Congratulations to architect Sarah Dirsa for being named to BD+C’s 40 Under 40 list!

Sarah, HOK’s social responsibility chair and founding director of HOK IMPACT, is passionate about public interest design. Some of her recent pro bono work includes Project Haiti Orphanage & Children’s Center and Potentials Resale Boutique. She was also instrumental in bringing the Next American City Vanguard Conference to St. Louis in 2012.

Click here to read more about Sarah and her fellow 40 Under 40 awardees from BD+C.

Congratulations to the St. Louis Science Center, which is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the James S. McDonnell Planetarium today! This hyperboloid structure, designed by HOK Founding Partner Gyo Obata, opened on April 16, 1963, in Forest Park.

“The strength comes from the shape,” HOK architect Roger McFarland said in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article. “Think of an egg; it’s tiny but strong. It’s a beautifully simple concept. But once you start looking at the construction photographs, you realize how difficult it is to build something so simple.”

In 1966, architecture students from Washington University in St. Louis unknowingly started a holiday tradition when they tied an enormous bow around the planetarium’s roof. The prank was a hit; the Science Center now features the decoration every December. In a nod to that tradition, the building is currently sporting a golden bow to mark the 50^th anniversary.

Below is a vintage shot we pulled out of our archives. Be sure to check out the Post-Dispatch’s gallery to see more great photos from the past 50 years.

Another successful HOK Structure’s Pi day has come and nearly gone as I write this.  As always it was an enjoyable event for all; we brought pie, we ate pie, we recited pi.    This was the St. Louis Structural Engineering group’s sixth annual event to celebrate the mathematical constant pi, an irrational and transcendental number represented by the Greek letter “π”.

To celebrate, we hosted an event inviting colleagues in our office to bring in a pie and participate in a “Best In Show” pie contest (and of course to eat pie) in addition to hosting the “most recited digits of pi” contest.  Winners were awarded with $30 gift cards to Pi Pizzeria!

Without further ado (because most of you want to skip the math lecture and find out who won the contests)…

Best In Show Pie: Michael Vande Velde’s Homemade Cherry Pie (see below)

Most Recited Digits of Pi: Nag Nagulapati with 51 digits including the first 3

An additional thanks goes to Cheryl Steffe, Michael Vande Velde, Justin Thomas, Paul Wilhelms, Mike Hyland, Steven Crang, Kirsten Marklin, and Nag Nagulapati.

Pi Day of Years Past:

Happy Belated Pi Day – 2012
Fourth Annual Pi Day - 2011
3.15 Pi Day Round Up - 2010
Happy Pi(e) Day – 2009
First Annual Structure’s Pi Day was in 2008 and went quietly into the night.

It seems a bit counterintuitive at first.  Schwartz states that they key to achieving greater productivity is not found through getting swept up in a whirlwind of working/going/doing longer and faster, rather, it is found in quite the opposite state: that of relaxation and rejuvenation.

Schwartz’s thesis comes down to this point: the amount of time in a day to complete our tasks is finite.  No matter how productive we are, we cannot come up with more time.  What we can control, however, is the amount of energy we have to spend on accomplishing these tasks. Energy may not be infinite, but it is renewable, and it is in our power to find ways to renew it.

It may seem absurd to take more breaks on our busiest weeks, knowing we may lose “precious” minutes of work time, but those are the weeks we most need breaks. Even knowing this, taking a break from work – even if just to step out for a short lunch break – can be hard to do. An overwhelming number of employees eat lunch at their desk every day, which makes for 9+ hour days of sitting straight through the day. (Speaking of eating at one’s desk…have you seen the funny site Sad Desk Lunch? This hits pretty close to home for many of us!)

A few good quick restorative options are to take a brisk walk, hit up a spin class at a nearby gym, or book a short massage during your lunch break. Many days, this just may not be possible. On those days when you simply can’t take the time off, there are other theories of productivity boosters such as the tried-and-true quick fix of looking at picture of puppies which, the ever reliable sources, HuffPo and BuzzFeed, say are “scientifically proven” to increase your productivity. (In case BuzzFeed is blocked at your place of work, I’m including an example of one such puppy photo  for you here:

Super Cute Puppy

Or you could try and incorporate exercise into your work day on those busy days. For inspiration on work-incorporated exercise, check out the conference bike and the walking meeting concepts.

Schwartz realized the power of renewal first-hand while writing his fourth and fifth books, which he did using the 90-minute interval technique. This interval naturally aligns with our bodies’ rhythm and signals when we need breaks at the end of each cycle—but we generally ignore these signals and opt for a sugar, caffeine, or adrenaline for a boost instead. Schwartz found that when he worked in four 90-minutes cycles per day, with renewal breaks in between, he churned out his books twice as fast, even though he spent fewer hours working on them each day. He believes that energizing ourselves is so important that he founded a company called The Energy Project to do just that for employees of companies ranging from Google to Cleveland Clinic.  To paraphrase The Energy Project’s motto: “Work Hard. Renew Hard.”

