Design Futures Council, Designintelligence Media, Designintelligence Research and Designintelligence Strategic Advisors

2020 REINVENTING Q4ISSUE 2 Reinventing

DAVE GILMORE President and CEO

MARY PEREBOOM Principal, Research and Administration

MICHAEL LEFEVRE Managing Editor

CHYENNE PASTRANA Marketing Director

ROB HART Contributing Editor

BECKIE HAWK Graphic Designer

DesignIntelligence Quarterly is a publication of DesignIntelligence LLC which comprises the Design Futures Council, DesignIntelligence Media, DesignIntelligence Research and DesignIntelligence Strategic Advisors.

Contents

4 Context 66 Preemptive Reinvention Troy Thompson 6 Talking about Transformation Dave Gilmore, Michael LeFevre, Bob Fisher 79 Technology Transformation: Are We There Yet? 17 Reinventing Leadership Dennis Shelden Michael LeFevre 93 Reinventing Communication 28 Pace and Place, Planet and Purpose: Hamish Caldwell Reinvention Required Paul Hyett 105 A Conversation with a Global Citizen Dr. Calvin Kam 34 Ripe for Reinvention Scott Simpson 118 Economic Review: Reinventing in 2021 Bob Hughes 40 Reinventing Design Process Kirsten Lees 126 Senior Fellows | Voices Senior Fellows Recognition 55 Reinventing the Firm Dan Noble 4 Reinventing

CONTEXT: REINVENTING EDITORIAL ROADMAP 2020

To culminate an inconceivable year of change, a year in which “truth” has been stranger than fiction, our fourth quarter issue looks at Reinventing - the anchor leg to our four-part series - with themes of Research, Reframing, and GLOBAL GEOPOLITICS Redefining from the first three quarters. DOMESTIC POLITICS ENVIRONMENTAL DYNAMICS To explore the notion of Reinventing, we feature interviews with managing prin- “REINVENT” “RESEARCH” cipals from three leading design firms. From Grimshaw and Partners in the UK, Kirsten Lees discusses exploration Q4 Q1 • THE FUTURE • ACADEMY as design process. HKS CEO Dan Noble • LEADERSHIP CONSTRUCTS • PRACTICE offers a contemplative inside look at his • RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS • INDUSTRY firm’s value-based makeover. To complete the trilogy, Troy Thompson overviews “RESILIENCE” SmithGroup’s restructuring and design ENSURING A FUTURE RISKS process evolution in the current context. DISRUPTION

For an out-of-industry perspective, Wireless Insiders Network partner Hamish Caldwell Q3 Q2 gives us a primer on wireless networks, their relevance to the built environment “REDEFINE” “REFRAME” industry, and suggests new leadership • VALUE INVESTMENTS LANGUAGE • CONTRACTS / APPROACHES skills. Dr. Calvin Kam’s multitasking, • SUCCESS • COMPENSATION • RESPONSIBILITY (ACCOUNTABILITY) • CULTURAL PURPOSE boundary-crossing technology observations • IDENTITY • TECHNOLOGY USE extend the frame internationally, to survey optimal recipes for private innovation and government technology mandates. RPI’s CASE director Dennis Shelden 5 Reinventing

speaks candidly in an epochal discussion and essays to share world class thinking of technology’s potential to enable scaled among the DI community. With an analysis and simulation data to solve aspiration to maintain the quality of systemic problems. He answers the content and contributors, in 2020, we question: Are we there yet? began an intentional journey to become more approachable. More accessible via Design Futures Council Senior Fellows digital media, a more graphical visual and regular DI Quarterly contributors format, and a more personal, human Scott Simpson and Paul Hyett share tone. We hope our efforts have struck a more than a century of perspective in chord for deep content. their respective essays Ripe for Reinvention and Pace and Place - Planet Like you, we had little ability to foresee and Purpose. My three-way conversation the COVID pandemic and other crises with Dave Gilmore and Bob Fisher, and that have rocked this year and that seem my own essay on Reinventing poised to continue well into next year. Leadership punctuate the need for firms to understand the 5 Tiers of Change and We hope that you benefit from this seize the crisis-driven opportunities that content - the collective wisdom of a confront them. Bob Hughes’ essay gives dozen industry thought leaders - and us a post-election economic outlook for that it spurs you to action in the year to 2021, and, hopefully - a post-COVID come. We wish you a positive conclusion worldview. to what has been an unfathomable year -- and a better outlook for 2021. For years DesignIntelligence Quarterlies proffered a series of scholarly interviews Talking About Transformation 7 Reinventing

DI’s Dave Gilmore, Bob Fisher, and Michael LeFevre discuss 5 Tiers of Change and the principles of DAVE GILMORE reinventing businesses.

President & CEO, DesignIntelligence

Michael LeFevre (ML): Our theme The second tier is marked by event- for this issue of Design Quarterly based, adjustment-oriented change. is reinventing. Dave, you suggested An event occurs, we adjust to it, and the three of us come together for a that creates a change. That is also BOB FISHER discussion on transformation, as incremental over time. The third tier opposed to more gradual is planned incremental change. Editor at Large, incremental change. I’m thrilled to Think of the discipline of project DesignIntelligence be a part of it and to be here with management. It’s planned you. Why is transformation so incremental change from a current important? state to a future state. The fourth tier is transformative change, and the Dave Gilmore (DG): I believe it’s fifth tier is change driven through MICHAEL LEFEVRE more than transformation. In my intentional re-invention. recent podcast, I talk about the five Managing Editor, tiers of change. I’m most concerned That last type is volitional re- DesignIntelligence with the last two in this COVID invention and intention to do Media Group period. The first tier of change something. I’ve laid out this occurs through the natural passage hierarchy or taxonomy of change for of time. It’s what we experience in us to consider, because as I noted in our bodies, growing year over year, the podcast, Heraclitus is attributed decade over decade. Our bodies as saying, “The only constant is change through the natural passage change.” I think he meant simply the of time. natural-passage-of-time kind of 8 Reinventing

change, that things change on their DG: Each aspect has had volumes from base level survival to self- own, but he disconnected us from written about it, but I assembled the realization. In your model, the five having autonomy in our choices to five tiers into a taxonomy. That’s how types could be concurrent. Would determine change. That’s where we I think about it. you agree? find ourselves now in this series of crises. They are forcing us to a new ML: You called it a hierarchy or DG: They could be. There is a posture around change. taxonomy. It brings to mind difference between transformative Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, change and intentional reinvention. I ML: I wasn’t familiar with that although, I’m not sure it’s talk about those differently, because I structure. I’m assuming it’s original hierarchical, where one tier builds think of transformative change, like to you. on the last in importance, on a path the transformation in a Chrysalis from the larva to the butterfly. What is so interesting in that transformation is that a gooey little thing inside a cocoon morphs to the unbelievable beauty we see in a butterfly or a moth. The interesting thing here is the DNA is the same. It’s a change from one state to another, but the essence is the same.

Reinvention is dramatic. Several years ago, at the Design Futures Council in La Jolla, Billy Sorrentino, the former executive creative director and head of creative at WIRED magazine, challenged the audience to make sharp left turns. There wasn’t the obsession with political lefts and rights we have today. He was simply saying: you get to this place and simply make a sharp turn. What 9 Reinventing

you’re doing is radically changing Bob Fisher (BF): The reason I have a direction, which changes the job, and why that degree of change is trajectory and the outcomes. You’re important, has to do with what Dave reinventing altogether and saying, just referred to: the characteristics of “The old is not satisfactory. We must change in the time we’re in. We’re all create something new. Both experiencing a broader global transformation and reinvention are environment and an industry challenging us as an industry. The changing more rapidly and challenges have probably been in fundamentally. These changes are place for a while, but they’ve come to coming at us quicker, more deeply, the fore now, forcing firms to make and with more lasting impacts. Those When we realize what we’ve choices. Intentional reinvention is not prone to change or who want to been doing and offering the usually triggered by the question of stay the same are going to become relevance. When we realize what irrelevant in the new context. markets might no longer be we’ve been doing and offering to the market might no longer be relevant, We’re being challenged in new ways. relevant, we are confronted we are confronted with the choice to Change is difficult, but that’s not with the choice to deny this deny this irrelevance or reinvent our necessarily a bad thing. It’s a clarion doings and offerings towards call for us to use our imaginations, to irrelevance or re-invent our relevance. This is where the built figure out how to respond to all this doings and offerings towards environment industry is poised change happening, and how to be today. more proactively adaptive to stay relevance. ahead of it. Firms that recognize that ML: What a great framework to are why I have a job. begin the discussion. Bob, through DI Strategic Advisors, you help ML: I think about Darwin and the firms with their business sigmoid, S-curves, life cycle curves transformations. Why do you have discussed in Jonathan Salk’s book, a job? Why is it important for firms A New Reality. Transformation is to transform themselves? important because change, conflict, and these kinds of external events 10 Reinventing

are inevitable. Those who deny In some cases, the squeaky door that early 1990s or 2000s, this is a radical them will decline more quickly or irritates us in other times just change occurring in so many come to the end of their life cycle becomes acceptable, and we keep dimensions, not just an economic curves. We may not like change putting up with the squeaky door. In downturn. while it’s happening, but it is our prosperity over the last eight inevitable. years, very few firms have taken the This is a perfect storm of destruction time to reconsider what — or opportunity. It requires action Dave, during this COVID period, transformation or reinvention might that will be uncomfortable, you’ve been insistent on the look like. Why? We’re doing well. disruptive, and at times, disorienting. demand — and the opportunity We’re making money. As the old We must distance ourselves from old, — for transformation or radical saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix unhealthy paradigms and forge new change, almost to the exclusion of it. But now we’re in dire straits with ones. That will require a destructive more gradual change. In your five backlogs atrophying. Most firms’ force in parallel with a creative one. tiers of change, a couple stand out backlogs are a third of what they that you’re steering people towards. were a year ago, and we’ll be into ML: That call has been clear. Why is Why, and why now? 2021 soon. this perfect storm such an opportunity? That seems counter ECONOMICDG: Economic health did not wholly Thousands of people were let go from intuitive. The normal reaction for return to the Nation until 2012. From their jobs within the built most humans would be to adopt a 2012, until early 2020, we have been environment industry. And we’ve defensive posture and wait it out. on a radical expansion and prosperity been hurt less than many other Why does crisis present trajectory. It’s been unbelievable. As a industries. The question is, will we opportunity? matter of fact, it grew our economy at squander these crises, hold on and record levels, to become exceptional hope we get through it and go back DG: I track volumes of economic as the largestHEALTH economy in the world, to our old practices, or will we use data on multiple fronts. Since at close to 21 and a half trillion this as the opportunity for authentic December of last year I’ve watched dollars during that period. In change, authentic transformation, or the dramatic — almost overnight prosperity, revenue covers a possibly intentional reinvention? I — changes in attitudes and behaviors multitude of sins. We get obsessed don’t believe we have the luxury of of the large asset managers, global with the idea of revenue and gradual change, if we want to make it pension funds, and large hedge funds prosperity, and we put up with through. This is not just another who serve as the foundational inconveniences. When we’re doing recession. As big and awful as 2008 investment vehicles globally for well, we don’t take the time to fix the was, this is not a recession like in the much of what we do in our space. In things that need to be fixed. 11 Reinventing

this ten-month period, I’ve watched The crowds are filled with Hispanics, them shift to becoming laser focused whites and Asians saying, “Enough is on climate change. They are actively enough. Enough systemic racism and withdrawing investment from prejudice. We’re not going to put up companies not complying with the with that anymore.” As a result, they Paris Accord or the United Nation’s have teeth. It’s refreshing. The same sustainable development goals. News thing is occurring with climate reports are highlighting an escalation change. Momentum is building of activist investment. You may have regarding how we spend our money seen last week — Samsung is on the as a nation and as a populace. 20th- There’s a new set of thinkers griddle because they put $14 billion century spending in an oil economy into supporting coal mining is fast moving towards irrelevance. in town. They come from investments. Extraordinary spending towards the younger Gen X-ers, the traditional defense is swiftly shifting People are saying: “Hold on. We’re to new forms of engagement. Across Millennials, and the Gen Z’ers not doing that anymore,” and that’s multiple dimensions, values and stepping up. They’re speaking just one anecdote of how radically attitudes are driving new behaviors. things have shifted. I use that Things will not revert to “the good loudly about the things that example because we’re seeing old days.” Organizations operating in something happen right now that the old paradigm are going to be left matter to them. we’ve talked about for the last few behind within 12 months. It’s moving years. That’s the shift in demographic that quickly, because this is not an thinking, values and attitudes. There’s economic crisis isolated into itself. a new set of thinkers in town. They come from the younger Gen X-ers, We are going through a health crisis, the Millennials, and the Gen Z-ers a social crisis, a political crisis, an stepping up. They’re speaking loudly economic crisis, a climate crisis, and about the things that matter to them. a severe crisis of truth. I could go on. We’ve watched that come to the fore. Six or seven crises have come For example, in the Black Lives together to re-shape how, in the case Matter movement that has gained of the American mindset, we will force this year, if you watch the reshape a new set of values and audiences, they’re not all black. attitudes. That will result over the 12 Reinventing

next three to four years in a radically Because operating from a solid set of At times, decisions will be incorrect, shifted culture. That’s where we are. core values is the best chance they and it’s important for the quality of The industry must shift to have to make decisions that will be the relationship and the leadership accommodate, support, and lead in right for the long-term, when the teams to have the kind of trust where this, as opposed to enduring and short-term is throwing so much they can say, “I know you had the being dragged along behind. confusion at you. best intentions. Things didn’t work out as we thought, but we’re still a ML: Bob, in the early weeks of the ML: In your role at Design team. We’re still in this together, and COVID outbreak, you were the first Intelligence Strategic Advisors, we’re going to move forward to articulate this. Your comment you’ve had the opportunity to coach together.” The second characteristic is stuck with me. You said, “In a crisis, many firms in their own awareness. By awareness, I mean of the first thing to go is perspective.” reinventions, both before our self and of what’s happening in the From your perspective, why is this current crises and during. In this marketplace. Firms living in the crisis such an opportunity? current context, what prevalent “dumb, fat and happy” paradigm had issues stand out as people are the luxury of focusing on what was BF: Dave painted a wonderful picture coping? on the boards, what was coming to of the perfect storm of change them, and getting that work done. happening in the world today. We are BF: Three come to mind, and they’re hurting for predictability and clarity. familiar, because they relate to what We’re in a highly fluid situation. Firm works in other contexts. Trust is a leaders don’t have full information key ingredient. Firms able to change with which to make decisions. In rapidly have a good foundation of many cases, they don’t even have trust among their people, especially adequate information. But they have senior leadership, because there are We see this over and over. decisions to make — many of great going to be times where you need to consequence. One of the best take chances. To take chances Firms have a hard time opportunities for firms is to get clear collectively and successfully navigate thinking about the future very quickly on their deepest, truest, those situations, you have to trust the authentic values. people around you, and yourself. because they’ve got so much Trust brings a certain grace, because Not just their stated values, but those people will make mistakes. Things going on in the present. they’re willing to back up with action. will happen. 13 Reinventing

We see this over and over. Firms have chances. A lot of courage is necessary using some of my time, effort, energy, a hard time thinking about the future to do that, because when leaders are and money to do what Bob just because they’ve got so much going on making decisions about fundamental talked about, apply courage towards in the present. or radical changes, nobody knows transformation or reinvention? Or how everything’s going to work out. am I floating along, thinking this is In this highly fluid changing When things work out well, we can like another recession and it’s all situation, awareness is critical. look back, and we can pat ourselves going to bounce back next year? Looking outside and making that on the back for a degree of foresight part of the way that you do business we probably didn’t have. But in the It takes intentionality to look deep every day. Now, awareness of self is moment, it takes courageous into the future and make logical, also important, because firm commitment to change, to lead common-sense projections of what it leadership can often sugarcoat or people through that kind of could mean for me and apply courage look through rose-colored glasses at transformation or intentional by investing toward reinvention. their own current situation, and not reinvention. There’s no either/or here. There’s a understanding their own this, and a that. You maintain where vulnerabilities. They miss ML: Dave, any follow up thoughts? you are while, in parallel, moving understanding the strengths they can You’re talking to people all over the toward a reinvention trajectory. If we leverage to get past those world. What are you seeing as can use the idea of two train tracks in vulnerabilities. Knowledge of the people cope with this context? parallel, there will be a time when we firm itself and knowledge of the will shift over to the reinvention environment, or awareness, is the DG: Interestingly, from a profit and track from our status quo track, but second big one. loss standpoint, many firms have we have to build the reinvention done very well in this current fiscal track concurrently. The third factor is what I call year of 2020. They built such a large courageous commitment to change. backlog in 2019 that it flowed over to I love how Bob mentioned courage. It This relates to what Dave was talking 2020. That backlog has sustained takes courage during a time like this. about with intentional reinvention. them this year. The problem is with We’re seeing various levels of Those two words are important when the backlog they would be creating courage. We’re seeing folks doing you’re talking about making change now for 2021. That’s where the nothing. We’re seeing folks using the on that level. To do that, you need to atrophy has occurred. The question, term “reimagine,” which is not be fully committed. Not only that, during a time of current prosperity reinvention. We’re seeing people but you need to be willing to take based on last year’s backlog, is: am I tweaking, but not truly changing in 14 Reinventing

the resilient fashion we’ve been transformation over a short time. any kind of strategic planning begins speaking about. Then we’re seeing with research. It must begin with some firms who have put everything To cope, using your analogy, Dave, understanding what’s happening in on the table and are moving I’ve always adopted a two-pronged the greater world, and how the intentionally toward reinvention. It’s approach. I worked on one track greater world dynamics impact exciting. with gradual, constant, incremental markets. How will those market change, always on the lookout for sectors respond to that greater set of We’ve been in touch with firms in those bigger opportunities where global dynamics? Australia, the United Kingdom, leadership was ready for that. It’s Canada and across the United States, rare to find, build, or nurture Then we need a vision of how we will so we have a good survey worldwide, leadership that is ready for such respond to where those markets are at least in those countries. It will be top-down driven, full-on going. When you do it in that an exciting time when the dust revolution. I’m sure people come to structure, it starts to make sense to settles. It won’t for another two years. you asking for that help, but in people. Suddenly they ask, “Okay, so That’s when we’ll know who’s left other cases, you’re there whispering what are you saying?” Well, you standing, who reinvented themselves, and trying to change their minds. happen to be a healthcare design and who is hanging on by fingernails. What have been your experiences in firm. My question to you is what’s the changing leadership mindsets future of healthcare? How are you ML: I love your parallel tracks top-down? going to figure that out? You do some analogy. Transformation, research. Many firms come to revolution, or rapid change of an DG: Bob and I, and the rest of the DesignIntelligence and ask us to do entire organization is dramatic. DesignIntelligence advisors, operate the research for them or with them Something I’m not sure I’ve from a set of principles. The first is, because we have such a pervasive experienced in my career. While I vision is a firm’s ideal response to the reach and can access data and have been a constant change future. Strategy is a response to decision makers. advocate, the opportunities for vision. We begin with future, we then wholesale change have not have vision, we then have strategy. Together, we develop a future-state materialized. I’ve been in two firm We ask clients: what is the future vision for that market. Then we ask mergers, changed companies, even telling us. We get such responses as, firm leadership, “What’s your changed industries from design to “I don’t know, I wasn’t given a crystal response in a visionary way to this construction, but never been a part ball today,” to, “How do we figure future?” That’s where the challenge is. of an organization-wide, dramatic that out?” That’s where we believe Because if you’re a pure architecture 15 Reinventing

firm today, and you’re watching, in like a merger, to find opportunities to intentions in a vision and a plan. my example of healthcare, radical create unexpected, positive change. Those plans need to be supported changes occurring in American In special circumstances, those and led by the executives and driven healthcare delivery — as well as in changes may even stretch an at all levels of the firm. Everyone the economics of healthcare, an area organization beyond where it needs to be all in on fulfilling a radically challenged to stay buoyant thought it could go. I’m a big believer collectively held vision—especially during this time — you realize that’s in seizing opportunities when they the collectively held visionary probably going to translate to fewer arise. I’m also an advocate of trying response to the future Dave talked hospitals being built. So, what do I, as to create positive change from any about. a traditional healthcare design firm level in an organization. But it’s do in a context like that? That’s where nearly impossible to create ML: Were any of these vision starts to come into play. Bob, transformative change or intentional transformations generated bottom additional thoughts? reinvention using an opportunistic, up or middle out? ad hoc approach. BF: Mike painted a picture of change DG: Yes. One client had issues and focused on emerging opportunities. Transformation or reinvention came to us. People were leaving. They It’s possible, especially in a situation happens when organizations are fully were saying, “We’re stuck. This isn’t where a major change is happening, committed and capture their deep going to work.” After exit interviews and confrontations senior leadership realized, “Oh my gosh, we have a hole in our boat. What are we going to do?” They finally woke up to the idea that something had to change. They didn’t call it transformation or reinvention. They just said, “Something has to change.” And we got called in to assist with that, to highlight what could that look like, and to diagnose why people were leaving. It ended up being led by senior leadership but was incited from the middle. Extraordinary 16 Reinventing

things happen when that occurs, carried within everyone in the because it’s not top-down. organization.

BF: My answer echoes what Dave Organizations good at changing are was saying, but you presented a false often smart about communicating dichotomy—the idea that change the need for change — a vision for either comes from the middle or how things can look at the end of a below, or from above. Truly effective positive change path. They are change has to be supported by intentional about how they include leadership and led in some way. That people in key parts of the doesn’t mean the roles in change are organization in creating that change lesser for the people in the middle or to bring everybody in the toward the bottom of the organization along through organization. Nothing could be communication. These ideas apply to further from the truth. Because any firm that’s going to successfully change will never be effective if it’s navigate the times we’re in. not led, bought into, and earnestly

Dave Gilmore is President and CEO of DesignIntelligence, which comprises of the Design Futures Council, DesignIntelligence Strategic Advisors, DesignIntelligence Media Group, DesignIntelligence Research, and the DesignIntelligence Leadership Institute.

Bob Fisher is a Principal with DesignIntelligence Strategic Advisors and an Editor at Large with DesignIntelligence. He consults with firms across the country on strategic business transformation.

Michael LeFevre, FAIA Emeritus, is Managing Editor of DesignIntelligence Media Group, and formerly, Vice President with Holder Construction and Principal with Lord, Aeck & Sargent architects. He is the author of the bestselling book, Managing Design (Wiley, 2019). Reinventing Leadership 18 Reinventing

In changing contexts, we need new models and skills for an old role.

Rarely discussed in architectural know it. Old leaders and their studios, leadership may seem a obsolete approaches won’t do MICHAEL LEFEVRE distant, ancient skillset, little anymore. We need new models and changed in recent centuries. The skills. FAIA, Managing Editor, DI Media Group Publications average architect likely feels it has scant applicability to design. Such NEW LEADERSHIP SKILLS thinking is mistaken. Why? Because the design profession needs In support of the above hypothesis, I leadership now more than ever. And offer some new leadership skills to the art of leading has changed cope with a post-COVID design drastically from its “set a direction industry and world. and command boldly from on high” days of old. How so? The pace of 1. Know Your S-Curve change since March 2020 has been To address these new contexts, new bewildering. A global pandemic, an leaders should start by learning economic recession, job loss, about the S-shaped lifecycle curve of business closures, lingering racial any living system: rapid growth in and social inequity, political the organism’s early years that slows divisiveness, and an environmental in maturity and falls off as the tipping point threaten life as we organism eventually dies. Those 19 Reinventing

who don’t appreciate this curve will leader’s duty is to continually look less you know where you’re going. fall victim to it. S curves tell us the out, up, down, and around in multi- And conversely, the more you know inexorable march of decline faces us directional awareness to constantly where you’re going, the less you all — whether we admit it or not. reevaluate and reset direction for know where you are. If you find Admit it we must. In his book, A their organizations. More akin to the yourself on a NASA spacecraft New Reality, Jonathan Salk illustrates attitude of an Army Special Forces or hurtling at light speed toward earth the sigmoid life cycle curve that Green Beret soldier than a designer at a given trajectory, you can predict governs all living systems. Where are sauntering through a design with certainty that you’ll reach your you on your curve? exploration, leaders bear destination. But because of your responsibility — to themselves and velocity, you have little ability to Those who refuse to mitigate their those who follow them — to be accurately know where you are at own S-curve with Darwinian aware. This need has always been that moment. 1And similarly, if your adaptation and evolution will suffer present but beckons louder these craft – let’s say your car – is still in its from stagnation, failure, and days. Looking, seeing, absorbing, and parking space at the office, you know extinction. Why reinvention? filtering sensory data must now precisely where you are, but you have Because as the world changes, so occur at a frightening pace. Now that little certainty where you’ll go, You must we. Whether by self-induced data exceeds humans’ abilities to could decide to drive home, go equilibrium punctuations or process it in time, and some of it is straight, or turn left, and all at yet to externally driven chaos events, intentional disinformation sent by be determined rates of speed and leaders must induce self-evolution by foes to misdirect us, we need new vectors. Leaders understand these anticipating and reacting to the ways cope with infoglut. Filters, two extremes and factor them into changes happening around them. teammates, and new ranking skills their decision making. And to help Those who do will reap the rewards for admitting, absorbing and themselves along the way, they look of reshaping their S curves – a benefit processing information are required. for buoys and guideposts in their when changes aplenty are afoot. journeys. Look for yours. Take the 3. Know Where You Are - And long perspective. Know better where 2. Know What’s Happening: Where You’re Going: The you are and where you’re going. Situational Awareness Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle A second critical leadership skill for Drawn from physics, the Heisenberg 1 My reference may not be accurate at all macro and micro scales. Hell, I’m not a physicist. But the dichotomy of our new world is situational Uncertainty Principle, rephrased and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle still holds appeal, and I awareness. In a world changing more reapplied for a lay audience, states: apply my variant in the common English sense. For design radically than ever before, any the more you know where are, the firm leaders, the question is: can an organization know both its location and its vector simultaneously? 20 Reinventing

4. Take Risks predictions are accurate, not when Because of the greater uncertainty we they agree with other networks face, another leadership skill now in forecasts. y I’d suggest architecture be high demand is accepting, taking and added to that mix. Our focus on managing risk. For a century and a design awards is narcissistic— we half, the profession of architecture need reality and consequences to has evolved at a glacial pace. By all hold us accountable. Things like admissions, and by design, design clients, users, and P&L statements has been a gentleman’s profession, help us achieve that. Only recently intentionally distanced from are a few bold design firms beginning commerce, risk, and speculation. In to measure carbon footprints, energy school, we weren’t taught to even use, building and human consider risk, much less manage it. performance, and life cycle cost (the We were taught to focus on the art only meaningful cost metric). and the science of design and Without further punch-pulling: building. A distant third category was architectural firms must change their business. With an already full relationships to metrics and risks. curriculum, there was little to no They should be willing to wager their learn at a biological level. They discussion about context, strategy, own profits on real performance change at a cellular level. By learning leadership, or making change. metrics, and clients should be and changing over time, they skeptical of any designer unwilling to eliminate cells with the wrong traits. Nassim Nicholas Taleb makes several share the risk of implementation. As a result, the unaccountable, excellent points in his recent TEDx And maybe, just maybe, architects maladapted organisms don’t survive. talk, entitled “Skin in the Game.” should also be rewarded more They die. In a final ancient https://www.youtube.com/ handsomely than with mere trophies counterintuitive reminder, Taleb cites watch?v=uv6KLbkvua8 when their performance is Hammurabi’s code. The edict “an eye To paraphrase, he posits that any exceptional – as measured by the for an eye” tells us: we must own our business which is judged by its peers performance of the buildings they own risks. The aggregate upside for rather than reality is doomed. As an design for their clients. newly adapted risk embracers is a example, take weather forecasters. Taleb calls these truths simple better outcome for clients, designers They are only valuable when their Darwinian survival, because systems and communities alike. 21 Reinventing

