Selecting the Right Team: How Mission-Aligned Campus Design Strengthens Independent Schools

Independent schools shape young minds and strengthen communities through environments that inspire learning, foster connection, and reflect institutional values. Every successful campus project requires more than design and construction — it depends on a team that truly understands the school’s mission, culture, and long-term vision. Without this understanding, even a well-executed project can feel out of place, disrupt campus cohesion, or prioritize style over function. 

Whether it’s a new academic building, athletic facility, or outdoor space, each investment should support the school’s broader goals, honor its heritage, and integrate seamlessly with campus life. Selecting the right team means partnering with professionals who see beyond individual projects, focusing on thoughtful solutions that advance the school’s mission and serve its students, faculty, and families. 

To explore this approach, we spoke with Brendan Carey, Senior Landscape Architect in Bohler’s Westborough, MA office. With more than 20 years of experience supporting independent school campuses, Brendan shares insights on how a knowledgeable, mission-aligned team can transform campus development into a strategic, cohesive, and lasting investment. 

Independent school projects often involve many different stakeholders. How do you manage these perspectives while keeping the project aligned with the school’s mission?

Successful campus projects always start with the driving goal of making the campus better — not just creating a visually striking building or space. Independent school projects bring together a variety of stakeholders — faculty, administrators, students, alumni, and sometimes board members — each with unique priorities and insights.  

Balancing these perspectives requires active listening, careful consideration, and ongoing collaboration. At Bohler, we continuously incorporate feedback throughout the design process, refining plans so the final project reflects the school’s heritage, addresses practical needs, and stays true to its larger educational mission. This approach ensures that every decision, from concept to completion, strengthens the campus as a whole. 

When starting a project at a new school, how do you approach understanding the campus and its unique needs?

Every one of these institutions is more than just a collection of buildings — it’s a living, learning environment shaped over decades, even centuries, with its own traditions, culture, and sense of place. The first step in any project is understanding that context. We start by asking the right questions: What are the school’s values? How do students learn and interact? How does the campus function operationally? 

Site analysis is essential, but it’s equally important to spend time on campus and build relationships with leadership, faculty, and staff. This helps us understand how the school functions day-to-day and allows us to guide campus development thoughtfully — often beginning with smaller projects that establish a clear direction for future improvements. Each project should feel like it belongs, reinforcing the school’s character and fitting seamlessly into the campus. 

Architects often lead independent school projects. How do you ensure a truly collaborative effort with them?

We approach each project as a true partnership, helping the team understand how building placement, circulation, and outdoor spaces work together to support the school’s daily experience and long-term goals. Our role is to provide clear, site-driven insight that reinforces the broader campus vision and strengthens the architectural work by ensuring each element contributes meaningfully to how the campus functions. 

When we’re involved early, we advocate for creating a master plan to guide future development and establish a long-term vision. This approach ensures that each project contributes to a cohesive campus where buildings and landscapes work together as a whole. Collaboration continues throughout the design process — from initial concepts through schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration. Through a continuous feedback loop, our teams refine the design and help ensure that the final result aligns with the school’s priorities and mission. 

Master planning is critical, but what happens when an immediate need arises on campus?

Independent schools sometimes face urgent needs — a facility reaches capacity, or an unexpected opportunity emerges. In these situations, we take a step back to fully understand the problem and determine the best solution within the broader campus context. The goal isn’t just to address today’s challenge, but to do so in a way that preserves flexibility for future growth and avoids creating new issues down the line. 

In your experience, what distinguishes Bohler’s approach to independent school projects?

 At Bohler, we begin by understanding what makes each campus unique: its mission, heritage, and how the community actually uses its spaces. This insight shapes our approach to every project, whether we’re designing outdoor learning environments, improving circulation patterns, or creating gathering spaces that become the heart of campus life. We think beyond individual improvements to consider how each element contributes to the larger campus experience, ensuring that landscape becomes the connective fabric linking residential, academic, and athletic spaces into a cohesive whole that reinforces the school’s identity. 

Our integrated approach brings together creative design vision with the technical expertise needed for successful execution. With civil engineering in-house, we identify potential challenges early, from permitting requirements to site constraints, and address them proactively rather than reactively. This coordination means one team remains accountable for both concept and construction, reducing project risk and eliminating the disconnect that often occurs when design and engineering operate separately.

The result is a streamlined process that delivers campus improvements built to serve schools effectively for decades. 

Ready to elevate your next campus project? Connect with Brendan.