RICHARD MONASTRA, ARCHITECT
VARIED USE PROJECTS
CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO SEE THE SLIDE SHOWS
INTERIOR RECONFIGURATION, ST.PETER’S UNITED CHURCH, SKOKIE, ILLINOIS
This design was executed by Richard Monastra at Historic Resources, The office of Wilburt R. Hasbrouck, Architect. This project received an Interior Architecture Award from the Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
The church was built in 1903. Art glass windows line the nave side walls. Some are Munich Art Glass of that time and of exquisite quality. A number of aspects of the building demanded updating. The 1932 pipe organ was not usable and not worth repair. The 1956 addition of the school behind the church provided a sacristy much more functional than the original located under the choir loft. The altar was visible from less than half of the seats of the original gallery. The imposing size of the gallery screen and the sacristy wall put a cramped feeling into the narthex. A 1960’s redecoration exacerbated the cramp.
The original sacristy was eliminated allowing space for the altar, pipe organ and choir in the chancel. The gallery was reconfigured to an appropriate scale and it's new site lines made the alter visable from every seat. Woodwork including the pews was stripped of paint and of the blond finish and refinished to the original dark stain. The choir loft screen was salvaged and used for the same purpose in the new location. A new Moller pipe organ was installed in the new organ loft. The rose window over the altar and brass chandelier were added. The pendant fixtures were replaced by a theatrical lighting system.
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT: Architects International
LIGHTING CONSULTANT: Tony Neckopulos
ECCLESIASTICAL ARTISTS: Botti Studios
CHANDELIER: New Metal Crafts
CONTRACTOR: Gerhard Meyne
PHOTOGRAPHER: Ron Gordon Photography
PALLADIAN EQUESTRIAN STABLES AND ARENA
The drawings show a design for the horse riding stables and arena for the proposed Belle Meade Subdivision, Green Garden Township, Will County, Illinois. The 170 dwelling unit subdivision would have included bridal paths and an arena suitable for dressage. The developer, Mr. Per Loseth, is an Palladio aficionado. The design of the elevation is based on Palladio’s Villa Foscari.
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INSTALLATION OF POLLUTION ABATEMENT EQUIPMENT, GRIFFITH LABORATORIES, CHICAGO
In the photograph, the bright metal, horixontal tube-like machine with the tall thin stack is a Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer. The RTO burns very lean waste gases without using much fuel. Utilizing flow reversal and a bed of ceramic material, the RTO removes pollutants from the process gas stream by conversion to carbon dioxide and water vapor through oxidation.
The design was executed to accommodate the RTO. This included foundations, anchors and concrete to counteract the motor torque and tower wind loads. The dock supporting the RTO was excavated of inappropriate materials and of abandoned in place obstacles and was rebuilt with a new storm water drainage system and access ramp. About 200 feet of 10” diameter PVC process piping connected the preexisting carbon tank exhaust system to a new process flow duct shunt to the RTO. Pneumatic control valves allowed the flow to divert automatically to a preexisting stack system when the RTO transitions into and out of service. An Electrical Equipment and Panel Room was designed to contain the 400 horsepower variable speed drive, the motor control center and the distribution panels. Electrical distribution from the 480 volt service to the equipment room, the RTO and the new outdoor high-pressure sodium vapor area lighting was designed, as were modifications to the existing buildings to accommodate the new equipment.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: R. I. Johnson & Associates
CIVIL ENGINEER: David Johnson & Accociates
MEP & PROCESS ENGINEERS: Process & Facilities Systems, Inc.
BUILDING CODE CONSULTANT: R. A. Grela & Associates
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CHICAGO FIRE BRICK COMPANY
North Side Administration Building
Deferred maintenance left this 1927 building in need of repair and updating. Design services included window replacement and conversion from steam to hot water heat and air conditioning and ventilation systems utilizing roof top units and lighting of the shop area. Masonry restoration construction documents were also executed but the work was only partially executed.
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CHICAGO FIRE BRICK COMPANY
South Side Manufacturing Plant
Design services included the dyke, piping delivery system and structural support for the phosphoric acid tank. The caustic property of the liquid necessitated the dyke and corrosive-resistant piping, pumps and equipment throughout.
Design services for a number of projects at the south side location are not shown in the photo gallery. These included office space relocation and expansion into the warehouse and maintenance areas and new outdoor loading docks for roofed over loading and unloading of semi-trailers.
ROOF DECK ADDITION:
CHICAGO CORINTHIAN YACHT CLUB,
MONTROSE HARBOR, CHICAGO
The drawings show the design of a roof deck addition to the Yacht Club Building. The Club has had a building in Montrose Harbor since 1937. The slide show includes a few views of the 3-D computer model of the building. Photos of the building without the roof deck follow the drawings.
NEW STREET FAÇADE
PHOTOGRAPHER'S STUDIO BUILDING, CHICAGO
This design utilizes an irregular grid of structural steel I-beams and H-beams.
Glass blocks of 2 different sizes and 9 different colors infill most of the steel grid. Steel framed windows and a door infill the rest.
In the photo gallery the second photo of glass-block samples shows the back-etched block farthest from the camera. These are used where opacity is needed. The majority of the blocks diffuse sunlight to the interior.
The pre-existing façade is shown in the final gallery photo. The design was not built.
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copyright 2024 Richard Monastra, Architect