Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School Elevated Gym
Project Location
Alexandria, VA
Project Type
– Education
Services
– New Construction
An addition bridging the open space between the existing school building and the existing parking structure to improve the physical activity space, provide a venue for all-campus gatherings, and create a covered connection between the school and the outdoor playground on the top floor of the parking structure.
The Project
The 9,000 SF Gym Addition is situated between and connects the six-story school building and the five-story parking structure next door. An earlier phase of this project saw a portion of the top parking level converted into outdoor play space for the elementary school.
This elevated addition improves the physical activity space for students, provides a venue for all-campus gatherings, and creates a permanent covered connection between the school and the outdoor playground.
Structural Features
Due to the requirements of the student drop-off lane below, existing loading docks, egress locations, utilities, and new bioretention facilities, there were limited places for the elevated gym addition structure to extend all the way to the ground. This resulted in significant cantilevers, limited lateral bracing opportunities, and other structural accommodations.
The architect elected to expose most of the structure to view, both inside and outside the building. This artful expression required significant effort to coordinate the laws of physics, the realities of construction limitations, and durability requirements.
