Can Architecture Really Heal? Discover the Impact with Kim Kennedy

Join us for a fascinating discussion on architecture's role in healthcare with Kim Kennedy, Principal at Parkin Architects. Based in Ottawa, Kim delves into her journey in healthcare architecture, exploring the design and impact of mental health facilities. Learn about the evolving field of healthcare architecture, challenges, and innovations, and get insights on what it takes to excel in this specialty. Whether you're an aspiring architect or an experienced professional, Kim's insights are invaluable. Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation!

Creators and Guests

Host

Stephen Drew

Hello! I’m Stephen Drew, Founder of the Architecture Social—an online community and resource hub dedicated to helping professionals in Architecture, Design, Development, and Real Estate advance their careers. I’m here to connect you with insights, tools, and opportunities that lead to meaningful growth, whether you’re just starting out or ready to take that next big step.

What is Architecture Social?

Curated content, insights and opportunities designed to elevate careers and strengthen teams in Architecture and Design.

Kim Kennedy
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[00:00:00]

Introduction and Overview
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Stephen Drew: Hello everyone and welcome to this special. Now I'm based in London. However, we are going transatlantic to have this discussion. Now in the uk, if you've been unfortunate or fortunate enough to be taken care of, the healthcare system, that's the NHS. However, it's a big world out there and we are interested in Architecture.

So apart from roles in the UK today, we're gonna talk about healthcare overseas in different countries, what that looks

like, and if you are a design Architect. How does that all work? As well as that, there's a lot of things in healthcare, so I'm going to be doing a lesson with you because I'm rusty. As I was saying to my

guest, Kim, the last time I did a healthcare

scheme was 16 years ago. So on that note, I'm lucky [00:01:00] enough to have a guest with me that knows about it.

Meet Kim Kennedy from Parkin Architects
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Stephen Drew: So with me is the fantastic Kim Kennedy from Parking Architects. Kim, how are you today and welcome to the show.

Kim Kennedy: Great. Thank you very much for the invite and, uh, feeling great. It's been an early morning here in Canada, Ottawa, the, the nation's capital, um, connecting with you on your midday, I presume over there in uk. But, uh, yeah, really excited to get this conversation going.

Stephen Drew: That's true. Oh my gosh. Are you gonna

have to tell me all the difference between the Canadian healthcare system, the US healthcare system, and the uk? But before that, I'm jumping ahead. So while we've got to know each other,

now, some of the audience they might not have know of you. Yet Kim, and also they might not have heard of parking.

So tell us first of all a little bit about yourself and then we can jump into parking.

Kim Kennedy: So, um.

Kim's Journey into Healthcare Architecture
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Kim Kennedy: I'm Kim Kennedy,

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Kim Kennedy: principal at [00:02:00] Park and Architects. Um, I've been an Architect for, oh gosh, a long time. Let's just put it that way. Um, I graduated from, uh, university in the Maritimes in Canada, uh, called the Technical University of Nova Scotia. Uh. Spent many a year doing multiple facets of Architecture, um, only to land on a passion that

became obvious when I entered into the healthcare realm and, um, have just fallen into, uh, the, the significance of the work that I can do as an Architect to help.

Not only patients, um, the community, uh, staff members and everything else through what I do, through design, through engagement with everyone. Um, and, uh, come up with solutions that are innovative and, um, an [00:03:00] improvement on the past. Let's put it that way.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, absolutely. Isn't it funny how sometimes, especially early in your career, you go into

Architecture and I mean, I didn't know what kind of projects that I would be working on. I joined the company and they were like, great, we've got this international scheme over here. You'll be doing that for

a few weeks and stuff.

So, but did, but was that the case with you then, Kim? Did you plan to

go in healthcare or is it a case of that's where you, you fell into, but then. Began to love it.

