Crowning Glory

The main entry canopy at the Walker Creek Elementary School steps down in a spiral fashion around its rotunda entry tower. This distinctive gesture alludes to the unique learning environment within. Situated on a small site, the school was required by covenant to be built on the corner of its property – to create street walls and tree-lined walkways to shape the future surrounding townscape. This requirement created an L-shaped configuration that has now become the district's trademark design prototype.


The plan's design works well for the school's learning needs in many ways. First, it saves a large amount of the site as a useful and meaningful green space for students and community. Second, it allows excellent queuing, pick-up and drop-off circulation. It also allows northern and eastern light to stream into all parts of the school, while providing equally nice views to the grounds outside. The two-story classroom wing features grade-level pods that each focus on their own commons area. These flexible learning spaces are designed for outside-the-classroom, project-based and collaborative learning activities.