Issuu

Designs for Learning

2,700

k-12 schools designed firmwide

850

middle schools designed firmwide

GROVES K-12 SCHOOL GARDEN CITY, GA

excellence since 1963 LS3P is an architecture, interiors, and planning firm celebrating more than 60 years of design excellence. LS3P operates from its 12 locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, providing its clients the expertise and resources of a large firm with the local knowledge and personal connections of a small firm. We are deeply committed to the communities we serve, with over 680 design awards in diverse practice areas. At our core, we are a design firm, dedicated to contributing our best to our projects, our clients, and each other with integrity and passion. We engage people in the process of architecture to create outstanding places to live, work, and play. Our broad range of expertise allows us the ability to create innovative solutions, and to provide expertise to address the complex programs of today’s design projects.

NATIONAL RANKINGS

#21 in Top 500 Education Design Firms by Engineering News Record

#7 in Top 10 Interior Design Giants in Education by Interior Design Magazine

Rooted in NC Since 1913 Boney Architects Merger Wilmington & Raleigh LS3P’s presence in North Carolina expanded significantly in 2005 through its merger with Boney Architects, a firm with a long history of educational design across the state. The Boney practice was founded by Leslie N. Boney in 1913 and became known for its work in public education. During his career, Boney completed more than 1,000 school projects in North Carolina and played a significant role in shaping the state’s educational facilities. In the decades that followed, the firm remained family-led as Boney’s children joined the practice and broadened its work to include higher education, healthcare, civic, commercial, and retail projects. Over its history, Boney Architects completed more than 1,500 educational projects, including work on 10 University of North Carolina campuses, and established offices in Wilmington, Raleigh, and Charlotte. Named AIA North Carolina Firm of the Year in 2002, Boney Architects brought a century of experience and a strong educational portfolio to its merger with LS3P. Together, the two firms built on a shared commitment to design, service, and the communities they serve.

Rooted in WNC Since 1965

PFA Architects Merger Asheville In 2022, LS3P announced a merger with PFA Architects, a respected Ashevillebased firm originally founded in 1965 as Padgett + Freeman Architects. This strategic move established LS3P’s Asheville office, bringing on team members with deep expertise in education, healthcare, government, civic, and cultural projects. As part of the merger, Maggie Carnevale was appointed LS3P’s Asheville Office Leader. This partnership not only expanded LS3P’s geographic footprint but also reinforced its commitment to delivering design excellence across a broader range of public and institutional markets in Western North Carolina.

Our team is committed to serving Western North Carolina through lasting relationships, local engagement, and a deep understanding of the communities we support. Emily Kite and Maggie Carnevale provide dedicated leadership and serve as primary points of contact for K12 projects throughout the region including: Buncombe County Schools Henderson County Public Schools Transylvania County Schools Macon County Schools Clay County Schools Swain County Schools.

Building a Lasting Partnership Emily Kite AIA, ALEP, NCARB K-12 Market Leader Emily serves as LS3P’s K-12 Market Leader and is an Accredited Learning Environment Planner (ALEP), bringing nearly 30 years of experience planning and delivering educational facilities. A trusted partner to school districts across Western North Carolina, she has facilitated numerous community engagement initiatives, guided districts through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI) grant process, and led a wide range of transformative projects, including Swain Middle School. Her collaborative approach helps communities align educational goals with longterm campus planning and investment strategies.

Maggie Carnevale AIA, LEED BD+C, NCARB Asheville Office Leader Maggie serves as LS3P’s Asheville Office Leader and brings nearly 30 years of experience leading complex educational, institutional, and commercial projects across Western North Carolina. A trusted advisor to school districts and community organizations throughout the region, she has worked closely with Henderson County Public Schools, Transylvania County Schools, Crossnore Communities for Children, and ArtSpace Charter School to deliver projects that enhance learning environments and support community growth. Her collaborative leadership style helps clients navigate planning, stakeholder engagement, and implementation while advancing their longterm vision for success.

Our Asheville office keeps us closely connected to Western North Carolina communities, allowing us to maintain a strong local presence throughout each project. With experience on more than 50 projects across 15 counties, we bring a deep understanding of the opportunities, challenges, and priorities that shape successful school projects in Western North Carolina.

