By Fay Harvey
FORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth Country Day (FWCD), a co-educational college preparatory school in Fort Worth, Texas, that has been serving students since 1963, completed construction on the new $25 million Annie Richardson Bass Lower School Building earlier this month.
The 32,720-square-foot building replaces FWCD’s Lower School building, which was reaching its sixth decade of use. Stakeholders, faculty members, parents and 325 students from first to fourth grades celebrated the new building’s opening on Jan. 13 with a formal dedication ceremony to close out the construction that began a year prior.
Photo Credit: Cameron Fronk
“The opening of the Annie Richardson Bass Lower School symbolizes our community’s unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional learning environments for our students,” said Eric Lombardi, FWCD head of school, in a statement. “This building embodies the passion, ingenuity and generosity of so many who believe in FWCD’s mission. It will elevate students’ educational experiences while connecting them to the natural beauty of our 104-acre campus.”
San Antonio-based Lake|Flato Architects teamed up with landscape architects Hocker Design, based in Dallas, and Houston-based general contractor Linbeck to bring the new building to life.
The indoor environment offers natural light and ideal acoustics. A new 2,002-square-foot library includes a cozy fireplace and reading nooks as well as set floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto a central courtyard that is home to “Chuck,” the campus’ 25-foot-tall Chinquapin Oak. The nearly four-decade old tree ties together the biophilic elements of the project and will stand as FWCD’s “Storybook Tree,” encouraging both students and teachers to congregate outdoors for immersive learning.
There are two new science labs on the grounds as well as a collaborative makerspace next to tutoring rooms for small-group learning. Numerous creative outdoor areas offer opportunities for outdoor-indoor learning and lessons in sustainability. The eagerly awaited Lower School project was developed in conjunction with FWCD’s Forward Together $40 million campaign. The campaign was driven by local families and foundations as well as by alumni, faculty and staff members and trustees to improve athletic fields and programs for students, professional development for staff members, an $8 million increase in the existing endowment for tuition assistance and the construction of the new academic facility.
“This is the largest and most ambitious comprehensive campaign in FWCD’s history,” said Lombardi in a statement. “The impact will be felt not just by today’s Falcons but by generations to come. We are deeply grateful to every donor, volunteer, and committee member who helped make this dream a reality. In the end, this is an absolutely stunning school building, but it is most importantly a space in which we will continue to build and celebrate community.”