The newest Germantown Elementary School, A2H’s second consecutive new construction project with the district, is a 110,000 square-foot hub for enhanced learning which serves students in kindergarten through the fifth grade.
The school features large windows in the classrooms and corridors which allow daylight and views into the heart of the building. Opportunities for learning extend beyond the building and throughout the 36 acre site which includes a historic oak tree and a pond. A dining hall with a stage and the P. E. area with a basketball court will be amenities available to the larger community of the Germantown Municipal School District.
Trademarks of the new GMSD buildings (also seen in the Riverdale School addition, mentioned above) are evident in the technologically advanced classrooms, media center, bright and welcoming corridors, and the integration of STEAM spaces throughout.
Because of the precedent set by A2H and GMSD at Riverdale Middle School, the project team designed the ground-up elementary school — the district’s first ground-up new school since being formed in 2014 — with standards that reflect the programmatic and design priorities previously determined.
The new school is located in the heart of Germantown but maintains a true “campus” feel. It’s surrounded by a canopy of matured trees and activity rooms that overlook a scenic pond on-site, which was also purposefully designed to assist in stormwater management. To address safety concerns for both students and neighboring residents, localized traffic engineering allows for efficient traffic flow throughout and around the site onto heavily-trafficked Forest Hill Irene Road.\
Affordability and sustainability were prioritized throughout design, while still creating a modern and welcoming environment to serve as a catalyst for unconventional and trend-setting programming. Double-loaded corridors are adorned in bright, contrasting colors and in many instances, activity rooms and multipurpose spaces utilize floor-to-ceiling glass and light wells to allow daylighting throughout the school.
In addition to 110,000 SF of academic space, GMSD also relocated their administrative offices to the Forest Hill site, housed in a separate facility.
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