Lake|Flato Architects

Congratulations to Kate Sector, Lake|Flato’s Design Performance Manager, on being recognized as Texas Society of Architects’ Associate Member of the Year! Kate is not only an emerging leader in sustainable architecture but also a passionate advocate for rethinking design practices to create a positive impact on the environment.   Since joining Lake|Flato, Kate has significantly enhanced the firm’s design performance initiatives. In her role as Design Performance Manager, she sets significant project goals, conducts thorough evaluations, and cultivates a culture of sustainability among her colleagues. The creation of Lake|Flato’s Design Performance Action Plan and her research, publications, and lectures on embodied carbon and climate resilience demonstrate her impact both locally and nationally. This research is critical as it supports better design practices and promotes a broader understanding of the importance of climate resilience and adaptation nationwide.   According to AIA San Antonio Executive Director Torrey Carleton, “Kate has a deep knowledge of sustainability and passion for sharing that knowledge with her peers and those in the pipeline.” She has been a leader in AIA San Antonio’s Committee on the Environment and started a COTE Top 10 Student Competition at the University of Texas San Antonio that inspired the start of a student COTE chapter. This year, Kate has joined the Texas Society of Architects’ Committee on the Environment and AIA San Antonio’s Professional Practice Leadership Program. Through her collaborations, research, and contributions to the industry, Kate exemplifies the qualities of a pioneering leader in sustainable architecture.    Congratulations to those who were recognized with 2024 Texas Society of Architects’ Honor Awards! Learn more: https://bit.ly/3LHE2PI

#LF40, 1991: The early 90s brought about major world events, from Operation Desert Storm to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Johnny Carson retired from a 30-year reign on The Tonight Show and The Silence of the Lambs won best picture. ⁠ ⁠ In 1991, El Tule, a ranch in South Texas, was transformed from a blank canvas of open grassland and dense oak mottes into a unique home. The design team chose to build the house on a dune, floating it in the grassland, and used caliche block construction with thick walls, limited openings, and generous overhangs to create a sustainable and cozy space. The rooms circle a courtyard that serves as an oasis and rather than traditional porches, a breezeway connects the rooms to allow the cool coastal breezes in. This was one of the first of many houses that enjoyed “side porches” (dog runs) in lieu of “front porches.” The result is a house that is deeply connected to its surroundings.⁠ ⁠ The house construction turned into an odyssey. The remoteness, where the construction crew had to live together at the site, combined with the cumbersome hydraulic press that turned ranch dirt into bricks that were “dry stacked” during the wettest year in history, resulted in one of our earliest explorations of what our Porch House concept needed to be. 

That's a wrap! This year's Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) in Philadelphia highlighted advancements in the planning of higher education facilities. Through tours, presentations and panel discussions, Lake|Flato shared our latest higher education work, including the creation of an adaptively-reused Business and Humanities District for Trinity University and the mass timber Amy Gutmann Hall, a new home for data science & AI for Penn Engineering (with KSS Architects). We look forward to sharing a completed Amy Gutmann Hall at this year's Greeenbuild Conference in November, also in Philadelphia. Kerry Phillips, AIA Ryan Jones Andrew Herdeg #scup #highered #universityarchitecture #masstimber #sustainabledesign

We will be sharing our latest higher education work, research and collaborations at the upcoming Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) Conference occurring July 21-23 in Philadelphia. Join our studio leaders Andrew Herdeg, Kerry Phillips, AIA and Ryan Jones for a tour, panel and presentation - click here for more details: https://conta.cc/468ueHH #HigherEducation #SCUPConference #architecture #design

