The inviting bay windows and refurbished maple floors gives this historic space a refined and tranquil atmosphere.
Students in Corona, California, started their school year with some great surprises. After nearly a year of attending school in their dining and bedrooms at home, these lucky students are coming back to a renovated facility. Yet in addition to the renovation, we designed and built a brand new administration building.
This project was a true collaboration in the purest sense of the word. We worked very closely with Lynne Murray, the lead at Corona-Norco Unified School District. Together we developed the vision for the school’s refurbishment mirroring the school’s intent to “integrate best practices…” As the Project Architect leading the design team, we took this to heart and formulated a design to accomplish two things: 1) repurpose an existing building; and 2) design a new administration building, media center and Kindergarten building that reflects the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture of the existing historic buildings. The architectural process can lead to many surprises since, as the project progressed, the repurposed Library/Computer Lab developed into a unique space for students to decompress.
PCH Architects is truly deserving of special commendation for their exemplary service. With their most recent project, they designed a cohesive elementary campus that will be enjoyed by future generations. The design challenge to resolve was incorporating the historically-relevant original building with updated academic and administrative buildings while maintaining the Spanish Colonial Revival-style throughout the campus. The School District is very grateful that they made this happen.
— Lynne Murray, Director 1, Facilities
Today, more than ever, it’s important to utilize what we already have. As a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, I am well versed in sustainable design and the use of materials that not only reflect the historic nature of the existing structure, but also are better for our environment. Keeping this in mind, the district proposed that we rip up the old carpet and behold! Underneath was the original maple floor. We went to work to restore its luster, and now it is a central design element in the refurbished space. It presents a warm, calming aesthetic, which can be reflected in the beautiful bay window. A great place to daydream.
During the construction phase, we found an old chalkboard that had markings on it from 1942. It was in perfect condition! Of course, we kept it and put it on display.
We are proud of the work we performed and welcome the students, the faculty and their families to this historical place of learning.
Relevant links:
Jefferson Elementary
https://jefferson.cnusd.k12.ca.us/our_school/school_profile/mission___vision
U.S. Green Building Council
Corona-Norco Unified School District
https://www.cnusd.k12.ca.us
