Our built environment is one of the planet’s biggest polluters, with buildings responsible for roughly 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions, 28% of which are operational and 11% from building materials and construction alone.
While this is certainly not a revelation, the window for meaningful change is closing fast. The need for architecture, design, and construction solutions that don’t just check the sustainability box, but actually move the needle — achieving sustainability goals, enhancing durability, and sustaining economic growth — has never been more pressing. The salve? Mass timber.
Now gaining momentum across the Pacific Northwest with large-scale developments like Portland International Airport’s nine-acre mass timber terminal, the region is emerging as a global leader in sustainable construction innovation. Surrounded by some of the country’s largest timber resources, the Pacific Northwest is well positioned to shift development to mass timber — unlocking a scalable, high-performance solution to not only reach sustainability goals but enhance durability and sustain regional economic growth.
C-TRAN’s newly completed campus expansion in Vancouver, Washington, includes a mass plywood operations building.
The Case for Mass Timber
Despite its long history, mass timber — a building material made from multiple layers of wood — has yet to see widespread use due to factors like the high premium on base material costs, perception and restrictive code requirements.
Once a common construction material, mass timber was largely phased out during the 20th century in favor of concrete and steel. Concrete, for example, offers flexibility for cellular layouts; it is, however, notoriously slow to construct, cold to the touch and contributes significantly to atmospheric carbon. As the world grapples with the negative environmental impact of traditional building materials, mass timber is making a comeback, and so are the myriad benefits it possesses.
Mass timber is more than just a sustainability win — it’s an investment in both pre- and post-construction efficiency, resilience and well-being. Its ability to streamline project timelines, reduce soft costs for time on-site, enhance durability and aesthetics, contribute to healthier environments, support regional economies, and aid in reducing the industry’s significant carbon footprint makes it a powerful tool for the future of sustainable construction.
Sequestering Carbon
Mass timber offers significant environmental benefits, notably in its ability to aid in reducing carbon emissions. Wood is the only scalable building material that sequesters carbon, carrying the potential to aid in reducing the building industry’s significant share of carbon emissions production by 14-31%.
Mass timber also requires less energy to produce compared to traditional building materials like steel and concrete. This reduced amount of energy demand aligns with the Living Building Challenge and LEED life cycle analysis criteria. These advantages allow the industry to substantially respond to climate change and its currently massive carbon footprint.
The material also offers an opportunity to improve forest health — it can be produced from thinning, less commercially desirable trees, creating more space for healthy, strong trees to thrive. This further enhances mass timber’s carbon sequestration efforts and supports the long-term vitality of forests.
Strength, Comfort, and Well-Being
Highly durable and energy efficient, mass timber boasts impressive fire resistance and the ability to withstand extreme temperatures. Unlike traditional lumber, which has a low fire rating, mass timber’s massive panels char on the outside during a fire, forming a protective outer layer that helps retain the building’s structural integrity.
Mass timber’s multi-layered panels provide strength without added weight, allowing it to be constructed on confined sites. Furthermore, the material’s low thermal conductivity offers warmth and comfort not found in concrete or steel, making it a unique and durable choice for modern construction. Combined, these characteristics enhance safety and durability while also contributing to occupant well-being, creating spaces that feel secure, stable, and naturally comfortable.
Mass timber’s advantages go beyond performance and resilience, however. While its structural benefits are undeniable, the material also enhances the experience of a space. The natural warmth and elegance of wood evoke a sense of comfort and connection to nature, aligning with the growing demand for biophilic spaces. The material enhances the visual environment while contributing to a healthier atmosphere, improving the well-being of those who inhabit and frequent these spaces.
The Standard at Seattle’s Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) building is connected to two high-rise towers via a pedestrian corridor.
The Financial Upside
Although the base material cost of wood is currently high, savings from shorter project timelines, reduced onsite labor, lower import duties, and other operational efficiencies can offset the initial premium. Additionally, mass timber performs better thermally, further enhancing its long-term cost-effectiveness.
Often sourced and produced locally, the transportation and storage costs of mass timber are also minimized. The prefabricated nature of the material allows for quicker assembly, yielding less soft costs related to project management, street closures, and material storage. This streamlined construction process, in turn, allows for earlier occupancy and a quicker return on investment.
Shifting to mass timber development also carries the potential to boost rural economies by generating demand for sustainable forestry. Supporting local wood producers and creating jobs in these communities helps stimulate economic growth and balance wealth distribution between urban and rural cities and towns in timber country, encouraging a more sustainable and equitable approach to development.
This combination of cost savings, improved efficiency, and economic empowerment is an attractive incentive to developers, architects, and communities seeking to balance financial viability with sustainability goals.
Mass timber offers an impactful, multi-faceted solution to the urgent challenges of sustainable development, and a shift to mass timber can address the growing demand for more environmentally responsible building practices.
From significantly reducing the industry’s carbon emissions to promoting healthier environments and fostering economic growth within communities, it supports a more sustainable construction process and offers long-term benefits that surpass traditional building materials and approaches. It should be the baseline assumption for every new development, creating a lasting positive impact on the future of our planet, our buildings and the well-being of those who inhabit them.
Seniors’ Evolving Tastes
When it comes to dining, seniors’ tastes are evolving, which is impacting how senior living communities plan and design food and beverage amenities.
In a Q&A with Environments for Aging, Darla Esnard, Principal and Co-Director of Senior Communities, discussed the increased importance of designing senior living facilities to incorporate flexible food and beverage spaces, balancing accessibility and aesthetics, and design elements that promote socialization.
Q: How are seniors’ dining expectations changing?
We are continuing to see the shift toward restaurant-style dining with a varied atmosphere. Gone are the days of one large formal dining room—today’s seniors want variety and choice in both their dining venues and types of cuisine. Most communities we are working in today, whether it be a renovation, repositioning project, or a new ground-up project, are asking for multiple dining experiences for their residents.
