Replacing dark, cramped quarters in a church auxiliary building, Saint Mark's School has invested in a rare endeavor for the region - a new ground-up preschool. Currently under construction - the preschool will provide four classrooms for up to 64 children in an L-shaped configuration that embraces an outdoor play courtyard.

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Given the spatial constraints of the campus, the challenge of the project was to create an encyclopedic universe of experiences for pre-schoolers at an extremely miniature scale. 

 

The classroom pedagogy is based on the Reggio Emilia model and the architecture follows, employing crisp natural materials and a storage system that allows for discrete, aesthetic presentation of play materials.

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Each of the classrooms opens on both broad sides to allow a fair weather flow from classroom to out of doors. The classrooms' open volumes are capped by a wood slat canopy. A black scrim behind the slats allows the roof insulation to doubles as acoustic insulation for the classrooms.

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The main outdoor play area, in an extremely constrained space combines a 'construction' area, a mobility track, climbing apparatus, tire swing, a grass playfield, water play, sand play, art house, play house, gardening, gathering circle, and project tables.

 

Requisite to the success of the project as the reconfiguration of the main school's play courts, with the addition of new seating tiers to allow for school gatherings and performances. 

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