Maxam Architecture Blog

Zeeland Community Image Award

2011-11-15T15:41:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Smedley Dental on winning a Zeeland Community Image Award for the renovation of their building. It was a great project for Smedley Dental, but also for Zeeland!

Photo Credit: Green Frog Photo

Under Construction: Greenville Family Dental

2011-11-15T14:34:00.000-05:00

Construction has begun on the renovation and addition to Greenville Family Dental's new building. The building originally was a bank branch. The canopy is being removed to make way for a new addition in it's place.

This makes one heck of a before picture! I'm looking foward to seeing it come together!

Under Construction: OMT Veyhl

2011-09-18T11:11:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to OMT Veyhl and Lakewood Inc. on the start of construction on the OMT Veyhl manufacturing facility expansion. At 60,000 sf of expansion space it's Maxam Architecture's largest project yet! OMT is located in Holland, Michigan and manufactures components for the contract furniture industry.

Tonic Salon

2011-09-18T10:58:00.001-04:00

Tonic Salon was launched earlier this by stylist and entrepreneur Daniel Dauser. Congratulations to Daniel on creating an amazing, stylish environment for Tonic Salon. Photo Credits: Green Frog Photo

Saving Mid-Mod GR

2011-03-11T14:29:00.051-05:00

153 Lafayette Ave, Heritage Hill Historic District, Grand Rapids, MI

153 Lafayette Avenue was built in the early 1960's as the business men and women of Grand Rapids walked around dressed like characters from Mad Men. Depending on who you ask, the building is either an abomination, or a Mid-Century Modern diamond in the rough. It has certainly seen better days. It's suffering from leaks, broken glass, mold, and a recent fire in the lower level. However, at a recent meeting of the Grand Rapids Historic Preservation Commission, we voted that the building was contributing to the Heritage Hill Historic District, based on the criteria that it "Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values...."

Its still not a sure thing that this building will be saved, but its unique retro charm just might be it's salvation. The definitively modern setback from the street creates a courtyard behind it's decorative concrete block walls. It could use some cleanup and pruning, but restored it would make a great space that anyone would be lucky to have outside their office. The groovy glass mosaic tile pattern with orange accents on the facade is a theme carried through into many of the Saint Mary's buildings in the area. The lobby of the former nurses lodge building (now replaced by the new Neuroscience building) also featured a similar mosaic tile pattern. The semi-translucent glass panels filter the incoming sunlight, acting as sunshades that limit the solar heat gain in a way that any modern green building would be proud to sport.

Saint Mary's is looming large around the building, and the Preservation Commission's demolition criteria states if "The resource [building] is a deterrent to a major improvement program that will be substantial benefit to the community," then it still could be torn down to make way for new development. The building is at that age where it is most at risk. It's old enough to be in bad condition and out of style, but not quite yet old enough to be seen as historic by most of the public. What sort of development 'of substantial benefit to the community' that might allow this building to demolished remains to be seen, but if if the Lafayette Avenue Medical Building can be restored and survive the decade, Heritage Hill will have a mid-modern gem.

Translucent Glass Panels filter incoming light Staircase in the courtyard.

Mosaic tile detail.

Option 1 Credit Union

2011-03-11T13:07:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Option 1 Credit Union on the opening of their new branch at 6750 Kalamazoo, at the corner of 68th Street and Kalamazoo. Maxam Architecture provided the design of the new branch build-out, which was constructed and managed by First Companies. The branch location features 5 teller stations, loan office, staff spaces, and a 24-hour lobby ATM. I'm looking forward to their Grand Opening this week.

Construction Code Board of Appeals

2011-02-11T10:28:00.000-05:00

Mi-Biz Maxam-izes

2011-02-02T13:50:00.002-05:00

The Latest Maxam Architecture press, courtesy of MiBiz.

http://www.mibiz.com/news/design-build/17212-maxam-izing-the-profile-of-local-architectural-design-entrepreneur-sees-west-michigan-embracing-good-building-design.html

Historic Preservation Commission

2010-12-24T14:32:00.005-05:00

I'm honored to have been selected to serve on the City of Grand Rapids Historic Preservation Commission.

I'm looking forward to seeing all the interesting projects that come before the commission. meet the people behind them, and help shape a better Grand Rapids.

Grand River Endodontics

2010-11-11T15:23:00.005-05:00

Welcome to the nicest office you hope you'll never have to visit! However, if a stray hockey puck or too much Halloween candy has the root canal fates conspiring against you, have no fear. Dr. Sarah Lennan's Grand River Endodontics office is now open, with all the expertise to set you right as rain. Her new office suite at 4211 Parkway Place in Grandville features 4 operatory rooms to handle patients and referalls from all around the West Michigan area in a welcoming and soothing environment.

Congratulations to Dr. Sarah Lennan and First Companies on a great project!

Project Partners: First Companies, Henry Schien Dental,

Smedley Dental

2010-11-09T12:50:00.006-05:00

Combine an entrepreneurial young dentist with two historic buildings in downtown Zeeland. Add a pinch of retail frontage and a hefty helping of dental office goodness. Combine the two upstairs apartments and stir into one great new condo unit. The result is great new mixed use project for Smedley Dental.