Aegis Living Bellevue Overlake
Q: What’s driving this?
A few factors. Seniors are used to having dining and restaurant variety at their fingertips. Not only can they get it from restaurants, but it is also available online and via delivery. They expect this same quality and experience in senior communities.
Additionally, more people are aware of the important role food has on our overall health. Seniors are seeking food personalized for their nutritional needs. They are demanding fresh, nutritional food that promotes longer, healthier lives.
Q: What design considerations can support flexible dining spaces that are also efficient for communities to operate?
It’s important to create flexible dining spaces that can transition throughout the day. For example, a café space that is used for breakfast or coffee in the morning can transition to a social bar space at night. A larger dining venue can have hidden screens and AV equipment to allow the larger space to be used for meetings or special events when not serving meals.
Lastly, carefully planning the location of your main kitchen and keeping it directly adjacent to all dining venues and/or a direct elevator ride to another dining venue saves money on repetitive equipment and also keeps staff co-located in a central area instead of spread over a larger community.
Aegis Living Laurelhurst
Q: What’s on your list of must-have features for senior dining environments today?
Seniors need to be comfortable in their dining experience or they won’t want to linger and be social with other residents. The atmosphere must have excellent lighting–lots of natural light without glare. Noise in dining rooms is one of the biggest complaints we hear from residents. Utilizing good sound dampening materials is crucial in reducing noise and giving a resident a comfortable experience. A dining room that’s easily maneuvered is critical as well as the dining chair. It must be designed with the senior in mind and easy to get in and out of, with good support and comfort.
URC Dining Renovation
How to Adapt Aging Office Spaces for a Modern Workforce
Office leasing trends are shifting and many tenants are favoring new developments, posing significant challenges for older office buildings in maintaining occupancy. As tenants seek out flexible, wellness-focused, and tech-enabled work environments, owners of these aging office buildings must rethink their strategies to attract and retain occupants.
With the right approach, there is significant potential for older office buildings to thrive. By embracing targeted upgrades and creative design interventions, building owners can reposition these assets to meet the needs of modern tenants while creating unique competitive advantages in the marketplace.
As architects and designers, we play a crucial role in reimagining outdated spaces and breathing new life into these properties.
Leveraging innovative strategies based on a deep understanding of current workplace trends, we can transform aging office buildings into future-ready environments that align with today’s focus on flexibility, technology and wellness.
Creating Flexibility and Opportunities for Personalization
One key design strategy to enhance the competitiveness of aging office buildings is incorporating flexible layouts and personalized settings.
In today’s hybrid work environment, employees are looking for a workplace that can accommodate various work styles and preferences — whether it be quiet zones for focused work, collaborative areas for team meetings, or lounge areas for informal discussions.
To meet these diverse needs, it’s important that we create adaptable environments that promote versatility and productivity, ensuring that every employee can find the right setting for their work.
Open floor plans, modular furniture and multi-purpose spaces are essential components of this adaptable design approach. These plans offer flexibility through their reconfiguration ability, encourage communication and collaboration through the removal of physical barriers and enable diverse work zones to meet evolving employee needs.
Modular furniture complements this layout and facilitates effortless rearrangement and customization. Pieces such as adjustable desks, stackable chairs and movable partitions empower organizations to create tailored environments — whether for brainstorming sessions, team meetings or individual focus time.
Community Transit Merrill Creek
Multi-purpose spaces, designed for versatility, also enhance flexibility, enabling areas to be quickly transformed for various needs. For instance, a conference room that typically serves as a meeting space can be easily converted into an event venue with retractable walls. Implementing these design elements provides leaseholders and employees with the ability to modify their workspaces as needed.
While flexibility lays the groundwork for dynamic workspaces, personalization plays a vital role in enhancing employee satisfaction and productivity in the workplace. Allowing individuals to tailor their workspace empowers employees to create environments that align with their unique needs.
Incorporating elements like adjustable lighting, climate control, and ergonomic furniture allows employees to craft their ideal settings, fostering a sense of ownership that inspires engagement and fuels creativity.
Amenity Spaces: Wellness and Sustainability
Modern occupants are no longer satisfied with offices that simply provide a desk and chair — they’re seeking spaces that enhance their well-being and align with their values, especially when it comes to wellness and environmentally friendly practices.
For aging office buildings, this shift presents both a challenge and an opportunity. To remain relevant, these buildings need to incorporate wellness-oriented amenity spaces that promote sustainability, giving them a renewed sense of purpose and appeal.
To truly capitalize on this opportunity, we must offer a comprehensive suite of wellness features that enable older buildings to stand out in a competitive market. Thoughtfully designed amenities like fitness centers, meditation rooms and outdoor spaces give employees places to recharge and refocus throughout the day.
Coupling these wellness-driven spaces with sustainable initiatives — such as energy-efficient systems, water conservation measures, and the use of healthy materials — further elevates the appeal in attracting companies prioritizing health and wellness, and sustainability.
Community Transit Merrill Creek
This approach was realized in the redesign of Community Transit Merrill Creek in Everett, Washington, where we embraced a holistic approach to the interiors, transforming the space into a sustainable, hospitality-driven amenity center for both transit drivers and administrative employees.
The finished project included health-conscious amenities like a wellness area offering massages and chiropractic care, as well as a fitness center complete with workout machines, free weights, and a dedicated yoga space. We also added two stories of both relaxing, low-energy comforts and active, engaging amenities providing employees with a space to read, relax, and rest in the sleep and quiet rooms or play pool and watch TV in the social break room between shifts.
