Highlights from the Student Winner of the 2020 IIDA Design Awards

This year, Mya Mosher, the 2020 IIDA Design Awards Student Winner, got the chance to attend NeoCon as part of her prize package from last year. She visited Chicago and has recapped some of her favorite highlights below.

Reinvention in the Community

Retail is on one of the highest stages, putting on a performance that is experienced by all; and with high exposure comes high stakes. The stakes to get into the market, to stay in the market, and to be at the forefront of it are all real pressures of the volatile retail market. The turbulence of the industry has only increased during Covid; however, as foot traffic starts to ramp up again, many brands are dipping their toes back into the brick and mortar experience through pop-ups.

Turning traditional into sustainable

Architectural Prefab

Prefabrication, where components are built offsite and then shipped to a job-site for installation, is becoming one of the most popular trends in the construction industry worldwide. With its innovative construction strategy often associated with modular and offsite construction, “prefab” is helping to make the building process simpler and more efficient.

Assembly Row at Assembly Square

Prior to the mid-20th century, people lived in dense, city neighborhoods where each block was comprised of varied, mixed-use buildings. After World War II, the low cost of land and the baby boom led people to desire more space. Suburban subdivisions, which offered more square footage and outdoor space, with a short commute to the city became prominent and lured the middle class away from these dense, urban environments.

The Laws of Attraction and Retention

We've all heard the term "attraction and retention" in the context of companies and their hiring practices. These are typically things that companies offer to their employees in order to attract new talent as well as retain existing employees to keep them engaged and happy. A few things that come to mind are some of the over-the-top office perks including an in-office masseuse, nonstop cold brew flowing from the pantry kegerator, or a multistory slide through the middle of the office. The same types of strategies apply in a higher ed setting, although they look quite different.

The Effect of the Built Environment on the Individual

The Coronavirus has shed light on the importance of human health and well-being in many ways. Every topic relating to mental and physical health has been at the forefront of discussion and the importance of overall body health is now recognized as a top priority for many. Yet, as the world starts to get back to its original state, many environments don’t reflect this new value. No one has quite grasped the impact our built environment can have on our health and safety better than the architecture and design community.

The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation

A traumatic injury can happen to any one of us, in any place, and at any time. According to the Centers for Disease Control, traumatic injury is the leading cause of death for people 46 years of age and under in our country, ahead of both cancer and heart disease. Despite these statistics, there remains inadequate resources to manage traumatic injuries and the specialized care they require.

'Cause We're Living in a Material World

Many of today’s most widely used building materials have limitations, especially with regard to their impact on the environment. Making great leaps over the past decade, technological advancements have made a major impact on the way materials are created and used. Here are some solutions that are evolving the way we think, design, and build.

The Heart of Boston

Since 1928, the area that formerly housed The Boston Garden has been known as one of the most iconic parts of the city of Boston. Originally intended to be one of many built all over the country, the building's concept was inspired by Madison Square Garden in New York City and was slated to be dubbed, 'Boston Madison Square Garden'. Distinctively shortened to the 'Boston Garden', its design intent was just as unique, being one of the first notable venues to bring an immersive experience to its visitors. It was designed so every fan could “see the sweat on the boxers’ brows”. This drew the seats closer to the stage, creating unbelievable acoustics including iconic shows from The Beatles, to KISS, and even the Rolling Stones. The Celtics and Bruins called the original Garden home and many cultural events - like the rally held by Senator John F. Kennedy in the final days of campaigning for the presidency in 1960 - are among a few that are its legacy.

A Visit to Connecticut's Breweries

With the holidays over and the cold in full force in the New England area, many people are looking to get creative when thinking of things to do. Breaking into the new year, after being locked down for most of 2020, has people more excited than ever to get out and experience something new. Yet, trying to strike a balance between fun, safety, warmth, and adventure creates a very specific formula that does not yield a lot of options. But it does yield one that's safer on the list: breweries.

A letter from our IIDA NE Chapter President, Nico Flannery-Pitcher:

It is typical to look forward to all the potential a New Year brings. This is especially true for 2020, which has felt so incredibly long. The Coronavirus pandemic has greatly impacted every facet of daily life, the struggle for racial justice continues, and politics were at the fore during this election year. Lives have been lost and the full economic impact of this ongoing pandemic is still uncertain…

Designing for Different Learning Styles

What has historically been known as the traditional classroom is quickly being replaced by a new breed of learning spaces and classroom designs that are evolving, not only in response to shifts in technology, but also with higher regard for differences in learning styles. The idea of rows of individual desks facing a chalkboard is now largely seen as outdated and ineffective, instead being replaced by more flexible classroom arrangements.

How Technology Lessens the Distance

The beginning of a new year often signifies a time of change in our lives. People choose to explore new hobbies and habits with the intension of improving their knowledge and lifestyle. Yet, 2020 induced change at a rapid pace with the explosion of the Coronavirus and drove the world to adapt and advance in a matter of months. Upon the first reported COVID-related death in the US in February 2020, The New York Times reports an immediate skyrocketing on the reliance of technology. Infiltrating all aspects of our lives, technology was used for work and play in an effort to connect people back to the same everyday experiences they had pre-virus. Included in those experiences are the retail and hospitality industry; who are looking to capitalize on the implementation of technology as a way to bring back the customer.

Bringing the Outside In

In recent years, the concept of biophilia has exploded onto the scene, changing the way people think about their interior spaces, both at home and at work. This concept stems from the idea that the great indoors should mimic the great outdoors to improve people’s lives – an insight that is backed by increasing amounts of research. Because humans today spend 90% of our time indoors, according to the EPA, it is necessary to create indoor environments that reference nature's patterning and tranquility. This idea poses interior design not merely as an aesthetic discipline, but as a way to improve people’s mental and physical well-being.

Fabrics that Fight the Good Fight

Antimicrobial fabrics. What are they? What are they made of? Why are they effective? Where will we see these specialty fabrics being used?

The (R)evolution

Back in the late 1700s, Samuel Slater built the first factory in the United States to produce yarn in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. It was the beginning of a huge paradigm shift from cottage industry to industrialism. Similarly, we are in another of these historic times right now, driven by a pandemic from commercial spaces back into the home. Tech companies have been preparing for this for some time now, but with the commercial building boom in Boston, the transition seemed to be lacking a motivator until March of 2020. There are so many facets to the changes taking place, both good and bad: a rise in productivity, increased work hours, the blur between work and home, shrinking real estate costs, flexibility, no more long commutes, the tracking of employees online, contract tracing for in-person meetings, more productive online meetings, increased social media, stronger online presence for companies and individuals branding themselves, amongst others.

Retrofitting the Learning Environment

When we look back on the spring of 2020, few will debate the enormity of the change that has taken place. It is pretty clear that things will never be the same as they were only three months ago. As the world changes, we have to adjust and prepare for the new future.

New Hampshire!

Having the smallest coastline in the nation does not detract from all that New Hampshire has to offer. Each region of this state, which holds 1.3 million people, provides history, industry and refuge in its beaches, lakes and mountains.

A History of Advancing Sustainability in Healthcare

In 2012, when corporate and education projects were looking to become more sustainable through the various programs that were available at the time, twelve of the largest healthcare systems in the United States formed The Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI) along with the Center for Health Design, Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth. As the purpose of all healthcare is to restore patients to health, the healthiness of the environment is a vital part of the equation. With the original goal to transform healthcare so it reduces its environmental impact, six challenges of the Healthier Hospitals Initiative were created as a road map…