The Smedley Dental building represents the sort of downtown redevelopment sought by the City of Zeeland. It brings professional services, retail and residential together in a model project for Zeeland's newly formed Shopping Area Redevelopment Board which is guiding the renewal of Downtown Zeeland.

Congratulations to Dr. Meredith on her new practice and on giving new life to two historic buildings and helping to create a vibrant downtown Zeeland.

Thanks to all the Project Partners! Smedley Dental, First Companies, City of Zeeland, Think Design, Benco Dental

How not to suck at ArtPrize.

2010-09-29T15:11:00.045-04:00

For all the ArtPrize aspirants out there....

I applaud everyone for their efforts, talents, and input, and mean no disrespect. But here's my latest thinking on a winning entry.

1. Don't promote.
Ran Ortner never asked me to join an Open Water Facebook group. I didn't get spammed with invites to "Open Water Opening Party!" Ran never asked for my vote, and so I was able to give it freely. Every effort to promote sub-communicates that your work must not be good enough to win on it's own. It must be forgetable if you have to keep spamming us with reminders to go see it. It must sort of suck if you have to keep telling me it's so great. Like the middle aged guy showing off the sports car, what exactly are you compensating for? Remember, it's supposed to be Art, but if you're pitching it like it's OxyClean, then guess how I'm going to feel about it? If you're just glad to be participating and want to make sure I notice your very cool efforts, then that's great and and I'd love to stop by your party and see your work. It's fine to inform me, as long as there is no sense of agenda. But realize you may be preventing the possibility of us falling in loving your work due to your promotions. If you want me to truly love it, you'll have to back off and let me fall in love quietly from across the room.

2. Don't over explain.
Let me read into the piece. I care what I think about it. I care what I see in it. I care how I feel about it. I care what it stirs in my soul. If you put up a wall-of-text artist statement filled with your thoughts on the work, then you're telling me I'm wrong about your work. It's your work, so your interpretation would be the correct one. Jeez, I almost voted up for it because I thought it was about something I really thought was interesting. It stirred something in me, and almost moved me to vote up. That is, until I read your artist statement about how it's really about how you "loved a bunny rabbit you had when you were a child and how it's soft fur inspired you to investigate the familiarity and psychological nuances of subtle textures and light." Oops, I guess it's not something I really understood or connected with after all. Next.

3. Don't convince me, move me.
Connection with artwork is not logical. If you're trying to convince me how great your work is, you are engaging the logical circuits of my brain. If my logical circuits are firing, then you aren't moving me. My emotion and soul are not stirred. You're operating on the wrong channels, and you're done. So put away the big artist statement, stop with the references and connections to ideas you'd logically think would be a winner. Show, don't tell. Circumnavigate the logical and get to me on a deeper level. Don't make the neurons in my fore-brain logical cortex fire, get me back on the old mammalian and reptile brain levels, where emotion and instinct rule. Now you've got art.

4. Don't stand there.
Seriously, please. We know you're proud. We know you want the ego validation. We know you're curious what everyone thinks about your work. We know you think if you're there for us to ask questions then maybe you'll get one more sale of work or votes. But please, just shut up and go away. Let the art speak for itself. It's my chance to develop a personal relationship with the work, not you. This year I was all ready to vote up for the Elephant Walk sculptures. I liked the simplicity of it moving in the wind rather than being motorized. I liked that it was so finely balanced and well engineered. I appreciated that it was made out of corten steel. I was having a quiet moment of art appreciation, when suddenly he burst in with "YOU NEED A STICKER!!" as the artist lunged at me to stick his promo piece to my arm and thereby make me his walking billboard. I rebuffed him, "No, I really don't" as if he were holding a roll of scratch and sniff dog poo stickers. He'd have gotten my vote, if only he hadn't been hovering and promoting. I promptly gave him a down vote for being so obnoxious.

5. Be a little Mysterious.
Let me imagine you're exactly the kind of cool artist I think ought to win ArtPrize. Maybe I'd like whoever wins ArtPrize to be a poor struggling starving artist. Maybe I'm the kind of guy to who wants the winner to be the kind of down to earth guy I could have a beer with while out fishing. Maybe I think the ArtPrize winner ought to be educated in the most elite design schools and weary funky glasses and all black. Whatever it is, if you're standing right there and you aren't it, then you've tainted my view of your work. Go easy on the resume, don't stand there, don't put your name all over it, don't give me your life story, and don't make it all about you. No matter how cool you are, you probably aren't the kind of person I think ought to win. As long as I don't really know you, I can still hope you're exactly who should win.

The same lesson in mystery goes for the work. If it looks like gold, but really is spray painted foam, feel free to not explain that detail. If part of what is compelling about your piece is that I'm not quite sure how you did it, well then don't ruin that mystery by explaining how it actually is quite simple and required hardly any skill.

6. Not so Big, not too Small.
If your work is going to be the size of a building, then it better be seriously impressive. It better be Chartes Cathedral , Sagrada Familia, or Sistine Chapel impressive. If it's that big, it better bring me to my knees from the sheer overwhelming awe you have inspired in me. I think the size of Open Water 24 was just about right for Artprize viewing. You can stand back with a group of friends and all admire it at once. You can walk up to it and see the fine detail. You can stand back and it will still fill your field of vision. It's big enough to show me that you've put some serious time, effort, and dedication into it, and yet 'bigness' isn't what makes it good. It'll be interesting to see if a pattern of scale develops in the ArtPrize winners. I'm thinking something around 6' x12' is about the right size. Bigger than a person, smaller than a bus. We're all selfish little creatures. Your work should be impressive, but 'have-able.' If I'm going to love it, I want to be able to picture it on my wall, or in my yard. Size it to be own-able, but barely. Something to fill the empty space in that castle I'll never own either.

