Early Childhood and Elementary

Playscapes designed to address the unique needs of early childhood and elementary-age students require multiple areas for physical play that are inclusive yet challenging. Early elementary play can be more focused on motion and spinning, which provided positive, vestibular stimulation for brain development. “Spinning is an important form of sensory input that the brain takes in and processes that can help with balance, decision-making, and even attention span,” says GMB landscape architect Dana Hernalsteen. “Incorporating different areas of play also gives students a choice in how they want to explore and engage with their surroundings.” For example, pavement activities can take many shapes and promote different types of play, from group games like foursquare, to active learning from painted maps or solar systems, and social emotional needs like peace paths and buddy circles.

Ludington’s new elementary school aimed to create meaningful connections to the outdoors, an important initiative for the district. All the classroom wings connect outside through covered outdoor learning areas to playgrounds that encourage both outdoor learning and play. Multiple playgrounds address the needs of students from kindergarten through 5th grade on one campus. Broken down into distinct age categories, each playscape was designed to create meaningful play as students grow. For the youngest learners, areas that promote balance, like spinners and climbers, and creativity, like chalk and sandboxes, were included. For the oldest group, more challenging spaces for parkour and rope climbing encourage strength building, teamwork, and competition.

Special Education and Accessibility Needs

Creating an inclusive and accessible playscape presents students with many opportunities. Completely barrier-free design, with compliance for national standards, can be just as fun, intentional, and creative as traditional play areas. Incorporating the necessary signage, railings, fencing, and transitions into the natural surroundings where possible makes the accessibility requirements feel like just another part of the design. At Hamilton Community Schools, a special education wing’s new playground provides accessible play for all students. An ADA accessible ramp into the rubberized surface area for wheelchairs is the first impression of accessible use. The playground also includes equipment that can accommodate wheelchair users plus their adult paraprofessionals. “Incorporating different kinds of sensory elements from texture, sound, height levels, spinning, and signage gives the playscape something for everyone,” said GMB landscape architect Chris Markham. “Multiple zones throughout the area and the new equipment allow kids of different abilities to interact and play together without physical constraints.”

Serving Multiple Age Groups

At schools where multiple age groups share a single campus or facility, outdoor spaces can be creatively utilized to address the needs of multiple age groups. By blending programs together in flexible spaces that promote both play and learning on a smaller footprint, yet intentionally separating age group activities, districts can accommodate outdoor play for any age group. Potterville Public Schools is utilizing their shared campus to create outdoor areas that fit students from kindergarten through high school. Similar age zones are placed near each other to create the appropriate separation of activities while maximizing their square footage. The youngest group’s play area is enclosed in a courtyard and requires the least amount of space, while the middle school group will have play structures of varying scale and opportunity for free play. High schoolers will be able to physically exert themselves on play fields if they choose or can utilize seating with shade to read, study, and converse.

Place-based learning has been defined by the Center for Place-Based Learning and Community Engagement as an immersive learning experience that “places students in local heritage, cultures, landscapes, opportunities and experiences, and uses these as a foundation for the study of language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and other subjects across the curriculum.” Think of a family-run farm that teaches the next generation of family members by daily observation and hands-on participation – that is place-based learning in action. Similarly, taking a trip to the beach, hiking in the woods, or visiting a museum creates the opportunity to immerse yourself in an educational experience centered on place.

Place-based learning can happen on any scale, from singular classes within existing curriculum to entire schools dedicated to the practice. Examples of place-based education learning models may look like:

• Experiential Learning
• Project-Based Learning
• Social & Emotional Learning
• Career-Technical Education

Whether presented in a formal or informal manner, there are many benefits to consider in support of place-based education.

Educational design that incorporates place-based learning concepts can inspire students to engage with their everyday surroundings. The Little Hawks Discovery Preschool, a nature-based learning center in Holland, does just that. Little Hawks use their unique site to create an outdoor learning-based curriculum where students engage the natural surroundings to foster learning. Located on the Outdoor Discovery Center’s Nature Preserve, both the site and the building work together to reinforce the students’ exploration of the natural world. The building is designed to support a curriculum that primarily takes place outdoors, while the preschool building plays a secondary role. In this environment, children are encouraged to ask open-ended questions, work in groups, observe nature around them, and experiment.

In Comstock, current STEM Academy students participate in a variety of hands-on, enriching science projects including a flagship program for the third-grade class. Their Maple Tree Tapping Unit teaches students the entire process of creating maple syrup – from tapping the trees and boiling the sap, to enjoying the final product. The district’s new STEM academy, currently under construction, will even feature an on-site sugar maple grove for this specific program, truly integrating the program’s curriculum into the school design, exemplifying place-based learning

Even when full immersive experiences are not available, building design can complement place-based learning models and connect students to their local environment. At Shelby Public Schools new elementary school, it was important that the design fit into the culture of the surrounding community, with special attention being paid to the local agricultural landscape and aesthetic. The design sets the facility’s three classroom wings into the landscape to resemble barns in a field. The exterior and interior design intentionally reflects the demographic and agricultural industry, reflecting nature from the local region to make students feel more comfortable and welcome. Graphics throughout the school also considered the area’s multilingual community, giving all students a chance to engage with English and Spanish languages.

