In a recent feature from The US Glass News Network, National Architecture Practice Leader Domenic Cristofaro weighed in on the current state of glass in the AEC industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the entire glass industry, from manufacturing and supply chains to design and construction. While the first day of the National Glass Association (NGA) Summer Conference included a focus on the manufacturing perspective, the session, “The New Normal – Design & Construction,” included a different perspective.

Domenic Cristofaro, National Architecture Practice Leader with HED, provided an architect’s perspective on the crisis.

“Protecting occupants from the spread of disease will be foremost in the minds of architects,” he said.

He also pointed out that glass is a popular material due to its ability to bring in natural light and create visual protection while supporting sustainability and protecting occupants from storms or attacks. He expects it will no longer be specified just for its functional and aesthetic purposes but also to prevent the spread of diseases such as COVID-19.

“Glass is hygienic and easy to clean,” said Cristofaro. “It’s unlikely that offices will continue to use open office layouts. Glass barriers could be installed to protect occupants in addition to staggered office hours. COVID-19 has put an end to the over-densification of office buildings.”

He anticipates that in the future, a portion of offices could be turned into apartments or condos. He also posed modular construction as a solution to the supply chain issues created by the pandemic as it allows parts of a project to be built in a controlled, safe environment.

You can read the full article from The US Glass News Network using the link below.

HED is proud to share that we have accepted the Southern California Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (SoCal NOMA) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Challenge (DEI Challenge): an initiative for architecture, engineering, construction, and related firms to voluntarily support measures to transform the diversity of their firms and the AEC community in a way that is holistic, firm-wide, and data driven.

We accept this challenge to demonstrate and support our organizational commitment to fighting against racism and racial inequality within the profession of architecture, and to take positive action within our own firm to hold true to our core value of integrated practice. We are always striving to be a more inclusive, integrated practice because we value the diversity of perspectives, experiences, abilities and expertise that advance both the work we do, and the world we share.

In committing to the SoCal NOMA DEI Challenge, we commit to voluntarily provide the following information as part of the DEI Challenge, on an annual basis, for the purposes of gathering and collecting data and statistics that may be used by NOMA as well as partner organizations to develop programs and policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion going forward. This information will also be utilized internally to inform decision-making and drive improvement in our own practice.

The DEI Challenge consists of ten actions, each with a scoring threshold with a total of 100 potential points. Participating firms must score a minimum of 70 points to be recognized as a SoCal NOMA “DEI Challenge Ally.”

HED is proud to act against institutional inequity within our own firm and the greater AEC industry. Because of the outsized impact our industry has in communities and the world writ large, we believe that this initiative is aligned directly to our mission of Advancing the World of our clients and communities, and feeds directly into our core values of critical thinking, design excellence, and integrated practice.

We firmly believe that by accepting this challenge, we will drive incremental, measurable positive change in our firm, our industry, and the world, and we join SoCal NOMA in the call to our peer AEC firms to take up this moral and professional imperative.

Together, we will create positive impact.

HED is pleased to announce that our team has been selected by The Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC) to design an affordable and distinctive refuge for the housing challenged veteran population in the Chicago Heights area to call home.

The project, which is being led in partnership by the City of Chicago Heights and HACC, is part of a program known as the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, a special urban planning program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The proposed veterans’ housing development is the first proposal for new development to emerge from the Choice Neighborhoods planning effort.

The proposed four-story building will be designed to coincide with Chicago Heights’ new mixed-use district regulations aimed at creating vibrant and walkable neighborhoods. The development will be located next to a proposed new town square, which would include a plaza space for public events, such as a farmer’s market, public ceremonies, and cultural activities for residents to enjoy.

HED’s design strategies include calm color palettes, quiet spaces with heightened acoustic requirements, and units and common spaces with open plans which provide visibility with no hidden corners. Designed to complement the historical character of Chicago Heights, the development includes 82 units, restricted to veterans only, totaling more than 74,000 SF. Building amenities will include exercise facilities, office space and meeting areas, and parking.

Together, HACC, the City of Chicago Heights and HED will create new housing that will create a positive impact within the community by contributing to the lives of veterans and to the revitalization of downtown Chicago Heights.

HED is delighted to share that we have once again been named a Best & Brightest Company to Work For in Chicago! This is the 16th consecutive year that our Chicago practice has been recognized in this ranking. The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For competition identifies and honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in their human resource practices and employee enrichment. Organizations are assessed based on categories such as communication, work-life balance, employee education, diversity, recognition, retention and more.

HED is proud to share that we have been ranked #19 in the 2020 ENR listing of Top 25 Multi-Unit Residential Design Firms. HED’s housing practice is not merely about designing apartments, residence halls, condominiums, or special living facilities: it is about creating spaces for people – their belongings, their families, their memories and futures. It's a responsibility we take seriously, and this ranking from ENR inspires us to continue seeking out new ways to create positive impacts for our clients and communities through housing.

HED continues to grow our engineering practice nation-wide, climbing 12 places in the ENR Top 500 Design Firms to #162

HED is very proud to share that we have been ranked in the Zweig Group 2020 Hot Firm list. The Zweig Group Hot Firm list recognizes the 100 fastest-growing architecture, engineering and construction firms in the United States and Canada. Through an assessment of finances (a score comprised of both dollar and percentage revenue growth rate over a three-year period), this ranking reflects firms have outperformed both the economy and competitors to become leaders in their chosen fields.

We accredit this growth and stability to the dedication and professionalism of our staff, who have committed themselves to our shared mission of creating positive impact for our clients and communities through their design talents.

As an organization we believe we can't create positive impact unless our people come first, which is why we are so excited to announce that we have been named a Zweig Group 2020 Best Firm To Work For!

The Best Firms to Work For award recognizes architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the US and Canada based on an exhaustive review of their workplace practices, employee benefits, employee retention rates, and much more. We believe that awards and rankings such as these are important tools for judging our efforts against our peers and ourselves to continue our commitment to our staff that create positive impact for our clients and communities.

We're proud to share that we are number 25 in the Electrical Construction & Maintenance (EC&M) magazine Top 40 Electrical Design Firms of 2020!

HED is pleased to announce that we, in partnership with PCL Construction services, have been selected by the County of San Diego, CA, as the Architect of Record for the new Lakeside Community Library!

The new, 16,840 sf Lakeside Library will be a signature building, landmark, and significant resource to the community designed to offer space and resources for enhanced community engagement and activity. It will act as a welcoming gathering place with a variety of services and events and provide for informational, educational, and civic engagement needs. In addition to the facility itself, the library will be a source of additional positive impact in the community by being sustainable, with a design that will conform and be certified through the Living Building Challenge Net Zero Energy Guidelines.

The architectural concept for the Lakeside Branch Library grows from a thorough observation of the local context and collaboration with the county. The aesthetic will be fresh, sleek, modern, and feature clean architectural lines as well as contemporary materials and color palettes, creating a distinct identity within the community. With an interior ceiling height of eighteen feet in the central spaces, the design lends a voluminous, bright feel to not just the lobby, but program spaces like the children’s room, marketplace, community room and adults’ space.