Building a Middle School that Supports Student Learning with James Liebman

In this episode of the Better Learning Podcast, host Jessica Westerduin sits down with James Liebman, senior associate at HMFH Architects, to explore how thoughtful school design can elevate student wellbeing, foster belonging, and support great teaching. Drawing on 30 years in architecture — from higher education to K–12 — James shares how the physical environment either supports or hinders learning, and how architects can create spaces that truly center students. Using the Maria Weston Chapman Middle School in Weymouth, Massachusetts as a case study, James walks through the design decisions that shaped one of the largest middle schools in the state into a place where students feel seen, supported, and inspired.

Takeaways:

1. Student-centered design starts with listening. Every design decision — from natural light to furniture flexibility — should trace back to how students will actually use and experience the space. Architects must ask questions, sit with uncertainty, and let what they hear shape the design.

2. Break large schools into smaller communities. The "concentric rings of support" strategy used at Maria Weston Chapman Middle School shows how architecture can combat the anxiety of scale by creating nested communities — from a team of ~100 students up to a grade, and then the whole school.

3. Early visioning documents anchor every future decision. A district-wide educational plan created at the start of the process serves as a reference point throughout design, ensuring that smaller decisions continue to reinforce the bigger goals — and giving districts a durable consensus to build on.

4. Architecture supports behavior; it doesn't create it. Great teaching and learning are already happening. Well-designed spaces — with good acoustics, natural light, adaptable technology, and flexible furniture — don't manufacture engagement, they remove barriers to it.

5. Adaptability and budget are not opposites. Long-lasting schools require flexible spaces, but that doesn't mean endless square footage. Smart sequencing of spaces, movable furniture, and robust materials can create adaptable environments without exceeding budgets or losing funding votes.

About James Liebman:

James Liebman is a Senior Associate at HMFH Architects, a women-owned architecture firm nationally recognized for innovative, sustainable, and student-centered school design. With 29 years of experience, James skillfully balances stakeholder input, public budgets, and accelerated schedules to deliver K-12 schools that enhance student well-being and reflect the communities they serve.

As Project Manager for the LEED Gold-certified Chapman Middle School, he led design and construction administration for this 1,470-student facility, the largest middle school in Massachusetts. James earned his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia and his Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Episode 335 of the Better Learning Podcast

For more information on our partners:

Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/

Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/

Second Class Foundation - https://secondclassfoundation.org/

EDmarket - https://www.edmarket.org/

Catapult @ Penn GSE - https://catapult.gse.upenn.edu/

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