JJA was selected as one of the Top 200 Residential Architecture practices in America by Forbes Magazine: https://www.forbes.com/lists/top-architects/.
Columbus Maxwell Townhouses wins 2023 AIA NJ Honor Award /
Our Columbus Maxwell Townhouses project received design recognition from the New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. It was honored in the Residential Architecture category.
The Columbus Maxwell Townhouses includes four new townhouses and a four unit apartment building on two vacant lots in downtown Jersey City. The residences include floor to ceiling windows, open living spaces, roof decks and parking for tenants.
APEM Creamery and Sorbetteria wins 2022 NJ AIA Merit Award for Small Projects /
Our APEM Creamery and Sorbetteria project received design recognition from the New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. It was honored in the Small Project category.
A former pizzeria is converted into a creamery and sorbetteria for an enterprising young couple with a background in the culinary arts. Working within a very tight budget, we focused our design energy (and the major construction expense) on the display and serving area. Built in cabinets and matching wall and ceiling paneling help delineate the serving area while simultaneously providing for product display, transactions and storage. The use of wood and concealed cove lighting adds visual warmth to an otherwise cool space.
The front of house seating area retains the original tile floor and tin panel ceiling from the pizzeria. We painted the ceiling black to help hide its many imperfections since the budget did not allow for replacing or repairing it. We added a built-in plywood bench for seating and mounted steel angles on the wall for patrons who needed a place to set things while standing.
The back of house kitchen area was cleaned up and retooled for making the gelato and sorbet. We used dark vinyl flooring, as well as, black wall and ceiling paint to help communicate the more private and off limits nature of this space without completely separating it from the front. A small window is carved out of the wood paneling in the serving area to show off the gelato machine and give a glimpse of the kitchen’s workings.
Alpha Boom Co-Housing wins 2022 NJ AIA Merit Award for Unbuilt Architecture /
Our Alpha Boom Co-Housing project received design recognition from the New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. It is the only project to be honored in the Unbuilt category this year.
The housing proposal aims to accommodate significant shifts in suburban landscapes. First, the shift from traditional “big box” retail to online retail leaves behind large abandoned structures and oversized parking lots. The project proposes a reuse and adaptation of these defunct structures to accommodate the second shift, an aging population. As a large portion of the populace enters their golden years and balks at the idea of traditional senior living typologies, the aging retail fabric could be appropriated to accommodate seniors who would otherwise have to leave their communities.
The project proposes a hybrid senior housing community and daycare for young children in place of an abandoned department store in New Jersey. The hybrid strategy aims to create diverse energy levels and activities throughout the complex in order to benefit both populations. Activities in and around the housing complex could mix the two communities together in both planned and chance encounters.
The combined senior housing and daycare community is largely enclosed by the existing structure, however, the design carves out and pushes through portions of the original building to create a porous series of indoor-outdoor spaces and courtyards. Modest housing units are located on the first level and supplemented with cooperative amenities like a kitchen, lounges and gardens. The second level incorporates the daycare and stretches across the length of the structure. Double height zones merge the amenity spaces of the older residents below with the classroom spaces of the young children above, creating truly shared, inter-generational links.
Wells Fargo Loft in the NY Times /
Our Wells Fargo Loft project in the NY Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/14/realestate/pre-covid-remodel.html
Montclair MCM featured in Design NJ /
Our Montclair MCM project is featured in the December 21/ January 22 issue of Design NJ. Check it out:
https://www.designnewjersey.com/features/midcentury-makeover/
Sea Bright House wins 2021 AIA New Jersey Merit Award for Residential Architecture /
Our Sea Bright House project received design recognition from the New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. It is the only house statewide to earn this award this year.
The house replaced a hurricane damaged structure and was designed to work within strict flood zone and zoning requirements while maximizing views of the ocean, the Shrewsbury Bay and the NYC skyline. Thanks to our wonderful clients for the opportunity and to the design jury for the acknowledgement.
Jeff Jordan Architects’ Co-Generational Housing Design Wins First Place at 2019 HOME Competition /
Jeff Jordan Architects won first place in the "Pragmatic" Category in the 2019 HOME Competition, which recognizes the best domestic architecture ideas for the future.
HOME creates a platform to speculate the ways new technological, political, environmental and cultural changes can redefine the spaces in which we live. Contestants consider the impact of global population shifts, new materials and building techniques, as well as the rise of co-housing, tiny homes and smart houses.
Jeff Jordan Architect’s winning project is a proposed co-generational housing and day care solution that would transform abandoned big-box structures in New Jersey. The “Alpha Boom Co-Housing” proposal aims to accommodate significant changes in suburban structures and population.
First, the shift from traditional “big box” retail to online retail leaves behind large abandoned buildings and oversized parking lots. The project proposes a reuse and adaptation of these defunct structures to accommodate the second shift, an aging population. As a large portion of the populace enters their golden years and balks at the idea of traditional senior living typologies, the aging retail fabric could be appropriated to accommodate seniors who would otherwise have to leave their communities.
