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.

Congratulations to the entire design team, Schenkel Shultz (architecture), Ramski & Company (interior design), CPPI Construction (construction manager), TLC Engineering for Architecture (MEP engineer), BBM Structural Engineers, Harris Civil Engineers, and our partners at UCF recognized as outstanding and an exemplary example of architecture for 21st Century learning. This highly functional and beautiful signature building is situated prominently on the Memory Mall of the main campus. It houses two departments sharing the mission to help students find their professional calling; connecting them to the workplace where they can gain real-work experience with their education, and after their coursework completion.

The interior spaces are inviting and open, encouraging student-faculty collaboration – they include administrative offices, conference and interview rooms, career expo space for employer functions and social events, resource labs, and seminar/teaching/training flex spaces. The seminar room is equipped with the latest audiovisual technology for teaching and long-distance learning, and has flexible furniture to accommodate the various functions of the space.

Not just highly functional and well designed . . . the final energy analysis proves this building shows a 40% increase in energy efficient performance. The project is designed to achieve LEED Gold certification.

This year we raised money for embroidered tote bags, sheets, socks; and our members decorated Christmas picture frames and ornaments. Thank you to our host Hudson Everly for providing the venue and refreshments.
www.hudsoneverly.com

Earlier in the year I was asked by Bill Martin, one of our favorite young architects and partners at Schenkel Shultz Architects, if I would be willing to write a recommendation statement for him to include in his application for the Building Design + Construction Forty under Forty annual Award. I have rarely had an easier task. Here is how we feel about Bill.

“Every once in a while our studio has the happy occasion to work with an exceptional young architect whose talent and management ability elevate the entire team project outcome. This has been the case with Ramski and Company’s experiences with Bill Martin. Bill is an exceptional young professional who knows that a project resultant can and should be greater than the sum of the individual consultants’ skills and expertise. He knows how to listen, how to build a team including and lead by the end users, and how to create a beautiful, highly successful built environment.”

Well, the judges agreed Bill is exceptional and to see how they showcased him please follow the link included. Note Bill is the only 2011 Orlando recipient. Excellent work Bill!

http://www.bdcnetwork.com/winner-40/24136

Architect Tom Wannen, AIA, of HuntonBrady Architects in Orlando and his wife, Interior Designer Mandy Wannen, IIDA, LEED AP, of Ramski & Company in Orlando teamed to win first place in the statewide competition. The Wannens’ clinic focuses on the concept of nature’s engagement with a patient’s positive sense of well being. Natural daylight, exterior views, native materials, and a healing garden were integrated in the design to achieve this goal.

The Florida Foundation for Architecture is embarking on a program to address the issue of access to healthcare through the design of a clinical facility for the treatment of medical, dental, and behavioral needs of homeless individuals and families throughout the state. Solutions were sought that will address the design parameters of flexibility, functionality, sustainability, and the creation of a healing environment for patients and staff within the context of Florida communities.

“Your interest, competency, and the clarity of your design proposed underpins the essence of architecture’s role in leading positive social change”, William Hercules, Associate Principal, Perkins + Will.

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