"Finegold Alexander, the City of Boston, and Boston Public Schools, we were all in service of children, which makes the process so powerful and impactful. Everyone working in service of children and families ... it's magic."

-Traci Walker Griffith, Principal, Eliot Innovation School

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STUDENT-CENTERED DESIGN APPROACH

Collaborative

We will partner with you and your school community to bring your school to life. Together, we’ll set clear communication pathways, define key decision makers and working groups, track key milestones, and help guide the project through the approval stage.

Visioning Sessions

Community input during the design process is essential to shaping a school that truly fits your needs. Through visioning sessions with students, parents, teachers, and stakeholders, we ensure every voice is heard – from big picture concepts to detailed program adjacencies and square footage requirements.  

Educational Planning Principles

Together, we will collectively develop an educational plan that weaves together curriculum, instruction, professional development, and community use within a flexible, inspiring a school built to serve generations to come. Our in-house planning lead this process to ensure your educational goals drive the design process.

Efficiency by Design

We explore every strategy to reduce energy use, from building massing and orientation, creating a compact building footprint, optimal window-to-wall ratios, daylight analysis, and occupancy sensors to reduce the energy demands. Each strategic design option will be analyzed to inform data-driven decisions to maximize reductions in energy costs, carbon emissions, and maintenance.

Safety and Security

Through thoughtful, strategic design, most school security needs can be addressed through passive environmental design strategies – such as strategically placed impact-resistant glass, careful spatial organization, and strategic pathways. The remaining security measures are provided by active measures, like door hardware, security cameras, and alarm systems. A collection of intentional elements, from the property line to the individual learning space, will create a welcoming sense within a safe, functional environment that protects students and staff.

Concept to Completion

We will collaboratively explore a diverse range of design concepts, each carefully tailored to your specific educational goals, until we arrive at the preferred solution. Through sketches, models, diagrams, and renderings, the selected design will evolve from a seed of an idea to a completed learning environment that is a true reflection of your community of students and educators.