Columbus Elementary School
Significant renovations and additions help the Columbus School District better serve its K-5 students and adapt to the growing student population.
Need: Accommodate the increase of student enrollment and address aging infrastructure
Solution: Expand and renovate the facility as well as upgrade building systems
Result: An ADA accessible building with additional spaces for the cafeteria, secure entrance, and 2-court gymnasium
![Open SGI furniture with flexible furniture at Columbus Elementary School](https://www.brayarch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/I_Columbus-ES_Open-SGI-Area-768x512.jpg)
Fact Sheet
share projectServices Provided
Location
Columbus, WISize
56,600 sq ft (addition); 18,700 sq ft (renovation)Construction Cost
$16,900,000Client Type
A Like-New School
Columbus School District partnered with Bray for extensive additions and renovations at the elementary school, serving K-5 students. We expanded and improved the community areas, including the library, gymnasium, and cafeteria which has floor-to-ceiling windows. Our team integrated 21st-Century learning features throughout the facility, such as shared collaborative areas, small group instruction rooms (SGI’s), and a makerspace.
The outdoor classroom extends the learning space into the courtyard that includes tiered seating with integrated education planters.
![Courtyard with outdoor classroom teaching steps at Columbus Elementary School](https://www.brayarch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/E_Columbus-ES_Courtyard-1440x960.jpg)
![Cafeteria with stairs to second floor visible at Columbus Elementary School](https://www.brayarch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/I_Columbus-ES_Cafeteria-2-1024x683.jpg)
Biophilic Design
environmental branding
Our interior design team creatively incorporated environmental branding throughout the school, integrating the school’s identity and mascot (a Cardinal) into spaces to create a sense of unity.
The biophilic design connects the interior spaces to the natural environment, especially in the cafeteria with abstract elements of trees, a lofted collaboration room that resembles a nest, and many illustrations of Cardinals on the walls.
![Cafeteria with colorful acoustic panels on the wall and archway with school name](https://www.brayarch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/I_Columbus-HS_Cafeteria-1024x683.jpg)
A larger Plan
District-Wide Improvements
The master plan for the district included updates to mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and site infrastructure to district facilities as well as improvements to the high school, such as a cafeteria addition with floor-to-ceiling windows and new collaboration spaces.
![Gymnasium with exterior ample natural light through windows at Columbus Elementary School](https://www.brayarch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/I_Columbus-ES_Gym-1024x683.jpg)
![Collaboration area for students to expand their classroom work into the space at Columbus Elementary School](https://www.brayarch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/I_Columbus-ES_Corridor-Collaboration-Area-1024x683.jpg)
![Exterior of the main entrance at Columbus Elementary School](https://www.brayarch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/E_Columbus-ES_Main-Entrance-1024x683.jpg)