By Aaron Jobson��

During the post-World War II population��boom,��school construction accelerated across the country��as��school systems swelled with new students. As many of these��1950s- and 60s-era��campuses��are now 60��to75 years��old,��they present school��districts��with��several��challenges.����

Many��aging��school��facilities��are in need of��repair,��failing to��meet current building code and safety��standards,��and��requiring��significant investment.��Coinciding with this need,��the modern��approach to educational and community programs,��and��the��understanding of the impact of learning environment quality on educational outcomes��has changed��dramatically.��Older buildings may not provide the flexibility needed for next-generation learning,��or the daylight, ventilation,��and other features that support learning and��wellbeing.��This leaves many��districts��with��the complicated challenge of��deciding whether to modernize or replace existing campus buildings,��all while continuing to��operate��an active school.����

For each school��facing these��challenges,��it is best to��start with a master-planning level analysis of modernization and replacement options. For each��option��it is important to consider a variety of parameters,��including:��

• Existing building conditions,��including needs for��code and��structural upgrades��
• Construction��budget��
• Schedule��and��phasing��
• Campus��operations��and��safety��during construction��
• Learning��environment��quality����
• Community impact��

Taking this holistic view ensures that the available funding is used to provide maximum benefit to education.������

Looking at the��Long Term:��Los Altos High School��

In some cases, the best course of action is a combination of modernization and building replacement projects phased over��several��years. At Los Altos High School��in��California’s��Silicon Valley,��a carefully planned sequence of projects over a��10-year��period��reimagined a legacy mid-century campus into a flexible, student-centered learning environment that supports academic innovation, student wellness, career technical education��(CTE),��athletics��and community engagement.����

Guided by a comprehensive campus-planning strategy with multi-layered community engagement,��the��master plan strengthened the relationships between academic buildings, student-centered outdoor��spaces��and shared community resources.��Several��existing buildings that could continue to support the��school’s academic��programs��were renovated to update worn-out finishes and systems��—��and some��more extensively��to address code compliance��issues��and reconfigure learning environments to provide more flexible and modern spaces.��New facilities include a classroom building, CTE building, student services��center��and auxiliary gym.��Prioritizing flexibility and connections to the outdoors, these spaces expand��opportunities��for learning and support student health and wellness.��

The project was designed to achieve��a high level��of sustainability with major projects achieving LEED certification.��All-electric HVAC systems and an extensive solar array combine��to significantly lower the environmental footprint of the campus.��Careful project planning was��required��to��allow construction to continue in phases��while continuing operations of the school��with as little disruption as possible.��Together, these projects have��significantly transformed the campus into a high-performing, future-ready learning environment that directly supports student achievement,��wellness��and long-term��educational��goals.��

A Fresh Start:��Lake Elementary School��

There are also many��cases��where��it makes��the��most sense��to��completely��start��over. At��Lake Elementary School in San Pablo,��Ca.,��the buildings��were old and undersized and no longer supported the school’s educational programs or the needs of the surrounding community.��These challenges,��and the��cost of upgrading the existing��facilities,��resulted in��a plan for a two-phase replacement of the existing campus on the same site.������

The new elementary school��now��serves��470 students in��grades��transitional kindergarten (TK) through��grade six. A welcoming front entrance provides administrative services and library space that can also accommodate community events after school hours.��New��classrooms for��the first through third��grades��are housed within a��learning��suite; a concept��in which��each classroom opens to a large, shared��flexible space��to support a variety of teaching and learning approaches. A separate, similar��learning��suite��supports��students in grades��four through six.��Further, a��distinct��early-childhood education cluster provides dedicated learning environments��and outdoor gathering and play areas��for the��campus’��youngest students.��The multi-purpose building,��located��in the heart of the campus, provides food service, indoor��and��outdoor dining, and performance and gathering space.����

Lake��Elementary School’s��new campus was designed with significant input from the staff and community and features bright colors and��a strong sense��of identity to engage with the��community and foster pride.����

Constructing the new campus while continuing to welcome students every day��required��careful planning and collaboration. The first phase of construction built the new administration,��library��and classrooms on the existing��fields,��leaving most of the existing buildings operational.��Following this completion,��the��project��team removed the remaining original buildings and constructed the new multi-purpose��room, early childhood classrooms,��playgrounds��and��athletic��fields in their place.��The end result��is a completely new campus that will serve the community many years into the future.������

Read more in the Design & Construction Issue of 91ԭƬ, available now.

Aaron Jobson is president and CEO of Quattrocchi Kwok Architects in Santa Rosa and Oakland, Ca., and Castle Rock,��Colo.��He��is a member of the 91ԭƬ Editorial Advisory Board��and��can be reached at��aaronj@qka.com.��

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SAN PABLO, Calif.—Designer Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) has commenced its work for the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) on a complete campus replacement of Lake Elementary School, whose buildings were considered not suitable for modern educational purposes. The new campus will eventually host 500 students from kindergarten through 6th grade.

As designed by QKA, the reimagined school will offer visitors a pleasing main entrance, immediately beyond which will be the library and housing administrative services. The interior design allows for flexible spaces for 4th through 6th grades that can be adapted for larger gatherings and shared learning spaces.

At the campus center, the school will have a cafeteria, performance space, multipurpose areas, as well as dining options that can be enjoyed inside or al fresco in California sunshine. A main thoroughfare will allow students to briskly move from one area of the school to another.

It was important to the WCCUSD that the new school be as sustainable as possible, so recycled building materials were incorporated throughout. The school also features a “cool roof” as well as LED lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures and energy-efficient mechanical elements. On the exterior, the design called for synthetic turf to mitigate the need for irrigation, and enough shade over the playgrounds and exterior dining areas ensures that extra water isn’t wasted unnecessarily.

Alten Construction Inc. is working with QKA to realize the redesigned campus. John Dybczak, QKA principal and CFO, said that his firm was cognizant of recognizing that the needs of Lake Elementary’s future extended well beyond the classroom.

“Our trusted design-build partnership with Alten Construction was invaluable as we navigated the serious challenges associated with demolishing and rebuilding a school campus while prioritizing safety and uninterrupted learning throughout the process,” he said.

In a subsequent statement to 91ԭƬ, Dybczak said that QKA and Alten worked hand-in-glove with district personnel to ensure the redesigned school’s current and future needs are met.

“From there, the design-build team collaborated with the facilities department to seek solutions for the project’s most significant challenge: demolishing and rebuilding a school while classes remain in session,” he said. “Together, we were able to develop a phased approach to construction that accommodates classroom needs and maintains student safety. The end result will be a completely redesigned campus home to flexible learning suites that allow classrooms to adapt easily to a variety of curricular needs.”

Bob Alten, president & CEO of Alten Construction Inc., said that the groundbreaking itself has shown how the project will meet its timeline. “Our team has worked hard to mitigate the cost escalation challenges that the construction industry has endured over the past several years to ensure the success of the project and save the taxpayers money,” he said.

The new school is projected to be completed in the summer of 2025.

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