/ Project of the Week Archive

February 19, 2019 Project of the Week

Project Name: NyameNsa Village

Company Name: African Project & Construction Consultants

Project Location: Zambia, Africa

Project Information/Details: DXA Studio, a New York based architecture and design firm known for a diverse range of projects primarily in Manhattan and Brooklyn, has announced that the firm has begun designing orphanage community development on a 17-acre site in Zambia. The project specifically targets children who are highly vulnerable and orphaned. The site will host a variety of programs including a chapel, school, health clinic, orphanage homes, a sports field and administration buildings. The NyameNsa Village is scheduled to open in summer of 2020. The project builds on the success of the Village of Hope, Project NyameNsa in Ghana which is a four-acre site founded by Devon Leondis. Opened in July of 2016, the project has been transformational for the orphans it serves. “We are honored to be a part of such meaningful development in Zambia,” said DXA Studio Partner Wayne Norbeck. “It will be thrilling to see this community take shape, knowing the impact it will have for these children.” The master plan focuses on the concept of building community, with the houses creating “neighborhood” spaces, the chapel opening to outdoor gathering, and the sports field as a center piece for the entire development. The first phase of construction consists of site infrastructure and 2 pods of houses for the children. It will also include the chapel made with traditional Zambian building techniques including timber frames and a thatched roof. The first phase is due for completion by the end of this year and the second phase will be completed at the end of next year. The second phase will include additional houses, an elementary school, a clinic and a football field. The project is being managed by Attie Van Wyk of African Project & Construction Consultants. Partner Jordan Rogove added:“One of our key missions at DXA is to give back, and since our founding we’ve been working with non-profits to realize that goal with our work in Haiti and in Africa. We believe that thoughtful design has an important role in projects in the developing world. And to that end, we’re thrilled to be part of this effort with Devon and Steve Leondis.”

February 12, 2019 Project of the Week

Project Name: Denver Zoo Animal Hospital

Company Name: Stantec

Project Location: Denver, Colorado United States

Project Information/Details: Denver Zoo, Colorado’s most visited cultural attraction, held it’s official groundbreaking on February 7 for its new animal hospital. This is the first major step in the Zoo’s Phase I Master Plan to guide future development. The existing hospital was originally built 51 years ago, and the redesign will modernize its aging infrastructure and improve operating efficiencies. Led by Stantec, a global architecture, engineering, and consulting firm, the 22,000-square-foot facility will incorporate state-of-the-industry animal care and provide safe access to the animals, offering holding areas that include quarantine spaces. These areas—both indoor and outdoor—will be flexible to maximize the space given to each individual and have features that can be available based on the needs of the occupant. The building design includes considerations for noise, views, and access to daylight to ensure animal comfort. To raise awareness of the Zoo’s mission to secure a better world for animals through human understanding, the hospital will feature a signature elevated guest lobby providing unobstructed views into the facility’s clinical suite. The treatment rooms, surgery suite, and laboratory will be viewable to Zoo visitors, guest veterinarians, researchers and students through large windows. Additionally, operating table lights will be installed with cameras, allowing lobby visitors to see what surgeons are seeing through television displays broadcasting live from the surgery suite. For Zoo guests, the public lobby will be open during Zoo hours and will provide more than just a peek behind the scenes—it will also offer interactive interpretation to allow visitors a deeper understanding of the dedication, resources, care, and passion the Zoo’s animals receive inside the veterinary hospital. Additionally, the hospital will provide new opportunities for research, collaboration, and education to holistically advance animal care. In addition to a world-class laboratory for diagnostics, nutritional analyses and research, the hospital will have digital radiography equipment, ultrasonography, endoscopy units, and advanced anesthesia monitoring. It will also be one of the only animal hospitals in the country to include a CT scanner, using advanced imaging to revolutionize the ability to diagnose and treat animal patients. “We’re honored to be working with the Denver Zoo on this transformational project to improve one of the city’s most beloved cultural attractions,” said Alexander Thome, Stantec principal based in Denver. “The new dynamic relationship created by the guest viewing experience will educate, entertain, create empathy and ultimately change the way that the Zoo’s animal welfare and conservation efforts are perceived by the public. This is a project that truly belongs to the Denver community, and we’re thrilled to be breaking ground on it.” “We’re honored to be working with the Denver Zoo on this transformational project to improve one of the city’s most beloved cultural attractions,” said Alexander Thome, Stantec principal based in Denver. “We’re excited to partner with the Zoo to design an advanced hospital facility that will change the way that the Zoo’s animal welfare and conservation efforts are perceived by the public. This is a project that truly belongs to the Denver community, and we’re thrilled to be breaking ground on it.” Stantec’s buildings group in Denver is providing architecture, interior design, and project management on the project. The project is expected to be complete the first quarter of 2020. About Stantec Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or across the globe, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. That’s why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind. We care about the communities we serve—because they’re our communities too. This allows us to assess what’s needed and connect our expertise, to appreciate nuances and envision what’s never been considered, to bring together diverse perspectives so we can collaborate toward a shared success. We’re designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers, innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe. Stantec trades on the TSX and the NYSE under the symbol STN.

February 05, 2019 Project of the Week

Project Name: Astley Castle

Company Name: CINTEC International

Project Location: Warwickshire, United Kingdom

Project Information/Details: CINTEC International, a world leader in the field of structural masonry retrofit strengthening, repair, and preservation, announces that its patented anchors were used in the restoration of Astley Castle in Warwickshire. Following its renovations, Astley Castle was awarded the prestigious Riba Stirling Prize for Architecture. Cintec teamed up with architects and engineers from Mann Williams and Newport-based Protectahome to restore the castle. Cintec assisted Protectahome with the first phase of restoration, which included structural repairs and stabilizing the remaining walls of the building prior to rebuilding. Cintec’s patented anchors were used to stitch together and strengthen the walls. The process of restoring Astley Castle involved using a diamond drill to insert steel anchors into the building. Once in place, grout was pumped into a special sleeve surrounding the anchor, and air pumped out. Cores removed during this process were retained and reused where the anchors were installed, leaving an almost invisible repair. The work has ensured the survival of the original walls, allowing the award-winning holiday home to be built within the shell of the ancient castle. The Riba Stirling Prize is the UK’s most prestigious architectural award. Judging is based upon original, imaginative and well-executed designs that excellently meet the needs of their users and inspire those who use and visit them. “The restoration work on Astley Castle was an impressive enterprise, as anyone who saw the castle prior to its transformation could have been forgiven for thinking it a hopeless ruin,” said Peter James, Managing Director of Cintec International. “To be awarded the Riba Stirling Prize demonstrates the true extent of its transformation. It has now been turned into a structurally stable building that will stand the test of time and can be enjoyed by many people in its reincarnation as a holiday home.” Cintec anchors have been used to restore historically significant buildings across the globe including Windsor Castle, the White House, and extensive work on Egypt’s pyramids.