Dream clients

Skip to a Dream Client:
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest
Poway United School District
Arizona Biomedical Collaborative
Dublin Methodist Hospital
Sorouh Real Estate Investments
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
University of North Carolina, Wilmington
William Beaumont Hospitals
Medical Real Estate
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District
University of Notre Dame
U.S. General Services Administration Border Station Center
Michigan Technological University

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Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, Md.

Johns Hopkins Hospital ranks among the best hospitals in the U.S., topping U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Hospitals 2006 list. The Baltimore location is one of 12 JHH hospitals across the U.S.

Dream Client leadership (left to right): Anatoly Gimburg, senior director of facilities; Marge Siegmeister, senior project manager; Howard Reel, senior director of design and construction; Sally McConnell, VP of facilities; Michael Iati, director of architecture and planning

Nominator:
Francis Cauffman Foley Hoffman Architects, Baltimore

Working relationship: During the past three years, FCFH has provided pre-design services for 21 healthcare and medical research buildings totaling two million sf at JHH. Current work includes an interior renovation of the 75,000-sf Billings Administration Building (pictured), the oldest structure on the campus.

Recalling a special moment “Howard Reel asked the FCFH team to complete pre-design work on an additional building that had become a central link in the design within 30 days, all while the FCFH project manager was on vacation. The project manager asked for 90 days but promised an intermediate draft for 30 days. Mr. Reel said, 'I’m willing to give JHH’s upper management an arm and a leg for you, but they will cut off my head if I tell them it will take 90 days to complete.’ He gave us 60 days, and we made the deadline.” —E. Phillip McCormick, AIA, LEED, CSI, senior technical architect, Francis Cauffman Foley Hoffman Architects

What makes JHH a Dream Client? • Exhibits professionalism and commitment to JHH’s mission to be “the best of the best.” • Negotiates fairly. • Pays promptly. • Always available for communication. • Answers questions quickly. • Demanding while gracious • Makes timely decisions. • Team player. • Lets you know where you stand. • Appreciates long-term quality. • Open-minded to new ideas. • The facilities design and construction staff is service-oriented toward the end users. • Commitment to efficiency and economy. • Patience and rigorous intellectual expectation of thoroughness.

More information
Johns Hopkins Hospital
www.hopkinshospital.org

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Bernheim Arboretum and Research ForestClermont, Ky.

Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest is the official arboretum of the state of Kentucky, a purely honorary designation that carries no state funding with it. The nonprofit organization was created by Isaac Wolfe Bernheim in 1929 as a private, free-to-the-public natural area. Today, the arboretum employs 50 and manages 14,000 acres of forest and seven buildings, including an education center, a research center, an outdoor performance amphitheater, and a new visitors’ center.

Dream Client leadership: Dave Imbrogno, executive director

Nominator:
Barnette Bagley Architects, Lexington, Ky.

Working relationship: BBA has been under contract with Bernheim since 1998. Projects include an updated master plan for the arboretum and research center and assistance with achieving a LEED Platinum rating with the U.S. Green Building Council for the arboretum’s new visitors’ center (pictured).

Recalling a special moment “Instead of a conventional groundbreaking ceremony for their new visitors’ center, Bernheim conducted a 'ground-raising’ ceremony. Board members, staff, friends, and the general public formed a circle around the building footprint, shovels in hand. Each person scooped a small amount of topsoil from the building area, placed it in a flowerpot, and took a bag of native grass seed that had been harvested from Bernheim’s meadow. Everyone was instructed to take the flowerpot home, plant the grass seed in the soil, and nurture it until the building neared completion. When the building was almost ready, everyone returned with the native grasses in the flowerpots. All of the flowerpots were then transplanted to the structure’s green roof. In this manner, the ground beneath the building was literally 'raised’ to the roof.” —Lee Rambo Bagley, AIA, Barnette Bagley Architects

What makes Bernheim a Dream Client? • Inclusive: All 50 Bernheim employees had a say in the project. Everyone participated in information-gathering workshops and design charettes. • Knowledgeable: The heads of the principal organizational divisions hold terminal degrees in their fields. • Responsive: Owner reviews were typically conducted in single, daylong meetings. • Committed: The owner took personal responsibility for recycling construction waste on the project. • Focused: Once consensus was achieved, everyone got on board.

