What does it mean to truly listen during the design process?

We recently chatted with Aidan Ackerman, Associate Professor and Interim Department Chair of Landscape Architecture at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Q: How did the renovation of Marshall Hall impact the building’s users?
A: Chiang O’Brien saw potential in spaces we previously avoided. In one space, they opened up a skylight, exposed the structure as a design feature, and transformed one of the most uninspiring spaces in the building into a place we now show to everyone. The renovation has really impacted our design culture. We now have these beautiful, light-filled, connected spaces that inspire students and faculty and create a feeling of collectively learning together.

Q: What surprised you most during the design process?
A: I think design presentations sometimes get thought of as just checking a box or confirming what the designer was going to do anyway, but this was astoundingly different.  We would give feedback, and Chiang O’Brien would come back having truly listened—not only incorporating what we asked for but also adding creative solutions we hadn’t even thought of.

Listening to the people who know a building best helped us uncover opportunities, challenge assumptions, and create spaces that work better for everyone.

At Marshall Hall, that collaboration helped transform previously underutilized areas into light-filled, connected spaces that support teaching, learning, and a stronger sense of community.