((Left Photo L-R) Principal Renée Alexander, Director of Real Estate and Facilities Laurie Kidd, and Design Staff Odessa Cleavenger. (Right Photo) Design Staff Odessa Cleavenger (left) and Project Architect Samantha Pohler (right) inspect sliding doors to a conference area. Doors from the existing suite were re-used with only three new doors purchased for the project helping with cost and schedule requirements | Photos courtesy of BBT Architects)
Every new project is an opportunity for creativity and growth. This is especially true when building on past experiences and connections. Recently, BBT Architects completed a renovation at PacficSource Health Plan’s administrative building — continuing a long relationship between two companies who share values and common community goals. More importantly, this project brought together women in design and construction. From the client to the architect, women saw the project from kick-off to completion.
BBT, a woman-owned architecture firm with deep roots in Central Oregon, and PacificSource, a nonprofit dedicated to investing in community health, have had a long-standing relationship that started with design and construction of the four-story building located in Northeast Bend that is their four-story administrative headquarters building located in NE Bend.
“Working with an organization like PacificSource Health Plans who shares our values of improving our communities and believes in professional growth is conducive to a process that goes beyond the completed project,” BBT Principal Renée Alexander notes. “When they called, we immediately embraced the opportunity to work with a client that makes sound decisions quickly — a rare quality in the industry today.”
Laurie Kidd, director of Real Estate and Facility Operations adds, “Creating space that promotes collaboration is extremely important to our company and its culture, and BBT has been instrumental in helping us see our long-term goal of growth and expansion come to fruition. We felt extremely fortunate to work with a strong team of women at BBT who brought to the table creativity, a passion for what they do and a long tenure of experience.”
Women in Leadership and Teams
While the assembly of the women-lead design team was not intentional, the design group’s dynamic boasted positive outcomes not only for the project, but also for the staff who participated.
Odessa Cleavenger, a design staff at BBT, has been working in the field for two years since graduating from University of Oregon’s Architecture program.
Cleavenger adds, “I went into school with the impression that architecture was a largely male-dominated field. The fact that this project was a women-led design team did not change the process or final project, but it was important as a woman who is emerging in the field. It’s motivating to have those role models — other women who are in a leadership position.”
Project Architect Samantha Pohler earned her license in 2018 and has enjoyed the increase in responsibility and the encouragement from her mentors to make mistakes and learn.
“When I applied for a position at BBT in 2012, having a woman in leadership was a major factor for me,” Pohler recalls. “Renee has been so supportive of me as a whole person. She has helped me grow as an architect while also supporting my transition into parenthood.”
Fostering Wellness
As PacificSource’s needs increased, the remodel of the second floor will help accommodate their growing staff. With expansive windows throughout the building and offices and meeting rooms centered in the interior, the overall layout allows light to penetrate deeper into the space with optimal access to daylight for all employees.
“We take the wellness of our employees very seriously. Getting light throughout the space while finding natural areas to create collaboration zones where teams can meet in casual settings to promote creativity were a priority,” Kidd noted.
The new office floor also contains a comfort room — a quiet, supportive room dedicated for new mothers and staff. As a mother herself, Pohler was attuned to what would be needed in the space and was careful to locate plugs, plan for furniture and include conveniences like ample counter space with a sink, and hooks for clothing. The PacificSource team supported these functional additions to ensure the health, comfort and wellbeing of their workforce.
Future Workspaces and Workplaces
“During college in the early 80’s and in the first decade of my career, it was rare to encounter another female in either classes, studios or the workforce,” Alexander says. “Even when considering my tenure and experience, there were numerous times I was referenced as a helper or assistant. Though I never let any of those comments get to me, I take pride in the progress and impact that women have made in the design and construction industries. Having the BBT design team and client lead on this project be majority females was a refreshing and needed change.”
For Cleavenger, she was not only able to continue to grow her technical skills with the support and mentorship by Pohler, Pohler has enjoyed paying it forward with Cleavenger. In the earlier phases, Pohler asked Cleavenger to create her own layouts and design suggestions to present to the client. As the project progressed, she was able to pull back and let Cleavenger build her skills in Construction Administration. While Pohler was always available for questions, Cleavenger took the project over and showed the team how capable she is.
Pohler in turn had the opportunity to lead the project and develop the specifications for the project while working remotely from California.
In summary, Pohler acknowledges, “Knowing that I had a mentor in Renée, someone to trust in Odessa, and a reliable and available client in Laurie put me in a great position not just to thrive, but to help a younger generation of women embrace the experience and relationships necessary to succeed.”
Samantha Pohler is a project architect with BBT. A mother of two (ages four and two) she spends her spare time with her husband growing food on a small urban farm in Loomis, California.
Odessa Cleavenger is a design staff with BBT. A Bend native and University of Oregon graduate, she participates in BBT’s sustainability committee evaluating and improving project-wide impacts on the community and environment.
