HBG a "Champion of Licensure"

See full article on the NCARB Blog

When considering which architecture firms to apply to, look for ones that go above and beyond with innovative projects, international learning opportunities, and overall support of aspiring architects on the road to licensure. Some shining examples are the 2015-2018 IDP Outstanding Firm Award Winners. Learn how these champions of licensure set a high bar when it comes to helping aspiring architects succeed.

HBG, which has offices in Memphis, TN, and San Diego, creates many opportunities for aspiring architects to launch their career. The firm focuses on “inventing, empowering, and preparing the next generation for a future of limitless possibilities in the profession,” according to Principal and Practice Leader Rick Gardner, AIA, Principal and Practice Leader.

The firm’s innovative EDGE Program (Envision Development and Goals Experience) builds teamwork and leadership skills by evaluating personality types to build effective relationships and leverage each person’s strengths. The program also helps participants set goals and take responsibility for their professional development through the Emerging Professionals Studio (EPStudio). The peer-led studio immerses aspiring architects in professional training, providing opportunities for both mentorship and leadership throughout the experience. Plus, the firm’s GOH Travel Scholarship provides an international research experience to broaden an aspiring architect’s knowledge and demonstrate the global impact of architecture.

To help alleviate some of the financial burdens associated with licensure, HBG pays for NCARB Records, reimburses the cost of all passed ARE divisions, and even pays for membership to professional organizations. The firm also provides free study materials and maintains a library of ARE prep materials.

Gardner encourages aspiring architects to “visualize your plan, work with mentors and peers to remove obstacles, and follow through on the commitment to yourself. Until you cross that threshold of licensure, you are limiting your options. What we do matters to the human experience and has an effect on future generations. It’s a wonderful thing to be an architect, and we should all want to reach the highest level possible in our professional accreditation. You’ll be glad you did.”


NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens salutes HBG

Opening the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) trade show today in Phoenix, Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr., with AC Green, former LA Lakers basketball player, welcomes and acknowledges HBG's partnership and commitment to Indian Gaming.

"There are a lot of good friends in Indian Country, but those friends who have given back to Indian Country and participated in our processes in defending and standing by tribal sovereignty…that’s where I call on Dike Bacon and Hnedak Bobo Group." - Ernie Stevens, Jr.


Highlights from The Guest House at Graceland Topping Ceremony

Check out the highlights from The Guest House at Graceland’s Topping Out ceremony in this great video by Elvis Presley Enterprises. Fast-forward to Mark Weaver’s speech to learn more about the inspiration behind the design.


The Guest House at Graceland Reveals Design Elements

Featured in Hospitality Design

Memphis-based Hnedak Bobo Group (HBG) has revealed the design elements for the Guest House at Graceland, a 450-room hotel located just steps from Elvis Presley’s iconic Graceland mansion in Memphis. Set to open in October, the design is inspired both by Elvis’s personal style and his historic home. HBG designers researched the mansion for more than two years, and worked closely with Priscilla Presley to complete the project.

“We all recognize Graceland almost as a time capsule of 1970s design,” says Mark Weaver, HBG principal and lead designer for the project. “But if Elvis was here today, he most likely wouldn’t design his new guest house to look like it was still 1975. So, we took cues from his design style using contemporary pieces to pull it all together. We focused on creating a sense of intimacy between the guest and the property—creating a way for visitors to have an informal and personal experience as a true guest of Graceland that has previously not been possible… an experience that—we think—would make Elvis proud.”

The classic Greek revival façade of the original mansion, built in 1939, is echoed as the centerpiece of the Guest House façade. The central portion of the hotel's exterior celebrates the original mansion in form, scale, and materials.

“From the main entry door to the large gabled roof and columned entry portico, our goal was to make this hotel look as if it was built not long after Graceland itself,” says Weaver. “It will feel like it has always been here.”

Another prominent design feature is the expansive porch, which accommodates seating from both the restaurant and lounge, and embodies Elvis’s sense of Southern hospitality. His presence is woven throughout the hotel, with features including a lobby ceiling inspired by the pattern and movement of one of his signature capes.


