OPEN SCHOOL
Greener Schoolyard
Woodbury University | Instructor: Linda Taalman
The primary objective of the project is to establish a stronger connection between children and nature by creating a more sustainable schoolyard that promotes environmental education, physical health, and overall well-being. The architectural approach of the program revolves around integrating environmental education. By transforming the open school into a fully integrated building and site, the project takes into account the fundamental physical and spatial aspects of architecture and enclosure, as well as the dynamic systems of environmental control, energy, water, and resource management.
The ultimate goal is to design a Garden school and landscape that accommodates a dual program, functioning as both an active public recreation open space and a primary school for children aged 5-10. The design is based on an alternative model of education and learning, inspired by the principles of the open-air school movement from the 20th century. Additionally, the project addresses the need to create healthy learning environments in the context of the 21st-century pandemic conditions.