Java.June.2017

Founded in 1874 by renowned American architect Henry Hobson
Richardson, Shepley Bulfinch is one of the oldest continuously
practicing architectural firms in the nation. The 143-year-old company
began a strategic geographic expansion in 2009 when they acquired
merzproject, a small award-winning design studio based in Phoenix. This move
established an Arizona office for the firm, which had previously operated only
out of Boston.
Unbeknownst to many, one of the firm’s early historic buildings is right here in
Phoenix—the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (1921), in the Roosevelt Row District.
The firm completed the earlier Trinity church campus in 1910, but the mission
revival style cathedral, with its 60-foot bell tower, wasn’t added until 1920
and consecrated in April of 1921. After a major fire in the cathedral in 2002,
Shepley Bulfinch was called upon to restore the original interior, some 80
years later.
The firm has a strong affinity for the preservation and restoration of significant
buildings. One recent example is their adaptive reuse of the south rotunda
of the iconic mid-century Phoenix Financial Center (1964), which upon its
completion in 2014 became Shepley Bulfinch’s AZ headquarters, housing the
principals and a staff of nearly 40.
Peruvian-born architect Wenceslao Alfonso (W.A.) Sarmiento, once a
draftsman to famed Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, designed the original
midtown Phoenix landmark, gracing the northeast corner of Osborn and Central
Ave. Sarmiento went on to design more than 100 important modernist banks.
As if carrying the torch, Shepley Bulfinch went through in a very rigorous
process to restore and update the 9,000-square-foot rotunda. Workers
meticulously stripped back years of paint, stucco and dust to expose such
delicate features as the dark cork veneer on the surfboard-shaped steps
of the floating staircase. Gold anodized elevator doors are trimmed out in
Carrara marble, and the glass pendant lamps were thankfully rescued from the
basement and updated with high-efficiency lighting. The original bank vault,
with its thick stainless-steel door, now houses an art gallery.
The project went on to win a highly coveted Interior Design magazine “Best of
Year” award in 2015, for the category “Firm’s Own Office.” Shepley Bulfinch
notes on its website, “The design creates a modern space that respects the
existing structure, reintroducing lost elements in ways that distinguish old
from new. In doing so, the studio balances the restoration of the original
intent of Sarmiento’s design and a modern interpretation of the space for
contemporary use. Iconic elements of the original design, many of which had
been lost or badly altered, are now core features of the space.”
For client Upward Projects, Shepley Bulfinch breathed new life into a tired
2,700-square-foot commercial building in the heart of Gilbert’s Heritage
District to create Postino East. The design juxtaposes hard elements, such as
the building’s original structural steel beams and concrete floors, with softer
wood trusses, warm colors and curated vintage furniture and decor. Exposed
mechanical ducts and track lighting create an industrial vibe, offset by colored
walls and strategically placed mirrors, furnishings and vintage fixtures. Garage
doors create an indoor/outdoor feel, and the wrap-around patio gives views of
the town’s signature water tower.
Other local projects include the enHance Park, a 47,000-square-foot residential
infill project built from the ground up. The 179-unit complex takes advantage
of a prime location on Phoenix’s 32-acre deck park, with proximity to many
JAVA 35
MAGAZINE