SAN FRANCISCO & MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

SB Architects is pleased to announce the completion of its latest resort project: Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, in Dorado, Puerto Rico. This one-of-a-kind destination, which opened on December 12, is the second Ritz Carlton Reserve property in the world and the first in the Western Hemisphere. Located on one of the most desirable and naturally beautiful sites in the Caribbean, the property has been designed to provide a ultra-luxury experience with an emphasis on sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Set amid 1,400 acres of the former estate of Laurence Rockefeller, Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve includes 100 guest rooms and 14 one-bedroom suites, all set directly on the beach, as well as Su Casa the original plantation hacienda which has been renovated to serve as a four-bedroom VIP villa. When complete, the resort will include a world-class spa, beach and golf-oriented condominiums and townhomes, several grand villas, a beach club and golf club.

Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve embodies the elements, philosophy and site-sensitive, authentic approach to design that are the hallmark of this new Reserve brand. As the designer of this ground-breaking resort, SB Architects is helping to define the brand through design, and creating a new definition of luxury for Puerto Rico in the process.

SB Architects has been a leading figure in Puerto Ricos emergence as one of the Caribbeans most desirable destinations. Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is the design firms third luxury property to open on this Caribbean Island - a burgeoning resort destination - in the past several years. The San Francisco and Miami-based firm also has designed the hugely successful Bahia Beach Golf Resort, anchored by the St. Regis Bahia Beach, and has orchestrated the renovation of the Ritz-Carlton San Juan.

Dorado Beach has long been one of the Caribbeans most celebrated destinations - more than 50 years ago, Laurence Rockefeller opened the Dorado Beach Resort & Club on the property, introduced the world to the concept of the environmentally-friendly luxury island resort. In keeping with the Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand commitment to stewardship and Mr. Rockefellers legacy of conservation, the new Ritz-Carlton Reserve has been designed to LEED Certification standards.

The unique architectural style developed for Dorado Beach takes its cue from two important influences: the site itself and the rich, multi-layered history of both Puerto Rico and Dorado Beach. The architecture is contemporary, and draws heavily from the mid-century modern vernacular in a direct reference to the period that gave rise to the original Dorado Beach Resort. Rockefellers iconic Surf Room has been meticulously replicated as an event space. Yet the environment and structures are warm and inviting, infused with layers of references to the surrounding natural world and to the many cultures both ancient and modern that have influenced life on this unique island.

In over 50 years of design practice, SB Architects has maintained a long-standing reputation for excellence in the planning and design of large-scale, multi-phased projects. The firm regularly competes with some of the largest architecture firms in the world, yet maintains a hands-on, boutique practice. The firms portfolio spans the globe, and includes projects throughout the United States, in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, Asia and the Middle East. Known for site-sensitive, contextually appropriate design, SB Architects has received over 200 awards for design excellence.

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SB Architects Announces the Completion of Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve

American Institute of Architects
President of AIA, Richard Nowicki and Executive Director Bastiaan Bouma joined David Davis on KUSI #39;s Good Morning San Diego to talk all things architecture. aiasandiego.org

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American Institute of Architects - Video

Organizations are shifting toward work environments that accommodate all types of employees and working styles by creating open environments that inspire ideas and increase productivity. As a result, employers are seeing the benefits of increased employee morale, talent retention and improved outside business relations.

Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) January 10, 2013

In todays world, companies have to accommodate greater innovation, increased technology and different generations of employees all in one workspace, said Lance Jaccard, Partner at OTJ Architects. This can be challenging as generational gaps and varying functionalities between departments can provide different expectations and styles of working.

In an effort to help businesses with their 2013 initiatives, the architecture consultants at OTJ have come up with four New Years design resolutions that are proven to improve recruitment strategies, employee retention, employee motivation and outside business relations.

1.Enhance your brand by developing a keen understanding of who you are and where you want to go as a company.

2.Understand your employees wellbeing and decide which work styles would work best. The traditional office model doesnt work for everyone anymore, which is becoming more evident with the generational shift occurring in the workplace right now.

