Looking back on our Design-Build project / May 9, 2022 by Gregory Upwall

This story was written by Carter Hartong, associate content marketing writer for Vectorworks Inc. Read more from Hartong and Vectorworks on Planet Vectorworks.

"Hundreds of hundreds of years ago, when they were building the monumental cathedrals, all architects were design-builders," said Greg Upwall, principal architect for Studio Upwall Architects.

Every architect was on the project site, helping make decisions. They were not just tucked away into an office, as Upwall continued to explain: "Around the turn of the century, there began to be a separation between the architect and the builder." No such separation exists in a design-build project, however. In design-build the architect assumes a role like the European cathedral builders. The architect oversees all aspects of the project, from design to final product.

view of the completed design-build AIA award winning project on the hillside — view of the completed project on the hillside

In 2009, while teaching at the Academy of Art University's School of Architecture, Upwall undertook his first design-build project with the help of five students.

The learning opportunity, a backyard home office in San Anselmo, California, was "wonderful" for Upwall and his students because of its small scale. "It worked so well because it was for homeowners, it was in their backyard, and we weren't involving multi-million-dollar bank financing."

The iterative design process of the project was also an excellent chance for Upwall's students to learn more about architectural design. "Design-build takes your designs and your drawings to a much greater level of detail. Because you're drawing something and then testing it out," said Upwall, "it allows you to be comprehensive in your process. You can design, make adjustments, and then get to the best result."

view of the finished award winning design-build project from above — view of the finished project from above

Another interesting aspect of the home office is that it was an off-site, prefabricated build. According to the Whole Building Design Guide, off-site construction is “the process of planning, designing, fabricating, transporting, and assembling building elements for rapid site assembly to a greater degree of finish than in traditional piecemeal on-site construction.”

Upwall and the students constructed the wall, roof, and floor modules on the Academy of Art University campus, taking advantage of a large, well-lit, and climate-controlled setting. "Prefabrication is a far superior way to build something if you do it right," said Upwall. "It allows you to be much more precise."

Once the pieces of the office were built, they were transported to the site and assembled. Like so many other elements of Upwall's design practice, this process was a sustainable one, greatly reducing the overall build's impact on the site location as well as carbon emissions that come with a traditional construction process.

The design-build team at the completion celebration

As you can see, Upwall and his students' final product is stunning both inside and out.

The 120 sq. ft structure balances contradictions like an experienced tight rope walker. It's composed of two cubes, giving it a modern quality. But the office also fits in seamlessly across the rolling hills of the surrounding environment.

The interior, also designed by Upwall and his students, balances efficiency and durability as well. Recycled denim insulation, LED lighting systems, and Low-E insulated glazing were used. But what's truly the most impressive balancing act of the project was the variety of roles the six contributing designers had to take on. They were architects, builders, and adopters of a modern design philosophy.

The finished AIA award winning design-build project as viewed from the patio below — The finished project as viewed from the patio below

The design-build project still informs how Studio Upwall Architects approaches design to this day. “The design-build project gave an opportunity to better understand construction assemblies and waterproofing detailing, which allowed us to draw upon this knowledge when developing construction drawings for projects coming out of our office,” said Upwall.

Sunny Acres Residence / October 27, 2021 by Gregory Upwall

Moab, Utah is known for its phenomenal sandstone formations and vast open space for outdoor activities. The clients came to us with this site set amidst the beauty of the desert landscape surrounded by panoramic views. When we first visited the site we were awestruck by the beauty and grandeur of the red rock cliffs, valleys, and canyons that create a stunning and magnificent setting to behold.

There are certain projects where the relationship to the site is essential and this project was certainly one of them. The 2,000 sq. ft. home is simple in function and form with an asymmetrical gable roof volume that is extruded along the main axis of the house to form an exterior shroud that protects the interior spaces from the harsh desert climate. The orientation of the house on the site aligns with the sun’s path. The long axis of the house is focused to the east toward the point where the sun rises over the La Sal Mountains and to the west where the sun sets over the southern Utah cliffs. The common living, cooking and dining space of the house is located within this volume, allowing occupants to experience the sunlight as it moves through the space throughout the day.

