Chris Patek

Principal, VP of Strategic InitiativesMSA Design

Chris Patek, AIA

Principal and Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, MSA Design

Chris Patek is a distinguished architect and leader at MSA Design in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he serves as a Principal and the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. With a career spanning over two decades at the firm, he has been instrumental in evolving MSA’s design processes and guiding its long-term strategic vision.

Chris is widely recognized for his expertise in educational and community-centric design. He specializes in creating future-ready learning environments that prioritize the "student journey" and is a passionate advocate for expanding education beyond the traditional classroom. He believes that for students to be truly successful after graduation, learning environments must mirror the complexities of the professional world. Central to his philosophy is the conviction that schools and businesses must partner to provide students with the adaptable skills necessary to thrive in an ever-changing global economy. To support this mission, Chris remains actively engaged with the community by serving on multiple advisory boards for local school districts as well as in various mentorship roles. In these roles, he bridges the gap between architectural design and curriculum needs, ensuring that facility master plans directly support workforce readiness and student-centered success. His leadership extends beyond traditional architecture into strategic visioning, where he helps clients navigate complex facility planning and innovation.

An active member of the professional community, Chris is deeply involved with AIA Cincinnati, where he has served on the Board and multiple Committees.

Thu Oct 29•8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Vision Before the Blueprint: How Destination 2026 Shaped the Design of Mariemont High School

Facility planning often begins with buildings instead of educational outcomes, leading to misaligned, underperforming spaces. Mariemont City Schools r…Facility planning often begins with buildings instead of educational outcomes, leading to misaligned, underperforming spaces. Mariemont City Schools reversed this approach through Destination 2026, a twelve-year, educator-driven vision defining stude…Facility planning often begins with buildings instead of educational outcomes, leading to misaligned, underperforming spaces. Mariemont City Schools reversed this approach through Destination 2026, a twelve-year, educator-driven vision defining student experiences and skills. This session demonstrates how district leaders, educators, and designers aligned governance, instruction, and design to create a high-performing high school. Through real-wo…Facility planning often begins with buildings instead of educational outcomes, leading to misaligned, underperforming spaces. Mariemont City Schools reversed this approach through Destination 2026, a twelve-year, educator-driven vision defining student experiences and skills. This session demonstrates how district leaders, educators, and designers aligned governance, instruction, and design to create a high-performing high school. Through real-world insights and interactive discussion, participants will learn how to translate vision into environments that support student success, safety, and adaptability.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More

EDsession (60 minutes in classrooms)TRACK 3: From Vision to Reality — Planning, funding, delivery, operations, and safety

Chris PatekPrincipal, VP of Strategic Initiatives, MSA Design

Steven EsteppSuperintendent, Mariemont City Schools

Brent WiseAssistant Superintendent, Mariemont City Schools

Lance HollanderDirector of District Operations, Mariemont City Schools

More Information

Tags:Group D

Allow Registration:No

Capacity Unlimited:No

Indicate how the topic is applicable to Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) Design credits.:This session qualifies for Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW) credit as it directly addresses how the design and planning of educational facilities impact occupant well-being, safety, and performance. Participants will explore how vision-driven decision-making influences critical factors such as spatial organization, environmental quality, student safety, and adaptability to changing learning needs. Through a real-world case study, the session demonstrates how collaboration among educators, designers, and district leadership results in learning environments that support physical safety, mental well-being, and effective supervision. Strategies for aligning facility design with student-centered outcomes—including flexible learning spaces, community connectivity, and secure, inclusive environments—will be presented. Attendees will gain practical knowledge applicable to the design, evaluation, and improvement of educational facilities, with a focus on creating environments that enhance health, safety, and overall user welfare.

Learner Engagement:This session is designed around adult learning principles that emphasize relevance, experience, participation, and immediate application. Rather than a lecture, the session will function as an active learning experience where participants engage directly with the content, each other, and the presenters. To ground learning in real-world relevance, the session uses the Mariemont case study as a practical example, allowing participants to connect concepts to challenges they face in their own districts or projects. To leverage participant experience, attendees will engage in facilitated small-group discussions where they share current barriers and successes in aligning educational vision with facility planning. These peer-to-peer exchanges allow participants to learn from diverse perspectives across education, design, and facilities roles. The session will include a guided application exercise in which participants translate a sample educational priority (e.g., collaboration, student wellness) into spatial design strategies. This hands-on activity reinforces learning through doing and encourages interdisciplinary thinking. Live polling and real-time feedback tools may be used to capture audience perspectives, compare approaches, and spark discussion, ensuring broad participation. Finally, integrated educator insights will connect design decisions to classroom impact, reinforcing practical outcomes and credibility. The intent will be for participants to leave not only with ideas, but with actionable frameworks and strategies they can immediately apply in their own schools or work.

Learning Objective 1:Assess how educational facility design decisions influence student health, safety, and welfare, including factors such as spatial flexibility, environmental quality, and student well-being.