The Benefits of Engagement Workshops

To better understand an Owner’s future workplace, we recently hosted an engagement workshop with the KPFF Louisville team who is planning their new office in downtown Louisville. KPFF is a national structural engineering firm that partners with the world’s most thoughtful and creative design professionals to design and build extraordinary places and things. In 2022, […]

Coming Soon to the Louisville Zoo

New Kentucky Trails Exhibit Seeks to Redefine Zoo Experience Continuing the Louisville Zoo’s mission to “Better the Bond Between People and our Planet,” a new experience is beginning to take shape. Together with international zoological consultants CLR Design, Schmidt Associates is excited to play a major role in its development. Introducing Kentucky Trails Design is […]

Designing Accessibility On Campus

How Schmidt Associates Designers Made the Alumni House at Allison Mansion Welcoming to All Emulating historical character and turn-of-the-century charm, Allison Mansion housed the family of transportation pioneer James Allison when it was built in 1911. Possessing opulent taste, the mansion was outfitted with an imported German chandelier, a sunken conservatory, a music room with […]

Adapting, Expanding, Prevailing

Schmidt Associates designers work to re-imagine existing space for Spalding University’s physical therapy program On the Spalding University campus in downtown Louisville, Ky., a new school of physical therapy will begin educating the next wave of compassionate, caring, and skilled physical therapists in a $7M building beginning in fall 2023. Located along Spalding’s Health Sciences […]

Deep Dive: Marian University Witchger School of Engineering

To provide students with a top-ranked engineering education that prepares them for successful careers and transformative leadership within the region, nation, and world, the new Marian University Witchger School of Engineering will be opening its doors this fall. What’s in store for the first class of students is truly exciting. The school will not only […]

Retro-commissioning: Restoring Energy Standards

When older buildings start losing their luster, it might be time for a retro-commissioning study (RCx) to ensure internal systems are running efficiently. What is retro-commissioning? An RCx study is the first stage in a building upgrade process. It involves studying the performance of HVAC, lighting, and building controls systems while comparing them to a […]

The Intersection of Comfort and Sound: How Quiet HVAC Systems and Good Acoustics Contribute to Higher Learning

Acoustics and Well-being Well-designed classrooms are central to learning. While students and staff may not immediately consider what they hear (or don’t hear), noise control is fundamental to their learning environment. As architects and engineers specializing in higher education design, we have an obligation to minimize these distractions, making acoustics an integral aspect of design […]

Designing K-12 Education Spaces for Student Mental and Emotional Wellbeing | Part 2

Acoustical, Lighting, and Building System Considerations   In the first of this two-part series exploring building design’s impact on student mental and emotional health, we discussed how the design of a space, its furnishings, and the types of visual elements it uses impact how students feel. But there are a variety of additional building aspects […]

3 Strategies to Help Colleges Prioritize Deferred Maintenance Post-COVID

The realities of a pandemic have made running a college or university harder than ever. Institutions must simultaneously plan for a murky future state while trying to keep the doors open today. This balancing act impacts nearly every decision made and every dollar spent. Even during the best of times, facilities leaders almost always need […]

Should You Spend ESSER II Funds on Facilities Projects?

Evaluating K-12 Facilities for Health and Safety     Since an additional round of COVID-19 emergency relief funding was announced through ESSER II, you’ve likely already started talking with your team and partners about how you can and should plan to spend this money. You have a list a mile long of the things your […]