8 minute read
A New Legacy Begins
The Annie Richardson Bass Lower School building at Fort Worth Country Day is a remarkable blend of innovation, sustainability, and connection to nature. It is a reimagined learning environment designed to inspire young Falcons. With its thoughtful design and community-centered vision, the building sets a high standard for educational spaces.
Exterior: Where Legacy Meets Modernity
The building’s exterior harmoniously ties the past to the future. Crafted from 50% wood siding, 30% brick and 20% glazing, it reflects a balance of tradition and progress. The brickwork, a blend of three colors, roots the new Lower School in FWCD's history while creating a blueprint for future campus projects. The wood siding, matching the metal panel color found elsewhere on campus, introduces a natural, softer element suited to its younger occupants. The pattern of the siding is a subtle nod to the intricate stonework of the Sid W. Richardson Visual Arts Center, ensuring the campus feels cohesive and interconnected.
Natural light floods classrooms through strategically placed windows and skylights, blurring the line between interior and exterior. Large doors open the Carolyn W. Fierer Library to a gathering courtyard, replacing the internal, windowless commons of the old building with an inviting outdoor “living room.” Around the east side of the building’s entry, the School preserved 85% of the mature trees, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability and respect for the natural world. For every tree removed, a new one now stands, along with several smaller ornamental trees that were added.
Every classroom has a view of the outdoors with easily opened windows to let in fresh air while offering views of the campus. Dedicated outdoor classrooms and the central gathering courtyard encourage students to learn, collaborate and play in harmony with their environment.
A Storybook Landing
It’s a bird, it’s a plane … it’s a flying tree? Yes, that’s right! At 11 a.m. on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, students and faculty gathered around the new Lower School, eyes fixed on the sky, to watch as a 500-ton hydraulic crane moved the 22,000-pound Lower School Storybook tree from the kindergarten parking lot over the first and second grade wing of the Annie Richardson Bass Lower School building, landing in its new home in the courtyard outside the Carolyn W. Fierer Library. Fourth graders led impromptu cheers about the tree as they witnessed this unique event.
The Chinkapin Oak – 25 feet tall and with the potential to reach 70 feet – will grow to shade readers and passersby in the years to come. The tree hails from Twin Lakes Nursery in Canton, where it had been growing in a box for 30-40 years. Chinkapin Oaks have been known to live for over 250 years, with the oldest, the Sacred Oak, located in Oley Valley, Pennsylvania, being an estimated 500 years old.
“The storybook tree will be a focal point of the new building and a gathering location for Lower School students,” said Trey Blair, Head of Lower School. “Imagine morning meetings, assemblies, book clubs or K-4 families taking place around the tree throughout the year. We can't wait to see students gathering around the tree in 2025!”
Interior: A Canvas for Growth
The classrooms themselves are a leap forward in design. Sculpted skylights illuminate the spaces, transforming them into bright, inspiring areas where students are encouraged to explore, dream and grow. High-quality, natural materials create a welcoming environment, while flexible lighting and maximized daylight ensure each space is practical and uplifting.
The classrooms themselves are a leap forward in design. Sculpted skylights illuminate the spaces, transforming them into bright, inspiring areas where students are encouraged to explore, dream and grow. High-quality, natural materials create a welcoming environment, while flexible lighting and maximized daylight ensure each space is practical and uplifting.
Sustainability: A Model for the Future
The Annie Richardson Bass Lower School building is as forward-thinking as it is beautiful. Its 20% improvement in energy efficiency compared to similar educational buildings reflects FWCD’s dedication to environmental stewardship. The building’s design team prioritized health and wellbeing, incorporating sustainable materials and innovative technologies to craft a space that is as nurturing as it is inspiring.
In this new building, the legacy of FWCD’s Lower School lives on, reimagined for a brighter future. Here, students can embrace their creativity, connect with nature, and build a foundation for lifelong learning.
A Legacy in Lines
Fort Worth native and accomplished artist John Holt Smith ’87 made a significant contribution to the new Annie Richardson Bass Lower School building with two original paintings that encapsulate the School's environment and history.
Smith's artistic journey has been profoundly shaped by the School and influential mentors, most notably Art Teachers Evelyn Siegel H’99 and Lelia Koeppe. Siegel, in particular, instilled in Smith a relentless curiosity and the tools to continually evolve as an artist. “A really good teacher instructs and conveys information and inspires curiosity,” Smith said. “A great teacher gives you the tools and insights to continue your exploration and learning even when they are no longer physically there for you.
“Evelyn helped her students to figure out that they could always grow as an artist. There was always something to learn and build upon,” Smith continued. “She would give you praise for the piece, but then ask you, ‘What else can we do here?’ ‘How can you make it better next time?’ I carry this with me.”
The opportunity to contribute to the new Lower School arose when Head of School Eric Lombardi asked Smith to walk the new building with him. Lombardi emphasized the architectural intent to harmonize indoor and outdoor spaces, highlighting features like the integration of exterior wood into the interior and expansive glass windows that invite natural light and views of the outdoors. They discussed the design elements and the desired impact of the artworks, focusing on a continuation of the theme of nature.
The live oak trees on campus became a focal point for Smith. He was inspired by the trees and their significance, which led to Smith’s inspiration to create a painting that captures the vibrant greens of the oak and the blues of the sky and water, reflecting the natural beauty surrounding the School. The second artwork draws from FWCD’s history. Smith incorporated elements from a beloved mosaic that adorned the old Lower School building.
Smith's creative process is meticulous and instinctual. He begins by selecting photographs that resonate with the desired theme, focusing on achieving a harmonious balance of colors. For these large-scale paintings, each measuring 6 feet by 8 feet, Smith chose linen canvases to accommodate the extensive vertical lines characteristic of his style.
Using a sliding angle iron as a guide to paint straight lines, each spanning the entire width of the canvas, Smith spent hundreds of hours in front of the canvas creating in his Fort Worth studio. Each painting comprises between 1,000 to 1,200 individual lines, each line receiving eight to nine coats of paint to capture the right color. This layering technique imparts a vibrant intensity to the colors, creating a dynamic visual experience.
The two pieces were installed on January 13, 2025, for the building's dedication. One piece is prominently displayed outside the classroom of his wife, First Grade Teacher Sarah Akhtar Smith ’91.
Reflecting on his journey, Smith expresses deep gratitude for the education and support he received at FWCD. Having his art now grace the halls of the school that played a pivotal role in his development is an honor and a testament to the enduring impact of dedicated educators and a supportive community.
