Architectural influencers. Teamwork at the concept stage of healthcare design. The growth of Amish communities. Interview with Dan D'Oca of Interboro Partners.
Giving thanks to architectural influencers. Build blogs about how most people think a truly great architect comes up with design ideas all on their own, entirely independent of anyone else’s work. This, however, is not the case.
Build gives thanks to its all the individuals and firms who are inspiring and influential to the profession of architecture. These are people and groups whose hard work has stirred thinking, motivated design and encouraged building.
Build’s top 10 favorite influencers:
- E. Cobb Architects
- Gordon Walker
- Claesson Koivisto Rune
- Claus en Kaan
- Studio 804
- Mathias Klotz
- Hufft Projects
- AVRO|KO
- Dietrich | Untertrifaller
- Jonathan Segal
Via Build Blog
Start team effort early in healthcare design. George Vangelatos, design principal at HMC Architects, writes about the value of shifting the investment of time and resources at the concept stage of the design project as the healthcare industry is constantly under scrutiny for its lack of efficiency and effective use of resources.
“The design process of a medical facility involves the review of thousands of factors. Though many of these are consistent from project to project, what may not be consistent is the timing of their consideration and the team members involved in the evaluation process. Early team integration and expanded decision making involving a range of disciplines can lead to lower life cycle costs and significant design and construction cost savings.” – George Vangelatos
Amish communities growing. A recent census reports that a new Amish community is founded every 3 1/2 weeks in the United States. Known for their idyllic and sustainable lifestyle that rejects modern technology, the Amish are found in 30 states across the United States, and in the province of Ontario, Canada.
Researchers at Ohio State University predict that at current rates, the Amish could exceed 1 million people and 1,000 settlements by 2050. As the Amish communities grow and expand it becomes more difficult to continue farming lifestyles because of limited land availability near existing communities. The Amish have transitioned into new jobs such as woodworking and construction, or left their homes in search of affordable farmland which has led to the creation of new communities.
Via Congress for the New Urbanism Blog
Playing well with others. Sasaki Design's collaborative design approach is strengthened by its ongoing exploration and exchange of ideas. To expand its knowledge base, the firm is hosting an ongoing lecture series featuring guest speakers, most recently Dan D’Oca, cofounder and principal of Interboro Partners.
A specialist in the politics of the contemporary built environment in America, D’Oca shared some insight into his practice and collaborative approach to design.
Architecture for architecture's sake is a phantom: when architecture gets out of the studio and into the world, it inevitably influences—and is influenced by—non-architectural things. To believe otherwise is to doom architecture to irrelevance. Ours is an architecture that plays well with others. We try to understand how architecture influences "non-architectural" problems to identify opportunities in which architectural interventions can influence outcomes for the better. – Dan D’Oca