| In this month's update: Liberal High School's library renovation nears completion, our partnership with Trident Homes, a wrap-up of the Veterans Community Project event, and some parting thoughts from Scott Gales, Architect & CEO. | | | Liberal High School Library Project Update
USD 480 | | | Modern Learning in Motion: Library Transformation Nears Finish Line!
The newly remodeled library—designed by our team at Architect One—is entering its final chapter, with furniture moving back in and the space nearly ready to welcome students and faculty once again! This transformation reimagines the traditional library into a vibrant, modern learning hub tailored to today's educational needs. We've created a flexible, functional environment that supports both quiet study and dynamic collaboration. The open layout invites movement and interaction, with adaptable seating that encourages group work and innovation, while thoughtfully designed quiet zones provide peaceful nooks for focused learning. As the finishing touches come together, the revitalized space is set to become a cornerstone of the campus—fostering curiosity, connection, and creativity for years to come! | | | Trident Homes
A Landmark of Efficiency and Innovation | | | Trident Homes is leading the charge in the Midwest, bringing affordable, sustainable, and efficient homes to life through 3D printing technology — and Architect One, Inc is proud to be part of their journey.
In collaboration with Trident Homes, Helia, and MudBots 3D Concrete Printer, we've designed and developed the construction documents that will help bring these innovative homes to reality. It's not just about building differently — it's about building better.
Why 3D Printed Homes Are a Game-Changer: - Cost-effective with faster build times
- Less material waste
- Reduced labor requirements
- Built to withstand harsh weather
- Energy efficient
- Sustainable with low maintenance needs
Designing for this level of innovative construction has been both exciting and rewarding. There's something striking about how the printer lays concrete layer by layer — giving form, texture, and a more human scale to the structure. It's functional and expressive at the same time!
| | | Supporting Veterans: Architect One
Leads Local Fundraising Efforts | | Architect One, Inc would like to thank Veterans Community Project for their collaboration to support Veterans in the KC metro. Through this event AO helped raise awareness and funding through our online donations and cash gifts.
About Veterans Community Project:
Their mission to provide high quality and well-developed strategic services to enable Veterans to meet the challenges of day-to-day living, resolve immediate crises, and move towards permanent stability are a cause we strongly support.
Thank you to our attendees, donors, and volunteers who worked so hard to make our Veterans Project fundraiser a success! | |  | Scott E. Gales AIA, NCARB, LEED AP Designing for Every Layer of Human Need
Why Great Architecture Starts with the Basics and Builds Toward Inspiration
At Architect One, we believe the best buildings don't just meet code—they meet people where they are. Much like the psychologist Abraham Maslow's famous Hierarchy of Needs, every successful design responds to a spectrum of human priorities—from the most fundamental to the most aspirational.
Take the high school library—a space that's far more than just shelves and Wi-Fi. When we design (or redesign) a learning environment like this, we're not just creating a building—we're helping our clients solve problems across multiple layers of human need:
Safety and Comfort: The Foundation of Trust
Before students can learn, create, or collaborate, they must first feel secure. In every library design, our priority is establishing a physical environment that communicates safety and comfort—often in ways that are subtle but deeply impactful.
From ensuring ADA-compliant paths and inclusive restroom access to integrating secure entry points and clear lines of sight for staff supervision, these foundational elements reduce anxiety and increase focus. Layer in acoustic control and consistent daylighting, and the result is a space that welcomes students without overwhelming their senses.
In one remodel with a school district client, we solved a security and visibility challenge by relocating the main entry for better visibility from the administration office and added large, low-e windows that invite daylight while filtering glare and heat. Students no longer rush in and out—they linger, settle in, and feel at ease.
Functionality and Access: Removing Barriers to Learning
Once a space feels safe, it must also function seamlessly for a wide variety of users. Today's school libraries are more than book repositories—they're dynamic learning hubs that must flex between quiet study, small group work, digital collaboration, and instructional use. Our design teams work closely with school leadership and media specialists to understand how students move, learn, and engage. This often leads to zone-based layouts with intentional adjacencies—tech bars near group tables, sound-buffered corners for quiet reading, and teacher-led instruction spaces that can double as club or event areas.
In solving a functionality and access challenge for a recent school client, we included movable walls and modular furniture, allowing students to reshape their environment in real-time. When applying this to a library, Librarians can reconfigure the space daily, depending on lesson plans, traffic, or student needs—a far cry from the fixed, furniture-heavy libraries of decades past.
Connection and Belonging: Designing for Community
Adolescence is a time of identity-building, and physical space plays a surprisingly large role in helping students feel like they belong. We design school libraries to foster both formal collaboration and informal connection, with flexible lounge seating, writable walls, and cozy nooks that invite personalization.
We also look at how the library connects to the broader school ecosystem. Is it near the cafeteria to encourage lunchtime visits? Does it host community events, student art, or parent nights? These spaces become more than academic—they become cultural. In a recent community college project, we created a shared commons space adjacent to the classrooms and labs, with café-style tables and integrated charging stations. It's now one of the most-used areas on campus—not just for students, but for student activity groups, and community engagement and visitor events also.
Empowerment and Growth: Inspiring Confidence
When a space is thoughtfully designed, it does more than support learning—it empowers it. We aim to design school libraries that signal to students: You matter. You belong here. You are capable.
This can be achieved through intuitive design cues—clear signage that reduces confusion, accessible shelving and technology, and visual connections to outdoor views that subconsciously reduce stress. Color schemes, ceiling height changes, and lighting all work together to create spaces that feel not just functional, but aspirational.
As part of one recent design challenge, we incorporated tiered counter and seating options near the windows, where students can sit, spread out their work, or gather with friends. The feedback from students? "It makes us feel like college students—like we're getting ready for what's next." That's exactly the kind of confidence we aim to build through design.
Vision and Purpose: A Space for Discovery
At its peak, design doesn't just support tasks—it invites transformation. We strive to create libraries that act as launchpads for exploration, storytelling, and innovation. These are places where students can ask bold questions, express themselves creatively, and pursue their passions.
To support this, we often design specialized zones within the library: maker spaces, media production labs, storytelling corners, and gallery walls. These elements elevate the library from a place of information access to a space of personal growth and community impact. In one forward-thinking district, we integrated a digital storytelling studio—equipped with green screens, soundproof booths, and podcasting tools—right next to the main stacks. The result? Students are no longer just reading stories—they're writing and broadcasting their own.
Architecture goes beyond structures—it's about the people who inhabit them. Our designs address every aspect of human need, from safety to self-expression. In doing so, we don't just shape spaces; we create opportunities
Scott E. Gales
AIA, NCARB, LEED AP | | | | |
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