Davenport Community School District Outdoor Classroom & Secure Entrance at Sudlow

Shive-Hattery, Inc

Recognitions: K-12 Projects 2022

Project Description

Sudlow Intermediate School opened its doors in 1918 and was originally designed for students who walked to school. With the school office located on the second floor, and parents dropping off and picking up at the back entrance, monitoring entrances was difficult. Shive-Hattery relocated the front office to the first floor by building an office addition. The visual security concern was resolved by everyone using a secured-entrance to know who was approaching the building. The new addition improved safety for everyone by ensuring visitors enter the building through a standard security check and sign-in process. We worked with the school’s Creative Arts Academy students to create environmental graphics to use in the new addition. The graphics embraced geometric and abstract components, the school mascot, and photos of students in motion in a cohesive color pallet. This took the dated and unsafe space and gave it a fresh and modern feel. After the success of the office relocation project, staff members looked outside and saw a patch of black asphalt. The gathering space was underutilized, lacked seating, and was filled with chaos and concern. Shive-Hattery worked with the teachers, leaders, and students to design an outdoor classroom that transformed their learning environment. One challenge was creating a grade change by using wide stairs and a ramp to produce a stage accessible to all. The black asphalt was replaced with design elements like a variety of limestone boulders, pavers, and green space. The project included a retaining wall and fence with large shade sail canopies to offer protection from the sun, rain, and glare to keep safety a top priority. The students were involved in the design process and took pride in their new outdoor classroom. The new environment has allowed them to feel safe, sit with friends, and enjoy the outdoors!