Honoring the National Guard

Since 2003 Bailey Edward has supported the National Guard in their dual mission to serve both community and country through the design of new spaces. These readiness centers, armories, and aviation support facilities provide flexible environments for training, natural disaster relief, shelter, civil support, community events, as well as mission preparedness and defense. To inspire new recruits and current members of the National Guard, we integrate their seven core Army Values into both our process and the design itself. Each value, with excerpts quoted below, offers a lens for translating the National Guard’s mission into architecture, shaping decisions about identity, collaboration, wellness, adaptability, accessibility, legacy, and civic purpose.

Loyalty

“By wearing the uniform of the US Army, you are expressing your loyalty. And by doing your share, you show your loyalty to your unit.”

For building design, Loyalty is demonstrated in the incorporation of colors, iconography, and ideas unique to the National Guard and the unit. The Illinois National Guard Readiness Center and Army Aviation Support Facility in Kankakee, IL demonstrates loyalty by wearing a camouflage inspired by the fatigues worn by the National Guard.

At the Wisconsin National Guard Readiness Center in Appleton, WI, the building’s cantilevered roof recalls the “Red Arrow” Brigade’s iconography.

These design details create welcoming environments soldiers are proud to work in, allowing them to better focus on the mission at hand.

Duty

“Duty means being able to accomplish tasks as part of a team.”

When we design new spaces, we take a team approach with the building to users to understand their needs and goals. We work closely with the National Guard to not only understand their values, but their missions so we can design spaces that enable them to fulfill their duty. Programming charettes include conversations and activities designed to understand the day-to-day life of the National Guard.

Respect

“Treat others with dignity and respect while expecting others to do the same.”

We respect the soldiers of the National Guard by designing healthy environments for them to work in. Ample daylighting promotes mental wellbeing. Red-list-free finishes support a healthier environment not just for the soldiers, but the working conditions of the manufacturers and the environment.

Selfless Service

“The basic building block of selfless service is the commitment of each team member to go a little further, endure a little longer, and look a little closer to see how he or she can add to the effort.”

The value of selfless service asks individuals to take a look at how they can give a little more than they originally anticipated. In our work renovating and rehabilitating National Guard facilities, we ask, “how can this building continue to serve”? We have transformed readiness centers and armories on the brink of demolition into vibrant, functional, and flexible environments to serve the ever-changing needs of the National Guard.

We push each space to serve multiple purposes. Flexible spaces can allow the National Guard to serve a wider variety of missions in support of the local community, whether providing shelter, distributing vaccinations, training soldiers, or hosting events.

Integrity

“Do what’s right, legally and morally.”

Morally, we believe buildings should care for people and the planet. Our Environmental Stewardship team sets standards that go above and beyond what is required legally to create healthy, accessible, and sustainable facilities. We design spaces meeting accessibility and sustainability codes, reflecting our moral integrity to support people and the planet. All National Guard facilities meet ADA standards and the High Performance Sustainable Buildings – Guiding Principles, which typically are equivalent to USGBC LEED Silver Certification.

Personal Courage

“Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long, slow process of continuing forward on the right path, especially if taking those actions is not popular with others.”

To inspire personal courage in today’s soldiers, we remind them of those who faced both physical a moral adversity before them. Custom displays for historic artifacts, graphic timelines, and art inspired by historic photos make visible the legacy of those who have demonstrated their personal courage in the past.

Honor

“Honor is a matter of carrying out, acting, and living the values of respect, duty, loyalty, selfless service, integrity, and personal courage in everything you do.”

Through our demonstration of the Army National Guard’s values in the design of their spaces, we honor the soldiers who protect our communities.