Design Alabama: The Public Forum for Design in Alabama, Volume 8, Issue 1, 1997

              Fall/Winter 1997
Volume VIII, Issue I
$4.00
Desi
THE PUBLIC FORUM FOR DESIGN IN ALABAMA
DesignAlabama Inc.
Board of Directors:
Rip Weaver. Chair
Sherlock, Smith & Adams Inc.
Birmingham
Nancy Mims Hartsfield, Vice Chair
Graphic Design
Auburn University
Toby Bennington, Secretary
City Planner, Cily of Gadsden
Gadsden
Henry Hughes, Treasurer
Shades Valley Forestry
Birmingham
Elizabeth Ann Brown
Alabama Historical Commission
Montgomery
Cathryn S. Campbell
Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood Inc.
Monigomery
Les D. Clark
Artist
Thomasviiie
Robin C. Delaney
Wi(RG Television
Mobile
Tin Man Lau
industrial Design
Auburn University
Mark C. McDonald
Mobile Historic Development Commission
Mobile
Kenneth M. Penuel
Southern Company Services
Birmingham
Lloyd Philpo't
Phj~Do't Ergospace Design
Decatur
Kay f. Roney
Waflace Community ColJege
Doihan
Sheri Schumacher
inferior Design
Auburn University
David A. Shaw
East Alabama Regional Planning & Devefopment Commission
Anniston
Patricia E. Sherman
Patricia E Sherman, Architect
Gadsden
Franklin Setzer, Executive Director
laura Quenelle, Administrative Director
Philip A. Morris, Director Emeritus
Southern Progress Corp.
Birmingham
DesignAlabama
Volume VIII, Issue I
Cover: Mobile's Cathedral Square.
Photograph by Mark C. McDonald.
From the Executive Director
The Alabama Community Design Program (ACDP) has
been very active in 1997. We started preliminary work in the
City of Winfield in the spring and completed a most successfitl
four-day community design workshop in November. We also
are currently working with Lineville and Slocomb and
anticipate holding design workshops in these communities in
early 1998. Several other communities have contacted
DesignAlabama about ACDP workshops as well. Lookfor
more information about these activities in upcoming
publications.
We also are working to complete the first in our series of
"Citizen s Design Primers" which focuses on community
landscaping, thanks to the generous suppOJ1 of the Alabama
Forestry Commission through its Urban & Community
Forestry Program. The primer zuil! be available in "hardcopy"
and will be featured on our web site.
Make a note of the new shortcut to our web site: We can
now be accessed at http./lz{)unu.auburn.eduldesignalal, as
well as at our original address http./lwww.auburn.edul
academiclarchitecturelindl designal! design.html.
On other matters: A speCial thanks to all of you who have
recently renewed your membership. Keep in mind that
DesignAlabama is a membership organization that depends
greatly on its roster of members to support its activities. Please
renew your membership when it comes due and help us by
encouraging interestedfriends and colleagues to join.
Franklin Setzer
Managing Editor: Tomie D. Dugas
Art Director: Nancy Hartsfield
Associate Art Director: Ross Heck
Assistant Art Directors: Owiredu Balfour, Breuna Baine,
Samantha Lawrie
Electronic Illustrations: John Morgan
Contributing Writers: Terra Klugh, Philip MorriS,
Laura Queneile, Franklin Setzer.
This publication is made possible through funding by the
{o!!owing contributors:
Alabama State Council on the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
Alabama Power Foundation
Alabama Council of the American
Institute of Architects
Sherlock, Smith & Adams Inc.
A special thanks to Philip Morris, editor-In-chief of
Southern Progress Corp. for his on-going assistance and
advice with this pub/ication.
Submission Information
DesignA!abama encourages submissions from
its readers. Articles about work from all design
disciplines are requested, as well as copy related to
historic preservation. Please submit copy along with
visuals (photos, slides, drawings, etc). to
DesignAlabama Inc., 204 North 20th St., SIe. 201.
Birmingham, AL 35203.
Items for Project News and Details of
Interest should include a paragraph summary
detailing the nature at the project, the design tirm,
principais and associates involved and any other
details that may be oi interest such as unusual or
special design features, completion date,
approximate cost, square iootage. etc. Also include
the name. address and phone and iax number of the
client and an individual whom we may contact icr
further information. Direct inquiries to Laura
Quene!!e at (800) 849-9543 or
(205) 254·8545 or by fax (205) 323-8385.
Past journal issues are available for $6.00 including
postage and handling. Coniact Laura Quenelle ai the
above numbers for availability information and to
order.
ISSN# 1090·0918
This issue of DesignAiabama was designed and produced
on Macintosh Computers uiiiizing QuarkXPr8SS 3.32.
Proofs were printed on a LaserWriter Select 360 and final
oulput on a Compugraphic 9400.
Desi nAlabama
CONTENTS
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Alabama furniture designers have emerged from Environmental graphics merge visual
and verbal imagery with other elements to
positive effect. p. 20
beats at the heart of Mobile's the woodwork with a flair for the sleek to
new square p 12 tongue-in-cheek. p. 7
DesignAlabama is a publication of DesignA!abama Inc.
Reader comments and submission 01 articles and ideas lor
future issues are encouraged.
FEATURES
"PLANNING IN ACTION"
Urban Design Comes Off the Shelf. 11 - "".,.-". ". --~-.-.-- -- - . -~ .. -,,---... ~ ..... -.. -,.-~~.~~~~ ... -.--.-... -~.-.-.---... -.. -.~-- .. -.-.. ~., ... --... - .. --.-.---... "-.-~ ..
A NEW CITY SQUARE
MOBILE 12
REDOING THE STRIP 14
TUSCALOOSA
PLANS FOR GROWTH
PRATIVILLE 15
CITIZENS PUSH FOR A VITAL CENTER
ALEXANDER CITY
PROTECTING MOUNTAIN SLOPES
HUNTSVILLE
................. - ... ~-~ ... --------
ARTICLES
ALABAMA FURNITURE DESIGN
NEW ANGLES ON OBJECTS OF UTILITY.
RETHINKING WHERE WE LIVE
"NEW URBANISM" COMES TO BIRMINGHAM.
DEPARTMENTS
Project .... News
Work of statewide significance.
Design.Makes A Difference
Environmental graphics.
Historical'i'Perspectives
Cahaba Pumping Station.
Details+Of Interest
Noteworthy observations.
16
18
7
10
4
20
22
25
The landmark Cahaba Pumping Station
dons the mantle of learning center and
conference facility. p. 22
Project.ANews
Project News
is a regular
feature of
OesignAlabama and
provides
an opportunity
to keep
up-to-date on
design projects
that have an impact on
our communities.
PoV/ertel retail center by Designiorm Inc.
Maxwell Air Force Base ambulatory health care center designed by Sherlock. Smith & Adams Inc.
DesignAlabama 4
Architecture
Designform Inc., of
Birmingham, was selected by
Powertel, a new mobile communica­tions
company, to provide architec­tural
design and project management
services for seven new retail sites
across Alabama. Designform's Alan Brill worked closely
with Powertel to enhance their marketing approach through
a consistent and recognizable design effort. The projects
are located in Gadsden, Tuscaloosa, Huntsville, Hoover,
Inverness, Dothan and Montgomery.
The Mobile District of the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers recently commissioned the Montgomery-based
architectural, engineering and planning firm Sherlock,
Smith & Adams Inc. to design the largest ambulatory
health care center ever undertaken by the United States Air
Force. The 200,OOO-square-foot facility will be located on
Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery.
The clinic will provide outpatient medical and dental
services for the base population and for retired military
personnel living in central Alabama. The new "super-clin­ic"
incorporates the leading-edge "hospital-without-beds"
concept, designed to efficiently service health care needs
requiring a 23-hour or less stay.
The mission/Mediterranean-style structure features a
traditional exterior design expression consistent with exist­ing
base architecture. The exterior incorporates a combina­tion
of buff and rust-colored brick and stone, along with a
mission-style, red tile roof. The interior is organized
around an entrance atrium to welcome patients and guests.
"The clinic will be open, light and full of glass," says
project director Tommy Thompson. "Patient activity is
organized toward the front for convenience with adminis­trative
and service areas to the rear"
The clinic, which is scheduled for completion in the
spring of 2000, represents the Air Force's move away from
total inpatient care on a significant scale.
The City of Andalusia has
completed the first phase of improve­ments
to its downtown including the
re-creation of its historic courthouse
square. A street had been cut through
the square in 1946. Improvement
efforts in the town are continuing along
nearby South Cotton Street.
The re-creation project stemmed from recommenda­tions
made at a 1992 Alabama Community Design
Program workshop organized by DesignAlabama and was
featured in the Spring/Summer '96 issue of the journaL
Engineering services were provided by the local firm of
Carter, Darnell and Grubbs Inc. Design services were
provided by the Birmingham firm of Cecil Jones and
Associates Inc, led by landscape architect Dale Fritz.
_cJ ~.~~
moy FrRl:IT
L
Andalusia S fe-created courthouse square.
1·.· •. ·.·llllllllIlfllll.IIII.lllll .i~
In an effort to consolidate
support operations under one roof,
Southern Progress Corp.'s Media
Services Inc. has recently completed
A A : A : A a new building in the Oxmoor Valley
• A • A • A • A area of Birmingham, Designed by
KI'S Group Inc., the 66,OOO-square-foot office buildino
was planned to be highly flexible and promote employee
satisfaction in order processing, customer service and
information-processing activities,
The two-story building consists of large, open
spaces organized around a central service area. A sooth­ing
pallette of natural tones throughout is punctuated with
colorful fabric accent panels in public areas and corri­dors,
conference and meeting rooms, Furnishings and
original art in these areas impart a sense of quiet dignity
and enduring quality, linking the building to its parent
organization in a subtle but recognizable way, Judicious
use of materials throughout the building allows the client to .
make an important statement about the relationship between :
Media Services Inc. and its parent corporation, while con- 1
tributing to a highly cost-effective and adaptable interior.
Southern Progress Corp. :s Media Services Building designed
by KPS Group Inc.
