A learning village.
To help children feel at ease, the school was conceived as a "learning village" comprised of four educational neighborhoods that connect to each other via communal areas that provide opportunities for interaction. The corridors, or neighborhood "streets," are populated with various instructional wall surfaces and built-in manipulatives.
The school is also designed to engage children with the natural environment. Its numerous windows provide an abundance of daylight, creating a feeling of openness and establishing a direct connection between the indoors and outdoors. In the instructional spaces, windows along the lower walls give children an up-close view of the perimeter landscaping, which features rain gardens with indigenous plants.
Awards:
2011 Finalist, New Construction under $15 Million, Chicago Building Congress
2010 Award of Distinction, Excellence in the Design of Educational Environments, Illinois Association of School Boards