Kim Kennedy: Yeah, it was definitely a case of, uh, trying a bunch of, uh. Different types of genres of Architecture. I thought I had a passion actually for corporate type Architecture at the beginning of my career, doing a lot of office buildings, uh, interior fit ups, uh, things like that, as well as some housing. But housing is, is a very unique genre of Architecture and definitely one that, um, although there's social implications

of.[00:04:00]

Multiple housing, unit housing and all that sort of stuff, which is, which I found quite interesting and I did participate in it a little bit. Um, it was, it was when I started to participate in more. Um, healthcare, uh, projects starting small with little renovations to clinics and dentist offices and so on and so forth, that I realized that there was much more into, it was much more of a passion for me to go down that path.

And luckily, I am, uh, engaged. Um, over time went from one firm to another, of course, and, uh, uh, fell into doing it more and more and learned more and more. And the learning curve, of course, was very swift, but, um, but it's, uh, it's been great. Yeah.

Evolution of Healthcare Architecture
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Stephen Drew: So how has it changed over the years, um, because you've been a specialist in that. Was it? Is it different? Compared to what it was like before to now, I guess. 'cause with healthcare you've got [00:05:00] all these cool new technologies. People are learning about stuff. We discover new things. So has the space moved over time, Kim, do you think?

Kim Kennedy: Um, I would say yes. Technology, as you mentioned, is definitely something that constantly keeps us on our toes and looking for innovative ways to do things. Um, climate crisis is also a thing that, uh, that

gets, IM tried to, we try to

implement into our projects. Um. Carbon, carbon neutral as much as possible, but health, you know, hospitals run 24 7

and it's, uh, as much as we

attempt to improve our, our carbon footprint,

um, it's not always a success, but, uh, we definitely head in that direction.

Um, yeah, it's, um. Uh, the projects themselves, the procurement process of, uh, healthcare here in Canada anyway, uh, and I believe throughout the world has, has [00:06:00] changed from, um, sort of private funding. It's always been under our governmental funding process. Um, but we would us usually do what we would call a step sum project where.

Some through with, uh, bidders from contractors to build what we design. And nowadays, um, with the P three process being more and more, uh, prevalent, um, even that it, the purpose of that was to get access to the built environment quicker.

Speaker 16: Right.

Kim Kennedy: Has, uh, the rules around it and the, the engagement processes changed even more and becoming much more collaborative.

It's almost more of a design build type of, uh, uh, fac um, procurement process now where we work with the contractors, with the investors, with the stakeholders, with the community, all together as one team to, to produce the [00:07:00] best project that we can as quickly as we can. Of course.

Stephen Drew: Yeah,

fair enough.

Focus on Mental Health in Architecture
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Stephen Drew: And I know one of the other things as well is that you do specialize in. Mental health now, years ago, that was not a term that I heard many people talk about. When I can't it, see, it's, of course it's very important. But was that a another emergent trend, Kim, that you find now you specialize in this mental health, but did, did they exist before even?

Kim Kennedy: For sure. I mean, mental health, um, was a modality that needed to be addressed for many, for many, many, many years. How it was addressed, uh, was often, like in the olden days, if.

Someone was, pres presented with, um, mental health issues. They were often

taken out of the community, put into kind of asylums, um, for recovery on a farm or, you know, somewhere outside of the city, uh, with less access [00:08:00] to,

to services, um, spec.

But they, they had specific services there. Nowadays it's because the mental health crisis is worldwide. Um, and not just because of that, but it, it. Uh, it is becoming more prevalent as a, uh, a modality being serviced within the hospital realms. Um, IE people coming to emergency, um, being picked up by ambulances, what have you, whether it be drug abuse or substance abuses or, or.

What have you. Um, it's definitely more prevalent and it has become more of a, um, an important part of, well, important part, uh, an increased important part of the hospital environment itself, which is where I've, um, fallen to through past experience, through, um, just a passion for making sure that those people don't fall off the edge of the tables.

There isn't a gap [00:09:00] between making sure they get the appropriate services.

Speaker 16: Yeah, no, fair enough.

Kim Kennedy: and in the, in the in, in the community and as quickly as possible. 'cause often the timing issue of

Stephen Drew: Yeah, no, I, it's it if you hit me clicking away there in the background, 'cause you were talking about all this stuff and I was thinking, 'cause you sent me so many cool links before, I should probably show one or two on the screen, if that

makes sense. So I'm gonna quickly bring up the, the stuff. Yet now I can't actually see that on my screen, so let me bring it up.

