Get Your Facts Straight
Written by bethany on January 13th, 2012
Sometimes, it’s just easier to make assumptions. In the beginning, seems like less time, requires less thought and let’s you decide the outcome. Doesn’t that sound great?!
However, later down the road, it will catch up to you….. You’ll spend more time and more money correcting your assumptions. This is just a little reminder to Get Your Facts Straight. Think about where we’d be if Noah made an assupmtion……
Coffee
Written by bethany on March 3rd, 2011
“I could be wrong, but I don’t think that was supposed to be in the design. That’s a coffee stain.”
Life is not a color-within- the lines project;
Life is a work of art.
You have to keep mixing colors, creating new blends,
and seeing things in fresh ways.
You must be willing to get paint all over you.
Life is about growth.
Growth demands change.
Change requires humility.
Author from the book, Wide Awake, Erwin Raphael McManus
Keep Drinking Coffee.
What’s in Your Recycle Bin?
Written by bethany on October 25th, 2010
What a wonderful world we live in. Every day is designed differently, sometimes the sun is shining brightly, sometimes the sky brings rain and nourishment to the environment and sometimes a natural fire burns acres to enhance new growth and life. Nature is complex and simple thriving in a revolving cycle unknown completely by man. Nothing in nature is wasteful. Bees cannot pollinate without flowers and flowers cannot grow without sun, water and soil. This circle of life depends on a healthy ecosystem. You may wonder how our ecosystem is doing, well, it must be doing good since you can go buy flowers and plant them for the bees in your neighborhood. Of course, if the flowers die you can always buy another crate. However, if you really stop to think about our ecosystem, you might wonder what happened to the empty crate and the “natural” soil you used for the flowers and if you should have recycled the empty plastic bag it came in, oh, can you recycle the crate? When you mindlessly took the items to the curb on trash day, where you thinking about the ecosystem?
“Houston we have a problem,” is an understatement when it comes to issues involving waste. According to the book, Cradle to Cradle, by McDonough and Braungart, our human industry has been in existence for little over a century and has brought a decline in almost every ecosystem on our planet. The authors go on to say, “Nature doesn’t have a design problem. People do.” Waste is a problem and cannot be taken lightly. Whether we mindlessly take trash to the curb or carry our recycle bin to the curb, this problem is growing and not going away. This is a time when designers can take a stand and truly influence decisions made to protect, preserve and enhance our built environments.
http://cartridgesforkids.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/landfill.jpg
Within the last decade, organizations and words have been thrown at the design industry. All of a sudden, everything is made “green”, “natural” and “sustainable.” It has our industry quite confused and makes me wonder if I should be LEED certified too! It’s like jumping on a “bandwagon” with no sense of direction and the only reason we are on it is because we really do think we are doing something “sustainable.” However, the reality is when we take our recycle bin to the curb, we could actually be doing more harm. When something is recycled, it is known as downcycling which in some cases reduces the quality of the material. The process of downcycling can actually increase the contamination of the biosphere (McDonough, Braungart). These solutions are not meant to further harm us, they are simply failed attempts to improve our wasteful situation.
Architects are tied to the environment and have an impact on either enhancing or contributing to destroying our world. We have the choice to not ignore a growing problem, but embrace the opportunity in solving the problem. It is simply unacceptable to disregard our obligations to the future generations; it is time to take a stand moving towards an architecture which thrives with our natural environment. When taking this stand, designers should not only think about the immediate goals for the design, but think about how a building can act as if it were made by nature itself. When our client deserts the building or a natural disaster occurs, will the buildings waste replenish the soil? We as designers have the ability to change the way in which our buildings are designed. We have the say in the materials we select, where they come from, how they are made and must acquire the knowledge to make the right decisions. It is our responsibility to our community to ask questions whether something is toxic or what the effects are on the local and global communities may be if you choose a particular product.
The problems we are facing are not simple. There is much to learn and it will require everyone’s participation to ensure a positive turn with how we deal with waste. This is a time to work together for innovative design solutions. Our designs should protect lives using the facilities today, tomorrow and the next day. It is not enough to take out the recycle bin laying it by the curb; we must design in such a way our future generations hold us in high regard for we were the generation that changed the direction in favor to prosper of our world.
But, All I have is Talent….. (whine, whine)
Written by bethany on August 20th, 2010
In our competitive, ruthless, amazingly creative industry, talent will only get you so far. Your Clients and people you’ve done business with inadvertently represent your company. IT’S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS and First Impressions. Every time you meet someone new, there is an opportunity. Even when your first instinct is, “I’ll never need them or use their service,” Keep the Card!
Over a year ago, I kept the CARD! As a result, a new relationship has developed along with other new relationships and opportunities. Don’t miss out! Some relationships take time and some are instant. It’s important to be open to new ideas, new relationships and New Cards! You just never know…..the guy that has been serving you coffee for the last 2 years (that you never tipped or smiled at) graduated College with honors and took a job developing Commercial Property….oops!
Be Careful of First Impressions and Invest in a new Relationship.
P.S.
