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The newly modernized learning environment preserves the rich history of a community while offering students innovative collaboration areas naturally integrated into the flow of the building.

Serving over almost a century of students, Mason Elementary School has expanded and adapted over the years to accommodate a growing student population. The existing building was at 110% capacity, and rather than construct an entirely new school, the design team developed a renovation and addition plan that would bring the new learning environment into the 21st century, accommodate the increased number of students and leave the legacy of the historical building intact.
The horseshoe shape of the existing building made it difficult for students to connect and inconvenient to traverse to other classrooms. The design team recognized that the new building needed to achieve a lot within a small footprint, causing them to rethink how the use of space could be reimagined for efficiency. The corridors now also serve as collaboration spaces, opening to classrooms with glass doors and providing natural connections everywhere. Bright colors, the use of wood and the integration of the existing brick give a warm and welcoming feel, emulating the family emphasis of its patrons.

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

Situated in historic midtown Springfield, the new Mary S. Boyd Elementary School replaced an aged facility that had served the community for years. The need for an updated learning environment, the addition of PreK classrooms and the expansion of the school’s widely known International Baccalaureate program fueled the worldly design of the new building. Transdisciplinary connections can be found throughout the corridors, brought together at one central point in Boyd Hall. Boyd Hall serves as the “front porch” for students’ arrival each day, a melting pot of varying cultures, graphics and colors. Built to serve internationally-minded learners, Boyd Elementary is home for a diverse community and a safe haven for all.