It’s autumn – some might say it’s closer to winter – and we’ve just put the finishing touches on our latest KOMAink newsletter. It’s our annual Halloween-themed issue, and this year we focus on “dressing up” some of the spaces we’ve been hired to design. (Get it? Dressing up? Like you’d dress up for Halloween? Clever, huh?)
In any event, as we pulled together various projects where we’ve “dressed up” an existing space, I found myself thinking of all the changes we’ve helped to effect as designers and engineers. (Forgive me… I’m at an age where it’s an awful lot of fun to reminisce.) I think of being part of the team that changed Camp Snoopy to Nickelodeon Universe in 2006 – from the overall theming to the rides and myriad other attractions. I remember the award-winning work we did in 2005 where we converted an old school to condominiums. I can’t help but smile as I remember changing an old manure tank to a workshop for one of our ag clients. And of course I recall the hundreds of commercial and retail updates of which we’ve been a part.
We’ve become proficient at working with change. For our clients, we’re often the driving force for improvement, creating new spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional. Within the walls of our own office, we’ve embraced change by effectively responding to evolving market demands, environmental and energy regulations, and technology changes. (Read Kevin Dummer’s recent InterKOM to see what I mean.)
And yet, in many ways, I find myself most pleased by those things that have not changed. For more than 25 years, we’ve been committed to delivering innovative ideas, thoughtful design and disciplined execution. We’ve dedicated ourselves to becoming full and complete partners with our clients. And we’ve remained a family-friendly company, finding ways to ensure that the health of our employees and their families remain our top priority.
Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I believe these things matter. And here at KOMA, they’re not about to change.