Healthcare Design - March 2020 - 56

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DIAMOND BRONSON

Architect, associate vice president, Hoefer Wysocki,
Leawood, Kan.
After launching two small businesses-including her own
design firm-to survive the Great Recession, Bronson joined
Hoefer Wysocki in 2014 and found her home in healthcare design. Here, she
discusses using design to spark joy, the importance of addressing simple details,
and why she typically ends up in the middle seat on plane rides. -Anne DiNardo

I love how design influences joy. The military
healthcare projects I typically work on are close
to my heart because my husband, father, and
grandfather were in the armed services and I like
contributing to the welfare and healing of our
soldiers. My first thought on those projects is, "Will
my 'joy sensors' make me want to step inside after
this is built?"

WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S
I M P O R TA N T F O R H E A LT H C A R E
S PA C E S T O S PA R K J O Y ?
For me, joy is an attitude that transcends
circumstance, but studies show that our environment
can influence joy. Lighting, noise levels, temperature,
color palettes, and access to the outdoors are a few
of the elements that can have a significant impact on
a patient's healing journey.

"OUTSIDE THE OFFICE, YOU'LL
L I K E LY F I N D M E ... "
Hanging out with my hubby and kiddo, at church,
having brunch with my friends, or at Walmart
because I'm all about one-stop shopping.

W IND O W O R
A ISLE SEAT ?
Middle seat. I'm always
running late, so I've grown
accustomed to sitting in
the middle, waiting for the
first brave soul to make
eye contact with me.

THREE UNEXPECTED ITEMS ON
YOUR DESK

1 chronological row of pictures of

my daughter since birth (I call it the
"Great Wall of Daena.")

2 dried roses my husband sent the

H O W D ID YO U
M A KE YO UR F IR ST
D O LLA R ?
Chores, mostly washing
the dishes. (Thanks, mom!)

day I started at Hoefer Wysocki

3 ninja rubber ducky toy
F AV O R I T E ...

CI TY TO VI SI T Venice, Italy. For our honeymoon, my
husband picked Las Vegas but I wanted to go to Venice.
In the end, he took me to The Venetian resort in Vegas
(pictured on a gondola ride). Next year will be our 15th
anniversary and he still owes me Venice!
QUOTE "Excuses are monuments to nothingness. They
build bridges to nowhere. Those who use these tools of
incompetence are worthy of nothingness." Spoken daily
by my high school track coach, Derek A. Jordon.

YO UR G O -T O
KA R A O KE SO NG
"I Need Love" by LL Cool
J. I'm a hopeless romantic
and LL ... yes!

IC E C R EA M F LAV O R
Vanilla. Sometimes simple
is better.

TEAM Kansas City Chiefs. Win or lose, I'm all in!
M OVI E CH ARACTER Wilson in "Castaway." I likened
Wilson's purpose to man's innate desire for connection
and companionship. I feel the same type of spiritual
connection to architecture and love connecting with
people both verbally and nonverbally through design.

IF I WA SN'T
A N A R C H IT EC T,
I W O ULD BE...
A wedding consultant.
Brides should have one job
on their wedding day and
that's to be happy.

N A M E T H R E E H E A LT H C A R E
DESIGN PROJECTS YOU'VE
WORKED ON IN THE LAST YEAR

1
2
3

Sheppard Air Force Base Medical/Dental Clinic,
Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas
Saint Luke's Health Clinic renovation and
addition, Kansas City, Mo.

The University of Kansas Health System Proton
Therapy Center, Kansas City, Kan.

56

MARCH 2020

HCDMAGAZINE.COM

YO UR H ID D EN
TA LENT ?
A genuine smile. Make the
people around you feel
like winners, and they'll
move heaven and earth to
help you with deadlines.

HOEFER WYS OCKI (SHEPPARD AIR FORCE B ASE)

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

C O F F EE O R T EA ?
A French vanilla
cappuccino.
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Healthcare Design - March 2020

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