Gayle Kirchmar Featured Panelist at DBIA Federal Symposium

KCCT Principal Gayle Kirchmar joined leaders from the US Army Corps of Engineers and Mortenson at the 2023 DBIA Federal Design-Build Symposium to explore the challenges and opportunities of managing risk and fostering innovation in federal design-build renovations, particularly those involving historic considerations.

State-of-the-art modern classroom within the US Army Inter-American Defense College

The multidisciplinary panel presented their award-winning renovation of the US Army Inter-American Defense College at Fort McNair as a case study. The project addressed the complexities of adapting a historically significant asset for modern functionality under a compressed schedule. The team addressed the importance of establishing a collaborative, solutions-driven project culture early in the process, leveraging emerging technologies to mitigate risk in both design and construction, and utilizing the design-build delivery model to align stakeholder goals and streamline execution.

The US Army Inter-American Defense College transitioned a former officer’s club into a modern education facility with an innovation lab.

The discussion underscored how design innovation and strategic collaboration can deliver successful outcomes for federal projects, respecting historical context while meeting contemporary needs.