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.
Walls that move. Display racks and tables that can be reconfigured. How agility is becoming critical in store design today.
本文最初由以下机构制作并发表 比斯诺.
__________
有越来越多的人呼吁改变美国社区的设计方式，更加注重居民的福祉。这些新社区的核心在于：便捷通达。
有时被称为 15分钟城市， 这些社区的设计目标是，人们所需的一切生活必需品——从食品杂货到医疗服务——都能在步行或骑自行车15分钟内到达家。根据2019年一份题为“ 前方有行人 据 Smart Growth America 称，这些类型的步行开发项目可以提高社会流动性、促进经济增长，并改善居民生活的其他几个方面。
西雅图建筑、设计、战略和品牌公司的团队 MG2 他们坚信步行开发项目的潜力，因此他们专注于设计所谓的 健康社区.
MG2 负责人表示：“我们的重点超越了混合用途开发项目的传统‘生活-工作-娱乐’原则。” 本吉斯 说道。“我们还考虑到我们认为至关重要的‘滋养、运动和学习’原则。我们将整合我们在设计从杂货店到医疗诊所等各个方面的专业知识，打造一个具有凝聚力、适宜步行、健康的社区。”
吉斯特表示，对于 MG2 而言，健康社区的一些关键要素包括便捷的交通，包括便利的杂货店、日托中心、办公空间、医疗设施、公园和混合收入住房。过去几年，该公司一直致力于利用其建筑师在设计各种零售空间方面的丰富经验，将购物中心等未得到充分利用的零售场所改造成充满活力的社区。
其最新项目之一位于华盛顿州柯克兰，西雅图以东的郊区。MG2 及其合作伙伴 麦迪逊发展集团 已将前购物中心的旧址重新设计成一个占地 135 万平方英尺的开发项目，名为 玫瑰山这个新社区紧邻405公路，将包含四栋混合用途的公寓/零售建筑。每栋建筑的设计都充分考虑了不同的人群，内外都散发着独特的个性，但又不失相同的设计语言。
这些建筑除了拥有800多套公寓单元外，还将配备零售设施，包括医疗保健设施和日托中心。此外，还将设有办公空间、户外派对平台以及其他一些向所有居民开放的便利设施。
“我们在整个项目中分布了各种便利设施，吸引居民探索和了解他们居住地以外的建筑，”吉斯特说。“我们努力在整个场地营造一种社区感、好奇心和活力。”
小区内，居民可以找到一家4万平方英尺的全方位服务杂货店，以及一家位于小区对面的Costco超市。这尤其合适，因为 MG2 已在全球设计了数百家 Costco为了进一步打造步行社区，谷歌于 11 月敲定了附近 Lee Johnson 汽车经销店的购买协议，计划利用该地块设立新的实体办公室，扩大其在西雅图的业务范围。
吉斯特表示，在此之前，大多数美国社区的设计都以车辆为中心。相比之下，玫瑰山社区则专注于打造通行便利、光线充足、景观优美的步行道，方便居民轻松步行前往社区内的任何建筑。就连主停车场也种植了绿植，并通过类似天窗的开口引入自然采光，引导居民和访客直接进入杂货店入口。
该开发项目预计将于今年春天开工。
“玫瑰山 “它不仅仅面向那些距离其建筑步行15分钟以内的居民，”吉斯特说道。MG2 的愿景是成为整个柯克兰社区的中心，目前该社区主要由商业街、停车场、低层建筑和独户住宅社区组成。
他补充说，零售业的本质正在发生变化，改变了美国各地购物中心的模式。传统的主力店和小型商店已无法满足消费者当前的需求，并加速了全国各地购物中心的关闭。
“正因如此，我们才采取了全新的零售开发方式，首先要思考‘零售如何才能覆盖整个社区，而不仅仅是零售机会？’”他说道，“这有效地将我们从开发‘购物场所’转变为设计令人向往、宾至如归的目的地。”
联系 Ben Gist 了解更多信息 玫瑰山 以及健康社区设计背后的团队。
This International Women’s Day, WWD’s Fairchild Studio teamed up with Berns Communications Group to spotlight 25 women who represent inspirational leaders in business.
