From its retractable glass façade that opens to an indoor/outdoor football field to its light-filled strength training room surrounded by glass walls, the new Baylor Scott & White Health Sports Therapy & Research complex puts human health and sports performance on public display—and for good reason.

The 300,000-square-foot complex, which celebrates today its grand opening on the Dallas Cowboys-themed campus known as The Star, is an educational opportunity for visitors as much as it is a healthcare destination for recreational and professional athletes. Upon entering through the front doors, patients and visitors observe the science of athleticism and sports medicine and intuit the relationship between physical activity and well-being. Patients then have the opportunity to use the same facilities for their own healthcare needs. As a result, everyone comes away inspired by the combined brand power of the Dallas Cowboys and Baylor Scott & White Health, and motivated to improve their own health and fitness.

“The complex is designed to showcase the link between active lifestyles and physical health so that every visitor leaves feeling more informed and inspired,” says Ron Stelmarski, principal at architecture firm Perkins&Will and lead designer of the complex. “Wellness education and inspiration, coupled with a holistic approach to diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, promote the health and well-being of a community. The Sports Therapy & Research facility is a shining example of a new kind of architecture that supports the improvement of population health through physical fitness.”

Convergence: Blending Design Typologies

At the heart of this “new kind of architecture,” Stelmarski explains, is a convergence of healthcare, science and technology, sports and recreation, workplace, branded environment, urban planning and, to a certain extent, civic design (parts of the complex can be transformed into public gathering places for community events and performances). This melding of design typologies allows Baylor Scott & White Health to offer patients an innovative ‘one-stop-shop’ approach to sports medicine and rehabilitation services, including sports nutrition, sports psychology, orthopedics, physical therapy, occupational therapy, neuropsychology, urgent care, surgery, a brain injury program, cardiology, outpatient imaging, and a pharmacy.

In alignment with the complex’s focus, the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, a leader in hydration and nutrition science, is housed on the complex’s second floor. Outside, a network of publicly accessible walk, run, and bike trails keeps the facility well-connected to the community and integrated with the surrounding Star campus.

“We’re seeing a fascinating trend emerge at the intersection of sports performance and healthcare design—one that we think could start a sea change in population health nationwide,” says Don Dethlefs, principal and chair of Perkins&Will’s sports, recreation, and entertainment practice. “In each case, our clients have shared one vision: help entire communities achieve holistic health by improving individuals’ physical fitness.”

Other Perkins&Will projects illustrating this trend include the PPL Center (opened in September 2014); the UCLA Health Training Center, home of the Los Angeles Lakers (opened in August 2017); the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross Athletic Center (opened in October 2017); the Snyder Center at Phillips Andover Academy (opened in January 2018); the Viking Pavilion at the Peter W. Stott Center at Portland State University (opened in April 2018); and Northwestern University’s Ryan Walter Athletics Center (set to open in August 2018).

Designing a Branded Experience

The Sports Therapy & Research complex includes basketball courts, a fitness and strength training room, and an indoor/outdoor playing field. Powered by Fusionetics, a digital platform that optimizes athletic performance, decreases the risk of injuries, and speeds recovery, these facilities allow athletes to train and rehabilitate in advanced ways. And with the exception of the locker rooms, pool, and plunge room, these highly visible, prominently placed athletic facilities—surrounded by transparent glass walls and casual seating areas for onlookers—allow the whole process of rehabilitation to be observed.

“The transparency helps tell the complex’s story. It showcases the human body in motion, creating a ‘living brand’ experience that celebrates athleticism and physical fitness,” Stelmarski says. “The openness and visual interconnectivity of the spaces lend a soft, human quality to the otherwise hard, data-driven science of sports medicine.”

At the same time, the complex is also designed to invoke a sense of strength, durability, and precision—attributes of the athletes who seek treatment there and the care teams who provide care. This is accomplished through a crisp, clean material palette composed primarily of concrete, modern glass, and metal, and by complementary soothing color tones and abundant natural light. Unobstructed views and easy access to the outdoors create a feeling of revitalization and rejuvenation.

Near the main entry, a bevy of two-dimensional geometric shapes made of painted metal suspend from the ceiling of the four-story lobby like confetti, symbolizing fluidity of movement and the legerity of the physically fit body. Their organization appears arbitrary at first, but upon closer examination, the disparate shapes visually coalesce to form the Baylor Scott & White Health logo. The installation visually guides guests to a series of interactive technology stations that explore human anatomy, along with rehabilitation programs for sports-related injuries.

“The energy of this piece—part art, part branding—celebrates the possibilities of the body in motion and the interconnectivity of all its pieces and parts,” says Eileen Jones, principal and global leader of branded environments at Perkins&Will. “It is also a gateway through which visitors and patients can become more engaged in targeted physical therapies and the research behind them.”

Continued Leadership in Health and Well-Being

The design of the Sports Therapy & Research complex reflects Perkins&Will’s long-standing commitment to health and well-being—one of the firm’s greatest differentiators. Known best for seminal industry innovations like the Precautionary List, the Transparency website, the resilient building rating system RELi, the development of Portico with Google and the Healthy Building Network, and the adoption Fitwel, Perkins&Will is now on track to define and lead the industry’s Next Big Thing: convergence.

“There’s no question that sports and physical fitness play a critical role in achieving and maintaining optimal holistic health,” Stelmarski says. “To the extent that we’re contributing to the creation of a healthier world by applying our multidisciplinary design skills, we’re grateful to work with clients on these game-changing projects.”

Take a virtual tour of Baylor Scott & White Health, Sports Therapy & Research

Located in Markham, Ontario, Aaniin-meaning “Welcome” in Ojibwe-is designed to meet the needs of a diverse community. The goal was to create a sense of place, a hub for engagement and interconnected activity. Community consultations and workshops formed a key part of the design process. They desired a more open and inclusive community centre, a place between home, school, and work.

“The design was truly enriched by extensive public engagement,” said Duff Balmer, principal and lead designer. “Through this process we discovered the community’s desire to gather and express their culture at a much grander scale, which informed the idea of a ‘public square’ in the heart of the building. By embracing these new ideas we were ultimately able to reinvent what a community centre and library could be. We are thrilled that this significant shift was recognized by the jury.”

A central ‘main street’ stretches the length of the building with an atrium acting as a large event and gathering space. The various amenities surround this core, such as the aquatic centre, various gymnasia, fitness centre and library. The glass partitions between program elements blur the boundary between each, enhancing the open experience of the community centre.

Red glass panels accent the curtain wall. The colour appears again in select spaces such as the library, café and on the angled columns outside. The expansive wood roof serves as a powerful unifying element pulling in the various programs and spaces together. The warm canopy extends to the exterior, creating a series of framed outdoor rooms, gardens and sport courts.

The Aaniin Community Centre and Library is connected to a large district park along its eastern boundary, the facility encourages a more urban and sustainable pattern of growth within this rapidly burgeoning part of the city. Pursuing CaGBC LEED certification, the building has an energy reduction of 34 percent over typical buildings and uses regional materials with high recycled content.

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

“As an African American, and as the lead architect on this project, to know that this vision has become a reality on the National Mall, right in the heart of our nation’s capital and within steps of the Washington Monument, is to realize a magnificent accomplishment,” says Freelon, managing and design director for Perkins&Will’s North Carolina practice. “It’s difficult to find the right words to express my pride—not just in our contributions to the design of this museum, but also in all that the museum represents, and in all that the museum strives to do.”

WATCH: Phil Freelon shares his personal history growing up and becoming a leading architect.

Freelon has been actively involved in the creation of the museum since 2006. At that time, he began collaborating with the late Max Bond, another preeminent African American architect and a principal of the firm Davis Brody Bond, on the building’s initial planning. This collaboration resulted in a 1,200-page master planning and programming document that laid the groundwork for the museum’s design that we see today. In 2008, The Freelon Group and Davis Brody Bond invited Adjaye Associates and SmithGroup/JJR to join their team for the museum’s international design competition. The then newly-formed Freelon Adjaye Bond / SmithGroup JJR won the competition in 2009, and the site broke ground three years later.

Over the next seven years, The Freelon Group—which became part of Perkins&Will in 2014—was responsible for leading the entire design team and the project’s 28 other consultants to ensure that the design intent and The Smithsonian’s vision for the museum became a reality.

“It’s been many long years in the making, and every moment of bringing this museum to life has been a true labor of love,” says Zena Howard, senior project manager on the NMAAHC and principal at Perkins&Will, who worked full-time on the project for more than 8 years. “As one woman out of the roughly 0.02 percent of female African American architects in this country, and the only black female architect on this project, I feel particularly honored to have had such an integral role in the museum’s creation. It means so much to me.”

WATCH: Zena Howard reveals how her early experiences helped inform the woman and designer she is today.

The Building Design

The design and construction of the nearly 400,000-square-foot museum, which includes exhibition galleries, an education center, a theater, an auditorium, a cafeteria, a store, and offices, was one of the largest and most complex building projects in the country. With 60 percent of the structure underground, designers and engineers had to create a continuous retaining wall around the perimeter of the site—extending 65 feet down at its maximum height—to secure the building’s foundation in the marshland below Washington, D.C.

The museum is also the most sustainable national museum ever built, and the greenest of all Smithsonian Institution buildings. It features such design elements as rainwater harvesting, roof-mounted photovoltaic solar panels, extensive daylighting, and high efficiency mechanical systems. It is tracking LEED Gold certification.

The distinctive three-tiered building exterior is inspired by the Yoruban caryatid, a traditional West African wooden sculpture that bears a crown, or a corona, on top. The resulting upward-reaching form is both a contrasting and complementary presence among its neighboring structures on the National Mall. The pattern on the bronze-colored corona, made up of 3,600 cast-aluminum panels weighing a total of 230 tons, was inspired by the ornate ironwork of Charleston, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; and New Orleans, Louisiana—much of which was created by enslaved and free African Americans. The visual impact of the corona changes over the course of the day and even the year, appearing quiet and somber at times, but bright and vibrant when exposed to sunlight.

The building’s main entrance features a sweeping front porch with a reflecting pool, welcoming all who approach it from the National Mall. Visitors pass through the Heritage Hall prior to entering the History Gallery on the lowest level. Ascending via ramps through exhibits highlighting slavery and freedom, the story culminates at the “1968 and Beyond” exhibit. The Contemplative Court, where a cylindrical waterfall, coupled with daylight shining down from the oculus above, sets the tone for reflection and remembrance.

The Oprah Winfrey Theater, located opposite the Contemplative Court, seats 350 people. This venue is a forum for performers, artists, educators, scholars, authors, musicians, filmmakers, and opinion leaders to showcase how African American history and culture shapes and enriches the country and the world.

The exhibits focused on culture and community, music, and the visual arts are located on the floors above grade.

“Everything about the design of this museum was purposeful with the hope that visitors would see America from a different perspective, through the lens of the African American experience,” Freelon says. “With all of the social ills afflicting our nation today—and we are living through some very challenging times—it is my hope that the people who come here will leave positively changed, with an open mind, heart, and willingness to come together to find solutions.”

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

In this second installment of In Their Own Words – our new video series – Phil shares what it’s meant to him, personally, to contribute to this monumental project, why he is proud to be African American today, and what he hopes the museum will offer visitors for years to come.

“We are approaching the culmination of nearly a decade of planning, design and construction activity—the sheer size and scope of the project is remarkable,” says Robin Guenther, sustainable healthcare leader at Perkins&Will and the project’s lead architect. “We are all proud of the work that has been accomplished thus far, and excited that the facility will open its doors to patients and their families.”

“Creating an environment inclusive of both parents and children was a key goal of the design,” said Dan Rectenwald, healthcare principal and chief operating officer at HGA. “Through open houses, simulations, tours and feedback from physicians, hospital staff and the Packard Children’s Family Advisory Council, the project team was able to design a facility which sets patient safety and the patient-family experience as the highest priority.”

Through Perkins&Will’s exterior and interior design, and HGA’s medical planning, the project will achieve key goals as established by Packard Children’s—all focused on creating America’s most technologically advanced, family-friendly, and environmentally sustainable hospital for babies, children and expectant mothers.

Design Highlights
With an emphasis on holistic healing, the hospital will embrace evidence-based design features, like plentiful views of nature, access to the outdoors, and abundant natural light as well as a host of innovative sustainability features, like the recovery of water from condensate and other processes for landscape irrigation, the creative use of recycled and reclaimed local materials, and a unique external shading system to reduce the need for air conditioning. In fact, Packard Children’s is designed to use 38 percent less water and 60 percent less energy than the average Northern California hospital. The building’s ongoing water and energy usage will be displayed on an electronic dashboard in the main lobby and on bedside entertainment systems, allowing children to compare energy consumption in different areas of the hospital. The building is on track to earn LEED Gold certification.

All patient floors will feature outdoor patios with overlooks, and a non-denominational sanctuary that opens to an outdoor healing garden, which will allow for quiet meditation and prayer. Locally grown food will be served in the hospital’s café, and locally crafted art will decorate the building and surrounding campus. Additionally, the facility’s wayfinding system will be based on California’s various ecoregions, boasting colorful wall art, educational signage and graphics of nature that will help patients and families navigate the hospital units while learning about their local natural environment.

Medical Planning Highlights
In planning the medical spaces, the focus was on creating a comfortable atmosphere for children and their families that also incorporates operational efficiencies to ensure the best care. In each nursing unit, caregivers will have a direct line of sight from their workstations into patient rooms. The appearance of heavy equipment within the patient rooms will be minimal, making the rooms less intimidating for children. Sinks, water coolers and other amenities will also be built at child height. The majority of the new rooms will provide additional privacy and space for patients and their families; all rooms will include sleeping accommodations for two family members. In addition, every patient floor will include a family lounge, child life room, patient-family kitchen, and laundry facilities to help promote a home-like environment.

Colocation of medical services, including the merging of imaging and surgery platforms, will increase efficiency in processes and result in less travel time for anesthesiologists. Staff circulation routes will be separate from those of patients and their families, and medication alcoves located directly outside of patient rooms will decrease the amount of time caregivers need to retrieve medication while keeping the main hallways clear of pedestrian traffic. Pharmacy spaces will be located in the same location on every floor, allowing for a shared lift for moving medications to optimize efficiency.

DPR Construction is the general contractor on the project.

For more information about Packard Children’s, visit www.stanfordchildrens.org.

“Casey’s insights will be central to our firm’s continued evolution as we sharpen our focus on civic projects,” says Perkins&Will CEO Phil Harrison. “His comprehensive understanding of how these projects are achieved, from conception through procurement and delivery, will be invaluable to our clients in the civic sector. He knows this space better than anyone.”

“I’m excited to be part of a firm that has such an obvious commitment to improving civic life,” Jones says. “Perkins&Will’s global reach and resources present an enormous opportunity to strategize with clients and colleagues about how to create projects that improve communities and give more than they take. Civic buildings represent our collective aspirations and speak to who we are as a society. I’ve spent my entire career on this issue. For me, there is no more-important responsibility.”

Jones will work with design teams across the firm’s architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban design practices—areas that he oversaw in his most recent role as the U.S. State Department’s Deputy Director for Overseas Building Operations. There, he led more than 800 professionals on the design, construction, operations and maintenance of hundreds of ongoing projects, ranging from new embassies and consulates to the renovation of existing properties. Prior to that, he served as the U.S. State Department’s Director of Design Excellence, during which he established the Excellence in Diplomatic Facilities Initiative to elevate the quality of embassy projects. This followed his service as the Director of Design Excellence at the U.S. General Services Administration. The program’s founder, Ed Feiner, heads Perkins&Will’s Design Leadership Council.

“Casey has a vision, which he backs up with skilled delivery,” Feiner says. “I’ve watched him thrive in governmental work, which can present some very exacting design and management challenges. His decades of contributions to architecture, taken as a whole, exemplify how well-designed public spaces can reflect the best of humanity.”

In addition to his experience in overseeing large-scale civic architecture projects, Jones has helped develop design and construction strategies for clients such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, Yale University, Motown, the Mexican Ministry of Culture, and the History Channel. He is a fellow of the Design Trust for Public Space, where his work helped lead to the 2002 decision to reverse New York City’s planned demolition of the High Line. He was also associate director of the Van Alen Institute, which explores how design can enrich our lives. Jones has taught courses on urban design at Columbia University, University of Michigan, and Parsons School of Design. He has a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Virginia.

“During her tenure as an IIDA International Board vice president, Gabrielle has been a passionate, exemplary leader for the design industry as a whole,” said IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA, LEED AP. “She provides a high level of expertise and a distinct perspective that seamlessly aligns with the vision and mission of IIDA, and we look forward to her contributions as president-elect.”

The new president-elect is looking forward to her term, as well. “I am thrilled to be deepening my involvement with this influential association that plays such a critical role in the interior design industry,” said Bullock.

Bullock has made incredible contributions in her roles at Perkins&Will over the past three decades and currently serves as principal and director of global diversity for the firm. A long-standing advocate for advancing diversity initiatives within architecture and design, she has spent her career focusing on complex and socially significant projects in the United States and globally.

Bullock’s role is effective immediately for the 2017-2018 term; upon completion, she will serve as the 2018-2019 IIDA International Board president beginning in June 2018.

About International Interior Design Association
IIDA is the Commercial Interior Design Association with global reach. We support design professionals, industry affiliates, educators, students, firms, and their clients through our network of 15,000+ members across 58 countries. IIDA advocates for advancement in education, design excellence, legislation, leadership, accreditation, and community outreach to increase the value and understanding of interior design as a profession that enhances business value and positively impacts the health and well-being of people’s lives every day. www.iida.org

More than three dozen Fast Company editors, reporters, and contributors identified the most notable innovations of the year from among 1,500 applicants. They chose to recognize Perkins&Will as one of the most innovative companies in the world for the firm’s commitment to environmentally progressive design that helps reduce carbon emissions associated with climate change.

“The curious minds at Perkins&Will are constantly seeking new ways to make our built environment healthy and high-performance,” says Perkins&Will CEO Phil Harrison. “Since 1935, our teams have sought ingenious solutions to help our clients thrive, to engage the public, and to heal the natural world. We are driven by purpose, and we are honored to have the opportunity to apply our craft every day.”

Recently designed or built projects that have exemplary energy performance and other innovative sustainability features include the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford in Palo Alto, California; Ghana’s Greater Accra Regional Hospital in Africa; the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.; and the headquarters for the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) in Washington, D.C.

“[Perkins&Will’s] ability to rise to the top of [its] field is especially meaningful and inspiring,” said Fast Company deputy editor David Lidsky in a written statement to Perkins&Will announcing the honor. “We are excited to welcome [Perkins&Will] to a dynamic, inspiring class of companies from around the world.”

To see the complete list of 2018 Most Innovative Companies, visit www.fastcompany.com.

The study, funded by the American Society of Interior Designers Foundation’s (ASIDF) Transform Grant, sought to determine the impact of adjustable workstations on employee health and wellness, perceived stress, and sedentary behavior, and to track the sustainability of the observed behavioral changes over a one-year period. Research was led by Elizabeth Garland, M.D., M.S., associate professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the Center for Active Design, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, global architecture and design firm Perkins&Will, and Steelcase.

