Building Area:  90,000 sq. ft. 73,000 new construction and 17,000 renovated

For the past 50 years, Zellwood Elementary School has been a focal point of the local community.  Nestled within a small rural neighborhood, the sloping site sits at the end of a quaint country road with vistas to the west overlooking Lake Maggiore.  This “School on the Lake” setting and its designation as a bilingual center make Zellwood Elementary School a place of pride for local residents.

DLR’s design process successfully dealt with several major challenges from project inception:

1. providing way finding and security on campus
2. creating safe avenues for bus, car and pedestrian traffic
3. minimizing disruption of education during construction.

The process to transform this campus began with a design charrette which generated guiding design principals.  The design team married new construction seamlessly within the existing campus.  The program required approximately 600 student stations, a centralized media center, cafeteria and administration - all accomplished in 90,000 square feet of new and renovated space.

To reinforce the building massing as well as code architectural elements, the design team used a combination of color and texture.  A pair of neutral colors anchors the building at the base, creating a dialogue with the ground plane.  Various shades of aqua green were used to add dignity and emphasis to significant moments such as the building entrances.  A yellow-green color accents the upper floors only coming to grade as part of exterior stair elements.  This contrast between upper and lower levels reinforces the buildings relationship with the site by expressing those portions of the building that engage the ground plane and those that float freely above it.  Nothing exemplifies this more than the media center as the large bay windows framed in the aqua green accent hover over the program below.

A view from the southwest clearly shows the success of all design elements working in harmony to create a dynamic, playful and respectful solution to the renovated elementary school campus.

Zellwood is a great project and Ramski & Company was proud to participate on the team for the interior design.

www.aiaorlando.com/v2/2013awards.shtml

www.dlrgroup.com

Good afternoon Jennifer and Mandy,

After many, many weeks–and hours and hours of time–we now have two short videos ready to share with others about our new elementary building. These videos (and the related information on the PKY website) will help others know more about our building and how teaching and learning are organized in new ways. These two videos are just the beginning and provide an opportunity for us to share with “outsiders” what happens “inside” our building.

Feel free to share with family, friends, and interested others! Tomorrow they will be linked in the College of Education newsletter that goes out to thousands of UF COE grads and friends, but we thought you should get them first!! A link will also be posted on the COE Facebook page.

We are so thankful for all you did to get us to where we are today,

Lynda

The first academic building constructed by Beacon College in its 23 year history, this project is very special to all of us. Beacon College is a unique learning institution. Currently, it is the only accredited four year institution in the United States exclusively serving a student population with learning disabilities, ADHD, and/or gifted LD. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) commissions Beacon to bestow Associate of Arts and Bachelor’s degrees in Human Services, Interdisciplinary Studies, Computer Information Systems and Psychology with future plans for Business Administration and Studio Arts degrees. The student body is growing along with the offerings and the campus. This Fall, Beacon welcomed its largest class to date, up from 130 in 2011 to 190 students (averaging 12 – 15 students per class) progressing toward the goal of 250 students by Fall 2015.

On October 5, 2012, Beacon broke ground on Beacon Hall. The hall contains 3 divisible state-of-the-art flex room and administration offices. Beacon plans to invite the entire community in for meetings on a limited basis. It has been such a pleasure working with President John Hutchinson, the gifted and dedicated staff, and the design team on this exciting project.

Here are some progress photos:

• www.beaconcollege.edu
• www.evergreencm.net

Vinyl Composition Tile – VCT
Healthcare environments have historically featured miles and miles of VCT flooring. Initially, a very inexpensive floor covering (approximately $1.50 sq. ft. installed) it was quite ubiquitous. Guests have come to expect a glossy shine they often associate with “clean” that is the resultant of a high maintenance regimen. This inexpensive material comes in 12″ x 12″ tiles (recently 12″ x 24″) and can produce endless patterns. It requires sweeping and wet moping as well as regular stripping and waxing. Over time (usually about 3 years) a VCT floor ceases to be inexpensive and actually poses expensive maintenance and maintenance scheduling problems in busy, constantly occupied environments.

