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Bonnie Brae Elementary School 
Fairfax, VA

 

Size:

123,000 SF renovation; 24,445 SF addition

 

When we began working on Bonnie Brae Elementary School, the existing building, built in 1988, presented significant hurdles. Overcrowding and outdated spaces made it hard for Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to deliver their modern educational programs. Classrooms were oddly shaped, and special education programs were tucked into makeshift flex spaces that weren’t fit for the purpose. Temporary trailers dotted the campus, a stopgap for a growing student population that had long outpaced the building’s capacity. 

 

To solve these challenges, Samaha focused on creating spaces that not only met FCPS’s current needs but also prepared the school for the future. Our design added ten new classrooms along with specialized facilities like music auditoriums, full-sized art labs, and expanded gym and cafeteria spaces. These additions followed FCPS’s educational specifications (EDSPECs), ensuring we provided the right spaces to support teaching and learning. 

 

Renovating the school also gave us an opportunity to reimagine its layout. A top priority was bringing the cafeteria and gymnasium up to today’s FCPS standards. The cafeteria was expanded in multiple directions to accommodate more students, as well as additional storage and serving needs to address the school’s projected student capacity. The gymnasium, however, presented a unique challenge. Limited by the building’s footprint and owner restrictions, we proposed strategic adjustments to bring it closer to EDSPEC requirements without adding significant construction costs. 

 

Phasing these renovations during the school year was another puzzle we had to solve. Careful scheduling allowed the school to operate as usual while work was underway, minimizing disruptions for students and staff. 

 

Outdoor areas were another important part of the design. Bonnie Brae now has two full-sized playgrounds, along with smaller play areas for younger students. We also worked around an existing baseball facility, which had to remain undisturbed, carefully placing new additions to preserve its use. 

 

One creative solution was the addition of secure outdoor classrooms, which transformed underutilized spaces into flexible, open-air learning environments. These thoughtful touches made sure every corner of the campus served a purpose. 

 

The site itself brought its own challenges. Initially, the new addition was planned for a flat, open area, but FCPS asked us to move it to a sloped section instead. This meant rethinking everything—from the playgrounds to parking lots. The change inspired creative solutions, including designing courtyards between the new and existing buildings and integrating outdoor play areas in new ways. 

 

Fire safety requirements also pushed us to innovate. Fairfax County’s permitting office required a double fire wall system with specialized fire shutters. These systems are rare in the area, but we collaborated with safety vendors to design a fusible-link-controlled shutter system that met code without overcomplicating the design. This innovative approach addressed fire safety concerns and set a precedent for future FCPS projects.

 

From the beginning, we aimed to integrate sustainability into the project, guided by FCPS’s green building standards. Our team followed the Collaborative for High-Performance Schools (CHPS) guidelines, similar to a “LEED Lite” for Virginia schools. While leadership changes at FCPS deprioritized some initiatives, like photovoltaic glazing, we still made impactful upgrades. For instance, we replaced CMU walls with light-gauge metal framing, improving insulation while reducing costs. 

 

Every design choice had to strike a balance between budget constraints and quality. For example, instead of demolishing and rebuilding staircases, we retrofitted them to meet accessibility and safety standards, saving both time and money. For the walls, we used impact-resistant gypsum board—a durable and cost-effective alternative to traditional CMU walls—without compromising on longevity or design. 

 

We believe that schools work best when the community has a voice in their design. Throughout the project, we collaborated with an engagement committee made up of school staff, PTA members, and local homeowners. These sessions helped us refine critical elements like traffic patterns, classroom sizes, and program layouts. 

 

During construction, we held two community meetings—one at the completion of construction documents and another just before bidding. These gatherings gave stakeholders a chance to share concerns, ask questions, and ensure the design met their expectations. 

 

In the end, the project balanced modernization with preserving the school’s identity. The new spaces integrate seamlessly with the original structure, creating a cohesive environment that meets FCPS’s goals while respecting the community’s needs. 

 

By listening to stakeholders, embracing creative problem-solving, and managing costs carefully, we delivered a school that’s ready for the future while staying true to its roots. 

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