More information:
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest
www.bernheim.org

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Poway United School DistrictPoway, Calif.

Poway Unified School District is one of the fastest-growing districts in San Diego County. PUSD operates 22 elementary schools (K-5), six middle schools (6-8), four comprehensive high schools (9-12), and one continuation high school. Twenty-one schools are located in San Diego; 11 are in the city of Poway. The district serves 33,000 students and is the third-largest in the county.

Dream Client leadership (left to right): Donald Phillips, superintendent; Mark Miller, director of educational facilities; Sandy Burgoyne, director of planning; Doug Mann, executive director of facilities; John Collins, deputy superintendent

Nominator:
NTDStichler Architects, San Diego

Working relationship: NTDStichler has worked with PUSD for more than 14 years. Projects include the $51 million, 216,000-sf Westview High School (pictured), which opened in 2002, and the recently completed Midland Elementary School, which accommodates 700 students in 55,000 sf.

Recalling a special moment “The new Midland Elementary School best exemplifies the district’s commitment to the children it serves. The school serves the oldest and poorest neighborhoods of the district. Instead of patching together the old facility, the district made an early decision that the children of this area deserved a new school that could better meet their educational needs. The obstacles were significant due to the associated construction costs, the approvals required, and responding to the city’s neighboring historic business district. But marching to the district’s mission of 'All Students Learning,’ they successfully developed and funded the new school. It took great resolve and a diligent effort to do the right thing in the face of these challenges, but over our nearly 15-year relationship, I have seen this district’s mission in action like this numerous times.” —Jon Alan Baker, AIA, president and CEO, NTDStichler Architects

What makes PUSD a Dream Client? • Maintains strong, loyal business relationships with business partners who perform well. • Willing to negotiate reasonable fees commensurate with the services that are requested. • Consistently pays bills on time. • Holds project team members accountable for their individual responsibilities, including themselves. • Provides timely direction to the design consultants. • Consistently fair in its dealings with unforeseen issues that arise throughout the planning and construction process. • Conducts its business affairs with a high level of integrity. • Demonstrates a consistent commitment to their core value of serving children in all their decisions.

More information:
Poway United School District
http://powayusd.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/bond/

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Arizona Biomedical CollaborativePhoenix, Ariz.

The Arizona Biomedical Collaborative, sponsored by the Arizona Board of Regents, is a collaboration between Arizona State University and the University of Arizona to develop biomedical research and education in conjunction with the City of Phoenix at the Biomedical Campus at Copper Square. The partnership will allow the development of complementary interdisciplinary research programs focusing on research into cancer, diabetes, neurological diseases, asthma, and respiratory diseases.

Dream Client leadership (left to right): Vance Linden, associate director, capital programs management group, Arizona State University; Ann Libecap, associate dean, planning and facilities, University of Arizona; David Harris, senior project manager, Arizona Biomedical Collaborative

Nominator:
SmithGroup, Phoenix office

Working relationship: SmithGroup has worked with the Arizona Biomedical Collaborative for nearly three years on its $23.2 million, 85,000-sf research building in downtown Phoenix (pictured), to be completed in May 2007. The firm has designed buildings for both the University of Arizona and Arizona State University in the past.

