Seattle-based architecture and design firm MG2 promoted Shannon Suess, Terry Odle and Mai-Lee Lam to the roles of principal. Suess is an interior and hospitality designer in the Seattle office, Odle is an architect and designer in the firm’s Irvine, Calif., office and Lam is an architect and designer in the Seattle office.
The effects of the pandemic have changed how developers are executing their plans for residential buildings: from adding video doorbells and new package systems to building bigger living spaces and home offices.
“It’s not just about the architecture anymore. You could design a nice space, the lobby could be fantastic, but what extras does it have?” MG2 Design associate principal Victor Malerba Jr. said at Bisnow’s Tri-State Annual Multifamily Conference last week. “What’s the extra sauce?”
Apex at CityPlace, Overland Park, Kan., spans 693,000 sf in 13 buildings, including two office buildings, 18,000 sf of retail, and 366 luxury apartments and penthouse units with gourmet kitchens, quartz countertops, deep soaking tubs, and covered balconies and patios.
Soaring rents across the country have kept the outlook for multifamily owners bright, but they could soon become a double-edged sword as politicians sharpen their focus on housing affordability and are increasingly proposing regulations that would cap rent growth.
As one of the first 20 employees to join MG2, Smith quickly rose from project manager to CEO and chairman of the board by honing the craft of architecture. He perfectly balances delivery excellence with a design mindset, driving kinetic transformation long into the future.
“You can’t wait for a specific opportunity to arise to develop your staff,” Smith says. “You have to continually invest in and provide opportunities.”
Perpetually guided by our vision to create transformative experiences that elevate everyday life, MG2 celebrated its fifty-year anniversary of delivering award-winning architecture and design projects across the globe.
In 2021, MG2 celebrated five decades of success. And true to our humble nature, we marked the occasion without much public fanfare. With the world still partially in lockdown, it was a challenge to truly celebrate how we’d originally intended. But the lavish parties we’d envisioned soon gave way to a whole host of virtual storytelling and celebratory experiences that were just as heartfelt and inclusive. And, in a way, it was more meaningful than we could have ever expected.
With everyone’s attention focused elsewhere the last year few years, it would have been easy to let this significant milestone pass by unnoticed. Instead, we decided to mark the occasion as much as the virtual nature of 2021 allowed: by documenting the big ideas of our leaders, elevating the perspectives of our diversifying employees, and putting it all out there, rough cuts, raw emotions, and real ideas.
To commemorate, we wanted to provide the firm with something new and unexpected. We curated numerous experiences and opportunities for staff to contribute throughout the year, with those compiled into a final physical and digital “zine” to encapsulate the past 50 years and look forward to the next 50. As a group of skilled visual designers and creative writers, our Creative Services and Marketing teams were uniquely positioned to bring the firm’s story to life through in-depth interviews, thought-provoking prompts, crowd-sourced ideas, and podcast-style conversations. We illuminated our people through photography, video, editorial design, and illustration. We shot for the moon.
It was important to us that this celebration have its own personality. We wanted it to have characteristics inspired by our past, but also have a cool new slant inspired by the future we envision for ourselves. In debating whether we should celebrate our past or nod to the future, we realized, why not both? Thus our 50日 Anniversary theme of “looking both ways” was formed: by looking in the mirror and really asking, “who is MG2?” we can see the vision of our past refract into the future.
We looked past the traditional to pay homage to the innovative trajectory of our firm while honoring the grit and sheer determination our foundation is built on.
On the Creative Services team at MG2 we love round robin design. It’s a true melting pot for everyone to collaborate and put forward their ideas for iteration and improvement. We leveraged the tactic when developing our 50日 Anniversary logo: one of us started with a sketch, then passed it to the next person. They refined and then passed it on again. Rinse and repeat. Over time we started to tease out these amazing ideas that everyone had a hand in. And in the end, there’s no better feeling then when each of us looks at the final product and sees a little sliver of our original idea.
With so much incredible content to gather, we leaned into a physical format to feel like a time capsule and live on past our 50日 Anniversary. Our goal was to immortalize what this anniversary meant to employees from all experiences and perspectives, and bring it to life through something that was unique, artful, and a little rough around the edges. Something cool and fun to display on our coffee tables amongst editions of Rizzoli and Phaidon.
The zine is comprised of three chapters, each depicting a certain time period of the firm. Each chapter features a distinct design personality; from color palette and typography to creative writing and voice, we wanted each element to feel like it belonged.
When you read the first chapter, “Reflections,” you’ll feel the pride that our founder Doug Mulvanny felt when he started the firm from a small rented desk and a phone line. You’ll also observe the confident leadership transition to Jerry Lee and the impact he created on the firm and in the community. This chapter’s visual language consists of a magenta palette with coral accents and straightforward sans serif typography to pay homage to “what was.”
