A Foundation Fueled by Curiosity.
In 1976, Russell Stecker and David LaBau merged their firms at a time when economic conditions made growth uncertain, but opportunity still possible. Joined by Bruce Arneill and Jim McManus, they built a practice grounded in partnership, shared leadership, and a belief that collaboration would create stronger outcomes.
Big Ambitions National Impact.
Our growth has never been about size alone; it’s been about intention. SLAM’s expansion strengthened our reach, deepened our capabilities, and positioned the firm to tackle increasingly complex projects.
The firm was built on the belief that the best work comes from long-term partnerships. We wanted to work with long-term clients who respected our expertise. Our goal was to create impactful projects that defined communities by working with talented staff, consultants, and contractors to provide quality design and strong service.
Growth that Goes Further.
SLAM’s early growth was fueled by a stronger focus on the education and healthcare sectors, requiring technical expertise and lasting client relationships. Healthcare became the firm’s first area of expansion beyond New England, with work in Michigan and North Carolina marking a shift in both geographic reach and project complexity.
At the same time, the firm gained momentum in higher education, taking on larger and more complex projects at institutions such as the University of Connecticut and, later, the University of Notre Dame. These opportunities helped position SLAM to compete at a national level.
The Lakes Regional Hospital (Laconia, NH) designed by Bruce Porter Arneill in 1971 with additional renovations completed by SLAM in 1978
Kaiser Permanente’s Medical Office Building (Murrieta, CA) completed by SLAM in 2017
University of Notre Dame, Eck Center completed in 1999
University of Notre Dame, Campus Crossroads project completed in 2017
We were building an impactful national firm. Growth required risk, but architecture remained central. The focus was always on doing meaningful, notable work with exceptional people. That’s what earns better projects and sustains progress.
Growing Beyond Our Origins.
As SLAM’s work extended beyond New England, new offices in Atlanta, Boston, and later Los Angeles established a local presence in key markets and strengthened client partnerships. Today, with nine offices, SLAM operates as one unified team – guided by a “One SLAM” philosophy where our clients’ mission informs every design decision.
More Services. One Integrated Approach.
As client needs became more complex, SLAM expanded its services to deliver a more unified approach. The addition of structural engineering, landscape architecture, interior design, and programming/planning strengthened the firm’s ability to bring multiple disciplines together from the start.
In 1996, SLAM formalized an architect-led, design-build approach that integrated design, cost, and construction under one team, creating what is known today as SLAM Construction Services. The shift was driven by a simple belief: better outcomes come from shared responsibility. By taking ownership of both design and delivery, SLAM could meet budgets more reliably, streamline decision-making, and strengthen long-term client partnerships.
SLAM developed a comprehensive Master Plan for Sacred Heart University in 2014 and continues to advance that work through an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach across a range of campus projects, from the new Center for Healthcare Education to a recreation center to the completion of Pioneer Village in 2024.
Early work at Emory University included the renovation of the historic Candler Library in 2003. Since then, SLAM’s expertise has helped reshape the health sciences campus through projects such as the School of Medicine’s Medical Education Building, as well as work for the School of Public Health including the Claudia Nance Rollins building, the Grace Crum Rollins renovation, and more recently, the R. Randall Rollins Building, completed in 2022.
SLAM’s Campus Transformation Plan at Providence College, completed in 2015, continued a long-standing partnership that has led to numerous additional integrated service projects across campus, like the Ruane Center for the Humanities, the Science Complex, and most recently The School of Nursing and Health Sciences, completed in 2025.
SLAM provided architectural design and construction administration services for Dunkin’ Donuts Park in 2017, also serving as Engineer of Record for the structural design.
Following the completion of Kent School’s 1987 consolidation master plan, which united boys and girls on their historic valley campus, SLAM led implementation efforts including new dining halls, dormitories, and classroom buildings. SLAM’s first architect-led design-build project followed in 1996, beginning a 30-year relationship that has resulted in transformational campus projects, including Hoerle Hall.
Recent and ongoing work for L’Oréal Groupe includes the North America Research and Innovation Center. Targeting LEED Platinum, the project has earned multiple awards recognizing excellence in sustainable design and research.
Design of the state-of-the-art, LEED Gold-certified Weeks Hall of Engineering at Rutgers University led to additional multi-disciplinary work, including the Student Project’s Studio in 2022, the University’s first Net-Zero project.
A Legacy Carried Forward
Today, we stand as a coast-to-coast, multi-disciplinary design firm in our fourth generation of leadership. SLAM remains defined by the same principle that shaped its founding: strong relationships drive meaningful work. As the industry evolves, we continue to invest in emerging technologies, digital tools, and new ways of working that enhance collaboration and improve project outcomes.
Data and AI are both a paradigm shift and a tool. They will make our work more efficient and free us to focus on the parts of design that truly inspire. The opportunity lies in how we redefine our profession through these technologies, deliver greater value to clients, solve new kinds of problems, and create services that may not yet exist.
From a small practice to a national presence across higher education, k-12 education, healthcare, sports, justice, and corporate, the firm’s growth has been sustained not by scale alone, but by long-term partnerships, expertise, and a culture that continues to evolve. SLAM’s future will be defined not just by what we design and build, but by how we work together.
Fifty years ago, a small group of bold thinkers set out to create something different. They didn’t just want to design buildings, they wanted to design impact. Today, what makes SLAM exceptional is not just what we design, but how we work, wholly integrated, completely collaborative, and relentlessly curious.
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