DesignGroup 2020 Year in Review

COLUMBUS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE MITCHELL HALL 2020 HARRISON W. SMITH AWARD WINNER

THRIVING IN THE FACE OF A NEW REALITY

In the future, many will remember

experience using online collaboration

2020 as a year of challenges. COVID

tools and virtual simulations. They

unquestionably threw an unexpected

produced more thought-leadership

disruption into everyone’s lives. At

articles than ever before. And they dug

DesignGroup, we’ll describe the past

deep to stay positive and focused. It

year using superlatives as well – but in

truly was teamwork in action.

surprisingly positive terms. Was it trying?

Of course. But the year also brought out

We continue to work on projects directly

the very best in our people, our projects,

responding to the pandemic and

and our experiences with clients.

contribute to a national database of best practices. We remain 60 people strong

In fact, we drew deep inspiration from

in Columbus and Pittsburgh and are

the two primary categories we serve:

deeply committed to the needs of our

healthcare and education. We saw

clients and projects.

our clients respond in ways no one could have anticipated even a year

This digital book is a look back

ago. In the face of a public health

at highlights from a year no one

crisis, they showed us unwavering

anticipated, but everyone at

courage, determination, creativity, and

DesignGroup takes pride in. In every

collaboration.

project, at every scale, I’m incredibly proud of what was accomplished,

I use the same words to describe the

and I thank everyone — our team, our

many ways our team came together

partners, and our clients — who were

to deliver one of DesignGroup’s most

part of this journey.

successful years, in terms of project starts, completions, and industry recognition. Our people not only stuck with us, they thrived, distinguishing themselves in our industry and earning themselves and our firm multiple national accolades. They recreated the uniquely engaging DesignGroup

SHERM MORELAND CEO DesignGroup

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CELEBRATION OF PEOPLE Our employees have been one of the bright spots of 2020.

Take a closer look at their achievements and our ongoing community service efforts.

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HEALTHCARE Despite an international pandemic, our dedicated healthcare studio did not miss a beat on delivering world-class healthcare planning and design to our clients.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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HIGHER EDUCATION Our team was excited to collaborate and workshop with multiple universities to study, plan, and design for the impact COVID-19 has had on the future of education.

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WORKPLACE 2020 was the year of “work from home,” which came with its own set of challenges for many employers.

However, workplace is not dead it’s just changing. See what’s next.

CELEBRATION OF PEOPLE

NOT JUST SURVIVING, BUT THRIVING Despite various stay-at-home orders, our staff remained very engaged in the world virtually, in terms of industry involvement, leadership, and personal development.

We encouraged them to expand their knowledge and raise their profile at every opportunity, and they did not disappoint.

As we worked from home, something surprising happened: being apart actually brought us closer together. We met pets and kids and learned a bit more about each other. We laughed over webcam mishaps and rose to the challenge of recreating the “DesignGroup vibe” over WiFi. An “all in this together” camaraderie developed quickly and carried us through it all. And allowed leaders to emerge.

NEW ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALS

CHRIS HAEDT

ANGELA KOLOSKY

JOE MAYER

DESIGNER

HEALTHCARE PLANNER

DESIGNER

Chris began his career at DesignGroup

Angela has developed strong client

Joe has quickly risen through the ranks

in 2007. He has earned a reputation

relationships with both new and

at DesignGroup. During his 10-year

for design excellence and is trusted

key healthcare clients. She quickly

career at the firm, he’s been involved

with one of DesignGroup’s largest

stepped into a leadership role with

in award-winning projects such as the

healthcare clients. Chris is a leader

Central Ohio’s Cogence Alliance,

Columbus Museum of Art expansion

within the AIA Columbus Healthcare

an organization formed to create

and Columbus Metropolitan Library’s

Committee, has spoken nationally,

change in the design and construction

Hilliard Branch. Joe has served on the

and is an Advisory Board member

industries. She has spoken nationally

board of directors for the Columbus

for Healthcare Facilities Symposium

at the Healthcare Facilities Symposium

Center for Architecture and Design,

and Expo.

& Expo and participated in the

where he created the High School

invitation-only Healthcare Design

Design Studio program. He was also

Forum, an industry think tank.

co-captain of DesignGroup’s 2019

AIA, ACHA, LEED AP BD+C

AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C

AIA

Pelotonia team.

