Luther Burbank is an influential botanist, contemporary and friend to both Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. He is responsible for many significant discoveries, including the Burbank-russet potato.

The eponymous school was intended to teach students, faculty and visitors through eight graphic exhibits, starting with salvaged limestone carvings from the original school, representing the six classic arts. 

There are four outdoor classrooms.  Three are set within the rain gardens, the fourth is shared by the kindergarten classrooms.

They were each given a 4′ cast stone medallion with a custom design that ties each to a season, giving each an identifier that ties back into the botany themes.

By definition, a storm shelter must be impenetrable. At Luther Burbank, we used the gym as the storm shelter, with precast construction providing the fastest, most consistent enclosure. 

Every opening in the storm shelter was protected with large steel plates that are carefully designed to block incoming debris and protect people inside. 

In the end, the spaces look very similar to the rest of the building through careful coordination and execution.  If not for the signage, most people wouldn’t notice anything different about those spaces.

The rain garden is a functional piece of infrastructure, with the clear distinction of being desirable and enjoyable infrastructure. 

All rain water from the classroom wing is directed to the rain garden, which has over 7′ of gravel below the plantings to facilitate water retention on site.

The three classrooms have integral concrete benches and direct access to the adjacent shared learning areas and classrooms.