Buildings as teachers
At DSGW, we see every project as a possible learning experience. We’re constantly asking, “How can we improve the built environment?” With the Four Winds Alternative and CTE High School, the lessons continue throughout the life of the building. As the first net zero school on tribal land, it was the perfect opportunity to teach […]
The power of exterior lighting
Typically when you think of lighting for a building, interior lighting is what comes to mind, but exterior lighting also plays an important role. The exterior design features can help tell the story of a building and leave a lasting first impression. A good lighting plan is the key to setting the mood, safe illumination and complementing the […]
A Journey to ACHA Accreditation
By Ryan Turner, AIA, ACHA, EDAC Healthcare Design, Principal The American College of Healthcare Architects (ACHA) provides Board Certification for architects who practice as healthcare specialists. The journey to ACHA certification proved to be one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences I’ve had in my career. The entire process was extremely rigorous from submitting […]
Annual ‘mini-cottage’ to benefit Miller Dwan Foundation
DSGW lives by our tag line “enriching communities through architecture.” Not only do we strive to design buildings and spaces that benefit the areas around them, but we look for unique philanthropic opportunities to lend our design expertise. One of those opportunities we look forward to each year is a design project benefiting the Miller […]
Four design professionals at DSGW are now registered Architects, Interior Designer
DSGW Architects is pleased to announce that the following staff members have logged thousands of hours in training and have passed the Architectural Registration Examination (ARE) and the National Certified Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ) Examinations. Steve Knutson joined DSGW in 2007 and is a newly Registered Architect. His primary focus is healthcare and education design. […]
Furnishing for Health: Waiting areas can be more than places to pass the time
By Carlie Kemp, CID Interior Designer focused on Healthcare The furnishings and design of lobbies and public areas help to introduce the clinical experience. They are the welcome mat and the doorway for patients and their families. Yet, how often do we think of these portals to care and their furnishings as anything more […]
Design that gets us Moving
By John Gerzina, AIA, LEED AP DSGW Principal Published in the Duluthian For decades, architects worked to minimize environmental impacts of buildings—seeking to reduce impacts such as carbon footprints and energy consumption. We made our buildings healthier for the environment but ignored the health of people who work inside them. “Active Design” is an […]
The Promise of the ‘Patient Centered Medical Home Model’ for Tribal Healthcare
By Rebecca Lewis, FAIA, FACHA, CID Director of Healthcare Design, Principal of DSGW Architects As architects, we design physical spaces. But as healthcare planners, we also design for human relationships. In clinics and hospitals, the “Patient-Centered Medical Home Model” is not a space at all—but a partnership between patients and their primary healthcare providers. PCMH […]
Ground Breaking for the new St. Luke’s Chequamegon Clinic
Superior Telegram St. Luke’s celebrated the start of construction on its new Chequamegon Clinic building with a groundbreaking ceremony Monday. Many community leaders including Ashland’s mayor, members of the planning commission and Chamber of Commerce attended. The new 22,000-square-foot clinic is being built on the shores of Lake Superior along the north side of U.S. […]
Aging with a “Sense of Place”
By Jessica Derynck, AIA, LEED AP DSGW Healthcare Architect I recently took part in the LeadingAge Minnesota Institute conference in St. Paul— one of the premier meetings nationwide for older adult services providers. A major theme was “Aging in Place”—the idea that older adults can live in a single location for the remainder of […]
