VCBO's Commitment to Sustainability Through Design and Practice

VCBO’s office in downtown Salt Lake City, across the street from Trolley Square, is located in the historic barn that used to house the horses and mules that pulled Salt Lake’s public street cars between 1872 and 1888. VCBO acquired the building in the 1980s — over a century after its construction — and has been there ever since. From its original wooden beams and brick walls to the distinct yellow lettering down its front, it’s become an essential and beloved building to the people who work here. 

Over the decades, VCBO has gone through multiple renovations to modernize the former stable, expand the available space, and make it more sustainable and eco-friendly. Increasing sustainability has been an incremental process of adaptive reuse, with upgrades implemented as time and other resources allowed. 

VCBO’s office sustainability initiatives, spearheaded by leadership, the Green Team, and individual employees, set an example for how we can steadily achieve a more sustainable future. Our teams take this same approach with our clients, doing our best to find ways to reduce, adapt, and design for sustainability. 

As we have made upgrades and renovations throughout the years, we’ve also found a surprising link between sustainability and employee wellness and satisfaction. Decisions to move toward a more environmentally friendly building have also positively impacted our employees’ physical and mental well-being.

From increased comfort to heightened unity and workplace satisfaction, sustainability initiatives had far-reaching benefits that impacted our ability as a firm to collaborate, be productive, and ultimately increase profitability. 

We carried this knowledge as we began a new office-wide renovation last December, driven by the need for more space for our growing number of employees to work and collaborate.

The renovation was also a good opportunity to revisit sustainability and see where we could improve. As we celebrate sustainability this month, we’re excited to share the steps our firm is taking to improve both the sustainability of our business practices and the positive impact it has had on our employees. 

The ongoing VCBO office renovation will result in new desks, meeting rooms, breakout spaces, and an updated break area. A major focus of the renovation was a new office configuration that utilizes space more efficiently and new workspaces. These new spaces feature standing desks for every employee. Thanks to the new furniture and a carefully designed layout, the office building is able to fit more employees in the same amount of space while making the office more comfortable and less crowded for everyone. 

Initially, VCBO had three main options to consider:

renovate our current building to accommodate more people comfortably. 

The third option, while also being the most economical, used the fewest resources and would result in the smallest impact on the environment. Adaptive reuse, instead of just building more and building bigger, has allowed the VCBO team to meet their space needs, improve comfort, and provide a modern office where its employees can work. 

Old furniture was given away for employees to use or was recycled. We also preserved as as possible — keeping the carpet and some of the original furniture. The renovation will continue building-wide sustainability initiatives that began in earlier years by updating lighting, improving insulation and HVAC zones for more efficient temperature control, and integrating more recycling stations. 

However, this renovation is just one step in VCBO’s office sustainability journey, which began decades prior, and many of these renovations are only feasible because of the steps that have come before to improve sustainability as we work and learn more.

VCBO’s focus on office sustainability is headed by our Green Team. Founded in 2014, it is a committee of employees who volunteer to spearhead environmentally conscious initiatives. They’ve captured below some key milestones: 

2024 Sustainability Timeline

In 2018, Salt Lake City awarded VCBO the Elevate Buildings Award for Most Improved EnergyStar Score, with an increased score of 86, up from 77. This decrease in energy consumption resulted mainly from lighting upgrades that replaced old lights with LED lighting and an automatic hibernation setting applied to the office’s desktop computers. VCBO also joined Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky Renewable Energy Program, which elected VCBO to power the office with renewable energy sources. 

In addition to reducing energy consumption, the new lights made the office a more pleasant place to work by reducing eye strain, improving the work environment, and even making it easier for our interior designers to test color and materials samples. 

Providing laptops to all employees in 2021 contributed to a further reduction in energy use. However, laptops also had the benefit of increasing flexibility for our employees by enabling them to work outside the office. Whether it means employees were more easily able to stay home while feeling sick or caring for a family member, or not having to come back and forth from the office when they have an appointment, this seemingly simple change both improved the work-life balance of our employees and decreased energy consumption and pollution from commuting.

VCBO’s green journey also includes its own research. Between 2020 and 2022, a firm Associate and Green Team member, Nancy McKendrick, began a study to test whether adding plants to the office improved the air quality. The result: “You would need a lot more plants to make a significant difference in the air quality,” Nancy said of her experiment, “but there were other benefits I hadn’t anticipated.”

The greenery around the office has a positive effect on mental health and productivity. While the environmental impact was small, this experiment displays the importance that access to nature plays in our well-being. This is one reason why VCBO often advocates for biophilic architecture, buildings that sustain the natural environment, and architecture that harmonizes with its surroundings.

Sustainability From a Holistic Standpoint

Improving the sustainability of our building and making small efforts toward being more environmentally conscious has been a step-by-step effort over the last few decades. VCBO’s philosophy with our own office remodels mirrors the approach we bring to our projects and clients as well.

“We follow best practices based on the most recent research and technology,” said VCBO Associate and Green Team member, Dannon Rampton. “That means we’re choosing the more sustainable option by default. But it’s always the client’s ultimate decision when it comes to sustainability. We encourage them to choose what is the most sustainable, but we recognize that there are sometimes budget and/or time constraints.”

As we’ve made improvements, we’ve seen the effect on the office as a whole. While some efforts have taken time and money, others are as simple as placing recycling stations throughout the building.

We continue to strive for sustainability and emphasize it as one of our key services as an architectural firm. As we do our small part, we hope to help create spaces where people can thrive in harmony with their environment.

The VCBO Green Team is comprised of employees who volunteer their time to spearhead sustainability initiatives and champion VCBO's efforts toward a more eco-friendly future. The Green Team committee members volunteer their time in the community and have taken part in many of the initiatives discussed in this article.

