why lia?
DESIGN + TECHNICAL
We are both a Design and Technical Architectural Firm.
PERMITTING
We prepare DOB (Department of Buildings) filings and LPC (Landmark Presevation Commision) applications ourselves.
INSPECTIONS
We perform DOB Progress and Special inspections under the lead of our Principal and Technical Director, Lenka Ilic.
CONSTRUCTION PHASE
We oversee construction phase closely, requesting plenty of progress photos, submittals, and come out to the site often. Clients are provided site visit reports.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
We love what we do. Our team is organized and implements high production quality-control protocols in-house. Consulting with our preferred engineers for their opinions.
GENERAL CONTRACTOR (GC)
We have in depth and frequent conversations with General Contractors before and during the construction. GCs are asked to understand our drawings and make a list of questions prior providing a construction cost estimate. We are demanding but available. Not all GCs pass our recommended selection process, but the ones that do are well rounded. We work with and learn from good GCs.
FIRE-STOP DETAILS
We work closely with Hilti to prepare fire-stop details which are needed on alsmost each project.
EXISTING DRAWINGS
We go to the DOB personally to review record available for existing drawings at the microfilm department.
STREAMLINE
We get on a phone often to streamline the project when needed. We do not like being late.
PROJECT RECORDS
We keep tidy records of all projects regardless of size. We generate records during the project, perhaps more than expected; just to be safe.
CONTRACTS
We review GC/Owner contract to advise the clients of industry standards and construction laws. We educate clients on what their role on a project is.
NYC Residential Renovations
We have assisted as an Architect of Record and Designed over dozens of interior renovations in NYC, varying in scale from one wall addition to full renovations. Our design process is based on listening to clients talk about their daily routine flow, habits, special occasions that take place in their home, and their long-term plans. We selectively decide which projects to accept and based on mutual agreement on feeling of space.
We as architects will always stay true to our inner instincts to imagine space. It is a-priory that a client feels close resonance with our design philosophy. Design is a delicate process, personal, a dialog between a client and an architect – we listen to needs and we design.
NYC COMMERCIAL FIT-OUTS
Architectural Design of Commercial projects intertwines with business branding model and is contingent to the public realm of urban grid often. Design concepts are driven by the context of neighborhood, staff and customers flows, access areas for delivery and discharge, and more often than residential projects depend on the systems and surroundings the spaces are designed to serve.
Nevertheless, design does thrive when constrains are impeded. Good design will mold into serving the function of space and by sheer nature of bending generate a character.
Houses
Designing a house relates to finding a balance with surrounding. Sun, rain, wind and soil are elements humans have been searching ways to address. Technological and traditional means synchronized when interacting with storm water, natural ventilation, landscape as shading and wind buffer, we are curious about.
Homes differ from multifamily structures as they are operated by a family or friends, which demands the design to allow for a simple control over structure in complex set of climate and geotechnical context. Seasons change; the house adapts.
Additions
Adding new volume of structure to an existing building is a complex design consideration including zoning analysis and feasibility study. Existing conditions are assessed at structural and utilities, and Landmark aspects. Vertical and horizontal additions are extensions of a building, and the design inherently addresses cultural and technical contexts of the existing while transforming the building into new. The values we carry as designers are bluntly obvious in realities we create.
New Buildings
Buildings are similar to live organisms. A new building project is an opportunity to design a sustainable, energy self-producing, socially conscious, accessible and balanced compositions that improve city’s urban grid. Big ideas such are new buildings are composed by collecting and synchronizing feasible solutions between disciplines in a collaborative manner.
Concerns that come with a new building is increased area of non-permeable surfaces and heat-island effect that increase existing over-heating issues in urban areas. Green roofs and landscape are available for designers to incorporate as design solutions.
Building envelope design in relation to energy conservation while accounting for mechanical and electrical systems’ performances is a critical design consideration. Available construction budget is an abler to client’s program, yet the role of an architect is to create possibilities within given circumstances and guide the client towards the balanced decisions.
Special Inspections
NYC DOB Registered Special Inspection Agency, License #009576
Ensuring compliance with approved construction documents and referenced standards as required by laws and code regulations.
We perform the following Class 2 Special Inspections:
- Flood Zone Compliance
- Masonry
- Sprayed Fire-Resistant Materials
- Fire-Resistant Penetrations and Joints (Firestop)
- Tenant Protection Plan Compliance
- Luminous Egress Path Markings
- Structural Cold-Formed Steel
- Wall Panels, Curtain Walls, and Veneers
- Smoke Control Systems
- Mechanical Systems
- Chimneys and Vents
- Mastic and Intumescent Fire-Resistant Coatings
- Post-Installed Anchors
- Combustible Exterior Wall Coverings
- Exhaust and Vent Systems in Plenums in Ducts