Tag Archives: Housing

Harry Stendhal Presents – Fluxcity: Prefabricated/Modular Solution for Social Housing

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New York, New York (PRWEB) June 18, 2012

George Maciunas/Fluxus Foundation is pleased to present Fluxcity: Prefabricated/Modular Solution for Social Housing. The exhibition will open in September 2012 with a conceptual web exhibit and related works will be available to view at the foundation exhibition space at 454 West 19th St.

Sustainability has never been a more pressing need in the state of current socio-economic trends. George Maciunas, who stated efficiency is giving the most performance for the least cost, invented the 1900-square-foot prefabricated mass building system known as Fluxhouse as an flexible solution for social housing. Echoing MoMa curator Pedro Gadanhos famous statement, curating is the new criticism, the exhibition will engage the concept of urban sustainability through adaptive design solutions.

Influenced by Le Corbusier and Buckminister fullers geodesic dome, Maciunas invented the structural framework of extruded aluminum beams and columns useful for prefabricated construction while working at Olin Mathieson. Copyrighted in 1965 as an improved design to Soviet Block Housing and Levittowns, Fluxhouse is a modular unit based on a minimum number of components and a simple manufacturing method of fabrication and construction. With simple tooling requirements, the manufacturing process is readily adaptable to existing automation systems. Easily customized to residential, institutional, industrial, and agricultural functions, the Fluxhouse unit can be multiplied to construct buildings of any size and configuration. Naturally eco-friendly, Fluxhouse is resistant to natural disasters including fires, floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes, as well as deterioration caused by rot, termites, corrosion, and discoloration.

Maciunas, who is known as the Father of SoHo for gentrifying this neighborhood with artists cooperatives, envisioned Fluxcity as an adaptive knowledge-city manifesting collective intelligence into the built environment. As the world faces its greatest economic challenges due to poor speculation in property developments and an expanding global population, prefabricated systems like Fluxhouse hold their greatest potential as a cost efficient government sponsored solution used to repair lower and middle class communities and raise the standards of living for the world today.

The commercial applications of Fluxhouse are examined in the newly published An Assessment Report. Eric Gould, founder and director of Helicon Design Group, and architects Scott Weinkle and Mauricio Arduz will present experimental 3D digital renderings of Fluxcity. The exhibition space will display images from Ciphers, the latest project of Christoph Gielen, whose aerial photographs of isolated suburban settlements reveals the hidden geometries of living environments. The topics of architectural consumerism, cooperative living arrangements, nomadism, and urban morphology will be studied in the scholarly works of Stewart Brand, Nikos Salingaros, Christopher Alexander, Michael Haerdter, Bryan Welcel, and Rosi Brandotti among others.

This exhibition will be open as a conceptual web exhibition in June, 2012 at the foundation website http://www.georgemaciunasfoundation.org.

This exhibition will be open to public at the foundation exhibition space 454 West 19th St. in September, 2012.

Both exhibitions are produced and organized by Harry Stendhal.

An Assessment Report on Fluxhouse is available, please contact info(at)georgemaciunas(dot)com

George Maciunas / Fluxus Foundation Inc.

George Maciunas Foundation Inc. is exempt from Federal income tax under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
Contributions to the George Maciunas Foundation Inc. are deductible under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code
Federal Tax Id Number: 26-3178359
George Maciunas Foundation Inc. is a public charity




As Housing Affordability in Australia Remains Low, Containers First Offers Shipping Containers for Sale Designed as Rental Dwellings to Ease Housing Stress

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NSW, Australia (PRWEB) June 27, 2012

The National Housing Supply Council released a report this week reflecting a likely decline in homeownership, as mortgage and property rates still demand for an unreasonable part of most peoples annual incomes even after prices continue to undergo substantial declines. With this nationwide housing stress, a term coined by the Council, Containers First, a 25-year leader in shipping container sales and hires, recently announced that quality and especially designed shipping containers can be an urgent and relevant housing solution.

The innovation offered by Containers First can be optimised to meet demands for safer and long-lasting homes that are within reasonable rates. This is in answer to the Councils findings that the market value of residential dwellings is well above the recommended mortgage-income ratio, a statement echoed in the recent study of property research firm Demographia that estimates Australian homes are valued at 6.7 times the annual average income.

This alarming shortage of available and affordable housing is seen in both Australias urban and regional areas. While it is experienced by households of average incomes, the undersupply is felt on a greater degree by people and families with lower-income levels. This phenomenon is even more critical in the case of renters, as the housing report estimates more than 30 per cent of their incomes are allotted for rental payments, with 40 per cent of them forking over half of their total gross earnings a year just to pay the rent.

Given this market climate, Containers Firsts solution of appropriating shipping containers for sale as rental properties can benefit mutual parties: renters looking for cost-efficient housing options, as well as property owners needing additional income to address mortgage payment requirements.

Homeowners can make extra money by putting a shipping container home on their land and renting it as accommodation. In the meantime, people looking for homes to rent can enjoy the stability and comforts of traditional homes without the unreasonable cost, a Containers First representative says. The potential financial activity from both renters and homeowners can be hugely beneficial to drive market movement.

