180 Degrees Design + Build

The Open Sky Residence consists of a main house and detached casita built mostly on existing stem walls and concrete slabs. The existing house is about to begin a selective demolition process so salvaged materials can be utilized for most, or all, of the exterior finishes of the new design. Reducing impact and maximizing reuse is a top priority for this project. We couldn’t be more thrilled to work with clients who care about the importance of dealing with materials and resources thoughtfully and ethically.

We’re thrilled to team up with and on an exciting design-build project for and

The City of Mesa has partnered with Local First Arizona to open a new restaurant incubator with the aim of supporting local businesses and chefs. This space will feature a shared commercial kitchen, a commissary, business training facilities, and a public dining area. The site is inside a 12,000 square-foot historic building on the southwest corner of Main Street and MacDonald near the Nile Theater in Mesa.

180 Degrees had an incredible week in Washington DC at the 2024 Conference!

Our Marketing Director, Justin Stephenson, kicked things off on the first day with a packed session on “How to Drive Business Growth Through Effective Lead Generation Strategies.”

Our design team immersed themselves in cutting-edge sessions on experiential design, building decarbonization, innovative sustainability practices, energy modeling, AI, and mass timber utilization.

It was a memorable time filled with learning, connection, and inspiration. We loved networking with other professionals and growing together as a team.

Located across a wash from the main residence, this ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) makes use of the wash topography by lofting structure on pier foundations, intending to float above the native landscape. The form is a simple bar that is shifted in plan to create an entry and shower window out to the landscape, while the contiguous roof overhang completes the form and shades window openings.

The expansive western façade, looking out to the wash and proposed pool, is shaded by a series of operable screens, allowing warm winter sun into the living space, and blocking hot summer sun when necessary.

The sleeping space, grounded by the foreground landscape and looking up to Camelback, is balanced by the sloping topography that gives way to the tree canopy in the living space.

The clients of the Open Sky Residence came to 180 Degrees with a strong agenda of environmentally friendly design and attention to low-impact strategies for the site.

The design team has pushed forward a cost effective design that utilizes existing concrete stem walls and slabs and has committed to a delicate demolition process to salvage and recycle all viable materials. All exterior finishes, except for glazing, are designed with re-used materials from the existing home.

We are celebrating our 10th year as a committee and have saved several architectural collections from prominent Arizona Architects.

We have added a live webcast option for those who cannot attend in person. The webcast will be through zoom (live, not recorded). When registering through the square page link below it will ask for an email address.

https://arizona-architecture-foundation.square.site/

The Architectural Archives Committee, a joint collaboration of the Arizona Architecture Foundation (AAF) and AIA Arizona, will be presenting an evening conversation about the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives. The discussion about the Wright Archives will be led by:

· Michael Desmond, a professor at LSU and Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Trustee
· Jennifer Gray, Director of the Taliesin Institute, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
· Fred Prozzillo, The Nord McClintock Family VP of Preservation and Collections, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

An exhibition of original drawings by Frank Lloyd Wright will be displayed.

The evening will also be a fundraising event celebrating 10 years of the Architectural Archives Committee, supported by the Arizona Architecture Foundation (AAF). Tax-deductible donations can be made to the AAF to support the archives efforts.

Thursday, March 21

5:30 to 6:30 pm Exhibition and VIP Cocktail Hour

6:30 to 8:00 pm Panel Discussion

Arizona Heritage Center
1300 East College Avenue
Tempe, AZ 85288

TICKETS - all tickets include the panel discussion and access to the exhibition

$100 VIP: includes open bar reception
$25 General Admission
$10 Student
All proceeds will benefit the Architectural Archives Committee mission.

The talk will be eligible for 1.0 LU from AIA.

Sponsorships still available and the come with the following tickets.

