Gary Godden Elected to Park Meadows Metropolitan District Board of Directors

Gary Godden, founding principal of Godden|Sudik Architects, was elected on May 8^th to a four-year term with the five-member Board of Directors for the Park Meadows Metropolitan District (PMMD). The District is a governmental entity that provides services including street improvements, transportation, safety protection through traffic and safety control devices, and storm drainage. The District cooperates with the City of Lone Tree and Douglas County to provide major capital improvements to arterial and collector streets to benefit District residents as well as the maintenance of landscaped improvements within medians and rights-of-way along the major streets. Through his career as an architect and land planner, as well as serving as a planning commissioner with the City of Lone Tree and Douglas County, Gary has become familiar with the efforts that the PMMD has made to improve the infrastructure of the District and, in turn, enhancing the quality of life for its residents.  Gary vows to make sure that the PMMD maintains its high standards in protecting property values while creating and maintaining well-designed and attractive projects for the District's residents. As a member of the PMMD Board, he will work to ensure that the District's project funds are spent in a cost-conscious and effective manner, and that high design standards continue to be maintained for the City that he loves. Godden|Sudik Architects was founded by Gary and his then partner Mike Casey in 1992. Now a 28-person, award winning, multi-disciplinary residential firm, Godden|Sudik Architects is a leader in the industry for innovative, collaborate, and livable, design.

Godden Sudik Wins Silver at The Nationals

Godden Sudik Architects together with Berkeley Homes, Harvard Communities, and Trio Environments brought home a Silver Award from the 2018 Nationals in Orlando, FL presented last week at the Internationals Builder's Show. Silver Award Winners are the top vote recipients in each category and are the finalists for the Gold Award. "The Nationals are the most prestigious awards of their kind, setting the benchmark for innovations in new home design, marketing and sales," said Meredith Oliver, chairperson of the Nationals. "NAHB's commitment to recognizing originality, imagination and success has been exemplified by its award winners since the competition's inception." GSA won Silver honors for "Best Architectural Design of a SFD 2,501 to 3,000 sf" for Bellweather Place at RidgeGate - Residence 1. This stunning home with modern facade, ample windows, and a well thought out open floorplan also won several local MAME Awards including "Design Series of the Year."

GSA Wins Project of the Year!!

GSA together with Viaggio Homes took home Project of the Year for our Ravenna Wine Cave at this year's annual CARE Awards! We are beyond excited to be singled out by the judges as the best of the best. Thanks to Viaggio Homes and Vic Moss Photography for building and shooting such an awesome project. The Ravenna Wine Cave also won Specialty Room and Luxury Basement. GSA also won Silvers in both the Addition and Whole House Remodel.

Jen Jess, Gary Godden, and Don Gibson celebrated at the CARE Awards.

A New Place to Call Home

After designing spaces for others over the past 25 years we thought it about time to design one for ourselves. Last night we celebrated 25 years of success at our open house showcasing our new beautiful office. Thanks to all who have helped us get to where we are today.

Annual Ravenna Home Tour May 5th-7th

PMs Heather Murphy, Scott Roberts, and Brenda Harvey previewed the homes this morning.

Don't miss the annual Ravenna Luxury Home Tour this weekend! Open AND free to the public, tour 9 beautiful custom homes, 6 designed by Godden Sudik! The tour runs Friday May 5th through Sunday May 7th from 10am-5pm and includes homes from Sterling Custom Homes, Jackson Design Build, Platinum Homes, Thomas Sattler Homes, Hollister Michales, and Timeless Properties . For more information  click here.

GSA Appears in Colorado Expressions

Godden|Sudik Architects is featured in the April/May issue of Colorado Expressions! Colorado Expression is a bi-monthly lifestyle publication which celebrates the best in Colorado. Their spring issue includes a special section titled Architecture & Design of the West. This section features beautiful spaces and the people who design, live, and work in them. GSA is thrilled to see the firm profiled in the 2017 April/May edition! To see the full article click here and flip through to page 90.

