by Daniel Huntsman, LEED AP
dhuntsman@huntsmanag.com
As we look forward to the opportunities and challenges each new year presents, it’s useful to pause and reflect on past accomplishments. I like to think that some of our greatest achievements collectively within the design and construction professions are those that benefit the greater good – giving of ourselves to better the communities in which we live and serve every day. We can all understand that even on our most challenging workday, we’re far better off than so many others. Each year, we see hardships that communities and individuals face; adversities that prompt us to give of ourselves and do something for those who can really use a helping hand. Here at Huntsman, I’m proud that our staff volunteers their time towards a number of philanthropic organizations that support our local communities. These organizations’ commitment toward meeting community needs is an ongoing effort that happens all year long. It is in this spirit of looking back at a rewarding 2013 and looking forward with optimism for 2014 that I want to express thanks to our staff and to our many industry colleagues for sharing their time and their talents – the gift of design – throughout the year.
For the past 13 years, our staff has participated in Herman Miller’s We Care program. In more than 25 U.S. cities, the event brings together architectural and design firms in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of America where kids get the chance to create handmade presents for their families and loved ones. Members of our New York office joined Herman Miller and leading design firms in support of this common cause. Together, they brought their expertise and passion for design to collaborate with kids in making these unique gifts – ranging from jewelry to holiday themed tee shirts to household items like placemats. “I’m so proud of everyone this year. It’s so fulfilling to see how the design community comes together as a whole to help these kids craft holiday gifts for family and friends, “ said Sabrina Thompson, who supports the coordination efforts on behalf of the Herman Miller A+D team in New York, “and it makes me happy to see how proud the kids are when they finish their craft. It really proves how the best presents aren’t ‘store bought.’ It also encourages the kids to get in touch with their creative side.”
dhuntsman@huntsmanag.com
As we look forward to the opportunities and challenges each new year presents, it’s useful to pause and reflect on past accomplishments. I like to think that some of our greatest achievements collectively within the design and construction professions are those that benefit the greater good – giving of ourselves to better the communities in which we live and serve every day. We can all understand that even on our most challenging workday, we’re far better off than so many others. Each year, we see hardships that communities and individuals face; adversities that prompt us to give of ourselves and do something for those who can really use a helping hand. Here at Huntsman, I’m proud that our staff volunteers their time towards a number of philanthropic organizations that support our local communities. These organizations’ commitment toward meeting community needs is an ongoing effort that happens all year long. It is in this spirit of looking back at a rewarding 2013 and looking forward with optimism for 2014 that I want to express thanks to our staff and to our many industry colleagues for sharing their time and their talents – the gift of design – throughout the year.
For the past 13 years, our staff has participated in Herman Miller’s We Care program. In more than 25 U.S. cities, the event brings together architectural and design firms in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of America where kids get the chance to create handmade presents for their families and loved ones. Members of our New York office joined Herman Miller and leading design firms in support of this common cause. Together, they brought their expertise and passion for design to collaborate with kids in making these unique gifts – ranging from jewelry to holiday themed tee shirts to household items like placemats. “I’m so proud of everyone this year. It’s so fulfilling to see how the design community comes together as a whole to help these kids craft holiday gifts for family and friends, “ said Sabrina Thompson, who supports the coordination efforts on behalf of the Herman Miller A+D team in New York, “and it makes me happy to see how proud the kids are when they finish their craft. It really proves how the best presents aren’t ‘store bought.’ It also encourages the kids to get in touch with their creative side.”
A Boys & Girls Club member crafts her own t-shirt (left); our NY team poses with Santa (right)
As it is each year, the challenge is for designers to come up with a creative idea that kids would love and be proud of, and that could be produced quickly by children ranging in age from 5 to 12 years old. “It’s always incredibly fun to watch the kids helping each other and working together. We had a couple of BFF’s who designed their tee shirts exactly alike” says Huntsman senior designer Andrea Hurtado, “It’s a great experience – aside from the overall fun we have – because it provides the kids with a foundation for appreciating and understanding the significance of giving.“
2013 also saw our second year supporting Canstruction, the national fundraising event where firms construct giant-sized structures made entirely of canned food and whose proceeds benefit local food banks. The year’s theme was games, and entries could reference anything from classic board games to the more current mobile, electronic version. A dozen employees from our San Francisco office with GCI General Contractors and Rutherford & Chekene Engineers constructed a sculpture inspired by the video game Duck Hunt. Comprised of nearly 5,700 cans of a well-rounded meal (tuna, crab meat, salmon, beans, peas, and asparagus), the aluminum sculpture replicated a popular scene from the game featuring the hunting dog holding two waterfowl victories, one in each hand.
