At the start of design, Parkside's students had one clear request: save the trees. That ask became the seed of everything that followed. Nestled into a naturally sloped hillside in Des Moines, the building enters at its upper level and steps down through the landscape, its classroom wings stacking to reveal a wooded preserve and seasonal spring at the site's western edge. The library and classrooms settle into that quiet, peaceful setting, turning what could have been a constraint into the school's most defining feature.
Highline Public Schools
Inside, the design philosophy is one of restraint and honesty. Concrete, glass, steel, and wood are the palette, chosen not for effect but for authenticity, durability, and their ability to be sourced locally. Natural finishes carry the beauty of the space without the need for anything extraneous. Light moves through the building freely, shifting with the seasons and keeping students connected to the landscape just beyond the glass. The result is an interior that is elegant without trying to be, and enduring because it was designed that way from the start.
Parkside was built on the belief that learning happens everywhere, and that not everyone learns the same way. Varied settings, generous light, and a genuine connection to the natural world create an environment where students and staff arrive each day to something worth arriving at.
Principal
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