“Looking Both Ways” gives a more in depth look at MG2 today, and how CEO Mitch Smith found his way to the firm, climbed the ranks, and intends to lead us into the next 50 years. Among stories from employees across the firm, President Russ Hazzard talks about his “take the bull by the horns” approach. This chapter’s color palette takes influence from our focus on sustainability with pops of teal and a rich grass green. Typography comes to life through our standard typefaces, but with a twist of something new.
Finally, you end in an experimental play land, “Refractions.” As our female leadership takes center stage with CCO MJ Munsell and COO Celeste Lenon, electric colors of blue and coral erupt from the page as our typography twists and turns energetically, refracting the possibilities for our future.
The small touches really allow the zine to shine. We’ve integrated our audio and video experiences via QR codes that launch you to our “Conversations” series podcasts and video interviews with our executive team. Photo spreads are punctuated with die cut paper pieces that pace your experience and add a touch of whimsy. Gate fold timelines expand our history past, present, and untold future to create something truly interactive. Even the paper choices have been carefully selected to evolve and shift with the eras of stories they tell. And finally the zine is wrapped in one final iteration of our logo, this time dissecting it with notes and key drawings reminiscent of architectural plans.
Compiling this zine was truly a passion project for us. A predominantly virtual world made for a complex challenge to solve in celebrating MG2’s 50日 Anniversary. But our people and their stories made it worthwhile. We’re excited to bring this anthology along with us as 2022 ushers in year one of “the Next 50.” Cheers to a notable past, inspiring present, and very bright future for MG2.
This article was produced for and originally published by Bisnow.
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There’s a growing movement to change the way American communities are designed that places a greater focus on the well-being of residents. At the heart of these new communities is one thing: accessibility.
Sometimes called the 15-minute city, the design goal for these neighborhoods is to have all the necessities a person could need — from groceries to medical attention — within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from their home. According to a 2019 report titled Foot Traffic Ahead from Smart Growth America, these types of walkable developments lead to improved social mobility, economic growth, and several other factors in residents’ lives.
The team at Seattle-based architecture, design, strategy, and branding firm MG2 believes strongly in the potential of walkable developments, which is why they are focused on designing what they call healthy communities.
“Our focus goes beyond the traditional ‘live-work-play’ tenets of mixed-use developments,” MG2 principal 本吉斯 said. “We also take into account what we feel are the vital principles of ‘nourish, move and learn.’ We’re combining all of our expertise in designing everything from grocery stores to healthcare clinics to create one cohesive, walkable, healthy community.”
Gist said that for MG2, some of the key components of a healthy community include easy access to grocery stores, daycare centers, office space, healthcare facilities, parks, and mixed-income housing. The firm has spent the last few years focusing on how to take its architects’ varied experience in designing a variety of retail spaces and pivoting that toward transforming underused retail sites — like malls — into dynamic neighborhoods.
One of its most recent projects is located in Kirkland, Washington, a suburb east of Seattle. Here, MG2 and its partner Madison Development Group have taken the site of a former strip mall and are redesigning it into a 1.35M SF development called 玫瑰山. This new community, located right off the 405, will feature four mixed-use apartment/retail buildings. Each is designed with a different demographic in mind, radiating its own personality inside and out while still speaking the same design language.
Along with just over 800 apartment units, these buildings will feature retail components including a healthcare facility and a daycare center. There will also be workspaces, an outdoor party deck, and several other amenities open to all residents.
“We’ve distributed the amenities throughout the project, enticing residents to explore and get to know buildings beyond their own,” Gist said. “We’re trying to encourage a sense of community, curiosity, and movement throughout the site.”
On-premise, residents will find a 40K SF full-service grocery store, as well as a Costco just across from the site. This is especially appropriate since MG2 has designed hundreds of Costcos across the globe. Further setting the stage for the walkable community, Google finalized a purchase agreement for the nearby Lee Johnson car dealership in November, with plans to use the site to expand its Seattle footprint with new physical offices.
Gist said that up until this point, most American communities were designed with vehicles in mind. In contrast, Rose Hill is focused on creating accessible, well-lit, and artfully landscaped pedestrian walkways that make it easy for residents to walk to any building in the development. Even the main parking garage features plants and natural lighting through skylight-esque openings as it leads residents and visitors directly into the grocery store entrance.
Construction on the development is expected to begin this spring.
“玫瑰山 isn’t just for the people who will live within a 15-minute walk from its buildings,” Gist said. MG2 envisions that it will be a hub for the entire Kirkland community, which at this time mostly comprises strip malls, parking lots, low-rise buildings, and single-family neighborhoods.
He added that the nature of retail is changing, shifting the formula for malls across America. Traditional anchors with smaller shops in between no longer address consumers’ current needs, and have accelerated mall closures across the country.