BioBased VCT
One “green” step away from traditional VCT is an alternative like Armstrong’s BioBased tile which has the same maintenance regimen but is made with rapidly renewable, U.S. grown plant materials and emits low VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) promoting good IAQ (indoor air quality). Also, a 12″ x 12″ tile, BioBased has a slightly less varied color palette with fewer color choices (approximately $2.00 sq. ft. installed).

Carpet Tile and Broadloom Carpet
Increasing in popularity for healthcare environments is carpet tile. In many non-critical care healthcare spaces, carpet tile offers many positives.

• There are beautiful suites of patterns and colors that can add comfort and/or interest to any space by simply delineating an installed pattern to change color or texture.
• Carpet tile is warm and quiet. It is a natural acoustical conditioner, promoting speech privacy in large spaces. Carpet tile may have a cushion back for added comfort.
• Capet tile is very easy to ship, store and install, and manufacturers have developed glue less, tack methods that are quick, trouble free and environmentally friendly. It is easily field cut for dramatic graphic installations.
• Carpets soft surface and stable backing reduces fall related injuries.
• Solution dying produces permanent color that resists fading with even stringent cleaning.
• A varied background in certain patterns makes one or two tile replacement unnoticeable. This reduces the cost of “fixes”. Replacement is quick, easy, and undetectable.

A fair cost range for performance carpet tile installed is approximately $30 - $35 sq. yd. or $2.50 - $3.00 sq. ft. The traditional broadloom carpet (12′-0″ wide rolled goods) is still a cost effective partner for offices and areas where replacement and heavy traffic is not such a big concern.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) and Vinyl Planks
Also increasing in popularity for commercial healthcare environments is LVT. Innovation in printing techniques has produced marvelous fantasy finishes as well as remarkably realistic ones in the vinyl world. Along with 18″ x 18″ or 24″ x 24″ modular products, there are numerous “plank patterns” in “wood look” that come in varying sizes and “species” and some even have beveled edges to enhance the plank effect. The advantages to these products are high resiliency, high point loads to resist indentation, more sound absorption than VCT or porcelain tile, promotion of staff comfort and in a no wax line, an ease of maintenance and associated costs. Vinyl tiles easily pattern and can be waterjet cut prior to installation for more intricate patterns. They are often manufactured with antimicrobial additives.

Vinyl rolled goods – generally 6′-0″ wide, can be cushion backed for added staff and guest comfort and installed with heat welded seams to form a complete germ barrier.

LVT’s and rolled vinyls have a wide range in cost but typically you can budget $6 - $8 sq. ft. installed.

Linoleum
Linoleum today is not the material you remember in your grandmother’s kitchen. It is available in both tiles and rolled goods. It is very durable, flexible and sound absorptive. It is naturally antibacterial and antistatic. It gets stronger over time and its lifecycle is 30-40 years. It is easy to clean and does not require wax. It can be damp cleaned, but not wet cleaned. It can be waterjet cut to intricate patterns, and is made of rapidly renewable materials (approximate cost $5 sq. ft. installed, higher if intricately patterned).

Rubber
Natural rubber tiles or rolled rubber flooring is a super performer in healthcare environments. Rubber is a rapidly renewable resource, very durable, a good shock and sound absorber, has a natural finish that gets better over time, is naturally antibacterial, is very low maintenance and comes in a beautiful array of color. This product is perfect for elderly and pediatric environments and is easily precut in intricate patterns with a waterjet technique.

Waterjet cutting has added a whole new world of design possibilities. Above is an example of the precision cuts possible on rolled, or tile installations. There is a price associated with this process, but it is softened by the ease with which the precut patterns are installed and the precision is far above that of field cutting. Rubber floors might average $6 - $8 sq. ft. installed. Intricacy of pattern will affect cost.

Porcelain Tile
Porcelain tile is also a wonderful material for healthcare projects. Like carpet, you may want to place it judiciously as it is incredibly durable and easy to clean with no liquid absorption, but very unforgiving to foot traffic and offers little sound buffer. Photography and “printing” techniques have become so sophisticated it is difficult to tell porcelain from many real stones and a huge variety of sizes, textures, and colors are available for creative installations. With the perfection of thinset (1/4″) installations, it is a very cost effective and attractive alternate to natural stone.

