School hallway with light yellow linoleum floor, light yellow tile walls and white ceiling. Children sitting on light wood L-shaped bench along left wall School hallway with light yellow linoleum floor, light yellow tile walls and white ceiling. Children sitting on light wood L-shaped bench along left wall

Manassas Park Elementary School

2009 | MANASSAS PARK, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES | EDUCATION

The design for the Manassas Park Elementary School and Pre-K is based on two fundamental ideas: 1) there is no such thing as a non-teachable place; and 2) people cannot be expected to conserve something they do not understand.

With more than 30 years of experience in education design, Charlottesville, Virginia-based architecture firm, VMDO, designed Manassas Park Elementary to incorporate educational opportunities and environmentally responsible components in every aspect of the school. All spaces that would traditionally be hidden or blocked off, such as retention ponds, corridor ceilings, mechanical rooms, are exposed and explained to the children with signage and active conversation.

“Each aspect of the design was carefully considered for the well-being of the children as well as their extended environmental education,” said Wyck Knox at VMDO Architects. “Already the students are taking steps to use their knowledge and naturally assuming the responsibility that is expected of them.” VMDO selected Tarkett’s iQ® Optima flooring, a high performing solution that helped meet design, maintenance and budget requirements.

“When we suggested the iQ Optima tile they were thrilled. It surpassed their environmental goals and was budget friendly,” said Jim DellaFranco, Regional Vice President of Sales, Tarkett. The Manassas Park Elementary School and Pre-K was recognized as an American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) 2010 Committee on the Environment (COTE) Award Winner due to its excellence in sustainability and design quality.


“When we suggested iQ Optima tile they were thrilled. It surpassed their environmental goals and was budget friendly”

  • School corridor with full length windows to the right, green couches looking outside, students walking down hall and seated. School corridor with full length windows to the right, green couches looking outside, students walking down hall and seated.
  • School hallway looking into classroom with group of students sitting around a table School hallway looking into classroom with group of students sitting around a table
  • School hallway with light yellow linoleum floor, light yellow tile walls and white ceiling. Children sitting on light wood L-shaped bench along left wall School hallway with light yellow linoleum floor, light yellow tile walls and white ceiling. Children sitting on light wood L-shaped bench along left wall

“Tarkett has a longstanding commitment to creating products and solutions that contribute to LEED certification points”

Styles Used in This Project

Solutions at Work Guide

Want to save it for later or view it offline? Download a Solutions at Work guide PDF for this project.

More Case Studies

Primary school open work area with kids at tables and stools, custom pattern carpet, classroom interior visible to right and full height windows in distance

Middletown City School

See how Tarkett flooring helped transform Middletown City Schools as part of the "Middie Modernization Movement."
Detail of floor with yellow and black diamond pattern against white background, student legs in jeans seen below desks

UCLA

UCLA, investing in elements to make people feel safer and more comfortable.
Aquarium concession area, blue, gray and white concessions counter, blue gray and white plank linoleum flooring, blue wall behind concession with whale line drawing

Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science

The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center features 800,000 gallons of water-filled habitats and houses more than 12,000 animals.
Music practice room with gray and yellow patterned carpet, yellow walls, chairs on risers to the back and right, small rider with chair at front of classroom.

Farmington High School

Fluid classrooms for an education in motion. Discover why they chose Tarkett Powerbond®.
Classroom with brown textured carpet, wood cabinets along left wall, green table with stools in foreground, wood tables and chairs beyond

Trillium Creek Primary School

At Trillium Creek, Powerbond’s unmatched design capabilities and many practical advantages are proving invaluable.
Reception area with long, tradition wood desk, computers and office equipment beyond; tan walls and dark gray patterned carpet with large blue and gray bison head graphic in center

Howard University

Old carpet was removed. New Powerbond® Cushion RS was installed. Read more on Howard University’s story.
School hallway with tan lockers along both sides, dark linoleum floor with colored squares in light blue, red, white and tan, floor to celing windows at far end of wall with view of exterior building

STEM School

From museum to repurposed public middle school, check out this article for more details.
high School caffeteria with light wood tables and gray, black and yellow chairs. Gray and blue linoleum floors, large staircase leading to second floor hallway

Timken High School

The renovated school was to be designed to meet the district’s new prototype standards. See how Tarkett flooring was used in this project.
Room mainly blue floor and blue walls with mural on walls of sun, waves and tree, lighthouse playground and toys on floor

Lighthouse Christian School

The school was selected as a recipient of ABC’s Emmy award-winning reality program Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. See the results.
Close-up of locker room floor, gray carpet with Salisbury Soccer and a large eagle in center. Red lockers and two wood benches are visible

Salisbury University

The Salisbury team compared two high-rise residence halls—one that was renovated with Powerbond®, and one that kept its existing resilient flooring. Read more for the results.
Athletic training room, light blue floors, white columns and sunlight from windows on left; workout equipment and weights in foreground

Nova Southeastern University

Choosing Tarkett’s flooring gave Nova Southeastern University the durability within their sports complex that they were looking for.
Long, wide hallway with green, blue, yellow and black floor, custom inlay compass design surrounded by light metal circle railing. Full height windows to left and dark walls to right

Science and Technology Magnet School

The New London High School needed a flooring option that could transition into a variety of environments but that also had tremendous design flexibility.