Lowell School is an independent, co-educational day school serving 350 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It occupies an eight-acre historic campus in northwest Washington, D.C., adjacent to Rock Creek Park, and features three buildings, playgrounds, an athletic/play field, outdoor green spaces, and a creek. The school’s progressive education model is experiential, active, and collaborative.

Our design transforms an aging 1930s-era classroom building into a bright and exciting place for middle school students. Large expanses of glass visually connect interior spaces to the exterior green spaces and vice versa. New teaching spaces, flexible labs, and informal gathering zones support a nurturing environment and a STEM curriculum that combines inquiry, logical reasoning, collaboration, and investigation.

The project includes the complete demolition and replacement of all interior spaces and systems. A new front-facing addition houses a library, studio theater, and art studios, while a new exit stair provides a transparent gathering space with views to the adjacent park. Environmentally sustainable features include a vegetative roof on the addition, high performance mechanical and electrical systems, new energy-efficient windows, and building envelop enhancements. DLR Group provided master planning, architecture, and interior design services for this project.