Productivity is also inextricably tied to the amount of sleep we get each night.  We all are aware of the importance of a good night’s sleep before a big exam or athletic competition, but often overlook the old regular nights.  We can so easily get caught up in the vicious cycle of working late, which leads to staying up late to accomplish the rest of the things we need to do, which leads to waking up tired…and then doing it all over again the next day. Sleep can also be compromised if your boss is under the misconception that emailing at all hours of the day or night is an indication of a strong work ethic — which is slightly ironic, since sleeping too little is one of the major predictors of on-the-job burn-out!

Because getting more sleep each night and taking daytime naps are not a reality for many people, striking a healthy work-life balance and taking renewal breaks during the day may be the only solution for increasing productivity.

To review:
Q: Besides increased sleep, how else can we increase productivity?
A: Relaxation and renewal. (And looking at pictures of baby animals…maybe.)

Now then, go forth and relax!

This post, written by HOK President Bill Hellmuth, originally appeared on the U.S. Green Building Council‘s blog.

What do a 5.5 million-square-foot research university in Saudi Arabia and a 6,000-square-foot orphanage in Haiti have in common? Inspired by sustainable architecture on two vastly different scales, their bond will soon help hundreds of children begin their journeys home.

The HOK team that designed the LEED-NC Platinum King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) campus in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, earned a $50,000 award. Instead of dividing this money among the team, Science + Technology Director Bill Odell and other project leaders set out to donate the $50,000 to a needy cause.

I’m delighted that HOK’s team decided to donate their money to the USGBC’s Project Haiti Orphanage and Children’s Center in Port-au-Prince. Since June 2011, an all-volunteer HOK IMPACT team has worked on their own time and in partnership with the USGBC to design this special project, which replaces an orphanage destroyed by the 2010 earthquake.

KAUST was the first of what has grown to a list of 16 LEED Platinum projects designed by our people. We anticipate that Project Haiti, a net-zero energy project targeting LEED Platinum and inspired by principles of biomimicry, will be added to that list. Our hope is that this donation that began with KAUST – a high-tech example of next-generation sustainable design – plants seeds that will advance a new generation of safe, sustainable design in Haiti, where 80 percent of the population lives in poverty.

Our team’s $50,000 donation comes one month after HOK Chairman Emeritus Bill Valentine quietly made a $20,000 personal gift to Project Haiti. Bill has devoted his career to helping others, so we were delighted but not surprised. He allowed us to make his donation public for one reason: because it could influence others to donate. When we factor in these donations with our people’s pro-bono design time, direct expenses and other individual donations, HOK’s total contribution to Project Haiti exceeds $300,000. Every team member says they have received much more than they have given.

We thank the USGBC for this opportunity to make a positive impact, both in the developing world and in the world of sustainable design. The most exciting news is that the USGBC has nearly raised enough money to begin construction this spring, which would enable the orphanage to open one year later.

We’re almost there! With your help, the USGBC can close the funding gap. Please give today and contribute to planting Project Haiti’s seeds of hope.

Using my grandfather’s (Alexander F. Newlands) slide rule this afternoon to get some work done from home. My mother and my grandmother passed it on to me as a Christmas gift this year. He was a civil engineer and ambidextrous. I never knew him, as he passed when my mother was two years old, but I feel influenced by him daily. Beauty in the smallest things. Powerful moment for me. Happy Holidays all!

L-R F: Heather Neri, Stephanie Spann, Abdel Ferhi, Jim Hoffmann; B: Andrew Gayer, Sal Gimbert, Michael Vande Velde, Steven Crang

]]> http://www.hoklife.com/2012/12/19/happy-holidays/feed/ 0 http://www.hoklife.com/2012/12/13/gingerbread-build-off/ http://www.hoklife.com/2012/12/13/gingerbread-build-off/#comments Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:43:25 +0000 nico.stearley http://www.hoklife.com/?p=29137 T’was a warm winter day in Houston when the 4th Annual Gingerbread Build-Off took place in Hermann Square. HOK’s team built a holiday version of James Turrell’s Skyspace that was made of green cake covered in parsley, white chocolate, ginger bread, and various candies.

Thanks to our builders and strategists:

Builders:
Jasmine Brown, Deinte Dan-Princewill, Alex Lara and Leming Yang.

Candy Strategists: Lauren Flemister, Ashley Craig and Sara Bullington

…and those who came to support and vote!

Follow the link below to explore more on the built pavilion:

http://www.architectmagazine.com/lighting/a-skyspace-in-houston.aspx

A Skyspace in Houston – Lighting – Architect Magazine Page 1 of 3

James Turrell’s latest project is an architectural pavilion that frames an artwork—and an artwork that accomplishes an architectural feat.

