Sacred Heart School - Addition
East Grand Forks, MN
Sacred Heart School is a K-12 Catholic school located in East Grand Forks, Minnesota. Increased enrollment over the last several years created the need for additional classroom space. The addition added two 4th grade classrooms, two 5th grade classrooms, two 6th grade classrooms, one pre-school classroom, and a new commons space. At Sacred Heart, it was important to implement symbols of the Catholic Faith into the design. Examples include the large cross glass curtain wall that illuminates the commons area, two large murals, a dedication painting to the Sisters of Mount St. Benedict who founded the original school, and crosses in the classroom windows. Space for murals and other walls that showcase the liturgical art were also included in the project.
The new addition was constructed to match the existing exterior finishes and key elements of the interior finishes including terrazzo floors and burnished block walls. While designing the addition, consideration was given to maximize the site to allow for the outdoor playground to remain. The playground area was reconfigured and updated with new equipment and a rubber tile surface.