Porlland's Light Rail System is credited with improving quality of life.
U,rbaIn Qesign,
"In the past two decades,
Portland has succeeded perhaps
more than any other city in the
nation in controlling sprawl, fos­tering
public transportation and
revitalizing the inner city,"
-Wall Street Journal
On May 29, the Alabama Chapter of the
American Planning Association and the
Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a spe­cial
workshop titled "Portland, Oregon's Successful
Regional Planning Initiatives and Birmingham Metro
Area's Response" Featured speaker John Fregonese is
director of Growth Management Services for METRO,
Portland's regional planning agency Also featured was
G. B. Arrington, director of Strategic Planning for the
Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of
Portland (Tri-Met) Fregonese and Arrington were then
joined by a panel of !ocal business, educational and gov­ernment
leaders who provided Birmingham'S response to
the presentation.
The Portland region has received considerable
attention for its successful20-year experiment of balanc­ing
land use and transportation. Recently, more than 40
community leaders from the Birmingham area toured
Portland to learn more about their successful planning
initiatives and how they might apply to Birmingham.
Portland took the road less traveled by saying
"yes" to growth without the negative aspects of more cars
and freeway lanes. Today, Portland offers a quality of life
that is the envy of much of the nation, a significant
accomplishment for a four-county metro area growing at
a rate of 75 people per day.
Taking a proactive position in planning for its citi­zens,
both present and future, Portland is in the midst of
implementing an ambitious 50-year plan, not the more
typical 10- or 20-year plans. Key to the metropolitan's
2040 regional growth plan is the city center, regional
centers, neighborhoods, open space, main streets, trans­portation
corridors, rural reserves and natural resources.
Much of Portland's success has been built around
its investment in a light rail system The rail system is
part of a conscious strategy to shape regional gro'A1h by
coordinating transportation investments with land use
policies. It has been a vehicle to move people, deier
highway investments, clean the air and enhance the qual­ity
of life enjoyed by Portland's residents,
PORTLAND REGIONAL LlGKT RAIL SYSTEM
5 Volume VIII. No. I
Three industrial design stu��dents
from Auburn University were
recently invited to share their ideas
.• and projects at the annual Brother
International Exhibition in Las Vegas.
• A class of 12 fourth-year students
began the quarter by coming up with five possible prod­uct
ideas. Brother, an international electronics firm, then
narrowed the field to one project per student, finally
selecting three projects to feature at the trade show.
Selected projects include a new test for body fat designed
by Thomas D'Agostino of Auburn, a digital photo
album designed by Scott Ellis of St Joseph, Mo., and a
diabetes management system designed by Andrew
Saving of Florence.
Students not only had to generate good ideas, they
also had to ensure that the technology existed to make
their ideas a reality, the ideas could physically work and
were marketable.
Auburn has been working with Brother
International since 1994 when Sam Takeuchi, a design
consultant for the firm and Auburn alumnus, recognized
the value of the relationship. The students are provided
with valuable "real world" experience, while Brother
gains ideas for new products. In fact, a 1994 Auburn pro­posal
for a hand printer prototype has been developed by
the company and will be unveiled this year.
Brother International Exhibition contingent
Fashion Design
World-famous fashion
~$.L..., designer Alexander Julian brought
his "Colourtul World of Design" to
Alabama in Mayas the 1997
Grisham-Trentham Lecturer at
Auburn University.
Known for his innovative use of color, Julian
receives his inspiration from nature and art. Works by
painters Kenneth Noland, Mark Rothko and Paul Klee
have directly inspired his colortul sweater and shirt
designs, as have rag rugs and crazy quilt patterns.
This "thinking man's designer" first caught the
attention of the mass audience in 1981 with the introduc­tion
of his wildly successful men's sportswear line
"Colours by Alexander Julian."
His design touch has been embraced by
Hollywood, where not only has he clothed celebrity
clients (Paul Newman) but has garnered film (Altman's
"The Player"), TV (Bill Cosby, Jerry Seinfeld) and also
Broadway (Harry Connick Jr. and his Big Band) credits.
Early in his award-winning career, Julian discov­ered
that "one of the key things for me is to go to the
source - the mills." This experience led to designing
his own textiles - making him the first American fash­ion
designer to create a personal line of exclusive fabrics.
DesignA!abama 6
Fashion designer Alexander Julian.
Another first - his design reach has extended to
the sports arena as the first fashion designer to address
pro and college sports uniforms. The North Carolina
native's credits include the Charlotte Hornets, the
University of North Carolina men's and women's basket­ball
teams and racing and crew suits for Mario Andretti
and others. He even color-coordinated the "Knights
Castle" basketball stadium in Charlotte (American
Institute of Architects Award 1992) down to details such
as color-coded tickets.
Confessing, ''I'm basically dedicated to redesigning
the man-made parts of the world," Julian has applied his
talents to home furnishings In 1994 he launched a 150-
piece collection of residential furniture under the
Alexander Julian Home Colours labeL His argyle motif
appears on wooden chests; buttons and cufflinks have
been translated into timeless drawer pulls; and rugs are
just "sweaters and neckties for the floor."
On a chance foray into an antique shop in High
Point, NC, Julian spied a pair of wing-tip shoes whose
decorative pattern he later applied to a bed headboard and
bench back. The designer, who believes in "360 degrees
of possibilities," exhorts, "Design elements are every­where.
You just have to read them."
Graphic Design
.-~;--
... . ~ '-,,
A series of ads promoting
the renovation of Birmingham's
Rickwood Field is touring the
country in the 75th Annual Art
Director's Awards Exhibition. The
Art Director's Club Inc., based in
New York City, is one of the oldest and most prestigious
organizations in the field of graphic design.
This exhibit, which will tour the U.S., Europe,
South America, Japan and Korea, showcases some of the
top talent in national and international advertising and
graphic design. The Rickwood Field series, designed by
Birmingham's SlaughterHanson, was chosen from
among 14,210 entries from 22 countries.
Diana Cadwallader, faculty member in the
Department of Art at Jacksonville State University, has
designed a special motor vehicle license tag supporting
the arts. The tag is now available to Alabama drivers and
features artistic elements such as a painter's palette, bal­let
slippers and a violin rendered in bright shades of pur­ple,
green and yellow.
The additional $50 fee for the tag, which is a chari­table
contribution, will provide funds for a variety of
grants in arts education, fine arts, dance, folk arts, drama
and music. Also, with payment of the additional fee, any
new tag already purchased can easily be traded in for a
"Support the Arts" tag
Ads promoting Birmingham s Rickwood Field tour the country.
New license tag generates arts (unding.
,'Engineering ,
A state-of-the-art linear
accelerator laboratory designed by
Montgomery-based architectural,
engineering and planning firm
Sherlock, Smith & Adams Inc.,
is the newest addition to Auburn
University's College of Veterinary
Medicine and is the first free-standing facility of its kind
in the United States.
The 2,100-square-foot laboratory is used specifi­cally
for treating malignant tumors in animals. It
includes a treatment planning room, an animal ward and
housing for the linear accelerator, which uses beams of
high-energy radiation to disrupt DNA and prevent cell
division in tumors .
The designers had to work within "some very real
space constraints as this facility had to fit between two
existing buildings, be spacious enough to accommodate
livestock and conform in size and cost," said Frank
Bollinger AlA, project architect. "The corridors leading
to the treatment room had to be wide enough to push a
stretcher with a large animal such as a horse or cow
through them and the concrete walls thick enough to
prevent radiation exposure (51/2 feet). At the same
time, the facility had to present the look of a typical, spa­cious
examination area and complement the other areas
of the complex." ....
Auburns new linear accelerator laboratory, designed by
Sherlock, Smith & Adams Inc.
est •
NewAng
on Objects
of Utility
by Laura Quenelle
Beaux Mondes by Dale Lewis
From all corners of the state
talented designers are "emerging
from the woodwork" to create a
diverse array of furniture pieces that
are both functional and beautiful.
From the whimsical themes of
NOlthpoJt's Craig Nutt to the sleek,
veneered lines of BinninghalTI'S
Laura Lee Samford, Alabama design­ers
are producing a collection of
work which embodies a broad
range of talents and styles.
Many custom-designed pieces
of furniture are created by architects
and interior designers for
a specific project. Several
well-known designers
around the state are cele­brated
as much for their
furniture designs as for
their buildings and
spaces. On the other end
of the spectrum, a wide
array of designers fron} a
variety of backgrounds have discov­ered
a passion for furniture design.
While Calera's Dale Lewis studied
fine alts, Bobby Michelson of
Ramwood holds a degree in mar-
Dining table by Laura Lee Samford.
Cur/essence by Dale lewis
7 Volume VIII. No. I
OesignAlabama 8
Com Tabieby Craig Nuit (1990, curly maple, oil on carved wood)
Photo by Rickey Yahaura
Martina, Shaken not Stirred by Oale lewis
Miss Lily. i LO'le Your Legs by Dale lewis
NuU's 1/ege Table (1988, curly maple)
Photo by Bobby Hansson
keting, and Craig Nutt nlajored in
religious studies. In fact, the back­grounds
of Alabama's furniture
designers are as varied and diverse
as the work they are producing.
Probably the state's best­known
designer, Craig Nutt has cre­ated
pieces ranging from the tradi­tional
to the tongue-in-cheek. His
furniture and numerous sculptures
can be viewed in museums through­out
the region induding the
Birmingham Museum of Art and the
High Museum of Art in Atlanta. His
work also can be found in private
collections around the country and
has been featured in a wide variery
of magazines such as Fine
Woodworking, Southern Accents
and Antique Monthly.
While some of Nutt's pieces fit
a traditional sryle, most of his recent
work has a more "organic" theme.
Vege Table (top right) is rypical of
his brightly colored, realistically ren­dered
vegetable pieces. Nutt even
goes as far as finishing the pieces to
mimic the waxy, vegetable-like feel
of their natural counterparts.
A six-year stint as a furniture
restorer in Tuscaloosa furnished Nun
with extensive knowledge of tradi­tional
furniture design and structure,
evidenced in his Corn Table (top
left), which is on display at the High
Museum of Art, and Celery Chair
with Carrots, Peppers and Sno Pea
(bottom middle). The form is typical
of Queen Anne style, yet "rendered
in produce."