These women have not only overcome challenges and faced the glass ceiling head-on but have fostered space within the fashion, apparel and retail industry for future women leaders to grow — even taking the time to give other women a helping hand.
Here, WWD hears more from these extraordinary women on challenges they see in the industry, the opportunities for young women in business and advice they would give their younger selves.
Irvine, California is well-known for its beautiful parks, friendly residents, low crime rate, and excellent educational system. With its population expected to grow further, this California city is bound to become an even more popular place to live and do business.
If you want to open a retail business in this lovely city, the list below includes the best contractors in the area. The firms were chosen based on history, reviews, and awards.
Hosted by retail strategist Melissa Gonzalez, Retail Refined is designed for retail leaders and retail lovers alike. The Retail Refined podcast explores the in-store technology of the future, challenge the industry’s preconceived notions, and sit down with retail’s biggest names to understand the brand strategies that will define the next decade in retail. Guests to date have included Intel, Salesforce, eShopWorld, Impinj and more.
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.
This post was originally written for & published by The Lionesque Group.
__________
In late January, our team had the pleasure of attending NRF’s annual Big Show conference in New York, where I had the honor of leading a captivating panel discussion about the future of the industry. With so much changing in retail over the past two years it was a welcome opportunity to connect with brands and experts in person and hear about their innovative approaches toward keeping up with consumer expectations and demands.
Here are our top five takeaways from what’s important for retailers, brands, and designers to keep at the forefront as they bring future generations of digital and physical consumer experiences to life:
As consumers continue to evolve how they shop, blurring the point-of-sale lines across digital and physical spaces, brands need the ability to continually and fluidly advance their offering. Any instance of friction during the payment process can kill the purchase. Unearthing and implementing streamlined methods of putting payment in the hands of consumers and/or in-store associates is essential.
When it comes to in-store layouts, art meets science. We have more access to data and insights today than ever before, highlighting customer patterns, capturing interactions with store associates, and illuminating friction points. This data is vital to informing agile design strategies, which need to morph alongside the customer. Industry partnerships, like the one announced between The Lionesque Group and Pathr.AI, will be key to defining and strengthening the future of consumer/brand relationships.
To truly be successful, store associates require information to be at their fingertips, both for back-of-house and consumer-facing interactions. Instant visibility as to what’s on the floor, what’s in the back, and what’s available at another store’s location isn’t just an expectation of today’s customer, it’s necessary to embolden the prospects of a sale and fortify brand loyalty.
Consistent with The Lionesque Group’s recent industry survey findings, every moment a store associate has real-time visibility into the full scope of their inventory adds up to millions of dollars saved by the retailer. Using technology to empower associates with this knowledge bolsters store efficiency, optimizes productivity, and streamlines delivery performance.
Whether they’re standing in a store, browsing online, interacting with social media, or playing in the metaverse, consumers want and expect a congruent, simplified “click-to-buy” experience that’s seamless across every presence of a brand.
They’re seeking an “all-of-the-above” optionality that is as fluid as they need it to be in the moment, and this agility is critical as we think about designing the store of tomorrow. Digital integration will need to empower both store associates and the consumer to be able to move interchangeably when visiting different brick and mortar locations so they have the options, access, and efficiency they desire.
Consumers speak with their wallets, and more and more their love language is shifting toward an expectation in transparency, sincerity, and sustainable practices from the brands they support. This further includes retailers being net-positive to the environment, as well as striving for social and community equities.
The real onus, however, is on the full ecosystem coming together to truly make a difference consumers can see and resonate with. Brands and retailers need to own and optimize their supply chain, making it more accessible from a cost and candor standpoint for consumers.
One of the lessons shared by Saskia van Gendt of Rothy’s was a profound sense of understanding of the brand’s own role in the process. “If you own the supply chain,” he notes, “you can truly impact things. For example, you can set up for on-demand manufacturing so as not to leave waste.”
The metaverse—the industry’s newest buzzword—holds the promise of and capacity to meld physical retail with mixed reality experiences. However, we’re already years into this convergence of digital and brick-and-mortar, with offerings like virtual endless aisles that consumers can browse for hours, just as they might window shop in-store.
