Please welcome the incomparable Marjanne Pearson to Life at HOK as a guest blogger.
I had the great privilege of participating on a social media panel she moderated at this year’s SMPS Build Business Conference, and I’m honored to call her a friend. She’s better known as Chief @NextMoon on Twitter, where she inspires a whole bunch of us daily.

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First, I must admit that I love the talent-based reality TV shows. My favorites are “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Top Chef,” and “Project Runway.” (And I always cheer when someone reveals that he or she is a design …

Like a phoenix from the ashes, Building Design + Construction magazine has defied the odds and is re-emerging from its five-month publishing hiatus. A new, spiffed-up version of the magazine is scheduled to relaunch in September under new ownership:­ SGC Horizon, LLC (a division of Scranton Gillette Communications, publisher of Roads & Bridges and other titles).

We welcome back our publishing partners and eagerly anticipate new opportunities to do even more great things together!

What to expect from the new BD+C.

Most architects with the prominence and portfolio of Gyo Obata are expected to publish some type of vanity book honoring their work and career.

Gyo wanted to mix it up a bit.

Rather than producing a standard puff-piece homage to himself, he decided to include the perspectives of his clients (what a novel concept). Active listening has always been a signature element of Gyo’s work, so the approach is fitting – and refreshing.

Published by The Images Publishing Group, Gyo Obata: Architect | Clients | Reflections features 30 projects spanning five decades – and stretching from St. Louis to Saudi Arabia.

The new book also includes …

Nothing symbolizes professional success quite like the creation of a bobblehead likeness.

Obama’s got one. The Beatles have a set. LeBron even inspired one as a Cavalier and another to chart his migration to Miami.

It was only a matter of time before our own Chairman and resident “less-is-more” pioneer – Bill Valentine – inspired a similar tribute.

Bill’s bobble is actually a new award to recognize exceptional examples of sustainability in action. It will show up at HOK offices worldwide, honoring individuals and teams for tangibly advancing the HOK Sustainable Roadmap. Introduced in early 2010, the roadmap is a framework to take sustainability …

On-the-ground at World Expo 2010 Shanghai, HOK Global Director of Climate Action Stan Wrzeski is gearing up for the Monday workshop he will lead: Global Voice, Local Choices: Creating Low-Carbon Communities, in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Here is an onsite report:

It’s my third day here, and my body is just starting to adjust to the time zone and high summer humidity. You wouldn’t think so, but the long lines of people entering the Shanghai Expo grounds are actually cooled by a water spray beneath the metal canopy. I suggested to Paul Woolford and Kelly …

Recently, Jaki, Michelle and their fellow cohorts of the HOK St. Louis Diversity Task Force unveiled a scheme to get us on our feet and out of our comfort zones. An ingenious mashup of The Amazing Race, Survivor, The Game of Life and Lego, The Amazing HOKLife encouraged everyone to mix, mingle and learn about the diversity of our practice neighborhoods.

Here’s a video postcard from the event to give you a taste of Life at HOK in St. Louis:

I invited Dr. Cindy Frewen Wuellner, FAIA, an accomplished architect, educator, researcher and blogger, to share some insights on the value and potential of online communities like ours. Prepare to be inspired, challenged and enriched…

How do you build your professional reputation? There’s an old way and a new way.

In the old way, you work for a star firm, build expertise, cultivate relationships, get recognition, awards, advancement, grab a couple of friends, and bolt for the door. Voila, the birth of a next-generation firm where you can spread your wings, design, lead, and develop your expertise.

The cost to the mother ship is enormous. They lose their best people. Project knowledge vanishes, …

These days, it isn’t easy to land a job interview. But Daphne O’Leary recently broke through the clutter to score an important meeting with HOK Alaska HR Manager Rob Pilkington.

See how Daphne fares in this dramatic depiction of her interview experience.

Any similarities to actual individuals – real or imagined – are purely intentional.

Thursday morning, I accompanied the fearless Donald Tate to the historic Lemp Brewery for a good old-fashioned stroll through the annals of HOK.

My mission was to survey the voluminous marketing materials that have accumulated over the decades, with the goal of consolidating them a bit.

And because it was my inaugural visit to the iconic Lemp complex, Donald graciously led me on a tour of the 1800s building, which is constructed upon a maze of natural limestone caves once used for the lagering of beer by early German brewers.

On our way back to the office, we visited another St. Louis icon – Gus’ Pretzels – for some nourishment worthy of an archivist.

We received some very sad news today. Building Design + Construction (BD+C) and Consulting-Specifying Engineer (C-SE) – tireless supporters of the AEC professions – are ceasing publication. They are two unfortunate casualties in a media massacre that’s claiming the lives of 23 industry magazines published by Reed Business Information. Other titles meeting their maker include Professional Builder, HOTELS, Tradeshow Week, Plant Engineering and Graphic Arts Monthly.

