WASHINGTON, D.C. — Community members recently gathered with students and staff to celebrate the official opening of the newly-renovated Maury Elementary School. DLR Group’s design offers 21st century educational spaces to enhance learning and, in response to a growing student population, includes a significant addition that expands the building’s capacity from 360 students to 539 students.

Located in Washington D.C.’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, Maury Elementary School was originally constructed in 1886. DLR Group’s design complements the surrounding historical residential architecture style while also offering a modernized learning environment. A glass-edged discovery commons connects historic and new components of the school, celebrating the original historic cornerstone building and amplifying transparency and indoor-outdoor connections.

Maury Elementary School features instructional spaces, such as music and art classrooms, science labs and collaboration areas designed to adapt over time. A maker space is used for hands-on and project-based learning. DLR Group reorganized the school with circulation spaces that also serve as active learning zones to reduce transition times and to foster greater opportunity for discovery, collaboration and play.

“DLR Group’s design team maximized open space for play and community use at Maury Elementary School, which was a key goal for the surrounding community,” said DLR Group Principal Sarah Woodhead, AIA. “The creative design of child-scale places, biophilic materials and indoor-outdoor connections creates a unique educational environment that inspires, attracts and sparks children’s love of learning.”

The $42-million, 70,000-square-foot Maury Elementary School modernization project was funded through the District of Columbia Public Schools’ capital improvements program.