5. Be A TrimTab: Catalyze Small 6. Go “Zone”: Use Rotating, Shared, scouted by the New York Yankees. Scale Change Collective Leadership Another friend was the free-spirited Buckminster Fuller’s tombstone I was privileged to be a part of strong lover of life, always willing to epitaph reads: “Call Me TrimTab.” By band of friends growing up. We challenge conformity and authority this he refers to the small flap seen on played sports together, got in trouble in search of his next adventure on a boat rudders, particularly large ocean together, and retain strong bonds lifelong existential, Zen journey. liners and cruise ships, whose job it today – those of us still above the to turn, catch some water, and dirt. We enjoyed great success in In leadership times, because of our overcome the inertia so the larger those years and still do today. What trust and group outlook, we rudder then turns the ship. His was our secret? We had no singular intuitively knew which leader would notion of the trimtab as an analogy leader. In sports parlance, rather than step up in any given situation. to reflect the power of small, lead “one-on-one” or “man-to-man” Because they simply did. When one personal, local, and well-placed we employed a “zone” defense. Each of us fumbled, that leader would step change to effect greater change is of us had a “zone” of expertise that in with a pep talk: “Get yourselves captivating. New leaders need to rotated and flowed in response to our up,” he’d yell. “We’ll pick you up on understand and convey the power of teammates and context. the next play.” When we were in trimtabs to their extended teams in trouble, Eddie Haskell would step in making precise yet minute Each of us possessed unique skills to complement the teacher on her adjustments to the overall machinery, that were respected and deployed dress. Because we knew our such that minimal effort leads to situationally to create a stronger- limitations and valued group over maximum directional change. than-its-parts leadership team. Each self, we respected and relied on our of us led in different ways at different diversity. We never turned to a single times. One of us was the smartest. leader. We were a band of equals, Another the fastest. Yet another was radically different, but committed to politically and socially connected. He the group. How lucky we were, and was a class officer and tennis captain still are. Business, firms, and and legitimized us. He was so governments should be more like we focused on saying the “right” things, were, because no single person can we branded him “Eddie Haskell.” know everything they need to Another of us had great skills in anymore. Those who deconstruct and deceit and chicanery. He also was the expand the role will better position best athlete, at one point being themselves for change. Even if you’re 22 Reinventing

required to have a single leader, learn on the last page of each chapter leave to widen that leader’s impact by us with a scenario such as: “Bourne activating experts beyond their saw the assassin through the window formal leadership team. across the 10-story light court below. Poised, he leapt through the window 6. Keep Going, and Never Finish: and…” Ludlum left us to wonder The Zeigarnik Principle what happened next. That’s the There’s an old Woody Allen adage Zeigarnik Principle. Intentional that tells us just showing up is half open-endedness. We see it in TV the battle. Beyond showing up, the sitcoms, serial dramas, and other follow-on advice touches on the places. Even after having coffee with value of persistence. Keep going and a friend we might end by saying: never give up. You’ll win out in the “Let’s do this again.” It gives us end. But I want to add a third nugget, something to look forward to. As a a secret psychological principle that result, we are more aware, engaged, can help us all. It’s called the hopeful, and positive. Creating a Zeigarnik Principle, named for built-in open end keeps us focused, Russian psychologist Bluma purposeful, intentional, and curious. Zeigarnik. In psychology, it states More alive. In that regard, I feel sorry that an activity that has been for friends, neighbors and colleagues interrupted may be more readily who respond to the question: “How recalled. It postulates that people are you doing in COVID times?” remember unfinished or interrupted “I’m bored.” tasks better than completed tasks, and that open ended, incomplete The best projects and meetings are encounters heighten focus. They hold ones in which we discuss a trend, a our attention and keep us on task. learning or sharing opportunity, or a For example, remember Robert crisis, problem, or new initiative to Ludlum’s thriller beach books about be solved. We’re evolving, growing, Jason Bourne? As you turned the moving toward something: a pages, Ludlum would place his hero common can’t-fail goal. We’re not in another precarious position, and being stagnant or regressing. When it

Bluma Zeigarnik – Internet Photo 23 Reinventing

comes to your life and work, my warp speed to develop clinical trials advice is simple: use the Zeigarnik for possible new vaccines. How were Principle. Keep enough initiatives these entities all able to move so going so you always have something quickly? They had no choice. to do, to work on, and to look forward to. In that way, your work is In all these examples, organizations never done. It keeps you young and continued to operate — doing their ever changing. primary functions and day jobs, in some cases more productively than 7. Cycle Quickly. Change Radically. before – while they bore the added One of the most dramatic lessons of pressure of reinventing themselves! the COVID pandemic has been how This kind of speed and success at quickly large organizations have been rapid change makes one ask: What able to reinvent themselves when the hell were they all doing before? forced. In our DI November virtual event, The Future of Environmental Yes, forced change can be a good Responsibility, presenter Richard thing. We change when we have to, Palmer shared the remarkable story but we’d rather have some advance of the Australian government, who notice. Consider this your notice: reacted overnight to fund and solve change is upon us, don’t squander it. their country’s homeless problem as a And it will come again. When it does, pandemic response by putting be ready. Fail early and often. homeless people in vacant hotels. At Entrepreneurs of all different risk home in the US, nearly every profiles employ thinking from the business was forced to learn how to risks down. They use rapid reinvent themselves in mere days to prototyping and iterations to analyze be able to work from home. The US and simulate outcomes. Michael Congress acted relatively quickly – by Schrage’s book Serious Play is a fine partisan congress standards - to investigation of rapid prototyping as legislate and implement the PPP a simulation, iteration, and risk stimulus bill. Hundreds of management tool. pharmaceutical companies reacted at 24 Reinventing

WHERE DO YOU START? Break Boundaries In assessing your own current Where you begin to change your location and destination in a self- leadership approach, by necessity, audit, consider looking beyond the must be up to you, because it’s design business space. Look at events unique to you. But here are a few happening around you and affecting possible points of beginning. your organization to spark change. Blow on those embers and turn them Embrace Change into grassroots brushfires and blazes. In the COVID context, don’t When you see a fire burning in the complain, don’t wait. Embrace the eyes of a talented associate create a sudden change. Seek new rhythms role or an initiative for them. Let and patterns of connection, them do what they love. communication, and creation. Despite our early hopes, the Start with Why: Meaning and pandemic will not be gone quickly. Purpose While we may have to retreat into a Having viewed the larger context, shell and self-isolate physically, don’t study those reasons that led you to do it emotionally. Keep active. Keep change. Good leaders are clear on connected. And find what’s next. why they are doing what they do. We should all be. To be purposeful in Leverage Technology connecting people, giving back, and One possible point of beginning is showing meaning, I suggest reading technology. In many firms, Viktor Frankl’s classic book, Man’s technology is still tangential, not Search for Meaning. In it, he outlines assimilated. A tool, not an integral four sources of meaning: way of life and working. Every firm • work or vocation should have a technology strategy • a significant mentor and plan to prioritize and fund it on • a life changing experience or an ongoing basis. epiphany, and • aging gracefully 25 Reinventing

“You have to die a few times before you can really live.” Charles Bukowski

The lucky ones among us have had reality is we need each other. That’s Go Beyond the “Project Mentality” the benefit of finding more than one how life works. Connecting with – Adopt New View Horizons of these, or even all of them. people is work, an important aspect As designers and builders, most of us of the job. We must stop relying on have an ongoing need to effect Expand Leadership, Collaboration, the denial, divide, and cancel cultures change, make progress, and get and Connection (We Need Each as solutions to things we disagree things done. We need movement and Other) with. We all have biases and beliefs progress from A to B. We have to be Deputize your teams to contribute, - and stories of struggles and going somewhere, even if it’s just engage and commit. Make conscious difficulty. Let’s reinvent our default staying busy doing what we love. plans and investments in connecting, mode to look for the wonderful Besides, that keeps us from having to being thankful in work, health, chances to share, connect, and find focus on important things. wealth, family, and friends. Create a common ground. We are privileged new personal sense of sanity for how to get to do what we love. Let’s bring A good number of us thrive in these you relate. Do it for yourself and for collaboration back with conscious short-term purposes. Some call it the those who need you. There’s actions and strategies. “project mentality.” We have to have a something counterintuitive in the project. But true leadership demands people who comprise the design Be a Continuous Learner a longer-term vision, or view professions. Although many are Learn from the process and be a horizon. Managers follow the vision. introverted, when their projects are student of the game, strategizing – They adjust resources to maintain done, people who like to design and leading – out loud. Avoid “one and keep that vision — their project buildings are dying for the chance to and done change” mantras. — between the lines. Leaders, with share it with someone. Surprise. The the help of their teams, determine 26 Reinventing

that vision, and are responsible for — to have benefit. To leave their they grew up in a different context. monitoring and redirecting it when firms a legacy of continued They need them because they are required. Managers do things right. excellence, firm founders should be now are faced with leading a radically Leaders do the right things. Henry actively finding the next generation different world. Ford knew this distinction: “there is of emerging leaders. no worse fate than doing with the REINVENTING MYSELF utmost efficiency, that which should In an ironic twist, COVID may have not be done at all.” an unintended consequence as a In my essay last quarter entitled New “boot camp” for current leaders Rules, I proposed suggestions for THE NEW LEADERS? transitioning out of their firms. new leadership. Some might ask if I Having more time alone or working followed those rules myself. The Just who are the new leaders I’m from home may have given them answer is yes. In fact, I went beyond talking about? Not the current time for reflection. COVID has creating new rules. I reinvented leaders, firm founders and principals perhaps given them a preview or myself on countless occasions. To nearing retirement. Most of them are practice run at being empty nesters, catalog this shapeshifting, here are a more interested in maintaining the retiring, or turning over the reins. Or few of the roles I’ve had over the status quo, surviving until it’s time maybe it’s spurring them on to course of my more-than-50-year for them to retire. It’s where they are contemplate their next evolution in career as an “architect.” I’m way past on their S-curves: they have far less the design industry — as mentor, or my allotted nine lives. need to reinvent themselves or their experienced contributor in some new firms. Emerging leaders have the way. As an “architect”, I’ve been a student, most to gain from reinvention. As teaching assistant, research assistant, mid-career professionals they’ve been The new generation of leaders is invited lecturer, adjunct instructor in around long enough to know the coming of age in a time where they architecture, drafter, carpenter, industry and its problems. They have have been shaped with new laborer, graduating to roles as project suffered the inefficiencies in their perspectives and values. Advocates of designer, project architect, and firms and industry. Their processes equity, diversity and inclusion, and associate design director, project and peers have felt the pain. They see environmental issues have different manager, and principal. I’ve been a the need for change. And they need values about capitalism, racism, member of the AIA, NCARB to begin the process now — in a way home ownership, and fossil fuel use. certified, LEED accredited, and that’s unique to them and their firm They have these new values because 27 Reinventing

elected to the AIA’s College of RESPONSIBILITY TYPES you something — and vice versa. Fellows, now Emeritus status. Give the benefit of the doubt to those DI’s Dave Gilmore speaks to four you trust. Listen, and always be After crossing the line to join a responsibility types among the looking for new ideas and national CM firm as an industry design community: perspectives. Look for experiences change agent and evangelist, I 1 Leadership different from your own. Practice founded roles, services, and 2 Environmental role reversal: strategic reinvention departments in planning & design 3 Relationship (interpersonal and business insight can result. We support services, building and societal) offer this menu of options for your information modeling / virtual 4 Business and Financial (including consideration. design & construction, and design operational, and administrative management. matters and profitability) We wish you good fortune in your quest for new and provocative ways In my latest iteration as speaker/ Do you have the requisite skills in all to reinvent leadership. mentor/writer/editor/ and strategic these areas? If not, you may be ripe advisor I’ve morphed into a keynote for reinvention. Or, as an alternative, speaker, advisory board member at augmentation from other resources. several universities, author of an Amazon #1 new release: Managing BE OPEN. BE VULNERABLE: Design (Wiley 2019), principal at RETHINK AND REINVENT Michael LeFevre, FAIA is Managing Editor of DI DesignIntelligence Strategic Media Group Publications, and the author of Advisors, and managing editor, DI’s editorial theme for 2020 was a Amazon best seller new release - Managing DesignIntelligence Media Group. cycle of redoing things: Researching, Design, (Wiley 2019.) Reframing, Redefining and Have you had enough? If so, try this Reinventing. As we end the year and kind of self-assessment exercise for look forward to a better 2021, we yourself. It will energize you to the urge you to allow yourself to express history of – and possibilities for – your vulnerability in the appropriate your own reinvention. contexts. If you’re open, I can give Pace and Place, Planet and Purpose: Reinvention Required 29 Reinventing

Paul Hyett’s perspective on the pace of change gives pause for thought.

THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND other fine instruments required for making those marks on paper PAUL HYETT If Christopher Wren had walked intrinsic to the processes of design. into my father’s new office, he would Those marks slowly and surely PPRIBA and Honorary Fellow of AIA have felt very much at home. Albeit became ever more clearly defined a small practice, like architects’ until, ultimately, they were copied offices of all sizes across the country and transported to the site where and around the world, the basic skilled craftsmen would translate tools of the day were very much as them into reality. they had been down the centuries: refined but largely unchanged. The staff and dumpy level used to assess terrains, the tape measures, Sir Christopher would have been scale rules and set-squares, the familiar with Dad’s drawing board, brushes and colour washes, erasers, T square and high draughtsman’s dusters, draughting tape, drawing stool, his pair of compasses, pins and lettering stencils – even a dividers, the multitude of pens of plumb-line: Sir Christopher would various thicknesses, the pencils have been “good to go” without a from hard to soft, and the many word of instruction or explanation. 30 Reinventing

Or perhaps not quite: it was 1972 and Britain had just “gone decimal.” Not only had shillings and pence been abandoned, but our beloved feet and inches had been replaced with metres and millimetres, and our pounds and ounces had given way to the kilo.

But Wren would have mastered such changes in moments and taken just minutes to come to grips with the telephone (securely connected to the wall by wires) and the little battery- operated calculator — great for doing those complicated calculations. And, of course, the electric kettle and the fluorescent lights would have been welcome comforts — to say nothing of the heating.

THE OFFICE REINVENTED

Fast forward another fifty years and this most revered of architects would be completely lost in my office of today. So intensive and extensive are the learning and training necessary to operate current IT systems and equipment that the process must begin pre-school. Generations of professionals of all disciplines are being left behind, floundering and incapable, as system and 31 Reinventing

communication developments accelerate along an exponential curve.

Such changes and radically new equipment and For the drawing board, wonderful methodologies transcend previous innovation of paraphernalia, and instruments in Dad’s office, substitute the modern practice: the architect’s office has been completely computer screen and its array of programmes: Revit and Rhino; reinvented over these last three decades. systems like BIM and parametric design; Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp and WeChat for communication. For archives, plan chests and the multitude of filing cabinets, take The Cloud. For physical state take cyberspace and virtual reality. Such changes and radically new equipment and methodologies transcend previous innovation of practice: the architect’s office has been completely reinvented over these last three decades. The journey to reinvent the architect’s office started with Rubenstein and Barnaby’s word processing in 1979; then progressed through the fax machine (common from the early 1980s but invented back in 1846); the mobile phone (1985); CAD (1989); websites (1991); Google (1998); screen sharing (2014); and all the other contemporary tools that have 32 Reinventing

transformed design and construction collaborative assembly dissipate into from physical to virtual processes. a dislocated corporate condition: the virtual office matrix. The breath-taking scale of this reinvention is now being further REINVENTING THE CITY accelerated, courtesy of Covid-19. As has been noted far and wide, we are This is where we designers must shift entering a new “norm” from which from a reactive assimilation of the there will be no return. The pre- skills necessary to survive and This is where we, as designers, COVID office that, despite its compete in the digital world of an must shift from a re-active systems, technologies, and virtual office environment that has been connections within and beyond, had reinvented and virtualised around us, assimilation of the skills stubbornly endured as both a to the proactive role of using our physical reality and an institution, programming and design skills (our necessary to survive and cannot and will not survive. As a hub ‘stock in trade’) to reinvent the very compete in the digital world of where workers occasionally meet in essence of towns and cities as we real time and place? Perhaps. But as a currently know them. an office environment that has work setting, with the restrictive demands of assembly and nine-to- In this respect, everything is up for been reinvented and virtualised five entrapment? We are witnessing grabs, and all norms will be swept around us, to the pro-active role its death throes. aside. To quote Brennar Bhandar, even “the conceptualisation of wealth of using our programming and Just as our towns and cities have as a fusion of the value of land with suffered the upheavals of shopping the value of people,” initiated through design skills (our ‘stock in trade’) centres and out-of-town malls the thinking of that father-founder of to reinvent the very essence of replacing the High Street, and the the modern political economy, disinfecting choreographies of mail William Petty, will inevitably be towns and cities as we currently order and on-line food delivery have challenged as never before. know them. replaced our shopping excursions, so our commercial landlords face the Our recent dalliance with imminent collapse of that hitherto globalisation; the ability of multi- bastion of investment: the office. We nationals to shift materials, are witnessing the phenomenon of production and capital around the 33 Reinventing

world in pursuit of obedient and phenomena of migration not only REINVENTING OUR WAY competitive labour sources; the from strife and economic OF LIFE desire of our large corporates to catastrophe, but also increasingly provide services tax-free across consequent on climate change, as our But our resolve must not falter. Just borders — all these agendas are up global populations continue to grow as the developments in information for review and revision. So too is the exponentially: technologies and communication essential purpose of our cities and have prompted the reinvention of the their buildings. As IT-savvy urban Taking one million years to double very ways we work and live, so we populations relocate to their new from two and a half to five million in must now reinvent our relationship sub-urban and rural home platforms, 8000 BC, the world’s population with both planet and place. As never the dinosaurian fabric of the doubled every thousand years before, the very purpose of our cities commercial city will be rendered thereafter through to 1650 AD, when and their buildings needs increasingly redundant. For it reached five hundred million. It reinvention. Now cities must architects, urban designers, planners, doubled to one billion less than two accommodate their functions as safe and engineers, the challenges are hundred years later in 1805 AD, havens and adaptive organisms. immense: our cities need to be while the next doubling took only reinvented in terms of programme, until 1930. By 1974 it had doubled Design intelligence has never been in and their existing fabric must be again to four billion. Today, the greater demand. retrofitted to new purposes hitherto global population is nearly eight unimaginable. billion souls.

Despite the extraordinary impacts of So, here we find ourselves, at a IT that now threaten our essential second to midnight. Population Paul Hyett, RIBA, Hon FAIA, is a founder-partner concept of place, the challenges can growth attenuation, education and in Vickery Hyett Architects. He is formerly a only intensify as the very notion of sustainable lifestyles have emerged as Principal with HKS Architects in the UK and is a freedom — so beloved by the West challenges against which our politics regular contributor to DesignIntelligence. — is threatened by the escalation of a appear increasingly unable to cope, multitude of factors, such as the eco-systems of our world monitors, sensors, barricades, struggle, and disorder threatens from business closures, and masks. Against every side. all this we will see the increasing Ripe for Reinvention 35 Reinventing

Scott Simpson posits “life cycle value” and service as new mindsets for design thinking in an industry ripe for change.

Covid-19 has had a huge impact on That said, the Covid-19 crisis is not the A/E/C industry. In the early the only—nor even the most SCOTT SIMPSON stages of the pandemic, construction important—reason design and in some markets was shut down construction are ripe for FAIA & Senior Fellow, entirely. Design firms began living reinvention. For decades, the A/E/C Design Futures Council on backlog and with new projects so industry has severely scarce, many firms experienced underperformed other industries in significant layoffs. The talent process innovation and productivity. pipeline is drying up, as there are no Annual expenditures for jobs for new graduates. While things construction in the US are have started to rebound somewhat, approximately $1 trillion—a it is clear going forward that the significant slice of the GDP. demand for many project types However, one third of all projects (especially retail, hospitality, and still do not meet budget or schedule office space) will be particularly and 30% of construction materials hard hit, and it could take several wind up as waste, costing the years to recover. This is not a time economy $300 billion per year in for business as usual. aggregate. Compare that to the $50 36 Reinventing

billion architects bill annually, and the scale of the problem becomes immediately apparent. What’s more, buildings account for about 45% of all carbon emissions. In short, while we may be spending way too much time and money in how we design and construct buildings, at least we are polluting the environment in the process!

Changing times always bring new opportunities. For far too long, design has been a transactional business. Architects get paid for their services before the project is completed, which is why the primary focus during contract negotiations is on budget and schedule. For owners, first cost dominates the discussion. However, the value of a project does not begin to accrue until after the ribbon is cut and the building is put into service. Most owners don’t realize: the up-front capital cost is just 10% of the long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) cost over the 30 to 50-year lifespan of a typical structure. Instead of worrying mostly about minimizing first cost, owners should be focused on the project economics over the long haul. That’s where the real money is. 37 Reinventing

In that context, it stands to reason (“nouns”). Massing and materiality designers should be acutely ruled the day. All well and good, but interested in what happens during there’s more to the built environment occupancy, using life cycle cost as a than physical appearance. In fact, the design tool. Ironically, that’s not how legal basis for professional licensure architects sell nor get paid for their is the architect’s responsibility to services. Compare that approach to safeguard the “health, safety and the business models of other artists welfare” of the public. Color, texture, such as singers, songwriters, or and playful geometry don’t enter into authors, who receive royalties and/or that discussion. We need to expand a percentage of the profits for their our definition of design to include In that context, it stands to efforts. Their value propositions are processes as well as products—the reason designers should be based on long term value, not short- how as well as the what (“verbs”). For term results. Call it life cycle value. example, if a skilled architect can acutely interested in what Design professionals should be design a nursing unit in a hospital thinking along the same lines. This that can operate safely and effectively happens during occupancy, would do two things: save money up with fewer staff, everyone benefits. using life cycle cost as a front for clients (making it easier to Patient outcomes would be finance their projects) and provide a improved, the stress on staff would design metric. Ironically, stable income stream for design firms be reduced, and a great deal of over the useful life of a project money would be saved for the that’s not how architects (putting them on a sound financial institution. sell nor get paid for their footing and dampening the effect of boom-and-bust business cycles). Doing this requires an intimate services. knowledge of how space is used It’s time architects understood the inside buildings—what works, what real value proposition that underlies doesn’t, and how much things really design - and organize their efforts cost. There’s much we don’t yet accordingly. They can start by understand about how to maximize broadening the definition of “design.” building performance. Developing a For too long, architects have viewed deep understanding will demand buildings mostly as static objects collection and analysis of all sorts of 38 Reinventing

data. So far, design professionals are problem-solving opportunities woefully behind in this regard. Just exponentially. Need to know how to compare the amount of data collected increase occupancy in your hotel? about building occupancy with how Want to get more foot traffic in your thoroughly our shopping preferences store? Looking to fill the freshman are analyzed by Amazon. New ways class at your university? Design The reasons for change of gathering and interpreting data thinking can help answer these are clear. The opportunity will equip designers to address questions and lead us in new myriad questions: directions. is at hand. There is plenty of money in the system New tools and technologies can help, • How can good design enhance but the A/E/C industry is woefully to support widespread productivity in offices, factories, behind in taking full advantage of process improvement (all and airports? them. BIM technology is mostly viewed as a fancy drafting system we need do is re-deploy • How can it improve learning rather than an information the $300 billion being left outcomes in schools? How can it management tool. The sophisticated increase attendance at logistics employed by major on the table every year.) museums? corporations such as Walmart and Amazon are rarely deployed on • How can it increase safety and typical construction sites. Paper- security in the public realm? based design documents still litter construction trailers. Drones, • What role might physical design robotics, and 3-D printing remain play in improving public health? relative novelties in design studios and jobsites. The promise of pre- fabrication at large scale remains That last question is particularly elusive. If we compare the level of pertinent in the context of Covid-19. technology adoption in design and construction to other major Broadening the definition of design industries, such as manufacturing, to include both process and product retail, communications, or (verbs and nouns) will increase entertainment, it’s easy to see: the 39 Reinventing

A/E/C industry lags far behind. productive ones. Best of all, we how architects and engineers are Given the choice to use a hammer or needn’t upend the entire industry to trained. Currently, it takes about a nail gun, we tend to choose the make significant improvements. A seven years to satisfy the basic hammer. few tweaks will do the trick: requirements for licensure, and many more years after that before new As an example of how powerful 1. Gather real-time data about graduates are truly proficient. We can technology can be, consider building occupancy, and use start sooner (by introducing courses electronic gaming, which has grown that new knowledge to enhance in design thinking in secondary exponentially since its inception just both design and building school) and we can re-design how a few years ago. It’s now possible to performance. design is taught, including exposure create remarkably realistic electronic to such topics marketing, environments (now known as the 2. Change standard contract management, and finance - all “metaverse”) which can be populated language from transactional to essential to long-term success. There with avatars and manipulated at will. life-cycle value, lowering up is tremendous upside to improving If applied to design and construction, front cost while extending the how we design, engineer, and the technology would allow us to test revenue stream for design firms. construct our built environment – all manner of alternatives quickly and and we don’t have to wait for a crisis objectively. Algorithms could 3. Add process design to the menu to get started, it’s already upon us. maximize building performance of standard services. while minimizing lifecycle cost, and Let’s begin. the quality of design would improve. 4. Consciously include health, The implications for designers—and safety, and welfare as specific, their clients—are immense. expressly-stated design goals in all projects. The reasons for change in the A/E/C Scott Simpson, FAIA is a Senior Fellow in the industry are clear. The opportunity is 5. Embrace the full potential of Design Futures Council and a regular contributor at hand. There is already plenty of technology in design and to DesignIntelligence. money in the system to enable construction. widespread process improvement— all we need do is re-deploy the $300 Embracing new ways of thinking billion being left on the table every about design—the why, the what, and year and convert wasted dollars into the how—will require a fresh look at Reinventing Design Process 41 Reinventing

Interrogating the Brief, Exploring, and Embracing Differences A Conversation with Grimshaw’s Managing Partner, Kirsten Lees

KIRSTEN LEES DesignIntelligence - Michael KL: Yes. There’s a rush to say: Let’s Managing Partner, Grimshaw LeFevre (DI): Are you surviving get it all back to how it was before. the crises that surround us all? This idea that how it was before was perfect. It wasn’t. In some aspects it Kirsten Lees (KL): We’ll always be was better than it is now – but let’s saying we’re thriving. Or is it just be honest, other aspects are better surviving now? now. As you say, you’ve got to continue moving onwards and DI: Dave Gilmore had an upwards, grasping what you can and interesting comment recently: evolving. If you don’t, you’ll get left “Those sitting there complaining, behind. It’s about flexibility and grousing or waiting for this to be agility and openness to change. over are mistaken.” The COVID world is reality now and some DI: That’s a perfect opening version of it will be in the future. comment to a discussion about So, we better make our way and reinventing. To set the stage, we’re accept this in a positive way or with Kirsten Lees, Managing we’re in trouble. Partner at Grimshaw, a 40-year- 42 Reinventing

old, 650-person, global practice based in London, with offices across the world in Sydney, Melbourne, New York, Los Angeles, Doha and Paris. Welcome Kirsten. Thank you for being willing to share with us.

KL: Thank you Michael. It’s great to be here. It’s an honor to be invited to contribute.

DI: : Last year, back in the days when humans were free to roam the earth, we held a conference in London. You and I sat at across from one another. The discussion was about efficiency or process and I asked you: “Are you doing any investigation or work in standardizing your process? Are you templatizing or automating things?” And you said something like, “Hold on. I hate the word process. Everything we do is a unique exploration.” Since we’re talking about reinvention, I want to open with that question. Obviously, I struck a nerve there… what did my question provoke?

