HOK NY ACE Mentor students

This year the New York program explored construction on the eastern coast line. The program was developed in response to Hurricane Sandy’s destruction. The team was asked to develop new ideas about building close to the water post-Hurricane Sandy. The students developed a program located on a site in lower Manhattan’s Battery Park. HOK’s engineering mentor teammates, Arup, helped to teach students about how structure can be designed to withstand hurricane forces. The students are in the process of finishing their project and will present it at the Center for Architecture located in Midtown Manhattan in June. This year’s ACE team had three scholarship winners: Jose Flores, Tiera-Lyn Colon and Yosselyn Mendieta. We wish them luck next year as they head off to college.

Click here to view the embedded video.

An interesting aspect of this conference was that ALL presentations were delivered in pecha kucha (or 20×20) style! This means that we had to share our content with 20 slides, 20 seconds each, for a total of 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Sounds crazy, right? The presenters were organized into groups of 3 or 4 representing one of five focus topics. Each focus topic had approximately 30 minutes of rapid-fire slide content, followed by 30 minutes of Q+A for the panel.

The pecha kucha+panel format seemed to be a success. Because the BIMForum events are a single-room, one-track conference, if someone’s presentation content was not relevant to you…you only had to suffer through it for a few minutes rather than a whole hour! Take a look at my pecha kucha presentation above  and you can also view others on the BIMForum’s YouTube channel.

They are also soliciting speaking proposals for the Fall BIMForum event being held in Denver, CO on the topic of Prefabrication & Modularization.

This is truly an option at the the Plenary Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Recently a guest from Australia enlightened me….so I am excited to pass this along. Check out this place out in action!

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Way back in 2011 I wrote about a volunteer effort that involved some of us at HOK SF: documenting BART stations around the Bay Area to create “talking” tactile maps for the blind. Conducted under the guidance of Lighthouse for the Blind, this effort was a great learning experience in terms of how the blind navigate complex spaces that the rest of us take for granted (transit hubs, malls.. the list goes on). It was also a great look at how technology is being harnessed to aid the differently abled. These maps have raised symbols for important navigational landmarks like escalators and stairs overlaid on a simple outline of BART stations. What’s cool is that in addition to simply ‘feeling’ the layout of the station, a blind person can also use a talking pen to learn more information about the map. From the Lighthouse blog: “When a user sweeps a map page with a Smartpen (basically, a slim computer with a tiny camera that can read that pattern) a richly detailed audio commentary on each location, including all nearby landscape features and assets, will pour into the user’s ear.” While the technology was still being figured out in 2011, we have recently learnt that these maps will soon be available for purchase through Lighthouse. Kudos to everyone who made this a reality!

We at HOK are especially excited to see this endeavor come to life. Matt from the volunteer team is working with Lighthouse to obtain one of these maps for temporary display in our office. We’re also hoping to invite Joshua Miele, president of Lighthouse to talk to the HOK office about the maps (among other things)..!

Watch this space for more!

The HOK Design Board recently held its annual meeting at the San Francisco office from April 26^th – 28^th. The weekend kicked off with dinner at the home of HOK San Francisco Design Principal Paul Woolford. Sessions Saturday morning covered topics such as HOK Product Design, Genius of the Biome, Living Building Initiative, and Mass Timber Construction. During the afternoon, each Design Board member and guest gave a 10 minute TED-like presentation on a particular project. The design board then took a tour of the California Academy of Sciences and its 2.5 acre living roof before having dinner at the famed Original Joe’s in North Beach. Sunday morning concluded with more TED-like talks before the session wrapped up.

Attendees included:

Steering Committee
Bill Odell, STL
Kenneth Drucker, NY
Todd Halamka, CHI
Tom Polucci, NY

San Francisco Guests
Arnold Lee, SF
Thomas Knittel, SEA

Board Members
Alan Bright, SF
Bill Hellmuth, WDC
Clay Pendergrast, Jr., LA
Colin Greene, WDC
Ernest Cirangle, LA
Gordon Stratford, TOR
Hal Kantner, HOU
Jeff Kaeonil, HK
Larry Malcic, LON
Nancy Hamilton, CHI
Paul Woolford, SF
Peter Ruggiero, HOU
Ripley Rasmus, STL
Todd Bertsch, ATL

Florida Guest
Robert (Bob) Bistry

“Well, walk us through your typical work day” will often be one of the first follow-up responses a workplace strategist will ask to begin to discover what’s working and what’s not in terms of how people use their space.

