Wayzata Public Schools elected to add onto an existing elementary school in the heart of their district to create a permanent home for the Wayzata Early Learning School.
The project focuses on creating an enriching environment where learning and play are on display, while also planning for future growth of an expanding program. The addition houses space for preschool classes, infant care, and parent education, as well as room for District staff offices.
Attention to student experience was a major concentration of the design, which embraces the use of glass on the interior and exterior of the building. In addition to allowing light to flood the classrooms and giving parents a view of the playground, glass was employed to foster a visual connection between the classroom and corridor space, which has been shown reduce anxiety as students move throughout the building.