Located on the southern end of the College Community School District’s campus, the new two-level intermediate school for 5th and 6th grades is designed to house 1,200 students with the capacity to be expanded in the future. The building is organized as a welcoming learning destination for the community, to maximize collaborative opportunities, to meet current pedagogical needs, but also to be flexible and adaptable for evolutions in learning and teaching.

Naturally green, the site is defined by a dynamic swale that stretches across it, leading down to a wetland area to the east. The new building embraces the natural curves of the site and nestles itself into the swale, giving the street façade a simple and inviting one-story approach. As the swale dips down, the building emerges from the hill and opens both levels to natural daylight and views.  To reduce reliance on artificial light, common public spaces such as the gym, multipurpose space, library, as well as the art, music and classroom neighborhoods are daylit. Additionally, collaboration areas borrow light and views from classrooms using internal windows, which allow for supervision between the spaces and exterior light penetration deep into the building.

At 189,500-square-feet, the building is laid out as two rectangles or bars set parallel to the contours of the site with activities-based programming to the west and classrooms to the east. A node that joins the bars is a double-height, open multipurpose space that becomes a transitional hub for gathering and socialization. A large glass expanse faces north to provide critical views to a courtyard that offers seating and opportunities for outdoor learning as well as space for fun and play.