The material selected as cladding for the large exterior extruded roof form is a natural steel panel that is allowed to rust on the surface, creating a patina and pattern that references the red-orange sandstone cliffs. Weathered wood boards are placed around the doors and windows providing a similar but softer texture in the areas where one enters the house. The concrete floor slab is continuous from the interior to the exterior to reinforce the sense of continuity from inside to outside.

The southern wall, punctuated with a series of glass doors and windows designed to provide a connection to the landscape and panoramic views, is set in under the deep overhang of the roof to deliver shade in the hottest months. There is a hidden loft set at the top of the volume accessed by a simple ladder that offers an ideal space for reading and reflection. The bedrooms and bathrooms are all aligned along the lower north side of the house that has smaller horizontal windows to create view portals while retaining a sense of intimacy and privacy.

Sustainable strategies played an important role in the design of the house. Studio Upwall collaborated with Eco Logic Design-Build who specializes in high-performance construction. They were able to minimize the environmental impact of the house by using structurally insulated panel construction, energy recovery ventilation, radiant floor heating, etc.

The garage building, designed as a similar volume as the main house was clad in the same patina steel panels.

Photos and Interior design by: City Home Collective

DC Rowhouse Renovation - Finishing the Interior / May 29, 2020 by Gregory Upwall

With the exterior of the house mostly complete our focus turned (finally) to interior finishes. It is at this stage that we finally get to start to see the inside come to life. It all starts with drywall (the technical name is gypsum board). The drywall was installed by a crew of about 6-7 guys, and they had the entire house done in less than a week. Next came tile. We selected simple and classic tile from Dal-Tile that was not a budget breaker, but that still gives a clean modern look to the bathrooms. Our tile setter worked for about 2 weeks personally setting each tile and working his way through each of the three bathrooms.

Next came the installation of the hardwood flooring and stair treads. Once installed they were sanded, stained and finished. After considering many different options we decided to go with select grade solid white oak (which has no knots) in five inch width. For the stain we chose a light grey that allows the beauty of the wood grain to show while still giving a lighter more modern feel to the space. Once the stain and finish coat were on we had to keep everyone out of the house for three days to allow the floors time to dry and cure.

view showing the underside of the white oak stair treads (the tops are covered and protected)

For the stair treads we worked with The Stair Guys, based in Hanover, Pennsylvania. We were very happy we found them – they are real craftsman who took the time to custom fit each stair tread and riser in place. Next came the interior doors and trim followed by cabinets, countertops, plumbing and lighting fixture installation, and finally paint. For the cabinets we worked with District Cabinets and were very happy with their collaboration and attention to our project. After a long journey, we finally have reached the point where we can call the house complete – and we are pleased with the result.

the basement floor finished, and covered to protect it during the final painting

DC Rowhouse Renovation - Energy Saving Measures – Solar Panels: / November 20, 2019 by Gregory Upwall

View of the newly installed solar panels.

We worked with the team at Solar Solution for the design and installation of the rooftop solar photovoltaic system through the DC Solar Solution Program. The staff at Solar solution was able to provide an assessment of the available roof area and determine the optimal layout to maximize the configuration to achieve the maximum number of panels and the optimized power output of the system. Even on our very small roof they were able to install (14) 340 Watt panels, resulting in a 4.76 KW system.

They also handle all of the tax credits and the SRECs (Solar Renewable Energy Credits). Under the program we got an upfront SREC credit that covered 70% of the system cost. We had to pay for the remaining 30% of the system cost, BUT that will be refunded to us with our 2019 Federal Income tax returns as a Federal Income Tax credit. Meaning the final cost to us for the system will be zero dollars – that’s right, free.

The installation required no penetrations of the roof membrane since the solar panels are installed onto a racking system that is simply ballasted to the roof and is designed not to damage the roof membrane.

After the installation of the panels Solar Solution’s electrician installed the control box on the exterior wall (directly below the panels) that was then connected to the main electrical panel for the house. The final step will be for Pepco to install the new Net Energy Meter that will allow for tracking of both energy used and energy produced by the house. We will be able to monitor the energy production compared to the energy used in real time via an app on our phones. We are very excited to be able to start monitoring the output of the energy panels to see how much of the energy use of the house can be offset by the on-site solar production.

