Wildorado School

Introduction

For many small towns, the local school is the heart of the community. That’s certainly the case for Wildorado, Texas. With its estimated population of 200 citizens, the school serves as much more than just the place for area students’ education; it’s a connecting point for residents in Wildorado and surrounding areas.

Through a $13 million bond passed in 2014, the Wildorado Independent School District built a new school campus on 40 acres of land that expanded the existing school that had only served students in grades K through 8 to also include grades 9 through 12. The new, 52,000 square-foot facility allows for additional student growth and was designed to accommodate a middle- and high school-only student population should growth merit the distinction in the future. The facility offer community residents ample space to enjoy student athletics and other events throughout the expansive campus.

The  Story

Though the Wildorado community may be small, its school’s facility is a busy one that faces all the demands and wear-and-tear common to a big city school. To provide Wildorado’s corridors and hallways the durability and desired style throughout the building, project designers with Lavin Architects opted for 7’-tall tile wainscot on the walls. Specifically, they went with two of Crossville’s high performance collections to answer the demands of the project beautifully.

The designers combined Crossville’s Argent collection in Winter Garden and the Color Blox line in Sandbox to create the wall designs. Both products feature uniquely saturated colors, and the pairing of these two selections resulted in a wall tile installation that’s neutral yet nuanced, with subtle texture and pattern. The combination offers a soothing blend that enhances the busy paths of the school hallways. For continuity of design and performance, the specifiers continued the tile colors and pattern throughout the school’s kitchen and main restrooms.

Reinforcing the school’s identity and accentuating its signature blue color in the Mustangs logo, the Lavin Architects team specified Crossville’s Argent collection in the Memphis Blues hue for the wall tile wainscot behind the drinking fountains. The rich tone serves as a focal point—a fun design element that conveys school spirit and adds visual variety to the space.

The specification of Crossville’s collections not only hit the mark for the necessary technical performance and desired design aesthetic; it aligned with a range of Lavin Architects’ priorities in product selection. Crossville is a U.S. owned and operated manufacturer with a large selection of products made in the USA and offering great options for educational institutions. The capable installers ensured the project was carried out with excellent craftsmanship.

“We prefer using Crossville tile. When I select a tile, our Crossville representative ensures that I receive all the samples I need, and the client approves the designs, usually as is. Our flooring contractors order all necessary products, and working with Crossville is a very smooth process,” Lavin’s Sarah deGrood, AIA, explains.