It is clear that the new generation of students is very comfortable with technology and expects a global approach to their education in preparation for a future in a world that is constantly changing. As visionaries it is our responsibility to understand that the rapidly changing technology forces us to create environments that are flexible enough to suit an “unknown future.”  As designers we must understand the different teaching settings and provide the proper environments that allow for impromptu collaboration, conversation, information sharing and co-existing.

Today’s trends in Higher Education direct us to the merging of styles, from corporate break rooms to hospitality lounges, leaving behind the sterile institutional feel and turning into a more professional environment familiarizing students to their life after graduation.

Last week I ventured to NeoCon to identify elements that will help develop my current work with Texas Christian University, Montclair State University and NCA&T. I was pleasantly surprised to find the “thesis” and “anti-thesis” to the concept that we’ve all become familiar with in the last years: Collaboration.

I identified 3 basic groups in furniture:

1.  Architectural dividers: almost every large furniture manufacturer has an architectural wall division now. Surprisingly enough, these new pre-fab wall systems are sturdier than before, allowing for easy space reconfiguration, the integration of furniture pieces within the panels and the most important part, the integration of technology. Full-height-full-width walls can become screens, transforming a simple teleconferencing setting into an experience closer to tele-presence. Manufacturers like AllSteel, Steelcase and Haworth have innovative systems with self-leveling mechanisms and really high STC’s -which was unheard of before-.

2. Freestanding nooks for group collaboration that create an “idea” of privacy and intimacy within open plan configurations. High backs and felted upholstery – to mitigate airborne sound transmission- are common to all manufacturers. These nooks are based on a module and its add-ons, possibilities are endless and reconfiguration within that module is as well. Nothing is permanent!

3. Collaboration was the tendency last year, this year the trend is anti-collaboration. This doesn’t mean that what we’ve known as collaboration is changing, it is still going strong. Now there is a concern for those individuals who aren’t able to focus (there are studies on ADD and similar disorders in the workspace and learning environments) in open spaces or simply don’t need to collaborate. These new pieces resemble cocoons that allow the user to focus their vision to the front while isolating the noise that may travel from behind, the sides or above.  Most of these pieces can swivel for a change of scenery.

Another common thread among working and collaborating spaces is the significant reduction in size. New planning schemes consider collaboration areas throughout a floor plan leaving behind the need for guest seating in private offices and smaller conference rooms. Rooms are becoming smaller and more efficient resembling train compartments with glass fronts and active perimeters.

In terms of technology, projection screens seem to be out of the picture. Virtually, any surface –vertical or horizontal- can transform into a smart board or projection surface with the use of mirrors and special projectors. Or even better, screens can turn into walls!

Color schemes consist of cool neutrals and pops of heavily-saturated-muted colors -I don’t think that description makes any sense, I just thought I should try it!- in shades of magenta, orange, blue, cyan, pea green and a variety of greys. Wood furniture can go either dark or light but usually with a whitish patina resembling of Scandinavian residential environments. Patterns go to extremes, they can both be big, bright and bold or traditional -but colorful- pinstripes or solid colors as clearly stated by Maharam and Knoll Textiles.

Carpet and flooring manufacturers were the least impressive. Mohawk had a comeback with a collection inspired in cityscapes; Tandus showcased sophisticated graphic patterns; Shaw and Mannington introduced hexagons as the new shape for tiles and finally Interface -continuing with their research on Bio-mimicry- presented a collection made out of recycled fishing nets that resembles water bodies. Interface’s collection provides a source of income for small fishing villages in the Philippines while cleaning up their beaches and waters of discarded fishing nets that threaten their livelihood and the very precious double barrier reef off their shore.

Ashley Marsh and Sarah Malin shared their post occupancy research on the Adler School of Professional Psychology in a presentation called Balancing Health Benefits with the Challenge of Transparency. They presented the sometimes conflicting design and environmental impacts of abundant of interior glass that enables daylight, views, health and sense of community with contrasting concerns of privacy and emotional safety.

I think their research results and presentation was well received and as expected raised a number of environmental questions and discussion.

One of the highlights of the conference is the annual dinner and the awards ceremony. I cite the Great Places Awards Program because it is not normally considered an important recognition in the architectural design world. But it is probably the one awards program where design, planning and research are simultaneously considered in the support of the human experience in the making of well-designed places. I think we have a number of projects that would be good candidates for the program next year.

There are four award categories: Place Design; Place Planning; Place Research and Book Award. Regarding the design category it can be a project completed within the last five years. The details of program are on the EDRA website and there will probably be a call for entries for the 2014 Great Places Awards in about six months.

Rather than explaining the all the awards, I’ve included the link to the recent BD+C article and the link to the EDRA website. There were two awards for design, two awards for planning, one research award, one book award and one special placemaking award to WaterFire Providence. Overall the quality of submittals was high, the jury debate challenging and the results show some great examples of placemaking.

The new EOC will better serve the 1,900 low-income students who receive vocational training and exam-preparation courses through the EOC each year, with enhanced technology and a foothold on the Medical Campus to boost the center’s allied health programs. The EOC prepares students for college and civil service exams and offers certification courses for dental assistants, medical technicians and a variety of other jobs. The new facility offers extensive cutting-edge technology integration that will allow the EOC to better help students and explore the possibility of online classes.

