North Kansas City Schools Early Education Center
Gladstone, Missouri
The North Kansas City Schools Early Education Center is home to nearly 1,000 early childhood learners. It has been described by administrators as a wonderland of learning and the happiest place on earth. The design team was challenged to turn vacated strip mall retail space—a cavernous, dilapidated big-box store—into a colorful, welcoming, and child-friendly environment.
To break down the scale of the building and strengthen a sense of community, the design creates smaller, more intimate neighborhoods, or “pods,” each with a biophilic theme. Because of the young age of the learners (3 to 5), most of whom cannot yet read, each pod also has a corresponding color to assist with wayfinding. Each neighborhood provides easy access to distributed resources for educators and students, to reduce transition time and recapture that time for learning.
Additional Information
Cost per Sq Ft
$175.00
Citation
Crow Island School Citation
Featured in
2023 Educational Interiors Showcase
Interior category
Pre-K/Early Childhood Education
Other projects from this professional
Storm Lake Early Elementary School
Drawing inspiration from nature, Storm Lake Early Elementary School invites outdoor activities...
Liberty High School
Liberty High School is an inviting campus centered on three academic concepts:...
Canyon View High School
Canyon View High School is a newly constructed educational facility within the...
Pathfinder Kindergarten Center
What would a school look like if it were designed specifically for...
Load moreProduct suppliers specified
AS&U Design Competitions
The ultimate tribute to education design excellence. If selected for publication, this distinctive...
Have an exceptional project that deserves national recognition? Want to show your best work to the...
