GroundLevel collaborated with the Carlsbad Unified School district and AlphaStudio Design Group in the design and renovation of Valley Middle School in Carlsbad, California. Built in 1965, the center of the campus was lacking in a functional gathering space for the children and was in severe need of shade protection.

The current design took into account the diverse background of the children and their various levels of ability to create a fully accessible, multi-use ‘Heart’ of the campus. A mixture of specimen shade trees and a large shade sail trellis system provides the children with comfortable spaces to gather and interact. Various whimsical nooks and access trails encourage interaction, fully accessible seating elements provide small group meetings, and an open central plaza has been designed for larger group assemblies. This renovation has truly revised the school into a more universal space for the entire student body to enjoy.