CHULA VISTA , The design theme for Corky McMillin Elementary School is community.
San Diego-based architectural design firm Tucker Sadler Noble Castro worked with the Chula Vista Elementary School District on a village-like design for the $10.9 million school. The school is under construction on a 10.3-acre site at 1201 Santa Cora Road with completion expected late this month. Students will begin attending the school in September.
The prototype for the design of Corky McMillin Elementary was also used for Heritage Elementary School, which is under construction elsewhere in the school district.
To create a village-like atmosphere, the buildings were designed in mass, scale and shape to resemble the surrounding neighborhood. During a two-week series of workshops, school district officials, teachers, maintenance personnel and community members were able to provide input for the new school.
The 60,000-square-foot school has nine single-story buildings, which includes an administration building, a multipurpose building, a library and six classroom buildings. The school will accommodate 750 kindergarten- through sixth-grade students with extra space for future growth.
The administration building represents the village’s “downtown” and is linked to all the other buildings at the school by covered walkways. The library represents the “town square” as a central gathering place and outdoor assembly area. Each classroom building has its own triangular courtyard to represent distinct “neighborhoods” within the school.
Tucker Sadler Noble Castro provided complete planning, programming, architectural and interior design services. Douglas E. Barnhart Inc. of San Diego is the construction manager.