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Sited between 5 wetlands, 250-year-old white oaks, and a fish-bearing creek, the new Lacamas Heights Elementary School connects students to existing site features by creating unique outdoor learning environments.
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Outdoor learning environments include an amphitheater nestled within an existing grove of trees, outdoor classrooms, a courtyard framing the view of Mt Hood, and a variety of nature play spaces that use materials collected from the site. In response to the ecological sensitivity of the existing white oaks, non-irrigation demanding meadow grasses replace turf in many playground areas, and low-impact play structures are used to reduce the impact on their root systems. The extensive path systems promote activity and exploration for children of all ages.
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