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Blueplate PR client Arielle Condoret Schechter, AIA, is GREEN BUILDING & DESIGN’s Summer of 2020 “Architect To Watch”

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Arielle Schechter on how Japan Inspires Her Design Philosophy

This architect builds for the North Carolina climate and for clients who crave sustainability.

By Jessica Mordaco

Light is the most important factor in architect Arielle Schechter’s design philosophy. Much of her design inspiration comes from Japanese architects who use screens and overhangs to block the sun while creating a seamless translucence from outdoors to indoors—that, and modernist design that connects inside spaces to nature. Schechter became interested in her craft at a young age, growing up with a famous mid-century architect as a father. “I always thought I’d work for him but, when he died, I had a lot of things I wanted to say in architecture,” she says. “I totally believe there’s no point in designing anything, much less a green building unless you’re going to make it wonderful for the people who live in it, too.”

So she started her firm Arielle Condoret Schechter, AIA, and she now works tirelessly to change public opinion that architects are scary and expensive to work with.

“I really don’t care how much money I make. I just want to get people to stop buying cookie-cutter, badly built developer houses that don’t have an architect involved because they’re inefficient.”

READ MORE…

INHABITAT: “Distinctly Modern Net Zero Home Sits in Harmony with its Woodland Surroundings”

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5.Haw_Roof overhangs. Photo by Iman Wods copy 2
The Haw River House designed by Blueplate PR client Arielle Condoret Schechter, AIA

By Nicole Jewell | Photos by Tzu Chen

Chapel Hill-based firm Arielle Condoret Schechter is known for its commitment to building sustainable homes that don’t sacrifice elegance or comfort. The company’s latest work includes the spacious Haw River House, which was built with several efficient features to create a net-zero energy home that is seamlessly linked with its natural surroundings.

Tucked into a pristine woodland overlooking the Haw River, which runs through central North Carolina, the beautiful Haw River House sits in harmony with the landscape. Using this natural setting as inspiration, the 2,600-square-foot house is outfitted with several energy-efficient features that make it completely energy-neutral. READ MORE

ARCHITECTS + ARTISANS: “A Hawk’s-Eye View from a Haw River Home”

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1.Haw River House drone view copy 2

Architecture writer Mike Welton considers a new residential project by Chapel Hill architect Arielle Condoret Schechter, AIA. (Photo by Tzu Chen)

For a new home on the Haw River in North Carolina’s Chatham County, architect Arielle Schechter found her inspiration in two places.

One was the river. The other was a rock.

“Walking down by the riverbank, there were so many trees cantilevered and bent out over the river, that I said: ‘I want this house to bend out over the river too,’” she says.

She placed the home on the only available buildable knoll since the 21-acre site slopes steeply down to a flood plain and riparian buffer below.

As for the rock, it actually was a huge granite boulder, split down the center. “It’s super-sculptural with a thin knife-blade through the middle where rainwater flows,” she says. “The idea of bisecting something appealed to me, so I did that with the butterfly roof.”

Then there was the raptor. READ MORE

 

Real Estate Experts Intends to Plant 5000 Trees in Partnership with American Forests

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Real Estate Experts, a residential real estate and property management company based in Chapel Hill, will donate $50 to American Forests to aid in reforestation efforts for each real estate transaction.

Every $50 donation will amount to 50 trees planted on behalf of Real Estate Experts’ clients who will receive a certificate at closing, informing them that the company is planting trees in their names.

Client CertificatesAccording to Jodi Bakst, Real Estate Experts’ broker/owner, her company’s goal is to plant 5000 trees in 2020.

“Real Estate Experts is committed to doing our part to improve the environment and reduce our carbon footprint,” she said. “We’re confident we can meet our 5000 trees goal. In fact, we hope to exceed it.”

Reforestation efforts recover hundreds of thousands of acres of wildlife habitat, according to American Forests, along with safeguarding vital watersheds, absorbing millions of tons of greenhouse gases, and protecting some of the most picturesque landscapes in America.

“We’re thrilled to launch an exciting new partnership with Real Estate Experts,” said Lindsey Putz, American Forests’ director of corporate giving. “The company’s generous support will help us restore critical ecosystems across some of the country’s most important natural landscapes. Forests in these ecosystems collect and filter drinking water, provide wildlife habitat and naturally capture carbon emissions to slow climate change, so the work is more important than ever.”

Bakst’s partnership with American Forests is just one indication of her commitment, and her company’s commitment, to environmental stewardship. She is currently working on developing a new neighborhood in Orange County, NC, that will be 100 percent Net Zero Energy, the first of its kind in North Carolina.

