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Blue Ridge Elementary School

  • 11/01/22

WRA Architects

Project of Distinction 2022 Education Design Showcase

Blue Ridge Elementary School

Project Information

Facility Use: Elementary School
Project Type: New Construction
Category: Whole Building / Campus Design
Location: Blue Ridge, TX
District/Inst.: Blue Ridge ISD
Chief Administrator: Matt Kimball, Supt. of Schools
Completion Date: July 2021
Gross Area: 73,000 sq. ft.
Area Per Student: 146 sq. ft.
Site Size: 9 acres
Current Enrollment: 470 students
Capacity: 700 students
Cost per Student: $31,185
Cost per Sq. Ft.: $299
Total Cost: $21,829,747

Blue Ridge Elementary School gathering area

A new elementary school for a growing district in rural Collin County, Texas. Incorporating the sloped site into the design, the academic wing will project from the hill, providing a covered outdoor learning area below. The main corridor connects all functions of the school while providing ample amounts of natural light. Secure after-hours access to the gymnasium and cafeteria allows community use. The Cafetorium has expansive glass walls offering wide views outside. Completed Summer 2021.

Blue Ridge Elementary School playground

Education Cycles — Just as there are cycles in nature where each step in the cycle is connected to the next, so there are connections in the educational journey.

Blue Ridge Elementary School library

Each point along the path that a student follows is directly connected to the milestone before it, as well as to the next milestone to come. This path continues through every aspect of a student's education, weaving from the academic core to the arts to physical play.

Blue Ridge Elementary School gathering area

The interior design for the project depicts this path as a "ribbon" woven throughout the school building. Main destinations along the way represent different phases in the water cycle, such as precipitation, absorption through plants, and evaporation.

Blue Ridge Elementary School library

Blue Ridge Elementary School staircase

Blue Ridge Elementary School from the outside

Architect(s):

WRA Architects
Jason Oswald, AIA, Principal-in-Charge
214-750-0077

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