So, in this rough and tumble economy, it seems that we are all interested in finding a way to get the most out of our dollars.  Many firms are deciding to simply hold onto their cash, and create a bigger war chest.  Salaries are frozen, capital expenditures are on the decline, and organizations are finding innovative ways to hang onto their work environment without significant investments.  Our firm does a lot of work in the corporate workplace arena.  Over the past ten years, there has been a growing investment of corporate money towards the development and expansion of technology in the office.  Most offices are fully wireless, redundantly wired, and the growing demands of software simply require each organization to implement a computing technology replacement strategy.  So, everyone has a relatively newish computer.  At this point, the technological support mechanisms are fully integrated into the office environment and all of the associates are “tucked in”, ready to roll with the latest technology.  With the investments that have been made in technology, it seems that productivity should be on the rise.  And, based on the lean workplace numbers, I do believe that today’s worker is harnessing that technology to make more and more money for their employers.  Recent news releases echo this sentiment…apparently the worker of today is more productive than in recent times.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-10/gains-in-u-s-worker-productivity-probably-stalled-pushing-labor-costs-up.html

So, how do we maintain the productivity of the past and harness it to continue increasing profits in the near future?  I believe that the greatest risk to productivity can be found in the lack of investment over the past ten years in the workplace’s physical infrastructure.

Since 2001, very little investment has been made in the workplace.  Many organizations are housing their staff in aging cubicles with dismal lighting and individualized environmental controls.  The current corporate workplace norm includes older workstations that lack the ability to support teamwork and collaboration; private offices that eat up valuable real estate (what a throw back), small conference rooms that have been adapted to house three to four folks in a less than ideal situation.  And, the working environment is in deep need of a fresh coat of paint and some basic sprucing up.

It is time.  It’s time for the workplace to evolve.  Today’s new worker was most likely in middle school when their workstation was purchased, and to them, the environment feels completely out of date. High panels that are not easily reconfigured will not be attractive to the new knowledge worker.  They want to work virtually and they feel disconnected in yesterday’s cubicle.  The millennial generation wants access.  They do not want to be restricted from engagement, regardless of their specific work area.  They have never done anything in a singular fashion…but rather prefer to work collaboratively along side their peers and superiors.  They are not linear, often are not overly scheduled, and have a growing preference for visual learning.  Today’s knowledge worker is seeking a fresh environment.

There are two ways that productivity can continue to increase.  We have leveraged technology to its current limits.  And, although companies are working lean, harnessing the power of the software that has already been purchased, and increasing communication between associates will prove to delay the need to throw worker’s at production oriented tasks.  First, let’s renovate.  It seems that if each corporation were to make a one time capital investment in their facility, they could set the stage to accommodate more workers in a lesser footprint, and through these reconfigurations allow the workers to increase their collaboration, communication and productivity.  Renovation is a one time capital investment that can provide significant results and save cash that might otherwise be placed into expanding an otherwise modestly efficient working environment.  Think about it.

So, I decided at the last minute to attend this year’s NeoCon show in Chicago earlier this week.  Considering the economy, I knew that the attendance would be down at the show and was not surprised that the crowds were less overwhelming than usual.  Just two years ago, getting an elevator to the Merchandise Mart floors was a nearly thirty minute wait.  This year…not ever more than a few minutes.  I still took the stairs…as a means to burn off those extra calories…which is growing in popularity too!

At the end of the show, I was amazingly more satisfied with my experience. And, I know why.  Our practice has always been focused on the development of classic design prototypes.  We do not embrace fad or chase our tails applying trends.  Instead, we look for subtle enrichment in products.  How do we learn from our mistakes and provide better service to clients?  This is our quest.  NeoCon 2010 was all about subtle enrichment of existing classic projects.  I was particularly impressed with the growing similarity among the product selection among the big office systems players.  They all have visited each other’s showrooms…and/or shared ideas.  Remarkably, the similarities help to highlight the quality differences that always seemed so challenging to ascertain.

My goal at this year’s show was to seek out information related to local manufacturing of product.  As our firm grows in its commitment to sustainability, we have chosen local manufacturing as a target for our specifications.  It helps our midwestern economy as well…and I can’t think of a more sustainable solution than local products that infuse our midwestern neighbors with income and profit.

And, in 2010….I drove my 40 mpg Nissan Cube to the show.  Took me some more time..but, saved a ton of energy and fuel; and I was able to sort out my thoughts.  Looking forward to 2011.

