Design Manifestos: Tod Stevens of Stantec

Tod Stevens is a Principal at Stantec in the Berkley, Michigan office. With over 25 years of award winning projects, Tod enjoys the exploration of boundaries of order, scale, light, rhythm, materiality, and construction. He’s a sought-after speaker and writer on the evolving roles of libraries, and he sees every project as an opportunity to define and create a unique solution which will enhance the environment. Tod was a key part of the team that created the vision for the Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons at Grand Valley State University. Initial plans involved a robust conversation on the future of academic libraries, and now this LEED Platinum building is receiving national and international attention for its innovative design. Modelo spent some time learning about Tod’s journey through the profession and about his current role at Stantec.

On becoming an architect
As a kid, it was never really a question for me. I remember drawing house plans for hours on end. I went to a local architecture school, Lawrence Technological University, for my undergraduate work, and completed my graduate work at the University of Michigan. When I graduated, it was a rough economic time, so I worked for a developer, which I thought that was the worst thing for my career as a designer. But in the end, it proved to be one of the best things that I ever did. I learned the politics of construction, how to strategize, budget, schedule, work with people — it gave me a strong ability to put a building together.

After that, I moved to New York and worked with William McDonough Architects, who influenced me profoundly, most notably by introducing me to sustainability. I had never heard of sustainability, and he was looking for somebody who could document a project so it worked perfectly. Literally, the guy next to me in the studio was calculating the embodied energy in a project…it made me think very carefully about putting a building on this Earth. To this day, those lessons have influenced how I approach architecture — it’s just good design!

On discovering his voice as a designer
As an undergraduate, I learned the nuts and bolts of putting a building together. We had design classes, but back then it was centered primarily on solving the problems rather than the theory or the conceptual underpinnings. My junior year, I was introduced to a Fulbright scholar by the name of Svein Tonsager, who was an influential teacher from the architecture school in Aarhus, Denmark. Svein introduced me to a new way of looking at architecture from a design and theory perspective — he literally reset my architectural education tabula rasa.

I decided then and there to pursue design theory in my graduate work and went to the University of Michigan. Their library is profound, and it helped me to continue my thirst for theory — I read everything from Vitruvius to Venturi. I was able to be in front of talented practitioners like Tod Williams, Dan Hoffman from Cranbrook, Peter Eisenman, and Michael Graves. At the time, Kent Kleinman, who today is dean at Columbia University, was one of my professors. The program gave me a rich, hands-on education in design and theory.

On joining Stantec
After working with Bill McDonough, I wanted to raise a family, so I decided to move back to Michigan. Initially, I worked as a designer with a sports architecture firm, Rossetti, where I learned how to think big and create the gesture for large scale projects.

I became the Director of Design at Rossetti which positioned me years later to shift to Director of Design at Minoru Yamasaki’s office. Although Yamasaki himself had passed away, I was able to work with some talented technical architects that had worked with him. They taught me how to touch a building; how to detail exact and precise.

About ten years ago, I heard about SHW Group, a national firm specializing in education architecture that was focusing on differentiating themselves through design. I thought it was great opportunity to use my design skills, so I took a position and now have worked in education architecture ever since. In 2014, Stantec acquired SHW, which allowed our team to expand from working on tier two universities to tier one universities. It gave us an opportunity to take a deeper dive into learning and exploring the conversation on a larger scale. We are able to be positional about the work we do in education, as learning is an intrinsic goal rather than an incidental outcome.

On principles the firm strives to adhere to
Every project has the opportunity to achieve success at many different levels: success in program resolution, success in community and campus building, success in sustainability and success in creating a rich environment supportive of its purpose.

Stantec’s philosophy and methodology is focused on study, research and investigation to reveal where these opportunities reside and to ensure we achieve something important within each of them. This ambition has led us to define the ‘Five Parameters of Design Excellence.’

The Five Parameters outline how we define design excellence through Clarity, Purpose, Discovery, Performance, and Craft.

These parameters provide us with a way of organizing our thinking as we initiate work on a project, a way of evaluating progress as we work through it and a method of measuring success upon completion.

They speak to how we can approach a set of project circumstances driven by a clear idea and a thoughtful approach, and then implement a process defined by challenging preconceptions by asking the right questions, critically evaluating ideas, and revealing appropriate solutions. Ultimately, we strive to produce results that are defined by performance and craft and ensure that the idea behind a project is legible through its built form.

On his role at Stantec
Ideas are fragile, especially in their initial state. They’re vulnerable to the pressures of the world, and they’re scrutinized under so many different lenses that they can get squashed quickly. I see my primary role as cultivating an idea, and then defending and nurturing it to allow it to grow and strengthen so that others can add their areas of expertise and knowledge. You can lose a project very quickly if you lose the idea, so I work to protect it and make sure it remains legible.

I have found that one of my strong skills is to bring the best ideas out of my team. I also teach as an adjunct professor at Lawrence Technological University and that has given me an ability to move from student to student, and in the office, from designer to designer. I quickly get into what they’re trying to do, understanding their ideas and helping them clarify those ideas so that they have a strong narrative that a project team can get behind.

In the studio itself, I lead our planning, interiors and design team. I’m responsible for making sure the quality level of every project meets Stantec’s parameters.

On recent projects that represent Stantec’s unique approach
Our best work leverages the fact that we are a big AE firm. The engineers are working directly with us in real-time which is important because it can amplify the ambitions of the work. An engineer sees a project in an entirely different lens than an architect, so working in tandem helps foster a critical architecture.

For example, we designed the College of Education at Central Michigan University, which is where teachers learn how to teach. We looked at the classroom design very critically, and with an engineer, implemented displacement ventilation in the classrooms. We took the HVAC ductwork and put it underneath the chalkboard so the air comes through a wall of vents like a fog. It pillows around only in the space that’s occupied, so tempered, fresh air is brought right into the breathing zone of occupants. Because you’re not heating and cooling the whole space, energy costs are lower. Plus, it eliminates toxins in the room. In the end, it’s healthy, low cost for long-term ownership, and quiet, which makes it great for learning.

Another example is Grand Valley State University’s Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons. It’s the longest project name I’ve ever had, but it’s an extraordinary project thanks to a true team effort — from the client to our design team to the engineers.

We did primary research at Grand Valley to gain insight into the way the students used a traditional library. During this time, we tested ideas by bringing in furniture and systems to see how students reacted. The successful ideas were deployed in the final building which was a remarkable moment to see everything come together and work in concert for the full building.

One thing we learned from this research was that students needed more areas for group and individual study. To free up room for the visionary program focused on collaboration, the library has an automatic storage retrieval system, which is a warehouse for books inside the library that holds 600,000 less utilized volumes in a 40-foot vault.

The library also champions peer-to-peer interactions. When you go to a traditional library, there is usually an information desk with a sign that says “Ask me questions- PLEASE.” However, it’s usually so quiet that people are afraid to walk up to that desk and vocalize that they don’t know something! At Grand Valley, we wanted to give them permission to talk and ask questions. We began to choreograph sequences to create a buzz, so when you walk in the building, there’s this amazing social space that is rich and full. We located the cafe on the first level which had sounds that drift into the adjacent knowledge market. This allows students to actually come up and say aloud, “Hey, I’m struggling with this, can you give me a hand?” It in effect lowers the threshold to learning.

On his design toolkit
Our team is strong at using software and taking advantage of the right tool at the right time. We use Revit as our BIM modeling software in our office, but we’re also old-school and use sketches and diagrams early in the process.

My rule of thumb is when you start to measure sketches, you quickly move them into AutoCAD. We do massing and renderings in SketchUp because you can do that pretty quickly. These tools help our clients understand the siting and massing of a building, while being simple enough that they don’t feel like it’s a finished product.

For a project that we’re doing for the University of Texas at Dallas, we’re moving that model into Rhino and enhancing the detailing by using the Grasshopper plugin to parametrically visualize real-time data that influences our solutions from views or solar income. It increases the opportunity for facade exploration and form — it’s powerful at this stage in time.

I can’t wait until we’re able to move seamlessly from SketchUp to Rhino and Grasshopper, and ultimately into Revit to carry the complex geometries through to documentation. There’s a little bit lost in every translation as we move from one program to the other, and I’m looking for this seamless move between those to bridge that.

On innovation and disruption in the industry
Innovation and disruption are the hallmarks of the technology world. Our occupation has been regulated and compartmentalized into the different architectural phases, and as a designer we are held to the schematic and design development phases. It’s very linear and predictable, but it’s time-consuming and wrought with inefficiency. I believe that the impact of 21st Century technology and the increasingly shrinking project timelines have created the need for us to fundamentally rethink the linear and start to seek a solution that blurs those traditional boundaries.

