KSS Architects: News

June 30, 2008

Artists and families enjoy successful Art All Night

The second annual, 24-hour Art All Night arts and entertainment event in downtown Trenton took place June 21 and 22. KSS' Stephen Doyle and Andrew Tucker, both Trenton residents, joined about 600 artists who displayed artwork in the future Museum of Contemporary Science in the historic Roebling Marketplace.

According to a Trentonian.com article, Art All Night 2008 attracted an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 attendees, surpassing last year's audience of about 1,700. Other highlights included 24 hours of live music by 35 bands on two stages and live art demonstrations.

Artworks, a visual arts center in downtown Trenton, sponsored the event that has helped revive community building, interest and participation in art and family-friendly activities in the city.

Images

"Trenton Fragment" by Steve Doyle	Steve Doyle
Watercolors by Andrew Tucker	Andrew Tucker
Roebling Marketplace	Exhibition area

Updated: 10 July 2008

June 24, 2008

KSS talks historic renovation with University Business

Historic renovation projects attract the attention of many parties for better or worse. When KSS Architects and Allan Greenberg Architect embarked on the renovation of Princeton University's Aaron Burr Hall, they found themselves between a university that had contemplated demolishing the underutilized building and an active historical society protective of one of the first laboratory buildings in America. David Zaiser, AIA, wisely engaged the Historical Society of Princeton early in the design process to determine how the architects could update and add onto the building while preserving the intent of the original Richard Morris Hunt building.

Zaiser and Aaron Burr Hall join a list of other architects and projects in "History in the Making," the June cover story of University Business magazine.

The restoration also cleaned the
exterior of Aaron Burr Hall.

June 18, 2008

Art All Night: 24 hrs of art and music on historic site

The second annual, 24-hour Art All Night extravaganza in downtown Trenton takes place June 21 and 22. KSS' Stephen Doyle, a proud Trenton resident, will be among the hundreds of artists exhibiting work. Doyle describes his artwork, "Trenton Fragment," as "an overlay of Trenton maps, buildings, roadways in the central downtown core" spanning more than 300 years of history and illustrating the city's dense, rich and diverse urban fabric.

The free event includes live music, art demonstrations, a wide array of kids' activities, art exhibits, food, and discussions on art and community revival. Last year's event featured the work of 370 artists of all ages and backgrounds and attracted more than 1,700 attendees.

Trenton's Art All Night 2008 takes place in the Roebling Marketplace in the Museum of Contemporary Science and adjacent Millyard Park on Saturday at 3 p.m. and runs through to Sunday. The museum was the original machine shop building that was a part of the famous John A. Roebling and Sons Wire Rope Works. A local historian will lead a tour of the Roebling Marketplace on Sunday.

June 16, 2008

Aaron Burr Hall featured in ARCHITECT

Aaron Burr Hall, designed in the late 1800s by one of the first classically-trained American architects, Richard Morris Hunt, was facing demolition until Princeton University hired KSS Architects and Allan Greenberg Architect to renovate the obsolete laboratory building.

The May issue of ARCHITECT magazine covers the project that restored the historic building into a functional and desirable place for the campus and town community. David Zaiser, AIA, led the design of Aaron Burr Hall's renovation and addition, which was the first major improvement to the building in more than half a century. The project added new programs, including classrooms, lounge spaces, as well as accessibility and circulation.

June 12, 2008

KSS gets snazzy for annual Kean University gala

KSS Architects attended the 11th Annual Kean University Gala on June 5 to help support the university's Transforming Lives: the Campaign for Kean University. The campaign strives to raise $30 million from private philanthropic sources toward a campus-wide investment of $350 million to support Kean's educational programs, scholarships, fellowships, and capital investments. The gala took place in the Harwood Arena on the Union, N.J., campus and had a "Moulin Rouge" theme that delighted guests.

Kean's gala has become an annual event for KSS, who has helped support Kean University's for many years now. KSS designed many of the school's building projects, including the Center for Academic Success, Nancy Thompson Library, Wilkins Theatre, East Campus Recital Hall, and Institute for Human Rights, several of which are currently in construction.

June 6, 2008

Dechert LLP interiors debut to rave reviews

Law firm Dechert LLP recently moved into their relocated Princeton office and immediately embraced their newly designed space, said KSS principal Sheila Nall, ASID, and senior designer Tami Pegos who attended the breakfast ceremony. "They loved it," Nall said.

KSS wanted to give the office a fresh, modern and clean design in line with the image Dechert has established worldwide, but also add a twist. Neutral colors and simple, elegant finishes on the flooring, millwork and walls become a canvas on which bright bursts of color on display walls, furniture and artwork pop. The 27,000 sf space at 902 Carnegie Center includes corporate and front offices and a conference suite. Sixty employees moved into the office, designed for up 81 people.

June 5, 2008

Industrial buildings that lease (even in this economy)

Despite reports of the stagnant real estate market, end users are still clamoring for high quality, state of the art industrial buildings with unbeatable location. Such is the case with two projects KSS designed for AMB Property Corporation featured in a May 29 article in The Bergen Record featuring KSS partner Ed Klimek, AIA. In Newark, Mimeo.com recently leased space in AMB Liberty Logistics Center, which was completed in March. In Jersey City, N.J., Target Logistics preleased AMB Portview Center, which also was completed in March. At both sites, the end users leased the space at a higher cost per square foot than the average rate in New Jersey.

AMB Liberty Logistics Center

June 4, 2008

KSS helps ACE of Eastern Pa. students succeed

On May 15, KSS team members proudly watched their high school mentees present their design project at the annual year-end ceremony for the ACE Mentor Program of Eastern Pennsylvania at the School District of Philadelphia's administration building. Since November, David Zaiser, AIA, Petar Mattioni, and Brian Rebuck joined professionals from several local firms to help Team 6 students conceptualize, design, and produce architectural drawings, construction schedules, and cost estimates and analyses for their simulated project, a charter school of communications sited at the corner of JFK Blvd. and N. 18th St. in downtown Philadelphia, where the new Comcast Tower and a Presbyterian Church are located. Six teams totaling 160 students from 20 Philadelphia-area high schools presented their plans for the school.

ACE also awarded scholarships totaling more than $30,000 to 20 students at the event. Three students from Team 6 won scholarships totaling $6,500.

The team members comprised 11 students from Carver High School for Engineering and Science, the Charter High School for Engineering and Science, and the Edward W. Bok Technical High School, and mentors from the following firms: KSS, Blackney Hayes Architects, Langan Engineering and Environmental Services, Michael A. Beach & Associates, TriState HVAC Equipment, STV Construction, Inc., and the Gilbane Building Company.

Founded in 2000, ACE of Eastern Pennsylvania gives high school students opportunities to learn about careers in architecture, construction and engineering by pairing them with professionals in the building industry after school between November and May. KSS has been involved with the program since 2002. In addition to giving students tours of job sites and design offices, the program gives students to opportunity to work with volunteer design professionals on a project with "real-life" program and site requirements.

"It's essential we market our profession to high school students," said Zaiser, who also serves as a board member for the program. "Our profession will experience a net loss of people this year. While many students hear about careers in law or technology, the visibility isn't there yet for architecture."

The ACE Mentor Program of America, Inc., has affiliate programs in 106 locations across the U.S. For more information, visit their website.

See a PDF of Team 6's presentation.

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