Jessica Nemczuk Wagner, AIA

Thank you to Dezeen for including me in this round-up of ten designers shaping the scene in Detroit, including FIVE (!) former students and other friends of Cranbrook across the city. Our local design culture has expanded rapidly in the past 20 years, while building on the region's traditional focus in mass production. New markets for collectible design have opened innovative spaces of experimentation and research. The internet has introduced whole new models of design practice supported by e-commerce, social media, digital fabrication and global shipping. The old barriers-to-entry of mass production and mass markets have been replaced by new digital formats, audiences, and markets. Detroit is now proof that design can be practiced in whole new ways that test the possibilities of authorship, entrepreneurship, and the methods of making. https://lnkd.in/e66MhDwx

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How is sustainable design improving the operations and mission of healthcare facilities? HOK's Paul Strohm recently talked to Healthcare Design's Anne DiNardo about just that, particularly as it relates to Michigan Medicine's new D. Dan and Betty Kahn Health Care Pavilion. The conversation included strategies for reducing embodied carbon, limiting energy/water use and promoting community health. "As healthcare providers and clients continue to emphasize the whole health of the community, sustainable design becomes an important tool for not only improving the impact of the building on the environment but also the people inside." Discover more in Healthcare Design: https://lnkd.in/grPTc67m

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Recently, I wrapped up my 24 "Professional Development Hours" (PDH) for my Minnesota architect's license, which renews every June 30th of even-numbered years. Interestingly, the Minnesota licensing Board doesn't approve required courses, only recommending content that "forwards your development as a licensed professional", and mandating 2 hours in "professional ethics." (I do appreciate the professional ethics requirement, although the courses are hard to find, as it is important to reinforce the soft skills required of our profession.)   In contrast, my Florida license, renewing every December 31st of even-numbered years, requires 22 hours in "health, safety, and welfare related courses", borrowing language from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and 2 hours in "Florida Building Code advanced courses". The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) provides a comprehensive list of approved courses.   I believe employers should take an active role in helping staff identify relevant content for the balance of the hours. If the licensing jurisdictions only dictate 2 hours how do we ensure the other 22 are well allocated in forwarding professional development? Make sure your company supports professional development through continuing education and be a champion for improvement.

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Listen to my latest episodes on TheAntiArchitect.com #TheAntiArchitect #AntiArchitect #Podcast #Architecture #Design #AEC

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This is an older project, but one we may revisit for a portfolio update. If you scroll to the bottom of the Behance link below, you even get a rare picture of me, on the greenscreen at Atomic Studios in Chicago. The most awesome Ryan Duff was there for technical direction also. This is all rendered in Corona, 4k 30fps. Some greenscreen people were used to give us control over actions, as the storyboard from the client carried a strong narrative that required specific dialogue and actions. Thats not apparent here, this is our contribution to a larger piece which was live footage, with our CGI edited in. The timelapse street shot was great fun to make. We used a timelapse HDRI from hyperfocal and had to offset keys for the #anima people. All the ground level backgrounds, the streetscape and vehicles etc., that's all 3d. We did not do any tracking for this, we contrived shots to be lock-down, but have a reverse engineered move in post to kind of faux-track the scenes with a linear track. It worked well. The drone shot is the exception. Tracking was ok, not great, slides a bit in one shot. Also, the client requested we dumb down the realism of the aerial building render, as they felt the realistic building got lost... we had to make it less real to keep your eye on it. Hey ho, you gotta do what you gotta do. Thats one of the motivators to go back and clean this up for 2024. Production process for things like this have not changed too much in the 3d dept, but keying and other tangential tasks have changed dramatically. Better people models Revised edit/pacing. Revert to better exterior model/shaders Clean up aerial tracking Any other suggestions? #realestatemarketing #hospitalitymarketing

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Gensler studied the intersections between what today’s post-secondary students and #office workers are looking for in work environments – and how this will shape future office #design. “To focus on my work” is the top reason people come into the office – for all generations, ranging from Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, and Baby Boomer. Let’s make office spaces as productive and attractive as possible by addressing one of the biggest complaints: poor #acoustics! Contact us to learn how #soundmasking can help. https://lnkd.in/gFX84FCS

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More grist for the post Covid mill. Whatever, adaptive re-use of offices to residential, while not as easy as many believe, is a thing now and is happening to a lesser or greater degree across the urban world - though again I'd be interested in whether there is a separate Asian cities trajectory as there has been vis a vis the ratio of returns to the office. US cities are stuck around 55% and Asian cities are at 80% with Seoul at 100%.

