BMC Durfee High School

  • DeSimone provided 3D structural modeling and detailing for the steel portions of the building in order to generate fabrication shop drawings, material lists, and CNC files for the steel fabricator
  • School was broken into 4 areas with the pool area being the most challenging due to the architectural exposed trusses
  • Level of finish required to satisfy the architect was very comprehensive and required a high level of communication
  • Mock-up joints were required to achieve the desired final product
  • The total tonnage for this project was 2,900 tons
  • DeSimone provided structural engineering services for the construction of a central utility plant and a public realm
  • Scope of work included retaining walls, garden walls, water features, pavilions, art locations, and site seating

Awards

  • Urban Land Institute (ULI) New York Awards – Global Award for Excellence
  • This university campus is comprised of 18 buildings with a total floor area of 592,000 sf
  • In addition to student residences and classroom buildings, the campus also contains a “Sacred Core”: a collection of mosques and other buildings dedicated to worship and meditation
  • Structures range from three to four stories and utilize cast-in-place concrete construction, a common building material for the area
  • Phase 2 includes the athletic complex which houses a swimming pool, a gymnasium and other athletic courts and recreational areas
  • The Pacific Park Brooklyn Land Use and Civic Improvement Project is a major mixed-use development in the Atlantic Terminal area of Brooklyn
  • 26-story building contains 354,000 sf and includes residential and a K–8 public school
  • Superstructure consists of cast-in-place concrete that bears on a combination of spread footings and mat foundations
  • Long span steel trusses and plate girders span over the gymnasiums
  • Located at 42 Trinity Place, project contains 281,500 gsf consisting of a luxury residential tower sitting atop a podium structure which contains a public school
  • Tower includes retail at the ground floor, cellar, and sub-cellar encompassing 10,000 gsf
  • Residential use is 182,500 gsf; school use is 89,000 sf
  • Project also includes the renovation of an adjacent landmarked building, the Robert and Anne Dickey House, which is a designated exterior landmark and part of the school

