Q&A with 2014 DMSAS Fellow Allison Palmadesso
One of four DMSAS Fellowship recipients in 2014, Allison Palmadesso will be entering her final year at the University of Maryland in the Fall. Before beginning her 10 week internship with the firm, Allison took her fellowship travels to Turkey, Germany and Amsterdam. We talked with Allison about her travels and her time at DMSAS … Continue reading
Our Favorite Buildings in D.C.
Last week, DCist posted a list of their favorite buildings in D.C, which got us thinking – what are our favorite buildings in our hometown? So we polled our staff and, in a city of great monuments and lots of limestone, got quite the interesting mix of buildings. Ranging from notorious to humble, historic to utilitarian, we … Continue reading
Craftsmanship Series: Lighting The Smith Center
Architects who enjoy developing all of the details of a project from massing concepts to stair railings, will understand that working on The Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, NV was an extraordinary experience. From the Italian marble walls and floors to the custom metal railings and grilles; the custom Venetian plaster … Continue reading
Craftsmanship Series: The Use of Wood in Architecture and Design, Part I
As part of our Craftsmanship in Architecture Series, we will be discussing the use of wood in architecture and design. This topic will span several posts, with this first one focusing on wood sources, sustainable considerations, and species selection criteria. Wood is a nearly perfect building material. A renewable resource, it is readily available and … Continue reading
What Makes a Building Modern? A Few Words on Architectural Language
Architects often talk about architecture in what amounts to a unique language. This language is used to describe everything from historical styles (Art Deco, Beaux-Arts), to individual buildings and abstract concepts (contextual, tectonic). We tend to assume that non-architects – clients, consultants, relatives – not only understand us, but also speak the same language. This … Continue reading
Craftsmanship: For the Love of Limestone
Limestone is found all over the world: as soft, yellow stone in southern England, creamy buff stone in southern France, a variety of interesting colors found in the Burgundy region, as well as numerous types in Portugal and Asia. It has been used as a building material for thousands of years: from the pyramids of … Continue reading
A Square is Born: The Thinking Behind Sundance’s New Plaza
On November 1st, the citizens of Fort Worth will experience the most dramatic change to their downtown since the discovery of oil in 1917. What most of them may never realize is that this event was part of a plan conceived 25 years ago. It is but one of many important milestones that have characterized … Continue reading
Helpful or Hurtful: The Power of ANCs in DC Development
Almost everyone practicing architecture in our city, along with the land use attorneys who represent our clients, know the potential power of the Advisory Neighborhood Committees (ANC’s) in the development process. We normally strive to curry favor and collect Brownie points when ANC’s are concerned. However, a series of recent events strongly suggests that it … Continue reading
Architecture and Acoustics: You Know Greatness When You Hear It
Architecture and acoustics are highly dependent on each other. Every design element in the room, down to the smallest ornament, shapes the sound. Nothing should happen by accident. Working with acousticians, one quickly learns that acoustics is one third art, one third science, and one third black magic (actually something between intuition and malarkey). To … Continue reading
Parchment 
Travelogue: Celebration and Sightseeing in Chicago
Posted by dmsarchitects on July 2, 2014 · Leave a Comment
I recently returned from a quick jaunt to Chicago. While it was at the start of the AIA’s National Convention at McCormick Place, the actual impetus for the trip was, in fact, a much more celebratory occasion. David M. Schwarz’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center, designed for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, is a 2014 recipient of a … Continue reading →
Filed under Commentary · Tagged with architecture, Chicago, design, DMSAS, Frank Lloyd Wright, Oak Park, Pritzker, stone, travel, Tucker Awards