Natrona County Schools Summit Elementary SchoolSubmitted by Adolfson & Peterson Construction Summit Elementary School’s design process began with charettes involving teachers, principals, school district representatives, parents, community members and children who created word and image collages that expressed their visions for the new school. Requests included everything from flexible learning environments to ketchup volcanoes.
School design evolved from a narrative that would allow the building to embody the school’s educational philosophy, which emphasizes integrated, hands-on and real-world learning. The theme of convergence—inspired by Casper, Wyo.’s history as a place where trails intersected during Westward Expansion and by the interdisciplinary nature of 21st century learning—emerged from the charettes as a connective element through which design for the school could be imagined.