Learning / PK-12

Cherry Crest Elementary School

Bellevue, Washington

Bellevue School District

Awards

2017 Award of Merit, AIA Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE)

2016 James D. MacConnell Award Finalist, Association for Learning Environments (A4LE)

2015 Civic Design Award, AIA Washington Council

2015 Project of Recognition, Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI)

2015 Crow Island School Citation, American School and University Educational Interiors Showcase

2015 Merit Award, Polished Apple Award, Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI)

2014 Grand Prize, Learning by Design

Building and Site are woven into each other at Cherry Crest Elementary, making one feel not so much in the building as on the site. This integrated experiential environment stimulates both the curriculum and student engagement by offering a variety of learning spaces which encourage overlap of formal and informal interaction. The central courtyard and green roof plaza provide opportunities for entire classes to learn outside in a secure environment.
Outdoor plazas located off each houses shared learning space encourage smaller groups to bring learning outside and into close contact with the wooded site and landscaped rain gardens. Breakout spaces throughout the building invite students to quietly sit and read, or simply consider the views. The Learning Stairs located immediately off of the entry lobby accommodate multiple uses, ranging from student presentations to parents gathering before and after school. This school is also highly energy efficient. Ground source heat pumps, super-insulated walls, and a rooftop photovoltaic array combine to deliver a targeted EUI of around 18.

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