CHARGING UP the national rankings, Philadelphia’s life sciences community saw continued expansion in 2023. Given the competitive landscape, Iron Stone Real Estate Partners turned to D2 to convert part of their center city asset (formerly the Hanneman Hospital) into a vibrant life sciences community within the rich culture of surrounding neighborhoods. The vision: to create custom spec lab space flexible enough to support a wide range of occupants and uses. The strategy: to utilize the advantage of existing infrastructure. The driver: speed to market.

Future Ready

Demand for move-in ready lab spaces has prompted Race Street Labs to expand within the building. As many floorplates of the formal hospital share common traits, the detailed planning and documentation process at the project’s onset pays dividends by predicting challenges and providing solutions. Committed to client goals and tenant needs, D2 positioned Iron Stone’s asset to realize their vision to transform a vacant building into a vibrant hub. At the forefront of Philadelphia’s Life Sciences industry, Race Street Labs sets to drive the advancements that shape the future of sciences and technology.

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Teetering on our twenty-year anniversary, managing members John Schwartz, Joan Scott, and Geoff Dickey have overseen the expansion of D2 for nearly two decades. Moving forward, the trio’s aim is to “focus on strategic ideation, planning, and implementation of new and long-term business strategies”, Joan explains. As such, our Studio Directors will take charge of managing day-to-day operations within the design studios. Their roles include providing executive project direction, business development, and career development throughout the firm.

Studio Director, Steve Spellman, was hired to launch the MEP Engineering discipline in 2018 and is now leading a rapidly growing studio of eight engineers! “Steve was the perfect fit for the D2 team. He came to us with a similar personality and mindset toward customer service and internal culture building.”, says John. As an integral guide within our firm, Steve consults the Architecture and Interior Design teams on many of D2’s most challenging builds and has been integral in growing the firm’s presence in the Life Sciences and Healthcare markets. Now, with David Seace directing Architecture and Tony Palomba directing Interior Design, the cohesion between disciplines will strengthen exponentially.

Having David and Tony step into their new roles as Studio Directors will provide our teams with the focused daily attention, guidance and mentorship necessary to take D2 to the next level.��

John Schwartz

A perennial team player, David is a natural fit to keep morale high and focused. “David has a unique ability to immediately develop trust with both our clients and our staff.” John Schwartz notes. “As our Architecture studio continues to grow and evolve, we are confident that (he) will ensure we continue to deliver quality, thoughtful projects to our clients”. David expects the same of himself, adding that his focus is to “help maintain consistency across the studio, in turn ensuring the high level of quality that our clients expect from D2.”

In the Interior Design studio, Tony will be leading the discipline he helped conceive upon D2’s founding. “Tony is extremely respected in our industry. His knowledge and ability to champion our clients, teammates, and consultants through very complex projects is unmatched”, raves John. With three decades of experience, Tony shares his hopes to “better understand the individuals within the group to provide guidance and knowledge for their professional development” – in turn, maximizing the capabilities of the team and the service we provide.

Together, with John, Joan and Geoff, our Studio Directors will help define the future of D2, our clients, and our team. As D2 reaches its 20-year anniversary in early 2024, the new studio structure will allow the firm to remain a strong market leader, reinforce our existing services, and continue to pursue expansion and market diversification into the future.

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The ADE program is dedicated to teaching K-12 students across Philadelphia about the design industry—introducing under-resourced youth to engineering, architecture, interior design, and other industries affecting the built environment, In turn, the program opens up opportunity and aims to diversify the career pipeline. The program leaves a positive impact on the quality of education in Philadelphia schools, and with a city-wide urgency to improve our education system, the program’s work becomes more and more critical.

A full circle moment

When I was in 5^th grade myself, I participated in a similar program that was offered to our school through a local summer day camp. At the time, the lessons challenged me to engage my creativity in solving problems through design, which inevitably (and lucky for me) lead to my future career! I was inspired to do the same thing at Rhawnhurst Elementary—a vibrant, diverse school in Northeast Philadelphia, where I would spend the next several weeks co-teaching a very similar fifth-grade classroom.

The volunteer teaching team consisted of myself and Jennifer Grafton, an experienced architect who
works locally in the downtown area of Philadelphia, specializing in K-12 design, and 5^th Grade teacher, Mrs. Natalie Franklin who warmly welcomed us into her classroom.

Inspiring Instruction

Through the 7-week program, Jennifer and I carefully crafted lesson plans with two goals: to show how design re-shapes the world’s spaces and to prove design as a valuable and achievable professional career for the students. With interactive lessons like re-designing their school with gingerbread house materials, students were able to creatively solve problems ranging from structural support to aesthetic design and proportion.. Not only did the students love the delicious designs, they also enjoyed the task of collaboratively re-imagining their environment.

Watching the students collaborate was truly inspirational for Jennifer and me. When asked to share challenges of design-building their re-imagined school, one student responded, “using the materials and only having a certain amount of them, so our group had to plan what we wanted to design before building.” ��This is exactly what we were after—challenging strategic planning, that in the end, would build confidence and teach the kids ��that they can be designers. We hoped students would have fun, learn something new and, perhaps, ultimately consider pursuing a career in architecture. Jennifer and I agreed that if just one of these students goes on to a career in design or construction, we will have accomplished our personal goals in volunteering with ADE!

Interested? Here are my takeaways:

Working every Thursday at the school while being a full-time employee naturally came with the challenges of balancing a healthy work life, volunteer life and personal life. Planning and communication between the teaching team was critical in implementing engaging and educational weekly lesson plans. That careful planning also made balancing my professional work and the efforts of co-teaching possible. I am beyond thankful to my D2 team for encouraging me to dive into the volunteering opportunity and to break out of the office and into the classroom.

In the end it’s said, “to love what you do, create what you love, and inspire the world.” A small mantra of mine which I hold dear to my heart that has guided me through some of the challenges, hard work, and dedication it’s taken to successfully partake in the ADE volunteer opportunity. To any design professional in the industry living and working in Philadelphia, I would highly recommend you take part in the Center for Architecture and Design’s ADE program. This experience will challenge your design thinking process and re-inspire your own design curiosity.

For everything Jennifer and I taught the students, they taught us just as much, if not more.

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Way-back-when in 2018, advocating for a better managed and simplified design process, D2 decided it was time to make an addition to the firm and start an MEP group from the ground-up. Managing Member, John Schwartz, shares where it all began, “We started Engineering in response to a need for a more streamlined, responsive, and comprehensive approach to our projects. We knew that having a team in-house would allow for better communication, collaboration and control of the process and timing – therefore, allowing us to provide a better service to our clients.”

D2 sought a team of engineers that enhanced D2’s collaborative culture. Steve Spellman was hired to launch the MEP Engineering discipline in 2018 and is now leading a rapidly growing team of eight engineers! “Steve was the perfect fit for the D2 team. He came to us with a similar personality and mindset toward customer service and internal culture building.”, says John.

Recognizing a unique opportunity, Steve shares why he originally came to the firm, “I wanted to reimagine the way engineering teams are led—with collaboration at the forefront. D2 was the perfect place to establish a team that works not just with one another, but for one another.” A natural born leader, Steve oversees the engineering team with a philosophy heavily focused on the guidance and consultation to his team and clients alike. “It’s important that we’re not only being responsive to our clients, but just as quickly responsive and helpful to one another.”

There is truly no “I” in team, especially within our studio. “A feeling that you are never on your own,” describes the work environment from D2 engineer, Kane O’Conner, “anyone will drop what they’re doing to help a teammate. It’s a special group, and a testament to the team culture D2 has been able to maintain.”

And the teamwork doesn’t stop with the engineering team—it extends through all disciplines: interior design, architecture, environmental branding and brand identity. “We work as a collective,” Steve says, “project coordination in house not only makes for a faster, much more streamlined process but it allows the designers and engineers to know each other personally. We know how one another work and what our strongest traits are—working with the designers in our studio quickens the process but mostly, we enjoy doing it.”

With designers and engineers working side-by-side, our studio fosters a thriving, always-learning environment. First year D2 Engineer, Andrea Toscana Rodriguez says, “a great part of working in a studio like D2 is that we have almost all disciplines in house.�� Being exposed to the other disciplines has also allowed me to form good relationships with people in branding, interior design, and architecture which has both expanded my knowledge and made work a lot more fun.”

Managing Member, John Schwartz expresses how the addition of engineering has helped the studio feel more cohesive, “The engineering team makes our studio more well-rounded. It is inspiring to see all of our disciplines communicating frequently and seamlessly as they work on a project.”—effective collaboration at its finest.

The success of our engineers exhibits more everyday both with fully integrated D2 projects combined with all disciplines, as well as progressive, independent engineering projects. And when asked how the engineering team has been so successful over the years, Steve says the answer is simple: “it’s the people I’ve hired. It’s truly due to the group effort of a dynamic team.”

So, what’s next for our D2 engineers? Steve says, “Three years ago, we just wanted to establish ourselves as a presence in the industry. Now, in our fifth year, we’ve already seen our work gain significant traction in the healthcare and life sciences markets. We are also on the brink of a major, and very exciting, personnel expansion. I’m excited to continue to watch the expansion of our engineering team in the future.”

