A “non-compliant bid” in response to an RFP may sound like a negative. At the very least, it is a big risk for the bidder, lest they be disqualified from the outset. But when Dills Architects presented an alternative proposal to the original brief for a new classroom with an adjoining dock from Norfolk Botanical Garden (NBG), they did so as self-described underdogs in the national search. Their “What have we got to lose?” mentality resulted in the groundbreaking “Garden of Tomorrow,” an encompassing response that communicated their desire to be strategic partners, not simply service providers.
In so doing, the Dills team, self-proclaimed lifetime members of NBG, demonstrated their deep understanding of the organization’s goals, not merely their ability to adhere to a rigid scope. According to principal and owner Clay Dills, the overarching question propelling their work was legacy-driven, “What could be incredible for the next 50 years?” From the perspective of NBG President and CEO, Peter Schmidt—who took over the helm in 2023, after serving as interim following a stint as CFO and VP of Human Resources—the driving force was mission alignment with education at its core.
Language in the original brief about education and enhanced visitor opportunities inspired the Dills team to reimagine the visitor experience throughout the entire campus, beginning with arrival. From the outset, Dills recalls that the Board members, who he said view the garden as a sacred place, could see the architects’ vision, “grabbed it and ran with it.” The City of Norfolk’s response was similarly enthusiastic and supportive. Because the project took root in 2019 and broke ground in late 2021, momentum was initially built via COVID-necessitated virtual meetings along with gatherings of real people, some 20 at a time and six feet apart, coming together to look at renderings. Schmidt underscores the vital role of “active listening” across layers of meetings and anecdotal conversations with stakeholders…