PROJECT William F. Cooke, Jr. Elementary School
LOCATION Hockessin, Delaware, US
PROJECT COMPLETION DATE 6/1/2015
ARCHITECT Becker Morgan Group, Inc.
ASSOCIATED ARCHITECT
OWNER/CLIENT Red Clay Consolidated School District
CONTRACTOR / CONSTRUCTION MANAGER The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
PHOTOGRAPHER Matt Wargo and Anne Gummerson (**2 seperate photographers**)
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM Brad A. Hastings, AIA, LEED AP; Sandra C. Carpenter, LEED AP BD+C; Brenden D. Frederick, AIA, LEED AP; Louise M. Miller, Associate AIA, NCIDQ, ASID
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
The new 600 student capacity William F. Cooke, Jr. Elementary School is the Red Clay Consolidated School District’s first new school in over 10 years. The design was developed through an intense collaborative effort of a Design Committee composed of teachers, staff, and public participants who met over the course of several months to develop the Educational Specifications and participate in the design process. A design charrette was held with students whose ideas were then taken back to the committee for inclusion. Student art work is incorporated into the design with custom graphic panels on the casework in the Administration and Media Center. The front entry is open and inviting with the main stairwell providing a sense of movement and excitement upon arrival. The clear circulation within the building is celebrated, with the main stair located adjacent to the main entrance within a glazed volume which serves as a beacon for the school throughout the day and evening. The main stair, while transparent to the outside entry, is designed to highlight the rock outcroppings indigenous to the area and highlight the topography and geology of the site. The program features a separate K-1 wing, and a 2 story academic wing for grades 2-5 flanking the centrally located Administration Area, Media Center, and Multi-Purpose Community Room. Every two grade levels (K-1, 2-3, & 4-5) feature their own centrally located Resource Room to accommodate multiple activities. These areas are celebrated on the exterior as focal points featuring primary colored metal panels. The building was oriented and designed to provide natural light to all areas while minimizing solar gain. The site, adjacent to numerous residential developments provides the setting for the facility to be a neighborhood school while also being nestled into the contours of the hillside taking advantage of views provided by the natural setting. The site design clearly delineates the separation of buses and automotive traffic, and provides extra stacking space for drop offs based on anticipated enrollment demographics. A cross access easement with the adjacent church provides both the school and church with additional parking for events. The existing topography required extensive efforts to properly site the school and resulted in multiple finish floor elevations with internal ramps. The main lobby has a Lego Wall and a “Bus Tank” aquarium, (a section of an actual recycled bus with working lights) utilized as the setting for a fish tank providing an exciting, educational exhibit which serves as a wayfinding device and anchor point of interest for the school. The school’s namesake was known for his dedication to children and the community. At the school’s groundbreaking he spoke of how the building serves as the vessel from which learning can flow. The community aspects of the school are evident by the centrally located Multi-purpose room which is designed to host multiple parent and community functions.
MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project PDF
IMAGE CAPTIONS & CREDITS
IMAGE 1 William F. Cooke, Jr. Elementary School_thumbnail.jpg, Front Entrance, Matt Wargo Photography
IMAGE 2 William F. Cooke, Jr. Elementary School_high res ext.jpg, Front Entrance Approach, Matt Wargo Photography
IMAGE 3 William F. Cooke, Jr. Elementary School_high res int.jpg, Main Lobby, Anne Gummerson Photography
IMAGE 4 Stairwell.jpg, Main Stairwell, Matt Wargo Photography
IMAGE 5 Library_Media Center.jpg, Media Center, Anne Gummerson Photography
IMAGE 6 Art Room.jpg, Art Room, Anne Gummerson Photography
IMAGE 7 Side Exterior.jpg, Media Center / Bus Entry, Matt Wargo Photography
IMAGE 8 Back Exterior.jpg, Art / Music Rooms, Matt Wargo Photography
William F. Cooke, Jr. Elementary School
Category
Local > AIA Chesapeake Bay > Non-Residential Architecture (AIA Chesapeake Bay) > New Construction (AIA Chesapeake Bay)
Winner Status
- Merit Award
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