Our Story

The Conway School Co-Directors, from left to right: Ken Byrne (Academic Director), Priscilla Novitt (Administrative Director), and Bruce Stedman (Executive Director)

In 1972, Walter Cudnohufsky founded a new graduate program that would turn design education on its head. While teaching landscape architecture at a large university, he found the traditional program too compartmentalized, inflexible, and theoretical. His master’s thesis at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (1965) had focused on progressive education theory, and he wanted to put those ideas into practice.

He decided to try a new way of doing things: a planning and design program grounded in hands-on learning not unlike a professional design office. He thought it should be student-based, not institutionally organized, with an emphasis on teamwork. Real projects would provide experience at a range of scales, which would help graduates determine where to focus their careers.

A PERSONAL LOAN LAUNCHES THE SCHOOL Although he didn’t at first envision the school in a rural setting, Walt found it most affordable to begin at his home in Conway, Massachusetts. He secured an $8,000 personal loan, which paid for renovations and the school’s operations in its first year. Construction took place over the summer of 1972, in anticipation of the first class—seven men and two women, mostly from Massachusetts.

Classes, including studio, were held every day. The routine could be interrupted by an impromptu stone wall building demonstration or another invitation to “learn by doing.” The school emphasized the importance of communication. Walt believed that designers should be able to explain their ideas fluidly in both the written and spoken word. From the beginning, chores were shared and potlucks and team-building games created a familial atmosphere. SECOND DIRECTOR ARRIVES AS STUDENT Donald Walker already had two degrees in landscape architecture and much experience in teaching and practice when he heard about Conway. He, too, was disillusioned with his teaching experience and the persistent pressure to conduct research. With no teaching position then available at the school, Don enrolled as a student and began contributing his knowledge right away. After graduating from Conway in 1978, he joined the faculty. With Don came a stronger focus on ecologically sound design, including thorough site analysis, native plantings, and designs grounded in natural systems.

The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (now the New England Commission for Higher Education) granted full accreditation effective 1989. In 1992, Walt left the school to pursue professional practice. Today he regards the Conway School as his greatest legacy. Upon Walt’s departure, Don became director, a position he held until his retirement in 2005. In 2004, Don and staff oversaw the move from the school’s 30-year home to a 34.5-acre hilltop with a larger indoor facility and a beautiful outdoor classroom.

21ST CENTURY: CONTINUED EVOLUTION Conway’s third director was landscape architect and conservation planner Paul Cawood Hellmund. Dedicated to the school’s unique teaching approach and sustainable design, Paul expanded Conway’s commitment to urban and international communities. From 2015 to 2018, Conway leased space in a former mill in Easthampton, opening up a second campus closer to amenities. After ten years at the helm, Paul returned to his practice.

In 2017, the school adopted a cooperative leadership model. Today, the three co-directors are Executive Director Bruce Stedman, Academic Director Ken Byrne, and Administrative Director Priscilla Novitt. In 2018, Conway purchased its new, permanent home in Northampton, MA, in an effort to better support student needs. Conway had hoped to find a place with the conveniences of an urban space “out the front door” and natural spaces to study and explore “out the back door.” The school found that elusive mix in its new home: the historic Coach House in Village Hill is about a mile from downtown Northampton, and surrounded by conserved woodlands, farmland, and a 7-acre community garden.