During VCBO's sustainability initiatives, we've noticed that sustainable changes have a profound impact on the wellness of our employees. 

The Link Between Adaptive Reuse, Sustainability, & Employee Wellness

Adaptive Reuse, Sustainability, & Employee Wellness

This month marks five years since the VCBO St. George office opened its doors for business. Though we had been working in St. George and southern Utah for decades, we recognized that a local office would give us the opportunity to serve our clients better.

“The St. George office gives us more direct contact with our clients,” St. George Principal Pablo Gotay said. “We don’t have to take a plane to go see them, and we’re more accessible.” 

Since opening the office in March 2019, the St. George architectural team has worked on a variety of exciting projects that have helped shape the built environment of southern Utah during a period of tremendous growth. 

“We’ve developed new relationships and have a lot of repeat clients now,” said Brandon Pullin, one of our St. George architects. The new location has also provided us opportunities to pursue new projects that wouldn’t have been possible without a local office. 

But the team says they didn’t reach this point without the challenges associated with opening a new office – and the first VCBO satellite office. Joshua Kirkman recalls, “Pablo provided a lot of leadership and communication between our office and Salt Lake. He was a really integral part of our success.” 

The team has enjoyed getting involved in local groups like the St. George Chamber of Commerce and Associated General Contractors of Utah and forming new relationships with local contractors, suppliers, and clients. From sponsoring golf tournaments to providing pro bono work for the Washington County School District, the team has developed new relationships and involved themselves in the community. 

“St. George is unique because it’s a small town that is growing so quickly,” said Pablo. Our team has enjoyed growing with St. George and the surrounding area. Over the past five years, the St. George office has grown from a single architect to a four-person team who work in a building VCBO designed several years before, which looks out onto historic Main Street in downtown St. George. 

We have been able to design many notable buildings, including projects for Utah Tech University, Washington County School District, and private owners. Recently, the team began design on a new fire station for Cedar City and is excited to continue work that helps Southern Utah communities. 

Josh enjoys having the support of the Salt Lake City office, but he says working in St. George has given him more opportunities than he would have in a larger office. He has been with VCBO for five years, and works as a project manager and project coordinator. He was one of the first employees to join the St. George office. Like his coworkers, Josh says he benefits from the community of the St. George office: “We’ve played softball; we all went to watch the Super Bowl at Pablo’s home. Our coworkers are more than just people you pass in the hall.” Despite the camaraderie that exists in the office, Josh likes that everyone can still work hard together and get things done. 

Utah Tech University West Stadium Expansion

The Greater Zion Stadium West Side Expansion project at Utah Tech University was Josh’s first experience as a project manager, and he remembers learning a lot about project management, the architecture and construction fields, and Utah Tech as a client.

The new skybox building sits four stories above the ground, providing infill space for future expansions. “It was an awesome feat of engineering,” Josh said. To further cement the Football Program’s Division I status, this expansion equips the school with new athletic training facilities, an updated football team locker room and team lounge, including custom lockers funded through donations.

The updated entry plaza, new ticketing and merchandising building, stadium fencing, and branding all work together to enhance the fan experience as well. When lit, Brooks the Bison is prominently visible from the I-15 freeway.

David joined VCBO five years ago as an administrative assistant and BIM Technician. Since then, he has become an intern architect working toward licensure. He has enjoyed learning and taking on more architectural tasks with the St. George team.

“Everyone brings different things to the table,” he said. “We have different but complementary personalities, and we’re good at working out kinks as projects go on. We’re able to accomplish a lot for a four-man team.”

David says that besides the team, the office location on Main Street is a great place to participate in the culture of St. George. With large windows that look out onto the street and walking distance to many St. George locals, he says it's easy to feel like part of the community.

Utah Tech University Science, Engineering, & Technology Building

One of David’s first projects was the Science, Engineering and Technology building for Utah Tech University, where he worked on the drafting and administration. The building is home to the physical sciences, life sciences, and mechanical engineering departments and provides much-needed space for students to learn. The building also won the 2023 International Interior Design Association Intermountain Chapter BEST Learn - Higher Education Award.

Pablo joined the St. George office in June 2019. As its only principal, he provides the St. George team with leadership and expertise on a variety of project types. One of his favorite parts of working in Southern Utah is that the smaller office size lets everyone work on different types of projects – from schools to medical office buildings. He is also proud that the office has reached a point where they are self-sustaining and looking to grow.

Washington County School District Elementary School Prototype

One of Pablo’s favorite projects, the prototype elementary for Washington County School District, is currently in the design phase. The design is spread over two stories and can be adjusted to accommodate between 650-1000 students. Because of the multi-level design, the school can be placed on smaller sites, saving the District in land costs. In addition, the smaller property size minimizes maintenance and water usage.

It’s always rewarding to work on projects for children,” he said. “You want to help develop their minds and provide a safe and secure atmosphere.” With this in mind, the interior classrooms are designed with group learning spaces and large, interior and exterior windows to help stimulate learning.

Growing up in a small Arizona town, Brandon thinks St. George is the best of both worlds. He likes living in a good sized city where he can still enjoy the outdoors. As an architect and project manager, he appreciates that the small team relies on each other, shares knowledge, and helps each other grow every day. Brandon is an advocate for collaborative design, and his coworkers say this approach helps enhance the synergy of his teams. “We also get to have fun and do things together outside the office,” he said. “In some ways, it really feels like a family.” 

The Cedar City Hampton Inn and Suites is Brandon’s favorite project because of its unique location in downtown Cedar City. Unlike other cookie cutter hotel chains, VCBO designed the Hampton Inn to fit in with the historic feel of the rest of the downtown area and community in Cedar City. The hotel is starting construction to be completed in 2025 and will help support Southern Utah’s thriving tourist market.

