Harriman is currently working with Portland Public Schools on four renovation projects that are part of the “Building for our Future” (BFOF) program. BFOF is an initiative to renovate four of Portland’s oldest elementary schools: Lyseth Elementary School, Longfellow Elementary School, Presumpscot Elementary School, and Reiche Elementary School. Targeted improvements will address twenty-first-century learning values, safety and security, and greater equity in Portland’s schools.

The design process took place as the pandemic took hold. To ensure an open, interactive, and inclusive process with the school and neighborhood, the architects used virtual technologies to facilitate meetings. These tools allowed them to engage with the project’s diverse group of contributors by creating multiple virtual “rooms” in which sessions were held in a range of languages. This level of communication was essential both to ensure they were responding to the needs of stakeholders and to help keep the broader community informed as the project planning progressed.

The Presumpscot School project illustrated here includes a new addition that adds much-needed cafeteria and classroom spaces. Transformative renovations also include a sweeping new entry canopy that provides a welcoming and uplifting point of entry.