UT Austin Elementary School
After nearly nine years in portable buildings, the University of Texas Elementary School—the first university-sponsored charter school in Texas—embraced a permanent home for its Little Longhorns and their families.
As the school outgrew its temporary facilities, Studio8 Architects partnered with UT Elementary to design two new buildings on the existing campus to better serve their demonstration teaching model. These spaces include administrative offices, a cafeteria, a gym, a library, and an outdoor teaching area, all thoughtfully crafted for adaptability. The new campus offers a vibrant, multifunctional environment where Little Longhorns can learn, grow, and thrive.
A pre-engineered superstructure with clean lines creates a welcoming public face, with a northern clerestory for the main multipurpose space and the primary drop-off area.
The cafeteria supports the Garden to Table program after hours, transforming into a cooking classroom where children and parents learn to garden and prepare healthy meals together.
The multipurpose design allows the cafeteria and auditorium to open up into the gymnasium through a durable operable partition. This partition, clad in high-impact magnetic and markerboard laminate, serves as a versatile teaching wall—ideal for writing, pinning up materials, and projection.
The gym floor features sustainable recycled rubber, providing additional acoustic control. Integrated technology further enhances flexibility, supporting a range of activities and teaching opportunities.
In the library, custom amphitheater-style seating with wood fronts and carpet tile insets provides a durable reading corner for students, while a CNC-cut, powder-coated steel world map adds a lasting educational feature.
The use of simple materials and modest colors honors the school’s humble beginnings and acknowledges the portable buildings that are still part of the campus.
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Non-Profit, Community/Recreation, In Motion, Academic