A defining element of the State of Nebraska is the fact that our state government consists of a single or unicameral legislative body. It is something that is unique to our state alone in the great diversity of the United States of America. Throughout Nebraska’s history, our small population has made it necessary to work together and think differently. Therefore, the idea of a design publication for the State needs to be one that blurs boundaries and breaks down traditional formations with a singular disciplinary focus. This design publication will also look to engage across the traditional categories of academic faculty, professional practitioners, and the students that ultimately enter these worlds after they have completed their period of study and internship. The publication will occupy a middle ground that takes the worlds of magazines and journals and combines them. It will be formed to create a unified creative team comprised of members of the University of Nebraska, College of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts, the College of Architecture, and members of the State of Nebraska’s diverse design profession.
Unicameral will combine the public outreach and the audience of a magazine and merge it with the focus of a journal. Its aim is to provide a window into Nebraska’s design culture, work(s), ideas, and personalities that create and define our communities, urban spaces, workplaces, and homes.
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Stephanie Cabarcas, Nick Carraher, Paulina Garcia-Medrano, Alejandro Gallegos, Luke Heidenreich, Mia LeRiger, Kayden Lichtas, Micheal Mancuso, Joseph “JJ” Miller, Kara Morgia, Thinh Nguyen, Megan Pfeifer, Will Roarty, Rhiannon Strazdas, Angela Vu, Mara Wasserman, Grant Wolfe
COPY EDITOR Kathryn Ineck
EDITORIAL SUPPORT Danette Hunter
EDITORIAL OFFICE
University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Architecture
400 Stadium Drive
Lincoln, NE 68588
PHOTOGRAPHY OF PROJECTS
AJ Brown Imaging, Bruce Damonte, Corey Gaffer, William Hess, Tom Kessler, Daniel Patrick Muller, Dan Schwalm
COVER ART
Olivia Hordvik-Chaussee
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Architecture; Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg , Ph.D., Dean, University of Nebraska College of Architecture
David Karle , Associate Professor and Director of the Architecture Program, University of Nebraska College of Architecture Professional Advisory Committee
Kevin Benham , Associate Professor and Director of Landscape Architecture
Lindsey Ellsworth-Bahe , Associate Professor and Director of the Interior Design Program
Zhenghong Tang , Professor and Director of the Community & Regional Planning Program College of Journalism and Mass Communications ;
Shari R. Veil, MBA, Ph.D., Dean; Adam Wagler, Associate Dean for Academic Programs
HDR
Matt Whaley, Managing Principal
Printed by Barnhart Press, Omaha, Nebraska.
Editorial
By Thomas J. Trenolone
BE A ‘GOOD’ DESIGNER
I was in a moment of reflection as I often am when it comes time to write this letter, those who know me are tuned-in to my references of popular culture from my formative Generation X years; at this point in time, what pops into my head again and again, is the famous speech by Gordon Gekko in Wall Street, directed by Oliver Stone (1987) “Greed is Good.” This speech ultimately leads to a confrontation between the young stockbroker and protagonist, Bud Fox, when he implores Gordon Gekko, his mentor, confidant and hero, “... how much is enough? ”
I do not wish to disparage anyone’s ability to profit from their ingenuity. Many of you know I advocate for designers to get paid. Like Heath Ledger’s Joker said, “If you are good at something never do it for free,” but to Bud Fox’s point, how much is enough ? To simply print this magazine each year we depend on so many great people and organizations. We cannot do it without you and wish them great fortune and prosperity. In my humble opinion, the act of printing this magazine is an act of good, specifically as defined as “for the benefit and advantage of someone or something.”
What would the world be without this goodness ? Maybe because my home is in the “middle of everywhere” I can’t understand the extreme as well as I should. There is a practicality in my nature. I guess that comes with the Nebraska in me, but it is reinforced by sense of good will towards my fellow human beings. One of the great cultural hallmarks of the design profession is that it works to create things that help move our world and culture forward. It’s a difficult job—creation has always been that way. At times, we’ve had to dismantle, repurpose, or even demolish in order to bring these works to life.
As designers, we understand the importance of exploring alternatives when evaluating new ideas or changes to established norms
and traditions. However, in doing so, we are accountable for staying within budget, ensuring public safety and well-being, and considering the impact on our future environment. I fundamentally believe that we–as a state–are good people. I know this because I live here and I have friends and colleagues that are ‘good.’ They are not all the same, and they do not all share the same positions on the “issues,” but I know that if I were in trouble and needed their help, they would simply ask, “Where are you? …What do you need?” I began to look through that lens as we put together this year’s publication and the answer is this; I think you can see that the design professionals in our state are ‘good’ designers, they so often give more than they take. They go above and beyond for their clients—and for the greater public, who are often the true beneficiaries of their work. Their efforts aren’t always overt. Often, they’re quiet and deliberate, acting as careful stewards of hard-earned public funds while safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of our state and community—and making it a more enjoyable place for everyone.
Most of all, I want to thank the great Unicameral staff, the outstanding graduate assistants / Associate Editors who have helped us create special publications in the past, and especially Chloe Martinez and Olivia Hordvik-Chaussee for their work on this third volume.Thank you to the design leadership of our Associate
Art Director, Paige Haskett, for choosing to return to our great state of Nebraska with the knowledge she gained from her time in New York. A moment of gratitude to our Photography Director, Madeline Cass, for sharing her talents and time with us so we can better show you, our readers, the faces of our student staff and the great designers here in the middle of everywhere. Finally, a thank you to my friend, colleague, and design partner in this endeavor, Encarnita Rivera, who has been a guiding force for ‘good’ design her entire career. Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge and experience as a graphic designer with each of us. Every year, as we complete a volume of Unicameral, the students, me, and everyone listed above are richer for it, and you leave the world just a little bit better each time.
The ‘good’ I referred to earlier is central to my belief that thoughtful design can—and will—help us navigate toward a better future. We all know the path to good or great design is rarely smooth, easy, or straightforward. But if we stay true to our process and our values as designers, we will always find a way forward— and contribute meaningful, ‘good’ design to Nebraska and the surrounding region.
Unicameral Staff
1 Stephanie Cabarcas
Stephanie is a highway materials designer for the state of Nebraska and a graduate student at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After earning her undergraduate degree in architectural design in 2023, she interned at a firm that specialized in revitalizing older buildings. Inspired by this experience, Stephanie sought to advance her design skills by enrolling in a master’s program. She spent two years studying music before deciding to follow her first passion: architecture. Outside of work and school, Stephanie loves to engage in various creative pursuits: she crochets, paints, and plays tennis.
2 Nick Carraher
Nick, an emerging design professional from Spalding, Nebraska, earned his degree from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln as a first-generation Husker. His design work has been recognized by several professional organizations. Nick intentionally broadened his education to include fields beyond architecture—such as advertising, marketing, journalism, landscape architecture, construction, and real estate development—to build a strong foundation as a well-rounded design professional.This approach has led to a diverse range of experiences at notable professional firms, all with the goal of contributing to a better built environment. Beyond his work, Nick enjoys board game nights with friends and the art of photography.
3 Paulina Garcia-Medrano
Paulina is a fifth-year Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her frequent moves throughout life sparked a passion for exploring new environments and cultures, fostering a deep appreciation for vernacular design. As the daughter of parents from Guanajuato, Mexico, Paulina embraces the richness of traditional architecture—especially its humble materials and deep cultural significance. She strives to integrate resilience and cultural heritage into contemporary design. In her free time, you can find her reading, immersing herself in music, or spending time with her bunny, Mello.
4 Alejandro Gallegos
Alejandro is a fifth-year Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Born and raised in Lincoln, he is of Mexican descent. As a first-generation college graduate student, he is fulfilling not only his dream—but also his father’s—of having a positive impact on society. His interest in housing was sparked by his father who initiated his own apartment project in Guanajuato, Mexico. Alejandro’s goal is to return to his roots and contribute to housing developments in rural areas of Mexico, as well as in the states. Outside of college, he spends valuable time with the people he cares about, he is also deeply passionate about and invests in photographing the world.
5 Luke Heidenreich
Luke is a fifth-year Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he also earned his Bachelor of Science in Design – Architecture with a minor in Product Design in 2023. His passion for architecture and design began during childhood visits to his grandparents’ home in Illinois. His grandfather, a practicing architect, took him on tours of buildings explaining the different design choices made. These early experiences shaped Luke’s current approach to his studies and work. Particularly drawn to the multidisciplinary nature of design, enjoying the challenge of learning about a wide range of subjects to create innovative solutions.
2024 Fall Semester editorial staff.
6 Olivia Hordvik-Chaussee
Olivia is a design coordinator at HDR and associate editor for Unicameral. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Design from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2024. She will be attending the University of Colorado Denver to pursue her masters in the fall of 2025. Olivia has always been drawn to both the arts and sciences. Early on, she expressed her creativity through painting and sketching, while also nurturing a curiosity about the universe by watching astronomy videos. She originally began studying astronomy and physics but decided to switch to architecture during a visit with her family in Taiwan. Her goal is to merge her two interests and work in interplanetary design. Olivia’s future research will analyze the use of biophilic materials in space in contrast to its benefits on earth.
8 Kayden Lichtas
7 Mia LeRiger
Mia is a fifth-year graduate student at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She holds a degree in Architecture and a minor in Product Design. Born and raised in Omaha, Mia developed a love for the arts and design at an early age. Throughout her youth, she taught herself new artistic skills such as pottery, sculpture, painting, sewing, and furniture refurbishment. What Mia values most—a byproduct of her creative pursuits—is helping others discover and understand how good design can impact communities and create a better world. Her love of design-empathy and creative problemsolving through art mediums led to her start her own small business and gained experience working for a furniture design build company.
Kayden is a fifth-year Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Kayden grew up in La Vista, Nebraska. In high school, he completed a capstone project through the Project Lead the Way STEM Academy at Papillion-La Vista High School, which sparked his interest in architecture and engineering. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Design – Architecture in 2024, Kayden is interning at Wilkins ADP in Lincoln, while pursuing his master’s. He has a passion for digital art, writing, architecture, photography, and life-long learning. Outside of his architectural studies and internship, Kayden is working towards writing a research book which lifts LGBTQ+ and transgender voices.
9 Michael Mancuso
Michael is a Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Originally from Sacramento, California, his interest in design started at a young age playing Minecraft and through conversations with the architect of his parents’ home. After earning his Bachelor of Science in Design – Architecture in 2024, Michael continues to explore architecture that fosters public engagement and strengthens communities. He is particularly interested in adaptive reuse, seeing reuse as a vital tool for maintaining local cultural identity.
10 Chloe Martinez
Chloe is an associate editor for Unicameral and a design coordinator with HDR Omaha. In 2024, she graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelor of Science in Design – Architecture. She is the first in her family to pursue a creative career. In the fall of 2025, Chloe will be attending the University of Illinois-Chicago to pursue her M. Arch. She has found interest in exploring different artistic mediums and concepts and finding ways to apply those to architecture. In her free time, you can find her playing piano, writing, reading, or attending a concert.
JJ is a fifth-year Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. JJ grew up not far from Lincoln in the small city of Grand Island. His love for design began at a young age with LEGO and was later fueled by TV shows like Treehouse Masters and Extreme Makeover: Home Editio n. During high school, he was given the opportunity to take a drafting/engineering course where he was introduced to the basics of architecture. Throughout his undergraduate learning experience he was inspired by sustainable design and improving communities by enhancing the human experience through thoughtful and intentional design.
14 Megan Pfeifer
Megan is a sixth-year Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska. In 2023, Megan earned her Bachelor of Science in Design, specializing in Environmental Studies. Her undergraduate work sparked a passion for inclusive and sustainable design, driving her commitment to exceed ADA standards and to developing more comprehensive accessibility guidelines in the future. Megan’s dedication to inclusivity is reflected in her volunteer work with disability-focused programs and fundraising for Children’s Hospital.
12 Kara Morgia
Kara Morgia is a first-year Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design in May of 2024 from UNL. Influenced by her education, she appreciates the human scale in design, as well as the role of human behavior in the built environment. While interested in developing an interdisciplinary practice, she is inspired by the role of the built environment as a catalyst for people and places on a variety of scales. Outside of architecture she enjoys the excitement of exploring new cities and traveling, as well as shutting in to become engrossed in a good book, a puzzle, or a new crochet project.
15 William Roarty
Will comes to us from Ralston, Nebraska. A sixth-year Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 2023, with a minor in Community and Regional Planning. Encouraged by his mentors, William has been committed to the development of UNL’s American Institute of Architecture Students chapter serving as Mentorship Director, NCARB Student Licensing Advisor, AIA Nebraska Emerging Professionals Committee member, and most recently as Chapter President. Inspired by his time at UNL, William has developed a passion for community engagement and design education through his studio work and time as a peer mentor to first-year students.
13 Thinh Nguyen
Thinh is a fifth-year Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is originally from Vietnam and has resided in Lincoln since 2014. Through his academic studies and internship experience, he finds joy in both designing and utilizing creative tools to bring visual concepts to life. Thinh is tech-savvy and enjoys tackling challenging problems. He is also deeply interested in urban design and believes the concept of walkable cities to be an ideal urban model. Fundamentally, he aims to practice design to bring about a sense of awe, to foster the community, and promote a healthy working and living environment.
16 Rhiannon Strazdas
Rhiannon is a fifth-year Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Architecture in 2024, with a minor in Product Design. Originally from Omaha, Rhiannon pursued all things creative including painting and drawing. After taking STEM classes in middle and high school, she realized architecture was the perfect way to merge her love for art and science. Throughout her undergraduate studies, she developed a particular interest in sustainable building practices, eco-friendly innovations, and biophilic design.
17 Angela Vu
Angela is a sixth-year Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Growing up in Hastings, Nebraska, her interest in art and the built environment developed early on. She hopes to improve communities by designing thoughtful spaces. Angela’s goal is to continue a life-long learning of meaningful theories and concepts of the masters of architecture. She is focusing on designing for a future that will combine exploration of new possibilities and creatively solving problems that serve a purpose.
18 Mara Wasserman
Mara grew up in Lincoln and is now a sixthyear Master of Architecture student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She developed interests in sustainability and healthcare design, which she plans to continue pursuing as she strives to make a positive impact in the world. Mara was recently named one of the student winners of the 2024 Next Work Design Competition, creating a design that prioritizes community and connection while working remote. Outside of school, Mara is training for her third marathon, with a goal to run a marathon in every state.
19 Grant Wolfe
Grant is a fifth-year Master of Architecture student at the University of NebraskaLincoln. He holds degrees in Architecture with a minor in Product Design, Residential Carpentry and Cabinetry. Born in Omaha, he has 15 years of experience in the construction industry and has owned his own carpentry business since 2016. Grant was a lead builder and contractor on FYI Network’s Tiny House Nation, helping to complete The American Museum of Natural History’s The Secret World of Elephants and The New York Historical Society’s Our Composite Nation
Left to right; Chloe Martinez, Associate Editor, Paige Haskett, Associate Art Director, Olivia Hordvik-Chaussee, Associate Editor
Spring semester editorial and design staff, environmental graphics in production for the final gallery exhibition, May 6, 2025.
Madeline Cass
Madeline is a local photographer whose ongoing support and contribution to Unicameral fuels our momentum.
Mad Cass is a multidisciplinary artist based in Lincoln, Nebraska where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art with an emphasis in photography from the University of Nebraska. Her work primarily centers in and around photography, poetry, artist books, painting, and drawing, often blending the line between several of these disciplines. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Her book, “How Lonely to be a Marsh,” was featured at Fotobokfestival in Oslo, and has been collected by institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art Library, The National Gallery of Art Library, The Getty Research Institute Library, and The Museum of Fine Arts Houston’s Hirsch Library. Her photography has been published in the following list of selected publications: The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and National Geographic
Featured photography throughout Unicameral by Madeline Cass unless otherwise noted.
https://www.madelinecass.com
@madelinecass
By supporting Unicameral, these groups and individuals attest to their belief in the power of design and its importance in creating great environments, places, and products in the great state of Nebraska and surrounding territories.This publicaiton would not exist without their passion and commitment to great design in the middle of everywhere. Thank you for continuing to make Nebraska a great place to practice and create.
AIA Nebraska
AOI
DLR Group
GreenSlate Development
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce
HDR
IIDA Great Plains Chapter
LEO A DALY
Nebraska Masonry Alliance
Noddle Development Company
Olsson
RDG Planning & Design
Ronco Construction
TACKarchitects
Tom & Amy Trenolone
University of Nebraska Foundation
Whiting + Turner
We also extend our appreciation to the University of Nebraska Foundation’s leaders and staff for their support behind the scenes processing the generous gifts of our patrons. To all of you, from the students, professionals, and faculty of Unicameral – Thank you.
Featured Artist Bruce Beasley
Pioneering sculptor Bruce Beasley transforms basic geometric shapes into mesmerizing compositions that seem to defy gravity. Working in materials from bronze and granite to Lucite, his sculptures have commanded international attention since his undergraduate years, when the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) displayed Beasley’s work with Picasso’s and Duchamp’s in a groundbreaking 1961 exhibition.
Works in The Primacy of Form were made especially for the KANEKO exhibition, which represents a culmination of Bruce Beasley’s six-decade artistic journey. His masterful balance of opposing forces –mathematical precision with organic flow, complexity with elegance – demonstrates why Beasley’s work is widely collected, frequently installed in public places, and continues to captivate audiences. KANEKO’s soaring spaces provide the perfect setting for these sculptures, allowing visitors to appreciate their commanding presence and intricate interplay of form and light.
1 Matt Smith, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP Architect and Co-Owner of 1 x 2 Architecture. Smith is from Fort Calhoun, NE and earned a BS in Design and M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[MCC Auto Technology Facility]
2 Ashley Byars, AIA Partner at Actual Architecture. Byars is from Omaha, NE and earned a BS in Design and M. Arch from the University of NebraskaLincoln.
[Sylvan Lake House]
3 Jefferey L. Day, FAIA Partner at Actual Architecture. Day is from Rockport, ME and earned a BA in Visual & Environmental Studies from Harvard University and M. Arch at UC Berkeley.
[Sylvan Lake House]
4 Dennis Krymuza Senior Designer at Actual Architecture. Krymuza is from Omaha, NE and earned a BS in Design and M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[Sylvan Lake House]
5 Ryan Fisher, AIA Partner at APMA. Fisher is from Omaha, NE and earned a B. Arch from Iowa State University.
[Foundation Offices Expansion]
6 Rick Hauptman, AIA, NCARB Partner at APMA. Hauptman is from Omaha, NE and earned a BS in Design and M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[Springfield Elementary School]
7 Nancy Novak, NCIDQ, LEED AP Partner at APMA. Novak is from Omaha, NE and earned a BA in English at the University of Rhode Island and AA in Interior Design from Minnesota State University.
[Omaha Central Library]
8 Katrina Stoffel, IIDA, NE RID, NCIDQ, WELL AP, CDF Partner at APMA. Stoffel is from Elkhorn, NE and earned a BS in Interior Design from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[Memoir]
9 Tori Dunston
Project Manager at Blair Freeman. Dunston is from Omaha, NE and earned a BA in Business Administration with an emphasis in marketing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and M. Arch at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[Tremé, New Orleans, Louisiana]
10 Phuong Nguyen, AIA, NCARB, NOMA Senior Associate Architect at BVH Architecture. Nguyen is from Vietnam and earned a BS in Interior Design and M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[Bridge Park: Park Bridge]
11 Caitlin Bolte, PLA, AICP, ASLA, APA Principal at Confluence. Bolte is from Emmetsburg, IA and earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University.
[Weigand Marina Expansion at Lewis and Clark Lake]
12 Seth Gray, PLA Principal at Confluence. Gray is from Omaha, NE and earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University.
[Weigand Marina Expansion at Lewis and Clark Lake]
13 Kayla Bailey, NCIDQ, WELL AP Interior Designer at DLR Group. Bailey is from Omaha, NE and earned a BS in Design and M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. [White Lotus Group-Nebraska Realty]
14 David Penka, AIA, NCARB Senior Associate at DLR group. Penka is from Omaha, NE and earned a BS in Design and M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[White Lotus Group-Nebraska Realty]
15 Stephen Chu Design Principal at Ennead Architects. Chu is from California and earned a B. Arch at UC Berkley and a degree in Architecture from the Universita IUAV di Venezia.