As the St. George office looks forward to continued growth, the team is excited to continue to make an impact on the built environment of St. George and create spaces for the community to thrive. Pablo says he can see their team doubling or even tripling over the next few years, especially as the office continues to work on new projects and form new relationships. 

We at VCBO are excited to celebrate the success and continued development of our St. George office and the impactful projects they work on every day. “We have the opportunity to have a big role in the development of many projects that happen here,” said Brandon, “The sky is the limit.”

A holistic design approach allows Pablo to develop buildings in three-dimensions—creating aesthetically attractive designs, functional floor plans, and client-specific solutions. Pablo focuses on communication, which allows him to integrate client input with his own ideas and creative problem solving to create truly unique designs. He has experience working on educational facilities, commercial buildings, and private residences.

As an integral member of the architectural team, David firmly believes that detailed communication and creative problem-solving play pivotal roles in the success of any project, and he brings these skills to the teams and clients he works with. He also serves in various capacities in addition to his architectural work, including community relations and marketing. 

David leverages his experience in software, including Revit and Bluebeam, to create readable drawings that ensure contractors have clear direction and clients receive the project they envision. David has worked on a variety of projects, primarily focusing on K-12 and higher education.

As a project manager and architect, Brandon is an advocate for the collaborative design process and believes that many minds working together can solve the design challenges of a complex world. He has extensive experience with building information modeling using Revit and is also an expert in digital visualization. Brandon enjoys working with each client, consultant, and team member during the various stages of design and construction. His collaborative approach enhances the synergy of the teams he works with to achieve project success.

With a background in engineering and architecture, Josh views projects with a well-rounded, tectonic approach. Holding certifications in both sustainability and evidence-based design, he is able to translate his client’s visions into well-organized and congenial spaces enjoyed by their patrons for many years to come. From predesign to construction administration, Josh is an indispensable resource to the teams and projects he collaborates with. 

VCBO St. George Office Commemorates Five-Year Anniversary

Hospital design can have a significant effect on health outcomes. Human error in medical practice, staff and caregiver health, time spent in the hospital and during recovery, and long-term effects of treatment can all be affected by the physical hospital building. Designing a hospital, then, includes creating a building that maximizes patient wellness and facilitates hospital staff in making the best care decisions. In turn, patients can have better experiences during treatment and recover more quickly.

VCBO knew this when we were one of the firms selected to design the new Primary Children’s Hospital Miller Family campus, which opened its doors in Lehi, Utah at the beginning of the year. To design a facility that promoted health outcomes, VCBO and our partner, Page Architecture, employed Lean Design, a systematic approach to eliminating waste and optimizing the performance of the building. We applied the Lean Design process to accomplish the objectives set forth by Intermountain Health for the design of every Intermountain facility:

These five objectives became the guide for each decision we made during the design of the new Primary Children’s Hospital. Principal in Charge, Jeff Pinegar, and other members on the team walk us through a small portion of the thought processes that went into the design of the Primary Children’s Hospital Miller Family Campus.  

The Primary Children’s motto is “The child first and always.” When it comes to designing hospitals that help children heal, much of our focus was providing a comfortable and safe environment.

Encouraging Physical Activity & Emotional Health

One design principle that can be found throughout the entire hospital is the idea of discovery and positive distraction. As you walk through the hospital, you can find dozens of tiny details worked into the design — animal footprints in the floor tiles, murals along the walls and nurse stations, patterned fabric used for seating upholstery, colored glass and lighting, art installations, and more.

Each of these details was incorporated based on the principle of positive distraction, defined as features that promote positive feelings and avert attention from stress or anxious thoughts. The benefits of positive distraction are multifold:

Hospital visits can be anxiety-inducing experiences. Discovering the many details worked into the design can distract children from their fear and anxiety. 

Many patients at Primary Children’s Hospital will need to return for many hospital visits, sometimes for months or years. The design details help keep interest over multiple visits. 

Art and other design features promote an aesthetically pleasing and comfortable environment. 

Implementing positive distraction and the ability for children to discover new elements can provide health benefits ranging from improved emotional well-being to enhanced healthcare satisfaction and recovery.

On a recent visit to the hospital, Jeff says he witnessed a young non-verbal boy being pulled from the parking lot into the hospital by his parents. “He was obviously not excited to come to the hospital,” says Jeff. “But as soon as he entered the main lobby, his eyes grew wide as he spotted a yellow spaceship, and he bolted toward it.” He recalls watching as the parents had to pull him away, only for him to see something else that made him rush forward with excitement: “It was at that moment that I knew we succeeded in designing for positive distraction.” 

These opportunities for distraction can be as large as multi-level art installations in the main stairway to something as seemingly small as the tile pattern on the floor. At Primary Children’s Hospital, the flooring pattern features winding paths. “Have you seen children walk down a hallway?” noted interior designer Madeleine Helgren, “They don’t walk in a straight line.” VCBO applied this concept to the flooring pattern, giving the children a pathway to follow as they walk down the hall. 

Dichroic glass on the stair guardrails also adds a dynamic element to the environment. This glass shifts color depending on how the light hits it and adds visual interest as the colors shift throughout the day, both amplifying the natural light and providing additional opportunities for positive distraction. To augment the changes in ambient light, we designed three round light fixtures in the ceiling that change color. These features work together throughout the hospital to help provide for the emotional health of its residents.

Incorporating nature, light, and outdoor spaces in a hospital is linked to less stress, reduced feelings of pain, and overall improved health outcomes. With this in mind, VCBO paid special attention to how we incorporated light and outdoor space into the hospital. One of our primary objectives, in line with Intermountain Health’s design principles, was to optimize views of surrounding landscapes and provide access to daylight and healing outdoor spaces. These spaces were intentionally designed to encourage movement, exploration, and relaxation. 