Technology and Smart Building Solutions
Design and technology are inseparable, and incorporating smart building solutions is no longer just a trend — it’s essential to meet the demands of modern occupants and future-proof office environments. Smart systems such as touchless entry, IoT-enabled sensors for space utilization, and AI-driven building management systems help create spaces that respond intuitively to the people who use them, ensuring a seamless blend of innovation, efficiency and user experience.
Integrating smart building systems that automate essential functions like lighting, heating, cooling and security can significantly reduce energy consumption and also offer occupants greater convenience and control.
These systems are designed to optimize building performance, adjusting energy use in real-time based on occupancy, weather conditions or time of day. The result is not only a more sustainable operation but also yields substantial cost savings. Advanced Building Management Systems (BMS) take this a step further, automating routine operations and delivering valuable analytics that improve maintenance and extend the lifespan of the building’s infrastructure.
Community Transit Merrill Creek
Future-Proofing Workplaces: Designing for Flexibility, Wellness, and Sustainability
To remain competitive, the key for aging office buildings lies in making strategic design choices that emphasize flexibility, wellness, sustainability and technology. With the incorporation of adaptable layouts, wellness-centered amenities, and smart building systems, these properties can be better equipped to cater to evolving demands for dynamic, health-conscious work environments.
As designers, we play a crucial role in reimagining these spaces, transforming them into future-ready workplaces that foster both well-being and productivity while preserving noteworthy original architectural character. Through thoughtful design interventions, aging office buildings can not only stay relevant but also thrive as innovative and sustainable solutions in today’s real estate landscape.
Multigenerational Living is on the Rise
As household structures change and adapt, the trend toward multigenerational living has gained significant traction. This shift is driven by a combination of demographic changes, economic challenges, and shifting consumer preferences, according to the Urban Land Institute (ULI).
Research from the Pew Research Center shows that between 1971 and 2021, the number of people living in multigenerational household quadrupled. This dramatic increase is particularly relevant for senior housing, as older adults are choosing to move in with their children and grandchildren.
For senior housing developers and architects, this presents a question. How can living environments accommodate the diverse needs of multigenerational households while enhancing the quality of life for older adults?
Multigenerational Living
Multigenerational living offers a host of benefits for seniors. Enhanced relationships are a major advantage, and emotional support becomes readily available.
When it comes to finances, shared living arrangements can alleviate some of the economic burden that typically accompanies living alone. The findings of ULI show that older adults who live with family often have lower living expenses, which can be a major factor in maintaining a comfortable and secure lifestyle.
The health effects are also notable. Research shows that seniors living with family experience lower levels of stress and improved mental health. The presence of family members can offer practical assistance with health management and encourage healthier lifestyle choices, which are essential for maintaining quality of life as one ages.
A Shift to Intergenerational Communities
Family aside, the rise in multigenerational living reflects a broader societal trend that values inclusion over exclusion. With baby boomers reaching retirement age and seeking to remain active and engaged, there is a growing demand for communities that blend age groups.
Many older adults now view living among people of all generations as a healthier and more fulfilling alternative to traditional age-segregated models. This shift is prompting developers to create communities that foster intergenerational connections.
Such environments offer numerous benefits, including the chance for older adults to share experience and skills, as well as enhanced community health through walkable, accessible neighborhoods, reports the Council on Aging of Central Oregon.
Design
Creating effective senior housing requires a thoughtful approach to design, especially when catering to multigenerational residents. There are several key design considerations that include:
- Private and Communal Spaces: It is important to design amenities that cater to all ages, such as green spaces, community gardens and versatile community rooms for gatherings and classes. Both private and semi-private areas where residents can host small group gatherings or family events should be included.
- Flexible Layouts: Offering a range of floor-plans and unit sizes accommodates different needs. Rooms should be designed with multiple purposes in mind, and providing flexibility in every space facilitates intergenerational interaction.
- Accessibility Features: Applying universal design principles ensures that units and common areas are accessible to people of all ages and abilities. This includes step-free entrances, wide doorways, and accessible bathrooms. Features like grab bars, non-slip flooring and lever handles also enhance accessibility.
Case Study: Mirabella at Arizona State University
Mirabella at Arizona State University (ASU) stands out as a prime example of multigenerational living in senior housing. The 20-story tower, situated at the heart of the ASU campus, offers 298 units of senior housing and serves as a pioneering model of inclusive living.
The building’s amenities are intentionally located to promote connections among residents, families, visitors, students, and faculty. For instance, the Bistro, positioned on the corner of University Avenue with a separate public entrance, offers a youthful and energetic atmosphere that attracts a diverse crowd both day and night.
Directly adjacent to the main entrance, the Lifelong Learning Auditorium underscores the importance of intergenerational education with its own dedicated front-drive access, emphasizing inclusivity from the very entrance. The Art Gallery showcases artwork from residents, students, and alumni, and is visible to passersby on the sidewalk, which is also a key pathway to the campus art classrooms.
Mirabella at Arizona State University (ASU) stands out as a prime example of multigenerational living.
Additionally, Mirabella features three studio apartments reserved for a musician-in-residence program, wherein students live and perform within the building.
Together, these intentional design choices enable a vibrant, welcoming environment where residents of all ages can thrive. As the demand for these types of inclusive environments continue to grow, projects like Mirabella ASU exemplify a new standard for the future of senior living.
Architects can Seize the Day
The continued evolution of household dynamics and growing preference for intergenerational living present both challenges and opportunities for senior housing developers and architects. By embracing these trends and incorporating thoughtful design considerations, architects and designers can create living environments that meet the needs of multigenerational households and enhance the quality of life for all residents.
Moving forward, it is crucial to recognize, understand, and adapt to the growing demand for inclusive, flexible housing solutions that support diverse family structures and promote intergenerational harmony.