[Steelhouse Omaha]
16 Francelle Lim, AIA Principal at Ennead Architects. Lim is from Michigan and earned an M. Arch from the University of Michigan.
[Steelhouse Omaha]
17 Patrick Moore, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP
Principal Architect at Goodlife Architecture. Moore is from Kearny, NE and earned an M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[Dead-End Viaduct]
18 Kevin Augustyn, AIA, NCARB
Associate Design Principal at HDR. Augustyn is from Omaha, NE and earned a BS in Design and M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[Douglas County Juvenile Center]
19 Jen Cross, PLA, ASLA
Principal Landscape Architect at HDR. Cross is from Pocahontas, IA and earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University.
[Acorn Acres]
20 Tyson Fiscus, AIA
Technical Design Associate Principal at HDR. Fiscus is from Coleridge, NE and pursued a BS in Design and M. Arch at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[Cobalt Credit Union, Kiewit Luminarium, Omaha Central Library]
21 Ashley Glesinger
Design Architect at HDR. Glesinger is from Spalding, NE and earned a BS in Design and M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[Conceptual Terrain, Omaha Central Library]
22 Michael P. Hamilton, AIA
Design Principal at HDR. Hamilton is from Omaha, NE and earned a B. Arch from the University of Toronto and M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[Kiewit Luminarium, Omaha Central Library]
23 Chloe Martinez
Design Coordinator at HDR. Martinez is from Lincoln, NE and earned a BS in Design from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is pursuing a M. Arch from the University of Illinois-Chicago.
[CoArts]
24 Taylor Nielsen
Associate Design Principal at HDR. Nielsen is from Springfield, NE and earned a BS in Design and M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[Maverick Park, Omaha Central Library]
25 Alex Robinson
Landscape/Urban Designer at HDR. Robinson is from Clive, IA and earned dual bachelor’s degrees in landscape architecture and environmental studies from Iowa State University.
[Conceptual Terrain]
26 Tom Trenolone, FAIA
Editor in Chief of Unicameral magazine and Design Director at HDR. Trenolone is from Omaha, NE and earned a BA/BJ in Journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and M. Arch from the University of Kansas.
[Omaha Central Library]
27 Tim Williams, AIA
Design Principal at HDR. Williams is from Omaha, NE and earned an M. Arch from the University of Kansas.
[Kiewit Luminarium, Omaha Central Library]
28 Cole Wycoff, AIA
Design Principal at HDR. Wycoff is from Hastings, NE and earned a BS in Design and M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[Kiewit Luminarium, Omaha Central Library]
29 Bruce Niedermyer, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP Senior Partner at RDG Planning & Design. Niedermyer is from Logan, IA and earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University.
[Springfield 3rd Street Greenway]
30 Colee Meyer, AIA
Senior Associate at Holland Basham Architects. Meyer is from Omaha, NE and earned a BS in Design and M. Arch from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[QLI Smart Apartment]
31 Eddie Opara
Partner at Pentagram. Opara is from London, England and earned a BA (Hons) in Media Production Design from the London College of Communication and MFA, Graphic Design from Yale University.
[Steelhouse Omaha]
32 Teia Kilian
M. Arch student at the University of Cambridge.
She is from Irvine, California and earned a BS in Design at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[CoArts]
The State of Design
GoodLife Architecture
Dead-End Viaduct
Goodlife Architecture is a design firm that focuses on sustainable, community-oriented spaces, with an emphasis on repurposing existing structures for modern use. Founded by Patrick Moore, the firm seeks to breathe new life into buildings, creating spaces that celebrate both history and innovation. Patrick Moore, the founder of Goodlife Architecture, chose to return to his hometown
of Kearney, Nebraska, for both personal and professional reasons. While working on various design projects across the country earlier in his career, the pull of his roots in Kearney was undeniable. Family played a significant role in his decision to come back—his ties to the area were strong, and he felt a deep sense of responsibility to contribute to the community that shaped him.
Kearney, with its small-town charm and rich history, had always been an integral part of Moore’s identity.
The work of Goodlife Architecture is characterized by a deep respect for the environments they engage with, and their projects reflect a thoughtful approach to design that blends form, function, and the fabric of local communities. Their connection to the DeadEnd Viaduct project is rooted in their philosophy of transforming underutilized or forgotten spaces into thriving community hubs. The viaduct, once a functioning transportation structure, is now being considered as an opportunity to revitalize and reuse. Moore and his team saw potential in the viaduct’s existing framework, and instead of demolishing it, they decided to give it a second life.
Located in a renovated historic structure, Goodlife’s office exemplifies the sustainable practices they champion. The building retains its historical charm while incorporating modern amenities and energy-efficient features. This approach mirrors their larger goal of revitalizing underutilized spaces—whether it be a former industrial site, a downtown building, or as in the
case of the Dead-End Viaduct, a neglected structure. Their focus on repurposing old buildings allows them to design with a sense of history, while also embracing the needs and aspirations of today’s communities. The Dead-End Viaduct project fits neatly within this philosophy, transforming a once-abandoned structure into a meaningful and dynamic community space. The Dead-End Viaduct project serves as a perfect example of these principles in action, demonstrating how architecture can transform neglected spaces into vital, community-focused hubs. By reimagining spaces like the viaduct, Goodlife Architecture is not only contributing to Kearney’s revitalization but also setting a precedent for adaptive reuse projects nationwide.
Alejandro Gallegos
Confluence
24TH Street Lane Reduction
This pulse is positioned in a way that encourages appreciation for these natural transitions and hopes to promote environmental stewardship of the urban ecosystem that you just do not get when walking through the cement jungle in many other parts of the city.
Cities are often characterized by their architectural silhouettes, grandiose glass, and steel structures dominating skylines throughout the built world. Rarely do we see these small, carefully crafted drivers of the cities glorified. Providing connections and interaction, it is here that our urban communities take shape; this is where we see the importance of shared spaces and how they can become vital venues for the human experience.
In Omaha, we have seen efforts to enhance the city’s public areas. In recent years, the city has – through both public and private means – pushed for a less auto-centric and more pedestrian-friendly lifestyle. The integration of green spaces downtown and in different pockets of the city, promotes slower cautionary driving and an emergence of higher-quality bike lanes and more accessible public transportation.
When developing these verdant spaces that run throughout this intersection, the designers at Confluence sought to emphasize seasonal impacts on the plant life within the structures. Caitlin Bolte, and Dolores Silworthy, who led the design, spoke about enhancing the user’s experience at multiple levels; to slow the central vehicular artery that goes through this intersection to accommodate a safer path for pedestrians and students.
Decorative ironwork can be seen peeking out of the greenery within the central islands. Callbacks to the university’s original architecture. Bolte and Silworthy noted the limitations of greenery that the college is willing to accept but wanted to make sure that with each season the landscapes transformed, the greens and yellows melted into reds and oranges, optimizing a deep sensory connection to the pulse of the envirionment. This pulse encourages appreciation for natural transitions and hopes and promotes environmental stewardship of the urban ecosystem.
The intersection at Creighton University gives students and the residents of Creighton access to the striking changing of the season and presents a public space where we can engage with our neighbors, and in so doing, fosters our sense of community. Collective participation and local engagement especially at an intersection of academia and the local residents, can encourage the discourse between peers who may not interact on a typical day-to-day basis.
Grant Wolfe
The State of Design
Confluence
Weigand Marina Expansion
Just outside of Crofton, Nebraska at Lewis and Clark Lake, lies the Weigand Marina, a regional destination for outdoor recreation. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission brought in the team of landscape architects, urban designers and planners of Confluence, Omaha, to reimagine and expand the marina. Confluence’s expansion goes beyond increasing capacity—it reshapes the marina as a dynamic space that enhances community engagement, prioritizes ecological resilience, and integrates seamlessly into the urban landscape.
The current marina area is a diamond in the rough. “It’s an
outstanding amenity for the state of Nebraska and it really has the opportunity to put Nebraska on the map,” says Principal, Caitlin Bolte. The current restraints holding back the site is the need to expand boating slips of which there are currently 116. Other issues also include poor vehicular and pedestrian circulation, lack of well distributed social spaces, and disconnected green spaces. Confluence planned for ADAcompliant pathways to ensure the marina is welcoming to all visitors, while multi-functional spaces provide areas for public events and other outdoor activities. The marina’s new design will expand boat slips from 116 to 526. The design of the Wiegand Marina expansion emphasizes bringing people close to the water. Thoughtfully planned boardwalks guide visitors along the marina, while shaded seating areas and green spaces provide tranquil spots to enjoy the scenery along the shoreline. Additionally, innovative lighting solutions ensure safety and accentuate architectural
Nebraska may be known for its plains, but its marinas are making waves— especially with the exciting new vision behind the Weigand Marina expansion.
details at night, transforming the marina into a vibrant destination throughout the day and evening.
Recognizing the waterfront’s ecological significance, Confluence prioritized preserving the local ecosystem. Native vegetation, marine-friendly construction materials, and protected areas for wildlife have been carefully incorporated into the landscape supporting local biodiversity. The team worked with environmental scientists to develop strategies to plan construction and design mindfully around wildlife such as piping plovers, eagles nests, bat habitats, and pallid sturgeons. They also collaborated with civil engineers and the client to figure out which trees to remove and how to minimize manipulation of grade around big trees. The design for the Weigand Marina Expansion serves as a visionary example of modern waterfront planning with a skilled balance of homegrown natural sourcing and respect for existing communities and ecosystems.
Mia LeRiger
QLI is a rehabilitation and care center specializing in neurological injury diagnosis and care for individuals with goals to protect dignity, instill purpose, and create hope. More than just a rehabilitation center, this organization has big dreams and aspirations to create true recovery beyond the science of intensive therapy. The smart apartments at QLI started as just that, a dream. When QLI approached Holland Basham Architects, their goal was to create a transitional apartment, testing various technologies that could facilitate independent living for patients.
The apartments utilize DIRTT Environmental Solutions’ modular wall systems almost entirely, excluding the fixed wet walls in the bathrooms. The apartment utilizes smart technology, voice control, and adaptable configurations to allow for modification for different residents. Real-time adjustments can be made to technologies without time-consuming and destructive alterations; this becomes the major success of this concept.
The use of natural light and an overall calming and relaxing living environment is created through the connection of the open floor plan to a covered patio, extending along the south side of the building. The view overlooks a pond and brings plenty of natural light into the spaces.
Bathroom countertops and dining table surfaces are adjustable to accommodate varying wheelchair types. Voice control commands to open blinds, unlock doors, and turn on the shower to adjust to various temperatures are a few nameable features within the apartments. Small details in the apartment, such as the selection of fixed appliances, provided a unique design challenge that allowed for exploration and communication amongst stakeholders to truly remain a functional living space for patients. QLI introduces the importance of scale in design with this project’s intention being “micro.” Small-scale successes impacting everyday use from the ability to maneuver about a kitchen, open a drawer or to reach a hanger rod.
Architect Colee Meyer at Holland Basham believes the impact of technology brings many advantages in day-to-day functions: for example, through the introduction of fall detection technology. The QLI smart apartments push the boundaries of independent living and rehabilitative spaces by creating autonomy while supporting a community. They adapt to the needs of their residents and lead the way with higher standards of comfort and safety for everyone.
Kara Morgia
Holland Basham Architects QLI Smart Apartments
FLOOR PLAN
The State of Design
BVH Architecture
Bridge Park: Park Bridge
The unbuilt, nature-focused project Bridge Park is the result of collaboration between architect Phuong Nguyen, project coordinators, and interns at BVH Architecture, headquartered in Omaha. As project lead, Nguyen believes that designers cannot recreate what nature has already provided, but with Bridge Park: Park Bridge, she comes close. “If we try to recreate something that mimics nature, we could never beat the true and raw beauty of nature.”
By designing a walkway between two green spaces across Pacific Street in Omaha, BVH connects the community and encourages exploration between the two. It is a pedestrian bridge that merges two parks seamlessly with its own thoughtfully contained program and master plan. This project will allow pedestrians to recreate in the two connecting green areas plus an added new site on the bridge to enjoy while traversing to their next destination. The
organic and fluid structure encourages pedestrians to meander throughout the park bridge and experience its different programmatic qualities. The undulating wooden paneling gives pedestrians a sense of belonging within the context of nature even with buzzing traffic underneath their feet.
This design brings about a forward-thinking, ecologically conscious advantage to
pedestrian bridges that are often overlooked as industrial, utilitarian modes of transportation. We can only hope that Nebraska’s future embraces projects like this— ones that seamlessly integrate everyday transportation with the natural landscape.
Stephanie Cabarcas
RDG Planning & Design
Springfield 3 RD Street Greenway
The Third Street Greenway feasibility report conducted by RDG Planning and Design, offers an analysis of Springfield, Illinois’ Third Street Rail Corridor, proposing the development of a linear park following the planned relocation of train activity to the 10TH Street rail line.
Landscape Architect and RDG Planning and Design Principal, Bruce Niedermyer, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP, recognized that this project could transcend the traditional “rail-to-trail” model by creating an opportunity to reimagine the urban core and restore unity to a community historically divided by the rail corridor. While the 10TH Street rail line will remain active, transforming the Third Street corridor into a greenway will help reconnect neighborhoods and create accessible public spaces illustrating how urban design can heal past divisions while coexisting with existing infrastructure. The feasibility report explores innovative ideas for downtown Springfield, addressing connectivity and safety challenges posed by the Third Street rail corridor. Moving beyond the conventional rail-totrail model, the report offers a comprehensive strategy emphasizing community engagement and collaboration. The Greenway aims to establish a linear park that enhances safety, connectivity, and economic development through meaningful design.
Megan Pfeifer
Zones 1 & 9: South Trail Connector and the North Springfield Connector link the Greenway to existing trails, enhancing accessibility for all residents.
Zone 2: Adjacent to the South Trail Connector, a proposed residential infill zone offers a speculative opportunity to address public housing needs through various developments. A meandering pathway will serve as an entrance to the Greenway, providing shade and acting as a buffer for the adjacent industrial area.
Zones 3 & 4: Incorporating a Super Boulevard concept, tackling issues of resident safety, economic decline, and the division caused by the rail line. Proposals include a 12-foot-wide multi-use trail featuring murals along with wide crosswalks with seating areas to enhance pedestrian safety and stimulate local businesses.
Zones 5 & 6: Comprised of the Central Core Pedestrian Mall and Capitol Landing, these zones highlight key points of interest, including the Dana-Thomas House, the Capitol Avenue Bridge, and the Amtrak Depot.
There is a large focus on a pedestrian-oriented street in these zones with a programmable plaza space to revitalize the area, foster local businesses, and improve safety through effective wayfinding and traffic separation. The Capitol Avenue Bridge will serve as a signature pedestrian connection, enhancing the urban landscape
Zone 7: The Medical District Connector incorporates adjacent local hospitals and will feature community gathering spaces and playgrounds, addressing the need for outdoor spaces. Restorative areas will connect with the existing YMCA, providing immediate access to nature for surrounding business staff members, hospital patients, and visitors while managing stormwater runoff and enhancing biodiversity.
Zone 8: North Springfield Trail, bordered by residential and commercial properties, features a problematic intersection with conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles. The report recommends converting this area into a 12-foot-wide multi-use trail and redesigning the intersection for improved pedestrian safety.
Nebraska STEM
Under the Spotlight
By Mia LeRiger
Kiewit Luminarium
HDR
In the heart of Omaha’s revitalized riverfront, the Kiewit Luminarium stands as a striking addition to the city’s landscape, merging science, art, and human perception in a space designed to ignite curiosity. This building is unique in that it started with a need for change in the community by the community. This project was initiated by community leaders who wanted to address the lack of STEM learning in Nebraska in which the state was ranked at the bottom in the BIG 10. HDR Project Architect, Michael Hamilton, spoke on this issue: “Nebraska is in last place in the Big 10 [for STEM learning] what can we do about helping our workforce become more educated in STEM ideas and teach them about opportunities? You have to change the path somehow to make change… How about we start educating young kids about STEM ideas? Get them excited about some of the phenomenon behind science and maybe they’ll start to fall in love with it and choose to go down a path of learning more about STEM careers and becoming architects, engineers, contractors, and tradespeople.”
This innovative STEM museum, while aimed at impacting the youth, invites people of all ages to explore phenomena through interactive exhibits, setting the stage for discovery and connection. The Luminarium embraces flexibility, with its design focused on adaptability, allowing for a dynamic and evolving range of programming and exhibits. The exhibits are currently themed around different scientific notions and STEM careers. In addition to the gallery spaces, there are maker spaces, classrooms, a café, gift shop, and administrative support spaces.
The Site
One of the Luminarium’s most striking aspects is its interplay with the surrounding environment. Facing the Missouri River, the building’s façade opens toward the city, creating an inviting flow that encourages exploration beyond its walls. This specific site was chosen due to being a new developmental area and its adjacency to places such as the Omaha Children’s Museum and the Gene Leahy Mall.
Unfortunately, the site didn’t come without issues. Due to the site previously being an oil refinery and now being classified as a ‘brown site’ they were only able to build on a certain small footprint. This limitation pushed the team to maximize the site and design upward.
The Inspirations
When HDR took on the project they first started with various learning journeys exploring how other places and museums tackle the task of stem education in Boston and the Bay Area. They fell in love with the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California. The Exploratorium is a museum of science, technology, and arts. They liked the simplicity of their open container architecture, creating wide open spaces that allowed individuals to choose their own adventure over a single storyline. HDR actually hired and worked closely with the Exploratorium throughout the project. They also collaborated with them on exhibition design because of their success creating a hands-on learning experience as the best approach to retaining knowledge.
The Form
In designing the building’s form, HDR was inspired by the simplicity and functionality of the midwestern “machine-shed” vernacular along with the Exploratorium’s open container concept. They started broke down the masses into two long bars, having the east bar near the river more anchored into the ground while the west bar towards the city is lifted and becomes like a billboard of sorts. The lifted bar reveals an all-glass ground floor, connecting the interior with the outside world. The building form is then shifted to create an entry plaza near the playground and a concealed service area in the rear.
This thoughtful design, which maximizes natural light and ventilation also incorporates sustainable elements such as photovoltaics, making it not only a hub for science but also a model of environmental responsibility. The building’s architecture is both pragmatic and performative. Its form is driven by practicality, yet the interior experience is far from ordinary. Visitors are greeted by an immersive sensory experience within a 3-story atrium, exhibits suspended in the central space wrap along the edge of a double-height area with plenty of visual cues for interaction.
The Building is an Exhibit
A goal of the design was to make the building itself an exhibit. This was accomplished by intentionally exposing the interior walls to allow users a view into the building’s structure. The idea of presenting the building as an exhibit doesn’t only apply to the interior, the exterior is a captivating work of art. During design
development, the question that repeatedly came up in discussion was, “How can we design an exterior skin that accomplishes engineering requirements and at the same time be animated and visually dynamic?”
The team was able to achieve this by optimizing the exterior shading devices through daylighting studies and limiting glazing to enhance the desired effects.
From across the Missouri River, Luminarium is visibly aglow at night. This dazzling phosphorescence is achieved with LED lights placed behind sawtooth aluminum panels, then light reflects down onto a white metal surface which becomes amplified exponentially to gleam across the perforated aluminum. It creates an ethereal effect that lights up the entire building against the dark landscape. Hence its name ‘Luminarium’. In addition to its commitment to sustainability, community engagement is at the heart of its
mission. A primary focus on creating a space for people from all backgrounds, the museum serves as both a cultural and educational destination. The seamless integration of sensory stimulus built into stairways and corridors further enhances the visitor experience, ensuring that learning occurs at every step. The Kiewit Luminarium is more than a museum—it is a living breathing space that will evolve with the needs of its community. It will continue to offer endless possibilities for discoveries and inspiration. Generating experiential transformative exhibits to bridge the arts and sciences with human interaction, it elevates Omaha’s place on the map as a leader in innovative public spaces.
Precision in perforation: light, shadow, and the art of aluminum.
