Developing evidence-based design solutions to inform smart decision-making and resource allocation
Research identifies opportunities and impacts outcomes. We leverage data and weave primary research into our projects to help clients maximize their design budgets and shape the future of their built environments. Our approach combines data intelligence; high rigor, validity, and efficacy; cross-pollination; and thought leadership to help ensure our clients’ projects work harder for them. […]
n 2017, after three years of visioning, planning, design, and construction, @cincyshakes opened the Otto M. Budig Theater at the corner of 12th and Elm Streets in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. As their design partner for that facility, it has been enormously gratifying to see this organization expand their audiences, their educational programming, and their community impact from a building designed uniquely for them.
We are thrilled to once again be the chosen design partner for Cincinnati Shakespeare Company as they embark on a new expansion to the Otto M. Budig Theater. The expansion will allow them to stage more than 15 productions annually across two venues, extending the runs of high-demand productions, improving the financial sustainability of its artistic portfolio, expanding year-round educational programming, and providing affordable gathering and performance space for community partners and arts organizations. This growth allows them to bring more positive impact for all, for all time. Head to gbbn.com/news for more details #architecture #design #arts #theater #performance #shakespeare
n 2017, after three years of visioning, planning, design, and construction, @cincyshakes opened the Otto M. Budig Theater at the corner of 12th and Elm Streets in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. As their design partner for that facility, it has been enormously gratifying to see this organization expand their audiences, their educational programming, and their community impact from a building designed uniquely for them.
We are thrilled to once again be the chosen design partner for Cincinnati Shakespeare Company as they embark on a new expansion to the Otto M. Budig Theater. The expansion will allow them to stage more than 15 productions annually across two venues, extending the runs of high-demand productions, improving the financial sustainability of its artistic portfolio, expanding year-round educational programming, and providing affordable gathering and performance space for community partners and arts organizations. This growth allows them to bring more positive impact for all, for all time. Head to gbbn.com/news for more details #architecture #design #arts #theater #performance #shakespeare
Care + Community. At the recent ribbon cutting for @margaretmaryhealth’s new hospital, GBBN’s own Nick Seftas talked about Margaret Mary’s vision to create more than a place for expert care. They wanted a hub that invites the community to work, socialize, use the campus walking trails throughout the year. The architecture and design support this vision through ample daylight, views, and biophilic elements; through multiple outdoor seating spaces for working, eating, socializing; and varied interior spaces and furniture that give people choice. A hand-crafted tile wall in the cafe, created with the help of local high-schoolers, presents an inviting backdrop to lunches with friends. The public spaces feel warm and welcoming, not cold and clinical. #architecture #design #healthcare #health #hospital
Care + Community. At the recent ribbon cutting for @margaretmaryhealth’s new hospital, GBBN’s own Nick Seftas talked about Margaret Mary’s vision to create more than a place for expert care. They wanted a hub that invites the community to work, socialize, use the campus walking trails throughout the year. The architecture and design support this vision through ample daylight, views, and biophilic elements; through multiple outdoor seating spaces for working, eating, socializing; and varied interior spaces and furniture that give people choice. A hand-crafted tile wall in the cafe, created with the help of local high-schoolers, presents an inviting backdrop to lunches with friends. The public spaces feel warm and welcoming, not cold and clinical. #architecture #design #healthcare #health #hospital
Designing out the wait.
Recognized by both @financeandcommerce and Minnesota Physician Publishing as a Top Project, the renovation of the pediatric emergency department (ED) arrival and triage areas at @childrensmn in Minneapolis was guided by a single, unifying goal: speeding patients to care.
In a pediatric setting, wait time is not just an operational metric—it impacts anxiety levels, staff efficiency, and the overall experience for children and their families. Every design decision, from spatial planning to material strategy, was measured against its ability to help increase throughput and enhance the arrival experience.