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Cities around the world are confronting threats from climate change and societal challenges brought on by migration, health crises and new ways of working. Resilient design and planning can help communities navigate these issues to safeguard lives and property. In a recent LinkedIn Live panel, HOK designers and planners share their approach to resiliency and how they are working with others to effect change in their communities. Key takeaways included: 1. Resiliency is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Each community brings its own set of challenges. 2. Resilience requires a broad toolkit that includes design, planning, policy and advocacy. 3. Community input and buy-in is crucial to ensuring the success of any resiliency plan. Discover more: https://lnkd.in/gqBHThHd

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We echo HOK's sentiment that #Resiliency is not one-size-fits-all and requires a comprehensive approach that includes design, planning, policy, and advocacy. ⚖ Designer Albert Hadley once said, “The essence of design will always be about people and how they live.” For this reason, we’re excited to collaborate with our #communities to create #sustainable and #resilient spaces. 🤝 Listening to residents’ needs has led to innovative and functional designs with Bozzuto's multifamily "Elevation at Washington Gateway." 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gq4CdexJ Let’s work together to build a better future! 🌱 #ResilientDesign #SustainablePlanning #CommunityEngagement #SRADesign #InteriorDesign

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"We have to think we are integral to somebody's existence on this planet." Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, SHRM-SCP, NOMA, NAAB, WELL AP, gives her inspiring take on the value of an architect. ✨ #ArchitectureWeek is about inspiring the next generation through K-12 engagement AND celebrating the #architecture profession! How would you answer this question? #AIA #NationalArchitectureWeek #Design

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Will you be claiming your share of the $30,000 JBC Masonry Innovation Competition prize money this year? Deadline to submit is July 15. Eric Pros of DS ARCHITECTURE in Cleveland was winner in the Young Architect/Engineer category in the 2022 competition sponsored by International Masonry Institute. I recently sat down with Eric to discuss his award- winning project, a Senior Community Center in Westlake Ohio, and to ask what advice he would give architects, engineers, or students who may be on the fence about entering this year’s competition. Here’s what he had to say: ✌️"The application process was fairly easy. If you’ve got a project in the works, and it doesn’t have to be built, it could be an imagined project or something theoretical… there is no entry fee to submit your project, it’s relatively easy to do… so I would encourage others to throw their hat in the ring."✌️ I think you’ll agree Eric’s passion for masonry really shines through as he takes us through his design process in this short video. He also reveals how he spent his $10,000 winnings! I hope you take Eric’s advice and submit your innovative masonry design solution. Get the process started at https://lnkd.in/gXb72sjE.

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Featured Project: From Artifacts to Community by SAIC Graduate student: Zahid Shariff #Nominate this project to win the #StudioAwards today! ACT FAST!!!! Voting ends in 1 week. https://bksp.es/4aryanq In a future where architecture must adapt and evolve, this thesis reimagines the Art Institute of Chicago, exploring how cultural institutions can be repurposed to foster deeper community engagement. By examining adaptive reuse, we reveal the untapped potential of meticulously designed spaces to serve new, vibrant purposes. #architecture #architecturedesign #design #architect #architecturedaily #architecturehunter #architecturelovers #architectureinspiration #architectureinspo #architectureproject #uniquearchitecture #coolarchitecture #renovation #studentarchitecture #youngarchitects #architecturemodel #architecturemasters #architecturemodels

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As Gensler notes, successful cities have a key characteristic in common: They’re able to reenergize the connection between live and work through a combination of mixed-use neighborhood design, affordability, accessibility, and convenience. As cities get smarter post pandemic, urban design must become smarter as well. Discover more insights in Gensler’s City Pulse study: https://lnkd.in/gfpWhP_s

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#neglectedmodernism #cincinnati The appreciation for these more modern background buildings is an important topic in preservation today. They go against the norm of what we typically cherish, but now are begging for our attention. Urbanism benefits from a diversity of building typologies represented over time. They imbue a sense of the history of a place regardless of whether one agrees with the particular aesthetic or not. That’s the richness of #cities. And, of #citybuilding.

