LITTLE MIAMI EARLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL emersion Design Education Team | Role: Exterior Design, Renderings, Diagrams, CD support
The Little Miami Early Elementary School is located in a suburb north of Cincinnati Ohio. This eight hundred student school is the first new build the community has seen in over 20 years. It is on it’s way to becoming LEED Gold certified, making this school is the most efficient preschool - first grade in the region. The vibrant colors on the exterior create a warm, welcoming space for this as young children head to school for the first time.
The school is separated into an academic wing on the northern part of the site, and an office suite, special areas, gym, cafeteria, and stage on the southern part of the site. These spaces are open to the public year round and can be rented, free of charge, by community members.
Colored Glass
Entrance
Colored Frames
Metal Panels
CLASSROOM
ART GARDEN
ENTRANCE
CAFETERIA
Color played an import role in this design simply because the building is a large space that is made for very small children. We wanted to make sure that kids felt at home and like they could have fun while in their classrooms. There are four main colors that are sprinkled throughout the building. They can be seen on the window frames, in colored glass, on the metal panels, and even interior finishes.
The Academic wing is separated into three main zones: Green, Yellow, and Blue. These colored zones can be seen from the outside as students approach the building. Our hope was to instill a since of identity and ownership right away, and that students could proudly tell their family which colored area they got to learn in each day. The theme is carried throughout the building from finishes to window frames. The drawing and images to the right show the Green Zone. Each classroom in this group has access to the Flex space in the middle. Students will be able to spread out and learn with children in other classes in these areas.
P-K
P-K
P-K
FLEX
The zones are also metered separately. This allows teachers to incorporate some sustainability lessons in their curriculum each year. The three zones will be represented on an energy dashboard in the lobby. Classrooms can have fun competitions to see who is using the least amount of energy throughout the year. By including fun green design elements like this, we are educating the next generation on the importance of healthy, efficient buildings.
SM RM
P-K
P-K
P-K
This project paid special attention to the scale of its users. Low, portal like windows encourage students to play and use their imagination during free time and lessons. Playful colored glass and ceiling clouds brighten spaces at low cost on tight publicly funded school. The colors seen throughout the school were even used in custom wall graphics that would help designate zones. All of these design moves were made with children in mind!