ESPERANZA HARPER
LS3P
SAY IT LOUD - North Carolina Exhibitor
North Carolina Based Designer
Who or what inspires you professionally?
I am inspired by women who accomplish much despite the barriers and injustices in society, especially by those who look like me and overcome the extra burden of racial barriers and inequality. I am grateful for their determination fuels my success.
ESPERANZA HARPER
Bio:
The great designer, Espy Harper is a specialized expertise in healthcare planning and design. A Six Sigma Green Belt with a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Espy excels at design research, data analysis, lean design principles, and design thinking to create leading-edge healing environments. She uses strategic insight in functional programming, facility right-sizing, flexibility, and master planning, and is a frequent presenter on patient-centered design at national conferences.
How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
As a young person, I didn’t understand architecture. In college, I shifted Art History to Architectural Engineering. The major turning point when I saw my drawings turn to reality on the Central Artery Project in Boston during my summer internship.
What do you do?
I translate complex parts into better design solutions. Synthesizing research, healthcare processes, and design innovation, I seek solutions that support positive health outcomes and keep our communities well.
What excites you in the work you do?
No matter what the challenge, I am most excited to be a part of the solution. I enjoy the process of working together with designers, healthcare professionals, and end users to develop creative solutions to complex challenges.
Who or what inspires you professionally?
I am inspired by women who accomplish much despite the barriers and injustices in society, especially by those who look like me and overcome the extra burden of racial barriers and inequality. I am grateful for their determination fuels my success.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
I am proudest of UPMC East, a community hospital in Monroeville, PA, a project on which soared as a healthcare planner, touched every facet of hospital design, and built longstanding relationships with executives and front-line healthcare staff.
Featured Project Name:
Clinic Configuration Design Research for UNC Panther Creek Medical Office Building
Featured Project Location:
NC
Featured Project Completion Date:
Opened Fall 2019, Design Research 2020
Role in Featured Project:
Healthcare Planner
Featured Project Description:
A joint medical office and ambulatory surgery center, Panther Creek MOB is designed as a collaborative model for coordinated patient care based on Lean Design. The design research evaluated trending outpatient clinic configurations and their impact on operational efficiency, user experience, and user and construction costs. Results demonstrated the benefits of calculating space syntax connectivity and integration values to inform design decisions about layout and spatial adjacency.
