Approach

BNIM embraces the belief that truly sustainable design is regenerative and maximizes benefits between social, economic and environmental factors. Balancing people, prosperity and the planet means that each project decision is made only after carefully integrating these three primary components. Regenerative Design is the next frontier for design, and our thoughtful integration of this triple bottom line is how we achieve it.

Supporting our desire to improve our design process, in 2004 BNIM engaged with the Lean Construction Institute to understand how the principles of lean manufacturing and construction might be pulled upstream into design processes. Building projects based on lean principles utilize relational contracting that sets in place a three-way partnership between owner, architect and contractor that provides an incentive to work together and focus on overall project success as an integrated team.

The idea of layers of design demonstrates design considerations that, when layered together, comprise our buildings, campuses and communities. Responsible design considers each of these ‘layers’ separately and then, most importantly, comprehensively so that the final solution is in balance for optimal performance, interconnectivity and support of its owner’s mission.

BNIM’s design process embraces the concept of integrated design, which is both an organized collaboration between disciplines and an interweaving of building systems to produce architecture that is environmentally responsible and well designed. Integrated design also focuses on the triple bottom line of finding environmental, social and economic balance in design. Our integrated design approach is a way of bringing together teams of experts in a variety of fields and applying best practices in technology and methodology to create a holistic and interconnected experience.