Recent Design Thoughts at Quorum

This business is hard.  Deadlines, budgets, regulations, changing expectations, even weather events.  It can be easy to lose your mojo.  So sometimes you just need to break out from the routine and get to a place we may not have been in since college. That's right, folks, we are talking about free conceptual thinking.

We were recently given a challenge to design an office environment for an advertising company located in the DFW Metroplex.  The goal was to look at a built environment from a new perspective that focuses on image and community impact, rather than resolution of a design program.  In fact, the program for the building is very conceptual at this point and a site has not been formally selected.  Bill, Mario and Matthew teamed up for a week-long charette to study the building and to present some fresh new ideas for the offices.  Two great design schemes rose above the rest. 

According to Mario, project designer at Quorum,“This first scheme was essentially a sculptural exercise, with basic programmatic elements playing an integral part in its conception.  Once these programmatic elements were given hierarchical values, the sculpting of the outer skin left us with a solid concrete podium-like base, with a clerestory that further separates  the upper/outer metal skin.  As the metal body morphed upward and sideways, the preliminary bubble diagram helped identify the main and secondary entrances as well as essential day-lighting and the outdoor patio on the second floor.  Ultimately, site selection will play a significant role in the final aesthetics of the project, but the malleability of the outer skin implies the flexibility of the piece to change in response to its context."

First Scheme - Front Elevation

First Scheme - Roof Plan

First Scheme - Entry Elevation

Matthew, Project Architect and designer of the following scheme summed up his approach as follows;
"Having minimal interaction with the client and without a site selection, this preliminary study was a massing exercise of the programmatic elements, experimenting with the interaction of the different forms.  The production spaces were envisioned as double volume, swooping spaces, with large exterior screens for business advertising, building identification, or as a possible community entertainment area. Contiguous office spaces become the solid block transecting the lower level. The creative spaces rise out of the main building and cantilever over the entrance way. This space would view the surrounding area through a translucent mural, which fills the dual purpose of building identification and natural light control."

Second Scheme - Entry View

Second Scheme - Roof Plan

Second Scheme - Overall View

We are anxiously awaiting the next moves for this project and it remains to be seen whether these concepts will actually get built per these designs.  However, what we have done is to create a "project incubator" stuffed with ideas and directions.  Some of these will take root and grow, some will prove to be unworthy of a place in the final building.  But a building without great ideas will be a building without great spaces. Think about that for a while, and stay tuned!

Q Garden

In March of 2012 a group of Quorum employees, we call ourselves “Quorumites”, constructed two garden 'boxes' using 72 CMU blocks generously donated by Bill Lunsford with Specified Materials Marketing. Using the Square Foot Garden method, we created the boxes to be 4 feet by 4 feet by 2 feet high. This created 16 one foot squares in each box for a total of 32 squares - ample space for all types of veggies and flowers.

Last year we used a mix of soil from the local stone yard which was possibly iron deficient leading to yellowing plants and slow to no growth. For this year's crop, we used an infusion of homemade compost from Scott and James’ personal mix. In March of 2013, we tried again and this homemade mix of compost has really boosted our vegetable crop in the parking lot garden - the “qGarden”. After a dismal crop last year due to poor quality soil, it is exciting to see some great plant growth this year. That’s the power of composting!

Our first harvest of this year yielded a couple of gallon bags of romaine lettuce, butter crunch lettuce, red oakleaf lettuce and spinach. This great mix of greens made for some fantastic lunchtime salads. One more step Quorum is taking to build a healthy community - starting right here in our own “backyard”. Later in May we'll be picking some string beans, yellow grape tomatoes, and harvesting some beautiful Swiss chard!

Habitat home almost ready for move-in!

You may recall that Quorum is an ACE sponsor for the Trinity Habitat for Humanity and that we teamed up last fall to help frame a new house for a family in Fort Worth.  Construction has been progressing and the homeowner is nearly ready to move in.

But, It seems that a house is never done until you finish the yard.

So, last weekend we called our office construction crew back together to install a new landscape for Joseph's house in Fort Worth.  It was a cool and overcast morning morning with a good chance of rain.  Perfect conditions for this work!  Over the course of the morning, we planted a new cedar elm tree, laid bermuda sod in the front, back and side yards and created planters with bright flowers.  To finish it all off, we also installed a new mailbox.  Better still, Fort Worth got a welcome rain storm that very night!

