Author: Ali Nolan
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Accessible Design: Beyond Vision's VisABILITY Center – Part 2
Part 2: Collaborating with Architect Chris Downey Innovative projects take teamwork. As they planned for the VisABILITY center, Bray and Beyond Vision received help from Chris Downey, a California-based architect who lost his sight in 2008 after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor. He continues to practice architecture, bringing a personal perspective to the…
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Accessible Design: Beyond Vision's VisABILITY Center – Part 1
Part 1: On a Mission for Accessible Spaces Accessible design was the mission for Bray in creating a new, 130,000-square-foot headquarters for Beyond Vision. This Milwaukee-based nonprofit needed a new space to expand their work providing meaningful and sustainable employment for people with vision loss. A New Accessible Space Dubbed the VisABILITY Center, the new location will…
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Employee Spotlight – Nate Stark
Nate Stark is an architect who is currently working on Sevastopol School District projects as well as the Kohler School District renovations and public/school library addition. While some architects find their niche in a particular part of the design process, Nate has always viewed himself as a jack-of-all-trades. “I can fit myself into any part…
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March 1, 2022
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Employee Spotlight – Nathan Derks
Nathan is a project specialist who is currently working on the Whitefish Bay library renovation, Westby School District, New Glarus School District, and Columbus School District projects. Columbus is a particularly special project for Nathan because he’s been with it from conception into construction. Shortly after he joined Bray in 2017, Nathan worked with the…
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February 22, 2022
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Employee Spotlight – Jeff Peck
Jeff Peck is an architect and delivery team leader. He heads all of Bray’s projects with the Neenah Joint School District, which include building upgrades to improve ADA accessibility, renovations to the existing facilities, and the new Neenah High School. When asked what he enjoys most about his role at Bray, Jeff said the answer…
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February 17, 2022
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SDW Projects Featured in Waukesha Neighbors Magazine
We’re always excited for our clients when their projects receive recognition! The School District of Waukesha recently celebrated the completion of their latest facility improvement projects that were made possible by a successful referendum in November 2018. Waukesha Neighbors magazine is showcasing the work in their February 2022 issue. Click here to see the spread!…
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February 1, 2022
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Video – Educational Visioning
We’re wrapping up our Understanding Educational Visioning series with a short video that provides a glimpse into the process. In the span of about 90 seconds, we cover what educational visioning is, what it looks like in practice, and how Bray approaches this critical part of any new school’s design. In case you missed it,…
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January 31, 2022
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Understanding Educational Visioning – Part 4: Pedagogy
This is the final post in our four-part series looking at educational visioning and its role in the school design process. Read part three. Pedagogy Districts have diverse ways of delivering learning to their students. Priorities can even vary among schools within one district and among grade levels. The educational visioning process seeks to identify…
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Understanding Educational Visioning – Part 3: Identity
This is the third of a four-part series looking at educational visioning and its role in the school design process. Read part two. Identity Every school district has a unique set of priorities, and that’s addressed through identity. That’s when the design team and the district develop an overarching theme that guides their work on…
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Understanding Educational Visioning – Part 2: Architecture
Architecture It may seem obvious that conversations about a new school need to be about the physical space. But how this happens can be a mystery to those who aren’t regularly involved in the process. Architects base their early discussions of space around the “program.” The program is a list – like cook’s grocery list…
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Understanding Educational Visioning – Part 1: What Is It?
What is Educational Visioning? Educational visioning is strategy for the school district – including students and their parents, staff, teachers, and administrators – the architectural team, and the community to develop goals and a direction for the new learning spaces. The point is to bring these voices together, start conversations about the new spaces, and…
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Thank you, Doug Skinner!
We’d like to extend a big thank you and congratulations to Doug Skinner on his retirement! Doug is hanging up his hat after a long and impactful career. He has spent most of adult life loving and practicing architecture, including six years at Bray as an architect and project leader. A few of Doug’s projects…
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January 27, 2022