Madera Elementary Addition and Modernization
West Contra Costa Unified School District

The two-story addition to this K-5 elementary school was built into the hillside to save outdoor space and oriented north to provide optimum natural lighting as well as sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay.  The new addition features a Library and Media Center, a Computer Lab, two new classrooms, a Community Room, restrooms and a maintenance area.  A covered patio at the lower level acts an all-weather outdoor learning and social space.

All existing classrooms, teacher support and administrative areas underwent complete modernization with an emphasis on updating lighting, computer data, mechanical units, casework and accessible accommodations. A renovated Multi-Purpose room now hosts full student assemblies as well as the school's music program.

For this project, we included a substantial number of energy saving features suggested by the Collaborative for High Performing Schools program, and were a winning participant in Pacific Gas and Electric Savings by Design program.