A New ‘School of Choice’ for Philadelphia

Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School

Philadelphia, PA

The Lewis C. Cassidy Academics Plus School is committed to providing all students with a comprehensive and integrated educational experience. To better provide a creative learning environment, the School District of Philadelphia has elected to build a replacement school for the aging elementary school. The new Cassidy Elementary School will provide its students with advanced educational opportunities and nurturing, modern learning environments – “a school of choice.” The new school, located in Philadelphia’s Overbrook neighborhood, will serve 570 students from pre-K through eighth grade. Clad in subtle brick patterns and a vibrant metal panel treatment, its exterior is designed to minimize the impact on the surrounding residential neighborhood. The public playground relies on native plant life and natural materials to achieve a modern, playful aesthetic. The new school features daylit, collaborative learning environments such as a maker space, media center, discovery commons, visual arts room, and technology-integrated classrooms that meet the highest educational standards. The interior design uses color for wayfinding and references nature to create an inspiring, modern, and comfortable place to learn, gather, and play.