East Pittsburgh Street School for Electricians, Electrical Technology, Reuse, Interiors, 4 Classrooms, A Wide Hallway, Meeting Room & Gathering Space, Patch Millwork, For Repair & Disassembly, with Lackawanna College,
A former Nash automobile dealership is renovated for Lackawanna College as an electrical training school. Four hands-on classrooms, a gathering space, and a meeting room provide students with places to learn, collaborate, and develop their knowledge of electrical technology. A wide central hallway doubles as an informal gathering and study space while drawing daylight from the storefront entrance deeper into an otherwise dim interior.
The design process focused on adapting the building’s warehouse-like space to accommodate the varied forms of training required by electricians. The building is located in a historic part of downtown Greensburg. A series of buildings across the street once housed vocational training programs for several trades but has since closed. Together with a nearby welding school, Lackawanna College’s new electrical program supports the revitalization of downtown as an educational hub. The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, two colleges, and a local high school have already established a strong civic and educational presence in Greensburg. This new program strengthens that network while contributing to the city’s economic activity and long-term growth.
Working within a modest budget and with the goal of maximizing the building’s existing character and found artifacts, the design retains the open ceilings and historic plaster ceilings while introducing a new paint datum to express the height of the space which intersects the new mechanical ductwork for conditioning the training spaces. Exposed ductwork playfully intersects the painted datum that extends along the tall walls—sometimes meeting it at an edge or point and elsewhere bisecting it. Historic elements also interrupt the datum, creating moments that draw attention to the building’s existing artifacts. Diagonally suspended lighting counters the orthogonal geometry of the rooms which introduces a sense of graphic dynamism. With the few training classrooms and a large residential training room expands the building’s capacity for hands-on instruction through adaptable training modules.
While most of the spaces are simple open spaces, the reception becomes a moment that introduces three graphic elements to offer a welcoming entry. A reception desk and a pair of benches create a welcoming entrance to the school. Constructed from readily available lumber and plywood, the pieces are enlivened by custom powder-coated steel and aluminum plates. Screw-fastened construction allows them to be assembled without specialized millwork skills and easily disassembled or repaired when necessary. The patch plates establish alignment without requiring precise joinery, reflecting the project’s broader interest in creating moments of unexpected delight through purposeful misalignment. Thirdly, a display rail made from stock Unistrut and electrical conduit provides the school with a flexible place to present pamphlets, photographs, and other informational material.
The design process focused on adapting the building’s warehouse-like space to accommodate the varied forms of training required by electricians. The building is located in a historic part of downtown Greensburg. A series of buildings across the street once housed vocational training programs for several trades but has since closed. Together with a nearby welding school, Lackawanna College’s new electrical program supports the revitalization of downtown as an educational hub. The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, two colleges, and a local high school have already established a strong civic and educational presence in Greensburg. This new program strengthens that network while contributing to the city’s economic activity and long-term growth.
Working within a modest budget and with the goal of maximizing the building’s existing character and found artifacts, the design retains the open ceilings and historic plaster ceilings while introducing a new paint datum to express the height of the space which intersects the new mechanical ductwork for conditioning the training spaces. Exposed ductwork playfully intersects the painted datum that extends along the tall walls—sometimes meeting it at an edge or point and elsewhere bisecting it. Historic elements also interrupt the datum, creating moments that draw attention to the building’s existing artifacts. Diagonally suspended lighting counters the orthogonal geometry of the rooms which introduces a sense of graphic dynamism. With the few training classrooms and a large residential training room expands the building’s capacity for hands-on instruction through adaptable training modules.
While most of the spaces are simple open spaces, the reception becomes a moment that introduces three graphic elements to offer a welcoming entry. A reception desk and a pair of benches create a welcoming entrance to the school. Constructed from readily available lumber and plywood, the pieces are enlivened by custom powder-coated steel and aluminum plates. Screw-fastened construction allows them to be assembled without specialized millwork skills and easily disassembled or repaired when necessary. The patch plates establish alignment without requiring precise joinery, reflecting the project’s broader interest in creating moments of unexpected delight through purposeful misalignment. Thirdly, a display rail made from stock Unistrut and electrical conduit provides the school with a flexible place to present pamphlets, photographs, and other informational material.
Status
2025-2026
Location
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Program
Commercial, School, Training Rooms
Dimensions
117 ft x 66 ft x 13 ft
Photography
Joel McCullough
Materials
Epoxy Flooring, Paint, Polycarbonate, Stained Plywood, Blue Stained Pine Furniture, Powdercoated Steel Plates
2025-2026
Location
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Program
Commercial, School, Training Rooms
Dimensions
117 ft x 66 ft x 13 ft
Photography
Joel McCullough
Materials
Epoxy Flooring, Paint, Polycarbonate, Stained Plywood, Blue Stained Pine Furniture, Powdercoated Steel Plates
