Brookwood Elementary School

BROOKWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

LEAWOOD, KANSAS

  • Shawnee Mission School District
  • New Construction
  • 76,800 SF
  • $17.3 Million

The walls and floors come to life as avenues for learning and exploration.

Home to over 550 students, the Brookwood Beaver pride shines through in the building’s design. The original mascot, Oscar, is incorporated throughout the building, a nod to proud alumni of the previous Brookwood Elementary School. A mixture of colors and texture mimic those found in nature, and you’ll find a beaver den nestled under the learning stairs that provides a special place for students to socialize or study.

The built environment at Brookwood encourages learning through exploration. As students make their way through the corridors, subtle wayfinding cues and interactive environmental graphics inspire student engagement and spark inquiry. Beyond the interior walls are learning tools integrated onto the building’s façade – a central sun dial and diagram of the lunar phases.

St. James Academy

ST. JAMES ACADEMY

LENEXA, KANSAS

  • Archdiocese of Kansas City-Kansas
  • New Construction
  • 108,000 SF

Located in a growing suburb within the greater Kansas City area, this facility integrates and adapts to changes in education, spirituality and technology.

The Chapel serves as the Heart of the Campus. This statement not only led to the present location of the Chapel, but also a concept of allowing students to be in the Presence of Christ as they experienced the building through visual connections to the Tabernacle. The Chapel is also flexible enough to not only accommodate 200 students, but the entire 800-student population, and still maintain a contiguous space so that they felt like they were apart of the Mass. We accomplished this by combining the allocated space for dining, gathering, and the Chapel into one large common centralized space detailed with similar materials and volume.

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Boyd Elementary School

Boyd Elementary School

SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI

  • Springfield Public Schools
  • New Construction
  • 56,000 SF
  • $16 Million

Greeted by bright colors and a sense of place, visitors, staff and students alike can connect with the rich history of the neighborhood.

Serving as a front porch to the historic midtown community, Boyd Elementary celebrates the history and future for students and staff. Focusing on International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, the design centered around themes supporting an international experience broadening students’ horizons and outlook of the world, as well as roots in the neighborhood providing a sense of place.

Inside, joyful colors and graphics radiate energy, welcoming all in an inclusive and universal space. Both striking and subtle patterns remind students of the IB values and help provide a sense of identity and ownership. Wooden archways warm spaces and create a grand entry to the various classroom neighborhoods, where students begin their daily learning adventure.

Students traverse Boyd Hall where exposed structures and “Windows to the World” give students a glimpse into the building’s innerworkings and puts learning on display. Flexible spaces allow for independent study and group collaboration, with intentional daylighting throughout.

Awards
IIDA MADA K12 Silver Award
AIA KC Design Excellence Citation Award for Interior Architecture

Collaboration with hdesigngroup

Grain Valley Leadership Center

Designed for additional growth of the team, the new Leadership Center features a large community board room that can be secured from the rest of the building, modern conference rooms and open-concept offices.

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Cassell Park Elementary School

CASSELL PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI

  • Independence School District
  • New Construction
  • 69,000 SF
  • $20 Million

Complete project integration, from architectural design to brand development. 

The Independence School District needed a new elementary school to prevent overcrowding and eliminate all mobile trailers used in the district. Named after a community landmark and prestigious community figure, students and staff now have a permanent place to call home at Cassell Park Elementary.

Now Home of the Knights, students and teachers take pride in their newly branded identity, which is displayed throughout the school through prominent graphics. Just like a knight, the school represents a safe, protective space while exploring a more collaborative, flexible approach to learning.

Cassell Park is the first elementary in the district to pilot Project Lead the Way into its curriculum. A makerspace is seamlessly integrated into the media center with a retractable door, making hands-on learning visible for all to see.

Blue Springs School District Wildcat Aquatics Center

Wildcat Aquatics Center

BLUE SPRINGS, MISSOURI

  • Blue Springs School District
  • New Construction

Swim and dive teams at Blue Springs High School now have a state-of-the-art facility to call their home base.

The new building is right down the road from the high school and cohesively branded, exuding school pride with purple and gold accents. Spectators have a birds-eye view over the pool, as athletes line up on the starting blocks for competition meets or practices. The entire space is filled with daylighting and the standard overhead fluorescent lights are elevated through custom metal screens punched through with the wave emblem. A subtle wave pattern was strategically designed as part of the exterior brick wall, greeting visitors and establishing a sense of place. Pickleball and tennis courts are found right outside of the aquatics center, encouraging community use after-hours.

EPiC Elementary School

EPiC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

LIBERTY, MISSOURI

  • Liberty Public Schools
  • Adaptive Reuse
  • 30,000 SF
  • $1.8 Million

Re-imagining a former administrative building created innovative environments for all elementary school students while saving District resources and accommodating rapid population growth. Students at EPiC are encouraged to push the boundaries of what an educational space can be.

The team set out to do more with less, designing spaces that were flexible and multi-functional and support learning at all times. The District owned space in a nearby office building. By moving their administrative office into this space, it opened up space for a learning environment without the expense of designing a new building.

The former District Administrative Center was re-imagined into EPiC Elementary School, an innovative project-based learning environment where “Every Person is Inspired to Create.” Designed to support 300 students, EPiC looks at space differently than a traditional school. Every square foot of the building is viewed as a learning space, supporting student group work.  Hollis + Miller designed flexible, multipurpose classrooms where students are exposed to project-based learning and educational technology. The learning environment also fosters individual learning and encourages discovery. This is an environment where children choose their adventure and have the opportunity to learn however they learn best.

I really felt comfortable explaining my ideas to Hollis + Miller, and the best part was that they would take our ideas and expand upon them.

–Dr. Michelle Schmitz