Instead of relying on the designer to make decisions, a strong, integrated team of architects and engineers will allow even interior designers to engage in the project rather than waiting until design settles down. In my experience, this team effort yields an integrated approach with a systemic answer rather than fitting systems and materials into that space after the “design” is done. The end result is a better project.

Virtual reality and 3D tools allow us to actually take our clients right inside our model. They give a real ability to understand the building before it’s built. That’s something that’s going to change the way we practice architecture as we move forward.

On the future of architecture in the next 5–10 years
In her poem Three Oddest Words, Wislawa Szymborska, a Nobel Prize poet from Poland, says, “When I pronounce the word Future, the first syllable already belongs to the past.” This line embodies how I think about the future. The world is moving so quickly that looking back is the trick rather than looking forward to see what is coming next. For instance, as I look back in my short career alone, I’ve been taught by architects who drew with ink on linen. I’ve migrated from drawing by hand on mylar to migrating a 2D line into a computer to literally modeling a building, embedded with all the systems. It’s an incredible progression.

The time traditional hand drawing took afforded one to think — deeply — and that time has all but been eliminated now that we are required to make decisions about how to document a project so early in the process. There has to be an intention to design all the way through the documentation. Much like Yamasaki’s office, detailing is design which can take that pressure off the early stages and really allow the idea to mature naturally.

Stantec is always evolving. In the last two years that I’ve been with the firm, we’ve grown our design force with acquisitions of very strong design firms, like SHW Group, ADD Inc, and VOA. This intentional expansion has broadened our ability to create thought leadership and design leadership as a firm. We work together and discuss how to lead the industry.

On advice he would give himself
I would tell myself to explore the world, to get uncomfortable, and to see new things. As I’ve gotten older, that has profound implications on the way that I think. It allows me to see things a little differently.

I would also say, trust yourself and your beliefs. I tell my new design staff, “You’re here because of your talent and the way you think, and don’t hold that back.” It is too easy to get caught up in a perceived hierarchy when you are new to a firm, I want their attention, and I want them to know that.

Design Manifestos: Michael Pinto of NAC Architecture

Michael Pinto is a Principal at NAC Architecture’s Los Angeles office. He leads design from a position that places strong emphasis on community engagement, believing that the best work is informed by real and pragmatic concerns. In teaching and in practice, he is driven by a series of social interests including education, equitable food systems and social justice in urban design. An energetic designer, Michael has led teams to nearly 30 design awards in his career. He is also currently an Adjunct Professor at Woodbury University, engaging students in projects about urban sustainability. Michael has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Penn State University and a Master’s Degree from the Southern California Institute of Architecture. Modelo spent some time learning about Michael’s innovative approach to design and about his thoughts on where the industry is headed in upcoming years.

On becoming an architect
Sometimes you find your course; sometimes it finds you. Growing up, I was interested in making in a broad sense. My father was a tinkerer and a collector of tools. I remember one Christmas when money was scarce, one of my gifts was a car made from a 2×4 and some scraps from a hole saw. I remember noticing the grain and the dowels of the wheels and how it was sanded smooth and the varnish he used. My mother was always encouraging drawing and arts in general. It was just around me growing up.

I also grew up with the New York City skyline as an inspiring presence. We lived in suburban New Jersey and my grandparents lived closer to New York City. Driving there, you come to a point where you crest a hill and there’s New York City laid out in front of you. It’s pretty spectacular.

When it came time to choose a major in college, I was really tossed up between Fine Art, Architecture and Science or Engineering. In the end, I chose architecture at Penn State and considered switching early into Architectural Engineering. But I had to spend one semester in Architecture before I could consider a change.

That first semester was incredibly intense, many sleepless nights, a rich discourse unlike what I expected from architecture. After that first semester, I felt fortunate to be in the right place. I spent five years there gradually learning the rigor of architecture, growing up as a young person and as an architect. As I approached the end of my time there, I have to credit April Greiman for bringing me to Los Angeles. She had designed a poster for SCI-Arc that was tacked to the wall in our thesis studio. It was a map of projects around Los Angeles done by faculty. I was struck by the experimental quality of the work and of the poster itself. For that and a variety of reasons, including a girl, I packed up and landed in LA where I began my career and continued my education.

On discovering his voice as a designer
I feel fortunate to have had some great professors throughout my education. It will be hard to identify how each has contributed to my development, but they all have. At Penn State, Lou Inserra, Katsu Muramoto, Jawaid Haider, Dan Willis, John Lucas are some of the ones that stick out. At SCI-Arc, Coy Howard, Michele Saee, Margaret Crawford, Norman Millar, Mary Ann Ray and Tom Buresh are some.

There were two epiphanies I had while a student at SCI-Arc. One was during a competition for a new football stadium in Los Angeles. It was at that time that the city had passed a new ordinance restricting panhandling on the streets. I decided to leverage that project to take a position on a social issue. In the project I designed a stadium that was situated below the McClure tunnel in Santa Monica — perhaps one of the most congested areas in the city. The idea was to confront the discomfort of people interfacing with people asking for help through forcing pedestrians and panhandlers in direct communication. The project was a bit snarky; the team was named the ‘Panhandlers,’ the team logo was an outstretched hand emerging from a lightning bolt, and stadium rules were included like, “a panhandler will conduct the coin-toss…and shall keep the coin.” It was the first time I had combined my interests in social justice with my role as a designer.

Later in preparing my thesis, the city had another ordinance that restricted congregations of teens as a means to curb gang violence. Restrictions on public space were something that I could address through architecture. I began working with a LGBT youth center in Hollywood to think about how disenfranchised youth use public space. I got pretty deep in gathering research from other fields like psychology and sociology to develop an understanding of obstacles to addressing this population. The result was a project that was borne out of developing design strategies that emerged from this research. I realized that I could use architecture as a vehicle for being a politically active citizen and that could sponsor design innovation.

On joining Osborn Architects and then NAC Architecture
I came to Osborn Architects when I arrived in California right after I graduated. Ted Osborn had worked with The Architect’s Collaborative, Walter Gropius’ firm in Cambridge MA. He was a great mentor to me; he liked people that cared about design, about detail and implementation, and about architecture as a business. I learned a lot very quickly; we were only eight people when I started. But I left after three years to go to graduate school at SCI-Arc and took some time in different offices including Randall Stout’s and Michael Rotondi’s. I started teaching and trying to build myself as a professional and as an academic. Osborn then asked me to come back as a Design Principal. Tim Ballard and I then continued the firm after Ted Osborn’s retirement and merged with NAC in 2014.

For me architecture is a moving target, continually evolving. When I started my career, I aspired for complexity. As I see more and more of things I design getting built, I find the most powerful elements of design are often in places other than where I thought. Sometimes it’s the moments of the project that I think least about that are strongest. I love drawings and I grew up studying the drawings of Frank Gehry, Frank Israel, Morphosis, and Eisenman. Some of my early work emerges from drawings that are more complex and layered. The building was a representation of a process of making through drawing. Now I see the drawing as a step toward creating space. I see the building as a representation of a certain number of social drivers that dictate the way people will use it.

On principles he strives to adhere to
There are a few that seem to emerge consistently. One emerges from the fact that most of our projects are public. In that environment every move typically needs to be defended against public scrutiny and value engineering. So we try to leverage the essential things to be more. We look for ways to consolidate our moves and find three or four ways to justify a choice we’ve made as a way to embed it so deeply in the project that it survives.

We also are very concerned about the diversity of publics that interface with our work. In a school for example, there are the wallflowers and the performers, the shy and the bold. There are those that will occupy the center of a courtyard and others that need a wall to lean against on the perimeter. Stairs with larger landings can be places to congregate, the width of corridors matters, etc. The work of Herman Hertzberger has been very influential in this regard. The ordinary can be made radical when it becomes increasingly layered with program, or considers the reality of the level of diversity that can accommodate.

On his role at NAC Architecture
I’m a Design Principal and Partner, so I support our projects through design and share responsibility for the general health of the office. As the firm has grown and our projects have grown in complexity, I find that my main role is to make room for others to design and to ensure we have a process and a culture that respects and values the role of design from concept through construction.

We are currently thinking about how innovation happens in our practice. I’m working to make sure that our culture can foster innovation. Design is an iterative process and, if we’re doing it right, it’s finding innovation all along the way. So we need a culture that allows for individual voices to join freely. We need a culture that stays flexible and allows for input from others in a collaborative process. But we need a culture that also recognizes strong ideas and a process that privileges conceptual goals.

