As the Chicago, New York, and DC offices start to emerge from there winter slumbers talk around the office turns to who is going to bike to work and how are they are going to do it? What kind of bike? Clothing? Best routes to take? Well that last question just to easier for the newbie to answer thanks to Google Maps Bicycling.

Over the past few months Google has been scouting and documenting bike lanes in partnership with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy to provide biking directions in major cities across the US.  It can even recommend routes to avoid big hills and heavily congested streets.

I know we all have our …

Francisco Silva, CA Architect in Houston, is joining the ranks with Lance Armstrong in the cycling fundraiser against cancer this October! Here is Francisco in his own words:

“Call me crazy but I actually like the pain cycling brings.  The muscle just above your knee cramps up as you get off your saddle to climb.  Hands go numb from holding on to the bar.  Shoulders hurt from riding all day.  Other parts of your body that I do not want to mention hurt and I wonder if they are still there when you finish the ride.   …

So it’s been a while since I’ve done a 5 Questions (although you can see some here, here, here, and here) but trust me folks, this was worth the wait.

Derek Prior is an HOK force to be reckoned with.  He’s been around here for about 13 years, each year becoming more and more of an institution.  A graphic designer, social chairman, and general great guy, if you’re around Derek there’s never a dull moment.  He’s a breath of fresh air around this office most days. Enjoy! 

Q-1.  Derek, What’s that on your face?

The thing that looks like a tumor growing out of my head?  my Ex-Carpool …

It’s no lie, I am a hot mess when I get to work after my 14-mile bike ride.  Fortunately for me and anyone who has to interact with me during the day, HOK has a shower (and my gym is right next to the office and has an even nicer shower).

One thing I struggle with is how to dress appropriately for work on cycling days.  One solution is to drive in the day before and leave a bag of clothes.  The other is to cram everything in a backpack and roll on in.  Either way, there are two major risks: 1. forgetting a critical wardrobe element (from recent experience, I …

Check this cool idea that the Dutch (of course) had and are using in Amsterdam!!!
Isnt it great!!!

I think Paris were the first to do it indeed!!!! We should promote it in the states and the rest of our offices!!!

http://www.bikedispenser.com/home-en.html

As most of you know, if you’ve been reading lately, that HOK all across North America as been riding bikes to work for the month of May. A special congratulations goes out to the Atlanta team (sorry to be bias). Check our more from the stats below!! Crazy awesome work everyone!

HOK was 19th out of 738 Organizations with

…

One of the comments we hear a lot is, “HOK’s such a big firm.  Don’t you feel lost there?” 

Coming from a very small firm (I was one of eight there; here I am one of 2,400 or so), I ’ll admit I was a little intimidated…but I’ve found the size issue is a misconception; HOK truly does provide great opportunities for collaboration that you wouldn’t find in a small firm.  In addition to having outstanding resources to help with project work (like the Denver project that used staff from San Francisco, St. Louis, and Washington, DC or the KAUST project that involved up to 400 HOK’ers at one point in time), it …

A post from our HOK Chicago bike team captain, Agatha Wieczorek (3rd from the right), who has done a wonderful job of organizing our team:

We have 10 people on our Chicago bike team, some avid cyclists and some new riders who committed to this challenge.

Some people prefer to take streets, and we strategize about which roads have the best bike lanes and least vehicular congestion while the rest of the group enjoys their morning and evening rides along the arguably less death defying lake trail.

It’s a really great way to start and end your day. You’re not trapped on some mass transit system, sitting with strangers risking a swine flu …

As you’ve read, HOK is big into sustainability, and part of our committment is personal – we’ve signed up numerous teams to compete in national bike-to-work month, sponsored by the cascade bicycle club (see Blake’s posts on HOK vs. Copenhagen and Calling all HOKers).  Tim O’Connell cooerced me into signing up using fear of public humiliation as his primary tactic. 

It’s a bit of a long ride for me (13.824 miles each way, according to Gmaps Pedometer) and I’m not much of a cyclist, but what the heck!  My route takes me along Cameron Run in …

They may not look like what you would first imagine. 

They may not look like anything TV makes them out to be. 

But they are . . .

the St. Louis HOK Biker Gang!
 
