values
we put people first, focusing on those served by each project to create spaces that strengthen and uplift their communities. our studio is led and united by our shared values of rigor and joy.
rooted in rigor, seeking joy
rigor
For more than 20 years, designLAB has accumulated deep experience working with cultural and educational institutions throughout New England. We frequently partner with public and nonprofit clients as they navigate the design and construction process, often for the first time and with constraints unique to their place, people, and resources. We thrive in these complex scenarios, bringing clarity, creativity, and rigor that enables success.
joy
Great design is centered around people, and the most meaningful work emerges from shared values and purpose. For this reason, we work exclusively within the mission-driven realm. It is our privilege to translate each client’s vision into a building that reflects their identity and vision; it is a responsibility we carry with deep respect and great optimism.
critical stewardship
our design philosophy
Critical Stewardship is an approach to design based on the universal responsibility to history and the environment, valued through the lens of community.
The stewardship of our valuable resources (environmental, built or cultural) is emboldened by creativity, which is critical in both senses: essential yet offering critique. We must trust ourselves to make both bold and nuanced determinations about change based on research, analysis and context over dogmatic requirements (strict preservation techniques or environmental rating systems).
We embrace an approach that yields vastly different outcomes in different contexts.
impact
teaching & making
explorations
