Insulation, insulation, insulation!

Posted on September 18, 2012 by mark

What started out as a very poor insulation for a roof in a cold climate (R 19 batts in a 2×6 rafter bay, largely fallen down in the past 70 years) is being made over as a model of energy saving performance. In this photo you can see the polyisocyanurate nail base beginning to be installed. From the inside 5 1/2″ of polyurethane spray foam will be applied to seal any air leaks and raise the overall R-value to R49! This house is similar to the 1940’s era housing stock we find all over Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs.

KDNK Community Access Radio

Posted on August 24, 2012 by mark

KDNK membership drive

The first of the LP shelves that we built for KDNK have been populated and are in use!

Confluence Architecture has also offered a “business challenge grant” for the fall membership drive. Which is basically a matching funds pledge with a $300 cap.

Please consider giving to your community public access radio!

www.kdnk.org

Deep Energy Retrofit

Posted on August 9, 2012 by mark

Here at Confluence Architecture we have been working on a couple of “gut-rehab” “deep energy retrofit” projects. Now is an exciting time because they are turning the corner- demolition is over and construction has begun! This house located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado had serious summer over-heating problems. The photo shows new properly sized overhangs on the south.

Community Service Part 2

Posted on August 8, 2012 by angela

Another project benefiting from the Confluence Architecture summer of service is the KDNK community radio station. Mark (as a board member) has been assisting KDNK with plans to upgrade its building. A project the whole Confluence team volunteered for is the design and construction of record shelves to get KDNK’s extensive vinyl collection out of the attic and next to the studio.

Architect works power tools . . .

Shelf parts awaiting assembly

Prototype under testing

Community Service

Posted on August 2, 2012 by angela

This building needs some love . . .

Confluence Architecture has been donating a day a week to community architecture work this summer. One beneficiary of this work was the SportPlex park in Carbondale. Confluence Architecture worked with the Town of Carbondale, RE-1 school district, Rich Camp Landscape Architect, and Carbondale Commissioner Elizabeth Murphy to update a disused playground and a bath storage building into a lively multi-use sport and play center. Confluence Architecture headed up the remodel of the bathroom and storage building. Our design brought the bathroom up to code, added heat to a previously seasonal building, and increased lighting and heating efficiency. Phase 2 will reside the building and possibly include design charettes with the middle school to get students involved with the new look. The SportsPlex phase one broke ground the last week of July.

Ideas for renewed bathroom building:

Cat Architecture

Posted on July 26, 2012 by angela

Confluence Architecture has been thinking up ideas for cat architecture, ie good cat furniture for years. Mainly at the prompting of office cats – Rory and Walt. Rory, AKA active cat, always helps with drafting. Walter, AKA passive cat, can always find the best sunny spot for a nap and is our in-house Quality Control for passive solar design.

Active Cat

Passive Cat

Carbondale Council on the Arts and Humanities (CCAH) and Colorado Animal Rescue (C.A.R.E.) collaborated on a show of animal furniture by architects in July. The BowHaus show spawned Cat’s Cradle – a scratchilious sofa table/cat perch.