SMPS SFBAC Sponsor Spotlight: DAHLIN
I recently had a chance to touch base with Alexis Bealer of DAHLIN, and ask her a few questions about her firm, which is one of our Redwood sponsors.
Tell us about your firm and services.
DAHLIN is a diverse architecture and planning firm, practicing globally. Passion for Place® is evident in all we do with developers, municipalities, and private clients across a diversified portfolio of residential, commercial, institutional, and civic work.
How many years have you been in business?
45
Could you tell us about notable projects?
Yes. Some of our notable projects include:
America at Home Study Concept Home
First of its kind in the nation, the America at Home Study Concept Home is a physical manifestation of the behavior and perspective changes Americans experienced at home during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A beacon for a different kind of flexible design focused on people, it realizes new ways builders and architects can think about designing homes in the post-pandemic world through data-driven design decisions derived from the insights of the America at Home Study, the first independent and objective study surveying a nationally representative sample of 7,000 consumers. Design decisions attuned to the needs of everyday family life, enabling how people live in today’s world, and bringing value to their investment, are here to stay. Past pandemics left their marks in how we live in our homes, and in five or ten years we will be able to credit this point in time with helping us to design homes that better serve our needs.
Villas on the Park
Guided by the premise that the first step in helping the homeless is to give them a home, Villas on the Park, the result of a joint venture between Affirmed Housing and PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) Ventures, has created a regional model focused on permanent local housing for local homeless. Trauma-informed design solutions combined with onsite services help residents transition from homelessness to living in a supportive community.
The Wave
Designed as a boardwalk-styled swimming facility and entertainment complex, the Emerald Glen Recreation and Aquatic Complex known as "The Wave,& completes the 48-acre Emerald Glen Park. Anchored by an indoor pool for year-round exercise and recreation, the 11-acre complex features a deep-water competition pool, waterpark, water playground, an outdoor amphitheater for performing arts and summer concerts, and a number of other water-themed amenities and entertainment facilities. The iconic transparent, long span natatorium roof was achieved with an innovative material: Ethylene Tetra Fluoro Ethylene (ETFE), only one percent the weight of glass and transmits 95 percent of light. At the time of completion, this was the first ETFE roof in Northern California and only the second in the entire state.
The Link
Removing barriers and embracing access by linking individuals physically, economically, socially, and multi-generationally, and responding to a call for ideas, DAHLIN entered The LINK concept in the international architectural Zero Threshold design competition, receiving an Honorable Mention and McGregor Homes' People's Choice Award. Jurors of the competition recognized The LINK as an excellent planning project supported by very well-researched design, noting particularly, the idea of creating a multigenerational community that challenges some of the current thoughts on how we live in neighborhoods today. The LINK is a cluster of modular homes that address accessibility on a variety of fronts. It proposes efficient and affordable housing alternatives that champion diversity and inclusiveness in a shared communal environment. This award-winning, innovative solution is now being applied to a project for North Coast Community Homes in Ohio.
What differentiates your firm in terms of approach, talent, tools, values?
We successfully support client relationships by matching our expertise with their expectations and goals—listening and effectively collaborating to craft sustainable communities and urban environments. Our design solutions are innovative and achievable. Our people are passionate about creating places that promote human fulfillment and well-being.
How long have you been a sponsor of SMPS?
This is the first year DAHLIN has been a sponsor. We have been members for several years, and we wanted to show our support to the local chapter as a firm. We also wanted to stay connected during COVID and we welcomed the opportunity to provide additional resources and educational programs to our team members, which is a great benefit of the sponsorship package.
What are some of the memorable or key events of SMPS that your firm has been involved with?
Vanessa Pelletier has continued to be a member of the SF Business Leaders Forum for peer-to-peer mentorship and sharing of best practices. She says, “I look forward to attending Build Business this year virtually with our newest team member, Alexis. And we are thrilled to be a finalist for the MCA awards in the crisis management category. This was our first year submitting and we are excited to be receiving this recognition!”