As we continue to look for more effective ways to improve the overall workplace experience, one tool we can use is measuring and analyzing space utilization. To gain better insight into how companies utilize their office space, there are several ways to approach these types of studies. Below are few ways to get started.

Establish Goals and Understand the Key Performance Indicators

Be clear on what you are trying to measure. I’ve worked with clients who want to know how every last inch of their space is being utilized, but in some cases, clients have more targeted pain points, and really want to focus on, say, how often conference rooms or break rooms are being used. Being clear on these goals will help you tailor your approach. In addition, make sure you know any Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) or benchmarks that you want to measure against. For instance, some companies have pre-determined ratios for how many private offices vs. open workstations they provide, as well as ratios of how many overall conference room seats they provide in relation to staff headcount. In other cases, companies can provide more anecdotal benchmarks, such as “our sales team should only be in the office around 15% of the time”.

Time and Technology Factors

Establishing goals and KPI’s early on will help determine how long to conduct a study as well as how high-tech or low-tech you want to make your approach. In some cases the client may have data to provide you as a reference point, such as badge swipe statistics for days and times employees are coming and going. Likewise, you’re probably going to want more than a day or two worth of data. Doing a study for at least a week or more will provide a more realistic pattern of activity. This gets us to technology. If you’re looking to do a large study (i.e. looking at multiple floors, hundreds or thousands of employees) how do you tackle this logistically? In the past, people would simply do a “pen and paper” approach, walking the floors in the same route, hour after hour, marking each area on a floor plan by hand (bed checks, essentially), then having to manually input that data into a spreadsheet in order to do further analysis. Very time-consuming and draining on your staffing resources. The other downside is that your people can’t be everywhere at all times, so some of your data will miss the “in-between” observations that help paint a clearer picture.

The other approach is to get more tech savvy with the studies. In recent years there have been advances in sensors that track how people use their space. This can provide great benefits in terms of saving time, resources, and the ability to collect much more accurate data. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal, Tracking Sensors Invade the Workplace, highlights some of the ways companies are leveraging tracking sensors. In one example, employees all wore a small badge which collects “data on their motions, whereabouts, voice levels and conversational patterns”. The badges were developed by Boston startup Sociometric Solutions Inc. Data collected from these types of devices can help an employer better understand how their employees work, and when and where they are interacting with one another. This, in turn, can help determine more appropriate allocations of office space. For instance, if the data tells you that employees are spending more time away from their desks than usual, you need to figure out what’s driving that behavior.

Sociometric Badge (image © Alex Johnson, WGBH)

In addition to badge sensors, you can also attach motion sensors to office chairs. Herman Miller provides these type of chair sensors, which were used by Kimberly-Clark, as noted in the WSJ article.

“Employees frequently griped that the consumer-product company’s Neenah, Wis., offices were short on meeting space. Kimberly-Clark placed space-usage sensors offered by furniture maker Herman Miller Inc. beneath chairs and in conference rooms. It found that groups of three to four employees were gathering in meeting rooms designed for much larger numbers”

Wireless motion sensor (image © Herman Miller)

The “Big Brother” Factor

While all of these methods are useful in collecting valuable space utilization data, we must not forget about the human element when doing these studies, most notably, people’s perceptions of privacy.

“Gathering big data about human behaviors can be a sensitive topic,” says Dave Lathrop, director of workspace futures and strategy at Steelcase Inc., which has used sensor data with its own employees and is developing sensor products for businesses.”

Humans are curious by nature, and we also love to jump to conclusions. So as you begin to plan a space utilization study, you need to be sensitive to the people on whom you’re collecting data. Many people I talk to say they would have a negative reaction if their company proposed using tracking sensors in the workplace. There is a general assumption that this is less about improving the workplace and more about spying on employees. So, going back to the early stages of establishing goals, one of the goals should be to clearly communicate the purpose of the study to all employees and consider letting them opt-out of the study if they truly feel uncomfortable. The goal of a space utilization study should be to collect accurate data that represents normal workplace conditions. If everyone feels like they are being spied on, they will change their behaviors and your data will not be truly representative of normal conditions.

