School attic gets boost from student designers

The attic above Visitation Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic School is covered in dust and dirt, the wood floor sinks underfoot, and most of the walls have holes punched in where the staff went looking for old pipes.

But when the school's principal, Sister Dolores Egner, looks at the space, she sees arts and science classrooms, reading labs, and space for the school's ballroom-dancing team to practice and perform.

Because of a partnership with design students at Philadelphia University, Sister Egner's vision for the North Philadelphia school could see nails and hammers as early as this summer.

Last fall, Philadelphia University seniors in the design program were asked to submit proposals to renovate the school's attic, long used for nothing except storage space. The winning design, by students Savannah Bridge, Crystal Russell, and Karen Schlegel, was unveiled last night during a ceremony at the school.

Their design transforms the rooms into colorful, multipurpose spaces with moving walls that can be adjusted to meet the needs of different classes.

The assistant principal, Sister Jane Field, said the winning design took into account the practical needs of the school - two safety exits, for example, were a must - while offering state-of-the-art innovation.

"It's a green plan," she added.

Philadelphia University architecture professor Alex Messinger, who worked with the students, said that all the designs submitted promoted the use of sustainable building practices and materials, including the furniture, paint, and floor covering.

When the school was built 125 years ago, the attic space was designated as a men's club for the neighborhood. A two-lane, wooden bowling alley is intact in one of the rooms, while the others are used to store old desks, chairs, and fans.

Sister Field said the space was needed to accommodate the demands of the student body. The school serves about 500 students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

"We have counselors and reading teachers in closets," she said.

Former Philadelphia University president Jim Gallagher came up with the idea for a partnership after visiting the school last year. Gallagher now serves on the board of the Connelly Foundation, a philanthropic group that works closely with the area's Catholic schools.

Gallagher contacted Messinger, who thought the project offered an opportunity for his students to gain practical experience. He set up the program as the kind of competition professional architects would participate in to solicit a design contract.

A professional design proposal could cost as much as $40,000, "so they saved a lot of money," Messinger said.

The students, divided into 16 teams of two or three, presented their designs in November to representatives of the school and the Connelly Foundation, who then selected the top four groups. At last night's ceremony, the school presented the winning team with a $1,000 prize; there were smaller prizes for the three runners-up.

Connelly Foundation president Josephine Mandeville said she particularly appreciated the winning design team's attention to detail, especially in the art and music spaces.

Cost-effectiveness, practicality, and pleasing design also were major considerations. The winning design included alternative plans depending on cost, Mandeville said.

Sister Egner estimated the attic renovation would cost more than $2 million. In addition to fund-raising, the school hopes to tap into the skills of alumni for some of the work. A local music store has even offered to donate instruments for the space.

The school hopes to start building as early as this summer. When finished, the space also will be open to the community for meetings and arts classes. Sister Field said the neighborhood around the school was a high-crime, high-poverty area, with few places available for classes or performances.

In the face of cutbacks and school closings, Sister Egner hopes the project will inspire members of the parish.

"To build something," she said, "is to say the church is alive."