Side of Design: Recent Episodes
BWBR
A podcast from BWBR. For the curious. For the obsessed. For those with a craving to take their organizations and spaces to new heights. With a side of design.Twice a month, we'll be exploring topics and issues affecting how we heal, learn, work, research, play and pray with those whose passion and expertise centers on the spaces that enable us to do all of that.
For families seeking behavioral health care for their child, the process can feel confusing, disjointed, or even scary. When diving into the planning process for the Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services’ Pediatric Center of Behavioral Health, the team approached each design decision with a different goal: creating an experience rooted in clarity, connection, and comfort from the moment families arrive.
Melanie Baumhover, BWBR Principal, Director, and Behavioral + Mental Health Market Leader, joined us to discuss the recently completed project and how its “no wrong door” model is improving access to care for families in Michigan and beyond.
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A hospital addition does more than just expand and refresh a campus—it can improve wayfinding, make room for new spaces, and prompt a broader rethink of how the environment supports patients, visitors, and staff both operationally and emotionally.
We spoke with BWBR Principal Jason Nordling about the Avera McKennan Hospital Women’s and Children’s Inpatient Addition and Remodel, an exciting project that highlights the complexity, collaboration, and powerful opportunities involved in expanding these services.
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n today’s competitive labor market, companies across sectors are grappling with the same question—how do we attract and retain top talent? As organizations grow, evolving industries require increasingly technical skillsets, and people-first cultures that prioritize employee wellbeing continue to rise, leaders are seeking innovative solutions for recruitment and retention.
We sat down with Healthcare Practice Leader Ryan Johansen and Science + Technology Practice Leader Nate Roisen to discuss the challenges and opportunities they’re seeing in their respective markets. A key takeaway they share: design can make all the difference.
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Located in the heart of downtown overlooking Wisconsin’s Capitol Dome, BWBR’s Madison office provides proximity to the ever-expanding markets statewide. Leading the talented, tight-knit team is Leigh Streit, who joined us for this episode of Side Notes to share insights into the Madison market, the opportunities shaping Wisconsin’s future, and the work driving meaningful impact across the region.
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At BWBR, we believe in being stewards of exceptional design—which means sharing our team’s unique skills, specialized knowledge, and abundance of passion with the next generation. Many BWBR staff members are involved in fostering young designers, whether that’s helping high school students navigate career paths or sparking creativity in elementary school classrooms.
In this episode of Side of Design, we sat down with Senior Project Manager Andrea Cecelia and Marketing Manager Danielle Hilmo to chat about their deep commitment to outreach in their communities, the innovative new lenses students are bringing to design, and what it means for the future of the industry.
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Senior Planner Jessica Sweeney took a unique path to planning healthcare environments at BWBR. With a background that helps bridge the challenges health organizations face with the solutions architecture can provide, her specialized insight brings key value to our design teams and client stakeholders. In this episode of Side Notes, she shares her fascinating career journey and how it lends itself to creating high-performing facilities that are data-informed, staff-friendly, and patient-centric.
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Quality in design and construction is easy to recognize, but far more complex to achieve. It’s not just about how a building looks when it’s finished, but about the processes that carry a project from concept through construction. In this episode of Side of Design, we sit down with BWBR’s Director of Professional Services Dan Hottinger and Construction Administration Manager Bryan Desma to unpack what “quality” really means in design and construction—and how it begins long before a project breaks ground.
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Sustainability, quality assurance (QA), building codes, and specifications—at BWBR, these critical design functions are overseen by Rachael Spires, Associate Principal and Performance Design & Quality Manager. In this episode of Side Notes, she explores how the seemingly distinctive roles intersect, all working together to drive design excellence in powerful ways.
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What does it take to create a birth center that truly serves its community—clinically, culturally, and emotionally? The Regions Hospital Birth Center was designed with this question in mind, taking a family-centered approach that integrates the latest care choices with the multicultural needs of mothers in the Twin Cities. In this episode of Side of Design, we take a deep dive into the design process as the hospital celebrates five years of impact.
Joining the discussion are Rochelle Johnson, Vice President of Patient Care and Chief Nursing Officer at Regions Hospital, along with BWBR project team members—Principal Melanie Baumhover, who served as Project Manager, Principal Mike Boldenow, and Senior Healthcare Planner Sophia Skemp. The conversation explores the project’s vision, challenges, and—most importantly—how the birth center continues to transform care.
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Bringing a building design from concepts and renderings to a completed facility is a complex and technical process. Playing a major part in making it happen is BWBR’s Dan Hottinger, Principal and Professional Services Director, who describes his role as “the bridge between design and putting the design in motion.” In this episode of Side Notes, he shares the latest innovations and challenges he sees facing the AEC industry—and how professional services can help.
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As climate change reshapes the way we live—prompting thoughtful changes both big and small to support sustainability—the design profession must evolve as a key player in reducing waste, deforestation, and other drivers of global warming. One critical lever designers can pull is material selection. In this episode, we’re focusing on FSC-certified wood—a single material choice that can make a significant difference.
Joining us from BWBR are President and CEO Terri Ulrick, Senior Specifications Writer Renee Wells, and Sustainability Specialist Rasa Zeltina to discuss what FSC wood is, why it matters, and how designers can meaningfully incorporate it into their projects to support sustainability and social responsibility.
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n the latest episode of Side Notes, BWBR’s Education Practice Leader Greg Fenton joins us to take a closer look at the ever-evolving higher education landscape. In a quick conversation packed with meaningful insights, we explore how design can widen the horizons of learning and breathe new life into college campuses, bringing inventive solutions that address education’s greatest challenges.
