Monday, July 20, 2009

DTA and Ameriprise Financial Hosted "Ask the Experts" Event on July 14th

Where is your money safe? This was the topic discussed by Dominick Tringali and three of our designers: Paul Samartino, J.R. Ruthig, and Steve McKay, along with Tom Smith, Vice President of Field Operations for Ameriprise Financial. Over 50 people attended and enjoyed hors d'oeurves and wine outside on the beautiful patio. Following the hors d'oeurves, everyone gathered in the board room to hear our five industry experts share their insight on the upcoming turning point in housing and finance and how homeowners can capitalize on it.

Tom provided his expert analysis on the current and future state of the financial markets. Dominick gave an overview of the housing market and how it relates to current and future projects. Paul discussed the importance of investing money in good design, and provided DTA case studies explaining why not hiring an experienced architect will cost more in the end. J.R. spoke about renovations and the popularity of outdoor living spaces, even in cold climates. Finally, Steve gave an introduction to green building and explained how homeowners can actually make money each month by choosing to "go green."

If you were not able to attend our event but would like to find out more about the topics above, the presentation will be posted on our website soon. If you were not able to attend our event but would like to find out more about the topics above, the presentation will be posted on our website soon. Do you have questions about how this information relates to your current home or a future project? Feel free to contact us. We would be happy to speak with you!

Dominick Tringali Architects is a residential, custom and community architectural firm specializing in the methodology lifestyle by design. To learn more, please visit www.dtarchitects.com or http://dtarchitects.blogspot.com.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Dominick Tringali Architects Announces Grand Opening of the New "Hot Spot" in Northern Macomb County

Santino's Italian Restaurant, Sports Bar & Martini Lounge is uniquely composed of three separate areas, each with entirely different functions - a casual, urban sports bar, a sleek and contemporary martini lounge, and a high-end Italian Restaurant which is expected to be open by late Summer. The architectural design and building materials throughout the space are attracting people from all over Southeast Michigan, and play an important role in the success of this venue since its Grand Opening on Thursday, July 9.

Imagine sitting at a table on a second-floor sports bar, watching your favorite teams play on state-of-the-art television equipment that surrounds the entire space. The walls around you are made of roll-up garage doors which will remain open for the majority of the year. The garage doors enable fresh air to circulate through the building as well as provide a unique way to transition the interior of the space with the outdoor patio. The interior is designed to be trendy yet comfortable, with brick walls and archways, colorful and contemporary lighting fixtures, and other unique materials that are not common in restaurants and bars around this area.

The martini lounge features a crisp, clean, plush elegance. Guests entering the lounge can immediately sense an organic, fluid motion with curved walls and ceilings that help move people through the space. The lounge offers the option to relax and enjoy a drink on the leather couches or to dance to a variety of music on the dance floor. The lighting fixtures are state of the art and the highlights of the lounge are the glowing walls and the countertop, which is composed of thousands of tiny light bulbs that flash in rhythm with the music.

The third area inside Santinos is the Italian Restaurant, which is nearly complete. This space features a simple, comfortable elegance, with clean, rigid lines and furnishings that welcome guests inside. The menu consists of a authentic, gourmet Italian Cuisine.

The architectural challenge presented during this project was designing three separate spaces inside an existing building, each with its own identity while still seamlessly transitioning into the others. The overall goal as the project architect was to implement design ideas and features that would create a buzz and draw people inside, in an economy where so many people are cutting back. Good design is playing an increasingly critical role in enabling entrepreneurs and owners of new businesses such as Santino's, to achieve the success and results they are looking for.

Santino's is located at 59259 Van Dyke Washington Township MI 48094, on the West Side of Van Dyke, just North of 27 Mile.

Dominick Tringali Architects is a residential, custom and community architectural firm specializing in the methodology lifestyle by design. To learn more, please visit www.dtarchitects.com or http://dtarchitects.blogspot.com.