The Community Nursery School was founded in 1943 with the goal of providing a high-quality nursery school experience for children, parents, and teachers. LDa worked with the school’s Director and a dedicated group of past and present parents to rise to the challenge of replacing the aging facility.
The building is organized as a 45’ x 200’ rectangle, with administrative and utility spaces positioned along the western edge and four large classrooms opening to the east to capture the morning light. Each classroom was conceived as a flexible, blank slate—ready to be shaped by the students’ crafts, tools, work, and activities, as well as those of the broader community.
The school’s ethos draws from the educational theories of the Reggio Emilia schools in Italy, which emphasize honoring how each child learns and nurturing their role within a larger community. At Community Nursery School, this community extends beyond students and teachers to include active parent involvement, with the building itself serving as a “third teacher.” The design reflects these values: classroom pavilions are scaled and shaped to evoke the familiarity of home while giving each class a distinct identity, and circulation and support spaces are carefully planned to aid teachers in curriculum development and documentation.
Color is purposefully applied to distinguish each class group and to accentuate the sliding glass doors between classrooms, which create opportunities for interaction and collaboration. This sense of connectivity and openness extends throughout the building, encompassing teacher resource rooms, parent gathering areas, and even the school’s kitchen, which is designed as an additional learning space.
Inspired by the school’s tradition of parent–teacher partnership and its commitment to nurturing children within a close-knit community, the new design introduces shared spaces that serve both families and students. Recognizing each child, parent, and teacher as a valued member of the community, the architecture responds to individual needs while strengthening collective connections. The result is a school that demonstrates how thoughtful design and community collaboration can create an environment that instills a lifelong love of learning for generations to come.
Architect: LDa Architecture & Interiors
Builder: Acella Construction Corporation
Photographer: Sean Litchfield Photography
2014 Richard L. Bechtel Design Award