Calera's Dale Lewis is another
designer who draws on non-tradi­tional
themes in his work. A prime
example, his Martina, Shaken not
Stirred (middle left) incorporates
olive forms and delicate table legs
which take the shape of human
legs. The graceful legs of his Miss
Lily, I Love Your Legs (bottom left)
invoke the image of a ballet dancer.
While the pieces may seem delicate,
Lewis strives "to make a piece as
sturdy as possible, using whatever
means or materials that work best
for that piece." His ability to avoid
being "a slave to established prac­tices"
allows him to find the con­struction
method appropriate to
each piece.
Perhaps more traditional than
Nutt's or Lewis' pieces, but equally
as engaging, is the work of
Craig Nutl's Celery Chair wiih Carrots, Peppers and
Sno Pea (1992-93. lacquered wood and leather)
Photo by Rickey Yahaura
Mike Rockwood's
design took second
plac~ in a seating
design competition.
The bowed shape of this lable's legs are typical of Michelson's style.
Birmingham's Bobby Michelson.
Michelson describes himself as a
craftsman more than an artist, utiliz­ing
traditional joinery techniques to
create furniture that is sturdy and
structurally sound, as well as pleas­ing
to the eye. The bent-lamination
technique, seen in the table pictured
above, is a method preferred by the
deSigner to create shapes and
curves in the wood.
This same technique is used
also by Auburn University industrial
design student Todd Johnston,
whose chair (bottom right) was a
finalist in the 1996 International
Woodworking Machinery and
Furniture Supply Fair student design
contest. His classmate Mike
Rockwood took second place in the
seating design competition at the fair
(page 8, bottom right).
Interior deSigner and Auburn
professor Sheri Schumacher also cre­ates
award-Winning furniture designs.
Her Container (center photo)
received the 1992 Gold Furniture
Award from the International Design
38th Annual Design Review. A piece
she created for the office of
the dean of Auburn's
College of
Architecture, Design and
Construction won a 1996
International Design Resource
Award.
Also drawing on her experi­ence
as an interior deSigner, Laura
Lee Samford recently opened a fur­niture
studio and gallery in
Birmingham's fashionable Pepper
Place. Samford specializes in pieces
that incorporate surfaces veneered
in fine woods with metal accents.
She often creates contrast and tex­ture
in her designs by jUll.1:aposing
light and dark woods. The overall
effect is of smooth surfaces and
clean, sleek lines which accentuate
the natural beauty of the woods.
Alabama's furniture deSigners
are distinctly reinterpreting objects of
utility to form notable works of art.
From whimsical to refined, sculptural
to sleek, seek and you will find.
Unmanned fnlerplan(l)elary Probe by Craig NUll. Not a traditional piece
01 furnllule. this piece takes the form of a porch rail whirligig and was
inspired by a statement by then-Vice President George Bush that he
would, "never use food as a weapon:
Coffee table by Bobby Michelson.
Conlainer(bird's-eye maple veneer, maple, marble, steel and cop­per)
by Sheri Schumacher was an a\'iard winner,
Bed designed by laura lee Samford.
Tabie designed by Laura lee Samford.
Coffee table desigfled by laura lee Samford.
Upholstered chair by Bobby Michelson,
Chair by Todd Johnston
9 Volume VIII, No. I
ereWe ·ve:
''New Urbanism"Comes
to Birmingham Jean Scott of Blue Grass Tomorrow gives
an overview of the plan for the
lexington, Ky., region.
by Franklin Setzer, AlA, NeARB
Andres Duany and Philip Morris discuss the current version of the master plan
for Oxmoor Valley - a joint development of USX Realty
and the City of Birmingham.
Andres Duany with symposium participants.
Duany criticized the "conventional wis­dom"
prevalent in traffic engineering for creating
infrastructure designed solely to move vehicles,
which as a result makes pedestrian use difficult and
Darrell Meyer, director of planning services
tor KPS Group, leads discussion of the
inhibits the "life" of the street. With most traffic congestion today in the
suburbs rather than the older, traditional city, Duany proposed that the
"suburban diagram" of cul-de-sacs, COIlllectOrs and arteries be replaced with
Lorna Road corridor.
In the day-long symposium ''New Urbanism
and the Birmingham Region," more than
250 participants received a substantive dose
of ideas about urban and regional
development at the "cutting edge"
of current thinking.
Andres Duany. one of the founders and most articulate advo­cates
of New Urbanism, made a wide-ranging slide presentation skillfully
knitting together critical commentary on the current state of American
urban development with responses to these conditions which delineate
the design principles of this widely heralded movement.
Stating that humans are an "endangered species" because our
habitat is threatened, Duany embarIred on an indictment of contemporary
development patterns, the current regulations which mandate these patterns
and the "specialists" who have both created and perpetuated these conditions.
Duany observed that most zoning codes require the creation of
single-use environments - residential subdivisions, office parks and shop­ping
centers - which are largely isolated from one another. These environ­ments
are connected by large roadways designed to accommodate huge
numbers of automobiles made necesS3.l.J"' by ubiquitous development pat­terns.
The result is a low-density environment of one- and two-story build­ings
with an abundance of (meaningless) open space -little of which is
green in comparison to the vast areas of asphalkovered paxking.
By contrast, New-Urbanist thinking revolves around the idea of
"growth by neighborhood," in which the neighborhood is not the typical,
residential cul-de-sac subdivision, but rather a residential environment with
a mix of commercial uses and public facilities - schools. post offices, etc. -
which provide both variety and convenient access to goods and services.
Duany reserved special criticism for both developers and
traffic engineers. Residential developers, he said, are often unvn.lling to
entertain innovative approaches. Their concern more with curb appeal
than the quality of the common environment results in a meaningless
hodge-podge of contemporary housing and a stripped-down environment
with few amenities like sidewalks. By contrast, popular and (economi­cally)
successful places such as Coral Gables, Fla., are sought after less
for the axchitecture of individual buildings than for the overall quality
of the environment, including streets and other public spaces.
DesignAlabama 10
a grid pattern of streets, which reduces congestion by providing multiple
routes for traffic. He also suggested other "traffic-ca1mjng" techniques such as nar-rowing
street widths at crosswalks and reducing the size of travel lanes to slow
vehicles down and make streets more hospitable to pedestrians.
Duany emphasized the importance of good public space including
streets, squares and parks - noting that the places we like best are the ones
with excellent public spaces. He criticized the preoccupation among architects
to create «buildings as objects," noting that this narrow attitude has con­tributed
to the lack of good public space typical of contemporary development.
He also suggested that less emphasis (and fewer tax: dollars) be placed on the
"horizontal infrastructure" of streets and utilities and relatively more atten­tion
(and spending) on the "vertical infrastructure" of schools. post offices and
other public facilities. He noted that. historically. our public architecture was
powerful and enduring; today such buildings are located. designed and con­structed
like shopping centers.
Duany closed by stating his optimism about the future, reminding the
audience that less than 35 years ago. our culture had little conscious awareness
of problems with the natural environment. Today. we have made substantial
progress in the environmental arena thanks to action borne of awareness. The
same can hold true for the urban environment, if we as citizens become aware
and translate concern into the will to take necesS3.l.J"' actions.
In addition to the presentation by Andres Duany. the day's activi­ties
included an informative presentation by Jean Scott of Blue Grass
TomolTOw on the plan for the Lexington, Ky., region and a workshop on the
Lorna Road corridor in the Birmingham suburb of Hoover - an example of
suburban. strip development "gone wild."
The event was presented by the B;rmingbam Area Chamber of
Commerce and the Birmingilam Regional Planning Cornmissiou Sponsors include
EBSCO Realty, USX Realty, the City of Birmingham, the City of Hoover and the
American Institute of Architects Birmingilam Chapter.
The success of the New Urbanism symposium has created enthusi-asm
among the sponsors for an ongoing series of such events. Each subse-quent
gathering will focus on one or more aspects of the "regional conversa-tion"
about the area's design future as the new millennium approaches.
- o- I-Of
all the design arts, planning may be the most difficult to grasp. It often deals in abstractions like traf-fic
counts and growth projections. The area may cover a whole city, county or region. And realization may take
years or even decades. - The standard comment about plans sitting on a shelf also represents another problem - in years past,
they were often prepared to secure federal grants, not because the community actually intended to follow them.
This, of course, was not the plan's fault.
Across Alabama today there is a certain vigor apparent in planning and its somewhat more immediate
discipline, urban design This survey visits five places - Mobile, Tuscaloosa, Prattville, Alexander City and
Huntsville - where the design of larger places, ranging from an arts district to a town to a mountain land-scape,
has fully engaged both the design community and the public. These plans are not sitting on shelves,
but shaping and reshaping the built environment.
Mobile used the design of a new square fronting its historic Roman Catholic cathedral to stimulate
development of an arts district with emphasis on historic preservation and adaptive reuse of abandoned build-ings.
In Tuscaloosa, town and gown have collaborated on plans to give grace and new energy to the rundown
Strip. The booming town of Prattville developed strong community input for a plan to both shape growth and
strengthen existing neighborhoods. Alexander City has developed a public/private partnership to upgrade its
town center and, additionally, fit the effort into a larger plan for the city. And Huntsville, among its other plan-ning
initiatives, forged a new public policy to protect its wooded mountain slopes.
This is only a sampling of planning in action - not sitting on a shelf. While many other efforts are
underway, nobody will claim that overall Alabama exercises leadership in this field. States like Georgia,
Florida, North Carolina and, most recently, South Carolina, now require all communities to develop area-wide
plans to shape their future. But at least we now have some clear examples that planning, plus the
myriad tools to implement the process at various scales, really do have a role in helping communities cre-ate
the environments desired. _
11 Volume VIII, No. I
M
Mobile
Photos by Mark G. McDonald
: •••
••••II •••••••••••• ·•·••·•· A ~;
A cast concrete pergola with Doric columns
echoing those on the cathedral wraps the
Stage Fountain and terminates the square.
mportant as they are, the
long-term and logistical
aspects of ciiy planning
don't readily engage the
public. But anyone viewing the
drawings developed a few years
ago for Cathedral Square in
Mobile could be excited by the
prospect. Tied to a preservation­driven
Cathedral Square Arts
District plan, this initiative has
given the city a focused district
to reinforce its historic center.
