Article written by Ysabelle Gamoso
Pictured above is an old version of what we now refer to today as a “hearing aid”. It was used to passively detect approaching enemy aircraft by listening to the sound of their engines. These, and many more, were the early warning acoustical devices used to foresee attacks during WWI. But acoustics is not just used for enemy detection- it is equally important when designing space. Physicist Wallace Sabine, who studied the effects of sound reverberation in any interior space, has revolutionized the way acoustics is applied in architecture. Prior to his time, sound quality was not controlled at the design stage making the acoustic performance of any given structure almost coincidental.
Read MoreArticle written by Jeffrey Harrigan, AIA LEED AP, Sr. Assoc. & Shao-Chen Lu, Assoc.
Humanity has been building for millennia. Can we imagine a world without The Pyramids, The Acropolis, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Empire State Building, Sydney Opera House, or even the humble adobe pueblo? These splendid structures are part of who we are - timeless sentinels that speak to our imagination, ingenuity, and innate collaborative capabilities.
Read MoreGlass is a major component in all buildings. Allowing natural light into the built interior improves human health, however it does the opposite for birds flying by. Birds, both native and migrant, often fly into glass. This is because glass reflects the sky and nearby trees. Birds can't distinguish between reflection and reality. Birds will also try to fly through glass, such as the guardrail of a vegetative roof terrace. Interior lighting can confuse migrating birds at night, causing them to fly in circles and often die of exhaustion.
Read MoreFor a long time, traditional model-making methods such as sculpting, carving and casting have been our process of forming objects. We carve statues out of a large piece of stone, we make pots by applying pressure to clay, we create shapes by pouring liquid medium into molds and clone them by repeatedly doing so. In all of these scenarios, there has always been a material to begin with before being reduced, pressed or casted into its desired shape. However, just in the last 30 years, a complete opposite to these traditional methods was developed. This process is called additive manufacturing.
Read MoreBuildings have a lot of components in them – plumbing, electrical wiring, computer network cabling, security systems, ductwork, lighting – and our job is to fit everything together. We also want the buildings to look good. This requires coordination between the owner, architect, and a team of consultants. We find that our firm’s use of Revit to help design projects has been helpful throughout all phases of design and construction. One project that has benefitted from the use of Revit is the ongoing expansion and renovation of the Addabbo Family Health Center in the Rockaways.
Read MoreOur challenge for this project was to bring four existing 1920s era buildings, linked together across a full block near Times Square, back to life. The new rentable space totals 79,000 square feet of retail and office space. In addition to fully gutting the buildings, which existed in various states of disrepair, new elevators, exit stairs and MEP systems were installed, and a fresh presence was brought to the building facades.
Read MoreFor the past two decades, I’ve taught classes in technology-based design at Parsons School of Design. One of the more interesting courses I teach is an elective that explores how XR (eXtended Reality) technologies can be used as part of the design process. This course, XR for The Real World uses GIS mapping, 3D computer-based modeling, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality technologies as tools in designing new uses for under-utilized and abandoned real world public spaces.
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Sharing the same block with MoMA PS1, Gertler & Wente Architects was asked to design the new retail and event environment for Extra Butter to house sneaker and street fashion.
Storefront/Exterior- Full width frameless glass storefront within masonry walls (used for collaborations between artists- graffiti and installation- and Extra Butter).
Program- Retail space plus a speakeasy/ bar which can be opened to the boutique for large-scale events. Genesis of the brand is a crossover between cinema and sneakers. Solution includes cinema seating, custom casework/ shelving, and a concession stand.
Read MoreThe use of our 3-D model – not only as our design instrument but also as a tool for our communication – improved our dialogue, helped us to explain our ideas, and provoked helpful comments and ideas from our client.
We decided to let the belief system of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the diversity of the congregation guide us throughout the design process. Many ideas were explored, but three ideas stand out: the role of baptism in the service; the number seven; and the ethnic and geographic make-up of the congregation.
