Franciscan Center, St. Francis DeSales High School

The Call: A Building with History, Ready for a New Purpose

St. Francis DeSales High School had a convent on campus that was no longer serving its original purpose. The school’s leadership saw an opportunity to transform it into something that would change the student experience: a dedicated student center that would become the social and collaborative heart of the campus. In a competitive private school market where facilities matter, the Franciscan Center could be a defining feature that attracted families and gave current students a space designed around how they actually gather, study, and connect. The school’s leadership decided to move forward. Every dollar would come from private donors.

Choosing a Partner Who Could Make the Invisible Visible

The design concept was bold: cut out a section of the existing floor to create a dramatic atrium that would transform the entire feel of the building. But there was a problem. Standing in the convent as it existed, the school’s leadership simply could not picture what the result would look like. Floor plans showed the layout. Renderings showed an approximation. But neither captured the feeling of standing in a space where a floor used to be and looking up into an open atrium above. The school needed a partner who could close that gap. They chose Triad.

The Moment That Changed Everything

Triad’s team created an augmented reality version of the design. The school’s leadership stood in the actual convent, looked through a device, and watched the transformation happen around them. The floor disappeared. The atrium opened up. They could see the scale. They could feel the light. They could experience the energy of the future space while standing in the old one. That was the moment the project moved from uncertain to inevitable. The leadership had the visual proof they needed to commit donor dollars with confidence.

With the vision locked in, the school’s leadership and Triad’s team turned to the full design. The convent was reimagined as a student center through stakeholder engagement with students, faculty, and leadership. Integrated interior design created a cohesive environment where the building’s history was respected while its new purpose was unmistakable. The school made design and budget decisions at every phase, always with an eye toward the spaces that would have the greatest impact on student life.

Renovating a convent meant dealing with unforeseen conditions that could surface at any point. Every dollar was fundraised, so there was no room for waste. The school’s leadership managed the budget with discipline, supported by Triad’s process for protecting against surprises and ensuring that donor dollars went where they would have the most impact.

A Convent Reborn as the Heart of Campus Life

Today, the Franciscan Center is the social heart of the St. Francis DeSales campus. The atrium that the school’s leadership once could not picture is now the defining feature of the building. Students gather, collaborate, and connect in a space that was designed around how they actually use it. Donors can see exactly where their investment went and what it produced. A building with a long history of service has been given a new chapter that serves the school’s mission in a completely different way. The school’s leadership took a bold idea, experienced it through augmented reality before committing, and delivered a transformation that exceeded expectations. They earned that result by demanding to see their future before they built it.