Lake Hazel Middle School
The Challenge: Honoring the Bones, Evolving the Experience
Lake Hazel Middle School was a time capsule of 1980s institutional design: heavy jumbo brick, concrete double tees, and a disconnected, windowless layout. While the "bones" were solid, the soul of the building was stuck in a bygone era. Our mission wasn't just a renovation—it was a systemic recalibration of how an educational environment should feel.
Why This Matters for Boise
This project is a masterclass in Adaptive Reuse. It proves that we can take 46-year-old infrastructure and, through strategic grit and cross-industry innovation, deliver a facility that functions with the sophistication of a brand-new build. We didn't just save a building; we reimagined the student experience.
Project Highlights:
Sector: Public Education / Adaptive Reuse
Cross-Industry Tech: Bio-Adaptive Lighting & Hospitality Design
The Philosophy: Modernizing legacy infrastructure through the lens of Multifamily and Hospitality design.
Core Values: Grit in the design challenge, passion for user wellness, and connection to nature through intuitive design.
The Cross-Industry Lens: Design Without Borders
We don't just build schools; we curate environments. By utilizing and borrowing from our experiences, high-touch standards of hospitality, retail, and restaurants, we transformed a rigid institution into a vibrant, high-performance community space.
Connection to Nature (Wellness & Light): Everyone knows daylight equals better environments. In lieu of cutting skylight openings for each classroom, our Team tested and implemented kelvin-accurate “window” fixtures in each learning space. These simulated windows mimic and look like an aluminum storefront, offering an affordable, leak-proof alternative to enhancing window-less spaces.
Navigating 175,000 Square Feet (Connection & Wayfinding): Large schools can feel cold. We approached the wayfinding design with logic, color, and ease of use. Intuitive wayfinding, change of floor colors, and environmental graphics create a sense of place at each intersection. This makes a massive facility feel intimate, safe, and navigable.
Brand Identity (Not Just a Logo): In the spirit of boutique branding, we moved beyond "institutional beige." We integrated school colors directly into the architectural finishes, ensuring the building itself celebrates student identity and pride—much like a flagship retail space.