The Guest House at Graceland Hotel Expected to Open This Fall, featured in Hotel Business magazine

From Hotel Business Magazine

MEMPHIS, TN—The Guest House at Graceland, located near Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion here, is nearly eight months away from its grand opening. Dignitaries, designers and construction teams associated with the hotel held a topping-off ceremony at the hotel construction site to put the final beam in place.

The 450-room resort hotel was designed by Hnedak Bobo Group (HBG). Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) sought out HBG directly for the project. EPE said they found two primary challenges: creating a design that would complement and celebrate Graceland without taking away the mansion’s prominence as the focal point; and ensuring the hotel fit aesthetically into the residential neighborhood in which it is located. According to EPE, both were accomplished.

“The hotel easily fits right into the context of the Graceland mansion,” said Mark Weaver, HBG principal and lead designer for The Guest House at Graceland. “From the main entry door to the large gabled roof and columned entry portico, our goal was to make this hotel look as if it was built not long after Graceland itself. It will feel like it has always been here.”

Originally built in 1939, the classic revival style Graceland mansion features a signature front portico. The central portion of the hotel’s exterior celebrates the original mansion in form, scale and in the materials used, according to EPE.

The expansive southern porch is another prominent design feature of The Guest House at Graceland. Both the hotel’s restaurant and lounge are designed to embrace the front porch with outdoor seating and dining on the veranda to capture that southern family gathering feel, according to EPE.

HBG designers researched the mansion for more than two years and worked with Priscilla Presley to capture the essence of both Elvis’ personal style and the historic Graceland mansion.

“We all recognize Graceland almost as a time-capsule of 1970s design,” said Weaver, “If Elvis was here today, he most likely wouldn’t design his new guest house to look like it was still 1975. So, we took cues from his design style using contemporary pieces to pull it all together. We focused on creating a sense of intimacy between the guest and the property, creating a way for visitors to have an informal and personal experience as a true guest of Graceland that has previously not been possible… an experience that—we think—would make Elvis proud.”

The hotel’s grand opening event will be held Oct. 27–30.


The Guest House at Graceland is One of the Most Important Hotels Opening in 2016

From Business Insider – The Guest House at Graceland makes the list of the 11 most important hotel openings of 2016

A new year brings new everything — new goals, new challenges, new plans, and (fortunately for us) new hotels. We’ve already gone the nostalgic route, taking you ona tour of the hot new hotels of 2015, so now we’re looking ahead at the brand-new hotels that will open their doors in 2016.

Of course, thousands of hotels (and tiny properties that we guess can be considered hotels) open annually, but some are more anticipated than others.

Here, we bring you the biggest hotel openings of 2016. From a hip Miami property (that was slated to open in 2015) to a private island off the coast of Tanzania, these 11 newbies are worth a visit this year, while they’re still so fresh and so clean (clean).

The Guest House at Graceland, Memphis


Photo Credit: The Guest House at Graceland

Opening in October as one of the largest lodgings in Memphis, the 450-room Guest House at Graceland is not your typical hotel stay. Of course it will offer standard amenities like room service, an outdoor pool, and a free airport shuttle, but — sitting just outside the entrance of Graceland — The Guest House has Elvis Presley fans as its priority; picture plenty of Presley paraphernalia and even specialty suites designed in conjunction with Priscilla Presley.


HBG Expands Western Presence

As we continue to strengthen our commitment to clients in the Western US, HBG is pleased to announce that we will be opening an office in Southern California during the first quarter of 2016. The new office will be led by Joe Baruffaldi, AIA, who has joined HBG as Principal and Group Leader. Joe represents an exciting addition to our project leadership team, complementing other HBG principals already familiar to you, including Rick Gardner, Dike Bacon, Paul Bell, Craig Conrad, Kelly DeVine, Rob Lee, and Danny Valle.

With more than 20 years project leadership experience, Joe’s experience in the hospitality, gaming and entertainment design industry includes several significant hotel developments and casino resorts across California and Arizona. Joe also has experience in mixed-use development, retail, transportation and public building venues. His hospitality expertise includes new construction, conversions, renovations, and master planning.

“Joe’s expertise further strengthens HBG’s robust hospitality and entertainment practice,” says Rick Gardner, AIA, Principal and Practice Leader of HBG, “and our expansion into California adds significantly to our team’s ability to provide enhanced service to our clients in the Western and Northwestern region.”


