Jason Novotny is Vice President of Design at TowerPinkster, one of Grand Rapids’ titans of design. Recently, TowerPinkster merged with Comprehensive Engineering, a local firm specializing in mechanical, structural, and civil engineering. Novotony oversees the architects, interior designers, and landscape architects on staff at Tower Pinkster, which is headquartered at 4 Fulton Street East.
GR Magazine: I read about your firm’s recent merger. What kind of an impact is that going to have on TowerPinkster?
Jason Novotny: Having engineering in house already and now bringing on more engineers allows us to be a self-sustaining firm. We can do everything for a client from design to engineering to landscaping.
GR Mag: I suspect many clients are not well versed in design when they hire you. How do you make design concepts more accessible to them?
JN: We have absolutely realized that. In the last four years, lots of people have been forced to wear many hats at work. The person who oversees a project from the client’s side doesn’t necessarily have a background in construction management. We have a client on-boarding process we take them through. We start off our projects by talking to them not about their specific project but what their experience is with construction and the process and flow of construction.
GR Mag: When figuring out what a space is going to be, how do you determine the hierarchy of significance among different places within a setting?
JN: Early on, we talk with clients about critical success factors and their vision and goals for a project. The next step for us is figuring out which spaces we put into the building will enhance those goals. We call those the moments in the building’s design. I say moments with a capital ‘M.’ Meaning spaces where something special happens—collaborations or convergences or interactions among teams.
GR Mag: Can you point to a space in the Grand Rapids area where your firm has made its mark?
JN: The place I would start people off at is our current office location. We think of our office as a testbed for different types of ideas about the built environment. It’s like a showroom for how people can work and interact. We intentionally have different types of workstations, assigned or unassigned spaces or collaboration areas. We bring our clients there and show them how they might work for them.
GR Mag: When it comes to workspaces, how do you balance making a space a comfortable one with making it conducive to productivity?
JN: That’s an area that’s had a lot more focus as of late. Recognizing the differences and individuality of people. Designing multiple spaces for head down work or creative, collaborative team environments. Sometimes, we have spaces that are enclave spaces that are intended for three to five people to work together very intensely for a stretch of time. It’s not any longer the office environment of having one person, one workstation, one size.
GR Mag: What makes Grand Rapids a great home for TowerPinkster?
JN: Grand Rapids and West Michigan has a draw to our team because it’s accessible enough for people to make personal connections in the community. The pace of life is comfortable. It’s outdoorsy. That fits the culture of the firm.
