Case Studies

Delivering modern educational needs in Providence

The Providence Public School District (PPSD) is renovating its primary and secondary school buildings to meet the needs of its growing and evolving student body. But these projects take a long time to complete — much longer than the short 10-week summer break when the buildings are vacant. So the district chose to develop a […]

Reflections. Looking back on a year of exciting projects

As the year draws to a close, we’d like to highlight a few of the projects we were part of in 2022. It’s impossible to choose a favorite, but here are a few we were particularly excited about.  Barrington  The town of Barrington was undertaking a study to determine how they should approach a parcel […]

Two for One Solution: Proposed zoning changes.

When one of our clients purchased an 1860s triple-decker rehab on the West End, we developed an elegant way to create additional, affordable units in the building without increasing the building’s footprint or volume. You can read a previous blog post about it here. The solution we created, however, was not allowed by Providence’s zoning […]

Two for One Solution: keeping up with housing demands without inflating housing costs.

People come from all over the world to attend one of Rhode Island’s top-notch colleges and universities. But when those students graduate, they often leave the state, taking the precious knowledge they gained with them. There are myriad reasons for this brain drain, not the least of which is the state’s lack of affordable housing […]
Rise Prep Academy designed by Signal Works Architecture in Rhode Island

How your building project can help your people thrive.

Of course, as architects we think in terms of square footage, zoning, sprinkler systems, and building materials. But none of those words mean a thing unless they’re being used by somebody. Buildings can be great on their own, but without people living in them, moving through them, caring for them, and growing in them, a […]

Case Study: Raising the Stakes on the Top of the Town.

Well aware of how popular rooftop restaurants have become in New York, the developer wanted to be the first to provide this experience in Providence. Soon after opening its doors, this restaurant has become a mainstay of downtown, and has been met with off-the-charts demand, as well as several imitators.