AISD Bear Creek Elementary School
Location: Austin, TX
Client: BGK Architects
Site Area: 83,584 SF
The modernized campus is organized around a central open courtyard and main street that create distinct spaces for academics, fine arts and athletics. The two-story school incorporates two learning neighborhoods–one on each floor–with each neighborhood including 12 studios, a professional learning center, a maker space and small group break-out rooms to support 522 students. At the heart of the school is the media center; this area fuses together the two-story academic wing and the secondary active block that incorporates the gymnasium, cafeteria, art lab and music lab.
Input from teachers, families and the community shaped the design of the building. Its orientation focuses on conserving existing trees on the site and providing convenient access to community spaces. The addition of a bus loop and parent drop-off area will alleviate neighborhood traffic. Architects designed the building to achieve LEED Silver Certification, and it was built with water and energy efficient materials.
