This middle school project, located on the Mills College Campus, was a renovation to a 18,130 square foot historical building originally designed by Julia Morgan in 1924 as an orphanage for Chinese girls.
The original dormitory floor was gutted and reconfigured for eight new classrooms organized off a corridor around the central courtyard. Traces of the original wall locations are still visible in the concrete floor slab; etched glass with the school's leaf motif allow additional lighting into the classroom; wall treatment in the corridor double as pin-up surfaces.
Throughout other areas of the school, a variety of upgrades were employed: Small rooms were removed to restore an original sewing room as a classroom; an elevator was inserted into the existing plan to provide accessibility to all levels; original doors from the dormitory rooms were re-used as new doors for the music room closet; paint colors and an overall palette was carefully designed; lighting, data cabling distribution, fire safety and electrical work was done throughout; new flooring, hardware and cabinetry were installed.