“This is why we’re taking a new approach to retail development, starting with asking the question ‘How can retail encompass a community, not just retail opportunities?’” he said. “This effectively shifts us from developing ‘places to shop’ to designing sought-after destinations that feel like home.”
Reach out to Ben Gist to learn more about 玫瑰山 & the team behind the healthy community design.
There’s a growing movement to change the way American communities are designed that places a greater focus on the well-being of residents. At the heart of these new communities is one thing: accessibility.
Sometimes called the 15-minute city, the design goal for these neighborhoods is to have all the necessities a person could need — from groceries to medical attention — within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from their home. According to a 2019 report titled Foot Traffic Ahead from Smart Growth America, these types of walkable developments lead to improved social mobility, economic growth and several other factors in residents’ lives.
In the wake of yet another challenging year for our firm, our industry, and our world, we’d like to take a moment to celebrate the incredible accomplishments and achievements of our dedicated team. As we enter 2022—a journey toward both unlimited opportunities and possibilities unknown—we’re thrilled to recognize this dedication, resilience, and passion with the promotion of one hundred MG2 employees across our global offices.
Amongst our leadership, we’re excited to welcome four new Principals—Shannon Suess, Terry Odle, Mai-Lee Lam, and Mat Yeung—four new Associate Principals—Barbara Granados-Saldana, Amy Hart, Cheryl Usnick, and Ta-Ren Chyn—as well as two new Shareholders—Janelle Schneider and Jooyeol Oh.
See Terry’s promotion announcement in the Los Angeles Business Journal →
Beyond leadership, it is an honor and a privilege to nurture the careers of, recognize, and promote dozens of MG2 associates across every department, market, and level. There are no minor roles here; we would not be the firm we are today without all of our employees’ incredible talent and perseverance. We are grateful to have extraordinary individuals helping define and deliver a boundless future for MG2 and our clients, bringing your best to everything you do, and making our firm such a special place to be.
Ranked 5th in the top 100 best companies to work for in Washington state.
MG2s mantra is people make place. The 50-year-old firm has a robust DEI initiative with a five-year timeline that involves all staffers. It emphasizes sustainable design practices and invests in staff development through leadership training, coaching programs and free LinkedIn Learning courses. Staff events include happy hours, movie nights, ping-pong tournaments and Mariners games.
999 Hiawatha is a three-story, multi-family apartment complex located in an urban enclave of downtown Seattle. Hiawatha’s 20 floor plans offer residents a variety of housing needs, and the development includes in-building parking, electronic car charging stations, and ample bicycle storage to promote a new model of healthy urban living. The design maximized the site’s potential with the addition of two landscaped rooftop terraces, featuring breathtaking views of both the downtown Seattle skyline and Mt. Rainier.
Architect and AIA 2030 Founder Edward Mazria once said, “We tend to rush toward the complex when trying to solve a daunting problem, but in this case, simplicity wins. Better buildings, responsible energy use, and renewable energy choices are all we need to tackle both energy independence and climate change.”
Straightforward, responsible design has long been at the core of MG2’s strategy and philosophy, with sustainable principles and applications woven into our projects at every opportunity. Our three sustainability values—Environmental Stewardship, Purposeful Efficiency, and Restorative Measures—are a simultaneous embodiment of where our firm was the year they were defined and reflect where we want to be in the years to come. MG2 has worked to raise the bar on our designs over time, evolving to match—and where we can, exceed—sustainable certifications and benchmarks.
“We had always reviewed our specifications for opportunities to suggest sustainable products and methodologies to our clients, which when we started were just better choices from a location and ‘better for the environment’ point of view,” says Russ Hazzard, President of MG2.
“Today, those sustainable vendor and materials recommendations aren’t just convenience, they’re a fundamental part of our DNA and design process. As a result, clients who once might not have been open to alternatives are looking to us as experts and advocates, armed with the right solution to set them on a path toward a more sustainable future.”
As architects and designers of built environments, the implications of everything we do, of every project we take on, are unmistakable. AIA’s 2030 Challenge outlines two specific goals that pledge firms must strive toward:
“Greenhouse gas emissions reduction is the challenge of the century for the entire industry.” states Johnny Klemke, Building Performance Analyst at MG2, “How do we keep building more and more while producing less and less impact in the natural environment? That’s the question we’re taking on at MG2. By helping teams come up with more efficient, less carbon-intensive solutions for their designs, we’re also showing clients that sustainability doesn’t need to be a cost burden on the project.”
By helping teams come up with more efficient, less carbon-intensive solutions for their designs, we’re showing clients that sustainability doesn’t need to be a cost burden.
Johnny Klemke, Building Performance Analyst
“Our greatest hurdle is bringing the industry along with us,” says Jon Guerechit, a designer at MG2 helping to lead our operating energy initiative, “One benefit is that indisputable data makes it easier to convince clients that a cost-saving measure can also serve the environment. But the numbers aren’t always in our favor. Embracing the mindset of being a steward of the environment is harder because it forces stakeholders to think differently and invest in the distant future. It’s a mentality we’re pushing for across the board.”