Adaptive Reuse Conversion Case Study: Warehouse to Residential
There are many unique buildings located along the West Coast. Built in the 1920s and 30s but now vying for a second chance at life, an existing turn-of-the-century warehouse in Seattle is one of them. After having been identified as a prime candidate for an adaptive reuse conversion, the former warehouse is being repositioned as a mid-rise apartment complex.
Leveraging the unique elements from the site’s previous use, adaptive reuse conversions aim to accomplish goals identified by the project’s owner. In this case, maximizing the yield and resident experience, and including amenities that attract and enhance resident life.
This is something that Ankrom Moisan has unique experience in; We embraced adaptive reuse to resurrect downtown Portland’s Pearl District, turning disused warehouses into coveted apartments.
Chown Pella Lofts, a disused factory warehouse that was converted to a multi-story residential condominium in Portland’s Pearl District.
Here’s how we do it:
Maximizing Yield and Resident Experience
Converting an old warehouse into an apartment building with modern luxuries means embracing the elements that made the structure a warehouse in the first place. Finding the design elements that are inherently aged and providing them with a new use is just one way to maximize the building yield, as well as the resident experience.
For example, warehouses typically have floor-to-floor heights that can reach 15 feet, something that’s not commonly found in contemporary housing. The additional space afforded by such heights allows for deeper floorplates and units than modern constructions, up to 120 feet wide, allowing the building to utilize the extra space afforded by the deeper floorplate to enable larger, light-filled units – something residential buildings typically don’t have.
Similarly, older warehouses that did not utilize electricity to the extent that modern buildings do have large windows with lots of glass to bring an abundance of natural light into the space. With an adaptive reuse conversion, what was one intended to bring daylight to hard-working warehouse laborers can be repositioned to provide residents with sweeping views of their surroundings.
Amenities that Attract and Enhance Resident Life
Comparing the resident experience found in an adaptive reuse project to that of modern housing, it’s plain to see that the bespoke qualities of a conversion add richness to a space. Unusual features become draws for potential residents, just as long-empty warehouses are converted into bedrooms and apartments full of life.
It all has to do with spotlighting a structure and emphasizing quirks rather than designing them out.
For this project, we saw the warehouse’s skeleton as an opportunity to create one-of-a-kind amenities that cannot be replicated in a new build. Turning the light well atrium into an internal amenity space, complete with a spa and garden, our design emphasizes resident wellness and provide a peaceful retreat from the city and the urban, hard-edged waterfront found nearby – something you won’t find next door.
Successful adaptive reuse conversions embrace the factors that make their buildings different, using those differentiators to become more desirable in the market. It’s our view that the unique history, location, and geometry of projects like the existing turn-of-the-century warehouse lends itself to the creation of amenities, and apartments, that surprise and delight residents.
Overall, warehouse to residential apartment adaptive reuse conversions are unique exactly because they’re not a unique situation. Older, underutilized, turn-of-the-century warehouses in a downtown core are a very common building typology that exists all across the West Coast. They usually have between five and seven stories, and massive footprints that are a lot larger than what would be expected to be adapted to marketable housing.
Chown Pella Lofts
The unique charm of these conversions comes from how you take a building and use the features that exist because it was designed to meet warehouse code at the time (of construction) to make impactful housing.
Buildings like these are often already landmarks in the cities they’re located in, being 100 years old, sometimes older. The question is, how do you reintroduce a historic landmark after it’s been given a new use? Embracing the existing exterior architecture to retain the site’s identity while adding new features to set it apart from the past will get people into your building.
This could be done by turning an old water tower into an art installation to act as a beacon and attract attention, for example. In most cases, it’s very exciting for passersby to notice an old building in a new light. If you can do this, your adaptive reuse conversion will continue to be a part of the fabric of the city that it’s in, revitalized and full of new life.
Relationships are the Cornerstone of Designing Successful Public Projects
Unlike private development, public agency projects often require more time and thoughtful steps at the outset. It’s not that private projects skip these entirely, but the stakes are different: public projects are deeply tied to community trust, transparency, and long-term public value.
Over the years, we’ve found that a strong foundation makes all the difference. Here are three key focus areas we emphasize at the start of any public agency partnership – setting the tone for a collaborative, lasting relationship:
-Establishing Design Expectations & Building Trust
-Defining Guiding Principles
-Engaging the Community Early and Often
Design Expectations = Trust in Action
When kicking off a public agency project, one of the most valuable things you can do is establish trust early – between the ownership team and the design team. That trust starts with clarity around how the design process will unfold, including what’s expected in meetings, how feedback will be gathered, and when key decisions will be made.
A powerful tool in those early conversations? Precedent imagery.
Images of outdoor spaces, interior environments, furniture, building materials, and comparable projects for interiors and exteriors, can help teams express what resonates with them – and just as importantly, what doesn’t. These visual references spark honest conversations and surface values, priorities, and design preferences that might otherwise stay unspoken.
When teams feel comfortable telling us as designers “this doesn’t quite feel like us,” you know you’ve created the kind of collaborative environment where good design thrives.
Harnessing Stakeholder Input: Turning Insights into Actionable Guiding Principles
When our client invited over 800 employees to share their perspectives on project goals and values, it created a powerful opportunity – and a complex challenge:
How do you distill so many voices into a clear, actionable executive summary?
One highly effective method we recommend is the use of a word cloud.
By capturing the most frequently mentioned words and ideas, a word cloud surfaces the priorities that matter most to stakeholders. These guiding principles become a foundation for decision-making, aligning the owner, designer, and construction teams around a common vision.
In our experience, tools like word clouds are critical in early project stages. They translate complex input into focused design drivers, ensuring that stakeholder values are not just heard – they are built into the fabric of the project itself.
Survey responses, interviews, and meeting discussions all offer valuable language that can be mined to create clarity, consensus, and momentum. For SAIF, we started out with this world cloud, and this is how we ended up!
