Our Team

For over 35 years, Gilbert Architects has been a full-service architectural firm devoted exclusively to planning and designing educational facilities for clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

Our Team

“We care about giving students the chance to dream their dreams, to reach their highest goals. We are passionate about the fact that schools are for kids, and we are committed to their future.”
– Thomas W. Gilbert, AIA, REFP

Our architectural firm understands that great design benefits all and our team is committed to architecture that makes a difference. Community ownership and engagement in the process and outcome of design are the best measure of a project’s success. Together, our team has been responsible for over 260 major, and hundreds of minor, educational facility projects with a total value of over 3.2 billion dollars in construction cost.

Thomas W. Gilbert, AIA, REFP, NCARB

Education: Syracuse University School of Architecture, Bachelor of Architecture 1973

Tom understands that good design benefits all and his lifelong commitment to architecture has made a difference. For Tom, community ownership and engagement in the process and outcome of design are the best measure of a project’s success. He has been responsible for, and has provided oversight to, over 260 major and 400 minor educational facility projects with a total value of over 3.2 billion dollars in construction cost. These projects include everything from specialized educational planning to designing award-winning new facilities, renovations, and additions. Tom’s widespread knowledge of site conditions, energy-efficient mechanical systems, and state reimbursements is used as a resource for each project.

I am passionate about my wife, our sons, our dog Oscar, and all of our Gilbert Architects family. As a child, I was raised on the water, and developed a lifelong love of the Chesapeake Bay where currently we spend much of our time on our boat “Mahalo” getting together with our friends. I love fishing, gardening, and cooking with my wife, where I am the grill master and I love golf, especially watching my youngest son play competitively. I am also a huge “Jimmy Buffett” fan. I enjoy exploring the Caribbean Islands and getting in touch with my Norwegian seafaring ancestors.

Scott A. Adams

Education: Virginia Tech, Bachelor of Architecture, 1992

As Principal, Scott is dedicated to programming, planning, and designing of K–12 schools. He embraces an approach that considers the school’s academic needs and goals as well as how the space influences learning and affects the social and emotional growth of students. He works closely with clients to establish program, project schedule, and budget, and maintains oversight of the entire project team to provide quality assurance and client satisfaction. Scott is the firm’s expert in recognizing the benefits, accessing the need, and engaging the client in permanent off-site construction solutions.

Family provides the foundation that keeps me grounded when not working. A wife, daughter and son keep me busy and laughing with their activities and personalities. To relax, I enjoy reading, music and movies as well as projects around the house.

Rod Frey, Jr., AIA, NCARB

Education: Drexel University, Bachelor of Architecture, 2001

As Principal, Rod brings over 30 years of educational design experience to Gilbert Architects. His responsibilities include educational planning and feasibility studies, analysis of demographic studies and enrollment projections, and the development of educational specifications. He is intimately involved with the overall project design and oversees project managers and architects, construction administrators, consultants, and support staff to ensure client satisfaction from preliminary design through construction administration.

When I am not working I am spending time with my wife and son and other family members. I also enjoy exploring the various rails-to-trails bike trails, and trout and pier fishing.

Together our team:

  • Considers a school’s academic needs and goals, as well as how a space affects the social and emotional growth of students.
  • Works closely with educators, to fully understand an educational community’s programs and culture.
  • Conducts educational planning, including feasibility studies.
  • Administers an analysis of demographic studies and enrollment projections, and the development of educational specifications.
  • Creatively incorporates sustainable design elements.

Each lead architect is intimately involved with the overall project design working directly with the client to establish the program, schedule, and budget. This includes managing of project architects, managers, construction administrators, consultants, and support staff to ensure quality assurance and client satisfaction.