Beverly Vista Elementary School, Building B, Auditorium Preservation and Expansion

Beverly Hills, California

Firm

Dougherty + Dougherty Architects LLP

Client

Beverly Hills Unified School District

Area

25,000 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$18,000,000

Completion Date

10/2007

Building B is the last original structure on the Beverly Vista campus, built in the 1920s. After significant planning, district officials decided to preserve and renovate the historic auditorium and adjacent tower, and build a new facility to complement the historic theme while providing the needed programs in a contemporary space.
The auditorium project included restoration of the historic exterior elevations and the hand-painted bell tower ceiling to its original condition. The new space provides 11 new classrooms including a band room, choral music room, two language labs and one reading room.
The facades facing Charleville Boulevard to the North and Rexford Drive to the east are the most visible and have been developed in a manner sensitive to the surrounding neighborhood. The new facades of Building B and its reconstruction have been developed with original materials and decorative elements, preserving the symbolism of Beverly Vista as a neighborhood icon.