Recalling a special moment “The client continuously goes out of their way to recommend SmithGroup to prospective future clients. In one particular instance, we were preparing a proposal on a tight deadline and requested a recommendation letter from Ann Libecap. She volunteered to come into our Phoenix office, postponing a two-hour drive back to Tucson, in order to type up a glowing recommendation.” —Brad Woodman, AIA, leader, Science and Technology Studio in Phoenix, SmithGroup

What makes Arizona Biomedical Collaborative a Dream Client? • Prestige: The new biomedical campus will lead the state in innovation. • Innovation: The project is being delivered by a CM-at-risk process that is effectively driving the project through the most hyper-inflated construction process in Arizona history. • Respect: ABC respects SmithGroup’s professionalism, and they pay for it. • Recognition: ABC staff members have complimented SmithGroup at public events and recommended us to potential clients.

More information:
Arizona Biomedical Collaborative
http://phoenix.gov//downtown/biocenter.html

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Dublin Methodist HospitalDublin, Ohio

Dublin Methodist Hospital is the newest member of OhioHealth, a family of healthcare providers based in Columbus. OhioHealth is comprised of more than 2,600 physicians, 16,000 nurses, medical professionals, and staff and 3,500 volunteers. The new hospital will complement OhioHealth’s existing facilities in the Dublin area, which include an outpatient health center and a medical office building.

Dream Client leadership: Cheryl Herbert, president

Nominator:
Karlsberger, Columbus, Ohio

Working relationship: Karlsberger began working with Dublin Methodist in 2003, when it was commissioned to design the $130 million Dublin Methodist Hospital (pictured). The 325,000-sf facility is due to open in October 2007.

Recalling a special moment “During the early stages of design, Cheryl had T-shirts made with the slogan 'RUN UNTIL APPREHENDED’ and passed them out to the entire team, from designers to drafters to secretaries. What she made clear with this slogan was that we had the authority to push the envelope as far as possible to meet the goals and guiding principles we had established, as a team, for this project. She challenged us to be as creative as we could be.” —Bob Grundey, project manager, Karlsberger

What makes Dublin Methodist a Dream Client? • Reviews and provides input and critique, from a client’s perspective, of some of Karlsberger’s proposals for new clients and projects. • Treats Karlsberger as a partner, not merely as a vendor or consultant. • Constantly pushes to “raise the bar.” • Collaborates with Karlsberger on other office-related initiatives that have nothing to do with Dublin Methodist’s own project. • Does not revisit decisions that have been made without good reason. • Listens to everyone’s ideas. • Treats everyone on the team with respect, from our most senior architects to our junior designers and administrative staff.

More information:
Dublin Methodist Hospital
www.ohiohealth.com/homedublin.cfm

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Sorouh Real Estate InvestmentsAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Established in June 2005, Sorouh Real Estate Investments has already become one of Abu Dhabi’s busiest developers. Among SREI’s major projects: Golf Gardens, a golf-themed community with luxury homes, retail, and entertainment, and the 1,575-acre Shams Abu Dhabi urban development on Al Reem Island, 300 meters offshore from Abu Dhabi.

Dream Client leadership: Mounir Haidar, CEO

Nominator:
RNL, Los Angeles

Working relationship: Since January 2005, with the inception of the Shams Abu Dhabi development. RNL designed the master plan and design guidelines for the project (pictured), as well as the concept design for the Mangroves Residences, seven residential buildings within Shams Abu Dhabi.

Recalling a special moment “Sorouh has been a most gracious and hospitable client. Early in the planning process, after a long and intense workshop day, then CEO and now vice chairman Faris Suhail Al Yabhouni invited the entire planning team to his private home at his ranch in the desert for riding, a traditional Arabic meal, and storytelling around a campfire. It was a pleasant, enjoyable experience, and just what the team needed—some time to relax, to bond with other team members, and to personally experience the culture.” —Patrick McKelvey, AIA, senior principal, RNL

What makes SREI a Dream Client? • Educated professionals who fully understand planning and design. • Respects the work, opinions, and ideas of professional consultants. • Appreciates collaboration, and likes to interact with professionals during workshops. • Looks for the right solution, not just the quickest or least expensive. • Aspires to improve the quality of the built environment in Abu Dhabi.

