“THE UNICORN”
Construction in Los Angeles can be challenging. Space is at a premium and what little exists is expensive and out of reach of many. Our client is a young, growing school with a dream to bring an inclusive educational philosophy to kids from all over the city. Finding a property with the very specific zoning that allows an educational facility was quite difficult, essentially a needle in a haystack.
When this elementary school was able to get zoning to use an existing building for classrooms it was a gift that they believed would allow some time to search for other, larger sites. Unfortunately, there were none. The solution of the school’s administration, and of Sander Architects, was to revisit this tiny triangular parcel to see what might be done.
In this case, without the ability of the Principal Architect to think outside of the box, this project would not have been realized.
Eventually, most of the school's extensive wish list was accomplished — in the design phase. With perseverance, and through a pandemic, the new building is on track for kids to begin classes in the Fall of 2023.
There will be nine classrooms, a dedicated art room, an eating area with food prep facilities, a library, special education facilities and space for teachers to both hold conferences and to take a much-needed break. In this case, Sander Architects helped realize a truly unlikely scenario—and we are proud to know that this visionary school will have the space to serve more children and families than ever before.
