The rooftop curriculum garden and outdoor classroom canopy generated jury comment by “clearly announcing the new while paying homage to the old with sympathetic geometries and a warm material palette”. Van Ness Elementary School went on to win one of the evening’s highest awards - the Gold Award, recognizing “Best in Show” for the Potomac Valley AIA’s annual Excellence in Design Awards.
“A tasteful addition that boasts beautifully connected and engaging outdoor spaces. This project excels in breathing new life into an existing campus in a refreshing way.” Awards Committee Chair Scott Knudson, AIA and AIAPV President Scott Bowen led the ceremonies at the new Biomedical Sciences Facility at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, MD.
Maryland AIA Chapters - Van Ness Elementary School (secure-platform.com)
Van Ness Elementary School’s fast track summer expansion includes a new wing addition with rooftop classrooms, historic renovation of a field house, and new playgrounds. The team focused on wellness forward design exceeding the LEED-S standard and DCPS’s 21st Century Education specifications. The field house leaned into historic construction techniques incorporating natural ventilation. Previously in deficit of stormwater credits, the addition provides green roofs, garden roofs, and landscaping including rain and pollinator gardens for outdoor education.