West Feliciana “Bains” Elementary School

Design team
Thompson Luke & Associates; Wardlaw Lasseigne & LeBouef; Parish Engineering; Quality Engineering; Reich Landscape Architecture; Futch Design Associates

Bains Elementary School is on a fully forested site of about 35 acres in rural West Feliciana Parish. The complex is situated along a central concourse that serves as an expanded media center, technology lounge, and various learning spaces. Administrative and multipurpose assembly spaces anchor opposing ends of the concourse, and food service and academic “schoolhouses” are situated along its length. On the first floor, grades one through three each have a separate schoolhouse; also at this level is the academic center and arts/music area. At the upper level are the fourth- and fifth-grade schoolhouses. Each grade level schoolhouse is designed with 10 standard classrooms, a teacher resource room, restrooms, and a multifunction “flex” learning space. The plan and layout consider the primary automobile/traffic challenges that exist and create separate entrances, access ways, and patterns for buses, carpool, and staff/visitor vehicles. Because of the sloping terrain, the south end of the building is situated 15 feet higher than the administrative wing at the north end; the concourse serves as both horizontal and vertical transition space, linking the schoolhouses and wings as the building follows the natural slope of the site..

Additional Information