An Educational Campus 50 Years in the Making

“The biggest issue was to have a continuously operational school on the same site while we replaced the outdated and undersized facility,” says Stephen Clark, RLF senior designer. “We accomplished this by building temporary classrooms and phasing construction.”

The site plan to the right illustrates the project phasing as implemented. This sequence allowed for continuous operation of the campus’ mechanical, electrical and communications systems while ensuring safe, disruption-free use for students and faculty.

Because the K-12 school taught a wide range of age groups, it was important for the designers to think about separating grades while sharing as many facilities as possible. The design featured a shared kitchen and service area with separate offices built off the entry rotunda. A central utility plant was designed to serve the entire campus. The design took advantage of the natural slope of the site placing elementary classrooms on the higher portion, with middle and high schools occupying the lower part and athletic fields anchoring the bottom. The sloped terrain also allowed designers to build an amphitheater between outdoor piazzas.

Designed to meet LEED Silver guidelines, the new facilities offer all of the amenities of a modern college campus featuring open atriums and breezeways, smart boards with wireless internet, a state-of-the-art library and media center, two recycling centers, portable generators, and a layout that is advantageous for both students and staff.

“After three years of coordinated design and construction work,” says Clark, “we satisfied and surpassed our client’s expectations. By engaging educators, parents, administrators and students in the planning process we created a sustainable learning space that balances innovation, budget and the program’s educational mission.”