Design
Why Don't All Schools Look Like This One?
When it opened 75 years ago, Crow Island School revolutionized school design. It’s had many imitators since, but few can match its vision for experiential, child-centered learning.
Crow Island School, in the Chicago suburb of Winnetka, Illinois, is a beloved icon of progressive school design. With bright and airy L-shaped classrooms, exquisite material details, and kiddie-scaled everything, Crow Island is something like the Seagram Building of elementary schools. Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, the school’s influence has reached far and wide.
But if that’s the case, why do so many elementary schools still look like tired, institutional warehouses?