“Design is not just what it looks like. Design is how it works.”
Steve Jobs’ words take pride of place on the website of San Francisco–based architecture firm Ferrari Moe, just one of the latest group of practices to join Source, Architizer’s growing online marketplace for building-products. Jobs’ sentiment is an accurate reflection of the creative firm’s philosophy when it comes to composing great architecture. Ferrari Moe specializes in giving old buildings renewed life, and selecting the right building-products plays a key role in ensuring its work is highly functional as well as beautiful.
“We thrive on fixing things that are broken, which is why we specialize in rehabilitation, repair and restoration of existing structures,” explains the firm. “Resulting from this work, we integrate a fundamental understanding of building failure modes, forensic architecture, waterproofing, structural engineering and a strong knowledge of construction means and methods.”
University of California, Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, Calif.
This fascinating cross-disciplinary range of expertise puts Ferrari Moe in a unique position to respond to its clients’ needs, particularly on intricate and technically challenging projects such as the preservation of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, a spectacular Art Deco tower in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district. One portfolio section on the firm’s website is entitled “forensics,” evocative of Ferrari Moe’s meticulous, almost scientific approach to the delicate repair work of historic buildings.
In between these carefully detailed restoration jobs, the firm is busy working on multiple affordable housing developments — projects of particular importance in San Francisco, a city home to continual shifts in demographics and rising property prices. With longstanding experience in this sector, Ferrari Moe is “intimately aware and knowledgeable with the form, function and durability required” to address the most crucial priorities in this sector.
Fell Street Apartments, San Francisco, Calif.
In fact, many of the firm’s most recent projects combine their know-how in both the renovation and affordable housing genres: Fell Street Apartments was treated to new energy-efficient windows, photovoltaic systems and high-tech roofing, while the 1950s Las Palmas Apartments were rehabilitated with sustainable improvements including solar thermal and gray-water reuse systems. “We are proud of our work improving amenities for residents,” says the firm, “while reducing operating costs and cost of living through lowered utility bills on every project completed to date.”
Ferrari Moe’s unique selling points — construction expertise and astute cost management — are contingent upon the considered selection of building-products for each and every project, making Source a natural fit for the firm. A rigorous specification process is vital to the practice, and early communication with manufacturers through the platform increases the likelihood of a successful journey from initial product enquiries to the completion of comprehensive construction documentation. We can’t wait to see how the firm harnesses Source for its upcoming projects!
Stay tuned for more news on Architizer’s marketplace for building-products, and be sure to check out the latest features as we continue improving functionality on the platform.
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