PONDEROSA ELEMENTARY

The Douglas School District is facing a struggle as it lies next to the Ellsworth Air Force Base. In addition to the rapidly fluctuating class sizes, a major influx of growth is projected due to the arrival of the new B-21 bomber and its crew members. Team Fuzion worked together to combat these issues.

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The design of the school is based on the concept of biophilic design, connecting students to the outdoors. Team Fuzion was influenced by the natural landscapes surrounding the site, the Black Hills and the Badlands. This resulted in materials and geometric forms directly influenced by the surrounding landscapes.

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At every point in the school, students are connected to an exterior environment, each of which act as a learning space. These spaces include the courtyard, amphitheater, and green roofs.

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To combat fluctuating class sizes and growth, learning spaces and collaboration spaces are placed directly next to each other to allow for larger classrooms as well as different styles of learning.

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Each element of the design was specifically chosen in order to combat the issues the school district faces, while promoting a healthy learning environment.

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Team Fuzion Partners: Landon Heely, Sean Kelly, Lubna Al Sebai, I-Chen Chen