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In this issue, the spotlight is on Lamar Hunt and his sons Clark and Dan. The family has been a tremendous supporter of national sports and contributor to the Dallas community. We have also included a variety of feature articles including the new urbanist Walker Creek Elementary School in North Richland Hills; the opening of the hip W Dallas Victory Hotel & Residences; and the transformation of Solana for First American Corporation. Sincerely,
Citation preview
It’s hard to believe that this is our fifth issue of INNOVATE magazine. The magazine has been a great wayto share design industry information and focus on our clients’ projects.
In this issue, the spotlight is on Lamar Hunt and his sons Clark and Dan. The family has been a tremendoussupporter of national sports and contributor to the Dallas community. We have also included a variety offeature articles including the new urbanist Walker Creek Elementary School in North Richland Hills; theopening of the hip W Dallas Victory Hotel & Residences; and the transformation of Solana for FirstAmerican Corporation.
A second focus of this issue is on healthcare. We take a look at designs that enhance the entire healthcareexperience for patients, physicians, staff, and visitors – specifically Clarian West Medical Center. AlGatmaitan, FACHE, president and CEO of Clarian West Medical Center and Norman Morgan, AIA, principal at HKS teamed to write this in-depth article focused on the hospital’s success regarding staff andpatient satisfaction, safety, and infection control. George Mann, Texas A&M University professor, and Iworked together to write an article that hints at what an architectural office might look like in 2020.
Please enjoy this issue of INNOVATE. Thanks again to all of our consultants and contractor friends formaking this possible. We value our strong relationships with you.
Sincerely,
H. Ralph Hawkins, FAIA, FACHAPresident and CEO
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DEARREADERS
FALL/WINTER
2006
credits EDITORIAL HKS Communications; DESIGN HKS GrafxLab; PHOTO cover: HKS, Inc.; pg. 1: HKS,Inc.; pg. 4: cover of magazine: bdWorld Architecture; photo of Eddie Abeyta - HKS, Inc.; photo of students - Texas A&MUniversity; pg. 5: Edinburg Childrens Hospital - Ed LaCasse; photo of Ralph Hawkins - Jane Day Loter, Dallas/Fort WorthConstruction News; Nebraska Heart Institute - Paul Brokering Photography; pg. 6/7: HKS, Inc.; pg. 8: HKS, Inc.; pg. 9: (topand bottom) HKS, Inc.; pg. 10/11: HKS, Inc.; pg. 12/13 HKS, Inc.; pg. 15: HKS, Inc.; pg. 16: (left and right) HKS, Inc.;pg. 17: (left and right) HKS, Inc.; pg. 18: HKS, Inc.; pg. 20: (top and bottom) HKS, Inc.; pg. 21: HKS, Inc.; pg. 22: (all photos) Ed LaCasse; page 24: (left and right) Ed LaCasse; page 25: (all photos) Ed LaCasse. PUBLISHING Innovative Publishing Ink. IPI specializes in creating custom magazines for businesses. Please direct inquiriesto Aran Jackson at 502.423.7272 or [email protected]
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DESIGN DETAILS HKS Ranked in Top-10, Abeyta Selected “40 Under 40”, UK Concepts,3-D Jungle at Edinburg, Hawkins Named CEO of the Year, Heading Southwest.
THE HUNT FOR SPORTS The father and son trio of Lamar, Clark, and Dan Hunt discuss theirfamily’s success in the world of pro football and soccer and what’s next on the horizon.
A NEW-URBANIST MODEL OF LEARNING Step into an urbanist elementary school that focuses on student learning as it relates to the classroom and surrounding community.
VICTORY BEGINS WITH W The newest Dallas hot spot is the W Dallas Victory Hotel &Residences. The tower’s ultra-modern design is the centerpiece of Victory development.
A CLEAR CONNECTION AT SOLANA A creative design solution helped First AmericanCorporation decide on its new home in Westlake. The former headquarters of IBM, Solana hasbeen transformed for FAC.
DESIGN MEETS THE HEALTHCARE BOTTOM LINE Today’s healthcare facility designs arefocused on the bottom line. Clarian West is an example of design enhancing the entire health-care experience.
THE ARCHITECTURAL FIRM OF THE FUTURE Architectural firms are already preparing for theyear 2020. Ralph Hawkins and George Mann share valuable insight on the subject.
VOLUME 3, NUMBER 1 FEATURES
FALL/WINTER
2006
3
40UNDER40
UKCONCEPTS
HKS
RANKED
TOPTEN
design
Eddie Abeyta, AIA, HKS principal designer wasselected one of the “40 Under 40” most prestigiousindividuals working in the architecture, construction,and engineering fields by Building Design &Construction magazine. “We have worked withmany great architects from different firms over theyears including Frank Gehry,” said Craig Hall, chair-man, Hall Financial Group. “Eddie is the most talent-ed and unusual architect that I have worked with inall of my experience. I would expect that Eddie willbecome one of the great architects of our time.”
DE
Texas A&M University College of Architecture studentswere asked to design a health facility of the future in theUnited Kingdom. RyderHKS International Ltd. arranged for23 students to design the Hatfield Hospital for Bedfordshireand Hertfordshire, just 20 miles outside of London. Projectdesigns for the 920-bed specialized cancer center empha-sized sustainable architecture aimed at conserving naturalresources. Students also presented alternative healthcaredelivery design concepts to the United Kingdom’s NationalHealth Service (NHS).
Continuing to climb the architectural survey charts, HKS is ranked the ninthlargest architectural firm in the world, according to BD World Architecture’sTop 200 issue. In regard to market-specific sectors, HKS is ranked numberone in healthcare, number two in hotels, number four in sports stadiums, andnumber nine in leisure. Data was gathered from firms across the globe whowere asked to volunteer details for inclusion in the Top 200. The survey is oneof leading indicators of the global architectural profession’s development.
4
HEADINGSOUTHWEST
When developing a new addition forEdinburg Children’s Hospital in Edinburg,Texas, hospital administrative staff andHKS Architects hired renowned, interna-tional artist Roark Gourley who is bestknown for his artwork at the SmithsonianInstitute. Today, a giraffe, lion, toucan,monkey, and pink flamingo, all designedin three-dimensions, are staged in themain lobby entry to intrigue and providepositive distractions for kids and adults ofall ages.
CEOOF THE
YEAR
TAILS
The Stein-Cox Group is becoming HKS Phoenix. This dynamic mergerbrings HKS to the southwest, offering its architectural services througha unique collaboration that will benefit clients located in Arizona andnationwide. The Phoenix office, specializing in healthcare, corporate,hospitality, and sports projects, will remain locally managed by co-founder, Mo Stein. The Stein-Cox Group, founded in 1987, hascompleted more than $2 billion in construction including work at theNebraska Heart Institute and Hospital (shown above), Arizona HeartInstitute and Hospital, Sun Health, Banner Health System, andCatholic Healthcare West.
