Barrientos Design & Consulting, Inc.

California here I come! After studying for 5 months I took the three and a half hour California Architect's exam and passed. We have already been working in California as consultants, but now we can provide services directly as Prime.

NAFA Institute was our latest presentation to fleet managers from across North America. Norman Barrientos presented design principles to ensure their buildings will integrate future trends. Following the seminar, we held a Braindate with the cities of Las Vegas and Hamilton, Canada to discuss their specific building needs.

Connected with our long-term Wisconsin engineering partner Ayres Associates in Florida. Follwing lunch in lovely Lakeland, we attended a proposal briefing for one of Polk County's new projects. Prior, I checked out locations for our new Florida office. More details to follow!

Come Watch RTA's Fleet Success Podcast!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=XnoOYtmZy_Y&si=uk_y86fKwpA_sCiI

Tony Yankovic is joined by special guest, Norman Barrientos, president of Barrientos Design and Consulting, to discuss the needs of future fleet maintenance facilities. They explain how to make sure your shop can support electric vehicles, renewable energy, robotic technology, and more. If a new maintenance facility is on your horizon, you don't want to miss this important episode.

Episode 132 - Upgrading Your Fleet Maintenance Facility for the Future Tony Yankovic is joined by special guest, Norman Barrientos, president of Barrientos Design and Consulting, to discuss the needs of future fleet maintenance ...

Seminar season has started and Barrientos Design has many educational sessions for 2024. First up is our seminar at AEMP Connect in Phoenix!

Traveling around the country for work has been very exciting but it does have its unexpected twist and turns. Our recent traveling crew of Norman and Neil were caught up in the freezing snowstorm of last week and they were left stranded in, of all places... Las Vegas. Yup, just so happened that their best choice to weather the airline delays was in Never-Sleeps-Vegas for the night. Great architectural inspiration to say the least!

Norman Barrientos leads an onsite review session of lessons learned from this Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) Service Center in Napa, CA. Barrientos Design was instrumental in developing design standards for PG&E to follow for this building, and we be will doing similiar work on their future Service Centers. Good to see the building all ready for its occupants!

Neil Bierwirth and Norman Barrientos had a busy day in Davis, California to review two of our active projects there. First off was a site visit to our University of California - Davis Maintenance Facility with a guided tour by Franklin Contractors. Next, was an afternoon of staff interviews with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) for their new Davis Service Center. Given PG&E's reception to our initial work, we will be back in California!

Topgolf St. Petersburg, FL was our hotspot of the week! Barrientos Design & Consulting, Inc. sponsored a golf team at the Tampa Bay Branch of American Public Works Association Holiday outing. Joining Norman's team were determined golfers from Gulfport's DPW leadership and we came in 5th! We are looking forward to joining APWA Florida for more events in 2024.

360' input for design is a practice we believe in and today, it paid off for everyone. The City of Sun Prairie Department of Public Works staff joined in with Barrientos Design & Consulting, Inc. architects for an afternoon workshop session to review our master plan options. By the end of the session, and based on insightful comments, the team came up with an additional option that we believe is a winner! Facilitating this afternoon's discussion were Barrientos Design architects Isabelle Jardas and Patrick Wesley

Believe it or not! I have been working with Milwaukee County on their North Transportation Center since 1999, (24 years). Barrientos Design & Consulting, Inc. was initially hired to come up with a full design and we completed that in 2000. But...after many Board approval delays the project went dormant until 2020. And now, after a full redesign, we are ready to start shoveling dirt and building this beauty. And dig we did at last week's ground-breaking ceremony. Throwing dirt into the air are a crew of Milwaukee County officials, the contractor, VJS, and Barrientos Design. This business does take a bit of paitence.
https://dailyreporter.com/2023/11/02/milwaukee-county-breaks-ground-on-highway-maintenance-facility/

You know what it's like to have chatted with someone via video but have never met them? Well, the fine people at DGA Architects in Sacramento California, we're one of those folks. But, today we finally them met at their offices for a face to face meeting and discussed pursuing more projects with them in the San Francisco Bay Area. Great to have seen you both, Richard Price and Kevin Ha!

