Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP, was established in 1935 by founder Henry Plunkett. Through a series of acquisitions, we have been able to trace our roots back to 1890, making 2025 our official 90th anniversary of bringing creative solutions to our clients. Today, PRA is a multi-faceted firm specializing in projects that comprise the essence of communities — where you live, work, play, learn, worship, collaborate, and retire. We are passionate about turning our clients’ aspirations into reality.
OUR MISSION
Forest County Potawatomi Clinic Pharmacy
OUR FIRM
Our firm consists of experienced staff led by partners, with offices in Milwaukee, WI, Madison, WI, Waterloo, IA, Sarasota, FL, and Austin, TX. Our staff is organized into a studio format to better concentrate resources, experience, and creative synergy on client projects. We work together in teams across offices and studios to deliver excellent results for our clients. Our studios are comprised of Civic, Corporate, Healthcare, Higher Education, Hospitality, Interior Design, Early Learning, K-12, Religious, Residential, and Senior Living.
OUR PROCESS
Each project is unique, but they all begin with the same crticial approach: Collaborative review and alignment of project issues through our suite of design and management tools. Our process is based on equal parts of evidence-based practices and lean tools. These methodologies immerse us within your practice to fully understand the organization, practice, and patient care initiatives that influence both design and the desired business outcomes needed to support operations.
OUR RESULTS
For us, providing space goes far beyond the design process. We strive to understand our clients’ industry and objectives inside and out. We internalize client needs so that we can best collaborate projects that inspire, innovate, and influence.
Our goal is to deliver projects that matter. Projects that evolve practice. Projects which propel our clients and the communities they serve to even greater accomplishments.
The pursuit of increased access to healthcare is a noble and difficult one requiring special attention from the most experienced professionals. We approach each project with the utmost care. We wish to contribute to a legacy of improvement for our clients, striving to create positive change in our healthcare systems. Ultimately, we are united in a common to increase the health and well-being of our communities.
Hendricks Family Heart Hospital (Beloit Memorial Hospital)
PLANNING
Site Planning/New Urbanism Design
Adaptive Reuse
Building Programming
Master Planning
Space Planning
Capacity Studies
Feasibility Studies
ARCHITECTURAL
Concept Development
Preliminary Design
Schematic Design
Construction Drawings and Specifications
Cost Control
Energy Conservation Analysis
OUR SERVICES WHAT WE DO
Facility Maintenance Studies
Technology Planning
LEED®/Sustainable Design and Planning
Visioning and Facility Branding
Facility Needs Assessment
Rapid Access Prototyping
Lean Design
Life Safety Evaluation & Documentation
INTERIOR DESIGN
Material and Color Selections
Furniture Selection and Procurement
Furniture and Finishes Standards
Lighting
Art and Accessory Selection
Exterior and Interior Signage
Environmental Graphics
Window Treatments
Engineering Coordination
Building Information Modeling
Compliance Consultancy
CONSTRUCTION
Contractor Selection
Bidding Review
Construction Administration
Product Review
Schedule Tracking
Quality Assurance
Post Occupancy Evaluation
The majority of our work has been with new hospital facilities that continued to ask us, year over year, to work together to evolve their delivery of patient services. In numbers, our history includes more than 3,000 projects impacting more than 300 providers. These past projects range across all areas of Healthcare, from free-standing Clinics to complex Hospital Renovations, from Finish Upgrades to complex Emergency Department Expansion, from Master Plans to Furniture Replacement.
The adjacent matrix provides a sample of Healthcare projects to illustrate the breadth and depth of our expertise. The full matrix showing our master list of clients and services provided can be viewed by scanning the QR code below. We are continually adding new projects every day as we engage with clients to explore new ideas.
F Froedtert
Scan the QR code to view anexpandeddigitalversion oftheadjacentmatrix.
Fort Atkinson, WI
WI
L Lee Memorial Health System Lee Health Outpatient CentersVarious Locations M Mile Bluff Medical Mile Bluff Medical Center Mauston, WI N Neuroscience Group
Group Neenah, WI N Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital & Wellness CntrDeKalb, IL
Forest Hospital Lake Forest, IL
Medicine Various Locations
O Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin Glendale, WI
T Trios Health Kennewick General Hospital Kennewick, WA
U UnityPoint Health Meriter Hospital Madison, WI Meriter Hospitals and Clinics Various Locations
University of WI Hospital & Clinics
V VA Medical Center Billings Billings, MT Milo C Huemphner Green Bay, WI Monroeville Monroeville, PA
Healthcare services are changing quickly with advances in diagnostics tools, enhanced care protocols, and evolving retailification of services. It is important that capital be deployed to maximize investment return and minimize impact of future changes. Selecting the 'right' direction may be difficult, and beneficial projects may stall with indecision. Doing nothing also impacts opportunities.