“We are excited to share the results of this study, demonstrating that a simple adjustment to the workplace can effectively improve health behaviors both in the office setting and beyond,” stated Dr. Elizabeth Garland.

Researchers evaluated behavioral changes in office workers who received adjustable workstations that allowed them to shift between standing and sitting, and compared their behavior to that of workers with traditional desks. Half of the participants, randomly selected from one floor of Perkins&Will’s Atlanta office, received Steelcase adjustable workstations, while participants on other floors maintained traditional desks. Polling and questionnaires measured sedentary behavior, perceived stress, and ongoing behavioral changes before installation and at three months, six months, and 12 months.

Compared with participants using traditional desks, participants who received the adjustable workstations reported significantly less sitting three months and six months after installation. After twelve months, 88 percent of participants who received the adjustable workstations reported that they were convenient to use; 65 percent reported increased productivity; and 65 percent indicated that they positively impacted their health outside of the workplace. Participants with adjustable workstations also reported better concentration and would recommend them for their worksite.

“This study found adjustable workstations beneficial in reducing sedentary behavior both in and outside of the workplace. In addition, these behavioral changes were sustained over time and were associated with more energy, less muscle pain, and more awareness of standing posture. When considering totalworker health, employers would be smart to include options for adjustable workstations,” said Dr. Garland.

The full executive summary, including a review of the methodology and implications derived from the research is available on the asid.org Resource Center. Additionally, a webinar outlining the findings of the research is available on the ASID Academy.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai led the research; Steelcase provided the adjustable workstations; Perkins&Will volunteered a site to conduct the research; and Center for Active Design coordinated project partners.

“Each organization and member of the research team brought unique and valuable experience to the formulation and development of the study,” said James Brewer of Steelcase.

“Our diverse team of researchers and practitioners was important to effectively execute this research project, and facilitated the faster translation of the results into our practice,” says John Haymaker, director of research at Perkins&Will.

“Continuing research in office environments is vital to ensuring decision makers are equipped with the knowledge to implement optimal building design and operations that promote health for their employees, clients, and/or tenants,” said Joanna Frank, executive director, Center for Active Design.

The ASID Foundation supports innovative research and education that articulates knowledge and collective intelligences about how interior design impacts human behavior. The annual Transform Grant, made possible through the support of the Donghia Foundation, funds evidence-based research projects that investigate the impact of interior design on the human experience.

“The research from this study will broaden interior design knowledge and has the potential to improve well-being in the workplace and beyond,” said Patrick Schmidt, FASID, Chair, ASID Foundation Board of Trustees.

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

Greg’s extensive background serving as both the project architect and the project director for a number of local projects provides him with the unique ability to blend design strategies directly with the needs of the project sponsor. Sharing this knowledge base with the design team will offer Perkins&Will the ability to approach each project with a truly holistic perspective, where the goals and mission of all team members are aligned from the outset. This distinctive perspective will enhance Perkins&Will’s commitment to design excellence across all projects in all sectors.

“The San Francisco Bay Area represents an urban center generating the great ideas that are shaping the future. I am thrilled to take this opportunity to lead our diverse and talented team, and to continue to engage with our clients on innovative projects in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area,” says Johnson. “The possibilities in the Bay Area are limitless, and I am eager to work with each of our clients to deliver cutting edge, sustainable, and beautiful designs.”

Johnson is a member of the AIA, the Urban Land Institute, and a Board Member at SPUR (San Francisco Planning and Urban Research). Johnson’s body of work includes a number of notable projects including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), 706 Mission Street/Mexican Museum, 1500 Mission Street/Goodwill development, the Bay Area Discovery Museum and 1700 Webster Street in Oakland. Johnson has been with Perkins&Will since February 2016 and is currently leading the Potrero Power Plant Master Plan, 30 Van Ness mixed-use development and the San Francisco International Airport Consolidated Administration Campus project.

Johnson succeeds Peter Busby, who served as managing director of the San Francisco office for the past six years. Busby was also the former managing director for Perkins&Will in Vancouver, where he led the firm’s Sustainable Design Initiative across all of its 24 offices.

“Perkins&Will’s adaptable design of The Water Institute’s new headquarters truly reflects the purpose of the Water Campus: to use the Mississippi River as a living laboratory for innovation,” said John Davies, President and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. “The state-of-the-art space will allow the campus to continue to be at the forefront of research discoveries and the development of tools to help our region live in harmony with the surrounding coasts.”

Seasonally, the Mississippi River can rise to shore up to 30 feet, completely submerging the surrounding shoreline. In any given year, there is a significant margin of variation in the level of the river, with the lowest recorded water level being at sea level and the highest at 47 feet above sea level. To accommodate, Perkins&Will designed the building to sit above the maximum anticipated flood line; while the water rises and submerges the surrounding landscape, the building will remain accessible and fully functional.

“The design demonstrates the synergies between structure and nature,” said Ryan Bussard, Design Principal with Perkins&Will. “The elements of the Mississippi River play a central role in the design for this building, just as they are the uniting focus of the research at the Water Campus.”

The building’s all glass and steel aesthetic pays homage to the area’s industrial freight industry, where ocean-going vessels off-load heavy cargo onto barges to be transported upriver or onto rail for inland shipment through Baton Rouge.

The 34,000 square-foot, $25 million-dollar project was developed by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and Commercial Properties Realty Trust. The first floor, named Waterworking, has office space as well as a lab that can be rented by researchers, engineering groups, or other organizations. The second floor houses the Water Institute of the Gulf in state-of-the-art office facilities. On the third floor, called The Estuary, is an 8,000 square-foot conference center to host academic conventions, research conferences, and both corporate and private events.

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

“This award is significant for the firm and the design team that worked on the Museum for the last 8 years,” said Phil Freelon, lead architect for the project. “Our goal was to create an iconic and enduring statement worthy of its vital cultural content while respecting its important context in our nation’s capital. To receive this recognition from the AIA is truly humbling and greatly appreciated.”

The 2019 AIA Awards for Architecture celebrate “the best of contemporary architecture” and show “the many ways buildings and spaces can improve our lives.”

For more information on the program and to see all of the 2019 winners, visit the AIA website.

Perkins&Will announced today that Denver-based Sink Combs Dethlefs, a national leader in sports, recreation, and entertainment architecture, has joined the firm. Denver now becomes the home of Perkins&Will’s 24th design studio.

The merger, which significantly bolsters Perkins&Will’s visibility in the Rocky Mountain West region, is part of the firm’s strategy to meet growing global demand for design that promotes holistic human health and well-being.

“The biggest driver behind the union of our two firms is the increasing focus on designing for ‘full-circle’ health and well-being—that is, giving people the opportunity to be active, fit, healthy, and happy at every point on the continuum of life experience,” says Perkins&Will CEO Phil Harrison. “Together with Sink Combs Dethlefs, we can deliver creative, research-driven solutions to meet this demand, while providing superior client service—a shared hallmark of our practices.”

Founded in 1962, Sink Combs Dethlefs’ projects include the Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse at the UCHealth Training Center, home of the Denver Broncos, in Englewood, Colorado; the University of Michigan Crisler Arena renovation and William Davidson Player Development Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan; the Chesapeake Energy Arena renovation in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; the PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania; and the visitor and conference center at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.

Beyond Sports and Recreation: Converging Disciplines
The merger comes at a critical time in the architecture, design, and construction industry, where historically distinct project typologies, disciplines, and practice areas are now blending in both form and function, and where health and well-being are considered paramount. For example, academic buildings are adopting active workplace design trends; corporate interiors are borrowing design elements from health and wellness centers; healthcare facilities are taking design cues from the hospitality sector; hotels are incorporating aspects of sports and recreation; athletics and entertainment facilities are serving as community anchors in walkable, mixed-use urban developments; and so on.

By combining firms, Perkins&Will and Sink Combs Dethlefs can cross-pollinate services to meet these overlapping market needs.

“This ‘blurring of the lines’ is a powerful emerging trend in the world of design, so it’s an exciting time to be leading the way forward,” says Don Dethlefs of Sink Combs Dethlefs, now chair of Perkins&Will’s expanded Sports, Recreation, and Entertainment practice. “By blending our areas of expertise, we’re able to provide clients—no matter what sector they’re in—with fresh, forward-thinking solutions that prioritize fitness, health, and well-being.”

Expanded Range of Client Service Offerings
Known for designing arenas and event centers, collegiate athletic facilities, community recreation centers, civic centers, and spectator venues, Sink Combs Dethlefs naturally expands Perkins&Will’s range of client service offerings.

This is particularly true in the higher education sector, where Perkins&Will is an established leader in the design of student centers, research facilities, academic buildings, administrative centers, and residence halls, as well as in campus planning, and where the firm’s portfolio of athletic centers is now starting to grow.

It is also true within the urban design sector, where Perkins&Will’s Cities and Sites practice is global leader in creating dynamic, animated, health-conscious cities, and where sports and entertainment arenas are increasingly becoming catalysts for economic growth in downtown mixed-use districts.

“The addition of Sink Combs Dethlefs’ highly specialized talent and expertise will be a great boon to our clients around the world, and will certainly open new doors for us,” says Harrison. “Already, many of our most valued and long-standing clients have expressed their excitement about the merger and are eager to explore the possibilities.”

By the same token, Perkins&Will’s expertise across a dozen practice areas, combined with its worldwide network of talent, greatly diversifies the types of services that Sink Combs Dethlefs can offer.

“As one firm, we now have shared access to all of the talent and resources that meet our clients’ needs,” says Andrew Barnard, former president of Sink Combs Dethlefs, now managing director of Perkins&Will’s Denver office. “The client experience will be smoother, simpler, and more efficient. The quality of work and caliber of design, which have always been high, will be amplified. And the level of personalized client service, which has always been exceptional, will reach new heights. We see this as all very positive.”

Greater Geographic Reach, Greater Impact
In addition to new service offerings, the merger gives both firms greater exposure geographically. Sink Combs Dethlefs’ 50-person flagship office in Denver—now Perkins&Will’s 24th design studio—significantly strengthens Perkins&Will’s presence in Colorado and the greater Rocky Mountain West region. Perkins&Will’s projects there to date include the Lory Student Center at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado; the University of Colorado, Anschutz, Cancer Pavilion in Aurora, Colorado; and Intermountain Healthcare’s Alta View Hospital in Sandy, Utah.

Sink Combs Dethlefs’ 10-person practice in Chicago, which will soon operate out of Perkins&Will’s design studio in the iconic Wrigley Building downtown, establishes Perkins&Will as a new leader in sports and recreation in the Midwest. Projects there include the Joyce Center Fieldhouse and Rolf Sports Center, both at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, and the Athletic Research Center at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All three, designed by Sink Combs Dethlefs, are under construction. Perkins&Will’s Ryan/Walter Athletic Center at Northwestern University is also under construction and scheduled to open in 2018.

The merger also enhances Sink Combs Dethlefs’ ability to win new work nationally and internationally, as well.

“It’s a tremendous advantage to be part of Perkins&Will’s constellation of 24 design studios around the world,” says Lindsey Peckinpaugh, a principal based in Sink Combs Dethlefs’ Chicago office. “We are now one firm with global reach and resources, and yet we remain totally committed to and invested in our local communities.”

Continued Leadership in Sustainability, Health, and Well-Being
Finally, the fusion of the two firms is a natural extension of Perkins&Will’s legacy in health, wellness, and sustainability leadership, which has long been one of its greatest differentiators. Perkins&Will is a trailblazer in the movement toward holistically sustainable design, and is known for seminal industry innovations like the Precautionary List, the Transparency website, the resilient building rating system RELi, the development of Portico with Google and the Healthy Building Network, and the adoption Fitwel.

It is Perkins&Will’s belief that sports and fitness play an important role in the development of healthy lifestyles, and that healthy lifestyles play a commensurate role in the development of sustainable cities and communities.

“Human health and well-being are critical aspects of sustainability. With a growing body of research showing the link between physical fitness and overall health, it is our moral and ethical obligation to create places that prioritize health and promote physical activity—across all project types, market sectors, and disciplines,” Harrison says. “Posterity depends on it.”

–END–

Noteworthy Projects
Key sports, athletics, and recreation projects designed by Perkins&Will include:
• Ryan/Walter Athletics Center at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois (under construction);
• Baylor Scott and White Sports Therapy and Research facility in Frisco, Texas—a first-of-its kind collaboration between the Dallas Cowboys and Baylor Scott & White Health (under construction);
• LA Lakers Headquarters and Training Center in El Segundo, California (with Rossetti);
• Meadowvale Community Centre and Library in Mississauga, Canada (2017);
• York Community Centre in Toronto, Canada (2017);
• University of Massachusetts Amherst Football Performance Center in Amherst, Massachusetts (2014).

Key sports, athletics, and recreation projects designed by Sink Combs Dethlefs include:
• Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse at the UCHealth Training Center, home of the Denver Broncos, in Englewood, Colorado (2014);
• University of Michigan Crisler Arena renovation and William Davidson Player Development Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan Michigan (2013);
• Chesapeake Energy Arena renovation in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (2013);
• PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania (2015);
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Fertitta Football Complex (underway);
• University of Notre Dame’s Joyce Center Fieldhouse in South Bend, Indiana (underway); and
• Marquette University’s Athletic Research Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (underway).

“On behalf of the architecture faculty, I am honored to welcome Nick Seierup to the Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science School as our first nationally recognized visiting scholar,” says Tuskegee University Dean Carla Jackson Bell. “Nick’s professional experience expressively redefines socially relevant public places and institutions through his committed focus on the fundamental issues of community, context, and culture. We are proud to be one of the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to introduce this type of innovation into our curriculum.”

An Award-Winning Background

Seierup is a graduate of the Southern California Institute of Architecture and studied at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. He has taught at SCI-Arc, USC, UCLA and Woodbury University, and his design work with Perkins&Will is recognized with over 75 awards, including 50 from the AIA. He recently led the $13.3 million revamp of the LA Police Department’s Metropolitan Division Headquarters, which has won numerous awards, including the 2017 Westside Urban Forum Westside Prize, a 2017 National AIA American Academy of Justice Citation Award, the 2017 City of LA Green Building Award, Los Angeles Architectural Awards, Los Angeles Business Council Award, and the 2016 AIA Los Angeles COTE LA Award.

For the inaugural visiting scholar program at Tuskegee University, Seierup will work in the design studios directly with upper-level students to help them strengthen and fine-tune their pre-thesis capstone project.

“Using case studies from the real world, such as the design of the LAPD Metropolitan Division headquarters, this intensive curriculum will demonstrate how architects can create successful designs through programming, site analysis, and precedent,” Seierup says. “It’s an example of how a strong program can transform not only a facility’s operation, but also the surrounding community.”

Perkins&Will and Tuskegee: An Ongoing Relationship

Kevin Holland, senior associate at Perkins&Will and director of operations for the firm’s Los Angeles studio, joined the Dean’s Architecture Advisory Board at Tuskegee University in April of this year. Working in collaboration with Gabrielle Bullock, director of global diversity at Perkins&Will, Holland was also instrumental in helping to identify potential candidates for the school’s first visiting scholar position

While the visiting scholar program is new, in the spring of 2016, Perkins&Will’s Atlanta studio partnered with the school to develop a student-focused career development workshop. Later that fall, the studio hired Travis Armbrister, one of the students from that workshop and the first Tuskegee architecture graduate to join the firm.

“Our partnership with Tuskegee University is a natural extension of a firm-wide commitment we made in 2015 to build strong relationships with the architecture schools of HBCUs around the country,” says Gabrielle Bullock, director of global diversity at Perkins&Will. “These relationships enable us to mentor students and, in doing so, strengthen the talent pipeline for our profession while facilitating our own recruitment efforts.”

Perkins&Will supported the visiting scholar’s program by providing funding needed for the two-week curriculum that Seierup will lead. Additional funds are provided by the State of Alabama Board for Registration of Architects.

“Perkins&Will is committed to advancing diversity in the architecture profession through education,” says Eric Aukee, managing director of Perkins&Will’s LA studio. “We believe that it is more important than ever for private companies to play an active role in supporting the education of a diverse talent pool for future generations. We are thrilled to be leading this first time opportunity with Tuskegee University and we look forward to an ongoing partnership.”

Architectural Education at Tuskegee University

Tuskegee University’s history of architecture and construction education dates to 1883. During the school’s early years, students learned the trades of brick-making, architecture, and building. In 1933, the school began offering a Bachelor’s Degree in architecture. Today, the Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science—named after the first African-American to graduate from the MIT School of Architecture in 1892—is one of the preeminent HBCU architecture schools in the country. School officials have high hopes and expectations for the new visiting scholar program with Perkins&Will, as it supports the university’s commitment to advancing diversity in architectural education.

“Two-weeks is just the beginning, said Bell. “We have a strong vision to strengthen and grow Booker T. Washington’s mission to ‘learn to do by doing, and the first Perkins&Will visiting scholar is a key part of that success.”

“The support from Mr. Freelon and Perkins&Will is absolutely incredible, and I am so humbled and honored by this fellowship,” Griffin said. “It enables me to pursue something that I love so much, and propels me in a direction to do the best work I can.”

Ms. Griffin, a native of Los Angeles, began her graduate studies in architecture at the GSD in September. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture in May from the Sam Fox School of Art and Architecture at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where she also minored in African and African American studies. The recipient of multiple scholarships and academic awards, and an active, contributing member of her university and local community, Ms. Griffin embodies many of the qualities that the Freelon Fellowship aims to nurture and support.

“We are delighted to award this fellowship for the first time to such a talented, driven, and promising designer as Aria,” said Phil Freelon, whose portfolio includes the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, Historic Emancipation Park in Houston, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. “Aria exemplifies the academic excellence and opportunity we were hoping to advance at the GSD when we established the fellowship. We look forward to seeing her grow academically and professionally in the years to come.”

Freelon and Perkins&Will CEO Phil Harrison AB ’86, MArch ’93, met Aria for the first time last month during a panel discussion about diversity in the design field. The event, held in conjunction with the GSD’s Grounded Visionaries campaign and hosted by Perkins&Will’s Boston design studio, was moderated by Harrison and featured Freelon as a panelist alongside the GSD African American Student Union co-president and organizer of the Black in Design Conference.

“Through the Philip Freelon Fellowship at the GSD, we’re looking to make the biggest impact possible,” said Harrison, who is also co-chair of the Grounded Visionaries campaign. “We want it to draw attention to the need for diversity in the architecture profession, and we want to inspire others to do the same thing at institutions all over the world.”

“Phil Freelon is a passionate advocate for equity and diversity in the design sphere. These values are deeply supported by and ingrained in the GSD,” says Mohsen Mostafavi, Dean and Alexander and Victoria Wiley Professor of Design. “The GSD is thankful for the generosity of Perkins&Will and Phil Freelon in establishing this Fellowship and enabling talented, creative, top design students like Aria Griffin to attend the GSD.”