One second.

Showcasing Parkin Architects' Projects
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Stephen Drew: As I was saying, Kim, this is why in the old days no one would let me.

I carried the PowerPoint presentations because I would get them wrong,

but there we go. So here we go. So this is Parking's website, some of, so this is some of the beautiful projects that you

do, and there's some in particular that I've clicked.

But there these, a few of the projects that you've then worked on, Kim, is that correct?

Kim Kennedy: Through our firm. Yes. Uh, we do our office in, in Canada. We [00:10:00] actually have three subtle, three offices with our head office still being in Toronto. I'm here in Ottawa and Vancouver. As per the, the project you're showing on the screen right now? Um, they, they, we. That off, that office in particular focuses primarily on healthcare.

Um, here in Ottawa we have a, a bit more of a broader range of

project types. And in Toronto it's, I'd probably say probably say about 80% healthcare plus some other, um, we have education, we have labs, we've got, uh, recreational facilities and know all that sort of stuff. But, but yeah, the, the passion over Overboard is, is.

It's definitely healthcare for the

Stephen Drew: Oh, absolutely. And this is a project that you guys have been working on. Is this correct now?

Kim Kennedy: that is actually a particular, um, uh, case study that was done, or, or an article that was written about the state of psyche, [00:11:00] psychiatric or mental health, uh, services within Canada. That particular image is not necessarily, it's not our project, but uh, it's basically showing the state of what an emergency looks like on a.

Today. Um, very crowded, very overwhelming.

Stephen Drew: I got you. So this is kind of what you deal with at the start. And then a lot of what you will do at parking is making it a better environment. Make, and then basically. Changing it. Is that right? How do you deal with big buildings like that are functioning as you go along,

Kim Kennedy: Well, it's, it's interesting that, um. The, this, the topic that I, I'm focusing on is what, what has been deemed as an empath lounge, meaning, um, a psychia emergency psychiatric assessment, treatment and

healing, um, center or unit, however you. wanna describe it. Um, and it, it has grown from being [00:12:00] a, let's say, a one

room aspect of. Care given in the emergency departments within our hospitals to being a unit that, um, has multiple, um, consult rooms, lounge areas, um, spaces where patients can be, um, brought to after being triaged from within emerge to an environment that, um, that is comforting and they can get. Quicker access to immediate care.

Um, once triaged, it's realized, you know, the. The state of that person's, um, issues can often be handled with immediate care, me immediate consultation, um, just being in an environment where they're observed, um, engaged with, and, uh, just a calming setting that allows the, the issues [00:13:00] that have come up to subside and allowing them to either go home.

Immediate, like within a 24 hour period, or, um, depending on the outcome of their interventions with the, with the staffing, may need to be put into an outpatient, outpatient environment or put into an inpatient environment. But, um, but the, it definitely gives a, a better, a better, a quicker access to that assessment.

Um, and it avoids. Overcrowding in the, in the environment, uh, sorry, in the emergency department itself, and also unnecessary, um, um, admissions into the hospital.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, fair enough. There's a project that you did in Mountford, wasn't it, that you opened recently with the mental health emergency zone. Am I okay to bring that up? One more? One more link. Is that okay? Before we

Kim Kennedy: Sure. Absolutely. And I'll put a, a little kudos in here with that. Um, at the [00:14:00] European Healthcare Conference that's happening next month, we will actually, uh, my colleague and I from our office, will be presenting this project, um, to the whole Architectural community, uh, focusing on the healthcare. This is a, a, a hospital here in, in Ottawa.

Um. Primarily focusing towards the

French community. But, um,

but anyone of course, is welcome cause it is a

hospital, uh, where they've engaged with this empath philosophy and we look to renovate a portion of their existing e emergency department to create this environment for, um, for this. Flow of, um, services for particular mental health patients.

