Sparkflight Studios

From Incubator to Industry Impact: Sparkflight Studios’ Henderson Chamber of Commerce Story In late 2016, Sparkflight Studios was taking an important step forward — opening a new office through the Henderson Chamber of Commerce incubator program, now known as  Launchpad . For founder Anne Johnson, it was both an exciting milestone and a moment filled with uncertainty. Like many small business leaders, she was building something meaningful while navigating the realities of growth, risk, and responsibility. The incubator experience provided more than just workspace. It offered mentorship, connections, and a supportive environment that helped Sparkflight Studios develop the foundation for how it would serve clients and engage with the community for years to come. That milestone was built on earlier momentum. In 2013, Sparkflight celebrated its first ribbon cutting with the Henderson Chamber — an early step in developing the relationships and community support that would later lead to ...

  Designing for Learning: Bodies, Brains, and Campuses How research-informed design can reshape education, equity, and community Introduction: From School Buildings to Learning Ecosystems Education is often discussed in terms of curriculum, pedagogy, and technology. But the environments where learning takes place—classrooms, corridors, courtyards, and campuses—quietly shape how students feel, focus, and engage every day. A clear throughline emerged across disciplines: learning is embodied, attention is fragile, and campuses are civic assets . When we design schools with this understanding, architecture becomes an active partner in education rather than a passive container. This post ties together three research-based lenses: Learning as a full-body experience Designing for attention through access to nature Schools as ecosys...

  Creativity connects us. Community grounds us.   click image to watch our year in review video As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to pause and reflect.  This year marked a meaningful chapter for Sparkflight Studios—from moving into our new office and completing a rebrand, to growing thoughtfully while investing in our people, systems, and community impact. We celebrated the Grand Opening of the  Family Navigation Center —recently honored with the  ULI Placemaking Award for Catalytic Place —and began construction on the  100-unit Janice Brooks Bay housing project . Work like this reminds us why purpose-driven design matters. None of it happens without an exceptional team—local, global, and contract collaborators—who continue to elevate how we work, communicate, and deliver better outcomes together. Looking ahead with gratitude, momentum, and excitement for what we’ll build next. Warmly, Sparkflight Studios

WYLEES Creates Learning Community from Former Call Center Sparkflight Studios was proud to join in celebrating the grand opening of  WYLEES  this fall. Anne Johnson attended on behalf of our team and was especially excited to see this milestone realized—having known  Mike Taack  since 2021 and watching his vision evolve from an early charter concept with Opportunity 180 to a fully established school now opening its doors. This project is a powerful example of what thoughtful  adaptive reuse  can achieve. Transforming an abandoned call center at the Boulevard Mall into a vibrant, student-focused learning environment demonstrates how existing buildings can be reimagined to serve the community in new ways while also reducing carbon footprint. Supporting innovative, mission-driven education projects like this is exactly the kind of work we value at Sparkflight Studios. Charter schools offer unique opportunities to design flexible, student-centered spaces that r...

Family Navigation Center Wins ULI Nevada Catalytic Place Award We’re proud to share that the Family Navigation Center has been honored with the 2025 ULI Nevada Placemaking Award for Excellence in the Catalytic Place category. This recognition celebrates projects that spark meaningful community transformation — and this center is doing exactly that. The award was accepted by Marisa Cervantes, Executive Director of Family Promise of Las Vegas, as she thanked everyone on the team for their dedication to this project.  As the first facility of its kind in Southern Nevada, the Family Navigation Center fills a critical gap for families experiencing homelessness. Designed with dignity, healing, and stability at the forefront, it brings together transitional housing, supportive services, job readiness resources, and community partnerships under one roof. From early concept through completion, this project was shaped by collaboration and trust. Sparkflight Studios stood alongside Family Pro...

An Afternoon of Inspiration... There’s something special about opening your doors and inviting people into the place where ideas take shape. Sparkflight Studios was pleased to welcome colleagues, clients, partners, and friends to our Open Studio on November 7 in Henderson. The event offered an opportunity to share our refreshed workspace, highlight ongoing creative initiatives, and connect with our community in a relaxed, engaging setting. Guests were invited to explore the studio, including our maker area where the team demonstrated our 3D printer and produced custom coasters as take-home pieces. Light bites and refreshments were available throughout the evening, providing a comfortable backdrop for conversation and networking. A favorite feature of the event was the glass whiteboard wall in the warehouse studio, where visitors added messages and observations about the space. These notes reflected the collaborative spirit we strive to cultivate as we design environments that support l...