Today, as we continue to evaluate and evolve our firm’s sustainability action plan, we’re committed to going above and beyond the goals outlined by AIA’s 2030 challenge by adding two more of our own:
From improving indoor air quality to reducing construction waste, the materials our architects and designers specify matter. Our choices represent an enormous opportunity to enhance the health of the planet and the people who live on it.
In addition to becoming proud signatories of the AIA Materials Pledge, MG2 has created our own rigorous Materials Evaluation System. Using a stoplight structure, our specialists analyze and rank every vendor, product, and material we use, to ensure that where and whenever possible, we’re adhering to the highest attainable sustainability standards for a better future.
PCC社区超市—the largest grocery co-op in the United States—has partnered with MG2 for years on their journey to better their store’s materials and target LBC Petal Certification. In its Ballard location, the first grocery store in the world to be certified, over 40% of the materials—just shy of $1.4M—were sustainably sourced, with 9.2% of those derived from within 100 miles. Additionally, 100% of the store’s wood is FSC certified, with 10% of the elements reclaimed or reused.
“There is a misconception that we need to pursue green building certification to push for sustainable materials, or that we must only use sustainabile materials to make a difference in the world. Neither of these are true.”
Candon Michelle Murphy, Materials Specialist
With MG2’s data-driven materials system comes a deep reservoir of knowledge and insight, but continuous education to overcome misconceptions and help our clients and partners understand the financial and environmental investment is still critical.
“The largest challenge around the selection of sustainable materials is the misunderstanding of what costs are associated with it.” mentions Candon Michelle Murphy, MG2’s Materials Librarian, “It is true that there are specific material categories on the market that represent a high cost add if the sustainable selection is desired, but there are quite a few categories where there is no or nominal fee add to make a far more environmentally-sound final installation.
“There is also a misconception that we need to pursue a green building certification to push for sustainable and healthy materials, or that we must only put in sustainable materials to make a difference in the world. Neither of these is true, however: any selection that supplies a reduction of embodied carbon, lesser the amount of VOCs put into interior spaces, and provides for reclamation of materials or diversion from landfills still makes a difference.”
Water is one of the earth’s most precious resources. While many of us take fresh, clean water for granted in our day-to-day lives, architects who create built environments in areas where this resource is not so abundant continually have its preservation, reduction, and recyclability top-of-mind.
MG2’s water conservation goal—our fourth and possibly most ambitious sustainability initiative—is to reduce indoor water use in appliances such as toilets and faucets by 30% to 45% and to reduce potable outdoor water consumption in landscaping and irrigation by 50% in every single one of our projects by the end of 2030.
“Among dozens of reasons, a reduction of water in our projects is important because it can lower water withdrawals from local water sources,” states Maribel Barba, designer and co-lead of MG2’s water conservation goals, “allowing us to better harmonize with the local environment, increase water availability for all, and improve community relations.”
While our water conservation goals may be new to many of MG2’s clients, some have been pioneering innovative technologies and water reduction tactics in their build environments for years. For example, longtime partner Costco has been working with MG2 on implementing water solutions programming into its warehouses throughout Mexico and the Southwest US for years, an initiative that awards them a 20% annual water savings.
The wholesaler giant recently took an even more significant leap into the future of water conservation with its Costco Santa Fe store. Complete with a one-of-a-kind green roof that acts as a natural extension of Parque La Mexicana, the Santa Fe location was designed with numerous water-saving technologies, including toilets and landscape irrigation that utilize recycled water and a stormwater collection system in the Parque lake. Restroom fixtures were also installed with 50% less water demand, according to baseline.
“Even when water conservation processes have been implemented for several years, I think it is still being a challenge for firms to sell this idea to some partners.” says Christian Razo, designer and co-lead of MG2’s water conservation goals, “Many do not realize how much water you can save, or even the consequences of not saving water. We do our best to educate every one of our clients on the rewards of implementing these processes, including the satisfaction of knowing that what you’re doing is helping future generations.”
We’ve come a long way in our sustainable design practices and are immensely proud of the benchmarks many of our projects and partnerships have achieved. But the reality is, MG2 is just getting started.
“When we set out to create MG2’s formal framework for sustainability, we knew it needed to resonate with all staff and be embedded in the culture of the firm.” says Mark Taylor, MG2’s Sustainability Lead, “Our data-driven approach speaks directly to the results-oriented nature of the firm and will be the backbone of our success as we continue on our journey.”
Learn more about our above-and-beyond commitment to the future of our planet in our AIA 2030 Commitment Sustainability Action Plan, or by reaching out to our sustainability team.
Victor brings over 20 years of experience marked by prestigious accreditations, including NCARB, AIA, and LEED GA, bringing invaluable communication skills and an unwavering passion for design. From concept to completion, Victor empowers a unique perspective of focusing on the big picture while ensuring no details are overlooked.
With specialties ranging from mixed-use complexes and multi-family residential to hospitality and healthcare experiences, Victor is LEED GA accredited and continually views the design of each project through a future-centric lens. His real-time experience on all phases of projects—from concept through construction— further grants him a unique perspective of focusing on the big picture while still ensuring no details are overlooked.
When he’s not leading project teams to produce precise 3D models or overseeing the design and management of new experiences, you’ll find Victor soaking in the abundant inspiration of New York City streets, watching his son play baseball, or painting with his daughter.
This article was originally published on i+s on October 8, 2021.
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With the ongoing conversation around cleanliness in our built environments, there has been a large push to add anything available to inhibit the spread of viruses. “Antimicrobial” is seemingly a buzzword as of late, and you may have been questioned by your clients about what is available on the market that possesses these types of properties.
Let’s break down what you should be looking out for and what you should be wary of when it comes to doing your part as a designer around health in the built environment.
There are two ways a product can be antimicrobial. First, we have products that are inherently antimicrobial, which means that their surface does not foster the growth of bacteria. You may have heard of copper having this property, which is unusual in this category due to the unique oxidizing process which actually kills bacteria. But for most products, this means that the surface of their product in so smooth and non-porous that there is no opportunity for the bacteria to grow.
The second way a product can be defined as antimicrobial is with certain classes of chemicals integrated into the product or added on to a product as a coating. Although these products have been available on the market for many years, the advertising of them and the explosion of new products with these properties available has intensified over the pandemic.
Despite the availability of these products, there has been much concern in the scientific community around these for nearly 20 years. After a study, the CDC said in 2003, “There is no evidence that antimicrobials in products prevent disease in hospital settings.” Additionally, a study in 2016 noted the “FDA banned 19 antimicrobial ingredients, including triclosan and triclocarban, in over-the-counter consumer antiseptic wash products based on insufficient evidence demonstrating their safety for long-term daily use and that they reduce the spread of illness and infection.” Despite the ban on this particular product category, many of these chemicals are still overwhelmingly used with similar claims in other products.
But there is a deeper concern here aside from the false advertising of these claims: there is quite a bit of proof available to show that antimicrobials are not only ineffective but the chemicals that are used in these products provide far more harm than good.
[Related: How to Specify Cleanable Surfaces for Healthcare]
In December 2015, citing the concern for exposure to toxic chemicals and threat of drug-resistant bacteria, the health giant Kaiser Permanente banned the use of “15 specific antimicrobial chemicals to ban from its hospitals and other buildings because they can be toxic to both people and the environment.” Shortly after, a consortium of over 200 scientists and medical professionals released The Florence Statement, which details out a wide variety of concerns about these chemicals including but not limited to their properties of being toxic, bioaccumulation, and persistent.
It has shown that specifically triclosan and triclocarban, which are the most common antimicrobial agents, are carcinogenic and endocrine disruptors in both human and animal tests. In addition, neither of these chemicals break down over time and have been detected in urine, breast milk, and sea life worldwide. Other commonly used antimicrobial chemicals contribute to microbial resistance, are known allergens and skin irritants, and provide adverse respiratory, nervous system, immunological, reproductive, and developmental effects.
Many manufacturers of products will assure you that their additives of antimicrobial properties will not harm the environment or the humans occupying the space. But the truth is that coatings will eventually wear off, in the air or on someone’s skin; products will chip and turn into airborne pollutants; items will ultimately end their life in a landfill and leach into the surrounding ecosystem.
Despite all the evidence supporting the avoidance of these additives, we still have many clients and owners requesting these products. Because it is our role as designers to provide the best solutions possible, we should take responsibility for advocating against harm in the built environment while still supporting health. Here are some ways you can speak with your client about antimicrobials and alternate solutions.
1. Educate yourself, your colleagues, and your clients on the harmful effects of antimicrobial chemicals. The Green Science Policy Institute has many resources to help you understand and provide information to others. Listen to the client’s preferences but offer them the information to make an informed decision.
2. There are some antimicrobial products that do not contain chemicals of concern. Be sure to ask questions about what exactly the antimicrobial properties are and cross-reference with available information from verified sources. Create a list of these products to bring to your clients as alternate solutions.
3. Understand the cleaning procedures of your clients and select finishes that support a high level of cleanability. Be ready with cutsheets to support how to clean the items.
4. Think like a healthcare designer and implement highly cleanable design into every space. Consider detailing out inside corners that could be breeding grounds or incorporate bleach-cleanable textiles. Focus on making a space easy to clean rather than relying on something that may or may not work.