Far from being mere box-type dwellings, new or used shipping containers for sale from a trusted supplier such as Containers First present the great possibilities of this recycled and malleable material. Inspired by the now-trending cargotecture concept, living spaces made from shipping containers are extremely durable, upgraded to last even extreme weather conditions, and designed to offer the comforts of modern living. With a few architectural and creative design touches, cargo unit homes can even prove to be breathtakingly beautiful, as seen in designer shipping container structures around the world.

Portable buildings by Containers First, for instance, are especially designed for living spaces such as homes, offices and commercial venues. The flexibility of the material allows model specifications to be customised to meet the space, safety and convenience requirements of the customer. With the expertise of Containers First engineers and custom builders, units can also be fitted with modifications such as personal door access, fitted shelving, insulation and ventilation components, security lock boxes, and air-conditioning systems.

For more innovative ideas on how to make modern living more sustainable, comfortable and cost-efficient, interested parties can visit containersfirst.com.au and ask for a free online quote today.







Affordable Senior Housing at the Wartburg Adult Care Community Featured in New York Times

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New York, NY (PRWEB) March 30, 2012

One of OCV Architects latest projects the Freidrichs, an affordable senior housing building was featured in the New York Times. This new construction project is located on the historic 26-acre campus of the Wartburg Adult Care Community in Mount Vernon, NY, and features 60 studio and one-bedroom units for independent senior living.

The Wartburg is a not-for-profit institution that today provides a full range of senior care and services, including skilled nursing care, rehabilitation, Alzheimers and dementia care, assisted and independent living, adult day care services, and home care. The Friedrichs will be an important new addition to the campus and to New York State, offering the type of housing seniors need more of housing that allows for independent living with the amenities and services geared toward their needs, all at a price they can afford.

In the article, spokeswoman for the Wartburg, Nancy Davis, says, The elderly are often better served if they can remain at home, taking advantage of the center and receiving help from social workers on a range of services.

OCV Architects designed the 55,000 square foot wood frame structure to compliment the historic buildings that make up this 146-year old institution. In addition to 60 spacious units of housing, the Friedrichs will provide residents with community spaces such as a fitness room, a library and computer room, meeting and multi-purpose spaces, and offices for support services. Together with the bucolic setting of the Wartburg campus, the Friedrichs was planned in keeping with the institutions mission of nurturing body, mind and spirit.

OCV is providing the Wartburg with the full range of architectural services from design through construction. Collaborating on the project are structural engineers Dominick R. Pilla Associates, P.C., civil engineers McLaren Engineering Group, MEP engineers Abraham Joselow, P.E., P.C., Steven Wind Landscape Architect, and general contractors Lecesse Construction.

The project is being funded through a New York State grant under the Healthcare Efficiency and Affordability Law and has an expected completion date of late 2012.

About OCV Architects

Oaklander, Coogan & Vitto Architects, P.C. is a versatile, award-winning architectural firm serving the New York Metropolitan area for over 30 years. OCVs body of work ranges from affordable and special needs housing to high-end private residences, from gut rehabs and historic preservation to innovative new construction. Having produced over 1,000 units of residential housing, the firm regularly partners with urban housing authorities and development groups to create sustainable, attractive residences within restrictive budgets. As a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, OCV strives to bring to each design respect for a projects site, setting, history and culture, while making every effort to build responsibly and sustainably. For more on OCV please visit http://www.ocvarch.com.

For further information on this release, the Friedrichs, or similar projects, please contact:

Mireille Moga

Oaklander, Coogan & Vitto Architects, PC

203 Lafayette Street, 5th Floor

New York, NY 10012

212-675-6470 x222

mogam(at)ocvarch(dot)com





Seven New Housing Communities in Historic Landmarks Designed by The Architectural Team Receive 2012 Tsongas Awards from Preservation Massachusetts

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CHELSEA, MA (PRWEB) May 09, 2012

In a major sweep of a high-profile awards program, the architecture and master planning firm The Architectural Team, Inc., (TAT) has announced today that seven of its recently completed historic adaptive-reuse housing projects have received citations from the organization Preservation Massachusetts as part of its prestigious 2012 Paul E. Tsongas Awards.

The award-winning, historic adaptive-reuse projects converted into new housing were designed by The Architectural Team in locations around the state. They include Canal Lofts in Worcester, Mass., a mixed-income, multifamily housing community; Curtain Lofts in Fall River, Mass., an affordable active-adults housing community for residents aged 55 and over, developed by Boston-based WinnDevelopment; and Linwood Mill in Northbridge, Mass., also an affordable active-adults housing community for residents aged 55-plus, developed by Boston-based EA Fish Development.

Also cited for their successful adaptation of historic landmarks into housing communities were City View Commons I Apartments in Springfield, Mass., an affordable and modernist rehabilitation of 20th century historic buildings by the First Resource Companies; The Hayes at Railroad Square in Haverhill, Mass., a mixed-income multifamily transit-oriented development (TOD); Union Street Lofts in New Bedford, Mass., an urban style apartment community comprised of five individual historic buildings developed by HallKeen and WHALE; and Nashoba Park Assisted Living in Ayer, MA developed by the Volunteers of America.