7. Don't rehash last years idea.
Seriously, we know you've 'got your style' and a certain way you work. We appreciate it, but I don't want to see last years work rehashed for this year and next year and the year after. Get over it, move on, come up with some new stuff. It's going to get real dull if each year ArtPrize is just a remix of last years entries. Even worse is if you're basically copying someone elses idea. Yes, faces can be made of pushpins, and Legos, and little colored balls. Yes you can build a giant seamonster, or steampig. But if I don't feel like I'm seeing something for the first time, it's not going to get my winning vote. Wait wait wait.. if only it were a giraffe made out of nails. Monkey of nails? Nail platypus?

8. Let me discover the work.
The first time I saw "Open Water, no.24" was when I walked into the room and saw it hanging there on the wall. My first impression of the work was the work itself. If you've been uploading Facebook photos, handing out promo cards, and telling me all about the work, then by the time I see your work, I've already formed a first impression. There is no surprise. I can no longer form a clean opinion of it. Do you really want me forming an opinion of your work based on a flicker upload or a 2" glossy handout? I want the thrill of discovery. I want to experience it raw. Don't do anything that ought to require a spoiler alert.

(What ever happened to keeping things secret and literally under wraps, building anticipation while we wonder what mystery is unfolding behind the curtain, waiting for a great unveiling?)

9. Don't piggy back on a cause.
I think it's great that you want to save the whales, or the children, or the oceans, or the trees. If you're just trying to raise awareness, then that's great and noble of you. But don't try to win my vote by trying to make your great cause my great cause. If your work is all about a charity cause that I may respect and think is important, but I'm not in love with, then it gets in the way of me loving your work. Being all about a cause, issue, or charity limits my view of your work to that one issue. You can't be appreciated universally. You've made your work into a niche issue about a certain negative problem in our culture. You're no longer timeless. You're no longer transcendent. You're just the salvation army bell ringer. I'll give ya a buck, but not my winning vote.

10. Spectacle can't seal the deal.
Creating a novelty or a spectacle will get you a lot of attention. It will earn you a lot of votes. Done right it can easily get you into the top ten, but I don't believe it can seal the deal. Because to win it and take home the prize, I need to love it. Dancing monkeys are entertaining, but don't earn my deepest respect. If your entry is basically a Vegas showgirl, then it's hot, sexy, and fun to watch, but I'm not in love, and I'm not taking it all the way home.

Finally, in all things ArtPrize, stay out of the way and let me fall in love with it on my own.

Good luck!

When a building dreams....

2010-07-28T19:26:00.002-04:00

This is what it looks like when buildings dream.

LEED for Homes Overview

2010-07-19T14:11:00.003-04:00

If you ask around, you'll find everyone wants to live in a LEED Certified home, but almost no one actually knows what that means. This video provides a good overview of the LEED for Homes certification system.

Benefits of a LEED Home from U.S. Green Building Council on Vimeo.

Latest Design:

2010-07-18T23:57:00.001-04:00

A glimpse of the latest proposal...

Project Update: Smedley Dental

2010-06-22T11:00:00.006-04:00

Smedley Dental is a mixed-use dental office, retail, and residential loft project on E. Main Ave. in Zeeland. The project will rehab both buildings at 131 and 133 Main Street. Earlier today we received Heritage District approval for our green roof, new rear awnings, and additional windows from Zeelands Shopping Area Redevelopment Board. The roll of plans are in to the City of Zeeland for a building permit, so we should be under construction soon. I can't wait to see it come together!

Project Update: Grand River Endodontics

2010-06-21T21:03:00.008-04:00

The new Grand River Endodontics office suite is under construction. It's located off 44th street by Rivertown Mall. I'm really looking forward to seeing all the interior finishes come together. You can see a 3d preview of the space in this previous post.

Retreat: A New Cottage Home Plan

2010-04-27T14:02:00.007-04:00

Here is the latest design I've developed as part of a product line for a home plan site. It's a lot of character packed into a fairly compact floor plan.

Click and drag on the image to spin it around.

Name this House Plan:

2010-04-22T13:24:00.005-04:00

I'm creating some stock residential plans to be sold online. I've been messing around with the presentation style to create something that is appealing and real, and yet not so photo real that you can't imagine it on your own site, whether it be in the woods or on a beach.

Here is the first model. Suggest a name in the comment box.

Click and drag on the image to spin it around.

A peek at the drafting board: Grand River Endodontics

2010-04-20T19:40:00.014-04:00

Today I'm trying out some new technology on the blog, a 3d Virtual Reality Model of a new dental suite build out. If you have the Quicktime plug in you should be able to click and hold on the image and spin it around to get different views.

The plans are submitted to the city for permit approvals. I can't wait to see it built.

Click and drag on the image to spin it around.

Industrial Proposal VR

2010-04-20T17:00:00.003-04:00

Another VR Object file for a recent industrial building proposal.

Click and drag on the image to spin it around.

