SYMBOLISM IN ARCHITECTURE


The Cedars Retirement Community, Jewish Home for Aged, Portland, ME

  • The Skilled Care Center- New 102-Bed Skilled Nursing Facility


MAIN LOBBY DESIGN:
Skilled Nursing Center Family Meeting Room/Lounge projecting above, overlooking the grand Entrance Lobby below. Radiating structural beams at the ceiling articulate the defined space and echo the welcoming crown of America’s Statue of Liberty. Sparkling light fills the Skilled Nursing Center Atrium Lobby, infused with natural day light, heralds this welcoming entry. In the design of facilities for senior adults, light-filled spaces are essential for the physiological and psychological well being of residents as well as staff. 

MAIN LOBBY, WELCOMING CEILING STURCTURE

AMERICA'S STATUE OF LIBERTY

​The Skilled Nursing Center stands majestically, welcoming visitors as it symbolically gestures with outstretched arms and Temple-like Porte Cochere. The number ten, representing the Ten Commandments, the ten branches of the Sefirot, and quorum of a Minyan, are symbolized by the ten sections of the building plan and ten front window sections of the Main Entry Lobby façade.  Folding partitions in the large 250 seat Dining/ Activities Room form the Synagogue and open curtains reveal the Bema and Tabernacle.

FRONT ENTRANCE

Carleton-Willard Village, Bedford, MA

  • New Dining Bistro


The Separate Conservatory style Dining Bistro with seating for 54 has provided a dining venue alternative to the Central Dining Room and Main Street Café. The  Classical Architectural Origins of the Bistro includes a clerestory and windows with tinted solar and glare control glass, overlooking a croquet court and putting green with open vistas to the conservation land beyond.

COMPLETED NEW DINING BISTRO

Mount St. Rita Health Centre, Cumberland, RI

  • Mount Saint Rita Additions and Alterations


The new West Facade captures and the spiritual symbolism of the Sisters of Mercy, which was exemplified by the recently deconstructed former Chapel; Thus the familiar ecclesiastical sacred shape of the new west facade and the preserved original stained glass windows. The new facade outline encompasses the existing Lobby Structure behind it. The structural frame of this west wall will remain intact as it supports the roof and second floor Chapel Connector. We are also retaining the Chapel’s curved St. Rita Shrine structure at the north end of the new facade, which serves as an anchor to the new composition. 

NORTH WEST VIEW

SOUTHWEST VIEW OF NEW ECCLESIASTICAL WEST FACADE

NEW ECCLESIASTICAL WEST FACADE WITH PRESERVED ST. RITA CURVED SHRINE

RECLAIMED STAINED GLASS WINDOWS IN NEW WEST FACADE

STUDY MODEL WITH PREEXISTING CHAPEL

STUDY MODEL WITH NEW WEST FACADE

Volunteers of America- Senior Housing Facilities

  • Edward J. Reynolds House, Belfast, ME- New 33-Unit Affordable Senior Housing Community


The Belfast Affordable Senior Housing Facility dedicated in honor of Sheriff Edward J. Reynolds, is a two-story structure located on Route One on a 6-1/2 acre wooded site, consists of 32-One Bedroom Units and contains a Two-Story Entrance Lobby, Offices, Mail Room, a large Community Activity Room and Community Kitchen, Computer Room, Laundry/Lounge, Private Meeting Room, and Second Floor Lounge overlooking the gray timbers of the entrance canopy. The two story exterior reflects the unique rustic flavor of Mid-Coast Maine with its various multi-colored building masses sitting on a rough faced concrete block base and is featured by a playful Entrance Canopy simulating ocean front dock timbers.​

MAIN ENTRANCE

MID-COAST MAINE VERNACULAR, PHOTO BY CHRIS SWAN

ENTRY LOBBY

VIEW FROM SECOND FLOOR LOUNGE OVERLOOKING ENTRY CANOPY

MATINICUS PAINTING BY GEORGE BELLOWS

TAAP DESIGN CONCEPT SKETCH

COMPRESSION VINALHAVEN PAINTING BY CONNIE HAYES, NORTH LIGHT GALLERY

PAINTING BY ANNE KILHAM

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. & Jr. Historic Boston Back Bay Townhouse Reconstruction

Beacon Street Townhouse


Tsomides Associates Architects/Planners of Newton, MA designed the Beacon Street townhouse in the manner of the 19th Century Victorian Second Empire Style Brownstone that was originally built in 1870 and demolished in 1951. Once the home of Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Professor at Harvard Medical School and internationally recognized poet, essayist and novelist, it was subsequently occupied by his son, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Justice of the US Supreme Court.