KL: In a creative industry there is always a drive for efficiency and methodology that often results in the 43 Reinventing

word ‘process’. And process can be so there, probably because of having before we’ve had the time to misunderstood. It’s not that we don’t had lots of internal conversations challenge if the questions are right have processes; of course we do. But about this over the years. themselves. you don’t just follow A, B, C in sequence and get fantastic DI: Those who have never been DI: Eventually we must turn the architecture, products, interiors, or through design school or practiced corner and begin to converge on a landscapes. The nature of our design, despite working with us solution. What I love about your industry means it’s important to (and with us telling them), don’t work, despite being large-scale – explore ideas, to have the space and understand the nature of design transportation, infrastructure, the forum that can lead you to exploration; that you go down some sports and urban projects – is that develop some areas of exploration likely wrong paths. There’s a famous there’s always craft. There’s an that might not ultimately be the final T.S. Eliot quote about arriving back expression of humanity or poetry to output or design, but that are to the same place and knowing it your architecture that’s not the absolutely fundamental to shaping for the first time. Until you went faceless, corporate, or institutional that. down that path or around that outcome it could be. In your work, circle, you didn’t know. In your craft and the hand of humans are Maybe my reaction to the word recent podcast with Owen present. I’d like to understand how ‘process’ was that it evokes moving Wainhouse on Architectural you achieve that, by understanding through a linear progression and Masters, you talked about more about your design process. getting to the answer. I like to call it management and design. What’s ‘approach’ or ‘methodology’, instead. your take on those terms? Let’s talk about the mechanics of That ensures you’re deeply your explorative approach. Since interrogating, rigorously challenging, KL: The two come together because every project is different, how do and opening a collective forum that design needs to be managed. And the paths to be explored manifest sets the framework for exploration. there’s an approach or a process in and prioritize themselves? One But exploration isn’t the only thing. It there, too. But that process needs to might be driven by its site, one by is about making sure the project has allow for a design to ultimately be the its materials, and one by its historic strong leadership and directionality, best it can be; to allow for context. How do you begin? so it ends in a high-quality, exploration. What I see within the meaningful result everyone buys into. industry now – because we live in KL: People in every sort of practice Ultimately, it’s about producing an such an image-heavy, outcomes- work in their own way. So, I speak outcome better than we all driven, sped-up world – is frustration very much from personal and anticipated. So, you did touch a nerve that we’re trying to get to the answers Grimshaw points of view. How do we 44 Reinventing

start? Something we intrinsically because that’s what makes the value is that we start by not drawing composition? And what size are the anything; we start by asking trucks? “Why are you asking these questions. We start by interrogating questions, why do you need to know the brief. Understanding what it is the size of the trucks?” they said. we’re trying to achieve and who will That project in Suffolk has become use the building, who is going to be SUEZ’s flagship Energy from Waste part of creating the building and power facility. It became that not master plan. because we were brought in to do a nice façade – which is what they I remember one – an energy-from- expected of us – but because we waste project. Normally, the nature of developed a relationship and an this typology is that these projects are understanding among ourselves, often delivered within the SUEZ, the council, and the construction company as a turnkey community about what we were project. In this instance, the specific trying to achieve. Obviously, we location was very sensitive, and they needed to achieve an efficient …we start by not drawing felt, “Oh, for this one we need engineering plant. But we also services of an architect to help us wanted to break down the perception anything. We start by asking with.” And so, they brought us in that energy from waste is basically expecting us to just get on with burning rubbish. We wanted to questions. We start by making the facades pretty. intervene and improve upon this sort interrogating the brief. We started by asking, “What’s the of big, scary, horrible thing you don’t process?” “Well, you don’t really need want in your backyard. to know the process” was the response! We said we did because we By asking all these questions we needed to understand what parts of delivered a design that was very the building had to go together, efficient to use and delivered on the where the adjacencies were, what bits objectives we set for the project, and we had got to play with in terms of beyond. We delivered a building that creating the massing; could this be is loved by its community and its dislocated from this component users, that gives back in a way they 45 Reinventing

hadn’t anticipated. Questions are at big moves that start to put in place DI: You called it: “interrogating the fundamental – understanding the a series of principles. Then the design brief” or asking the right questions. brief and getting to a point where evolves around those principles. But For most of my career, what we there’s an understanding of the task it’s about those big, early, key moves were typically given as a program in and the challenge we’re trying to and establishing the principles the US was a little more “I need a resolve. everyone can buy into. That is how 100,000 square foot building and we avoid flip-flopping or changing it’s got to cost 30 million dollars. Building from that shared point of the design. It continues to build and That’s all we know. We don’t do this understanding, we then start from evolve to develop and enrich the for a living. You’re the experts”. the site, the use, and look strategically original principles, but you need to set those in place first.

DEVELOPMENT OF A CLEAR BRIEF 46 Reinventing

I just read Broken Glass, a book about Mies van der Rohe and the Farnsworth House. For so many of Questions are fundamental - understanding the brief and getting architecture’s iconic buildings, it to a point where there’s an understanding of the task and the was all about the making of the challenge we’re trying to resolve. thing. Forget the program or asking questions. Forget the client, From that point of understanding, we start from the site, the use, whether it leaked, or if the air and looking strategically at big moves that start to put in place a conditioning functioned. In Mies’ case he got basically no program, series of principles. Then the design evolves around those principles. just “design a country house”. He certainly never interrogated the … But you need to set those in place first. program or reached common goals with his client. It was simply his art, his creation.

Now, in a more complex world with more regulatory, social and environmental issues, you’re addressing those forces in a deeper way. In some instances, you run the risk of alienating your clients when they ask: Why are you asking me these questions? In some cases, such questions can come up with scary answers. Like, do we need to build this building at all? Or what is its impact on society? Have you had those experiences?

KL: Asking questions initially throws the client, because they won’t be expecting it. They expect us to simply go away and come back with a 47 Reinventing

product. We believe passionately that back. It’s that we assist them and the project circumstances. But we’re our buildings need to work for the take them through the impact of the very clear with our clients that we users, and therefore we need to decisions and the different need a strong brief. If they don’t have understand everything about them, directions that projects can take on one in place when we’re appointed, the community and even the users that basis. we assist them in developing a brief beyond the immediate use of the because it’s sets out key goals and building. Buildings must have a DI: So many clients are not skilled questions. To your point earlier, do longevity and a flexibility to outlive with writing programs and don’t we even need a building? Is this the their immediate use; therefore, you understand why you’re asking best idea for this location? need to be thinking about that in these questions. They’re not expert advance. in what we do as designers and I read an article the other day where builders and are uncomfortable this old practitioner had been So, we try to really impress the with design process. They say: “I approached by a client with a importance of questioning. In the don’t have time for this planning stunning, beautiful site and he example I gave – SUEZ Suffolk – we and dialog”. But insisting they do wanted an individual house. initially asked some questions and it builds common goals. Then, Ultimately, he persuaded the client the client didn’t understand why we when you’re on the journey they shouldn’t build a building there were asking them. But at the end, together, you don’t find out half because the impact on the they really appreciated the journey way through that they wanted to environment would be detrimental. we all went on. Not every client has get this building done and sell it in To your point earlier, there is a the same level of understanding in a year, and you wanted to do the perception and maybe it’s come from delivering buildings. Why should most sustainable building on historical examples whereby they? Because often that is not their planet earth to own long-term. Too architects sometimes are perceived as training or background. But in many people mistakenly think people obsessed by their own vision developing a building for people to they don’t have time for and the output and the product: “To use ultimately, it is a very close questioning and goal setting. hell with the brief and the client! collaboration between the project They’re not important, it’s the team. It’s fundamental that the client KL: Every project is different. architects’ vision”. We’re almost the understands that they have an Depending on the scale – on antithesis of this. We’re about important role in developing that. infrastructure projects for example realizing the client’s vision. What clients appreciate about the – clients aren’t always involved in way that we work with them is not the end use of the building. So, We bring huge amount of skill and that we need all these answers and sit we’ve got to tailor methodology to experience and professionalism and 48 Reinventing

creativity and we’re very proud of because we think it’s important that There are different parts of our what we can contribute to that. But everyone has experience of every project teams. They will grow and ultimately, it must be about a shared stage of the design process. Because if some individuals aren’t able to stay vision – one we can all invest in. you don’t understand what you’re with projects all the way through. But drawing on paper and the there’s a core set of individuals with DI: How is a typical design team implications of that on site, you’ll any project from start to finish. With organized? I’m assuming it’s not never really, fundamentally architecture, you never know one individual sitting off in a corner understand it. After you’ve been everything and you’re constantly having their “vision”. Are some poring over drawings that line up learning. So, it’s important that more expert at the brief and perfectly, and then you’re onsite and everyone can question, learn and programing process? And others you see the way they chuck concrete contribute. Every project has a whose responsibility is design? into formwork… they’re just worlds partner in charge and we always have apart. You need to understand that. a project architect. That’s a critical KL: One thing we’re immensely proud of comes from the ethos and culture that Sir Nicholas Grimshaw established – that good ideas can come from everyone. We operate a flat structure with no hierarchy or monopoly on ideas. We think it’s important that everyone feels they can speak up and contribute ideas, obviously, with different levels of experience. We also believe that craft – how things go together – is similarly important. You need to understand the process of making.

As a result, we have never organized our teams into specialists – some practices have a competition team, a design development team, a construction team. We’re integrated 49 Reinventing

role within any project because in DI: Where does design many ways, as the holder of all the responsibility fall? Is that the information, and the vision. They partner, a separate project designer, interface with the client, the design or is that the project architect? And and consultant teams. Depending on management? Do you have those the scale, you can have three, four, or designer and manager roles? ten project architects responsible for different areas. They’re the holder of KL: Yes, but again it comes down to all knowledge and coordinate pulling project scale. You can’t separate everything together because there are design and management because you so many strands, so many decisions. need to be aware of the program It’s important that it’s brought within which you’re designing and together in a cohesive way. pull together all the inputs and consult at the right time. It’s We always have a combination of important that every member of the architects at different levels of their team is aware of traditional career, to bring different levels of management aspects. Every member experience. Depending on the project of the team also contributes to the we may include urban designers and design. No, we don’t have a designer industrial designers within our team. sitting in the corner developing We think it’s valuable to develop our design sketches and then instructing specifications in-house, so we have a others to develop that in service of team that helps with that. The design their vision. The vision is developed team write the specifications so we’re creatively and collaboratively very familiar with the details of the between the team and the partners. building with assistance and The partner’s role and experience is guidance from our specs team. very much about providing strategic Essentially, we’re writing our direction, being part of the design specifications ourselves through a decisions. You’re making hundreds of process that builds on experience decisions all the way through, but using a system that ensures the level they build to points where you need of quality. to make larger decisions and so making them well is important. 50 Reinventing

At Grimshaw, we offer a lot of DI: Let’s talk about the ride which causes design rework partner time to projects and to “management-design continuum”. and dilution? clients. We’re not just figureheads. You made a comment on your We don’t just win the project and podcast that you’re the managing KL: I think architects are great then move on to the next one. All the partner now, but you didn’t generalists in a world of partners in our organization are necessarily go to school for that or specialization. Everything has gotten intimately involved in leading their necessarily have the skills to more complex, everything is being projects, in terms of managing the manage anything. In architecture, it subdivided. One of our prime roles client relationship and managing the seems very few of us do. We went to beyond developing the design and design process, and then managing school to learn to make things. Had the creative vision for a building is and leading the design and we been good managers, we would about coordinating all the inputs contributing creatively to it. But that have been managers or bankers. from all the other parties. That doesn’t mean to say we undervalue One of the biggest things we fail to includes the engineering team, the the huge creative contributions of the manage is the cost of our projects. client and a huge number of other project architect and team. Too often, architects have this people contributing to creating the reputation, perhaps deservedly, building. Any architect that doesn’t Even where you have tasks broken “We are going to blow the budget have a strong relationship and open down and performed by different and it’s going to be beautiful, client communication with the core individuals, it’s still vitally important be damned”. We see it as our consultants isn’t doing their role. The that you get the right level of responsibility to push the edge and reasons for a building going over knowledge and communication. We use innovative materials. Blowing budget is often about design process don’t have a separate project the budget seems an almost itself: the design gets developed and management team saying, “you need inevitable result. In the US, we have everything gets refined and fine- to meet this deadline”. If you don’t design-bid-build-delivery, but for tuned as the design progresses. have all the information you need most of my career, I worked under a you can’t make that date. So, you CM-at-risk delivery method. That But the way the design process works have to manage yourselves to get it. brought cost accountability to the is that the cost consultant is always a You can’t coordinate a design if you team. In the UK you have quantity few steps behind (this can be haven’t got anything to coordinate. surveyors and cost estimating. Has anything from three to six weeks Even where we have identified that shaped how you go about your behind) and schedules typically don’t project managers on a project team, design journey? Is it positive? Does allow enough time to recognize that. they’re embedded in the team it keep you in check or do you still They need that time for doing the structure and not a separate group. have the inevitable rollercoaster estimate. Then we evaluate. What 51 Reinventing

decisions led to this and why did it years of my career just translating deviate from before? And then what between owners, architects, and should follow is a period of contractors - and we all spoke alignment and correlations. So often, English. How do you cope with that because a programme is seen to be diversity and number of cultures driving everything, it creates a and languages? schedule disconnect. It takes time and effort to coordinate design, and KL: We work all over the world, but then suddenly, you make all these our buildings are for local crazy, fast-paced decisions about cost communities. They are shaped by without the same focused and and need to respond to their context detailed level of consideration. That’s but have to reflect the needs of the where a lot of conflicts, people that use them. We misconceptions and errors come in. fundamentally believe that having a diverse and broad range of DI: I’d certainly rather spend that experience that contributes to design time upfront aligning the goals and makes for a richer process and controlling cost along the way than building. Generally, we speak English doing the frenetic rework process as the common language. It’s the you just described. world language, but we do have many people on our teams – and 55 KL: Agreed. different languages. There’s no one person that speaks them all though! DI: On the other side of the spectrum from this issue of cost But so many people do speak four or and convergence, you’ve got five. I’m so impressed. How do you incredible divergence within your do that? I joined the practice because firm. You’ve got people that speak I was a Spanish speaker. The firm just 55 languages in cities around the won a project in Spain and was world. How do you manage and looking for a Spanish speaker. But as embrace and translate that to result you rightly said, language isn’t just in richer, more diverse thought, about language. There are so many input and work? I spent the last 20 components to it. 52 Reinventing

For example, we were doing an art perfectly. It’s just done, clean, and world with 55 languages, how do gallery in north-west Spain and they’re gone”. For those sorts of initial you achieve consistency and between the Spanish contractor, a misunderstandings and cultural quality? Are there rules, guidelines British architect, and an Austrian differences to move to absolute or procedures, or do you just rely specialist façade engineer, there were appreciation taught us all a new kind on good old-fashioned human all sorts of cultural differences and of respect for different approaches. judgment and experience to ensure approaches. The Spanish like to that projects don’t go off the rails? resolve more things on site than the We also had a resident engineer from Austrians or even the British. With the façade contractor on site. What KL: It’s wrong to say we don’t have a the northern Europeans there’s more they valued from the Spanish side process. We do. We have an approach pre-planning. What I find fascinating was their flexibility. The attitude of and methodology, but it needs to about it was that it started off as working together to solve a problem align and adjust to the circumstance condemnation and because – let’s face it – there are of the project. We develop the brief. misunderstandings. I remember the always unknown elements and We challenge and share the design as Spanish contractor complaining surprises on site. The flexibility to do it evolves with the client and by about the façade specialist: “They’re that without rancor or recrimination working closely with the wider asking about every single millimeter! offered real value. Moving from design team and other specialists They’re just planning away and oppositional miscomprehension to including engineers, acousticians, fretting over every millimeter and come to view and respect each other lighting, landscape, etc. they’re charging us for this tolerance is a tiny example of the value of the and saying we’re out of tolerance. rich, diverse workforce we have at The methodology is about They’re just planning. It’s all about Grimshaw, on our projects and how communicating regularly and planning”. quality results. frequently and having a direction; always coming to conclusions So yes, there was a long period of DI: So, a healthy respect, tolerance, developed through consensus, then planning and preparation of and empathy for diverse cultures built on and believed in. Maintaining schedules and shop drawings. Then and others’ processes are an integral a program of continual consistent the Austrian contractor arrived on part of your approach. I love that improvement and refinement is the site and within a matter of weeks discussion of the cultural side. But I framework for achieving quality in their element was complete. Then, wonder, in a practice in which projects that are very different. We the Spanish contractor’s view was: you’re reinventing the design don’t have a style book we draw from. “This is incredible. They come in and process every time, working in We approach every project from first it’s like Mecano. It all goes up dozens of locations all around the principles. They’re consistent in their 53 Reinventing

level of rigor, interrogation, and KL: Obviously, we’ve gone through Then there was the COVID quality of output. It’s a method which the impact of the pandemic. In our lockdown and the move from being has been fine-tuned over years that is attitude and approach, it’s important within one place, which was our applicable to every project – the to be open to change. So, we’ve aspiration, to being in 270 different cornerstone of excellent output. embraced change positively but not places. The sense of communication blindly. For example, last year we became even more important now DI: In your process of continual spent time looking for new premises. that we collaborate via the medium reinvention, what will your next Our London studio had grown of Zoom. Do we all love Zoom? No reinvention look like? Have you had beyond the confines of the space. We But it gave us pause. Now we’ve to reinvent your process for had two satellite studios five minutes thought about how it will be when we COVID? And what do you see from the office, but it still created a return to the office. We’ve seen the beyond that? sense that not everyone was together. benefits of working from home. We did surveys last year to understand what people were looking for in a future office and what the office means to them culturally, socially, and functionally – to allow them to do their job. We got lots of feedback and found that some elements of the office didn’t work. We’ve also done surveys of people working remotely, intensely, doing highly focused tasks. Having environments where you can focus has been productive and beneficial. But what everyone is missing is the contact, the interaction, and collaboration. Sure, we found ways to collaborate technically, but we’re human animals and we need that contact. That led us to rethink what the office is and what its fundamental function is. Clearly this virus is still with us and is likely 54 Reinventing

to be with us for some time. We still Maybe the purpose of a studio is are not returning to the full office more about when we come together. because of social distancing, but we’ll How can we make that intense, look at it differently when we do. interactive, productive, and Kirsten Lees is Grimshaw’s London studio’s Managing Partner, overseeing the development Over the summer we reconfigured collaborative? That’s what we’re of the studio as it continues to grow. Kirsten is a the office. We haven’t sought to trying out right now – our approach highly experienced architect with over 25 years’ recreate the traditional office with to current circumstances. Beyond experience in architecture, strategic planning, some individual desks with fixed that, we’ll continue to explore. urban design and regeneration in sensitive workstations, but socially distanced. environments within the arts, sports and master We’ve identified some areas within DI: That’s a fitting conclusion to a planning sectors. She brings insight and creativity the office and said: let’s look at these discussion about reinvention: to the development of strategic projects and in a completely different way. Let’s you’re in the middle of reinventing demonstrates strong conceptual judgment when create what we say we all miss about as we speak and will continue to be. integrating buildings into sensitive urban and rural settings. the office environment, the Despite a difficult subject to opportunity to meet as a group and understand and talk about, you’ve Genuine innovation and architectural distinction collaborate over a desk. Not a desk illuminated how you’re reinventing distinguish Kirsten’s projects, which are founded with a series of screens on it, but a your process on each project. You on the insightful translation of client and desk where you can see your fellow have a wonderful way of making stakeholder objectives. Her work has been colleagues and share. To lay out a big your work client-and-user focused, acknowledged for its subtle response to place, the drawing and sketch over it is a and project-unique – the kind of pre-eminence of the cultural agenda, and its fantastic means to collaborate. We’ve work that invokes the best out of unique expressive and material qualities. She was shortlisted for the AJ Woman Architect of the Year also provided a long space to pin up professionals doing what they love. award in 2014 and is currently shortlisted for the and showcase our projects. BD Architectural Leader of the Year 2020. Thank you. So, we’ve created two areas we’re actively encouraging people to trial KL: It’s been a fascinating and out and move and shape as they fantastic interlude to think about require. To shift, try out, explore and these things. experiment to see if that helps us collaborate in a different way. Home working is with us to stay, so we’ll need to find a balance in the future. Reinventing the Firm 56 Reinventing

Dan Noble reflects on HKS’s firm transformation using a values-based approach. An inside look.

DAN NOBLE DI: You have had time for reflection My outlook is positive. Things are during the COVID sheltering in never as bad as they seem, nor as President, CEO, HKS place and working from home good. We are in a time of accelerated period. What have you been growth in innovation, technology, thinking about — personally, for and focused, quality thinking. Good your firm, and the industry? things always come out of these trying moments when we’re grinding DN: This time has been valuable for away with purpose. We will take reflection. Although we are quite these lessons into the future to improve lives and do good. I believe busy, my schedule has been more we’ll look back at this time as one predictable and stable these past where we experienced a quantum months. That’s given me time to leap in the quality of our lives. It may think, strategize, and determine what not feel that way while we are is important in this phase of my life immersed in it, but time and — for me, as well as for our firm. I perspective will be the barometers. stumbled into a balance that has enriched my relationships and DI: Your firm recently completed a connections to many facets of life, strategic refocusing — a reinvention personal and business. of sorts. It seems prophetic that you 57 Reinventing

accomplished this just before the long enough to expect constant We started the process in the winter arrival of COVID-19, and cyclical fluctuation. After such a of 2017. I had met Dave Gilmore a simultaneous economic, racial, and prolonged expansion, we knew we year earlier, and we were kindred political crises. Are you a shaman, were due for a down-cycle. We had spirits in philosophy, ethics, strategy, or was it a case of good timing and been on a ten-year run and felt like and friendship. We hired D.I. and fortune? How did the process come we were on borrowed time. That Dave to work with us to understand about? How long did it take? Who compelled us to reimagine our who we were and who we wanted to did it involve? And how would you strategy and look for ways to be before we jumped into planning. score it on the “pain index” on a continue to evolve — possibly even That’s something all firms should scale from 1 to 10? re-invent ourselves. We felt a change consider. That self-reflection and was afoot, but honestly, I don’t think imagining forced us to look at every DN: Mostly good timing and good anyone could have anticipated what aspect of our business, from how we fortune. I’ve been in this industry we’ve experienced this year. were structured, to how we invested our resources, to our people strategy.

We better defined our values, developed our mission and strategy, streamlined our business structure, created accountability and role clarity, and formally invested in a powerful Environment and Social Governance (ESG) strategy. Last year we created a Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) position. We put our money where our mouth is by investing in these things – and it all fell into place to put us into a managed position to deal with the crises that presented themselves this year.

We are experiencing a punctuated equilibrium in our society – a 58 Reinventing

sudden, intense period of change in We started with a small group of so. Changing legacy patterns of an otherwise stable world. leaders talking about our core values entrenched behavior takes time, Revolutionary vs. evolutionary and expanded that to meet with all patience, and constant strategic change. I’m grateful we had already sector and regional leaders in a series communication. put in the hard work to reposition of work sessions. Ultimately, to all ourselves — not only to survive but shareholders. Dave was instrumental DI: Can you describe the to thrive during such a time. To use a in guiding us through this process. It transformation to build a sports analogy, we let the game come took over a year to complete and foundation for readers? What was to us. coordinate all the content of the work the firm before, and what is it now? sessions and nearly another year to Structurally, culturally, and in every test and put the structure in place. other way.

Two years later, we are still learning. DN: In 1939, our founder Harwood K. Smith created a firm that felt like On a scale of 1-10, it was probably a family and became known for solid 7 – some days a hard 8. Change technical excellence, professional is difficult. For some, the biggest pain management, and outstanding client point was holding our existing service. Over the years, many spent structure and strongly held beliefs their entire career at HKS. If there is too tightly. We needed to loosen up one aspect we didn’t want to lose, it’s The biggest pain point our thinking and let go of our egos. the family culture our firm was built In that uncomfortable space we upon, and the continuity through was holding our existing allowed ourselves to imagine what generations. structure and strongly could be. We realized we had been operating in silos, and we didn’t have So, when we kicked-off our visioning held beliefs too tightly. some of the business rigor and sessions, we started by defining our We needed to loosen up intention we needed to continue to values. Our values aren’t just our grow and prosper. Formalizing the business — they’re personal. our thinking and let go of Plan was just the beginning of the Relationships, Character, Purpose. our egos. story. The necessary change These values make us who we are as enablement strategy that followed connected humans and define our was just as important – if not more firm. 59 Reinventing

We clarified our vision: “To be the most influential firm in our industry.” Beyond the buildings, we want to impact and influence the people who engage with the space — furthering not only our firm, but the industry. We want to create the kind of architecture that heals communities, brings people together, enhances their lives, solves real problems, and is beautiful too. We want to expand our expertise and renown in technical delivery and make our mark as a firm globally known for our outcome-driven, high quality design.

For our organizational structure, we built on longstanding logic. We had always been a sector-driven, region- executed firm. Our new plan simply clarified the relationships and drivers between our sectors and regions. By clarifying roles and decision-making responsibilities, we gained accountability and agility in determining our market strategy and in which marketplaces we wanted to invest. We mapped a more robust, equitable, and diverse leadership structure and changed our culture to 60 Reinventing

be more collaborative and forward-thinking.

We also simplified our reporting structure. In the past I had over 80 direct reports. By shifting and distributing the leadership responsibility, I have fewer than 15 now, but I’ve also empowered others to grow and assume leadership roles to leverage our talent more effectively. I still have an open door, but now I share in the accountability and mentoring with a larger team of leaders.

DI: Why did you decide to undergo such a radical transformation? Your firm had been successful and had decades of longevity. What was wrong with the status quo, or with continued incremental change and evolution? What were the primary factors that drove you to reinvent the firm?

DN: As an 80-year-old firm, we were hovering in the territory of becoming commoditized – which we feared would lead to stagnant opportunities at best and irrelevance at worst. We could no longer afford to call 61 Reinventing

ourselves an “architecture, interior & areas – from community and health contractions in the economy. I love urban design” firm. We had to groups to schools and city planning. the quote by W. Edwards Deming: “It organize and resource ourselves to is not necessary to change; survival is become a problem-solving DI: What initiated it? Were there not mandatory.” Especially now, technology firm that provides design key indicators, feelings, hunches agility is THE indicator of a firm’s services. That’s not just semantics. It’s — or data that prompted it? Client, ability not just to survive but to a seismic shift in strategy. We sought partner or associate feedback? Or thrive. How quickly and nimbly can to become a “solutions” firm that market and contextual awareness? we adjust to the needs of our clients influences our industry to create a How did you know it was time? and communities before our better world. As designers, we are competitors do? This dynamic will uniquely equipped to optimize urban DN: The recession of 2009 only be amplified with each passing design, density, socialization – even profoundly impacted our firm. year. pandemic control. Our voices and Having lived through that, I wanted expertise can generate powerful to understand how we could be But it’s important to know we did not influence in every one of our practice better prepared for future deny or reject our history to reinvent the firm. We didn’t throw the baby out with the bath water, so to speak. We took the best things about our history and improved them and took a hard look at what we wanted to be in the future and figured out a transition plan to get there.

DI: Since your firm reinvention two years ago, in the current context, how did you do? Certainly, you couldn’t have imagined any of what is happening now. Are your new systems serving you well? What are the greatest successes? Specific services, forms, systems, or concepts that have been game changers? Any that didn’t work as well that need to be refined? Has 62 Reinventing

the firm’s new strategy positioned you to better cope with COVID and the other crises we are facing? How has COVID affected those strategies? It is not necessary to change; survival is not DN: We are certainly more agile than we were two years ago. Change is like mandatory. a muscle. If you don’t exercise and flex it, strength atrophies. If you exercise consistently, you are building -W. Edwards Deming muscle mass you can leverage when you need it. Our endurance and comfort with change has been enhanced over the last two years of focused effort.

The cross-practice agility and creativity we demonstrated in tackling some tough assignments in record time to deal with the surge of COVID cases is one great illustration of how our culture has changed and strengthened. We worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to transform convention centers and decommission hospital spaces into COVID treatment spaces. And, we did it in a matter of days, not weeks or months.

Our hospitality, health, and advisory leaders came together to define ways 63 Reinventing

physical environment to digital. We investments. In short, we are formalized our Advisory services – absolutely better positioned and not just micro, but macro solutions. poised to cope in times like these. Rather than merely physical Our clarified roles and environment, we looked at the responsibilities help us make Honestly, we surprised implications of how we use space decisions quicker. We’re better more effectively to rework the client’s informed. We don’t waste time ourselves with how many processes. wondering who the key stakeholders ‘impossible’ disruptions are – we know them and are able to Many examples of cross-practice spend more quality time focused on we were able to navigate. thinking wouldn’t have happened in the challenge at hand. the same way before we implemented the plan. COVID played a role in It has also made us smarter in moving us to a virtual environment, prioritizing our investments. We use which enhanced our communication the strategic plan as our guide for hotels could be healthier and and collaboration. The plan also making difficult decisions. Honestly, adaptable for other uses. We made an exposed some gaps in leadership and we surprised ourselves with how acquisition into the senior living or resources, and we have been many “impossible” disruptions we later living building type, because we addressing those to strengthen those were able to navigate. For example, felt that industry was ripe for re- capabilities. moving an international company of invention and meshed with our We also realized we didn’t have a 1,300 to a purely remote working expertise in health, hospitality, mixed structure in place to measure environment in 3 days without use, research, and sports. performance at the level the plan skipping a beat, and almost required. This year we invested in a immediately advising our healthcare We wrote research pieces on performance management system clients on how to radically transform loneliness/isolation, mental health, that allows us to create and track their operations in the face of and human behavior to understand target Objectives and Key Results COVID. how isolation affects our work (OKRs) at company, practice, and relationships and personal lives. We individual levels. This not only helps DI: Has COVID necessitated any redefined office space design to create us measure specific objectives, but further organizational shifts? more effective teams and a safer also gives us a connected, big-picture Service line or locational shifts? hospitality space, expanding beyond vantage of our priorities and 64 Reinventing

DN: Not significantly. We’ve DN: I’m an optimist. I see great movedpeople around between things coming out of this time of practices to balance the need. sacrifice. I believe you make Hospitality, sports, and commercial incredible strides when times are don’t need that help. Health, challenging. Necessity really is the education, mission critical, research, mother of invention. I’ve asked our and advisory services did. Shanghai, leaders, “Do you want to be the Singapore and Dallas remain busy, so authors of your future or the victims we’ve shifted resources to of your circumstances?” I believe, as accommodate their needs. designers and problem solvers we can help define a better future our DI: You have a strong consulting communities are clamoring for. advisory services practice. Has COVID affected that, or impacted DI: What does the HKS life cycle its location and centrality? curve look like going forward?