Title Sponsor – logo exposure at event, on all event mailings and on AIA Arizona web article. 6 VIP tickets to event

Heritage Sponsor – logo exposure at event, on all event mailings and on AIA Arizona web articles. 4 VIP tickets to event

Preservation Sponsor – logo exposure at event, on all event mailings and on AIA Arizona web articles. 2 VIP tickets to event

*Sponsorship opportunities in comments

We’re expanding our team and are looking for an experienced Project Superintendent.

Please email [email protected] for more information.

Our firm values the opportunity to participate in projects that prioritize integrating sustainable practices.

According to a statement by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), “Since the built environment creates a staggering 40 percent of the world’s emissions, architects, engineers, and owners play a key role.”

The TSG Foundation — Center for Spiritual Development is featured in the current issue of Metal Architecture for its thoughtful material selection by the project’s team, aimed at reducing emissions during the build process.

Architect:
Build: 180 Degrees

Happy Holidays!

Our design team was honored to receive an Unbuilt Design Award (Citation) at the 2023 AIA Arizona Design Awards.

About the project:
The project is situated in the middle of an industrial zone and is in close proximity to an international airport, interstate highways, and rail transportation systems. The urban landscape is filled with large warehouses, parking lots and security walls and fences.

The objective of the design was to create a complex of two offices, a warehouse, and areas for storage and fabrication of materials for a thriving concrete contractor operation. It is imperative that the design performs well, creates habitable and healthy spaces, and demonstrates the high-quality craft of the client’s work.

The design begins by following suit with its context, implementing a secured perimeter. Buildings are then organized around an inner courtyard, leaving a communal area of nature, recreation, and a prospective desert-riparian environment sustained by a rain and gray water harvesting system. By organizing the building around a central courtyard, a ground/figure immerges that begins to resemble ancestral built forms such as those of a walled garden. These forms are a place to celebrate the flora, fauna, shade, light, and the sky of a place, or is used as a sacred space for ceremonies. It was crucial for the design to establish a more vibrant natural environment amongst its stale and inhospitable context. The ancestral precedence served as an effective mechanism to address and overcome these impediments. As a result, the space provides employees with the benefit of working amidst nature, offering a refreshing and accessible experience in an otherwise unsuspecting setting.

Renderings by: Kyle Fiano, AIA

Our team was honored to receive a Component Design Award (Merit) at the 2023 AIA Arizona Design Awards.

About the project:
In 2020, a client reached out looking to expand on their 1994, highly published and well recognized residence in North Scottsdale. The residence was distinct in form and unique in its planning. Strong angles both horizontally and vertically extended throughout the house as an abstract on Arizona

canyons. The charge was to expand the primary living space, provide shade to the west facing glass and provide for a pool structure in the desert landscape. Our team set upon a daunting journey to provide a programmatic response, while at the same time did not interfere with the strong geometries that currently existed.

The response was tethered in restraint with a focus on complementing and highlighted the geometries that already existed. The primary living room was expanded to accommodate a larger furniture grouping with the primary west glazing wall moved westward. A new steel trellis component was added to assist with continued shading. The trellis is slotted to allow for some shadow play during the early morning on the existing, vertically stepped “Canyon” wall. As the sun drops in the west, the angle of the trellis slats at the 12pm hour provide for complete shade at the exterior dining space.

The cast in place concrete pool component follows the geometry of the main residence with a strong line towards the peak of Black Mountain in north Scottsdale. The construction of the pool and subtle details cast into the concrete walls create a simple art object in the landscape.

The pool and trellis components were brought to life by our in-house steel and fabrication team

Last week, the Kiva Craft Center Rehabilitation project received a 2023 Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Award at the ‘History in the Balance’ AZ Historic Preservation Conference in Tucson. It was 1 of 10 awards given, (1 of 6 architectural projects awarded and the only project in Maricopa County).