We’re proud to announce the promotion of six new DesignGroup Associate Principals. Join us in congratulating them — we’re excited to see where they take DesignGroup next.

BEN NIEBAUER

JOHN RYAN

NIKKI WILDMAN

EDUCATION MARKET LEADER

PROJECT MANAGER / ARCHITECT

PROJECT MANAGER

Ben joined DesignGroup in 2002 and serves as the Education Market

John assisted in the launch and

DesignGroup, leading and managing

Leader. He has a passion for and

continued growth of DesignGroup’s

the delivery of projects for clients

expertise in this market and maintains

Pittsburgh office, which opened in

such as Leading EDJE, Franklin

excellent client relationships. Ben is

2017. He is an unwavering professional

Park Conservatory, and Cedarville

an active thought leader, frequently

with a balanced and fair stance

University. Her insights, ideas,

writing and speaking at The Society

on many issues. He exemplifies a

and experiences have been and

for College and University Planning

“steady hand at the wheel” as he

will continue to be critical to the

(SCUP) conferences. He’s also an

manages dozens of projects, fosters

higher education, workplace, and

active leader in the city of Worthington

collaboration, promotes great design,

civic/cultural projects she serves.

and our Pelotonia team.

and serves as a trusted advisor to his

Nikki has also served in leadership

clients. John was recently named to

roles for USGBC Central Ohio and

the AIA Pittsburgh Board of Directors.

DesignColumbus.

RA, LEED AP BD+C

AIA, LEED AP

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Nikki’s a proven team member at

Associate Principal and Designer Chris Haedt received

a phased renovation at Morris Hospital in Morris, Ill.,

the prestigious 2020 President’s Award from the

which involved redesigning the emergency department

Columbus chapter of the American Institute of

to focus on more staff-patient interactions using open

Architects (AIA). Chris was recognized for his leadership

staff stations, implementing rapid care for low-acuity

of the AIA Columbus Academy of Architecture for Health

patients, and increasing room density. The project’s

Knowledge community. “This Knowledge Community is

forward-thinking adoption of two new isolation

an exemplary model of collaboration and intellectual

rooms, designed for nuclear or chemical contamination

discussion,” said AIA

patients, has proved useful during the COVID-19

Columbus Chapter President

pandemic by serving as testing space for patients.

Mike Vala. “Chris works tirelessly to engage local and

Associate Principal, Project Manager and Architect

regional architects on relevant

John Ryan was named to the 2020 AIA Pittsburgh

healthcare conversations and

Board of Directors. He’s one of just eight regional

connects them to the best

architects chosen for this honor and active role. “The

local and national projects. His

AIA offers so much to the community at so many

leadership, dedication, and

levels,” says John. “It’s thrilling to share in this work.”

perseverance are appreciated

Recognition like this — by local industry peers — is

and admired.”

particularly gratifying.

Chris was also welcomed into the American College of Healthcare Architects, a highly selective group of elite healthcare architects. Chris is DesignGroup’s fifth member of the ACHA. Associate Principal and Healthcare Planner Angela Kolosky was recognized as a 2020 Healthcare Design Rising Star by Healthcare Design Magazine. The award celebrates individuals who’ve been involved in healthcare design for fewer than 10 years and are poised to become the industry’s next great leader.

Her work this year included serving as a planner on

RISING TO THE OCCASION

Project Coordinator and LEED Green Associate Tammie Wareham was named by the U.S. Green Building Council as a Regional SHERO of the Year for her work

Think working remotely held our staff back?

Think again! They were highly engaged in the world virtually, in terms of industry involvement, leadership, and personal development. We’re very proud of their achievements — here are just a few.

making built environments healthier, more prosperous, and sustainable.

Joe Mayer, Associate Principal and Designer, was selected to join the Leadership Columbus class of 2021. In what’s been described as likely to be the program’s most unusual year, the class of 58 community champions will engage in a hybrid of in-person and virtual training in compliance with coronavirus realities.

The class includes participants from the region’s corporate, nonprofit, and government sectors.

Robert Stroup was named Ohio Volunteer of the Year by the U.S. Green Building Council for “everything he has done to support USGBC Ohio and the advancement of green building in the state this year.”

Nominated and selected by a jury of his peers, Bob was singled out for his dedication to sustainability and all he’s done for USGBC Ohio, including serving as moderator for several of their Community Connections Webinars.

