The River Valley Waldorf School renovated their elementary school facility to increase the effectiveness of the education program. The existing school operation was overusing spaces and making due with the building as is in their curriculum. The design team crafted a plan to add program space to the building and incorporate exterior classrooms into the landscape and stormwater systems. E&LP utilized green infrastructure and natural materials to minimize the impact to the site. Special consideration was given to the school’s outdoor education program by selecting plants and materials that would benefit the program.  Additional pervious parking was incorporated into the site to mitigate the traffic during drop-off and pickup times as well as school events. Impacts to the surrounding wetlands, drainage ways, forests, and adjacent properties were minimized through the design and working with local and county administrators.

In keeping with the school’s Vision Statement that emphasizes compassion, creativity, independent thinking, social responsibility, and a respect for the earth, the boundary between the interior and exterior was made as transparent as possible. By reducing the visual and physical barrier between interior and exterior, the natural environment is more accessible. Green infrastructure techniques were implemented, including pervious pavement, water quality swales, planting, and green landscapes, to augment the site in a way that was consistent with the education program at the school. A fully native plant palette was used in the landscape design, and a central garden space was incorporated for outdoor nature play and learning.

The school was constructed to meet or exceed the State of Pennsylvania standards coordinating building criteria with the site infrastructure, topographic, and environmental constraints.