Year end review and what's ahead for 2021

ISSUE / 12.20

01 / PROJECT FEATURE

Hammetts Hotel: The design prioritized stitching the fabric of this important block back into the surrounding community in a way that would strengthen the pedestrian experience, honor the surrounding neighborhood and reconnect pedestrians to the water.

Newport Rhode island is a uniquely cosmopolitan community that carries a storied history as both a playground for some of the East Coast’s wealthiest families while being the home to a historic and vibrant working waterfront.

The place where all the lives of Newport converge has always been the waterfront edge of Newport Harbor. Over the past decades, while many wharves that originally housed chandleries and lumber yards were replaced by coffee shops, galleries and restaurants - there still remained several important parts of this waterfront that were left behind as vacant lots.

HISTORY ABOVE WATER

The front facade was conceived as two connected brick and granite mill buildings whose material and form speak to the formality of the historic post office and mill buildings that flank two sides of the site. The entire building is raised out of the flood zone and a series of stone ramps and stairways allow pedestrians to gently step through the grade in order to engage the public and commercial spaces along the front facade.

GUEST EXPERIENCE

The hotel rooms were conceived as “micro” rooms, the typical room size is only 230 sf. While modest in size, the stepped ceilings and large mill-inspired windows create a sense of expanse. They were organized to take advantage of both the city and waterfront views, with the internal rooms having a dual view of the bustling courtyard below and Newport harbor beyond.

RECALLING THE PAST

As the building extends toward the water, the materials shift to wood frame and clapboard, recalling the prevalent materials and forms that occupy the historic wharves to the North. Simple details including the memory of barn doors, shiplap siding and painted signs all recall the working history of these wharves and the Hammetts lumber yard that once occupied this site.

Photos: Matthew Carbone

02 / STAFF SPOTLIGHT

Union Studio welcomes two recent graduates to our team.

Mikéla Sumner - Designer

Degree: Master of Architecture

College: Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

While Mikéla's architectural interests have always centered around housing, they have evolved to include the added intricacy of affordability, adaptability, and comfort.

Eline Hilgersom - Designer

Degree: Bachelor of Science in Architecture

College: Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences

Degree: Master of Science in Historic Preservation

College: Roger Williams University

With diverse architectural, preservation and urban design experience, Eline is excited to use the knowledge gained while studying/working in both The Netherlands and the United States to contribute to future architectural and urban design, while respecting the importance of the past.

03 / FEATURED PARTNER

Eastdale Village by Kirchhoff Kirchhoff

Located on the east side of Poughkeepsie - Eastdale Village will create a new town with a smart-growth designed, walkable commercial and residential neighborhood with a pedestrian center. People can live, work, shop and play in this neighborhood inspired by traditional Northeastern main streets and neighborhoods.

PROJECT FEATURES

Approximately 400 residential units that will meet the needs of a broad cross-section of the area.
Over 120,000 square feet of restaurants, retail, service, medical and office uses.
Central green with music pavilion for events and festivals.
35 out of the 60 acre project will be developed, leaving the remaining 25 acres as a dedicated Town of Poughkeepsie natural park. This natural park will include a large party pavilion and rest rooms open for public use.

For more info, visit their website

04 / NEW OFFICE UPDATE

We look forward to safely welcoming you to our new office in 2021.

As the year comes to an end, we are staying positive and are excited to be moving forward with our new office space. You can still find us in Downtown Providence, as our new space is right around the corner from our current office. As our firm grows in size and services to our clients, we couldn't be more excited to be moving to a larger space where we look forward to safely collaborating with our incredible clients in 2021. Stay tuned and reach out if you would like to stop by for a visit.

Union Studio Architecture & Community Design is a nationally practicing, award-winning design firm of 25 people based in Providence, Rhode Island. The firm’s portfolio includes urban planning and community design, civic and institutional buildings, mixed-use, and housing of all types. Union Studio has developed a national reputation for distilling the nuances of local character combined with a traditionally inspired view of sustainability, economy, and simplicity.

If you have any questions, an idea you would like to share with us or would like more info, please feel free to reach out.

Chris Jasinski

Union Studio Architecture & Community Design

Director of Marketing

chris@unionstudioarch.com

Union Studio

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