KieranTimberlake is an American architecture firm founded by Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake in
Philadelphia. The firm espouses a philosophy of
sustainable design, collaborative design, and in-depth research. They have also shown an interest in
prefabrication, new technologies and integrating architecture with the actual activities to take place in the buildings they design, especially using "teaching" design elements in schools. Their interest in productions and craft led them to team up with
DuPont to develop
Smartwrap, a
laminatedpolymer film that can support thin interstitial films, including
photovoltaics,
OLEDs, polarizing or UV screens, etc.
History
James Timberlake and Stephen Kieran met at the
University of Pennsylvania School of Architecture, joining
Venturi,
Scott Brown, and Associates, before receiving
Rome Prizes separately and finally founding their practice in 1984.[1] The firm maintained itself as a noted sustainable design firm for many years, building a reputation for attention to detail and consistency. The partners were awarded the inaugural
LatrobeFellowship from the
American Institute of Architects in 2001.
KieranTimberlake received more attention after the publication of Refabricating Architecture, a book that explains and argues for the prefabrication of buildings using
Building Information Modeling and close coordination of architects and contractors. Timberlake and Kieran argue that offsite production of buildings would be less expensive, more sustainable, and offer tolerances and techniques not possible in on-site construction. They also insist that mass-customization, as they call it, is the proper extension of the ideas expressed by
Le Corbusier and other early modernists, who sought to develop inexpensive and easily built housing. Consequently, the book emulates the format and style of Toward an Architecture.
Research and development
KieranTimberlake has actively pursued research of new architectural materials, processes, assemblies, and products, as well as develop tools to help quantify their research. They are known for helping to develop Tally, a software plugin application that allows architects and engineers working in Revit software to quantify the environmental impact of building materials for whole building analysis as well as comparative analyses of design options. Tally was a joint development project alongside Building Transparency, thinkstep, and
Autodesk and was launched at the Greenbuild conference in November 2013, where it captured the attention of AEC professionals who are seeking an integrated and intuitive tool for understanding the environmental impact of materials of new buildings.[2]
Rice University Physics Lab, Institute Honor Awards Recognize Excellence in Architecture, American Institute of Architects, 2015
The Quaker Meeting House and Arts Center at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC, Institute Honor Awards in Architecture, American Institute of Architects, 2014
Morse and Ezra Stiles Colleges, Yale University, Institute Honor Awards Recognize Excellence in Architecture, American Institute of Architects, 2013
Special NO 9 House, Make It Right Foundation, Top Ten Green Award, Committee on the Environment (COTE), American Institute of Architects, 2010
West Campus Residential Initiative, Cornell University, Citation, Committee on Architecture for Education, American Institute of Architects, 2009
Sculpture Building and School of Art Gallery, Yale University, Award for Excellence, Committee on Architecture for Education, American Institute of Architects, 2009
Yale University Sculpture Building and Gallery, Top Ten Green Award, Committee on the Environment (COTE), American Institute of Architects, 2008
Loblolly House, Institute Honor Award for Architecture, American Institute of Architects, 2008
Sidwell Friends School, Award for Excellence, Committee on Architecture for Education, American Institute of Architects, 2007
Sidwell Friends Middle School, Top Ten Green Award, Committee on the Environment (COTE), American Institute of Architects, 2007
Yale University, Pierson and Davenport College, Institute Honor Award for Interior Architecture, American Institute of Architects, 2007