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Ridgway Elementary School Renovations

Ridgway, Colorado

Why

Connecting through experience of place.

In 2019 the Ridgway School District Board of Education retained RTA to complete a Facilities Master Plan to assist the District in defining current and future facility needs. The most significant needs were found in the Elementary school which had many systems that had served their useful life and were in need of replacement as well as life safety concerns. The elementary level also needed to expand to keep up with District growth and to support 21st Century Learning principles. RTA assisted RSD with a successful BEST Grant to fund the necessary renovation.

How

Ever curious. Ever learning. Ever improving.

In a fully collaborative effort, RTA worked with RSD Executive Team, the 12-member Design Advisory Group, District User Groups, and the Owner's Representative to refine and finalize the option generated during the master plan. Students were also invited to draw their "dream outdoor classroom."

What

Purposeful, engaging solutions.

Building improvements to the 1972 building portion include a roof replacement with an insulated metal panel roof system that improves thermal performance, new interior finishes, new exterior windows and doors to improve the exterior envelope's energy performance, new exterior cladding, and new mechanical systems and safety and security upgrades.

Improvements to the learning spaces reconfigure them to create flexible learning spaces that accommodate a diverse array of learning methods and teaching modalities. Two classrooms for each grade level accommodate future growth and better utilize the space. A reconfigured office area brings all office functions into a single suite and creates a controlled building entry that provides better visibility for office staff.

Project Details

  • Square Footage: 61,646 sf
  • Project Cost: $14.8M

Design Details

  • Collaborative design process
  • BEST Grant project
  • Occupied during construction
  • Multi-phased project
  • Flexible 21st Century learning environments
  • Admin reorganization
  • Safety and security upgrades
  • New finishes
  • Connections to outdoor learning spaces
  • MEP upgrades
  • New roof and exterior envelope
  • Sustainable design and pursuit of Green Globes certification