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06-08-26 | News
With this philosophy in mind, the Brighton Central School District undertook a transformative building addition that reconceived outdoor space as a 21st-century academic environment. At Council Rock Primary School (grades K-2), a new 13,300 SF enclosed central courtyard was created to function as an extension of the classroom; one that teachers seamlessly integrate into daily instruction.
Guided by input from district leadership, educators, and students, SWBR's landscape architecture team designed a flexible outdoor setting that supports collaboration and play in the natural flow of learning. The courtyard is organized into four distinct yet interconnected zones. A Discovery Zone invites hands-on experiences with a monarch butterfly garden, rain barrel, and sundial. The Breakout Zone, anchored by a tensile shade structure, features seat walls and pebble-like seating that easily adapt into small-group or individual study areas. A Gathering Zone includes three tiers of precast amphitheater seating for performances and presentations. Completing the space is an Exploration Zone, featuring a boardwalk that runs alongside a stormwater management area with a dry creek bed where children can discover hidden animal figures and stamped footprints that spark imagination and inquiry.
Adding a meaningful layer to the project was the landscape architect's personal connection to the school; they attended Council Rock more than 25 years ago. Many beloved programs from that time, including raising monarch butterflies for release, remain integral to the curriculum today. This continuity between past and present underscores the courtyard's role not just as a new space, but as a living, evolving part of the school's educational legacy.
To see more School & Corporate Campus projects, go to: https://landscapearchitect.com/landscape-articles/sneak-preview-of-the-school-and-campus-issue
For more information about submitting a project, go to: https://landscapearchitect.com/research/editorial/editorial-submissions.php
Council Rock Primary School
Rochester, New York
As one of the few remaining school districts in the state not providing full day kindergarten, Brighton CSD and the community made implementing the program a priority and chose Council Rock Primary School as its location. In addition to the building expansion to support the program, the design team used the project as an opportunity to transform the school into a 21st Century Learning Environment. This student-centered teaching method focuses on the student and incorporates flexible learning spaces that accommodate diverse learning preferences and foster equity and inclusion.
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The School & Corporate Campus Issue of Landscape Architect and Specifier News saw many firms submit their projects for feature consideration. Council Rock Primary School is one of several great projects we are excited to showcase on LandscapeArchitect.com.
Children are instinctive explorers, learning constantly through movement, curiosity, and hands-on experience. But oftentimes, the most meaningful opportunities for growth happen beyond the traditional classroom, where discovery is active, social, and immersive.
With this philosophy in mind, the Brighton Central School District undertook a transformative building addition that reconceived outdoor space as a 21st-century academic environment. At Council Rock Primary School (grades K-2), a new 13,300 SF enclosed central courtyard was created to function as an extension of the classroom; one that teachers seamlessly integrate into daily instruction.
Guided by input from district leadership, educators, and students, SWBR's landscape architecture team designed a flexible outdoor setting that supports collaboration and play in the natural flow of learning. The courtyard is organized into four distinct yet interconnected zones. A Discovery Zone invites hands-on experiences with a monarch butterfly garden, rain barrel, and sundial. The Breakout Zone, anchored by a tensile shade structure, features seat walls and pebble-like seating that easily adapt into small-group or individual study areas. A Gathering Zone includes three tiers of precast amphitheater seating for performances and presentations. Completing the space is an Exploration Zone, featuring a boardwalk that runs alongside a stormwater management area with a dry creek bed where children can discover hidden animal figures and stamped footprints that spark imagination and inquiry.
Adding a meaningful layer to the project was the landscape architect's personal connection to the school; they attended Council Rock more than 25 years ago. Many beloved programs from that time, including raising monarch butterflies for release, remain integral to the curriculum today. This continuity between past and present underscores the courtyard's role not just as a new space, but as a living, evolving part of the school's educational legacy.
To see more School & Corporate Campus projects, go to: https://landscapearchitect.com/landscape-articles/sneak-preview-of-the-school-and-campus-issue
For more information about submitting a project, go to: https://landscapearchitect.com/research/editorial/editorial-submissions.php
Filed Under: JUNE 2026, SCHOOL & CORPORATE CAMPUS, COUNCIL ROCK PRIMARY SCHOOL, SWBR, ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, LASN