DC Rowhouse Renovation - Energy Saving Measures - Air Sealing & Insulation: / October 14, 2019 by Gregory Upwall

Current building science research has discovered that the air tightness of the building envelope is very important to a building’s energy performance, thermal and moisture control, and indoor comfort. But most conventionally built buildings are sorely lacking in terms of air tightness, and this is particularly true for old brick buildings. Brick construction is not an inherently air-tight assembly, and in traditional masonry construction the wall assembly consisted of several whythes of bricks joined together with mortar. On this house the front wall was built with a better quality fine brick with tight thin mortar joints, while the side and rear walls were built from common brick with larger looser mortar joints. This was common practice for the side and rear walls of the rowhouse construction where the mortar often has gaps between the bricks.

We hired Mid Atlantic AeroBarrier to perform the air sealing of the building. The process they use involved pressurizing the house and the emitting a vaporized sealant into the space. The sealant product the use is GreenGuard certified for low chemical emissions. The high pressure in the house causes the sealant to collect at the small cracks and seams as the air is escaping. As the sealant collects at the cracks they are gradually sealed and the building becomes tighter. The guys at Mid Atlantic AeroBarrier ran the process for about 2 ½ hours. When they started the pressurized house registered an air leakage rate of 11.41 air changes per hour (ACH). After 2 ½ hours their process had reduced the air leakage rate to 1.68 air changes per hour (ACH) – resulting in an 85.3% reduction in the air leakage of the building envelope! We could see visible areas where joints and cracks had filled with the escaping sealant. This is a simple yet ingenious process that seals the entire envelope including tiny joints that would not otherwise be able to be accessed.

After the air sealing was complete, we were able to turn our attention to insulation. Since we have no attic we needed to achieve the maximum insulation values in the roof framing cavities as possible. We decided to go with closed cell spray foam as the first layer. 3” of foam was installed on the underside of the roof sheathing and 1” of foam was installed along the inside of the exterior walls. The remainder of the roof and wall framing cavities were filled with batt insulation. This gave us an R-51 at the roof and an R-20 in the exterior walls. This strategy of installing spray foam on the interior of the sheathing and then filling the remainder of the framing cavity with batt insulation is commonly referred to as “flash & batt” and draws on the inherent air sealing capacity of the spray foam as it expands and fills voids and cracks. The batt insulation is flexible and installs quickly to fill the balance of the framing cavities. With these air sealing and the insulation measures complete we are looking forward to improved energy efficiency, enhanced indoor noise control and thermal comfort. We think that it will all be well worth it when those bitter cold winter nights arrive.

This image shows the wall cavities with the layer of closed-cell spray foam applied.

new of the upper level showing the layer of closed-cell spray foam applied to the underside of the roof sheathing and to the interior of the wall sheathing.

This view shows the batt insulation installed in the wall cavities. Notice the white caulk joints and spray foam around the door frame that was installed as part of the air-sealing.

View at the upper level showing the batt insulation completed at the roof and wall cavities. (Also pictured: the drywall has been delivered and is ready to install).

DC Rowhouse Renovation - Exterior finishes / September 16, 2019 by Gregory Upwall

For the exterior of this house we wanted to select finishes that would differentiate the original building from the new addition while still creating a complimentary juxtaposition. Thankfully, we were able to complete the installation of the exterior wall cladding and painting of brick walls in time before the winter season set in. The exterior of the house had been painted with many layers over the years and was badly flaking. We used a product by Prosoco to strip off the old paint. Then patched up any areas where the mortar had come loose. For the paint we chose Sherwin Williams masonry primer and their premium exterior acrylic paint in a flat finish.

For the exterior on the new 3rdstory and rear additions we chose custom metal panels that were fabricated according to our drawings in Galvalume. The panels are designed to clip together and were installed starting at the lowest course with each successive course clipping the course below - as they are installed. The design for the staggered horizontal rows was conceived to mimic coursing and stacking of masonry, but in this case expressed in an abstracted manner with a more modern material. We felt that this allowed for the original house to remain visually distinct from the new while still complimenting each other. The same metal was used to cover the fascia band around the perimeter of the roof edge. We wanted to avoid using many different cladding materials, and instead chose a mono-chromatic pallette to give the house a more cohesive and less fragmented look.