Innovative technology has, and continues to fuel the future of retail data collection and analysis, powering responsive IoT connectivity via RFID, sensors, digital displays, and products that ignite an overlay of immersive media. The digital/physical overlap will only continue to grow.
__________
Reach out to our team to learn more about how we’re helping define the future of brick-and-mortar retail for brands.
Pathr.ai, the industry’s first and only Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered Spatial Intelligence platform, announced today it has partnered with The Lionesque Group, an award-winning experiential retail strategy and design studio, and its parent company, MG2 公司, a global design and architecture firm, to bring real-time analytics to pop-up shops. Using Pathr.ai’s cutting-edge spatial intelligence technology, brands and retailers will now be empowered to utilize their pop-up store to gain actionable insights to drive business outcomes and deliver improved customer experiences.
In our constant curiosity and investigation of consumer behaviors and expectations, we utilize data insights to help uncover and validate where we can deliver true points of gratification within the customer journey. Here is a snapshot of key takeaways from our latest consumer survey. Our full deck with all our insights is available for download at the bottom of this preview.
As consumers adjust to their hybrid worlds and the merging of digital and physical deepens, we take a look how consumer behaviors, needs, and expectations impact “the role of the store.” In this survey, we investigate the utility technology plays, the inherit value it brings us and how that can inform opportunities for physical retail environments.
Kathy Kuo Home is a boutique home furnishings brand that offers modern and classic home decor for all interior design needs. With a robust and loyal online following, Kathy Kuo Home sought to create its first permanent flagship location with the assistance of MG2 / The Lionesque Group. In addition to curating in an inviting, laid-back, dog-friendly space where customers can immerse themselves in possibilities, Kathy Kuo and her team also wanted to bring their online design center, full digital catalog, and tailored consultation offering to their clients in the heart of Southampton, New York.
The resulting experience is one that perfectly embodies the brand’s high-end offerings, seamlessly weaving together the delight of in-person discovery with the ease of digital retail technology and expert design consultation.
Within just 4,000 SF of retail space, the Kathy Kuo Home flagship uses vignette scenes to feature a hand-selected assortment of the brand’s best-selling products, including indoor and outdoor furniture, décor, and lighting in a range of styles. The store also houses a design resource center for KKH designers to work one-on-one with clients in-person to design their home, and will further serve as a destination for curated events hosted in-store.
Transcending an environment that feels like Kuo’s own Hampton home, it’s an experience that successfully welcomes everyone in the space, encouraging exploration and fueling inspiration.
“Interacting with our customers has always been a top priority for the brand, and there’s no better way to do this than in person.” said Kuo in an interview with Forbes just prior to the store’s grand opening, “We’ve seen continued success through investing in our relationships by providing our high-touch services online and now will have the opportunity for continued growth. Having a physical location will allow us to connect with and serve more customers and clients than ever before, aiding in our brand mission to help as many people as possible love where they live.”
Since opening doors, Kathy Kuo Home’s flagship store has been featured in Architectural Digest, Insider Trends, Modern Luxury, and Business of Home.
It was also awarded the honor of House Beautiful’s 2021 Best Home Stores in America Right Now.
To generate awareness and sales for the first exclusive launch of Packer Shoes x Asics and Mitchell & Ness capsule collections.
Packer Shoes contracted MG2 for their 4th Pop-Up Store in NYC. With the goal of capturing U.S. Open-based media and foot traffic, MG2 secured Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Station and was the lead project management team for the #GAMESETMATCH activation.
Located at the pinnacle of passerby traveling from NYC to Arthur Ashe stadium, the 3-day pop-up captured thousands of visitors daily and was featured in major industry publications including SneakerNews, HypeBeast, Sole Collector, and more.
To promote the release of the second season of Prime Original show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, the iconic Carnegie Deli was brought back to life through a pop-up deli experience that transported visitors back to the era of the TV series, with everything from décor, to pricing, to the menu, reflecting 1950’s New York City as depicted in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, making it a fully immersive and highly photographable experience.
