At the start of the design process, two of the most important things you and your staff can do is 1) tour other healthcare facilities that have similarities to your future building program and 2) build mock-up’s of those rooms that will be repeated in your facility, are highly technical, or are undergoing significant changes…
Coloring outside the lines: Musings from the BLDD Design Department
When the firm tagline is #becauselifedeservesdesign and you are tasked with leading design for the firm, you would think we would be more uptight! In reality the design department at BLDD is having the time of our life. Working side by side since April in a common studio has been a great thing for our…
Lights, Camera, Learning!: Turning High End Performance spaces into High Performance Educational Space
When you walk through a school during a typical day there is always a rhythm accompanying you. Every building is different, but there is always a rhythm. Dropped pencils, scurrying footsteps, bells and tones and the din of youthful exuberance populate the symphony. This score gives learning environments a unique pulse. Great learning environments have…
BLDD Architects & Springfield School District 186 work for “Our Schools, Our Future”
How do we help large school districts like Springfield Public School District 186 create a long-term vision and master plan for their facilities? One of our PK12 experts, Sam Johnson, says it best, “There’s no elevator to a great plan, you’ve got to take the steps.” We are excited to be working with the district,…
My Stand-In Cheerleader: why I don’t pay motivational speakers
In the marketing department of our Central Illinois office, between the buckets of LEGOs and the cabinet of Post-Its, there lies a cardboard stand-in, left over from a trade show long since passed. It’s a silhouette of someone jumping, arms raised and knees bent. I’ll be honest, if you gave this thing some pompoms and school…
The Evolution of Fitness Centers
I recently had the opportunity to present to a community group on behalf of the City of Bloomington, IL, Parks and Recreation Department. While public speaking isn’t one of my favorite things to do, it’s a whole lot easier when it’s something I am truly passionate about…fitness and the facilities where fitness occurs. While fitness…
How LEAN Design Impacted the new Genesis Davenport Healthplex
When the Genesis Health System (GHS) embarked on the journey to build a new medical facility from the ground up, they had the chance to dramatically reimagine their workplace and provide an even more enhanced and supportive environment for patients and their families. With a focus on minimizing waste and any non-value added steps, the…
The future of the architecture firm: a mix of human and high tech
How can creative, professional service firms set up a work environment that’s not just a place to shelter employees, but one that’s a strategic tool for productivity, collaboration, and growth? BLDD Architects is answering this question by reimagining where and how they do their best work. According to President Steve Oliver, both team collaboration and…
Associated Colleges of Illinois – 65th Anniversary Benefit Reception
My wife and I had the honor of attending this event on a lovely evening in downtown Chicago at the historic University Club on Michigan Avenue. There are certainly worse ways to spend a Friday! While an evening in the city and the opportunity to catch some blues music afterward is something we love to do,…
Transgender Toilet Rooms – The Scoop
The issue of transgender toilet rooms has been a hot topic in the news a LOT recently! And, I bet, as a building owner, you’ve been asked how you will accommodate this segment of the population. So, the first thing you did is call a trusted Architect or Engineer to ask this specific question…and the…
Reflections on Environments for Aging Conference in Las Vegas, NV
I look out and see the red land with traces of canyon and water 30,000 feet below. My thoughts turn inward watching the wrinkles of the earth ebb and flow as we pass by. I reflect on the last four days; the people, the places, the sharing of research and ideas. At Environments for Aging…
Should you build new or renovate?
This is a fairly typical question that plagues building owners. It is not unusual for clients to assume that, to get what they want, they have to build new…and ‘we’ certainly can’t afford that! Owners will often overlook the tremendous value in their existing facilities. This is understandable if you were looking at the (typically)…
‘Making a difference’ gets personal
Last week, we posted about the many talented people of BLDD who created artwork to make a difference in the fight against Alzheimer’s. This week, I wanted to share a personal story behind the artwork that I contributed to the effort, in honor of two very special people…. my maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother. Alzheimer’s…
New Trends in Clinic Design
It’s no secret that healthcare organizations across the country are shifting more and more services to outpatient settings. The move makes sense for a number of reasons: 1) the ability to reduce costs, 2) improved outcomes, 3) increased access, and 4) increased market share. The development of clinics is further inspired by healthcare reform pressing…
Making a Difference
Alzheimer’s affects both its victims and those who love them. This disease hit close to home at BLDD when one of our own, Mike Cardinal, was diagnosed with early onset dementia at the young age of 56. Mike was a principal in our firm, but so much more than that. He was one of the…
Because Life Deserves Design
In the Mohegan tribe in upper Connecticut, children receive descriptive names when they’re young. As they grow into adolescence, they receive a new name that reflects their experiences. Names may even change several times over a lifetime. “Because Life Deserves Design” is far more than an acronym for our name at BLDD, it’s who we…
Coloring outside the Lines: A Reluctant Philosopher
For the past 20 years I’ve been designing buildings for BLDD. For much of that time as a lead designer submitting and interviewing for prospective work. Invariably the dreaded question will come up; “What is your design philosophy?” Each time I receive the question it triggers an internal eye-roll. It’s not that I don’t understand…
Holding On To Memories
Alzheimer’s has plagued my family for years. Growing up I always heard stories of my grandfather’s sisters who grew silent, didn’t recognize their own children, couldn’t eat, and on and on. While I was aware of the disease I had never actually experienced it first-hand. That all changed in March of 1998 when I took […]…
Virtual Reality in the Architectural Field
Virtual Reality (VR) has a growing presence in the architectural field. While VR is by no means a new idea, it has become more affordable in the last few years, allowing it to be adopted by our field. And it is impressive; I know when I first started studying architecture in college, I did not…
3D Printing: The Future of Building?
Whether we have tried our own hand at 3D printing or not, we’ve all been exposed to it – mostly through architectural models. However, I would like to ask if this technology could help us more than just represent a building, but actually be a part of the building? In what way could this be…
