Lyons Township High School South Campus – Cafeteria & Commons Addition and Remodeling
Students at Lyons Township High School District 204’s South Campus once ate lunch at the edge of the building, far from the daily rhythm of school life. The Cafeteria/Commons renovation changed that. By moving the cafeteria to the physical center of campus and converting an underused courtyard into a vibrant hub, DLA Architects gave students one shared space to eat, collaborate, find academic help, and belong.
The Challenge: An Isolated Cafeteria That Left Students Disconnected
Before this project, South Campus lacked a true commons or dedicated spaces for students to gather, build relationships, collaborate, and support their social-emotional well-being. The cafeteria sat isolated at the building’s edge, academic support was scattered across the school, and stair-only pathways left parts of the campus difficult to reach for students with mobility needs.
The district set clear goals to fix this. They wanted to modernize spaces, improve accessibility, and create a place where students and staff could connect and thrive. The design process began by listening, with direct feedback from students and faculty shaping every decision. Their input, paired with the district’s commitment to a restorative culture of belonging, framed one central question: could relocating the commons to the heart of campus strengthen student connection and access to support?
Redesigned courtyard removes all stair-only access, creating an inclusive outdoor space for lunch, learning, gathering, and after-school use.
The addition opens to a fully accessible courtyard that supports outdoor dining, instruction, collaboration, and daily student connection.
Students eat, study, and gather in the Cafeteria/Commons, with daylight and courtyard views reinforcing connection, comfort, and community.
The flexible commons space supports collaboration, informal learning, and easy access to food, creating a vibrant hub for student activity.
The flexible commons space supports collaboration, informal learning, and easy access to food, creating a vibrant hub for student activity.
Student-run café fosters hands-on learning, entrepreneurship, and community engagement in a thoughtfully designed, standalone space with inviting aesthetics.
A bustling student-run café integrates real-world learning with community connection, featuring flexible seating areas designed to encourage collaboration and engagement.
Vibrant Cafeteria/Commons with courtyard-facing windows unite natural light, collaboration, and dynamic learning opportunities.
The dynamic Learning Stair overlooks the Cafeteria/Commons, promoting creativity and connection in a flexible, engaging space.
Modern commons atop the learning stair blends cool tones and cozy seating, fostering collaboration and inspiration in a flexible space.
Expansive clerestory windows illuminate adaptable seating areas, creating a vibrant, light-filled hub for collaboration and modern learning experiences.
Sunlit Commons encourages student collaboration through design that fosters engagement, flexibility, and modern learning in a vibrant environment.
“The Drop at the Top”: A flexible, student-centered hub combining peer learning, teacher support, and innovative design for academic success.
Dynamic design fosters collaboration, connecting students in light-filled spaces from the vibrant Commons to the innovative “Drop at the Top.”
Fully accessible by design, this welcoming lobby and bridge seamlessly connect students to the cafeteria, courtyard, and dynamic Commons.
Fully accessible by design, this welcoming lobby and bridge seamlessly connect students to the cafeteria, courtyard, and dynamic Commons.
The Design Concept: Student-Centered Spaces Built Around Connection
The design relocated the cafeteria to the center of campus, beside the main bus drop-off, so it became the natural daily gathering point. This single move gave students one shared space to eat, collaborate, and belong. An underutilized courtyard became a vibrant addition for dining, socializing, and learning, and a new elevator plus redesigned circulation removed stair-only barriers to create an equitable, continuous path throughout the school.
Inside, several features bring student-centered learning to life:
- The Learning Stairs offer tiered seating that doubles as a flexible stage for presentations, reading, and celebrations throughout the day.
- “Drop at the Top” serves as a welcoming, low-barrier academic support center for all core subjects, doubling as a student lounge. Research links easy access to support with stronger academic outcomes.
- A student-run café builds real-world skills, responsibility, and peer connection, supporting social-emotional development.
- The serving area uses evidence-based behavioral design, placing nutritious options at eye level and optimizing traffic flow to naturally guide students toward healthier choices.
Wellness shapes the look and feel of the space. Biophilic materials, including a wood-clad learning stair, warm wood ceiling, and a real moss wall, connect students to nature and ease daily stress. New skylights and high-performance glazing flood the commons with daylight, which evidence shows lowers stress and improves mood. School colors appear in a restrained, collegiate way that reinforces pride without visual clutter. A discreet security checkpoint keeps students safe without feeling institutional, and a dedicated staff dining area encourages collegiality among teachers.
The Outcome: A Vibrant Hub That Serves Every Learner
The transformed commons is now the true heart of South Campus, elevating daily life for every student. Early observations show students claiming the space before, during, and after the school day, a strong sign the design is meeting its goals.
The results speak to the district’s original vision. Students collaborate over meals, clubs gather for celebrations, and teachers use the flexible seating zones for presentations, interactive learning, and after-school events. The accessible courtyard welcomes everyone to outdoor dining and instruction, and sustainable choices like LED lighting, low-VOC materials, and water-saving fixtures protect both air quality and long-term operating costs.
What began as an isolated lunchroom is now a flexible, student-centered space that fosters belonging, connection, and academic achievement, all within a sustainable framework.
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