MHTN Architects was given the job of designing Silver Ridge Elementary School with bold colors and natural light in Farr West, Utah.

Silver Ridge Elementary School is an innovative, cost-effective, and community-oriented educational facility designed to be adaptable and repeatable for future growth in Weber County.

The two-story school contains six grade-level learning communities, each with a central collaboration area surrounded by learning studios. The shared collaboration areas support multi-group, active, and project-based learning activities with flexible furniture and floor-to-ceiling writable surfaces. An immersive learning environment, the variety of spaces, sizes, and function empowers educators to engage with their students. Each studio has a breakout room that allows supervision of tutoring, individualized learning, or small group discussion. The school is also home to a Special Education Center to serve elementary-aged students in the region. With specialized studios, the Center helps teachers support the different needs of each individual student.

Defined by bold primary colors, highlights include modular furniture arrangements, transparency, natural daylight, and views of the Wasatch Front mountain range. A combination of CMU and brick veneer with curtain walls and colored metal panels adorn the school exterior, while extensive glazing provides natural light in every classroom and hallway. Interior design elements focus on transparency, flexibility, and safety. Glass sliding doors open up to the collaboration areas providing fluidity between the spaces. The second-floor media center offers a welcoming space for students to gather and study. As a 1-to-1 device school, a science lab and makerspace fosters education through engagement in robotics, scientific exploration, and a variety of exercises in technology, math, art, and engineering.

Architect: MHTN Architects
Contractor: R&O Construction
Photography: Paul Richer, Robert Casey