The Macon Bacon – members of the Coastal Plains League, have now completed two seasons in Historic Luther Williams Field located in Macon, GA. Pendulum was the lead designer and architect of record for the project completed in the spring of 2018.
The Bacon advanced all the way to the final round of the playoffs this season competing for the Petitt Cup. Although they lost to the Morehead City Marlins in the final game of the series, the Bacon played a spectacular season providing unparalleled entertainment for their community and fans.
In honor of the Macon Bacon’s great 2019 season we have chosen Luther Williams Field as our next web interactive launch.
Click the rotating image above to take the virtual tour of the project. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements, more projects will be added.
Our latest web interactive release is a design concept for upgrades to the Buck O’Neil Eduction Center located in the 18th & Vine Jazz District of Kansas City, MO at the corner of 18th street and Martin Luther King Blvd. (formerly Paseo Blvd.).
Pendulum was retained by the City of Kansas City, MO to conceptualize renovations and add an iconic feature to the north facade of the building that is identifiable from several blocks away. Our scope included the addition of vertical circulation in the form of a pedestrian ramp, stairs and a passenger elevator. The scope was then expanded to include additional storage, an open air elevated cafe deck, and a freight elevator connecting the basement and the first two floors above the grade level. The improvements in total will enhance the operator’s ability to substantially expand his/her offerings to private entities and the community.
Click the rotating image above to take the virtual tour of the project. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements, more projects will be added.
Pendulum is pleased to announce a new website feature now live in our portfolio. We are kicking things of with the multi-award wining Dunkin’ Donuts Park, home of the Hartford Yard Goats.
Visitors are welcome to drag their mouse or finger across their computer screen or smart device and rotate the digital model in a walking tour of the ballpark. There are hot spots that can be clicked to launch enraged images and brief descriptions of featured areas.
Jonathan Cole, founding principal of Kansas City, MO based Pendulum stated “virtual reality and 3D visualization is an important part of our daily process from the very beginning stages of design. We communicate the sometimes crazy ideas rolling around in our head in real time and in a human scale which in my mind is a great advantage over the historic use of scaled physical models. Our clients no longer have to interpret our drawings because we are placing them in our models at every meeting, it’s an environment that feels very real. This new web feature also allows us to engage the public/fan and experience the ballpark before they arrive at a game…they’ll know what to expect; we think that’s powerful.”
Click the rotating image above to launch our new interactive feature. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements, more ballparks will be added.
Every year for the last nine years Pendulum has completed a new or substantially renovated ballpark in addition to other civic and/or boutique projects. In the last three years we’ve made a conscious effort to shift our focus from a traditional architectural delivery methodology to a process that encourages a curating of the built environment.
Most of our clients as well as the users of our buildings are heavily influenced by art, fashion, food, music, environment, and automobiles just to name a few. The combination of these elements in interior and exterior spaces fosters enhanced user experiences. There is a certain vibe that people are looking for when they attend events in or around our facilities. Most people don’t spend much time thinking about why something is cool or why it feels right, but they immediately know when something is off, when the vibe is not authentic.
Our job as curators of the built environment is to design experiences that feel effortlessly appropriate and ahead of the curve. This design journal exposes you to some of our triumphs as well as our process. It is evidence that we not only talk the talk…we live it.
For the last 23 years I’ve spent virtually every day of my life working in some capacity on sports projects. That being said, my work has required relentless travel across the nation to service my clients and projects. One of the many things I learned early in my career from my mentor Henry Stickney (former CEO of Mandalay Baseball Properties) is, “if you’re going to travel – log miles with one airline.” When we first met we were “logging miles” together on TWA exclusively. He would layover in St. Louis, MO just long enough for me to meet up with him for a flight to Dayton, OH. We did this every week for about two years. After TWA was bought out we started logging miles on Delta. Two million miles later… the rest is history.
This volume of “Design Is Everywhere” is documentation of my travels and a tribute to my many clients over the years. One of the additional lessons learned from Hank, as the owner/operator of several Minor League Baseball teams and the individual who taught me everything I know about the business of baseball, is, “when you go to a ballpark, you should always buy merchandise; after all, it’s all about the per caps baby!”. I’ve kept that lesson close to my heart for the last 20 years. He helped me to understand that my contribution to the ballpark-built environment is about more than just lines on paper. The truth of the matter is that I’m a real fan of the game and a fan of what my clients do. I’m excited about their brands and I proudly wear their gear on the streets of Kansas City all the time. When we design a ballpark, we pour our sweat and occasional tears into what we are doing; as far as I’m concerned we are members of the team even though we’re not playing on the field. As such we find that during the process of design there are a few funny stories that develop along the way. Even more important than that: there are real relationships that we’ve developed and nurtured over the years that are a byproduct of the work. Some of these relationships have absolutely shaped who we have become. So shout out to all the teams featured in this volume; we wouldn’t be who we are without you!
Stay tuned for the next volume release, we’ll share a few stories about how several of our clients have impacted our trajectory over the years.
Credits:
Behr Productions – Original Music Score (instagram @behr_productions)
We’re launching a new series that explores the many aspects of daily life that influence our designs. As we release each volume in the series you’ll notice that we often reference “the process”, that is deliberate. We find it interesting that as designers our natural tendency is to hide our process, we don’t want our audience to know the steps it took to arrive at a final thought…we project the idea that our first thought was perfect, as if we are perfect, yet reality is quite the opposite. Our best designs are the product of collaboration. It is the result of our willingness to be influenced by the things we see, hear, and smell, the people we surround ourselves with (our circle) that are chipping away at the same block of ice that we are but from a slightly different vantage point. It’s the applied pressure from our circle that challenge us to do better and be better, even when we get deal fatigue*.