FIL E BEYOND WHATIF
This article was written in early November of 2024. Since then, the world has changed, and I would like to express an important paradigm; Just because we dream of another home doesn’t mean we should abandon ours.
The fear of the unknown drives our hesitation to think about life beyond our world. What if there is no life, and what if there is? What if it’s hostile? In elementary school, we were told not to ask “what if” questions because they limit our thinking process. Later, during my undergraduate schooling, we were taught to approach a project as something bigger. To ask ourselves “what if,” but in a constructive context to problem solve around a creative design. So, what if we imagine what architecture could be in the unknown? Life cannot continue living on Earth forever, and architecture has recently expanded to the realm of interplanetary design. Humanity has already discovered galaxies where other planets have the same makeup of gases as Earth and are placed in the same relative location (The Goldilocks zone), so why not dream of something otherworldly?
SpaceX is a well-known corporation exploring interdisciplinary design. Their architecture practice, “Search+”, investigates and produces innovative, human-centric designs that allow human beings to live and thrive in environments beyond Earth. Often in collaboration with other companies, such as NASA, their team revolves around three people who have diverse backgrounds in astronomy, astrophysics, and architecture. Their most recent project is a long-term habitable structure named Lunar Lantern. Lunar Lantern was developed in collaboration with ICON, NASA, and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) to conceptualize a house that exceeds the factor of safety for the first extended mission to the moon. The idea is that this outpost would be constructed on the
moon using automated 3D printers. They theorize that the equipment would be sent to the moon via a spaceship, and after construction, the main habitat of the Lunar Lantern would be equipped with accessories such as a base isolator, tension cables, and a Whipple shield to account for external forces. Lunar Lantern is a project that is completely based on reality and theoretically achievable in the next decade. They have already announced their first steps to achieve their goal of long-term human life on the moon for this project, although other companies are undergoing a similar practice of their own in a more conceptual process.
Another firm developing strategies for life beyond Earth is SAGA Space Architects. Their focus is on emphasizing how imagination and practicality can co-exist in the balance of art and data. They adapt Earth-based design principles to curate their projects in space to bring a level of human comfort to the interplanetary structure. Like NASA, they have conceptualized projects on the moon while working in collaboration with companies like the European Space Agency (ESA), whose mission is to make space habitable. SAGA’s Dandelion Shelter is an example of a project that is developed somewhere between reality and fantasy. Dandelion Shelter takes place on Mars, and the project goal is to create an achievable first step towards making Mars habitable for human exploration. The form is derived from the life cycle of a dandelion; The seeds of a dandelion fly through the air just as the pods would on Mars and unfold once they land. After landing and unfolding, SAGA designed skinny cylindrical tendrils that would charge the shelter passively through static electricity from a passing dust storm. This would be done through the triboelectric effect, which happens when two or more materials touch and the electrons move from one object to the other. The tendrils would be
made from acrylic-coated carbon fiber and work as the electrostatic harvester. It would then start electrolyzing air into water, farming algae, and producing oxygen. After the base fully charges, the structure would light up as a way-finding element to other colonies, “Guiding you like a lighthouse through blinding fog.”
The Dandelion Shelter is more fictional than the Lunar Lantern, but still successfully and legitimately theorizes the project’s systems. SAGA also offers plausible material solutions that could survive on Mars and creates a plan for how the shelter might be deployed. However, there is an even more theoretical level to the interplanetary process that pushes the limits of how we think about design.
Dreamscape architecture is an architectural vernacular that could be defined as a type of digital architecture, similar to artificial architecture. It’s based on imaginative surrealist design, combining other worldly elements with a sense of our reality. Often, these representations of dreamscape architecture include objects that defy gravity or have a sense of wonder embedded in their version of an unknown planet. Superstudio is an architecture firm created by Cristiano Toraldo di Francia and Adolfo Natalini in the 1960s that reimagined the future of architecture and society. Similar to the way we imagine how humans will inhabit outer space, they created fictional worlds free of science and rules. One of their pieces, “The Twelve Ideal Cities,” is an exploration of these planets
based on a vision of the ideal cities. Many of these illustrations carry similar characteristics of dreamscape architecture with elements that ignore our current understanding of our world.
“Fifth City – City of Hemispheres” is a universe in which people inhabit spherical crystalline sarcophagi controlled by outside telekinesis means, and in which society is immobilized.
“Fourth City – Spaceship City” is a curated society where they challenge the notion of what a city could be in interplanetary design: “If a city can be considered a place where a group of men are born, live and die; … then a spaceship… is also a city”. In the beliefs they’re contending, they are also creating surrealist planets and include objects that defy the law of physics, similar to what architects today theorize about the design in space. This is the final stage of asking “what if”-it’s not functional or realistic but makes you dream of something otherworldly.
In the grand scheme of time, we are just beginning to learn the science of space and our solar system. Companies like NASA and SAGA use interplanetary design as a science that could be designed now, while Superstudio thinks of interplanetary design as something that comes after. By taking these different levels of realistic ideas to conceptual ideas, we can begin exploring the possibilities of architecture on other planets and how it applies to Earth. Not every design we conceptualize must be nonfictional, and by asking ourselves “what if,” we can start to explore the boundaries of creative design.
you are not alive. If you are not playful,
David Hockney English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer, and photographer
Fueling the
Photography:
Industry Metropolitan Community College Auto Technology Facility
Matt Smith, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, is an architect, project manager, and principal at BVH Architecture. Specializing in educational and hospitality spaces, he believes in the power of design to spark curiosity and make a positive impact on users and communities. The Metropolitan Community College (MCC) Auto Technology Facility at the South Omaha campus, spanning roughly 100,000 square feet, reflects this philosophy, combining automotive technology and collision technology programs into one groundbreaking structure. Developed in partnership with local car dealerships, this facility is among the first in the country to bring these programs together, addressing the rising demand for skilled automotive technicians while pushing against industry stereotypes.
Smith spoke about the negative stereotypes often attached to the automotive field and technical education, which are commonly seen as less prestigious. This new facility directly counters these views, demonstrating that even traditional industrial fields deserve advanced, well-designed learning environments. The design thoughtfully separates the programs into distinct zones to address the specific safety and functional needs: automotive technology focusing on engine diagnostics and maintenance, is on one side, while automotive collision, which involves bodywork and creates potentially harmful dust, is on the other. This careful organization exemplifies the precision needed to support a learning environment in a high-tech industry.
The facility also provides students with dedicated classrooms, break areas, offices, and a showroom, creating a balanced academic and hands-on learning space. Public and private partners can observe work in the service bays from interior glass walkways, enhancing transparency and community engagement. This open design not only showcases the program’s activities, but also creates a sense of unity between MCC, the students, and the industry.
MCC’s new Auto Technology Facility was designed to meet the institution’s sustainability standards, including achieving a LEED Silver certification. Notably, the facility surpassed expectations by coming within just two points of LEED Gold—a significant accomplishment given the high energy demands of automotive equipment. To further challenge the stigma that automotive facilities must be drab and utilitarian, biophilic elements such as diffused lighting, material choices, and organic forms were thoughtfully integrated into the interior design. Natural light flows through
clerestory windows, and organic materials like wood help soften the industrial setting. Acoustic panels, create a honeycomb pattern, add warmth, and reduce noise in study focus areas. Rooftop solar panels and the Living Building Challenge Red List-free materials further enhance the project’s commitment to sustainability and a healthier environment.
Despite having already outgrown the new facility due to the program’s popularity, BVH began to anticipate how the automotive industry would evolve in the future. With its forward-looking approach, the facility was designed to accommodate shifts in the automotive industry, including the rise of electric vehicles and aluminum frames, which require different ventilation and equipment setups. Currently, there are several automotive bays dedicated to working on electric vehicles, and ventilation and electrical systems were designed to handle different situations. This allows the facility to evolve alongside industry advancements, ensuring it remains a valuable asset to MCC.
The MCC Auto Technology Facility serves as a testament to the value of nontraditional education paths and the impact that a well-designed space can have on students. Merging thoughtful design with practical function challenges outdated perceptions and inspires both students and professionals, proving that even “grease lightning” deserves a space that’s as innovative as the industry it fuels.
By Angela Vu
Downtown Lincoln is booming with life and activity in certain areas like the Haymarket where bars and businesses are flourishing, but just a couple of blocks away are a handful of completely desolate buildings, depleted of life. As I traverse around and through what is supposed to be the heart of the city, I feel a bit dispirited by the numerous abandoned buildings that are left in various states of disrepair. Unfortunately, Lincoln is not the only town affected by this predicament. Throughout Nebraska’s history, we have been able to accomplish incredible feats of architecture. From the ornate to the sleek, our buildings take on a variety of shapes and sizes. Some buildings have managed to survive for several generations, while others seem to disintegrate right before our very eyes.
Behind every building is an architect, or a group of architects, who have carefully concocted the structure and layout fitting their desired program. Older buildings harbor cultural and historical value. Preserving them means preserving the community and its identity. Older buildings can capture the architectural and cultural values of that point in time. In some cases, they can showcase craftsmanship and techniques that are more ornate and not as common in modern-day construction processes. These styles include Victorian, Art Deco, and Gothic Revival which all require unique skills. Some older buildings may serve as a landmark for their community and aid in wayfinding within the town. They may also attract tourists to the site and be used for educational purposes when it comes to learning about history, architecture, and preservation. The North Platte Carnegie Library has lived through many lives and served several different generations in its 108-year history. Andrew Carnegie, a steel tycoon turned philanthropist, started a grant program to construct libraries across the United States at the beginning of the twentieth century to provide free access to knowledge and books, which were rare to access at the time. Since then, the building has been transformed into a trade school and is currently home to a children’s museum. Its open design can accommodate full-scale exhibits like tractors, pirate ships, and several more to allow children to play, explore, and use their imagination. The building’s exposed pipes in the basement were painted with bright colors that turned into faces to make the environment more fun and exciting for young kids. The building has always been a center of learning during its extensive lifespan. Even though this building is no longer a library that holds books, it is still full of the stories of the community.
As time goes on, more and more space will be allocated for new construction, while existing buildings are abandoned and left to crumble. New construction buildings tend to have more freedom when it comes to design. Another reason why we may be hesitant to reuse existing buildings could be due to the cost associated with the maintenance of outdated equipment. Sometimes, the conditions of certain structures may be beyond repair based on rust, deterioration, or risk of exposure to hazardous materials. The Lofts on Main is a prime example of how historic structures can be salvaged. Nebraska’s Historic Plattsmouth High School, which was sitting vacant from 1996-2019, harbored a lot of structural issues. Instead of demolishing it, the school was refurbished into current and future affordable housing for the Plattsmouth community. The building was built in 1918 when school reforms were advocating for improved lighting and natural ventilation. The architects wanted to preserve these qualities and the auditorium which pays homage to the World War I-era community by showing the skylights and expansive windows. The blue lockers and trophy case still exist as a tribute to the building’s past. The Lofts on Main still tell the story of what the purpose of the structure was in the past but has been carefully adapted to serve its present and future.
Adaptive reuse is an effective process to repurpose old buildings while maintaining some of the original’s structural characteristics. Dedication is necessary to reuse spaces, and the benefits are well-worth the effort. When the spaces are as large as shopping malls, that is a lot of land that is being wasted if it is just abandoned. These spaces can be converted into something that will benefit the community, especially for programs that may have a limited budget. Some of these buildings could include medical facilities, homeless shelters, small businesses, or food pantries. The possibilities are endless! The skeleton is there, there just needs to be substantial dedication and refurbishment. In some cases, the cost-effectiveness of adaptive reuse may reduce waste and lower material costs. There will also be less impact on the environment due to the reduced carbon
footprint by reusing existing materials and minimizing land disturbance. The Omaha Union Station originally opened in 1912 where it was used as a train station which served over 10,000 passengers a day. The building was constructed in the classic art-deco style, had a terra cotta exterior, and a lot of intricate details all throughout the interior spaces. One notable area was the Main Waiting Room which was a hall that spanned 160 feet by 72 feet and had a 60-foot-high ceiling. This space featured sculptured plaster ceilings that were painted with gold and silver leaf trim, cathedral-like plate glass windows, terrazzo floor, and colonnettes with black and blue Belgian marble. This station offered a wide range of amenities to serve the needs of travelers. These amenities include a taxi stand, a soda fountain, telegraph and telephone room, barbershop, and a ladies lounge. During the 1950’s and 60’s, the increase in air travel and the completion of major interstates have provided alternatives to and reduced the need for passengers to use the commercial rail system. It has since been transformed into the Durham Museum which showcases regional history and culture ranging from science and industry as well as having affiliations with the Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, National Archives, and the Field Museum. Through adaptive reuse, this structure and all its intricacy and grandeur have been able to stick around to tell its story to future generations.
The value of existing buildings is remarkable, and the extension of their life can benefit many in the future. Rather than becoming a remnant of our architectural accomplishments, existing buildings can continue to evolve through adaptive reuse. The balance between re-purposing older buildings and constructing new ones is essential to a successful urban landscape. While people may only be gifted with one life, buildings have the opportunity to transform with time and live to house multiple stories.
Whenever I draw a circle, I immediately want to step out of it.
BUCKMINSTER FULLER American architect, philosopher, systems theorist, and writer
Restorative Not Punitive
By Grant Wolfe
What is it that makes our designs successful? Is it the manipulation of material, our drive for environmentally conscious design, or is it just our obligation to civic duty? Kevin Augustyn from HDR believes that success lies within the conversation.
The Juvenile Justice Center Downtown Omaha has sparked ongoing conversation and remained in the public eye since its inception in 2017. It has faced criticism, praise, and everything in between. As one of the members who spearheaded this project, Kevin Augustyn recognizes the importance of this dialogue, “The good thing that came about in this project is that it started a conversation within the community.”
These conversations led to an in-depth report by Carol Chien, in which she showed the significant challenges that Omaha’s juvenile
justice system was facing. Augustyn points to this as one of the main drivers behind Omaha’s push for reform. Notably within the report, Chien highlights the extended length of stay for juveniles, which averaged over 60 days of lockdown before an arraignment, (33 days over the national average.) The old system consisted of prosecutors, attorneys, city workers, and judges scrambling through a network of basements, closets, and make-shift workspaces within disjointed justice buildings, which led to drastic inefficiencies within the system. Chien’s findings are a significant achievement; she helped our city recognize
that the historical buildings housing our internal systems were no longer adequate for the needs of a modern, evolving justice system. These outdated systems had been left behind and were in urgent need of change.
Historically, justice centers haven’t always adhered to an open-door policy. Typically, the design influence moves towards grandiose architecture that feels imposing to those who enter a government building. HDR’s push for restorative justice rather than punitive was a refreshing and much-needed shift into the modern 21 ST century.
The modern glass exterior stands in bold contrast to its historic surroundings, centering the community with a spacious courtyard at its heart.
FLOOR PLAN
Open floor plans, efficient programming, and an emphasis on healing and natural light look to guide those who come within this building instead of crushing them under the weight of their finely finished fluted columns. Judges’ seats are situated at the same level as the defendant, open-air gathering spaces to relieve the sense of confinement, and a meticulous program study that led to streamlining the old systems that led to much distress in the past.
Unique in placement, the Justice Center is situated in a legal complex with the detention center to the south, the Hall of Justice to the north, and a converted MUD building directly adjacent to a very functional arrangement. Close proximity and adjacency played a crucial role in the successful building program. Although physically separated from the Justice Center, the effort to bring these ideals into the detention center should be noted. Within their walls, an environment was created to normalize the user’s daily life, maintain essential routines, and provide a sense of routine. Facilities include on-site education space, healthcare services, and recreational spaces. A full-sized basketball court and a roof garden all intertwined in hopes of promoting physical activity and mental well-being. Additionally, each unit features operable windows, a feature not typically seen in detention centers. However, one of the designers felt it was necessary to give users not only a view of downtown Omaha but also a tie to the outside world and the choice to utilize it.
A naturally lit court room, showing its seating at equal levels from judges to defendant.
Despite facing restrictive building codes, this design is harmonious with the historic architecture that surrounds it; the sleek glass façade creates a compelling counter to the historic architecture that surrounds it. Again, we see the use of natural light throughout the facility, creating an open and inviting space; these principles were essential in the project’s design development and were kept in line with HDR’s goals of fostering hope and positivity. The offering of a large courtyard in the heart of this design prioritizes the community as a whole.
It is powerful to think about architecture not just as a collection of materials but as a stage for those who use it, for the people that it was built to serve. When I look at this building, not only do I see a contemporary courtyard filled with people on opposite sides of the law, more than that, I see perhaps scared young people carrying the weight of the choices they made or choices that have been made for them, whose options are narrowing, and can feel the walls of their world slowly closing in. This space and these conversations can’t solve everything, but they can begin
to push back boundaries and replace fear with bold potential. That’s what defines great architecture—not the walls themselves, but the possibilities they contain.
THAT RUIN ROADS
By Thinh Nguyen
A forgotten past. On a Saturday afternoon while driving home from work on the interstate, I wondered what had existed there before. Curiosity does indeed kill the cat, because the search for knowledge on this matter brought me to a deeply sad story that I didn’t know I would come to care so much about.
Early American cities were walkable and dense, with mixed-use neighborhoods and robust public transportation systems in place, like streetcars. The streets were not just a means to get from point A to B, they were lively. The streets were bustling with activities, conversations, trades, and a variety of human affairs. This was the era when human life and streets were intertwined; they were spaces to connect, not just to commute. The rise of the automobile dramatically transformed urban landscapes, prioritizing car-centric design over pedestrian-friendly spaces. This led to the steady decline of vibrant public life, social interaction, and the sense of community people once knew.
The rise of car. In 1893 the first gasolinepowered car was made. This marked the beginning of the end for the great American city. In 1908, the affordable Model T, made by Ford Motor Company, was the first car to be mass-produced and distributed across America. Henry Ford wasn’t just selling his cars; he was practically giving them away in comparison to his competitors. The Model T cost around $850 ($30,000 today) while the other cars went for nearly $2,000 ($70,000 today.) Within just a few years, the Ford Model T only cost around $260 ($9,100 today), further pushing its prevalence. Affordability intensified its popularity and quickly became one of the most-used automobiles of its time. This accessibility was the catalyst that set everything in motion for America’s transformation into a car-centric society.
Transformation. The rapid rise of car culture meant that cities suddenly had to transform to accommodate this new way of life. Streets that were once filled with people, vendors, and community life started to morph into vacant buildings, expressways, and parking lots. Human interaction took a backseat—literally— to make room for the endless flood of vehicles. Historic neighborhoods were bulldozed in the name of “urban renewal,” as if replacing gathering spaces with parking lots and dealerships somehow symbolized progress. Of course, there will always be people who convince themselves that they need a car, whether it’s for safety, convenience, or to enjoy the freedom of independence. The illusion of safety of being in a car while contributing to the higher rates of traffic accidents and fatalities; the thought of cars being convenient while adding to the road congestion and increasing the overall commute times; and the “freedom” to drive that only comes with the financial burden of owning and maintaining a car while sacrificing vibrant communities. This incognizant mode of thinking is a huge factor in how our society has developed.
The cars didn’t just take over the roads; they took over the way we live. Suddenly, what used to be public space is now reserved for private vehicles. The rise of SUVs and massive trucks haven’t helped the matter either. People keep wanting bigger and more expensive vehicles, perceiving them as status symbols without having a genuine need for them. Not only do these bigger vehicles require more space, but they also pose great danger to pedestrians and literally anyone who is not inside an automobile. There must come a point where people don’t feel like they should be driving a vehicle to feel safe in a city.
Consequence. If you compare Detroit in 1951 and Detroit in 2010, it is almost unrecognizable. Much of the city was bulldozed by highway
spurs and large-scale development. More than half of the city is vacant; the landscape was destroyed, and many people were forced out of their homes. There is one thing that still stands strongly amid the lifelessness of a city: the mighty highway. Detroit is not the only U.S. city that commits this crime. A few that also suffer a similar fate thanks to the prioritization of roads are Cincinnati, OH, St. Louis, MO, Minneapolis, MN, and Kansas City, MO.
