Putnam Municipal Building

February 3rd, 2025

LLB Architects developed a relationship with the Town of Putnam while conducting a feasibility study on the Armory to determine whether it would be suitable for a renovation and conversion project. Ultimately, the Putnam Facilities Study Group decided that a newly constructed building was a better investment. However, they stipulated that the structure would need to house three separate entities: the town hall, the public library, and the Aspinock Historical Society of Putnam. The Study Group engaged our firm to conduct a feasibility study to develop a building to serve the diverse needs of all three departments within a single municipal building.

Our design team worked with each department of the town hall, the library director, and the municipal historian to create appropriate programming, as well as the schematic design for a compressed building. The group favored a reserved two-story design to mitigate excess costs and create greater efficiency. We designed a building that creates a sense of place and civic pride while connecting the three entities in a single structure. The building is accessible from both the parking lot and the Town Green.

Bryant University Exercise Science & Movement Lab

February 3rd, 2025

LLB Architects worked closely with leadership from Bryant University’s Biological and Biomedical Sciences Department to design an expansion of their current program for Exercise and Movement Science. Our design includes a new state-of-the-art research laboratory, classroom, conference room, changing room, faculty offices, and restrooms. These spaces were created in the lower level of the Unistructure building, repurposing underutilized storage space for prime front-facing academic purposes.

Limited space for this new program was the first design challenge. Our team confirmed the program fit, provide the vertical clearances required for equipment, and be welcoming to users, despite the lack of windows. We reviewed the available space, making recommendations for layout. An early enabling activity included coordination and relocation of a life safety closet that included fire alarm panels, adding 10 feet. Size, spacing, and range of movement when using 80+ pieces of equipment meant researching each item and its 3D impact. Compressed air and/or power are required on some items, further complicating placement. A unique column cover design allowed for access to power and compressed air, and expanded placement opportunities. The resulting multifunctional lab space was designed for today’s anticipated needs, with limited fixed elements, allowing for future flexibility.

Rendering of New Cybersecurity Classroom at Rhode Island College

November 8th, 2024

LLB Architects is excited to be working on another project on the Rhode Island College campus! This rendering shows one of two state-of-the-art classrooms for the Institute for Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies. Chaired by former Congressman Jim Langevin, the Institute offers students a chance to learn in highly realistic environment.

In related news, voters in Rhode Island recently approved a higher education bond which includes funds to transform an entire building on campus into a home for the Institute! Bond Approved, Whipple Hall to Become Cyber Institute & Training Hub

University of Rhode Island Ranger Hall

October 7th, 2024

LLB Architects was engaged by the State of Rhode Island to renovate the upper levels of the historic Ranger Hall for the Harrington School of Communication and Media. Our design team worked closely with School’s leadership and stakeholders to create a specialized program consisting of classrooms, a film production lab, video editing suites, and a full administrative suite. Focal points of the design included room acoustics and audio-visual integration because the new spaces will be used for critical listening and media viewing. In particular, our design incorporated special attention to the mechanical systems to ensure that the air distribution system worked within the constraints of the wood frame structure and simultaneously operated with as near to silence as possible.

Our design team included active learning classrooms that feature air link technology to allow for moveable furniture and group activities. We also provide updated corridors with features such as alcoves with tables and hallway seating with outlets, ensuring the comfort of workers and visitors alike.

San Miguel School Space Planning & HVAC Assessment

June 27th, 2024

The San Miguel School in Providence, RI is an independent school for boys, serving middle school students and working to break the cycle of poverty through education. LLB Architects was engaged to help the school plan for its future through a space planning study and assessment of the HVAC systems.

The goals were to gather information about the school’s future space needs, gain insight into the facility’s constraints and opportunities, and provide strategies for phased improvements to the school. As part of the study, a thorough inventory of the existing building and its programmatic uses was conducted. Based on this data, our team produced a set of floor plans showing current program areas and recommended changes. We focused on upgrades to the HVAC systems and equipment, as well as modernizing the school’s bathroom facilities to ensure code compliance and full ADA accessibility.

Dexter Southfield School Facilities Assessment

June 27th, 2024

The Dexter Southfield School was in need of an updated building inventory, as their previous study happened a decade ago. LLB Architects was engaged by the School to conduct a full-campus facility condition assessment in conjunction with a digital scan and modeling, as well as a space inventory. We built a narrative report based on our findings, which were drawn from the data gathered via site observations and walkthrough surveys.