More information
Sorouh Real Estate Investments
www.sorouh.com

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Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAtlanta, Ga.

Founded in 1946, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is one of the 13 major operating components of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the federal government’s principal agency for protecting the health and safety of Americans.

Dream Client leadership: Steve Milby, facilities project manager, CDC Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases

Nominator:
CUH2A Inc.

Working relationship: CUH2A has worked on four major projects for the CDC since 1999, including the $115 million Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Building 18, in Atlanta (pictured), and a 150,000-sf lab in Fort Collins, Colo., due to open this fall.

Recalling a special moment “When Building 18 was under construction, CDC implemented a 'cuss bucket’ on the construction site. It’s $1 per word. With the money that’s contributed (you can imagine the volume of colorful language on a construction site), we buy Christmas gifts for children in the local homeless shelters. CDC has been the enforcer, making sure people pay up, and making sure the children are always taken care of, even if the bucket is light. Folks from CDC assist in wrapping and distributing gifts to children at the local shelter. Although Building 18 has been completed, the cuss bucket continues on at other job sites, and it is now a tradition affectionately referred to as 'Cussin’ for Kids.’” —Angella Cannion, construction administration specialist, CUH2A

What makes SREI a Dream Client? • Educated professionals who fully understand planning and design. • Respects the work, opinions, and ideas of professional consultants. • Appreciates collaboration, and likes to interact with professionals during workshops. • Looks for the right solution, not just the quickest or least expensive. • Aspires to improve the quality of the built environment in Abu Dhabi.

More information:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov

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University of North Carolina, WilmingtonWilmington, N.C.

Established in 1947 as Wilmington College, UNCW is one of 16 institutions within the UNC system, with 11,653 students enrolled in 2005. UNCW has about $170 million of active construction projects that will result in a cumulative economic impact of an estimated $540 million. For the eighth consecutive year, the university has been ranked among the top 10 public regional undergraduate universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report.

Dream Client leadership: Bradley W. Reid, director of housing and residence life (pictured); Charles E. (Ed) Shuford, PE, director of project management, facilities

Nominator:
Clark Nexsen, Charlotte, N.C.

Working relationship: Clark Nexsen was first commissioned by UNCW in 2004 to provide all A/E design services for the $27 million, 212,000-sf Seahawk Village residence complex (pictured), completed in July. This summer, the university broke ground on its second Clark Nexsen-designed project, the $34 million, 265,000-sf Seahawk Landing apartment-style residence complex.

More information:
University of North Carolina, Wilmington
www.uncw.edu

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William Beaumont HospitalsRoyal Oak and Troy, Mich.

William Beaumont Hospitals have 2,200 private-practice physicians working in seven medical office buildings, a rehabilitation/health center, primary and specialty care clinics, four extended-care centers, a research institute, home care, and a hospice. Beaumont’s 1,061-bed hospital in Royal Oak, which opened in 1955, is a major teaching and referral center with Level-1 trauma designation. The Troy facility opened in 1977 and is a 254-bed acute-care community teaching hospital.

Dream Client leadership: Jeffrey Larson, PE, VP, facilities development, Optim (Optim is responsible for the design, construction, facilities management, and medical equipment maintenance needs for William Beaumont Hospitals.)

Nominator:
Harley Ellis Devereaux, Southfield, Mich.

Working relationship: During the past 14 years, Harley Ellis Devereaux has designed more than 170 projects for Beaumont, including a 656,000-sf addition to the South Tower of the Royal Oaks facility (pictured). The firm is currently developing a $450 million plan that will guide the hospital’s Troy campus from a regional to a tertiary facility. Additional beds, a pedestrian bridge, and emergency department renovations are currently under way. Project completion: 2016.

