The Washington University Design Build Studio is a design team at Washington University working with Patrick Henry Downtown Academy to transform the elementary school’s grounds into a landscape that encourages healthy play and outdoor learning. This project is part of an ongoing relationship between the University and Patrick Henry in which Washington University students and faculty are working with the school as it develops its Green Model Pilot School Initiative. This Pilot School status gives the school greater autonomy in governance, staffing, budget, as well curriculum design and instruction. The community at Patrick Henry is using this special status as an opportunity to bring sustainable learning into the classroom, incorporating into its curriculum gardening activities, lessons about nutrition, and environmental stewardship.
The mission of our project is to transform their school-yard into a “learning landscape,” where Patrick Henry students can have hands-on experience with the natural world, have safe and open areas for play, and have spaces for outdoor classroom instruction. Our work began with masterplanning for the entire school grounds; creating a future vision for the school and a framework for ongoing improvements. Between now and May, we will refine the masterplan design and complete construction of the first phase of this transformation; removing areas of asphalt, planting native plants, expanding the school’s garden, building small shade shelters, and installing safe play surfaces.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions about our work.
Miriam Keller | MiriamK12@gmail.com | (614) 270 - 9290
David Adkin | DavidMAdkin@gmail.com | (561) 762 - 4872