SAIF Headquarters
Community Voices: Designing and Inclusive Engagement Process
When working on publicly-funded projects, one thing is always true: you’re not just designing for a client – you’re designing for a community. That comes with both opportunity and responsibility.
Community engagement isn’t just a box to check. It’s a chance to build trust, reflect diverse needs, and ensure public dollars are spent in a way that truly benefits the people who live, work, and move through the community.
But engagement looks different for every client and every community. Some just need you to listen. Others want to inform after the first session or collaborate across several touchpoint. The key is meeting people where they are and providing tools that support informed dialogue.
What should you be prepared to provide the public?
-A clear project overview in everyday language (and possibly in multiple languages)
-Visuals or diagrams that communicate design intent
-A summary of what decisions have been made vs. what’s still open for input
-A way for people to respond – whether it’s in person, online, or through community partners
We’ve learned that when you design the process with care, you end up with stronger outcomes – and stronger relationships.
Celebrating Our Female Leaders
First kicked off in 2024, the AMasterClass series is an ongoing discussion dedicated to celebrating and sharing the knowledge, insight, and advice accumulated by the female leaders at our firm over the years. They are five-minute-long, miniature crash courses on valuable lessons learned throughout their careers, told in the format of a MasterClass lecture discussion.
An introduction to 2025’s AMasterClass, A Celebration of Female Leaders, shared by Stephanie Hollar.
This year, the three women who opened up to share their experiences with the rest of the firm were Bethanne Mikkelsen, Senior Principal and Office/Retail/Community Studio Co-Leader, Rachel Fazio, Vice President of People, and Alissa Brandt, Vice President of Interiors.
Bethanne, Alissa, and Rachel take part in the live AMasterClass panel in Ankrom Moisan’s Portland office.
Hosted and moderated by Sheana Hawes, HR Generalist, the three female thought leaders conducted a panel discussion in Ankrom Moisan’s Portland office, sharing their insights, knowledge, and experiences with a live audience, and discussing the similarities between the challenges they face and the lessons they’ve learned from overcoming those challenges.
The graphic from 2025’s AMasterClass event.
Bethanne discussed what it means to be an empathetic leader, sharing that “utilizing these techniques improves team collaboration, increases employee engagement, and enhances communication.”
Rachel shared her perspective on resilient leadership, declaring “you have to build the right mindset for leadership, lead with positivity and humor, and focus on solutions rather than the problem.”
Alissa enlightened us on design-forward leadership, reminding us that inspiration isn’t static – “take time to reflect on what drives you now versus what motivated you at the beginning,” she said. “Let inspiration evolve with your experiences.”
The wisdom shared by Bethanne, Rachel, and Alissa this year – as well as last year’s speakers’ thoughts on Harnessing Your Voice, Being Your Authentic Self, and Solving the Unsolvable – can be viewed in the playlist below.
A playlist of discussions from 2024 and 2025’s AMasterClass series.
Michael Stueve’s Workplace Design Trend Predictions for 2025
Co-leading Ankrom Moisan’s workplace interiors team for over half a decade, Michael Stueve, Principal, knows the ins and outs of workplace design like the back of his hand. His experience with Futures Thinking has prepared him to identify many office trends before they spike in popularity and become a regular design consideration, like hybrid work capabilities and the importance of fortifying culture through the built environment of an office space.
Reflecting on recent project work, Michael has pulled together and shared his top workplace design trend predictions for 2025.
“Although COVID-19 ushered in a reimagined workplace experience over the last few years, one truth remains unchanged,” Michael shared. “That is that successful businesses excel at aligning physical office spaces with organizational values and emerging work practices.”
Michael Stueve, Principal
“Collaboration and amenity spaces have certainly been upgraded over the past few years, but what’s next?” Michael asks. As workplaces are ever evolving, he sees three significant drivers for 2025’s evolution: AI, fresh air, and inclusivity.
AI
“As AI is dramatically impacting the way we work and redefining job roles, businesses will require ever more enhanced collaboration areas that double as training and up skilling hubs,” Michael predicts. “These spaces will feature cutting-edge integrated technologies, flexible furniture, sophisticated audio systems, and designated presentation zones.”
Merrill Creek | Everett, WA
“This evolution signifies a blend of workplace and higher education design strategies, fostering continuous learning and adaptability,” he said.
Fresh Air
“From a wellness perspective, our client surveys reveal that the number one amenity employees are seeking is not pickle ball. It’s fresh air and daylight,” Michael said.
“For instance, we recently had a client in a Class-A CBD office tower relocate to a floor with a large private outdoor area connected to the break room,” said Michael, speaking of the recent Colliers PDX Headquarters project. “The result is that team members coming to the office daily have increased by 50%. Couple this with biophilic elements and natural materials, and you’re set for the coming year and beyond.”
Colliers | Portland, OR
Inclusivity
On top of rapidly changing technologies and connections to nature, there are other opportunities Michael has identified as workplace design trends this year. One of these is designing spaces that support a journey to belonging through inclusive interiors elements.
All-gender restrooms, quiet zones for neurodiverse employees, and improved accessibility for individuals of all capabilities all contribute to an inclusive office atmosphere, signifying that a company truly carers about its employees and is willing to address their needs in meaningful, impactful ways.
Amberglen, a recent office project outside of Portland’s downtown core merges the fresh air trend with an inclusive atmosphere. “The owners had the opportunity to amenitize the space to the level of a downtown Class A, capitalizing upon an indoor-outdoor opportunity for tenants,” Michael said. “With an eye towards wellness, inclusivity, and fresh thinking, Amberglen includes elements that bring the outdoors in, as well as spaces that encourage tenants to bring work outside. Having outdoor work areas means there is cross-pollination between the two approaches to wellness and inclusivity.”