To support a new clinical workflow aimed at decreasing wait times, we reimagined the ED’s front door experience. This included re-designing the waiting area to optimize patient time spent there and improving triage efficiency within a highly constrained footprint. While walking clinicians and staff through full-scale scenarios in AR, we tested assumptions, evaluated sightlines, and refined workflows in real time. The real-time communication fostered across departments and leadership levels drove consensus in a single meeting. This allowed the design phase to be shortened by three weeks, and no post-construction changes were requested by medical staff. Read our full case study at gbbn.com/work @mcgoughco #architecture #design #healthcare #health #pediatrics #emergencydepartment #minnesota #minneapolis
Designing out the wait.
Recognized by both @financeandcommerce and Minnesota Physician Publishing as a Top Project, the renovation of the pediatric emergency department (ED) arrival and triage areas at @childrensmn in Minneapolis was guided by a single, unifying goal: speeding patients to care.
In a pediatric setting, wait time is not just an operational metric—it impacts anxiety levels, staff efficiency, and the overall experience for children and their families. Every design decision, from spatial planning to material strategy, was measured against its ability to help increase throughput and enhance the arrival experience.
To support a new clinical workflow aimed at decreasing wait times, we reimagined the ED’s front door experience. This included re-designing the waiting area to optimize patient time spent there and improving triage efficiency within a highly constrained footprint. While walking clinicians and staff through full-scale scenarios in AR, we tested assumptions, evaluated sightlines, and refined workflows in real time. The real-time communication fostered across departments and leadership levels drove consensus in a single meeting. This allowed the design phase to be shortened by three weeks, and no post-construction changes were requested by medical staff. Read our full case study at gbbn.com/work @mcgoughco #architecture #design #healthcare #health #pediatrics #emergencydepartment #minnesota #minneapolis
To commemorate National Intern Day we want to celebrate our summer coops from @uofcincy: @aub_luru and @elliotlorry! Aubrey Rudy and Elliot Lorry have jumped into project work with enthusiasm, dedication, and skill and added their perspective to critical roundtable discussions in our cafe (Are all vegetables actually fruit? Which bread product has superior aerodynamics? Where can the best hot-dog be found?) Co-opping is an integral part of architecture and design training and of GBBN`s culture of design. Best of luck to you both this fall and remember to watch out for flying baguettes! #nationalinternday #weheartourcoops #thankyou
To commemorate National Intern Day we want to celebrate our summer coops from @uofcincy: @aub_luru and @elliotlorry! Aubrey Rudy and Elliot Lorry have jumped into project work with enthusiasm, dedication, and skill and added their perspective to critical roundtable discussions in our cafe (Are all vegetables actually fruit? Which bread product has superior aerodynamics? Where can the best hot-dog be found?) Co-opping is an integral part of architecture and design training and of GBBN`s culture of design. Best of luck to you both this fall and remember to watch out for flying baguettes! #nationalinternday #weheartourcoops #thankyou
Yesterday we celebrated the ribbon cutting of the new @margaretmaryhealth hospital with members of their team and the community. More than just a care destination, the public spaces were intentionally designed to welcome everyone to use the facility as a hub for health, well-being, and social connection. Stay tuned as we share more design details from this beautiful new building, which is also the first all-electric hospital in Indiana and one of the most energy-efficient hospitals in the country @danisbuilds #architecture #design #healthcare #health #hospital #community #biophilia #daylight #nature #indiana #sustainability #resilience #egd #environmentalgraphicdesign
Yesterday we celebrated the ribbon cutting of the new @margaretmaryhealth hospital with members of their team and the community. More than just a care destination, the public spaces were intentionally designed to welcome everyone to use the facility as a hub for health, well-being, and social connection. Stay tuned as we share more design details from this beautiful new building, which is also the first all-electric hospital in Indiana and one of the most energy-efficient hospitals in the country @danisbuilds #architecture #design #healthcare #health #hospital #community #biophilia #daylight #nature #indiana #sustainability #resilience #egd #environmentalgraphicdesign
This past month our Cincinnati office had the pleasure of hosting DAAP Summer C.A.M.P and @daapcamps. These high school and grade school groups had the opportunity to see an architecture firm at work, some for the first time!
