The BLDD Buzz

BLDD Architects, Inc., is pleased to announce the recipients of the annual Because Life Deserves Design Scholarship: Madelyn Beck, Katherine Minch and Declan Markel.

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the importance of fostering creativity and artistic expression has never been more pronounced.

The Williamsville-Sherman School District implemented a $40 million bond referendum for significant upgrades to their junior high and high schools, including new classrooms, fine arts and athletics spaces, and improved facilities.

A reinvented Crispin Hall greeted Illinois College students this fall semester. The $12.6 million renovation transformed Crispin into a 21st-century learning environment, creating new academic programs to attract top students, and refreshing a key part of campus that greets campus visitors and the community on College Avenue.

School athletics are at the core of building and fostering a community. But despite the enthusiasm for high-school and collegiate athletics, many schools face similar challenges with outdated athletic facilities. Having access to modern, flexible athletic spaces for students and community members has become a priority for many schools.

For more than 10 years, the Waltham Elementary School District in North Utica, Illinois, dreamed of having one building for all their K-8 students who had been spread among two outdated elementary schools. Serving a student population of fewer than 250, the project goal was never to redesign how education environments are used. Instead, the objective was much simpler: to ensure this small, rural countryside town near Starved Rock State Park could remain viable. 

Several of Richland Community College’s high-performing programs were in need of renovated spaces to refocus learning to a student-centered model. As part of a multi-phase long-range facilities plan, the $11.6 million first phase updated two exterior spaces and 45,000 s.f. of interior renovations were made to facilitate critical thinking and allow experiential learning through real-world problem solving in flexible spaces.

Trusted By