Homes in Denver Are "Flying Off the Shelves!"

In a recent article written in the Denver Business Journal addressing the current Denver Housing Market, homes are reportedly, "flying off the shelves." Homes are averaging less than two weeks on the market, a month faster than national rates. Homes values have also increased 10% over the past year, also above national averages. Due to the high demand for homes, Denver is seeing a limited selection of for sale homes frustrating home buyers and putting immense pressure on the market. A local  Redfin broker said it's rare to see a house priced under $300,000 not be purchased with all cash! It truly is a seller's market in Denver.

To read the full Denver Business Journal article click here.

Celebrating 25 Years

Today marks a milestone in Godden|Sudik Architects' history; today GSA turns 25! We truly owe our success to the wonderful staff, clients, and consultants that have helped us grow over the past 25 years. Thinking back to all the projects we have been a part of, we honestly could not have done it on our own, and we will forever be grateful for all the meaningful relationships we have developed along the way. After countless completed projects, and plenty of national and local awards, it's the people we have met who have inspired us to keep doing what we do. Looking back through the archives, take a look at some of our favorite projects below!

Brick Coursing: Three Ways to Lay Brick

With the always present masonry requirements of the many municipalities and design review committees, Godden|Sudik designers have become more creative in their use of large amounts of brick by using different brick coursing. Although there are many different ways to lay brick, recently, our designers have used three different brick coursing patterns, the stacking bond, the running bond and the Flemish bond to add a little variety and interest.

The most common brick coursing that is used in the field and in our office is the running bond. This style has the first row of bricks placed so that the long end of the brick goes across the row. The next row up is where the running bond starts, by starting the next long brick in the middle of the brick on the row below it. This pattern continues up the wall, subsequently making the first odd numbered rows match and the even numbered rows match. This type of coursing easily allows for bricks to be cut and removed at doors and windows.

Running Bond

Another recently used brick coursing is the stacking bond. The first row starts the same as the running bond but then the deviates at the second row. Instead of the second row of bricks being offset by half of the brick below it, it is stacked directly on top of the brick below it, all the way up the wall. This creates a very distinct grid pattern with all the bricks and mortar lining up in long rows and columns.

Stacked Bond

The last brick coursing that has been used recently is the Flemish bond. This coursing starts with one brick being laid long ways, followed by a brick being cut in half and the end of the brick, facing out, being placed next in the row. This then continues along the row; long then short end, long then short end. Somewhat like the running bond, the Flemish bond starts the second row, opposite of the first with the short end being placed first and the long end following that to the end of the row; short end then long, short end then long. 

Flemish Bond

Santa's Cozy Cabin

Every wonder what Santa's house looks like? Well, according to Zillow it's valued at $656,957 and currently off the market. The quaint little three bed two bath 2,500 square foot cabin located in the North Pole, of course, comes complete with toy shop and detached garage! To take a sneak peek inside Santa's festive home click here.

Godden|Sudik Wins Attached, Detached, Custom, and Design Series of the Year at 2016 MAME Awards

Paul Brady and Gary Godden accepting the award for Best Detached Home 2016

Presented by the Sales & Marketing Council and Home Builders Association of Metro Denver, The Marketing and Merchandising Excellence (MAME) Awards honor the top achievers in the new home industry. Announced at the annual MAME Awards Gala Saturday night, Godden|Sudik is humbled and honored to have won the following awards:

• Best Architectural Design of a Model – Attached Home – Caley Ponds 2460, Century Communities

• Best Architectural Design of a Custom Home – Under 5,000 sq. ft. – Boulevard One at Lowry  Lot 2, Latsis Custom Homes

• Attached Home of the Year - Caley Ponds 2460, Century Communities

• Detached Home of the Year – Marvella 5020, Century Communities

• Custom Home of the Year – Villa Moderno, Viaggio Homes

• Design Series of the Year – Marvella, Century Communities

Godden|Sudik would like to congratulate all MAME winners on their success and thank our amazing partners who make these awesome project possible.


