Since late 2011, TONO Architects has spearheaded the master planning and design conceptualization of a multi-family market rate apartment complex in Hummelstown. Located on the site of the former Verdelli family produce facility, the new community features six residential structures containing over 150 dwelling units and including recreational amenity spaces for its occupants.

Led by Douglas Phillips, Design Director of the firm, the TONO team is working to develop the documentation for the first phase of construction slated for a mid-2013 start.

The six acre site presents a number of unique challenges include significant topographical slope, railroad adjacencies, blighted infrastructure and a surrounding context of historical and single-family residences. Deftly composed to address these challenges, the vision conceived by Mr. Phillips and the development partnership, depicts a tightly grouped urban streetscape of three and four-story traditional building forms. With a blend of substantive building ingredients including fiber cement siding and brick masonry, the neighborhood recalls the material palette of Hummelstown while creating a new identity for its residents.

Opened in time for one of the largest air shows in North America, Sun N’ Fun International Fly-In & Expo, the new headquarters for Black Diamond Jet Team in Lakeland, Florida features a mezzanine level pilot’s lounge for its featured performers. As recently as January 2012, the space resembled a modular trailer before being reconceived by TONO team members Hunter Johnson, Joe Slagle and Amy Brunner. Now the centerpiece of the renowned eight-jet performance team’s home base, the space showcases the team’s identity as a civilian-led group with both Naval and Air Force roots.

Conceived as the interplay between the physical features of land and aircraft carrier-based control towers, the pilot’s lounge contains spaces to recreate, unwind and review performance footage on a series of flat-panel displays. At its apex, the second floor loft houses a state-of-the-art bar for visiting officials and out of area guests.

Presently, TONO continues to work with the team’s leadership to complete its operations center and life support/fitness areas within the 100,000 square foot complex.

The 38,000 square foot worship facility for Crossway Church continues to take shape in Millersville, Pennsylvania. Located on 76 acres of undulating meadows and bordering the Conestoga River, the new home for Crossway is now under roof.

As initially imagined by Hunter Johnson, Principal of TONO Architects, the hybrid timber and steel-framed structure employs long-span glue-laminated beams with integral tensile structural steel members. Spanning the 10,000 square foot multi-purpose room, the distinctive truss elements reinterpret the rich heritage of Lancaster County timber framing with new vigor. Working in concert with WBCM, structural engineers of Camp Hill, the TONO design team of Dan Garner, Fran Bridge and Angelique Miller created a holistically refined architectural vision for Crossway.

Lending her support to fight hunger in Central Pennsylvania while promoting the design professions, Rachel Haynes, Graduate Architect and Project Designer at TONO, recently led a team of volunteers at the Pennsylvania Home Show by creating a “Canstruction” using various canned and boxed foods. Held as a competition among designer-led teams from the region, the event promotes public awareness of local food banks while donating essential food items.

Sponsored in part by the ACE Mentoring program where Ms. Haynes also volunteers her time, the Canstruction competition showcases the talents of emerging professionals in Architecture, Construction and Engineering. This year’s design featured the house from the Pixar animated film “Up!” including the notable bouquet of noodle soup “balloons”.

How do we define beauty particularly when examining the contemporary built environment? Is our perception completely subjective and what criteria do we use to assess the aesthetic value of current architecture?

Various factors influence the standards by which we judge the relative success of a building’s visual contribution to our environment not the least of which are the inherent biases of the evaluator.

Perhaps the question should be rephrased and we can look at the situation in another light. How often are we enamored by the shopping center and the commercial office park or rather do we say, “oh, isn’t this part of town charming?” or, “I love this neighborhood with its sidewalks and trees”.

Context often shapes our view of the many parts that comprise architecture and setting seems to influence our emotional attachment (or detachment) to the constructed world. Rarely have I heard it exclaimed, “ah, suburban sprawl is beautiful the way it stretches for miles with all those stop lights and parking lots”. On the contrary, I believe we have all thought: “that historic section of downtown is lovely”.

Moreover, the experiential aspect of architecture tends to sway our judgment when evaluating the visual appeal of a specific building. For example, so much of our twentieth and twenty-first century environment has been constructed apart from urban centers thereby discontinuous from the fabric that comprises our common understanding of “beautiful” architectural. Within the sub-urban setting, we experience the built environment differently, through automotive travel and within a disconnected network of unrelated parts. It becomes increasingly challenging to distinguish, let alone cherish, individual remarkable buildings exhibiting inherent beauty when constructed in relative isolation.

