Ideas:
Our thoughts, publications, white papers, research and current events.
A Parklet for Park Place
Kaleidoscope High Line Parklet Concept
Parklets are a growing trend in urban placemaking—public parking spaces that are converted to areas to congregate, dine and relax. This trend has been accelerated by public health guidelines during the pandemic, which in many cities mandate outdoor or take-out dining only. The City of Richmond is one of many local governments working with its business to increase their service capacity via official parklet programs. Read More
Major Capital Improvements for the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council
CC by ND
We are wrapping up a major capital improvements program for the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council (NCCRC) headquarters in Oakland, California. It’s great to see to see the finishing touches come together! The NCCRC union represents more than 38,000 carpenters, pile drivers, millwrights, cabinet makers, drywallers and workers in associated trades. Read More
2020 Annual “Adopted Families” Holiday Program at Interactive Resources
CC By ND
Annual gift giving to those in need has been a holiday tradition at Interactive Resources for many years. This year, we worked with Richmond-based GRIP (Greater Richmond Interfaith Program), which provides emergency shelter and transitional housing for families with children, among other vital programs. Through donations of time and money from our staff, we were able to purchase and deliver gifts for the shelter’s 46 children residents, ranging in age from less than one to 17-years. Pastries for the GRIP’s 50 staff members and volunteers accompanied Santa’s delivery. Read More
Michelle Obama Elementary School’s Virtual Grand Opening to be held October 29th
Earlier this month, construction was completed on the brand new Michelle Obama Elementary School campus in Richmond, California. The new school is designed by Gould Evans and constructed by Overaa Construction. This Thursday, October 29th at 11am, the school will open its doors, virtually, for a grand opening celebration and tour on Facebook Live. We are proud to have had a role in the transformation of this school, and look forward to the state-of-the-art learning environment it will provide to our community’s families. Read More
47 Reasons to Celebrate on September 19!
Interactive Resources circa 1973
Interactive Resources celebrates our 47th anniversary today, September 19th! In these challenging and uncertain times, we are grateful to be able to continue to provide the architectural design, structural engineering, and historic preservation services that we are passionate about. Read More
A Summer Stroll to Senior Hall
CC By ND
A recent summer stroll through the University of California Berkeley campus led us to Senior Hall, one of several current and recent projects of ours for UC Berkeley. Not many people know about this log cabin designed by John Galen Howard and completed shortly after the 1906 earthquake, tucked into the Redwoods along Strawberry Creek. Senior Hall was the university's first student hall, and the building has an interesting and secretive history, complete with a hidden chamber. Read More
Congressman DeSaulnier Introduces Legislation to add Nystrom Elementary to the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park
Nystrom Elementary School Modernization & Expansion CC BY ND
We're excited to share the following announcement from Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, who, along with Senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein, is introducing legislation to add Nystrom Elementary School in Richmond to the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. Interactive Resources designed the complete modernization and historical rehabilitation of Nystrom's 48,000 sf, two-story classroom and administration building and for the new construction of a 14,000 sf state-of-the-art multipurpose building, which also can serve as a community center for the surrounding neighborhood. Read More
A Milestone for the Masquers Playhouse
CC By ND
We are excited for The Masquers Playhouse to have reached a major milestone in its journey to reopening! Today, an 880 pound steel support beam was installed that will contribute to the repairs to the historic theater, allowing it to re-open for performances. Our firm is providing design and historic consultation for these critical repairs. Read More
Cutting-Edge Laboratory Design Project in Richmond, California
CC By ND
We recently completed a cutting-edge laboratory design project for our client Zygo Corporation, a global leader in advanced optical metrology systems. The facility in Richmond, California produces optics including the len(s) for the Keck Observatory in Hawaii, and the repair to the Hubble telescope. Read More
Essential Architecture: GSA, DGS & USPS
CC by ND – Department of General Services and General Services Administration Proposal Covers
During this challenging time, we are grateful to be hard at work. Many of our clients are designated as essential, and we have two new on-call contracts to announce: with the General Services Administration (GSA) and with the Department of General Services (DGS), both government agencies that we have decades of experience working with, dating back to 1990. And we are in the fourth year of an on-call contract with the United State Postal Service, which we have worked with since the mid-1980s. We are grateful to be able to help these entities maintain the services we need. Read More