Binkley Garcia Architecture
Tusculum Elementary School
Creative Sources Photography | Atlanta Architectural Photographers
We have worked with Creative Sources for over 20 years. We have always found Rion and his team to be creative and able to capture the essence of our projects. They have become an integral part our our marketing efforts.
Roy Garcia
Principal
Tusculum Elementary School, a Metro Nashville Public School, accommodates 800 students in Pre-K through 4th grade. It was the first school in the state to be LEED Gold certified, and was recognized by the Tennessee School Boards Association as Elementary School of the Year.
When challenged with replacing the existing Tusculum Elementary School with a new updated facility, Binkley Garcia Architecture responded with a building which was flexible enough to satisfy the needs of students, ease of community access, and security. The administration wing, located directly inside the front entry, provides controlled access to the rest of the school. Site constraints included tying into an existing gymnasium and the necessity to keep the existing school open throughout construction.
A design opportunity was created by the sustainability platform of Metro Nashville Public Schools that requires the building to achieve LEED certification. Working towards this goal from the outset of the project, BGA and their consulting engineers affected site orientation, material selection, energy and water use strategies, etc. to achieve points for LEED Silver certification. Ultimately, Tusculum Elementary became the first in the state to be LEED Gold certified.
Having utilized Atlanta architectural photographers Creative Sources Photography as a creative partner and interpreter of their design vision for years, the folks at Binkley Garcia turned to Rion Rizzo and the CSP team. We photographed Tusculum with a deliberate eye toward the school’s storytelling. Care was taken to craft perspectives which relay Binkley Garcia Architecture’s extensive depth of experience and their sensitivity to deliver a building designed for flexibility, energy efficiency, maximum natural light, and ease of community access.
Learn more about Binkley Garcia and Tusculum Elementary School.