Are you building a place worth caring about?

2010-03-17T00:21:00.010-04:00

I ought to make this video a prerequisite for any patron who wants me to design a building. I've been doing some design work for urban projects lately, and I've never seen urban design explained better than in this 2004 talk by James Kunstler at the TED Conference for Technology Entertainment and Design. If I could choose only one thing anyone would ever learn or hear about architecture in today's America, it would be this talk. It's funny, it's pointed, it's patriotic, and it's insightful. If you're ever going to design, build, buy, visit, live in or drive past a building, then this talk is for you. (He does tactfully drop the F-Bomb, just so you've been warned.)

Dental Suite

2010-03-05T13:20:00.002-05:00

I've been working on a design for a new dental suite to be built into an old brick building. Here is the animation I did to illustrate the sequence of spaces.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

2010-02-03T23:50:00.004-05:00

I'm currently in Washington DC for the AIA Grassroots national leadership conference. I spent the morning in a seminar regarding the upcoming International Green Construction Code. Have listened to congressional speakers on the economy, Haiti reconstruction via the state department, and spent the evening touring the city around the White House, Washington Monument, and other monuments.

Sight seeing is done for the evening; I'm off to turn out a late-night preliminary design. Stay Tuned!

Pascucci Marble & Granite Facility

2010-01-09T10:50:00.017-05:00

The new Pascucci Marble & Granite facility is finished and open for business. The 22,000 square foot building houses their new tile and countertop showroom, offices, and warehouse space for the stone slabs, including a 5 ton bridge crane. They're located at 4260 Broadmoor, just north of 44th street.

The base value of architecture...

2010-01-02T20:25:00.005-05:00

In Shanghai, a 13 story apartment building literally fell over on it's face. Apparently they used inadequate pilings and liquefied the soil via the excavation. "Large quantities of earth were removed and dumped in a landfill next to a nearby creek; the weight of the earth caused the river bank to collapse, which, in turn, allowed water to seep into the ground, creating a muddy foundation for the building that toppled."

Architecture in the US is so good at the fundamentals of construction that the discussion of the value of architecture often surrounds topics such as style, design, tectonics, being green, etc.
But when an event like this happens, it's a very straightforward reminder of the core value of architecture. Architects are licensed under oath to protect the "Health, Safety, and Welfare of the Public" so that our buildings don't end up like this one.

Full Story Here from the Wall Street Journal

The One Percent.org

2009-12-28T21:19:00.006-05:00

Maxam Architecture has joined "The One Percent.org" A site dedicated to connecting architects with non-profit organizations in need of pro-bono work. From their website...

"If every architecture professional in the U.S. committed 1% of their time to pro bono service, it would add up to 5,000,000 hours annually - the equivalent of a 2,500-person firm, working full-time for the public good."

I'm looking forward to opportunities to do some good with these organizations and work on unique projects and designs I might not otherwise get the opportunity to implement and express.

A peek at the drafting board... Dental Building

2009-12-28T21:12:00.002-05:00

A peek at the drafting board... Office Building

2009-12-28T21:05:00.007-05:00

2009-12-21T16:03:00.002-05:00

Happy Holidays from Maxam Architecture!

I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph.
-- Shirley Temple

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.
-- Oren Arnold

In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukka' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'"
-- Dave Barry "Christmas Shopping: A Survivor's Guide"

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?
-- Dr. Seuss

Industrial Office Building - Variations on a design

2009-11-04T16:58:00.012-05:00

Lesson: Design Fail Floathouse

2009-10-12T15:57:00.013-04:00

Good design starts with good diagnosis and solving problems at the appropriate level. Recently the 'Float House' designed by UCLA students taught by Thomas Mayne of Morphosis has been getting a lot of attention from the media. The basic premise is that it's a sustainable eco-friendly house that can float in case of a flood. It's built in New Orleans lower 9th ward which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Apparently this is in conjunction with Brad Pitts efforts and advocacy organization Make It Right to promote sustainable affordable housing for lower 9th ward residents.

I admire the effort, aesthetics, and good intention of the design; however anyone who lost a yacht or houseboat in Katrina can tell you that simple buoyancy doesn't make a house able to survive that sort of natural disaster. Plenty of boats are totaled in hurricanes, and they're certainly better designed to handle high winds, waves, and overturning than a boxy yet buoyant house.

So is this good design or just good sounding intentions? Beware sweet sounding design speak and sleek imagery. Ultimately the lower 9th wards problem is one of geography and urban planning. The lesson here is that good design solves problems on the appropriate level. In Michigan we simply don't build below the 100 year floodplain level. It's a regional solution to a regional problem enforced by zoning and DEQ policy. Solve urban planning issues on the level of urban planning, architectural problems at the level of architecture, and interior design problems at the level of interior design. Anything else is a band-aid over a bullet wound which won't solve, but merely hide the real problem.

Trends Magazine

2009-07-31T11:22:00.004-04:00

The Waalkes home is going to be featured in an upcoming issue of Trends Magazine, a New Zeeland based international publication for kitchen, furniture and home design. Can't wait to see it go to press.

Heritage Hill Porch

2009-07-23T14:06:00.010-04:00

Construction photo's of a little project to rebuild a curved porch at 312 Lyon in Heritage Hill. Nice work by contractor Paul McGuinness.

