By Hadley Keller

As Jay Brotman sees it, a school is much more than just a place kids go to learn reading and math. "School touches everybody," the architect tells House Beautiful. "There are very few parts of our society that touch everybody in that way." And it's that element that Brotman seeks to emphasize in the school projects he works on—and there have been many. A managing Partner at New Haven-based Svigals + Partners, the architect has been designing schools for some 25 years. His firm's most famous project is undoubtedly the $50 million redesign of Sandy Hook Elementary school, which was the site of the horrific shooting in 2012. Brotman has testified before the Federal Commission on School Safety about school design and is considered an expert in the field. Last month, Brotman spoke on a panel at the U.S. Conference of Mayors about creating learning environments that are safe—but not focused solely on safety. Ahead of the event, House Beautiful talked to Brotman about just how design can make for better schools—and better work, live, and play environments for all people. Here's what he had to say.

Read the full article here in House Beautiful.