The Kiva Craft Center is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

PROJECT TEAM:
Owner: Sunbrella Properties, LLC
Architect: Douglas Sydnor Architect and Associates, Inc.
Historic Preservation Consultant: Ryden Architects, Inc.
Contractor: 180 Degrees Design + Build
Landscape Architect: GBTwo
Electrical Engineer: Woodward Engineering
Civic Engineer: Babbitt Smith Engineering
Structural Engineer: Slaysman Engineering


ORIGINAL DESIGN AND SIGNIFICANCE
Built design reflects 6 mid-century modern structures that are 1-story and one 2-story building, all totaling about 23,115 sf. Site plan reflects a gathering of structures defining a central courtyard and providing access with 5 pedestrian-scaled outdoor breezeways. Over 20 artisan tenants were provided a studio and with a tenant mix that was carefully choreographed. They included fashion designers, silversmithing, ceramics, architects, a painter, glazeniers; and Lloyd Kiva fabrics and handbags.

Soon after its completion the center’s reputation spread very quickly about this creative place; as New’s promotions with attending international, local resort, and on-street fashion shows; and arts and crafts festivals were very effective. Public relations generated articles in Harper’s Bazaar, Town and Country, New Yorker, Saturday Evening Post, National Geographic, LIFE and others. It was during this Post World War II period that the Kiva Crafts Center was invaluable at launching Scottsdale as a nationally-known ‘artists colony.’

Our firm Principal, James Trahan AIA assumes the role of President of the Arizona Architecture Foundation. The Foundation is celebrating its 40th year as a Foundation.

Formed in 1983, the Rio Salado Architecture Foundation (RSAF) became a nonprofit corporation which genesis dates back almost 40 years. In the early 1980’s, the AIA Rio Salado Chapter sponsored a Regional Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT) for the Town of Gilbert. Following the success of the R/UDAT and to preserve excess funds and receive future donations, the RSAF was formed. Formed in 2000, the Central Arizona Architecture Foundation (CAAC) became a nonprofit corporation which genesis dates back 20 years. Through the sale of the AIA Central Arizona Chapter house and to preserve excess funds and receive future donations, the CAAC was formed. With shared mission and vision the two architectural foundations merged in 2022 under the name Arizona Architecture Foundation.

The Mission & Vision of the Foundation is to enhance the welfare of the State of Arizona by promoting excellence in architecture and the built environment by supporting the education of future architects, supporting and promoting the profession of architecture, and preserving the legacy of Arizona Architecture.

To learn more about the foundation, please visit — www.arizonaarchitecturefoundation.org

180 Degrees Senior Project Manager, Nick Lemire, (center), accepted the Non-Residential Gold Trowel Award on behalf of our firm at the 2023 Excellence in Masonry Awards Banquet hosted by the

Architect: Architekton
Contractor: 180 Degrees

The masonry enclosure of Ravenscroft Hall was designed to showcase the heart of soul of the program – the performance hall. Acoustic priorities required a mass wall construction and 12” solid-grouted CMU block fit the bill. The finish selection and install detail of the masonry is where the typically standard wall type was really allowed to sing. The design team worked on a scheme of “push-pull” placement that would instill movement and shadow play across the 24ft tall walls. The design is based on a digital translation of the building owner’s favorite musical score with the pattern most concentrated at the main approaching wall and allowing the pattern “fades” back to flat block as the shell wraps around the space. Being at the table early with the design team allowed us to walk step-by-step through cost and detailing complexities of the critical design element. We moved quite fluidly from design iterations to full scale mockups to tuckpoint and cleanup. Now lit with theatrical lighting, the 4x16 honed block commands attention with subtle moves and refined steel edging creating a dramatic backdrop as you move throughout the space.

Desert Botanical Garden
Hazel Hare Center for Plant Science
Phase II Design & Construction

Architect:
Contractor: 180 Degrees

After completing a Center for Plant Science campus master plan in 2014, and implementing Phase I from 2015-2019, we are currently commencing with construction of three new buildings as part of Phase II.

Along with various site improvements, we are building a new public-facing Exhibit Gallery Building. This will be a state-of-the-art 2000 square foot exhibition space for world-class art and exotic plant installations.

