Located in a historic residential
area, Gatewood Elementary School is an Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area Public
Schools (OCMAPS) project requiring extensive renovation and expansion. The school
seeks to accommodate 309 students and 40 staff members through remodeling, repair,
and building additions. Cavin Design Group was selected to provide architecture,
interior design, and consulting engineer services for this project. In evaluating
the existing condition of the school, CDG found several issues involving security,
limited space for student growth, an inadequate media center, dated interior
materials, and a substantially limited budget.Currently the school has two separate buildings on site that face north and south of each other. The main historic building, circa 1920, on the south end of campus, is a two-story structure, and serves as the focal entry. The north building is an addition that was constructed in the mid-nineties and functions primarily as extra classroom space. To differentiate the two buildings and create a more prominent, single entry on campus, CDG designed an addition on the south end of the south building. This addition establishes space for the administrative offices, which is currently located in an undetected area inside the building. This new entry will be the only formal access into the school with a secured airlock. As a safety precaution, the receptionist controls the access of the doors, that lead into the rest of the building, when visitors arrive.
Other design solutions include the reconfiguration of existing classrooms and
the cafeteria to maximize the full potential of the buildings, limit cost issues,
and reduce classroom overcrowding. CDG designed an addition connecting the south
and north buildings. This enclosed space will allow students and faculty to
travel to the extended areas and features a new elevator connecting the separate
levels. On the north building, CDG will add a 3,480 square foot expansion for
a new media center. The center will be spacious enough for class groups, equipped
with more educational material, and include a computer classroom. Throughout
the new additions and renovation, new materials for the interior spaces will
reflect the appeal of the 1920’s era in which the original building was
constructed. The interior design will feature diamond pattern flooring in various
colors, deep hued carpet, and warm toned color paint to complement.