The project proposes a hybrid senior housing community and day care for young children in place of an abandoned department store in New Jersey. The hybrid strategy aims to create diverse energy levels and activities throughout the complex in order to benefit both populations. Activities in and around the housing complex could mix the two communities together in both planned and chance encounters.
The combined senior housing and day care community is largely enclosed by the existing structure; however, the design carves out and pushes through portions of the original building to create a porous series of indoor-outdoor spaces and courtyards. Modest housing units are located on the first level and supplemented with cooperative amenities like a kitchen, lounges and gardens.
The second level incorporates the day care and stretches across the length of the structure. Double height zones merge the amenity spaces of the older residents below with the classroom spaces of the young children above, creating truly shared, inter-generational links.
More information on all the winning schemes can be found here: https://www.thehomecompetition.com/2019-results.html.
About Jeff Jordan Architects
Jeff Jordan Architects LLC is a full-service architecture practice focused on design excellence and project execution. Projects range in scale from modest interior remodels to complex new buildings and in location from the city to the countryside. Jeff Jordan’s work is characterized by conceptual innovation, a commitment to sustainability, a strong understanding of the construction process and attention to detail. The firm engages in a multi-disciplinary approach involving close collaboration with not only its clients, but also other designers, engineers, fabricators and builders to achieve the greatest possible results. Jeff Jordan’s extensive construction experience gives the company unique insight into the building process while allowing it to best represent its clients’ interests. Every project is seen as an opportunity to provide dynamic and uplifting responses to the nuances of the site, program and client.
Jeff Jordan Architects ‘Project Spotlight’: The Higgins Lake House – 10 Years Later /
Higgins Lake House at dusk (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jordan Architects)
Ten years ago this fall, I started working on the project that would ultimately launch Jeff Jordan Architects: the design of a new house for my parents on Higgins Lake in northern Michigan. At that time, I was working for a prominent architectural firm in New York City and wrapping up a major residential project in North Carolina that had taken a couple of years to complete. I was soon faced with challenges ranging from the ongoing economic downturn and raising my young children. My wife also had a demanding job; oftentimes we wouldn’t get home until after our boys had gone to sleep. The bottom line was that I wanted to be more involved in their lives. It seemed like a good time to strike out on my own and take charge of my schedule.
Aerial shot of Higgins Lake, MI (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
The first thing to know about Higgins Lake is that it is spectacular. It has been both a vacation destination and a permanent home for many generations. The lake is nearly 10,000 acres in area, has a max depth of 135 feet and it is spring fed and crystal clear. The water often takes on shades of blue reminiscent of the Caribbean. It is one of Michigan's best kept secrets and those who have been lucky enough to find space on the lake tend to stay for many generations. It also means that lakefront land is in short supply and the lots are narrow and deep with neighboring houses close by.
When my parents finally found a little slice of lakefront space in 2009, the requirements were clear: make the most of the view, provide a large living, dining and kitchen space and at least six bedrooms so the whole family could stay for extended visits. I had a goal of my own: To create a modern and distinct house that would differentiate it from some of the outdated homes that surrounded it, while not adding another new, out of scale home to the lakefront
Diagram of the Higgins Lake House (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jordan Architects)
This proved to be a significant challenge, given the nature of the lot and the square footage requirements of a six-bedroom home. The lot was 75 feet wide at the lake and extended 400 feet back to the access road. It had smaller houses within a few feet of the property line on each side. There was a slight slope from the access road to the water, with two enormous white pines framing the view of the lake. To meet the spatial requirements of a six-bedroom home that might hold upwards of 20 people, we ended up with about 5,000 square feet of space including the garage.
Higgins Lake House (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jordan Architects)
Given the width of the lot, the view and the size of the house, the approach was to stack the living spaces backwards from the lake as a series of connected and open spaces so anyone could have a view of the lake from most rooms, including the kitchen, living room, dining space and deck. Additionally, I inverted the traditional domestic layout of living spaces with bedrooms above and put the bedrooms below. In order to make the bedrooms not feel like they were in a basement (even though they are), the idea was to lift the house out of the ground a few feet, take advantage of the sloping site and incorporate courtyards to bring natural light and air to the bedrooms below.
Higgins Lake House (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jordan Architects)
The other big move we made was to locate the master suite facing the lake on the main level. That way, when my parents aren't sharing the house, they have everything they need on the same level without having to be reminded of all of those empty bedrooms The net effect is a house that stretches back from the lake and appears to be a single level, despite having bright and airy bedrooms below. From the lake, it appears to be another cottage, but with a decidedly modern look.
Higgins Lake House (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jordan Architects)
The team began construction in 2010 and the house was completed in 2011. The neighborhood residents were impressed by its impeccable design and structure. It was referred to as the "California House" and folks have often stopped to admire the home from the water.