For a full list of MAME winners click here.
To check out our winning project click here.

 

Godden|Sudik Wins CARE Award for Best Addition

Alex Jewett poses with Godden|Sudik's newest award!

Last night winners were announced for the 2016 Colorado Awards for Remodeling Excellence (CARE)! The CARE Awards honor achievements in remodeling and recognize architects, builders, and designers who have demonstrated exemplary work in the remodeling capacity throughout the Denver metro area. Godden|Sudik took Gold in the Addition category for a beautiful Hilltop Addition.

This addition included a total re-haul of the kitchen, turning a once dark, cramped, and closed off area into a bright, inviting, open space. An airy dining space was added off the kitchen that opens to an incredibly useful covered outdoor patio. The remodel also included the addition of a master retreat with beautiful 5 piece bath, some this historic home was seriously lacking.

Existing hardwood floors on the main level were re-finished to seamlessly blend with the new floors added to the addition. It was very important to both the homeowners and designers that the addition felt like it had always been part of the home.

It is always a goal of Godden|Sudik's, when doing any remodel, to make an existing home, that the owners clearly already love, function to it's absolute peak, making the home that much more enjoyable to live in. This addition is a perfect example of a successful remodel, and we are so pleased the CARE Award judges agree!

For a full list of CARE Award winners click here.

MAME Award Finalist Announced!

Godden|Sudik in the Running for 10+ Awards

From left to right, Villag Moderno with Viaggio Homes, The Faversham at Shoenberg Greens with Berkeley Homes, and Littleton Village with Century Communities are all finalist in their respective categories.

The Sales & Marketing Council of the HBA of Metro Denver just announced the 2016 MAME Awards Finalist!The Marketing and Merchandising Excellence (MAME) Awards honor the top achievers in the new home industry. Awards are comprised of marketing, sales, interior design, architectural, and builder awards. These awards are presented to those who set the standard of excellence in the Denver home building industry. Five industry leaders from all around the country spend three days in Denver judging over 200 entries to determine the finalist. And Godden|Sudik's finalists are:

• Best Architectural Design of a Model - Detached Home - under 2,600 sq. ft.
• The Heights at Lowry  Residence 2020 - Century Communities
• The Faversham at Shoenberg Greens - Berkeley Homes 

•  Best Architectural Design of a Model - Detached Home - 3,200-3,600 sq. ft.
• Residence Four at Boulevard One at Lowry - Berkeley Homes and Harvard Communities

• Best Architectural Design of a Model - Detached Home - 3,200-3,600 sq. ft.
•   Marvella  Residence 5020 - Century Communities

•  Best Architectural Design of a Model - Attached Home
• Littleton Village - Residence 22341
• Caley Ponds Residence 2460 - Century Communities

•  Best Architectural Design of a Custom Home - under 5,000 sq. ft.
• Boulevard One at Lowry Lot 2 - Latsis Custom Homes

•  Best Architectural Design of a Custom Home -  5,000 sq. ft. & over
• Villa Moderno - Viaggio Homes

• Best on the Boards Architectural Design - Production & Custom
• Ravenna Lot 29 - Sterling Custom Homes

•  Attached Home of the Year
• Caley Ponds Residence 2460 - Century Communities

• Detached Home of the Year
•  Marvella Residence 5020 - Century Communities
• Marvella Residence 7945 - Century Communities

• Custom Home of the Year
• Villa Moderno - Viaggio Homes

• Design Series of the Year
•  Marvella - Century Communities

For a full list of finalist click here.

HBA of Colorado Springs Announces Parade Winners!

From left to right, Chris Cherabie and Heather Murphy from Godden|Sudik, Rhett Osko and Kim Sandoval from Classic Homes, Christy Cassidy from Cassidy Design, and Alex Jewett from Godden|Sudik.

