Sasaki Associates has acquired Concord, Mass.-based planning and design firm Sgarzi Associates. Founded in 2003 by Chris Sgarzi, Sgarzi Associates has developed a strong reputation for their programming, planning, and design of sports, recreation, and student life facilities throughout the Northeast. Sgarzi’s expertise and existing client relationships will further enhance Sasaki’s nationally-recognized sports design practice. He will serve as a principal at Sasaki and will work with firm leaders in both its Boston and San Francisco offices.
Sasaki has also added Stephen Sefton to the sports design studio as senior associate. Stephen joins the firm most recently from Ellerbe Becket / AECOM where he served as a senior sports designer in their San Francisco office. He brings to the Sasaki team over 16 years of dedicated experience in the design of sports facilities, including a focus in large-scale spectator buildings such as stadia and arenas.
The merger with Sasaki offers Sgarzi Associates’ clients access to a greater depth of resources and a wide range of collaborative, interdisciplinary services—although they will still experience the same commitment to service, innovation, and excellence in design to which they are accustomed. “I enjoy getting to know my clients and learning about their unique campus cultures and traditions,” says Sgarzi. “Helping them achieve and exceed their aspirations for their built environment is very rewarding. As part of Sasaki, I can offer them the benefits of comprehensive services and a truly collaborative approach to institutional sports planning and design.”
The acquisition also signifies a homecoming for Sgarzi. Prior to founding his own firm, Sgarzi was a senior associate and associate director of Sasaki’s sports design studio. While Sasaki and its sports practice have progressed considerably in the interim decade, the firm’s dedication to collaboration and delivering context-specific solutions to their client’s unique problems has remained constant.
A selected list of the studio’s current and recent projects include a new field house at Middlebury College, the expansion and renovation of the Sally Blair Ames Sports Complex at Stonehill College, a new athletic center and student life facility at the College of the Holy Cross, the Harold Alfond Athletics Complex at the University of New England, a study for a track and lacrosse facility at the University of Michigan, a new Student Recreation Facility at Arizona State University in Tempe, and the Welcome Center and Ice Arena at Plymouth State Universityin New Hampshire. BD+C
Related Stories
| Oct 8, 2014
New tools for community feedback and action
Too often, members of a community are put into a reactive position, asked for their input only when a major project is proposed. But examples of proactive civic engagement are beginning to emerge, write James Miner and Jessie Bauters.
| Oct 8, 2014
Massive ‘healthcare village’ in Nevada touted as world’s largest healthcare project
The $1.2 billion Union Village project is expected to create 12,000 permanent jobs when completed by 2024.
| Oct 8, 2014
First look: Woods Bagot unveils plans for new Christchurch Convention Center
The locally-inspired building is meant to serve as a symbol of the city's recovery from the earthquake of 2011.
| Oct 8, 2014
Denver transit project wins design-build Project of the Year honor
The Denver Union Station Transit Improvement Project is among 25 projects honored by the Design Build Institute of America for excellence in design-build project delivery.
| Oct 7, 2014
Analysis: Student loans will cost housing industry $83 billion in 2014
More than 410,000 single- and multifamily home sales will be lost in 2014 due to student loan debt, according to analysis by John Burns Real Estate Consulting.
Sponsored | | Oct 7, 2014
Boost efficiency with advanced framing
As architects continue to search for ways to improve building efficiencies, more and more are turning to advanced framing methods, particularly for multifamily and light commercial projects.
| Oct 7, 2014
Economic gains are rallying rents in Raleigh, N.C.
The greater Raleigh, N.C., market appears to be getting back on its feet again, which is good news for rental property owners.
| Oct 7, 2014
Structured, not stirred: The architecture of cocktails [infographic]
In this downloadable graphic, technologist Shaan Hurley dissects 37 cocktails and analyzes their architectural makeup.
| Oct 6, 2014
Moshe Safdie: Skyscrapers lead to erosion of urban connectivity
The 76-year-old architect sees skyscrapers and the privatization of public space to be the most problematic parts of modern city design.
| Oct 6, 2014
Houston's office construction is soaring
Houston has 19 million square feet of office space under construction, 54% more than a year ago, and its highest level since the booming 1980s, according to local news reports.
