Converting Outdated Office Buildings into Dynamic K-12 Schools

By Maureen Wiechert , Associate Principal, Cooper Carry

Dense urban areas are more prone to turn to adaptive reuse as a way of working in the traditional confines of a city. There are benefits to this mode of architecture, including shortening or expediting the construction process and lowering costs. The large square footage of office buildings make them an ideal choice for school transformation; however, the functional space needs of a school are quite different from those of a corporate campus. At Cooper Carry, we have learned to leverage outdated office spaces and turn them into dynamic learning environments. ?

At Bailey’s Upper Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences in Falls Church, VA, Cooper Carry helped alleviate some of the overcrowding of the 1,400 students by ?converting an existing five-story office building into a new school. As the first mid-rise elementary school in Fairfax County, the vertical design groups classrooms into two-story learning communities that open onto common learning areas and an interconnecting stair. The walls are painted with a special coating that allows the entire surface to function as a dry erase board, so students can sit on the learning stairs and engage in formal and informal teaching interactions. Other unique offerings include a hybrid library/black box theatre that spans two floors, a series of exercise and movement rooms, a science lab, and TV and video production rooms. The new building, home to more than 700 Bailey’s students, sets the standards for what is possible in a vertical school.

We also think of perspective when examining a challenge present at all schools – getting to class on time. Overcrowded walkways can not only cause accidents to happen, but also unnecessarily elevate student anxiety. To preserve some calm for students and (and keep teachers from dealing with stragglers to class), administrators and designers need to ensure easy-to-access routes to class. For office towers, this means creating a specialized floor access system, which is exactly what Cooper Carry did when redesigning the former 11-story tower on IBM’s corporate campus to create North Atlanta High School, home to more than 2,000 students. We installed state-of-the-art elevators for staff and those with disabilities to have access to every floor, while other students are only granted elevator access to the top floor of each “academy” or small learning community. Wellness is enhanced -?students are encouraged to use the stairs in their own community, minimizing the number of elevator stops and decreasing the time to get to class.?

Wellness is also enhanced by access to light, as studies increasingly show the positive effects of nature on learning, including reducing childhood obesity.

When Immanuel Christian School in Springfield, VA expanded their high school program, they required additional space outside of their existing campus. The result was to turn an existing five-story office building into a high school, and the incorporation of light was a major component of the design. The top four floors were previously used as dark office space above an open garage. With the replacement of interior finishes and strategic locations for interior windows, we were able to draw light inside the building and create bright, vibrant spaces for learning.

Cafeterias are the last major space for innovative design in converted office buildings. Instead of big box-scale spaces with long rows of utilitarian tables, we are designing more intimate spaces with smaller tables and tiered, stair-like seating where students can socialize and comfortably dine.?Another solution to the dining dilemma is to utilize the micro community approach and distribute food to the students in each community, where they would then eat. This requires the addition of a kitchen to the facility, though not a full cafeteria. In schools where students bring in their lunch, like Immanuel, we have created central areas with microwaves where students and teachers can heat the food. ?

There are a so many opportunities to adapt outdated offices into innovative education spaces; spaces that facilitate learning and wellbeing. Let Cooper Carry be your partner in this process. Learn more about Cooper Carry's K-12 Studio.