The metal cladding was installed over a flexible weather barrier manufactured by Pro-Clima that is specially suited for installation below metal cladding The product, called Solitex UM, combines a flexible vapor open membrane with an extruded “3d mesh” that is integrated on the exterior surface and creates an air space behind the metal cladding to allow any trapped moisture to dry from behind the panels.

The exterior brick being primed after the old paint had been removed and the mortar had been re-pointed

The front of the house was meticulously stripped using a masonry stripping agent (And lot’s of manual scraping). The cornice trim and frieze are all the original tin which was stripped and repainted by hand.

View showing the front facade with the primer coat in place.

View from the front showing the finish coat of paint on the masonry and the metal cladding on the upper addition.

This view from the rear shows the metal cladding still being installed along the east wall.

View from the rear showing the metal cladding in place including the upper band of fascia along the roof edge.

DC Rowhouse Renovation - Mechanical, Plumbing & Electrical rough-ins / August 1, 2019 by Gregory Upwall

This photo shows the Mitsubishi indoor “ducted mini-split” unit on the 3rd floor. These units are slim so the unit and the ductwork can all be run below the ceiling to save floor space.

Now that we have reached the point where we can keep the weather out (see previous post: “Dried-in” - at last) and move more easily from floor to floor (see previous post “Focusing on the inside: getting from floor to floor“) our priority has shifted to the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing system “rough-ins”. Rough-in is the term that refers to all of the wiring, ductwork, and piping that will get concealed behind the drywall and hidden from view, but that is critical to the function and comfort. Each of these three systems (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) requires a separate licensed contractor who has the technical expertise and knowledge of the code requirements related to their trade. Since this project is a comprehensive renovation, all of the components of these systems will be new which allows for the entire house to be brought up to meet contemporary code requirements and will result in increasing the reliability and safety of the house.

The new electrical system for the house is fairly typical except for the fact that we will be installing a rooftop solar PV system (more on that in an upcoming post). As for the plumbing, the new system is also fairly typical except that we chose soldered copper pipes for the water lines instead of the cheaper and increasingly popular “pex” plastic plumbing lines. Copper is certainly more expensive but we think it is worth it.

The Mechanical system that we went with is less typical (and more expensive) but has several advantages that influenced our decision. Most homes are heated and cooled with a fully ducted system that is connected to a central furnace and air conditioner. While this type of system is the most common system in US homes it does have its drawbacks - the first of which is space. In a house as small as this one every square foot matters. Devoting space for a furnace and for ductwork to run from floor to floor would have meant less living space. We also wanted a system that would allow for the temperature to be controlled on each floor as a separate zone. This is possible with a single central furnace/AC but not necessarily easy.

This shows the indoor mini-split unit on the 2nd floor which was installed over the closet which allowed for the ceilings in the living area to remain at full height

The system that we chose is referred to as a “ducted mini-split” system. It uses all electric fan-coil units on the interior (one on each floor) that are all connected to a condenser/heat pump unit on the exterior. Between the outdoor units and the indoor units there is no ductwork, only small flexible refrigerant lines and electrical lines. The ducting only runs between each individual indoor unit to the adjacent spaces on the floor where the unit is located – and it can all be routed along the ceiling since there is no ducting from floor to floor.

The individual indoor units will allow for the temperature to be adjusted by zone since each unit each has its own thermostat and can be controlled independently (just one unit can be run at a time or all four can be run simultaneously). Even though we chose this system mostly due to the space that it saved, we also like the flexibility and variability offered by the controls and the configuration of this type of a system.

Also, since the system is all electric there is no need to vent flue gases from a furnace. And an all-electric system seemed much more attractive since we will be installing solar so we will be able to offset our electrical use with the energy that will be generated from the solar panels.

