Pfluger Architects Hires New Higher Ed Practice Leader

Pfluger Architects, based in Houston, Texas, recently announced Christopher Laack as its new higher education practice leader, according to a news release. Laack has more than 20 years of experience as a licensed architect and most recently served as the Principal and Commercial Practice Leader for VLK Architects. In his new role at Pfluger, his responsibilities will include maintaining client relationships and driving strategic growth in the firm’s partnerships with colleges and universities across Texas.

Laack’s professional experience includes architecture, master planning, and urban design in education, office, residential, retail, hospitality, civic, and community development projects, among others. His Bachelor of Architecture comes from the University of Detroit Mercy, and he is NCARB Certified and a Licensed Architect in the State of Texas.

“I believe in pushing the boundaries of design to create inspiring, thoughtful buildings and places that contribute to the built environment and to communities,” said Laack. “As a firm dedicated to inspiring communities and creating a more meaningful human experience, Pfluger provides me with opportunities to engage with campus leaders and understand the needs that campuses have right now and in the future.”

At Pfluger, Laack will lead the firm’s five Texas locations in its work with state universities, colleges, community colleges, and vocational institutions. He will also take over the firm’s current projects like the San Jacinto Biotechnology Center, Texas Lutheran University’s Lundquist Student Activities Center, and more.

“Chris brings expertise to our higher education team, from planning campuses to designing facilities that work,” said Chris Lammers, the current higher education practice director at Pfluger. “His genuine connection with people makes him a great fit for our team and the clients we serve.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Tomball ISD Opens New Tomball West High School

    Tomball Independent School District in Tomball, Texas, recently celebrated the official opening of Tomball West High School, the district's third comprehensive high school, with a community ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to a district news release.