Building spaces that hold identity, memory, and meaning.
Simonetti Studio helps cultural organizations clarify vision, align stakeholders, manage risk, and guide complex capital projects from idea to reality.
Simonetti Studio bridges the space between architectural vision and institutional execution.
With experience across design practice and owner-side capital project leadership, I help cultural organizations clarify scope, align stakeholders, manage risk, and move complex projects from idea to reality.
I bring a unique combination of design fluency, institutional empathy, and project delivery expertise — always advocating for the owner’s mission, resources, and long-term stewardship.
SERVICES
What We Do
Capital Project Strategy
Helping organizations clarify project goals, priorities, scope, risks, and next steps before design and construction begin, so the project starts from a stronger foundation.
Owner’s Representation
Serving as a trusted advocate throughout planning, design, and construction to keep projects aligned with your mission, budget, and schedule.
Project Management & Construction Oversight
Coordinating consultants, contractors, and stakeholders to deliver complex capital projects with clarity, accountability, and confidence.
Cultural Facility Planning
Guiding museums, nonprofits, and civic institutions in creating spaces that support their mission, strengthen communities, and endure for generations.
About Melissa Simonetti
With nearly 20 years of experience across architecture, construction, and institutional operations, I specialize in leading complex, mission-driven projects from concept through completion. Before transitioning into leadership roles within cultural institutions, I spent 15 years designing campus, civic, and urban projects at nationally recognized and local architecture firms. Today, I draw on that background to bridge architecture, storytelling, and operations in service of cultural memory, learning, and place.
WHO WE SERVE
We work with organizations that foster discovery, identity and innovation—museums, cultural institutions, historical societies, science centers, libraries, archives, educational organizations, civic institutions, preservation groups, foundations, and mission-driven nonprofits.
PROJECTS
Selected Experience
Historic Music Hall Renovation
A major renovation of a 100 year old historic performance and civic gathering space within a complex cultural campus. This project required careful, detailed coordination across design teams, contractors, institutional leadership, operations, preservation considerations, public use, schedule, budget, and long-term stewardship.
CULTURAL INSTITUTION • COMPLETED 2024
Interactive Science Experience
SCIENCE EDUCATION INSTITUTION • COMPLETED 2026
A public-facing capital project integrating exhibition experience, infrastructure coordination, construction logistics, operations, and institutional goals within an active science and cultural environment. The project required close alignment between creative ambition and practical delivery.
We partner with organizations that steward places of memory, learning and public life.
Let’s Get to Work.
Considering a renovation, expansion, or capital project? Simonetti Studio can help you define the right path forward—from early questions through next steps.
Reach out to start a conversation.