Amberglen | Hillsboro, OR
Although these amenities and considerations have been done before and are nothing groundbreaking on their own, joining them together creates new experiences and perspectives for office tenants, re-framing the everyday impact of emerging technologies like AI and the importance of biophilia.
“When you combine the elevated collaboration that stems from technology with fresh air and inclusivity, they all total up to wellness,” Michael states. “When all three things are firing on all cylinders, it creates an environment of wellness, which is the greatest amenity of all.”
Things Your Architect Wishes You Had Done in Masterplanning
In architecture and urban planning, masterplans are strategic documents that design, organize, and plan for the development of a large site or area containing multiple blocks or buildings. They provide a comprehensive framework for the development of an area of land to be used, whether it is for housing or other building types, infrastructure, or open spaces for a community or certain property. They establish the overall vision for a property that allows for coordinated decision-making as individual building or infrastructure projects are designed and implemented over time.
Ankrom Moisan has worked on many buildings within larger masterplans throughout California’s Bay Area as part of Special Use Districts or Specific Plan Updates. We enjoy working on these projects since they have the potential to make a tremendous positive impact on the area where they are constructed, which is exciting. Masterplan projects can create thriving new neighborhoods or contribute to a massive infusion of jobs, housing, and community amenities that reinvigorate existing – yet stagnant, historically under-invested, or under-resourced – neighborhoods. One of our recently completed projects, The George, a 20-story high-rise in San Francisco, was completed as part of the Fifth and Mission Special Use District which had that exact intention.
An aerial shot of The George and the surrounding Fifth and Mission Special Use District
Risks
Of course, while there is a great possibility for a large, impactful success with expansive projects like these, masterplans also come with a lot of risk for the developers that back them. Often, the biggest risk taken by developers in our environment of rapidly shifting construction and real estate markets is timing. These masterplans are for projects that can take many years, maybe even a decade, between the start of the planning process and a building’s completion, so every early decision really counts.
A thoughtless decision in the initial layout of a lot or in the design parameters that get baked into an EIR* can very easily balloon a project’s timeline. If an individual building’s design is consistent with the design guidelines studied in the masterplan’s EIR, then the building doesn’t need its own separate EIR. However, if a project deviates from what was studied in a masterplan’s EIR, there’s a chance that the building will need to conduct its own environmental review, which is a very long process. This can spiral out of control when every building needs a time-consuming modification to rectify the issue. On the other hand, well thought-out initial design documents can facilitate a smooth entitlements process, meaning that you get exactly what you expect on your project while shaving months or years off the approvals timeline, directly resulting in earlier TCOs**.
How Architects Can Help
As architects we’ve worked on complex projects like this with many development partners. We know what strategies work well and what common pitfalls to avoid. We want to ensure that complex masterplans are not more complex than they need to be.
Video: Navigating Complex Entitlements with Architect Chris Gebhardt
Working hand-in-hand with architects throughout the process to design buildings as guidelines are being developed is the best-case scenario for masterplans with complex entitlements. Your priorities become the driving force when the building designs are actively influencing the design guidelines, instead of merely reacting to them. It’s so much easier to make the case that a massing modulation requirement is overly restrictive by showing the city a beautiful non-complying building they would be happy to approve before that compliance language gets codified than after, when they and you are forced into a time-consuming mediation process. In some cases, owners have been able to use excerpts from our SD design packages as the actual “design guidelines” so they know they’re going to be allowed to build the building they want and allowing them to skip the whole process of developing generic design guidelines that could backfire. In this scenario, when the individual buildings need to be entitled its basically a rubber stamp review.
Even if the architects can’t be brought on for a whole initial design phase it can still be impactful to get them on board for occasional test fit checks, studying the lots and design standards you are considering implementing. It does not require consistent work (with associated consistent fee burn) but can be done as short studies here and there, and if you’re using the same team, they can get increasingly efficient with the studies and then translate what they’ve learned into an efficient early design phase once you get to that point. Our tier 2 feasibility study service provides a quick-yet-accurate understanding of the yield potential of a site. Typically, it includes a full zoning analysis, a zoning mass impacts table, buildable volume diagrams, and graphic site location and zoning, among other expected deliverables like simple floor area plans, an area summary, and simple massing diagrams. In the context of developing a masterplan, this template can easily be used to study the impacts of design requirements.
While it’s ideal for an architect to get involved with a project in the early planning stages, bringing on an architect at any stage means that you’ll get an expert’s input on integral elements such as lot dimensions, building heights, fire access, and building utilities.
For The George, part of the significant 5M development in a historic part of San Francisco, we were unable to join the project early on, meaning that we had to rely on other solutions to streamline the entitlements process and make the project more efficient in terms of both time and money. To create this 20-story high-rise (one of the largest housing developments in San Francisco), we implemented a combination of different strategies for navigating complex entitlements for large masterplans, resulting in a final structure that was practical and passed entitlements reviews while also still being beautiful and transcendent.
Here is a glimpse of some of the insights that might be shared by an architect who is brought into a project at a later stage, that can still help avoid the complications and delays that are commonly associated with complex entitlements and masterplans.
1. Lot Dimensions
There are modules that work efficiently for different buildings and building types. In mid-rise construction, an efficient double-loaded corridor building wing is about 65 to 70 feet wide, so site dimensions smaller than that can be a serious challenge for multifamily developments. If you need on-site open space or daylighting, then that requires another 30 or 40 feet, which means you want at least 100 feet for an L-shaped building. If you want a full U-shaped building, then you’ll need 180 to 200 feet with exposure on at least three sides. For a parking wrap or “Texas Donut” style building, you’d need at least 200 feet minimum.
