For the second consecutive year, Hollis + Miller Architects has captured the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) John Shaw Award in the Midwest-Great Lakes Region, this time for Park Hill School District’s LEAD Innovation Studio.

The LEAD Innovation Studio began in 2012 as part of a district master plan that included a need for additional high school space, but without the cost and footprint of a traditional high school. After years of research, testing and working with district staff, students and administrators brought the new program - and new building - to the forefront.

The program immerses students in a self-driven, project-based learning program with the support of mentors in a flexible, professional environment.

The building and site, slated for LEED certification, were designed to minimize site disturbance (approximately 75 percent less square footage than a typical high school per student) and maximize the connection to nature.

Award jurors applauded the thorough planning of the environment which led to a clear “breathe” concept evident through its circulation, flexible spaces and the building’s strong indoor/outdoor connections – truly offering users a chance to breathe.

The space does not function like a traditional high school – no art room, media center, teacher-owned classrooms, etc. Rather, the building boasts flexible labs and learning spaces, open corridors for display, breakout spaces, multi-purpose commons, outdoor study areas, presentation spaces and more. The integration of digital, analog and flexible spaces at various sizes enables students to design their learning experience within the parameters of mentorship and provides resources for every student.

“It’s incredibly exciting to receive this award and recognize all of the time and effort our team put into collectively discovering this program and making it a reality,” said LEAD principal Ryan Stanley. “I watch all of the efforts pay off every day when I see the learning on display throughout the building and experience the collaboration and student development happening here.”

LEAD has served as a “testing ground” for learning in the rest of the district. Following the success of the intentional flexibility and collaboration spaces, the district is now repurposing commons and media centers in its other buildings to follow suit. The mastery-based learning approach has impacted the overarching instructional vision of the district, and the emphasis on learning communities has impacted students, who have noticed a lack of cliques and social hierarchy.

“Working together with Park Hill to win not one, but two John Shaw Awards has been very rewarding and showcases the district’s dedication to innovating education in the pursuit of continuous improvement and we are proud to have been a part of it,” said Hollis + Miller partner, Ryan Walters.

As a regional architectural design competition, the John Shaw Award is intended to showcase innovative design resulting from educators, students and community representatives.

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Feature photo: Front entrance of the LEAD Innovation Studio in the Park Hill School District. Photo credit: Alistair Tutton Photography.