Maplewood Elementary School, Addition/Historic Modernization

The challenge facing the design team was to transform an aging and outdated, yet charming, historic school built in 1934 into a facility that would serve the needs of the school district and community well into the 21st century. During a collaborative planning process with the design team, the school district staff communicated the desired attributes of the school, as well as listed its deficiencies. The school’s community history and architectural character were important to preserve for future generations.
The modernization used historically styled light fixtures to highlight the tall ceilings, archways and the charm of old wood details. The renovation of the central area provided a library with its own historic character of archways, carpet patterns, window seats, puppet stage, reading nook and outdoor reading court—all to the scale of small children.

Photographer: ©Jim Kuhlman

Additional Information

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