How can a building convey “strength in numbers?” Are there strategies to counter feelings of personal isolation during crises? When the stress grows during disasters, how can you convey the message, “you are not alone”? These questions and others occupied my thoughts recently as I walked our newly christened Regional Operations Center project in Lake County, IL, an EOC and 911 facility that – by design – operates in the eye of the storm (both figuratively and quite literally). Here are a few of my reflections on these questions, inspired during my recent building walk-through for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Mallory’s notes overlaid reads: “gravity + levity; local + regional – static + dynamic; The lower volume registers to this place, while the roof inflection signals to broader regional-connections.”

The Importance of Connection

Connections can build strength. I believe it’s comforting to feel a part of something larger, even when focused on your own personal efforts. This is amplified when you have an opportunity to create a hybrid building type like this ROC, combining two operationally different functions – an emergency operations center and a dispatch center – into what we hope is a unified and shared-mission community of responders and coordinators.

Mallory’s overlaid notes read: “view outside=situated awareness; common area (911+EOC); view of EOC; view to outside through building; view to training; breakroom; connection to shared ‘indoor courtyard’; ‘Part of something larger’; From the breakroom, visual connection to multiple operational areas. Shared area as connector.”

Architecture’s Role

In this context, the role of architecture is instrumental. Our environments can build connections, as well as preclude them, so as designers, we have very tangible responsibilities. One of the many exciting aspects of the ROC project was the opportunity to explore how operational openness, porosity, and interconnection can find its voice in the design of the physical environment. Each architectural decision carried a lot of importance, for wellness and, ultimately, for effectiveness during life-challenging circumstances.

Mallory’s overlaid notes read: “Ubiquitous views to the outside; view to amateur radio team; break-out rooms; 911 beyond; butterfly ceiling gestures to outside world; operational connectivity; video wall connection to outside world; The E.O.C. perspective directions; connections in all.”

Mallory’s overlaid notes read: “inflections to the outside; regional festure carries through entire building; view of landscape; opens to co-workers; *Dispatcher perspective: situating their work in a larger context.”

The Bigger Picture

There are a lot of concepts and ideas within the design of this ROC project – architectural conceits that inspired the form and organization – but it was this idea of connection to something larger that was forefront on my mind during this particular visit. I left the day of the grand opening feeling the impact that we as designers can have on building community within our projects.

Mallory’s overlaid notes read: “A+B; (building connection & shared purpose); B=911; A=EOC; The hybrid building: Two operations models. Once shared mission.”

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