Westgroup Designs (WD) received a Merit Award for its design of INDA ACADEMY, at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Orange County Chapter Design Awards Gala, presented virtually on October 1st.

The project is a 25,000 square foot, Pre-K to 6 educational facility for the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD), focused on the goal of creating an inclusive 21st century neighborhood school with an innovative DREAMS curriculum (Design, Research, Engineering, Arts, Math and Science).

Citing the project’s sustainable concept for Adaptive Reuse and design quality, the AIA Jurors unanimously celebrated this project:

The design is well-considered, thoughtful, and nicely executed, including a playful slide that descends along the side of the building. Another great embodied carbon story that encourages the reuse of existing structures.”

The design team delivered a unique solution that would facilitate progressive hands-on learning for 225 students a year, and understand how this solution would enhance the community, leveraging the local climate to support indoor/outdoor educational activities with glazed retractable walls and highly flexible interior spaces. As part of the resilient design concept, WD focused on creating a healthier building, updating the design of the building skin, adding operable windows and a new ventilation system which exceeds energy requirements by 30% and provides 100% outside air for healthier indoor air quality. 

Our responsibility as architects is to both dream and to build responsibly, Westgroup Designs Principal, Dr. Shazad Ghanbari said. “ This will be a transformational environment; an example for our next generation of emerging technology and learning experiences.”

Congratulations to Westgroup Designs (WD) Founder and CEO PariSima (Sima) Hassani on receiving this incredible honor, celebrating Women who have made a distinctive mark in Commercial Real Estate. Growing the firm’s expertise, over the last several decades, to include substantial work in commercial, education, civic, healthcare and lifestyle sectors, Sima affirms that WD values excellence, believing the best results come from a strong partnership with their clients, leveraging design as a tool to help clients achieve organizational goals and strengthen business outcomes. With more than $535 million in successful projects in their portfolio, it’s no wonder that Westgroup Designs has an 80% return-client ratio. The firm is also proud of its commitment to education and diversity of staff, comprised of 50% women and 60% minority, with 75% of professionals licensed in their fields.

Please join us in celebrating Sima and this achievement!
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After 6+ weeks working from home, many are eager to reunite with their colleagues, while some are getting comfortable with connecting remotely. The common denominator is managing change. Staying connected while away makes transitioning back into the office smoother, and for those who will remain a zoom call away, it allows them to feel like an active part of the team.

Our WFH (Westgroup From Home) Wellness Challenge has enlivened and engaged our staff to get and stay connected like never before…and now we’re sharing our secret sauce with all of you! Each Week our WFH Wellness Challenge provides inspiration, a sense of camaraderie and friendly competition, as well as opportunities to be your best self! Weekly goals involving sharing healthy habits, self-care, energy builders, sustainability, environmental resilience, stress relief and creativity earn participant points toward a WD charity donation and, of course, winner’s bragging rights for the week! Staff completes their goal forms and submits them with any photos of their activities; they also post some of these on our Instagram and tag @WestgroupDesigns for some online promo! Sharing the weekly updates with these great submissions serves as a scrapbook of the success along the way, which we will be continuing to do, sharing this at our quarterly all staff celebrations!

Now its YOUR TURN! We’re providing our custom template of our WFH Challenge for you to use with your staff and teams. Have fun with it, and feel free to tag @WestgroupDesigns with your photos…we may just feature YOU and your inspiring activities in an upcoming post!

Sustainable and resilient strategies, for their places and spaces, is a priority that we share with our clients and project partners. As our team, along with all of you, celebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, in support of the efforts to protect our environment, thinking globally, acting locally, we are reminded of what we can do, and continue to do, while we WFH (Westgroup From Home).

Everyone in the WD family is committed to reducing our individual carbon footprint. Here are just a few ways our team members are contributing to ecological resilience from home:

3.18.2020

To our valued Clients, Project Partners, Industry Colleagues and Community,

At Westgroup Designs, our highest priority will always be the safety and well-being of our family of employees, and you, our clients, project partners and professional community.

As we monitor and navigate through the COVID-19 situation, we have employed a work plan to continue providing service which, for the time-being, will include eliminating non-urgent travel, minimizing in-person contact, employing our advanced technology capabilities to work remotely, conducting virtual meetings and maintaining our secure file-sharing methods. Our technology infrastructure already utilizes a platform with seamless, remote support for our team, so we will continue working without interruption.

Staying connected as an industry and community is more important than ever, so our steadfast commitment to all of you will not change.

As such, we will continue to provide the service and care you have come to expect from our professional team. We are also monitoring the activity of local agencies and jurisdictions and will continue to share best practices and updates with our fellow industry professionals, as we weather this storm together.

May you all remain safe and well as we collectively and pro-actively address this rapidly changing situation in an unprecedented environment. We encourage all to take the necessary health precautions to protect yourself and your family. To learn more, please visit the CDC at cdc.gov, or your local Health department.

WD_PressRelease_Covid19_3.18.2020Download

We continue to support the cause, honoring all that are affected, by giving back through community philanthropy!

Most recently, WD collaborated with Common Thread for the Cure, the nonprofit organization that provides assistance to breast cancer patients and survivors, to design these custom wine labels using this year’s theme: “The Warrior Within”. The selected wine labels will be produced on two wine varietals and proceeds from the sales, by Russian River Winery, fund the grants provided to persons fighting the battle and their families, and to lend a voice to ongoing support efforts. Learn more about their work here.

Many thanks to our Sponsor, Bobby Trujillo and Global Furniture Group for the support and partnership!