That powerful image of a
It will be covere' with La'y Banks roses. place had a long gestation. Roman Catholic Archbishop John May,
predecessor to Archbishop Oscar Lipscomb, had the idea that the
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception fronting Claiborne Street
The restored Saenger Theatre, used for a variety of perfor­mances
and events, was nearby. And, in the meantime, a number of
restaurants and nightspots had opened in the district. A Cathedral
The design for Mobile's new Cathedral
Square was inspired by the Cathedral of the
Immaculate Conception, but the gathering
space here is open lawn for events pro~
grammed as pari of the surraunding
Cathedral Square Arts District.
OeslgnAlabama 12
should have an important urban space as its foreground. He acquired Square Task Force set its sights on the open square, and a grant from
the site, which by the early 1970s had been cleared of buildings (one the Alabama State Council on the Arts was received to help cover the
moved to Fort Conde Village) and donated to the city. But it remained cost of a design.
an ordinary expanse of grass principally used as a shortcut. Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern architectural firm of Mobile was
When the Mobile Arts Council decided to relocate into the selected for the job. The process was highly collaborative with district
downtown area, the Mobile Historic Development Commission under institutions and potential users of the space included. The designers
director Mark C. McDonald found an owner who would restore a faced the problem of creating a space suitable for programmed activi-building
at Dauphin and Jackson streets with the arts council as sec- ties but also a place that would be beautiful for more passive, casual
ond-floor tenant.
The germ of an idea was planted. The Mobile Museum of Art
took the ground fioor ior a downtown branch, and about a year and a
half ago a group of 35 locai artists opened a cooperative gallery
called Cathedral Square Arts.
use. As it turned out, the cathedral- for which the cornerstone was
laid in 1835, the portico added in the 1880s and the towers in the
1890s - itself becarne a rnajor player in the design
"The prograrnming for the square carne from the arts district,"
says project architect John Von Senden. "But the plan of the square
rnirrors that of the cathedral. There is the
formal central space, and the curved
fountain at the end opposite the facade
echoes the apse behind the altar." A per­gola
supported by Doric columns, srnall­er
scale and smooth corn pared to the
great fluted columns of the cathedral,
defines the curve. (The Stage Fountain,
as it is named, can be turned off and a
stage laid over for performances.)
The red brick and limestone of
the cathedral also repeats in the square,
with concrete walks and terrace played
against a wide band of red brick around
the green rectangle at the center. The
bricks are laid in a basket-weave pattern,
and about one-third of them are
inscribed with the narnes of people who
bought them in support of the project
(Of the total $700,000 budget for the
square, approximately half came from private donations in a cam­paign
led by Dr. Sam Eichold and Joe Wilson)
There is no "empty amphitheater" look because the architects
created flexible-use options. In addition to the Stage Fountain, per­formances
can be placed at either end of the square's axis and cross
axis, with the cathedral itself serving as backdrop for some events.
Low planter walls double for seating, but so do expanses of open
lawn. "There is already an established tradition in Mobile of people
coming to concerts with folding chairs or blankets and picnics," Von
Senden notes.
Happily, the street edges of the square had been lined previously
with live oaks which already define the space. The architects laid out
curving walks in the landscape zones between the open center and
sidewalks to the north and south. With access from corners, these
walks accommodate people who wish to use the park as a shortcut and
also provide a pleasant contrast to the formal core. Classical lampposts
provide illumination and reinforce pedestrian scale.
The role of a Singular and beautiful urban space as a compo­nent
of planning resonates in Cathedral Square. "1 am amazed how
many people I see strolling through the park just to enjoy it, where
they only walked through before," observes Jean Galloway, director
of the Mobile Arts Council. "And at night, when an event at the
Saenger Theatre ends, you can often see people coming over to see
the park and fountain. Before they would have gone right to their cars
and been gone."
McDonald sums up the dynamics at work: "Cathedral Square
has emerged as the centerpiece of a rapidly developing arts and
enterta'lnment district. The park's success has evidenced the value of
long-range planning and community-based development and shows
how street improvements, public space, historic preservation and
good design are all equally important components in effective down­town
revitalization." II1II
P!an: Flanking the formal center of the
square are curving walks that meet the
formal plan near the earners,
inlliting people to continue using
the open space as a shortcut.
'r-ill
LU "~ • " "" cl §
:2 " ",I '" _",r(~ a _.
<0 • :<,
V
DAUFl-\lrJ
. " .. -,".,-.-,,'
CONTi STREET
Architects Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern
positioned a curving Stage Fountain on axis
with the cathedra! facade at the far end af
the square. With the fauntain off, a stage
can be set in place.
,..".,.....~ ..... ""' .. f5o.b'~
'"""",..-reI> ;;;
"">"-'
Ii\
2
-- a >fl --""-""-'" Y: U
UJ;t_ "'MlItU.) 4
,;:,,~~ ...,
13 Volume VIII, No. I
T
.:. ....... . •••••••••••• ····A •••• \J(~;
The streetscape design that evolved
out of the charrette is intended to
create pedestrian character
and a sense of place.
'; !
\;)
DesignAlabama 14
a
s much as they depend
upon each other, town and
gown don't always see
things eye to eye, But
along what's known as The Strip in
Tuscaloosa, a current planning
process shows promise of delivering
an enhanced physical and economic
environment beneficial to both,
Though focused on a small area, the
s
-.; --=:~.;:~> "/:/
.4,=:::;,.:;:;j -7
effort involves many players and embraces planning, streetscape
design and architecture taking the plan into three dimensions,
The University of Alabama sparked the project after purchasing
property on either side of a realigned street which intersects with
University Drive midway into the three-block-long strip, "We feel like
this area is our western entrance, coming from downtown Tuscaloosa,
and over the years it has deteriorated," says Allen Goode, land man­ager
for the university, "We wanted to see an attractive development
that states, 'You're now entering the campus: but aiso works with
existing retail development"
Working with other merchants on The Strip, the university
approached the City of Tuscaloosa about a plan for the whole area,
After some debate, the city's planning director, Adrian Straley,
requested proposals and commissioned KPS Group of Birmingham
to design a streets cape master plan for the district under the direction
of project manager Lisa Algiere
"Though the area remains vital, it has a rundown look," Algiere
says, "The merchants always wanted to see something happen, but
many are marginal, and they never really had a cohesive group, The
university's involvement brought new leadership to the task" A com-mittee
composed of university staff, area property owners and busi­ness
owners met a few times to set the direction of the project
In January KPS Group conducted a charrette, or design brain­storming,
open to all concerned which was held in the back room of a
restaurant on The Strip, The KPS team inciuded Darrell Meyer, former
head of the planning program at Auburn University, Amy Smith and
Susan Atkinson, The purpose was to identify assets, liabilities and
opportunities, By late afternoon the same day, a conceptual streetscape
plan was presented in council chambers at Tuscaloosa City Hall, KPS
subsequently prepared a more refined and detailed version, and the
city has allocated funds to prepare construction documents,
Meanwhile, Capstone Development, a firm which has special­ized
in university-related housing development primarily across the
South, is serving as developer for the university A major anchor of
the planned mixed-use project is the former University Church of
Christ "It was originally scheduled for demolition, but we felt its
height would serve as a visual anchor for the area," explains
Capstone's Kent Campbell. Architects Paul Krebs & Associates of
Birmingham have developed plans to fe-skin the 1960s-era brick and
concrete structure in red brick and lirnestone trim to fit in with the
university campus (see rendering below),
If all proceeds as planned, The Strip will soon become a
pedestrian-friendly zone that attracts adults, families and visitors
even as it upgrades its role in university life, l1li
During the January charrette KPS Group's Amy Smith writes down ideas from participants.
w'il " ; wr''}''L ~r::> ;.'
The former University Church of Christ is to be reused as an anchor for the university's new mixed-use center,
the Thomas Street Market Capstone Development retained architects Paul Krebs & Associates for the design.
Main Street looking west toward Autauga
Creek and the original Daniel Pratt facto­ries
(center), now occupied by Continental
Eagle Corp.
Cobbs Ford Road!East Main Street looking
west from Premiere Place, a recent shop­ping
center development.
The engagement of Prattville citizens and
leaders in current planning is represented by
this group: (left to right, first row) Tony
Moore, city counCil; Tracy Delaney, Central
Alabama Regional Planning and
Development Commission; Mayor David D.
WI1etstone Jr.; Meg Lambert, local develop­er;
(second row) Jahn Zorn, 1992-96 city
counCil; Julie Young, assistant to the mayor;
Roy McAuley, chairman of the land use sub·
committee; Joel Duke, city planner; (third
row) Mike Ray, 1992--96 city council; Doug
Savell, chairman of the comprehensive plan
steering committee; John HarriS, USDA nat­ural
resource conservationist; Jim Byard,
president of the Prattville City Council.
The map showing future land use for Prattville
concentrates most retail commercial in nodes.
r
ar from sitting on a shell, "Planning Prattvi lie Into the 21 st
Century" completed in early 1996 by this rapidly growing
town just north of Montgomery has already been used to set
infrastructure design and budgeting, Over the long haul, it will
help Prattville (1980 pop, 18,600, 1996 pop, 24,000) avoid the "just
growed" aspect that has ruined the character of so many Alabama
towns over the past decades,
Initiated by Mayor David Whetstone and the city council in
1994, the planning process engaged the com­munityat
large A 15-member steering commit­tee
was established to guide formulation of the
plan, and additional citizens served on sub­committees
dealing with economic develop­ment,
housing, transportation, recreation, edu­cation
and land use, The last master plan had
been prepared in 1981, The current plan, in
contrast to so many created in the 1 970s and
'80s only for federal matching grant requirements, is meant to direct
what happens
"It's been a godsend for Prattville," says Doug Savell, an Air
Force civil servant who served as chairman of the steering commit­tee,
"We are growing so fast, the plan is helping us keep up with
what we need in roads and sewers, We now have a list of priorities,
and the city is working on some of the projects,"
Along with providing a sound approach to public improve­ments,
another major goal is to help Prattville keep its small town
feeling, How? "For one thing, we want to protect existing neighbor­hoods
from commercial encroachment so they continue to be good
places to live, and we want some sanity in our zoning so we have
orderly development. We want to be pro-business, but not go whole
hog on commercial everywhere," Savell explains,
Prattville contracted with the Central Alabama Regional
Planning and Development Commission to help develop the plan,
t t II
iI lie
Plans 'or
G
.:. ........ . •••••••••••• •••• ~
····~Ri
Recently constructed
Walmart Supertenter
(at Premiere Place)
from the corner of
McQueen·Smith Road
and East Main street.
