TLCD Architecture has been voted Best Architectural Design Firm in the 2011 NorthBay biz readers poll.
TLCD Architecture has been receiving a lot of attention lately. Don Tomasi, AIA, senior principal and one of the firm’s four founders (he’s the T in the company name), says one reason is the company’s design for the Museum on the Square. This project will transform “an abandoned, nuclear blast-resistant telephone switching building in the heart of downtown Santa Rosa into a vibrant, 10-story, mixed-use project,” according to TLCD’s blog. The new glass tower will house a restaurant, offices, 43 one- and two-bedroom apartments and the Sonoma County Museum. Construction is expected to begin later this year.
When it’s finished, TLCD Architecture will move in as one of the building’s tenants. “We’ve been in Santa Rosa since my father founded the practice in 1965. We’re committed to the revitalization of downtown and are very much a part of our community,” says Tomasi.
The building will be LEED-certified either silver or gold, Tomasi says. This reflects TLCD’s top priorities: design excellence and sustainability. Seventeen members of its current staff (of 43) are LEED accredited professionals.
Assisting in the design aspect of the equation, TLCD is an early adopter of technology that lets an architect view a plan’s elements in three dimensions. “TLCD Architecture is an industry leader with Building Information Modeling [BIM], a powerful technology that lets us see our designs and the work of our engineering consultants in three dimensions instead of as abstract lines,” says Tomasi. “This has made it easier to work on increasingly sophisticated projects and allows us and our clients to explore each design in three-dimensions throughout the design process.”
TLCD’s diversified practice comprises education, health care, schools, libraries, commercial and civic projects such as the planned SMART train maintenance and operation center. “Engaging in a mix of projects creates a more dynamic workplace,” says Tomasi. Two recently completed projects demonstrate the company’s range and capacity.
One is the McCarthy Library at Napa Valley College, which features a plaza that acts as a gathering place for students and visitors and a glass entry façade. Inside, the library provides the latest technology and media.
Another is the historic DeTurk Round Barn in Santa Rosa, which just reopened after a renovation that preserved the rustic wooden exterior of the original 1890 building while upgrading its interior with modern lighting, a new roof, an elevator and other facilities.
Such buildings create community, and that’s exactly what TLCD wants to do. “We’re active in our community, serving on everything from boards of local nonprofits, to design boards and commissions, to grassroots hands-on activities. We actively support arts, educational, and other community resources such as the Redwood Empire Food Bank.”
Because of its diversity of projects and deep roots in the community, TLCD Architecture has continued to thrive even in tough times. “Unemployment in architecture is at 40 percent,” says Tomasi. “Construction and government aren’t expected to recover during this decade. We’ve had to downsize a bit but we’re staying busy working on a variety of high-profile projects. We count ourselves as very fortunate.”
