CMBA Newsletter

Higher education institutions are more than just places for learning; they are storied environments...

The architectural world has always been driven by innovation and the pursuit of better, more...

At CMBA Architects, we believe that architecture is more than just designing buildings. It is about...

As the landscape of higher education shifts, so too must the spaces in which students learn and...

Biomimicry is changing the way we approach healthcare architecture and design by looking to nature...

When it comes to designing healthcare spaces, architects face the challenge of creating...

As the world moves towards an increasingly tech-driven economy, the importance of Science,...

CMBA Architects is constantly exploring new ways to enhance learning environments for students. By...

At CMBA Architects, we believe that it is essential to design schools that promote inclusivity and...

In today's fast-paced world, education must prepare students for a tech-driven future. As educators...

In the wake of the pandemic, higher education institutions faced a unique challenge: how to...

Higher education is constantly evolving, and the design of learning spaces is no exception. With...

Adaptive reuse is an innovative and sustainable approach to architecture and design that involves...

The world of healthcare design continues to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of patients and...

As more and more companies recognize the impact of the workplace on mental and physical health,...

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health has become an increasingly important topic in...

We believe that the architecture of a successful behavioral healthcare space can be...

We understand the pivotal role that space plays in the entire experience of working in an office....

The classroom is a place to learn, grow, and inspire. Students and educators can both benefit from...

K-12 schools are always on the lookout for newer and better ways to keep students’ attention...

Traditional teaching methods are evolving. Project-based learning, flipped classrooms and a...

As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, the CMBA healthcare team sees several emerging...

The competition for attracting college students is more competitive than ever before. To attract...

Employees aren’t using the office the way they used to. Hybrid working trends are in full swing,...

Every physical space has a unique story. The ability to capture and display that story through...

Advances in technology are continually influencing the workplace. Both companies and co-working...

Every healthcare space has a story. The ability to capture and display that story through design...

Healthcare design communities are focusing intently on improving quality, safety and efficiency....

University of Iowa | Iowa City, Iowa

McCook, Nebraska

Le Mars, Iowa

Marcus, Iowa

Color is an amazing tool in higher education design that has the power to improve or impair...

Student anxiety saw an increase of around 20% over the last 10 years. Without a doubt, there are...

Outdoor learning spaces and classrooms have become a necessary element of successful next...

Student anxiety saw an increase of around 20% over the last 10 years. Without a doubt, there are...

The extremely volatile swings in lumber over the past year alone have pushed the average price of a...

Campuses and the overall educational experience look a bit different in 2022 than in previous...

Healthcare is one of the quickest growing industries in our economy. As the population continues...

The price tag for a new healthcare facility or renovation project has been unusually high over the...

Color is an amazing tool in K12 school design that has the power to improve or impair learning...

Extreme lumber prices had a big impact on K12 development. Lumber prices have been extraordinarily...

Many companies are seeing greater staff turnover than ever before in 2022. Across the board, global...

Extreme lumber prices had a big impact on new development. Lumber prices have been extraordinarily...

A typical college or university campus is built to last for about a century. Programs and curricula...

The COVID pandemic arrived just as digital environments were being tested and shifting many...

Anna Boor

Iowa State University Des Moines office

“Architectural Psychology” is the study of the connection between people and the physical...

While much of today’s office work can be completed remotely, one of the biggest draws of working...

With smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, and more, our everyday lives are deeply integrated with...

A typical school is built to last. Programs and curricula can change in that time. Is it possible...

“It is largely assumed that a classroom is one thing. If there’s enough room for rows of desks and...

We are proud to be listed as one of The Best Place for Working Parents businesses that are leading...

You can’t truly replicate an office environment online. While technology advances, physical spaces...

If the COVID-19 pandemic had a bright side, it was the redefinition of work-life balance. It...

Healthcare design has changed significantly over the past few decades. Years ago, the focus was...

Lengthy lines of people, drab corridors, and mountains of paperwork. We are used to seeing these...

