Crosswinds Arts and Science Middle School (Work in Progress)

Woodbury, Minnesota

Firm

Cuningham Group Architecture, Inc.

Client

Saint Paul Public Schools

Area

121,000 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$17,000,000

Completion Date

01/0001

At Crosswinds, in-depth programming in how middle school students learn led the planning team to create an environment where students are immersed in hands-on learning; provided with media to inform and describe what they learn; and surrounded by presentation venues to develop performance skills.

Students, working independently or in small teams, explore, learn, describe and present findings in a seamless continuum that builds from one-on-one discussion to small group, homebase, and full community dialogue and presentation.

There are no classrooms; instead, six focused instructional homebase units of 100 students each are organized around a “park” of shared spaces, objects and resources, including: performance, dining, administration, media resource, group areas, music and physical activity. Work teams are organized on two levels around a central gathering performance space.

The building reflects the nature of the school program by integrating building resources with the site’s natural resources.

“School community and learning space blend together naturally. This is a great idea of what a school could be.”–2001 jury