In Austin, the Rosedale School has opened for students with special needs aged 3 to 22. The new facility features sensory rooms, fully accessible playgrounds and gardens, community meeting spaces, and an on-site clinic. The school serves 100 learners with special needs from across Austin Independent School District (ISD).
Replacing the original Rosedale Elementary School, which was created in 1988, the new Rosedale School has been organized into learning areas serving specific populations of students: medically fragile, social and behavioral disorders, and transition to life in the community. The design of each area, or neighborhood, takes inspiration from the natural environment—such as the colors and patterns of vegetation, the movement of water, and the shapes of wildlife. These areas, as well as shared community spaces, are connected via a central hub that’s referred to as the living room.
To provide comprehensive assistance for students with diverse physical needs, the school features patient lifts inside the classrooms. These lifts help teachers safely and efficiently move students who need additional physical assistance, and they ensure that every child can participate fully in educational activities.
Throughout the campus, murals of iconic Austin landmarks such as Barton Springs, food truck parks, and Lady Bird Lake connect the school with the larger community. The school’s park remains open to the public after hours.
In partnership with the healthcare center Ascension Seton, the school also has an on-site pediatric clinic that serves both Rosedale students and the larger community. Austin ISD hopes the combination of a school and clinic serving individuals with medical and behavioral needs will serve as a model across the country.
On the Building Team:
Owner: Austin ISD (clinic owned by Dell Children’s Medical Center, part of Ascension Medical Group)
Architect and interior designer: Page Southerland Page
Landscape designer: Asakura Robinson Company
Civil engineer: Garza EMC
Structural engineer: Datum Rios
MEP engineer: CNG Engineering
General contractor: Rogers-O’Brien Construction
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Oct 9, 2017
Job-ready learning: The newest K-12 schools nudge students toward careers
Some long-term K-12 trends—like beefing up safety and security, and designing for more natural light and outdoor learning space—are still in vogue.
Giants 400 | Oct 9, 2017
Top 80 K-12 construction firms
Gilbane Building Co., Balfour Beatty US, and Skanska USA top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest K-12 sector contractors and construction management firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Giants 400 | Oct 6, 2017
Top 40 K-12 engineering firms
AECOM, IMEG/KJWW/TTG, and STV top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest K-12 sector engineering and EA firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Giants 400 | Oct 6, 2017
Top 90 K-12 architecture firms
Stantec, DLR Group, and PBK top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest K-12 sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Education Facilities | Oct 3, 2017
The growing demand for early childhood education
When the design of early learning centers is grounded in the science of developmental psychology and education, these educational environments can address multiple domains of development that positively stimulate young children's physical and cognitive growth.
K-12 Schools | Oct 2, 2017
A Houston office park gets a new life as a private day school
Shepley Bulfinch designed the 75,000-sf campus.
K-12 Schools | Sep 20, 2017
Activating innovation: Trends in K-12 education
School structures offer a unique opportunity as they can often double as community centers and serve as shelters in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.
Architects | Sep 19, 2017
What we talk about when we talk about placemaking
What does Good Growth mean and how do we set about achieving it?
K-12 Schools | Sep 12, 2017
Perkins Eastman publishes findings on high-performance schools
Metrics suggest correlation between key design strategies and occupant satisfaction and building performance.
Performing Arts Centers | Sep 11, 2017
19th century smokestack highlights a Massachusetts performing arts facility
CBT Architects and Windover Construction collaborated on the adaptive reuse project for Middlesex School.
