Portfolio : Educational
Denali and Nordale Replacement Elementary Schools
Fairbanks, Alaska
Denali and Nordale Elementary Schools, Fairbanks, Alaska, are two replacement 420-student schools. The schools are a new two-story elementary prototype for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, designed to keep pace with educational advancements in this still new century.
The entrance lobby was designed as a continuation of the exterior pathway leading to the school and has the character of a street running between the educational wing and public/activity wing. The lobby serves an essential function for the schools, as a beacon of light and warmth on dark, cold January mornings, a prominent entry and security point for schools visitors, and a gathering place for students and community members. The vertical space is topped with a south facing clerestory, capturing precious southern sunlight into a space near the north end of the building.