La Entrada Middle School, Entry Plaza

BAY TREE DESIGN’S redesign of La Entrada Middle Schools’ entry plaza welcomes students, faculty, and visitors alike to the facility. The design evokes the regional landscapes of Menlo Park and the Bay Area creating a sense of place through a careful selection of plants and materials.

The first phase in a multi-phase modernization of their original campus buildings the entry plaza playfully uses pavers and tiered seat walls to create a welcoming front porch for the school’s main entry. These features simultaneously provide space to enjoy the outdoors at drop-off and pick-up.

The trees and vegetation provide shade, manage stormwater, and support native habitats.  The Oaks, Pacific Wax Myrtles, Red Buds, Ceanothus, and an understory of grasses and ferns softens the entrance and provide students with a daily educational experience as they enter the classrooms. The original fence was designed with an image of the rolling hills of Stanford Dish, a scenic local spot.

Project Information

Client: Las Lomitas Elementary School District

Location: Menlo Park, CA

Built: 2021

Construction Cost: 1.6 M