Perched atop a hillside in Western San Francisco, Ortega Elementary school stood virtually unchanged since its original construction in 1950 except for minor upgrades. The steep hillside topography created significant accessibility design challenges. Numerous classroom wings presented no main entrance, and the administration was located in the back without any views to the entrance. Each technical challenge was combined into a single efficient solution. This new main entrance gave the school a strong face to the community, a welcoming entrance, and added an elevator to solve accessibility requirements.
