“I believe everyone deserves to experience our built communities in a way that makes them feel respected, seen, and cared for – and as architects, we have a responsibility for our designs to reflect that.”
Through a process grounded in research, active listening and empathetic leadership, Loretta strives to design schools that are the physical expression of care. A focus on both the nature of learning and the nature of learners guides her conversations with students, educators, and families while working together to co-create joyful places for learning that connect schools to their communities and support student agency and dignity. She is most excited when exploring how the root of all learning is social and its possibilities to transform school architecture and student experiences.
Loretta’s commitment to a career in architecture began early in the eighth grade after a guidance counselor spoke about choosing careers doing something you love. Reflecting on the joy of car rides with her mom admiring nearby homes and watching weekend construction projects by her dad helping neighbors and friends, becoming an architect seemed a natural choice. A class trip to Washington, D.C. later that year cemented her decision after experiencing the power of how space can make you feel while sitting under the gentle arches of Hellen Keller’s final resting place in the National Cathedral.
For over 20 years, Loretta has helped school districts craft places for students to experience and learn in community. Her attention to the quality of space and the quality of construction has formed a history of enduring relationships from district leadership to school custodians.