Swain Middle School Swain County Schools BRYSON CITY, NC

The Swain Middle School project demonstrates how early

validate assumptions. At each phase, the team presented

collaboration and financial transparency can turn a fixed

the Board with current budget data and targeted cost-

budget into a framework for good project outcomes.

saving recommendations, creating an accountable

From the outset, the design team, construction manager

process that kept scope, quality, and funding aligned.

at risk, and Board of Education worked toward a shared goal: protect the project’s critical needs while

That process produced measurable results. During

maintaining the established budget at every milestone.

schematic design, the team reduced the building by

Clear, consistent communication gave the Board

10,000 square feet, selected precast construction,

reliable information, practical recommendations, and

and confirmed the mechanical systems—decisions

the confidence to make informed decisions throughout

that generated $10 million in savings while preserving

design.

essential program priorities. Strategic alternates carried through design development and construction

With grant funding secured in 2024 and the total project

documents provided continued flexibility, demonstrating a

budget fixed at $54.6 million, the team established a

collaborative approach that helped Swain County Schools

rigorous process for testing scope against cost. The

control risk, respond to changing conditions, and advance

CMAR prepared estimates at schematic design and

the project with opportunities to add wanted scope items

design development, while LS3P commissioned an

if the budget allowed.

independent parallel estimate at design development to

Hendersonville High School Henderson County HENDERSONVILLE, NC

Before LS3P joined the project, Henderson County and

while avoiding program and square-footage compromises.

Henderson County Public Schools had been working with

The resulting plan earned approval from Henderson

another architectural firm on a new Hendersonville High

County and was successfully completed in 2022.

School. As the design progressed, the Owner determined that the proposed direction no longer aligned with the

Working closely with the District and project stakeholders,

project’s priorities, including the need to preserve essential

LS3P developed a budget-conscious campus plan that

program elements, maintain budget alignment, and

modernized and expanded learning environments while

respond to public sentiment in retaining the campus’s

respecting Hendersonville High School’s historic character.

historic auditorium. The Owner subsequently ended its

The design integrates renovated buildings with a unified

engagement with the original architect and selected LS3P

two-story addition containing science laboratories, CTE

to lead a new design approach that more fully addressed

classrooms, dining and kitchen areas, a media center,

the school district, county, and community goals.

music rooms, an auxiliary gym, and administrative offices; enhancements to the historic auditorium and reorganized

LS3P repositioned the Hendersonville High School project

parking and bus circulation also created new community

around a practical, community-responsive design strategy

event space and a sheltered central student courtyard.

that balanced educational priorities, stewardship of existing resources, and the county’s budget. By renovating the historic auditorium building and retaining an existing gymnasium, the team preserved valued campus assets

RELEVANCY k-12 facility | 1000 students | cm@r | modernatization programming | western north carolina

Brevard High School Transylvania County FRANKLIN, NC

After the initial Brevard High School and Rosman Middle/

collaboratively to identify meaningful savings and give

High School projects were unable to achieve alignment

the Owner clear options for prioritizing investments. The

between the available budget and the required scope,

team continues to engage district departmental leaders

Transylvania County elected to cancel those efforts and

to validate program adjustments and ensure that each

undertake a broader reassessment of facility needs

decision supports current needs and lasting value.

across the school district. As the County moved forward with a new set of projects informed by that districtwide

The planned improvements will replace the campus’s

evaluation, it chose not to reengage the original architect

oldest buildings, renovate the auditorium, strengthen

and retained LS3P to support the next phase of planning

safety and administrative areas, and create state-of-

and design.

the-art CTE environments for agriculture, welding, masonry, public safety, carpentry, early childcare,

Building on its districtwide repair and renovation work,

health occupations, culinary arts, marketing, and digital

LS3P partnered with Transylvania County Schools to

technology. Consolidating the Davidson River Alternative

position a larger transformation at Brevard High School for

High School program on the Brevard High School campus

an NC DPI Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund grant.

will connect students with deeper support resources

A $62 million award in fall 2025 enabled the County to add

while creating operational efficiencies and cost savings.

the project to LS3P’s ongoing program of work, advancing

Together, these improvements demonstrate how strategic

a coordinated investment in the district’s long-term facility

planning, collaborative delivery, and targeted investment

priorities.

can transform an aging campus into a flexible, supportive environment for future-ready learning.

