This renovation of Welton Becket’s 1957 New York Life Insurance building is the new campus for Larchmont Charter’s 500-student middle and high schools. The school committed to renovate what had become a degraded building in a neglected neighborhood, becoming a model for the clever adaptation of undervalued building stock in Los Angeles. Intelligent reconfiguration, sensitive design strategies and high-efficacy systems create an environment that promotes superior student performance.

Redesign of the building’s circulation to optimize natural light, ventilation and acoustics produced high-quality learning spaces. The result is an urban high school campus of generous, light filled classrooms, all with access to fresh air and expansive views of the city of which it is a part. The design-centered, thoughtful reuse of an historic building, achieved on the tight budget of an independent charter school, provides a case study for students to experience first-hand the value of appreciating their city’s rich history.