Sunny Isles Beach Community School
Sunny Isles, Florida
Located directly off the Intracoastal Waterway, this Tilt-Up constructed 210,000 sf school was built for Kindergarten through 8th grade students. A building of this size would typically be constructed on an eight acre site, however, this new school was vertically designed on 2.1 acres. The striking design features intersecting concrete planes at the entry, a cantilevered exterior staircase, and second-floor concrete bridges. As homage to the coastal site and nautical culture, repeating circle motifs inspired by a ship's portholes were repeated throughout the design. The new school features a four-story education wing and a two-story administrative wing that also includes a state-of-the-art media center and a cafeteria/auditorium. Adjacent to the school is a controlled access 145 car parking garage. The new school was completed on budget in twenty-six months from design commission to occupancy. The design received the Tilt-Up Concrete Association Achievement Award with Excellence in the Education Division.