Donovan Oliff (Assistant General Council) – “Donovan”

1. Did you have any inspiration in making your square (and what process did you use to make it)?

I wish I could point to something interesting as a source of inspiration.  To tell you the truth, I was a little intimated by all the stunningly creative people working in our office.  My knowledge of artistic media is limited to what I was taught to use in grade school, masking tape and water-based paint in primary colors.

2. Do you have a quilt at home that means something to you (something you or a family member made)?

I don’t have a quilt at home, but I do remember my mom making quilts when I was growing up.  Quilting is a deeply communal activity.  There was a time people would gather together to make quilts from recycled cloths and left-over fabrics.  They are a textile memory of a people, place and time.

3. Anything fun we should know about your square?

People claim my image looks 10 years younger than I am.  Don’t judge me…

Brok Howard (BIM Manager) – “Brok”

1. Did you have any inspiration in making your square?

Inspiration came from our awesome model shop crew. I initially had an idea of creating a stencil and using the laser cutter in the model shop to make it, then painting the image. But, after talking with Vincent Schell and Victoria Gray they suggested I go with a different method. They have so many resources and contacts to make awesomeness happen I was impressed how quickly they came up with a better solution than the one I had thought up. They suggested I just create the image in Photoshop (a lot easier than a CAD file for laser cutting) and give it to them. They then contacted NovaColor, a local digital image management company they have used several times. Basically they can print on anything. So, I simply gave them the fabric and the image and in few days I had the square done. They even did it twice to be sure that it was as clear as can be.

2. Why the QR codes?

First, a QR code is a Quick Response Code, simply put, it is an image that with a smart phone camera can link you to any uURL. It works like a UPC bar code, but for the Internet. I remember talking with James Vandezande when I first started working at HOK about adding a QR code to the buildingSMART marketing material and with a few clicks he created one that is now on the marketing material. When I started to look into making QR codes I came across http://goqr.me/ that makes it really easy. At the bottom they advertise a QR code on a t-shirt…so I thought, I can do that.  I am heavy on the social media interest and you can find bits of me on the Internet, so I thought for the diversity quilt I will add a few “links” to where I am online and share a few things about me in the process.

3. So what are some of the links?

 My twitter handle (http://twitter.com/brokhoward)
The Young Architects Forum of St Louis (http://yafstl.blogspot.com)
The Greater Saint Louis CSI Chapter (http://greatersaintlouis.csinet.org)
The University of Georgia (http://www.georgiadogs.com)
Beastie Boys myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/beastieboys)
My LinkedIn page (http://www.linkedin.com/in/brokhoward)
And finally, the first time I was on the HOK Life blog riding my bike through the office!

4. Anything else we should know about your square?

The week before I started at HOK I got new glasses, so having some representation of my “new look” really represents my “life” at HOK.

Matt Lindsey (ARC Print Shop) – “Tic Tac Toe”

1. Did you have any inspiration in making your square?

I loved playing Tic Tac Toe as a kid and I wanted to put my inner child in to the quilt.

2. Anything fun we should know about your square?

I remember planning quick easy games like this as a kid with my family.

Megan McClure (Communications Coordinator) – “Take Me to St. Louis”

1. Did you have any inspiration in making your square?  I see your square is all about you, did you capture yourself well?

I chose to make my square about the journey that brought me to St. Louis. It’s mostly words depicting the places I’ve lived, plus the schools and jobs that brought me to those places. If you look closely, you can also see a running tab of my “what I want to be when I grow up” list. I’m not counting out all of those options just yet, but it’s safe to say the eighth-grade dream of a career in politics is no longer on my agenda.

2. Do you have a quilt at home that means something to you (something you or a family member made)?

My grandma was a very talented quilter who, among other projects, made coordinating quilts for each of her 12 grandchildren. Here in St. Louis, I have one of the last quilts she made… it’s a patchwork quilt made from polyester clothing scraps, and while it may not have been her finest work, I love it. It’s perfect for fireworks, parades, bonfires, picnics, outdoor concerts… it’s been around for a lot of great memories with family and friends.

3. Anything fun we should know about your square?

Well, I’m kind of a font nerd. My family has a tradition that at all of our major holiday gatherings (Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter), we all sign a tablecloth that, through the years, has become a family record of sorts. The tablecloth was great practice for creating this square…

Reagan Branham (Marketing Coordinator) – “R”

1. Did you have any inspiration in making your square (rumor has it you make jewelry from Scrabble squares)?

I have an Etsy business in which I repurpose Scrabble tiles, so my square was an extension of that. I like Scrabble tiles because I really love the simple typography. Those tiles are classic, and people recognize them instantly. That’s a sure sign of great design.

2. Do you have a quilt at home that means something to you (something you or a family member made)?

 My boyfriend’s grandmother made him a quilt many years ago, and that’s in our house. We finally had to put it away because it was getting too much wear and tear from daily use.

3.  Anything fun we should know about your square?

I spent more time searching for the right background fabric than actually making the square. There are a lot of shades of beige out there!