DN: Yes, they are very busy and in DN: We will always have peaks and demand. We’ve added personnel in troughs – that’s normal in a business. London, Dallas, Austin, and But the behavior and accountability California. Both our research and we have in place now will allow us to advisory teams have been working run the business while intentionally overtime to provide service and looking ahead. guidance to our clients and If we’re structurally sound and communities. appropriately diversified, we can stay ahead of the innovation curve using DI: What do see as you look novel ways to support our clients. We forward? Your contemplations believe the work we have been doing about the firm, the industry, and will yield a stronger, more equitable the world? How are these uncertain firm — one well positioned to meet times shaping your view of the the challenges of the future. We’re future? excited to explore what is next. 65 Reinventing

DI: When will you be due for your With a balanced focus on these two marathon, not a sprint. It’s an next reinvention? Will it be just an critical aspects, we don’t have to exercise in sequential layering. Some oil change or a whole new vehicle? completely reinvent ourselves. changes can’t be made until others Or maybe abandoning vehicles and Instead, we can simply create the are solidified. For example, you must inventing a new kind of transport? most sustained, optimized have a functional organization performance possible. structure before you can make more DN: As a learning organization we granular changes at the practice level. are constantly assessing, iterating, DI: What can you share about the You also need an appetite for extreme learning, and retooling. It’s funny, we experience and process of firm transparency and trust. It’s not always look at our business in terms of the reinvention with others who haven’t comfortable – but without it, your machine and the fuel. Our goal is to completed their own? Any advice communication and change efforts constantly refine and optimize how for how to go about it? will get waylaid before they begin. our machine (our people, governance, structures, processes, DN: Large-scale transformation is So, with some endurance, grit, etc.) functions, while ensuring a not for the faint of heart. You need honestly, humility, trust in your steady supply of the right, high real commitment and buy-in — fellow leaders — and a big dose of octane fuel (our people, client especially at the highest levels of levity — any kind of transformation relationships, projects, revenue, leadership. You have to know it’s a is possible. strategic diversification, etc.).

Dan Noble, FAIA, FACHA, LEED AP, is President and CEO at HKS. An architect, Dan leads the strategy and development of a global design firm. Under his leadership, the firm has won numerous design awards from organizations such as the World Architecture Festival and Fast Company. Dan values character, purpose, and relationships, and instills these values into the firm’s culture. Preemptive Reinvention 67 Reinventing

SmithGroup Managing Principal Troy Thompson discusses firm restructuring, process, technology, and culture

DesignIntelligence (DI): You were path where none of us are identified integral to the firm’s recent as CEO, COO, or traditional titles. TROY THOMPSON reinvention. Your bio says you’re We have a President, but that’s a role responsible for “innovation, not a title. Then we distributed the Managing Partner, SmithGroup positioning the firm for the future, CEO and COO duties across the focused on design, delivery three new leaders in a way that process, tools, research technology, made more sense than the and talent” — in one of three firm traditional default. We organized leadership roles. Can you describe around our markets, our offices and the restructuring — and your role? our infrastructure and people.

Troy Thompson (TT): My role was The newest element of this a result of the restructuring four organizational focus was on the years ago. We started by asking, firm’s infrastructure, tools, and “what do we need for the future processes. We had detail libraries we from a business perspective, and evolved from stickyback to what pressures might we face?” AutoCAD to Revit. But we felt Those questions led to the creation technology would be changing the of the three-headed leadership team. relationships of the players in the That’s also what led us down the AEC industry, and we needed to get 68 Reinventing

ahead of that to control our future. economy. In fact, even with the headed leadership group focused on That created my role. I have some recession, our previous leadership what’s going on with our clients, how aspects a traditional COO or CEO has us in great shape financially. We do we do our work, and how we might be responsible for because had also grown significantly and had build the firm. That was the catalyst: they’re about the services, the people, many more offices than we had in the firm they inherited was built for a and the technology. their tenure because of the continued world that no longer existed. We expansion of the firm, in practices, needed to find what we wanted to set DI: What catalyzed the market types, and geography. Our ourselves up for, then pick the people restructuring? CEO liked to describe this as: to do that. “instead of just owning Amazon TT: AtFACING that point, firm leadership stock, we’re now a mutual fund. Our The firm’s structural model came had been in place for 15 years. They healthcare market goes up when the before the three of us. We tweaked recognized when they took over the commercial and workplace market the model once they started to zero firm, it was a unique time with a sectors are going down.” in on who the three of us might be, specific set of issues they were because we all came from different equipped to deal with. It was the They recognized we were in a backgrounds. We all had different early 2000s. The economy wasn’t different time and facing a very experiences at SmithGroup as well as going well. The first transition rule different future. Concurrently, lots of outside the firm. our former CEO and COO had was, things were going on in the industry A“It’s not going toDIFFERENT serve the firm if around technology and Another unique move was that all the everybody just picks their successor, encroachment into the design fields resource directors were split up based because that’s going to give us more by non-design firms. Facing a on where they best aligned, not in a of the same. That’s human nature.” different future gave us an traditional hierarchy. Rather than the Other internal issues pushed us to opportunity as a firm to say, “what resource directors all reporting to the look at our processes, accountability, future do we want to create?” CEO or COO, the HR director and and transparency. They recognized CIO report to me because we deal their success was based on getting the So, we spent the first several months with talent development, technology, right combination of people to take with a committee looking at what we process, and tools. Mike Medici, in over the firm given what the firm was thought the future would be. What Phoenix, has the head of marketing facing at that time. did we think the big issues and trends and communications because they’re would be? The threats and focused on what’s going on with our But weFUTURE were no longer in that same opportunities to our business model? clients firmwide. Russ Sykes has legal context. We weren’t in that kind of Out of that came the idea of a three- and the CFO with him because 69 Reinventing

they’re focused on our offices as assumptions we made. COVID and place gets slow, we’ll send work over profit centers and are where we racism are interesting lenses right there. As we grew, we thought about deliver projects. now through which to test what we the right mix and where we needed thought we knew four years ago expertise. How many lab planners do Other parts of the firm reorganized about being beholden to old notions you need for a practice our size? You around areas of synergy and of hierarchy and structure. Some of it probably don’t need lab planners in functional responsibility in order to is proving we were thinking the right every office where you do a lab get the right groups of people way but didn’t go far enough – or go building but you need enough for the together around the right themes fast enough. COVID is an accelerant firmwide volume. Over the last rather than blindly follow an obsolete to where we ultimately knew we were couple generations, we thought a lot structure. likely headed. about how we organized around sharing work and having the right DI: Firm leadership found DI: Let’s shift to operations and balance of expertise and local themselves in a new context, and a process. When I was in school, true execution teams. strategic need for diversity and to the spirit of its Motor City roots, responsiveness in leadership, SmithGroup was organized in That balance demands a strong people, and market types? You look assembly-line fashion, with design culture. For example, we didn’t have like geniuses to have done that and production departments that offices competing against offices for several years before COVID. Kudos. had very different types of people. projects. You hear that from design That was a classic firm organization firms and contractors. Their business TT: COVID and Black Lives Matter back then. How is the firm units will compete and fight for are going to be more impactful organized now, operationally? clients. We did a lot culturally in the events than the recession was. early 2000s to make sure that didn’t They’re highlighting what we were TT: Our growth and having more happen so we could be successful. thinking was right. We needed to be offices changed the dynamic of how concerned about who, how and we work, and who works on which The other thing that happened is that where we do our work. About how projects. Even before technology was we didn’t force a singular culture on technology and culture collude or facilitating cross-office work, we every office. Each office developed its undermine one another. Now we’re adopted a resource sharing own culture. Even today, we have re-assessing our governance in light philosophy. For years, we shared some very studio-centric offices. In of COVID and social justice more work than many big firms DC, where I sit, we have studios in discussion and revisiting some because we had a philosophy if one healthcare, workplace, culture, 70 Reinventing

government, higher ed, and science and details. Design process and company, we had one culture, and and tech. DC is also our center of project delivery are areas where we one message. We’d repeat and excellence for our historic focus on consistency. deliver that message consistently. preservation that supports all of While you’re one company, you’re SmithGroup. In those studios there Teams generally stay with projects allowing the culture of individual will be architects, planners, interior from start to finish. We have a offices and regions to shape and designers, and engineers all together, handful of folks scattered around for define themselves and have unique and it’s very much a studio culture. big projects that may do full-time, identities. That’s fascinating. It Conversely, our office in Detroit is onsite construction administration, makes sense for architects, who are still largely a discipline-based culture. for example, but even in those cases, so much about culture. Yours is an Several other offices are a hybrid of folks on the design team will stay interesting hybrid model. these models. involved through Construction Administration and be part of that TT: This is how we survive current The firm today is more focused on process. From the history you events like COVID. Intentionally, a integrated design and the entire life described, which long predates my couple decades ago, we developed the of a project, not around phases, or time at SmithGroup, we’ve DNA that was hinting at one firm, the assembly line it used to be. The completely reintegrated the entire even though at that point, the offices cultures still vary for how we staff team into all stages of the design may have still been standalone projects locally and manage people, process, following their project all the business units. The business units but we share people seamlessly way through from the time we put went away when I started here 15 between offices now. We’ve refined the proposal together until we do years ago. We eliminated offices as the processes and standardized the one-year walks and post-occupancy standalone business units and tools that let us translate between the evaluations. became, financially and legally, one FOCUSoffice cultures. That doesn’t mean we company. We worked even harder at shouldn’t be more alike. We’re DI: It’s groundbreaking you’re finding ways to share work. learning we need to be more alike on focused on being one company Technologically, Autocad was some things. Projects still largely nationally but allow different starting to make work sharing easier, reside in offices, but we continue to cultures. I spent 20 years working but we weren’t really working any have a high percentage of shared for a large, national CM firm, and differently that we had been for work and expertise across the firm we worked on culture religiously, in decades. The workflows were still the and this sharing demands that we ways none of the architecture firms same. The media was the only thing have consistent tools and processes, I worked in ever did. But we took it that was different. When Revit hit, it that we all use the same standards all the way. Not only were we one offered the opportunity to rethink 71 Reinventing

who does what, and how and when could have people in two or three we had the right technology that let it in the process. Early on, Revit pushed offices working on a Revit model. happen. Those are predecessor events the boundaries across disciplines. That was when a lot of firms said, to what’s going on now with COVID. That was a much more intriguing “We’re not going to spend all that In March, we sent 1,300 people home discussion for us, since we had extra money just to let a couple on a Friday and said: “Don’t come everybody in house, than it might designers work in the same Revit back on Monday.” We had a few have been in firms who had external model.” But our culture told us to dozen people still working on consulting engineers. Early on, we make that investment. So, we did, desktops because they were doing big started challenging ourselves. For and it paid off because then 2008 hit. computing. We had to scramble and example, who really needs to draw If we hadn’t had the infrastructure in get them laptops and build more the lights in the reflected ceiling place in 2008 to let us break models capacity for people to access server plan? It doesn’t need to be the up on Wednesdays and reassemble farms remotely. But largely, the electrical engineer, even though they them on Fridays, we would not have technology and culture were in place. had always done it on their electrical survived the recession as successfully sheets. In a Revit model, everyone as we did. Luckily, we had the engrained can contribute in the most integrated philosophy in place about work way at any time. Since we had that technology in place sharing and one firm. The Revit when 2008 hit, that gave us flexibility revolution gave us a platform to DI: Because of some notion of to deal with staff reductions because discipline control, or expertise… we could be more strategic and balanced with cuts and staffing. For TT: Yes. Most thought lighting was example, my office in DC had several what the electrical engineer did. Well, large healthcare projects active in sort of. That gave us an opportunity 2008, but we didn’t have healthcare to get to the one culture idea. In planners in DC to do all the work — …you live and die with your culture. Revit’s integrated database it was we had three or four of the best different than AutoCAD where you planners in the United States in San Technology’s just going to accentuate were still sheet-based. This was also Francisco with nothing to do. So, the the best - and worst - of that culture. before the cloud so there were still SF office did the planning for the DC hurdles to sharing models and truly project throughout 2009 and into You need to think about things in that collaborating in real time. In the 2010. order. early 2000’s we spent a lot of money investing in infrastructure so we So, we had the right philosophy, and 72 Reinventing

reinforce that culture unlike any offices and disciplines not managing technology before. If you’re sharing a models. COVID has forced this Revit model, you are all going to use change at warp speed. We could have the same Revit standards. This sent 1,300 people home two years ago moment really focused us on what just as easily as we did six months matters. “Let’s worry about what ago. The technology we’re using now, needs to be the same to make us we were already using for project more productive and effective. Let’s delivery. not get distracted about the things that don’t matter to the people on the You can’t underestimate that you live ground like how they relate to each and die with your culture. other and their communities.” Technology’s just going to accentuate Whether it’s studio- or discipline- the best — and worst — of that based doesn’t matter. We’re delivering culture. You need to think about projects, and we can share people. things in that order. HOME VR

DI: That’s helpful background. DI: Culture is king. Let’s dive into Technology allowed the change and the process of beginning the design OFFICE VR the firm processes to work. You’re of a building. In architecture, smart enough to have restructured culture includes all these weird, in advance of surprise external idiosyncratic, vestigial things. How events. is the process of design conception different now from 30 years ago? TT: Those examples show — when it comes to innovation and positioning TT: To start with, you and I can’t yourself for the future — it’s about open most of the tools everybody culture, not technology. Culture uses today. AutoCAD was the end of made it important for us to prioritize my hands-on technology use. When investments in the right technology we were doing AutoCAD, either you because it was supporting a culture were using AutoCAD or you weren’t. we had been working on. Now with The bigger struggle we have today is, COVID, we’ve been trying to break we have a menu of Revit, Rhino, down the silos between markets, SketchUp, and so many other apps 73 Reinventing

and add-ins as well as our own ability Sketch-up is was meant to be just to write code. Recently, we’ve been that-a sketching tool and BIM is a hiring grads, as well as some mid- platform. As to how those tools affect career staff, who are as apt at writing design, we’ve graduated from the first scripts and customizing software as phase of worrying about that. As a using the standard tools. This lets us result, we now sense more control be smarter but it’s not how we over the tools than when they first traditionally thought about our came out. process – the idea of making our own tools. But there is no doubt, one of The toolkit is varied. With that comes the big discussions in architecture is: a range of attitudes about what drives “what is the relationship now design. There’s been a lot of between the tool, the aesthetic, and discussion about technology’s impact The toolkit is varied. the output?” Or, more clearly, “what’s on design, technological With that comes a range the emerging relationship between determinism of forms, parametric process and product?” and performance-based design. We of attitudes about what have all kinds of off-the-shelf and drives design. 5 or 10 years ago, the sentiment was: customized tools we use for those “Well, if you use SketchUp, you can things. We also have a lot of planning only get a rectangular building tools we’ve either adapted or built because Sketch Up can’t do curves.” that give us all kinds of data from our Then Rhino came along, and, all of a floor plans, or that we can pull from sudden, everything’s a curve because Revit. The process is much more data doing a curve is just as easy as doing sensitive and parametric, and design- a line in Rhino. In the meantime, assistive than it ever was. I’m Revit is still plugging along, trying to completely amazed by the tools. And, be the end-all digital model solution the tools are allowing us to automate for everything — the place where it more of the research, planning and ultimately gets integrated. These tools analysis and freeing up more time for do seem to have a generational bent. creativity and exploration. They reflected what was being taught in schools and, often, what the In the bigger picture, we struggle to software was really designed to do. understand what all that means to 74 Reinventing

VIRTUAL REALITY our clients, and to what we do. Parts of it relate to clients who want to understand their building performance in energy, financial, life cycle cost, or flexibility terms — even the design process. They might ask: “What if I have this many more collaboration spaces and fewer desks? What does that mean to the program and cost?” We can do that kind of analysis now by hitting a couple buttons. Tools like that free us up to focus on bigger issues. They free us up to have more stakeholders involved in a design process, look at more options, or pull data out of other projects that we’ve done to understand them historically. Did they work? Maybe we can spend a little more time in post-occupancy evaluations than we used to because we can save some time in delivery documentation. That’s where we are in understanding what the tools do, where we spend our time, and what impact that has. Projects are all delivered electronically. Some still get translated into PDFs but we went paperless in our DC office over 10 years ago. For a long time, we only printed to get a building permit because jurisdictions were behind. 75 Reinventing

Sometimes models are our we don’t yet fully understand, let the act of conceiving a building deliverables. We share the electronic alone accept, the different with a pencil and tracing paper? files in design-assist and design-build relationship between design and in ways we never would before. The making that’s in store for our TT: I think today, nearly all our transition from final documentation industry. designers start electronically. We into fabrication and construction is have a few folks that still start with a starting to blur more than ever. DI: When I started 50 years ago, we piece of paper. But most of our didn’t have as many tools, but design principals, project designers, As people become more comfortable everybody knew how to use them and mid-level designers start giving models to partners or allowing all because it was just a pencil and a electronically. They might debate, “Is others into our models, agreements piece of paper. Now that we’ve got it going to be Rhino, Sketchup, or are evolving that govern how you’re dozens of smart technologies, Revit?” Those tools have generational going to use the model, which nobody can possibly know how to biases. The bigger changes are how minimizes and/or shares liability use them all. So, we need more the teams and our client’s interaction issues and risk concerns. This really specialists and translators. And throughout the design process. starts to change the industry people whose job it is just to COVID is significantly altering these relationships and opens doors, which manage and train for the tools. processes and I don’t think we’ll ever moves the culture to a higher level of be fully back in person. It’ll be a collaboration and sharing. I believe Do you still have people who begin hybrid. So, like Revit in 2008, we

VIRTUAL DESIGN MEETING 76 Reinventing

have the tools now, but we didn’t changing who is involved. It’s MBA’s are touted as the stars of really accept or acclimate to them conception and creation under a very business. But, the star CEOs or the until COVID forced us to. different model. And it’s not just the star architects -- the personalities in internal design team around the the press -- remain a small DI: That’s a tipping point. It took screen; it’s also clients, their percentage of our professions, even half a century to get there. stakeholders, contractors, though many feel that’s what we were manufacturers, and sometimes, even taught to aspire to in school. I think TT: The more interesting question is: code and jurisdictional authorities, the stars have a place in many do projects still originate out of the collaborating through the entire industries, whether business, science head or hand of one person? That’s design process. or architecture, but I don’t think their one of the big cultural changes we’re impact is as role models. seeing. This invokes the integrated DI: If the traditional role model design idea. We like to claim we were — the lone white male designer, thinking about — and had — lone wolf genius — is demonstrably integrated design because we’ve been obsolete, and designs are being architects and engineers for 170 generated out of the heads and years. But true integrated design machines of many, and more culture is fundamentally different intelligently, what role models can than the way we were conceiving and firm leaders look to? Maybe they’re designing buildings a generation ago. not even in architecture? Maybe it’s …it’s not just the internal design software, or the film industry? team around the screen, it’s A key cultural difference in Where do firms look if they haven’t integrated design is who’s around the accomplished their reinvention yet? also client stakeholders thinking computer screen making comments Because our old role models don’t about their communities. The as ideas are first forming. Today it’s is seem to be valid anymore. integrated design process is a completely different cast of characters than it used to be with the TT: That’s not unique to the design fundamentally changing who white guy in the white shirt sitting at industry. I just saw an interesting stat: is involved. It’s conception and his desk, coming up with a sketch barely half of business CEOs have that then worked its way around the MBAs. Many have humanities and creation under a very different studio the next day. We’re well engineering degrees or, increasingly, model. beyond that. The integrated design no degrees at all. We just never philosophy is fundamentally thought about it because many of the 77 Reinventing

It’s perplexing to think we saw the from a single head and hand, maybe boundaries. I think the legacy of likes of Wright and Kahn as role the same can be said about COVID and social justice will models. We saw them as leading mentorship. Maybe we’ve got to demand that we expand our bubbles. voices trying to push the art and the draw influences from multiple I’ve been as much in touch with my craft of architecture. Many mentors in ways we never had to friends around the world as with my starchitects weren’t always the best before. When will SmithGroup be local colleagues and friends through for the profession. You ask an ready for its next reinvention? COVID. We are learning to interesting question because I don’t reconnect in our disconnectedness. identify role models. But I am TT: Knowing what’s next is tough. This opens new ways of keeping in indebted to my mentors and they are COVID and our discussions about touch with mentors and who my professors and first bosses. 30 racism and equity are related to becomes a mentor. years ago, I started my own firm, and mentorship — and each other — in my mentor was one of my partners. I ways people don’t yet understand or As far as SmithGroup “reinvention” feel our role models and mentors are even accept. This raises the question goes, I think all firms should now be people we meet along the way who about what each of us may want to questioning their reinvention. We help define who we’re going to do next individually. What should now have the chance, and more ultimately become. That just our roles be? Especially if you want importantly, the desire to change the reinforces what we’re missing so to be in a position where you can lack of diversity and equity in the much with COVID: we don’t have have a bigger impact, either in a firm, design professions. We also have the the opportunities to build those or for the profession. I think the cover of COVID to make the changes relationships face to face in colleges future will be defined by the COVID about our business models that many or in the office right now. and social justice debates as more of us have been anticipating but just than by technology and our current couldn’t bring ourselves to take the This is a big concern for the future of cultures. The way we practice, and step. Let’s use the intersection of practice: how we connect graduates even who practices, will be very COVID and social justice to redefine with people like that, so they can different in a few years than it has the future. We know we create better learn and grow? Not just the been up until now. together. We know diversity makes technical piece, but how to practice, for healthier businesses and leads to or be a good peer, coach, or project These trends will afford us the innovation and better results for manager. opportunity to seek mentors, everybody. experiences and relationships outside We don’t have the answers just yet, DI: In the same way you talked of our traditional professional but we’re working on it. Most about designs no longer coming 78 Reinventing

hopefully, I really believe our many people are more impatient for the same responsibilities we have? professions, and society, are finally advancement than ever before. So, we Does that model have another ready to be better. have carried several things out of that generation of relevance because of transition five years ago that we’re how we much we still focus on tools, DI: I hope people are thinking constantly working on. We’ve put technology, and culture? I suspect about these issues. I’m glad you are. tools and processes in place that our answers to those questions will focus on developing talent. We have be different now than if we had TT: When we did the last succession succession planning tools, talent finished by February. And, most process, Carl Roehling and Randy development and training, and a new importantly, whenever our next Sweich, our CEO and COO, weren’t coaching system in place. We also transition occurs, it will be on the succession or nomination are always looking for opportunities significantly affected by with the committees. As I mentioned before, to get emerging and high-potential legacy of COVID and will have Carl’s first rule was, you don’t get to staff in leadership roles or leading equity and diversity at its core. pick your own successor because initiatives. We are now questioning you’ll pick yourself. Another of their the nature and need for traditional DI: Perspective can’t help but be charges was, “Come up with a hierarchy and organizational changed by the last eight months. replicable process that can start to structure and what role it plays in You were rewarded by being in become a culture of change and hindering or helping with a culture of front of it a few years ago. Thank succession” because we hadn’t had succession. you for an insightful look inside that, and few firms do really have your firm’s reinvention and process. that. We’re starting to ask ourselves: “Where are we going to be in three TT: You are absolutely welcome. The key to our next succession will years? Five years? What does that Enjoyed the chat. be spending the years it takes for imply about the next leadership talent development at a time when model?” Is it still three people with

Troy Thompson is one of three Managing Partners leading SmithGroup. From their Washington DC office, he is responsible for innovation and positioning the firm for the future through his focus on design and delivery processes, and tools, research, technology and talent development. Technology Transformation: Are We There Yet? 80 Reinventing

In this wide-ranging discussion, RPI’s CASE Director Dennis Shelden shares his journey and vision for industry change.

DesignIntelligence (DI): You’ve microcosm of the larger evolution of had an interesting career in the technology in practice and its DENNIS SHELDEN technology space. You were one of potential for cross disciplinary the early pioneers and leaders at integration and value creation. I was Director, Center for Architecture Gehry Technologies, migrating to very fortunate to have gone to MIT Science and Ecology (CASE) & Georgia Tech to run the Digital as an undergraduate in the 1980s, Assistant Professor, Building Lab (DBL) and take over when CAD and other digital tools School of Architecture, for Chuck Eastman. Now, you have like structural and energy modeling Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute a new opportunity at another were just beginning to mature to the leading technological institution, point of relevance to building the Center for Architecture practice. Although I went to MIT Science and Ecology (CASE), and intending to do something related as Assistant Professor in the to computing, I discovered and fell School of Architecture at in love with architecture while I was Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute there. Architecture had – and has - (RPI). How did you get into this expansive agenda about the technology? world and projections of the possibilities of change through Dennis Shelden (DS): My personal creativity and invention. This career trajectory is in some ways a possibility is also very apparent the 81 Reinventing

tech world today, but it wasn’t so form an expansive view of how precisely in this possibility of digital clear at the time that technology was information technology can connect information connecting design going to be the profound social and cut across the distinct disciplines across the myriad of building driver it has become, and architecture concerned with the development of disciplines. I finished my PhD had that appeal. buildings. qualifying exam that semester and left MIT to take a technology Computing allowed me to have It was during grad school in the leadership position in the firm. relevance in numerous aspects of mid-1990s that I got introduced to building, not just architecture but Frank Gehry’s practice through an Bilbao created an enormous amount also the various associated academic collaboration they had with of interest in the Gehry’s work and engineering fields, software and my advisor at MIT – the late William the methods of the firm, and we were building product firms, and I was J. Mitchell. The Guggenheim Bilbao able to use that demand for the able to surf the growing technology was just finishing up at the time. architecture to drive adoption of the wave into experiences across the silos What I saw on visiting the studio was firm’s digital tools and methods into in building space. I worked for a incredibly groundbreaking. At the collaborating firms on project teams. company that was pursuing real time time they were using the Unix The tech team that I directed took on building energy and controls version of the aerospace software a number of services both for the optimization in San Francisco, and CATIA, which had several firsts: the firm and for collaborators, including then Cyra Systems, who developed first commercial curved surface research and development of new the first cloud of points laser scanner modeling, real time rendered software add-ons as well as that was ultimately acquired by Leica. navigation of models, and an specifying, assisting in procurement During grad school I also got a orientation to design-for-fabrication. and training of partners. These chance to work with Arup in New They weren’t just using CAD to draw services were provided to the teams York on both structural and energy and render, they were using the as part of the firm’s architectural modeling teams. In San Francisco I models as a new way of services fees and contracts. It had acquired a used Sun Unix understanding building: lighting, eventually became clear that this was workstation, which was the hardware acoustics, and structures, and a way both an added complication and risk platform Arup was using for their of thinking through how the projects to the core architectural services, and proprietary software at the time, so I were put together and discussing that ultimately the resources required was the only intern that could access ideas directly with fabricators and to support this agenda would exceed their software on a regular basis. builders. It was clear to me that I was what could be “fit” into the firm’s Those early experiences helped me seeing the future of the profession, design services. And, that there was 82 Reinventing

an emerging opportunity for the DI: I don’t recall ever hearing about pricing is locked in, and the detailing methods and tools we were using that side of Gehry’s motivation. and system strategies have been so beyond Frank’s practice. These really That’s not what gets talked about comprehensively worked out and were the underlying motivations of with him. It’s always about the art vetted across the team that there is the formation of Gehry Technologies: and the form. But I can make the very little of the sort of ambiguity to develop technologies that could connection because in his early that leads to errors and connect design, engineering and work he used inexpensive common disagreements . fabrication together on Gehry’s materials — chain link fence, wood projects and beyond in the broader studs, corrugated metal siding, and Another remarkable fact of the work industry. asphalt — as a way to claw out of is that despite the geometry, under the diminished architect’s role and the hood, the projects use relatively It’s worth noting that there was, and I combat the perception of busting conventional building systems and think still is, an important back story budgets. Likely also to create a details, just applied differently. about the role of technology in the brand and a unique materials Disney Concert Hall and Experience practice. Frank Gehry has always had palette. His later use of technology Music project are great examples. The a passion about re-empowering the to adapt standard construction connection detailing is consistent architect. Digital technology has methods is a next generation way of with conventional curtainwall, it just been a way of defending the agency, accomplishing that same goal. He happens to be expressed across role, and value of the architect in the reinvented the form, not the different geometry. Being able to use context of a supply chain where it familiar means of construction. the digital model to convey to these was increasingly being eroded. proposals to the trades is hugely Working out the details of the DS: Absolutely. That’s the story that valuable as a means of controlling designs virtually – “down to the bolt”, doesn’t hit the Simpsons. First of all, risk and therefore cost. That has been and incorporating the knowledge of Frank’s buildings work. They work a big part of the firm’s success: using fabrication and detailing into the because the program is incessantly digital technology as a way of design and its documentation, has thought through, and because his adapting relatively traditional ways of provided the firm a powerful weapon designs adhere to budgets remarkably building to radically new geometries, in de-risking the project, countering well. I know the lore is everything then aligning and clarifying the voices of those who have closer but that, and the few times there were intentions, and maintaining control of the project during issues on projects, everybody would consistency, control and construction, and defending against shout from the rooftops. But the fact understanding. And I think that is “value engineering” the design out of is, there’s a point around GMP where again a microcosm of the larger the project. 83 Reinventing

ambitions of building information academia, I’m working on a couple building becomes intelligent and it modeling as it has expanded into expansions of the BIM agenda now. becomes a partner of the people and broader practice. One is about post-occupancy, but it’s organizations it serves, not just in beyond the narrow definition of the terms of energy and maybe lighting DI: When did you return to term. One of the things that the tech or security but to the functions of the academia? revolution in the broader economy organizations and communities has shown is that tech advances don’t directly. One of the areas this is DS: I had been teaching at MIT as a just transform tools and methods of already playing out is in retail. The professor of practice while I was work, they have the potential to “Amazonification” of the retail CTO BUILDINGof Gehry Technologies. After connect to and thereby rewire social experience is no longer about making Trimble acquired the company, I got structures as well. The digital everything virtual, but about re- the unique offer to take over Chuck transformation in our industry – of introducing digitally enabled life Eastman’s program, the Digital BIM and related technical advances back into the building and urban Building Lab at Georgia Tech. – has been about reworking delivery context. The digital model and its Professor Eastman has been one of process, but it hasn’t to date assets can contribute to the user the pioneers of building data and fundamentally impacted what experience of the built environment, BIM, and the program had a buildings are or how people and and maybe to hybrid online and in phenomenal heritage as a leader in organizations interact with them. I person experience. I think that has developing the open data standards think there is a dramatic opening tremendous future opportunities for around building information right now to see the building model architects– to reconnect to the end exchange.BECOMES The possibilities of taking as a part of life of the building and users of buildings in an ongoing way what I had been working on in the for it to be a lens for bi-directional that extends far beyond traditional context of a commercial tech information flowing between the design. company, but deliver it through an building and its occupants, and open, not-for-profit organization ultimately back to designers. I’ve also been interested in the seemed like a great way to broaden possibility of design agency across my potential impact on the DI: I thought you were going to say scales as well as across disciplines. I profession. the Internet of things. experienced the ability for designers to drill down in terms of higher In bringing my experience from the DS: Yes. IOT is another one of the fidelity detailing of buildings, but the INTELLIGENTprofessional and the tech worlds to names for it. The idea is that the same technologies offer the 84 Reinventing

possibilities to expand design to increasingly larger scales beyond the building – to the campus, city and planet.