In a related manner, one’s educational background and knowledge of architectural periods and trends certainly creates biases against those less familiar or underappreciated. While we tend to extol the virtues of classic precedents, more progressive and contemporary buildings confound us. And although we place value on craftsmanship and material authenticity, we have difficulty judging their artistic worth when composed in a modern or unfamiliar architectural language.

This argument then beckons the questions: Is it possible to create universally beautiful architecture in the
twenty-first century? And if so, how do we judge its relative success?

Following the logic of the aforementioned argument, one would tend to believe beauty is relative and manifest in many forms. Neither stylist direction nor historic precedent becomes the basis for judgment. However, aesthetic success remains rooted in certain principled tenants including each building’s ability to: 1) clearly express its inherent purpose; 2) be constructed of enduring materials; 3) appropriately address its cultural context and physical place; 4) exhibit a care of craft at multiple levels of scale; and 5) elevate the sole and uplift the spirit.

Perhaps it is the last criterion that most influences our appreciation for beautiful buildings. We simply understand well designed architecture by the effect it has on our wellbeing.

Beauty may be in heart, rather than the eye, of the beholder.

Entrusted to design, plan and facilitate construction on various properties for a visionary entrepreneur, TONO has created a new home for his renowned civilian aviation performance group, Black Diamond Jet Team in Lakeland, Florida. Having recently completed the interior fit-out for the operations center for the team, TONO members continue to work expeditiously to deliver the balance of the renovations to the 100,000 square foot maintenance, logistics and recreation hangar.

Modified to house a fleet of restored vintage Cold War era jet aircraft, the expansive hangar also contains 4,000 square feet of office and operations areas, a life support/recreation space and a pilot’s retreat overlooking the hangar bays. Designed by Hunter Johnson, Joe Slagle, and Amy Brunner the mezzanine level pilot’s lounge takes its visual cues from Navy aircraft carrier and Air Force land-based control towers. Clad in charcoal and galvanized steel corrugated panels with accents of face-fastened black MDF, the pilot’s lounge provides an area for retreat and debriefing with an array of video displays capable of playing back onboard camera footage.

Go to www.blackdiamondjetteam.com for example video footage and a glimpse of this innovative performance group.

Before Memorial Day 2012, Lennar Corporation will open the first recreational amenity designed by TONO Architects in Delaware at Plantation Lakes, a new 2500 home community near Millsboro. Featuring a fitness-oriented clubhouse as the central design element, the amenity area also contains a pool house structure, swimming pool, sports courts, gardens and walking trails connected to the community golf course.

Led by Dan Garner, project designer, the team also included Angelique Miller, Fran Bridge and Rachel Haynes. Presently, TONO is selecting furnishings and décor for the property slated for installation in early April.

With construction well underway on the new North American logistics center for Clarks Companies, N.A., TONO Architects is helping to develop the interiors for the global shoe manufacturer’s new LEED Gold Certified facility in Hanover, Pennsylvania. At over one half million square feet and with a state-of-the-art robotic conveying and material handling systems, TONO has teamed with the New York office of ARUP Engineering to help deliver the project through construction as the Owner’s representatives as well.

Containing 60,000 square feet of administrative and management office spaces with areas for staff meeting, dining and changing, the interior planning efforts by TONO include materials specification, design coordination and selection of furnishings, fixtures and equipment.

Proto CM makes CPBJ

The January 13^th edition of the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal showcased a feature article on PROTO Construction Management, the design-build delivery wing of TONO Architects. Speaking with columnist Holly White, owner Hunter Johnson spoke about his passion for design and the construction process. With a clear mission to touch all aspects of the creative and building processes, Mr. Johnson talked with Ms. White about his firms’ expanded role and his desire to bring a holistic approach to smaller, uniquely manageable construction efforts. Currently PROTO is working to complete the interior fit-out for Pelletron Corporation while also building a modern workshop for a private homeowner.

Linetty Skinned

A workshop and garage for a local Lancaster resident is nearing completion. Designed by Hunter Johnson, the project began construction in the fall under the direction of Fran Bridge, project manager for the firm’s companion design-build delivery entity, PROTO Construction Management. Currently, the 1,600 square foot, masonry, steel and wood-framed out-building for Joseph Linetty is receiving final exterior touches including a galvanized, corrugated steel panel skin over the cantilevered loft exterior. Custom fabricated aluminum and glass carriage doors will soon arrive to complete the envelope. Clear white birch veneer plywood panels adorn the interior of the upper level loft retreat.