HMC Architects' Oliver Nicolas on Regional Trends,听Deferred Maintenance and听Early Collaboration

Pacific Elementary School TK-Classroom Modernization for Manhattan Beach Unified School District, designed by HCM. | Photo Credit (all): Courtesy of HMC Architects

By Lindsey Coulter听

Located at Pacific Elementary School in Manhattan Beach, California, the project forms part of a broader district-wide initiative to support expanding Transitional Kindergarten (TK) programs and modernize aging early education environments — The Pacific Elementary School project is part of a district-wide initiative to support expanding Transitional Kindergarten programs and modernize aging early education environments.

HMC Architects听recently welcomed听Oliver Nicolas听to听the firm鈥檚 PreK-12 practice as听Principal-in-Charge.听

With a dual foundation in architecture and civil engineering,听Nicolas听brings more than 23 years of experience delivering impactful PreK鈥�12, healthcare, and residential projects. He also spent听six years at a structural engineering firm and as a specification sales representative for a wood manufacturing company, giving him a comprehensive perspective on efficiently managing and delivering school construction projects.听听

鈥淢y background gives me a unique perspective on design and delivery,鈥� Nicolas said. 鈥淯nderstanding structural engineering and听available materials influences how I view听a space. Everything we design must be buildable, so as I design,听I鈥檓听already thinking about how structural and architectural elements will be attached and how important detailing is in construction.鈥�听

Based in the firm鈥檚 Ontario, Calif.,听studio, Nicolas will work closely with district clients across Southern California, ensuring strong collaboration and听a seamless听client experience. Drawing on more than two decades of experience guiding projects from design through construction administration and certification, he will provide strategic oversight to align project goals with client priorities throughout the project lifecycle.听

Nicolas spoke with 糖心少女听about听regional trends, how districts are听approach听deferred maintenance projects and听how听early collaboration can help听prevent problems later in the project lifecycle.听

SCN:听What makes working within an existing school building particularly challenging,听and where do you see the greatest opportunities for creative design?听

Nicolas:听Renovations challenge designers because existing buildings impose strict听parameters. We听must deliver听everything the client needs within听a听confined space.听I听once worked with a healthcare client to听develop听a tiny听ADA听code-compliant single-user restroom. Due to space limitations, we听couldn’t听expand听and听had to find every听opportunity听to听meet code听within the tight space.听Schools face these听same听challenges,听and听I听find that the spaces that seem the听smallest听are the听most challenging听to work听within yet听provide听amazing opportunities for success.听

SCN:听Across Southern California, what are you hearing听most听frequently听from school districts about their facility needs and priorities right now?听

Nicolas:听Our听district clients are most听concerned about听declining enrollment and how听to听repurpose听underutilized or aging spaces.听Schools don鈥檛听want to听sell听extra听property,听finding new uses for these spaces听will be听one of the biggest challenges, and opportunities, for听school architects听in the near future.听Districts are also听exploring听ways to serve diverse community needs with workforce housing, wellness spaces, and other shared use spaces.听This听approach听raises听important questions about听after-school access,听operations听and maintenance听鈥斕齛nd how to open听the campus to the听wider听community听while听maintaining听student safety.听听

SCN:听Many districts are balancing aging facilities and deferred maintenance with limited funding. How should districts think strategically about modernization versus new construction?听

The project modernizes existing spaces into state-of-the-art TK and kindergarten classrooms, configuring environments optimized specifically for early learners with flexible layouts and age-appropriate design structures. — The project modernizes existing spaces into state-of-the-art TK and kindergarten classrooms, configuring environments optimized specifically for early learners.

Nicolas:听Before a district focuses on repurposing underutilized or aging spaces,听it should听start with a听comprehensive,听long-term听facilities听masterplan. The planning process should听evaluate听each school site听in its full context, considering听existing conditions,听educational adequacy, adaptability, and total cost of ownership, rather than relying solely on a building鈥檚 age.听听Modernization is often a smart investment when听a听structure has good bones and can be transformed听to meet the听district鈥檚 needs. New construction should be considered听when the existing site听or building limitations prevent the district from achieving its goals.听

SCN:听What are some of the biggest misconceptions about what can听鈥斕齩r cannot听鈥斕齜e听accomplished听within an existing school building or site?听

Nicolas:听The听biggest misconceptions about working within an听existing听space are听that听it is听expensive or听tearing it down听is easier.听However,听I鈥檝e听seen that working within an听existing听space听often costs less,听promotes听sustainability,听and听produces听magnificent learner-focused spaces. Architects听can听make something out of听anything. If听the district has a vision,听architects are savvy enough to听come up with听a solution.听When听we think creatively and look at a space in its full context,听we can听always听come up with听something听that achieves the client鈥檚 vision.听听

SCN:听With your experience on the construction and materials side, what are some of the decisions architects and districts can make earlier in the process that have the greatest impact on cost,听constructability听and schedule?听

Nicolas:听It鈥檚听important that architects and designers understand that cost escalation is a major听issue, and听we must听deliver the project sooner听rather听than later听to help clients save time and money.听It鈥檚听important to find the right balance of听the program,听materials听and construction type.听For example,听I know听building听with听wood听might present听an听up-front听savings听compared to steel.听However,听with an efficient design and construction strategy, steel can听also help听reduce听timelines and听the听overall budget.听When听we听involve听every voice听鈥斕齞istricts,听community听and builders听鈥斕齟arly in听our thought process,听we can听speed up the听process听and create a visionary project on time and within budget.听听

SCN:听How can architects improve collaboration among districts, contractors,听engineers听and other project partners early enough to prevent problems later in the project lifecycle?听

Nicolas:听At HMC Architects,听we engage clients听and partners in听a听multi-day听immersive design process.听During the day,听we host interactive workshops听and brainstorming sessions听with听all interest holders.听After hours,听our听design team听works on听a听preliminary听design based on听these conversations. We听reconvene with the full team听to听refine the design.听This approach听allows us to resolve听issues that often take weeks or months to settle in a week or less.听When we bring听everyone together听early,听we听see听the听best solutions to problems,听identify听previously unrecognized听opportunities, and allow听everyone to see the project develop in real听time.听听