There is a lot of talk these days about a new model of practice that is not linked to high profile, glamorous, iconic buildings.  Interesting.  I was attracted to Wandel & Schnell in the 80’s because of the firm leader’s insistence on looking at every project or each opportunity as a design challenge.  My first project was a tree house for a residential client of ours…and I remember working on this for a week.  A tree house.   Every project was an opportunity to implement positive change.  And, the firm has always attracted individuals who are interested in dedicating themselves to the exploration of subtle impacts on the built environment.

Last week, I had one client ask me about another major project that we are working on.  He asked “this has to be the most important project in your office right now, right?”.  My response….”No.  This project is interesting, but not more important than any project.  They are all interesting and valuable.”  I meant it.  Truly.  At WSA Studio, we have been mentored by great leaders in the form of Bob Wandel & Tom Schnell & Alan Sulser…who looked at each project as special.  They treated each client with respect.  They put their heart and soul into each endeavor.  And, they created a culture that embraces that same passion to this day.

In early May, our firm is hosting a wine and cheese to celebrate our 40 year heritage.  And we will celebrate each project…large and small.  Award winning and not.

Our firm is in the middle of design documentation and detailing on two very interesting projects. It is so rewarding to be working at this level of detail…evaluating the way that the structural frame integrates with the building envelope and then creates interior space. And, it is magical to be a part of the team that is dreaming about what could be with energetic and engaged clients. It makes my days just fly by and provides such reward. I am always amazed at the energy that folks put into thinking, evaluating and commenting on their wishes and desires.

As the architect, there comes the time when coordination needs to take place, and in my book, this is the time when the magic takes place. During this critical juncture, the architect takes all of these esoteric dreams and desires and translates them into a concrete set of documents that will be used by the contractors to build the facility. The contractor, of course, offers the final interpretation of the dream, but the architect has seen it all before in their imagination, and the energy that goes into this coordination and detailing (the dream state) is simply enormous. Without this coordination, the act of building would be very complex indeed. We have to picture it…consider it…change it…and evolve it to the point where simple shapes and forms, individual systems, and divergent pieces and parts transform themselves into architecture.

I am very concerned about the “lost” art of design coordination. As the years pass, fewer and fewer architects hold a true passion for this type of work, and as the level of expectation of our client is increasing, the amount of time that is set aside for true coordination and detailing seems to be slipping away. We have to be patient. We have to set aside the time and really do our best at this phase of the project. It isn’t easy to consider every facet of a building that is still in the dream phase. And, it’s overwhelming when one begins to understand that the architect has to evaluate and make decisions on every single aspect of a facility nearly two years prior to its realization.

So, architects of the world, seize the time to coordinate and detail! And, never forget that without energy, rigor and passion towards coordination…all of those early dreams will simply be lost in translation.

It became clear to me the other night that after all of these, years, I have a lot to learn. Our firm is working on the design of a very nice church addition and we had been waffling around with the plan of the sanctuary over the past few months. We would look at it one way and get some folks to engage, and then they would ask us to look at it another way and others would prefer that layout. And then, it dawned on me. Our design is all about flexibility. And, we just keep on showing them only a portion of the story.

That is the issue with drawings. They are static. As architects, we see the potential of the space and have a vision that is so darn hard to communicate in graphic form to the client group. And, a fixed plan is exactly that. It is a plan that is fixed and cannot rely on the viewer to understand the potential flexibility. In order for the client to understand the flexibility, we have to show them the potential.

You just never keep learning. Architecture is all about communication…and you have to tell the entire story.

Over the past few months, our firm has really been struggling to stay on course. We have several projects in construction and several that are just starting in the design phase. We are trying our best to apply lessons learned to the new work…by applying a process that is foolproof…guaranteed to garner success from the onset. At the same time, our clients are demanding a higher and higher level of service and technical prowess, and our staff is running at full speed to provide special care. And care we do. We are deeply passionate about our work, and we often find it frustrating that we are not able to effectively communicate the client’s vision through our documents to the incredibly high level that the world demands. It seems that there is never enough time to do all the drawings that need to be created. And, on top of all of this, things get lost in translation. And, clients can always change course in the middle of the journey.

That’s why we are best able to face today’s market. We understand and know that in the end, it is all about design. The design solution will stand up. It will absorb all of the strife and will provide a solution for the client that is well above the value that any architect can provide who is only process oriented. Many architects work to create the best process. And process is important. But, at its core, process needs to be focused on creating an effective design. Great design transforms organizations.

When you are the change agent..when you are modifying the way in which people live….there will be strife. Change does not occur without introspection. And, any building project will force an organization to look inside and really wonder “what do we want to become”. And, that my friend…is why we practice architecture at WSA Studio. Others seek to serve their client only. Some hang their hat on their technical compentancy. We design architecture that transforms organizations. It’s that simple. And it is exceedingly rewarding.