The Housing & Building Association of Colorado Springs announced the People's Choice and Industry Awards of Excellence for the 2016 Parade of Homes last week at their annual awards banquet. Industry professionals from around the state judged the homes on a number of features including floor plan,  architectural exterior, and interior decorating. The People's Choice Awards are voted on by Parade of Home attendees. Both awards are broken out into multiple categories divided by price point. The Industry Awards are then broken out further among the following eight categories: Best Kitchen, Best Master Suite, Best Interior Design, Best Landscape Design, Best Architectural Exterior, Best Craftsmanship, and Best Overall Home. Together with Classic Homes and Cassidy Design Godden|Sudik is proud to have taken home the following awards for The San Isable Duplex in the $475,000-$550,000 price range:

• Best Kitchen
• Best Master Suite
• Best Interior Design
• Best Floor Plan
• Best Architectural Exterior
• Best Craftmanship
• Best Overall Home

The beautiful front elevation of the home.

An open concept floor plan allows spaces to seamless flow from one to the next.

The generous master suite is the perfect place to relax.

For more information about theses wonderful duplexes check out Classic Homes by clicking here.

$475,000 - $550,000
Vanguard Homes - Ramsgate                       

• Best Landscaping

 Classic Homes – The San Isabel                    

• Best Kitchen, Best Master Suite, Best Interior Design, Best Floor Plan, Best Architectural Exterior, Best Craftsmanship, Best Overall Home

- See more at: http://www.cshba.com/parade-of-homes.html#sthash.Waeaktsh.dpuf

The Housing & Building Association of Colorado Springs has announced the winners of the People’s Choice Awards and the Industry Awards of Excellence for the 2016 Parade of Homes. 

Godden|Sudik Hits "100K Saves" on Houzz

The Houzz community has saved Godden|Sudik photos to their ideabooks over 100,000 times! We are honored and humbled to join the "100K Saves" Club! Click here to check out our Houzz profile and see some of our favorite projects! (you must have a Houzz account for access)

New Website! Check it Out!

Godden|Sudik Architects is thrilled to announce the launch of our brand new website! See new project photos, our growing team, our process, our awards, and our very helpful resources page! Click here to check it out!

More Affordable Houses to be Added in Stapleton!

Housing attainability in Denver has been a huge topic of discussion lately and we were excited to see this great project. Rather than relying primarily on value engineering and product right sizing which we are all very versed at, it's encouraging to see creative and collaborative solutions like Forest City and thrive's Elements Collection at Stapleton.

In 2000, Forest City agreed to dedicate one-tenth of the homes sold in the master planned community to affordable units. To date just over 300  homes (less than 5% of the total) have been built that meet this criteria. So how can they possibly meet their goal with Denver's crazy housing market over the next five years? To start, Forest City Stapleton, thrive Home Builders, and the city of Denver are teaming up to build 165 townhomes all priced under $200,000.  Forest City is giving thrive the land, a hug money saver, and thrive it using it's 13 years of building experience in Stapleton to cut building costs in every way they can. The Elements Collection will be the largest affordable development in Stapleton and will certainly help Forest City to hit its goal. 



To find out more about thrive's Elements collection click here.

How to Make Your Home More Green

In honor of Earth Day, we thought we would share a few simple ideas we can all do to make our homes greener. Experts say that simple changes in your everyday life are all it takes to make your home better for the environment.

Here are a few ideas worth trying:

• Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs: These bulbs - now available to fit many light fixtures - use just a quarter of the electricity of regular incandescent bulbs. Plus, they last up to 10 times longer.
• Turn off the lights: If you or others in your household are forgetful, install movement sensors so lights only activate when needed. Another way to save energy is to install automatic timers for lights frequently left blazing in empty rooms.
• Set cooling and heating temperatures correctly: Your refrigerator and freezer are probably the biggest electrical energy consumers in your house. Take steps to make sure they're not working harder than necessary. Fridges do their job at around 37 F. Freezers set at -3 F keep things nice and frosty. Be sure to close the fridge and freezer doors. Leaving them open for just a few extra seconds wastes a lot of energy. Get an electronic thermostat so your furnace heats your home to a lower temperature while the family sleeps and returns it to a toastier temperature before you get out of bed. In the winter, set your thermostat at 68 F in the day and 55 F at night. In the summer, keep it at 78 F. Water heaters work most efficiently between 120 and 140 F.
• Get unplugged: Electronic appliances, including TVs, computers, and CD players can consume almost as much energy when in standby mode as they do during the relatively small amount of time they're being used.
• Use appliances efficiently: Wait for a full load before turning on the washing machine, dryer, or dishwasher. Clear the lint filter after every dryer load and air-dry clothes when weather allows. Use the air-dry function on your dishwasher. Preheat your oven only when necessary.
• Let the sun shine: The cheapest and most environmentally sound heat and light source is just outside your window. Open blinds, drapes, and shutters to let solar energy warm and brighten your home naturally.
• Stop leaks: Plug, insulate, replace, repair, caulk, or seal to make your home as leak-proof as possible - and watch your utility bills drop.

These ideas are from 25 Way to Create a Green and Healthy Home, for the full list click here.

April is Colorado Architecture Month!

Every April The American Institute of Architects Colorado Chapter celebrates Colorado Architecture Month. They, together with support from other organizations, produce a series of public events throughout the state which highlight the importance of architecture in our every day lives and encourages the community to see why design matters. To check out upcoming events click here.

Denver Joins Several Cities Requiring Electrical Vehical Readiness For New Homes

After an 18-month process, Denver City Council approved Denver's new building code 12-0 on Monday. Under the new code, new buildings are expected to be 25% more energy efficient while loosening the reins on renovations and repairs on the existing building stock hopefully expanding preservation. Denver specific codes now require garages on single family and duplex dwellings to have the proper electrical wiring to support electrical vehicle plugs. This will make it easier and cheaper for more residence  to charge electrical vehicles at home. Homebuilders opposed the electric vehicle readiness requirement voicing concerns about the growing cost of construction, but the new code passed unanimously anyway. The new building code will take full effect in six months. How will these updates directly affect us? Here are a few examples:


This change took place in the 2012 IRC and is carried into the 2015 IRC, but will affect cities that are going from the 2009 IRC

·         R806.2 - Minimum area of roof ventilation: the code changed the required ventilation minimum and maximum of upper roof vents compared to lower roof vents.  The 2009 IRC allowed between 50% and 80% of ventilation to be on the upper roof.  The 2012 & 2015 IRC changed this to a much lower range between 40% and 50% of ventilation to be on the upper roof.

How this affects our work:  This may not directly affect how we design our roofs but will significantly change how we show our upper and lower vents on our roof plans.  Because the IRC went from allowing a minimum of 20% (2009) ventilation in the lower portion of the roofs to a minimum of 50% (2012, 2015), if we don't have enough soffits to put the ventilation (houses with a lot gable roofs), we are forced to show, and builders are forced to install, cut-in vents at the soffits or install a low profile o-hagin vent that is significantly larger than the upper roof vents mathat are being installed, thus affecting the way a house looks.

               

This change took place in the 2015 IRC 
 R302.13: Fire protection for floors: the code changed so a 1/2" gypsum wallboard membrane, 5/8" wood structural panel membrane or equivalent must be installed to the underside of floor framing member. There is an exception that says that floor assemblies located directly over a space protected by an automatic sprinkler system don't need to conform to this section.
How this affects our work: The only thing that we need to consider is making sure how plan notes state this.  This will affect our builders more in that they will have to absorb the cost to install this material in their unfinished basements or sprinkler the floor.

  

This change took place in the 2015 IRC

·         R305.1: Minimum ceiling height:  Bathrooms, toilet rooms and laundry rooms shall have a ceiling height of not less than 6 feet 8 inches. (Previous codes, 2009 and 2012 called out a minimum required of 7 feet)

How this affects our work: We now have to show our bathrooms and laundry rooms at 6 feet 8 inches.  If our builders decide to go down to 6 feet 8 inches, it will affect our door sizes as well and make the space feel smaller overall.  This will affect how we design these already tight spaces.