Freelon has long-standing ties with the GSD, having been a recipient of the Loeb Fellowship from 1989-1990. He is still actively involved at the School and serves as a role model for aspiring young minority architects.

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

Known as VX—short for “Virtual Experience”—the app is a digital passport to places like an early 20th century high school building in Dallas, Texas that’s been transformed into a modern-day architecture studio (one of Perkins&Will’s 24 studios worldwide, in fact), or an 11-story tower annex and renovation project in Lubbock, Texas that houses City Hall and other public agencies and services.

The app also reveals project specifications and other design details to allow for a more informative digital tour of the spaces.

“VX is another tool in our growing kit of digital experience technologies that ultimately helps our clients immerse themselves in the design process and be part of the design journey with us,” says Nick Cameron, Perkins&Will’s director of digital practice. “Our goal is to continuously innovate so that we deliver an ever-richer, ever-more compelling experience for our clients.”

VX can be downloaded for free in Apple’s App Store, but requires iOS 9 or later. The app can be used with or without a VR headset, though a headset is recommended for a more immersive experience.

Perkins&Will’s Miami studio Design Director Pat Bosch made the case for early childhood exposure to design at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival in New York on Thursday, where she shared a panel about diversity in design with Instagram Head of Design Ian Spalter and former Apple iPhone user interface designer Imran Chaudhri.

The only way to diversify the design industry, Bosch noted, is to diversify the talent pipeline—and that starts with empowering young people from all backgrounds with creative thinking and design skills across the education continuum, from grade school through university. More students would pursue careers in design if their own creative potential were realized and nurtured in the classroom.

For established companies looking to diversify their workforce—that is, recruiting and hiring people of different genders, ethnicity, races, cultures, physical abilities, and more—Bosch’s advice is to codify those commitments and embed them within the company culture.

“It has to be put in writing,” she said. “Make it a fact. It’s amazing how many people are unaware (that diversity is even an issue).”

What inspired Bosch to become a designer, herself? Fast Company Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Mehta, who moderated the panel, posed this very question.

“Design can change society, make a comment, have an attitude,” Bosch answered. “That’s pretty mighty. I knew I could be of consequence.”

Some of Bosch’s most recently completed architectural projects include 709 Alton Road in Miami, Florida; Greater Accra Regional Hospital in Accra, Ghana; and the L’Oréal Research and Innovation Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Fast Company’s Innovation Festival was held October 22-26. Now in its fourth year, the conference attracts leading business innovators, cultural luminaries, and the world’s most creative people to share inspiration and purpose-driven leadership lessons with an audience of creative thinkers from around the globe.

Ryan Fieldhouse provides year-round practice and training space for all Northwestern student-athletes, and includes Wilson Field, named in recognition of a gift from alumni Stephen R. and Susan K. Wilson, for football, lacrosse, soccer and other varsity programs.The indoor facility will also serve as recreation and event space for campus programs such as University convocations, the annual philanthropic Dance Marathon, and other community functions. Together with the Mark and Kimbra Walter Athletics Center, which will open in summer of 2018 and was also designed by Perkins&Will, the state-of-the art facilities are designed to attract and inspire world-class student-athletes.

“The new Ryan Fieldhouse is a transformative project for the Northwestern Department of Athletics & Recreation,” said Deputy Director of Athletics Brian Baptiste. “Throughout the collaborative journey from concept to design to completion, our partners at Perkins&Will have provided critical expertise. The result is a facility that our University is extremely proud of, and one that will benefit the entire campus community.”

“Our design goals were to make the most of the spectacular site overlooking Lake Michigan and create an exciting presence near the northern entry to the Evanston Campus,” said Perkins&Will Design Principal Bryan Schabel. “We focused on enhancing student-athletes’ health and wellness, and connecting them more closely to the academic campus. The design for Ryan Fieldhouse and the soon-to-open Mark and Kimbra Walter Athletics Center supports Northwestern’s goal to recruit the best student-athletes.”

The all-glass north facing façade provides unobstructed views of the lake and the beach and fills Ryan Fieldhouse with natural light. The fieldhouse dome, specifically designed to accommodate the unique kicking, punting and functional needs of the athletic programs, is supported by a dramatic series of long-span steel arches that relate to the 10-yard grid of the football field.

The fieldhouse also is responsive to community and environmental interests. “By placing the fieldhouse on level two and cantilevering the space over the floor below, we were able to maintain a pedestrian path along the lakefront,” said Perkins&Will’s Global Design Director Ralph Johnson. “This move enhances the massing of the building and continues the public space through the campus.” A sculpted coastal protection wall protects the building, while maintaining use of beach.

Perkins&Will has collaborated on the Northwestern project with associate architect HOK; civil engineer and landscape architect SmithGroupJJR; and, structural engineer WSP USA.

The new facility is part of a growing portfolio of Perkins&Will sports, recreation and entertainment projects that support the firm’s focus on holistic human health and well-being. Perkins&Will’s client-focused approach results in spaces that provide an integrated experience for student-athletes that supports their mental, physical, and emotional health. The firm’s recent merger with Sink Combs Dethlefs, a national leader in sports, recreation, and entertainment architecture, is another example of their commitment to healthy and sustainable design. Among other Perkins&Will projects are the Athletic and Human Performance Research Center, which recently broke ground at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; the University of Michigan, Crisler Center Renovation + Expansion in Ann Arbor, Michigan; University of Cincinnati, Richard E. Lindner Center, in Cincinnati, Ohio; and the University of Oregon, Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon.

The Ryan Fieldhouse and Walter Athletics Center are among several major Perkins&Will projects at Northwestern University. The Segal Visitors Center in Evanston opened in 2015, and the Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Biomedical Research Center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is under construction on the downtown Chicago campus.

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

Good design drives operational efficiency, keeps patients well and, as a result, allows healthcare systems to be more profitable.

“The increasing complexity of our healthcare system and the way design can improve patient outcomes and efficiencies is only accelerating,” said Robert Brown, managing director of Perkins&Will’s Boston studio. “Ron’s leadership will strengthen our ability to help clients achieve even more, whether it’s for a research, medical education, hospital or tertiary facility. Having him based in Boston, one of the world’s leading medical hubs, will allow us to share our most innovative work with clients everywhere.”

Gorham will join healthcare principal Chuck Siconolfi at the Boston studio of Perkins&Will, where clients include Maine Medical Center, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Nemours Children’s Hospital.

“We help clients think strategically about their operations, using design as an economic driver, resiliently and sustainably. Everything we do is backed by data and we work nationally across offices to share ideas and to arrive at new solutions that challenge existing typologies,” Gorham said. “We want to improve the human experience of staff, patients and families. Together, with our clients and their communities, we design buildings that support wellness, health and inspire occupants.”

“The campus turns the stereotypical concept of a suburban research park right on its head, and makes it infinitely better,” said Ryan Bussard, principal at Perkins&Will. “Instead of a trove of uninviting office buildings surrounding a sea of asphalt parking lots, the i3 campus empowers people to connect, engage, collaborate, innovate, and—perhaps most important—be inspired.”

The three buildings are situated such that each creates an “edge” of a campus “triangle,” at whose center is a 33,500-square-foot outdoor courtyard featuring a performance stage, a bocce ball court, an herb garden, a fitness area, a restaurant and a café. Additionally, parking is obscured from view below ground, allowing for employees to enjoy a beautifully landscaped outdoor area for sports and leisure activities.

“Together with Perkins&Will, we breathed new life into an undervalued site, and delivered fresh, creative and eco-friendly thinking to attract a world class tenant and exemplifies our goal of building science around a park, not a parking lot,” said Kevin Tremblay, senior director of leasing and San Diego market lead with BioMed Realty, a Blackstone company. “The result truly delivers on the ‘i3’ name: an Iconically designed campus; Innovative in the buildings’ extreme flexibility and sustainability; and Inspired by the tenant’s work and culture.”

Architecturally, the campus’s three buildings join a family of well-known scientific institutions—the Salk Institute and the J. Craig Venter institute—with all-white architectural concrete skin. Dramatic cantilevers create iconic views of the campus from the outside while internally framing the upper level terraces and outdoor staircases.

The project’s interior design was inspired by Illumina’s “work anywhere” culture, enabling staff to work wherever they feel most comfortable at any time of day. The campus is 100 percent wireless and provides a variety of work areas to accommodate different work styles and preferences.

Wall-to-ceiling glass capitalizes on views to the surrounding mountains and infuses the interior space with natural light. Collaborative areas, such as lounges, break rooms, and conference spaces, are connected directly to outdoor terraces and bookend the research and office areas.

Employing environmentally progressive design strategies that reduce energy and water use by 30 percent and 20 percent, respectively, the i3 campus is on track to earn [LEED Platinum certification for core and shell, and LEED Gold certification for interiors]. Key sustainability attributes include:

• On-site fuel cells, generating efficient, clean energy with low emissions.
• On-site bio-filtration system, improving storm water quality and reducing the impact on the city’s local infrastructure.
• Green roofs atop all three buildings, with heat- and drought-tolerant native plants regulating temperatures inside and filtering pollutants from the water.
• Recycled water (from the local utility), irrigating the site and used for cooling towers, eliminating the need for potable water usage in these areas.
• Natural light, permeating the buildings’ workplace interiors during daylight hours.
• Motorized and fixed sunshades, helping control temperatures inside (e.g., shades that close to keep the buildings cool, and open to harvest daylight).
• Permeable pavers, allowing storm water through the surface and helping reduce runoff while restoring the site’s original natural water system.
• Below-grade parking, minimizing the project’s impervious surface footprint (whereas most research parks feature large grade-level lots).
• Site-water mitigation located under the courtyard’s wooden decks, reducing the burden on the city’s storm water infrastructure.
• Repopulating the surface area of the original site (which was a building in a massive parking lot) with vegetation, significantly reducing the heat-island effect of the campus while adding native and adaptive plant species to attract local fauna.

The project team includes:
• Design Architect and Interior Architect: Perkins&Will
• General Contractor: McCarthy
• Mechanical, Electrical, Lighting, Plumbing Engineering: EXP
• Structural Engineering: Hope-Amundson
• Acoustical Design: Mei Wu Acoustics
• Landscape Architect: The Office of James Burnett (OJB)
• Civil: Latitude 33
• Kitchen Consultant: Orness Design Group, Inc.

The i3 campus is located in University Town Centre at 4775, 4785 and 4795 Executive Drive.

“We are honoured to have partnered with CBRE on creating a workplace that is not only environmentally sustainable, but also elevates the health and well-being of its employees,” says Sarah Stanford, interior design leader at Perkins&Will’s Vancouver office. “Designing for health and wellness is inherent in what we do, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to work with a client who shares these values.”

WELL is the first building standard to focus exclusively on human health and wellness in buildings. The global performance-based system measures, certifies, and monitors building features that affect human health and well-being in seven categories: air, water, light, nourishment, fitness, comfort, and mind. WELL combines best practices in design and construction with evidence-based medical and scientific research and can help improve the nutrition, fitness, mood, sleep patterns, productivity and performance of its occupants. The standard works seamlessly with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED®) rating system and is independently verified by the same certifying body.

“At CBRE, we believe that the workplace environment should and can actively benefit the health and well-being of employees, not diminish it,” commented Loren Bergmann, CBRE’s Western Canada managing director of workplace strategy. “We believe embracing workplace wellness is a key priority for our industry and we are pleased that the design of our Vancouver office has been recognized for this leadership.”

CBRE’s Vancouver office incorporates more than 100 wellness features. Active design strategies to promote physical activity include an iconic staircase that interconnects the four adjoining floors. A living tree featured on each floor adds a biophilic element to nurture the innate human-nature connection. Elements of beauty incorporated throughout include the café’s unique wood ceiling designed as an inverted topographic map of Vancouver that adds warmth and celebrates local culture and place.

Perkins&Will has a long history of sustainable design and WELL offers a natural extension to this mindset. The firm’s commitment to designing for health and wellness is evident in its dedicated human experience and material performance Research Labs, in addition to its pioneering work developing the Transparency website that serves as a resource for the use of healthy materials.

The CBRE Vancouver office is Perkins&Will’s first WELL certified project in Canada. The firm’s other projects that have earned WELL certification include the American Society of Interior Designers National Headquarters in Washington, DC and Haworth Showroom in Los Angeles, in addition to registered projects pursuing certification.

Learn more about the application of the Passive House standard here.

Read about the scaling up of Passive House in Canadian Architect.

The RAIC’s College of Fellows bestows Fellowship in recognition of outstanding achievement. Criteria include design excellence, exceptional scholarly contribution, or distinguished service to the profession or the community.

“At every stage of his career I have known David to be both passionate about the profession and dedicated to achieving the highest outcomes,” says Susan Gushe. “We are delighted to congratulate David on this truly honourable recognition.”

Over his 25-year career, David has made many meaningful contributions to the profession. As a head of the Vancouver office’s Corporate, Commercial and Civic practice, David has led a wide range of projects across disciplines, ranging from interior design to architecture to large-scale infrastructure and master planning. Earning Lieutenant Governor Medal Awards in Architecture, two of his most notable projects include Saywell and Blusson Halls at Simon Fraser University, and the City of White Rock Operations Building–Canada’s first LEED-NC Gold certified project and an AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Project. David currently serves as Chair of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation Board of Directors and is serving his second term as an elected Council Member of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia.

David, along with the rest of the Class of 2017, was honoured at the RAIC/OAA Festival of Architecture in Ottawa in May.

In addition to David’s recognition, Perkins&Will also congratulates the following leaders in the Vancouver office. Advancement in the firm’s Leadership Program requires successful achievement in leadership ethics and values, excellence in design, marketing, entrepreneurial and strategic thinking, and collaboration.

“We are pleased to recognize the contributions and leadership of our newest principals and associates,” says Susan Gushe. “These individuals have demonstrated actions, vision, and ideas towards advancing the firm’s growth, brand, and culture.”

Promotion to Principal:
Dynamic, authentic, and generous, Rod Maas joined the firm more than 20 years ago and currently serves as Technical Director of the Vancouver office. With almost 30 years of experience, Rod’s proficiency for building strong relationships allow him to lead complex projects effectively with great skill, successfully delivering a project that embodies the client’s goals and aspirations.

Promotion to Associate Principal:
Fulfilling the role of Director of Operations for the Vancouver office, Jocelyne Belisle is a thoughtful and enabling leader dedicated to excellence in project delivery. With almost 20 years of experience in the profession, Jocelyne is instrumental in ensuring the office delivers on its key strategic objectives and vision.

Promotion to Associate:
Intelligent, strategic, and visionary, Kari Dow is a Senior Urban Designer with a passion for research and over 10 years of experience in urban design and sustainable community planning. Kari’s qualities are an asset to the delivery of complex projects that focus on collaborating with stakeholders and the community to create vibrant, sustainable, and equitable urban environments for future generations to come.

Nathaniel Nacionales is a knowledgeable, trusted, and determined Senior Project Manager with over a decade of experience delivering a wide variety of projects worldwide. Nathaniel’s strong facilitation and communication skills are invaluable to the successful delivery of large, complex, multi-stakeholder projects.

Historically, the park has hosted Houston’s Juneteenth celebration, the annual holiday commemorating June 19, 1865, the day when news of Emancipation and freedom reached Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Today, Juneteenth is observed in communities throughout the country. A grand reopening ceremony will be held June 17th as part of a weekend-long Juneteenth celebration June 17-19.

Community Partnership
The restoration was planned and designed in close collaboration with community partners OST/Almeda Corridors Redevelopment Authority, The Emancipation Park Conservancy, The Friends of Emancipation Park, and the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department. ESPA of Houston served as the project manager, and M2L Associates of Houston was the landscape architect.

“The OST/Almeda Corridors Redevelopment Authority is elated to have had the opportunity to play a part in revitalizing this historic park, which remains as a major cultural focus within the Third Ward community and the city of Houston,” said Theola Petteway, the Authority’s Executive Director. “We recognize that it is helping to spark the redevelopment process within our community and help bring back businesses and residents to the area.”

Steeped in History
“We set out to honor both the historical story of Emancipation Park and the community’s vision for its future,” said Phil Freelon, FAIA, principal at Perkins&Will who led the planning and design team. “These two ideas came together thanks to a genuine collaboration, and countless conversations, planning sessions, research initiatives, and connections made with supporters of the project in the Third Ward and throughout the city.”

The Emancipation Park story Freelon cites began in 1872 when four formerly enslaved members of the Third Ward community pooled their funds to purchase 10 acres of open space for $800. The oldest public park in Texas, it was acquired by The City of Houston in 1918. The Park’s two original buildings, designed by prominent Houston architect William Ward Watkin, were built by the Works Progress Administration in 1938-39. For generations, the buildings and open spaces have hosted recreation, education, and social gatherings, and served as a unifying hub for community life in the Third Ward. Until the 1950s, it was the only public park and swimming pool in the city open to African Americans.

The renovation and restoration of Emancipation Park includes:
• New entry plaza to welcome visitors and provide information on the park and its daily activities
• New recreation center, complete with a gymnasium, basketball court, weight room, health center, classroom, lobby, server, kitchen, and reception area
• Two renovated and expanded historic buildings, the cultural center and the aquatic center. The old swimming pool at the aquatic center was removed and replaced with a modern pool
• The stage area, referred to as the Blessings Theater, was restored and provides space for small outdoor or indoor performances.
• New Event Lawn, a Founder’s Promenade, ball fields, outdoor courts, and family picnic areas
• A new children’s playground and interactive water features

Design Connects Past and Present
The design commemorates the Juneteenth celebration by creating a ceremonial gateway and promenade that add prominence to the annual occasion. The project also pays tribute to the four founders of the park with commemorative sculptural elements that include historical facts (currently being installed) at the four corners of the site.

The park’s central spine was established in the original 1939 site plan for Emancipation Park. Developed by landscape design firm Hare and Hare, it shows the main site axis running from Emancipation Avenue (formerly Dowling Street) to Hutchins Street. The new Founder’s Promenade is organized along this axis. The existing recreation center (now cultural center) and the Blessings Theatre, each critical to the history of Emancipation Park, anchor the Founder’s Promenade.

The new recreation center is clad in colored composite panels on the east and west facades. The rust and earth-tone colors of the panels represent a modern-day interpretation of the traditional metal roofs and brick masonry found in the neighborhood. Applied vertically, the panels add visual texture and a modern aesthetic to the building. The idea of connecting or stitching together many different parts to create a harmonious entity harkens back to African and African American traditions such as quilting. The ‘stitched’ paving pattern amplifies the common central spine that links site and building elements.