We owe a HUGE debt of gratitude to Gordon, Rob, Dave, Barbara, Jay, Jeff, Larry, Meg, Scott, Jim, Chuck and the other talented folks we’ve had the pleasure of working with throughout the years. Thanks for all …

Workplace specialist Angie Earlywine has worked with many a business whose senior managers are shocked to realize their employees are much more “mobile” than they thought. She likens it to a ’Where’s Waldo?’ scenario.

Angie is a “distributed work” expert, recently co-authoring a research report on distributed work strategies for the International Facility Management Association (IFMA). The landmark study documents the trends and bottom-line impact of 21st century workplaces at Bank of America, Hewlett-Packard, AT&T, Microsoft, Sprint Nextel and other companies.

During the past several months, Angie has been spreading the word at a series of IFMA conferences, industry gatherings and office events.

We tracked her down (together with co-presenter Tom Polucci) during a March 12 …

“While it is well enough to leave footprints on the sands of time, it is even more important to make sure they point in a commendable direction.”
- James Branch Cabell (1879-1958), Author

Kassabaum, Obata + Hellmuth campaign for their earlier selves at HOK’s 25th anniversary celebration in 1980.

Landscape Architect Bob Belden soaks up studio life in the 1960s.

Hong Kong employees burn the midnight oil to celebrate HOK’s silver anniversary in 2005.

For the past several months, HOK people – current and past – have spent considerable time reflecting on our firm’s 55-year …

In the fussy, fickle world of air travel, the HOK-designed terminal at Indianapolis International Airport soars above the competition.

J.D. Power Associates has given the Col. H. Weir Cook Terminal its highest marks in passenger satisfaction in a survey of 64 major U.S. airports.

The $1.2 billion terminal earned 777 points – the most of any airport surveyed – in airport accessibility, baggage claim, check-in and baggage check-in process, terminal facilities, ease of security checks, and food and retail services. 

The terminal, which opened in November 2008, is the first “greenfield” U.S. airport terminal designed and constructed since 9/11. It’s also a showcase of sustainability, a dramatic …

It was my earliest electronic device, tapping into my latent ingenuity and desire to create.
LITE-BRITE® occupied many an early morning and rainy day at the Plotnick household. Now Hasbro has ushered this iconic toy into the 2000s by creating a digital version. Although it lacks the tactile satisfaction of pushing those tiny plastic pegs into the paper-backed board, it is a fun diversion that takes me back to much simpler days.

Give it a go yourself.

And for those of you who think LITE-BRITE® is dull and uninspiring, feast your eyes on THIS:

My previous thoughts on The Game of Life®.

Take comfort, fellow bloggers. Life at HOK is hereby carbon neutral — and will be for the next 50 years.

The fine folks at the “Make it green” programme in Germany conceived of the “My blog is carbon neutral” concept, and they’ve promised to plant a tree to offset the emissions …

This holiday season, we are drawn to the uplifting stories of individuals whose resilience is an inspiration.

Our 2009 holiday e-card honors the creative spirit of Andrew Reach, an HOK architect whose career took an unexpected turn when he was diagnosed with a debilitating spine disease. Today, Andrew is an accomplished digital artist whose work inspires all of us.

Sometimes, adversity illuminates a new path.

Here’s to the new decade…

If your holiday travel plans will take you through the city of Indianapolis, you’re in for an uncharacteristically uplifting experience. The Col. H. Weir Cook Terminal at Indianapolis International Airport (the first from-the-ground-up terminal constructed in the U.S. since 9/11) is light, airy, dramatic, fun – and a showcase of sustainability.

During a recent visit to Indy, I brought along my camcorder and recorded some perspectives of the building and its occupants.
http://www.vimeo.com/7938311
If this is the future of air travel, I’m encouraged.

Like any cinematic production, our video experiment at Greenbuild ‘09 elicited a fair share of blooper moments. We’ve compiled a few outtakes and humorous quips below.

Check out a complete selection of Green Aha! moments on YouTube and Life at HOK.

Last week’s video expedition at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Phoenix netted dozens of Green Aha! recordings. Courageous individuals from Japan, Argentina, London, Saudi Arabia and all across North America disclosed their personal epiphanies, moments of truth and shocking recycling tales. Our booth crew (Julie, Chris and yours truly) was joined at the conference by HOKLife bloggers Nico, Niall, Colin and Anica (as well as a couple dozen other HOK co-workers).   

Below is a short video compilation of what we gathered. Check out a complete selection of Green Aha! moments on YouTube and Life at HOK….

Our first crop of Green Aha! moments harvested at Greenbuild ‘09 range from:

the Simple…

to the Illuminating…

to the Downright Quirky…

Even our very own Barb got in on the action, accompanied by a special “prop.”

Keep checking out our Green Aha! feed from Phoenix on YouTube and Life at HOK.

“Mary Ann and the Green Aha! Moments”

Armed with a low-carbon camcorder, two director’s chairs and a boatload of salsa mix, this quirky band of environmentalists is heading to the Great Southwest.

Our plans include rubbing elbows with Al Gore, Sheryl Crow, Anica Landreneau and dozens of other celebrity performers/speakers at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Phoenix. We’re also on a mission to gather Green Aha! moments on video (not since An Inconvenient Truth has there been such raw anticipation for an environmental production).