We have just designed and moved into a new space which has reinforced the aspirations we had for how we want to work. It is a space that allows for individual work and multiple opportunities to come together and huddle, pin up, or charrette. The work is very visible and allows other teams to pick up on ideas that are being developed on other projects.

It all starts, though, with the people in our team. I am involved in hiring and it all starts with the conversation we have in an interview. For us, it’s not a just a job. We believe in the value of the work to a broader community. I feel like great things happen when we can get a group of people together with talent, but more importantly a will to push in the same direction.

On recent projects that represent the firm’s unique approach
It’s not always the same for every project. But I would say that our work aspires to be radical in its pragmatism. I feel that it’s a very logical approach that is simultaneously hyper-opportunistic. When the criteria of a project are established, something as mundane as drainage patterns of stormwater, placement of underground utilities, or learning modalities of different age students can be a design driver. The challenge is to then let these criteria affect the project directly and purely without a filter of what we “like.” I’m more interested in a project that leverages the opportunity to create something new because of the uniqueness of the conditions on the project.

At Los Angeles City College it was underground electrical that challenged us to change the shape of a bridge which connected two existing buildings to a new elevator. Accessibility codes mandated that the bridge was covered to provide equal access under cover. As a result, we let this criteria impact the project through deforming a box truss structure. What started as a more utilitarian element to the project became the central focus, created a more dynamic student gathering space on the campus, and established a new northern gateway.

At Playa Vista Elementary School we had an incredibly tight site to fit a 560 student school and very precise requirements for outdoor play space. The only way to fit the project was to snake a line of classrooms around the site, overlapping building code setbacks and limits on what could be counted as play space.

Working with the Los Angeles Unified School District, we also evolved a very strong sustainability program leveraging the domino effect of a number of unique criteria. The site’s visibility from above supported the removal of rooftop equipment. Water source heat pumps enabled consideration of a geothermal heat exchange for heating and cooling. With more room for solar, we upped our goal for energy generation. In the end we pushed for solar to be visible to students through bifacial panels which also acted as corridor canopies.

I could go on. All of our projects have some story about a seemingly inconsequential nugget of criteria that is allowed to have an impact. Sometimes we as architects try to restore order so quickly that we erase the things that sponsor difference. Our approach is to let the messiness exist for a while, be comfortable with that, and force ourselves to respond to it in with design thinking.

On his design toolkit
Our approach is not so dependent on there being a highly regulated system of tools. That being said I do believe that the choice of tools impacts the design. So I prefer to start with the tool that is least predictive of results. So sketching and sketch models tend to be first. When we move into digital production which is happening earlier and earlier, I prefer to work with Rhino and Grasshopper. It is the most flexible platform for the work we are doing and the most able to transition to Revit which we use for production.

On the state of design software today
It’s a tug of war. The software companies want to put more and more convenience in front of us and make it easier to do certain things. At the same time, I’m wary of things that get too easy and encourage us to get lazy and not think about certain things. I see this in my students. They can produce a lot of material to pin up on the wall, by slicing a model in a bunch of different directions, but did they think about it? As we enable standardization of wall-types, for example, it becomes easier to reuse building elements. I’m not against finding certain economies in the way we work…but I want us to be critical of the economies we are using.

On the future of architecture in the next 5–10 years
The first question, is ‘how is the world changing?’ and ‘how is our industry going to adapt?’ I tend to approach practice as a political and social act. We have a responsibility to leverage our skills, experience, and voice to make an impact. Income inequality sponsors a greater spread of poverty, the global food system creates voids where health food cannot reach, and it starts with inequity in education. And I didn’t even touch on the challenge of our limited natural resources and climate change. We need to flip ourselves on our heads and think about reinventing our profession. We need to build smarter. We need to think about how to address needs in society.

On the future of the firm in the next 5–10 years
We are looking for ways to make projects happen that don’t always have a big organization with well-established funding. I’ve been talking to some friends in economics, trying to find ways to zoom out and look at the way money moves and how projects can benefit. For example, we are doing a housing project in an area that might be resistant due to potential gentrification. But by zooming out, we realize that there are a few projects going on. Each pays for various small scale street-scape improvements. At the same time there’s a city project for other kinds of improvements. So we go to meet with the city to see if there’s a way to look at all the money that’s leaking in small ways and aggregate it and do something really beneficial for the community that uplifts the entire area.

On advice he would give himself 
To collapse life and work. I have found the most satisfaction in my career when I’ve been able to ensure that who I am as a person is well-represented in how I work. My career has expanded and evolved in response to my personal interests and world view. I was directing the Community Design Program at SCI-Arc for 10 years because I believed in architecture as a social act. I’ve brought that discourse into NAC. Currently, I’m active in the food movement, looking at how healthy food doesn’t get to disadvantaged parts of the city, so I’ve been looking at urban planning relative to health and wellness.

Going forward, I’m advising myself to think about broader systems, political structures, and financial structures, for example. I remember a lecture when I was a grad student at SCI-Arc, by Rients Djikstra, who spent the whole lecture on an overhead structure discussing and diagramming the structure of a civic client and city, which he posited as essential to the birth of his practice. I often think of that lecture as pretty radical. It keeps me studying systems thinking and how it applies to my practice.

My last piece of advice is just to make sure it’s fun. I feel very fortunate to be doing what I’m doing, with whom I’m doing it, and what we are accomplishing.

Design Manifestos: Celestia Carson of VCBO Architecture

Celestia Carson is a Principal at VCBO Architecture located in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is particularly skilled at facilitating the crucial interface among different user groups within a complex facility to ensure that their distinct identities are maintained within the development of a cohesive project. Celestia orchestrates the balance between technical disciplines and outstanding aesthetics throughout the planning, design and construction processes, ensuring that specific complex spaces are accurately detailed and built according to user needs and desires.

Many projects on which she has been involved have garnered national recognition and awards for design excellence. Celestia is also the Founder and President of Women in Architecture SLC. WIA SLC is a non-profit organization with the primary goal of gender parity in the field of architecture. Modelo spent some time learning about Celestia’s journey through the profession and about what continues to inspire her today.

On becoming an architect
I guess I would say architecture found me. When I started my freshman year at the University of Utah I didn’t know what I wanted to major in. I always enjoyed the sciences, math, problem solving and the arts. I took classes in all of these categories, but still without direction. Finally I had a friend tell me he thought I should try architecture. In my efforts to find out more about the architecture program I decided to go check out the department and the architecture building on campus. The first time I walked through the design studio and saw all of the amazing and engaging student projects I instantly knew this was the profession for me. As architects design is in our soul. Once it’s turned on there is no going back.

I won’t pretend that it isn’t a very tough and demanding profession, and at times a love/hate relationship. But, I just can’t imagine doing anything else.

On discovering her voice as a designer
I’ve been in the profession now for over fifteen years and I still feel like I’m developing my “voice” as a designer. Design is a never-ending exploration. Every project is different, every site is different and every client is different. As architects we must listen, observe, and analyze the working behaviors of our clients to best design a building for their unique needs. It’s an intimate and engaging process. I’m inspired and driven by the future inhabitants of my buildings.

On joining VCBO Architecture
I will be the first to admit I have been very fortunate in my career. The summer before my senior year of my masters program I took an independent study class arranged by one of my professors. The class entailed attending weekly design meetings for the Salt Lake Public Library project, designed by Moshe Safdie in collaboration with the local architecture firm of VCBO Architecture, and at the end of the semester I had to write a paper about the design process for that project. It was an incredibly eye opening experience. I like to jokingly say the principals at VCBO Architecture must have become quite accustomed to seeing me every week because at the end of the semester they offered me a job! It was never my intention to spend my career at one firm. I truly believe change is how we grow. But I found that the I have never had a reason to leave. VCBO Architecture is a large, prominent firm in our community, and we work in many market sectors: education, recreation, healthcare, business, etc. The work has always been incredibly engaging and I have been fortunate to work on great projects with incredible talent. I am frequently inspired by my peers.

On her role at VCBO Architecture
Over the course of my career I have primarily worked in education. Initially on K-12 projects then in the last ten years my primary focus has been higher education. It’s humorous to think back, I started my architecture career on elementary schools, then moved to junior high schools, then I was the project manager on a high school and finally graduated to university work. I can’t help but wonder what’s next? Hopefully not senior centers or mortuaries.