Sustainability
The three buildings at Emancipation Park, two newly renovated and one newly built, together with the landscape restorations on the 10-acre site, are targeting LEED Certification or higher. Sustainable design features contributing to certification include:
• Geothermal energy system installed onsite to serve the mechanical systems of all three buildings
• Photovoltaic panel array on the recreation center roof will fulfill 35% of the building’s energy needs, qualifying for a LEED Exemplary Performance credit
• Sustainable site design and low-impact development principles includes site storm water management with pervious paving, bio swales, and underground water recycle/reuse
• Overall energy savings of 77% in the new construction building, qualifying for a LEED Exemplary Performance credit; overall energy savings of up to 40% for the two renovated buildings

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

The museum provides a welcoming new campus gateway with exhibition, learning, and event spaces designed for the North Carolina State University community and the public. Its design and landscape celebrate a cherished piece of NC State history by re-imagining the site of the historic chancellor’s residence and creating a cultural bridge between the University and the greater arts community.

Inspired by patchwork-style quilting patterns design represented in the Gregg Museum’s collection, the design of the combined 25,000 square foot museum was conceived as a collection of galleries cohesively stitched together to form a campus hub that inspires learning and creativity.

“For too long, the Gregg was a hidden jewel at North Carolina State, without a permanent home or a distinct identity,” said Kenneth Luker, a principal with Perkins&Will and the project’s design architect. “Now, the museum creates an iconic presence on campus, a destination to inspire bold ideas.”

The modern two-story addition includes programs dedicated to the exhibition and preservation of North Carolina State’s collection of 35,0000 art objects. The main level features a spacious lobby and reception area overlooking the interior galleries and exterior gardens. The lower level features a seminar room, informal study and conversation nooks, and collection storage spaces. The renovated Chancellor’s Residence, a cherished campus landmark, now houses instruction spaces, special collections, and museum administration offices.

“Preserving the integrity of the historic Chancellor’s home while transforming it to a new purpose was a high priority for the design team and the University,” said Derek Jones, of Perkins&Will, who led the Gregg Museum project team. “It was also essential to preserve the bucolic character of the building’s historic gardens to integrate the outdoor experience with the gallery experience.”

Improvements were carefully coordinated to protect the integrity of the historic home in its garden setting. The site design includes intentional connections not only to the galleries inside, but also to the University campus and other nearby arts-related institutions. Surface 678, a landscape architecture practice based in Durham, NC, is the project’s landscape design firm.

The project is projected to earn a LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

About the Gregg Museum
The Gregg Museum of Art and Design is NC State’s collecting art museum, and one of six programs of Arts NC State within the Division of Academic & Student Affairs. With more than 35,000 objects, the Gregg holds the largest and most diverse collection of art and artifacts of any university museum in the state, and uses those objects as tools for teaching and inspiration for students and faculty across all of NC State’s colleges.

Presenting six to eight exhibitions a year, the Gregg Museum has never charged admission and has always made its programs and collections accessible to everyone. With its new expansion and renovation, the museum will fulfill its full potential as a campus and community hub and incubator of bold and creative ideas.

“The design of the new Main Campus Student Center provides an inclusive, welcoming space for all ECU students,” said Dr. Virginia Hardy, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. “We are thrilled to open this state-of-the-art building, which will transform our campus and create an amazing showpiece for East Carolina University. This facility will serve as the living room for our students for generations to come. The Student Center will also have a direct impact on the success of our students because this building literally opens doors to new relationships, collaborations and leadership opportunities.”

Design Responds to Student Needs

In addition to replacing an outdated 1970s student union building, ECU’s original objective was to design a multipurpose student center envisioned as a venue for cultural, educational, arts, recreation, and hospitality uses.

“A key to developing creative use options and achieving the right mix of spaces was the participation of students in the planning and programming,” said Jeff Stebar, AIA, LEED AP, higher education practice leader for Perkins&Will. “Their aspirations and ideas inspired us and gave us a close-up view of the rich student traditions and culture of ECU.”

Among the ideas integrated into the design is an eclectic mix of spaces that support the needs of 29,000 individual students and more than 500 student organizations. These include:

• Eight dining and retail venues
• Multiple lounges, study rooms, and a gaming center
• Large 14,000 square foot ballroom, dividable into three rooms
• Multipurpose conference space for student functions, alumni gatherings, and community uses
• 250-seat black box theater
• Five-level, 724-space parking deck

Community and Culture Enhance Student Discovery

One of the significant building anchors – shaping the inclusive spirit and diversity of ECU – is the Ledonia Wright Cultural Center. For nearly a quarter century, the Center has served as a facility for research and educational programming and a place to exhibit and store the university’s collection of African and African American art. The Cultural Center’s new transparent, expanded space will provide educational, social, and cultural engagement for the African American community and all students at ECU.

Student Commons Provides a Main Thoroughfare, Connects Campus Edge with Core

A 10,000 square-foot commons experience anchors the internal circulation by providing a Main Street artery with natural gathering spots. This two-story connector links the residential buildings along the 10th Street campus edge with the campus core. Resident students moving from dorm to class, and commuting students moving from the new parking deck, will walk through this space to reach the campus core. Integrated within the commons passageway, on two levels, are student organizations and activities offices.

Natural light fills the internal spaces, bringing the outside in, providing sweeping views of the campus, and reducing the substantial energy consumption of interior lighting fixtures. The smart-glass windows respond via sensor technology to the level of sun exposure throughout the day, adjusting tint and shading to control interior temperature and the amount of light coming into the building.

In addition to providing a new front door to the campus, the design creates a new front lawn and center for university gatherings. A 42-foot-wide outdoor LCD screen offers a “Pirate Vision” experience for watching the ECU Pirate sports teams and university-broadcasted events.

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

The firm’s commitment is demonstrated in a number of initiatives such as alternative transportation subsidies, cycling facilities, composting and landfill waste diversion programs, sustainable product procurement, and an employee-managed organic rooftop garden. The office has achieved LEED® Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance Platinum Certification, hosts a living green wall to improve air quality, and operates with passive ventilation during the summer months.

“Environmental leadership has always been an integral part of our culture and everything that we do,” says Susan Gushe, Managing Director of Perkins&Will’s Vancouver office. “Whether it’s a building we design or in our own operations, we continue to strive to not only have a positive impact on the environment, but promote well-being in the workplace.”

Over the past 10 years, Perkins&Will’s initiatives have expanded to include workplace well-being, pledging to certify all its North American offices to the Fitwel standard. The office encourages health and wellness with active design through interconnecting stairs, open daylit workspaces, fitness benefits, and yoga classes.

Further demonstrating their commitment, the firm employs over 1,000 LEED accredited professionals worldwide and encourages LEED certification within 6 months of hire. Other paid courses include a Passive House certification course hosted in-house annually that has resulted in the addition of 16 Certified Passive House Designers on staff.

Having received over 70 green building awards, the office continues to lead in sustainable design through its work on projects such as Marine Gateway—the first mixed-use livable community of its scale in North America that integrates transit, and VanDusen Botanical Gardens Visitor Centre—the first Living Building Challenge certified project in Vancouver. Current projects include West 8th and Pine—a mixed-use development that endeavors to comply with the City of Vancouver’s new Zero Emissions Building Plan and is participating in the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building Pilot Program.

The firm is also committed to a number of project initiatives including Transparency—the first publically released Precautionary List of substances commonly found in building materials, and the 2030 Challenge with the creation of the 2030e2 energy estimating tool for energy efficient buildings.

In addition to Canada’s Greenest Employers, Perkins&Will also celebrates its sixth consecutive year named as one of British Columbia’s Top Employers. Among the reasons for the firm’s selection are tuition subsidies, referral bonuses, year-end profit-sharing for all employees, and matching RSP contributions.

For more information, visit www.canadastop100.com/environmental and www.canadastop100.com/bc.

“Brent has the breadth of experience and knowledge to take our interior design studio to the next level of excellence,” says Paul Eagle, managing director of Perkins&Will’s New York office. “He’s a great listener, a gifted designer, and a consummate professional—overall, a great addition to our team and to our clients’ teams.”

A Colorado native, Capron began his career as a designer in Los Angeles before moving to New York in 1999. Some of his local projects include MetLife’s Global Headquarters, Grey Worldwide’s International Headquarters, CLAY Health Club + Spa, and offices for MTV Networks Entertainment—all located in New York City. National and international projects include Westfield’s North American Headquarters in Los Angeles; Deloitte’s National Workplace Strategy in several cities across Canada; and Bloomberg’s Regional Distribution Center in London.

“I was drawn to Perkins&Will because of the quality of the firm’s work, its record of innovation, and its cross-pollination of architecture and interior design, which aligns with my skillset,” Capron says. “I’m excited to join the talented team of designers here in the New York office, and I look forward to doing great things with them.”

Capron’s work has won multiple architecture and design awards, including an Interior Design Best of Year Award for Grey Worldwide’s International Headquarters, an International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Northern California Interior Design Award for Qantas One World Business Lounge at the Los Angeles International (LAX) airport, and an IIDA Northern California People’s Choice Award for Westfield’s North American Headquarters.

He is a member of the AIA and holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

The Science & Technology Museum is Perkins&Will’s most recent civic and cultural project in China following the Shanghai Natural History Museum, which earned international accolades after its opening in 2015.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to design the new Suzhou Science & Technology Museum,” said Ralph Johnson, Global Design Director of Perkins&Will. “Our design recognizes the importance of Suzhou in China’s commercial history, and underscores its role at the forefront of China’s emergence as a technology leader and innovator. The museum also draws inspiration from the natural environment surrounding it.”

The museum concept melds the city’s heritage as a major trading center on the Yangtze River – sometimes known as “the Venice of the East” – with a contemporary look that reflects the city’s current wave of innovation. It’s ribbon-like form emerges from the base of Lion Mountain, twisting upward and turning back on itself to cantilever out over the edge of Shishan Lake and an archipelago of small islands to reengage the mountain. This form creates an iconic infinity loop–an enduring symbol of prosperity–with the metallic facades evoking a flowing silk scarf, one of Suzhou’s most coveted exports. The lake itself will include several man-made, teardrop-shaped, planted Eco Islands, connected by walkway to the museum and serving as both a filtration system for the lake as an opportunity for environmental exploration and education.

Among other key design features:
• Visitors can arrive at the museum from several approaches. Those coming by subway will be guided into the museum along a shallow ramp to the circular promenade that surrounds the park. Visitors arriving by car or bus will enter through the “Discovery Court,” a formal plaza with reflecting pools and gathering spaces, offering a glimpse of what lies inside. Just inside the entry sits a signature feature of the museum – a three-story atrium adjacent to a sunken water-filled courtyard that includes several small planted islands, recalling the Eco Islands in Shishan Lake.
• With the lower levels providing numerous access points, guests can enjoy all or a select number of exhibitions, with all levels within the museum having access to natural daylight.
• At the museum’s apex on the third level is “Lion Mountain Terrace” which stretches out over the Eco Islands in Shishan Lake, framing Lion Mountain in the distance.

Sensitivity to the surrounding environment is a hallmark of sustainability in the new museum:
• The “Life-Giving Forest” outside provides an air filtration buffer to the city, plus a respite from the sun, space for movement and gathering, and opportunities to explore educational exhibits.
• At the base, where the museum meets the lake, public pedestrian walkways winding through the wetlands and Eco Islands become outdoor learning environments with signage guiding children and adults to explore water purification, storm water management, and sustainable living.
• The museum’s three-dimensional metal mesh skin that transitions from opaque to transparent will control daylight and solar gain to protect sensitive exhibits. The skin also allows interior light to filter through the façade at night, creating a soft shimmering glow that dynamically changes as visitors circulate around the building.
• Civic plazas are designed with permeable paving systems, and bioswales allow rain water to percolate directly into the ground or be directed toward the planted vegetation to be filtered naturally. Green roofs mitigate heat island effect and capture storm water to create habitats rich with flora and fauna.
• Water restoration strategies – construction of wetlands, the design of a small archipelago of water filtering gardens – will improve the water quality of Shishan Lake, making it a healthy habitat for wildlife as well as a safe place for visitors.

The Suzhou Museum aims to draw visitors from all over China and beyond, celebrating history and inspiring scientific learning and exploration for a new generation. In an unending loop – from the promenade embracing the park, the park embracing the mountain, and the mountain embracing the new building – the Science & Technology Museum will create an experience of infinite harmony between nature, technology, and urban life to shape, influence, and enrich people’s lives.

Perkins&Will was also deemed No. 2 of the most admired firms, up one spot from 2017 and two spots from 2016. In addition, the firm held its top position in the Healthcare sector for the fourth straight year.

Some of Perkins&Will’s most recent projects include The Economist’s new London office, SAGE for the North Kansas City School District, Hotel Grinnell, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth.

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

As one of the first peer-reviewed research journals coming from the architecture and design industry, the publication has made a significant impact on our profession over the last decade. It has established a mechanism for documenting and sharing high-quality, peer-reviewed research associated with the built environment, and it has initiated a culture of research transparency within the design profession.

Through this journal, we have established a method for collecting, reviewing, and reporting results of rigorous research studies, aiming to find solutions to challenges that are impacting the entire design profession. By publicly sharing the results, we have opened up a new era for practice-based design research and initiated a culture of innovation in our profession—one where transparency is key.

Over the last decade, we have published 95 articles, written by 136 authors, and peer reviewed by 180 research experts from academic institutions, research organizations, public agencies, and private entities.

This issue of Perkins&Will Research Journal includes five articles that focus on different research topics, such as the occupant well-being within work environments, a literature review focusing on shadow box design and ventilating strategies, defining future mobility principles that support livable city goals, ongoing academic and professional collaboration focusing on performance-based design, and a parametric analysis framework aimed at making multidisciplinary design explorations more methodical.

Building an industry-wide culture of innovation piece by piece, and fully infusing innovation into the design profession can help us address any challenges that the future might bring. With this journal, we have shared results of numerous research studies during the last decade, and will continue to help build an industry-wide culture of research and innovation in the future.

Download the Research Journal Vol. 10.02.

“Decisions made today by city planners, policy makers, designers, and builders will play a vital role in creating successful cities of tomorrow,” says Jeff Doble, global director of transportation design based in Perkins&Will’s Vancouver studio, which issued the report. “While mobility disruptors may have benefits, including creating more open space, reducing transportation costs, improving service, and providing a safer and cleaner environment, these same technologies—if we’re not careful—also have the potential to create problems, including increased traffic, urban sprawl, limited mobility, and environmental damage.”

To ensure the best future outcomes for cities, Perkins&Will’s report offers recommendations that can help guide decision-making, urban design, and policy. These recommendations include the following:

• Make transportation shared—Favour shared modes of transportation over private ownership as a way to reduce the total number of vehicles in cities;
• Prioritize multi-occupancy—Incentivize high occupancy vehicles such as buses and trains to free up roadway capacity and reduce congestion;
• Put active transportation first—Prioritize pedestrians and bicyclists over motorized vehicles to encourage choice and support public health and well-being; and
• Incentivize low carbon—Improve the infrastructure for low carbon forms of mobility to make the most sustainable forms of transport also the most convenient and affordable choice.

The report then explores how these recommendations can be put into practice across common urban typologies, such as parking and roadways, proposing design strategies that can be implemented in existing urban areas and new developments. One example is the proposed redesign of Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, a collaboration between Perkins&Will, NelsonNygaard, and Lyft, which almost triples the roadway capacity of an existing street by prioritizing moving people over moving vehicles. The report also reimagines transportation in the City of Vancouver, illustrating the potential benefits of applying these recommended principles citywide.

“The disruptions we are seeing in mobility today are a call to action for those of us who care about the future of cities,” says Aaron Knorr, author of the report and senior architect at Perkins&Will. “It is important to remember that the future is in no way predetermined—rather, we have an opportunity to leverage
these technologies to create more livable cities.”

The report was funded by Perkins&Will’s Researcher-in-Residence program unique to the Vancouver office. This program offers an opportunity for staff to advance the local practice, directly benefiting clients and projects. Topics of focus include urban issues and the future of cities, design innovation, fabrication, material innovation, sustainability, and occupancy-engagement-performance.

“Our in-house program here in Vancouver builds upon our firm’s legacy of research and innovation,” says Kathy Wardle, director of research at Perkins&Will’s Vancouver office. “The program further strengthens our culture of design excellence and thought leadership—advancing our design work and contributing to the knowledge base of our industry.”

The report is publically available and can be downloaded here.

About Perkins&Will
Perkins&Will is an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm with over 30 years of experience in Canada and with 2,200 staff working out of over 20 offices globally. Founded on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance communities, we collaborate with clients all over the world to create healthy, sustainable places in which to live, learn, work, play, heal, move, and explore. The Vancouver Researcher-in-Residence program joins a number of vehicles that strengthen the firm’s intelligence including Perkins&Will’s firm-wide Innovation Incubator grant program, 9 Research Labs that catalyze innovative design technologies and solutions, and a biannual peer-reviewed Research Journal that documents and presents practice-related research associated with buildings and their environments. In 2018, Fast Company recognized the firm as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies.

For more information, contact tara.harrison@perkinswill.com

Metrics for the 2018 list included 2017 net revenue, profitability, business practices, green building certifications, pro bono work, female and minority designers, employee benefits, and rate of employee turnover, among several others.

Out of 160 firms that qualified, Perkins&Will earned the No. 15 overall ranking. The firm has consistently earned a high overall score on the Architect 50 list since its debut in 2009. Read more and see the complete list here.

“It’s exciting to be returning to my roots in London, where I can apply my experience in Dubai’s rapidly changing and dynamic market to help grow our practice here locally,” says Charlton, who helped grow sales in Dubai by nearly 60 percent year over year since 2011, and under whose leadership the practice expanded from a staff of two to more than 100 professionals. “I look forward to further cementing Perkins&Will’s position as a leader in the U.K., and to delivering the highest quality of service to our clients.”

The London studio of Perkins&Will has long been known for its award-winning corporate interior designs, but in recent years, it has also earned a reputation for excellence across multiple disciplines and practice areas, including master planning and urban design, architecture, science and technology, hospitality, and healthcare. Recent and ongoing projects include The Stage, a mixed-use residential project in Shoreditch that preserves one of Shakespeare’s oldest playhouses; 150 Holborn, a 180,000-square-foot new build HQ corporate office building in the borough of Camden; the award-winning Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth, and the new The Economist headquarters in London. Under Charlton’s leadership, the office anticipates continued growth in these and other sectors.

“Steven brings a fresh, dynamic energy to the practice, complemented by strong business savvy, a clear understanding of the London and U.K. market, and a client-first focus,” says Jack Pringle, PPRIBA, Hon. AIA, who served as the Managing Director of Perkins&Will’s London office for the last five years. “It’s a natural fit for him, our London practice, and the entire firm.” Pringle is now focused on strategic growth and the development of new regional client relationships as Perkins&Will’s Regional Director for the EMEA.

Meanwhile, in Dubai, Roger Wilson, RIBA, succeeds Charlton as Managing Director. Wilson has extensive experience working on large-scale retail, aviation, and mixed-use commercial projects across the Middle East.

Pringle says the leadership transitions in London and Dubai will result in stronger architecture and urban design practices in both locations, while ensuring high quality, personalised service to clients locally, regionally, and internationally.