According to management gurus, business leadersbring the team’s vision to life. This insight was takento task by HKS’s president and CEO, Ralph Hawkins,FAIA, FACHA. In 2006, he was named the “CEO ofthe Year” in the large firm category by PSMJ, theleading management consulting firm for the architec-ture/engineering/construction industries. Hawkinswas noted for his leadership in expanding the firmgeographically and into expanding markets as wellas an open-door brand of leadership, mentoring,and training for the firm’s 1,100-plus staff.
A 3D JUNGLE IN TEXAS
5
T H EH E L E G A C YE G A C Y
O F F T H EH E L A M A RA M A R H U N TU N T F A M I L YA M I L Y
H E E G A C Y
O F T H E A M A R U N T A M I L Y
Lamar Hunt has been one of
America’s leading sports entrepre-
neurs for over four decades. Hunt’s claims to
fame include founding the American Football
League (AFL), steadily contributing to Major
League Soccer (MLS), and having a continued
influence on today’s National Football League
(NFL) – even accidentally naming the Super
Bowl. Today, his dedication and commitment
to sports have been passed to the next gener-
ation of Hunts – sons Clark, Dan, and Lamar,
Jr., and daughter Sharron Munson.
The family’s passion for sports began with
Lamar Hunt. Hunt was the principle AFL
negotiator in the 1966 merger between the
AFL and the NFL, paving the way for much of
the modern growth of the game. Since that
time, he has been inducted into the Pro
Football Hall of Fame.
As the founder and owner of the AFL/NFL’s
Kansas City Chiefs franchise, Hunt helped
provide Kansas City with a team that became
the winningest in the 10-year history of the
AFL, earning spots in two of the first four
Super Bowls, including a victory in Super
Bowl IV over the Minnesota Vikings. Today,
Clark Hunt, a 19-year business veteran and
lifetime fan, carries the title chairman of the
board of the Chiefs.
For more than 40 years, the Hunts have been
a driving force in soccer in America – from
becoming the lead investor in the Dallas
Tornado Soccer Club of the North American
Soccer League (NASL) in 1967 to a charter
investor in today’s MLS.
Most recently, the Hunts formed a unique
team comprised of their business, Hunt
Sports Group, and the Frisco Independent
School District, the City of Frisco, and Collin
County to build a soccer-specific stadium and
17-field complex for FC Dallas in Frisco,
Texas. Lamar, Clark, and Dan not only played
vital roles in developing the deal, they also
were instrumental in planning and building
the new facility.
Pizza Hut Park, designed by the HKS Sports &
Entertainment Group, has become the proto-
typical soccer venue in the United States.
Today, the stadium and adjacent champi-
onship-quality soccer fields host youth,
national, and international soccer matches.
Of his four children, two – Clark and Dan – are
actively involved in the business. Lamar
serves as chairman, Clark is vice chairman,
and Dan is vice president of Hunt Sports
Group, located in downtown Dallas.
“I feel that Pizza Hut Park is the finest of the new soccer-specific facilities that have been built so far.”
– Lamar Hunt
HKS: Lamar, you have played a critical role in
organizing the AFL (now, the American
Football Conference of the NFL) and MLS
Soccer. Are you passing on this tradition to
your sons, Clark and Dan?
Lamar: Clark and Dan have grown up as
sports enthusiasts. I didn’t require them to
watch and participate in sports. They just nat-
urally gravitated toward it. Growing up as
Kansas City Chiefs fans, the boys were able to
get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the
business of sports. It is one thing to see a
game, but it’s another to figure out how to fill
the seats and please the fans.
HKS: Lamar, how did you come up with the
name Super Bowl?
Lamar: In 1966, Pete Rozelle appointed a com-
mittee to firm up the merger agreement
between the AFL and the NFL. Following the
merger, many details were not
yet finalized. I began asking
questions like, “Will there be
one week or two weeks before
the championship game?” and
“Where will the game take
place?” Another committee
member asked, “What do you
mean by championship
game?” I said, “You know, the
final game, the last game, the
Super Bowl.” To the best of my
recollection, I think that the
name came from my chil-
dren’s Wham-O “Super Balls”
that my wife had given them.
From that point, it just stuck.
Although Rozelle continued to
call it the AFL-NFL World
Championship Game, the
media picked up on Super Bowl immediately.
To add class to the Super Bowl name, several
years later we added Roman numerals. It was-
n’t until Super Bowl IV that the name was
more or less formalized. Rozelle seemed to
like that addition. Now, the big mistake is that
I didn’t have the sense to copyright the name.
HKS: What was it like growing up with a
father who is a sports icon? Do you have a
favorite memory or story that, in your mind,
best describes your father?
Dan: How many fathers named the Super Bowl?
Only one – Lamar Hunt. Another one of my
father’s notable achievements is the ultimate
incorporation of the two-point conversion
rule for the NFL. This was used in college and
the old AFL games. He fought for 25 years, fol-
lowing the AFL/NFL merger, to include this as
part of the fan-friendly game. Today, through
his tenacity, fans enjoy added edge-of-the-
seat excitement and teams pick up extra scor-
ing opportunities.
Clark: This is an example of why Lamar has
been such a success in his career. He looks at
the sports business as a long-term venture –
not a short, one- to two-year challenge. That’s
why he continues to persevere.
HKS: Did you, Clark and Dan, participate in
sports growing up? What was your favorite
sport? What was the best advice your father
gave you about that sport?
Dan: My favorite sport was anything that I
won. We played football and soccer, and par-
ticipated in track. Our dad always gave us soc-
cer balls and footballs. So, that kind of set the
stage. My dad was constantly out in the yard
playing sports with us. However, one thing
that he never did is throw a baseball with us.
Even though he played it, he can’t sit through
a baseball game. He’s usually good for about
six innings. Today, I’m asked which sport do I
prefer, football or soccer. To be honest, I like
both of them equally for different reasons. In
regard to advice from my father, he always
told me to “keep working at it” to be the best
player possible.
Clark: I started playing soccer when I was 7
years old. In 1972, I was part of the first gener-
ation of Dallas youth to begin to play soccer.
Many of us were encouraged to join the sport
with the introduction of the pro soccer team,
the Dallas Tornado. Today, my son is already a
soccer player at age 4. Like my father, I will tell
to him to “work hard at it and be persistent.”
HKS: You are a unique father/son(s) manage-
ment team. Why do you think the three of you
work well together?
Clark: All three of us are very close. You can’t
work together every day without having a
good relationship with each other. I feel that
our success is credited to Lamar. He gives us
the space to express our views and contribute
in areas throughout the company. To some
degree, we have different interests working in
the sports business. Lamar is the “idea-a-
minute” leader who focuses on marketing
and promotions, making sure fans are enjoy-
ing the game. I’m more involved in the strate-
gy and nuts-and-bolts of the business strate-
gy while Dan has a keen interest in player
recruitment and stadium development.
HKS:The recently opened Pizza Hut Park is mak-
ing its mark on the soccer world. Has it achieved
the goals you set? What makes Pizza Hut Park
a special place for soccer in this country?
Lamar: I feel that Pizza Hut Park is the finest
of the new soccer-specific facilities that have
been built so far.
“In all of my yearsin pro sports, thishas been the most enjoyable construc-tion project with which I have been associated. I attrib-ute much of that to the professionalism of HKS.”– Lamar Hunt
8
Clark: Pizza Hut Park is a quality facility in
every way. The synergy of the park has boost-
ed our fan and corporate sponsor support.
