Modernizing a Rural District

Creation

Working in close collaboration with Batavia Local Schools, our team created a Campus Master Plan that could house the entire district on one campus and maximize academic space to accommodate projected future growth.

With the Master Plan as guide and a clear vision from the district to create a 21st century learning environment, development of the new Elementary School was underway. Intended to accommodate two age groups operating on different schedules, the design incorporates dedicated wings, each defined by an Extended Learning Area that facilitates collaboration beyond the classroom environment. The district’s strong ties to its rural identity inspired an important theme for the school’s interior design: bringing the outside in. In the vestibules for each wing, murals reflecting nature’s seasons adorn the walls and symbolize the path of the students’ educations. Equidistant from each wing are shared spaces, including a media center, gymnasium, cafeteria and stage. The school’s main entrance and corridors were designed with security in mind, providing safety zones for lockdowns and exit strategies for students and staff.

Driven by the existing Middle and High School’s lack of stage space, we worked closely with Batavia Local Schools to design a performance space capable of serving the entire school district. By separating the student dining and gymnasium spaces with a 12-foot-high by 40-foot-wide operable partition, audiences can overflow from the cafeteria into the gym and still enjoy clear sight lines to the stage. Augmented by the ability to connect the gymnasium to the stage’s audio system, the shared space allows large-scale audiences to enjoy the performance, no matter their seat.