Finegold Alexander recently completed the new 100,000 SF Gladstone Elementary School in partnership with the City of Cranston, Gilbane Construction Group and Owner's Project Manager Jacobs, replacing the former 1950’s-era facility. Serving 798 students in grades K- 5, the new school brings together Gladstone and Arlington Elementary School communities within a single, state-of-the art learning environment.

The new Gladstone Elementary School features more than three stories of teaching and learning spaces and reimagines the traditional elementary school model. Rather than organizing classrooms along a central corridor, the building is structured around six Learning Communities – each a suite of interconnected spaces designed to support a variety of learning styles and activities. Every Learning Community includes a Learning Commons, Learning Studios, an Active Lab, a Teacher Collaboration Workroom, and Small Group Rooms. This innovative approach creates a dynamic and flexible environment where the entire school serves as a place for learning, collaboration, creativity, and engagement.

The project received its Certificate of Completion in May 2026, and furniture installation is now complete. As the final preparations are underway, the administration, faculty, and staff are eagerly preparing to welcome students to their new learning environment and celebrate the school’s official ribbon-cutting this September.

Rendering: Utilizing the existing site for the new school was a key priority for the City of Cranston, preserving the neighborhood school that has long served the community. Despite the site’s challenging topography, the new building was thoughtfully sited to work with the natural terrain, creating a compact, energy-efficient footprint while minimizing site disturbances and maximizing the unique characteristics of the landscape.

Actual View: The new school layout optimizes the building’s solar orientation to maximize natural daylight and views for both teachers and students.

Rendering: The design leverages the site's elevation change to reduce the building's overall massing, placing the large gymnasium at the lowest level of the building.

Actual View: A secondary entry to the gymnasium allows for after-hours use, strengthening the school's connection with the surrounding neighborhood.

Renderings: The Curiosity Centers connect the adjacent Learning Communities on each floor and serve as dynamic hubs that include a distributed library/media center, along with dedicated areas for music, art, and a makerspace.

Actual Views: Located in the center of the building, flexible furniture with the Curiosity Centers will allow students and teachers to seamlessly extend learning throughout the entire school.

Rendering: Learning Commons are located at the heart of each Learning Community and offer flexible spaces for student gatherings, small group collaboration, and individual learning zones.

Actual View: Generous, strategically located windows fill the space with natural light, while interior glazing maintains visual connections between the Learning Commons and adjacent Learning Studios.

Renderings: The Learning Studio provides students and teachers with the adaptability to accommodate a range of learning needs.

Actual Views: Each Learning Studio features interactive teaching walls and movable furniture to promote flexibility and collaboration.

Rendering: The cafetorium is designed to serve larger gatherings for both the school and broader Cranston community.

Actual View: A central platform functions both as tiered seating for students during daily activities and an area for special performances, events, and assemblies. The accent glass colors connect back to the treehouse theme that winds its way throughout the building.