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In the latest episode of Side Notes, the bite-sized version of Side of Design, BWBR’s Healthcare Practice Leader Ryan Johansen joins us for a quick but impactful discussion on the state of healthcare market. In less than 15 minutes, they explore how the industry is shifting from a model centered on treating illness to one focused on promoting wellness—and how design can support this transformation by addressing the needs of patients, families, and healthcare staff in holistic ways.
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In the debut episode of Side Notes, a bite-sized version of Side of Design, host Matt Gerstner sits down with Nate Roisen, BWBR’s Science + Technology Practice Leader, to explore the evolving world of design and innovation in the market. In just under 15 minutes, they cover what excites Nate about the current landscape, the biggest challenges clients face, and what makes designing in this field so rewarding.
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Healthcare executives juggle decisions worth millions of dollars across multiple campuses while trying to predict a future that keeps changing. Aging facilities need updates, new technologies demand space, and patient needs shift faster than anyone can track. For health systems managing everything from rural Critical Access Hospitals to major medical centers, the old method of planning one facility at a time leaves critical gaps.
BWBR Principal Jason Nordling, Senior Planner Jessica Sweeney, and Principal Brian Zabloudil help health systems tackle this complexity through system-level strategic planning. Their work extends well past traditional facility master plans, taking on the task of aligning an entire network of care.
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When BWBR's design team talks about creating spaces that "welcome and work for everyone," it isn’t PR speak or a feel-good talking point. They’re addressing one of architecture's most complex challenges. Truly equitable design requires intention and thoughtful consideration of elements that go far beyond code compliance.
Design Leader Lisa Miller, Interior Designer Katie Reed, and Senior Architectural Designer Josh Simma recently sat down to untangle the often-confused concepts of accessible, universal, and inclusive design. Their conversation reveals why these distinctions matter and how they're reshaping the way spaces get built.
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When the lease on their office space expired, Minneapolis-based engineering firm Loucks sought out a team that could help create their ideal work environment in a new location. With help from BWBR, furniture dealership Henricksen, real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, and some extraordinary luck, Loucks transformed an already promising space into a workplace that supports their culture, enhances well-being, and aligns with today’s technology needs—all while keeping existing furniture out of landfills.
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The latest Side of Design podcast pulls back the curtain on PFAS, the infamous "forever chemicals" making headlines for their carcinogenic and environmentally damaging properties, and their widespread presence in many common finishes and materials—from stain-resistant couches to flame-retardant clothing to nonstick pans.
Host Matt Gerstner welcomes BWBR specialists Sara Biedenbender (Interior Designer), Kat Lauer (Project Planner), and Rachael Spires (Associate Principal and Performance Design & Quality Manager) for a lively conversation.
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The most recent Side of Design podcast introduces us to two architecture students whose work demands we reconsider what makes good design. Sierra Espinoza and Pwapadeino Wonosikou, this year's BWBR equity scholarship winners, aren't waiting until graduation to tackle the industry's most pressing questions about who benefits from the spaces we build—and who doesn't.
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The path to professional fulfillment isn't always a straight line, and the stories of some of our BWBR team members prove just that. In the latest episode of Side of Design, host Matt Gerstner and three BWBR colleagues share their fascinating journeys of career transformation, revealing how seemingly unrelated experiences can shape unique perspectives and lead to rewarding careers in unexpected places.
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Athletic facilities aren't just about sports anymore. As BWBR's Architectural Design Manager Kyle Lunke and Principal Craig Peterson discuss in our latest Side of Design episode, these spaces drive enrollment, enhance student wellness, and strengthen institutional identity.
Venues that welcome fans on game day help foster an incredible sense of community and energy—but the benefits go on long after the game clock runs out. That’s why we were excited to talk with Kyle and Craig to gain insights into how thoughtful design transforms athletic facilities into dynamic hubs serving entire campus communities.
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The research, development, and production that takes place inside science + technology facilities is highly complex and technical. It’s no surprise that the design work that brings these environments to life demands the same level of precision. Design, engineering, and contractor teams partner closely to coordinate the advanced MEP systems and intricate space planning that maintain sterile, safe, and efficient operations.
On this episode of Side of Design, we’re joined by a couple of our own trusted partners, who add their unique perspectives on what sets these complex projects up for success—and how each discipline contributes. Bringing deep experience in the science + tech market, Partner and Mechanical Engineer Nic Igl from Dunham, Horwitz Inc. CEO Emeritus Bill McKoskey, and BWBR Principal Nate Roisen dig into developing high-tech environments.
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Employee engagement goes beyond happiness and job satisfaction—those are byproducts of something deeper. As BWBR's Director of People and Culture Tricia Eiswald and Knowledge Manager Kari Shonblom discuss in the latest Side of Design episode, engagement means genuine involvement and enthusiasm at work and in the workplace. Their insights delve into factors that drive engagement, BWBR’s own engagement strategies, and how organizations can go beyond employee satisfaction to unlock the full potential of their teams.
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Despite being a sensitive topic, money is central to any project—managing costs, remaining on budget, and achieving maximum value per dollar spent are all critical to a successful design, whether a new build, a major expansion, or a renovation. So, let’s talk about it.
The latest episode of Side of Design from BWBR dives deep into this subject, exploring the intricacies of fee development and its impact on project success. Host Matt Gerstner leads a thoughtful discussion with representatives from BWBR's leadership team — CEO Terri Ulrick, Director and Principal Greg Fenton, and Principal Mike Boldenow—shedding light on their strategies for creating value-driven fee structures, all in service of not only good drawings, but great client outcomes.
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Like any other healthcare facility, behavioral health environments must be comforting places to heal. But these spaces pose unique considerations to keep patients safe, requiring thoughtful balance from skilled design professionals to create environments that are beautiful and manage patient risk. Senior Interior Designer Lauren Frank, Senior Project Manager Susan Golberg, and Senior Architect Ellen Konerza are a few members of the BWBR team who work to design these facilities, and in the latest episode of Side of Design, they dive in to creating environments that prioritize safety without feeling cold or institutional.
