Speaking of Design

In the sixth episode of “Listen, Mental Health Matters,” Brian Giebink speaks with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Dr. Jennifer Katzenstein, director of psychology, neuropsychology and social work, and Justin Olsen, vice president and chief operating officer. Their discussion explores the importance of providing the proper continuum of care for children, how novel therapies can contribute to both physical and behavioral health, expanding training programs, and implementing programs for staff well-being.

In the fourth episode of “Listen, Mental Health Matters,” Brian Giebink, HDR’s behavioral and mental health practice lead, speaks with James Corbett, founder and principal at Initium Health in Denver. Their unguarded conversation dives into the top challenges and opportunities that communities face regarding behavioral and mental health — and why local efforts and community-informed decisions are so critical for the future. 

In the second episode of "Listen, Mental Health Matters," Brian Giebink 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. 

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.

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.

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 barbecues to visiting polar bear habitat. Their mission is to enhance the sounds you want and help mitigate the ones you don’t.

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.

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 always make safety a priority while flying.

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 micro-breweries. 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? Yes, these are the things engineers discuss over a beer. That idea led to a pilot study with the potential to benefit communities throughout the world.

As a recognized expert on transportation technology, Ben Pierce’s everyday job involves helping communities implement technologies that seemed like science fiction not long ago. In this episode, Ben touches on some of the latest advances he’s seeing improve mobility, safety and efficiency of our transportation experience. We’ll hear more about everything from smart cities and streetlights to warning systems for over-height trucks to the latest improvements to the airport customer experience.

What makes the ideal inpatient room for individuals being treated for behavioral and mental illnesses? Partnering with the Veterans Affairs New Jersey Healthcare System, a team of architects, researchers, and healthcare experts worked collaboratively to prototype a room designed specifically for behavioral and mental health treatment. Their design research will help architects and healthcare providers leverage evidence-based design to create therapeutic environments for both patients and their families.

The people of Kansas City love the new KC Streetcar, and you’ll find the vehicles packed on a beautiful summer day. But the idea of building a modern streetcar faced questions and doubts from business owners and residents in a city without rail transit since the 1950s. To get the concept on the rails, the project team played had to educate, listen and collaborate to design a streetcar the community would support. The result? Today, many of those initial skeptics are singing its praises — in some cases literally.