Beaverton School District replaced its existing elementary school with a new facility to accommodate a growing community. Our design creates a place where students, educators, and neighbors feel a genuine sense of belonging by acknowledging a full spectrum of educational activity. The school offers spaces suited to groups of any size, from individual study to large community gatherings. This approach creates a programmatic framework that supports safe after-hours activities, extending the school’s value beyond the instructional day. Access to outdoor spaces, specialized learning environments, and abundant natural daylight strategically further the social and emotional wellbeing of students and educators alike.

The school’s layout is organized into three levels of pods, each connected by thin, glazed links that give students a clear and identifiable home base within the larger building. Each pod contains a flex-commons that students can configure to reflect the unique educational needs of their individual learning needs, fostering ownership and community at every stage of learning. Public areas and special support spaces bridge the gaps between pods, knitting the zones together while preserving an intimate, small-school atmosphere.