Tool of North America hired MG2 as their full-service partner to design and render, as well as source and manage, the production of the immersive environment for the pop-up, with a2zrestaurant as the operational partner.
The pop-up deli experience was an extraordinary success, it served 11,000 people and had a waiting list of 8,000. The pop-up garnered 280 pieces of press coverage including Buzzfeed, Forbes, Vogue, Eater, USA Today, and 10 broadcast segments, with a social media reach of 45 million.
2019 One Show Awards Finalist for Experiential Design and Indoor Spaces
Brand Awareness and education for ManiMatch the app that lets you virtually paint on nail polish. (Using augmented reality technology, the app allows you to digitally test drive over 200 different Sally Hansen shades!)
MG2 was tapped by Sally Hansen’s digital agency, CULT LDN, to be the partner production agency for the pop-up nail bar. We partnered to source the location, design 3D renderings, oversee production build, and source store staff.
Over the 3-day pop-up had over 2,500 visitors, drove over 19 million social media impressions, and was cited as a “Genius App” by Teen Vogue and “Best Way to Shop” by Mashable.
Evaluating and identifying the turnkey operational strategy in relation to data driven technology and brand curation while further solidifying goals of the overarching retail experience at the property.
MG2 worked closely with the Steiner + Associates team to ensure the turn-key program would be a success. MG2 provided guidance on needed IT infrastructure to support technology integration(s) and evaluated and ensured the design technology investments aligned with Easton Town Center customer DNA as well as met the needs of target brands and retailers. MG2 also strategized a comprehensive staffing and operational plan and consulted on the pricing structure and needed tenant amenities to establish a positive NOI.
ShopLAB is a lower risk solution for the retailers, allowing them to test their performance at Easton Town Center while they measure customer capture potential and the online halo effect of the brick-and-mortar location. The program places a strong emphasis on local Ohio brands, unique gifts and concepts, experiential retailers looking to test out the Columbus market as a future long-term investment.
When Tempo—an industry leader in the burgeoning world of home fitness—sought to expand its connection with consumers by branching out into the physical retail market, they partnered with MG2 / The Lionesque Group on a holistic approach toward the strategy, design, and build-out of new stand-alone stores.
Applying the data and learning from its partnership retail spaces, Tempo sought a retail offering that goes beyond demoing its products and services. A unique customer journey steeped in education and daily possibilities as part of the Tempo community was carefully curated, showcasing the potential for a healthier, fuller lifestyle, fueled by the strength derived from the brand’s offering. Featuring inspiration from coaches and the company’s founder himself, Tempo’s brick-and-mortar story helps consumers envision a marriage of activities in the real world—rock climbing, surfing, hiking, and more—and your wellness partner at home.
In addition to a comprehensive approach toward strategy, design, and build-out of stores, designers partnered with Tempo on an alignment of KPIs for its new retail spaces. A series of market studies helped the teams determine the right square footage and cities for pilot stores, while simultaneously partnering on and driving everything from concept development, retail strategy plan, and budget assessments, to design fit and project management.
With doors opening in Manhattan and Bellevue, Washington on time for the holiday season, Tempo is primed to properly analyze and optimize its brick-and-mortar retail strategies, while fully immersing home fitness enthusiasts in what’s possible as part of their unique community.
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.
The U.S. has seen several retailers across the country forced to close their brick-and-mortar stores amid the rise of e-commerce over the past few years. However, we are in the midst of a brick-and-mortar boom, with retailers expected to open more stores this year than they close, for the first time since 2017, according to an analysis of more than 900 chains by IHL Group, a research and advisory company. At the same time, the e-commerce businesses of retailers have become more dependent on physical stores to fulfill orders, especially during the holiday shopping season. Lionesque Group CEO Melissa Gonzalez joins Cheddar News’ Closing Bell to discuss.