At the camp we focused on three main activities to showcase architecture and interior design:
We showed the campers how we use AR to interact with the design for both our benefit but also for the client`s while also touching on the importance of physical models in the practice of architecture and at GBBN.
Our teams gave perspective on interior design by leading small groups to create material palettes and build stories for clients around those palettes. We covered computational design and model making, showing students how that work is integrated into our culture and process.
We wrapped up the day as an entire group with an ice cream social and Q+A with our staff! We love being a part of cultivating curiosity and growing future designers! #architecture #design #interiordesign #learning #camp #summercamp
This past month our Cincinnati office had the pleasure of hosting DAAP Summer C.A.M.P and @daapcamps. These high school and grade school groups had the opportunity to see an architecture firm at work, some for the first time!
At the camp we focused on three main activities to showcase architecture and interior design:
We showed the campers how we use AR to interact with the design for both our benefit but also for the client`s while also touching on the importance of physical models in the practice of architecture and at GBBN.
Our teams gave perspective on interior design by leading small groups to create material palettes and build stories for clients around those palettes. We covered computational design and model making, showing students how that work is integrated into our culture and process.
We wrapped up the day as an entire group with an ice cream social and Q+A with our staff! We love being a part of cultivating curiosity and growing future designers! #architecture #design #interiordesign #learning #camp #summercamp
Like most non-profit organizations, the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati wanted as much of their renovation budget as possible to go towards positively impacting their clients and their work. So it was gratifying to help them maximize the resources they had for donor recognition. Not only did our solution optimize their budget, it rallied the client team. “Decision fatigue” can hit stakeholders as renovation projects wind down. But the visualization of the organization’s history and impact helped reinvigorate stakeholders with new energy and excitement.
Our approach was to incorporate personal and professional stories into a one-of-a-kind donor wall and a visual timeline of the organization’s history. The donor wall embodies the heart and spirit of the organization through a photo mosaic of the people and events, past and present, whose passion make the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati possible. Post-occupancy, the timeline became the perfect spot to kick off donor tours with stories of leaders, activists, and the passion that makes the organization’s work so impactful to the community. These EGD solutions contributed to an infusion of momentum that led to the capital campaign’s continual growth post-ribbon cutting. #architecture #design #egd #graphicdesign #environmentalgraphicdesign #donorrecognition
Like most non-profit organizations, the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati wanted as much of their renovation budget as possible to go towards positively impacting their clients and their work. So it was gratifying to help them maximize the resources they had for donor recognition. Not only did our solution optimize their budget, it rallied the client team. “Decision fatigue” can hit stakeholders as renovation projects wind down. But the visualization of the organization’s history and impact helped reinvigorate stakeholders with new energy and excitement.
Our approach was to incorporate personal and professional stories into a one-of-a-kind donor wall and a visual timeline of the organization’s history. The donor wall embodies the heart and spirit of the organization through a photo mosaic of the people and events, past and present, whose passion make the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati possible. Post-occupancy, the timeline became the perfect spot to kick off donor tours with stories of leaders, activists, and the passion that makes the organization’s work so impactful to the community. These EGD solutions contributed to an infusion of momentum that led to the capital campaign’s continual growth post-ribbon cutting. #architecture #design #egd #graphicdesign #environmentalgraphicdesign #donorrecognition
@laure_quinlivan produced a fantastic video about the renovation of @tctcincinnati. It highlights many of the challenges the existing, historic Emery Theater posed to the design and construction team and the solutions we surfaced to surmount them. Working closely and collaboratively with a visionary client like The Children`s Theatre of Cincinnati and @terrexllc was a key to the project`s success. Take a look! #architecture #design #construction #renovation #arts #performingarts #theater #theatre #historictheater
@laure_quinlivan produced a fantastic video about the renovation of @tctcincinnati. It highlights many of the challenges the existing, historic Emery Theater posed to the design and construction team and the solutions we surfaced to surmount them. Working closely and collaboratively with a visionary client like The Children`s Theatre of Cincinnati and @terrexllc was a key to the project`s success. Take a look! #architecture #design #construction #renovation #arts #performingarts #theater #theatre #historictheater
In his remarks at the Juneteenth ribbon cutting ceremony, @thecitizensciencelab`s Founder, President, and CEO Dr. Andre Samuel said, “The Hill District deserves access to world-class experiences right here in our own neighborhood. This building once again becomes a place where knowledge, imagination, and opportunity will flourish.”