The Tsongas Awards were presented at the Preservation Massachusetts annual awards dinner last week at the Fairmont Copley Hotel in Boston. According to the group Preservation Massachusetts, This years awards celebrate the Massachusetts Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (MHRTC) and the power preservation has in our communities. As an economic engine, the MHRTC has allowed projects like these to revitalize communities, spur investment, create jobs and enhance our collective quality of life.

Believing in Preservation

Sought-out for expertise in converting some of the most complex historic mills, hospitals, schools and factories in the country into new uses, The Architectural Team has completed more than 150 historic preservation, restoration and adaptive-reuse projects since its founding in 1971. Today these honors for seven new projects add to the firms portfolio of award-winning designs. The team has been featured recently on the television show Chronicle on Boston’s ABC affiliate channel 5 (http://www.TheBostonChannel.com). The episode is called “Recycled Boston,” and it features several of the firm’s projects.

We are honored to be recognized by Preservation Massachusetts for our work at Canal Lofts and Curtain Lofts, said Gilbert Winn, Managing Principal of WinnCompanies. It is important to preserve and honor the rich histories of these two buildings by rescuing them from their dormant and underutilized states, and ensuring that they are put to full use, housing a range of populations and adding to the aesthetic landscape of their communities in Worcester and Fall River.

Canal Lofts, formerly the Hill Envelope/Chevalier Furniture building, is one of Worcesters most notable or architecturally significant historic buildings. Today, the former mill has been transformed into a LEED Silver-certified, mixed-income multifamily housing community. The property offers 64 loft-style unitscomplete with the architectural detailing characteristic of these building types, such as expansive windows, exposed brick and vaulted wood-beamed ceilings and ample resident amenities.

Located in Fall Rivers historic district, Curtain Lofts, formerly the Wampanoag Mill an iconic granite millhas been artfully converted into a LEED-certifiable contemporary apartment community for active adults ages 55 and over. Amenities for residents include community green space, a cardio and fitness center, a community clubroom with catering kitchen, a resident lounge, as well as sun deck and relaxation garden with gazebo.

Slated to open in June, Linwood Mill will soon become home to active adults ages 55 and over. Situated in a serene setting adjacent to the Mumford River and within close proximity to the downtown area, Linwood Mill will provide a mix of 75 affordable studios, one- and two-bedroom units. The historic adaptation also includes commercial/retail space on the ground level. The expert renovation by The Architectural Team involved restoring the buildings clock tower and repairing the brick masonry to ensure that the historic structures distinctive architectural history is preserved. The design of Linwood, as in all of the firms historic adaptive-reuse projects, strives to retain many of the buildings historically authentic features such as exposed beams and columns, oversized windowsoffering many units with scenic views of the riverand other detailing throughout.

The Hayes at Railroad Square in Haverhill, Mass., located adjacent to the former Washington Street Shoe District in downtown Haverhill, is a historic adaptive reuse of a former shoe packing factory into a mixed-use, multifamily transit-oriented development (TOD). It was also the first 40R development to be permitted in Massachusetts, and serves as an extension of the existing historic industrial neighborhood. The development offers a mix of 57 one- and two-bedroom apartments, with 33% dedicated as affordable units, as well as 5,000 square feet of commercial space. The units are designed to have a loft-style feel, boasting original features such as exposed wood beam ceilings and decking. The Hayes also offers residents amenities including a community room and cafe, an indoor childrens play area, laundry room, and a fitness center. It was also the recipient of the 2011 Jack Kemp Workforce Housing Models of Excellence from the Urban Land Institute and the 2011 Project of the Year for Adaptive Reuse from Multifamily Executive Magazine.

An affordable and modernist rehabilitation of a historic building, City View Commons I, in Springfield, Mass., is a 152-unit affordable multifamily development that won a Springfield Preservation Trust Award in June 2011 for the restoration of the 20th-century apartment blocks. The Architectural Team also worked on City View Commons II, an adjacent, 144-unit affordable housing property. The developer for City View Commons properties I and II is First Resource Development Company.

Union Street Lofts located in downtown New Bedford, Mass., is comprised of five individual turn-of-the-century buildings located in the citys historic district. The firm converted these structures into 35 new urban style loft apartments which are designed to provide the maximum amount of natural light given its high ceilings and open floor plans.

And rounding out the list is Nashoba Park Assisted Living in Ayer, Mass., formerly the Ayer Community Hospital built in 1928, which now serves as a 72 unit assisted living community. The building received historic designation from the Massachusetts Historic Commission in 2004 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Architectural Team has unique expertise in historic preservation and adaptive reuse. As with all mill projects where EA Fish Development has partnered with TAT, the completed Linwood Mill project strikes the perfect balance between historic character, livability and high-design. We look forward to working with TAT on many future projects, says Matt Mittelstadt, Managing Director, EA Fish Development.

Co-founder and managing principal, Robert Verrier, FAIA, NCARB and architect of record for Canal Lofts, City View Commons I, Curtain Lofts, and Union Street Lofts, was recently elevated to the 2012 American Institute of Architects College of Fellows in recognition of his preservation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings throughout his car