The Back Bay Architectural Commission, after a detailed design review process, approved the project and observed, “that the squat, minimally detailed existing 3-story 1951 building lacked the scale and ornamental character of the ---late nineteenth century houses more characteristic of the context”, and affirmed that the property appeared to be a candidate for demolition and redevelopment. 

The new building, which restores the historic character and streetscape of this block of Beacon Street located, consists of 10 rental units including a two-story penthouse apartment. 

PROPOSED RECONSTRUCTION RENDERING

EXISTING BUILDING 1951-2014, 3-STORY BUILDING TO BE DEMOLISHED (CENTER BUILDING)

ORIGINAL 1870 BROWNSTONE RESIDENCE OF OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES SR. & JR., DEMOLISHED IN 1951

Carleton-Willard Village, Bedford, MA

  • New Wellness Center Addition


"Undulating surfaces and natural light filled spaces engage the mind, inspire the spirit and encourage activity." 

WELLNESS CENTER RECREATIONAL POOL (THERAPY POOL BEYOND)

WELLNESS CENTER RECREATION POOL

WELLNESS CENTER RECREATION POOL

Carleton-Willard Village, Bedford, MA

  • New Village Centre, Exterior


Metal cladding was integral to the project design as it not only distinguishes the new Village Centre from the rest of the sprawling and boxy red brick buildings of the retirement community campus but was the ideal material conducive to cladding the various soaring curvilinear shapes and forms of its expressive contemporary façades. In the purest sense the architecture is a classic contemporary “form follows function” as dictated by the program. Similarly in the use of metal panels. Whereas the main building is clad in the warm glowing undulating copper finish interlocking panels, its graciously curved north façade containing the double height Artists’ Studio is clad with smooth grey metal panels. The versatility of metal panels proved to be the ideal materials of choice for the two major building masses; the sculpted glowing copper finish of one and the smooth grey of the other. We researched extensively for a copper finish metal panel that would not tarnish and intentionally directed the Contractor to allow the flat interlocking seams to naturally protrude, thus resulting in a more fluid and sculpted façade.

NORTH ELEVATION

NORTHWEST ELEVATION

WEST ELEVATION

SOUTHWEST ELEVATION

The Cedars Retirement Community, Jewish Home for Aged, Portland, ME

  • The Osher Inn- New 30-Unit Assisted Living Facility


Integral to the design of this Jewish sponsored facility is the roof top cooling tower screen serving as the focal point of the entire campus (see Cedars Master Site Plan Item 5.)  The form of the cooling tower screen borrows from Louis Kahn's powerful un-built design for the ancient Hurva synagogue in Jerusalem. The calm symmetry of the trapezoidal form and void of the oval symbolize the Sanctuary. The old Hurva Synagogue, dating back to 1701, was considered the most important synagogue in the land of Israel and central to Jewish spiritual life.

NORTH COURTYARD WITH LOUIS KAHN COOLING TOWER SCREEN ON ROOF

LOUIS KAHN'S MODEL OF SANCTUARY, PROPOSED NEW HURVA SYNAGOGUE, JERUSALEM (NEVER REALIZED)

LOUIS KAHN'S SKETCH OF SANCTUARY, PROPOSED NEW HURVA SYNAGOGUE, JERUSALEM (NEVER REALIZED)

Private Residence

  • Hampton Beach House, North Beach, Hampton, NH


Private Residence on the North Beach coast in Hampton, NH, designed to accommodate the strong coastal winds and in the nautical characteristics of Coastal New England.

ORIGINAL HOUSE BY TSOMIDES ASSOCIATES

2010 FOURTH FLOOR ADDITION BY TSOMIDES ASSOCIATES

SECTION OF ORIGINAL HOUSE

VIEW INTO POOL

Carleton-Willard Village, Bedford, MA

  • New Village Centre, Interior


The transparency of space and light creates a shared sense of community, encouraging residents to engage in their environment both physically and spiritually.

LOWER LEVEL

UPPER LEVEL

CROSS SECTION

Private Residence

  • Dory Inn Condominium, North Beach, Hampton, NH


Located on the North Beach coast in Hampton, NH, designed to the nautical characteristics of Coastal New England.