We helped The Citizen Science Lab realize its dream to return to its roots in the Hill District by transforming the former Martin Luther King Jr. Reading and Cultural Center into a vibrant, visible, and state-of-the-art STEM laboratory in the community. The new center allows The Citizen Science Lab to expand concurrent programs and provides enhanced food science components including a dedicated area for a future greenhouse and chicken coop. It also supports outdoor drone instruction and offers welcoming spaces for students to study, complete homework, collaborate, and socialize. Read more at the link in our bio #architecture #design #adaptivereuse #science @dr.afro_
In his remarks at the Juneteenth ribbon cutting ceremony, @thecitizensciencelab`s Founder, President, and CEO Dr. Andre Samuel said, “The Hill District deserves access to world-class experiences right here in our own neighborhood. This building once again becomes a place where knowledge, imagination, and opportunity will flourish.”
We helped The Citizen Science Lab realize its dream to return to its roots in the Hill District by transforming the former Martin Luther King Jr. Reading and Cultural Center into a vibrant, visible, and state-of-the-art STEM laboratory in the community. The new center allows The Citizen Science Lab to expand concurrent programs and provides enhanced food science components including a dedicated area for a future greenhouse and chicken coop. It also supports outdoor drone instruction and offers welcoming spaces for students to study, complete homework, collaborate, and socialize. Read more at the link in our bio #architecture #design #adaptivereuse #science @dr.afro_
As the only dining hall on a regional campus serving mostly commuter students, Tully’s Dining Hall at Penn State Berks could not afford a prolonged closure. Designed for experience and efficiency, the project was completed within the narrow window of summer break without sacrificing quality, budget, or vision. Read the full case study on our website #architecture #design #highereducation #dining @psuberks photography by @jeffreytotaro
As the only dining hall on a regional campus serving mostly commuter students, Tully’s Dining Hall at Penn State Berks could not afford a prolonged closure. Designed for experience and efficiency, the project was completed within the narrow window of summer break without sacrificing quality, budget, or vision. Read the full case study on our website #architecture #design #highereducation #dining @psuberks photography by @jeffreytotaro
Equitable access to daylight and views; using an off-the-shelf felt product to create a colorful, custom wall covering; a work posture that`s more lounge-y than desk-y (for when you want or need that) our recent renovation of Brown & Brown`s #minneapolis #workplace incorporates many key strategies from our Workplace Toolkit to support employee wellbeing and productivity #architecture #design #interiordesign
Equitable access to daylight and views; using an off-the-shelf felt product to create a colorful, custom wall covering; a work posture that`s more lounge-y than desk-y (for when you want or need that) our recent renovation of Brown & Brown`s #minneapolis #workplace incorporates many key strategies from our Workplace Toolkit to support employee wellbeing and productivity #architecture #design #interiordesign
We are recharging ⚡️ Our offices will be closed July 1-3 for our annual summer break. We will reopen Monday, July 6 2026 #architecture #design #workplace #wellbeing #recharge #unplugged
We are recharging ⚡️ Our offices will be closed July 1-3 for our annual summer break. We will reopen Monday, July 6 2026 #architecture #design #workplace #wellbeing #recharge #unplugged