Attendance is up 25 percent from our days at
the Cotton Bowl. The facility also lets us bet-
ter serve our corporate sponsors both in the
stadium and on the surrounding soccer fields.
It’s the first complex to combine a significant
number of fields for youth soccer, which has
been popular for 30 years, and professional
soccer in one complex. The stage area, for
concerts, also has proved beneficial for year-
round use. This combined marketing value
has allowed our corporate sponsorships to
increase severalfold.
Dan: Having a quality training field has been
a huge benefit to the team. Professional soc-
cer clubs from all over the world want to train
at Pizza Hut Park. We’ve talked to teams in
England, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. These
are the international soccer community’s
high-profile clubs. In turn, this will result in
many international games at Pizza Hut Park.
HKS: Why do you think architecture is impor-
tant? What is your favorite story about work-
ing with HKS?
Dan: There isn’t a bad seat in the house. In
my travels throughout Europe, the same is
not true. Their stadiums often have many
encumbered seats. It’s our intimate atmos-
phere, with a below-grade bowl, which makes
it classically American and, most importantly,
fan-friendly.
Lamar: We are proud to have had the oppor-
tunity to work with HKS to create a world-
class sporting facility that celebrates not only
Texas, but the sport of soccer as well. HKS
designers knew what they were talking about
when it came to ratios, revenue considera-
tions, and fan amenities. They also enhanced
the facility with the inclusion of four unique-
ly designed, weather-protected plaza boxes
for the fans, as well as the liberal use of land-
scaping including trees both inside and out-
side the stadium. In all of my years in pro
sports, this has been the most enjoyable con-
struction project with which I have been asso-
ciated. I attribute much of that to the profes-
sionalism of HKS.
HKS: Your family has been involved in the
foundation of MLS. What are your hopes for
the next generation of Hunts?
Lamar: People think that soccer must draw
fans like the NFL does or it’s not successful.
But, that’s not true. Soccer doesn’t need to be
played in 90,000-seat stadiums. It can be host-
ed in smaller, more intimate, and more prof-
itable venues. FC Barcelona recently played
three games in eight days across America,
drawing 240,000 people for their “friendly”
exhibition games. This shows that there is an
audience for soccer in this country. We have
to continue to build interest in soccer as well
as FC Dallas. Interest wasn’t always there for
the Dallas Cowboys or the Kansas City Chiefs.
It takes time to catch on.
Clark: I don’t know if my kids will be a part of
the business, but I hope they are sports fans.
Dan and I are beginning our “coaching
careers” with my 4-year-old, Knobel. He’s
already watching sports on television and
screaming, “he shoots, he scores!”
On September 30, 2005, St. Mark’s School of
Texas dedicated the Norma and Lamar Hunt
Family Stadium, honoring the couple who is
tantamount with athletics as well as with
St. Mark’s. The new, state-of-the-art athletic
facility was a gift from Clark and Dan, both St.
Mark’s alumni, and other school supporters.
Serving as an important part of the St. Mark’s
community for 40 years, the Hunts have
earned a reputation of being St. Mark’s most
enthusiastic fans. They often were known to
serve soft drinks and cook hamburgers in
support of the Lions under Friday night lights,
produce highlight films for the boys and their
families, serve as volunteer stats-keepers,
and regularly provided cookies and hot
chocolate at away games.
This goes to prove that once a sports fan,
always a sports fan. Whether it’s small-school
sports held on a hometown field or the pro
leagues at a professional stadium, fans can
bet that the Hunt name will continue to be
synonymous with the steady growth and pop-
ularity of sports.
Pizza Hut Park details: Top: Restaurant and Bar, Below: Front Gate.
9
---z
URBANISTMODEL OF LEARNING
A NEW
BY: MARK VANDERVOORT, AIA, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, HKS EDUCATIONAL GROUP
Elementary students in Texas will be taking
out their notebooks this year – their Intel
Centrino wireless notebooks. A byproduct of
the latest generation of thinkers, the school’s
approach to learning and urbanist setting is
built to inspire students and faculty alike.
The new Walker Creek Elementary School
in North Richland Hills is designed around
long- and short-term flexibility to accommo-
date various activities, groups, and varied
models of learning. Its learning environment
is meant to be experimental and inspiring to
those learning, working, and visiting.
A NEW URBANIST NEIGHBORHOODPart of a new urban community located in
North Richland Hills, the elementary school is
located in the heart of the master planned
Hometown development – underway by
community developer, William Gietema, CEO,
Arcadia Realty.
“The new Hometown urbanist design repre-
sents the community’s desire to return to
a true neighborhood environment,” said
Gietama. “The Hometown development is
intertwined with pedestrian-friendly, tree-
lined boulevards and wide sidewalks and
inter-connected parks, plazas, and play-
grounds with plenty of green space.”
The elementary school is located across the
road from the future city recreation center,
performing arts center, and city library.
The school is an integral part of the
residential community, allowing kids to
walk, bike, or be dropped off by parents on
their way to work.
LEARNING ORGANIZATION FOR THE FUTUREThe Walker Creek Elementary School is
designed for contemporary learning. The new
urbanist approach aligned strategically with
the values and educational principles of the
school district.
“We asked ourselves, how will learning take
place in the 21st century?” said Dr. Stephen
Waddell, superintendent of the Birdville
12
Independent School District. “The answer, for
us, was based on Peter Drucker’s learning
community model. Instead of a factory model
of learning, where students are pushed
through school like assembly line parts, the
new model focuses on pulling kids through
school – considering their individual needs
first and foremost.”
Drucker believes that education is synonymous
with change and growth. His theory notes
that schools should be learning organizations
that continually evolve and recreate them-
selves to thrive in a changing world.
The Walker Creek Elementary School takes
those tenets to task by engaging kids with
activities that take place outside of the
traditional classroom in adjacent, flexible
teaming studios. Informal gathering spaces
and other open areas replace traditional
corridors and encourage student interaction.
Wireless connectivity allows virtual learning
anytime and in any place – whether you’re in
the school building, outside, or sitting on a
park bench in Hometown.
FUTURISTIC EDUCATIONAL FACILITIESThe new elementary school took its cue
from other innovative facilities that Waddell
visited prior to being hired as the Birdville
Independent School District superintendent.
The IBM Palisades Executive Conference
Center in New Jersey was one of them. “I
knew that I wanted our school to include
aspects of this facility,” said Waddell. “It is
one of the most technologically advanced
conference destinations that I have visited.”
The conference center also incorporates the
outside environment into its learning culture.
Outside gathering areas and landscaped,
manicured grounds provide a soothing back-
drop for learning.
Another example, The University of Dayton’s
ArtStreet, promotes learning at its housing
and arts education complex. “The academic
institution addresses how, why, and where
students learn,” he continued. “Gathering
areas and nooks for collaboration are located
throughout the residence hall.”
A CREATIVE DESIGN PROCESSWhen considering building their first new
elementary school in 10 years, the Birdville
Independent School District issued a request
for qualifications to design a forward-looking
elementary school and followed that with a
design competition. The selected education
design architect was HKS, Inc.
