A little more than a year ago, HFR Design entered a partnership with Wold, which expanded our geographic footprint and expertise while building on the capabilities of our strong, local team.
We asked our leadership team to share how they have seen our added capabilities create value for the clients and communities we’ve served over the last 100 years. Here’s what they said:
Wold | HFR Design has a 100+ year history serving local communities, and our team has worked in 80 of Tennessee’s 95 counties. How has the firm maintained its local legacy and impact while expanding its expertise across education, government and healthcare projects?
We’ve always strived to provide thoughtful architecture and engineering that positively impacts the lives of our clients and all who occupy the spaces we design on their behalf. Wold shares this mission, and our partnership has allowed us to expand our capabilities and grow with a common purpose.
-Jim Gilliam, Principal
As a national firm with a local presence, Wold | HFR Design now has a team of 250+ people across five offices nationwide. How has this expanded footprint added value to current and future clients?
It has opened doors with several clients as it relates to our ability to service them from multiple locations and provide a more localized presence when needed. However, one of the biggest benefits I’ve seen relates to the depth this has added to our team resulting in an increased ability to provide the specialized expertise needed for many project types.
-Martin Franks, Principal
Wold | HFR Design has developed a reputation for bringing its clients’ goals forward in every project. Tell us about a project from the past year that brought a client’s vision to life.
Like so many other communities, the City of Mt. Juliet has been through a lot over the last 12 months, and the city’s first responders have overcome a variety of trials to aid to those in need. It has been an honor to work with Chief Luffman, Chief Edwards, and the other city officials to bring their vision for Fire Station No. 2 to life.
The new fire station includes living quarters, offices, an apparatus bay designed for future expansion if needed and a communications room to be utilized in times of crisis. New building codes now require critical facilities to have a storm shelter component included in their design. With the need to remain intact and operational during an emergency, the communications room was also designed to function as the facility’s storm shelter.
The station is in a residential area, so the exterior needed a welcoming feel. The gray brick and gabled roofs blend nicely with the nearby homes, and the bright red bay doors provide a distinctive accent that identifies the building as a fire station.
As the project is currently out for bid, we look forward to beginning construction and seeing the new station come to life for the City of Mt. Juliet’s first responders and its citizens.
-Beth Meadows, Associate
Wold | HFR Design’s reputation for providing exceptional service and innovative solutions has allowed it to maintain an impressive portfolio and a long list of repeat clients. Can you share a recent experience working with a long-term client on a new project?
Most of our long-term clients have grown to trust our team members to deliver a design experience they can be proud of for many years to come. The partnership with Wold has only strengthened the experience we create by providing additional resources that were once not an option within our organization. This has been evident on several current projects where we’ve been able to pull in specialized resources or turn things around a little quicker due to the additional depth we now have on our team.
-Martin Franks, Principal
We recently launched a new website. What can visitors look forward to seeing on the new site?
Our website now brings our client communities together through shared insights, project spotlights, and news from our growing team across the country. We have the same great designers and engineers our clients have come to know and love, but our expanded team has increased our depth and capabilities.
-Jim Gilliam, Principal
Wold | HFR Design has a 100+ year history serving local communities, and our team has worked in 80 of Tennessee’s 95 counties. How has the firm maintained its local legacy and impact while expanding its expertise across education, government, and healthcare projects?
Our legacy has been maintained and our expertise has grown because of the talented and highly motivated staff we have been able to retain. Passion for our clients and passion for our profession has been, and will always be, a key component of our firm. We find that enhancing the built environment and improving the quality of life for the communities we serve is gratifying beyond words.
-Steve Griffin, Principal
Wold | HFR Design has the same experienced team members clients have come to count on. Since the Wold partnership began, additional investments have been made to continue developing the team. Can you tell us about those?
Both Wold and HFR Design have similar corporate cultures that focus on building lasting client relationships and finding and retaining dedicated and passionate employees. With the same goals at the forefront of the firms’ business strategies, the partnership has been seamless. Many of us feel like we’ve been working together for years.
Our partnership provides resources that benefit both our clients and employees. Wold established many teaching tools, from monthly design review charettes to training meetings that focus on codes, specifications, sustainability and much more. Young professionals have access to resources and study materials as they work toward licensure. With bi-annual professional development meetings, employees can sit down with leadership to discuss learnings, share ideas or concerns and establish goals for growth.
At the early stages of the partnership, Wold | HFR Design employees had the opportunity to participate in an insights assessment and training seminar. We learned about personality differences and how to better understand and communicate with each other as well as our clients by acknowledging everyone’s unique characteristics and behaviors.
With a focus on collaboration during the design process, mentorship and sharing of knowledge and ideas, it was important to renovate our Brentwood office and give it a fresh new look. As the renovation nears completion, it’s exciting to know we’ll all be gathering again in our new space.
-Beth Meadows, Associate