History of Circular
Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture (JPDA), founded in 2000 by Jordan Parnass, was dedicated to exploring new forms and programs enabled by digital technology, advanced materials research, and high-performance design and fabrication methodologies. However, they’ve recently undergone a rebranding. JPDA is now known as Circular. Their holistic focus on sustainability and social benefit drives their mission to create innovative, resilient, human-centered spaces and systems that promote happiness, delight, healthfulness, and community. As pioneers in high-performance, low-energy Passive House architecture, Circular continues to make the world a better place through thoughtful design.
The rebranding process from Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture (JPDA) to Circular involved a strategic shift in their mission and focus. As JPDA, they explored digital technology, materials research, and high-performance design. However, the rebrand reflects their commitment to sustainability, human-centered spaces, and community well-being. Circular continues to pioneer Passive House architecture, emphasizing energy efficiency and resilience.
They have received recognition for their innovative work. One notable achievement is their Star Garment Innovation Center project, which won two design awards from AIA Brooklyn. These awards include Best International Project and Project of the Year. The Star Garment Innovation Center sets a new high bar for sustainability, energy efficiency, and worker health
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Company Culture at Circular
Circular fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. They prioritize empathy, integrity, and positive impact. Their team embraces sustainability, resilience, and human-centered design. Circular promotes collaboration among team members through various strategies: open communication channels, Cross-Disciplinary Teams, Shared Goals, Design Charrettes, and Digital Tools.
We design with empathy and integrity to create solutions that make the world a better place to live, capturing value for our clients, society and the environment.
Collaboration is at the heart of their innovative and sustainable designs! Circular actively involves clients in their collaborative process. They believe in co-creating solutions with clients to ensure designs align with their vision, needs, and values. Regular client meetings, workshops, and design charrettes facilitate this collaboration.
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Architect-USis proud to work in close contact with Circular and to be able to ensure the firm gets to know and work with amazing young architects like Ana Sofia Melo das Neves, Carlos Gómez de Agüero, Moises Francisco Arauz Deago, and Maravillas Astarloa Araluce whom we helped process their Visa and get a position at Circular through our Job+J1 Visa Program!
Circular‘s Selected Projects
Santa Maria BMW Motorcycles – Santa Maria, CA
This elegant and welcoming showroom showcases BMW motorcycle culture and technology from the past, present, and future in a branded environment. In order to provide an upscale automotive brand experience, Circular created an immersive retail area with improved lighting layout, environmental graphics, and visual merchandising. Numerous design aspects that honor the area are incorporated into the finished product, such as vintage agriculture and winemaking equipment, riding maps, and local photos.
Photos by Circular
Powder Mountain Passive House – Eden, UT
Using passive home technology to its fullest, a modest ski chalet creates a cozy and effective mountain getaway.
Energy consumption is significantly decreased by continuous insulation and heat recovery ventilation, and compact footings do away with the need for pricey foundations.
Photos by Circular
Boerum Hill House 3 – Passive House – Brooklyn, NY
This Boerum Hill estate, built in the 1890s, has undergone extensive renovations, including a new addition and a cellar excavation.
In a Brooklyn neighborhood with a landmarked district, Circular transformed a long-neglected brick townhouse from the 1880s into a sustainable family home. The building, which was previously comprised of six distinct single-occupancy units, needed extensive structural and infrastructural work.
Using PHPP software, a holistic energy model was developed to precisely assess and compute the intended building’s overall energy use. To maximize overall efficiency, materials, wall assemblies, equipment, and details were assessed and defined.
The building maintains pleasant temperatures, great air quality, and very low energy use by combining an energy recovery ventilator (ERV), an airtight enclosure, continuous insulation, and thermal bridge-free detailing.
Maintaining the current brick façade on the street reduces expenses and makes contextual integration simpler. Greater head heights in the ground floor dining and kitchen spaces are made possible by installing higher level replacements for broken joists. The project’s payback period for this high-performance upgrade is set at less than two years. An inexpensive project that satisfies EnerPhit Passive House certification requirements is the result of meticulous design and detailing.
Performance and neighborhood contextuality were not compromised by the suitably fashioned triple-pane windows that preserved the original street front aspect.
Photos by Circular
We will be posting more projects by Circular in the upcoming weeks and months, so keep an eye out for more of their incredible work! Every Friday we will be posting a new Featured Company, so join us again next week!
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