Perkins&Will Names New Firmwide Practice Leader for K–12 Education

Architecture and design firm Perkins&Will recently announced that it has appointed Aimee Eckmann to the position of firmwide practice leader for K–12 education, according to a news release. Eckmann has been with the firm since 1999 and has served as the Chicago studio’s K–12 practice leader since 2017. Through Perkins&Will, she has produced award-winning designs and educational planning to schools in Chicago, Omaha, Mumbai, Shanghai, and more.

“I’m excited to take on the added responsibilities,” said Eckmann. “The possibilities of education have always resonated with me. Schools are game changers for students and communities, and we must be creative and responsive with the communities we serve. I look forward to continuing to embrace designing sustainable, healthy environments to benefit future generations.”

Eckmann has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design from Miami University of Ohio and a Master of Architecture degree from University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, the news release reports. She has also served in both leadership and mentorship roles for the ACE Mentor Program of Illinois, which supports underserved students in Chicago-area public schools.

Her previous projects include the seven-story William Jones College Preparatory High School in Chicago; Westview High School in Omaha, which combined a school and community YMCA; and the STEM-oriented Bezos Learning Center for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., according to the news release.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • Compton High School

    Compton High School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Compton High School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • A digital silhouette works at a computer, immersed in a glowing, interconnected world

    How Will AI Transform Learning Space Design?

    For years, higher education has designed learning spaces around technology as a tool for display, capture, collaboration, and connectivity. AI changes that equation.

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.