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Simulation spaces are high-tech, realistic environments designed to train both students preparing for careers in healthcare and medical professionals learning new skills. These environments require both the functionality of real healthcare spaces and classroom elements for teaching and learning, allowing users to practice skills, learn new procedures, or explore techniques that will be applied in real hospital settings.
In the latest episode of Side of Design from BWBR, guest host and Project Manager Jarett Anderson opens the door to the exciting realm of simulation spaces. Joined by BWBR Principal Leigh Streit, Senior Planner Rich Dunham, and Senior Project Manager Brian Lapham, the discussion delves into the unique functionalities, design considerations, and emerging trends in these innovative facilities.
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What if the design of a building could significantly enhance the lives of patients with neurological conditions? Join Ryan Johanson, Chris Fisher, and Miranda McNamara as we explore the nuanced world of neuroscience facility design on Side of Design from BWBR. We discuss the intricate details that make these spaces accessible and intuitive for patients with cognitive and mobility impairments. From exterior landmarks that aid wayfinding to interior designs featuring colors, textures, and graphics, discover how thoughtful architecture can promote independence and comfort.
Imagine using virtual reality and 3D printing to make complex neurological treatments more understandable for patients and staff. We delve into the power of advanced technology in neuroscience care, including the role of virtual models in explaining intricate conditions. This episode also touches on the critical importance of translational care and cutting-edge therapies such as gene editing. Listen as we explore holistic approaches like art and music therapy, which create new neural pathways and enhance patient well-being.
The future of neuroscience facility design holds exciting possibilities, and we discuss the emerging trends shaping this field. From the potential of gene therapies and AI to the principles of biophilia that bring nature indoors for a healing environment, learn how the latest advancements can revolutionize patient care. We address design challenges unique to neuroscience clinics, such as managing glare and shadows for patients with concussions and optimizing spaces to reduce anxiety. Join us for a thoughtful discussion on how design can meet the real-world needs of patients and caregivers, and help shape a healthier future.
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A lot goes into creating healthcare environments that work for both the patients they serve and the staff who provide critical care – from having the right number of beds to planning strategic layouts that allow providers to do their best work efficiently to finding feasible solutions amid rising costs. That’s where designers come in, working closely with healthcare teams to develop spaces that are customized to support each organization’s unique needs.
Jessica Sweeney, a senior planner at BWBR, is one such designer helping to bridge the gap between architecture and healthcare. Formerly a strategist and operational leader for hospitals and clinics, she has worked with staff across the care continuum and witnessed first-hand how design can address roadblocks that organizations face. In the latest episode of Side of Design, we sat down with Jessica to discuss the issues facing healthcare today, and how our planners’ personalized approach and specialized experience can make a meaningful impact.
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Student housing is commonly associated with bare-bones accommodations designed to be tolerated rather than enjoyed. However, today’s residence halls are advancing in remarkable ways to better foster community, support student well-being, and reflect each institution’s unique culture. Students increasingly seek inclusive design, communities to enhance learning and living, and a focus on wellness that encompasses everything from meditation spaces to mental health resources.
In the latest episode of Side of Design, BWBR team members Amanda Aspenson and Anna Pratt, both Senior Project Managers, and Senior Architectural Designer Kevin Gamelin discuss the evolving world of student housing design.
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The worlds of design and construction are closely related, yet they speak entirely different languages. A lothinges on maintaining a clear, consistent vision and understanding of every detail, with absolutely nothing getting lost in translation between design and construction. Luckily, Construction Administrators (CA) speak both “languages” fluently, and they’re a critical component of an effective design-build process.
Hosted by:
Matt Gerstner - BWBR Podcast Host and Producer
Guests:
Bryan Desma - BWBR - Construction Administration Manager
Devin Little - BWBR - Construction Administrator
Music provided by Getty and Epidemic Sound
All Night Dance
PØW
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If our latest podcast discussion is any indication, the future of design is in excellent hands. We were honored to sit down with the recipients of this year’s BWBR equity scholarships for an inspiring discussion about inclusion and diversity in design, the recipients’ incredible submission projects, and what’s next for them.
Hosted by:
Matt Gerstner - BWBR Podcast Host and Producer
Guests:
Valerie Lange - M. Arch/BAA Interior Design Student - University of Washington
Mariam Elizabeth Jacob - M. Arch - Columbia University
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
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Quality assurance is all about dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, confirming that design details meet code regulations, stakeholder requirements, and quality standards.
Hosted by:
Matt Gerstner - BWBR Podcast Host and Producer
Guests:
Dan Hottinger - BWBR, Principal
Todd Warren - BWBR, Quality Assurance Specialist
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
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The folks in lab design at BWBR have no trouble seeing common ground between their work as designers and their scientist clients’ work. In both cases, it’s about coming up with innovative, out-of-the-box, and creative solutions to intricate problems.
Hosted by:
Matt Gerstner - BWBR Podcast Host and Producer
Guests:
Terri Ulrick - BWBR, Principal and Director
Brian Lapham - BWBR, Senior Project Manager
Nate Roisen - BWBR, Senior Project Planner
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
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When it comes to Critical Access Hospital projects, two themes reign supreme: affordability and strategic thinking. Working on these projects means getting creative in figuring out how to fine-tune design for a community's unique needs, maintaining the highest standards of planning and execution while balancing tight budgets.
Hosted by:
Matt Gerstner - BWBR Podcast Host and Producer
Guests:
Brad Krump - BWBR, Principal and Director
Nick Smith - Wipfli, Principal
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
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At BWBR, the graphic design team ventures into the physical realm, envisioning three-dimensional spaces and conceptualizing how two-dimensional elements will interact. That means considering an array of materials and components with innumerable moving parts. Window films to wall coverings, acrylic panels, signage, lettering, wayfinding messages…the list goes on.