Car-centric urban developments in the past 60 years have generally reduce the walkability of cities which results in the loss of a human-scale environment. An aerial view of any of these cities give an indication of what life might be like in these areas upon seeing roads that swallow surrounding neighborhoods, the prioritization is clear. The cities are not designed for foot traffic and definitely do not encourage it. This lifestyle decreases spontaneous social interactions and community engagement. This loss can lead to loneliness as people are less likely to engage in public spaces in route because they’ve been conditioned to rely on the bubble that is their car. The lack of walkability and limited public space cripple local businesses and neighborhood by diminishing the sense of community. The new norm creates this sense of social isolation which we now perceive as typical. This is even worse for newer generations born into this lifestyle, for all they know is the urban sprawl and the prevalent highway systems.
The one and only, world-famous Mr. Krabs [Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants] said it best: “Money, money, money.” It’s all about money at the end of the day. While small businesses and brick and mortar stores suffer, large corporations benefit from the isolation with their convenient delivery services. The car industry has also had a huge impact on the economy of the States with the development of many products and services. Unfortunately, it has progressed to the point of mass producing everything as quickly and as cheaply as possible while continuing to raise prices. This means a higher cost for the consumer when purchasing a vehicle while also needing to afford maintenance and repairs. In the end, it all leads back to greed.
A glimmer of hope. There’s no denying that automobiles have made impacted American cities and all its citizen’s lives, for better or for worse depends on individual opinions. General Motors’ 1954 propaganda film, Give Yourself the Green Light, has aged poorly and makes its stance on prioritizing cars over public interest. Personally, I can’t help but feel that we’re missing out on what our streets and cities could have been.
Influencers and designers echo this with their documentaries about how great Asian and European countries are, with their pedestrian-friendly streets, and lively neighborhoods. One example that I commonly refer to is the Cheonggyecheon Expressway in Seoul, South Korea. In the middle of the downtown area, there used to be an elevated highway going through the city. In 2003, the city government initiated an urban renewal project to improve public life, by removing the elevated expressway and replacing it with a 6.8-mile-long stream, providing generous space for the public. This waterfront restores the rich historyof downtown and improves the environment. There’s a certain magic in those places where walking down the street feels like a shared experience, an opportunity to engage with people and not just a way to get to and from work.
Although America is still buried deep in the car-centric lifestyle and outdated urbanism mentality—no thanks to Robert Moses, as head of New York City’s Parks Department, we are seeing a portion of newer constructions aiming to revitalize the cities and put more emphasis on foot traffic. New urbanism and movements toward walkable, sustainable cities continue to gain momentum, with concepts like the “15-minute city” and other initiatives that prioritize public spaces, biking, and public transit. We might be a long way from undoing the damage cars have done to public life, but the movement to reclaim our streets is gaining ground. It’s about time we remember that streets were made for people, not just for cars.
A HOUSE IS NOT A MACHINE TO LIVE IN. IT IS THE SHELL OF A MAN, HIS EXTENSION, HIS RELEASE, HIS SPIRITUAL EMANATION.
Eileen Gray
Rooted and Replicable
By Mara Wasserman
Cobalt Credit Union
Celebrating nature is the resounding phase that came throughout the design process of the Cobalt Credit Union by HDR. This is seen not only in the location of the design, but also through the materiality and detailing.
In order to achieve the goal throughout each branch, the team at HDR created a simple, replicable design that could be applied throughout different rural communities. With a project under 5,000 square feet, there was greater flexibility and the opportunity to use higher-quality materials. The exterior façade is created with zync metal panels, surrounded by Type IV construction. This creates a metallic exterior that works with the surrounding landscape. The interior is the complete contrast, a highlight of warm wood finishes that is inviting to its community members. Due to the streamlined design, they were able to successfully replicate the program throughout multiple different branches.
At each branch, the orientation is adapted to fit into each site. The surrounding context determines where the best views come from. There are views from each office in order to prioritize that connection to nature. Along with this, it allows the employees to see clients walking through the front door from every direction. This clear visible path helps celebrate the client and promote connection to the community.
Despite a simple material palette, intricate detailing enhances the space. Acoustic wood paneling behind the reception desk creates a welcoming ambiance. Windows integrated into the clerestory improve visibility after dark. The team focused on making the design both buildable and functional, an approach used for other credit union branches.
How might a replicable design that targets a suburban tone—such as Cobalt’s—adapt to serve diverse communities? By incorporating a more organic form into a typically rectangular urban aesthetic thereby creating a unique value regardless of limited square footage and potentially a greater investment. This design successfully meets Cobalt Credit Union’s goals. After the Gretna branch, they
expanded to additional locations, including one in Lincoln. Each branch maintains a strong connection to its community while continuing to provide dedicated service to its members.
Black zinc shell
White oak core
White oak structure
MATERIAL AXONOMETRIC DIAGRAM
An Elevated Experience
by Alejandro Gallegos
Elevate the human experience through design, is the approach exemplified by the DLR Group as they navigated virtually with the client, White Lotus Group Nebraska Realty during the pandemic years. The success of the project was driven by digital communications and quickly adapting to new modes of collaboration.
DLR received the The Don Littler Excellence in Masonry Award for the brickwork incorporated in the design. Black brick was strategically chosen to have an effect with various degrees of lighting. The design team created an engaging dynamic between the brick and natural light, with undulations integrated into the façade. These undulations were deliberately crafted to offset the brick and its patterning, producing captivating shadow lines as the daylight changed throughout the day. From morning to dusk, the light cast these shadows, creating a constantly evolving visual effect. The shifting
DLR focused on integrating natural materials into the design, emphasizing sustainability and a connection to the surrounding environment. The brick sourced locally through Endicott Brick, is a material that holds significance to the region. This choice not only grounded the building in its geographical context but also contributed to its cultural resonance, offering a sense of place and heritage. The use of regional materials reflective of Nebraska’s natural landscape reinforced a deep-rooted connection between the built environment paying homage to the land it inhabits.
as a designing for efficiency and productivity for the staff.
Information gathered from occupant interviews and having a clear understanding of workplace kinetics specific to Nebraska Realty sets a solid foundation for design success. Designing to elevate the experience of the users is a formula for bringing out the best in teamwork and a flourishing business.
NORTH ELEVATION
MAIN STAIR SECTION
murder your ego
By Mia LeRiger
Every artist knows that the greatest enemy of innovation is the ego. The ego of designers and artists often manifests as an attachment to past successes, a fear of failure, or the need to be validated by others.
As I was listening to the podcast, Bad Friends, guest star, artist, Machine Gun Kelly said something he that caught my attention.
Andrew Santino: “Do you have any mortal enemies?”
MGK : “I’d say I had an ego death so it kinda dissipated with that”
Bobby Lee: “why [did you have an ego death] ?”
MGK : ‘‘Realizing public perception will always change if you just continue to run the marathon. Also realizing I have no control of outward opinions and that what is important is how I feel about myself and that’s what radiates. So, it’s also not my job to be liked by everybody because art is what I do and art is always supposed to be conversational and if the conversation is just one way, then it’s boring, so as long as I do my job and create conversation bad or good; I am an artist.”
His words immediately got me thinking about their relevance to the world of design, as he described it; as a process of stripping away the identity you’ve built to become something new, raw, and authentic. As a designer or artist, embracing ego death can be the key to unlocking your next creative breakthrough. Because I hadn’t heard of an ego death in this way until now, I was left with one question. How can we murder our egos?
To answer this, I turned to one of my favorite TV shows: How To Get Away with Murder. In the show, characters learn and use strategies
to evade guilt and rewrite narratives, much like how we can dismantle our identities and rebuild a new sense of creative self.
Inspired by the cunning strategies of the ABC thriller, How to Get Away with Murder, this 3- step guide will show you how to dismantle your creative ego and resurrect your artistry with renewed vigor.
If you’ve been stuck in old patterns or are ready to transcend your previous work, this guide may be just what you need.
Discredit the witness. In the courtroom of How to Get Away with Murder, discrediting witnesses is about casting a sense of doubt on their credibility, making their testimony unreliable and unable to hold up under scrutiny. As a designer, the “witnesses” are the voices inside and outside your head that tell you what your work should be. These may be your critics, clients, peers, societal expectations or even your own perfectionism. They could even be previous validations that shape your creative choices and box you into familiar and safe styles. Ego death begins when you dismantle these voices and free yourself from the expectations that can be stifling to your creativity.
Start by challenging the limitations imposed on you. Are you sticking to a particular style because it’s what your audience expects, or because it’s genuinely how you want to express yourself? Perhaps you’re following design trends too closely, fearing that straying from them will lead to rejection. In ego death, you must question everything: Why do you create the way you do? Whose opinions matter most, and why?
Discredit these “witnesses” by recognizing that the most important voice in your creative process is your own. Dismiss the pressures to conform and let go of the notion that your past successes define your future work. When you silence those voices, you create the mental space needed for innovation and reinvention.
Introduce a new suspect. In the show, Annalise, a star defense attorney played by Viola Davis, diverts attention by introducing a new suspect. For designers, this means shifting focus from your old self to the potential of who you can become. It’s about reimagining your creative identity, exploring new approaches, mediums, or concepts you’ve hesitated to try.
By embracing experimentation and risk-taking, you introduce a “new suspect”—a fresh version of yourself that isn’t limited by past work. This step helps unlock your full creative potential by stepping into the unknown and owning your new direction.
Bury the evidence. In How to Get Away with Murder, burying the evidence severs ties with the past. For designers, this means letting go of projects, tools, or visuals tied to your old identity and stepping away from familiar creative habits. To embrace ego death, rethink the techniques you rely on and break away from your comfort zone.
This could involve purging old work, updating your portfolio, or redesigning your brand to reflect where you’re headed, not where you’ve been. It’s about fully letting go of what holds you back to make space for bold, new creative directions.
As a designer, the idea of ego death is not the end, it’s a chance for rebirth. It’s the process of stripping away everything you thought you were supposed to be, only to find the creative force that you truly are. The moment you discredit the witnesses, you free yourself from creative constraints; when you introduce a new suspect, you become the architect of your reinvention; and as you bury the evidence, you let go of the past to embrace a future of creative freedom.
So, the next time you feel trapped in a cycle of repetitive work or constrained by expectations, take a cue from How to Get Away with Murder and put your ego on trial. You may just find that your next creative breakthrough lies on the other side of your ego’s demise.
Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture
Springfield
Elementary School
Resilient Education
By William Roarty
Driving through Springfield, Nebraska, you can’t miss the shining beacon of the community, situated right along Main Street: Springfield Elementary School. Designed by Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture (APMA), this project marks the Springfield Platteview Community Schools (SPCS) District’s first new building since the 1970s. APMA leveraged their experience and relied on trusted partners and consultants to deliver a space that embodies both innovation and community spirit. In an interview with
1 Drop-off/pick-up
2 Water detention pond
3 Play area/geothermal well-field
4 Outdoor classroom
5 Baseball field
6 Solar panels
architect Rick Hauptman, AIA, NCARB, and interior designer Chandler Green, NCIDQ, IIDA, WELL AP, it became clear that Springfield Elementary is more than a school; it’s a source of pride and a community hub for Springfield.
Hauptman and Green spoke enthusiastically about their collaboration with Olsson, Boyd Jones Construction, and the various consultants who helped bring the project to life underscoring APMA’s commitment to a collaborative and community-focused approach to architecture. The culture at APMA promotes collaboration, creativity, and a deep commitment to communityfocused design. During the preliminary design phase for the school, APMA worked closely with diverse stakeholders, including staff, students, and administrators, to ensure a design that truly reflected the needs and aspirations of the community.
APMA distilled input from all levels within the school community—treating the feedback of staff members with the same respect as those from the school administration. This approach took shape through surveys, listening sessions, and design charrettes involving teachers, staff, and administrators, each providing valuable insights into the needs of the school environment. Additionally, spaceplanning workshops provided a platform for
Left; South entrance shaded to enhance energy efficiency.
school personnel to share their ideas about spatial organization to best serve students and educators. Community engagement also played a critical role in securing the funds necessary for this project, with local events helping to inform both APMA and the community about the project’s impact. Designing for multiple user groups with unique needs requires a balanced approach. APMA focused on creating flexible and accessible spaces that would support both large and small group interactions. One of the primary
design strategies was to organize classrooms into grade-specific “pods” which promotes easy navigation while also providing efficient structural stacking for cost efficiency.
Each grade level was appointed three classrooms, ensuring proximity and cohesion while also facilitating resource sharing. APMA prioritized equity in natural light and flexible environments that could accommodate a variety of teaching and learning styles. Following discussions
with faculty members, APMA focused on developing versatile spaces where large classes could gather as well accomodate smaller, intimate settings for group work. Additionally, considerations for disbursed restrooms were included for quick access and visibility. This flexibility empowered teachers and students to utilize spaces in ways that best suited their unique educational needs.
The Springfield Elementary School project was inspired by a holistic approach to
SECOND FLOOR
sustainability, wellness, and thoughtful integration with the site’s existing context. While the project did not pursue official WELL or LEED certification, APMA embraced many of these standards’ principles to create a healthier, more sustainable environment for students and staff. Every aspect of the design—from the building’s orientation to its materials and mechanical systems—was optimized to support these goals. Classrooms were strategically positioned along the north side to avoid excessive heat gain, while shading was incorporated on the south side to protect from direct sunlight.
High-performance glazing exceeding code minimums was used to enhance energy efficiency, and APMA collaborated with consultants to push sustainable features even further, including a geothermal heating and cooling system. Natural light was maximized throughout the building to eliminate dark corridors and enhance wellness, with every classroom benefiting from windows that invite in daylight. APMA’s research on sustainable design and wellness best practices informed each decision, resulting in a thoughtfully crafted space that supports both people and the planet.
South entrance, shading is incorporated to protect from direct sunlight.
Opposite page; Vibrant graphics are functional and inspirational in the Learning Commons and classroom.
One of the biggest challenges APMA faced in designing Springfield Elementary School was navigating the complex communication process that is essential in school projects. In a smaller community like Springfield, success relied on sensitivity to community input to ensure that the broader public understood the project’s goals and could actively be engaged.
The sheer size and programmatic complexity of the building presented another challenge. Designed as a three-section school for seven grades, Springfield Elementary needed to accommodate not only classrooms but also
specialized spaces to meet a wide range of student and staff needs. Balancing these spatial requirements with the community’s expectations required careful planning and a deep understanding of how each space would be used. APMA also recognized that the school could serve as a community gathering space, which led to a decision to upsize the gymnasium to support community events. This choice transformed Springfield Elementary from a standard educational facility into a hub of community pride, demonstrating the potential of schools to enrich their surrounding neighborhoods.
In addition to the physical spaces, APMA wanted to instill a sense of ownership and pride among students and staff, which they achieved through thoughtful graphic design and wayfinding elements. Interior designer, Green emphasized the role of murals and other visual elements in helping students and staff feel a deeper connection to the building. The vibrant graphics throughout the school were designed to be both functional and inspirational, guiding students through the space while also celebrating the unique identity of their school. This approach to wayfinding and environmental graphics added a personal, humanizing touch that strengthened the sense of community within the building. Through these design elements, APMA reinforced the idea that Springfield Elementary is not just a place for learning but also a place that fosters community and belonging.
For Alley Poyner, one of the biggest successes of the Springfield Elementary School project was the seamless collaboration with Boyd Jones Construction who joined the project team at an early stage. This partnership allowed for precise planning and budgeting, which enabled APMA to integrate sustainable features like geothermal systems and advanced shading solutions without exceeding the project’s budget. When asked what the biggest win of the project was, Green answered, “having a client willing to trust us when it comes to investing in sustainability.” The SPCS District’s openness to forwardthinking design also played a significant role; their enthusiasm for innovative, sustainable
practices was energizing for the APMA team. A challenge, however, was working within the constraints typical of public school budgets, which meant balancing high standards for sustainability and wellness with limited resources. The project highlighted the value of early planning to achieve ambitious design goals within a limited budget.
A valuable takeaway from this project was just how willing people are to embrace design ideas when they felt heard and understood. Building this trust allowed APMA to incorporate progressive ideas such as the optimal building orientation for daylighting and shading to reduce heat gain.
Winning the 2023 AIA Nebraska Architecture
Honor Award was a profound validation for the APMA team, especially as schools are rarely recognized for design excellence in a field often dominated by more glamorous or high-budget projects. This award honored the “dirty work” that often goes unnoticed but is crucial to delivering quality architecture, showing that great design can exist in all environments when architects stay true to a meticulous and inclusive process. The win reinforced APMA’s belief in the power of their approach and demonstrated to the team that, by sticking to their principles, they can make a meaningful difference in educational spaces.
By Stephanie Cabarcas
Walking through the red front door of the blue shingled white trimmed house, I am hit with a wave of nostalgia. The entryway leads you straight into the laundry room/kitchen combo with everything lined on one wall and no counterspace. Through the kitchen, there is a door to a tiny three-quarter bathroom that leads to the home’s only bedroom. This is the setup of my childhood fold-and-go doll house.
A common set up in the United States is the single-family home, three-bedrooms and twobaths. Once children bedome young adults and leave the home, they are expected to live life on their own and never go back home. Parents can anticipate having an empty nest once their youngest turns eighteen-years-old. Maybe this has to do with American’s strong conviction about independence. But what happens when the current housing market does not present opportunities for young adults to afford their own home?
In Colombia, and in many other Hispanic cultures, the multigenerational home is the norm. Great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, and siblings are expected or encouraged to continue living at home well into their adulthood. At the age of twenty-eight and thirty-seven, my mom and dad left my great grandmother’s home to seek a new life
in the United States. My mom never thought she would leave her childhood home in Cali, Colombia. Her siblings moved away once or twice during their late twenties and early thirties but still ended up moving back into the multigenerational home.
In Cali, it is not uncommon for the average family to build on top of their homes to make room for more family members or finish a long-awaited project. Much of my grandmother’s neighborhood is filled with homes that are at least three stories tall, up to four or five stories and share a wall with a neighbor, like in New York City.
My great-grandmother, Lilia, in the early 90s, bought an apartment complex in the south sector of Cali, Colombia. This home was in the obra negra stage of building. Obra negra is the Spanish term for when a building is at the preliminary stages of being built. This stage of construction is usually when the concrete walls and roof are up. It can also be called rough construction phase or the rough-in phase.
The original footprint of Lilia’s home had three bedrooms and two baths. In this home, Lilia, my great-grandmother, Consuelo and Misael, my grandparents, and their four young adult children created many memories. In the late 2000s, they expanded by adding a two-bed-
room, one-bathroom apartment on the rooftop patio. The rooftop patio is adjacent to another unit in my grandma’s apartment building. My mom’s younger sister, with her family, moved into that apartment in 2020 and added a door to further connect the two roof apartments. The three-bedroom, two-bath apartment is now an eight-bedroom, four-bathroom, threeliving-room, three-kitchen home. It reminds me of an old-fashioned dollhouse almost three feet tall with several small Polly Pocket or Barbies sharing one large home.
Growing up in the Midwest, I was not able to experience living in a multigenerational, multi-story home. I lived with my parents, and my older and younger sister in a one-story, three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom house. It was a strange feeling visiting my family home in Cali in 2022, after being away for nearly ten years. I realized just how different my living experience was in the States. While visiting Colombia, I stayed with my grandma, aunts and uncle, parents, cousins and sisters under the same roof. It was refreshing to live with my extended family instead of just my nuclear family. My kid-cousins
were running around playing, while the adults socialized at the table drinking un cafesito con pan (a little coffee with bread). Then at the end of the night, after everyone said goodnight, they went to their rooms or attached apartments.
Colombian culture is based on collectivism, most everyone is a friend, and this encourages a strong community. Families are close no matter how far apart you are on the family tree while life in the Midwest is individualistic. Everyone has their own space, in their own home, and seems to be more solitary. Young adults are encouraged to move out and live in a small one-bedroom apartment to learn the ways of the world. My childhood Barbie dollhouse is definitely a dollhouse based on the midwestern young adult experience. Although, the dollhouse is a one-bedroom, by design it’s more upscale, and larger than what is available for the independent young adult.