Um, it's uh, it's a small little, uh, unit. It has two bedrooms in it, uh, where people can sleep. It [00:15:00] has two consult rooms. It has a, a quiet room for people to be able to just go and sit and, and. Relax and calm down, as well as the central port portion here, as you see in the image with the, um, with the soft cha, the chairs and, and lounging area where people can engage with each other.

Um, 'cause sometimes just talking to. The next person can help you work through some of the issues that you may be having. And meanwhile, the whole pro, the whole area is observed by the staff and encouraged that the staff integrate with the patients while they're in this environment to, you know, uh, get their consult consultations and assessments done as quickly as possible.

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Well, fair enough. Well. It's, um, it's so important. I mean, this is the thing. It's, um, there's different kinds of Architecture. You were talking about residential and a few things earlier that's so important. But these things, especially dealing with people when they're in their most [00:16:00] vulnerable state, perhaps, um, you can actually, you have a profound impact on people's lives.

Have you found that then, Kim, that um, have you seen some of the projects that you've, uh, made being in use and is that fulfilling as an Architect?

Kim Kennedy: Absolutely, uh, to be honest with you, um,

just from

going back and, and talking with the, the, the hospital staffing to determine, you know,

did we meet your

expectations? How are the patients being treated, um, are the outcomes.

Reaching the goals that you had tried to, that you

set as part of our design, um, which we're getting positive feedback on all the time.

In

particular from MO four, even though it's only been open for about eight months now. Um, already they're, they're statistics are increasing and having less admissions and all that sort of stuff. Um, [00:17:00] personally helping a patient. Um, through that environment, uh, myself, um, recognizing that the space makes.

A huge difference and having access to the staff makes such a huge difference to the outcome of that patient's recovery, quick recovery. Um, it makes, makes a big difference. Definitely. Um, yeah, I, and then taking that experience, walking a patient through family member through, um, through the environment of course.

Their focus is on their issues. My focus, of course, is on what's the environment doing? Is it calming? Is it, um, comfortable? Is there access to natural light? Is there all these things that help, that help induce that recovery and therapy? Um, so I'm, I'm doing my little checklist in the background so that I can improve each time I do a new, new version of this, I can [00:18:00] improve the, um, the design aspects of it.

Stephen Drew: No, that makes sense. And you know, I mean, hats off to you for doing it. It's, it's great. I'm conscious as well, Kim. 'cause what's quite cool here, we're talking about the projects that you're designing, which is amazing. But because obviously you've got, um. A role of importance within Park.

Career Advice for Aspiring Architects
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Stephen Drew: I'd love to pick your brains for a second on your role, perhaps maybe as a team leader now, some people in the audience, they might be beginning their career or mid-career or kind of working out their specialism as well.

I mean, what uh, traits do you think. Bodes really well for an Architect to do healthcare projects. What do people need and what kind of, um,

thing, uh, what kind of person thrives within the specialty that you do?

Speaker 12: That's a

Kim Kennedy: really interesting question. Um, I'm very topic related because, to be honest, as a principal in, in park and, uh, focusing in on healthcare, I am, I am doing a lot of [00:19:00] mentoring

and we have a lot of. Up and coming. New student, new student. We have some students,

we have some new interns.

We have some more experienced people on our

teams. And my role is to always try to instill in them

the importance of what they're doing, um,

and how it can

impact people's lives. So, uh, definitely, I mean, our whole mission values within Parkin are about designing with care.

Speaker 17: Yeah.

Kim Kennedy: Um, we take responsibility for what we're, what we design. Um, we do our research, whether it be just on our own or through evidence-based articles, um, you name it.

We pull all of that information together to, um, to really put the passion into what we're doing and. Personally, I always try to remind people, put yourself in the shoes of a patient [00:20:00] and, um, which is basically what being empathetic is all about, right? You put yourself in that position and how would you like to be treated?

What would you like to see as part of that environment to help you feel better? Get better, um, and get home quicker so you can enjoy life really? Um. So from a Architectural perspective, yes, there's a lot of research to do. There's a lot of new technologies to be mindful of, um, coordinating all of that with all of our colleagues and consultants.