Hosted by:
Matt Gerstner - BWBR Podcast Host and Producer
Guests:
Rachel Slette - BWBR Senior Graphic Designer
Maddie Smith - BWBR Graphic Designer
Emily Prigge - BWBR Graphic Designer
Avery Gidley - BWBR Graphic Designer
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
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The future of architecture and design is here. The BWBR internship program is designed to provide students with hands-on, real-world experience, but it’s a win for us too. We benefit from their incredible energy, innovative ideas, and fresh perspectives. We also get a sneak peek into where the industry is headed because we know these talented individuals will lead the way.
Hosted by:
Matt Gerstner - BWBR Podcast Host and Producer
Guests:
Nathan Davies - BWBR Architectural Intern
Lauren Burton - BWBR Architectural Intern
Cail Tomlin - BWBR Architectural Intern
Jennifer (Joon) Ta - BWBR Research and Interior Design Intern
Mia Wang - BWBR Graphic Design Intern
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
If you like what we are doing with our podcasts please subscribe and leave us a review!
You can also connect with us on any of our social media sites!
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https://twitter.com/BWBR
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bwbr-architects/
https://www.bwbr.com/side-of-design-podcast/
Critical Access Hospitals, tasked with providing vital hospital services to their rural populations, face unique challenges while serving their sprawling communities within the confines of budget, space, and oftentimes aging facilities. Strategic healthcare design can be a secret weapon in enhancing patient outcomes and staff wellbeing within these limitations.
Hosted by:
Matt Gerstner - BWBR Podcast Host and Producer
Guests:
Brad Krump, AIA - BWBR Principal, Director
Tom Reinhardt - Cascade Medical Center CEO
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
If you like what we are doing with our podcasts please subscribe and leave us a review!
You can also connect with us on any of our social media sites!
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/bwbr-architects/
https://www.bwbr.com/side-of-design-podcast/
Hosted by:
Matt Gerstner - BWBR Podcast Host and Producer
Guests:
Stephanie McDaniel - BWBR President, CEO
Nathan Roisen - BWBR Senior Project Planner
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
If you like what we are doing with our podcasts please subscribe and leave us a review!
You can also connect with us on any of our social media sites!
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/bwbr-architects/
https://www.bwbr.com/side-of-design-podcast/
The United States is in the midst of a mental health crisis. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five adults in the United States experiences mental illness each year. And yet, only about half of those who need treatment actually receive it. For this episode of Side of Design, host and BWBR principal Melanie Baumhover sat down with a roundtable of the firm’s behavioral and mental health designers to talk about how design can play a role in combatting the crisis.
Hosted by:
Melanie Baumhover - BWBR Principal
Guests:
Devan Swiontkowski - BWBR Project Planner
Ellen Konerza - BWBR Senior Project Architect
Jessica Norton - BWBR Senior Interior Designer
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
If you like what we are doing with our podcasts please subscribe and leave us a review!
You can also connect with us on any of our social media sites!
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https://twitter.com/BWBR
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bwbr-architects/
https://www.bwbr.com/side-of-design-podcast/
Designers bridge very different worlds — creative, technical, and consultative — and there can be an air of mystery about the process and the various roles within it. For the latest episode of Side of Design, we invited some of the BWBR team to clear things up, including Sam Griesgraber, Senior Interior Designer; Craig Peterson, Principal, as well as Design Leader and Director of Design; and Steve Busse, Architect and Design Leader.
Hosted by:
Matthew Gerstner - BWBR AV Production
Guests:
Sam Griesgraber - BWBR Senior Interior Designer
Craig Peterson - BWBR Principal, Director of Design, and Design Leader
Steve Busse - BWBR Architect and Design Leader
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
If you like what we are doing with our podcasts please subscribe and leave us a review!
You can also connect with us on any of our social media sites!
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https://twitter.com/BWBR
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bwbr-architects/
https://www.bwbr.com/side-of-design-podcast/
If you live in an urban area, you may take for granted that you can call emergency services and have someone on the scene within minutes or hop in the car to reach a hospital before a bad situation gets worse. That’s not the case for the tens of millions of Americans who live more than an hour away from the nearest trauma care center. Fortunately, Critical Access Hospitals are there to step into the gap, there to keep care accessible and local, so long-distance transportation isn’t a barrier to care.
Hosted by:
Matthew Gerstner - BWBR AV Production
Guests:
Brad Krump - BWBR Principal, Director
Scott Kirchner - BWBR Principal, Leader of Omaha Office
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
If you like what we are doing with our podcasts please subscribe and leave us a review!
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/bwbr-architects/
https://www.bwbr.com/side-of-design-podcast/
Interior design has a massive impact on the way we interact with the spaces around us. It involves macro-level factors (like layout) all the way down to the details (like the finish on drawer pulls).
That’s a lot to take on, and it takes talented, dedicated professionals to make it work.
Hosted by:
Matthew Gerstner - BWBR AV Production
Guests:
Lisa Miller - BWBR Senior Interior Designer
Sara Biedenbender - BWBR Interior Designer
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
If you like what we are doing with our podcasts please subscribe and leave us a review!
You can also connect with us on any of our social media sites!
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https://www.bwbr.com/side-of-design-podcast/
When you think about health care, you might think about doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who work tirelessly to save and improve lives. You also might think about all the equipment involved — MRI and Xray machines, CAT scanners, high-tech hospital beds, heart monitors, etc. But what about how it all fits together and flows in space? For this episode of Side of Design, host Jarett Anderson spoke with some of BWBR’s talented medical planners to learn about this incredibly important role.
