Who We Are
Smith LaRock Architecture P.C. is an agile group of professionals dedicated to and specializing in the design of Control facilities, both blast & non-blast resistant designs. We design these highly specialized rooms to support the functions and processes necessary to the vigilant control of Emergency/Dispatch/Operations, communications, and manufacturing and industrial processes used by Petrochemical Refineries, Pipeline Control Centers, Data Center Control Suites, Emergency Operations/Dispatch Centers, and other similar control-intensive facilities. We provide both blast and non-blast resistant designs in support of our Clients’ needs, and we extend beyond our control building specialty to include other technical facilities such as laboratories, maintenance facilities, warehouses, office buildings, and similar structures within secure and non-secure sites, environments, and other structures…
What We Do
We provide the architectural design for the technical facilities required by our clients. Whether full building design, adaptive reuse, or renovation and addition, we assemble a team of experienced consultants capable of listening, contributing to, and defining your needs.
Then using leading edge 3D BIM tools, we design and communicate these resultant designs in a 3d & 2d format across great distance in some cases. Our team provides the Architecture/Interiors, specialized lighting and acoustical design, structural (blast and non-blast design), electro-mechanical, and other engineering disciplines as required. We work closely with human factors professionals when required to help ensure that proper human-machine interface (HMI) principles are embedded in the design and ergonomic solutions offered.
Further, we work to ensure that proper ergonomics, furniture, accessibility, communications, and way-finding within a structure are designed and are appropriate, effective, and supportive of ISO 11064 principles as well as our own experiences and techniques to enhance operational effectiveness and better situational awareness within.
How We Do It
Design Approach Matters!
One of the challenges architects face using the standard design approach is that issues uncovered at a later phase in the process may cost 10 to 1000 times more to resolve later.
Design for industrial facilities is substantially different than design for commercial, retail or residential structures. Industrial facilities have a very specific mission in mind, and the design must be optimized for that mission. That is why we at Smith LaRock start with a series of Focus Phase Charrettes or workshops where we uncover the purpose and intended use of the facility, the workflow within the facility, access and safety considerations for the workers within the facility, and the myriad of human and technology factors that make the facility a comfortable place to work. During this phase we apply a Human Factors Approach using both SLA & specialized HF Consultants, and our proprietary questionnaires and 3D tools to model the facility, validate ergonomic considerations, and 3D walkthroughs for clear communication at this very early stage of the design.
In the subsequent Build, Construct, Occupy, and Evaluate Phases we leverage these 3D Tools and our unique project management approach to maintain the seamless integration from design to occupation. We pride ourselves on our ability to optimize the use of our engineering and construction partners who are also aligned with our overall value delivery goals.
Since we work exclusively in 3D, we can readily provide design progress imagery and virtual walkthroughs at any time for no additional cost (see examples of process models on our YouTube Channel). We have developed this innovative modeling process to try to address and streamline the communication issues that can manifest in the later phases of the project by pulling more of the critical decisions to the initial stages of a project.
As an example, a control facility in south Texas was destroyed by hurricane Ike and our client, a major petrochemical company, was experiencing significant lost revenue every day the unit was not operational.
What started out as a standard interview for with SLA quickly changed into a sole-sourced engagement as we were able to quickly demonstrate our 3D process value. Fortunately, we came to work; a two hour interview turned into Day 1 of a 6 day design charrette at their request. We contributed to, and achieved, their goal to get them back on-line within 8 weeks. Our client had originally estimated that the effort would take over 6 months to remediate / restore operability. A Medal of Achievement was created for the entire team to celebrate this success.
Where We Work
While our team at Smith LaRock is presently registered in over 12 US states and Canada we use our DistanceDesign™ process to bring our design best practices to organizations around the world. Our DistanceDesign™ process has been used to design structures in South Africa, Kuwait, China,… This process has helped bring best practice and design consistency to many of our international customers.
Current Professional Registrations
Through our national NCARB and CACB affiliations, we can acquire additional professional registrations as required. Outside North America, we enjoy working relationships with our clients’ local teams of consultants to share design responsibilities for the mutual benefit of the Owner, architects, and engineering firms involved.
