In planning the Burr Elementary School in Fairfield, Conn., the school's building committee heeded the words of William Wordsworth: Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.
They selected construction manager Turner Construction Company, New York, and the New York office of A/E firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to integrate nature on the heavily wooded 15.5-acre site into the day-to-day experiences of the K-5 school's 500 students.
SOM's design realized the town's vision of bringing the outdoors inside by organizing classrooms along the east and west edges of the building. This program allowed existing trees to remain in place, perforating the interior of the plan and creating a series of courtyards that serve as outdoor classrooms.
Separating the bus drop-off on the south side from the parent drop-off on the north obviated the need to build a perimeter road encircling the school. As a result, classrooms face out onto wooded areas instead of parking lots.
Getting the curvilinear courtyard walls right was critical to the success of the project and required the close collaboration of the Building Team and the steel fabricator, United Steel, East Hartford, Conn. The walls were made from insulated glass panels measuring 4×11.5 feet and 4×9.5 feet in an aluminum mullion system. The top of the curving courtyard was defined by a continuous 27-inch-deep curved steel beam that supported the roof decking above and anchored the top edge of the glass wall below.
Related Stories
K-12 Schools | May 7, 2024
World's first K-12 school to achieve both LEED for Schools Platinum and WELL Platinum
A new K-12 school in Washington, D.C., is the first school in the world to achieve both LEED for Schools Platinum and WELL Platinum, according to its architect, Perkins Eastman. The John Lewis Elementary School is also the first school in the District of Columbia designed to achieve net-zero energy (NZE).
Biophilic Design | May 6, 2024
The benefits of biophilic design in the built environment
Biophilic design in the built environment supports the health and wellbeing of individuals, as they spend most of their time indoors.
K-12 Schools | Apr 30, 2024
Fully electric Oregon elementary school aims for resilience with microgrid design
The River Grove Elementary School in Oregon was designed for net-zero carbon and resiliency to seismic events, storms, and wildfire. The roughly 82,000-sf school in a Portland suburb will feature a microgrid—a small-scale power grid that operates independently from the area’s electric grid.
K-12 Schools | Apr 29, 2024
Tomorrow's classrooms: Designing schools for the digital age
In a world where technology’s rapid pace has reshaped how we live, work, and communicate, it should be no surprise that it’s also changing the PreK-12 education landscape.
School Construction | Apr 22, 2024
A school district in Utah aggressively moves forward on modernizing its schools
Two new high schools manifest nuanced design differences.
Fire-Rated Products | Apr 16, 2024
SAFTI FIRST launches redesigned website
SAFTI FIRST, leading USA-manufacturer of advanced fire rated glass and framing systems, is pleased to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website, safeglassforschools.com.
K-12 Schools | Apr 11, 2024
Eric Dinges named CEO of PBK
Eric Dinges named CEO of PBK Architects, Houston.
K-12 Schools | Apr 10, 2024
A San Antonio school will provide early childhood education to a traditionally under-resourced region
In San Antonio, Pre-K 4 SA, which provides preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds, and HOLT Group, which owns industrial and other companies, recently broke ground on an early childhood education: the South Education Center.
K-12 Schools | Apr 10, 2024
Surprise, surprise: Students excel in modernized K-12 school buildings
Too many of the nation’s school districts are having to make it work with less-than-ideal educational facilities. But at what cost to student performance and staff satisfaction?
K-12 Schools | Apr 1, 2024
High school includes YMCA to share facilities and connect with the broader community
In Omaha, Neb., a public high school and a YMCA come together in one facility, connecting the school with the broader community. The 285,000-sf Westview High School, programmed and designed by the team of Perkins&Will and architect of record BCDM Architects, has its own athletic facilities but shares a pool, weight room, and more with the 30,000-sf YMCA.