Traditionally there has been a major disconnect between architecture and urban planning, with very different tools and modes of control associated with each of these disciplines. The difference between BIM and GIS is one manifestation, and these technologies are converging, but I also think the approach to affecting change at the city scale is coming into the sphere of what design looks like from the lens of architecture. Because of the scale and the decentralization of decision making across urban contexts, city planning has had to rely on relatively low fidelity, arm’s length ways of understanding and directing the design of urban context – through prescriptive and reductionist tools like zoning regulations. The coupling of BIM modeling developed through generative means with the sort of scalability provided by the cloud, connected to real world data coming from IoT intelligence in the world, suggests that we can design solutions 85 Reinventing

at the scale of cities – with all their projects and real cities. That’s my Through my experience as a startup richness and complexity, and with motivation now: we have the tools founder I have become passionate the same level of detail and precision and the capacity as architects to stand and fascinated by alternative models that we can now design buildings. with confidence and hopefulness of innovation and social impact We’ve done work where we can take about tackling the massive coming from the tech world. zoning and building codes, simulate environmental and social challenges When we started Gehry their full extent at city scale and in front of us. generate and test those building performance codes, which can then DI: A much broader agenda and be reflected into more precise and range of tools. It’s not a big leap to informed planning guidelines. see the connection between what you just talked about and things I started working on some of these like COVID, Black Lives Matter, …seeing what’s ideas at Digital Building Lab (DBL), wildfires, climate change, and but the program was still very floods. Way beyond the notion of happening in other focused on the pragmatics of using BIM, to simulation analysis. Did we better modeling and data to improve miss any other initiatives at RPI? sectors of the world. I am the building delivery supply chain. passionate and fascinated CASE offers a much larger agenda DS: The agenda of CASE spans from – to rethink the products of building traditional building systems, by the alternative models around much larger societal and research, smarter facades, and environmental agendas, in light of smarter ways of managing energy of innovation and impact changing tools but also maybe to sources, to much larger ambitions coming from the tech and rethink even what a built project is. about ecology, sustainability and We have the ability to tackle humanity, specifically I think around venture capital worlds. … humanity’s macro-level challenges the possibilities for increased design This other world is offering and the impacts of the built efficacy at scale through connected environment with precision and data, digital tools, and alternative infinite amounts of capital. efficacy. We can do this at scale, models of project and innovation virtually in the classroom or through delivery. associations with professional 86 Reinventing

Technologies, we got a little term profitability isn’t a significant now called Trimble Connect. It’s a investment, but we operated under a motivation or constraint. On the flip BIM and project data management fairly traditional services business side, there is innovation happening system wrapped with social network model with existential pressure to – by individuals in firms or constructs, which offered a new take make the books balance every universities – that has tremendous on how cross project collaboration quarter. This is true of many of the impact without needing a capital at could be supported. At Georgia Tech innovation labs that come out of all. The infrastructure for distribution I was able to learn from some of architecture firms, Architects want to of innovation over the web is so Chuck Eastman’s work around open innovate, but their ability to invest in powerful that individual or small data standards. In this connected innovation is limited to what they teams can have significant impact. work of building information, IOT can charge clients under fairly and digital twins, there’s an opening constrained services contracts or out The second part of this is to see the to create for the building industry of very limited profits. The cyclicality built environment as the vehicle for what the Internet and Web data have of projects and the overall building the sorts of cultural impact that have done for technology companies. economy makes this investment very to date occurred in the on-line world. difficult to sustain and grow long I’m convinced the built environment DI: It’s fascinating to hear you talk term. will be one of - it not the - platforms about the scale. Maybe it’s finally for next generation technology time. After 40 or 50 years of slow There is a whole other world of innovation. As part of the work that I gestation, being last in the industry growth driven capital investment started at the DBL and have taken to productivity race – flatlined on Paul that is familiar from the broader tech CASE, I’m interested in thinking Teicholz’s productivity graph — it’s world vernacular. This wasn’t as large about how we can create analogs in not a surprise. Why is that? Because a cultural influence and it certainly architecture for the sort of value we didn’t have the money to invest. wasn’t available to architecture until creation driven by the internet and We didn’t have the scale. And we recently. Today there are truly world wide web, using the physical didn’t have the motivational DNA unlimited amounts of capital environment as the platform. to be innovators or entrepreneurs. available to pursue transformative For all those reasons, it’s no innovation that can scale to tackle The technology we developed at surprise the architectural large and important problems. Gehry Technologies that really community has lagged. Now, maybe Revenue is – sometimes - relevant to interested Trimble in the acquisition these external chaos events are these business models, but short- was a cloud-based tool called GTeam, converging. The rest of the world is 87 Reinventing

finally seeing our potential and how experienced in mass produced after their introduction. Soon they we might connect — and vice versa. manufactured products and software. appeared in two places as Maybe we’re finally at the tipping But as we all know the cost of digital commercially viable technology: in point. Are we there yet? firepower keeps dropping the movie industry and on exponentially, and at some point in construction sites. For me that had a DS: I think we are, and maybe have the past decade it crossed a tipping powerful message – that the building been for the past five years. Part of point where the cost of technology industry no longer had to wait for the the limits to innovation in building adoption ceased to limit architecture’s aerospace and automotive has simply been the inability to potential as a first tier innovation manufacturing or entertainment leverage advances beyond the industry. One example of this is the industries to mature technologies individual project. That has created a use of drones on construction sites. before we had access to them as was barrier to the scales of innovation The price of drones quickly dropped the case for BIM. Augmented reality 88 Reinventing

is another example. Technologies are capital. Digital modeling and the house the architect? Do we need an coming to the built environment large sets of easily accessible tools are external firm?” first, and the entry price of these creating opportunities to take on innovations is low enough that we some of these broader roles. I recently guest edited an issue of AD can afford them in the context of Architecture firms are reaching out called “The Disruptors: Technology project budgets. and taking on these broader services Driven Architect Entrepreneurs”, to opportunities, but other entities are take a broad look at the types of new I think the industry transformation is also saying, “Hey, can we just in- firms emerging and the new agendas finally happening, but it may happen more through alternative delivery structures and companies that re-organize to create value at multiple points in the supply chain. The risk is that traditional firms may incrementally get pushed out. We’re seeing this already. There’s competitive pressure through alternative business models and business entities, some coming out of manufacturing, some coming out of integrators. The traditional mentality: “I work in this defined role, and I’m going to keep my head down and shed risk to others because I don’t have the fees or scope to assert control,” is going to face more threats from other delivery models and companies. This opportunity is bi-directional. Architects can now take on roles they traditionally weren’t able to do because they didn’t have the credentials, the tools or the 89 Reinventing

being taken on by existing practices. the profession did to itself, in There is huge variability in the ways constantly building walls and innovative practices are taking on defensive posturing. Licensing and these emerging cross disciplinary other issues. Whining rather than opportunities. You see this most in doing something about it. What manufactured construction because you’re saying now is reinforcing the the traditional, “You draw something need for change. Maybe things have To me, it’s a call to action, and we’ll figure out how to build it,” converged. Maybe it’s finally doesn’t work in manufactured happening. because the traditional building. The design must intrinsically be part of not just the DS: Technology is the wild card in models will continue product, but the system you’re this. The history of the last half of the to erode. The position building within. To me, it’s a call to 20th century was a sense of the action because the traditional models technical complexity of buildings of architecture as a will continue to erode. The position getting beyond what an architecture contained place — with of architecture as a contained place firm and their fees could manage. As — with defenses around it in the buildings got more complex, the defenses around it in the building delivery value creation chain process became harder to control building delivery value — will be continually under pressure, with the available instruments of requiring us to rethink the service. That’s where risk shedding creation chain — will boundaries we impose on the and building bigger teams came in. discipline. But technology has upended that, be pressured to rethink because now we have the capacity for the boundaries of the DI: That’s powerful. Have you read a broader reach, a more detailed George Johnston’s new book, understanding, and ultimately more discipline. Assembling the Architect yet? control without overwhelming our abilities to manage information and DS: I have not yet, but I think highly our associated contributions to the of his work, so I look forward to project. seeing it. DI: Let’s talk about the human DI: It’s a fascinating history of what element. How do we change the 90 Reinventing

minds of non-change-ready central value of their firms using language you have no hope. Has principals, the people afraid of certain pre-2020 methodologies, and COVID impacted your work? technology? How does a technology the unique differentiation of the firm guy like you learn to become a is intimately intertwined with that DS: Absolutely, in that I think it change agent? existing process. The question is: how points to the urgency and market do you evolve that process and yet interest in built environment DS: Take Geoffrey Moore’s preserve the unique things that innovation. When COVID first hit in technology adoption curve. There are differentiate? The good news is March and April, there was a lot of good reasons to be anywhere on that today’s software development is interest in people declaring what is curve, includingEXPLORE being a late adopter. obsessed with usability by “normal the future of architecture held, given But if you are anti-technology long- humans”. There are very mature what we knew at the beginning of the term, you’re at risk because the technologies to be brought to bear in crisis. Like many, I didn’t feel like I history of humanity has been developing a firm’s approach, and had a clear idea of what the future intimately intertwined with they do tend to interoperate with one held, but the obvious answers - technology, not just the digital another. You can craft an approach suggesting an architecture of technology of last 50 years. that’s uniquely yours and supports distancing and sequestration, and a the unique qualities of the firm flight from the urban social context DI: To be against tools is hard to without having to create from whole - didn’t make sense as a long term accept. cloth or rely on excessively conclusion. The lesson to me has technocratic workflows. You ought to become about resilience and DS: I’m starting to work with be able to go to a designer that works reconfiguration. I see COVID, and NEWarchitectural practices who see thisNEW in colored pen and show them hurricane Sandy,NEW and the incredible exciting future and are keen to at technologies that can integrate or impacts of climate change and least explore new opportunities in replace, make their work easier, globalization we’re seeing, telling us this expanded world of practice. How faster, more compelling, and give that architecture can no longer do you, as an internal change agent them a better, maybe bi-directional assume the built environment is in a firm, move the next generation connection between design and final static. When we build buildings, — the digital natives and future product. there’s very little sense that the world leaders —to take advantage of will be different in five or 10 years. emerging opportunity in a way that DI: Great point. If you can’t relate it We don’t design for future proofing manages risks? Yet every firm has to their world and make it be about or radical change in program or OPPORTUNITIESgreat people who grew to create the them and their culture and context. Maybe it’s aspirational, but I 91 Reinventing

think the takeaway is that developers, philosophical problem. owners, investors and governments Futureproofing is becoming a are going to need to take a more business value proposition. And dynamic view of the future of the that’s one of the most exciting, environment. positive things happening. These things were happening before the We’ve all seen some amazingly pandemic, but we’re seeing reactions positive responses in the last couple now that must happen in months, of months. The first is the and this won’t be the last one. We reconfiguration of cities. Take New have to understand that’s part of York City. Streets are starting to move architecture now. …architecture can no from everything being about cars and longer assume the built parking, to bicycles and outdoor DI: How is CASE organized to take dining. Things you see in other parts on this mission? environment is static… of the world more than in the U.S. I we’re seeing reactions think we’re going to need to see the DS: The exciting thing about CASE is urban context in different ways. We that is a completely integrated design, now that must happen in might have to design cities so that research and professional they can be partly shut down, but as collaboration with an integrated months, and this won’t be part of this they should have ways of, agenda and team. It is a unique place the last one. We have to re-opening, re-using and to rethink the relationship between reconnecting themselves. It points to design, science, engineering, and understand that’s part of a dynamic about the built research, and between education and architecture now. environment you can read the professional world. Because we everywhere in the current narrative. have a charter that’s endemically It’s a view of resiliency — not about about the relationship to the city and putting up walls, but about creating a the professional community, we have dynamic reconfigurability and the opportunity to rethink the rules adjusting the urban and building of engagement of academia and fabric. research with professional practice. The dynamics of the business model It’s not just an aspirational, ethical, or of academia are changing. The baby 92 Reinventing

boomer children and undergraduate these students and firms in environment itself. In some ways this population was at its highest in a connecting back to CASE. pandemic — by virtualizing generation in 2009 and has been everything — has opened doors to declining since. But at the same time, We are looking at the redevelopment working in more fluid ways than we it is becoming clear that learning and of the educational model into had just a year ago. innovation training is going to be a something much more applied. lifelong imperative for working A model in which we’re blending DI: That is compelling. A case for professionals. We’re starting to work professional life, student life, reinvention. The advantages of with some architecture firms by research, professional practice, and starting anew in a self-contained offering our classes to staff in these education. CASE can be the vehicle way where you’re in control rather firms. Because everything’s online to pursue this. Applying this new than to trying to change centuries now, they can just dial into our approach is imperative to solving of inertia in the traditional courses. Reciprocally, we see a way of issues of environment, resilience, and institution. Dennis, this has been engaging students and firms in an rethinking professional practice fantastic. applied research model where through technology. We can take this students go out into firms not just as on through an education and DS: Always a pleasure. Good to talk interns but as embedded innovators innovation delivery model with to you. and researchers, and we are working intimate bidirectional ties to the on building programs that support professional community and to the

Dennis Shelden is the director of the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE) and Assistant Professor in the School of Architecture at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a licensed architect, entrepreneur, and author whose experience spans architecture, engineering, and computer science applications to professional practice and the built environment. He holds three degrees from MIT: a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Design, a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Design and Computation.

His publications have appeared in Architectural Design, Technology and Architectural Design, and the Journal of Construction Automation. He has been interviewed in publications including the Economist, New York Times, Design Intelligence, and Engineering News Record. He is editor for the forthcoming book series Practical Revolutions: Professional Applications of Disruptive Technologies to Building, published by Wiley.

Contact him at [email protected] Reinventing Communication 94 Reinventing

Hamish Caldwell discusses the evolution of wireless networks, careers, agility, and communications – and their implications on strategy and practice.

DesignIntelligence (DI): 25 years through the vision of Larry Lord for ago, you left design practice to architects to expand the value they HAMISH CALDWELL redirect your career into create for clients and for technology convergence, joining profitability, I initiated the practice Partner, Wireless Insiders Network AT&T. It was a strategic of providing clients with strategic refocusing, a reinvention of sorts technology consulting services. That that now brings design and meant that I got to help healthcare construction types an informed, clients, like the world’s largest AIDS external perspective about research center and Dr. David Ho at technology. What did you see that the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research led you to make that change? Center in New York City.

Hamish Caldwell (HC): In the late DI: Time Magazine’s Man of the 80s and early 90s, I was tasked with Year, back then. the complete digital transformation of the practice and business HC: That’s right. And I’m glad to operations of Lord Aeck and Sargent still see him on TV today talking Architects. That was not a common about COVID. But I also advised role for someone in a design firm in higher education clients — another those days. As an extension, Lord Aeck and Sargent market 95 Reinventing

segment. I helped clients like Emory way of the future. As a result, I DI: You were using that expression, University integrate emerging pursued a master’s degree in “the Internet of Things” in the 80s? internet and communications computer science at Georgia Tech. I technologies into their building wanted to leverage that education to HC: No. That didn’t exist in the 80s. programs, for which my colleague make a career shift. That degree What did exist was telemetry. That architects would then shape building enabled me to get a job at BellSouth was, you could connect your copy designs to accommodate those and get involved in the delivery of machine or other device to a phone inputs. communication services. I rode the line. If it gave some fault, it could exciting wireless wave that would send a simple signal. Telemetry From that experience I could see become cellular communications — became machine-to-machine in the digital technology — what we were the worlds of wireless voice and data, early 2000s. Tying it to design doing in our practice, and what our smartphones, the Internet of Things, practice, a thermostat could be a clients were having to deal with in and the many incredible things we machine connected to an alarm their technology adoption — was the now take for granted. system. If a fault was measured, it would send an alarm. Then with the internet, things evolved from analog communications, like fax machines — you heard the bzzz, bang, boom — to packet and digital, where you heard nothing. Finally, it has become the Internet of Things, simply meaning a network of internet- connected devices. All that has been similar technology, just newer versions.

DI: How long did you stay with BellSouth?

HC: I had 16 years in the telecom space with BellSouth, Cingular Wireless, AT&T Wireless, then 96 Reinventing

AT&T — all one corporate family We help clients access, sell, and build some kind. Those devices sometimes that evolved through mergers, relationships — particularly channel are a smartphone or a thermostat acquisitions, and rebranding. I relationships — with the likes of with a SIM card inside it. Just a gained experience in creating new AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. Our cellular-connected thermostat. Then business models, designing, clients tend to be based in North there’s an application, a dashboard or marketing and selling new America, Western Europe, and Israel, an interface somebody can use to communication solutions. AT&T and they provide anything these large control the smart building or get wanted me to move to Dallas, but telecom and cable companies need to reports on the performance of the with my wife being a chaired run their businesses or sell to their HVAC system within the smart professor at Emory University, that customers. Whether they’re building. was not an option we wanted to consumers, enterprises, or pursue. So, it was time for a government or higher ed customers, Another design and construction reinvention. we help with strategic executive industry use is in remote field relationship development to workforce applications. You now see DI: What are you doing now? Who accelerate sales and revenue. people running around jobsites with are your customers, and do you still cellular-connected tablets. They have engage the design and construction DI: Does that serve the built software on them. My client might be industries? environment industry? the provider of the software or the tablet. Or they might have something HC: I left the corporate world in HC: Yes. Some of our clients are that goes in the network to manage 2013. I spent the next year or two as a selling Internet-of-Things solutions the Internet-of-Things solution. It Chief Marketing Officer for hire and for smart buildings. Those solutions could be the solution. It could be the consultant. I worked in some require communications networks platform on which the solution is software turnaround businesses underpinning things. The internet is built. It could be the billing system funded by private equity firms and just a set of communication the construction company uses for with some startups. That evolved into connections, in different forms. Some that Internet of Things. Our services our current partnership, the Wireless are wireless on WiFi, some are can be anything within that end-to- Insiders Network. We’re a boutique cellular, some are on fixed networks end solution. firm of peers — there are eight of us. with cables, some are fiber. It doesn’t Each of us was an executive inside matter. There are connections of DI: Can you talk more about your companies like AT&T and Verizon. some kind, and there are devices of organization and team? 97 Reinventing

HC: I’m fortunate, because my they have? As you meet people like …what we have in partners have also reinvented that, you know you can work themselves. All of us worked in together, so you don’t worry or feel common is flexibility, software startups and small you have to be an expert in businesses before we worked in everything. You feel confident you’ll adaptability, corporate telecom. Each of us had bring in experts if you need them. It’s optimism, and corporate roles in various countries. liberating to have the confidence to One was Verizon’s representative in admit you don’t know. I sometimes enthusiasm. Greece, running a Greek telecom tell clients, “Sorry, I can’t do this job business. In their reinvention for you. Because I only want to do journeys, everybody brings a unique jobs I’m confident I can do. I’m sorry. background. But what we have in I wish I could do it, but I can’t.” With common is flexibility, adaptability, that kind of candor, you build trust optimism, and enthusiasm. We don’t relationships, and that opens a world know what the answers are going to of opportunity where anything is be. If we did, we wouldn’t want that possible. And you’re not cutting job. We like the discovery, the yourself off — only repeating yourself creativity. We have confidence in to do what you already know how to ourselves and in each other. do.

As a team, we’ve got each other’s Staying open-minded has been an back. We have trust. We started important reinvention lesson. But working together without all meeting you need judgment about what you in person. We’re spread around can do. In our company we bring North America, US and Canada. But different expertise. Some have as you become experienced, it doesn’t expertise in sales, others in take long in a conversation to know: marketing. One partner is a former can I trust this person or not? Do network operations leader at AT&T. they really have the skills they think Others are strong and experienced in 98 Reinventing

diversity, leadership, and cultural speed of communications, and a and overlaying the design document leadership of teams. We know our reduction in the latency, or delay. So, in real time. Maybe the client avatar strengths and what we enjoy, then when you send something, does it walks through the building. And find the right fit and skillset. take a long time to get there or not? they’re simultaneously doing it with Also, the volume, or capacity. It used high-resolution imagery. You may DI: It’s one of the great ironies: the to be, in Atlanta, a limited number of notice over time with these world of technology is largely about people could make a phone call at technologies — everything’s sociology. What technologies are one time on a cell phone. Nowadays, shrinking, getting lighter, with longer you working with now? Things we millions of people can make a cell battery life. don’t know about yet that will call simultaneously. With the Internet converge to reshape life in design of Things, it’ll be billions of devices 5G brings a more real-time and construction and the built and people communicating at the seamlessly integrated, high-speed environment at large? For example, same time and at a lower cost per virtual world. You can imagine what can you expound on 5G? unit. We could have made it 20 years people can use that for on the job ago that millions of people could do site. Maybe you have design teams HC: 5G is a hot topic these days. But it, but it would have cost so much around the world collaborating. As it’s just the newest version of a whole that market adoption would have not we’ve found by necessity due to set of technologies that underlay the happened. COVID, we’re able to do things we world of cellular communications. It’s didn’t know we could. I heard of HIGH-SPEEDcalled 5G because in the late 90s, What does that mean for the design someone doing Zoom sessions sitting what was available was 2G. 2G was and construction industry today? in a kayak on a lake, and that’s on 4G. just analog communications. It had You’ve got folks all over job sites Imagine what we’ll be able to do with crackly noise quality and was looking at tablets. They can request a 5G. inefficient and costly. And you had document, and it arrives quickly these big bulky things that looked whether it’s a spec, a drawing, or DI: Such potential. 5G’s speed and like bricks you called mobile phones whatever. That’s great, and that’s on throughput has the power to take us that weighed a ton. 4G, and it’s on an amazing device, a from representation — drawings tablet. It’s not heavy, and it has great and BIM — to simulation and The next thing was 3G, and the next screen resolution. It’s not that big. analysis of complex, connected was 4G. Now we’re coming to 5G. With 5G, maybe you’ll be doing systems. Things like COVID and The Fifth Generation. Every one of augmented reality on the job site. You wildfires. these evolutions has been an have your hard hat and glasses, improvement of throughput, the looking at an actual field condition 99 Reinventing

HC: Very much so. Some of what 5G Construction and engineering can gives us isn’t going to be visible. The have autonomous backhoes and value is what 5G does at lower cost tractors on job sites working 24 and higher volume. Now, it’s hours — if there are no noise An acronym I’ve used affordable, because the cost of the problems for the neighbors, of for many years in the communications — transportation of course! Drones are already data over wireless networks — will be measuring material quantities and wireless industry is so cheap we can do a lot more of it. surveying progress on job sites. One example in consumer worlds is Because their cost has gotten so low, the “DNA” of wireless: autonomous vehicles. As a wireless they can move from being science Devices, networks and technology, 5G is good when you projects to being scaled commercial want to cover a wide area like a city. industrial solutions. applications. Inside a building, you might use a wireless technology like WiFi. They An acronym I’ve used for years in the have different performance wireless industry is the “DNA” of conditions and abilities to reach wireless: Devices, Networks and different surface areas. They use Applications. Whether we’re talking different approaches. But when you 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, WiFi, WiFi 6, it want to be able to keep doing it while doesn’t matter — you need to think you’re driving a car at high speed you about all parts of the DNA. What’s need 5G cellular technology. the device? Because it’s great, if I’ve got 5G network. But if I don’t have a If you want to do something like 5G-capable device, then I’m not smart buildings keeping track of getting the benefit of the 5G network. HVAC, temperature and air quality, You need the device, the network, and building occupancy, and and the application. For example, in a nobody’s moving at 60 mph down smart building with thermometer the hallway, WiFi works. You choose and video camera, it’s not the camera different wireless technologies for alone. All the data the camera different applications, and they captures has to come back into an operate at different cost points. application that maybe uses cloud- 100 Reinventing

based machine learning or AI to HC: Why should the AEC industry that architect immediately. “Warning! recognize what’s happening inside care about the cloud? Well, if you’re Two years ago, a change order came the image captured by the camera. working with Renzo Piano’s firm in out of this detail.” Now we’re The data transmitted over the Italy, and the building and augmenting the skill base of building WiFi, then, needs an access contractors are in China, having it all architects and engineers, based on point where it goes on to the fiber or on the cloud connected with high- machine learning that has been using cellular. You have to think of the D, speed communications, means the the existing data set for customized N, and A, the whole thing, not just whole design operation of the training and risk management. What one or the other. practice is no longer just one group is the AEC industry doing to adopt in one location coming in at 7:00 in machine-learning methods to DI: beyond 5G, are there any major the morning and leaving at 8:00 at improve the practice and the quality technological movements afoot, or night. You run your business of buildings? that you’re seeing near term, knowing you’ve got a multi-time- through a design and construction zone team collaborating, leveraging DI: What has been game changing lens? What’s the next big thing? shared data, simultaneously accessed for you? or not, but safely, accessibly, in the HC: On the network side, it’s 5G. On cloud. You need security and privacy, HC: One thing is the speed of the application side, the A, it’s about but there are plenty of advances change, and how globally the cloud. When you and I started there. interconnected we all are. I worry our careers we had IBM PCs, and the there may be more friction injected data was on our desks. The drawing If we’ve got all this data and it’s in the into the world of communications. It was on your desk. Then, we’d connect cloud, we can begin to look at may be good for some, but bad for them with networks, and they were artificial intelligence, also known as others. We’re all used to one internet. on the network in the server at the machine learning, to constantly In truth, China has always had its end of the hall. Nowadays, the data is assess that data. This software — not own internet. Its own Chinese wall. in the cloud. In the AEC industry, the humans — can look at data, maybe Russia also has their own internet. building management industry, across multiple projects, and learn. They have had a spigot on what they surely the data is in the cloud. For example, we can learn from the let through. We are at risk in the project we did two years ago. Now I future of having different “internet DI: You’d be surprised. There’s still see today, this young architect seems continents”. The Western world, the a surprising amount on people’s to be repeating a similar design from Eastern Europe world, the Asian desktops. two years ago that ended up in a world. That will be unfortunate. It change order. Maybe I should flag might become walls going up again, a 101 Reinventing

We are at risk in the future of having different “internet continents.”