Waddell managed a design process that
allowed the infusion of new ideas. He invited
many staff and community stakeholders to
participate as design committee members. He
even involved keynote speaker Ian Jukes, an
educational futurist, to prime the group and
challenge everyone to think outside the box.
The committee participated in an intensive
series of design work sessions to brainstorm a
conceptual school plan.
To make sure that these progressive ideas
were implemented in the future, Waddell
hired a new school principal based on
her forward-looking management style and
work plan.
Involving teachers, students, parents, and
community members, from the conceptual
design phase through project opening and
ongoing involvement in school operations,
has fostered a true community-based school.
“This school is designed so that the communi-
ty can use it after hours,” said Waddell.
“Community and library rooms up front, for
example, are open to learning opportunities
for adults and meetings after hours, even
while other parts of the building are secured.”
13
THE ARCHITECTURAL RESPONSEThe new-urbanist design posed a number
of challenges for the team. The first design
issue had to do with the placement of the
elementary school to complement the urban
setting. Given that the building was in the
center of Hometown development, it had to
be aesthetically pleasing from all sides. To
meet the challenge, designers created a
village-like, public street side and a private
park-like, green side.
Zoning mandates affected design decision.
The building had to be located at the corner of
the site, requiring designers to rethink the
typical elementary school layout of the
parent pick-up and drop-off area. Today,
the parent drop-off and playground areas
co-exist through the use of a common space,
the patio.
“During mid-day, the patio is gated off from
vehicular access to serve as a paved play
area,” said Jess Corrigan, AIA, principal-in
charge, HKS, Inc. “There is no parking
available on the patio, which helps preserve
a safe, child-oriented environment. It is often
used for community events like barbeques,
art fairs, and school carnivals.”
The building has two wings, academic and
public. The one-story public wing houses
the gym and cafetorium. The two-story
classroom wing is organized around multi-
purpose classrooms and flexible teaming areas
centered in grade-level pods.
“To promote flexible use, the teaming spaces
are outfitted with mobile furniture to change
configurations – accommodating scaleable
interaction and various groups, activities, and
schedules,” added Corrigan.
THE RESULTNoted educational guru, Phillip Schlechty is
weighing in on the new school environment.
Each week, educators who are reading his
book, Working on the Work, are conversing with
Schlechty through blogs to improve
educational processes at Walker Creek
Elementary School.
“The focus of the book is engaging students
with work that they want to do,” said Marta
White, principal, Walker Creek Elementary
School. “Instead of focusing solely on the
teacher or students, we are centered on the
work and the environment in which work is
completed. This new school lets us test
Schlechty’s theories by taking learning
outside of the traditional classroom. Being
wireless, we can teach in a peer or group
environment literally anywhere inside or
outside of the building.”
14
From its cowboy-cool living room that
showcases a glowing glass wall to its
glass-floor Ghostbar balcony, the W offers its
guests a unique and memorable experience
from start to finish. Dallas-based HKS, Inc., a
top-five national architectural firm, took the
honors of designing the city’s latest star.
W Dallas - Victory, positioned at the forefront
of Victory Park, a 72-acre master planned
mixed-use development, transforms a
desolate brownfield site into a place with
strong identity and contrasting character.
According to HKS designer Eddie Abeyta,
metaphorically, the W tower serves as the
campanile, or bell tower, to Victory’s public
plaza. “Positioned at the southern edge of
Victory’s plaza, the W transforms what was
characterized as an undefined space into a
dense urban place.
“The tower evokes a modern, progressive
expression that reshapes the Dallas skyline,”
continued Abeyta. “It speaks to the future
of Dallas with its modern, progressive
architecture which is in contrast to many
of the existing downtown buildings. Its
cantilevered projecting wing allows the
building to poetically meet the sky. The hotel,
with its sweeping glass curves, speaks of
attitude, sophistication, and style.”
The project was completed through a
partnership among Hillwood, Gatehouse
Capital Corporation, and Starwood Hotels
& Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Shopworks
was the hotel interior designer, while
MorrisonSeifertMurphy was the north tower’s
condominium interior design architect while
Cadwallader Design, Inc. designed the south
condominium interiors.
ICTORY BEGIVIf Dallas’s city motto is “live large, thinkbig,” the W Dallas - Victory hotel and residences serves as a beacon to thearea’s “live in luxury, think big” lifestyle.It’s the new place to be and be seen.
INS WITH
16
he 252-room, hip hotel offers
energetic ambience including a
vibrant living room lobby and a
signature restaurant. Rising above
the hotel’s top floors, to the north and
south, are 144 luxury condominiums.
Other distinctive characteristics of the
property include a full-service Bliss Spa, an
infinity edge pool on the 16th floor, fitness
facility on the 17th floor overlooking
downtown, extensive meeting space, and the
area’s most chic ultra-lounge, Ghostbar.
Guests can sip cocktails and step outside to
take in the stunning panoramic views of
Dallas on a glass-floor observation deck.
Residents have access to 24-hour room
service, daily maid amenities, and concierge
services. Guests and owners will share many
of the same perks including the spa, pool,
meeting spaces, and, of course, the Ghostbar.
The hotel’s service philosophy –
“Whatever/Whenever ® (as long as it’s legal).”
W Dallas - Victory marketing manager Kristin
Walker notes that guest dreams and desires
are fulfilled with whatever they want,
whenever they want it. “Whether it’s a
bathtub filled with hot chocolate or a wedding
dress delivered by helicopter, we’re taking
service to the next level,” she said.
Hotel staff make sure that guests know when
an overnight package has arrived through
text messaging, take care of the pooch, and
offer a sweet dreams pillow menu that offers
full body, neck roll, firm PrimaLoft, or 100
percent goose down feather pillows.
The orientation of the W Dallas – Victory
south tower also caters to guests with perfect
views of the surrounding city while
preserving sightlines for north residents
above the hotel, according to Abeyta. “The
interior design is meant to complement and
accentuate the building’s exterior.”
Materials and finishes from Texas’s rich
history are incorporated into W hotel rooms.
Rustic limestone, snakeskins, pony skin, and
leather mix with the glamorous new Dallas of
glass, mirror, and steel.
“By using polished concrete floors with
contrasting plush shag carpet in the living
room and crystal chandeliers that look like
rain, a space is created that people feel
comfortable visiting in jeans or a wedding
dress,” said Kimberly Nunn, hotel interior
designer for Shopworks. “Visitors and guests
are led into the building with a glowing glass
wall that bisects the space. The entry
porte-cochere defies a typical large hotel
experience with its intimate garden and
hanging basket chairs.”
Like the hotel spaces, residential interiors
incorporate premium finishes, providing
a stunning backdrop for stylish living
and entertaining. Flexible floor plans flow
seamlessly into oversized terraces or private
rooftop gardens. Interiors are spacious
with 10-foot ceilings and are appointed
luxuriously with gourmet kitchens and
top-of-the-line appliances.
