Great Beginnings Early Education Center

Design Patterns

Traditional Classroom: Classroom layout consists of small areas of tables and chairs for different activities. Floor tile, carpet, and throw rugs help to define these small learning areas.

Welcoming Entry: Tall entry canopy of stone, wood, and colorful roof invite people into building. Natural clerestory windows and colorful interiors also welcomes students and parents. Lobby has play area for kids as well as thru-wall aquarium between waiting area and library.

Student Display Space: Colorful fabric wrapped tackboards are provided throughout school for displayed student art work.

Home Base and Individual Storage: Students have open "cubbies" to store personal items such as a coat or backpack.

Science Labs, Art Labs, and Life Skills Areas: The media center provides parents and students with resources for learning. Aquarium built into the wall adds interest for students and visitors.

Art, Music, Performance: This facility has multi-purpose room for student programs and performances. Special attention was given to lighting and acoustics in this area.

Physical Fitness: The school's program provides opportunities for physical fitness in the multi-purpose room, OT/PT (occupational and physical therapy) and outside play equipment.

Casual Eating Areas: Staff breakroom allows teachers and administrators a casual area for eating. Students have the option of eating in their classroom or cafeteria.

Transparency: Connecting classrooms provide visibility to two classrooms by one teacher.

Interior and Exterior Vistas: Views from windows include park, nearby lake, and playground.

Dispersed Technology: Learning spaces have audio visual equipment for bringing presentations to the children. Power and data outlets are located throughout building.

Indoor-Outdoor Connection: Indoor and outdoor play areas are provided.

Furniture: Soft Seating: Carpet/throw rugs are used throughout classrooms. Colorful kid furniture provides different surfaces for seating and storage. Protective mats are provided in OT/PT room.

Flexible Spaces: Multi-purpose room offers tables for eating lunch, play equipment and balls for indoor play as well as seating for performances.

Campfire Space: OT/PT room provides a special room for students with physical disabilities the chance to participate in individual teaching or group play.

Watering Hole Space: Social interaction between other students occurs in the classroom as well as in the multipurpose room and playgrounds.

Cave Space: A one-on-one room is provided as a quiet space for student's needs.

Designing for Multiple Intelligences: 4. Playgrounds 4. OT/Pl - Therapy Rooms 6. Aquarium in lobby draws children into space - look thru to the library.

Daylight and Solar Energy: All classrooms and offices have windows. Entry lobby consists of high clerestory windows.

Natural Ventilation: Operable windows throughout building, especially in classrooms provide children with natural light and natural ventilation.

Full Spectrum Lighting: Windows and clerestories provide natural light and fluorescent and incandescent light fixtures provide indoor light levels.

Sustainable Elements and Building as 3-D Text: The building uses energy efficient mechanical and electrical systems throughout.

Local Signature: The building materials such as stone, brick, and exposed timbers fit into the park environment and adjacent community center design.

Connected to the Community: This facility is located in a park setting, shares parking lot with community center, and entry welcomes community and multi-purpose room offers the facility for community meetings and activities.

Small Learning Community: Curved corridor surrounds the core support spaces as well as creating a connecting pathway to different classroom wings of the building.