Tag: Interior Design

Sustainability: Passive House, Active Results

In the realm of sustainable architecture, PHIUS (Passive House Institute US), stands out as a beacon of energy efficiency and environmental consciousness. Sustainable Architecture Week 2024 is a good time to understand more about this program. Mary Shepard Place – Hartford, CT / Sustainability At its core, PHIUS embraces several key principles aimed at drastically […]

Harnessing the Power of Sunlight

In the realm of architectural design few elements hold as much transformative power as sunlight. Its presence in the built environment can shape our experiences within spaces, influence our mood and contribute to the overall sustainability of a structure. Amenta Emma has long embraced sunlight as a fundamental element in our design philosophy, pairing its […]

Interior Design: A Client’s Guide to Material Sustainability

The mission of Amenta Emma Architects is to make positive impacts through inspired design with exceptional people. Central to this mission is our commitment to sustainability. We believe sustainability is a fundamental value driving our design decisions and shaping our interactions with clients and stakeholders. As part of Sustainable Architecture Week 2024, we explore the […]

Emily Barna Presents at Women Who Build Summit

Interior Designer, Emily Barna, IIDA, LEED AP, WELL AP, EDAC, along with Valerie Fletcher of the Institute for Human Centered Design and Ian Law, RLA of Fuss & O’Neill, will present at the Construction Institute 2024 Women Who Build Summit on March 27. The session, Inclusive Design, Rationale + Practice, will provide an overview of the global movement and illustrate Inclusive […]

Multisensory Design: Emerging Awareness

Co-Written with Karth Sonker Sight. Sound. Touch. Smell. Taste. We rely daily on these five senses, giving them little thought. But they are always working, helping us navigate our daily lives, eliciting pleasant responses, warning of danger. A recent Continuing Education course opened our eyes to the importance of our senses in the creative process, […]

2023 Year In Review

As we anticipate the possibilities of the new year, we take a moment to share a snapshot of events and accomplishments from 2023. Read here.

Template Design: Tips, Tweaks and Tips

More often than not, we work with clients on singular projects, developing a specific scheme to meet the client’s needs at that particular point in time. That being said, when receiving the opportunity to develop a company standard for workplace design, we have the ability to create a template that will be recreated multiple times. […]

Research! Innovate! Explore! Design!

As an interior design professional, I love nothing better than a great space. But the more I read and learn, I am convinced there is much more we can do. That was my motivation for pursuing accreditation and certification in Evidence-Based Design (EBD) from the Center for Healthcare Design. The program teaches how to apply […]

Employers Adopt Resimercial Office Plan – Making Workplace Feel Like Home

The trend toward home comforts in office interiors predates the pandemic. In some ways it began with the big tech campuses in Silicon Valley with amenities like ping-pong tables and beanbag chairs. The more recent version of the trend is a little more grown up. And it has a name; resimercial – a combination of […]

Here’s What A Post Pandemic Office Will Look Like

Employees are returning to the office looking to collaborate. Workplace Design leader, Thomas Quarticelli, AIA, LEED AP, shares his insights on post-pandemic office design in the latest Hartford Business Journal.

Hartford Designers Offer Tips on Changing the Office Vibe for Returning Workers

As Hartford area employers focus on remote workers returning to the office, Amenta Emma principal Thomas Quarticelli says, “Employers should think about creating office environments that workers feel enthusiastic about returning to, and should also consider blending in elements that remind them of home, from warmer colors to more comfortable seating.” Read more in the The Hartford […]

Sustainable Architecture Week – Day 4: Material Transparency

Amenta Emma recognizes the impact design has on the well-being of building occupants. From the macro to the micro level, buildings play a significant role in the health of humans and the environment. Materials are the simplest building component and therefore changes in this sector can have exponential impact.

What’s the Big Idea?

As we tackle larger and more complex projects each year, the diagram remains at the core of the Amenta Emma design process.

Back to School – Lessons from the Summer Slammer

It’s mid-May, a stream of packed SUVs has departed campus, the last evidence of end-of-year festivities and commencement ceremonies is cleaned up; signs of faculty are few and far between. Queue up contractors, architects, engineers, and vendors on a three-month mission: the SUMMER SLAMMER. University of Connecticut –  Putnam Refectory It’s that intense period most […]

Ideal Healthcare Spaces Consider Staff, Too

When designing in any healthcare or senior living environment, it is important to understand not only how to best suit resident or patient needs, but those of the caretakers as well. Providing an effective and stimulating environment for both staff and residents results in happier and healthier employees and enhanced patient care. This goal played […]

Designing for Workplace Culture

Whether entering the workforce with a new degree, or searching for a position to reflect experience level, the job search can be daunting. The employment process seems straightforward: determine the general location you want to work, find open positions available nearby, and research those potential businesses. Then, narrow the search. This is what I did […]

Spatial Systems and Design Clarity

We’ve all been in spaces that feel right, and we’ve all been in spaces where something feels off. For those not in the architectural/design profession, it may be difficult to articulate what it is about a space that affects us positively or negatively. In design, we begin by understanding the spatial systems that are already in place. By using the existing conditions as an underlay, we can ensure that what we add to the space feels right.

Every Day a Spa Day

Bathrooms don’t have to look institutional to function well for our more senior population. Andrus on Hudson is leading the way with an update to its central bathing room that will provide residents with a luxurious environment that can accommodate the special needs of users with various levels of disability.

