Casura Screen Porch and Deck

Photos of the built design....see prior blogs for design sketches:
.http://larryfredlund.blogspot.com/2011/02/casura-screen-porch-and-deck-concepts.html?m=0




















Delicious Douglas Fir.
Screens not in yet, including a pair of custom sliding panels at the large front opening. (or Phantom Screens....TBD)

Be cautious using the stainless steel cable rail system shown, not all cities will allow them.... But they are sure nice when permitted

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Church Renovation....how many redlines does it take?

Spent 3.5 hours redlining a freshly printed plan set.

How many licks does it take to get to the center......(all picked up by our team and reprinted)?

Answer posted as comment at the end of the day.

(hopefully long enough for me to do the code review and a quick grocery store kitchen remodel)!


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Kitchen Overhaul: Small to Medium

Small houses are great. But the tiny kitchens that they come with them don't permit the "gathering in the kitchen" lifestyle most of us have become accustomed to.

See what only 8' added to an existing Galley kitchen can do.

This solution also created a sheltering, welcoming, and obvious front entrance.

Every request was met: peninsula seating, pantry, re-use the existing plumbing service, and have room for a hutch. We even ended up with a closet in the entryway.

If there must be stairs, and it snows where the project is, try to move them from the outside to the inside. This worked for this MN home.

Before:



After:










The plan:




The Construction Section:





One Before shot of the Kitchen:




Comment if you want to see the after pictures this Fall.



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Three Scheme Mice

Three radically different solutions:

A: with site plan.



B and C:





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Architecture Saves Jobs....and Lives.

It takes every ounce of training, experience and skills I have to find the perfect balance point to keep this small factory operating and safe.




Stakeholders:
100+ factory workers needing safe place to work.

A fast growing company experiencing growing pains.

Small community politicians wanting to retain these jobs and tax base.

Same community building and zoning officials struggling to keep everyone happy and healthy.

Landlord trying to retain his largest tenant.

No drawing or designing, but the problem solving skills are firing on all cylinders.

And I love it.

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Leasing Business Space - Step One

If you are going to lease space in a building, have you verified the following? 1) Does zoning permit your business? 2) Does the overall building still meet building code with your new use, and the uses of other current tenants? 3) will your business fit now, what if you grow? 4) Does your use and occupancy in the proposed space meet building code as is, or will you have to upgrade something like HVAC, lighting, number or location of exits, fire separation upgrades, building sprinklers, fire alarms, door type and hardware......

This is what architects are not only trained to recognize ahead of time, but have the skills to work with you, the landlord, the zoning department, the health department and the building official to find the best, and least expensive, way to get your deal to work.

I do this every day. This week alone....for a Montessori School, A Grocery Store/Banquette Hall, A mall food court restaurant, and a factory.


Churches, Daycare Centers, Schools and Commercial Kitchens are some of the more difficult.

Even simple office spaces can benefit from a thoughtful layout, making every workday a little better and more efficient.

Call me first.....do NOT lease space until you have consulted a lawyer.....and an architectural firm!

Code Study prior to lease signing for a Potential Montessori School here in MN.




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Teriyaki Japan - Southdale

Imagination and three sharpies....all you really need to design a restaurant.

And a client needing direction.

And a client with a checkbook.

Then, kids, coloring pays!




Now heading home to finish the specifications to build this beast.


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Location:Louisiana Ave N,Golden Valley,United States

Speed Kills.......

Just not enough time to get this STILL NOT DESIGNED kitchen out the door.  If anyone ever asks you if you can take a fully designed food-court restaurant with all the equipment selected, all the cut-sheets available.....don't believe them unless it's YOUR kitchen equipment supplier and you've SEEN the cut-sheets.

I had 11 work days - July 4th (5th and 6th for me too) so 8 work days to produce A&E drawings for building code, health department and Simon the Mall Developers review - simultaneous reviews. Must pass first time.

I just changed and moved 3 pieces of equipment, selected and laid-out sneez-guards (which no....do NOT just come with the equipment!) shifted the entire front line at least 1', designed the feature wall including signage, digital menu's and logo, selected the primary materials/colors for the project, and conveyed all these changes to the engineers after a 2-hr meeting with my client and his 15 year old son the translator: (Chinese-English to Minnesota-English)

I think we might still make it, but man it's going to be tight. specifications not even started.....help......it's 10:13pm do you know where your client is.....shhhhhh

Design for Southdale Food Court Restaurant

11 days to create permitting package from Client's hand sketch to package that will pass Mall, Code, and Health Department's review.

And me in the middle, new firm, new consultants, new software (Revit).

Half way point reached. Yes, July 4, 5, and 6th count in the 11 days.

Woof.










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