News from 06 / 2010
SOLAR CANOPY RESTORATION
Construction just began on the restoration of Hampshire College’s Longsworth Arts Village Solar Canopy, which will include a new 36 kW PV array funded partly through a federal grant obtained through the assistance of Congressman John Olver.
Back in the 1970s, the steel canopy was originally designed by Juster Pope Frazier of Shelburne Falls, MA and was built with a state-of-the-art evacuated-tube solar hot water heating system. It worked well, but it had complex controls and eventually was de-commissioned.
The canopy fell into disrepair, and the College was considering demolishing it when KRA’s Chris Riddle suggested restoring it and installing photovoltaic collectors to replace the original hot water collectors. Kuhn Riddle provided some pro-bono architectural work, and the College used it successfully as the basis of a federal grant application.
Kuhn Riddle’s redesign is now complete, and construction has begun, returning the steel canopy to its original programmatic intent: protecting pedestrians from the weather while gathering large quantities of renewable energy from the sun. Wright Builders is the contractor. Pioneer Valley Photovoltaics Cooperative(‘PV-squared’) is the solar installer.
Remembering David Dillon
We all are saddened to hear of the passing of David Dillon.
Recognized as one of the foremost architecture critics in the country, he was also a member of our community—someone who stopped by the office, attended our in-house charettes, and always had insightful enthusiasm for the work we were doing. And for some of us, he was also a personal friend.
RIDDLE RETIRES; NEW LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCED
It’s no fun to say goodbye!
After 33 years with the firm, founding partner Chris Riddle has retired. He plans to take a sabbatical over the summer (during which he’ll probably watch a lot of world football), then return to the office on a limited basis in the fall.
“I’m quite sure that now’s the time in my life to ease backward a little, but I’m really going to miss being around these people eight hours a day,” said Riddle. “My deepest affection goes out to all of them.”
In 1977, Riddle and John Kuhn, AIA, founded Kuhn Riddle Architects, after the two received a small commission for renovations to Northampton’s Armory Building. Since then, the firm has been responsible for a variety of projects, ranging from the Amherst Massachusetts Police Facility (1990) to the recent Ken Burns Wing of Hampshire College’s Leibling Center (2009). From a small staff of 3 in 1977, the firm has grown to 15, including seven licensed architects and four LEED-accredited professionals.
“The firm has endured for all these years partly due to its ability to adapt and respond to change” said Kuhn, who will remain as senior principal of the firm. This ability to adapt helped during difficult transitions, such as the 1989 fire that gutted KRA’s previous office, but also kept the firm on the cutting edge of new technologies, including an early transition to advanced computer modeling of all projects.
Three people who have been indispensible to KRA over the years—Chuck Roberts, AIA, Jonathan Salvon, AIA, and Erica Rioux Gees, AIA—have been promoted to principals.
Roberts joined Kuhn Riddle in 1999 and has 24 years of design experience with a wide spectrum of program requirements—from luxury homes to university buildings to small budget-conscious projects. His current projects include the University of Massachusetts Minutemen Marching Band Building and his own super-energy efficient home, which he’s writing about on our new blog.
Salvon joined Kuhn Riddle shortly after graduating at the top of his class from Notre Dame in 1991. His experience and interests lie in architecture’s classical traditions, and much of his work reflects this. His recent projects include a new student cafe and fitness center at Deerfield Academy, a major addition to the athletic center at Wilbraham & Monson Academy, and the renovation of the Amherst Cinema building, the home of Kuhn Riddle’s offices.
Gees, a national board member of the American Institute of Architects, brings over 30 years of experience as an architect to institutional, commercial and residential projects. Her background includes master planning, library design, educational facilities, community design, and residential design. One of her primary clients is Stiebel Eltron, a world leader in sustainable technology. Since joining KRA in 2000, Gees has produced sustainability plans for communities throughout the U.S. as part of work with the AIA’s Sustainable Design Assessment Teams.
The picture above captured a rare moment, long, long ago: Riddle sans moustache!