Johnston Elementary School

A 100‑foot vertical drop across the site became one of the project’s earliest design drivers. Rather than fighting the topography, the team used it to shape the building’s massing, entries, and outdoor learning zones. The sloped area behind the school transforms into a natural play landscape, an amenity that supports movement, exploration, and daily wellness while reinforcing the school’s connection to its wooded hillside.

Bringing four small, 2–3‑track neighborhood schools together required a planning strategy that preserved the familiarity of a “home base” while scaling up shared amenities. The design organizes the building into grade‑level neighborhoods arranged around a central Town Square. Planning diagrams (like the one shown here) helped the team test how the Town Square could anchor daily movement, concentrate shared resources, and create a cohesive, student‑scaled core within a much larger school. This framework shortens travel distances, supports the “teachers‑go‑to‑students” model, and creates a predictable rhythm to the school day.

To support hands-on learning and interdisciplinary projects, the design places four DaVinci spaces along the main academic corridors – two on each upper floor. Their open, visible locations make them part of the daily experience, encouraging spontaneous collaboration and giving teachers flexible, reservable space for project‑based work.

The DaVinci spaces are divided into “wet” and “dry” zones to support a full range of making, tinkering, and STEAM exploration. Sized for two classes at once, they allow teachers to pull students from their home rooms for focused project work or cross‑grade collaboration. Their flexible layouts and durable finishes make them ideal for messy, creative, and experimental learning.

A three‑story atrium anchors the building, using a forest‑to‑sky graphic to reinforce intuitive wayfinding and a sense of growth, nature, and community. Each grade‑level neighborhood is organized around shared commons and clear sightlines, helping students recognize, “this is my floor, this is my neighborhood.” Color, graphics, and daylight support a small‑school feel within a larger, efficient building.

Within the cafeteria, ‘cubby buddy’ lunch nooks offer a smaller-scale option for students who prefer quieter dining. The double-height space anchors the ‘School Among the Trees,’ with a south-facing curtain wall overlooking a rolling, tree-covered hill. Connections to nature appear throughout the school, from exterior views to environmental graphics that help students learn about local flora and fauna.