Tomball ISD—Early Excellence Academy
Architects: DLR Group
The Tomball ISD Early Excellence Academy is a 57,289 SF facility serving 3 and 4 year old pre-kindergarten students in Tomball ISD. The fully new-construction campus houses approximately 550 early learners and is the first dedicated early childhood learning center in Tomball ISD. The design of the space is rooted in biophilic elements that evoke curiosity and connection to the natural world. With a design concept rooted in scale and growth, an immersive experience is curated as the learner journeys through the space. By thoughtfully curating the physical environment in a manner that engages the user in their surroundings, the learner and educator alike are afforded the opportunity to use the school as a tool for learning, making the district’s promise of “every student, every day” come to life in new ways. DLR Group provided architecture, interior design, FF&E, and environmental graphic design services.
Design
“Design is approached holistically by focusing on play-based learning, wonderment, scale & flexibility, and naturalness & nature.
- Play based learning: The learning environment facilitates learning outcomes by engaging the child’s natural curiosity and creativity.
- Wonderment: The imagination of the child comes to life as they journey through a storybook depicted on the walls of their school.
- Scale & Flexibility: The design of the learning environment is appropriately scaled to the needs of the district’s youngest learners, enhancing the early learning experience.
- Naturalness & Nature: The design inspires a love of nature through the interplay of nature between humans and the world around them. “
Value
“The design provides value to the school district & community, value in teaching & learning, value in constructability, and in an integrated design process.
- To School District & Community: Consolidates district-wide pre-kindergarten education into one inspiring facility.
- In Teaching & Learning: A “learning pod” configuration and immersive interior environment allow for flexibility and use of the campus as a tool for teaching & learning.
- In Constructability: Short-term efficiency and long-term reliability are achieved through simplicity of form materials, and a collaborative construction method.
- In an Integrated Design Process: A collaborative and transparent design process saved time and unified the owner, architect, and contractor.”
Wellness
“The design supports the whole wellbeing of its users through sensory stimulation, inclusivity & individualization, connections to nature, and educator wellness.
- Sensory Stimulation: Biophilic themes, color cumulation, and acoustic control are carefully designed for proper sensory stimulation.
- Inclusivity + Individualization: The campus is designed to give ownership, personalization, and comfort to all learners.
- Connections to Nature: Equitable, safe and secure access to outdoor learning and play increases wellness and engagement.
- Educator Wellness: Programmatic & design decisions create an educator workplace on campus.”
Community
“The design enhances the community’s culture, identity, and diversity by celebrating the lifecycle of learning, the joy of learning, and accessibility of learning.
- Lifecycle of Learning: Providing for the needs of the community’s earliest learners instills the power of lifelong learning.
- Joy of Learning: The campus becomes a place where students want to go & love to be.
- Accessibility of Learning: Community and regionally appropriate design features make the learning environment relevant to the learning & place.”
Planning
“An integrated planning process was used to accomplish the project’s mission, program, and goals by planning with purpose, planning with passion, planning with efficiency, and planning with clarity.
- Planning with Purpose: Clear expectations and guiding principles drove the design from iteration through construction and occupancy.
- Planning with Passion: Collaborative design process with district leadership allowed them to write the story of the campus, with students at the center.
- Planning with Efficiency: Early programming decisions were made to maximize learning space.
- Planning with Clarity: A transparent design process created a “no-surprises” outcome.”
School Transformation
“The inspirational design and the top-tier teaching and learning happening on this campus come together to create school transformation through a strong framework for transformation, by inspiring awe & wonder, and by connecting the design to the learning experience.
- Framework for Transformation: Transformational opportunity is delivered in design through joy, wellbeing, community, and engagement.
- Inspiring Awe and Wonder: Redefining the traditional educational atmosphere in an immersive experience.
- Connecting Design to the Learning Experience: Tangible tools custom to the design were created to connect students to their building and learning experience from day one.”
Star of Distinction Category Winner