colab studio, llc

A single physician purchases a home because of the site’s amazing views. The house is somewhat “modern”, but contains several physical features the owner would rather weren’t there. The space does not flow well. There is not enough connection between living spaces and the exterior patio. We begin by removing everything in the way, creating a more open space, better circulation, enhanced functions, and improved views. A new structural membrane in the living room is designed parametrically utilizing the Owner’s favorite image of a skin cell. We add a new exterior patio, pool, and spa. She requests...

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A couple desire an addition of 600 SF on a budget of $60k, which can act as a separate apartment so they may live in it and rent out the main house in 15 years when they semi-retire. It is decided to utilize a pre-engineered metal building as envelope, which they can finish out themselves to keep costs low. The existing front door of the original house obscurely faces the side, thus the addition is formed to create a clear entry from the street. In the process of planning, a clear geometry arises with three volumes of different sizes but exactly the same proportions in all three dimensions. The addition...

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The Scottsdale Canal Dry Up Project revolves around the idea of renewal and rebirth prevalent in the lore of the Phoenix. Canal water flow must be dammed in order to be cleaned and maintained - thus allowing the irrigation to continue and the fish to survive. Similarly, our project mimics this cycle of revitalization. The project is constructed of homemade, un-fired terracotta blocks that are designed to dissolve back to silicate when water is rereleased back into the canal. From within this temporary structure, aquatic foam toys spring up from the structure, suggesting rebirth. The blocks, being...

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Creating ultra-sustainable housing for Metropolitan Phoenix for a reasonable price: Working with Vali Homes, a Developer/Sustainable-Consultant and 180 Degrees, a quality General Contractor, our team has engaged in studying an efficient way to create a net-zero energy house based on methods and practices developed by the Passive House Institute (www.passivehouse.us). Utilizing building technologies used elsewhere, but new to our region, the design delivers high standards of energy and water conservation, air quality, a low carbon footprint, to go along with great spaces and design. The home...

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Creating affordable ultra-sustainable housing for infill lots across Metropolitan Phoenix: Working with Vali Homes, a Developer/Sustainable-Consultant and 180 Degrees, a quality General Contractor, our Team has engaged in studying various structures, methods and materials for building on empty lots in well-established Phoenix neighborhoods. These homes are meant as a contemporary equivalent of the “case study” homes of the 1960’s- though built for our time and place, and with sustainability in mind. The design will surpass LEED Platinum certification, provide high quality construction...

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Contacted by a great design firm, Stamberg Afariat Architecture of New York, colab studio had the opportunity to become the local consultant and architect for a hotel renovation in Scottsdale, Arizona. With over 200 rooms, two pool areas, and an exciting lobby, restaurant, and lounge, the project shows how much impact can be created by a series of simple, economic gestures with maximum benefit. Stamberg Afariat are masters at utilizing expressive color. They transformed the set of all-white buildings into a series of imaginative experiences throughout the site. colab studio brought in a series...

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A seemingly banal lift station is transformed into a beautiful architectural detail through the addition of a water-jet-cut steel cornice.  Rather than make the lift station simply recede further from view, the station broadcasts his valued use to its community.  The cornice is comprised of patterns derived from water, as well as imagery comparing desert and water based flora, that will cast shadows along the walls throughout the day.  These constantly changing shapes will change hour to hour, day to day, to create an ever-changing artistic display.  At night, eight LED lights cast patterns...

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Research organized around attempting to understand how people directly control their surrounding urban environments through personal everyday decisions such as where to dine, shop, live, and be entertained: Our team collected over 100 lengthy interviews in person from people all over the Metropolitan Phoenix area. The data shows a stark difference of the way people live depending on their location in the city, and does point to a correlation between lifestyle choices and surrounding environment. However the most interesting aspect we uncovered is the lack of connection some people have to the city...

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Exploration of the outward expression of one’s individuality and culture: Working with international students at a university, we will turn conversations during cultural meals into art-imagery. The imagery will be transferred to cast bronze “vessels” which are worn as backpacks on abstracted concrete figures. The concrete is dyed to match the building, and the figures are placed according to the structure’s geometry. The statues will adorn the building, visible from outside and inside. Placed within kitchens on each floor, a pair of wall-mounted bronze figures present their cultural vessels...

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A symbol of community, democracy, ecology, and solidarity for a small university: Powder coated aluminum panels containing 263 abstracted acrylic blades of grass will be installed within the existing lobby of the Culture & Society Building on Florida Atlantic University’s Campus. A text panel below the artwork expresses the concept and will have quotes from famous figures relating about the ideas of Grassroots and democracy. Four LED flood lights, mounted opposite, will be controlled to alternate in color and intensity to make the “field” appear to wave in the breeze.

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