“Go forth and set the world on fire.” – St. Ignatius.

The design embodies a vibrant learning environment that enhances the school’s mission: academic excellence, faith formation, social justice, and strength of community. St Ignatius Catholic School serves students PreK–8 and is the Treasure Valley’s first new Catholic school in over 50 years.
An exploration of the best school designs across the country inspired St. Ignatius’ vision for their school. The Catholic community, imbued in tradition, reimagined what education could be: supporting every learner through inspiring transformable spaces and encouraging collaboration through 21st century design.

Located on the south side of campus with strong connections to the church and neighborhoods, the exterior blends masonry and stucco with traditional Catholic Romanesque aesthetic and a central tower denoting the primary entry – but tradition stops at the door (literally).

Upon entering, innovation and creativity pervade. A focus on flexibility and adaptability accommodates diverse learning modalities. The school is organized around a central commons (the social hub for school and community activities, food, presentations, dance, and fostering friendships). Locally-curated stained-glass and mosaic artistry span the walls - illustrating the pilgrimage of San Ignacio, and reflecting the mission of the school, the journey of design, and the adventure of learning.

Learning communities support St Ignatius’ inquiry-based, station-rotation, and blended learning. Collaboration zones are the center of each learning community, offering places to wiggle, ponder, present, and connect. Flexible seating, transparency, and quick-action overhead doors make for easy monitoring and access.

With connections to the reading gardens, the Library / Makerspace is a fun place to read, practice Spanish, and create. The S.T.E.A.M. Lab is a place to explore and tinker with hands-on learning. Deliberate connections to exterior learning environments offers a stage to inspire imaginations through play, gardening, and exploration.

Best environmental design practices seamlessly support students’ health and safety. Building orientation, daylight modeling, large windows, light shelves, and clerestory windows contribute to the enriched environments (which often find artificial light unnecessary throughout the day). Thermal comfort, energy efficiency, and acoustics are integral to a healthy learning environment. Arc Registration, Energy Star® Certification, and University of Idaho Integrated Design Lab (IDL) Building Metrics Labeling will be pursued as aspects of the post-occupancy evaluation, tracking energy performance indicators.

The essence of St. Ignatius Catholic School’s design is the strength of community and the development of the whole student (body, mind, spirit) through thoughtful space-making.