And to that, we say—cheers! To five years of D2 Engineering!

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Brian believes “every space is an extension of its users”— to execute the most genuine space possible a designer must fully understand their client. He looks behind, underneath and beyond the surface—bringing a space to life with individuality and authenticity. Brian joined D2 in 2021 and has since worked to inspire a culture of collaboration, mentorship, and knowledge sharing. He is an invested advocate for the interior design profession and an active member in multiple Philadelphia area industry groups.

Congrats Brian!

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1. Lucky Penny – Worldwide

Pennies are a symbol of the battle between good and evil. Finding a penny heads up is an indication of good luck, while a tails facing penny can be seen as unlucky.

2. Dice – America

Flying the face of danger, many World War II pilots carried dice and other gambling tokens on board with them. The reasoning? To tip the odds of a safe return in their favor.

3. Bamboo – Asia

Looking for a life filled with prosperity? Bamboo is your lucky ticket. The number or stalks you receive corresponds with your blessings. Two stalks are an expression of love and are considered doubly lucky.

4. Mushroom – Germany

If you stumble upon a red-and-white speckled mushroom in the forests of Germany, consider yourself lucky! Known as glücklicher pilz, this fungi is a sign of good fortune around the corner.

5. Fingers Crossed – Western Europe

The act of crossing fingers dates back to a pre-Christianity belief that good spirits would concentrate at the intersection of crosses. Holding one’s fingers in a cross would anchor a wish until it could come true.

6. Hamsa – Worldwide

Similar to the Turkish Nazar, wearing the Hamsa hand is believed to protect you from the malice of others, shielding you from their negative energy. If the hand is facing downwards, it is a sign of prosperity and happiness.

7. Keys – Worldwide

You’ll be hard pressed to find a culture that doesn’t view keys in a positive light. From opening new doors to unlocking one’s heart, keys largely symbolize freedom and liberation.

8. Infinity Symbol – China

For the Chinese, 8 is an auspicious number. Rotated on its side, the Infinity Symbol is seen as a reflection of the number 8. It is symbolic of renewal and good fortune.

9. Ladybug – Worldwide

The next time a ladybug lands on you, take a moment to count its spots. It is said that the number of spots predicts how many years of good luck you have ahead.

10. White Elephant – India/Thailand

White elephants are considered very auspicious. It is said that the Buddha’s mother dreamt of a white elephant before she gave birth to him.

11. Sparrow – Indonesia

Indonesians believe that if a sparrow flies into your house, someone in your family may soon marry or have the opportunity to give birth.

12. Evil Eye – Turkey

The Nazar, or evil eye, is protection against those with ill intentions. When worn it shields the bearer from the harm of any malevolent glares cast their way.

13. 4 Leaf Clover – Ireland

The odds of finding a four-leaf clover is allegedly 1 in 10,000, which is why it’s considered so lucky to discover one! The four leaves symbolize faith, hope, luck, and love.

14. Spade – Worldwide

As the highest ranking card in a deck, the ace of spades trumps all — making the spade a symbol of luck, victory, and power. But user beware, the intensity of such a force can turn maleficent if you overplay your hand.

15. Wishbone – Etruscan

The Etruscans believed birds were sacred oracles. Whenever a chicken was slaughtered, the furcula was dried in hopes of preserving the bird’s powers. Rubbing the bone while making a wish was believed to release its stored energy.

16. Shooting Star – Greek

Greek astronomer Ptolemy hypothesized that when the gods parted the heavens to peer down on earth, any star dislodged in the process would shoot across the sky. It was believed that making a wish at this moment increased the chances the gods would hear it.

17. Cherries – China

Cherries and cherry tress are symbolic of great wealth and good luck.�� Displaying fresh cherries in a bowl or planting a cherry tree in your garden is believed to beckon wealth.

18. Seven – Worldwide

From biblical references to mathematic enigmas, there’s just something about the number seven. Although no one explanation points to the reasoning, the number seven is an unanimous favorite across the globe.

19. Grasshopper – Worldwide

Springing into action, the grasshopper is affirmation of taking the right steps in life. In addition, its forward movement reminds us to charge ahead and leap over obstacles that get in the way.

20. Rabbit’s foot – Worldwide

This year’s showcase, the rabbit’s foot, is central in many interesting, creepy and downright bizarre superstitions around the world. Its origin, however, dates back to 600BC, where the Celts believed that a deeply burrowed rabbit had the ability to communicate with spirts from the underworld.

21. Carrots – China

Resembling lucky pennies to due their vibrant orange hue, carrots symbolize luck and prosperity when sliced into coin-like rounds.