New Website Launched!

2009-07-16T19:51:00.013-04:00

The new and improved Maxam Architecture website is live! New features include an updated portfolio, the "Ask the Architect" section, and "New Project Starter Forms" where the basic questions to get a new project underway are available in an easy web form.

Option 1 Credit Union: Under Construction

2009-07-16T19:32:00.003-04:00

Drawings are complete and construction has begun for the Option 1 Credit Union project with First Companies. It's a new tenant improvement for an Option 1 branch in the Metro Health Village. Stay tuned for future updates as the project is completed.

Young Designers

2009-07-16T19:25:00.015-04:00

Rachel VanDyke asked me to be the guest critic for her Design II students at Northpoint Christian High. They did a unit on Architecture, with an assignment to design theoretical homes. They had some excellent work, both with their physical and computer models. We met at mid-term and for their final critique. It was great to see how their work and their thinking about the projects developed. Here are a few images from the final critique. Congratulations to all the students on their work; and to Rachel for doing an excellent job of teaching a very challenging subject.

Theorycraft: Architecture and Superstimuli

2009-06-15T00:18:00.009-04:00

Earlier today I watched a TED talk by philosopher and cognitive scientist Dan Dennett. He was lecturing on the evolution of cute, sexy, sweet, and funny. The basic premise is that these qualities are not inherent in the object that is cute, say for example a baby, but that we have evolved to believe babies are cute because it is evolutionarily advantageous for our species to find babies cute. The value is assigned by us onto the object. This is why babies are cute and cake is sweet.

This line of thinking meshes quite well with what author Daniel Harris posits in the book Cute, Quaint, Hungry, and Romantic: The Aesthetic of Consumerism. We have certain mental symbols that act as triggers for these qualities. Babies have disproportionately large eyes and large heads. Therefore cartoon characters drawn with similar features are perceived as cute by us. So back to Dan Dennetts lecture, where he talks about 'supernormal stimulus.' He gives the example of gulls who have small orange spots on the end of their beaks. Baby gulls know to peck that orange spot on the end of moms beak to get fed. The orange spot is a stimulus. If experimenters paint that orange spot 10 times larger, then the gulls in reaction will peck 10 times more fervently for food. In effect, they have 'hacked' that normal stimulus to create a 'supernormal stimulus' for the baby birds.

This leads us to the application of these observations to architecture. If a client wants to build a 'cute cottage', then there are architectural ques that function as normal stimulus for that 'cuteness.' What are those ques, and more importantly how can they be turned into 'supernormal stimulus' to create the sort of design that truly moves and overwhelms the observer? If a white picket fence is a symbol for quaint hominess, then would a scaled up white fence, taller with wider with 2x6 pickets, elicit a supernormal reaction; making you feel proportionately like a young child next to it? If a front door is a symbol of welcome, then would a wider front door, with exaggerated surrounding trim and a large scale knocker provide an even greater sense of welcome? If a roof overhang is sheltering, then extra large roof overhangs ought to provide all the more sense of shelter. It seems to be a basis for a design aimed at hacking those conditioned associations. Over the next week I'll explore these concepts in paintings leading to a prototype cottage design. As Dan Dennit posits, sweetness is evolved due to the advantage of high energy foods like apples, and double decadent chocolate cake is the super stimulus that takes advantage of those evolved associations. Then what architecture superstimulus leads to the chocolate cake of cottage design? Can the associations of home design be hacked to create a design that is super-appealing and overwhelms the sense of hominess in the same way that chocolate cake hacks the evolutionary preference for higher energy foods like apples? What would such a house look like?

Construction started at O'Brien residence.

2009-06-02T18:46:00.010-04:00

The O'Brien house is starting to take shape. Here is the 'before shot' and the current state of construction. You can see how much difference adding overhangs did for the existing dormers. The old side porch addition has been torn off, and the foundation is in and basement walls of the new addition are up. Also notice how much better the house looks without it's shutters, even though it doesn't yet have siding.

Waalkes House

2009-03-06T13:47:00.014-05:00

The remodel of the Waalkes home is finially finished up, with great results!

Maxam Architecture featured in Rapid Growth

2008-12-04T09:24:00.009-05:00

Rapid Growth, a great local e-zine that covers Grand Rapids development news, featured me in an article this week.

Click to read.

Banking On It...

2008-11-20T15:21:00.011-05:00

My lastest design challenge involves a new financial branch. I have to keep the 'who' anonymous at this stage, but it's good to see there is a financial institution in the area who is looking to expand, despite the credit crunch. I'm developing both a modern and traditional scheme. I definitely prefer the more modern design, and would love to see it done as a LEED-certified project. Either way, I hope that this project ultimately gets the green light. Click the images for a closer look, and leave your thoughts in the comment box.

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Crescent Electric

2008-11-20T15:11:00.005-05:00

I recently completed drawings for the Crescent Electric project. Crescent Electric Supply Co. is a national distributer or electrical, automation, and voice data products. Their new facility in Holland is being built by Lakewood Construction and is scheduled to be completed by spring. The facility is a 15,000 square foot building with a 3,500 square foot office and showroom; 11,500 sf warehouse and 2,000 sf mezzanine. Crescent Electric was founded in 1919 and is one the largest electrical distributors in the US.

