As new schools pop up to meet the needs of Generation Z students everywhere, where do historic schools fit into the 21st century learning spectrum? Can a modernized Colonial Revival building accommodate the vast criteria educational facilities must meet today – sophisticated technology, flexibility and adaptability, indoor/outdoor connections, hands-on learning programs, and safety and security? Can a structure from the early 1900s measure up sustainably to the features that can be incorporated into a brand new building? Based on increasing enrollment and graduation rates, improved math and reading scores, enhanced community services on the campus, and an upsurge in neighborhood property values it appears that Roosevelt High School (RHS) has been revitalized above and beyond the campus itself to meet all of the above, and then some.

Situated amid a residential neighborhood, RHS is one of the most ethnically diverse schools in Oregon. The previously disjointed campus consisted of a number of structures that were added over time, including a gymnasium (1950); library and classroom (1960); cafeteria, classroom, and observatory (1964); and auto shop (1970). To revitalize the campus and restore the original buildings to their splendor, the mid-century additions that obscured views of the Colonial Revival buildings were demolished. Historic spaces were adaptively reused to support the school’s 21st century educational program. The original auditorium was converted to a daylight-filled library/media center. A seldom-used central courtyard was enclosed to become a new, distributed commons - transforming the space into the heart of the campus. New additions, including a classroom wing, gymnasium, theater, and CTE spaces were added to the north and west of the original structures, ensuring that the historic school maintained its prominent position within the site.

Perhaps the most sustainable feature of this project is the amount of carbon emissions saved by preserving the existing building. A total of 3,623 metric tons were expended for the modernization versus the 6,956 metric tons that would have been used if a replacement building had been constructed. This amounts to the equivalent of saving CO2 emissions from 375,000 gallons of gas or greenhouse gas emissions from 8.2 million miles driven by an average passenger vehicle.

“It feels like a college campus. It feels like a school building full of possibilities.”
Filip Hristic
RHS Principal