Subsequently, a city planner position was established assuming
planning duties from the city engineer
Founded in 1833 by New England entrepreneur Daniel Pratt,
Prattville retains significant components of historic mit! and industri­al
buildings. And while it is now growing as a suburb of
Montgomery, it fully intends to build on its past. "During the pian­ning
process, there was close coordination between city hall and the
Prattville Chamber of Commerce for establishment of exclusive
industrial districts," says Joel T. Duke, city planner "That brought
into focus the need for a chamber position dedicated to economic
development and industrial recruitment."
At the same time, Duke notes, it was determined that quality of
life is an important element in attracting both residents and industry,
so a new youth baseball facility, now under construction, and a
planned citywide system of passive parks became part of the initiative,
The desire of Prattville to grow on its own terms, not just as
extended subdivisions of the Montgomery metro area, is helped by the
vast and scenic Alabama River floodplain that so clearly separates the two
places, Will Prattville's plan truly shape the character of both existing and
new areas? Duke feels the community's buy-in to the plan, which is
scheduled to be updated regularly, will create the base of support to see it
through, He hopes the next step will be to initiate urban design - plan­ning
in three dimensions - into the process, l1li
Recent additions to Prattville's manufacturing base, ARKAY Plastics
(left) and Wright Plastics (right).
15 Volume VIII, No, I
A e x a 11 d e r c
Citizens
Push'or
I
: .... ••••••••••• •••••••••••• • -ti•+.. . ~;
Downtown Alexander City has
interesting views where
two grids connect at angles
along the railroad track.
The perspective and plan
by KP$ Group rectlmmends
early attention to creating
a pedestrian civic space
along Broad Street and
adjacent to the expanded
SouthTrust Bank Building.
The view in the center sketch is
along Main Street
DesignA!abama 16
A series of analyses for the town center
and its larger context were
prepared by KPS Group.
These show (left to right)
existing buildings, circulation
and parking and
design Issues identified
during the planning process.
hen consultants were hired to do a plan for the tradi­tional
heart of Alexander City some three years ago,
there was something very good already in place:
Operation Downtown Alexander City, a nonprofit civic
organization dedicated to strengthening the downtown core as a vital
part of the community. Along with the City of Alexander City, the
group served as client for the project.
This prosperous town of about 16,000, with Russell Corp. the
major employer, has a downtown with many positive aspects, but it
was feeling the loss of retail to the bypass that has hurt so many oth­ers.
(In fact, closure of a major family-owned local store since the plan
was undertaken has helped raised retail vacancy from 8 to 12 percent.)
The citizens organized as Operation Downtown Alexander City want to
take positive steps before negatives start to overwheim.
Understanding that the organization and promotion were
already in good hands, KPS Group of Birmingham, commissioned to
prepare the plan, concentrated on what was not there - an overall
design and a strong marketing plan to economically restructure
downtown for today and tomorrow.
Cit),
Hnl!
A,onex
t y
•-• • • • •• •• •• • • •
• • •
With participation and input from a wide range of sources, the
planning process dealt with both downtown and its larger setting As
the illustrations show, gateways and corridors, as well as local streets
connecting to downtown, were mapped as were major development
influences. Town center design issues including landmark buildings,
unattractive buildings, storefront blocks, paved or vacant land,
important vegetation and other amenities were identified.
From this assessment, a town center design plan was developed
that primarily describes where new buildings are needed and what
public improvements are desirable. Renderings suggest how things
might look with both public and private improvements in place.
This is where many plans stop - with the physical. But KPS
included in the scope of work a marketing plan by the Atlanta office
of Hammer Siler George. Since downtown had strengths with the
courthouse, a major expansion by SouthTrust Bank and other ofiice
uses, the market study concentrated on how retail could be structured
to serve both the local population and the city's larger trade area.
The KPS plan also includes specific design guidelines to help
assure that new buildings will contribute the desired character and a
five-year program that spells out, year-by-year, what to do, in what
order and the approximate costs. KPS also helped bring into play the
need for strong public/private connections with the argument that
neither couid do the job alone, but together Alexander City's down­town
could accomplish much.
o
o
o
l ,
J \
0 0
0 0
Q Q
Q 0
~";
;1
, c
I .- Q
1; " .' I,, L...: I" ._.
I u
! Q ,
0 0 11 i ,
! 0
This point is echoed by a major property owner. "We formed of Operation Downtown Alexander City, and I think we've got a great
Operation Downtown primarily as concerned citizens, not to compete thing going. But we feel we need a plan for the entire city to know
with the chamber or other business groups," says Ralph Froshin. where we're going and how we can pay for it. This is a good plan paid
"Our idea then and still is to be a partner with the city in making the for by people who raised money to get it done, and we want to do our
city core a dynamic place to shop, work, live and visit." dead best not to let those plans go to waste."
The first strategic step that emerged from the plan calls for cre- McClellan points out that both he and the new council mem-ation
of a Broad Street Plaza as a major public use space, currently bers included the need to plan for the future in their campaigns. As
just a wide street with parking. The parking stays, but landscaping has happened in other places, a plan for a particular part of town has
and pedestrian improvements would make it more useable and attrac- made apparent the need to plan a wider area. For Alexander City, the
tive. 'This is the place where we already have a lot of events," says process appears poised to leverage more. II
Michele Warren, director of Operation Downtown Alexander City. It
also fronts both the expanding South Trust Bank The "erall Town Center Design Plan
and the Froshin Building, the now-closed local
store for which other retail uses are being
explored. The city has issued a request for pro­posals
on the design of this area.
Last fall, even as city officials were wonder­ing
how to fund improvements called for in the
plan, a new mayor and four new city council mem­bers
were elected. But the new mayor is upbeat
about the long-term prospects.
"Like most cities, cutbacks and mandates
have left the city strapped for money," says Mayor
Don McClellan. "I'm a businessman and member
o
o
o 0
o 0
o
o
o
o
o 0
o 0
o 0
delineates recommended improvements
to public space, sites for new buildings
(cross-hatched), upgraded circulation and
other improvements. Guidelines for
implementation accompany the plan.
17 Volume VIII, No. I
II t
Hu
Mou
SID
: ..... ••••••••••• •••••••• •• •••• ~ ~;
OesignAlabama 18
v
onte Sano and a
related line of ele­vated
terrain
through the east­em
part of the city mark the end
of the Cumberland Plateau and
provide a dramatic backdrop for
the city. For more than a decade
this topographic feature has
been a frontline for planning
and more responsive building
standards, producing two major
e
results: a Slope Development District and an expanded natural preserve
on the mountain.
Citizen action has been a major factor, but nature also had a hand:
In 1989, even as an extensive study was underway to determine what
protection might be needed, there was a major landslide in Monte Sano
State Park. "Prior to that time, most people did not realize the slopes were
unstable," says Ben Ferrill, a geologist and environmental planner with
Huntsville's Urban Development Department. Houses were lost, and the
city got serious about developing an ordinance to protect public safety.
But citizens' groups, led by Sandra and Bob Austin who live in an
area impacted by runoff and loss of natural beauty from residential
development moving up the mountain, had already formed the
Huntsville Land Trust and an ad hoc citizens' committee to pursue pas­sage
of a protective ordinance. Backed by individuals pledging a mini­mum
of $1 ,000, the trust raised $1 million and started the process that
has added 600 acres to the state park (along with other initiatives else­where
in the city).
The drive to create an ordinance regulating development on
mountainous terrain, ignored by a longtime mayor, was accelerated
with the 1988 election of dark-horse candidate Steve Hettinger who
included a platiorm for Monte Sano protection. A year-long study,
building on previous research, commenced with input from city depart­ments,
engineers, developers and interested citizens. City council
passed the Mountainside Development District ordinance in 1991.
Covering land with a 15 degree or greater slope and having at
least 100 feet of relief (the distance between the highest and lowest
point), the ordinance requires anyone planning to subdivide or build
in such an area to survey for potential hazards and either avoid or
take steps to offset them. It banned building in areas with colluvium
- unstable soils subject to slides. Density and height restrictions
are also included. This is a overlay zone that does not alter the use
permitted. It covers thousands of acres on Monte Sano and other
areas of similar character within the city limits.
"The ordinance was tied primarily to public safety, but also
included consideration of aesthetics," explains Ferrill. Adoption of
the ordinance corresponded to a slowdown in Huntsville's economy
and home building market, but, even so, complaints from the devel­opment
community led to some simplification in a revised ordinance
passed in 1996. It was also renamed the Slope Development District.
An example of the changes: If colluvium is less than five feet thick it
can be developed like anywhere else.
The Austins view the changes in the ordinance as evidence that
Huntsville citizens must stay alert on the matter. Ferrill expresses
some disappointment that the original incentives encouraging devel-
A landslide on Monte Sana in 1989 helped
spur development of a slope ordinance far
Huntsville. The drawings indicate the geo­logical
character of the slide and the
unstable colluvium soil that creates the
greatest hazard.
opers to ciuster houses and preserve adjacent open space drew little
interest. There are still some incentives to do this, but a minimum lot
size approach has been reintroduced.