Hosted by:
Jarett Anderson - BWBR Project Manager
Guests:
Brian Zabloudil - BWBR Principal and Senior Medical Planner
Sophia Skemp - BWBR Project Planner
Scott Holmes - BWBR Principal and Senior Medical Planner, retired
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
If you like what we are doing with our podcasts please subscribe and leave us a review!
You can also connect with us on any of our social media sites!
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https://www.bwbr.com/side-of-design-podcast/
Today, we're so excited to recognize the achievements and talent of the recipients of BWBR's second annual equity scholarships. We had the chance to sit down with our recipients for a conversation about their backgrounds, their winning projects, and their vision for the future of architecture and design. It was a fascinating conversation that gives us even more hope for the future of our industry.
Hosted by:
Matthew Gerstner - BWBR Podcast Producer
Guests:
Saylee Bhogle - Master of Science in Architecture Student at Illinois Institute of Technology
Nicole Niava - Master of Architecture Student at Yale University
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
If you like what we are doing with our podcasts please subscribe and leave us a review!
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https://www.bwbr.com/side-of-design-podcast/
Interior design and architecture are often described as perfectly blending art, science, and technology. Part of the beauty of that blend is being able to craft spaces that look aesthetically pleasing and yet also have a lot going on behind the scenes, with every element meticulously planned to optimize efficiency and effectiveness. Perhaps nowhere else does that blend matter more than when designing spaces specifically for the science and technology sector.
Hosted by:
Jarett Anderson - BWBR Project Manager
Guests:
Chris Fischer - Design Leader
Kat Lauer - Interior Designer
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
If you like what we are doing with our podcasts please subscribe and leave us a review!
You can also connect with us on any of our social media sites!
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https://www.bwbr.com/side-of-design-podcast/
When you say the word “design” to 100 people, they’ll likely picture 100 different things. Design is deeply subjective and personal. Still, we can get a sense of what design looks like by asking the people who live it every day. For our most recent episode, we sat down with 13 BWBR team members to ask them: How did you know you wanted to be in the design field?
Hosted by:
Matthew Gerstner - BWBR Lead AV Producer
Guests:
Chan Scholz - Project Manager
Whitney Martin - Senior Project Architect
Bryan Desma - Construction Administrator
Abbie Zeien - Senior Project Manager
Andrew North, Jr. - Architectural Intern
Amanda Aspenson - Senior Project Manager
Doug Wild - Principal
Sam Griesgraber - Interior Designer II
Tre'mon Collins - Architectural Intern
Miranda McNamar - Interior Designer II
Ross Baker - Job Captain
Rachel Slette - Senior Graphic Designer
Richard Stuerman - Senior Project Manage
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
The Dawn of a New Era by Brander
High-quality design demands a unique blend of art and science — plus a constant, renewable source of inspiration. Without inspiration, the outcomes are rote, derivative, and dull. Put another way, how can you expect to create spaces that inspire without being inspired yourself? For our latest podcast we sat down with a diverse group of employees from BWBR and asked each of them the same question: Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Hosted by:
Matthew Gerstner - BWBR Lead AV Producer
Guests:
Craig Peterson - BWBR Principal
Daniel Treinen - BWBR Design Leader
Ellen Konerza - BWBR Senior Project Architect
Greg Fenton - BWBR Principal and Director
Jason Nordling - BWBR Principal and Director
Jackie Peck - BWBR Senior Project Manager
Mark Baumhover - BWBR Senior Project Architect
Nathan Roisen - BWBR Project Planner
Laura Flynn - BWBR Design Leader
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
Adventure of a Lifetime by Campagna
The Dawn of a New Era by Brander
Earth and Heavens by Sémø
Hosted by:
Jarett Anderson - BWBR - Project Manager
Guests:
Stefnee Trzpuc - BWBR - Principal and Operations Director
Mallory Furlong - BWBR - Senior Project Manager
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
There’s an assumption that summer internship programs are primarily for the benefit of the students who participate, but what about amazing contributions they make to the organizations they’re working for?
We recently sat down for a discussion with four of BWBR’s 2022 summer interns to learn more about their experiences and show some appreciation for everything they’ve done.
Hosted by:
Jarett Anderson - BWBR - Project Manager
Guests:
Hasnaa Elaraby - BWBR - Interior Design Student Intern
Lauren Burton - BWBR - Architectural Student Intern
Cail Tomlin - BWBR - Architectural Student Intern
Zeekra Baset Nadi - BWBR - Student Architectural Designer
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
Project management is not a small job. A project manager should provide overall team leadership and coordination. Project managers are accountable for the success of their projects, and to that end, they plan the work, organize the team, get ahead of issues, and serve as the primary contact for clients. To more fully explore the impact of project management on a design or build, as well as dive into what makes project management at BWBR unique, we assembled a team of in-house pros — Andrea Cecelia, Jarett Anderson, Anna Pratt, and Charles Orton — for an informal conversation about their work and what makes great project management so rewarding.
Hosted by:
Jarett Anderson - BWBR - Project Manager
Guests:
Charles Orton - BWBR - Head of Project Management
Andrea Cecelia - BWBR - Project Manager
Anna Pratt - BWBR - Project Manager
Music provided by Artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
The close of Women’s History Month – as with any designated time period to honor a specific community – is bittersweet. On one hand, we’ve just been immersed in myriad, under-told stories highlighting people and causes that more than deserve time in the spotlight.
On the other hand, the close of the designated time means, typically, that things go right back to “normal” – a normal, that is, that continues the imbalance.
We’re committed to continuing to tell stories. And, more than that, we’re committed to continuing to spotlight inequities.
