When Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village discovered that the adjacent office building across a county flood control channel was available, they saw it as a unique chance to expand their program by adding a middle school. We worked closely with faculty and staff to transform this 70,000sf two-story, Type 1 office building and parking lot into a complete middle school campus and link it with the existing high school.
The project is all about connections. Each of the three grades is organized around a common space where we opened the exiting facade to let in natural light and visually connect the two campuses. A fourth area accommodates common laboratories, art rooms, and performance spaces. In order to keep the upper floor connected with the rest of the campus, two monumental stair towers are added. In addition to circulation, the stairs offer a chance to sit, gather and socialize