Cannon Design has established the new position of director of research for the firm and has named Peter Hourihan to that role. The new director of research will oversee primary and secondary research, prototyping and invention and futures platforms.
"Peter's move into this position gives us enormous optimism for increasing the value and impact of research in our Ideas Based Practice. His broad experience as a practitioner in every dimension of our work and every building type combined with his career long passion for learning, teaching, investigation and discovery provides an ideal perspective on the vital connection between research and design practice," said Kent Turner, AIA, MRAIC, president, Cannon Design North America.
Hourihan's new position as director of research comes after 35 years with Cannon Design when it acquired Building Science Inc., co-founded by Hourihan that was devoted to research and consulting.
"My roots are in the practice of designing projects based upon research and investigation and I have always been committed to that. As the new director of research for Cannon Design, I will continue to work toward the development and promotion of new ideas to create transformative projects for our clients," said Hourihan.
Hourihan notes that it is essential for an ideas-based practice such as Cannon Design to utilize existing research and develop additional research that will enhance the work that is already being done by the firm in the areas of healthcare, higher education and sustainability.
Examples of some current research activities underway at Cannon Design include investigation of patient room daylighting and recovery rates at South Shore Hospital's new patient bed expansion project in Weymouth, Mass., analysis of predicted versus actual energy and water use in three northeast university residence halls, post occupancy evaluation (POE) of three midwest hospital cancer infusion treatment bays as part of a 10 year study on Cancer Infusion Bay design, and an impact evaluation of a new LEED Gold Langdon Woods Residence Hall upon the sustainable campus culture at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, N.H.
"Cannon Design's commitment to research and evidence-based design will continue to deliver added value to our clients and to their projects as they make a positive impact on their communities," said Hourihan.