The Westwood School

The new Unified Campus for the Westwood School involves a comprehensive rehabilitation and repurposing of an unoccupied industrial building for use as a Pre-K through grade 12 private school. The design will provide 44 general use and specialized smart classrooms, along with a gymnasium, black box theater, and lower elementary play gym, accommodating 500 students.

The existing concrete tilt-wall structure provides 75,000 square feet on one floor; adding a new partial second floor for the upper school will bring the total building area to approximately 115,000 square feet. Portions of the roof will be removed and re-framed to create sufficient uniform height for the teaching spaces on the new second floor. The three center bays will be raised to create the clear span and height needed for the gymnasium and black box theater, adding long-span trusses and eliminating eight interior columns. New window openings will be cut into the existing panels, and most of the remaining exterior will be clad in masonry, stucco, and metal panels. MEP, Fire Protection, and Information Technology systems will be entirely new.

This design addresses the need for a modern and unified educational environment that supports a wide range of academic and extracurricular activities. By transforming an industrial building into a vibrant school campus, the project creates dynamic learning spaces that cater to various educational needs. The thoughtful integration of new structural elements and exterior finishes ensures that the building is both functional and aesthetically appealing, providing a conducive environment for student growth and development.