建筑师兼 AIA 2030 创始人 Edward Mazria 曾说过：“当我们试图解决一个棘手的问题时，我们往往会急于求成，但在这种情况下，简单才是王道。更好的建筑、负责任的能源使用和可再生能源的选择，才是我们应对能源独立和气候变化所需的一切。”
直截了当、负责任的设计一直是 MG2 战略和理念的核心，我们始终将可持续的原则和应用融入到我们的每一个项目中。我们的三大可持续发展价值观——环境管理、目标效率和恢复性措施——既体现了公司创立之初的现状，也反映了我们未来的发展目标。MG2 一直致力于不断提升设计标准，不断改进，以达到并超越可持续认证和基准。
MG2 总裁 Russ Hazzard 表示：“我们一直在审查我们的规范，寻找机会向客户推荐可持续产品和方法，在我们刚开始时，这些只是从地点和‘对环境更好’的角度来看的更好的选择。”
如今，这些可持续供应商和材料推荐不仅带来便利，更是我们DNA和设计流程中不可或缺的一部分。因此，曾经可能不愿接受替代方案的客户如今将我们视为专家和倡导者，我们拥有合适的解决方案，能够帮助他们走上更可持续的未来之路。
作为建筑环境的建筑师和设计师，我们所做的每一件事、我们承接的每一个项目，其意义都是显而易见的。AIA 的 2030 挑战概述了承诺公司必须努力实现的两个具体目标：
“减少温室气体排放是整个行业本世纪面临的挑战。”MG2 建筑性能分析师 Johnny Klemke 表示，“我们如何在不断建造更多建筑的同时，减少对自然环境的影响？这正是 MG2 正在努力解决的问题。通过帮助各团队找到更高效、碳排放更低的设计方案，我们也向客户证明了可持续性并不一定成为项目的成本负担。”
通过帮助团队为他们的设计提出更高效、碳排放更少的解决方案，我们向客户表明可持续性不必成为成本负担。
建筑性能分析师 Johnny Klemke
“我们最大的障碍是让整个行业与我们一起努力，”MG2 的设计师 Jon Guerechit 说道，他负责领导我们的运营能源计划，“一个好处是，无可争议的数据让我们更容易说服客户，一项节省成本的措施可以 还 服务环境。但数据并不总是对我们有利。拥抱环境守护者的心态更加困难，因为它迫使利益相关者以不同的思维方式投资于长远的未来。我们正在全力倡导这种心态。
今天，随着我们继续评估和发展公司的可持续发展行动计划，我们致力于超越友邦保险 2030 年挑战所概述的目标，增加我们自己的两个目标:
从改善室内空气质量到减少建筑垃圾，我们的建筑师和设计师指定的材料至关重要。我们的选择代表着改善地球及其居民健康的巨大机遇。
除了自豪地签署 AIA 材料承诺之外，MG2 还创建了我们自己严格的材料评估系统。我们的专家采用红绿灯结构，对我们使用的每一家供应商、产品和材料进行分析和排名，以确保我们尽可能地遵守最高的可持续发展标准，共创更美好的未来。
PCC社区超市——美国最大的食品杂货合作社——多年来一直与 MG2 合作，致力于改进其门店的材料，并争取获得 LBC Petal 认证。其巴拉德门店是全球首家获得该认证的食品杂货合作社，其超过 40% 的材料（略低于 $1.4M）均来自可持续来源，其中 9.2% 的材料来自 100 英里以内。此外，该店 100% 的木材获得 FSC 认证，其中 10% 的材料经过回收或再利用。
“有一种误解，认为我们需要追求绿色建筑认证来推动可持续材料的使用，或者我们必须 仅有的 使用可持续材料来改变世界。这两种说法都不正确。
Candon Michelle Murphy，材料专家
