Page 15 - School Planning & Management, February 2018

the stone ornament with a shape and style exclusive to the expansion. Where the ad- dition and original structure meet, the wall was recessed slightly to highlight a clear separation between the structures.
An unexpected challenge of this project was a massive structural repair to the foun- dation. Situated in expanding clay soil that creates strong pressure, the piers support- ing the school were built in the 1930s, and lacking the strength of today’s piers, failed and buckled the slab in areas. Workers excavated, sometimes by hand, deep under existing floors to build micropiles beside the original piers to re-support the struc- ture and re-flatten floors.
The team was tasked with shifting the weight of the entire building to the newly installed micropiles, without damaging the exterior façade or stressing the building to its yield point. Through careful planning, they successfully transferred the load to the new piles and kept all architectural de-
tails intact. Only minor, anticipated repairs to interior plaster cracks were required.
To mitigate the risk of damage, Perkins+Will utilized cutting-edge tech- nology to create a three-dimensional laser scan of the existing school before starting construction. Though ultimately unneed- ed, this precaution meant the necessary data to return the school to its original state was readily available.
A similar facility illustrating the nu- anced process of historic renovation was Fort Worth ISD’s $9.7-million transforma- tion of the former Nash Hardware Build- ing into the 77,000-square-foot Young Women’s Leadership Academy (YWLA). To adhere to Fort Worth’s Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission guide- lines, the Dallas office of Perkins+Will worked diligently to preserve the exterior detailing of the 1910 building and drew the industrial character of the facade inside through the application of raw finishes and exposed ductwork.
The industrial appearance served a dual purpose, reinforcing the technical character of the school’s programs while allowing designers to install modern structural and mechanical systems without sacrificing already limited floor-to-floor space. As part
of the improvements, outdated services were updated and hazardous materials like lead pipes and asbestos were removed, creating a safe place for students to collaborate and learn
without sacrificing the building’s character. The first single-gender school in Fort
Worth ISD, YWLA was designed to empower female leaders, with an emphasis on STEM study. To energize the educational environ- ment, Perkins+Will incorporated distinctive branding, using graphics with quotes from inspiring female leaders along the corridors and stairwells to link the spaces and pro- grams together. The school’s motto, “Girls Excelling in Math and Science” or GEMS, was translated into the space through the application of jewel-toned accents.
Approaching historic renovation projects with a reverence for the past and an eye to the future leads to finely curated schools with a delicate balance of old and new. By carefully reviewing and adapting to historic preservation guidelines, devel- oping design approaches to mesh history with the future and introducing innova- tive technology to overcome age-related challenges, architects bring value back
to outdated schools and the surrounding communities. SPM
>> Angela Whitaker-Williams is the education practice leader of the Austin office of Perkins+Will and has more than 20 years of architectural expe- rience in K-12 and higher education markets. Mike Lyssy is a senior project manager in the Dallas office of Perkins+Will’s Education Studio and has more than 15 years of architectural experience in K-12 and higher education markets.
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