Providence Public School District serves 20,725 students with a wide ethnic diversity. In the district’s Turnaround action plan, a movement toward neighborhood schools is in sync with RIDE’s newer and fewer schools. Alfred Lima Ar. Elementary School and Gilbert Middle School are nearby; thus, the district’s plan to combine both schools was a design solution.

The solution to aging buildings on these two sites with load-bearing structures and associated challenges for service upgrades led to the idea of building a new PreK-8 facility on the Gilbert Stuart site. Building on an existing site allows the use of existing infrastructure. Also, costs will be reduced when elementary and middle school students ride the bus together.

The PreK through 8 facility’s design takes advantage of the site’s corner location by providing daylight in all spaces and creating a building that addresses the three-sided exposure while connecting well with the neighboring community facilities.

The spatial organization creates a community for each grade level by arranging classrooms around learning commons and small group rooms to enhance spontaneous learning and collaboration. The school design incorporates both a gymnasium and a cafetorium.