycle, deferred maintenance, life safety, and accessibility observations and analysis. This report provided a baseline to then inform repositioning opportunities under HUD’s Section 18 process for Demolition/Disposition.

The South Kingstown Housing Authority (SKHA) manages three housing developments: Fournier Estates, Champagne Heights, and Village Gardens. The Fournier Estates and Champagne Heights properties have not undertaken any significant modernization or improvements in their 35+ year life span, and maintenance has been primarily reactive in nature. Village Gardens is about 25 years old, but shows modest signs of deferred or neglected maintenance.

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Marlborough Public Library

January 19th, 2024

LLB Architects worked closely with the library director and Board of Trustees to determine the best path forward, including the incorporation of the historic Carnegie library’s facade into our new design. After we conducted the necessary feasibility study, the Town completed the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ grant process and was subsequently selected to receive funding.

Our design for the renovation and new addition includes a Local History Room and a spacious room for meetings or activities with a catering kitchen. Rooms to address staff needs, such as break and training rooms are located in the lower level, as well as large areas designated for storage. On the main level, the Adult Collections, Young Adult Collections, several study rooms, and a cafe will draw patrons through the Carnegie facade and into the new addition.

On the upper level, the staff offices were refreshed and have updated programming. An expanded Children’s Area, including a large program room and Children’s Staff Workroom and Offices, makes up a large portion of the level. Group study rooms and staff meeting spaces are also located on the upper level.

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Rhode Island College – Horace Mann Hall

January 19th, 2024

Built in 1969, Horace Mann Hall lacked daylight, faced accessibility issues and had a fragmented footprint. In short, the existing building was poorly suited to serve as a beacon for the Feinstein School of Education and their mission to provide innovative and collaborative educational excellence. Initially envisioned strictly as a renovation, LLB was able to demonstrate that demolition of part of the existing building and the construction of a new wing would provide a better outcome while sticking to the original budget. The renovation/addition option provided an opportunity to reimagine the space, including creating a light-filled central commons and compact three-story office wing. The reduced footprint is more energy efficient and allows for new green space around the building and improved connections to the campus.

The renovation of Horace Mann transformed the building to align with the school’s role as a leading institution for training future educators. The building exterior reflects the school’s role as a beacon of education with its dynamic color-changing glass fins coated with dichroic glazing which reflects the sunlight. The design creates a dedicated section for faculty suites and provides necessary acoustical and visual privacy for this area of the building. Within the classroom wing, cutting-edge simulation spaces provide students with a realistic learning environment and help hone their professional skills. The welcoming commons between the renovated classroom wing and the new offices suites engages with the campus and brings views and daylight deep into the building. The building was designed to meet LEED Gold standards and is currently pursuing certification.

Read a review of the building by its faculty, staff and students.

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The Creative Class

November 3rd, 2023

The Creative Class is a modern apartment community housed in the prior Bradford Durfee Textile School in Fall River, MA. Built in 1904, the school operated in this location until the mid 1960s when it relocated to North Dartmouth. LLB Architects worked with the developer to adaptively reuse the buildings for modern residences while retaining historic materials and the character which draws residents to them. There are 55 units across the three buildings, including 11 artist preference studios, 14 one-bedrooms, 29 two-bedrooms, and 1 three-bedroom. The Creative Class offers both market rate and affordable apartments.

LLB worked with the developer and a historic preservation consultant to assist the developer in successfully attaining federal and state historic tax credits. This is the second large-scale residential conversion project which LLB has completed with the developer.

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Commonwealth Landing

July 7th, 2023

Commonwealth Landing is a renovated mill building in downtown Fall River. With active commercial space on the first two floors, the developers opted to transform the top three floors of the building into residential units. Included in the project are 103 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, a fitness room, a small recreation room with a pool table, and a community room with a kitchenette for gatherings.

The building already hosts numerous retail establishments, restaurants, galleries, and offices. With a strong demand for rental units in Fall River, the addition of the Commonwealth Landing apartments has provided the opportunity for a much needed boost to the local economy.

The developer team received both federal and state historic tax credits, along with a state tax credit for building market-rate housing in a Gateway City. Our firm worked closely with the developer on the design and construction of the units and assisted the client with the tax credit application.

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Arctic Mill Study

July 6th, 2023

The Arctic Mill Complex on Factory Street in West Warwick includes two granite buildings along the South Branch of the Pawtuxet River. The complex is a large, L-shaped stone mill located along the east side of the river. The main block, perpendicular to Factory Street, is a 5-story structure, with an 8 story flat roofed square tower centered on the east side. Working closely with the developer, LLB Architects developed a design to renovate this historic mill into a new residential community featuring 138 units, including studio, one- and two-bedroom units.

