Design Digest - Volume 3

We often think of the future as an unforeseen state of change that requires bold prediction – rather than something we are also actively shaping and creating every day. In our new-year Design Digest, SmithGroup looks forward to where design is headed in 2025 and beyond – focusing on the trends, innovations, aspirations and research-driven insights that are already reshaping the promise and potential of the built environment.

Campus Forward: Key Drivers Shaping the Future of Higher Education
In the latest evolution of our future-focused Campus Forward initiative, Chris Purdy (Director of Higher Education) assesses how institutions can align physical design solutions to help meet the significant shifts in enrollment, student needs, technology and funding that are driving change.
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Navigating Artificial Intelligence — Navigating the Impacts of Artificial Intelligence & Energy in Research-Driven Environments
The rapid evolution of A.I. will reshape research as we know it. SmithGroup gathered a national think-tank of experts to anticipate what this means for research environments and expanded energy demand.
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3 Global Forces Shaping the Future of Work
The past four years have seen a complete dismantling and rebuilding of the world of work. Mark Adams  (Director of Workplace) identifies three major forces that will continue to reshape our workplaces in 2025 and beyond.
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2025 Health Forecast: Navigating the Complexity of Healthcare
Wayne Barger (Director of Health) explores five key healthcare trends where design solutions could have the most impact on navigating the complex and unprecedented challenges facing the industry.
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Buckle Up! Riding the Museum Roller Coaster in 2025
While attendance numbers are trending back up, there are new twists and turns for what museums and cultural institutions need to provide their visitors and communities. Jame Anderson (Director of Cultural) examines the changes in speed and direction that lie ahead.
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Heat Waves Thermal Disparities — Heat Waves: Visualizing Thermal Disparities
As global temperatures climb, our cities are overheating to life-threatening levels. This video highlights innovative research using drones and an equity lens to map how we can adapt our communities to reduce future heat impacts.
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ADDITIONAL VIEWS INTO THE FUTURE

Future of the Electrical Grid

In an energizing episode of AEIC’s Grid Mod Pod, Dr. Elizabeth Cook discusses the geothermal future of the U.S. electrical grid with SmithGroup Climate IMPACT leaders Stet Sanborn and Katrina Kelly Pitou.

Future of Healthcare Design
Winner of Healthcare Design magazine’s prestigious Breaking Through competition, SmithGroup’s Decaf Hospital provides a compelling model for addressing the interconnected challenges of cost, equity, access and quality of care while responding to climate change.
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Future of Sustainable Urban Design and Mobility

Terry Barclay of Sustainable Business Network Detroit leads a spirited discussion on the sustainable future of transportation and city building in Detroit and beyond with SmithGroup’s Janet Attarian (Senior Mobility Strategist) and Dan Kinkead (Director of Urban Design).