We offer a full range of services that provide clarity.
Our approach is immersive, closely integrating our design team with yours to build a holistic view of the issues that drive operations and outcomes. Our team helps lead and explore discovery, ideation, and solution-making, and facilitates your decision-making at each important point of the process.
Suncoast Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine
PLANNING PROCESS
FACILITY ASSESSMENT
Objectively assessing an asset can provide a useful summary of issues for facilities management. A facility assessment is often a critical task in preparing for a renovation or expansion project. There is a range of common tasks such as an objective review of the existing condition of a building, life cycle analysis of building systems, and cost of corrective measures. A robust facilities assessment may also include a cataloging of each space, an analysis of the suitability for alternative uses, and comparative analysis of corrective measures against new construction. These types of robust facilities assessments can also prove immensely valuable for a myriad of other business-related planning.
We strive to develop a document that fully describes the existing conditions. Architects and engineers review building documents and perform a visual review of each space to evaluate deferred maintenance, regulatory compliance, and other conditions preventing productive use. The team also reviews exteriors to find damage and assess the life cycle of envelope systems. The review includes three dimensional scans, voice narration, and photographs of both illustrative conditions and specific issues. The final report can be provided electronically in searchable form and with linked table of contents, index to illustrations, and glossary.
“This week is our Joint Commission Survey with the Life Safety Surveyor arriving this morning. Prior to the building tour, the surveyor reviewed our Life Safety Plans and commented they are a ‘very good’ set of plans. Thanks for the effort pf PRA to get our LSP’s accurate for most importantly, our use, and secondly setting the stage for a successful survey with the TJC Life Safety Surveyor.”
Doug Wait, Construction Coordinator
Beloit Health System
Florida Heart Associates
LIFE SAFETY PLAN
Healthcare facilities are complex buildings frequently monitored by regulatory agencies.
Clear and complete Life Safety Plans that summarize the code needs of a building not only reduce facility citations but also help to manage future projects.
We have worked closely with numerous State and National agencies to develop a Life Safety Plan format that is familiar, and eases review by AHJ's (Authorities Having Jurisdiction). Our plans include a summary of all applicable codes ruling your building and present important details such as the following; construction classification and occupancy type for each
portion of your facility, required and provided smoke compartmentalization and fire-resistant ratings, area calculations, egress calculations, analysis of egress width and travel distance, etc.
These and many other dimensions and details are graphically illustrated on drawings, making the plan simple and clear.
Life Safety Plans take the guesswork and confusion out of maintaining the life safety features of your buildings. These plans record all of the regulatory issues in one document to ease annual Authority Having Jurisdiction reviews, and support future facility projects.
MASTER PLANNING
PLANNING TASKS
1. Review competitive landscape
2. Identify desired services
3. Identify service locations
4. Develop revenue / cost model
5. Develop space needs
6. Develop construction cost model
7. Confirm pro forma
8. Develop responsive options
9. Score options
10. Select advantageous option
12. Implement option
13. Repeat every three years
Architectural master planning is the proactive process of aligning an organization's future operations and occupiable space. Futurelooking organizations engage master planning as an intentional process complementing other business planning tools.
Master planning allows an organization to anticipate facility needs, helping to ease the impact of ad-hoc financial and spatial decisions by provisioning space through a deliberate, results oriented process that prioritizes success within a competitive environment.
Once complete, a master plan helps to inform decisions and focus investments on projects that bring the most organizational value.
An architectural master plan is much more than a list of deferred maintenance projects. Instead, it is a list of intentional capital investments which support the organization's Mission / Vision / Values, and to deliver services in a manner that reinforces the organizational brand.
Such a master plan requires a cross-functional team of leaders, from the C-Suite to front-line workers. The business-oriented nature of the discussion often leads to surprising insight above and beyond the intended physical plan.
There are many sub-tasks and subtleties to the process. We have developed a variety of tools to assist the client. Each can be used independently or grouped together to support specific needs. These subtasks are often combined into a customized process to address specific needs.
BUSINESS DRIVES BUILDING
Design doesn't happen in isolation. We firmly believe that the most robust design solutions emerge from a tight partnership between clients and the design team. Our commitment lies in understanding and learning from every client who collaborates with us.