As a principal of VCBO Architecture I am in a great position to work directly with our clients, build long term relationships, but am still quite active in project management. Architecture is a team effort. I really enjoy working collaboratively with our clients, design staff, engineers and contractors toward a singular goal: a successful project.

On being the Founder and President of Women in Architecture SLC
About five years ago I came across an article outlining the statistics of women in the profession of architecture. Although I always knew it was a male dominated profession I didn’t realize until I read those statistics just how great the disparity was. What was really shocking to me was how our profession really struggles to retain women. Coming out of architecture school we make up nearly 50% of graduating classes, yet less than 20% get licensed and less than 10% of positions of leadership in firms are held by women. These are a rough description of the national statistics, our Utah statistics are much more discouraging. I was shocked! As a woman architect on the path to senior leadership I felt a great responsibility to turn the wheel in motion toward gender parity. With that conviction I enlisted a few of my architect girlfriends and we started Women In Architecture SLC.

I am humbled at the strides we have made in our community in just a few short years. Through the efforts of our Women In Architecture SLC we have strengthened our community of women architects, we have brought to the attention of our local firms the need for parity and we encourage women to stay in the profession. We have held numerous events including speed mentoring, panel discussions, and WIA curated PechaKucha nights. Annually we hold a design competition, one of my favorites being ProjectVEST, a design challenge to redesign the construction vest for women. We have also initiated a NCARB Lottery program in which we pay the NCARB exam fee for texting interns.

On her design toolkit
We are in a profession that relies on our ability to communicate. Architecture begins as an idea, we must communicate that idea to our clients, and then document that idea down to the precise details on how to execute it. There is no singular tool that works in all instances, at each step in the process, and for every project. I think we are so fortunate in this day and age to have so many tools in our toolkit when it comes to communicating our ideas: everything from virtual reality, to laser cut models, to 3D renderings, down to a simple hand sketch on a napkin. We should employ whatever tool best accomplishes the task.

On the state of design software today
I think it is simultaneously incredible and incredibly frustrating. The advances in software have changed everything about how we produce projects today. The complexity and level of detail in our drawings compared to twenty years ago is frankly astounding. Yet, it still has its limitations. I find it so frustrating when I’m redlining construction documents and I hear staff say that reason the “line prints that way” is because of the software.

On the future of the industry in the next 5–10 years
Well, as president of Women In Architecture SLC my hope is that the industry will become more diverse. As architects we have such a profound influence on our communities and our environment. I think we are really missing out by only having a small demographic of women and minorities influence our built environment. It’s exciting that in the last couple years there has really been a ground swell in our profession, and society in general, towards greater equality. I can’t wait to see what our profession looks like in ten years.

On advice she would give herself
Simply to be patient. Architects by nature are driven. I think it is important to remind ourselves from time to time to just be patient. It will come.

Design Manifestos: Tim Bosche of BSA LifeStructures

Tim Bosche is the Chief Design Officer at BSA LifeStructures, Inc. at the Saint Louis, Missouri office. He is a very adept and visual designer, and his specialty is in 3D modeling and communication. He fully understands the technical applications of integrating vision into stimulating architecture. Tim takes the aspirations and desires of a space and transforms them into a well thought-out, strategic vision for the project. He specializes in interior renovations, adapting existing spaces into new and better usage for Discovery, Healing and Learning Projects.

Tim uses an exploratory design process that focuses on identifying an organization’s goals. Those goals become the foundation for the project’s design. He works with clients to understand how the various components of design will impact the goals of the project. Modelo spent some time learning about Tim’s journey through the profession and about the collaborative design process at BSA LifeStructures.

On becoming an architect
From my earliest memories as a child, I had a strong interest in math and science. I was also captivated by art and music which brought out my creative side. I discovered the field of architecture as a profession that would provide me opportunities to explore while maintaining my love for problem-solving. The field of design has offered the best of both worlds to me, allowing me to create beautiful art through complex science.

On discovering his voice as a designer
The college environment provided a strong catalyst in developing my strengths in design. I graduated at a time when internet usage was growing and technology began to greatly impact our profession. After college, I quickly realized the power of the visualization skills I developed during my architecture studies. As I’ve grown in this profession, I’ve always been a visualization guy and an early adopter for the technology tools driving design. I recognized as a young professional that my role as a champion of visualization would connect me with important projects and clients, leveraging my value and developing my voice as a designer.

On joining BSA LifeStructures
I started my architectural career in smaller and medium-size firms. I saw an opportunity at BSA LifeStructures to bring my visualization skills to larger projects. BSA LifeStructures, as a multidisciplinary firm with focused markets, has provided opportunities for me to hone my skills within both the form and functional areas of design.

On the evolution of his role
I have always incorporated technology tools to enhance communication and engagement with clients. I find that larger design projects require a stronger focus on collaboration among design team members than smaller projects. With more consultants and stakeholders on larger projects, I’ve adopted some newer design communication tools that allow me to collaborate more efficiently and more effectively.

Technology, once tethered to the office, is now a mobile design tool. Our technology tools travel with us to design meetings, serving a vital role in the ways we engage and communicate with our clients.

On a recent project site, we incorporated an 86-inch display monitor and printer with dry erase boards. This design space served as an extension of our office…our mobile office. We set up a studio inside our client’s facility and were able to create virtual mockups onsite with 3D modeling. A rear projection screen was a key virtual feature, used to project headwalls for patient rooms and exam room spaces. Furniture was placed in front of the screen without casting any shadows. Clients and stakeholders interacted on-site with the design team, facilitating easy adjustments in the locations of furniture and equipment.

Technology allows us to focus on our process and the overall value we bring to design meetings. Clients now participate in our design process, which used to be more of a mysterious effort occurring away from them behind closed doors. We engage with our clients in a much more meaningful, transparent way with new tools of technology.

On principles he strives to adhere to
The foundation of my design approach is rooted in our mission statement at BSA LifeStructures: “creating inspired solutions that improve lives.” We take a lot of pride in our mission. It’s important that we always keep improving and pushing the envelope to better serve our clients. Our firm has developed long-standing relationships with clients for decades. As our relationships with clients evolve, so do the tools that we use to develop solutions for them. Technology has had a phenomenal impact on the way we provide for our clients.

On his role at BSA LifeStructures
I’m the Chief Design Officer for BSA Lifestructures. My job is to focus on design leadership as we push forward new ideas and solutions. Consistency of design practice and culture is a vital aspect of my role, especially across our multiple offices. Our mission is achieved when an excellent, collaborative design process provides inspired solutions for our clients. My role is to ensure we maximize our efforts and incorporate the new tools of design and innovation effectively.

On recent projects that represent the firm’s unique approach
Our firm focuses primarily on three markets: healing, learning and discovery. Projects in these areas have complex needs and highly technical requirements. Such demanding work benefits from a comprehensive, full-service approach. I feel fortunate to be at a firm with such a deep bench of talented professionals as my colleagues. At BSA LifeStructures, architects, facility planners, engineers, laboratory planners, interior designers, operational planners and equipment planners collaborate on delivering complex solutions for our clients.

Operational planners, who are registered nurses, serve as important translators of design in our healthcare projects. These planners have walked our clients’ walk and are thought leaders who stay engaged with the evolving changes in the healthcare industry. Our clients have limited resources available, so every dollar must be maximized. Operational planners are a critical component of our healthcare design process through understanding and incorporating operational best practices in design. Healthcare facilities and spaces benefit greatly from incorporating improved processes and functionality.

On his design toolkit
We use many different technology tools to develop solutions. You wouldn’t build a house with only a hammer. Our design approach is more than a collection of individual tools. It’s how those tools coordinate with each other and how the design team capitalizes on the strength of those tools.

When we first started with CAD drafting, we always drew two parallel lines and called it a wall, much like when we were hand drafting for a wall. Now 3D modeling is essential to the design process. It’s been rewarding to watch the development of BIM technology. We’re no longer drawing two parallel lines that represent a wall. Now, we draw virtual walls that shape space and contain embedded information. Our tools allow us to more effectively communicate that space and how it looks to our clients in real time. Offering our clients the ability to truly understand spaces before construction begins is a powerful advantage, resulting in better informed decisions by clients at the proper time during design.

As architects, we look at plans and visualizations on a daily basis. But our clients don’t necessarily understand these plans. The design tools we use, and more importantly how we use them, are critical to helping our clients understand the space and our design intent. In my world, a “LifeStructure” is not truly beautiful or effective without an understanding and realization of its function.

