Architecture Favorite Project 2017

Interview with Ed Barry, Senior Project Architect, VIPAA
Profound Impact – Designing Space for County’s Department of Social Services-Economic Security (DSSES)

Recently we sat down with our resident musician and senior project architect, Ed Barry, to reflect on his music and various projects he has completed over the years. As the conversation evolved, we honed in on this past year, discussing what his favorite project was and what about that project put it on his list of favorites.

What immediately came to mind for Ed was the Onondaga County Civic Center 2nd floor renovation for the County’s Department of Social Services-Economic Security (DSSES). For Ed, the idea of re-imagining a space not just from a programming standpoint but from an aesthetic point of view allowed for a great deal of creativity. The very idea that this space would help so many residents in Onondaga County, as Ed states, “had a profound impact and pushed me to design an interior space that will be accommodating to all needs and abilities in an environment that will be warm, inviting and comforting.”

This project also brought with it a lot of “firsts.” The County was looking for an interior space that was not just cost effective, but was aesthetically pleasing and durable. This allowed Ed to investigate and introduce new product lines not commonly seen in this type of space. It also allowed Ed’s team to utilize our VRV (Virtual Reality Vision) system. This interactive model allowed the Board and employees to experience the space first hand, as if they were walking in the completed project. According to Ed, utilizing the technology on this project proved invaluable. The client was able to understand how spaces flowed together and what these spaces would look like once completed. This gave Ed’s team the chance to make modifications to the design in real time and prior to final design completion.

Ed enjoyed working with the County on the design of this project. He believes the collaborative effort has produced a design that will allow DSSES to assist county residents in a safe and supportive environment.

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