For the most recent episode of our podcast, Side of Design, BWBR President and CEO Stephanie McDaniel sat down with BWBR head of interior design Nan Langevin, current principal Terri Ulrick, and retired principal Katherine Leonidas. The mission: discuss the fields of architecture and design through the experiences of women – pioneers, really. What have we accomplished? What’s still missing? And what happens next?
Hosted by:
Stephanie McDaniel - BWBR - President, CEO
Guests:
Katherine Leonidas - BWBR - Principal (retired)
Terri Ulrick - BWBR - Principal, Director
Nan Langevin - BWBR - Head of Interior Design
Music provided by artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
While ESG has been a hot topic in Europe for quite some time, more and more business leaders are starting to tune in here in the United States. ESG, which stands for “Environmental, Social, Governance,” represents a lens that investors are using to examine business health and risk management as they make decisions about where to invest. Joining us to dig into this important topic are Kelly Worden from the US Green Building Council, and Phillipe Bernier, Vice President of Strategy, Operations, and Sustainability for JLL Canada.
Hosted by:
Jennifer Stukenberg, Principal at BWBR
Guests:
Kelly Worden, Public Health and Sustainability Researcher at USGBC
Phillipe Bernier, Vice President of Strategy, Operations, and Sustainability at JLL Canada
Music provided by artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
Twenty episodes. One year. That’s a lot of content. We’ve been incredibly privileged to have so many guests willing to be generous with their time and insights, and we packed everything we could into the first season of Side of Design.
Hosted by:
Jarett Anderson
Co-host:
Matt Gerstner
Music provided by artlist.io
Siberian Summer by Sunny Fruit
DuDa by Ian Post
Host: Coral Digatono
Guest: Peter Smith, Stephanie McDaniel
Transcript provided by Otter.ai
Music provided by Artlist.io
Funk It Up : Steve Poloni
Circle : Luke Melville
Design plays a critical role in making people feel welcome and safe. From accessibility to gender inclusivity, design is about more than who can enter a space – it also sends a strong message about who is warmly invited to enter a space, just as they are. In this episode of Side of Design, BWBR Interior Designer Sophia Good speaks with special guest Dr. Kathryn Anthony, a national spokesperson on gender issues in design and the author of several books on inclusive design.
Host: Sophia Good
Guest: Dr. Kathryn Anthony, Ph.D.
Transcript provided by Otter.ai
Music provided by Artlist.io
Funk It Up : Steve Poloni
Circle : Luke Melville
In this episode of Side of Design, we discuss the EmPATH (emergency psychiatric assessment, treatment, and healing) model of emergency health services with Ryan Johansen, AIA, and Dr. Lewis Zeidner, PhD. Together, the speakers define what it means to experience a mental health crisis, review the clinical and operational outcomes of EmPATH services, and suggest how we can continue to improve the patient experience.
Host: Coral Digatono
Guests: Ryan Johansen, AIA and Dr. Lewis Zeidner, PhD
Transcript provided by Otter.ai
Music provided by Artlist.io
Funk It Up : Steve Poloni
Circle : Luke Melville
In this episode, Michael Meehan, AIA, LEED AP, discusses the future of equitable and diverse design with the winners of BWBR's first-annual equity scholarships: Allison Loth and Freeland Livingston. Each award is designed to support equity in the built environment by providing a $1,000 prize to a student of architecture, interior design, or graphic design. Applicants submitted both a personal statement and a sample design project, resulting in a truly impressive caliber of submissions for these inaugural awards.
Host: Michael Meehan, AIA, LEED AP
Guests: Allison Loth and Freeland Livingston
Transcript provided by Otter.ai
Music provided by Artlist.io
Funk It Up : Steve Poloni
Circle : Luke Melville
Design can be a powerful tool to create change and impact organizations and communities. However, it is important that we are striving to understand through research exactly how the design of the built environment impacts our everyday lives. BWBR recognizes the value of research in practice and seeks research collaboration opportunities through academic and student partnerships, such as the University of Minnesota School of Architecture’s Research Consortium and the Masters of Science and Research Practices program (MSRP program). In this episode, BWBR Principal and Design Researcher Stefnee Trzpuc, CID, EDAC, LEED AP, connects with MSRP Program Director Professor Malini Srivastava, AIA, DDes (School of Architecture at the University of Minnesota), as well as former MSRP student Lucas Glissendorf (BWBR) to hear more.
Host: Stefnee Trzpuc, CID, EDAC, LEED AP
Guests: Lucas Glissendorf and Professor Malini Srivastava, AIA, DDes
Transcript provided by Otter.ai
Music provided by Artlist.io
Funk It Up : Steve Poloni
Circle : Luke Melville
Architects are often asked to do more than just design buildings, with clients turning to them for support outside of traditional project scopes and timelines. To meet this need, BWBR created BWBR+, a collection of services focused on human performance and building performance that bridges the gap between architecture and traditional business consulting. Coral Digatono takes a deeper dive into BWBR+ Advisory Services with BWBR's Brandon King, AIA, MBA and Jason Nordling, AIA.
Music provided by artlist.io
Funk It Up : Steve Poloni
Circle : Luke Melville
Coral Digatono discusses Advisory Services with BWBR's Brandon King, AIA, MBA. Together they take a high level look at a few Advisory Service offerings and why they are important to building owners.
Music provided by artlist.io
Funk It Up : Steve Poloni
Circle : Luke Melville
In part two of this two part series, Jennifer Stukenberg joins Coral Digatono to discuss how to successfully plan and execute the return to work with a Hybrid work model. Discussing the pitfalls to avoid and how to prepare for an equitable environment.
In part one of this two part series, Jennifer Stukenberg, NCIDQ, LEED AP, WELL AP, joins Coral Digatono to discuss how to successfully plan and execute the return to work with a hybrid work model. This episode also considers pitfalls to avoid and how to prepare for an equitable environment.