On the state of design software today
I’m excited now more than ever. We used to spend so much time tethered to the way we used to draw and how we used the computer to simulate the hand. Now that most designers have adopted a BIM approach and are more familiar and comfortable with the process, we’re seeing new ideas and smarter design.

About ten years ago, we relied solely on visualization experts in order to produce one rendering for a project. With the growth of visual technology, there’s been a new, more artistic style emerging from documents. Now almost every member of our design team is capable of producing powerful renderings that tell an understandable story to our clients. It’s empowering.

On the future of architecture in the next 5–10 years
The reshaping of the design process through technology requires all of us to collaborate more closely — architects, engineers and construction managers. Smart clients are requiring their design and construction consultants to collaborate at all levels. Change is rapid in our industry and we all need to successfully execute our design process in this fluid environment.

Sometimes it’s the owners who have adopted a software program for tracking construction changes during the CA process. Sometimes it’s the contractor that has a preferred software program. It’s fine that everyone’s a little different, but ultimately we need something more universal. Everyone wants to tighten their process, but if we get too rigid internally we won’t be able to work with others. You have to be adaptable on every project.

The demand for comprehensive use of BIM is growing. We’re seeing more sophisticated solutions from smarter design. Clients are requesting greater value from BIM models. Currently, BIM models provide documents for the contractor to build. Owners should be able to own that model ultimately for facility management purposes. Our usage of BIM needs to increase to provide greater value-added solutions for clients and owners.

On the future of BSA Lifestructures in the next 5–10 years
We’re placing greater emphasis on being strategic. We recently expanded our firm’s leadership circle to include people focused on futuristic thinking and innovation. We’re growing by adding offices and services, always looking to provide greater value and design to better serve our clients.

On advice he would give his younger self
Stay the course. Don’t be afraid of change and instead embrace it. When I first started, people would question some of the things I did. They thought my approach was much more difficult than the old-fashioned way.

Twenty years later, a lot of the same things I attempted back then have evolved and become commonplace. Technology has facilitated the efforts I undertook years ago. It’s almost like I’m at a point now where my contemporaries and I are being rewarded for our efforts. Many designers have shied away from the computer or technology, but I’m happy to say it will continue to shape and guide my approach to design.

Successful projects require strong collaboration, teaming, and managed strengths. They are rarely the result of one person’s effort. Connect and learn from others around you. Surround yourself with talented people, understand their strengths and develop a work ethic that can thrive in a collaborative environment.

Design Manifestos: John Osborne of Frankfurt-Short-Bruza Associates

With nearly 30 years’ experience in design, FSB principal John Osborne is charged with supervising the company’s corporate market. John’s experience includes the design and supervision of a wide range of projects, encompassing everything from award-winning military facilities, to new corporate headquarters, to a new municipal public safety center. His ability to facilitate the design process and bring all project stakeholders to a unified consensus continues to play a key role in the success of FSB.

John graduated from Oklahoma State University’s prestigious architecture program in 1991. He is licensed in Oklahoma in both architecture and interior design. John has also served for several years as board member and past president of the AIA’s Central Oklahoma Chapter, a member of NCARB and is a LEED Accredited Professional. He serves on the Oklahoma State Art in Public Places Oversight Committee and other metro area civic committees and is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City. Modelo spent some time learning about John’s journey through the profession and about his current role at FSB.

On becoming an architect
I grew up in the construction industry. My dad has been a general contractor in California all of my life. I started working with him at age twelve, and quickly realized the tremendous satisfaction of creating and building something that was structurally sound, served a purpose and looked good (Firmitas, Utilitas, Venustas). I then took my first architecture class in 9th grade and I was hooked ever since.

On discovering his voice as a designer 
I attended Oklahoma State University — School of Architecture from 1986–1991. We were then considered one of the top 3 architectural design schools in the country (based on national and international design competition results). It was there that I discovered what conceptual architectural design is about. Competing well in design competitions became my goal and, though others were likely more talented, I was fortunate enough to win several awards including the AIA School Gold Medal (“Top Ranked Graduate”).

In addition to some amazing faculty like John Bryant, Bob Heatly, Bob Wright and Jim Knight, I had other influences such as Frank Lloyd Wright and LeCorbusier that come to mind — it was their brilliant interpretations of creative problem solving which probably influenced/inspired my approach to design the most. To truly allow form to follow function, respect the site/context and to use light intentionally are always good design goals.

On joining Frankfurt-Short-Bruza Associates 
I first joined FSB in the summer of 1990. At that time, we had a great but small staff of 50 or 60 architects and engineers. But I could tell that the leadership was solid and they understood client-centered, quality-focused design. Today, we have around 150 employees, and the understanding has not waivered — which is evidenced by some client relationships that have spanned five decades.

My approach to design has evolved somewhat over the last 26 years. I have learned to place a higher value on pleasing the client than satisfying my own design passions. I pride myself on finding cost-effective, functional solutions that enhance operations, satisfy design objectives and contribute aesthetically to our built environment.

On specific principles he strives to adhere to
1. Be a team player — Recognize that each employee/project member has different strengths and weaknesses and work accordingly. Embrace and seek design critiques from others and offer the same. Appreciate the value in others’ opinions/contributions.

2. Be quality-focused — You are primarily known by the work that you do! Focus on providing the best quality design, documentation and client services possible. Obviously, profitability is important, but I believe architecture firms have to choose what is going to be their “hedgehog concept” (great book by the way). I believe success will follow quality-driven firms, and conversely, failure will follow profit-driven greed.

3. Exceed clients’ expectations — It seems this used to be much easier. Clients’ expectations are being raised every year — in part, due to what I consider to be an improving standard of quality that architecture firms are required to produce to remain competitive. However, it is still my goal on every project to under-promise and over-deliver.

4. Do what makes sense — Worry less about short term personal goals or priorities, and ask yourself what is best for the project/client/firm. Sometimes this means working outside of your precise job description to help others in need. Don’t get caught up in fear-driven self-promotion.

These simple tenets apply to most all facets of business life, but can sometimes easily be overlooked.

On his role at Frankfurt-Short-Bruza Associates
I am currently principal in charge of the Corporate Market Sector, meaning I’m responsible for bringing in corporate projects. However, for 15 years prior to last year, I was FSB’s Director of the Design Department which included design architects and interior designers. Occasionally, I am asked to participate in design charrettes or offer critiques, which I am more than happy to do. I think architectural principals need to stay involved with projects and the design process to remain informed and relevant. Plus, no potential client wants to talk to a salesman — they might however listen to what unique challenges you solved on this project or that, and how that is relevant to their needs.

On recent projects that represent the firm’s unique approach 
Our firm’s approach to design is consistent. We have several market sectors that we work in, but each project begins the same. First, develop a very good understanding of the client’s priorities, values, and objectives for the project. From there, the conceptual development of the design will be built upon a solid foundation. One unique thing that really helps our design process is having all in-house architects, interior designers, landscape architects, and engineers (structural/mechanical/electrical/fire protection/civil) in very close proximity (top 2 floors of the same building).

Some recent/current projects from our Native American, Civic and Federal market sectors:

1. Choctaw Nation Headquarters Complex: Under the leadership of fellow Principal, Jason Holuby AIA, this exciting project includes several new buildings on a 125 acre campus in Durant, OK. The buildings house services ranging from social services to healthcare to a 500,000 square feet administrative headquarters building. The Choctaw Nation leaders and members feel the resultant design is a successful reflection of their values, priorities and culture.

2. State Capitol Renovation: This project led by Principal Fred Schmidt, FAIA involves the preservation, restoration and rehabilitation of the historic fabric of the 400,000 square feet state capitol building in Oklahoma City, OK. Accessibility, security, life safety and other functional enhancements are part of the approximately $160,000,000 interior renovation — all of which fully respect the original design intent of this 100 year old structure designed by Solomon Andrew Layton.

3. Aircraft Hangar at Naval Air Station North Island, Coronado Island: This project began with a large meeting with the design team and the Installation Commander. He clearly challenged FSB to develop a facility design that transcends its utilitarian purpose of helicopter hangar, and to create a building that is a “celebration of the birthplace of Naval aviation”. In response, I worked with our structural engineer and current Federal Market Principal, Gene Brown to arrive at a unique hangar design that met the challenge. The final design incorporates abstract aircraft references such as the airfoil shaped accent metal panel roofs over each of the three squadron airside entrances; and, aircraft tail/horizontal stabilizer references at each of the three landside entrances. This LEED Gold project was one of two hangar projects we did in San Diego, CA — the other was LEED Platinum.

