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Catherine mejiaProject architect at ArchiGreen Studio.
She received her bachelor's degree in architecture from the Central University of Ecuador in 1997. Cathy has been working on construction management and Interior design in NYC and Fairfield County, CT. |
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francisco andradeProject architect at ArchiGreen Studio.
He received his bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Cuenca - Ecuador in 1999. Francisco has worked in several prestigious architectural firms in Connecticut and founded ArchiGreen Studio in 2017 with over 15 years of experience in his field of architecture. Francisco is a certified BIM Manager at Graphisoft, and also holds an MIT certification for leveraging urban mobility disruptions to create better cities. |
Our design philosophy is based on a simple principle that we all deserve an affordable and comfortable place to live. It is up to us to create the right design that makes sense to you and your loved ones.
ArchiGreen Studio applies BIM as a tool to improve quality control in the 2D & 3D information requirement, schedules (4D), costs (5D), and to enhance the overall design and construction process by facilitating assistance and coordination to all different trades involved during the construction process and after, for facility management, reducing errors and field conflicts.
BIM Goals:
Now, as we all know, there are different approaches to finding your ideal design, and there are as many designs as there are architects.
Some Xerox-architects may just photocopy your design from a magazine, others may just copy an old style from the past, and you will have your design ready in the next day or so. Some clients usually have a fixed idea of what they want. They would say "I want what I want: Classical, Gothic, Art déco, etc." But they don't need an architect to build that, stonemasons have been doing it for centuries, but of course, they will find some "architects" to do those things from the past, committing architectural crimes, which we all witness such mimics around us, but I will say this:
Not because I like carriages, I would go to work on my "beautiful carriage" today. Not because I like Louis XIV classical gowns, my wife should wear it to a party tonight. I think we, pretty often, forget to take into consideration the 4th dimension: Time, and as a social being, we have to consider the Human Element and the dialog between them. One must dance to the song society plays at this time and place in history. One must embrace the zeitgeist of our space-time.
Therefore, I would like to outline our Design Philosophy with its five essential elements, noting its acronym STASH:
1. Space
2. Time
3. Art
4. Science
5. Humanity
ArchiGreen Studio applies BIM as a tool to improve quality control in the 2D & 3D information requirement, schedules (4D), costs (5D), and to enhance the overall design and construction process by facilitating assistance and coordination to all different trades involved during the construction process and after, for facility management, reducing errors and field conflicts.
BIM Goals:
- BIM as an asset for visualization, coordination and communication tool during design, construction and facility operations
- BIM as a resource for the design, construction, and future building alterations
- BIM as a quality assurance tool for constructability and maintainability review to minimize change orders
- BIM as a BCF (BIM Collaboration Format) tool for collecting and exchanging facility data through the use of an open standard, the Construction Operations Building information exchange (COBie), from design through construction to facility operations.
- Producing standardized, quality and interoperable BIM models/ deliverables
- Promoting use of BIM models throughout the whole project life cycle
- Facilitating collaboration, communication and information/ data exchange amongst related projects
- Fostering an efficient and effective workflow
- Enabling asset data in BIM models to transfer to the existing asset management (AM) and facility management (FM) systems.
Now, as we all know, there are different approaches to finding your ideal design, and there are as many designs as there are architects.
Some Xerox-architects may just photocopy your design from a magazine, others may just copy an old style from the past, and you will have your design ready in the next day or so. Some clients usually have a fixed idea of what they want. They would say "I want what I want: Classical, Gothic, Art déco, etc." But they don't need an architect to build that, stonemasons have been doing it for centuries, but of course, they will find some "architects" to do those things from the past, committing architectural crimes, which we all witness such mimics around us, but I will say this:
Not because I like carriages, I would go to work on my "beautiful carriage" today. Not because I like Louis XIV classical gowns, my wife should wear it to a party tonight. I think we, pretty often, forget to take into consideration the 4th dimension: Time, and as a social being, we have to consider the Human Element and the dialog between them. One must dance to the song society plays at this time and place in history. One must embrace the zeitgeist of our space-time.
Therefore, I would like to outline our Design Philosophy with its five essential elements, noting its acronym STASH:
1. Space
2. Time
3. Art
4. Science
5. Humanity
Space: It is the environment, its place and its surroundings. It is as unique as a fingerprint. A specific location determines the weather, sun, winds, nature, zoning, Building Regulations and Codes. It also allows us to recognize other elements that share our planet with us in their local habitat and their right to exist, whether it might be from the flora, fauna, or mineral world.
Time: As the fourth dimension, we apply it to every project to reflect the contemporary world we live in. Time is dynamic, constantly changing. Some of the old school architects would not include this variable in their designs. They usually apply the Vitruvian triad philosophy: "FIRMITAS, UTILITAS AND VENUSTAS" (SOLID, USEFUL AND BEAUTIFUL) used over 2,000 years ago, while Albert Einstein introduced us to his new concept of space-time, published in 1915.
