David DeLong Coffin

David DeLong Coffin Obituary

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David DeLong Coffin
1938-2020

David DeLong Coffin passed away peacefully on August 8, 2020, his 82nd birthday, at his home in Vero Beach, Florida. He was born on August 8, 1938 in Katonah, New York to Theodore and Grace Coffin. He grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut and graduated from Roger Ludlowe high school in 1956.

He received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania where he excelled in football and track, winning the Ivy League Conference in both sports during his senior year. He served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps before attending Harvard University and receiving his Master’s degree in architecture.

Dave met his wife, Susan Newman, in Fairfield, CT and they were married in 1965. They moved to Ridgefield, CT in 1969 where they raised their family. Dave worked for Fletcher Thompson before starting his own architecture firm, David Coffin Architect, in 1973, still active today as Doyle Coffin Architecture.

During Dave’s professional career, he mentored countless young architects and was responsible for the design of numerous civic, religious, commercial and residential projects. He was chairman of Ridgefield’s Architectural Advisory Committee for more than 25 years, he sat on Ridgefield’s Building Code of Appeals and he consistently provided pro bono services to local non-profit and religious organizations.

In their spare time, David and Susan were actively involved as volunteers for Engaged Encounter and Prison Ministry in Connecticut as well as for Hospice in Florida. Dave and Susan lived in Ridgefield until 2001, before retiring to Vero Beach, FL and Block Island, RI. Dave was a compassionate, generous, and loving man. He enjoyed his pets, playing card games, and spending time with his family.

He is survived by his loving wife Susan of 55 years, his son Peter and his wife Marcie of Ridgefield, CT, his son Jared and his wife Kelly of Clemson, SC, his daughter Samantha Kohler and her husband Peter of Newtown, CT, as well as six grandchildren, Ashley Coffin, Kennedy Coffin Porter (Ronnie), Abigail Kohler, William Coffin, David Kohler, and Charles Coffin, and one great grandchild, Malakai Porter. He is also survived by his sister Ann Granzen of Vero Beach, FL and his nephew Bill Granzen (Pat) of Goose Creek, SC. Memorial contributions may be made in honor of Dave to VNA Hospice of the Treasure Coast or the Block Island Medical Center. Services in remembrance of Dave will be held at a later date.

Americans for the Arts

Doyle Coffin Architecture Honored for Exceptional Commitment to the Arts

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Arts and Business Partnership Awards Presented by Americans for the Arts on October 3 in New York City

Peter Coffin and John Doyle of Doyle Coffin Architecture were honored Thursday night at a black-tie gala at the Central Park Boathouse in New York City for the Americans for the Arts’ national Arts and Business Partnership Award. Americans for the Arts, headquartered in Washington, DC is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America.

Doyle Coffin Architecture (DCA) is a second-generation architectural firm located in Ridgefield, Connecticut, dedicated to excellence in architectural design, sustainable design, and their surrounding communities. Given that the fields of architecture and the arts are kindred spirits in design, creativity, and thoughtfulness, supporting the arts comes as second nature to Doyle Coffin Architecture. For more than twenty years, DCA has been involved in building projects that benefit their local cultural institutions. They contribute pro-bono work, serve as members of a building committees, and provide expertise with attention to historic aesthetic and context. They are relentlessly committed to helping cultural organizations achieve their mission through thoughtfully designed and maintained spaces.

In his remarks before the 150 attending the event, Peter Coffin noted “Doyle Coffin Architecture is proud to support the arts, not only through donations and offering pro-bono design services, but also by integrating artwork in our designs. We believe it is critical to show strong community support for art and cultural institutions as they represent the community’s broad commitment to the pursuit of knowledge, a fundamental element to the furthering of human intellectual growth. The Prospector Theater project in Ridgefield, Connecticut opened our eyes to the power of art in architecture as an opportunity to enhance personal experiences and to enliven a community through art.”

Presented annually, the Arts and Business Partnership Awards honor 10 U.S. companies, a business leader, and an arts and business partnership for their exceptional commitment to the arts through grants, local partnerships, volunteer programs, matching gifts, sponsorships, and board membership.

DCA New Hampshire

DCA Dover, New Hampshire Office

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Doyle Coffin Architecture is a full service architecture & interior design firm located in picturesque Ridgefield, Connecticut. We are now bringing the same expertise and success we have earned on Connecticut’s “Gold Coast” to the bustling New Hampshire seacoast.

This is to announce our longest serving employee of 22 years, Eric E Flanders, AIA, is now Managing Director of our new Dover, New Hampshire office. Eric has been a seacoast resident for many years and will make Dover our second professional home.

We have a passion for design and deep respect for the natural beauty that surrounds us. A Doyle Coffin building emphasizes sustainable design and resilient building practices. The most successful projects are the result of a collaborative process that marries our expertise with the client’s strong vision.

