Page 34 - spaces4learning, Fall 2020

EDUCATION DESIGN SHOWCASE • K-12
HONORABLE MENTION
CHARTER OAK
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
BELTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TEMPLE, TX
ARCHITECT
O’Connell Robertson
JARROD STERZINGER, AIA, LEED AP 512-478-7286
PROJECT INFORMATION
CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR
Dr. Matt Smith
COMPLETION DATE
April 18, 2019
GROSS AREA
82,500 sq. ft.
AREA PER STUDENT
103 sq. ft.
SITE SIZE
16 acres
CURRENT ENROLLMENT
800
CAPACITY
800
COST PER STUDENT
$20,997
COST PER SQ. FT.
$204
TOTAL COST
$16,797,279
28 FALL 2020
CREATING A SENSE OF place for young learners in a fast-growth school district was the challenge for Char- ter Oak Elementary School, where regionally inspired design features ground the campus in its community.
Inside the main entry is a mural depicting the history of the school’s name sake:
a nearby oak tree where founders signed the Bell County Charter. Inspired
by this heritage oak, the school design celebrates the start of a student’s educa- tion, establishing roots for a future where they can grow to be anything they want
to be. This idea led to the use of natural materials and forms throughout. Playful light fixtures resembling clouds or ice cream spark the imagination. Windows and interactive surfaces at students’ eye level promote observation of learning
all around. Cozy features create a sense of place and comfort, providing a sense of belonging and safety.
Each learning community, or neighborhood, contains five classrooms and flex-
ible shared common space, reducing the scale of the 82,500 SF building designed for 800 students. Welcom- ing neighborhood entrances conceal color-coded security doors that support wayfind- ing. The school is designed
to elevate the educational en- vironment by making access to learning transparent, and in turn inspiring collaboration and student imaginations.