Bonny Slope Elementary School Beaverton School District | Beaverton, OR

This new elementary school is comprised of three distinct areas–the northern, central and eastern wings–that contain specific programmatic elements.

The northern wing is a two-story structure which contains the classrooms, small group instruction spaces, and commons areas. The commons areas are designed to accommodate 2-3 classrooms, strategically placed for classroom adjacencies and to give the hallways an articulated flow. Natural light is let into the commons and hallway areas from light shelves at the classroom exterior walls which reflect the light through high windows located in the classroom/commons walls. Sunshades have been incorporated into the design at the classroom wing to control glare and heat gain from the setting sun.

The central wing contains the main entry and covered walkway, the administration area, and the second story library. It projects the primary image of the school and has the biggest visual impact from the street.  The library is open to the lobby below with a large communicating stair connecting the second floor to the main first floor hallway. Glazing surrounds the main stair to allow a visual connection from the main entry to the large play area at the rear of the school.

The eastern wing contains the bulk of the public program elements: the cafeteria, gym, stage, and music room. These areas are accessible after school hours to the public. The cafeteria, gym, and stage can all be segregated from each other by folding partitions or opened up to create a large gathering space.