Spaces for outdoor learning are starting to become commonplace in K12 school design. Looking beyond...

Education leaders have been required to rapidly change their educational strategies. Even when many...

If you’re creating a project for your college campus, you should be aware of its importance....

Outdoor learning spaces are gaining lots of traction in higher education design. Growing...

Sioux Center, Iowa

Le Mars, Iowa

Spencer, Iowa

Ames, Iowa

CMBA proudly supported the following organizations in 2021:

We are so thankful for all of our staff and clients that have allowed us to be a part of over 300...

In early 2020, as the world shifted to managing the COVID-19 crisis, healthcare providers scrambled...

Students spend thousands upon thousands of hours in school before graduation. Because of this,...

Interior design can have an incredible impact on your state of mind. Considering this fact, we want...

Healthcare environments are some of the most sophisticated and incredibly important spaces we...

Education is constantly evolving, but over the past few years, change seems to have been put into...

Higher education campuses are diverse places, offering a wide variety of services within a small...

CMBA advocates for innovation and creativity in our industry. While this can exist in many forms,...

In an age of rapidly shifting cultural trends and technological evolution, architects are called...

We recently gathered to celebrate our successes, discuss future plans, and enjoy time and...

When we think about the higher education facilities of the next century and beyond, the...

It's been over a year of remote learning and many students aren't ready for it to end. When health...

Human-centered architecture, which puts people at the center of the design process, seeks to...

When applied to the K12 environment, human-centered design principles seek to optimize positive...

Simulation labs provide healthcare professionals a safe place to train new skills and procedures....

It's been over a year of remote work and many employees aren't ready for it to end. When health...

The mental well-being of K12 students has a powerful impact on their development and educational...

Nobody can predict the future, but project sizing tries. There is a delicate balance between too...

Des Moines, Iowa

Sheldon, Iowa

Lake City, Iowa

Graettinger, Iowa

Human-centered architecture, which puts humans at the center of the design process, seeks to...

The lumber bubble has finally popped – tanking over 40% in June alone! But we aren't out of the...

Take a moment to step back from your personal role in the K12 environment and put yourself in the...

The lumber bubble has finally popped – tanking over 40% in June alone! But we aren't out of the...

The mental well-being of college students has a powerful impact on their development and...

The lumber bubble has finally popped – tanking over 40% in June alone! But we aren't out of the...

The lumber bubble has finally popped – tanking over 40% in June alone! But we aren't out of the...

The majority of patients with mental health issues aren't violent. However, there are enough...

Tanner Koeppe

University of Nebraska-LincolnSioux City office

People are changing the way they think about their spaces, both at home and at work. These...

All across the globe, companies are changing the way they think about how work gets done. COVID-19...

While healthcare organizations have always faced the challenge of adapting their facilities to...

Opening a new unit or remodeling a space in your facility is exciting! Not only is your staff...

Increasing enrollment numbers is a high priority for most institutions. Colleges and universities...

First year college students have tons of colleges and universities to decide between. How do they...

K12 design has remained anything but static over time. In fact, K12 design trends have been quietly...

When planning your K12 project, selecting an architect is an important decision. Most people...

Growing up in rural Nebraska, Brent wasn't immediately drawn to architecture specifically. But he...

It doesn't matter how great your educational material is – odds are, there's at least one student...

K12 schools are now beginning to realize that the areas between traditional learning environments...

The world of technology is constantly growing and evolving, and this couldn't be any truer than...

Healthcare facilities have always needed to be strategically positioned for rapid change – more...

Workplaces aren't just an aggregate of furniture, tools, and spaces. They are environments where,...

Some circumstances are so immediately transformative that they can change even the most well...

As I have thought about writing this year-end article, many things have run through my head about...

The relationship between space and well-being has always been a key consideration at CMBA. As...

The patient experience is extremely important for any healthcare facility, and rightfully so. But...