3.Make every employee a brand champion by reinforcing your message through the design highlighted by the new model. People want to work for brands they admire.

4.Be unique and set industry standards when it comes to an environment that contains a purpose behind everything. Clients and prospective employees then become more interested, while other businesses take notice and try to learn from what you have done.

What most companies are discovering is that as people spend more and more time at work, they are looking for a functional place where they can be themselves, Jaccard said. Our experience has shown people feel secure in an environment that is comfortable, and if they are able to manage their workspace, they feel more engaged and are likely to stay there longer.

Countless workplace surveys on the best places to work also see things like fun as the most commonly used word and key driver used by employees and management to describe what constitutes a better workplace. In an article by CiteHR, some businesses have even seen about a 150 percent retention increase once a workplace has transitioned to this increasingly popular workplace model.

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Commercial Architects at OTJ Share Four New Year’s Design Resolutions Improving Business

Ewan Cameron Architects Ando / Kobe Study Trip
This trip focuses on Tadao Ando #39;s Hyogo Prefecture Art Museum, Kobe and West Resort and garden complex at near by Awaji Island.

By: Ewan Cameron

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Ewan Cameron Architects Ando / Kobe Study Trip - Video

Options for Foreign Architects and Interns
The opportunity to earn a license to practice architecture in the United States is open to all individuals, regardless of residency or country of education. The path for foreign individuals, however, can seem confusing. Please join NCARB staff for a comprehensive look at the issues encountered by foreign interns and foreign architects. Topics will include the EESA transcript evaluation process, IDP eligibility dates, working abroad, the Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect (BEFA) program, and more. We hope that attendees will take away a clearer understanding of how foreign individuals can succeed in their pursuit of US licensure.

By: NCARBorg

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Options for Foreign Architects and Interns - Video

Eyeball: Challenges ahead for architects January 7th, 2013, 3:03 pm posted by Jon Lansner

Dan Heinfeld is president of Irvine-based design firm LPA Inc.

Hes our 14th guest for Eyeball 2013!

This is Lansner on Real Estates seventh annual collection of outlooks on local real estate conditions.

Us: What will be two or three key managerial skills needed for the 2013 real estate market?

Dan:Our industry will continue to be challenged in 2013 and continuing to find opportunities will be the major issue for the entire architecture, engineering and constructionindustry. We believe that a diverse practice and offering of services that non-traditional architecture and design firms offer will be helpful in this climate.

Us: What less-than-obvious indicators will you be watching in 2013 to sense whats next for real estate? Dan:Growth in K-12 school and college enrollments have a direct impact on facility needs. This also indicates an upward trend in key areas of Californias economy, construction activity and employment.

Review previous years:Eyeball 12|11|10|09|08|07

Us: Any New Years resolutions, professionally speaking? Anything you plan to do differently

Dan:Im not sure brand new resolutions are the best way to lead an architecture and engineering firm, therefore we are looking for continuous improvement on our processes and services that benefit our clients in real terms. Better energy efficiency, healthy environments and water management are areas we always seek to improve performance of in our projects.

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Eyeball: Challenges ahead for architects

Summary: CEOs don't know enough about technology, so EAs are becoming the most important players in the emerging digital economy.

Soon, all companies will be technology companies in one form or another. It's the only way to compete in a global, digital world. And there is but one breed of professional who can help with this journey: enterprise architects.

That's the view of Thomas Lawton, visiting professor of business administration at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, whomakes the case for enterprise architectureto advance today's businesses. And he's telling this to a wide audience -- readers of U.S. News.

While IT is the best response tocompetitive pressures and a rocky economy, CEOs and business leaders are not particularly well equipped to deliver a strategic IT approach. They're too focused on "operational and strategic topics, such as managing cost drivers and finding new revenue sources," says Lawton. "Few CEOs really understand the implications of new, rapidly changing and complex IT systems and processes for the current business model or perceive a strategic potential and value in new technology implementation."

