FleischmanGarciaMaslowski (FG+M) Architecture undertook the task of designing the Historical Tampa Heights Elementary School after an electrical fire caused significant damage after restoring power following Hurricane Irma in 2017. The design team reconfigured the site to provide a single point of ingress and egress for safety, a covered bus and student drop-off area, and a new visitor parking lot.
We integrated a modern addition at the rear of the building that expanded the capacity without altering the historic façade. When students enter the courtyard, they are greeted by a vertical atrium connecting all three school levels. Natural light spills into this open space and much of the interior classrooms through hallway windows on each upper level. The updated programming with a flowing interior, exposed ceilings, and a bright palette modernizes the school and helps inspire students’ curiosity, creativity, and warmth.
An outdoor amphitheater reactivates the courtyard, and an addition fulfills programmatic requirements for the 398-student station school. Internally, the school centers around a central stair that connects all three levels and serves as a social incubator.
A new steel skeleton keeps the existing exterior brick masonry walls safely in place. The new interior and historic outer dynamic invigorate the school with new energy and a sense of purpose.