HONORS & AWARDS

COMMUNITY SERVICE The DesignGroup Pittsburgh office participated in the 2020 American Heart Association Heart Walk, raising nearly $2,000 in donations.

Sherm Moreland shared best practices with hundreds of Cogence Alliance participants in this productivityoriented professional development series.

Managing Principal and Business Development Leader Jennifer Horvath was elected to the Board of Directors as the Development Committee Chair for Form 5 Prosthetics.

Pittsburgh office Principal Tom Chidlow helped start an Academy of Architecture of Health subgroup within the AIA Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh-based Project Manager Tom Stanko was recently appointed to the AIA/Master Builders Association special joint committee.

Like all things in 2020, Columbus’ annual Pelotonia cycling event was shifted to a virtual challenge.

2020 AIA EPiC Firm Award

Nonetheless, members of both DesignGroup offices

The AIA Pennsylvania recognized DesignGroup with its

participated, raising more than $36,000 over the last

EPiC Firm Award for our continued support of emerging

few years for research at the OSU Wexner Medical

professionals.

Center James Cancer Hospital.

2020 AIA Ohio Design Merit Awards Our work on the Columbus Metropolitan Library Northern Lights Branch and the OSUWMC Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute earned DesignGroup these special recognitions.

2020 Harrison W. Smith Award for Columbus State Community College’s Mitchell Hall Our second consecutive year winning this recognition from the Columbus Downtown Commission, in honor of projects that have contributed substantial and positive impact in the downtown area.

OSUWMC JAMESON CRANE SPORTS MEDICINE INSTITUTE 2020 AIA OHIO MERIT AWARD WINNER

HEALTHCARE

OPPORTUNITY AT A TIME OF UNCERTAINTY While it is always a privilege to work with healthcare clients, our work feels especially important during a pandemic. It’s a reminder that even the smallest design decisions could improve or complicate the tasks of front-line workers and others who often risk their own lives to save those of others.

Here are just a few highlights of DesignGroup accomplishments in the healthcare market this year. We worked hard to establish and strengthen our relationships with partners and healthcare organizations amid a crisis that defined much of 2020.

BIM COLLABORATION To say the new OSUWMC Hospital Tower project is complicated would be an understatement. Managing coordination of a project this scale requires organization, coordination, strong leadership, and new processes to meet the challenge. DesignGroup’s in-house BIM Manager Joshua Hostetler is leading and overseeing the project’s highly collaborative BIM environment, working closely with the university and co-managers from partner firm HDR to ensure it reduces rework, streamlines collaboration, and meets all BIM Project Delivery Standards.

Read more about our BIM leadership in the project >

SKY-HIGH AMBITION AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER 1.5 MILLION SF INPATIENT HOSPITAL TOWER

This $1.8 billion project is one of the largest DesignGroup has been a part of.

It is a natural extension of our long-time relationship with The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.

In 2015 and 2016 DesignGroup worked closely with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center stakeholders to program, plan, stack, and budget the new $1.8 billion inpatient hospital tower and secure board approval. Since then, DesignGroup and HDR were awarded the architectural contract for it and are currently completing construction documents for the design.

DesignGroup has multiple scopes within this complex project, including a full fit-out of nine floors of the tower’s “knuckle,” a zone of the building adjacent to the existing James Comprehensive Care Center.

This approximately 84,000 SF zone includes 12 additional Intensive Care Unit beds and 72 additional Progressive Care Unit beds for the James, along with multiple additional programs in support of the new University Hospital Tower, including a neurodiagnostic suite, satellite imaging, a dialysis clinic, and additional teaming and support spaces.

A NEW MODEL FOR COMMUNITY HEALT

TH FAIRFIELD MEDICAL CENTER 95,000 SF HYBRID EMERGENCY CARE, MEDICAL FITNESS AND OUTPATIENT SERVICES COMPLEX

This partnership between Fairfield and the YMCA combines very different needs: emergency and outpatient services with a rehab center and public workout facility.

The result is a dynamic solution that serves many different user groups.

SEEING VERY DIFFERENT VISITORS CONSCIENTIOUS INSIDE & OUT

The program elements of the building were organized

in sections to take advantage of the site’s natural steep topography, Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic allowing full separation of designed parking and entrance experiences for the Medicine is being with environmentally different types of visitors.

