Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Torturing the property manager and guys over 50??

OK...I admit it. I thought having a urinal 18" from the floor was a challenge...I mean it's a challenge for me with my 56 year old prostate! (I know too much information). Anyway....I was thinking it was put this low for the occasional 5 year old that might show up once every year or so.

Wrong....and I thank Tony Yunker with GBBN for changing my paradigm. The reason the urinal is like this is it accommodates someone in a wheelchair....and I honestly had just not thought about that. In 2002, I was in a bad bike wreck and drove my femur thru my pelvis. This was a BIG DEAL and after it was miraculously repaired by the best orthopedic trauma surgeon in West Virginia (Dave Hubbard...Ruby Memorial), I was confined to a wheel chair for a month or so.

I really learned what barrier free means and committed to always have my projects respond to folks with disabilities. It might be a very small percentage of the population...but if it's you, it's a big deal.

I'm glad this project was built to be responsive and I'm glad GBBN kept us on track. The American with Disabilties Act might seem like a pain sometimes, but one needs to get out of their own skin from time to time and take a view from the other side of the street, so to speak. This is a law we should all embrace.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Bailey (Ben) & Glasser (Brian)

In a way, this is what the entire team strives for...a happy client at the end of the engagement. Above is an iPhone photo (not bad) in front of the new bar.....i.e. transaction counter at reception (Brian christened it a bar). B&G hosted a holiday party at their new digs last night...and it was great to see the "place" in action.

We all build/design/develop "places"....and they are 100 percent incomplete without their market/occupants using them. (Thus the term placemaking which is prevalent in the industry). A place can look real cool but just not work...yes?

This one seems to definitely be working well.

Great....