Case Studies

A seven-story urban living space in

Tucson, Arizona, is much more than an

Apartment complex. It’s an innovative space that

celebrates art in every form. Learn how this project

brings art to life through the design of interior doors. 

When Austin ISD’s Menchaca Elementary School received the news in 2015, its original building, constructed in 1973, received a failing score on the district’s facility assessment.

A Fresh Take on Sunday School Design at Granger Community Church

Pastor Tim Stevens has no qualms about leaving some church traditions behind. “For decades the prevailing philosophy was to paint Sunday schools in plain colors, creating a subdued environment that wouldn’t get the kids too excited, so they would sit still and listen to the stories. We weren’t interested in that. We wanted an environment where the kids would be dragging parents back to church, rather than screaming when they got dropped off.”

Designed for Quality Care

Healthcare design requires a special blend of aesthetics, performance and empathy. The architects and designers at IKM Incorporated located in Pittsburgh, PA use these concepts to develop customized healthcare spaces, which make up 85 percent of their work. “As architects we feel we have the ability to improve healing and affect the quality of treatment,” says Matt Hansen, Architect and Project Manager for IKM. “We believe that if given the opportunity we can be an asset to nurses and physicians and help them to do their job in a more efficient way.” IKM bleds traditional, transitional and contemporary materials and colors to create specialized spaces.

A Soft Landing for Traumatized Kids

Designing a space that engages kids is one thing. Making it kid-proof is even tougher. Bring­ing these two elements together in a building that serves as a first stop for kids just extracted from dangerous and abusive situations is a feat of imagination, engineering and passion.

Leaders at the Chickasaw Nation had the vision of creating a kid’s version of an entire town within the corridors of their Child Development Center. The center includes a post office, fire department, police station, bookstore, flower shop, and a movie theater. Each classroom resembles a scene you might see walking through a typical downtown.

Finding A Way For Higher Education

Higher education is, in one sense, about finding a way to a better future. It is not always an easy course. To earn a credential, a student must have direction, dedication and an idea of what a successful future looks like. Institutions of higher learning are expected to embody those same traits. A great example of an edifice matching this ethos is the new Kent State University Regional Academic Center in Twinsburg, Ohio.

Designers and facilities managers know that lockers are much more than banks of boxes.

Travis Science Academy, formerly Travis Middle School, has undergone a renovation in more ways than one.