MorrisonSeifertMurphy founder and condo-
minium interior designer Lionel Morrison,
FAIA, employed a purely modernist approach
to create clean, elegant, and highly livable W
residences. “We incorporated deep terraces
for each unit creating true outdoor rooms.
“Whether it’s a bathtub filled with hot chocolate or a wedding dress
T
17
The indoor spaces relate to the terraces,
enhancing the spaciousness and light quality
of the residence.”
What began as the north tower project
quickly expanded to an additional south
tower due to sold out residences. “We knew
the spaces would be developed at a later
date,” said Jonas Woods, president of
Hillwood Capital, the development company
for Victory. “We just didn’t realize how soon.”
The south tower is expressed with the same
architectural elements of the north tower but
in a contrasting way to form its own identity.
For example, the south tower features a
slightly darker exterior palette and punched
windows with balconies that allow residents
to mix and mingle outdoors.
According to interior designer, David
Cadwallader, from Cadwallader Design, the
W’s south tower units are designed with a
classic modern approach with an emphasis
on comfort. “Amenities and upgrades are
part of the condo dweller experience. Sleek
but practical kitchens allow for a wide range
of cabinet finishes and upgrades while
bathrooms are designed for elegant comfort
and spacious storage.”
“The W is an exciting, new concept,” said
Woods. “It is the first hotel-branded,
residential development in Dallas.
It lends itself to the psychographic of
the young-minded, fashionable, fun, and
energetic Dallas crowd – located in an area
that promises to be one of the most exciting
new neighborhoods in the country.”
The W Hotel is steps away from the American
Airlines Center as well as a Dallas Area Rapid
Transit (DART) station, an urban park, unique
public spaces, and a plethora of high-end
office, retail, dining, and entertainment
options within Victory.
“When Ross Perot Jr., chairman of real estate
developer for Hillwood, saw the piece of
property, he had a vision,” continued Woods.
“The site was a phenomenal location for an
urban development, next to Uptown, the
West End, and the Design District. Today, his
vision is a mixed-use development that is five
times larger than originally expected with an
ultimate value of more than $3 billion.”
delivered by helicopter, we’re taking service to the next level. ”
A
C
Maguire Partners, a California-based developer, is
always up for a challenge. When client First American
Corporation (FAC) asked for 700,000 square feet of
space in a market where only 400,000 square feet
was available, the firm had to get a little – well,
a lot – creative.
The solution – build (and pay for) a connector that
seamlessly ties and connects four buildings into one
consolidated location. Having met that, and a few
other challenges, the owners signed a 10-year deal
and completed the largest office transaction in the
Dallas/Fort Worth area in 2005.
“We had been considering a move to a campus
location,” said Dennis Ouellette, senior vice president,
First American Real Estate Information Services, Inc.
“As a company, we wanted to consolidate all of our
regional operations into one location that offered large
enough floor plates to organize business units while
offering multiple conference spaces and training areas.”
Today, First American’s operations in two Dallas
locations and offices in Las Colinas and Lewisville as
well as Sterling, Va., are consolidated at the Solana
Westlake campus. The Fortune 300 Santa Ana,
California company that offers real estate related
financial and information services began a phased
move into their new home in June 2006.
“First American realized early on that Westlake was the
best environment for their employees,” said Tom
Allen, partner of Maguire Partners. “The company
wanted all its workers at a single location with more
amenities. Solana offers covered parking, daycare,
restaurants, a fitness center, a walking/jogging
track for workers, and shuttle buses to go any place
on campus.”
“Many of First American Corporation’s employees were
located in an 11-story building near downtown Dallas,”
said Dan Jeakins, AIA, principal-in-charge, HKS, Inc.
“The company’s goal was to relocate to a building
with large floor plates and contiguous space – allowing
them to work easily from team-to-team and
department-to-department.”
Allen worked with Dallas-based architectural firm HKS
to design the four-story, glass-enclosed bridge that
connected four buildings and provided the needed
adjoining square footage.
While that solved the square footage issue, brokers still
had to work with existing tenants with long-term leases
at Solana. Maguire worked to terminate two existing
tenant leases and relocate a third tenant to create a
block large enough to accommodate the company.
But, it took more than that. Architects had to modify
part of the campus employee dining building to
accommodate First American Corporation executive
and other upper management spaces.
Solana was originally developed in 1988 as a 900-acre
master planned building park hosting offices, retail,
restaurants, a fitness center, and a day-care center in
addition to a 198-room Marriott hotel. Its main tenant
was IBM’s regional offices until the computer and data
processing firm began to downsize its operations in the
90s. To fill the void, developers scrambled for tenants
that today include Lucent, Pfizer, Sabre, Verizon
Wireless, and Wells Fargo.
“The two-decade-old exterior still remains timeless,
appealing to today’s tenants,” said Jeakins. “However,
the interior was another issue. The former IBM layout
hosted a private office environment. The new office
space had to complement its FAC Santa Ana corporate
headquarters while incorporating an open plan work
place with large floor plates.”
According to Frank Effland, senior interior designer at
HKS, the goal was to create an 80 percent open office
plan to allow unobstructed work areas and consolidate
19
at ONNECTION
SOLANA
20
support areas such as conference spaces and
copy rooms. “Our commercial interiors group
held a brainstorming session to collaborate on
innovative ideas for the fast-track project.
From the meeting, a signature design element
was developed - an interior monolith.”
The monolith ties the building together by
providing a floor-to-ceiling icon at a similar
location on each of the building’s floors. One
of four colors, from apple green to mustard
gold, uniquely identifies each building. The
element, located on an angular location
dissimilar to the building’s rectilinear
stance, provides visual interest for
employees and visitors walking inside
and outside of the glass-enclosed areas.
“Gallery areas, with natural daylighting
and views to nature, are offered to
employees allowing them to take a
break or eat lunch.” said Effland. “It’s
like stepping into a garden room – with
fountains, Koi fonds, mature trees, and
lush greenery.”
To further promote a healthy workplace
environment, fire exits have been
converted to open up to nearby gallery
spaces that have colorful finishes and
are immersed in natural light. The new,
upgraded stairs tempt elevator-takers
to burn calories while enjoying the
nearby scenery.
The project hallmark is its four-story
connector, linking at floors two through
five. This architectural centerpiece, designed
by Rick Keating, now with Keating Khang
Architecture, is a simply stated focal point
of the campus. Set elegantly on four columns,
picturesque landscaping flows underneath
and throughout the area. Diagonal structural
elements create visual interest from floor to
floor while horizontal banding provides a
view to the outdoors and maximizes energy
efficiency.
According to the developer, the complex
features more capacity than most companies
will ever use. Allen should know; he served as
developer for the original campus in
the 80s.
“Solana was designed and built to house the
high-tech side of IBM’s operations,” he said.
“All of the latest technological advances were
incorporated into the building to help its
reuse well into the future. Instead of four
watts of electricity per square foot,
the building offers 10. Multiple telecommuni-
cations lines and alternate power sources
allow the buildings to operate 24/7 – even in
the event of catastrophes.”
