Commercial

A Tour Filled Weekend

I've produced 8 videos for the 2011 Homes By Architects Tour.

This year's videos give you a taste of what you'll find on the tour, as well as provide insight into the design process and relationships built between architects, builders, and clients. All of which are viewable on the HBA Youtube Channel.

Here are a few of my favorites.

This weekend, Sept. 17th and 18th from 10am-5pm you can visit 14 spectacular homes designed by Minnesota Registered Architects. I'll be there to meet visitors and get their impression of the tour, the homes, and tidbits from the Architects who will be at the homes they designed all weekend long.

If you're looking for me, this is my Route:


View HBA 2011 Tour in a larger map

D1 10:00-10:45 Home #2:
Habitat Architecture, Hamid Kashani10303 Bittersweet St NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433
    
D1 11:30-12:15 Home #3
Landschute Architects 20260 Lakeview Ave., Deephaven, MN 55331
    
D1 12:30-1:15 Home #4
ALTUS Architecture + Design, Tim Alt 4016 Baker Rd., Minnetonka, MN 55305
    
D1 1:30-2:15 Home #9
Peterssen Keller Architects, Lars Peterssen20 Park Lane, Minneapolis, MN 55416
    
D1 2:30-3:15 Home #7
CityDeskStudio4108 Grimes Ave S., Edina, MN 55416
    
D1 3:30-4:15 Home #5
Quigley Architects, Tim Quigley5000 Arden Ave., Edina, MN 55424
    
D2 10-10:45 Home #14
SALA Architects, David O'Brien Wagner N1516 Pepin View Lane South, Pepin, WI 54759
    
D2 11:35-12:15 Home #13
SALA Architects, Eric Odor 6368 Oak Meadow Ln NW,  Rochester, MN 55901
    
D2 1:45-2:30 Home #10
David Heide Design Studio, Mark Nelson 977 Summit Ave., St Paul, MN 55105
    
D2 3:15-4:00 Home #11
Acacia Architects, Jeremiah Battles9533 Keswick Ave N.,  Grant, MN 55082
    
D2 4:15-5:00 Home #12
SALA Architects, Michaela Mahady 11775 102nd St N., Stillwater, MN 55082

I'm going to be hitting up pretty much every home that we didn't film as part of this years promo. videos. It's going to be a pretty jam packed weekend and I look forward to a day of rest with the family. I hope to see you out there.

Beyond the Still Image: Maple Grove Library

Maple Grove Library, designed by MS&R, is one of the first projects selected to engage readers and the general public with subject matter that goes beyond the print edition of Architecture MN Magazine.

Architecture MN successfully dived headfirst into the online world with their short film competition "Videotect" which is where I caught the eye of editor, Chris Hudson (and about 1,000 others).

I've wanted to explore this side of architecture since I first saw My Architect in 2003. About the life of an architect and his work, this film showed me that the experience of Architecture is more powerful when motion is made within a space or through it by others. Motion provides a sense of depth, character and and texture to a place that still images rarely achieve. Not only that, film can give context to the place and time from which a project is created.

Maple Grove Library, is part or my journey to grow in the ability to tell the story of architecture.

The material I produced is intended to be split into 4 bite sized pieces that in whole tell the story of Maple Grove Library. Below are those four parts. While we have titled them "Part 1-4", the order in which you watch them, like all things online, isn't critical to enjoying or understanding a single segment.

Part 1: Maple Grove Library - A visual tour through the completed project set to music.

Part 2: Site & Vision - Get to know more about the context of the library's location

Part 3: Defining "Library" - Understand more of the philosophy behind the design decisions.

Part 4: Integrating Sustainability - "Green" isn't just a word with this project. The goals of sustainable design have been fully integrated not only seamlessly throughout Maple Grove Library, they give form to function.

For those interested in the process behind this feature:

Interviews

I conducted 4 interviews with members of the design team from MS&R Architects and Interior Designers, as well as Hennepin County officials and project staff. This couldn't of been done without the coordinating efforts of Traci Lesneski and Ligeia Cholensky from MS&R, Carla Biermaier and Kathryn Zimmerman from Hennepin County Staff, and Chris Hudson, Editor of Architecture MN.

Film Schedule

3 Days of filming was conducted over the course of 2 weeks to coordinate both interviews, weather, and location availability. Planning and coordination for those days took approximately 8-16 hours of time over the course of time previous to filming.

