After nearly a decade heading our Communications group, Mike Plotnick is leaving the HOK family on Friday. We’re trying to wear our happy faces, but the truth is we’re devastated about losing Mike, our great friend and fearless leader. Life at HOK just won’t be the same.
But of course we understand that Mike has to leave, because he’s a superhero, and superheroes have superhero things to do. He has maidens in distress to rescue, supervillains to battle, dragons to slay and worlds to save (as long as he can avoid his kryptonite – Dunkin’ Donuts).
So until we meet again, Mike, thanks for bringing your superhero powers of integrity, creativity, …
In just a tiny fragment of my career at HOK, spanning from September 25th to October 26th, 2009, I have witnessed some of this firm’s best and brightest stars do a whole variety of noteworthy, if not amazing things. I would like to use this bloggertunity to recognize the HOK awesomeness that I’ve personally experienced over the last four weeks…
September 25th: Life at HOK (hoklife.com) is featured in the St. Louis Business Journal. The article, authored by Cynthia Vespereny is entitled, “HOK builds own ‘network’ through company’s blog” and it features many of our corporate communications all-stars as well as a brief mention of one of my …
The Gateway to the West now has a breathtaking view from the East.
The newly christened Mississippi River Overlook in East St. Louis, Illinois, reveals a fresh new perspective of Eero Saarinen’s masterful Gateway Arch.
Designed by HOK, the 43-foot-tall viewing structure is located at Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park. A contemporary of Saarinen, Martin shared the architect’s vision of creating parks on both sides of the river. Unfortunately, neither visionary lived to see his dream fulfilled.
I asked Gyo Obata (the “O” in HOK) to share his thoughts about the overlook’s design and its significance to the region. Gyo, who studied under Eero’s dad Eliel at Cranbrook Academy …
Constructed on the site of the main entrance to the 1904 World’s Fair, the Missouri History Museum’s Jefferson Memorial Building opened in 1913 as the first national monument to honor Thomas Jefferson. Soon after opening, it was designated to display artifacts from the fair (also known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition) as well as history of the Louisiana Territory. The city also invited the Missouri Historical Society to operate in the museum space and display its own collections.
Eighty-six years after the historic Beaux Arts structure made its initial debut, the HOK-designed Emerson Center added more exhibition space, classrooms, an auditorium, restaurant and gift shop. The contemporary glass building helped connect the …
As many of you know from Mike’s previous blog post, I recently got married. Before I jet-setted to the South Pacific with my new hubby, I eagerly counted down the days until arriving on beautiful Maui, the place I had always dreamed of going on my honeymoon. When we arrived, I remember thinking of the movie Jurassic Park when the island appeared through the clouds. (Later, I learned JP was filmed on the neighboring Hawaiian island of Kauai.) One of the very first sites I saw were wind turbines cascading down the West Maui Mountains. When I returned home from …
Our friends at Architect magazine have shaken things up a bit by entering the fray of architectural firm rankings. In true Architect fashion, this one definitely ain’t like the others…size isn’t even considered (GASP!)
“We designed the Architect 50 quite simply to promote a well-rounded definition of success,” states the intro in the magazine’s May 2009 issue. “The criteria for inclusion comprise a trifecta of critical goals for every practice: profitability, sustainability, and design quality.”
Although HOK didn’t nab the top spot, we did finish a very respectable #3 (bet you’ll never guess who’s #1!)
The magazine calls our firm a “green giant that boasts a …
This Wednesday, HOK people planetwide will rally around a shrinking pile of stuff. Fewer plastic bottles. Less packaging. A reduction in printed materials.
It’s part of our second-annual “Go Barefoot Day,” which transforms Earth Day hype into simple, meaningful changes in each of our lives.
Waste is the focus of this year’s challenge, with the goal of reducing the firm’s collective environmental impact. Covert waste audits have been conducted at each of our 24 offices to assess the amount of waste produced on a typical business day. On Earth Day, the entire firm will undergo a public waste …
Ingredients:
2 Progressive Architectural Firms
1 Experienced Contractor
1 Innovative Client
A Boatload of Acronyms (BIM, IPD, LEED, etc.)
Lots of Teamwork
A Dash of Design Brilliance
Process:
Blend together all ingredients into a seamless, highly efficient, unbelievably gorgeous space.
Outcome:
PLATINUM, baby!
View a video produced by DPR to showcase the project’s Integrated Project Delivery (and featuring comments from our own IPD Innovator).
They may be tiny and seemingly irrelevant, but Tardigrades just might have a few things to teach the “more evolved creatures” reading these words. Commonly called water bears or moss piglets, these segmented animals are so fascinating because they can survive the most extreme conditions: freezing, boiling, drought, radiation, etc., etc.
In short, they’re resilient.
Confronted by the extreme conditions of a global recession, we all might benefit from studying the wisdom of these 1 mm organisms, as well as other geniuses of nature and design.
We have created a …
Time magazine named her a “Hero of the Environment,” TED invited her to speak at its influential conference…and HOK St. Louis welcomed Janine Benyus to our home to share her wisdom on biomimicry (the science she pioneered).
HOK is working with Janine and her Biomimicry Guild team to integrate nature’s genius into the planning and design of buildings, communities and cities worldwide.
Keep your eyes peeled for our overzealous photographer, who peppers Janine’s comments with FLASHES and makes his official cameo appearance at about :55.
After enriching all of us with her genius, Janine visited Washington University to inspire the next generation of architects, planners and urban designers.
When a debilitating spine disease forced Andrew Reach to retire from the architectural career he loved in 2005, he feared his contributions to the Patricia and Philip Frost Art Museum in Miami might be his final creation ever.
Thankfully, he was wrong.
The fruits of Andrew’s new artistic journey are showcased in an exhibition as part of the museum’s grand opening. Titled “Full Circle,” the exhibition features intricate digital paintings Andrew creates using a mouse as his paintbrush and Photoshop as his palette.
To call it a dream come true would be an understatement.
“I’m so humbled and so honored to be featured in the building I helped create,” he …
Media Relations Manager Mike Plotnick (left) and Sustainable Marketing Coordinator Barry Sutherland had no idea they dressed alike today. Sounds a little fishy to me! : ) (Photo taken at HOK St. Louis.)