Today, independent living is becoming much more difficult. Young adults are thrusted towards a world where rent is more than half their monthly salary. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to live in rural cities and to find job opportu-
nities. The cost of rent is too high and doesn’t equate with the quality of living. People aren’t getting the standard of living they expect for the price they pay each month. In the States, multigenerational homes are increasing, largely due to the need for financial flexibility. Our homes are mostly built in a manner that can only support nuclear families and with the housing shortage, a multigenerational home is starting to look like the better option for these young adults.
While independent living is a rewarding experience, it can be expensive and will only continue to increase in cost. Property taxes, cost of living, and home prices are rising significantly. Living in a multigenerational home has its own advantages, it can allow young adults to explore the world with fewer financial burdens. It can also encourage strong connections with their families. It would be an advantage to normalize multigenerational living in the United States while still nurturing living arrangements that reflect our diverse society’s needs.
If the architecture is any good, a person who looks and listens will feel its good effects without noticing.
CARLO SCARPA
Architecture of Access
By Nick Carraher
The Omaha Central Library in Omaha, Nebraska aims to redefine not only Omaha’s cityscape but also the role of public libraries in modern urban environments. Designed by firms HDR and Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture in collaboration with the Omaha Public Library and its Foundation, Do Space, the city of Omaha and its community and civic groups, and Heritage Omaha, this new central library will serve as a cultural and technological landmark that “honors the past, celebrates the moment, and imagines the future.”
Located at 72 ND and Dodge Streets this 96,000 square-foot world-class library is set to be completed in 2026. I sat down with HDR Architect, Cole Wycoff, to discuss the process behind the creation of Omaha’s New Central Library and how it will contribute significantly to both local and broad urban contexts.
Where Place Meets Purpose
The ambitious project of creating Omaha Central Library began as a response to Omaha Public Library’s 2010 and 2017 Facilities
Master Plans that called for a new central public library to be built along the Dodge Street corridor, between 72 ND and 90TH Streets. The site chosen for the creation of the library has experienced several transitions, with the most notable change occurring when the Borders bookstore closed. The 72 ND and Dodge site now begins to pulse with a unique energy, shaped by the contrast between its rich history and its exciting potential with the emergence of this new world-class library. “It was a very unique moment in time,” recalls Wycoff, reflecting on the initial approach to the
project. “The site was starving for any kind of civic or cultural space, and that raised a lot of questions for some people.”
Yet, the design team, the various organizations involved, and the library itself shared a collective vision – to use this project as a catalyst for the transformation of a historically rich, yet underutilized, area of the city projecting that “The downtown is the heart of a city, but neighborhoods are its soul.”
On a global scale, the modern central library has proven to be a powerful asset to its surrounding communities, generating a wide range of profound impacts, from cultural enrichment to educational advancement. Recognizing the importance of these spaces and seeking to create a world-class facility, representatives from Omaha Public Library, Do Space, and the design team embarked on a series of visits to libraries that exemplify excellence in collections management, operational innovation, and cutting-edge facility design. These visits included the James
The downtown is the heart of a city, but neighborhoods are its soul.
B. Hunt Jr. Library in Raleigh, North Carolina; the Calgary Central Library in Calgary, Canada; and the Deichman Library in Oslo, Norway. These visits played a critical role in the overall design process providing both inspiration and practical knowledge to allow the teams to best tailor the design of the new central library to meet the needs of Omaha’s specific communities.
SITE
Shaping Design with Community Voices
Within the project process of Omaha Central Library, community engagement has been at the core with the design team embarking on an extensive and comprehensive engagement process involving local officials, public organizations, philanthropists, citizens, and various experts to gather feedback and insight throughout the building’s creation. This process involved hands-on workshops with the Omaha Public Library and Do Space to determine both immediate needs and future demands, envisioning a flexible, resilient building that can evolve over the next one hundred years.
The Building Stakeholders Group, a powerful coalition of city leaders, library staff, and design experts, met monthly throughout the project process to steer the vision forward. The engagement committee also connected with a broad array of community voices, gathering
invaluable input through workshops, interviews, and surveys with over 1,600 residents speaking up to share their hopes, ideas, and priorities for the new space. This collaborative approach was crucial, as the library was envisioned not just as a functional building, but as a true community asset. The design team understood that by involving the public in the process, they could ensure the final product would resonate with the people it was meant to serve.
“Gathering as much input as we could, even input that we couldn’t action much from, was still really valuable, in the sense that, at least, in my opinion, it did feel like that process was necessary for the public to start the process of taking ownership of this building, because ultimately it will be theirs,” Wycoff explained.
Sculpting Seamless Spaces
One of the most compelling aspects of the design of the Omaha Central Library
is its sense of seamless integration into its surroundings. Architectural Design Lead for the project, Tom Trenolone, speaks to the nature of the site in his writing, Of Its Place, “What does a building in the context of streetlights, electronic signs, nine-car-wide roads, and relatively disposable building stock look and feel like? I agree, we all want a sense of permanence, but when you just sit at the corner of 72 ND and Dodge you cannot miss the kinetic energy of the site. Maybe that is the dichotomy of this place. The potential and kinetic energy of the city of Omaha.”
Beginning from the exterior, the site’s landscape design creates a multi-functional civic plaza upon approach that showcases native plantings and pollinator gardens aiming to improve civic engagement and environmental resiliency.
The exterior facade design features a series of modulating glass elements that embrace
1 Parking
2 West entrance
3 ASRS
4 City garden
the unique character of the neighborhood to both reflect and shape the evolving urban landscape. The façade and the building’s raised entrances create a sense of fluidity, blurring the boundaries between the building and its context.
Wycoff elaborated on the use of the term “blur” within the design process, “The reason I keep using the word “blur” relates to the building’s inconclusive surrounding context. There isn’t a very consistent architectural context to work with in this location, and so we’re hoping that this establishes a new context, but one that isn’t so specific towards an architectural style or impulse that it presupposes any kind of future idea for 72 ND and Dodge ought to be.” The glass facade, with its interplay of transparency and opacity, invites passersby to peer inside, while also offering a sense of privacy and respite for those within.
In this case, it was two local firms trying to bring world-class to their own local community, and I hope we did that. We tried like hell.
A World of Resources
As much thought was put into the exterior design, the design team also paid meticulous attention to the library’s interior spaces. The mission of the library is to ignite, engage, and connect with users providing educational, cultural, recreational, and informational services to a diverse range of patrons in a variety of physical and digital settings. A critical element integrated into the design of the Omaha Central Library to provide more flexible spaces while also providing the opportunity for more significant collections of books and materials is the automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS).
This Collections Hub approach was inspired by visiting the previously mentioned worldclass facilities abroad which pioneered the use of these systems. Wycoff explains that “The majority of public libraries have yet not adopted this kind of technology, so we were able to get connected with the fabricator of this system pretty early on in the process and leverage their expertise to help us design it in a way that hopefully it will work well.” The Collections Hub will transform how materials are stored and shared across all Omaha Public Library branches. This system frees up space for more community activities while enabling quick delivery of requested items. Beyond
efficiency, the Hub allows for curated collections and dynamic displays, tailored to reflect each branch’s unique community interests, making the library experience more engaging and personalized for everyone. This innovative approach to library design is not merely a functional upgrade, but a strategic move to redefine the role of the library in the modern community. Wycoff states “It will greatly support the operation of the entire library system and allow the entire library system to function in a more contemporary way.”
The Library’s New Chapter
The Omaha Central Library is designed to be a hub of innovation, learning, and community engagement, offering a wide range of worldclass features. The directive to create a world-class facility pushed the local firms to elevate every aspect of the design with Wycoff explaining that “Often when firms of any size work in their own backyard, there’s a sense of “the local firm”, you know, and local firms have kind of a bad connotation in our industry. In this case, it was two local firms trying to bring world-class to their own local community, and I hope we did that. We tried like hell.”
The library includes the ASRS at its core, a vibrant café, a 300-seat community meeting room, and various meeting and conference spaces, creating a welcoming Intergenerational Cultural Commons for all. Visitors can enjoy lounge areas, reader tables, and engaging collection displays designed
ASRS EFFICIENCY DIAGRAM
for all ages, seamlessly integrated with technology. The Children’s Department is a dream space for families, featuring interactive story time, a 100-seat area, fixed computers, and collaborative spaces like the Little Lab for arts, crafts, and digital exploration. The Young Adults’ Department offers its own dedicated area, while Do Space’s maker space and tech lab, equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters, and audiovisual labs, inspire creativity and innovation. Patrons will have access to training rooms, podcast studios, and hands-on technology stations, making the library a destination for exploration and invention. Additionally,
the Archives, Genealogy, and Heritage Department proudly display Nebraska history, with quiet reading rooms providing spaces for reflection. The building’s sustainable engineering systems of underfloor air distribution, and photovoltaic energy generation, underscore the library achieving LEED Gold 4.0 status. With passive architecture strategies, reduced plug and process loads, and improved HVAC efficiency, the Omaha Central Library is designed for optimal operation, paving the way for a more sustainable future while serving as a beacon for culture, creativity, and community connection.
As the library nears completion, the team is already looking to the future, envisioning how this vital civic institution and the district will evolve over the next half-century. “I think in fifty to one-hundred years, the breadth of services, spaces, opportunities that libraries afford will only grow,” Wycoff states. “...and in some ways, I think as information becomes more and more decentralized, libraries are becoming an inversion of what they once were.” It’s a bold vision for a bold building, one that promises to redefine the role of the library in the 21 ST century and beyond.
PHALLUSOPHIZING
By Grant Wolfe
On a warm fall day in our state’s capital, the downtown area buzzes: traffic flows, fans gather, tailgates pop up, and community spirit is at an all-time high. Yet, as you stroll through the vibrant scene, an undeniable presence looms overhead—a shadow that constantly follows you, not merely just a structure hovering above. Yes, a structure, the structure. Lovingly known by many Nebraskans as the “penis of the prairie,” it is indeed the Nebraska State Capitol that looms over us and is also the most phallic structure on this side of the Mississippi.
We’ve all seen it, and we all know it, but have we ever asked why? He is the base of every grand design in our culture, which consists of sky-reaching monoliths. From ancient obelisks to modern skyscrapers, architecture has celebrated phallic symbolism for as long as we’ve been building. So again, why? To answer this, I look back at the first designed element of man; for centuries, anthropologists and archeologists all agreed that the first tool (aka the first design) was, in fact, the spear, or a very rudimentary version of it, but what if history leaned in a different direction? Recent findings have indicated that the first tool may not have been a spear, but a basket.
Mindus Sue, the author of the Cyberfeminism Index, states, “The first cultural device was probably a recipient. Many theorizers feel that the earliest cultural inventions must have been a container to hold gathered products and some kind of sling or net carrier.” So, what does this mean for design? I believe it opens a new, fascinating dialogue for design. Specifically, what would our world look like had our ancestors’ designs emulated the traits of the basket rather than those of the spear? What would our monuments, cities, and the entire built environment look like had we but embraced the vessel?
Spear. A thrusting or throwing weapon with a long shaft and sharp head, sharp, angular, straight lines leading to a honed point. Sharp angular lines show power status and represent man’s dominion over nature (microcosm).
Vessel (Basket). A container with concave, soft edges and organic in form, a receptacle used to bring multiple elements to form a whole. We can’t tackle every built structure ever created, so let’s focus on four definitive movements in design and how this new dialogue may have impacted them: ancient, gothic, renaissance, and modernism.
Ancient. Let’s take for instance, the ancient civilizations built by the Egyptians. The bigger and grander, the better. Instead of towering over the deserts, what if these structures coalesced with its surroundings rather than dominate them?
Gothic. Soaring heights, dramatic spires, and intricate stonework exemplified architecture meant to inspire awe and reverence in all who come within it. Picture now woven beams instead of carved stone. Arched roofs instead of towering spires. Public entries are made to foster light and warmth within. Church pews took on an organic shape; weaving in and out of sanctuaries encouraged those who gathered rather than bow to a single dominion alone.
Renaissance
The Renaissance brought a return to classical design theory; those that built in this age emphasized symmetry and proportion, values
constricted by hierarchal regulations. This alteration would loosen these hierarchies, possibly putting an emphasis not on the singular buildings but on town squares. Encouraging community engagement. Many of the Italian towns that are known for their Renaissance-era architecture are port-cities, these town squares would then drastically change from city to city, taking in each varying piece and adding it to a whole. Weaving the communal township within itself creates something more than just a town square; it is an embodiment of those who live within it.
Modernism. Modernism was a break from tradition. It leaned into minimalism and used stark design dominated by glass and steel in order to create a style never seen before. What would this break from tradition be in this train of thought? Would the resulting architecture push boundaries in nature rather than material? Maybe the functionality would come from an environmental standpoint rather than a structural one. The simplicity of the line would be ruled out by the naturalness of the curve.
In the end, this type of thought experiment, the contemplation of paramount shifts in architecture, can bring us unusual and wonderful results. They invite us to reevaluate what defines our experience as humans. Shifting back to the Capitol; serenely, it sits overlooking its prairie home, but atop it is another symbol, the Sower. He boldly stands atop this pinnacle, sowing the seeds across his fertile empire, but we look not at him but at what he holds, for he has not a spear nor sword but a vessel.
Architecture is not about building a building, architecture is about building a community.
Tatiana Bilbao
The Sylvan Lake House
Why are lake houses often associated with vacations? Lakes like West Okoboji Lake in Okoboji, Iowa, and Lake of the Ozarks near Branson, Missouri create a culture around the ideal summer vacation, which causes a chain reaction of developments only designed for temporary housing. Lakehouse vernacular is more than just temporary housing that lacks personality, and the Sylvan Lake House by Actual Architecture is a project that defies this stereotype with a unique story behind its completion.
The Sylvan Lake House started as a Min | Day project in 2015 in San Fransico before the company split into two different firms. They were sought out by a family of four to design a vacation house in Calgary, Canada, but it ended up being designed as a second home. They found Min | Day through a magazine when their “House on Lake Okoboji” was given the 2009 AIA Central States Region Honor Award, amongst three other recognitions.
Upon seeing “House on Lake Okoboji” the family approached Min | Day asking for the same design just in a different location; Even though they don’t have a defined philosophy, Min | Day turned down their approach. Instead, they used the Okoboji Lake House as a base of design following the same ideals of curating the project around the client’s personality. Ironically, the site was very similar to the Iowa Lakehouse in that you drive from the dense city, out into rural farms that then transition into an urban culture based around a gathering of lakes. The site of the project, also eerily similar, is relatively skinny and tapers towards the east with a
neighboring building on the south side. With these setbacks in mind, Min | Day’s narrative of the site was curated as a holistic design. They diversified their views so that the house wasn’t only about the lake, which created a deeper connection between the client’s privacy and the surrounding context.
In their first meetings, Min | Day started with an improvisational look at the site with computational methods that included showing the family three to four completely different
concepts. Each of these projects had different drivers of detail that allowed them to narrow the project to one scheme. The option they moved forward with is comprised of rectilinear masses intersecting to create horizontal and vertical relationships throughout the house. Vertical shafts are then created because of the intersecting shapes, producing dynamic rooms in the interior that allow for unique relationships between the primary functions of the lake house. One relationship that occurs as a result, is located where the house’s staircase
meets the pantry. The pantry bisects a landing halfway up, fabricating a shaft between the two circulation paths and allowing daylight to penetrate the dark staircase. These moments in the house are easy to overlook but strengthen the personality behind their design. The smaller details in the house include concealing window frames and door hinges, activating the space with unique lighting fixtures, and using contrasting colors in the space to highlight the outside greenery. Subsequently, the rooms became even more
curated towards the family’s personality, allowing for intentional and delicate details. Windows cover most of the facade facing the east, allowing for maximum floor-to-ceiling views of the lake and a clearer connection between the exterior and interior of the house. The entry windows are limited to create privacy towards the street but still offer a horizontal sightline to the lake. These were deliberate choices by Min | Day, as they designed the house to become more transparent as it gets closer to the lake. Other than the windows
offering a connection between the areas of the house; contrasting materials are used in both zones to blend the two. A small moment in the project that shows this relationship is when the outdoor patio moves from the interior to the exterior. There are two materials used to successfully create this contrast, a bleach white oak is used for the internal floors, and a black stain is used on Cedar wood for the external deck. Jeff Day describes this material as monolithic when used on the facade, allowing for a contrasting experience when set
in the green forest. The circular patio is located on the second floor, accessible through the bedrooms to create a private gathering experience. The interior floor bleeds the white oak into the circle, adding variation to the dark exterior material outside seen from above, which also adds more diversity to the overall composition of the form.
After the design process, the idea was that it would be built in pieces as a modular house in San Fransico, driven across the border into
Canada, and assembled on-site. Sometime after that discussion, the exchange rate between the United States and Canada increased upwards of 20% which made the project no longer feasible, so it was left on hold in 2016. Min | Day ended their company in 2017, they split into two offices which was the beginning of Actual Architecture, founded by Day in 2018. Taking place of the old Min | Day office in Omaha, Nebraska. Within the time frame of Actual Architecture establishing itself
and the Sylvan Lake House resuming progress, the Covid pandemic started and the borders to Canada closed. After they re-opened in August of 2021, the Sylvan Lake House resumed progress. The modular house design was no longer an option, so instead the client opted for the standard wood frame assembly but kept the original design.
Through the challenges of the economy, Covid, Zoom calls, and the founding of a new
company, Actual Architecture completed construction of the Sylvan Lake House in 2023 with assistance from Min | Day. Their base of design was focused on the occupant in collaboration with the site, rather than selling what was already there. The story about how the house was designed and the process that it went through to be completed are the details that a simple temporary lake house lacks.
SITE PLAN
By Megan Pfeifer
Nebraska is known for its rows of corn, it is starting to be known in the tech world for its rows of servers in data centers. These massive buildings are popping up amongst the Nebraska landscape and the midwest is starting to be known in the tech world as the Silicon Prairie a nod to the famous Silicon Valley.
Husker hub. With its flat landscape, central location, and low energy costs, major tech companies and startups are drawn to the area. Currently, there are 20 data centers in the state with 15 of them located in Omaha and its surrounding areas. The appeal in Nebraska is furthered with Offutt Air Force Base and U.S. Strategic Command as they have equipped the area with a robust electrical system and laid the groundwork for security protocols crucial for safeguarding virtual data. Nebraska’s natural topography offers a natural security advantage as the flat land allows for fencing, surveillance systems, and landscaping buffers. Amongst all, the stereotype of “midwestern nice” and the region’s inherent strong work ethic are primary reasons why data centers are attracted to the area.
Despite all these benefits, Nebraska’s unpredictable weather poses potential risks, particularly for data centers relying on passive cooling systems to reduce heat created by the servers. While the buildings themselves are engineered to withstand high winds, tornadoes remain a threat to the electrical infrastructure supporting these centers.
Go big Meta. Meta (formerly Facebook), has staked claim of 600 acres of former pristine Nebraska farmland right outside of Omaha. Since breaking ground in 2017, the campus has seen significant growth, with numerous expansions completed and another currently under construction. Meta sources a substantial portion of
its energy from a large wind farm in Dixon County, Nebraska, as do many of the other Omaha data centers, however, they remain connected to the city’s electrical grid to supplement any shortfall in renewable energy. Although the use of wind energy helps alleviate some pressure on the local grid, wind farms present their own set of challenges, including the extensive land required for their operation. Balancing the growing energy demands of data centers with sustainable energy solutions will continue to be a critical issue for Nebraska’s future infrastructure planning. With the Meta campus currently hosting six large server buildings the question is raised: When will the growth be enough? As technology becomes increasingly integral to everyday life, particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, the demand for data storage will likely continue to grow as well as the demand on already overloaded electrical infrastructure. As society’s reliance on technology deepens so will our reliance on data centers.
Sacked by the screens. It’s fair to say that most of us are basically addicted to our phones. With countless hours spent doom-scrolling on Instagram, binge-watching entire TV series in a single day, and playing various mind-numbing games, we all know our screen time can be a little embarrassing. But did you know that every time you do something on your phone, it gets routed through a data center? Every stream, post, like, comment, call, text, or DM spins
around in the virtual realm of a data center. All those actions contribute to carbon emissions, too.
