Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

California Private School Debuts Renovated Library

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/04/23

Santa Catalina School, a private school in Monterey, Calif., recently debuted the complete interior renovation of the campus’ Sister Mary Kieran Library, according to a news release. Santa Catalina is an all-girls private school for day students and boarding students in grades 9–12 and a co-ed learning environment for students in grades PreK–8. The school partnered with Anderson Brulé Architects for the project’s design and Avila Construction as the design-build contractor.

“The much-anticipated completion of our beloved library was a collaborative effort involving our project partners and our greater Santa Catalina community,” said Dr. Barbara Ostos, Head of School. “The guidance and planning of our project team were paramount in the project’s successful delivery as we worked to completely transform our library’s physical spaces and functions. Our new library gives our students inspiring new places to collaborate, discover, engage, and relax.”

The 14,000-square-foot, two-story space was originally built in the late 1960s and was upgraded to become a contemporary learning space. Features include a second-floor mezzanine, reading nooks, social spaces, collaboration areas, personal rest space, and new technology like interactive wall displays and teleconferencing equipment, the news release reports. The library also partnered with the school’s health & wellness program to add a kitchen, wellness coaching rooms, and multi-purpose space.

“The school is very close to my heart, and it was an honor to work alongside the talented ABA/Avila team in support of its continued success,” said ABA co-founder and Santa Catalina School alumna Pamela Anderson-Brulé, FAIA. “This transformed library is the outcome of close collaboration, hard work, and a shared commitment to the school’s educational vision.”

Sustainability features include high-performing window systems; improved building envelope insulation; an efficient MEP infrastructure; improved accessibility; and improved fire, life, and seismic safety systems.

“Our design-build team’s investment throughout the planning process was key to designing in step with the larger Santa Catalina community’s programmatic and experiential goals for the renovation,” said project architect Jason Hull, AIA. “Pam’s connection to the school was a strong asset in working with faculty, students, and other members of the school community to define the project’s goals and vision.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.