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Site Plan
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Floor One
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Floor Two
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Patterns found in the school’s exterior and interior replicate those found in the Fibonacci sequence
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Environmental graphics are embedded throughout the school – Nooks underneath each staircase add an element of play and discovery
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Distributed dining provides breakfast and lunch for students directly outside their classrooms
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Heat provided through radiant floors (using an energy-efficient geothermal heat pump) optimizes student comfort for the many learning activities that take place on the floor
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Breakout spaces allow specialists to work with students directly in our outside their classrooms, reducing transition times
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Distributed indoor play areas open up to exterior playgrounds for ease of indoor/outdoor access
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Outdoor learning, supported by specialized play equipment, is distributed through multiple playgrounds accessed from each wing of the school
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Specialized play equipment supports learning and development, as well as provides connections to the adjacent trees and wetland buffer
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Framed views and classroom nooks allow students a mixture of active and focused learning environments within the classroom
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Classroom adjacencies can be utilized in a variety of ways through highly moveable, interchangeable furniture
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Main school entry
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Pathfinder Kindergarten Center serves approximately 550 students in Everett, WA. // Chris J. Roberts Photography
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By decentralizing services, students participate in learning, dining, and play within each of their respective pods. // Chris J. Roberts Photography
What would it look like if we designed schools specifically for kindergartners? This was the central question that Mukilteo School District sought to answer in the design of Pathfinder Kindergarten Center.
Designed by DLR Group, the facility’s creative spaces support full-day kindergarten curriculum and reflect the “learning-through-play” nature of this unique age group. Thoughtful attention focuses on minimizing instructional time lost to physical transitions between spaces, creating smaller communities through the concept of clustered classrooms and learning pods. Teachers and specialists “push into” classrooms for specialized instruction, allowing students to remain in their respective pods. Large group activities, such as music, physical fitness, and outdoor learning (supported by specialized play equipment and indoor/outdoor access) are distributed to each wing of the school.
Given its significant effect on learning, diligent attention was given to indoor environmental quality, including temperature, air quality, daylighting, and acoustics. Additionally, heat provided through radiant floors (using an energy-efficient geothermal heat pump) optimizes student comfort for the many learning activities that take place on the floor.
With a total of 65,000 SF, Pathfinder Kindergarten Center serves approximately 550 students.
Pathfinder Kindergarten Center
Category
Early Childhood School/Elementary School
Description
Citation of Excellence
Project Location:
Everett, Washington
Architecture Firm
DLR Group
Seattle, Washington
www.dlrgroup.com
https://www.facebook.com/DLRGroup
https://twitter.com/dlrgroup
Photography By:
Chris J. Roberts Photography
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