Home to some of St. Louis’s brightest young minds, the Idea Center on the campus of Lindbergh High School transforms a static, decades-old library into dynamic learning spaces where design facilitates community, and every space encourages exploration, collaboration, and hands-on learning.
Contrary to popular belief, most preservation work is future-oriented. Existing buildings are surprisingly resilient, allowing architects to preserve their unique features while adding modifications as needed to fit current safety, accessibility, and inclusivity needs. Balancing form and function can be a delicate operation in historic structures, but we have found inspiration in the culture and missions of the institutions we have worked with.
Matern Professional Engineering recently announced that work is almost complete on the redevelopment of an elementary school in Fort Myers, Fla., according to a news release. Every building except one on the campus of Franklin Park Elementary School was demolished and replaced with modern facilities.
Audiovisual solutions company PureTek Group recently partnered with Plainfield Public Schools in Plainfield, N.J., to create three new educational spaces for the district, according to a news release. The project involves upgrading the existing Plainfield High School auditorium into a performing arts center, a mini-theater into a blackbox theater, and two adjacent unused classrooms into an Esports Arena.
The Villages in Central Florida, one of the largest retirement communities in the nation, recently announced the expansion of The Villages Charter School to include new facilities for its high school, K–8 school, and Early Learning Center, according to a news release. The schools serve children of residents who work at various businesses within the community.
Edwin Forrest Elementary School in Philadelphia, Pa., recently celebrated the completion of a $22-million renovation project, according to a news release. The School District of Philadelphia partnered with DIGroup Architecture (DIG) for the project’s design. Work on the almost century-old campus included significant interior renovations, repairs to the exterior building envelope, and restoration.
Brentwood County High School in Brentwood, Essex, United Kingdom, recently completed a four-year project to approve student accessibility and retention, according to a news release. Additions to the school include two new specialist teaching blocks, a renovated sports hall, new landscaping, and a multi-use play area.
Integrated construction management firm Kraus-Anderson recently announced the completion of a $21-million renovation project to the middle and high school in Ladysmith, Wis., according to a news release.
Wesleyan University recently announced the start of construction on a new Integrative Arts Lab for its campus in Middletown, Conn., according to a news release. The university is partnering with Bruner/Cott Architects on the transformation of a vacant factory building into an 18,700-square-foot space that will serve as the “nexus of the arts” on campus.
Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Hogg Memorial Auditorium at the University of Texas at Austin has been recognized with an EDS 2024 Grand Prize award in the category of Renovation.
Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Michigan State University has been recognized with an EDS 2024 Project of Distinction award in the category of Renovation.
Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Proviso West High School Advanced Manufacturing Lab has been recognized with an EDS 2024 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.
Construction management firm Kraus-Anderson recently announced the launch of a $29.5-million renovation project for Jordan Public Schools in Jordan, Minn., according to a news release. The district also partnered with ISG for the project’s design, which will cover a combined 96,435 square feet across two locations.
The Wheeler School, an independent college preparatory school in Seekonk, Mass., recently announced a series of capital projects in development that are set to begin construction this spring. MassDevelopment & Berkshire Bank issued an $11-million bond that will go toward an eight-lane pool; an outdoor splash pad; a restroom, dressing room, and storage building; and a new two-story early learning center, according to a news release.
Roanoke College in Salem, Va., recently broke ground on the first phase of a new Science Center, according to a college news release. The three-phase project will transform three buildings on campus into a new STEM hub for academics and research. The first phase of construction entails the demolition of a 1970s-era auditorium building to make room for a $30-million academic building.
Fruitland Park Elementary School in Fruitland Park, Fla., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a $5-million facilities upgrade project, according to a news release. The district partnered with D&A Construction Group, designer Schenkel & Shultz, civil engineer Klima Weeks, and Matern Professional Engineering to upgrade the school with modern technology and improved efficiencies.
Reuse of existing buildings is nothing new in Massachusetts, where three-hundred-year-old structures aren’t out of the ordinary. The renovation of older buildings to serve fresh purposes can pose a range of opportunities and challenges. Massachusetts-based construction firm Colantonio recently renovated a century-old building in Quincy, Mass., to serve as a children's special education facility.
The Colburn School in Los Angeles, Calif., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a 100,000-square-foot expansion designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry, according to a news release. The Colburn School is a music and dance education and performance institute that offers services to people of all ages, from 7-month-olds to adults.
Spaces4Learning recently launched its 2024 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey, an annual report on the previous year’s construction projects at K–12 and higher education institutions nationwide. The data gathered is essential to creating an accurate industry report that offers a snapshot of current trends in school facilities with minimal time commitment.
Construction and development firm Skanska USA recently announced that it has completed two projects for Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa, Fla., according to a news release. The projects include a $47-million campus conversion at Collins PK–8 School and a $12-million upgrade to the athletic complex at Chamberlain High School.
The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently launched a renovation project to restore the historic Scovell Hall, originally built in 1903. The comprehensive rebuild has an estimated completion date of 2026 and will preserve the structure’s north and west entrances. The new facility will cover about 92,000 square feet and play home to administrative services for the university’s Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE), according to a news release.
Data-driven solutions provider Gordian recently released its latest State of Facilities in Higher Education report, which revealed that higher-education institutions ramped up their reinvestment in facilities by more than 26% year-over-year during 2023, according to a news release.
Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn., held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 11 to celebrate the opening of a new EdTech Studio on its campus. The space within the Eriksson College of Education will offer technological training for pre-service teachers through the use of virtual reality.
The Fremont Unified School District in Fremont, California, recently finished a multi-phase conversion to Thornton Middle School that will increase the school’s student population by almost 50 percent with the addition of sixth-grade students, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and Blach Construction for the project that totaled 45,000 square feet of new construction and 57,000 square feet of renovation and modernization.
Oak Park Elementary School in San Diego, Calif., recently celebrated the halfway point of construction on a new music building for its campus, according to a news release. District leaders and students gathered on March 7 to watch the school’s music students—the Tempo Tigers—perform in front of the new facility.
Kearny High School in San Diego, Calif., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the construction of a new classroom building and a slew of campus upgrades, according to a news release. The latest in an ongoing series of bond-funded upgrades includes a new, two-story classroom and student services facility; renovations of nine classrooms, the dining area, and the softball field; and the creation of outdoor learning spaces.
The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., recently announced a 15-month renovation project for its HPER (Health, Physical Education, and Recreation) Building on campus, according to a university news release. The renovations will feature infrastructure and architectural updates, as well as an additional 13,000 square feet of fitness center space.
Congress appropriated an extremely large amount of funding for school projects, and the final round allocations totaled $122 billion. That’s a huge amount – about $380 per person in the U.S. This revenue came through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program and was delivered with a mandated deadline: It must be obligated by Sept. 30, 2024.
New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y., recently opened the doors of its newly renovated Basic Sciences Building (BSB), according to a news release. The college partnered with DIGroup Architecture’s Healthcare Studio team for the project, which cost $6.2 million and covers an estimated 18,755 square feet.
T&T Construction Management Group, Inc., recently began construction on a replacement facility for Jean Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Fla., according to a news release. The original facility was built in 1957.