Phoenix Country Day School

Paradise Valley, Arizona
Commercial

Knoell & Quidort was first selected by Phoenix Country Day School in 1994 to design the Upper School Arts and Science Building. Subsequently, the collaboration has resulted in a body of work that includes master planning and subsequent buildings: classrooms, science labs, art studios, computer labs, libraries, student centers, offices, meeting rooms and a performance auditorium. More important than the buildings themselves is the way they have been planned to support the school’s educational goals of excellence, diversity and community. Educational facilities appropriate to each age level are grouped around courtyards that are outdoor learning environments. Courtyards are connected with each other, and with the campus as a whole. PCDS responds to the larger challenge of building a cohesive image and positive relationship with the Paradise Valley context.

We commend “the simple arrangement of stuccoed walls, colonnade and courtyard, and how, through minimal means, it created a new public space for the school. This is a good example of regional architecture; it has a sense of dignity and sets a good precedent for the campus.”

— Gunnar Birkits, FAIA, in conferring a regional AIA award for the Upper School

Awards + Publications

  • Honor Award – AIA Western Mountain Region, 1994
  • Merit Award – Valley Forward Environmental Excellence, 1994
  • Client Award – AIA Arizona, 2008