new kind of Iron Curtains going up game, because you lose background DI: Situational awareness is a new again, in a technological sense. I’m too quickly if you think you can just leadership skill. Constantly not for that, but that is a risk I see take a break for a while and not keep looking. Maybe that’s always been ahead. informed. the case, but in a world that changed slowly, you could get away It’s very unpredictable, and it’s In a design practice you’ve got to be with setting direction and changing rapidly. None of us, doing something rather than commanding from on high and certainly not me, is good at nothing. You’ve got to be investing. looking about less frequently. No predicting the future. Near term, you You may pull back the amount and more. get some sense of what’s happening. rate of investment, and you have to We’ve seen barriers go up, so that’s no manage and plan for change. But you HC: The trick is to be elastic. Don’t prediction. We just saw TikTok get a can’t just say, “We’ll just put it off and stretch yourself and your team to the deal intervened visibly by the US look at that again a year from now.” breaking point but acknowledge government. If I’ve had any success, You have to keep your toe in the you’re not a loose rubber band. You it is by constantly observing and water, particularly for the adoption of need tension in the elastic. Stretch, questioning, and making informed new technologies. You don’t need to and know you’re stretching it, and guesses, and usually getting it wrong. go all in at the deep end. But don’t do involve people in being part of the But if you have a path, you have nothing because it seems unclear stretch. momentum. With momentum you how it’s going to play out. Because can adjust your direction based on you can probably transition from DI: Can you think of any other the new reality. Rather than sitting it where you land to somewhere better non-traditional service paths, out and waiting to see what the new more easily than if you wait and miss post-COVID? reality will be, you’ve got to be in the the window. 102 Reinventing

HC: If I was in the AEC community, services that relate to those new I’d look at what the building needs. occupancy rates are doing. What are they forecasting actual occupancy DI: How would you advise an rates are going to be? What are architectural client looking to property values and lease rates going reinvent themselves? Where should to be? Because I think a lot of they invest to ready themselves for businesses are going to find they an uncertain future? need less space. COVID is like having a car accident. Nobody said, HC: It’s not easy — the idea of “Well, I’ll just see what it’s like, if I changing the engine while flying the have nobody in the office for the next plane. If you’re a mid-sized practice year and a half.” But now it got in a city like Atlanta, you’ve got 10 or dumped on them, and they’re finding 15 architects, or 50 architects. You’ve the world keeps on moving. As got some reasonable predictability architects, what is the client brief or about how your business operates. program of the future? Architects can How many people you need, how be the ones to give strategic advice, many jobs you’ve got, the cost, the because clients don’t know the profit, the benefits to the people. It’s a answers. complex system. Why would you voluntarily say, “Let’s change it?” The industry needs to look at how Well, it’s not going to be voluntary. different kinds of use patterns are Something’s going to force you to going to change, because even change more than likely. grandma is comfortable doing a video conference right now. Same for A few suggestions. I’d look for the retail, online shopping, and analogs on how to operate. One It’s not easy - the idea of healthcare industries. Architects can parallel that comes to mind is the take this as an opportunity to work software world’s transition around changing the engine while out how that’s going to impact their 2000. Software developers used to clients’ needs, and how they can write code, then test it, debug it, fix it, flying the plane. adjust, be elastic, and offer new and test it again. This was called the 103 Reinventing

waterfall, a serial process. But then they would have freaked out — and they transitioned, because they were fired me. But maybe in today’s world, doing bigger projects — and clients are also adapting their designing and building buildings is a expectations. big project. A lot of different people and information types are being DI: It’s paradigm-busting. Those brought together, and it all has to with that old mindset can’t even If I had told them, “We’re come to a point at the end where the entertain that kind of thinking. building works and doesn’t leak. They were taught to “draw it once, not going to even try right.” and get it right before In the software world that pivot became what is called “agile.” There’s HC: Yes. Maybe the industry needs we go talk to the client. an entire agile methodology, where to look for new paradigms in other We’re going to admit to you have scrums. You don’t try and industries that have made transitions. do the whole thing, get it right, and What are the similarities to look for? the client we know some correct a few bugs. You do a little bit It’s like looking for flexibility. You at a time. You chunk it down into recognize errors are there, but you’re of this is wrong. We smaller manageable pieces, and going to quickly fix them. It’s a don’t know which part you’re constantly using scrums. A big different dynamic. That would be a part of the transition is the mentality suggestion for firms: look for new yet. But we’re going to and the behavior of your people. I paradigms from other industries. quickly iterate and keep remember and respect greatly some Learn from how they made their of the architects who were near transitions from big monolithic iterating,” they would retirement when I was a young projects, down to many small professional coming into the modules that are then integrated have freaked out and business. If I had told them, “We’re together. fired me. not going to even try and get it right before we go talk to the client. We’re DI: What are you worried about? going to admit to the client we know some of this is wrong. We don’t know HC: I’m worried that despite all the which part yet. But we’re going to technology, and all the mass quickly iterate and keep iterating,” consumer and business adoption by 104 Reinventing

younger people, there’s too much think they are independent. I’m individual experience and worried about diminished active isolationism happening. A growing listening and thoughtfulness. demographic is so conversant and Just because communications can comfortable with smartphones and happen rapidly over a network, social media, virtual reality, and doesn’t mean that a human is actively Just because communications online gaming, but are they losing thinking about it. It just means can happen rapidly over a the basics? they’ve got more to think about in less time. They need an attitude of network, doesn’t mean that Business leaders, principals in being thoughtful. To consider the architecture firms, have to swim pros, cons, and risks. Think it a human is actively thinking against that trend. They need to through. Check with other people. about it. It just means they’ve ensure people are truly active Check their assumptions. Do some listeners with one another, that their tests. You can’t skip these steps. got more to think about human interactions and Otherwise, quality’s going to suffer. in less time. They need an communications are actually That’s what I worry about — people understood, so they learn. Because a not doing enough active listening, attitude of being thoughtful. lot gets missed as people become true communication, and more isolated. They increasingly collaboration.

Hamish Caldwell is a Partner in Wireless Insiders Network, providing strategic advisory services. He also serves as a visiting scholar at Georgia Tech’s Center for the Development and Application of Internet of Things Technologies (CDAIT.) Formerly, he spent over 16 years with Bellsouth/AT&T and was the IT director at Lord, Aeck Sargent Architects championing the firm’s digital transformation in the 1980s and 90s.

He has extensive consulting and leadership experience in creating, delivering, and growing high- technology product and service businesses in consumer and enterprise segments. He is accomplished in technology, mobile broadband and converged solutions, mobile computing and devices program strategy, marketing, product management, business case development, lifecycle operations, mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategy, and developer/supplier partnerships. A Conversation with A Global Citizen 106 Reinventing

Dr. Calvin Kam talks about his journey in technology evangelism: to reinvent and integrate the industry

DesignIntelligence (DI): You’ve Calvin Kam (CK): Thank you been a technology evangelist for Mike—we’ve had a great friendship DR. CALVIN KAM more than two decades, wearing and a fantastic journey. We’ve seen multiple hats. At any given time, how the profession and the world FAIA, PhD, PE, LEED AP, you maintain your role as an have changed so much in that time, Founder/CEO Strategic Building Adjunct Professor at Stanford yet many aspects are still the same. I Innovation, bimSCORE, BIM CIFE, a Vice President for do think of myself as a global Supporters Group, and Strategic Innovation at Optima. citizen, passionate in digital practice PlanMeetDone.com You continue at the General and industry transformation - for Services Administration (GSA) the AECOO professions, the built where you pioneered and wrote environment industry. Charles their industry-leading BIM Matta and Steve Hagan and I adoption program. You were one worked at the GSA, spreading these of the chairs of the AIA TAP ideas broadly throughout the knowledge community. As an organization, and supporting entrepreneur, you’ve founded adoption. several companies to consult on BIM adoption, metrics and Once concepts get out there, we technology: bimSCORE, Strategic need global evangelists and Building Innovation, and ambassadors to make sure we PlanMeetDone.com. What is your appreciate the global intelligence mission internationally? and nuances of digital practice. 107 Reinventing

Sometimes we need global warriors have a significant footprint. Also, to fight the battles and the skeptics with various private entities in the and to lead the work - one project, U.S. from Optima, a development one enterprise, one country, one company, to pharmaceutical agency at a time. companies, to theme park owners/ operators, and globally with a 18 years ago, with the GSA, we could number of public and private have easily said: “Well, 10 pilots in a owners/operators. year, we’ve got a mandate, we’ve done all that, mission accomplished.” But In addition to owner-driven guess what? 18 years later I’m still innovation, for the last 10 years I’ve working with the GSA to make sure brought management science - so Yes, I am a global those concepts and pilots we much of the DNA of business - to our developed − the innovations − are industry. Having an objective citizen. Wherever I am, things we can sustain. Can they management perspective is not withstand leadership changes? We something we often find in design. whatever it takes. have seen different budget and Things like Key Performance management directions. The work is Indicators and metrics. still in its teenage years, but can it … Evangelist, weather those changes? I have email addresses that end in .com, .edu, .gov, and .org. And over ambassador, warrior. DI: You’ve been an ambassador for the last 10 years or so, I’ve formed technology, describing yourself as a several business ventures. From “global citizen.” Can you talk about serving as a management consulting that? firm to startup solutions, and a web service delivery firm. For 20 years, CK: Yes, I am a global citizen. I’ve been at Stanford University and Wherever I am, whatever it takes. My I’m currently serving as an adjunct focus now is on owner-driven professor there. I’m also still with innovation. I’m working with public GSA after 17 years. I now serve as a owners like the GSA, and in recent senior program expert consulting for years with other federal agencies who their National BIM Program. In more 108 Reinventing

recent years I’ve been increasingly architectural education, you made and never turned back. That meant I active with buildingSMART an early decision to transcend had to take well over 200 units International. relaunching the USA traditional practice and devote your during college when most of my chapter we have in the US and career to technology adoption and friends needed only half as many. serving the global open standard integration. What steered you Today, I’m a licensed engineer, a movement more broadly. there, and to cast such a wide net? licensed architect, and I still enjoy Not everybody has such broad the added perspective that we should DI: It is a journey, because the work interest. appreciate more than the forms and is never done. Your focus on owner- aesthetics − the engineering, led innovation is so needed because CK: I’m honored and humbled to mechanics, science, and management we’ve heard it at the conferences join you and the other great leaders behind things. over the last 20 years. Inevitably, in the AIA College of Fellows. My owners lead the charge. They have wide reach may be part of my DNA. My architecture education was the gold, so they make the rules, I’m inspired by my elder sister. She during the early days of digital and if we don’t change their minds, got a triple major in college. College practice — when ink-on-mylar, change won’t come. And metrics are came early for me – I was a freshman 2D-CAD, and 3D were all available. so valuable. We need to keep score. at the University of Southern The emerging 3D software appealed California at age 16. I came to a to me the most, that I could develop CK: Bringing management science decision point: what major should I 3D models, cut sections, get mindsets and methodologies into the declare? I was passionate in building, perspectives with all interlinked in world of BIM, VDC and AI is key. architecture and construction, yet the same data set. I have never Too often we get into technology was also attracted to the problem- turned back and have been engaging blindfolded or with blinders on, solving aspect of civil engineering. in the field ever since. without asking about the objectives. Civil engineers made sure things Why are we doing this? What are the would stand and withstand A key part of my drive is persistence. goals? What will we measure? How earthquakes. I had a hard time To continue with the journey, never are we doing? choosing between the two. I thought: give up, nor say mission “If my sister could go for three accomplished. You wonder: “How DI: Congratulations on your AIA majors, surely, I can go for two. It can I handle so much? Can I juggle Fellowship. The breadth of your should be easy.” So, I declared a all those?” But in the end, they all are exposure - the boundaries you cross double major in architecture and civil converging and complementary. - are wide. It makes me wonder - as engineering as a freshman at USC Appreciation of architecture and someone who began with an 109 Reinventing

engineering has opened my mind possible. You are out of your mind.” I Technology or beyond we should and is why I appreciate integration ended up going to three colleges at look to? and computer-aided BIM and VDC. the same time because they were running out of courses at USC. I CK: The next big thing for AEC is I landed at Stanford after my went to UCLA. I went to a local likely to come from outside the undergraduate years because of community college to get all my units industry. Something other than the CIFE, the Center for Integrated and stay on course. I’ve learned to AEC industry adapting and finding Facility Engineering. The I of CIFE, never say never and never take “no” the sweet spot and penetrating from which stands for integration, struck as a response. Those experiences within. So far, we have seen me. The integration of people, shaped my role as an evangelist, translational technology coming in to process, information, and technology. ambassador, and BIM and digital disrupt our industry. We have more CIFE is an amazing hub that attracts innovation warrior. adoption of technologies and global peers and experts. We speak innovation because of commodity different languages. We come from DI: Clearly you were in a different electronics and computing powers different time zones and parts of the place than I was at that age. That from our cell phones to our daily world. For the last 20 years and you were focused on integration, electronics, and mobile networks. counting, working with CIFE has despite having never even been in allowed us to bring all those the industry is amazing. The lack of But AEC has not generally proven to aspirations together. integration remains one of the be at the forefront of innovation, due biggest issues in our industry - to underfunding and a host of other Maybe I was naive to think I could ongoing fragmentation. “I’m just reasons. That’s something we hope handle architecture and civil an architect, I’m a mason, I do my will change. To me, it’s about engineering together. It wasn’t easy. job, we’re separate, we’re resiliency, climate change, this The toughest years in my life were fragmented, we don’t share data.” changing world with COVID-19, and being an undergraduate. But once I Your early interest in integration everything else. How will our signed up and got into it, I never and your desire to take on those industry adapt to the new and wanted to give up. I wanted to enjoy kinds of challenges is quite a story. unfolding normal? Even before the amazing possibilities it offers. I COVID-19, we had climate change, still do. Let’s look to the future. I can’t think and we have many other major of anybody with more global challenges ahead. Natural disasters, When I declared a double major all exposure to the technology world like the California wildfires, the academic advisors said, “No way. than you. What’s the next big thing, earthquakes, floods and similar Nobody had done that before. It’s not the next great force in AEC challenges, hopefully can motivate us 110 Reinventing

to address and solve these systemic 5 TIER INNOVATION The Second Tier, ACCOUNTABLE, problems. is how we can be more accountable To illustrate this, I’ve developed a with our delivery, and depend on the The next big technology needs to five-tier innovation diagram that information, the single source of help us better adapt to this new offers a maturity framework that truth. Not only do we deliver it well, normal, better respond to natural outline the drives for innovation. but we can rely and be accountable disasters, and be more resilient to on the information for the project climate change. It’s a huge The First tier, DELIVERABLE, is lifecycle or longer. opportunity. I hope that the focus on about project delivery, how we can those big problems can promote leverage construction innovation The Third Tier, TRANSPARENT, is exciting new technologies. technology to help us deliver our about the trust and interpersonal projects better. dynamics − the people side. Yes, the

5 TIER INNOVATION DIAGRAM COURTESY OF SBI 111 Reinventing

information may be reliable, and may resiliency and prosperity is CK: Thankfully, we have been be a good single source of truth for something I’m hoping that we will COVID-free and are grateful for that. the lifecycle of the project. But, can see. You and I both traveled a lot before we also trust one another, can we be COVID-19. Suddenly we are all more transparent about the IPD Right now, we cannot easily nor grounded. approach? reliably simulate a building or our infrastructure with water leakage or We are thankful we can keep being The Fourth Tier asks whether we are wildfire risks. But imagine if we can productive. We may even be more becoming more PROSPEROUS? It fast forward that and allow digital productive because we spend less may be about diversity and design to help us to better time going through airport security inclusiveness, but I was calling that understand from an urban scale, or commuting. We can spend more more prosperous. Yes, it’s about climate change, natural disasters, and time with work if we choose to. But productivity, but can we also be more wildfires. That can help us predict or we all miss the opportunity to have prosperous? Can we attract, recruit simulate the effects with buildings, those face-to-face social moments. I and retain the younger generation? power grids, wind, and weather look forward to a future mode in simulations. My hope is that we can which we can still travel by choice The Fifth and the final tier is move more rapidly to integrate BIM and not have to be either traveling or RESILIENCY. Can we be more into urban scale simulation, and that working from home by necessity. productive, profitable, efficient, and it will give us amazing analytical prosperous, but can we also leverage power. DI: How is the technology outlook innovation in construction, in the different in China, India, the UK, building industry, to make our world, DI: Over the years we’ve talked of and other places from what we’re and society more resilient? BIM moving from representation to doing in the US? In his book, Tom simulation and dynamic, data-rich Friedman wished the United States So, I hope the next big thing is systems with, connected systems could turn into a dictatorship for approaching the far right-hand side analysis. The tools are finally one day so we could force of that diagram. We do see more and moving that way. everybody to connect all the power more automation and optimization grids and share, and then go back to from robotics and AI, but we’re also Has COVID had an impact on you being a democracy. The same could hoping those can land with a good and your organization and how you be said for data sharing. Are you purpose. Driving that towards work? seeing any different mindsets 112 Reinventing

internationally than we have in the firms, construction companies, US with our capitalistic, free- subcontractors and supply chains all market, every-software-for-himself innovating and driving change approach? without much government leadership or involvement. In the US, if the CK: The other Tom Friedman notion government is not getting in the way I espouse is: “Think big. Start small. by asking for more taxes, or red tape Act now.” It’s something I follow and then we are happy. In the US we see practice a lot. We are driving open that, especially with the startup BIM and thinking about digital community we see in Silicon Valley, The other Tom design with federal agencies in the Atlanta, Boston, and many other Friedman notion I US. Conversely, for the last 20 years parts of the country. or so, we are constantly reminded harbor is: “Think big. that there are tens of thousands of On the other hand, I would say that Start small. Act now. federal, state, and local jurisdictions Scandinavian countries such as across the US, and each jurisdiction Finland and Norway, are in a sweet has a different idea about technology spot. They are influential enough, but and digital review. also have a small bubble of community and industry around Although the GSA or other federal them that gives their leadership more agencies champion BIM, open leverage than do the major public standard, and beyond, they still only clients in the US. represent a minority in moving the needle to embrace change. In the US, For those European countries where the AECOO ecosystem supply chain their public agencies have mandated certainly doesn’t have that “one day open BIM digital delivery of dictatorship” (to imagine in Tom requirements, we have seen better Freidman’s world) and so we don’t adoption of open standards than we have a shared electrical grid, a see in the US. The US is still a little common shared BIM platform, or a bit too unique and one-off. standard permit approval process. The European union is embracing On a global scale, the US has seen certain standards like ISO and open amazingly innovative owners, design standards. Some have public leaders 113 Reinventing

who look for technical driven I’ve been traveling and working with companies to drive change. In the the Asian communities quite a bit. Netherlands we have seen good Government leadership and examples of digital twins, and BIM government mandates in Asia are not and GIS integration. Other countries at the same level as they are in have embraced BIM for facility Europe. Singapore, Hong Kong and management, open standards and certain countries have come up with VDC are strong there. mandates: you must use BIM, you must embrace VDC. You must use In the US, we tend to see more certain forms of industrialized project-driven delivery methods and construction or you cannot get innovation changes. More wild-west, government approval, or you may cowboy, one-off innovations. We can not be able to get a piece of easily replicate such practices. government land, for example.

It’s ironic, because we go to industry Government influence is strong in events across the US and hear major certain Asian communities. I’ve also construction or design firms doing been advising and working with the In the US, we tend to see amazing things. But often, even Singapore government for the last 10 within those firms - depending on years now. There, the stick and the more project-driven delivery which project team you work with - carrot have been clear. The we have witnessed a forefront government is forward-thinking, methods and innovation example of BIM, VDC or IPD on one embracing everything. They would changes. More wild-west, jobsite and then see the same firm even fund the industry to innovate. doing something opposite on other cowboy, one-off projects. Diffusion and But because everything is more implementation across a firm is one spoon fed, in those countries the innovations. thing, let alone across the country. It industry is less driven to change. remains challenging, but we have There is more inertia for private seen some good pockets of innovation based on value innovation influencing things propositions. That’s why technology globally. adoption in the US may be the best 114 Reinventing

hybrid form of public leadership and perfect case is if you can combine the DI: You talked about “project open innovation. The European ecosystem, innovation spirit, or focus”. You’re an exception, but Union could be amazing with open cowboy creativity of the US, with the most of us in this industry have standards. In Asian countries, we’ve balanced approach and diffusion we been trained and educated to focus seen some locations with strong see in Europe, with the government on “our building, or our project.” government leadership, but industry leadership and subsidies we see in It’s a very narrow focus. How do we mindset and workflow are not quite Asian countries. That would be the change those mindsets? This goes adapting to those new normals. The best of the three paths. across all AECOO: architects, 115 Reinventing

engineers, contractors, why I enjoy working with clients and enterprise or the industry’s bottom manufacturers, owners, to begin to partners beyond one project - we can line in the long run. That’s why I’m look, think and act in a more see how we can grow over a longer often working with government connected way. Are there role term. And that’s why I think by agencies on policies on a broader models? You’ve faced this issue. I introducing the management science scale. realize it’s psychological and perspective we can measure things. sociological but where’s the How do you focus on leading An offshoot, to measure progress, is leverage? indicators and metrics, under the our solution called PlanMeetDone. value proposition that it’s important com. It’s a web service that focuses on CK: It’s a journey and a mindset we and scalable? a meeting − one commitment and all are trying to embrace and remind one action at a time −so we can track ourselves of. We have seen the idea of I have a spectrum of Key meeting efficiency results and IPD, integrated project delivery. 10 Performance Indicators. On the progress. Have we been thoughtful years or so ago, Peter Beck with Beck left-hand side of the slide you see the about the meeting agenda, the Group talked about “the integrated macro productivity index and GDP. invitees, the actions, and the follow- enterprise” - to go beyond the On the right side of the scale is how up? After the meetings, can we focus projects - and even beyond that. do we measure a part, or a on the commitment reliability? We’ve seen certain companies component within a building, facility Because we often don’t even get a forming integrated alliances. Groups or infrastructure? Somewhere along meeting or commitment follow of integrated enterprises can also that continuum, we need to be able through right. Then, things start to form alliances and look beyond one to measure individual projects, slip and snowball. In the AEC project and one enterprise. enterprises, and their economic industry we have metrics and impacts. controllable factors, but we’ve had to Thinking broadly is something we get by using lagging indicators, say, have to constantly remind ourselves By having repeatable, scalable, and whether a project is profitable, or on of. Because we have seen different universally applicable measures, we time. Too often we become aware of projects under the same company can remind ourselves - whether we’re those outcomes too late. Tracking have such diverse behavior, DNA, talking about a company or a project leading indicators is something we and culture. Project team members - there are certain measures and still need to bring into our industry come and go. So, we don’t even metrics and KPIs we can repeat and — and our team proposes that we maintain consistent processes for a follow. It’s important to understand focus on one meeting and one action single project lifecycle, let alone for how one small action or decision can at a time to begin doing that. an enterprise, or an industry. That’s impact not just a project but also an 116 Reinventing

DI: What are you thinking about DI: Noble aspirations: unity, hope, profession, or transitioning into new these days? more collaboration, and forward roles in the profession they love? movement. You’re teaching and How do we retain and continue to CK: I enjoy being a global citizen training your replacements. What engage all these knowledgeable, because in this industry, we need to does the next generation look like? passionate, still-capable individuals? unite every country and all Do they give you hope? professionals because the problem is To name a few in the technology so huge - and we are so far behind in CK: At Stanford, it has been exciting space, people like Patrick Macleamy terms of our current performance. It’s to see the diversity, gender balance, recently retired from HOK after five heartbreaking to see how our world and sparks from the newer, younger decades rising from a junior architect may beGLOBAL unfolding geopolitically and generation. We still have a huge gap and retired as the Chairman and with respect to COVID-19. I hope we in terms of needing to recruit and CEO, but still driving, and thinking will not become more isolated and retain more diverse talents in our passionately, and CIFE’s Paul can keep finding means for positive industry. But beyond the younger Teicholz and John Kunz. Arto collaboration. generation, let’s not forget about all Kiviniemi, is another great friend of the amazing knowledgeable friends mine. He’s 70-some years old, but still That’s why in recent years I have been and experts we have. People like extremely sharp and knowledgeable. involved with buildingSMART yourself, Mike. Amazingly They may all be retired but we can International, working with Patrick experienced, knowledgeable, retired tap into them more. How can they MacLeamy, Ian Howell, and many and reinvented, in a lead role continue to inspire others within the other volunteer leaders to revive the contributing to DesignIntelligence profession? US chapter. I also enjoy working with while having published a book of the buildingSMART International your own! That’s an inspiration and So yes, I’m excited about the newer headquarters team in Europe. They role model for me to follow. generation, but let’s not forget our have theirCITIZEN own isolation issues with experienced colleagues. You may EU and Brexit. Globally we all need Our industry shouldn’t forget about hear my children in the background to pay attention to digital twins, IOT, our senior leaders since wellness and - I’m working from home. It makes BIM, and having a standard we can healthcare are increasing life me reflect on the ways to bring those all conform and contribute to. I hope expectancies, perhaps to 100 or 120 mindsets, DNA, and aspirations to that will grow our industry and that years old. What are we doing with all my own son and daughter. That’s we can maintain the energy and these amazing sources of intellectual something that I’ve got to learn and expertise to collaborate and go capital who may be leaving their be reminded of every day. forward. firms? People on sabbatical from the 117 Reinventing

DI: That’s wonderful. Thank you for CK: Constantly prioritizing is family. That gives me a boost to focus those kind words. We old dogs are something I’ve been doing since on career issues. I’m so appreciative not done yet, and there are a lot of college. There’s always so much going of that. us out there. Your discussion on I need to remind myself how to spanning the gap from the 60, 70 prioritize. I thought I would be more DI: I thank you for sharing with us, and 80-year-olds, all the way to up to speed during COVID-19. I’m and for what you’ve already your children is a wonderful not. The to-do list is shorter, but it’s accomplished to better our industry thought. I’m going to end with one still too long. The means and - and your quest to reinvent it. I’m final question. What’s your secret? methods may be different. I used to certain you still have miles to go You have so many balls in the air. do it by paper and pen, and then with and I look forward to your journey You’re the energizer bunny, your various software, but it’s still about - and our continued journey reach is vast, and you show no end prioritizing tirelessly to see how I can together. in sight. How do you keep it all best spend my time. Then, how to do going? that with my team. I also have an CK: Likewise, thank you so much, amazing family - my sister and my Mike. Thank you for talking to me. wife in particular - who care for the

Dr. Calvin Kam, FAIA, PhD, PE, LEED AP is the Founder/CEO of Strategic Building Innovation, bimSCORE, BIM Supporters Group, and PlanMeetDone.com—the “GPS Navigator” for construction innovation. He is Adjunct Professor at Stanford University’s Center for Integrated Facility Engineering (CIFE), specializing in strategic innovation - Management Scorecards, Building Information Modeling, Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), Sustainable Developments and Smart Cities Evaluation. He was a Co-Founder and Senior Program Expert of GSA’s award-winning National 3D-4D-BIM Program since 2003 and is an appointed international expert for APEC, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Calvin serves on the Executive Committee of buildingSMART USA and Chairs its Education and Professional Certification Committee. An elected member of the Board Knowledge Committee at the American Institute of Architects, Dr. Kam is a former national chairman of AIA’s Technology in Architectural Practice and Center for Integrated Practice. Elevated to the AIA College of Fellows, Dr. Kam has received various AIA, ASCE, SOM, Stanford University, and USC Alumni Awards and Fellowships, as well as the ENR’s “20 under 40” and the BD&C’s “40 under 40” awards. Calvin received his Master’s, Engineer Degree, and Ph.D. from Stanford University. At age 21, he became the first and youngest to receive dual bachelor degrees in Architecture and Civil Engineering from the University of Southern California (with the highest honor bestowed on a graduating senior for distinguished leadership and excellent scholarship). He has given many keynote and plenary speeches, published multiple book chapters, journal and conference papers, and has presented at over 100 industry events, conferences and universities in 20 countries. Economic Review: Reinventing in 2021 119 Reinventing

Historic. Unprecedented. Catastrophic. Disastrous.

