Rogers Elementary School
Rogers ISD
Architects spent time meeting with teachers and administrators learning about the district’s curriculum, the children in the community, the intent of the campus, and the District’s history. By listening to the teachers, we had practical and functional input on the final design. The final result—a school design that fostered creativity and encouraged their students to soar.
The school site is the top of a hill, so a compact, 2-story design was chosen. Bright gold brick accents provide an engaging external elevation. Once inside, one of the main design features is a central skylight located above the main staircase, which literally illuminates the common areas. The glass storefront windows around the media center and skylight creates an open, highly connected feeling throughout the school.
The media center features a large instructional space and smaller pockets for individual study. A local artist designed a eagle’s nest sculpture which doubles as a quiet reading area and greets students as they enter.
The open plan creates a campus that sparks creativity, where students can explore, dream, and succeed. The use of bright colors and exaggerated shapes also complements the design.
Planning and Process
Architects spent a week meeting with teachers and administrators learning about the district’s curriculum, the children in the community, the intent of the campus, and the District’s history. The result -- the District desired a school design that fostered creativity and encouraged their students to soar. By listening to the teachers, we had practical and functional input on the final design.
Design
The school site is the top of a hill, so a compact, 2-story design was chosen. Bright gold brick accents provide an engaging external elevation. Once inside, one of the main design features is a central skylight located above the main staircase, which literally illuminates the common area. By using glass storefront windows around the media center and skylight, the school is an open, highly connected space. The use of bright colors and exaggerated shapes complement the design.
Educational Appropriateness
The school is designed around the media center, which is visible from most points in the school. The media center features a reading “nest”, instructional space, and provides smaller pockets for individual study. A local artist designed the eagle’s nest sculpture, which greets students who enter the space. A centrally-located shared science lab offers hands-on discovery to supplement classroom learning.
Innovation
The open plan design creates a campus that sparks creativity, where students can explore, dream, and succeed. The media center creates an appropriate focus for the school but also fosters a sense of community and togetherness. The use of clerestory windows in common areas provide natural light for optimum learning. By creating a stage between the gymnasium and cafeteria, we provided the district with several options for group assembly, while maximizing square footage.
Sustainability
The school was arranged so that all major spaces receive diffused natural light. Commons areas are also bathed in natural light, lowering utility costs. School was designed to exceed strict energy code requirements. An energy management system monitors and controls energy use to maximize savings and ensure energy conservation. Dedicated outside air units reduce CO2 levels and improve indoor air quality for students and staff. Additionally, only low VOC emitting compounds were used in this project.
Value
Elegant and durable laminate flooring anchors the building in bold patterns and colors. Building materials meet 50-year durability criteria to maximize the taxpayers’ investment. Materials selection reduced the cost for the District but did not compromise the functionality. The gym/stage, dining area, music space, and media center can be used separately without interrupting academics. Finally, the site is designed to accommodate building expansion, if the District chooses to do so.