Recalling a special moment “We admire this client for this statement: 'It is important for every architect, engineer, and contractor to remember that in every room, at the end of every electrical plug and medical gas fixture, is a patient. They are the focus of our organization and should be the focus of the design.’” —Jeffrey Larson, PE, VP, facilities development, Optim

What makes William Beaumont Hospitals a Dream Client? • Realistic about scope and schedule changes. • Responds immediately to information requests. • Hands-on, open communication approach. • Each large project begins with a formal visioning session, which brings together contractor, architect, and client for a half-day of presentations, Q&A, and team building. • Encourages and implements radically new design and engineering approaches to support its mission. • Has provided HED with numerous challenges that expanded our expertise in many facets of healthcare design. • Ranks among the top community hospitals in the nation.

More information:
William Beaumont Hospitals
www.beaumonthospitals.com

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Medical Real EstateMenifee, Calif.

Medical Real Estate was one of the first companies to develop medical condominium buildings that are sold unit-by-unit to doctors, a market that was largely untapped in the late 1990s. The company has been in business for 14 years, and now employees 10 people.

Dream Client leadership: Edward L. Anderson, founder and president

Nominator:
BDG Architects, Menifee, Calif.

Working relationship: BDG has designed six projects for MRE during the past four years, including the 46,000-sf Corona (Calif.) Village Medical Plaza (pictured) and the 130,000-sf La Quinta (Calif.) Medical Office Complex.

Recalling a special moment “Over the last two years, MRE has become our biggest supporter and has promoted us to other clients. They treat their employees with respect and have shown that same level of respect with BDG employees. On numerous occasions they have invited our entire staff to luncheons and special events. We have become part of their family.” —Al Burghard, principal, BDG Architects

What makes MRE a Dream Client? • Has definite ideas about project development, but looks to us for professional input and creative solutions. • During the design phase, we meet every two weeks, sometimes more frequently, to review projects. • Generous with compliments. • Encourages us to think outside the box. • We don’t have to make an appointment to see them. We can walk in any time. • Pays invoices within one week. • Knows how to structure projects so financing is assured.

More information:
Medical Real Estate
www.mredev.com

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Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for ChildrenDallas, Texas

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, established in 1921 by a group of Masons, is governed by a board of trustees who are all Texas Scottish Rite Masons. Epitomizing the values of Freemasonry, the hospital serves more than 12,000 Texas children annually from birth to 18 years old free of charge. TSRHC is one of the nation’s leading pediatric centers for the treatment of orthopedic conditions, related neurological disorders, dyslexia, and other learning disorders.

Dream Client leadership: J.C. Montgomery, Jr., president (pictured); Jim Sturgis, VP and senior associate administrator

Nominator:
HKS Inc., Dallas

Working relationship: HKS and The Beck Group, Dallas, have collaborated on more than 300 projects at TSRHC during the past 33 years. Projects include a replacement hospital in 1977, a $2 million MRI addition in 2002 (pictured), and a $9 million project to build a new conference center and renovate and expand the dietary department.

Recalling a special moment “Our partnership with TSRHC and The Beck Group goes well beyond the working day. For example, when HKS celebrated its 60th anniversary, TSRHC held a picnic in our honor. And when the hospital’s adjacent Reverchon Park needed to be restored, members of the HKS and Beck team joined in to help clean it up and assist in developing a playground.” —Trish Martinek, VP, director of communications, HKS

What makes TSRHC a Dream Client? • Each member of the design and construction team is made to feel part of the hospital family, and is educated about the hospital, its mission, and its goals. • We have a friendship built on mutual respect, appreciation, courtesy, integrity, and honor. • Meets with the team once a week to discuss owner, architect, and contractor issues. • Pays within two weeks. • Contacts HKS for advice on maintenance issues. • Respects our time and opinions. • Shares office and conference space with us. • Hosts community events with us. • Makes patient benefits the primary focus, thus easing the decision-making process.

More information:
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
www.tsrhc.org

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Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College DistrictEl Cajon, Calif.