Art: As the unique expression of a human being to materialize an emotion, a feeling or a thought. As Leonardo da Vinci said it better: "Art is the bridge between imagination and reality, where the mind's creativity flows onto the canvas of existence. It is through art that the hidden truths of nature and the depths of human emotion are unveiled, allowing us to perceive the world in all its beauty and complexity."
Science: As the concrete means to be able to build. It is the math and engineering to make it possible to build and work as expected. Quoting Einstein: "Science is the relentless pursuit of understanding the universe's mysteries through curiosity, reason, and empirical exploration. It reveals the elegant laws that govern the cosmos, inviting us to decipher its secrets and expand the boundaries of human knowledge."
Humanity: The fifth is the quintessential human element that is influenced by all the above, and it has its unique demands, wishes, secrets, capricious and whimsical thoughts. The human element is the domain of our ideas, philosophy, and abstract concepts, as well as the physical human being. In the fifth element, we will encounter a cultural background filled with ethical, political, and social concepts in general, and more closely in detail, we will find a family cell with its inner values, morals, principles, and traditions. Under this element, the client's identity plays an important role in the design process, therefore in the final product. These five elements interact with each other, but the fifth element on this equation is in the middle of our "micro-cosmos." It communicates directly with all the others in a holistic way, creating a healthy and sustainable environment.
The Architect plays the role as a conductor plays in an orchestra, fine-tuning every instrument and then conducting to perform a masterpiece that will be "playing" a timeless architectural-symphony with a life on its own.
Now, between these five elements, there are "BFF's" (best friends forever) among them. Art and Science, for example, one cannot live without the other: Leave Art out of the equation and you will find architecture without a "Soul." Leave Science out and you will find architecture without a "Body." Time and Space are relatively new concepts for some old-fashioned "architects" and yet best friends already: Leave Time out of the equation, and you will find a lie in architecture. Leave Space out, and you will find a "white elephant."
Exploring all the interactions between these five elements is fascinating. Let's take "Green" designs, for example; they are the dialog between Science and Space. Science gives us the right technology and Space gives us the right materials to apply. We take an environmentally friendly approach with the newly available technology to create a sustainable architecture or "green" designs.
"Organic" designs and landscape is the dialog between Art and Space: Art gives us the right sensibilities, good taste, and uniqueness of nature. Space gives us the right senses of nature, materials and vegetation to apply. "Smart" buildings are the product of Time and Science. Time gives us the availability and Science the right technology.
"Sculptural" designs are the product of Time and Art. Time gives us the contemporary vocabulary, and Art gives us the right "poetry."
Now, all those four elements surround humanity, but as we get closer towards the center, we will see more elements taken into consideration, as the complexity of the Human Element plays a capital role in this fusion.
Technology: It is the result of the interaction between Time, Science and Space. As Science gets closer to Humanity, the world of invention and tool making becomes stronger. Every society discovers, invents, and applies its state-of-the-art technology to build its cultural legacy. A Technology that provides comfort to our senses.
Metaphor: It is a medium or a link that connects Art and Humanity. As we get closer to Humanity the world of ideas, an abstract thought, takes a new form. Every society through Art creates, invents, and applies its Metaphor at a particular Time to build its cultural legacy. A Metaphor to delight and stimulate our senses.
"Cultural Certainty": Every Space has its intrinsic value for its Natural environment, and as we experience the Human Element intervene through Art and Science it becomes a more Cultural environment, but when the variable "Time" hasn't been introduced on its design, it becomes a "Cultural Certainty." Which means that something appears to be settled and predictable, it doesn't improve the urban or rural context. It is the conservative force of society that wants to keep the "status quo" intact. Some of my clients have asked me how to tell the difference between an ordinary-construction and real architecture without a trained eye, and I tell them to perform a simple mental exercise: erase the object of study out of the context and put some trees instead, if the context doesn't lose anything, it is the former, because you might find thousands of similar copies around it, but if the context loses its value, then it is the latter, because the subject of study came to be an iconic architecture, a unique and irreplaceable piece of art.
"Hypothetical Uncertainty": When Science and Art interact at a particular Time, and the Human Element plays its role, but Space is out of the equation; it is in a "Hypothetical State." Dynamic and changeable. Something appears to be experimental and uncertain. It is the liberal force of society that wants to keep progress moving.
I found it to be very interesting the fact that the very same tool that was used to create a "white elephant" was used to create a "Masterpiece," this "Hypothetical Uncertainty" can create something out of the ordinary. Some become controversial, disrupting the environment as a strident note on a symphony; while some others become masterpieces with a gratifying presence on its environment, as if one could witness the birth of a new sound that strikes everyone's attention with its performance. It is risky to be experimental, but to deliver a new form of art, I will say this: There is no invention without experimentation!
How "smart," "green," "organic" or "sculptural" your house or building can be? You decide. The client is the one who pulls the strings and creates a unique path for her or his creation, a unique path for a new architecture.
Let's build something new!
Time: As the fourth dimension, we apply it to every project to reflect the contemporary world we live in. Time is dynamic, constantly changing. Some of the old school architects would not include this variable in their designs. They usually apply the Vitruvian triad philosophy: "FIRMITAS, UTILITAS AND VENUSTAS" (SOLID, USEFUL AND BEAUTIFUL) used over 2,000 years ago, while Albert Einstein introduced us to his new concept of space-time, published in 1915.