Kevin Brinkley, of the City of New Smyrna Beach Public Works, provided Neil Bierwith and Norman Barrientos with a day-long tour of their beautiful beachside City. After lunch we took a walk along the Atlantic shores and were impressed that they allow vehicles to drive right on the beach. We also snuck up to Daytona Beach to check out that famous strip.

Barrientos Meet the Team!

This week's chosen Barrientos Design & Consulting, Inc. employee is...Isabelle Jardas

Isabelle is a Design Architect on the Barrientos Team! She has been an employee at Barrientos Design for almost 2 years. She attended the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and graduated in 2022. She is currently working on getting her Master's at UWM.

Q: What has been your favorite project to work on so far?

A: My favorite project to work on so far has been the Sun Prairie Public Services Master Plan. This project allowed me to delve into urban planning and sustainability, which are two fundamental principles of architecture that I find both exciting and essential for future design. This involved envisioning how various public service facilities, such as a public works building, recycle center, and recreational spaces, could be strategically organized within the urban landscape. It also required considering factors like traffic flow, accessibility, and community integration. This aspect of the project excited me because it allowed me to engage with the broader urban fabric, addressing not only individual buildings but also their impact on the entire community. It was particularly enriching because we were able to apply concepts from our "Garage of the Future" seminar, which I had the opportunity to aid in the research, creation, and presentation at PWX San Diego 2023. This seminar introduced us to cutting-edge ideas like electric vehicles and workflow automation, and I had the opportunity to incorporate innovative elements into the project. This project is in progress, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it leads us.

Q: What is your favorite refined skill that you use for Barrientos Design?

A: My favorite refined skill that I apply in my role at Barrientos Design is working closely with clients throughout the architectural design process. I firmly believe that client interaction is best cultivated through the practice of architecture itself. It has been a gratifying experience to actively collaborate with clients, playing a pivotal role in translating their unique dreams and innovative ideas into design. The human interaction component of architectural design is what initially drew me to pursue a career in architecture. Overall refining this skill enriches my own understanding of the intricate balance between aesthetics, functionality, and the human experience within architectural spaces.

Q: How has your experience with Barrientos benefited your career?

A: My experience with Barrientos Design has been invaluable in advancing my career. Over the course of the year and a half that I've been with the firm, I have had the opportunity to enhance my architecture skill set in various ways. Working at a small firm has exposed me to every aspect of the design process. From collaborating directly with clients to creating construction documents and overseeing construction administration, I've gained comprehensive experience. This exposure has enabled me to learn project management skills relatively early in my career. This experience has significantly accelerated my professional growth and prepared me for more significant responsibilities in the field of architecture. Furthermore, by engaging with various facets of a project, I can assess which aspects of the architecture profession align with my strengths and shape my aspirations for the future.

Learn more about working with our team and see available career opportunities at https://barrientosdesign.com/careers/

Barrientos Meet the Team!

This week's chosen Barrientos Design & Consulting, Inc. employee is...Josh Koch

Josh is an Architectural Designer on the Barrientos Team! He has been an employee at Barrientos Design for nearing 2 years. He attended the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and graduated in 2022.

Q: What has been your favorite project to work on so far?

A: City of Waupaca DPW has been an important project I have been a part of. It has been great to be able to see an idea go from drawings to being built. A project is never done being designed until it is finished being built so it is important for us to stay as involved as possible no matter how close the project seems to be to completion.

Q: What is your favorite refined skill that you use for Barrientos Design?

A: How to effectively communicate ideas via architectural drawings.

Q: How has your experience with Barrientos benefited your career?

A: I have developed a better understanding of the architectural process. Being a part of studies, preliminary designs, construction documents and administration and even client relations has helped to connect the dots on how this profession works.

Learn more about working with our team and see available career opportunities at https://barrientosdesign.com/careers/

Barrientos Meet the team!