Walk the Walk

Numerous clients who approach us to invigorate their office spaces are familiar with many of the popular movements that exist in office design today. Trends such as open office concepts, flexible spaces, and wellness initiatives all sound great on paper, but many are still skeptical. “Will it function for us?” Of course, we have countless success stories to share, but it means a lot when our firm can can show that we practice what we preach. It helps to reinforce our points.

The Phone Booth Is Alive and Well

While the use of strong, bold colors works well for visitors to a building or parking garage, different strategies are needed for people who work in the same place.

Five Senses

How often do we stop to think how intricately intertwined our five senses are? Probably not many of us. But as we age, our senses begin to diminish, and for those in senior care environments, the reality is acute. What can architects and designers do to help? More than you might think.

Know Your Value

Jenna McClure, AIA, LEED AP, and Debra Seay, AIA, WELL AP,  at the Aurora Foundation Breakfast. Today, we celebrate International Women’s Day. The occasion provides a perfect opportunity to take stock of our profession and personal career paths. The truth about women in architecture is not positive. While one-half of students who graduate with a degree in architecture […]

Transforming Ordinary to Extraordinary

When Conning & Co., a leading global investment management firm serving the insurance industry, leased two upper floors in Hartford’s 26-story Gold Building, a significant design challenge was to create volume and openness in a sprawling horizontal space with a compressed ceiling height of less than 9 feet. We solved the dilemma by opening not […]

2019’s Colorful Optimism

The first harbinger of a new year is the December release of Pantone’s “Color of the Year.” The Pantone Color System, originally developed for the print industry, has come to influence most other areas of design – fashion, interior design, product branding, graphic design and more. The pick for 2019? “Living Coral.” “Just as coral […]

A Bigger Small House for Memory Care

Designing for specialized facilities like these isn’t just about room size, light, and finishes. It’s about people. That is always our higher calling.

Unnatural Selection of Color

Why is it always so hard to commit to a color? It’s not just that it’s hard to narrow down the paint chips. Even in nature, color is always changing. The sky, for example, goes from the pinks and reds of a sunrise, to bright blue during the day, deepening to rich deep blues and blacks at night. The […]

Trending Now…

Herman Miller Showroom at NeoCon 2018 – Photo Credit: Fran Parente NeoCon, the world’s largest commercial interior industry event, celebrated its historic 50th year in June. The annual trade show, at the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago, drew more than 50,000 industry professionals to experience the best of the design industry. We were there! NeoCon […]

Healthy Workplace = Healthy, Productive Employees

Beyond employing energy modeling software, building rating systems and material transparency initiatives,Amenta Emma aims to further strengthen our leadership in sustainable design and the built environment through continual learning and collaboration with strategic partners and clients.

The Box: Surprise Package in Office Design

Symmetry Partners – Glastonbury, Connecticut As the open office concept evolves and adapts, thoughtful design solutions can contribute to a cohesive, well-organized space. As discussed by my colleague Nayef Mudawar in our March 7 blog, Office Duel: Open vs. Private, one of the many challenges we encounter is the constant conflict between open and private space. […]

Storytelling with Architectural Graphics

Office design is ever-evolving. So is the way we think about architectural graphics. Incorporating graphics into a space is nothing new, but many of the reasons we choose to include graphics have changed. Historically, graphics have been used as wayfinding tools, distraction markers, and brand representation. Today, there is an emerging trend to use graphics to distinguish a company’s culture.

Nature Never Fails

The connection we feel to nature is biological, yet most Americans spend close to 90 percent of their time indoors. Senior citizens spend even more time inside due to health or mobility challenges. Thankfully, it doesn’t take a wilderness expedition for seniors to experience the physical and psychological benefits of natural surroundings. With biophilic design – design that connects us to nature – in senior living spaces, everyone reaps rewards.

Office Duel: Open vs. Private

Each company has its own culture and specific needs when it comes to privacy, noise tolerance, workforce mobility, etc. Ultimately it comes down to understanding the individual client deeply and designing for the type of company culture they prefer.

The Total Lobby Experience

Recently updated “Gold Building” Lobby – Hartford, Connecticut Office lobbies used to be places you passed through on your way to an elevator in dripping soggy boots. Not anymore. Yoga class anyone? Movie night? Happy hour? In an effort to attract specific growth industries to their buildings, landlords are following a trend started largely by […]

The War of Independence

Post Occupancy Evaluation at Thames Edge – Groton, Connecticut At a recent “LeadingAge” national conference in New Orleans, we attended a session called, “Big Living in Small Spaces.” Among other ideas, presenters suggested that seniors don’t need large kitchens, so it’s not smart to build them. We wondered, “Is that true?” It’s always a good […]

Constraints Drive Design Innovation

School of Business at Quinnipiac University – Hamden, Connecticut Most people look upon tight budgets as a limitation. We just turned a similar circumstance into a design challenge and opportunity to achieve an exciting result. In the process of converting conventional classrooms to more collaborative space in Quinnipiac University’s Business School, part of the design […]

Take the Stairs!

Xylem headquarters – Rye Brook, New York As a WELL certified professional focused on elements that make our spaces healthier—Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort and Mind—I am painfully aware of the effects of sitting too long behind a desk. Do you know that sitting burns 50 fewer calories per hour than standing? Or that […]

Connecticut’s Modernist Cool

The October issue of Travel and Leisure Magazine puts our home state at the heart of architectural cool, with a sightseeing tour of “Connecticut Modernism” led by author Carol King. Of course, one of the stops is Max Abramovitz’s iconic Phoenix Life Insurance Co. Building (now owned by Nassau Reinsurance Company), or “The Boat Building,” where our […]