A.M. Davis Elementary School

When Chesterfield County Public Schools needed to replace the overcrowded A.M. Davis Elementary School while accommodating 1,000 students—a significant increase from their existing elementary school’s capacity— Moseley developed a new architectural approach that would reshape school design across the district. Our response: the county’s first two-story elementary school. This facility demonstrates how deliberate design can balance the operational demands of a large student population with the intimate, nurturing environments that young learners need to flourish.

Community Engagement and Process

The design process began with Chesterfield officials touring Moseley’s Holladay Elementary School in Henrico County, which served as inspiration for the material palette and building organization. Key stakeholders, including the principal, the director of construction, and the chief operations officer, toured local schools and selected a flexible design that could be adapted for different programs and sites. Scaling from Holladay’s 650-student capacity to accommodate 1,000 students demanded significant rethinking of space planning and building systems.

The A.M. Davis community shaped their school’s identity through engagement, including voting on exterior color schemes and materials through an online survey. During construction, a community member at a West Area Elementary meeting—the third school built from this prototype—requested a door for the library to address noise and security concerns. Moseley updated A.M. Davis and Bensley Elementary to include the feature, ensuring parity across all three facilities.

Design Advancement and Space Planning

The two-story configuration allowed Moseley to dramatically reduce the building’s footprint while creating signature spaces that were not possible in the county’s previous single-story prototype. A central learning stair serves as both circulation and flexible gathering space. Extended learning areas with clerestory windows provide naturally lit breakout spaces adjacent to each classroom wing.

Wood-framed display areas line the main corridor. Large-scale artwork spaces anchor key intersections. Color-coded academic wings allow the school to reflect the community through locally selected materials and palettes.

Specialized Spaces and Programming

The building incorporates several spaces uncommon in Chesterfield’s older elementary schools. A stage adjoining the gymnasium accommodates the entire student body for performances. An operable partition in the cafeteria creates a dedicated community room for after-hours PTA meetings and events. Maker areas for STEAM programs facilitate cross-curricular collaboration.

The interior design maintains Chesterfield County Public Schools’ house system while introducing brighter, more welcoming colors and creating spaces for student artwork and achievements to be showcased.

Sustainability and Performance

Advanced indoor air quality measures during construction included building flush-out procedures and monitoring of volatile organic compounds in construction materials. The school incorporates recycled materials and features systems designed to support healthy indoor air quality. The roof includes provisions for future solar panel installation.

Project Delivery and Construction

Built with pandemic relief funding, the project replaced the previous A.M. Davis facility while maintaining school operations throughout construction. The phased approach required precise coordination to keep the existing school operational while building its replacement on the same site. The original school remained fully functional during construction, with Moseley’s team providing regular updates to manage expectations throughout each phase.

Impact and Future Applications

As Chesterfield County Public Schools prepares to build additional schools using this design as a prototype, the A.M. Davis facility establishes a new baseline for educational architecture in the region—one that prioritizes natural light, flexible learning spaces, and community identity while maintaining the efficiency that public school districts require.

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