5. Most importantly, build your knowledge of those inherently antimicrobial materials we touched on earlier. There are more available than you might realize, and here is a short but certainly not exhaustive list to get you started:
Truthfully, the fact of this virus and others that we will face in our lifetime is that there is no magic solution to provide a bacteria and virus-free space. The most effective way to fight the spread of germs is through caution, mitigating exposure through all means available, and proper cleaning and disinfecting.
In an effort to revitalize a 1938 Sears building and reinvigorate a historic Chicago shopping district, Novak Development has partnered with MG2 as their design architect to bring to life an innovative mixed-use project complete with 200 residential units, over 50,000 s/f of retail, and 300 parking spaces.
MG2’s cross-market expertise spanning multi-family and mixed-use built environments grants our team the ability to create a holistic, inviting community experience. Simultaneously, our decades-long relationships with some of the world’s top retail brands and intimate knowledge of their programs and operations allow us to engage our portfolio of partners, bringing Target in on the ground floor—literally and figuratively— to create a truly unique experience for the residents of Chicago.
6 Corners Lofts mixed-use development provides the opportunity to create an architectural transformation that connects past and present and sets the tone for the future of the neighborhood.
“Six Corners was once the second-busiest shopping center aside from downtown area,” says Richard Fahy in a recent article by Block Club Chicago. He is a representative for Operating Engineers Local 150 and a longtime Northwest Side resident, “This site has the potential in playing a vital role in transforming our community and give our local economy a boost that is long overdue.”
The existing 1932 building serves as a historic backbone and foundation from which we can build a new and meaningful story for the neighborhood, residents, and visitors. The revitalization of 6 Corners Lofts is an opportunity to design a destination-worthy experience for the area. Our design—an iconic juxtaposition of Art Deco with cutting-edge technology—honors the historic nature of the site while simultaneously infusing new energy and life to the community it serves.
City planners, fulfilling long-time wishes of Northwest Side residents, are backing the redevelopment of the former Sears store at Six Corners in Portage Park.
The building at the northeast corner of Irving Park Road and Cicero Avenue would be renovated with new Art Deco touches and accommodate 207 residences. Plans on file with the city show the building would get a rooftop addition that would make it six stories tall.
Neighbors of the proposed Six Corners Sears redevelopment largely applauded the project at a virtual public meeting Thursday, but some raised concern over the lack of affordable housing, among other things.
费尔蒙奥林匹克酒店（Fairmont Olympic）最初于1924年开放，是西雅图最古老，历史最悠久的建筑之一。作为纽约市的主要酒店经营者和国家历史古迹注册机构的成员，它接待了从约翰·列侬（John Lennon）到特迪·罗斯福（Teddy Roosevelt）总统等数十位精英。
当费尔蒙奥林匹克（Fairmont Olympic）着手进行一项旨在将现代优雅与经典永恒融合在一起的修复项目时，他们知道他们需要一支具有深刻理解力的团队，并努力保持空间的每一英寸遗产，细节和遗产，同时保持高雅品味。提升他们已经完善的经验。
With two design teams hand-selected from Boston and Barcelona, MG2 was brought on as the project’s Executive Architect, appointed to orchestrate the delicate restoration program and oversee the handling of code enforcement, city processes, design reviews, execution, and final delivery.
MG2在浏览ADA法规的同时，还保留了复古饰面，固定装置，地板和木制品的完整性，并由三个设计团队，总承包商和众多城市利益相关者进行了全球统一的协作。
在整个项目中，MG2在响应和应对现场挑战方面发挥了关键作用，为几个复杂的细节提供了选项和设计解决方案，这些细节共同作用以提高期望结果的特征和完整性。
善意的恢复
我们团队在主大厅的探索揭开了原始的华丽石灰华地板的面纱。由于有可能成为该空间的亮点，我们建议对其进行保存和恢复其原有的荣耀，并采取其他措施，通过现代的修补工艺来确保ADA的合规性，从而减少滑倒的危险。
费尔蒙奥林匹克酒店（Fairmont Olympic Hotel）是一个复杂的迷宫，由许多楼层和夹层楼组成，在项目开始时，以后的客人和访客都不容易到达。
MG2采用创新的解决方案，精心设计了全新的ADA升降机和坡道，以补充新的和历史的特征，提供无缝的可访问性，而不会增加对环境的负面影响。
为将来的回忆打下基础
大楼梯的设计经过了改进，旨在为现有的水磨石注入新的生命。 Fairmont有了一个附加功能，那就是机会：不再只是楼梯，上升已经成为一种存在，一个Instagram时刻，也是故事的一部分。
最后，我们的设计师花了几个月的时间在整个酒店中研究和研究遗留物，他们提供了替代性的设计细节，以翻新和维护整个空间中现有的历史悠久的栏杆。我们的目的是保留与工匠合作时已经存在的东西，为原始的栏杆增加复杂的细节和新的生活。
每个方面都齐心协力，并与两家合作伙伴公司带来的惊人室内设计以及我们的施工团队带来的精确度结合在一起。经过精心设计的联盟产生了令人惊叹的翻新设计，既反映了历史文化又反映了现代社区，这为费尔蒙奥林匹克运动会带来了一个新时代，尽管它仍然深陷历史，却散发出现代奢华气息。
The Fairmont Olympic was recently named a finalist in NAIOP’s 2021 Night of the Stars for “Historic Renovation of the Year”, as well as a finalist in GRAY Magazine’s 2021 Design Awards for “Interior Design”.