“I am excited to join seacoast area homeowners, builders and developers to collaborate on distinctive architectural designs that accent our unique corner of New England. We will specialize in residential and commercial design projects that will complement our community’s rich history while also bringing our buildings up to today’s green standards. We have a trusted and resourceful architectural team ready to help bring your design visions to life.”
   

Eric E. Flanders, AIA  |  Managing Director

Eric studied architecture at Keene State College and is licensed to practice architecture in New Hampshire. He is a member of the AIA, NCARB, and the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. Eric serves on the Board of the NH Architects & Engineers Emergency Response Task Force.

An Alternative to Design-Bid-Build

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Enjoy this “Guest” Blog Post by Gerety Building & Restoration!

When it comes to building, restoring, or remodeling a home, the efficiency of the process is just as essential as the quality. As a homeowner, you have a very specific vision, budget, and timeline in mind, and you deserve a building professional who can move your project along as promised. Read more

3d printed model

DCA Maker Space

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Models have always been a great visualization tool for architects and designers. They not only allow designers to look at a variety of design concepts quickly but they can also show the client a three dimensional representation of their dream space (plus they are fun to build!). Architects now have a plethora of options available at a cost that is attainable for smaller sized offices. 3D Printers, Laser Cutters and CNC Routers all offer great opportunities in this new era of affordable “do-it-yourself” manufacturing. Here at DCA we have jumped in with both feet. Using our MakerBot Z18 3D printer and our new Glowforge laser cutter we have been producing massing models, sectional models, enlarged detail models and even some presentation models. While it’s still not as easy as some people think with the “just press a button” mindset, the benefit vs. time/cost is still very high. Let us know how we can help you realize your vision!

Live Long and PROSPECTOR!

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I can’t believe a year has already gone by since the Prospector Theater rolled out the pink carpet and opened its doors! It seems like only yesterday we were working to make sure all of the finishing touches would be ready for the big opening day. As much as we looked forward with anticipation to see the building completed, nothing could have prepared us for what was to come.
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Mission Driven Design

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Buildings are three-dimensional structures but, at its best, architecture is 4-D. Let me explain.

It’s always fun to see a two-dimensional design become a 3-D building. But the real reward is when a building becomes something more than four walls and a roof . . . it becomes a stage on which life’s daily dramas are acted out. That’s what’s happening at The Prospector Theater in Ridgefield, Connecticut. And a whole new dimension is taking shape in what was once an abandoned property. Read more

Our Recipe for : How to Create a Penny Ceiling

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One of our current projects under construction, The Prospector Theater, will be opening soon in downtown Ridgefield, Connecticut. The building, originally a movie theater from 1940 until 1970, was converted into a bank until it closed in 2000. When our client purchased the vacant building in 2012 with the intent to bring back the local movie theater, she wanted to include something in the interior design of the building as an ‘homage’ to its past life as a bank. Enter : penny ceiling idea. What better ceiling finish for the new Cafe in the theater than pennies?!

While researching ‘how to create a penny ceiling’, we could only find DIY tutorials on penny walls or penny floors – none on penny ceilings. Through some trial and error (and multiple in-house experiments), we finally devised the ultimate recipe for a penny ceiling and have decided to share it with all of you!

Now this recipe must first begin with our (secret) ingredient : an amazing client. We had the honor of working with Valerie Jensen, a truly one-of-a-kind person with a beautiful vision and a fantastic organization known as SPHERE. “SPHERE is an organization that helps adults with developmental disabilities achieve their dreams. SPHERE’s mission is to enrich and enhance, through education, recreation and the arts, the lives of adults with a broad range of developmental disabilities while fostering and nurturing relationships between our members and our communities.” (www.spherect.org)

The penny ceiling project really came to life as a hands-on experience for SPHERE – giving members the opportunity to become a part of the building’s construction!

This is especially important because many SPHERE members will obtain meaningful jobs in the Prospector Theater, including the Café. This is all possible because of the Prospector’s remarkable mission: “to provide meaningful employment, vocational training and opportunities to people with disabilities through the operation of a community-supported first run movie theater.” (www.prospectortheater.org) This includes helping Prospector employees (‘Prospects’) turn their “passions into professions,” building strong relationships with movie goers and essentially letting the world know how truly smart, loyal and hard-working Prospects are.

This wonderful mission resonated throughout the entire process of designing and constructing the movie theater and will be experienced by all who visit – the penny ceiling is one of many such experiences.

Okay – back to the penny process (this is a recipe after all). Now armed with the first two essential ingredients, we had to come up with the process of actually constructing the ceiling.

Step One : Divide the ceiling into 24″x24″ panels (referred to as ‘penny panels’). Using 1/2″ Medex MDF material for density and stability, determine the spacing of the pennies.

