2002 Conference Proceedings - Interior Design Educators Council

Summary of ResultsThe taxonomy and grounded theory model generated from the analyses of interviewdata provide insights into the varied factors that contributed to REI’s decision toimplement principles of sustainable building design and historic preservation in therelocation of their Denver flagship store. The taxonomy presents the logic of eachstakeholder involved in the REI project. The grounded theory model illustrates threeorienting philosophies—retailing, sustainability, and preservation—that underpinned thedecision-making processes of the diverse stakeholders as well as the juxtaposition ofthese philosophies to arrive at a collaborative and amenable building solution. Elementsof this solution include efforts to• establish a store location with additional square footage and excellentvisibility,• retain original building materials and structures (e.g., windows, brickwalls, coal-fired power generator),• adaptively re-use structural beams reclaimed from a Montana mine,• construct energy-conserving building systems (e.g., natural lighting,HVAC), and• construct resource-conserving building facilities (e.g., undergroundparking structure that is earth-covered and planted with native, lowmaintenancevegetation; employee locker rooms with showers toencourage the use of bicycle commuting).Although the taxonomy and model were developed to represent one firm’s decisionmakingin its efforts to create an environmentally-sound retail space, both could beuseful as teaching tools that underscore the importance of understanding the variedlogics of stakeholders and the types of negotiation necessary to arrive at a designsolution that is workable for those involved. Similarly, the taxonomy and model canserve as useful frameworks for future research exploring such decision-makingprocesses.ReferencesDurvasula, S., Sharma, S., & Andrews, J. C. (1992). STORELOC: A retail storelocation model based on managerial decisions. Journal of Retailing, 68(4), 420-444.Guy, S. (2000). Framing environmental choices: Mediating the environment in theproperty business. In S. Fineman (Ed.), The business of greening (pp. 54-77).New York: Routledge.National Park Service. (2001, September 21, 2001). The secretary of the interior’sstandards for the treatment of historic properties. Retrieved September 26, 2001from http://www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/standguide/index.htmStrauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theoryprocedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.43