Rocky Heights Elementary School

Looking to update and improve upon its existing design, the Hermiston School District hired BBT to design a new elementary prototype to be constructed at two separate sites. The new Rocky Heights Elementary School will reside on the site of the previous building. Targeted improvements to the previous prototype included a centralized administrative area, optimized circulation, and increased natural lighting in classrooms and common areas. Design committee meetings begun in early 2020 successfully moved to a virtual format due to COVID-19 restrictions and continues as construction nears.

Client: Hermiston School District
Location: Hermiston, Oregon
Completion: 2022
Size: 62,500
Grade Level: K-5
Capacity: 600
NATURAL AND
BRIGHT

The design integrates light wells at intervals within the mezzanine that allows diffused daylight to reach the corridor below resulting in brighter, more inviting classroom pathways.

EROSION AND
CONFLUENCE

Inspired by the processes that created the nearby Columbia River Gorge, the new layout alters the design of the existing prototype by “eroding” and widening the entry and primary corridors, establishing a clear hierarchy of circulation for students and staff.