This week's chosen Barrientos Design & Consulting, Inc. employee is...Neil Bierwirth

Neil is a Design Architect on the Barrientos Team! Neil has been an employee at Barrientos Design for almost 2 years. He attended the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and graduated in 2021.

Q: What has been your favorite project to work on so far?

A: City of Wausau Preliminary Design Project. The schedule for this project is a 6-month duration from April 2023 – September 2023. The project is developing a Repair Facility on a parcel with several existing structures. Our team is proposing to demolish and keep certain buildings to make room for the repair facility.

This Preliminary Design has allowed me to work directly with the client and coordinate with engineers. It has given me exposure to all components of a project’s development, team, and struggle. With a little over a month effort left on this project, Barrientos is excited to keep this project moving forward.

Q: What is your favorite refined skill that you use for Barrientos Design?

A: My favorite refined skill is the coordination process with the clients, engineers, and other consultants. Every architect loves design, but it takes a while to learn how to orchestrate a project. Being 2 years into the business, Barrientos has allowed me to work directly with all aspects of a project, strengthening my abilities to keep a project moving forward.

Q: How has your experience with Barrientos benefited your career?

A: Being a small firm, Barrientos allows you to be involved with all portions of a project. You are on the front lines of all benefits and issues that come up. 2 years in a larger firm, you may rarely interact with the client, never directly coordinate with consultants. Yes, I have made mistakes, but Barrientos has a good team around you to help you work through any situation. A small firm exposes you to everything, and Barrientos has greatly strengthened all aspects of my Architectural career.

Learn more about working with our team and see available career opportunities at https://barrientosdesign.com/careers/

It’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week! If you buy pretty much anything, you can thank a trucker. Thank you to all the truck drivers who deliver our goods every day and keep Wisconsin moving forward.

American Public Works Association National Convention!

Barrientos Design and Consulting's staff members, Norman Barrientos and Isabelle Jardas, had the opportunity to present a recently researched and created seminar titled "The Fleet Garage of the Future" last week in San Diego at the American Public Works Association (APWA) National Convention. Joining our team was Josh Turley, CEO of the Fleet Management Company RTA. Drawing from our extensive industry experience, we've observed how the introduction of new technology can lead to changes that have ripple effects on fleet and facility operations, affecting them in technological, regulatory, and social ways. Our team aimed to delve into how fleet administrators can proactively stay ahead of these trends.

The seminar was structured around six main categories: Electrification of the Fleet, Telematics and Workflow Automation, Autonomous Equipment and Robots, The Emerging Impact on the Shop, Attraction and Retention of Staff, and Sustainability and Resilience. Our team thoroughly analyzed these six topics and their potential impact on the Garage of the Future while also exploring strategies for planning and adaptation in the present.

For more information about our team and experiences please visit our website https://barrientosdesign.com/

View our blog's article about the 7 Design Principals of Highly Effective Garages. https://barrientosdesign.com/2022/10/7-design-principles-of-highly-effective-garages/

Barrientos Meet the team!

This week's chosen Barrientos Design & Consulting, Inc. employee is...Patrick Wesley!

Patrick is a Project Architect at Barrientos Design! Has been an employee at Barrientos Design for 3 years. Patrick has been an exceptional team member. His dedication and motivation have not gone unnoticed.

Q: What has been your favorite project to work on so far?

A: Milwaukee County North Garage. It has been 3 years of what seems like every complexity a site could have, and I’ve learned so much. It has various land acquisitions, land swaps, property boundary changes, land use agreements, zoning changes, zoning appeals, wetland mitigation, contaminated soil, illegal dumping on site, easements encroachment approvals, utility services redesign, existing buildings that need make safe work while the new project is being designed. We’re also working with almost all levels of government, including even federal restrictions. You name it. It has been a please getting to know and working with the County staff in that time to get this much needed project over the finish line.

Q: What is your favorite refined skill that you use for Barrientos Design?

A: Getting some small and rather complex projects through plan examination. I’ve become very good at knowing what they want and how they want it to gain conditional approval for pulling construction permits.