The Card I kept, check it out!
It’s Not All Glamour
Written by bethany on May 27th, 2010
Ever have a manager in your career that hounds something into you? It might be about turning lights off when you leave the office or making sure the Construction Documents have the correct date ……or the right project!!! Whatever your case, the hounding sticks with you. And one of mine is Field Verifying an existing space, “Bethany, you can never have enough photos or documentation. Ask questions and don’t assume anything.” And I must say, it’s not always glamorous! Walking (sometimes crawling) and measuring in the basement of a 1950’s abandoned Hospital Auditorium is not pretty! Wearing a mask, gloves, jeans, headlight and ignoring the trash is a must do for a successful renovation.
Field verifying saves your Client money. This is your chance to get it right and make sure your design is drawn within the defined boundries. Field verifying identifies potential problems and can adjust your current scope of work due to unforeseen conditions. If you’re not willing take the time to diligently investigate existing conditions, the project and design team will incure additional cost down the road. It might not always be glamour in the design world but, don’t be a afraid of a little dirt, stale air or spiders…..sometimes it just another day in the office!
P.S.
Roger and I were within 2″ from field verifying the space and relating it to 1950’s drawings…YES! We are that good!
Infection
Written by bethany on February 23rd, 2010
The article “Design Bugs Out” in this months issue of Metropolis is incredible. In this design competition, 4 companies went forward to manufacture a mock up of their design from an item in the patient room. The drive behind the competition is the “ugly truth” of hospital borne-infections spreading and causing deaths.
Metropolis Cover for February 2010
The study and article is based off reasearch from the United Kingdom. The article states in 2007, close to 9,000 people in the UK died from hospital-borne infections. These situations are not just oversees and in other countries. I wish I could say I haven’t walked in a hospital corridor on a recovery floor without passing a sign on a door that says “Staph”. It’s the crazy truth…but, what I love about design is….awe…something fresh with purpose to solve problems. These manufactures, architects and designers worked with the caregivers, patients and vistors to come up with a design to reduce infection. My personel favorite is the bedside table by Kinneir Dufort with Bristol Maid.
The entire piece has hardly any joints and is made of high-denisty polyethyene with soft curves to reduce harboring germs. The design is smooth and easily cleanable. It moves on wheels any from walls unlike most side tables in patient areas. Currently, there are several patient rooms with furniture to heavy to move or built as millwork against the wall…..how do you clean up a spill on that table? Hopefully, it doesn’t get into the wall and create a nest for mold?
What is wonderful about new products and great design is that they are always getter better. The best design solutions are the ones that understand the problem and provide solutions. I’m not suggesting every hospital room should have these new products….I understand funding, costs of renovations and priority of hospital needs….however, I am curious as to how much it cost a hospital when a patient dies from hospital borne-infections….?
Don’t be a Couch Potato!
Written by bethany on December 30th, 2009
Get up off that Couch!
The end of the year is a good time to reflect on the past year. What worked for you, what was a complete disaster (hopefully not many), did you meet your goals, did you create and nurture relationships? Hit the chalkboard and work through issues. This is the time to get off the couch and correct mistakes…. .. move forward with what you’ve learned!
It’s been a scary year for our architecture field and many many others. I’d be lying if I said otherwise but, you can only move forward. If worse comes to worse:
Even if you’re falling on your face, you’re still moving forward. - Samuel Beckett
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
KNOWLEDGE
Written by bethany on November 26th, 2009
IT can be difficult.
IT takes time.
IT requires thought and diligence
And sometimes I’m just TOO tired.
BUT….
IT is valuable.
IT keeps you informed.
IT drives you forward.
IT will strengthen and build you.
Be thankful for what you know, what you are learning and where you will go because of IT. Happy Thanksgiving.
Help, I need somebody….Help, Not just anybody
Written by bethany on October 6th, 2009
My favorite people are the ones that share (maybe b/c it was instilled from my mother as a child, “Share Bethany, Share!”). I always listen very closely to my colleagues when they share something new. I wonder if I should try it, check it out or shove the info into my head and pull it out at a later date. Well, my friends if you’re like me, you’re constantly looking for “Help” in a new area, growing a business, learning of new technologies or keeping up with the Jones. And thanks to Mom, I’ll share my favorite links in hopes to “help” you find information you maybe looking for…
If you’re in Healthcare or Patient Care Services the Healthcare Design Magazine is a great source for not only design trends but other things that matter like electronic health records, designing with cutbacks, bariatric patient care and articles of just about everything.
We do quite a bit of work in Texas so if you have questions about Building Codes or Compliance, TBAE are fabulous at getting you answers.
I’ve just recently attended a seminar by Graceworks Inc. out of New York, “Make the Human Connection”. WOW! Carol Dorcher and her team are amazing! They will help you seal the deal with your client, improve your interview skills and LAUGH the whole time. They travel all over the Nation with workshops.
AND, just for fun Pandora Internet Radio will create your favorite music stations to get you through the day, rain or shine (free)! www.pandora.com Enjoy!
And you can thank my mom for my sharing.