It has been 49 years since our first Earth Day in 1970. Forty-nine years is quite a run. The passion and awareness ignited during those inaugural events in 1970 have driven significant positive change in our relationship with the natural environment. Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and many will undoubtedly hoist up that number proudly. This year, however, let’s focus on a different number: 11. According to a report released in 2018 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), we must halve our emissions by 2030 to avoid a future defined by catastrophic climate change. That deadline is just 11 years away. CannonDesign knows…

Our team recently had the opportunity to attend Bisnow’s 2019 National Healthcare South conference in late February. The event united a remarkable group of healthcare leaders from Houston and across Texas to share thoughts about what’s next for patients, providers, health systems and communities. There were numerous thought-provoking presentations our team was able to attend, and we’ve summarized some key takeaways from the event below. For each takeaway, we connect ideas around how design will play a role in supporting its impact in the future. Health Systems Recognize Consumers Pay for Value, Not Medical Events A dominant trend echoed multiple times during the Bisnow Summit is the impact consumerism is having…

Although most healthcare leaders recognize the inherent link between work place design strategy and their organization’s culture, few deeply understand the reciprocal relationship that exists between the two. Far too often, healthcare leaders view their places of work and care as a container that responds to existing culture and not a change agent to inspire culture change. Those with this viewpoint have a limited perspective on how design can positively impact their system and workforce to spur new levels of success. In truth, the relationship between work place design and company culture isn’t all that different from a tango. When leveraged correctly, one can lead the other and vice versa…

The team from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Building 201 recently celebrated the topping out ceremony – reaching a significant milestone in the design and construction process. Explore the project here > This iconic building will house the Research and Exploratory Development Department (REDD), an innovative and creative organization at the heart of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory’s current research and development team. Jim Schatz, Head of Research & Exploratory Development, gave an inspiring speech during the ceremony. A few of his remarks are below. “Today we reach an exciting milestone in the journey from design to construction of an amazing new facility here at APL which we usually refer…

As part of an exciting stretch for Mount Sinai Medical Center (MSMC) just two weeks back, the health system cut the ribbon on its new Skolnick Surgical Tower and Hildebrandt Emergency Center and also welcomed first patients to the facility. The South Florida Business Times covered the exciting events and highlighted the dynamic new health facility and the value it brings to the Miami Beach region. The opening of the new 340,000-sf surgical tower and ED is a transformational moment for MSMC as it equips them to enhance the care they bring to their patients and community for generations. Our team was proud to design the facility and work with…

The fifth installment of our Buffalo Urban Futures Forum proved a remarkable success earlier this week uniting leaders from Boston and Buffalo to discuss how food and hospitality can reshape our urban fabric while also looking toward trends to the future. The event took place at Delaware North’s new headquarters in Buffalo, a dynamic space overlooking the city’s resurgent downtown. We were fortunate to secure a panel of visionaries in the food and hospitality development world, including: Amy Latimer, President, TD Garden in Boson, Delaware North Brian Sciera, Vice President of Sales, WS Development Ed Sirhal, President, Patina Hospitality, Delaware North Leslie Zemsky, Partner and Vice President, Larkin Development Group…

As designers, we are incredibly fortunate to do what we love every day — to help organizations around the world leverage design to grow their missions, help their people, enrich their communities and so much more. As we look toward our future in 2019, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on this past year and share some of our proudest accomplishments. ARCHITECT 50 ranked CannonDesign #4 The ARCHITECT 50 is the premier industry ranking for US-based architecture firms, and we are thrilled to have ranked #4 overall and #12 in design as part of the 2018 report. This ranking differentiates itself from others by measuring firms not by…

The Design-Build Institute of America’s (DBIA) annual conference and expo is one of the most educational and dynamic events to attend each year. I had the great fortune of joining contacts and colleagues at this year’s event in New Orleans. Making this year’s DBIA Expo especially exciting, the event marked the 25th anniversary of the DBIA’s founding – a moment when select AEC industry leaders came together to advance design-build as a successful project delivery platform. For those unfamiliar, the DBIA conference is an event that unites AEC professionals, building owners, leaders in design-build delivery, and relative newcomers to share the latest trends, ideas and best practices that can fuel both…

The inaugural Innovation Accelerated By Design event hosted by CannonDesign’s Los Angeles office explored the role of design in spurring innovation. Last Thursday, more than 100 designers, educators, health and business leaders and innovators came together to hear leaders from Kaiser Permanente, Showtime and University of Utah share thoughts on how design can fuel innovation. Hosted at the Herman Miller Showroom, Innovation Accelerated By Design welcomed inspiring presentations, sparked interesting dialogue, and offered exciting peeks into the future of design. The event featured a series of TED-style presentations followed by a panel discussion moderated by CannonDesign’s Director of Strategy, Swapna Sathyan. Starting with this inaugural event, our team is excited…

It has been an exciting few months for Pratt Institute and the new Emerson Hall project, set to open in Fall 2019. The project celebrated its “Topping Out” with the completion of the tenth floor this August. Several of our team members were on hand to mark the event. Designed collaboratively by our team, hMa Architects and Pratt Institute, Emerson Hall creates important opportunities for first-year students’ social and intellectual development and promotes a community of invention and collaboration critical to Pratt’s academic mission. More than just a physical object, the building will be a home and nurturing environment where students learn, develop, grow and engage. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology…