James Seaman, PhD, AIA, ALEP Managing Principal
It is the cross-pollination of disciplines and a holistic approach to design that form the cornerstones of James’ career.”
James Seaman is an architect and educational researcher. His career of over twenty years has been focused entirely on designing and improving places for learning. He has managed, planned, and designed numerous innovative schools around the world.
James truly straddles between the worlds of architecture and education. His approach to designing schools starts by deeply understanding and imagining a vision for learning. He believes that the physical environment is a technology that can be designed to shape and support teaching and learning activities. Based on these ideas, James has authored articles about architecture and educational innovation and regularly presents at conferences. He is also an experienced teacher and has taught university courses in education and design.
He holds a Masters degree in Architecture from Lawrence Technological University, a graduate-level certificate in Educational Facility Planning through San Diego State University, and a PhD in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology from Michigan State University. His academic work gives added-value to his practice. He approaches design with a methodology rooted in academic research.
Committed to serving the profession of educational facility planning, James has served as the President of the Association for Learning Environments Midwest Great Lakes Region, an organization committed to best practice in K-12 and Higher Education. He holds the organization’s top distinction of Accredited Learning Environment Planner (ALEP) and received a Regional Service Citation Award in 2010.
He enjoys working alongside his team in the studio, often with his dog Penny, who also spends quality time at the studio motivating the designers. And when he has free time, James loves to get out for re-energizing rides on his Triumph motorcycle.
James in the News
Certified B Corporation
We are thrilled to announce that Fielding International is now a certified B Corporation! Fielding International is the first school design company to receive B Corp certification, joining a global movement of companies committed to using business as a force for good. Together, we are a community of businesses using our collective power to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges, such as climate change, inequality, and—in our position—education. B Corp certification is a rigorous process that evaluates a company’s social and environmental impact, accountability, and transparency. By becoming a B Corp, we are committing to a higher standard of social and environmental performance, along with ethical practice. As a global design and education company, we believe our work should be more than just creating architecture. We have always been committed to creating nurturing places for learning where students thrive. Becoming a B Corp is a natural extension of this commitment. We will strive to improve our social and environmental practices by setting and achieving ambitious goals and implementing sustainable business practices across all aspects of our company. We will continue to engage our clients, employees, and partners to drive positive change in our communities and the world at large. The B Corp certification process has been a valuable learning experience for us. It has allowed us to identify areas where we can improve our social and environmental impact. We have gained insights into best practices and new ideas that we can implement in our business—making us better every day. We have always been transparent about our design process and practice by sharing our knowledge in articles, blog posts, books, and our online resource for school design patterns, SchoolPatterns.com. Becoming a B Corp reinforces our commitment to transparency and is essential to building trust with our clients and employees. Our B Impact Score is available publicly on our B Corp Profile Page. Going forward, we will publish our annual impact report, which will provide a detailed overview of our social and environmental performance and our efforts toward making the world a better place through school design. B Corp Impact Areas What does this certification mean for you? When partnering with Fielding International, you can be assured that you are working with a company that is dedicated to making a difference in the world. Together, we will set an example of how good business, meaningful relationships, and thoughtful school design can improve education around the world. Moving forward, we are committed to using our position as a B Corp to drive positive change in our industry and beyond. We will continue to innovate and push the boundaries of school design. We believe that business has the power to be a force for good, and we are excited to be part of a movement that is redefining success in business. By becoming a B Corp, we are making a public commitment to using our business as a platform for positive change, and we hope to inspire others to do the same.
Including Student Voice in School Design
Education Talk Radio Podcast / Equity & Access https://open.spotify.com/episode/28knD4drf64PCOuf3Qz2Mt?si=994226371d674ba3 Featuring Fielding International's Mike Posthumus, Education Design Principal, and James Seaman PhD, AIA, ALEP, Managing Partner on the Education Talk Radio Podcast with Larry Jacobs.
James' Featured Work
Cathedral Prep – The Salata Technology + Innovation Center
Erie, Pennsylvania, USA
South Clearfield Elementary
South Clearfield, Utah, USA
Bloomfield Hills High School
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA
YCIS Ronghua Early Learning Center
Shanghai, China
St. Martin de Porres High School
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
John C. Schiffer Collaborative School
Sheridan, Wyoming, USA