In today’s hyperbolic, inflammatory 2.5% range. Yet despite a record- world, extreme adjectives are long expansion and low BOB HUGHES frequently overused and unemployment rate, inflation was inappropriate. Unfortunately, when lingering around or slightly below Senior Economist, it comes to the economic events of 2%, the Federal Reserve’s medium- DesignIntelligence 2020, these descriptors are often term goal. Overall, a goldilocks appropriate. In some cases, they are economy. inadequate. December 2019 brought the CHRONOLOGY outbreak of a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. This new virus Towards the end of 2019, turned out to be highly contagious economists, policymakers, and and virulent. The virus spread business leaders were generally quickly around the world, filling focused on labor shortages as a hospitals and intensive care units. record-long economic expansion Fatalities rose. had pushed the unemployment rate to around 3.5%, a fifty-year low. By March 2020, widespread Economic growth was moderate by lockdown policies were longer-run standards, in the 2 to implemented to restrain the spread 120 Reinventing

of the virus. March and April saw the there were wide disparities for the are back in the normal range of 16 to most dramatic collapse in the U.S. different types of retailers. Online 18 million, though they are close to economy’s history. Twenty-two shopping and spending related to the bottom of that range. million people lost their jobs, home goods (DIY projects and home Manufacturing has recovered about pushing the unemployment rate to activities) were relatively strong while ¾ of its two-month plunge but is still almost 20%, and economic activity as clothing and accessory spending and about 5% below February levels. measured by real gross domestic restaurants remained very weak. Housing – specifically single-family product fell at a 31.4% annualized Single-family home sales and housing – is one of the brightest areas rate in the second quarter. Retail construction were booming while of the economy, with single-family sales were down 22% in March and urban occupancy rates and rents in home sales and new construction not April, and unit-auto sales fell by half some of the most expensive cities only back above pre-pandemic levels – to 8.7 million at an annual rate – in were falling. Large portions of payroll but at the highest levels since late April. Manufacturing output dropped job cuts were rehired, but new claims 2005/early 2006. Nonresidential by 20% while commercial for unemployment benefits were construction expenditures, however, construction fell 2.7%, and stubbornly high – almost four times remain down about 5.5% from the residential construction (housing the pre-pandemic level. prior peak. Unfortunately, a starts) were down 34%. resurgence of new cases of COVID-19 and renewed restrictions By May, the spread of COVID-19 was THE BIG PICTURE TODAY on consumers and businesses are starting to slow, some restrictions again threatening economic growth. were being eased, and parts of the As of early December, about 13 economy were starting to reopen. million jobs have been recovered, but CHANGE IS THE ONLY Some areas had sharp initial that still leaves payrolls down about 9 CONSTANT snapbacks in activity while other million jobs from the peak. Those areas recovered more slowly. In numbers translate into an Around 500 B.C., Greek philosopher aggregate, the economy was unemployment rate of 6.9% in Heraclitus was quoted as saying, expanding. October vs. 3.5% before the “change is the only constant in life.” It pandemic. Despite the loss of 9 has only taken two-and-a-half By early fall, clear distinctions were million payroll jobs, retail spending millennia, but some economists have emerging among the different sectors – both bricks and mortar and online finally caught on to his wisdom. An of the economy. Retail spending was - is back above pre-pandemic levels exciting new area of economic recovering remarkably well though to a new record high. Unit auto sales thinking rejects the more widely accepted analytical framework that 121 Reinventing

assumes an economy is a closed Technology has already been a major system always moving towards structural economic change driver equilibrium. Instead, this new over the last century and a half, as the paradigm sees an economy as an U.S. economy evolved from primarily open system made up of evolving an agricultural economy to an networks of agents constantly industrial economy and now to an reacting to change. These tenets of information economy. With each the broader idea of Complexity new technological achievement, the …not only is change Theory are exemplified by pace at which subsequent proponents such as The Santa Fe technologies are developed and the only constant, but Institute and W. Brian Arthur. deployed has increased, thereby the pace of change accelerating the rate of structural This alternative framework has major change in the economy. The is accelerating... implications. Perhaps most pandemic will compound that effect, For flexible and important is the acknowledgement at least temporarily. that forecasting, particularly longer- adaptable businesses, term forecasting, is impossible. For This new framework emphasizing businesses, that means instead of a flexibility and adaptability is this becomes an business plan with medium and/or especially relevant as consumers, extraordinary long-term goals and targets, the businesses, and policymakers grapple emphasis should be on increasing with the novel coronavirus. The opportunity. For the flexibility and adaptability to adjust scientific community is racing to to whatever economic conditions better understand the behavior of the inflexible and rigid, it emerge. virus and the implications for becomes an existential humanity. As consumers and ACCELERATING RATE OF businesses adapt their behavior, both threat. CHANGE the types of goods and services they consume and the way they consume/ A second point to drive home the interact (sometimes by their own importance of emphasizing flexibility choice or sometimes under new and adaptability is this: not only is government regulation) in order to change the only constant, but the minimize the risk of infection, pace of change is accelerating. 122 Reinventing

structural change for the economy is SHORT TERM: RETROFITTING likely structural changes will be inevitable. For flexible and adaptable SPACE FOR DISTANCE AND significant, broad-based, and businesses, this becomes an HEALTH SAFETY WILL BE BIG enduring. Should this prove to be a extraordinary opportunity. For the one-off event, then major structural inflexible and rigid, it becomes an Current understanding of the changes as a result of the coronavirus existential threat. coronavirus suggests face masks and are less likely. distance are a first-line defense EARLY CHANGE SIGNS against contagion. Among the most POSSIBLE TRENDS obvious places already undergoing Progress against the virus remains changes related to density for public With the future inherently the biggest challenge and the most areas are retail stores, restaurants, unknowable, the best strategies significant force influencing the and commercial spaces such as remain flexibility and adaptability economic outlook. Developing a offices and elevators. Limited combined with a constantly refreshed vaccine and effective treatment is occupancy, mask requirements, knowledge of emerging trends. crucial for minimizing the human distancing, plexiglass barriers, and Recent data highlight possible new cost, while developing and frequent sanitizing have already been trends to monitor in response to the implementing preventive measures implemented in most critical pandemic: and public health policies are likely businesses, but further upgrades and to be crucial for the short-term path retrofitting are likely. Lower Living Densities of the economy. Historically, First, consumers are actively seeking pandemics resulted in major changes LONGER-TERM CHANGES ARE lower density geographies for living. to society, including the built LESS CERTAIN Rents in major urban centers such as environment (i.e. sewerage systems) New York and San Francisco have and social and cultural behaviors (i.e. While current conditions seem rather seen sharp declines while prices for personal hygiene). Post-9/11 changes dire, a critical question for the suburban single-family homes have to travel security may be the best potential and extent of longer-term risen rapidly. Consequently, new recent analogy, though the changes structural change is whether this construction of single-family homes brought about by the pandemic are pandemic is an isolated event or the has surged, hitting the highest levels likely to be much more widespread first of many, the new normal. Should since the housing bubble. Should that across the economy. more novel coronaviruses with trend continue, there are major similar virulence emerge, the more implications for infrastructure – 123 Reinventing

water, sewerage, electric and power, facilities need to be redesigned to some are accelerations of existing roads, transportation systems, and safely handle infectious disease trends. The implications are public education facilities, to name a patients while still safely serving the multifaceted but suggest a positive few. medical needs of non-contagious outlook for the built environment patients? industries, with opportunities for Migration Patterns new construction as well as for Along with the move to suburbia, Health, Sustainability, and Climate repurposing of existing space. there are broader questions about Design Impacts Overall, businesses will need to migration patterns, especially For the built environment quickly adapt to changes in consumer retirement: will retirees move far (particularly when considered in the preferences, the political climate, and away from family? Will assisted context of broader environmental virus prevention regulations to living facilities still be popular or will conditions and climate change survive and thrive. Members of the multi-generational families become issues), will the pandemic accelerate built environment industries will play the norm? the incorporation of healthy living, a critical role in implementing many sustainability, and climate impact on of these changes. Hybrid Learning Modes future design of buildings and public The opening of schools at all levels spaces? THE YEAR AHEAD was one of the bigger challenges. Many schools are offering a hybrid of Supply Chain Contingency Planning For many economists, policymakers, in-person learning and remote For nearly all businesses, a renewed and business leaders, the focus will learning. Will remote learning be focus on contingency plans and be on getting back to pre-pandemic more common and permanent, and supply chains is likely to occur. activity levels, especially for what are the implications for existing Developing plans to deal with important measures like revenues, educational facilities? outbreaks among staff, including profits, and employment. But changes dealing with shutdowns and to the structure of the economy are Health Care Policies and Facilities developing plans to continue more important for the long-run A critical dynamic early in the production and operations should success of most businesses and some pandemic was the lack of capacity supply chains be disrupted, will be entire industries. and equipment at medical facilities. ongoing challenges. Will new public health policy dictate While forecasting may be futile, some increased capacity and inventories at These are just a few of the early existing economic trends are likely to medical facilities? Will medical trends emerging. Some are new, and continue. 124 Reinventing

• First, inflation is likely to remain rates near zero while maintaining KEY UNKNOWNS low. The pandemic combined security-buying programs in order panic buying with temporary to facilitate smooth functioning in Among the most important shortages to drive up some prices. capital markets. Those buying unknowns is whether the virus However, with unemployment still programs will effectively keep mutates or not. Will vaccines provide high and incomes growing slowly, longer-term interest rates at or permanent protection? Will the price pressures are likely to remain near historically low levels. general public take the vaccines? Will muted. Money supply theories are there be any serious long-term side in question at the moment. Despite • Third, overall unemployment effects from the virus or the vaccines? the first rounds of QE (2008-09), levels may remain elevated but Will this be the first of many no significant price increase specific industry shortages may outbreaks or a one-time event? Only acceleration occurred. There are also continue. The downside to the time will tell. some new interpretations floating changing structure of the economy around regarding money supply is it tends to work against a rapid The other major unknown at the and velocity (as well as questions return to pre-pandemic moment is who will be leading the on the Philips curve). It’s hard to employment conditions. Structural country and setting federal policies. make the case that we will now see changes will likely lead to a slower Will there be one-party control of faster price increases given the pace of rehiring, especially for Congress and the White House or money supply expansion when it some industries such as retail will there be split power? The current didn’t happen before and there is workers, food services, and leisure prevailing view is that Vice President now slack in the economy. and accommodation. These areas Biden will be inaugurated on January are among the most obvious to be 20, 2021. Democrats are expected to • Second, with low inflation and subject to structural change as retain control of the House of elevated unemployment, interest consumers shop online instead of Representatives, though by a slimmer rates are likely to remain low. going to brick-and-mortar margin than before. Control of the Federal Reserve policymakers have locations or choose staycations Senate is less clear and is likely to be been vocal about the risks to instead of traveling. Unfortunately, determined by special runoff economic growth and have fully it’s not easy to retrain retail elections in Georgia. It appears that committed to support the economy workers for skilled labor jobs such Republicans have a slight advantage with all means available. These as construction. in retaining control, though they may include keeping short-term interest also have a slimmer majority. 125 Reinventing

If these do come to fruition, split • levels of activity (retail sales, new have proven time and time again to control would likely mean more orders for manufactured goods, be amazingly resilient and adaptable, partisanship and gridlock. industrial production, home despite what often appears to be Historically, a degree of gridlock was construction, nonresidential dysfunctional and ineffective considered by many as a good thing, construction expenditures, and government. Clearly, the economy a type of check and balance against real gross domestic product) and society would be far better off extreme policies. That may not be the • prices (the Consumer Price Index, with two political parties that can case today, as political gridlock has around mid-month) find ways to cooperate and devolved into political vengeance – • policy (stimulus spending compromise on critical issues of the not just preventing progress on programs and Federal Reserve day rather than undercutting and dealing with emerging issues and policy announcements). destroying prior legislation. crises (which is dangerous enough) Nonetheless, the American economy but undoing prior accomplishments. Furthermore, in the current will likely succeed despite the environment, financial metrics such increasingly bitter and intense Even so, a Democratic White House as debt delinquency and defaults as partisanship that is destroying and House of Representatives would well as bankruptcy filings may be government effectiveness. likely mean a renewed focus on particularly important. Consumer spending, particularly on the delinquency and foreclosures as well environment and infrastructure, as small businesses are particularly some higher taxes, and additional vulnerable as are some industries regulation in some industries such as such as brick-and-mortar retail, health care, finance, and energy. leisure and hospitality, and travel. Bob Hughes is a Senior Economist at WHAT TO WATCH BOTTOM LINE: CAUTIOUS DesignIntelligence OPTIMISM Keeping up with economic developments isn’t easy. Key areas to Despite some extraordinary focus on include: challenges, the economic outlook is • the labor market (weekly initial tilted to the upside. Science has claims for unemployment benefits made great progress against the novel on Thursdays) and coronavirus and COVID-19, and • the monthly jobs report (usually both consumers and private the first Friday of each month) businesses (and business leaders)

DESIGN FUTURES COUNCIL: SENIOR FELLOWS RECOGNITION obel Laureate & Former Secretary & Former Laureate obel Strategic Planner, Gensler, Gensler, Planner, Strategic y Coleman, Senior Executive Partner, Foster Foster Partner, Executive Senior Dancey, el Founder & President, Daniel P. P. Daniel & President, Founder Coffey, niel ve Chu, N Dean Emeritus and Reynolds and Emeritus Dean k Davis, President and CEO Memphis CEO Memphis and Coletta, President rol President, SHP Leading SHP Della Bella,uren President, Founder, The Digit Group, Inc. Group, Digit The Founder, ul Doherty, ark Davis, Principal Davis, ark Consultant, Cameron Architect, Sculptor, Architect, Damianos, lvester , Founder, Dujardin Design Dujardin , Founder, Dujardin udy Founding Principal, Pickard Chilton Pickard Principal, Founding Energy of Dept. U.S. Energy, of Da Cind Chicago of Institute Art Professor, Ca Parks River Sy Nig + Partners Jac Cl MacAllister Group La Design Pa Tr Ste Ltd. Associates, & Coffey FormerDamianosgroup, President, The Architects of Institute American Professor VirginiaMetal of Architecture Polytechnic Institute

• • • • • • • • • • • y Bonda, Interior Author, Designer, Author & Designer, Cama & Designer, Author alyn Cama, Architect, Educator, Architect, Chilton, lliam Partner Emeritus, Skidmore, Skidmore, Emeritus, vid Childs, Partner Managing Principal, Managing Burns, eph Thornton bert Campbell, Architect,bert Campbell, Author, and Managing Director & Partner, & Partner, Director rrie Managing Byles, rbara Bryson,rbara Associate Dean for Research, VP Marketing Score VP Marketing Davis-Brayman, ann ublic Interest Design Public Interest & Advocate hn Cary, The University of Arizona CAPLA Arizona of University The Jo TED talk Ambassador, Design Author, Da Owings & Merrill Wi Penn Consulting Ecoimpact at Partner Jo DirectorLancaster, Business Development President, Vice Former Focus, Central IndustriesArmstrong World Ba Jos Tomasetti Ca Owings & Merrill Skidmore, Ros Authority Design Evidence-Based Inc., (Healthcare) Ro Pulitzer Globe, Boston The Critic, Architecture Prize

• • • • • • • • • • DESIGN FUTURES COUNCIL SENIOR FELLOWS SENIOR FELLOWS COUNCIL FUTURES DESIGN De- a long-standing on update an share we community, the DI connect to quest continued our In Council recognized Design Futures annually have we 1990’s the late Since tradition. signIntelligence selection criteria: based the following on themselves distinguished who have members tstanding individuals who have provided noteworthy leadership to the advancement of design, design solutions, design, design solutions, of the advancement to leadership noteworthy provided who have individuals tstanding nificant contributions toward the understanding of changing trends, new research, and applied knowledge that that knowledge applied and research, new trends, changing of understanding the toward contributions nificant Reinventing Assistant Dean, Yale University; Bernstein,l AssistantDean, Yale Executive Chairman, The Beck The Chairman, er Beck, Executive Chairman Emeritus, RTKL Emeritus, Chairman Adams, rold Lecturer, University College University Lecturer, vid Adamson, Founding Principal, BNIM Principal, bert Founding Berkebile, Owner, White Oaks Partners, Oaks White iedl Bohm, Owner, eorge Washington University Law School/ Law University Washington eorge Architect & Former President, President, & Former Architect Barker, mes Biomimicry Benyus, nine & Sustainability Practiced for a minimum of 20 years of a minimum Practiced for Ou Sig education, and/or the design professions and/or education, condition the human and environment the built improve Architects Phi Fr Clemson University University Clemson Ja State Arizona Faculty Expert, Author, University Ro VP Autodesk formerly NBBJ of Chairman Former Da Ja Pet Group Ava Abramowitz, Professional Lecturer in Law, Abramowitz, Ava G of College American the of fellow Founding Offices The of Lawyers/Principal, Construction J Abramowitz Ava Ha former University, & Cambridge London Office the in Construction Smarter of Director (UK) Commerce Government of 127

• • • are: They honor. this with recognized been have leaders 150 industry than more date, To

