Yorkshire Elementary School, York Suburban School District

Yorkshire Elementary School is a 60,835 SF new facility designed to accommodate 350 K-2 students. Two main goals for the design of the school include its ability to support the “school within a school” concept and its ability to function as a teaching tool. To facilitate the former, spaces were designed to allow for interaction and learning opportunities in a cross-grade instruction format. To facilitate the latter, features such as exposed mechanical systems, mechanical system monitoring devices, and detention pond wetland plantings were included.

Additionally, the facility features a “Main Street” that runs the length of the school and serves as a divider between the public and academic spaces. The media center functions as the core of the school, with all other academic spaces radiating out from it.

Employing steel frame construction with brick veneer and metal panel systems, the facility incorporates a substantial amount of curtain wall and storefront glazing to maximize natural daylight. The new facility utilizes a ground source heat pump and solar hot water heater for efficient heating and cooling and, further contributing to the LEED Silver certification, reuses materials salvaged from the school that existed previously on the same site, including wood floors, trim and slate roofing shingles.  

Client

York Suburban School District

Location

York, Pennsylvania

Project Type

New Facility

Size in SF

60,835 total SF

Construction Value

$12 million

Year of Completion

2010

Awards

  • Project of Distinction (Completed Project) | Council of Educational Facility Planners International Northeast Region 2011
  • Citation of Excellence | Learning by Design 2011
  • Project of Distinction (project in progress) | Council of Educational Facility Planners International Northeast Region 2009
  • Outstanding Project | Learning by Design 2009
  • Case Study | Evidence-Based Design of Elementary and Secondary Schools