Andincluding a neutralhealthier zone — in the form of a dynamic sustainable features materials, concourse — separates programs andUS provides furnishings, andunique systems to meet the Green an intuitive connection between them.LEED This design allows 4. for distinctive experience Building Council’s Silver Version The new zones: bright, open, spaces for wellness and fitness; calm, building willdynamic also become WELL Building Certified; private, serene for emergent care and diagnostic WELL spaces is the leading tool for advancing health andimaging. The result is awell-being building that sensitively serves medical interventions while in buildings globally. presenting an open, welcoming face to the community.

“

DesignGroup and Fairfield Medical Center have worked together on several critically important projects, and in that time our partnership has become an integral part of our health system’s growth and transformation. Whether it be the construction of a major hospital expansion initiative or the visioning, design, and facilitation of our new Community outpatient center, their willingness to listen, challenge, and produce outstanding results is greatly valued. With our current initiative, DesignGroup was best able to capture the essence of our strategic intentions and drive our ideas and vision into a reality.”

JACK JANOSO President + Chief Executive Officer // Fairfield Medical Center

Health systems are seeking new ideas for serving the public — and are searching for the right partners to bring these ideas to life. DesignGroup recently completed a dynamic new building for Fairfield Medical Center’s River Valley Campus in Lancaster, Ohio, that achieved these goals and more.

Created in partnership with the YMCA, the River Valley Campus serves its community in several ways, combining traditional medical services with a rehabilitation center and public workout facility. This hybrid facility serves many populations at once, and was designed from the beginning with community wellness and education in mind.

Of course, none of this was clear at the outset. DesignGroup’s close work with representatives from Fairfield, YMCA, and other stakeholders helped identify community needs and brainstorm a solution that serves a very diverse set of audiences in a single footprint. We were inspired to think big, and we’re proud of the result.

DesignGroup’s Elliott Bonnie and Joe Mayer discussed the new River Valley Campus alongside Fairfield Medical Center President and CEO Jack Janoso and Howard Long, CEO of the Robert K Fox Family YMCA, earlier this year at the 2020 Healthcare Design Conference.

BUILT AND OCCUPIED A closer look at recent DesignGroup projects that are open and fully operational.

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1 | Morris Hospital Addition and Renovation Morris, IL 2 | Washington Health System CARE Center for Family Birth and Women’s Health Pittsburgh, PA 3 | UPMC Mercy Hospital 8th Floor Renovation Pittsburgh, PA 4 | Norton Children’s Hospital Jennifer Lawrence CICU Addition and Hospital Renovation Louisville, KY

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DesignGroup’s project management has kept us on schedule, even during the most hectic times. Their ability to be responsive and actionoriented has kept us focused and allowed us to obtain the necessary DOH approvals without issue. Even during a pandemic, DesignGroup never missed a beat, managing multiple projects at once and engaging a group of more than 20 people on a weekly basis that included AHN and West Penn Hospital leadership.

THOMAS SCHMUDE Radiology Manager // AHN West Penn Hospital

7 5 | OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital NICU Renovation Columbus, OH 6 | Norton Brownsboro Hospital New Bed Tower Louisville, KY 7 | Allegheny Health Network West Penn Hospital Imaging Renovation Pittsburgh, PA

Helping Hospitals Manage COVID-19 Into the Future OBSERVATION UNITS When the pandemic struck, hospitals found themselves unprepared, largely because COVID-19 patients disrupted the typical ED model. Amy Nuzum says Observational Units could be a key to managing this crisis long-term.

Helping Hospitals Manage COVID-19 Into the Future OBSERVATION UNITS When the pandemic struck, hospitals found themselves unprepared, largely because COVID-19 patients disrupted the typical ED model. Amy Nuzum says Observational Units could be a key to managing this crisis long-term.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP // We’re still far from

At DesignGroup, we’ve studied the need for, and

victory so the healthcare industry must continue

benefits of, OUs. We think they’re a smart strategy

to adapt to the COVID-19 crisis. One component

for systems that can accommodate it. For some

of a hospital’s success is the Observation Unit

facilities, space constraints make it a challenge to

(OU). Also known, in the context of this article, as

create an OU today — but worthy of consideration

a Clinical Decision Unit (CDUs), OUs are an area

in future planning. For others, reconfiguring

where Outpatients can be evaluated over a period,

existing facilities may be possible. We realize it’s

up to 23 hours, separate from the Emergency

not a panacea – it can require changes to staffing

Department (ED). Ideally located adjacent to

and managing a new space and patient flow. But

ED, OUs provide a place where potential COVID

for administrators who plan well — especially

patients can be consulted more safely, with a

those who may have received CARES Act funding

dedicated group of providers and staff. It’s just one

for COVID response — it could be a smart

strategy for the long-term reality of managing a

investment

pandemic.

