During Spring Break, we documented the interior renovation of Dean Morgan Middle School in Casper, Wyoming, capturing a full video walkthrough of a multi-year school modernization project while the building was unoccupied.
Projects like this represent some of the most complex public architecture work happening in Wyoming. They require phased construction, long-term planning, and careful coordination to maintain safety and daily operations while improvements are made. This renovation was completed over more than three years without ever fully vacating the building, which significantly shaped how the design and construction were executed.
Architectural Walkthrough and On-Camera Project Explanation
During the walkthrough, architectural decisions and project phasing were explained on camera by Brandon Daigle, who discussed how the renovation addressed safety, classroom flow, and long-term functionality across the building.
The video documentation captures these explanations in real time, providing insight into how architecture firms working in Wyoming approach large-scale school renovations while maintaining active learning environments throughout construction.
A Focus on Safety, Flow, and Function
One of the primary goals of the renovation was improving building safety and circulation. Interior spaces were reconfigured to better compartmentalize corridors and classrooms, helping limit how incidents could affect the rest of the building while also improving everyday movement for students and staff.
Classroom sizes were normalized across grade levels, correcting long-standing inconsistencies where some rooms were significantly larger or smaller than others. By reorganizing the interior layout, the project added five classrooms without expanding the building footprint or increasing exterior square footage.
Modernized Learning Environments
The walkthrough highlights several upgraded learning spaces, including:
- Science labs with new casework, phenolic countertops, improved storage, and paired classroom layouts that allow teachers to support one another.
- CTE and trades classrooms designed with clean and dirty lab separation, CNC routing, welding stations, dust collection systems, and fabrication areas.
- Special education and life skills classrooms updated to meet modern ADA requirements and support functional, day-to-day learning.
- Music and performance spaces redesigned within the existing footprint, including dedicated cooling systems to handle high-occupancy use.
Each space reflects the realities of public school architecture in Wyoming, where durability, flexibility, and long-term maintenance are essential considerations.
Food Service and Building Infrastructure Upgrades
The renovation also included a complete rebuild of the school kitchen and back-of-house food service areas. The kitchen was demolished and reconstructed in roughly 60 days, with updated dish flow, storage, refrigeration, and prep areas, all completed without disrupting the school year.
Behind the scenes, major infrastructure upgrades were completed as well, including boiler replacements, sewer line reconstruction, mechanical distribution, and additional storage areas. These systems are rarely visible but are critical to how buildings like this operate year-round in Wyoming’s climate.
Video Walkthrough Documentation of a Wyoming School Renovation
This project was documented through a full interior video walkthrough recorded while the building was unoccupied. The walkthrough captures architectural explanations, design intent, and construction outcomes directly within the finished spaces.
Unlike still photography alone, walkthrough video allows architects and school districts to explain decisions in context. Commentary captured during this walkthrough provides a detailed overview of how classrooms, labs, and shared spaces were reconfigured throughout the building.
Why Documenting Wyoming Architecture Matters
Public architecture projects often go unseen once construction wraps, even though they represent years of planning, coordination, and technical problem-solving. Documenting these spaces through video walkthroughs and photography helps preserve institutional knowledge, provides transparency, and creates useful reference material for school districts and design teams across Wyoming.
This walkthrough serves as a visual record of how educational architecture is evolving in the state, balancing safety, accessibility, and modern instruction while working within existing buildings and phased construction schedules.
