Speaking Of Design

In the third episode of “Listen, Mental Health Matters,” Brian Giebink, HDR’s behavioral and mental health practice lead, talks with Grady Health System’s Shannon Sale, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, and Anne Hernandez, vice president of behavioral health. Their discussion explores strategies they’ve implemented to improve access to behavioral health care, including integration with existing specialty centers and new outpatient centers, as well as the creation of an employee resiliency clinic. Through these strategies they have progressed their mission to address the social determinants of health beyond the care environment with programs to address housing, community partnerships and more.

In the second episode of "Listen, Mental Health Matters," Brian Giebink, HDR’s behavioral and mental health practice lead, has an in-depth discussion with Tom Kozaczynski, chief advancement officer at Compass Health. Their dialogue covers the evolving post-pandemic landscape of mental health care and the challenges faced by Compass Health's diverse clientele — the vast majority of whom are experiencing poverty and navigating care through Medicaid. Tom highlights the critical workforce shortage that the behavioral health field is facing and Compass Health’s strategic use of telehealth to enhance patient care and increase accessibility. The conversation also delves into the organization’s commitment to evidence-based care and its advocacy for a more sustainable funding model. Tom also shares exciting plans for a new facility that will reshape the delivery of mental healthcare for the communities that Compass Health serves.

"Listen, Mental Health Matters" is a special Speaking of Design podcast series. Brian Giebink, behavioral and mental health practice leader at HDR, visits some of the world’s leading healthcare providers for candid conversations about the challenges they face and the opportunities to transform the patient and caregiver experience. The importance of mental health services has never been more evident, and many healthcare organizations are striving to improve access to care and the environments in which that care is provided. In this inaugural episode, Brian sits down with Stacey Johnson, president of Riverside Mental Health & Recovery Center in Hampton, Virginia, for a discussion about her approach to leading the growth of the organization’s services, designing new environments for care delivery and the personal motivation that drives her to help people who are in need.

As airport operators contemplate modernization and development of major programs, they face the challenge of improving the experience for travelers. How can airports create an environment that enhances travel for passengers, while still meeting their core needs? In this expert roundtable discussion led by transportation industry leader Rick Pilgrim, three of HDR’s top aviation minds sit down to discuss practical solutions already being deployed and the global trends that will transform air travel in the near future.

When your project calls for environmental solutions, this team has you covered. Based out of Nanuet, New York, this group of biologists, environmental scientists and technicians operates out of a modern, state-of-the-art facility with everything you need to design and execute your customized environmental study. That includes a fleet of survey vessels, a fabrication shop to design original equipment for the job, and a taxonomy and water quality lab to analyze samples collected in the field. Behind all that equipment and technology is a team passionate about the environment.

After witnessing the impact of a pandemic on the air travel industry, three architects began to reimagine how airports might look if designed with a health environment perspective, through the lens of passenger health and wellness. They submitted their concept to Healthcare Design Magazine's Breaking Through competition, which prompted further conversations with experts across the design industry. The collaboration led to broader ideas of how we might rethink an air traveler’s journeys, the role technology can play in improving air travel efficiency and how different an airport design could look with a blank canvas.

What if you could intertwine education and professional practice to do good? That’s the concept behind the Georgia Tech School of Architecture’s Flourishing Communities Collaborative, a unique academic lab that partners faculty, students and professionals to take on real pro-bono design projects. On this episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll hear about the benefits of that immersive educational experience and the experience of designing a new healthcare clinic for Clarkston Community Heath, a free healthcare clinic for uninsured and underserved residents of Clarkston County.

Each of the 90,000 dams in the U.S. plays a critical role in the community it serves — from preventing floods, to generating hydroelectric power, to providing a water supply for drinking water, irrigation and recreation. On this podcast, meet the professional rope access technicians whose jobs involve preserving the structural integrity of each dam — by providing a rarely seen perspective of some of the largest infrastructure in the world. Collectively, our team of more than 40 certified by the Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians has logged approximately 50,000 hours suspended from ropes, getting an up-close view of dams, bridges, tunnels and other hydraulic infrastructure.

  Whether it’s limiting interstate noise, preserving the serenity of nature or enhancing an orchestral performance, our acousticians are listening. On this episode of Speaking of Design, hear how their work involves everything from protecting patient privacy in hospitals to maintaining the ambiance of backyard barbeques to visiting polar bear habitat. Their mission is to enhance the sounds you want and help mitigate the ones you don’t.  

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's first major revisions to the original 1991 Lead and Copper Rule present broad implications for homeowners, schools and local water utilities. Intended to improve children’s health by further reducing lead exposure from corroding pipes, the revised regulation places greater responsibilities on municipalities to act – but also applies to pipes within homes and schools. On this episode of Speaking of Design, HDR Drinking Water Director Chance Lauderdale discusses the challenges presented by the LCR revisions and how a more holistic approach can help utilities prepare for the future.  

When construction comes to your street for a water main replacement, the technical side is only half the challenge. On this episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll meet the people responsible for communicating with residents during construction in New York City. Their work took on added significance during COVID-19, as they initiated a multilanguage public outreach plan for a predominantly Chinese-speaking community.  

  On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll meet the people responsible for communicating with residents in New York City during a water main replacement. Their work took on added significance during COVID-19, as they initiated a multilanguage public outreach plan for a predominantly Chinese-speaking community.  

In the second part of a two-part episode, we continue our look at how drones are being used in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. From surveying the wreckage of a train derailment to monitoring whale migration to creating a digital twin of a 160-foot-high dam, drones are bringing new perspectives to projects of all kinds. Explore how cutting-edge data collection methods are leading to an evolution of new services within the design and construction lifecycle.

Drones are leading to exciting advances in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. In the first part of a two-part episode, we’ll learn about what it takes to become a drone pilot, some of the unique challenges they face in the sky and how they’re making safety a priority while flying.

  On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll learn what it takes to become a drone pilot, how drones are being used in the A/E/C industry, and how they’re enabling exciting advances in design technology.  

While the work of architects makes a difference in the world, rarely do designers get to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people whose livelihood depends on the very buildings they design. With that in mind, a group of architects from HDR formed Design 4 Others as a way to volunteer their design expertise to make a positive impact on under-served communities. In this episode, we’ll learn more about how they’re partnering with Construction for Change and iKure on a pro bono project to improve healthcare for rural community members in West Bengal, India.  

  On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we'll meet architects from Design 4 Others who are partnering with a medical technology enterprise to improve healthcare in India.  

  In Bozeman, Montana, life centers around outdoor recreation. An afternoon of world-class fly fishing on the state’s pristine waters often follows with a refreshing visit to one of the area’s many microbreweries. The convergence of those two pastimes took an innovative twist when a group of engineers asked: What if the carbon-rich byproduct of brewing beer could be used as a cost-effective way for the city to reduce nitrogen in its wastewater? That idea led to a pilot study with the potential to benefit communities throughout the world.  

  On the next episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll visit Bozeman, Montana, where a group of engineers asked, “What if the carbon-rich byproduct of brewing beer could be used as a cost-effective way for the city to reduce nitrogen in its wastewater?"  

  Justin Robbins considers himself a true student of cities. In this episode of Speaking of Design, he discusses the way transportation has historically shaped the design of cities as we know them. He also shares his passion for autonomous vehicles, how they’re changing the way we design urban spaces, and some of the challenges they present to urban planners.