Planning to build something be it a shop, restaurant, hospital, or house requires persistent efforts as it entails imagination and unique ideas. An ingenious design and arrangement can create a strong visual impact on the observer’s mind and would also be comfortable for the user. Organizations that provide integrated construction services reduce your excessive efforts and allow you to focus on your visionary dream.
One such company is Cuhaci & Peterson, which is a nationally recognized architectural and engineering services, planning, interior design, and government relations company based in Maitland, Florida. This company’s excellence in work has won the trust of many clients across the world.
In an exclusive interview with Insights Success, Greg Simpson, the Chief Executive Officer, Steven Blevins, the Director of Digital Service, Sean Topper, the Technical Manager, and Scott Parker, the Senior Project Coordinator of Cuhaci & Peterson, shared their journey of making Cuhaci & Peterson one of the most trusted healthcare architecture companies in 2021.
Following are the highlights of the interview:
Please brief our audience about Cuhaci & Peterson, its mission, and the key aspects of its stronghold within the healthcare architecture niche.
Cuhaci & Peterson is a nationally recognized design firm with 50 registered professionals in 50 states. Dedicated to its mission to exceed expectations by transforming an idea into value, the Central Florida-based firm is excited to partner with its clients to create places that people experience and remember.
For more than eight years, C&P has designed assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities, independent living facilities, medical office buildings, dental offices, memory care facilities, and animal care hospitals/facilities.
“Everything in our projects is customized and personalized for whatever our clients need,” said Scott Parker, a Senior Project Coordinator at the firm with 35 years-experience on healthcare architecture projects.
“Our strength is that not only do we do a good job, but we also listen and take the time to see that our client’s job is done with personalized care so their customers will enjoy the experience. We also keep tabs on everything to make sure it’s moving forward in the design process,” he added.
Tell us more about your services and solutions which make Cuhaci & Peterson stand out from the competition?
Our suite of services ensures a dedicated and thoughtful team that identifies ways to understand our clients’ needs and vision. Our collaborative culture provides the best client outcomes and fosters innovation and improvement with each project that we touch. Our services include –
- Architecture
- Architecture Design
- Engineering
o Mechanical & Plumbing
o Electrical
o Fire Protection
o Structural
- Permitting Services
- Construction Administration
- Project/Program Management
What is your opinion on the impact of the current pandemic on the global healthcare architecture market, and what challenges did Cuhaci & Peterson face during the initial phase of the pandemic?
Current Pandemic on Global Healthcare Architecture Market:
“Overall, it’s a dramatic impact on the system, from staff and the facilities to the architectural design, it brings up challenges of how we modify our approach, plan, and design for those needs in the future,” said Sean Sopper, Technical Manager at the firm.
“A lot of it is looking at all points of containment of the infectious disease, how it affects everything from space planning, entry points of staff, residents, and guests, and ways to minimize the spread,” he added.
This means creating containment zones within facilities to minimize the spread of these types of diseases. We also need to look at kitchen space, prep areas, and the needs of the staff. For residents – how do they quarantine in their rooms and receive the same level of care without feeling isolated?
Skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities are about a community feel and how do you still maintain a positive outlook for the patients when their need states have changed along with the rules around visitation.
All these things affect the efficiency of the facility and truly get to the root of how it changes our design, space planning, and programming to create areas to allow for dealing with infectious diseases.
Initial Phase of the Pandemic Challenge:
Initially, a lot of projects were put on hold due to the uncertainty of what is this, what it is going to do, and what type of legislation or mandate would come up that may change healthcare.
Secondly, it affected the demand oddly in that many people decided to postpone the enrolment of a family member in skilled nursing or assisted living facility. Many felt there may be a health risk and there was a general reluctance to using facilities unless it was necessary.
Thirdly, there were challenges around what design modifications would need to be implemented in future facilities so families would have comfort in feeling their loved one is safe. We started doing remodels to make sure the facilities were safe to modify their environment or methodologies of cleaning or sterilization.
With continuous development in technologies such as AI and big data, what is your prediction about the future of healthcare architecture?
“The main thing is the designer is going to be more empowered throughout the architecture design,” said Steven Blevins, Director of Digital Practice at the firm. “There is going to be more decision-making capabilities that will be empowered by artificial intelligence. It doesn’t mean AI will be in control but will allow designers to make more real-time design decisions based on more data that’s available,” he added.
Blevins noted AI machine learning will be an enabler of that real-time learning and our designers will have more capability, better design decisions can be made sooner, and more options will be presented based on enriched detailed information.
As an established leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into the market?
“There is a wide range of needs in the healthcare market itself, from small community clinics to full hospitals and resident oriented-facilities,” explained Greg Simpson, Chief Executive Officer.
“Whether it’s physical or mental health, explore the wide range of opportunities and find the one that speaks to you. Connect with that side of the industry and look at new realms of architecture that are improving the quality of life for medical facilities,” he added.
How do you envision scaling Cuhaci & Peterson operations and offerings in 2021?
We will continue to meet the demand and needs of our clients and respond to their needs. Our project portfolio will remain diversified for the communities we serve. We will also continue to offer our personalized and customized services to scale. C&P has strength in its size and sector expertise.
The depth of our staff allows us to operate at scale by easily integrating additional staff resources with comparable knowledge and skills. When multiple projects are facilitated through the same team members efficiencies are gained, consistent quality is delivered, and relationships are established making for a strong communicational link between the client and team.
Provide us details regarding the awards and recognition that Cuhaci & Peterson has achieved since its inception.
Cuhaci & Peterson has consistently been recognized by national media outlets as one of the top architecture and engineering firms in the country. While features about our firm are appreciated, our biggest accolades come from the feedback we receive from our clients and supporters throughout the United States.
Please feel free to add any other additional details which we might have missed out on or which you want to highlight in the article.
Our project approach is simple. We establish clear communications from the start. This is key since there is better communication and coordination when the project team can meet regularly and communicate.
Whether face to face or virtually, we are working to ensure there are no barriers to concise and consistent communication. We also focus on the big picture while planning the details. Our goal is to look beyond the obvious, identify potential issues and opportunities based on our combined experiences, and plan for options.
About the Leaders
Greg Simpson – A registered architect who has been with the firm for 22 years. He has held numerous leadership roles at C&P and successfully spearheaded projects in various sectors, including hospitality, food service, and large-scale retail.
Sean Topper – Has been with the firm for eight years and has 25 years of experience, including experience in a wide range of projects in the healthcare, hospitality, and restaurant sectors.
Scott Parker – Has been with C&P for eight years and has 35 years of experience in the healthcare industry.
Steve Blevins – A registered architect who has been with the firm for more than 20 years and has been focused on the firm’s digital practice area the past few years.
