Scope
New 3-5 Elementary School
Completion
2023
Size
100,034 sf
While striving for the best educational environments that “Ignite a passion for learning”, North Canton City Schools began their journey with a district-wide facilities review to establish a master plan for their future. After careful review, future steps were established, with phase one requiring two new elementary schools to house the Primary and Intermediate students. The new Intermediate consolidates two aging buildings, serving grades third through fifth, into one new building on an existing site. This new school was designed to be adaptable to the changing needs for the different types of learning and collaboration, attempting to meet the needs of all students including those in the “middle”.
The location of the new Intermediate is on the site of one of the district’s K-2 schools that was later demolished. This location was chosen after several sites were studied. The benefits of this location include:
As you walk through here you will notice that this is not your typical school. Our team worked closely with North Canton City Schools to develop a collaborative learning environment to support students and groups of various sizes…from large groups to small groups to individual spaces. This supports the district’s Educational Vision for creating a differentiated learning environment that focuses on the individual student…their interests, strengths and needs, creating flexibility for how a student learns.
Burt Marzley, Partner-Design Leader, SōL Harris/Day Architecture
The overall elementary school design is based on Learning Studios, called Collaborative Learning Areas. These flexible spaces facilitate both “focused” learning and “active” learning. The layout of the classrooms is arranged so each team of four has their own Collaborative Learning Area to share amongst them.
Two goals became apparent during our Visioning Session: the Elementary should foster differentiated/personalized learning, and the built environment should be light and playful. With those two goals in mind, the interior inspiration comes from nature. Colors, patterns, textures and lighting qualities that can be found in or resemble nature are proven to reduce stress, increase cognitive performance, improve emotions and mood. Our goal was to design a school that fosters wellness, creativity, and a connection to nature.
Patterns and textures are easy to comprehend by the human brain in a way that can be both soothing and stimulating. A few examples of these patterns in nature are clouds, snowflakes, rivers, and tree branches. These can be seen subtly in our design through the floor and wall patterns.
Colors and materials found in nature with earthy tones have been strategically placed for all to experience throughout the school day. Elements such as wood and colors of sand dunes, pebbles or the ocean help to make the space feel familiar, warmer and more inviting…thus a school kids want to be in.
Sustainability is integrated throughout this building. The new Intermediate is designed with a goal to achieve LEED v4.0 Silver Certification. Features that were incorporated into the design include:
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