Porcelain and other forms of tile are popular for walls as well as for floors and recently very thin (1/4″) flexible large scale tiles are making their way from Europe to the U.S. Flexible tiles up to 5′ x 5′ for indoor and outdoor installations are showing up in the architectural landscape. Glass tile mosaic patterns or literal computerized graphics have become popular as environmental art. Natural stone look porcelains in 12″ x 12″ tiles can average $5.00 sq. ft. installed. More unique installations will be more costly and the introduction of epoxy grout for low absorption and high cleanability will increase costs.

This is a brief look at some of the many choices for flooring available to us in the healthcare market. Other options may include real wood flooring, engineered wood, laminate flooring, natural stone, terrazzo and terrazzo tiles among others. An interior design professional can assist you in making wise, current and cost effective choices for any healthcare environment based on installation knowledge, experience and constant education in an expanding world of product. Your design team will listen to your needs and help you select materials for optimum image, appearance retention, performance, budget and long term maintenance.

Your design team may involve product representatives, flooring dealerships, and installers. Healthcare is one of the most exciting sectors for design innovation and flooring is no exception, just one component of a successful healthcare environment design.

• www.ramskiandcompany.com
• www.floordaily.net
• www.johnsonite.com
• www.centiva.com
• www.armstrong.com
• www.tomkt.com
• www.forboflooringna.com
• www.crossvilleinc.com
• www.bentleyps.com
• www.stonepeakceramics.com
• www.interfaceflor.com
• MorOf, www.mor-of.net

Multifunctional Sleepers - The trend in real estate of reduced footprints, more compact work spaces, multifunctional equipment to optimize available space and use of vertical space is completed at the furniture level. This patient room “family zone” goes from 3 seat sofa with two recliner units to computer work or gaming center to fold out single bed with an easy to use pneumatic lift controlled with one touch.

Recliners - Recliners are not what they used to be – no longer clunky and awkward; most recliners come in wall saver styles that allow you to recline without relocating the seating away from the wall.

Some like this Wieland Cove recliner are designed with thoughtful standard features like recessed levers and caster locks to prevent wall damage, wood or urethane arm caps with easy grip forms, base molded bumpers for wall protection, faux feet to enhance appearance and 360° caster turning radius for tight space maneuverability. This piece has 2 recline positions, a sleep position, and a trendelerburg (feet higher than head) position. Options are a flip table, a retractable foot rest, a push bar, an IV pole, and a Foley bag hook. It is completely renewable (recoverable in the field) and attractive.

Some recliners include an option for a transfer arm along with lots of other options so non-ambulatory patients can be transferred from a wheelchair.

Space Saving - Here is a folding guest chair (Wieland Plyfold) accommodating family and visitors in any patient setting, with lots of upholstery options and its own storage rail that can be installed behind an entry door. When not in use it takes zero additional floor space.

Even office cubicle footprints can be compacted without loss of storage or function by utilizing specialized storage, vertical real estate (overheads) and wall surfaces. This rotary storage unit it double sided and swivels optimize by using vertical space. The space conserving unit holds the equivalent of 3 standard lateral drawers and is outfitted with locking drawers, shelves for binders/supplies, and a wardrobe tower. Storage on one face swivels to a clean surface when not in use and to an additional storage side with filing drawers.

Filing and pharmaceuticals can be stored in high density systems that open up valuable people space, help with HIPAA compliance, and provide critical organization of spaces utilized by multiple staff members.

Modular - Modularity is huge in medical office innovation and a whole separate world of product. The idea is to reduce long term waste and costs while increasing flexibility and consistency. Investing in modular units that can be rearranged or relocated to keep up with the ever changing innovation in medical office and patient care is a life cycle judgment, but often the modular furniture that can be relocated or rearranged is less than traditional millwork from the beginning. Featured here are some ideas from the Steelcase Nurture Opus series and Herman Miller for modular patient care areas, office, and reception areas. Casework as furniture may offer many advantages, one of which is it is depreciated as furniture, not part of your built environment. You will need to carefully consider the attributes of a modular system before investing, but here are a few options for caregiving, office, and reception environments.

