The Tonalea Day School is a BIE funded school located in Arizona on the Navajo Nation. By working closely with the BIA DFMC and the Tonalea Day School, IDS+A sought to celebrate the community’s cultural values and create a unique dialogue with the natural terrain. The new proposed Tonalea Day School is situated on 43.64 acres of land located North of the Indian Route 21. The replacement school will include spaces for children in Kindergarten through 8th grade, a bus maintenance facility, and two triplex staff housing quarters. The site is organized according to orientation to the culturally significant cardinal directions, connection to the natural landscape, traditional hogan, and for energy performance as the design aims to accomplish a LEED Silver accreditation. Classrooms, Computer Labs, Arts/Media Rooms, Physical Education /Gymnasium, and Dining Spaces are oriented along a dual-axis central spine for safety and ease of wayfinding. All spaces prioritize social wellbeing through welcoming volumes, natural daylighting from side lighting and/ or clerestories, and connection to outdoor play areas. The school will be completed in coordination with the demolition of the existing school and other site amenities. IDS+A completed the planning and design up to 20% Conceptual Design and will be continued by the BIA through a future Design/Build project.

Owner: Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Facilities Management & Construction (BIA DFMC) | Location: Tonalea, Arizona

+ Project Completed as part of IDS+A's existing IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity) contract with Bureau of Indian Affairs