The Seward Middle School project recently received an Award of Excellence from the American Concrete Institute -- Nebraska Chapter for its use of pre-cast concrete panels. Our design created patterns in the panels, and incorporated thin in-set bricks to give the building a dynamic yet strong appearance. These panels are a popular choice for schools because their efficient installation can help reduce construction time and costs.
Our design for the Farm Credit Services of America Corporate Office expansion has won a 2012 AIA Nebraska Honor Award for Detail, recognizing our use of light and brick to create unique effects on the building's facade.
"This project takes the predominant building material in this part of the world and really gives it life. Uses Nebraska light and almost makes it shimmer. It is simultaneously subtle yet strong," the jury noted.
The brick abstractly represents wind blowing through a wheat field. Two brick colors set at varying depths and orientation achieve this effect, providing an ever-changing pattern of shadows throughout the day over an abstract topography of fields. At certain times, the shadows create large circular forms, which reference the irrigation system pivot tracks unique to an aerial view of the agricultural landscape.
The building, located in Omaha, opened in late 2011.
Officially open in September, Union Plaza is Lincoln's new central park, created just east of the downtown area as part of the Antelope Valley flood control project.
The Clark Enersen Partners developed a design concept that expresses the nature and essence of water - and not just bodies of water such as lakes and rivers, but the different forms of water such as droplets, condensation, and snowflakes. We looked at the patterns water creates such as ripples, splashes and waves and also what water leaves behind- staining and sediment.
This concept was expressed in the park's details, such as planters that evoke water droplets and splashes and pavement patterns that represent dry stream beds and ripples. The flood control function of the park is also represented by a horizontal line on the retaining walls,and transcribed on the trails, showing the water height during a 100-year flood.
For more about our design concept, see http://lincolnparks.org/media/UPDESIGNCONCEPT.pdf.
Fans can get a better look at our design for Memorial Stadium - East Stadium Expansion during the Husker games at home this fall.
Blending tradition, a powerful fan presence and academic research, Memorial Stadium's East Stadium expansion encloses and builds upon the existing facade, adding 6,400 additional seats, consisting of 38 suites, club level balconies and a standing room balcony for 500. The new East Stadium will open to the public in August 2013. The Clark Enersen Partners designed the stadium expansion with HNTB, a leading consultant in sports facility design.
The Clark Enersen Partners also led design of UNL's new Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior, a world class brain imaging facility that will be located inside the East Stadium Expansion. The stadium site will support the center's partnership with UNL athletics to study the true effects of concussions, as well as a wide variety of behavioral research functions.
The sculpture "Groundwater Colossus" is being installed in Union Plaza, the new central park in Lincoln, Nebraska, designed by The Clark Enersen Partners.
The 10-foot tall sculpture by New York Artist James Tyler, known as "Groundwater Colossus," represents groundwater personified, specifically the Ogallala Aquifer. Recordings of water trickling and metallic sounds will emanate from inside the sculpture. A grand opening for the park is set for 5 p.m. Sept. 13.
Our design concept for the park expresses the nature of water in the park's details in the form of bollards, planters and pavement patterns that evoke water droplets, splashes and ripples. Groundwater themes also are represented in the fountains and public art.
To read about the sculpture and installation, see Click HERE. To read the artist's web site describing the project, Click HERE.
The Lincoln Journal Star recently profiled our firm's work on a study to beautify Lincoln's primary entrances.
The plan outlines open prairie grasslands, public art, and sweeping views of the Capitol, as well as treelined corridors, to beautify the northern entrances to Lincoln -- Interstate 180 and Cornhusker Highway. To read the newspaper article, Click HERE.
The Clark Enersen Partners recently delivered a presentation, "Doing More with Less (Energy)," for the annual KLA Conference. We described how we helped the Johnson County Library - Leawood Pioneer Branch Library expand their building by 70 percent, while lowering their gas and electricity bills 70-80 percent. We also dramatically improved their functionality and space. To review a PDF of the presentation, click HERE to download.
The Centennial Mall renovation has taken a great step forward, with the beginning of the official fundraising campaign.