Enter the enterprise architect. These professionals know how to build the bridge between technology and business goals. As Lawton describes it:

"The role of enterprise architects is to act as partners to senior executives, understand what is on the CEO's agenda and how IT fits into it. [They] exploit IT efficiency, effectiveness and change potential and link it with strategic objectives and operational delivery."

As a result, there is growing interest in the process and practice of enterprise architecture, Lawton observes. Business leaders know IT is the future of their organizations. In fact, in many cases, IT is becoming the business. EAs are needed, desperately, to provide the guidance in this journey from widget-making to data and service provider.

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Enterprise architects, the economy is in your capable hands

WATERTOWN, Mass., Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- In just over two years, BlueMetal Architects has grown significantly in terms of people, revenue, projects and locations. To support continuing growth and organizational scale, BlueMetal Architects has promoted three key leaders to the position of General Manager to run the businesses in Boston, New York and Chicago.

Matt Jackson, BlueMetal's first employee, has been promoted to new position of General Manager for Boston. Matt brings a great balance of operational expertise and first-hand delivery experience to the role. He is a recognized leader in the design of enterprise software solutions, with particular specialization in SharePoint and security architectures. He has concurrently focused on operational excellence, shaping the company's practices and processes to ensure that BlueMetal's technology solutions exactly meet the needs of its clients.

"Over the past two years, the Boston office has matured into a world-class consulting operation that offers strategy, design and architecture services," Jackson said. "We have balanced the extreme growth with improvements in operations and process. In 2013, I am looking to grow the team into new focus areas by bringing in talent that can lead initiatives across the Microsoft stack as well as Open Source and iOS. Our goal is to help our clients succeed by providing services across their many technology platforms."

Michael Valletta, who established BlueMetal's New York office, will become the General Manager there. Michael's fifteen years at Microsoft Corporation as a leader in the Microsoft Technology Centers, Application Platform and Core Infrastructure businesses honed his passion for building and developing world-class technology teams whose primary focus is innovation.

"Along with doubling the New York office's headcount in 2013," Valletta said, "we are looking forward to engaging more deliberately with the rich creative community here. I will also be focused with my team on building data-centric applications for the cloud based on the Azure and AWS platforms. We are also well positioned to continue our success in building elegant Windows 8 applications for our clients and their customers. In both cases, strong design will be the differentiator for those applications."

Matt Kestian, a twelve-year veteran of Microsoft Corp., launched BlueMetal's Chicago office in the Spring of 2012. Prior to joining BlueMetal, Matt was Microsoft's U.S. Compete Lead based in Redmond, Washington, responsible for setting strategic marketing and sales direction for Microsoft's $20 billion dollar U.S. business. He is a recognized leader in managing sales, consulting and technology specialist teams, and his deep ties in the Chicago area form the basis of his strong relationships with enterprise clients and the technical community.

"BlueMetal has built a strong foundation in the Chicagoland area in 2012 with key hires," said Kestian. "We now have some of the top enterprise customers as our clients. In 2013 we will continue to focus on growth within financial services, health care and life sciences, and manufacturing. Along with focused growth of our client base, we will continue to recruit and hire the top technical talent in the Midwest as we expect to more than double our headcount."

For all three GMs, recruiting and professional development are top of mind as they plan to hire significantly in the coming year. Recognizing that a regional focus is an important factor not only for clients, who benefit from the company's knowledge of the local marketplace, but a motivator for experienced consultants who are seeking improved work-life balance, each GM is focused on hiring the top talent in his area.

"At BlueMetal, our focus is growth in three key areas: New Technology Capabilities, Additional Industry Emphasis and Geographic expansion" said Todd Bremner , President & CTO. "These three key leaders have been instrumental in building our business to date and are uniquely positioned to take us to the next level in our growth strategy. We are extremely pleased to have such a talented leadership team in place for 2013."

About BlueMetal, Inc.

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BlueMetal Architects appoints General Managers for all locations

Northbrook, Ill.-based SAS Architects & Planners has been retained to design a new facility for a Jewish-affiliated private school that is expanding in Chicagos West Ridge neighborhood.

