Beinfield Design Tour | North American Power

Here's another great recent project from Beinfield Architecture PC. Welcome to your design tour of the North American Power Headquarters!

North American Power is one of the fastest growing companies in the State of Connecticut. They provide sustainable energy solutions and offer competitive rates to customers, all while supporting many worthwhile charitable organizations through their Mission to Millions program. Passion, drive, and forward thinking have enabled founders Kerry and Carey to create this successful energy company with a solid idea:

Great things happen when you give individuals the power to change the world around them.

And that's the perspective Beinfield Architecture, and design team member, Corporate Design LLC,

built upon when conceiving this amazing new office space.

 

This fast growing powerhouse wanted new offices to reflect their principles as well as their success in the energy industry. Beinfield Architecture and Corporate Design have given them space that will attract the hard-working, innovative talent they seek in employees by creating a cool and comfortable work environment. At the same time, these offices are professional and impressive for hosting established industry corporations coming to Norwalk to strategize the future of solar and wind power.

This sustainable energy company's space relies heavily on the use of recycled materials. 

The living wall, which spans the length of the office, hosts plant life providing oxygen and a great view enhancing the office environment.

The antique oak walls are reclaimed wood while the use of sustainable materials are evident throughout the project.

 Wouldn't you love to work in a place like this every day?

Photos by Michele Scotto | Sequined Asphault Studio Photography

Elegant Rowayton Transformation

There's tons of buzz about Beinfield Architecture's work around town. Today, we're excited to share with you the cover story of the March issue of Connecticut Cottages & Gardens featuring the incredible transformation of the historic Winthrop House.

March 2014 cover featuring the historic Winthrop House transformation

The cover of CTC&G calls out 'The New Traditionalists', and that's an excellent notion for this team of Glazer, Beinfield and Whitcomb.  So much of each of their portfolios gives a reverent nod to the local history while harmoniously modernizing the aesthetics and comforts of today's design technology.

The article describes just a fraction of the care and effort that went into the conversion of the old, run-down hotel, originally built in 1848. It's current incarnation, completely respectful of it's history, houses 3 luxury condominiums in the heart of Rowayton.

Easing the run-down building into modern times wasn’t easy. “The bones of the building were there, but there was very little salvage,” says Glazer. “The building had been bastardized, and it was much like an architectural dig.” Glazer tapped Bruce Beinfield as the architect for the building, and together they worked closely with the Norwalk Preservation Trust and the Rowayton Historical Society to work around the historic constraints and match the detailing of the original Italianate structure with wraparound porches as closely as possible. “It was such a mess of a structure, it needed major surgery,” says Beinfield. “We needed to rebuild it from scratch. But based on its historic nature, we had to work around some of the features.”

Can you believe this was ever considered an eye sore? This porch is just calling your name for afternoon cocktails and a meditative view of the sound.

You can read the article about the historic Rowayton Winthrop House on the CTC&G website here. 
Photos by Keith Scott Morton from cottages-gardens.com

Winning!

The results are in.... Beinfield Architecture won two AIA People's Choice Awards!

House in the Meadow won "Favorite Residence" Award and the Pool Pavilion won "Favorite Place for Recreation" Award.

Thank you to everyone who voted and helped us win these awards!

Click here to see the full list of 2013 AIA People's Choice Winners.

Pool Pavilion

House in the Meadow

A Sneak Peek...

The inside of the future headquarters of Kayak.com is reminiscent of the "bones" of an airplane fuselage. Apropos, no?

Norwalk Company Under Construction!

Remember the Norwalk Company demolition last July? This is what is happening now at the site. We can't wait to see the finished product!

Modern Garden Folly

Make sure you pick up the latest issue of Connecticut Cottages & Gardens at your favorite design store now! Check out one of our latest projects... It will make you wish it was summer all year around!

Channeling Warmth

Some of my favorite, cozy details from an recent project shoot.  Mmmmm.  Now for some spiked hot chocolate I saw on the Burger Bar menu this week.