MG2 的数据驱动材料系统带来了丰富的知识和洞察力，但持续的教育以克服误解并帮助我们的客户和合作伙伴了解财务和环境投资仍然至关重要。
“选择可持续材料的最大挑战是对其相关成本的误解。”MG2 的材料管理员 Candon Michelle Murphy 提到，“如果要选择可持续材料，市场上确实有一些特定类别的材料需要很高的成本，但也有相当多的材料类别不需要或只需支付很少的费用，就能实现更加环保的最终安装。
“还有一种误解，认为我们需要追求绿色建筑认证才能推动可持续和健康的材料，或者认为我们只有采用可持续材料才能改变世界。然而，这两种说法都不正确：任何能够减少隐含碳排放、减少室内空间挥发性有机化合物 (VOC) 排放量、实现材料回收或避免填埋的选择，仍然具有重要意义。”
水是地球上最宝贵的资源之一。虽然我们许多人在日常生活中将清洁新鲜的水视为理所当然，但在水资源匮乏的地区建造建筑环境的建筑师们，始终将水的保护、减少和可回收性放在首位。
MG2 的节水目标（我们的第四个也是最雄心勃勃的可持续发展计划）是到 2030 年底，在我们的每一个项目中，将马桶和水龙头等设备的室内用水量减少 30% 至 45%，将园林绿化和灌溉中的室外饮用水消耗量减少 50%。
“在我们的项目中，减少用水量有几十个原因，其中很重要的一点是，这样可以降低从当地水源取水量，”MG2 水资源保护目标设计师兼联合负责人 Maribel Barba 说道，“这使我们能够更好地与当地环境协调，增加所有人的可用水量，并改善社区关系。”
虽然我们的节水目标对 MG2 的许多客户来说可能比较陌生，但有些客户多年来一直致力于在其建筑环境中率先采用创新技术和节水策略。例如，长期合作伙伴 Costco 多年来一直与 MG2 合作，在其位于墨西哥和美国西南部的仓库中实施节水方案，这项计划使其每年节水量达到 20%。
这家批发巨头最近在其圣达菲门店，向节水的未来迈出了更重要的一步。圣达菲门店拥有独一无二的绿色屋顶，作为墨西哥公园的自然延伸，并采用了多项节水技术，包括利用再生水的厕所和景观灌溉系统，以及公园湖的雨水收集系统。根据基准数据，安装的卫生间设备用水量减少了50%。
“即使节水流程已经实施多年，我认为企业要让合作伙伴接受这一理念仍然颇具挑战性。”MG2节水目标设计师兼联合负责人克里斯蒂安·拉佐 (Christian Razo) 表示，“许多人并没有意识到可以节约多少水，甚至不知道不节水的后果。我们竭尽全力让每一位客户了解实施这些流程的益处，包括知道自己所做的事正在造福子孙后代所带来的满足感。”
我们在可持续设计实践方面取得了长足进步，并为众多项目和合作伙伴所取得的成绩感到无比自豪。但事实上，MG2 才刚刚起步。
“当我们着手创建 MG2 的可持续发展正式框架时，我们知道它需要引起所有员工的共鸣，并融入公司的文化。”MG2 可持续发展负责人马克·泰勒 (Mark Taylor) 表示，“我们以数据为导向的方法直接体现了公司以结果为导向的本质，并将成为我们继续前进的成功支柱。”
详细了解我们对地球未来的卓越承诺，请访问我们的 AIA 2030承诺可持续发展行动计划， 或通过 联系我们的可持续发展团队.
本文最初发表于 i+s 2021年10月8日。
__________
随着人们不断讨论建筑环境的清洁度，人们大力推动添加任何可以抑制病毒传播的物质。“抗菌”一词近来似乎成了一个热门词，您的客户可能也问过您，市面上有哪些产品具有这种特性。
让我们来分析一下，作为一名设计师，在工作中应该注意什么，以及应该警惕什么。 建筑环境中的健康.