HBG GOH Travel Program Recognized Nationally

From Memphis Business Journal

Traveling to London, Paris, Spain or Switzerland may not be a traditional means of employee development, but Memphis-based architecture firm, Hnedak Bobo Group, has garnered national recognition for “expanding cultural awareness among employees.”

HBG was awarded the 2015 Gold Optimas Award for Corporate Citizenship by Workforce Magazine for its Gregory O. Hnedak Travel Scholarship that awards $5,000 for travel.

The scholarship, named after firm co-founder Greg Hnedak, is open to all non-principal employees and awarded to one employee each year.

Its intention is to help employees grow personally and professionally by broadening their knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

The experience is then shared with the firm through real-time and reflective blog posts, updates and presentations.

“HBG has continually sought to elevate our workforce, offering unique incentives and professional development that can draw the top professionals from across the country to Memphis,” said HBG COO, Terri Struminger. “The Gregory O. Hnedak Travel Scholarship is a way for them to open their eyes to cultures, ways of thinking and experiences they may have never considered. This program helps to create a more culturally aware, creative and experienced employee base.”

In it’s inaugural year this year, the firm selected two winners, Executive Assistant Branden Canepa, who traveled a portion of the El Camino de Santiago in Spain on a journey of personal development; and Architect Thor Harland, who traveled to London and Paris to study the “tension” between culture and historic and modern design.

Designer Deidre Brady has been selected as the 2015 winner, and will travel Spain and Switzerland to study the relationship between nature and built spaces.

Michelle Corbet, Reporter
Memphis Business Journal


Just Announced: HBG Wins National AIA Award!

The National AIA and NCARB have jointly selected HBG as a recipient of the 2015-2018 Intern Development Program (IDP) Outstanding Firm Award! Only four firms in the country were recognized at this elite level.

This is HBG’s FIRST AIA National Firm Award, so it is especially significant for us.

In our submission, HBG demonstrated a deep commitment to our IDP program by going above and beyond the baseline criteria. We earned an “Outstanding” designation from AIA by demonstrating innovation in our commitment to career growth and leadership development through programs such as EDGE Leadership Development; our Professional Sponsorship Program; the Emerging Professionals Studio; and the GOH Travel Scholarship. This award celebrates the importance we place on a culture of learning and leadership at HBG. We are thrilled to be among such a select few firms in earning this prestigious honor.

Read more about it on the AIA website

Read more about it in Architect Magazine


Your Three Step Plan to a Millennial-Ready Casino

By Danny Valle, AIA, Principal, HBG Design

As published in Indian Gaming magazine, September 2015

You have a thriving regional casino operation and loyal gaming customers. Baby Boomers have been your bread and butter demographic for years. Now you are wondering how to reach the millennial generation, when article after article tells you that millennials do not prefer slot machines-but your main revenue source has typically come from slot gamers. So, where do you start and how soon do you need to put a plan in place?

Now in their 20’s to mid 30’s; millennials are major brand influencers. Numbering 80 million+ strong with entertainment dollars to spend, there is no denying that this social, tech-savvy younger generation is spurring the evolution of entertainment—and the design of regional casinos and casino resorts.

But, how do you begin to align your entertainment offerings with millennial consumer preferences?

Only by understanding the values important to millennials can you begin to capture this prolific market segment. Start by elevating your focus on social technology, targeted amenities, and authentic and unique design.

1) Build an online social presence that meets Millennials face-to-face.  

With 71% of millennials using social technology every day, your first contact with this generation is likely to occur online—so, start by developing a well-designed social technology program that complements their preferred communication style.

Research tells us that this generation uses social media like a second brain, to vet new brands, cultivate relationships and communicate their preferences to their extensive online networks.

"Millennials, in particular, are seekers of information, and they make informed decisions knowing there are a tremendous number of options available to them," says Rich LeBaron, Director of Emerging Technologies at Sycuan Casino outside of San Diego, California.

"If the information they are seeking is difficult to consume quickly, they will be turned off and move on to other options," adds LeBaron. To enhance its online customer service, Sycuan Casino strengthened its social media communication on Twitter and Facebook, and has leveraged cutting edge cloud technologies to design and develop the gaming industry’s first truly engaging and responsive mobile application for Iphone and Android users.

