By connecting students to nature and celebrating its diverse student community, the new Kimball Elementary School expresses sensitivity to its neighborhood and site context.

At the three-story, 97,000 sf school, every element reinforces environmental awareness and educational opportunity for students. The building nestles into a sloped site, preserving an exceptional grove of mature trees while framing new outdoor learning spaces. A rain garden at the entry creates a cooling micro-climate and neighborhood amenity. Repurposed materials preserve the memory of the original school and reduce carbon footprint of the new building. Other sustainability strategies include passive design, a high-performance envelope, and ground source heat pumps. 

Kimball’s design celebrates the sharing of identities through cultural exchange. The central learning stairs feature nature-based poems in languages spoken by Kimball families. Special vegetables and spices gathered from cultural dishes important to the school community are featured on a large wall mural in the commons. These, combined with the colorful design palette, make Kimball a school designed around and for its diverse student body.

The original school’s open floor plan resulted in a much-loved teaching culture. While integrating the current District educational specifications, the replacement school seeks a balance of interaction and respite. The outcome is small conference rooms between classrooms, operable walls to open rooms, and shared doors between spaces. This design flexibility preserves the supportive teaching culture and leads to environments where students can safely collaborate and connect with their peers.

Together, these factors guide a design that is deeply responsive to its school and neighborhood communities. By supporting the inclusive teaching culture and weaving the design into the nature of its site, Kimball Elementary is uniquely grounded in its context.