In addition, SAH staff hosted an open house and yard sale at CPH on July 27 that raised funds to support the project. Funds to replace the boiler came from generous contributions from Charnley-Persky House Board Members Cynthia Weese and Laurie Petersen, and donors to the November 2018 Giving Tuesday campaign. The coal burning fireplaces are no longer in use, but much of the original hot-water heating system from 1892 is still intact and functioning.ĭue to the Charnley-Persky House’s 6,500-square-foot size and configuration, it was determined that the house needed not one, but two boilers for the heating system to function during extreme weather events and to safeguard the house from potential damage. Along with the house’s six fireplaces, the radiant heat was a major factor in facilitating the beginnings of an open floor plan seen in the house. A feature seen in Charnley-Persky House (also seen in Wright’s early bootleg houses) are radiators cleverly concealed within the walls, under window benches, and suspended beneath the floor, with brass grates to allow airflow. Two manhole covers allowed access for coal delivery. The house’s original boiler was powered by coal, and the boiler room is situated directly across from one of two storage vaults, located beneath the sidewalk in front of the house. If you are familiar with the house, the boiler room is in the north end of the basement and powers the many hot-water radiators located on four levels. The old defunct boiler, installed in 1987. The 2017 Conservation Management Plan, funded by the Alphawood Foundation and completed by Harboe Architects, recommended the boiler replacement as a near-term priority project. During last winter’s Polar Vortex, the old boiler barely kept the house at 55 degrees, a dangerously low temperature that had the potential to quickly result in frozen or burst pipes, should the furnace fail. The Charnley-Persky House, which serves as the headquarters of the Society of Architectural Historians, was in desperate need of a new boiler to replace the aging and deficient boiler installed in 1987. Mei designs dynamic masterplans for, among other things, the site of the former silk factory in Naro-Fominsk (Russia), the OPG location in Utrecht and the Cable District in Delft.HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) is not always the most glamorous house topic but is critical to the functioning and comfort of any building. At an urban planning level, Mei specialises in complex inner-city and redevelopment projects. With the design and development of SAWA, a fully wooden residential building in Rotterdam, Mei is a pioneer in the field of creating future-proof, nature-inclusive housing. Mei is known for transformation projects such as Fenix I and Jobsveem in Rotterdam and the Cheese Warehouse in Gouda, and new construction such as Schiecentrale 4B and the McDonald’s pavilion at Coolsingel in Rotterdam. Mei’s work has been widely published and awarded. To further increase brain power and decisiveness, Mei seeks collaboration with various parties in the field, from experts in the area of urban nature to the building materials industry. The office structure is based on the knowledge divisions of Building Transformation, New Construction and Urban Development, within which research is fostered and knowledge is secured. Established in Rotterdam, we work with an ambitious, international team on assignments in the Netherlands, France, Germany, Russia and Norway, among other countries. Mei was founded by Robert Winkel, who leads the firm together with Michiel van Loon and Robert Platje. With creativity, expertise and courage, we introduce innovative technical applications and user concepts that contribute to social and ecological sustainability. Our distinct designs tell their own story, which increases the involvement with the building and the connection between its users. Based on our expertise in the field of adaptive re-use of architectural heritage, new build projects and urban development strategies, we work on designs that put the user first. Our work is founded on respect for the environment: for the history of the location, the current context and future living environment. Mei architects and planners realises leading projects in the Netherlands and abroad.