Awards

  • American Council of Engineering Companies New York (ACEC NY) Engineering Excellence Awards – Platinum Award, Structural Systems
  • Concrete Industry Board (CIB) – Award of Merit – High Rise
  • Project consists of the addition of two low-rise buildings to the existing Temple Beth Am Day School facility
  • Development included an addition of a new three-story classroom building and the two-story welcome center which houses an indoor basketball court, a 475-seat capacity theater and a cafeteria
  • The gymnasium, theater and the early childhood building, were demolished to make space for the construction of new Classroom Building and Welcome Center
  • The project is a mixed-use development that includes a 53-story, 1 residential tower and an adjacent, but separate, two-story, new school measuring 37,000 sf
  • The tower has a seven-story podium consisting of retail space, parking, loading dock, and a large outdoor pool and amenity roof deck
  • The residential tower above extends up to the 53rd floor with additional mechanical bulkheads
  • The new two-story school structure is separated from the residential tower by an expansion joint
  • Project site is located on the Stevens Institute of Technology campus between the Howe Center and Davis Hall
  • Two existing buildings on-site, Jacobus and Hayden, were demolished 2019
  • Existing fenced pair of tennis courts along the north edge of the building shall remain as will the service drive at the north edge of Davis
  • Proposed project includes more than 430,000 gsf of floor area of which 76,000 gsf is dedicated to the University Center on levels G, 1, and 2 including a mechanical mezzanine above level G and a service tunnel
  • The north and south towers are 21 and 19 stories respectively
  • The height of the taller north tower is 225 ft
  • The two towers are connected at levels 3 and 4 by an enclosed 2-story bridge housing residential amenity spaces
  • University Center and lower levels of the towers are clad with a combination of masonry and curtainwall
  • Service drive/amenity terrace is located at level G along the east side of the building and structured above the steep incline above Frank Sinatra Drive
  • A new state-of-the-art school facility located over an existing parking lot
  • The new facility will incorporate expansion, modernization, and enhancement of the full nursing program, including a nursing simulation and clinical skills
  • The proposed design is anticipated to be approximately 70,000 square feet in seven stories
  • To be constructed of cast in place concrete with flat slab construction.
  • Approximately 21,000 sf of below-grade parking and 10,000 sf of structured at-grade parking on the Phase II portion of the site.
  • The new building will provide 65% more space than the school’s current location
  • Designed to achieve LEED Silver.
  • An addition to the existing five-story building at St. Bernard_s, a private boy_s school for kindergarten through grade nine
  • The three-story expansion adds 25,000 sf of space
  • Provides for a history/geography room featuring a mural on its domed ceiling, a computer room, expanded science classrooms and a lab, new classrooms, a theater, a gym with bleachers, and a weight room
  • All construction is performed in an occupied building during school hours, without interrupting classroom activity
  • A 260,000 sf concrete flat plate building on Brooklyn Law School_s campus
  • Houses 400 students in 229 residential units
  • The 22-story building features a two-level below grade parking garage
  • Also includes a ground floor student center and a private reception hall on the top floor
  • The building facade features brick and masonry details highlighting balconies on the north and south elevations
  • Located at 33rd Street and First Avenue on Manhattan_s Eastside
  • A 210,000 sf, L-shaped building structure is supported vertically by a reinforced flat-plate system consisting of square columns and slabs
  • Lateral support is provided by a combination of shear walls at the core and frame action
  • The entire structure rests on a three-foot-thick mat foundation located 13 feet below grade
  • A new 114,000 sf, 6-story, multipurpose academic building with a glass facade
  • The first floor contains the main building entrance lobby, a 500-seat auditorium, a cafe, classrooms, study/lounge areas, and building support spaces
  • Floors two through five contain classrooms, study areas, and administrative spaces
  • The sixth floor includes a conference center with a rooftop terrace
  • The primary structure of the building is steel reinforced, poured in-place concrete
  • Areas on the first and sixth floors are structural steel
  • The building_s footing/foundation system is composed of steel piles with steel reinforced concrete pile caps
  • An addition to the KJ/Ramaz School
  • Includes adding new connecting stairs between lower floors, a new courtyard addition for increased library space, new slab openings, and rooftop equipment support
  • Renovations to the synagogue mainly consist of upgrades to the roof
  • Further renovations were needed following a fire in 2011
  • The renovations include an analysis of the damaged structure
  • The original historic synagogue was constructed primarily of wood joists and masonry bearing walls
  • The sanctuary and mezzanine are being rebuilt with steel framing and light-weight concrete on metal decking
  • The new project also includes the addition of expanded classroom space above the synagogue
  • The systems of the recently renovated school are integrated with the new expansion
  • The renovation of 60,000 sf within the former Omni Technology Center
  • Accommodates the Miami International University of Art & Design_s primary campus
  • The space is converted to include classrooms, office space, faculty space, and a student union
  • The school has leased an additional 40,000 sf for future renovation
  • Houses Bard College’s opera, dance, and musical productions as well as the theatrical teaching facilities
  • The 860-seat, 64,000 sf performance auditorium and rigging tower are made of tall, slender, cast-in-place concrete walls
  • The first and second balcony seating sections cantilever from these walls and are carefully balanced with the hallway floors outside the auditorium
  • The 420-seat teaching theater is housed in a reinforced concrete masonry auditorium and rigging tower
  • The exterior of the buildings, which envelop the functional boxes, embodies the signature Frank Gehry metal skin
  • The complex, compound, sinuous curves, computer generated, define the form to which the thin stainless steel sheathing follows
  • A unique harmony of steel and concrete with the versatility to house almost any size and type of performance is the final product
  • Awards:
    ACEC New York – Diamond Award, Structural Systems 2004
    ACEC National – Award of Merit, Structural Systems 2004
    AISC Ideas2 – Award of Merit, $25-$100 Million 2004
    New York Construction News – Best of Awards, Institution 2002
  • Located at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University
  • Contains 145,000 sf of space and includes classrooms, offices, a library and a café
  • The building is a composite structure of concrete and steel
  • Cast-in-place concrete flat slab construction is used for the primary floor supporting elements
  • A 36-inch concrete transfer slab and 8-ft deep curved concrete beams are also utilized
  • The building features a 65,000 sf steel clad roof structure
  • The stainless steel-clad surfaces are framed using four inch standard pipe steel
