Elementary School + Pre-Kindergarten, Manassas Park, Virginia, USA

Elementary School + Pre-Kindergarten, Manassas Park, Virginia, USA
Completed in April 2009, Manassas Park Elementary School is the fourth project which was reconstructed and renovated in accordance with standards of sustainable design. Gross floor area of the school is 13,000 square meters (or 140,000 square feet). According to the designing team, being surrounded with natural world is healthy and useful for child development, that’s why the classrooms in the building face the oak forest. Besides, the teachers created new educational programs aimed at reconnecting children with the nature. Another crucial factor was the participation of students and teachers in the process of renovation. The design was worked out by VMDO Architects. The main contractor was Hess Construction and Engineering Services: project cost $33 Million. The new Manassas Park Elementary School is intended for about 820 students. It’s the only building in the city with LEED Gold certification.

By Astghik Atabekyan, www.building.am

Photos: www.greensource.construction.com