Perkins+Will, Chicago, designed the Early Learning Center, a $9 million, 37,000-sf addition to Barrington Middle School in Barrington, Ill., to create an easily accessible and safe learning environment for pre-kindergarten and special-needs students. A central corridor provides access to common areas, making the commute to the classroom “villages” shorter, and each classroom has access to its own private, secure play area. All classrooms have a north-south orientation for optimum natural light, and hallways have south-facing clerestory windows. For safety, the corridor and classrooms are separated from the controlled-access entry.
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