The Art Studio and Art Ceramics Building are two of the oldest buildings on the Monterey Peninsula College's Monterey campus. Well-used and well-loved, the two buildings were an integral part of the historic fabric of the campus, and though well past their useful life concerning systems and finishes, the importance of the buildings in the College's history suggested that they should be restored, repurposed, and renewed.

The buildings were essentially stripped to their enclosing frames and re-partitioned to reflect the comprehensive reprogramming of the Art Studios within. North-facing clerestory windows were added along with expanded energy-efficient windows to create light-filled studios which do not require artificial lighting during daylight hours. Extensive site work renovations provided stronger linkages between the buildings and a new exterior-covered kiln area. The redesigned buildings utilize lighting, mechanical systems, windows, and doors that are energy-efficient, as well as computer-based instruction technologies. Third-party commissioning ensured that energy conservative design strategies we employed performed as designed, paying dividends through utility conservation.