Mile Long Trace Interior Architecture & Interior Design

Overview

In a matter of weeks, we have seen our entire health system retract, our economic system crash and our political system divide. Ironic! Guess again. We are in the middle of reorganizing some of the largest systems we value; our health, our economy and our political structure. In today’s episode, we are going to take a deep dive into the concept of design resiliency to unpack and inspire you as a designer to embrace change and sustain your design practice.

Design Resiliency is the practice of adapting to change. Being nimble, flexible, reflective, adaptive, and even embracing chaos. - Elizabeth Lockwood

“Resilient thinking is about how and why the system as a whole is changing, we are better placed to build a capacity to work with change as opposed to being a victim of it. A resilient system that has the capacity to rebound from disturbances does this by increasing its diversity and redundancy, by forgoing growth and speed in favor of sustainability, and by engaging in a wide range of small local actions that connect to one another.” - Margaret Wheatley

Health, economic and political systems collide.

Shortly after the world went into the stay at home order due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the conversation shift from human health to economic health and then it quickly became political. We began to divide as a nation and question even our good friends’ political views. It is more apparent then ever how interconnected our human health, economic health and political systems are. When we talk about one these days, we tend to lead into another. So now what? How do we unpack this all to advise our clients to make the best informed decisions when we are in the middle of a massive reorganization of our health, economic and political system. This is where the theory of Design Resiliency can be applied. It is a theory, model and tool to us during different phase of design or during business restructuring.

Moving forward through this episode I will speak on two different levels. One being the notion of having a healthy design practice during a recession and the second notion designing in response to pandemics.

The full shownotes include: adaptive cycle diagrams, key quotes and related architectural references. Check them out!
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Till Next Time Keep Designing Y'all.

Mile Long Trace speaks with Becca Dobosh about how she has woven the principles of biophilia into hospitality design.
Guest Summary

Becca Dobosh has over 16 years of experience in the interior design industry, with a focus on and passion for sustainability. For the past thirteen years she has been an integral part of SERA’s Hospitality Studio, which focuses on custom packages for branded hotels in complex, urban environments. Her approach to incorporating sustainability into projects is deeply immersed in biophilic design with an emphasis on creating healthy interior spaces that are grounded in occupant engagement through compelling storytelling. By creating spaces that strengthen the symbiotic relationship between humans and our environment, Becca designs for long-term resiliency and wellbeing. She is a LEED & WELL AP, and Associate Interior Designer at SERA Architects.
In this episode we discuss:

1. What biophilic design is and how to apply it to a project
2. What lead Becca to learning more about biophilic design
3. How she has applied the principles of biophilic design to a urban hospitality project

“Refuge is the idea that if people or animals or living beings are protected at the back and slightly overhead, they will feel more protected. It is the reason why animals have their deans in caves. The next principle is prospect which is access to views. Back in the day, humans were drawn to prospect because they could see predators coming. It provides a sense of safety. If you combine refuge (protection around and above you) and prospect (with views) you get a space that is very comforting to people". -Becca Dobosh
To listen to the show and read the show notes on tips for how to integrate biophilia into hospitality design.
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Till next time keep designing yawl.

In order to minimize the viral spread in the built environment, designers across the world are exploring a vast array of strategies from space planning, to finishes to lighting. In today’s episode we are going to unpack UV lighting to understand the pros and cons of introducing it into mainstream built environments. UV has traditionally been used in health care applications such as surgical exam rooms to remove virus from surfaces. As designers explore how this technology translates to other market sectors we will unpack:

• Effectiveness of UV lighting as a viral treatment
• Safety concerns with using UV in public spaces
• Safe ways UV lighting can be introduced into interior environments
• Clients interest in UV lighting and predictions for technology advancement

“At this the time there is not enough research and education to the public on the difference and effectiveness of UVA, UVB or UVC. The key is to really understand which nanometer range of UV the source is emitting.” - Jesse Smith
“I think UV lighting strategies is a really important conversation to have with clients in light of everything that's going on in the world right now. However, I think the science needs to be stronger in terms of application. My concern is the ads for UV light that kill COVID. We are trying to stay away from eradicating surfaces because of the potential to expose humans.” - Kaylene Campbell

Read the full shownotes to review the differences between UVA, UVB and UVC.