Developer James Ledbetter, who represented the building
industry on the revisions, felt they were needed. "We wanted to soften
two or three things. They had set a height limit of 36 and 1/2 feet, try­ing
to keep houses under the tree canopy. One or two builders had
gone overboard with houses up to 60 feet. We settled on a 45-foot
limit," he says. On the question of the amount of impervious surface
allowed (which generates runoff), the city did not give.
Civil engineer Keith Mandell, who helped develop performance
standards for the regulations, also feels the ordinance has changed the
practice of the building industry. "I have been in the trenches training
people not only what needs to be done in these conditions, but why­so
they understand the reasoning behind it," he says. "Many of these
guys learned to build on cotton fields. We explain that the hazards of
sink holes, springs, unstable soil and all the rest are real. The best
thing is to avoid them, but with the proper steps conditions can be off­set.
I also tell them typical tract houses don't work well in these situa­tions.
If they decide to get an architect, I have succeeded."
Controversial as it has been, Huntsville's slope protection ordi­nance
has put planning and engineering at the service of the public.
"A friend of mine who does foundation repair said he hasn't been
This map indicates Monte Sana State Park and the Watts Tract recently
purchased for preservation by the city and the Huntsville land Trust.
called to work on any house since the ordinance went into effect,"
Mandell notes. "It adds between $2,000 to $3,000 to the cost of a
house, which is minimal considering the cost of building today. The
homeowner gets far superior foundations. It's not an extra, it's what
they deserve." ..
An aerial photograph digitized by the planners for the City
of Huntsville snows the encroachment of subdivisions on its
wooded mountain slopes. The undisturbed area toward the
top is known as the Watts Tract.
19 Volume VIII, No. I
Design.Makes A Difference
By Laura Quenelle
PhDtos By Laura Quenelle
DesignAlabama 20
Have you ever considered
the level of design and
planning that goes into the
creation of our surrounding
environment? We all know
that architects design our
buildings, engineers design
bridges and highways and
interior designers deal with
interior spaces,
��• Jmt did you ever
stop to think about who is responsible for the many other elements,
all those seemingly minute details that make up our environment?
What about the signs and three-dimensional displays that help
educate and navigate us through our environment? These are elements that
can contribute greatly to the overall appearance of our cities and towns, yet
how many people really stop to consider their effect, positive or negative,
on our surroundings? Anyone who has traveled down a billboard-lined
expressway or tried to steer a path through a sea of golden arches and
neon signs knows that this contribution is not always a positive one.
Since 1973 an organization has been working to ensure that this
ever-important element of our visual environment receives the attention
it deserves. The Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD), an
international, multi-disciplinary, nonprofit group in Washington, D.C,
describes environmental graphic design as "the planning, design and
specifying of graphic elements in the built and natural environment." By
providing information resources, education and recognition for
professionals in this field, the group is working to create an awareness
of the importance of this discipline and of the effect well-designed
environmental graphics can have on our surroundings and our lives.
The donor wall for Unn Park in downtown Birmingham.
Designer and SEGD Fellow Deborah Sussman explains that, "envi­ronmental
graphic design provides people with urban spaces and public
spaces that are more than the sum of their parts. It merges clear visual
and verbal imagery with other elements of the built environment to allec!
one's emotional perceptions and knowledge of the places one uses."
Can you think of a place in your community where graphic design
is used in such a way? Environmental graph·le design is all around us;
in our public parks and along our streets and avenues, in the highway
billboards we drive by everyday, allixed to the stores and businesses
we frequent. When do these signs and images become more than just a
means to communicating information; when do they become a positive
contribution to our visual surroundings, an integral and recognizable
part of our built environment?
These are questions that Birminmham environmental graphic
designer Guy Arello deals with everyday. His contributions to Alabama's
visual environment are well-known. A recent project is the new direc­tional,
or wayfinding, signs which guide visitors throughout the city to
Birmingham's Vulcan Park and Red Mountain Museum. He also created
the designs for the donor walls found inside the Birmingham Civil
Rights Institute and the Alabama School of Fine Arts and a donor wall
for downtown's Linn Park.
Arello began his career as a somewhat traditional graphic designer
He entered the field of environmental graphic design out of a sense of
desperation. "I hate signs," he explains. Today, Arello is doing his part to
improve this aspect of our environment which is so often overlooked. He
specializes in donor walls, but has worked on a wide range of projects
The designer holds very strong views on the role of signs in the built
environment. Signage should be an integral part of any design When it
is stuck on as an afterthought, It often becomes clutter and a detriment
The Society for Environmental
Graphic Design has identified
seven systems its members
and designers in general utilize
to communicate information
Identification: Confirms destinations,
creates landmarks, helps establish
recognition (street numbering, main
entrance Signs, public ali).
Information: Communicates knowedge
conceming designations, facts and circum­stances
(kiosks, symbols, directories).
Regulatory: Displays rules of conduct
to the public: (,Slop' and "no parking" signs).
The donor wall inside the Alabama School of Fine Arts.
Marquee for the Stephens Performing Arts Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
to the entire project. Signage, if designed well, can not only provide
information or identify a specific location, but can enhance the
appearance of and improve our perceptions of that place, providing
a positive contribution to our visual environment.
For more information about the Society for Environmental
Graphic Design, write to 401 F St. NW, Suite 333, Washington, DC
20001, call (202) 638-5555 or fax (202) 638-0891. Send e-mail to
SEGDOllice@aol.com _
SEGD
Directional: Guides users to destinations
(aiports, hospitals). The design and
implementation of directional systems are
offen referred to as ''way/inding. "
Orientation: Gives users a frame of
reference within a particular environment
(maps).
Interpretation: Provides verbat and
visual explanations of a particular topic
or set of artifacts (exhibits).
Ornamentation: Enhances or beautifies
the environment (banners, architectural
c%ration, gateways).
21 Volume VI!!, No. !
Hisforical'i'Perspectives
A Working Museum
The Cahaba, Pumping Stationis (In importmlt element
in the dlJlielopJ7liml oftheeity o/Birminglztun: Most peo­ple
think citieS (Ire established by tlze erection qfmdli­tecluratstrudttres,
when aellltltiJi a city starls tindel'
grOlmcl Without the erzgi1zeered deS(i{lI qjjJUblicuJorks
jilcililies slich tiS walel; sewage and electricity, there
would not be (I huilt emJil'Ontltellt.1fzesesystemsgo
utlilOliced ul/til the necessities Clre not {lum1ab!e.We
cau tizank tizeellgineersCI/titeBirmiJ1ghrml Watyr
\'f/orksBoarcl./ormClkillg water aCC!J.~~ih{(1 to tltedrlJ(tti.z
7873 tlnd jin' making itpossibl~jiJrthecityto e:\7;~t.
Besides the itrrpodanU?mdion q/ourpub!ic wIII'kl'
facilities, t/zestr(lctures we impl!1'!(mt !zi,\1orically as
!J.vamp/esqj-art{{l'chitectumisryle ,qjthe'inclustria! age.
The pumping station as seen today.
By Terra Klugh
A good example ofadapliue reuse of an histon'c public works structure is the newly renol'ated Cahaba
Pumping ~~({tiort. Located near Cahaba Heigh/I: close to the intersection of Highway 280 and Interstate
459, the pumping station Telnaills a working site afBirmingham's histOlJ' Instead ofteCl1'ing down this
1890s landmark to leaue just the working e,\1eriorpumps and one pllmp hOllse, the Bi17ningham WClter
Works Board decided to renovate the historic structures on site for educational pWjloses,
7/ze flmler control building and original boiler house iwve been adapted for use as a learning
center and conference factlity with the latest in audio/visual equiprnent and teleconferencing tech­nology
And through new developments in engineering technology, the pumping stution is still pro­uiding
u'atel' to the city ofBirminglzam as it hasfor more thal/lOO years.
Historic iigure that, with the push of a button,
explains the water pumping system. The man pic­tured
once worked at the pumping station.
Built betl(een1888 and 1890 for the Birmingham Water Works, the Cahaba Pumping
Station is designed to jJump watezjinm the Cahaba River up a 400joot eiel'ation to (!
reservoir at Shades Mountain - nea!' Rocky Ridge Road and Highway 280 - where it
is then distributed throughout the cit)' of Birmingham. In constructing the site, the
Birmingham Water Works had to lease a railroad to haul the matedals over Red
Mountain. Ib tnlllelji-om downtown Bimzingizam to the site of the jJumping station,
which takes us 10 minutes to trclVei by cm: took workers up to three days, Once the
pumping station was jinished inl890, it could pump 5 million galions ofll'ater a
day into the ci~; Although this was a great adlieoement for the time, it hardly com­pares
to the 80 million gallons it can pump today servicing 60 percent of
Birminghatnls water needs.
In addition to the pumjJ house Cind boiler rooms, the original plant included a
machine shop, blacksmith shop (sfill standing), locomotive house, oil house, electric
pou'er house, office and storeroom. AI! buildings were constructed oflocal(V jired
b,ick Clnd had slate rooji', The pump jJits were and still are stmnoutlted by circular
brick buildings with slate roofs.
Design.tl.labama 22
1917 view of pumping station.
These modern pumps are used today to
pump water from the river.
1917 view of pump house #2. The Trott residence, one of severa! worker/supervisor houses
once on the site.
Hands-on display demonstrates the amount and
speed of water that is pumped from the station.
The construction and operation of the pumping station required many more people
then than it takes to run today Because of this, several residences were located on site
to house the engineers,jiremen and keepers. In 1890, a small community, New
Merkel- which took its name from the c!zi~fengineer W A. Merkel- was developed
near the pumping station. Here the employees of the Cahaba Pumping Station and
coal miners were housed A construction histolJ' of the Birmingham Water Works
propezties from 1917 described the area as having 17 two-room and seven three-room
ji-ame worker's houses The community also included three four-room dwellings,
a one-storyframe building. a bam and shed Later, to protect the water source from
contamination, development was shifted to a nearby location in what is today
known as Cahaba Heights.
The pumping station, which gets its water ji'Om the nearby Cahaba River, original­ly
operated on coal-generated steam. The coal used to fuel the pump house was
locally minedfrom a site located about one mile from the pumping station and
was transp01ted over a shari railroad line from the mine to the station A small
building, once situated beside the boiler house, sheltered the hoisting engine and
coal out of the train car.