Over the course of that same 2 weeks, approximately 30-40 hours were spent editing and developing content.

This isn't too dissimilar to the timeline for a full production still photography schedule. Each project is unique however. The amount of content that is generated for the film can also be split by other parties within a production team or members within a design firm.

Staffing

  • Filming, editing, and a steep learning curve effort of audio engineering was all produced by just myself.
  • This project couldn't of come together without the coordination efforts mentioned above.
  • Special credit also goes to Chris Hudson, Editor of Architecture MN for volunteering as my assistant for a day to gather model releases and ask for volunteers.
  • There were also additional Image Contributions from MS&R and Photographer Lara Swimmer. Her images are featured in the print edition of this article and used for portions of the interviews to give context to their words.

Gear

For those interested in the investment made to produce a film like this:

  • 2 Nikon D7000 DSLR Bodies
  • 2 Tripods
  • Manfroto Video head and Induro PHQ-3 Pan Head  
  • Tokina 11-16mm Wide angle Lens
  • Nikkor 24-70mm (However some prime lenses may be used)
  • 2 Audiotechnica Lavaliere Microphones
  • Promaster LED Studio Light
  • Light Stands
  • 50" Reflector for bounce light
  • 27" iMac, Final Cut, Lightroom, Quicktime 7pro, Drobo & LaCie External Storage.

Lessons learned

Every project has something to learn from, this is what I took away from this.

  • An assistant can make or break your production. 
    • #1 If my assistant wasn't there to collect signatures, it would have increased my production time by a few precious hours.
    • #2 Not having someone else to manage Audio and Lighting can create complications quickly for post production.)
  • Record Audio for interviews from at least two locations. A shotgun microphone on camera and lavaliere microphone on your subject, can save your bacon if one of them fails in mid interview.
    • Audacity is amazing tool for repairing audio if all else fails, but there is a steep learning curve.
  • Filming interviews from two locations provides versatility for editing that is less noticable than condensing clips from a single source.
  • Stormy days, make for fantastic clouds.
  • Studio LED lights need a fresh change of batteries more often than my children.

Three videos from Ohio.

The last of the videos has been crafted from my trip in Ohio for Jockimo Advanced Architectural Products. 

Each of these is viewable at Youtube or Vimeo.


NBBJ requested a custom texture utilizing Jockimo's Escapade Texture as the canvas and then creating a segmented brick like pattern within the panels.

This developed into a texture called Moonglow Escapade. Jockimo then painted a custom Pantone match color in transparent paint.

Holes were drilled into the glass and then stand offs were attached to mount the darker colored laminated glass panels.

Client: Blanchard Valley Hospital - Findlay, OH

Glass: Jockimo custom "Moonglow Escapade" texture
Scope: 1/2" Clear glass - back painted
Designer: NBBJ
Installer: Celina Glass
Description from Jockimo.com

 

 

Jockimo's Privacy™ Frost glass flooring is utilized in this state of the art Gold's Gym in Cleveland OH.

All glass includes Jockimo's anti-slip GlassGrit™ walking surface and the treads have our Monolithically polished edges.

All glass is tempered and laminated and the project was engineered by Jockimo's engineers specifically for the project.

Client: Gold's Gym - Cleveland, OH
Glass: Jockimo Ultimate Privacy™ Frost glass flooring

-Description from Jockimo.com

 

A Catholic college preparatory high school community that promotes the academic, spiritual, social and physical development of their students, came to Jockimo to provide them with Cast glass for this new school.

Jockimo's Tigres texture was chosen for this project.

Holes were provided to accommodate mounting hardware.

Client: St. Francis de Sales High School - Toledo, OH
Glass: Jockimo Tigres texture
Scope: 15 panels of 3/8" clear Tempered glass
Glazier: Toledo Mirror and Glass Co.

Description from Jockimo.com

 

 

 

Chi-nnati's of Cincinnati

Project Details from Jockimo: 
Product Client: Chi-nnati's Pizza - Cincinatti, OH
Glass: MirrorUnique

Architect: Unknown

A project in Ohio, that Jockimo wanted some new pictures for. This Antiqued Mirror fits nicely in Chi-nnati's. It's burnished bronze appearance adds to the atmosphere of the long row of tall tables. The slight tilt to the mirror helps to capture some of the beautiful ceiling decorations while enjoying some of their delicious Chicago style pizza.

