Volusia County School District
As part of a sales-tax initiative to modernize learning environments, Volusia County School District in Pierson, Fla., had the opportunity to build a new elementary school — the first in the district in more than 10 years.
Pierson Elementary School was based on a prototype and then developed specifically for Volusia County Schools following discussions with school administration, parents, and other key stakeholders. BRPH conceived a design process that engaged the community, promoted consensus building and demonstrated financial stewardship at all stages of the project. Technology is prevalent throughout the facility and supports the idea that “learning can happen everywhere.” Classrooms are clustered around extended learning areas which promote co-teaching and breakout activities. Wet labs not only support STEM-based learning objectives, but also permit students and faculty to hold internal events and group projects.
Nicknamed the “fern capital of the world,” the city of Pierson is an agricultural economy, so the facility features a bright, nature-inspired color and design palette featuring a one-and-a-half story tile mosaic fern leaf at the school’s distinctive main entrance.
The resulting design was born from a desire to engage the local community, create spaces reflective of their culture and leverage collaborative technology to build the critical skills needed in an everchanging world. Pierson is a prototype for how to apply limited funding to replace an aged school with an optimal future-ready learning environment that connects to the community and its culture.