Healthcare Design - November 2019 - 58

AFTER SEEKING OUT his first apprenticeship at

the inherent complexity of healthcare design.
While making this practice-specific knowledge
accessible, it's also important to mentor, sponsor, and provide opportunities for growth within
the studio and beyond to equip the profession's
next generation of leaders.

age 15, Stephen Parker has since gained broad
experience at firms large and small, focusing
on sectors from higher education to healthcare. Since joining SmithGroup in 2014, he's
built a portfolio ranging from federal healthcare to international projects at multiple
scales. A believer in the architect as advocate,
Parker's initiative to lead through service has
been recognized with the American Institute
of Architects (AIA) Young Architects Award.
He's also the youngest licensed architect to be
elected to the AIA's Strategic Council.

W H A T ' S O N E I D E A Y O U H AV E F O R
O V E R C O M I N G T H AT P R O B L E M ?

H E A L T H C A R E D E S I G N : W H AT
DREW YOU TO A CAREER IN
HEALTHCARE DESIGN?

Stephen Parker
AIA, NCARB, LEED AP
BD+C, architect and
planner, SmithGroup
(Washington, D.C.)

Parker: A confluence of events led me to focus on healthcare design. When I considered
my thesis in graduate school, it was the anniversary of my grandfather's death. His career in the Army spanned three wars, causing
several health issues. My frequent hospital
visits in his final days colored my experience
of healthcare. At about the same time, several
of my friends had to undergo intense hospital
stays after returning from serving abroad. All
of these experiences ignited my drive to design
something better. I chose to research and design a Wounded Warrior Polytrauma Center
and have been blessed to work on several veterans healthcare projects since.
W H AT ' S O N E R E C E N T P R O J E C T
T H AT Y O U ' R E M O S T P R O U D O F ?

This year, I had the chance to work with a
nonprofit design agency in India. Alongside a
dozen local and international professionals,
we drafted a master plan for a new 150-bed hospital and nursing college in a rural region. We
also developed the first phase of concept design
and worked closely with hospital leadership to
design several innovations in the ward layout,
minimize infection risk in the surgical wing,
and plan for the next 25 years of growth. All of
the volunteers had a shared purpose of serving
this community through design. It's the type of
rewarding work that feeds the soul, and I hope
to have more opportunities like it in the future.

Adilabad Community
Hospital Masterplan,
India

I've advocated, within the AIA and other organizations, for an avenue of professional growth
through community design opportunities.
Within the firm, I've served as design captain
for our yearly community project here in D.C.
Nationally, I've volunteered with the nonprofit
AEC Cares to execute a pro bono project during
the national AIA Conference on Architecture.
I'm always amazed by the drive and sense of purpose of everyone involved.
Some years ago, a few colleagues and I embarked on turning the community design ethos
of the profession into legislation, crafting and
introducing it to Congress. By founding the
AIA's first advocacy coalition for the National
Design Services Act, we sought to create avenues for aspiring architects to serve their communities through design while also combatting
student debt. By seeking out and collaborating
with communities that are underserved by the
profession, we can provide opportunities for
younger staff to develop the design, project management, and leadership skills that are critical to
their career. This has the added benefit of raising the profile of participants' firms and the role
of design in community building. This is especially important in healthcare, where the need is
great among underserved communities and we
should strive to design a healthy society for all.

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 T H E
HEALTHCARE DESIGN INDUSTRY

The challenges of recruiting, training, and retaining talented professionals to sustain a career are becoming increasingly difficult. The
onboarding process from school to practice
leaves many wanting, and this is amplified by

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Healthcare Design - November 2019

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