Our team developed this study to inform the existing state of the school’s facility assets and their financial protection needs, centering around life cycle, deferred maintenance, life safety, and accessibility of various building components. The information was derived through our team’s visual inspection of the properties, documents generated from the space inventory, a virtual walkthrough of the campus, and conversations with the facilities maintenance staff.

Our efforts resulted in a 15-year capital planning outlook based on each facility’s current physical state and usage, to inform future analysis, and decision-making. The study provided refreshed building information, including up-to-date floor plans, usage, and other elemental data. This report is accompanied by digital, tabular, and photographic assets to provide additional analysis and reporting as needed.

Boston Public Health Commission Facilities Assessment

June 27th, 2024

LLB Architects worked closely with the Boston Public Health Commissions (BPHC) to develop an assessment to meet their needs. The data gathered informed the BPHC inventory of facility assets and their financial protection needs, with both centered on life cycle, deferred maintenance, life safety, and accessibility. We conducted full point-cloud scans of all buildings, used state-of-the-art graphics software to capture space use and department information, and developed tools for information management and reporting.

Our assessment team produced a 15-year capital planning outlook based on each facility’s current physical state and usage, criteria to inform future analysis, and decision-making. The study provided refreshed building information, including up-to-date floor plans, usage, and other elemental data. As with all our professional, high-quality reports, the analysis and assessment data are accompanied by digital, tabular, and photographic assets to flexibly provide additional context and support presentations, based on the needs of the client.

RISD Facilities Assessment & Master Plan

June 27th, 2024

LLB Architects primary project goal was to inventory and assess the entirety of the Providence, RI campus inclusive of all buildings, rooms, and systems to assist the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in their master planning efforts. Our assessment team examined 54 buildings, over 1,637,000 SF of cumulative built environment. With the campus primarily set within a Providence hillside, we focused on identifying safe, equitable, and accessible walking routes, while taking into account the steep grade conditions. To support the assessment and analysis, we developed a building inventory and assessment solution for efficient field data collection, flexible reporting, and robust information analysis.

Our database solution, combined with industry standards, allowed us to accurately and quickly gather data. We analyzed the collected data to shed light on under-utilized structures, deficient systems, or unsuitable spaces which required immediate facility upgrade attention. Our team applied a thorough inventory of condition metrics to building envelope, shell, and systems components, identifying some for deferred maintenance. Costs provided a total estimate of repair and replacement costs for these components. Our analysis allowed RISD to prioritize and compare buildings, largely influencing the strategies offered in the new campus master plan.

Community Preparatory School Campus Planning

June 27th, 2024

Over the years, LLB Architects completed several feasibility studies to expand the land-locked urban school, including an assessment of the school facilities. In 2015, LLB completed a conceptual study for an addition and renovation of the Community Preparatory School’s main building in Providence. Funded as part of a $14,000,000 capital campaign the project included the addition of a new office wing providing needed administrative space for the School and a new entry giving the campus a notable arrival point.

Another element that came out of the master planning process was the closure of a portion of Somerset Street which is adjacent to the campus. Conducted in partnership with the neighborhood and the City of Providence, Community Prep was able to create a much-needed green space and turf field for the school and the neighborhood.

Community Preparatory School is an independent school, grades 4-8, that serves culturally and economically diverse students who are well qualified to benefit from a rigorous academic education in an atmosphere of mutual respect. The school’s goal is to help its students succeed in college-preparatory high school programs and to become community leaders.

Smith College Facility Condition Assessment

June 26th, 2024

Smith College has an extensive residential campus that disperses their students across numerous smaller residences. The majority of these are woodframe buildings, which can be complex and costly to manage. Additionally, the College prides itself on the robust greenspaces, necessitating the expertise of a site/civil engineer to assist in reviewing all grounds and athletic facilities. Our study provided the information needed to help the College determine the immediate and future maintenance and upkeep required.

Our assessment team developed and used a centralized, flexible, and open-platform database to house all building, space, assessment observations, and unit cost data for this project. We verified and collected inventory information, making it usable and flexible to sort, group, analyze, and report. Combining unit cost data with inventory data results in a system that precisely locates, quantifies, and prices observed deficiencies. Our final product included a sortable, searchable digital database of all buildings and elements on campus. This exceeded the requirements of the audit and contained structured information that the College had not anticipated. The database will pay dividends on the long-term tracking of space use, registrar scheduling, and room booking.