EDUCATIONAL

East Aurora Schools

Aurora, Illinois

Since 1998, Cordogan, Clark and Associates was has worked to design a series of additions and renovations to each of sixteen existing school buildings for Aurora School District #131. The intent of the projects is to provide additional space to adequately house projected enrollments and upgrade systems within the schools to provide students an environment for academic achievement.

A total of 147 new classrooms are being added and more than 350 classrooms are being remodeled to accommodate increased enrollments, displaced classrooms, and to balance classroom size to enhance the academic environment. The three middle schools received remodeled science labs and new vocational technology labs. Similarly, the high school vocational labs will also be renovated to include state-of-the-art equipment.

Because each building has specific functional requirements, the challenge is to fit design to site and intended use in order to provide modern school facilities that will contribute to the achievement of the students. We have created designs carefully suited to the specifics of site, use, systems, available infrastructure, and climate while expressing the administration/community's aesthetic goals for each of the schools. The design for this $110 million project focused on initiatives aimed at improving student achievement.

All schools received new computer lab and Learning Resource Centers . Each building is networked internally and to LAN/WAN systems.

Faculty and administration offices were renovated along with the addition of multi-purpose rooms and classrooms designated for music, special education and preschool programs.

The design addresses replacement and repair of building systems such as fire alarms, intercom P/A, lighting, heating and telephone. New washrooms and sewers, locker and shower facilities, and window replacements are all part of the larger plan to save energy and reduce operation and maintenance costs.
Many of the buildings have a functional age of 100 years or more and require infrastructure updating with a sensitivity to matching period style and aesthetic goals. While maximizing space and meeting planning requirements, careful attention was given to expansion capabilities for the new millennium and beyond.