Construction of Lakeland Elementary was driven by the need to replace an aging school and accommodate rapid community growth. To the extent possible, natural materials are incorporated to reduce maintenance requirements and premature aging. During the design process, multiple community meetings and design exercises were conducted to preserve the historically cherished identity traits of the original campus.

For the new campus, the district desired many play-based learning opportunities be employed (beyond the traditional classroom). All classrooms are grouped around centralized collaboration PODs; each POD accommodates opportunities for multiple forms of collaborative learning and self-directed play. By meeting with district leadership, campus principals and teachers, designers were able to develop themed PODs for each core competency. With immersive play PODs, students are encouraged to embrace ‘the joy of learning’, which research has shown to increase long-term student success.