Now in design development, the project reflects a disciplined, transparent approach to aligning scope, cost, and educational goals. Following the CMAR’s schematic design estimate, LS3P, Blum Construction, Transylvania County Schools, and Transylvania County worked

Franklin High School & Highlands K-12 School Macon County FRANKLIN, NC

Highlands K-12 School

LS3P helped Macon County Schools advance a complex,

estimating consultant to provide detailed, objective

$135 million capital program spanning four campuses,

information for Owner review. Those estimates became

including the replacement of Franklin High School,

a strategic decision-making tool, allowing County leaders

additions and renovations at Highlands K–12 School and

and financial advisers to evaluate multiple funding

East Franklin Elementary School, and replacement of the

scenarios until the project received NC DPI grant funding

Macon Middle School track. The design process paired

during construction documents; the new high school is

detailed engagement with educators and departmental

scheduled to open in fall 2027.

stakeholders with active participation by elected county commissioners and school board members through a

The third phase of improvements at Highlands K–12

Joint Facilities Committee. This governance structure

School required the same responsive approach to public

gave key elected officials a direct role in shaping the

leadership and community priorities. When county

projects, resolving priorities, and building the alignment

commissioners paused the work to reassess countywide

needed for formal approvals by the Macon County Board

needs, LS3P supported an informed process while the

of Commissioners at each phase.

Highlands community advocated for continued investment alongside the larger Franklin High School project.

For Franklin High School, LS3P maintained design

Completed in December 2025, the project renovated the

momentum even as the project’s budget, funding strategy,

existing middle school building and media center and

and delivery approach continued to evolve. Because

added two pre-K and four middle school classrooms,

the design was nearly complete before the County

strengthening a vital Pre-K–12 campus for students

selected a construction manager at risk, LS3P led cost

whose travel distances make attendance at Macon Middle

planning at each phase and engaged an independent

School and Franklin High School impractical.

RELEVANCY k-12 facility | nc dpi grant funding | county funding | cm@risk | western north carolina

WHAT DOES LS3P BRING TO YOUR PROJECT?

WE LISTEN. Successful projects begin with listening. We take the time to understand your goals, priorities, challenges, and vision for the students and communities you serve. Through thoughtful questions, open communication, and responsive follow-through, we build trust and shape solutions around what matters most to you. More than 80% of our work comes from repeat clients, reflecting the long-term relationships at the heart of our practice. WE KNOW WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. Our Asheville team understands the communities, character, opportunities, and practical realities that shape K-12 projects across Western North Carolina. That local knowledge is backed by the resources and expertise of a multi-office design practice, giving your project broad technical capabilities while keeping our team accessible, responsive, and personally invested. WE ARE PART OF YOUR COMMUNITY. We live and work in Western North Carolina, giving us a personal stake in the places we help shape. From small-scale improvements to transformational community investments, we design spaces that strengthen neighborhoods, support economic growth, and enhance quality of life for the people who call this region home. WE ARE K-12 EXPERTS. K-12 facilities must support learning, safety, flexibility, daily operations, and long-term stewardship. Our team brings specialized experience in educational planning, programming, campus design, renovations, additions, new construction, and phased implementation. We translate educational goals into durable, adaptable environments that serve students, educators, and communities well into the future. WE ARE COLLABORATORS. We believe the best projects are the result of strong partnerships. Our team brings experience, technical knowledge, and a passion for K-12 design, working closely with boards of county commissioners, school boards, administrators, teachers, parents, students, and community members. We value open communication, shared ideas, and the collective effort required to create meaningful places. WE ARE CONNECTED. Successful delivery depends on a coordinated team. We collaborate closely with the CMAR and consultants from planning through construction, aligning design decisions with budget, schedule, constructability, phasing, and long-term performance. This integrated approach supports timely decisions, clear accountability, and a project team focused on your goals.

CONTACT Emily Kite, AIA, ALEP K-12 Market Leader e. emilykite@ls3p.com p. 828.545.0198