 Hellmuth, Obata and Kesselbaum (now known as HOK) is a global architecture, interiors, engineering, planning and consulting firm. EnviroCitizen.org found that HOK is the largest U.S.-based architecture-engineering firm and the world's fourth largest architectural firm. The firm was formed in St.Louis Missouri by a group of three graduates of the Washington University of St. Louis Architecture School.
The company has always been on the cutting edge of innovation. HOK is an innovator in the building design industry and has greatly influenced the business of architecture. In 1983 HOK introduced HOK Draw, one of the first computer-aided drafting software products that specialized in conceptual architectural design. More recently, HOK has made a commitment to using Building Information Modeling (BIM) to streamline the design and construction process.
The company has taken that same innovation to create sustainable design. Professionals in the firm authored one of the industry's most respected resources on the topic, "The HOK Guidebook to Sustainable Design," originally published in 2000 by John Wiley & Sons. A second edition of the book was published in 2005. HOK currently has more than 800 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited professionals and 52 LEED certified projects. HOK placed first in Engineering News-Record's 2009 'Top 100 Green Design Firms' survey. In September 2008, to better integrate nature's innovations into the design of buildings, communities and cities worldwide, HOK announced an association with the Biomimicry Guild co-founded by Janine Benyus, an environmental scientist. This was to create a building designed for the human beings who occupy them, rather than the purpose of a simple function such as to house a company.
The company has a website with all kinds of information on living green, from LEED guides to greening up the workplace. They have a 10 step guide that gives info on how the company does integrated design. The first step is to have a project definition, meaning that one is to embed sustainable design in contract and detail. The second step is building a team that is experienced in such design. The third step is education and goal setting. The team sets sustainable goals and measurable outcomes. The fourth step is site evaluation. Site constraints are identified as well as sustainable opportunities. Next, a baseline analysis is set. This means that a baseline energy and water analysis is set because those are two very important environmental issues in creating a building design. The sixth step is making a concept design, meaning that sustainable strategies in the design's concept are incorporated. The seventh step is seeking optimization; seeking synergies in the design of systems. The company's eighth step is in documents and specifications. The company incorporates sustainable requirements earlier found into the documents. The ninth step that HOK does is having the contractor and team collaborate in the creation of the building. The final step is to observe and monitor the results of the previosu steps to see that satisfaction is achieved on all levels.
With this kind of thinking, EnviroCitizen.org believes it is no wonder that this firm is so highly recognized for their work. The company is a worldwide icon in designing sustainably.
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