Located in Columbus, Indiana, the Maple Grove Elementary School takes inspiration from the wooded landscape of the Tipton Lakes neighborhood to integrate spaces of learning with access to nature. Organized in a petal configuration, the undulating footprint of the school brings ample light into the center of the school while framing distinct wedges of the surrounding landscape. Vertically grained precast panels surround the exterior to create a unifying background for tall strip windows that echoes the texture of maple trees on site beneath a generous canopy that provides shade and covered spaces for outdoor learning.
Being the first new elementary school in over four decades the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC) has taken on, a thorough understanding of the current and future needs of the growing student population of the community was of essence through the early design process. The floor plan was formulated around the idea of neighborhoods, promoting organic collaborations among students and a sense of belonging. Four of the six petals facing the Southern treeline contain classroom clusters with an Activity Common – a shared student flex space, and the two facing North contain the administrative wing, the gym, and the cafeteria. This strategy allows each classroom to have views of the wooded area unobstructed by traffic or other buildings.
At the center of all petals is the Discovery Center, the school’s focal point and a library for all students. The different scales of student spaces embodies the idea of “nested belonging,” where a child’s experience starts from the intimate space of the classroom and expands into the shared space between classrooms and the larger Discovery Center. Designed from inside out, the petal design of the school turns a close understanding of the children and the teaching community’s needs into an iconic architecture.
The new Maple Grove Elementary School will have capacity for 650 students and represents a significant investment in the future of education in Columbus. School features include 21st century programming for STEM instruction, flexible learning environments for student collaboration, wellness and support centers, as well as specialized staff, including occupational, physical and speech therapists. The new Maple Grove Elementary School is designed for any interested family in BCSC both today and in the future.