Q: How has your experience with Barrientos benefited your career?

A: It has exposed me to almost all aspects of the profession. Business development, proposal creation, budget plans, staffing plans, staff mentoring/teaching, programming, studies, schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding, construction administration, closeout, and the list goes on. Although I may one day focus on one of those aspects, it’s nevertheless invaluable to understand how they all work. It makes you a more well-rounded architect and gives you the confidence to exceed in the profession because you know the realities of how everything works.

Learn more about working with our team and see available career opportunities at https://barrientosdesign.com/careers/

Barrientos Spotlight of the Week!

This week's chosen Barrientos Design & Consulting, Inc. employee is...Alyssa McKinnon

Alyssa is an Intern Design Architect at Barrientos Design! Has been an employee at Barrientos Design for almost two months. She is also going to be graduation from University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee in May of 2024.

Q: What drew you to apply to Barrientos Design?

A: I was in an externship for a construction company, so I was really drawn to more of the construction and industrial works. I saw a sign at UWM for Barrientos Design did some research and was interested in their projects.

Q: What’s been going well so far?

A: I’ve really appreciated the real-life insight I have gained from this job. School can only teach you so much. I like learning about some of the programs we did not commonly use in school. I can’t wait to learn the ins and outs of a Public Works Garage and see the process all the way through. Getting the experience of working at a small firm is vastly different compared to bigger firms. Getting to experience the business side, marketing, and studies adds to the complexity of the job.

Q: What has been your favorite project to work on so far?

A: So far, I’ve enjoyed making optimal floorplans. I am interested in working on recreating an existing floor plan for a newly started project, I want to continue getting challenges for something I haven’t done yet.

Q: What is your favorite refined skill that you use for Barrientos Design?

A: I like to use my photoshop skills and design elements to make decisions for final layouts. Having some prior Revit knowledge helped a ton for transitioning to an office setting.

Q: How has your experience with Barrientos benefited your career?

A: So far getting insight into the workforce and office life has shown me the responsibilities and skills you need to be successful. It is interesting seeing how much work truly goes into the architectural process. What extra steps must be taken that are never talked about in school or ignored for the simplicity of certain projects and their deadlines in a school setting.

Learn more about working with our team and see available career opportunities at https://barrientosdesign.com/careers/

What's up Wausau! Barrientos Design is helping this City put on a new look to a mostly abandoned factory site with a new, state-of-art Fleet Garage in its place. Neil Bierwirth and Patrick Wesley have been delving deep into the new design approaches for the Fleet facility and lately, they have come up with some brilliant design ideas for the City.

Sometimes, we need to get under the hood and look at how our clients are using their existing buildings so we can develop a better design for them. Neil Bierwirth and Josh Koch literally did that by checking out the underside of this large aerial fire truck that pulled into the Wausau Fleet Garage we are expanding.

Our latest renderings for recreating the facade of the Port of Milwaukee's Headquarters. Situated on Lake Michigan, this building's original stucco facade deteriorate and started falling off. Barrientos Design has developed a new durable facade system composed of composite metal panels that will reflect the historic heritage of the building.

It's not often we just pour it on, but this time we did just that. Hundreds of gallons of water were poured onto our Pewaukee Public Works building and.... it stood up to the test!

The Barrientos Design crew go for the Brew Crew event! Isabell Jardas, Neil Bierwirth and Josh Koch all enjoyed a day at American Family Field organized by the American Public Works Association's Young Professional Committee.

Our Pewaukee Public Works facility is all done and the client has moved in! Over a three-year period, Barrientos Design started with the space needs study, then moved on the final design of the building, and finally, overseeing the construction of this beautiful building.

Sunny Jacksonville was the spot for Norman Barrientos' latest seminar! Delivered at the Florida State annual American Public Works Association's conference, we took a deep dive on the Seven Design Principles of Highly Effective Garage. With over 60 people seated in attendance, we were happy to share our industry knowledge with public work's officials from across this growing State.