While many different sections have access to nature and the outdoors, one special design choice was a private balcony located in the infusion clinic. 

Children receiving chemotherapy have compromised immune systems, which limits their ability to interact with other children or explore other areas of the hospital. For this reason, VCBO designed a balcony off the infusion clinic on the third floor specifically for these patients. This way, the patients have a private area where they can spend time outdoors without the risk of infection. The patients also all have their own rooms with natural light coming in to maximize their access to nature, even when they’re forced to spend hours at a time in the hospital.

“It’s interesting to see young patients, IV pole in tow, outside on the balcony or roaming the halls of the infusion clinic,” said Jeff. 

In considering all design factors for a pediatric healthcare project, the experience of parents, guardians, and other family members is often overlooked. More than doctors and other staff, it is often parents who provide the most support to sick children. To this point, Madeleine, one of VCBO’s interior designers, shared her own experience as a child at Primary Children’s Hospital and how her mother supported her throughout her many visits: 

“During my chemotherapy treatments, I was required to stay in the hospital for three days every two weeks, and was joined by my mom. She had a full-time career and became my full-time home nurse, teacher, and holistic diet expert, all while also managing the health and welfare of my older brother. She slept on a recliner next to my bed that leaned back until it was not-quite-flat, and cooked the healthiest food she could in the nurse's breakroom microwave..”

Recognizing the importance of a parent’s role in a patient’s health outcomes, VCBO was intentional about designing hospital features to support parents as they, in turn, support their children. Design elements at the new hospital include more comfortable seating for parents to sleep beside a child’s hospital bed, places for them to prepare food, and bathrooms that allow parents to shower without having to leave their child’s room.

The hospital also has a daycare area where parents can leave children who aren’t receiving treatment. It can be especially difficult for parents with multiple children to care for a child who needs extra attention while in the hospital. This feature helps relieve parents in a small way that can have a huge impact on peace of mind. 

Madeleine was able to tour the Miller Family Campus with her mother after the building was finished. She recounts it being an emotional experience for both of them, seeing the difference between the hospital they remembered during her childhood and the new building.

VCBO Associate Principal Levi Lloyd pointed out that many patients are at their most vulnerable when at the hospital. “Whether in the behavioral health wing or any other part of the hospital, we want the hospital to be a comfortable and safe space for all abilities.” 

One place where VCBO literally created space for vulnerable patients was in recessed nooks located throughout the lobby areas. These nooks are padded for comfort and provide a surrounded area for patients who like closed spaces that are protected from the surrounding environment. 

While these nooks were designed with diverse patients in mind, they can be used by anyone – especially patients feeling anxious about their visit. This idea follows the recent shift in healthcare thought that there is no such thing as a “typical” individual. With that in mind, we focused on designing inclusive spaces for everyone who visits the hospital and increasing overall accessibility and comfort. 

Safety was at the forefront of every design decision. It included a process that ensured all safety standards were met, limited ambiguity within the design and the process, and enhanced transparency within the facility. Technology, building layout, and many other details throughout the facility work – at the forefront or behind the scenes – to ensure patients and staff have a safe environment to work and heal. 

More than ever, the importance of mental health has become an integral component of a child's overall well being. To that end, we wanted the Behavioral Health areas to express the same design elements as the rest of the facility – to be comfortable, safe, and focused on accessibility. 

While we didn’t want the Behavioral Health area to feel isolated and different, we also recognized; however, that the special circumstances that led these patients to these areas in the hospital required a special design. This included ligature-resistant fixtures and furnishings, no ledges, no sharp corners, shatter-resistant windows, light fixtures, special door locks, and other features to ensure the safety of patients and staff. 

As Levi points out, “We put in just as much effort to design this section as any other, but there are different features because the patients there have different needs.”

Lean Design is employed to optimize performance, make informed design decisions, and reduce waste. In this case, waste not only refers to materials but time, energy, and effort. To create the highest quality facility, VCBO and our partners focused on applying Lean principles to the seven flows of healthcare:

Wayfinding elements, like the different color themes on each floor, help patients and their families find their way within the facility, reducing the time and energy required to navigate the hospital. In a similar way, Lean principles were applied to the design from the floor plan to the medication drawers to help people and materials flow more efficiently. 

We first needed to understand current processes intimately so that we could find ways for these flows to improve. This process of discovery included meetings with numerous user groups. Jeff explains that he used the “5 Whys” approach to find out the best way to make improvements based on actual use cases. The approach involves asking a question, then continuing to ask “why?” five times to get to the core reason behind different decisions and processes though defining, measuring, analyzing, improving, and controlling. With this understanding, it was possible to make improvements. 

Though children often have to spend considerable time in the hospital, it is the staff who will be there every day, working continuously to save lives. We wanted to provide a beautiful building for the hospital staff to work and spend large portions of their time. Additionally, we paid special attention to design factors that impact how well medical staff can perform their jobs. 

The design process for Lehi Primary Children’s Hospital included multiple design meetings with user groups – doctors, nurses, and other staff – that began in the earliest stages of design and continued into construction. Jeff notes that there were over 130 people involved in this process. From day one, our design team engaged with hospital staff that included doctors, nurses, administrators, helicopter pilots, security and maintenance, and many others to gain valuable insight into how these people used the facility and how we could optimize it.

One of our objectives was to create an environment that enhances the quality of work of all caregivers. Hospital standardization – like making every room the same size and putting all the equipment in the same place – is an important method to reduce human error in healthcare. Standardized rooms allow hospital staff to find equipment quickly and in some cases can even save a life. 

