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Site Plan - existing ciy block street arrangement was utilized to create separate auto loop at front and bus loop at rear of building
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Floor Plan - grade level learning communities are located along main street corridor
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Concept Diagram for Grade Level Learning Community
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Main Entry - a trellis under-structure helps to bring the prominent entry feature down to a child-friendly scale
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Events Entry - this entrance allows for morning and evening access to the gymnasium and cafeteria section of the building
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The Outdoor Classroom Area is an extension of each learning suite. Planting beds with cisterns, boulders and other educational features are integrated into the landscape.
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Concrete River Bed - one of the many features integrated into the Outdoor Classroom Areas. Cisterns collect rainwater for experimentation.
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Boardwalk from Outdoor Classroom extends over a bio-swale area for study of natural plant materials in Michigan.
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Media Center opens up to the Lobby Commons area to provide a flexible and expanded area for science fairs and other school events.
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Maker Space and Stem Studio - these spaces are the central element of each grade-level Learning Suite.
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Each Learning Studio (classroom) is connected to the Maker Space and Stem Studio by glass overhead doors.
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STEM elements are integrated in all areas of the building. Math equations are displayed in the game lines of the gym floor.
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Flexible furnishings were a key part in the development of the Learning Studios. Note also the glass rain conductor in the corner of the room.
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The Cafeteria and Stage areas were developed in what was the gymnasium of the original high school that was on the site.
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Piping in plumbing chase on display. Opportunities to use the building as a teaching tool were incorporated throughout the building.
As part of a district-wide bond program, Central Park Elementary was designed to replace two nearby aging elementary schools under one roof. The site of a vacant existing high school facility was redeveloped to construct the new elementary school, while allowing a portion of the existing building to preserve the district's art deco Central Auditorium. The existing obsolete high school classroom wings were demolished, but the original cafeteria and gymnasium spaces were remodeled and incorporated into the footprint of the new elementary building, becoming the Media Center and Cafeteria areas respectively.
Working with a group of over 30 educators and stakeholders, the design was intended to serve as a STEM-specific educational environment. Unlike a typical school with separate classrooms along each side of a corridor, Learning Suites were developed for each grade level. Each grade-level learning suite clusters five learning studios around a Maker Space and STEM Studio. Each learning studio (classroom) is opened to the Maker Space and STEM Studio area by a glass overhead door.
Each Learning Suite also leads to an Outdoor Classroom area, providing not only play areas for students, but also specific STEM curriculum learning opportunities.
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