Shenandoah
Elementary School
Los Angeles, CA
A playful blue river pathway meanders through Shenandoah Elementary School, connecting outdoor learning stations and playgrounds across the campus. The project transforms a once asphalt-covered site into a greener, more engaging environment that supports outdoor learning and environmental stewardship. As part of LAUSD’s wider effort to increase campus greening and shading, Shenandoah Elementary sets a benchmark for future school modernizations.
The campus features a series of outdoor learning spaces and gardens that inspire curiosity and connect students to nature. At the Weather Station, a tetherball pole stands at the center of a painted sundial, encircled by ornamental grasses and a variety of trees that cast dynamic patterns of light and shade throughout the day. This space invites students to engage with the landscape through play and exploration.
The landscape’s open play field, framed by softly mounded lawns and trees, provides space for unstructured play and physical education. Its curved shape creates a sense of inclusivity, while solar-reflective paving and low-water planting keep the grounds cool and sustainable year-round.
Outside the library, an outdoor reading room incorporates a “learning ladder” with famous authors’ names, inspiring students to improve their reading skills and “climb” the ladder. In the courtyard outside the new classroom building, a makerspace shaded by canopy trees was created for outdoor projects.
Other learning gardens include the Math Garden which showcases plants that exhibit Fibonacci Sequence patterns. The Rainbow Garden celebrates color through a vibrant palette of native plants. Colorful educational signage throughout the site teaches students about their environment in a fun, accessible way. Together, these spaces nurture curiosity, environmental stewardship, and enrich the school community.
Client
Shenandoah Elementary School
(Los Angeles Unified School District)
Size
7 acres
Team
Cannon Design
Pinner Construction
Photography
Shane O’Donnell