Under Construction: Waalkes Update

2008-11-20T15:07:00.002-05:00

The Waalkes house is coming along nicely. Here are the latest construction photos.

B & B Keg Cooler

2008-11-20T14:20:00.005-05:00

Perhaps one of the more unusual projects I've done is the new keg cooler expansion for B & B Beer Distributing in Grand Rapids, to be built by First Companies. The new 648 sf cooler could hold more than 1600 kegs of beer. This equates to over 264,000 12 oz beers. As of the 2000 census, the population of Grand Rapids was 197,800; of which 132,000 were over the age of 21. That equates to approximately 2 beers for everyone in Grand Rapids. So don't worry, once the project is completed you can rest assured that B & B has a couple chilled for you.

Upcoming Industrial Project

2008-11-20T14:05:00.001-05:00

I've completed drawings for a new 30,000 sf office, showroom, and warehouse building on the Beltline to be constructed by First Companies. This will be a very nice facility, and I'm looking forward to the ground breaking. More details later.

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Jeup Furniture Under Construction

2008-11-19T15:36:00.008-05:00

Jeup Furniture, a project I worked on while designing for Dixon Architects, is now under construction and coming together wonderfully. Joe Jeup has as good of an eye for building design as he does for furniture design. This is probably one of the nicest industrial buildings I've worked on yet. Congratulations to Jeup Furniture, First Companies, and Dixon on what's shaping up to be a great project.

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Clark Manufacturing Wrapping Up

2008-10-07T11:32:00.009-04:00

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Congratulations to Clark Manufacturing on their beautiful new facility. The project, built by Lakewood Construction, is nearing the final phases of completion. I'm pleased with the building overall, but most impressed with the new cranes. This was one of the last projects I designed while working with Dixon. I'm glad to see it's come together so well.

O'Brien Residence is taking form

2008-08-04T10:52:00.005-04:00

Preliminary Drawings for the O'Brien residence addition are underway. I think we've come across a form that works well with the context of the existing house, and adds to the overall composition.

Under Construction: Waalkes Residence

2008-07-30T11:55:00.008-04:00

Demolition has begun on the Waalkes house remodel! They've salvaged hundreds of bricks from the former garage to use on the front of the new portion of the house. Here we're seeing a pile of rubble where the one stall garage used to be.

I'm excited to see it start to take shape.

Going Green

2008-07-18T14:14:00.004-04:00

Work is well underway for a LEED Green Building consulting job. The scope of work is to advise, consult, and be the team leader and document the design and construction to obtain LEED certification status for the new building.

Stay tuned!

On the Boards: O'Brien Residence

2008-07-18T13:27:00.007-04:00

Design work has begun on a new addition for the O'Brien family home. The addition will involve all new kitchen, dining, and living space, as well as extra childrens bedrooms and a new master suite.

Allen Extruders

2008-07-18T13:19:00.003-04:00

Starting Construction:
Maxam Architecture completes drawings for Allen Extruders. The plastics manufacturer is adding an additional 17,196 square feet of manufacturing space and 12,265 SF of covered outdoor shipping areas to their existing facility. Allen Extruders is headquartered in Holland, MI.

Waalkes and Work on the Boards

2008-04-25T16:38:00.005-04:00

Work is coming along nicely on the Waalkes residence remodel. The home will get a new dining room, vastly more open kitchen, a face lift to the dated fireplace, and a 2 stall garage. The before and after images are sure to be stunning.

Work on the Boards: A fresh batch of preliminary designs... 3 industrial facilities, a retail center, and possibly some Leed consulting. I'll post details as they firm up and once contracts are signed and the 'veil of secrecy' is lifted.

Maxam Architecture has Launched!

2008-04-13T01:32:00.020-04:00

I've finally struck out on my own and launched Maxam Architecture. Thanks to all who have helped me get established!

The new office is located at 25 Ottawa SW, Suite 303. Its the building just west of the arena and just north of Bistro Bella Vita. I'm co-located with the Bird Design and Clark Communications. Its a very creative group, and will be great for keeping the inspiration flowing. The office itself has a great contemporary feel and will work great for client meetings. I'm looking forward to my first batch of projects!

My new email is david@maxamarchitecture.com

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Getting Green

2007-11-09T21:54:00.000-05:00

From the Green Building Council Website: "The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria."

I've passed the LEED exam and am now a LEED Accredited Professional.

However, before I become another vocal advocate of the green revolution, I must admit there is a part of me that is skeptical of 'Green.' The heavy emphasis that 'Green Building' has been getting in the world of design is a great boost to architecture, but also a minor curse. Green is great, but it is not all architecture is. Making a building energy efficient doesn't necessarily make it a great building. Architecture is more than the engineering that goes into it. Designing a building to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly is a great leap forward; but it is not the whole of architecture. Making a building that is just efficient is good engineering. Combined with good architecture, it can produce a great building. Lets not forget the Architecture in the rush to Green.

Islamic Cultural Center - Behar

2007-10-22T19:24:00.000-04:00

For the curious among you, here are some renderings of the ICC Behar mosque that I've been working on. It's an entirely concrete structure, complete with a concrete dome and minarets. The design team was invited to a fund raiser dinner, where I was asked to speak to a crowd of a few hundred about the design. I'm not one to shy away from public speaking, but trying to explain a fairly high concept architectural design through a translator was an interesting experience. You have to slow down and space your sentences into easily translated blocks. Explaining the magnificent mathematical perfection and historical references of a parabolic arch through a Bosnian translator; Forget about it.

