LOCATION:
Elgin, MD
AREA:
12,300 SF Renovation
Bookman Road Elementary School renovations entailed refreshing and improving the media center and creating a vibrant collaboration space that activates the main corridor. These focal gathering areas of the school are critical to providing diversity of learning styles, encouraging creativity and curiosity, and fostering connection among students.
The design utilized biophilic design principles to provide a calming and inspiring environment in the renovation of the media center. Small punch windows were swapped for large storefront glazing to provide ample amount of daylight and views to an outdoor garden area. Smaller panes of colored glazing cast colorful shadows into the space when the sun shines through. Updated color and material palette support the overarching design that takes cues from their mascot, “the beacons” and maintains a coastal theme. Wood accents in the ceiling and column are evocative of a boardwalk. The design team created graphics that are educational and informational about the local ecology and show their mascot. The custom circulation desk takes cues from ships with a portal window for book display. New shelving, lighting and flexible furnishings were also installed to update the space to a 21st century learning environment.
Two classrooms adjacent to the media center were converted into a collaborative learning environment. The exposed large volume with a dynamic curved soffit and storefront create a distinctive and inviting entrance in the long hallway. The flexible furnishings and variety of seating configurations allow for a multitude of activities from guest speakers and group workshops to staff meetings. The combination of two classrooms allowed for storefront glazing to be inserted into the exterior room and a new outdoor classroom was constructed to take advantage of the mild climate and allow the activities to spill outside.