“The greatest thing I’ve learned about Perkins&Will is that, not only are we a large, extremely capable firm full of world-class expertise, but also, we deliver a personal service with a thorough understanding of each office’s local market. While our reach is great and our numbers vast, we are nimble, adaptable, and absolutely committed to serving the local communities in which we work,” Pringle says. “With the fresh, dynamic energy that Steven and Roger bring to their respective offices, there’s a lot for us to look forward to.”

“It’s an exciting time to plant my roots in New York City, where I’ve already been working with developers and other clients for more than a year thanks to the burgeoning life sciences and high-tech economy,” says Harris. “As our clients increasingly rely on design to support innovation and to attract and retain talent, we find that the best solutions integrate research facility and laboratory design with workplace, healthcare, and higher education—and those areas happen to be the strongest practices in our New York studio. The market here is brimming with opportunities for interdisciplinary design convergence, and I’m thrilled to lead the charge.”

Harris will relocate to New York; however, he will maintain close contact with his Boston-based clients, spending time in Boston as needed.

Known for his adaptable, future-focused designs that integrate workplace, art, culture, science, and technology, Harris’s portfolio includes projects in everything from academia, banking, and commerce to business, hospitality, and healthcare. He excels particularly at bridging the gap between the needs of research communities and the buildings and science center clusters that developers create for them. Examples include 1812 Ashland at The Science and Technology Park at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland; the recent expansion of United Technologies Research Center in East Hartford, Connecticut; and the interior design of the new R&D Headquarters for Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Harris succeeds Paul Eagle, who has served as managing director of the New York office for the last 13 years. Eagle will remain a key leader and active practitioner in the studio, focusing on strategic design and planning for corporate and commercial clients in the Northeast region.

“I’m delighted not only to be moving back into a role I know and love—as planner and strategist—but also to be passing the torch to one of most capable and talented professionals in the design industry,” says Eagle. “Bill’s positive energy and enthusiasm, which he brings to his work, his colleagues, and his clients, are surpassed only by his design rigor and commitment to design excellence. We’re so glad he’s part of our New York team.”

Harris’s projects have earned awards from the Boston Society of Architects, CoreNet New England, the International Facilities Management Association, and the Association of General Contractors. He is a widely published author and sought-after speaker. He holds a Master of Architecture from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania.

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

“Becoming the managing director of our Atlanta office is an exciting opportunity to take all that I’ve learned building an international practice from the ground up and apply it to help lead and grow a multi-disciplinary office,” Dymecki says. “The possibilities for new markets and new projects are endless, and I’m thrilled to start this new chapter surrounded by such a diversity of talent.”

An award-winning architect with notable expertise in the planning, programming, and design of sports and recreational facilities, Dymecki is also a leader in performance health, an emerging hybrid typology that blends sports and fitness with healthcare and science. Examples of performance health projects include the Sports Therapy and Research Center in Frisco, Texas—a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the Dallas Cowboys and Baylor Scott & White Health System, currently under construction; the LA Lakers Headquarters and Training Center in El Segundo, California, on which Perkins&Will is collaborating with Rossetti; and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

“All across Perkins&Will, our projects are pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo by incorporating knowledge and best practices from various design disciplines and practice areas,” Dymecki says. “Synergy and convergence are key. And our Atlanta office is perfectly positioned to deliver this kind of innovation to clients.”

Dymecki’s projects span the globe, but some of the work in his portfolio will likely be quite familiar to Atlantans. This includes the University of Georgia’s Vince Dooley Athletic Complex Master Plan and South Milledge Athletic Master Plan in Athens, Georgia; Mississippi State University’s Athletic Master Plan in Starksville, Mississippi; and the University of South Alabama Recreation Center in Mobile, Alabama. Incidentally, his first project out of architecture school was with architect Michael Graves: the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University in Decatur, Georgia. He holds a Master of Architecture from Princeton University and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Washington University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.

Dymecki succeeds Willard Lariscy, who served as managing director of the Atlanta office for the past 11 years. Consistently ranked as the leading design firm in the Southeast during his tenure, Lariscy transformed the multi-disciplinary practice, adding landscape architecture, urban design, and branded environments to complement its core strengths of architecture and interior design. He also expanded its global reach, delivering award-winning projects throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. As a managing principal, Lariscy will now focus on growing the firm’s global healthcare practice and leading strategic client relationships.

“David is a genuine people-person and the right person to pass the torch to,” Lariscy says. “I know that under his leadership, the Atlanta office will continue to deliver design excellence in service to our clients.”

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

The firm also earned two Honorable Mentions for design excellence in the Spaces, Places, and Cities and Workplace categories. Those honorably mentioned projects are the Albion District Library in Toronto and the design renewal of the Bank of Canada Head Office in Ottawa.

The Innovation by Design competition, now in its seventh year, is one of the most sought-after design awards in the industry. Fast Company editors and writers spend a year researching and reviewing applicants for the awards.

Winners can be found in the October 2018 issue of Fast Company, or online.

In line with the neighborhood’s emphasis on walkability and low-rise architecture, the Baptist Health outpatient facility encourages health and well-being by connecting everyday urban amenities—like retail, food, and beverage—with active public spaces, walking paths, roof gardens, and state-of-the-art wellness care for the mind and body.

“Our aligned mission with Baptist Health was to create and sustain an effective hospital-community partnership in Miami Beach,” said Pat Bosch, Design Director of the Miami studio of Perkins&Will. “Improving patient experience and encouraging social engagement through strategic design was paramount.”

The design of the building thoughtfully employs evidence-based techniques, such as indoor-outdoor spaces and an abundance of natural light, to meet the unique healing needs of all patients. While traditional medical office buildings internalize circulation, Perkins&Will designed an interior public promenade along Alton Road, effectively extending the sidewalk activity through the glass storefront and inviting the community inside. In terms of functional design, primary care and urgent care services are located on the same level as physician’s offices and community resource rooms to streamline patient visits.

All parking and services for the building are located on the upper interior floors to maximize access to and from the active building components, street and sidewalk. The top floor of the building is transparent with circulation and activity focused along the commercial corridor. Careful consideration informed the roof terrace which will be used for physical therapy and exercise classes.

The modern facility marks the Miami studio’s second project on the Alton Road corridor with Crescent Heights, the other being the mixed-use 1212 Lincoln Road, and their fifth completed on Miami Beach. The project adds to the firm’s impressive roster of global medical facilities, including the Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge and the Advanced Pediatric Care Pavilion at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

709 Alton Road houses primary care, urgent care, diagnostic imaging, endoscopy and other services. Imaging components includes X-ray, ultrasound, mammography, bone densitometry, CT and MRI. The facility is now open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

Jonathan joins from a global construction management and general contracting services company, where he led the London office’s business development and marketing team for over six years. He has over 13 years’ experience working in the London commercial office market, as well as international experience across Hong Kong, New York and Dublin, working both design and contractor side.

The appointment follows a period of significant activity for Perkins&Will’s London studio, with an increasing number of projects currently underway. These include, The Stage, a mixed-use residential project in Shoreditch that preserves one of Shakespeare’s oldest playhouses; 150 Holborn, a 185,000 sq. ft. new build HQ in Camden, and two new build commercial office buildings for developer Brookgate in the rapidly emerging CB1 and CB4 districts in Cambridge.

Jonathan said, “Perkins&Will is well established in the market. With its in-depth knowledge, expertise, design-led approach and diverse team, it’s a growing practice and an exciting place to be.

“My role will be to work with the team to help Perkins&Will reach its ambition to grow its presence in corporate interiors and architecture, but also expand into new services, providing an interdisciplinary client offering. It’s a great time to join the practice.”

Steven Charlton, Managing Director, of Perkins&Will’s London studio, said, “Jonathan is a sales and marketing professional with a vast amount of experience in the commercial office market. He’ll focus on driving growth through his strong relationships with key clients and consultants within the industry, working closely with the wider team. He will be a great asset and we welcome him to the team.”

Improved User-Friendliness
The enhanced Precautionary List—a compilation of the most ubiquitous and problematic substances that people encounter every day in the built environment—now functions more like a user-friendly digital database than a static list. It allows design professionals to search for key substances and chemicals of concern using filters like project type, product type, and health and environmental impacts. It is hosted on a retooled Transparency website (transparency.perkinswill.com), where the user experience is more refined and the site navigation is more intuitive and mobile-friendly.

More Robust Information
The information contained in the site is also more comprehensive. For each substance featured on the Precautionary List, Perkins&Will provides a repository of new data, including descriptions and overviews, health and environmental hazards, ways in which people can be exposed (“pathways of exposure”), relevant government regulations and industry rating systems, and associated building products.

Perkins&Will has also added a “Watch List” and a “Sunset List.” The Watch List includes substances suspected of being harmful, but where scientific data about their health impacts has only begun to accumulate. (Manufacturers looking to innovate their product formulations are urged to pay special attention to the Watch List.) The Sunset List includes substances previously on the Precautionary List, but now seldom or no longer in use by the industry—for example, the ozone-depleting refrigerants known as chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs. Asthmagens and flame retardants, which formerly appeared on the site in separate lists, are now incorporated into the Precautionary List.

Learning Resources
Additionally, the site offers several new educational components, including a section to understand why material health matters, a section that gives users direct access to the Precautionary List, a section that offers a library of white papers, case studies, and other recommended reading, and a section for FAQs.

“Our goal is to spur further industry transformation so that, one day, we can have peace of mind that all materials used to build and furnish our homes, workplaces, schools, hospitals, and other places are healthy and safe,” says Mary Dickinson, senior associate at Perkins&Will and one of three co-chairs of the firm’s Material Performance Research Lab. “With our updated Precautionary List and Transparency website, we’re helping fellow designers take note of new, emerging, and known health hazards so that they can make more informed product decisions.”

Industry Interconnectedness
The Precautionary List will be incorporated into Portico, the web-based healthy products identification and project management tool currently under development by the Healthy Building Network (HBN), Google, Perkins&Will, Harvard University, Georgia Tech University, the Durst Organization, and Home Free. Perkins&Will announced its role as a partner on Portico last year. In addition, anyone can search for products whose ingredients have been disclosed by using industry tools like the Mindful Materials database and the HPD Repository, and then using the Precautionary List to further screen those products for chemicals of concern.

“This cross-pollination of industry tools marks the beginning of what we hope becomes widespread consensus about which materials are healthy and which are harmful,” says Suzanne Drake, senior associate at Perkins&Will and the second of three co-chairs of the firm’s Material Performance Research Lab. “And consensus is essential if we, as a global community of designers, are to make a meaningful, positive, and lasting impact on human health and well-being.”

While not an exhaustive compendium, the Precautionary List highlights harmful and potentially harmful substances in many of the products available to designers today. As more product reformulations and transformations occur, the Precautionary List will evolve accordingly.

Connection to Greenbuild 2017
The launch of Perkins&Will’s revamped Precautionary List and Transparency website coincides with the 2017 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Boston, which runs today through Nov. 10. Conference attendees can learn more about the science behind the material health movement in two relevant educational sessions:
• GO7 – Antimicrobials in Building Materials and Furnishings at 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 10.
• H07 – Transforming Markets: Healthier Building Materials at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 10.

Attendees can also meet and speak directly to Dickinson and Drake at the Healthy Product Declaration Collaborative booth, number 2042, located in the Health & Wellness section of the expo hall, today from noon to 1 p.m. and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.

Visit the Transparency site.

Perkins&Will has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers and one of British Columbia’s Top Employers by Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2017 competition. This is the ninth consecutive year that the firm has earned the first distinction, and the fifth consecutive year that it has earned the second distinction. Perkins&Will is committed to promoting both social well-being and environmental sustainability in its workplace culture.

“Engagement, wellbeing, and opportunities to learn and grow are qualities that are top of mind in today’s workforce,” says Susan Gushe, Managing Director at Perkins&Will’s Vancouver office. “These values are integral to our workplace culture and we strive to offer our employees an exceptional place to work.”

Perkins&Will offers many initiatives that aim to foster growth and cultivate leadership. Research opportunities, such as the Researcher-in-Residence and Innovation Incubator programs, and opportunities for professional development, such as the Leadership Institute and Mentorship program, offer fertile ground to support employees in their career path. The office also offers paid courses and in-house training, including hosting an annual Passive House certification course that has resulted in the addition of 16 Certified Passive House Designers on staff.

Fueled by the passions and talents of its employees, the firm promotes a collaborative and engaged culture. Design workshops and reviews open to all employees provide an opportunity for awareness, dialogue, and critical thinking needed for design excellence. End of the week seminars provide a platform for learning and social connection extended by organized events throughout the year.

The office encourages health and wellness and hosts a rooftop vegetable garden, cycling facilities, fitness benefits, and yoga classes. Demonstrating its commitment, the office has achieved LEED® Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance Platinum Certification, and the firm pledges to certify all its North American offices to the Fitwel standard.

Perkins&Will also offers programs that support the broader community and diversity in the workplace, and every year, employees have the opportunity to contribute to volunteer initiatives. The office embraces a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive environment celebrated through the employee-run Diversity Working Group.

Among the reasons for the firm’s selection as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers and one of British Columbia’s Top Employers are its deep commitment to sustainable design, composting program, transit subsidies, referral bonus, year-end profit-sharing for all employees, and matching RSP contributions. For more information, visit www.canadastop100.com/environmental and www.canadastop100.com/bc.

Watch: related news release

The E. Todd Wheeler Fellowship honors the design luminary of the same name, who transformed healthcare architecture—and healthcare delivery—in the mid-twentieth century.

“E. Todd Wheeler’s dedication to innovation defined a whole generation of healthcare design, and continues to influence the profession today,” says Phil Harrison, CEO of Perkins&Will. “His work, which included more than 70 completed hospitals and nine schools of medicine, boldly charted new territory and set a precedent for progressive, outside-the-box thinking. Our fellowship aims to continue his legacy through the work of a new generation of innovative healthcare designers.”

The Fellowship: Continuing Wheeler’s Legacy

E. Todd Wheeler was a principal at Perkins&Will from 1936 to 1944 and again from 1957 to 1972. Although he passed away in 1987, his contributions continue to shape the way healing environments are designed and used by patients and caregivers.

As part of a yearlong curriculum at Perkins&Will, recipients of the fellowship that bear Wheeler’s name will explore some of the same questions that he sought to answer over the course of his career:

• Is the effect of the physical environment on human beings adverse or favorable? Can it be measured?
• Can a hospital building possess the quality of living things, such as flexibility, adaptability, mobility, resilience, the ability to grow, to regenerate itself?
• What does the future hold?

How the Fellowship Works

Up to six graduate interns per calendar year will be awarded the E. Todd Wheeler fellowship. They will work out of one or more Perkins&Will studios globally under the direction of a healthcare design leader. Fellows will also have the opportunity to meet and network with each other.

Perkins&Will is committed to advancing diversity and inclusion in the design industry, and every effort will be made to ensure the group of fellows is as diverse as possible.

“The E. Todd Wheeler Healthcare Fellowship offers graduates of architecture and interior design programs an exceptional opportunity: The chance to continue their research while also gaining professional design experience alongside some of the field’s most accomplished healthcare professionals,” says Robin Guenther, principal.

Application Information

The inaugural E. Todd Wheeler Healthcare Fellowship will begin in June 2019. The application period runs through January 31, 2019.

For more information, or to apply, visit perkinswill.com/healthcarefellowship.

The unique design of the Allen Institute embodies the Institute’s research philosophy founded on team science, big science and open science. To support this philosophy, the design broke down the typical barriers in research environments to create a facility that fosters a culture of team science to facilitate rapid advancements in brain research. The innovative design is organized as “petals” of functional spaces arrayed around a central atrium that visually and spatially connects the various activities and maximizes daylight and views. This organization naturally bring groups together and promotes a sense of community and exposes research activities with transparent labs that can be viewed from the interior and exterior.

The project’s success is in the balance of function and form, as best described by Rick Horwitz, Executive Director, Allen Institute for Cell Science: “Many will tell you about the beauty of the new building, its warm wood-finished interior, abundant light, open spaces, interdigitating lab and work spaces, aesthetically and scientifically terrific location, etc. However, I am most impressed how wonderfully the building lives, facilitating our work, supporting our daily work, promoting interactions, supporting the spectrum of scientific activities from experiment to theory and modeling. Simply put, I have never seen or been in a building that matches its functionality (or aesthetics). One sees conversations throughout the building, all the time, we meet colleagues in the central stairwell and make connections that we had not anticipated, and the spaces work to support personal work and interaction in indescribable ways.”

In addition to receiving the High Honors award on April 25, 2017, the Allen Institute received Engineering News Record’s Best of the Best Award in Higher Education/Research on April 14, 2017.

For a closer look at the Allen Instute: https://perkinswill.com/news/video-allen-institute

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

The awards, which celebrate “cutting-edge designs that help solve aesthetic, civic, urban, and social problems while also being functional and sustainable,” recognize Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford in Palo Alto, California and Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth in Middletown, New Jersey.

A total of seven projects received an award; Perkins&Will is the only firm to have designed two of those projects.

“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by the AIA with these prestigious healthcare design awards, but the truth is that we never could have designed such progressive, standard-raising hospitals without the enthusiastic support of our clients,” says Robin Guenther, principal at Perkins&Will and lead architect on both projects. “When our clients are as committed to health and well-being as are Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and Memorial Sloan Kettering, anything is possible.”

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford is an environmentally responsive, technologically innovative, and family-focused children’s healthcare center. Designed by Perkins&Will in close collaboration with patients, families, doctors, and staff, and in conjunction with executive architects HGA and engineers Mazzetti, the facility is the second children’s hospital—and the fifth new-build hospital—in the world to earn LEED Platinum certification for sustainability excellence. The hospital is also a paragon of patient-centered design—something the AIA/AAH jurors noted specifically:

“This children’s hospital focuses on the user’s experience, with a comforting organic richness of spaces, a deep integration with nature with biophilic forms, and clear environmental partnership,” reads the jury statement.

“Our approach was to begin with the design of the patient experience rather than the building itself,” says Rob Goodwin, principal at Perkins&Will and lead designer of the hospital. “We focused on making a child’s understanding of nature an integral part of the healing environment.”

Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth
Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth is a dramatic transformation of a vacant 1980s suburban office building into a world-class cancer treatment center. The project blends evidence-based design principles, such as views to nature and abundant natural light, with the state-of-the-art cancer care that patients have come to expect from MSK. It is a radical makeover from a dark and outdated corporate setting to a warm, soothing, and even uplifting experience for patients—a memorable design that recalls “a walk through the woods.”

The AIA/AAH jurors were particularly impressed by the research-informed planning of the facility, which ensured that even the center’s 18 infusion therapy rooms received plentiful natural light and faced a window to the outdoors:

“Department areas are planned to create exceptional patient experience as well as effective staff environment—infusion lounge (patient oriented to light, with soft screened glass/staff visualization),” reads the jury statement.

“Both MSK and Perkins&Will wished to create a ‘next generation’ facility that combined signature elements of the MSK brand with enhanced warmth, experiential qualities, and inspiration from the natural, wooded surroundings of the project’s location,” says Carolyn BaRoss, principal at Perkins&Will and lead interior designer of the project.

