Two Elementary Campuses Recognized for Architectural Excellence
Article Date: September 18, 2008
Garland ISD’s Carver Elementary and Freeman Elementary were among the campuses recognized for architectural achievements at the 2008 Exhibit of School Architecture, sponsored by the Texas Association of School Administrators and the Texas Association of School Boards (TASA/TASB).
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Carver, which opened last fall, won in two categories – design and educational appropriateness. Freeman claimed a design award for the makeover to its front entry. Only 43 of the state’s 1,033 school districts eligible for the contest received recognition.
The 83,000-square foot floor plan at Carver features wide hallways and skylights that offer a bright invitation to spacious classrooms aglow with natural lighting. Floor-to-ceiling windows line one of wall of the cafetorium while the two serving lines feature a layout and decoration more resembling a Luby’s than a public school eatery.
The library features hundreds of volumes, vast reading areas and 10 desktop computers. The campus is also equipped with a 60-station computer lab.
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Freeman was awarded for innovation as well as beauty. Its entire front entrance was relocated from the building’s south side over to its east. The move changed the building’s address, allowed for more parking and – most importantly – took the entrance off a street that had grown increasingly busy throughout the years.
Corgan Associates managed the Carver project while WRA Architects Inc. directed Freeman.
As the state’s official organizations for school administrators and school boards, TASA/TASB sponsors the annual contest along with the Texas Society of Architects. The exhibit highlights new educational construction and renovation projects that have taken place within the past five years and acknowledges excellence in the planning and design of Texas public education facilities.