I mean, 'cause it's a team effort all the time. When we do these projects, it's not one person who's gonna make a. The difference. It's the whole team working together collaboratively. So those are some of the key things that I try to instill in, um, in, up and coming patients. And I, I've even, um, uh, was, had the lucky [00:21:00] fortune to, um, be a part of, uh.

Um, student reviews at Carlton University here. Um, there is, uh, a new studio being developed, um, for healthcare, and I was part of their midterm and intern end of term crits for their designs. And it is, um, you know, as students, people have huge ideas and wonderful ideas, helping them to stay focused on what's important from a healthcare perspective.

Um, is always interesting without dampening their enthusiasm because everybody's, you know, it's like sky hooks. We can build a building with anything, right. Um, I tend to be a practical person, so we, we, I, I do try to, um, just remind people that there are rules and regulations that we do have to find that follow, but, um, but never at the beginning, you always have to think big and then bring it down.

To, uh, more realistic, uh, [00:22:00] perspective, but just keeping in mind to put ourself, put yourself or the person self into that position. And how would you wanna see it transcribed?

Stephen Drew: Very cool now, and that's very insightful and interesting. You talked about university and your, your role there because. We just talked then about team leading, um, some gems of information there. However, you are also an employer, Kim. I'm sure there's been many of times where you are looking for lots of

resumes and trying to work out who you should hire in the next wave.

So I was gonna pick your brains quickly with your employer hat on if, if, if you will, for a second. So you talked about students, maybe people are getting, they see these in portfolios and they wanna apply to somewhere like Park. How do we catch your eye, Kim? In 2025. Now, in this competitive job market, are there any things that you stands out

to you in CVS of portfolios, resumes at all, or any advice you'd give to people on that front?[00:23:00]

Kim Kennedy: Um, yeah, I've been doing interviews ongoing because our, our firm has actually grown tremendously in the last two to three years, um, given the amount of work that we've got on our plates. Um, so yes, I, I, we always look to,

um, look for confidence in what people are, are.

Trying to achieve with their careers, um, depending on whether you're, you know, an intern or an

experienced person, um, someone with who, with who's had many years of experience, um, how do they, how do they

feel about the work that they've done?

Or what do they want to do? Where do they foresee themselves heading in their careers? Um. Does there, you know, basic skills like Revit and which is the drawing skill, the drawing platform that everybody uses now, except me, to be honest with you, I'm a bit passe of that, but I, I have enough, enough understanding of what we need [00:24:00] to do with the program to, to get projects out.

Um, but yes, there's basic skills, um, and just a passion for what you're doing and for someone who, um. Questions, what? What the intent is. Looks to try to answer questions beyond just what the rules are, I think is something that's always key and, and stands out to me that this person is really interested in what they're doing.

Um, it's not just a job. Um, we do, we have a very strong culture of everybody working strongly together. So being a team player is always, um, important for us. Um, and, um, being interested in learning. Because no matter how much experience you have, there's always something new to learn from somebody else, how they've done it, or looking to the future to be innovative and [00:25:00] bringing forward ideas of how to, um, how to improve things.

So a combination of a lot of, a lot of things that we look for when we, when we are doing our interviews, but

Speaker 12: yeah.

Stephen Drew: That's really good advice. I was gonna ask 'cause we touched upon then Revit. I think that's essential for students to know at the moment because most especially in the uk, most companies use it. So I always challenged it as a. Nice to have. I think now it's, it's getting pretty much essential. Um, but in terms of technology,

The Role of Technology in Healthcare Architecture
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Stephen Drew: in terms of, at the moment everyone in the UK is talking about artificial intelligence

Speaker 12: Mm-hmm.

Stephen Drew: and the way things are going, and I find it's quite an exciting

time.

However, I'd love to hear your thoughts on.

Anecdotally, you know, do you have a, do you have a, a feeling or a view on the way that digital

technology is progressing, like artificial intelligence, will it affect healthcare projects or do you think as well [00:26:00] it might have a bit of an impact

within parking architects or not at all?

