Healthcare Design - October 2018 - 18

E. Ramon
Cavazos III

AIA, EDAC, LSSYB, CCCA, vice president,
senior designer, and business development
practice leader | HKS, Dallas

AVAZOS JOINED HKS' Dallas office in 2006, ini-

tially working part-time while pursuing his
Master of Architecture degree at the University of Texas at Arlington. His first post was in
the firm's construction administration department, where he worked on a variety of high-end
hospitality projects. Six years into his career, he
was selected to participate in the firm's annual
design fellowship program, where he impressed leadership with his
design and presentation skills so much that he was invited to transfer
to the elite healthcare studio. There, he developed a specialty in pediatric facility design while working on several high-profile projects,
such as Akron Children's Hospital's Kay Jewelers Pavilion, Our Lady
of the Lake Children's Hospital, and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for
Children's North Campus. His unique background in construction
administration and design as well as his ease in creating rapport with
clients make him a sought-after resource in the office. In addition to
serving as a studio leader and senior designer within the firm's health
sector, he was recently promoted to the role of business development
practice leader, where he collaborates on proposals, attends project
interviews, and coordinates marketing materials.

HEALTHCARE DESIGN: AFTER SPENDING TIME IN
OTHER SECTORS AND DESIGN SPECIALTIES, WHY
DID YOU DECIDE TO FOCUS ON HEALTHCARE?

Cavazos: Admittedly, I was unsure about moving into healthcare after my work in hospitality and sports projects. At first, I was driven by
the complexity of healthcare, but, not long after joining the studio, I remember hearing one of my colleagues speak about healthcare in a way
that changed my perspective completely. She said, "When you go on vacation, you get to choose which hotel you want to stay in. When you're

sick or in an emergency, you don't always get
that luxury." From that day forward, I knew I had
the power to impact people in a profound way by
designing facilities that will sometimes literally
bookend their lives.
DESCRIBE A RECENT PROJECT AND
A LESSON YOU LEARNED THROUGH
YOUR WORK.

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children's
North Campus in Frisco, Texas, where I was
lead designer, responsible for site and master
planning, building blocking and stacking, concept development, and exterior design. The lesson that sticks with me most is the importance
of developing trust with the client and project
team. There were several times when I had to
ask that hospital leadership to take a small leap
of faith when it came to design decisions, something I couldn't have done without first developing that trust.
W H AT D O Y O U T H I N K I S T H E
N U M B E R O N E I S S U E FA C I N G
H E A L T H C A R E D E S I G N E R S T O D AY ?

Designing for a system that fails to holistically
integrate with the population being served,
which results in inequality in access, lack of personalization, and weakened impact on community health.
S H A R E A N I D E A Y O U H AV E F O R
A D D R E S S I N G T H AT P R O B L E M .

More could be done to better integrate outpatient services into the communities they serve.
I've seen Starbucks stores within blocks of
each other-one a shipping container-inspired
setting with drive-through service and another
a Starbucks Reserve Bar in a mixed-use development. They both stay busy because they
reflect their immediate environment, have
adjusted their service model, and cater to different people while serving the same product. Why aren't our healthcare facilities doing
more of the same?
W H A T ' S Y O U R F AV O R I T E P L A C E T O

The Katy Trail in Dallas. Built on an old rail line,
it's a walking, jogging, and biking trail nestled in
the heart of the city. A run usually gives me time
to think, and I love to do it where there are lots
of people to see. A place that combines so many
aspects of social activity, health, community, and
nature is inspirational for me.

Texas Scottish Rite
Hospital for Children's
North Campus, Frisco,
Texas

OCTOBER 2018

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Design - October 2018