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Designing Outside the Box — In an Intense Workshop
At the 2005 NAHB/BALA Design Institute for Builders conference last month, teams of builders and architects participated in an intensive workshop, creating floor plans and elevations that were then scrutinized by industry-leading facilitators.
 “This conference raised the bar across all product types and all markets. It created a forum for capturing ideas in a compressed timeframe, which is extremely beneficial,” said Barry Delozier, of Signature Homes in Birmingham Ala. The conference and workshop attracted designers, builders and developers “who recognize that the synergy between their roles creates a sum much greater than the parts,” he added.
“The team approach really works when it comes to critiquing plans and having creative forces work together,” agreed Alan Simonini, of Simonini Builders based in Charlotte, N.C. He said that he found the intense workshop — "Creating and Designing Product: The Team Approach" ― the most rewarding aspect of the conference.
The conference wasn’t only about creative juices, however. When not creating new floor plans and designs, attendees toured two developments — Stapleton, a close-in “walkable city,” and Tallyn’s Reach, the largest “built green” community of its kind in the country.
The conference was held in Denver on June 13-15, and drew 170 participants.
For Kathy Deprez, of Deprez Custom Homes in Lincoln, Neb. and a builder for eight years, the highlight of the conference was the community tours. “It is always interesting to see what different building practices are hot in other parts of the country,” said Deprez.
She added that the entire conference “definitely fills a void in the building industry. We need more of these opportunities to better ourselves and further our businesses.”
Design for Builders helped some attendees jumpstart the way they work. David Patterson, of Trend Maker Homes in Houston, credited the educational sessions with “refreshing the idea of passion for the designs we create.”
Caroline Katolik, of KEM Homes in Fort Collins, Colo., picked up a few tips about how to increase profits. “I feel that by making a customer profile, really listening to their specific needs and designing homes that incorporates 4-D architecture (architecture that encompasses all four sides of a home), it would make any business more profitable,” she said. “Pay attention to how a house lives and then you will succeed with clients.”
The conference also highlighted past winners of the Best in American Living Awards (BALA), the residential design awards program sponsored by NAHB and Professional Builder. For more information or to enter this year’s competition, click here.
The BALA registration deadline is Friday, July 15, with entries due by July 29.
For more information about the Design Institute, visit www.nahb.org/designinstitute or contact Michelle Persinger Matuga at 800-368-5242 x8343.
Learn More About The NAHB University of Housing
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Visit www.nahb.org/education for a comprehensive listing of courses throughout the country. Be sure to visit often in order to view the most up-to-date information in your area.
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