When VCBO and our partner teams designed Primary Children’s Hospital, there was not yet an institutional standard for the pediatric patient rooms. It fell to us to determine the best room size and orientation to accommodate the patient, doctors, nurses, and required equipment. The room had to be small enough to provide easy access to necessary equipment while being able to fit all the people that may be needed in the room.

To determine the ideal design, we set up cardboard mockups of inpatient and exam rooms and ran tests with doctors and nurses to simulate various procedures and emergency situations.
Based on the data and feedback from these tests, the Primary Children’s Hospital’s pediatric rooms have now set the standard for Intermountain Health’s future buildings. This standard will help hospital staff do their jobs better and result in a better experience for patients and staff.

Setting up Primary Children’s Hospital for Continual Improvement

Before the hospital opened in February, VCBO staff had the opportunity to tour the hospital and see these evidence-based principles applied. It was obvious to see the dedication, research, and careful listening that went into each design choice – each with the intent to improve the experience of everyone who visits the hospital. 

But the job of an architect or designer isn’t finished with a successful building. Lean Design is a continual practice, constantly improving as technology changes and the practice of healthcare itself improves. While our team and partners employed the newest and most effective technologies, our design was also made to be flexible – to accommodate both seasonal changes in care needs and future growth and improvement. 

As technology and medical practice evolve, hospital buildings will need to evolve with them. As Levi puts it, “The practice of medicine changes over time, and that in turn affects our design process.”

A proponent of evidence-based and Lean Design principles, Jeff excels at the intricacies associated with complex medical projects. His focus on communication and collaboration ensures challenging projects are executed accurately, efficiently, and at the highest level of quality. He has served in several roles, from principal to project manager, on many significant, award-winning, and complicated projects.

With his keen eye for detail, Levi excels when given the opportunity to create meaningful spaces. With his experience at building information modeling (BIM), Levi produces comprehensive construction documents and works collaboratively with construction personnel through the construction administration process. This knowledge helps him ensure that each project is completed to his client's satisfaction.

Madeleine understands the impact interior design can have on the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of an occupant and strives to create spaces that protect her clients’ safety and welfare. Madeleine uses her technical skills with programs like AutoCAD, Revit, and Adobe Creative Suite to create and execute designs that provide a positive and uplifting experience to all who inhabit the space. During her time working for a boutique Los Angeles design firm, Madeleine developed a love for eccentric and curated commercial spaces, which she often integrates into her designs. 

Dive into the principles VCBO applied to design the Primary Children's Hospital Miller Campus to help children heal and thrive.

Designing Children’s Hospitals for Better Health Outcomes – Primary Children’s Hospital Miller Family Campus

To celebrate Women’s History Month, VCBO held a discussion earlier this month with some of the fantastic women who work at our firm. Roundtable participants included architects, interior designers, and support staff at various stages in their careers.

The discussion focused on our employees’ experiences at VCBO and other firms, and what it takes to create an equitable work environment for everyone. 

According to AIA Utah and a national AIA Demographics Report, only 15% of licensed AIA architects in Utah are women, compared to 25% nationally. While the number of women in A/E/C and leadership positions has increased dramatically in the past few decades, bias still remains within the industry and affects both architects and other roles. 

At VCBO, we recently noticed that over half our staff is made up of women. While we do our best every day to create an equitable environment for all of our employees, many participants shared experiences — whether with coworkers or clients, at this firm and others — showing there are still ways we can improve. They also discussed wins and empowering moments in their careers. 

As everyone shared personal experiences and thoughts, a few key themes emerged:

We can advocate for ourselves and each other

We’re thrilled to share some of the insights, stories, and points that unfolded during our discussion. 

Only 17% of architects in leadership are women. Part of that is because they’ve only started going to school in droves, so they’re not at that point in their career yet. But I can see that it’s going to change. — Jeanne

Interactions are so powerful. I remember coming to my job interview here, and I only interacted with women the entire time. I was immediately inspired and wanted to work here. Young women should be exposed to other powerful women constantly through community outreach, media, and most importantly representation in the systems they interact with every day whether that be school, work, sports, etc. — Rachel S. 

Female skills and talents – compassion, empathy – are sometimes considered inferior to stereotypical male skills that are brought to the business world. What I bring to the table is valuable, so having those mentors is especially important to reinforce that. It’s amazing how having women in leadership can change a whole culture in a field and company. — Hoku

I’ve really appreciated having female mentors, whether at work or in the industry, who have been able to help me with my career. When you’re struggling and trying to figure out who you are, especially early in your career, it’s good to have an advocate and an ally – someone who usually believes in you more than you believe in yourself. — Julee 

It is really challenging to correct someone in a higher position than you –- so it has to be a leadership-driven change. Working from the bottom up just doesn’t work well in my experience. — Anonymous

I plan to stay strong as a woman in design and in getting licensed. I’m going to further my career and become a leader. — Madeleine B.

We Can Advocate for Ourselves & Each Other

When I tell people I’m a commercial interior designer, their reaction is often, “that must be fun.” When I’m speaking with clients, some of them will say, “This really isn’t my thing – I’m going to fly my wife up to talk to you.” I’ve had that happen before. And I’ve talked to other interior designers about how we just can’t get people to take us seriously. The conversation came around to this – if you show people through your work what your value is, over and over again, eventually they’ll get it. — Madeleine H.

