Village School Operates From Interim Santa Monica Office
Following a January 2025 fire, the school serves 300 students in a repurposed commercial space.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Remote Work
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Village School currently operates out of an interim campus at the Santa Monica Colorado Center after the January 2025 Palisades Fire destroyed its primary facility. The school serves 300 students in kindergarten through sixth grade at the temporary site.
Why it matters
The adaptive reuse of office space allowed the school to continue operations just three weeks after the initial fire. This project demonstrates how flexible commercial infrastructure can serve community needs during long-term displacement.
The school completed its initial reoccupation in under three weeks, with the subsequent Phase Two construction lasting three months. All conversion work utilized modular furnishings and partial-height walls to define space.
The players
Village School
This educational institution serves 300 students ranging from kindergarten through sixth grade.
OFFICEUNTITLED
This architecture and design firm specializes in creating adaptive spaces and workplace environments.
The details
Design firm OFFICEUNTITLED converted the vacant office floor into classrooms by installing partial-height walls that defined learning areas without requiring changes to mechanical or plumbing systems. The project was executed in two phases to ensure the 300 students could return to learning environments as quickly as possible.
Timeline
The Palisades Fire destroyed the original school campus in January 2025.
Phase Two construction was completed over three months during summer 2025.
Demolition of the damaged Palisades campus was finalized in October 2026.
The school expects to move into a new campus in January 2028.
Market Landscape
The use of the office adaptive reuse model highlights a growing trend of repurposing vacant commercial property to solve urgent facility shortages. This strategy positions repurposed office space as a vital solution for institutions facing long-term infrastructure delays.
Families associated with the school continue to utilize the Santa Monica location for daily student drop-offs and instruction. The school expects to remain in this converted office floor until the new campus is ready in 2028.
The takeaway
The transformation of the Santa Monica Colorado Center proves that modular design can effectively maintain educational continuity during major infrastructure losses. Families should prepare for a transition to the permanent campus in 2028.
Further reading
For more on how office spaces are being reimagined for non-traditional uses, visit the Remote Work section.
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?