We've developed methodologies to acquire distinctive insights into project challenges, tools that enhance our collaborative design capabilities, and evidence-based techniques to facilitate group discussions and refine designs. While some may perceive the design process as mysterious, we assert otherwise: it's not magic, but rather the result of dedicated, joint efforts with our clients.
DESIGN PROCESS
Orthopaedic Associates of Wausau & Wausau Surgery Center
Developing accurate projections of needed space requires knowledge of procedural patient-care and operational issues. Space is important: Shorting a room by even 8” may severely limit patient-side space or may increase cost when extra space is multiplied across an entire floorplate. Understanding how such spaces may evolve over time is important for areas that may be used for more than three years. It takes experience to understand the size of all spaces needed in a facility, the requirements of special spaces, and how they may all evolve over time. The space needs planning succinctly encapsulates all of these issues providing the basis of functional design.
Orthopaedic Associates of Wausau & Wausau Surgery Center
SPACE NEEDS DEVELOPMENT
Healthcare providers are experts in providing excellence in patient care. To maximize the facility's impact in various care delivery arenas, it's crucial to assess current space requirements and anticipate future needs, adapting to evolving patient care standards and strategic planning.
Space needs start by analyzing the current volume of cases wihtin a facility and comparing it against national and regional benchmarks. For example, for an endoscopy project, we will review the number of procedure rooms, the average procedure time, the number of patient procedures per day, and the average length of stay. We will compare the number of cases per procedure room to national averages. If the number of cases happening in the current procedure rooms is much lower than the average, we will look at the existing flow of people and materials to identify where bottlenecks may be occurring.
In a recent project, we discovered that the number of cases per procedure room was below average even though the patient was prepped in a timely manner and the procedure room was adequately cleaned and supplied. Cases were
often delayed because of scheduling and limits to staff. The culprit? It was taking longer for the physicians to travel between their break and documentation area than the time scheduled between cases. The solution? Relocate the physician support spaces nearer to the procedure rooms to minimize travel time.
To identify all spaces needed for a project, we will review Codes and Design Guidelines for required rooms. In some situations, we may add rooms to the program in order to increase staff efficiency, such as an additional staff toilet room to minimize patient wait times. In other cases, we may consolidate multiple necessary functions within a single room to maximize space efficiency. We will review with you the optimal flow of people and materials through the project area to ensure that all spaces needed to support the new unit are provided.
It’s not always clear how space needs will change over time. Providing standardized rooms that support a variety of uses may improve flexibility. It’s important to review the future flow through the unit under various scenarios to ensure efficiencies are maintained.
IMMERSIVE DESIGN
We realize the best projects are the result of close sharing and coordination between client and design teams. Often the results are a surprise to all involved. Traditionally, there has been an emphasis on aesthetic and functional issues — but we find that truly exceptional projects include deep dives into mission/vision, organizational culture, and branding. Our goal is to create opportunities that facilitate and enhance, the discovery and sharing of information by embedding ourselves in client processes and integrating clients into our own.
OUR IDEA TOOLBOX
• Day in the life shadowing
• Notes from the road tours of precedent buildings
• Lessons learned facilitated seminars on operational / design topics
• "Visual survey" of range of amenities and aesthetics
• "Photo journaling" of existing spaces
• “Puzzle play” group interactive design
• “Big board scoring” of design options to identify the most appropriate option
• “Full scale mockups”/exploration of physical prototypes
NOTES FROM THE ROAD
PUZZLE PLAY
FULL SCALE MOCKUPS
INTERACTIVE EXPLORATION
INTERIOR DESIGN
All of our projects benefit from our own interior design group. PRA Interior Design is led by a design partner, and managed by a firm principal, both with decades of experience. This group regularly speaks at national conferences and are frequently recognized by industry peers with design awards and other accolades.
Interior Design is not a separate process at PRA: Our professionals are holistically integrated into our design process to produce cost-effective, beautiful, and functional spaces. They help to translate client goals into human-centered spaces that can ease anxiety, reinforce organizational culture, and communicate branding.
Our immersive process engages clients to understand the design issues, learn about options, and make decisions informed by the designer’s research and suggestions. Every project benefits from materials and finish guidance. Optional services include furniture selection and procurement, furniture inventory, signage and way finding, and creation of design standards.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
Our quality assurance process is integral in all we do. We practice continuous improvement to ensure the highest quality design and documents. This process starts with several internal committees that meet regularly to evolve techniques for project management, design, production, detailing, and construction administration. Third-party construction specialists regularly review our documents and offer input on every project.
