Muscogee County School District, Mary Buckner Elementary School

Replacing two aging neighborhood schools with a single modern elementary school required the Muscogee County School District in Columbus, Georgia to overcome several complex challenges simultaneously. The new Mary Buckner Elementary School had to be constructed on the existing campus while the original elementary school remained operational. At the same time, the site’s steep grades and natural barriers limited where the building could be placed, and early design solutions exceeded the project’s available budget.

Building a New School on an Occupied Campus

The design team worked closely with Freeman & Associates to develop cost-effective solutions that maintained the project vision while bringing the design back within budget. Through an intensive value engineering process, our team preserved the construction schedule and avoided costly delays without compromising the quality of the new facility.

The two-story school is carefully stepped into the site’s natural topography, with a partial third level that minimizes grading and makes efficient use of the constrained property. Rather than fighting the landscape, the design works with it, reducing site disturbance while creating a distinctive architectural presence.

Supporting Learning at Every Grade Level

Mary Buckner Elementary School includes 45 instructional spaces serving approximately 700 pre-K through fifth-grade students, with future expansion capacity for 750. Dedicated spaces include special education classrooms, art and music rooms, a media center, gym, and coding / makerspace. Grade levels are organized by floor using color for visual identification. Younger students are on the lower levels, and older students are above to support age-appropriate circulation and learning.

An outdoor staircase encourages movement between levels while providing students with opportunities to experience the outdoors throughout the school day. Positioned prominently along the roadway, the contemporary design creates a welcoming identity for the campus and the surrounding community.