Crow ISLAND SCHOOL: MAKING DESIGN HISTORY
Gain insight into Crow Island School features and characteristics that made them a historical example of non-traditional school design
Crow Island School first opened its doors to students in the fall of 1940. Emerging with a new way of thinking and looking, it helped introduce an innovative concept now recognized as one of the premier twentieth-century examples of non-traditional school design.
Built from the inside out, the design began with the classroom unit to determine the layout, and the rest of the building followed suit. The process included collaborative input from many, including architects and educators. Every educator’s request was accommodated, and the ultimate focus was designing for the child’s needs.
To this day, every inch of this iconic and historic landmark encompasses purposeful elements and child-sized aspects. Each classroom is L-shaped with 9-ft ceilings to allow for more movement, natural light, and imaginative thinking, along with a bathroom, project area, built-in storage, and large windows to connect students to the outdoors. Each classroom also has its own private courtyard to give even more of the one-room schoolhouse feeling. From the height of door handles and blackboards to the auditorium acoustics and kid-fitting seats - it’s all about the child.
Home-like qualities were another essential piece of the puzzle. Where the classroom offers modern conveniences, natural light, and well-placed features, the foyer-like areas act as the living room for a more relaxed environment. The hallways also provide a setting one might find in a home, with lined horizontal safety strips and rounded corners to protect children from rough surfaces. Unique homey characteristics don’t stop there.
The school also houses the only indoor example of Lily Swann’s animal ceramic sculptures patterned beautifully on the walls.
How each child learns is a unique and distinctive trait as well. The infamous Pioneer Room is a prime example, where third graders live the pioneer experience through role-play. Combined with an amphitheater for events and performances, a state-of-the-art Resource Center, cozy reading nooks, a greenhouse, three playgrounds, natural outdoor laboratories, and more - learning by doing is a signature element by design.
Almost 83 years later, this award-winning and internationally recognized school still stands as a thriving institute and a significant piece of architectural history. Put simply, it all came down to a question being asked a little differently - how should the school fit the child?
This school had the answers.
STORY BY DAVE NIMICK
Winnetka Resident & Award-Winning Real Estate Broker
Keller Williams Momentum
This article was originally featured in
the Live Winnetka Magazine - Edition 01
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