In August 2006, the firm’s phased
move was complete, bringing together
approximately 2,400 FAC North Texas
employees. “The move has transformed our
work environment,” said Ouellette. “Our new
location also allows us to tap into an
employee base that includes Hurst, Bedford,
Euless, and Fort Worth. Our employees and
potential recruits are taking note of our career
opportunities in addition to the campus
environment that offers them on-site training
and numerous amenities – all in a soothing,
scenic environment.”
“Solana is a smart solution for First
American,” said Jeakins. “They are now in
a neighborhood consisting of like-minded
companies. It’s also an environmentally
conscious move. Instead of going somewhere
else to build a new building, First American
opted to reuse existing buildings. Now, they
are housed in Class A office space in a
pastoral setting that is inspiring for workers
and clients alike.”
“It’s like stepping into a garden room – with fountains, Koi ponds, mature trees, and lush greenery.”
CLARIAN HEALTH SETS THE STANDARD IN CREATING A HEALING SANCTUARY
hen Clarian Health Partners signed on as
one of the first healthcare systems in
the United States to incorporate the
Center for Health Design’s Pebble Project concepts into
its new comprehensive cardiac critical care unit
more than five years ago, the stage was set for change.
The Pebble Project concept, based on implementing
and testing elements of a healing environment,
enabled hospital executives to rethink and retool
their operations.
The healthcare system’s chapter of change
continues with the completion of two of its
latest groundbreaking community and specialty
hospitals, Clarian West Medical Center and Clarian
North Medical Center in Avon and Carmel,
Indiana, respectively.
While healing environments have been a part
of healthcare projects for decades, the design
concepts are now being clearly measured in terms
of accountability and profitability based on
safety, infection control, staff retention, and
patient satisfaction.
GROWING DEMAND FOR HEALTHCARE ACCOUNTABILITY
Spurred by the public’s growing demand for
accountability in healthcare, Clarian Health Partners’
vision is to be the preeminent leader in providing
quality and comprehensive care for its communities.
Beginning in January 2006, Indiana was the second
state, following Minnesota, to implement a medical
error reporting system. By January 2007, any Indiana
resident will be able to go on-line to learn about the
significant medical errors that occur in any hospital
throughout the state.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS) initiative is also striking national change. This
year, the CMS is implementing a program to
determine hospital patient satisfaction scores across
the country. Instead of each hospital determining
its own survey method, the CMS developed a
25-question survey that will be sent, answered,
and analyzed, creating standardized patient
satisfaction measurements.
Throughout the Clarian system, change is evident.
From elevating a safe healthcare environment to
retaining its top-notch staff, the health system is
clearly changing hospital care.
ELEVATING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT
Designing spaces that increase staff efficiency; reduce
stress, injuries, and fatigue; and increase the time
spent with patients not only helps hospitals hire and
retain staff, it has the potential to reduce medical
errors, saving facilities millions of dollars annually.
Clarian West Medical Center took this concept to task.
Today, after one year and a half of operation, it has
experienced a rate of less than one lost work day due
to on-the-job injuries per 10,000 hours worked.
Clarian West has also achieved a total fall rate of 1.1
falls per 1,000 patient days. This rate is better than the
total fall rate listed with the Institute for Hospital
Improvement (IHI), which is two falls per 1,000
patient days.
The quieter, gentler overall environment is enhanced
through controlled sound, wood-like or carpeted
flooring, minimal overhead paging, calming water
features, and indirect and natural light.
Clinical pathways, such as doorways, are enlarged
to allow staff to easily transport patients within
the hospital. Larger bathroom entries allow
two staff members to help patients with toilet
activities, if necessary. Also, rooms are designed to
bring equipment directly to patients, reducing
patient transport.
The acuity adaptable room, with its patient, staff,
and guest zones, defines areas of care, creating less
confusion for everyone in the patient room. This
standardization means the caregiver can go from one
room to another without having to adjust to different
room designs.
Clarian West executives also believe that increased
communication decreases medical errors. Whenever
a nurse has to search out supplies or medication,
he/she opens the door to interruptions and error. The
new hospital consolidates charting, meds, and
supplies in one location, which reduces errors,
provides more time for direct patient contact,
minimizes walking, and reduces fatigue for the
medical team.
Locating computerized charting stations outside each
patient room allows caregivers, patients, and families
to easily discuss and document patient care. Instead
of walking to and from nursing stations, doctors and
nurses can easily and efficiently chart patient care
information near their patients, which again,
decreases errors.
Specialized physician service centers, located
adjacent to each of the nursing units, also encourage
communication resulting in increased patient
safety. Instead of sharing spaces for charting
patient information, private, glass-enclosed spaces
are designed for the medical team. The areas
are fully equipped with computer terminals and
PACS workstations.
DESIGNING TO INCORPORATE INFECTION CONTROL
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
estimates that more than two million patients get sick
By Al Gatmaitan, FACHE, President & CEO, Clarian West Medical Center and Norman Morgan, AIA, Principal, HKS, Inc.
W
24
each year from infections caught in the
hospital. Of those two million, approximately
90,000 die as the result of their infection.
The decision to build all-private patient rooms
at Clarian North and Clarian West paves
the way for enhanced infection control
by improving patient flow (i.e. patients
don’t need to be moved repeatedly to
accommodate those needing privacy or
isolation). In addition, negative pressure
technology deployed in multiple patient
rooms on each floor gives caregivers a visual
cue and automatically alarms in facilities
management if negative pressure has ceased.
According to the CDC, hand washing is
the single most effective means of preventing
the spread of infection in hospitals. Using this
statistic, Clarian located hand-washing sinks
at the entry of each room and throughout
the unit in addition to locating alcohol-based
sanitizer dispensers outside of each room
to prevent the spread of germs. As a result,
hand-washing rates are well above the
national average.
Healthcare associated infection, an infection
caught from other patients during a hospital
stay, are a serious concern. The hospitals’
all-private rooms prevent airborne and cross
contamination patient-to-patient and patient-
to-staff as well as promote patient privacy and
control. The installation of the latest, most
sensitive air filtration system also combats
airborne infection.
Environmental surfaces of nearly any kind
are possible breeding pools for infectious
organisms. To prevent the spread of germs,
hospital isolation rooms are providing a source
of containment. Additional isolation rooms
are part of Clarian West’s design. The hospital
hosts two isolation rooms on each of its 32-bed
units, which helps lessen the spread of viruses
throughout the hospital.
RETAINING GREAT STAFF
In 2006, Clarian West Medical Center has
posted a turnover rate of less than three
percent, exceeding the expectations for a
greenfield or start-up hospital. According
to the Society for Human Resources
Management, the average rate of turnover
nationally, for all positions, is 16.8 percent.
All of this recruiting and hiring is undertaken
without the use of recruitment firms or
agencies. Before the hospital opened, Clarian
West placed a well-executed video on its
website (west.clarian.org) promoting the
new facility.
The website allowed Clarian Health to
promote the new facility as a hospital that
embraced a healing sanctuary approach to
healthcare, one that touched the prospective
employee’s innate sense of being a caregiver.
The website discussed the hospital’s vision
and values and provided insight into its
philosophy of care as well as the benefits of
joining the Clarian team. It also allowed a
virtual tour of the hospital through stills and
animations. From that website publicity and
word of mouth, the hospital received over
5,000 resumes. Even today, when new
recruits are asked how they heard about
Clarian West, the typical response is “from a
current employee.”