I've often heard that in Europe architecture as a profession is given a great deal more respect than it gets in the United States. It certainly is the case with this Bosnian Islamic congregation. I've worked with some very grateful and pleased clients before; but the ICC Behar are wonderfully grateful and gracious clients who display an amazing heartfelt gratitude for all the work we've done for them. I wonder if part of that is rooted in the more European view of the profession of architecture.

Update

2007-08-07T21:16:00.001-04:00

Just a quick post for my curious readers. The work has been pouring in over at Dixon Architecture. I'm Currently working on a vet clinic, recently finished a mosque, have multiple manufacturing and office facilities on the boards, and a few new LEED 'Green Building' projects just starting up. Looks like my next professional hoop to jump through is LEED Certification from the folks over at http://www.usgbc.org/.

I'll post renderings of some of my recent work later, at least for the stuff thats public. Once the 'veil of secrecy' on some projects in the early stages becomes solid and the contracts are signed, I'll have more to post.

Grand Haven Cottage

2007-04-14T18:11:00.002-04:00

I recently completed a cottage design for a dune lot in Grand Haven overlooking Lake Michigan. The lot is up for sale and listed at GRAR.COM

The site has an incredible amount of slope to it, and is regulated by the Department of Environmental Quality as a protected dune site, which limits the area in which you can build. Therefore the design keeps as small a footprint as possible.

Registered Architect

2006-11-02T20:06:00.000-05:00

8 1/2 Years of College...
$75,000 dollars.
3 Years NCARB intern program fees...
$450 dollars.
9 Registration Exams and study guides...
$2,150 dollars.
Finally being able to call yourself an Architect...
Priceless.

12 years after starting as an apprentice draftsman, I can now call myself an Architect. The path to becoming an architect involved 8 years of being an apprentice draftsman and project manager, 2 college degrees, 3 years being an 'intern architect' and sending credit reports to the NCARB national council, and 9 exams on topics ranging from design to structural engineering. "Architect" is a title protected by state government by a 'title law,' meaning its illegal to present yourself as an Architect without going through the hoops and obtaining a state license. The State licenses architects in order to "protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public" as the phrase goes. It's similar in concept to the legal requirements for being an M.D. in order to prevent quack doctors from killing people.

It's a huge relief to have jumped through that final hoop and finished the goal I've been working towards all these years. Perhaps it's time for a vacation, or better yet some nice big commercial projects to help pay off those student loans.

Dixon Architecture

2006-11-02T19:34:00.000-05:00

As some of you have heard, I've starting working with Ken Dixon and his crew over at Dixon Architecture. I'm currently working on 2 monstrous precast concrete manufacturing facilities, some bank work, and a few other miscellaneous projects. I'm really digging my teeth into the large scale commercial work again after having spent the past year doing residential.

Posted here is my design for one of the manufacturing facilities. The client hadn't been satisfied with any of the sketches he had seen to date. So when I came on board I boiled down the numerous different looks and concepts that had been developed for the project so far. I kept some of the concepts, further developed some, and tossed some other out completely. The result was this sleek modernist design. Night and dawn views of a building like this do wonders to show off what might otherwise seem like a fairly boring concrete box, if seen only as a basic line drawing or in a sketchy form. Some projects show off much better with a 'warm fuzzy' sketch, but in this case the crisp photo-rendering definitely came through to really communicate the clarity of the design.

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Ncarb Testing Completed

2006-10-01T18:43:00.001-04:00

I've received my 'Pass' letter for the last of the 9 test administered by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards required to become a licensed architect. Just a few paperwork hoops left to jump though and I'll be able to call myself an 'Architect.' The title Architect is protected by a title law, and calling oneself an architect without holding an architects license is similar to posing as a medical doctor. Architects are licensed by the states in order to 'protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.' Obviously it's not in the best interest of the public to have any yokel designing public buildings. Perhaps I'll post more later on the path to becoming an architect, for those who might be curious about such a cryptic subject.

Lakefront Living in Wisconsin

2006-09-19T21:56:00.002-04:00

My latest project was to take a floor plan designed by a fine home builder in Wisconsin and develop the floor plan into a full-fledged design. Off to the left I have posted the original wall layout I was given. The house sets on a lakefront walkout site. I always love lakefront houses because they require the rear elevation of the house be just as important and appealing as the front. This avoids the ‘3 sides vinyl’ syndrome so many new houses have; where all the attention, detail, and budget is sunk into a fancy front elevation and the other 3 sides are neglected flat vinyl planes.

I’ve been on somewhat of a Craftsman kick lately for residential projects. Either I’m developing a style, or I’m just stuck in a stylistic rut, depending on your point of view. Either way, these Craftsman designs seem to be working very well. They have enough detail and style to be charming, and yet can still be reasonably straightforward so as not to blow the project budget.

The color renderings are shots of the final design I developed. When given the chance, I prefer to design homes with a bit more of a contemporary flair to them, such as the Laverty Cottage, Merkebee House, or Orsini Residence. But even these more modern designs still have some Arts and Crafts overtones.

Click the comments link below to add your public comment.

