Case Study: “Wow” is the Operative Word for Pinedale Elementary

When the 81,000 sq. ft. Pinedale Elementary School opened in September, virtually everyone who could say “wow,” about the facility did.

Creating a Fun and Functional Learning Environment

Teachers, students, administrators and the public embraced the new school that captured the unique essence of the Pinedale, Wyoming, community and channeled that spirit into an environment focused on the needs of students and educators.

Construction on the school began in July 2009, just 14 months earlier. Smith System® became involved eight months later after designer Cindy Peters came on board as a consultant for the Pinedale School System. The task of outfitting the school to complement the vision of Sandstrom Associates Architecture provided a creative opportunity for her.

“The school was divided into three pods for Grades K-1, 2-3 and 4-5,” Peters says. “Each has a theme and corresponding color scheme taken from the surrounding area: Prairie Meadows, Rivers & Streams and Mountains & Forests.” The architects’ neutral color palettes for the pods gave Peters the freedom to accentuate. “I wanted to add vibrancy by using fun colors to create a fun environment for the students,” Peters says.

Peters also had to create a highly functional environment. “The principal wanted to involve the teachers on a high level,” she says. “So I started by asking them how they function in the classrooms – how they teach.” The wide range of answers told Peters that more than one style of desking would be needed. Peters would also receive input from Pinedale teachers when it came to selecting the furniture. “All four teachers from each grade level had to agree on furniture styles for their classrooms,” she says. “And all teachers had to agree on the style of seating for the school.” All of these agreements were needed inside of 10 weeks to assure a timely order and an August delivery. With the clock ticking, Peters made the logical choice.