Recognizing Healthcare Design Leadership
AIA/AAH bestows the Healthcare Design awards annually to recognize the best healthcare building design and healthcare design-oriented research. Jurors sought “projects with a point of view” that “presented their point of view well,” and selected recipients in four categories:
A. Built, less than $25 million in construction cost;
B. Built, more than $25 million in construction cost;
C. Renovations/Remodeled: primarily built within existing hospital or clinical space, or adaptive reuse of an existing building to a healthcare use; and
D. Unbuilt, commissioned for compensation by a client with the authority and intention to build.

Both Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth earned the award in the “Category B – Built” group.

First, the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) named the project a winner of the 2017 Healthcare Interior Design Competition in the Ambulatory Cancer Center category. The award recognizes MSK Monmouth’s “outstanding originality and excellence” in interior design.

“This year’s [IIDA Healthcare Interior Design Competition] winners exemplify exceptional healthcare design that puts patients and their caregivers at ease while creating positive, healing environments,” said IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO Cheryl S. Durst in an announcement about the awards.

Second, the magazine Healthcare Design named the project a winner of its 2017 Remodel/Renovation Competition in the Cancer Care category. The award recognizes the best renovations of cancer care centers and public healthcare spaces.

“We are honored and humbled by these recognitions,” says Carolyn BaRoss, global healthcare interior design director at Perkins&Will. “But more important, we are grateful to have been able to make a positive difference in the lives of MSK’s courageous patients by creating a more comfortable and manageable cancer care experience.”

MSK Monmouth, which opened in December 2016, represents a dramatic repositioning of a vacant 1980s suburban office building into a world-class cancer care center. What started as a 400,000-square-foot rectilinear office building with little to no natural light at its core and obstructed shared views to the outdoors is now a light-filled, welcoming space with curved interior walkways and views to nature around almost every turn.

Using evidence-based design principles, Perkins&Will created for MSK patients, their families, and staff an inviting, soothing, and uplifting environment that addresses their unique needs and sensitivities at every phase of treatment. To accomplish this, the interiors draw on elements of hospitality, with parlors, dens, and libraries stocked with bookshelves replacing traditional waiting rooms. The team also reimagined the physical areas where cancer patients feel most vulnerable, including infusion therapy suites and changing, exam, and consultation rooms, paying special attention to find ways to preserve patient control and dignity. Additionally, each of the 18 infusion bays faces a window to the outdoors and provides a direct view to wooded nature—a rare bonus for patients who typically undergo hours of chemotherapy in dreary, artificially lit, interior spaces. Wi-fi connectivity and adjustable lighting and temperature controls in each of the infusion rooms give patients a bit of added comfort.

In addition to MSK Monmouth, the Bone & Joint Institute at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, whose exterior architecture was designed by Perkins&Will and whose interior lobby was designed by Perkins&Will in collaboration with HDR, won the 2017 IIDA Healthcare Interior Design Competition in the Academic/Teaching Hospitals category.

“CDOT is excited to share the design for the new station with the near West Side community,” said CDOT Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld. “This new state-of-the art, multi-modal transit station puts the ease of the passenger experience at the core of its design. It will allow users to seamlessly connect with buses, or to use bikes or walk to nearby destinations. It will support local neighborhood growth as well as have the capacity to serve large crowds attending events at the United Center.”

“We are excited to be a partner with the City of Chicago to bring our global design experience to deliver the greatest value for community investment in public transportation,” said Douglas Smith, Managing Principal of Perkins&Will. “The Green Line station will draw on the lessons we have learned in designing transit projects from Vancouver, British Columbia to Chongqing City, China, but will reflect the specific needs of CTA passengers in Chicago and West Side community.”

The Green Line station will draw on Perkins&Will’s history of design excellence in public transportation, focusing on the passenger and community user experience. The concepts of transparency and open plan will result in a station that is safe, where patrons have clear site lines within the station and to and from the street, supporting its use at all hours of the day and night. The station materials and design elements were chosen and arranged to enhance and simplify the user experience of the facility. Design of the circulation spaces – public spaces, entrances, stairs, escalators, elevators – will be laid out to encourage intuitive wayfinding for users and to provide easy access to local community amenities, pedestrian and bike paths and other modes of transit.

The grand stair and escalator will guide arriving passengers up to the platform level, where the glass bridge will facilitate connections between train platforms. The green trusses along the bridge reflect the name of the CTA line and are a dynamic reference to the famous steel bridges throughout the city and a memorable icon for the station.

“Residential, industrial, sporting, educational…when you think about all that that’s in this space, I cannot think of a better company than Perkins&Will that are doing stations around the world, founded here in in Chicago, located here in Chicago, to do a world-class new station,” said Mayor Emanuel at the unveiling.

The Damen Green Line station is the latest in Perkins&Will’s award-winning portfolio of planning and design for over 120 stations on 12 lines globally. The scope of Perkins&Will activities includes architecture, urban design, interiors, industrial design, landscape, branded environments, wayfinding and signage on high speed rail, metro, light rail, bus rapid transit (BRT), bus and airport terminals.

Projects recently completed or in design include: prototype stations for one of the world’s largest systems currently under construction, the Riyadh Metro and BRT; built stations for both Vancouver Metro’s Autonomous SkyTrain System and Sound Transit’s Eastlink and Sounder Commuter Rail lines; design for the new Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) in Montreal, where Perkins&Will is partnering with local firms Lemay and Bisson Fortin to deliver 26 stations on the 40-mile line; and growing North American high speed rail expertise for both California HSR in Sacramento and Bakersfield and for Texas Central Partners’ new system connecting Dallas and Houston.

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

“The Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital places a high value on its environmental stewardship and commitment to family-friendly, child-centric healing,” says Robin Guenther, FAIA, principal at Perkins&Will and project director for the hospital expansion. “As architects, it’s an honor to know that our building design is supporting the holistic healing of our population’s youngest patients.”

GENESIS OF DESIGN
The new 521,000-square-foot hospital building creates an architectural dialogue between the operational efficiency of a rectangular grid, where all clinical services stack logically so doctors and staff can deliver effective healthcare, and the more playful, organic, often whimsical shapes and forms that exist in nature—and in a child’s imagination. This juxtaposition of rectilinear and organic form, reason and emotion, grown-up and child-like, was the genesis of the building design, Guenther says.

“It represents the blending of an adult world of rational efficiency—where parents want the highest quality medical care in a building that is easy to navigate—with the innocence and wanderlust of kids, who want to amble about, explore, and discover.”

“Our approach was to begin with the design of the patient experience rather than the building itself,” says Rob Goodwin, FAIA, principal at Perkins&Will and lead designer of the hospital. “We focused on making a child’s understanding of nature an integral part of the healing environment.”

THE PATIENT JOURNEY
Getting Inside
The patient’s journey begins upon entering the building’s main lobby, where a 20-foot-high glass wall overlooking the campus’s “Emerald Garden” floods the space with natural light, and where a sculptural white ceiling of undulating, LED-backlit, terrace-like layers recalls the swirling sands of a California shore. Life-sized metal sculptures of California least terns—birds that are indigenous to the bays of the Pacific Ocean—are suspended high overhead, “soaring” in flocks to lead visitors to clinical destinations and contributing to a sense of calmness and serenity.

Past the grand staircase, in the center of the lobby, is the main elevator tower. Its oval exterior, clad in reclaimed redwood with a vertical groove reminiscent of the bark of an actual redwood tree, stands tall and wide. Sculptures of beloved animals native to California make their homes in carefully placed “tree holes,” welcoming visitors upon their arrival to each of the hospital’s six floors.

Navigating Up and Down
Every level is color-coded and organized by California’s six eco-regions—a child-friendly wayfinding strategy informed by the expertise of ecologists at the university to ensure geographic and scientific accuracy. The higher the level in the hospital, the higher the elevation of the corresponding eco-region. For example, California’s Rocky Shore is ground floor, the Redwood Forest is the first floor, the Valley is the second floor, the Desert is the third floor, the Foothills are the fourth floor, and the Mountains are the fifth floor.

“Families wanted this hospital to express authenticity in its design so that their children would feel comforted by its familiarity and inspired by its opportunities for discovery,” says Annelise Chikhale, senior medical planner at Perkins&Will. “They wanted it to be special.”

And special it is. The moment a child exits the elevator at any floor of Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, he or she is transported into a place of wonderment with eye-catching murals, art, and animal sculptures at every turn. Museum-quality wall graphics not only orient patients and their families, but also provide interactive educational moments, sharing fun animal facts, figures, and photographs.

Navigating To and Fro
Each care unit on the patient floors borrows its name and visual identity from an animal indigenous to the particular California eco-region. Examples include the Cottontail Rabbit unit on the Foothills floor and the Valley Quail unit on the Central Valley floor. Ceiling-to-floor murals that tell the story of the lives and habitats of these animals highlight the corresponding entrance to each unit, simplifying navigation for patients, families, and staff alike.

Care-team work stations within each unit are also designed with children in mind. Clear portholes built into the stations’ desks—positioned at the height of a child’s eyes—reveal life-size images of animals and plants. The desks’ bright colors, textures, patterns, and irregular shapes allow for sensory stimulation. The corridors around the perimeter of the nursing stations are colorful, bright, and well-lit, too.

Throughout the design process, the Perkins&Will team never took their eyes off the end-goal: to design a healing experience so special, uplifting, and distinctly positive, that it would captivate the senses and appeal to sensibilities of children.

“We constantly asked ourselves, ‘What would a child who is 5 years old experience while walking through this building? What is at that child’s level?’” says Guenther.

Letting Kids Be Kids
On the hospital’s ground level, The Story Corner features a large interactive video wall. Here, patients are entertained by an array of LED lights, bright, bold colors, and a hip, high-tech vibe. A multifunction play space features bookshelves and comfortable child-size seating to allow children to immerse themselves in literature. Adjacent to the Story Corer is a broadcast studio equipped to cast live performances and other activities directly to patient’s rooms if the patients are unable to leave their care unit.

Not far from the Broadcast Studio and Story Corner, just one floor up, is the Dunlevie Garden, a sun-filled outdoor healing garden offering nature paths and climbable, interactive animal sculptures. An assortment of patio tables, benches, and lounge chairs offers families space. A reclaimed redwood canopy provides shade to an outdoor terrace, and easy access from the terrace to the hospital’s cafeteria gives patients and their families the option to dine al fresco.

SUSTAINABILITY INNOVATION
Energy Use Reduction
In the world of sustainable hospitals, Packard Children’s Hospital stands out for its innovative systems. Compared to current building code, the new hospital is designed to reduce energy consumption by 38 percent and reduce energy costs by 45 percent. Compared to the average regional hospital, it reduces energy consumption by 60 percent. Compared to the average U.S. hospital, and when combined with an efficient central utility plant and the carbon-neutral electricity grid in Palo Alto, it minimizes carbon emissions by 90 percent. That’s the equivalent of eliminating the amount of carbon emitted from burning 16.1 million pounds of coal, or from driving 36.1 million miles in a gasoline-powered vehicle, each year

Horizontal louvers and vertical fins installed on the building’s façade at precisely measured angles corresponding with the orientation of the sun provide shade to the patient rooms, reducing the need for air conditioning and lowering energy use. Displacement ventilation, another strategy, ushers in cool air at the floor level rather than high from the ceiling, where energy-intensive fans would be needed to force the cool air down. Packard Children’s is the first hospital in the country to use displacement ventilation in all patient rooms. Additional energy reduction strategies include increased thermal insulation, enhanced daylighting, and a large green roof, along with LED lighting, an on-site wind turbine, and photovoltaic panels.

“Environmental responsibility has been intrinsic to both the mission of the hospital and the expression of its design since the start of the project more than a decade ago,” says Goodwin. “Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford is a benchmark for sustainability in healthcare. It is a prime example of a private institution taking a leadership role in the global effort to minimize the impacts of climate change.”

Locally Sourced Materials
Moreover, the hospital’s building materials contribute to energy and carbon reduction. More than 28 percent of them (calculated by cost)—from carpet and ceiling tile to structural steel and concrete—contain recycled content. And more than 26 percent of them were extracted or manufactured within 500 miles of Palo Alto, such as the ceramic tiles in the hospital’s cafeteria, which were produced in the Bay Area. The outdoor canopy in the Dunlevie Garden, the main public elevator tower, the paneling and trim in the cafeteria, and a series of corner “nooks” are made with reclaimed redwood—much of it salvaged from the massive, 200-foot-tall Moffett Hangar 1, an iconic 1930s naval hangar in nearby Mountain View that had long been a landmark in Silicon Valley before being deconstructed in 2012.

Water Use Reduction and Conservation
The hospital reduces water consumption by nearly 40 percent over building code. This is accomplished through ultra-low-flow fixtures and creative conservation strategies, including a 110,000-gallon underground cistern—the first hospital in California to employ this technology—that filters, stores, and reuses water collected from rainfall, mechanical equipment condensate, and even water used in hemodialysis.

The new building also increased landscaped and open space by 3.5 acres. This space, which includes a vegetated roof and multiple outdoor gardens, harvests rainwater, helps restore the natural environment, and increases biodiversity. Native or adapted plants require minimal irrigation, and when they do, only non-potable water from the cistern is used.

“The impressive water conservation measures that this project employ reflect the team’s integrated and systems-thinking design approach,” says Breeze Glazer, Perkins&Will’s sustainable healthcare leader and sustainability coordinator for the new hospital. “It demonstrates how design goals like avoiding potable water use for irrigation and creating more landscape in a water-challenged region don’t have to be mutually exclusive. By thinking differently about the availability of resources from both the environment and building, what seems impossible becomes achievable.”

Healthy Materials, Healthy Living
The design team took great care to adhere to the Green Guide for Health Care (which Guenther co-coordinated in 2002), and used Perkins&Will’s Precautionary List to screen out products and materials containing potentially toxic substances. For example, there are no PVC-containing building materials in the hospital, and the furniture is free of flame-retardants.

But healthy design isn’t just about preventing exposure to toxins. It’s also about increasing connection to nature and the outdoors—a strategy known as biophilic design. At almost every turn, patients, their families, and staff have ample opportunity to see and interact with nature and the outdoors. Beginning with each of the single-bed patient rooms, for example, window planters brimming with greenery add color and life to each child’s healing environment while framing vistas to the outdoors. And on every patient unit, two outdoor terrace overlooks—one dedicated for patients, the other for staff—allow for convenient outdoor access, fresh air, and a stunning view of the California foothills.

In addition, three major gardens—the Dunlevie Garden for patients and families on the first floor, the Ford Garden for staff, and the Emerald Garden adjacent to the lobby—provide immersive outdoor experiences.
“When we’re sick, or when we’re caring for others who are sick, we often feel vulnerable. So we quite naturally seek refuge,” Guenther says. “And as human beings, we tend to associate certain natural landscapes, like calming forests and colorful, tranquil gardens, with refuge.”

A non-denominational sanctuary on the first floor is another example of a space designed for refuge. It offers indoor peace and quiet, and opens to an outdoor healing garden rich with calming flowers and other greenery.
Finally, none of the hospital’s clinical areas are below the ground entry level; this design decision, while atypical of most hospitals, ensures that children and families no longer have the experience of going down in an elevator to “the basement” for care.

BESPOKE, EXPERIENTIAL DESIGN
One of the design requirements was that the new hospital building itself should be “un-self-conscious.” In other words, what people should remember is the experience of being there and receiving care; its building form and architecture should be designed to support and enhance that experience.

“We talked a lot about what that meant, and how—as architects who approach design as a form of art—we could deliver on that promise,” says Goodwin. “It was a formidable challenge, but what we ended up with is a subtly beautiful design that enables people to have deeply personal, memorable, and positive experiences both within and around the building.”

To create those experiences, the design team focused on children, families, and local context.

“The building is for everyone—not just children. It holds amazing feats of medicine and incredible acts of kindness with equal grace.”

Child-Friendly, Family-First Healing
One experience that the client and the design team felt was important to recreate was the comfort of “home.” That meant creating a variety of spaces that allow families to be together and interact with each other, and their environment, in different ways.

Single-patient bedrooms are spacious enough for built-in sofa beds that accommodate up to two family members. And within each of those rooms, the team designed a dedicated family closet, storage space, and a laptop charging station.

To allow families to tend to “household” activities together, like preparing meals, family kitchens and laundry facilities are located on every floor. The hospital’s Dunlevie Garden also acts as a “back yard” that keeps little ones entertained outdoors while also connected with nature.

A Hospital Unique to Northern California
Perkins&Will designers went to great lengths to create an experience that reflects and embraces the hospital’s surroundings. Silicon Valley is a wellspring of healthy, sustainable workplaces, so health, sustainability, and advanced technology had to permeate the design of every aspect of the hospital, Guenther says.

“When we looked at other children’s hospitals, particularly in clinical areas, it struck us that there was a prevalent look and feel—lots of primary colors and geometric shapes. We knew this hospital had to be uniquely Northern California. Together with the Packard Children’s community, we created a building that belongs here and nowhere else. That’s exactly how it feels.”

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

Pierce, along with colleagues Janice Barnes, Jon Penndorf, and Amy Thompson, played a lead role in creating Climate Ready DC. To create the plan, the District’s Department of Energy and Environment partnered with climate science and technical experts, including Perkins&Will, to assess the risks that climate change poses to infrastructure and public facilities and identify 77 actions the District can take to reduce these risks.

The C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards honor 10 sustainability projects selected from 174 entries from 92 cities around the globe. An expert jury panel comprising former mayors and climate experts selected the winning urban sustainability projects based on excellence in urban planning and dedication to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving resiliency.

Phil Harrison, Perkins&Will’s CEO, attributes the firm’s success to global diversification, research, leadership development, and technology integration. He specifically cites Perkins&Will’s recent merger with Denmark-based Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects; the firm’s focus on practical insights and intelligence via its in-house research labs; the firm’s highly popular annual Leadership Institute, an internal program that equips the firm’s next generation of leaders with skills for success; and Perkins&Will’s targeted investment in integrated technology.

“These success factors mutually reinforce each other, and together, they are defining Perkins&Will,” Harrison says. “The result is that the best clients in the world want to work with us.”

To see the full Top 300 list, click here.

Targeting a minimum certification of LEED Gold, the design explores the potential for net-zero energy and net-zero carbon. Strategies include a building envelope that meets Passive House standards, heat recovery ventilation, and integrated photovoltaics to generate electricity on site. With a goal of reducing embodied carbon and improving occupant health, York University and Perkins&Will will also explore the possibilities of mass timber as a key structural element of the new school.

The building structure twists as it rises, creating a landmark gesture at the Campus’s South East entrance. Its high performance, gently curving, prismatic façade features integrated photovoltaic panels. A generous landscaped plaza and passenger drop-off zone allow for public space and movement. The dramatic form is a calculated response to the campus public realm, patterns of student movement, and the optimization of solar orientation. The design balances the needs of the school itself, the larger campus, and the planet, setting a new standard for sustainability, design excellence, and student experience on Canadian campuses.