Jesse Smith is a Lighting Studio Team Lead and Senior Lighting Designer at Glumac Engineering

• Jesse’s background started in Communication, that lead him to Parson’s School of Design where he received an MFA in Architectural Lighting Design
• He is Lighting Certified with National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions (NCQLP) and a Board Member of Illuminating Society of Engineers (IES)
• Active member in local IES and IALD chapters helping promote better lighting through education
• Projects he has worked on span the globe in a spectrum of project types from medical facilities to higher educational institutions to hospitality projects
• Jesse has extensive experience in exploring new lighting, control and daylighting technology

Kaylene Campbell is a Lighting Designer at Glumac Engineering

• She has an BFA in Interior Designer which allows her to communicate lighting design intent and technical expertise fluently with architectural teams
• She has a deep background as a client manger which enable her to understand clients’ needs and team coordination
• She is currently a member of IIDA and Board Treasure of IES
• Projects she has worked on span the United States in a spectrum of project types from winery tasting rooms, mixed use development, biotechnology facility to multifamily housing projects
• Kaylene’s background in sustainability has enabled her to work on projects that utilize Resilient Design and LEED strategies

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Till next time keep designing y'all.

We take a dive into the practice of design from a parenting practitioner’s perspective. This episode is for you if you have kids or are thinking about having kids or your curious about the term work life balance. We will look at how parenting impacts the design process.

Guest Summary

Megan Plante is a A&D Marketing Manager with OFS. She is a mother of two and has started a social media account called Mothers of Design, also known as MOD Squad. MOD Squad's vision is to create a voice and recognize that mothers in design exist. She strives to normalizing parenting by creating events around parenting and design. In this episode, Megan and I are going to take a dive into parenting, being a practitioner, and honing our voice of what feels right as a practitioner with a work life balance.

Whether or not you have a family that you're currently living with, or you're thinking about starting a family. We will look at what it means to have a work life balance within the context of a modern day design practice.

In this episode we asked Megan:

• What led you to starting MOD Squad?
• What have you been hearing and feeling in the design industry from working parents?
• How do you think the profession has shifted since parents are working from home?
• There are parents in the workplace, then there are mothers in the workplace, how are mother's brains wired and how does that impact the workplace?
• Do you think the 9-5 is realistic for parents?
• What advice do you have for the younger you when thinking about having kids in the design profession?

“We as practitioners have to remember that working is a relationship. We have a relationship with our job. A relationship means there is a give and take. It is not a constant take. That is not a relationship.” - Elizabeth
“You're going to come across other ways of thinking, other relationships, other people, other upbringings. You are also going to come across people that have a very narrow mindsets, and I think no matter what, honor what is in you. Listen to your inner voice and what it is telling you to do. Be true to yourself.” - Megan

If you are a parent and practitioner that is seeking a work life balance we would love to hear what has worked for you. Please share [email protected]. We want to hear from you and help build this profession together.
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Till next time keep designing yawl.

In this episode you will hear first hand how to navigate the profession of interior design. Guest Peter Harrison and Elizabeth discuss:

• How to be resilient during different economic climates
• How to transition from school to practice
• How to approach the intimidating topic of networking
• How to make yourself indispensable at a firm

“You are the driver of your professional destiny. No one is going to hand it to you. Know that whatever happens during a recession you can make things happen for yourself. It might not happen today. It might not happen tomorrow but it will happen. Do not lose sight of your goals, dreams and aspirations. I think if you are resilient and you focus on the end goal things will work out. They always do. So be tenacious and be excited, positive and ready to enter a profession that is incredibly enriching and touches so many aspects of our lives. It is very worthwhile to stick through this kind of period of uncertainty and just keep going, keep producing and being excited about interior design.” - Peter Harrison
Guest Summary:
Peter Harrison is a Interior Designer at Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership. He is a captivating emerging designer. Early on in his career he has identified how to set goals and through networking align himself with his career aspirations.

Some highlights from his career include:

• Director of Student Affairs with IIDA Oregon
• Bachelor in Interior Design with a Minor in Landscape Architecture from Utah State University
• Portland Materials Transparency Collaborative Leadership Group
• USGBC Special Programs Working Group for Green Build
• Recently completed the Parson Healthy Materials Lab Program
• LEED AP ID + C and Living Future Accreditation
• He has a passion for sustainability, networking and paying it forward to the next generations of designers.

To read 11 Pro Tips and to reference additional professional resources visit the show notes.

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Till next time keep designing y'all.