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CHARTER SCHOOL RENOVATION

For the past several years our staff has made a determined effort to gain a working knowledge of the Charter School system, and through that venture, we have emerged as a reliable and respected partner in the endeavor to revitalize our States educational system. Because the Charter School model is authorized to operate free from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools, this can present unique and challenging opportunities for the management of the school and for us as designers. We must always adhere to existing building codes but because this flexibility often enables the use of preexisting or prefabricated structures, a great amount of effort is required to obtain an environment that is efficient, safe and compliant to current laws and building codes.

One example of this comes from our collaboration with the Fuller Normal Advanced Technology Charter School located in Greenville. In late October of 2008 Context Design Group was appointed to support the administration of the school by developing a coherent code analysis that would enable the existing campus to expand and accommodate their growing student body. This began as an effort to correct a miscalculation made prior to our involvement that had to be fixed in order to bring the School into compliance with the current codes. Satisfied with our results, we have now undertaken the challenge of renovating an older structure that will enable the addition of another grade level in their system. Taking a space built in 1958 and seeing it reborn to meet the needs of a new generation while at the same time using the lessons from the past to create a safer and openly accessible environment is a rewarding yet demanding endeavor. Once completed, it will stand as a physical illustration of our work ethic and hopefully make us an even more proficient, more valuable colleague of the Charter School system.

Context Design Group is currently with the planning and conceptual design for a new Charter High School at the same location.