I went to Portland, Oregon for the CEFPI Annual Conference in October 2014 to present at a Super Seminar. The visit which was fully funded by UK Learning also allowed me to visit a number of innovative schools both in and around Portland and Seattle. One which stuck long in the mind was Trillium Creek Primary School, click here to see their school website.
At the heart of Trillium Creek Primary School is multidimensional library which has been designed to be the 'living room' and the center of research and inquiry. The open floor plan provides inherent flexibility for student and teacher use and offers a variety of learning environments.
The “tree house” perched on the second floor allows students to meet in small groups or have a quiet space for independent learning. Its natural wood finish and bright colored features are beacons of the student-centered design of the building. Students can return from the second to the first floor of the library via an enclosed slide, I obviously had to try this out -
The addition of the slide in this central and prominent space truly represents the great extent to which the design team went to create a place for children to experience fun and excitement in their school day.
Over the coming days, I will be exploring more how Trillium Creek Primary School inspired me, however, I think above all it was the integrated approach to design that the team took which spoke to me most.
It is my hope that when we reflect on how Maritime House has been designed, we collectively speak with the same passion as the team do at Trillium Creek Primary School. The below video is a great example of this passion -
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