  • The steel portion of the building rests upon the concrete and is therefore not load bearing
  • The structural steel elements provide additional shear resistance
  • DeSimone also designed the building’s light-gauge framing, supporting the curved drywall that clads the interior atrium space
  • This design is the first Gehry project to have all of its structural steel detailing completed in CATIA
  • Awards:
    AISC – National Award 2002
    CIB – Award of Merit 2001
  • A 90,000 sf library addition, designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects
  • Situated on a very compact urban site
  • To meet the Law School’s aggressive space requirements, floor-to-floor heights are minimized
  • A total of 13 floors are constructed on the code-restricted site
  • Using beams only at perimeter and a structural slab system with a minimal depth, DeSimone was able to meet the client’s programmatic needs
  • Awards:
    CIB Roger H. Corbetta Awards – Award of Merit 1993
  • Located on the corner of Independence Avenue and 19th Street in Southeast Washington
  • Contains 100,000 sf and is designed to provide a national model for community-based special education services
  • Provides space for Family Outreach and Community Intervention programs, and features meeting rooms, a full-court gymnasium, and village green areas
  • The main structure is a three-story cylindrical spine that runs the length of the site, and connects the project’s disparate services together
  • The gymnasium building utilizes a barrel vaulted roof structure
  • Meeting areas are contained under gabled roofs and skylights punctuate common areas, creating an architectural vocabulary for reading the building’s design
  • Awards:
    Mid Atlantic Construction – Eastern Seaboard Region’s 50 Most Important and Innovative New Construction and/or Renovation Honoree 2007
    Washington Building Congress – Craftsmanship Awards 2006
  • The 81,000 sf library complex expands the university’s current storage space for science-related publications
  • Provides classrooms and faculty offices for a range of science disciplines
  • The design allows for easier access to resources by bringing together a number of disciplines under one roof
  • Education functions are carefully divided into two classroom legs connected via a central unifying office tower
  • The building’s exterior is whimsical and showcases a curved metal skin which envelops the building’s functional core
  • The thin stainless steel sheathing is defined by compound curves, which are computer generated
  • The exterior design utilizes a substantial amount of exterior glazing to allow natural light into the public spaces
  • The structural design system utilizes a composite collage of steel, concrete and masonry
  • Emerging from the cast-in-place concrete foundation are six distinct building typologies – five low rise satellites surrounding a central library tower
  • All of the structures connect via a complex system of low roofs and skylights that function as atrium links between the sectors
  • The central library tower is structured using concrete
  • The project was dimensionally documented utilizing the 3D modeling package, Digital Project
  • Awards:
    ACEC New York – Diamond Award, Structural Systems 2008
    CIB – Award of Merit 2007
  • Consists of a multi-phased project
  • Provides a gymnasium, basketball and volleyball courts, racquetball courts, health and wellness areas, administrative areas, campus support, and other recreation support areas
  • Phases I and II contain 58,000 and 99,500 sf
  • Phase I prescribes a tall volume two-court gym for intramural and recreational sports
  • The main entry lobby, a two-story volume, is centrally located between the basketball courts and a fitness area for weight equipment and aerobic machines
  • The mezzanine located above provides area for mechanical equipment, restrooms, and two multi-purpose group fitness rooms for aerobics classes
  • The third major area is a two-story structure utilized for fitness activities that has a transparent wall with a view to the west
  • The primary structural system consists of precast keystone joists supporting a concrete slab poured monolithically with the columns
  • Long span steel joists support a concrete slab on metal deck and are used to span across the basketball courts
  • DeSimone utilized a shallow foundation system and exterior walls of eight-inch masonry combined with glazed surfaces
  • A 13-story, 113,000 sf outpatient comprehensive cancer center
  • Includes radiation oncology, infusion therapy, diagnostic radiology and a large number of exam and consultation clusters for a variety of specialized cancer care medical staff
  • Major elements of the new ambulatory care center include screening and diagnostic services; multidisciplinary treatment centers; chemotherapy infusion
  • Also includes radiation oncology, and on-site radiation therapy including three linear accelerators: computerized tomography simulation; positron emission tomography; and other chemo-radiation therapies
  • The structural system consists of flat plate concrete construction utilizing perimeter shear wall cores for the lateral system
  • The slab thickness varies between 10 and 12 inches to accommodate 100 and 300 pound per sf live load conditions
  • Increased design loads are used to provide the tenant flexibility to change and relocate various types of medical equipment, including MRI and PET/CT units
  • A three-foot thick foundation mat at the cellar level supports three LINAC units
  • A 180,000 sf flat-plate concrete building, built to house the Law School residence hall at Columbia University
  • The 200 foot-tall, 17-story building offers students a high-tech dormitory
  • Addressing the ever-advancing needs of the student body via state-of-the-art telecommunications and kitchen amenities in each room
  • Sited on a steep hillside with a severe grade drop-off
  • The foundation design protects the basement from nine feet of storm-water runoff on the three uphill sides
  • The garden behind the dormitory features a rock sculpture carved from the same granite rock that supports the building
  • Awards:
    New York Construction Awards – Award of Merit, High-Rise Residential 2005
  • Located on Columbia University’s campus in Manhattan
  • A 12-story, 171,000 sf mixed-use building
  • Contains retail space, a K-8 school and Columbia University Faculty Housing
  • The combination of retail, school and residential created several design challenges
  • A complex zoning lot merger, transfer of air rights, and intensive public review process were required to gain the required approvals
  • Involves three distinct clients and a long list of specialty sub-consultants
  • The building is partially built above a two-story bank building, which was kept operational throughout the entire construction period
  • Awards:
    New York Construction Awards – Best of Merit/Mixed-Use 2003
  • Located on East 57th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues in New York City
  • A joint venture between the New York City Educational Construction Fund and private developers
  • Creates two new school facilities for PS 59 and the High School of Art and Design, as well as a residential tower, retail areas, and parking
  • Completed in three phases to allow for school facilities to remain in operation
  • Phase I involved the demolition of PS 59 and part of the High School of Art and Design
  • Also involved the design and construction of the two new schools

Awards

  • Engineering New Record (ENR) New York Regional Best Project Awards – Best K-12 Educational Project
  • Located at the edge of Yale University’s Campus in New Haven, Connecticut
  • Involves the design and construction of two new buildings
  • The main building provides a new Health Center that contains 147,000 sf
  • Includes Administration, Ambulatory Care, Diagnostic Treatment, Nursing, Support, and Public Spaces
  • The second building provides a 350-car parking garage that is shared by the Health Center and the adjacent Rose Center
  • The garage utilizes precast concrete construction
  • Located in Staten Island, New York
  • New York’s first net-zero energy school
  • Produces the same amount of energy as it uses, making it one of the most sustainable schools in the world
  • The first of its kind in the northeastern United States
  • The 77,000sf school contains classrooms, cafeteria, and a gymatorium program
  • Additionally, it includes indoor and outdoor gardens and exterior play yards

Awards

  • American Institute of Architects New York (AIA NY) Design Awards – COTE Environment Awards
  • The Architect’s Newspaper Best of Design Awards – Honorable Mention, Building of the Year
  • Architizer A+ Engineering Awards – Primary & High Schools Category Winner
  • Engineering News Record (ENR) Best New York Region Project Awards – Best Green Project
  • Society of American Registered Architects (SARA) New York Awards – Excellence Award
  • Staten Island Chamber of Commerce Building Awards – Best Green Project
  • Urban Land Institute New York (ULI NY) Awards – Excellence in Institutional Development
  • Urban Land Institute (ULI) Awards – Global Awards for Excellence, Finalist
  • A new Capacity Project for the School Construction Authority, located on 43rd Avenue in Queens
  • Consists of 130,000 sf of new space
  • Consists of five floors of instructional space located on levels one through five
  • Cafeteria, kitchen, lower lobby, gymnasium, gymatorium, and library are housed at the basement level
  • A combined school and dormitory stacked structure
  • Houses retail space, dormitory space, and academic space for a total of 325,610 gsf
  • Dissimilarities between the dormitory and academic program space planning require a complex structural transfer system be utilized at the interface of the two programs
  • A focal point building for the campus life of the New School
  • Serves as a model for sustainable design in New York City
  • LEED Gold-certified

Awards

  • American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC NY) – Platinum Award, Structural Systems
  • American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Committee on the Environment Awards – Top Green Project
  • American Institute of Architects (AIA) New York Design Awards – Architecture Merit Award
  • Concrete Industry Board Awards – Award of Merit
  • Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) Awards – Honors Winner
  • North American Copper in Architecture Award
  • Urban Land Institute (ULI) – Global Awards for Excellence, Finalist
  • Located in Union, New Jersey
  • A new five-story, 100,000 sf facility housing a Barnes and Noble branch on the ground floor
  • Houses various academic classrooms and department offices during the academic year
  • The spaces are designed to be used as conference space when classes are not in session
  • Also houses, the School of Design, including administrative offices and studio space
  • The roof accommodates outdoor event space, in addition to necessary mechanical support equipment

Awards

  • American Institute of Architects (AIA) Newark & Suburban Chapter Awards – Gold Prize
  • Engineering New Record (ENR) Best Project Awards – Winner, Safety Category
  • New Jersey Concrete and Aggregate Association (NJCAA) – Gold Prize, Educational Development
  • Located on East 144th Street in the Bronx, New York
  • Provides a new charter high school for those students coming from the KIPP middle schools throughout New York City
  • Provides 132,500 sf dedicated to offering high quality education free of charge to low-income students
  • Includes classrooms and laboratories to accommodate approximately 1,000 students, as well as gymnasium facilities, a library, and a large cafetorium
  • Fast-tracked to meet the Fall 2013 opening date