Your favorite new barista just may be a robot. PRISM is working with an inspiring new coffee company, Briggo, and they are planning to change the world of custom hot drinks with distinctively delicious coffee and tea brewed at self-serve kiosks. Briggo has already expanded from its Austin base and has ambitious plans for more new “coffee haus” locations in 2019. The company is committed to providing the highest quality coffee, which they trace from source to finished products, and lower waste production. Whether ordered remotely from their app or at the coffee haus, customers get fully customizable, gourmet espresso drinks on demand. PRISM has produced some renderings to showcase how Briggo’s compact kiosks can work in their proposed airport locations. These coffee hauses have already been installed in a variety of settings like convention centers, offices, and in high-traffic outdoor areas. Fast Company magazine just listed Briggo to their 2019 Most Innovative Companies list. It’s the dawn of #connectedcoffee.
Another high profile development is coming to the Heights. The Market at Houston Heights is expected to open in summer 2019. It is located at North Shepherd and 16th Street and is being billed as a lifestyle destination, housing unique dining concepts and retailers. Developers Capital Retail Properties and Wile Interests tapped Michael Hsu Office of Architecture for his distinct upscale Texas touches; Hsu also designed the highly touted Heights Mercantile located two miles southeast of Market at Houston Heights. Identity Architects is the architect of record. The 30,000 s.f. center sits on a 1.7-acre site designed to encourage walking and biking, though there will be 160 parking spaces. There is one 4,000 s.f. building planned for about 10 tenants, including a restaurant. An adjacent 2-story 26,000 s.f. building will house other restaurants, services such as spas, and potentially office tenants. A central 3,000 s.f. outdoor plaza will host community events. PRISM worked with Capital Retail Properties on renderings for leasing and project PR.
Calling all BP MS 150 riders! We know you’ve probably been back in the saddle for weeks to prepare for this grueling endurance ride. PRISM would love to donate to all our AEC and development friends participating in this awesome event. Please contact Jing Johnson at
Houston firm Jackson & Ryan Architects has amassed a diverse project portfolio within Texas. Nationally they are recognized as a leader in animal welfare design, with care facilities and adoption centers built across the country. PRISM is proud to support the firm by providing renderings and animations, many of which are used for capital campaigns.
2019 is off to a strong start. PRISM welcomed three new partners!
Sure, it’s almost tax time but Randy Reimer, CPA, CFP has it covered for us. He and the team at Reimer, McGuiness & Associates will be handling our tax planning and financial strategy going forward.
Brad Rapp is our new legal eagle. His firm Rapp & Krock provide general counsel services as needed for growing businesses like ours.
Like the new look of our newsletter? Credit goes to Biddie Webb and the Limb Design team. During our re-branding back in 2016, the Limb Design team helped us create an awesome suite of new marketing collateral materials and our captivating website. We continue to work with them on website enhancements.
新年快乐, or Happy New Year! As in the past four years, Jing traveled to China to celebrate Chinese New Year with family and friends. An extra special bonus, the timing coincides with the birthdays of both her parents – even more to celebrate! 2019 is the Year of the Pig. People born in Pig years (1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019) are energetic and always enthusiastic, very realistic, and motivated to work hard for material pleasures. The trip is also a great opportunity to see new construction from the world’s most prominent architects and engineers. Jing was able to ride on the new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge, the longest sea bridge in the world. At almost 34 miles and a cost of $20 billion, the bridge provides a direct connection between Hong Kong and mainland trade hubs. The bridge cuts travel time by 2/3, connecting people and industries faster than ever. Jing took the bridge to Macau to see the City of Dreams mega-sized casino and resort. The newest jewel to open there is the Morpheus hotel by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA). Three undulating voids puncture the center of the building and provide a clear view through it. More striking is the façade, covered in what appears as a geometric grid. The rhythmic white bands are actually the structural system, or exoskeleton as the ZHA calls it. It is one of the last projects designed by the late Dame Zaha Hadid, and truly a masterpiece. See all the pictures from Jing's trip here.
Braun Enterprises is continuing their redevelopment streak of close-in, undervalued parcels. Their latest new retail center is at 2001 W. 34th Street in Garden Oaks. The area, a Houstonia magazine 2013 pick for Houston’s 25 Hottest Neighborhoods, is getting a new center with two buildings, 10,050 sf and 6,050 sf, with a central patio between them. Osborn & Vane Architects commissioned our team to do the renderings.
Florida’s good neighbor award may go to developer Time Equities this year. The firm planned to redevelop an aging office park on a 10-acre site south of downtown West Palm Beach into $1+ million luxury condos. After the community voiced concerns over initial plans for 15-story contemporary towers designed by Helmut Jahn, the developer turned to Miami’s MSA Architects for something completely different. Plans were approved and construction is underway for a cluster of low-rise apartment buildings with some ground floor retail.
We closed out 2018 on a high note! As we’ve done for the last four years, PRISM again donated 10% of profits earned on all new projects commissioned during the month of December to the MD Anderson Children’s Art Project. We produced 15 new projects last month and want to recognize all the clients who enabled our donation to this worthwhile organization. THANK YOU! We made this special video in your honor.
Home inspection on the range
Idaho’s Treasure Valley is a picturesque lowland area in the southwest corner of the state, surrounded by national forests. It is also where a small company has a big vision to change the home inspection industry with an Uber-like interface. HouseCheck created a model to standardize the process and believes it can manage 80% of all home inspections in the U.S. National HouseCheck enlisted architect Richard Kaufman of the Kaufman Collaborative to develop their future home. Conceptual plans call for a 25-30 acre master plan for the corporate headquarters campus building of about 200,000 s.f. to house 1,000 employees.