On his design toolkit
Our firm uses the standard tools of the trade: Revit, Sketchup, 3D Studio/Viz and the Adobe graphics suite, etc. I, along with many others my age, have witnessed significant change in our industry with respect to tools. When I started, designs were communicated and studied through hand drawn graphics and hand built models. However, I would argue that the actual process of design has not really changed that much — only the tools that we use. The iterative non-linear process of conceptual design refinement has been aided by 3D software such as Sketchup and Revit. They may enable more options to be explored more quickly, but (one way or another) the exploration remains relevant and necessary for the design process.

On the state of design software today
The tools that we use are so powerful and the impressive results have led to increasingly higher expectations from our clients. Photorealistic renderings have become commonplace expectations even at SD or DD level design. We build databases now instead of chipboard models. I do believe that design is still design, and production is production. However, if the design tools that we use (like Revit) can more seamlessly apply to production efforts, that’s got to be good for the profession. The technology used in the architectural profession seems to be advancing exponentially. So, however one feels about the software used today will soon be irrelevant — tomorrow is sure to bring completely new software and/or hardware.

On the future of architecture in the next 5–10 years
It’s an exciting time to be an architect! The industry will likely only continue to implement more technologically advanced tools, but I expect the fundamental process of architectural design (creative problem solving) will likely remain as it has for hundreds of years.

On the future of the firm in the next 5–10 years
FSB has always been on the cutting edge of professional achievement and I expect that to continue. We hire great talent and implement mentorship, continuing education and professional development to stay current. We also try to demonstrate daily our guiding principles concerning character, teamwork, excellence and community.

On advice he would give his younger self
I was pretty fortunate in my career — I worked for only one other firm besides FSB and my own small practice for a short time. I was passionate about design and that carried me through a lot of challenges wherever I was. But, I suppose if I could talk to my younger self, I would encourage him to not worry about things out of his control. I would tell him to be passion/heart-driven, but to not get married before the age of 35.

To contact John via email: josborne@fsb-ae.com.

Design Manifestos: Melba Santos of MONOGRAM at BBGM

Melba Santos is a Senior Associate and MONOGRAM at BBGM Lead Interior Designer in Scottsdale, Arizona with more than 24 years of experience in all facets of interior design, including concept design, design development, contract documentation, FF&E and the planning and programming stages of a project.

Melba has an extensive background in hospitality, retail/mixed-use, convention centers, education and corporate sectors. She has a clear understanding of the administrative functionality of a hotel and the overall vision of how the pieces come together. Melba’s depth of experience, creative and collaborative nature and her strong sense of dedication to her clients’ needs will make her an asset on any project. Modelo spent some time learning about Melba’s journey through her career and about her current role.

On becoming a designer
As the daughter of a talented man who worked in the architectural field, art and design have always been a part of my life. My father introduced me to architecture growing up in Puerto Rico. I remember sitting by his drafting table and watching him use all of his drafting tools, which were so fascinating to me. It was the old way of developing design, the non-computerized approach, which I believe is still the best way to achieve unique, creative solutions today.

Over the years, my love of design grew and led me to the College of Architecture at the University of Florida, where I discovered the study of Interior Design. This field of study drew me in because it involved creating a balance of the macro level of the designed environment with the micro level which involves the details. I remember speaking to friends not in the field and realizing that I was embracing a very different way of thinking about the environment you live in and/or are surrounded by.

On discovering her voice as a designer
After graduating, I worked in the International Retail/ Restaurant Mixed-Use field and was lucky enough to be provided opportunities to explore creative problem solving in a team environment. It was this exchange of ideas that led me to pursue a collaborative environment that included continual mentorship from colleagues in Architecture and Interior Design.

From my broad exposure to design came a focus on the Hospitality and Restaurant industry, which I consider the time when I discovered my voice. I was hired by MONOGRAM (BBGM) because of my ability to “tell a story” through design and every story is different which keeps me challenged and energized. I understand that Hospitality and Restaurant design requires an all-encompassing approach as well as balance of technical and creative solutions to achieve a homogenous end result that can be appreciated by any given Brand, Client or Visitor.

Being a painter, the discovery of things beyond physical grasp has always intrigued me. I try to imagine who a guest will be before he/she leaves their home and what the experience will be like for them when they enter a space I have collaborated on.

As a designer, I find influence in anything that inspires me. Fashion for instance has been one, specifically Carolina Herrera. It’s inspiring to me how she not only uses an architectural approach to sculpting shape and form but also marries that with her sensitivity pattern, texture and color to create something elegant or playful.

On specific principles she strives to adhere to
Every single project has its own goal, but all have the same interest of getting to know the client and the environmental/cultural influence. Being a curious person by nature is part of what drives me to painting and knowing my subject. I use that curiosity to first explore the programming aspect of a project and producing a spatial diagram that will develop into a master plan. Planning is always the catalyst to what is to come and how the visitor will experience the space, ultimately creating a backdrop for the journey to come.

My passion is in the storytelling that captures the audience and makes the visitor relate to that story through the design. Clients are always looking for the next big idea and this continually brings opportunities for exploration and discovery of new technologies in design that weave through the story. The focal point that anchors my concept is pivotal when developing the design and it immediately introduces the story and creates a sense of place.

Creating custom details is essential to the design. They bring forward the cultural influence but must also be efficient, functional and balance with the aesthetic. You must get into the users mind and try to anticipate how that individual will be using the environment to direct some of this without making them feel limited. The outcome can be completely different by a simple 1” decision or less in a detail. You must know your subject and understand what it takes for that specific piece of the puzzle to be successful. The visitor today has so many tools available that they depend on that we are designing real lifestyles and every corner of the hotel or restaurant environment must reflect this.

On her role at MONOGRAM at BBGM
As Design Director I provide the direction for the design and work closely with the team to assure that the design principles are carried through. It is my focus to not only influence the designs we are working on today but also influence the continual growth on design quality and innovative approaches for MONOGRAM.

Clients are always stating how the team at MONOGRAM is such a unit, easy to work with and this is so very true. We listen to our clients, making design and the client’s goal the key to our success. We work on projects that sometimes involve other firms and it is important that we bring forward the best design with a team approach to influence the projects in an unexpected and successful way.

On specific projects that represent the firm’s unique approach

PASEA RESORT & SPA

Planning

• The strategic layout of the guestroom provide and immediate visual connection to the Surf City scene. As soon as you enter the contemporary beach foyer the space becomes a memorable and inspirational. A direct visual connection to the outdoor beach scene is achieved by: the strategically placed sliding barn door at the shower that provides an open outdoor feel and view of the ocean; linear ceiling planes that create and axis and guides you visually to the expansive beach view; furniture layouts that provides options and varied vanish points to experience the indoor/ outdoor connection.

Artwork

• The large scale headboard artwork is the focal point of the guestroom and tells the story, layering water and the Surf City scene in a soft and soothing manner. The impact on the scale of the art and soothing colors create an immediate link to the locality.

Balance through details

• Each guest room shows sensitivity in the details as the visitor would have in their own beach home when arriving into the foyer. The details provide convenience to the visitor but are subtle enough that they enhance the design and provide the layer of luxury.

TORO

Creating a lifestyle

• A space created for the casual and upbeat lifestyle of a golfer. The ‘Rum Locker’ zone becomes the focal point and place where the visitor gathers. The impactful feature wall immediately tells the story of the large Rum collection available and introduces the restaurant casual feel.

Sculpting and Art

• Architecturally bringing details of texture in the wood layering and the use of the metal panels makes the space feel balance and provides a sense of place that recalls the AZ desert. This is where the balance and artistic viewpoint takes places in strategically placing the patterns/textures to guide your through the space and outline each experience the visitor can be part of; the living room with a fireplace, the bar area, the food display area or dining area with an expansive view of the golf course and desert hills beyond.

MARRIOTT SPECTRUM

Sculpting and Art

• Sculpting the space is directly correlated to the way the visitor will experience it’s every move and transitions from space to space. Strategic ways of guiding the visitor takes places as soon as you enter the lobby by the addition of the linear art which takes you to the elegant Greatroom and elevator areas.
• At the MClub you are greeted by the story of the 4 Bison’s, well known to Irvine, in a playful and contemporary approach of a sculptural wall feature. The contemporary bison sculptures are on a backdrop of rustic wood planks, merging the old with the new.

