Upon completion of a master plan for Graland Country Day School, BGA undertook the design of a combined Innovation Center and Learning Commons. In order to create a more open and collaborative space, a new building was constructed as a home for both programs. The expansion and existing middle school are joined by an atrium lobby which creates a new main entrance to the school. The existing middle school science rooms were also renovated to create more flexible teaching spaces and two additional lower school science rooms were added in the innovation center. The new learning commons/library houses 21st century learning and meeting spaces, a media room, and office space for staff. The expanded space features flexible instructional space and functions as a student-centered academic heart for the entire school.
Archive for May, 2017
Graland Country Day School Learning Commons
Thursday, May 4th, 2017Elise Robinson, AIA and Richard Salopek, AIA Speakers at VA4LE 2017 Conference
Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017Elise Robinson, AIA and Richard Salopek, AIA from Bowie Gridley Architects presented at the 2017 Annual Conference of the Virginia Chapter of the Association for Learning Environments held May 1-2 in Williamsburg, VA. On May 2, Elise and Josh Cobb, Associate Head of Graland Country Day School, presented “Maker Spaces: A Cross Curricular Learning Environment.” They explored how the design of the new Innovation Center at Graland embeds Maker Spaces within the curriculum of a K-8 education. Richard presented, “Strategies for Creating STEAM-Focused Learning Environments.” He discussed the design of the new King Abdullah Academy, a true 21st Century School, which incorporated student-centered learning, collaborative teaching practices, and project-based interdisciplinary learning with a unique “e-STEM-a” (entrepreneurship, STEM, and the arts) curriculum.
The Virginia Chapter of the Association for Learning Environments is a professional association whose sole mission is improving the places where children learn. The theme of the 2017 conference, Designing Schools for Future Makers, was intended to provide a resource with thought-provoking ideas that help deliver value to all attendees.
