Speaking Of Design

While the work of architects makes a difference in the world, rarely do designers get to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people whose livelihood depends on the very buildings they design. With that in mind, a group of architects from HDR formed Design 4 Others as a way to volunteer their design expertise to make a positive impact on under-served communities. In this episode, we’ll learn more about how they’re partnering with Construction for Change and iKure on a pro bono project to improve healthcare for rural community members in West Bengal, India.  

  On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we'll meet architects from Design 4 Others who are partnering with a medical technology enterprise to improve healthcare in India.  

  In Bozeman, Montana, life centers around outdoor recreation. An afternoon of world-class fly fishing on the state’s pristine waters often follows with a refreshing visit to one of the area’s many microbreweries. The convergence of those two pastimes took an innovative twist when a group of engineers asked: What if the carbon-rich byproduct of brewing beer could be used as a cost-effective way for the city to reduce nitrogen in its wastewater? That idea led to a pilot study with the potential to benefit communities throughout the world.  

  On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll visit Bozeman, Montana, where a group of engineers asked, “What if the carbon-rich byproduct of brewing beer could be used as a cost-effective way for the city to reduce nitrogen in its wastewater?"  

  Justin Robbins considers himself a true student of cities. In this episode of Speaking of Design, he discusses the way transportation has historically shaped the design of cities as we know them. He also shares his passion for autonomous vehicles, how they’re changing the way we design urban spaces, and some of the challenges they present to urban planners.  

  On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll talk to Justin Robbins a transportation technology planner and true student of cities.  

As a recognized expert on transportation technology, Ben Pierce’s everyday job involves helping communities implement technologies that seemed like science fiction not long ago. He likens the rapid changes in present day technology to the Industrial Revolution, and he loves the challenge of keeping up with how it’s changing the transportation industry. In this episode, Ben touches on some of the latest advances he’s seeing improve mobility, safety and efficiency of our transportation experience. We’ll hear more about everything from Smart Cities and streetlights to warning systems for over-height trucks to the latest improvements to the airport customer experience.  

On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll spend time with Ben Pierce, a nationally recognized expert on transportation technology. He describes how he fell into a fascinating career, some groundbreaking projects he’s working on, and the potential benefits he sees for the future of transportation.  

Growing population and rapidly changing transportation technologies are affecting our everyday lives. In this episode, we’ll learn how public transportation agencies are partnering with private sector technology companies to tackle that change head-on in Denver, Colorado. That community’s “mobility blueprint” may suggest a new approach for other metropolitan cities wrestling with the same issues in their communities.

On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll learn how public transportation agencies are partnering with private sector technology companies to create a new blueprint for mobility in Denver, Colorado.

What makes the ideal inpatient room for people being treated for behavioral and mental illnesses? In this Speaking of Design podcast episode, we’ll meet a team of architects, researchers, and healthcare experts working collaboratively to answer this question. Partnering with the Veterans Affairs New Jersey Healthcare System, the team’s prototype of a room designed specifically for behavioral and mental health treatment provided patients and behavioral healthcare staff an opportunity to weigh-in and give feedback. The design research collected will help architects and healthcare providers leverage evidence-based design to create therapeutic environments for both patients and their families.

On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll meet a team of architects, researchers and healthcare experts. Their shared mission was to design and study the ideal patient room for people being treated for behavioral and mental illnesses.

<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;} @font-face {font-family:"Segoe UI"; panose-1:2 11 5 2 4 2 4 2 2 3;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:8.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:107%; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;} .MsoChpDefault {font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;} .MsoPapDefault {margin-bottom:8.0pt; line-height:107%;} /* Page Definitions */ @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure’s Anthony Kane and Melissa Peneycad discuss how sustainability benefits the bottom line, the growing importance of resiliency to combat extreme weather, and some of the most innovative infrastructure designs they’ve seen through the Envision® verification program.

<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;} @font-face {font-family:"Segoe UI"; panose-1:2 11 5 2 4 2 4 2 2 3;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:8.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:107%; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;} .MsoChpDefault {font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;} .MsoPapDefault {margin-bottom:8.0pt; line-height:107%;} /* Page Definitions */ @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll talk to Anthony Kane and Melissa Peneycad from the Institute of Sustainable Infrastructure.

When the Institute of Sustainable Infrastructure formed in 2012, the infrastructure industry suddenly had a universal report card for sustainability known as Envision®. On this episode, you'll meet some of the industry's early adopters and experts on the infrastructure sustainability rating system. They’ll help you understand more about how the framework can help your clients, why a sustainability rating is about more than a pat on the back, and what the process entails so you can help your clients get their projects verified.

On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll introduce you to some of the industry experts on Envision – the rating system for designing sustainable infrastructure.

Providing healthcare for inmates poses a complex challenge with agendas often viewed as contradictory. How do you design a space for healing and treatment in a facility intended for punishment? Is there an optimal location for providing such care? Is it more cost-effective to provide medical services in-house, or transport inmates to established healthcare facilities? In this episode, we’ll explore the current state of healthcare in corrections through HDR Fellow Dave Redemske’s research Providing Healthcare in the Prison Environment. Dave and his colleagues discuss what’s being done to improve the level of care and how inmate healthcare, at its root, is a public health issue.

On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll meet an architect who spent a year researching how we provide healthcare inside a prison environment. While much of the data paints a bleak picture, we’ll look at the role design is playing to improve outcomes in our communities.

Mark Ellis describes himself as a "facility design zealot," and his passion shows when he talks about any of the more than 200 projects he’s contributed to at HDR | MDG. As the technical team leader for industrial workflow and equipment on the LA Metro Division 14 Rail Operations and Maintenance Facility, Mark and his team had the daily mantra, "Okay, does this really work?" In this bonus episode, Mark discusses more of the technical details of the Division 14 facility, featured on Episode 7 of Speaking of Design.

Darren Pynn finds a common thread between his career and his greatest passion outside the office. The problem-solving process his team uses to design vehicle operations and maintenance facilities — like the L.A. Metro Division 14 Rail Operations and Maintenance Facility featured on Episode 7 of Speaking of Design — complements his songwriting process as a musician. In this bonus episode, Darren talks about those similarities and the process of realizing a great design in his role as a senior facility design manager for HDR | MDG.