Kim Kennedy: Uh, we are definitely looking at how to integrate AI into our work within Parkin. Um, there's many platforms. That can be used. Um, the, the basis of our, our interest is not on is. Uh, multi-leveled, I would say, uh, starting with research starting, uh, look, starting with, um, how can we, you know, how can we draw upon this database of information, um, to help us inform our design moving forward?

Uh, so looking at, um, ideas of.

What's the best layout for an inpatient unit? Um, bring, you know, bring me 10 different schemes that I can look at, [00:27:00] evaluate and determine whether or not it's a suitable application to the project that I have at hand. Um, so that, you know, uh, it's a lot of it's research based.

Um, we also will use it for helping us, um. Uh, create documentation, to be honest with you, I mean, I, I personally am seeing that, uh, it's, it's becoming really helpful to, um, you know. Embellish a report that we have to do perhaps so. So those are some of the basics of AI that I understand. Um, but, um, but yes, there, and then automating things within the Revit world, the ROIs world, uh, the technology world.

I think there's ways of also integrating it. To help increase the speed of which we produce some of our reporting and, uh, tracking of information. So, um, [00:28:00] it hasn't quite gotten implemented yet, but we're definitely in the, in the modes of testing it and trialing it for sure.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, I get quite excited even in my small business of anything data entry or those boring tasks if we can remove them. So I actually see it as an opportunity for an Architect. Not the, some people worry about, oh, we're gonna be replaced. I, I don't think so, but it would be quite nice if some of the.

Mundane tasks went away, Kim. That's my feelings, you

Kim Kennedy: Yeah, uh, for sure. And, uh, not to take away from the fact that I think especially for learning architects like young architects, learning, getting into

the field, don't rely on just

that information. It's good as a basis

to learn from, but you still have to understand what people are, what the information is that

you're.

Obtaining right, the good old principles

of brain screen principles as an example. You need to know what the [00:29:00] purpose is in order to be able to draw the, draw an appropriate detail for that.

Stephen Drew: That's so true. It's the journey almost, isn't it? Of course, we can get the answers for everything, but it's, it's the doing it that, um, that is important. Um, I was gonna, I wanna loop back to parking in a, in a little bit and we can tell people where to find you and all that stuff,

but the, the last question I had before that was just your, sent your

sentiment on the state of where we are and.

Future of Healthcare Architecture
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Stephen Drew: Especially in your fields, how you feel about the future. So at the time of recording, it's like the end of

May, 2025. Um, I think the industries have been through ups and downs, but here in the UK the, the state of the industry actually feels quite positive, quite optimistic.

Um, and, and I was wondering, do you feel like that, um, from what you're see in that park and at the moment, Kim,

do you feel optimistic or is it a little bit different?

Kim Kennedy: Well being in the healthcare field, that was an interesting [00:30:00] observation as I entered into it. Um, healthcare design is something that never goes away the size of projects, um, because the hospitals. Uh, a form of institution that we need 24 7, 365 days a year. Um, there's always things that are innovative. Um, technology requiring changes, uh, trends that are focusing on new modalities like mental health being more, um, there.

It's a constant change. And yes, it's definitely, um. Um, it has developed over time for sure. Projects. Are getting bigger in Canada at least. We've had to do such a revamp over the last 20 years of facilities that were left to, um, to less, [00:31:00] uh, less funding, I guess you could say. Um, that, you know, were old and starting to fall apart.

Infrastructure that needed to be replaced. Everything has a lifecycle, even though the bricks and mortar might still be standing, everything inside of it still needs to be upgraded and replaced and. There's been a shift to try to create new greenfield projects, um, to replace the old infrastructures. Uh, and we, we've come almost full circle to that throughout.

Country. Um, and, uh, and yet there's always gonna be more to do because you can only look forward, um, so many years to understand what trends might happen, what populations might impact, what's going on, what pandemics might impact, what's going on, um, you know, things like that. So, uh, there's always a, uh, a cycle of what we are, what we're doing, and learning.

