The Portales School District requested that the existing gymnasium space at Portales Junior High school be converted into a cafeteria with an outdoor seating area, supported by an updated full commercial kitchen. This project also includes a new roof and updated mechanical systems.

An existing site utility easement adjacent to the requested exterior seating area created a design constraint that drastically reduced the options to structurally support a new shade structure. The end result is a thoughtful design approach that achieves the goals of the school. A new 18 foot cantilevered roof stretches from the interior of the space to the exterior, hovering above the site utility easement while providing a vibrant exterior space below. The existing and new structural systems integrate seamlessly and are put on display as the new interior ceiling system peels back and up to provide large picture and clerestory windows for daylighting and to expose the existing glulam beams, while the new lighting system extends past to maintain the illusion of the ceiling plane.