Technology is ever changing with new and innovative advancements that aim to enhance instruction and student learning. At Ivy Tech’s East Chicago Welding Lab, the use of technology is changing the way they teach welding, what they are calling a 22^nd century growing industry. A new way to immerse students in welding techniques is through the college’s new virtual welding simulators. Bays of virtual reality (VR) welding trainers, equipped with TV monitors on the wall, mirror the small virtual display unit so instructors, peers from the class, and other building users can see the technology in use. With realistic sounds and sparks, demonstrations and replay mode, the VR system enhances welding curriculum with safe, teachable training for all levels of students. When balancing a variety of learning styles with hands-on skills training, virtual learning and in-person instruction, technologies can bring students together in a way that provides an equitable experience for all learners.

However, it’s no coincidence that an emphasis on outdoor learning in higher education settings is also in focus. In what is perhaps a counter pendulum swing to the technology generation, we’re seeing health and wellbeing facilities and spaces being designed on college campuses everywhere. From outdoor meditation gardens and labyrinths with no WiFi signal, to spaces in residence halls and academic buildings that offer quiet personal time for contemplation, rejuvenation, and creation. A new residential master plan GMB completed included a new green space on campus with the purpose to foster additional opportunities for student connection and community-building, with features like a hammock park and outdoor firepits. As designers, we’re challenged with creating places where students and faculty alike can balance both their virtual and physical worlds.

AIA’s annual Honor awards celebrate excellence in local architecture and architectural design by honoring projects completed, individual architects, students, and community leaders for their contributions to the profession. Founded in 1857, AIA is the preeminent professional organization for architects across the country, working to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities through the creation and promotion of ethical standards and code of conduct for all members.

Ludington Area School District and the surrounding community decided to consolidate the district’s three elementary schools and early childhood center into one new, centralized facility as part of their 2019 bond proposal. The new elementary complements the district’s forward-looking approach to curriculum design, facilities planning, and classroom design. The resulting building delivers spaces that are flexible and transitionally appropriate for each age group, with extended learning areas throughout to provide opportunities for students to find their place and help propel the district in a new direction around collaborative learning.

“The design of Ludington Elementary School was one of those rare feats that meets the needs of everyone,” said Dr. Kyle Corlett, Ludington Area School District Superintendent. “Our students love it, our staff love it, and our parents love it.”

The 155,00-square-foot elementary building establishes a learning ecosystem within the community and breaks down the classroom wings into smaller, grade-level centered neighborhoods that feel more approachable to an elementary-aged student. Recognizing that learning doesn’t happen only in the classroom, Ludington Elementary was designed with outdoor learning areas, dedicated extended learning areas, and niches in the corridors that function as an accommodated learning space. All of the shared amenities and special programs are organized along a center spine that connects all the neighborhoods together, creating a clear wayfinding path and circulation loop around the building.

“Ludington’s elementary students will experience a real transformation in their learning with this new facility, and it was such a rewarding process to work with the district’s team who really went above and beyond to approach education differently,” said Thom Danckaert, project architect with GMB. “Ludington believes that learning happens everywhere for everyone, and this building is a true testament to that belief.”

The Ludington Elementary School has been recognized as an award-winning project that will inspire other education leaders by American School & University Magazine for a 2022 Outstanding Design Award and by Learning by Design Magazine for a 2023 Outstanding Project Award. The project has also been featured in Education Snapshots, Learning by Design Magazine, and School Construction News.

In addition to the architectural design and engineering services provided by GMB, the elementary school was constructed by The Christman Company, a leading construction management firm. More information about the award-winning school can be found at this link.

A green roof, also called a living roof, is an eco-friendly approach to roofing where the building top is covered with vegetation or plants. Green roofs may include herbs, grass, drought resistant plants, flowers, shrubs, and even edible fruits and vegetables. There are many options for living roofs, from sprawling gardens with perennials and fruit trees, to simple and low-maintenance plants like grasses and bushes. Because there is not as deep a layer of soil as in natural gardens, the choices can be limited on the plant types for green cover. There are many ways to creatively utilize green roof space and designs may include:

• Intensive, walkable roof gardens
• Shallower, performance-focused allotments
• Natural, flat gardens or raised beds
• Hanging garden with pots vertically lined up or multi-tier systems

Other Green Roof Considerations

Green roofs can be costly to build and maintain when compared to ordinary roofs, and not all roofs would qualify for a living plant system. One must factor in the cost of the additional foundation, soil, various plants, and the installation itself. Just as any garden, the maintenance of watering to keeping the plants safe from pests, insects, and other threats is an additional cost. It is also important that the property is not vulnerable to water damage. The longevity of the green roof and lifecycle of the facility will determine if the cost of the gardens will realize eventual energy cost savings.