在2017年，MG2探索了一个问题，``你想如何生活？''西雅图设计节主办的公共安装互动设计。我们收集的数据具有启发性，但是关键信息集中在个人而非社区上。
今年，我们问了西雅图设计节的参与者，``我们要如何生活？''，这是由2020年发生的巨大社会和经济变化所驱动的。
使我们的问题得到回答的唯一方法是问真实的人。
尽管今年充满挑战，但它也为MG2提供了一个强大的机会，可以从我们的国家社区中收集见识，为未来的设计决策提供关注，这些决策着重于物理空间，文化影响和人们的福祉。
我们采用了以人为本的方法来提出问题，并进行了调查以收集数据。目的是探索我们作为一个集体社会如何希望前进。
为了将宜人的目的地带到Bellevue的市区走廊，MG2与该城市合作设计，建造并实现了Wilburton Village South。与“俄罗斯方块的城市规模”相比，该建筑群经过精心策划，每个零售商铺和店面都经过完全定制，可以满足该品牌的需求。
与相邻的North项目一起，Wilburton Village South将为社区提供各种服务，包括医疗，餐馆，银行，杂货店，娱乐，休闲，体育用品和家居摆设。该广场设有充足的户外座位和喷泉，此外还提供动态照明，可适应不断变化的心情和季节。令人叹为观止的玻璃幕墙将顾客欢迎到中心，而雨棚覆盖的人行道可保护行人。
项目团队能够巧妙地使用网站的版式来满足设计的要求，从而为该综合大楼创建了多个入口点（例如，在四楼），否则消费者可能不敢冒险。
旨在同时保持品牌体验和卓越运营的设计，MG2能够掩盖客户从未见过的所有内部性能要求。从PCC装货场的杂货卡车到Target的数百辆汽车停车场，再到Virginia Mason的MRI机器的非凡要求，都可以满足所有细节。
通过对社区健康和未来发展的前瞻性和阶段性方法，未来的行人和自行车桥将与附近即将进行的轨道交通项目连接。该解决方案提供了前往Wilburton Village South和周围综合大楼的步行通道。
对于酒店业而言，全球大流行的情感，身体和心理影响可能会支撑已经在上升的旅行趋势：亲生于自然的亲生设计，丰富的文化体验以及促进身心健康的环境，健康。但是，对于着眼于下一步的品牌来说，有很多难题必须结合在一起，以使客人真正感到再次旅行感到舒适。
采用“一次一天”的思想，改变和适应空间以适应当今气候的能力将至关重要。在可预见的未来，在我们自己地区之外进行冒险活动仍然很困难，旅行者将转而寻找独特的本地目的地。他们将吸引到可以灵活扩展或迅速改变规模的戏剧性接待空间。从多功能，宽敞的区域轻松流向个人私人庇护所的能力至关重要。
这种才能的灵活性将让位给新的混合空间，让酒店和度假村可以整合，重新构想并对其产品进行深度个性化。同时，客人将有机会在白天的不同时间段中发现新的体验：早上提供外带早餐服务的酒吧可让您在下午使用开放式休息室或共享空间。通过旋转“双重用途”空间，主机自然减少了占地面积，并为清洁和消毒空间创造了自然时间。
将技术集成到接待体验中是一件易事：随着电子技术的迅猛发展，昂贵的硬件升级通常在实施后的几个月内就已过时。进入充满老化技术的房间，可能会在视觉上明显提醒人们有多少人触摸过这些设备。与其让技术妨碍我们的放松体验，不如利用技术巧妙地支持客人舒适和安全？
支持这种体验的全包票可能是许多人无法缺少的一种设备。随后，这是我们熟悉，舒适且最重要的是安全使用的智能手机：我们的智能手机。集成了微妙的推送通知-例如，确认房间的每日定时清洁，当房间清洁服务有余时，以及当他们腾出空间时，就有机会设定并持续保持客人的心情舒畅。
同时，为访问者提供一种熟悉的“非接触式”媒体，通过该媒体可以提出请求，从而使用户获得更舒适的体验，从而打开了无限的可能。客人可以使用手机订购客房服务，索取额外的毛巾，在游泳池旁，酒吧或共用工作间内预留一个远离社交的座位。这个清单不胜枚举。而且，来宾使用这些数字服务的次数越多，他们的数字档案就越深入，从而通过安全而个性化的触摸使忠诚度计划更具吸引力。
但是，这里有一把双刃剑：设计师不能过分依赖技术来替代或完全替代社交。人类渴望彼此之间的身体联系，如果我们愿意的话，热情好客的经验仍然需要为我们提供踏上这一旅程的选择。