These finishing touches mean that Joseph and his family will soon be homeowners through the great Trinity Habitat for Humanity organization.  We are proud and honored to be able to help build this house and look forward to many more in the future!

Joseph and his family will move into their new home soon!

We are the one percent

One percent.

That’s all it takes to make a difference in our communities.

The people of Quorum do not live in a vacuum.  We are all family, friends and neighbors actively involved in our communities, schools, churches, charities and governments.  Our clients drive our business, but our community involvement builds the soul of our company.  That is why we have formalized our pledge to donate 1% of our yearly billable hours to help our cities, neighborhoods and the people who live there.

Currently, we are master planning and designing a new headquarters for the Trinity Habitat for Humanity in Fort Worth, helping to install some critical changes in the facilities for the Child Study Center and the Real School Gardens. Our team has also been helping to build a new Habitat home in Fort Worth.

Small change for the better is always welcome.

Thank you, Joseph for letting us help build your new home!

Senior Care - General Observations (from a Senior)

Two things I realized when I hit double nickels (55 years old):

1.    I can now get a discount on the Cruise lines.

2.    I also qualify for Senior Living.

Not a bad thing at all.

When I started designing Senior Care Facilities back in the early 1980’s I had a different perspective.  I couldn’t relate to the experience of “getting older”.  I thought that meant just sitting around.  Senior activities meant lawn bowling, playing cards, or a little shuffle board.  Only the best facilities had small swimming pools.  I remember my Grandparents in the old “warehouse” style settings and knew that was not how anyone would want to live. I did not want to contribute to the design of these type of facilities. 

During my early days of designing Senior facilities, there were attempts at Community Care type facilities.  Some were hotel type environments that had skilled facilities built within the campuses, but these were larger and not affordable to many.  Most of the designs were the “star” shape or “K” shape plans, and at this time they did not have any nice areas for gathering nor could they contribute to a greater sense of personal community.  People stayed in their rooms, hung out at the Nursing Station or sat in the dining room. People did not really have a place to go to for activities, socializing or to feel welcomed.

The senior care market has evolved by leaps and bounds since that time; better facilities, better training, better environments.  Dare I say, better pizza!  There has been a general shift from the warehouse type facility to facilities that are more appealing and offer a level of personal care.  People now have the opportunity to move to a smaller, neighborhood setting.  This transition (which can be quite emotional) is easier on the client and the family.  With better, more delightful community rooms, and all kinds of activities offered within the facility, there are plenty of opportunities for active Seniors to mix and mingle as well as to become involved within their community.

With more people reaching the “double nickels” stage of life, yet remaining in the workplace longer and staying active, these Senior Care facilities have adapted to give us seniors more options and opportunities to stay actively involved with others.  Yep, Senior Care, it’s going to happen!  

Dear Architects:  Design the facility as if you were going to live there – you likely will someday.

Douglas Moon, AIA  (Senior Designer)

Fort Worth South (FWS) Happy Hour

This was Quorum’s first time to sponsor the Fort Worth South Happy Hour, and it seemed to be a great success. There were an estimated 40+ attendees throughout the night. An announcement was made by Paul Paine of Fort Worth South that, in November, Fort Worth South will sponsor their first ever Chili Cook Off!  Quorum has been doing their own Chili Cook Off for the past five years so we decided to share some of our entries last night during Happy Hour.  With some of Quorum’s best chili cooks, awesome cornbread, beer and wine – you couldn’t have asked for better!

Cassata

This year Quorum and its employees teamed up to donate 20 Thanksgiving baskets to Cassata High School students and their families.  Each basket was filled with non-perishable items that would prepare a Thanksgiving meal including stuffing, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce.  In addition to these items, we included a gift card in each basket to be used toward the purchase of a turkey.  We delivered the baskets to Cassata where we were met by the staff who graciously gave us a tour of the school.

Cassata High School is a private, nonprofit outreach school in Fort Worth whose mission is “To provide an effective, quality education that enables students of all backgrounds to raise their educational level and complete their secondary education.”

Quorum is glad to be able to help our neighbor and wish Cassata families a Happy Thanksgiving.