How Perkins&Will Won A Groundbreaking Public School Project (with Laura Gwyn, Managing Director)

Growthitect

Apr 30, 2025•44 min•Ep. 25

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Episode description

#25: What does it take to win one of the most groundbreaking public school projects in the US? Laura Gwyn, Managing Director at Perkins&Will, joins Tyler Suomala to share how her team secured the first Living Building Certified public school. From building a mission-driven team to delivering a pitch that combined expertise with authenticity, Laura breaks down what it really takes to lead at the highest level.

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Learn more about Perkins&Will: https://perkinswill.com/studio/durham/

Here’s what you’ll learn in the episode:

→ What one public school project reveals about the future of sustainable design

→ The truth about Living Building Certification (and why it makes LEED look like a warm-up act)

→ What never gets said about building a winning project team, but made all the difference here

→ The tiny RFP details that actually win high-stakes, sustainability-first projects (most firms overlook these)

→ When Laura’s team tore up the usual interview playbook, and how that bold move sealed the deal

→ What happened when the team got personal – and why storytelling might be your most powerful tool

→ How to “control the controllables” during an unpredictable RFP process, and stay in the driver’s seat

→ The surprising moment during the kickoff site walk that changed everything

→ The one piece of advice Laura gives every firm leader chasing their next seminal win

(03:08) Designing a nature-based learning environment

(08:20) The legacy of Perkins&Will in education

(10:11) Building the right partnerships to win

(14:53) A cultural approach to architecture

(18:28) What soul-searching revealed about the team

(23:01) Creating a growth hub for firm owners

(26:36) Why in-person engagement still matters

(30:01) Behind the scenes of the project kickoff

(31:17) How the perfect site was selected

(36:55) The strategy behind “controlling the controllables”

(41:23) What it means to embrace seminal moments

(42:31) A fresh take on leadership and gratitude

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