DC Rowhouse Renovation - Focusing on the inside: getting from floor to floor / May 3, 2019 by Gregory Upwall

View showing the main “stringers” in place

View showing tread support angles and secondary stringers in place

The complete steel structure for the stairway with the temporary treads in place

With the house now protected from the elements we can start to focus on the inside. A first priority was getting the new interior stairs built so we can get from floor to floor without climbing ladders (finally). Since the stairway is designed as a focal point in the new house we spent time considering different options for the right material, evaluating each in terms of time required, appearance and budget. In the end, in order to achieve the look we wanted, we decided to use a custom fabricated steel design for the structural portions of the stairway and hardwood stair treads for the steps that will combine to give a modern look while the wood stairs will still give a warmer more residential feel to the stair. In order to keep fabrication and material costs from getting excessive (which can easily happen with custom steel fabrication), we chose to detail it with more readily available steel shapes, and detail the parts in a way to keep the fabrication and material costs lower than other similar custom steel fabrications.

This is detailed and time-consuming work that requires focus and accuracy since each piece of steel must be cut and welded to the correct size and configuration in order for the stair to function properly and meet code requirements. From our three-dimensional BIM model of the house, we were able to develop detailed drawings with very precise dimensions that our steel fabricator used to build the stairs from.

With the steel frame in place we have installed temporary wood treads for now that will remain in place while the remainder of the heavy construction gets completed. The temporary steps are a great strategy since they don’t need to be protected during the remaining construction phases. With this strategy the temporary stairs can take a beating and we don’t have to worry about them. The temporary wood treads don’t need to be precise or fine quality wood since they will eventually be replaced with the final hardwood treads that we will finish to match the hardwood flooring in the house. Once we get to the finishing phases of the project we will have the steel finished and painted and the final hardwood treads and handrail installed and sanded and finished. Can’t wait to see the finished product!

DC Rowhouse Renovation - Focusing on the inside: The new basement slab / March 28, 2019 by Gregory Upwall

Laying the under-slab insulation over the drainage gravel

Notice the white radiant tubing in-place above the steel bars

Now that we can turn our focus to the inside of the house we can start to think about the quality of the indoor environment that we aim to create. An important early consideration is in the design of the very floor that will separate our living space from the earth on which the house sits. As we prepared to install the new concrete slab in the basement there were important considerations in what went in place beneath the slab. After the old concrete floor was broken up and removed we had the contractor lay down a layer of gravel to cover the exposed soil. The gravel remained in place in the intervening months while we were focused on the rough framing and on getting the rest of house dried-in. But now with those important steps complete, we could finally focus on getting the new slab in place.

In years past concrete floors were poured directly on top of the soil, but today we have learned that this is not a good idea. Since concrete is a porous material and not a good insulator, both moisture and heat can pass through the slab, and need to be addressed in order to keep the house comfortable and dry. We were lucky in this location since the site is well drained and we did not have any issues with groundwater in this part of the city.

As a side note, we cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of addressing groundwater issues if they do exist, before installing any new interior concrete slabs or finishes. If you are in a location with high water-table or where signs of any prior flooding or water seepage have been witnessed, these need to be addressed and corrected, otherwise water and moisture can become a recurring problem that can lead to mold and mildew forming inside the house. Groundwater issues are generally best addressed by a civil engineer with experience in dealing with site drainage and groundwater issues. Commonly applied techniques for preventing water from entering basements and foundations include installing foundation drainage trenches and piping below the slab, and the installation of a properly sized sump pump. You should consult with a civil engineer if any ground water issues are present on a project.

View showing reinforcing steel bars (“re-bar”) and vapor barrier installed over the foam insulation

View showing foam insulation along edge of slab

Since water was not a problem on this project we were able to install the new concrete without any foundation drains or sump pump. But even without active groundwater issues moisture is present in the soil and the temperature of the soil is considerably colder than our indoor temperature will be in winter. To address the moisture in the soil, our continuous layer of gravel will serve to percolate moisture away from the bottom of the slab. And to address the heat loss we installed a three inch layer of high-density foam insulation board (making sure that it was carefully fitted to create a tight and continuous layer) over the top of the gravel. Then we installed a layer of heavy mil plastic film over the top of the foam to help keep any moisture from passing through from the ground into the interior of the house.

