ZULUETA ARCHITECTURE

Check out my short video on the 3D Rendering Job for a Commercial Building. ______________________________________________________________________ www.zuluetaarchitecture.com

The Building Exterior Rendering shown above used cement board siding and  aluminum panels . to upgrade the building front.  The exterior steel canopy at the top floor is new. The garage door and the man door on the ground floor is shown with a new color to match the aluminum panel.   The colors used were shades of red, grey, silver and white. All fun and modern colors. Shown below is the original look of building. This building is located in downtown Calgary, and was built in the early 80s. The intention here is to modernize the look and to increase clientele for the building as well.   At the end of it, I can truly we had fun and the client was pleased with the work. We would like to thank Arch. Michael Turalde for the job well done! ************************************************************************ www.zuluetaarchitecture.com Arch. Joann Zulueta is a registered architect in Canada and in the Philippines.

   A Pergola at the roof deck is a special outdoor feature that adds building value,  applicable for residential as well as commercial projects.  An inherent feature that the building should have is a good view – cityscape or landscape. A pergola promotes interaction between users and between user and the space itself. It also provides some shade for any outdoor event. Design it to withstand extremes in climate. This is critical to its long term use. The post and lintel type with beams and roof joists is a popular style. As much as possible, use natural elements like wood. Recycled wood can also be used, as long as it is treated properly. This can be complimented by various forms of landscaping. Maintaining the pergola should be looked into at the onset of the project. Take into consideration – cleaning, drainage and repairs.  Always build for longevity. Certainly, pergola is an attractive feature that will draw attention to your building,...

I find that the Mezzanine issue is one the most confusing subjects in the building code. Even people in the industry is not aware as to what a mezzanine actually is. The biggest misunderstanding here is how big the area can be before it gets classified as a floor. Here is the code reference- a mezzanine is not considered a storey/ floor if It less than 40% of the open area of the floor below.  Most of the contractors and designers who do not deal with mezzanines extensively think it is 40% of the area below. No,  it is 40% of the open area below. There is a big difference right away. And here is another issue as well, some of these mezzanines gets approved at the City at development permit stage with oversized areas. Come building permit time, it gets a whole gamut of code issues. The way the permitting works in the City – development permit process is handled by planners and gets reviewed for building areas, density, zoning, parking. There might be a preliminary building cod...

I went for a completion field review for an A & W Restaurant project and I thought that this project did quite well, despite the usual hair pulling and teeth gnashing that go with any construction project. I faced some comments with the City – there is one whole side that is fire rated. Not that anyone would notice it. A & W updated their look – white exterior metal cladding, a darker aluminum panel, glass tiles on the washrooms, the bright interiors  and nuances on the colors. It looks fresh and I believe it serves the purpose of bringing people in. Aside from the juicy burger I suppose. I gently asked from the client if there was any more work coming- and the reply I got is that fast food places like these rely on the drive-thru to generate revenue. Apparently it’s difficult to get the drive thru approved. These fast foods places rely heavily on the drive thru for revenue.  If I remember correctly, 60% of the revenue comes ...

I went for a  site review for a Building improvement project to check on its compliance and completion. The story behind this project was the  client went ahead on improvements without having the proper permits. At the end of the day, all the improvements that were done to this building were removed. It was too costly to bring the building up to Code to justify and  retain those improvements. Needless to say, it was a long and difficult process for everyone.  My advice to anyone who is thinking of constructing without permits-   Do not even think about it . It is a very painful journey that is not going to be worth it in the end. ******************************************************************************* www.zuluetaarchitecture.com

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 

I had a building permit revoked because the City would not accept that the walk out basement renovation was for the use of the homeowner’s son. It did not matter if it was the truth- as long as the City saw a bedroom, a kitchen and a washroom in a basement, it’s a suite to be leased out to a tenant. For people who are not familiar with the process- once a space is classified as a secondary suite, there is a long list of requirements that needs to be met. You need to go thru a development permit (and good luck with that) and go thru all code requirements as well. It’s unbelievable to me how one sided and convoluted this interpretation of secondary suite. This to me is an infringement of property rights. Plus, there is no recognition of multigenerational lifestyle and diversity.  For example, it’s a traditional practice for communities with Asian heritages to live with their family way into their adulthood. Also, when you are a new immigrant it’s common to live with one of you...

Are you thinking of converting your basement or garage into a rental?  T hen you are looking   at building a secondary suite in your home.                                                                                                             What exactly is a secondary suite? A secondary suite occurs when there is another dwelling unit on the same property aside from the primary dwelling. The primary dwelling, the main house, is oc...

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.

I have been noticing increased construction activity in my neighborhood.  The house next door is new and I know the builder, of course, is intending to sell it at the highest price possible. But get this, a million dollars, no.  More.  $ 1.325 M dollars. So, I scratch my head and look out the window. Sure, its a wider lot, 40feet vs. our 30feet. Its same structure though, 2 floors and a basement.  The footprint is not any bigger. Also,  there's  only 8feet distance in between the sidewalls. At the second floor, there are windows annoyingly looking straight at each other. So they have fancier finishes probably, but are the sinks lined with gold? I am thinking the houses are a growing premium here because of the proximity to downtown, that I would understand.  Even through this new fence that's shared, anyone standing from our rear landing is still overlooking at their yard. So, nex...

Cheers to the release of the much awaited building permit for the medical clinic project at NW Calgary. I even said to the owner, once we have the building permit, we should throw a party complete with cake and balloons. The story of the permitting process for this project is close to a thriller movie, complete with the unexpected twists and turns and fall-off-my seat scenarios. Truly, although small, this project is a good exercise in building code and City of Calgary coordination. This building was upgraded from residential to commercial classification.  The application of building code was revisited in terms of exits, fire ratings, window calculations.  In any case, this permitting chapter is over and all parties concerned for sure, are looking forward to moving ahead.   http://architectblog.zuluetaarchitecture.com/2012/04/27/thriller-building-permit-in-calgary/ PermitGo is a division of Zulueta Architecture that spe...