The academic library has long served as a community anchor on campus, welcoming students, faculty, and staff across all disciplines. This spirit of inclusion and the pursuit of knowledge remain at the core of its mission. However, learning itself is changing. With unprecedented access to information and technology-driven education platforms, today’s academic libraries are experiencing a transformation.
In response, SCB’s Campus Environments practice group is partnering with colleges and universities to understand how changing models of learning are reshaping campus spaces.
Explore our five observations on the evolution of academic library design at the link in bio.
SCB Insights shares thought leadership from across our practice and market sectors. At SCB, we build by learning and learn by building – all to make a lasting impact through design.
#SCBInsights #SCBdesign #LearningEnvironments #CampusLibrary
SCB’s Chicago office has been recognized at the 2026 @iidaillinois RED Awards, receiving the category award for Workspace – Medium (30,000–80,000 SF) and, notably, Best in Show across all 15 award categories.
Selected by a national jury, the recognition reflects the collaboration, creativity, and care that shaped the project from start to finish.
Our Chicago office reflects much of what we value at SCB: respect for design legacy, thoughtful workplace strategy, technical rigor, and a belief that design can shape culture and experience.
It’s rewarding to see the project resonate with the broader design community in such a meaningful way.
#SCBdesign #IIDA #REDAwards #InteriorDesign #WorkplaceDesign #ChicagoDesign
SCB’s design for N7 in Jacksonville, Florida, is featured on the cover of @arbusmagazine as part of its Jax Rising: Ashes to Ambition issue.
Located at the intersection of Beaver Street and Laura Street, N7 anchors a key site within the larger Pearl Square district, a nine-block, $750 million development by @gateway_jax . Envisioned as a modern neighborhood, Pearl Square brings together residential, retail, hospitality, office, and public space to establish the density and connectivity required for a truly urban, 24/7 environment.
At 493,000 square feet, N7 integrates approximately 258 residential units, active ground-floor retail, and above-grade parking within a cohesive architectural framework. A full-service grocery store introduces an essential daily-use amenity to the district, reinforcing Pearl Square’s vision for a connected and lived-in urban neighborhood.
Positioned within a broader investment in downtown Jacksonville’s transformation, N7 contributes to a more resilient urban fabric, one defined by intention, connectivity, and long-term vibrancy.
Read more about Pearl Square in Arbus Magazine at the link in bio.
#SCBdesign #MixedUse #UrbanDesign #ResidentialDesign
Melissa Smith joins SCB as a Senior Interior Designer, bringing a refined design perspective and a strong point of view to projects from concept through realization, shaping environments that are thoughtful, cohesive, and enduring.
Her portfolio spans high-end commercial interiors, including global law firms and private investment firms, with work defined by clarity of idea, material expression, and attention to detail. Melissa brings an ability to translate complex concepts into compelling, well-resolved design.
“We feel incredibly fortunate to have Melissa join us,” says SCB Principal Sheyla Conforte. “She is an exceptional designer whose perspective adds depth to our team, enhancing both our design capabilities and the way we collaborate and deliver.”
#SCBdesign #InteriorDesign
Brand at @hallstarbeauty ’s Chicago headquarters is not applied, it is embedded.
Developed in collaboration with @allkinds_studio , the model wall takes shape as a series of sculptural interventions integrated directly into the architecture. What began as a conceptual exploration evolved through close coordination, material testing, and iterative fabrication to become a defining element of the space, anchoring the workplace and establishing a clear point of identity.
Drawing from botanicals native to the regions where Hallstar operates, the installation reflects a global footprint through form, texture, and assembly, making visible the breadth of the organization through a single, cohesive expression.
Captured here through its conceptualization, fabrication, and construction, the wall reveals how brand can be built into the environment itself. Layered, tactile, and inseparable from the experience of the workplace, designed to endure beyond trend.
Read more about Hallstar at the link in bio.
Photography by @kendallaileen
#SCBdesign #Workplace #InteriorArchitecture #BrandIntegration
SCB’s Solvias North American Headquarters has been nominated for Innovative Project of the Year (Over 50K SF) at the 2026 CoreNet Carolinas CORE Awards, a recognition that celebrates innovation in workplace design and construction at scale.
Delivered in collaboration with Solvias, @barringerconstruction , and @jll , the LEED Silver headquarters brings together workplace and laboratory environments in a cohesive, light-filled setting centered on employee well-being. Visual connections between office and lab spaces support transparency, collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose across teams. Thoughtful planning and material strategies reinforce both performance and comfort, positioning the project as a forward-looking model for science and technology workplaces.
Read more about the Solvias North American Headquarters at the link in bio.
