Perkins+Will doesn’t just give lip service to that tenet; they truly believe in the power of education to resolve the challenges of the 21st century. “Architecture can frame that educational environment to ultimately help solve the world’s problems. That is why we do what we do,” explains Stebar. Stebar’s father was a major influence on both his decision to study architecture and his belief in the power of education. The elder Mr. Stebar persevered despite growing up in impoverished Appalachia during the Depression. He beat the odds and graduated high school while holding a job since the age of 10. Despite numerous difficulties enrolling and matriculating at Virginia Tech, he ultimately earned a master’s degree, graduated at the top of his class, and was recruited by General Motors in Detroit, Mich. The younger Stebar recalls time spent at his father’s famously fabulous place of work. His office was in the iconic General Motors Technical Center designed by Eero Saarinen, which exemplifies the International Style. GM’s world technical headquarters is nationally significant as one of the most important works of the architect and made an indelible impression on Stebar at a young age. “Those years observing that stunning campus imbued a love of design and architecture in me. My father’s journey also reminds me of the power of education to change lives for generations,” recalls Stebar. “That is how architecture and design came into my life. Now I try to complete the circle by affecting the lives of current students in their campus experience.”
Establishing a Common Vision Perkins+Will has developed a highly interactive process over the years to reach out to all stakeholders and determine their objectives, ultimately defining a common set of goals in a single benchmark statement. It is more about group dynamics than architecture. When their teams move through the design process they use that benchmark statement as a measuring stick. This collaborative method has proven more successful than trying to begin the design phase and later trying to reach consensus. Despite their streamlined process, it is still a challenge to work with large institutions. Universities have a variety of stakeholders, unlike working with a developer or a single decision-maker. It is especially apparent to Perkins+Will, because they frequently develop buildings like student unions that are shared across the entire university community, increasing the potential for divergent opinions.
San Jose State University Student Union (at right and previous page) The student union provides 24/7 access to program areas that include food services, event rooms, ballroom and meeting rooms, bookstore, recreation center, lounge spaces, theater, and a 350-seat lecture hall at the base level of the three-story east expansion. Photos: James Steinkamp.