Beinfield wins AIA CT Drawing Award for 2012

James S. Wassell, for Beinfield Architecture, wins the 2012 AIA Connecticut Drawing Award in the Hand Drawn Category!

The jury was impressive:

John P. Franzen, FAIA, J.P. Franzen and Associates

Kevin Herrick, AIA, The S/L/A/M Collaborative

James Martin, AIA, James Martin Architecture

Su Tamsett, AIA

Leonard Wyeth, AIA, Wyeth Architects, LLC

And they had this to say about the beautiful drawing:

The drawing looks like a cubist pairing. it shows design intent, has a dynamic composition, and instills curiosity in the viewer. It is full of surprises. 

On the Boards | 745 Post Road in Darien

We are well on our way to the completion of Darien's very first inclusionary zoning project (at least 12% of the residential units are affordable). This project, in addition to it's 6,000 square feet of commercial space, will include 8 large apartments.

Seelan took these great pictures of the steelwork on a site visit earlier this week. There's a  rendering of the future mixed-use proposal at the end for you.

We are excited to be working with developers David Genovese and Penny Glassmeyer as we arrive at the construction phase of 745 Post Road!

Recent Work | Old Greenwich Residence

Summertime photo shoots are so rewarding. We get to visit with great clients whose homes were finished months ago. We see how they are utilizing the spaces we've created and we experience the landscaping coming into it's own.  The landscape architect on this wonderful Old Greenwich home, Steven Stimson Associates, created an elegant setting for this waterfront property.

Beinfield Presents: Bar Rosso | Stamford CT

Bar Rosso is the more casual, rustic venture of the founders of Napa, also located in Stamford, Connecticut.  

Beinfield Architecture designed this open, inviting restaurant, where the pizza oven is purposefully brought out of the kitchen into the dining area and celebrated with a steel enclosure.  The exposed brick wall on one side is opposed by a stone wall on the other, while the rustic wood finishes throughout create a feeling of warmth that reflects the menu and the Bar Rosso culture.

Check out Bar Rosso and let us know what you think. You'll find it on Spring Street, one of the most fun places to be in Stamford during the spring and summer!

Beinfield Presents: bartaco | Stamford CT

Beinfield Architecture is proud to be involved in the design of the bartaco restaurant and bar located in Stamford, Connecticut. Sasha and Andy, the co-founders of bartaco, have a strong vision and design aesthetic for their restaurants. This adventure into their iteration of an authentic Baja taco stand is no different. 

The bartaco team has this to say about the well-orchestrated dining experience:

Inspired by the beach culture of Punta del Este and Buzios in South America, bartaco brings upscale street food with a coastal vibe in a relaxed environment.  With an open-air and inviting atmosphere, the spacious dining room complete with high ceilings draws attention to the unique paintings and photographs decorating the walls. 

The minimalist decor is light and breezy, with the air of a rustic beach resort. Crisp colors of blue and white are accented with old painted clapboard walls, hanging basket weave light fixtures, ceiling fans and fig trees.

As a regular patron, I have to tell you that an excursion to bartaco feels like being transported out of Fairfield County on a mini-vacation to some relaxed, music-filled, beach town where everyone is suddenly cooler just for being there.

And the drinks are incredible. Try a chipotle infused vodka with seltzer and a touch of agave, or find something fresh, and delicious on the menu that suits your personality. Then come back and tell me about your favorite drink...

(all photos courtesy of bartaco and the bartaco FB page)

Beinfield Presents: Artisan Restaurant | Southport CT

(photos courtesy of Artisan)

Artisan Restaurant is going into it's 2nd summer season and is located at the Delamar Hotel in Southport, Connecticut.  We had the pleasure of working as the Architect on the design of this gem, which has proven itself as a hotspot with amazing cuisine.

The combination of industrial and rustic materials work together to result in an unexpectedly warm environment.  You'll see white-washed, pine boards and muted finishes creating calm. The space is organized on a column grid and glass partitions section off spaces using antiqued, steel and mirrors to reflect the seemingly glowing atmosphere.  French doors spill out onto the patio retreat which can be kind of magical, especially at dusk.

