Project Description
Creeks, meadows, wooded areas and wetlands surround Lacamas Lake Elementary School, which sits on a 40-acre site with views of Mount Hood.
The 74,000-square-foot, two-story, steel-framed structure was built to accommodate residential growth in the area and serves 600 students in kindergarten through fifth grades. The core of the school includes a gymnasium, cafeteria, kitchen, library, commons and music room. Classroom wings branch off on each side of the core. A lobby and various administrative offices welcome visitors at the main entrance.
Nature plays a large role in the school’s award-winning design, connecting the indoor space with many provisions for outside classroom activities. The school features Douglas fir window frames, maple casework and nooks for children to sit in and read. Boulders and trees repurposed from the site are part of the playground, along with a slide built into the landscape.
The new school replaced Lacamas Heights Elementary School, which was built more than 50 years ago. It opened to students for the beginning of the 2018-19 school year.
In 2020, the school was named a Polished Apple Award winner by the Washington state chapter of the Association for Learning Environments, for its distinctive design.
