Roosevelt Intermediate School opened in 1926 and is identified as a Historic Site in the Town of Westfield’s Historic Preservation Masterplan. This aged building is constructed with materials of the period, such as the original red brick and hardwood maple flooring, both of which showed tired wear of 100 years of use and just about as many layers of paint.
The Westfield Public School District needed a new, modern space in this historic building for their STEM program, which had been operating in a classroom without appropriate power, equipment, storage, and facilities. The size and location of an unused Wood Shop in the building was the ideal space for a new STEM lab.
A glass display area welcomes students to the lab, showcasing their work while giving them views of the spaces beyond. Deeper into the labs, the renovation plan included a transformation of the old wood shop into two new learning spaces separated by a glass partition: one side for design area and the second for fabrication. The glass partition provided a physical and acoustic separation between the spaces while allowing supervision of the entire lab. Two storage rooms flank the main space and provide an area for 3D printing, laser cutting, material and project storage.
The project restored the original historic building’s character, but at the same time incorporates modern technology, equipment and finishes, juxtaposing and highlighting new versus old. The preservation of historic elements paired with modern functionality strikes a perfect balance, ensuring the legacy of the building while supporting the District’s forward-thinking goals.
