Environments for Aging - Fall 2017 - 75

ADVERTORIAL

Q&A

with David Dillard, FAIA
Principal, D2 Architecture
How do you involve
residents to ensure their
voices are heard in the
design process?
Some of our clients
approach their residents
(and potential residents)
proactively to weigh in on
design. Of those who do,
some invite us to the party.
Others simply package
what they hear, mix it with
their own ideas, and deliver
it to us in an organized
program. Our most
powerful reconnaissance,
however, is our Sleepover
Project® where we
BECOME a resident for 24
hours, living as an 85-yearold. We have done 30 so
far, and they have delivered
not only design tips galore,
but a tremendous empathy
in our staff for the residents
themselves.

In what sector of senior
living do you expect to
see the most growth in
the next few years?
For years those who
live outside the universe
of senior living have
assumed that we have
been designing for Baby
Boomers. We haven't.
Until now. I think that is the
emerging game-changer in
our industry. My prediction
is that the talent and
resources that have been
focused on CCRCs and
free-standing IL or AL/MC
or IL/AL/MC buildings will
shift -illuminate-enhance
communities with a
much younger entry age.
These will appear as very
well-appointed vertical,
urban communities for
60-somethings, as well
as single-family cottages

Photo: Aaron Bensko Photography

clustered for socialization
and convenience. Just you
watch!
What are some
challenges your firm
is facing? How do
you overcome those
obstacles? 
Issue Number One:
Sustaining an equilibrium
between workload and
available staff. It is always
off, and it always will
be. It is unavoidably the
nature of our personnelcentric, service industry.

Aside from those rare
moments of balance when
the pendulum swings (a
broken clock is correct
twice a day), we have
been either overstaffed or
understaffed - for the past
five years, overwhelmingly
the latter. The obstacle
is finding, recruiting,
interviewing, hiring, and
training enough people into
A-level performance as fast
as clients/projects demand.
We have had to say No
to some really fine clients
along the way. That hurts
... and helps.
Tell us something
surprising about your
company that people
may not know.
How about this? We don't
have a stick of furniture
taller than 42" (low enough
to see over sitting down),
and everyone - EVERYONE
- sits out in the open,
including the grey-hairs.
We went to this a few
years ago: 1) to symbolize
our commitment to a flat
organizational chart, 2) to
encourage collaboration, 3)
to easily reseat ourselves
by project teams, and 4)
well, it keeps costs down!
Of course, we have meeting
rooms and phone booths
here and there, but the
effect on our culture has
been positive. By the way,
everyone is in Dallas - no
branch offices - for the
same reasons.
www.d2architecture.com

The Terraces at Los Altos. Photo: Peter Calvin Photography

Environments for Aging * special advertising section

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Environments for Aging - Fall 2017

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