We also had our plumber install the flexible tubing for radiant hydronic heating of the slab. It is important for this tubing to be laid in a uniform pattern to ensure uniform distribution of heat in the slab. With all of these measures in place the contractor could finally order the concrete and pour the slab. In this case they chose to mix the concrete directly on site since the access to the site was too narrow to bring a ready-mix truck in, and also because we developed our own custom mix for the concrete. For this project we plan to leave the concrete exposed as the final finished floor in the basement, and we wanted something a bit more distinctive than a common concrete slab. So we purchased special white colored Portland cement and a smaller washed gravel for our concrete mix. During the final finishing phases of the project we will have the surface of the slab ground and polished with a special floor sander and then sealed with a clear sealer. We have installed a similar floor on other projects and it has turned out nice. But since each mix and batch of concrete can vary we will not know that exact appearance that we’ll get until the end when we have the floor sander on site. We are excited to see how it will turn out and hopeful that we’ll be pleased with the result!

DC Rowhouse Renovation - “Dried-in” (at last) / February 7, 2019 by Gregory Upwall

view from alley: old windows are being filled in and opening for glass block is being prepared

The guys un-packing the windows during the window install

view showing the alley side wall partially re-pointed and the new opening for the glass block being prepared

view from the rear showing windows and doors installed and building wrap (base layer) in place

view from the rear during window installation

Looking up the new rear wall while building wrap and windows are being installed

view showing the alley wall fully re-pointed and the building wrap on the upper addition

It’s official. We are “dried-in”. While this term would make a high school grammar teacher cringe, it is a common term that is used loosely in the construction world to indicate the point when - although still a long way from finished - we can finally keep the elements out of the building (!). The main accomplishments required to get from “rough-framing” to “dried-in” are: a.) installation of the exterior doors & windows, b.) installation of the “weather resistive barrier” or “building wrap”, and c.) installation of the roofing membranes. In our case this phase also included the installation of the glass block into the new large vertical opening in the brick wall facing the alley. Since weather is hard to predict most construction projects get rained on a few times before they are officially dried-in. In our case, we did not make it to dried-in before getting some rain, so the framing and sheathing did get wet a few times. But thankfully, we had some nice dry and windy days between storms so the building was able to thoroughly dry. And since we chose AdvanTech for the floor and roof sheathing we could rest a little easier since the products are designed to withstand moisture during construction.

The glass block installation required careful planning and execution since the opening is twenty three feet tall so any deviation would translate into the block being out of level or plumb from the bottom of the opening to the top. Luckily our masons did a great job in preparing the opening and in installing the block and the finished result is something we are very happy with.

Since this old DC Rowhouse in the Pleasant Plains neighborhood still had the original wood frame, single-pane windows, we decided to replace all of the exterior doors and windows in the project. The product we chose for this project is Weathershield’s Contemporary series. We love this manufacturer and these windows in terms of the look and the quality. The Contemporary series offer more modern narrow exterior frame and sash profiles which is perfect to complement the more modern character of the new portions of the building (additions). The eight-foot-tall triple-sliding glass doors, and the large four foot by seven foot fixed glass window at the top of the glass block opening were very heavy so moving them to the 3rd floor and maneuvering them into place required an experienced (and strong) crew. We are very happy with the large glazed areas that will bring lots of natural daylight into the space.

The weather-resistive barrier and flashing tapes that we have selected are manufactured by Pro Clima (a German company) and sold by 475 High Performance Building Supply. We selected these products since they are vapor open and will help to provide a weather tight enclosure that still allows moisture to escape through the envelope from the interior to the exterior. (We should note that currently we have only installed a base layer of Typar, a common building wrap, to cover the exterior walls, the Proclima membranes and flashing tapes (we’re using the Adhero & Solitex UM) will be installed over the Typar when it is time for the installation of the exterior metal cladding (stay tuned for more about this in a future post).

For the roofing we chose TPO (short for “thermoplastic polyolefin”) for the upper roof and torch-down membrane roofing for the balconies (since they will eventually be covered with floating pavers). TPO is considered to be the roofing material of choice for flat roofs today in terms of durability and maintenance. Since the pavers will ultimately absorb the vast majority of the UV light (the part that is destructive to building products) we decided that the TPO was not necessary for the balcony waterproofing.