  

[It may be necessary to say "the St. Louis HOK Biker Gang!" in your best dramatic theatrical voice over; go ahead, try it again, I'll wait]

[l-r: Seth Teel, Jason Kerensky, Paul Wilhelms, Derek Prior, Brett Kostial, Tim Gaidis]

[l-r: Jon Cohen, JoAnn Brookes, Bruce Brunner, Derek Prior, Seth Teel,
Brett Kostial, Matt Snelling, Jason Kerensky, Tim Gaidis, Mark Rosen,
Paul Wilhelms, Steven Crang,

…

As Blake told you, the WDC team is kicking butt in the bike-to-work challenge.  Today we had over 20 riders for National Bike to Work Day:

Front row, l-r: Jack Baker, Claire Whitehill, Pamela Sams, Jodi Williams, Julie Steele

Middle row, l-r: Daphne Kiplinger, Bokki Son, Jacalyn Chnowski, Vincent Ng

Back row, l-r: Pierre Lee, Chris Ryan, Bill Hellmuth, Bill Stinger, Walter Urbanek, Aaron Altman, Kyle Sullivan, Tim O’Connell, Sasha Strickland (Missing Morgan Williams).

It was enough that our bike racks were full….

So some people had to take advantage of the “executive parking.”

(That’s Bill Hellmuth, …

To help encourage biking to work tomorrow, I’d like to flash around the designated HOK Bike to Work 2009 Route…

TADAAAAA!!!

Also, we’d like to give a plug to Bike St Louis and their killer bike map.  And, although your route is already planned for tomorrow, you can always check out TrailNet where they’ll even give you the best route suggestion for your desired destination.

Also, check out the sweet shirts you’ll get to wear if you ride your bike to work on Friday in the HOK Bike Gang…

BIKE ON!!

Alright! We’re 8 days into the Bike to Work Challenge and HOK is showing it’s pedaling power. I knew we had a healthy competitive spirit, but check out these stats. With 90 riders across the firm, we are ranked 16 of 557 organizations in terms of number of miles ridden. That’s the top 3% of participating organizations. Additionally, we are ranked 1st in out-biking all participating architecture firms.

Within HOK, the DC office (24 riders) is carrying the lead with 796 logged miles, followed closely by the St. Louis Office (8 riders). The Chicago Office (9 riders) is leading a near five-way tie for 3rd.

…

HOK Bike to Work Month is Shaping Up
http://www.vimeo.com/4208874
Thank you, Jim Rice, for pointing us to this video. 

With the Bike to Work Month Commute Challenge kicking off Friday May 1st HOK has already shown great enthusiasm with teams from across the firm and around the globe stepping up to meet the challenge. Leading the way is the Washington DC office with three teams signed up so far, including our very own Bill Hellmuth. Way to go DC! As of this morning we have 8 offices and 11 teams participating, with several other teams still forming. If you would like to join the fun it’s not too late. Teams can still form well into the month. For more information see the previous …

May is Bike to Work Month

Boring commutes got you down? Well then add some fun and excitement by putting your green pedal power to work during May’s Bike to Work month and the Group Health Commute Challenge. This event is sponsored by the nation’s largest bike club, the Cascade Bicycle Club based in Seattle, and has grown tremendously in the last 5 years with over a thousand teams participating in 2008 – check out the stats. This is a terrific event that promotes sustainability and good health. If you are interested in joining a team or being a team captain it is quick and FREE to set up. So far several HOK teams have formed and are ready to …

Love this video of bikers around art and sculpture on Paris Streets. Love the music too!

thanks Jim Rice for passing it on!

Today’s installment of 5 Questions features Tim O’Connell, a boomerang HOK employee. Tim worked at the DC office first in 2000-2001, moved to Boston, and then decided he simply couldn’t stay away and rejoined HOK WDC in 2006. 

Q: What five words describe HOK?

A: Versatile, Exciting, Innovative, Influential, Design and Quality-Focused,

Q: What is your role at HOK?

A: I am a jack of all trades,

…

A confession:
I have owned a car for the better part of my adult life… a remnant of my mongrel suburban pedigree. It was vital to being an architecture student at the University of Waterloo (suburban wasteland that it is) and 60 miles from Toronto (home to all that is good/bad, cultural/retrograde, engaging/revulsive….). Interestingly, upon graduating, I came to work in Toronto and, instantaneously, my automobile addiction took a precipitous drop.
A privilege:
I am privileged to been able to live (read: afford it) and work (see “live” previous) in an urban centre blessed with superior public transit and (in the past 10 years….) bike lanes. Consequently, I have cycled to/from work every day …