Growthitect30 Huhti 2025

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

#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.

PS - If you’re a growth-minded firm owner or leader, apply to join us inside The Studio - https://growthitect.com/studio

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

GROWTHITECT RESOURCES

→ Apply to join The Studio - https://growthitect.com/studio

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Jaksot(40)

Retention Secrets Every Architecture Leader Should Know (with Caitlin Brady)

#40: Today I’m joined by Caitlin Brady, architect and host of the Architectette podcast, to unpack a headache most firm owners share: you’ve got good people, but limited rungs on the ladder. How do yo...

12 Marras 202536min

Fixing Your Architecture Education (with Beth Lundell Garver)

#39: In this episode, I sit down with Beth Lundell Garver, Dean of Practice at the Boston Architectural College (BAC), to dig into one of the most common complaints in the industry: “We never learned ...

5 Marras 202542min

Should You Spend on Marketing? (with Mark R. LePage)

#38: In this episode, I sit down with Mark R. LePage, Founder of EntreArchitect, to tackle one of the most common questions architects ask: Should I spend money on marketing or just focus on organic g...

22 Loka 202538min

Why Word of Mouth Isn’t a Growth Strategy (with Rens Hayes)

#37: Most architects and engineers say their work comes from word of mouth. But few ever ask the follow-up question: what are people actually saying about us?In this episode, I sit down with Rens Haye...

15 Loka 202539min

How to Win Work Without a Big Portfolio (with Lance Cayko)

#36: In this episode, I sit down with Lance Cayko, Principal & Co-founder of F9 Productions, F12 Development, F14 Construction, and co-host of Inside the Firm, to tackle one of the biggest myths in ar...

8 Loka 202546min

Marketing For Busy Architects (with Mark Zweig)

#35: I sit down with Mark Zweig, Founder & Chairman of Zweig Group, to unpack one of the most common frustrations I hear from architects: “How do I market when I don’t have time?”Mark shares why time ...

1 Loka 202546min

How To Eliminate Bad Fit Clients (with Justin Smith)

#34: How often do you actually ask whether a project is the right fit for your firm? In this episode, I sit down with Justin Smith, a structural engineer turned operations and strategy advisor, to tac...

24 Syys 202542min

How To Attract Design-Driven Clients (with Evelyn Lee)

#33: Architects often ask the wrong question:“How do I attract clients who actually value design?”In this episode, I sit down with Evelyn Lee, Founder of Practice of Architecture, to unpack why that q...

10 Syys 202535min