We wanted to ensure that the pennies could be arranged in an orderly, consistent fashion so we sent Breakfast Woodworks, a millworker located in Guilford, CT, a CAD drawing of our penny panel layout to use in their CNC machine to rout shallow divots into each of the panels. Working with them, we determined the pennies should be spaced 1/16″ apart to maintain the integrity of the MDF panels once routed. The space between the pennies and the edge of the panel should then be 1/32” so that when the panels are installed side by side, the spacing remains consistent. This desired spacing resulted in a final panel size of 1’-10 ¾” square.

Penny Panel_Diagram

Step Two : Working with a millworker and/or a CNC machine, rout divots into the MDF panels at the desired spacing.

Interesting fact: Pennies are exactly 3/4″ in diameter. Good thing to know if you ever need to measure something in a pinch!

Penny_Diameter

 

Step Three : Paint the penny panels on all sides (to keep the MDF material consistent).

We used Benjamin Moore Flat Black paint so that the beautiful pennies would stand out and shine against this background. Fifty penny panels and approximately 33,712 divots later, we were ready to start gluing!

Painted Penny Panel

Step Four : Throw a Prospector Penny Panel Production Party (try saying that 10 times fast!) and let the gluing begin!

A construction adhesive is necessary since this is a ceiling application. Since the only way to apply construction adhesive is with a caulk gun, controlling the exact amount of glue for each divot can be a little difficult. After some trial and error, we determined the best glue for the job was Loctite Clear Power Grab Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive. It is strong enough for the job and best of all, it dries clear!

SPHERE members then participated in a series of Prospector Penny Panel Parties at The Prospector Theater’s Pop-Up Shop on Main Street. At this point, the theater’s Cafe had been cleverly named the ‘Head’s Up Cafe’ so it seemed only fitting to have all pennies on the penny panels glued, you guessed it : head’s up!

It was during these Prospector Penny Panel Parties that our team witnessed just how dedicated the SPHERE members are. They have a wonderful attention to detail and the strong sense of community and camaraderie throughout the Penny Panel Production Process was inspiring.

Key recipe step: when gluing the pennies to the panels, you must leave 8 divots blank – one in each of the four corners and one at each of the mid points along the edges. These divots are intentionally left blank for attaching the panels to the ceiling.

Penny Panel Party Pics!

Step Five : Deliver your penny panels to the construction site.

Once SPHERE’s hard work was complete, the Prospector Penny Panels were then lovingly delivered to the Prospector Theater for installation.

Transporting the Penny Panels to the job site

Step Six : Attach the penny panels to the ceiling. Pre-drill a hole for the screws in each of the 8 blank divots on the panel. Screw the panel to the ceiling so that the screw head is flush with face of the divot. Glue a penny (head’s up) over the screw head.

The sub-contractor under Yorke Construction in charge of the ceiling’s installation was Charlie Badman from Kane Construction. (In fact, Charlie is responsible for the installation of all the amazing ceilings in the theater so don’t forget to look up when you are there!) Charlie pre-drilled the screw holes in those blank divot locations mentioned earlier, screwed each panel to the ceiling and then glued a penny over each screw head to complete the ceiling (he promises that they are all head’s up).

And, just like that, our penny ceiling was complete. Just a few finishing touches remain until the Head’s Up Cafe and the rest of the Prospector Theater is ready for business! So when the Prospector Theater opens its doors in the very near future, please stop by the Head’s Up Cafe and don’t forget to look up!

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I think we can all agree that there is an overabundance of social media platforms out there… Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram… the list goes on and on… and on… the sheer volume of options and apps out there is overwhelming to say the least. I, for one, have always been a little shy when it comes to delving into the world of social media. While I can’t say that I have ever tweeted or tumbled anything (this is actually my first attempt at a blog), recently I have come to realize how certain applications can play a very current and effective role in the realm of architecture and design.

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The Beauty of New England

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New England has always been at home with architectural innovation.  Our towns and farmland have some of the handsomest native architecture in the world – beautiful and eminently practical.

More recently, some of the world’s greatest modern architects – people like Walter Gropius, Philip Johnson and the “Harvard Five” who settled in and around New Canaan have added their contributions to this rich heritage.

We love the modernists and many of their designs.  Certainly their open and flowing approach to interior space has changed the way we live and raised our expectations.

We believe in designs that have their roots in the past.  Because if a design is strong enough to withstand the test of time (and Northeastern winters) it must have something going for it.

That doesn’t mean ignoring the present or the future . . . just the opposite.

Modern materials and designs make it even easier to build in a timeless way and ensure that the people who live and work in our buildings are comfortable for generations to come.  We take the best of modernists and combine it with the wisdom of New England tradition to create structures that are as graceful as they are innovative.