Created in 1967 to honor the state's 100th birthday, Centennial Mall provides a grand vista of the Nebraska State Capitol, stretching seven blocks north to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. With three blocks open to traffic and four offering green spaces, the mall was designed to be a place where people could relax and enjoy fountains and a park-like setting in downtown Lincoln. However, over the years, its infrastructure and landscape plantings have become aged to the point of deteriorating.
The renovation will create a safer and more inviting mall, with plazas and green spaces, shooting water features, seating, a tree-lined walkway, and improved lighting and paving. The project also will address safety, liability and accessibility issues. In addition, the project will incorporate "green" strategies for addressing storm water management, energy use and natural resource utilization.
To read more about the project, see www.necentennialmall.org
The Sunken Gardens Renovation, designed by The Clark Enersen Partners, received the 2010 President's Award of Excellence from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Great Plains Chapter.
"The jury was very impressed with the attention to detail, and respect of the historic precedent. The balance of scale, definition of space, and creation of movement within the garden is remarkable." -- Jury comments.
This is the regional organization's highest annual honor for design. The project was completed in 2005. Landscape design awards are often considered in the years after completion to allow the landscape time to mature and develop.
The design of the Lancaster County Adult Detention Facility was honored by the national American Institute of Architecture.
The merit award from the AIA Academy of Architecture for Justice was presented to The Clark Enersen Partners of Lincoln, Neb. and PSA-Dewberry of Peoria, Ill. Positive attributes identified by the jury include a sensible floor plan, user functionality, constructability, and sustainability, as well as a design that reconciles complex security and multi-part circulation systems. The project was featured in the AIA Justice Facility Review, a sourcebook for best practices.
The new Lancaster County Adult Detention Facility is taking shape fast along West O Street in Lincoln. The facility, designed by The Clark Enersen Partners, utilizes prefabricated cell blocks and precast concrete panels, which result in timely and cost effective construction.
The individual cell blocks were manufactured in Texas, shipped by rail, and put in place by crane. Already outfitted with electrical wires and plumbing fixtures, the cells are designed for security with reinforced concrete, special windows and doors.
The jail is scheduled for completion in 2012. To read a Lincoln Journal Star article about the project, Click HERE. To see a live web cam of the progress,
Click HERE.
Gov. Dave Heineman has appointed Jennifer Klein, P.E., to the Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects. She will serve a five-year term.
Klein is a principal at The Clark Enersen Partners and serves on the firm's Board of Directors. As an electrical engineer, Klein designs lighting, power, fire alarm, and auxiliary systems. She frequently serves as lead electrical engineer, with direct supervisory responsibility for systems design. She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1996 and has worked at the firm for 14 years.
Created in 1937, the Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects is an 8-member assembly appointed by the governor to administer the Engineers and Architects Regulation Act. Its mission is to safeguard life, health, property and promote public welfare by overseeing the laws and rules governing the practice of engineering and architecture in the state.
In 2006, Klein was named Nebraska Young Engineer of the Year. A member of the Professional Engineers' Coalition (PEC), she has represented the coalition in legislative hearings. She is a past president of the Nebraska Society of Professional Engineers (NeSPE) and participates on the Joint Committee for Professional Practice, a group of NeSPE and AIA Nebraska members. Klein also serves on the board of the Spirit of Nebraska Council of the Girl Scouts of America.
American Libraries has featured the Cape Girardeau Public Library in its April 2010 architectural issue.
The Clark Enersen Partners transformed the library as part of an $8.7 million renovation that added 21,600 square feet and dramatically remodeled the existing 17,800 square feet.
The library was profiled in two categories: Themes and Styles, for its "style and panache," and Libraries At Night, for its striking nighttime appearance.
As part of the project, only the basic structure of the building was retained. Exteriors were re-clad in new masonry. Colors and shapes, inside and outside, evoke the community's heritage as a Mississippi River town. The library also appeared in the Library Journal magazine's 2009 Architectural Portfolio.
Lincoln has a rare treasure in the Sheldon Museum of Art, an elegant 1963 masterpiece by Philip Johnson. Johnson later won the first Pritzker Architecture Prize, which is often referred to as "the Nobel Prize for Architecture."
