TZL 1392 (web)

BUSINESS NEWS TOWN OF VIENNA POLICE STATION BREAKS GROUND Dewberry , a privately held professional services firm, has announced that construction has begun on the Town of Vienna’s Police Station in Vienna, Virginia. The firm provided architectural design services for the new 29,441-square-foot building. The existing police building is being demolished, and the site will be redeveloped to include the new headquarters. “We are excited to be able to celebrate this milestone on the project,” says Dewberry Senior Associate Roderick Williams, AIA, CPD, LEED AP BD+C. “Our team has enjoyed the

close relationship we’ve formed with the town and community-at-large and are excited to see this project move forward right here in our own backyard.” Dewberry’s architecture team worked closely with the town of Vienna to understand the neighborhood and site context around the building, as well as the existing architecture in the town to create a design that would maintain the character while enhancing civic pride. Once complete, the new building will allow all divisions of the police department to work out of the same facility and will feature upgraded technology and security measures.

Following project completion, the facility will be submitted for LEED Silver certification. Dewberry is a leading, market-facing firm with a proven history of providing professional services to a wide variety of public- and private-sector clients. Recognized for combining unsurpassed commitment to client service with deep subject matter expertise, Dewberry is dedicated to solving clients’ most complex challenges and transforming their communities. Established in 1956, Dewberry is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, with more than 50 locations and more than 2,000 professionals nationwide.

EMPOWERING PEOPLE, from page 7

What started out as a measurement tool is now a concept that resonates across different practice areas. TZL: Does your firm work closely with any higher education institutions to gain access to the latest technology, experience, and innovation and/or recruiting to find qualified resources? KH: The pandemic has made it difficult as of late, but we hope to develop and deepen those relationships in 2021. We’re bringing back a research group and are actively involved in working with Berkley University. We also work with some schools where employees are on boards or work as adjunct professors. We keep our tethers tied and are working to grow that segment. TZL: Is change management a topic that is regularly addressed by the leadership at your firm? If so, elaborate. KH: For each practice area we have, there’s a formal process for looking at succession planning. We ensure that department leaders and principals have identified successors. It’s discussed during the annual performance reviews too. TZL: A firm’s longevity is valuable. What are you doing to encourage your staff to stick around? KH: So far, we’ve been around for 75 years. We’re a company where people love the culture. We’ve had lots of rebound employees – in fact, I’m one of them. People who work here are really purpose or mission driven. We are always asking ourselves, “What do we believe in?” For me, it’s all about communicating, staying connected, engaging, and empowering people. During the pandemic, we’ve had virtual office tours to keep people feeling connected and continue to strive to be “human-centric.” “COVID-19 has allowed us to understand that we can be successful working remotely; it gave us more confidence in being able to manage from afar. In fact, it gives people more control.”

International Living Future Institute. Just is a designation demonstrating commitment to social justice, diversity, and inclusion. It’s really all about engagement. “More and more clients are focused on the experience of not just their customers, but their employees too. They’re getting more human-centric across all sectors and are looking to create an emotional connection between people and spaces.” TZL: Tell me about your “Happiness” initiative. I read your blog and it made me feel, well, “happy.” How did this come about and where is it headed? KH: For the last five years or so, more and more clients are focused on the experience of not just their customers, but their employees too. They’re getting more human-centric across all sectors and are looking to create an emotional connection between people and spaces. It came about as our Environments’ Studio was working with an Egyptian residential developer, Mountain View, whose CEO had created his own company based on the values of happiness. We asked ourselves, do we dare imagine a world where happiness can become the basis for design, a new way to measure value? Together, we agreed to pursue a challenge: To create a movement to design for happiness. Joining our team was Delivering Happiness, a Zappo’s consultancy that specializes in coaching companies, cities, even countries, to create happy cultures. We each brought a unique perspective on happiness to our study, referred to as “The Three Ps”: 1)Place. CRTKL sought to define how places impact happiness. 2)People. DH sought to define how values nurture people’s happiness. 3)Pathways. Mountain View sought to define how companies can build for happiness. A “Happiness Survey” evaluates the metrics of what makes people happy. For example, spaces for mindfulness activities and more natural light were among the feedback.

THE ZWEIG LETTER MAY 17, 2021, ISSUE 1392

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