Bonneville Elementary School sits on a relatively small site in an affluent neighborhood with an eclectic mix of surrounding architecture. The school site and neighborhood are closely woven with neighbors directly adjacent on two sides and separated by narrow residential streets on the others. The new site design includes an 'L' shaped school with the playground sheltered between the two building legs. A grade change is taken up between the school and soccer field, behind it, via a series of amphitheatres, steps, and ramps. The parking lot stretches out along the north to serve as a buffer from the neighboring homes.

As with the other Salt Lake District schools, Bonneville's design process included extensive community involvement and a design committee composed of faculty, administrators, and parent volunteers. The community described its ideal school as traditional in look with a variety of learning and gathering areas, both formal and informal. Bonneville has a very active theatre and performing arts program, supported by parents, and was in need of performance possibilities beyond the multi-purpose room.

The building design answers these requests by using brick, in a blend of colors, along with details such as, brick reveals, concrete lintels and window sills, and bay window elements in the classrooms, to achieve a traditional feel. The design introduces a playful curving entry wall as an element of the contemporary and a response to the eclectic surrounding context.

The building entry opens into a spacious two-story lobby, surrounded by two levels of gallery space. The lobby provides that additional performance space as well as foyer for evening events and all-school gatherings. Spare amounts of wood were used as ceiling elements to bring back the warmth and quality of finishes that were well-loved in the original school building.

All classrooms receive excellent daylight and views as do the administrative suite, media center, lobby, hallways, and stairways. Other sustainable principles used in this project include energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems.