On Centre

Architectural designer and Milton graduate Andrew Larson ’08 finds it challenging to express what it means to leave a mark on his beloved alma mater.

Larson, who works on the design team at Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC), contributed to both the new Farokhzad Mathematics Center (FMC) and the William C. Cox Library projects, the school’s most recent, large-scale capital projects.

“It’s hard to put into words, because Milton played such a big role in my life,” Larson says. “It was great to work on these projects and see where the school is today. It gives me a sense of purpose because Milton created a lot of meaning for me and I know that it will continue to do that for students. It feels incredible to be part of it.”

Larson joined ARC more than two years ago, and has worked on projects for other independent schools. The firm takes extensive care to learn about how spaces will be used and the feelings they should evoke. In designing the FMC, the firm took a biophilic approach, increasing the connection between the interior and its surrounding environment.

“We know that connecting people to the natural world has calming and positive effects,” he says. “Bringing nature indoors can help relax the mind so you can deeply process things. It’s a big part of the building, and it creates a very comfortable environment for learning. It’s really rewarding to give new life to this space.”

Milton’s Architecture course, offered by the Visual Arts Department, is opening students’ eyes to the world around them, where buildings become lessons in history, form, and function.

Story by Marisa Donelan
Illustration by Mari Fouz

The instructions were straightforward: Select any location and create a site-specific concept for a functional building there, designing it artfully and using sustainable materials from the surrounding area. The results were beautiful, complex—and, sure, maybe a bit whimsical—indicative of the imagination and resourcefulness of students in Molly Swain’s Architecture class: A lighthouse powered by hydroelectric energy on the coast of Newfoundland. A Mediterranean cave home. An underwater “maiden’s tower” at the bottom of the Bosporus Strait. A modern house perched on a cliff overlooking a Norwegian fjord.

The popular elective, returning to the Visual Arts Department as a full-year course for the first time in the 2024–2025 school year, challenges students to think critically and creatively about the spaces we occupy. Architecture is a truly interdisciplinary field of study, requiring practitioners to consider math, physics, environmental science, art, history, technology, business, and behavior. Swain’s students focus on art, learning about different design styles and their origins, considering materials and the use of space in each project. They also consider accessibility, landscape, and artistic appeal.

The course serves as an introduction to the field, and although some students may go on to study architecture after Milton, the overall goal is to get them thinking critically about space, design, and function. “It provides a foundation to appreciate and experience the architecture around you, noticing the way a space makes you feel and whether it’s serving its purpose,” Swain says. The Art and Media Center, which was built in 1970, houses the visual arts, film, and robotics programs, is a teaching tool in itself. A hulking, brutalist-style fortress, the building can feel disorienting at first, but those who love it find comfort in developing familiarity with its warren of rooms and halls. “I think of it like Boston streets,” Swain says. “It’s not always easy, but once you know it, you’re home.”

Swain hopes that the architecture program will continue to expand at Milton. “There’s enough interest and material to cover that we can build upon it.” The course currently doesn’t cover the engineering or financial aspects of architecture— other than challenging students to consider materials and practical use of space—but Swain hopes future classes will begin introducing students to those concepts. The school has offered architecture through the Visual Arts Department in the past, including a course taught by retired faculty member Bryan Cheney that inspired a number of careers in the field.

In addition to the opportunities Milton’s own campus provides, like the Pritzker Science Center, which opened in 2010, students have easy access to the rich architectural offerings of Greater Boston. Students are able to study the evolution of architectural styles across centuries, from the First Period homes constructed in the earliest days of British colonization to modern buildings designed with light and sustainability in mind. Field trips to cutting-edge architectural havens such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology help demonstrate limitless creativity.

“There are plenty of examples all around that show how the design of one building influences the next,” Swain says. “There’s a lot of history to see right around us.”

Molly Swain

One perennial favorite project of the course is a ginger-bread-house-style design that must incorporate an architectural style of the students’ choosing. They then construct models using a combination of glue, cardboard, and snacks. Previous designs have included a Japanese pagoda, a roller coaster with pretzel tracks, a mid-century modern home with a swimming pool, and a soccer stadium.

Mika Hsieh ’26 designed the hydro-powered lighthouse for her site-specific project. She researched some of the windiest coastlines on earth and found that the powerful tides off the coast of eastern Canada met her needs. An underwater turbine would power the building, con- structed from local materials such as limestone. “This project incorporates everything we’ve learned in the course,” she says while putting the finishing touches on her design. “Whatever we’ve designed, in any project, we have to be able to communicate why we’ve made the choices we did.”

JP Giglio ’25 used a tablet to create plans for his site-specific design. Knowing the challenge of housing shortages in densely populated cities, he wanted to build up—designing a residential tower with ample greenery atop and around the structure to support air quality and also help insulate and cool the building. “Having the vision and then thinking through the logistics of it is incredibly interesting,” Giglio says. “Before taking the class, I noticed architecture in the world around me but never thought about all the planning and intention involved in every aspect of a project. We’re thinking about the function of every little space. It’s been cool to discover all of that.”