Wright and Hammer Architects had a very special and unique opportunity to follow through with implementation of our original Master Plan at Atrisco Elementary School.
Our Mini-Gym project completed in 1996 was designed to create a central plaza and gathering space for the school's public buildings. This concept created a much needed heart to the school. A pink stuccoed wall and bright blue trellis wind in one side of the Mini-Gym forming a covered bus loading area, and out the front to create the entry porch and amphitheater. The subsequent Library and Computer Lab project allowed us to continue the design intentions of the original plaza. Siting of the new Library and continuation of the pink wall and bright blue trellis were critical in establishing a focal point for the school within the plaza. The Library and Computer Lab is designed as a counterpoint to the Plaza where natural light spills from clerestory windows and the out-of-doors morphs with interior details to create a vaulted sky-blue ceiling, columns that branch into trees, and curved acoustical "clouds" that double as task lighting. A computer reference "kiosk" nestles under a lighted patio umbrella, and murals cover the walls with falling leaves, the sun rising over a mountain, and the moon setting in the night sky – a playful and creative space where a child's imagination can grow. |
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