Nurses know that they are valued at Clarian
West. The space is designed to recruit new
nursing talent as well as retain its valued 20-
to 30-year experienced nurses. Decentralized
nursing stations are located throughout the
facility, allowing nurses to spend more time
with patients. The charting stations are
designed with views to patient rooms as
well as supply areas and computers for
patient charting.
A caregiver-friendly design, and specialized
physician service centers, also help recruit
and retain hospital physicians. Every space
at Clarian West and Clarian North hospitals
is designed to enable conversations and
relationships to happen naturally between
caregiver and patient, caregiver to family, and
caregiver-to-caregiver.
In addition to traditional break rooms with
microwaves and refrigerators, Clarian West
has a replenishment room where staff can rest
in quiet, a meditation retreat overlooking the
lake, and a rose garden for reading or just
simply relaxing. There is also a physician
retreat that includes exercise equipment.
MAKING PATIENTS HAPPY
Clarian West Medical Center is a healthcare
campus that does more than support a healing
body. It calls to the senses by providing
walking trails, trees, and gardens that flow
naturally from wooded spaces to open areas
and a quiet pond.
Results from Clarian West’s patient perception
surveys during the second quarter of 2006,
facilitated by NRC+Picker, found that the
hospital’s adult inpatient areas including
intensive care units, scored in the nation’s top
10 percentile of hospitals. Its outpatient
surgery and other units were also in the top 10
percent. NRC+Picker’s database includes
approximately 900 hospitals nationwide.
Clarian West Medical Center and its parent
system use best practices data to deliver
superior care for patients. Some small
improvements resulted in quantum leaps in
quality. Its premise is to create a sanctuary of
care that incorporates a healing environment,
enables technology, and promotes a
relationship-based care philosophy.
To incorporate all three concepts, the
hospital was designed creating a Disney-like
front-stage and back-stage approach to design.
Similar to Disney, Clarian West believes that
there are spaces for public view and others
that need to remain private. The hospital floor
plan distinguishes these spaces as service,
public, and patient, separating them vertically
by floor and horizontally with behind-the-
scenes spaces. For example, if a visitor is in a
public area, they will not see supplies being
transported to the unit or a patient being
wheeled from one area to another.
This on-stage/off-stage concept is taken
one step further in each unit. All support
services, such as supplies and charting,
are located internally, where people cannot
see them.
To allow technology to be seamlessly
integrated into the building – creating a
less intimidating environment for patients –
computers and monitors are carefully
placed for patient and staff convenience,
and support and supply functions are hidden
behind doors.
A HEALING SANCTUARY
With its hotel-like amenities and finishes, the
healing hospital includes all private patient
rooms with DVD and CD players, Internet
access in patient rooms, floor-to-ceiling
windows in patient rooms, room service-style
menus and ordering options for patients,
in-room refrigerators for families, garden
sanctuaries, outdoor patios, music in the lobby
and waiting areas, and healing-themed
staff break rooms.
All Clarian West patient rooms are private with
home-like finishes such as textured
artwork, wood cabinets, and wood laminate
flooring. The large windows and natural
colors help create a true sanctuary of healing
for patients. In addition to professionally
produced artwork, the pediatrics unit at
Clarian West includes picture frames for
patients and siblings to create artwork and
decorate the walls during their stay.
In additional to traditional waiting areas, the
hospital includes distinct rooms designated
for watching television, playing games,
reading a book, or simply enjoying the
outdoors. Quiet nooks are also located
throughout the hospital for patients, families,
and visitors to gather. Families waiting for a
patient in surgery receive a pager so that they
may feel free to enjoy the entire campus
without the fear of missing an update on their
loved one.
If they want to grab a bite to eat, the Garden
Café, Clarian West’s public dining area
with a fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows,
is available.
MEASURING THE BOTTOM LINE
When it comes to cost, there is a premium
to designing not just a hospital but also a
healing sanctuary. These costs range from 10
to 20 percent. However, if you look at the
extra cost over the life of the building
(30 years or more) versus the annual
operational statement (depreciation and
interest expense), the extra cost on the annual
budget is fractional.
But, the return on investment for thoughtful
design is great. Recruitment expenses are
less or non-existent, workers compensation
costs are decreased, and patient falls and
complications per case mix are low.
Of all of these benefits, the greatest ones are
quality outcome and patient, staff, and family
satisfaction. Clarian West Medical Center is
proving that healthcare providers can excel
at both in a facility designed to be less like a
hospital and more like a healing sanctuary.
26
THE
In 2020, the population of planet Earth is estimated to reach 7.6 billionpeople – up 1.1 billion from today. Imagine what some of the world’stop news items might be: “Over One Billion Hydrogen Fueled Cars on
the Road,” “4 THz Microprocessor Home Computer Unveiled,” and
“Biomimicry-Inspired Smart Buildings Advance Global EnergyConservation Efforts.”
From the beginning of time, architects have played a vital role in shaping environments all over the world. To keep up with continuous
changes in technology, the environment, and diverse populations, firmsof the future must plan ahead and continue to embrace visionary
progress. While no one can predict the future, many trends continue to
surge to the forefront of architectural education and practice.
A LOOK AT
By:Ralph Hawkins, FAIA, FACHA, President & CEO, HKS, Inc.George J. Mann, AIA, Professor of Architecture, Texas A&M Universityand Founder of the Resource Planning & Development (RPD) Group
2020Firm of the FUTUREArchitectural
27
Over the last several
decades, the United States has continued to
move away from its traditional manufacturing
base and evolve into a service-based economy.
According to Eastbridge Consulting Group, by
2020, the economy will include 80 percent
service-producing businesses and 20 percent
goods-producing businesses. The 1990s trend
toward more small businesses (with fewer
than 100 employees) and mega businesses
(with more than 1,000) will continue.
Medium-sized business will decline as a per-
centage of businesses with many being down-
sized, merged, or acquired. Large firms will
have a network of offices spanning the globe
that are better able to serve and respond to
client needs. These offices will alternate
between collaborating, cooperating, and even
competing with one another.
Business
The growth of
the national labor
force will slow significantly over the upcoming
decades, which will result in shortages in all
industries including architecture. According
to DesignIntelligence, while more students are
entering design schools than ever before,
fewer of them are
pursuing traditional
career paths upon
graduation, especially
since design school
graduates can earn
bigger salaries in
other design-related
industries. To meet
the shortage in
upcoming decades,
companies will begin
to use more non-tra-
ditional employment
such as part-time
employees, flex time,
job sharing, at-home
workers, and con-
tracted employees in
addition to outsourcing to foreign entities.
The good news is that clients are now seeing
design as a strategic business value and are
willing to pay for architectural results.
The NewWorkforce
During the past several years, the American
Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has
sponsored a series of panel discussions,
entitled FutureWork, at a variety of venues to
educate architects and interior designers
about the future of the workplace. One
FutureWork expert predicts that telecommut-
ing centers will flourish in urban settings,
allowing workers to avoid stressful commutes.