There are numerous mobile cart and table options on the market to accommodate caregivers with substantial height adjustability and functional ranges from phlebotomy to mobile charting with laptop security. Shown here are Steelcase Nurture produces for caregiver use and an over bed table for both patient and caregiver use.

Details - Modular office systems will come with a vast array of accessories designed to increase function within your desking realm. There are display surfaces tool on slat systems to accommodate shelving and small office accessories, height adjustable monitor arms, personal heaters and fans, keyboard trays and mouse pads, pelican space saving drawers, hangers, and under surface energy efficient lighting fixtures. Pretty much anything you need to outfit your workspace to fit your work style.

• Aurora Filing, www.aurorastorage.com
• Steelcase Nurture, www.nuture.com
• Wieland, www.wielandhealthcare.com
• Herman Miller, www.hermanmiller.com
• Peter Pepper Products, www.peterpepper.com
• MorOf, www.mor-of.net

Orlando-based Ramski & Company, Inc. received the recognition for the 7,044 square-foot renovation completed in June 2011.

Upcoming … the 14,000 sq. ft. Performing Art Center Auditorium, a joint venture between Venice High and the surrounding community. The Performing Arts Center complex will consist of vocal, band, and individual instrumentation teaching and practice spaces with instruction and support.

Lots of people were excited about this new 2 story state-of-the-art 303,000 sf. high school in Jacksonville, Florida. The entire community awaited its completion with excitement. After all, it was the first new high school in Duval County in approximately 20 years!

The design team, Schenkel Shultz (Architecture) and Ramski and Company (Interior Design) were excited to create this sophisticated “Low Country” campus with a small scale learning community structure. The architectural style was influenced by the architecture of A Hayes Town and is especially appropriate for this region. The concept resulted in a beautiful, special sense of place; truly an institution of learning with an inspired campus.

As it turns out, our team’s flooring subcontractors are especially excited because Dixie Flooring has been awarded a Starnet Award for the campus.

Each year the Starnet Design Awards recognizes the creativity and talent of its members by recognizing outstanding commercial interiors featuring innovative flooring products and technologies. The Starnet Design Awards are an annual competition which recognize jointly the members of Starnet, the world’s largest cooperative of commercial flooring contractors, and their local design partners from the United States and Canada.

Creative people bring their unique vision to every project. Starnet members are proud to work with the world’s finest architects and design firms. To properly acknowledge those who are setting new standards of creativity in commercial interior design through innovative floor covering solutions, Starnet is proud to sponsor the Annual Design Awards.

The Design Awards evaluate creative use of floor coverings, flooring design concepts and how well designs meet client objectives and special challenges. Esteemed judges for the 2011 awards included: Dennis Todd Heiser, Senior Associate and Design Director, Gensler—Chicago, IL and David Owen Rozzi, Senior Designer, M. Moser Associates, New York.

Entries are judged based on the creative use of flooring, as well as the design concept and overall quality of the solution delivered to the client. Each entry is judged by the following criteria:

• Creative use of flooring
• Flooring design and integration into the overall space
• How well design meets client objectives, special challenges,
• and environmental achievement

“Dixie Contract is honored with this recognition,” comments Leo Jacobson of the Jacksonville award recipient, www.dixiecc.com.

“Atlantic Coast High School” (the winning entry in the Education category) “is a project which illustrates a sophisticated use of VCT and carpet tile in a high school building.  Throughout the design, there is a wise use of color with the VCT featuring four colors which are repeated to create strong designs while the carpeting is more neutral.  It creates a design flow which complements the larger spaces.”

To quote the judges, “the installation really reinforces the design and the changing scale between projects allows for a fun and colorful setting without being childish.  This design really respects the end user.”

Jeanne Matson, President and CEO of Starnet, states, “Once again in 2011, we received a large number of outstanding entries into the Starnet Design Awards competition.  The quality of the work was outstanding and, once again, we believe that the work represents the very best in commercial flooring design and installation for the Starnet membership, the Design Awards illustrates the partnership that exists between the Starnet Preferred Vendors, the local architects and designers and the Starnet project teams. Without all three components working together, the end product could not be realized.