Art: As the unique expression of a human being to materialize an emotion, a feeling or a thought. As Leonardo da Vinci said it better: "Art is the bridge between imagination and reality, where the mind's creativity flows onto the canvas of existence. It is through art that the hidden truths of nature and the depths of human emotion are unveiled, allowing us to perceive the world in all its beauty and complexity."
Science: As the concrete means to be able to build. It is the math and engineering to make it possible to build and work as expected. Quoting Einstein: "Science is the relentless pursuit of understanding the universe's mysteries through curiosity, reason, and empirical exploration. It reveals the elegant laws that govern the cosmos, inviting us to decipher its secrets and expand the boundaries of human knowledge."
Humanity: The fifth is the quintessential human element that is influenced by all the above, and it has its unique demands, wishes, secrets, capricious and whimsical thoughts. The human element is the domain of our ideas, philosophy, and abstract concepts, as well as the physical human being. In the fifth element, we will encounter a cultural background filled with ethical, political, and social concepts in general, and more closely in detail, we will find a family cell with its inner values, morals, principles, and traditions. Under this element, the client's identity plays an important role in the design process, therefore in the final product. These five elements interact with each other, but the fifth element on this equation is in the middle of our "micro-cosmos." It communicates directly with all the others in a holistic way, creating a healthy and sustainable environment.
The Architect plays the role as a conductor plays in an orchestra, fine-tuning every instrument and then conducting to perform a masterpiece that will be "playing" a timeless architectural-symphony with a life on its own.
Now, between these five elements, there are "BFF's" (best friends forever) among them. Art and Science, for example, one cannot live without the other: Leave Art out of the equation and you will find architecture without a "Soul." Leave Science out and you will find architecture without a "Body." Time and Space are relatively new concepts for some old-fashioned "architects" and yet best friends already: Leave Time out of the equation, and you will find a lie in architecture. Leave Space out, and you will find a "white elephant."
Exploring all the interactions between these five elements is fascinating. Let's take "Green" designs, for example; they are the dialog between Science and Space. Science gives us the right technology and Space gives us the right materials to apply. We take an environmentally friendly approach with the newly available technology to create a sustainable architecture or "green" designs.
"Organic" designs and landscape is the dialog between Art and Space: Art gives us the right sensibilities, good taste, and uniqueness of nature. Space gives us the right senses of nature, materials and vegetation to apply. "Smart" buildings are the product of Time and Science. Time gives us the availability and Science the right technology.
"Sculptural" designs are the product of Time and Art. Time gives us the contemporary vocabulary, and Art gives us the right "poetry."
Now, all those four elements surround humanity, but as we get closer towards the center, we will see more elements taken into consideration, as the complexity of the Human Element plays a capital role in this fusion.
Technology: It is the result of the interaction between Time, Science and Space. As Science gets closer to Humanity, the world of invention and tool making becomes stronger. Every society discovers, invents, and applies its state-of-the-art technology to build its cultural legacy. A Technology that provides comfort to our senses.
Metaphor: It is a medium or a link that connects Art and Humanity. As we get closer to Humanity the world of ideas, an abstract thought, takes a new form. Every society through Art creates, invents, and applies its Metaphor at a particular Time to build its cultural legacy. A Metaphor to delight and stimulate our senses.
"Cultural Certainty": Every Space has its intrinsic value for its Natural environment, and as we experience the Human Element intervene through Art and Science it becomes a more Cultural environment, but when the variable "Time" hasn't been introduced on its design, it becomes a "Cultural Certainty." Which means that something appears to be settled and predictable, it doesn't improve the urban or rural context. It is the conservative force of society that wants to keep the "status quo" intact. Some of my clients have asked me how to tell the difference between an ordinary-construction and real architecture without a trained eye, and I tell them to perform a simple mental exercise: erase the object of study out of the context and put some trees instead, if the context doesn't lose anything, it is the former, because you might find thousands of similar copies around it, but if the context loses its value, then it is the latter, because the subject of study came to be an iconic architecture, a unique and irreplaceable piece of art.
"Hypothetical Uncertainty": When Science and Art interact at a particular Time, and the Human Element plays its role, but Space is out of the equation; it is in a "Hypothetical State." Dynamic and changeable. Something appears to be experimental and uncertain. It is the liberal force of society that wants to keep progress moving.
I found it to be very interesting the fact that the very same tool that was used to create a "white elephant" was used to create a "Masterpiece," this "Hypothetical Uncertainty" can create something out of the ordinary. Some become controversial, disrupting the environment as a strident note on a symphony; while some others become masterpieces with a gratifying presence on its environment, as if one could witness the birth of a new sound that strikes everyone's attention with its performance. It is risky to be experimental, but to deliver a new form of art, I will say this: There is no invention without experimentation!
How "smart," "green," "organic" or "sculptural" your house or building can be? You decide. The client is the one who pulls the strings and creates a unique path for her or his creation, a unique path for a new architecture.
Let's build something new!