Recent small projects by The Clark Enersen Partners respect Johnson's vision. Our treatment of a railing replacement was saluted in a recent art column by Lincoln Journal Star critic L. Kent Wolgamott:
New railings fit building
"Kudos to the Sheldon design team for coming up with new stairway railings that perfectly fit the iconic Philip Johnson building. The early '60s railings had to be replaced to meet contemporary building and safety codes. The replacement structure uses clear glass, continuing the unobstructed view of the Great Hall intended by the architect, and the new railings reprise the square, gold shape and color of the originals. Very well done."
The new Hastings Middle School was featured in American School & University magazine's 2009 Architectural Portfolio.
The school was named an Outstanding Design in the middle school category and was one of seven honored. Built for $115 per square foot, it was one of the most economical schools featured.
The Clark Enersen Partners achieved the school's quality yet cost-effective exterior by devising a new way to use pre-cast panels. Organizationally, the school features "pods" containing the core classes for each grade level. As each grade level has its own entrance, the site was carefully organized to promote efficient and safe traffic flow. The design also incorporates natural daylighting.
The Cape Girardeau Public Library was recently featured in Library Journal magazine. In 2009, The Clark Enersen Partners transformed the library as part of an $8.7 million renovation that added 21,630 square feet and dramatically remodeled the existing 17,800 square feet.
Only the basic structure of the existing building was retained. The exteriors were entirely re-clad in new masonry. Colors and shapes, inside and outside, subtly recall the community's heritage as a Mississippi River town.
The Clark Enersen Partners has earned an AIA Nebraska 2009 Honor Award for Detail for its innovative use of materials at the new Hastings Middle School.
The jury praised the "Exceptionally rich details created from a limited palette, a standardized construction process, and reuse of reclaimed materials."
The project called for a distinctive facility to be built on a short time frame and limited budget. Working closely with a local concrete fabricator, The Clark Enersen Partners developed a new method to create artistically patterned precast concrete panels. At ground level, the panels feature colorful bricks, which the designers hand-picked at a brickyard. The thin bricks also are used in the interiors, which feature bright finishes and abundant natural light.
The Honor designation is the top tier of the annual awards presented by AIA Nebraska, a society of The American Institute of Architects. This year more than 70 entries were submitted.
The Clark Enersen Partners Offers "Green Building" Expertise in Every Specialization
The Clark Enersen Partners is proud to announce that 14 of its design professionals have recently achieved LEED accreditation. This credential demonstrates their expertise in environmentally sustainable building, from design through the application and certification process.
The Lincoln-based firm offers "green" ingenuity in each of its design disciplines.
To be LEED accredited, professionals must pass in-depth exams on the latest designs and technologies to conserve energy and natural resources.
This commitment to innovative design reflects The Clark Enersen Partner's core values - collaboration, service, integrity, relevance and sustainability.
Founded in 1946, the firm offers architecture, engineering, planning, landscape architecture and interior design. The holistic approach allows the best ideas from each discipline to be integrated at the earliest stages of design, and ensures that all practical and aesthetic elements blend together seamlessly.
The new Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professionals are Andrea Anderson, Rajeev Bajpeyi, Jeff Chadwick, Matt Glawatz, Evan Gunn, Jason Meier, Karen Nalow, Kristi Nohavec, Rob Olson, Eric Pavey, Nick Pischel, Tim Ripp, TJ Schirmer, and Stacy Spale.
Andrea Anderson, an architectural designer, works in the firm's Kansas City, Missouri office. She earned a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln in 2007. She has been with the firm for two years. Recent project include the new Science Building at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota, a project expected to be certified LEED Silver.
Rajeev Bajpeyi, an architectural designer, works in the Lincoln office and has been with the firm for nearly two years. Recent projects include Bruner Hall at the University of Nebraska-Kearney; the Christ Lutheran Church additions and renovations, the Offutt Air Force Base gate; Lancaster County Adult Detention Facility and the Farm Credit Services of America corporate office expansion.