Tinker Hatfield & Jordan 3Gehry Residence 1978Museo Guggenheim Bilbao
What is most interesting about the concept of “deal fatigue” is that it is a phenomenon only experienced by the designer. The end-user/consumer is never exposed to the steps associated with getting from point A (the beginning), to point B (the end), so this concept is foreign to them.
The consumer in general sees something they like, and they go buy it. The designer in contrast has to create, edit, market, and sell the idea. Think about it – how many different versions of the Air Jordan 3 do you think Tinker Hatfield studied before he pitched Michael Jordan who was at the time frustrated with Nike and considering leaving the brand? The end result was Tinker’s design and it saved the day…the rest is history. How many attempts in material study did it take for famed architect Frank Gehry to arrive at Museo Guggenheim Bilbao? When you think about it, his trajectory toward use of a material that defies gravity started with chain link fence. A very simple, affordable, and readily available sheet good that is pliable in multiple directions. “The process” of study, trial and error eventually led him to the use of titanium which is also a pliable sheet good…but not as readily obtainable, much more expensive, but perfect for the application. The end result is architecture that inspires us to aspire to challenge conventional methodology.
As an owner of an architectural firm, I’ve noticed amongst young talent the hesitancy to expose the process. There’s this gravitational pull toward putting on our headphones and hiding in our cocoons and spending hours upon hours cranking way on what we think is the perfect solution. It almost seems as if what’s really being taught at universities is the idea of self-reliance as a path to success which cheats the process. I’ve seen MANY portfolios in interviews where I look at the finished product and think to myself “wow, this is impressive”, only to realize that the individual was working in their cocoon all by themselves for the better part of a year to produce something that in real-time we’d have to produce in a couple of weeks. It’s the most difficult adjustment for young talent to make…the transition from theory to real-time which is about twenty times faster.
I’ve concluded that the cocoon that we all gravitate toward climbing in as a default is really our safe place that protects us from vulnerability. I think the people most successful at breaking boundaries, innovating, and generating new ideas are the people who are OK with exposing their vulnerability. Those that are OK with looking a little weird or sounding a little crazy. They are not afraid to be excited or show genuine emotion for the people around them that are exploding with talent. They let their fears push them ahead rather than stand in front of them and impede forward progress. The “Design Is Everywhere” series is our gesture of stepping outside of our cocoon and exposing you to the things we encounter on a daily basis that inspire us, the people in our circle that push us, the highs of challenging the market and our competitors, the inevitable lows of missing the mark, and yes – the occasional occurrence of crazy.
We are not afraid…let’s get it!
Stay tuned for Volume 02 of “Design Is Everywhere” – Sportswear Passion.
Footnotes:
* Deal fatigue is a term used to describe the point of mental and physical exhaustion when working on a project because for various reasons often out of the designer’s control, the project seems as if it will not come to completion.
Pendulum has always been about movement. We firmly believe “design is change”, so we are passionately looking to perfect the things we do well and improve upon areas we’ve fallen short. We are constantly reinventing ourselves in search of the faster, stronger, smarter “us”.
Today we’ve launched a new section of our website dedicated to tracking the daily growth of our crew. As designers, architects, and craftsman we tend to hide “the process” while exposing only the finished product. In my opinion “the process” is where the really good stuff lives…so let’s celebrate the good stuff!
Today’s featured project is 1512 Holmes Street located in the East Crossroads District of Kansas City, MO. This adaptive reuse of a former transmission repair shop serves as the midwest headquarters of Pendulum.
This 5,000 SF interior accurately reflects the personality and interests of its owners who are automotive enthusiasts. There are subtle hints of the relationship between the building’s past use and its present inspiration throughout. The overall aesthetic of the interior revolves around a balance of raw materials with a consistent notion of refined edges.
Wall Mural By Dale Frommelt – Egg Design
Conference Room During Regular Hours
Conference Room Transformation
Typical Workstations
Finding innovative ways to customize elements within the design for multi-purpose and flexibility was a key component of the design challenge. Therefore the first-floor conference room table transforms into a billiards table that accommodates formal and informal hospitality. The second-floor east lounge acts as an informal living room and presentation space, while the second-floor west lounge is reserved for formal entertainment and board meetings with a restored 1920’s Koken barber chair as the centerpiece.
2nd Floor East Lounge
2nd Floor West Lounge
The preconceived notion of how a work environment is supposed to look, feel, and function is challenged by our space. Some believe that a business is supposed to be serious and efficient. In this case we are a bit more eclectic, the ultimate compliment is when people see the space and ask what we actually do for a living. “Is this an office, a bar, a billiards hall, an automotive shop, a speakeasy…do you get any work done?” The answer is yes to all of the above…this space represents a lifestyle that fosters creativity in contrast to a “bin for stacking people”.
Interesting Fact:
1512 Holmes Street was the recipient of the 2017 IIDA Kansas City Mid America Design Awards (MADA) Silver Award for Renovation & Restoration.
Today’s featured project is the Beacon Hill Homes located in Kansas City, MO. The traditional front porch concept was raised to the second floor which maximizes views from the kitchen and open living area toward the downtown skyline. Each home consists of three bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, half basement, and attached two car garage.
Kitchen Interior View
Interesting Fact:
Pendulum also designed the “Distend Home”, a single story prototype for the Make It Right Foundation that was scheduled to be built in the Mannheim Neighborhood in Kansas City, MO.