A primary objective for York University and the Perkins&Will team was the creation of a sense of home and belonging for the School of Continuing Studies. The design places a special emphasis on the creation of warm and inviting spaces that inspire student communities to form. Abundant daylight, transparency, and interconnected spaces between floors encourage students to interact and allow the building to function as a home for events and celebrations that support the School’s evolving culture and community.

“This new building will enable us to create even more lifelong learning opportunities, build connections with local and international communities, and help students of all ages and backgrounds to achieve their fullest potential,” says York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton.

The School of Continuing Studies was established three years ago to combine continuing professional education programs with English language support. Today, it is one of the largest schools of its kind in Canada.

“This building is critical to expand the pathways that support international students and new Canadians, as well as innovative continuing education to support young professionals in meeting the demands of tomorrow’s workplaces,” says York University Assistant Vice-President Tracey Taylor-O’Reilly.

“What makes this study different from any other sit-stand desk study—which is also what made it worthy of peer review and publication—is the combination of its long duration and its inclusion of complementary qualitative data,” says lead researcher Dr. Elizabeth Garland, associate professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Most studies conclude after just a few months. Ours lasted a full year. This allowed us to assess both the objective and subjective health impacts of sit-stand desk usage, from perceived stress and well-being to measurable changes in sedentary behavior.”

Study Highlights
Garland collaborated with a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the Center for Active Design (CfAD), global architecture and design firm Perkins&Will, and furniture manufacturer Steelcase to carry out the study. Perkins&Will and Steelcase are both committed to advancing healthy buildings and products as Advisory Board members and Champions of Fitwel, a healthy building certification operated by CfAD.

The team evaluated sedentary behavior changes in office workers who received adjustable workstations that allowed them to shift between standing and sitting, and compared their behavior to that of workers with traditional desks. Half of the participants—randomly selected from one floor of Perkins&Will’s Atlanta studio—received Steelcase adjustable workstations, while participants on other floors maintained traditional desks. Polling measured sedentary behavior, and participants reported perceived stress and ongoing behavioral changes before installation and at three months, six months, and 12 months after installation. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed.

Compared with participants using traditional desks, participants who received the adjustable workstations reported that, at both three months and six months after installation, they sat for significantly less time. In all, 47 percent of participants with AWS reported decline in upper back, shoulder, and neck discomfort. After twelve months, 88 percent of participants who received the adjustable workstations reported that they were convenient to use; 65 percent reported increased productivity; and 65 percent indicated that they positively impacted their health outside of the workplace. Participants with adjustable workstations also reported better concentration and would recommend them for their worksite.

“As a research-driven design firm that’s committed to health, well-being, and sustainability, ‘Stand Up to Work’ was a particularly important project for us,” says John Haymaker, director of research at Perkins&Will. “The results validate many of our workplace design decisions, and provide the concrete proof points that data-driven clients are looking for when choosing design solutions.”

“As the operator of the Fitwel Certification System, we see the continuous demand for research and data to support and drive the implementation of healthy design strategies,” says Abbie Watts, senior researcher at the Center for Active Design, “The ‘Stand Up to Work’ study is an important piece of research that grounds our workplace initiatives and contributes to the larger body of research that supports how we make the connection between health and the design of the built environment.”

“The health of any organization is dependent on the wellbeing of its most important asset – its employees,” said Lynne Sullivan, director of Steelcase Wellbeing consultants at Steelcase. “This study proves that adjustable workstations are an essential part of a workplace that considers the physical, cognitive and emotional wellbeing of its people.”

The published study can be downloaded here. An executive summary, including a review of the methodology and implications derived from the research, is available here.

Also, for the fifth straight year, we’ve topped the list as the No. 1 firm in healthcare.

Some of our most recent projects include the Interior Design Best of Year Award winner Aaniin Community Centre and Library, Unilever’s North American Headquarters, Phillips Academy Andover, University of Washington’s Life Sciences Building, Baylor Scott & White Health, Sports Therapy & Research, and Interface’s new headquarters.

For more information, check out Interior Design’s 2019 Giants List.

“We greatly appreciate this recognition from the Human Rights Campaign because it’s a meaningful validation of the supportive, inclusive culture we’ve maintained for so long at our firm,” says Phil Harrison, our Chief Executive Officer. “It’s our fundamental belief that diversity creates innovation, and that an inclusive workplace allows people to thrive and reach their true potential.”

A Rigorous Rating System

The CEI, now in its 17th year, is considered a national benchmarking tool on U.S. company policies and practices pertinent to LGBTQ+ employees. Its information comes primarily from responses to an in-depth survey sent to participating companies, combined with supporting documentation and public records. Criteria for this year’s index were more stringent than ever before, and included metrics such as non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBTQ+ community.

For us, the rigor of the rating system makes our top score even more meaningful.

“We’re committed to providing LGBTQ-supportive policies and inclusive benefits for our workplace because, quite frankly, it’s the right thing to do,” says Meg Brown, our Chief Talent Officer. “It creates a welcoming environment where everyone can be their personal best, no matter who they are.”

What Our LGBTQ+ Colleagues Have to Say

All around the firm, staff who identify as LGBTQ+ are reacting to the CEI rating with enthusiasm and positivity. Here’s what some of them have to say:

• “Diversity and Inclusion are so much a part of our firm’s DNA that, when I first joined, I felt as integrated into the social and professional fabric here as any of my colleagues. In fact, I never felt the need to seek out an LGBTQ+ affinity group for assurance that I was accepted here, because everyone immediately welcomed and accepted me for who I am. (Of course, when I was asked to participate in our wonderful LGBTQ+ affinity group, I enthusiastically said YES!) I am so proud to know that our firm provides resources to ensure inclusion and diversity for everyone, and I believe this recognition from the Human Rights Campaign is mightily deserved.” —Brent Capron, Interior Design Director, New York

• “As a member of the queer community, I have always felt welcome, safe, and respected at Perkins&Will. Diversity and inclusion aren’t just buzz words here; they’re reflective of our core values and the key to so much of our success. The LGBTQ+ employees are appreciated, supported, and embraced each day. I am so proud to say that I work for a firm that is leading the way in championing LGBTQ+ equality in the workplace. This honor and recognition is well deserved!” —Tiffany Cole, HRIS Manager, Chicago

• “This is reaffirmation that my employer is a proven progressive institution that places a premium on the civil liberties of the LGBTQ+ community. As a design firm, we obviously showcase and benchmark our project work; it’s great to see we have policies worthy of benchmarking, as well!” —Chad Hampton, Resource Manager, Washington, D.C.

• “My colleagues at Perkins&Will don’t just accept me, they take an active interest in my life. On Monday morning they’re as enthusiastic about what my partner and I did over the weekend as they are in sharing stories about their own family. There has never been a moment I wasn’t equal.” —Casey Jones, Principal, Chicago

• “As a recently out gay man, I’m proud to be a leader in an organization boldly committed to equality for the LGBTQ+ community—an organization that reflects who I am!” —Chris Morrison, Managing Director, Washington, D.C.

• “Working in an office that not only embraces and supports you, but also encourages you to be your 100% self, has given me so much more confidence in the work that I do. Perkins&Will has opened my eyes to what it truly feels to be accepted at the workplace. Our LGBTQ+ community is represented at all levels at the firm, and it is our responsibility to make sure we continue the legacy and continue to open doors for those who have not yet found that workplace in their career.” —Miguel Rivera, Senior Marketing Coordinator, Los Angeles

• “To be part of an architectural firm that celebrates diversity and inclusion is not something to be taken for granted. For those of us in Perkins&Will’s LGBTQ+ community, it means being able to work in an environment where we don’t need to hide an important part of ourselves, allowing us to better collaborators with our colleagues.” —Bill Schmalz, Technical Director, Los Angeles

• “I am truly proud to work for a firm that wholeheartedly embraces the LGBTQ+ community. As a leader in the firm, I have been given opportunities to grow in my career and opportunities to be me, a gay woman. By being proactive and progressive, the firm offered partner health insurance benefits before most companies, and once gay marriage was legal, they embraced me as I married my wife. Perkins&Will provides a safe work environment which is truly refreshing and empowering.”—Kelly Whitney, Principal, Dallas

• “Earning a score of 100 from the HRC is a reminder to me, and all of those who care for and love the humanity that surrounds us, that our firm is committed to upholding a social purpose to our clients, our employees, our friends, and our families. As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, it’s profoundly meaningful that Perkins&Will stands with all of our employees, regardless of how they identify or who they choose to love.” —Justin Wortmann, Project Architect, Chicago

An Attitude of Gratitude

While it’s important to celebrate our CEI ranking, it’s perhaps more important to recognize—and extend our gratitude to—our LGBTQ+ colleagues, whose many contributions to our practice and culture have been invaluable. Through their active participation on our Diversity Council, their leadership of our local LGBTQ+ affinity groups, and their close involvement in our cultural events and activities, we’ve been able to foster an inclusive environment in which colleagues and clients feel welcome, safe, and comfortable.

“We’re a global firm, so our talent pool has to reflect the diversity of the world we live in and design for,” says Gabrielle Bullock, our Director of Global Diversity. “We’re grateful for the unique perspectives that our diverse staff bring to the table every day. There’s no question they make us a better, stronger firm.”

For more information about the CEI, visit www.hrc.org.

For more about our firm’s people and culture, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Award-winning firms Lemay, Perkins&Will and Bisson Fortin will design an integrated, sustainable system of light-rail train stations, woven into urban, industrial and natural landscapes, as part of NouvLR General Partnership’s recently won contract for the 67-kilometre network.

“Our team drew on its boundless creativity and acute sensitivity to practical, social and environmental issues to produce this exceptional result,” said Daniel Arbour, Partner and lead for the REM project at Lemay.

“This is the largest integrated urban design project in the history of Montreal, and CDPQ Infra was instrumental in its commitment to design excellence in the face of complexity.”

The network will connect Montréal-Trudeau International Airport with Montreal’s downtown core as well as the south and north shores of the Greater Montreal Region. The REM’s goal is to bring efficient, sustainable mobility options to Greater Montreal citizens. Construction is set to begin in April 2018.

“The REM is a reflection of the same innovation and ingenuity that has made Montreal one of the world’s leading cultural and economic centres,” said Jeff Doble, Principal at Perkins&Will. “It’s an honour to be involved in a design that approaches infrastructure as a cultural and influential amenity, with the goal of improving the quality of life for citizens, enhancing experiences for visitors, and ensuring long-term economic value for the entire region.”

Design Concept and Symbolism

The architecture, landscape architecture and urban design of the project are intimately linked and based on three major themes: movement, transparency and identity. To convey the idea of movement, for example, the REM stations’ façades and landscape design visually recall the rhythmic movement of the passing landscape as seen through the window of a moving train. In contrast, the essence of the public transportation experience emerges in its moments of stillness and the dynamics of vertical movement.

Founded on transparency, the stations’ design incorporates ample glazing, maximizing daylight, enhancing security and facilitating wayfinding. It also optimizes the visual connection between the stations, the railway cars and their environment.

The key element of identity is addressed on several levels. The integration of local character was immediately deemed paramount, while also incorporating unifying design elements to create an overarching network signature. An example is the use of wood in every station’s ceiling, which adds warmth and aesthetic continuity while celebrating the historic importance of Quebec’s wood industry. The areas surrounding each station will become sustainable, biodiverse ecosystems, connected by the REM route as part of an exemplary, green urban continuum.

Additionally, the multimodal network will seamlessly support pedestrian, cyclist and bus access —and, in three locations, metro access.

“One of the most exciting parts about the REM is how it is designed to blend in and connect seamlessly to Montreal’s world-class metro system at three key locations and to its underground pedestrian network, enabling travelers to make rapid, hassle-free connections as they cross through the city and its surroundings,” said Christian Bisson, Principal, Bisson Fortin architecture + design.

“The underground stations will carry on the design legacy of the incomparable Montreal Metro, while introducing a complementary yet distinct brand that passengers will recognize, as they move between transit systems.”

Design Efficiency and Value

Each REM train station was designed to be built as a unique configuration of shared modular components. These innovative, pre-fabricated components will allow for easy, efficient, and environmentally sustainable construction, as well as cost-effective customization to account for local context, topology, and geography. Moreover, this “kit of parts” approach ensures that while each station has its own look and feel, it still reflects the unified brand aesthetic of the entire REM network.

Integrating architecture, urban design and landscape architecture, the consortium developed the concept as a user-centred, sustainable design aiming to elevate public transport in the Greater Montreal Region through user experience and efficiency.

About Lemay: Creative thinking. Collective value.
Founded in 1957 as an architectural practice, Lemay is an internationally recognized integrated design firm. Its unique blend of creativity, large-firm capacity and wide-ranging expertise brings client aspirations to life, creating sustainable value for users and communities around the world. The firm’s commitment to outstanding design also translates into the LemayLAB: an instrument of research and innovation in all aspects of design, which has helped it win over 350 awards and distinctions. Lemay brings together some 450 professionals, earning it a world ranking of 56th largest (World Architecture 2018). For more information, visit www.lemay.com.

About Perkins&Will
Perkins&Will is an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm established in 1935. Founded on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance communities, we collaborate with clients all over the world to create healthy, sustainable places in which to live, learn, work, play, heal, move, and explore. More than 2,200 professionals across over 20 Perkins&Will design studios include leaders in architecture, interior design, branded environments, urban design, and landscape architecture. In 2018, Fast Company recognized the firm as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. For more information, visit www.perkinswill.com.

About Bisson Fortin architecture + design
Bisson Fortin architecture + design, with over 50 years of experience in the practice of architecture, has been a leader in design and construction of major public transportation sector projects. The experience and expertise acquired over the years have allowed the firm to propose innovative solutions which enhance the passenger experience and optimize sustainable design, all the while favoring excellence in design and architecture. The firm’s technical expertise, creativity and dynamism are the result of the multiple and complementary talents of its team. For more information, visit www.bissonfortin.ca.

“We’re thrilled to unite with such an innovative, design-forward firm as Perkins&Will because they truly understand what it means to deliver excellence to their clients,” says Anne Kniffen, president and co-owner of lauckgroup. “Our clients will appreciate having access to the best and brightest talent, in-depth research, and exponentially greater resources—from big data to digital technology—no matter where their projects are located.”

Greater Reach, Greater Resources
Merging with Perkins&Will makes it easier for lauckgroup to service its national and international clients, providing the same high-quality design work and attention to detail but on a more local level. This is because many lauckgroup clients operate offices around the world in locations where Perkins&Will also has offices. The merger also enables both Perkins&Will and lauckgroup clients to rely on a single firm, rather than two or more firms, to address their architecture and interior design needs.

“With Perkins&Will’s strengths in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design, lauckgroup can offer its clients a more comprehensive suite of services that extend beyond the exceptional interior design they’re already known for,” says Tom Reisenbichler, managing director of Perkins&Will’s Dallas office. “The same holds true for our clients. While we’ve made great strides in recent years growing our corporate interiors practice in Dallas, Houston, and Austin, the addition of top-notch talent from lauckgroup brings us to a whole new level.”

Shared Values: Diversity and Sustainability
Perkins&Will and lauckgroup complement each other not only in their approach to design excellence and client engagement, but also in their values—particularly when it comes to sustainability and diversity. These shared values make the union of the two firms natural and complementary.

“As a majority women-owned firm with a melting pot of staff, we’ve long made it a priority to seek talent from all walks of life. After all, our clients come from all walks of life,” Kniffen says. “Joining Perkins&Will—which is blazing new trails in the industry under the leadership of Global Diversity Director Gabrielle Bullock—just feels right, and further inspires us.”

Additionally, lauckgroup is an advocate for healthy, high-performance, sustainable design—areas in which Perkins&Will has long been an industry leader.

Converging Designs: Every Place Is A Workplace
Perkins&Will’s investment in corporate interiors in the Southwest is, in many ways, a response to the rapid growth of a design phenomenon known as “convergence.” Convergence is the crossover of design typologies. It happens when the lines between project types blur: The design of a start-up tech company, for example, may draw design inspiration from scientific centers for research and innovation; or, the design of a clinician’s workspace in a hospital may borrow a certain look and feel associated with a modern, flexible, corporate office environment.

“With a strong foundation in corporate interior design excellence, we are naturally and easily able to respond to the interior design needs of any kind of client, in any kind of industry,” says Perkins&Will CEO Phil Harrison. Harrison adds that the benefits extend well beyond the corporate interiors practice, touching the firm’s approach to client engagement universally:

“There’s an entrepreneurial character about a corporate workplace practice—a swiftness and enthusiasm that energizes the whole firm. Designers of corporate interiors are constantly meeting with, talking to, and engaging with clients. Those are great qualities. Bringing that style, speed, and ‘flavor’ to our approach to hospitals, academic institutions, and governments is, I think, positive all around.”

Expanded Interior Design Leadership in the Southwest
Under the merger, lauckgroup will adopt the Perkins&Will brand, and lauckgroup staff will join Perkins&Will staff in consolidated studios in Dallas, Houston, and Austin. Kniffen will oversee the combined 90-person corporate interiors practice in the Southwest. Kniffen’s colleague and lauckgroup co-owner, Brigitte Preston, will provide interior design leadership for all Perkins&Will projects in the Southwest. And Courtney Johnston continues to provide leadership to her team and clients as interior design director for the Dallas studio of Perkins&Will, a position she has held for seven years.

“We’re deepening our design bench, expanding our design leadership, and providing our clients with the best that the industry has to offer,” Reisenbichler says. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

“Working in the Danish architectural industry for the past 12 years, I’ve witnessed the growth of Schmidt Hammer Lassen, including its merger with Perkins&Will in 2018, so it’s great be joining the firm at such an exciting time,” Wall-Gremstrup says. “I look forward to advancing the firm’s vision and helping the Aarhus and Copenhagen studios achieve their goals in collaboration with my new colleagues, both locally and worldwide.”

Wall-Gremstrup has more than 15 years of experience as a chief executive officer, having most recently served as the CEO of The Danish Architectural Press, a commercial publishing foundation committed to promoting Danish architecture in Denmark and abroad. Prior to that, she spent seven years as the country manager and CEO for Denmark and Finland at global marketing services company McCann WorldGroup. She also has extensive experience serving as a board member and executive board chairperson over the past 20 years for organizations that include a global architectural firm, a Danish communications agency, and start-up companies.

“The skills and breadth of professional experiences that Sanne brings to the table are impressive, and we’re confident that our Denmark practice will thrive under her leadership,” says Perkins&Will CEO Phil Harrison.

Wall-Gremstrup’s Danish colleagues agree:

“Sanne brings a fresh mix of vast leadership experience to the managing director role,” said Kristian Ahlmark, design director at Schmidt Hammer Lassen. “With Sanne at the helm, we are in a prime position for continuing to grow our international profile while deepening our roots here at home.”

