JWB

Waynesboro, Georgia

Client: Burke County Board of Education

Capacity: 1105
Area: 143,887 sq. ft.
Total Cost: $12,495,636.00
Cost/Square Foot: $86.84
Completion: July 2004

The campus of Blakeney Elementary School in Burke County, Georgia provided the perfect setting for the design and construction of an architectural tour de force. Nestled on the site by existing schools, Blakeney Elementary seizes the viewer's attention at first glance with its three entry pavilions and expansive and intricate brick work, as well as the deep shadow line created by insetting elements of the front elevation. The combination of split face and ground face block give texture while creating a striping effect on the exterior.

The pinwheel design of the school generates the ideal venue for a center rotunda crafted by arched windows, bright colors, and floor-to-ceiling glass walls. These glass walls in turn form the entrance to interior pocket courtyards and enclosed gardens located on either side of the media center. A wave effect in both the cafeteria and gymnasium activates the interior by fashioning a dynamic feel that would not be present in a static flat feature. All of these components come together to fashion a school that is unique, functional, and in every way "outstanding".

Recognized "Outstanding" by American School and University Magazine