Michael Keller Architect
2011 BIM Consultant and implementer for 50 year old Texas Architectural Firm, Bringing both the REVIT and Archicad Platforms to bear in this specialized firm. Also working on a re-branding concept from letterhead and logo to look and feel of architectural documents.
Keller Architecture - 2006- present
Established partnership with a multi-faceted approach to architecture; With commercial, residential and industrial client base.
Jacobs Keller Architecture - March 2004 - 2006 Established partnership.
Michael Keller Architect –March 2003- March 2004 Established Sole Proprietorship.
Goree Architects – 2000-March 2003 As a project manager responsibilities include leading a team through construction documents of automobile dealerships and then overseeing the project through construction administration phase till project completion.
Steinberg Collaborative – 1998-2000 Responsibilities included production of construction documents in the multi -family field.
Holcomb Musemeche Associates – 1997- 1998 Responsibilities included production of construction docume nts in the multi-family field.
Irvine Associates Architects – 1996-1997 Responsibilities included space planning and construction documents for corporate interiors.
Guidry Beazley Osteen – 1995-1996 Resident Animator and Renderer.
Education: 5 year Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Louisiana.
Licensure Currently registered in the state of Texas: Architect License #18068 NCARB certified #59,133
I ORGANIZATION
The planning of any facility as well as an existing site's renovation will require time, interest and cooperative exchange involved in an organized sequential process.
FIRM SIZE - to handle the demands of time and performance.
STABILITY - to handle the various difficult issues, which surface in financial, services planning.
EXPERIENCE - to deliver a functioning facility, which will span many tasks while avoiding early obsolescence.
PAST PERFORMANCE - representing the ability to satisfy clients with proven minimal pre and post construction problems.
PHILOSOPHICAL - representing the values of your clients and the community as a whole.
FIRM PROFILES
Keller Architecture was founded in 2004 to pursue commercial industrial and residential architecture in the Houston area. Michael Keller is a registered architect and has extensive commercial experience as a project architect. We work closely with client, consultant and contractor to deliver a complete package from start to finish. Keller Architecture prides itself on timely delivery of Projects. Our numerous client letters of recommendation will attest to this fact. Our experience is varied and we draw from all our various projects to deliver unique and economical solutions to the architectural challenges we are given.
The strong desire to go the extra mile and our attention to the small details! This would have to be what sets the partnership of Keller Architecture apart from the rest of the architectural community. A quick review of the afore provided information will indicate our civic/community involvement, and our design award recognition.
We recognize that economic factors tend to guide most projects and play a decisive role in establishing the levels of intervention, the scope of work and ultimately, phasing of the project. We therefore emphasize the importance of completing our work within time and budgetary constraints and interfacing on a consistent basis to ensure the successful coordination of multidisciplined efforts throughout the duration of a project. Essential to the architectural and managerial success of our projects is Keller Architecture achievement of constructive client relations based on responsiveness and sensitivity to client needs.
II APPROACH
The catalyst of a process ties the community to its building so that the values of the community can be expressed. The process is a bridge made of strong parts. Parts are identifiable and definable... many times as problems. With the commitment of a good team involved in a properly conceived list of challenges, a building can be beautiful, work well, be accepted by the community, and be finished on time and within budget. Problem identification is our first task.
has performed programming services on over eighty percent of all its work. Most of the time this has been performed as an additional service for its clients. The single most important element attributed to the firm's design success has been its comprehensive programming phase.
"Programming" = problem seeking. "Design" = problem solving.
Only after all of the specific problems are identified can design truly begin.
The initial challenge is to articulate a clear step-by-step approach to get from the beginning to the desired end. Breaking a complex problem (e.g. upgrading an existing facility to meet code) into small manageable parts is a key to transforming it from ominous to understandable. Once this is done, we must ensure that the facilities respond to the programmatic needs and that they will be flexible enough to accommodate the various uses and future growth.
Keller Architecture approach is to engage the user in the process of identifying goals and ultimately in the design. The team should include a Tenant representative, a construction manager, IT personnel, and a select group of department managers. This is done through one-on-one gatherings and group meetings, often facilitated through storyboarding. These gatherings/meetings are best held on site. The goal is not simply a good and useful building but a good and useful building that is understood and wanted by the people by identifying design objectives / limitations, criteria / space requirements / space relationships / number and functional responsibilities of employees / special equipment and systems / site requirements / adaptability to changing needs.
We can't loose sight that we must create an environment conducive to business, security and administrative functions. Considerations such as:
. What image does your business wish to portray?
. What type of service must be planned for in the next ten years and beyond?
. What light/sound concepts are to be incorporated?
. How does energy efficiency influence design?
. How does the environment affect behavior?
. What is the size of the facility?
. What impact does human scale play?
. How will technology affect our planning?
. How will the design affect expansion?
The goal for Keller Architecture is to develop a program/design that moves congruently, not delaying one entity due to lack of planning or thought of another entity by being intelligently responsive to the needs of the team.
A story I read, which epitomizes what we strive for, tells it best. "Several years ago architect Samuel Caudill was touring Aspen High School, which he had designed not long before. As Caudill walked down the corridor, one youngster turned to his friend and said with a note of pride, "That's our architect." All our clients deserve no less.
III ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The project team must be managed properly in order for the result to be successful. The Project Architect will be Keller Architecture in construction administration. The representatives for client/user will be a representative for each affected department. In any case this person(s) must have the capacity to make decisions on behalf of the Business Tenant. The roles of the team leaders will be to manifest as much involvement as is reasonably possible from all team participants. It has been proven that the more involvement that a team has the more useful data is generated.
ARCHITECT'S RESPONSIBILITIES:
Keller Architecture will be analytical in the early stages of the process. It will be important that we emphasize the decisions of the team and not our own. We will attempt to stimulate discussions, by testing ideas, and ultimately generate goals and concepts that will be clearly understood by all.
The information will be carefully documented, organized and evaluated. This will be done through graphic analysis and verbal communications. The team makes an evaluation of:
ESTABLISHING GOALS
COLLECTING AND ANALYZING FACTS
UNCOVERING AND TESTING CONCEPTS
DETERMINING NEEDS
STATING THE PROBLEMS
Each of these concerns involves four considerations:
FUNCTION FORM ECONOMY TIME
OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITIES:
The owner will need to appoint the appropriate team members beginning with the user (staff, and administration), as well as the operator.
The client, through its team, is responsible for feeding and evaluating pertinent information and is responsible for the operational outcome. There will be many situations when the user wants something to make operations more enjoyable and the operator is more concerned with what that will cost. By bringing these issues to the forefront, discussions will result. The operator must be prepared to live with the resulting solution, most often decided upon based on human value, but none-the-less controversial.
CONSULTANT'S RESPONSIBILITIES:
The consultants will be utilized to generate pertinent data intended to address the spatial needs of the program/design, as well as the overall site, code and cost criteria. At crucial points they will be called upon to assess concepts and participate within group meetings.