Fashion

• The use of geometric Ralph Lauren type patterns on the fabrics, rich leather textures and use of rich tones become the accessory in the space that make it approachable and comfortable.
• It is about the journey from the Canyon to the Water’s edge. Each pattern and textural layer recalls the past and moves into the present with a contemporary approach to the design. It is the dichotomy on the materials that brings interest; warm wood, cold steel panels, the use of modern glass and rich leather details. Rustic wood/steel panels that recall the barns in the Irvine Canyon, as well as the playful rope chandelier / or modern glass bell shaped pendants with leather straps at the reception and colorful reflective water rugs tell the story of the growth of Irvine.

Technology

• We create an extension of the lifestyle of the visitor by providing convenience outlets on multiple seating area types, including outdoor connection that become extension of the indoor and still provide the same convenience.
• A custom beverage/bar area with wine and beer dispensers provide access to the visitor and gives that layer of exclusivity and luxury.
• Lighting technology plays a big part of highlighting the materials in a more integrated way. The Architectural columns are highlighted with an integrated recessed linear light, accentuating the height and volume of the space.
• Large 5’-0” long porcelain tiles are used at the lobby flooring. Tile manufacturers produce more tile options when it comes to sizes and shapes that allows for a contemporary look with a more simple and luxurious approach.

On her design toolkit
Like many companies, digital resources are part of how we work today; Revit, AutoCAD, Photoshop, InDesign, Bluebeam, etc. But I still believe in also using hand sketching to communicate with your clients. It is important to be able to be interactive and get the client involved.

As a firm we have learned through the years what works and the digital tools are an aid to examine, understand and visualize the design. But our experience in hospitality and past built projects are used to understand truly what the outcome will be and whether it will be successful. We continually work closely with manufacturers to learn the new technology, materials and innovative tools available that can influence the design and bring it to the future in hospitality. With the hotel brands and branded residences continually evolving, it is important to know the latest trends and what the future in technology is before it is even available in the market.

On the state of design software today
One of the ways we do communicate is with realistic renderings, these is a very successful tool to sell the design. We once had a client so surprised that he asked if we had built the space. We do have clients that prefer the hand sketch type renderings and we have also gone this route, It is always what best fits the project. Our toolkit is adaptable and it is the process and strategy that we follow that best fits the specific project.

On the future of architecture in the next 5–10 years
As we see brands evolving and introducing desired solutions for incorporating technology into the design environment, there is a place for continued innovation in creating the built environment. Technology influence not only where we plug in but the textiles we use or the materials we create with. Technology based Form and function are very much linked in the hospitality design industry.

Hospitality is truly connected to how people live their daily lives. Our designs are a direct reflection of that individual’s lifestyle, which is directly correlated to how he/she will use the hotel or residential amenities. We already see brands evolving into this technology driven environment that accommodates the user but we will continue to see even further development in lifestyle; creating balance through the influence of health/fitness and social connection in the environment we design.

On the future of the firm in the next 5–10 years
Our design approach is continually evolving, design is not a static field, and it is influenced by so many environmental factors. We will continue to understand our user and how the hospitality environment becomes an extension of our lives. Design of Spaces are becoming more complex and we create environments that balance the need for the new, such as technology, but feel warm and comfortable for the user.

On advice she would give herself
Collaboration is so critical to your growth, this is a field that gathers so many disciplines. Always surround yourself with knowledgeable and experienced individuals that will influence and challenge you to grow and further your design abilities.

I am a great believer in mentorship and how it can influence every aspect of your life. In design, mentorship can influence the path you choose in your career, whether it is in a business aspect, design growth exploration or whatever field in Architecture you decide to pursue. It is so important to gather information from experienced colleagues and gain knowledge and perspective of the goals you want to achieve.

Pursue the field that you enjoy and excel in, but understand and be well rounded in all other aspects of that field.

Design Manifestos: Matthew Gamache of Valerio Dewalt Train

Since joining Valerio Dewalt Train in Chicago, Illinois in 2007, Matthew Gamache has led visualization efforts and contributed to project conceptualization, schematic and design development. He has been assigned to some of the firm’s most significant projects, including the recently completed Rita Atkinson Residences at the University of California-San Diego and 220,000 SF of new construction at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. Most recently, he helped design and project manage Juniper Networks’ New Jersey Innovation Center, a collaborative tech venue for Juniper and its East Coast partners and clients. Modelo spent some time learning about Matthew’s journey through the profession and about the generalist culture of the firm.

On becoming an architect
I grew up in rural Minnesota, experiencing mostly vernacular architecture. By age eight or nine my parents took me to Marcel Breuer’s college chapel and campus at Saint John’s University in a remote part of the state. It was at Saint John’s that I first understood the possibilities of architecture. I saw the skill and beauty that Breuer brought to the landscape. His structurally heroic Alcuin Library, his sensually pleated abbey church, and the visionary bell tower that is more mast or ship’s sail billowing over the wooded hills.

On discovering his voice as a designer
Finding Breuer was the beginning of an ongoing obsession with architecture. I’m captivated by beautiful and compelling spaces and constantly inspired by the architecture of my adopted city: Mies, Goldberg, and Sullivan; Inland Steel; Lake Point Tower, Millennium Park and the Lakefront. Chicago is my home, a place where you can still fantasize about impossible futures for the great prairie by the Lake.

On joining Valerio Dewalt Train
During grad school, I spent a weekend in Chicago and knew this is where I wanted to start my career. I flew to the City and interviewed at multiple offices. There was a lot of interesting work in town, but most of the offices were dreary. Everything was different at Valerio Dewalt Train. There was energy and excitement and bravery. The office was working on an installation at the Art Institute (something about the ambiguity of space), a high-end Michigan Avenue Flagship (with an amorphous wood wall), and a high rise apartment building in the South Loop. The work was diverse and interesting and, well, ambiguous and amorphous. After my interview I was told that I would spend two years working alongside Joe Valerio. Whatever he was sketching, I would be modeling.

My first two years (and the six more that followed) have been engaging and transformative. I’ve touched a hundred projects or more. In that time, I learned the ancient lessons of architecture: geometry, illusion, curiosity, and experimentation. I’ve also become better at listening to our clients and solving the “difficult whole.”

On specific principles he strives to adhere to
Valerio Dewalt Train is strongly focused on research. Our in-house brainstorming sessions usually include someone saying: “How do you know what you think you know?!” To which we go back and listen and research and study and experiment and posit all over again. It is an iterative process of learning and relearning, and sometimes unlearning. It is good design.

On his role at Valerio Dewalt Train
Valerio Dewalt Train has a generalist culture. This culture encourages each person in the firm to work at all scales and phases of a project. This is the breadth and diversity that makes architecture insatiable and forms an architect that is both curious and well-rounded. For this reason I hesitate to identify a specific role in the office. However, if pressed, over the last couple of years I’ve been leading the visualization efforts in the office. I’ve been working to improve the quality of concept drawings and renderings and studying ways to improve digital workflow.

On recent projects that represent the firm’s unique approach
There are no preconceptions of what anything should be. We start each project the same way: What don’t we know and how do we begin to know it? I spent two years working on a large expansion of the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. When we were initially hired, no one knew what the end deliverable would be. We spent a full year listening and studying, immersing ourselves in classes at the school, and traveling the country in search of best practices.

Another recent project for a large Silicon Valley tech company was similarly speculative. We were asked to reimagine workspace and were encouraged to be gutsy. The client’s unconventional approach allowed plenty of room to explore a range of ideas. We enjoy and excel at this sort of iterative, inquisitive, and experimental work. The project reminded us that the built-environment needs curious and tenacious design thinking.

On his design toolkit
I always start with pen and trace paper. It is facile and iterative. Once an idea begins to form and the idea is tested against our research and tested against other smart people (office collaboration), I generally move to digital modeling software. This allows me to scale accurately and study the idea from other vantages. Sometimes the 3D software reveals exciting surprises latent in the design idea. Sometimes the 3D software reveals how terrible the idea really is.

On the state of design software today
Design software is both stunning and frustrating. When I began my architectural training (about 15 years ago), design software felt like it was made for a different industry. It wasn’t intuitive or ‘designer-ly’. We took the software at hand and misused it, abused it, co-opted it for our own purposes. Today, design software is sophisticated and highly tuned to the profession. Its capacity to expand the possibilities are stunning, but we’ve all spent late nights wondering why we have been shackled to someone else’s obstinate script. Fortunately, I haven’t lost my willingness to misuse, abuse, and co-opt.

