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TRENDS, from page 7

dens, and water features. Technology that tracks movement, presence, and engagement in space. Timothy J. Gawel, associate corporate and commercial studio leader with Harley Ellis Devereaux (Southfield, MI), a 290-person architecture and engineering firm, says that their de- sign teams are finding some consis- tent guiding principles from project to project and city to city. They include: Make a great arrival. Nothing sets the tone of the day better than the experience we have when arriving at our workspace. We find ourselves de- signing less for the experience of the visitor and focusing our attention on the experience of the employee as they cross the threshold into a different world. Nurture a proud community. Cul- ture is formed around socialization and nurtured by the other informal connections and interactions that build a sense of shared values and provide the foundation for the trust that is essential to great collaborative efforts. Allow others to place their finger- print on the workplace. There seems to be a sliding scale of change in the workplace. We are designing places that accommodate the flow of activity around a project or problem allowing the team to scale the space, gather resources, change the volume, and de- velop team focus. Connect to the natural world. It seems that everywhere we go and at whatever scale we work, we have the

opportunity to make meaningful con- nections to the world outside and, frequently, to influence positive devel- opment beyond the boundaries of our current project. Build authenticity. We find ourselves being less interested in the replication of the local than in its interpretation and abstraction. In every place we work, we find differences in light and color, in material sources and their fabrication, in people and cultural contributions, in the topography and landscape. We like illuminating these various differentiations, and making new things for others in other places to consider. Orchestrate activity. We find that our spaces reflect the volume of activ- ity within them. We look at our plans and understand by their granularity where the buzz is and where contem- plative work takes place. Give groups identity. Within the overall sense of brand and cultural DNA are the many subgroups that work on the diverse matters that make up the company’s work. These are places of interaction and support away from the mainstream of office activity, and each has its own characteristics and process that, in support, shape neighborhoods and stylistic variation. Make a great departure. The end of our day also sets a tone, this time in the other direction as we transition to the other environments of our lives. That path from desk to threshold to the outer world can recharge us for the next part of our day and give us stories to tell others.

son firm, says that they have seen a surge in research on health and well- being in the workplace, specifically, data that shows how redesigning the workplace can impact the bottom line. For example, one of the biggest im- pacts to human performance and health, across all job types, is choice or the ability to control how you get your job done. Having more choice in how, when, and where people work directly supports that. “As designers, we can provide different types of settings for how people work (standing up, walking, in soft seat- ing areas, in a café setting), choices for when they work (flex time or four- day workweeks), and where they work (at the office, home, at a co-working site, or the airport),” she says. Stringer says that it’s no longer just about working on the physical design of the space. Designers are now work- ing with HR, IT, change management specialists, brokers, and many oth- er specialists to roll out a much more comprehensive and integrated work- place solution. Like JLG, EYP is also seeing small- er areas dedicated to open space and more “activity-based neighborhoods” in addition to: Flexible lab space (sharing of lab space – not just office space – to maximize utilization and cut costs). Places for “psychological restoration,” like nap rooms, reading rooms, gar-

DOING GOOD, from page 9

And, that growing desire among designers to help the less fortunate is wel- come news to John Peterson, founder of Public Architecture (San Fran- cisco, CA). Ten years ago, this nonprofit firm, with support from a National Endowment for the Arts program, launched 1+ , a program that encourag- es firms to donate 1 percent of their total working hours to philanthropic causes. PUBLIC-INTEREST DESIGN HAS A FUTURE. Thomas Fisher, dean of the College of De- sign at the University of Minnesota , says that nontraditional job opportu- nities for architects have never been better. He reports that humanitarian design, often funded by grants, is on the rise, proving work and a sense of purpose for a growing legion of (mostly young) practitioners. Fisher says that architects who look beyond the traditional studio – to con- duct research or collaborate with other disciplines or to design in the public interest – are likely to find that the way they’re trained to think is highly val- ued. But for now, however they practice or connect to the world of design, there are lessons to be learned and inspiration for building social change. Good design and good work can both be rewarded.

Recent TZL profiles of firms that utilize corporate social responsibility include: Miyamoto is helping rebuild Nepal (Issue 1120) : Kit Miyamoto, CEO of Miyamoto Inter- national Inc. , travels the world visiting natural disaster sites. Funding the future of safety (Issue 1108) : Knife River Corporation and MDU Construc- tion Services Group give $1 million to promote worksite safety in Oregon. Pay it forward (Issue 1105) : In its first year, the Helping Hand Awards selected four recipients. Providing access to a top-notch education (Issue 1104) : Syska Hennessy Group partners with KaTO, a nonprofit design-build studio that builds schools in developing countries.

THE ZWEIG LETTER NOVEMBER 2, 2015, ISSUE 1126

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