Miller Hull

As design trends continue to evolve, so do the architecture firms behind those trends. Miller Hull has recently experienced some notable change, with the retirement of Managing Partner Ron Rochon. Rochon is retiring after 22 years with Miller Hull, and in his place will be Rob Misel. Misel has also been at the architecture firm for 21 years and brings his experience working on large-scale projects like the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, the C Concourse expansion at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and other major projects. The Registry recently reached out to Misel to learn more about changes at the firm as well as, on a broader scale, what architectural changes and trends might be expected over the course of the next year.

When it comes to the architectural design of commercial spaces, what trends can you say have emerged in 2022?

The impact of hybrid work with our commercial clients, both on the public and private sides, has driven a lot of conversation about right-sizing buildings. Particularly with our public clients, we’ve been performing a lot of space needs analyses because there’s a concern about overbuilding the program. Generally, we’re seeing our clients committed to a hybrid working model, acknowledging that they are reaching a broader talent pool who otherwise might not be as interested due to the opportunity for hybrid and remote work.

But it’s still a balance to get to the right size. For example, how can we ensure there’s a desk for everyone who’s scheduled to be there when there’s a peak need in the middle of the week when most employees are in the office? How can we schedule that? Most people seem to be coming in one to two or three days a week. Finding the right size but allowing for (future) growth is a key part of the discussion.

We’ve been looking at modular system models in which office areas are broken into suites, with space standards for both small/medium conference rooms which are equal in size to small and supervisor-type office spaces within the same space. For now, this gives us the opportunity for more equity and flexibility within the space, with fewer enclosed manager’s offices and employees in “cubicle farms.” We’re seeing this with multiple clients. The great thing is that, if desired, there’s an opportunity to flex back and implement privacy within the model, so we’re establishing a kind of “Privacy on Demand.”

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