Blue Ridge Elementary School

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

Featured

  • Electrifying Bus Fleets

    Now is an excellent time for K-12 “yellow” school buses, college campus transportation, and public transit systems to transition to zero-emission electric buses instead of traditional gas or diesel-powered models.

  • Quadient Achieves 25,000 Locker Installations Worldwide

    Global automation platform Quadient recently announced that it has acquired Package Concierge, a U.S.-based parcel management solutions provider, according to a news release. The acquisition pushes Quadient over the 25,000-unit milestone of global installations.

  • Minnesota High School Completes $226M Addition, Renovation Project

    White Bear Lake Area High School – North Campus in White Bear Lake, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $226-million renovation and addition project, according to a news release. The district partnered with Kraus-Anderson for the project’s construction, which involved creating a single high-school site for the White Bear Lake Area School District.

  • Integem Releases New AI-Powered AR Software Platform

    Integem recently announced the release of iPlayer EDU, an AI-powered software platform featuring augmented reality (AR) technology that allows teachers to create immersive educational experiences, according to a news release. The software also includes interactive lessons on a variety of subjects, including planets in the solar system.