The Making of the Helen and DeLight Breidegam Jr. Student Center

Editor's note: This article is also featured in the Perkiomenite, our student newspaper. 
 

After years of anticipation, the Helen and DeLight Breidegam Jr. Student Center opened its doors, marking one of the largest projects in the school’s history. Head of School Mark A. Devey shared how it all started: with a vision of what the school needed most. Working with architects, he aimed to design a space that would bring students together while also meeting more practical needs, such as dining, studying, and working on projects.

“You have to start with a vision and be realistic about what’s possible,” says Devey. “You bring in other people to challenge your ideas and strengthen them.”

The shared goal was creating a central hub that could serve students of every grade and interest. Transforming that vision into reality took time and persistence. Fundraising proved to be one of the biggest challenges, as the school launched a capital campaign that lasted nearly seven years, an impressive achievement, even with all the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. When construction finally began, new obstacles arose including supply chain delays for materials such as countertops and window glass, that created ripple effects throughout the project.

“Building today is complicated,” Devey notes. “When one thing falls behind, it affects everything else.” Despite setbacks, the result is a space filled with thoughtful, community-centered design. One of the biggest motivations behind the project was the need for more space. Robbie’s wasn’t large enough to accommodate everyone comfortably and younger students could feel intimidated sharing the space with older students. Devey wanted to change that dynamic.

At the heart of the new center is Lloyd’s Cafe, a welcoming dining and gathering area. This bigger space offers a wider variety of food, especially for boarding students.

“This is their home,” says Devey. “They deserve the same quality and range of food they’d have if they went home at the end of the day. Food brings people together. My goal was to create a space where we can reconnect, face to face, not just through screens.”

The building also includes a teaching kitchen, study areas, and comfortable spots to relax and connect.

The new center also strengthens the school’s arts and Institute programs. Two music rooms at the front of the building allow students to see and hear performances throughout the day, while upstairs, light-filled art studios and new facilities for Institute projects encourage hands-on creativity.

“These spaces put the arts and collaboration at the heart of campus,” explains Devey. “Students can see what their classmates are working on and feel inspired to try something new.”

Looking back, Devey wouldn’t change a thing. The planning process included input from faculty, students, and community members, and the architects and builders were chosen with care.

“We took the right steps and worked with incredible people,” says Devey. For him, the most rewarding part was the people behind the project, the architects, crews, and community who brought it to life. He often thanked construction workers with pizza or pie.

“It’s always the people that make it meaningful,” he shares. “And knowing that students will walk in here and say, ‘Wow, this place rocks!’ that’s what makes it worth it.”

Flansburgh Architects and Perkiomen School's new Student Center were featured on AmericaByDESIGN. View the segment, HERE. 

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