HERE’S A CLOSER LOOK AT WHO, AND HOW, These units allow physicians to provide more specialized testing and create a more through patient diagnosis, which often requires more time than a typical Emergency Department encounter.

OBSERVATION UNITS CAN HELP >

Better Design for the Heroes of Healthcare FIVE STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING THEIR WORKPLACE When interviewed, healthcare workers always put patient needs ahead of their own. We think they deserve more attention. The Covid-19 crisis has shined a light on healthcare worker needs; here are five ways healthcare facilities can improve the workplace experience.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP // When we ask

As planners and designers, we can better

healthcare workers what could make their

meet the needs of healthcare workers by

work environment better, they always start

drawing inspiration from best practices in

with patient care. While it’s wonderful they’re

these other markets.

so dedicated to their jobs, part of our job is to care about them when we consider the

While there have been gradual moves, the

design of a great healthcare space. So when

COVID-19 pandemic has shined a bright

we press them a little harder to focus on their

light on what needs to change. It’s time to

own needs, healthcare workers often point to

do something that improves the experience

many of the same things preferred by office

of our healthcare heroes. To follow are five

workers. Different worlds, but common needs.

strategies for improving the healthcare workplace. Perhaps a lasting silver lining

A huge number of Americans – some estimate

on the other side of this pandemic will be a

12 percent of all workers – are employed in

lasting realization of how the quality of the

healthcare. But even best-practice workplace

healthcare work environment affects the

standards (such as the WELL building

quality of care provided.

standard, which advocates design for the health and wellness of occupants) focus almost exclusively on corporate office space.

VIEW OUR FIVE STRATEGIES >

HIGHER EDUCATION

DESIGN FOR THOSE WHO WILL INFLUENCE THE FUTURE Has there ever been a greater need to prepare the next generation for a future full of challenges and change? It’s a special responsibility to work with educational clients, because there’s a unique balance to be struck between budgets and needs of today, and the anticipation of diverse educational landscapes in the future.

These discussions are never taken lightly. We pride ourselves on workshops and close collaboration with clients because the dialogue, research, and whiteboarding always reveal new truths and considerations. And nowhere more than the med-ed space, where we will all one day depend on their students to graduate with skill, knowledge, and compassion.

A FEAST OF POSSIBILITIES

COLUMBUS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE Mitchell Hall represents a major step for this thriving community college, a statement building that serves students and community in dramatic new ways.

Columbus culinary icon Cameron Mitchell admits his large gift to Columbus State was partially in self-interest. His high-end restaurants and catering operation emphasize service above all else — and it relies on specially trained, highly capable people to deliver that promise. The result of his generosity: Mitchell Hall, a dynamic, stateof-the-art facility that elevates the college’s already envied program - and produces exactly the kinds of workers his and other businesses need.

DesignGroup’s solution includes 11 teaching kitchens and labs, a 90-seat teaching restaurant (named Degrees), a 40-seat student-staffed bakery, a 100-seat culinary theater — even a 400-seat conference space. The building will be active with real guests, giving students valuable experiences in all forms of hospitality and culinary service.

And the publicly accessible restaurant (and mixology lab!) serve as an anchor in Columbus’ rapidly developing Discovery District. Truly a win-win for everyone involved.

80,000 SF SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT AND CULINARY ARTS

BEAUTIFUL — AND LEED CERTIFIED Enter Mitchell Hall’s three-story, sky-lit entry point (termed the Culinary Hub) and you’re immediately stuck with the bustling activity and warm aroma coming from the first-floor bakery. What you may not notice are all the special details that earned this building LEED certification for environmentally sound building practices.

These details and others were presented at DesignColumbus by DesignGroup’s Ben Niebauer and Columbus State faculty chef Josh Wickham, who discussed how Mitchell Hall delivers sustainable practices, from curriculum to program and design.

HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT, HEALTHIER MEDICAL STUDENTS

OHIO UNIVERSITY 120,000 SF HERITAGE COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE

After intensive collaboration with stakeholders, the resulting design represents the future of medical education: clinically integrated teaching balanced with emotional intelligence and well-being.

The new home for the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine will be the first new building on the Union Street Green of Ohio University’s Athens Campus.

This new facility will be a transformational modern medical education building for the University and for the nation. The facility was created to support new and future curriculum and technology for the college. It will integrate space for medical education, clinical assessment and training, student support, administrative tasks, space for future growth, and a Learning Resource Center.

It also applies biophilic principles of design, incorporating green elements into the public spaces of the building. The building will encourage physical activity to promote student health and academic success. Outdoor spaces will be part of the educational experience, connecting students and staff to the natural environment.

Developed in collaboration with Perkins + Will, HCOM is slated to open in 2021.

“

Great things happen, both on campus and off, when administrators and planners pursue design solutions with partnership, engagement, and well-being in mind” BEN NIEBAUER Associate Principal DesignGroup

CONSCIENTIOUS INSIDE & OUT Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine is being designed with environmentally sustainable features including healthier materials, furnishings, and systems to meet the US Green Building Council’s LEED Silver Version 4. The new building will also become WELL Building Certified; WELL is the leading tool for advancing health and well-being in buildings globally.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP // Our most successful projects rely on robust interaction with the client, students, faculty, and the surrounding community. Learn why DesignGroup advocates for a more holistic design process — with HCOM and other higher ed clients. READ THE ARTICLE >

STUDENT-CENTERED DESIGN

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Over the last 15 years, DesignGroup has completed a wide range of projects for us, from facility assessments and concept planning to building and interior design, branding, and construction administration.

Their process helps our stakeholders make decisions quickly, and their focus on overall quality, sustainable materials, and flexible space make DesignGroup a trusted partner and a reliable resource on studentcentric projects of all sizes and complexities.�

ROD JOHNSON Associate Vice President for Operations // Cedarville University

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1 | The Ohio State University Newark Alford Center for Science + Technology Newark, OH 2 | The Ohio State University Postle Hall Addition + Renovation Columbus, KY 3 | Cedarville University Library Dining Addition Cedarville, PA

Climate Change and College Living BOLD IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE A recent competition challenged architects to find creative new ways to improve buildings in a changing climate. Our entry tackled a structure found on almost every college campus.

Here’s how we reinvented it.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP // Deferred maintenance has been a common refrain for universities for at least a decade. And with new economic uncertainty fueled by a pandemic, these deferred needs…will likely be deferred again. With that in mind, DesignGroup recently entered a design competition that gave us a chance to explore new ideas for reclaiming outdated facilities - and answer an even greater need.

We love design competitions. They let us flex our creativity and share our work on an international stage.

This summer, the Arch Out Loud organization hosted “WARMING: Architecture for a Changed World,” which tasked architects with a problem we’ll all face eventually: the environmental results of climate change. Like rising sea levels. Higher temperatures. And smog-choked cities. Our entry applies green solutions to buildings in desperate need of updating.

You might be surprised by the whimsy and invention that comes out of a challenge like this. WARMING is a serious competition about a serious issue that…doesn’t take itself too seriously.

We chose to focus on the university residence hall (or “dormitory,” in by-gone days), a staple of mid-20th century collegiate architecture. This building type was so common it seemingly rolled off conveyor belts onto campuses around the country, with little thought for the lives that would be lived within them. Utilitarian and bland, the embodied energy of these buildings is massive. In the interest of preventing a Warming Climate, why not take a deeper look at this common, but unnoticed building type and find ways to improve its performance?

We’re really proud of our entry, because it applies audacious changes to something easily overlooked. While others were focused on stadiums and business towers, we chose something much humbler and more practical with lots of potential for improvement.

READ MORE ABOUT OUR DESIGN SOLUTION >

WORKPLACE

AS IMPORTANT AS EVER – BUT CHANGING Like virtually all business sectors, we spent months in 2020 working from our homes. While we learned that it is possible to remain productive apart from one another, it validated a basic reality: there’s no substitute for the energy and collaboration that comes from an inspiring, purposefully planned in-person work environment.