As we move forward, but definitely has, has [00:32:00] gone from, um, small little projects or small little additions to large green free greenfield project projects, um, that are becoming more condensed. Um, and also a revamp of, from a healthcare perspective at least keeping the critical care environments and taking out some of those community-based healthcare aspects.

Um,

family, physician offices, clinics every day, um, you know, examinations, uh, diagnostics areas out of that tertiary type of environment to allow it to be more accessible by the communities around definitely, right. Is.

Stephen Drew: it. There's a lot of stuff that, that you do there, Ken. My

goodness. And it's, um, it's an exciting moving space. So maybe

someone who's listening to this has thought, you know what, I like that. Or maybe they, they [00:33:00] do specialize in healthcare, but they would like to work on the projects that you do as well.

How to Connect with Parkin Architects
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Stephen Drew: Can you let everyone know a little bit more about how someone would get in

contact with yourself or the company? And I'll bring them up on the screen while you're saying that as well.

Speaker 12: For

Kim Kennedy: sure. Well, so Park and Architects has our website. We are focused on Canadian market. Um, we have projects, well we have offices in Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver, and we do projects from. The tip of New Brunswick, uh, sorry, the tip of Newfoundland all the way

to the far north as well. So we go from coast to coast to coast

as we say, with our projects.

Um,

some beyond healthcare, like our northern projects,

as we call them. The ones on the far north are, are a lot of educational projects. We're getting, we do do some small healthcare clinics in the various small communities, so we really touch on, [00:34:00] um. All cultures, all populations, all project sizes across the country.

Um, our website is there. We have, uh, blogs that we present. We have updated highlights of what the offices are doing on a constant basis. We're always doing outreach programs with various. Um, environmental things to, to sustain and, and not sustain, but to emphasize our, our visions for the firm. You know, designing with care, being environmentally friendly, um, all, all those good things that, um, that being an Architect, if you incorporate that into your work helps, um, not just yourself, but the, the communities around you.

Stephen Drew: Yeah. Wow.

Kim Kennedy: And the world hopefully.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, well, it's all quite exciting and um, I think that people should check you out. Um, [00:35:00] if I was in Canada, I would definitely be looking at, um, parking, so it's www.parking.ca. Um, and Kim specifically, if people enjoyed listening to you or, or anything like that, where's the best way to reach out to yourself?

Can they find you through, through parking then?

Kim Kennedy: Yep. Um, all our staffing is listed on our website. My, my email address is in there, Kennedy at parkin. Do ca

it's always last name first. Um.

Uh, email is always the best way. Um, uh, we do have

LinkedIn. We are on social, social media as well. We've got, uh,

uh, Instagram and Facebook and all those good things, but LinkedIn is a another way of, of getting ahold of us or getting ahold of me,

and, um, more than happy to, uh, to accept emails and, and communications through various people and always looking for new people to join our team.

Stephen Drew: There you go. And what a cheat sheet. If anyone's listening to this [00:36:00] podcast, good luck. And then we, we know what to do at say in an into with people with Kim, and that's not a bad thing. So if you've listened to this, you're halfway there. But Kim, thank you so much for being here and sharing your insights, especially when you've got a deadline next week.

Conclusion and Farewell
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Stephen Drew: So, uh. I'm, I'm, I'm sure you'll be fine, and thank you for spending the time, but on that note, I, I wanna let you crack on with it. I wouldn't wanna be the reason why the beautiful healthcare scheme doesn't happen. I would feel pretty bad then. Uh, thank you so much, Kim. Stay here on the stage one second.

While I say thank you to you and the audience for listening to theirs. If you are watching it. You've seen the cool projects, but if you're also on audio, do check out, uh, www.parking.ca or connect with Kim Kennedy on LinkedIn. Find it for the website. More content coming soon. However, thank you for tuning into this one.

Again, I'll post some more stuff on the website. I can't remember what they are right now, [00:37:00] but they're gonna be good like this. So more stuff coming up. Thank you again for tuning in wherever you are. I'm gonna end the, uh, podcast now. Thank you so much to the new audience. Take care everyone. Bye-bye.