To considerately design for disabilities in the classroom can be a challenge. Yet, it is perhaps...

Studies indicate that the longer a student remains on campus – and in an academic mindset – the...

Since the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, behavioral healthcare providers have had to...

Emergency rooms are hectic. As a point of first access for patients, they’re responsible for...

Communication is a predominant component of classroom learning. The ability to recognize spoken...

An office isn't the only place work gets done. Any space that produces value is effectively a...

University of Iowa | Iowa City, Iowa

Orange City, Iowa

University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics | Coralville, Iowa

Grand Island Public Schools | Grand Island, Nebraska

As colleges plan for classes this fall – online, in classrooms, or a hybrid of both – those that...

COVID-19 is transforming many aspects of life, and higher education is no exception. As...

While we can't know for certain what healthcare in the U.S. will look like in the future, those...

As K12 schools plan for classes this fall — online, in classrooms, or a hybrid of both — those...

COVID-19 is transforming many aspects of life, and education is no exception. Right now, the...

According to the Maryland Child Care Resource Network, more than 65% of workers have at least one...

People have more or less accepted that natural light and connectivity to nature are legitimate...

MADISON MEHLSIowa State University • Des Moines officeMadison is a member of the ISU Water Ski Team...

Most hospitals weren't prepared to treat the sudden surge in very sick, contagious COVID-19...

So much uncertainty remains as schools begin planning for reopening to students and educators....

When designing a campus facility or renovation, there are tons of things to consider. Usually, the...

Health and safety were the prime motivators for implementing mandatory work from home policies...

When designing a building or renovation, there are tons of things to consider. Usually, the...

So much uncertainty remains as colleges and universities reopen or plan for the reopening of...

When designing a K12 facility or renovation, there are tons of things to consider. Usually, the...

When designing a healthcare facility or renovation, there are tons of things to consider. Usually,...

Interior design has a powerful impact on people. But unlike art, music, and movies, the spaces...

One of our primary responsibilities as architects is understanding people’s needs. When it comes...

There can be confusion about what healthcare flexibility really means. And flexibility can mean...

If you’ve spent any amount of time on a well-designed university campus, then you understand the...

The world of education is changing more quickly than ever before. And it's important that we, as...

The interior design of a school has a meaningful impact on everyone in the school. Whether or not...

The interior design of your healthcare facility has a meaningful impact on everyone. Whether or...

The interior design of buildings on campus has meaningful impact on everyone. Whether or not it's...

Woodward, Iowa

Sioux City, Iowa

Sheldon, Iowa

Sioux Center, Iowa

Growing up in Northwest Iowa, Adam was surrounded by family in education–his grandfather and father...

Healthcare faces an epidemic of stressed and burned-out staff–something we've discussed before on

Universities are taking on many innovative strategies in campus planning. All in the name of...

What does it mean to design architecture for health and student, faculty, and staff productivity...

You know that K12 schools exist to help students learn. And everything we can do to set students...

Wellness spaces aren't new. But they have become a growing trend in recent workplace design....

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Bye, bye 2019 – Welcome to the Roaring 20’s!!

Stress can be a very strong negative force on a student’s academic performance – as well as their...

Stress can be a very strong, negative force on a college student’s academic performance – as well...

Being lost or disoriented in any building is never a pleasant experience. Especially when you're...

Bringing the outdoors in is a long-standing design concept which can be seen with trees in...

Farming isn't what it used to be. Over the last century, we've experienced a rapid evolution in...

It's good to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in K12 design. Trends can serve as a guiding...

Although perhaps not as glamorous as other architecture trends, resilience is incredibly...

It's good to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in campus design. Trends can serve as a...

The architecture of healthcare facilities has always been purpose-driven. With the need for...

It's good to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in healthcare design. Trends can serve as a...

Walk into a typical corporate office, and you’ll be hard-pressed to see how it differs from any...

It's good to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in office design. Trends can serve as a...

You probably spend most of your day in or around buildings. But have you considered how these...