产品抗菌有两种方式。首先，有些产品本身就具有抗菌特性，这意味着它们的表面不会滋生细菌。你可能听说过铜就具有这种特性，这在同类产品中并不常见，因为它独特的氧化过程实际上可以杀死细菌。但对于大多数产品而言，这意味着产品表面非常光滑且无孔，细菌没有机会生长。
第二种定义抗菌产品的方式是将某些类别的化学物质整合到产品中或以涂层的形式添加到产品中。尽管这类产品已在市场上销售多年，但疫情期间，它们的广告宣传和具有这些特性的新产品的激增却愈演愈烈。
尽管这些产品已经面世，但近20年来，科学界一直对此深感担忧。一项研究发现， CDC 在 2003 年表示, “没有证据表明产品中的抗菌药物可以预防医院环境中的疾病。”此外， 2016年学习 指出“FDA 禁止在非处方消费者消毒洗涤产品中使用 19 种抗菌成分，包括三氯生和三氯卡班，理由是没有足够证据证明这些成分长期日常使用是安全的，并且可以减少疾病和感染的传播。”尽管这一特定产品类别已被禁止，但其中许多化学物质仍在其他产品中被大量使用，并且有类似的宣传。
但除了这些虚假宣传之外，还有一个更深层次的担忧：有相当多的证据表明，抗菌药物不仅无效，而且这些产品中使用的化学物质弊大于利。
[有关的： 如何指定医疗保健的可清洁表面]
2015 年 12 月，这家健康巨头表示，担心接触有毒化学物质和耐药细菌的威胁， 凯撒医疗集团被禁止 禁止在医院和其他建筑物中使用“15种特定的抗菌化学品，因为它们对人类和环境都具有毒性”。此后不久，由200多名科学家和医学专业人士组成的联盟发布了《佛罗伦萨声明》，详细列出了人们对这些化学品的各种担忧，包括但不限于其毒性、生物累积性和持久性。
研究显示，最常见的抗菌剂三氯生和三氯卡班在人体和动物试验中均具有致癌性和内分泌干扰物。此外，这两种化学物质都不会随时间分解，并且在世界各地的尿液、母乳和海洋生物中均被检测到。其他常用的抗菌化学物质会导致微生物耐药性，是已知的过敏原和皮肤刺激物，并对呼吸系统、神经系统、免疫系统、生殖系统和发育产生不良影响。
许多产品制造商会向你保证，其抗菌添加剂不会对环境或居住空间的人类造成危害。但事实是，涂层最终会在空气中或人的皮肤上磨损；产品会剥落并转化为空气污染物；物品最终会在垃圾填埋场结束其使用寿命，并渗入周围的生态系统。
尽管所有证据都支持避免使用这些添加剂，但我们仍然有许多客户和业主要求使用这些产品。作为设计师，我们的职责是提供最佳解决方案，因此我们有责任在维护健康的同时，倡导减少建筑环境的危害。以下是一些您可以与客户讨论抗菌剂和替代解决方案的方法。
1. 让您自己、您的同事和您的客户了解抗菌化学品的有害影响。 绿色科学政策研究所 拥有丰富的资源，可帮助您了解并向他人提供信息。倾听客户的偏好，并向他们提供信息，帮助他们做出明智的决定。
2. 有些抗菌产品不含任何令人担忧的化学物质。务必询问这些产品的具体抗菌特性，并与来自可靠来源的现有信息进行交叉比对。列出这些产品的清单，作为替代解决方案提供给客户。
3. 了解客户的清洁程序，并选择易于清洁的饰面。准备好清洁说明，指导如何清洁物品。
4. 像医疗保健设计师一样思考，在每个空间中融入高度易清洁的设计。考虑对可能滋生细菌的室内角落进行细致的修饰，或使用可漂白的纺织品。专注于打造易于清洁的空间，而不是依赖那些可能有效也可能无效的方案。
5. 最重要的是，积累我们之前提到的那些固有抗菌材料的知识。市面上可用的抗菌材料比你想象的要多，以下是一个简短但并非详尽的清单，供你参考：
说实话，鉴于这种病毒以及我们一生中将要面对的其他病毒，没有什么神奇的方法能够提供一个没有细菌和病毒的空间。对抗细菌传播最有效的方法是谨慎行事，通过一切可用的方式减少接触，并进行适当的清洁和消毒。
PCC Community Markets (PCC), the largest community-owned food market in the United States, has received Living Building Challenge (LBC) Petal Certification for its West Seattle and Bellevue, Wash., cooperative locations. The stores join PCC’s Ballard location, the first grocery store to receive this recognition, in meeting what are considered the world’s most rigorous green-building standards to earn the LBC Materials, Place and Beauty Petals from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI).
Last week we had the pleasure of attending and speaking at Groceryshop 2021 in Las Vegas. One of our first live events in a while, the energy was palpable and the innovations were flowing. It was an absolute joy to connect with so many and share the results of our recent grocery industry survey. If you haven’t yet, you can get your copy of our 2021 Grocery Consumer Survey Insights here.