Read MoreEvery few years, an event or disruption changes how we design various aspects of multi-family housing. These changes can be caused by building department codes, by new materials providing interesting opportunities, or by changes in people’s lifestyles. Possibly more impactful than previous reasons, the current pandemic is quickly changing the way apartments are designed. Owners are seeking ways for people to continue to purchase new condominiums, rent apartments, and even keep tenants from moving out because of being unable to pay rent. Instead of selling at deep discounts or facing the threat of lawsuits, owners are seeking more practical and efficient ways of maintaining their income streams.
Read MoreMany of us have been working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of us are new to working from home and not fully prepared to have a home office workspace setup. Sometimes space within the home is limited (especially living in NYC) and office space may double as a dining space, kitchen counter, living room, or general use area.
As we enter the sixth month of working remotely, many of us are feeling the effects of working in a temporary office setup and have developed back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.
We asked some of our architects and designers what are the common issues they are facing and what they’ve done to create a more ergonomic and comfortable workspace.
Read MoreRenovation work is progressing at the Hive, a two-building complex along Eight Avenue between West 42nd street and West 43rd Street in Midtown. Hive 42, the taller structure, occupies an L-shaped plot at 303 West 42nd Street and stands 13 stories. Both have been in the process of being transformed into a new mixed-use development with offices and ground-floor retail space. The project is being designed by Gertler & Wente Architects, developed by KRW Realty Advisors, and managed by Hive Management LLC.
Read More![A "New Normal" Workplace]()
As we try to navigate our way through the impact of the coronavirus, many are addressing the possible “new normal” ways of working. In the near-term, social-distancing and sanitizing will be the focus, similar to the outline in Cushman & Wakefield's 6 Feet Office program. Companies will rotate the number of employees working in the office to keep a comfortable distance between people. This separation is the antithesis of the recently adopted "densification" approach to the workplace, where the square-footage allocated per worker was reduced. The new normal may not change the current overall square footage requirements, but will reduce the number of employees in the office at any one time. As we slowly get back to our workplace routines, companies will have cash flow on their minds, so drastic space requirements may not take place initially. Most companies will keep their current floor area and adjust office occupancy via remote working. Working at home will be maintained in varying degrees, with most employees rotating the days and hours they are in the office. This will be especially true in urban areas where the use of mass transit makes social distancing challenging or impossible
Read MoreGertler & Wente is currently engaged in the construction of a 20 bed pediatric vent unit and 20 bed adult vent unit within a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) in Brooklyn, NY. Due to the Covid-19 crisis the New York State Department of Health has asked that these units be brought on-line ahead of schedule due to their “essential nature” and their ability to assist if off-loading non-infected patients from the mainstream hospital system.
Read MoreThese are challenging times. Like many of our fellow architects, we at Gertler & Wente are constantly looking for ways to help each other overcome this crisis. Recently, we dedicated the use of our 3D printer to create personal protection equipment (PPE) for nearby hospitals. As of this blog post, we are working to make 100 face shields based on an open-sourced project to protect hospital workers treating coronavirus patients in NYC.
Read MoreWe’re Being Featured in The Modern Residence.
Read MoreLocated at the 37-acre Center on Blindness camp in New Hempstead, N.Y., the new Vocational Rehabilitation Center allows newly blind (called “trainees”) to live in a sequestered environment for a few months where, with the support of specialized staff and other adults with vision loss, they’re able to focus on adjusting to blindness and learn independent living and job skills.
Read MoreThe Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center recently broke ground on its new 22,000-square-foot expansion project in Arverne, N.Y.
Read MoreGertler & Wente Architects Are Working On The Initial Stages Of Several New Church Projects Around New York City.
Read MoreIn 2013, Gertler & Wente Architects proposed plans to New York City’s Landmark Preservation Commission to restore 29 Green Street. The original 19th century 4-story building lost its top two floors sometime between 1878 and 1974, to an unfortunate fire. Larry Wente proposed a design to the LPC that included adding three new floors and a fourth floor set back 15 feet to keep with the architectural design of the neighborhood.
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