Real Estate Journal — March 24 - April 13, 2017 — The Best of 2016 — 29C
www.marejournal.com
M id A tlantic
The BestArchitect/ Interior Architect of 2016
Gacek Design Group 201 East Gay St. West Chester, PA
DMR Architects West Hall, Middlesex County College Edison, NJ
Class AMultifamily Development Size: 220,000 SF /2.5 acres The favorite job this past year is definitely Chestnut Square - the first, Class A multi-family development in the heart of historic downtown West Chester. The project is uniquely situated within a residential neighborhood block, and is designed to capture the historical integrity of the area. Greeted by horse hitch- ing posts, the brick façade and interior storefront glass, gives the impression of walking downtown. Dramatic interior ceiling detail with curving shapes
New Construction Size: 32,000 SF
DMR designed West Hall, the new Enrollment Services Center at Middlesex County Col- lege. DMR first completed the programming phase, a challenging process which required numerous committee meetings as the college was making a complete change to their busi- ness model. DMR then proceeded with design services for the new facility. The new building provides the college’s population of more than 13,000 students with a central location for services such as academic advising, financial aid and registrar, as well as multi-purpose space. The building opened in the fall of 2016, and is currently seeking LEED Gold Certification from the United States Green Building Council. The design of West Hall was an uncommon design project, as the building was designed in support of a complete change to the College’s business model, simultaneous to the imple- mentation of this change. This process required DMR to work closely with the College in working through the intricacies and processes entailed in completing and designing a functional facility in support of the “one-stop” mission. The design process of this building required creativity and ingenuity. Key design features that were incorporated included: • Multi-use functions that could accommodate two dif- ferent purposes simultaneously: students’ accounts and multi-purpose space. This was achieved through the design of the grand lobby, accessible from two entrances, as well as the multi-purpose room, located right off the main entrance. The multi-purpose room, the Parkview Room, also provides a pre-function space to accommodate for large events, without disruption to the student services aspect of the building.
soften the geometry of the building. Structural columns transform into tree-like forms. Wood ceiling detail imitates waves of tree branches blowing in the wind. Areas through- out the building serve as Experiences and provide comfortable gathering spaces and intimate seating for social connectivity. This particular job was the favorite example of how a brand new project can tell a com- pelling story by including local historic features. By adding character in color, materi- als, and art references, the building transformed to a “boutique hotel”; an exclusive and memorable environment with universal appeal to the target markets. Chestnut Square not only fits with the charm and integrity of downtown, it also creates an experience that differentiates from the competition! The project was a collaborative effort with Corner- stone Tracy, LLC, J. Loew & Assoc., E. Kahn Development and Bernardon.
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