WiA Site Tour – Springdale Green

Please join the Women in Architecture committee for our site tour of a woman-led project on November 8 (postponed from October 26th due to weather). This month’s tour will be of Springdale Green by Gensler. Registration is limited, PPE required.

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Description
A revolutionary office building reverses years of ecological damage, breaks the traditional office campus mold, and sets a new standard for the authentic architectural vernacular of East Austin. In this tour, we will discuss the site’s complex history, giving back 30 acres of green space to the community, the landscape design and integration of resilience goals that will meet both LEED and AEGB standards, project planning, development, and lessons learned during the design and construction process.

Learning Objectives:
1. This tour will explore the unique campus and building planning features of a two office buildings, fitness and wellness center and designed greenscape including amenities, as well as natural habitats.
2. We will explore the fire life safety approach to designing such a large project on a brownfield site.
3. We will identify and explain the use of specialized, local materials and details in the development of a forward-thinking office space.
4. Illustrate the differences between other office buildings in the neighborhood and how those differences will eliminate barriers and enhance the landscape and the greater East Austin community.

2 LU/HSW

Tour Guides

Yvonne Wong, AIA, NCARB
Project Architect, Gensler

Yvonne’s keen eye for detail, impeccable organization skills, and responsive communication allow her to quickly build rapport and provide clients with information when they need it.
Yvonne joined Gensler in 2012 and has over ten years of experience. She studied and worked in a variety of settings including Rome and Beijing, allowing her to think outside the box to cultivate innovative design solutions. Yvonne has seen projects from start to finish allowing her to build her knowledge on construction documentation and construction administration.

Willie Kirkpatrick, LEED AP – BD+C, NCARB, RA, RID
Architect, Senior Associate, Gensler

Willie has years of experience working on numerous project types which include: commercial, recreational, hospitality, retail, light industrial, liturgical, educational, and custom residential projects. He is a person who is passionate about the details and understands the importance of design intent.
His philosophy in life is that wisdom is the result of experience and knowledge, however in order to achieve these traits there must be continued learning. If one continues to learn, it is more likely they will be prepared to face the challenges put before them and deliver a product that is both satisfying for themselves and the client.

Cassie Gowan
Design Director, dwg.

A rare native Austinite, Cassie brings a serious passion for plants, details, art and design to the table. She consistently seeks the poetry of place through a thoughtful conceptual approach and finds a balanced dialogue between interior and exterior spaces through drawing exploration, design and detailing. Beginning her design career in 2003, Cassie worked for several award-winning landscape architecture firms in Austin before joining dwg. in 2013. Her experience ranges from design/ build ranch and estate projects to larger commercial, hospitality and civic projects.

Grant Buchanan
Senior Project Engineer, Level 10 Construction

As Sr. Project Engineer, Grant works directly with the owner, architect/engineer, and subcontractors to process change orders, submittals, and RFIs; review progress billings; evaluate changes in scope of work to the base contract; resolve field constructability
issues; and manage the project quality plan.

Kristina Piraino
Sr. Project Engineer, Level 10 Construction

Kristina is responsible for working directly with the owner, architect/engineer, and subcontractors to process change orders, submittals, and RFIs; review progress billings; evaluate changes in scope of work to the base contract; resolve field constructability issues; and manage the project quality plan.