“Justin is a rare individual whose combination of deep technical knowledge and a sensitive eye uniquely position him as a special professional. His leadership brings visions to reality; his dedication improves the public realm.” – Paul Woolford, Design Principal, HOK in San Francisco

A licensed architect, Justin has been with HOK for five years. In both his personal and professional activities, Justin is motivated by engagement with the physical world. A love of materials and making things drove him to become a successful engineer, and further to have a hand in the creation of the built environment. Now an architect, he applies the mandate of “actionable, scalable and sustainable” to his many design efforts. He directs his skills to projects that improve the public realm and is stubborn about ensuring that they succeed.

5 Facts About Justin

1. Prior to his devotion to architecture, Justin was a design engineer in Silicon Valley, earning two patents for his innovative work.
2. In 1993 he took a three month, solo motorcycle trip through the American Southwest.
3. He has a young daughter and considers fatherhood his greatest achievement.
4. He is quite the athlete. Justin won second place in his age group for the Napa Triathlon in 2008 and third place in his age group for the Big Sur Trail Marathon in 2012, a brutal marathon that includes more than one vertical mile of climbing and descent. Additionally, he participated in the Swim from Alcatraz for the first time in 2009, a mile-and-a-half swim through the cold San Francisco Bay. He has since swam the event two more times.
5. He is an accomplished photographer, having used a camera as a tool to observe the world since he was 17.

reNews program

One of the numerous achievements on which Justin’s award is based is the re:NEWS program.

The blighted Mid-Market District of San Francisco has the highest crime rates in the city and is notorious for low occupancy rates for businesses. Many previous efforts have tried to address this anomaly in an otherwise vibrant and progressive city, but none have succeeded.

In 2010, HOK, led by Justin, spearheaded an eight-week, pro-bono community based charrette to envision actionable, sustainable, scalable and realistic solutions to this urban-scale challenge. This effort drew together residents, business leaders, designers, and engineers, most notably the Central Market Community Benefit District (CMCBD), Public Architecture and WSP Flack + Kurtz, culminating in a simple adaptive reuse solution: converting disused newspaper kiosks along the arterial Market Street into community-centered hubs for free services and opportunity for small businesses.

The design team proposed several uses for these unused kiosks to cultivate local business, inspire more pedestrian traffic and provide a platform to showcase the unique culture that exists in the Mid-Market neighborhood. In 2011, after one year of effort, the first kiosk was activated – free bicycle repair at the 7th and Market kiosk (courtesy of a neighborhood bicycle store). An artist-in-residence kiosk is now also open and other uses are in the planning stage.

“Architects too often look only to newly constructed interventions to solve problems. The elegance of this project and approach is that the solution artfully exploits the resources that already exist. This illustrates the most profound level of service that architects can offer their client and community.” – John Peterson, AIA, Founder and President, Public Architecture

Recognition for re:NEWS

• AIA San Francisco Chapter, “Special Achievement Award”, re:NEWS, 2012
• Venice Biennale “Spontaneous Interventions” U.S. Exhibit, re:NEWS, 2012
• Two articles in the San Francisco Chronicle
• Three speaking engagements: Public Architecture, Lambda Alpha – the Land Economics Society, and Meet and Match – The Open Hand Studio

Members of HOK Chicago and the ACE students they mentored stand for a photo at the 2013 ACE Final Presentation ceremony held at the UIC Forum, an HOK project.

For 20 weeks this past winter, HOK’s Chicago office was proud to host local high school students from all over the city as part of the Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program, an integral community program that inspires students to pursue careers in design and construction. Beginning last October, HOK mentors, in partnership with Halvorson, Lend Lease and GSA, worked with students once a week for two hours to develop an original design project. The students presented their concept to peers and esteemed members of the community at a special awards ceremony at the UIC Forum (an HOK designed building) earlier this month.

The two towers of the "Link to the Lake" concept are presented by an student above.