In our office, I feel that we’re very fortunate to have the support we do. I never feel left out or out of place as a woman or as a hijabi woman. I feel very fortunate that we have all that support, and if we do struggle, we can go to someone [for support]. I remember I was having trouble for three weeks trying to get a contractor to get back to me, and I told [male principal], who wasn’t even on the project. He said, “just CC me on the email,” and fifteen minutes later, I got the information I needed. — Hanna 

I was asked to speak to about 300 people at a ribbon cutting. I was thinking about what I should talk about. But it was great because we had a bunch of consultants and people from VCBO who had worked on the project. So Jodie introduced me, and I got up and said, “Thanks. I always get all this credit, but really I have a huge team of people who do the actual work, and they’re right over there.” It was the easiest thing in the world to do that, and I think it made everyone feel valued. — Jeanne

While I feel pressure to be so excellent at my job that no one could say a man could do it better, I think my real responsibility is to be committed to learning. It's also important to "spread the wealth" with other women-–which means being generous and sharing opportunities, networks, resources, etc. — Isabelle 

Confidence doesn't happen. You have to work at it, and we [as leaders] have to help you so that you can gain confidence. — Jeanne 

Don’t believe the lie that’s been perpetuated or perpetuate the narrative that there is any difference between our values [as women]. Those things that are handed down to us, just don’t even acknowledge them. Sometimes when you perpetuate it, it wears off on you. And that’s not real, I don’t need to pay any attention to it. — Ajri

Call it like you see it. If you notice something, call it out, speak up, give voice to it. Chances are someone else in that situation was also uncomfortable or noticed an issue. From personal experience, I know this can be easier said than done, but it’s so important and becomes easier both with practice and the realization that your voice is often a reflection of many. — Hoku

Being assertive is a skill just like riding a bike or anything else. It will become more natural over time, particularly if you have a culture of supportiveness and safety. Little interactions help create a culture of safety. On the flip side, those who might be a little old school or biased are the culture too, and it changes their behavior on a subconscious level. Being more mindful of standing up for each other is important because sometimes that’s easier than standing up for ourselves. — Jennifer 

Although we recognize that bias is still present in our industry, VCBO was glad to have the opportunity to listen to the experiences of many of our employees and continue the conversations many are having surrounding gender equality and workplace equity.

To end Women’s History Month, all the women at VCBO were invited to lunch to discuss ways to empower each other and offer suggestions to how the company can implement training, policies, and procedures to act on the every-day experiences of women in the workplace. This lunch was intended to celebrate and inspire the women of VCBO, but also to commit to continued action as March comes to an end. 

Celebrating the Women of VCBO: A Roundtable about Equity in the Workplace

When we think of a building, often what we picture is the exterior – perhaps the sleek glass walls of a towering office building or iconic domed roof and marble columns of a government structure. But when we inhabit a space, it is the interior rooms we interact with on a daily basis. The outside of a building may be the first impression, but you get to know a place from the inside out. 

Designing a building is a collaborative process between architects and interior designers, and the best results come when these two groups come together at the beginning of the process to tell a seamless story throughout. 

Impactful interior design that successfully communicates a building’s story not only harmonizes with the exterior architecture but also with the culture and history of the building and its community. At VCBO, our philosophy is to ensure architect, graphic designer, and owner work together from the start of a project to find the narratives woven into each place we build.

Two of VCBO’s interior design leaders, Marilee Vicencio and Nancy McKendrick, are particularly adept at orchestrating these design narratives in their work. Their work exemplifies VCBO’s culture of careful consideration and attention to detail. 

For both designers, a new project starts with research. “Sometimes you have to go out to the area,” Vicencio said, “to look at the city and cities around it. What does the architecture look like there? What are the interesting or recognizable aspects of the area?” This context is important to ensure the building fits into its environment. 

Online research also plays a role, digging into the history of the area and the influences that have shaped it over the years. “I look at the entire history of a city,” McKendrick said, mentioning that it is important to be inclusive of the city’s history. “I get inspired by different aspects of a place’s history and landscape, and I ask myself how I can represent these different periods in a seamless way.” 

When VCBO designed the Rome Italy Temple for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the team drew on a wealth of historical context for the new building. 

“We didn’t want to try to compete with the historical architecture in Rome,” Vicencio said. Instead, the team took Michelangelo’s pattern from The Campidoglio, a 12-pointed star within an oval, and turned it into a motif throughout the building. While the building itself is modern, it still pays homage to the iconic architectural history of its home. The result is a building that can stand on its own but still fits into the framework of Roman architecture. 

Renovating a historic building requires a different kind of research. “I do a lot of matching,” McKendrick said, who has worked for years on the Utah State Capitol Complex, including the monumental restoration project and the highly anticipated North Capitol Building. In this case, her research focuses on the original building to ensure the updates and additions look like they were meant to be part of the building from the start. Nancy describes the process as understanding the decisions behind the original structure and staying within the original design intent. 

From furniture patterns to molding and motifs, finishings and furnishings often require intricate coordination and research. “We went through hundreds of options for a bathroom carpet,” Nancy recalled about the Capitol restoration.

The story of a building can be represented in many different ways — such as the subtle carpet patterns in the Provo City Center, which mirrors the Provo River that fed the valley’s development — to the more obvious charts and diagrams — such as those throughout the Noorda Engineering, Applied Science and Technology Building, which applies learning to the building itself.

The Noorda interior design team designed this entire facility as a learning opportunity. All of the mechanical, electrical, and technological systems are exposed to show the students how the systems engage with the architecture. Windows and lighting draw attention to the utility spaces, environmental graphics explain how the systems work, and a giant exposed HVAC duct runs through the heart of the building. Scientific formulas, such as a dampening wave and the Fibonacci Sequence, are embedded in window shade structures, acoustic wall panels, and ceiling baffles.

The building structure is also exposed, painted black against white walls to resemble a technical drawing brought to life. Through these features, the building tells the story of the students who attend classes there and learn about the workings of the very systems that house them. 

Often, interior designers find a middle ground through the use of relevant motifs throughout the building. Motifs can help tie a space together visually and incorporate aspects of local culture. Flora and fauna that have had an impact on the cultural or economic development of an area quietly pay tribute to its history, such as in the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple.

