The Queen Creek Unified School District, located in Queen Creek, Arizona, hired Logan Simpson to design an exterior learning and gathering space to dovetail with their interior architecture and educational programs at Silver Valley Elementary School. The school district felt that outdoor spaces encouraged creative thinking, so a design was developed to extend the school’s academic programs outside the classroom. The design included a multi-tiered turfgrass amphitheater, located in the exterior central courtyard which serves as a hub for outdoor learning and social gatherings for students. A separate shaded play structure was added for age-appropriate play, thus allowing enhanced monitoring of students by teachers. A third play area for younger students, and 3+ acres of open turf fields for sports activities were also included in the final design.