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Design PrinciPle 7: Think renovaTion anD aDaPTive reuse of exisTing BuilDings

Charter School Patterns of Innovation A Building Better Communities Project

3.7.140CREATIVE RE-USE OF EXISTING SPACES

Pattern 7.0: Creative Re-use of Existing Spaces

Problem:Currently, KIPP Leadership Academy in Gary, Indiana is in search for a new facility to call home. The administration, who is searching for this new facility, is aware of numerous abandoned buildings/schools in the area that haven’t been used for years. They are currently trying to obtain some of these buildings from the City of Gary. Many charter schools are not aware of the potential to adapt and reuse abandoned buildings. In other cases, local governments are not cooperating with charter schools as they try and obtain these underutilized structures.

Charter schools often look for underutilized, existing school buildings to renovate for their purposes. Even as we are looking at a new paradigm of education, schools can still work with a basic building arranged around classrooms. Sometimes, just re-labeling the classroom and arranging it so that the lecture format is no longer the primary or only form of instruction within the confines of this room can work well. Recently, adaptive reuse has involved the conversion of everything from churches

to big box retail stores into schools. This phenomenon reflects a changing understanding of what educational facilities should and could be, as well as openness to experimenting with the architectural form of schools. When adapting a building with another original use, think outside of the box, and challenge the preeminence of the classroom as a school’s basic “building block.”

Solution:Because there is no funding for facilities, charter schools’ options are often to utilize existing vacant facilities or to lease a portion of an existing building. Both approaches reduce overall impact on the environment by minimizing construction waste and bringing life to an underutilized building. Setting a charter school within an existing community can also encourage the growth of the surrounding area and provide a stronger sense of community and a life-long, multi-generational learning environment. Charter schools can creatively convert underutilized community and industrial buildings often in historical neighborhoods. The re‐use of existing spaces is the most sustainable option as they provide great alternatives to new construction and are an environmentally responsible choice because they take advantage of existing infrastructure.

Best PracticesThe Project School Indianapolis• The Project School is located in a recently

renovated manufacturing facility (The National Automobile Vehicle Company, originally built in 1904). The school has renovated 13,500 square feet to date of this existing structure, using only a small portion of the larger factory.

Bronx School for the Arts• The Bronx School for the Arts is an

innovative example of creating an effective learning environment for the elementary school in the former meat packing building. By reconstructing the roof system and adding six sawtooth skylight through the width of the building, ample daylight was brought into the learning spaces. The colorful tile facade transforms the non-descript original building into an eye catching school appropriate for arts infused curriculum.

The Project School Bloomington• The Bloomington Project School is a teacher-

designed public charter school located in downtown Bloomington, Indiana, just blocks

Figure 3.7.0.1: A typical abandoned building that has potential to be converted into a school facility

Figure 3.7.0.2: Diagram illustrating adaptive reuse potential from an open plant into a school facility

A New Architecture for a New Education Ball State University

Design PrinciPle 7: Think renovaTion anD aDaPTive reuse of exisTing BuilDings

3.7.141

away from Indiana University’s campus. It is located in an urban setting and is housed in a 13,000 square foot adaptive reuse building which at one time was a furniture store. It is scheduled for an addition in the summer of 2010.

Power House High• Working with the Homan Arthington

Foundation and the Illinois Facilities Fund the 90,000 square feet, Sears Roebuck Power House was transformed into a LEED Platinum certified Charter High School, with educational support from the Henry Ford Learning Institute. Preserving select architectural and mechanical elements as didactic tools to let the students understand the century old method of construction and power creation while providing contrast to 21st century sustainable innovations.

Design Recommendations • Be conscious and celebrate the history of the

facility that you are obtaining by preserving the character of the facade or interior details.

• Invite investors or community leaders to your newly renovated school and showcase the changes from the old to the new. This may spark interest in the adaptive reuse approach to other buildings in the area.

• Strategically obtain a cluster of residential houses and arrange grade levels within these houses. Be creative in the transition from house to house and utilize back yards and alleys for recreation and outdoor classroom use.

• Think outside the “box” and be open to adapting and reusing any type of structure or abandoned building that is fit for your new school facility.

• Consider opportunities to connect differing building with outdoor paths and walkways as well as internal connections. This is especially important when the space is not enough and another building close by is found to renovate and use.

• Consider growing into a renovated or repurposed building over time so that the construction work can be phased and the growth of the school in size can be managed incrementally.

CREATIVE RE-USE OF EXISTING SPACES

Figure 3.7.0.3: What was once a meat packaging warehouse is now a charter school. The transformation acts as a catalyst for nearby community revitalization efforts.

Figure 3.7.0.6: What was once a meat packaging warehouse is now a charter school. The transformation acts as a catalyst for nearby community revitalization efforts.

Figure 3.7.0.4: An adaptive re-use school is usually in a building that was never intended to be a school. With design discussion involving the school community, a successful space can be created.

Figure 3.7.0.5: By using the existing structure and windows, a unique space can be created by working with the existing building, not against it.