Oklahoma is well known for its wheat production, and it is one of the most important crops grown in the state. To honor this heritage, the temple features golden yellow accents alongside representations of wheat stalk. In the windows, the wheat is paired with the Indian Blanket Flower motifs, which is the Oklahoma state wildflower.

The use of motifs also helps increase cohesion between the exterior and interior building. The Mexico City Mexico Temple featured a geometric waterfall motif on the exterior. When VCBO renovated the building, the team decided to bring this motif to the interior.

Inside, the details are more subtle and sophisticated, matching the reverent, refined atmosphere shared by the building and its visitors. The motif hearkens to the pre-colonial civilizations who lived in Mexico and have shaped much of its culture.

The Utah State Capitol, in comparison, incorporates many symbols traditionally associated with democracy, such as Greek laurel wreaths symbolic of victory and success. The Neoclassical Revival design contains many such influences from Greek and Roman architecture, which is used throughout the United States as a symbol of democracy and government.

The beehive, Utah’s state emblem, is also visible throughout the building, which symbolizes both industry and unity. Murals and paintings similarly depict Utah's history, blending with the Neoclassical symbols that tie the Utah State Capitol to broader American symbols.

During the building’s restoration, VCBO incorporated these symbols and design styles both to tell the story of American democracy and to match the restored design to the intent of the original building. Beyond the specific symbols, the elegant interior design reflects the solemnity and dignity to which our government aspires. 

When an interior designer like Nancy or Marilee begins a new project, the space enters a dialogue between the architecture, history, place, and the inhabitants who will use it. Successful commercial interior design takes all these elements into account with subtlety and integrates these stories without sacrificing aesthetics or utility. 

While grand religious and government buildings show obvious examples of storytelling through interior design, interior designers can communicate comfort through something as simple as a soothing color palette or elicit excitement through bold patterns and materials. Every interior, no matter how simple, can tell a story through deliberate and careful choices. 

Marilee has contributed her interior design talents toward many projects with VCBO, including libraries, courthouses, recreation centers, schools, and several higher education projects. Most recently, her focus has been religious architecture and interior design on temple projects for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her ability as a designer is demonstrated in her understanding of interior architecture and her capacity to create beautiful design solutions and carry them out down to the last detail. From custom furniture and rugs to the design of molding profiles and escutcheon plates, she feels the design is in the details.

As an award-winning designer, Nancy is a veteran space planner, scheduler, and budget keeper. She is extensively versed in remodeling and phasing projects to keep units running during remodels. She does what it takes to get the job done right, treating every project uniquely. She believes there is no such thing as two identical projects. This philosophy allows her to solve problems creatively and design unique solutions for each client. Nancy has experience working in all phases of design and has a plethora of experience in corporate, healthcare, hospitality, and education projects.

The Art of Storytelling Through Interior Design

Recreation centers play a vital role in a community. Public recreation centers can promote community health, reduce youth crime rates, improve school performance, contribute to the local economy, and increase public safety. Perhaps more than any other type of building, community and recreation centers provide an inclusive and accessible space where people can come together to improve their health, make friends, and just have fun!

As one example, the Provo Recreation Center celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. After reporting over 1.8 million annual visitors to the award-winning facility, Provo Mayor Michelle Kafusi had this to say about how the recreation center has impacted the Provo community: “The Provo Recreation Center was built to grow with the community while providing options for all…It’s gratifying to see the positive impact our health focus has had.”

From multi-million dollar facilities like the Provo Recreation Center, which boasts 160,000 square feet, to small community centers working to maximize each dollar, a recreation center can benefit communities in ways that extend beyond individual fitness. 

From the front desk to the locker rooms to the pool, there are many decisions that can impact a facility’s ability to function smoothly over many years and support the needs of its residents.

Brent Tippets (right) at the groundbreaking for the Marshall N. White Community Center

Brent Tippets, a principal at VCBO and recognized thought leader in recreation center design, has made it his career to design public and private recreation facilities that foster vibrant communities and promote active lifestyles. The following lessons, which he has learned over more than three decades of recreation center design, have resulted in award winning recreation and aquatic centers that bring people and families together and promote health and wellness.

Visibility Increases Attendance & Promotes Facility Use

When designing a recreation center, the first step is to draw people in, says Brent, “you want people to be able to see the facility and all it offers.” Large windows help accomplish this goal, allowing anyone driving by to glimpse the vibrancy and activity taking place inside. 

“When someone is on their way home from work, thinking, ‘What am I going to do tonight?’ you want the rec center to be there, like a billboard, visible, so they see it – and see activity. You want them to say "I am going to bring my family here.” 

Clyde Recreation Center | Springville, UT

Location plays a critical role in visibility as well. Before VCBO designs a recreation center, we help the client determine the best place to site the facility. A central, accessible location can influence the success of the rec center use, even more than the design itself. 

The ideal recreation center location is easily accessible from public transit stops, freeways, and residential areas. The city may consider placing a rec center near a neighborhood or school, making it accessible to children and teenagers walking or riding bikes. When people pass by the recreation center on a regular basis – on their way to and from work, school, and errands – the building becomes a part of the community framework. This helps a recreation center become an integral part of the community it serves. 

In addition to exterior visibility, interior transparency within the facility, lets patrons see the excitement and energy once they are inside. Someone might first access the recreation center to use the pool, not even knowing that the facility offers yoga classes, basketball, racquetball courts, and pottery, and later return to utilize the expanded offerings.

Recreation centers benefit from open spaces, glass walls, and elements that connect different areas of the facility to each other. Running tracks are a great way to exploit this connectivity – circulating through the building footprint, it’s easy to integrate a track with other areas of the facility. When running tracks wind around and look into other areas of the facility, it both connects the spaces visually and helps those using the track to let their minds focus beyond their workout and the boredom that can accompany a repetitive exercise. 

