Project Specialist Brandon Heald Joins JLA Denver
DENVER — We are proud to announce that Brandon Heald (Assoc. AIA, LEED AP BD+C) has joined our Denver office. As a project specialist at JLA, he will provide support to our project teams in all phases of a project from design through construction administration. Brandon has a career spanning 12-plus years including several developments in the greater Colorado area for both public and private clients. During his career, he has worked in various market sectors and project sizes ranging from transit/infrastructure projects to senior living and healthcare campuses.
“We are thrilled to welcome Brandon to our architectural team. His experience in the design process and his enthusiasm for making an impact in the community and built environment is an exciting addition to our Denver office,” explains Vice President & Denver Office Director Erik Jansson.
When asked why he chose JLA, Brandon shared:
“At JLA, the work culture provides a better work-life balance than any firm I have worked at, all while offering the flexibility of working from home. That balance is demonstrated not simply by words spoken by JLA’s leaders but exuded in every action from each employee from the ground up.”
Heald holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado–Boulder and an Associate’s of Applied Sciences in Interior Design from Pikes Peak Community College. He is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a LEED AP BD+C accredited professional with the USGBC.
Learn more about JLA’s new Denver office here
Learn more about Brandon Heald
We sat down with Brandon to learn more about him and his passion for architecture and the Denver community.
Brandon, what drew you to architecture as a career?
I appreciated art/drawing and excelled at math and science, so architecture seemed a perfect fit, pedagogically speaking. When I was in college, I learned about how architecture could directly affect a patient’s health status in a hospital and how a student’s educational outcomes in schools could shift because of design decisions. I was hooked.
What market types have you worked the most in?
I started in transit architecture, working on lite-rail systems in Canada. Afterward, I worked on healthcare projects in California, including a mental health rehabilitation center in California. I changed firms in 2018 and started working on assisted-living facilities/campuses in Colorado and North Carolina, including a memory-care addition to an assisted-living facility in Thornton, Colorado. I have also worked in mixed-use development within the context of urban design, working with a team to develop an urban identity for Superior, Colorado. Since then I have worked on commercial/office interiors and military/federal work in and around Denver.
What’s your favorite (or most unique) project you’ve worked on?
I worked with a firm as an architectural consultant on a mental health rehabilitation center (MHRC) in California. That was the first time I had implemented a pan-opticon model into a practical design application, where every part of the building could be seen and monitored by a single vantage point. The design fused landscape and architecture to create a system of healing spaces for people facing any number of mental health issues. That attention to patient care transformed my understanding of the profound nature of design and planning, and the seriousness required by practitioners within our profession. Even today, I look back at how much I learned from my colleagues and how their expertise informed design decisions I make today.
Are you originally from Denver?
I was actually born in Grand Junction, Colorado. I moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado when I was 7 years old. I moved with my husband to Broomfield in 2012, and then to Denver in 2015. We bought our house in Denver in 2016.
What do you do for fun – Any hobbies or special interests?
Personally, I enjoy hiking, visiting national parks, making art, attending concerts, drinking beer, meditation, road trips, and working with a variety of animals.
Are you involved in the community?
I focus my volunteer efforts on the most disadvantaged people in our community, including children, homeless people, LGBTQ+ people, and victims of domestic violence. As such, I work closely with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in Denver, as they support children who have been orphaned and need legal representation. I also support The LGBTQ+ Center on Colfax, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, and Urban Peak.
