The new Marathon Elementary School completed in 2018 relocates the Center Elementary School students from a very constrained site and non-conforming building by the Town Common to a beautiful, wooded site abutting EMC Park and the school campus on Hayden Rowe Street.

From site selection, master planning and permitting to construction documents and active oversight during installation, Warner Larson sited the new building and designed safe and accessible pedestrian and vehicular routes, parking areas, Pre-K and 1st grade playgrounds, natural grass soccer field, outdoor classrooms, dining and school garden. Rain gardens, native plants and permeable paving clean and control storm water while engineered underdrain systems protect structures and site improvements from high groundwater and expansive soils.

Design of the playgrounds involved several meetings with school staff and parents who expressed an early preference for accessible, ground-based play while providing challenging and fun experiences inclusive for children of all abilities.

The Boston Marathon, which goes by the existing school, was our inspiration theme for the Pre-K play area design which includes an accessible loop up and around the structured play area leading children along the “marathon” route over crawl tunnel bridge and up to an ADA slide. This design and the varied play equipment invite imagination and activities that stimulate social interaction and physical activity for healthy development.