Cafeteria remodel transforms lunchtime experience for students

Years ago, Saratoga Springs High School in Saratoga Springs, New York, converted its gymnasium into a cafeteria. The renovation was necessary to help the school accommodate 500 students during a single lunch period, but it didn’t fully address the space’s shift in purpose. The new cafeteria still had the acoustics of a gym, inefficient use of space, poor traffic flow, and no consideration for COVID-influenced changes that redefined comfort levels for students in large-group settings. The result? Many students requested to eat lunch in their classrooms. 

School leadership looked to transform the cafeteria into a place students would be excited to visit. They also wanted to reestablish social connectivity lost during the pandemic. The resulting project’s architect, Mosaic Associates, encountered a list of challenges: 

• Functional challenges included significantly reducing noise in a vast, 7,810-square-foot space and facilitating the movement of up to 500 people.
• Aesthetic challenges included achieving a cohesive look with the adjacent corridor and elevating school branding to a collegiate look.
• The cafeteria needed to create spaces that met the diverse desires of students—from those wanting a quiet dining experience to those looking to eat with small, medium, or large groups—without creating physical barriers.
• All of the above needed to happen on a public school’s budget.

A three-pronged solution

Armstrong—a ceiling and wall designer and manufacturer—and Mosaic took three main approaches to the cafeteria design. First, Armstrong’s diverse product portfolios allowed Mosaic to use ceiling panels to define different pockets within the cafeteria. Second, all ceiling panel choices incorporated sound absorption and/or blocking. Lastly, they stayed on budget by utilizing the Armstrong ProjectWorks complimentary design and pre-construction service. ProjectWorks ensured efficiency and let the team offset the cost of custom components with cost-effective standard solutions.

The Saratoga Springs High School project incorporated many different products and required precise installation to include balanced geometric patterns, clean lines, blades, and an influx of natural light. To help, ProjectWorks played a significant role. The ProjectWorks team collaborated early and continuously with both the architect and the contractor to help honor design intentions and offer custom solutions, which proved especially beneficial for ensuring precise alignment in the ceiling-to-wall transition of WoodWorks Grille panels. These collaborations also resulted in a high level of detail that increased project efficiency, enabled a smooth installation, and supported design precision.

“The Saratoga Springs cafeteria demonstrates the value of ProjectWorks bringing together the best of digitally assisted design with personal attention necessary for customization,” said Daniel Holdridge, senior manager for ProjectWorks Design and Specialty Solutions. “We designed digitally first to identify and troubleshoot issues before anything reached the point of installation.”

According to the project’s contractor, Hoosick Valley Contractors, teamwork, attention to detail, and responsiveness supported a smooth installation. Mosaic appreciated early and continued involvement from Armstrong and ProjectWorks, which supported the ability for all teams to maintain the design vision and adhere to the project’s budget, despite multiple changes. “It was extremely helpful to have people to reach out to who knew this project from the start, provided technical insights you can’t get from data sheets, and identified potential pitfalls before things got to the field,” said Amanda Vottis, an rchitectural designer for Mosaic. “Great teamwork brought the community’s vision to life.”

Now, visitors frequently remark on the cafeteria’s acoustics. The acoustics generate awe because people can have normal conversations while hundreds of students occupy the space.

“Our high school cafeteria has been transformed into a vibrant and inviting space, resulting in a 15% increase in lunchtime participation and offering students a more efficient and enjoyable dining experience,” said Maura Manny, Saratoga Springs director of community outreach and communications. “This renovation enhances the aesthetic appeal and supports our ongoing efforts to promote healthy eating and foster a positive school atmosphere.”

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