Illinois School District Tags DLR Group for Improvement Project
By SCN Staff
CHICAGO—DLR Group is partnering with Barrington 220 School District in Illinois to update learning environments and improve safety and security measures at its 12 school facilities. Despite being ranked the best school district in Illinois in 2018 by 24/7 Wall St., several facilities within the district are outdated and need major renovation. Significant improvements are necessary to continue to provide students with a top-rated education and better prepare them for their futures.
“Our original selection of DLR Group was based on their commitment to an educational-based master plan. We are excited to implement many of the ideas that were generated during that process into our schools to benefit student learning for years to come in Barrington 220,” said Superintendent Dr. Brian Harris.
DLR Group’s design solution enhances the educational experience for all the district’s students and staff. Located approximately 35 miles northwest of Chicago, the district serves nearly 9,000 students in grades pre-K through 12. Enhancements include new instructional spaces at all elementary schools for STEM education and students with special needs, new classrooms at both middle schools, and an addition at Barrington High School. Improvements at BHS, which was originally built in 1949, include new classrooms to support next generation learning models, cafeteria upgrades, a space dedicated to physical education and wellness, and a new student services area to house counseling, attendance, health services.
“In 2017, DLR Group led a district-wide facilities master planning process to assess learning environments and to guide decisions related to facilities and capital investments. We are honored to continue our working relationship with the community to implement capital projects identified in the plan,” said DLR Group Principal Dennis Bane, AIA, LEED AP. “Our designs will incorporate a variety of adaptable spaces district-wide to allow students and staff the ability to modify their environment daily and to offer students more flexible learning opportunities.”
Other improvements include infrastructure and life safety system upgrades at all schools, the elimination of mobile classrooms at three campuses, a new district-wide digital security system, and improved traffic flow at BHS. The projects are funded following a successful bond election on March 17, 2020. More than 60 percent of citizens voted in favor of the $147 million referendum.
DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse.