Vanessa Camarata

Meadow School: Designing for Childhood Learning in Nature

Environmental Design

2024

A primary school, grades K to 5, designed with biophilic and sustainable principles in mind. The design includes spaces for both indoor and outdoor learning, with emphasis on both outdoor and flexible, hands-on learning spaces.The objectives of this project are revitalizing our historically-established ideas of public school environments, and fostering wellbeing in children through their connection to nature.Key features include indoor, outdoor, and in-between flex spaces for learning; a natural outdoor playscape for free and creative play; specialized classrooms including a library, technology lab, rooftop garden, greenhouse, and kitchen; flexible and re-configurable classroom furniture; locally sourced, sustainably chosen materials and native vegetation; and a gymnasium which opens out to the outdoor landscape, providing space for community gatherings.

“Educational institutions have a huge impact on the development and health of children; they can deeply benefit both the mental and physical wellness of their students, as well as the quality of student learning, when the learning environment and curriculum are intertwined with nature. Intertwining children’s learning practices with nature helps them to establish a meaningful relationship to the earth and to each other through hands-on experiences, making them feel as though they are a meaningful part of the world.”