On the future of architecture in the next 5–10 years
Architecture is often a product of its time. Its normative is to react to what is happening in culture and technology and industry. But in its best moments architecture is more. In its best moments, it critiques the present and anticipates the future. It is forward leaning and forward leading.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about the profession’s current reflex to solve our planet’s environmental crisis (an extremely important concern). However, we also need to pair our sustainability concerns with the social concerns. We’ve seen the rise of social and income inequality bringing a culture of polarization and isolation and segregation. We need to disrupt the paradigm. Bring design-thinking and design solutions out of expensive, privileged institutions to the streets of Chicago. We should anticipate a future where design-thinking is pervasive in our culture.

How do I think industry will change over the next 5–10 years? I think most people would respond to this question by reflecting on technology. But technology is always changing, and if something is always changing, isn’t that its status quo? To me the real change we should hope in our industry is the outflow of design knowledge and design thinking. Design has the power to imagine better futures, and impossible (?) trajectories. Not only for the built environment, but also for our polarized politics, for our public policy challenges, for disenfranchised minority and immigrant communities, for our segregated cities…

On the future of the firm in the next 5–10 years
A few years ago we studied the Future of the Workplace. Then we studied The Future of Learning and The Future of Pleasure. Currently, our UW-Milwaukee summer interns are helping us consolidate that research into the The Future of the Future.

On advice he would give himself
I would tell myself to step confidently into the profession. I spent a lot of time in college wondering if architecture was truly as broad and exciting as I imagined. (An internship in college led me to believe the only thing after school was door hardware scheduling). In truth, this profession is intoxicating. It is research and exploration and experimentation. It is sketches and digital modeling, diagramming and storytelling. It is more than I could imagine then, and more than I can imagine now.

Design Manifestos: Ma Yansong of MAD Architects

Beijing-born architect Ma Yansong is recognized as an important voice in the new generation of architects. He is the first Chinese architect to win an overseas landmark-building project. As the Founder and Principal of MAD Architects, Ma leads design across various scales. In recent years, many of Ma’s designs follow his conception of the “Shanshui City”, which is his vision to create a new balance among society, the city and the environment through new forms of architecture.

Since designing the “Floating Island” in 2002, Ma has been exploring this idea through an international practice. In 2014, Ma was selected as the principal designer for Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Chicago, which made him the first Chinese architect to design overseas culture landmark. Parallel to his design practice, he has also been exploring with the public the cultural values of cities and architecture through domestic and international solo exhibitions, publications and art works. Modelo spent some time learning about Ma’s design philosophy, journey through the profession and starting his own firm.

On becoming an architect
In the beginning, I wanted to become a filmmaker. When I applied to the film program, a professor at my school alternatively recommended that I study architecture, so I went into architecture instead of studying film.

On discovering his voice as a designer
Early on, I looked at many images from my generation. I read stories and was interested in the idea of narrative storytelling. When I started university, I didn’t know much about architecture so I flipped through a lot of magazines, looking at different and exciting images from all over the world. I thought that architecture could be interesting. It was clear that various people were doing different things during those times and it seemed there was no clear answer to what was right or wrong in architecture. Ultimately, the artistic part of architecture has always interested me.

On starting MAD Architects
I went to London and worked with Zaha Hadid on competitions in China. She was also my professor in school. After one year, I decided to do competitions on my own. I discovered many challenges and problems in my hometown and in that moment I decided to start my own firm.

On specific principles that he strives to adhere to
From the beginning I thought of architecture as a form of art and culture — this was one of reasons why I worked with Zaha Hadid because she introduced me to contemporary art. Early in my career, I tried to bring an artistic feeling to architecture. That’s really the intent and impression of what I think about: context, space, shapes, and landscape.

Now, our practice is almost twelve years old, and we’ve since discovered our design philosophy is about connecting to the landscape and nature with architecture. We call this “Shanshui City,” after the classical Chinese aesthetics. It’s also a nod to Chinese scientist Qian Xuesen, who first suggested this notion of a “Shanshui” city. It’s something that goes against modern architecture and it challenges the utility of modernism, which is now a mainstream idea.

We want to connect architecture to nature and create very emotional and spiritual spaces for everyday life.

On his role at MAD Architects
I’m in charge of design, and MAD remains focused on who we are as we continue to grow globally. I consider myself very sensitive to art and culture, and I want to make architecture connected to emotions and feelings. That never changes.

On recent projects that represent the firm’s unique approach
We just completed the Harbin Opera House last fall in China. We had been working on that project for the past six years. In the beginning, we wanted to blend the architecture into the surrounding landscape of Harbin, which is a very unique place and climate. We treated the architecture as part of the wetlands. It’s a place that the public can enjoy, from ice-fishermen to ticket holders, because everyone has access to nature and parks surrounding the opera house.

Recently, we have started several new projects outside of China. Right now we have a residential, mixed-use project in Beverly Hills, California that is currently under construction. This project also considers the local context in its architectural form. It looks like a village on a hill, and at the center is a garden courtyard for the residents.

We also just started construction on another residential project in Paris, called UNIC, which faces Martin Luther King Park and is part of a large masterplan in the 17th arrondissement. When we designed UNIC, we worked very closely with the local government and neighborhood to understand the context and the site. The project shares a podium with a social-housing building, which means we wanted UNIC to be subtle in its design, its materials and shared spaces. The podium contains a new metro stop along with a kindergarten, amenities that are not solely exclusive to UNIC, but also to the community. Each floor plate in this project is slightly different and these differences create spaces that feel more organic, more natural.

We’re also going to finish several high rise buildings this year and early next year, such as Chaoyang Park Plaza and Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center. Both projects are urban, mixed-use complexes that capture our Shanshui City philosophy and challenge the concept of typical, modern developments.

Since setting up an office in Los Angeles, we have gradually been working on more projects in the States, including the Lucas Museum. In our approach for each project we constantly ask, ‘How do you bring modern architecture into the future and connect humans with nature?’

On his design toolkit
In terms of process, I still sketch a lot. I think that’s an effective way to express my feelings. Somehow, I try to make the transformation from my brain, and my feelings, to the physical space more directly. I see buildings as space, and there has to be a human feeling tied to that space — it should be very emotional. Sketching is very important, but we also use all the same software that other offices are using these days. We mainly use software because I want the construction to be more accurate and more honest to what I sketch. I don’t use tools to create things, but I use them to realize things.

On the future of architecture in the next 5–10 years
Architecture should be more relaxed. It should be more about human life. If we’re talking about larger issues, architecture talks too much about capitalism, power, and technology. Everything can control our world. Humans create things and then are disappointed with them. We should trust our own feelings and emotions more. We should make them a priority. Imagine somebody wants to create a city in the first place, they imagine these three things: capitalism, power, and technology. The imagination, the dream, and all their beautiful qualities should be prioritized. We should never sacrifice them.

If we imagine a better environment, it must be very beautiful, natural, and human. I think architecture will eventually go in this direction. The younger generation is already realizing it! They’re more demanding of humanity and democracy. In my recent book, Shanshui City, I expressed that in the past, architecture was historically concerned with religion. In modern times, architecture has been about capitalism and power. The future of architecture should then be about humans and nature.

I hope it’s somewhat less professional. You see so many specialists and they don’t understand each other. It’s hard for them to understand the rare beauty in the world, it’s not about individual principles. For example, if we go to a classic garden, we are influenced and find inspiration. There’s a strong cultural philosophy understood by all about nature, and the thought put into the garden’s creation and realization.

Today, we’re not building truly cultural venues and we’re not building things that can connect to people’s emotions, because every profession is treated as a skill and tasked specifically on a project. In education, it’s too clear what one professional can do. In the future, this distinction should be more blurred, it should be about a cross-disciplinary approach that is open to other fields. Everyone in architecture knows that it’s about people and experience.

On the future of MAD Architects in the next 5–10 years
I see the Shanshui City book as a manifesto on architecture and a guide for the next chapter of MAD. Architects should consider a new ideal for a city of the future. We should gradually construct an urban environment that retains the convenience of the modern city, yet demonstrates an affinity for nature. This design ethos will continue to be present in my work.

Also, these days, I’ve been thinking more about making movies — mostly because they have a fantasy element and can tell a story. This narrative quality could potentially affect our physical reality and how people think or behave in everyday life. Architecture does similar things as films, in that architects imagine an ideal world, and then turn that vision into a reality people can experience and interact with architecture or understand space in a new way. We have a lot of discussions and debates with cultural figures on the future of architecture in this context. I believe that’s our plan, to make architecture part of the larger culture, accessible for everyone.

On advice he would give his younger self
I always give one suggestion: trust yourself — or rather, be yourself. The experience is something you can never escape from and you have to go through every step to discover that for yourself.