This dual language immersion public school in Santa Monica was founded in 1985, when the surrounding neighborhood was primarily comprised of Spanish-speaking residents. Portable classrooms to accommodate increased enrollment were added until 2008, when the district decided to reconfigure the school through a phased construction. The first phase of the project included 27 new classrooms, administrative offices, a library, and a cafetorium, while the second phase encompassed the demolition of the old school and construction of new playfields. Through these upgrades kdA aimed to elevate this small postwar neighborhood school to the standards of contemporary education—without losing its grassroots heritage.

kdA’s primary consideration was maintaining the continuity between these buildings while also meeting the district’s requests for state-of-the-art stormwater reuse and natural ventilation in the classrooms. The existing school sits on a 5.5-acre site south of the 10 freeway and is bordered by Virginia Avenue and Kansas Avenue; the new two-story K-5 building along Virginia Avenue was built first, enabling most of the existing buildings to remain in operation throughout the school year.

kdA responded to environmental concerns by constructing the new facilities at the extreme perimeter of the site, thus maximizing the distance between the freeway and the school’s playfields. Placing the fields towards the middle of the site provided the healthiest environment for outdoor aerobic activities. A half-million-gallon stormwater retention system was placed under the soccer field—the largest of its kind to be implemented in a single project in California. The classrooms are organized by glass chimneys to pull in cool air from the North side and draw hot air from the interior, providing natural ventilation in each classroom.

The classrooms’ single-loaded organization allows for interior courtyards suitable for teaching, community gatherings, school performances, and snack time. This organization also regenerates a cooler urban condition through denser classroom buildings and a site planted with more fields, gardens, courtyards, and green roofs. Large glazing systems permit natural daylight to offset artificial lighting and reduce internal electrical loads. The school’s security plan protects the facilities while granting public access to the playfields and evening activities, ensuring the school remains a communal space for the neighborhood it serves.