James Welkenbach, as an architect-intern at Architects Four in Ann Arbor, Michigan, served as a job captain and lead CAD designer for numerous Borders bookstores. In addition to designing store and fixture layouts, detailing retail fixtures, and coordinating construction document development, James also developed custom programming to automate fixture selection and spacing, annotation, and scheduling. In addition, he developed and organized libraries consisting of standard store details and “kit-of-parts” CAD objects–including retail counters, espresso areas, information kiosks, and themed area porticos of various styles–that helped facilitate super fast and accurate schematic design layouts. One design for a store in Novi, Michigan that replaced an existing Children’s Castle toy store and included interior and exterior demolition, went from design kickoff to Grand Opening of the store to the public in 12 weeks!
The Architects Four design work for Borders including developing designs for about 40 Borders bookstores per year as well as producing a design-build project to convert an old Jacobson’s Department Store in Ann Arbor to the flagship Borders Books and Music store and Borders headquarters. This design-build project involved close partnering with the construction general contractor to perform a fast-track delivery of the design, demolition, and construction. James Welkenbach documented existing conditions from which to develop the design and assisted in construction administration activities throughout the project.