At ARC, we view every project in the independent school space as an opportunity to engage with educators who are committed to creating beautiful, durable, environmentally responsible spaces where generations of young people will discover, learn, reflect, and grow. 

Our deep expertise and experience –  in areas that span campus-focused projects and services, libraries, maker spaces, residences, athletics and wellness facilities, and performing arts centers – leaves us ideally suited to provide independent schools with thoughtful, elegant, and effective design solutions.

Independent schools are character-rich environments. Each has a unique history, aesthetic, and set of values that shapes its culture and the experience of teaching and learning there. We collaborate closely with our clients and campus stakeholders to ensure the work reflects and celebrates their defining characteristics, supports the pedagogy and the whole child, and meets the institution’s short- and long-term objectives. 

The result is an elegant blend of forward-looking, state-of-the-art design and timeless, classic sensibility. Taking cues from landmark buildings and other contextual campus elements, we craft functionally modern spaces with aesthetics that align effortlessly with historic integrity of the campus.

“Centuries of tradition” meets “centuries to come”

Many of our independent school partners have been educating students for more than 100 years, and we know that our work will help ensure they are equipped to build on this legacy in the years and decades to come. It inspires us to devise sustainability solutions that work for the school and for the world, updating aging structures and planning carefully for future use and resource-efficient development. 

From solar arrays and geothermal well fields to biophilic design elements, we’re always searching for new ways to incorporate principles and practices of good environmental stewardship into our work. We see them as a natural complement to the values of service, respect, and leadership that are the bedrock virtues of the independent school tradition.