With a school serving a population of less than 2,000, Girdwood is situated in a picturesque mountain valley and is the hometown of many Olympic medalists for winter sports. The facility functions as a full-time K-8 school and is the primary public building in the area.
The artistic, tight-knit community encourages active learning and academic exploration that extends outside the boundaries of the school. The design team facilitated workshops that explored the existing educational specification in light of national trends to provide broad input for the design. It was integral that locally made artwork was incorporated into the design. The 57,000 SF renovated facility and two-story addition fit appropriately in the context of the site by use of timber framing, wood ceilings/accents, and organic earth-toned materials.
