Architects Win Award for MRH School Design

Bond Wolfe Architects was recently named an honorable mention at the 2011 Shirley Cooper and Walter Taylor Juried Architectural Awards for its design of the additions*.

The design was singled out for its use of scale, color and texture, as well as its integration of outdoor spaces. Bond Wolfe headed the that was completed in 2009.

The center follows the Reggio Emilia method of teaching. This method focuses heavily on the learning environment, which is sometimes referred to as the "third teacher." The result is much different than a traditional school space, said Susan Pruchnicki of Bond Wolfe, who worked as the lead architect on the renovation.

"Typically in a school, you have a center corridor with classrooms on either side," Pruchnicki said. "In this situation, it's the same square footage you'd have in a standard classroom environment, but the rooms are used and set up differently."

The design features programmed space intended for specific activities, instead of general classroom space. A communal space—called the piazza—has a butterfly-shaped roof and a presentation area in the middle that's shared by all of the classrooms. Classrooms, referred to as "homes," open into shared spaces called ateliers. The ateliers are dedicated to a specific creative function, such as various art projects, performances and a water table. Some open to the outside.

"There are  opportunities for the kids to naturally flow in and out of the space," Pruchnicki said. "Different zones are set up so that you can have multiple things going on at the same time. Small groups or the whole preschool can get together in one area."

The decor in the center uses colors that are natural, rich and bright instead of the neutral tones used in many traditional school buildings. Flooring materials include bamboo and tiles patterned like grass, giving the space depth. There are also plenty of windows.

"Everyone enjoys natural light, but there are actually scientific findings on why it's important in schools, too," Pruchnicki said. The benefits of natural light include helping students focus and improving test scores. 

said the abundance of windows allows the students to interact with their surroundings all year. She added the entire space allows teachers and students to work collaboratively. While there was some trepidation among teachers about the new design at first, Hebenstreit said by the end of the school year, the staff couldn't imagine being in a more limited space.

"I read once that architecture does shape learning," Hebenstreit said.  "I wasn't sure about that, but after watching teachers and students learn and investigate the space over the past year, I realize it really is true."

The awards are sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), the American Institute of Architects and the Council of Educational Facility Planners International. The winning projects will be exhibited at the 62nd Annual AASA Exhibition of School of Architecture Design show in Denver, CO, February 17-19.

*CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article failed to correctly identify Bond Wolfe Architects' contributions to the Maplewood Richmond Heights Early Childhood Center. Maplewood-Brentwood Patch regrets the error.