Kate Joins JKR

We are pleased to announce that Katherine Brill joins JKR Partners as the newest member of the design team. She is a recent magna cum laude graduate from Syracuse University School of Architecture. Kate played polo in the water not on a horse during her five year college adventure. Supposedly the quickest, strongest, smartest and best conditioned athletes play water polo. Perhaps those skills translate to her architecture talents. She happily escaped the tundra-like environment of upstate New York to return to the comforts in her favorite hometown of West Chester, PA. Kate has enjoyed globetrotting around the world, including studying abroad in China and Italy. Although she hasn’t achieved master chef status just yet, Kate claims to make a mean plate of mashed potatoes. Hopefully the food critics can get a taste test at the next JKR Potluck Event. From portraits to illustrations, painting is one of her favorite hobbies. Some of her prized artwork was even auctioned at charitable fundraising events.  

JKR Welcomes Steve

JKR Partners welcomes Steve Sergi to our design team. He doubles the equation of Philadelphia University Alumni working at JKR. With his passion for architecture and history, Steve became a founding member of the Friends of the Furness Railroad District, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the work of Frank Furness in Wilmington, Delaware. When he is not dreaming and scheming about architecture, Steve enjoys sketching anything and building model kits. He still values the unlimited possibilities of designing with Legos. Izzo, JKR’s established sketch artist should take notice of this avid sketcher nicknamed “Sketchasaurus” by his friends. If you ever encounter two Steves around town, do not be too concerned about your double vision or drinking problem, he actually has a twin brother. 

Take a guess!

Marissa here:  Happy Hour was reinvented last week with a friendly game of PICTIONARY (Great idea, Izzo!) at the Pub.  The staff, a few significant others, and friends went head to head drawing actions, objects, animals, people, and places.  Enjoy the sampling of sketches above!  Answers to be posted later...

LOOK OUT SCOOBS!!

I'm pretty sure we are the first architecture firm since 1790 to survey a building via lantern. Look OUT SCOOBS!

Thought this was pretty cool

Izzo Here: I came across this article this morning and thought it was a pretty badass design.  I think I'd improve the design by making the entire front piece LEDs...but have it appear silver during the day. 

Cream of Mushroom

Innovations in the “green” industry can be amusing. Like the new insulation material made of mushrooms, a sample of which we happen to have in the office. It’s made by injecting the mushroom spores into a mixture of insulating particles. The mushrooms then grow by consuming the mixture and forming a tight network solidifying the material. It’s said to be fireproof. 

Having found no use for it here, the sample is passing as a contemporary art piece and is currently on display in SW corner of the office.