In 1947 the pumping station coal to natural gas. Pump Pit #2 was
updated to accommodate this new system use today The new pumps
are powered by 1500 horsepower electric motors. This useiot'nmlli!J,~hnolo):ry
increased the amount of water pumped through the system. Pump Pit
no longer in operation, has been restored, and the original steampowered pumps
remain for viewing.
23 Volume VJlI, No. i
Entering through the ji'Dtlt doors of this new industrial museum, one enters into the fore
mer control room which is now the settingfor the Water Work's exhibit room. Here vis,'
tors can learn about the history of Birmingham $ water works system by reading exhib­it
boards, looking at artifacts and by interacting with hands-on displays. Then with the
touch of a button, the room becomes a conference space. A computer controls automatic
shades that cover the windows, a large video screen on the wall and. by another con­trol
panel, audio and video systems are controlled.
Built in 1996, the new control buiiding's style
and materials closely match those of the original
The station as viewed from the
Cahaba River. Portions of the
pumping apparatus are visible to
KIYER
The station's circular pump pits
are probably the site's most
feature.
A door in the conference space opens into the original boiler room which now serves
as a museum/learning exhibit. This large, high-ceilinged buildingfeatures plaques
on the wall to educate viewers on the history of the building describing the need for
two expansions - one in 1921 and again in 1931 Additions can be "ecognized by the
changes in brick color. Historicphotographs ofboiler house workers are displayed
li/e-size; and bypressing a button on the display, visitors learn how the boiler system
works. The pipes coming and gOingfrom the boilers are color-coded to pOint out the
elements for which each specific one is used be it gas, water, etc. This helps viewers
better understand the pumping process as water comes thmugh the Cahaba station
and on to its next destination.
In 1996 a new control building was constructed DeSigned by local engineers
Christy/Cobb Inc. in conjunction with consulting engineers Cone, Hazzard & Nail,
the building looks original to the site due to the carefitl detail used in constructing
this new addition. Like the original buildings, the new control building was con­structed
oflocal brick and slate.
DesignAlabama 24
The 1931 addition to the boiler
house is visible in this view of
the northeast facade.
When passing the site of the Cahaba Pumping Station, one might question thepur­pose
afthese buildings if the four large pumps were not so prominent The e.Visting
bUildings have been restored using the same type aflocal materials to keep wzth the
original integrio! of the site. Most public works bUildings have been builtin this
same style, deswibed as 'American Comfort. 'A more domestic sol/e thc,! became
populcl1jor public works hUildings as America's reaction to the indzl('1ria/ revolu­tion,
it dounplays the industrial process which occurs inside the building.
The site, not yet open to the public. is being utilized by the WaterlVorks Board for
educational pwposes. For more infOimation about proposed public uses of the can­r:.
J.' ference facility. contact the Bizmingham Water Works Boarq! ~
Terra Klugh holds a S.A. in Art History from Hollins College in Roanoke, Va. She has
worked for several years as a contractor for the Historic Am,erican Building Survey
(HABS). a branch of the National Park Service. An assignment to document the
Alabama Theater brought her to the Birmingham area, v,here she has remained. This
past summer, Klugh worked with HABS documenting the historic
Arlington House.
SOCIETY
Preservation Awards
Rhodes Carroll Lofts - This three-story structure, built in
1913 to house a retail furniture store with warehousing on upper
floors, has been imaginatively adapted for use as 11 apartments
with retail space on the ground floor. A new elevator lobby, illumi­nated
with skylights, opens the interior and provides access both
from the street and from resident parking tucked into the rear of
the building. Each living space is configured differently; and while
the original exposed walls and ceilings have been kept, their char­acter
is enhanced by exposed ducts, skylights and wood floors.
Recipients include the Birmingham Housing Group Inc.
LLC; Kent Ahrenhold, architect; and Tom Latimer.
Mountain Brook Village - The award recognizes the
long-term care given to the late-1920s English-Tudor-style com­mercial
buildings, the recent facade restoration and renovations of
the old Hill Grocery Building and the City of Mountain Brook's
streetscape improvements to recover the pedestrian character of
the village Especially notable are the use of a brick for sidewalks
that closely resembles what exists and the replication of cast-con­crete
light standards. New construction extends the historic char­acter
of the city to this major contemporary gateway at US 280
and Cahaba Road.
Recipients include Banks Robertson; Bob Schleusner,
johnson, Rast & Hayes Inc.; Mayor Lawrence T. Oden, City of
Mountain Brook; Sam Gaston, city manager, Mountain Brook City
Council; Henry Ray, Ray and Company Real Estate Inc.; Nimrod
Long, landscape architect, Nimrod Long and Associates
inc.; Tricia Taylor, contractor, Stone Building Co. Inc.
South Highland Presbyterian Church Addition - This
23,OOO-square-foot educational building addition exhibits care in
extending the character of this sacred place. For the exterior, the
architects took cues from the original church and previous addi­tions,
repeating the rough-cut limestone of the former and the
smooth-cut limestone and brick of the latter. Several sample pan­els
were built to help the stonemasons learn the particular tech­niques
needed.
Recipients include Mike Goodrich, Building Committee
chair, South Highlands Presbyterian Church; Marsha Parsons,
church staff; Neil Davis, architect, Davis Architects inc.; Art
Killebew, Garrison Barrett Group Inc.; Johnny Green, pro­ject
manager, Brasfield and Gorrie General Contractors Inc.
Birmingham Police Headquarters - Originally built in
the 1920s as a pharmaceutical warehouse and more recently used
as a business college, this six-story, 98,000-square-foot structure
has been renovated as the new Birmingham Police Headquarters.
Modern horizontal lines Introduced on the first two levels fronting
First Avenue North were returned to a vertical bay configuration
found on the upper fioors. Recalling a stamped tin canopy that
once hung above the entrance, the architects introduced a new
version with a upward sweep that signals the contemporary
upgrade. White aluminum windows were replaced with
Details+of Interest
Details of Interest
is a regular
of p.vp.r71<{'l;;],~rf
resources. ",
•
Birmingham Police Headquarters
Mountain Brook Village
A w A R s
'i 1· I;
I,I' l,~
II
!I
Ii
II
ur~ !~ J ,
South Highland Presbyterian Church Addition
Rhodes Carroll Lofts
25 Volume VII!. No. )
v. Richards
Bessemer Glass Building
dark-framed, divided windows like those originally used. Certain
original features inside were also recovered.
Recipients include Bill Gilchrist, City of Birmingham
Department of Planning and Engineering; Johnnie
Johnson, Birmingham chief of police; Marzette Fisher, princi­ple
architect, Giattina Fisher Aycock Architects Inc.; Bill
Miller, project manager, Professional Builders Inc.
Bessemer Glass Building - The longtime family owners
of this 1920s automotive service building in downtown Bessemer
have given it a new lease on life. Their renovation removed red­and-
white 1950s panels revealing the handsome brick corbelling
at the cornice and re-instituted period framing and transom win­dows,
making the building a wondertul reflection of their glassy
enterprise.
Recipients include Lisa Pack Drew and Jeff Pack, owners
and project managers; the City of Bessemer; Jim Byram,
Department of Economic & Community Development; Troy Post,
Bessemer Industrial Development Board; Johnny Crain, Crain
Builders; Linda Nelson, Bessemer Main Street consultant
V. Richard's- The owners of this newly established spe­cialty
foods market both restored and renovated the Clairmont
Avenue building that long housed a local grocery store, while
updating the concept of the neighborhood grocery. The use rein­forces
earlier efforts to keep vital this intimate commercial area
serving Forest Park. The exterior of the building was returned to
period character with careful cleaning of the brick, painted window
glass and a canvas awning that covers a modern metal one.
Inside, the space was completely renovated to emphasize fresh
produce, prepared foods and other contemporary market stan­dards.
Recipients include Mr. and Mrs. Rick Little, owners
and designers.
SpeCial Awards
Shades Crest Road Historic District - Thanks to
detailed research and loving persistence in filling out forms,
Hoover now boasts its first official historic district listed on the
Alabama Register of Historic Places. At Bluff Park, 1,100 feet
above Oxmoor Valley, the historic Sunset Park subdivision of
1885 with its 19th-century summer cottages and early-2Oth-cen­tury
residences has witnessed that area's transition from summer
resort to city suburb and retains a splendid view, still best seen
from Sunset Rock. The recipient was Betty Honea of the Hoover
Historical Society.
DesignAlabama 26
John Lauriello, Southpace Properties Inc. - For two
decades, John Lauriello has successfully restored and renovated
historic structures in downtown, Five Points and the Highland
Avenue area. He has shown special skill in making such projects
economically viable orren against difficult odds. His personal
involvement in more than 20 projects includes such important
landmarks as the Massey BUilding, the Title Building and the
Munger Building. His associates at Southpace Properties have led
efforts to save and reuse many other buildings for offices, residen­tiallofts,
restaurants and other purposes.
The Alabama Chapter of the International Interior Design
Association (IIDA) has presented its 1997 Progression Design
Awards. The YMCA of Shelby County by the Garrison Barrett
Group, Birmingham, look Best of Competition, as well as a Merit
Award.
Merit Awards also went to the Harrison Place Hotel in
Topeka, Kansas, by Dian Diamond Inc., Birmingham, and the
Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery by Gresham, Smith
and Partners Inc. of Birmingham.
Krumdieck A+I Design Inc., Birmingham, received two
Honorable Mentions for the design of its own offices and for its
work at Pittman, Hooks, Marsh, Dutton & Hollis PC, a law firm in
Birmingham.
Pittman, Hooks, Marsh, Dutton & Hollis PC oftice
YMCA 01 Shelby County
Alabama Judicial Bullding
Krumdieck A+l Design Inc. office
Harrison Place Hoiel
A festive gateway designed by Jenni Morgenthau, an
intern architect at Sherlock, Smith & Adams Inc., was fea­tured
at the entrance to the Montgomery Civic Center for this
year's Jubilee CityFest held downtown during Memorial Day
weekend.