The process continues as an intentional activity within each project. It is built to provide many opportunities for coordination between client and design teams, and between design disciplines. Highlights of the many steps of the process include the following:
• Immersive design techniques to fully involve each client
• Consistent design and review meetings
• Tracking budgets and schedule
• Frequent BIM model review, coordination, and clash detection with the entire team, including Construction Manager, if available
• "Full scale mockups” exploration of physical prototypes
• Thorough meeting minutes with list of new, open, and closed issues and project goals
• Use of tested construction details
• Third-party review of building envelope details
• Use of a 50 page Quality Assurance checklist at major project milestones
• Independent code review
Instead of checking for quality at just one point during project, we build-in quality through many steps that occur throughout the life of design and document production. Our inclusive process assures alignment of client expectations and project progress, while our continuous quality assurance results in drawings that contractors have consistently praised as superlative in our industry.
Traditional Quality Assurance Process
PRA Quality Assurance Process
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION
Healthcare projects can be complex, requiring special knowledge about regulatory requirements and operational issues. Nowhere is this more critical than during construction. Our staff includes a unique Construction Administration (CA) department staffed with technical professionals experienced in complex projects, construction techniques, and experts at collaboration with constructors and Authorities Having Jurisdiction. This group proactively administers the owner’s construction contract acting as liaison and arbiter, as necessary.
CA involvement is based upon the needs of each client and project.
GENERAL TASKS INCLUDE:
• Quality Assurance review of documents
• Field observation of construction activities
• Review construction mockups
• Monitor construction schedule
• Monitor construction costs and review pay requests
• Participation in construction progress meetings
• Respond to questions and formal requests for information (RFI)
• Lead owner discussion
• Perform inspections
• Facilitate project close out
Our goal is to leverage our passion for great design and technical expertise to ensure owners receive the highest quality building - with the fewest challenges.
Our practice has been evolving as ownership within PRA has changed. Today, a new legacy of partners have taken up the mantel, and the healthcare studio has a new dynamic leader with more than three decades of healthcare experience in top design firms. The PRA approach has evolved to be client-centric, driven by the organizational needs of each project.
WE ARE A NEW PRA
Client-centered services:
• An inclusive and engaging process
• Experienced core staff with more than two decades working together
• Dedicated construction administration group
• Personal and professional integrity
We live to help our communities. We work to bring creative and innovative solutions to healthcare environments. We love what we do. And we hope to do it with you, too.
Kevin Broich - AIA, NCARB
Partner, Director of Healthcare
Mike Schaefer - AIA, NCARB, CCCA, LEED AP
Senior Project Manager, Senior Associate
Derek Neuman - AIA
Architect, Associate
Mary Spriggs - AIA, CSI, CDT
Senior Project Architect, Senior Associate
Tyler Stone
Project Specialist
Andy DuChateau - AIA
Architect, Associate
Megan Ziesemer - ASID, NCIDQ
Interior Designer
Renee Moe - AIA, EDAC
Project Manager, Principal
Dan Effenheim - ASID, NCIDQ
Senior Interior Designer, Senior Associate
Samantha Johnson
Project Specialist
Melanie Gray-Trier
Project Specialist
Michael Brush - AIA
Partner, Designer
Conor Krolczyk
Project Specialist
Jason Puestow - AIA, NCARB, CSI, CCCA
Partner, Director of Construction Administration
Anthony Meyer - AIA Architect
Laura Frydach - ASID
Senior Interior Designer
Jedd Heap - AIA, LEED AP Partner, Designer
Gabby Bergeron
Project Specialist
Kelsey Clark
Interior Designer
Michael Sobczak - AIA, NCARB, ASID, IIDA
Partner, Designer
Linda Moses - ASID,NCIDQ
Director of Interior Design, Principal
EVALUATING PROJECTS AFTER MOVE-IN
LEADING WITH RESEARCH
ENGAGING IN PEER DISCUSSION
CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT
INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT SHARING CLIENT STORIES
Our commitment continues beyond project completion. We remain involved to gather performance metrics that can be used to influence future design projects. We regularly consume research to gain additional insight, identify emerging trends, and inform our design approach. We contribute our ideas freely to the industry via whitepapers, or by engaging at conferences and professional events.
We view every project, every interaction, every opportunity to expand our thinking, as a way to better ourselves to help achieve a bright future.
