PreK-12 education is at continual crossroads — the intersection of adapting to an ever-evolving technological renaissance in the 21st century, while doing more with less due to shrinking budgets. At BLDD, we help school districts navigate this road as effortlessly as possible through innovative, inspiring renovations of historic and underutilized spaces.  ​

Our goal is to restore life, vigor and activity to your school by reimagining and reinventing each facility and its environment to create truly transformative architecture.

What is renovation? ​

The simple answer: renovation is making something better through design. Most PreK-12 renovation projects fall into one of two categories, adaptive reuse or historic renovation. ​

Adaptive Reuse

Adaptive reuse is a way to optimize a facility by reinventing an existing space for a purpose other than which it was originally designed.

Mid City High School was developed to house the Davenport Community Schools’ Alternative High School program. To support this program, an existing three-story medical office building was renovated into a state-of-the-art, 21st-century education facility. Completed in just 7.5 months, the 38,000 s.f. renovation included a new secure front entry and central stairway that connected the three floors, in addition to spaces for collaborative learning spaces, makerspaces, a media center and more.

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Historic Renovation

Historic restoration is all about preserving the iconic qualities of a facility, while reimagining its use for the evolving needs of the student body.

Built in 1924, South Side Elementary is the oldest elementary facility in the Champaign School District. With few improvements made to the structure since its original construction, it was time to upgrade the facility for changing 21st-century educational needs. 

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How do you decide on a solution?

School buildings should be a place to learn, develop relationships, share communication, embrace collaboration and encourage study. And who knows your students and district needs better than YOU? That’s why  we need your help  to Think BIG to co-author the best renovation solutions for your facilities. ​

Through BLDD’s design-thinking process, Think BIG, we’ll help you uncover the ideal uses for your spaces through authentic user feedback and prototyping. Decatur Public School District #61 is currently Thinking BIG to determine the best solution for their ambitious facilities plan, which would combine two middle schools and create efficiencies within the grade schools. 

Learn to think big

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What is the value?

Renovating a building in your district can not only preserve part of your rich history, but it can also offer a sustainable, efficient and cost-saving solution. ​Some of the values of renovation include: 

• Time Savings — renovation is typically faster than new construction
• Material Savings — renovation requires fewer “new” materials, and thus creates less landfill waste
• Societal Savings — renovating existing facilities reduces displacement in urban communities
• Cost Savings — many federal, state and local municipalities offer tax incentives and/or grants for renovating historic buildings

Historically, our clients have saved 20-25% by investing in a major renovation compared to building new.

The costs of renovations can vary greatly based on a number of factors, such as: 

• Building Type — Will the space be used as a cafeteria, gym, theatre or makerspace?
• Location — Is the facility located in a metropolitan or rural location?
• Project Scope — Is the project small or large? The efficiency phenomenon known as “economy-of-scale” can work in your favor as the project increases in size.
• Quality — Does the project require a high level of detail or the use of premium building materials?
• Existing Conditions — Is the facility of significant age or has not been maintained well?
• Hazardous Materials —  Are there asbestos containing materials and lead paint present?

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Architectural renovation creates a clear path from our past to our future. It connects tradition to technology, history to sustainability and students to 21st-century education. At BLDD, we’re ready to help you navigate your journey to architectural renovation today, so you can prepare the leaders of tomorrow.

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