Quoted:

2006-08-10T09:34:00.002-04:00

"A porch is the transition space between the street, which is public, and the living room, which is private," Maxam said. "It provides the space to greet someone coming to your home.”

According to the National Association of Homebuilders, 42 percent of new single family homes had porches 14 years ago. Today, that number rises to 53 percent.

From an article on porches by Beth Lively at the Rapid Growth webzine.

"Boxy, but Good" : Maxam Design Vs. Stock Plans

2006-07-27T21:33:00.002-04:00

New Project: 3 Bedroom Ranch for a site on Pine Island drive, north of Grand Rapids.

Parameters: Approx. 1400 s.f., Large bedrooms, One story, Affordable to build, Construction price of $180,000 or less.

I was presented with the challenge of designing this house, in lieu of the developer using a set of 'stock plans' available from a lumberyard. Competing with stock plans is often difficult from a desginer's point of view. There is a certain convenience and simplicity to flipping through a catalog until you see a design that looks about right and buying a set of plans. It is Architecture packaged as a retail shopping experience. However Architecture, like Medicine, will always be a professional service. Sure, there are over the counter medicines available for retail purchase that are somewhat helpful for many common situations, but if you really want to be healthy, see a doctor.

The trouble with stock plans is that there are many that look about right; but close analysis reveals the problems of not designing a house for its situation. A stock house often won't fit right on the site, puts the bedrooms next to the busy street, has the driveway too close to the intersection; and that’s just the site analysis. Sometimes the closets and bedrooms are a bit too small for a good furniture layout, or there are no windows to take advantage of a nice side yard view. Perhaps the steep 'McMansion' roof line looks OK, but costs far too much to build. Maybe the plans great, but that giant brick arch entry is just too pretentious and out of scale for the otherwise humble home. What I'd really like to know is when having more than 1 window in a room went out of style. Having light and views from 2 directions in a room makes all the difference in how a space feels. So many stock plans make no use of the corner rooms in a house at all. No amount of superficial arches or pointless 45 degree angles to 'jazz up' a design will make up for the loss of windows on both exterior walls of corner rooms.

"Boxy, but Good" is a phrase that often comes to mind when I want to describe a design that is simple and straightforward yet still well thought out. Often times 'boxy' designs are the boring ones that no one put much thought into, or leave you thinking that saving every possible penny at any cost was the motivating factor. My design seeks to take the typical 3 bedroom ranch and make it something more than a vinyl sided storage bin for the average American family. The simplicity of the shape keeps it affordable and easy to build. The layout of the rooms creates a very livable flow and tucks the bedrooms furthest away from the streets of the corner lot. Bedrooms are separated by closets or bathrooms to give some acoustical privacy. The living areas are well defined, yet open to one another to create a light and spacious environment without needlessly wasting space. The curb appeal comes from the logical overall proportions and the porch which wraps around to present a facade to each street of the corner. It’s a real functional porch, large enough to enjoy a glass of lemonade or even a whole meal, and right off the kitchen and dining.

"Boxy but Good?" Comments?

Baldwin Cabin : Modernism Undone

2006-06-15T23:33:00.002-04:00

My latest commission is to design the complete remodel of a house on the Baldwin River for realtor and developer EJ Parry. Its an odd thing to take a house that was originally modernist and retro-convert it back to a traditional design. Typically updating results in things looking more modern, but the sands of the hourglass flow upwards in this case.The location of this house is great, with property on both sides of the river. The site even has some ponds that were dug into it. The 2 ponds are in the shape of the Upper and Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It’s particularly noticeable in the satellite image of the property.

The house itself is in horrible shape. It’s a 40's vintage vacation home, originally flat roofed with a brick facade and floor to ceiling plate glass windows. In its day is must have been quite a hip mod party pad. Great river views; a great fieldstone outdoor grill; and patio built into the hill. It has massive limestone fireplaces on the main level and the walkout basement level. It even has a stone indoor charcoal grill built next to the basement stone fireplace.

By the 1970's the place was probably quite rundown, and someone must have bought it as a hunting cabin and decided to "modernize it." They put a pitched roof over the original flat roof, filled in all the large plate glass window openings with T1-11 plywood siding, and in their place installed traditional double hung windows, only sideways. They are actual double hung windows, with all the normal locking and lifting hardware, but installed sideways so that they function like slider windows. I would have to guess they did this to try to make the view wider, but it looks completely absurd.

Once again 30 years has passed and the place is ready to updated by new owners again. This time it needs to be brought up to full-time home standards good enough to be the dream home for a couple to retire in. Currently it has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths upstairs, but the plan is quite poor. The kitchen and dining are on the 'road side' of the house rather than the 'river side' so there really isn't any kitchen or dining views. Meanwhile the bedrooms, which are usually empty, have the good corner views. The beautiful river views are about the only asset the house has, but the existing floor plan doesn't take advantage of the views whatsoever. The plan is 'compartmentalized' by walls which limit the views and make it feel smaller than it is. The bathrooms need complete updating, and are hopelessly cramped by today's standards.

I've worked out the plan and done a few versions of the exterior. Working with the owner we've landed on a mix of log and cedar shake to walk the line between "cabin" and "Craftsman" styles to give it a 'northern Michigan vacation home' feel with some 'timeless quality'.

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