If you're looking for a quieter environment to dine, the formal dining room is the place to go. If you want a more lively and energetic feel, head to the outdoor patio and bar.

For more on this excellent edition to the Fairfield County dining scene, check out what the NY Times has to say about Artisan.

Happy Restaurant Week! Let us know if you've been to Artisan and what you think.

Tonight's the Night! The Beinfield Architecture Team is a finalist for 2 Innovation in Design Awards

Congratulations to all of the other designers who are finalists in the Connecticut Cottages & Gardens Innovation in Design Awards! We are thrilled to be honored among such esteemed colleagues as finalists in both the Architecture and Kitchen categories.

Will you be at the awards gala tonight?

It's bustling around these parts...

We've been busy making architecture. And these renderings are for one of the South Norwalk community projects we hold close to our hearts.  Thanks Eric, of Eric Rains Landscape Architecture, for putting together this beautiful announcement to herald the municipal approval of a major redevelopment in our neighborhood, 20 North Water Street.

Beinfield Designs the First Inclusionary Zoning Project in Darien



745 Post Road | Rendering: Beinfield Architecture PC


The project, located at 745 Post Road, and developed by David Genovese and Penny Glassmeyer, will be the first project in Darien to achieve the 2009 Zoning regulations requiring at least a 12% affordable housing component for buildings exceeding 5 housing units.  

According to the October 13th article on The Darien Times front page, the Town of Darien as a whole is at "approximately 2.4% affordable housing stock."  You can check out the full article here.

AIA Connecticut Design Commission honors Beinfield Architecture once again in 2011

We are thrilled to announce Beinfield Architecture's 2011 AIA CT Design Award for their new single family Home in Ridgefield.  This incredible house definitely makes our list of favorite projects and clients.  Congratulations to Andrew Bartolotta AIA, Bruce Beinfield FAIA and the rest of the Project Team for the creativity, hard work, and attention to detail that made this project come to fruition.  Oh, and we had some fun too.



photos by Michele Scotto Trani


This is what the jurors had to say about the project:

This project is based on simple space and volumetric strategies. It provides a simple but effective stage for collections, a stage setting for the content of the building. The traditional heavy post and beam construction makes sense of the chaos of the collection. The New England barn is ideal for a collection such as this, providing form, but observers can see that something else is going on here. There are two important elements on the outside, the first is the translucent glass link, a very effective rhythm maker and the second is the “sideness” of the scheme, wherein the front is relatively impenetrable, but there is open glazing on the backside, making for a very different experience.

Another Beinfield designed restaurant hits the scene: Welcome the new farm to table Artisan at the Delamar

Artisan at the Delamar in Southport opened for it's first dinner service on July 13th and we at Beinfield are proud to be a part of it.  Congrats to Mark Goodwin AIA and Bruce Beinfield FAIA on yet another great addition to the Fairfield County dining scene.

We know how to eat over here, and we love farm to table restaurants.  We wish all the best to the team at Artisan.  Head over there now for dinner to experience the 'weekend in the country' feel.  And I hear breakfast and lunch are following come August.

Click here for a great piece on the restaurant from CTbites, and some more of their gorgeous photos (some of which I swiped below).

Stepping Stones Museum for Children and Beinfield Architecture Receive GOLD LEED Certification

Congratulations to the entire Project Team!  Stepping Stones Museum for Children has earned the coveted ranking of LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council! 

The Museum says they "garnered LEED Gold certification because of the solar panels, "green" roof, wind turbine, use of recycled materials throughout the building and [their] focus on related educational stewardship."  The design and program also include energy efficient lighting, storm water management, and a food court offering locally grown, organic produce.

Stepping Stones is now one of only 3 public buildings in the State of Connecticut to achieve the LEED Gold certification.  In case you didn't already know, LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

Beinfield Architecture is incredibly proud to be part of this groundbreaking project.