• • • • • • • • • 128 Reinventing SENIOR FELLOWS RECOGNITION DESIGN FUTURES COUNCIL: • Williston Dye, Architect, Former Disney Group • James Keane, President and Chief Executive Imagineering, Williston Enterprises • David Gensler, Former Co-CEO, Gensler; Officer, Director, Steelcase Inc • Phil Enquist, Partner, Skidmore, Owings & Board of RocketSpace and NextSpace • Stephen Kieran, Founding Partner, Kieran- Merrill • Arthur Gensler, Founder & Chairman, Timberlake • Del Eulberg, USAF (ret.), formerly Booz Allen Gensler • Eugene Kohn, Founding Partner & Chair- Hamilton, CEO Eulberg Consulting • Roger Godwin, Architect, Interior Designer, man, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates • Edward Feiner, Principal, Perkins + Will, Developer, Managing Principal DAG Architects • Norman Koonce, Architect & Former CEO, Former Chief Architect, General Service • David Gottfried, Managing Partner, Regenera- The American Institute of Architects Administration tive Ventures, Founder, U.S. Green Building • Vijay Kumar, Illinois Institute of Design, • Curtis Fentress, Founding Principal, Fentress Council Author of 101 Design Methods Architects • Robert Greenstreet, Urban Designer & Dean, • Ray Kurzweil, Inventor, Futurist, and Author, • Scott Findley, Design Partner, 10 Design University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee The Singularity is Near • Martin Fischer, Director, Center for Integrated • Robert Grupe, Grupe Gypsum Consulting • Theodore Landsmark, Distinguished professor Facility Engineering, Stanford University • Phil Harrison, President & CEO, Perkins + and director of the Kitty and Michael Dukakis • Tom Fisher, Design Educator, Director, Will Center for Urban and Regional Policy in the Minnesota Design Center, University of • Craig Hartman, Senior Consulting Design School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs in the Minnesota Partner, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill College of Social Sciences and Humanities at • Steve Fiskum, Former Principal, Hammel, • Edwin (Ted) Hathaway, Principal, EB Northeastern University. Green & Abrahamson Hathaway & Co., Former President & CEO, • Gary Lawrence, Vice President & Chief • Jim Follett, Co-founder and former Architect & Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope Sustainability Officer, AECOM Organizational Growth Pioneer, Gensler • H. Hawkins, HKS Chairman Emeritus • Mary Lazarus, Founder, Sustainable Design • Lord Norman Foster, Founder & Chairman, • Barbara Heller, CEO, Design + Construction Initiative, Former HOK, Consultant, Cameron Foster + Partners Strategies MacAllister • Harrison Fraker, Professor Emeritus, Universi- • Bill Hellmuth, Chairman + CEO HOK • Laura Lee, Professor, Carnegie Mellon ty of California, Berkeley • Steven Holl, Principal, Steven Holl Architects University (former), Former Thinker in • Neil Frankel, Partner, Frankel + Coleman, Shown on Wikipedia Residence, South Australia Endowed Chair in Design Excellence School of • Nicholas Holt, former Director of Digital • Debra Lehman-Smith, Partner, Lehman Architecture and Urban Planning, U of Design Innovation, Skidmore, Owings & Smith McLeish Wisconsin Milwaukee Merrill; Manager Holt Architecture • Vivian Loftness, Professor, Carnegie Mellon • Roger Frechette, Managing Principal, Interface • Diane Hoskins, Co-CEO, Gensler University, 2020 AIA Director Engineering • Robert Ivy, Executive Vice President & CEO, • Amory Lovins, Author, Chief Scientist & • Cindy Frewen-Wuellner, Professor & Futurist The American Institute of Architects Founder, Rocky Mountain Institute • Ed Friedrichs, Architect, Interior Designer, • Dr. Jackson, Professor Emeritus, University of • Chris Luebkeman, Author & Former Global Author, former CEO Gensler, Friedrichs Group California, Berkeley Foresight Leader, Arup; Advisor to the • Jeanne Gang, Principal, Studio Gang • Valerie Jacobs, Chief Growth Officer, LPK President and Board, ETH Zurich Architects, MacArthur Fellow • Mary Jones, President & CEO, Hargreaves • Janet Martin, Principal Stantec, former • Lisa Gansky, Author and Digital Entrepreneur, Associates President, Communication Arts, Inc. The Mesh: Why the Future of Business is • Don Kasian, President & CEO, Kasian • Ed Mazria, Environmental Advocate & Sharing, Co-Founder, Grasshopper Ventures Architecture Interior Design & Planning Founder, Architecture 2030 129 Reinventing SENIOR FELLOWS RECOGNITION DESIGN FUTURES COUNCIL: • Steve McConnel, Managing Partner, NBBJ • Neri Oxman, Professor of Media Arts and • Kenneth Schwartz, Former Dean of the Tulane • William McDonough, Architect & Author, Sciences, MIT Media Lab School of Architecture; first Michael Sacks William McDonough + Partners, former • Doug Parker, Former Managing Principal, Chair in Civic Engagement and Social Dean, University of Virginia Greenway Group; Chief Business Designer, Entrepreneurship, founding director of Phyllis • Alisdair McGregor, former Engineer & Global Design Business Advisors M Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Sustainability Leader, Arup (now consults) • Thompson Penney, Chairman of the Board, Design • Steve McKay, Managing Principal, Global Former President/CEO, LS3P • Kate Schwennsen, Chair, School of Architec- Design Leader DLR Group • Joseph Pine II, Branding Strategist & Author, ture, Clemson University, Former President, • Jason McLennan, CEO, International Living Strategic Horizons LLP American Institute of Architects Future Institute • Daniel Pink, Author • Terrence Sejnowski, Brain Scientist, The Salk • Richard Meier, Managing Partner, Richard • Jane Poynter, Former President, Paragon Space Institute Meier & Partners Architects Development Corp., Founder & Co-CEO at • Stephen Senkowski, Former President and • Sandy Mendler,Author, Former Sustainability Space Perspective CEO, Armstrong Building Products; Former Leader & Principal, Mithun; formerly, Gensler • Antoine Predock, Architect & Partner, Antoine CEO, Camino Modular Systems; Management • Raymond Messer, Engineer, Chairman Predock Architect PC Consultant Emeritus Walter P. Moore; Senior Consultant • Jane Rathbone, Chairman of the Board, • Scott Simpson, Co-Author, How Firms • George Miller, Former Managing Partner, Pei Design Principal Succeed, Chair, DFC Senior Fellows, Senior Cobb Freed & Partners • Luis Rico-Gutierrez, Dean, College of Design, Director at KlingStubbins • Gordon Mills, Architect, Former President, Iowa State University • Cameron Sinclair, CEO & Co-founder National Council of Architectural Registration • Raymond Ritchey, Senior Executive Vice Worldchanging Ventures Boards, former Chairman and CEO Durrant President, Boston Properties • Adrian Smith, Principal, Adrian Smith + Group • Witold Rybczynski, Author & Myerson Gordon Gill Architecture • Betsy Del Monte, Southern Methodist Professor, Wharton School of Business, • Sheela Søgaard, CEO and Partner, BIG University, Cameron MacAllister Group University of Pennsylvania, • Alex Steffen, Co-Founder, Worldchanging, • Glen Morrison, Former President and CEO, • Moshe Safdie, Architect, urban planner, Author Tarkett North America educator, theorist, author, Moshe Safdie and • Karen Stephenson, Professor, Rotterdam • Vini Nathan, Dean and McWhorter Endowed Associates School of Management, Erasmus University & Chair, College of Architecture, Design & • Jonathan Salk, Psychiatrist, Private Practice, Founder, NetForm International; corporate Construction, Auburn University author anthropologist • Dan Noble, President and CEO, HKS • Ken Sanders, Former Principal and Managing • Robert Stern, Former Dean, Yale University • John Ochsendorf, Massachusetts Institute of Director, Gensler; Board of Directors NELSON, School of Architecture; Founder & Senior Technology, and MacArthur “Genius Award” Clarus Partner, Robert AM Stern Architects Fellow • Adele Santos, Former Dean, School of • Cecil Steward, Emeritus Dean and Emeritus • Liz Ogbu, Former Public Interest Design Architecture & Planning, Massachusetts Professor of Architecture, University of Expert and Design Director, Public Architec- Institute of Technology; Professor MIT Nebraska - Lincoln; President/CEO Joslyn ture; Designer and Social Strategist, Founder Architecture, Principal Santos Prescott and Institute for Sustainable Communities and Principal of Studio O Associates • RK Stewart, Architect, Former President, The • Lynn Osmond, President/CEO, Chicago • Edwin Schlossberg, Founder and Principal American Institute of Architects; Principal Architecture Foundation Designer, ESI Design Consultant RK Stewart; Associate Adjunct 130 Reinventing SENIOR FELLOWS RECOGNITION DESIGN FUTURES COUNCIL: Professor University of Utah College of Arch Savannah College of Art & Design and Planning • Alice Waters, Founder, Chez Panisse Founda- • Sarah Susanka, Author & Architect, Susanka tion, author, chef, food activist Studios • Alan Webber, Author, Rules of Thumb; • Hon. Swett, Former U.S. Representative, Founding Editor, Fast Company; Former Former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, Climate Managing Editor, Harvard Business Review Prosperity Solutions • Gary Wheeler, Architect & Workspace Design • Jack Tanis, Strategic Planning & Workplace Leader, co-founder WheelerKänik; Interior Design Thought Leader, formerly with Steelcase Design + Workplace Strategy Global Leader • April Thornton, Integrated Design Services HDR Leader • Mark Wight, Chairman and CEO of Wight & • James Timberlake, Founding Partner, Co. KieranTimberlake • Doug Wignall, President, HDR Architecture • Kent Turner, Architect, former President, • Arol Wolford, President, SmartBIM Cannon Design, founder KTurner Advisory • Richard Saul Wurman, Author, Information • Richard Varda, Former Vice President of Architect & Founder, Access Guide & TED Design, Target Corporation; Design Principle, • Scott Wyatt, Former Managing Partner, NBBJ, RSP Architects Chair of Nature Conservancy Board, now • Paula Wallace, Founder and President, Consulting Partner at NBBJ DESIGN FUTURES COUNCIL: SENIOR FELLOWS NEW INDUCTEES in Vietnam with the Army Corps Engineers of the Army with in Vietnam 69th Battalion). Engineering Lieutenant, (1st the of Chairman Past and a Director is He the of Trustee Emeritus Coalition;Buckhead an the Rabun trustee of Foundation; Georgia Tech Land Urban former School, Gap-Nacoochee the American of a member Governor, Institute the National Architects, of Institute the Society and Council, of Multi-Housing (SCUP), the Planning University College and Organization Presidents World 300 Club, Past Atlanta, Rotary of (WPO) and Club Country and Club Town Cherokee of President College of servesand the Georgia Tech on past Niles’ Board. Advisory Design Executive Architects the State service on 10 years includes 2015, In Board. Designers Licensing & Interior Alumni Pettit Mayo the Joseph received he the award highest ServiceDistinguished Award, Alumni the Georgia Tech by conferred the Atlanta recognized by was and Association Admired a 2020 Most as Chronicle Business CEO. in Atlanta. reside Kathy wife his and Niles - NILES BOLTON Chairman and CEO, Niles Bolton Associates Bolton Niles CEO, and Chairman Niles Bolton is Chairman and CEO of Niles CEO of and Chairman is Bolton Niles - a multi-disci (NBA), Inc. Associates, Bolton Head- plinary in 1975. designfounded firm - addition an Georgia with in Atlanta, quartered Virginia,the firm has in Alexandria, al office - 16 coun and in 48 states projects completed of a staff 20 partners direct his and tries. Niles a developed have together 150 and over in mixed-use work for reputation national student housing, multi-family developments, universities, retail, transportation, housing, aviation general housing, senior clubhouses, resorts. and hotels facilities, of Institute the Georgia from graduating After Niles architecture, in a degree with Technology Engineer States the United at instructor an was ing Center at Fort Belvoir, Virginia and served and Virginia Belvoir, Fort at Center ing 2020 SENIOR FELLOWS SENIOR FELLOWS 2020 17 industry recognized leaders announce to proud are we Quarterly DesignIntelligence of this issue In and via thoughts their voices expressed who have Council Senior Fellows Design Futures this year’s as actions. are: They JIM ANDERSON Reinventing Principal, Chair, Dialog Design Chair, Principal, 131 As an architect at DIALOG and chair of the of chair and DIALOG at architect an As driving two has Anderson Jim partnership, a make that projects on working passions: and in communities meaningful difference multidisciplinary and integrated an leading profes- of group of a diverse As leader firm. a creating to committed is Jim sionals, well which is environment collaborative complex tackle directly to today’s equipped a as himself prides Jim design issues. do great to mission DIALOG’s for champion a differ- make the journey and enjoy work, ence. DESIGN FUTURES COUNCIL: SENIOR FELLOWS NEW INDUCTEES Principal, Sasaki Principal, FISKE CROWELL dynamic leader, Dilip has led the company’s led the has company’s Dilip leader, dynamic of the role taking since on growth strategic believer that a big is He CEO in 2015. the sport and team the ultimate is leadership in experiencedfirm has a 75% growth the under six years the last over revenues is He team. leadership his of stewardship maintaining and focused culture-building on experience, employee extraordinary an client extraordinary an into which translates provide to continues experience. firm The of in the areas industry-leading solutions sports, and healthcare, education, aviation, his to also is committed Dilip sustainability. actively and the firm outside engagements commu- several and on boards participates Mentor the ACE as such organizations nity Coalition, Design Professionals Program, Central Table, Round Construction Industry Council. Design Futures and Inc., Houston, For more than four decades, first with with decades, first four than more For Architects, Wood and McKinnell Kallmann, withSasaki years fifteen in the last and been has the directing Fiske Associates, significant, of successful implementation and a national at projects award-winning has influence notable His level. international DILIP CHOUDHURI President & CEO, Walter P Moore Walter & CEO, President Dilip Choudhuri, PE, F.SEI serves the as F.SEI PE, Choudhuri, Dilip an P Moore, Walter of President/CEO innova- engineers, of company international of some who solve people creative and tors, structural and complex most the world’s in 1931 Founded infrastructure challenges. working professionals 700+ the firm employs international five and offices 21 U.S. across at the board of a member is Dilip locations. leads their executive and P Moore Walter a is He council. strategy and committee the Structural Engineering of Fellow Fellow SEI The ASCE. of (SEI) Institute as members SEI grade distinguishes (F.SEI) A in the profession. mentors and leaders Government Relations Committee, Member; Member; Committee, Relations Government Commerce; of Chamber and Chicagoland Board, PAC Member; Directors, Board of Member; Committee, Policy Public Member; Board Executive Council, Design Futures Board Chicago, of Club University Member; Directors. of include recognition recent and Memberships (CA- Group Affairs Public Area Chicago Committee Central Chicago Area PAG); Land Urban Chicago; of Club City (CCAC); Fidei Award, (ULI); 2019 Signum Institute Lewis University PATRICK E. CERMAK Reinventing 132 President & COO, Wight & Company Wight & COO, President Patrick Cermak joined Wight & Company in & Company Cermak Wight joined Patrick Chief and became President 2001 and the Officer in 2006, firm’s leading Operating financial its overseeing operations, daily clients that ensuring and management, every a the heart of As at decision. remain civic model for role and “coach” lifelong the for a champion is Patrick engagement, A/E/C of generation the next of development has he tenure, During his professionals. Integrated pioneering Wight’s bolster helped Design-Led innova- Design an model, Build the industry transformed that approach tive design and of a new standard setting by unrivaled with delivery schedules excellence and cultivating a focus on With budgets. and governmental and partner, client, nurturing has Patrick Wight, behalf of on relationships the firm in helping role integral an played service its broaden new markets, into expand growth. steady achieve and offerings, CEO and Chairman with together Patrick, more of a visionary team and Wight Mark construc- 200 design, and engineering, than forming to specialists, dedicated tion is beneficialthat partnerships mutually lasting, environmental with design innovation merge Professional/Civic His responsibility. Associated The includes: Involvement America, Chicago- of General Contractors Member; Directors, Board of AGC, land DESIGN FUTURES COUNCIL: SENIOR FELLOWS NEW INDUCTEES - RANDY DEUTSCH Illinois at Urbana-Champaign at Illinois Clinical Associate Professor, University of of University Professor, Clinical Associate gence: The Redesign of Design (AD, 2017); of Redesign The Design (AD, gence: and Specialists DesignSuperusers: Technology 2019), Think Practice (Routledge, of the Future critical, develop to How Architect: Like An problem-solving collaborative and creative Architect: an As Adapt 2020) and skills (RIBA, addition In 2021). (RIBA, Companion A Career Chicago at Illinois of University at teaching to Illinois of University in 2001 and starting 2019 in 2012, until starting Urbana-Champaign for servedRandy Director Associate as Architecture. in the School of Studies Graduate Chicago served AIA on previously Randy on President; Vice and Board Director as 2018 R+D jury; and Magazine’s ARCHITECT at program Education Executive annual led an in that a team part is Randy of GSD. Harvard Seed DPI and Grant NSF an 2020 received institute a first-of-its-kind planning for Grant AI in design, construction of the application for infrastructure. and buildings of operations and the of a Fellow made was he Earlier this year about More Architects. of Institute American www.randydeutsch.com here Randy Randy Deutsch FAIA, LEED AP is an educator, educator, an LEED AP is FAIA, Deutsch Randy AI speaker, keynote international author, having a licensed architect and researcher sustainable complex designed +100 large, Young the AIA received which he for projects 2011 Randy Since Chicago. Award Architect Conver six books, recently most authored has DON DAVIES President, Magnusson Klemencic Associates Klemencic Magnusson President, Don Davies is President of Magnusson Magnusson of President is Davies Don a 190-person (MKA), Klemencic Associates structural and award-winning international, in firmSeattle. headquartered civil engineering recognized leader in high-rise an is designHe of the promotion for industry an champion and construction. low-carbon and density urban international creativity, his for out Sought innovations, expertise, sustainably-driven and 50 major in over located are projects Don’s His 18 countries. and centers metropolitan 47 Performance-Based over includes portfolio high seismici of - in areas Seismic Design towers mentors tall. He 105 stories to up towers ty and Team Specialist Technical Sustainability MKA’s bio-mimicry on and lectures frequently and a founding is in structural design.resilience He an Forum, Leadership the Carbon of member Tall the Council on of Board member Advisory a and (CTBUH), Habitat Urban and Buildings - Associa the International for Board Member addition, In Civil Engineers. Cycle Life of tion Foundation the MKA of member a key is Don to helping team the leadership part of and the Embodied in Construction Carbon create (EC3) tool. Calculator Reinventing 133 been felt through widely disseminated disseminated widely through been felt and practice in professional innovations education. been recognized have achievements Fiske’s professional both as a consummate broadly a As educator. ardent an as well designer as been has responsi- Fiske architect, practicing 150 major than more the design of for ble government and institutional for projects 10 million of in excess totaling clients, practice has focusof his The feet. square clients, university and college been for addressing solutions innovative providing the around strategies building sustainable communities. learning innovative of creation from degree earned undergraduate his Fiske a master and Pennsylvania of the University was He University. Yale from architecture of di the Politecnico at Scholar a Fulbright the Ameri- at Scholar a Visiting and Milano Elected honorary to in Rome. Academy can for Institute in the National membership active remains he Education, Architectural Exchange International the Councilwith for a peer as the review Scholars specialist for of an is Fiske program. Scholar Fulbright atthe member Faculty Graduate Affiliate Architecture School of Hawaii’s of University focused degree/global the dual track on in Shanghai. University Tongji with program of Institute the American with active is He Society the Boston Architects, of Architects, has He organizations. professional other and juries awards chapter AIA on participated elected the in 2003 was to and nationwide the AIA. of Fellows College of DESIGN FUTURES COUNCIL: SENIOR FELLOWS NEW INDUCTEES PETER MACKEITH Architecture, University of Arkansas of University Architecture, Dean and Professor, Fay Jones School of School of Jones Fay Professor, Dean and certified J. Craig Venter Institute La Jolla - theLa Institute Venter J. Craig certified in thebiological energy laboratory net-zero first Foundation the Conrad N. Hilton and world, and also LEED Platinum® Headquarters, his share to continues He energy. net-zero innovative creating to approach and strategies at community the professional with solutions and conferences international and national with committees in various involved remains 2016, In Architects. of Institute the American architects U.S. of a handful of one was Ted in forum in a historic participate to invited to commitment China’s address China to establishing and Agreement the Paris signing a necessary as (ZNC) Carbon and Zero-Net developments. and buildings goal for achievable - Science in Architec of earned Bachelor his Ted - Universi State California Polytechnic from ture Obispo. Luis San ty, Peter MacKeith is dean and professor of professor and dean is MacKeith Peter - Architec School of Jones the Fay at architecture Arkansas. of the University Design at and ture a for reappointed 2014, and in July Appointed ofthe the fifth is in 2019, he term second dean recognized design a nationally and school 2014, to 1999 From administrator. and educator of professor dean, associate was MacKeith - architec for curator associate and architecture School of Fox the Sam design at and ture - TED HYMAN Managing Partner, ZGF Architects Partner, Managing mance systems, materials, and technology, technology, and materials, systems, mance environmental and the economic maximizes enhance and buildings of performance health. 26 During his and comfort occupant in guiding role a key played has he ZGF, at years whilesuccessfully directing firm development premier for teams project mentoring and Partner Managing named was He institutions. the firm’s oversees now 2014 and in January performance. overall and strategic - sustain for a passion has a LEED AP®, he As in the design of role a key played has and ability, in the buildings the greenest of a number the LEED Platinum® including States, United Ted Hyman is Managing Partner at ZGF at Partner Managing is Hyman Ted has career professional 36-year His Architects. in technical design and been concentrated academic of range a broad delivery of project courthouses, hospitals, buildings, research and joining Since nationally. facilities civic other and for taken responsibility has ZGF in 1989, Ted and challenging most the firm’s of many - encompass projects, complex technologically coordination, management, programming, ing administration. construction and production, overseeing involved have these projects of Many with working and teams multidisciplinary in a highly collabo- user groups client multiple developing for passion Ted’s manner. rative high-perfor integrate that strategies sustainable PETER DEVEREAUX Reinventing 134 CEO, HED (Harley Ellis Devereaux) HED (Harley CEO, Peter Devereaux was born in Allentown, born was in Allentown, Devereaux Peter a BS in Architecture received and Pennsylvania of a Master and University State Penn from Cesar Pelli University. Yale from Architecture Architecture School of the Yale Dean of was - gradua him upon for work to Peter hired and office in Pelli’s left 1985, Devereaux In tion. take a design CT to leader role Haven, New where firm a nine-person in with Angeles Los Peter’s Under became a Principal. eventually he small firm, Fields that CEO, as leadership expanded and 175 people grew to Devereaux, Fields 2006, in California. In cities three into - a Michi HarleyEllis, with merged Devereaux in 1908, to established gan-based corporation integrated an Ellis Devereaux, Harley form planners. and engineers architects, of practice cities in eight 450 employees HED has Today serves and Chairman as Peter and nationwide HED the firm of the creation Following CEO. its several to expand smaller acquired firms reach, geographic service and offerings 2007; Rodie - Detroit, Palladia including: - Architects 2008; VDK - Chicago, Scherer - Francis - San Architects Oakland, 2012; BHFL - Francis San 2014; Deems Lewis McKinley- co, - Boston Design Group Integrated 2016; and co, the to elevated was Dallas,and 2019. Peter of Institute the American of Fellows College of serves the currently on in 2006, and Architects Firm Large the AIA’s of Committee Executive Roundtable. 135 Reinventing SENIOR FELLOWS NEW INDUCTEES DESIGN FUTURES COUNCIL: Design & Visual Arts at Washington University for Campus Architecture and Design at the in St. Louis. He was the director of the Master University of Arkansas. He is currently of Architecture – International Program at the overseeing the completion of a $75,000,000 Helsinki University of Technology Finland capital campaign for the Fay Jones School and from 1995-1999 and held previous appoint- guiding the design and construction of the ments at the University of Virginia and Yale Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and University. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Materials Innovation. Literature and International Relations, with distinction, as an Echols Scholar from the Since receiving a Fulbright Fellowship to University of Virginia (1981) and his Master of Finland in 1990, MacKeith has worked as a ROB MILLER Architecture and the Alpha Rho Chi Medal liaison between the architecture, art and design Director, School of Architecture, University from Yale University (1985). cultures of the United States, Finland and the of Arizona Nordic region, through educational programs, He has been recognized twice by DesignIntelli- teaching, exhibitions and publications. He has gence as a “design educator of the year” (2017 written and lectured extensively on modern and Robert Miller, AIA, is a Professor and the and 2019) and twice by the Association of contemporary Finnish and Nordic architecture. Director of the School of Architecture at the Collegiate Schools of Architecture with national With support from the Finland 100 Centennial University of Arizona since 2010). After earning awards for “creative achievement in design Fund, MacKeith conceived and curated the degrees from Clemson (1976) and Rice (1979), education,” for his design studio teaching and 2017-2018 exhibition for the Finnish Embassy he practiced during 1980s-1990s, running his curatorial work. He is the recipient of research in Washington, D.C., The Iconic and the own small firm from 1986-2010 while teaching and exhibition grants from the US Forest Everyday: Creative Finland in the United States. at Georgia Tech, Emory, and Clemson. He was Services Wood Innovations Programs, the From 2016 to 2019, he was the Centennial awarded a fellowship to the American Academy Graham Foundation of the Advancement of the Lecturer in Architecture for the Finlandia in Rome (1997) for his integration of practice Visual Arts, the National Science Foundation, Foundation. He was curator for Lighthouses: with teaching. Miller served as Profes- The Museum of Modern Art and The Finnish On Nordic Common Ground, the exhibition of sor-in-Residence at Clemson’s Daniel Center in Cultural Foundation. He is the author or editor The Nordic Pavilion in Venice, Italy, for the Genoa, Italy (1997-1999); then Director of the of twelve books, most recently Louis I. Kahn: 13th Architecture Biennale in 2012, working Clemson Architecture Center in Charleston The Nordic Latitudes (authored by Per Olaf with The Museum of Finnish Architecture, the (2000-2010). Under Miller’s leadership, the Fjeld and Emily Fjeld) and Housing Northwest Swedish Center for Architecture and Design Charleston center won three NCARB Prizes for Arkansas: A Challenge, An Initiative, A and the Norwegian Museums of Art and the Creative Integration of Practice and Response (with Stephanie Foster), and has Architecture. He has also led the organization Education plus the national AIA’s Best Mentor- served as editor of Perspecta, the Yale Architec- of exhibitions and conferences in the United ing Practices award. In 2009 Miller was ture Journal (issue 24, On Materiality) and The States with the National Building Museum; the awarded the ACSA Creative Achievement SOM Journal, a journal of professional history, Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; Award for a design/build project, the MINImu- theory and criticism (9: Collaboration/ the Brookings Institute; and the Kemper Art seum of Richard McMahan. Teamwork and 10: Leadership/Authorship). Museum at Washington University in St. Louis. He served as Honorary Consul for Finland in During Miller’s tenure as Director of the MacKeith chairs the advisory committee for the the state of Missouri from 2012-2014 and serves UArizona SofA, a new M.Arch has been Northwest Arkansas Design Excellence as a member of the Finnish Cultural Institute in developed and accredited (2016) and its Program, a regional initiative of the Walton New York Advisory Board. In 2014, he was Bachelor of Architecture degree has been Family Foundation, and is a member of the installed as a Knight, First Class, of the Order of ranked by the Design Futures Council in the editorial board of Places Journal for architec- the Lion of Finland in recognition of his nation’s top-25 for the last seven years. From ture, landscape architecture and urbanism. He contributions to the advancement of Finnish 2013-2015 he Co-Chaired HeadsUp, the also serves as Special Advisor to the Chancellor culture. advocacy and professional development 136 Reinventing SENIOR FELLOWS NEW INDUCTEES DESIGN FUTURES COUNCIL: association of UArizona department heads, and challenges women living in Nairobi’s slums face. AIA NC William Deitrick Service Medal for in 2018 was named its inaugural Executive She has been interviewed for her views on outstanding service to the profession. In 2017, Director. Miller was named Educator of the climate change by The New York Times, she was appointed to the North Carolina Board Year by AIA Arizona (2014) and served as television news, and other media outlets, and is of Architecture for a five-year term and current- President of AIA-Southern Arizona (2015) and a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Review ly serves as President. And, in 2019, Katherine AIA Arizona (2018). of Books. Parr received her Ph.D. in visual was awarded the AIA North Carolina Gold culture and philosophy from Monash Universi- Medal, the highest honor for an architect in ty in Australia. She earned her undergraduate North Carolina. In her 32-year career and in and graduate degrees in philosophy from her current role as Chief Practice Officer, Deakin University in Australia. Katherine has focused on elevating design excellence, expertise and innovation for LS3P. Parr also holds the UNESCO Chair on Water and Human Settlements. A cross-disciplinary scholar, Parr has published extensively. Her most recent book, Birth of a New Earth (2017), was published by Columbia University Press. She produced and co-directed the award-win- ADRIAN PARR ning documentary “The Intimate Realities of Dean, College of Architecture, Planning, and Water.” The film chronicles the complex Public Affairs, University of Texas, Arlington relationships between water, gender, sanitation and development in Nairobi’s shantytowns.

Adrian Parr is the Dean of the College of BRAD PERKINS Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs at the CEO, Perkins Eastman University of Texas at Arlington and a UNES- CO Chair of Water and Human Settlements. In her capacity as a UNESCO water chair, Parr was selected by the European Cultural Center Bradford Perkins is founder and chairman of to curate an exhibition for the 2021 Venice Perkins Eastman, a global architecture, interior Architecture Biennale on Watershed Urbanism design, and planning firm with 20 offices across where she will feature DFW and its current and North America and around the world. He is an future relationship to the Trinity River system. architect and planner who has directed a wide She has published extensively on environmental KATHERINE PEELE variety of projects across North America and in politics, sustainable development, and design in Chief Practice Officer, LS3P Associates 30 countries overseas. His personal work has the public interest. She is the author of the focused on healthcare, education, housing for trilogy Hijacking Sustainability (MIT Press), seniors and other special populations, and The Wrath of Capital (Columbia University large-scale planning assignments. His and his Press), and Birth of a New Earth (Columbia Katherine Peele is an architect and serves as firm’s work has received over 750 awards for University Press) in addition to other books of Chief Practice Officer for LS3P, a southeast planning and design excellence. cultural theory. She is the producer and based architecture, planning and interior design co-director (with Sean Hughes) of the multi- firm. A Fellow of the American Institute of He is a third-generation architect. His grandfa- award-winning documentary, The Intimate Architects, she has served as president of AIA ther Dwight Heald Perkins FAIA was the Realities of Water, that examines the water North Carolina. In 2009, she was awarded the founder of Perkins, Fellows & Hamilton and his 137 Reinventing SENIOR FELLOWS NEW INDUCTEES DESIGN FUTURES COUNCIL: father Lawrence B. Perkins FAIA was the design principles at the University of Texas and Community College and Florida A & M founder of Perkins & Will. His first completed Virginia Tech. In recognition of his teaching he University, he began his professional career in project in China was a building on the campus was invited to conduct workshops as a guest 1993 and joined LEO A DALY in 2009. After of Nanjing University, whose core campus was professor at the Royal Academy of Technology, being a project manager for many years, he was planned and designed by his grandfather early Stockholm, the University of Texas, Austin, the asked to lead the development of several in the 20th century. University of Calgary, and the Royal Danish smaller markets at the firm. In 2014, his Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen. He was leadership skills, market sector visioning plans, He is the author of nine textbooks and over 80 twice named a Most Admired Educator and and strategic pursuit of new business resulted in articles on a variety of architectural and Administrator in America by DesignIntelli- his promotion to his current position. He serves planning topics. He has taught at many colleges gence. Poole’s scholarship includes The New as 2021 President Elect, AIA Florida, 2019 Vice and universities and for the last 10 years has Finnish Architecture, a book published in three President for Advocacy AIA Florida and is a been on the faculty of Cornell University’s languages by Rizzoli International. In support Member of the Design Futures Council. He is College of Art, Architecture and Planning. He of his scholarship, Poole earned a Fulbright also a member of ULI and SCUP and is a has a degree in Latin American History from Fellowship and has received grants from the registered Architect in Florida and Texas. Cornell University, a degree in architecture Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in from Cornell and CCNY, and an MBA from the Fine Arts, the American-Scandinavian Stanford University. Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2016, he was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Archi- tects.

ANGELA WATKINS Principal, Shepley Bulfinch SCOTT POOLE Dean, College of Architecture + Design, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Angela is a Principal, design leader, and Chair IGNACIO REYES of the Board of Directors at Shepley Bulfinch, Scott Poole, FAIA, is dean of the College of Vice President, Chief Development Officer, where she focuses on creating environments that support people in healing, research, Architecture and Design at the University of Leo A Daly Tennessee. Prior to assuming his present role in teaching, and learning. Throughout her career, 2011, he was Director of Virginia Tech’s School she has led more than a dozen award-winning of Architecture + Design from 2004-2011. Ignacio Reyes AIA, NCARB, LEED AP is a Vice projects. She publishes and presents widely, During his tenure at Virginia Tech, he guided President and is the Chief Development Officer including studies that investigate the impact of the school’s four undergraduate and graduate for LEO A DALY. He leads the firm’s growth light on occupant well-being to better under- programs to Top 10 rankings in America 28 plans in all markets nationally and internation- stand the relationship between space and times including No.1 rankings in both architec- ally. He is the voice for marketing, business behavior. An advocate for evidence-based ture and landscape architecture. Prior to his development and strategy for the firm and all its design, Angela has demonstrated how under- administrative roles Poole taught design and market practice areas. A graduate of Broward standing projects at a quantifiable level allows 138 Reinventing

architects to articulate value and create a shared platform for design conversations. She introduced the position of design director to Shepley Bulfinch in 2005, creating a direct connection between research and practice. Through this mechanism, Angela has involved numerous clients in extensive post-occupancy studies that have been recognized internationally. Further supporting the importance of research in practice, Angela has been an active member in the Health Industry Advisory Council at Texas A&M and co-chair of the Healthcare Design initiative at Arizona State University (ASU). Angela’s most influential work with future PLEASE JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING architects has been in the design studio as an instructor. At ASU, she led a design module, & WELCOMING THIS YEAR’S NOMINEES where inter-disciplinary teams—from architecture students to music therapy PhDs—collabo- rated on design solutions to childhood obesity. At Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), she taught eight mandatory design studios that broke the complex problem of design and representation into distinct components to be assembled in a final project.

In addition to her achievements in research, teaching and practice, Angela has connected all three to create a meaningful, collaborative design process. Her research builds a transfer- able knowledge base that serves as a foundation for informed design. Her academic work teaches invaluable skills that prepare students as future leaders in practice, and her engaged leadership empowers her clients to be true collaborators. 139 Reinventing QUOTES FROM OUR SENIOR FELLOWS VOICES: VOICES

In this issue, we introduce a new feature called Voices. In this recurring feature, DFC members are given the opportunity to share thoughts, quotes, and questions, in shorter-than-essay-or-in- terview format to open the dialogue broadly. To launch this effort and capture what Senior Fellowship means to this year’s group of inductees we asked a few of them to share their thoughts on DFC Senior Fellowship.

Here’s what they said:

When I was named senior fellow of the Design Futures Council, I was really surprised. It’s a blind process so you don’t know it’s coming until it actually happens. Such an incredible group of people have become senior fellows of the Design Futures Council through the years that it really is a great honor to be considered. The camaraderie and lack of competition that exist within the Design Futures Council and the desire for everybody to help raise everyone else up -- and raise the profession as a result -- is one of the most positive things that exists within the group. There’s tremendous value in having so many resources in one location that can bring a wide variety of different ideas together. It never gets old. I still really enjoy participating, and I’ve seen a lot of people come and go through the years. I’m probably not that far behind in terms of my own retirement -- but it’s something I still find tremendous value in. I love contributing to it, and I get just as much out of it.

- Lauren Della Bella, President, SHP

I’ve been active in the Design Futures Council since 1994 and became a senior fellow in 1999. It was an unexpected hon- or. The DFC senior fellows are an amazing group of thinkers and doers who have had a lasting impact on the profession. As an added plus, they’re all genuinely nice people, always accessible and willing to engage. It’s a network I use often when I want to think about problems in a different way, discuss new ideas, or just catch up on what’s going on in their world. As a result, many DFC senior fellows have become close friends. It’s a wonderful resource to be able to call on my own personal think tank of really smart people.

- Scott Simpson, FAIA & Senior Fellow, Design Futures Council 140 Reinventing QUOTES FROM OUR SENIOR FELLOWS VOICES: What does it mean to me to be a Design Futures Council senior fellow? First of all, pride. It is an honor to be recognized by an organization so prestigious, so impactful. I’m in good company. Just look at the names of other senior fellows. They are some of the most important design thinkers in the world. I’m humbled on the one hand, and full of new energy to continue my work and contribute to a better tomorrow. It is also a responsibility. When you become a senior fellow, you renew your commitment to the profession, to the environment, to design. You commit never to give up, never stop working on what is best for our fellow humans, our students and future leaders, for our peers, and for the planet.

For me, specifically as a new American, an immigrant, a Latino, a member of a group often underrepresented in the profession, a group often not included at the table, I feel responsible for keeping the door open, and encouraging others to participate and work towards the same goals. They should know if I can be a senior fellow, they can also. Another aspect of that responsibility is making sure as we think of a better tomorrow, we think about it for everybody. Everybody, regard- less of their socioeconomic background, language, the God they pray to, or who they love. As a Design Futures Council senior fellow, I am responsible for reminding designers and leaders about social, environmental, and social justice as a critical agenda for future designers.

- Luis Rico-Gutierrez, Dean, College of Design, Iowa State University

To be recognized as a senior fellow of the Design Futures Council is clearly an honor and a prestige. It creates a catalytic honor for me. It encourages me to do bigger, brighter, and bolder things pro- fessionally in this domain. When I step back and look at what my association with the DFC has been, what that association means, and what it has meant in terms of the culmination of being recognized as a fellow, clearly it’s not an end point, it continues. It’s four specific pathways or do- mains. The first is the recognition I spoke about. The second is the access to other top leaders globally. The third aspect is the support that comes from being part of the DFC network, the access to a variety of expected and unexpected sources of information, health assistance, opportunity, and just great ideas. And the fourth aspect is the encouragement to do more and to do better because we are motivated, and I’m motivated to do as well as I can by seeing others who are always on their A-plus game.

- Vini Nathan, Dean and McWhorter Chair, College of Architecture, Design and Construction, Auburn University

141 Reinventing QUOTES FROM OUR SENIOR FELLOWS VOICES: When one receives an honor or recognition of any kind, it is accepted with pride and gratitude. But when I was awarded senior fellowship by the Design Futures Council, I received it with not only pride, gratitude, and surprise, but with... All in humility. All because the Design Futures Council is comprised of the most respected design firms practicing today. And there’s an invaluable connector between them. Sharing an invaluable source of knowledge about the future of the profession and the world in which we practice. Humility, because one cannot feel anything but humility when included among the list of senior fellows, true giants in the industry. Throughout the years of our involvement with Design Futures Council, my firm has greatly benefited from DFC’s ability to look clearly and deeply into the future and bring that perspective to our firm, to help us transform our present. But it’s not only about the immense knowledge and perspective that the DFC offers, but the incredible opportunities to be in the presence of like-minded leaders in the industry and forge friendships that run deeper and longer than any single event. I am deeply honored to be a senior fellow in the Design Futures Council.

- Thom Penney, CEO Emeritus, LS3P

When I think about what it means to be a fellow of the Design Futures Council, it begins with the honor and the responsibility to uphold the remarkable legacy of the Design Futures Council, its values, principles, and mission. It’s a collegial forum. A forum that in many ways is about fellowship. Fundamentally, it’s a forum that recognizes that our challenge to be relevant to the needs of society and the world exceeds any competitive positioning we might have as peers within the same profession. That if we get that relevance question right, there’s tremendous opportunity for all of us. Being part of the Design Futures Council is to gain insight. As a fellow, there’s an extra responsibility to engage, participate and be a role model. Together, as we derive insight, we can set strategy, clarify goals, and better map to the destinations we all aspire to. The Design Futures Council is principled and ethical. It’s value centered. In that way, being a fellow of the De- sign Futures Council is to reflect those values. It’s a legacy of both professional idealism and realism. It’s a legacy of integ- rity, and being a fellow means being available to professional colleagues of all generations.

- Steve McConnell, Managing Partner, NBBJ OBSERVATIONS: QUOTES ON REINVENTING -John Tiffany -John

I hate rules. I hate ‘This ‘This I hate rules. I hate are things way is the of a lack I hate done’. theatre I hate reinvention. exercise. archeological as an urgent. to be needs Theatre “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and and doing by learn You rules. following by walk to learn don’t “You falling over.” Branson Richard -Sir “In a forest, there is no master tree that plans and dictates change when when change dictates and plans that tree master is no there a forest, “In ecosystem whole The early. comes spring the when or fall to fails rain moment.” the in creatively, reacts Organizations Creating to A Guide Organizations: Reinventing Laloux, -Frederic Consciousness Human of Stage Next the by Inspired Reinventing 142 “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” have might you what be to late too never “It’s Author Elliot, -George “That’s what leads to a reinvention of yourself - being fully present present fully being - yourself of reinvention to a leads what “That’s in theand moment.” Winfrey-Oprah

Richard Buckminster Fuller Buckminster Richard

model obsolete. model model that makes the existing existing the makes that model change something, build a new build something, change fighting the existing reality. To reality. existing the fighting You never change things by by things never change You SIGN UP TODAY TO RECEIVE UPDATES AND A COMPLIMENTARY RESEARCH REPORT

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