the buckley school auditorium

time : 2016

place : sherman oaks, ca

process : southern california heat and the need for shade; highschool seniors; theatre; outdoor stage, classroom, and events space

completed for : the buckley school

collaborators : RIOS, Fisher & Partners, Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company

The Buckley School is a Private K-12 School set within a canyon in Sherman Oaks. An outdoor stage under a canopy of Sycamore trees was proposed to complement the theatre space inside. Glass doors slide open to a clean, wooded deck, and a sloping hillside of native Oaks and understory planting. We worked extremely closely with the school to ensure the functionality and comfort this landscape would lend- for students and for events- ensuring optimum shade throughout the year and maximum usability in terms of outdoor classroom space and furniture layout. This space is also dubbed “The Senior Courtyard.” The sophistication of the simple palette and central focus of the massive California Sycamore trees honors the kids that graduate from this school and their coming of age. Project completed while employed at RIOS.