William F. Cooke, Jr. Elementary School

The William F. Cooke, Jr. Elementary School was the Red Clay Consolidated School District’s first new school in over ten years. The design was developed through extensive efforts working with a Design Committee composed of teachers, staff, community members, and students. With a 600-student capacity serving K-5, the program features a centrally located Administration and Learning Center, a K-1 wing, and a two-story academic wing for grades 2-3 and 4-5. Each two-grade wing features its own centrally located Resource Room to accommodate multiple activities. The main entry is highlighted with two unique project elements: the “Bus Tank” aquarium and a Lego wall. The main stair is located directly adjacent to the main entrance within a glazed volume serving as a beacon for the school and after school activities. The site is designed to separate bus and vehicular traffic patterns, while providing stacking space for a minimum of 50 vehicles to accommodate a large drop-off population and minimize traffic impacts to adjacent neighborhoods. Existing topography required extensive efforts to properly site the school and develop multiple finish floor elevations with internal ramps to minimize cost impacts. The design optimizes use of daylighting throughout the facility, while addressing multiple orientations.