Antioch CCSD 34 found that their population was growing and their curriculum changing. A study, under the leadership of the superintendent and school board, concluded that the district needed additional facilities with an emphasis on early education.

Hillcrest Elementary School serves grades Pre-K through First and is situated on a beautiful, but challenging site of changing elevation, wooded areas and wetlands. The site was designed to accommodate the building, site circulation, playing fields, and road access while being sensitive to the existing surroundings.

The design of the school reflects a residential scale in order to make the large building more accessible to the grade-level students it serves.

The plan is divided into four "houses" or groups of classrooms, an administrative and library area, and a Multi-Purpose Room.

Exterior materials for the building were chosen to be economical, durable and to reflect the natural materials of the wooded site.