April 1, 2022 – Effective today, George Sorich AIA, NCARB, LEED® AP is promoted to Vice President, Residential design at NORR, a global architecture and engineering firm. As previously announced, the promotion was a planned succession and leadership transition.
“George is a strong leader with a proven residential architecture background. He brings a spectrum of ideas and experience from a 30-year career, progressing from project architect to project manager to Principal-in-Charge,” said Brian Gerstmar, President and Chief Executive Officer at NORR. “George has an innate ability to identify emerging housing trends and translates that knowledge to early-stage designs that enable clients, owners and investors to capitalize on ROI.”
“With NORR’s scope of work in the US, Canada and the UK, there are three current trends that have staying power for the foreseeable future in the Residential sector,” said Sorich. “The trends include work-from-home spaces, adaptive reuse opportunities, and integrated development strategies.
Work-From-Home Spaces
The pandemic has changed how and where people work. We are creating more efficient layouts and flexible spaces to provide competitive advantages for our clients while enhancing housing choices for occupants who work from home. Residential projects of every size must consider built-in workspaces in units, combined with common coworking amenity programs. Coworking spaces must utilize large windows to optimize natural light, helping keep occupants healthy and productive.
Adaptive Reuse Opportunities
The pandemic has been a key driver for reimagining our relationship with the built environment and is presenting new opportunities across portfolios and sectors. Evolving workplace strategies have created a surplus of office space, where we are actively managing a variety of complex conversions of these commercial building types into viable residential spaces. For every adaptive reuse project, a feasibility study is required to analyze four main factors: economic viability; environmental considerations; system and structural integrity; and market trends.
Integrated Development Strategies
Emerging trends in design and planning have accelerated over the past few years as we continue to reimage and reset our relationships with each other, society and the environment. Today, we are designing for integrated developments, far surpassing the traditional mixed-use bricks and mortar projects. Integrated development strategies include transit-oriented and community-focussed developments where planning and consideration for market demands, community inputs and transit linkages are required to support smart, equitable growth initiatives creating resilient and vibrant neighborhoods.
“Our global residential sector continues to build on an impressive knowledge base of program metrics that have been established through the execution of multiple project types and feasibility studies. The metrics provide value-add services and support speed-to-market delivery,” said Sorich. “With continued strategic advisory guidance from my mentor and former long-time Vice President Bruce McKenzie AAA, AIBC, FRAIC, LEED® AP, our scalable super sector will draw on the talent of our residential planners, architects, engineers and interior designers across the globe to design beautiful buildings and resilient neighborhoods.
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