Santa Fe Elementary School

Introduction

“Everything’s bigger in Texas!” According to the Cleveland Independent School District superintendent, that statement couldn’t be truer as it is the fastest-growing school district in Texas. Almost doubling its student population in a span of 10 years, the rapid growth puts Cleveland ISD ahead of the pack in the Fast-Growth School Coalition, an alliance of more than 100 Texas school districts impacted by growth.

In a move to manage education facilities, voters approved a zero tax rate increase bond in 2019 for $198 million to fund four new schools that were to be under construction simultaneously. Located in the Colony Ridge communities south of Plum Grove, the new Santa Fe Elementary accommodates 1,000 students. The new facility is a two-story, 130,000-square-foot structure with a cafetorium and a gym.

The  Story

Because of product availability issues, the district had reservations about using their previous product recommendations. The design team ultimately selected three Crossville porcelain tile collections for floor and wall surfacing solutions throughout the new school. Because Crossville tiles are American-made, product availability and delivery ensured the project stayed on schedule during the national supply chain crisis. 

Criteria for the school’s flooring and wall selections focused on function, performance, and style. The floors had to be extremely durable to withstand constant heavy foot traffic and offer the right, cheerful look needed for an elementary school setting. The team chose Crossville’s Argent and Shades 2.0 collections, mounted side-by-side to accomplish a colorful pattern on the hallway floors and corridor walls. Precise measurements of both rectified products made patterning easy and provided a smooth installation process.

These two tile collections are noted for their beautiful, bold appearance in a durable porcelain tile body that would meet all the performance requirements of the space. The team designed colored areas in the corridors, providing subtle wayfinding utilizing Shades 2.0 in Thunder, Mist, and Frost hues. Adding color wayfinding and providing cheerful tones, the main pathways included Argent’s Chicago Fire, Memphis Blue, and Lemon Drop. With the 12″ x 24″ option installed in a traditional offset pattern, the Shades 2.0 and Argent tiles provide stunning color combinations throughout the school’s hallways.

To add a unique shimmer of color to interior walls, the design team chose Crossville’s Glass Blox Collection for corridor transitions and the elevator areas. This selection offers pure, prismatic color as only glass can, with gleaming jewel tones of Blue Grotto, Citrine, Flame, and Glisten Green.