partner sam batchelor elevated to aia college of fellows.
Join us in congratulating partner Sam Batchelor on his elevation to the AIA College of Fellows! This honor is shared by less than 3% of AIA members, in recognition of their significant contributions to the profession. Sam is one of 98 AIA members and two non-members recognized in the 2024 cycle.
Sam's two-decade tenure at designLAB began with his work on the IFAW World Headquarters in 2006. In the years since, he has cultivated a body of work that is deeply rooted in place, and the people that occupy it. These projects are commended for their achievements in sustainability, resiliency, and biophilic design, and for creative, yet respectful, interventions in historic places. Together, Sam and his colleagues have transformed unloved and derelict buildings that most architects and owners would have demolished without a second thought, and proven that even reviled Brutalist buildings are worthy of preservation and adaptation. The legacy of Sam’s work is his ability to craft extraordinary spaces out of the mundane, whether that manifests in the enhancement of a cherished natural setting; the revitalization of a rejected mid-century marvel; or the renaissance of a forgotten industrial shell.
These results are achieved through the application of designLAB’s philosophy of Critical Stewardship, which unites and defines our studio’s diverse architectural practice. Critical Stewardship asserts that designers have an irrefutable duty to cultivate positive change for clients, communities, and the profession— a duty that applies equally to environmental and societal conditions. “Critical” assumes both its definitions to mean essential and evaluative; “Stewardship” refers to the responsibility to value our built, natural, and cultural resources. Sam has employed Critical Stewardship as the compass for his design process, which offers elegant responses to questions of sustainability, equity, and beauty. In addition to the IFAW World Headquarters, Sam’s portfolio includes the following:
Beyond the walls of our studio, Sam shares the firm’s work and core ethos of Critical Stewardship broadly, from local teaching positions to national industry events. Throughout his career, he has been an active participant in the broader design discourse, helping steer conversations about practice, technology, and equity toward measurable impact.
Sam founded and directed the Community/Build Studio at MassArt, a summer-long intensive that partnered with area non-profits and municipalities to design and build projects for underserved communities in the Boston area. Sam also served as the President of the Community Design Resource Center (CDRC) of Boston, a non-profit devoted to bringing community-minded design services to disadvantaged clients. He is the 2024 President-Elect of the BSA, where he is working with BSA and Foundation co-leaders to synergistically improve community impact and membership benefits.
Per the AIA, “The fellowship program was developed to elevate architects who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and made a significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level. Prospective candidates must have at least 10 years of AIA architect membership and demonstrated influence in at least one of the following areas:
Promoted the aesthetic, scientific, and practical efficiency of the profession.
Advanced the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of practice.
Coordinated the building industry, and the profession of architecture.
Ensured the advancement of the living standards of people through their improved environment.
Made the profession of ever-increasing service to society.
Advanced the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of architectural education and training.”
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