Corpus Christi ISD—Calk-Wilson Elementary School
Architect: Gignac Architects
The new Calk-Wilson Elementary School was designed and constructed to consolidate and replace to aging, outdated elementary school facilities for the Corpus Christi Independent School The new facility has 50 classrooms, media center, cafetorium and gymnasium and can accommodate up to 950 students. Interior classrooms have vertical daylighting devices to bring natural daylight into learning spaces.
Design
The new 950 student facility was designed to consolidate and replace two outdated elementary school facilities for the District. The District was able to redevelop the previously developed site of the old Robert Wilson Elementary School to keep it in the community and maintain walking and bicycle access for the surrounding neighborhoods. Interior classrooms have vertical daylighting devices to bring natural daylight into learning spaces.
Value
The facility is designed to ensure cost efficiency for the client. The facility incorporates local regional materials to endure the harsh South Texas climate, uses daylighting to promote energy-efficiency, and incorporates multiple community and collaborative-learning spaces to provide flexible, shared-use space.
Sustainability
The facility is designed to minimize life-cycle costs and the effects on the environment. Daylighting throughout the bulding and the use of Solatubes in interior classrooms allows the facility to use less energy for lighting and to promote a more natural learning environment for students.
Community
The school was designed to consolidate and replace two outdated elementary schools. The district was able to redevelop the previously developed site. Therefore, the facility remains in the heart of the Pope Place community and maintains walking and bicycle access for the surrounding neighborhoods’ students. The exterior design of the facility reflects the coastal environment in which it is built with the use of colors, materials, and local landscaping.
Planning
The project’s mission, goals and educational program were achieved throughout the design process, specifically through the on-site design charettes, in which users and stakeholders congregated to discuss the needs of the new facility. Through thoughtful discussion and design the resulting new facility achieved the goals of student security with secure entry, sense of community with collaborative learning spaces, encourage learning through flexible learning spaces and special programs.
School Transformation
This facility promotes flexible, mobile learning with the use of technology and collaborative learning spaces. Young students are placed in classrooms surrounded classrooms of ranging grade levels. The collaborative spaces, media center, gymnasium, and cafeteria are designed as flexible spaces to promote interaction among students to promote many types of learning. In addition the school promotes creativity through its unique form and colorful floor patterns.
Star of Distinction Category Winner