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Roark Early Education Center

Designing a concept for a facility that elevates outdoor learning, student exploration, and wellness

  • $22M

    Construction Value

  • 400

    Student Capacity

  • 58K

    Square Feet

  • Willis, Texas

    Willis, Texas

Innovative design to set a child on a path to long-term academic success

Located in Willis, Texas, Roark Early Education Center is a project stemming from a 2020 Bond Election. The center will replace their existing facility offsite and is designed to promote academic success. Our team worked with the district’s key stakeholders and end users during the visioning, or conceptual process, to generate concepts and a program to frame their thoughts.

The innovative concept revolves around a child’s experience of traveling from their home to the school—school corridors represent roadways, shared spaces represent large gathering parks, flex areas represent neighborhood spark parks, and classrooms represent their home or a safe place. Students will thrive with outdoor learning, student exploration, and student wellness. The facility uses outdoor lighting, sensory learning, and biophilic—the human tendency to relate to nature—concepts in the interior design. Way finding and instilling a sense of place was key for the district, so the floor plan and the classroom pods are easy to navigate. The interior mimics a city with common spaces serving as stylized neighborhood parks.

Designed for 400 students, the facility has a gym, full kitchen, dining, and outdoor play areas.

At a Glance

Offices
Client
  • Willis ISD
Award
A4LE Summit Award, 2023
Meet Our Team

Scott Klaus, Principal, Senior Design Architect

A great pleasure in life is doing what others say you can’t.

Parul Vyas, Principal

My philosophy is that memories are created when occupants move into the buildings we design.

Scott Klaus

Principal, Senior Design Architect

Parul Vyas

Principal

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