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In San Francisco, a project that adds new spaces for contemporary learning in a dense, constrained context
Located in the uppermost corner of the historic Grace Cathedral Close block in San Francisco, the Cathedral School for Boys is adjacent to the cathedral’s apse. The school was recently expanded with a two-story addition designed by Charles F. Bloszies FAIA, which horizontally connects with the original school building from the 1960s. The new volume seamlessly integrates with a concrete extension built in 2009, taking advantage of its load-bearing capacity without the need for foundation upgrades.
Comprising steel framing and a glass and aluminum curtain wall, the new structure is distinguished by its lightness. This made it possible to integrate it with the existing expansion with minimal interventions, while transforming the school’s interior spaces.
An interior renovation also created a new entrance axis that provides a direct link to the Learning Commons, the heart of the project, from the Sacramento Street entrance. Designed to be open and flexible, these spaces are intended for individual study, informal meetings, and group sessions.
Inside, white walls and exposed overhead services are complemented by horizontal lighting fixtures that create uniform brightness throughout the space. Cork-colored flooring combines with tables and blue and green chairs, which introduce vibrant accents to the design.
Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the cathedral’s transept and the San Francisco skyline, creating a space for students that opens outward both visually and symbolically.
A key element of the project was to sequence construction to avoid interrupting the academic calendar. The classrooms were renovated and the structural work for the new volume was completed during the three-month summer break. Then, during the fall term, a temporary barrier was erected to separate the classrooms from the construction site, allowing work to continue without disrupting lessons. The curtain wall was prefabricated off-site and assembled in a few days without interrupting school activities.
Location: San Francisco, California, United States
Architect: The Office of Charles F. Bloszies FAIA
Gross Floor Area: 418 sq. m (addition), 1,672 sq. m (renovation)
Main Contractor: Truebeck
Consultants
Structural: Murphy, Burr, Curry
Mechanical: List Engineering
Electrical: O’Mahoney+Myer
Plumbing: List Engineering
Photography by Matthew Millman, courtesy of the Office of Charles F. Bloszies FAIA