Established in 1961, the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District encompasses two colleges, Grossmont and Cuyamaca, with a total enrollment of 28,000 and more than 455,000 sf of facilities. In 2002, the district received $207 million in voter-approved funding to finance new education facilities and renovate existing buildings on the two campuses. Projects include two new science labs, a digital arts/sculpture building, a communication arts building, and a new student center.

Dream Client leadership: Dale Switzer, director of facilities

Nominator:
Gafcon Inc.

Working relationship: Gafcon’s project management team has been working with GCCCD on five projects since early 2003. Projects include the 88,500-sf Communication Arts Center at Cuyamaca Community College, due for completion in October 2007, and the 26,870-sf digital arts/sculpture complex at Grossmont Community College (pictured), to be completed in January 2007.

Recalling a special moment “GCCCD’s strength as a client comes from fully embracing the concept of using a program manager as staff extension. The client, in undertaking a $200 million capital program, added no additional project management, purchasing, or accounting staff. GCCCD’s approach was to ask, 'Can Gafcon do this? If so, then let them do it.’” —Yehudi Gaffen, founder and principal, Gafcon

What makes Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District a Dream Client? • Interested in fair solutions to construction project problems; does not play the blame game. • Attends weekly internal Gafcon briefings, providing input and direction on the spot. • Brings a sense of humor to each project team, which builds great team spirit. Good-natured pranks and jokes are played out in both directions. • Contractor pay request has been streamlined to a speedy 23-day turnaround between invoice and check. • Has been able to achieve state design approval on all projects within a minimum period of time required.

More information:
Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District
www.gcccd.net

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University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, Ind.

Founded in 1842, the University of Notre Dame is an independent, national Catholic university with an annual enrollment of about 12,000. The 1,250-acre campus contains two lakes and 137 buildings, with a total property replacement value of $2.2 billion.

Dream Client leadership: Douglas K. Marsh, university architect

Nominator:
The S/L/A/M Collaborative, Glastonbury, Conn.

Working relationship: S/L/A/M Collaborative has designed six major projects for Notre Dame since 1996. Its first, the $15.3 million Eck Center visitor/reception building (pictured), opened in 1999. Current work includes a 100,000-sf renovation and 85,000-sf addition to the law school, to be completed in 2008.

Recalling a special moment “Our most recently completed project at Notre Dame, the Jordan Hall of Science, is a striking example of how this institution goes about achieving consensus. The original programming for the building did not include any large lecture halls, which would have required large classes to be held in a general classroom building across campus. When faculty members emphasized the educational importance of integrating all aspects of undergraduate science into the new facility, the administration charged the S/L/A/M design team to rethink the project in order to accommodate this goal, even if it meant some tradeoffs and adjustments of programming.” —James M. McManus, FAIA, president and CEO, S/L/A/M Collaborative

What makes Notre Dame a Dream Client? • Developed a formal review process and sign-off at each phase with all university departments, including risk management, maintenance, landscape services, information technology, and utilities. • Does not arbitrarily set unmanageable goals—collaborates with the design team in establishing realistic budgets and schedules. • Processes invoices in a timely manner (usually paid within 10 days of receipt). • Helps drive clear decisions from faculty and staff so that delay is minimized. • All buildings fit into a strong architectural context, are built of the highest-quality materials, and are designed to meet user needs.

More information:
University of Notre Dame
www.nd.edu

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U.S. General Services Administration Border Station CenterWashington, D.C.

The GSA’s Border Station Center works with the Department of Homeland Security to manage the design and construction all U.S. border stations. The BSC is managed by GSA’s Public Buildings Service, which directs the federal government’s multibillion-dollar building program, including construction, renovation, alteration, and repair of federal office buildings, courthouses, and other facilities.

