HGA pitches integrated 'ecosystem' approach for UMD Large Lakes Observatory

HGA principal Meredith Hayes Gorman told the State Designer Selection Board on July 2 that her team will lead goal development and steward state and university funds to deliver a design that supports research, education and public outreach for the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Large Lakes Observatory. "My name is Meredith Hayes Gorman, and I'm the principal for our team," she said during the HGA presentation, outlining a multi‑disciplinary team the firm will assemble for the project.

The team cast the project as an 'ecosystem' linking two distinct buildings and sites: a Lot D waterfront field station tied to the Blue Heron research vessel and a campus analytical building that will replace the Chemistry Building. The presenters emphasized early stakeholder workshops and iterative programming to align faculty, research teams, graduate students and facilities staff around a scope, schedule and budget. Board members pressed the team on how those workshops will work; Meredith said the goal is to limit owner risk and build consensus through repeated stakeholder engagement.