Gateway Elementary School

Three distinct words provided inspiration for the design of Gateway Elementary School: join, aperture, and frame. These words not only defined the architectural character of the facility, but provided a vision for the new school as an integral connection to the existing community and a catalyst that joins the families from three different surrounding schools. The school itself is situated on the northern portion of a 32-acre site consisting of rolling hills and views to the south. The programmatic needs and adjacency requirements developed during design influenced the organizational layout as well as the massing and architectural design of the facility. Portions of the floor plan are two stories in height to take advantage of the change in elevation from a high point along 42nd Street sloping gradually to the west and as well as taking advantage of views to the south. The primary program components consist of the following areas: academic, activity, library and community, administrative, and support, each having a unique spatial and material identity.