Minimum efficient lot dimensions
Lots with dimensions that fall between these sweet spots often lead to inefficient building layouts, such as single-loaded corridors, or they aren’t able to utilize as much of the site for rentable units as would be preferred.
2. Building Heights
Building height limits tend to be set in increments of five or ten feet, which isn’t an issue if you can keep in mind that real building heights are a bit messier than that. It’s rare. for a residential floor to actually be 10 feet high. 10′-6″ is a much more comfortable floor-to-floor height for wood-frame housing than 10′-0″ is. If there are ground-floor residential units, it’s likely that they will be raised above the sidewalk, meaning that a couple of feet need to be added to the height to account for that step-up into the building. Another couple of feet need to be added for the roof, as well, since it’s always thicker than a typical floor.
Preliminary height & bulk requirements analysis for The George’s site
While thinking about the height you want for your building, be sure to check where your jurisdiction measures the top of the building to, as some will measure to the parapet while others measure to the roof surface. You’ll need to check if elevator penthouses can be excluded, and how they address sloped sites, among other things. These nuances can really make or break the yield on a site, so it’s worth spending a little extra time thinking about the limitations of a height limit and checking all the edge cases to ensure that you can get what you want on your site.
Height limit compliance diagram for The George
It’s also important not to forget that building code limits low-rise construction to 75 feet from the lowest level of fire department access to the highest occupied floor. Anything above that falls into the more expensive high-rise territory. These heights can also influence the types of material used during construction – wood can be utilized for buildings under 75 feet, while anything above that height needs to use concrete or steel.
View analyses at various heights for The George
3. Fire Access
Building code states that firetrucks must be able to get close to a building, meaning that any solid masterplan needs to account for a fire access road along one or two sides of the structure. One of the real luxuries of laying out both the lots and the adjacent roads for a project is that you can make sure that fire access works from the very beginning. There’s nothing that wipes out a site’s capacity faster than needing to run a 26-foot-wide aerial apparatus access road through it – if fire roads aren’t accounted for, it will impact the size and shape of your building.
A yield study for a different project that didn’t end up penciling out due to the fire access lane that ended up being necessary
The best way to avoid this is to coordinate with local fire authorities to ensure that they have adequate access to each site. This usually means providing a 26-foot clear road along one complete side of the building, located between 15 and 30 feet from the face of the structure. With that provided, it’s a good idea to make sure that there is a point on the lot perimeter that’s within a 150-foot path from a minimum 20-foot wide apparatus access road. Easy fire access will really open up a site and increate the ability to optimize building shape for yield and efficiency, rather than fire compliance.
4. Building Backs / Utilities
These days, utilities in California are becoming more and more demanding about getting dedicated spaces on the perimeter of buildings, while planning departments are becoming less and less permissive about allowing those dead spaces to eat up active pedestrian frontages. Creating a hierarchy of streets in your masterplan that includes de-emphasized service roads or alleys is the best way to give each regulatory agency what they want while also providing an easy place to locate all the unattractive but necessary functions like loading docks, transformers, and other utility rooms where they won’t spoil the primary frontages you’re using to create pedestrian environments that appeal to both residential and retail tenants. Placing utility infrastructure like gas alcoves, water entry points, and other industrial rooms in locations that are not prominent in the design of a space is one solution that allows for the inclusion of these necessary considerations while allowing them to be de-emphasized. Though we do our best to incorporate these significant spaces into the overall designs of buildings, it is easier and much more cost effective to ‘hide’ them when there is a backside to the building that will not be visible to the public.
The gas meter alcove at The George
Conclusion
Though translating necessary design considerations resulting from code into something that is both practical and beautiful can be extremely challenging if you don’t get a head start with coordinating all the aspects of a project, by adhering to these tips for designing winning masterplans and considering architectural components of a building earlier in a project’s lifecycle, the overall process of working on complex masterplan projects can be streamlines and made more efficient.
*EIRs, or Environmental Impact Reports, are multi-year studies done for any big project to comply with California’s Environmental Quality Act.
**TCOs in this context are Temporary Certificates of Occupancy. They’re the first permits that allow tenants to occupy units and building owners to collect rent. It marks the transition from a building being a “construction site” to becoming a site that anyone can go inside and use. Acquiring this certificate early translates to being able to open your project up to the public and collect revenue, sooner.
Six Lessons Inspired by 2024 DJC Women of Vision Honoree Mariah Kiersey
Held annually, the Daily Journal of Commerce (DJC) Women of Vision award recognizes and honors women who are shaping the built environment with their technical skill, leadership, mentoring, community involvement, and creation of opportunities for future generations of women in the industries.
Nominated by her peers, Senior Principal and Office/Retail/Community Studio Co-Leader Mariah Kiersey was selected by the DJC as an honoree for her contributions to Ankrom Moisan and the greater Portland community.
Mariah Kiersey celebrates her recognition as a Woman of Vision in Ankrom Moisan’s Portland office.
The epitome of a strong female leader, Mariah consistently demonstrates exceptional leadership, creativity, and dedication to both her craft and team. According to Murray Jenkins, Vice President of Architecture, “her ability to inspire and guide her team has significantly contributed to our firm’s success and reputation in the industry. She consistently demonstrates a commitment to excellence and a passion for mentoring others.”
However, Mariah’s contributions to our firm extend beyond her role as Co-Leader of the Office/Retail/Community studio; she is a trusted colleague and an inspiring leader who fosters an environment of innovation and inclusivity.
Within Ankrom Moisan, Mariah is “one of those rare architects who have an incredible amount of grit,” said Dave Heater, President. “This shows up in how hard she works and how much she cares about doing great work for her clients and helping those on her team learn and grow.”
One of her many contributions to the firm in this sense are the lessons she imparts – knowingly or unknowingly – to the rest of the firm. Here are six lessons on how to be an employee of vision, inspired by Mariah and her award-winning work ethic.