To ensure thriving collections of desert plants from all over the world, we are building a new back-of-house 12,000 square foot Shade Pavilion. This open-air building will provide thousands of square feet of plant benches along with state-of-the-art mechanical systems for keeping plants optimally healthy throughout the year.

The nerve-center of any botanical garden is its Horticulture Center; a two-story building that houses work spaces, offices, storage, and tools. This 5000 square foot enclosed building will be where staff and volunteers can propagate plants, grab tools for garden maintenance, and store their gear. A storage mezzanine will hold planting materials and special gear for annual events.

The entire project adheres to high goals of sustainability, including high-performance envelopes, water collection and reuse, efficient HVAC systems, low energy use fixtures, as well as beautiful materials that are durable with strong ties to our desert region.

Big day at The Guild - The Fireball Tool welding tables arrived and our craftsman are excited to put these to good use!

Our design team was thrilled to learn that a 180 Degrees residential remodel project recently received (4) awards at the 2023 Design Excellence Awards ceremony.

Gold – Great Room, Living Room, Den or Family Room

Silver – Residential Indoor / Outdoor Space

Bronze – Total Remodel of Single Family Home

Bronze – Master Suite

It was truly an honor to work with such a talented team on this design project.

Design: (Original Architect: Michael Munninger)
Build:
Interior Design: Rachel Simmons

We’re expanding our team and are looking for a hardworking candidate with experience in pouring concrete and constructing formwork.

For more information, please call our office at 602.288.0138 or email [email protected]

Last night, members of our design team were honored to be selected as the winning professional entry of the AIA Phoenix Metro Designing the Resilient Desert City Competition.

About:
Through the AIA Phoenix Metro 2023 Design Ideas Competition and in partnership with AIA Phoenix Metro and ASLA Arizona, the City of Tempe sought:

- To visualize a sustainable, resilient development in the urban desert for the City of Tempe, its residents, and the world at large using the strategies and goals described in the City of Tempe’s CAP.

- To show the transformative possibilities of the CAP through physical interventions of architecture, landscape architecture, and master planning, ensuring the City and its residents will have a greater understanding of the potential impact of the CAP.

- To inform future policies and development within Tempe and pilot projects by the City through a vision that responds to our climate reality with optimism, action, and a focus on the local community.

- To change how we look at the design of our cities by seeing the built environment as an opportunity for creating resilient, human-centric places, meeting the effects of climate change with inspirational solutions instead of despair, and making a more equitable society through our architecture.

Built in 1971, this 5,027sf residence is perched on the south face of Camelback Mountain with uninterrupted views of Sky Harbor Airport and the night lights of Downtown Phoenix. However, several renovations to the original home voided any visual connection to the mountain on which it existed and removed any ability for visitors to experience the close relationship to Camelback Mountain that this site offered. The design program called for a complete reimagining of the home’s connection to the mountain though a series of subtractions of underutilized space allowing for a more open plan to gain visual and physical access to the immediate views.

Architect - 180 Degrees
Contractor - 180 Degrees
Photographer -

David and Leenie Engel, longtime clients and friends of 180 Degrees Design + Build, are the co-founders of Advise and Curate, a boutique art advisory headquartered in the Valley.

Clients of Advise and Curate enjoy easy access to the art world, with a low-pressure and friendly approach. As collectors themselves, David and Leenie understand and appreciate the need to make informed decisions, aesthetically and financially, when acquiring art and objects.

When you or your clients are looking for one great piece of art, or are interested in building a complete collection, David and Leenie will work in a true collaboration that will result in art that tells a story – the collector’s story. They provide unbiased personal service, with a point of view. We encourage a visit to adviseandcurate.com

We were honored to have been selected to build the new headquarters of the TSG Foundation – Center for Spiritual Development located in Scottsdale.

Architect: Orcutt | Winslow
Contractor: 180 Degrees
Photography: Kyle Zirkus

About:

The site is situated on an 11-acre parcel in the Sonoran Desert surrounded by the scenic mountains of north Scottsdale, Carefree, and Cave Creek.