At the end of the day, our firm’s architects and designers strive to provide a solution that moves your organization, your church, you…to a new place. Why bother if you don’t evolve? Design is that magical process where we dream. And, in doing so, we are able to consider the past, build on it, and change the human condition.

We believe that architecture has the power to transform our condition. Certainly, ideas create possibilities…but, the actual implementation of the idea through a collaboration of the builder and the fabricator and the engineer and the architect and the designer….that’s what design is truly all about. If we wanted to dabble in ideas…we would have stayed academic. We want to build. But, we want to build better. That’s why we do this stuff.

And when done well, it’s pretty rewarding in a quiet and peaceful way.

Columbus was so fortunate to have Rosalyn Cama, FASID in town on Wednesday to speak on evidence based design. This topic is very threatening to the architect. Traditionally, architects have been trained and educated to seek their personal creative expression through design. But, evidence based design asserts a theory that we simply don’t just know best, and encourages the designer to apply a rigorous research component on projects as a foundation for design decision making.

It’s called Programming…and we have been doing it with our buildings for years. But, we have seldom sought to gain any information beyond quantitative information. The fact of the matter here is that the most important information is QUALITATIVE. The quality of the space is what it is all about…and today’s owner and user is demanding a responsive architect who considers their qualitative goals for the project. So, the architect of the future will not simply become an expert and impose their viewpoint on the design.

At WSA Studio, we have employed a process on our projects for years that is based upon design that helps solve complex problems for our clients. And, most of the time, we gain access to solutions to problems through the qualitative programming content. During the early phase of any project, we make it a primary goal to elicit information from the users that will assist in the resolution of complex problems. And, then, through the process, the design actually helps to change the nature of client organizations. We believe that if there is a proper foundation of qualitative data compiled, the design will create positive change…..through design.

Over the next six months, we hope to use this website to roll out case studies that highlight the successful application of design based upon research and complex problem solving techniques. Stay tuned.

My understanding of sustainability began in the Appalachian foothills a long time ago. During my first four years of college, I worked on a natural gas pipeline crew for my Dad and brother’s company in the summer, and learned more than I ever imagined that I would about the power of natural energy, inertia, the sun, and gravity (I fell in the ditch quite a bit). Boy those summers were a grind, and every morning the thought of facing that muddy/earthy mess and standing in a hot ditch or the baking sun did not make me jump out of bed. For me, architecture school was my route to control nature, distance myself from the simplicity of the earth, and create order out of all of the chaos…and I could not wait for the summer to end. However, over the years of summer work, I grew to actually like the work (well, not enough) and to understand that the best contractors where those who listened and watched what was going on…they had a keen instinct for how things work, and they successfully flexed to adapt to the changing natural conditions. They simply were in touch with the earth. And, they knew that they had to work with the earth to gain an advantage in their work process. The harder one tried to control the situation and stay on course, on schedule and overcome the unpredictable, the more our crews would fall behind. By the end of each summer, I would be ready to go back to OSU, but I would return with renewed energy and an informed approach to design. But, rarely would I recognize how the two experiences could inform one another. It seems that it took me until my forties to fully understand how my work experience in construction really had influenced my design approach. There is a natural process of decay that impacts all of our buildings, and it is best to respect nature…embracing her rules. All things need to breathe…air is vital. We don’t evolve without light. Light is critical to the growth of living things. And, best of all…if we can do without disturbing the environment, then we should. The best buildings hold back out of modesty…they don’t shout out and dominate. They sit back in deference to the majestical power of Mother Nature and are much better for it.

I was fortunate to spend a few days in San Francisco in April attending the AIA National Convention. What a rush. This year’s convention held a different and resoundingly unique tone, and I was really intrigued by the shift towards a broader discussion of the client and their needs, and the lack of interest in the architectural icon. For years, architects have been obsessed with creating the object. In school, we were all taught about the importance of form…over function, and any true modernist relished the idea of creating an infinitely flexible space that will adapt to accommodate use over time. Functional responsiveness was not important….social issues and response to need were often coined “accommodation” and were sent to the back of the line. But, in our new economy, the client need has returned to be central to the discussion. And, since many of our clients do not have huge resources that they are willing to spend or waste, the client is also asking for a more responsive architecture. What a moment. The public needs the architects’ skill to re-design the workplace, evolve our educational space, and shift our focus towards the future of worship.

Get out your interpersonal skills young architect. You might need them for the next generation or so.