The Minneapolis studio of Perkins&Will is renewing its commitment to science and technology with the hire of Stephanie McDaniel as its new Science and Technology Managing Principal.
McDaniel will also serve as the Operations Director of Perkins&Will’s Minneapolis studio. She will work with leadership to ensure the studio’s commitment to “design for the greater good” is implemented with high-performance processes and delivery methods. Current Operations Director Cara Prosser, who has successfully led the Minneapolis studio through growth over the past two years, will be focusing her strategic thinking and management in Health Education alongside Heidi Costello.
With an impressive career spanning 27 years, McDaniel brings a wealth of experience to Perkins&Will, having served in a variety of capacities within architecture including staff architect, project manager, lab planner, principal, and CEO.
Over the past 15 years, McDaniel has specialized in higher education projects, with a majority of her work dedicated to designing laboratories for top public and private higher education institutions across the Midwest. Her dedication to the lab component of projects is particularly notable, and she’s focused on creating safe, adaptable, and energy-efficient spaces to support teaching and research in higher education.
“I love creating environments for people to learn, discover, and collaborate,” says McDaniel. “Higher education is all about learning how the building inhabitants will use the space and creating those spaces where they can flourish. Our designs must be flexible on a day-to-day basis to accommodate a given educator’s and researcher’s needs, while also being adaptable over the life of the building to accommodate new practitioners and changing methods.”
“Stephanie is a wonderful addition to our studio. By investing in our science and technology and higher education teams, we are elevating the already fantastic work coming from the Minneapolis studio and providing the leadership our clients have come to expect from Perkins&Will,” says Jennifer Christiaansen, Managing Director of the Minneapolis studio of Perkins&Will.
