ZULUETA ARCHITECTURE

Designing a Multi-family Building : Lessons Learned by Zulueta   Architecture Transcript of the video :  Right now I am at the front of the building and this is a building that I designed a few years ago. This is a four-story multi-family Residential Building. It has 16 residential units above ground and it has one level of parking. So this building is located in Calgary, Alberta. This photo shows the the back of the building. This photo shows the east side of the building. This photo shows one of the size of the building which is the west side. This shows the back of the building and as you can see it is right against the park. And so one interesting feature of this property is that it doesn't have any back alley, which also poses a challenge. So this is a shot of the driveway.   Originally the driveway was on the east side of the property and when we built this- The driveway was moved on the west side of the property. And the reason for that was that at that...

I took my girls to the neighborhood playground and I noticed the play “tree”.   It’s a play equipment that takes after a tree and it rotates thru pushing it on its side. I saw a few kids on the tree playing, 4 or 5 older kids, a smaller child wearing Spiderman and a young girl. They were all laughing and playing unabashedly with each other.   At that moment, they were connecting with each other so freely. No concept of color, gender or age, just play. I myself have been to the playground a couple of times and never talked to any of the parents, never made an attempt to relate to anyone else.         I thought the image of the Play Tree was such a beautiful sight. To realize that it works, is even more amazing. ********************************************************** www.zuluetaarchitecture.com 

Spring is here! Like everyone else, we eagerly waited for its warmth and the flurry of exciting activities that comes with it. For the Do-It-Yourself people, this is the opportunity to roll up sleeves and get started on the home improvement/ construction project. Here are some tips that can help your project be more successful. Plan Your Project. From the start, be clear on the goals and what you want to achieve. Delineate the scope of work. Start off by defining the space, calculate the area to come up with the square footage. Next is to assess the physical condition of the area. Based on this assessment, make a list of the work you intend to do.   Let’s say the project is basement improvement, check if there are existing drawings. If not, then verify the area by measuring the distances. This process will help you calculate the square footage. Next is to evaluate the condition of the basement.   If it’s an unfinished basement, then definitely there is a lot o...

This is a tricky question from a newspaper headline spurred my thoughts. I am big believer in collaboration. The construction industry is tough and competitive. Every single project, big or small, it seems you are fighting tooth and nail for it. To survive, it helps to work with parties  that complement your strengths. That's how I got started on some of my projects. Design and working on projects is a continuum of dialog and partnerships. That is how relationships flourish. At the end of the day, because everyone knows each other, you will eventually work together in a some form or the other. So, why not the build the foundation now? Zulueta Architecture is a dynamic professional practice currently based in Calgary, Alberta.

For some strange twist of events, I stumbled upon a big client who was looking for an architect to work with in Calgary. I believe I was chosen by merit, but I was also at the right place and at the right time. Who knew that my reprieve in Manila last year would lead to this fortunate circumstances.  In any case, I went from being a nobody to a person of influence.  I was so used to being ignored, people could not even pronounce my name correctly. Suddenly, because I am representing this client,  I get a dozen calls from suppliers, vendors and contractors trying to get on my good side so that they can get a piece of action.  All of this though, has not changed my attitude. Down to earth, and as fair as I could to everyone. I know  how quickly the tide can turn. But at this moment, it does not hurt to enjoy this moment of influence, however short-lived it may be. Zulueta Architecture is a dynamic professional practice cu...

As an architect, I am always in the pursuit of new projects to keep my practice running. I realize that my firm's name, which is named after my last name Zulueta, has attracted a certain market- the immigrants. I believe that because of my background I have an edge, my clients can easily relate and communicate with me. Not that other architects can't perform as well. Still, there is an underlying thread  that serves as a bridge- immigration experience, minority view, cultural ethnicity. This growing clientele of mine I enjoy working with and look forward to long term relationships. After all, Zulueta is more than just a last name. Zulueta Architecture will be representing the stronger and visible role of immigrants in this socio-economic web of society. Zulueta Architecture is a dynamic professional practice currently based in Calgary, Alberta.