Egress challenges and fire safety codes are common issues that can have a big impact on architectural project design and success, whether new construction or renovation. The existing components of a building used for one purpose might simply not be up to code for another.
Telgian Engineering & Consulting's April Musser, PE, CFPS, and BWBR's Roger "Lars" Larson, AIA, discuss why egress and fire codes are so vital to a building's safety, as well as solutions that performance-based code approaches can offer to make designs more flexible and valuable. In the end, a successful performance-based egress solution will strike a balance between safety and fidelity within an architectural design.
Hosted by Coral Digatono
Guests:
April Musser, PE, CFPS
Roger "Lars" Larson, AIA
Since 2013, Hanna Kuehl, Steve Berg, and the BWBR team have addressed a specific design challenge: to reimagine the special education environment and what it means for students, families, and staff.
Based on research, case studies, and evidence-based reports, BWBR uncovered the elements of an ideal special education environment, which provided an opportunity to help set a new design standard for this student population's unique learning needs.
By utilizing simple, yet effective, design strategies, the team reduced a large amount of environmental stimuli and helped to improve the daily lives and educational growth of students in these specialized settings.
As students have attested to over the years, the therapeutic learning environment is about more than adaptability and safety — it’s about belonging.
Hosted by Coral Digatono
This Memorial Day Holiday we take time to honor our military service members who've made the greatest sacrifice in service to our country and we celebrate by inviting our staff to share with you, some thoughts and traditions.
Hosted by Coral Digatono
Today we're taking you down to the heart of Minneapolis, not into downtown, but south of it, where there's a cross section that is a definition of America.
On Minneapolis's Lake Street, you'll find a vibrant and eclectic mix of locally owned businesses, from clothing stores to restaurants to grocery stores. They are owned by people dreaming of something bigger and better. They are Black, Central American, Mexican, Southeast Asian, and Indian people/business owners, as well as people/business owners from the various First Nations indigenous to Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. To be clear, it's a neighborhood that sees challenges, one often defined by housing for those with low incomes, absentee landlords, and lack of investment. Drugs and sex trafficking have also plagued the neighborhood. And then last year, the area was set on fire, literally, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.
A mile and a half away from George Floyd Square, though, rises a shining new light on the corner of Bloomington Avenue and Lake Street. The colorful multi-million dollar building sits as a beacon of hope and aspiration for the community, with windows to the street that will allow traffic for both those in cars and on foot to see positive energy and transformation. It's an investment in the lives of people, who, to be frank, many of us look past; an investment coming from a 142-year-old non-profit. Today, we're taking you inside the new center, soon to be opened by The Family Partnership.
Molly Greenman, President and CEO, gives us a tour of the new facility. With its preschool classrooms, therapy rooms, counseling rooms, playground, and laundry facilities, the center brings hope and dignity to individuals and families who have found the world to be less than hospitable. In her own words, Greenman sheds light on what this modern, warm, welcoming building means to the organization, to this community rising from years of disinvestment, and to people struggling through deep poverty and trauma. Welcome to The Family Partnership.
Hosted by James Lockwood
For more than 60 percent of our population, living a healthy life can be a challenge.
Communities bounded by interstates, located near industrial areas releasing toxic particulates, and ground water infiltrated by pollution such as lead have shown higher rates of asthma, cancer, seizures, and learning disabilities. Add to that a missing urban forest canopy and lack of green space in many of these communities that contribute to the heat-island affect, and the stress of living day-to-day can take years off of one’s life.
In both urban and rural communities like these there are zip codes where the life expectancy is years lower than those in zip codes with more green space and better zoning separating residential areas from sources of pollution. People living in these areas, on average, are heavily people of color and systemically have little political clout.
All of this is despite a two-decade movement to focus on sustainability aimed at reducing our impact on the environment and improving our air and water quality.
Like all systems in America, the sustainability movement has often overlooked how equitably it’s focused, and this past year demonstrated why a broader lens is needed. In those communities where pollution is so prevalent, COVID-19 infection rates are 40 percent higher than in other communities and mortality rates are 19 percent higher.
In this episode, BWBR’s James Nutt, AIA, LEED AP, and Sara Goenner Curlee, AIA, LEED AP, join Stephanie Leonard from the U.S. Green Building Council to discuss sustainability through the lens of equity: how should we own our oversights in the past, and what does this journey look like that can put us on the right path towards benefitting all through better design…all forms of design?
Hosted by James Lockwood
Thursday, April 22, is the 51st anniversary of Earth Day. When Earth Day was created, the global economy was releasing just short of 15 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. By 2019, we were producing north of 35 billion metric tons.
The facts are straight forward. Buildings generate 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, with the urban built environment accounting for 75 percent of emissions. By 2060, it’s predicted we’ll add another 2.5 trillion square feet of global building stock to accommodate a population of 10 billion people.
All of this is at a time when NASA reported 2020 tying 2016 as the warmest year on modern record and close to 2 degrees warmer than the baseline mean from 1951-1980.
To say there’s an impetus to improve building performance in order to mitigate the impacts of global warming is a massive understatement.
In this episode, BWBR’s Jesse Turck and Tom Hanley, both architects, LEED accredited professionals, and leading advocates in sustainable design, discuss this performance imperative and how raising the sustainability baseline for building design can positively impact both the organizations who operate these facilities and the communities that are home to these spaces.
James Lockwood hosts.
It goes without saying the past year has been traumatic, whether we’ve known someone die from COVID or not. For those who work in health care, the pandemic has pushed many of them to the point of exhaustion, both mentally and physically. It is reflected in the rising rates of suicide, depression, and anxiety that staff report they are experiencing.
The problem is that these feelings are not new. In physician ranks, the issue of burnout is amplified by the suicide rate, which is more than double the general population at 300-400 deaths a year before the pandemic.
