Healthcare Design - November 2019 - 104

fac e

Time

W H AT WA S Y O U R F I R S T
H E A LT H C A R E P R O J E C T ?
A 40,000-square-foot tenant improvement for Alaska
Native Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska. The
project required renovating existing open offices
into clinical space including departments for internal
medicine, neurology, dermatology, oncology, infusion,
podiatry, and pulmonology. Being an integral part of the
project from concept to completion early in my career
was a huge learning opportunity and solidified my
desire to work in healthcare design.

Document everything, be a team player, and seek
solutions, not blame. Considering the project's expedited
schedule, construction challenges, and abundance
of owner-prompted changes during construction, the
project was very successful. I attribute the success to
a positive team dynamic between the design team,
contractor, and owner.

THREE UNEXPECTED ITEMS
ON YOUR DESK

1 Metallic

miniature
dachshundshaped office
supplies. (I have two adorable
miniature dachshunds.)

2 Preserved flowers in a glass dome

from my husband.

3 A piece of acrylic with custom-

printed Alaskan berry graphics.
F AV O R I T E ...

Q U O T E "The future belongs to those who believe in the
beauty of their dreams."-Eleanor Roosevelt
GU I LTY P L E A SUR E People watching, especially on
vacation.

TIFFANY COFFMAN

Interior designer, Bettisworth
North Architects and Planners,
Anchorage, Alaska

Tiffany Coffman
began her college career at Colorado State University (Fort Collins,
Colo.) studying psychology and
sociology, before a class on biophilic design set
her on another path toward healthcare design.
During her studies, her grandmother became
sick and the family struggled to find an assisted
living community that supported her independence. For Coffman, the experience drove
home the importance of viable senior living and
healthcare options, and inspired her to focus on
an academic project on reimagining elder care
in Alaska. She was even able to share the project
with her grandmother before she passed away.
In 2013, Coffman joined Bettisworth North,
where today she works on healthcare design
and senior living projects, including the Nome
Wellness and Training Center in Nome, Alaska,
and the Native Village of Unalakleet Elders Assisted Living Facility in Unalakleet, Alaska. Another benefit to her position: moving back to
Alaska. "Until you've experienced this amazing
place in person, you can't truly understand how
breathtakingly gorgeous it is." -Anne DiNardo

COFFEE OR TEA?
Espresso!

MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT
OWL?
Morning. I generally wake up bright-eyed and bushytailed regardless of the amount of sleep I've gotten the
night before.

FICTION OR NONFICTION?
Fiction. Getting lost in a good story is a great escape
from the day-to-day realities of life.

BEER, WINE, OR LIQUOR?
Wine. Nothing is more
relaxing than a glass of
red wine. Although, a cold
Alaskan microbrew on
a sunny day is always a
fantastic option, too.

FIRST ALBUM
YOU EVER BOUGHT?
Cassette tape of the Beach Boys from a garage sale. I
played that tape relentlessly on my Fisher-Price tape
recorder.

I H AV E A N I R R AT I O N A L F E A R O F ...

W H AT C H A L L E N G E S A B O U T
H E A LT H C A R E D E S I G N K E E P Y O U
U P AT N I G H T ?

S PO RT College basketball. March Madness is my
favorite time of year. In 2015, my bracket ranked in
the top 500 out of 12 million brackets in the ESPN
Tournament Challenge. My husband is still talking
about it!

NOVEMBER 2019

Currently, every minute
is spent remodeling my
newly purchased home.
When I'm not designing or
constructing, you can find
me in nature, hiking, and
playing with the dogs or in
front of a campfire.

Dragonflies. They're very large, buzz, and always seem
to be heading right for your face.

I C E C RE A M F L AVOR There's a local ice cream shop
in Anchorage that makes a malted milk cookie flavor I
could eat every day. But when I'm feeling serious about
my ice cream consumption, I reach for Ben and Jerry's
Phish Food.

104

OUTSIDE THE OFFICE, YOU'LL
L I K E LY F I N D M E ...

NATIVE ALASKAN

S N A C K W H E N Y OU T R AVE L Beef jerky.

HO B BY Playing with power tools in my garage, usually
repurposing furniture or building something from my
wood pile.

Florence, Italy. I studied design in Florence during
college, and five years later returned with my husband
for our honeymoon. It's a magical city brimming with
history, art, architecture, and gelato.

COFFMAN'S FIRST HEALTHCARE PROJECT FOR ALASKA NATIVE
MEDICAL CENTER IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, INCLUDED RENOVATING
OPEN OFFICE SPACE INTO CLINICAL DEPARTMENTS.

HCDMAGAZINE.COM

I worry if the spaces I'm designing will have longevity
and serve the client's needs beyond substantial
completion. With the half-life of medical knowledge and
technology rapidly progressing, the unknowns of the
future can be daunting. I mitigate the stress by staying up
on current research and trends and learning from others.

KEN GRAHAM PHOTOGRAPHY (ALASKA NATIVE)

W H AT L E S S O N D I D Y O U L E A R N
O N T H AT P R O J E C T T H AT Y O U
S T I L L C A R R Y W I T H Y O U T O D AY ?

F AV O R I T E C I T Y T O V I S I T
http://www.HCDMAGAZINE.COM
Healthcare Design - November 2019

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