Woodland Elementary
Woodland Elementary is the convergent future for school, ecology, and design. A space for youth to explore their humanness and individual reference to the natural world. The objective is to foster a new generation of community members, by providing a deeply rooted foundation for environmental consciousness, at an early age. Woodland Elementary, a 100,000 sqft school would be located in rural Bozeman, Montana ( Zone 6 ). The project focuses on a local issue of displaced habitat diversity presented by new neighborhood development. The school will support new wildlife habitat and integrate nature observation into the curriculum, by means of Discovery Spots. These spaces are an extension of the classrooms and teach lessons pertaining to sustainable strategies. Design plays a significant role in framing ways that community can enjoy and learn from nature. Designated areas at Woodland Elementary celebrate the Ten Sustainability Measures by providing public access to passive systems and their collected data. The experience of the building seeks to influence gradual cultural effect.