Movement and the neighborhood fabric as the generators for an urban elementary school

Abstract

"Perhaps the mind-body dichotomy of our philosophical heritage had prevented us from appreciating the fundamental role movement plays in all our intellectual capacities."(Olds,1980) This thesis is based on educational ideas which stem from this statement. The thesis is a proposal for the design of an elementary school in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts. The school primarily services children from preschool through fourth grade; however, it is meant to be a facility for a more widespread community population. The goal is to present a design for an educational facility that could be used twenty-four hours a day all year long. The driving force for the design is the belief that the development of a circulation system that provides a heightened level of sensory stimulation can both organize a viable piece of urban architecture and guide the development of a better learning environment.