Multi-Purpose Room (MPR) • Somis School

Somis School (TK-8th Grade), located in a rural part of Ventura County is the central school for their agricultural community. This historic school was established in 1895. The vision of the school administration was to preserve its historic feel, but create an inviting cafeteria and multipurpose room where students would want to congregate.  The room serves as a focal point for the community for special events, meetings and a wide-range of school activities.

To achieve this vision, D&D Learning Spaces interviewed key stakeholders of the school and presented numerous options for cafeteria furniture and décor. Ultimately, the school embraced an agricultural theme of the community, by displaying local crops, produce, and historic photos for the wall graphic art. The Palmer Hamilton furniture selected combined traditional pocket cafeteria tables, with flexible “school themed” furniture, to create a space that attracts students to hang out in and spend time outside of the traditional lunch hour.

As a class B general contractor, D&D was able to oversee all aspects of this project, including the demolition of the previous furniture systems, the installation of the new pocket tables, wall décor, and room renovation. Everyone on this project was proud of the work that was done to transform the space, and it serves as an example of what can be done if creative minds pool their vision and collaborate to a facility that will serve the community for many years to come.