4110 Nassau Ave. NE, Tacoma, WA 98422
The elementary schools in the Northeast Tacoma neighborhood have been around for more than 90 years. Browns Point Elementary and Northeast Tacoma Elementary opened for the first time in 1918 and 1917 respectively. But in September 1999, the two schools gained a partner in primary education when Crescent Heights Elementary School opened its doors.
Built on site next to Meeker Middle School, the school was constructed with a two-story configuration into the side of a hill, which incorporates long roof forms and deep overhangs to emphasize the linear relationships to the slope that it occupies. Sharing the bowl-shaped property with Meeker creates a unified campus aesthetic.
The site location also allowed for construction to proceed with minimal inconvenience to Meeker, which maintained operation throughout construction.
Organized into three distinct zones, Crescent Heights’ design provides a classroom wing, central services area and a multipurpose wing. Safety and security were primary concerns when considering vehicle and pedestrian access points, and playful accents of color adorn the exterior, which is comprised of colored block, glass and aluminum.