School Repurposes Office Space for Interim Campus Use
The rapid adaptive reuse of a Santa Monica office floor shows how modular interiors can help businesses restore operations.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Remote Work
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Following the destruction of its Palisades campus by fire in January 2025, Village School established an interim K-6 learning facility in a Santa Monica office building. The adaptive reuse project allowed 300 students to resume classes within three weeks using modular furniture and non-invasive partitioning.
Why it matters
This rapid repurposing of vacant commercial real estate demonstrates a scalable model for business continuity when sudden infrastructure loss occurs. By using modular interiors, operators can bypass extensive mechanical overhauls to stabilize operations in temporary office settings.
The school serves 300 students and completed its phase-two interior construction in three months. Phase-one occupancy was achieved in under three weeks by utilizing existing floor plates at the Santa Monica Colorado Center.
The players
Village School
An educational institution serving 300 K-6 students that currently operates in an interim commercial campus.
OFFICEUNTITLED
An architecture and design firm that led the adaptive reuse of the Santa Monica office floor.
The details
Designers from OFFICEUNTITLED converted the commercial floor by installing partial-height walls that define classroom boundaries without requiring modifications to existing mechanical or plumbing systems. This approach allowed the school to maintain a functional educational environment in a professional workspace while long-term reconstruction takes place in Palisades.
Timeline
January 2025: Palisades Fire destroyed the original school campus.
Summer 2025: Phase two of the adaptive reuse construction took place over three months.
October 2026: Demolition of the original damaged campus was completed.
January 2028: Village School expects to relocate to a new permanent facility.
Market Landscape
This project reflects the broader trend of repurposing underutilized commercial office space for alternative daily operations. It mirrors the flexibility seen in office-to-residential conversion models by prioritizing non-invasive partitions over complex structural alterations.
Operators facing sudden facility loss should evaluate vacant office inventory, which can often host essential operations in weeks if modular partitions are used. Prioritize temporary layouts that avoid tampering with core mechanical systems to keep conversion costs and permitting hurdles manageable.
The takeaway
Rapid business recovery relies on prioritizing modularity to minimize the need for heavy construction or complex building code modifications. Maintain a list of local, vacant office properties that could serve as emergency swing space for your workforce or clients if your primary site becomes unavailable.
Further reading
For more on the evolving uses of commercial floor space, visit Remote Work.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Architect’s Newspaper.
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Do you believe repurposed office space provides a suitable long-term learning environment for local students?
