After determining that many of its school buildings could no longer serve the city's educational needs, the City of Medford hired HMFH to design new buildings for the entire K-8 population. Following Phase I, in which a new middle school and an elementary/middle complex were built on a new site, HMFH designed replacement elementary schools in three strategic neighborhood locations.

The Roberts is one of three new elementary schools that share virtually identical programs, but because of neighborhood considerations, are housed in three very different buildings. The efficient, four-story plan includes a classroom wing that intersects with large core spaces such as the cafetorium and gym. Pre-K, Kindergarten, and a collaborative special education program occupy the ground floor with direct access to outdoor play areas, and grades 1-5 are housed on the floors above. Each of the upper floors contains a bilingual classroom, ESL room, resource room, small group room, and computer lab. Shared spaces include art, music, a science project room, and the media center.

The school's simple façade responds to the surrounding neighborhood streetscape. Although the site presented no topographical challenges, the siting of the school building, play structures, drop-off, and parking were all designed to satisfy neighborhood concerns about noise and adjacencies.