Jockimo @ 525 Vine

 I recently returned from a road trip of photographing several projects for Jockimo Advanced Architectural Products. 

I'll be posting a series of these over the course of the week, with some follow-ups before the new year with 1-2 minute trailer movies for a few of them.

While I didn't have much time to spend in Cincinnati, Ohio. I hadn't expected to learn that it shares a kindship with Minneapolis/St. Paul. Downtown Cincinnati also has an extensive skyway sysyem. 525 Vine is at the "interchange" of a street entrance and connecting skyway route, creating an opportunity to greet and orrient pedestrians and workers with a landmark entrance. 

Jockimo supplied their "Classic" and "Revo" textures combined, to develop this custom logo for 525 Vine. 

Project Details from Jockimo: 
Product Client: 525 Vine - Cincinatti, OH
Glass: Jockimo Classic & Revo textures

Architect: SFA Architects
Glazier: Celina Glass


 

 

 

Jockimo at Union Station

Part two of my series of projects in Ontario Canada:

A brief building description summarized from www.Toronto.ca/union_station/history.htm

Union Station had a long journey to its opening day in 1927. While construction started in 1914 it was

delayed both by WWI and the Grand Trunk Railway collapse of 1919. On top of that the station had completed construction in 1921 but remained closed due to legal disputes between the various stake holders that caused key infrastructure to also be delayed until 1924. More here

Design
This was Designed in the traditions of the beaux-Arts style and was the most opulent station erected in Canada. The great hall is a four story barrel vaulted space with glass walls on the east and west ends.

Architects
Several architects collaborated on Union Station. Including the firm of G.A Ross and R.H, Hugh Jones, and John M. Lyle. More here.

Materials of the great hall (photographed)
Floors = Tennessee marble (Herringbone pattern)
Walls = Zumbro stone from Missouri
Ceiling = Gustavino tiles

(for more information visit www.Toronto.ca/union_station/history.htm or http://transit.toronto.on.ca/gotransit/2302.shtml which is where this description is abridged from

Jockimo Flooring:

The glass walls on either end of the great hall hide the functioning corridors that connect various administrative areas. Jockimo's Glass Floor was the perfect solution to Keeping these hallways filled with as much natural daylight as possible.

 

The final Commercial Video for Jockimo

Can't see the video? Head on over to Youtube to see it there!

Advocate General Lutheran

Click the image to go to the project galleryAnother terrific example of Jockimo's Liquid Lava Floor Tiles. These were installed in another Illinois Hospital designed by OWP/P Architects. In fact this product was installed in three separate areas in the children's wing of the Hospital. 2 Waiting Areas and a water fountain, just outside the entrance to the children's wing.

Northwest Community Hospital

Click the image to go to the full gallery.This Liquid Lava Installation of Jockimo's is located in the Childrens ER at Northwest Community Hospital, designed by OWP/P Architects. It provides an interactive element to help give children, waiting to feel better, something fun to keep their mind on. These children needed no coaxing or stage direction to know exactly what to do. It was a fun shoot and they did a terrific job. 

Pella Promotional Piece

My work is being featured by Pella in new ad campaign for promoting their 2010 Archtiect Events. They are featuring 28 of the images I produced from covering their ABC days in the Fall of 2009. This image is the front half of the print piece and has been altered for publicaiton on the web.

Jockimo Glass at ING Direct

I met Tim Czechowski from Jockimo Advanced Architectural Products at the AIA-Minnesota convention recently. I was very impressed with the quality and interesting properties of his glass products. The Following is a product installation in St. Cloud at ING-Direct. If you're in the area and want to see it in person, the wall is in the public cafe.

I believe this is a product type that is given valued by going beyond the static image. So I decided that this is a perfect test case for my DSLR's video capability. Frankly speaking, I'm personally not satisfied with it's video quality yet. I saw a lot of noise and grain even before I started to play with contrast and exposure in post. If I have a client specifically interested in this use, I'll specifically rent better equipment.

However, the video (Viewed at higher quality here) is an example of how to incorporate mixed media for product promotional material using the photographer's eye. 

(Please note, this video is not intended for commercial use. It is only an experiment.)