Through a series of design charrettes, the students came up with a “Link to The Lake” concept of two towers connected by a shared link bridging between the buildings. Located on a partially developed land site immediately west of DuSable Park, the project included a redevelopment of the park to encourage use of green space.  A shorter tower containing condominiums was positioned to the south, near the river and accessed from the adjacent neighborhood through Water Street. A taller tower contained both condos and hotels with an entry lobby for residents at Water Street, and a hotel lobby and entry plaza connected to Lower Lake Shore Drive on the east. As an architectural expression, the students came up with ideas of how the two forms would interact resulting in the building’s sweeping curves as if they are leaning toward each other. A ‘diagrid’ was employed as both an aesthetic and functional solution to the building’s structure.

Students discuss the inspiration and details for their original design.

The students also curated interior finishes that catered to the specific needs of each level based on space types. The spa and pool finishes featured a palette of cool colors and a fresh aesthetic, while the dining room emphasized a warmer pallet with bolder patterns. Overall, the students’ project concept was well received and showcased a promising level of design intuition. Three students on the HOK team received internships and one student received a design-build scholarship at the event.

A student explains the interior finishes palette and aesthetics for "Link to the Lake."

HOK is proud to participate in the ACE program, which offers valuable training and guidance to students in a real-world setting. Since the program’s inception in 1994 it has evolved into the industry’s fastest-growing high school mentoring program, reaching over 8,000 students annually. The program also financially supports the student’s continued growth through scholarships and grants and has awarded over $12 million dollars in scholarships since its commencement.

Special thanks to BickVanh Cam, Dominick Gallegos, Tam Fisher and Chansik Park, who continuously dedicated their time every week to coaching students and facilitating their educational advancement.

We’re going to find out….. I am immensely honored to be selected by the AIA President as a member of the newly formed Sustainability and Health Advisory Committee. The committee consists of some amazing talent from around the sustainable industry. These individuals have all been my mentors and inspiration for the past 8 years and I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with them on the future of sustainable education and training at the AIA. Although sustainability is becoming more and more of a mainstream design process, as an industry, we are not achieving our goals and we have A LOT of work to do.

* image by By William J. Worthen, AIA, Director Resource Architect for Sustainability 

http://www.aia.org/practicing/AIAB088654

Ted Davalos, Senior Vice President and Director of Architecture for HOK in San Francisco, celebrated his 34 years of service with HOK at his retirement party on Thursday evening, April 18, with 100 of his colleagues and guests at the Thirsty Bear restaurant in San Francisco. The event was also attended by his wife, Pam Davalos, and their son, Brett. In Ted’s tenure with HOK, he was responsible for some of the more notable projects designed and produced by the San Francisco office. These projects include NOAA Pacific Regional Center, Pearl Harbor, HI; Levis Plaza, headquarters for Levi Strauss, San Francisco, CA; the Genetics and Plant Biology Laboratory on the University of California Berkeley Campus; Visa World Headquarters, Foster City, CA; and Apple Computer R & D Campus, Cupertino, CA. Ted has 41 years of experience in the field of Architecture.

Ted received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of New Mexico in 1969 then attended graduate school and ROTC, being commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in 1971 in the USAF. From 1972 to 1976, Ted was an Engineering Officer attached to the Base Civil Engineer, Hill AFB, Utah. Ted left the Air Force as a Captain in 1976 to pursue his career in Architecture. Ted holds professional registration as an Architect in both California and Utah, is a LEED Accredited Professional, and a member of the American Institute of Architects. For the past ten years, Ted has worked with the California Architect’s Board with respect to testing and registration.

One of the highlights of the evening was the viewing of a custom produced video entitled “TEDTalks – Ideas Worth Spreading” directed by fellow HOK colleagues Casey Visintin, Mark Maloy, Larry Lane, Breffni O’Rourke, and Marissa Bruce. In the video, Breffni acts as if he is giving a TEDTalk on the “Village Elder” and uses video footage of Ted to illustrate the 10 points about a “Village Elder”. It is a light hearted film that concludes with a series of short video shots featuring HOK staffers reciting the first word that came to their minds when describing Ted. These words described Ted as being honest, authentic, grumpy, hungry, sleepy and fun. Ted’s dedication to HOKspans three decades.  He will be dearly missed by the San Francisco HOK studio.