Brian Court to speak at Architectural Record Webinar on December 3, 2020
The Miller Hull Partnership was founded in 1977 by David Miller and Robert Hull, partners with a defining background in the Peace Corps. As designers, they were profoundly influenced by the powerful landscape of the Pacific Northwest, which led to the firm’s enduring perspective on architecture that is intimately rooted in the human impact and context of the buildings we design. Miller Hull began by designing many award-winning earth sheltered and solar buildings in the early 1980s. Today, David and Robert’s passion for and tradition of creating dynamic and environmentally sensitive buildings represents the essence of our identity and continues to push our work forward.
Sustainability has been a foundational value of Miller Hull since the firm’s inception. While we have considered natural systems and climatic conditions since our very first project, we continue to evolve with broadening sustainability concepts, technology, and increasing scientific knowledge.
In addition to designing ecologically, our own company’s operations reflect those principles as well. Both of our studios are Living Building Petal Certified providing comfortable, daylit and Red List-free environments for our staff.
Our passion for sustainability has led to successful projects for our clients and recognized by the industry with eight AIA Committee on the Environment Awards, five certified Living Buildings and recognition as a Top Firm for Sustainability by Architect Magazine.
In 2021, we launched EMission Zero which is an initiative targeting the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions in the buildings we design. In support of the transparency of this program, all the details of our green-e certified offsets can be viewed under Miller Hull EMission Zero Offsets.
Launched by Miller Hull in 2021, EMission Zero is an initiative targeting the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions in the buildings we design.
The building industry is responsible for nearly 40 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Although we continue to work toward reducing our climate impact, it is clear that we need to do more, and improve at a faster rate, in order to mitigate the worst effects caused by climate change.
EMission Zero is an initiative that combines our actions through Design, our ongoing efforts to Educate and Advocate and then our commitment to Offset the greenhouse gas emissions released up to the point of occupancy for all of our built projects. EMission Zero FAQ here.
Regenerative design works to create resilient and equitable systems that integrate the needs of society with the integrity of nature. We have proven through our work that buildings can and should be better stewards of nature and be regenerative. With each project, we strive to reduce consumption of natural resources while rectifying past exploitation. The results are buildings with exemplary energy performance and water efficiency that are simultaneously healthier and uplifting for their occupants.
Our Sustainability Action Plan charts our goal for all buildings to be regenerative and outlines several key areas including efforts to Target Net Positive Energy (Objective A.1), Target Carbon Sequestration (Objective A.2) and Target Net Positive Water (Objective A.3). It is intended to be a document that evolves and is updated often.
Architects have a significant role to play in the selection of building materials, incorporating criteria ranging from durability to aesthetics. Beyond these, we also recognize the importance of attributes such as embodied carbon and ingredients toxicity. As advocates for a transparent building products market, Miller Hull supports the Healthy Product Declaration Collaborative, mindful MATERIALS, and the Healthy Materials Collaborative.
The health of occupants in the buildings we design hinges on a clear understanding of material ingredients and toxicity – which is why we support research efforts in material health. We have unmatched expertise in vetting building products and materials and experience in finding safer alternatives for our client’s buildings. The result is not only helping the industry evolve but to bring better air quality to the spaces we design and address the equity concerns in the manufacturing of these materials. Our Miller Hull Red List v3.0 provides data to help our staff educate clients, peers and partners on the scientifically-based rationale behind removing these chemicals of concern.
Miller Hull’s EMission Zero is an initiative targeting the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions in the projects we design is an initiative for members of the building industry designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We welcome your feedback as we continue to improve this program and invite others to join us in this climate action effort.
EMission Zero is an initiative that combines our actions through Design, our ongoing efforts to Educate and Advocate and then our commitment to Offset the greenhouse gas emissions released up to the point of occupancy for all of our built projects. This document outlines the scope of the initiative to reinforce accountability in every aspect of our business. Got questions? FAQ here.
Through EMission Zero, we commit to voluntarily purchase Green-E certified carbon offsets to cover the upfront embodied emissions of each built project we design upon completion.
333 Dexter
New U.S. Embassy, Niamey, Niger
Parco
Santa Monica City Yards Fleet Building
Environmental Health & Safety Building, UC Santa Cruz
Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station
Matt’s Place
The goals, objectives and strategies outlined in our Sustainability Action Plan embody Miller Hull’s values and represent our commitment to sustainability rigor in everything we do. Through our design work and our office operations, we are accountable for each goal and work toward continual improvement.