2013 also saw our second year supporting Canstruction, the national fundraising event where firms construct giant-sized structures made entirely of canned food and whose proceeds benefit local food banks. The year’s theme was games, and entries could reference anything from classic board games to the more current mobile, electronic version. A dozen employees from our San Francisco office with GCI General Contractors and Rutherford & Chekene Engineers constructed a sculpture inspired by the video game Duck Hunt. Comprised of nearly 5,700 cans of a well-rounded meal (tuna, crab meat, salmon, beans, peas, and asparagus), the aluminum sculpture replicated a popular scene from the game featuring the hunting dog holding two waterfowl victories, one in each hand.
Our SF team begins to assemble more than 5,700 cans (4,267 lbs) to build its Canstruction structure (left); ‘Duck Hunt’ completed (right)
Canstruction raised more than 30,000 cans of food which were donated to the San Francisco and Marin Food Banks. Now in its third year in the Bay Area, the fundraiser represents the largest, single canned food donation in the food banks’ history, driving home the point that creative ideas can be made of the most common product like a can of food. And that design can help create visual awareness for organizations and their causes. “As chair for SF Canstruction 2013,” shares Ginger Kelly, “I am honored to have worked with such a dedicated group of individuals who participated to make this year such a great success. The nine teams included close to 30 firms who spent five months fundraising to buy cans, designing, building, and celebrating their amazing structures. It is really commendable that our design community has taken the time and energy to give back to those in need, while having fun and using their talents. The teams have formed lasting relationships and continue to support the awareness of hunger in the Bay Area by sharing their photos, success, and stories with the industry.”
The following video captures the six-hour build in a 90 second time-lapse animation (courtesy of Jake Wiens):
The following video captures the six-hour build in a 90 second time-lapse animation (courtesy of Jake Wiens):
As part of a pro-bono, community outreach venture with the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and Pankow Builders, Huntsman senior associate Karen Feltham dedicated her design efforts for an interior rehabilitation project for theSan Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center located in the Haight Ashbury district. Formerly a firehouse originally built in 1895, the Center’s home required modifications to create a more inviting and accessible facility for its client base of 15,000 parents and children. The renovations included an expanded reception and waiting room areas, improved client counseling rooms with sound-proof walls for greater privacy, a remodeled children’s therapeutic playroom, and expanded staff work spaces. In addition, the building underwent a seismic retrofit to better support the organization’s 24/7 services such as one-on-one counseling, educating the community, and building city-wide partnerships.
SF CAPC’s renovated waiting area (left); the children’s play room doubles as a neighborhood meeting center (right)
Additionally, 2013 brought Huntsman the opportunity to partner with healthRIGHT 360, an organization that consolidated the programs of Walden House, Haight Ashbury Free Clinics, Asian American Recovery Services, and Rock Medicine. At the start of last year, design principal David Meckley and project coordinator Joanna Heringer led a pro bono visioning workshop and programming exercise for healthRIGHT 360. The visioning identified objectives the organization will address as it relocates its facility later this year. Addressing space inefficiencies resulting from ad hoc growth, the planning effort proposed a new alignment of programs to aid how the organization can improve health services to the community as well as create a more prominent identity in its neighborhood. We look forward to healthRIGHT 360’s success in its new home and in its mission to provide medical care and treatment to San Franciscans in need.
Renderings of proposed design concepts for healthRIGHT 360′s new center.
We spend much of the year providing design services to support the business of our clients, but the power of design also lies in social responsibility. Through sharing ideas and creative problem-solving, we all can help shape stronger and healthier communities.
All of us at Huntsman Architectural Group wish you the best in the new year.
All of us at Huntsman Architectural Group wish you the best in the new year.
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