As our phone addictions are driving up carbon emissions and our reliance on technology increases, human actions are creating a greater demand for more data center infrastructure. Companies like Meta are becoming aware of the link between phone usage and data centers and the potential irreversible environmental impacts that come with it. In addition to utilizing renewable wind power, Meta has set a goal to be water-positive by 2030, actively working to support local watersheds. While they are transparent about their commendable efforts, if the rate of phone content consumption and data center construction continues to escalate, their initiatives may ultimately prove futile.
Harness the Husker power. As Nebraska continues to transform into the “Silicon Prairie,” the rise of data centers highlights the advantages and challenges that come with our growing dependence on technology. With companies
like Meta already well established within the area, Nebraska is challenged to balance both economic growth and environmental responsibility. However, it is not just the data centers and Nebraskan policy that should be a concern. The environmental implications of our own digital habits cannot be overlooked. As our screentime climbs so do the carbon emissions tied to data storage and management.
It is crucial in this era of embracing technology in the Midwest that there is advocacy for sustainable architectural and business practices that allow for innovation and improvement in data storage but also keep the environment in mind. Data centers are found all over the globe, but Nebraska has an opportunity to set an example that data centers can meet the demands of modern needs but also respect the natural landscape and resources of the state. By supporting initiatives that prioritize green infrastructure Nebraska can become a leader in technology and environmental stewardship, proving that Nebraskans can indeed throw the bones while responsibly storing the bytes.
One with Nature
During my Sunday afternoon walk through a park near my house, watching the sunset and listening to the birds chirp, I couldn’t help but notice how outdated and vacant this old park felt. Tree remnants were scattered throughout, with uneven steps leading to different areas and awkward grade changes, disrupting the flow of the site. Parks can be vibrant, communal spaces when designed thoughtfully, but when they aren’t – issues arise. This particular park felt run-down and uninviting, hardly attracting any visitors and clearly in need of renovation. The absence of a
children’s playground further deters younger generations from going to the park and utilizing any of its amenities.
The search for a comprehensive park and playground design introduced me to Acorn Acres, a landscape project developed by HDR for Fontenelle Forest with a strong emphasis on inclusivity, accessibility, emulating nature, and blending in to be a part of the forest. Acorn Acres’s innovative approach reimagined the potential of outdoor spaces, ensuring that people of all ages and abilities can engage with
nature. Jen Cross, the lead designer for this project, believes that everyone deserves to experience the amazing outdoor space and that these spaces have a significant impact on how a person might feel. On top of being creative with physical accessibility, Acorn Acres also aims to promote a mentally stimulating environment for its visitors. The design is meant to create a socially interactive space, promoting activity and joy for everyone, including those who do not typically use a park. Since this is a communal space, Cross and her team seek opportunities to reflect that throughout the design.
The previous playground, Tom’s Treehouse, was inaccessible to many and had deteriorated over the years. Many of its playground components were also vandalized and scattered all around the forest. In its place, representatives for Fontenelle Forest and the design team envisioned Acorn Acres to be a new playscape that integrates into the natural surroundings while being usable to people of all ages and of all abilities. It offers opportunities for learning, connecting, and engaging with nature. There are a lot of interpretations for the project, and the ways people see Acorn Acres. Some would see
it as a destination to come and relax, some might see it as providing learning opportunities, while others might see it as a place where they can just go and have a chat about birds, trees, and the forest.
Designing a project in the middle of the forest provides unique opportunities but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. One of the considerations regarding the site was preserving the current water pattern of the forest; the design addresses this by allowing water to infiltrate the site and incorporating pervious walking paths. Through this, they
PROGRAM DRIVER
wanted to protect the water habitat for different trees and animal species, allowing them to grow while providing ample shade coverage for the playground.
Proposed programs that drive the final design of the project.
PROGRAM DRIVER
The existing boardwalk on the site is situated at a higher elevation than the playground level, so connection to it poses a challenge to the team, as well. During construction, one of the team’s difficulties was getting the wood into the forest. While the components of the playground were made from trees harvested from the forest, its structure was made of white oak imported from the Wisconsin forest, which was also sustainably harvested. These trees were ginormous and fitting them through an eight-foot opening was challenging. The team considered demolishing the arched atrium but ultimately decided to take them below the rafter area and preserve the gate.
There are also mental challenges beyond the construction possibilities, like how to make the park appeal to everyone, especially people who don’t have children or reasons to go here, as well as how to create an environment to encourage everyone to play, and think about things beyond physical limitations; cognitive differences like ADHD, social challenges, and other neurodivergences require careful planning to create a space for all users. The project took twice as long to finish, and due to budget constraints, several components had to be left out; with community involvement and countless studies, Acorn Acres turned into a success that everyone could enjoy.
The Big Swing
By Stephanie Cabarcas Maverick Park
Taylor Nielsen, senior design architect at HDR, has been with the firm for 10 years. He graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 2012 with a Master of Architecture. Growing up just outside of Omaha, he appreciates being able to work on local and regional projects and seeing how those projects impact his community directly. His design experience with performing arts, assembly, and athletic venues informed his decisions with Maverick Park. His goal is to apply these lessons to new projects in a unique way that avoids the monotony of repetitive notions throughout similar projects.
Projects that are designed to solve a problem within a community inspire his design process. He notes that projects using a formal result or an expression of problem-solving and solutions not purely stylistic are interesting to him. Being inspired by this, he does not focus on just one architect or a singular group of architects but multiple. He expresses how all his colleagues inspire him at the Omaha
office, working on different project types and using their personal experiences to work on projects. Maverick Park is a collaboration project between several consultants. HDR was the lead architectural firm in the project and the lead engineering firm. Lemka Edson Architects specializes in sports architecture, and HDR used their expertise to build this environment.
This partnership is not a new endeavor, as HDR consulted with Lemka for the University of Omaha’s Baxter Arena. HDR also consulted with an audio/visual consultant, a playing field consultant, and many others. This project was important to the UNO community given its need for UNO’s own baseball/softball field.
At the time, the teams were using other fields to satisfy their playing needs. Maverick Park had a whole community behind it, guiding and propelling the project forward. The park was fully privately funded so it was important for the donors to have a voice within the project.
This project exemplifies good client-todesigner relationships where the client’s needs are heard. The lead donor of this project was most interested in the softball program. In this case, there was a fundamental need to create a space of equity between softball and baseball. This is unusual in sports facilities as traditionally donors tend to support or gravitate towards the sports that bring in the most revenue or fans.
Sports that tend to be supported the most are male-centric sports, so it was important that in this project both softball and baseball are on the same level. Everyone was hands-on with this project to make sure that there was a proper distribution between the two sports.
EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC
During the design process, it was vital that the two fields get the best of both worlds. HDR produced a central support core that allowed for both sports to get the same quality of bathrooms, concessions, and pavilion views, while also staying within a reasonable budget. This pavilion view gives an elevated look into each field for an elevated, equal fan experience. The two sports have different dimensional size requirements based on the field, so the only differentiating factor of the fields is that the seating bowls are at a different capacity, with baseball having 1,500 seats and softball having 650. The quality was not spent, details were
all the same down to the last blade of turf. A patron can experience the original landscape when entering this facility. The seating bowls are built into the previous existing hill. Environmental factors were considered when building the facility. It was important to balance the site when having to cut and fill.
Because of careful consideration for the earth, dirt was reused throughout the project after being cut away from the hill. The project was moved around to allow for this balance.
Building form shaped by movement
Knik - Fairview
Amphitheater and plaza looking southeast.
Palmer Farm Loop
Lazy Mountain
Butte
Wasilla
Meadow Lakes
Knik River
New Frontiers
In design, the shared goal is to create buildings and spaces that maximize health, safety, and welfare for users. Within the field of healthcare, medical professionals and caregivers also have goals to address the welfare of patients so they can be as healthy and safe as possible. For a medical professional, this means providing dependable care and comfort to prevent injury and illness. Although health may encompass a broad understanding of wellness and well-being on multiple scales, in the world of medicine this often takes an inward focus on individual health and repair and their accompanying facilities.
The Conceptual Terrain Master Plan seeks to combine unique pairings and understandings of health and the role the traditional hospital campus fulfills in a rural community. Starting as a discovery of past projects and research surrounding rural access and evolving healthcare, the Conceptual Terrain project is a 50-year master plan located in south-central Alaska. This master plan was developed with a full market and feasibility study for a mixed-used community development for the infrastructure and community of the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer, Alaska. This project ultimately becomes a healthoriented development project linked to both the community and the Mat-Su Medical Center. The site proposed is a 38-acre site adjacent to the existing health campus. This campus sits between Palmer and Wasilla, Alaska, and
serves the population of the entire MatanuskaSusitna Borough with a population of over 108,000 people. Because of the wide-serving range of the hospital and the jobs that it provides to over 800 people in this community, there is a clear strength in the regional hospital and how it can begin to drive health-oriented development. As opposed to living, working, playing, and healing all existing within their own facets of a community, this project seeks to combine these isolated models of living into a mutually supportive and healthy environment.
The deriving program for this project revolved around market study analyses in relationship to the goals of the Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF). Within the research phase of this project, there were visioning workshops and digital surveys from MSHF employees and over 500 residents in the Mat-Su Borough
core area. Surveys revolved around the perspectives and priorities of individuals with direct relation to their own health needs and the potential successes that could be created for the community. These surveys revealed both a strong pride for the existing community as well as a need for a healthoriented development specifically addressing problems related to addiction, mental health, and homelessness.
As part of the design process, the team of architects, landscape architects, planners, civil engineers, and market assessors were able to travel to the site to learn from and confirm what had been presented to them in research. HDR designers from Nebraska, Architect Ashley Glesigner and Landscape Architect Alex Robinson, found this in-person experience valuable to design. They were
able to gain an understanding of the rich Alaskan Native culture and experience the effects of sun patterns and climate—greatly differing from the Midwest—began to impact a community-driven project informed by place. From this visit and research process came the statement that drove intentions and interventions in the final master plan: “The Mat-Su Health Campus is a welcoming Community Center promoting health and wellness for all peoples of the Mat-Su Valley.”
The approach of the Conceptual Terrain becomes apparent through a series of terraces moving down from north to south. The northern, higher elevation is identified with connections to trailheads and the lower tier includes centers for excellence. There are three distinct areas established in this terrain to organize the overall program of this site.
The final master plan includes diverse single and multifamily housing solutions, senior housing, retail stores, hospitality, and commercial developments, as well as a child development center. The project focuses on the development of vertical solutions, connection to nature, and opportunities for complementary services throughout the area. The site utilizes a major linear axis, around which most of the development is oriented. This is accentuated with three alleles, and major throughways utilize public art installations as focal points. Further emphasized with the local public
art installations, encouraging a connection to culture, land, and history on the site to benefit the overall community.This solution incorporates local art, food and culture centers, community gardens, and year-round gathering spaces to create hubs that foster a connection to place and Native culture within the project.
Another important aspect of health and wellness is the community’s social and behavioral well-being, supported by a design approach that encourages healthy habits. This includes walkable civic spaces such as
gardens and trails, along with services aimed at addressing addiction and homelessness.
The Conceptual Terrain Master Plan addresses existing contexts affecting the broader region down to the individuals of this community. Focusing on the unique pairings of health-related facilities connected to the community, it provides a model for the development of health-oriented communities across the country as a productive study and implementation of the goals of designers and healthcare providers alike.
View from Grand Stair to community green.
Below right: Food Hall Plaza looking north.
THE CONTAINER AND THE
By Kara Morgia
I credit my self-identity through the crafting and a compilation of passions, activities, and involvements throughout my life. Most notably, from age four to 15 as a martial artist, from age 10 to 18 as a dancer, as a student always, and most recently as an architecture student transitioning from the world of interior design. While I’ve been able to attain a set of skills revolving around some wildly different niches, there is a continuity that persists. Placemaking can be established just about everywhere, and the role of discipline has provided a continuous thread and growing definition that has evolved to the complex array of meanings that impact me today. This is the story of discipline.
Hit hard. Walking into a martial arts school at the ripe age of four, I established a strong sense of what I can now understand as placemaking connected to practice. While some call it a “dojo,” my kung fu school was in a small strip mall building off Cornhusker in the heart of Bellevue, Nebraska. Lying inside was a series of mats that grew to become a central space for learning and the development of a set of skills and ideas that have shaped me to be the person I am today. An outer mat and carpeted zone contained seating and shelving for parents to watch and students to put their bags and belongings. The second space within this building had no physical barrier beyond the change in flooring color and a mental shift that was drilled into a flow of thought. Before stepping onto this different colored mat, we were required to bow, transitioning into the space where we would learn a martial art. In a way, this was the container from which I applied all learning: how to punch, kick, and spar. This was the ”contained”. Among the ”contained,” I learned forms like dances with a prearranged sequence of movements to develop continued skills in footwork as well as the integration of a weapon. The most hard-hitting of what I learned here was a set of ideals and values revolving around integrity, perseverance, self-control, and—most notably—discipline. My understanding of the word at this time revolved around self-discipline and the application of which you keep working at something even though it’s difficult. In the world of martial arts, this revolved, to me, around physical strength, stamina, and pushing past the things you feel you can’t do.
Point your toes. The idea of placemaking and discipline began to grow as I transitioned into the world of dance around age 10. Throughout my eight years as a dancer, I learned the styles of jazz, tap, ballet, and hip hop while dancing as part of a studio, as well as through my experience on my high school’s dance team. Establishing a sense of place, or a “container,” became much less loosely defined. What was to be contained by that placemaking had to be carried with me wherever I went. The ”dojo” or “school” that I once was able to definitively associate with a mode of thinking and practice was expanded to the multitude of spaces in which I learned the art of dance.
A dance studio with mirrors and hard, flat surfaces is where I learned the technical skills and traditional styles of dance. On the dance team, a studio became a revolving series of practice spaces that impacted my ability to apply skills, making me a chameleon no longer dependent on space. My high school’s carpeted commons with benches creating obstacles and passersby in the late evenings, the dark mirrored wrestling room with squishy mats sinking with each step, are a couple of examples of my container. What was to be contained in dance was myself. Dance requires a blend of strength, agility, and technique swiftly and effortlessly combined to become a visual product performed in a variety of spaces. Despite the context of a performance or practice space, the application of skills is the same. Point your toes, straighten your legs, remember the choreography, and perform. While discipline still meant doing things even though they were difficult, I learned that it also meant dedication and persistence to grow a set of skills that become apparent, whether you are performing on a football field, a gym, or a stage.
Develop a craft. Through both dance and martial arts, I established a strong sense of placemaking related to this concept of the “container” and the “contained,” the honing of skills in an art form being the contained, and the places that shape them, the container. The role of discipline thus far had been an effort to build skills, with the accumulation of them resulting in the mastery of an art form. Moving into the fields of design, first gaining an undergraduate degree in interior design and now working toward a Master of Architecture, I have begun to realize the duality of discipline and what its complexity means to become a valuable design professional.
My view into interior design and architecture at the beginning of my education could be reduced to what I believe is a common conception of these design disciplines. Interior design focuses on interiors, the “contained,” and architecture is what shapes the interior, i.e. the exterior, the “container.” The reduction of a profession to “in” or “out” is an incomplete picture of the reality of these varying professions and how they relate to and inform each other.
Within the profession of interior design, I learned about the built environment in relation to the lens of a user and the impact of one-toone scale in built space. In interiors, I focused on applications of material, light, and form within space and how they create phenomenological experiences. I was educated on distinct spatial systems and how they can begin to inform the crafting of space in the built environment. Understanding building code and how that relates to the field was another gained expertise that directly correlates to the profession. While this education clearly identifies the importance of interior space within a shell, there is always a strong connection to an exterior context, cultures, people, and so many more groupings that extend beyond the assumed and often undervalued role of an interior designer.
As I navigate my new position as a student of architecture, I am becoming aware of the differences and perspectives related to interior design and architecture as well as some very strong connections that link each individual discipline. Although they are separate disciplines, there is a common goal in bettering the built environment and the world we live in. In addition to common goals, these design disciplines begin to inform each other. Interior and exterior are intrinsically combined and it’s my goal to develop a craft and practice related to each discipline.
Within the world of design, discipline becomes part of a conversation that addresses the skill sets of individuals and often pushes the line for who and what can be done. Within each discipline, there are sets of rules and regulations that allow members of different distinctions to complete various tasks. Within the convolution of the disciplines and what this means for the built environment, I think there is a lot to be learned about the practice of architecture and the way that individual perspectives become valuable to the field of design. For a discipline to be a discipline you need to establish a set of knowledge and skills that pertain to an expertise in a field. It’s that expertise and understanding of that discipline that allows the flourishing of the individuals that come together to collaborate in the field of design.
Throughout my vast exploration of passions and hobbies ranging from martial arts to dance to interior design to architecture, I’ve learned the value of discipline as both a skill to build skills as well as an accumulation of skills that make up a specific practice or art form. It’s important to understand the duality of this word as it relates to the field of design and the individual professions as well as the meaning of the word, which allows you to practice better. Don’t become contained by what you do or how you may grow through discipline.
Just think.
Steel Roots
By Chloe Martinez
The City of Omaha is working on and investing in the development of downtown. Steelhouse Omaha is part of a larger master plan under Omaha Performing Arts (O-PA).
Recently, in Nebraska, we have seen an increase in collaborations between highprofile design firms and local architects of record. It has been fascinating to witness the various collaborations constructed and to hear what the local community thinks about them. Nebraska is making strides in the development of the arts, performing arts, and education, thanks to the contributions of designers like Stephen Chu, Francelle Lim, and Eddie Opara. I asked each of them what it was like to collaborate with a Midwestern firm and to work in a Midwestern community. In the design world, Nebraska isn’t necessarily known for being a hub for groundbreaking design while New York is, home to offices of Ennead and Pentagram. Francelle and Stephen said that Ennead has been working on reshaping
and revitalizing downtown areas to provide more opportunities for the arts. With their prior experience collaborating with Omaha Performing Arts (O-PA), they believe that Omaha has a lot to offer. They try to find likeminded clients and collaborators to ensure the success of their mission. The architect of record, Holland Basham Architects, appears to share a similar ideology when it comes to attending to the needs of their clients.
Opara emphasized that there are many misconceptions regarding working in the Midwest. He heard things like, “You’ve got to keep it simple… they don’t understand complex things… they’re very literal…” he found these notions to be untrue. He went on to talk about how much he enjoyed his time in Omaha and the pride he takes in the projects he has worked on here. He believes the best way to succeed is through simply listening to and understanding your client. This philosophy seems to ring true in the overwhelming success of Steelhouse Omaha.
The City of Omaha is working on and investing in the development of downtown. Steelhouse Omaha is part of a larger master plan under Omaha Performing Arts. The O-PA campus development and the addition of the steel house are helping to augment the evolution that the city is pushing for. Each building on the master plan serves a different function and consequently has a different expression.
SITE PLAN
The energy that is perceived on the exterior is an indication of the movement and energy inside.
The variety on campus draws in a diverse crowd and gets people excited about the arts. An opera is wildly different from a country concert, which is wildly different from a ballet that is not the same as a standup show. The point is that diversity in interests warrants diverse facilities. Even so, there are subcategories within subcategories, Steelhouse Omaha needed to be flexible to accommodate a variety of performance and event types. Competent designers with a variety of skills were required to meet the needs of O-PA. The team was a collaborative effort of architectural design, architect of record, and graphic design. Stephen Chu and Francelle Lim, from Ennead, spoke on behalf of their team on the design and intent of the project. Holland Basham, a local architecture firm, was brought on as the architect of record. Eddie Opara from Pentagram led signage and wayfinding.
The design of the Steelhouse came from the team’s philosophy of uniqueness and a rooted narrative. The narrative emphasizes the need to connect to the existing roots. This was achieved by examining the existing framework and directing the new branches toward the modern audience and users. To start implementing this narrative, each team developed their unique relationships with the client and users. It was imperative to understand the history of the site, the mission of O-PA, and how those branches connect or could connect to the target audience.
Stephen PD Chu and Francelle Lim, of Ennead Architects, implemented their vision of a rooted narrative by drawing inspiration from the city’s industrial past. As a team, they don’t believe in a significant signature move that you might see from other design firms. They wholeheartedly believe that each design move should reflect the roots and the branches that exist in the community and build towards a collective, ideal future. This philosophy allows their team to create environments that are truly unique and memorable.
