School and institutional architecture in Los Angeles
Children spend more waking hours in classrooms than almost anywhere else, and most classrooms are designed as if that did not matter. We design schools and community buildings around daylight, air and durable construction, with the review path mapped before the first sketch.
What we design
Schools, classroom additions, community buildings and civic facilities.
Classroom buildings
New buildings and additions for public districts, charter schools and private schools.
Early education
Early-education, after-school and child-care centers.
Community buildings
Halls, clinics, offices and gathering space for faith and nonprofit groups.
Campus studies
Master plans, modernization and capacity studies.
How the approvals work
Public K–12 schools and community colleges in California are reviewed by the Division of the State Architect (DSA) under the Field Act, with its own structural, fire-life-safety and accessibility review.
Private schools, many charter schools in leased buildings, and most community buildings are permitted by the local building department instead. Knowing which applies changes the timeline by months. On public work we team with experienced DSA engineers and, where a district prefers, an established K–12 firm.
- Public K–12 and colleges
- DSA review under the Field Act
- Private and charter
- Local building department
- Community buildings
- Local building department
What we design for
Single-loaded classrooms
Covered outdoor corridors, so every room gets light and air from two sides.
Clerestory daylight
Even light across the room all day, and low sills with views to the yard.
Built for fifty years
Low-maintenance materials and outdoor learning built in: shaded yards and rooms that open to them.
Questions districts and schools ask
Are you on district on-call lists?
We respond to requests for qualifications from districts, cities and agencies in Los Angeles County. If you are assembling a bench, we would like to be considered.
Can you start with a feasibility study?
Yes. For a new building or a lease, we check zoning, capacity, parking, accessibility and the review path before any design fee is committed.
Where do you work?
Los Angeles County and the San Gabriel Valley.