Jeff Chadwick is a Principal of the firm. An architect, he has been with The Clark Enersen Partners for 17 years. His efforts have helped the firm win many design awards. Recent projects include the new Assurity Center, the Farm Credit Services of America corporate office expansion in Omaha, and the Friend Public Schools addition and renovation. He also provided architectural design for the Sunken Gardens, the Farm Credit Services of America corporate office, and new Hastings Middle School. He is a member of the Council of Educational Facilities Planners International.
Matt Glawatz is an architectural designer at the Lincoln office, and an Associate for the firm. He was responsible for design and documentation of the Arbor Day Foundation Corporate Headquarters remodel, the WRK Kinport Facade Replacement at 12th and P streets, the 8th Street Sawmill Dock, and the new Fiserv. (former ITI) Building 4, all in Lincoln; and the Leawood Pioneer Branch Library at Leawood, Kan. He is working on the new Lancaster County Adult Detention Facility. In addition, he is the incoming Regional Associate Director for AIA Central States (IA, KS, MO, NE, OK).
Evan Gunn, an architectural designer, has been with the firm for four years. Highlights of his recent work include the Farm Credit Services of America corporate office expansion in Omaha and the Nucor Detailing Center in Norfolk.
Jason Meier, a landscape architect, is leading the firm's new Overland Park, Kansas, office. A Kansas native, he has completed award-winning projects across the Midwest. His skills range from marketing and community engagement to landscape architecture design, master planning, and project management.
Karen Nalow has been with The Clark Enersen Partners for six years, and also was a former intern. She is working on Union Plaza, the new park along the Antelope Valley channel. She is a member of ASLA, the American Society of Landscape Architects, and a board member of UNL Garden Friends.
Kristi Nohavec, who is both a professional engineer and a registered architect, has been with the firm for 15 years. Recent projects include the Lancaster County Adult Detention Facility, the Fiserv. (former ITI) building in Lincoln, the Lincoln East High School renovation and addition, and the new Hastings Middle School. She is on the Architectural Foundation of Nebraska board of directors, and is the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Nebraska Chapter's 2009 President-elect.
Rob Olson is a Principal and is on the firm's board of directors. An architect, he has been with the firm for 31 years. He has been the project manager for the new Assurity Center, and Ameritas corporate office remodel, both in Lincoln, Doane College's Chab Weyers Education and Hixson Lied Art Building in Crete, and the Farm Credit Services of America corporate office in Omaha.
Eric Pavey is a construction administrator and has been with the firm for seven years. Highlights include Doane College's Chab Weyers Education and Hixson Lied Art Building, the Nucor Detailing Center, the Falls City Public Library, and Christ Lutheran Church addition in Lincoln.
Nick Pischel, an architect, has been with the firm for two years. Recent projects include the Fiserv. office building, the Christ Lutheran Church Multipurpose Room and School Addition, the Lancaster County Adult Detention Facility, and StarTran shelters and storage facility, all in Lincoln; the master plan for Peace Lutheran Church in Waverly, and the Farm Credit Services of America corporate office expansion.
Tim Ripp is a Principal and is on the board of directors for the firm. An architect, he is director of the firm's construction administration department. He has been with The Clark Enersen Partners for 15 years. Tim also is a member of the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI). School projects include additions and renovations to Lincoln High School and East High School, West Holt Public Schools, and Friend Public Schools. Other highlights include the UNL North Stadium Expansion and Sunken Gardens Renovation.
TJ Schirmer is a Senior Principal for The Clark Enersen Partners. An electrical engineer, he has worked for the firm for 13 years. Recent projects include the Lincoln High and Lincoln East High School renovations, the Lancaster County Adult Detention Facility, and the new Assurity Center. Schirmer also worked on the EPA Region 7 Science and Technology Center in Kansas City, which was the first EPA lab to be LEED Gold Certified.
Stacy Spale, interior designer, has been with the firm for two years. Highlights include the Nucor Detailing Center, the Cape Girardeau Public Library in Missouri, Bruner Hall at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, the West Holt Public School Addition and Remodel, and the Fiserv. office building.
The LEED credential is administered by the Green Building Certification Institute and recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council.