Northbrook, Ill. (PRWEB) January 08, 2013

SAS is converting a long-vacant building on the corner of Rosemont and California Aves. into a 59,000-square-foot school for Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov Elementary School/Yeshivas Tiferes Tzvi , a state-accredited Orthodox day school. When completed in late 2014, the building --formerly owned by Ner Tamid Congregation of North Town -- will accommodate more than 400 boys in grades K-8. It will be dedicated by Rabbi Sidney Glenner and family as the David & Frieda Glenner Building in memory of his late parents.

Plans for the new school include 25 classrooms, a worship area, gym, library, dining hall, science and computer labs, plus offices for staff and support services.It will replace the schools existing facility at 6122 N. California Ave., approximately two blocks south.

One of our challenges was to create an addition that connects the two existing structures, which have different elevations and construction systems. The location also has some unique sub-soil conditions we are dealing with to create the necessary support system, said SAS President Steven E. Sussholz, AIA.

More than 1,000 parents and other supporters attended a ceremonial groundbreaking for the project on Oct. 21.

Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov Elementary School/Yeshivas Tiferes Tzvi is affiliated with the Associated Talmud Torahs of Chicago, and is supported by the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Foundation. For more information on the school, call (773) 465-8889.

About SAS Architects & Planners

Based in Northbrook, Ill., SAS Architects & Planners provides a wide range of professional services ranging from project development through implementation and post-occupancy support for the education, healthcare, senior living and commercial sectors. Founded in 1954, it remains committed to translating client goals into building environments that are thoughtfully and functionally designed, environmentally friendly, and technologically advanced. Past and present clients include: Allstate Insurance Co., CJE Senior Life, LaSalle Group, Mercy Hospital, NuCare Service Corp., Presbyterian Homes, Providence Life Services, Sacred Heart Hospital, Senior Lifestyle Corp., and YAM Management. For more information, visit http://www.sasarch.com.

Cynthia Martin

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SAS Architects & Planners to Design New Facility for Private School Expanding in Chicago’s West Ridge Neighborhood

Blue Springs residents are getting a much clearer image about what a community center might look like if one is constructed in the city.

During the final community center feasibility meeting Tuesday at the Blue Springs Freshman Center, more than 50 residents looked at plans for a possible facility.

At almost 85,000 square feet, the potential community center includes a Child Watch area; indoor playground for children 7 and younger; a game room for children 11 to 16; a cardio and weight-lifting space; a large community/event room that at full size could accommodate up to 240 people; staff offices; a catering kitchen; gymnasium; three aerobic studios; a three-lane, 25-yard swimming pool; a warm water leisure pool with slides, spray features and a spa and a warm water therapy pool designed for senior citizens. The Blue Springs Parks and Recreation Offices would also be relocated to the community center in the plan.

In addition, there would be a performing arts center feature in the community/event room that would allow for an elevated stage for theater and musical performances. The room could also be subdivided into three spaces. According to the architects, such a facility would cost just more than $37.54 million to construct. About $500,000 of that has been set aside to make the community center a green facility that conserves resources.

We really took what residents told us (in designing the potential facility, said Steve Blackburn, architect with Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture. We also see this as a sustainable facility that will save water, save energy and use solar hot water heating for the three bodies of water.

The architects also outlined potential sites for such a facility. The first is a 12-acre spot at the southwest corner of White Oak Plaza at the corner of U.S. 40 and Missouri 7. The second is in the future Missouri Innovation Park just south of the proposed Mizzou Center and east of Adams Dairy Parkway. Both sites are centrally located within the community, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

While the White Oak Plaza site is easily accessible and has current utility access, it would require the demolition of the current shopping center as well as much of the parking lot. A commuter lot would also have to be relocated. At the Adams Dairy site, access to the 12-acre property is limited, with few options to create additional access points.

The design team is expected to make a presentation to the Blue Springs City Council Feb. 19. It will then be left up to the council to decide the next steps, such as placing a tax increase on an upcoming ballot to pay for construction of a community center.

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Architects unveil amenities in possible Blue Springs community center