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
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | Jan 17, 2024
Waterproofing deep foundations for new construction
This continuing education course, by Walter P Moore's Amos Chan, P.E., BECxP, CxA+BE, covers design considerations for below-grade waterproofing for new construction, the types of below-grade systems available, and specific concerns associated with waterproofing deep foundations.
Sponsored | Performing Arts Centers | Jan 17, 2024
Performance-based facilities for performing arts boost the bottom line
A look at design trends for “budget-wise” performing arts facilities reveals ways in which well-planned and well-built facilities help performers and audiences get the most out of the arts. This continuing education course is worth 1.0 AIA learning unit.
Giants 400 | Jan 15, 2024
Top 130 Hospital Facility Architecture Firms for 2023
HKS, HDR, Stantec, CannonDesign, and Page Southerland Page top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest hospital facility architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Airports | Jan 15, 2024
How to keep airports functional during construction
Gensler's aviation experts share new ideas about how to make the airport construction process better moving forward.
Adaptive Reuse | Jan 12, 2024
Office-to-residential conversions put pressure on curbside management and parking
With many office and commercial buildings being converted to residential use, two important issues—curbside management and parking—are sometimes not given their due attention. Cities need to assess how vehicle storage, bike and bus lanes, and drop-off zones in front of buildings may need to change because of office-to-residential conversions.
MFPRO+ News | Jan 12, 2024
As demand rises for EV chargers at multifamily housing properties, options and incentives multiply
As electric vehicle sales continue to increase, more renters are looking for apartments that offer charging options.
Student Housing | Jan 12, 2024
UC Berkeley uses shipping containers to block protestors of student housing project
The University of California at Berkeley took the drastic step of erecting a wall of shipping containers to keep protestors out of a site of a planned student housing complex. The $312 million project would provide badly needed housing at the site of People’s Park.
Giants 400 | Jan 12, 2024
Top 10 Casino Architecture Firms for 2023
JCJ Architecture, HBG Design, Gensler, and WATG top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest casino architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Senior Living Design | Jan 11, 2024
Designing for personal technology is crucial for senior living facilities
Today’s seniors are increasingly tech savvy. It isn’t enough to give senior living residents a pre-determined bundle of technology and assume that they’ll be satisfied.
Giants 400 | Jan 11, 2024
Top 40 Convention Center Architecture Firms for 2023
TVS, Populous, Arcadis North America, Gensler, and EUA top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest convention center and event facility architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