In this episode, we discuss is how we can do a better job supporting the health and wellness of our care providers, especially at a time it is most needed. To the point, can we do a better job supporting the resiliency of care staff that can help individuals avoid these feelings of depression, exhaustion, and, in some cases, isolation?
Devan Swiontkowski, a medical planner and health care designer, and Dani Ostertag, a senior interior designer, discuss the issue of staff resiliency and how small steps can be large leaps to supporting those charged with taking care of us.
James Lockwood hosts.
Today, we’re talking about offices and the workplace.
For many organizations, this month marks a full year since they closed traditional offices in response to the pandemic.
While technological advances have always presented a looming promise of work-from-anywhere, the actual practice this past year has shown that working from home non-stop can be isolating and lonely, draining with non-stop video calls and emails, and a true pain-in-the-neck…as well as back and hips, without the proper desk set-up.
Yet, at the same time, we’ve proved we can be productive, maybe even more so, with the freedoms afforded by this arrangement and the lack of commutes.
With vaccines rolling out, there is a rising expectation offices will re-open.
As they do, the big question is, what will they look like? To quote Chuck Runyon, co-founder of Anytime Fitness and CEO of Self-Esteem Brands, we weren’t really that healthy before the pandemic. We can’t go back to what we were.
So, does this present an opportunity for a great reset? Will we see workplaces as more than a destination to work at our desks?
With us today are two people who bring a unique view to the world of workplace design.
Jennifer Stukenberg is a principal at BWBR and a workplace strategist who has spent a significant portion of her career working on designs for healthcare. An interior designer, she has bridged the gap between workplace and healthcare design to find the influences in each that can benefit the other. She is also an accredited professional through the International WELL Building Institute that advocates for approaches to buildings, organizations, and communities to promote the health and well-being of people.
Tina Fisher is both a certified interior designer and a LEED accredited professional in interior design and construction. A design leader at BWBR, like Jennifer, her background spans both health care and workplace environments, studying the complex needs of organizations and their stakeholders to shape environments that are energizing and engaging as well as efficient.
Hosted by James Lockwood.
Today, we’re talking about Human-Centered Safety®: Seeing Mental Health through a Different Lens.
Mental health has been a vexing problem in America, for many reason but not the least of which has been the stigma surrounding it. The good news is there’s progress, but more than increasing access to treatment, there’s the challenge of providing the proper space for treatment. It’s not just a safety issue for patients. It’s a safety issue for staff. Studies have shown that up to half of care staff experience some form of aggression from patients, which takes a toll.
While efforts focus on making spaces safe from patients doing harm to themselves, only in the past few years has research shifted to look at how evidence-grounded stress-reducing features could possibly reduce incidents of aggression overall in psychiatric facilities.
At the forefront of some of this work are two people at BWBR.
Scott Holmes is a medical planner and architect who has been involved in the design of mental health projects ranging from inpatient to residential to pediatric/adolescent care. Melanie Baumhover is also an architect and principal who has focused on projects that have a dramatic impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals. Together, they've honed BWBR’s process around Human-Centered Safety®, an approach to design that looks at safety through the lenses of dignity, hope, and personal control. It's an approach that is showing positive results for patients and the people caring for them.
Hosted by James Lockwood.
In this episode, we’re talking about the Next Evolution: Scenario Planning.
Why an evolution?
The pandemic exposed gaps to the way our industry planned campuses and facilities, from hospitals to academic centers.
Traditionally, a master planning process guided project developments, driven by both vision and an assumption that the future would reflect more of a normal operational environment.
The pandemic upended any sort of normality, but it also showed where that traditional master planning process failed to help organizations navigate through deviations from normality.
Scenario Planning evolves that approach, looking at an organization’s operations through various lenses to create options that promote resiliency through various scenarios.
Talking about Scenario Planning, what it is and how it can be applied to organizations, especially those in health care, are three people who bring unique lenses to the subject.
Sophia Skemp is a medical planner and architect who has provided planning and programming services for regional and critical access hospitals and ambulatory centers across the Plains and Upper Midwest. She has a master’s degree in architecture, with her studies crossing the boundaries between design research and health care architecture.
Mike Boldenow is a principal at BWBR with more than three decades of work with health care organizations and corporations creating campuses and facilities that elevate operations and help organizations effectively serve their stakeholders.
David Voller is senior operational planner who brings experience as a facilitator and operations leader with a demonstrated history working inside health systems evaluating operations, revenue, strategic goals and building cultures.
Hosted by James Lockwood.
In the first episode of Side of Design, we’re talking about Design in the Age of Upheaval.
The pandemic coupled with the social justice revolution sparked by George Floyd’s murder has disrupted lives and routines on an unprecedented scale.
It’s also revealed massive gaps that we often ignored in the past.
But, it’s also presenting new opportunities to rethink how we work, learn, and access services for our health and wellness.
Joining in this conversation are three people who bring a spectrum of insight into this topic.
Pete Smith, the president and CEO of BWBR, who is also a member of the College of Fellows with the American Institute of Architects. As an architect, he has spent a career applying design to environments from health care to education and workplaces.
Nan Langevin is a head of interior design at BWBR. While working with health care organizations to create spaces that promote healing and resilience, she also leads internal discussions at the firm examining the issues of gender and racial equity. She brings a unique perspective to design, having worked in social services in a previous career.
And Craig Peterson, a principal and design leader at BWBR. In addition to partnering with Nan on equity issues and how the design profession needs to respond, Craig’s work spans building types that tend to carry a similar theme of bringing people together, be those hospitals, churches, residential halls, or athletic facilities.
Hosted by James Lockwood.
Welcome to Side of Design presented by BWBR.
We'll be bringing you episodes twice a month with various hosts, on multiple topics.
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See you on the other side!