Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

A.G. Bell Elementary School

Lake Washington School District, Kirkland, Wash.

  • 09/01/15

A.G. Bell Elementary SchoolWith an existing forest and wetland, significant slopes and a sprawling campus, the replacement of A.G. Bell Elementary posed challenging natural and built constraints. DLR Group’s design brings restoration to the fractured site by integrating its unique qualities in a school enabled to meet educational goals, sustainably reduce the cost of ownership and reinforce community connections. Featuring roof canopies and staggered elevations, the building complements nearby vegetation and maximizes daylight through sunshades, light-diffusing glass and deliberate orientation, reinforcing transparent learning environments.

The surrounding forest was left intact, requiring diligent phasing of the occupied site and integration of walking paths to surrounding neighborhoods. Based on two primary circulation axes, A.G. Bell Elementary offers ease of circulation, equal access to shared learning spaces and pays homage to the former school through the reuse of salvaged cedar wood covering the library (seen prominently from the entryway and lobby). With a clear, welcoming entry and adequate space designed for community and school use, A.G. Bell Elementary is now enabled to serve both its students and community.

A.G. Bell Elementary SchoolARCHITECT

DLR Group
NOAH GREENBERG
206.461.6000

PROJECT INFORMATION

CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR
Forrest Miller

COMPLETION DATE
September 2013

GROSS AREA
65,306 sq. ft.

PER STUDENT
119 sq. ft.

SITE SIZE
9 acres

CURRENT ENROLLMENT
N/A

CAPACITY
550 students

COST PER STUDENT
$36,363

COST PER SQ. FT.
$306

TOTAL COST
N/A

COMPANY PROFILE

Founded in Omaha in 1966, DLR Group has grown to 22 offices across the U.S., Shanghai, and Dubai and over 600 employees combining international experience with local expertise. As an integrated design firm, we provide architecture, design, engineering and planning.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.

  • Phoenix School District Breaks Ground on New Prep Academy

    The Creighton Elementary School District near Phoenix, Ariz., recently broke ground on a campus replacement for Biltmore Preparatory Academy, according to a news release. The new space will allow the school to expand its enrollment by 50 percent for K–8 students and accommodate modern, collaborative learning styles.

  • Nashville Elementary School Receives LEED Gold Certification

    Goodlettsville Elementary School, part of Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, Tenn., recently achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a news release. The 81,750-square-foot school opened in 2023 and was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).

  • S4L Announces 2026 Education Design Showcase Winners

    Spaces4Learning is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Education Design Showcase! Now in its 27th year, the annual awards program honors innovative solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction across K–12 and higher education.