The overarching design goals were to merge the science of the Living Building Challenge with spirituality while successfully incorporating the immediate environment to coexist harmoniously with the natural landscape and incorporating sustainability in the build.

On the exterior, regional, and natural materials have been selected to withstand the harsh desert environment and mimic the plants and wildlife native
the area. The diamond-shaped zinc tiles used on exterior walls take biophilic inspiration from the region’s native rattlesnake. Zinc tiles were also selected for their recyclability, should they ever need to be replaced, and manufacturing zinc is significantly less harmful to the environment when produced—compared to many other metals used in construction.

The naturally occurring form of the saguaro cactus’ ribs are known to function as a cooling mechanism that creates pockets of cooler, shaded air. This form of the building’s west facing masonry exterior will aid in cooling the building with no use of additional energy, contributing to one of the project’s passive energy strategies. The significant soffit overhangs create a shadow line on the large glazing, preventing direct sunlight hitting them.

A signature focal point of the design is a large, rammed earth wall that uses the ancient building technique of compacting soil (extracted from the site) and other aggregate, using pneumatic tampers to create a structurally sound wall. The construction of a rammed earth wall of this size required testing the process with a smaller mock-up version and great precision.

Built in the 1980’s and renovated in the 1990’s, we are tasked with a contemporary update of this residence for an avid art collector and traveler. While the upstairs public spaces boast sweeping views of Paradise Valley and Praying Monk, the lower-level’s lounge + entertainment spaces spill out onto the site, offering up close and personal interaction with the red rock of Camelback Mountain.

After years of deferred maintenance, an extensive site restoration will return native species to the hillside lot. A robust material palette of corrugated metal and terra-cotta is chosen for the exterior and low, broad overhangs are removed to brighten the interiors. The entry sequence is reconsidered to allow visitors to descend into a sunken, shaded courtyard after parking in the cul-de-sac above the residence.

We worked on multiple iterations for the family workspace and gathering place for this Scottsdale remodel. Listening carefully to our clients’ needs gave us the opportunity to improve the layout from our early concept and achieve the perfect design that marries function and simple yet elegant lines.

Designed by: 180 Degrees

In this mid-century Phoenix residence remodel, we are proposing to reorganize the interior spaces to take full advantage of the private shaded patio to the north of the unit. Four main volumes (the kitchen, main bedroom suite, guest bedroom and garage) frame the main living space which is relocated at the center of the unit. Raising the roof and creating generous openings to the north will dramatically transform this house, offering plenty of light and views to the outdoors.

180 Degrees Design + Build is working with Moe’s Concrete to develop their new headquarters.

Located in the middle of an industrial area in Phoenix, the project turns the attention of the office inward towards a courtyard, bringing nature into the space. The design speaks to the highly crafted concrete work of the company, as well as the wood forms that are often stripped during the process.

Design by: 180 Degrees

Sunset scenes of the new headquarters of the TSG Foundation - Center for Spiritual Development.

We are pleased to announce that we have received the final building approval from the City of Scottsdale.

The project aimed to incorporate sustainability through following the principles of and to construct a building that could potentially last 1,000 years.

Architect:
Contractor: 180 Degrees
Photography:

This Scottsdale house remodel takes full advantage of the generous ceiling height, making the great room a ideal space for large family gatherings. Integrating a cocktail bar and powder room, the millwork piece animates the long side of the great room, performing as a threshold between the foyer and the living space.

Design by: 180 Degrees

It’s a good day when you have one of the best landscape architects in town and one of the best local landscape company at your building orchestrating the landscape planting install. Trueform and Dig It are making good things happen!

We’re honored to have been selected for the design-build remodel of the Desert Foothills YMCA in Scottsdale.

We will be transforming the exterior space to make way for a new enclosed kids play area and makers’ space.

Additionally, our goal is to help the YMCA better serve their constituents through great design and construction.

The original design was completed by our friends at Architekton.