Photography by @keithisaacsphoto
#SCBdesign #ScienceAndTechnology #Laboratory
SCB welcomed this year’s @chicagowomeninarchitecture Ladders to Leadership cohort for the program’s opening session.
SCB Principal and Managing Director of our Chicago office, Kelly Somers, joined as a speaker, contributing to a broader dialogue around leadership, growth, and navigating the profession. SCB Associate Michele Jasper is participating in the six-month program, which supports women advancing into executive and equity-based positions across the built environment.
“Leadership in architecture is not one path. For women in the profession, having the support and tools to navigate it with confidence makes a meaningful difference,” says Kelly Somers.
#SCBdesign #WomenInArchitecture
On Earth Day, SCB reaffirms our dedication to @aianational 2030 Commitment, advancing measurable progress toward sustainable, high-performance design across our work.
This year’s reporting highlights projects pushing well beyond baseline performance across building typologies:
1. SFO Cargo at San Francisco International Airport — 81% reduction from baseline
2. Woosley Gardens, a residential development in Berkeley, CA — 100% reduction from baseline
3. University of California, Merced, Classroom and Office Building — 85% reduction from baseline
These projects offer a snapshot of a broader commitment, guided by a data-driven approach to performance embedded from early design through delivery across our work.
#SCBdesign #EarthDay #AIA2030 #HighPerformanceDesign #Sustainability
SCB’s Campus Environments team joined @mtsu and @theannexgrp to celebrate the groundbreaking of Womack Lane Commons, the first new student housing on campus in over 25 years.
Recognizing the impact that a residential experience has on student satisfaction, engagement, persistence, and ultimately, graduation, the project is the first of a broader residential master plan for the campus. Central to the design for the 588-bed undergraduate community was creating a place that supports academic study, social connections, and overall student well-being.
“A sense of belonging doesn’t just happen on its own. It is shaped by the spaces we create. Womack Commons is going to be more than just a residence hall. It is going to be a place where friendships are formed, where late-night conversations turn into lifelong connections, and most importantly, where students find their people,” shared Student Government Association President R.J. Ware at the ceremony last week. For us at SCB, it is a sincere commitment to designing places for these intangible yet highly impactful moments that drives our higher ed practice.
Womack Lane Commons will open to students in the Fall of 2027.
Congratulations to Middle Tennessee State, The Annex Group, our associate architect partners at @smithgeestudio , and the whole project team on this important milestone.
#SCBdesign #StudentHousing #CampusEnvironments
For @hallstarbeauty ’s Chicago headquarters, SCB translated a brand rooted in health, wellness, and beauty into a calm, enduring workplace. A restrained, tone-on-tone palette emphasizes material nuance, light, and texture, creating an environment that fosters focus and well-being throughout the day.
The program balances openness and discretion, bringing together a collaborative corporate workplace and a private family office within a cohesive design language. Open work areas, shared amenities, and a central café foster connection and daily rhythm, while more private environments provide for confidentiality and focused work.
The result is a workplace grounded in clarity, longevity, and adaptability, supporting the organization’s continued evolution.
Read more about Hallstar at the link in bio.
Photography by @kendallaileen
#SCBdesign #Workplace #InteriorDesign
The HIDA Living/Learning Community was recognized with the Best Implementation of Mixed-Use Live/Learn award (On-Campus) at the Student Housing Business Innovator Awards at last week’s Interface Student Housing Conference in Austin, TX.
Designed for the @Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at @arizonastateuniversity , the project integrates housing, dining, and studio spaces into a dynamic community that supports creative practice and student life.
Delivered through a public-private partnership with @americancampus , the project is SCB’s third on the Tempe campus and continues a long-standing partnership focused on advancing the student residential experience through exceptional design.
Learn more about the HIDA Living/Learning Community at the link in bio.
Congratulations to the whole project team:
@okland_construction
Energy Systems Design, Inc.
PK Associates
Wood, Patel, & Associates, Inc.
@trueform_las
@cradesign
Quest Energy
Shiner Acoustics, LLC
@webbfoodservicedesign
@plannet_consulting
@clc_lighting2011
Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates
Jenkins & Huntington, Inc.
Photography by Bill Timmerman
#SCBdesign #HigherEducation #Architecture #CampusLife
Quincy has been named Multifamily Development of the Year for San Francisco by @costargroup . The 16-story SoMa tower has leased faster than any apartment building in the city since 2013, with half of its 501 units occupied within two months of opening.
As one of the first major market-rate deliveries of 2025, this performance signals a clear return of demand, fueled in part by the continued influx of AI and tech professionals, and underscores the impact of aligning design, location, and leasing strategy at a pivotal moment for the market.
Read the CoStar article at the link in bio.
Photography by @kenzim_photography
#SCBdesign #SanFrancisco #Residential #Architecture