LF40: The year was 1990: Nelson Mandela was released from prison after 26 years and a poor little Macaulay Culkin was left home alone. The Carraro House began with Henry and Francine Carraro’ s image of a big flexible barn-like structure that would accommodate a growing art collection at a modest budget. The constraints led to repurposing an old steel building from the Alamo Cement Plant, a campus of wonderful 100-year-old steel buildings that were being torn down and sold for scrap. They ultimately selected the smallest building on the campus, a 180-feet long, 40-feet wide, and 20-feet tall steel framed “equipment shed.” Their 20-acre property, on the outskirts of Austin, had big shady live oak trees that could handle the scale of the old steel building. To meld the house with the land and create exterior spaces around the trees, the design broke the long linear structure into a “Z” shaped form with three buildings: a two-story screen building with a stone living room, a metal clad structure for the master bedroom, bath and study, and an open-air carport. The elegant “bolted” steel frame drove a lot of our design decisions: like setting the stone wall behind the steel columns, hiding the only boring parts of the frame within the steel-clad building, and creating our first horizontally screened room with the long spanning steel angles that had once supported a metal skin. The budget limited air-conditioned space, resulting in more “porch” than house, a condition we still value today. As a testament to the house’s legacy of use and reuse, the home’s current owners have preserved the complex in its original form and utilize it for public use as a cultural and educational amenity that expands awareness and appreciation of architecture and nature through content, conversations, celebrations, and retreats. The project helped establish the firm's unique design sensibility, and was recognized by the Texas Society of Architects with a 25-Year Award. Carraro House remains an integral part of Lake|Flato and a meaningful gathering space for the firm. — As we celebrate 40 years, we are reflecting on meaningful projects, clients and collaborations that have shaped our design practice. Our #LF40 series showcases some of our work from the last four decades, demonstrating our evolution as designers and collaborators and our unwavering commitment to architecture that connects people to nature and each other.

Thank you to The Architect's Newspaper for recognizing Lake|Flato with a Best of Practice Award! This recognition is a testament to the dedication and commitment to design and sustainability that our firm has embodied over the past four decades. The Best of Practice Awards commends the overall operations and structures of companies within the AEC community, recognizing those who have demonstrated excellence in their practice. “The practice chose to show the things that it’s been prioritizing in this chapter of the firm, which are larger scale buildings, or taking on a different technology or material systems. I appreciate the evolution of the firm as its priorities continue to advance.”—Wendy Dunnam Tita, Best of Practice Awards Jury Congratulations to all of the projects and teams recognized this year! Learn more: https://bit.ly/3XGReLZ 📸: 1 Robert Gomez 2, 3, 5 & 8 CASEY DUNN 4 Nic Lehoux 6 Lara Swimmer 7 Leonid Furmansky 9 Robert Benson 10 Joe Fletcher

#LF40: 1989 marked the year that Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch were bringing "good vibrations" to the entire nation. Across the waters, the Louvre Pyramid went up and the Berlin Wall came down. ⁠ ⁠ In 1989, Salge Lake House began with a call from a neighbor wanting a simple “inexpensive” lake house. The owner challenged the design team to create a functional and beautiful home. ⁠ ⁠ Salge Lake House was created quickly and efficiently, using an earlier Lake|Flato design as a prototype (Lasater Ranch) and refining it to fit the client's needs. The final design featured thick walls converted into guest rooms, a central space that could be transformed into a "room for all seasons," a grand entry stair that doubled as informal seating and a central cupola that enhanced air flow and natural light. The project's success came from treating details from a past project like a prototype, honing the design while still landing on budget. It was the biggest "little" house we ever created and featured our first design charrette.⁠ — ⁠ As we celebrate 40 years, we are reflecting on meaningful projects, clients and collaborations that have shaped our design practice. Our #LF40 series showcases some of our work from the last four decades, demonstrating our evolution as designers and collaborators and our unwavering commitment to architecture that connects people to nature and each other.

