Named after an indigenous Kumeyaay village, Nipaquay Elementary School is designed as a next generation elementary school campus for the Civita development in Mission Valley. Working closely with San Diego Unified School District’s facility and planning staff, Nipaquay Elementary School’s campus was based on flexibility and connectivity.

Entering at the welcome center, the design extends directly to a new ‘maker space’ and library/media center, where new STEAM curriculum hinges on technological integration and student exchange.  Each classroom was built on a module that could connect to an exterior classroom/shared workspace where student and teacher collaboration could capitalize on the consistency of San Diego outdoor weather and connect to the adjacent park and play areas.

Intended as a hub for the Civita community’s youth, the design blends directly into Civita park, offering walking and bicycling access directly to the site. Solar panels and other sustainable strategies were architecturally integrated into the campus as learning tools, with a respect towards optimizing student awareness of energy use and making the buildings an integral part of the teaching pedagogy.