Perkins&Will supports small, focused explorations proposed by staff members with micro-grants of money and time through the Innovation Incubator program. The Innovation Incubator promotes the exploration and development of ideas that improve our work, open new areas of business and stretch our collective creativity. The results of these explorations further our design work, improve our design process and contribute to the knowledge base of our industry.
The program was launched in 2010 and was an immediate success. With more than 700 entries over 20 cycles, sustained interest in the Innovation Incubator at all levels of the firm is testament to its relevance in our ever-growing culture of innovation.
Browse some of the Innovation Incubator projects that have helped grow the profession’s intelligence over the years. Explore more at: innovation.perkinswill.com.
This article proposes a new urban ecological paradigm that values urban wastewater as a renewable, reliable, freshwater resource for urban farming. The potential benefits of time-tested solutions applied in urban settings have been largely unexplored due to lack of societal acceptance. The research presented herein investigates various aspects of closed-loop systems that localize wastewater treatment... Read more »
New technologies have increasingly moved to the center of 21st century learning inspiring innovative learning concepts and potentially influencing our conception of educational space. This article looks at the connection between game-changing ideas in education and school design. It looks at the benefits and challenges that new technologies bring to the K-12 environment. It describes their connection to... Read more »
The U.S. healthcare industry is changing and shifting its focus toward prevention and community health. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and interactive mapping can help healthcare clients visualize problem areas in their communities and help answer questions about how best to improve community health with limited financial resources. This research project reviewed existing literature to determine... Read more »
The open office has been a central theme in contemporary workplaces, reasoned to provide flexibility, natural light, supervision, cost savings, transparency, democracy, and collaboration. While almost 70% of US workers occupy open plan or open seating settings (International Facility Management Association, 2010), this design strategy remains contentious (Kim & de Dear 2013). These settings may... Read more »
The “LA REDCAR SF” project was realized as a colloquium as part of the San Francisco Chapter of the AIA “Architecture and The City Festival 2010” which rook place September, 2010, under the theme of “Investigating Urban Metabolisms.” The colloquium, entitled “Rethinking Urban Transportation: New Strategies for Mobility,” was the first of its kind where a moderated discussion with... Read more »
Current research on the impacts of landscape architecture on children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are surprisingly lacking, considering the believed benefits of the natural environment on individuals with special needs. This study examines how outdoor design elements benefit children with ASD and specifically, how these design criteria can be implemented to inform the design... Read more »
Goals Net Zero Site Energy Design and Incentives (NZSEDI) is a design performance modeling process for achieving net zero site energy projects using photovoltaic and solar thermal water heating systems with financial incentives. The system serves to inspire interest in early net-zero building design for architects. NZSEDI will collect data for renewables in the United States for federal... Read more »
This article focuses on the design of the University Crossing atrium at University of Massachusetts (UMASS) in Lowell, where an innovative way to bring daylight deep into the building’s north facing, four story atrium was the primary objective of the study. Using a number of physical and digital tools including Diva-for-Rhino, the design team has explored the invention... Read more »
Epidural analgesia is the most popular method of controlling pain in labor in the United States today, but it has serious side effects and risks for both mothers and babies. Though most laboring American women choose epidural analgesia, it is important not to confuse a hospital’s failure to provide options with patient preference. Few large... Read more »
As the Earth’s climate changes and sea waters rise, the world’s many coastal cities must get creative to stay afloat. Levees, floodwalls, and other man-made infrastructure are enormous cost burdens that continue to be overpowered by super storms and severe flooding. Planners and designers around the country are exploring methods to make coastal cities more resilient to these... Read more »
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital is a current client of the Boston office of Perkins+Will. In collaboration with the Chicago office we designed a new replacement facility scheduled which opened December 2012. Our firm is committed to helping clients find ways to be innovative and forward thinking, better positioning them for the future while maintaining focus on sustainable and Best Practice design... Read more »
