Legat Architects

“It was priceless to see the look on the parents’ and children’s faces when they first saw the new school and it was even better when they toured the facility and experienced its many highlights: bright and colorful rooms with staggered windows, the sensory courtyard that fosters play using natural materials and the environment, and the inclusive playground that allows our special needs children to play with their peers without looking different but getting the support that they need.”

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Material Assignments

Exterior materials align with programs, making it easy for visitors to identify different areas of the building. This elevation shows student/family services (left), a secondary entry (center), and a classroom wing (right).

Facade

The facade features a playful pattern of fiber cement panels and windows.

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Playground

The ADA accessible playground includes natural vegetation, a soft play surface, an embankment slide, and equipment designed for students of all abilities. The equipment challenges students and encourages collaboration while maximizing safety and accessibility.

Reception/Safety

After visitors check in at a secured vestibule, an inspirational quote and welcoming color scheme greet them. When the alarm system is activated, doors separating classroom wings from the corridor close and lock.

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Learning Resource Center

The light-filled learning resource center’s movable furniture allows staff to rearrange the room to host a variety of activities. This flexibility helped the school socially distance students during the pandemic.

Designed from Students’ Point of View

High and low classroom windows consider the unique vantage points of early learners and encourage them to explore outdoor activities.

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Easy Navigation

This entry diagram describes how people move through the building. Yellow indicates students arriving from the parking lot and getting escorted to their classrooms, then moving outside for outdoor play. Blue represents students and faculty evacuating to the tornado shelter during a storm. Pink shows how visitors and faculty entry from the north and east sides of the building, check in at reception, and then move to either the teachers’ workroom or the community resource room.