Dream Client leadership: Gianne Conard, director, GSA Border Station Center

Nominator:
Smith-Miller+Hawkinson Architects, New York

Working relationship: Smith-Miller+Hawkinson has worked with the GSA for more than six years. Major projects include the $98 million, 120,000-sf Champlain (N.Y.) Land Port of Entry (pictured) and the 45-acre Massena (N.Y.) Land Port of Entry.

Recalling a special moment “Gianne Conard, together with New York-based GSA project managers Thomas King and Barbara Kalish, form a powerful triumvirate defending innovative designs by younger American architects while ensuring timely delivery and adherence to budget. It is a rare and special balancing act, unusual for the private sector and more rare in the public domain.” —Henry Smith-Miller, founding partner, Smith-Miller+Hawkinson Architects

What makes GSA Border Station Center a Dream Client? • Has consistently raised the bar for the federal government in commissioning younger, smaller design-oriented architect/engineer teams for highly visible public works. • Through the GSA’s Design Excellence Program, designs can reflect cutting-edge philosophies and employ innovative construction methodologies. The program includes a streamlined two-step architect/engineer selection process and the use of private-sector peers to provide feedback to the architect and engineer of record. • Program requirements cohesively join architecture with civil engineering and landscape design at sites that serve as gateways to the U.S. • Works with its consultants to develop and adjust program requirements as part of a large, agile team that also includes the Department of Homeland Security, federal and state highway authorities, and local and regional communities.

More information:
U.S. General Services Administration Border Station Center
www.gsa.gov

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Michigan Technological UniversityHoughton, Mich.

Founded in 1885, Michigan Technological University has gained worldwide recognition for training mining and metallurgical engineers. Today, it offers degree programs in the arts and human sciences, business, computing, engineering, environmental studies, the sciences, and technology. The campus has more than 40 buildings on 925 acres. Current enrollment: 6,500.

Dream Client leadership (left to right): Mike Wilmers, construction engineer; Bill Bluhmhardt, director, department of facilities planning; Jim Heikkinen, manager; Pat Muller, planner

Nominator:
SmithGroup, Detroit

Working relationship: During the past 12 years, SmithGroup has designed five projects for MTU, including the 167,000-sf Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building (pictured above, right), a footbridge linking the library and computer sciences building (above, center), and the rehabilitation of the 18,000-sf AE Seaman Mineral Museum. SmithGroup also created the campus master plan and a conceptual “Guide to Future Development.”

Recalling a special moment “We were charged with designing an enclosed, naturally ventilated pedestrian bridge that arcs to a two-foot rise in the center, linking two buildings. Noting that Michigan winters are very cold and harsh, we questioned why the bridge would not be mechanically heated or cooled, but proceeded with the plan and designed a 110-foot-long enclosed bridge with glass sides. Bottom and top louvers allowed for natural convection ventilation and kept the natural radiant heat from dissipating through. Our initial concerns were quickly realized when the winter’s snow protruded through the louvers. The melted snow collected on the bridge floor and turned to ice, creating a dangerous situation. MTU took full responsibility for this condition and worked diligently with us to correct the problem. MTU references this scenario when we are at fault in one of our designs, noting that we are not perfect, but that by working together we can solve problems.” —Jeffrey Hausman, AIA, SVP, SmithGroup

What makes MTU a Dream Client? • Steady work: MTU has added or renovated more than one million gsf in the last 20 years, about one-third of its campus facilities. • As a leader in technological education, MTU adheres to exploring new ideas for excellence in design and construction to further enhance its programs. • Doesn’t expect architects and engineers to be perfect, but expects us to work diligently to correct problems. • Welcomes a bold, forward-thinking approach to design, but not design that lacks substance. • Willing to challenge the design team’s opinions without being confrontational. • Consistently honest and fair. • Willing to pay for additional services when requested, such as unscheduled visits to the site during construction. • Respects design team’s judgment. • Will occasionally review documents in our Detroit office, saving us a 10-hour drive.

More information:
Michigan Technological University
www.mtu.edu