CS Interiors: An Otherworldly Welcome

MOODY BLUES Colored lighting sets the tone for

exploration at the Adler's new Welcome Gallery.

The Adler Planetarium has had folks stargazing since 1930, but when you enter its new Clark Family Welcome Gallery, you'll think the place just landed from a galaxy far, far away. Designed by Chicago architect Thomas Roszak, this anywhere-but-here space envelops visitors in a cocoon of fabric pulsing with colored light. A portal to the Grainger Sky Theatre, the otherworldly arena propels planetarium-goers away from the banality of the parking lot and primes their minds for the cosmological explorations ahead. Its voids and volumes expand and contract as one passes through - an experience meant to reflect the notion of space and time as a single phenomenon. "We researched a number of topics in cosmology and astronomy to find one we thought we could represent physically and spatially," says Roszak. "Ultimately, we used bands of fabric in alternating single and double layers to suggest slices of time."

Spun from a constellation of ellipsoids strung on a curved path, the Welcome Gallery seems to encourage people to wander, rather than make a beeline for the theatre. Roaming through it, visitors - willingly or not - play their own games with time and space. "We arranged the space so people would want to explore what's around each corner," notes the IIT adjunct professor and principal at Thomas Roszak Architecture. "It was all about generating a mood and creating a setting that takes you away from your everyday experiences." The question remaining is, are you ready to be transported?

Article from CS Interiors - Winter 2012
http://digital.modernluxury.com/publication/?i=96050&p=44

7RR, a green home by Thomas Roszak Architecture

Thomas Roszak Architecture and SteelGrass, an eco-design-build firm, have teamed up to design and build a new green and sustainable home on Chicago’s North Shore. The home’s design feels natural in the wooded lot and the plan’s axis rotates to take advantage of passive solar orientation. This house has many attributes of passive solar house design. Here are some additional eco-effective highlights:

At Home in Nature

With flexible, open living spaces flooded with filtered natural light and a carefully detailed arrangement of durable and energy efficient materials the green home provides a dynamic and comfortable environment made for longevity.

Green Highlights:

A) Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in

B) Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan

C) Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer

D) Open floor plan reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight

E) Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms.

F) Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers

G) Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste

H) Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated

I) Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%           

J) 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings

K) Super efficient windows have low E, argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames

L) Soy-based spray foam insulation boosts R-values by completing the building envelope seal

M) Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff

N) Countertops use recycled composite materials

O) Energy Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats

P) Furnaces are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss

Q) Energy star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water

R) Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are recommended to conserve water usage

S) No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality

T) Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use

U) Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems

V) A large food pantry to reduce trips to the grocery store

W) Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint

X) Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, no need to move as family members mature

For more information please call 312-423-7989 or email thomas@roszak.com

Click here to download a PDF with information about 7RR, a Green Home. 

Creating Exceptional Places to Live

As an architect and developer, I am constantly challenged with the idea of how to create exceptional places to live. Not just aesthetically pleasing homes, but homes that truly complement the owners’ lifestyles – both inside and out.

Each week, this blog will give you insight into how my team and I meet that challenge. In my nearly 20 years in this industry, I’ve found that the best solution is the one that’s the most simple and obvious. And I believe that philosophy is truly at the heart of creating an exceptional place to live – and hope people see it in our developments throughout the Chicagoland area and in Mesa, Ariz.

So thanks for joining me – I welcome your thoughts as we move forward.

Thomas Roszak
President, Roszak/ADC