Morgenthau's colortul design, which included an innova­tive
combination of aluminum tubing, brilliantly colored canvas
and flowing banners, was sponsored by GE Plastics and promi­nently
displayed the sponsor's logo along with color blocks that
spell out the words "Jubilee CityFest" and multicolored kite-like
banners that flow from 20-foot-high tubular columns.
Morgenthau's gateway was chosen from among numer­ous
entries in the Montgomery Chapter of the American Institute
of Architect's Third Annual Jubilee Gateway Charrette. She won a
$500 cash award for her deSign effort.
Birmingham-based landscape architecture firm Grover &
Harrison PC was awarded an Environmental Improvement
Award from the Associated Landscape Contractors of America for
the interior landscape created for the renovation and expansion of
Lenox Square Mall in Atlanta (featured in our Spring/Summer
1996 issue)
The design features large-scale, European-style topiaries
in the shapes of birds, globes and umbrellas. Topiary is the art of
shaping plants to create living sculpture and dates back to the
early Roman Empire.
The Lenox Square expansion adds a 170,000-square-foot
second level and 50-60 new stores. Lenox Square encompasses
1 A million square feet and now offers 200 stores.
lenox Square Mai:
Birmingham-area children were given the opportunity to
draw their dream houses in a contest sponsored by the
Birmingham Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. There
were underwater houses, houses in the mall and castles with
dragons and moats.
Begun in 1996, the competition seeks to increase public
awareness of architecture and architects, 10 encourage creativity
and to foster early potentiaL Winners were Colt Brooker.
Cahaba Heights Community Schoo!' 1 sl Place; Christopher
Angell, Vestavia Hills Elementary School West. 2nd Piace; and
Mose Carrington, Central Park Elementary School, 3rd Place.
All winners received trophies at the chapter's annual
awards dinner The more than SOO entries from 19 area schools
were displayed at Brookwood Mall the week of May S. Judges
included Ginny McDonald of the Birmingham News, Kristi Peeler­Starr
of Birmingham Magazine, architect Angela Nash and iocal
artists Mary Ann Stroud and Lam Tong.
left io right: Mose Carrington (3rd). Colt Brooker (lsi). Christopher Angeii (2nd).
MAIN STREET MOBilE AWARDS
BESTOWED
In January, Main Street Mobiie honored five individuals
and one iinancial institution for their leadership in the revitaliza­tion
of downtown Mobl!e. "Now in its second year,'· remarked
John McNeil, chair of the Awards Committee, "the awards pro­gram
of Main Street Mobiie seeks to recognize the outstanding
efforts of individuals, businesses and organizations to bring to its
fuiiest potential the part of our city known as Downtown Mobile.··
Leadership Award
Regions Bank - Regions Bank, or one of its predecessors.
has been operating in downtown Mobile since 1901. Since the
late 1980s the bank has completed more than $5 million in
improvements to its buildings, which cover more than a one­block
area in the downtown and are listed on the National Register
of Historic Places.
Regions 82n~;
Cooper Riverside Park
Brm,yn Residence
Oeco,aio(s lv'r2rket
Gus'S Restaurant
in 1993 Regions took a leadership role as the first entity to
implement the Public Improvement Plan for the downtown by
replacing the sidewalks around its block. The bank also planted
trees and installed decorative light poles In addition, it has pro­vided
significant financial support to other downtown improve­ment
projects like the Ketchum Fountain Restoration Campaign
and the Cathedral Square Partnership
Dutslandinglndividual Award
Andrew Saunders - As chair of the Riverside Committee
of the Downtown Redevelopment Commission, Andrew Saunders
was a guiding force behind what is now known as Cooper
Riverside Park. The park, located on a site just south of Mobile's
well-known convention center, was developed through a combi­nation
of local, federal and private contributions. Remarked
McNeil, "The importance of Mr. Saunders' vision and leadership
in bringing this project to fruition cannot be overstated. Mr.
Saunders worked tirelessly for five years acting as chairman of the
Riverside Commitlee, securing the acquisition of the land, secur­ing
the $3 million necessary to purchase and develop the site and
leading the committee through the design and construction phas­es
of the project. The positive effects are only now beginning to
be enjoyed, as the thousands of people who viewed the First
Night fireworks display from Cooper Riverside Park can attest."
Downtown Innovation Award
Mr. and Mrs. Tilmon Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon
Moulton - Mr. and Mrs. Tilmon Brown purchased and reno­vated
the former Creole Fire Station on North Dearborn Street for
their residence. Serving as a fire station for more than 100 years,
the building had long been vacant. "Subsequent to the Brown's
renovating this significant building, the street has begun to stabi­lize,"
according to McNeil, "One house has recently been renovat­ed
and two others are currently under renovation, all for use as
single-family residences."
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Moulton purchased two properties
on Dauphin Street, which they have renovated for use as Mrs.
Moulton's new shop, the Decorator's Market. The buildings were
actually built about 40 years apart but have been joined as one.
"Not only is the very creative renovation of these historic build­ings
significant, of equal importance is the location of the 10,000-
square-foot Decorator's Market in the buildings," remarked
McNeil, "Probably the largest retail operation to open in down­town
in a quarter-century, the Decorator's Market is drawing thou­sands
of new customers to downtown for shopping."
Special Awards
Wendell Quimby and Clarence H. Oswell - These two
awards were presented to individuals whose actions positively
affected the lives of people in the downtown area. The first reCipi­ent
was Wendell Quimby, who was responsible for the opening of
several businesses in blighted areas of the downtown. Quimby
holds an interest in several area businesses, most notably
Wentzell's Restaurant and Oyster Bar. He purchased and re­opened
the Mobile landmark on a one-block site along Dauphin
Street The building wiil eventually house four apartments. an
interior deSigner's office and the restaurant.
Clarence H. Oswell was honored for his role in the open­ing
of Gus's Restaurant. The restaurant occupies a five-bay build­ing
along Dauphin Street which had been abandoned for many
years. Oswell's sensitive renovation of the buiiding included new
features such as a walled courtyard and a state-of-the-art com­mercial
kitchen. According to McNel!, "Mr. Oswell saw in this
building an opportunity for an elegant restaurant while others only
saw a plain, vacant building."
27 Volume VIII. No. J
Desi nAlabama
Volume VIII, Issue I
PUBLIC DESIGN AWARENESS AND EDUCATION
DESIGNALABAMA IS WORKING TO CREATE AWARENESS ANO APPRECIATION FOR THE DESIGN DISCIPLINES
THAT INFLUENCE OUR ENVIRONMENT. WE BELIEVE THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH OF
THIS STATE CAN BE ENHANCED THROUGH ATIENTION TO AND INVESTMENT IN GOOD DESIGN.
., .. :0.: . . .::-«>.:' ,. :.... '. ... ...
iii .~"'.' : '.""
'IIJ .<.~:::"/ .'
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Architects design the buildings which populate our man-made
environment. A building design is a carefully considered synthesis of
pragmatic, functional and aesthetic requirements of the client. site and
its setting. Architects first develop a concept which meets these
requirements, then transfate the concept into a detailed design solution
in which myriad technical considerations are solved in partnership
with engineers, landscape architects, interior designers and other
consultants. Architects not onfy design new buildings but are also
increasingly more involved in the preservation, renovation and reuse
of existing buildings.
Landscape architects specialize in exterior environments. Theyapply
creative and technical skills to overall site plans, landscape grading and
drainage, irrigation, planting and construction detaits. Their task is to
preserve and enhance the environment and to define exterior spaces,
including functionaf and decorative areas. Planning streetscapes, gardens,
parks or gateways are afso responsibilities of the landscape architect.
Interior designers deal with the spaces within buildings. They plan the
organization of interior areas to meet functional and technical
requirements. The interior environments they create meet aesthetic
and functional needs through the articulation of interior surfaces and
the materials used, the selection and pfacement of furnishings and
other objects in the space, fighting and the like. Interior designers
work with architects and other consultants on new buifdings, as well as
on the preservation and renovation of existing buildings.
Urban designers and planners deal with the collective environment of
towns and cities which we all share. Their work deals with aspects of
function, aesthetics and process related to making existing
environments better and more attractive and designing new
environments for living, working, shopping and recreating. Urban
designers help to translate ideas about the space of the city or town
into specific plans that become the framework within which architects
and landscape architects work.
Alabama
State
Council
on the
Arts
ALABAMA POWER
FOUNDATION
INCORPORATED
AlA Alabama Council
"'ReMIlEefS • ENGINEERS • " ~AN NER5
This publication was made possible through funding by the contributors listed above.
For additional information about DesignAlabama, please call (800) 849·9543.
-------------_.
Industrial designers humanize technology by developing design concepts
that optimize the function, value and appearance of products, packages,
displays and systems. They design product lines, packaging and displays
that enhance a products success. Specific tasks of the industrial designer
include the design of computers and software interlaces, space station
environments, ergonomic furniture, store displays, exhibitions,
telecommunication systems, sports and fitness equipment and medical
products
Graphic designers create effective visual communications. Their work is
traditionally related to the design of printed materials such as brochures,
annual reports and other publications. II also encompasses the design of
corporate logos and their application to signage, stationery, etc., as well as
the design of ad campaigns. Increasingly, their scope has expanded to
include film, television and video and computer imagery Through the
creative manipulation of color, type, symbols, photos and illustrations,
graphic designers translate their concepts into compelling designs to
inform and persuade a specific audience.
Fashion designers are style arbiters of dress who interpret the mood of
a generation, intuit popular taste and understand merchandising and
bUSiness principles. They attempt to resolve the contradiction between
art and industry in order to construct a collection of clothing and
accessories with a unique sense of style and taste, enabling people to
create a personal statement about themselves in the way they dress.
Engineers are responsible for the application of science and technology to
solve the technical aspects of design problems in effective and efficient
ways. Engineers work in partnership with each of the other design
disciplines on the planning and design of cities, buildings and their
components. They take a lead role in the design of roads, bridges,
transportation systems, utility systems and other infrastructure of the built
environment. The engineering of industrial processes is also a
responsibility of this profession.
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