2024 AIA Regional & Urban Design Award and AIA Austin Merit Award recipient: Music Lane in Austin, Texas. The Music Lane district was designed to expand the already thriving, authentic district of South Congress. The design focused on extending the pedestrian experience deep into the site, which includes new mixed-use and creative office space, a diverse range of retail, dining, entertainment, fitness options, and parking. Shaded courtyards, paseos, and expansive outdoor decks and rooftop spaces encourage visitors to linger, energizing the property and reinforcing its role as a commercial destination. The district covers three city blocks and three significant buildings and includes a four-story below grade parking garage. The Turnbridge Equities development and Lake|Flato design teams recognized the challenge of designing the new district within a beloved neighborhood known for its funkiness, gritty character, and local retailers. The buildings come alive with the local talent and energy offered by retailers, restaurants, and boutique hotels, and the architecture can adapt over time as the nature of retail and office spaces change. The AIA Regional & Urban Design Award recognizes the best in urban design, regional and city planning, and community development. Thank you to the The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and AIA Austin Award Juries for this meaningful recognition! Learn more: https://bit.ly/3XDGIox Client / Developer: Turnbridge Equities, Landscape Architect: dwg., GC: Austin Commercial Inc., Structural Engineer: Architectural Engineers Collaborative, Civil Engineer: WGI, Mechanical Engineer: Integral Group, Lighting: Studio Lumina LF Team: David Lake, Chris Krajcer, Josh Lamden, David Archer. 📷: 1, 2 & 7: Peter Molick 3, 4 & 5 Andrew Pogue Photography 6 Dror Baldinger FAIA

2024 AIA Architecture Award recipient: The Holdsworth Center in Austin, Texas. As a new resource for world class training and leadership development for Texas’ public educators, the Holdsworth Center demonstrates that “Public Education Holds Worth,” and that educators are deserving of a place where they can grow their skills. Envisioned as a timeless destination that emphasizes a sense of community, The Holdsworth Center campus was designed to promote reflection, thought and dialogue. The campus is a harmonious blend of landscape and architecture. The 15 buildings span 173,000 square feet, with 84% of the site dedicated to open spaces. Natural materials, including wood and limestone, create a warm, inviting atmosphere. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy the trails, central courtyards, multi-use event lawns, and an amphitheater. The 22 acres of preserved natural area ensure the integrity of the environment and the campus design prioritizes recreation, wellness, and ecological conservation, creating a serene retreat for visitors. The AIA National Architecture award program celebrates the best contemporary architecture. The selected projects highlight the many ways buildings and spaces can improve our lives. Thank you to The American Institute of Architects (AIA) national Award Jury for this meaningful recognition! Learn more: https://bit.ly/4b2h28m Civil Engineer: Stantec Structural Engineer: Architectural Engineers Collaborative MEP Engineer: Integral Group General Contractor: The Beck Group Landscape Architect: Ten Eyck Landscape Architects, Inc. Interior Design: Looney & Associates Lighting: Mazzetti LF Team: David Lake, Chris Krajcer, Daniel Mowery, Justin Garrison, Margaux Palmer, Clay Cottingham, Abheek Sarkar, Matthew Morris, Graham Beach, Casey Nelson, Cole Major, Heather Holdridge, Daniel Lazarine, Anne Herndon, Jaechang Ko, and Zeke Jones 📸: 1 & 4 CASEY DUNN 2 Andrea Calo 3 & 5 Peter Molick 6 The Holdsworth Center

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2024 COTE Top Ten Award: The Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (BSE) Education Facility at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) in Rockville, Maryland, in collaboration with Cooper Carry. The Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (BSE) Education Facility at The Universities at Shady Grove was designed to optimize the built environment’s impact on human and environmental resiliency – making it one of the most sustainable laboratory buildings in the country. Biophilic strategies drove the LEED Platinum design, resulting in a delicate environmental footprint that enhances human health through access to daylight, healthy air, and views to nature while restoring the adjacent wetland. 87% of the BSE's occupied spaces have exterior views complemented by natural materials like reclaimed wood, living walls, and water features – fostering feelings of wellbeing and improving productivity. The building’s biophilic design connects students, staff, and visitors to a sense of place, resulting in occupants that are invested in the happenings of the BSE and broader regional community. The AIA COTE Top Ten Awards are the industry's best-known award program for sustainable design excellence. We are honored to receive our 16th AIA COTE Top Ten Award for this impactful project! https://lnkd.in/guQSh6A3 Project Team: Gilbane Building Company, Affiliated Engineers, Inc., Site Resources, Biohabitats, Transsolar KlimaEngineering, Mahan Rykiel Associates, Inc. LF Team: David Lake, Ryan Jones, Ashley Heeren, Patrick Burnham, Sarah Dede, Heather Holdridge, Katie Cavazos, Jose Lomas. Photos by Brad Feinknopf & Keith Isaacs