22. Pot of Gold & Rainbow – Irish

According to Irish folklore, leprechauns hide their treasures at the ends of rainbows because they are so difficult to track down. However, if you are able to catch a leprechaun you can attempt to negotiate with him to disclose the secret location. If your persistence pays off, you will be rewarded with a lifetime of riches!

23. Maneki Neko – Japan

Translated as “beckoning cat”, the raised paw of the Maneki Neko is believed to attract customers and bring good business to shop owners.

24. Dreamcatcher – Native American

Looking to catch some Z’s in peace? Dreamcatchers will protect you by filtering out the bad dreams in a room and letting only positive dreams pass through. Its circular shape symbolizes unity and strength.

25. Conch – Buddist

The call of a conch shell is said to be reminiscent of the sacred ‘Om’ sound. It is believed that when the conch shell is blown, the surrounding environment will be purified from all evil.

26. Horseshoe – Ireland

One fateful day the devil himself visited St. Dunstan and requested a horseshoe. Dunstan tricked the devil by nailing a piping hot horseshoe to one of his hooves. Upon desperate request, Dunstan removed the horseshoe under the condition that the devil must never enter a dwelling where one was hung above the door.

27. Acorn – England

Carrying an acorn protects the bearer from illnesses, aches, and other pains. If you’re already ill, an acorn is said to speed up the healing process and alleviate your pain.

28. Goldfish – Asia

A member of the carp family — considered an auspicious species in Asia — the rich color of the goldfish is symbolic of wealth and prosperity. For this reason, goldfish are a staple in many feng shui aquariums.

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KEITH JONES

Keith is joining our Architecture studio as a Project Designer and comes to D2 with over seven years of experience as an architect working primarily in the Life Science industry most recently with AES Clean Technology and Jacobs Engineering. Specializing in large building expansions and modular cleanroom design, Keith’s work has been recognized by awarding bodies such as ISPE (The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering).

Keith received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Environmental Design from Bowling Green State University and holds a Master of Architecture from Thomas Jefferson University. In addition, he has completed the NCARB Architectural Experience requirements and is working toward completing the examinations for architectural licensure. Keith is active in the design industry and is an associate member of NOMA.

“I am excited to bring my knowledge to a firm that is committed to creating leaders and growing in the healthcare and life sciences industry…

…Apart from the high demand of life sciences real estate, which increases project opportunities, I also value the ability to create facilities that directly result in improving the quality of life.”

Keith gathers inspiration from traveling and exploring the outdoors, enjoys playing basketball and is skilled in graphic stationery design, carpentry, and woodworking.

ARTURO PONCIANO��

We welcome Arturo as Design Director for the Architecture Studio! He comes to D2 with 20+ years’ of practice most recently as Studio Manager with Ware Malcom and as a Senior Designer with Michael Graves. His experience spans Corporate, Industrial, and Hospitality markets. Throughout his career, he has risen to the challenge of widely varying positions and responsibilities allowing him to understand the full breadth of our craft – both creative and operational. As Design Director, Arturo will uphold the high standards of the firm through studio mentorship, the development of innovative design strategies, and a balance of pragmatism.

“I have always wanted my career path to be guided by a passion for design…

��…D2 is a well-established company that has given me the opportunity to continue to drive design excellence, alongside a talented and multi-disciplinary team.”

Arturo received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Miami, is LEED GA accredited, currently testing for the ARE exams, and studying for the WELL AP exam. He gives credit to his mentors for the growth and success throughout his career and has, over the years, developed the motto – “always be open to constructive criticism”. A journey from mentee to mentor, Arturo will grow the design aptitude of the Architecture studio through organized professional development initiatives and hands-on project oversight.

Arturo is a soccer fan (both as player and spectator), enjoys traveling with his family and playing baseball.

OLIVIA SMITH

D2 welcomes Olivia Smith as Proposal Coordinator and the latest addition to our administrative team! Olivia is a recent graduate from West Chester University with a major in English. As an immersive student, Olivia comes to D2 with previous internships in journalism, experience writing press releases and has worked as a freelance technical writer creating and editing supporting documents for marketing firms and tech companies. Her work as a writer has landed her many (we’re talking 10+) published articles in multiple magazines and an online publication!

“I’m thrilled to be able contribute to this creative, forward-thinking company and can’t wait to see where D2 takes me!”

��

Olivia is a Type A hard worker with a bubbly personality. She isn’t afraid of change and seeks out new experiences to achieve growth. As a result, she is a versatile writer with an ambitious career ahead of her. She focuses on achieving great results in her work and ensuring she has a positive impact on her team and clients along the way.

Olivia fuels her mind outside of the office by reading/writing (if that wasn’t obvious by her profession!), thrifting, visits to the beach, kickboxing and running.

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