The app provides quick and easy access to important information about entertainment events, dining options, personal club accounts and allows patrons to participate in exclusive offers and rewards. "We are consistently told by our customers that our new phone app is a major driver in where they decide to game," adds LeBaron.

Imagery and design speaks volumes to millennials. Sycuan's social technology sites feature lifestyle images showing guests of all demographics enjoying the property’s amenities. "Presenting and conveying information through imagery and short to the point text is absolutely critical to engaging millennials online," says LeBaron. "Web pages should be telling stories from top-to-bottom to keep customer engagement high."

2) Connect your amenities to the personal interests of Millennials.

Research tells us that millennials are driven to cultivate experiences that enhance their lifestyles. They are not lured my money or materialism. But they will spend money on entertainment if provided with creative amenity options that support their social interests and their personal brands.

Having grown up in a world addicted to the Food Network and ESPN, millennials are gravitating toward food-centric and sports-centric venues. Local healthy eating / farm-to-table dining, wine tasting, craft beer brewing, live sports and fantasy sports; millennials are elevating these activities to an entertainment-driven art form.

These activities also provide ‘Instagram-able’ moments to share with their online social networks. And, smart design of these venues incorporates ample lounge areas conducive to gathering and lingering, resulting in increased F&B revenues for owners.  

Because of millennial influences, casino operators are rethinking the guest experience, transforming casino properties into amenity-rich entertainment destinations.

“We want to become a complete entertainment destination for customers in our region,” says Leo Culloo, General Manager at The Point Casino in Kingston, Washington, owned by the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe. “Because millennials are so highly diverse in their entertainment preferences, we host multiple unique events throughout the week to balance the distinct needs of our customers."

The Point Casino hauls in truck-loads of sand for their popular Spring Break Beach Party concert series, and offers regular wine tasting events, a cigar lounge, and outdoor kitchen and dining amenities, among others, in response. "We are also building more open indoor and outdoor gathering amenities including an outdoor kitchen into our new hotel to provide the flexible space needed to accommodate our social events," adds Culloo.

"Here at Sycuan, we know millennials aren’t always visiting us to gamble," says LeBaron. "It’s imperative to connect them with our other amenities and entertainment options; and our GameDay Sports Bar is one of the best in all of San Diego."

And, for a tech savvy demographic, convenience is likely the most appreciated amenity. The Point Casino later this fall will be testing integrated tablet devices at each gaming machine in its casino. “The tablets will give patrons the autonomy and convenience to instantly order food and drinks, delivered right to the guest on the gaming floor,” says Culloo.

3) Give Millennials the open, authentic design experiences they crave.   

Surveys show that design matters to millennials. Because they are highly visual consumers, they use design to filter their entertainment choices. This means that design targeted to millennials must be authentic (and hip and cool) to be effective.

With designs that integrate heritage, culture and local context, Indian Tribes have a great opportunity to offer millennials authenticity of experience.

For example, The Point Casino is developing a simple, modern design aesthetic for its new hotel on the northern Kitsap Peninsula of Washington State. Complementing the natural coastal beauty and the tribe’s native heritage, the property will integrate authentic, impactful tribal motifs and indigenous materials as design details. “Under the guidance of a tribal art committee and our design team, local artisans are reimagining elements of tribal culture in the hotel's exterior and interior design, including artwork, totem carvings, sculptures and etchings,” says Culloo.

Tribal clients are exploring how culture and history can engage millennials, by melding design, cultural education and entertainment experiences.

From a functional design standpoint, operators and designers are examining how millennials utilize space. They typically won’t patronize difficult to navigate environments. When Sycuan Casino modernized its casino a couple years ago, it visually opened up the entire gaming floor, eliminating barriers to transparency and convenience. Slot machines were placed prominently to accommodate Sycuan’s main customer base, but site lines were opened to other diverse amenities, including the GameDay Sports Bar, to attract new demographics.

Technology is an important factor in public space design. Because customers need dedicated spaces to use cell phones, laptops and personal devices, designers are integrating more soft seating areas, lounges and bar height worktops to accommodate passive social activities, with convenient access points to outlets and charging stations.

Start now and elevate your casino design by tapping into the preferences of these young adults. By focusing your resources and budget where they will matter most your property will be positioned for long-term marketability.