With so much changing for grocery over the past two years, it’s seemingly impossible to keep up with consumer expectations and demands. However, here are our top five takeaways from what’s important for experience designers to keep in mind as they continue to bring future generations of grocery retail to life:
With such a significant shift to online and digital platforms, the in-store grocery experience has a bigger job to do in order to deliver upon surprise and delight. This ties into our survey results, which document consumer’s desire for discovery while in-store.
Delight is the thoughtful touches and speed bumps along the way that foster education and discovery, and are embedded into environments designed to be “in service” of their customers. These could be temporary experiential moments—like what Lionesque Group CEO Melissa Gonzalez presented on stage about Jarlsberg or the Peanut Butter Association—or permanently designed experiences.
As digital and physical continue to merge, progressive grocers are seeing themselves as media platforms as much as grocers. In the name of inclusion and accessibility, it’s important for brands to make themselves available across all channels for all consumers. With online adoption, there is also a larger opportunity to leverage data and utilize the insights to deliver more personalized content to consumers.
For example, curated recipes, tailored nutrition plans, or even entire stores and brand philosophies dedicated to nutritional health and wellness, beyond what we typically see on a shelf. Raley’s O-N-E stores are a great example. Additionally, as we have seen in our work with Target, some are taking a more holistic approach to the curation of products around life occasions. This approach is also offering CPG brands the opportunity to gain mind share as well as increase their profitability.
We all know consumer necessity fuels implementation as well as the adoption of technology. AI is seeing more prioritization to inform store teams on recommendations for merchandising, store layout, and more. Convenience and saving time are top priorities for consumers and they want tools that enable this.
For example, Kroger and Instacart—which announced 30 minute delivery to your door—are utilizing AI to better understand demand and forecasting, as well as help with planning. They’re partnering with companies like Anuit.AI to help expand offerings, SKU count availability, and ensure the freshness of groceries. Order accuracy is also a huge focus for grocers, becoming both an issue and an opportunity for building customer satisfaction and confidence. Progressive retailers are looking at systems to improve upon predicting outages and substitutions to better improve this metric.
More unexpected partnerships that enable convenience are on the horizon well, such as what Albertson’s announced with DoubleDash in partnership with restaurants. The use of voice is also seen as an underutilized opportunity that is gaining consideration, and we see a rise in successful grocers that are empowering the in-store associate with data.
In the argument to build more in-store experiences, proximity is still a motivator for consumers. Bloomberg cited that, as an established grocer, building more stores to increase consumer proximity is a tested and validated means to not only grow brick-and-mortar sales, but online sales as well. A store close to home is still seen as valuable even if the preferred channel is online delivery, and the cost of consumer preference is worth the price for multi-channel success.
Local is also important when it comes to products that are carried on shelves. Local, which is perceived as more sustainable than other products, including organic ones, offers the often true consumer perception that goods have not traveled as far, and therefore are both fresher and have a smaller carbon footprint. It’s a motivator for consumer decision-making and retailers are reviewing ways to surface suppliers, makers, and growers who are already in their supply chain.
It’s more important than ever that brands are standing behind a purpose, in addition to the products they sell. In order to garner customer loyalty, customers want to know you stand behind them, behind your staff, and behind your values.
Giving back to the local community—another growing trend in grocer brand promises—is favored 42% by Gen Z and Millennial consumers. Only 38% of consumers polled thought their grocer was giving back to the community.
A commitment to sustainability (action, not just words), a diverse selection of products, and inclusive accessibility are all at the top of the list when it comes to what consumers today are valuing from their grocers.
__________
Want to learn more? Find out what consumers expect from their grocers, both now and in the future, with our 2021 Grocery Consumer Insights Report.
In our constant curiosity and investigation of consumer behaviors and expectations, we utilize data insights to help uncover and validate where we can deliver true points of gratification within the customer journey. Here is a snapshot of key takeaways from our latest consumer survey. Our full deck with all our insights is available for download at the bottom of this preview.
The dynamic of modern grocery is kaleidoscopic, with its definition and experience being driven by today’s consumers and our ever-changing world. How can we create a holistic and accessible experience?
English 
简体中文