As President and Director of Design of HBM Architects, Peter Bolek is the heart of the firm’s collaborative working model and takes an active role in both strategic and detailed design solutions for the firm’s clients. His passion lies in the belief that in addition to solving the complex and pragmatic needs of a client’s program, design has the transformative power to enhance our everyday life experiences.
Peter joined HBM in 2000 and quickly developed a successful partnership with founding principal, David Holzheimer, securing projects outside of Ohio and transitioning the firm into a national practice. At the time, the focus of the firm was in public library and municipal projects.
In addition to creating multi-faceted design solutions spanning styles from historic to contemporary, Peter endeavors to adapt each project appropriately to its community, function, and site. Using design charrettes, he works through a collaborative process with the firm’s clients resulting in completed projects that fit perfectly within their communities.
Bachelor of Architecture - Kent State University
Bachelor of Science in Architecture - The Ohio State University
Registered Architect
Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION
American Institute of Architects
American Library Association - Library Leadership and Management Association, Vice Chair
Medical Library Association
Society for College & University Planning
Association of College & Research Libraries
Urban Libraries Council
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
International Code Council
Village of Moreland Hills Planning Commission
RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
10 /2024 Library Journal Design Institute - Cincinnati, OH:
Resilient Libraries / Resilient Communities
What is meant when one talks about a resilient library? Does “resiliency” replace “flexible” as a catch-all word?
10 / 2021 American Library Association Core Forum Conference - Baltimore, MD:
Considerations when renovating an historic library building
06 / 2021 American Library Association Annual Conference:
Peter Bolek hosts the 2020-2021 ALA / AIA Awards Ceremony
6/2021 AIA Cleveland - Virtual Event:
Design Awards Series: Literature & Architecture
05 / 2021 Library Journal & School Library Journal Professional Event:
“Designing for a Flexible Future”
11 / 2020 Library Journal Design Institute - Virtual Event:
Building Community Beyond COVID and Future Forward / Things We’ve Learned During the Pandemic that will Inform Library Design Over the Next 5-10 Years
6/2020 American Library Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL:
More than just an Award Certificate - Learn what recent award winning libraries are doing for their communities
9/2018 Library Journal Design Institute - Cherry Hill, NJ:
Changing Spaces in today’s library
06/2018 American Library Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA:
Transforming Spaces: Promoting Inclusion In and Through Library Interiors
10/2016 Library Journal Design Institute - Charleston, SC:
Inside the Box: Interior Spaces in Libraries Before It’s Real: Pre Pre-Design
4/2016 Public Library Association Conference - Denver, CO:
Creating Alternative Library Facilities
4/2016 AAHSL Symposium - Philadelphia, PA:
Teaching & Learning in New Library Spaces