The Miller Hull Red List provides data to help our staff educate clients, peers and partners on the scientifically-based rationale behind removing these chemicals of concern.
The AIA 2030 Commitment seeks to transform the built environment through greenhouse gas emission reductions. As an early signatory to this program, Miller Hull has designed many buildings that exceed this standard,
As part of our ongoing participation in the AIA 2030 Commitment, we collect and report the estimated energy reduction of each of our projects annually. The goal of the program is to design buildings that are carbon-neutral by the year 2030. While we are not yet meeting the commitment, we are steadily improving our performance each year in pursuit of the target reduction.
For more information about the AIA 2030 Commitment, visit their website.
We purchase carbon offsets through the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, supporting renewable energy sources (like solar and wind power) to completely offset the annual operational impact of our business. For more information about the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, visit their website.
Since we completely offset the carbon footprint of our office operations every year, we track our actions to help us continually improve our reduction and share with those who are inspired to do the same.
Bainbridge Island City Hall
Bullitt Center
Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center
Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design
LOTT Clean Water Alliance Regional Services Center
Patagonia Distribution Center
Pierce County Environmental Services Building
South Lake Union Discovery Center
Bullitt Center
Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design
Loom House
Miller Hull San Diego Studio Renovation
Miller Hull Seattle Studio Renovation
The Sage School – in fundraising
The BLOCK House
Bullitt Center
East San Diego County Assessor, Recorder, County Clerk & Archives Facility
Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design
Loom House
Miller Hull San Diego Studio Renovation
The Sage School – in fundraising
The BLOCK House
Atholl West Residence
We currently have 44 Certified Projects and 29 in progress.
From volunteering in our communities to actively seeking to increase diversity and opportunity in our profession, Miller Hull is serious about our role in contributing to the social and cultural health of communities through design and practice. Read on for a review of some of the ways we commit to social equity within our own business and in our community beyond.
Black Lives Matter.
Following the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and the nation’s racial reckoning in the of summer 2020, Miller Hull took a hard look at our practices and policies with a Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) lens. We believe that through actionable and systemic change within Miller Hull, we can shape our workplace into an equitable and safe space for Black, Indigenous and People of Color, and ultimately for all staff members. We aim to create a work environment where all staff feel valued, seen and heard.
The mission of Equity Lab is to create an anti-racist environment within Miller Hull that empowers all individuals in our community to feel seen, affirmed, understood, valued, supported, respected, protected, and welcomed. We must continually evaluate our progress while remaining open to criticism, discomfort, and learning as we acknowledge that although we don’t have all the answers, we have an obligation to move the dial in an anti-racist direction.
By equipping our internal Miller Hull community with the tools, knowledge, and skills to better understand the necessity and urgency of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion work, we can promote anti-racism in all facets of our work and business. Equity Lab is an advisory group of individuals within the Miller Hull Partnership who collectively provide recommendations, support and guidance as we continue on our JEDI path. Equity Lab is also introspective, self-evaluating and evolving – we aim to hold ourselves and our community accountable to a high standard of anti-racist practice and recognize that as we are in the beginning of the journey, our methods and make up may change to better achieve diversity, equity and inclusion.
We believe that architecture designed by teams of diverse, multicultural and multiracial talent starts from a broader basis of understanding and results in a built environment better designed for all people.
We do the work best when we do it together. We do the best work when we include all voices.
Miller Hull aspires to Do Good, Go Deep and Be Bold. Since we’re at the beginning of our anti-racist journey, this Initiative serves to describe what we believe is possible for us as a firm, and not what is mandated by either Federal or State law. By publishing this Initiative, we seek to set an example of racial equity, opportunity, and sponsorship for the profession of architecture. We acknowledge there will be both success and failures; we commit to celebrating our success and will create learning opportunities from our failures. Therefore, this Initiative will be a living document, which will be regularly discussed, revised, and updated, in the process of realizing Miller Hull’s potential.
Leading With Race. Equity Lab recognizes the importance of ending all forms of oppression, and in version 1.1 of the Miller Hull JEDI Initiative we have chosen to lead with race as the best way to work toward that goal. Race is unique in that there is not a single example of any system in our society that does not suffer from racial disparities in outcomes. Race is also unique in that inequities based on race exist within every other dimension of identity, such as income, gender, sexuality, education, and age. The tools we use to understand and eliminate systemic racism can also be used to understand and eliminate other systemic oppressions. Leading with race is an inherently intersectional approach that we believe provides the best way to ensure our work produces positive change in the lived experiences of every person in our community.
