The nature of education is changing rapidly, and institutions are being challenged to think differently.

We are working with diverse campuses across the country – from top tier research universities to community colleges, private liberal arts institutions, and K-12 schools. Education is facing enormous challenges including decreased funding, systemic inequities, and declining demographics.

Our team is dedicated to helping educational organizations redefine their futures. We start by listening with empathy and guiding stakeholders through our inclusive, collaborative process that engages diverse perspectives and builds consensus.

We are honored to play a role in helping our clients make an enduring impact on our world by creating inclusive, welcoming environments that adapt to evolving academic needs while staying true to their institutional strategies and missions.

Arts, Community, and Education Market Sector Leader,
Rebecca Celis, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Rebecca Celis

Meet our Education team.
Markets

Our expertise includes:


For information, contact
Stephanie Nordstrom | Email
Higher Education Market Strategist

Student-Centered
Diverse, Equitable
& Inclusive
Interdisciplinary
& Collaborative
Experiential
Sustainable & Resilient
Our Educational Environments Are

Student-Centered

With the expanding view of what students need, institutions are redefining and emphasizing the student experience. Colleges and universities are developing resources to improve student engagement, promote wellbeing, spark motivation, optimize student services and embody equity. Our inclusive design process engages a wide cross-section of stakeholders, including the voice of the student, which plays a key role in identifying challenges, informing early strategies, and guiding development. We help our clients achieve their goals by creating flexible, inviting environments that simplify access to services, strengthen connections, celebrate differences, and improve the student experience.

Our Educational Environments Are

Diverse, Equitable
& Inclusive

Recent shifts in demographics are informing how colleges and universities prepare for a more diverse student body. Today's campuses are now serving students with a broader range of life experiences and are shifting gears in their approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion through a range of inclusive initiatives. We are launching equity in design research with outside experts in higher education and are taking action through our inclusive and equitable design approach and beginning to understand how design can support socioeconomically disadvantaged student populations. By approaching design through an equity lens, the phrase "all are welcome" can truly resonate on campus.

Our Educational Environments Are

Interdisciplinary
& Collaborative

Interdisciplinary collaboration in higher education has becoming increasingly important as students and faculty work together to solve complex problems. Colleges and universities have the exciting opportunity to connect diverse programs and foster cross-curricular collaboration and discovery on campus. Our team understands that interdisciplinary environments have a responsibility to catalyze new discoveries by offering opportunities for spontaneous encounters and knowledge sharing, including a variety of collaborative spaces to meet the various ways in which interactions occur. We work with colleges and universities through our inclusive process that produces a lasting vision derived from building consensus among multiple stakeholders. The result is collaborative environments that cultivate chance encounters, support cross-disciplinary experimentation and foster discovery.

Our Educational Environments Are

Experiential

Academic programs have been evolving to emphasize experiential learning, which is the process of learning by doing. Colleges and universities are using facilities like makerspaces, simulation centers and flipped classrooms as critical components of education, in support of preparing students with the knowledge and skills to transition to their future working environments. We understand that active, collaborative, and inductive methods of learning create a deeper level of understanding and retention. We have been at the forefront of creating flexible, technology-enriched spaces, inside and outside of the classroom, that facilitate collaborative peer-to-peer learning, complement instructor-led curricula, and position institutions and students for the future.

Our Educational Environments Are

Sustainable & Resilient

In recent years, the world has seen exponential rates of change in technology, energy supply and climate. Colleges and Universities are prioritizing sustainability by investing in various initiatives and we believe it is our responsibility to shape the future through design. We help clients prepare for an evolving future by developing performance targets, planning for resiliency, leveraging technology, and considering life-cycle costs to make informed decisions. We are committed to designing sustainable and resilient higher education facilities that support the health and wellbeing of their inhabitants, reach the highest level of building performance, reduce operational costs, and minimize impact on the environment.

Using Data to Inform Higher Education Design through Occupant Evaluations

HGA’s Design Insight Group has developed a framework of standardized tools to evaluate higher education facility projects, enabling us to provide comprehensive insights into student, faculty, and staff experiences. Multiple methods, such as surveys, focus groups, observations, and facility walk-through interviews are used to capture complementary data for greater depth and richness of results. Findings are intended to capture opportunities for improvement in evaluated facilities, as well as to help inform future designs.