Newcomb Elementary School

The existing Newcomb Elementary School building was past its useful life and grossly oversized.  Building systems were antiquated and inefficient to operate.  Site and student supervision was difficult due to the rambling layout. The building was not designed to accommodate the expansive soils below its foundation, resulting in cracked walls and compromising the structure.

The new building starts with a compact plan in two stories to maximize the layout efficiency and building weight down to the grade beam and pier foundation. The compact design minimizes the number of grade beams and piers in what would otherwise be an expensive foundation solution to deal with the expansive soils. The compact layout also provides excellent visual supervision inside and out.

The floor plan references native spaces of the Dine culture that are the primary users of this school. Cultural references carry through the building cultural classrooms, and even the corridors and decorative features. Outside, the play areas make use of natural materials as well as modern equipment.

The new school will be constructed on a site adjacent to the existing school, which will be abandoned and eventually demolished. The project will be completed in a single phase, with a bid lot option for 6 additional classrooms. The project is currently on hold due to funding constraints with the School District.

SIZE

61,250 GSF of new construction

SERVICES

Site selection, programming, design, construction documents, construction administration, project management

HIGHLIGHTS

School replacement

Strong attention to local cultural heritage