645 Cherry SE

April 2nd, 2012  | ,  |  No Comments »

Designed and constructed in a whirlwind six months of activity in 2008, our work at 645 Cherry in Grand Rapids has reanimated a chronically underutilized mid-century modernist anomaly nestled in a historic neighborhood of century old homes. Housing both the Highland Group and Lott3Metz Architecture, the renovated building recaptures the building’s original open plan while updating the workspaces to 21st Century ideals. 

In 2010 Lott3Metz received preservation awards from both the City of Grand Rapids and the State of Michigan. In 2011 Lott3Metz received and Honorable Mention in Historic Preservation & Adaptive Reuse from the Grand Valley chapter of the AIA.

65 Monroe

October 14th, 2010  | ,  |  No Comments »

This project highlights the urban design and planning talents of Lott3Metz Architecture.  In this existing 27′ x 120′ building we were able to place four one and two bedroom loft condominium units, another one thousand square foot unit, a full floor for a commercial tenant, a single stall garage, and a three story, 4500 square foot, penthouse unit with outdoor patios at the front and rear.  The efficiently designed spaces, in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, epitomize urban living.  We were able to make the units more spacious through the use of copious glazing and high ceilings.

SHMG Sparta

October 8th, 2010  |  |  No Comments »

Completed in Spring of 2010 after an intense ten months of design and construction in partnership with First Companies, The Sparta Enhanced Primary Care Facility is the new standard for patient service from The Spectrum Health Medical Group.  The 13,000 square foot building combines Rehabilitation Services, Radiology, Lab Testing, and Primary Care physician space into a new type of ambulatory care facility that focuses on ease and convenience of patient care.

The building plan is grouped around a central single reception lobby that provides simple circulation for the building’s users while providing a common area for registering and referral of patients.  Additionally, the clerestory windows above flood the reception lobby with natural light brightening the space and softening the institutional nature of the space.

Lake Michigan Cottage

October 6th, 2010  |  |  No Comments »

The design utilized three separate forms to create a modern, efficient cottage that evoked a feeling of their previous cottage, that was lost to fire, and a feeling of pre-war cottages that were constructed throughout the state. The configuration of the three forms allowed us to create spaces with views of the lake, both internally and externally.  The cottage interior was built entirely of wood, no gypsum board, which is a prevalent sensory aspect of older cottages.

The Belknap ASP

July 29th, 2010  |  |  No Comments »

The Belknap Neighborhood Area Specific Plan, completed in September of 2009 and adopted by the the City of Grand Rapids in February of 2010, is the closest that we’ve come in our partnership in urban planning with Nederveld, Inc to Policy Planning. 

Our task was to bring together a fractured neighborhood, frustrated by a year of abortive planning exercises, around a consensus plan.   With Belknap being one of the Grand Rapids’ oldest and most mature neighborhoods, our work focused much less on design and/or re-design and much more on land use and the forms that those uses might take.   The final document includes formal definitions of appropriate forms for various parts of the study area and ultimately reads much more like a document of zoning intent than a definition of a physical plan.

The document is certainly our most aspirational and political to date.

342 Michigan NE

January 13th, 2010  |  |  No Comments »

The design of this new branch financial center project creates a modern translation of an urban, neighborhood bank that communicates the institution’s progressive ideals and transparent operations to its members while respectfully addressing the surrounding urban conditions.

348-350 Diamond

January 12th, 2010  | ,  |  No Comments »

The design of this row house project strives to create a modern, sustainable translation of an urban row house that is efficient, flexible for two very different families while respectfully addressing the existing urban conditions and the surrounding historic district.

In 2009, Lott3Metz accepted an Honorable Mention for Residential Architecture from the American Institute of Architects Grand Valley Chapter.

The Brikyaat ASP

January 10th, 2010  | ,  |  No Comments »

The plan is the culmination of a joint venture between Lott3Metz and Nederveld, Inc and 18 months of public design with the Midtown Neighborhood Association that weaves new commercial activities with varying housing typologies to stimulate growth in an inner-city Grand Rapids neighborhood.

The plan is the first and only neighborhood specific plan to be formally adopted the City as part of its Master Plan and Zoning Ordinance.

In 2007, Lott3Metz and Nederveld accepted an Honor Award in Regional and Urban Planning from the Grand Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and a Blueprint Award from the Grand Valley Metro Council for excellence in neighborhood revitalization and community development.