The rigid, industrial form was motivated by the site’s industrial factory past and meant to make a statement about the site and the program within the building. The energy perceived on the exterior is an indication of the movement and energy inside. Chu explained that this is another type of factory, but one for creativity: “We create things here. We make things here. We give a stage to different forms.” Lim emphasized that the space was designed to be as flexible as possible. Steelhouse Omaha can host dinners, shows, exhibitions, and events that the designers didn’t intend the space for. The design team met with several community groups to determine their needs and understand how the space would function.
Omaha Performing Arts Campus Expansion
Nor th Building Floor Plan Level 0 (Below Stage)
Parents and application of the technical elements were cleverly integrated and concealed. The structure is exposed with long-span trusses and perforated acoustic panels. The material palette consisted of concrete, steel, and stone, making the building quite durable. The highlight of the technical aspect of the building is the care and attention put into the acoustic performance. The type of paneling the team used is in other concert halls and highly sensitive rooms. They studied the space in terms of amplification and determined that their design would focus on absorption. One corner of the room acts as a sound trap while other surfaces within the space offer area for projection. There is also a lot of acoustic intervention that you don’t see, such as the absorption between the steel elements, no pockets in assembly, and concealed acoustic baffles in the ceiling. An impressive acoustic feature is that, while standing on the floor during a show, you can obviously hear the
band playing and likely feel the bass rattle your bones, but something you typically can’t hear is the friend that came with you. The team was able to tailor the acoustic qualities to allow someone to hear what was going on right next to them while the show was going on. While this may not bode well for those next to the tone-deaf individuals who insist on screaming the lyrics to every song, it is wildly helpful if you are trying to let your friend know that you want your phone that’s in their bag, that your ride is on the way, or even in case of an emergency.
Eddie Opara, a designer from Pentagram, was responsible for the wayfinding and signage elements. Pentagram is a notable multidisciplinary design studio based in New York City. Eddie’s reputation lives up to its stature. During the interview, his passion and skill for his work were quite clear. He explained the rooted narrative to me by emphasizing the connection between
the parts of any entity. By understanding these connections you realize that the most effective design solutions come from within. Looking inward and branching out from there within the existing framework of community, history, and desires creates a connection between historic and modern. This also results in something transformative. He emphasized his enthusiasm about working with Ennead Architects on this project because the architects left him to do what a designer should do. He was able to iterate freely and flow through his creative process without interrogation.
The identity and rhythm of the building were unique so you don’t see the same serrated structure anywhere else in the O-PA master plan. Because of this, the signage and wayfinding had to be just as unique. The serration of the Steelhouse logo was a derivative of the rhythm of the architects. To the graphic designers, it was dire that they
had empathy for the architecture but that their intervention was also actively communicating to and engaging with the audience. This was achieved in the iconic Steelhouse Omaha signage on the main faces of the building and continuation of the rhythm throughout the interior wayfinding.
The architect of record on this project was a local firm called Holland Basham Architects. I was curious to hear about the relationship between the variety of design firms. Ennead is a distinguished, international architecture design firm with an impressive portfolio.
Pentagram is the largest independentlyowned design studio in the world. Holland Basham Architects expressed that they strive to ensure that clients’ visions and goals are prioritized.
Despite its form being so different from the campus and other buildings in downtown Omaha, it works because the design team took the time and the care to truly get to know the community, the client, and their missions. While Steelhouse Omaha is unique in its form and function, it is truly rooted in its history, community, and promising future.
Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture
The Millwork Commons in Omaha, Nebraska is known for its historic character and iconic multicolored water tower. It is a collaborative community for innovators that provides spaces for them to work, live, and connect. As businesses began to inhabit the area, they brought life to the space and contributed to the development of WP Engine Tenant Improvement. WP Engine is a web hosting company that has created a culture that fits perfectly into what the Millwork Commons Community strives to be. Known for their good vibes and strong energy, they opened their Omaha office in the Ashton Building, which was originally built in the late 1800s.
The design started with the shell. The exterior walls were masonry and came in a hodgepodge of colors. Rather than painting right over it, the team found a way to use it for good. They utilized a quiet palate in the interior that complimented the existing colors. They utilized white walls and floor-to-ceiling glass that highlighted the masonry and the heavy timber structure. Rather than replacing one with the other, the goal was always to layer the new and the old effectively. The next challenge that APMA faced was integrating the new technology into the existing infrastructure. They wanted to be very intentional about it and not take away from the beauty that was already there.
Through the design process and extensive refinement, the new infrastructure found a home living above each section that required it. The team felt that exposing this infrastructure would make the new design feel messy, which is the opposite of the goal of new complementing old. The interior is comprised of open office spaces, as well as breakout spaces for large, medium, and small meetings. Everything operates in individual neighborhoods and is split between two floors. To connect the spaces, there are open floor plates that allow peaks of activity in different zones. The main element that connects all the spaces is the large feature stair and the large skylight that exposes the
colorful water tower that brings together the Millwork Commons. However, the design never reached its full potential due to COVID19’s influence on the projected opening. Many companies have not had all their employees return to the office, due to hybrid and workfrom-home models. WP Engine continues to find its sense of identity in the space by finding new ways to adapt to the original design and make it work in a post-pandemic world.
Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture
Savoring Space
By Nick Carraher
One of the latest dining destinations conceptualized by Flagship Restaurant Group, Memoir was the recipient of the 2023 IIGA Best In Show Award.
Nestled in the heart of downtown Omaha, Nebraska this restaurant is a dynamic celebration of the group’s legacy, offering an open embrace to the community it proudly serves.
Designed by Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture (APMA), this 7,285-squarefoot restaurant transforms dining into a rich narrative. At the helm of Memoir’s design is Katrina Stoffel, designer and partner at APMA. From her early days studying the sociology of coffee shops to her extensive work crafting Flagship’s diverse portfolio of eateries, Stoffel has honed an innate understanding of how the built environment can foster meaningful connections. I sat down with her to discuss the meticulous process behind the creation of one of Omaha’s newest dining destinations, Memoir.
A Taste of Home
“Memoir is inspired by the idea of inviting you into our home,” Stoffel explains. “We want this to be a space where classic dishes and craft cocktails become the backdrop for reconnecting with old friends, making new ones, and celebrating the moments that make up the memoir of our community.”
To bring this vision to life the APMA team carefully curated a set of design attributes for the space to exhibit: classic, modern, neighborhood vibe, casual, intimate, hearty, lively, and timeless. These guiding principles informed every aspect of Memoir, from the warm, inviting color palette to the thoughtfully placed nooks and crannies that encourage lingering conversation. “We started by really defining the story we wanted to tell,” Stoffel says. “Once we had that north star, we could
begin layering in the details that would bring it to life— the kind of lighting that would create a cozy ambiance, the materials that would evoke a sense of timelessness, the flow of the space that would foster that neighborhood vibe.”
A Clean Plate
In the initial stages of the Memoir restaurant design, the APMA team faced a unique challenge--a clean slate. As the first tenant in a brand-new building, they had the freedom to transform the space into their vision without having to contend with a significant number of preexisting elements. This blank canvas allowed the team to first focus on the foundational programming needs, determining factors like the optimal number of seats, the required kitchen size, and the necessary bathroom count. “It was designed down to the inch,” Stoffel notes, emphasizing the meticulous attention to detail required to maximize the available square footage. Many iterations of unique spatial layouts were conducted to determine the best usage of the given tenant space. Navigating the challenges of the leased patio space proved to be another hurdle, as the design team had to work within the constraints of city regulations. The use of retractable awnings and removable railings allowed them to create an inviting outdoor area while maintaining compliance. With Flagship
Restaurant Group’s specific requirements in mind, the design process began to take shape, laying the groundwork for the warm, inviting atmosphere that would ultimately define the Memoir experience.
Serving Up Elevated Design
The design of the Memoir restaurant is unique in that it achieves a welcoming and intimate ambiance in a public dining setting. This aspect was no easy task to achieve as it required the strategic use of materials and unique spatial layouts striking a balance between cost, durability, and emotional impact. “It’s about finding that balance between old and new, between the polished and the patinated,” explains Stoffel. “We want spaces that feel lived-in, that have a sense of history and character, not something that looks like it just rolled off an assembly line.” This philosophy is evident throughout the project, from the custom tile sourced from a women-owned studio in Tennessee to the wood flooring that wears its scuffs and scrapes like badges of honor. “That wood floor, it’s going to age and change over time, and we love that. It’s part of the narrative of the space.”
The design team opted for a saturated and moody color palette to reflect Flagship’s unique brand character. This reflection, however, is not the only one present in the restaurant, as the design team’s strategic use of oversized arched mirrors reflects light and the activity of the neighborhood outside into the interior blurring the boundary between indoor and outdoor, enhancing the sense of place. Dramatic architectural elements like the double-sided bar, open hearth kitchen, and cozy banquettes were also carefully considered.
By positioning the bar and kitchen as the focal points visible from the entrance, the design team crafted a clear sightline that draws guests deeper into the space. The positioning of the banquettes against the walls creates a sense of coziness and intimacy, even within the large open space. Each banquette was carefully oriented to provide guests with a view out the windows, allowing them to feel connected to the surrounding neighborhood.
The Cherry on Top
Anchoring the aesthetic of Memoir restaurant is the striking coffered ceiling that spans the main dining area. This architectural feature serves not only as a visually intriguing design element but also as a strategic tool for enhancing the space’s sense of intimacy and comfort. Many rounds of iterations and mock-ups were done until the team landed on a solution that not only hid the necessary infrastructure but also added visual interest and richness to the space. The intricate pattern of recessed panels and beams draws the eye upward, creating a sense of grandeur and elegance that elevates the overall ambiance. The design of the ceiling was also a clever solution to conceal mechanical equipment in an elegant way. Stoffel explains, “The effort that went into that detail is unparalleled. It’s the kind of thing that may go unnoticed by some, but for us, it’s a testament to the passion and dedication of the entire team.” The attention to detail in coordinating the placement of speakers, sprinkler heads, and vents within the ceiling design showcased the team’s commitment to seamlessly integrating form and function.
Satisfying the Appetite
The APMA team understands that great hospitality design is a delicate balance of space, food, and operations. “It’s from the moment someone walks in the door—the warmth of the greeting, the music playing, the first words the host says,” explains Stoffel. “Every single touch point is carefully curated to make the guest feel at home.” As Flagship grows and evolves, Stoffel hopes the restaurant will become a beloved fixture in the community, a go-to destination for celebrating life’s most precious moments. “Seeing people enjoy the space, mark their milestones here-- that’s the most fulfilling part of this job. It’s not just about the design, it’s about creating an experience that truly resonates with people.” Much like a well-crafted memoir, Flagship’s story and celebration of its 20th anniversary is one of perseverance, creativity, and a relentless pursuit of emotional connection. It’s a testament to the power of design to transform a simple dining experience into a lasting memory.
By Chloe Martinez
In a world with nothing familiar, one may be too focused on survival.
In a world where everything is familiar, one may be too comfortable to move.
In a world that is vaguely familiar, one may be inclined to explore.
The process of creation in any design discipline exists somewhere between familiar and foreign, each with its own particulars. Architecture—the design, art, science, and construction of spaces—has a notoriously difficult design process. Many architectural designers can relate to sleepless nights, constant ruminating over nonsensical ideas, obsession with the most minuscule of details, and that distinct feeling. This feeling is present in each of the design disciplines. Any creative knows it’s in the moments, days, months, and even years before you begin to barrel toward the finish line. It’s where you understand a general concept or idea and possibly even all the factors that go into it, while simultaneously spinning in circles before you find the direction to run in. It is the worst kind of anticipation when you know you are the only one who can solve it.
How does one break away from this relentless cycle? Is the cycle necessary to create something great? Rather than stopping that feeling, propelling yourself further into the liminal may help you find what you are looking for. The feeling and the creative process it resides in, exist in the mental liminal space you create when the process begins. Adding any additional factors or considerations to your conscious mind would likely further complicate the situation or stress you out further, so we must target the subconscious. This can be done through the manipulation of your physical space.
Most creative endeavors are developed and executed in some form of a studio. The studio is a loose concept, generally defined as a place for making, but not exclusive to any discipline. Commercial and academic studio spaces often utilize the blank canvas concept which can feel tired and sterile, similar to a dentist’s office. While this is a cost-effective approach, it reinforces and gives home to the daunting uncertainty that comes with the design process. A creative space should stimulate a creative mind. At the root of the creative process, you find discomfort and inspiration. This is supported by the concept of “getting out of your comfort zone,” popularized in the 90s and coined by Judith Bardwick. The comfort zone for any creative seems to be detrimental. Getting out of it is achieved by the proper channelling of struggle and ideas into a perceptible piece of work.
Given these observations, an intervention from the physical world could propel you through the liminal space of your creative mind. What better way to do this than to create a physical discomfort to trigger a subconscious response? In theory, this would encourage movement through the dreaded parts of the creative process.
The discomfort is to be instigated in a way that is bearable but perceptible to your subconscious. Experiencing a physical liminal space disrupts one’s typical mode of thinking,
due to the discomfort it causes. Varying levels of discomfort can be achieved through plenty of methods. The common ground between these methods appears to be materiality, form, and function.
Starting with materiality, many artists and designers understand the world through their sense of touch. One way to create discomfort through materiality is to create an environment that, at first glance, appears as any other studio. It has white walls, wooden tables, concrete floors or carpet tile flooring, and an exposed structure. However, upon further inspection, the carpet tiles would actually be made of textured wood and the plaster walls would be made of foam. The wooden tables are made of agate, and the exposed structure was meticulously painted on a flat gypsum ceiling. For the creative who explores through touch, this could be a playground or hell-scape. Either way, it would be motivating the creative to move in one direction or another.
Moving onto form, many artists are heavily influenced by the shape and appearance of the space they are in. In some cases, moving from a standard square room organized by a grid to an organically shaped room with no real organization may be enough motivation. However, for severe cases, interventions such as creating a maze of programs may be necessary. Forcing the creative to physically move from one space to another to find things such as a pencil, an instrument, or even a place to sit provides the opportunity to break their typical mode of thinking. The more nonsensical the path, the better.
Finally, we have ‘function.’ This may be most versatile in that it not only challenges our perception of our surroundings. This may compel the creative to question their understanding of an object in the first place. For instance, imagine playing an instrument, such as a piano. It looks and feels like a classic grand but when you plunk a key, it sounds like an over driven electric guitar. Or imagine sitting down at a row of sewing machines that were only capable of deconstruction. Calling into question the creative’s basic understanding of their fundamental tools has the potential to push them beyond their understanding of the dilemma at hand.
Each of these methods is meant to be used in tandem with each other. The varying ratios would of course depend on the creative and their medium(s). These methods lay between the comfortable and the foreign and should be perceived as something vaguely familiar. Without any sense of familiarity, a creative may be too skeptical. With too much comfort, they may default to typical patterns. Both results are undesirable in that the creative will remain stagnant. The most common denominator I see in all creatives is struggle and discomfort. But something that the greats have in common was that they never stopped moving.
LUIS BARRAGAN
Opening Up
By Angela Vu
Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture
1 Concealed structure
2 Artifical skylight
3 Suspended feature stair
4 Feature wall
5 Renovated floor and atrium
6 Existing floor and atrium
The Foundation Offices Expansion, designed by Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture (APMA), was a tenant improvement project in Omaha, NE. The project is 55,000 sqft and was completed in 2018. APMA was established in the Midwest in 1987 and gradually expanded as the firm grew in number. Most of the work done by APMA is very local within the state of Nebraska. The firm’s philosophy of design is situated on a three-legged stool of ethos: people, place, and design.
The lead architect of the project is Ryan Fisher, who has worked at APMA for approximately 14 years. Ryan grew up in Omaha and had always had a profound interest in architecture since childhood. Ryan states, “Good design deserves to be incorporated into every piece of architecture and every single project.” He also notes that placemaking is a major component of good design. “You can’t really have good design without considering the context that the architecture project sits within and how that impacts the people in the surrounding communities.”
The existing building is situated on what was formerly the ConAgra campus and is embedded in an irregular footprint where the building constantly bends along the exterior envelope. The building was deep from front to back, which caused some of the interior spaces to be very dim and poorly lit. The existing conditions were visually heavy, and the finishes were dark, giving the space an oppressive quality. The basement also had a six-inch slope to the floor, which made designing and construction difficult. Some factors that the design had to balance between were view corridors, security, and privacy.
Some of the main goals of the project were to open up the space between floors and to curate a visual connection to the outside. To do this, the plan had two primary axes that ran from east to west and north to south. Standing on the axes should connect the viewer directly to the outside. Another driving factor was that the Foundations were accustomed to having private offices, and they were not interested in an open office. Their solution was to situate all offices on the exterior walls while maintaining natural light in the interior spaces. One of the spaces that required significant work was the main lobby space, which needed to be opened up as much as possible. To accomplish this, the existing structural bays needed to be removed to create a much grander two-story space
that cut from the east to the west side of the building. The site had a significant influence on the design concept, as it is located close to the river. With the lake, every view from the building was phenomenal. The architects wanted to direct views to the outdoors and utilize the existing landscape.
Right as one walks into the Foundation Offices, the first thing they will experience is a doubleheight space with a suspended catwalk and stairs. Initially, the team wanted to incorporate a natural skylight, but due to the occupied floors above the space, this task was virtually impossible. To achieve the well-lit and light look they wanted, a faux skylight with a back-lit fabric ceiling footprints the entire width of
the two-story lobby space. Ryan notes, “You have to do a double take to understand it is not actually natural light that is happening above some sort of translucent surface.” The strategy behind curating the space was to use a primarily wood and white material palette. The team intentionally kept the space quiet on the inside and let the views outside, as well as the collection of colorful artwork the foundation was known for displaying, be the loud moments and accent features to the spaces. Ryan states, “Letting the people and the activity bring the liveliness to the space.”
Ryan’s philosophy behind design is that it can be applied in a lot of different ways, but good architecture stems from refinement. The project’s healthy budget allowed the level of
Left; Warm wood and diffused light create a serene, inviting workspace.
Right; Slatted wood ceilings and bold forms bring warmth and clarity to this modern lounge.
Below; A quiet threshold of wood and glass, where warmth meets the stillness of nature.
coordination and quality to be a great success. Ryan notes, “Good budget. Good client. Good design team. Good consultants. Good contractors. Good context. It’s all important to the final product.” The Foundation Offices recognized that they would be using the space for a long time and did not want to have to renovate the space in a short period. The client recognized that good architecture required an upfront cost. The Foundations did not have any strong preconceived ideas of how the space would look, so APMA was granted freedom to let their creativity loose and interpret the client’s needs and how to address them and the Foundations were open to exploration.
The Foundation Offices is a prime example of a successful adaptive reuse project where a space can be completely transformed despite the significant structural challenges. Opening up the existing floor plan allowed the previously dark interior spaces to be saturated with natural light. This made the mood of the entire office shift to be more inviting and comfortable. This project captures the astonishing views of the exterior landscape through its primary axes, cutting through the span of the building from front to back. Focusing primarily on the existing double-height atrium, the design improved the space through lighting, material selection, and wayfinding.
By Alejandro Gallegos
In recent years, the community of Lincoln has seen a growing trend in the development of large apartment complexes and upscale residential projects, rather than affordable single-family homes. As the city continues to expand, developers have prioritized higher-density housing options, often aimed at attracting middle to upper-income residents.
While these projects contribute to the city’s economic growth and urban appeal, they have sparked concern among advocates for affordable housing, particularly for impoverished individuals and families. The shortage of affordable homes has become increasingly problematic, as many low-income residents struggle to find suitable housing within their budget. With rising rent costs and limited availability of affordable units, some Lincoln residents face the risk of displacement or prolonged housing instability. This shift in development priorities has highlighted the growing divide between market-driven construction and the pressing need for affordable, accessible housing solutions for all members of the community. The challenge now lies in balancing economic development with social equity to ensure that Lincoln remains a place where everyone can thrive, regardless of their financial situation.
