The new Gladstone Elementary School will feature 3+ stories of teaching and learning leveraging the existing site topography to create a compact building footprint that minimizes site disturbance while promoting energy efficiency. The new school layout optimizes the building’s solar orientation to maximize natural daylight and views for both teachers and students. The design strategically places different window types throughout the building to not only maximize natural light but provide an abundance of views to the surrounding landscape.

The school design features six learning communities each with a central learning commons. The learning communities are linked together by a central curiosity center on each floor. The green and blue accent glass connect back to the treehouse theme that winds its way throughout the building.

The two-story Curiosity Center with purpose-built music, art, library, and maker spaces serve to connect the Learning Communities on each floor.

The exterior curtainwall system anchoring the corners of the building brings natural light deep into building creating an inspiring learning environment.

The art room has large, north facing windows providing panoramic views of the surrounding neighborhood and landscape.

Colorful punched windows serve as seating alcoves for students to work collaboratively or alone. The same bright color palette extends to accent wall colors in the learning studio.

Solar shades on the exterior will block the sun at key hours of the day, preventing solar heat gain and maintaining a cooler indoor environment for the students and teachers.