Our JEDI Initiative is broken into three key goals:
Goal 1: Miller Hull fosters an anti-racist environment that empowers all individuals in our community to feel seen, affirmed, understood, valued, protected, and welcomed.
Goal 2: Miller Hull designs equitable projects.
Goal 3: Miller Hull practices in an anti-racist Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry.
Our commitment to create an equitable workplace and improve our professional industry is guided by these initiatives and certifications.
We were among the first companies to achieve a JUST label, a social justice transparency platform and disclosure tool developed by the International Living Future Institute. The JUST label provides at-a-glance information in key social justice categories, such as diversity, equity, safety, employee benefit, local benefit and community stewardship. Using the JUST label as one of our guides, we continue to improve our metrics each year as we work towards a more just workplace for our employees. Click here to view our current JUST label.
Miller Hull has committed to the NOMA NW 2020 Call to Action Pledge and the NOMA SoCal DEI Challenge 2020.
Open Studio is an introductory architecture program designed to provide high school students an opportunity to explore architecture as a practice and potential profession. Through outreach and education, the goal of the program is to introduce architecture to a diverse group of high-school students who may not have previously considered architecture as a career path and prepare students for a successful architectural education in college. We also offer paid internships for one high school student each summer.
Since 2005, Miller Hull has participated in the 1+ program donating at least 1% of our collective working hours pro bono every year to non-profit organizations that require but cannot afford architectural services. Donating services enables us to share our professional expertise to those in need and who share a common mission supporting progressive environmentalism and social equity focused causes in our community.
Some of our 1+ projects include Bayside Community Center, Matt’s Place, Mighty House, and the ROOTS Young Adult Shelter.
The legacy of David Miller and Robert Hull’s experience in the Peace Corps laid the foundation for our firm’s ongoing service to our communities. We actively share our time, resources and expertise with a range of design, community and environmentally-oriented organizations.
Our partners honor their alma maters through endowed scholarships awarded annually to design students (administered by each university on our behalf).
Contact | Matthew Cohen, cohenm@wsu.edu
Washington State University Department of Architecture
Contact| Claudine Manio, Claudine@uw.edu
Contact | Cindy Lundeen, clundeen@uoregon.edu.
Miller Hull is committed to educating and inspiring students who are the future of our profession.
Colleagues in both Seattle and San Diego studios partner with local AEC design professionals in a six-month program introducing high school students to architecture, engineering and construction.
David Miller is a tenured professor, and several Miller Hull staff serve as adjunct teachers and offer studio reviews in the College of Built Environments.
We critique projects and jury this annual program for K-12 students exploring the transition to alternate energy sources through research and innovation.
Members of our team are on the school advisory board, regularly present to classes and critique student projects.
We aim to contribute an amount equal to 1% of our target net revenue every year. We support numerous organizations through annual contributions, sponsorships, board and volunteer involvement, and are active participants in a range of conservation and service projects.
Research has always been a part of every great project at Miller Hull and has often led to the design breakthroughs that define our best work. But much of this research has typically been conducted within the confines of a single project, often constrained by fee and schedule.
What could we accomplish if research is freed from day-to-day project constraints?
Meaningful research that extends beyond the current trends of architectural practice and changes the course of how we practice in the future requires rigorous research methods, dedicated principal investigators and appropriate levels of funding. Developing partnerships with academic and industry leaders could further leverage our efforts and make a deeper impact.
The Bob Hull Research Grant is awarded to one project annually to carry out research that is of both a personal interest and of benefit to the firm.
Recipients
Trajectories, Corey Collier (2018)
Constructing Media, Vlanka Catalan and Sarah Chan (2019)
PreOccupied, Alex Wolfrum (2020)
Decoding Informality, Tobias Jimenez (2022)
After Urbanism, Bradly Gunn (2023)
Our ability to design beautiful, meaningful places flows from a team of curious and engaged individuals who thrive in an open and collaborative studio environment. Building on a history of incredible consistency—fueled by growth from within, transparent leadership transition, and continual investigation at the boundaries of current thought—enables us to break new ground and not rest on past achievements or ideas.
The original partnership between Dave Miller and Bob Hull was formed out of mutual respect and an unwavering pursuit of design excellence, seasoned with fun and good humor. The bond between employees and the genuine pleasure we take in working and playing together is a testament to Dave and Bob’s continuing influence as we have expanded into a multi-studio West Coast architecture firm.