Pre K-12 School Campus

The Opportunity

For more than 170 years, Elwyn has been a pioneer in supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, and behavioral health challenges. Set in the hillside of Elwyn’s historic campus in Media, Pennsylvania, the new 80,000-square-foot school extends this legacy, creating a beacon of what is possible for students from early education through grade 12. KSS worked with Elwyn and an integrated design-build team to create a purpose-built school for 260 students across two curriculum tracks—those with complex needs requiring intensive clinical support and those building toward greater independence. The school reflects Elwyn’s commitment to innovation, inclusion, and individual growth.

Our Approach

Organized into learning neighborhoods that scale the school to the student experience, the building creates calming, supportive environments with direct views to nature and materials drawn from the rural campus context. Classrooms and therapy spaces are supported by sensory rooms, decompression areas, and life skills kitchens, while specialty program areas—like music, art, a career discovery lab, and a gym—support holistic development. A universal design framework rooted in neurodiversity informs every aspect of the plan, from intuitive wayfinding to biophilic elements and restorative spaces. Designed for change, the school balances Elwyn’s deep institutional knowledge with a forward-looking vision for student success.

Program

Classrooms, therapy spaces, sensory rooms, decompression and specialty program areas, life skills kitchens

Partners

DCI, Structural

Bohler, Civil

Advanced Engineering, MEP/FP

North Star Construction Management, Contractor