Mass Timber “Revolution” – SMRT Featured in MaineBiz
Ellen Belknap, President of SMRT Architect and Engineers spoke at last month’s Environmental & Energy Technology Council of Maine (E2Tech) event about the potential future of producing mass timber and cross-laminated timber in Maine. “When we have mass timber available to us locally, it will be a game-changer,” she said. Belknap’s discussion centered on how to…
Harold Alfond Foundation Gift Positions The University of New England as a Health Professions Education Hub
In October of 2020, the Harold Alfond Foundation gifted $30 million to The University of New England. This gift supports the design and construction of a new 110,000 square foot medical education facility on the Portland Campus that will house UNE’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM), relocating them from the Biddeford campus. This facility will…
Roux Institute Featured in 2021 Educational Interiors Showcase
The freshly completed Roux Institute at Northeastern University in Portland, Maine has been featured in Endeavor Business Media’s American School & University 2021 Educational Interiors Showcase. This year’s 31st annual competition honors excellence in educational interiors and facility planning, featuring today’s most effective learning environments. Seventy-five projects were considered based on criteria that include spaces…
Flyleaf Portable Reading Room Wins Unbuilt Honor Award from Boston Society of Architects
We are incredibly honored and excited to announce that we have been awarded a 2020 BSA Honor Award for the Flyleaf Portable Reading Room in the Unbuilt Architecture and Design category. Over one year ago, SMRT entered Archhive Books’ Portable Reading Room competition, an international design challenge that tasked its participants with creating a modular book-sharing…
Day One Energy Analysis: How Early, Data-Driven Decisions Deliver Sustainable Buildings and a Lifetime of Cost Savings
Performance-based energy analysis produces valuable metrics that can influence design decisions early in the project, when design changes are easier and less costly to incorporate
Flyleaf—A Modular Ode to the Paper Book
In our daily design practice, we balance a multitude of parameters on behalf of our clients. Stringent timelines intersect with tight budgets and even more challenging sites. But what if you were able to design a space free from parameters? How would this affect the creativity and inventiveness of your design? Architecture competitions allow design…
Architects and Engineers Look to Embrace New Technology
Mainebiz interviewed 20 business leaders about their outlook on the coming year. Ellen Belknap, our President, spoke about Maine’s strong position for green technologies, particularly cross laminated timber, as the whole architecture / engineering / construction industry works to reduce carbon emissions.
Revitalizing Athletic Fields: SMRT Presents at ERAPPA
Athletic fields – both natural and synthetic turf – represent a significant capital investment and ongoing commitment by educational organizations. What is the best way to evaluate their condition? What are the best practices to maintain and revitalize fields? What are the pros and cons of the various options for revitalization or replacement? Richard Webb…
Sky Lodge Ribbon Cutting at Unity College
Unity College received the historic Sky Lodge, a hunting lodge and campus on more than 150 acres in The Moose River Valley, from the Couri Foundation, to help enhance experiential education for their students. On September 7, they celebrated the ribbon cutting of the Sky Lodge, and the new opportunities it presents. “When it comes to…
Nick Vaughn Joins SMRT as Senior Education Architect
Nick Vaughn brings more than 15 years of experience leading the programming, planning and design of academic, student life and athletic spaces to his new role as Senior Architect in SMRT’s Education studio. Having successfully designed projects for Penn State University, Virginia Tech, The University of Oklahoma and Hyde School among others, Nick strengthens our…