Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
The Learning & Research Center (LARC) at The Shipley School served as the second phase in the school’s ambitious Master Plan. The project included the renovation of the school’s original main building as well as the construction of a new addition.
W.S. Cumby provided both preconstruction and construction management services for the LARC building. During the preconstruction phase, the W.S. Cumby team walked the school and design team through an extensive value engineering process that yielded significant cost savings while preserving both the intent of design and the quality of construction.
The W.S. Cumby team faced a number of structural challenges during the renovation portion of the project, including previously unknown deficiencies that existed in the building’s structural elements. W.S. Cumby overcame these challenges with underpinning and structural reinforcement solutions.
The 10,500 SF facility includes the school library, reading room and study porch, offices, classrooms, a new elevator and egress stair and a new green roof. The LARC provides flexible space for interdisciplinary, project-oriented learning and collaboration, making it the academic focal point of the campus.