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📐 FREE ARCHITECTURE SUMMER DAY CAMP OPPORTUNITY 📐 🎒 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS (12-18 YEARS) 🎒 📍 DETROIT AND KALAMAZOO 📍 🔗 Link to sign up: https://lnkd.in/eK66gzuJ 🔗 ❗ DEADLINE TO REGISTER: Friday, May 31st at 11:59PM ❗ I believe those that shape the built environment should reflect the communities that live in them. Architecture for a long time has struggled to have a diverse workforce that reflect the communities they are rooted in and designing for. Good design comes from a multiplicity of backgrounds, histories, perspectives, and cultural lenses that can see blind spots that others can't (and vice-versa). The architecture profession is only 3% black - and only recently moved up for our decades-long stalemate of 2% licensed black architects. It's also smaller stats across different ethnic groups. To put it in perspective, I have met half of ALL the black women architects in the state of Michigan (last I checked it was around 7 out of 14), and I work with 20% of them. It's that small of a number! There are so many factors that contribute to this issue, but part of it comes down to exposure to the profession. How can you be what you've never seen or heard? Did you know an architect when you were in school? I surely didn't, and didn't meet an architect for the first time until I was in college, studying to be an architect. Camps like Project Pipeline are crucial to expose students from underrepresented backgrounds to the profession and professionals. The National Organization of Minority Architects- Detroit Chapter is hosting its 10th year of the Project Pipeline camp this summer. I've had the pleasure and honor to be the camp director for the past five years of this camp. Ten years is amazing, and there are hopefully some exciting things in store for Project Pipeline this year. On an individual level, this camp could be a catalyst for a student to consider architecture or a related field. On a wider level, this camp is one of many initiatives to connect folks from various backgrounds to our built environment. Share with your student, niece, nephew, family-friend, neighbor, or young one in SE-MI/SW-MI that you think would benefit!

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Day 20 of World Landscape Architecture Month reflecting on creating objects with multiple functions in urban public spaces. #wlam2024 American Society of Landscape Architects The best public spaces provide variety, joy and flexibility, allowing people to determine the function of objects based on how they interpret them. What if a sculptural form was also a seat, a play opportunity and public art? We need more playable landscapes as well as play spaces. It was a joy seeing the #sculpturalseats at #strandaldwych transformed into a playable landscape because it was interpreted as an object of play. LDA Design Millimetre Makes MUF ARCHITECTURE / ART LLP says it well, “Can we make spaces for more than one thing at a time? Where you’re not fixing the meaning but making something that can be appropriated?” #digitalfabrication #accoya #ldadesign

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Where are we now and where are we headed? The biggest takeaways I have with the research is that we need to focus on walkability and affordability in our downtowns. The good news is people want to live in cities, it shows up quite clearly in the data, so we need to give them the opportunity to thrive with complete neighborhood central districts.

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🌟 Spotlight on Leadership in Workspace Design 🌟 Thrilled to share insights from one of the most influential figures in workspace design, Kay Sargent, Senior Principal and Director of Thought Leadership at HOK. With over 39 years of experience, Kay has been a trailblazer in transforming our approach to how and where we work. 🏢✨ Based in Washington, D.C., Kay leads HOK's project teams to tackle complex business and organizational challenges, optimizing real estate portfolios and creating pioneering work experiences. Her work has not only earned accolades but also recognition from the U.S. House of Representatives, where she has provided expert testimony on the future of federal real estate post-COVID-19. A member of the prestigious IIDA College of Fellows and recognized as a "Designer of Distinction" by American Society of Interior Designers - ASID, Kay's contributions to the field extend beyond her project work. She actively contributes to the community through roles on advisory boards and speaking engagements worldwide, pushing the envelope on what it means to design spaces that truly serve their users. Kay's philosophy centers on crafting spaces that reflect the essence of the organizations they serve, emphasizing the importance of a workplace being a physical manifestation of an organization's ethos and culture. Her work exemplifies the integration of sustainability, technology, and inclusivity, setting a standard for what the future of workspace design should strive to achieve. As we navigate the evolving landscape of workplace design, Kay's leadership and vision offer invaluable lessons and inspiration. Let's discuss how these insights can shape the future of our practices and the environments we create. #WorkspaceDesign #Leadership #Innovation #HOK #Architecture #Sustainability #FutureOfWorkspaces

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Behind-the-scenes with members of our #architecture team as they work to artfully and functionally integrate two structures for a client project. Teamwork makes the dreamwork at Alloy! Learn more about our #DesignBuild process: https://loom.ly/YHltQg0 #Architect #Construction #Residential #Design #build #Custom

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