Oakland Unified School District

La Esquelita Educational Center was built to replace a number of neighborhood schools which had been set to close. This school was built new from the ground up and the complex consists of 360 student K-5 elementary school, 180 student high school, radio station, and 168 student child development center/community health clinic. It was important to be LEED Certified and designed for grid-neutrality.

The architect-designer planned each grade to be a different color of the rainbow using primary colors. Starting with violet-blue in pre-school transitioning to blue and green in the elementary school. Then the colors changed from green to orange. The architect designer said, “The color tells which chair goes with which grade. Each is unique, yet Harmonizes.”

The bright colors really set an example of how lively school can make you feel. The students and teachers were very excited to get back to class.