Cottrell Elementary School

Tucked in the misty foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Dahlonega, Georgia, Cottrell Elementary School is the Lumpkin County School System’s new two-story school designed to accommodate up to 885 students in 57 instructional units. Replacing and modernizing an aging facility, Cottrell Elementary School is home to grades K to 5. Tasked to create a space that felt dynamic, uplifting, and vibrant, Breaux & Associates Architects prioritized adaptable, flexible learning spaces and a confident and playful use of color throughout the facility.

Cottrell Elementary features energy-efficient systems to reduce operating costs, and the facility was designed to include sustainable materials, locally sourced where practical.

The main entrance corridor boasts a stunning 24-foot arched ceiling with elegant linear wood paneling and abundant natural light, leading to a grand stairway that serves as a secondary presentation platform and overlooks a built-in commons area. The jewel of the school is without a doubt its media center. It features a cheerful hanging art installation meant to resemble flying books, as well as beautiful jewel-toned custom casework, a sleek all-glass breakaway makerspace, and a whimsical twisty slide in the Lumpkin County School System’s signature purple.

Classrooms wings are subdivided into neighborhoods, consisting of four classrooms within each cluster. The neighborhoods have diffused skylights that provide daylight to the surrounding spaces. Each wing has its own color identity, helping students and faculty with wayfinding.

Cottrell Elementary’s STEM hands-on learning lab and art design lab overlook the mountain view and provide an environment where the school mission “Challenge, Educate, Succeed” is nurtured, and the vision to develop responsible, lifelong learners is easily achieved.

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