毫不奇怪，由于过去几个月我们被困在室内，我们的身体天生就被重新认识大自然的想法所吸引。不仅是为了获得新鲜的空气和阳光，而且还只是为了接近自然而为我们提供的基本治疗性能。通过采用亲生物设计的概念，我们将自然而不是合成作为首要主题，以人类目前渴望全世界的社会心理福祉为基础。在室内无缝过渡户外体验的自然调色板会在室内营造持续的平静感。整个过程中都添加了植物，净化了空气，并带来了放松的感觉。消除混乱以显示干净的线条，空白区域，并唤起“少即是奢”的心态。室内设计正在见证这些原汁原味，“原始”和“不完美”的材料的回归。在这种材料中，制造商的手是可见的，它们有助于我们感觉更扎根，并增强了地方感。
房东在展望未来时必须问自己一个问题：“我该如何设计自己的体验产品以减少焦虑并让客人更自然地放松呢？”以马斯洛的需求层次为指导，我们有机会从整体上安慰客人。放心，平静的心态的关键不是简单地将所有东西都涂在铜上。设计师将需要深思熟虑地扩展和深入，以提供超越表面的安全感和舒适感。
毫无疑问，我们最想念的事情之一就是能够外出就餐并与朋友和家人共度时光。我们不仅渴望精力和社交活动，还渴望与体验本身联系在一起的相似感。
尽管该行业的传统餐饮服务受到打击，但消费者对餐饮业的需求比以往任何时候都高：餐饮和鸡尾酒套件，用于郊游的野餐篮，方便的路边接送，可靠的客房服务，快速安全的居所交货。
有充分的机会来适应现有的客房服务和餐饮经验，预计不仅会复苏，而且对美食品质的要求也将提高。而且，随着人们对安全性和便利性的重新关注，在餐厅或大厅提供了即取即用的非接触式选择，可以通过数字方式将其收取到自己的房间中，从而开辟了新的收入和差异化途径。
更加着重于在客人仍然感到安全的私人房间之外寻找空间，餐厅如何通过带来积极而令人难忘的时刻来利用外卖的增加？建立可供客人退居的地方，供其独自野餐或喝咖啡；改造房间，以便更好地在夜间舒适用餐；主持人有机会让客人写下自己的舒适程度定义的故事，而设计师则有机会实现这一旅程。
随着提供款待体验的品牌和场所展望未来，这将不再是创建过去已知的妥协版本，而是巧妙地设计和战略实施各层以更轻松地适应未知因素那摆在我们面前。
在过去的一个世纪中，对机械制造完美的渴望显而易见。如今，随着我们努力与自然融洽相处，以治愈我们的身体和心灵，拥有原始边缘，材料和调色板的完美瑕疵的房东，并提供室内和室外可变空间，可以帮助客人踏上旅途，保持基本的安全感和舒适感。
除非他们感到安全，否则人们不会感到旅行舒适。那些创造出个性化，动态，令人难忘的空间的客人将脱颖而出，这些空间不仅可以让客人逃脱，而且可以全神贯注于身心恢复。毕竟，那不是假期吗？
由Mercy Housing与Urban Impact合作开发的Emerald City Commons旨在满足低收入家庭的需求而又不影响质量或功能。特别针对有孩子的家庭，精心布置了居住单元，使较大的三居室单元从建筑物向外延伸，以提供自然通风，并为父母提供180度的视野，供父母观看孩子在室外公共场所玩耍。
考虑到这些家庭的需求，MG2的设计结合了一系列具有成本效益的绿色功能，例如低VOC涂料和可减少过敏原的饰面材料。安全的停车场和入口，健身中心，计算机中心，以及用于社交和娱乐活动的大型公共区域，可以营造一种支持感，健康感和家庭感，从而创建一个真正的社区。
Suzhou Sunny World International Apartments offers 50 floors of modern luxury for its global resident population. As the second phase of Sunny World City – a massive multi-building development in a growing CBD anchored by a Shangri-La Hotel – MG2 designed the project to maximize program areas without compromising on quality.
住宅塔楼具有玻璃幕墙系统，可提供采光，并使用可操作的窗户以提供卓越的舒适度和环境控制。每个住宅单元和顶层公寓都利用美丽的城市景观，每个房间都设有大窗户。
为了提供既豪华又方便的体验，大楼的讲台包括一个大型宴会厅，日托，商务和娱乐中心，健身中心以及私人俱乐部，这些都将开发区确定为该地区的首选住所。
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