When Beechfield Elementary/Middle School fifth graders were asked to design their dream homes fifteen years ago, they almost always included a "safe room," a place where they could escape violence, says Ayers Saint Gross president Jim Wheeler.

Today, none do. Their dream houses have video game rooms and swimming pools.

It's a particularly gratifying shift for the architects volunteering in the West Baltimore public school to see.

"One day, we'll hire one of these students," Wheeler says. "That's our long-term goal."

Ayers Saint Gross employees have been involved with the school in various capacities since 1997. They hold clothing and food drives. They provide backpacks with school supplies. And several years ago, the firm created a coloring book, "Colorful World of Architecture" to expose Beechfield students to architecture.

The book has become the basis of a program called "Careers in Design." This year, 16 students participated in the seven-session program, learning about planning, building architecture, construction, graphic design, interior design, and landscape architecture.

"It ties into math, reading, social studies and science skills," said Rashedda Carroll, who teaches fifth grade at the school.

One week, students designed a house for a classmate. They had to interview their classmates to find out what was important to them, and reflect those preferences in their designs. Then, they had to present to the class. The next week, they picked a room to design, using magazine pictures and material samples.

"They ask insightful questions," said Joel Fidler, a senior associate at Ayers Saint Gross. "To see their expressions, their curiosity it's rewarding."

In the construction lesson, students used toothpicks and gumdrops to create the tallest structures they could. In landscape architecture, they used an aerial photograph to rework their school grounds. And in a graphic design session, they created names and logos for businesses.

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Architects give Baltimore students lessons to build on

Daniel Ash Architects Ivanhoe Project
For more information visit us online at http://www.danielash.com.au Daniel Ash Architects is a Melbourne based architecture and design practice with considerable experience across a number...

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Bali Kristana Gallery Resort - Johanes Architects 3D Animation Project
Contact Us Complex Permata Mediterania Jl. Ruby Garden I/16, Jakarta Selatan Telepon : +6221 - 98265429 / +6221 - 58903517 Fax : +6221 - 5872482 Email : johanes_architects@yahoo.co.id Website...

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Bali New Bali International Airport - Johanes Architects 3D Animation Project
Contact Us Complex Permata Mediterania Jl. Ruby Garden I/16, Jakarta Selatan Telepon : +6221 - 98265429 / +6221 - 58903517 Fax : +6221 - 5872482 Email : johanes_architects@yahoo.co.id Website...

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Washington, DC (PRWEB) May 29, 2014

In todays corporate world, the interior architectural design professionals at OTJ Architects continue to see the workplace culture shift from cubicles and individual workstations to open office spaces with environments to promote collaboration, concentration and community. However, choosing if an open office is right for a particular company can be a tricky decision one that depends most on how staff functions best supporting the organizations overall mission.

Organizations that invest in creating work environments that accommodate all types of employees and working styles are seeing successful results in recruiting the best and the brightest minds, while also retaining existing employees, said Lance Jaccard, Partner at OTJ Architects.

An open office environment allows employees to brainstorm and collaborate which helps increase morale and greatly improve productivity. The following additional benefits are provided with an open office design:

Not all organizations require a high level of collaboration. A law firm, for instance, may require a more quiet, head-down type of work atmosphere and private offices. Companies today will see greater enjoyment in their workplace design when they are able to determine which way their employees work and interact best. OTJ is able to provide guidance, industry best practices, benchmarking data and varying options so that clients can make an informed decision that will affect their organizations for years to come.

OTJ designs utilizing various levels of open and closed spaces include the office for Searle Freedom Trust that utilized both private and collaborative workspaces, a closed office environment for The Weinberg Group with glass throughout the space to provide ample natural light to enter the floor plate, and multiple meeting spaces of varying sizes, openness and seating types to allow for greater employee collaboration at the National Parks Conservation Association.

We work with our clients to determine what the best fit is for their organization, said Tony Martin, Partner at OTJ Architects. We have had great success with both office styles, including many workplaces with a healthy balance of collaboration and privacy that help our clients better achieve their organizational goals and objectives.

Contact OTJ Architects to discuss your architectural needs today.

About OTJ Architects OTJ Architects is a well-respected national interior architecture design firm that has successfully completed thousands of projects throughout the country. Founded in 1990, OTJ is comprised of five studios headquartered in Washington, DC, with more than 60 architects and designers, many of whom are LEED Accredited Professionals. OTJ is registered in 37 states and is able to consult in all 50 states. The responsive interior architecture consultants create effective environments through listening, understanding and tailored design. These designs focus on helping clients enhance collaboration, company branding and employee recruitment and retention. OTJs design teams provide clients with personalized attention to create workplace solutions that reflect their unique, individual needs. For more information, visit otj.com.

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Company Successes Realized Through Appropriate Use of Open or Closed Office Environments According to Commercial ...

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The UC Architects talk about Dossier
The UC Architects talk about Dossier for Lync in Episode 38: Don #39;t go swimming in someone else #39;s pool. Get all Dossier for Lync Products free for 30 days. http://lyncanalytics.info.

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Ted Baillieu Launches Architects Digital Time Capsule at Fed Square
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