Leading Young Architects at the District Architecture Center

The District Architecture Center has been hosting a series of classes geared towards future generations of architects. Last weekend we helped this new generation by teaching the “Site Concepts and Design” workshop. Led by Oksana Ramos, Alex Barker, and Emily Margulies of Cunningham | Quill Architects, the class was geared towards learning the fundamentals of schematic design.

Oksana, Alex, and Emily teaching the "Site Concepts & Design" class for the Young Architects series.

Twenty-six students participated in this unique learning event, where they explored an actual site for their proposed restaurant. Using the Naval Heritage Center site in Penn Quarter, students were able to measure and document the location of their restaurant. They oriented the site along the cardinal directions, took measurements, and noted important features. After measuring, the students returned to the Center to create a design concept with programming to accommodate indoor and outdoor seating, the kitchen, restrooms, and the entry/reception area.

Emily helping a group of children measure and document the Penn Quarter Site.

Oksana, Emily, and Alex helped the young participants build models of their restaurants, encouraging their creativity along the way. When the children finished their models, they had the opportunity to place them in a larger model of the site.

Two brothers in the class show off their completed restaurant models.

Students were able to learn about the relationship between a building’s surroundings and interior spaces, ultimately learning how the different parts of a building come together.

19th Annual DCBIA Community Improvement Day

After months of planning, the District of Columbia Building Industry Association (DCBIA) hosted their 19th Annual Community Improvement Day on October 1st at the Marvin Gaye Recreation Center in Northeast DC. Cunningham | Quill's Heather Daley, AIA, LEED-AP, was one of this year’s Co-Chairs for the event, along with Steve Hawryluk of James G. Davis Construction Corporation.

The focal point of the interior renovation to the rec center is a mural of Marvin Gaye.

Over 500 volunteers gave their time on Saturday to help the community of Capitol Heights improve their park. Projects included a complete interior renovation to the recreation center, cleaning the entire site, upgrading the baseball and sports fields by adding terraced seating, creating outdoor classrooms and shade pavilions, and unifying the landscape with new plantings and a paved pathway.

Outdoor pavilions serve as classrooms for the many summer programs at the rec center.

DC Mayor Vincent Gray was on hand to commemorate the project by cutting the ceremonial ribbon during the mid-day break. The Mayor was joined by Merrick Malone, President of DCBIA; Amin Muslim, Director of Constituent Services from Ward 7 Council Member Yvette Alexander's office; Gary Ball, Co-Chair of the DCBIA Community Services Committee, a representative from the DC Department of Parks and Recreation; and the Co-Chairs for the Event, Heather Daley and Steve Hawryluk.

The ribbon cutting. L-R: Gary Ball, Merrick Malone, Mayor Vincent Gray, Heather Daley, Amin Muslim.

Cunningham | Quill Architects has been proud to be involved with DCBIA's Community Improvement Day for the last seven years.

Cunningham | Quill volunteers at the end of the event.

Planning for the DCBIA Community Improvement Day

Every year, the District of Columbia Building Industry Association (DCBIA) hosts an annual event known as Community Improvement Day. For the last seven years, Cunningham | Quill Architects has been involved in the design and planning of the event, with two staff members also serving as co-chairs for the past three years. Utilizing the skills of local building industry professionals and local community members, the event attracts 300-400 volunteers for the day-of activities.

Existing Marvin Gaye Recreation Center

This year’s Community Improvement Day is at the Marvin Gaye Recreation Center in Northeast DC. The local community and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation are very excited to partner with DCBIA to improve the Center and expand the programs there. For the last few months, our design team and other local designers have been working to develop ideas for beautification and program spaces.

On-Site Design Charrette

If you’re interested in learning more, volunteering, or donating materials for the event, please see the DCBIA Community Improvement Day page.