In 1865, a fire caused extensive damage to the original mill and its contents, but the walls were used in rebuilding the mill. Renovations made in 1884 included changes to the roof and the addition of another story on the main mill. On the interior, the mill is a open factory space with a regular grid of columns supporting heavy beams. On several levels the space has been subdivided with modular storage units as well as small office and mechanical rooms.

In addition to planning and architectural design, LLB assisted its client in preparing the application for historic tax credits for the project. We also assisted in developing a working pro forma for the project.

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Providence Mixed-Use Building Feasibility Study

June 29th, 2023

LLB Architects worked with our client to develop a feasibility study for a 7-story mixed use building in an urban Providence neighborhood. We met with our client to understand the desired scope of the project. We developed a design that would suit the surrounding neighborhood and achieve the developers proforma requirements, within the constraints of a challenging site. LLB produced schematic designs for an 84-unit apartment building with a mix of studio and one-bedroom units. The first floor was envisioned to encompass both commercial spaces and amenities for the tenants. A Girder Slab structure and City Lift parking system were incorporated in the design to maximize the use of space. A set of renderings within the neighborhood context were developed for the client and project investors.

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East Bay Residence

June 23rd, 2023

LLB Architect’s New England Modern design philosophy, tempered by the overarching goals of resilience and site specificity, shaped every aspect of the built project. Views, prevailing winds (both summer cooling winds and winter storm winds), and solar orientation guided the composition and relationship of the programmatic parts. The siting of the new structure on the footprint of the prior house limited the environmental impact, while native plantings and rain gardens improved water conservation and management.

The main two-story spine of the house, expressed with a classic gable roof, is set parallel to the coastal waterway to afford prime views from the main living spaces and bedrooms. A one-story volume intersects the main spine at an angle and contains the most social spaces – kitchen, living, and dining rooms. This volume is articulated by a copper-clad shed roof that cantilevers out on the south and west sides. These deep overhangs shelter the interior of the glass pavilion from the strongest summer sun. A stone-clad fireplace punctuates the west façade of the pavilion and expresses the vertical and horizontal integration of the site.

The resulting geometry creates an intimately scaled entry on the neighborhood side with a progression to more expansive spaces on the ocean side, at the same time forming natural eddies and sheltered outdoor rooms. A series of stone retaining walls merging with and emerging from the stone-clad base of the house, combined with terraces, boulders, gardens and natural landscaping, further root the structure into the landscape.

The grand staircase fits within and follows the resulting angles introduced by the pavilion form. From the initial view in the entry hall through to the ocean, the perspective expands as one ascends the stairs to the Crow’s Nest, located two stories above grade, which provides a cozy perch to enjoy panoramic views.
The house is equipped with a geothermal system which runs off 20 wells providing heating and cooling of the space. Efficiently divided into numerous specialized zones throughout the house, the heating operates both through radiant underfloor heating as well as through air handlers.

A focus on resiliency is found both in the bones of the house as well as in its materials. Designed to withstand the high winds of the waterfront location, the home was designed with a primary steel structure. The materials selected for the residence were chosen both for durability and low maintenance: Alaskan Yellow Cedar shingles, Spanish Cedar shiplap siding, copper, natural stone, painted cedar trim, reclaimed pavers and local stone. Windows and glazing are impact-resistant, thermally reinforced, and low iron.

The house benefits from tremendous solar and daylighting effects, but shading is key too. Large areas of glazing, especially in the one-story living/dining/kitchen space allows light to flow through the space. Architectural design combines with mechanical shading to mitigate harsh light and unwanted solar gain. A dramatic six-foot overhang on the west side shelters the interior of this living space from the intense summer sun.

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Plastic Surgery of Southern New England

February 23rd, 2023

LLB Architects was engaged to renovate the second floor of an existing office building in Fall River, Massachusetts for the Plastic Surgery of Southern New England. This growing business was seeking a tastefully designed contemporary space which would welcome patients to their practice. The client requested a distinct minimalist appearance that resembles the atmosphere of an art gallery with a “Industrial Modern” expression.

Our team created minimalist spaces yet imbued them with a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere for patients and staff. The patients are greeted by a large moss wall that also provides a natural color accent in the neutral color scheme in the waiting room. The geometry of the reception desk is fused with the angled wall that leads into the clinic, accentuated by the aluminum laminate cladding that is applied to both the casework and the wall.

An all-glass door at the entrance to the clinical space provides secure access while emphasizing the visual continuity between the spaces. Ceramic floor tiles, used uniformly in all the “public” spaces, further underline the continuity. The two tile colors delineate the spatial configuration in conjunction with the ceiling, both in the racetrack corridors and in the waiting room.

Rounded drywall corners surround the clinic’s support core helping with wayfinding and replicating the form of the reception desk. Portions of the corridors are equipped with a professional grade artwork hanging system to display a changing array of photography and art prints.

Matching the minimalist expression of the space, the lighting scheme uses small linear fixtures throughout and is configured to underline the spatial organization of the rooms.

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