NEXT GENERATION LEARNING FEATURES
Sunnyvale ISD embarked on an educational transformation that required more of their school buildings than a series of conventional classrooms can provide. Their first new build designed specifically to support the way that students and teachers interact in Sunnyvale was a new intermediate school.
Designed to hold up to 600 students in grades 3, 4, and 5, the school is subdivided into three small learning communities, or houses. Each house includes nine classrooms on two floors along with breakout spaces and small group rooms, and includes an equal number of students from each of the three grades. These students will stay together in the same house for their full three years in this building. The small learning communities all overlook a large central space that serves as a shared commons and media center for the entire school. Dedicated spaces for art, science, music, and special education also open onto the commons.
Covered outdoor spaces on both the ground floor and second floor provide additional settings for learning. The absence of corridors along with ample walls of glass allow virtually every corner of this space to be easily overseen and, as a result, to serve as effective areas for learning. Students from a wide range of learning styles find their favorite spot, among the many different spaces, to be found here.
The public side of the campus includes administration offices, a light-filled cafeteria, and a gymnasium that is also designed to serve as a storm shelter. The school opened in the fall of 2019.
PROJECT SCOPE:
Size: 75,000 SF
Budget: $18,600,000
Completion Date: Fall of 2019
Location: Sunnyvale, Texas
OWNER:
Sunnyvale Independent School District
CONTRACTOR:
Gallagher Construction
Awards:
2020 Educational Interiors Silver Citation Award, American School & University Magazine
2020 School Transformation Award, TASA/TASB Convention
2020 Planning Award, TASA/TASB Convention
2020 Elementary School Citation Award, American School & University Magazine
2020 Outstanding Design Award, Learning by Design Magazine
2020 Project of Distinction Award
WHEN WHO YOU WORK WITH MATTERS
“The design at Sunnyvale Intermediate has created spaces and places for more frequent student collaboration and communication. Multiple small groups can be engaged simultaneously without interruption. Additionally, the strategic placement of multipurpose areas allows for a change of scenery during instruction. A favorite of our students is our patio on the second level."
Sara Staley
Sunnyvale Intermediate School Principal
Sunnyvale ISD
