CREJ

June 2020 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \ 37 The Silver Linings As mentioned previously, we take pride in what we be- lieve to be a unique and close-knit office culture. Feeling forced apart so unexpectedly we were all drawn toward experiences that would bring us together, if only virtual- ly. We are still maintaining our Monday morning all-com- pany meeting virtually. We have added nonmandatory staying-connected meetings twice a day and host happy hours every Friday. Although working remotely isn’t ide- al, we have noticed some extraordinary moments with our employees. Family connections. Whether family includes a spouse and three kids, or it’s you and a puzzle – we’re celebrat- ing “family” on our web check-ins. Kids are showing off their spring dresses and Lego sets, dogs pop in and out, stealing the show, and we’re motiving others to stay committed to their crocheted blankets. As a result of our employees’ generously sharing a glimpse into their daily lives, multiple times per day and connecting with their families, our bond is stronger than ever. Culture connections. Along with our Friday happy hours, our culture committee didn’t want to see all ac- tivities take a pause while in quarantine. Throughout the year we host maker nights, where we get together after hours and learn a new craft. During quarantine, one committee member is planning to lead a group virtually through DIY silk-screening kits. We’re looking forward to hosting this first ever digital maker night! Client connections. Construction is identified as an es- sential service and we continue to work on a variety of projects under construction using suggested safe prac- tices. Many of our initial architectural programming ac- tivities include in-person community meetings. We are innovating opportunities for members of the communi- ties we are working with to engage virtually in the de- sign of their new community center. These opportunities will provide services for future clients that might not be able to support public facilitation. Passion projects. Throughout history, we’ve seen peo- ple overcome challenges with innovative solutions. We’ve seen our employees’ passion carry them through this tough time and inspire new initiatives that we’re now working to implement. It’s an exciting way we’re keeping energy high and rewarding creative thinking. Our marketing team is working to create webinars to provide our clients with support during this tough time as they navigate through transitioned re-openings of their community centers. Others around the office are taking on the task of tracking recreation centers nation- wide, how they have reacted to COVID and having to tem- porarily close, what worked and what didn’t. With this knowledge we can be a resource to our client and con- tinue to maintain our pulse on the recreation industry. We’re also working with our recreation clients to initi- ate new remote esports leagues and tournaments to help keep their members connected. Our annual conference, which we call Rec Camp, has been delayed by three months but we continue to have registrants trickle in, and we are modifying content to be most relevant in the new normal. We’re also hoping to still celebrate the original dates with an e-version of rel- evant content for those who signed up but are no longer able to attend. Post-Pandemic? Reading this article in early June, many of us are hope- fully now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. We’re also acutely aware it will be a slow drip back to society as we know it – some things will be altered forever. Now we’re focusing on keeping track of public policy adjust- ments associated with recreation centers and libraries and how any changes may impact the programming and design of our buildings. Next, we’re looking forward to hosting a think tank post-pandemic with past and current clients. We will be assessing their new needs, what keeps them up at night and howwe can leverage architecture to make our future a safer, healthier place. \\ katiebarnes@brsarch.com ELEMENTS Post COVID-19 Maker nights were a statple; now they are digital.