1. Get Involved
Mariah is a passionate advocate for community health, often volunteering her time and expertise to support local initiatives aimed at providing essential services to individuals facing mental health challenges. Her work in designing and developing behavioral health facilities reflects her deep understanding of the critical role that well-designed spaces play in supporting mental health and wellbeing.
Her involvement with the community extends beyond her professional responsibilities, as she consistently engages in various community initiatives and volunteer efforts. For example, she sponsors a local family each year around Christmas, providing the children with gifts and toys.
It’s through her community involvement that Mariah exemplifies “the qualities of a true leader who is dedicated to making a positive impact both within and beyond her professional sphere,” according to Murray Jenkins.
“Not only does she have an impressive resume of social and community volunteering,” said Alissa Brandt, Vice President of Interiors, “Mariah is someone that, both as a friend and a colleague, will jump in to assist with anything and everything that needs to be done.”
2. Help Others Through Collaboration
Mariah’s commitment to collaborating with her counterparts in Interior Design demonstrates her ability to work seamlessly across disciplines to deliver cohesive and comprehensive design solutions. Her collaborative approach has been pivotal in the successful execution of various projects, enhancing the overall quality and coherence of the firm’s work.
“She will always be there to provide support, guidance, and to honestly jump in and get her hands dirty, taking on any portion of work that needs to be done,” said Alissa Brandt. “Mariah doesn’t ask why. She just asks, ‘How can I help you?’ She treats every ask for help as an opportunity to make us better.”
Her contributions have not only strengthened Ankrom Moisan’s project portfolio but have also played a crucial role in shaping the firm’s culture and values. Her leadership, vision, and collaborative spirit continue to inspire and drive the success of our organization.
3. Set Clear Expectations
One of the notable changes Mariah’s led is the implementation of rigorous project management practices. She has established a culture of excellence by setting clear expectations and standards for design delivery.
“Mariah’s leadership in this area has significantly improved the firm’s project outcomes and client satisfaction,” said Murray Jenkins. “Her meticulous approach ensures that projects are not only completed on time and within budget, but also meet high-quality standards.”
Through her dedication to high standards and her unwavering support for her colleagues, Mariah’s inspired a culture of excellence and continuous improvement at Ankrom Moisan.
4. Participate in Mentorship Opportunities
Mariah consistently gives her time to both local charities and young professionals as a mentor. Her contributions have significantly impacted her colleagues, mentees, and the industry as a whole.
She’s a role model for young professionals in the industry, regularly volunteering her time to provide guidance, support, and professional development opportunities to aspiring architects and designers. She participates in career days, workshops, and mentorship programs, highlighting her commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive industry.
Her mentorship has helped many individuals navigate their careers and develop their skills, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth within the firm, resulting in herself being seen as a “go to person at all levels of Ankrom Moisan,” according to Rachel Fazio, Vice President of People.
Within the Office/Retail/Community Studio, she mentors her team members, keeping in mind both the mentoring that she got as a young professional, as well as the mentoring that she wishes she received.
“As a female leader in the firm, Mariah seizes every opportunity to assist emerging professionals, both within the office and beyond,” said Michael Great, Design Director of Architecture. “This dedication is demonstrated by her volunteer work with AFO’s Architects in Schools program and her role as a guest reviewer and contributor at the University of Oregon. She is always willing to share her time and expertise to advance the profession.”
Through these mentoring and leadership efforts, Mariah continues to shape the future of architecture, fostering an environment of innovation, inclusivity, and excellence.
5. Don’t Back Down From a Challenge
According to Dave Heater, Mariah became a team leader “at a young age due to her success at managing some of the most challenging projects for the firm.” Embracing this role with enthusiasm and determination, she was able to foster an inclusive and innovative environment within the Office/Retail/Community studio.
“Mariah has volunteered endlessly at Ankrom Moisan to take on challenges and navigate them back towards success,” said Alissa Brandt. “She steps in to lead teams, clients, and projects.”
In 2021, during a particularly challenging time when the Healthcare studio leader left the firm, Mariah took on additional responsibility as the interim leader of the Healthcare team. She knew that this was a huge lift and that the team/firm needed a large amount of her time to navigate the transition, but she took the challenge on with grace.
“Mariah never alluded to the fact that this was an enormous task,” said Alissa Brandt. “She stepped up and took charge, leading with grace and poise, keeping the entire team moving forward. Without her leadership and commitment, we may not have been able to maintain this extremely important studio in our firm.”
“She consistently goes above and beyond on every project and in every situation,” said Michael Great. “Mariah’s leadership, tenacity, and extensive experience has earned her the respect and admiration of many both inside and outside of Ankrom Moisan. Her unwavering commitment and dedication every day inspires all of us to do better and bring our full selves to every project.”
6. Hold Yourself and Others Accountable
Mariah’s leadership has had a lasting impact on the firm’s operations and has set a benchmark for future leaders to aspire to. Her ability to hold her project managers accountable has instilled a sense of responsibility and ownership across the team. She encourages open communication and transparency, allowing for proactive problem-solving and continuous improvement.
This accountability framework has not only enhanced project performance, but also built a culture of trust and mutual respect within the team.
She’s been instrumental in driving significant changes within the firm, particularly through her rigor in project management and her ability to coach, mentor, and hold her project managers accountable to high standards.
“She created this accountability revolution well before we had studios,” said Dave Heater. “Mariah began tracking key financial metrics on her own to show her team how they were performing. Her efforts are now being replicated at a firm level.”
Mariah at the base of the stairs in Ankrom Moisan’s Portland office.
Congratulations, Mariah, on your recognition as one of 2024’s Women of Vision! You are a role model to the firm, embodying how to make deeper connections and be a better person to work with daily. We are all lucky to call you a coworker.