When we integrate these thoughtful design approaches to increase visibility, it helps people become more engaged with the space. This engagement leads to more active lifestyles and a strengthened community.

An Enlivened Pool is the Heart of a Recreation Center

To describe the process of making a facility inviting and enjoyable, Brent uses the word “enlivening.” An enlivened recreation center encourages people to spend time at the facility through an energetic, welcoming atmosphere with exciting amenities. While every part of the facility should be lively and welcoming, the recreation center pool is an especially crucial part of the design.

Features like walk-in entrances, play structures, climbing walls, slides, and lazy rivers can add to the excitement of a recreation center pool. 

At the Provo Recreation Center. We added a “Ninja” obstacle course to the lap pool to provide more opportunities for play and engagement with the facility. The course can be mechanically raised or lowered depending on the need, so the pool can still be utilized by lap and competitive swimmers.

However, not every amenity needs to be as flashy as a pool obstacle course. Multiple bodies of water in a facility, however simple, can provide activity for all ages. Having multiple bodies of water also allows each pool to be a different temperature – that way lap swimmers can swim in cooler water while leisure swimmers enjoy a pleasant, warmer temperature. 

This also lets people with different abilities or different desires use pools comfortably – whether someone wants to play, exercise, or relax, there is a space for them. A recreation center is a place for everyone  – when the pool and other amenities reflect these values, people notice.

Park City Municipal Athletic & Recreation Center | Park City, UT

Thoughtful Locker Room Design Promotes Safety & Comfort

A safe and welcoming environment should be a top priority for any recreation center. Locker rooms and changing areas are one of the most vulnerable areas in a recreation center, making locker room design an important aspect of any recreation plan.

When VCBO designed the Provo Recreation Center in Utah, community outreach initiatives led us to find out that privacy in changing room areas was a top priority for families. Responding to this need, VCBO became one of the first recreation center designers to use the idea of a large-scale family changing area, as opposed to separate men’s and women’s locker rooms.

Traditional locker rooms can often feel both insecure and non inclusive. The Provo Recreation Center instead has an open locker area where the facility’s patrons can store their belongings, alongside private family changing rooms. The visible locker areas help reduce theft, while the changing rooms let people change in privacy and comfort. 

These rooms also accommodate families, such as a father who might otherwise have to take his young daughter into the men’s locker room, people with various gender identities, persons with disabilities, or those with medical conditions who might prefer a private place to change.

This evolution in the way we think about locker rooms has been a huge success in Provo, and VCBO has since taken this model and applied it to other recreation projects. 

Versatility & Longevity Maximize a Recreation Center Budget

While we wish every community had a state-of-the-art recreation facility with every imaginable amenity, budget constraints and limited available space means one of our primary goals as architects is to help create a facility that provides the best possible return on investment. From programming to selection of building systems that will keep the building reliably running for years to come, our goal is to reduce maintenance and promote structure longevity.

According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, the number of amenities available was the “strongest predictor” of whether or not children used recreation centers. One way to increase amenities is multi-use spaces. For example, a fitness studio can accommodate multiple classes throughout the day. When designed thoughtfully, a single classroom can host dance, aerobics, spin, yoga, and taekwondo. When a single space fills different needs throughout the day, it becomes a better return on investment. That space can then pay for other spaces. In addition to being financially smart, increasing the number of programs in these versatile spaces increases community engagement by offering activities and classes that suit a variety of needs. 

South Davis Recreation Center | Bountiful, UT

Versatile spaces increase the number of possible amenities, but when hard choices still need to be made, community engagement becomes an important part of programming the facility. Selecting the correct program spaces will draw in community members and help pay for additions down the line. 

One such consideration is how to arrange the pool area. According to Brent, “A recreation pool will bring in ten times as many visitors as a lap pool. That means ten times the memberships and ten times the revenue.” When we designed the Casper Aquatic Center, the facility featured a leisure pool and a separate four-lane lap pool. Because the facility eventually wanted more lanes for lap swimming, we designed the facility to accommodate a future eight-lane lap pool addition. This phased approach allowed the City to build a facility within budget constraints with the idea of using profits to make future improvements.

Behind the scenes of a recreation facility, complex mechanical and structural systems keep facilities up and running. A lot of what we do when designing a recreation center is look at the systems and ensure building longevity – controlling humidity, corrosion, and air quality all make a difference in the maintenance costs and overall cost to run a facility. In aquatic environments especially, these considerations will make a large difference in how much it costs to maintain the center. 

Cleanliness matters; a facility that is easy to maintain makes for a more inviting atmosphere and thus increases usage.

Successful Recreation Centers Bring Communities Together

A recreation center can be one of the most fulfilling architectural building types. Brent believes designing recreation facilities is the most rewarding aspect of his professional life. “Where else can you work on projects that benefit a community as a whole – helps communities gain pride, gives families an opportunity to socialize and be happy and healthy together? All those things combined define what a recreation center is – community, family, and individual.”

A seasoned architect whose designs have transformed the recreation landscape throughout the Intermountain West since 1984, Brent is a recognized thought leader in recreation, aquatics, and sports design. Brent’s dynamic personality and thoughtful design approach enable him to guide complex projects to elegant solutions. Through his portfolio of work, you can see the strong mark he has left on community recreation throughout the western United States.


Marshall N. White Community Center | Ogden, UT

How to Foster Vibrant Communities through Thoughtful Recreation Center Design

There are multiple vacant sites in Salt Lake City that have been passed over for development, at least in part, due to the inability to incorporate sufficient parking. Although it may not be the most glamorous part of building design, parking is nonetheless essential to the success of any project.

Spaces for people to thrive.

INSIGHTS