Improve Group

If you’ve ever built anything, you’ve probably experienced the pain of this graph in real life. Risk posturing, CYA, and the standard tension of a project meeting reinforce the reality of the situation.

Many have hypotheses for how to fix it: better digital platforms, advanced AI, new construction methods and materials. And they all have merit. Surely the industry will need all of them, but what if we’re overlooking a more fundamental challenge:

The human tendency toward fragmentation and the need for radical integration.

There are few industries where the manpower needed to achieve the end result is more fragmented than construction. That fragmentation’s tendency toward misaligned incentives, litigation, and waste drives up cost and drives down productivity. The results are becoming more untenable as labor and supply chains are getting more strained.

We call ourselves a “construction integration company” precisely for this reason. Design and construction need human-level integration first. Where those that own the building, design the building, and build the building work together from the beginning to drive better outcomes and build deeper trust.

Read more: https://www.improvegroup.net/what-is-a-construction-integration-company/

We believe that sometimes the solution isn’t a new building, but a better fitted one. There will never be a perfect building, but there can be more optimized spaces—in less time.

Upgrading and remodeling can orient an existing space to the needs of the people it was designed to serve.

Supporting an underrated component of education: transportation.

Without safe and reliable transportation to school, no learning can happen. Albuquerque Public Schools is modernizing its transportation infrastructure which includes the construction of new bus depots; places for the Transportation Department team to call ‘home’ during the day while they work to ensure every child has a ride to school.

Like many organizations, recruiting has become an increasing challenge for APS over the years. But these positions (like bus drivers and support staff) are critical for our education system to run smoothly, especially for the children who rely solely on the bus to get to/from school. As a result, APS has made it a priority to modernize its administrative workspaces to help ensure it remains a competitive employer during this labor shortage.

APS was able modernize an existing space for one depot and build ground-up for another. The modular interior system implemented at both locations gave it the flexibility to express its culture and mission and manifest a consistent, bright vibe across the two facilities.

The depots consist of offices, conference rooms, breakroom spaces, kitchen and dining areas, training classrooms, and writeable surfaces throughout.

Thanks to our Project Partners: DWL Architects + Planners, Inc., Thompson Construction Inc., & Bradbury Stamm Construction.

📷 mattophoto architectural photography