Gathering Spaces

Growth and Learning Beyond Walls

Beyond these significant new facilities and enhancements and a long-desired sense of "elbow room," the campus gains something vital to the continued success of the school-more gathering spaces that give students space to come together to study, dine or simply relax.

Given Buckley's majestic canyon setting and Southern California location, the Campus Enhancement Plan takes particular advantage of outdoor spaces. Beautifully landscaped courtyards will be located on all sides of the new buildings including the dramatic 2,500 square foot Main Campus Courtyard, the Central Campus Courtyard and the Alumni Plaza.

The road that runs through Campus, west of the Middle and Upper Administration Building south to Gilley Field, will be transformed into a pedestrian walkway. Ridding the internal campus of vehicular traffic vastly improves student safety and will transform the atmosphere of the school with many additional walkways and spaces that will provide places for benches and small tables and chairs.

While designing these important campus improvements, great care was taken to retain the cherished character built at Buckley over many years. The Lower School and iconic Bell Tower will remain intact and new buildings have been designed to blend with the existing architecture. Although the new buildings in Phase 1 have two levels of classrooms, the campus will maintain a similar feeling and architectural integrity by building on existing footprints and having outdoor corridor access to many classrooms. A favorite outdoor gathering space outside of The Roy E. Disney Family Pavilion remains as do all of the outdoor spaces in the Lower School and Gilley Field. Importantly, the beloved turtle pond that attracts students and alumni alike to campus will be relocated just slightly south of its existing location and continue to provide a living example of humanity and nature peacefully coexisting.