Higgins Lake House (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jordan Architects)
For our family, it has become an important summer destination and activity hub. Our kids have grown up spending time on the lake with their cousins – much the way I did with my friends when I was young. As for Jeff Jordan Architects, the Higgins Lake House caught the attention of a new client whose project eventually ended up on the cover of Dwell Magazine, helping to jumpstart our business.
Cousins’ Week (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jordan)
Since its creation, Jeff Jordan Architects has operated as a full-service architecture practice focused on design excellence and project execution. Our projects have ranged in scale from modest interior remodels to complex new buildings, and in locations from the city to the countryside.
For information on the firm, born largely from this extensive lakefront design some ten years ago, visit: https://www.jjarchs.com/.
Awards: 2012 Detroit Home Magazine “Best Contemporary Home”
Featured Press: Traverse magazine, Real Cedar Magazine, Detroit Home Magazine, French design magazine Eco Maison Bois.
AIA New Jersey Honor Awards /
We are excited to announce that Jeff Jordan Architects has been awarded two AIA New Jersey Honor Awards for 2015. A total of five Honor Awards were given this year statewide and we were fortunate to be honored with the Residential Honor Award for our Hillcrest House project and the Unbuilt Projects Honor Award for our Liberty Pedestrian Bridge project. This is an exciting honor for us and we want to thank our wonderful clients and the great consultants and contractors who make all of our projects a success.
That Escalated Quickly... /
Our Liberty Bridge project generated an incredible amount of interest over the last couple of weeks. We initially shared out project images with a local Jersey City real estate blog and then within a days the story had been on multiple local tv news stations and jumped across the pond. We are happy to see such an outpouring of support. You can see links to a few of the wide ranging news outlets that covered the story here:
http://jerseydigs.com/the-highline-has-nothing-on-jersey-citys-new-pedestrian-bridge/
http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2015/10/07/could_a_pedestrian_bridge_connect_jersey_to_lower_manhattan.php
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/video/3304581-walk-from-jersey-city-to-manhattan/
http://www.archdaily.com/775118/this-proposed-pedestrian-bridge-lets-you-walk-between-manhattan-and-new-jersey
http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20151016-liberty-bridge-could-be-the-ultimate-pedestrian-walkway
http://gothamist.com/2015/10/07/jersey_city_pedestrian_foot_path.php
http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/transportation/blogs/liberty-bridge-glorious-pedestrians-only-pipe-dream
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nj-men-pedestrian-bridge-built-nj-nyc-article-1.2392006
http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/10/07/architects-dream-up-way-to-escape-new-jersey-on-foot/
Oak Row House /
Our Oak Row House project is in the July issue of New Jersey Monthly magazine and online:
http://njmonthly.com/articles/jersey-living/let-the-sunshine-in-natural-light-in-rutherford/
Hillcrest House on cover of this month's Design Within Reach Catalog /
Our Hillcrest House project has made the cover of the August 2014 Design Within Reach furniture catalog. You can see it here: http://www.dwr.com/category/new/shop-the-new-catalog.do
Higgins Lake House in Real Cedar Ad /
Our Higgins Lake House project appears in a Real Cedar magazine ad. Keep an eye out for it in trade and design magazines this summer.
Higgins Lake House in 2013 WRCLA "Cedar Book" /
Our Higgins Lake House project is featured in the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association's 2013 Cedar Book "At One with Nature". You can see a digital copy of the book here: http://www.realcedar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/WRCLA_CedarBook7.pdf
Hillcrest House in Knoll Furniture Catalog /
Our Hillcrest House renovation continues to receive attention. This time it is featured in Knoll's latest furniture catalog...
Oak Row House on Amazon.com /
Our Oak Row House project is prominently featured in Amazon.com's new promotional video for their "Amazon Fire TV" product. To see the video, go to Amazon.com, search for "Amazon Fire TV" and click on the "What is Fire TV" play button in the image that comes up...
Hillcrest House in Dwell Magazine /
Our Hillcrest House renovation has made the cover of the February 2014 issue of Dwell magazine! We are really excited about the great coverage and want to thank our clients, Steven and Tata, for entrusting us with their home. The magazine is available at newstands around the world and the online version of the article is available at: http://www.dwell.com/houses-we-love/article/midcentury-modern-renovation-hudson-valley.
Higgins Lake House in Traverse magazine /
Our Higgins Lake House continues to receive publicity three years after its completion. See the latest coverage in Traverse magazine: http://mynorth.com/2013/12/higgins-lake-home-profile-northern-michigan/.
"Oaks in Their Midst" /
Jeff Jordan Architects "Oak Row House" featured in the New York Times. The article "Oaks in Their Midst" by Steven Kurutz can be seen here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/03/greathomesanddestinations/oaks-in-their-midst.html?hpw&_r=0
