Watermark Design Group and sister company Thompson Engineering teamed to bring a new school, Whitley Elementary, to life right next to the existing school just north of downtown Mobile.

Watermark was selected as architect, and worked with Thompson Engineering to provide structural and civil consulting engineering services. In addition, Thompson Engineering provided surveying, geotechnical engineering and construction material testing services.

The new Whitley Elementary replaces the existing school built in the 1960s. The design features approximately 59,000 square feet of conditioned space capable of housing up to 400 students. The media center is multi-purpose, as it is designed as an IBC500 tornado shelter for student and faculty use. In an effort to give the school its own identity, the exterior finish colors were modified to set it apart from the “red brick schoolhouse” theme that has been used extensively elsewhere, and the interior finishes were selected to tastefully incorporate the school colors of Red and Blue.

Now that the Whitley Whales are occupying the new school, the former school will be demolished and replaced with a grass playground and a paved play surface.