Here’s a short video preview of our approach:

If you’re planning to be …

HOK is turning the tables at Greenbuild ‘09. Instead of adorning our booth with OUR story, we’re creating a platform for telling YOURS. That’s right, it’s Open Mic Night at next week’s big conference and expo in Phoenix.

During the show, we will be inviting individuals to share their Green Aha!, the moment they first realized the importance of living and/or working “green.”

We will broadcast those inspiring tales at our booth, as well as uploading them to a YouTube Channel so others can share the experience. The most profound Aha! moments will win a free signed copy of The Green Workplace.

See you at Booth #3442. I’ll be the guy …

The surprising selection of Barack Obama as recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize has catapulted the international awards program to the forefront of worldwide consciousness.

Capitalizing on the Nobel attention, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay posted a mini-poll on his website asking people to vote for prominent local citizens he “nominated” for Nobel prizes in the areas of Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Economics, Medicine and Peace.

HOK Founding Partner Gyo Obata is one of five nominees in the Physics category for his design of the James S. McDonnell Planetarium. Completed in 1963, the thin-shell and hyperboloid structure is located on the St. …

[Click image to view 1960s TV commercial]
A favorite from my 1970s childhood, the Game of Life contained all the board-game adventure this little boy could want. A hyperactive spinner wheel. A twisting, terrained board. The opportunity to nab a wife, kids and (if all went well) a lucrative doctor’s salary.

The ultimate goal, of course, was to secure a wealthy retirement in “Millionaire Acres.” But potential pitfalls could send you to a humiliating destiny known simply as the “Poor Farm.”

It was exhilarating.

Originally introduced as The Checkered Game of Life by Milton Bradley himself in 1860, the game has gone through quite a few refinements in the past 150 years. Dollar values have skyrocketed to …

Henry E. Hall, Rose Hill Elementary School graduate

My role as “official PR guy” demands that I serve as the catch-all for all sorts of requests from media, students, fans – and WAY too many sales reps.

Though tedious and time-consuming, this reality occasionally leads to moments of great inspiration and pride.

Such was the case when I heard from Henry Hall. He was looking for photos of Rose Hill Elementary School in Kirkwood, Missouri – his alma mater – to use as part of a special 50th Anniversary Reunion he was planning for his former classmates.

“I guess the few of us from that first school year, 50 years ago, …

Our own Bill Stinger with Senators McCain (R-Arizona) and Lieberman (ID-Connecticut).

You just never know who you’re going to run into while wandering the streets of Sanaa, Yemen.

For HOK D.C. Director of Marketing Bill Stinger, it was U.S. Senators John McCain and Joseph Lieberman, who were visiting the city on their way to Kabul, Afghanistan, to witness the recent elections.

Bill was in town to attend the pre-proposal briefing for the U.S. Department of State’s new Embassy expansion project, which HOK is pursuing.

He and Onder Tumer from Zafer Construction (our Turkish design/build partner) were seeking architectural inspiration on the roof of a restored building in …

Hong Kong team helps restore the island of Yim Tin Tsai in the Sai Kung District.

When HOK people on three continents signed on to complete service projects in our local communities, it wasn’t to seek awards or accolades. We just wanted to enrich our schools, parks and neighborhoods through design expertise and good old-fashioned sweat equity.

But, lo and behold, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) caught wind of our work and selected HOK to receive the organization’s national Design for Humanity Award for 2009. Also accepting the award was Greg Mortenson, of the Central Asia Institute, who co-authored …

It’s been a banner week for sustainable accolades. First, ENR dubbed us the top green design firm, and now a Design Intelligence survey anointed our firm as the #1 sustainable role model.

Kudos all around.

But before allowing it to swell our heads completely, let’s not forget how much more work remains to be done…

It may not be easy being green, but it sure as heck beats the alternative.

For the second consecutive year, HOK nabbed the top spot on ENR’s “2009 Top Green Design Firms” survey.

Published in the magazine’s July 6 issue, the ranking is based on 2008 revenue from projects seeking LEED, BREEAM or other environmental certification.

In the sector rankings, HOK emerged first in the “Education” sector; second in “Commercial Offices;” second in “Sports, Entertainment & Civic” and third in “Government Offices.”

Regrettably omitted from the magazine’s coverage were rankings of the most innovative, creative and downright zany …

The Gateway to the West now has a breathtaking view from the East.

The newly christened Mississippi River Overlook in East St. Louis, Illinois, reveals a fresh new perspective of Eero Saarinen’s masterful Gateway Arch.

Designed by HOK, the 43-foot-tall viewing structure is located at Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park. A contemporary of Saarinen, Martin shared the architect’s vision of creating parks on both sides of the river. Unfortunately, neither visionary lived to see his dream fulfilled.

I asked Gyo Obata (the “O” in HOK) to share his thoughts about the overlook’s design and its significance to the region. Gyo, who studied under Eero’s dad Eliel at Cranbrook Academy …