About American Forests:

American Forests, the nation’s oldest conservation organization, has been restoring forests for more than 140 years. Since 1990 alone, they have planted nearly 60 million trees in forest restoration projects in all 50 states. They have also worked in dozens of cities across America, expanding the tree canopy and improving the quality of life for residents. American Forests uses trees and greenspace to make America’s communities more sustainable, beautiful and livable. For more information: www.americanforests.org.

About Real Estate Experts:

Real Estate Experts is a residential real estate and property management company that has been serving the greater Chapel Hill-Durham area, including Mebane and Burlington North Carolina, for over 20 years. In addition to providing high-level customer service to their buyer, seller and investor clients, Real Estate Experts has industry-leading expertise in transactions involving inherited homes, divorce negotiations and workouts, and in green building and high-performance properties. To learn more about Real Estate Experts, visit www.realestateexperts.net or contact Jodi Bakst at 919-928-5131 ext. 2 or email info@realestateexperts.net.

 

METAL ARCHITECTURE magazine: “An Architect’s Insights and Instincts”

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Frank Harmon lets people understand the world around them.

Frank Harmon, FAIA
Frank Harmon, FAIA

by Marc Robins, Senior Editor

When architect Frank Harmon, FAIA, founder of Frank Harmon Architect PA, Raleigh, N.C., was in his eighth grade English class, he stared out a window and saw an interesting building across the street that captivated him. Even though his mother wanted him to be a doctor, this building and his curiosity on how it was built formed the initial inspiration for his accomplished career as a multi-award-winning architect designing environmentally responsible, modern buildings.

In the past three decades he has won more AIA North Carolina (AIA NC) design awards than any other firm in the state. In 2013, Harmon received AIA NC’s Carter Williams Gold Medal, the highest honor the NC AIA chapter presents “in recognition of a distinguished career or extraordinary accomplishments as an architect.” He is consistently sought out as a judge for design award juries, and his design of the AIA NC Center for Architecture & Design in Raleigh received the 2013 Metal Architecture Judges Award.

As an architect dedicated to environmental sustainability, Harmon has specified metal-from standing seam to zinc-on basically all of his projects, including arts and environmental centers, commercial and liturgical buildings, museums, research facilities and dramatic single-family homes. He embraces the fact that metal roofs reflect heat and have very long life spans, and that zinc, in particular, is one of the most sustainable building materials available. READ MORE…

VMZinc Gets Renewed Notice of Approval from Strict Regulatory Department

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Miami Dade approves Umicore Building Products’ standing seam metal roof systems for hurricane zone.

December 6, 2011 (Raleigh, NC) — Miami Dade County’s Permitting, Environment and Regulatory Affairs department has renewed its Notice of Approval (NOA) for the VMZINC® Double Lock Standing Seam (VM DLLS) metal roofing system, Laurent Heindryckx, Director of Operations for VMZINC/Umicore Building Products USA, announced recently.

Miami Dade County requires an NOA for any manufacturer who wants to sell its products on projects located in the Miami Dade area of Florida.

“Miami Dade set the most stringent requirements with regards to wind loads and water penetration,” Heindryckx said. “Having this NOA is proof that our panels can sustain hurricane force winds.

Umicore’s VM DLSS (NOA No.: 11-0812.04, Expiration Date 11/16/2016) is classified on the Miami Dade website as appropriate for a “high velocity hurricane zone.”

The VMZINC standing seam metal roof system features a double folded seam. The low height of the seams (1”) contributes to the modernity, lightness, and regularity of the roof and facade, while highlighting its architectural purpose.

“For more complex designs, this system presents a more technologically advanced appearance,” said Daniel Nicely, VMZINC’s Director of Market Development.

Nicely also noted that Umicore’s standing seam technique is particularly suitable for very large roof and facade surfaces and for structures located in regions of harsh climates, like mountain or continental climates, which are often subject to strong winds, heavy rain and snowfall.

“Having the Miami Dade NOA renewed shows that the quality of VMZINC’s architectural building products remains consistent,” Nicely said.

Heindryckx added: “The NOA can be used as a sales argument anywhere in the US to demonstrate the effectiveness of our product even in brutal hurricane zones.”

For more information on the Miami Dade NOA, go to www.miamidade.gov/building/pc-search_app.asp. Select Umicore Building Products USA Inc. in the field “Applicant.”

For more information on VMZINC, visit www.vmzinc-us.com.

About Umicore Building Products USA, Inc.

Umicore is a world-leading producer of architectural zinc. For over 160 years, Umicore has been providing innovative solutions for building owners, architects and contractors. Umicore has offices and representatives all over the world. In the United States, Umicore Building Products USA, Inc., is based in Raleigh, NC. For additional information, visit www.vmzinc-us.com.