Rather than sterile, rented cubicles, however,
these centers will follow the model of cyber
cafés and will serve as social think tanks.
When workers aren’t engaged in teamwork in
café-like settings or holding meetings while
strolling through nearby parks, they will work
in soundproof pods furnished with armchairs,
surround-sound stereo, and flat-panel screens.
However, office environments aren’t a thing
of the past. Architectural practices will still
promote on-site teamwork and camaraderie.
Cubed Out
Architectural schools
are reflecting the
world’s diversity.
According to the
U.S. Department of Education and the Higher
Education General Information Survey, in the
1970s, more than 88 percent of university
architectural students were males. Today, of
the United States’ 36,000 master and bachelor
architectural students, more than 40 percent
are women and 28 percent are minorities,
according to the National Architectural
Accrediting Board (NAAB) and Greenway
research study. Students from all over the
world are arriving in great numbers for gradu-
ate studies in U.S. colleges of architecture.
However, the U.S. will begin to compete for
these students due to the number of overseas
universities underway in China and India.
Diversity is going to prove positive for the next
decades’ architectural firms.
In many areas,
the ability to speak the local language will be
essential to successfully undertake projects.
Cultural sensitivity to differing customs, tradi-
tions, holidays, religions as well as sensitivity
to gender differences will be essential.
Diversity,Diversity,Diversity
(NO
T A
S U
SU
AL)
“To meet the shortage in upcoming decades,companies will begin touse more non-traditionalemployment such aspart-time employees,flex time, job sharing,at-home workers, andcontracted employees inaddition to outsourcingto foreign entities.”
Having adiverse staff will makeit more likely that vari-ous language expertiseand capabilities existwithin the firm.
28
FROM
2Dto
3Dto
5D
According to Thomas Friedman’s book, The World is Flat, European and American individuals and
businesses drove early globalization. Today, individuals from every corner of the globe are being
empowered. When China formally joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, the door flung
wide open for entrepreneurship for the country with the 1.3 billion-person population. According
to Friedman, China will not just be known for manufacturing. They are gaining and will continue
to move into the service industries. India, with its one billion-plus population, in comparison with
the United States’ 300 million, is also moving forward to open its economy. Indian employees are
not just answering customer service phones for Michael Dell. These eager and educated new hires
are developing software, forming news bureaus, and teaming up with U.S.-based accounting firms.
The service-based architectural firm will continue to expand globally. As the global pie grows, so
will opportunities to expand into new international markets. The bottom line, according to
Friedman, is that it won’t be as easy as it has been in the last 50 years. “Each of us, as individuals,
will have to work a little harder and run a little faster,” he states.
The Flat Service Playing Field
Information Technology (IT) will continue to
drive our industries and business budgets.
While much of today’s IT budget is allocated
for general infrastructure and financial man-
agement and reporting, spending is expected
to shift to communications and collaboration
technologies as companies seek to improve
knowledge management and customer serv-
ice. That’s one finding of a wide-ranging
Economist Intelligence Unit study sponsored
by Cisco Systems that offers a take on how IT
will affect the business in 2020.
This website-based storage system will
eliminate the need for individual firms to host
massive in-house servers. It also promotes
access (by permission) for shared information.
More (High)Technology
Virtual file storage is one immediateimprovement on the horizon.
Just as two-dimensional CAD techniques
replaced manual drafting in the 80s, three-
dimensional building modeling will finally
reach its potential, allowing architects to
create intelligent 3D models. This technology
will allow architects and consultants to
develop, share, manipulate, analyze, and
explore a comprehensive virtual representa-
tion of the evolving building design while
simultaneously generating the coordinated
data necessary for construction in real time.
Contractors and owners will use the new
digital database for estimating, ordering,
commissioning, facilities management, and
decommissioning within the framework of an
integrated design/build/operate process. BIM
will add a fifth dimension to architecture by
allowing scheduling and cost to evolve along
side the design and construction – versus
operating as separate and autonomous tasks.
The bottom line results will include error
reductions, minimized redundancies, and
shortened project design times.
Just as two-dimensional CAD techniquesreplaced manual drafting in the 80s, three-dimensional building modeling will finallyreach its potential ...
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According to the U.S. Department of
Commerce’s Bureau of the Census, the average
age of the general population is rising. The
elderly (65 and over) are the fastest growing
segment of the population,
increasing 88 percent by 2020
compared with a 28 percent
increase in the rest of the
population. Another Census
report notes that by 2030, 10
states are projected to have
more people who are age 65
and older than under age 18.
Many potential retirees will
need to work past 65 to fill a financial gap
caused by disappearing retiree health benefits
and the uncertain future of Social Security.
Employers looking for educated, experienced
talent will take them up on the offer.
A New Age (of Employees)
According to the U.S. Green Building Council,
in the year 2020, it is projected that more
than 30 percent of all new non-residential
construction will be completed under LEED
standards. It is estimated that green, sustain-
able communities will continue to replace
aging, non-efficient infrastructures in cities
across the world. Parks, walking and biking
trails, sports facilities, and environmentally
clean transportation systems are just a few of
the amenities in our new-world surroundings.
Architects anticipate that future designs will
take lessons from nature, such as learning
how to passively maintain comfortable
temperatures and convert sunlight to energy
through biomimicry. Passive survivability will
also be an industry standard for many build-
ing types. As the term implies, buildings will
be designed to maintain critical life-support
conditions for its occupants if services such as
power, heating fuel, or water are lost for an
extended period.
Green COMMUNITIES
The demand for graduatesmajoring in architectureexceeds supply. Smart A/E/C firms
are aligning themselves with colleges of
architectures, providing real studio projects,
giving lectures, offering scholarships and
endowments, hiring interns, and maintain-
ing a visible presence in the schools.
Texas A&M University is collaborating with the
University of Tokyo on the Global University
Program in Healthcare Architecture in order to
jumpstart architecture programs at other
schools of architecture around the world.
Many other U.S.-based universities are teaming
with global architectural schools to promote
the profession and their enrollment.
Educating (and Hiring)
Future Architects
Once people join the firm, it is vital to retain
them. They must see it as a place of personal
growth. Formal programs of staff develop-
ment and continuing education need to take
place regularly. In fact, the architecture
firm of the future will resemble a college of
architecture and vice versa. Due to continu-
ous changes in technology, the cost of training
employees is estimated to go up 500 percent
by 2020. According to DesignIntelligence, workers
will forego career-centric thinking and look for
firms that fit with their holistic lifestyle.
Best Place to WORK PRACTICES
Instead of looking for perks, like free gymmemberships, tomorrow’s employees willbe more concerned with the value of theiremployment as a whole, not just in termsof money.
Theglobalization of the field isalso globalizing education.
Many potential retireeswill need to work past65 to fill a financial gapcaused by disappearingretiree health benefitsand the uncertain futureof Social Security.
We have enjoyed the relationships we builtwith HKS and Birdville ISD
on the Walker Creek Elementary School Project!
Contact:Steve Whitcraft(817) [email protected]
www.keyconstruction.com
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HKS INC. 1919 McKINNEY AVENUE DALLAS, TX USA 75201
