Snyder Independent School District
- k12 education
- Snyder, Texas
Project Scope
142,000 SF
Construction Type
New
Project Delivery Method
Design-Bid-Build
Project Components
Grades K-5
For Snyder’s new elementary school to be successful, two different educational delivery methods needed to be preserved. The facility’s six student grade levels are divided into halves (kindergarten through 2nd grade and 3rd through 5th grade), each separated by a central core of common-use spaces. Significant spaces such as the gymnasium, media center, and cafetorium are also dividable with various partitions to separate social age groups and their educational delivery requirements. The “Two Schools under One Roof” concept would not have been successful without each school having its own separate and distinct entrance. The school’s two main entrances were situated such that their related parking and parent drop-offs could be separated and accessible from different streets.
In addition, bus traffic is separated from all parent and visitor traffic via a third street—further dispersing vehicular access to the site. The 141,579 SF school plan is an angular arrangement of classroom wings on the south half and a rectangular arrangement on the north half of the school. On the north half of the school, the desire was to use a rectangular arrangement of classrooms to minimize exterior wall surface.
With such a large campus population, the security of the facility’s occupants is a primary concern. To mitigate the volume of people entering the building, a student entrance at the end of each of the six wings is open during the beginning and end of school. They become exit-only while school is in session. During teaching hours, entry into the building can occur only through its two main entrances. An interior set of vestibule doors is locked to become exit-only, directing all visitors into the administrative reception area for check-in. The exterior design was a collaborative process among the administration, school board, and citizens committee. Materials were chosen to blend with the landscape and the residential neighborhood surrounding the school. The result is a distinctive and inviting appearance that delivers excellent value to Snyder Independent School District.
Services Provided
Architecture, civil engineering, electrical engineering, landscape architecture, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, interior design
Awards
- 2008 TASA / TASB Exhibit of School Architecture Award Competition “Process of Planning Award”
- 2007 AIA - Lubbock Chapter Bi-Annual Design Awards “Award of Honor”
- 2008 Architectural Portfolio “Educational Design Excellence in American School & University”
Project Leadership
- Jay Edwards, PE
- Mike Moss, AIA
- Mike Baker, AIA
- Chad Davis, RLA
- Eric West, PE
- Jeff Reed, AIA
- Jared Higgins, PE
- Troy Swinney, PE
- Ty Sisco, RLA