Since 2010, the White Rock Elementary School campus has experienced rapid growth creating the need for additional core academic space in order to increase the student capacity from 750 k through 6th grade students, to 1,150 students. As a neighborhood school, White Rock Elementary School was land-locked while also located in a 100 year flood plain limiting any building expansion on campus. Community planning workshops were held to promote consensus and a unified vision for the 50 year-old campus while also incorporating many 21st century student learning spaces in the reimagined school. Careful consideration was given to enlarging, (or adding), core programs spaces due to the spike in academic classrooms. Enlarging the existing Kitchen and Student Cafeteria was a must while also relocating these spaces to better serve a larger student population and service access for deliveries. A second Gymnasium was also added providing space for lower school students separate from upper school students. These community spaces, along with a reimagined Library, were strategically located to minimize interior student congestion while encouraging after-hour access for community supported events. The overall architecture design incorporates student-centered learning courtyards while highlighting features from the 1960s school including the campus’ signature red brick and large windows allowing natural daylight to penetrate into all student learning spaces.

Completed while at Perkins+Will, Patrick Glenn served as the Managing Principal, Educational Programmer and Planner while Nick Nepveux served as the Project Designer working on all stages of programming, master planning and schematic design.