With multiple vaccines now in development, there’s a light at the end of this long, dark COVID tunnel. But it will take a while – possibly years – for life in workplaces to fully return to normal. In some ways, the pandemic has forced all of us, from architects to facilities and operations managers, to think deeply about what’s most important going forward. The safety of workers will be paramount — and not just their health, but their well-being, too. In other words, values that have always been important to DesignGroup.

SERIOUS BUSINESS, CASUAL DETAILS

LEADING EDJE This space embodies the fun, energetic “work hard, play hard” nature of the company — an environment that is practical and flexible, while reflecting an authentic brand vibe.

7,350 SF COMPANY HEADQUARTERS

Leading EDJE is a fast-growing IT firm in Dublin, Ohio, that describes itself as ”Real. Fun. Geeks.” When the company selected a killer third-floor corner suite in the city’s dynamic new Bridge District, we knew it offered amazing views of Dublin and the Scioto River — and a chance to design an interior that reflects the company’s playful spirit.

The entrance opens up to the Café Hub, which features a coffee bar and comfortable “resimercial” furniture offering a warm welcoming first impression to guests and potential clients. The Hub also showcases a large, sculptural u-shaped bar with a reclaimed wood counter and corrugated metal details. It’s the place for allhands meetings and after-hours special events (thus, the four integrated beer taps). Directly across from the bar is a training room with two large garage doors that accommodate overflow and breakout opportunities.

The rest of the suite is a variety of space types that allow employees to choose how they want to work, including flexible meeting rooms, private offices, soft seating, and an open workstation zone — all designed to be flexible for “scaling up” as the company continues to grow.

“

We had a total blast teaming with DesignGroup for this project! Team chemistry was seamless and it felt like everyone was an extension of our firm. They did an incredible job of representing our unique culture in our new space through their hands-on design process and flexibility.

We couldn’t be happier with the outcome!”

JOELLE BROCK President + CEO // Leading EDJE

WHERE BIG IDEAS COME TO LIFE

INVESTOR STARTUP 12,270 SF OFFICE SPACE

This project combined versatility, technology, color, and light — perfect for inspiring entrepreneurs as they build their young companies.

This client combines capital investment and strategic services to help startup companies grow. Its admin department of 30+ people had previously worked in a dark, fragmented renovated warehouse. The design of their new office is a reflection of the organization’s highly collaborative culture.

The main entrance includes touchdown spaces for guests, a coffee bar, shuffleboard, and booths for informal collaboration. A large meeting space functions as a board room and has a large operable wall that opens up to the “Innovation Hub” for large after-hours events.

The Hub encourages collaborative group work in a bright, energized, and highly-flexible space with varying furniture types and flexible walls creating adjust-a-size gathering spaces, all while overlooking OSU’s bustling Gateway District.

A mix of “I” and “We” spaces cater to individuals and teams in equal measure. The CEO’s office is centrally located between them; highly visible to clients, it signals that leadership is easy to find and connect with. The office can also be repurposed as a meeting room when the CEO is away.

What’s Next for Workplace Design?

FIVE TRENDS TO UNDERSTAND As the world adjusts to work environments that balance work-from-home with in-office productivity, there are lessons to be learned about future workplace design.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP // Take a moment to think

While most white-collar professionals have found

back to late February. Yes, COVID-19 was newsworthy,

working from home (WFH) to be a necessary

but didn’t yet seem like a crisis. Commuters were

stop-gap solution, a recent LinkedIn News poll

still packed onto mass transit; offices were as busy

found that these same professionals question their

as ever. Then, in a relative blink of an eye, all of that

industry’s ability to work effectively in a 100% WFH

stopped in its tracks.

arrangement in most key U.S. markets. Because for many, to do good work, proximity still matters.

Less than three weeks later, organizations were creating entirely new workplace policies in real time –

As the dust settles post-pandemic, workplace

most of it shifting activity offsite. And, to the surprise

designers will help organizations adjust to the new

of many, it worked. Leaders and employees alike

norm and plan for the future. Here are five trends

rallied, learning and adjusting to new ways of working

we’ve observed so far.

with limited or, in many cases, no access to the usual office environment.

So it’s only natural that, as workers gradually return to previous routines, many questions remain about the future of workplace design. Is benching dead?

Will the pendulum finally swing back from openoffice to the private office? Or even, is the office itself a thing of the past?

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