Julie Hendricks, AIA, was presented the Ben Brewer Young Architect Award at the Houston AIA Gala held April 14, 2012. Julie and fellow Kirksey architect, Michael Rensing, created this video that was shown at the gala. Not only is it visually engaging, it gives you more insight into the inspiration, beliefs, and mind of Julie.

Congratulations, Julie!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfYM4PDrZiQ

What was once a sterile, cold medical buiding has been transformed into a bright, fun space for young children to learn, play, and grow. Kirksey was hired by HISD to renovate this 400-student pre-k/kindergarten facility and create a space that is nurturing, positive, and tailored to the young students. Check out the link below to see the finished product and learn about the story behind Bellfort.

http://www.houstonisd.org/HISDConnectDS/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=352119da3b855310VgnVCM10000028147fa6RCRD&vgnextchannel
=051bdfb83de94310VgnVCM10000028147fa6RCRD

Kirksey’s Tellepsen Family Downtown YMCA project was nominated for the ULI Award of Distinction in the Not-for-Profit category.

With each new project brings a story that makes a building more than just a space. Whether it’s an innovative design or a budget-saving technique, every project has history. Here’s a video that explains the story behind the YMCA project: A Window to the Community.

http://vimeopro.com/user4869809/2012-awards-of-distinction#/video/35280159

Things have been rocky, to say the least, in the job market, but Houstonians can breath a sigh of relief with the release of the Brookings Institute report showing Houston as the top performing city in North America! Check it out here:

http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2012/0118_global_metro_monitor.aspx

Career Girls is an organization dedicated to providing young girls of all income levels and ethnic backgrounds with the academic tools and support they need to achieve their professional aspirations. They interviewed Kirksey’s very own, Nicola Springer, Vice President and pK-12 Team Leader, about her day-to-day activities and responsibilities as an architect. Check it out!

http://www.careergirls.org/careers/architect

Check out Kirksey’s own Kristen Johnson as she shares what inspires her as an interior designer, some things she can’t live without, and her own personal design style.

http://www.chron.com/default/article/Interior-designer-Kristen-Johnson-shares-her-2237890.php#photo-1701681

Do you go on a trek without any water? Or play soccer without guards? No – that’s because you want to be prepared. And yet, I see millions of us repeating the same mistake. Well, if you consider it one. So, full of ignorance of some of the mechanisms involved and with deepest skepticism, I asked myself when I saw it for the first time:

Why are these guys making a house of wood?

In my past six years of residing in the Gulf Coast area, it was just recently that I ‘witnessed’ wildfires. A little online search shows how minimally susceptible counties like Magnolia or Bastrop are to seasonal wildfires, and yet, hundreds were affected this year due to the draught. We heard of countless measures to mitigate the effect of the wildfires; some really innovative like installing sprinklers on roofs! But the curious mind questions again:

Could these have been avoided?

http://www.khou.com/younews/129298518.html?img=1&mg=t

The hurricane season is not over this year and there are many more hurricane seasons to come. It’s not long before we see another Ike or Katrina-like bully come KNOCKING at the door. Now if it’s the door of my rented apartment, I may look for shelter somewhere else. However, if it’s going to be my dream house in Houston or Galveston, I better consider the quality of my door when I build the house. So, as difficult as it may be to avoid these, another question is thrown at my face:

Is there a way to build my house that withstands hurricanes?
(earthquakes and tornadoes too!!)

Well, earthquakes and tornadoes may not be a problem of the Gulf Coast but lets just consider them for the sake of my superstitions. Now spending more capital is an answer to all of the above questions. However, dollars remain short in supply for some mysterious reason (even though the Federal Government has printed more money in the last 5 years than it did in the 50 before). So spending capital is not a realistic answer.

Let me devote my subsequent mutterings to finding the answers to the above questions. Stay tuned!

In honor of the10-year anniversary of 9/11, WE WILL NEVER FORGET.

See the World Trade Center construction site from high atop NYC’s Financial District, giving you a birds-eye view of the rebuilding efforts. Click on Cam 1 to view the construction progress in either Live mode or Time-Lapse mode (choose either option at top left of image).

World Trade Center construction site

Welcome to Kirksey’s Blog. We look forward to connecting with you soon!