Hollis + Miller Architects Kansas City

by Annette Mertes Hadley

n the late afternoon on Sunday, May 22, 2011, the quiet town of Joplin, Missouri, was hit by a catastrophic EF5-rated multi-vortex tornado. Reaching a maximum width of nearly

one mile, the tornado killed over 160, injured over 1000, leaving thousands homeless and causing almost $ 3 billion in damages. The deadliest single tornado in US history took among its victims the city ' s elementary and middle schools.

Absolutely devastated, the community found their footing with great support from across the US and beyond. The

school district sought qualified design firms with an open mind, seeing the tragedy as an opportunity for a new start.

Enter Hollis + Miller Architects, founded in 1950, the oldest architecture firm in Kansas City.

Respected and established, yet with a whole new way of thinking about education: creating spaces for learning that meet the needs of the individual learner.

Guess who won the contract?

A project ' s success can be measured in many ways. The words of a small child on the first day in the new school provide powerful testimony. When asked by the principal how it felt, he replied“ to me, it feels like happiness.”

Chris Heinz, Hollis + Miller Architects Partner and Vice President, explains, " Think about it. Every square foot should be a learning environment, and that’ s the approach we took. We created spaces that support the different

ways of learning at each age. The end result in Joplin was spectacular. It changed things for the community and for our company. It changed our trajectory and helped us become an even more purpose driven firm.

Indeed, the Joplin experience would solidify Hollis & Miller ' s commitment to education, with their 2012 decision to focus 100 % on that market. And in doing so, create a key differentiator between them and their competitors. A new approach to learning in every sector- private, public, charter, K12 schools, higher education- was established.

Starting with Hollis + Miller Architects as Director of Design, Heinz worked with architects across all projects to ensure the best design solutions for their clients. He guided Hollis + Miller Architects in a path towards higher quality, using evidence based design. As a result, the company associates became experts in the way the brain learns- different ages, different learning styles. They began to tailor design solutions specifically to a child ' s age and brain development.

Over one hundred years ago, the Committee of 10 standardized the American education model with which most are familiar today: one size fits all. Yet brain-based research conducted over the last fifteen years has unveiled a new perspective. The findings in one word? Different.

Heinz continues, " That is why new schools bear little resemblance to those constructed twenty or more years ago. You can ' t put every kid in same place and expect the same kind of performance. We design a space for every brain."

Meanwhile, Hollis + Miller Architects continue their commitment to education within their own organization, applying the philosophy " grow the individual, grow the firm." New hires may not start with education specific experience, however if they possess an innate passion for it and are willing to learn, they are deemed " mission fit.” Associates then own the power to plot the course for their career paths using the firm’ s ICP( Individual Career Path) program, which provides tools along the learning

continuum.

The firm ' s differentiation is obvious. In a recent local high school project, they designed and created a learning environment where students could choose a space to meet their needs in the moment, for example a quiet soft seating area versus a more active large group collaborate space. The design supports various learning modalities, including independent, group, and direct learning.

When the project was completed, the Board of Education asked " Why doesn ' t the rest of the school look like this?"

Well, if they had contracted with Hollis + Miller Architects in the first place, it would.

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