sector focus
k-12
Saam’s school designs are centered around three core principles that support a 21st-century teaching and learning environment: Biophilia, Transparencies, and Safety. These principles are integrated through thoughtful zoning that defines circulation and optimizes acoustics, while ensuring each student benefits from an environment tailored to diverse learning styles. Our approach emphasizes flexible, collaborative spaces for co-teaching, hands-on learning, and outdoor learning opportunities. This allows us to align with each school’s priorities relating to <<insert something more generic here>>.
Biophilic Design & Social Emotional Learning: Enhances student well-being through connections with nature, using daylighting, views, and natural patterns to foster creativity, critical thinking and social skills.
Transparencies & DEI: Emphasizes horizontal and vertical connections between spaces that enable important room adjacencies and transparency of materials. Offers equal access to culturally-responsive and collaborative learning environments.
Safety & Security: Begins with studies to zone the building for school versus public use and incorporates passive and active security features into the overall site and building design. Ensures safe access to outdoor learning, maximizing daylighting and fresh air without compromising classroom safety. Provides clear sightlines and decentralized administrative offices for coherent wayfinding and enhanced oversight throughout the project.
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Saam’s K-12 design team brings extensive experience managing complex school projects, with innovative approaches that deliver cost-effective, educationally appropriate solutions. Our approach to educational design is based upon three concepts: biophilic design, which aligns visual connections to nature with the tenets of Social Emotional Learning; spatial porosity and permeability as a means of interconnecting interior and exterior spaces; and safety, security, and inclusion, which complement the other two concepts. This approach leads to a secure, safe, and equitable school that offers a rich diversity of space types for 21st-century learning environments.
project types
- Elementary schools
- High schools
- Comprehensive high schools
- Core teaching and learning spaces/classrooms
- Career Technical Education (CTE)
- STEAM makerspaces, and labs
- Teacher planning centers
- Office and administrative areas
- Auditorium, theater, music, and drama spaces
- Athletic, P.E., and fitness centers
- Media centers and learning commons
- Food service and dining commons
- Extended and outdoor learning
services
- New construction
- Renovations and expansions
- Feasibility studies
- Visioning and community engagement
- Educational programming and planning
- Conceptual site and building design
- Program, product, and design research
- Facility assessments
- Visualization renderings and animations
- Interior design and FF&E
- Graphics, branding, and wayfinding
- Sustainable design
clients
- Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA)
- Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE)
- Warwick Public Schools, RI
- City of Boston, MA
- City of Fitchburg, MA
- East Bridgewater Public School District, MA
- Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, MA
- Diocese of Worcester, MA
selected work
Crocker Elementary School
In collaboration with the City of Fitchburg and the MSBA, Saam has designed the new Crocker Elementary School, a 116,000-gross-square-foot building that will house grades one through five, with an estimated 845 students. The new two-story building meets all of the City’s educational delivery objectives, space requirements and established budget. Saam’s approach focuses on providing an equitable design that supports the academic and emotional needs of the students. Biophilic design principles are integrated throughout, providing building occupants with a strong connection to nature. Read more →
Location
Fitchburg, MA
Completion
2025 (est.)
Size
116,000 sf
selected work
Pilgrim High School
Following our work on the Warwick High School master planning process, Saam developed the design of Pilgrim High School based upon 21st-century learning goals. Large common spaces, such as the dining and learning commons, are designed to be multifunctional spaces, and connect various activities both visually and physically, reducing circulation and achieving a low grossing factor. The transparent school is designed to unify students, provide extended learning areas, and display diverse activities occurring in and around the building. Read more →
Location
Warwick, RI
Completion
2027 (est.)
Size
204,000 sf


core team

diana nicklaus
PROJECT EXECUTIVE + MCPPO

ed bourget
PROJECT MANAGER + LIBRARY / MEDIA LEAD + MCPPO

koos louw
DESIGN PRINCIPAL

katie kernizan
K-12 SECTOR LEADER + DESIGN / EDUCATION LEAD + MCPPO

chin chin yao
QAQC LEAD

miep keller
TECHNICAL LEAD

tala alkekhia
GRAPHICS + BIM LEAD

autumn thompson
INTERIOR DESIGNER

alicia songer
RESILIENCY / SUSTAINABILITY LEAD

mary john
VISUALIZATION LEAD

catherine gaspard
ASSOCIATE