DWL News

August 3, 2010
Steve Rao, DWL President, Is Now A Self Certified Professional with The City of Phoenix Development Services Department.

Steve Rao, DWL President, is now a Self Certified Professional with the City of Phoenix Development Services Department. The Self-Certification Program eliminates building plan reviews by allowing a registered architect or structural engineer to take responsibility for code compliance and certify that the project complies with the building code. Depending on the scope of the project, permits can be issued within one to five calendar days. This certification allows DWL to save time on our project schedules by eliminating lengthy Plan Review.

July 29, 2010
Glendale Fire Station No. 151 Awarded Gold in the 2010 Brick In Architecture Awards

The new Fire Station is a replacement of the Fire Department’s first home—Fire Station, No. 1. Cherished for its long history of service and tradition, but no longer able to meet growing needs of the community (and the functional standards of a modern fire station), the new state-of-the-art facility is located just off the city’s main street to better serve the community and increase public awareness. This new 14,000 SF fire station contains four apparatus bays, a training classroom, living quarters for 10 department personnel, a kitchen, fully-equipped fitness facility, and an area for the future Battalion Chief’s quarter expansion.

Award Details Visit www.gobrick.com

May 3, 2010
Barrett, The Honors College at ASU is LEED® Gold certified.

The new Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University, opened fall 2009 and is visioned as a high-aspiring, high spirited and distinctive campus within a campus. The new Barrett community is part of ASU’s attempt to create an area that promotes excellence and interaction among students.

Barret, The Honors College is LEED Gold certified and features a sustainable living community, with low-consumption plumbing fixtures, enhanced energy monitoring, a green roof and an organic garden offering students the opportunity to study and experience sustainable living concepts.

This project was built in collaboration with IKON.5 Architects.

April 28, 2010
DWL Architects Presented The Secret of BIM at Arizona Airport Association Conference. Sierra Vista, Arizona

Speakers | Steve Rao, AIA, LEED AP, President DWL Architects + Planners, Inc.
Speakers | Steve Jensen, LEED AP, Project Manager, Austin Commercial LP
Moderator | Michael Hill, Sundt Construction Company, AZAA Corporate Director

At the Arizona Airport Association Spring Conference, Steve Rao and Steve Jensen presented a case study of how Building Information Modeling (BIM) was utilized in the design and construction of the Terminal 4 - Checkpoint C Expansion at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The discussion focused on how BIM was used to bring a complex project in under budget and ahead of schedule at a fully operational airport and how this impressive tool can save time and avoid costly change orders on construction projects.

July 12, 2010
DWL Architects Presented at SCUPS's 45th Annual, International Conference and Idea Marketplace. Minneapolis, MN

Presented By | Alan Chimacoff, Principal, ikon.5 Architects; Michael Coakley, Associate Vice President; Executive Director of University Housing Student Initiatives, Arizona State University; Mark Dee, Executive Vice President, DWL Architects + Planners, Inc.; Mark Jacobs, Dean, Barrett Honors College, Arizona State University; Jason Wills, Senior Vice President, American Campus Communities

Developer-led and financed projects enable universities to achieve projects they otherwise could not afford--sometimes losing the intense client-architect interactions essential for architectural excellence. A process led and financed by the developer, American Campus Communities, equally involved Arizona State University’s Barrett Honors College dean, administration, faculty, student leadership, ASU residential life, and associated architects. This unique partnership to create a seven-building, multi-courtyard campus met the college’s academic and social mission, and achieved architectural excellence, all within a developer budget.

April 14, 2010
Scottsdale Booster Pump Station 179, Awarded Public Works Project of the Year, by the Arizona chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA)

This project blends engineering, art and community functionality. Included in the Downtown Revitalization Program, this project addresses the City’s changing social environment, growing economic profile and embrace of sustainability.

The project was designed to meet Downtown Scottsdale’s increasing water needs, but it also serves a dual purpose: that of a booster pump station and a multi-use public space that includes a park, water feature, existing public art installation, performance venue, restroom, trolley station and destination on the City’s Art Walk.

March 3, 2010
ASU's Police Department Building is LEED Gold certified.

The Arizona State University Main Campus Police Department’s new headquarters was designed and built to achieve United States Green Building Council LEED certification.

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.

It promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

ASU Police Department LEED Gold certified

February 11, 2010
Appaloosa Branch Library
Featured in the Feb. 2010 issue of Metal Architecture magazine.

Visit www.moderntrade.com to read complete article.

February 17, 2010
Canstruction Design Build 2009 | Dumbo Theme

The canned structure inspired by Dumbo, and built by DWL Architects + Planners, Inc. and Mortenson Construction, won the AIA Phoenix Metro People’s Choice Award in the 2010 Canstruction® competition, one of the largest single-event canned food donations annually for St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance. Nearly 600 votes were cast for the award while the structures were on exhibition February 20 to 27 at Fiesta Mall in Mesa, Arizona.

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