E3 School
Norfolk, Virginia
Organized around a central interior “street,” the 12,000-SF new E3 School (Elevate Early Education) was based on the idea of community. The street is defined by small, playful buildings that project and recede into the two-story, light-filled space. Classroom “homes” are found on either side of the street corridor. The nine open-plan, flexible classrooms have high ceilings, large windows, and movable furnishing. Classrooms have private bathrooms accessible from within each space.
The 2015 one-story building was designed with sustainable building elements including super-insulated walls and roofs, insulated and solar-shaded glass, energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems, and low-maintenance materials. The school was completed, with all owner changes and additions, just under the original $3 million budget.
Winner of a 2015 HRACRE Excellence in Developmental Design Award – Best Educational Building Award of Merit.