Springfield PK-12 School

Springfield School District and its campus is located in the heart of Springfield on the eastern plains of Colorado. Faced with eight aging and separate school facilities spread across 22.5 acres that were becoming too expensive to maintain, the district sought out our team to facilitate the design of a new facility.

The goal for this project is to implement their master plan of providing a cohesive, inspirational, and modern facility for students, of a quality to last for the next 50+ years. The result of this undertaking is the new Springfield PK-12 School, comprised of a 63,330-square-foot addition to the existing 28,590-square-foot middle and high school, resulting in a 91,920-square-foot consolidated PK-12 school facility.

The existing one-story middle and high school spaces will be reconfigured to house PK-5th grade students in a re-imagined elementary school featuring a centralized media center. The elementary school will be connected to the new two-story middle school and high school with a two-story commons that serves as the bridge between younger and older students. The existing and new gymnasiums, a shared cafeteria and community space also bridge student grades, sitting along the same axis and adjacent to the athletic field.

New program spaces include a modern vocational agriculture shop reflective of the local economy, makerspace for elementary school hands-on exploration, daylight-filled and visually connected core learning spaces, and technology-rich media and information commons. Pathways through the school include collaborative spaces, reading nooks, and prideful displays of student achievement and school heritage.

The exterior design showcases a community courtyard for outdoor learning and celebratory events. Separate parent, bus, and student traffic patterns provide needed site clarity and security.  Interior and exterior materials also complement space functionality and project context through a combined palette of earth tones, natural textures, and nature-inspired colors that honor Springfield and the greater eastern plains. This project is on track to be CHPS Verified through the careful orientation of learning spaces, enhanced building envelope, acoustics, MEP systems, and thoughtful commitment to building and community stewardship.