“When we first started tossing around the idea, it was clear that merging would take our practices to the next level,” says Pfau, whose firm, founded in 1991, is known and loved in the Bay Area for its collaborative design approach and commitment to the community. “Together, we can continue to deliver the highest quality designs to our clients, and continue to make our neighborhoods, towns, and cities better places to live—but with greater resources.”

Benefits Abound for Clients, Staff

The merger, which became effective on March 1, provides many benefits for both firms and their clients. First, it gives Perkins&Will’s San Francisco studio an opportunity to plant even deeper roots in the community and foster stronger community connections—something Managing Director Greg Johnson, a lifelong Bay Area resident, cares about deeply.

“At the end of the day, this is all about combining our strengths to better serve our clients,” Johnson says. “Peter and Dwight are both so well-known and respected in the Bay Area that, by partnering with them, we can reinforce our message that community means everything to us. After all, it’s our community we’re designing for.”

Other benefits for Perkins&Will include strong design leadership in the San Francisco studio, as well as an enhanced ability to service clients with K-12 education, cultural and civic, residential, and light industrial projects.

By the same token, the merger has given Pfau Long Architecture—and its clientele—access to Perkins&Will’s expansive resources, including an industry-leading technology platform, an extensive research library and in-house team of researchers, and a global network of design talent.

Compatibility and Combined Strengths

The many synergies between the two firms make the merger feel natural, too. Both are committed to sustainable, resilient, and healthy design. Each is passionate about urban equity, exploring how design can foster equity across diverse populations. Both believe in the power of research to advance design excellence. And each is dedicated to a collaborative design process that involves the input of clients and community at every level.

“Great design happens through innovative thinking rooted in common principles,” says Perkins&Will CEO Phil Harrison. “That’s why the alignment of our values is so important. Pfau Long Architecture and Perkins&Will already see eye-to-eye, so by coming together, we can make an even bigger positive difference in the communities we serve.”

Projects You May Have Heard About

Perkins&Will’s San Francisco practice, opened in 1996, provides high-performance architecture, interior design, and urban design services to Bay Area clients in corporate and commercial real estate, civic and cultural real estate, healthcare, and higher education. Current projects include the mixed-use high-rise 1700 Webster in Oakland; the San Francisco International Airport Consolidated Administration Campus in San Mateo County; and the master plan for the Potrero Power Station in Potrero Point. Built projects include 140 New Montgomery in the South of Market District; Bay Area Metro Center in Rincon Hill; Mission Rock in Mission Bay; Chou Hall at the Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley; and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford in Palo Alto.

For 28 years, Pfau Long Architecture has built a reputation in the Bay Area as a nimble, research-driven practice that’s passionate about environmentally sensitive architecture and dedicated to exemplary client service. Current projects include the Golden State Warriors Office Towers in Mission Bay; the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Child, Teen, and Family Center in the Dogpatch; the adaptive re-use of Building 12 on Pier 70 and One DeHaro, the first cross-laminated timber (CLT) building entitled in San Francisco. Built projects include The Manufacturing Foundry and 100 Hooper in the Design District; the LEED platinum commercial office building 270 Brannan in SOMA, the Urban School in Haight-Ashbury; Alta Vista Middle School in The Mission; the multi-family residential Building O in the Dogpatch; the renovation of the Randall Museum in Corona Heights; and the adaptive reuse of both the McGuire Building and the art-deco McClintock Building in the Design District.

The Brass Tacks

Over the course of the next several weeks, Pfau Long Architecture—comprising 26 staff—will join 68 Perkins&Will staff in the latter’s Rincon Hill studio at 2 Bryant Street, which boasts sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay and Bay Bridge. Pfau becomes the design director of Perkins&Will’s San Francisco studio; Long becomes design principal; Kami Kinkaid becomes the K-12 practice leader; and Melanie Turner becomes director of residential design. Johnson remains the managing director.

The combined studio will use both the Pfau Long Architecture and Perkins&Will brand names during an integration period. At the right time, they will operate as Perkins&Will.

“After more than a decade of friendship, we’ve proven we’re a good match—and our staff already feels the same way,” Long says. “We’re excited to see what the future has in store for us.”

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com.

The awards honor women who’ve made outstanding contributions to the design profession in fields as diverse as healthcare, corporate interiors, hospitality, retail, and environments for aging populations. This year, 10 women received the award. Guenther was recognized for her pioneering role in sustainable healthcare design, and for her tireless advocacy for material transparency and nontoxic building products.

“My career has always been about disruption. It’s about disrupting the status quo. I believe that that kind of disruption, in the most positive sense, requires not only design innovation, but (also) education and advocacy at very deep levels,” Guenther said while accepting the award. “We have to create a different future in the built environment, and those three pillars are the way we have to do it.”

Some of Guenther’s most recent projects include Spaulding Rehabilitation Center in Boston, Massachusetts; Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth in Middletown, New Jersey; and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford in Palo Alto, California.

In addition to her role as principal at Perkins&Will, Guenther is a senior advisor to Health Care Without Harm. She coauthored the Green Guide for Health Care and served on the LEED for Healthcare committee. She is also the author of Sustainable Healthcare Architecture. Guenther is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leader and was named “No. 1 Most Influential Designer in Healthcare” by Healthcare Design in 2010 and 2011. In 2012, Fast Company named her one of the “100 Most Creative People in Business.”

“Having worked with Zena for nearly 14 years, including our close collaboration on the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), I can attest to her leadership ability, commitment to client satisfaction, and professionalism,” says Freelon. “Her promotion to managing director is well-deserved, and our clients are in very good hands.”

An award-winning architect and LEED Accredited Professional with 25 years of experience, Howard’s portfolio of built and ongoing projects includes, in addition to the NMAAHC, the Durham County Human Services Complex in Durham, North Carolina; the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro, North Carolina; the Anacostia and Tenley-Friendship libraries, both in Washington, D.C.; the Motown Museum in Detroit, Michigan; and Brooklyn Village in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“I’m honored to take on this exciting opportunity to lead a motivated, talented team here in North Carolina, and continue engaging with our clients on inspirational projects both locally and nationally,” Howard says.

Howard is a member of the AIA, the National Organization of Minority Architects, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, and the Association of African American Museums, and a founding member of Perkins&Will’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement Council. She is a sought-after public speaker, regularly delivering addresses to schools, universities, cultural institutions, government agencies, companies, and industry associations nationwide. She was recently named to ESSENCE Magazine’s Woke 100 Women list, which honors women who are working toward equal rights and inclusion for people of color in America.

A North Carolina native, Howard serves on the North Carolina State University School of Architecture Advisory Board and the University of Virginia Alumni Association Board of Managers. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Architecture.

Get to know Zena! See this three-part video series about her and her work on the NMAAHC: https://vimeopro.com/perkinswill/in-her-own-words-zena-howard

For more information, contact media@perkinswill.com

Founded in 1986, Schmidt Hammer Lassen is known around the world for its iconic, highly sustainable cultural and civic architecture, including The Black Diamond, the extension to the Royal Library in Copenhagen; ARoS Museum of Art in Aarhus, Denmark’s second-largest city; Halifax Central Library in Nova Scotia, Canada; the Katuaq Cultural Centre in Nuuk, Greenland; and the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The firm recently won a global competition to design the world’s largest library—the 1.2 million-square-foot Shanghai East Library—and it is currently working on the transformative Monroe Blocks mixed-use development in Detroit, Michigan, the firm’s first project in the United States.

By combining Perkins&Will’s 83-year legacy of design excellence with Schmidt Hammer Lassen’s illustrious Danish design pedigree, the united firms will make even greater contributions to the canon of cultural and civic architecture, according to Perkins&Will CEO Phil Harrison.

“Part of what makes this partnership so special is that Perkins&Will and Schmidt Hammer Lassen share a common set of values: design excellence, sustainability, innovation, and the highest level of client service,” Harrison says. “We also maintain the same design ethos, believing that exceptional architecture is always democratic and in the service of the greater good. We’re compatible at every level.”

Bjarne Hammer, founding partner of Schmidt Hammer Lassen, agrees:
“Our firms share a clear mission: through architecture and design, we make a positive difference in the world and in the lives of others. We both believe strongly in the transformative, healing power of design to address some of the most pressing social and environmental issues of our time. And, we both thrive in a design culture that encourages collaboration.”

Complementary Goals
In addition to a shared vision and purpose, the two firms have symbiotic market strategies. Perkins&Will aims to diversify its global talent, expand its cultural and civic practice, and reinforce the caliber of its design portfolio. At the same time, Schmidt Hammer Lassen aims to expand into new geographic markets, grow its client base, and apply groundbreaking design research to practice.

“We want to be known as a company that is both design-driven and client-focused, as a firm that produces extraordinary designs and delivers them with extraordinary efficiency. Merging with Perkins&Will enables us to maintain this critical part of our identity while having the support, technology, and reach of a much larger organization,” says Schmidt Hammer Lassen CEO Bente Damgaard. “It’s a fantastic opportunity.”

Perkins&Will’s global platform also provides a host of benefits to Schmidt Hammer Lassen’s international clients, Damgaard says, because they now have all of the resources, talent, and expertise—including research—they need within a single firm. This streamlines collaboration, facilitates communication, and ensures smooth project delivery.

Aligned In Design
The union of Perkins&Will and Schmidt Hammer Lassen is supported in large part by both firms’ legacies of, and commitments to, design excellence.

Over the last eight decades, Perkins&Will’s landmark projects of beautiful, thoughtful design—like the transformative Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois; the Shanghai Natural History Museum in China; and the Albion Library in Toronto, Canada—have characterized the essence of the firm. Similarly, Schmidt Hammer Lassen’s portfolio of award-winning architecture—projects that constitute works of public art in and of themselves—underscores the firm’s 32-year history of distinguished design. Examples of built work include Dokk1, the largest public library in Scandinavia; Malmö Live, a concert, congress, and hotel complex in Sweden; and Vendsyssel Theatre in Denmark, a music and theater hall that celebrates cultural exchange.

“Our firm is unequivocally rooted in Scandinavian architectural traditions, which are based on values like democracy, welfare, sustainability, light, openness, and social responsibility,” says Kristian Lars Ahlmark, senior partner at Schmidt Hammer Lassen. “Our buildings not only reflect these values, but they also impart these values on all who encounter them, whether tenants, visitors, or passersby.”

Synergies in Sustainability
Additionally, both Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Perkins&Will are known leaders in sustainability. Through their high-performing, environmentally responsive designs, the firms contribute significantly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, and to the improvement of human and ecological health. The firms have designed hundreds of projects—collectively amounting to several hundred million square feet—that meet or surpass various international standards for green building. And their staff include many of the industry’s most sought-after experts in sustainable design.

“Sustainability is in our DNA at both Perkins&Will and Schmidt Hammer Lassen,” says Damgaard. “It’s just another example of the synergy between our firms—and of why this partnership makes sense.”

Cultural Diversity
The partnership is also a celebration of differences in culture, customs, language, and heritage—and of the design innovation that occurs when those differences interplay.

“Both of our firms believe in the global diversification of talent and creativity,” says Harrison. “We see the coming together of design cultures, aesthetics, and sensibilities as a positive force that leads to better, more thoughtful, more inclusive architecture. At Perkins&Will, we appreciate and celebrate Schmidt Hammer Lassen’s Danish design legacy, and look forward to the many ways it will positively influence our collective body of work.”

—END—

About Perkins&Will
Perkins&Will is an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm established in 1935. Founded on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance communities, we collaborate with clients all over the world to create healthy, sustainable places in which to live, learn, work, play, and heal. More than 2,000 professionals across over 20 Perkins&Will offices include some of the brightest minds in architecture, interior design, branded environments, urban design, and landscape architecture. Clients consistently turn to us for our leadership and expertise in areas like sustainability, resilience, health and wellness, and mobility. Additionally, our 10 Research Labs catalyze innovative design technologies and solutions that result in better, smarter, more competitive built environments. The recipient of hundreds of design awards each year, and a progressive leader in corporate social responsibility, Perkins&Will is consistently ranked among the world’s top design firms. For more information, visit www.perkinswill.com.

About Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects was founded in Aarhus, Denmark in 1986 and is led by founding partners Morten Schmidt, Bjarne Hammer, and John F. Lassen, along with senior partners Kim Holst Jensen and Kristian Lars Ahlmark, and partners Rong Lu and Chris Hardie. The firm is one of Scandinavia’s most recognized and award-winning architectural practices. Working out of studios located in Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Shanghai, the firm provides skilled architectural services all over the world, with a distinguished track record as designers of international high-profile architecture. Cultural and educational buildings, offices, commercial, retail, and residential, often in mixed-use developments and complex urban contexts, are cornerstones of the firm’s output. The practice has extensive global experience in the design of libraries and other public and cultural landmark buildings, and its innovative, sustainable, and democratic approach to architecture has attracted global attention, winning more than 100 national and international awards. For more information, visit www.shl.dk.

“Perkins&Will’s design of the Life Sciences Building will help us achieve our vision for the future of biology at the UW,” said Steve Majeski, associate dean with the College of Arts and Sciences at the UW. “Much more than a building, the LSB provides the facilities and structure to enable innovative and collaborative cutting-edge research and act as a hub for student discovery, transforming the way we teach the next generation of scientists with spaces for collaboration among students, faculty and staff.”

Designed for team-focused collaboration, offices, laboratories and common-use spaces are placed in close proximity to each other. Open, modular and flexible research and teaching areas are designed to be able to adapt to emerging research questions that require novel methods and new instruments. To encourage impromptu encounters, the interior features a suspended staircase with oversized landing areas; the exterior features a courtyard with cascading stairs and reclaimed wood benches along with a rooftop deck with seating adjacent to a cafe.

“Biology takes an integrative approach to understanding the natural world,” said Devin Kleiner, project architect and senior associate with Perkins&Will. “Inspired by that philosophy, the design combines elements of nature as the visual focal points with innovative and sustainable design features.”

One of the design’s most unique elements is the elevator core, wrapped in custom-milled slabs from 200-foot Douglas fir trees. Designed to mimic the way the trees appeared in the woods, the wide base of the trees on the first floor progressively narrows and tapers as it rises to the floors above. The nine trees from a forest in the Olympic Peninsula were donated by Leopold-Freeman Forests, LLC, as part of Scott and Susan Freeman’s watershed restoration efforts described in the book Saving Tarboo Creek.

Tracking to LEED Gold, the building’s highly innovative sustainable design was a result of a unique collaboration between designers and students from UW Solar, who helped analyze features, write grants, and give presentations. LSB boasts the first-of-its-kind installation of vertical glass solar fins on its exterior, one that is anticipated to generate enough electricity to light more than 12,400 square feet of offices throughout the year. Other sustainable features include operable windows for natural ventilation cooling, chilled beams and waves, a water reclamation system for greenhouse irrigation, radiant floors and rooftop solar panels. Students and visitors can learn about the research conducted within the building as well as real-time information about the building’s energy and water usage from a touchscreen dashboard on the first floor.

In close proximity to the city’s largest commuter trail, the Burke Gilman, LSB offers a range of public amenities, including eventual access to the greenhouse with 3,400 species of plants, the largest teaching collection in the state; a 90-foot-long art wall by Seattle artist Claude Zervas; public bike racks, a café and indoor/outdoor seating.

The 207,000-square-foot building and greenhouse is located between Northeast Pacific Street and Stevens Way, just east of Kincaid Hall on the UW’s main campus.

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“The entire facility is designed with the neurologic patient in mind,” said Dr. Joseph Broderick, director of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute. “I don’t know of any facility like this. We would like this to be a place where people will feel it’s a home for their disease or problem, where you learn about it, get treated for it, get diagnosed, and you also interact with others.”

The new 114,000-square-foot facility brings together 125 faculty from 15 specialty areas into a new regional home for neurological care, education, and research.

For more than two years, Perkins&Will led an advisory committee with patients and families, caregivers, and doctors. The user input gained from these meetings informed the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute’s design. It was imperative, for example, that the design accommodate the needs of patients with susceptibility to nausea, dizziness, fatigue, or movement disorders. The result is an innovative facility that responds to those needs along every step of the patient’s journey.

“You can trace every element in the planning and design to what we’ve heard (from patients, doctors, and staff),” said Jerry Johnson, Perkins&Will design principal. “The objective was to provide a place that provides state-of-the-art care and inspires joy for people in need.”

The team also drew on input from Dr. Eve Edelstein, a ‘neuro-architect’ who studied both architecture and clinical neuroscience. Edelstein is the director of a Perkins&Will research lab dedicated to design for the human experience, known as the Hx Lab.

Janis Yelton, who lives with Parkinson’s disease and served on the advisory committee, says the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute is critical to her well-being. She is thrilled with the design. “Coming here is my future,” she said. “This is going to be a big part of my life for the rest of my life.”

Key Design Features:

• A unique façade that prevents glare and visual disorientation: The facility’s exterior is made of a specialized polyester fiber mesh that controls light and heat, and prevents glare while allowing natural light to enter the interior. This is critical for many neurological patients, as glare can be visually disorienting. Wrapping the east, west, and south sides of the building, the angular, pleated, polyester planes, which are 10-feet wide and 3 stories tall, suggest origami, and make the building stand out on a campus known for classical and modern architecture.

• Light-filled corridors for comfort and visibility: On the exam and clinical care floors, patients move along exterior corridors lined with windows, rather than down disorienting dark internal pathways.

• Exam rooms that accommodate families for extra patient support: Exam rooms with wide sliding doors are grouped in flexible pods and can support specialty procedures nearby, easing patient and family access. The larger exam rooms accommodate medical teams, family, and caregivers. These floors also include MRI, infusion, and special procedure rooms.

• Spaces that account for patients’ auditory sensitivities: Walls between exam rooms are acoustically sealed, with the gypsum board and acoustical insulation going to the structure above. Doors into exam rooms went through specialized testing to confirm they also met the same stringent sound transmissions goals to ensure minimal disruption to patients with auditory sensitivities. For patients with mood and memory disorders who seek quiet spaces with fewer stimuli, enclosed spaces are available within the main waiting areas.

• A lobby that prevents vertigo: A large atrium can trigger vertigo, so a daylit lobby designed on a more human scale welcomes patients upon arrival.

• A variety of spaces allows for diverse activities: The ground level includes an outdoor garden, flexible space for community, teaching, and patient activities, with an auditorium and rooms for dance therapy classes.

• A kinder, gentler parking garage to ease the anxiety of arrivals and departures: Patients with ambulatory challenges described typical parking garages as a highly stressful, anxiety-inducing experience due to lack of light, confusing signage, echoing noise, and sloping garage floors. Every garage floor is on a flat surface, with an easy-access entrance and exit from the elevator to each of the patient floors. Windows along the north side of the garage provide daylight and help orient patients returning to their cars.

• Accessible research space: Located between the staff and patient areas, these spaces encourage collaboration among specialists as they evaluate studies, clinical trials, and data.

Philanthropic support for the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute came from the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Foundation, inspired by the late James Gardner’s wife, Joan, who lives with Parkinson’s disease.

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