VMDO led design efforts and is now monitoring construction of a new 500 pupil 3rd-5th grade upper elementary school serving Albemarle County’s Southern Feeder Pattern. MVUES will be the first new ground-up school to be built by ACPS in almost 30 years. Its unique grade configuration will serve the existing Mountain View Elementary community and will reduce chronic overcrowding when the new school opens in the Fall of 2026.
Adjacent to the existing Mountain View Elementary, the new three-story, 72,500 Square Foot school will occupy a gently sloping 16 acre site and will enjoy magnificent southeastwardly views to Carters’ Mountain. The compact, high performance building is designed to conserve energy and water, offer abundant daylight and views to nature, promote health and well-being and support the diverse needs of every student.
The fully accessible building steps down with the site, offering ground-level access on two floors; the northern main entry / car drop-off is located on the mid-level and the southern dining entry / bus loop accesses the lower level. A North-South circulation spine with open
stairs connecting all floors serves whole-school shared spaces including the administration and health suite, a competition gymnasium, the library, student services, and the dining commons which opens to a covered outdoor dining terrace and play spaces beyond.
Extending from the main spine are two three-story learning wings forming a learning courtyard that opens to recreation and playgrounds to the east. Ground-level classrooms include doors directly to the courtyard, where terraced seating and landscape support outdoor learning and
play. Walking and biking paths create a site circuit connecting rain gardens, a forest preserve, a U10 soccer field, a native meadow, and extend to the adjacent neighborhood. The project is currently designed as Net-zero energy ready and tracking LEED V4 Silver.
Client: Albemarle County Public Schools
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Discipline: Elementary School
Performance: EUI 21 kBTU/sf/year (modeled) | 65% reduction (regional CBECs 2003 K12 School baseline)
Size: 72,500 SF (New Construction)