Olivia Graf
Partner | Design PrincipalArchitecture for Education, Inc. (A4E)Olivia Graf is a Partner and Design Principal at A4E, a mid-sized, women-owned and operated design firm that specializes in education architecture. Olivia has served as Chair for the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on Architecture for Education (AIA-CAE). She was featured as a 40 Under 40 “AEC star,” by Building Design+Construction (BD+C); and is a frequent speaker at education-focused conferences, including A4LE’s LearningScapes, the CA STEAM Symposium, EDspaces, AIA Women’s Conference and AIA-CAE
Designing for Connection: Learning Environments That Support Collaboration, Care, and Belonging
Educational environments do more than support instruction. They shape the relationships, interactions, and daily experiences that help students build
…Educational environments do more than support instruction. They shape the relationships, interactions, and daily experiences that help students build confidence, communication skills, creativity, empathy, and a sense of belonging. Through intentional
…Educational environments do more than support instruction. They shape the relationships, interactions, and daily experiences that help students build confidence, communication skills, creativity, empathy, and a sense of belonging. Through intentional planning and design, schools can create spaces that support many forms of connection: between students, across age groups, between learners and adult guides, between students and nature, and between
…Educational environments do more than support instruction. They shape the relationships, interactions, and daily experiences that help students build confidence, communication skills, creativity, empathy, and a sense of belonging. Through intentional planning and design, schools can create spaces that support many forms of connection: between students, across age groups, between learners and adult guides, between students and nature, and between a school and its broader community. The session will highlight practical design strategies that help schools create environments where students feel seen, supported, and prepared to participate in the world beyond the classroom.
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Designing Student-Centered FF&E Packages: Aligning Performance, Pedagogy, and Procurement
FF&E is often treated as a late-stage budget decision, yet it fundamentally shapes how students learn. This session reframes FF&E selection as
…FF&E is often treated as a late-stage budget decision, yet it fundamentally shapes how students learn. This session reframes FF&E selection as a cohesive, pedagogically driven process that bridges educational vision and procurement realities,
…FF&E is often treated as a late-stage budget decision, yet it fundamentally shapes how students learn. This session reframes FF&E selection as a cohesive, pedagogically driven process that bridges educational vision and procurement realities, integrating furniture specification alongside space design and finish selection. Emphasizing the critical role of stakeholder input and feedback, participants will explore a framework aligning learni
…FF&E is often treated as a late-stage budget decision, yet it fundamentally shapes how students learn. This session reframes FF&E selection as a cohesive, pedagogically driven process that bridges educational vision and procurement realities, integrating furniture specification alongside space design and finish selection. Emphasizing the critical role of stakeholder input and feedback, participants will explore a framework aligning learning goals, space types, and furniture while navigating procurement constraints to deliver intentional, high-impact solutions.
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