May Street Elementary School
Hood River County School District
Community engagement was at the center of Opsis’s design for this new 70,000 sf elementary school, resulting in a welcoming and open school environment with a variety of spaces for gathering and community use.
Size: 70,000 sf
Location: Hood River, OR
The design is centered on the Commons, the heart of the school, with six “neighborhoods” (one for each grade) opening to it. These neighborhoods provide flexible learning spaces and opportunities for teachers and students to collaborate and connect outside of the classroom.
With capacity for 600 students and a pre–kindergarten program, the building features 24 classrooms, a library, gymnasium and administrative areas, as well as a commons/cafeteria, kitchen and specialized learning spaces.
The new elementary school replaces an outdated facility on the site that remained in operation during construction.
The tight four–acre urban site in a residential neighborhood required careful study in order to accommodate all the desired elements, with safety of on–site bus drop–off and pick up the main priority. Through multiple design iterations and workshops with the neighbors and District, Opsis strategically located the two–story building, separate drop off, 38–space parking lot, playing field and playground on the constrained block, resulting in a welcoming and open environment with a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces for gathering and community use.