The definition of a community is defined in many ways, but the one that is commonly known is the people as a group. Another is the body of people having common or equal rights or rank as distinguished from the privileged classes, with the most generic definition being that a community is a body of people who tend to live in the same place where there is a shared common cultural or even ethnic identity. Apart from the words that describe community, it has drastically changed in the 20th century, especially in the advancement of technology. From what I remember, I was raised completely in Lincoln by my Mexican parents. They came here for a better life and continue to live in this country to provide that life for their child. Lincoln has been my home for twenty-four, nearly twenty-five years.
From childhood to finishing public education to earning my undergraduate degree I have come to see that Lincoln hasn’t been the same, at least from what I remembered it to be. I remember when the neighborhood communities would have celebrations by blocking the street and having events and activities to get everyone out and engage with one another. Sadly, I don’t see that anymore. Slowly people have become less involved with their local communities while Lincoln has become more focused on building larger complexes to attract younger demographics. The loss of
celebration around the diversity of a neighborhood causes us to lose that unique sense of community. With these apartments as well as the rise of poverty in Lincoln, the effects of this loss are felt by many.
Focusing on the development and future of the city is not inherently a bad thing, it is crucial to the survival of any city. However, what happens to what was already here? Is it just tossed away? Large complexes tend to lose the community aspect of a neighborhood because, in an apartment, nobody is going to talk in those tight hallways as you leave your unit. The environment and proximity tend to facilitate awkward encounters as soon as you step out of your door.
As more large, blocky developments rise in the heart of Lincoln, the city’s neighborhoods are slowly losing their vitality. Homes are becoming neglected, just like the people living in them. The strong sense of community that once defined these areas is fading, as residents are pushed out and forced to relocate to areas completely disconnected from what they once knew. Lincoln’s focus seems to be on attracting college students to occupy these new buildings. This is important with the university making up a large part of the city’s infrastructure, but with the current poverty rate and turbulent economic climate, long-time residents can’t afford the rent for a simple one-bed, one-bath apartment on their own. If long-term residents in Lincoln can’t afford to live here, how can we possibly retain the individuals that the city is trying to attract?
There have been many housing development programs/agencies trying to improve the housing conditions currently in Lincoln. A few I am familiar with are, South of Downtown, NeighborWorks, and one I’ve just recently heard about is Excel Development. I mention these programs/agencies because I have seen them work and change the neighborhood that I’ve lived in for my whole life. Even though they are taking down the old houses from the 1900s, they build new houses at affordable prices to improve the community and bring the people back to support the neighborhood and not lose the spirit it originally had.
So, let us unite as a community to demand more inclusive housing policies and engage with local developers to promote projects that provide affordable units alongside larger but quality developments. By raising our voices, attending community meetings, and supporting initiatives to increase affordable housing availability, we can work towards a more equitable future for Lincoln. Together, we can ensure that everyone, regardless of their economic status, has a place to call home. Join the movement for affordable housing today, because a thriving community is one where all its members can live with dignity and security.
CoArts: Bennett Martin Public Library Housing Addition
By William Roarty
Produced as part of the undergraduate capstone studio ARCH 411: Integrate led by Michael Harpster, the CoArts: Bennett Martin Public Library Housing Addition designed by 4th-year students Teia Kilian and Chloe Martinez gives us a look at the potential future for housing spaces inspired by the architectural context. Kilian and Martinez through their work together have won the SGH, Dri-Design and Pella Design Competition.
CoArts’ design embodies a careful blend of community spirit, artistic integration, and sensitivity to the needs of vulnerable residents. The project was inspired by the city of Lincoln itself, particularly the vibrant arts culture that defines its downtown core. With Bennett Martin Public Library as the site for this housing addition, the team sought to enrich Lincoln’s ongoing development of a Music & Arts District along O Street. This led CoArts’ design process to prioritize community and creativity, with a focus on crafting spaces that harmonize with both the library’s context and the city’s character.
A central design priority was creating living spaces that residents not only felt safe in but were excited to call home. Serving a vulnerable user group heightened the team’s responsibility to foster “a sense of privacy, familiarity, and safety” in each unit. Designing for a diverse yet specific set of users required a precise approach, focusing on spaces that nurtured comfort while resonating with their occupants. Through early research and the setting of clear goals, the team developed spaces that embraced these core values without diluting their impact by trying to address every possible user preference.
One of the most important components in Kilian and Martinez’s opinion to tackling CoArts’ complex program was consistent documentation. Writing played a critical role, enabling the team to clearly define and prioritize goals, which served as a reference to realign design decisions with the project’s central ideas. In cases where new concepts didn’t fit, the team used goal lists and statements as an “impartial third party,” allowing them to refocus quickly and minimize wasted time. This disciplined approach enabled the team to effectively navigate one of the most delicate challenges: the balance between public and private spaces.
This balance was carefully calibrated by “blurring the lines” between social and private zones, achieved not through physical barriers but through creative manipulation of space. The team used unique ceiling conditions and varying levels of permeability in walls to influence how
We chose to create a separation of space not through physical barriers, but by playing with the perception of space.
TEIA KILIAN
users experience each space. For instance, large circular and inverted domes created an intimate feel in circulation spaces, while high-ceiling domes in studio areas enhanced openness. Horizontal separations were achieved with permeable materials, like a custom brick pattern that varied in transparency to gradually transition between public, semi-private, and private areas.
To further enrich this balance, CoArts incorporated the concept of the “vaguely familiar.” This idea, inspired by the work of architectural firm MOS, involves the strategic use of familiar forms and materials— brick, wood, primitive shapes like circles and triangles—that evoke comfort while slightly altering them to spark curiosity. The result is an architecture that resonates with users by blending familiarity and discovery, helping residents feel grounded yet inspired to explore and understand their surroundings. Materials like brick, which forms a semipermeable façade, offer comfort through traditional elements while still allowing for modern reinterpretation.
Through these nuanced design choices, CoArts’ “vaguely familiar” aesthetic encourages residents to feel both secure and creatively engaged. From the community galleries and performance areas on the first floor to the private, adaptable living units above, CoArts exemplifies how design can cultivate community and support vulnerable users by embracing the arts and balancing public and private life through subtle, intentional architectural moves.
SGH, Dri-Design and Pella Design Competition
The design process for the SGH, Dri-Design, and Pella Design Competition required intense collaboration, resilience, and a balance between creativity and pragmatism. For Kilian and Martinez, two students with a strong foundation of working together, navigating the challenges of this competition was a demanding yet rewarding experience. The main difficulty they encountered, as Kilian notes, was the time-intensive task of validating and exploring each team member’s ideas. However, both partners adopted a “third-party critic” mindset, stepping back to objectively assess each proposal. This approach allowed them to offer each other constructive feedback without unnecessary personal attachment, ultimately saving time and fostering a streamlined decision-making process.
The structure and culture of their studio were significant influences on the team’s ability to balance competing demands and manage an ambitious workload. ARCH 411, a rigorous studio course at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, provided a strict framework that supported the team’s design process. As Martinez reflects, their professor Michael Harpster’s structured approach enabled the team to break down complex requirements into manageable parts, guiding them through a series of incremental challenges. This structure, coupled with a culture of healthy competition and strong camaraderie within their cohort, allowed Kilian and Martinez to receive feedback and support from peers, further strengthening their design.
People seem to be afraid of color when representing their work but it can really help tell your story.
CHLOE MARTINEZ
Reflecting on their biggest wins and losses, both Kilian and Martinez gained important insights into the art of prioritization and pacing. For Kilian, the main challenge was learning to pace her creative process within a tight schedule, which sometimes meant leaving an idea behind before she felt it was fully developed. She found that the course pushed her to prioritize functionality alongside design integrity, teaching her how to balance conceptual depth with practical constraints. Martinez also learned valuable lessons in prioritization, describing how it’s crucial to “know what hill to die on.” She recognized that getting stuck on small details can be counterproductive, advising future students to focus on how well their ideas serve the overall user experience and design concept.
One of the most surprising and innovative aspects of their design came from research into materials that could enhance the permeability and sound management of the project. Striving to maintain visual flow and ventilation while addressing privacy, the team designed a permeable brick pattern with alternating open blocks. They then discovered an acoustic metamaterial developed by Boston University researchers, which allowed air and light to pass through without
transmitting sound. This discovery was transformative, as it not only fulfilled the aesthetic and functional requirements of the space but also opened the students’ eyes to the possibilities of crossdisciplinary innovation.
Kilian and Martinez also have valuable advice for students entering similar studios or competitions. Kilian emphasizes the importance of clarity and simplicity in design, urging students to create thoughtful, cohesive, and practical concepts rather than overly complex ones, “I would advise students to lean into the challenge… and most of all: Do not overcomplicate your design. Your design should focus on being thoughtful, cohesive, and well-rounded – it does not need to do backflips.”
She suggests making daily lists, constantly revisiting project requirements, and practicing presentations repeatedly to ensure a polished final product. Martinez adds that embracing color and unconventional drawing conventions can be a powerful tool for communicating a design narrative, encouraging students not to shy away from using color to enrich their visual storytelling.
Making Voices Heard
and Chloe Martinez
Thesis Award
Co-written by Angelu Vu
Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Tori Dunston’s interest in design developed from an insecurity regarding where she lived and what her home looked like. Through travel, she saw how celebrating culture locally through unique processes, materiality, and form resulted in vibrant communities. Her experience living in a middle to lower class neighborhood and questioning its conditions after seeing other places later resulted in developing her master’s thesis. Through her experience with the negative effects of infrastructure dividing communities, Dunston felt it was fitting to begin the research process within her neighborhood next to the 75TH North Freeway. Her findings prompted her to expand her scope to other highway-adjacent communities
across the country. Dunston’s goal was, “to reveal something to add to the architectural discussion at large.”
New Orleans, Louisiana, is home to Tremé, the oldest African-American neighborhood in the US. In the 1960s, this neighborhood was the victim of infrastructure through the construction of a major highway through its heart. Clairborne Avenue used to be the cultural and business center of Tremé but is now overshadowed by the imposing Clairborne Expressway.
Dunston’s research prioritized the firsthand experience of Tremé locals. An interview she focused on was that of Lynette Boutte.
Dunston described Boutte’s recollection of Tremé before and after the construction of the Clairborne Expressway, also dubbed “The Monster.” She expressed how Boutte’s love for the close community and abundance of resources within it morphed into sadness at its loss upon returning from college. Dunston described the tragic loss of over 100 local businesses, 300 trees, and 500 family homes. The absence of the tree-lined avenue, black-owned shops, displacement of residents, and loss of social cohesion all led to a loss of culture and community in a once vibrant and lively area.
Unfortunately, it was not an uncommon practice for planners to route highways like this through low-income and minority communities. While these highways
symbolized economic advancement to some, others suffered the loss of their homes, peace, and health. For example, Dunston, along with many others, suffers from respiratory ailments directly caused by their community’s proximity to highways.
Despite the truly disheartening impacts of “The Monster,” the community is trying to bring back what once was. Dunston had the opportunity to meet with a local landscape designer who is actively working to find ways to improve conditions in Tremé. To conclude her thesis, she intended to propose a design intervention to aid in the reestablishment of the community in Tremé. Her thesis advisors, Dr. Peter Olshavsky and Frank Ordia, encouraged Dunston to consider whether the intervention should be in the form of buildings
or landscape. After tangling with this question, she landed on a combination in the form of a master plan.
Challenges began to arise for Dunston during the design phase of her thesis. She found that, “it was very fulfilling to weave a narrative based on all the historical knowledge accumulated over the research,” but there were many difficult decisions to be made. Given the sensitive nature of the project, it needed to be contextually responsive. “There were a lot of elements to this project, so I knew I had to hear different voices,” said Dunston. Those elements included not only historical context but also input from locals, the landscape designer, and her advisors. Her effort to accomplish this was clear in her sensitive approach, ensuring the community was supported with every move she made.
Guided by local voices, Tori reimagines Claiborne as a space of healing and cultural revival.
1 Light colored roofs/ recycled wood decks
2 Large operable windows
3 Pedestrain-oriented trails
4 Restorative environment/ increased resource space
5 Equitable housing/ culture through arts
6 Urban rooftop agriculture
7 Breatheable facade system
8 Water management strategies
Initially, Dunston was inclined to take a narrow approach by focusing on one block, but after conversations with her advisors, she felt her plan would be most compelling on a larger scale. The area she ended up looping into the master plan was made up of about 8 to 10 blocks in Tremé. One of the major moves she made was the incorporation of the Sanfoka symbol. This symbol takes the shape of a bird that is looking backward. Like how the Sankofa bird looks back to see how it can move forward, the people of Tremé are embracing their history and heritage to shape a brighter future. Dunston aimed to help facilitate this through the establishment of programs that support the existing community and by introducing a
sense of permeability to the site. The rigidity and heaviness of “The Monster” would be combated by breaking, angling, and curving building forms to create non-linear paths. To further support the future of Tremé, resilience in the face of natural disasters was addressed by the integration of blue and green infrastructure systems.
The issues that Tremé faces are ones that communities all over the US face, including those within Omaha. Reclaiming Tremé not only honors the cultural roots of the neighborhood but also serves as a call to action. It calls for communities to recognize the past, come together, and work towards a more vibrant, connected community.
RESISTING
By Nick Carraher
One of the most vivid memories of my childhood is the endless hours spent constructing entire worlds from LEGO bricks, where the lines between reality and imagination blurred with every piece I snapped into place. To me, these bricks weren’t just toys—they were portals to alternate realities, each one a fresh canvas for creativity. The nature of my creations always seemed to shift depending on where I was. In my parents’ living room, I’d carefully carve out a small space on the carpet, pulling a pillow from the sofa to make myself comfortable at our low, wooden coffee table. There, with a new LEGO set in front of me, often a birthday or Christmas gift, I focused with intensity, following the instructions with precision, brick by brick, determined to assemble the model just as the corporation had envisioned it.
However, just up the hill from my parents’ house was my grandmother’s home, where an entirely different kind of LEGO adventure awaited me. At her large, sturdy, wooden dining table sat a weathered tote filled with an eclectic assortment of LEGO pieces—remnants of countless sets from my dad’s and uncles’ childhoods, all jumbled together. There were no instructions here, no neatly categorized bricks to guide me. It was chaos—beautiful, boundless chaos—where every creation came solely from my imagination. The pieces had no defined purpose, and that challenge pushed me into a world where I had to rely on my own creativity. Instead of trying to recreate a set, I would dream up structures, inventing buildings, landscapes, and machines from mismatched parts, striving for something greater than a ready-made design.
These two environments—the structured, deliberate building in my parent’s living room and the wild, freeform creations at my grandmother’s—offered contrasting but equally meaningful experiences. One day, however, these two worlds collided in the most unexpected way. My sister and I were having an intense pillow fight in the living room, laughter filling the air, when one of the pillows sailed through the air and crashed into my LEGO city—a sprawling metropolis I
had carefully built on the coffee table, complete with a fire station tower that anchored its skyline. The tower shattered, pieces flew everywhere, and my meticulously constructed world was reduced to rubble in seconds. At first, I was upset. I didn’t want to retrace the steps of the instruction manual, piecing the station back together, brick by tedious brick. The following day, something shifted in me. Instead of seeing it as the same set that needed to be reconstructed, I saw new possibilities. I decided to use that pile of broken pieces not to recreate what once stood but to build something entirely new. With the same blocks that once formed a fire station tower, I designed a pergola for a city park adjacent to the station. The rigid boundaries of the instruction manual no longer held me back—I was free to shape the pieces into whatever form my imagination conjured. It was a perfect fusion of the two building styles: the careful assembly of something structured, and the spontaneous creation of something original.
Whether following the instructions to the letter or dumping out the pieces to create something entirely from our imaginations, LEGOs offered an unlimited world of possibility. In a way, architecture is much like playing with LEGOs. You can use the same pieces to create something predictable, or you can use them to build something entirely unique—something that tells a story. Yet in today’s architectural world, it often feels like many designers are stuck in that instruction-following mode, constructing buildings that resemble the same blocky structures over and over again. This growing trend of cookie-cutter, copypaste architecture, driven by the demands of efficiency and profit, stifles the creativity that makes cities vibrant and memorable.
So, how do we break free from this pattern and inject more creativity into our built environment? Let’s explore how the lessons from childhood LEGO sets can inspire architects to resist the trends that limit their potential and build something extraordinary instead.
The efficiency trap. When we opened a new LEGO set as kids, the first instinct was often to follow the instructions exactly, eager to see the final product take shape. That’s the allure of predictability—it’s safe, it’s quick, and it delivers results without requiring much risk. In architecture, this translates to buildings that follow familiar patterns, conforming to standard designs that can be replicated quickly and efficiently. Developers and clients push for this kind of efficiency in architecture. With profit margins tightening and urban spaces being built at a breakneck pace, the easiest way to meet deadlines and budgets is to rely on what’s already been done. Just like following the same LEGO set instructions over and over, this approach sacrifices creativity for speed and cost-effectiveness. But if we think back to those childhood LEGO sessions, the real magic happened when we went off-script—when we ignored the exact instructions, dumped all the pieces on the floor, and built something from our imagination. Suddenly, a spaceship was born from leftover house parts, or a towering treehouse emerged where a basic car was supposed to be. At that moment, LEGOs became more than just plastic bricks; they became tools for storytelling and creativity. The same holds true in architecture. When architects step away from the pressures of efficiency and profit, they unlock the potential to create buildings that are more than just functional—they become works of art, landmarks that define a city’s character. Architecture, like a LEGO creation, can be a blank canvas for innovation, where each design choice contributes to a larger narrative about the place, its people, and its history.
Breaking the mold. One of the biggest challenges architects face today is balancing the demands of efficiency with the desire for creativity. Much like sticking to LEGO instructions, the current architectural trend toward repe-
tition is rooted in the practical need to deliver projects on time and within budget. However, this often means sacrificing individuality, resulting in cities that feel homogeneous, with few buildings that truly stand out. But just as no two LEGO creations built from imagination are ever the same, architecture doesn’t have to be limited by a formulaic approach. Take Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, for example. Gehry ignored conventional expectations and created something extraordinary, transforming the city’s cultural and physical landscape. Similarly, buildings like Zaha Hadid’s fluid and futuristic designs show that even in the rigid world of construction, there is room for boundless creativity and expression. So, how do architects embrace that “dump the LEGO pieces on the floor” mindset? It starts by rejecting the notion that every building must be designed for efficiency and profitability alone. While it’s understandable that economic pressures are a real concern, creativity and innovation don’t have to be sacrificed. Architects must challenge clients and developers to see the long-term value of unique designs, just as LEGO builders see the limitless potential of using bricks in unconventional ways.
The role of community & storytelling. The beauty of LEGOs is that they’re universal; anyone can pick up a set and build something personal and unique. In architecture, this universality translates to community engagement. Just as I used to invite others to build LEGO creations together, architects should invite communities into the design process. Buildings are more than just structures—they are reflections of the people who live and work in them. By involving the community, architects can create spaces that resonate on a deeper level, telling the stories of those who inhabit them. In this way, architecture becomes more than an exercise in efficiency; it becomes a collabora-
tive, creative endeavor that connects people to place. When architects engage with the people who will use their buildings, they discover new opportunities to push the boundaries of design. Imagine building a LEGO city not by following a set of predetermined instructions, but by asking each friend to contribute their vision—one person builds a school, another a park, another a fantastical tower. The result is a vibrant, cohesive whole that reflects the diversity and creativity of everyone involved. Architecture can— and should—work the same way.
Building a new future. In architecture, as with LEGOs, the choice is ours. We can either build the same structures over and over, repeating the same bland designs in the name of efficiency, or we can pour out the pieces and start from scratch—constructing something imaginative, bold, and entirely our own. Instead of viewing architecture as a race to the bottom line, we should view it as an opportunity to elevate the human experience through design. In the words of world-renowned artist Pablo Picasso, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” The challenge architects face today is how to balance creativity with practicality. But if we’re willing to push back against the pressures of profit and efficiency, we can build cities that aren’t just collections of identical buildings but vibrant, living spaces that reflect the unique stories of the people who inhabit them. Just like childhood afternoons spent building fantastical LEGO creations, the future of architecture lies in the freedom to imagine, innovate, and inspire. Let’s embrace that spirit and build something truly unforgettable.
This publication was made possible with the generous support of the following individuals and organizations;