Eric Sweet, Brad Tober, Kathy Czarnecki and Christopher Whitcomb attended the grand opening ceremony Friday to hear remarks from University at Buffalo President Satish K. Tripathi, New York State Assembly member Crystal Peoples-Stokes, State Senator Tim Kennedy, Lt. Governor Robert J. Duffy, Executive Director of the EOC Julius Gregg Adams and City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. At one point during the ceremony, the Cannon Construction Services team was asked to stand to be recognized for their efforts with the project.

“The mission of the UB Educational Opportunity Center is to produce lifelong learners who are self-directed, empowered and committed to excellence. We have an incredible range of students who attend the UB EOC,” Adams said. “By moving to the new facility, we will be able to provide our students with progressive education and training, and engage our faculty in new teaching pedagogy and paradigms that will benefit our students entering workforce development and college preparation.”

Below are photos from the grand opening ceremony.

Executive Director of the EOC Julius Gregg Adams

Buffalo President Satish K. Tripathi

New York State Assembly member Crystal Peoples-Stokes

Eric Sweet and New York State Assembly member Crystal Peoples-Stokes

City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown

State Senator Tim Kennedy

From (L-R) Brad Tober, Executive Director of the EOC Julius Gregg Adams and Eric Sweet

The Cannon Design team stands for recognition.

Ribbon Cutting. Credit: Douglas Lavere

Opening of the Educational Opportunity Center in Downtown Buffalo. Credit: Douglas Levere

Businesses around the world are learning this teenagers are amplifying their messages through social media and website like Change.org. One recent example is when Sarah Kavanagh employed Facebook and Twitter to remove a controversial additive (brominated vegetable oil) from Gatorade’s sports beverage. Kavanagh is continuing her push and heading an effort to get Coca Cola to drop the additive, as well. Learn more about this effort and trend via this link.

It’s an important trend to monitor as people can use social media to comment on construction materials, projects, etc. All the more reason to support efforts within the profession like the Health Product Declaration.

Cannon Construction Services handled all CM for the 68,000 sf LEED Gold project which offers a collaborative learning environment that is linked to the UB downtown gateway via a 5,000 sf connector with an adjacent conference room. This new state-of-the-art facility will allow the EOC to emphasize academic and vocational programming for the various allied health fields expected to be in demand in the community.

Our team will be posting photos and updates via social media from the grand opening celebration.

Reading Joseph Farman’s recent obituary in the New York Times, I was reminded of his Ozone Hole discovery almost thirty years ago, and was drawn into the interesting story of his dedication as a scientist and researcher. With the British Antarctic Survey in 1957, he began collecting the ground level ozone readings which eventually resulted in one of the most important environmental discoveries of the twentieth century. But what emerges beyond the discoveries, the subsequent adoption of the Montreal Protocol to ban CFC’s, and Farman’s related personal recognition, are the quotes, taken from the Times obituary, regarding his methods and diligence.

“…his commitment to the prosaic first principles of data collection, they said, in the remotest outpost of the scientific world, produced discoveries unimagined by other scientists and overlooked by orbiting satellites.”

“But Mr. Farman refused to stop making ground-level readings, despite his superior’s questions about their usefulness, and despite his lack of standing in the field of ozone research.”

“His dedication, as much to the principle of scientific record keeping as to ozone study, would make him something of a working class hero among scientists.”

After twenty five years of recordings he had collected enough evidence to show that ozone levels over the Antarctic had fallen by 40% in just a ten-year period and that the ozone hole was a real and present danger to life on earth. Sharon Roan, author of Ozone Crisis: The 15-Year Evolution of a Sudden Global Emergency, noted his modest willingness to do the research he thought was important to do. “He wasn’t looking for anything astonishing — just doing a little job, and persevering at it. And he came up with the most astonishing discovery.”

At the same time that Joseph Farman began his environmental recordings, another climate science pioneer, Charles David Keeling, was initiating his recordings of atmospheric carbon dioxide, two miles high on the rim of the Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii. As a scientist with Scripps Institution of Oceanography, he began making daily recordings with a device he developed at Caltech. These measurements were begun as part of a one-year initiative, the International Geophysical Year. Like Farman, Keeling’s persistence and discipline resulted in daily recordings which have been consistently recorded since 1958 and are now referred to as the Keeling Curve. Historical research has shown that, prior to 1750, pre-industrial levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide ranged from 275-285 ppm. When Keeling initiated his measurement the level was about 315 ppm, and his subsequent measurements recorded the growth attributed to human activity and fossil fuel consumption. The terms greenhouse effect, global warming and climate change all have origins resulting from this data and Keeling’s subsequent research.

When the May report of atmospheric carbon dioxide recordings showed measurements of more than 400 ppm, it was seen as a possible tipping point. Many believe, like climate scientist James Hansen, that we must reduce levels to 350 ppm to mitigate the range of environmental impacts associated with higher levels of concentration of atmospheric CO2. Framed around the crucial need for reduction to this lower level, Bill McKibben’s environmental movement, 350.org, also reacted to the announcement of the 400 ppm recording.

But back to the nexus of the climate science pioneers, Farman and Keeling, and the recent events that remind us of the important lessons of their research. Both scientists began their studies in remote locations and at about the same time in the late 50′s, just as Sputnik went into space. Both were personally passionate, believing in themselves and the importance of their work, and persisting over significant time in the measurements which have changed our understanding of the planet. Farman and Keeling left us powerful lessons, yet we still have much to learn.