David Pugh discusses HOK’s increasing give attention to rising know-how sectors and the “fun” of fixing advanced issues.
David Pugh, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, just lately joined HOK as a principal and the agency’s Advanced Technology sector apply chief. Based in San Francisco, he’s serving to develop HOK’s Science + Technology work in rising and superior know-how sectors together with robotics, quantum sciences, company know-how and semiconductors.
In this dialog, David shares his perspective on the evolving panorama of superior know-how services and why he loves the difficult facet of structure.
What does superior know-how imply at HOK, and which sectors are you targeted on?
David: Tech can imply so many issues to completely different individuals. HOK works on every little thing from workplace areas to engineering labs, R&D services and every little thing in between. We have already got an unbelievable crew targeted on delivering distinctive workplace areas for our know-how purchasers. I’m right here to assist our Science + Technology crew deal with these extremely advanced packages the place HOK’s experience actually shines.
This consists of every little thing from semiconductors and quantum—each computing and measurement—to automotive R&D and aerospace. We focus quite a lot of our consideration on robotics, superior manufacturing and medical units, and have experience in the way forward for mobility, from EVs to autonomous automobiles.
Our work isn’t all the time standalone buildings. You may not see a constructing that’s purely a robotics facility. These element components exist inside a bigger ecosystem inside the constructing to serve an even bigger function. So, whether or not it’s a clear room, a safe facility or a quantum lab, we’re taking a look at these as specialised parts and the way they contribute to the wants of a wide range of purchasers and challenge varieties.
One problem on this house is that NDAs are extraordinarily frequent. We have to respect our purchasers’ confidentiality whereas nonetheless displaying the business what we’re able to. Sometimes which means artistic storytelling and solely having the ability to present diagrams or renderings.
What drew you to this function and to HOK?
I’ve been training structure for practically 23 years. Early in my profession, I began gravitating towards the technical points of the work, which led me down a path of taking up an increasing number of difficult initiatives. For me, this meant I discovered initiatives with technically advanced areas and necessities much more thrilling and rewarding.
When my youngsters ask me what I do for a residing, I inform them that I take pleasure in fixing actually difficult issues. I really like that inside this function, I may also help purchasers once they say, “I have this situation and I don’t really know what to do with it.”
I used to be particularly drawn to HOK to be part of this unbelievable crew of consultants. This agency has the technical chops and excessive design requirements that I respect, with out the black-cape tradition of design you see in another companies. There isn’t that degree of ego right here. We wish to do unbelievable work, however we additionally actually wish to be companions with our purchasers.
What are the largest challenges your purchasers are going through now?
The largest one is flexibility. Funding sources change, politics change and know-how evolves so quick. Advanced know-how is mixing into life sciences and workplace areas an increasing number of every day. Our purchasers want areas that may adapt to an ever-changing panorama.
I spoke with a contractor about a number of just lately accomplished buildings which can be struggling as a result of they had been designed to give attention to a single tenant or a particular sort of science. If you design a extremely specialised constructing with costly infrastructure and that tenant leaves, you may be caught with a legal responsibility.
We attempt to assist purchasers see a constructing’s second life. But I’ll be trustworthy: Anyone who says they’ve “future-proofed” a constructing is mendacity. There’s solely a lot anybody can do. We love serving to our purchasers assume holistically about what a constructing may very well be if issues change, or serving to them thoughtfully convert from one focus to a different, somewhat than simply having to knock it down and begin from scratch.
You talked about that challenge varieties are mixing. What does that seem like?
I don’t assume there are numerous components of the business that sit separate from every little thing else anymore. It doesn’t work that manner this present day.
A conventional life sciences shopper may now want server farms, robotics and automatic 24/7 services. We’re seeing early use circumstances the place life science and pharma groups wish to mannequin outcomes digitally earlier than ever doing any medical analysis. This sort of built-in science and know-how will increase computing wants and requires very low latency.
This brings up new challenges, particularly relating to energy. As extra gear is added to a facility or chips evolve and get even sooner, our purchasers want extra energy. So we aren’t simply designing a lab. We’re serving to purchasers plan services responsibly in gentle of that vitality demand. It requires a mixture of structure, engineering and sustainability which you could’t actually silo. We have to convey all events to the desk on the very outset of a challenge to make sure that the location can really help the proposed features.
What can HOK’s built-in strategy provide purchasers on this house?
We wish to be the trusted advisor who will get the primary telephone name. Even if a shopper simply says, “I was asked for something I have never heard of before and I don’t even know what that means yet,” we may also help them determine it out.
Because we now have structure, engineering, interiors, planning and consulting all underneath one roof—and may combine specialist companions at any time when wanted—we will provide a degree of experience and coordination that’s exhausting to get elsewhere. Other companies may need to piece that crew collectively with consultants or different outdoors teams that they haven’t labored with earlier than.
There isn’t any “easy button” within the superior know-how sector. This sort of labor is inherently advanced. However, having such a deep bench of consultants and the chance to construct an built-in, in-house crew makes the method with HOK a lot smoother for the shopper.
You’ve recognized Customer Experience Centers as a key rising alternative. Why are these changing into so essential for your purchasers proper now?
Honeywell Customer Experience Center in Charlotte, North Carolina
These are enjoyable ones the place we’re capable of interact consultants throughout our agency, from expertise design to interiors and hospitality design, to create one-of-a-kind areas for our purchasers.
As competitors heats up—whether or not you’re a quantum firm or a vertical takeoff startup—you want a spot to convey traders and prospects to point out them what you are able to do and why they need to associate with you.
These areas can vary from a tech-enabled boardroom to completely immersive exhibition areas with AR, VR and dwell product demos. I labored on one in Ottawa that included a number of pavilions, every showcasing completely different applied sciences. In the top, it’s about differentiation. If you’re competing for the following spherical of funding or the following massive contract, the way you bodily current your know-how issues.
How does office design issue into superior know-how services?
Anyone who ignores the human facet of the scientific office is placing their head within the sand.
There’s an outdated notion that scientists and engineers solely have to work in sterile, high-tech bins the place all areas are precisely the identical, however that’s simply not true. We know from our analysis on neuroinclusion that fairly often, the individuals drawn to life sciences and superior know-how work otherwise. That distinction is a part of why they’re so profitable, and we have to help all points of their work.
Our initiatives can’t simply be about having the newest and biggest lab. That’s an enormous a part of our work, after all, however we now have to give attention to the opposite kinds of work being finished within the services we design. We have to create areas that help the unbelievable individuals who work there and their wants all through the day.
If corporations wish to preserve the workforce they spend a lot time constructing, they’ve to handle extra of their groups’ wants. All of that is amplified by the truth that, as superior know-how labs and different areas make their manner into extra industries, everybody might be competing for the identical extremely proficient people.
Let’s Connect
Considering a sophisticated know-how challenge? David Pugh and HOK’s Advanced Technology apply convey many years of expertise designing advanced analysis and know-how services for company, institutional and authorities purchasers worldwide. Contact [email protected] to start the dialog.