Children’s Day School St. Joseph’s Hall
Design for Big Plans
Solving a complex classroom building renovation supports long-term campus vision
For independent schools in urban neighborhoods, campus development requires thoughtful planning, ingenuity, and a long-term vision. Children’s Day School (CDS), an independent school providing K-8 education, in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District, is no exception. Since 2006, JENSEN has worked with CDS to update its facilities at St. Joseph’s Hall, a historic building dating back to 1925, aligning the campus with the school’s environmental mission and setting the stage for future growth.
The renovation of St. Joseph’s Hall creates a welcoming lobby, adds classrooms, improves accessibility, restores the historic facade, strengthens the building structure, and bolsters its energy performance. These improvements are accomplished with carefully planned phases designed in collaboration with CDS leadership, structural engineers, and builders to align with summer breaks, fundraising, and other priorities (including opening CDS’s Dolores Park middle school building). When completed, student activities will spill out onto a new porch sheltered by a photovoltaic glass canopy, and out into the school’s yard. This energy-generating glass will continue up the south facade, tempering the sun’s heat.
